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A new year has brought us a shiny gift, in the form of the single, “Love You Like The Ocean” by the mercurial gothic trio, Ariel Maniki And The Black Halos. In further good news, there is a studio album slated for this year, so we are told by a little birdie. This track, by the band, was recorded at their home studio, in San Jose, Costa Rica, and will appear on the next album..

The synths are ephemeral and delicate as wisps of smoke, yet there is a heavy rumble below all, the bass set so low, creating almost, a pressure in your chest. The vocals are cocooned within this tumbling kaleidoscope of sounds, topped off by exquisite lyrics of a promise for unconditional adoration.

I have it on good authority that a bass VI was used, the instrument that Robert Smith, of The Cure, favoured for albums, such as Disintegration, and it is neither a bass, nor a guitar. This has imbued “Love You Like The Ocean” with that Cure like dreaminess, synths painting a vastness, a bass so low that holds the depth of that ocean… and a love of all loves.

https://arielmaniki.bandcamp.com/track/love-you-like-the-ocean

https://www.facebook.com/ArielManikiMusic?mibextid=ZbWKwL

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Oh, the children of the night, do you remember the 90s? *insert wolves howling here* It was definitely a time when the goth rock scene embraced the whole vampiric theme, and it seems that Czechs, Cathedral In Flames, also can reminisce on this time with their single and video, rather aptly titled “Not Another Vampire Song“. Auspiciously, they have John Fryer (Field of the Nephlim, Nine Inch Nails) doing the production.

It harkens back to a period when bands like The Awakening, Corpus Delicti, Two Witches, Faithful Dawn, Inkubus Sukkubus, and many others were regulars on compilations about the toothy blood suckers. This track takes me back to that time with its guitar lines, deep guttural vocals, and thunderous drumming. I guess this is just “Not Another Vampire Song” but rather a poke at the past, encapsulated in a great song by Cathedral In Flames. Yes, the 90s were a very silly time, and by gods, so much fun….

https://cathedralinflamesprague.bandcamp.com/track/not-another-vampire-song

https://www.facebook.com/cathedralinflames?mibextid=ZbWKwL

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Ner\ogris is a new industrial band from Germany with their debut album, I Am The Shadow – I Am The Light, coming out on the 24th of February, on the Dependent Records label. The band is new, but the members, Tinoc (vocals) and Kain (keyboards, programming), are known for their previous musical acts, Amniista and Les Berrtas, respectively. More importantly is the single they have released now, called “Shadowlight“.

Photo by Oskar Moshage

The low swell of the synths is menacing, with the promise of violence, acquiescing only for the vocals, which are growled, going from warning to seductive. This is never hurried, the rhythm constant before breaking down into lulls, only to pick up again.

Definitely can hear why people are comparing this to early X-MARKS THE PEDWALK, a rawness in the electronics and vocals plus the music in general just has this epic quality to it that you need to hear, as I cannot do justice to describe it. Ner\ogris so far are hitting all the sweet spots, so check out “Shadowlight” and I would advise industrial fans to watch out for the new album.

https://nerogris.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-the-shadow-i-am-the-light-2

https://www.facebook.com/ner.ogris?mibextid=ZbWKwL

https://en.dependent.de/

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I am going to tell you something for nothing…the new album, LOST HYMNS, from A Cloud Of Ravens, is going to blow you away. Yes, I have had the privilege of already hearing it but it isn’t going to be much longer before everyone will be able to behold it’s gothic magnificence. However, to tide you over, the lovely Beth and Matt have dropped a new single as of the 3rd of February, called “Requiem For The Sun“.

The drum machine takes hold and I will say, an uncanny likeness to the one in “Lucretia My Reflection” by The Sisters Of Mercy, so you know this is going to sound big. Unlike the forementioned song, “Requiem For The Sun” takes a more sinister turn, for what happens in the dark, when exposed to the light of day, shows an ugly truth. The low vocals are offset by the lighter keyboard, while the guitar drops in to follow the ever in motion and relentless rhythm. If you think this sounds good, wait until the vocals open right up for the intense chorus.

