The latest Brainclaw CD, Insekt/Angel, received a fantastic review in the December issue of Sideline Music Magazine. The staff reviewer happily describes Brainclaw as “…one of the most exciting new talents to emerge for some time…”
Brainclaw - Insekt/Angel (CD Auroviral)
Brainclaw are the husband & wife team of David & Tara Guiffre & if there’s any justice in this world they are going to be massive. David has actually released a number of albums under the Brainclaw name in the past but as it marks Tara’s musical debut it’s being treating as a new start for the band & they’ve even taken the brave step of funding & promoting it themselves.
The duo’s self-belief is rewarded with an album that completely blew me away as soon as I first heard it & is sure to bring them fans worldwide. Their influences are noticeable with Nine Inch Nails circa “Pretty Hate Machine” being a reference point on the majestic “Voluptuosa” & the instantly addictive “When The Dark Rains Fall” (which has already proven it’s worth by being included on both the “Spiderman” & “Matrix Revolutions” soundtracks) while many of the riffs owe a debt to Gary Numan, not least those that grace the opening “Softkill”.
However, the wide range of rock, industrial & dark cyber elements, mixed with an undoubted talent for top-drawer songwriting, as further proven by the flawlessly executed title track, which is the aural equivalent of love at first site, gives Brainclaw a sound that is very much their own, obviously synthetic but possessed of a very human heart & that side of their sound is emphasized more forcefully by the hauntingly beautiful “Burn My Will”, where David’s vocals resemble those of Pitchfork’s Peter Spilles to an uncanny degree & as a startling contradiction, the anthemic cyber-rocker “Unsafe” which is sure to be massive.
It’s also nice to see a the band taking instrumentals seriously, as on the excellent “Icarus Wings”, which fits in well with the album as a whole. By Contrast the remixes by Eurovision & Endif never stood a chance of equaling the originals so it’s hardly surprising they sound so lackluster in comparison, despite some promising melodic touches. Without a doubt Brainclaw are one of the most exciting new talents to emerge for some time so don’t miss out on this, get infected now!(clj:8/9)CLJ
