Neo-industrial project Divine Shade is close to releasing their album Fragments Vol. 1, and from this debut, Remi Thonnerieux has dropped the latest single, “Hate and Oblivion. “
Reverberating electronics, tinged with feedback kick off with quirky interluding loops. This is leading you to the juicy chorus which is both ground out with Thonnerieux’s vocals and yet, still, the guitar and synths have a capacity to make you feel like you are soaring above everything. There is even a sneaky break where you think “Hate and Oblivion” has suddenly stopped.. but do not be fooled!
Divine Shade has toured with GaryNuman and it undeniable that his influence can be heard on “Hate andOblivion.” This track is instantly likeable and indeed familiar in a way, but that might be in part to the retro ambience. Between Thonnerieux’s vocals and the rich synths, DivineShade have absolutely served up an epic dark industrial track in “Hate and Oblivion.”
2024 marked twenty years making music for Nottingham goths, In Isolation. After two decades, lead singer Ryan Swift and bassist Mike Sinclair have decided that they need to move on with life, though they have given remaining members, Tony Ghost (drums) and John Berry (guitar,) their blessing to continue with the In Isolation moniker if they so wish to do so. They are celebrating both the milestone and finale by releasing the EP Light In Dark Times.
The EP kicks off with the title track, “Light In Darker Times,” and it truly is a lovely post-punk single, dark and maudlin, with lyrics about what I can only describe as an unrequited love or the death of said love. The music is reminiscent of the Disintegration era sound of The Cure, between the curling synths and echoing guitars that speak of a deep melancholy. There is a charming innocence to “Middle Child Millicent,” until the guitars kick in. A girl with a name from the Victorian age, has found herself the unfavoured sibling, in comparison to her brothers. The Mission could have written this track I feel, especially with the wandering guitars lines and sentiment.
The name makes me think of the Japan single “Ghosts” and overall, “Phantoms” did give me a little start when I heard it, for it does throw you back into that early 80s. It is a sweet lament of wanting what the heart cannot have and unable to move on from the loss. “Middle Child Millicent (Mat Pop Extended Mix)” rounds out the EP, with far more synthpop flare and aplomb. It is amazing how different this is to the original and yet you can hear it is the same track.
Kids in shadow filled rooms and a myriad of phantasms connected to a heart denied…. this is how you get goths. And it might be an EP, but Light In Darker Times is an epic celebration for In Isolation to release. Is it the end? Who knows, however, the music lives on regardless
Bah and humbug! Tis Christmas again, where we will be serenaded by carols both new and old, so how about something both new and spooktacular for the holiday season in the form of the single “A Very VampireChristmas” from Who Saw Her Die?
Behold the jingling and what sounds like a drunken version of “Do They Know It’sChristmas?“, and I guess you can look at it as kindly gifting life, so that sneaky vampire is going to enjoy the seasonal cheer and get his fill of Bloody Mary’s… so to speak.
The drawling vocals are paradoxical compared to the chiming electronic music, plus coupled with wonderfully absurd concept that a vampire would like to join in the whole being a part of the Christmas joy, but they are people too….they just happen to be undead. This track was originally released last year on the GothsFor Sanctuaries compilation, which is aa great cause. Grab your favourite child of the night and celebrate “A Very Vampire Christmas” with Who Saw Her DIe?!
Berlin is a hotbed of dark alternative music, especially of the electronic kind and ParadoxObscur are a pulsating beacon in the genre. ToxicRazor and KriistalAnn are the duo behind the project and what makes them a little different to other electronic groups is that they record everything in real time, so what you get is music that is experimental and has a more organic flow. The latest EP is called Attention and it is self released.
“Attention” is a slow burn of a opening track, with it’s gradual build up and it is here to indeed grab your ears. The almost samba rhythms shimmy across the gilt dancefloor, as we are serenaded by the more droned vocals of Razor interspersed by KriistalAnn’s sultry tones. The single “Slap It” is dripping in sexual tension and innuendo. There are moody vocals which are underlined by Euro techno-pop synths and beats, perfect for strutting your stuff
Cannot lie and say I know what is going on in the lyrics of “Sin Barreras” or WithoutBarriers, which are in Spanish. The first verse, that is repeated, translates into ‘We’ve been fed mocha They have replaced it with coca Society is mired in shit‘, but however you read into it, they just work. It is trance like with Kriistal Ann seducing you into her spiralling vocals. The last track is “Escape” and it is a return to that techno dance groove that rolls and bubbles, enticing the listener to lose themselves to the rhythm, which might be the escape.
If you are wondering what Paradox Obscur used in the recording process, they listed Access Virus TI Polar, Roland JD-Xi, Korg Kaossilator Pro, IK Multimedia UNO Synth and DSI Mopho. Definitely check out the video for “SlapIt,” featuring a fabulous 70s inspired disco cross dresser. The EP is also a celebration of a decade of Paradox Obscur and if you have been following their career, you will know they are not interested in doing what is popular, rather creating music that is pleasing to them and in turn given us some brilliant listening material. Attention is another artistic concept with cool synths, evocative vocals and hot rhythms and we love Paradox Obscur for it.
I have it on good authority that the folks behind LunarPaths are preparing for live shows, but in between these machinations, they have released a new single “Seen.”
