From “The Priestess” to “Empire of Dis,” there’s scarcely a moment in the new record Empire of Dis by The New Jacobin Club that isn’t driven by guitar power to some extent, whether presented in metallic or guttural punk tones. There’s a lot to be said about some of the poetic elements in songs like “In Crimson Snow,” but make no mistake about it – Empire of Dis is a record that was made to present us with carnage of a sonic variety, starting with the depth of the fretwork as we find it in one raw instance after another. The New Jacobin Club haven’t got the most competitive scene, but they’re playing like it really matters in this LP.
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Structurally speaking, this tracklist comes together quite seamlessly and implies a continuity that goes well beyond aesthetical themes. While “In Crimson Snow” and “The Hunter” embody moodiness, “What is the Night” and “Blue Serpents” imply something much more sinister than the rest of the LP, which helps to finish up the narrative on a particularly dark note. The gothic influences here are obvious, but not necessarily overstated next to any of the other artistic feeds we can easily hear in the stylization of the music. Empire of Dis doesn’t need a progressive plot to feel like a rock opera – truth be told, its larger-than-life musicianship is enough to make it feel epic on its own.
There’s definitely not as much cosmetic fluff as I’m used to hearing in a crossover in this album, and I largely credit the efficiency of the composing for this. The New Jacobin Club are really tightly wound together, but they don’t play robotically; in all actuality, they’ve got a much more fluid design to their music than some of their closest rivals do, and it isn’t because they’re abusing synthetic componentry best left on the sidelines altogether for a rock release.
Tone is one of the most underrated elements in all of pop music, and from the looks of this LP, I would have to assume The New Jacobin Club are in complete agreement with me on this one. They’re putting a lot of effort into making this piece as tonally expressive in songs like “Behind the Veil” and “Slenderman” as it is lyrically sound in “The Hunter,” which requires a lot more investment in the labor end of the recording process than some are able to muster up. I’m impressed with their dedication, and I’ve got a feeling this is just a small intro to what they can do when they’ve got the right kind of motivation in or outside of the studio.
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I just discovered the music of The New Jacobin Club recently, but I get the feeling that they’ve got a lot of ground they want to cover still, starting of course with the lyrical substance they’re just beginning to properly develop in this tracklist. Their playing chops are excellent, and I expect to hear a lot more magic from their camp in future years – so long as they stay away from the blatant synthesized nonsense that has too often stopped some of goth’s most exciting young talent from breaking into a much larger marketplace.
Claire Uebelacker