We are delighted to bring you a nice slice of post-punk gothy goodness in the form of a new single from New York’s’ BlackRoseBurning. GeorgeGrant (bass/vocals/keys), LuisInfantas (drums) and FrankMorin (guitars), are on the verge of dropping their brand new album Ad Astra, and “Sing To Me (E.L.E.)” is the first single, released on the 23rd of June.
There is such a burst of overwhelming joy from the first strains of music. Ringing guitar with not quite chip tune synth, court your ears. Grant’s vocals come across between an ode to that which is lost and the sadness of being emotionally tortured by said loss. It is a rollicking track, foot tappingly quirky and yet it still pulls at your heart strings.
For those that do not know what an E.L.E is, the clue is in the song itself, that it means Extinction Level Event, say like a meteor hitting the Earth. BlackRoseBurning are staying true to the mission statement, with their love of science fiction (as well as science fact!), fuelling the rocket engines of creativity and shooting them out into the stars, giving us aliens music to marvel at and enjoy… even if there ever is an E.LE., I would want BlackRoseBurning to “Sing To Me (E.L.E.)“.
Plasmata is a gothic project from the windy city of Chicago, with TrentJeffries as the man behind it all. It all began in 2012, with a full band, being courted by music labels and on the verge of a debut album…..that is until tragedy struck. Jeffries suffered an aneurysm, which then led to a stroke. He nearly didn’t survive the whole affair and had some major hurdles to get over in order to return to the music he loves so much. Luckily for us he did, because after the release of a few singles, came the powerful EP, PortraitsOfPain in 2021.
Throughout, you can hear his love of old monster and horror flicks, which he has also connected to his near death experience, such as not dying to rise another day and that nightmares lurk in the dark crevices of your mind awaiting to take your life at their whim. This journey has also forged some deep friendships and powerful musical collaborations. What is a glampire, do they drink your blood or raid your velvet coats and can they haunt your dreams? Well darlings, better start reading to find out……..
Dear Trent Jeffries, he who is Plasmata. Welcome to the hallowed ground of Onyx.
Trent, you live in Chicago, which seems a hotbed of gothic music. Have you always lived there and what is it like to be a part of this darkwave renaissance?
I’m a lifelong Chicagoan. The only other place I could imagine living is London. I really enjoy being part of the music scene here. The city is rich with genres and sub-genres of music, and bands from adjacent styles will often play shows together. The audiences are very open minded, which leads to some wide ranging and surprising bills. And I think that’s great.
You describe yourself as a glampire. Does it surprise you to find out many do not realise the gothic scene very much has its roots in 70s glam music?
It does. Even a cursory glance back at the glam movement will show the participant’s goals were in line with today’s scene. The theatricality, statement-making attire and the blurring or eliminating of the lines of convention. The Gothic community chooses to marry that aesthetic to the more macabre, dark side of life.
What does it mean to you being a glampire of Chicago?
The city of Chicago, especially its creative community, appreciate those who show who they are and fly their flag proudly and it is very freeing and rewarding. Its an amalgamation of all that I love, and all that I wish to convey visually. People are much more interested and attracted to roses than to crabgrass. If people take the time to come see you, then I feel you should bloody well give them something to see!
Plasmata isn’t a new band, with its inception in 2005.What was the concept behind the creation of the project?
Plasmata came about because I had music in my head, and lyrics, that I was not finding elsewhere. My love of horror movies definitely shaped my creativity, and the attraction/fear/repulsion of popular vampire lore led me to various avenues of exploration for expressing myself. Nosferatu was hideous, Louie and Lestat were golden gods, Count Dracula somewhere in between. Some people fear what they don’t understand, some are intrigued and some are drawn to it. I compose to play to the myths and also dispel them. Communally, we all experience similar things in life, so I also dive in personally to exorcise demons and hopefully relate to someone who’s going through similar things.
We come to 2012 and the band suddenly disappears from the scene. Since then we have discovered you had a major health issue, which actually involved an aneurysm. What happened?
