GOTHIC 72

"Prinzipiell sind sie eh über jeden Zweifel erhaben, denn viel zu lange ziehen THE HOUSE OF USHER schon ihr ureigenes Ding durch, unabhängig vom Zeitgeist, von kurzfristigen Trends, von vermeintlichen Modeerscheinungen. (...)Dass die Mannen um Frontmann Jörg Kleudgen (...) aber noch lange nicht zum alten Eisen gehören, die sich auf ihren eingeheimsten Lorbeeren ausruhen, belegt der brandneue Longplayer "Pandora's Box" mehr als eindrucksvoll. Ich kann mich an kein THE HOUSE OF USHER Album erinnern, bei dem die Goth Rock-Dinos so songorientiert gearbeitet haben. Jedes Stück ist für sich genommen ein wunderbares Kleinod, aber erst als Gesamtpaket, mit dem geschmackvollen Artwork und der (...) zugehörigen Kurzgeschichte im Booklet (...) entfaltet "Pandora's Box" seine 360-Grad-Wirkung. Musikalisch scheinen THE HOUSE OF USHER ebenfalls eine Frischzellenkur durchlaufen zu haben: man könnte fast meinen, dass das Quintett einige ihrer eigenen Lieblingsacts würdevoll zitieren(...). Ganz besonders hervozuheben ist jedoch "Speak by Tongue", ein nach vorne preschendes Gothic Rock-Brett, welches man in solcher Form schon lange nicht mehr von THE HOUSE OF USHER vernommen hat. (...) In diesem Sinne meine herzlichsten Glückwünsche an Jörg, Ralf, Axel Tom und Georg zur Geburt ihres neuesten Babys. You guys did a great, great Job!"

ZILLO 07-08/2011

Soundcheck-O-Töne:

Die Old-School-Goth-Rocker auf Poes nebligen Pfaden wissen immer noch mit düster-melancholischen Ohrwürmern zu erfreuen, die kein wenig angestaubt oder verbraucht wirken.

SONIC SEDUCER 07-08/2011

"(...)Dass die Wurzeln von THE HOUSE OF USHER ganz klar in den 80ern liegen, ist weiterhin unbestreitbar, aber "Pandora's Box" ist sehr facettenreich ausgefallen. "Coming Home" ist für den Clubeinsatz prädestiniert, so eingängig, ja fast schon poppig klang die Band selten und mit "Finders Keepers" legen sie in puncto Tanzbarkeit gleich noch nach. Wunderschön und außergewöhnlich ist "Where I belong", bei dem Bianca Stücker von The Violet Tribe singt und dem Song durch ihre feenhafte, aber dennoch ausdrucksstarke Stimme eine Prise Mephisto Waltz verleiht. (...) Wie von THE HOUSE OF USHER gewohnt, liegt auch diesem Album eine Kurzgeschichte von Jörg Kleudgen bei, dei sozusagen den konzeptionellen Zusammenhang zwischen den einzelnen Songs herstellt, Ein grandioses Album!"

ELECTROZINE.NET

"Wenn für die Gäste des Hauses Usher Pandora´s Büchse geöffnet wird, erwarten diese ein recht düsteres Gebräu kredenzt zu bekommen. Doch wie es so ist, in den alten Sagen: man sollte immer auf überraschende Wendungen gefasst sein. Denn nicht wenige der aktuellen Songs beinhalten relaxt groovende Drums, mit eher lichten Keyboard-Melodien und duftend kuschelweichen New Wave-Gitarren. Nur die Texte und deren Vortrag durch Jörg Kleudgen wandern nach wie vor stetig im Tal des dunklen Timbre. Mir läuft das Ganze sehr schmackhaft runter, denn das Bouquet bleibt schwer und ist typisch für die Band. Dazu sind die Kompositionen wesentlich fruchtiger als auf dem Vorgänger „Angst“, der mich nicht so vollständig berauschte wie dieses Werk. (...)"

