Artist: Black Tape for a Blue Girl Album: As One Aflame Laid Bare by Desire

Year: 1999
Duration: 0:0-1

As One Aflame Laid Bare - A Critique of Black Tape for a Blue Girl's Finest Album

Black Tape for a Blue Girl is a pioneer in the dark wave/ethereal genre, and their music is a mixture of darkwave, ethereal, and neo-classical elements. The band has been around for three decades, and they have released 14 full-length albums, with As One Aflame Laid Bare being one of their most celebrated albums. This review delves deeper into the album, which features six lengthy songs and some of the band's most innovative work.
The album's first track, The Grail, sets the tone for what's to come. It's a slow-building, darkly atmospheric piece that harkens back to the band's earlier, more ethereal sound. It starts with a ghostly female vocal before the instruments rise and fall like a gentle tide. It's a masterpiece that gives you a sense of what the album is all about.
The next track, Dagger, has a more upbeat tempo and a greater focus on percussion. The ever-present cello carries the melody, but the drums and keyboards create a driving rhythm that carries you along. This song adds a new dimension to the album, one that's both somber and uplifting, which distinguishes it from other dark wave releases.
The Touch and the Darkness is the album's centerpiece, clocking in at nearly 20 minutes. It is a mesmerizing sonic journey through the mind of a tortured artist, as the lyrics suggest. There is an ebb-and-flow to the music, with quiet, contemplative moments interspersed with frenzied outbursts. It's an emotional rollercoaster and perhaps the finest example of Black Tape's neo-classical elements.
The Praetorian March is a much shorter piece that clocks in at under six minutes. It is a marching instrumental track featuring brass and percussion but with a macabre twist. Something about it evokes images of ancient Rome, much as the title suggests, yet it still fits in nicely with the album's overall vibe.
The next track, The Rope, is a slow-burning masterpiece that features lonesome cello and ethereal vocals. It's almost funereal in tone, as if the band is mourning the passing of something essential. But there's a beauty to it as well, something mournful yet hopeful, that makes it one of the standout tracks of the album.
Finally, the album concludes with The Scavenger Bride, perhaps the most radio-ready of the tracks. It's much more uptempo than many of the other songs, with a catchy beat and a more straightforward arrangement. But it retains a dark edge to it, reminding the listener that this is still a Black Tape for a Blue Girl album.
As One Aflame Laid Bare is a stunning album that showcases Black Tape for a Blue Girl's virtuosity in every department. From the haunting vocals to the melodic and innovative instrumentation, it is a tour-de-force within the dark wave genre. And yet it also transcends it, pushing the boundaries of what that genre can be. It is bold, somber, and at times, positively uplifting, and consequently, it is an album not to be missed for those who appreciate melancholy and atmospheric music. On the whole, the album is not only one of the strongest releases within the genre, but it is one that stands the test of time.