There are, musically speaking, two sorts of gothic music doing the rounds in recent times. The first is that of the more performative, eyeliner-wearing rockers, black-clad sonic cos-players singing about innocence and love for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer generation. Then there is that which is truly gothic, music that bristles and broods with the echo of literary Regency romanticism and formative horror writers. The latter is the place where we find the likes of Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. It is also where we find St. Divine on their latest single, “The Devil That You Know.”
The title track of their forthcoming debut album, this release perhaps shows a different side to the band, especially if you have come to them via more incendiary tracks such as “30 Dolls” or “Spit,” it’s a song that seems to crawl towards the listener rather than the usual euphoric garage-rock rush, one that is scary and seductive despite its more considered pace, or perhaps because of it.
But the darkness that always hangs over their songs is as present as ever, especially as this was penned, in part at least, as a way of Julia Ann Nock, exorcising some guilt and trying to find some insight and understanding into a personal tragedy.
“The Devil That You Know” is the sound of the band distilling their punk attitude into something more poignant; their garage-rock sound clashes into something darker, though no less deliriously delicious. Their attitude and artistry are still sonically spot on; they just take a different, though no less brilliant, path this time.
Not what you would call a goth record, but certainly a truly gothic song!
