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Leeds goth rock band, Zeitgeist Zero, released their debut self titled album back in 2005, and since then have dropped albums very regularly. 2023 brought forth the current offering of Meddling With The Forces for this trio on the label Bat-Core. Mixing was conducted by Corin Zero and Steven Whitfield (The Cure), while the mastering is by Tim Hay at Autumn Giant Mastering and the whole shebang recorded at Inner Sanctum Studios.

Initial track, “Go To Hell” sets up the mystical stage, and what you are in for with Zeitgeist Zero. It is a mixture of swirling darkwave electronics, with powerful female vocals and a heavy dose of dance rhythms. With hints of Inkubus Sukkubus, it is time to “Set The Monster Free” with dashes of grinding guitar and sparkling synths, before we are faced with the far more rock heavy “Satanic Sex Witch,” that echoes and reverberates as she stalks you with a very pleasant ending. If a sex witch is your undoing, then at least you can stay in touch with a “Séance,” which might be more fun than using a mobile phone and is a spooky cute proposition from the band. None of this is possible however, without tapping into one’s “Psyche.” This is a much slower track, revelling between the sheets of ether world, floating through.

There is something quite delightful in the slightly chaotic disjointedness of “Night People,” as it is almost teeters on industrial ground both musically and for repressed aggression. Those children of the night is what we are all about. Continuing on the harsher side of electronics, the beginning of “Scream” greets your ears with grating noise, before rocking you with the outbursts of guitar and lulls of anticipation. The single “Toxic Twist” is designed to whip you up with its punk attitude and play between synths and guitar, about a relationship with a less than desirable toxic human. “Plastic Diamonds” look flashy but are worth nothing and the same can be said for people who act like fake jewels, where not everything that glitters is worthy, unlike this song. Final track is the lower, slower and heavier “The Unwanted One,” that smacks slightly of Concrete Blonde.

Zeitgeist Zero might be Meddling With The Forces, but you know this is not the first time they have travelled this gothic road. They are accomplished musicians with a back catalogue that I would highly suggest you check out. The album is full of ghoulish delights, whether they be musical textures or supernatural subjects. Witches, monsters and goths…oh my.

Meddling With The Forces | ZEITGEIST ZERO (bandcamp.com)

http://www.facebook.com/zeitgeistzero

http://www.zeitgeistzero.com/

https://www.instagram.com/officialzeitgeistzero/

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French industrial-darkwave project, Divine Shade are ending a successful year, with the release of the single “Heaven.” This track, as well as previous single “Oublier,” will be included on the album Fragments Vol.1, which will be dropping April, 2024.

Instantly attention grabbing, within the very first bars, and when the electronic drums thunder in along with the vocals, you are not disappointed. Wavering between the sweet beseeching and writhing angst, backed up by thrumming fuzzed out tones, it all courses through your veins, infecting your senses with the sheer vehemence of conviction.

“Heaven” is indeed a glorious track, magnetic in the way it calls out to the listener and utterly enjoyable. It brings together aspects of industrial and darkwave, with a sprinkle of coldwave nuances, which the French have always been so good at, blending them into something very special. “Heaven” is waiting with Divine Shade.

Heaven (Single) | Divine Shade (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/DIVINESHADEofficial/

https://www.instagram.com/divineshade/

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Creepy creepy, in Melbourne city, where gothic delights pervade in the form of Velatine and their new single, “Nothing To Do With You.” Loki Lockwood is the man with the plan, with Inga Liljeström, the siren, and it is out on the label Spooky Records.

The electronics have the air of unquelled domination and Liljeström launches into a story of a woman maligned by many, but, it seems, through her own volution, found herself in order to make her life better. The vocals are languid like molasses and just as rich.

Liljeström’s singing, in both tempo and sound, reminds me very much of Jonette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde (a personal favourite), combined with the ringing guitar and synth/programming of Lockwood, framing the story and focusing us on the tale at hand. Maybe it has “Nothing To Do With You,” but everything to do with Velatine and this really strong darkwave track.

