Deathcamp Project is a Polish band that was established in 2001. It consists of Betrayal who is responsible for bass, programming and keyboards and Void who looks after lyrics, guitars and vocals. They are said to create goth rock music with the elements of death rock, electronics and industrial.
Their youngest child, EP “Laxa(C)tivE”, is like Janus: it has two different faces which still belong to a one, single entity. One face is the emotional goth rock and the other hard-hitting danceable one and they appear in ‘Away from you’ and ‘Rule and Control’, my favorite tracks, respectively.
The first one is a very catchy one with the vocal line that slows the song down and the guitar that speeds up and gives the listener a clear trace the ears may follow. It’s filled with emotions, but not over -sentimental and flat, it also features recitation that slowly changes into a melody. The second one, in turn, is definitely my number one of the whole EP. It proves that the guitars are not reserved for ‘hard’ music that is to rock the concert halls, but it may also hit the dance floor as well. I’ve got an impression that DP follow the tradition of Type O’Negative here: the vocals and guitar remain in the core of what could called the band’s music, but somehow – probably thanks to the melody that is very rhythmic, fast and danceable ‘ they manage to create a pukka disco hit! Perhaps the secret is in the clash of goth-like elements that fit perfectly to the lighter music and the melody that is not brazen, but successfully plays the role of a binder for the whole track.
The other two tracks are a bit different from the rest: ‘Dead Hours’ is more metal in its sound, but it is soothed by the guitar that does not smash heads this time, but moderates the whole track which would otherwise be too heavy and gloomy. As it is, ‘Dead Hours’ is more rocky, however with a bearable metal tinge. ‘Spiritual Cramp’ makes me think of The Birthday Massacre as it characterizes with changeable, capricious vocal line which is predominant here the said band is famous for.
As to my general impression concerning the band’s artistic output I would say it’s a dialog between the vocals that evokes associations with the voices of the crypt and the guitar that is strong enough to bring the voice up to the daylight. One may find emotions in their music, but these are not redundant, they rather enrich the sphere of lyrics, but not trespass the border of cheap theatrics in the music as a whole. What I appreciate Deathcamp Project for, is the ability to avoid tautology that is so often a temptation hard to resist for the bands that operate guitars in their creative process.
