Albie Mason (Scary Black) from Louisville KY is one of the most criminally underrated talents in modern goth. In addition to his visceral and dynamic gothgaze music, he is an accomplished visual artist with credits that include our own album cover for Amaranth Gothtimism. With this ambitious new project Albie Damned we enter a mythic fantasy of self-exploration complete with corresponding visuals in the style of Adventure Time. The music is such a drastic change showing the range of Albie’s talent. Track 2 Open World has an amazing 8 bit Bat Out Of Hell du wop feel that got it’s hooks in me early. The guitar work is full of complex phaser shoegaze adding depth of character to the cartoon vampire vocals. The beats here are simple and accessible, but the concepts and construction make raw emotional brilliance behind of mask of cartoon theme songs. The effect is quite staggering. I’m genuinely baffled I am one of 8 people who have bought it on bandcamp so far.
Track 4: Torch delves deeper into the dungeon. Adds some trip hop flavor and darker rasping Scary Black style vocals. These songs all feel like individual adventures with a loose connection. Track 6: Everynite is a dream of flying over the shadow realm, full of Andrew Eldrich swimming through a sky of glitter. Wicked guitar licks to accent the journey. Track 10 : I Can’t Dance pours on the sleaze and motion of a filthy mini boss. Loving the falsetto harmonies here to prop up the main villain.
I know Albie intended this as a side project to work through some things between Scary Black releases, I hope he comes back and gives this it’s due. Something beautiful, dark, with a veil of innocence that makes it vulnerable and true. I’d love to see a full compliment of the drawings to match up as music videos to the songs.
This was the press release, so OBVIOUSLY I was all in 🙂
” Foam in the Ocean”, from Seattle, Washington garage-pop, post-punks SEASIDE TRYST is their take on the Hans Christian Anderson classic “The Little Mermaid” which is arguably one of the more devastating allegories of queer longing. In the original story, instead of becoming a beautiful, Disney-fied woman following a kiss, Ariel disappears forever after she turns into foam in the sea.”
New release from the Seattle WA DreamGoth band full of dark post punk driving bass and elegant Galaxy 500 dreampop. Lovely energy of wistful exploration crashing into isolation. The vocals are warm bright eyes searching an alien place. The video really embraces the caring culture of the queer community. I was an immediate fan.
BRIDES – Doom Profits – Adrian has been levelling up at an exponential rate. This EP has been in my heavy rotation for a couple months now filling my need for grimy painted on leather pants classic goth. He has zeroed on a course vocal style right on the mean ratio between a blended instrument and poetic delivery system. Previous Brides offerings have tended towards a theme of sound. Doom Profits flings wide the door to a range of possibilities within the project. Using that distinct voice as an anchor to tie this gently drifting ghost ship together from Ultravox to New Order Movement.
Watering flowers in the bowels of Hell With painted tears Smokestack serpents coil around us Can`t see the forrest for the fire And the waves come crashing through Burning hands applaud the wreckage on
Suffer little children Sell your fear for doom profits
Favorite Tracks:
Heartquake: This is a record it is difficult to pick a favorite on. Each song hits you in a different place. This opening bassline is an obsidian boulder chasing you down the mountain. The synth leads are the exact amount of brass to shine in all this darkness. That title and idea evoke such an image. A heart shaking with profound trauma. So much it rocks the ground around you.
Doom Profits: A title track should always been a strong one. The backbone of your idea. Adrian read the assignment. That keyboard tone of water dripping from a stalactite into a dark pool. I have that same feeling when Goodbye Horses comes on. Profits come to harken the masses of a terrifying destiny. Adrian growls forth a frightening warning, as well as a promised hope. I adore the outro guitar lead. Using the theme of other tracks in a single moment the title track shows the complexity and growth on this record.
The provocative Psyclon Nine recently released “More To Hell,” an EP that features new material along with remixes from their thrilling 2022 album “Less To Heaven.” This new EP includes remixes by Skold, Suicide Commando as well as Psyclon Nine vocalist and bandleader Nero Bellum himself. Psyclon Nine released their groundbreaking debut album “Divine Infekt” in 2003. Since that time, Psyclon Nine has continued to drop explosive albums of darkened metal industrial electronics and tour frequently, feeding a thirsty fanbase of devotees. We recently sat down to chat with Nero Bellum, near the end of a lengthy North American tour just as Psyclon Nine were about to headline Dark Force Fest, a packed Goth and Industrial festival and convention in New Jersey.
