Requiem

The Unexplainable Truth

One of goth-punk band I Am Ghost's last tours was with the Birthday Massacre, which in hindsight was fitting: Frontman Steven Juliano's next project, Requiem—formerly known as Requiem For The Dead—aim to capture the melodic, poppy synth-goth spirit of the latter group. On The Unexplainable Truth, they're somewhat successful. Atmospheric, haunted mansion keyboards float through multiple songs—most effectively on the desperate, sandpaper-coated “Gather Round the Spoke Pile”—while vocalist Jacklyn Paulette adds pleasing detached-vixen flair to chugging punk-pop tunes such as “Now Or Never Days.” Still, at its core, The Unexplainable Truth is nothing more than a standard post-hardcore/screamo record with gothic lowlights. Songs nod to acts such as AFI (“Where The Hell Did The Romance Go”) and My Chemical Romance (“Goodbye Beautiful”), while the record's drilling riffs, thrashing tempos and screeching-bat vocals are unfortunately generic. In the moment, The Unexplainable Truth is certainly enjoyable—but in the end, it breaks no new ground.

Cleopatra http://cleopatrarecords.com

“Goodbye Beautiful”