LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT

One of the living legends of gothic rock, a band that needs no special introduction, a band that has already inscribed its name in golden letters (in Gothic script) in the annals of music history, a band whose new album fans had been waiting for twelve long years (the last "proper" full-length came out back in 1996). As we can see, that's quite a considerable period, so concerns about how successful the comeback would be were entirely justified. Well then, it's all the more pleasant to realize that those concerns proved unfounded. The new album is genuinely good, and its only drawback is the lack of truly new ideas. This is the same good old LAM playing solid gothic rock, and for me (and for the majority of Sean Brennan's fans, I'm sure) such loyalty to the chosen style is more of a plus than a minus. This is mid-tempo gothic rock with a slight leaning toward electronic sound, though there are plenty of guitar parts as well. Sean's distinctive vocals (who, incidentally, performs all instrumental parts on the album) are instantly recognizable and perfectly suited to the album's music. The album also features flute, saxophone, and other wind instrument parts that nicely complement the core material, making it even more colorful and rich. The cover art in Soviet-style aesthetics serves as a symbol of opposition to fascism and war in general (including certain military actions by the USA). In summary: the comeback has happened, the album is excellent and will appeal to both longtime fans of the band and the new generation of goths.