In Letter Form
Fracture. Repair. Repeat.
Metropolis
Make a new sound, and soon enough it’s an old sound. In Letter Form looks back to the gothic sound of the 1980s; their press material boasts their sound draws on Echo and the Bunnymen, Joy Division and every other band you had to wear dark eyemake up to appreciate. And it’s not hyperbole, these guys really do a great job of covering the sound. When I first listen to this before reading the notes, it truly did sound like we all missed an album. Lead vocalist Eric Douglas Miranda has that deep, gloomy tones that sound so wonderful when the reverb kicks in. You can hear classical vocal training, he draws out notes far longer than any mere mortal ought to. He covers the keys as well, and however he’s set all those little digital sliders and feedback loops, the sound is 100% authentic.
Guitars are covered by a guy named James Levis; they too have that distant echoed sound that recalls illegal concerts in an abandoned warehouse, gloomy Berlin clubs and the sort of depressing scene that was so well loved. This set of tunes is as clean and lovable as the source material; and if you still look back fondly on this danceable, drugable darkness, you will not be disappointed.