Plasmata had an entire debut album recorded, and were being courted by a few record labels. In January of that year, I suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage, which is a ruptured aneurysm that causes bleeding in the brain. That also triggered a haemorrhagic stroke. After 6 months ofrecovery and rehabilitation, I was released back into the world. The band members, understandably, had each gone elsewhere since the chances of me being able to function or create at even a fraction of what I was previously seemed remote at best.
That must have been a bloody scary time for you, but you managed to survive and even thrive. Are there any issues for you since this awful period in your life and how has it impacted on you creatively?
There are, although I’ve come to accept them. It was an episode I was not supposed to survive, therefore I move forward with purpose knowing I’ve beaten the odds. I’m playing with house money from here on out, so I strive for personal happiness which aligns very well with my passion to create. But in regards to the effects of the trauma; large parts of my memory are gone, I have vertigo issues, migraines, hand/eye coordination deficiencies. I have difficulty on stairs at times. My ability to play guitar vanished. I’ve become more impulsive, which as a glampire could be both a blessing and a curse.
2020 saw you return to releasing music. How good did this feel?
It took that long to regain enough ability to translate all that I had in my head to music. Initially, I was unsure if what I was creating was any good. Fortunately I was able to have my friend William Faith listen to some of the first songs I’d done and provide encouragement and understanding. Honestly I’m not certain the EP would have happened without him. The feeling of release, of validation, was overwhelming.
By 2021, we see you releasing your EP, “Portraits Of Pain”. The music is a mixture of gothic rock and industrial, but it is the imagery I would like to touch on. The EP feels painted, like a Victorian Hammer Horror set and indeed it would not feel odd to see Cushing, Lee or Price loom out of the darkness. Was this something you purposely did or did it just end up that way?
It was definitely an unconscious occurrence. Thank you very much for the compliment! William and I have a lot of similar musical and celluloid references and that probably had a lot to do with the way the songs were developed and executed. I cannot say enough about how he understood exactly what I was trying to accomplish, and the right brushes to use for the “painting”.
The EP was recorded at 13 Studio by the masterful William Faith. This seems to have become a firm friendship, with Faith mixing your single “Leviathan”. There is also your friendship with Michel Rowland (Disjecta Membra). How important are these relationships to you?
My friendship with Michel came about via a recommendation from William as to whom I should trust to handle my publicity. He’s become a dear friend and confidant, we get on famously, and I tell anyone who will listen that working with Michel has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made musically. Its a wonderful thing when you get to work closely with people who truly understand you as an artist and a person. I also treasure my friendship with William for similar reasons. He just gets me. Our friendship grew exponentially during the recording process. I would describe a particular sound I was looking for, and he would reference a band or particular song that was immediately spot on. Lots of time swapping stories and laughing at all that we’ve been able to experience. I admire and respect both of these gentlemen immensely.
The last single “You Call Him The Devil”, is originally the track “Ten Bells” off the EP, which also features Aly Jados, the lead singer of Blood People. The single version a re-working by Ben Christo (Sisters Of Mercy), so how did all this happen?
Ben and I met through a mutual friend several years ago. He was already playing in Sisters at that point, plus we were both endorsed by the same guitar company at the time. So lots of things to bond us. And I’ve been to London several times. I knew I wanted Ben to try his hand at remixing one of the tracks, so I sent him links to the EP. Well, being a Brit and having lived in London, He was eager to have a go at Ten Bells. He said he could give it a proper reworking since he was very familiar with the story of Jack. I gave him free reign to do what he liked with it, and was blown away with the results.
The track itself is about Jack the Ripper. How much are you into the Ripper lore?
Very much. And to my surprise (and extreme pleasure), William was very well versed on the story as well. That enabled us to really give it a raw, visceral feel. Aly’s vocal was the icing on the cake. I love her voice; its powerful, raspy, smoky, seductive and urgent all at the same time.
So far, do you have a favourite track you have released and if so why?
I was just talking to a friend recently who asked the same question. Its funny, but on different days any one of them could be a favorite. But If I had to choose one, it would be Death of Hope. That song was written in the absolute depths of despair, and is a challenge to perform live because I invariably float in that dark water as I deliver the lines. But every show I look forward to baring my soul and showing that its ok to be vulnerable. It has become a centerpiece of our live set, and is a powerful moment that we get to share with the audience.
