About 18 months have passed since Endless Shame released their third studio album “Generation Blind”, which also was the bands first release on Italian label EK Product. Now they are back with their 4th studio album “Elevator”.
The trio, with two members from the EBM band Autodafeh, have been working hard and through their journey we (the public) have been able to get a glimpse into the recording process of the album with small previews from the studio.
The band continue with their Dark and catchy Synthpop and “Elevator” is the next step, but it still have that recognizable sound we’ve got from previous albums. However, the main thing you will notice a change in is actually the sound. The rockier elements have more or less been put aside to let the machines take a larger role. Something you’ll notice right away with the very catchy opener “Freakshow. Following with probably the strongest track on the album, “Hear Me Now” will for sure get the melodic loving devil in you to scream of joy. The chorus reminds me of Pet Shop Boys, but yet again that is something the band manage to mix very well. Elements from the 80′s with modern ones to get a very fresh and strong sound.
Also, “Elevator” is much higher in tempo with lots of up-tempo and danceable songs to move your feet to. The And One influenced “Winter Skies” and rapid melody will easily get you in the right mood with its more retro-based structure and once again flirting with the 80′s. Still, the trio have find a way this time to keep the core structure of what they have done so great before and evolve it into something fresh and varied. Singer Mattias Levin once again deliver a top-notch vocal performance. I like the up-tempo style on “Elevator” a lot, and something I really missed on the last album. Instead, they have put lots of that here, but still it includes a couple of mid-tempo and slower songs. And to mention those, “Twilight Zone” and the ending “Saviour” keep you in your dreaming stage along with beautiful arrangements.
The band have really managed once again to deliver a very interesting album, and yet different from its predecessors. They have put it down to ten tracks but it got quality all the way and even if it barely hits a total playtime of 36 minutes it’s intense and powerful.