Album review: Christ vs. Warhol - Dissent

Post-Punk/Deathrock

Album released 2010

★★★★
Review by DJ Boxer
Favorite Track:     Paper Dolls

It was a warm summer’s day at Wave Gotik Treffen back in 2010 when I found myself and a few friends waiting outside of the Felsenkeller venue. As usual at WGT, it was a difficult decision to make (as Pink Turns Blue was playing at Werk II) however, Sex Gang Children were playing at Felsenkeller too and that became the deciding factor for our choice of a venue for the day. By a stroke of luck, there was another band we’ve had yet to hear of set to play early on in the day called Christ Vs. Warhol. Their performance throughout which we originally intended to sit around and drink beer while waiting for Sex Gang blew us all away and from then on, I was instantly hooked.

The Californian group came together in the studios of William Faith (Faith and the Muse) to produce their debut release, "Dissent". The album is 45 minutes of political and emotive Deathrock lined with Post-Punk elements and a few melancholic tracks for good measure. The instrumental composition is not overly complicated which helps to not only keep the listeners feet tapping to the songs, but to also compliment the lyrical arrangement.



The first track, "A New Model of the Universe" pulls you out of whatever world you're currently in, and lines you up for the onslaught of the following tracks. You're suddenly hit with "Cross of Lorraine", "Paper Dolls" and "Dissent" with Eveghost's aggressive vocals really helping to emote their politically charged and – at times – mocking lyrics.

"...They label healthcare akin to fascism
As they kowtow to the gods capitalism
Force-feeding images of prosperity
They feed you what you want to hear, so comforting
When the corporations shell out the big money
They got one thing right: freedom isn't free
There's a price on each and every politician's head
And a corporate logo on their sleeve..."
- Secret

As the album weaves its way through its political and social commentary to the tune of Scarlet Remains-esque guitars together with a driving bass and drum line, the tracks take a seemingly personal turn with "Fade" and "And If You Forget". Instrumental effects become softer with Eveghost's vocals now constantly within a higher vocal range complimented by a few lines in french as if to juxtapose with their more political overtones on the rest of the album.

"...But when you said "Could we kiss?",
And petals came to spread,
In a heart long wilted and dead..."
- Fade

The album ends with "Robin Hood In Reverse", a commentary on the current economic crisis engulfing the USA and the Government’s inability to balance their social responsibility with the corporate greed from the banking sector. This is an interesting track for Christ vs Warhol to finish with, but helps to remind the listener why this album was written, and in fact, what most of this album is about, dissent.

Line up:

Eveghost - Vocals
Steven James - Guitars
Marzia Rangel - Bass
Geoff Bruce - Drums

Website: http://christvswarhol.bigcartel.com/