Tag: The Palest Grey

Sounds and Shadows February 2022 Darkscene Singles Chart

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It is once again time to release the Sounds and Shadows Darkscene singles chart. Ok admittedly I am behind as always and this is the chart from Feb. As always these are singles released in Feb voted on by our members of Bands, Djs, fans, and reviewers. Representing the fan picks for the month in all genres of the darkscene. (goth/Industrial/Synthwave/Darkwave/EBM/EDM/ect) This month featured a few sad stories, because two bands that were chosen are no more 🙁 . I love what this chart has come to represent. Songs chosen by the people who love and support this scene regardless of label, influence, or history.

  1. Dead Cool – Game of Trust
  2. Massive Ego – Fake Star
  3. Sapphiria Vee Feat: Roger Ebner – Not Meant For Me
  4. Dead Lights – Doom Doom Trash
  5. The Palest Grey – Suicide
  6. Lorelei Dreaming – Of Stars (Daddybear Remix)
  7. Secret Shame – Hide
  8. Sidewalks and Skeletons Feat: Goo Monday – Shadows
  9. Moris Blak xx Moaan Exis Feat:Grabyourface – State Rejects
  10. Junksista – Fuck Your Pretty Face

DEAD COOL – Game of Trust – Wilmington, North Carolina stellar splashing synthwave goodness full of mystery and mayhem. Ringing front striking vocals and cascade keys. The husband and wife John and Angela Yeagher create a sinister story that is always driving forward. Awesome cover art to complete the image by Morgan Elizabeth.

https://deadcool.bandcamp.com/track/game-of-trust

Massive Ego – Fake Star – This was a happy/sad story. The London based dark synth act released this single and EP which is a sizzling assault of tongue and cheek satire and blood pumping dance chaos. Sadly the band has decided to call it quits to focus on health and personal concerns. We are left with this buzzing shadow storm electric single.

https://massiveegoofficial.bandcamp.com/

Sapphira Vee Feat : Roger Ebner – I love this bold crackling new energy from Sapphira Vee. As I state often on this page the addition of saxophone adds depth and sex appeal to everything. Roger Ebner (Pigface) give a muted perfect accent to these whispy tendrils of emotion and poetically delivered vocals.

https://sapphiravee.bandcamp.com/track/the-gift-was-not-meant-for-me-ft-roger-ebner

DEAD LIGHTS – Doom Doom Trash – UK Batwing EDM kicked out this absolutely banger from their upcoming March 2022 EP. It’s tight lightsaber fencing lunge and parry to make your dancefloor burn with desire. This album can’t come soon enough. Rain down ask and destruction on the writhing forms in leather and lace.

https://deadlightsband.bandcamp.com/

The Palest Grey – Suicide – Florida based deathrock newcomers comprised of members of Obscura Undead. A lurking and spine tingling promise which sadly will not go forward. The band completed this EP and then went their separate ways to pursue other projects. We are left with this driven and frantic single of old school bat cave croon and danger. We can only hope that the individual member continue on in future projects.

https://thepalestgrey.bandcamp.com/track/suicide

 Lorelei Dreaming – Of Stars – daddybear Remix – Chicago EDM Fantasy weaving Queen released this remix album with several wonderful re imaginings from top talent in the scene. This one a burning firework display by Matt Fanale (Daddybear). I love this bracing breathy barrage of bardic inspiration pushed from the battlefield onto the dancefloor by one of the masters of the genre.

https://loreleidreaming.bandcamp.com/track/of-stars-daddybear-remix

Secret Shame – Hide – Asheville, North Carolina driving dark alt band is just disturbingly good and continues to leave me floored with every single release. Rifle crack drums, polycolor slush pedal guitars, and ringing chat vocals with inspire and cast emotional magic. Hit after hit for this band.

https://secretshame.bandcamp.com/track/hide

Sidewalks and Skeletons – SHADOW [ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢᴏᴏ ᴍᴜɴᴅᴀʏ] – I recently had the pleasure of interviewing this UK band as well as upping my witchhaus education. This single is a pulsing shot of pure adrenochrome tempered with the gorgeous chime wave vocals of Australia’s Goo Monday. I started with this single and fell deep in love with this record.

https://sidewalksandskeletons.bandcamp.com/track/shadow

MORIS BLAK, Moaan Exis, grabyourface – State Rejects – Ok, there is so much to unpack here from Boston EBM darling Moris Blak’s new single. For starters it absolutely slaps. It features the most selected singer in the history of this poll Marie Dragontown of Grabyourface. It also features fellow French explosive rage dance band Moaan Exis. Somehow these immense artistic talents come together in creative cause to spew napalm chaos glory into your eardrums. I am staggered, I am spent, holy shit.

https://morisblak.bandcamp.com/album/moris-blak-x-moaan-exis-state-rejects-moments-of-dissent

JUNKSISTA – Fuck Your Pretty Face – German electronic whisper punk from Diana Noir released on COP International is a raindrop blue hue builder full of menace and danger. Throwing a burning brand at the concept of the value of beauty standards. I love the boxer weave drum beat and snarling challenge.

https://junksista.bandcamp.com/album/fuck-your-pretty-face

Remember to cast your votes for March in the Sounds and Shadows group for the singles that are inspiring you. A musical revolution is happening.

