Looks Can Be Deceiving
Taken on appearance alone, My Passion look like the quintessential goth band; more worried about how their eyeliner is applied and whether they have the right shade of black clothing long before they even begin to think about the actual music. But as the old saying goes, you should never judge a book by its cover and whilst My Passion are the type of band for whom style is important, it certainly comes a long way down the list after the music itself. Formed two years ago, the Hertfordshire quartet are very much about the music, even setting up their own label so as to have stronger control over the songs they craft and as such their debut album, ‘Corporate Flesh Party’ is a blaze of euphoric intensity, an album that refuses to be pigeon holed and neatly labelled as one genre, instead this is an album all about fun, about emotion and yes, about passion for music.
No one genre appears to be enough for My Passion and as such ‘Corporate Flesh Party’ is a bubbling concoction that takes bites of punk, goth metal and electronica before cheekily snapping at the heels of hardcore rock. With touches of The Used mingling with Kill Hannah before sneakily rushing in flashes of electronica that wouldn’t be amiss on a William Control offering, ‘Corporate Flesh Party’ dances and punches with a melodic twist to boot. ‘Crazy And Me’ is a punk anthem in the making, oozing with dance floor antics that thump and stomp around your ears with aggressive delight whilst ‘Day Of The Bees’ literally buzzes in on a frantic rush of synths, swiftly sniping into a stabbing eruption of electronic ecstasy. Things even have chance to calm down slightly as ‘Winter Lovers’ eases off the direct ambush for a brief spell, revealing a softer side of the band complete with emotion fuelled energy that softly beckons you into their deliriously dark and intoxicating world. And then as if to prove they can go one better ‘Thanks For Nothing’ makes its subtle entrance, calm and sedate until My Passion unleash a barrage of beats and sing out loud lyrics to wrap your vocal chords around. ‘Corporate Flesh Party’ refuses to give you time to ponder, relentlessly throwing one volley of beats after another, all energetically stapled to razor sharp vocals that will both flay your flesh from your limbs and tenderly kiss in equal turn, there is no preference or middle ground.
Inviting haters in equal quantities to those who love them, My Passion are a band who don’t know how to do things in moderation. Genres collide with vigorous vibrancy to create a debut album that is bursting with vitality and promise. Sadly My Passion are a band that are going to be instantly knocked and dismissed without even one note being played. But for those who take the time, this is a quartet that will invigorate and excite, if only the haters would shut up and listen for once.