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The duo, Johnathan/Christian have released the single, “Talkin’ About The Wolf“. It is a track inspired by the Ukrainian resistance against a much larger foe, trying to take by force, their county. Johnathan/Christian is joined by The Legion Of Whom, a mixture of talented humans, whom appear in the order of Matt Vowles: Black Angel (guitar), Lee Meadows: The Glass House Museum (bass), Athan Maroulis: NOIR, Steven Archer: Ego Likeness/Stoneburner, Claus Larsen: Leæther Strip, Martin Bowes: Attrition, Alla Miroshichenko: Attrition/Alia Synesthesia (cello), Jeff Diehm: The Last Dance and Ania Tarnowska: I Ya Toyah

Verbose gothic melancholy, wrapped in this wonderfully rich guitar and complimented by the electroincs in a most symphonic manner. Sliding between vocalists is a truly interesting experience, it drags you in to listen to the the words and marvel at the mixture of styles, accents and timbre. They ask what we want to know, ‘how many Putin?’.

“Since the Donbas Invasion in 2014, Ukraine has been telling the world the wolf is coming, and what have we done to help?  As the battle continues, now is not the time to move on. Ukraine needs everyone’s help now more than ever” – Johnathan

The title of the track refers to a Ukrainian saying, ‘talking about the wolf‘, which basically means ‘speak of the devil‘. All proceeds, from the single will be donated to the Come Back Alive Foundation in Ukraine, which was created during the War in Donbas. In return, you get a darkwave track of immense proportions, catchy and chock full of some legends in the business.. Mmmmm, very tasty and remember, you think you are safe until they are at your door.

Talkin’ Bout the Wolf (ft. The Legion of Whom) | Johnathan Christian | JOHNATHAN|CHRISTIAN (bandcamp.com)

Johnathan|Christian | Facebook

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The UK’s gothic rockers, Sirens Of Light, released on May the 24th, the single with video, “Revolver“. The band has shortened the title somewhat from the original, being “That’s When I Reach For My Revolver“, which was originally written by Clinton J Conley and recorded by Conley’s band, Mission Of Burma, in 1981. A classic, from a band that was typifying a new post-punk sound coming from the US, like their fellow Americans, The Call.

The rich swell of guitar issues forth and the vocal’s gravely texture, grazes your ears. There is a wondrous force of conviction, sonorous and perfect in its execution. Guitar driven goodness with a dark gothic core.

“Revolver”, for me in this particular moment, is a very angry and political song. After the global pandemic and the constant bombardment of media nonsense, we get the feeling everyone feels like reaching for their revolver. That’s why it resonated with me at this moment and was chosen”. – Andy (Sirens Of Light)

You cannot compare this latest version to the original. While the Mission Of Burma version is slower and very much bleaker, Sirens Of Light have put a rocket under “Revolver“, and blown it up into a gothic rock anthem, with all the sparkles.

Revolver (Video Single) | Sirens Of Light (bandcamp.com)

Sirens Of Light | Facebook

Sirens Of Light – Sirens Of Light

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You might know of the project Krebs, but the Philadelphia based, Michael Haggerty, has shed this moniker, instead, using his own name to adorn the latest singles. “Into The Glow“, out on Machine Man Records, is the second single to be dropped from the soon to be released, Fire Behind The Paper Tree album.

There is something so utterly charming about the beginning of “Into The Glow“, with it’s low tones and smooth vocals. Though, this all changes with the introduction of a driving guitar. A myriad a of beautiful shards hits you all at once with the truly open and bleeding lyrics. The second backing track, “I Kinda Like It” is the kooky cousin, in an Addams Family weirdness, that all goths are known for and this tune plonks away in a darkly dazed happy joy way.

The single is really quite stunning and Haggerty could be the male, one man version of The Birthday Massacre, so I really could not recommend it more highly. I think it would take me a while to get tired of listening to “Into The Glow“, and that is the sign of a good track, especially when it coolly caresses your heart, instead of being a cyclone that rips it out. Plus, it is name your price on Bandcamp, so off you go….and you too can check out the very quirky photo there (I so wanted to use that instead!).

