One thing I’ll say about Pink Turns Blue, they are consistent. You can always count on them for a danceable, mid-tempo, four-on-the-floor, atmospheric jam. So it comes as no surprise when they come through with their newest, Black Swan.
This Berlin band has been doing its thing since 1985 and has been seminal in what would become Darkwave. From the opening synth riff of Follow Me, these eleven songs bring everything that fans of the band have come to expect and enjoy.
The title track brings the first noticeable tempo change, followed by the speedier Like We All Do. I suppose the argument could be made that these songs all blend together and Black Swan is basically a 49-minute long song. But that’s not to say that it’s a bad 49-minute song. Again, consistent. And PTB songs are nothing if not well-crafted.
Overall, a thoughtful blend of guitar and synth tied together neatly in pop-oriented package.
This one took me a while to digest. After listening repeatedly, there is A LOT going on with dreDDup’s eleventh outing, Pan/Dora. With songs dating back to before COVID, Pan/Dora is a densely packed smorgasbord of the “massacre industrial” that’s come to be expected from this Serbian powerhouse.
These 13 songs are well-composed, spanning a spectrum of harsh electronic musical styles. Want to get stompy-stompy on the dance floor? Check, listen to Die Heart. Want to thrash about in the mosh pit? They got you with Cherry Noble. Want to swoon dreamily to an impenetrable wall of sound? Covered. Dig the eight-minute fever dream closer that is A Broken Dream (Father).
dreDDup continue on their prolific tear, as album #12 has already been announced. But between now and then, enjoy all that Pan/Dora has to offer. Even if it may take a while.
Is it possible for a band to have a unique drum sound even if they don’t have a live drummer? I think so.
Oregon’s Warm Gadget has come a long way from their punk-ish origins to create an industrial rock sound that is powerful and relentless, yet still allows for melody to creep its way into the mix. This is evident on their new release, Sorrows. The percussion parts are heavy as hell and will shake the fillings loose in your teeth; layered and intricate with a distinctive bombast. Drum programming is indeed an art form. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
The lyrics on Sorrows are equally as in-your-face. Subjects such as conformity (The Masses), fucked-up relationships (Debutante), and the impermanence of society (Digging) are laid before us none too subtly.
At eleven tracks (including three remixes), this sonic assault is quick and to the point without taxing your attention span. Debutante has the makings of a single, featuring vocals and guitar work from fellow Oregonian Page Hamilton of Helmet fame. Its singalong chorus and Hamilton’s distinctively screeching guitar solo make Debutante catchy and memorable.
Songs such as Unfollow are actually revived tracks from a few years ago that the band had left on the back burner until now. After letting the songs percolate for a suitable time, the end result was well worth the wait.
Even still, Sorrows is Warm Gadget’s strongest outing yet. These songs were best left until the band was ready for them; when every aspect of their playing and production skill was at its most polished and powerful. Recommended.
One of the things I love about Gary Robert and Community is they’re consistent. They never disappoint. Even after seven albums, the songs remain fresh, powerful, and catchy. So it’s no surprise that SHOUT.DRUMS.DANCE, their new single, picks up right where 2022’s Black Palatte leaves off. Which is fitting because Black Palatte left many of us wanting more.
Now that’s not to say that all of their songs sound the same. This new single shows the band’s goth-ier side; chorused, atmospheric guitars, droning vocals, and lyrics that are less than heartwarming. The lyrics take a harsh stab at religion and how one can live happily and find fulfillment without it.
Overall, this moody yet driving track is enough to give The Sisters of Mercy a run for their money, with enough original flavor to keep it unique.
According to Gary Robert, this is the first song of a full length release scheduled for next year. This is an ideal track for rockers who want to scratch their goth itch.
Ashes Fallen celebrate their fifth anniversary as a band with a clever sort-of reinvention of themselves in V, a trio of “what ifs”. By that, it’s meant that the band has issued this three-song EP of remixes to explore established songs with a fresh twist. The EP also shows the band’s altruistic side, as all proceeds will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.
The tracks are given a treatment which reimagines them as techno-pop jams instead of the more rock-oriented sound the band is more known for.
We Belong Nowhere (Diaspora Mix) immediately creates images of early-80s nostalgia, with its crunchy guitar riff and synth drum rhythm. Vocalist James Perry digs into the deeper end of his vocal range to give the track a moody sense of foreboding. Think of Rage In Eden-era Ultravox with a little Sisters of Mercy from the same time period thrown in and you get the idea.
Continuing on the same vibe, there’s Unrequited (Come Undone Mix). Perry explores a different vocal range from the previous track and shows his skill as a saxophonist as well. One doesn’t typically think of the sax as an instrument widely used in goth rock, but this is nothing short of a perfect fit to explore the moodier aspects of the track.
Damn Me (Ninth Circle Mix) is the heaviest track of the three, dipping into industrial territory with its layered, hard-edge drumbeat and an angry aggression to the guitar riff. Again, the sax is present, which lolls the listener in a false sense of comfort before jarring the listener with an abrupt transition which keeps the listening ear engaged. Damn Me is biting in its presentation and delightfully unpredictable in its delivery.
Ashes Fallen is James Perry, Michelle Perry, and Jason Shaw
Engineered, mixed, and mastered by James Perry Cover photo by Michelle Perry, design by James and Michelle Perry
All in all, this is quite the refresher for Ashes Fallen fans as well as a delectable taste of what could have been with the original release of these songs.
