A random sample of lyrics snatched from Twisting Into The Void reads as follows:

I have stubbed cigarettes out on my arm

Well I know the stench of burning flesh

Will Attract the vultures, how I disarm

With my sad, sinking words, and failing breath.....

Twisting into the void........

Yes. Welcome to Teenage Angstville. We hope you hate your stay.

Deceptive Appearances:

Promising Gloucester band, The Trauma are not what they seem. Maybe that is because I picked up the CD with its gothic imagery, nihilistic band name and depressed lyrics with just a few preconceptions.

Instead, this Gloucester band look like one thing and sound like something else entirely. The lead singer, for example, is not the gruff voiced raging blob of testosterone that you might expect of a band with a name like "The Trauma". She's not even a gruff voiced raging blob of oestrogen. Rather, the violin wielding vocalist, Josie Hayes, has a much purer voice: think Silverman's Anna Dennis and you'll be somewhere nearer the truth.

Conflicting Styles:

The music sounds nearer in spirit to early nineties indie than any Goth white noise that you may presume. This is particularly true of the opening track "Democracy Coma". It may well be an essay in teenage frustration and anger, but the tune has a jauntiness reminiscent of early Blur. Meanwhile, "Doors Close Slowly", a similarly bleak paean to darkness, voids and other cheery topics, reminds you a bit of Radiohead's "Street Spirit". Only the bass line of "You're Far Away", borrowed from Papa Roach's "Last Resort", and the screeching chorus of the hidden track correlate with the teenage pretensions of the pretentious lyrics. Fortunately, by the time we get to "Sofia" a good balance is reached.

From Despair to Where?

A further study of the lyrics reveals a great unrest with the world: "There's nowhere for us to belong" ("Democracy Coma") seems to be a good summary of the band's outlook on life. Meanwhile, the bitter rant of "Levis. Starbucks. Esso. Bush/Tell me what kind of air to breathe" ("While You Were Asleep") sees them nailing their political colours to the mast. As a result, this turns out (lyrically at least) to be one of the band's best songs. So why does it get hidden away after 94 tracks of clicking noises?

Philiosophy:

On the opening page of their web site, The Trauma explain that they want to distance themselves from music that does not speak for the people in their situation. They are all about remaining "unaffected by trends". This is, perhaps, a partial answer to people, who, like me, will question why their music does not necessarily match their lyrics.

However, for all their noble desires to avoid trends and set their own styles, The Trauma's music remains confused. Where peers such as The Penance are able to capture the spirit of adolescent anger in a flippant song like "Lost", The Trauma prefer to indulge in maudlin depression. Theirs is a one way ticket to Hell, it would seem. The problem is added to by grand claims of being the "anatomy of despair". It is unlikely that they can boast such a title at the moment though. Not yet anyway.

Doors Opening Slowly:

Because, deep down, The Trauma are an excellent band desperately trying to get out. In some ways, their attitude, if not style, bears a resemblance to the early (and better) carnation of the Manic Street Preachers. The experimenting with rock guitar, Gaelic strings and beautiful female vocals should continue and blossom, as should the lyricism of Paul Horn's words. Strip away the desperate, pretentious references to R.S. Thomas and Sylvia Plath, and allow the voices of these Gloucester teenagers to come through, and you may well have something.

The Trauma are not as innovative as they claim to be. Despite their proud boasts to the contrary, there are other bands who quote poets and feature violins on their tracks. But that should not matter. If this band continue to nurture the seeds sown on this debut, we might be in for a very impressive (albeit depressing) harvest.

22/10/03 - First published on www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire