On the 18th and 19th of September, West-Coast Gothic returns to The Alhambra theatre in Morecambe, for another weekend of woefully wonderful Gothic entertainment, courtesy of BATS IN THE ATTIC. The sister event for the annual CORROSION FEST which is held in March, here Bats returns for it's fifth anniversary!

Not only celebrating all-things black and gloomy, but this year we go bride and groomy (I acknowledge how questionably I've worded that, we'll move on), as aside from the weekend line-up of bands, we'll also be celebrating the joint stag and hen do's of Tim & Caroline. Who are these people you may ask? It matters not, come along, have a beer, enjoy some of the Morecambe seaside, enjoy an array of international bands and try to avoid any cockles getting caught in your fishnet garments.

Both nights will have afterparties DJ'd by THE GOTHMARINER and VICTOR HELSING to  keep you vibing like creatures of the night. There will be in-house merch available, as well as stalls set up by each artist to grab your shirts, CD's, vinyl, stickers, you name it. To get you in the mood, I've personally gone through the entire catalogue of this September's line-up, (So many hours) to compile this unofficially official Spotify playlist, for BITA26 hand picking songs from each artist. The playlist link, as well as ticket links will be posted below, but, here is the track listing. We hope to see you at The Alhambra! (Note, DEADLIGHT DANCE had to pull out and were replaced by THE WANING MOON, but it would be rude to not include them as they were originally billed. Extra tunes for you!)

SIDE A
SILENTWAYS - "Crush"
LIMINAL PROJECT - "Liminarite"
THE HOUSE OF USHER - "Equinoxe"
LONG NIGHT - "Sorrow Returns"
VELVET DEAD - "Daybreakers"
BERENIKA - "Lovesong"
SCHRODINGER - "Metal Rain"
DEATHTRIPPERS - "Passion & Fire"
DEADLIGHT DANCE - "Innocent Beginnings"
THE WANING MOON - "Another Bit, Another Bite"
LAST DUSK - "Evocation"
CHRISTINE PLAYS VIOLA - "At Last, I Found You"
MERCIFUL NUNS - "Demons"

SIDE B
SILENTWAYS - "Awaken"
LIMINAL PROJECT - "The Walker"
THE HOUSE OF USHER - "The Lebanon"
LONG NIGHT - "It's All Gone"
VELVET DEAD - "Cassette 666"
BERENIKA - "Lunar Eclipse"
SCHRODINGER - "The End Of The Line"
DEATHTRIPPERS - "She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own)"
DEADLIGHT DANCE - "Monster"
THE WANING MOON - "Midnight To Midnight"
LAST DUSK - "The Broken Altar"
CHRISTINE PLAYS VIOLA - "Slaughter Of The Black Sun"
MERCIFUL NUNS - "Evolution"
DEADLIGHT DANCE - "Blinding Lights" (Bonus)
VELVET DEAD - "Enjoy The Silence" (Bonus)
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So back in September, I covered the BATS IN THE ATTIC weekend up in rainy-old Morecambe, and thoroughly enjoyed two nights of Gothic, post-punk, dark-wave, new wave, old-school, skipped-school and too cool for school alternative bands, all coming together under the vague but vehemently celebrated Gothic umbrella. One of these bands, quite frankly have barely LEFT school by the looks of them, but when I tell you that they were one of THE highlights of the weekend, you may just rub your eyes in disbelief and smudge your Maybelline. Yes, today we’re going to be revisiting SOCIAL YOUTH CULT... 

The nostalgic, Newcastle Upon Tyne based force majeure (Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Shaun Greer, guitarist Holly Moore, bassist Jack Stephenson and drummer / vocalist Alex Thibaut) impressed everybody as a live band, especially the older bands playing the weekend, with their raw, authentic modern day take on traditional post-punk. Honestly it was like a time capsule; a fleeting glance at the dawn of darkness, when the very concept of alternative music in any capacity was less than a glint in even Franz Waxman’s eye. Since then, bassist Jack’s been in touch via email, and has very kindly sent over their upcoming debut album “The Lighthouse”. With it being released on Sunday, November 2nd at the Whitby Weekend, let’s check it out, and shine some shade on one of the scenes most promising post-punk prospects. Now having said all that, as we press play..."I bid you velcome"... 

The album opens with “Venus”, and while it lacks the smoothness of a lady's shaving product, it cuts just as close with its darkly foreboding bassline and methodical yet intense percussion. You can hear a lot of the influence from KILLING JOKE in the instrumentation alone here as it relentlessly chugs along, almost bullying the listener into acknowledgement. It plateaus early with riff repetition, with only Shaun’s occasional vocal spikes giving this more than a one-dimensional character, but it’s hypnotic in its own right, and it’s the aura that carries this song. With Venus being the Roman goddess of love and victory, lyrically this is up there with the most vampiric, Poe-influenced, one night stand anti-ballads I’ve possibly heard. It’s like, taking a walk of shame through a graveyard; dressed to kill but feeling like death warmed up, yet still smirking at the quality of the head (stones). It’s likely deeper than that but...facial value. 

