By Keith Walsh
Located in Dallas, Texas, the four piece band Sevit presents imaginative gothic rock music, with intelligent lyrics and a commercial sound. Their self-titled debut features the expected goth fixation with sorrow and witch lore, but in the case of Sevit, the lyrics are lucid rather than sensationalized. There’s a focus on afflictive emotions and picturesque descriptions that amplify the moodiness of the skillful songcraft and passion invested performances.
“The transformative art of turning pain into poetry is a valuable function of the goth movement.”
The album’s opener, “Jet Black Sommer” is an upbeat, energetic piece with a pulsing bass and drums, soprano vocals by Mario Tremaine, supported by bassist Maddie Fritz on backing vocals. Cam B. adds keyboards, mostly tastefully mixed down, while Brian Weems adds guitar. “Drain To White” is a kind of vampire tale with an exultant sing along chorus, metaphorical of romance of course. “Witch’s Broom” finds Cam B.’s keyboards at center stage, with a pulsing synth bass, while the rest of the song is archly sinister and all in minor keys, ideal for a story about heartache. All of these tunes are varied in mood and instrumentation, with Tremaine’s theatrical flair adding fun drama.
“Shipwrecked” is a spooky, atmospheric tune conjuring up pirates and cursed voyages, in a metaphorical way, exploding into a driving goth beat with elements from decades starting in the 80s. Tremaine’s vocals are backed up by Fritz again, and the effect of the dark themes combined with the confident performances is similar to the classic new wave goth of Siouxsie and the Banshees. There’s cool attention to atmosphere and mystery, with good use of guitar effects, mostly reverb and chorus.
The paranoia of “The Walls Are Closing In” relies on droning washes of atmospheric synths, irregular plodding drums, and those passionate vocals. “No Haunts” is melodic darkwave with a chugging guitar and vibe not unlike The Cult, or that other 80s goth pop band, Bauhaus, with a vocal performance close to something by Iggy Pop. “Cold Dreams” breaks up the mood with its inventive atmosphere and unusual syncopated drum pattern, before it bursts into a sad, confessional tune with exaggerated drama. “Ghost Like This” has a propelling beat and a clever guitar sound that’s hard to distinguish from a synth drone, in a tale of otherworldly love. Tremaine’s vocal tell of his sorrow and disappointment over loss. “Creeper” tells the tale of an interesting anti hero, that unlikeable person that might just be a projection of our worst fears and prejudices.
The final track, “10-Z-340” is a brilliant nine minute instrumental owing something to the dark ambient of Peter Gabriel while adding gravitas to the band’s project by revealing an experimental, thematically curious heart.
The transformative art of turning pain into poetry is a valuable function of the goth movement. Combined with the dramatic performances of Sevit, these songs succeed by elucidating the most painful of emotions, in ways that are thematically dark, but by no means negative in purpose.
For a band that released their first EP in 2020, and finalized their membership only two years later, Sevit have achieved a sophisticated sound and style. They have played on bills with The Chameleons, Covenant, Vision Video, Twin Tribes, Urban Heat, and She Past Away.
Sevit Band Dot Com
Sevit On Bandcamp
finis