Record Label: Geffen
Genre: Goth
Band Link:
Buy on Amazon.com link

She Wants Revenge have been maligned recently for being bandwagon jumpers, being yet another band to trendily combine pop-punk with Hot Topic-style dark edge.

The only thing is, I don’t at all hear the comparison to AFI/My Chemical Romance. She Wants Revenge is clearly steeped, if not completely submerged, in the 80s soft-goth tradition with simple and sparse songwriting, tinny but driving rhythms, and an atmosphere that is unassumingly engaging. A more suitable comparison would be early Depeche Mode but with vocals heavily reminiscent of Ian Curtis of Joy Division and Wayne Hussey from the Mission. And also a light touch of First and Last and Always-era Sisters of Mercy.

Maybe people were disappointed that they’re NOT trendily poppy like My Chemical Romance, but I personally love this sound. The beauty of it isn’t to be upbeat and fun and edgy, but to find that dark place and groove along with it in a pleasingly monotonous way, sometimes offering a little dance beat, but always maintaining a steadily warm, dark undercurrent of mood.

I was expecting to hate this major-label offering, thinking it would be another emo-tinged guyliner affair. Instead, it transported me back to what I love best about 80s goth, particularly that 1981-83 Leeds/Essex UK sound. I’d go now and find/dust off my Dead Can Dance, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, and Gene Loves Jezebel tapes, but for the time being, She Wants Revenge is enough.

Bottom Line:
Notable Tracks: Written In Blood, True Romance
Overall Rating: