Category: Review

New Dark Christmas Songs for 2019

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The granddaddy of the gothic Christmas collection is Projekt Records’ 1995 collection, Excelsis: A Dark Noel. Rather than offering dismal versions of standard Christmas songs, it captured the ethereal, crystalline beauty of snow and the meditative solitude of the deepest silent night, becoming an instant classic. It’s a tradition Projekt has continued; their website now boasts more than a dozen holiday releases. Over time, other musicians have explored the darker side of the winter holidays in increasing numbers.

2019 Holiday Collections

Christmas Nocturne by Sue Hutton and Athan Maroulis: The most recent of Projekt’s holiday releases came out on Nov. 22. Sue Hutton (Rhea’s Obsession, Indarra) and Athan Maroulis (Spahn Ranch, black tape for a blue girl, NØIR) joined forces on this EP, which includes a re-release of “We Three Kings,” the duet they first created in 1999 for Excelsis Vol. 2. I count their version of “We Three Kings” as my favorite recorded Christmas song. Recorded with Sue’s world music-inspired previous band, Rhea’s Obsession, it captures the mysticism of the three wise men journeying from the east. The song features Sue playing a bulbul (a North Indian dulcimer), and the last third of the song focuses on hand percussion with vocalizing in her Indo-Bulgarian style while Athan provides mellifluous harmonies. The blend of these elements offers some of the most sublime moments to be found in dark world music.

20 years later, Athan and Sue have brewed a new batch of achingly beautiful, dark and velvety concoctions. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” has several unique sections. It begins with Sue singing the intro to the medieval Christmas carol “Gaudete,” while Athan sings backing vocals. It then becomes more of a traditional duet with minimal instrumentation as they sing the familiar lyrics about comfort and joy. And then the heavy electric guitars kick in, lending more gravitas. Kevin Laliberté provides production and instrumentation, and the overall effect is a bit like Dead Can Dance meets Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Christmas Nocturne also includes “Carol of the Drum,” penned in the 1940s based on a traditional Czech song and now most often known as “Little Drummer Boy.” Athan takes the lead on this one, providing a rich vocal line while Sue offers the backing harmonies. There are two versions, one with some faint drums and atmospheric keyboards, and one performed acapella, in which the vocals themselves offer the rhythms and allow the harmonies to glitter on center stage in an arrangement that rivals anything Pentatonix could come up with. Listen on Bandcamp

Terrible Christmas by Seibold the Terrible: Steven Seibold has had a remarkably prolific year. The man behind the industrial band Hate Dept. has branched out. He released a superb new wave/synthpop album as Standalone in February, and then a fine post-punk record as muet in March. Seibold the Terrible is his folk punk / post-industrial punk project, and on Nov. 28, he dropped an album called Terrible Christmas. This record makes me think of Johnny Cash and Tom Waits on a bender. It is not cheerful. It revels in the truly dark, depressing, and frustrating sides of the holiday season, which, to be honest, can be quite cathartic.

“Missus Claus” asks the question of how Santa’s wife might feel about being left alone on Christmas Eve every year, and what might happen when she reaches her breaking point. “Black Friday” is a rollicking lambasting of the excesses of capitalism. “End of the Year” is a dirge about the season in which everything dies, set to a kinetic bassline. If Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends” had a child with Type O Negative’s “Black No. 1,” it might be this song. There are breakup songs and songs about how Santa will never visit, and the whole thing is the exploration of Christmas depression that you never knew you needed. Listen on Bandcamp

Gothic Christmas 2019 (pre-release) by Dark Christmas: Gothic Christmas is a series I’d never heard of until I saw Caroline Blind of Sunshine Blind mention her inclusion this year, but it’s been going on since Dec. 2013 and is coordinated by David “Slaya” Smith, a Christian goth who lives in Michigan. There are a lucky 13 releases available on Bandcamp. The 2019 release became available on Dec. 7 and is only three songs (so far – it’s listed as a pre-release with a note that it’s coming soon).

Leper gives us a melancholy hard rock version of “In the Bleak Midwinter.” Caroline Blind offers a version of “Silver Bells” that’s full of warmth, but in the way that everything gets warm when you have a bellyful of whiskey and all the Christmas lights have started to blur and the room is filled with jangly tones and you somehow manage to keep it all together and keep smiling even though you’re thinking too much about everything you’ve lost. Epic Church brings us an instrumental version of “O Tannenbaum” that you might hear on a church organ if it were played by Devo and Jethro Tull on a merry-go-round.

