The Dionysus Effect – “Everything the Darkness Eats” [Song Review]

“Everything the Darkness Eats,” the latest single from New York-based rock trio The Dionysus Effect, is an ode to author Eric LaRocca’s novel of the same name. (Check our previous premiere of their single “Stars” here.)

Vocalist/bassist Christoph Paul shares, “Eric’s book tapped something deep in me with my own trauma and battles with depression, and I wanted to express that—luckily, I’m a songwriter.”

Along with Christoph Paul, The Dionysus Effect includes Sean Quinn Hanley (guitar, backing vocals) and Brett Petersen (drums). The band’s sound hybridizes grunge, darkwave, indie, alt-rock, and pop. It’s a sound perhaps best summed up as cocaine rock.

The name – The Dionysus Effect – refers to the Greek god Dionysus, aka Bacchus, the god of winemaking, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, and ecstasy. When the band performs live, their music puts listeners into a trance-like state, one bordering on emotional euphoria.

“Everything the Darkness Eats” opens on an acoustic guitar topped by Paul’s dreamy vocals, revealing ghostly shadows. Brief feedback leads to the harmonics ramping up to blistering guitars riding stentorian percussion as Paul’s voice ascends to potent, rasping tones. Sizzling, incandescent guitar licks give the outro fulminating energy.

Enveloped in an eerie, dark aura, “Everything the Darkness Eats” is taut with ebbing and rising foreboding energy.

The Dionysus Effect, photo by Sean Haley

Run Time: 3:32
Release Date: October 13, 2023
Record Label: Independent