Follow up track “Close To Nothing” somewhat tackles mental health issues...the weight of the world, societal and romantic defeatism, and hanging on by a thread. Lyrics like “Artery beating, moments fleeting, I’m so tired of this thing in my chest” channel a sense of emotional fatigue; they’ve weighed up the pros and cons, and suicide is not off the table. There’s reference to overdose, and it’s a deeply pained track delivered in a manner that would make BAUHAUS proud. It’s slow, it’s hurt and it’s a wonderfully delivered acceptance of sadness. 

Next up we have “The Man In The Photo”, and while Chad Kroeger isn’t available to look at this for us, we’ll try not to laugh at it ourselves. Tying this back into BAUHAUS, this could easily be a nod to “Dracula”, as in Bram Stoker’s novel, Jonathan Harker is greeted at the castle by a grey-haired individual with, long, sharp fingernails, and seeing as vampires in general have no reflection, it’s safe to assume that, daguerreotype cameras of the time, which like old mirrors, used silver, would render an image of the vampire non-existent. It fits conceptually.  

Lines like “He hurt his head but not too much” could refer to Harker’s mental breakdown or his attempt of twatting the Count with a shovel in his coffin. Regardless, it’s a slow, methodical song with deep bass and a plodding delivery and is an incredibly nuanced way of suggesting you read “Dracula”. I’m not going to lie I would have much rather have read that in school than “Of Mice And Men” or “Why The Whales Came”. I’d rather watch “Nosferatu” in braille wearing oven mitts but there you go... 

Closing title track “The Lighthouse”, could be a nod to Scottish and Irish coastal folklore, with Celtic spirits such as the selkie, but there are many ghost tales of babies appearing before lighthouse keepers, amidst storms or tragedies. A harbinger of doomed fate, or a curse, it’s a classic maritime haunting trope...coupled with the fact that there’s a lighthouse in Whitby, where Bram Stoker took inspiration for “Dracula”, as his ship, The Demeter, ran ashore there, and it’s all tied in nicely within its own conceptional nuance. Musically...there’s little to no change. 

Ultimately, we find ourselves in a position where we of course must praise SOCIAL YOUTH CULT. The sounds and styles they’ve recreated here are over forty years old, and despite the modern music landscape evolving as it does with technology and trends, they’ve truly nailed that authentic, original sound of Goth’s formative years. Modern indie bands like IST IST and NAUT utilise elements of post-punk, vocally for example, but are polished, they write hooks, there’s an element of catchy song writing to their craft...this is SOCIAL YOUTH CULT's only concern.  

I’m going to sound ungrateful here, but while I absolutely applaud the commitment to the style and sound of those early proto-Goth days, which let’s all agree, the band have nailed, it never stopped bands like JOY DIVISION releasing tracks like “Love Will Tear Us Apart”...for example.  

As on point as your sound, proficiency and delivery are, for a stylistic throwback, you could have at least put ONE slightly more energetic or accessible track in there. Old-school folk get it, don’t get me wrong, it’s applauded and appreciated, but you can’t really rely on old folk...old folk tend to die sooner. You need to at least try to cater for fledgling bats who are discovering post-punk, Goth and alternative options. New generations need that gateway-Goth. 

The fact that they are as young and fresh as they are and are delivering songs of this nature and quality within such a truthfully dated genre, they have my utmost praise and respect, but for a youth cult, they’ve seemed to have overlooked their peers in favour of their pensioners. “The Lighthouse” may be a signal, a beacon of hope for modern day Gothic music, but a lighthouse is only useful when there are ships in the vicinity. As genuinely good, as authentic as they are, live at least...they need to find a way to incorporate and further encourage a younger audience. Shaun, Holly, Jack and Alex might appreciate early post-punk, and I’m with them, …yet while in principle they bring a youthful presence to such a niche genre, none of the eight tracks here truly excite.  

“The Lighthouse” will perk up old ears, for the nostalgia, but they’ve pigeonholed themselves as almost a novelty. They can coast along, be it East or West, but for a young band, they’re shackled with their own dedication to heritage. As a debut album, it’s impactful from the viewpoint of that nostalgic quality, it does grab your attention, there’s no denying that, however, they run the risk of becoming a stagnant gimmick, with life imitating art as opposed to the saying.  

Do I want them to sacrifice their core values as a band? Absolutely not...do I want them to reach further than an old-school audience and help maintain the longevity, and continuity of post-punk and beyond? Of course! And here’s the dilemma. Goth’s might be the visual embodiment of depression 90% of the time...but we like something to dance to as well when the mood takes us. “The Lighthouse” highlights a lot of things, sub-culturally, but Goth needs a spotlight for a new generation, and as decent as this album is, it’ll live in the shadows so long as SOCIAL YOUTH CULT prioritise the past sonically. I really wanted to enjoy this album...I really did; but I’m not from Jonestown and not fully sold on this cult quite yet. I’ll stick to my actual wine, not the grape Kool-Aid for now. [5] - Words: Gavin Griffiths

Back in 2022, everything was coming up Milhouse. Despite Russia playing real-life Risk with Ukraine, Queen Elizabeth II going from her platinum jubilee to an oak coffin, additional incidents of Russia trying to penetrate Ukraine, a monkeypox outbreak (As if coming out of Covid wasn’t bad enough), further issues of Russia deep inside Ukraine, more US school shootings (That’s a given), Pakistan floods, the world's population reaches 8 billion too many and...believe it or not, more Russia making a mess in Ukraine...despite all that, there was quality new music to enjoy, unless you were in Ukraine. Too busy balls deep in ballistic missiles to hear the radio. The Russians were coming...hard. Hnnng. 

