Curse Mackey has been has been a force in this scene for decades as a collaborator. Pigface, Evil Mothers, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult all bare the stamp of his powerful vocals and intense delivery. In 2019 he released his first solo album “Instant Exorcism” with instant critical success. September 9th we received his sophomore offering “Immoral Emporium” full of personal dissection and arterial spray.
Photo by Krain Fish
The spiritual successor to Instant Exorcism moves beyond the prophesy of a post capitalism hellscape and dives into a meat and bone reality. A bizarre of debauchery and barter where every sin in imagination is on display and the price of souls are always plummeting. In a time of surface shimmer and digital commodity the Immoral Emporium casts a sharp reflection that burns to the core of the decay of empathy in the modern age. Instant Exorcism was raw and biting, a mad profit’s fervor. Immoral Emporium is a cleaner enticing beacon. Drawing the listener to their own corruption with shining golden salesmanship.
Produced by Curse Mackey and Chase Dobson Mixed by Chase Dobson at 1156HQ, Denver CO Mastered by Ken Marshall, HiWatt Labs, Vancouver BC Recorded at Omen View Studio, Austin TX and Tarantula Ranch, Tarantula TX Vocals recorded at Scary American Studios, Austin TX
Favorite Tracks:
The Dead Fingers Talk – Curse really shows his vocal range and lyrical depth in this Violator 90s flavored dance banger with light footed cadence. The imagery and liquid tempo are an immersive ride.
Immoral Imperium – The title track is a stripped down culmination of the core concept. I love the way it isolates and accents the sharply defined power of the vocals. The music is under constant assault from crackling Broken sample noise to bleed a chaotic backdrop for the lyrics. An instant banger with soul.
Curse will soon be out on a west coast tour with Clan of Xymox and A Cloud of Ravens catch this amazing album preformed live. As well as an upcoming interview on Sounds and Shadows Youtube Page. The follow up to a first successful album is always a frightening idea. Curse Mackey has managed to build and grow on a narrative that is keeping darkwave music fresh and challenging.
Time again my friends for the latest installment of the Sounds and Shadows Darkscene singles chart. As always these are singles released in the month of August from the very loose definition of Darkscene. They are submitted by the S & S collective of Djs, Reviewers, Promotors, Bands, Artists, and Superfans around the world and presented for you. If you are an artists with a release for September 2022 please submit on the S & S Facebook page.
Pilgrims of Yearning – La Mar
The Bellwether Syndicate – Dystopian Mirror
Vision Video – Beautiful Day To Die
Ultra Sunn – The Speed
The Joy Thieves Feat: I Ya Toyah – Love Is A Battlefield
Rohn/Ledderman – It Hurts
Brute Opposition – Destroy This Place
Black Rose Burning (Feat: Delphine Coma) – Under Twin Suns
Pilgrims of Yearning – La Mar – I was so ecstatic to see the Boston shadowsynth band finish in 1st place. Delicious 90’s Siouxsie with texture snake delay guitars. Juls delivers a haunting and soulful performance. This is a must have in your collection.
The Bellwether Syndicate – Dystopian Mirror – What a howling wolf hot rod banger from the Chicago legends. I love the reckless charging feel of a band of people that have done so much they have nothing to lose. This is peak window down night driving music. William Faith really brings the swagger and menace to this track, really showing his range. Open your next road trip with it, then put it on the playlist 4 or 5 more times on the trip.
Vision Video – Beautiful Day To Die – This is gorgeous. Dusty and company really summoned their inner Smiths for this elegant and tragic ballad that would be the reflective song in your hero’s darkest moment in the movie. There is a very good reason Vision Video is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in modern darkscene.
ULTRA SUNN – The Speed – Belgian darkwave danceperatos on Cold Transmission Music bring a thic and pounding bassline and sex dripping David Gahan vocals. This is that talking piece your next party needs.
The Joy Thieves (Feat: I Ya Toyah) – Love Is A Battlefield – Denver label Riveting Music known for doing charity tribute albums released Girl Power to raise funds for Global Fund For Women. The Chicago super group did this version of the PaT Benatar classic with Ania from I Ya Toyah singing. It is a show stopping explosion of electronic chaos and hard rock fury. Every time The Thieves tackle a classic cover I think is untouchable, they find a way to come crashing through the wall and convince me they are the one band that deserves to cover this song.
