2008-03-24
What comes to mind when you think of dark music? Amongst other things, you may think of gothic or black metal bands that have too much black eyeliner, leather clothing, and maybe a slaughtered cat or two in their closet. You are less likely to imagine four cute looking boys from Georgia that decided to have themselves a nice indie rock band. Maybe that's what creates an even more disturbing feeling. I'm talking about that certain sensation which climbs up your spine when you don't really know why. It's like you've been talking to this swell guy for an hour now, and everything looks cool but for some reason you can't stop staring at his hands while he plays with his knife before sticking it through a bloody steak. It's a certain unease you get from watching a David lynch film, for example. Moros Eros' newest CD is far from creating anyone a paranoia attack, even if he's four years old or even exceptionally agitated, but after a couple of listenings to the album, there's no doubt Moros Eros are darker and heavier than your average four all-American-guys who just happen to stumble on the distortion button on their amp.
The band has already two albums behind them, their current album came out on October 2007, a year after their debut release "I saw the devil last night and now the sun shines bright". The band takes influence from a wide range of sources, and it's anyone's guess on whose branch to link them to on that big rock tree. The good thing is that none of this really matters, since the four Georgia guys bring something authentic to their music. One way in trying to define Moros Eros' sound would be to imagine how you take all the dirt and slime that lies in small streets and under bridges of a big city and throw it into a machine that will convert all of this into electricity and pure energy. Moros Eros could easily keep a city the size of Marietta (their home town) lit that way, for a couple of hours, at least.
The rough edge sound of the keyboards, guitars and drums are the suitable background for the band's main driving force which is Zach Tipton, Moros Eros' front man. You can simply say that Tipton is not here for any playing around - he stands like a rock behind every word that comes out of his mouth, and no one could shift him from his honest intentions.
The music in the album can be summed up with one word – character. And that's saying a lot. Going through the words of the songs turn things, a little unexpectedly, to be darker and somewhat disturbing. As opposed to the bursting teen spirit in the music, the issues the band deals with are philosophical and concentrate on god, to be more specific, the lack of belief in god. Sinners, saints and the absence of meaning in life are themes that repeat themselves in most of the lyrics, a fact that creates a heavier aspect to the band's kicking energies.
On the band's website you can find serious issues such as the Chinese brutality against the Tibetan people and the horrific abortion policy in Nicaragua.
Not like many young groups today, Moros Eros has something more significant to say to the world, something that sticks. And if anyone just wants to let it loose with a good rock album, even an excellent one in this case, they're up for getting more than they would expect.
Ofir Shalev