I say coming up Milhouse ironically of course, as 2022 was another shit-show, let’s be honest, but we ARE going to revisit Mulhouse, a far-eastern region of France, (See my tedious link there?) where we reacquaint ourselves with today’s band; SEXBLOOD. Dubbed the French Manchester, or Franchester as I called it, we discovered that Mulhouse, was an industrial town/city with a rich history in vehicle engineering and locomotives. With museums dedicated to each respectively, it’s only natural, they developed their own dreary indie/post-punk scene, just as Manchester had done with JOY DIVISION and THE SMITHS, for example. 

Following on from their 2022 album “Teach Me To Cry”, which I highly recommended, Sexblood are back with their follow up album “Intimidating Visions”, but are we going to get mad for it? Il n'y a qu'une seule façon de le savoir... 

We begin rather menacingly with the track “I Choose To Live In Hate”, and it's got this, deep, slowly chugging riff that gives off early, proto-doom vibes, accompanied by subtle icy synths, and even brief horn elements towards the tracks climax. It builds for this genuinely creepy yet fantastical piece of instrumentation, and it sets a darkened tone very early on. Vocally we have a sort of, hushed, lightly warbled, husky drawl that pays homage to the likes of Carl Macoy, or Andrew Eldritch, non-discernible at times, but this is a mood. There’s a bitterness to this; a sense of self-spite, politicism and despite the vocal quality being occasionally blurry, it has its Gothic charm. 

​We follow this up with our first album highlight; “Time Is Running Out”, and the band utilize the universally recognised sound of a heart monitor slowly flatlining to kickstart this one. It’s a trope and has been incorporated into tracks previously by the likes of TYPE-O-NEGATIVE on “Life Is Killing Me”, and ZEROMANCER’s “Dr. Online” for example, but it does help set a certain narrative, adding character to the composition. We’re greeted then with simplistic percussion, wonderfully light melodies and more nostalgic 80’s post-punk sensibilities. The guitar work coming out of the chorus reminds of “Temple Of Love” for example, as Abel De Beauvoir sings of mortality, and the choices you make as the sands run down. Moral questions and self-reflection, as you look within yourself as death looms, and it’s thought provoking. 

Further highlights include “Doctor Death”, which houses more of the same, catchy post-punk aesthetics instrumentally; clap-along percussion, prominent basslines, nicely layered synths and plenty of hooks that would leave Slimelight swaying away like a coked-up colony of bats. Speaking of things hanging, the song is about Harold Shipman, who had over 200 confirmed victims, making him one of the world's most prolific serial killers. But, sometimes, you’ve got to make a bunch of vulnerable, elderly patients overdose in order for Goth bands to write funky songs about you twenty years later, no? PhD officially stands for posthumous dance along. (Look I know he was just a GP, but I committed to the bit, OK, deal with it). 

It’s safe to say that Sexblood haven’t veered too far from the formula that they established on their debut. “The Meat Wagon” has a wonderfully bass-driven level of dark funk with icy-synthesized elements that’s VERY SISTERS OF MERCY in places. “Out Of The Dark” houses an edgier guitar tone that bolsters their classic post-punk delivery for a more rocking, energetic track. “Walpurgis Night” is an ode to Germanic Catholicism, warding off witchcraft and other priorities such as, whooping cough. (You can deep dive that one yourselves I’m not going into over a thousand years of religious history here). Bonfires are lit to deter evil spirits, unlike here in the UK, where we light bonfires on November 5th in memory of Guy Fawkes, who was THIS close, to burning down Parliament, where all of the real evil spirits congregate.  

There are some lesser tracks, in all honesty, but they don’t spoil the album as such. “The Dust” is quite a slow, methodical piece that just, creeps along with a sense of spookiness within the synth presentation. I’m not saying it GATHERS dust, but you get the idea. The title track is a little underwhelming sadly. With its name you’d expect something a little more intense, more akin to the aforementioned highlights, but it's really quite mellow and casual. It’s about as intimidating as the current wave of youths wearing balaclavas, carrying glorified purses riding E-Scooters, listening to 21 SAVAGE or any other generic excuse for a rapper. Less wannabe gangster, more underage gimp. They round things off with an incredibly disquieting version of the French nursery rhyme “Maudit Carillonneur”, which I believe means “Curse You Bell-Ringer". From morn till’ night he rings the bells, tormenting those within hearing distance, driving them insane. Or something, I don’t know it’s in French, it’s probably just Quasimodo frantically pulling the cord in the disabled toilet at Notre Dame. 

