Perished Bodies is PLANKS‘ fourth and final record in their eight years of existence. The recording process started in mid 2014 before the band decided to split up in December of 2014, thus deciding to finish and release the record after all. It shows Planks ever evolving sound and the movement away from classic heavy music songwriting, furthering the influence of 90s alternative and indie acts such as SWANS, MY BLOODY VALENTINE, and THERAPY?.
Photo by Ivan Maras.
Singer, guitarist and main songwriter Ralph never kept his love for The Cure a secret: The band has and always had a huge influence on him personally and in writing music. Therefore he often compared the evolution of Planks records with the evolution of the The Cure. Their first record was reminiscent to Three Imaginary Boys, a really simplistic and rough approach of what is yet to come. The Darkest Of Grays is being referred to as their Pornography, the bleakest and most depressing record they did. Funeral Mouth can be seen as their Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, as it featured a very mixed set of songs, already showing a compelling skill set in writing really loud pop songs, but yet missing a red line to keep it all together. Now Perished Bodies can be seen as their Disintegration. It shows Planks at the top of their game in songwriting, lyrics, sound and overall feel. It is full of actual songs in a classic songwriting kind of way, full of melancholic diversity.
Perished Bodies closes the trilogy which started with The Darkest Of Grays and continued with Funeral Mouth. All three albums were concept records about one persons journey to emotional desolation and exile. This record covers the last steps and what will sustain in ones self after everything has fallen down.
