Left For Pleasure - Claymore

The German duo Left For Pleasure return with their second album Claymore, carrying forward the 90s-steeped darkwave spirit introduced on their 2022 debut Human Contract. Blending shades of post-punk, synthpop, and guitarwave, the band frames the record as “ten chapters of an inner battle,” drifting between introspection and quiet collapse. From the atmospheric opener “Wehmut” through the shimmering synths and wavy guitars of “Hurt” to the Cure-tinged longing of “Last Dive,” the album moves with a familiar yet heartfelt gloom. “Cold Night” leans into post-punk grit, “Subject” lifts toward a more electronic, club-leaning pulse, and moments like “I Let You Die” trace softer edges of their sound. While Claymore doesn’t aim to reinvent the genre, it channels the lineage of Clan of Xymox, Pink Turns Blue, and Lebanon Hanover with sincerity—resulting in a beautifully melancholic set that echoes the classic darkwave atmosphere of the 90s.