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From Athens, Georgia, you can find deathrock roaming wild in the form of Tears for the Dying. The band’s current line-up consists of original member Adria Stembridge (guitars, synthbass, synths, vocals) and Cody  White (guitar, bass) and we thought we would check out the single “Dancing Dead Girl” off the album In the Shadow of the Midnight Sun.

The beginning is reminiscent of Switchblade Symphony, delicate feminine vocals with ringing guitar work that tinkles down, and it mirrors that classic sound throughout. Entrancing in the extreme, the music flows mystically, and it leaving me wondering if the girl was dead before she danced or like the lass in the Hans Christensen tale of the dancing shoes, she expires al la Saint Vitus disease.

“Dead Girl Dancing” is thoughtful and sweet, in that ghoulish gothic way and Adria’s vocals are quite lovely, but trust me when I say that this band can be heavier when they want to be, yet it is nice to hear this side as well. Tears for the Dying are one of those hard working bands, and you will often see them on Facebook, on the road touring, so if you get the chance, get out and check them out

Dead Girl Dancing (single) | Tears for ʇhe Dying (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/TearsForTheDying

http://tearsforthedying.com/

https://instagram.com/tearsforthedyingband

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Brisbane based dark rock band, Killtoys, isn’t+ looking for your approval and instead is bringing you a tale of a vampire love story in the form of the new single “My Confession.” Mick Bristow, Stav Tsolakides and Bevan Bancroft are our purveyors of this murky world of the undead.

There is something very 80s post-punk about this track and possibly it is the big soaring jangle guitar that is so infectious, working in conjunction with the thumping rhythm section. An immortal soul in love with a human, unsure whether to leave her be or take her into the dark embrace so she might be his forever.

Recorded, mixed and mastered at King Street Studio by Mick Bristow, and the cover art was created by powerhouse duo Jess and Gary Jones of Obscure Medium Art. The band have again proven that their style never stands still and is always evolving. Quite frankly, I really love this bold sound that reminds me a lot of the early 80s classic goth bands.

https://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/34422377?utm_campaign=a_public_songs&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=page_object_news_item

https://www.facebook.com/Killtoysband

https://www.instagram.com/killtoys_official

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It feels like there is so much going on in the world currently and the rest of the planet are watching in horror as wars are popping up like spreading fires. Irish project OWLS was created by Emy Collum back in 2021, where he went from drumming with indie bands to going solo so he could dive into his passion for post-punk and electronic music, and March has seen the release of the new single “Body Bags.”

The style is energetic analogue, like a mash up of Cabaret Voltaire and Fad Gadget. The vocals range from darkwave whispers to barked out cries. The music is punchy and definitely has a punk based approach.

“All of my songwriting up until now has been dealing with internal conflicts and self assessment. It feels selfish looking inwards when being faced with genocide daily. I teach History. I had a Palestinian student join one of my classes recently. They presented a project on the ancient buildings of Gaza City only to highlight the fact that they’re no longer there. That hit hard”  – Emmett Collum

“Body Bags” is an enjoyable track, but at just over two minutes long, it vibes along quite nicely, when it stops. Ah well, this is the punk way and the absurdity of the whole thing is that we shouldn’t have to be talking about bagging and tagging men, women and children that should have lived long and wonderful lives. The OWLS are watching in judgement.

https://owls-emee.bandcamp.com/track/body-bags

O￦LS (@owls_emee) • Instagram photos and videos

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Paul Devine is a wordsmith, a musician, a composer, a scholar, a historian and at heart a humanitarian. The single “Leader of the Free World” (2024) has been born from the stark reality that Donald Trump might win the next North American election, even though he tried to usurp the White House in a coup in front of the whole world and equally is one of the most sexist and slimy humans in the public eye, that has absolutely no remorse for anything he does or says.

The thrumming bass and Devine’s snarled punk vocals, sneer at the propaganda of making America great again through guns, extreme Christianity and perversion of laws. He is the leader of the free world is the sing song chant, because in the end, it as all a joke. Angry guitars and booming drums highlight the truths of how backwards things have become as women have lost rights to their own bodies and racial tension overwhelming.

Not that I think this sounded wholly like The Clash, but I think Joe Strummer is probably sitting somewhere with a smile on his dial. “Leader of the Free World” takes no prisoners and tell no lies. This is a protest, taking a stand against a rising tide of misogyny and intolerance, in the hopes that history does not repeat itself, plus it is an ace song.

Leader of the Free World (2024) | Paul Devine (bandcamp.com)

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One of our favourite songbirds is back. The heavenly voiced, singer/songwriter Madil Hardis has released the latest track called “Melancholia” in March.

The synths are like rays of sunshine, reaching out into the darkness, soft and gently probing, with Hardis‘ vocals tracking along side, a literal angelic sigh almost imperceptible next to the electronics. Even with all that airiness, there is a weight of uncertainty, and maybe this is where the melancholy lays.