The 2018 edition of Gothic Christmas is also worth checking out. The standout track is definitely a cover of “Christmas Time Is Here,” from A Charlie Brown Christmas, featuring Caroline Blind (vox, keys) with Tempest Xii of The Wake (guitar and drum programming). It’s sweet, but bittersweet, emphasizing the slight loneliness that can be found in the original if you look hard enough. Both the 2019 and 2018 Gothic Christmas collections were mastered by Martin Bowes of Attrition. Listen on Bandcamp

Notable 2019 Holiday Singles

The Crüxshadows – Silent Night / Anmi’s Christmas (revox) – The Crüxshadows’ annual Christmas offering this time includes a version of “Silent Night” that starts out with distant, German vocals and slow drumbeats before evolving into a more traditional version of the song sung in Rogue’s most earnest gothic style. There’s also a new version of the dancey and majestic “Anmi’s Christmas” complete with some vocals by the song’s namesake, Rogue’s young daughter. Listen at cruxshadows.com
Doors In The Labyrinth – Cold Winter: A two-song single by Doors In the Labyrinth, out of Pittsburgh. Cold Winter features a version of “To Drive the Cold Winter Away,” plus a cover of “Sally’s Song” from the Nightmare Before Christmas, on which DITL mastermind Josh Loughrey displays his full love for Danny Elfman and shows off his recent vocal development. Listen on Bandcamp
The Purge – Snow: The Purge out of Norfolk VA offer a Christmas parody of their own song. “Rain” was about how much Thomas Duerig hates the rain; “Snow” changes the lyrics to be about how much he loves snow. Still catchy, and good for a chuckle and a head bob. Listen on Bandcamp

Holiday Selections You May Have Missed From 2018

Valentine Wolfe – Winternight Whisperings: Answers the question of what the Victorian obsession with Christmas ghost stories might sound like if you set it to female-fronted, dark symphonic metal. Listen on Bandcamp
Joy to the Wham! – Last Christmas Love Tore Us Apart: Alex Reed, the frontman for Seeming, is a music professor and is very clever. Sometimes he uses that to contemplate the mysteries of the universe, and sometimes he uses it to give us gems like this. This is Wham’s “Last Christmas,” with every lyric changed to reference to a Joy Division song. Listen on Bandcamp
Massiv in Mensch – Verne (Ave Maria): If you ever jammed out to E Nomine, you should appreciate this Teutonic EBM banger that features Rana Arborea singing “Ave Maria.” Listen on Amazon

You can hear these songs and more on the Christmas edition of DJ KellyA’s darkwave podcast, Moving Shadows, coming soon to mixcloud.com/djkellya. And if you’re near Pittsburgh, you can see several of these bands perform live on Dec. 21 at Moving Shadows: A Dark Solstice Celebration.

YouTube Videos

Review of Dogtablet: Feathers and Skin

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Dogtablet is: Martin King (Test Dept), Roberto Soave , Jared Louche (Chemlab), Jenny Bellestar, Sapphira Vee and A-Rex {Yes, pause a moment and just take all of that in}

https://dogtablet.bandcamp.com/album/feathers-skin

Look I might not be in the best head space to try and write a review right now. It’s been a tough week. This album has been my constant companion holding me up when it felt like things were a bit too much. So I feel like it is important to share the power of what these songs have meant. My trauma has been animal related (worry for a pet). This record is so full of the intimate and animal nature. It’s energy conjures totem aspects of primal creatures which I have needed to focus on. The credentials of the artists collaborating here are too many to count. It’s real power lies in how different it sounds from it’s individual parts. Every piece is a perfect blend of the talents without ego or pretense lifting each other on dark flapping wings of intimate raw energy.

The drums are perfectly crafted and have an organic feel for such electronic elements. They remain subtle to allow the poetry and power of the vocals shine through. The motion of the synths and triplet world beat toms feel like stalking, slithering, gliding beasts. It gives a unique texture to every song. Jared Louche in particular has a distinctive vocal style and really steps outside their comfort zone with the intimacy of this delivery. These tracks are so full of blood, claw, scale, fur, and tooth.

Hawtness

Lets talk favorite tracks:

Shadowlands – The album opens strong. Beautiful distant piano coming to you from across the distance. I will probably lose goth street cred for this but one of my all time guilty pleasure albums is Rolling Stones “Emotional Rescue” This song holds that same stripped down lay bare spiritual power. The winding blues riff guitar leads are smoky and flowing. Jared’s vocals are so exposed and powerful.

Collapsing Lives – I love the contrast here. Almost like two songs overlapping. A sinister smoke rising from the sand. While mono synth effects and trip hop drums slash back and forth to create a swaying beauty. Sapphira Vee lends a delicate breathy beauty like the wind holding a bird gliding.

