Blood On The Dance Floor

Anthem Of The Outcast EP

Written by: TL on 19/11/2012 19:33:26

Alright kids, here are a couple of protips for you, in case you want to start a band and get respect on websites that write about music: Firstly, do not make an album cover that looks like the one seen right there. Secondly, do not call your band something like Blood On The Dance Floor. Why not? Because the shock value in such a name is so corny and contrived even Alice Cooper would likely cringe. Thirdly, do not take stage names like Dahvie Vanity or Jayy Von Monroe - in fact, do not take such names AND, if you must wear band costumes, choose something a bit less "5$ halloween costume" than.. well.. what's displayed on this cover.

If you fail to heed this advice, that's cool, but let's face it, you're setting your music up for some skeptical listens pretty much anywhere you send it in for review. Good music does conquer all of course, so despite the fact that "Anthem Of The Outcast" is the newest release from a band that clearly did not think to hire me as consultant when working out their concept, it should theoretically stand as much of a chance for a good review as any other.

Theoretically.

Okay, so to be fair, plenty of bands have made good music by keeping it simple and writing songs with just three parts. Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus - rinse, repeat, succeed. Really though, when the odds are stacked against you the way they are when you have ignored every bit of advice I gave in the first paragraph, another protip would be to give more than minimum effort. Yet minimum effort is pretty much the order of the day here on "Anthem Of The Outcast" EP, with the average song on offer being about this complicated, so well, that's that.

Okay, but music isn't all about complexity. What about the style and feeling of the music? With our dudes looking this classy and genuine, surely we can expect nothing but a unique, heartfelt sound? Well, I guess unique is one word that could be used appropriately for the mix of metalcore-lite and teenage-friendly gothy electro-punk that Vanity and Monroe amalgate into an EP that is seemingly an early venture outside of electronica cheap sounding techno. There are some theatrical instruments happening that are clearly sampled, but the actual meat on the bones is indeed guitar and drums, at least early on, and the main recipe seems to be a fast/pseudo-heavy part (complete with cookie monster growls) contrasting an epic, clean-sung one with compelling lyrics such as "Whoa-oh-oh! We will not bow down! Whoa-oh-oh! The anthem of the outcast!" from the title track.

As the record drags on with its 9 tracks soon giving us a taste of both the band's balladry and their electronic background, I could go into more detail, but really, I feel like I'm wasting my time. Clearly, if you have the intellect to read even this far without your brain hurting, then surely this is not a band for you. Should that somehow seem like faulty logic then maybe you are in Blood On The Dance Floor's target audience, and you are then likely a part of a very special minority seen from where I'm sitting. Good for you. The best thing I can say about "Anthem For The Outcast" however, is that if we forget about the awful, awful ballad "Don't Want To Be Like You" or the crappy electronics of the "Matroda Remix" of "Unforgiven", then there are actually moments of mediocre rock music when, if I wasn't paying attention, I wouldn't be knocking over furniture in a wild scamper to change the song. That and it makes bands like Black Veil Brides and Aiden sound really good all of a sudden. Here's some more simple advice though kids: If you want to start bands, take everything BOTDF do and don't do that.

2

Download: Really?
For The Fans Of: Cinema Bizarre, Tokio Hotel, Snow White's Poison Bite
Listen: facebook.com/bloodonthedancefloor

Release Date 26.11.2012
Dark Fantasy Records

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