On this day August 18 1981, Wall of Voodoo released their debut album Dark Continent. Emerging from the Los Angeles new wave scene, the band blended western noir atmospheres with quirky electronics for a sound that felt both cinematic and strangely futuristic. Songs like Back in Flesh, Call of the West and Ring of Fire reimagined classic themes through angular guitar riffs, atmospheric keyboards and deadpan vocals.
The album painted a vivid picture of urban desolation and eccentric characters, setting the tone for the band’s later cult breakthrough. Its unpolished production and dark storytelling helped Wall of Voodoo stand out among other new wave acts of the early 1980s.
80s insight: Dark Continent introduced a moody and imaginative strain of new wave that leaned into mystery and atmosphere rather than sheer energy.
The album painted a vivid picture of urban desolation and eccentric characters, setting the tone for the band’s later cult breakthrough. Its unpolished production and dark storytelling helped Wall of Voodoo stand out among other new wave acts of the early 1980s.
80s insight: Dark Continent introduced a moody and imaginative strain of new wave that leaned into mystery and atmosphere rather than sheer energy.
