When i write reviews one of the common traps I try hard not to get lost in is comparing every new band I review to one of the sacred dark gods of the 80’s and 90’s. It’s a pretty common tactic and lets face it an effective one. It’s easy to associate with what is familiar. Often feels like the world of goth/industrial/darkwave/new wave/ect has pretty much been discovered and artists are searching for ways to test the boundaries of what is possible and find some new ground. I figured I would take a moment to acknowledge this is a reality for a lot of people.
There is a reason you hear the joke from DJs that the same request for This Corrosion is what sends everyone running to the dance floor. Spinning the hottest new single doesn’t seem to do the same. As someone who is rediscovering the glory of astounding new music coming out in the last 3 years, I understand. However here is something else I have come to appreciate. Paying $80-$150 to see the shrunken husk of 62 year old Peter Murphy trot out on stage to sing the hits is nostalgic and fun, especially if you never saw it before. I’ve done it recently and it was enjoyable. However I can tell you it wasn’t close to seeing Actors, BootBlacks , Bellwether Syndicate, and Schedule IV share a stage in Detroit all in their prime and play a mind blowing audio assault for 4 hours. Then have the bands give you a hug after the show for a mere $12. Perhaps seeing Bauhaus in 1981 was exactly like that, but I don’t know because I was 4 years old.
So while I occasionally compare a band I review to an old sacred band, I try not to make that my primary tool for expressing to you what I am hearing and what they mean to me. In the following article I will do just that. I’m going to list a pantheon level classic Goth/Industrial/New Wave/Cold Wave band. Then list a few brand new bands I think are somewhat in their vein who you could probably see in near your home town for $15 or less that would put on the type of show people who saw Joy Division or The Dammed in 1978 speak of in awe because they were there. This is not to say the comparisons I make are exact and that these new bands are carbon copies of your recognized classics. However after doing this for a while I feel there is something that links them to my ear, and this is my editorial. I hope this helps you find something new to run out to the dance floor when you hear that is not Blue Monday 😉
Let’s start with the holiest of hollies. Joy Division. Look I worship Joy Division. The lyrics, the post punk vibe, Peter freaking Hooks signature bass lines. It’s my favorite band, I own every record on vinyl and have seen Peter Hook and the Light 5 times in 5 cities. However, Ian Curtis died when I was 3. You are not seeing Joy Division today. However you can see these incredible bands right now and get their albums.
Antipole – Perfect post punk precision with the dark lost feeling Joy Division could stir with a modern fresh feel and beautiful execution to make Martin Hannett proud. They have two amazing albums out and a third on the way. To me this is the sound Joy Division was moving towards if they hadn’t become New Order.
https://antipole.bandcamp.com/
I know a slight cheat to also pick Kill Shelter here because Karl from Antipole also played on this song. However the reason why this speaks Joy Division to me is the power of the lyrics on this album. To put together so many artists with different styles and combine them with one powerful voice from Pete Burns with that driving base and simple concepts that sounds so relate-able and enormous.
https://killshelter.bandcamp.com/
Another I will add to this list is Spectres from Vancouver produced by Jason Corbett of Actors . I feel like this band took all the building blocks of familiar 80’s new wave and rearranged them like a rubic cube into some strange new pattern. The guitar work here has a distinctly New Order feel.
https://spectresvancouver.bandcamp.com/
The Cure – Robert Smith and the lads made it ok for a person to have feelings. To be both sexy, passionate, and be lost in the romanticism of getting in touch with every aspect hurt, loss, love, hate and everything in between. That slushy flanged out guitar and driving bass inspired a new generation of current bands making beautiful in touch new music. Here are a few.
