by on

Something is a stirring at the end of 2025. International gothic super group, Beauty In Chaos have an extended single release in the form of two covers. Oh Lordie, there is going to be a reconning. The first is a folk cover, recorded as far back as 1956 by Odetta called “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” and also under this title in 2009 by the original Man In Black, Johnny Cash, as well as Marilyn Manson (2017). It has also been reproduced as “Run On” by Elvis Presley (1967) and Moby (1999), as well as others.

Photo by Anabel DFlux

You just know before a single note has been struck, this is going to be a southern gothic affair, where the coyote blues is just waiting there to bite and preacher is sizing you up for the next wooden box he’ll be sermonising over. Sure enough, there is that heavy guitar twang that rings out, joined by the gospel styled hand claps, as well as the rat-a-tat of the military drum, all calling on the day of judgement.

Back in 2003, Joe Strummer And The Mescaleros released the album Streetcore, which brought forth the single “Get Down Moses.” Oh yes, nothing like that reggae flavour, mixed with that unmistakeable Strummer guitar, and the brass section reminding us that ska is the voice of the streets. It is sassy, eexy and still runs true for the modern day.

After “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” I feel like going to listen to Concrete Blonde’s version of “God Is A Bullet,” for will there be redemption?? I don’t know, but there is a cinematic darkness that tastes like dust and smells of gunpowder. Meanwhile, “Get Down Moses” is like the medicine you never knew you needed to soothe and heal your soul. Easy to listen to and still make you realise that the more things change, the more they stay the same, A bit like “Ghost Town” by The Specials. On a side note, Michael Rozon and Michael Ciravolo are the lynch pins of Beauty In Chaos, and we all know, Michael is God’s avenging angel.

Have mercy on us everyone…..

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” b/w “Get Down Moses” | BEAUTY IN CHAOS

Facebook

Beauty in Chaos

by on

F.I.V.E, also known as Fear Increases Violent Emotion, is the soon to be released fifth album for Italy’s darkwave group, Christine Plays Viola. Massimo Ciampani (vocals), Fabrizio Giampietro (guitar), Marco Di Ianni (bass guitar) and Gianluca Orsini (drums) have dropped the single “My Redemption” as your first taste for the new album.


The deep resonance of the vocals sets the shadowy mood, while the guitar sparkles and spars for equal billing. Easily danceable and even easier on the ears, “My Redemption” is pure darkwave goodness and definitely has that European sensibility. One might say a cool touch that burns the skin, so you might want to catch up with Christine Plays Viola, and check out the vintage gothic video for “My Redemption.”

Music | Christine Plays Viola

Christine Plays Viola – Official Website | The Dark Is Coming

Facebook

by on

Italy’s Vidi Aquam released the album Lights and Shadows, in September. Full of post-punk goodness by members Daniele Viola (electric guitars, bass, drum machine) and
Nikita (voice, lyrics, synth, programming), we are going to look at the single “The Last Man on Earth.”

Purposely dark, with the only true brightness being the guitar as it twinkles between the drum machine, the heavy bass and grave vocals of Nikita. Even the synths creep through the cracks in a bleak manner, as is befitting a tale about a man who is truly alone in a apocalyptic world, living each day with only the memories of what used to be. The music video is an absolute must to watch with a nuclear nightmare vision rendered in animation. There is such sorrow in being “The Last Man on Earth” and it is beautifully conveyed by Vidi Aquam.

The Last Man On Earth | Vidi Aquam

Facebook

I saw Aquam

by on

Let us take a jaunty journey to Seaford in Victoria, a place of extreme weather patterns and industrial rock music, where the native DevilMonkey can be found. At the end of October, those sons of a DevilMonkey, namely Jim (bass, vocals, programming), Jesse (guitars, programming) and Wayne (drums, percussion), dropped the latest single “Zero Days,” featuring the guest vocals of Beck McPhai.

