For a blog with a name like GavTheGothicChav…you’d think I had my finger firmly on the pulse when it comes to Goth rock, but truth be told, I continue to miss a lot of what’s going on in underground Gothic circles. Some of my favourite new bands, like HER DESPAIR and THE WRAITH have fallen into my lap courtesy of other publications I’ve contributed to (Shout out to Astral Noize), but other than that, I’m more Chav than Goth these days, and that’s upsetting. Luckily I got a friend request on the old Facebook recently by a gentleman by the name of Alex, who thought that my blog would be a great place for his band; THE BLACK CAPES. Firstly, thank you for getting in touch Alex…and secondly, his band abso-fucking-lutely belong on this blog! Follow me! (Makes mysterious whooshing gesture with my cape and runs into the shadows)

Hailing from Athens, Greece, The Black Capes (Consisting of vocalist Alex S Wamp, guitarist Thanos Jan, bassist Dorian Gates and drummer Christos Grekas) originally formed in 2016 yet despite their relatively short existence thus far they’ve achieved a fair bit! Their debut album “All These Monsters” was produced by the people behind PARKWAY DRIVE and FALLING IN REVERSE…and they’ve done some solid European touring; establishing themselves in strong alternative markets such as Germany. Now in 2020 they aim to push things further with their sophomore album “Lullabies For The Dead”, due out April 10th via Dark Tunes Records. Let’s check it out…

We open up with the promotional track “And I Wait” but we don’t have to wait long AT ALL to hear some wonderfully hard rocking, bass-driven riffs. We surge right into it here to be fair and the up-beat barrage of guitar is the perfect counter for Alex’s deep vocal drawl, which is a classic trope for such Goth rock, but that’s not detrimental. The gruffness to the vocals likens The Black Capes to fellow Greek Goths SADDOLLS in ways, allowing for a rough around the edges sense of character, while maintaining all of the hooks (Including that smooth guitar solo) and this is a good start. This is emphasised on album highlight “Rain” which amps up the melody wonderfully. The deep emotive baritone takes on more of a croon, which allows for a sound more akin to THE 69 EYES when they first started dabbling in the dark arts, think “Wasting The Dawn” era…but the track picks up towards the end for a feisty little crescendo and it’s a great track this.

Influences don’t stop there either, as proven on tracks such as “The Blood Is The Life”, which incorporates an almost middle-eastern sense of string instrumentation, something the likes of TIAMAT have dabbled in in the past, while “From Beyond The Grave” tips the hat to bands such as A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH with its slow, deep, methodical chugging riff work, before “Gotham” delivers a tighter guitar sound, channelling the likes of PARADISE LOST to great effect towards the tracks climax. The haunting background moans providing a sense of atmosphere too, so too with the piano and synths on “The Gun Of Love”, allowing for a chilling listen. We eventually finish up on “War Is Where You Make It” and if anything it’s sadly the weakest track on the album…the incredibly lethargic doom-inspired chugging of the riffs coupled with the deeper, depressed tone of Alex’s gravelled vocals resembles proto-Goth outfits such as FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM, and while that’s not at all a bad thing, it brings the mood down entirely after such a solid, bold sounding album.

As oxymoronic as that last statement sounds for a Gothic rock album however, “Lullabies For The Dead” is a superb collection of grandiose Goth that spans multiple eras, allowing for multiple influences to shape a noticeable variety in styles within just ten tracks. And to think, they said not all heroes wear capes? Looks like Batman has some competition…[8]

LESLEY GORE once famously sang the now immortal words “It’s My Party And I’ll Cry If I Want To”…and the way 2020 is going so far, a lot of us have related in some way. We hardly got chance to celebrate the new year really; we had the insane and catastrophic Australian bush fires kicking the year off, the UK was battered by some of the worst storms in years resulting in some horrendous Welsh flooding, not to mention the on-going fiasco that is Covid-19! It’s only fucking March! Honestly I would not be surprised if April brought with it an alien invasion!

All of this has naturally disrupted the lives of millions over the last three months, especially the pandemic, and as I mentioned in my recent ALKALINE TRIO review the music industry has taken a hit…but what about us every day folk? Everything is either on hold or has been scrapped, with employment being frozen and the government suggesting we all isolate, a lot of plans have gone nipples north. Just this weekend me and some friends were meant to be getting biblically drunk in Bristol for my good friend Izzy’s birthday celebrations, but Corona sadly put a stop to that. I don’t know what’d be worse to be honest…catching Corona or the state of my liver when we finally get to catch up!

There are millions in the same boat however, and frankly we have A LOT of overdue birthday bashes to catch up on. Luckily, thanks to Metropolis Records, today’s ironically named band helped us celebrate while stuck in lock down; THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE. The Canadian synth-goth veterans were forced to release their latest album “Diamonds” early as businesses closed up for the Coronavirus lock down…resulting in them in their own way, giving us an early birthday present. At only 9 tracks long it’s one of their shorter offerings, but remember; it’s not the size of the present, it’s the thought behind it that counts…so let’s check it out.

The album opens up with “Enter” and we’re immediately met with some light keys that give off an innocent, 80’s pop vibe as we transition into the main beat and rhythm of the track. The simplicity of the instrumentation allowing Chibi’s sweet vocals to take center stage and it really is a blissful little number. The chorus brings with it more guitar and they blend more of their grittier style into the retro-synth sound and this is classic Birthday Massacre; simple, catchy and repeatable…a superb start. We follow this with promotional single “The Sky Will Turn” and we slow the tempo right down to more of a brooding, colder synth style, allowing for the darker aspects of the band’s sound to shine through like the full moon in a murky night sky…beautiful but chilling and quite awe-inspiring.

This continues through the title track “Diamonds” as well as cuts like “Crush” which use the down-tempo delivery to great effect, building up atmosphere and mood, channelling their gothic influences wonderfully, balancing subtle vocal and synth hooks with a darker, dispirited tone. Tracks like these prove The Birthday Massacre really are like diamonds themselves… oh so precious, but to many sadly they remain hidden gems. What this album IS lacking is some of their past, anthemic-style darkwave floor-fillers such as “One Promise” and “Walking With Strangers”, and the nearest we get to that here really is “Run”. Utilizing an almost DEPECHE MODE sense of deep melody, it flows delicately through each verse before kicking in with a grittier, guitar driven chorus.

Depeche Mode aren’t the only sounds you can pick up on either…during “Flashback” some of the guitar tones resemble the likes of ORGY in their futuristic, synthetic delivery, while “The Last Goodbye” harbours more of an accessible electronic-pop sound you may get from the likes of PET SHOP BOYS, before we round things off with closing track “Parallel World”; the calming synth ballad creating a dreamscape so apropos to its title, your mind wandering as Chibi serenades on.  

The Birthday Massacre never try to reinvent the wheel and this is what makes them so consistently good; they have their distinct style and they own it. They’ve proven time and time again that you don’t fix what isn’t broken, and “Diamonds”, arguably one of the strongest albums of their career to date, proves that. These are uncertain, often worrying times, but Chibi and co are themselves the diamonds in the rough here, but if we’re stuck at home in quarantine and isolation, you couldn’t ask for better company. Our own birthday’s may have been massacred, but the sky WILL turn, we just have to ride this out together.  [9]

​Back in 2017, the gothic rock community found itself in an official state of mourning. You might think, well, nothing fucking new by there? But, we had a legitimate excuse for our smudged eye liner. You see, everyone’s favourite romantic-rockers HIM, were officially no more. Yes following the departure of long-time drummer Mika Karppinen (Gas) and the appointment of Jukka Kröger (Kosmo), plus the fairly lukewarm reception of “Tears On Tape”…there were a lot of mixed feelings within the HIM camp…and a lot of uncertainty. Over this period, one thing eventually led to another, and after a series of farewell shows, the Heartagram had seemingly stopped beating. Tears were no longer merely on tape, they were on the cheeks of thousands of distraught fans across the globe…and it hurt.

Granted there were other projects that trickled out from certain members of the band…we got a fantastic 3rd installment from DANIEL LIONEYE courtesy of guitarist Mikko Lindström…as well as a couple of the guys forming FLAT EARTH, but it just wasn’t the same. What was Ville Valo up to? As the voice of HIM, he naturally carried the most intrigue, and while he did tease some activity with the release of the Finnish language single "Olet mun kaikuluotain", as well as reuniting with former collaborators THE AGENTS for some more traditional Finnish classics…he’s been incredibly quiet, almost suspiciously quiet…until now. On March 20th, 2020, Ville, under the new moniker of VV, surprised everyone by dropping three new tracks on an EP entitled “Gothica Fennica Vol.1”. With a modified Heartagram on the cover…was this what HIM fans had been craving for so long? Tissues at the ready folks, this might get emotional.

We get underway with ”Salute The Sanguine” and as the soft, near synthetic guitar melodies meander through your speakers, you can’t help but feel overwhelmed with, dear I say it…a foreboding sense of impending happiness. This is in its own right fitting as the delicate tones of not only the instrumentation but Ville’s voice hark back to albums such as “Screamworks…” and “Dark Light”; there’s a vulnerability to his voice that adds heaps of sentiment. Conceptually an interesting one, as sanguine is essentially a colour, or pigment used in a lot of centuries old artwork and self-portraits, resembling the shade of dried blood. It’s as if he’s looking back fondly on his career as if it had been dusted off having been locked away, appreciating the memories and what they gave him, with each scar a story, but knowing too that he isn’t the same man as before. This ties in nicely to the modified Heartagram…for like the music accompanying it; it’s a little HIM, but it isn’t, though it’s still beautiful.

Next up we have “Run Away From The Sun” and again here we’re immediately met with Ville’s gentle croon over more soft rock guitars and mellow acoustics. Another smooth and melodic offering, this is accessible as any of HIM’s lightest works as though Ville has embraced more of an indie-pop aesthetic, while retaining his core, lyrically melancholic writing style, allowing for those distinct HIM tropes. Speaking of, closing track “Saturnine Saturnalia” is the most HIM-sounding of the three tracks presented here and while not specifically raucous or rocking, it carries with it a distinct aura of hurt and emotional torment, mixing Ville’s honey coated vocals with a more sombre dose of doom and gothic stylistics. It’s got more prominent riff work and sounds like it could have come from one of the old “Venus Doom” demo sessions, fitting in with the likes of “Cyanide Sun” aesthetically, allowing for a deeper, ever so slightly darker listen.