Trent, you blew life into this project when the world seemed to be going to hell in a hand basket. Now with Covid no longer shutting down cities, are you planning on more live gigs, and is this something you enjoy?
Collectively, we live for the stage. The live band is a juggernaut. We have been playing a show every month since February and will continue to do so. We’ve been offered some touring opportunities which we will probably agree to, with sights set on a UK swing in the spring of ’24.
What are the musicians that first lured you into the grasp of gothic music?
Bauhaus for sure. The Sisters of Mercy, the Cure, and although they are probably not on a lot of “Goth” checklists, Black Sabbath. Also, horror movie soundtracks have shaped me musically.
What do you listen to now?
I am obsessed with Chelsea Wolfe. I’ve also been listening to Then Comes Silence, Gary Numan, Peter Murphy, Killing Joke.
You are putting together a compilation of your favourite darkwave tracks. Who is making the cut?
That’s a tough one. A lot of what I listen to has hints of what would be considered Darkwave. I suppose it would include Bootblacks, Actors, Clan of Xymox, Panterah, The Bellwether Syndicate, early VNV Nation, Wolfsheim
What is in the future for Plasmata?
We have new songs written, and I have about 8 or 9 other ones that are in progress. We will be recording a new single soon, with an accompanying video to be released at that time. More shows, photo shoots, interviews, dark mayhem.
Have you ever sat, watching the sky in the dark, taking in the celestial bodies, through the substratosphere? Los Angeles darkwave band, The Sea At Midnight, have released the single, “Atmosphere“.
The vocals are tantalising, peaking your interest with the delicate bass, reined in drums and tinkling guitar. There are swells where the music lets loose, floating in the confines of a vehicle, no longer under control, but rather left to the whim of chance.
The production and mixing is by Chris King, the mastering was done by Patrick Hills at Earthtone Recording Company, while lilting saxophone was provided by Tony Bevilacqua. When you hear such tracks, you can’t help but be taken back to the original spaceman, Bowie’s “Major Tom“. A tale of leaving the Earth and floating in the unknown and boundless expanse of the heavens. “Atmosphere” is a tasty post-punk treat from The Sea AtMidnight.
I have been assured that the New Zealand band, After The Flesh, is not named after the My Life With The Thrill Kill Cult track, though that track still lurks in the back of my mind. This four piece, from Wellington, have been around since 2019, and their Bandcamp page also contains demo versions but released their debut, self-titled EP in May.
‘AfterTheFlesh comprises the talents of Slovenian-born vocalist and keyboardist Maruša Sagadin (“Marusha”); veteran local bassist Duncan Nairn; guitarist and vocalist Alec Morris; and drummer Sam Leamy‘. – UTM Music
There is a languid melancholy within “ColdGlory“. The bass is the main instrument of focus, with the jangling guitar and synths backing up. The vocals are intertwined, sinuous, and reaching for the starry skies. “Changeling” has an electronic funk, with off beat syncopation, leaving you feeling unsure and out of step. The idea that one never really changes, as what we are, is always inside us. The track, “PerpetualMidnight“, was originally released as a single in 2021 and has been updated for the EP. It hangs in the air, delicate and sensual, the perfect balance of sorrow versus uplifting. The last song is the ode to love called “Daisychain“. The track builds on the premise that when the significant other has left, there is only bleak loneliness. There is an uncluttered feeling throughout that is saturated in want and resignation.
I really enjoyed the vocal harmonisations within the tracks, playing between female and male, capturing your ears.. The mixing by Bryan Tabuteau is glorious and subtle, allowing each voice and instrument to be heard. So, After The Flesh is a beautiful thing to hear, and the group are growing into their sound, with sonorous and lugubrious gothic melodies.
Back in 2020, we covered the release of the album PrepareForANightmare by Norwegian post-punk band Mayflower Madame, They have now re-released their second full length album as a deluxe version, on OnlyLoversRecords, with five new tracks included. In celebration, Mayflower Madame have dropped the single “Dresden“.
