Belaya Polosa (Sacred Bones Records) is the fourth full-length release from Belarus’ Molchat Doma. The band consists of vocalist Egor Shkutko, guitarist, synth and drum machine player Roman Komogortsev (who is also the primary songwriter), and bass guitar and synth player Pavel Kozlov.

Belaya Polosa combines the influence of 80s post-punk groups such as Joy Division and The Cure with that of more electronic-based artists such as Depeche Mode and Covenant. Huge 80s synth drums predominate and give the tracks here a forward-marching potency. Indeed, tracks such as album opener “Ty Zhe Ne Zhaesh Kto Ya” sit pretty much in full-on EBM territory, with four-to-the-floor drums, bleeping synth leads and pulsating electronic bass. But that’s not the full story. Tracks such as “Son” and the title track feature bass guitar and chiming guitars, giving these songs a feel that is close to that of The Sisters of Mercy. There is perhaps also a debt owed to spaghetti western soundtracks, with some of the twanging vibrato guitars in particular being reminiscent of Ennio Morricone’s output.

Shkutko’s voice features on nearly all of the tracks here, his dark and reverb-drenched gothic drawl recalling Ian Curtis. The lyrics are in Russian but, nonetheless, the sombre and sorrowful feel is communicated perfectly. His pained baritone gives these songs their essential rueful and poignant character.

The production is crisp and clear, whilst inevitably owing a debt to the somewhat murkier sound of gothic groups from the past. Drums and synths are punchy and direct whilst guitars are doused in reverb.

Album highlights include the qausi-trip hop / shoegaze of “Belaya Polosa,” “III,” with its Duran Duran-esque synth hook, “Ya Tak Ustal,” with its 80s pop-inspired melodies, and album closer “Zimnyana,” with its vocal and guitar duetting.

Belaya Polosa is a record that exudes a certain feeling; in this case a mournful and melancholic one. At times it could be said that the uniformity of emotional content makes the record a little one-dimensional, but perhaps that’s the point. It is an album that beautifully fuses electronica and rock and that wears its 80s influences on its sleeve whilst simultaneously looking forward.

Buy the album here:
https://lnk.to/BelayaPolosa

7 / 10
DUNCAN EVANS