What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse — aptly sums up the latest entrancing audiovisual experience delivered by Christine Plays Viola, an Italian Darkwave band renowned for their hauntingly beautiful soundscapes. Established in the serene region of Abruzzo in 2008, this ensemble comprises Fabrizio, master of guitars and synths; Massimo, whose vocals echo with a haunting depth; Daniele, the wizard of synth and programming, and Marco, whose bass lines resonate with a profound intensity.
Their latest release, “Jackie’s Curse,” is an intriguing prelude to their upcoming album “Innocent Awareness,” slated for release in early 2024. This track marks a significant departure from their earlier electronic leanings, showcasing a more organic and unfiltered sound that stays true to their darkwave roots while exploring new musical territories.
In the new single, Christine Plays Viola stays true to form with their robust guitar and bass, a voice that could sand wood, and drums that seem to have a bit of an attitude problem, all punctuated by the ‘usual’ tribal interludes that have become a hallmark of their sound.
“We decided to abandon the more electronic sounds to return to the primordial version of the band,” they say. “Since the first single Blood Calls Blood, this aspect has been evident, underlining one of the cornerstones of CPV, the desire to change the sound register from one work to another without distorting one’s trademark.”
Jackie’s Curse is an aural stroll through a rather peculiar dreamscape, describing an encounter with a succubus. It’s as if the band rummaged through the attic of Gothic rock and decided to throw a soirée with all the trappings: echoing voices, a room bathed in a hue of scandal, and an encounter with someone who is equal parts magnetic and terrifying. The narrative dances with a blend of passion, hate, and a smidgen of existential dread. The protagonist’s morning-after tableau – waking up in chains and confronting a gallery of unsettling memories – could well serve as a metaphor for the dark Monday morning of the soul. As the track winds down, it leaves listeners to ponder the enduring impact of “Jackie’s curse,” a phrase that might just stick around longer than your average earworm.
Christine Plays Viola has entrusted the directorial reins to frequent collaborator Josh Heisenberg, and the result is nothing short of a monochromatic masterpiece. The band heaps praise on Heisenberg, crediting him with bestowing a profound visual dimension to their musical narratives. The video is a stunning homage to gothic chiaroscuro, dripping with pathos and boasting the kind of striking composition reminiscent of a German Expressionist film.
Heisenberg’s work is a shadowy waltz through a gallery of the macabre and the mysterious. Every frame is a meticulously crafted dance of light and darkness. The video doesn’t just flirt with terror; it embraces it with both arms, creating an atmosphere that is as visceral as it is captivating. In this cinematic creation, the band’s music finds a haunting echo, a visual counterpart that amplifies the emotional resonance of their sound.
Watch the video for “Jackie’s Curse” below:
In June 2012 the band released an EP of four songs named Promo 2012. In May 2014, for the German label Cold Insanity Music, came Vacua, an ambitious concept album inspired by the series of Black Paintings by Francisco Goya. In March 2015 they began a collaboration with the Manic Depression label, releasing a 7” Vinyl EP: The Stars Can’t Frighten, and the year after with Spooky Obsessions. The band returned in 2018 with the E.P. The Bonds Should Be Only Silver Threads. In 2020 Christine Plays Viola released Fading, produced by Manic Depression Records and Icy Cold Records.
Christine Plays Viola has shared stages with Das Ich, Clan Of Xymox, Chameleons Vox, And Also The Trees, Pink Turns Blue, Modern English, She Past Away, and 1919. They also made an appearace at Wave Gotik Treffen in May 2016.
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