In his review for the seminal gothic rock album Disintegration, Nitsuh Abebe wrote that “this album is for the capital R-Romantics, not sulkers” and in many ways, the Los Angeles based post-punk band, DECEITS, has epitomized this sentiment in their new track “Please, Wake Up”. Juxtaposing an incessant bassline and unwavering drums with melancholic lyrics about love and sorrow, DECEITS invites us to dance through the despair despite it all.
Formed in 2021, DECEITS rejects the idea that post-punk is restricted to cold and despondent monotony, instead choosing to marry melancholia with lively beats that pay homage to the Chicano heritage of members Kevin “Puppy” Moreno, Francisco Saenz, and Skylar Francise.
Moreno evokes Robert Smith in his half-sung half-spoken cadence but with a unique hardcore edge, injecting a pathos that drips off of every word. The cavernous reverb on both the vocals and the lead guitar work alongside the atmospheric keyboard to hammer home the frantic longing behind the main refrain “Please wake up tonight”. Equal parts energetic and anguished, DECEITS reaches for the light while still embracing the dark, firmly establishing themselves as one of the most compelling acts in the goth/alt music scene right now.
Check the official lyric video on their Youtube here and support them on Bandcamp!
Two Goths and a Coffin 