(TBM)
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| The Birthday Massacre (TBM) |
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 Line-up:Chibi (Vocals) M. Falcore (Lead Guitar), Rainbow (Rhythm Guitar, Sequencing), O.E. (Bass), Rhim (Drums), Owen (Keyboards) "The Birthday Massacre prove Goth is alive and well. Ever since their inception (originally as Imagica) in 2000, TBM have been standing apart from the Canadian crowd by sticking to the underworld of industrial synth-rock. Given their juxtaposition of dramatic makeup and pretty looks with gothic horror themes and dark electronica, it’s easy to see how they might not fit in among the Nickelbacks and the Tragically Hips of their home country. But it hasn’t taken the rest of the world so long to catch on."
-- Caitlin Hotchkiss, chartattack.com, 10/05
"The Birthday Massacre, a band who have always managed to capture the essence of contrast with their epic eighties inspired electronica and modern pop sensibility. Fused together they construct songs that tap into the emotion of your childhood faith in fantasy and tug the strings into the present, letting it all bleed in song with the tragic cynicism of later broken years. It’s like finding out the Easter Bunny is no more real than George W. Bush’s intellect but you still choose and want to believe in chocolate eggs delivered by abnormally sized furry creatures anyway…"
-- Clapperpaw, glam-ou-rama.co.uk, 7/04
2002: Nothing and Nowhere  TBM's first official studio release. The album was re-released in 2004 with new artwork due to high demand. The tracks Happy Birthday, Horror Show, Video Kid, and The Dream also appear on the expanded version of 'Violet'.   ¼ 2005:
Violet "Some bands transcend so many genres that they can get lost in the pigeonhole game. Such is the case with the fantasy inspired imagery of Canada’s The Birthday Massacre. New wave, Industrial, goth, metal, all circling around the images of a childish fantasy land that give the listener of feeling of innocence but also an underlying theme of anger and sadness. (...) The music itself sways between the pop alternative sounds of Garbage on a song like Violet which sounds like it’s ready made for FM radio. Then it can be strangely anti-pop on a song like Blue that starts of like a nightmarish Cradle Of Filth intro only to collide with the odd Gothened New Wave sweetness of the Cure or Human League. You’ll find yourself itching your head as I did trying to pinpoint what audience Birthday Massacre is trying to appeal to. You honestly can’t pigeonhole them. The ambient interludes heard in the songs Prologue, Red, and Black give the listener a sense that the band cares little about seeking an audience and more about expressing a colorful atmosphere that is balanced between moments of popish technicolor and subterranean colors of introspective darkness."
-- treehouseofdeath.com, 7/05
 2007:
Walking with Strangers "Showing both a consistency and evolution of their sound and style, The Birthday Massacre continue to mystify with their blend of gothic atmospheres, hard rock energy, and sweet melodies reminiscent of the best of the '80s. (...) Following their debut album 'Violet', and the re-release of their 'Nothing and Nowhere' demo EP, the band releases their sophomore album, 'Walking with Strangers'. From the first resonating notes leading into the pulsating synths and throbbing guitars of Kill the Lights, it would seem that very little has changed for the band. Chibi's vocals enter into the mix with their soaring melodic tones, enticing the listener to drift into a fantastic dreamlike trance befitting the mystical ambience that permeates throughout the band's music. What becomes readily apparent throughout the album that Chibi has matured as a vocalist, as evidenced by such songs as the catchy and rhythmic Goodnight and the sadly romantic Unfamiliar. Whereas her voice would shift from malevolent to melodic on previous releases, 'Walking with Strangers' shows her focusing more an actual singing without gratuitous affectations. It's slightly less varied, but her voice is so sweet to listen to that it only enhances the power of the music. Credit should be given to primary songwriters and guitarists M. Falcore and Rainbow, who once again treat us to an atmospheric blend of swirling guitar melodies that will surely remind many of The Cure, augmented by layers of crystalline synthesizer pads and arpeggios that give the music a dramatic depth rarely heard in other bands. Unlike the last album, there are no instrumental interludes here, but as on 'Violet', we are treated to an update of a song originally featured on the Nothing and Nowhere demo. This new version of To Die For is slightly more concise, but the added production and refined performance makes the song all the more striking. (...) Enhancing the band's '80s mystique is the added production of the legendary Dave "Rave" Ogilvie, remembered by many for his contributions to Skinny Puppy."
-- Ilker Yücel, regenmag.com, 8/07
 2009:
Show and Tell (live)Tracklisting: 01. Before Dark (Intro) 02. Video Kid 03. Lovers End 04. Goodnight 05. Falling Down 06. Violet 07. Red Stars 08. Looking Glass 09. Remember Me 10. Unfamiliar 11. Walking with Strangers 12. Weekend 13. Horror Show 14. Kill The Lights 15. Blue 16. Happy Birthday Release date: May 5th, 2009 "The intensity of The Birthday Massacre live shows was captured on film in late 2007 in Hamburg, Germany. This footage has been assembled to make The Birthday Massacre’s first ever live CD, 'Show And Tell'. Featuring 15 of their fan favorite tracks as well as their show intro Before Dark, the CD provides an excellent platform for fans to reminisce about their live experiences, and for new fans to anticipate the next opportunity they have to see this exceptional band. A DVD version of 'Show And Tell' will be released later this year, as well as a brand new studio album."  ¾ 2010:
Pins & NeedlesTracklisting: 01. In The Dark 02. Always 03. Pale 04. Control 05. Shallow Grave 06. Sideways 07. Midnight 08. Pins And Needles 09. Two Hearts 10. Sleepwalking 11. Secret "Amidst the dark imagery of a twisted fairytale that comprises the album artwork and the first video from the album - In the Dark, there's a sinister beauty that is present throughout the 11-song set. While the album opener (the aforementioned In the Dark) hits hard with it's beefy guitars and floating choruses, the track is soon eclipsed by nearly everything that follows. Always, Pale, and Control are perfect dark-pop songs. Shallow Grave marks the high point of the album, with TBM falling into their element with a track that will likely become known as one of their signature songs. Firing on all cylinders, every aspect of the band's sound reaches perfection here. (...) Not to spend their load completely in the first half of the album, both Two Hearts and Sleepwalking find themselves tucked safely near the back of the album, ready to assault you with their guitar blasts, and get your ass moving to the danceable groove as well. When a band moves beyond the standard guitar/bass/drums configuration, there can be a tendency for the mix to get out of whack, and fortunately you won't find any of that here. The entire album is well-produced, and the entire band is given ample space to shine."
-- James Zahn, kikaxemusic.com, 9/10
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