Essentially, what Sexblood have delivered here is another fine mortuary slab of old-school Gothic rock. They very effortlessly keep that post-punk sound alive and well, breathing fresh life into such a niche genre, without sounding dated, or out of place. Goth as a term is multi-faceted, and you will always find people lean certain ways to what they believe Goth represents, be it musically, visually, stylistically, hell even architecturally and historically, but in terms of no-nonsense, mood-driven, aesthetically macabre yet melodic alternative music, Sexblood are keeping the genre alive and well. I can’t say I’m intimidated, but I CAN say that I am continually impressed by Sexblood’s output. A murder in the bleu, blanc rouge morgue if you will? Très bien. [7]
 
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What is there to say about 2020, that hasn't already been said? Within these reviews over the past nine months I've light-heartedly made reference to issues like Covid-19 and such, but let's not detract from the seriousness of the whole situation. As a calendar year, 2020 was one of the most difficult, frustrating, upsetting and confusing in recent history, and this isn't strictly down to Coronavirus...this time last year we were on the brink of World War 3! Politics has been a shambles, social injustice has been rife, the divide in both community spirit and the classes seemingly continues to grow, and generally speaking, the world is a complete mess. Luckily we've had music to keep us going, if not to keep us sane, and for that at least I am grateful. The images above showcase my personal highlights of 2020, grouped in categories covering pop, metal, EP's and general favourites, and it shows that, despite the state of the world, music flourishes. Music and the arts are SO important, as many of us learned during national lockdown, and we need to appreciate the people who dedicated their lives to creating that art SO much, because times like these prove we'd be lost without them. 

I mean, just looking at the cover art above, it's been as diverse a year as any. MILEY CYRUS embraced her inner rocker on her new album, having collaborated with the likes of BILLY IDOL and JOAN JETT. Groups like STEPS made an unexpected comeback showing they've still got it in an ever changing pop industry, as did MELANIE C. From a metal standpoint, PARADISE LOST prove they just get better with age, as they not only released one of the albums of their career, they also found themselves in the UK Top 40! Imagine that! Goth metal on Radio 1! It gives hope to newer acts like SOUTH OF SALEM who delivered a truly stunning debut album, and certify themselves as ones to watch for sure. There have also been plenty of superb EP's released over the past twelve months...especially VV. Ville Valo surprised everyone with his 3-track EP and HIM fans rejoiced at the new material, I for one certainly cannot wait to hear more from him. CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS put emphasis on the art as their whole EP was turned into one big choreographed music video which was impressive, while I personally made some brilliant discoveries in the form of LUCIA & THE BEST BOYS and JACKIE. 

Finally then, my official albums of the year, and I was spoiled for choice to be fair. THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE always deliver, they never release a bad album and I'm looking forward to catching up with Chibi on the rescheduled tour dates. MARILYN MANSON dropped his best album in years much to my delight, having found his last couple a little bit boring (Sorry Mazza!), GREY DAZE tugged at the heartstrings with a touching tribute to the late Chester Bennington, releasing unheard material from his pre-LINKIN PARK days, reminding us all how much we'll miss such a talented, brilliant human being. NINJA SEX PARTY on the other hand proved they remain one of the funniest groups around with their bonkers writing style, comedic lyricism and story-telling and wholesome attitude. Yes, 2020 has been a bit of a mess to say the least, but we've still got music, and as fans of that music, we've still got one another, and as a community, we need to hold on to that. With that said, below, is my official GTGC Spotify playlist of 2020, with 40 hand-picked tracks spanning the above records, and it is dedicated to my very good friend Scot 'JD' Rees, who is sadly no longer with us in body, but will forever be with us in heart and spirit. Whether he had a Jack & Coke in his hand, or his guitar, he was always laughing at something, and his energy for enjoyment was infectious. I will miss you Scot, and this compilation is for you. X

If you cast your mind back to 1992, you may remember Sega as one of the biggest, most influential names in home gaming consoles…Playstation wasn’t even a thing yet, so while Nintendo of course had Mario, Zelda and Metroid, their biggest competition came from the likes of Sonic, Alex Kidd and other, obscure and forgotten characters. One such unlikely hero, would have his own pretty successful series of games, where he would complete underwater puzzles, communicate with marine life, use cunning to eventually travel through time to rescue his loved ones by defeating aliens…was this some sort of, early Aquaman game?! Actually no, I’m talking about a fucking dolphin; Ecco The Dolphin, to be precise…

If you remember Ecco you’ll likely remember the games difficulty, comprising of underwater mazes, and the limited oxygen supply which was realistic for the time, but it also had some stunning 16-bit graphics and a wonderfully composed soundtrack of ambient, retro synth-wave and light electronica, perfectly encapsulating the cool, underwater atmosphere…well as it happens, if you take the core elements of that mood and aesthetic, add some percussion and a little attitude, oh, and make the dolphin wear eyeliner, you may as well have today’s artist; EKKO THE STRANGE. (I really need to calm down on these segue’s, fucking hell)

Ekko The Strange was formed very recently in and around Warsaw, Poland, by C Bock Vermeer, who had previously done a 10-year stint in American post-rock outfit REVOLT REVOLT. Wanting to escape these trappings, he traveled the world looking for inspiration before eventually settling in the Polish capital to complete the brand new mini album “Haunting Me”, courtesy of Hi-Fi Mantra Records. At only eight tracks long with a half an hour run-time, it’s a brief blast from the post-punk past. Ecco was a difficult game…so let’s see if Ekko is a difficult listen.

