Once there was an EP that was recorded and then it was unable to be finshed for reasons. Many years later, the siren whom created the EP, Justine Ó Gadhra-Sharp, was given the opportunity to complete it. This is very much our luck as well, as Sidhe is a wonderful eclectic mix of cabaret, sexiness and sprinklings of darkness. Justine has been a part of the New Zealand dark alternative scene since the 90s but this EP marks the lady being independent of a band, so we spoke to her about the EP, what she has been up to and find out a little about the Kiwi music scene!
Welcome/kia ora Justine, down in the Onyx burrow where we currently have an infestation of fairy folk… do be careful as they occasionally bite.
You have been involved with the New Zealand music scene since the 90s, with acts including The Gael, Flinch, Pulchritude, DiS and Artemisia. Most of these bands were involved in experimental, dark ambient styles. How did you get into this scene?
I socialised with many of these people in the 90s and we all had a similar desire for the darker and more experimental. We listened to much of the same kinda music. I have always been fairly confident socially, you could say, so I showed what I could do and it unfolded from there.
Justine Album Shoot
What was the gothic/industrial/darkwave scene in New Zealand in the 90s and 2000s? Is it similar today or have things changed?
Vastly different nowadays. Back then we were the stragglers of the 80s: the children of boomers, where we were not really acknowledged and kinda felt raised by radio and tv. So the music in the alternative scene (not limited to goth etc.) was a kinda purging of what was repressed in us. It made for some very interesting material; very raw in many ways. Nowadays I am not seeing much of this from the younger lot… I guess they have their own voice. Social media has changed things a lot. And the days of the old 4-track and analogue reel-to-reel that were always highly coveted now sit collecting dust in forgotten corners, holding memories and unfulfilled dreams. I quite liked the 90s “misfits” that wandered about looking for gigs to go to it felt quite supportive, and felt like we were kinda healing or medicating each other with music and booze: very much dysfunctional, but at the time was fun. There was however the shadow side that era came with, which was quite vampiric and deeply unhealthy. I needed to extract myself from that, so I left
The EP, Sidhe, was recorded in the early 2000s but then it was kind of forgotten about? How did Sidhe get resurrected and who was involved?
No, never forgotten about I assure you. Its state of incompletion haunted me. I would see that hard drive that was biffed in a box every time I would go looking for something and it would tug at my conscience – my obsession with tying up loose ends – I don’t like unfinished business. Then one day like an answered prayer, Josh Wood contacted me out of the blue, asking if I would be interested in doing some vocals on his EP. I was chuffed because I liked his work back in the day and was only too pleased to help. In return, he offered to help me with my EP when I was ready. He understood the bullshit that surrounded the temporary cessation of my project, and wanted to see it done. Very good guy: straight up and ridiculously talented. Another talented friend, Bryan Tabuteau in Wellington, also offered to assist. I gratefully accepted their help, and so here we are.
The style in Sidhe is different from what you were performing with other bands. Was this because you had more autonomy creating with long time friend Iva Treskon or were trying out something different?
Yea, so I was getting bored with the randomness of the other projects. Although I enjoyed these projects at the time, I suddenly started to feel like I was a bit of a puppet and wasn’t given much license to do what I wanted. I always wanted some structure and a degree of slickness – not too slick, mind you. Iva and I moved to Auckland in 2000 from Christchurch to carve out a new life together, and he is a very good drummer. I mean, the dude is crazy talented at a lot of things and drumming is just one of his natural abilities. He liked my singing and we would jam regularly in our tree house in Tītīrangi with the tūīs surrounded by native bush. His drum n bass break beat style with my drones, loops and vocal style created a lovely kind of landscape that had a nice balance of structure and experimentation. It was fun, and it happened very organically. We were highly motivated creative beings and we got a lot of creativity out back then collectively. We inspired each other. In fact his art still inspires me some 20 plus years later.