Photo by Tim Harris
The wandering guitars echo and plunge, for going out on this night might change your life forever, whether that is for your betterment or walking into disaster. The vocals are lethargic and almost unenthusiastic, like the singer knows the future, like a fortune teller, and there is a portent of gloom, especially if you take into account, Dresden burnt to the ground in WW2..
The accompanying video for “Dresden“, is a collection of noir, mostly silent films, cut together in a lovely montage of breathtakingly porcelain females. The signature psychedelic guitars are present and the synths have created an eerie background, held together with the drums and bass. Post-punk from Norway is alive and kicking with Mayflower Madame at the fore.
NØIR is the electronic project for Athan Maroulis (vocals) and ErikGustafson (synths/guitar/producer). joined for live events by keyboard players JamieParganos and KaiIrinaHahn. The new single/EP “Fallen” was something NØIR had been working on just as Covid was kicking in and then was put on hold after the unfortunate passing of MetropolisRecords creator, DaveHeckman, but now it has now seen the watery light of evening, in May.
There is a euro cool chic glamour that coats the slick synths and Maroulis‘ vocals are, as always, wonderfully smooth, entrancing your senses into the dance that NØIR is bewitching you with. The ParadoxObscur remix is far more filled with thumping rhythms that has a disco like attitude, that is aimed straight for your pleasure zones. The darkwave retro fingers of SilverWalks caresses “Fallen“, giving it the feel as if the track could have come from the early 80s during the time of MidgeUre’sUltravox, while the Femme Mix features the sensual vocals of KaiIrinaHahn, as she goes from backing singer to replacing Maroulis.
You also get the brand spanking new track “DeathIsEasy“, which is going to haunt you in your sleep and you are going to believe that death really is easy in a sexy, stalking and lurid way. If you are as old enough, like some of us, the PsychedelicFurs song “LoveMyWay“, was an iconic dark love of many in the 80s, where we could all feel the words pull at our heart strings. NØIR have taken the track, playing it as an acoustic and the vocals actually remind me very much of Bowie’s.
The synths literally sing themselves, sparkling in “Fallen” and the vocals…. well, Maroulis proves his vocals are scintillating and beautiful as ever. The remixes have been wonderfully handled, and the extra tracks definitely show the depth of the musicianship of the members of NØIR.
What is a dream? There are many theories but they are definitely made up of past experiences, but also plum the depths of human aspirations and creativity. This brings us to the experimental Australian project lixly. Whom or what is lixly? No idea but as far as I know, their release, a leopards head, is their first, and is based on lixly’s dreams.
The surreal hissing before the acoustic guitar throws you slightly, and it seems to be recorded in a room where other things are happening. The spoken vocals are eerie and prophetic, as the track is called “i cannot forget“. Maybe “the song of ereshkigal” is a falsetto version of NeilYoung, if Neil was being particularly creepy in a delicate way. Distorted chiming notes, herald in a terror filled and oppressive atmosphere, settling uneasily in the back of your head, in the instrumental “i don’t want to look at the baby“.
“a leopards head” has the heavy and electricized vocals, while the wavering electronics assault your ears with their hit and run tactics, hissing and fizzing with the undefined rhythms. Classical piano strains greet your ears, ghost like, in “a royal audience“, but there is the pitched overriding electronics and what sounds like a person cooing behind it all. The final track “it is no mask“, and the deep voice is back. The music around it is full of violence on an epic scale, brooding and aggressive.
Is it an EP or is it an album??? Mmmm, I leave that up to the listener, but there is no doubt that there is a lot of horror in the dreams of lixly, as they waltz between ambient industrial, acoustic and classical, building tension. This is a dream leopards head with the disturbing and very interesting lixly.
Since 2005, we have watched AgentSideGrinder (ASG) grow as a band. The Swedes had captured the attention of fans with their dark electronic music, and then in 2017, more than half the band decided they needed to go do their own thing. Original members JohanLange and PeterFristedt took up the challenge, taking ASG further, with new lead singer EmanuelÅström, and now, in 2023, the guys have released the sixth studio album, named JackVegas, out on ProgressProductions. This is possibly darker than previous releases, with beautiful melodies, a depth of emotions that draw you in, and of course music for you to dance long into the night. I was fortunate to be able to talk to the lovely JohanLange about the making of JackVegas, and all good things ASG…..so if you want to know about all the things, then you must read on.
