Carved Lies- Pareidolia (2014)

So here we are a year later and we now delve into the sophomore effort by Carved Lies out of Sunderland, England. We see the band continue and hone its sound with the industrial/experimental rock opus Pareidolia. The band continues to impress with their own touch of gothic flair and industrialized, synthesizer laden atmospheres. Again the NIN influence is strong which shows exceptionally well with tracks like "Kisses from the Dead", "A Cut too Deep", and "Mindfuck".

One thing that sets this record apart from the debut is the growth and maturity of the song writing. I wasnt sure what to expect coming into this as Straight Jacket Funhouse was a strong debut for the duo. But sure enough they have eclipsed and outdone themselves with Pareidolia and created a well structured and easy flowing record here. Jambo and Bub have once again struck gold and created a masterful piece of spacey electronic infused rock album with a touch of pop elements. Carved Lies continues to push their own boundaries musically and allow the listener to dive deep into wake of their subconsciousness without even realizing it.

While not nearly as experimental as they were on the debut they have found their niche and focused on their strengths and run rampant with it throughout this record. The production is of top quality and the music can be played in almost any format from rock to dance to dub venues. Their versatility gives them the freedom to move about musically and grow from record to record and as artists. Although i have never seen them live in person they have a reputation of being great performers and putting on great shows from those that have had the pleasure to witness their onstage spectacle. These modern age cyber samurais have encompassed both song development and showmanship while carving out their own path in the dawn of a new musical age.

They again score a very high mark from me yet just miss being cemented into a perfect record. But, as they continue to grow and expand their horizons it wont be long before they unveil their crowning achievement going forward. If you want to get a chance to hear some of Carved Lies music they will have some of their new tracks featured in the alternative/modern rock spotlight segment at Metal Tavern Radio every Sunday from 5-7pm Est (10pm-12am for the UK). I will be adding the three above mentioned tracks as i think they best represent the finest work this duo has done to date.



Genre: Industrial/Alternative Rock
Rating: 9/10