Last year, the debut album of the French duo Mad Masks was released on the British label Peripheral Minimal. The record features eleven instrumental tracks, and they all have something in common: they suggest fear. This is the kind of music that will make you shiver as you might think someone touches your shoulder, even if there is no one behind you.
It’s hard to stick a label on this album. One considers it as an ode to non-existing horror movies, others see it as pure industrial and we regard it as minimal synth with much distortion and a very creepy atmosphere. Despite the fact that the eleven songs are heavy, they are easy to digest and because of the added post-punk sound, the distorted compositions are more accessible.
Sometimes it sounds ice cold, sometimes repetitive, militaristic drums are added (Khel), or you just relive the heyday of Deutsch Nepal (Tragodia).
The dark music of Zio Voodoo and Dominique Stela is definitely not made for everyone (as sometimes it seems like a trip to death), but they certainly will charm a lot of people because of the diversity of this great album.
