ALBUM REVIEW: Gary Numan justifies longevity with Industrial 'Dead Sun Rising'
Sometimes highly influential artists lose their public appeal as the years roll by.
For example, in America, '80s synthpop act Soft Cell is remembered by their big hit “Tainted Love,” a cover of Ed Cobb’s original composition.
However, to write off Soft Cell as a one-hit wonder would be folly, as they had multiple Top 40 hits and laid much of the influence for house and techno music in the UK.
Likewise, synthpop legend Gary Numan is primarily remembered by his 1979 hit “Cars” (and if you’re particularly savvy, his 1979 hit “Are ‘Friends’ Electric” with Tubeway Army). But just like Soft Cell, Numan saw much critical success through the '80s and in the '00s.
With the release of “Dead Sun Rising,” Numan adds yet another release into his expansive discography. Since the 2000s, Numan’s sound has become increasingly more industrial-themed and “Dead Sun Rising” is no exception. The album starts out with the instrumental track “Resurrection,” followed by the songs “Big Noise Transmission” and “Dead Sun Rising." Sans “Resurrection,” because of its instrumental nature, these opening tracks sound of standard industrial fare with their dark fuzzy tones and vocals buried under effects and foreign electronic sounds.
After that is where this album really starts to shine. Starting with “When The Sky Bleeds, He Will Come,” the songwriting really kicks up the ante with fantastic soft-loud transitions, “For The Rest Of My Life” utilizing brilliant soundscapes and acoustic guitar, and “Not The Love We Dream Of” showcasing atmospheric value through piano usage.
The album takes a quick break from the more atmospheric feel for the single, “The Fall” and “We Are The Lost,” which both return to that much harder industrial sound. These songs are still fine, but lack that intriguing edge the more ambient and atmospheric songs bring to the table.
Thankfully, the album ends on that note. The “For The Rest Of My Life” reprise, “Into Battle” and piano version of “Not The Love We Dream Of” round this album out with brilliant texture.
“Dead Sun Rising” is at its best is when it is trying to bring atmospheric value to the table. Tracks like “The Fall” and “Big Noise Transmission” are more than sufficient with their standard industrial structure, but just cannot bring as much as when other tracks are bringing such dark, passionate, emotional energy and ambient design through their soundscapes, eerie tones and beautiful utilization of the piano.
Songs like the reprise of “For The Rest Of My Life” are absolutely chilling with their texture, and songs like “Into Battle” are unsettlingly alien with their unwelcoming, yet fascinating climax.
While “Dead Sun Rising” may exactly stick to one strain of industrial music, it nonetheless delivers a highly enjoyable experience, especially the more atmospheric ventures.
Genre: Industrial/Darkwave 4 out of 5 stars
