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CD ReviewKilling Miranda - "Blessed Deviant"By Marcus Pan
Killing Miranda have five members - Richard (lyrics, vocals, guitars, programming), 'Alien' Dave (lead/rhythm guitars), 'Irish' Dave (rhythm guitars), Chris (bass guitar) and Belle (drums). All have had their share of band experience with previous stints with Prophecy, Restoration II, One Track Mind, Cathedral Lung and even Nosferatu (live). They have quite a touring schedule and have future appearances planned in Glasgow, Bristol, Birmingham, Belfast, Dublin and a host of others. Quite the busy folk they are. Upon receipt of Blessed Deviant my initial reaction was, "Ah, punk rock lives!" Upon spinning the CD for the first time, the opening track of H8Red confirmed this - and the following tracks blasted the thought away. There is a strong hard-punk influence mixed throughout KMs work, indeed. But H8Red was the only straight punk rock song here. Afterwards we go to a more crossover style of spooky goth rock. This style is always edged with hard guitar riffs and rhythmic bass lines, but it becomes softer with more electronics, sprinkled samples and a more Sisterlike score.
The first track, as I said, is H8Red, a punk-ass stomping piece about rebelling and vengeance. "It's such a high to see how low you can go." Following this is the near-terrifying Burn Sinister, an electronically enhanced story of necrophilia and liaisons in the mortuary. The lyrical slamming Richard taunts you with "I am forever yours my sweet, romance this rotting meat." Goddamn nasty…I can't remember the last time I've heard a song about sex with dead people. Pulling no punches as we continue, further ahead is Kelly Told Me. This is a powerful story of incest and torment. The hatred in KMs strong guitar scores here is apparent and Richard's lyrics are disturbing and accusing as he takes another subject that most of us don't even want to think about. Jumping ahead a bit is the track Send In The Clowns. Here KM make their accusing statements to politics with crass lyrics and a pummeling, bass-ridden sound. Vocals are twisted with a chorus-like atmosphere tinged with an almost laughing sound. Pointing at the elected leaders of the world; "Send in the greasepainted, bloodsucking leeches - Send in the word twisting, saprophyte bleaters." Well, that's all I have to say. Killing Miranda is hardcore - they take the most disturbing things you can find in this world of ours and attack it with blasphemous lyrics and screeching, angry guitar work. Their lyrics invoke terror, fear, disgust and hatred. Why did KM choose to take on these subjects the way they did? Why don't they hide it behind cutesy Mansonish poetic drivel instead? I guess I'll have to ask them during the interview. But I'll tell you why I think they do. Because sometimes the only way to clean up the shit of society is to kick the hell out of it until it stops moving. Contact Information: Click to Buy! |
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From the heartland of the punk/goth
crossover comes the UK's latest substantial addition to the darker musical
landscape that us American's have been hoping to rediscover. At least I have
anyway. Built on the foundation of Richard's faithless, blood letting, god
smacking lyrics the five members of Killing Miranda have released their first
full length, Blessed Deviant, on UK's Nightbreed Recordings. It's raw,
energetic and definitely not the kind of thing you bring home to mommy. The
subjects and themes that KM have the gall to touch on - illicit sex, incest,
loss of faith, lack of god and politics - are straightforward. They don't mince
words, they don't hide behind sweet poetics - they're rude, abrasive and pull
no punches.
What seems to set KMs work apart from like material is
their lyrics. Richard just smacks people. He doesn't get all wishy washy, he
doesn't produce Emily Dickinson flavor or even Burroughsesque surrealist
poetry. He just YELLS AT YOU. That's it. The lyrics are crude, crass and
designed to kick you in the head in an effort to get their point across. And
that's what makes Killing Miranda so refreshing. They have balls. Big ones -
probably shined brass with spiky bits at various intervals for good measure.
Aww, yeah!
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