by Daniel Warren Hill
With the leading single “Vampire” from newly-formed DC area rock band Amulet having such strong visual and lyrical familiarity within modern pop culture it might be easy to assume that goth culture is making a comeback (though, to be fair, it never really went away). However, it would be rude to box-in any modern rock band by pigeonholing their entire identity into one single track, especially when that band has fifteen more tracks featured on their debut album, House of Black + White (available now on Bandcamp).
Sure, you will hear influences by Sisters of Mercy, the Cure, and Evanescence, but the band also finds inspiration from Reggae and Funk music – proving that the music an artist enjoys listening to and the music an artist produces may fall into vastly different categories. Amulet is a rock band, and each song provides a different platform for the band to explore their influences and inspirations.
The album, produced by Devin Spear of Exhale Studios and mastered by Conrad Osipowicz of Blue Room Studios, began with principal writers MJ Phoenix (Bass) and Stephanie Stryker (Vocals) writing and collaborating back and forth with drum loops, bass lines, lots of minor chords, and demo vocals; eventually replaced or supplemented with live drums, keys, and multiple guitar layers. Phoenix’s deep rhythmic bass tones become the foundation for Stryker’s smooth vocal performance, having similar feels to Tarja Turunen of Nightwish. The result is a powerful debut album that leaves plenty for fans to discover with every listen, and if the quality of Amulet’s debut music video “Vampire” is any indication, fans can expect an assortment of stunning visual elements in future releases. Amulet expects to release more content and continue to grow their fanbase on multiple platforms while simultaneously preparing to bring all these elements together for future live performances.
This track has been added to our Alchemical Weekly YouTube Playlist and Spotify Playlist. Check it out!
Alchemical Records is your source for music in Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia and wordwide! Visit us on your favorite social media site and tell us how Alchemical Records helps you discover and stay current with great artists.
Allie Goertz is back with a brand new, mature, raw, and honest version of herself with “Peeled Back”: a tribute to Nine Inch Nails.
On June 21, D.C.-based pop-rock artist LJR released “You”, the fifth single from his forthcoming album “When the Sky Began to Fall”.
The D.C.-based band released their sophomore album, “The Renewal”, on June 30th.
Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
