MORS SYPHILITICA@Elysium, Austin, TX
October 23, 2002
It would seem that the so-called ethereal or darkwave bands would be, by necessity, studio-bound. The carefully crafted waves of shimmering sounds, pre-programmed rhythms and artfully ghostly vocals require a precision that can only come from diligent rehearsals and a great mixing engineer. Or so we might think. New York duo Mors Syphilitica, however, begs to differ. Armed with a real live rhythm section, husband-and-wife team Lisa and Eric Hammer brought their Gothic shoegazer rock to the only club in Austin with any kind of Goth following. In front of a sparse but loyal crowd, Eric produced heavily processed but heartfelt riffs from his big Gibson hollowbody, filling the air with cascades of melody and wonder. Lisa's amazing voice swooped and swam through her soulmate's licks, providing meaty leads and lush counterpoint to the floating shards of six-string, not to mention an engaging stage presence. Far from being wispy, her voice was full-throated and powerful, whether she was flying up to the soprano range or sliding down to a sexier, more soulful register. The rhythm section conjured a solid, versatile foundation for the duo's artistry; the drummer kept the tunes percolating while the bassist provided busy lines that often carried the melody more than the guitar. The band stuck mainly to songs from its latest album Feather and Fate, including lovely takes on "The Hues of Longing" and the title track, but also dipped into their back catalog as well. The highlight was, in fact, the title song of their second album Primrose, in which the bassist and drummer exited the stage and Lisa sang accompanied only by the ringing tones of Eric's expert mandolin. It's always nice to see this instrument, associated so closely with bluegrass, used so effectively in another genre. At less than an hour, the performance was a bit brief, but Mors Syphilitica's music is so finely honed and works so well in a live setting that the brevity was easily forgivable. Mors Syphilitica proved that this music lives on the stage as much as in the studio. Michael Toland
