Goth kids may know Andy Deane as the nucleus behind the much-beloved Charlottesville, Virginia band Bella Morte, however, his latest project comes deep from his nostalgic little, synth-loving heart. Deriving its name from the Bella Morte track “The Rain Within Her Hands” (off 2010’s Pain Management), The Rain Within are self-proclaimed “Synthpop with a neon pulse.” This is apt for a project that taps its New Rock through Synthpop and Synthwave stylings while flirting with a plethora of other influences.
Deane himself is no stranger to all things entertainment: Vocalist of Bella Morte, former Vocalist of Brighter Fires, published Horror author, photographer, Horror lover and 1980s-o-phile, this is a man who lives and breathes his art. As The Rain Within, Deane released Atomic Eyes on Valentine’s Day 2018, thanks to Negative Gain Productions.
The (lucky) thirteen-song collection is chock-full of delicious Synthpop merging with darker Synthwave sounds that will have your mind wandering off to the wonder years of life, back in the ‘80s; a time when Michael Myers taunted teens and Molly Ringwald was their mall queen. This dichotomy of the bold and the beautiful is inherent throughout Atomic Eyes, where moments ring out thoughts of everyone from Pet Shop Boys and Gary Numan, to Depeche Mode and even Duran Duran.
Much like their electronic contemporaries in Italy’s Confrontational, The Rain Within show signs of their John Carpenter-laced childhood on tracks such as “Like The Devil,” where ominous electronica sits alongside Deane’s dominating vocals. Weathering the storm side by side, they smile like the devil as Atomic Eyes opens with this fabulous little hip-swayer before transitioning into the delicious synths of “Dividing Line,” weaving a wonderful Synthwave experience that begs you to choose sides.
A steady electronic drumbeat hammers home “Realign,” while Andy hopes the stars will do just that before he moves into the sensual sounds of “Fear, Lies and Love.” On titular track “Atomic Eyes,” Deane gets his dance on while remaining firmly planted in the nostalgic synth-o-sphere. In fact, that is a perfect description of the entire collection which flirts through yesteryear with a hip-shaking electronic sensuality that keeps it firmly anchored in 2018.
The sonics of “Nothing Here, Nothing There” echo that of a pounding heartbeat, inviting you to add your own to the mix. “Home” sees Deane pouring more emotion into his vocal delivery, segueing perfectly into the truly soaring “Rain” (“This too shall pass”). He runs toward the light on “While I Am Here,” an exploration of love before the music ends, before fully embracing the gorgeous nightmare of “Midnight.” Meanwhile, velvety smooth vocals nestle around “Small Precious Lights.” The steady beat of “Violet Glow” is somehow both melancholy and triumphant, while the instrumental space-exploration of the over-five-minute “Android Hearts” closes out the collection on a magnificently lofty note.
Impressively nostalgic and yet fully modern, Atomic Eyes is a wonderful offering that beautifully blends melancholia alongside dance beats, yesterday and today walking hand-in-hand to create an album that, start to finish, is a joy to imbibe. Your little dark heart will twinkle for the violet glow of this truly addictive collection! Which, in short, means that you clearly need to know the name The Rain Within, as this is one musical guise that is guaranteed to continue to deliver many more brilliant things in the future.
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