We open up with “Noc Shift” and it sets the tone for the record as well as sets your expectations low from very early on quite sadly. Yes it has some deep, fuzzy electronica that gives off this pulsing, almost hypnotic vibe, but it’s as monotonous as it is deep, with very little of any interest happening over its run time. Given its simplicity, and the repetitive loop that it’s on, I’d say at best this could be one of those pre-set practice pieces that come built into keyboards (True story, I have a Yamaha keytar that has “Last Christmas” by WHAM built in that I enjoy more than this), I can’t see any other practical use for this track. “Soft Decay” then improves so much with the mere presence of vocals and the sound takes on a whole new direction. There’s a darkness to the track that channels the likes of BAUHAUS and JOY DIVISION in an eerie, simplistic, indie approach , allowing for ample atmosphere, sounding like it’s been plucked straight out of the early 80’s, and this works well.

Continuing in this vein is “Transylvania Found Me” and it harbours those same despondent musical influences; maintaining its steady, cold electronic rhythm  while also incorporating a certain, retro-futuristic vibe akin to say, ALIEN SEX FIEND, combining the past with the future for a synthetic mind-fuck. “Mutante” despite its instrumental nature provides the albums only other highlight, sounding like it’s crept right out of a horror movie soundtrack, with its hollow, chilling keys and atmospheric delivery…you can picture the black & white b-movie now; you’re being stalked by the creature, the alien life form, he gonna eat yo’ ass! This is what’s playing in the background. Other than that, the album fails to inspire…

The few tracks left, are fairly monotonous…”Future Mirrors”  despite some almost, Arabian instrumentation fails to inspire despite the cultural appropriation,  while closing track “Ekkos Of A Dead World” is literally depressing. Remember the bit from Monty Python’s Holy Grail where they cry ‘bring out your dead?’ Imagine that with no humour…just pile on the corpses that died of boredom because of this track. Musically, this is the Covid-19 equivalent of counting cadavers only less entertaining. Is there an audience for this? Possibly there is…but with a death toll already in the thousands, we don’t need to add suicide to those statistics. Forget haunting me, I’ma call Zak Bagan to exorcise this record…it’s reached its final destination; hell. [3]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Many reviews and, not just ones I’ve shared here, highlight some bands and genres by the evolution of certain scenes for example, like a specific style in or around a localised area of the world; such as the thrash metal boom of the Bay Area, San Francisco, or say, the grime movement in London…but if I were to ask you to name me the first band that comes to mind when you think about Omaha, Nebraska…the majority of you are going be double checking where the fuck Omaha even is let alone have quick fire knowledge of it’s clearly thriving music scene!

Don’t get me wrong, Omaha’s got its fair share of famous names and faces, ranging from Marlon Brando to Fred Astaire but it’s not got a rich history in alternative rock music by any means. Sure there are some bands you MAY have heard of at some point, such as 311, THE FAINT or THROUGH FIRE, but they’re hardly household names now are they? Well, to be perfectly honest, neither are today’s band…not by a long shot. Allow me to introduce to you, THE SCABBY GHOULS.

A relatively new outfit; the four-piece (Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Denise Hazard, lead guitarist Louie Hazard, bassist Alex Steffens and drummer Nathan Christensen) specialise in all-things that are horror punk, and while they’ve already supported the likes of DOYLE, their style is more akin to the cheesy entertainment of classic B-Movie horror, as opposed to the more serious sound of say THE MISFITS or early AFI. 2019 finds them releasing their debut self-titled mini-album…so let’s pick at this scab and see what oozes out of it shall we?

We open up with “Body Surfin’” and we’re immediately met with some deep bass-driven rock with an initially spoken word approach, before the frenetic punk aesthetics kick in. It goes from a weird combination of BOBBY PICKETT and THE B-52’s into some modern SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES type of darkened proto-punk amalgamation. The title track backs this up further especially with the vocal performance during the near spoken-word chorus, delivering that classic spooky vibrato, though instrumentally heavier in places allowing for more of a Misfits influence to shine through.

Speaking of musical influences, a band that gets nowhere near enough credit in female punk rock is TSUNAMI BOMB and there are moments of their influence dotted throughout this album, especially their earlier works such as “The Invasion From Within” EP; Emily Whitehurst (Or Agent M as she was known) deserves more recognition as a voice in modern punk rock, and there are subtle nods to her sprinkled over this record.

As is expected with this genre this is all over and done with in a relatively short period of time, with the seven tracks presented here clocking in at just under twenty minutes, but they’ve left some gems for last it has to be said. “Road Ragin’” is a wonderfully relatable, up-tempo slab of fun, simple punk rock. The typically common / everyday situations of rushing around early in the morning, late to be where you need to be, can’t find your keys, can’t find your right clothes, hampered by slow elderly drivers; it’s a wonderfully basic concept but delivered with the right balance of frustration and comedic charm, before we round things up with “Knife Fight”. Another pacey dose of frantic punk rock; the rhythm and hook of the chorus is simply infectious, and though the brief psychotic wailing's of the guitar come across as spasmodic, it’s still a fine climax.

