As the temperature drops and Winter descends, I find myself returning to the genre that I’ve always loved: Darkwave. The synth-centric child of new-wave and post-punk, darkwave combines everything I love about goth music. Monotonous vocals, synths upon synths and most importantly, the underlying sense of dread. Releasing on the 12th of December, David Galas’ The Nihilist doesn’t miss a trick, including the darkwave essentials and everything in between. Hailing from cult favourite Lycia, I had no doubts that Galas would not disappoint. The Nihilist could be mistaken as a collaboration between Rosetta Stone and Mephisto Walz, whilst still managing to sound utterly original.
One of the opening tracks of the album, “You’re A Needle In My Arm” instantly plummets you into what feels like purgatory, the descending synthline in the chorus sparing no ounce of dread. The rhythm guitar could expel dust from a speaker regardless of the volume, mirroring classic death-rock tracks from the 1980s. After hearing “You’re A Needle In My Arm,” I knew I was in for a treat listening to the rest of the album.
“The Colour Of Gray,” which has been pre-released as a single, juxtaposes an almost uplifting piano-line with Galas’ low, looming vocals. Paired with an acoustic guitar laying the foundation for the track, it wouldn’t take much more to convince me that I’d been transported to a Medieval England dungeon. Reminiscent of “(Paradise Regained)” by Fields of the Nephilim, “The Colour Of Gray” features an excellent lead guitar tone, dripping in a haunting reverb.
Strategically placed in the middle of the album, “SECT XXV” breaks up the walls of synths and guitars with a lyric less, ethereal ambience. Acting as the eye of the storm, “SECT XXV” allows you to reflect on what you’ve heard and adds intrigue into what’s to come. Musically, it is an ascension into heaven, a complete contrast to the descension to purgatory heard in the first half of the album.
Nearing the end of the album, the tracks mellow, replacing heavy rhythm guitar with a delicate layer of synth. “One Last Moment” could be plucked directly from “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me” by The Cure. Beginning with an octaved bassline, “One Last Moment” feels emotional and bittersweet and has potential to become a classic. The instrumental that carries the track from the middle to the end features a breathtaking solo that you can feel driving through your bones and straight to your heart. The tone heard on all the instruments throughout the album seems perfectly crafted and elevates the album to a level I didn’t realise it could reach.
The Nihilist can only be described as a fantastic album, featuring tracks that goths hailing from all sub-genres can enjoy. Galas explores different sounds throughout the album and somehow manages to nail all of them. The Nihilist has all the potential to become a darkwave cult favourite in every sense and deserves that title with no questions asked.
David Galas: The Nihilist – 12 December 2025 (David Galas + These Hands Melt)
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