Album review: History Of Guns – Acedia

… which only goes to show that you should never judge an album by its single. Where I originally lumped in History Of Guns with the industrial Goth aesthetic, this album is so much more; the sonic smorgasbord of Acedia is ill-served by the relatively makeweight Gothic-industrial-dance that their first release “Empty Eyes” implied.

Darker, more haunting, conceptually more groundbreaking and certainly over-emoted Acedia may be, but its nihilistic pulse is profoundly evident throughout. The occasionally stereotypical Goth vocals detract from the raging existential musical base which, astonishingly, sounds like a full band in flight but turns out to be essentially the work of one man.

Opening with the terrifying, foul-mouthed and controversial “Born, Brutalised, Bought then Buried” sets the tone for all that follows. This is nihilism at its most potent: from “Birth, School, Work, Death” via “Bornlivedie”, this is the final summation of the human condition as a life of pain and agony with no redeeming features. If you want joyous dance music, leave now.

History Of Guns do not make easy listening music, or even difficult listening music; some of Acedia is pure industrial noise. “Never Forgive You” clanks and clunks through certain phases of its running time with squalling, squealing sound topped by savage vocals and vicious words. The shuffling gait of “What Have They Done To Us?” is matched by the punk rhythms of “Never Forgive You” and broken up by the bleak electronic rhythms of “Killing Myself Until I Die” and “Empty Eyes”.

It’s a delight to hear a band that show no ego and no restraint, simply letting the message speak within the music. The thrust may be pessimistic and unswerving, but the variety of musical ideas is startling. History Of Guns are a fascinating and intricate proposition, and the hints of innovation and surprise on the double A-side single come to full fruition on Acedia, their multiple musical and vocal personalities welded together with noise and fear. It is little wonder that Acedia is defined on the album cover and apparently means: ‘a total absence of spiritual light. Spiritual torpor and apathy; ennui.’ So, all back to theirs for the party then?

Del Alien sings (and, I suspect, writes most of the words) but it is Max Rael who controls the music (being writer, player and producer). His world of sonic construction and manipulation is, at times, astonishingly open – and yet moments of dense and confrontational music appear all through Acedia. It is as if he has taken a pair of scissors and snipped up rock from the inside out; there are even moments where History Of Guns almost transcend their ultra-depressive aesthetic and aspire to reach Jesu-like realms of soaringly glorious redemption.

If Del Alien can just find his own individual voice, rather than aping Goth pretenders of old, History Of Guns will become massive. As it is, Acedia is an extraordinary musical work that promises much and mostly delivers it. With an eye on James Bond, they promise: ‘History Of Guns will return with Half Light‘. I, for one, can hardly wait.