Clan of Xymox (aka Xymox) is a Dark Wave band from The Netherlands which was formed in 1981. The band's first four (and most successful) albums Clan of Xymox, Medusa, Twist of Shadows, and Phoenix were co-written by a trio of songwriters consisting of Anka Wolbert, Pieter Nooten, and Ronny Moorings. The first two left the band after the 1991 release of Phoenix, however, and then Xymox became a Revolving Door Band whose only consistent member has been Ronny Moorings.
Although Clan of Xymox is most famous for combining elements of Goth Rock and Synth-Pop to create some of the earliest Darkwave music, their releases between 1991 and 1997 were considerably influenced by American Grunge. In the late 1990s, after learning that Industrial Rock was now popular, Clan of Xymox re-released their first two albums in the USA. They enjoyed moderate success due to the popularity of dark electronic music at the time, but those albums have never attained the credit they deserve as the Ur-Example for the Darkwave genre.
Tropes of Xymox:
- Bifauxnen: Anka Wolbert's androgynous style qualifies her for this.
- Cover Album: Kindred Spirits is one of these, containing covers of songs by Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, The Sisters of Mercy, New Order, among others.
- Downer Ending: While none of their album final tracks are exactly cheery, "Back Door" from "Medusa" definitely takes the cake in this regard. The lyrics are to be about someone who is completely dejected, feels his life has been a waste, and seems to be contemplating suicide. The last line is "Although it makes me weep, it's you I want to keep.", followed by an instrumental bit that's somehow even sadder.
- Epic Rocking: Not counting remixes or live versions, we have "Scum," "Stranger," "Taste of Medicine," "Something Wrong," and "There's No Tomorrow," which are all longer than seven minutes in their original single or studio album appearances. There would be too many Xymox songs between six and seven minutes to list. Their remixes can run as long as 10 minutes or more.
- Obsession Song: "7th Time."
- One-Woman Song: "Medusa," "Michelle," "Louise," "Lorraine," "Evelyn," "Clementina," "Cynara," "Emily," "Desdemona," and the Cover Version of The Sisters of Mercy's "Alice." You might have noticed something about this list.
- Our Vampires Are Different: "Craving" is definitely about vampires. One line says "Do you want to meet? Do you want to feed?", and the word craving definitely refers to the craving for blood. The chorus also starts with "There is this killing game, and my head will roll", and decapitation is traditionally one of the ways to kill a vampire.
- Rhyming with Itself: There are two couplets like this in the chorus of "Imagination":Imagination takes the shadows away
Every day I've been without you
Imagination keeps the shadows away
Every day I stay without you - Symploce: The song Tightrope Walker:It is the state I'm in.
It is the shape I'm in. - Unbuilt Trope: For Dark Wave as a genre, at least until The United States releases of Clan of Xymox (originally released in Europe in 1985) and Medusa (released in Europe in 1986).
