Outside Belgium they know it for years: The Arch belongs to the absolute top of the goth rock scene, even though the band is so much more than that! The latest CD Fates is again a good example of that: thirteen tracks with one common characteristic: quality!
Gasoline Lady begins with a melancholic guitar that seems to come from a Chameleons record, but it turns quickly into an energetic electro-rock song that sounds like a classic after two spins. The Arch never looks back, and is always looking for new paths, but Robot Sapiens reminds us of the days of The Messier Album: experimental, without being really too experimental.
The title track Fates clearly shows why this band is doing so well abroad: goth rock of the highest order. The dark party continues on Spear Of Destiny, the guitars of Mr. Pierre and Ivan DC go deep, very deep!
And what happens if a goth rock institution like The Arch gets the help of Ronny Moorings from Clan Of Xymox? Well, then you get a track like Monster & I which is pure fireworks.
Eyes Wide Open shows the rock face of The Arch. Immerzu is song in German and you can hardly give it a place in The Arch-world. Hard to describe, but then again The Arch is hard to describe.
One By One is a delightful post-punk piece that could have been on Real Life by Magazine, an ideal track on which Ivan Lambert can enjoy his keyboards plenty.
Everyone will have their own favorite on this album, in my case it is the electro-oriented Empty Garden that is sung by Gerd and Chiffons Tale.
You see, we write goth rock, but actually every song sounds different. Recommended!