Nothing To Do With You | Velatine (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/Velatine

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Since the 2007 inception of Vancouver band, The Silence Industry has revolved around lynch-pin member Graham Jackson, with other musicians joining him when they are available. The single “As The Walls Close In,” is part of an ongoing project where singles will be released with art work, and each will have two exclusive ‘b-side’ tracks.

The beginning of the title track has that all-encompassing heavy bass, which I associate with early Tool, bubbling with latent tendrils of misgivings, leaning itself to a progressive rock feel. The vocals, crisp and clear, combined with that guitar work, definitely harken back to the roots of 90s gothic rock. The two ‘b-sides’ consist of unreleased versions of “Bags of Clay (Lofi Piano Version)“, which is full of slow burn longing, and “These Long Sunset Shadows ( A Dark Ambient Noise Jam),” that clocks in at just over twelve minutes and the description tells no lies. This is a melancholy at its ambient best.

Fluid and engrossing is how I would describe “As The Walls Close In,” as it beautifully mixes gothic rock with something a little more modern, and with that open door policy with other artists, that only piques my interest more. The single/EP is on Bandcamp for name your price, so you have nothing to lose and the real possibility of gaining some damn fine tracks from The Silence Industry.

▶︎ As the Walls Close In | The Silence Industry (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/thesilenceindustry/

https://www.jamendo.com/artist/486633/the-silence-industry

https://www.instagram.com/thesilenceindustry/

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From Louisville, Kentucky, the duo of Stephen Beasey and Brian Cain are the darkwave band Who Saw Her DIe?, and have released in December, the EP, Ignoring The Serpent.

Oh dear, “Emma” it seems is a stalker, who doesn’t understand the word no, looking to control the subject of her misplaced affection. The vocals deep and foreboding, as they tell of Emma’s indiscretions and unhealthy obsession. Angels can be found in many religions and not all are the light bringers which many pray to now. Rather, they are often avenging beings and this is the premise of “Angel Of Old.” There is a beautiful mix of synths and guitar, that play and intertwine throughout the track, all set to a spritely dance rhythm.

The last track is “Ignoring The Serpent,” slower and far more introspective. The serpent is the metaphor for evil and the premise is that no matter what happens to a person, we can hold onto that which makes us a decent human. The guitar sprinkles this lament with light while the synths and vocals are the grave warning of the loss of this humanity.

Who Saw Her Die? delves into the synth based sound of the 80s and marry it to the far more modern darkwave drone with sparkling guitar work. It really works for them, as they write about the human psyche, the paranormal and how they feed into each other. Don’t be ignoring this serpent, because the bite is quite intoxicating.

Ignoring the Serpent | Who Saw Her Die? (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/whosawherdie

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As promised, Killtoys are back with “Departed,” the final instalment of the trilogy release of connected singles that includes, in order, “Blind God” and “Another Realm“. The Brisbane/Meanjin three piece, comprised of Mick Bristow, Stav Tsolakides and Bevan Bancroft, seem to be building up steam… so we are hopeful for an album release.

The guitar work, as always, is glorious, haunted by a whiff of horror inspired uncertainty, with deep sliding riffs, offset by the thrashing drums. The echoing and pained, or is it beseeching(?), vocals leave you with no doubt that the end is nigh, and Bristow welcomes the creeping shadows to come and take him.

Garry and Jess of Obscure Medium Art, have again created evocative cover art, mastered at 301 by Steve Smart in Sydney, and recorded at King Street Studio in Brisbane. ‘We are the dead,’ is the climax to the trilogy and that in the end, as humans, we come into existence, have free will to create our own destiny and that for all of us is the eventual passing into the veil, hopefully to be greeted by those loved ones that went before us. You are never alone with the “Departed” and Killtoys.

https://www.facebook.com/Killtoysband/

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Finnish musician Amanda Aalto dropped the single “Vampira” on December 1st. This independent singer, songwriter, and producer has been releasing music for the last ten years.

The electronics are almost in lament, with an innocence in the lightness, which is further enforced by the vocals. An ode to a female creature of the night, whom has had to accept her fate, never able to go back to her previous life.

