Release Date: 2000
Genre: Goth Rock
Similar Artist(s): Garbage, Stabbing Westward
Members: Heather Thompson, Eric Fisher, Joe Rolland, Mark Burkett
Instruments Used: Female Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Synthesizer
Horror Online Magazine stated Vocalist Heather Thompson combines the intensity of The Sugarcubes, Bjork with the discipline of The Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Frazier. Thompson’s voice also has a quality which neither Bjork nor Frazier can claim: the capacity to fly from one emotional and auricular extreme to another in one second flat – believably and without strain.
I couldn’t have put it better myself. Tapping the Vein’s “Undone” combines a near perfect mixture of the classic euphony, basic instruments (guitar, bass, drums) with just the right dosage of programming and sampling from Drummer Eric Fisher who was also the man who decided to come up with the band name “Tapping the Vein” because of his appreciation for Clive Barker.
This 6 song EP is more than enough to attract to attention. A hard rock feel that has also attracted some attention to the goth scene for it’s tragic theme. Each song has it’s own creative life to it, with a song like crushing, it begins with an acoustic guitar and her voice, it seems to come from a distant radio, and suddenly the static and distance clears and the other instruments kick in with a pinch of Spanish flavor which may have been done on purpose, no idea, but great none the less. The album starts off with some synth guitar sounding deal that is difficult to describe and almost immediately after the drums come into play but this “sound” always remains and it sticks in your head. Song after song, a steady beat with a catchy chorus.
This is Tapping the vein’s second EP release and a full length album under the Nuclear Blast record label on the way, this alone is indication enough of the talent of the band. Being under the same label as bands like Theatre of Tragedy, Dimmu Borgir, and Children of Bodom should give them the recognition they need and deserve – Azriel J. Knight
Review Originally Published in 2001
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