Second album from Mojave-born, Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Alas de Liona. Awash with vampire symbolism, Noble Rot is a showcase for Alas’s ethereal vocals, imaginative lyrics and big instrumental statements.
A BIG SHIFT…
She was born and raised in the Mojave Desert but, nowadays, its more likely that you’ll bump into Alas de Liona in the vicinity of Princes Street or Leith. Alas is a singer-songwriter with a style that takes its influences from 80s pop and post-punk, and Noble Rot is her second album. It follows her 2024 debut, Gravity of Gold and it marks something of a progression in both sound and approach.
Gravity of Gold was acclaimed for its downtempo, ethereal, thoughtful songs. For Noble Rot, the tempo has been raised and a cinematic drama has been added to the ethereal and thoughtful elements of Alas’s songs. The lyrics are dense and packed with vampire symbolism and gothic references. The instrumentation is imaginative and well-chosen and – best of all – Alas’s vocals are ideally matched to her subject matter.
Speaking of the album, Alas says: “I’m excited about Noble Rot because it’s a big shift in my sound. It’s more up-tempo and energetic than my previous music, while still fairly dark lyrically. Noble Rot is also more of a concept album than Gravity of Gold was, focusing on the vampire as a means to explore themes of authenticity and navigating society as someone who doesn’t always fit in.”
HEAVY PRESENCE
Alas wastes no time in getting to grips with her sinister imagery. Indeed, she launches the album with Premonition, a story of a Cassandra-like soothsayer whose predictions aren’t believed by those who hear them. Stately piano provides an otherworldly backing to Alas’s soft, sweet vocals. The stateliness rises and falls throughout the song and the listener is left feeling both warm and disconcerted – the latter particularly, as Alas delivers the “I’m feeling strange” refrain.
The album’s lead single, Hunter I is a sparkling chunk of bright, chugging pop. Jangly guitars are front and centre in the mix. Lyrics like: “I’m not a silver demon; I’m not a silver tongue” cascade from Alas’s mouth and the vulnerable edge to her voice, prevalent in the album’s opener, has been banished. It’s a compulsive foot-tapper and an early album highlight.
Described as a song “…about grief and longing – imagining that someone long-gone might return,” The Vespertine is a strange, yet thoroughly alluring song. Alas issues a lonely cry: “Don’t mind me, I’ve been waiting for you – but they’re laughing at me,” to get the song underway. The band crash in and their heavy presence adds emphasis to Alas’s words as she declares: “Oh, I lost you baby.”
BLOOD-SOAKED LYRICS
A sharp, plectrum-picked bassline provides the drive to Ex Cathedra, the album’s second single. The drumbeat is crisp and the jangly guitars are back. Alas’s voice charms, even as she aims a cascade of soft vitriol at ‘her neighbours’ and the tune is as light as air.
The album’s vampirical theme is particularly evident in lyrics like: “Take blood from the moonlight and drink, for you must survive,” in Familiars. It’s a song with a deep groove. Bass and a crisp drumbeat lay a solid foundation, whilst electric guitars add the highlights. And Alas’s voice oozes mystery as she delivers her blood-soaked lyrics.
Those vocal tones shift from mystery to raw emotion as Alas sings: “I have loathed my simple form since the day that I was born,” the disturbing lines that open Vows. Her words are underlined by the slow, deliberate backing: a ponderous drumbeat and guitars that tinkle and crash.
GOTHIC IMAGERY
The album’s press release describes Vampire Song as ”…mellow and spooky.” That’s one way of looking at it. Another might be: “Melodic and creepy.” Lyrics like: “Monster, untamed – extend your fangs and tear the world apart” seem to pull no punches but the songs humorous undercurrent is evident in lines such as: “My Romanian royal burns the midnight oil” and the song’s punchline: “You’re gonna eat my broken heart.” The song is instantly likeable and Alas sings it with assuredness and passion. It’s another album highlight.
Hunter II is a bouncy pop song with a punchy bassline and an infectious rhythm and that mood is continued for the pulsing Quarries. It’s a song with a big chorus and Alas’s lyrics are rich in gothic imagery.
CROWNING VOCAL PERFORMANCE
Perhaps the album’s pivotal track, Shale is anthemic from the outset – and Alas does the song full justice with a commanding vocal. Pulsing electronic sounds add to the majesty of the song and the drama and tension build, right the way to the climatic conclusion: “Why don’t I want me? Why can’t I stand me? Why did they run?”
Alas originally released For Forever as an October 2024 single. It’s revived here in a revamped ‘ Enchanted’ form to close this remarkable album. In its new format, the song is a slow-burning epic. An unremitting drumbeat provides the background to what might just be Alas’s crowning vocal performance. Guitar and keyboard chords are used sparingly, but they’re enduring and the coda is a long one. Somehow, it’s a fitting end…
Watch the official video to Hunter I – the album’s lead single – below:
Alas de Liona: Website