The golden calf looking down on you
Melted gold is flowing from your soul
He monetized your fear and anger
To make the ugly even more fashionable
French-German artist Alice Gift is on a mission of rage: to call out corruption abuse of power. This is the impetus behind the latest track from the self-proclaimed ‘Tropical-Goth,” written in response to public revelations of victims, including recent allegations against Marilyn Manson.
“I am quite shocked by the allegations and feel a lot of compassion for his victims who had to go through hell during and after the abuse,” says Gift. “I am also deeply disappointed in an idealistic way because the artist always took the side of the weak and marginalised and presented himself as a victim of the power-hungry elite. Instead, with the help of his equally corrupt entourage, he exploited his fans by monetising their fears and anger in his favour, and abused his won power with psychological manipulation and sexual violence throughout. This song is a warning to the remaining predators out there. If they intend to hunt again, they should be aware that this time it could be their very last prey.“
The Last Prey is a furious three and a half minutes of gothic rock, addressing and acknowledging victims and decrying predators, particularly in the entertainment industry. The accompanying live performance video, directed by Alex Grunwald and Jack D’Souza-Toulson, shows the raw energy thrown into these lyrics. The breakdown even mocks Manson’s The Beautiful People, as he positions the lyrics as a mirror of contempt.
Alice Gift began recording his first solo album a few years ago, playing all instruments himself, dubbing it his “Ego” album. Around that time he met his partner Djamila Paris and included her in his project. “In the beginning, she turned on the lights during live shows until she learned to play drums and then keyboard as an autodidact,” he says. To this day, these two soulmates rehearse in the crypt of a lonely cemetery in Neukölln.
Gift’s mixture of atmospheric melodies and razor-sharp noise is distilled with a glam rock androgyny, French-influenced chanson, and the melancholy of cold wave. His high voice is striking and dramatic, perfectly suited to Gift’s epic compositions.
Watch The Last Prey below:
Alice Gift’s most recent album, Alles Ist Gift is out now through No Emb Blanc (LP/CD) / Cymbeline Records (Digital).
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