Into The Glow | Michael Haggerty (bandcamp.com)

Michael Haggerty | Facebook

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Berlin’s Vlimmer, has released the post-punk single, “Kronzeuge” (key witness) with backing track, a German lyric version of the Depeche Mode song, “It’s No Good“. Alexander Leonard Donat is Vlimmer and the man behind the BlackJack Illuminist Records label, releasing the single on June the 3rd.

There is a hint of early German post-punk, such as Die Artze, and “Kronzeuge” is melancholy with those deep bass lines and wistful electronics. Donat’s vocals play over the top and the harmonies between himself and the electronics is really breathtaking. The cover “It’s No Good“, is off kilter and has a slightly deranged air to it. Darker and more brooding than the original, though there is that fabulous synth line that has always been the underpin of this track, which you could never not have but given a new twist.

I am loving these clean vocals from Donat. It puts a whole new spin on the Vlimmer sound, I think bringing a new level of tenebrosity to the music. The cover version, though in German, I can still hear the English in my head which is an interesting thing and “Kronzeuge” is a wonderfully mournful and lugubrious track in an emotional wasteland, ready to suck you into Vlimmer’s fantastic world.

Kronzeuge b/w It’s No Good | Vlimmer | Blackjack Illuminist Records (bandcamp.com)

Vlimmer | Facebook

Blackjack Illuminist Records | Facebook

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“Mondlicht” is German for moonlight and is also the title of the latest single from French goth/electronic act, Eleventh Fear. This is the second single, off the soon to be released album, by Ludovic Dhenry, the man behind Eleventh Fear, whose other projects have been Exponentia, Résonance magnétique and Zauber.

In true electronic style, “Mondlicht” is a mixture of insistent beats that merge with low synth tones, which stretch forth, while the vocals are whispered seductively in German. The rhythm lends itself to a near trance inducing dance beat.

I suppose this track is meant to convey a feeling of the dark, night and mystery, but for me, in the rhythms, it also speaks of strobe filled nights on the club floor, with other dancing, sweaty bodies. The lyrics tell of magic, crows and elves, as The Eleventh Fear whisper in your ear under the “Mondlicht“.

Mondlicht | Eleventh Fear (bandcamp.com)

Eleventh Fear | Facebook

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Something gothy, this way comes. Swedes, Then Comes Silence, have a new single, “Chains”, which dropped on the 27th of May, ahead of the new album, Hunger, on Metropolis Records. Alex Svenson (vocals, bass, synthesizer), Jonas Fransson (drums, backing vocals), Mattias Ruejas Jonson (guitar, backing vocals) and Hugo Zombie (guitar), make up the band and are joined on this track by Karolina Engdahl, of Vånna Inget, on backing vocals.

An eruption of guitar and synths resolves with an element of buildup of classical style, before we are introduced to the smoldering male vocals of Svenson, joined by Engdahl‘s more feminine and angelic tones. The mixture of electronics, ebbing and flowing with the wonderful guitars rocking out.

The Swedish do some pretty flawless production and this is no exception. It lends itself to the clean vocals, driving guitars and synths that slip through all the cracks the guitars cannot. The sweet words keep you on the chain and asking for more, in this goth rock track by Then Comes Silence.

Chain | THEN COMES SILENCE (bandcamp.com)

Then Comes Silence (facebook.com)

THEN COMES SILENCE – official website

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I am not sure what is going on in Portland, Oregon, but I feel a little disturbed. Why disturbing? Because there seems to be a wealth of good acts from this one place. Brought to my attention is this band called Darkswoon, with their single, Eaten By Wolves, released on May the 27th in the form of an EP, which is off the soon to be released album, Bloom Decay. The single is accompanied by three other tracks, one off a soundtrack and the other two, remixes.

The title track, “Eaten By Wolves” has this beautiful flow that reminds me a little of Ride, though far more electronic, with the drum machine keeping time as the vocals, so gorgeously clean, cleave their way across the music, while the synths vie with the guitar.

