Experimental Darktronica band Thief returns with new album exploring Dementia

Dementia is a thief and robs its victims of their memory, identity, family and friends. It is truly a cruel disease. Having had first-hand family experience with it and currently dealing with my dad in a brain injury unit in permanent confusion and agitation, it’s something that is truly on my mind every day.

I discovered dark electronic band Thief in 2021 and their third album ‘The 16 Deaths of My Master‘ which was released that year has gone on to be one of my favourite albums of the last few years. Thief’s Dylan Neal was inspired to create Thief’s new album ‘Bleed, Memory’ having watched his father’s dementia diagnosis progress over time. With memories and confusion making Dylan examine what is real in a memory, he also found that memories can manifest themselves in all kinds of mental and visual ghosts. ‘Bleed, Memory’ will be a very personal journey and one I expect I’ll intensely relate to.

The lead single is ‘Cinderland’ which has a music video created from the 1964 Japanese horror movie ‘Onibaba’. It is a percussive, growling, seething and rustic anthem with a huge swirling doom metal chorus. It has everything a Thief song usually brings – grit, cinema, gothic darkness and a groove. I’m incredibly excited to hear the whole album.

‘Bleed Memory’ is coming out on the 19th May in both standard and deluxe editions – with the deluxe having 20 tracks to the standard’s 12. It is available to pre-order on Bandcamp. You can enjoy the mesmerising music video for the single ‘Cinderland’ below.

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