I would almost say that “Vampira” wants you to feel remorse for the prejudice the main character has to endure, through no fault of her own. Simple synth lines, coupled with lilting vocals and you too can dance the blood bond with Amanda Aalto and her “Vampira.”

Vampira | Amanda Aalto (bandcamp.com)

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In the early 90s, we were experiencing the second wave of goth, and one band to grab our attention was the French group Corpus Delicti, with the album Sylphes, instantly becoming a classic. After five years Corpus Delicti disbanded, and now, twenty eight years later, they are finally back with the single “Chaos,” which has William Faith (Faith & The Muse, Shadow Project) in the role of producer.

Just the vocals alone make you know that this is Corpus Delicti, as Sebastian’s singing style has not really changed. Serpentine guitar coils around your senses and the bass guitar is truly gorgeous. The chorus sends shivers down my spine with the breath taking soaring quality, that becomes almost attacking in its veracity, and the synths build the underlaying tension.

They are no longer those youngsters, but that has been replaced by a maturity and a conviction to the music. Everything about “Chaos” screams that this is the same band even down to those guitar flourishes, and I am transported back in time to when I picked up a purple covered CD, with a black and white art piece, discovering songs that became a part of who I am today. Oh how I have missed you Corpus Delicti, for now you have released the “Chaos” and we want more…..

Chaos | Corpus Delicti (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/cdelicti/

https://corpusdelicti0.wixsite.com/band

https://www.instagram.com/corpusdelictimusic/

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It is always lovely to hear the guitar artistry of Karl Morten Dahl, aka Antipole, and he has joined forces with German based Deus Ex Lumina, the darkwave project of Gonzalo Schwindt, for the single “Destroy.”

Dahl’s guitar is ghostly and ephemeral, a presence in the background and melding into synths which glimmer star like from the murky memories that are uttered on the lips of Schwindt. The vocals weighted, sonorously deep and smooth as liquid black velvet.

It is undeniable that there is an 80s electronic, almost coldwave electronics sound to “Destroy.” There is a gentle fragility within the music though the lyrics more than hint to some sort of violence. “Destroy” is a beautiful act of dancefloor tragedy by Deus Ex Lumina & Antipole.

Destroy | Deus Ex Lumina & Antipole | Deus Ex Lumina (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/deusxlumina/

https://www.instagram.com/deusexluminaofficial

Music | Antipole (bandcamp.com)

http://www.facebook.com/antipoleband

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Hard to believe, but it has been five years since the release of Kill Shelter’s debut album Damage on the label Unknown Pleasures. So, December 1st will see the special limited edition of the reworked album, called Damage (V), where tracks that have the (V) have been re-recorded, whilst the others have been remastered by the man himself, Pete Burns at the Shelter Studio. Anyway, before we get to the album, the single “In Decay (V),” was dropped at the end of October, featuring Antipole and Delphine Coma. You may say, hey….. that was a single off the original Damage, and you are not wrong, however this is one of the (V) tracks and now it also has a video to go with it!

Ashe Ruppe is Delphine Coma and his deep, sonorous vocals seem to almost reverberate into the core of your being, as he brings to bear the desperation and disillusionment of those looking to escape across the waters. The delicate guitar strains are Antipole’s Karl Morten Dahl, and they fall like rivulets of drenching tears. All the while, Burns builds the dark and overbearing atmosphere with his driving bass.

You might wonder what the difference is between the original version and this one. For me, I am going to say that the vocals are more at the fore, that the guitar fills in more space, where as the original felt as if it there were voids to punctuate the music, and this new version is just going to take you for a sonic journey. But, more to the point, maybe you need to listen to both versions of “In Decay” in order to make your own mind up. “In Decay (V)” is just beautifully crafted post-punk, and I for one could not think of anyone better to perform it than Delphine Coma, Antipole and, of course, Kill Shelter.

Damage | Kill Shelter (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/killshelterofficial

Music | Antipole (bandcamp.com)

http://www.facebook.com/antipoleband

Music | Delphine Coma (bandcamp.com)

http://www.facebook.com/Delphine.Coma