Top 10 Songs by the Crüxshadows

The Crüxshadows, a Florida-based goth band, have not achieved much popular acclaim since their foundation in 1992. They have a devoted fan base world-wide, perhaps having more fans outside of the United States than within, but their U.S. shows have been known to draw attendees from a considerable distance. In the past fourteen years, they have released five full length albums, and a number of EPs and singles. Their latest single, Sophia (released September 5, 2006), marks the bands first serious attempt to make it onto the Billboard charts.

10. "Children in Black"
Generally speaking, the Crüxshadows' earliest CDs are not the band's best work. The instrumentation is largely synthesizer based and not particularly elaborate, and the lyrics are much less complex and rich than they become on later albums. Still, "Children in Black" stands out as a gem amongst the more mediocre songs of ...Night Crawls In (1993), the Crüxshadows' first album, originally only released on cassette. The lyrics speak of goth kids, and the many stereotypes surrounding this subculture, in a clever and perceptive fashion. True, this song only barely squeezes onto this list, but it is certainly worth a listen.

9. "Love/Tragedy"
"Love/Tragedy," from the Paradox Addendum EP (2000), is a particularly bouncy dance song, featuring the beats and violins that are so prevalent in the Crüxshadows' music. The lyrics are not particularly complex or profound, but the upbeat rhythm of this track makes it a particularly fun song.

8. "Ave Maria"
"Ave Maria," which is also featured on the Paradox Addendum EP, lacks the dance beat of its predecessor on this list, but what it loses there, it makes up for in the lyrics. The soaring violin notes intertwine gracefully with the other instrumentation, and flow beautifully under the lyrics before crying out during the instrumental portions of the song.

7. "Marilyn, My Bitterness v 2.0"
"Marilyn, My Bitterness" was originally a part of Telemetry of a Fallen Angel (1997), but the version included on Until the Voices Fade (1999) is a drastically different song, and infinitely more likeable. Where the original was sparse, "Marilyn, My Bitterness v 2.0" is much more heavily instrumented, adopting the more recognizable sound of the Crüxshadows' more recent songs. The lyrics speak of love lost, yet still desired, but the driving guitars and drums of the music do not allow the song to become a sappy piece.

6. "Foreverlast"
Included on a CD that came with the Crüxshadows' Shadowbox DVD (2005), "Foreverlast" is a slightly more obscure Crüxshadows' song, despite being featured three times (in various remixes) on this CD. It exemplifies much of their newest music, neatly bridging the gap between Ethernaut (2003) and the band's more recent work.

5. "Wake the White Queen"
The recent compilation Where's Neil When We Need Him? (2006) features seventeen songs based on the writings of author Neil Gaiman. The Crüxshadows' contribution to this CD, "Wake the White Queen," tells the story of Helena, the protagonist of Gaiman's recent foray into scriptwriting, Mirrormask (2005). Though the film did not have huge commercial success, it was popular among fans of Gaiman, and received awards at several independent film festivals. This song summarizes the movie into a neat six minute format, all to the Crüxshadows' usual peppy beat.

4. "Monument"
The Crüxshadows are mostly known for their more danceable numbers, so it is odd for a song like "Monument" to be featured on a list of their top ten songs. This track, from The Mystery of the Whisper (1999), is another tale of love lost, and the more somber tone of the music is closer to what one would expect in that sort of a song. One of the very few slower paced songs by The Crüxshadows, it features Rogue, the lead singer and songwriter for the band, reciting nine stanzas of John Keat's "La Belle Dame Sans Merci," a lovely touch to this song.

3. "Winter Born (This Sacrifice)"
Ethernaut was initially advertised as being something of a concept album, featuring a number of songs relating to ancient Greek culture and mythology. Though "Winter Born (This Sacrifice)" does not specifically address this theme, it does tell of those who are willing to make a great (though undefined) sacrifice. The lyrics give the impression that this song is the brave proclamation of a faceless soldier, willing to fight to his ultimate demise, if necessary.

2. "Citadel"
"Citadel," also a part of Ethernaut, fits more clearly into the stated theme of the album. The entirety of the song references the Spartan attack on Troy, from the perspective of the Trojans, said to be "besieged by tyrants' greed." While the historic interpretation in the lyrics is interesting, the music is solid, helping launch this Crüxshadows' song into immense popularity among their fans.

1. "Deception"
When it comes to bands that I like, I often find that it is the first song I hear by them that becomes my favorite. This is most certainly the case with The Crüxshadows, whose song "Deception" was featured on Music from the Succubus Club in 2000, and was later included on the Frozen Embers EP (2003). The opening violin notes, followed by the solid beat of the drums, are incredibly memorable. The lyrics flow along with the instrumentation, and the violin solo in the middle of the song is one of the Crüxshadows' best bits of music. All of these things combine to put "Deception" at the top of my favorite songs by The Crüxshadows, and I suspect that I am not the only Crüxshadows fan who feels this way.