For those not in the know, Sandro GeißlerSanz to you and me – used to be in moderately successful German noiseniks Groovenom, who delivered several pretty tasty trancecore/NDH records before imploding last year.

We love a bit of diversity here at Sentinel Daily, so when editor Scott Adams floated the idea of a review for Geißler’s solo effort, Let Us Die, I was all ears. And after listening, those ears were fully relaxed and ready for a snooze…

That’s a bit harsh, because Let Us Die is a very classy album indeed. But, if it’s dancefloor mayhem you’re looking for, well… it’s my duty to remind you that other darkwave albums are available.

From start to finish, Let Us Die is a sleek collection of sombre synth-lead musings on life, love and loss, all centred around the emotional vocals of Geißler himself, who, singing in English here, is often reminiscent of Depeche Mode‘s David Gahan. On penultimate track Close, he adds some fiery lead guitar to the mix, with the result being a distinct mid-eighties feel, and it’s that time and space which clearly occupied Sanz’s thoughts when coming to make the album. The album’s opening guitar figure actually might prompt thoughts of Def Leppard, but once the syndrums and bass kick in it’s a feast of morose, black-glad memories that come flooding back into the ol’ noggin. Liked Talk Talk back in the day? Second track Suck Your Love is right up your alley. A fool for the swoonsome melodies of Vince Clarke? Try Follow Me for size. I’m sure you get my drift by now…

In truth much of the material on offer here might horrify the more prosaic readers among our broad church of readers, but even I can’t listen to Napalm Death twenty four seven these days, and an album like this – oozing with class and sophistication, not to mention just straight-up great songwriting – is just for the ticket for those long, dark nights of the soul we all experiance from time to time. Darkly uplifting stuff, and highly recommended.

Let Us Die is out now.