If I may come across as selfish for a moment, sadly, these are the only three tracks presented here but while naturally wanting more, we have to be grateful of a couple of key things. To start, Ville is once again releasing music in any capacity, that’s the main thing, but the fact that the Heartagram has returned and his music is more akin to the styles and sounds of old is not only heart-warming, but brings with it hope. He’s clearly finding his feet again, and despite being only three tracks long, having been away for three years now, “Gothica…” is an effortlessly good start. The fact too that it’s merely volume one hints at more music down the line, and if these three tracks are anything to go by, we’re in for a fucking treat. Never mind the sanguine, Ville Valo, we salute you and welcome back sir! [10]

How about a tedious link? Yeah? You ready?…OK…so, if you were to dispel something, it would be like, relieving something or getting rid of something…maybe even curing something? THE CURE were a new-wave Goth band who originated in the late 70’s, who went on to release tracks such as “A Forest”, and also enter the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall Of Fame in 2019. The Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall Of Fame is situated in ‘The Forest City’, which is the nickname for Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland Ohio is an anagram of Cool Heaven Lid, which is in ways ties into “Just Like Heaven”; a track by The Cure, which coming full circle, could mean to DISPEL…and that brings us to today’s band. You follow?

Dispel are a throwback, Gothic / darkwave outfit formed in Cleveland, Ohio, consisting of founding member and percussionist/programmer Scott Doland (Alongside vocalists Ravensea and Sean Gallows) and together, they’ve created a sound combining old-school electro-Goth nostalgia and an even older school sense of medieval theatrics, as they release their debut album “Lore”. Released in January 2020, the team over at Shameless Promotions asked me to check it out, so let’s do just that before I get caught up in any more convoluted segues…

The album opens up with “Spiritual Warrior (The Hero)” and initially we’re met with some hushed, choir-esque harmonies, backed with gentle bell chimes, before we suddenly transition into a deep, pulsing dose of synths and percussion. Gallows’ vocals here are almost robotic given their languid delivery, though he does switch up in tone here and there. There’s a cold monotony to the track…its very CLAN OF XYMOX.  Follow-up track “The Call (To Adventure)” gives Ravensea a turn on vocals and the tone changes immediately. While instrumentally it takes on a similar style with some brooding electronica, it incorporates more of a guitar influence, which counters Ravensea’s softer, sweeter vocals. She provides a more pop-oriented style, especially within the chorus, which sounds like it’s been plucked from some generic 90’s dance track for want of a better description.

“Gift Of The Goddess (Andante In Bb)” is our first primarily instrumental track, which aside from some echoed, almost monastic chanting consists of a simple, low-fi drum fill and very little else; it showcases their adoration for the medieval and fantasy gaming (Which is another influence) as this could easily be taken out of some sort of loading screen. “Atonement (Andiago In Bb)” is the other…and it’s far more morose in its delivery. It’s incredibly dreary with its slower pacing and aesthetically gives off a despondent feeling of mourning and loss. Luckily there are more SLIGHTLY uplifting cuts on offer here, such as the promotional track “Modal Consequence (The Threshold)” which sees Ravensea wrap her harmonious vocals around some electronic alternative rock, however the track is a touch subdued instrumentally, before we eventually round up the album with “The Depth Of Transformation (The Return)”. Coming back to Gallows on vocals we get a subtle hint of the likes of PITCHSHIFTER before it becomes more hushed throwback post-punk.

Conceptually, Dispel are admittedly onto an interesting approach…utilising traditional proto-Goth and post-punk sounds but coupling that with a medieval, fantasy RPG-inspired song-writing characteristic, they can tap into multiple markets with very die-hard followings, which in itself would continue to open doors for the alternative rockers. The only real issue is these nine inaugural tracks (Ironically enough) aren’t quite game changers. Sure the ideology is there and they have a vast sea of potential inspiration and material to play with creatively, given their niche, but it’s not quite there yet. If I can liken this to anything it would be a mimic chest from Dark Souls…you open it expecting riches but SIKE…you died. Ok a little extreme as this album isn’t going to eat you alive, but Dispel could possibly offer so much more than this album showcases. [4]

Ah yes; Money Inc...For those of you who don’t know, they are one of the most iconic heel tag teams in professional wrestling from the early 90’s. Consisting of “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and “IRS” Irwin R. Schyster, they won the then WWF tag team championships three times over the period of 1992 to 1993, having beaten the likes of the Legion Of Doom and the Natural Disasters, before eventually disbanding, as wrestling continued to adapt and evolve into a new era trough the mid-nineties. Wait a minute…something’s not quite right here…*checks notes*… for fuck sake Gav (-_-) let’s start again shall we?

MONO INC. for those of you who don’t know, are an alt. rock  / Goth band formed in Germany in 2000 and over the past twenty years have racked up an impressive number of albums and EP’s. The four piece (Currently consisting of vocalist Martin Engler, drummer Katha Mia, guitarist Carl Fornia and bassist Manuel Antoni) have enjoyed a fair bit of homeland success as their previous five albums have all reached the Top 10 in the official German charts, and they hope to continue their run of good form with their brand new album “The Book Of Fire”. Let’s see how quickly we can read this before it’s little more than a smoldering pile of ash…and it better have pictures…

We open up with the seven-minute-plus title track and after a brief piano intro; we practically set sail for high adventure…honestly for a split second I thought I was aboard the Black Pearl swigging rum with Captain Jack Sparrow. This is some piratey shit! The song itself, while a little drawn out in places is up-tempo and incredibly up-beat, it combines that ideology of exploring the seven seas with folk inspired qualities and a rock-based core sound, which while fun and not unpleasant, IS unexpected.  Goths and pirates don’t mix like…do I bury the treasure at the graveyard or scare all the children at the beach? I digress. Follow up track “Louder Than Hell” is the first real album highlight and takes a more traditional musical approach without as much of a gimmick. Rich in melodic guitar and a simple yet commanding rhythmic percussion, it’s got a solid groove amidst subtle power metal qualities and a great hard rock solo, resulting in another entertaining, up-tempo offering.

Lead single then “Warriors” takes a disappointing down-turn in momentum sadly, as we get a slow, sombre orchestral rock ballad with dreary, near monotonous vocals (Chorus aside)…while instrumentally charming in places, it doesn’t do the album too much justice in all honesty. Highlights do however include “Shining Light” which features LACRIMOSA vocalist Tilo Wolff…and it’s a shiny black slab of gothic tinged alt. rock, combining a deeper vocal and harmonic, choir-esque background singing. This is continued with “The Last Crusade” which really ups the ante with it’s incredibly SISTERS OF MERCY inspired intro and slick presentation. This track is infectious as all hell, from the vocal hooks in the chorus to the borderline sexual guitar solo, the book of fire is scorching here. Elsewhere “Right For The Devil”, which features German medieval metal outfit TANZWUT continues a similar standard of simple yet catchy alternative rock…slower in pace maybe but it’s a got a great bass-line and with that comes a certain swagger which is impossible to dislike.

The rest of the album trudges along fairly well without any real complaints, resulting in a solid overall listen, as portions of it will appeal to quite a broad spectrum of alternative music fans. Granted it’s not the all-out Goth-rock record I was expecting, seeing as THE 69 EYES were mentioned in the 'FFO' section of the press-kit, but I can admit I’m not disappointed. “The Book Of Fire” is itself only the latest chapter in Mono Inc.’s storied career to date, and it’s safe to say that these flames aren’t dying anytime soon. A record worth checking out this. [7]

So, I’d like to kick off the New Year, by talking about burning churches…now, typically you’d expect me to go on some tirade about black metal, and all of the clichés that come with the panda-painted faces of our Scandinavian metal brethren. But while some of the black metal community did in fact, set fire to several Norwegian churches between 92’ and 96’ in the genre’s heyday, today’s band are so lit they may as well have called themselves fucking Notre Dame! Let’s talk about CATHEDRAL IN FLAMES…before Quasimodo starts asking questions…

Formed in Prague in the Czech Republic (And consisting of vocalist Phil Lee Fall, bassist/programmer Gatsby, guitarist Billac de Ville and vocalist Ambra Von Bernstein) the four-piece unveiled their debut EP, entitled “Children Of The Blackest Hole”, towards the tail end of 2019, having sent me an email in late December requesting a review. While I missed it over the Christmas period, it just so happens that the EP is getting a physical release on vinyl in early 2020, so I thought what better way to transition into the New Year than with some new Goth…

The EP opens up with “Python” and immediately the chilling atmospheric tones take you way back to the 80’s post-punk revolution. With haunting wails providing backing vocals over Phil’s deep drawl, while soft piano’s compliment the overall grittier instrumentation wonderfully, allowing for a real raw sense of melancholy. Respectfully channelling the likes of FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM etc. “Red Car” in turn houses a solid bass-driven groove that matches the depth of Phil’s baritone growl really well, but it somehow manages to retain a sense of up-beat melody, especially as the track climaxes with a subtle key-change, and it’s an enjoyable listen this.

The title track, despite keeping up with the Nephilim, almost RAMMSTEIN levels of gruff crooning harbours a slower, shoegaze inspired backing track with a lighter guitar tone and this gentler approach provides a sombre yet sweet listen…if I were to get married this could for all intents and purposes be an acceptable, albeit alternative first dance slow jam. “Hungry As The Grave” returns to a more simplistic, retro post-punk stylistic, plodding along, wallowing in its own self-inflicted misery, before closing track “Gunslinger’s Blues” ends proceedings on a dreary, despondent note. A dark, anti-ballad with church bells and subtle Western undertones; it really is quite tender in its own morose way. Essentially, this is equally superb as both a debut AND a Gothic rock record, especially the latter as it ticks so many confession boxes. They’ve really captured the cold emotions and melodic yet monotonous vibe of the era so well, and old-school Goth fans are going to want to pick up a copy of this on vinyl as it’s going to sound absolutely incredible. Cathedral In Flames are legit lit fam…now, Quasimodo, about your home insurance…[7]

2019 has like most years, been a strong year for new music. It doesn't matter what genre we're talking about; it's been a year of triumphant returns, exploratory and experimental albums and EP's and an overall win for you and me, the consumer. Over the past 12 months, in between changes in my personal life with relationships and employment, undertaking a completely new job with no prior training or background, I've still done my best to keep on top of new music, more specifically my reviews, despite my own mental health which I don't really talk about much. With all of that said, I've still managed to listen to a total of 274 brand new EP's and albums in 2019 and out of all of those, I've managed to whittle down that number to a categorised series of Best Of lists. Ranging from EP's specifically, to pop music, metal and my own personal favourite releases of the year, I've managed to expand my listening experiences and broaden my horizons to allow myself to grow as a reviewer, and these albums sum that up quite well in my opinion. While I've already shared these lists on social media, such as my Twitter ( @GavinJGriffiths ) my Instagram ( @gavthegothicchav ) and my Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/GTGCReviews ) I wanted to give a more in-depth look at my choices for the year, and my individual scoring of each record...essentially doing a Dave Meltzer star-rating system for each individual track. I hope you find my choices interesting, and as usual, I've compiled my official Spotify end of year playlist which I've included at the bottom of this post for your listening pleasure. Here's to 2020 where all of this starts again...until next time...have a happy new year, and, A LITTLE BIT OF THE BUBBLY! 

