Roaring Anthems – Bollocks to Conventions

When Rozz Williams left Christian Death, he didn’t just walk away from the band he founded—he dove even deeper into the darkness. Shadow Project, his 1991 collaboration with Eva O, feels like the next logical step in his evolution, shedding Christian Death’s goth-punk origins for something more raw, personal, and confrontational. It’s gothic rock refracted through punk and industrial sensibilities, dripping with despair and defiance.

The standout track, “Death Plays Its Role,” is a perfect example of the album’s power. Rozz’s tortured vocals and Eva O’s harmonies swirl together in a dirge that’s both haunting and confrontational. Unexpectedly, this track found an unexpected fanbase when it appeared in the snowboarding film Critical Condition. Its stark, haunting tones clashed against the high-octane visuals, bringing Shadow Project to an entirely new, punk-adjacent fanbase.

Triple X Records was the perfect home for an album like this. Known for championing underground and outsider music, the label released records by punk legends like The Vandals, Social Distortion, and D.I., while also supporting experimental acts like Christian Death and goth-adjacent artists. They didn’t just embrace the subversive—they celebrated it, making space for bands that didn’t fit neatly into one genre.

The raw production on Shadow Project reflects the DIY ethos of Triple X, and that scrappiness is part of its charm. Tracks like “Holy Hell” channel a punk energy, while “The Other Flesh” leans heavily into gothic despair. Eva O’s presence on the record is as commanding as Rozz’s, her voice cutting through the gloom like a sharp blade.

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