Twin Tribes from Texas were my first review on this page and inspired me to believe in new music again. This album is everything I love about the Cure and such a fresh and original take that finds it’s own place. They are currently on tour and a must see live show.
https://twintribes.bandcamp.com/
It’s hard to pick just one element of Creux Lies from California to compare because it has a perfect synthesis of Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, and New Order. The result is undeniably enjoyable and a live show near the top of my list to see in 2019
Wingtips are a Chicago band creating glorious emotional dark dream pop that makes me think of the best parts of The Cure Wish. A total package of sound, aesthetic , and concept. The song writing fills me with that same immersive Cure feel.
https://wingtips.bandcamp.com/
SCARY BLACK – An amazing addition to the new scene from KY. Albie is a special performer an dedicated summoner of the elder concepts of gothic rock. Romantic horror darkness with a modern twist, Scary Black is paving the way into the future of the modern goth ideal.
https://scaryblack.bandcamp.com/album/are-you-afraid-of-the-dark
The Kentucky Vampires from you guessed it Louisville Kentucky. They also bring that traditional guitar driven goth sound. A bit more Mission mixed in with the vocals but that old school tone is undeniably there. It’s fast, dark, and dripping with Fender jazz Tube amps.
https://thekentuckyvampires.bandcamp.com/
Black Angel – Another amazing new band that comes to the goth concept with a rock first mentality. Expert dark glam fashion and fury that rides the line between batcave London and Sunset strip late 80’s hair metal. Black Angel is paying homage to the back alleys filth and sadness of the past, while infusing with the energy and danger party sensuality of the modern rock scene.
https://blackangelmusic.bandcamp.com/album/kiss-of-death
Ian McCulloch and Echo ATB have a sound driven by some of the best vocal range in the genre which open up so many possibilities for style. That’s what makes me think of these great new bands.
Actors are the real deal. The post punk darlings of Canada have a wide range and an electric stage show. Singer Jason Corbett is a show stopping performer that ranges from heart breaking beauty to acid intensity just like Ian in his prime. It’s also the quality of the songs and lyrics that set them a part. They are a must see live show.
David Gahan has the voice of sex. Depeche Mode have been riding the line between pop and darkness for decades and stand timeless
Crying Vessel are another well ranged collaboration I recently got the pleasure to see live at Cold Transmission festival. Slade Templeton has that same dark smooth drive of Gahan and a little extra razzle dazzle of Bowie sorely missing from the dark music scene.
https://cryingvessel.bandcamp.com/
IAMTHESHADOW from Portugal captures that passion driven sex appeal of Gahan with the flare and intensity of Peter Murphy. It holds a raw and jagged beauty which comes from the dark recess of the human soul and tempts with danger.
https://iamtheshadow.bandcamp.com/
Kiss of the Whip from Baltimore really explores that other side of Depeche Mode. Martin Gore had a very unique style of his own and added songs with romantic vibrant synth driven melody hooks. That classic romantic beauty was once an essential part of the goth mystique. Kiss of the Whip is bringing that back.
https://kissofthewhip.bandcamp.com/
Ok Confession time, so far the holy bands of dark music have been far to Male centric. To me a big part of what made me fall in love with this music was the androgynous feel that has always been tied to it. When I was about 13 I fell in love HARD with Annie Lennox and Eurythmics .
I can never get enough of powerful women with beautiful voices and fearless delivery and Black Nail Cabaret is a revolutionary march with feminine mystique
https://blacknailcabaret.bandcamp.com/
A new wave for Goth/Industrial Music that I got the supreme honor of opening for was Switchblade Symphony. These ladies made a lasting mark on this scene to inspire future generations
Bauhaus – Time to get back to Peter Murphy and company. Probably the true Godfathers of modern goth. They pushed the boundaries of art and expression in dark music.
When Peter Murphy wasn’t feeling up to finishing the tour David J called in Curse Mackey to finish. That should really tell you something. His amazing solo album Instant Exorcism was much more Industrial than anything Bauhaus ever did. What is the same is the intelligence and literary depth of his lyrics in an art driven musical experience.
https://cursemackeyngp.bandcamp.com/
Elz and The Cult are a Turkish dark pop band that embrace the concept of over the top artistic expression and sleek sex appeal of sound that Bauhaus made their career on. It’s luscious, expressive, and daring.
https://elzandthecult.bandcamp.com/
Killing Joke really ran the gambit of sounds from New Wave, Post Punk, and Industrial and succeeded at every one. It was this fluid progressive feel that made them relevant over several decades.