S & S – Your excellent new EP entitled “More to Hell,” seems more like an extension of your epic 2022 album “Less to Heaven,” was that your intent?
Nero – I look at MORE TO HELL as a companion to LESS TO HEAVEN and as an opportunity to collaborate with artists that I respect. It also allowed me to have a platform for the single FOR THE NIGHT IS DARK AND FULL OF TERRORS. It can certainly be looked at as an extension/continuation.
S & S – I really like the dark ambient soundtrack styled tracks on “Less To Heaven,” one of which “Catastrophic,” was remixed into a dark lullaby by the amazing Tim Skold on “More to Hell.” Tim has been a frequent collaborator of yours over the years and the two of you seem to share an excellent musical connection, can you tell us more about this chemistry?
Nero – Tim and I developed a friendship and mutual admiration over the years. I look at him as a kindred spirit and the only artist that I would ever trust with a song as personal as CATASTROPHIC. As any mother might be hesitant to put their child in the arms of a stranger, I feel a deep connection to the art that I create and especially so with CATASTROPHIC which, felt less like a song when it was composed and closer to an open heart surgery. It could have only been touched by someone who I trust and someone who knew where and how the song was birthed.
S & S – In 2017, Metropolis re-released a remastered version of your debut 2003 album “Divine Infekt.” What are your thoughts of your early material? Do you ever think back to when you originally formed Psyclon Nine and imagine that it would lead you to where you are today?
Nero – I look back on that time and see a teenager attempting to compose his first songs whilst simultaneously learning (by trial and error) the in’s and out’s of hardware synthesizers, drum machines, samplers, sequencers etc. What you hear on that first album is a collection of my very first experiments with song writing. It took a few years to hone my craft and develop the sonic aesthetic that I was aiming for. I often say that CRWN THY FRNICATR was the first “true” PSYCLON NINE album as, I look at DIVINE INFEKT and I.N.R.I. as polished demo’s more than albums. That said, I’m not ashamed of those albums and I feel that there are still a few good tracks scattered amongst them. And although we haven’t performed any of those songs in a live setting in many years… It might be time to pull them out soon.
S & S – You’ve managed to find a way to bridge the gap between dark electronic industrial sounds and aspects of black metal while remaining a very prolific tour de force, has your inspiration and drive for making music changed over the years?
Nero – My inspiration changes constantly. It’s incredibly important to me that I remain authentic to myself and I allow my vision to have a fluidity to it. I’ve always felt more comfortable on the outside of genre. I have no desire to fit in with whatever is popular at the moment and more of a desire to go in an opposite direction if anything. I’m a contrarian by heart. Inspiration comes to me in the form of sounds rather than music. Oftentimes I’ll compose entire songs around a single, central sound. FOR THE NIGHT IS DARK AND FULL OF TERRORS is a good example of this. The entire track was written around a recording of an oil barrel being hit with a tuning hammer in a sewer tunnel. These are the concepts that inspire me. Some artists sit down with a guitar or, sit at a piano and compose melodies that will then be arranged/adapted into a song. I find a unique “instrument” record a “performance” and then manipulate the recordings in my studio. The journey is as important to me as the finished result.
S & S – Do you listen to much new music and can you recommend any up and coming bands that you would like to mention?
Nero – I don’t actively search out new music. New artists need to be forced on me by friends / outside sources. I have a fairly diverse taste and some people might be surprised by some of the artists that I do listen to. If I’m being asked to drop some names for people to check out, I would suggest Surachai, Snakes Of Russia (who remixed SEE YOU ALL IN HELL on MORE TO HELL), and Health (who we just performed with at Dark Force Fest and who put on a great show).
S & S – You have a reputation for being an avid admirer of vintage 1970s synthesizers and sounds. Can you share with our audience some of your favorite electronic gear? Do you have any favorite artists amongst the 1970s synthesizer electronic pioneers?
