by on

From the online publisher, Ton Doigt Dans Mon Cul Netlabel, we have an E.P. with two artists. Building Castles Out Of Matchsticks (Anne Sulikowski) from Canada and Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt of the USA with the rather intriguing title….Why Should I Give You The Cure, When I Can Always Give You The Treatment.

building
Building Castles Out Of Matchsticks (Anne Sulikowski)

Swirling noise with reverb pulsate cosmically, like an epic space trip into the unknown. Why unknown? Because we, as the listener, are unsure of this journey and we are here for the ride and experience.

Like twinkling stars and beating quasars, this transfixed you though sound alone. It is imagination unbound and the composer might be the alien hand guiding us.

It is hard to imagine that Sulikowski can make many of these amazing sounds on a guitar but then “Differential Diagnosis” is a 13 minutes and 42 seconds piece of electronic beauty and the only number by Building Castles Out Of Matchsticks.

 

sean
Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt

 

 

Someone is leading a crowd in unity in “Dreamers” and so starts Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt‘s contribution. Laid over the top is discordant piano and feedback, then it suddenly……stops.

“We Destroyed All the Mirrors and Glass Out of Fear That You Will Forget Us and Fall In Love With Yourself” could be the longest song title I have ever had to write and this is a low cacophony of sound, which when you listen you can hear drums and chanting within, like Tibetan monks and their throat music, within a storm, within a can.

Bells chime, clear and bright over a haze of noise. This is “Instant Karma” which is the segue way, even though it suddenly stops for the last piece, “Tod von Heike Klar”. Buddhist monks chant with german spoken word, not so much vying for attention but running in harmony with the chanting. You just accept the words and sutra rather trying to understand them or garner meaning.

These pieces take you on journeys to feel and hear whatever you take from them but ultimately, let it take you away to new realms.

Yes, this was released 2 years ago but then this is the whole point about music is the search for what gives you pleasure and bringing things to the broader attention.

All music on the Ton Doigt Dans Mon Cul Netlabel is for free download, so why not indulge your senses.

soundcloud.com/buildingcastles
buildingcastlesoutofmatchsticks.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/seanderrickcooper.marquardt

www.facebook.com/tondoigtdansmoncul

http://tondoigtdansmoncul.bandcamp.com/

by on

 

This band called October Burns Black or OBB is an interesting creature. Created in 2015, the members are diverse as they are spread out around mostly Europe. This year we saw the release of their EP,  fault lines…..yes it is all in lower case if you were wondering.

This 4 track EP starts with “With You”. This is a sound of guitars that I associate with my misspent youth. Nice smooth vocals that bring up images of Wayne Hussey and guitars that hauntingly echo The Mission or The Wake’s jangly signature sound. Quite delightful.

“Shimmer” drives along nicely. A hauntingly pretty, swirling guitar piece. The words “Black shimmer” make me think Siouxsie and the Banshees would have liked this.

Next is the excellent “Arrowhead”. I don’t know if I would want to walk with an arrowhead and certainly not wanted to be hit with a real one but this song will happily puncture you with its wonderfully interesting lyrics and changing time signatures. Definitely a number I could see myself out on the dance floor doing the old gothic/new romantic two-step.

The last track is the visually, fairground inspired “Light On Light”. The swirling giddy carousel with it’s blinding and confusing light show and childish pleasures and pains. The guitar in this is perfect and resonates with the number.

This is a great EP as it is a new spin on the gothic rock genre. Great production, the guitars are superb in my opinion and each song is interesting. You can hear the influences of the past yet they are creating fine new music, keeping this style very much alive.  So please have a listen to October Burns Black as they are well worth your support.

https://octoberburnsblack.bandcamp.com/album/fault-line

 

 

by on
  • MIDNIGHT CREATURES

Midnight Creatures is a two man gothic/metal rock band from Australia with Jordan Von Grae on vocals and Lachlan Blackwood bringing the guitars and programming. Together they have brought their first born offering to the table on the form of an E.P. called I.

This is a 3 track E.P. and the first track is “Hope and Faith” with a strong piano and guitar sound. Waiting for love to be returned when given. Though as we all know that this never always the case.  Heavy on the symphonic gothic guitar sound on this number.

“Daylight” starts and continues with a solo piano and in some ways this reminds me of Muse and could be the whimsical way it is sung. A song of love lost and a female remembered by the way she moved in the daylight.

This could be a tribute to Valo and HIM from the Love Metal period, “Salt of My Earth”. This is in no way a bad thing as this ode to woman being his part of his existence, is very sweet and romantic in that dark and not gooey way goths do.

So a three part ode to love. Waiting for requited love, memories of love lost and bound to a great love. What more could you want? You can most definitely hear the influence of HIM and Von Grae‘s vocals do remind me a bit of Muse‘s lead singer, though Jordan‘s voice rings clearer I feel and not so nasal. Lachlan Blackwood also does a great job on guitar.  

These two lads seem to be stuck in the gothic romantic era and if Lord Byron had been a gothic rocker, he would have joined them. Do check them out on Bandcamp.

https://midnightcreaturesband.bandcamp.com/releases