Welcome Johan Lange, denizen of Agent Side Grinder, to Onyx where the sun only shines on tv.
The band formed in 2005, in Sweden, during the height of the futurepop wave. When you look back on that time, could you dream ASG would be bringing out a sixth studio album?
Johan: Absolutely no. I was surprised we even did a first album. To me, ASG was just another band I was working with, a side project to my bigger musical plans. But we got off to a flying start, and there’s been no stopping since.
How do you think the scene at the time nurtured the seed that became ASG, and what was the darkwave scene like in Sweden at the time?
Johan: From what I recall, the scene was really tiny, and I wasn’t personally involved in it. Peter (Fristedt), the co-founder of ASG was however part of the Stockholm synth scene, and he had grown tired of it. He wanted to create a punky, industrial back-to-the-roots version of electronic music, which was a big contrast to the laptop acts that were dominating the scene.
What is the darkwave scene like in Sweden now, and is it very supportive?
Johan: I wouldn’t say it’s a dark wave scene in particular, but there’s a small relatively vibrant scene for synth, goth, synth pop and also more experimental stuff. ASG has been part of that community since we started and people have always been supportive. This year, we were able to do a full Scandinavian tour, also in smaller cities, which was a big step for us.
2017 was a big year for you guys, with half the band standing down, but instead of letting this slow you down, ASG seems to have galvanized, and you brought in Emanuel, with his amazing and recognizable vocals. How did this impact your sound?
Johan: Peter and I were very determined to keep ASG alive and prove the band wasn’t dependent on the leaving members. So we worked hard to upgrade the ASG sound, and make it tighter, colder, and perhaps more danceable than before. And when Emanuel joined us, everything really fell into place and we could finalize the transition.
The new album is titled “Jack Vegas”, which is also the nickname for a style of cheaper slot machines. Why this title and what is the premise of the track with the same name?
Johan: The title is a play with words. It obviously nods to Las Vegas and an American dream of fortune and fame. But in Sweden, it symbolizes something else, a less glamorous world perhaps associated with alcoholism or gambling addiction. The title is also a combination of two names that inspired the album, Jack Kerouac and Alan Vega.
This is an album you have really worked hard on. How long had you been working on it, and was it easier or more difficult than other studio albums?
Johan: We normally release a new album every third year, but this one took a bit longer than usual for various reasons. Musically, everything went pretty smooth, I spent more time on the arrangements this time. The hardest part to get in place this time was instead the lyrics. We had to rewrite them many times.
I think for myself, the track that causes my toes to curl is “Decipher”. How did this track come together?
Johan: “Decipher” was the last track that made it onto the album and also the quickest to write. After I came up with the initial melody line, the song almost “wrote itself”, verse, chorus, and lyrics, etc. Those simple songs are usually the best, any songwriter would agree.
Photo – Haris Mlivic
Do you have a favourite track on the album, and if so, why?
Johan: Probably “Decipher” and “Waiting Room”. We were very excited about releasing “Waiting Room” as a single, it felt like a banger.
For the music nerds out there, what are the favourite instruments and programmes you have used on “Jack Vegas”?
Johan: ASG has pretty unorthodox methods when it comes to programming. We’re always using an Akai MPC to program the beats, hip-hop style. I can really recommend that if you want a more physical approach to making beats.
For the bass lines, we usually use a combination of synths on this album, mostly a Moog combined with a Roland SH-2.
Will there be any remixes for the album in the works?
Johan: I hope so. Not an entire remix album this time, but hopefully a few dance remixes later on.
Talking about remixes, this is something ASG have been doing for other acts. How much do you enjoy doing something a little different, like putting your own touches on a track?
