by on

Is it a bird or a plane? Why no, it is London’s test plan, a post-punk trio and they have released their third single, “It’s Not Enough” at the end of August. Max Mason (drums, backing vocals), Michalis Fragkiadakis (guitar, backing vocals) and Rory Dickinson (bass, vocals) make up test plan.

The first fifty odd seconds is a slow reverberating crush of guitar and echoing vocals….which then explodes into a tsunami of noise. test plan goes from lulls into stressed and strained screaming, not only from their lead singer, but also the guitars, and all the while the drums set the course, faithfully driving the rhythm section forward.

“It’s Not Enough” is amazingly dark and forceful, blaring out in defiance in this play of words. There is a punk heart here, matched up with noise propelled melody, vying to be not just heard, but felt through your skin and sinking into your bones as only a good gothic rock song can, so check out test plan.

It’s Not Enough | test plan (bandcamp.com)

https://www.instagram.com/testplanband

https://linktr.ee/testplan

by on

When The Soft Moon’s Jose Luis Vasquez suddenly passed away, it sent a ripple of shock through the darkwave/industrial community worldwide due to the refreshing influence of his songs. LOVER/ABUSER is a relatively new band from Arizona and they have covered The Soft Moon’s track “CHOKE.”

Though the time signature is the same, this new version is saturated with reverberating guitar, so not necessarily less electronic but with a more metallic taste. You can definitely recognise “CHOKE,” but it is nice to hear that it isn’t a carbon copy with the cleaner vocals from possibly more than one singer. A tribute to a lost icon from LOVER/ABUSER, and maybe check out their other track, “Star Nursery” with it’s classical piano lit with moonlight.

▶︎ CHOKE | LOVER/ABUSER (bandcamp.com)

https://www.instagram.com/lover.abuser?utm_source=qr&igsh=cXEycGE5OWdpbng1

by on

The saying is the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and this could be said for young Norwegian guitarist Ja’kob, son of yet another amazing guitarist Karl Morten Dahl, better known as Antipole. They have joined forces with Pedro Code, from IAMTHESHADOW, to release the single “Walk With Me.”

Ja’kob

Pedro Code has a voice that could make you melt with it’s luscious tones and his contribution of vocals and lyrics sits so very well in the guitar laden music being laid down. Those guitars roll and play around each other in a mesmerising dance, which is beautiful to behold.

The music video is set between a Norwegian forest and a shuttered room, a play of light versus dark, of open spaces in contrast to the claustrophobic setting Code finds himself in. “Walk With Me” is delicate and at the same time sombre with the smooth deep intonations of Code. Antipole is a man that can make a guitar speak volumes and I can also see a long career in the music industry for Ja’kob,

Walk With Me (ft. Pedro Code) | Antipole & Ja’kob | Antipole (bandcamp.com)

Facebook – Antipole

Facebook – IAMTHESHADOW

by on

I love me some perfect post-punk and sometimes it is made even better when there is a story behind. Los Angeles goths, The Sea At Midnight have dropped the track “Wait For Rain” and I learnt something about the Colorado River.

This is literally the perfect darkwave track, a mixture of spine tingling guitars and haunting synths. The chorus is evocative to the point that you can feel the hairs on the back of your neck raise as the synths sparkle against the dirge of the guitars.

Colorado is currently in drought and has been for approximately twenty years, which is a predicament I cannot even get my head around knowing what it is like enduring maybe four years, but knowing there will be huge rains later. The lyrics are truly disheartening, like you can feel the desperation of the farmers and residents as they watch their world become a dust bowl, desperate for soaking rain. The vocals are so very engaging and the music really beautiful. Living in hope and “Waiting For Rain” is a perfect song from The Sea At Midnight.

https://theseaatmidnight.bandcamp.com/track/wait-for-rain

https://www.facebook.com/theseaatmidnight

http://linktr.ee/theseaatmidnight

by on

Chris and Dexy Valentine are California based Magic Wands, a duo dealing in dreamy and shadowy shoegaze. Their latest single “Hide” has been released on Metropolis Records.

Gosh, this is a throwback to the 90s with the glorious dark shoegaze of acts like Lush and Curve, both vocally and with those swirling, shimmering guitars. You also get an In The Dark Mix where you can keep enjoying the reverbing dreaminess.

Fans of Twin Tribes and She Past Away should definitely check out Magic Wands if they haven’t already. The dark heavy tones are both dramatic and almost otherworldly, when awash with the decadently honeyed vocals in “Hide,” which is a smidge under three minutes and it will entrance you completely. All of this is good…. very, very good..

Hide | Magic Wands (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/themagicwands/

http://www.magicwandsband.com/

by on

Heather Shore and Kegan Heiss are the cool kids from Pittsburgh. Their cool factor lays in the fact they are duo behind the avant-garde post-punk project Hemlock For Socrates, who have a new single out, titled “You’re Not Here.”

Shore’s vocals are the focal point, lilting and mesmerising within the pulsating electronics. The guitar adds an air of experimental surrealism, as the track divulges a relationship where one never seems to get close enough to truly understand or know the other, as if they are hiding who they really are.