Background looped guitar riffs set the stage for Dubois‘ strong vocals and lyrics. The drums by Hunter, pick their way through the layers of programming, adding to the extraordinarily full sound. The lyrics speak of seeing the young out at night and wishing they knew how wonderful they look and have the courage to be themselves.
There is drama of the noirish romanticism kind in this style of music that still harks back to the early post-punk era, especially in the delivery of the singing. It is like listening to Anne-Marie Hurst (Skeletal Family/Ghost Dance) or SiouxsieSioux, with that vibrato and it instantly makes you clamour for more. Lunar Paths is spinning and weaving beautiful darkwave creations, just like “Seen.”
ST///LL (Stiiill) we last heard from in 2023, and these three brothers in musical arms have released a double single in the form of “Empty Room” and “Shout Out.” With members spread out over the UK and Ireland, they are gearing up for their second album to drop in 2025 but in the meantime, this is a taste of what is to come.
A lone piano plays, to be joined by an electronic beat and then the track launches itself with a hail of guitar, and the vocals exude a forlornness in the vein of IanCurtis (JoyDivision). The bass thunders with the rhythm while the guitar flourishes and the piano wanders through like a ghost in “Empty Room.”
“ShoutOut” is full of atmospheric synths, with a grittier energy and purpose. The guitars and synths meld into a cacophony of melodic noise in the chorus with the vocals punctuating the urgency of it all.
I really enjoyed “Shout Out,” but for me, “Empty Room” kind of grabs you, full of melancholic emotions. I don’t think it is intentional, however ST///LL have created two track that could be on a Joy Division album and this is never a bad thing.
Since the release of their debut single “From The Grave,” psychobilly Brits Midnight Feature have quickly backed this up with a new track “HELL-A-VISION,” with a bonus video made by the band at the Eerie Ink Tattoo Studio, Walsall, UK.
The Evil Dead beginning of the video prepares for the blistering launch of the track. The chorus is belting out the title, that would definitely have moshers thrashing around in the pit screaming in delight. It is a frenzy of drums, cool guitar licks and riffs, and with vocals that are dark and egging you on to join him in the throws of a killer thriller.
If the Japanese have taught us anything, it is never open up and watch a dubious video tape. This might result in South African vampires and having a great band play at your place….okay, yeah play the tape! The music video is very kitsch fun and reminds me very much of TheDamned’s “Video Nasty” which of course was featured on The Young Ones, but it isn’t just the video that harks back to this track. The themes, energy and general joy of the genre come through in spades. You should get hooked on a “HELL-A-VISION” with the Midnight Feature.
In 1979, Gary Numan released The Pleasure Principle, which was his debut solo after two albums with the Tubeway Army. “Metal” is a standout track that is favoured by Numan and has been covered many times…. even by Nine Inch Nails. Rob Hyman (drums, synths, programming, production) and Jax Allos (vocals, bass) are Chicago based [melter], and they have put out their own version of “Metal.”
PHOTO – JASON KRAYNEK
Those flourished synth lines are the staple essence of this track, and they are very much present, but I am also glad that this is not a carbon copy. Having the altered vocals of Allos brings a new element, compared with the memory of Numan’s cleaner singing style. The percussion is just so strong and perfect in propelling “Metal” along.
This is definitely a gritty version that pays homage to a great track, and takes it on a more experimental tangent. A case of sweet and industrial tang that is satisfying to hear if you know the song, and a guarantee that if you haven’t, it is going to pique your interest in following up the original and the back catalogue of [melter]. “Metal” is such a great single and [melter] have polished it up and given it teeth.
Los Angeles post-punk band The Sea At Midnight are extremely prolific, with the latest single “Burning” dropping in November. This a cover originally written by V. Grant and Marco Cattani of Chemical Waves, who released the track on the album II (Emotional Violence) and also featured The Sea At Midnight.
The track evolves from a low rumble, into languid drum beat and drifting electronics. The vocals are beautifully clean and soulful, accompanied by the jangly guitar. There is a wealth emotion pouring forth and “Burning” elicits a visceral response in the form of tingles down your spine. The original form of this song was a far more electronic affair, and The Sea At Midnight has given it a darker ethereal feel that wells and bubbles with a longing that grabs you by the heart strings.
Phillip Olympia (vocals, synthesizers, drum machines) and JakeMiller (guitars, synthesizers) are VirginBirth, a band on Never Nervous Records and hailing from Kentucky. They released the single “Break Down the Air” on November 1st, which is the first single off the album Total Annihilation that is planned to drop in early 2025.
Out in the lawless cities, where society has broken down and survival post apocalypse is all consuming. This is what might happen if you had to live in a world ripped apart by nuclear war, and it is painted by the lyrics describing nuclear winter. A voice clip of a disaffected female hammers home the loss, all the while the more delicate rhythms are off-set by the heavy electronics’ droning.
Virgin Birth have said they based this track off the British movie Threads (1984) that is set in an alternative timeline where is nuclear war has ravaged the planet and the survivors scrape through in a brutal environment. Let us hope it never comes to this is the take home message, but you can still enjoy the brooding “Break Down the Air.”
Onyx Music Reviews 