Barbican

Serious Black | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 31, 2002)
• Original Release Date: October 31, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dante's Landlord
• ASIN: B00007F8JI
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #690,162 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Gathering Storm

2. The Prowler

3. Voices in My Head

4. Discipline

5. The Garden of Earthly Delights

6. Barbican

7. Pleasure Seekers

8. Days of Future Past

9. Invincible Force of the Power Source

10. One Life

11. Waste 'Em With My Crossbow!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable debut, February 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Barbican (Audio CD)

And now for something completely different...

If you know Steve Mecca from his work with the New Age project "Malaysian Pale", or if you've heard the widely-acclaimed RPG spoof "Waste 'Em With My Crossbow" from this disc, you might think you KNOW Serious Black.

Think again.

Mecca's debut album (on the Dante's Landlord label--nice touch, that) is a virtual blender of musical styles and influences. There's a heavy 80's influence here to be sure, but there's also a smattering of dark don't-listen-to-this-with-the-lights-off pieces, dance tracks that are guaranteed to pack the floor, a gentle love ballad, and a hilarious spoof of role-playing gamers (the aforementioned "Waste 'Em...).

It's a credit to the genius of Serious Black (and Mecca's estimable songwriting skills) that the whole thing doesn't get bogged down in its own eclectic stew. Somehow, it just all works. And it works remarkably well. From the ominous opening chords of "The Gathering Storm" to the final shouts of "Hoody Hoo!" on the final track (trust me, it makes sense when you know the backstory), this is a stunning debut. Don't wait. Buy it now.

You'll be glad you did.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A dark, powerful electronic album, October 7, 2003

By 

Joseph P. McDonald (Whittier, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barbican (Audio CD)

This debut release from Serious Black is indeed a powerful electronic collection that definitely portrays a dark, gothic atmosphere. But I believe it benefits most from the impeccable production that went into the making of this album. It is technically polished while still delivering a powerful electronic spirit.

Previous reviewers have compared it 80's electro rock and a cross between Rammstein and Depeche Mode, which may be accurate. But I believe it has a more original, developed sound. Although the songs are quite different from track to track the similarities they all share are dark electronic power.

While many groups produce records that start off big and then kind of run down towards the end (read Chemical Brothers) from start to finish Serious Black's album keeps turning in a new direction with every track. It's not like they saved the best for last, but they could have.

I'm not sure how Serious Black can produce another album that can maintain such a fervent, technical yet powerful effort. But when they do, I will snap that one up too!

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Dark Music, August 22, 2010

By 

dogworld55 (STONY POINT) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Barbican (Audio CD)

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT ALBUM,SOUNDS DARK AND SOMEWHAT LIKE DEPECHE MODE,GREAT SYNTH MUSIC,GIVE IT A TRY!