Lioness – The Golden Killer album review

Think Spinerette meets J.U.S.T.I.C.E., and you have a slight idea of what The Golden Killer by Lioness sounds like. This album could be the soundtrack to a futuristic porno, Lioness’ dystopian raunch sounds like it comes from another planet sometimes. This trio from Canada, Vanessa Fischer (vocals), Ronnie Morris (bass) and Jeff Scheven (percussion), have produced an album with a sound so large, it threatens to engulf your sanity.

The Golden Killer has a raw crunch to it, rough sounding but well produced. The tracks flow into one another, this is one of those albums where you can push play and never realize when one song ends and another begins. Fischer proves that you can be an art-rock singer without wailing inintelligabley into the microphone, using her delivery and inflection to convey emotion. When her vocals start to layer on top of one another she takes on the persona of some alien hive mind, almost brainwashing her audience. The ryhtym section, I think you can call them that, are sharp and violent. Every song is built upon Morris’ bass, his dark groove is the musical equivalent of a perpetual motion machine. Scheven plays his drum set like a mad dog straining on his leash, he seems poised to erupt at any moment.

On top of these three players are the countless synth and keyboard tracks layered on top of one another. I have no idea how this band performs their songs live, there is just too much going on for three people to replicate live. Be care ful when listenin to this album, if you agree to the bands plea in their final song, “Stay Awhile”, you might never find your way back.