Things Said and Done (Snake Lies) – This track really encapsulates that feeling of an animal in music form. I feel it slither with those drum beats falling just behind where your mind wants to hear the tempo. This song is never where you expect it to be. It slithers and strikes. Jared Louche chants like a vision driven prophet whispering secrets of a forgotten time.

Martin King

Overall I found this to be a remarkable and powerful offering from several industry legends combining their abilities to create something primal and resonant in a world barely scratching the surface. Get it now, listen to it often, dream of wolves and ravens.

Hot new releases I am thankful for: Sunshine Blind-Icy Men-Swansect-Schedule IV/Heavy Water Factory-Mark e Moon

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I am sitting here on Thanksgiving thinking on all the great things in the last two years this page has brought me. The wonderful people I have come in contact with and now call friends. The wealth of music that has opened up for me. The way this page has grown in readership, content, and me as a writer. The podcast has been a real hit right from the starting gate and it gets me excited for the future. I have added in new voices like Collin, Katy, and Adrian. I wanted to take a moment to thank you all who read, submit, and have open minds to find and support new music. These are intense times, art and each other is what will help us get through them. All of you are what makes my future seem bright and meaningful. I hope you that believe in the power of music reach out today and show an artist you love that they are important to you. Maybe sharing something of theirs, buying their art, or sending them a message letting them know they matter to you. Here is some of what I am enjoying today.

Caroline and I at Stoneburner

Caroline Blind – Need to Say

https://carolineblind.bandcamp.com/releases

Sunshine Blind was a band essential to my musical evolution. Caroline has been a groundbreaking voice in the goth/industrial genre since I first discovered what that meant. A women who Andrew Eldrich said was “too goth” for him to play with. Her release Liquid really opened my eyes to the broader world of possibility in dark music. (If you have never listened to it you really need to get on that right away). Recently she released a cover of The Swans God Damn The Sun which was majestic, tragic, and gorgeous. Tomorrow her new original single Need to Say drops. I was lucky enough to hear it and I cannot stress the amount of power and emotion this song summoned. It was a vast change from her previous style. A slow heart wrenching ballad so personal and tortured I found myself with wet eyes and a quivering lip. To anyone who has known a crucial loss this is art at it’s most powerful to punch a hole in your chest and hold your heart. You will want to make it a part of your collection.

Icy Men – Uninhabited Buses EP on Cold Transmission Records

https://icymen.bandcamp.com/album/uninhabited-buses

Ukrainian Coldwave Post Punk Artists Icy Men have just released a new EP on Cold Transmission. I was immediately struck by how different this sounded from their other material. I think part of what makes Icy Men so intense is the mechanical urban feel of the music. I always think of subway tunnels and empty spaces. The lyrics are mostly in either Russian or Ukrainian (So I can’t understand) but the delivery and cadence of that low octave powerful drone put me in mind of Ian Curtis. The bass lines are forceful and thick. The remix of Carlo Onda is such a thumping jam of weighty low end with a sinister slashing guitar riff that crackles with electricity. The EP also features a remix of the song Raindrops from one of our favorite Philly synth wizards Kiss the Whip. Its such a surreal experience hearing the light dancing pop beats straight out of a John Hughes movie delivered with the power and brevity of Lytvyn and Den. The whole EP really transports you to the isolated streets of Kyiv. Fans of chilling dark melodies will be excited to hear Icy Men.

https://swansect.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-2

Swansect – S-T

Swansect the project of our very own Adrian has released this new EP S/T. I know they felt a little tentative of using the page to cover their new single and EP. Luckily for all of you I don’t care about standing on such ceremony and wanted to share this with you. This album is so hard to put in a box or describe. A truly daring artistic endeavor using sounds and ambient effects to set a mood. The tone and expression of each of these 5 tracks takes a drastically different direction. It’s frightful and truly outside of genre. Adrian’s voice roars from inside a gaping chasm. The drum beats of heavy handed and pound from inside you. This is a journey into the unknown I really enjoyed.

Heavy Water Factory – Remix of Schedule IV “Fault”

https://scheduleiv.bandcamp.com/album/fault-heavy-water-factory-remix?fbclid=IwAR0dd_-GZZdHyJ0d9bhYrpY8iiRDzTEFWyEeVtrCv-tq8L__b8_Kq8M0_qk

Another blast from my past Jesse McClear of Detroit Industrial royalty Heavy Water Factory have come out of the darkness of the last 14 years with some amazing new material. Today it’s this remix of our friends Schedule IV. This remix is crackling purple lightning shooting out of the Emperor’s hands. Always one of my favorite Schedule IV tracks for Steph’s piercing power and sinister growl. McClear has infused it with a perfectly balanced electronic club beat sure to blow the roof off of your next party. I was smacking the steering wheel so hard to this beat I almost went off the road.

