Well, some of the readers might think "what in the blazes is a Post Punk band is doing here?", but Ol' Big Daddy has a thing to say about that: Metal, Punk, Gothic and a handful of Rock styles have common points on them, so not be a radical. You can find something good that you're looking for, as HORROR VACUI can bring. This quintet really plays a tasteful music on "The Return of the Empire", their new album.

Here, you can have a clear idea of what the style named Post Punk, Death Rock or Goth Rock really means: energy like old Punk Rock, but with a better harmonic structure, more accessible songs (with a little touch of Pop Rock) and good melodies. Yes, this is the main essence of style, not like some think of depressive music to cause suicide (music is to breed life, not to end it, mind you all). And this essence is pulsing in this album, alive, vigorous and intense. Very good vocals (aggressive and melodic in a charming way), and excellent guitar work, bass and drums in due places, with great charming choruses. We hear pretty simple musical arrangements on the album, but strong and powerful.

The sound quality is a bit raw, in the way bands like JOY DIVISION used to be on the past, making their work more aggressive than we usually hear on the style, but it's fine and good to our ears, and do not harm their music.

12 songs is what they offer, all of them pretty fine, having their best ones on "Return of the Empire" (very melodic and strong, with very charming vocals), "5000" (this one more melodic, with a great influence from earlier Post Punk sound), the almost Pop "'Till the Last Drop" (but take a careful listening on bass guitar tunes. It's the influence of Punk Rock. But as well, the drums are excellent), and "Opus Tenebris". But all the songs are very, very good.

Love or hate, these guys are a very high dose of adrenaline and fun!