Causenation is a duo from Belgium creating dark electronic tunes: Vain Sacrosant and van der Goes. This album was recorded between 2017 and 2020. It’s cool to see people like Mika Goedrijk, Gino Devo and Bill Barsby(Damage Control) in the thank you list (that gives already a good starting point for me).
The album starts with Demons of The Knight a dark wave / EBM minded track and talks about a dark future without hope, without any chance for a ray of light. The vocals remind me a bit of Kraftwerk. I also like the tempo, the electronic drums and the synths. The chorus is catchy. I must say that in general 6 minutes is a lot for a track like this, but I wouldn’t have noticed it if I wouldn’t had a look at it. Never Said Goodbye (Original Version) works a bit more in the same direction, except that the electronic drum is giving it a better speed. The vocals go a bit lower, closer to a gothic minded coming fresh from the grave (but also go higher and faster). The tempo is good. The music stays in the 80’s vibe. Things You Promise is a slower one and needs a few spins before you get into it, but once you are there it even gets a slice of catchiness. The vocals sounds very deep (into gothic). Fear of The Future starts with modern bleeps and has even a guitar in it. The song mixes a bit of A Clan of Xymox, The Elusive and The Sisters of Mercy. To me this is one of the stronger songs of this album. Despite the dark chorus it’s catchy as hell! I think this one might be used by DJ’s! A Better Day goes deeper into the dark EBM world, with very depressive lyrics. It comes closer to the sound of 32Crash and the early years of Front 242. Mark of Chain is not the strongest song on the album, the vocals sound a bit different, whilst he drums sound harder … but I miss this little extra and vocals who stay in tune all the time. The lyrics are again as dark as possible. Yup, it’s not the kind of album that gives you hope and strength! Black Lust is their second single and sounds good: dancing between lust and darkness with tunes that for the first tine bring in some light, a slice of hope. I hear some Siglo XX Influences. Last track is Face Your Shame has a nice tempo, whilst the vocals sound cleaner. I like the guitar and the extra industrial minded touches. The song comes close to how Fad Gadget would sound in 2021!
Well it’s a nice one, with lots of different influences. I hear people who are looking for their own sound and thus bringing us a lot of variation and that is a good thing! I would say: gather all the intel from others, work on some vocal parts and keep on working, crafting and writing new lyrics! Hope to see you on stage, one day!
