photo by Valerio Fanelli; photo courtesy of Noir Addiction
Single Review of Noir Addiction: “How She’s Got It” (SoulPunx Records)
Are you ready for a hypnotic industrial rock earworm? Well, you’ve come to the right place!
Italy-based Noir Addiction is a three-piece industrial-influenced rock band comprised of Sonny Lanegan (vocals, guitars, synthesizers, and programming), Nessie Zorba (keyboards and percussion), and Roberto Catanzaro (drums). The band cites influences including Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode, and those definitely come through in this single, “How She’s Got It,” which dropped in advance of the band’s summer Pretty Things Don’t Last EP release.
image courtesy of Noir Addiction
“How She’s Got It” is driven by an addictive rhythm, but there are so many elements that help drill it into the listener’s brain. The song varies noise level, density of instrumentation, intensity, and emotion level throughout, providing not just a catchy track but an aural journey. The song is predominantly dark and brooding, yet I’d posit that the song takes joy in its downtroddenness. During the middle of the song, the vocals are delivered with a more light-spirited energy, and the guitar solo has an almost playful pattern. I mean, that’s what the best of the bands in Noir Addiction’s influences were able to achieve, at least when they desired, and it’s a lesson they’ve applied deftly in the songwriting and arrangement of “How She’s Got It.”
Aside from heavy industrial rock fans and brooding alt-rock fans, Lanegan’s guitarwork is likely to bring guitar music fans of most subgenres into the fold of those who enjoy Noir Addiction’s music, whether or not they’d proclaim themselves full-throated fans.
photo by Valerio Fanelli; photo courtesy of Noir Addiction
“How She’s Got It” was an advance single released to tease Noir Addiction’s 6-song Pretty Things Don’t Last EP, which dropped in July. If I ever pull myself away from my review queue, I’ll have to check that record out properly. Still, a quick skim of each of the songs suggests to me that the EP will absolutely appeal to the broader range of potential fans indicated by my assessment of “How She’s Got It.” Also, if there’s a song that might have an even broader appeal than “How She’s Got It,” it’d be “Money For the Honey,” which has a smoother, pop-rock radio-friendly sound, as opposed to the aggressive guitars on the rest of the record. With that being said, “How She’s Got It” sounds like it’ll remain my favorite song on the disc even if I give the EP dozens of spins, as it’s the catchiest song in the record’s primary style, making it an ideal choice for the advance single release.
So yeah, check out Noir Addiction. And for most of you, especially if you’re likely to grow into full-on Noir Addiction fans “How She’s Got It” would be the best place to start.
