Listen to SoCal Ghostrock Outfit Mirrored Vision’s “Unprecedented” LP

A SPACE FORCE LEADS /YOUR FEARS RECEDE
EMBOLDENED URGE /THAT MATCHES HERS
YOU LEAVE YOUR MIND /AND SOON YOU’LL FIND
THE PLEASURE ZONE /HER SKIN YOU ROAM

Southern California “ghostrock” band Mirrored Vision is channeling the political fury of Dead Kennedys, Fear, the Damned and Black Flag with Unprecedented, their new album out 24 February. Produced by Brian Viglione (Dresden Dolls, NIN, Violent Femmes), the band reflects the zeitgeist of fear and death for profit, championed by the 24-hour news cycle.

Created as a response to the pandemic, Unprecedented is not an album of quiet introspection and reticence – it is a fiery protest hallmarking the constant barrage of BS spoonfed to the public. It is an explosion of grief, disgust, and rage at how things were handled.

The album opens with samples taken from the very fear-mongering pundits who directly provoked society’s angered backlash. They delve into the anguish the collective felt as Covid death tolls ticked up; they exalt the the humanity and almighty love underpinning the enforced lockdown. It goes on to “Doomstate”, which channels the morose guitars of Joy Division in its mourning; it recounts the kerosene dumped by the media on the nation’s already-smouldering dumpster fire. The theme of crisis continues with the more new-wave flavoured “Pandemicked”, which has a Visage bend to it, as the reality of the red alert comes crushing down. “The Picture Frame” moves back into sinister bass lines as it examines the toxicity of social media. The picture frame you see contains a fallacy…what lies below the sunny visions of forced cheer? “Spacefuck” pokes fun of the much-maligned Space Force by imagining a Barbarella fantasy. “Frostbite” channels The Sisters of Mercy. Their cover of Joy Division’s Transmission is so faithful that vocalist Mitchel Wilson’s voice is the only noticeable change. “Kill Or Be” channels The Damned with its eerie guitar and wild croons. “Silver Eyes” is a soulful dirge peppered with icy synths serving as emotional touchstones. Closing the album out is the dark surf tune The Suffering, a blues-tinged conclusion asking if there is an end to humanity’s suffering and lost faith.

One thing remains: the band’s resolve to persevere and bring about the renaissance blossoming now. This is the only way to honor, and maybe grapple with, the enormity of the crisis. Listen below:

Hailing from San Pedro, a Los Angeles harbour town, Mirrored Vision was formed by Mitchel Wilson and Jeff Browning, who joined forces during the height of the pandemic. They soon added bassist John Alanouf and drummer Tom Coyne (45 Grave, Kommunity FK)

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