Lady Darkevyl - Lady Darkevyl

​Lady Darkevyl

​Lady Darkevyl
self-released; 2015

3.5 out of 5

By Ted Rogen
​

Lady Darkevyl is a band from North Carolina who recently released their self-titled album Lady Darkevyl. They have a dark, gothic rock vibe that is cemented with mythological, fantasy-lore based lyrics. On top of that there is a bit of an ‘80s vibe you can hear within the music.

They start things off with “Request” that is more or less an intro which is sparse and sets the general mood for the rest of the album. They combine the sound of crickets, a rickety guitar and sparsely placed piano. 

“Apocalyptical Apologist” which is a great name for a song also happens to fit. There is a mysterious atmosphere that is created between the synth, guitars, bass and drums. The lyrics paint vivid imagery. She sings, “Let war spread far/and famine wide/give pestilence will have death us by.” I was left with a slight Fleetwood Mac vibe. 

I wasn’t completely prepared for the beginning of “Blood Surfer” which starts off with intense double bass drum action but quickly subsides. There is LA noir/surf vibe at points, which the band pulls off and combines with the darkness. Some of the vocal parts sound as if the band is performing a séance. “I’m Alive” is almost upbeat compared to some of the other songs and is arguably the single while “Dead Things” feels like a dance in despair and loneliness. They plow through a number of other solid songs including the centerpiece entitled “Silver Spider.”

The songwriting is solid throughout this album and the band certainly has established a distinct vibe to their music. I thought the vocal performances and delivery was just about perfect for the music and the band mixed it up quite well between experimenting and fairly standard rock song structure. My only minor quibble is the production, which could have been a bit improved at points. 

Overall, Lady Darkevyl is for a niche audience but I have a feeling if the right people hear it they will eat it up.

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