While creatively and stylistically they aren’t as volatile as MURDERDOLLS for example, and nowhere near the bleak, black sense of humour of early TYPE-O-NEGATIVE, but they do have a certain quirkiness to them, which should appeal to a variety of post-punks, alt. rockers and Goth’s alike. There wasn’t a LOT of horror presented here truthfully, other than some zombies and a pun-heavy ‘Nightmare On Elm Street number’, but its early days yet for these Nebraska new-comers…just keep picking at that scab; their nostalgic blend of rock and cartoonish retro horror themes will bleed out eventually. [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]

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]

​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]

I’m going to be perfectly honest with you right now; I am officially useless when it comes to time-keeping and scheduling when it comes to this blog! Seriously, I can sit here and make notes, plan some specific reviews and posts then think, right, my free time is here, here and here, so I’ll sort out some content…what ACTUALLY happens instead however is I just find myself opening emails and forgetting about them while I’m lost, procrastinating in the annals of YouTube. Well I’m rectifying one such instance today! Allow me to introduce to you AMERICAN STANDARDS.

I was sent an email by their front-man Brandon Kellum, in which he forwarded his bands (Completed by guitarist Corey Skowronski, bassist Steven Mandell and drummer Mitch Hosier) latest album “Anti-Melody”…asking if I would be so kind to check it out! Better late than never Brandon, though I do apologise! Anyway, formed in 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona, the 4-piece share a love of all things hardcore and post-punk, inspired by big-hitters such as CONVERGE and POISON THE WELL and channelled those influences through this; their 4th album. It wasn’t without its setbacks mind you, as prior to recording, original founding guitarist Cody Conrad committed suicide, which was followed shortly after by the death of Brandon’s own father to cancer…these events, coupled with the state of the world around them pushed them towards writing the most personal album of their career, so let’s see what standards these American’s have…

We open up with “Writers Block Party” and they waste no time getting all up in your face with their blend of punk-infused hardcore rock…with their combination of intense thrashing, full of piss and vinegar, plus the weighty riffs layered over Brandon’s snarling vocal delivery, leading up to a climactic flurry, the album starts as it means to go on; with absolutely no nonsense whatsoever. “Carpe Diem, Tomorrow” follows up and it’s a touch slower in tempo with some off-kilter, almost prog-infused guitar work, bordering on djent in places, before we’re treated to an impromptu and legitimately enjoyable guitar solo which itself takes the track up a level.

Further highlights include “Broken Culture”, which at under two-minutes long may only provide a short, sharp piece of music but it still manages to include some great, groove-heavy guitar work, blunt as it is brief; their punk roots shine through here. By contrast, “Bartenders Without Wings” slows things down completely with a raw, melancholy soaked sense of vulnerability plucked straight out of the MEWITHOUTYOU playbook, while closing track “Chicago Overcoat” plunges itself deep within sludge-metal territory…methodical and with more than a touch of EYEHATEGOD and MELVINS at its core, it ends proceedings on an altogether more sluggish note. For a band that’s gone completely DIY, despite only being 8 tracks and less than half an hour in length this album shows plenty of potential. While firmly rooted in that post-punk / hardcore genre bracket they’re clearly not afraid to dabble to give some of these tracks that extra flavour (Regardless of how off-putting sludge sounds) and it’s this that will likely carry them forward, as they CAN become a little samey when they’re just rip-roaring their way through a bitter, angry track-list, though to its credit the album title doesn’t lie; you won’t find much in terms of easy listening here. [5]

With the odd couple of exceptions, generally you’ll find that bands who have been together for a lengthy period of time usually start to mellow out at some stage in their career. Only recently I was saying this about the MANIC STREET PREACHERS who have lost some of their original punk-rock attitude in middle age…and this can be said too for artists such as ANATHEMA for example; originally a Gothic / doom metal outfit, over the years they evolved into the ambient, progressive band they are today (Check out “The Optimist” if you haven’t already). Well this can also be said about today’s band; let me introduce you to MANES. Formed in Trondheim, Norway back in 1992, they were originally part of the 90’s black metal scene alongside the likes of SATYRICON and IMMORTAL but over the years they’ve toned down into what’s been described as a bastardisation of rock, electronica and progressive jazz. The last time we heard from them was back in 2011 with what WAS to be their final album; “Be All End All”…but 2018 sees them return with the brand new album “Slow Motion Death Sequence”. Available through Debemur Morti Productions from August 24th…lets check it out…

We open up with “Endetidstegn” which more or less translates as ‘end-time signs’ and thematically kicks off the start of this death sequence on a dark, apocalyptic note. It’s slow and dramatic with minimal electronica and percussion, with vocals soaked in melancholy, though it picks up with some intense, dramatic, looming power chords and double kick drums, and the track develops a serious sense of foreboding…this album isn’t going to be a walk in the park let me tell you…and if it were, it would be at night in the middle of The Purge whilst you’re stalked by sociopaths. “Scion” follows up and it’s more of the slow, cold synths, with vocalist Asgeir Hatlen here giving it an 80’s alternative indie vibe; however its slow tempo makes the track feel like it lasts an eternity, with the repetition not helping one iota.