20] KILO KISH - "Redux" EP - 1.60/5
19] HEAVY LUNGS - "Measure" EP - 1.60/5
18] NAUT - "Semele" EP - 1.66/5
17] INTERPOL - "A Fine Mess" EP 1.80/5
16] POPPY - "Choke" EP - 1.80/5
15] SODOM - "Out Of The Fontline Trench" EP - 1.80/5
14] YUNGBLUD - "The Underrated Youth" EP - 1.83/5
13] BENNY BASSETT - "Words For Yesterday" EP - 1.83/5
12] 8MM - "Heart Shaped Hell" EP - 2.00/5
11] MILEY CYRUS - "She Is Coming" EP - 2.00/5
10] CATHEDRAL IN FLAMES - "Children Of The Blackest Hole" EP - 2.20/5
09] SKYLAR GREY - "Angel With Tattoos" EP - 2.20/5
08] SUN ARCANA - "Just Another Dream Away" EP - 2.20/5
07] PALAYE ROYALE - "Massacre, The New American Dream" EP - 2.25/5
06] YEAR OF THE LOCUST - "Year Of The Locust" EP - 2.25/5
05] RXPTRS - "I" EP - 2.40/5
04] LIL NAS X - "7" EP - 2.50/5
03] HAWTHORN AVENUE - "Wildfire" EP - 2.50/5
02] HER DESPAIR - "Exorcisms Of Eroticism" EP - 2.50/5
01] SOME VILLAINS - "Outliars" EP - 2.75/5

20] P!NK - "Hurts 2 B Human" - 1.53/5
19] BASTILLE - "Doom Days" - 1.54/5
18] TOM WALKER - "What A Time To Be Alive" - 1.57/5
17] BILLIE EILISH - "When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go" - 1.57/5
16] EMMA BUNTON - "My Happy Place" - 1.60/5
15] POST MALONE - "Hollywood's Bleeding" - 1.64/5
14] BLACKPINK - "In Your Area" - 1.66/5
13] KERLI - "Shadow Works" - 1.66/5
12] MIKA - "My Name Is Michael Holbrook" - 1.69/5
11] ALICE MERTON - "Mint" - 1.81/5
10] SIGRID - "Sucker Punch" - 1.83/5
09] LEWIS CAPALDI - "Divinely Inspired To A Hellish Extent" - 1.83/5
08] MARINA - "Love + Hate" - 1.87/5
07] DAVE - "Psychodrama" - 1.90/5
06] BUSTED - Half Way There" - 1.90/5
05] WILDWOOD KIN - "Wildwood Kin" - 2.10/5
04] WILL YOUNG - "Lexicon" - 2.16/5
03] JAMES BLUNT - "Once Upon A Mind" - 2.18/5
02] HANTE. - "Fierce" - 2.23/5
01] SCANDROID - "The Light" - 2.28/5

20] KHAIDIAN - "Penumbra" - 2.00/5
19] INCITE - "Built To Destroy" - 2.00/5
18] LEACH - "Hymns For The Hollow" - 2.00/5
17] SWALLOW THE SUN - "When A Shadow Is Forced Into The Light" - 2.00/5
16] HEARTSICK - "Sleep Cycles" - 2.07/5
15] CRYSTAL LAKE - "Helix" - 2.08/5
14] AS I LAY DYING - "Shaped By Fire" - 2.08/5
13] KILLSWITCH ENGAGE - "Atonement" - 2.09/5
12] FALLUJAH - "Undying Light" - 2.10/5
11] AFTERLIFE - "Breaking Point" - 2.10/5
10] THROUGH THE NOISE - "Dualism" - 2.11/5
09] KAAMOS WARRIORS - "Ikuisen Talven Sarastus" - 2.12/5
08] ABIGAIL WILLIAMS - "Walk Beyond The Dark" - 2.14/5
07] AMON AMARTH - "Berzerker" - 2.16/5
06] MEGADETH - "Warheads On Foreheads" - 2.20/5
05] SOILWORK - "Verkligheten" - 2.33/5
04] DEMON HUNTER - "War" - 2.40/5
03] CORRODED - "Bitter" - 2.41/5
02] ROTTING CHRIST - "The Heretics" - 2.41/5
​01] CHILDREN OF BODOM - "Hexed" - 2.45/5

20] RISKEE & THE RIDICULE - "Body Bag Your Scene" - 2.33/5
19] DEMON HUNTER - "Peace" - 2.40/5
18] THE DIRTY YOUTH - "Utopia" - 2.40/5
17] DREAMSTATE - "Primrose Path" - 2.40/5
16] THE WRAITH - "Gloom Ballet" - 2.41/5
15] NORTHLANE - "Alien" - 2.45/5
14] D-A-D - "A Prayer For The Loud" - 2.45/5
13] PAPA ROACH - "Who Do You Trust?" - 2.50/5
12] SUM 41 - "Order In Decline" - 2.50/5
11] IN FLAMES - "I, The Mask" - 2.50/5
10] WHILE SHE SLEEPS - "So What?" - 2.54/5
09] BAD RELIGION - "Age Of Unreason" - 2.57/5
08] LINDEMANN - "F & M" - 2.69/5
07] WEEZER - "Teal Album" - 2.75/5
06] MOTIONLESS IN WHITE - "Disguise" - 2.81/5
05] RAMMSTEIN - "Rammstein" - 2.90/5
04] YONAKA - "Don't Wait 'Til Tomorrow" - 3.00/5
03] LACUNA COIL - "Black Anima" - 3.18/5
02] THE 69 EYES - "West End" - 3.27/5
01] BLAQK AUDIO - "Only Things We Love" - 3.33/5

Few things in this world entertain me more than the idea of terrifying little children. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t belong on a register before you all jump the gun here, (I have three names, none of which are Jimmy and/or Saville) but I’m talking about when kids get legitimately scared. You’ve all seen little YouTube videos or Vines etc., where kids get startled by something or, if a parent pranks them in scary mask or whatever, and they end up bursting out crying and running away in some sort of mild panic attack, squealing and screaming…that shits funny! Well today’s band takes a more philosophical look at that entire concept; let’s catch up with NIGHTMARES FROM THE DISCOTHEQUE.

Formerly going by the moniker of MASSIVE HORSE, I discovered the Cardiff based duo of Canz Rickman and Rick Schaple many moons ago when they supported firm favourites of mine ELECTRIC SIX at a show in the Welsh capital, and I’ve been an admirer ever since. Their penchant for comedic song writing based on social commentary is genuinely entertaining, and they’ve managed to get the balance between humour and musical integrity spot on. I often reference STEEL PANTHER in these situations, where the joke and gimmick has truly worn thin, but NFTD continue to be both inspired and creative.

Regardless of whichever name they go by however, they’ve proven in the past that they can mix horror and comedy very well indeed. Whether it’s the brilliantly catchy vampire parody “She Only Comes Out At Night”, or the sexually haunting “Phantom Pregnancy”, they do enjoy dabbling in the darker aspects of entertainment, and their new track backs that up wonderfully; “Real Things To Scare Your Children”. Yes their new Halloween track see’s the pair in character, cos-playing as ‘Robert Smyth’ and ‘Marilyn Maanson’ in brilliantly tongue-in-cheek fashion, as they take us on a tour of Marilyn’s Mansion in the accompanying music video, where we aren’t subject to the hauntings of ghosts and monsters, but real life adult problems such as taxes, declined credit card payments, running out of toilet paper and all manner of horrifying scenarios. If you appreciate a spot of dark humour and want to inject a little fun into this year’s Halloween party playlist, you can find the track on Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify, the links to which are on the NFTD Facebook profile, linked below. Check out the video, and leave a comment sharing what scares YOU…personally in a sense of twisted irony, I’m afraid of horses, so I’m glad they dropped the Massive Horse name, I mean, normal sized horses are bad enough! FUCK! THAT!

Gothic music has for the most part; got a bit of stigma or, a reputation from the non-initiated…many simply view it as maybe just a tad miserable or, maybe even slightly suicidal, and to be fair these CAN be traits of the genre. There are of course those however more acquainted to this, misunderstood style and its nuances, that find the beauty amidst the often bleak poetic content, but most people simply think “Fuck me this is depressing!”… Today’s band doesn’t particularly help things in that sense…let’s talk about LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE.

The German outfit (Now consisting of vocalist Julian Larre, guitarist Oliver Nikolas Schmid and drummer Dominik Scholz) have a name that translated from Latin, literally means ‘To Shed Tears’…so we’re practically crying before we even press play, fucking amazing start! I digress…while the bands origins in the early 90’s harboured more of a progressive doom aesthetic, they over time switched up their sound to the more iconic Gothic / dark rock style we know and love today, but that doesn’t mean we’re alleviated from the doom and gloom…au contraire, there’s just marginally less doom! 2019 finds the band releasing their 12th studio album; “Bleeding The Stars”…so, Kleenex at the ready then folks; but will we be shedding happy tears in the end? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with “I Knew And Will Forever Know” and in all honesty it’s a pretty slow, lumbering start. The initial guitars seem to drag alongside Larre’s vocal drawl as if they’ve already given up the ghost so to speak, such is the level of sonic misery. We do get a little more lively for the chorus mind you, as the percussion picks up, accompanying heavier, more tortured vocals; really walking a fine line between their doom-metal back ground and a more melodic, melancholy. This is for the most part a reoccurring theme throughout this ten-track album…”Mother Of Doom” being a prime example (The clue is in the name to be honest). Although to be fair, as dreary as it is superficially, it’s the deep baritone croon of Larre that allows this track to connect with the listener. It’s low-key, low tempo and generally minimalistic but it’s the mood and atmosphere that carries this…it’s actually incredibly well delivered and while it isn’t about to kick start any parties, it has to be applauded.