Lust For Nothing – Tired of Thee Unknown

https://lustfornothing.bandcamp.com/album/tired-of-thee-unkown?fbclid=IwAR3hFOW5JHaKviLP1-0z-7lGIZpU39h9vpollm6Bl5aCSYG_OgVhU23Xpfs

Philly’s lord of Darkness Michael Sky has just unleashed a new Lust For Nothing EP with two tracks. I was a huge fan of their first album (See Previous Review). These new songs are a huge leap forward in both emotion and production. Sky has this inane sense of the line between fiery energetic uptempo electronic and something sinister that almost puts me in mind of 1980’s The Damned. These songs will both get a lot of play in my rotation.


Mark e Moon – Refer

https://markemoon1.bandcamp.com/album/refer

We were recently on a compilation with Mark e Moon and I feel in love with his imagery rich lyrics and bottom of the well rich voice. This has tones of Mission UK and Sisters old school goth. Blended with crisp tight keyboard melodies and drum beats. A little extra sizzle with my darkness is never bad. Moons voice is really what holds everything together and I am going to deep dive this album soon.

Cold Transmission Zeitgeist Vol 10

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https://coldtransmissionmusic.bandcamp.com/album/zeitgeist-vol-10

When our friends at Cold Transmission release two compilations back to back like this two things are generally true. 1) They feature a perfect blend of some of the hottest new music available from around the world. 2) They have one volume dedicated to Goth/Post Punk/Cold Wave and the other primarily electronic. This ended up right to form. It’s about 40 songs total at an unbelievably low price so I can’t touch on every single track. However I made a picture of Bloody Mary, hooked up my good speakers, and I am going to see how many I can do in one review. Buckle in and lets go for a ride.

Andy and I being adorbs 😉

Volume 10: So the genre of “Gothic Rock” is one that has been sitting on the self for a few decades without nearly enough attention for my personal taste. I feel like it is really making a huge comeback in the modern scene. Bands are really coming forth with new and exciting things from wicked goth guitar riffs and driving bass lines. I was blown away at how this compilation captured so many of these great next wave Goth Rockers from all over the world in one place. If you call yourself “Goth” and want to have your finger on the modern pulse, Zeitgeist Vol 10 is a great place to start. It puts me in mind of those old Cleopatra Records comps I fell in love with all those years ago.

Track 1: A Projection – Stockholm Sweden post punk artist off of Tapete Records. What a strong start this song is. It bounces and the snapping of those live snares gives a furious pace. This track had a lot of The Mission UK flavor and a beautiful melody. I became an instant fan. Lots of depth, lots of rawness.

Track 3: Mark E Moon – This is a previously unreleased track Delta of Venus of this Cold transmission act from the Isle of Man is a gasoline fire of dark driving poetry. I love the lyrics, the cascading synths, and Mark’s Jaz Coleman style vocals. Total Burner

Track 4: Sonsombre – Fear is a a slow driving goth rock modern classic from North Virginia revivalist Brandon Pybus. I really feel like Sonsombre are leading the charge for this next wave of goth music. Lots of Sisters of Mercy/Mission/Rosetta Stone ballad feel on those sweeping light finger drip guitars. This song makes me howl at the moon at 3am.

Sonsombre

Track 6 : October Burns Black – Cast Aside is a “Proper” Goth rock track in every old school sense. This super band made up of bits and pieces from all around are giving you the real deal right out of 1981 preserved in dark crystal and given new life in the present. A mournful emotional outburst full of texture and power.

October Burns Black

Track 7: Astari Nite – Dearly Beloved, This crooning shadowy ballad from Miami Florida’s robust goth scene. A lot of David Bowie/Roxy Music glam to this dark winding tale of loss.

Astari Nite

Track 8 : Secret French Postcards – The most recent signing for Cold Transmission from Baltimore Maryland. Make Me Bleed is a beautiful track with very dark overtones but an ethereal shoegaze backdrop. One of those tracks that hits you on different layers every time you listen.

Track 9 : Icy Men – Another amazing Cold Transmission band hailing from Keiv Ukraine. They have another just released single I need to review. I love this minimalist bleak tone of isolation and desperation. I can’t understand the lyrics but i still find myself moved by the power of the delivery. The bending low range guitars create a great movement in a place devoid of hope.

Track 13: Caidas Libras – Post punk from Costa Rica. This song Poderes Simples has an intense and driving bass groove that charges through the track like a raging bull. The vocals are very whispered and low fi. I found myself wishing to hear more of it. The music has an undeniable groove and a sinister tone.

