A mighty explosion of noise, something fast and powerful and vibrantly alive. Within the assault, a strong female voice fiercely declaiming. A whirling, howling maelstrom of non-stop action.
This was my first exposure to Death Cigarettes and it was love at first sight. I’ve seen literally hundreds of acts – big things, next big things and things that shouldn’t have ever been. Then this band struck me like a bolt of lightning and blew everything else away.
Some bands play. Some bands perform. Apart from and above them all is Death Cigarettes, who break the third wall between band and audience, who literally and viscerally engage with a crowd, playing with them as a kitten toys with a mouse before sinking its teeth in for the kill. You want to stand about, nursing your pint, texting a friend? Not while this lot are on, matey.
Typically beginning a show within the crowd itself, the dainty demi-dervish that is singer Maya belies her innocent looks with powerfully compelling vocals and a literally in-your-face attitude that fascinates and terrifies in equal measure. Whether on stage or off, Maya is She Who Cannot Be Contained, a feminine fury who commands all before her. There is no hiding place.
And no respite elsewhere. Even if Maya is lost in the crowd, the rest of the band often only barely constrain themselves to remain on stage, attacking their instruments as though their lives depended on thrashing them to pieces. It isn’t a random racket; it is a structured, apocalyptic demolition as precise as that which ensures that a detonated chimney stack collapses straight down rather than through the roof of the school next door.
They’ve got tunes too. You’re tapping your foot as you’re running for cover. “Bleed You Dry” starts with a simple keyboard riff, overtaken by a wall of guitars, the vocals a heart rending plea. On “Deadication” it’s Maya the Dominatrix, declaring that “You are disgusting to me!” The guitars churn and buzz, drums pound. It’s not a song likely to be covered on X Factor anytime soon. More’s the pity.
“If You Take Me Apart” is a tumult of noise, as the listener descends into the ‘disco light/disco dark’. “Inertia” is another soul tearing lament, the music shredding the senses as certainly as the singer pours out her despair. On “Revolution” the cry is one of empowerment, a call to arms. A song of such dynamic force that you are punching the air in wild-eyed delight.
If this seems over the top, then it reflects the power and presence of the band. Are Death Cigarettes the best band around? Hell, right now, they are the ONLY band around.
