There is a distinct art to following up an album that established an artist. Of the many possible paths, perhaps the most astute is delivering a twist on what came before, similar enough to satisfy those that liked it but different enough to seem fresh. Moby, for instance, successfully tweaked the sound of his multi-million-selling Play for the intriguing but accessible 18, whereas The Klaxons fluffed it completely when they followed up the fantastic Myths of the Near Future with what appeared to be a pastiche of it.
For scholars of music history and those with long memories, E&TW’s sound is comparable to long gone hippy Goth act All About Eve, but darker, tinted with the Cocteau Twins’ clanging guitar soundscaping and a pervasive dourness. The lyrics of singing bassist Rachel Davies are literary and opaque, conjuring uncanny imagery, and she sings them with a haunted mournfulness. The music, meanwhile, sometimes jangles quietly but on other occasions, such as the opening “Iceland Spar”, lays down attacking washes of distorted guitar. For all the well-crafted mustering of mood, there’s a distinct lack of memorable songs, riffs or hooks.
Despite its flaws, Wash the Sins Not Only the Face, a title drawn from an ancient Greek palindrome, has much to keep fans interested. “Deathwaltz” has a discernible drive and passion amid its shimmer, and the elegiac ballad “Putting Down the Prey” and downtempo plucked guitar loneliness of “The Fall of Glorietta Mountain” are both well worth a listen. Esben and the Witch may not deliver on the hopes and expectations fostered by their debut, but they do offer just enough to maintain their status as a band with potential.
Watch the video for "Deathwaltz"
