Album Review by EDF
Belisha are a five piece from the UK who have been compared to the likes of The Doors and The Sex Pistols but their music is a lot more than these comparisons. Vocalist Dan and guitarist Byder have known each other since school and back then they both had dreams of setting up their own group and conquering America. Years later Elric, Pit and Hawl joined the group and release their first album THE HOUNDED. After a successful stint in the US supporting ex-Misfits Myke Hideous, Belisha release their follow-up album PEOPLE OF THE DARK.
The strains of a religious sermon on the opening track TRIBAL GATHERING leads to a shout of “your gods are dead” on AGNOSTIC JIHAD. Funnily enough you actually believe them as they recurring chant “dead” to prove their point. While the group are described as gothic rock, they sound a lot harder and could easily be mistaken for a metal band. PEOPLE OF THE DARK proves that they can write a radio friendly song while the production gives the track an edge.
WANT pushes the track forward with Byder’s crunching guitar riff which gives the whole album a more dramatic sound. While EYES THAT BLACKEN proves to the listener that the group’s roots are gothic, SHROUD OF KING sounds like the group had picked up their gear and recorded it in Morocco. Belisha does not rely too much on loud crunching guitar riffs and they show off their diversity on the acoustic THE LONE GHOST. ILLUMINATI is another fine example that Belisha can write tuneful songs with a fast driving beat.
With all heavy guitar groups, if by the end of the album you want to listen to the CD again, then the group have done their job well. We will have to wait and see whether they will gain the attention of the music media but going by what this group is doing on what is essentially their second album, you can tell that they have a lot to offer. Don’t let their gothic rock label put you off either as Belisha lets their music do all the talking in the hope to gain wider recognition. People should take them serious as the name Belisha comes from a German ancestor of Dan’s who turned out to be a murderer. Figures.