Nothing Tastes Better Than Buying a New Release On Bandcamp Day Feels.

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As the first Friday of February descends upon us Bandcamp (The best way to support new artists) has brought back Bandcamp Friday where every cent spent goes to the artists making the music. Here in Michigan we are buried in fluffy crystal snow and have no where to go. So make a cup of hot coco, grab a warm blanket, and tuck into some of the great releases which have found their way into my collection.

Sapphira Vee – Aerial Human – Sapphiria Vee has sprouted wings and taken to stormy skies with the newest release “Ariel Human“. A bracing new pace and sinister promise. Featuring a rouges gallery of impressive collaboration from Jean Marc- Lederman, Roger Ebner, then Mixed and mastered by sonic wizard Jules Seifert. Send your mind a flight. Sapphira’s ability to draw talent towards her with both her powerful voice and magnetic personality gives her access to a wide brigade of masterwork tools. As a producer she knows just when and where to implement each sound like a conductor in a symphony. Available 2/4/22 on Distortion Records.

https://sapphiravee.bandcamp.com/album/aerial-human

The Palest Grey – Always Haunted – Long have I yearned for this release of wine stained lips and flapping leather wing goodness from Malek, Ripley, and dear friend Azy of (Obscura Undead). Lofi open maw bounding horror charging down a darkened hallway by furious clomping drums and tendril rope guitars. This is wonderful music created by people who LOVE batcave goth. You can really hear that homage in the intensity and intent. The EP also includes a Virgin in Veil cover which is a powerful deep cut. I love how the vocals have this hazy shadow monster undefinable quality that fluctuates in range and ferocity. Out on 2/4/22

https://thepalestgrey.bandcamp.com/releases

Katy Needs A Life – With Friends Like Bees – This is another special release. I feel like I watched it grow up. Born here right in Kalamazoo MI, in Collin Schipper‘s (Amaranth) studio, done by Katy May (Sounds and Shadows). This record is everything I love about ultra sad dreamgaze pop, with none of the pretention I often associate with the genre. Every song is a flailing arms, heart flinging, explosion of narrative intensity. The music of Reggie, David, and Jake is a furious and frantic cohesion of chaos and pastel dreams. Katy has a voice full of purity and unapologetic raw truth that blasts through a sea of cold ultra produced crystal. This is such wonderous walking around with your own thoughts music.

Stand Out Track: I’m Going Down – This album is such a complete journey, I love each story and song. That said this track is constantly in my playlist when I need a moment. It’s a heavy builder that taps the emotion of great hits like Black Parade by MCR. It’s a nuclear unhinged crest of beauty and pain flung forth with reckless abandon. The perfect closer to the album.

This record is the first full length with the entire band and spells a glorious future for Katy and company. On top of that it is expertly mastered by none other than Jason Corbett (Jackknife Sound Studios) (Actors). I think sometimes those of us that do musical support of others get lost when it comes to our own projects. This is an unforgettable must have record.

https://katyneedsalife.bandcamp.com/album/with-friends-like-bees-2

Black Rose Burning – The Wheel – It’s strange, I feel like I have already reviewed this record, because I listen to it all the time. George Grant is a legendary part of the New York darkscene who has produced and written magnificent music that infuses heady concepts of fantasy and science fiction into beautiful towers of narrative beauty. With that history laid out, this album is the true opus of his career. A distinctive and complex expression of the modern post punk/darkwave scene. George has one of those voices of shooting star power which rings in the memory every time you hear it. I have said before it feels like Peter Gabriel doing goth music about Issac Asimov. This album is a must have in your collection. Also Mastered by Jason Corbett (Maybe you should ask him about mastering your band)

Stand Out Track: A Little Too Little – Grinding and filthy bass driving contrasts Georges lifting windswept beautiful vocals. I’m genuinely amazed this wasn’t a hit from the 80’s I had just forgotten about. A pleading love song tempered with regret. This song stabs me right through the heart every time.

https://blackroseburning.bandcamp.com/album/the-wheel

What are you going to buy this bandcamp day?