Synth-doom? Metal-wave? Nobody is quite sure how to describe the debut record from French duo Vaisseau, where John Carpenter-esque synthesizers meet metal drumming. All can agree: the band presents an alien take on heavy music. It’s no simple task to carve out your own musical niche in today’s crowded rock n’ roll landscape, but Vaisseau manages to do just that. On Horrors Waiting In Line, the band conjures dark and intense atmospheres using moody synthesizers, introducing the listener into a technicolor world of science fiction and horror. Instead of using drum machines for its rhythmic underpinning, Vaisseu opts for acoustic drums, giving the record a distinct rock flavor despite it’s heavy electronic leanings. On tracks such as “Sonic Dislocation", the band slowly builds up a brooding, almost ambient storm cloud of sounds straight out of Vangelis’ Blade Runner playbook; on other tracks like the opener “The Liberator” the duo hops straight into a driving synth-doom groove. The effect of each of the album’s six tracks is distinctly cinematic: Horrors Waiting In Line is your new favorite soundtrack to your personal space odyssey.