Slaves to the Groove
She Wants Revenge Wants to Tear You Apart

By Dominick Scala

With contemplative lyrics resonating in baritone over dark debaucherous mood-setting synth tones, layered over the straightforward four-on-the-floor drum pattern pulsing through night clubs and concert halls all around the world, She Wants Revenge has handily become an infinitely moving soundtrack of darker dreams. The rhythms force you to react, move and dance, the lyrics spark thoughts of sultry sex appeal, betrayal, desire and deceit.

In 2006, She Wants Revenge, the brain-child of vocalist Justin Warfield and DJ Adam Bravin (aka Adam 12) quickly became the soundtrack for scorned lovers, edgy hipsters, so-called “goths” and countless club kids. The genre-bending California duo struck a nerve, tapped a vein, and filled a void somewhere between New Order, The Cure and Depeche Mode with the haunting club track “Tear You Apart,” which came complete with a weirdly ethereal video directed by actor turned rapper Joaquin Phoenix.

Their self-titled debut record sold more than 300,000 copies in the States alone, and their sophomore effort “This is Forever,” arguably was as impressive, if it hasn’t outshined their first record. A couple of EPs followed, and now fans eagerly anticipate their latest EP slated for release this month. For about three years, the band was signed with Geffen Records, but like many bands these days, has severed ties with their label and are going at it independently on their own label Perfect Kiss label.

She Wants Revenge songs moved virally through South Florida’s underground club scene, from yet another incarnation of The Kitchen Club to the backrooms of fetish parties, to the Miami nightlife district, and have now settled down as a dance club staple.

And the songs are right at home in the South Florida netherworld. Although the media loves to compare She Wants Revenge to Joy Division and Interpol, Warfield and Bravin maintain that the sound is more electronically-based, refusing to accept any moniker outside of the dance music genre.

Whatever you call it, the sound went over gang-busters with the South Florida crowd as lead singer Warfield swayed and crooned at an edgy audience at last year’s show at Revolution in Fort Lauderdale — a wounded and sultry exhibition the duo is, happily, anticipated to repeat.

She Wants Revenge will perform on Sept. 16 at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $16. For more information call 954-727-0950, or visit jointherevolution.net.

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