Trouble in Mind
This year was a great one for those in love with the sound of horror. Not only did various upstart labels deliver tons of killer soundtrack reissues but prog-horror kings Goblin even embarked on their first-ever North American tour. So it’s not surprising that previously punk-minded musician Alex Cuervo (of the Hex Dispensers) has embraced his dark side for his debut solo full-length as Espectrostatic .
It doesn’t take long to hear Cuervo’s influences boil to the surface as his synth-fuelled creepers quickly bring to mind horror-score icons like John Carpenter Fabio Frizzi and yes Goblin. Mostly the Austin-based musician makes good use of some tried and true formulas employing some demonic choral synth here a bit of eerie piano there and a bunch of ghostly electronic ambiance all around. It’s very much like the shadowy avenues pursued by like-minded horror revivalists like Umberto and Zombi though with Espectrostatic embracing a chillier more beat-oriented approach.
And while Cuervo does his best to add his own spin to things the record does have a bad way of seeming a bit “horror by numbers” at times. Still if you’re looking to give your Carpenter records a rest Espectrostatic will do the trick.
