Saintchimaera

Tales of Juni
by Angela Dauthi

Here’s a new one: Gothic Art Rock. Well, to be honest, the two have never really been that far apart, at least in terms of overall atmosphere. But Saintchimaera brings the two forms closer together, with adventurous guitar breaks and ambiguous lyrics. But with heavy bass and rhythms that stalk across the songs, Tales of Juni definitely appeals to the darker aspects of one’s soul. Take the chorus from “Love Gun Family.” Straight out of Sisters of Mercy territory, but with an odd guitar wreaking havoc in the background (or possibly violin, I can’t be sure). Saintchimaera uses an upright bass, which somehow adds extra low end to the mix, lumbering along with the drums, grounding the lead instruments, which explore their sonic range as Daniel Liszt moans and chants lyrics like “So the moment passes and it’s buried deep / Now the brutal lesson becomes the living.” But even with all this brooding, Tales of Juni still has a positive vibe. There’s a relaxed pleasantness here, something that doesn’t usually come across on either a Goth or Art Rock albums. There’re the usual elements – confidence, gloominess, and a hint of pretension, but underneath there is a strong feeling that they usually smile a lot. Their live shows are usually an extravagant production, reminding me a little of what a David Bowie cabaret would look like. Flashy, but kind of seedy, too.