REFLECTIONSOFDARKNESS.COM

"(...) ‘Saturn Rising’ is a superb opener. Of course it’s atmospheric, its lyrics are well written and the song captivates from the start, the sound is beautifully thick and at times pleasantly heavy. Love the frantic screamed rhetoric that gives the closing part a manic and intense feel. The next, ‘Not Your Friend’, opens with a heavy piano but soon breaks into a catchy song, soon find yourself your body moving with it, a dance-puller. Things slow down with the next ‘Consecration’, a slower tempo track, more interesting on lyrical and vocal than musical front. ‘Coming Home’ is layered, strong, with a lot going for it, and even more so, one of the best songs here for me. ‘How Far Can We Go’ is darker, and has this oriental timbre to it before it enters into another rhythmic, hook-laden song, that will pull you in, mind, body and soul! There are few weak songs, in my opinion ‘Love without Grace’ and ‘Where I Belong’ let the album down; they steer into slightly tedious [read clichéd] territory. But the rest of the album goes right back on track, get into the dynamic, atmospheric and darker, catchy shades and dig deep under your skin by their memorable nature. ‘Speak by Tongue’ being the favourite of the later part of the album for me, mostly for its guitars being the outstanding component here; terrific hook again. ‘Finders Keepers’ sounds as reaching out back to the golden era of BAUHAUS or SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES. Overall, this is a brilliant album, a definitely great addition to your collection; it won’t disappoint you on the whole and enthuse by its many wonderful and well-composed songs. Petra Whiteley "

PEEK A BOO MAGAZINE (Belgium)

"(...) This German gothband is back with a new album titled "Pandora's Box". In many cases most albums with names as such would be kicked out off the office immediately, but in their case it just feels like you're embracing some old friend : a gothfriend! They learned from the past that a classic goth album begins better with an opener that blows you away and that's what "Saturn Rising" does. This is the kind of goth we adore, where you're swallowed in some melancholic atmosphere ruled by guitars and a memorable chorus! On this album it feels like you have a record that can be described as goth seen through different eyes, as songs like "As Evening Draws On" or "Speak By Tongue" have that typical Fields Of The Nephilim atmosphere. "Coming Home" might be a bit too mellow for our taste but as soon as we hear the Xymox-like guitars in "Not Your Friend" we know that "Pandora's Box" is one of the strongest goth albums you'll get to hear this year!"

Hard Wired Internet Magazine March 2009

"Sometimes all I want is unashamed gothic rock. The House of Usher fit the bill. The guitars chime, through an FX-fuelled haze. The drums clatter and the bass throbs. Over the top, there is sonorous and deep-voiced vocals. It feels as if I am coming home. There's something curiously uplifting about "Invocation" despite its talk of 'walking through the valley of death'. Maybe it's the ebullience of the guitars? The title of "Move Over Kate" is more intriguing, which is solid dark-themed rock. "Deep Inside My Heart" is more energy. The band seem to be struggling to reach something, I know not what. The tide of guitars is enough to sweep you away. There's a Chameleons-like intensity to this song. "For My Vengeance" sees the use of superlative guitar whooshes. (…) If you play gothic rock it is traditional to end your album with an epic, which in this case is called "To Whatever End". It clocks in around seven minutes. There's some superb bass work going on here, redolent of Type O Negative. The song doesn't quite warrant its extended running time, but it's a solid slice of gothic rock nevertheless."

Cinka/Virus-Magazine

Something about the way "Radio Cornwall" starts off makes me think it's something I haven't heard in a while. As if discovering a long lost mix-tape, trying to think of who I was and where I was when I made it.

This is my introduction to House Of Usher. My first thoughts were "obviously German", "obviously goth". Wavering guitars make me think of distant places I'd like to visit. House Of Usher use metaphors like ships running aground to convey helplessness, but are also able to speak literally.
In "More Than Average" cries for help and attention are desperate, but universally felt. Middle Eastern electric guitars proceed a tender acoustic that dashes into deep emphasis. House Of Usher are fond of metaphors.
The hunter and its prey, "Hide and Seek". The lyrics are simple. I almost don't like dissecting lyrics. I find that whenever I pull the words from the music, I end up with the worst of gothic poetry. But it's never that simple.
House Of Usher are a total package that consists of finely tuned, dark accompaniment, drowning female vocals, and heart.
Love loss and lament are continuing themes throughout the album. The sea is an essential character in a story that speaks of loneliness, heartbreak, and death. And there are stories here.
"Radio Cornwall" is an old school, musical journey, narrated by a thick German accent and set to a beat that will bring a tear to your eye, or at least your feet to the dance floor.
The title track "Radio Cornwall" starts with a different tone. A beat up rendition of The Star Spangled Banner followed by the words of Bush Jr., "Whatever action is necessary, I will defend the freedom and security of the American people." It's a nice touch regarding current events, however keeping with the theme, Jörg Bartscher Kleudgen once more digresses into heartbreak. Speckled in more vocals from Bush Jr. that don't really make any sense. It's a good song, I just didn't get the Bush Spangled Banner thing.
A flair for the dramatic makes for good listening when done right. While I'm a little confused by the title ("Radio Cornwall" is a Cornish radio station operated by the BBC) and political undertones, I can't help but really like this album...which surprises even me.
In particular, "No Love Lost" and "It Doesn’t Matter", melodic, dreamy. It's a hearty dose of old fashioned gothic soul, the way you remember goth used to be. It’s honest. It’s pure. Something may be lost in the translation, but "It Doesn’t Matter".

