Magenta
Songs for the Dead

Funny name for a band, Magenta; one might imagine something rather colourful. And behind the moniker hides a Norwegian band that is described as industrial, alternative or as a soundtrack to a movie you have to invent yourself within your mind. That sounds exciting, the band themselves has been around since 1995 and they have four albums and an EP in their catalogue before this release. A release that was conceived from a tragedy, the band got to Al Jourgensen’s studio at x-mas 2012 and shortly thereafter received the news of the death of Mike Scaccia that had been in that studio recording some material just the days before Magenta arrived. That is how the idea for making an album for those who have passed on from this life.

Songs for the Dead is a bit like a spooky album, slightly chilling atmospheres, distinct and haunting keyboards and a dramatic feel – bit diffuse feeling overall. You cannot really fit them inside the confines of one particular genre – it flies somewhere beyond everything. Not really Magenta coloured, more like greyscale and maybe slightly foggy and it is an exciting production with many layers to discover. Female vocals that are more massing than singing for the most part, very good vocals I should add and the soundscape is also of a high quality. One might argue though that some of the songs, like Ghost, makes it somewhat incoherent but even so we are treated to many exciting things like heavy riffs and haunting keyboards. Those who enjoys music that threads down different paths will certainly find this album interesting.

The things I mainly bring with me from this album are the haunting vocals and the exciting keyboards; those are the elements that create this haunting and different atmosphere to this album, an atmosphere that I really like. I enjoy this album with its drama, depth and variation – as well as character and personality. And at the same time it gives this feeling of being Norwegian, that thing we hear from Dimmu Borgir or Enslaved even though they aren’t very similar or similar to Magenta, they still have that little atmosphere that Norwegian bands often have. I think it is great with bands that have their own way of expressing themselves. However, there is one slight thing and that is the track Ghost, it is probably the best track on the album but it feels out of place and I wonder if it is the position in the track list or that it is just too different from the rest of the album that makes this. It could possibly have worked better placed after The Pentagram or arranged a little bit different. This is not a major problem though but it is something I keep noticing when listening to the album.

I think Ghost is the best track and at the same time its difference from the rest of the album is the main weakness of the album – it creates a somewhat strange sense of incoherency. But I like the album still, and the track, the sense of unpredictability and the quality of sound are two things that I really like about this album. It may have this small flaw that I as a reviewer should look at and that also makes the film take a strange turn for a while before returning to what it was before this strange thing – maybe a dreamlike episode or something. It is a well recommended album, especially if you like you music a bit different and a bit diffuse. If you like more hit oriented music you can always enjoy the brilliance of Ghost – see, the album has something for everyone.

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