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We are off to Austin, Texas, to have a look at the first EP, “We Dissolve“, from Gleaming. Maybe we can let the man behind the project, tell you about himself….

“After drumming for a handful of different screamo and indie/dream-pop bands, I found my way to electronic music. I wanted to take the inspiration and influence from artists I love and blend it with my experience in the indie and dream/synth-pop bands. Creating a dark, danceable tone with really catchy melodies and lyrics, hoping to capture the perfect segue from dark to light.” – Darryl Schomberg II

The first track is also the single “Run Faster” and the tone of this song alone sets up the whole EP, which is about putting distance between yourself and the things in life that have dragged one down the darker paths, such as depression, and finding a better future. The synths are bright and sweet, and the rhythm bounces. “The Ashes” is the second single that builds in tension, echoing vocals that explode into a cascade of crystalline synth shards. Of note is the track “Rat Me Out“, feature Vestite, also from Austin, which has a great keyboard line through it as the dual vocals snake through this piece in the chorus.

I kind of wished that Schomberg relied on his own clean vocals more, which I will admit, are soooo much better than using autotune, (yeah I am the first to say I hate autotune with a fiery passion and I will blame Cher forever). The electronics have an 80s synthwave ring to them, that can soar, and having Vestite is a stroke of genius, as it made “Rat Me Out” a real joy. This is just Gleaming starting out with We Dissolve, so it should be interesting to see what he does next.

We Dissolve | Gleaming (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/gleaming.atx

https://www.instagram.com/gleaming.atx/

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Spanish 80s retro synthwave project, Darkways, has released the EP Neon Lights, which is their first new work since the Dioses por la fuerza EP in 2017.

The title track of “Neon Lights” starts off beautifully, smooth as silk, and the vocals just take you away as it goes on. The term that comes to mind is utterly joyous. The next track title made me smile, called “I Like The Night (and the night likes me)” and it has a charming chiming guitar, while the high energy rhythm drives it on as there is nothing scary about the dark hours.

“Dark & Light” has that more 80s feel in the electronics which is quaint until the vocals and more modern synths change the overall feeling, that leads into the soulful “Young Again“, a beseeching to a memory of what was and a longing to return to that time. Final track, “More Than Dreams” is a culmination of love, wanting, and dreaming that has taken flight, and it is simple and gorgeous, rousing the sleepers to awaken.

If you had asked me to listen to these guys before telling me they are Spanish, I might have guessed they were German. The title track is probably my favourite, but in essence, the whole EP has a wonderful flow to it. If you want to hear synthwave done right, check out Darkways with Neon Lights.

https://darkways.bandcamp.com/album/neon-lights

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

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Nothing says goth more than a story of maudlin, and that was something the Greeks excelled in. Illinois goth rock act, The Funeral March have touched the tale of “Persephone,” released as an EP on March 15th. The daughter of Demeter (Goddess of Seasons), Persephone (Goddess of Agriculture) is stolen to the underworld by Hades (God of Hell), which causes Demeter to throw the world into a constant winter. Hades finally agrees to return Persephone to her mother for six months of the year while the other half of the year is with him. And so we have the changing seasons…. Spring and Summer are full of life, which changes into Autumn/Fall and Winter when the living world becomes dormant, hibernates, or dies. However, this is a modern gothic tale on the tale.

The drums bear a striking resemblance to The Cure’s “Hanging Gardens” in the first track “Figured“. Echoing and bass heavy, there is the slow descent into a form of madness from being in a world that they never chose to be in and can not leave.

“Nite Nite” is the realisation that things may never go back to the way they were, as the world crumbles under the weight of that revelation. Graduating tones swathe the senses in a sombre atmosphere.The drone of “Two As One” is a modern take on a dark love that dances on the edge of lunacy. The music consumes the senses just as the lust and adoration devour the storyteller.

There is nothing more memorable than a last embrace and lip lock. So we have “Kiss Me (with your last breath)“, a gothic love song, with electronics swelling beneath. A final twist of the knife into madness comes with “Wasted Moon“. A cry to the universe joined by the howling guitar work as they swirl into murky abyss.

People that love The Cure era of Pornography, 17 Seconds and Faith are going to get a kick out of Persephone. Heavily imbued with the sonics of Robert Smith’s crew, the EP is full of lament and the lost visions of dreamers, wrapped in chiming guitar strains.

