Elyria

One of goth rock's most enchanting, Faith and the Muse explore old English mysticism, specifically Celtic musicianship and lyrical stories for a stunning debut, Elyria. Monica Richards' tempting vocals are airy and unreserved, and William Faith's intricate guitar work remains in her shadow, however that's the beauty of Elyria. Richards' voice is the nucleus of Faith and the Muse's charm, for her lyrical wizardry is wistful and concretely imaginative. "Vervain" dances over chiming acoustics and breezy flutes, and a dark ambience rises over the soundscape itself. "The Unquiet Grave," which freely twirls with traditional Irish folk, is theatrical and poetic almost, but it's the tribal fusion found on "The Trauma Coil" that twists the Faith & the Muse's musical bliss. Faith's haunting brood, which is similar to the likes of Ministry's Al Jourgensen's vocal thrashing, is layered over clamoring riffs for a momentous industrial-tinged track. Elyria transcends into a deep chasm of gothic theatrics that are both eerie and sophisticated. The club hit "Sparks," one of the Faith and the Muse's most familiar songs, is true hearted. Richards and Faith shimmer inside their most personal desires, leaving the lucid aspects of the song to simply arrive. Faith and the Muse are without airs, and Elyria captures their darkwave musical beauty. ~ MacKenzie Wilson