Proud goth, ex DJ and music reviewer

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Since the 2007 inception of Vancouver band, The Silence Industry has revolved around lynch-pin member Graham Jackson, with other musicians joining him when they are available. The single “As The Walls Close In,” is part of an ongoing project where singles will be released with art work, and each will have two exclusive ‘b-side’ tracks.

The beginning of the title track has that all-encompassing heavy bass, which I associate with early Tool, bubbling with latent tendrils of misgivings, leaning itself to a progressive rock feel. The vocals, crisp and clear, combined with that guitar work, definitely harken back to the roots of 90s gothic rock. The two ‘b-sides’ consist of unreleased versions of “Bags of Clay (Lofi Piano Version)“, which is full of slow burn longing, and “These Long Sunset Shadows ( A Dark Ambient Noise Jam),” that clocks in at just over twelve minutes and the description tells no lies. This is a melancholy at its ambient best.

Fluid and engrossing is how I would describe “As The Walls Close In,” as it beautifully mixes gothic rock with something a little more modern, and with that open door policy with other artists, that only piques my interest more. The single/EP is on Bandcamp for name your price, so you have nothing to lose and the real possibility of gaining some damn fine tracks from The Silence Industry.

▶︎ As the Walls Close In | The Silence Industry (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/thesilenceindustry/

https://www.jamendo.com/artist/486633/the-silence-industry

https://www.instagram.com/thesilenceindustry/

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In the mid 80s, Tears For Fears were one of the huge names in popular music, topping the charts. One of their tracks is the still well loved “Mad World,” and Madil Hardis has released a cover of this iconic number.

Echoing, delicate singing of Hardis is the absolute focal point, with the electronics simply haunting the background. The Tears for Fears version was for the disaffected, while this new cover is ethereal and not bound to this world.

Pretty sure that I have said this in the past, but honestly the vocals are simply angelic in nature, touching that place within you that causes involuntary shivers down your spine. Otherworldly and poignant, with the ability to drag out emotions of even the most coldest of hearts, this is “Mad World” by Madil Hardis.

Music | Madil Hardis (bandcamp.com)

https://facebook.com/madilhardis

http://madilhardis.com/

https://www.instagram.com/madilhardis/

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From Louisville, Kentucky, the duo of Stephen Beasey and Brian Cain are the darkwave band Who Saw Her DIe?, and have released in December, the EP, Ignoring The Serpent.

Oh dear, “Emma” it seems is a stalker, who doesn’t understand the word no, looking to control the subject of her misplaced affection. The vocals deep and foreboding, as they tell of Emma’s indiscretions and unhealthy obsession. Angels can be found in many religions and not all are the light bringers which many pray to now. Rather, they are often avenging beings and this is the premise of “Angel Of Old.” There is a beautiful mix of synths and guitar, that play and intertwine throughout the track, all set to a spritely dance rhythm.

The last track is “Ignoring The Serpent,” slower and far more introspective. The serpent is the metaphor for evil and the premise is that no matter what happens to a person, we can hold onto that which makes us a decent human. The guitar sprinkles this lament with light while the synths and vocals are the grave warning of the loss of this humanity.

Who Saw Her Die? delves into the synth based sound of the 80s and marry it to the far more modern darkwave drone with sparkling guitar work. It really works for them, as they write about the human psyche, the paranormal and how they feed into each other. Don’t be ignoring this serpent, because the bite is quite intoxicating.

Ignoring the Serpent | Who Saw Her Die? (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/whosawherdie

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As promised, Killtoys are back with “Departed,” the final instalment of the trilogy release of connected singles that includes, in order, “Blind God” and “Another Realm“. The Brisbane/Meanjin three piece, comprised of Mick Bristow, Stav Tsolakides and Bevan Bancroft, seem to be building up steam… so we are hopeful for an album release.

The guitar work, as always, is glorious, haunted by a whiff of horror inspired uncertainty, with deep sliding riffs, offset by the thrashing drums. The echoing and pained, or is it beseeching(?), vocals leave you with no doubt that the end is nigh, and Bristow welcomes the creeping shadows to come and take him.

Garry and Jess of Obscure Medium Art, have again created evocative cover art, mastered at 301 by Steve Smart in Sydney, and recorded at King Street Studio in Brisbane. ‘We are the dead,’ is the climax to the trilogy and that in the end, as humans, we come into existence, have free will to create our own destiny and that for all of us is the eventual passing into the veil, hopefully to be greeted by those loved ones that went before us. You are never alone with the “Departed” and Killtoys.

https://www.facebook.com/Killtoysband/

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Finnish musician Amanda Aalto dropped the single “Vampira” on December 1st. This independent singer, songwriter, and producer has been releasing music for the last ten years.

The electronics are almost in lament, with an innocence in the lightness, which is further enforced by the vocals. An ode to a female creature of the night, whom has had to accept her fate, never able to go back to her previous life.

I would almost say that “Vampira” wants you to feel remorse for the prejudice the main character has to endure, through no fault of her own. Simple synth lines, coupled with lilting vocals and you too can dance the blood bond with Amanda Aalto and her “Vampira.”

Vampira | Amanda Aalto (bandcamp.com)

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Choose Euphoria is the latest album from UK project The Resonance Association, released in 2023. The brain child of Daniel Vincent and Dominic Hemy, has been around since 2006, and according to their Bandcamp page…. ‘They seek to produce hallucinatory music to transport the listener to uncharted realms of space and time.’

