Death In Vegas - 'Satan's Circus' (Drone) released 11/10/04

Death in Vegas's fourth studio album confirms their status as the masters of brooding electronica. Devoid of vocals, Satan's Circus is an hour-long paranoid, nightmare trip, immersed with sparse drone noises, and atmospheric and haunting keys. Although it lacks the immediacy of undoubtedly their finest work, 1999's 'Contino Sessions', if you give the album the attention it deserves, you will be duly rewarded. Just don't expect to sleep any better at night.

The opening track, 'Ein Fur Die Damen', is very misleading. Revolving round a simple key loop, it's very ambient, sanguine and Kraftwerk-esque, but lacks the eerie brutality of the rest of the album. 'Hail Xanax' immediately changes the tone - beginning by evoking the beautiful discord of My Bloody Valentine, after a few minutes an uncompromising and vicious bass-hook shocks the senses and is enough to induce an anxiety attack. Similarly, 'Candy McKenzie' paints a dark, foreboding landscape before a trio of guitars, keys and strings rise out of the bleakness and offer some optimism. The etheral 'Anita Barber' resembles the rumbling jangles Mogwai and Godspeed YBE, however, although it does build up tension it fails to reach a satisfactory climax - there's no sudden gush of energy or release.         

Perhaps the main weakness of Satan's Circus is that it can be too barren and minimalist at times. 'Black Lead', for example, is one-dimensional and repetitive and is a simple entity that lacks any depth or deviating sounds. Meanwhile, 'Reigen' makes for very difficult listening, sounding like a computer plagued with a debilitating virus. The album is at its most enjoyable when it presents the listener with a textured and complex dirge. The stand-out track, 'Kontroll', typifies this with its sprawling, progressive and dense rumblings. Truly best listened to in a darkened room, Satan's Circus a desolate lament that demands attention.