While a lot of this album is a touch bleak, there are some enjoyable highlights that twinkle in the darkness; flashes of brilliance from this dying star if you will. “After All Those Infinities” for example really ramps up the tempo and for its brief run time it manages to deliver a boisterous, albeit brief melodic hard rock number; the kind of track that leaves you wanting more. “Father Of Fate”, unlike the preceding mother, is far more upbeat…perhaps he’s won some brutal custody battle? Who knows? Regardless, its hook-laden synth-driven style, coupled with the well balanced dual vocal approach of deep crooning and pissed-off snarling, makes for an entertaining listen. The real stand-out however comes in the form of “Celestite Woman”…the simplicity of the chugging bass, the lyricism and overall song structure coupled with the abundance of melody; this easily lives up to previous gems such as “The Shadow I Once Kissed” and “My Velvet Little Darkness” as an individual highlight, and it’s Lacrimas at their brilliantly bleakest best. This album though as a whole may not live up to some previous standards, 2004 to 2010 was a superb timeline in all honesty, but this is a solid Gothic rock album that hits most of the right filthy notes, in spite of how low they are. [7]

Quite often within these pages, I’ve bumped my gums about how the UK virtually pioneered post-punk, and the concept of “Gothic rock” as we recognise it today. You could reel off any number of late 70’s / 80’s bands that you could pigeonhole as post-punk, or, trad-Goth or however you want to put it, and you could almost guarantee that they’re from somewhere in England, but today we’re going to be turning our attention stateside…

We all know that America has produced some of the most successful Gothic / alternative metal artists of all time, especially industrial titans like NINE INCH NAILS and of course, those iconic dark-humoured darlings TYPE-O-NEGATIVE, but they came a little later…we want to know what post-punk bands helped shape America’s earlier underground music scene.

While you’ve more than likely heard of CHRISTIAN DEATH, other bands may be a little more obscure unless you’re already a Goth-rock fan…bands like THE DANCING CIGARETTES and ROMEO VOID are well worth checking out, but today we’re going to focusing our attention on MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT. Often shorted to just Thrill Kill Kult, the Chicago natives initially started out as an early industrial outfit, and you may actually recognise them from the soundtrack to “The Crow”…but although maintaining a steady, 30-year career, they’ve always been relatively niche. 2019 finds them still releasing records, and their newest one; “In The House Of Strange Affairs”, was chosen by you on my last readers’ poll…so let’s get all of our affairs in order and check it out shall we?

The album opens up with “Gold To Grey” and it’s slow, sullen bass line has a wonderfully nostalgic tone to it, sounding like this track could very well come from those early proto-Goth days…its deep and chilling, as it leads into a spoken-word segment, before kicking into gear with its snide vocal drawl and cold atmospheric synths. The beat is simplistic and the electronic elements rarely inject much life into the track, resulting in an ambient yet algid listen; a slow start this. The following couple of tracks do admittedly get your hopes up to be honest, with “Forbidden Saints” sounding like the first proper track, as opposed to a lengthy introduction. The electronica is more prominent and instrumentally it’s got a decent, but again, simplistic hook, with a lot more rhythm going for it. It’s lyrically dark and fetishized and it’s something you could easily imagine being played to a throng of leather and PVC clad Goths, sipping on absinthe at 3am in some underground club. Although…mate…WHAT is with that ending? Absolutely cringe-worthy, you just shat all over that entire song right there, seriously…forget the saints, I forbid whoever gave that the green light to ever work in production ever again!

Up next we’ve got “Treat Street” and although while still relying on the synths and new-wave style it’s got an old-school disco-funk groove layered throughout the track, with the additional inclusion of…harmonica…resulting in a wonderfully curious listening experience. There are more sexual references, and at this point it’s like, OK, fine, it’s a gimmick…reinforced with the husky vocals, but to be honest they detract from what is essentially a decent little piece of music. We follow this up with album highlight “The Chains Of Fame” and really that’s saying something…it utilises a catchy low-fi hook with chill-wave aesthetics, but the guitars give the track some much needed bite. He asks ‘How much cash can you make with that ass?’ and to be honest…I…I don’t know. Nor do I want to. Rough guess, twenty bucks on a good day? Fuck knows. I digress, the track ends rather abruptly and truth be told, this is about as good as the album gets.

There are moments like on “Studio 21” which peak your interest,  which houses more of that original disco funk combined with subtle trance elements, and “Royal Skull” which returns to a more guitar based approach, sounding much grittier, but overall the album fails to excite. Too often we’re faced with a lack of energy and drive from the remaining tracks and the bulk of the record seems to drag itself along like a reluctant cadaver. Appropriately we eventually end on “Am I Dead?” and to be frank, by this point…yes. Fucking feels like it anyway. To summarise, there’s nothing really thrilling whatsoever about this kill kult, and the house of strange affairs needs to be boarded up and demolished to make way for a Greggs or something…having said that they’re equally as bland as each other; disappointing this. [3]

Just like heavy metal itself, post-punk and the conceptual origins of Goth-rock can be primarily traced back to the UK…whether it’s CABARET VOLTAIRE or THE CURE, SISTERS OF MERCY or SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES, Great Britain knew how to get its Goth on! However, like with a lot of new genre’s or, evolution's in popular music, post-punk was very much of its time and found itself culturally confined to the late 70’s and 80’s. Mind you, while production quality has improved over the years, and Gothic music gradually became a touch heavier, darker and bolder, despite becoming even MORE of a niche genre…that love of the original post-punk aesthetic has never dissipated. Several indie and alt. rock bands continue to take influence from post-punk to this day, which brings us to today’s band; DEW.

The German three-piece, consisting of vocalist (I Think, going by photos) Mike Antibody and…two others (I’m honestly having a stab in the dark here; their social media is minimal at best, and I don’t speak German) got in touch with me not too long ago via the GTGC contact form, sending me a Bandcamp link. It was suggested I give their 8-track mini-album “DEW-STORTION // DEW-MORGEN” a listen, so, on the anniversary of Ian Curtis’ death, let’s set the mood for melancholia and find out what this alternative krautrock collective has to offer…

The album opens up with “Zuerst Maschine” which basically translates as ‘First Machine’, and it fittingly starts with some industrial / mechanised backing noise, before ripping into some pacey, regimented percussion and up-tempo riff-work. A nostalgic nod to the origins of the genre; fusing those industrial elements with the early proto-Goth sound, all the while housing a decent melody, which balances the semi-scratchy vocals well…the vocals appear a touch overpowering in places with some of the instrumentation drowned out, but for a self-recorded and produced record it’s an entertaining start.

“Menschenfeind” or ‘Misanthrope’ too provides a wonderfully up-beat dose of reverberated post-punk, with more intensity in its delivery; having a certain punk-heavy simplicity that would appeal to fans of say, early BAD RELIGION. If it’s throwbacks you were after though, look no further than “Umgekehert Kontrovers” which roughly means ‘conversely controversial’ and it delves deeper into the genre’s origins audibly. The tinny, slightly-off key guitar with deeper, darker atmospheric tones harks back to those early days of JOY DIVISION, sounding like it’s been plucked straight out of the era itself; thematically it’s been wonderfully recreated to its credit.

There are one or two lesser tracks offered up but they don’t exactly ruin the album so to speak…”N.I.W.E.S. (Nicht Ist Wie Es Scheint)” or ‘Nothing As It Seems’ is a predominantly slower more lethargic track, with arguably the albums weakest vocals; there’s a bleak drone to them at times, all the while sounding pained and shouted as opposed to sung. Technically then, there’s nothing WRONG with “(…)-?!” per se other than its name…I mean seriously I can’t pronounce that in fucking English let alone German! Am I to literally call it “Left Bracket Ellipsis Right Bracket Dash Question Mark Exclamation Mark” or just guess some sort of bilious guttural noise? Pronounce it like I’m actually vomiting into the microphone? Fuck knows…before we then finish up on “Die Lösen Sich Ja Selber Auf” or, ‘They Dissolve Themselves’ which again, is appropriate as the album dissolves into a brief, quirky bass-heavy outro track, ending the album on a rather abrupt note.

The combination of using the German language lyrically, and playing a style and genre that’s nostalgic and underground at best isn’t going to find DEW a great deal of commercial viability, but post-punk, as dated as it is by today’s scene’s standards has always had a loyal cult following, which should in all honesty accept DEW with open arms. Their sound has been brilliantly crafted to be right at home among those early 80’s playlists and could easily find themselves mentioned alongside the likes of THE DAMNED. DEW haven’t reinvented the wheel, but they are due some recognition. [6]

Now, it WOULD ironically take some sort of deal with the devil to actually accomplish what I’m about to propose to you here but, just go with me on this…imagine you managed to, I don't know, dust off the old Ouija board to summon the spirits of both ROSIE HAMLIN and AMY WINEHOUSE, somehow harnessed their combined vocal capabilities, incorporated that with the suddenly resurrected rock ‘n’ roll musical style of the 50’s and 60’s and, oh, sang about satanic rituals while you’re at it? I wouldn’t blame you if you assumed I was four days into a three-day weekend of abusing multiple substances all the while binge watching Nostalgia Critic videos (That’s half right, I’ll let you speculate which half)…but in principle, there actually does exist such a twisted creation…a creation even Mary Shelly would tip her quill to…let me introduce you to TWIN TEMPLE.

The duo, comprising of Alexandra and Zachary James, formed in (As they say with a slight case of tongue in cheek) the City Of Angels, only recently really in 2016, but have caused quite a stir among the alternative community in the brief time since. While you would typically associate the idea of Satanism in music going hand in hoof with genres such as black or death metal, here the pair argue the case that maybe the devil doesn’t have a ‘type’ and that maybe he loves a slow jam as much as the next bloke…or…biblical outcast, and so using the classical sounds of soul, blues jazz and doo-wop, they spread the message of feminist Satanism, and tackle topics of oppression while fighting for free will against dated ways of thinking in society. How are they doing this? Well with their new album of course! So with that in mind, let’s check out the smoothly titled “Twin Temple (Bring You Their Signature Sound…Satanic Doo-Wop)”…I feel like I’ve just summoned something just SAYING that out loud…Venite incipere!

