Throughout the past couple of months I've found myself in a bit of a writing rut constantly failing to find the appropriate words to both describe and analyze music that's come across my digital desk. I would not say that this is due to a Covid-19 induced depressive episode as, being somewhat an introvert, my life does not revolve around the outside world too much and my day-to-day schedule has not necessarily changed in the slightest. Rather I take this in due to the amount of e-mails we have been receiving on Brutal; we get busier and busier each year and being the headman of the website can sometimes be suffocating. Nonetheless, after starting up the What's In Our Inbox? feature series I've been able to track down albums I've missed throughout the year and resurface them for a proper write-up. This recent return from a writing rut began last week but continues on forth. I have Anders Manga and his early 2020 album "Andromeda" to thank for inspiring a creative bout from my head.

It is funny to say how I discovered Anders Manga as it was not through his most popular darkwave project Bloody Hammers nor was it through his self-titled project that I speak of now. No, it was through his side-project Terrortron where I first discovered Manga's work. "Hexed" and "Necrophiliac Among the Living Dead" were the fictional soundtracks that caught my attention initially; though sadly sold out by the time I wanted to purchase a copy, I spent many hours listening to the wondrous cinematic work found on both records. Later on I would nab a vinyl copy of "Orgy of the Vampires" as soon as it was announced. That has become a staple for spooky season's audio. 

Therefore it was about a year after that I heard the album "Perfectly Stranger" from Anders Manga when the artist contacted my via E-Mail. It was a shame, then, that I was not able to review the album at launch nor throughout 2018 due to either sheer laziness on my part or writer's block at the time it released. The block was the perpetrator for this year's album but six months after its release I am here to tell you of its glory. I suppose this is a way of reprimanding myself for passing on a musician who deserves a lot more attention than they are currently getting with their self-titled project. 

The beauty of the album does not begin when you hit the play button but it begins as soon as you look at the cover art. The album takes its name from the Greek mythological woman, daughter of the king of the Kingdom of Kush and more. I suppose that's why there is a woman on the front cover of the album though the candle lit skull and four-armed alien-looking creature have me a bit baffled as to their meaning. Aesthetic is nice and I'm sure that the image would make a great poster on the wall if ever one were to be made, but its the inside that counts as well.

"Andromeda" is split between songs that are tranquil and harmonious and others that are well suited for underground venue dance floors. Songs such as the most handsome 'Rosaries and Requiems' which boast Manga's vocal chords at his best, the slow paced gothrock ballad 'Serpentine', the acoustic and romantic 'Atomic Sky', and the ambient backed 'Lucifer's Light' are all examples of those songs. These songs are all suited for moon-lit nights where you're romping with your witchy friends; for alternative couples on a date under a starry sky, or for dimly lit, late night backroad roadtrips. 

On the other hand you have fast and frenetic songs suited for darker couples looking to stomp their big boots within unknown venues. 'Night of the Witch' is a brillantly fast-paced and frenetic song with enough spooky elements to get you ready for an enchanting All Hallow's Eve; 'When the Lights Go Down', though not as much of a fireball as the aforementioned 'Night of the Witch', holds its own as a fun mix of darkwave and synthpop; 'Breathless' follows along the same vein of 'When the Lights Go Down' though the backing ambiance made it a favorite of mine on the album. 

Any further words at this point would be redundant; I've nothing bad to say about the album and all positive statements about both Anders Manga and "Andromeda" can be reread above. The digital album is available on Bandcamp and we shall (hopefully) see this as a physical release soon. 

Jul 18 2020