Carpenter Brut - Leather Teeth

By Jeff Treppel. After a string of rapturously-received EP’s and a tour with Ghost that helped expose the synthwave sound to a wider audience, it was probably about time for Carpenter Brut to put out their first proper full-length

By Jeff Treppel.


After a string of rapturously-received EP’s and a tour with Ghost that helped expose the synthwave sound to a wider audience, it was probably about time for Carpenter Brut to put out their first proper full-length. In true iconoclastic fashion, of course, they tossed Leather Teeth out into the world with almost no warning. And boy, have they incinerated any expectations.

While the debut trilogy stayed pretty close to darksynth conventions, last year’s CarpenterBrutLive, forged from several US tours, showed more of a focus on a full-band sound and a cover of “Maniac” that served as harbingers of their new direction. The EP’s were a solo undertaking by Franck Hueso; Leather Teeth finds him embracing his newfound collaboration by unleashing a demonic disco extravaganza. In doing so, he succeeds where most synthwave artists fail: each of these eight songs has their own distinct identity, ironically creating more of a cohesive feel than if each track blended together.

The title track skews the closest to previous efforts, with its hard-hitting beats, but after that it’s the Wild West. “Cheerleader Effect” features Ulver’s Kristoffer Rygg doing his best Tears For Fears impression. “Sunday Lunch” invites vaporwave over for waffles. “Monday Hunt” Perturbates furiously. “Inferno Galore” feels like the Blade Runner soundtrack performed by Goblin. “Beware the Beast” takes HIM to Miami. “Hairspray Hurricane” might be the most evil thing Jan Hammer never composed. “End Titles” ties it all back together seamlessly. Members of Hexvessel and Klone provided their voices, metal superproducer Jaime Gomez Arellano (Paradise Lost, Ghost, Primordial) helped record the vocals. In other words, this is a seriously impressive undertaking.

Leather Teeth packs one fierce bite. Already one of the biggest names in the scene, they stake their claim here as not only some of the best songwriters, but some of the biggest innovators in synthwave. As other luminaries like Perturbator and Gost seek to distance themselves from that label, Carpenter Brut take the sound to an entirely new level.

Tarot - Reflections

By Jeff Treppel. Not the Tarot with the shouty guy from Nightwish, these Tasmanian devils possess a decidedly anachronistic point of view. This stuff sounds like 70s pulp fantasy book covers look – and not the badass ones done by Michael Whelan. They reside in the Shire, not Mordor.

By Jeff Treppel.

Cover art by Karmazid

Not the Tarot with the shouty guy from Nightwish, these Tasmanian devils possess a decidedly anachronistic point of view. This stuff sounds like 70s pulp fantasy book covers look – and not the badass ones done by Michael Whelan. They reside in the Shire, not Mordor.

It’s hard to examine Reflections without touching upon what came before. It’s pretty easy to tell what their record collection looks (and smells) like. Their strength lies in how cannily they mix the ingredients in their cauldron. There are recognizable pieces here and there, sure: a Buck Dharma guitar flourish in “Strange Dimensions,” atmospheric Rainbow organ underpinning “Heed the Call,” the Led Zeppelin III homage of the title track. Uriah Heep, Pagan Altar, and Gentle Giant poke their heads in frequently. It always feels like you’re right on the cusp of being able to place who they sound like, but you can never quite nail them down. Fortunately, that dance fascinates, not distracts.

There’s a pastoral quality to these songs that really shines through, the production making it seem as if they were captured in a fairy glade. Considering the potential Tarot had on their preceding EP’s – a potential that was often hampered by subpar production – they more than fulfill their promise here. The main point of contention for some people may be The Hermit’s singing, which always sounds just on the verge of going flat. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t (he’s at his best when he’s at his gentlest, like on the beginning of “Living for Today”). It’s not enough to poison the rest. Don’t call Reflections a throwback; call it a peek through the mists to a better time that never existed.