SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE – FASCINATION

THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE
FASCINATION
METROPOLIS RECORDS

Toronto natives The Birthday Massacre are back with their 12^th studio album Fascination, an offering that is full of the dreamy synth pop and aggressive guitar blend that their fans have loved for the past 20 years. This new release promises to be a much more intimate look into the band’s inner workings.

Fascination as a whole is a fine album but what it doesn’t do is re-imagine the wheel. This new collection of songs will bring fans what they’ve come to expect from The Birthday Massacre, music that is fantastical and filled with whimsy topped off with lead singer Chibi’s signature youthful voice.

There is ebb and flow within the album with down tempo tracks followed by more upbeat and happier ones with keyboardist Owen’s great synthesized tones weaving throughout paired with solid guitar work from lead guitarist Falcore and rhythm guitarist Rainbow.

The title track “Fascination” kicks the album off much like their previous releases; it sounds exactly like what is expected from a Birthday Massacre album. Not to say that it’s a bad song, it isn’t. It’s a very pretty song with a great beat but it’s also predictable.

The biggest standout would have to be “Cold Lights” for a song that is on the darker end of the Birthday Massacre spectrum. It’s grittier and emotive right from the start and features a great bass line that is just infectious – it has similar elements that made their track “Superstition” from their prior album of the same name such a hit.

Another highlight would be “Like Fear, Like Love” again for that deeper, darker, heavier tone throughout. It’s danceable, sure to be bound for the DJ catalogue.

Fascination fits snugly amidst the rest of the Birthday Massacre discography. The music here sounds like what they have released in the past and as a fan, there isn’t anything not to like. It would be nice to see them dive into their heavier rock centric side akin to what they did with a classic from their early years “Blue” that also featured Chibi changing up her vocals for a more guttural demon voice to contrast her usual bell-like clean vocals.

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