In 2018 Vancouver Post Punk band Actors released the groundbreaking album “It Will Come To You” as part of a next wave Darkscene revolution. After extensive touring through world stages the follow up record 2021 “Acts Of Worship” propelled Jason, Shannon, Kendell, and Adam to festival level crowds at the spearhead of the modern alt movement. Now with a third LP release and new tour on the horizon I’m excited for the chance to review the latest single “CTRL” on Artoffact Records.
For a band I have loved since the beginning when I hear a new release the first thing I think of is what is new? For me the Actors sound has always built around the core of Jason’s vocals. Thirteen seconds into CTRL you are blasted with a wall of sound driven by a run-away chariot of blasting bass. Jason is emotive and understated with Kendall and Shannon shining echo’s glowing around the edges. The guitar swirls and cracks in precise moments. The entire ride is a 3.25-minute banger with tight structure and vibrant energy. I can’t wait to hear this live with Adam booming away in 4/4. I’ve never heard Actors push the needle like this and I am here for it. The “Our Love Starts Forever tour is coming in 2026 and if you have never witnessed the Actors live, don’t wait.
Here is my review for Vancouver-based Modern Post-Punk and Darkwave band ACTORS latest single that will be released on Bandcamp and elsewhere October 4, 2024. I received my copy early so let’s see what we got. Warning, if you want to jump straight into the review, skip the next two paragraphs. They will be there to go back to read later. I promise it will not self-destruct. (smiles)
But first, a little backstory as my musical journey in these last few years is interwoven with this band. I first became a fan of all kinds of what would become Alternative Rock in the 80’s and 90’s. I listened to everything I could get my hands on. New Wave, Synthwave, Goth, College Rock, Industrial. I sopped it up like a piece of toast into a sunny side yolk. For my entire life I played catch up. Then in my Thirties, I entered a dark period. I didn’t have the same access to music as I once did though I would keep up on some Indie Rock through the early 2000’s Then the pandemic hit. Like most of us, I found hobbies to pass the time except I was living in a nursing home with no place to go after the passing of my Dad and my sister moving my Mom to NJ.
I started getting back into music and started getting into most of the darker music that I always wanted to get into. I met a group of like-minded music loving fans. They would all help me focus on the music again. A few of them encouraged me to start DJ-ing. Another lot encouraged me to start listening to this Modern band that took much of the music that Ken Magerman would call Modern Dark Scene and spun it with their own individual abilities that would become ACTORS. I was intrigued and I was compelled to know more. It was slow at first but knew I found a new obsession (I would later find that is a name of one of their songs) needed more including names, lyrics, and anything I could find. Before I got to Dark Force Fest 2023, I was hooked. The fact that I started to introduce myself to lead singer Jason Corbett at the merchandise stand for LEATHERS and he cut me off before I could finish and said, “I know who you are Alexx and thank you for what you do” to share us in your social media. I’ve since told him that it was that meeting that later inspired me to jump into TWITCH and keep working at becoming an online DJ; always learning from others, developing my own sense of style and oddly falling into running a New Music show every week once I realized that the newer bands were the ones who responded to my posts even more than the listeners.
Review for “Object of Desire” by ACTORS
The song begins with a pulsating collection of deliberate combination of echoing beats both synthesized and from the steady hand of drummer Adam Fink along with a wonderful bassline from bassist Kendall Wooding. Together they weave a hypnotic beat and brooding tone that really shows off the production work that has made Jason Corbett’s Jacknife Sound a popular place for remixes and full album production work for other bands in the scene.
The intense lyrics are seductive and full of bravado and intense longing, asking:
“Give yourself to foreign pleasure
Take your time
Lose yourself
Submit to vice
Tell me that you’re mine”.
Yet the chorus begins with too I’s, that single stammer belying the bravado, but finds its place again and continues their plea to take a chance on “me”… with the lyrics,
“I
I was low but now I’m high
I could be your object of your desire”
just as the other person had already become theirs.
We had already spoken on the driving, brooding rhythm but you can’t mention a song from the ACTORS without talking about Shannon Hemmett on Keyboard and Jason Corbett on guitar. Taking all four together as a unit, their performance is atmospheric and haunting that weaves a brooding tone with reverb, distortion and a driving beat that is as seductive as its lyrics making you want to dance. Unlike their previous song “We Don’t Have To Dance”, this song is pulling the object of their desire, and you the listener, with their seductive invocation.
New Video: “Object of Desire” by ACTORS
You want a rating? I don’t give them. I write on vibe. I write about things I like and/or love if I have the time. It can be implied if I review it, I recommend putting it on your wishlist and picking it up at your earliest convenience.
This single will be released on October 4, 2024
ACTORS are a Modern Post-Punk band that fans of bands like Joy Division, Bauhaus, Depeche Mode, and The Cure will appreciate.