The album overall is fairly consistent in tone and approach, rarely veering from its path but it does have its few interesting points; “Therapism” utilises a moody, almost darkwave inspired tone…the creeping electronica occasionally pierced by assertive guitars, the use of single chords is simple yet effective and though while it does have a feeling of gradual build it never really puts it’s foot down, while “Building The Ship Of Theseus” returns to that almost post-punk, alternative 80’s vibe, aesthetically in ways slotting in between the likes of  BAUHAUS and NICK CAVE…but sadly the rest of the record struggles to capture much attention. At seven and a half minutes, “Last Resort” sums itself up nicely, as a long-winded dreary acoustic-led piece and I really would only consider listening to this as a last resort…oh how I wished this was a PAPA ROACH cover...wouldn't that be fun...“Ater” then closes the album on what is essentially an avant-garde instrumental bar some minimal lyricism, and it’s a despairingly slow one at that, the last breath of this album escaping into the ether. Conceptually, as a listener I have to agree with the album’s title here because this truly is a slow motion death sequence…for generally it’s such a dull, miserable album…imagine yourself or, someone, anyone, in a time-lapse montage, just sat there, motionless, going from young adult, to being frail and elderly, before just succumbing to time and death itself; that’s what this album sounds like and it would perfectly accompany that montage in tone, for both conceptually are as equally sad and boring as the other. [3]

If you’ve at all followed the UK’s alternative scene over the past say, ten years or so, then no doubt you will have at some point stumbled upon the work of Scott Lee Andrews. The wild Welshman originally found minor fame with mid-2000’s post-hardcore rhythm thieves MIDASUNO, before forming Cardiff-based chainsaw loving noise cartel EXIT_INTERNATIONAL, but, more recently, and arguably most notably, his collaboration with GINGER WILDHEART for the third installment of the darkly psychotic project MUTATION. Very prolific and reliable in underground UK music circles, Scott has always been about the intensity, the invigorating sense of finding pleasure in noise and chaos and here we find him working on yet another project to quench his own thirst for the unorthodox. Allow me to introduce to you JAWS OF DEAF and the EP “Delicious Discomfort”…6 tracks hand picked out of around 50 that Scott’s been working on, as he prepares to drop a full length album. Now settle down and get uncomfortable as we check it out…

We open up with “Bait & Switch” which at little over 2-minutes long is the shortest track on offer here and Scott wastes no time delving into his frantic, raucous, thrashy punk roots with an absolute bombardment of messy riffs and demented screeching’s. In his own words; “I really haven’t got a clue what it means”…and that’s partly the fun of it, sometimes noise for noise’ sake is therapeutic. We follow this up with the wonderfully titled “Porno Without The Fucking” and as ridiculous as the statement is, it’s no surprise to learn it came from a YouTube comment that Scott read…intended as a derogatory slur, it’s full of oxymoronic similes, riddled with daft humour, but also a deeper meaning of how the very medication that’s meant to help you can strip you of your identity, resulting in a creative catch-22…another interesting and ultimately fun track.

“Cupid Stunts” is another brilliantly titled self-depreciating effort, with Scott using bleak humour and a wry smile as he sings with a jolly despair about his questionable decisions in life; full of melody and some surprising vocal harmonies it channels the likes of WEEZER in its overall tone and delivery, even down to the climatic key change and its possibly as accessible as you’re likely to find him on any record. Having said that, there’s also “Californian Frown” to take into account which I’ll be honest, initially reminded me of the credits sequence from “Bottom” but that’s something for another time. A bass-driven affair with wacky vocal delivery (Featuring guest vocalist Givvi Flynn), finding itself stuck between being musically designed for Exit_International but lyrically leaning towards Mutation, resulting in a quirky little, edgy indie-rock number. The final two tracks; “An Alone Wolf” is ripped straight out of “Ash Vs. The Evil Dead”; an animalistic take on grunge, before closing track “The World Looks Better From Behind” is an intentionally misogynistic play on words, but also utilises hidden depth with the idea of hindsight and nostalgia. Musically exploratory, dabbling in brass instrumentation for extra character, the drawl of Scott’s vocal harbors elements of Matt Bellamy from MUSE; elongating each note as the track is stretched towards its dying moments.

All in all despite being just six tracks in length, it more or less caters for everyone if you’re familiar with any of Scott’s previous work; it’s got the tumultuous punk-inspired tones of old, it’s got groove-heavy song writing at its core but it also retains a level of darkness brought on by his collaborations with Ginger…it’s not polished, it’s not fucking meant to be; it’s just raw, and rowdy and fun…he meant delicious discomfort quite literally. [7]

At the risk of stating the obvious, I’m quite partial to a review…yes I spend a fair amount of my time writing up these blog entries and contributing to the team over at All About The Rock, but a lot of my free time is spent watching YouTube reviewers too; guys like Anthony Fantano, AVGN, Brandon Tenold and more recently I’ve stumbled upon a guy named Decker Shado; the internet personality with the best hair. He, like most internet movie reviewers has gone through the “Alien” franchise and having watched these particular videos over the last day or so, it’s only ironic that this next review has ties to the movie itself…thematically at least, let me explain…

​Allow me to introduce to you a band by the name of SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL and to utilise some professional wrestling terminology here, they’re ALL about the kayfabe. Hailing from Acheron LV-426, a moon orbiting Calpamos, 39 Light Years from Earth, from which the USCSS Nostromo picked up a distress signal, before its crew got face-hugged the fuck out of in the aforementioned movie “Alien”. Or, if you prefer…Rome, they’re from Rome, Italy. The intergalactic 5-piece (Consisting of vocalist Herma, bassist Big Daddy Ray, drummer Evey plus guitarists Lobo and Rev C2) apparently “crash landed” in the Italian capital after their spaceship; the BFS9000 suffered engine failure on their travels and they’re a bit stuck, but as luck would have it they’re a space-age musical circus freak-show and request your generosity in funding the repair costs by checking out their brand new album “Element Of Sex”. Clearly not endorsed in any way by the Weyland-Yuntani group, let’s see if they deserve our hard earned dollar…

