Rock/Review Coma Beach - Passion/Bliss
Coma Beach is a punk rock/alternative rock band from Würzburg, Germany. The band was formed by singer B. Kafka, guitarist Captain A. Fear, and drummer M. Lecter, with bassist U. Terror and rhythm guitarist M. Blunt complete the lineup. Coma Beach's musical influences range from Sex Pistols, Ramones, Hüsker Dü, Joy Division, The Cure, The Jesus and Mary Chain to Guns N' Roses, Therapy? and Bad Religion, with their songs frequently straddling the line between punk rock and alternative rock.
Coma Beach's EP “Passion/Bliss,” a visceral and thought-provoking tribute to their landmark 1995 album “The Scapegoat's Agony,” marks the conclusion of their “Scapegoat Revisited” trilogy. This EP explores the eerie depths of the unidentified antihero's emotional and psychological journey, and it serves as the last chapter of a 30-year retrospective voyage.
The EP's central thematic dichotomy is embodied by the two main tracks, "Passion" and "Bliss." The antihero's battle to face his personal misery is reflected in the intensity of "Passion’s" opening. For this redesigned setting, the track's shortened arrangement delivers a forceful yet condensed rendition while retaining the original's evocative impact. Its unadulterated intensity and relentless beat conjure up an existential conflict that is both timeless and current.
"Bliss," on the other hand, explores darker, apocalyptic themes, capturing the antihero's decline into visions of a cyclical, doomed life. Its eerie effect is heightened in the condensed EP version, which eliminates extraneous details to reveal just the most moving parts. It creates an eerie yet engrossing ambiance with its layered voices and somber accompaniment.
When taken as a whole, these songs perfectly capture Coma Beach's talent for using music to tell intricate stories. The EP's existential themes are further developed by its reference to Beckett's “Waiting for Godot,” which transforms it from a simple sentimental exercise into a serious examination of the human condition.
Coma Beach's position as artists that consistently challenge and inspire via their work is cemented with “Passion/Bliss,” a fitting end to the “Scapegoat Revisited” trilogy.