With “You’re Not Here,” you can almost taste the traces of sadness and frustration, while the static electronics give the impression of a glitch in the human. Hemlock For Socrates always seems to pull off the coupling of ethereal and bohemian, creating something beautifully evocative.

You’re Not Here | Hemlock for Socrates (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/hemlockforsocrates/

https://www.instagram.com/hemlockforsocrates/

by on

We are going back to January of this year, and Dire Path are a Greek darkwave based band, who released their debut EP, Unloved. They describe themselves as a darkpop duo who are unsure on how this story ends yet, and this, gentle folk, is all I know about them

This four track EP kicks off with “Distance,” and almost instantly I am hit with the fact that the vocals are very much the focus rather than inhabiting within the music itself which is refreshing. This is a mixture of guitar and synths both having their time in focus, and somewhere I am sure I heard the voice of a female singer delicately chiming in. A winding guitar intro guides us into “From The Dream,” leading you along a path of memories past. The synths light the way, as the the pace picks up and the guitar drives us on.

The title track “Unloved,” has a very early 80s feel to it and a bleakness, as if nothing can fill a hole, as the lead singer bleeds out, and yet there are still these amazing jangling guitars tethering us. “The Path” has a beautiful play between bass and guitar. It wavers between sorrow and intense loneliness, yet there is still a glimmer of hope.

Dire Path seem to be a mix of 80s post-punk with modern darkwave, and the more you listen to the tracks, the more you realise how intricate the musicianship is. With Unloved as their first release, we will be watching with great interest how they grow and what they do next. They might admit they are ‘unsure how it ends,’ but I would say it is is a pretty wonderful beginning.

Unloved | Dire Path (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/dire.path/

by on

Beauty In Chaos is the gothy super group that revolves around lynch pin Michael Ciravolo, and the latest single “Holy Ground” featuring the vocal talent of Kommunity FK’s lead singer, Patrik Mata. Both this and previous single “Diving For Pearls” featuring Wayne Hussey (The Mission), can be found on the new album Dancing With Angels.

Photo by Kevin Estrada

‘A Watcher, a Supernatural Being, descends upon the planet below. He became transfixed, curious, & seduced by the women & Earthly pleasures & mysteries found. Ever since The Beginning this Being roamed the Earth creating Nephilim. What seems like an Eternity, The Being becomes a Fallen Angel, jaded, decadent, & tired having used & having been through every Earthling on the planet. The Fallen Angel shares its interpretation of how this planet used to be considered Holy Ground, but now it is not. The only thing that The Fallen Angel yearns for is to return back Home. Back to The Gate.’ – Patrik Mata on the premise behind the lyrics of “Holy Ground.”

Ciravalo’s guitar will call you into the sacred space that is the “Holy Ground,” with Mata serenading you from the perspective of a angelic being whom has fallen from grace. Both a beautiful and terrible tale with a soaring chorus that entwines the vocals of Mata and Ciravolo, that could be heaven sent and is very much Beauty In Chaos.

DANCING WITH ANGELS | BEAUTY IN CHAOS (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/beautyinchaosmusic/

http://www.beautyinchaosmusic.com/

by on

There are many women from the small screen whom gothic culture adore, such as Lily Munster, Elvira and Vampira, but today it is the iconic “Morticia Addams” which coincidentally is the debut single from the London based electro-industrial band Pink Panther Project. Record label, The Circle Music, will be releasing the double album Intoxicating Embrace from members Uela, Alex K and Ether Mu in September.

True to form, the electronics are there, up front, promising a cracking darkwave dance piece. Uela’s vocals are breathy, perfectly complimenting the subtle electronics and all lyrics are sung in German, leaving you somewhat intrigued.

The Circle Music have put together a rather charming music video consisting of cuts from The Addams Family (1964/65) television show, which fits the track well. “Morticia Addams” is definitely worthy of not only being played on dancefloors, but also in personal playlists when you want a bit of pep in your darker music listening. I think we will be watching this space when it comes to the Pink Panther Project as I think they could be doing some amazing things.

Morticia Addams | Pink Panther Project (bandcamp.com)

Home – The Circle Music

https://www.facebook.com/The-Circle-Music

by on

The end of June saw the new single from the UK’s Paris Alexander and Eirene called “Blood Line” released. The duo often collaborate creating dark synth music and the best place to find their music is on Bandcamp.

There is no disappointment with “Blood Lines,” from the pulsating synths that revolve building up the tension, spilling into Eirene’s exquisite vocals. There is even delicate vocal play between Eirene and Alexander and if you listen carefully a guitar also subtly creeps into your subconscious.

You could say there is tension in this track and maybe it is from the knowledge that even though we live, we are also in the process of dying. Eirene and Alexander are very good at creating sensuous music that can hypnotise the listener into moving involuntarily to the rhythm. “Blood Lines” is yet another example of this prowess.

Blood Line | Paris Alexander and Eirene | Paris Alexander (bandcamp.com)

https://linktr.ee/ParisAlexander