Rock music has a long and proud tradition of being a visual
medium as much a sonic one. The Alice Cooper Band became as notorious for the drama unfolding on stage as they were their
songs. KISS took over the world by
taking this to the next level. King
Diamond, Slipknot, Gwar, WASP, and a billion other bands soon followed the blue
print.
A band can, and maybe should,
look different than their audience, be surrounded in mystique and offer a show
beyond just the notes they play. Music
is entertainment and any steps taken to enhance this entertainment are welcome.
At some point, most notably during the emergence of grunge
in the early 90s, the idea gained currency if a band had any sort of costumes
or a stage show, it was to be viewed as a gimmick intended to distract the
audience from the band’s lack of quality.
To many, rock-n-roll was either music or theater, but could not be both.
I am a Nirvana fan, and have never held a grudge against
them for killing the guitar solo or causing the paradigm shift away from
theatrics. Still, given a choice in
concerts between guys in flannel shirts sitting on a stool or space aliens
shooting rockets out of their guitars, I make zero apologies for choosing the
latter. You can make a great song better
with explosions, and a great band better with costumes.
September Mourning has a concept, and this concept turned
what would have been a very good rock show into a great one. Vocalist Emily Lazar created the character
of September Mourning.
September is a former
human endowed with grim reaper powers.
September has been tapped to harvest souls by the demonic Fate, who presides
over the realm of the dead. However,
retaining a sense of morality, she instead uses her power to grant second
chances to those dying deemed worthy.
From the beginning this was planned as a multimedia creative project
which would present the story both in music and comics. Legendary comic creator Marc Silvestri was
brought in to both write and publish the comic and Lazar set about recruiting
musicians who could transform her vision into both an album and a stage show. These musicians are now known by their character names Riven, Wraith, Stitch, and Shadou.
September Mourning’s sound is very reminiscent of Finnish
symphonic metalers Nightwish, only slightly less symphonic and slightly more
electronic. The music, especially the
drumming, also reminded me of Ghost, much beyond the similarity of both bands
featuring costumed musicians.
The beats
were straightforward and largely absent of fills, but powerful and making superb
use of negative space. The guitar riffs
were not always fast or complex, but were extraordinarily heavy and delivered
with precision and impact. Lazar
commanded the stage with her operatic vocals as she performed the character of
September.
The costumes were striking,
with the ghostly white September backed by a band whose look would not be out
of place in the darkest depths of Mordor.
The songs would have been epic on their own, the theatrics made them
even more so.
I hope September Mourning continues to be discovered and
appreciated, so one day this sonic theater can be appreciated on the giant stage
it deserves.
September is a former
human endowed with grim reaper powers.
September has been tapped to harvest souls by the demonic Fate, who presides
over the realm of the dead. However,
retaining a sense of morality, she instead uses her power to grant second
chances to those dying deemed worthy.
From the beginning this was planned as a multimedia creative project
which would present the story both in music and comics. Legendary comic creator Marc Silvestri was
brought in to both write and publish the comic and Lazar set about recruiting
musicians who could transform her vision into both an album and a stage show. These musicians are now known by their character names Riven, Wraith, Stitch, and Shadou.
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