CD Reviews
Twin Tribes - Ceremony | Review
Twin Tribes - Ceremony
December 2019
Negative Gain Productions | Manic Depression Records
Twin Tribes second full length album "Ceremony" sounds as it is coming out from the darkest memories of the duo.
Twin Tribes returns just few days before the end of 2019. "Ceremony" is the second full length album for the duo from Texas, and it is one of the releases that will mark 2019. When you try to make up the list with the top albums of the year and you are almost done, there comes Twin Tribes with "Ceremony", and you have to reconsider. Negative Gain productions and Manic Depressions Records with "Ceremony" from Twin Tribes, give us one of the best albums of the year bringing these labels really high in fan's preferences.
Twin Tribes are coming from Texas. Formed back in 2017 from Luis Navarro and Joel Nino, Jr., residing in Brownsville, Texas, the duo carries all the beautifully mysterious dark culture of the Mexican neighbors (Luis Navarro is from Mexico) and creates a cold, dark romantic album, with some really interesting post-punk melodies and emotional vocals. "Ceremony" was officially released on December 13th, from Negative Gain Productions and Manic Depression Records. "Ceremony" is the second full length album from the Texan duo, following the critically acclaimed debut "Shadows", released in January 2018.
Starting with "Exilo" there is a strong sense of minimal synths coming all the way back from the 80's sounds. Being, actually a sort of intro, "Exilo" is a two minute welcome song to the dark world and waves of the Texan duo. "Heart and Feather" has been previously released as a single, and we knew what to expect. A song that here in ElektroSpank is already included in the favorite ones. Post-punk guitar riffs, totally sharp, cutting your breath. Dreamed synths and poetic words , beautifully sung from Luis Navarro.
"Avalon" stays in the lines of "Heart and Feather", with quite darker mood in arrangements and in Navarro's vocals. Strong synths in a new wave style, all in higher tempo. Next is "The River", another one of the previously released as a single. In here, we can listen to a strong dark wave, post-punk melody in all aspects, synths, guitars, drums, vocals and lyrics. "Obsidian" keeps this dark ambience creating a strong emotional soundscape with the low tempo and a melody in synths and guitar coming right out from the 80's music box. Vocals, once more are fulfilling this atmosphere. An amazing dark romantic melody, that didn't want to end.
'Fantasmas" is the second of the songs that was unveiled prior to "Ceremony"'s official release date. In several dark clubs and playlists, already a hit. "Fantasmas" is about ghosts, but not a ghost story. Influenced by the Mexican culture about the ghosts this a song for everyone's dark past. Music-wise it a strong cold, post-punk composition, with a riff that sticks in your head. "VII" uses a strong bass-line to build the melody upon. Synth parts are close to electric piano sound and vocals slide on this bass line, all in a mid-tempo.
"Upir" has this beautiful drum machine beat and clap, matched with the guitar in harmony. Dark vocals about love and death in a four line lyrics. "Perdidos" seems quite closer to new and cold wave and new romantics style with the synths in the front. Closing track is "Shrine". Emotional vocals with poetic mood in a mid to low tempo song including the elements that characterize the whole "Ceremony" concept.
Twin Tribes are just a two years old band and are definitely creating their path and mark in cold, dark wave and modern post-punk sound. "Ceremony" is an amazing follow up to the beautiful "Shadows" debut album, showing the progress that Navarro and Nino have made. A compact album with strong melodies and dark emotions. An album using some of the Mexican dark stories about ghosts as part of influence and talking about love, death and darkness.
Info:
https://twintribes.bandcamp.com/
https://twintribesngp.bandcamp.com/