There is something very wonderful about A Cloud Of Ravens. Gothic rock done right might be the way to coin a phrase. Nods to the past post-punk bands before them, but they never lose sight of being their own project rather than shadowing others. The beauty is that they don’t try to sound the same twice and this is very heartening. Come and join the dirge supreme, before the “Requiem Of The Sun” turns all to ashes.

https://acloudofravens.bandcamp.com/track/requiem-for-the-sun-4

https://www.facebook.com/acloudofravens/

https://www.instagram.com/acloudofravens

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Madil Hardis is a German musician living in London and she has released a new single “Holding On“. This is a cover of the 2017 track from the electronic wizards, Empathy Test, which Hardis has admitted is one of her favourite bands.

A simple piano line is all that is required to kick this off, with Hardis’ solemn vocal performance an emotional affair, beseeching. Her angelic tones backing herself up in rounds that echo the fragility of life.

Such a sensuous sadness being explored in this version. Hardis’ vocals are both electrically mesmerising and gut wrenching all at the same time, still haunting you after the song has long finished. Love, loss and the mourning, fill the cup of this pared down version of the excellent “Holding On” by Madil Hardis.

https://madilhardis.bandcamp.com/

https://facebook.com/madilhardis

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

http://madilhardis.com/

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Ireland is a land of poets and musicians, and in this vein there is the duo of  Liam O Callaghan (vocals, guitars) and Edward Butt (guitars) in Arctic Lights. The 3rd of February sees the release of their new single “Holy Joe” and they are joined by Max Mac on drums and playing tambourine Nora O’Neill.

You are greeted with brash guitars, that lead into the thundering drums and synths that chime in. O’Callaghan’s purposeful whispers are perfect with the rock attitude and a pinch of psychedelia giving it a funky edge.

The guys have stated that they need to change things up or they get bored and they have certainly have done that. The very name “Holy Joe” had me thinking of The Cult’s “Resurrection Joe” but the track far more reminds me of the equally wonderful Love And Rockets. The track powers along, a perfect blend of alt rock creating an urge to live life to the fullest. So, like Marc Bolan said, get it on with Arctic Lights and “Holy Joe“.

https://arcticlights.bandcamp.com/track/holy-joe

https://www.facebook.com/ArcticLightsCork?mibextid=ZbWKwL

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New band time!!!! Electrinity are from Piraeus, in Greece and they have dropped their debut maxi single, “Rise“. This is an electro rock project by duo Zan Pol (vocals, bass) and Antonis Adelfidis (synthesizers, samples, drums) and the single was released on February the 1st.

As a maxi single there are two songs to delight you. The first is “Aggressive A.I.“, a mixture of rising keyboards and electric guitar, warning before the grave alert to something seriously wrong. The machines are no longer safe to be around as the synths illuminate our modern foe, while the vocals tell you of our worse nightmare. The second single is “Love“, though, in the words of PIL, this is not a love song. A cry in the electro wilderness to not be overlooked and the bass punctuate the lyrics. The synths exude a darkwave quality.

Electrinity look to be generating a theme that incorporates the vision of Terminator and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, with darker electro sound, the bass giving it that slightly more dirty, grungy sound. What will they do next? If you want to find out then support a new act in Electrinity and “Rise“.

https://electrinityband.bandcamp.com/album/rise

https://www.facebook.com/Electrinity-105535501995175/

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Do you do Visual Kei? I have long loved bands like X Japan, D’espairsRay and Dir En Grey for both their look and that certain key sound that Japanese Visual Kei bands have. So you might imagine my excitement and delight when I found the single “Pretend To Pray” by Psycho Sonic Boom in my in box. Psycho Sonic Boom is the brain child of Californian born Kairu, whom now resides in Japan and began this project back in 2010.

The clean vocals are entrancing from the first, full of flirtatious promises that will probably never be fulfilled, A light touch with the drums until the track hits the chorus. The guitars almost float gracefully over the top of all, ringing out to call you in like sirens to the sailors.