“Ruin” (2020) is such an oddity. It is about waiting for the one who will complete you but also seems quite dark when mentioning the fact when they die, their family will get the body….though I found it rather amusing as well. It is an uptempo sounding track, with the swirling shoegaze guitars and entwining vocals, that drag you away to another place.

Really like the electronic start to “Human Faults“, mixed by experimental electronic Portland act, We Are Parasols. Heavy and light tones invaded by the altered ghostly vocals. This has an amazing soundscape feel to it, stretching out into the buzzing aether, married to a danceable rhythm.

Final song and it is another cracker of a dance mix. “Fireplace“, the Sn<che mix, is pure joy, in the vein of Boy Harsher. A cacophony of sound with those marvellous staccato vocals that fold into soaring melodies, which fade into a mist filled end.

Holy crap. I love it. Darkswoon, where have you been hiding? Synthpop grace, coupled with shoegaze wisps and emotion filled vocals. In a word, sublime and the remixes are utterly on point, really rounding out the EP. After listening to this, you might want to be Eaten By Wolves.

Eaten By Wolves EP | Darkswoon (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/darkswoon.pdx/

Music | We Are Parasols (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/weareparasols/

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In 1996, History Of Guns started their musical adventure and now in 2022, they continue that quest to create music after a hiatus, with the release of a new single, “You Wanted To Live” on the 25th of May. The currently incarnation has original members Del Alien (vocals) and Max Rael (keyboards, programming), plus adding newest member Jamu Knight (guitars).

Fuzzed out beats meet chiming keyboards, in a building vortex of emotions, all the while Alien’s vocals taunt you with the question of if you want to live, then why don’t you live. The angst is high and the guitar goes from strained to decimated complacency, though the electronics never stray from adding an extra layer of weighted darkness.

The band were helped out in the studio by Daniel Vincent (programming), Jason Knight (drums), and Gary Hughes (additional instrumentation). It is a great starter single, for the new album, that History Of Guns is threatening us with. Gothic, deep vocals and guitars that singe the air, all the while the electronics/synths give the track that harder industrial quality. In the end, you have this one life, so you can choose how you live it because “You Wanted To Live“.

Music | History Of Guns (bandcamp.com)

History of Guns | Facebook

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Washington, DC’s own gothic dwellers, The Neuro Farm, have dropped the song “Vampyre” off the album of the same name and to compliment the track, they have also created a beautiful and dark music video.

Rebekah Feng has a glorious voice and she uses it to great effect, whilst her band mates play around her. Sombre melancholy, with rich accents of gothic foreboding, that grace the air. The music is delicate like a spiderweb, intricate and wonderfully woven.

An ode to the loss of a way of life, the transitioning from human to vampire but also the death of a relationship. A woman becomes a child of the night and her husband cannot follow her there. Such a weighted sadness, pooling in liquid drowned dreams. The Neuro Farm are painting you a tale of darkness which is rich and silky in both sound and looks, and who knows, unless you bite, you won’t know what they taste like.

Vampyre | The Neuro Farm (bandcamp.com)

Indie Rock | United States | The Neuro Farm

The Neuro Farm | Facebook

https://www.instagram.com/the.neuro.farm/

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Miss FD released the single “Summoning” on the 22nd of May, from the EP, As Above, So Below on Quantum Release Records. With a music video shot by Storyteller, at Joshua Tree, Miss FD is both the witch/sorceress and the vixen demon, that the crone has conjured up in this video and are the perfect subjects to entrance you .

A fusion of Middle Eastern and India instrumentation that curls around your ears, causing your hips to swerve inexplicably, all the while Miss FD woos you with her singing that would enchant the most critical of djinn (never rub a genie up the wrong way).

The princess of gothic pop and chanteuse of making that butt wiggle, Miss FD certainly makes music as gorgeous as her demonic self. I can still hear her chanting long after the music has finished, imbuing your senses with ancient culture and mystical intensity. Lovely….. so invoke the “Summoning“.

As Above, So Below – EP | Miss FD (bandcamp.com)

Miss FD | Facebook