Track 14 : Paradise Cove – Inside is another previously unreleased track on Cold Transmission. I love the distorted voice and punk rock vibe. Very Alien Sex Fiends buzzing club jam feel. Slick as an oil spill on an a frozen lake.

Track 15 Scary Black – Louisville KY goth masters Scary Black bringing one of my favorites on this compilation of goodness with Starlightdancer. Those reverb dreamy guitar riffs, the sinister low register vocals, and the ringing chime bells. So old school, so fresh, I can’t get enough.

Track 17: The Gathering – Building a Bridge is the slashing builder and breaker from Vancouver also on Cold Transmission. It’s so open and harmonic, almost feels pop punk but with such perfect instrumentation and looming dark tones.

Track 20: Death Instinct – Hide is a track from Pittsburgh PA’s dark rock band Death Instinct. I love the Steven Morris drum builds. The echoing vocals with a slight lilt giving just enough glimpse of light to add some extra spice to the cold wave feel.

Track 23: Amaranth – My Turn Again is a song from Kalamazoo MI goth rockers. The singer sounds like a pretentious prick. Fuck that guy. The bass player seems hot though.

Track 25: The Bluebeard’s Castle – Another Cold Transmission band this time from France. I love this old bat cave feel yesteryear goth. Also the vocals have a touch of Jello Biafra in them which is awesome. I love the cadence and the bass underneath driving it.

I’m going to try and go back and fill in the bands I missed but this was just a marathon of reviewing. Needless to say I put in this much time because everything on this compilation is worth exploring and it takes you on a journey across the world. It makes me excited for what the goth scene is still capable of in 2019.

Review of Kid Saint Nothing album “Above_Below”

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Members: Reggi “WereWolf” Paige

Hometown: Kalamazoo (Secret goth haven of the midwest)

Label: Self Release

https://www.facebook.com/Kid-Saint-Nothing-110214880442459/

https://kidsaintnothing.bandcamp.com/releases?fbclid=IwAR13DrtvXyC2-aniMOEBJpE0rNQo3C__IwaeLKYvk2FTszYf9bOk6gqzH5A

Shameless self promotion of Reggi in an Amaranth Tshirt 😉

I really couldn’t be more excited for this release. I just don’t do enough to promote the amazing Kalamazoo Music scene and Reggi has been a mainstay of it for over a decade. With Kid Saint Nothing‘s new album Above_Below they have truly their opus with a mature beautifully crafted dark edge synth wave. It shows a maturity of sound and a tender adolescence of feeling. Capturing his pure and tortured soul with pin point melodies and nostalgic themes. I know I am having trouble hiding that feeling of proud big brother from my voice, but I am genuinely blown away by what he has created here. These songs are haunting and ran through my mind all day. The drum fills are explosive and the simple feel of the rising keys put me in mind of Mr.Kitty. A compliment i do not throw around lightly.

Reggi and Buddha

This album has such a diversity of sound but all fits together like pieces of a puzzle. They have a soulful voice and lyrics that cut a vein and spray it all over you. Something I feel like modern music could use a healthy dose of. Reggi croons and drones in equal measure with a lot of Emo sensibility measured with 60’s surf. I’ve heard them sing in a few projects but never with this control and clarity and it left me wondering why not until now. The styles are a little all over the place, but they are every place I wanted to be.

Top Tracks: Fuuuuuck how to pick, listen to it all….but

Let’s Fall In Love: This beautiful bumpy synth lets Reggi croon like 80’s solo Peter Murphy. It’s tender and heartfelt. I love the 50’s doo wop feel on the chorus. This song built a home in my head and lived there all day.

Save Myself: Yummy yummy drum beats. Call to me from beneath the sea. This dark wave builder is full of imagery as it slithers and winds. The lyrics appear as a whisper and make you lean in to hear. Reminded me a bit of my friend Vin from Ghost of Bela Lugosi. (Reggi is a fan). Even the angels can’t save you from yourself.

This Is Not Your Home: It’s like a movie I saw but can’t remember the plot of. I like his lower register build to the vocals. The tender sliding synth pads creating this solitary house. One you are looking at from outside.

Maniac On The Floor: This cover of Michael Sembello is just must hear, trust me

Look I know I got a bit gushy on this one. I am just so proud of the album a dear friend has created. I know i am pretty close to this but after hearing music all over the world for this review page. I feel pretty confident this isn’t just connection. It’s not the cleanest constructed record I have heard this year. Yet it is definitely one that made me feel as much as anything. I really can’t recommend it enough. You will be glad you gave it a try. I can’t wait to have Amaranth play with them.