Rohn – Lederman – It Hurts – I really do fall in love all over again whenever Jean-Marc and Emileigh launch forth another single from the ether. The layered vocals with different presence and riot grrl energy gives it a frantic sting. Jean Marc makes every build feel fast without feeling intense. A futuristic railway traveling at blistering speed but never out of control. Stefan Netschio of (Beborn Beton) did my favorite remix which kept the laser flickering at maximum velocity.
Brute Opposition – Destroy This Place – I didn’t know the Jacksonville Florida band well. Cool chanting Front 242 Industrial vibes. Definitely well produced and a proper homage to old school industrial. I also love the positive message in the lyrics. Don’t give up, take these fukers down with you.
Black Rose Burning – Under Twin Suns featuring Delphine Coma – New York science fiction songsmith George Grant has teamed up with some other goth superstars to remix his Dune inspired banger Under Twin Suns. This version is done by Ashe of Delphine Coma who blasted the sandworm bassline and left George’s captivating vocals calling from within the desert canyon. I love when you can hear the appreciation for an amazing song in the remix. This remix is a loving tribute.
Black Needle Noise with Ruby Friedman and Colin McGuinness – Fair Winds – So this band is almost unfair in it’s level of talent and pedigree from COP International. Starting of course with living legend John Fryer who is unparalleled as both a producer and song writer. The song was originally slated for a TV show about the Isle of Man. It features vocal stylings from Ruby Friedman who strikes forth with epic expansive chilled wind power. It’s more landscape experience than ear worn, but it leaves the hair on the back of your arms standing up with it’s power.
Double Eyelid – Leaving These Stones Unturned – My amazing friend Ian from Toronto with another underwater horror hit. I love the stalking menace of this track. It’s a secret, a whisper, a song you are inside of full of supernatural build which culminates in emotional release. People need to stop sleeping on Double Eyelid.
I haven’t been churning out reviews at my normal pace, but that does mean I have a glorious golden stack of darkscene music to prime your soul for the Halloween season. I have some long awaited releases to discuss. Some fresh new bands I have discovered. Some spooky new corners of music I have stumbled into. So let’s dive into some of the sexy dark sounds which are haunting the beginning of Autumn
Double Eyelid – Leaving These Stones Unturned – Do you know what I love to hear in the modern scene? An artist no afraid to unapologetically embrace the theatrical melancholy of goth. This is something Toronto based band Double Eyelid grasps well. Ian has a voice dripping with lost lament on a turbulent storm of bass. The song swells and collapses. The lyrics are a confession of buried truth too frightening to face. Powerful revelation in a time of surface reflection.
released August 16, 2022 written by Ian Revell ………………………………………………………. Ian Revell – Vocals, synth, programming Sky Shaver – Guitar Sean Beesley – Additional synth
Produced and mixed by Live Evil Productions Mastered by Noah Mintz for The Lacquer Channel
SINE – Mantis 2 – Follow up EP to Mantis 1 by the Texas chaos electronica artist Rona Rogueheart. Powerful resonating attacks open the experience. As though you peeled away the smooth edges of Portishead trip hop and revealed something crueler and jagged while maintaining the wet sensual humidity of a packed stone wall club.
Photo by Victoria Renard
Rona Rougeheart / lead vocals, drums, programming Words by Rona Rougeheart Music by Rona Rougeheart / Charles Godfrey Guitar on “Jetset” by Daniel Beaty
*Except: Written by: Robert James Smith, Steven Severin Music by Mark Pistel / Rona Rougeheart
Produced by Charles Godfrey / Rona Rougeheart Recorded at Omenview and Scary American, Austin, TX Mastered by Mark Pistel at Room 5, San Francisco, CA
Favorite Track:
Virtual Realitease – This track stalks with contrasts and extremes. The thundering club bass, the heavy shimmer of throaty vocals, the razor edge of alure and menace. I love the range of the EP which is always changing the journey. The pastel rain-streaked sorrow of “Je Suid“. This track just hits different though. I’m just not hearing this blend of sounds enough in the modern scene and it has me hooked.