We open up with “The Devil (Didn’t Make Me Do It)” and it’s a quaint little slice of social commentary and tackles the idea of perception; with lyrics about 8-Balls, playing pool, beer and what not…the idea that gambling and alcohol etc is the work of the devil and leads to further sinning, but here they defend him claiming he gets a bad rap, it’s not all his fault at all! There IS a sense of poignancy however as Alexandra references the 27-club, making the point whilst doing her best Amy Winehouse over some subtle jazz and soft blues. You make your own choices in life, but some of us do have our demons and we need to hold ourselves accountable; it’s a touching nod. “Lucifer, My Love” then goes head on into a world of Satanism but done in the most romantic manner possible. There’s no bombastic sense of theater or hedonistic rituals of sacrificial bloodshed…instead there is a sweet love song about how Alexandra genuinely loves him. The ceremonial candles likened to a candle-lit date, and she even asks if he prefers blue denim or a red dress? A rib at the expense of both gothic and heavy metal clichés…despite its pacing as a slow-dance track it’s really quite comical, in a good way!

The rest of the album continues to tackle the concepts of tortured romance, adultery, corruption and revenge fuelled by love and loss; “I Know How To Hex You” dabbles in a little black magic as the scorned woman gets back at her ex for objectifying her, all delivered with a smooth dose of Americana, while “Let’s Hang Together” goes down the route of taking marriage vows very literally, with emphasis on the till’ death do us part bit, so long the lovers both go out at the same time…morbidly romantic you may say. There are two instrumental pieces making up run-time in the form of “In Lvx” and “In Nox”, representing night and day and other than acting as an interlude and closing piece respectively, they contribute little to what is essentially an 8-track mini-album really.

Overall, while musically it won’t be exciting very many people in the heavy metal community, it IS a refreshing change, in both pace and style. Where it lacks in instrumental heaviness it makes up for in its message and entire point…its MEANT to stick out like a sore thumb because the duo are challenging preconceived and already existing ideas and norms, and really they’ve succeeded, all the while managing to not make any sort of mockery of their Satanic principles. The Goths will get behind this for its quirkiness, and if you’re fan of the “Dreamboats And Petticoats” era then you’ll likely enjoy this too, just, look past the nods to the occult and don’t play it for your grandma...the next time you visit you may find her hailing Satan and finger painting with her cats blood in between cups of tea. [5]

Seattle, Washington may be famed for its contributions to grunge when talking about alternative music, but there’s more to the Emerald City than miserable vocals and despondent guitar tones…sometimes other genres are allowed to raise their, UGLYHEAD if you will? Yes Uglyhead are the brainchild of sound engineer / producer Jake Alejo, and while in their formative years (With Jake being the primary member using only session / backing musicians for certain shows) they only really got airplay on late night college radio shows, it wasn’t too long before he got picked up by Automation Records for his 2007 debut. With more label backing, some additional EP’s and even finding a soundtrack placement on “Greg Hasting’s Paintball 2” for Wii, Xbox and PS3, he soon gained more and more momentum. 2019 finds Jake continuing on his path of noise experimentation with the brand new EP entitled “Disembodied” (Scheduled for release April 26th), collaborating with PIG / JULIEN-K percussionist Galen Walling…let’s check it out…

The EP opens up with a double-barrelled head-fuck of “Here But Not Here” and “There But Not There”…the former offering a light, synth-driven lead countering off-kilter programming and percussion over some raspy, manipulated vocals. The tone is dark despite the subtle joviality of the electronica as he sings of ghostly apparitions, and it’s quite the creepy opener, while the latter transitions into some vocal distortion and an up-tempo instrumental fill. There’s  a lot more urgency to this track and you get more of a feel for the industrial influences…some of the wailing is hard to differentiate from twisted sampling, with the dark dub elements and a certain EDM vibe, blended well with gothic techno. Overall a decent if not expected start…

The title track then takes on a much more, sinister, subdued pace as it skulks along sounding as if musically trapped somewhere between vaudevillian MARILYN MANSON and early ORGY aesthetically…the hypnotic tones allowing for the conceptual outer-body experience as is the theme of the EP, and while not the most entertaining of tracks musically, it’s moody and atmospheric in its own right, and really wouldn’t feel out of place on one of “The Crow” soundtracks. Sadly then we’re given “Too Real For Love” and it’s here the EP starts to struggle on the home stretch…over seven minutes long, the deeply foreboding synths can only maintain their aura for so long and it’s not long before this track seems to just drone on miserably, until closing track “The Funhole” (I’m not even kidding) literally takes up the arse-end of the EP; another slow, off-key pulsing piece of warbling electronica, and echoed, barely discernible vocals.

Jake may have aimed for transcendence with his blend of deep alternative techno, but his proposed outer-body experience sadly stays very much within the confines of your skull, resulting in a headache upon sitting through the whole EP. Things started off really quite promisingly, all things considered with this genre of music, but the last two tracks sadly leak one out the aforementioned funhole and soil the EP. Regardless of what the opening tracks suggest, unless you're a fan of say, ALIEN SEX FIEND for example, it’s neither here OR there. [3]

Despite the gimmicky premise of this blog, I sadly don’t cover a great deal of Gothic artists within these pages. The odd black gem, or, lump of coal if you prefer, will pop up, like A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH earlier this year for instance, but Goth bands that I DO come across, new ones at least, are few and far between. Luckily however, as it happens, while covering a compilation piece for DEWAR PR just recently, I stumbled across today’s band; let me introduce you to HER DESPAIR.

The five-piece (Consisting of vocalist J, guitarists Dan and Jord, bassist Vikki and drummer Lee) hail from Berkshire, and have been building a name for themselves on the UK alt. rock circuit since their 2015 debut album “Hymns For The Hopeless”. With their penchant for mixing modern melancholia with traditional post-punk aesthetics they’ve quickly grown an impressive underground following. Just last year they released the much anticipated follow up to their debut; a new EP by the brilliant name of “Mournography”…let’s see if we get a kick out of this cadaver…

The EP opens up with “Blaspheme With Me” and right away we’re greeted with a blend of melodic guitar and surging yet sensual riffage…vocally J has a depth to his drawl but it doesn’t go as far as complete baritone like other Gothic rock and metal artists. The two aspects combine well and in ways it can be said it combines the likes of ENTWINE and THE CRUXSHADOWS… a lengthy opener at five minutes but it’s still a great start. “Valentine’s Mourning” continues along the same vein but is a touch more up-tempo and has more of a pop aesthetic with its hooks and overall rhythm. Lyrically steeped in sadness and loss but musically it’s such an uplifting track, a typical yet welcome oxymoron, really fun track this.

We slow things down next for “Within Tragedy” and it takes on a far more elegant tone; the sweeping orchestral elements of the synths really set the mood here while the rock aspects of the track chug along casually, giving it weight and carrying the track forward. If you are all about the slow burn and the melancholy then look no further than closing track “In The Arms Of A Sadist”…at seven minutes plus it embraces a clear doom influence from the likes of MY DYING BRIDE and simply oozes despair, which is very fitting given their name it has to be said, though it’s countered by the previous track “Damnation Tonight” which incorporates more harmonious keys and more groove-heavy goth ‘n’ roll, balancing out the EP perfectly.

Essentially what Her Despair do here is bridge eras in Gothic music; sounding crisp and fresh with their song writing and production, while also channeling the original bleak charm and quality of the likes of Goth godfathers  SISTERS OF MERCY and BAUHAUS. This, alongside their debut confirm that they are one of the brightest (Or should that be darkest?) rising talents on the Goth scene. If you’ve been wanting some quality Goth, stock up on the Kleenex because you’ll be getting off to “Mournography”. [8]

DEWAR PR is a PR company based out of Ontario, Canada, run by CEO Curtis Dewar. Specialising in all that is hard and heavy within the music industry, Dewar champions all of the underground genres such as sludge, stoner rock and other sub-divisions of heavy metal, allowing them the platform and opportunity to reach out to new set of ears worldwide. You may already be familiar with a couple of their clients through my recent 'My Wreckord Collection feature', but if you really want a taste of what Dewar has to offer, then look no further.

“Dewar PR Presents” is a brand new, FREE TO DOWNLOAD sampler compilation album, consisting of seventeen tracks by seventeen different artists, showcasing the variety of metal you can find within their catalogue of bands. Whether you like the groove-heavy hypnotic drones of sludge lords FALSE GODS….the traditional sound of old school thrashers TOMMY CONCRETE, the classic, sensual darkness of Gothic rockers HER DESPAIR, or even the sweet vocal harmonies of DUST PROPHET, there is sure to be something for you over the course of this record. Curtis himself says;

“I’m pleased to release the latest in our series of compilations! This is the fifth year of Dewar PR being in operation and I’m excited to have the chance to work with great new bands.  Download the compilation and support (with money) any of the bands that you enjoy! If you’d like more information on promoting your next release with Dewar PR, please email me at [email protected]!”

Follow the link below to download the sampler…did I mention it’s fucking FREE?!?! Get on it!

Track List:
1] FALSE GODS – “They Who Speak To The Lost”
2] OWL MAKER – “Witches”
3] TOMMY CONCRETE –“Leith Punk Flat”
4] HER DESPAIR – “Blaspheme With Me”
5] GORM – “Beyond Black Rainbow”
6] CHAOS SYNOPSIS – “Sixteen Scourges”
7] ALICEISSLEEPING – “Scary Mary”
8] RITUAL EARTH – “Solar Ecstasy”
9] DEATH ON FIRE – “Witch Hunter (Remix)”
10] VESSEL – “The Dreaming”
11] BLESSED BLACK – “Stormbringer”
12] STUMP TAIL DOLLY – “Regret”
13] ALLFATHER – “By Sword By Famine By Plague”
14] DUST PROPHET – “The Big Lie”
15] ARCHARUS – “Erebor”
16] RIFT – “Lift To Ash”
17] DESERT KINGDOM – “Unleash All Hell”

Back in 2010, Gothic music, no, ALL of music, lost someone truly gifted and remarkable. Yes, on that April 14th, the not-so jolly green giant Pete Steele of TYPE-O-NEGATIVE passed away, somewhat ironically, due to heart failure aged just 48. Initially we had to double check, as not only was their previous (And as it turns out final album) entitled “Dead Again”…the album itself was brought to everyone’s attention through a hoax, suggesting Pete’s passing on their website, via a macabre but not unexpected marketing ploy by the band. Sadly this time wasn’t to be a dark humoured joke tying into a promotion, this time it was for real…Type-O-Negative were no more.