Palais Ideal like Killing Joke are so hard to categorize because they flip between style and genre like most people change socks. However one thing stays constant and quality and intelligence of concept that always puts me in mind of the decades spanning relevance of KJ.
https://palaisideal.bandcamp.com/
This album from Stoneburner was such a game changer. A culmination of an amazing career from Ego Likeness Steven Archer doing things with percussion and modern electronic sounds that push the boundaries of the early pioneers.
https://stoneburner.bandcamp.com/
Look it is hard to compare Jim Marcus and Go Fight to early Industrial founders because frankly he is one of them. His band Die Warsaw was as much a pioneer as anyone in the genre and someone who really showed me the possibilities of Industrial music beyond angry intensity. This album Tokyo Sexwale is seriously a modern day classic with all the street cred of someone who was there in the beginning
The Joy Thieves are a Chicago Industrial Super band in the vein of Pigface. They really put the rock elements of the 90’s back into industrial and hearkens back to those sounds that made industrial great. Plus they have several members that were around for the original wave.
https://armalyte.bandcamp.com/album/the-joy-thieves-this-will-kill-that
Look I feel like I could keep going on this piece for another 6 hours. Maybe I will add to it later. I hope you hear my main take away. There are current bands, making the music you love, right now. Touring the country in small clubs you can see for reasonable rates in their prime that are on the level of bands like Joy Division and the Cure who you probably didn’t hear about until they didn’t exist or were playing for money in stadiums getting $100 a ticket. Go listen to the bands everyone else is going to find and talk about 5, 10, 20 years ago now. Connect with them like never before with modern social media. Embrace this dark music renaissance.
Nice article.
I feel and think same.
New Bands in small clubs is more independent than pay a lot of money to see the Sisters Zombie Show.
I like Traitrs, Creux Lies, Japan Suicide, Hapax, Actors, Glaare and a lot of other bands that transfer 80ties/90ties feeling in present.
I love Traitrs, and Japan Suicide as well. I’ll have to look up Hapax and Glaare. Please always send me hot tips of bands you are hearing that are spinning your wheels
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If you love Joy Division, you need to go on YouTube tonight and watch Ist Ist album launch (Is Is in German) best post punk band from Manchester this Millennium! Also LIINES and Whispering Sons as well as Still Patient worth a look and The Last Cry who are simply brilliant.
Saw the Damned and Joy Division in 1979 by the way being a Manc myself.
I will check them out. I know enough German to know that one 😉
I’m a fan of many of these and would also put Bragolin on the list.
Great article, my friend!!!
Thank you kindly 🙂
Very pleased to see Steve Archer here. Been following him for some time and he is truly breaking out. Let’s see, I was 23 when Ian hanged himself. (It’ll be 40 years next May). Losing Lennon and then Marley were even more tragic. Two years later I was DJing regularly, spinning shit my best HS friends didn’t want to listen to. But I made them. It’s hard to imagine but I never expected to hear Thompson Twins as background music in a supermarket. Alternative of the late 70s and 80’s was truly transformative. Everything was alternative – reggae, ska, punk, new wave, industrial, it was all considered ALTERNATIVE.
I always spin new music and don’t take requests because most likely I don’t have the song. Subscribed to CMJ till they folded in 2017. That was another sad loss. There are artists here I am unfamiliar with so thank you very much and I will check them all out. New artists I’ve added to my must-spin list so far in 2019 (in no particular order):
Evan Deubner
The MMJ Kidz
Blood Dance
the Crustations
Cardinal & Nun
Nancy Negative
Your Ocean
Standalone
And if anybody is looking to collaborate with an old school songwriter/lyricist hit me up. I’m a survivor with a story to tell that is looking to get down. Rock on and great article. Peace.
Thank you 🙂 Great history and points here. We did a review of Standalone and I absolutely love that new album. You have a few listed here I don’t know so I have some homework to do 🙂
As for Steven, he is incredible. It scares me some times the level of art he is putting out. In particular this last album for Stoneburner was a true opus and broke new ground in the genre. I have a full review on here. His visual art is amazing as well. He actually did the album cover for my album Spreading the Charred Remains of Hope
FWIW – My song of the year (so far ) for 2019 is: Ausverkauft (Rob Dust Remix) by Torul. My song of the year for 2018 was FYA by Korengal. Great job.
I’ll be sure to look that up.