ULTRA SUNN – Summer 22 – Belgian cold wave artist Ultra Sunn on Cold Transmission Music with a double single release that bops with Violator keyboard transitions and sizzling Gahan vocals. A purposeful driving beat of motion while keeping the tempo just below chaos. Expertly mastered by Pete Burns the tone flickers like a bright flame on a distant candle. These tracks both have a place on your summer darkscene party mix.
thePicassos – Exhumed – I love nothing more than the chance to shout to the sky about a gifted and haunting band in my own backyard of Michigan. We even have the honor of playing with them at Skull Festival 11/20/22 at Noir Leather in Royal Oak Michigan. This album which dropped August 2022 is a darting ebony fencing match of furious clashing metal that strikes and counters with such speed you lose sight of the precision in the illusion of chaos.
So many glorious and eclectic dark elements at play here. Twangy Latin spice notes in the guitar. Haunted murder ballad Nick Cave tones. The vocals are a roller coaster blend of Gordan Gano and Frank Black. Great use of guitars for percussion, not overdone and adding powerful accent. I looked online to learn more about the band and found little. Luckily I am set to interview them tomorrow for the podcast. Fills me with excitment for a bright future and I am so glad I found them in Michigan.
Favorite Track: Smoke and Mirrors – Part of my love here is the vast range from track to track. This one had huge Pixies “Doolittle” energy. Slashing guitars with a booming clean bass tone. A haunting effortless truth to the delivery. I enjoyed all the songs for different reasons, this one seemed to compile the best flavors of everything going right.
The Bellwether Syndicate – Dystopian Mirror – Chicago show stopper’s have a brilliant new single that roars like a muscle car charging down Woodward Ave. Flames spewing out the engine to chase back the darkness. William croons with an extra edge of piercing determination. The mix is clear but always feels like a toe on the line which makes it feel dangerous, on the verge of shattering the glass bubble. They just took this song on the road with Then Comes Silence from Sweeden. Of everyone I currently follow in the modern darkscene, no one has more “rockstar” energy than William with a mic in his hand.
Released August 5, 2022 William Faith: Vox • Guitars Sarah Rose Faith: Vox • Guitars • Corey Gorey: Guitars (live) Philly Peroxide: Keyboards • Percussion (live) Stevyn Grey: Drums (live)
Pilgrims of Yearning – Hadal – Long awaited release from Boston transplants POY which hits the mark perfectly. I love hearing a band grow from album to album by keeping the mystical wanderlust that made their sound stand out, yet graduating their production and layering to make the energy sharper. Juls voice captures a haunting Siouxsie “Superstition” 90s vibe while the guitar rhythms fold and dart like a weaver on a loom. This is a band that really exposes their story with brazen courage and beautiful delivery. A contagious spooky tendril of psychedelic darkness winding around your vision.
Favorite Track:Storms – One because I love the duet, two because I love a banger and this bassline is a live wire flapping on the street in a storm. It gets in your blood and never lets up. Like a jaguar running it is equal parts danger and beauty.
It is once again time to celebrate the top 10 singles chosen by our group of DJs/Artists/Reviewers/Promotors/and Mega Fans. These are all tracks released in July chosen from the broad darkscene genre. If you are an artist or know one that has a release in August, make sure to join the Sounds and Shadows group on Facebook and submit it for consideration.
Kill Shelter (Feat Stefan Netschio) – In This Place
Stoneburner – This Machine Kills
Sequential Zero – The Last One To Fall
Korine – Mt. Airy
Golden Apes – From The Sky
Eva X – Whipping Girl
Batavia – Mailman
Suzi Sabotage – I Am The Storm
Sawtooth & Gasoline Invertebrate – Gut Rehab
Plague Garden feat. Azy Bats – Pandora
Kill Shelter Feat (Stefan Netschio) – In This Place – I have a full review on S & S as well as an interview with Pete releasing tomorrow. However it is fitting this single off an early contender for album of the year is top song in July. Stefan of Beborn Beton delivers heavy resonant drops of tone into an unlit cave pool. 10/10 absolute banger
Stoneburner – This Machine Kills – The Wolf Lord Steven Archer come in second this month with a blistering club hit doused in political gasoline. You know that part in the movie where the barrel of the machine gun gets so hot that fire shoots out. Thats what I picture when I hear this track.
Sequential Zero – The Last One To Fall – Love to see this come in at #3. A team up of Australian Ant Banister (Sounds Like Winter) and American Bruce Nullify (Orcus Nullify). It’s such a delicious blend of what I love about them individually. True old school batcave rough edge oil drenched attitude with cracking snares and crystal keys.
Korine – Mt. Airy – There really is nothing I don’t love put out by the Philly based death dream. Coming in at #4 it is another sizzling shock of step and turn. These vocals are pastel perfection blending with the music in color bleeding splendor. I love every note.