Luckily for fans, and in loving memory of Pete Steele, original Type-O drummer  Sal Abruscato (Up until 1993) wasn’t long in allowing this new source of mourning and melancholia to fuel his creative juices once more, and stepping aside from his other band LIFE OF AGONY, he formed A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH in 2011. With their first two albums (“And Hell Will Follow Me” and “Lay My Soul To Waste”) receiving praise and critical acclaim, it’s only natural we get excited to know that the third, despite the five year gap, was still on the way. In early 2019, they returned with “When The World Becomes Undone”…let’s see what Sal and co have been sitting on all this time…

The album begins rather fittingly with “As It Begins” and really it’s just a brief intro piece; the church bells, the weeping woman, a continuous, haunting drone…it’s really quite ominous as it seemingly sets you up for a  ritual, or, something far worse and sinister, but the transition into the title track is a little disjointed. It lacks a clean flow as it switches up into this, chilling piano led piece, while Sal’s lyrical delivery and vocal tone hints at a disturbing, nursery rhyme-inspired track. The percussion initially seems stuck on a loop, with little in the way of tonal progression, like the CD was skipping, if it wasn’t for the subtlety of the bass, before we eventually get underway with some classic sounding, deep, dragging riffs. At near seven minutes it keeps in tradition with the drawn-out doom metal influences, but there are a few tempo and key changes to keep it ticking over, improving as it progresses.

It’s not all ENTIRELY doom and gloom mind you, as there’s still room for a tune or two amidst the misery. “Love The Ones You Hate” being a prime example…the classic guitar slides, the almost “My Girlfriends Girlfriend”-esque delivery harking back to classic Type-O, adding both hooks and tempo to proceedings. While not the most melodic of vocalists, the whole thing takes on an almost grunge-like yet, hypnotic tone, thanks to Sal’s musical direction, and it makes for a clear album highlight. The same can be said for “Lay With The Wicked”, “Fell In My Hole” and “We All Break Down”…the former with its darkly sensual opening, embracing the seductive yet, again, haunting aesthetics of the deep harmonies. A slick guitar solo makes for an even more emotive listen and it reeks of gothic lust, while the latter maintains the low-tempo, dreary appeal of classic doom-inspired goth, with more subtle nods to “October Rust” musically as we head towards the tracks climax.

Granted, it’s not a perfect album…”Succumbing To The Event Horizon” is only marginally longer than its own name; no more than a brief instrumental interlude in the loosest possible sense, while “The Woods”, which despite being longer, doesn’t have much more of a point, though conceptually you could say it harks back to the tribal tones of “Fay Wray Come Out And Play”, before closing track “Closure” returns to the church bells, weeping and organ music as the album goes full circle. All in all, we have to accept that there’s only so much you can get from a doom-based record in terms of appeal, and in a world without Pete Steele this will always have to be your next best choice. Both sonically and aesthetically on point, APHND and Sal deliver a fine slab of sadness here as they’ve clearly found themselves musically; this is more polished, crisp and cathartic too as it provides respectful throwbacks to Sal’s formative years with Type-O-Negative. In a world of post-metalcore, mumble-rap and grime, it’s refreshing (Or should that ironically be rotten?) to find there’s still a place for such wonderfully presented woe…a great gothic-metal album and a great start to 2019. [8]

While the end of the calendar year is typically filled with Top 10 favourite lists, editors picks, playlists and compilations, review requests do still slide into your DM’s like the thirstiest of thots…and though while initially preoccupied with deciding which album gets the coveted top spot, I don’t like to leave any stones un-turned, which brings us to today’s review. Just before Christmas, I had an email from a gentleman by the name of Tommy Olsson and he asked me to check out his band LONG NIGHT. The three piece (Consisting of Tommy himself on guitar, second guitarist Arni Sorlie and vocalist Osten) have recently released their newest album; “Barren Land”, and it becomes my first official review of 2019. Let’s see if it really is as fruitless as it makes out…

The album kicks off with “East Of The Sun West Of The Moon” and we immediately get that early 80’s post-punk vibe…the subdued vocals over the hypnotic percussion and rhythmic guitars giving off an indie-esque melancholic tone, harking back to the likes of THE MISSION. The low-key melody compliments the dreary gothic tones well and despite being a generally lengthy opener, it satisfies and it’s a strong start.  “The Night’s Ablaze” continues the album with another similar, early post-punk effort albeit more up-beat with more of a general hook and vocal melody…the bass line though simplistic carries the track and there are elements here that would appeal to fans of KILLING JOKE for example; strong stuff this…brilliant.

The early proto-goth vibe is solidified by standout track “It’s All Gone” with its sombre yet melodic guitar; the track as a whole slow enough to capture the torment  and pain, but still up-tempo enough to create a truly entertaining nostalgic bubble…all of the hooks yet all of the throwback simplicity, this is what long-time fans long to hear. “The Rain Still Falls” returns to that overdone lengthy delivery; properly embracing the gothic tendencies but also utilising darker indie-rock elements as found in the likes of EDITORS or SPECTOR…before the rest of the album descends into a disappointing crawl. “On A Little Snowy Field” being a prime example…it’s that slow you could have mowed the field itself and regrown it, waited for it to snow AND built a snowman before the song finishes. “Black River” drones on for over seven minutes with some minimalist, middle-eastern inspired instrumentation, while “Cold Light” returns to those brooding, dreary indie tones, though it does deliver on the vocal front; very much exuding passion, almost drawing sympathy from the listener.

Overall, Long Night have delivered well enough here, and their ability to recapture the early sounds and tones of that original, goth-rock aesthetic is impressive. A perfectly fresh throwback to the genres formative years, they’re definitely a band for all of you OG goths to check out. Some of the tracks are a little flat, there’s a fine line between moody and boring, with some of the tracks needing a little more bite, but “Barren Land” is certainly showing signs of life. [6]

Well well well...what can I say? 2018 has been and gone; some of it was awesome, some of it was interesting, some of it was amusing and a lot of it was spectacularly shit...however, one thing that's consistent is the sheer volume of music and art created around the world. 2018 saw me cover my usual rock and metal albums...there wasn't a lot of goth...but I dabbled in some pop, in some rap, in some hip-hop...that's not including that which I checked out for the team over at All About The Rock...ultimately 2018 has kept me on my toes musically and I'm sure that my Top 20's, no matter the category, can show you that. 

From Eurovision bangers courtesy of Saara Aalto...to heavy metal swan songs a la Machine Head. From returning Welsh rap rock renegades The Kennedy Soundtrack...to returning Finnish goth godfathers Musta Paraati. From crossover WWE Superstar Elias...to young crossover Stranger Things superstars forming Calpurnia...you name it there's been something for everyone in 2018 and I like to think I've covered a fair unbiased amount of it. After over 200 albums and EP's, the above gallery showcases the best of the best of 2018 and I hope you agree with my overall picks. Below you'll find the link to the GTGC Facebook page, where you can find my lists in their entirety (Including the bonus WORST 20 OF 2018) and my official GTGC 2018 Spotify Playlist, and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed compiling it. Here's to 2019 and all of the new music coming our way...some of it will get the GTGC treatment, and you know you're looking forward to that. Peace out bitches...WUBBA LUBBA DUB DUB!!!!!!!!!!!!

​It’s been an interesting couple of years for one Mr Jyrki Linnankivi (Aka Jyrki 69) of THE 69 EYES fame…while it was back in 2016 where we last heard from the Helsinki Vampires, with their last album “Universal Monsters”…he’s been keeping busy himself with some projects outside the usual comfort of his coffin. Last year he dropped his first solo album, appropriately titled “Helsinki Vampire” which featured the tracks from horror movies “Halloween Pussytrap! Kill! Kill!” (I shit you not, that’s actually a thing) and “Sunset Society”…this year however he delves deeper into the Finnish goth ‘n’ roll archives, resurrecting some true Finnish legends…let me explain.

Back in the early 80’s, long before Finland was truly on the map musically as a hotbed for alternative music, when you were lucky to know about HANOI ROCKS if anyone, given the lack of internet etc…there was a little band called MUSTA PARAATI, who despite only having a brief career, as well as several line-up changes, managed to influence artists like Jyrki with their post-punk, early proto-goth style. Now, in 2018, after a 30+ year hiatus (If you can even call it that) Jyrki has gone through all the appropriate rituals to bring these Finnish goth icons back from the grave, providing vocals for the brand new English self-titled album “Black Parade”. Please note, if you’re expecting anything relating to MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, you’re going to be disappointed…

The album opens up with “Animosity” and don’t worry, it’s the track name, you aren’t going get a smack in the chops. Generally a slow burner; you initially only get the soothing notes of guitarist Saku Paasiniemi, before it expands into a soft, synth-pop piece. A beautiful blend of rock ‘n’ roll, with throwback electronic keys and retro pop production, coupled with Jyrki’s distinct baritone vocals all combine for a strong start. Despite its slow-tempo it still houses a hook-laden catchy chorus and is textbook post-punk. We then have another of many highlights courtesy of “Nacht Der Untoten” (Which is German for Night Of The Dead) and the icy synth notes, along-side Jyrki’s deep drawl complement each other wonderfully, really allowing the idea and tone of the chilling, horror theme to shine through aesthetically.

Switching up linguistically next we go from German to French via “Aujourd’hui” and given the dark gothic tones, plus the French connection this reminds of early 69 Eyes works such as “Dance D’amour”, with the synths taking on an almost orchestral approach, adding a sense of intensity and drama at the tracks climax. Both “Radio” and “Digital Twin” provide up-beat, quirky, albeit by-numbers pieces of retro goth-pop, especially the latter, before standout track “Today”, as the shortest track here, gives a hard hitting dose of up-beat, bass-driven  rock that fans of SISTERS OF MERCY should easily lap-up. While there are weaker tracks on offer here, like “Reaper” and “Chopsticks”…it’s more a case of them being a bit generic as opposed to bad, coming off as more filler than failure, managing to keep the album overall sounding consistently solid.

