It can be easy to always turn to familiar sounds in dark times. I remember being in a rut of pre 2018 always listening to the same bands from the 80s and 90s over and over. In 2018 I started opening my ears and heart to amazing new music coming out and it put my heart and soul back into this scene. Lately I have wondered if I have again hit a ceiling of coming back to the same newer bands over and over. So, I ask the Sounds and Shadows group to tell me about some of your favorites I haven’t written about. They didn’t disappoint, if this scene is to thrive, we need to stay hungry for experiencing new sounds and fresh faces. So today I will review some of the suggestions. I hope you jump into these suggestions with an open mind and find something you love.
Warm Gadget x Snowbeasts – Grooving Oklahoma City Industrial with a very Wax Trax 90’s energy. New 3 song EP that rolls like a tank tread over a littered battlefield. I really like the range here, track 2 Bodiless has a swirling trance effect over the blasting beat. The escalation at the 1:40 mark times for maximum effect. This is the music I want the Terminators to wipe out humanity to.
Stuck EP | Warm Gadget x Snowbeasts | Re:Mission Entertainment
In a Darkened Room – “VOIX” – Cj and Svia are both active in the group. I feel like I slept on these San Antonio, Texas tradgoth badasses for too long. They have quickly become one of my heaviest rotation bands. CJ has a resonant and powerful baritone that blends proto goth depth with 2000’s NYC alt. The lyrics are soulful and real. The guitar sound is so dialed in I had to look at the production notes to see none other than Jason Corbett (Actors/Jacknife Sound) did the mastering. Track 2 Sounds and Warning has a glorious vocal harmony that has been stuck in my head for days. This is a record you can really get lost in. Expect In A Darkened Room to be a band at the front of the next movement.
CJ Duron – Vocals/Guitars
Svia Svenlava – Bass Guitar
Kandi Keys – Synth/Piano
Voices in my head
Voices of the dead
I hear them softly call
In early morning
I hear them when I sleep
I hear them when they speak
Echoes from the dark
Sounds of Warning
I weep the endless pass of night
Watching the endless pass of time
Waiting alone I whisper out
And long to be alive
Ony Godfrey – I was a HUGE fan of the fresh new talent out of Indonesia Camlan. This is the first solo single release from their singer Ony Godfrey. Love the thumpy beat and way this breathes. Ony has a cool unique cadence and shows great range here as the build in intensity happens. I love the punk rock energy here not pulling any punches with the lyrics.
LET THEM EAT WAR
Power, throne, and glory
Those are the things you shall never have
Obedient, bloodshed, and death
Those are things you shall devout your life into
Submit to me, submit your soul to the emperor
Oh, I Am your God, your messiah,
Oh, I Am the only way to your salvation
I want to conquer those foreign lands,
civilize the uncivilized
If those savages ask for mercy
I’ll say let them eat war
Let them eat war
Traitors, rivals, and nemesis
All of them shall perish into ashes
Kiss my hand and do as what I say
And you will have a position in my empire
Submit to me, submit your soul to the emperor
Oh, I Am your God, your messiah,
Oh, I Am the only way to your salvation
I want to conquer those foreign lands,
Civilize the uncivilized
If those savages ask for mercy
I’ll say, let them eat war
Let them eat war
Say my name like your life depends on it, baby
Say my name like your life depends on it, baby
Say my name like your life depends on it, baby
Say my name like your life depends on it, baby
I want to conquer those foreign lands,
Civilize the uncivilized
If those savages ask for mercy
I’ll say let them eat war
Let them eat war
Let Them Eat War | Ony Godfrey
Backengrillen – Backengrillen – (Recommendation from Kevin Nhell) From Sweeden this amazing death jazz, yes you heard that right. It’s slow, weird chaos against fascism. The Bari Sax has a Morphine energy and this is something everyone should get lost in over their morning coffee.
Backengrillen
Dennis Lyxzén – vocal and effects
Mats Gustafsson – saxophones, flutes and live electronics
Magnus Flagge – bass
David Sandström – drums and electronics
Grave Love – Angel_(Mi Amor) En Vivo – (Recommendation from James Perry) Brand new live track from Chicago band Grave Love, 1) I love the live energy 2) Love the Spanish/English blend of the lyrics 3) Love that blasting Gish guitar slush opening. Fantastic piercing goth vocals and crunchy death rock guitars. If i could turn into a bat and fly over the city of Chicago in the dead of night, this is what I want as my soundtrack.
Sweet sweet dreams my Angel
Heaven will miss you
Sweet sweet dreams my darling
The night is calling
I’m calling for you
Sweet sweet dreams my love
Sweet sweet dreams my Angel
Debajo luna llena
Te encontre
Debajo luna llena
Me enamore
Debajo luna llena
Te mordi, mi amor
Sweet sweet dreams my Angel
I want the light in your eyes
Sweet sweet dreams my darling
Slip off your lovely disguise
Sweet sweet dreams my love
Sweet sweet dreams my Angel
Debajo luna llena
Te encontre
Debajo luna llena
Me enamore
Debajo luna llena
Te mordi, mi amor
Om Shanti Kali Ma
Angel_(Mi Amor) En Vivo | Grave Love
THE DISCUSSION – All the Pretty Flowers – (shared by Sandra Spector) – The LA band isn’t brand new but somehow I have never reviewed them. They are on Artoffact Records with (Actors/Leathers) many of our favorites. Driving 80s Siouxsie and the Banshees flavor. The basslines are very out front and really carry the groove. They aren’t reinventing the wheel here, but they are definitely rocking the hell out of it. This record came out in 2025 but they have a brand new remix by the always awesome Male Tears. They are also heading out on a tour with Bootblacks which i will be seeing in Detroit.
In The Mirror (Male Tears Remix) | THE DISCUSSION
All the Pretty Flowers | THE DISCUSSION
TEMPTRIX – Dare to Try – (Submitted y the always trustworthy Sunil Khanna) Texas solo artist with a glitchy screaming electronica. Emotional lyrical pleas that feel like lamenting loss on an abandoned cliff overlooking the ocean.
I wouldn’t have invited them to try or bet on my life
With all the ache it caused, all the strife.
I wouldn’t have tried, to save my life.
Help me God
Help me Try
In this timeline I wouldn’t have cried
I wouldn’t have cried
I wouldn’t have cried
If I knew, I didn’t need to toss and turn every night
I wouldn’t have cried – over all those lies
I wouldn’t
I couldn’t
Say how I feel inside
I wouldn’t have cried
I wouldn’t
I couldn’t
Now if I tried. Why? Why try?
I wouldn’t have cried…
In this timeline I wouldn’t have cried
I wouldn’t have cried
If I knew I didn’t need to shed a tear from my eyes
I wouldn’t have cried for wanting you inside
I wouldn’t. I couldn’t – say how I feel inside
I wouldn’t have cried.
I wouldn’t, I couldn’t now if I tried. Why?
Why try?
I wouldn’t have cried…
How do I try? Oh, God.
Help me try…