If you’re a regular visitor to The Midlands Rocks then you’ll probably agree with me that the dark is often more attractive than the light. You’ll often find more interesting things hiding in the shadows rather than basking in the spotlight’s glare, and case in point are Orlando crew Dark Divine. Self-described “spooky rock band”, Dark Divine deal in deliciously crepuscular music that is, like a crooked finger at an evil carnival, strangely enticing. If you need proof, look no further than their Deadly Fun album, that’s made all the more enticing now that it has been given the deluxe treatment.
Some music immediately reaches from the speakers and shakes you from your revere and no more so than opening (and title) track ‘Deadly Fun’. A mixture of metal, goth and dark electronica, it’s held together by a groove that swings with wrecking ball force. In fact, the production is a real boon; I’ve often heard band’s of Dark Divine’s musical density sound muddy (and ineffectual) due to a poor mix, but the producer has done a stellar job here by employing the full dynamic range and stretching the band to their absolute limit. The resulting sound turns the band into a multi-headed hydra, and one that attacks the listener from several angles. It’s an important tool in the band’s arsenal; Dark Divine can often be a schizophrenic beast, not only in terms of genres, but sonically too as they twist and turn and shapeshift over the course of fourteen tempestuous tracks. From the emotive ‘Cold’ to the nu-metal punch of ‘Terrifier’ to the melodic skip of ‘Dancing Dead’, Dark Divine move between each with a kind of savage grace.
As the days shorten, the nights become colder and Halloween approaches, it seems that now is the perfect time to experience Deadly Fun. Like a razor blade hidden in an apple, Dark Divine serve up an album that’s part trick, part treat (though it leans heavily towards the latter). I’m picking up the same kind of vibes I experienced when I originally heard the first White Zombie album, and with tracks such as the blood-thirsty ‘Hive Mind’ and the bone-crunching ‘Grave Digger’ at their disposal, Dark Divine could do similar business. They’ve a sound and aesthetic that has definite crossover appeal and will attract fans of punk and metal in equal measure along with more hardy souls from the goth community.
A synthwave version of ‘Drown’ and a cinematic reworking of ‘Cold’ are added as bonus cuts and illustrate just how elastic the band’s sound is, and like plasticine can be beaten into different shapes. The darkness has never looked so bright.
- Deadly Fun (Deluxe) is released via Thriller Records on 4th October 2024.
- Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | X
Track List:
1. Deadly Fun
2. Drown
3. Cold
4. Terrifier
5. Dancing Dead
6. Paper Crown (Ft. Bryan Kuznitz)
8. Hive Mind
8. Grave Digger
9. Moving On
10. The Reaper
11. Burn The Witch
12. Digital Numb
13. Drown (Synthwave)
14. Cold (Cinematic)