Be lured into a false sense of electronic security, which is soon broken with the bass heavy guitar work and the guttural vocals. Wowsers….it really is a vocal thunderdome of epic Aussie accented angst and funkiness. My description is going to sound a bit wrong, but the best analogy I have is Australian pub rock sashaying on down, and getting all industrial dirty on punk overdrive. It works and you can also check out the extraordinary Palliative Remix that amps up the cyber ante, creating a dancefloor track. All bets are on DevilMonkey taking you back to “Zero Days.”

Zero Days | DevilMonkey

Facebook

Zero Days by DevilMonkey – DistroKid

https://www.instagram.com/thedevilsmonkey/

by on

Mach FoX (Zwaremachine) is back with a single released in September, called “Biteback“, which heralds in the new album Chaos of Man for October, that will be out on Phage Tapes.

Mach FoX are marking their territory laying down heavy guitar riffs with equally heavy electronics, those signature thumping beats, and all drawn together with the muddied and brutalised vocals of Fox, reminiscent of Trent Reznor. There is even funky bass lines that would fit in well in the time of disco.

“Biteback” is industrial rock where you can hear the ties to the 80s EBM, as well as the synth lines in the chorus that reek of early 80s electronica. So, Mach FoX are leaning into a lot of influences and, honestly, that sort of thing can go sideways quickly, however it all just works. All the angst to get on down to with Mach FoX and “Biteback.”

Biteback | Mach FoX

Facebook

by on

It is Onyx’s great pleasure to premiere the new single from Melbourne’s goth-tastic duo, Velatine. “We’re Not Suburban” is Holly Purnell’s second single with the band, after joining fellow musician and producer Loki Lockwood, on the darkwave journey to create fabulous songs, and it comes out on the label Spooky Records.

Let the night sweep you away into its dark embrace, as the synths sensuously ask for surrender, and the sirens of emergency services, reminds us the city after sunset it full of life. Purnell’s singing is unhurried and so easy on the ears, as she elucidates about how being suburban can be perceived as being suffocating and ‘normal’, something artistic types are constantly at war with. At times, the synths caress the vocals, before becoming spikey. You can hear Lockwood’s vocals, deep and in unison with Purnell, as the track goes on and the sirens become increasingly intrusive.

Lockwood told me the track is autobiographical, until the lines ‘Despite the odds, The un-dead, you’re not, So be a little reckless, And make the life you’ve got,’ which is more of an ethos that many of us should take note of for ourselves. Velatine have made a lush video, walking and driving through those same suburban streets, so you can see those two beautiful people haunting your screen. The song itself is slightly reminiscent of that Portishead style, and I think Holly’s vocals are perfect. I can’t wait to hear go from strength to strength as she proceeds. “We’re Not Suburban” is yet another showcase of Lockwood’s composition mastery and proving Velatine don’t care to be run of the mill, because boring is for other people.

Facebook

by on

Have you people in your life, where every time you interact with them, you feel flat, tired and just plain drained? You could be dealing with “Emotional Vampires,” a serious parasite and also the title to the latest single from Toronto’s Spectral Eyes. Rosie Cochrane, the gothic soul behind Spectral Eyes, has described the single as a cross between Kate Bush and Death Grips….. feeling the intrigue yet?!

Cochrane’s vocals waver between spoken word and sickly imploring, for she inhabits the psyche of an anima sucking being, drawing you down into her vortex of selfishness and self obsession. There are erratic rhythms, bleeping electronics and synths that all come together, and when that voice soars, looped into singing in harmony, the track takes on a whole new level of wow. The last line really hits home. with the vampire finally telling it’s victim, ‘Don’t tell me I can’t have it all‘.

“Emotional Vampires” is quite experimental in many ways, using tone and pitch of the vocals to great emphasis of the character, as well as glitchy beats giving a sense of instability. It is a bit groovy, a bit dark and a lot of spectacular. So, remember when out in the big, bad world, use your Spectral Eyes, and do not let the “Emotional Vampires” bite.