TekNoir/Gothtronic

The House of Usher is a German gothrock band with some name and fame. Radio Cornwall is their new album. The sixth already. The gentlemen have retreated to a remote farm in Fowey, Cornwall for this, which explains the title of the album. This must have been an inspirational surroundings, since radio Cornwall is a great gothicrock album with epic qualities. Lengthy tracks, sometimes sounding like early U2. The split single ‘Sanctuary’ which was meant as a teaser lasted 9 minutes as well. Luckily it doesnt bore at all. The epic character of the music matches the theme, which centers around a short story written by Jorg Kleudgen and can be read in the 24 pages booklet.

There are some fine gothrock songs on this album, such as ‘Hide & Seek’, ‘The Floor She Walked Upon’, ‘No Love Lost’ and ‘Radio Cornwall’. This album furthermore is characterized by the typical vocals of Jorg Kleudgen, choirs, piano play, synths and atmospheric guitarplay. A heavy rhythmsection ensures the tempo is kept up where it is needed. The first limited edition of this cd includes a bonus cd with five tracks on which the medieval band Violet add their contribution with percussion, bagpipes, guitars and flutes.

Mick Mercer/livejournal.com

Just as the Ethereal and neo-classical artists offer a side of Goth which is the sort of music you know you will be listening to for the rest of your life in one form or another, so some kinds of Gothic rock make sense the older the artists involved get, because maturer sounds should mix with a sanguine perspective that lets the words flow through the music, and that’s when the songwritng either shines or lays rotting in dull exhaustion. The House Of Usher come back here with their first album in four years and it’s an absolute marvel.

Straightforward line-up, with vocals, guitars, bass, real drummer and keyboards, straightforward delivery, but with everything geared towards exemplifying the tone of the song’s sentiments, so that it purrs along. There’s evidently something about this record being inspired by a week they’d spent in Cornwall, where the blighted beauty of the land wove its spell on them, and Cornwall can do that with it’s end of the world feel, although I don’t find it necessarily pulls together any particular lyrical threads, other than popping in some aquatic gloom.

‘Wherever The Storm May Drop Us Down’ wriggles as the treated guitar threshes the air, turning deliberately around the serious and sombre vocals, which never sink into depression. The melodic charm given to the troubled singing keeps it all smooth, and the band throb gently into a softly expressive chorus and then with chomping drums and a ringing guitar emphasis they vary the song with pauses and rebuilds. From that superb opener on, it’s a feast.

‘More Than Average’ has the keyboards chilly with a dour bass and clipped drums keeping things sedate as high female vocals are followed by the low regretful male variety, and the whole things shifts gradually like a grey landslide into another fine, almost muted chorus and weird use of guns and bombs at the close. ‘A Dead Man’s Hand’ allows grim guitar to form into solid, settled riffing in a song which is a steadily building, modest piece, before moving up for the slicker drums and milder, fluid riffing of ‘Hide And Seek’ with seems almost effortless. You sink into its sumptuous folds, and I’m not surprised it does well in clubs.

‘Will You Know It’ fills then empties, redolent of the waves at the start. The song twinkles, buoyed by the sparkling guitar riffing through the engaging tale which unfolds and here I’ll make the first of two comparisons, because this like a prettier version of New Model Army at their best. Having rescued a mermaid the protagonist is flummoxed by everything, the song re-stoking itself with eager guitar and chattering synth as the energy picks up and sweeps you around like a cool broom.