Persephone | The Funeral March | The Funeral March of the Marionettes (bandcamp.com)

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

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Someone told me they were going to have a rest from creating music. They so lied!!! STAHLSCHLAG released in February, the EP Avalanche. German, Sebastian Sünkler has been busy, tinkering up a storm and he even brought along some friends for the ride.

“Mental Machines” is a bit of a treat because you get to hear the man himself, Sünkler, providing the vocals in this track of amalgamated power noise and techno. The machine, through Sünkler, speaks to you in its metal voice about loss of control, slamming against the electronic cage.

Non-Bio’s Howard Gardner is the guest vocalist/lyricist on ” Do You Think?“. Grand internal reverberations punch around Gardner’s monologue, threatening to overwhelm and consume.

There is yet another guest vocalist/lyricist on the track, “Before I Was Broken” in the form of Kimberley of Bow Ever Down. With a slower and more synth lead sound, Kimberley’s singing flows above the spike barbed beats that attempt to puncture the sincerity of the vocals, telling of a time of happiness that no longer exists.

The final track is the instrumental “Burn“. The glitching and crunchy rhythm is over laid with an eerily tinkling keyboard, like the embers starting to ignite, fuelled by the music and taking hold. It can’t be stopped as it hungrily bursts forth, those synth lines feeding into the blaze.

Honestly, I don’t think Sebastian can help himself, and the winner is us, the listeners. Each time he puts out new music, you hear him changing things up or reinventing his sound, plus having great vocalists is just the cherry on top. Maybe Avalanche refers to the onslaught of rhythmic noise, but I like to think it’s because STAHLSCHLAG is just like a force of nature.

https://stahlschlag.bandcamp.com/album/avalanche

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

https://non-bio.bandcamp.com/

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

https://boweverdown.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100034743804349&mibextid=ZbWKwL

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Last year was a big one for Pete Burns and his project Kill Shelter, with the release of Asylum, one of the best post-punk albums of the year. March marks the drop of a new EP with fellow musician Veronica Stich, also known as Death Loves Veronica, saucily titled The Sex Tape Sessions, out on the Cold Transmission label.

Kicking off with the utterly hot “Sex Tape“, which is a very electronic affair, sensual and pulsating, the rhythm rolling off in waves, while Veronica breathily taunts you. Lyrics of titillation on a screen for the erotic delight of others. There is also an extended remix of “Sex Tape” filled with those rich tones of the forbidden and Burn’s guitar a siren in the background.

The extended remix by Kill Shelter of “The Sinner” strides out in a brazen fashion, the beats dropping heavily in the undulating synths. The confession of a sinner, who is without remorse, even after trying to turn away the person of intense desire because ‘I just want to fuck you anyway‘. The guitar burns like liquid fire and the vocals lick your ears with honey.

There are some songs you feel, settling into your chest, and “Resist” is definitely one of those. It builds like an intense storm, the pressure bearing down, making you realise you just need to give yourself over to the ravenous craving of the music.

The French say each orgasm is the little death, so can there be a “Death Kiss“? Heavy and dark with portent that one might die giving over to the hunger of wanting and need. The extended mix is a thumping trance inducing dancefloor hummer, leading you down the road… perhaps to bliss or ruin.

“Death Kiss” and “The Sinner” were written and released previously by Death Loves Veronica and have been given the Kill Shelter treatment, while “Sex Tape” and “Resist” are joint efforts. Veronica Stich is known as a provocateur, and she has every right to flaunt her stuff, amping up the carnal fervour. Pete Burns is a master not only of music creation, as he did all remixes and the mixing & mastering. There is another reason for calling the EP The Sex Tape Sessions. The musicians themselves have asked fans to use what is considered out dated models of recording, to bootleg the release. Maybe a statement on how throw away society can be. Full of sexual innuendo, explicit language, liquid synths, passionate guitar work, beats to grind to and a goddess playing with your predilection for kinky seduction, this is Kill Shelter & Death Loves Veronica with The Sex Tape Sessions….. mmmmm, what is there not to like?!