I truly love the attention to detail from the melodies and delicate guitar work to the video with the beautiful makeup and clothing. It is hard to tell if Visual Kei borrowed from deathrock or vice versa but they do share many similar elements and there is definitely an air of dark seduction and lingering fingers down the spine appeal. Let Psycho Sonic Boom show you how to “Pretend To Pray“.

https://xavak.bandcamp.com/music

https://vk.gy/labels/night-child-productions/

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Peter Endall is Suburban Spell and last year he dropped his second album, Split Levels. 1st of February, 2023 sees the Melbourne musician handing five, 80s inspired, synthwave tracks off the forementioned album, to five other musicians to invoke their style and magic on each.

The first of the tracks is “The Lonely Man” remixed by the goth meister himself, William Faith (Faith & The Muse, Christian Death, Mephisto Walz, The Bellwether Syndicate). Faith has added his signature guitar to the mix which gives this song a completely goth rock flavour. You aren’t wrong if you pick me for a big Faith fan and lets face it, the mix does not prove me wrong. Robots In Love is Elenor Rayner, whom has definitely made a splash with her emotional electronic mixes, has taken on the song, “Feel No More” creating an electronic piece that glitches and pops, yet having this dazzling spinning quality.

Andrew Dun remixes “Driving at Night” under the project name Ontic. The Ontic mix is trance like, smooth and silken molten dripping golden synths with electro vocals. Staying with the electronic vocalisation is the “I Take Exception” mix by Tragic Impulse, aka Paul Graham, that buzzes like the synapses of the nervous system, firing away. Fifth and last is from Valerio Rivieccio and his project Kurs, but in no way is this the least, merging his cyber industrial into “Control” creating an magnificent urgency and need that soars above the mundane world.

Actually, this EP is rather breath taking. Each track has been imbued with the talent of the mixer and taken them to a new level. These are all Endall’s songs and so that seed does not change, but definitely music has been given new wings to spread, and what glorious wings they are. A global collaboration for a brilliant EP. Get caught in the Suburban Spell and enjoy Split Levels Remixes.

https://suburbanspell.bandcamp.com/album/split-levels-remixes

https://www.facebook.com/SuburbanSpell?mibextid=ZbWKwL

https://thebellwethersyndicate.bandcamp.com/music

https://robotsinlove.bandcamp.com/

https://onticquity.bandcamp.com/

https://tragicimpulse.bandcamp.com/

https://swissdarknights.bandcamp.com/album/muter

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Colorado goth band, Plague Garden formed just over three years ago, with members Fernando Altonaga and Angelo Atencio, and in that time, rather impressively, have released an album a year. The latest was unleashed on Halloween of 2022, named Blue Captain on the label Bleeding Light Music.

The bass conjures thoughts of The Damned or The Cure, as the album starts off with “Tonight” and breaks into a cool barrage of post-punk jangling guitar. The vocals echoing in the beautiful shadows of nightfall with a drum machine punctuating the thick air. The serpentine winding of “Land Of The Free” is a commentary that not everyone is so free in a land where money and privilege can buy you everything. The single “Blue Captain” has the tendrils of The Cure’s Pornography curling all over it from the curt beats to the wandering guitar that graces your ears, and it almost seems you can hear the waves of all hope lost, washing up onto shore. So we descend into the depths, with tones of early 80s Sisters Of Mercy in the intro, to be “Bathed In Fire“, a holy baptism by flame. The rhythm pickups in the mood ridden “We Will Be Forgotten” with it’s fusion of gothic roc\k with electronics, which is perfect to set up the last track “Cry” in its sorrowful lament, though you cannot truly be so sad when you hear that twisting guitar.

You can’t deny hearing the musical influences for these two gentlemen but at the same time they are not trying to be those bands, rather paying homage and building their own music from what they love. Plague Garden have gone for creating beauty from simple good writing and that always gives the music more heart. Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue…. this is Blue Captain.

https://plaguegarden.bandcamp.com/album/blue-captain-2

http://www.facebook.com/Plague-Garden-361762094541437/