Christine Plays Viola - Spooky Obsessions

English:CD-review
  Van Muylem    30 december 2016

I have never heard of this band, but they will be the warming up band for Das Ich when they come to Belgium and that gave us a good reason to discover and actually like and even start to love them! You want to know why? Well read it here:


Christine Plays Viola is an Italian band dedicated to a darkwave / post punk, sounds articulated and nuanced, mixes old school 80’ retro sound with modern touches. They made several recordings, toured a lot and not with small bands, giving them the experience needed mixed with a good taste for the right tunes and catchy sounds. To me it’s clear that they love The Cure and Joy Division. The band is a real band and the singer knows how to sings, this is it! The more I listen to the new album the more I think I should have seen them earlier and should have reviewed them earlier. The painful side is that there are many bands like them (for most bands it’s a fatal error) and you really have to become the best; well they do so!

Ossessione starts with an electro feel, until the typical 80’s bass sound reveals itself. I hear some Latin chants whilst the song explodes. It feels like a mix between Joy Division and The Merciful Nuns: it’s a strong and hypnotic song, almost an earworm. Midnight Trauma sounds dark, depressive, angry and dangerous with lots of musical twists: the electronics, the vocals, the drums, the synth, the guitars: they all give their best and scary feel. I feel it might become a hit on stage as it also contains lots of energy and a catchy feel. Behind A Wicked Mind starts with a typical The Cure Bass line whilst the vocals come from a cave, as if inspired by Bauhaus, with a modern touch as gift. You get sucked into their gameplay and sound, impossible not to let yourself go.

Nefarious has a poppy touch, but pretty fast the darkness overcomes in a catchy way. This song is a dark highlight, it’s cruelty is a beauty! Don’t stand still or are you already turned into a dead one? The chorus might bring you back to life! Scream along! Poles Apart reminds me a bit of Red Zebra and The Sound. More craziness comes with Murderous Dementia: I cherish the electronic bleeps and the guitars. It’s retro, but with a touch of 2016. Unneeded Burial has a more floating sound, with synths on the front and an acoustic guitar. Here I hear some from The Essence (a band that comes close to The Cure, but with its own sound). It could have been part of the Pornography album, I just adore this darkness! N.D.E. (Life Beyond Life) is a strange title, well this one is a bit softer and sounds more polished with great guitar solos in the echo room. Slow Sinking in Gloom turns faster and colder with some special effects in the studio. Don’t try to escape or you’ll be shot in the back as it’s impossible to escape from this scary darkness with a rough edge. The Last Sacrifice is a depressive killer track, catching the right mood for this dark and yet catchy album with lots of nice twists.

I can only conclude that I am more than happy that they do this tour and I honestly hope that now more people will run into them and get glued to their great sound, the way I did!

Christine Plays Viola will be the warming up band for DAS ICH on Friday the 3rd of february at De Kreun (Kortrijk). More info:

 https://www.facebook.com/events/225147221229965/