Given Jyrki’s distinct vocal style and the accompanying music, it would be easy to mistake this as 69 Eyes version 2.0…given the blend of garage rock and gothic atmospherics, almost acting like an unreleased selection of tracks rather than a new record with Musta Paraati…but let’s not let that detract from the fact we’re still getting superb quality gothic rock in 2018. This is must have for post-punk fans AND 69 Eyes fans, and it easily gratifies 69 Eyes fans around the world while we wait for 2019’s new 30th anniversary album, as well as reintroducing fans to one of Finland's hidden gems in the process. Musta Paraati? You Musta' listen to this one, seriously… [9]

While it’s been a short while now since we’ve properly heard from Anaheim alt. rockers NEW YEARS DAY, we’ve been treated to a couple of projects from front-woman Ash Costello. Last year saw her branch out with horror-pop band THE HAXANS and their incredibly fun album “Party Monsters”…but this year, although returning under the NYD moniker, we find Ash indulging herself on what is essentially a covers EP. Occasionally you’ll find interviews and articles in magazines, revolving around the artists and songs that shaped other artists…but Ash wanted to go one better and actually record her own versions of the songs she deemed so inspirational. The result; the “Diary Of A Creep” EP…a fitting tribute, or should their new year’s resolution be no more covers? Let’s find out…

We open up the EP with the sole original track “Disgust Me” and it’s somewhat appropriate, like, you say it out loud, and the EP does its fucking best to do just that. With its hard-hitting percussion and deep, chugging riffs, coupled with Ash’s melodic vocals over a hook-laden chorus, its trademark NYD…balancing subtle gothic tendencies with a heavy, nu-metal aesthetic, getting the EP off to a decent albeit standard start. We follow that with the first of five covers…and we’re spanning a plethora of era’s and styles here. Naturally it’s fair as influence can come from all walks of life, but here, together, in this style…something just doesn’t quite gel. We begin with a cover of NEW ORDER’s “Bizarre Love Triangle” and gone are the quaint synths…gone are the soft vocals of Bernard Summer…instead we find crunching, disjointed riffs and Ash’s powerful vocal chords, backed with key changes, repetitive classic guitar licks and gang vocals. The whole thing comes across as copy and paste, looping itself as it ticks along and sadly lacks any of the originals charm.

We shift gears completely next up, as we dabble in a spot of metal via PANTERA classic “Fucking Hostile” and it kind of does what it says on the tin; the raw aggression carries through with Ash’s angrier vocals and they know how to deliver a riff, but it’s hard to see how this would go down with traditional metal fans…they’ll either respect you (Albeit resentfully) for covering it in the first place, or form a Wall Of Death that even Donald Trump would be in awe of, but aim TOWARDS the stage and trample you into the floor for doing so…they’re on thin ice here. Next up…and, oh god…we have “Crawling”…yes…THAT crawling, by LINKIN PARK. Now, let’s be honest, who hasn’t been inspired in some way by Linkin Park in recent generations? But, to attempt to cover such an iconic song is BRAVE! It totally lacks the original feel of the song, there’s no angst or passion, and sadly it comes across as really quite flat, which is a complete shame. Ash’s melodic vocals work here but as soon as the track shifts into gear, it just doesn’t compare; the pain is missing and the result is a hollow song.

The last couple of tracks include GARBAGE hit “Only Happy When It Rains”, which while originally an iconic 90’s indie rock hit, here, even aided by LZZY HALE, lacks any of the song’s original feel…not even the duel vocals here can match up to Shirley Manson and if anything just makes you cringe, before there is some level of redemption on closing track “Don’t Speak”. The NO DOUBT classic works well here as Ash really does justice to Gwen Stefani’s vocal style and with the metal touch musically it gives the track a new lease of life. Overall while it’s all well and good to want to pay respects to your hero’s and inspirations, it sometimes works better in theory rather than practice. Ash and NYD have a style and a sound that suits them, and some of the tracks covered here really don’t benefit from that sound at all. If anything I guess, it gives you a chance to go through the originals, and maybe discover some classics you may have missed, depending on your age and tastes…other than that, it’s an EP of interesting but sadly disappointing covers. [4]

The place you grow up, the place you call home very often has an impact on your outlook on life, easily shaping who you can become, and this can ring true with certain styles of music too. Just take BLACK SABBATH for instance, out of the poverty of working class Birmingham in the late 60’s and early 70’s, they arguably crafted heavy metal as we know it today; using their surroundings and social standing to fuel their bleak brand of heavier blues rock…well this can also be said of today’s band; THE BALANCE FACTOR. Formed in Gary, Indiana, just 25 miles outside of Chicago, The Balance Factor (Consisting of vocalist John Yaney, guitarists Heath Reid and Jason Zeilstra, bassist Aaron Brown and drummer Jonas Doran) have for years been surrounded by a booming steel industry, that over time faded away through job loss, political corruption and racial segregation, as America looked to import cheaper steel, killing industrial cities such as Gary.

Very much like Ozzy and co before them however, they’ve put all this to good use and started writing music which leads us to the here and now; following on from 2016’s debut album “Here I Am”, they return with a brand new EP by the name of “Ouroboros”…perfectly summing up their situation and up-bringing with a symbolic gesture of creation born from destruction…artistically poignant, or are they just chasing their own tails? Let’s find out…The EP opens up with the imaginatively titled “Introduction” and to be honest; while I’m not a fan of intro’s generally I do appreciate the no-nonsense approach here. The minute and a half of TV static, broken channel reception and police sirens portraying a state of unrest and uncertainty; a level of chaos, as it transitions into lead single “Killafornia”…and god how I wish Arnold Schwarzenneger was a part of this. It’s a word tailor made for a Terminator parody that hopefully AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE will pick up someday. The track itself is a brilliantly rugged blend of hard rock and early 2000’s nu-metal; it's coarse production quality with a more melodic chorus combining elements that would appeal to the likes of ORGY and at points MUSHROOMHEAD; a promising start.

Follow up track “Hypochondriac” jumps straight out of that same era quite frankly with its underlying techno elements and angst-ridden style of riff-heavy rock…a little repetitive for the most part and the vocals do seem off during the chorus, but the guitar solo delivers well it has to be said, an unexpected surprise in an otherwise grating track. “Arrows In My Heart”, the longest on offer here is itself too let down by some off-putting vocals…again harking back to Orgy, they’ve opted for an almost, mechanical /  filtered vocal recording but John’s no Jay Gordon I’ll say that much, he’s too off-key too often. The sudden switch then to album highlight “Die For Another Day” is very welcome, as it opens up with an almost trad-goth / post-punk guitar tone, with layers of piano giving it extra character, coupled with the chorus’ rhythmic hooks and a more pop-based vibe, it’s incredibly catchy while still retaining the raw rock elements, before closing track “Taken By Surprise” sounds like it could have easily been taken out of the “Queen Of The Damned” soundtrack, musically having similarities to “Redeemer” in places, rounding things up on a somewhat nostalgic note.

The band themselves cite influences such as NINE INCH NAILS, MARILYN MANSON and TOOL but listening to this EP we find them to be nowhere near as profound or creatively edgy, and instead we find them more closely resembling the lesser end of the Nu-metal gene pool…I mentioned Orgy but you’ve also got the likes of ADEMA and POWERMAN 5000 layered within these songs, bands that saturated a trend as opposed to setting one. Yes it’s nice to listen back fondly to that era, but to ironically paraphrase Trent Reznor, it’s just a copy of a copy of an already ridiculed genre. Silver linings, The Balance Factor are still better than the fucking X factor…[6]

German Goth-metal gods LORD OF THE LOST returned recently with their brand new studio album “Thornstar”, which came out August 3rd via Napalm Records. I had the opportunity to have a quick chat with long-time bassist Klaas Helmecke (AKA Class Grenayde) about the album, touring plans and German metal…here’s what he had to say;

Klaas, thank you so much for taking the time to have a quick chat, how are you?

“Hey Gav! Thank you for asking, me and the guys are having a great time; our new record recently hit the Official Album Charts at number 6!”

Congratulations that's awesome! Now, as one of the core members of LOTL alongside Chris, you’ve been here since back in 2007 where the band formed in Hamberg, Germany…for those newly discovering you, how did the band come to light?

“I was the first member with Chris starting the idea of the band in 2007; Chris came up with the idea to make his own music with a band formed out of friends. We always wanted to have a band together, so i was the first person to ask. We released our first record with Chris’ music in 2009… from that day on we’ve played as many shows as we can, touring our asses off and released quite a lot of records, videos and other stuff. And we never get rid of it. We love what we do!”

It’s easy to jump straight to RAMMSTEIN when people think of German metal, but Germany has always had a rich heritage in heavy music, who inspired you in those formative years and what’s the scene like in Hamburg?

“Rammstein was an inspiration for us, that’s for sure! But the inspiration didn’t only come from German music. And also not even only from Metal or Goth music. If we speak of Chris as the mastermind and main writer in the band, he got also a lot of inspiration from bands like ROXETTE, AEROSMITH and stuff like that. Talking about the German music scene, especially the Hamburg scene, we are not having so many upcoming artists these days. Rap is actually booming like all over the world and if i think of Hamburg bands i always come back to bands like HELLOWEEN, GAMA RAY and bands like that. We hope that  someday people naturally name us in the same way, speaking of Hamburg bands.” 

In the ten+ years you’ve been together you’ve been quite prolific it has to be said; aside from a number of EP’s, compilations and live DVD’s you’ve also just released your 6th studio album “Thornstar”, which we’ll touch on shortly…what keeps you motivated to produce and what fuels those creative juices so efficiently?

“Some people need to write to be alive. Chris is somebody like that; he’s got some sort of creative overflow, from which he can take as much creativity from as needed; that’s a blessing for all of us. And everybody else is giving their parts and knows how to complete the final product.”

Coming back to “Thornstar”, aside from being a great listen it seems to be a solid concept album with plenty of religious overtones, with tracks such as “On This Rock…”, “Black Halo” and “Naxxar”…what was the inspiration for the record?

“There is an old mythology about the Pangaeians, a culture that got almost forgotten in time. This record is based on the stories and legends around this culture. It was tough to find material about it. You really have to dig deep in libraries and this new thing called the internet.” 

