A Cold Alternative Rock solo female artist from France. On September 29th, 2023, Komas Totem independently released her debut studio album, To the Dark Side, My Shadow’s Feather, which would gratify fans of Joy Division and Siouxsie & the Banshees.
Introduction:
Komas Totem, To the Dark Side, My Shadow’s Feather: This review will evaluate every aspect of the album, from its intricate musical composition to its production. Our analysis will provide valuable insights to help you determine if this album is worth adding to your collection.
The First Three Sins of To the Dark Side, My Shadow’s Feather
Let’s start by discussing the first three sins of Komas Totem and her To the Dark Side, My Shadow’s Feather album.
The First Sin, The Strings/Keys: Guitar work is raw and straightforward, with distorted and dark progressive chords and passages perfectly complementing the music. Despite its simplicity, the guitar work is highly effective and adds a unique musical dimension. The Second Sin, The Vocals: Involves a torturous cry that is raw and emotive, with an added layer of depression and sorrow that evokes powerful emotions. The Third Sin—The Percussions: Delves into the vast world of filling the music with straightforward beats, fills, and strikes.
The Fourth Sin: Overall Discussion: Emotional whirlwinds where love, jealousy, revenge, loneliness, nature, etc. are blended.
Before we begin our review, it is essential to note that Komas Totem is the brainchild of Charlotte, the artist behind the dark alternative rock band Melt.
As soon as the listener presses the play button, the opening piece, I Breath I’m Drownes, greets the listener with raw and catchy punk/post-pock instrumentation and a vocal introduction that pulls the listener into the music.
The listener continues their journey with the second piece, Sorrow, and the remaining ten pieces, where the music takes the listener on a blackness journey about “One foot in life and the other in death, the vampire Koma’s Totem leads us into her emotional whirlwinds where love, jealousy, revenge, loneliness, nature, etc. are blended.”
Komas Totem music is an immersive experience that takes you on a journey into the depths of darkness. The sound is reminiscent of Melt, with a cold and eerie atmosphere that sets the tone for what is coming. However, the music is not just a carbon copy of its predecessor. It has a raw punk edge that adds an element of grit and dirt to the mix. The sound is a fusion of grunge, gothic rock, post-punk, and alternative rock, with a slow or mid-tempo approach that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The music is draped in the darkness of depression and gloom, making it a hauntingly beautiful experience that sticks with you long after the last note has faded.
Komas Totem production displays a unique blend of bitter tones and a contemporary approach to quality. However, the devilmanship that goes into creating the music is solely the devilmanship of Charotte, also known as Cha, who oversees all aspects of songwriting skills are dreamlike. Her guitar compositions are a testament to her artistic fruit of art, and her singing is truly a standout feature of Komas Totem production.
Jux’s bass riffs are the perfect counterpoint to the guitar work, filling the music void with his expertly crafted bass lines. Meanwhile, Olivier’s drum work comprises straightforward beats, fills, strikes and additional audio sound fx, which combine to create the perfect rhythm section for the music. Together, these talented musicians produce a genuinely unique and exciting sound.
If you are a fan of post-punk and goth rock music and love the dark and emotional sounds of Joy Division and Siouxsie and the Banshees, you will not want to miss this.
The album comes to an end with the last song, My Flame Wakes Up into the Ashes/Sour Rose Syrup. We want to give a shoutout to Komas Totem for letting us review her album, To the Dark Side, My Shadow’s Feather. Now, we’re going to wrap it up by talking about the final three sins and concluding the review.
You’re Listening to “My Flame Wakes Up Into The Ashes”
PlayThe last Three Sins
Let’s discuss the last three sins, our thoughts on Komas Totem and her To the Dark Side, My Shadow’s Feather album.
The Fifth Sin, The Memorabilia: Is that for us, Komas Totem is a fruit of art act that brings a fresh and distinctive perspective to their music. Komas Totem’s compositions and devilmanship are marked by their powerful and intense nature, which heightens the emotional impact of their music. The band’s unique sound is a fusion of various influences.
The Sixth Sin, The Artwork:
With the artwork, I’m unsure about the artwork or what’s going on.
The Seventh Sin, Disrelish:
Nothing to disrelish within the musical spectrum of Komas Totem, and her album To the Dark Side, My Shadow’s Feather
This concludes the Komas Totem, To the Dark Side, My Shadow’s Feather review.
Track-Listing:
- I Breath I’m Drowned
- Sorrow
- Grey Lotus
- Savage Voice
- My Tear’s Shades Are a Sun
- Fangs and Petals
- The Limbs into the Roots
- Moon’s Fire
- Rose to Chaos
- My Flame Wakes Up into the Ashes
- Sour Rose Syrup (+ hidden track: I Just Draw Myself)
Komas Totem is:
- Charlotte – vox, lyrics & guitars
- Olivier – drums
- Jux – bass