The Sex Tape Sessions EP | Kill Shelter & Death Loves Veronica | Kill Shelter (bandcamp.com)

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

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

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

https://coldtransmission.com/

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Dave McAnally released the EP, Mercenary Notes Pt. 1, at the very end of 2022, under his moniker Derision Cult, on the label Glitch Mode Recordings. Glitch Mode is run by fellow electronic musician, Sean Payne (Cyanotic), who was also involved in the recording of the EP and if that impresses, you might be even more so when you learn other guest artists include Chris Connelly (Revolting Cocks, Die Warzau, Pigface, The Joy Thieves) and Reeves Garbrel (The Cure, David Bowie’s band), plus remixes by Cyanotic (Sean Payne) and Justin Broadrick (Godflesh). Not on this EP are the remixes by Dan Milligan (The Joy Thieves) and Martin Atkins (Killing Joke, Ministry, Public Image Limited, Nine Inch Nails) for the single “Deaf Blood“, which you should also check out. Let me tell you, that is a hell of a list of band name dropping.

The EP roars to life with “The Year Hope Failed“, guitars smashing out, accompanying the rhythm with ferocity, setting the theme that the media lies to create mass hysteria. “Life Unlit” has the hallmarks of a Rob Zombie number, especially vocally, but also, the subject matter could very much be about zombies.

There was no way that they were not going to make “Deaf Blood” a single. The guitar work of Garbrel is simply magical, and definitely, you can hear the signature chiming guitar sound. Connelly‘s vocals are gloriously punk when not warbling like a modern medicine man. The noise intensive “Slaves Rebuild” wails like a siren in your ears, while McAnally rather creepily whispers his to-do list. This track also features Garbrel showcasing his skill as a guitarist.

“Bastards of the World” is just a bouncy, fabulous track. It plunders your senses with its head puncturing rhythms. There is an instrumental in the track “Mercenary,” and with the cut voice clips running throughout, it feels like a drug fuelled haze, combined with walking through syrup.

“The Year Hope Failed” is remixed by Cyanotic (Sean Payne), where the vibe is toned down a notch in favour of a slightly more electronic version, which glitches and swirls, while “Slaves Rebuild” has the Justin K Broadrick (Godflesh) Fleshmix and it is huge. A hulking mass of abrasive sound, gruff vocals, and drowning guitars that meander like a horror killer that will get you, no matter how fast you run.

Is all as bleak as it seems? Well, no, not really. Is the world in a bit if a state currently? The short answer is yes, but we don’t have to believe the hype of the media outlets or those that sell fear to make profit or gain power and this is the message from McAnally. Derision Cult hits like Ministry and has the razor political anger of Killing Joke, all wrapped up in Mercenary Notes Pt.1.

https://derisioncult.bandcamp.com/album/mercenary-notes-pt-1

https://www.facebook.com/300southdungeon?mibextid=ZbWKwL

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

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

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

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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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1993 in Gothenburg, Sweden, Ablaze My Sorrow came into being, along the way breaking up in 2006 and then reforming in 2011 whilst delivering their melodious metal tunes. As of the 27th of January, a new EP was released called The Loss Of All Hope, out on Black Lion Records, which also marks 30 years since the band’s humble beginnings. Ablaze My Sorrow consists of members Anders Brorsson (bass), Magnus Carlsson (guitars), Alex Bengtsson (drums), Dennie Lindén (guitars) and Jonas Udd (vocals).

The harmonisation of vocals kicks off “Transfiguration (Way of The Strong)” and then the blast beats hit with the ferocity of the guitars, Udd’s vocals growl gutturally at first and then come clean, while the lyrics speak of the indomitable inheriting the Earth….If Jesus made wine out of water, Then I’ll make wolves out of sheep. The drums push the guitars ever upwards in “Boundless“, reaching forth, becoming overwhelming in it’s sentiment and drowning in a sadness while wishing to be free,

“Rotten To The Core” is pure and unadulterated rage that spews forth condemning those who choose to not think for themselves, matched to brutality of the music. I love the guitar work in “Enclosed In Crystals Of Ice“, smoothly wrapping around each other while the pained vocals scrap up against them like the cruel frost of winter.