Given LOTL’s blend of dark Gothic rock and classical, often orchestral tones, concepts around religion and folklore can offer so much room for creativity with resource in abundance; do you find it’s a natural fit? With the deluxe edition having an additional 7 tracks it seems you had plenty of material heading into the studio!

“We always added orchestral elements to our music, with Chris and Gared for example; having classical backgrounds in their musical education. And since especially Chris having such and endless output we got too many good songs in our hands! The additional 7 songs are as good as the rest. They just made it ‘ONLY’ on CD 2 because they are less related to the mythology; which the main album is all about.”

To mark the album’s release you’re heading out on an extensive European tour leading through winter, including 5 dates here in the UK in November which I’m personally looking forward to; what can your fans expect from the upcoming shows? Are you looking forward to blending the new tracks in alongside classics like “Sex On Legs”?

“Of course we will play new songs, but since we didn’t play so often in the UK yet, the people also deserve to enjoy our ‘classics’. We’ll play the best compilation of our songs we can to kick everybody’s asses!”

With the tour already booked deep into March of next year, your current long term focus is clearly on promotion, can fans outside of Europe look forward to catching you somewhere in 2019 too or are those plans still in development?

“We always plan to reach out in the world as far as we can. We’ve got good plans in our pockets to come around a lot, and we always appreciate promoters all over the world that say ‘Hi’ and invite us to come over and play. If we can travel and reach out to our fans worldwide, we are happy!”

Class, thank you for your time, and all the best with the up-coming tour.

When it comes to bands succeeding from day one, there are few in recent times who can honestly say they have hit the ground running as hard as FLORENCE + THE MACHINE…the London-born group fronted by Florence Welch dropped their debut “Lungs” back in 2009 and really haven’t looked back since. Multi-platinum sales, Brit Awards, Mercury Prize nominations…and that was just the debut! This form continued as both follow-up records “Ceremonials” and “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” each respectively gave Florence a hat-trick of Number 1 albums and the accolades kept coming…however the style was slowly but surely changing and they were in time becoming more refined…and this leads us to 2018 where Florence released album number four; “High As Hope”. Self-produced by the band themselves, let’s see how the machine is operating these days…

The album opens up with, (Or at least tries to) “June” and I say that because there’s at least a 14 second delay between the start of the track and you being able to actually hear anything, and I honestly don’t know what this aims to achieve, coming across as more of a production error rather than having any beneficial point within the song. When the song IS flowing however we get a piano led, restrained little track, gently accompanying Florence’s instantly recognisable husky, sometimes warbled vocals. It does have a slight, climactic flurry but it’s abrupt ending spoils that completely. Were the spare 14 seconds meant to be this side of the song, instead of being empty? Here it just sounds incomplete; a poor start.

Lead single “Hunger” then follows and admittedly this is much better; with a more up-beat rhythm its sounding far more positive, with encouraging lyrics and a gospel-inspired clap-along accompaniment, coupled with soulful backing gang-vocals, this is Florence as we know her and she’s so easily capable of writing songs that simply ooze with joyousness; this being one of them. This is reinforced by the track “Patricia” which again has all of the classic F+TM traits, wonderfully blending soulful pop with energetic indie…the string sections and bold chorus allowing for a dynamic listen and again it allows for an enjoyable song. Florence has always had subtle gothic tendencies mind you and here it’s showcased by the ultra-moody “Big God”…the almost haunted, deeper tempo with its sultry tones and slow-build gives the album extra character overall and is a definite highlight.

This albums primary flaw however, is in fact how stripped back it actually is…as despite only being ten tracks long, it feels a lot longer because of the level of restriction, with an almost shoegaze appraoch utilised. “Grace” whilst on paper is an appropriately titled graceful little piano ballad, it feels incredibly drawn out, and as assertive as Florence is vocally the track fails to hold attention, so too do the albums closing tracks suffer similarly, with “The End Of Love” and “No Choir” rounding things off in lacklustre fashion. Yes the point of this album was a more personal, raw recording and that does indeed resonate through Flo’s vocals throughout, her ability as a performer can’t be questioned, but taking this direction has denied us the proper banger's we all know the band are capable of…there’s no rush and excitement of “Howl”…there’s no drama and climax of “What The Water Gave Me” and there’s no feisty attitude of “Kiss With A Fist”…instead, while we have a well matured album, it’s pretty much just Florence…the machine seems to be on standby. [5]

As a music reviews blogger I’d like to say or at least think that I’m fairly open minded…I’ll cover the majority of genres, but one thing I have to address is my own potential false advertising. My whole tongue in cheek gimmick is that I’m a Gothic Chav; an abomination of dress sense and the self-proclaimed outcasts outcast…but truth be told, I sadly don’t really cover a great deal of Goth bands within these pages (As much as I’d like to at least) and I can’t say I’ve ever truly considered attempting to form words about a Ministry Of Sound compilation, so I need to fix one of the two…Goth it is then! With that said in all seriousness, let me introduce you to MGT…far from a new kid on the block, Mark Thwaite as his birth certificate states is a seasoned veteran when it comes to alternative/Gothic rock music…in the early 90’s he was a guitarist for THE MISSION but he’s also worked alongside legends such as GARY NUMAN and PETER MURPHY and he’s a respected name in post-punk…back in 2016 he released “Volumes”…a collection of songs with a variety of collaborations, most notably a brilliant cover of ABBA hit “Knowing Me, Knowing You” with Ville Valo of HIM…this year he returns with a much anticipated follow up entitled “Gemini Nyte”…is MGT the MVP? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with the lead single “All The Broken Things” and immediately we’re met with the classic guitar tones that defined the 80’s new-wave / post-punk movement…the gentle melody wrapped around a subtle melancholia that defined the era and laid the foundations for so many Gothic rock bands in the years that followed. Vocals are provided by Ashton Nyte of THE AWAKENING…returning from the last album but what’s different here is that he’s the sole collaborator, making this feel more like a complete album as oppose to a playlist. The continuity is most prominent on “The Reaping (Reprise)”…the song making a second appearance re-recorded but without feeling like lazy filler, it better suits this album stylistically and feels right at home here.

Elsewhere highlights include “Armageddon’s Sideshow” which again perfectly captures the emotions and memories of the likes of SISTERS OF MERCY, but with a modern twist; Ashton has an ideal baritone vocal that carries the despair that this genre so thrives upon, but the music is up-beat, lively and energetic, while by contrast, “Tear The Sun” has the same level of throwback nostalgia, but it’s a much slower, morose yet hypnotic piece, more akin to his time with The Mission…combining elements of alternative rock with shoegaze. What’s also a pleasant surprise is another cover…last time we had ABBA but here we go full synth-pop courtesy of THE HUMAN LEAGUE and their hit “Love Action (I Believe In Love)”…it stays loyal to the overall tone of the track and is delivered incredibly well but it adds enough grit and attitude to separate itself from the original. The album isn’t without its lesser moments however; as “Atlanta” comes across as pretty slow and repetitive, providing a dreary and boring listen sadly, while “Everything Undone”, utilises a 50/50 approach combining sultry DEPECHE MODE inspired electronica with surging GOTHMINISTER-esque guitars in the chorus…not awful per se just, indecisive. Overall the album is solid from start to finish, this sole-collaboration with Ashton gives the album a sense of completion instead of feeling like an experimental project and they work well together, this is nostalgic without feeling forced or cheap, with their passion for this genre worn proudly on their sleeves. If you feel at home at alternative club nights like Slimelight or Spellbound then I’m sure MGT will make it into your playlists with this album. [7]

Every now and again the music world is introduced to a new genre…and by new genre I mean a group of artists that are loosely grouped around a certain demographic, usually for marketing…in this instance I’d like to remind you about a primarily British movement called “New Grave”. Not that I’m knocking it, let me be clear, but in in recent years, several artists have been labelled within this sense of grouping to form under this new umbrella term, artists such as ASHESTOANGELS, NEVER FOUND and even CREEPER in their early days…and in all fairness it got a bit of coverage, but it seemingly died away…or so we thought. Cue THE DEAD XIII…hailing from Manchester and consisting of vocalist Kurt Blackshard, bassist Paul Ryan, drummer Spike Owen, lead guitarist Ste Mahoney and guitarist / synth player Symon Strange, the horror metal mob plan to dig us all a fresh one on February 9th when they drop their brand new album “Dark Days”…grab your shovels…let’s check it out.

The album opens up with “Bloodlines” and we’re met with some cold, eerie synths and a foreboding sense of musical thanatophilia as it slowly builds towards an intense dose of aggrotech inspired metal…it’s energetic and up beat but retains a darkness, backed by Blackshard’s deep, raw vocals…this would easily please fans of say SADDOLLS and DEATHSTARS without sounding like a cheap knock-off, the quality here is top-drawer and it gets the album off to a strong start. We continue on with the album’s title track and though, while the synths are still there as a prominent feature, layered deeply within the songs structure, this is a slower, heavier offering with more emphasis on the chugging riffs, and in many ways this would satisfy anyone following MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, it’s got that crossover, metalcore vibe to it.

​The album has it’s fine points elsewhere too; “Angels” and “Play Hell” keep the momentum going with more of the same up-tempo industrial tinged electronic goth metal…I don’t say this lightly but artists in this genre bracket are a dying breed, especially ones of this quality, the market has shrunken considerably so it’s wonderful to see not only a band totally owning it, but to have come from the UK too, it’s so encouraging! The real star of this album however has to go to “Killers”…with all of the qualities already mentioned but taken up a notch, it’s got some wonderfully infectious melodies and a chorus bordering on anthemic, add to that the slick guitar solo, this tracks on point! A couple of tracks that missed the point however do slightly tarnish the album to a degree…”Last Stand” despite its frenetic black metal inspired intro ends up a little methodical. “Vigil” while undeniably a sweet little piano interlude, is sadly still just a sweet little piano interlude. A break from the vocals is welcome mind you, that’s another thing, it’s all systems go from Blackshard 100% of the time and some clean vocals wouldn’t go amiss...before we get click-baited by “Curtain Call”. First of all, putting another instrumental filler track in the album is one thing but placing it at track 11 on a 12 track album is just annoying…have an elongated intro to proper closing track “From Beyond” by all means but this is a waste of time…it’s literally just filler. Nit-picking aside it’s a strong album overall and does the genre ample justice…whether or not that genre is worth being labelled as new grave is up for debate but for now, consider 13 a lucky number. [8]