Johan: I enjoy it a lot, it’s very creative. I actually wish I could do more remix and production work, but it’s quite time-consuming. But I try to put a lot of personal ideas into the remixes such as new rhythm tracks or bass lines. Some remixes almost turn into ASG songs, for example, the one we did for US artist Kiss of the Whip. It features one of the best synth lines I’ve come up with.
Last year, you teamed up with Pete Burns on the track “The Necklace,” which came out on the Kill Shelter album “Asylum.” The subject matter of that song is pretty heavy stuff, covering escaping physical and mental trauma. It turned out to be an incredible track, so how did you record it, and how close to your heart is it to touch on these sort of subjects?
Johan: Thanks! We are no strangers to dark lyrics, but the subject of abuse and violence was new to us. I actually got the inspiration for the lyrics at a museum exhibition, where I saw this necklace, hand-made of seeds by a woman held in prison by ISIS (or similar). When Pete told me about the concept for his album, I wrote a lyric about that experience. He was very enthusiastic about it and the song turned out great.
ASG has a few live gigs coming up. Are you excited to get back into touring and especially with this new album for fans?
Johan: We’re always excited about touring and playing new songs. We’ve recently been touring Scandinavia, including London, and we return this autumn for a European leg of the tour. The response on the Scandinavian shows were awesome. The new songs, “Bloodless” for example, felt even better on stage.
What bands grabbed your ears and encouraged you to get into the music business?
Johan: Then I have to say Kiss. They opened for Pandora’s Box when I was about six or seven, and got me interested, or rather obsessed with music.
What bands do you enjoy listening to now?
Johan: Cliché answer, but I’m listening to all kinds of music, I’m all over the place. But a few artists I’ve enjoyed recently are Royksopp, Fever Ray, Burial, MAG, Dina Ögon and Sven Wunder. Very diverse stuff. I’m also rediscovering the catalogue of Brian Eno right now.
What has it been like having Progress Productions label, behind ASG?
Johan: The last three ASG albums have been released by Progress Productions. It’s basically just one guy, Torny, who runs the label from Gothenburg, totally independent. He’s been giving us full artistic freedom through the years and has been very supportive and helpful, so it’s been a great fit for us.
In a perfect world, you are releasing a remix version of “Jack Vegas,” and you can choose anyone you want to do a remix. Do you have a dream team?
Johan: We need some big names on that list. Perhaps Trent Reznor, Gesaffelstein, and Four Tet?
What is in the more distant future for ASG?
Johan: We’re doing a pretty spectacular concert in Stockholm October 14 in a legendary theatre called Södra Teatern. Then we’ll be touring Europe and the UK in the autumn and winter. We’re also keen on bringing ASG outside Europe soon, perhaps Latin America or the US.
Thank you ever so much and especially for the beautiful music!
What is on the slab you might ask? I may reply, well, Melbourne label, SpookyRecords, have released the single with video, from Velatine, called “All I Want“. Velatine is a darkwave duo, also based in Melbourne, Australia and this single is off the album I Won’t Be Civilised, that was released in February.
Photo by Jurgis Maleckas
From the beginning, a sense of despondency is within the electronics, before the vocals take you away, dragging you towards a world of solitude. The synths are beautifully layered with the vocals, echoing and giving an air of melancholy mystery.
The band is composed of Maggie Alley and Loki Lockwood, and the video they have created for the track, is full of shadowy Hitchcock noir, as Alley gets Lockwood to drive her around, before making him dig his own grave. “All I Want” is smooth and chic like a rich dark wine from Velatine.
The last time we heard from Athens’ NEXUS, was February 2022, and now Mike Pougounas is back with a new single, named the “ShrinkingMan“, which was released May 13. Pougounas plays keyboards, vocals and programming and is joined on this track by DalaiCellai on cello, whom is part of the German Performance Art ensemble, Cirque Bouffon.
There is such an overwhelming sense of a loss of self in this track between the content of the lyrics, Pougounas‘ vocals and the extraordinary tone of the cello. There is a simplicity in the music that lends itself to the tale of a man that had a wonderful talents, that were powered by love, but without it he withered and has a rather unfortunate ‘accident’. The “ShrinkingMan” by NEXUS is wonderfully poignant gothic fare.
Onyx Music Reviews 