I am genuinely in awe of singers that can go from growling to clean within the blink of an eye, though Udd does more of the growling, which for me is a pity as he has a great set of pipes. The duelling and entwined guitars and overall sound, reminds me of other bands such as Sentenced, Amorphis and Paradise Lost, who have that knack of sending shivers up your spine or wrenching your heart straight out of your chest. All the angst, all the pain and The Loss Of All Hope is brought to you by Ablaze My Sorrow.

https://ablazemysorrowblacklion.bandcamp.com/album/the-loss-of-all-hope

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

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

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Around 1990/91, Gerrie Brand, started his gothic project, Life In Sodom, which was heavily influenced by the theatrical element, though this soon became a more serious musical affair, as the Florida based band picked up attention and airplay. Over the years, Brand has been the lynch pin with the group making sporadic releases. 2022 saw the line up of Brand (vocals) Danny Heinze (guitars) and Virginia Fuillerat (female vocals) release the new EP, Fate on Nutrix Records. Other artists that have contributed to the EP include Loach (synths, keyboards, programming), Mike Vullo (drums on “Room 212“), Dennis Fuller (drums on “Lie“) and Denis Everest (electric guitar on “Heaven’s Gates“), with the recording and mixing done at MBRS Studios by Loach and mastered at Fullersound Inc.

The title track, “Fate” is a retrospective way to start the EP, the argument that are we beholden to a destiny as judged by religion or do we make out own? The vocals of Brand yearn for more, more than fate and angelic Fuillerat punctuates the beautiful simplicity of the track. There is something deliciously familiar about the wonderful “Lie“. It might be that both the singing and instrumentation remind me a lot of Stan Ridgeway (ex-Wall Of Voodoo) and his ability to incorporate a slightly Western edge, so you can feel the languid desperation, where the bass takes the lead and you can wonder where were they hiding the Mariachi band? “Heaven’s Gates” is a very sombre affair with acoustic guitar and piano, whilst in the background a crying electric guitar is in full lament. Why does it cry? Because as we age we start to lose the people around us to the ultimate end.

Changing things up, we start with Fuillerat taking the lead in the emotional filled “Restless“. The guitar is the light lighting the way and then crosses the veil, as we wait for death to bring us to the end. The last track is “Room 212“. I could be wrong but I think this is a reference to a hospital room, where family congregate to sit with the dying, waiting for that last breath, and often using their own to give up prayers to whichever god they follow. Brand’s vocals are superbly warm and entrancing, enhanced by the beautiful guitar work and drums punching through.

Have you ever listened to something and then thought, how did I ever not know about this? Utterly amazing and utterly enjoyable to the last strains. This is voyeurism at its darkest, following the theme that flesh and blood decay, such is the impermanence of life. The subject matter is treated with a reverence and care, maybe in the knowledge that they also will cease on this plain of existence. If you are a record junkie, then you will be thrilled and fulfilled with the knowledge that the EP is also out on shiny vinyl….. But I digress and will simply say that if you like guitar and vocal lead darkwave then you need Life In Sodom and to check out Fate.

https://lifeinsodom.bandcamp.com/music

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

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Well, if you are going to do Christmas music then may you Have Yourself A Noisy Little Christmas care of STAHLSCHLAG. Sometimes I think German, Sebastian Sünkler is half man, half machine, the way he puts out music and tapping that vein of cybernetics, the noise master has graced us with an EP of Christmas covers.

Honestly, you really haven’t lived until you have heard a rhythmic noise version of “Jingle Bells“, which does seem to be a firm favourite with people, as Sünkler ramps up a screaming sleigh ride to get the heart pumping, in a most delightful way, hey! For me, however, my interest lay with the rendition of “Carol Of The Bells“, which is a beautiful track, even if it is a Christmas tradition and one can appreciate the intricacies of its splendour. Could Sünkler really pull this off? Let’s just say that I was not disappointed. Like razor edged snowflakes, perfect in their icy glory, both beautiful and full of cold fury.

There are also covers of “White Christmas” (no Bing Crosby in the mix), “Frosty The Snowman” and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town“. If you don’t particularly like the Chrimbo music but want to kind of participate, then this is perfect. Christmas cyber party…. then you can’t go past STAHLSCHLAG’s, Have Yourself A Noisy Little Christmas.

https://stahlschlag.bandcamp.com/album/have-yourself-a-noisy-little-christmas

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