Drab Majesty is the creation of Deb Demure, a pseudonym of Andrew Clinco who plays drums in Marriages. On The Demonstration, Deb is joined by keyboardist Mona D. Drab Majesty plays a form of goth/coldwave that’s heavily informed by 80s new wave. Their music is full of lush, ethereal synths and guitars, but yet the music retains an element of isolation and separation reminiscent of a lot of 80s goth and coldwave music.
The idea of isolation and separation is reflected in their unique lyrical subject: the Heaven’s Gate cult. For those that don’t know, the Heaven’s Gate cult was a cult in the mid-90s that believed that the Hale-Bopp comet was accompanied by a UFO. Thirty-nine (the number referenced in “39 By Design”) members of the cult committed mass suicide because they believed that they would physically and spiritually ascend to the UFO.
Bands like The Cure (especially Disintegration) and the Cocteau Twins are clearly big influences for Drab Majesty. However, Drab Majesty also has an ear for big pop choruses that are more attributable to 80s new wave bands like Tears for Fears than any goth band from the same period. The shifts in chords and keys in the songs are not always expected, but they add immensely to the replay factor of the album.
While The Demonstration is firmly established in the ethereal coldwave sounds of the 80s, the album is not simply a nostalgic trip down gothic lane. Deb’s expert song craft, keen sense of melody, and unique lyrical concepts make The Demonstration one of the best albums of 2017 thus far.
Recommended If You Like: The Cure, Cold Cave, Clan of Xymox, Cocteau Twins, Sisters of Mercy, Tears for Fears, Marriages
Recommended Tracks: 2 (Dot in the Sky), 3 (39 by Design), 4 (Not Just a Name), 6 (Too Soon to Tell), 7 (Cold Souls)
Do Not Play: None, but avoid 1 (Induction), 5 (Hath No Form), and 8 (A Spire Points At The Heavens)
Written by Josh Gaston on 03/03/2017