Golden Apes – From The Sky – Some real fierce competition this month has the Berlin Post Punk bard’s coming in at #5. I more crackling tempo full of uplifting rippling guitar staircases. Peer’s voice is that distinctive baritone rumble of honestly that makes every single feel distinct.
Eva X – Whipping Girl – #6 is Canadian siren and electronic producer Eva X. I just got a chance to interview her which we will release soon. We got to talk about this song and video, partially how every release is growing by leaps and bounds. I love how her skills at production are opening the possibilities for every new violet electrolash single.
Batavia – Mailman – The Florida Industrial power couple have called in their friends to lend a hand on this new EP. The first single of which features drum stylings from Dan Milligan (The Joy Thieves). Inspired choice to fire the first volley with a cover of The Jesus Lizard. 90’s skate grind vibes of chopping guitar over explosive percussion stomps. Terri’s riot Grrl sultry ferocity adds such a different tone. Fresh idea’s for a familiar classic.
Suzi Sabotage – I Am The Storm – Finnish TechPunk stands up for Ukrainian’s effected by Russian aggression with this slow build ice palace bop with operatic cries of anguish. I love the empathy, message, and power of delivery.
Sawtooth – Gut Rehab (feat. Gasoline Invertebrate) – MA based producer Lillian Edith Martin comes in at #9 with this sweat stealing banger she teamed up with Brian Graupner on. I absolutely love the powerful imagery in the lyrics. Absolutely bashing beats filthy with decay and rebirth. I could hear more of this team up.
Plague Garden feat. Azy Bats – Pandora – I was so excited to see this track from Colorado based frozen cemetery synth band collab with Azy (Obscura Undead) slide into #10. The lofi roaring guitar sound makes lovely dissonance from the pipe organ purity in the bass tone. Azy’s vocal confidence takes a bold stride forward and propels their presence to the front of a haunting tune.
With a new kitten, a sick elder cat, and Rachel’s bday I haven’t devoted much time to writing reviews. So it is time to start catching up on the giant stack of releases I let get away from me. I’ve got a few albums here I have been waiting on a long time. Please enjoy and comment below what albums you are listening to you think I should hear.
Hexheart – Funeral Flowers – Seatle WA SynthBard Jasyn Bangert has a June release of cybernetic serotonin pumped straight into your brain. I love the “Upstairs At Erics” bopping light synth and nostalgic warms. These tracks wrap around you like a favorite sweater. The AI captivating vocal effects are a fresh note contrasting the synthpop throwback. Every track feels like a cult 80’s film you are the only one who remembers.
Top Tracks: (bottom of) Below – This track is so dynamic without changing tempo or volume. The bursting fountains happen with a slow rolling subtilty. The vocals hold a fascinating mystery. I wish I could make out the lyrics more clearly, but the electronic whisper draws me in closer.
Erase Yesterday – This track really optimizes everything great about this album. A brilliant single can do that, bring all the tiny differences and brushstrokes of a cohesive record and shine the brightest aspects into one track. This song is bright/dark, fresh/nostalgic, organic and synthetic. Always running the duality in darting motions. This opening track paints the world and makes me excited to drive into it.
October Burns Black – Two Worlds Collide – I’m a little behind the mark reviewing this June 24, 2022 release from traditional goth stars October Burns Black. Goth is in it’s Rennaissance but things have fractured into sub genres so much it has become hard to even keep track of what goth means. OBB have turned the ebony run away train back to the core of guitar based gothic rock. James Tramel who plays bass for midwest goth legends The Wake brings that smooth void rumble that drives these tracks with an authentic old school precision. Rod Hanna ( Khaf’ji) gives a rich and rough baritone that harkens to Eldrich with a bit of broken glass danger. One of the things about early gothic rock was the way it had a western percussion gallop to the minor tones, it was an energy that was always running away without control. This is the magic that Lars, Tommy, and Gord have captured in the masterclass guitar of this album. We can have open hearts for a new infinite prism gothic rainbow, while remembering the roots of what made us fall in love with goth rock. Two Worlds Collide is an album that remembers. That whispers of forgotten truth.
Top Tracks: Regress – I love the blistering Cult drum napalm that Ollson uncorks for this song. It has a furious punk snarl cadence and some really subtle guitar overlays. It’s tight, nasty, and full of remorse. These riffs go straight to the vein.
