ARTIST: The Opposite Sex
ALBUM: Violent Heartstrings
LABEL: Self-released
REVIEWER: Matthew J.
DATE: 10-28-07

The Opposite Sex sound so much like early gothic rock and post-punk, you'll swear you're rediscovering some lost band from the '80s. It's not that they sound like anyone else, in particular, but their debut album perfectly captures the gestalt of that early scene: the moody pop hooks, the tense tribal drumming style, the abrupt transitions between harmony and dissonance, and the chaotic arrangements (title track "Violent Heartstrings" even manages to work in a screechy saxophone solo at the end). "Knives" is as cutting as its title, with screaming guitars slashing through the hard-driving bass line, and "Somewhere Girl" throws in the mixture of punk energy and dandy stylishness that typified groups like Adam and The Ants and The Damned. "Breaking the Sorrow" is cleaner, less distorted, recalling hints of Joy Division with all the open spaces between throbbing staccato guitars, and "Walk on Water" lightens things just a touch with string pads and guitar harmony. "Everything" is quieter, baritone vocals drawled over a fuzzily plodding drumbeat, while "Shattering Walls" and "Dusk" end things on a high note, full of rich wailing guitars and the primal pounding of bass drum and snare. The comes with the highest recommendations to fans of Southern Death Cult, The Chameleons, and The Cure.

For more information, visit the band's MySpace page at www.myspace.com/theoppositesex.