CD Reviews

Raskolnikov - Lazy People Will Destroy You

February 2020

Manic Depression Records

Post-punk, cold, dark wave with roots from French legendary scene, while Raskolnikov adopt even some dark indie and shoegaze styles.

One of the really good surprises in current year's releases is the latest album of the Swiss-French band, Raskolnikov, "Lazy People Will Destroy You". Raskolnikov returned this year with their second full length album, released in February, 28th.  The four piece band, based somewhere between Geneva, Switzerland and Paris, France and consisting of Jérôme Blum - Drums, Quentin Allamand - Guitar / Synth, Mathieu Pawełski-Szpiechowycz - Bass Guitar / vocals and Pablo Garrido - Guitar, created a beautiful post-punk album with compact sound, powerful and sharp guitars, strong basslines, melodic and angry when it is needed.

"Lazy People Will Destroy You" comes with 10 tracks, all built in the strong basis of the main influences of the band. While its main sound is an obvious post-punk collection, Raskolnikov injected into these tracks the shoegazing melodies of Slowdive, the dark indie rhythms of Interpol but not only these. They expanded their sound, comparing to their debut, "Hochmut kommt vor dem Fall", going even beyond the lines of pure post-punk and dark wave.

The mood of the album is being settled from the first song, "Faut pas faire chier Albert Roche". With references to Pink Turns Blue the opening track shoots some heavy post-punk melodies, with the vocals of Mathieu Pawełski-Szpiechowycz expressing some real anger to escort the guitars and bass. Second is the already known "Stockholm 2". Original "Stockholm" can be found in their debut album, and here Raskolnikov bring this one to anew version, based on the shoegaze feeling of the original but with more power added and in an upper tempo.

"Fall Colours" combines the dark indie influences and elements with the shoegazing ambience of the quartet. "Montauk Point Lighthouse" is one of the highlights with a blend of the dark alternative and the post-punk sounds, it is a song that its rhythm, would be easily stuck in your head. "No Safety Word" begins with the guitars waving to the gothic sides of the band, while there is a strong sense of the 80's gothicness and dark wave influences. Using elements form the first wave of gothic could be the gothiest moment of the album.

"Vij" retains the same dark ambience with some long melancholic riffs close to the lines of a noise dark rock. "Sisyphos" is a call to the goth dancefloor with uptempo post-punk beats, bass, guitars. "Sold Dead Souls" is another one out of the best moments of "Lazy People Will Destroy You". Post-punk and cold wave sounds and a beautiful melody building the emotional dark ambience which dresses up the lyrics and the vocals of Mathieu.

Perhaps my own favorite, "Don't Want To See The Doctor Today". Raskolnikov created a melody, and a sound that will clearly make you think that this one could be one of Joy Division's tracks, passed to them after the unique touch of In Letter Form. But with a dose of raw anger in vocals. Sharp and heavy guitars leading to some dark places.

Closing track is another version of "Stockholm". The third version and "Stockholm 3" is a down tempo version of Raskolnikov's first album hit. Pure, low rhythm, dark indie, shoegaze sounds, a beautiful end to an excellent album.

Raskolnikov's "Lazy People Will Destroy You" is a really great come back, 3 years after their debut. With a compact sound, and maturity in every aspect. Main and strong influences are beautifully adopted and turned Raskolnikov's music to an obvious unique sound of the band. With the voice of Mathew moving from emotional to powerful and the whole band balancing equally and really good between shoegaze melodies, dark indie elements, post-punk power and gothic mood and ambience the French-Swiss quartet gave us one of this year's post-punk highlights.

 Info:

https://www.facebook.com/raskolnikov.band/

https://www.raskolnikov-band.com/

https://manicdepressionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/md119-raskolnikov-lazy-people-will-destroy-you

https://raskolnikovmusic.bandcamp.com/album/lazy-people-will-destroy-you