We open up with “Fire True” and immediately we’re met with a dramatic, string-inspired synth sequence, verging on symphonic really, before we’re thrust right into the crunch of some thick, throwback nu-metal riffs. The heavy intensity and subtle electronic elements musically places this somewhere in deep space between KORN and CANE HILL, add to that then a slick guitar solo and overall we’ve got a decent opener here. Recent single “Megalomaniacal” is up next and it brings the tempo with it too, mixing raw, punk qualities via Herma’s cacophonous vocals, with a classic hard rocking rhythm…also the “Mortal Kombat” inspired arcade game video that accompanies it is a bit bonkers to boot; all in all a fun track. “All Wanna Go To Heaven” then reaches an entirely different echelon as the albums clear stand-out track…the gradual build of seductive keys and simple percussion leading into cleaner vocals, capitalising on influences such as GARBAGE and NO DOUBT resulting in a perfectly catchy piece of pop music; the hooks and overall groove here will have you hitting repeat with no doubt ironically, this is superb.

The trouble with that is, the rest of the album can only go downhill, but it doesn’t go too far down it has to be said; “Hellawake” is another brilliant example of synth-pop combined with hard riffs and hushed ambiance for a solid, almost anthemic listen; layered incredibly well…”HeXxX (The Element Of Sex)” has a certain retro feel to it, partly channelling the likes of THE B52’S in tone giving it a fun, up-beat feel, while “Cryptid” utilises a pacey guitar driven approach, rich with gang vocals, melodies and subtle breakdowns for a well delivered ear-bashing, before closing track “C*mmunion” ends on a high note with more hooks and accessible pop-rock enjoyment. It’s not quite a perfect album over its ten tracks though sadly; “Slam!” despite being heavier and grittier musically plods along a touch too methodically, while “New Witch 666” undergoes a remix following its initial release in 2015…not the best of tracks to begin with, the revised cut gives it new life but it’s still weaker compared to what else is on offer. All in all however we have an undeniably strong album here and from start to finish these xenomorphs entertain on a number of levels. If we could just get Ash to sabotage the fuck out of their repair operation given his previous, maybe they’ll stick around a bit longer…because whilst sick they are indeed beautiful. [8]

Back in 2005, a little know indie band by the name of EDITORS burst into the spotlight with their debut album “The Back Room” and it just the beginning of what was to become a new era in British guitar music. Artists such as STEREOPHONICS and OASIS were still riding high in the charts but there was fresh meat on the table and Birmingham’s Editors were among the new specials on the British scene. Ever since they’ve scored numerous number 1 albums and have gone multi-platinum, with their modern blend of indie and throwback post-punk a-la JOY DIVISION and ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN, and 2018 sees them return, wind-milling their way through a sea of mainstream mediocrity via album number six; “Violence”…let’s check it out…

The album opens up with “Cold” and we’re met with a slow, subdued introduction consisting of light, repeated keys and Tom Smith’s distinct deeply melodic vocals, extra layered piano and simple percussion take the song out of first gear but thematically it’s appropriately named; very mellow, speaking of loneliness in life’s bigger picture, time will be up for us all in the end, let’s be lonely together, ghost along in life…and there’s a beauty in his melancholy that once again they’ve perfected; a good start here. “Hallelujah (So Low)” picks up next and again we’re given a predominantly steady opening; continuing with more synth, coupled with a hushed delicacy to Tom’s vocal delivery…before gang-vocals lead into an eruption of hard-hitting riffs and crunching guitar. Very much a song of light and dark but it’s balanced brilliantly.

The title track maintains the consistency going forward with its laid back, ambient approach to electronic pop music and is easily an album highlight…a song of disparity, it highlights humanities struggle to coexist in ways, growing further apart, with lyrics like “The last train will pull you through, at night the war still comes to you, it makes it harder to join the dots, the river gets wider in front of us”…the violence itself referring to the state of the world, the track then culminating in a frenzied climax, summing up the growing tensions worldwide and it’s been wonderfully done. Further highlights include lead single “Magazine” which is full of hooks and emotive vocals, as well as some wonderfully gritty guitar segments resulting in a highly enjoyable listen overall.

At just nine tracks long, there’s very little room for negativity here which is something I wish more artists would embrace when compiling track listings for finished records, but if I had to pick anything to bring this album down, it would be “No Sound But The Wind”…a delicate piano ballad and in its own right, it’s a sweet, sombre listen…BUT…it’s a re-recorded track that was once used on the soundtrack to “Twilight: New Moon” and to that I say “FUCK THAT!”…I don’t want to promote any shiny, sparkly vampire shit here! Keeping within the same tone however, the album closes on “Belong” which acts as a wonderfully sad metaphor for hidden passion, burning within but private and secluded…locked within the four walls of your own skin; a constant struggle. Overall it is a very restrained album and has nothing in means of classics like “Blood” or “Munich” but Editors have proven that less can certainly mean more. Sometimes violence CAN be the answer apparently. [7]