Bands like Zion Ablaze don't drift through my pile of CD's much these days so a brief history lesson is in order. Goth (or gothic) music rose from a bunch of post-punk bands with drum machines back in the 80's such as Sisters of Mercy, The Mission and Fields Of The Nephilim, who's audiences were into the darker end of the late New Romantics and further focussed the style onto a very specific Edwardian Gothic era style (hence the name, obviously). One quirk of those seminal bands was that they all steadfastly refused to call themselves 'Goth' even though they were the leaders of the field. I have had the pleasure of kicking around with several members of original Goth bands and the scene for many years now and have seen at first hand how it petered out in the early 90's in the UK with only a few die-hards holding the torch. In the late nineties bands like Cradle of Filth, Nightwish, My Dying Bride and NFD breathed life back into the genre only this time forming bands with all the Gothic whistles and bells of the old Gothic look (if not necessarily the sound) and being completely and unashamedly "Goth", even additional Hammer Horror looks and Vampire chic as part of the scene. The music in the noughties is now cross-pollinated with black metal, leather & studs influences and operatic vocal lines. Thanks to a resurgence of interest, Goth style bands are currently huge in central Europe and festivals are springing up all over Germany, Sweden and Denmark. Back in the UK the revival has been a little more underground - but its definitely there.
So why the history lesson? Well I think to restore some balance to todays musical planets, for every X Factor winner or manufactured pop tart there should be a Cradle of Filth or Type O Negative it makes sense to me. Plus I would like to see the Goth genre flourish again as we seem to be way too top-heavy with jingly indie bands wearing jeans two sizes too small. So what of Zion Ablaze? (sorry for being side-tracked there). The fact that their band website is affiliated to Vampirefreaks.com probably tells you everything you need to know about what you're getting. What you have is a comprehensive list of modern 'Goth' clichés. Vampire imagery - check, female soprano-style singer (a la Nightwish and Filth) - check, Faustian pseudonyms- check, drum machine with added blast beats - check, lots of photos of the band members cavorting round cemeteries - check. Trust me on this I am not, repeat not, criticising Zion Ablaze for their deliberate tie-in to this, I am just, hopefully, painting a picture for those who don't get it, what its all about. Personally I like the look and for my tuppence worth, music should be about entertainment in all its forms and such theatre should be encouraged. But Zion Ablaze's approach is stylised and aimed at a niche market so you will either be into it or you won't. I would suggest an open mind when checking them out but fair play to them for sticking their necks out. But are they any good? As Goth bands go, they're 'ok'. Obviously they're at the start of their career and still have much to learn and to tighten up on. The music is still raw and they are finding there own style while currently sounding very much like a copy of Nightwish or Cradle of Filth are getting there. Some gigs and maybe a *real* drummer would push them a bit further forward. The thing is they have embraced the whole genre and are going for it, I commend them for that. No doubt they will get some stick for it but I genuinely wish them well, and I know that there's an audience for them out there somewhere, waiting.
