Let your conflicting pangs of New Wave nostalgia and cravings for post-punk be assuaged by indulging in Rotten Mind’s third album Fading into Oblivion. The Swedish sad boy sweethearts of Rotten Mind are captivating Europe with their dark, emotional tunes reminiscent of T.S.O.L., Iceage, and Crusades. Rotten Mind satisfies the current cultural cravings for nostalgia with their gloomy melding of New Wave and melodic punk with a surfer twinge.
“Trouble Child” and “Fading into Oblivion” have me re-imagining a few Tarantino title sequences and “Restless Soul” could soundtrack the life of a rebellious John Hughes character. Oddly, I also found myself likening Rotten Mind to AFI in the past.
The lead guitar commands each song, setting a tone of mystery and doom as it leads into energetic, dismal vocals. As they ramp up, the chorus cracks the gloomy air and explodes with energy. It would perfectly invade a playlist including AFI, The Smiths, Misfits, and Joy Division. In fact, there is an event here in San Francisco that I frequent called “Smithsfits,” you can probably guess what goes on there. I plan on passing Fading Into Oblivion along with Rotten Mind’s previous albums to my fellow melancholy punks.
1. Trouble Child
2. Fading Into Oblivion
3. Unknown Station
4. Years Of Decay
5. Lost In Me
6. New Stories
7. I Vår Betong
8. Isolated (In The City)
9. Restless Soul
10. Aspirations