LIVE REVIEW: She Sells Sin make their sacrilegious live debut

West Midlands-based goth rockers She Sells Sin made their long-awaited live debut at The Giffard Arms in Wolverhampton in January, as main support for longtime UK regulars Rhombus. After releasing a stream of singles in recent years and existing mainly as a studio project led by singer/guitarist Ian Guest, the live lineup is now ready to go and, on tonight's account, already firing on all cylinders.

The synth-heavy intro of Sorrow gently leads into a clean first verse, showing She Sells Sin's melodic core from the first moments. Ian's soulful baritone carries the track's powerful hook nicely, before some blasting from their drummer makes for a killer surprise at the very end, showing off some impressive technical chops. Lucifer follows, picking up the pace with its pounding groove and gothic vocal lines. A flashy guitar solo adds another layer of effortless cool before the song's low, doomy, melodic coda evokes Type O Negative at their slowest.

She Sells Sin, all suited out in red and black, really look the part. Their aesthetic is clear yet strong, detailed even down to the symbols on Ian's guitar inlays. In spite of this, though, it's not simply doom and gloom. All three members interact well with the crowd and warm up the room quickly. This is still a rock gig on a Saturday night, and the band know it.

As the set goes on, the driving Serenity keeps it moving with big 80s-style synth lines and some more impressive instrumental work, before Diana, released as a single last Halloween, engages the audience with its mid-tempo stomp. Closing with the catchy Lilith, first released over a decade ago, its seductive guitar lines and low tuned bass grooves reverberate through the venue and get the whole room nodding away. It allows Ian to show off his vocal range, as comfortable with Peter Steele-esque bass runs as he is with the soaring higher notes. With one of the night's most memorable hooks and a ripping solo, it's a huge set closer.

Sinful, seductive and superb, She Sells Sin are back for more at Dead Wax Digbeth tomorrow with Inkubus Sukkubus. These newcomers to the live scene know how to put on a show and write killer songs, so if you get the chance, they are well worth checking out.

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