Condemned – This song feels like a Highlander epic swordfight that ends with beheading. The guitars have an air support bagpipe rise and Hanna’s vocals find a perfect groove of chanting percussion. Snarling savagery and desperation with crackling energy that feels faster than it moves.
Rod Hanna – Vocals Lars Kappeler – Guitar Tommy Olsson – Guitar James Tramel – Bass Simon Rippin – Drums
Additional guitars on tracks 1, 4, 6 and 8 – Gordon Young
Produced and mixed by Simon Rippin Mastered by Gordon Young
Batavia – Batavia and their Friends Forever – Jacksonville Florida based electro chaos band continue to amaze me with every new release. This new release packs a tinted window red striped van with guest talent and pushed the pedal to the floor. Opening with a filthy crooning version of The Jesus Lizard was an inspired tone setter for this caper. Ed and Terri Cripps are a couple that expertly blend relationship and art until it feels like communication with it’s seamless delivery. Some remixes, some covers, just an explosive energy of fundustrial fury! Daddybear, Dread Risks, Gothsicles, Decent News, Syrinx, all see the writing that Batavia are poised to explode and wanted to jump on the rocket. I love the concept; I love the fact they took bold chances with the covers. I mean covering NINWish is a big brass balls move and they pull it off. Batavia has moved to my by every release sight unseen until they let me down list.
I honestly have no favorite track: You will not be let down if you turn it to 11 and just let it play
hororhaus – La Pisadeira – New York State terror texture electronica blending processed religious imagery and layered ethereal sampling. I found this artists through the Sounds and Shadows Facebook group and they impressed me with a unique vision and intense focus. Scott Harris has an elevated ear for sonic texture that inflicts feelings of unease and tension. Much like The Goblin’s of Italian horror mastery these songs are a lurking dread in the mind of the listener. Sounds that conjure emotion and spin a yarn of doom. It gets me hopeful for where this project develops.
Morningstvr – The New Salem – Chicago BlasphemeDustrial cult sonic artist takes the pageantry of an electronic cathedral then turns 180 degrees into an unholy void of bitter darkness. I love the slow black and white film flicker tempo the growling Peter Steel frozen metal edge to the vocal delivery. A shadow robed ritual which twists and turns from track to track as you descend a filthy staircase of Pandemonium.
Favorite Track:The New Salem – I love when the title track leads the charge of the overall theme. I love all of the tiny atmospheric touches the whispered chanting is fright evoking fascination. Poet nightmare fuel for a new generation.
Golden Apes – From The Sky – Criminally underrated post punk giants from Berlin. A band that needs to be added to the conversation of Actors, Bootblacks, Twin Tribes, Creux Lies as the next wave of history altering lifeblood of this scene. This is music to make your heart race with the driving guitar syncopation and boulder chasing you down a tunnel baselines. Peer Lebrecht has such a distinctive voice that resonates to hold your attention in a single moment. It’s always such a tour of geography and human experience when you listen to a Golden Apes album. “From The Sky” is no exception as it leaps with alien speed from landscape to landscape on a biodiverse unknown world.
Favorite Tracks: You can’t go wrong here. This six song EP is a journey. One worth taking.
A New Days Dawn – The overlay transition at the beginning of this is an absolute masterclass in song writing. Peer’s vocals are frantic and tinged with mania. This track has so much going on it is difficult to believe how efficient and powerful it strikes. Like one of those truly great movies I could watch 100 times and pick out a new moment with every viewing.
Injection: 01 | Kevorkian Death Cycle (bandcamp.com) California based Dancedustrial artist with a catalog going back to the early 90s have a new 4 song EP This team includes a family feel of collaboration. I’m overcome with excitement that none other than Roger Jarvis (Negative Gain Records) is one half of the original duo. I’m also left wondering if any of them spent time in Michigan for the Kevorkian reference. The music also has a Detroit techno energy clashing with Industrial and darktrance.
Favorite Track: Spring Heel Jack – I am always a sucker for folk lore and this red cap rampage industrial banger featuring the story of the British murder fairy Jack is a must hear. Filthy beats on top of boot stomp percussion and hurled metal shaving vocals.
Words: Ryan Gribbin Music: Roger Jarvis, Rob Robinson, Sean Whitman Mixing/Mastering: Rob Robinson Artwork Concept/Design: Ryan Gribbin and Sally Helena
