Terrorbird

It is virtually impossible to imagine the last 30 years of rock music without the influence of Bauhaus. The band expanded the traditional guitar, drums, bass, voice line up into territories no one else could have imagined and in the process forged an inimitable sound that can only be categorized as Bauhaus. They have inspired countless bands and have mesmerized the masses with their ability to be simultaneously sparse, dark, anthemic, and glam. Bauhaus managed to create their own universe that encompassed a sound, look, aesthetic, and points of reference that have been frequently imitated but remain unmistakably theirs. The band re-emerged in 2005, to raves from fans and critics alike, and gave us another classic moment when Peter Murphy was lowered onto the Coachella stage upside down. Like all extraordinary things, the reunion was ephemeral and Bauhaus is no more but they were together long enough to give us one last classic, Go Away White, the band's swan song.

Go Away White is an insightful portrait of society that pushes the elements of a Bauhaus record further than ever before. The album begins with the garage stomp of "Too Much 21st Century" and its dissection of the modern world's preoccupation with control, stardom, and wealth. "Endless Summer of the Damned" takes on global warming in a singular way with a menacing rhythm section and dissonant guitar. The redemptive "Black Stone Heart" lends the album its title with its refrain "I come with this darkness and go away white" and uses a piano and whistle as precisely as Ennio Morricone. The album is a daring and spellbinding collection of songs that serve as the bookend to Bauhaus.

Daniel Ash, David J, Kevin Haskins, and Peter Murphy have created an album as exciting and relevant as their first releases that left a permanent scar on the face of music. Echoes of Bauhaus have been heard in the work of their heirs and imitators for the past few decades and 25 years after their last studio release, the band have returned with one last undiluted glimpse into their world. These songs will inspire countless others and ensure that Bauhaus will never truly die.