The singing is so delicate and yet if it was not there, this track would not even have half the impact. “Melancholia” is a sweet vignette that goes for under two minutes and teases you. Is there something else to come? Wallow in the “Melancholia” with Madil Hardis.

Melancholia | Madil Hardis (bandcamp.com)

https://facebook.com/madilhardis

http://madilhardis.com/

https://www.instagram.com/madilhardis

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Warning… this is a Guns’nRoses free zone! With that said “You Could Be Mine” is a single from Australian band S:Bahn and the second track dropped from the album Love Songs, that will be released on the 12 of April. The band is made up of Dik Detonic (vocals,guitar), Kristian Brenchley (guitar), Rene Schaefer (bass) and Denis Leadbeater (drums), with
additional vocals by Louise Love.

It has been noted that the start of this track is very much inspired by the Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear The Reaper” and indeed it really does have that tone, however it doesn’t stay that way for long, resolving into sounding like The Smithereens. The duet between Detonic and Love was described as Meatloaf like…. mmmm, no. It is decidedly far more like the rugged Aussie intonation of Detonic, dancing with the sweeter vocals of Love. And that might be the crux of this track. It is the Australian indie rock bar song of flirtation and after all, it is from an album called Love Songs. “You Could Be Mine” (back off Axel).

https://sbahn.bandcamp.com/track/you-could-be-mine-3

https://www.facebook.com/SBahnReboot

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US industrial rock band, Warm Gadget have signed to the label Re:Mission Entertainment and soon will be dropping their new album Sorrows, but for now you can get a taste with the second single “Annoyed,” with a b-side remix by Dread Risks.

The drums of discontent lumber forth, herald in the the heavy bass that blasts your senses, while the vocals are violent, directing you to the maelstrom, coated in bombastic floods of tarred frustration. The Dread Risks remix pulsates with an electronic smirk, pulling off a perfect balance of dance and crushing noise.

Tim Vester (vocals, lyrics, samples) and Colten Tyler Williams (guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, programming, production, additional vocals) are bringing on the heavy in a throwback to the late 80s, when industrial metal was taking off and the choice of having Dread Risks doing the remix is the icing on the cake. We are not “Annoyed.”

Annoyed | Warm Gadget | Re:Mission Entertainment (bandcamp.com)

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Music | Dread Risks (bandcamp.com

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http://remissionentertainment.bigcartel.com/

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Nikola Stanojkovski (guitars, bass, synths) and Christopher Cronce (vocals, lyrics) make up Pennsylvania based industrial metal group Agremorta. Their single “Adrocitas” is also their debut and herald’s in the March 15th release of the EP Anomalia.

What strikes me first is the blending of styles within the one track. A combination of clean and heavily growled vocals, plus there are fluid classic guitar solos by Louis Snyder that would not sound astray in Amon Amarth or some other European band of that ilk. The chorus harmonies are a throwback to Linkin Park and tempered by the synths and howling gurgled utterances.

Verbose and powerful guitars, matched with booming rhythms, dynamic vocals and you have “Adrocitas,” a track about self loathing, doubt and never feeling good enough that soars high.

Adrocitas | Agremorta (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/agremorta

https://www.instagram.com/agremorta_official

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The album Crystalline was released in 2023 and spawned the intensely rich single “Bleached,” via the Norwegian and British collaboration of Antipole & Paris Alexander. US based musician, Mareux has taken “Bleached” and given it a 2024 remix treatment.

MAREUX AND ANTIPOLE

The low rumble of electronics perfectly showcases Alexander’s ghost in the machine style whispered vocals. The synths and programmed rhythms, sinuous in their way above the oppressive fuzzed undertones.

There is an unease created with the mechanised mix by Aryan Ashtiani (Mareux), that slowly ignites and bristles with smouldering intent, building on a track that already dripped in sensual tension. “Bleached” remixed by Mareux just proves what great songsmiths Antipole & Paris Alexander are.

Music | Antipole (bandcamp.com)

http://www.facebook.com/antipoleband

Music | Paris Alexander (bandcamp.com)

https://m.facebook.com/parisalexandermusic

Music | Mareux (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/mareux

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Label Negative Gain has dropped the newest single “Necessity Meal” from Florida’s darkwave based Astari Nite, a follow up to their previous Thin White Duke inspired track, “Bowie In Daydream.”

From the beginning, there is an air of tension, set by the stressed and wavering synths, matched by the keening guitar. The vocals tell a tale about not living up to expectations, having fears and even needing drugs in order to appear perfect. Those vocals lilt and melt over you with dark intent, while the drums power on.

On first listen, the track feels off kilter, a loss of control is conveyed, and yet it is this state of honest disclosure that truly brings “Necessity Meal” into focus. It is the seeing beauty in what is not perfect, because in the end, perfection will never fuel creativity. If Bowie had been a goth, I can imagine he might have sounded like Astari Nite.

Necessity Meal | Astari Nite (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/astarinitemusic

https://instagram.com/astarinite43