With Danse Macabre it’s a little bit complicated, but let me make an attempt to describe what I just witnessed tonight. Think of the heaviness of Metallica, throw in a bit of the psychedelics of Pink Floyd, and add to that the vocal styling of Leonard Cohen and you’ll be pretty close to the sound that is Danse Macabre. Furthermore, add a liquid light show background reminiscent of the old Fillmore East in New York City (actually, there were also some still images of mushrooms and sharp color patterns that reminded me of the backdrops some of the British invasion groups used) and that completes the aural and visual experience we were treated to. The overall effect, with of course, some excellent original material and superb musicianship, resulted in one of the more interesting local concert experiences I’ve had in quite awhile.

The songs are laced with quite a bit of doom and gloom, which adds to the heaviness of the music (thus the Metallica and Leonard Cohen vibes I picked up). After all, Danse Macabre translates to “Dance of Death”, so you shouldn’t expect anything too cheerful from these guys. But the heaviness is not just about the lyrics or the low, often monotone vocals of Jim Buchanan.

Lead guitarist Josh London employs a heavy-handed rhythm and lead style that is quite impressive and thoroughly enjoyable. Bassist Patrick Stater is very prominent and booms with the best of them, running bass lines throughout the tunes.  Alex Houchens touches the keys and provides other, as their MySpace says, “ambient sounds and auxiliary percussion”, so he provides some of the niceties that run here and there. Drummer Wes Buchanan (Jim’s grandson) is ever-present and was on fire throughout the show, providing the “bang” in head banging. Jim Buchanan also throws in biting lead guitar riffs here and there, as well as other string and percussive touches, just for a little added flavor. The result was a tight, powerful, and oh so juicy explosion of sound that you’re not going to hear anywhere else.

You can get more info on the band at www.myspace.com/thedansemacabre. They have a full-length CD that was previewed here: http://www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2010/04/02/the_amplifier/recent_releases/doc4bb2695fc42be267340551.txt. I bought it (a steal at $5). I was just as impressed with it as I was with the show, so you might want to pick one up yourself. If you do, I suspect I‘ll be seeing you at a future Danse Macabre performance. See you there. 

Danse Macabre played at Tidballs in Bowling Green, KY on 3/27/2010.

About the author: Pennman bought his first 45 at age nine and has been hooked on rock ever since. He has spent much of his disposable income on music, especially live performances. He writes reviews of the shows he sees and keeps a keen lookout for upcoming shows in or near Bowling Green. He has a BA in Communications, specializing in journalism, and has dabbled in music himself, both as a player and instructor. Find more of Pennman’s work at www.associatedcontent.com/user/165511/pennman.html or visit him at www.myspace.com/pennman_bg or www.facebook.com/pennman