Emotional Vampires | Spectral Eyes

Facebook

by on

The 2024 album, Age of Loneliness, by Vamberator, is a commentary on the modern phase of human existence, in a world that is more connected than ever with social media, and yet people feel more isolated than ever before. Jem Tayle (Shelleyan Orphan) and Boris Williams (The Cure) are Vamberator and their latest single off said album is “I Need Contact,” and Rolo McGinty (The Wild Swans, The Woodentops, The Jazz Butcher) has remixed said single.

A build up of low and building elements greets you, before Tayle’s mellow vocals caress your ears. The music wanders with his singing, a testament to an ongoing, internal ache. Slow and measured, there is a sweetness in the sorrow and longing for something more.

As we get older, we have a lot of acquaintances from throughout the years, but true friends, those circles shrink. Youth is full of excitement and love, then at some point, you realise love in the modern age is hard to find. “I Need Contact” is a poignant reminder from Vamberator that you aren’t alone in how you feel and Rolo McGinty has delicately taken the track and given it an almost classical feel.

I need contact | Vamberator

Facebook

by on

One of the beautiful aspects of the dark alternative scene is the inclusiveness for the disenfranchised, acceptance of sexualities and ethnic backgrounds. Second Idol are a group from Sydney, on the Gloomshift Records label, who play post-punk music and exemplify that diversity can create wonderful music. Kate Farquharson (vocals, guitars), Theia Joyeaux (bass), Sunny Josan (guitars) and Afeef Iqbal (drums, percussion) are Second Idol and they dropped a new single in October, called “Spineless Wonders.”

Nice, heavy bass is an instant attention grabber, before the drums clatter in and we are met by the swirling guitar. The vocals are strong and there is resemblance to the singing style of Brian Molko (Placebo). The chorus has teeth, with a veritable cacophony of guitar noise and it is glorious.

There is also a remix by INAUGURAL, who are label mates, and it has a dreamy, echoing texture. Think Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Fireworks” as a reference, and that somewhat gives you an idea of how excellent it is.

“Spineless Wonders” is sonically perfect, and there is a very professional music video, directed, shot and edited by Jack Fontes, in black and white, full of sexual tension and innuendo. It is a song about those that present as something they are not, who lie and have no honour, which seems to be more pertinent than ever in the modern world of social media. Don’t be a “Spineless Wonder” and listen to Second Idol.

Spineless Wonders | Second Idol

Facebook

New single SPINELESS WONDERS out now | SECOND IDOL

SECOND IDOL (@second_idol) • Instagram photos and videos

by on

Melbourne’s Velatine are back with a new single, as well as a new singer. Loki Lockwood dropped the single “Oh See Me, The Siren,” with Holly Purnell debuting as the vocalist.

‘I love coats, leather coats, biker jackets, military coats, I’m obsessed. So I’m down the local thrift shop and trying on some women’s furs [love them too]. But I never seem to find the right one but I try. I put one on, the sleeves are too short, I push them up and I hear someone say ‘looks cool’. I turn around and I’m looking at this striking woman who says to me ‘you’re looking for a singer aren’t you’? ‘How do you know’? I replied.  ‘I’ve seen your ad and I’ve been thinking about it’. Why hasn’t she I think? She looks the part so I ask. I get the ‘not sure whether I’m good enough or my voice is right’. ‘Well if you don’t try you’ll forever wonder’ I say.’ – Loki Lockwood

In the video, our siren Holly is saturated in deep red tones, and somewhere in the back of my mind, there is a knocking. Something familiar and then it hits me. She reminds me of a young Shirley Manson and not just vocally. The attitude is sassy and she is not going to put up with anyone’s preconceptions. In that vein, the music is equal parts sneering nonchalance and peerless seduction, for this composition created by Lockwood.

Lockwood has used synths in the chorus in such a way that heightens the feeling of suffocation and in his chameleon way, he has the ability to fluidly change from gothic rock to a more electronic sound, and everything in between, without a second thought, which keeps everything fresh. It seems Velatine might have found their gothic goddess in Holly and this means there are exciting things in the works. Find yourself drawn to “Oh See Me, The Siren,” because no one can resist creatures of the night.

Oh See Me – The Siren | Velatine

Facebook

– VELATINE – Gothic | Darkwave