I realize that by bringing in a full-fledged goth band I will piss-off quite a few of my fellow LARMsters. But heck, this is the least I could do. I will say, though, that this is the only goth album I own, and I probably wouldn't even bother writing about it, but I thought that the band's name would fit rather nicely within the walls of this establishment.

With that out of the way, I will say that with a possible exception of this - their first full-length, Christian Death was always very boring (and especially now, when Valor turned the band into an absolutely imbecile industrial-goth hybrid). I guess it has everything to do with goth music's maimed nature; I enjoy Rozz Williams' side-projects much more than his full-time band. Yet, "Only Theatre Of Pain" is considered to be a cornerstone of American goth. It was recorded in 1982, when Williams was barely into his 20's. It was also the time of that whole late 70's/early 80's wave of American punk-rock, and Christian Death indeed came into existence on the very wave of this punk explosion, and, the band's original line-up included the ex-Adolescents guitarist Rikk Agnew.

The afore-mentioned cornerstone of American goth is basically a marriage of gothic imagery and somewhat modified, mid-tempo punk rock. Despite Rozz's moaning, half-spoken vocals, it is pretty lively (at least in terms of something as lame as goth) thanks to that same punk influence. It is easily the best Christian Death album and one of the better, as well as one of the more influential, releases that the goth genre in general has to offer. I still wouldn't dare to recommend it to any self-respecting metalhead unless he is specifically interested in the genre.

I would also like to boast that my copy is an original vinyl released by Frontier Records as opposed to the re-issue by Epitaph several years back.

© 2000 boris