Catastrophe Ballet, the second album in the trilogy of essential albums that Christian Death would release consecutively in the early eighties, was quite a left turn when one takes into account that only two years previously, Rozz Williams and company had released one of the most unsettling, disturbing and dissonant albums to ever come out of the eighties with Only Theatre of Pain, an album that made even Bauhaus’ earliest demos seem like a Bobby Vinton compilation.

Shortly after the release of their eponymous debut of frightening, molten post-punk, main songwriter and consummate frontman Rozz Williams disbanded with then-guitarist Rikk Agnew (ex-Adolescents) and the rest of the original lineup. Off he stalked to Europe where he would recruit guitarist Valor Kand, keyboardist/vocalist/sex-kitten Gitane Demone, and drummer David Glass (seemingly stealing them from their then-band, Pompeii 99). As much as I disdain Valor and the deceitful way in which he pretty much stole the band right from under Williams (and incidentally took the band into a shameful, neo-fascist political area that relied more on shock value than quality music), I must admit that his and Gitane De Mone’s influence on the two subsequent Christian Death albums after Only Theatre of Pain did shine quite brightly. Converse to the disturbing nature of the debut, Catastrophe Ballet is a thoughtfully composed, relaxing, and, dare I say beautiful recording from a tortured songwriter who only two years previously dabbled in the most dreaded (but no less fantastic) ugliness.

Regardless of Valor and Gitane De Mone’s input, it is and will always be Rozz Williams’ show all the way through. Catastrophe Ballet found Williams ditching his androgynous snarl of yesteryear in favor of an evocative, delicate, light, effeminate croon. His songs had turned into exactly that – songs. There are verses and choruses and, most surprisingly, hooks to keep the songs memorable. Valor’s guitar playing started to resemble that of a poor man’s Geordie Walker, but his guitar lines were no less creative. The minimalist production values made for a somewhat flat, under-produced sound that makes it seem as if a long-overdue remastering should be in the works.

As I mentioned earlier, Only Theatre of Pain, Catastrophe Ballet, and Ashes are post-punk essentials and are in essence the only recordings you really need of this ill-fated band’s back catalogue.

Review by Alec A. Head

Review date: 11/2002

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