From their website, “For 25 years, IMPURE WILHELMINA has been creating a singular music on the borders of rock and metal. The Geneva quartet has never been afraid to reinvent itself and to push back the stylistic barriers, without ever losing its strong identity. Intensity, melody, power and melancholy are the key words that guide the band’s discography, shaping record after record a subtle blend of metal, post-hardcore, new wave and indie rock sounds.” The album has five songs.

“La Javanaise” is first. The opening tones are jovial, and the vocals smooth. Keep your ear to the key…the subtle shifts keep the listener engaged. It’s hard to describe the sound…Post-Rock meets Pop with a bit of melancholy thrown in probably best describes it. Whatever it is, it’s pleasing to the ear. “Fallen Angel” is a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing if you will. There is a delicate balance between favorable feelings and feelings of existential dread. The song grows both heavier and darker as it moves along. “Plain Song” is slower, with a more accessible melody line. They ride it out smartly, letting in the fresh air on the first warm day of spring. I get a heavy influence of THE CURE here for sure.

“Nebulae” take a more circuitous route. The band twists and molds the melody with different fingers, creating dissonant sounds, especially in the harsh vocals. Never resting however, they vary the melody along the way. “Ignoramus” closes the album, with a firm and heavy structure. The melody takes a back seat to the dark that is growing in the shadows. The album cover is as unassuming as the music. The central themes on the album are melody and varying moods, and often the latter is hard to tell. The five songs are quite diverse, but I find myself wanting more. Talk about a band that is hard to pigeon hole…and this is one for sure. At its core, it is a tale of competing sounds, and the band never fully lets either side win.