Awesome article, and really great viewpoint with which to look at some of the bands in this renaissance of dark music. One small, but hopefully helpful, piece of feedback. Some of the sections below the pictures and youtube clips of bands are kind of hard to read. The extra small, light gray text on a medium gray background is a challenge. Any chance you can make those sections like the regular main body text on this page? Thanks!
I can, good feedback 🙂
Done 😉
What a stunning article! I’m an older music fan, as in, having been a teenager during the 80s, and love all of that old school music. Also being older, we have a tendency to not be as connected to the scene as we once were, and even though I still look for new music, you have to sift through so much to find diamonds. Your post gave me an excellent launch pad to dive in to these new bands. Bonus, all of the great comments with even more recommendations. Just found IAMTHESHADOW, listening now and I’m blown away by this find. Thanks so much to you and your commenters.
Thank you, helping people find music I love is why I do this. IAMTHESHADOW is amazing. Just saw them in Germany. Breathtaking. Pedro’s voice is a treasure
Cool, seems like your article is somewhat of the same opinion. As a “Goth Blogger” What are some of the new movement bands and albums that have inspired you?
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Nice piece — and it bears commenting that regardless of genre, it’s rather sad to be so stuck that one will listen to only (or mostly) the stuff that they listened to in their youth. It’s also quite boring. One of the keys to maintaining that youthful energy and zeal that most of us had when we were young is to keep exploring, keep turning over those rocks and seeing what’s under them. When everyone is looking in one particular direction, be it at a band, a popular film, a hip new restaurant or whatever, if you take the time and care to look where no one else is looking, that’s often when you find what you need. That’s been my experience, anyway. And to more directly address your topic, I’ll throw in a band of “old, sacred” pedigree that’s still only a few years old, and who are a must-see, and that’s Gitane Demone Quartet. (Members of Christian Death — both versions — Screamers, 45 Grave, etc.) Have seen them a slew of times. They consistently kill it and are super underrated.
Great point and great band call out in Gitane Demone Quartet. I need to make sure I’m trying new things not just in music 🙂
Thanks for this!
Check out The Heavens. A new dark wave band that tries new things with the genre.
I will
I really vibe this
Great article. I am an old guy who has been listening to this music and buying albums since late 80’s, but as you say, seeing the energy of the new bands is a more exhilarating live experience. Have you heard Product KF out of Chicago? Their debut album “Songs of the Grove” blew me away but I don’t ever hear anyone else talking about it. Bands like Boy Harsher, The Soft Moon and HIDE are constantly touring in North America and their shows are always very affordable in small venues. As someone who lives in Canada, I was really excited about all the European bands that would be crossing the ocean this year, but sadly I guess that will have to wait a while. Molchat Doma, Lebanon Hanover and She Past Away were all coming to my city for the first time throughout 2020.
Great article but so many bands that are forgotten in this list. One of the bands I discovered last year at WGT combines actually elements of all the great ones mainly because of the extraordinary versatile voice of the leadsinger. A Slice Of Life from Belgium https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Qv38SfQaq6LFjaOS1vRVm?si=k3DD4rONTLuDcrE4wu_nOg
Cool, i don’t know them but i will look it up
“Perhaps seeing Bauhaus in 1981 was exactly like that, but I don’t know because I was 4 years old.”
As someone who was lucky enough to see Bauhaus at the Ad-Lib Club in Nottingham in the summer of 1980, shortly after the release of the “Terror Couple Kill Colonel” single, I can confirm that they were never like that. Despite the fact that the “dressing room” was at the opposite end of the venue to the stage, it appeared as though the band had simply materialised out of nowhere to start playing “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” (the only time in the 4 gigs I saw that they played the song). The whole of the event was tinged with violence with Peter Murphy kicking and pushing those at the front of the audience who leaned too far onto the “stage” (which was only 1 foot higher than the rest of the venue). They finished with “Dark Entries” and then leapt off the stage with the last chord still ringing, through the audience, to disappear as instantaneously as they had arrived. After that the gig was over. We were ushered out of the club to either go home or find another late-night drinking establishment. The next time I saw them for the tour supporting the release of the “In The Flat Field” album they were playing proper venues with proper stages.