San Diego's self-described "cholo goth" duo
Prayers issued their third effort,
Baptism of Thieves, in 2017. Darker than previous releases, the album featured deeper new wave grooves with a touch of industrial, a continued tribute to bands like
Joy Division and
Depeche Mode (they do their best fan service for the latter band on "Tears in the Rain" and "Lucifer Rising," nailing
the Mode's late-'80s/early-'90s sound). Tackling issues like gender norms, hedonism, and street life,
Prayers members
Leafar Seyer and
Dave Parley craft a menacing sound that adds danger and realism to an album that also dabbles in satanic imagery, which ends up detracting from the seriousness for which they seem to be aiming. So while "Edge of the Blade" does its best to sound scary -- with
Marilyn Manson-isms like "Sleeping with the devil just to pay my rent" and "I'm on the edge of the blade/Carving six six on my flesh" -- the delivery is lacking. Similarly, "One 9 One 3" is a bold and brave statement about sexuality and homophobia, but
Seyer's lyrics can be so clumsy that they become cringe-worthy, no matter how deep his kiss-offs really cut. Highlights on
Baptism of Thieves include the throbbing "Beauty and Bedlam," "Black Leather" with
Kat von D, and the addictive "Trust Issues" with
Pictureplane. Overall,
Prayers deliver a specific sound that will attract a certain subset of goth, new wave, and industrial fans, their intent certainly more admirable than their sometimes uneven execution. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
