Lycia: Cold (CD)

Barren frozen and cold. visions of blowing snow. Isolation. Sharp as icicles, as numb as freezing rain, beautiful as the glitter on snowy trees. as blinding as the sun in winter. Reflections back to autumn… crisp and cool. On fire with the color of changing leaves. Uneasy, like a ride on a haunted carousel. The new season begins… a million miles away from the desert.

Cold is probably Lycia’s most fully realized & popular release. Alternative Press even recognized it as one of the top ten Goth related albums of all time. It marked the best integration of the skills of Lycia as the trio of David Galas, Tara Vanflower, & Mike VanPortfleet gelled together after a road tour & moving into the same household.

The inspiration to both the lyrics & overall sound of Cold was the band’s move from Phoenix, Arizona to northern Ohio. The change from the desert to a snow covered landscape resulted in a sound that was more frigid, sparse, & crystalline than previous releases. A return to their soundscape roots after the more song oriented The Burning Circle And Then Dust.

Despite being one of Lycia’s more atmospheric works, Cold became a big hit amongst the black metal & space rock crowds expanding their fan base greatly. On the Cold tour, one would typically see as many fans in Hawkwind & Motorhead t-shirts as Sisters of Mercy t-shirts; forty-year-old rockers standing next to teenaged Goths.