Search - Death in June :: But, What Ends When Symbols Shatter?

What Ends Indeed!

Gregor | New Albion | 07/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The question asked in the title sets the tone and theme of this CD. What happens when the archtypes of our culture are destroyed? This is a call to the real cultural war, a call to return to the pre-Christian symbols driven deep into our souls."

Dark and Enchanting folk-noir album, DIJ's best

IcemanJ | Ohio, USA | 08/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally I've managed to write a review of this album, I've been meaning to for over a year... It's not like it's not inspiring, just never got around to it. A lot of this album has the same feel, but the sound is so soothing and atmospheric, you don't want it to change. That gentle, rhythmic, melodic, yet mysterious strumming is what you will come to expect in each song. A few songs have the addition of trumpets and keyboards, other than that it is mainly guitar and vocals, with a thick echo layered over most of the album.



The first four songs are probably the most solid of the album; they will envelop you and inevitably hold your attention for the rest of it.

"Little Black Angel" seems to be a popular favorite, with relatively fast-paced strumming and the trumpet evolving near the end of the song.

"The Giddy Edge of Light" is probably my favorite; it's a little slower-paced and more atmospheric. "Hollows of Devotion" includes trumpet sprinkled throughout the entire song. "Ku Ku Ku" and "This is not Paradise" are the two oddballs on the album, the former having some strange African drumming and very unusual lyrics, and "This is not Paradise" having French and English vocals atop each other, which is kind of interesting, but kind of annoying.

The last song, the title track is one of the best, leading up to that great chorus, and the ending very suddenly.



This was my first DIJ album and one of my first folk-noir albums, it truly pushed me to further check out the genre. This album has a truly unique feel that I don't experience on any of my other 290+ CDs, not even other Death in June albums. It is also my favorite all-around DIJ album, I enjoy many aspects of their other albums but nothing else is quite as perfect as this."

KU KU KU BABY

Philippe Landry | Louisiana | 10/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just finished watching Mussolini Ultimo Atto and "Death Is The Martyr Of Beauty" reminds me of Mussolini just sitting, exhaustedly contemplating everything with a look of not wanting to be here nor there. Symbols shattering, definitely. I love the humour of this whole album -- it's so subtle. I took me a little bit to get into this album but the simplicity and ambiguity go a long long way.



I hate how Douglas P.'s music is always associated with the trite gothic/industrial subset. I know that scene is kind of his bread and butter but his work goes far beyond whatever crud is churned out by that genre. It's actually quite Roman Catholic(as I am), especially NADA! and The World That Summer. Very powerful and sacrificial, Very bright and golden. Very Rosa Mystica. The Virgin Is Blessed!"