God's Unwanted Children - God's Unwanted Children

God's Unwanted Children

God's Unwanted Children
self-released; 2020

By My Nguyen

God’s Unwanted Children is a rock band that directly brings to audiences a dark alternative vibe filled with theatrical vocals backed by jolting beats, catchy riffs and symphonic overtures. The band is releasing their self-titled album God’s Unwanted Children, a ten-track spree through the minds of founder Brent Kinder (baritone guitar/drums/keys/backing vocals) and Dana Detrick (vocals,/lead & rhythm guitars/words) as they with Alejandro Olivares (bass guitars) unleash to the world their dystopian take on alternative rock through the ‘80s and ‘90s, transforming the genres with their style of rock that reels you in from the get-go.

God’s Unwanted Children starts off with “Begin,” where tinny synths add a touch of radio-activeness. Detrick’s vocals are operatic, brimming with a theatrical aspect. I enjoyed the drama her vocals embellish on this track. The music is driven and I loved how together everything sounded. Rumbling bass rolls forth on “Chrysalis” as guitar riffs sound out overhead. Once Detrick’s vocals come in, her vocals add a softness to the edginess, making for a smooth delivery. The rock vibes are undeniable. Thunderous bass lines greet “NMWR.” The energy on this song is immediate. The guitar solo is above all epic. The band really goes all-out here and I enjoyed the rush of sounds. 

The band goes into the direction of a more pop-based sound with “The Swerve.” The catchy riffs and theatrical quality to the vocals felt like something that would be appropriate for the Broadway stage. It had a sing-along vibe to it that would feel great as show tunes music. The band dives into a more stripped sound with “Replay.” The sparse guitar riffs eventually open to a fuller band approach with a sauntering beat and more guitars. The music feels very soft and is a respite from the harder edge energy from before. The sounds of strings add to the backdrop. Beats and bass adds to the dark sounds on “Broken Sea.” A melee of guitars addresses the start of this track. You can feel the wealth of emotions underneath Detrick’s vocals as she sings with attitude and flair. 

The band frees themselves from their darker riffs into more pop-oriented territory on “Larmes du Minuit.” The song felt vibrant and catchy. I greatly enjoyed the vocal harmonies and how the guitars sounded here. More strings add a dramatic layer. On “Authentic Beast,” the keys sound melodic and energized all at once. The combined guitars roll forth on this exciting ballad. I loved the expansiveness that this song delivered. This felt like another track that belonged on Broadway. Simple guitar riffs slowly ebb and flow through “Dead Man Charity.” Off to a sauntering groove, Detrick’s vocals wind in with full theatrical force. Her showmanship is at its best as she commandeers the song. The instrumentals really come together as they coalesce to great effect. This album ends with a huge bang. 

​In full rock n’ roll spirit, Detrick takes full command of these tracks with her searing showmanship. She really takes these tracks by the reins as you can feel her powerful voice incorporate an added punch to the overall dynamics of the songs. Consistently throughout these tracks is an unbridled rage that flows throughout these sections. The energy is ill-contained and as you listen on, you can most likely feel the dark riffs undulate over these tracks to the point of overpowering. This dark vibe feels very gothic in nature. The band embraces their dark and gothic sides on this album and what comes across is a sound that is very immediate and in your face. Unrelenting and keeping things consistent throughout, the band never lets up but throws themselves full-throttle into the music. This was a great start and I look forward to seeing what’s up next for the band.

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