Darkadelic
2023 album by The Damned
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Darkadelic is the twelfth studio album by the British punk rock band the Damned,[12] released on 28 April 2023 by earMUSIC.[13]
| Darkadelic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 28 April 2023 | |||
| Studio | Kore Studios, Acton, London Broadfields Studios, Watford | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 48:27 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer | Thomas Mitchener | |||
| The Damned chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Darkadelic | ||||
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| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 79/100[4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The Arts Desk |   [1] |
| Blabbermouth.net | 8/10[5] |
| Classic Rock | [6] |
| Louder Than War | [2] |
| Mojo | [7] |
| New Noise Magazine |  [8] |
| The Spill Magazine | [9] |
| The Telegraph | [10] |
| Uncut | [11] |
Background
The album's title has been described as recognising the Damned's "influence as a pioneering goth band and interest in psychedelia".[14] Darkadelic is the first and only album by the Damned to feature drummer William Granville-Taylor after he replaced Pinch, who left the band in 2019.[15]
For Darkadelic, the Damned teamed up with producer Thomas Mitchener, formerly of the bands Haunts and Spycatcher, because he was, as guitarist Captain Sensible put it, a "purveyor of the '70s sound" they were going for on the album.[16] Singer Dave Vanian stated that, for him, "the only criteria was to have this album driven by more pronounced guitars."[12]
Prior to recording, Sensible and Granville-Taylor spent time working out arrangements for the tracks. "We actually sat down and we listened to a few Beatles songs, 'cause the songs were so beautifully arranged on those," Sensible said. "We really arranged the drums for what's right for the song. There was a lot of brainstorming during those two weeks of laying down the basic tracks."[12]
Prior to its release, the majority of the album was played during shows by the Damned on their April 2023 tour of the United Kingdom.[17]
The track "Leader of the Gang" is based on the crimes of former glam rock star Gary Glitter.[18] "Follow Me" is about influencers, and "Beware of the Clown" deals with politicians.[16] "Wake the Dead" was written specifically to be played at funerals. Through his online activity, Sensible had become aware that Damned songs were being played at fans' funerals. "So I thought, 'Well, they're playing these songs 'cause the deceased love the band. Why not write one actually for that purpose?"[12]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Invisible Man" | Dave Vanian, Paul Gray | 3:10 |
| 2. | "Bad Weather Girl" | Captain Sensible, Gray | 4:49 |
| 3. | "You're Gonna Realise" | Vanian | 2:36 |
| 4. | "Beware of the Clown" | Sensible | 3:14 |
| 5. | "Western Promise" | Vanian | 4:26 |
| 6. | "Wake the Dead" | Sensible, Martin Newell | 5:22 |
| 7. | "Follow Me" | Sensible, Gray | 3:18 |
| 8. | "Motorcycle Man" | Gray | 4:45 |
| 9. | "Girl I'll Stop at Nothing" | Sensible | 5:08 |
| 10. | "Leader of the Gang" | Sensible | 4:18 |
| 11. | "From Your Lips" | Vanian | 3:31 |
| 12. | "Roderick" | Vanian | 3:50 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[19]
The Damned
- Dave Vanian – vocals
- Captain Sensible – guitar, vocals (lead vocals on "Bad Weather Girl")
- Monty Oxymoron – keyboards
- Paul Gray – bass
- William Granville-Taylor – drums
Additional musicians
- Marty Love – backing vocals ("Bad Weather Girl")
- Don Jenkins – tambourine ("Beware of the Clown")
- Chris Coull – trumpet ("Western Promise", "Roderick")
- Emily Vanian – violin ("Roderick")
- Thomas Mitchener – EBow guitar ("Roderick")
Technical
- Thomas Mitchener – production, engineering, mixing
- Mark Knight – assistant (at Kore Studios)
- John Davis – mastering (at Metropolis Studios)
- Graham Humphreys – cover, layout
- David Read – 'A Damned Picture' globe
Charts
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[20] | 35 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[21] | 6 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[22] | 9 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[23] | 4 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[24] | 1 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[25] | 75 |