DAYS OF FATE HOME-MADE CAKE OF THE DAY ALBUM RABAZCO RELEASE: APRIL 7, 2003 REVIEW: APRIL 13, 2003

Do you think there are many electropop bands hailing from Germany? Well, at least the last few years they have increased significantly. So much that even I have had a hard time following all of them...
One of them, Days of Fate, may not be newcomers; they released their debut "Gates" a couple of years ago, but they are an excellent example of both sides of the German synthpop spectrum. While some cliches never seem to disappear, Days of Fate have still managed to put together an album that surpassed my expectations.
First of all (and I have bitched a hundred times about this before), their vocalist sounds several classes better on "Home-made Cake of the Day" than on the debut "Gates". Secondly, the songs have matured, not in a pretentious, bad way, but in a necessary, qualitative way. These two elements fueled by extensive synth driven sounds restored my faith in the band as well as the synthpop underground, which seems to undergo some form of general improvement at the moment. The vocals, with that special German accent, remind me some of a personal favourite band in the same vein called New Concept (who will soon release their second album "The Outer Gates", by the way). I also came to think of Celebrate the Nun, especially the single track "Nervous Times" resemble some of the material on "Meanwhile".
One should perhaps also mention the frequent, but still with-held, use of guitars on "Home-made Cake of the Day". It actually serves to enrich the overall sound when used this way. Days of Fate have spent a lot of time to produce their second album, but I'm absolutely certain it was both crucial and healthy for them.
Fresh-sounding, newly branded synthpop from the German factory, the way it should sound.

NIKLAS FORSBERG