ALBUM REVIEW: Generation Lost – Motel Transylvania

In the middle of the Italian Riviera, a short drive from the Liguria capital of Genoa, lies the seaport of Savona. Other than its position on the Mediterranean and its status as a former home to famed explorer Christopher Columbus, there’s not a huge amount to write home about regarding the town… oh, they’ve also got a resident industrial metal band. MOTEL TRANSYLVANIA started life in 2014 as more of a ‘goth n’ roll’ outfit before deviating at the turn of the decade into what they are now. Now an independent entity following their split from Archetype Records, the five-piece are ready to give the world their new sound, and it comes in the form of debut record Generation Lost released on Monday 2nd October.

MOTEL TRANSYLVANIA have, over the last 12 months, played some well-renowned industrial and goth festivals like Dark Malta and Mater Noctis, with appearances at Burning Pants and Black Mountain already confirmed for 2024. They’ve definitely found their niche, which will be of comfort to them given that there won’t be many outside of those who attend that will listen to Generation Lost and take much interest after the first couple of spins. Don’t get it twisted, there ARE some good moments here, particularly in the second half of the album; Behind The Storm is the standout track, charging out of the blocks with intention and pace, while the keyboards provide a solid foundation for the track to build on.

Closing track Rise And Fall is also a highlight, a smart attempt at a ballad that shows the band aren’t just a one-dimensional act that can’t do anything beyond riffs and keyboards. There are some other songs with flashes of potential, even if they don’t always come off – In My Mind boasts a good stomp, but is let down by the keyboards sounding like those you hear on YouTube videos of football compilations, and Another Way To Choose somehow manages to be catchy all the way up until the end of the track and then is instantly forgotten; Schrödinger’s Earworm, if you will.

As alluded to, though, these all come as the album gets over the midway point – the first few tracks are really nothing special. Opening introduction Caligo begins to build anticipation for follow-up To Hell but doesn’t segue into it; the fact it finishes clips the wings and the momentum that’s built. Having said that, the latter isn’t much to discuss either; extremely middle of the road and formulaic, although not a complete disaster.

Taste Of You and Plastic World see the band doing their best homages to RAMMSTEIN and MOTIONLESS IN WHITE respectively, but both pale in comparison to the aforementioned outfits; indeed, the former bears more than a passing resemblance to Auslander from the Germans’ 2019 self-titled effort. Moreover, the songs lack bite – they feel too safe, as if they’re being held back deliberately. In this day and age, that isn’t going to win over people who are looking for something to truly grab their attention with music so readily available and in quantities more than ever before

There’s a good band somewhere within MOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, but Generation Lost doesn’t show them in the best of light. It’s frustrating that whenever the album begins to show a bit of promise, the moments are quickly lost among below-average riffs and structures. Throwing more caution to the wind on the next record will be required to really make an impact.

Rating: 5/10

Generation Lost is out now via self-release.

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