‘For Better For Worse’ starts with a folky delivery which is the most obvious sign of a rustic influence but it’s absorbed into their plaintive side, and quickly shifts into darker, starker territory as the bass and drums give it weight. They curl round at the edges with a song which prances onwards nobly in a stirring display. ‘Radio Cornwall’ returns to a modern edge, with a George Bush sample plonked into gravitas that’s losing gravity, as the mesmerising vocals woes float over taut drums and subtly burning guitar. ‘The Floor She Walks Upon’ have a maudlin dampness to accompany the vocal pain, and again the interwoven guitar and crisp rhythmical guile makes it a beguiling journey which tosses you around quite casually.

‘No Love Lost’ is the only let down here, because the lyrics are crap, although it lurches along pleasantly and is their must up, ornately infectious song. The other problem is that Jorg Bartscher-Kleudgen has written a story to be included in the gorgeous packaging, but it’s all in German, and there isn’t even an English version on the website, despite the fact they sing entirely in English. As the record looks as gorgeous as it sounds this s a disappoint omission.

It’s not too sprucing that Ikon are on this label because House Of Usher have the same approach to their music, without the sense of hard urgency. ‘It Doesn’t Matter’ is busy, lean Goth which bubbles under the lyrical admission of rejection, and here there’s some intense guitar development and supreme rhythmical vigour in another fantastic display. ‘Throwing Stones At The Wind’ is soppier, a lightweight bout which is attractive in its gentle gradients, and then they finish with a gloomy ‘Le Morte d’Arthur’ which urges along, glowing to an end of crows calling, water and storms.

(The bonus CD from the limited edition double digipack I received sees the involvement of a band called Violet who lend their medieval/oriental airs as they canter through a selection of songs from the band’s history, giving ‘A Dead Man’s Hand’ a minor sense of airier relief, while ‘With The Heat Of A Sun (2001)’ melts into a sweet abstraction. ‘No God On Earth (1999)’ is another decorated low entity where the gloom becomes bolstered, ‘The Man With The Dead Eyes’ (1996) gushes graciously, as does the ‘Stars Fall Down (1993)’ but really these are gentrified extras and a slight diversion from what the actual album offers.)

Unadulterated Goth glory, from start to finish, ‘Radio Cornwall’ has so many special songs you’ll love it. You will absolutely love it.

DJ De’Ath/Beyond the veil

One of the Legends of German Gothic music, The House Of Usher return with their sixth full length studio album. It follows a period of change, rebirth, and rediscovery following their last album Inferno / L'enfer which was released in 2002. After the dust settled THOU the new line up is Jorg, Markus, Ralf & Georg. Like a group of scientists locked in a lab they have been carefully nuturing and growing the seed that was planted when they visited Cornwall a couple of years ago. Radio Cornwall is by far the best THOU album to date. It encapsulates the spirit that is often found in their live performances. Opening with Wherever The Storm May Drop Us Down has epic Goth anthemn written all over it and would be more than apt for opening a live set with. The guitars are a perfect foil for Jorg's distinctive vocal. More Than Average opens with haunting piano keys and the use of some charming female backing vocals with plenty of Goth rock tempo. A Dead Man's Hand a true masterpiece of Gothic rock coupled with the lyrical genius of Jorg will ensure this track getting endless club play. Hide & Seek The power in this song is quite breathtaking. Will You Know Me will having you jumping around the room, simply a classic Goth track. For Better For Worse is a very subtle and clever lyrical love song. Radio Cornwall -I love the use of the last post and the George Bush sample, this track has already featured on a couple of samplers and should prove a popular song, very simple and clever hooks, with guitars to die for. The Floor She Walked Upon recounts a meeting with a long dead female spirit set the backdrop of frenzied Goth rock which at the very least will have your feat tapping. No Love Lost again with female backing vocals and the subtle use of minimal electronics the rollercoaster continues. It Doesn't Matter yet another song that will take the clubs by storm which captures the esscence of the new THOU sound. Throwing Stones At The Wind has a quality indie pop song feel to it. Le Morte d'Arthur is a very atmopsheric song that even The Cure would be proud to have written, a perfect ending to a perfect CD. The CD will also be released in a double CD format which includes remixes and info files. Radio Cornwall is an essential Gothic Rock CD of this decade not just for Germany but for the wider world of Gothic Rock music.