Alexx Dimeler is a DJ on TWITCH and KICK known as DJ_LP_ViBE. The LP originally stood for Listening Party. His main show is on Saturdays 9 pm-1 am+ ET and is called “New Music M.D. (Modern DARKSCENE) and play a wide range of music from Post-Punk, Darkwave, Goth, Synthwave, Industrial, EBM, Dark Alternative, and everything in between.
This was an amazing month for new music heading into October the most goth month of the year. In September we had our highest vote count yet. All the songs below were Sept 2022 singles released in the broad “Darkscene” genre and voted on by the S & S collection of Djs, Artists, Promotors, Reviewers, and Superfans. A LOT of BANGERS here. Please take a listen, find something you enjoy, and support artists on Bandcamp. If you have a single releasing in Oct, or know someone who does, add it to the voting poll. Also it was a lovely feeling that the majority of the artists in the chart have done an interview with us.
Leathers – Ultraviolet – Artoffact Records
Caustic x Grabyourface – Not Your Body
A Cloud Of Ravens – The Blackest Mantra – Nexilis Records
Exa X – Control – Distortion Productions
Fatigue – Saudade (The Way Of Love)
Ashes Fallen – A New Normal
The Burying Kind – Coming Through
Mark E Moon – Dark Love – Cold Transmission Music
Curse Mackey – Smoking Tongues – Negative Gain Records
Cyborg Amok – Wicked Close
Junksista – Death By Heartache – COP International
Shannon being so Daddy I dropped my gum
LEATHERS – Ultraviolet – Brand new single from the Canadian synth extravaganza that is the project of Actors members and currently on tour with them. I love how if this was ever a “side project” it has evolved into a distinct powerhouse of twilight all on it’s own. There is a reason it was a definitive #1 in our most voted on chart to date. Force of nature single you need.
Caustic x Grabyourface – Not Your Body – This team up of Matt Fanale and Marie has evolved into an amazing partnership that just keeps rolling out hits. This one dropped at a perfect moment when a womans right to choose is under attack and this song hits back hard.
A Cloud of Ravens – The Blackest Mantra – I am so excited for the Brookland duo and all they have coming up. Jason Corbett of Actors mastered this at Jacknife Studios. The opening drums have this amazing old school Cult pulse and the guitar is a burning laser. Absolute banger of a single.
Eva X – Control – Another Canadian talent back in our chart again with digital assault pop. I really like the rubber bounce of this single and Gaby’s light touch on the delivery for the vocals. I also love seeing the top four are all bands we have interviewed 🙂
Fatigue – Saudade (The Way Of Love) – MA based Dj/Electronica artist with this fierce electronic builder that shimmers on the wire of a harp string. I love the breathy delivery on the vocals. What an infectious dance club banger. There is a breakdown around 2:50 that is pure artwork.
Ashes Fallen – New Normal – Usually when I am discussing Sacramento CA goth rockers Ashes Fallen it usually comes back to the guitars. On this new single it is all about the 16 wheel concrete crushing drive of the bass. Tight corners and overdrive to give you a thrill ride gripping the leather of the seats.
The Burying Kind – Coming Through – I will never tire of this story. A goth singer ( A Covenant of Thorns) and a Industrial drummer (The Joy Thieves) making gorgeous, romantic, spinning tapestry dreamgaze. This whole album is so deep with romance, anguish, beauty, and devotion. This one hits special.
Mark E Moon – Dark Love – From the Isle of Man off Cold Transmission Music a new single and definite new feel from Mark Sayle and crew. This single has a very 90s rebirth Duran Duran sensuality. Shelly Rourke vocal addition really adds another layer that is giving me goosebumps. Adding in Crying Vessel’s Slade Templeton is another shape on the powerful horizon. 10/10 banger.
Curse Mackey – Smoking Tongues – The Industrial legend from Texas returns for his sophomore solo offering. This single is a soulful narrative response to a world that wants art to become easier and easier to swallow. Even with slow dance singles Curse is showing trust in the intelligence of his audience to demand more.
Cyborg Amok – Wicked Close – New Jersey father/son prog goth duo with this dystopian sci fi single. I love the concept and the dramatic cape twirling creep surrounding the crunching Industrial guitars.
JUNKSISTA – Death By Heartache – Ok I am going to do a special mention here because we had a tie that came down to the decibel for the first time so I am adding the German dark pop siren on COP International to the 11 spot. Junksista is a talent I have never given their due in terms of listening time. I am always impressed with the perfect craft sound jewel shaping and dangerous delivery. This is a moment that I have experienced too often where I say “I need to listen to a lot more Junksista.
This is episode 1 of the Sounds and Shadows podcast. Here we feature artists in our scene choosing three bands they find meaningful and important in modern music. We then discuss three of their songs. In this episode Collin and I talk with Jason Corbett of the band Actors and Jacknife Studios from Vancouver Canada. We discuss three bands he has recorded Frankiie, Gang Signs, and Mesa Luna. We also drink sugar free Red Bull and spout off about life on tour, the modern post punk revolution, and whatever came to mind.