The first track off the rank, “Force Majeure,” leaps out at you, its enthusiastic rock guitar with walls of sound bursting forth joyously, adventuring like a cosmic snake. The electronics continue this journey of sound with “Invocation,” more subdued than “Force Majeure,” but equally full of intonations throughout, as if the solar winds are gracing your ears in the background. “The State of Things” is semi angelic, though some of the effects are near paranoid inducting, especially with the slowly played guitar and it has been combined with a rather psychedelic froopy video. Cool liquid bass lines are the backbone for “No Fear of Falling,” with wailing synths crystalline and smooth, even when faced by the solo guitar reaching out the listener.

There is something very early 80s about “Some Kind” that I just cannot quite put my finger on, but it is hypnotic and all together far too enjoyable, even with the computer created sirens. I somehow doubt the track “Trip Hazard” is about unfortunately falling over one’s own feet, but rather, flights of fancy, and as we all know, some journeys are fraught with real dangers, such as minding the gap, which perfectly leads into “Elsewhere.” Again, we are within the winds that whip around the meandering guitar, courting you to go along for the laid back ride. We finish with prog odyssey “Space Time Politics” which kind of reminded me of a scaled back version of Pink Floyd’s “Journey to the Heart of the Sun,” full of lulls that build up into Hendrix like explosions of guitar.

Choose Euphoria is an eight track album, and indeed The Resonance Association have done exactly as they said they would, using music to transcend our space and the current limitations, opening up movement and achieving wonder, as well as creating textures via experimentation and instrumentation alone. Choose life and Choose Euphoria.

Choose Euphoria | The Resonance Association (bandcamp.com)

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Natural Darkness is the new album offering from German born, London based Madil Hardis, with twelve original tracks and six remixes, meaning not only is there quality, but you are getting quantity too!. Hardis is known for her gloriously angelic vocals, married with very emotive musical scores that she has created.

The first cab off the rank is “Absence,” settings the tone for the album. Crystal like shards of life experience and poignant, filled with longing that is heart felt. “Crucifixus” has those deeply religious tones of devout exultation given by angels to the heavens in the form of vocals. The track “To The Heart” floats with an internal rhythm and the ever-present piano, caressed by the synths, as if trying to bring comfort, all the while Hardis‘ vocals soar above. Just one of the songs that showcase her talents.

One of the shortest numbers is also, for me, one of the most sublime. This is “Disintegration,” and it is one of those songs that can just cast you adrift on a forlorn sea. The title track, “Natural Darkness,” has a rather preternatural echoing air, haunting and ethereal, as if yesterdays spectres are waiting at the vale.

The remixes are done by the likes of Ashbury Heights, Vortex Four, Wandering Stars, Bérèche You, and Electro Spectra. There is a version of “Natural Darkness” that isn’t really a remix but rather features the cello talents of Michael Hyman, which just creates a feeling of welling beauty and haunting desperation. The others range from modern, through to experimental electronica, giving you new and intriguing ways of perceiving each track.

That is just a taste of Natural Darkness, from a lady with an abundance of natural talent. Madil Hardis carefully entwines classical tendrils with electronic ones, weaving music that is otherworldly and, at the same time, grabs your heart strings.

Natural Darkness | Madil Hardis (bandcamp.com)

https://facebook.com/madilhardis

http://madilhardis.com/

https://www.instagram.com/madilhardis/

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In the early 90s, we were experiencing the second wave of goth, and one band to grab our attention was the French group Corpus Delicti, with the album Sylphes, instantly becoming a classic. After five years Corpus Delicti disbanded, and now, twenty eight years later, they are finally back with the single “Chaos,” which has William Faith (Faith & The Muse, Shadow Project) in the role of producer.

Just the vocals alone make you know that this is Corpus Delicti, as Sebastian’s singing style has not really changed. Serpentine guitar coils around your senses and the bass guitar is truly gorgeous. The chorus sends shivers down my spine with the breath taking soaring quality, that becomes almost attacking in its veracity, and the synths build the underlaying tension.

They are no longer those youngsters, but that has been replaced by a maturity and a conviction to the music. Everything about “Chaos” screams that this is the same band even down to those guitar flourishes, and I am transported back in time to when I picked up a purple covered CD, with a black and white art piece, discovering songs that became a part of who I am today. Oh how I have missed you Corpus Delicti, for now you have released the “Chaos” and we want more…..

Chaos | Corpus Delicti (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/cdelicti/

https://corpusdelicti0.wixsite.com/band

https://www.instagram.com/corpusdelictimusic/

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It is always lovely to hear the guitar artistry of Karl Morten Dahl, aka Antipole, and he has joined forces with German based Deus Ex Lumina, the darkwave project of Gonzalo Schwindt, for the single “Destroy.”

Dahl’s guitar is ghostly and ephemeral, a presence in the background and melding into synths which glimmer star like from the murky memories that are uttered on the lips of Schwindt. The vocals weighted, sonorously deep and smooth as liquid black velvet.

It is undeniable that there is an 80s electronic, almost coldwave electronics sound to “Destroy.” There is a gentle fragility within the music though the lyrics more than hint to some sort of violence. “Destroy” is a beautiful act of dancefloor tragedy by Deus Ex Lumina & Antipole.

Destroy | Deus Ex Lumina & Antipole | Deus Ex Lumina (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/deusxlumina/

https://www.instagram.com/deusexluminaofficial

Music | Antipole (bandcamp.com)

http://www.facebook.com/antipoleband