Nero – I have a love for unique instruments in general. I do prefer modular to fixed format synthesizers as they lend themselves to experimentation and a lot of the modules that I use are modern interpretations of classic 60’s and 70’s Buchla, Moog and Arp designs. It’s never been about chasing a sound from that era for me. It’s all about pushing boundaries and the modular domain is where I find the most interesting technology. What’s attractive about Eurorack to me is being able to integrate modern / digital synthesis methods (granular / sampling etc) with vintage / analog components. I like to have as many “colors” at my disposal as possible when composing
S & S – Psyclon Nine just recently completed a large tour of North America that included an appearance at the Dark Force Festival. Do you have any other tours planned?
Nero – Nothing that I can discuss at the moment but, definitely keep an eye on our Instagram for updates.
Punk Icon, Music Journalist, Scene Historian, in so many ways John Robb has made a career of lifting up great music and art in equal measure to creating it. Starting in Blackpool in 1978 The Membranes walked the razor line between introspective darkness and fiery blue-collar aggression. In 2010 he started “Louder Than War” an independent website of reviews, interviews, and live shows to shine a light on the fringes of music which might never get attention from mainstream pop coverage. This aspect was personally relevant to me, by proving one person could champion a movement to share and humanize the artist of the underground. When John released his new book “The Art Of Darkness” about the history of my chosen genre “Goth” and I had the opportunity to interview him my cold dead heart fluttered with joy. A giant who paved the way for me like few others.
Things that struck me about the first read through of this book. The historical research is first rate. How could it not be, John lived this time. Loved these bands. When I hear someone talking about something close to my heart, I need to hear that same reverence in their voice. This is the voice of a true believer. The facts aren’t enough. I need a bit of novel to set the backdrop. I was born in 1977 and never had a chance to go to the Batcave, to see Joy Division live. In this book we are taken through those damp streets, smell the clubs, see the fashion. A great history paints a picture in your mind that makes you a part of what happened years later. That was the ultimate magic of this book. Finally, my beloved goth scene always wants to put itself in a box. It’s a scene obsessed with the past, the idea that what came before will always be better than what comes after. This is a book about history, but one that flexes and expands the definition and connects those bands to the future. I’ve read several books and articles about goth history. None of them sparked something in me like this. If you are a lover of dark macabre music, this book is a must have.
This interview was my longest to date. Sometimes as an interviewer you need to navigate the flow of conversation to help the person you are interviewing tell their story. John is a lot better at this than me. So my goal was just to set him up and let him move from story to story. I am proud that although I could have listened to him discuss all the amazing things he has done and people he has known, I did get him talking about how the history of this scene impacts it’s future. The interview clocked in at 1.5 hours but in the end there was so little I wanted to cut. So we have broken it into 3 parts. I really hope you find something to learn and love from this conversation with one of the foremost experts in the modern darkscene.
In Part 1 we discuss early goth history. The role of Fashion in the early scene. Gazelle Twin. Youtube Influencers. Goth as a safe space. Bands with generational influence (Joy Division/Smiths/Bauhaus) as well as new splinter genres like WitchHaus.
In part II we discuss The Cramps. Guilty Pleasures are a farse. What does the history of goth have to teach us about the future. Suicide (The band). What drives you to support the scene. How have home studios effected the modern scene. Goth Romantism. Ashes Fallen and Vampiria
Finally in Part II (My personal favorite) we discuss Ghost Signal. She Passed Away. The Cassandra Complex and how early proto goths in England all love Hawkwind. Motorhead. The Dammed. Which of the early goth bands still touring had the most staying power. How aging is normal, even for rockstars. How Primal Scream couldn’t hang with Depeche Mode. Male Tears. Danny Elfman. We spin out to The Membranes “A Strange Perfume”
Learn about the past. This book is a great way to do it. Start a review page. Tell bands you appreciate them. Go to shows. Stand in front. Wear crushed velvet. Smoke cloves. Drink the blood of your enemies from a skull. There is no wrong way to appreciate and be moved by music. Just do it with all your heart and leave space for everyone.