The single Red Room has been picked up by radio and streamers. You also had fellow New Zealanders, The Mercy Cage do a fantastic remix and in 2017, you recorded the single, Walking Ghost Phase with them. How did you make their acquaintance?
I met Josh Wood briefly in Auckland at some Goth gig in the early 2000s. I think he was based in Tauranga back then. I am not sure we even spoke to each other; just acknowledged each other in our introverted way. I was super impressed by The Mercy Cage and I guess my voice made a positive impression on him.
He did a huge amount of work on my EP and I asked him if he would like to do a remix of one of the songs with complete creative license. He chose Red Room and yes, he did a fantastic remix.
Justine Album Shoot
My favourite track is the wonderful Stanley’s Only Hope, a duet with Michel Rowland of Disjecta Membra. Your vocals complimented each other so well. Michel mentioned he had re-recorded the vocals after many years, so can you tell us about this song, your friendship with the delightful Rowland and is it inspired a little by Nick Cave?
I met Michel years ago, playing some shows together between 97 and 98. I was in Flinch then, and he was in Disjecta Membra, and we have been friends ever since. His voice blew me away when I first heard him sing, I was astonished. I love it. Deep and rich… I like how he seems to masticate words when he sings, and they come out kinda different, his own and yet otherworldly… hard to describe.
As for Nick – we both really enjoy Nick Cave and I think for me it’s almost impossible not to have Nick influence me creatively on some level. I wrote that song deliberately to be sung as a duet and for me there was only ever one person who could sing Stanley’s part and that was Michel. I am glad he agreed to it. Our voices do go well together. I think that’s a lot to do with getting where each other is coming from. Quite intuitive… instinctive.
You seemed to have a break from the music scene, so was this intentional?
Yes and no… Life and its twists took me down the path of motherhood, among many other distractions, both unwelcomed and welcomed.
In 2015 saw you starting to appear on recordings again. Was this the start of a return to singing for you?
Yes, dipping my toes back in, gently. Curious to see if I could still sing… seems I could.
What music or bands brought you into the fold in your youth?
As a child, early Simple Minds, early U2, Bowie, Clannad… then from 14-ish Nick Cave, The Church, Bauhaus, New Order… then latter teen years came Diamanda Galas, Swans, Skin, Jarboe, Dead Can Dance, PJ Harvey, The Breeders, Bongwater, The Specials… many more, but those are front of mind.
What or who do you listen to now that inspire you?
Still most of the above. I do like Weyes Blood, and Big Black Delta have a couple of decent songs that I return to.
Justine Album Shoot
Are there plans for more music in the pipeline due to the reception of Sidhe?
I hope so. There are some discussions about some collaborative work. For any solo stuff, not sure… I would like to, but perhaps not on my own completely.
We honestly hope to hear more from you and so do the fairies! Thank you/ char for your time!
You’re welcome. Yes, indeed the fae are never far from me… never far from us.
Pure Obsessions And Red Nights are a French band that have been around since 1999. They are soon to drop a new album but before that happens they have released on the 11th of March, 2022, their latest single, “A Vanishing Sight“.
From the start this has a really light feel to it. floating on an 80s electronic influenced wave. Full of these wonderful synth lines and lyrics that remind you of of times of being wanted, loved like no other. It is poppy and truly a track that reminds you that not all is doom and gloom in the world. Lead singer, PhilippeDeschemin did say that they had recorded on vintage synths and equipment and this all feeds into the ambiance.
Okay, wow. Their sound has changed a lot since the 2009 album, A Decade In Danger And Glitter, which is a far more metal industrial sound, when they were known as the murder rock band by the acronym PORN (I dare you to google that!). I don’t think it is a matter of mellowing but rather a growth in the style to incorporate more of the 80s electronica. It is a really enjoyable track and in times like these, sometimes we need the music that feeds and inflames our hearts.
MikePougounas (vocalist, keyboards, bass, guitar) has been in the Greek scene for quite a while, starting in 1981 with the gothic Flowers OfRomance, Nexus and New Zero God. Nexus had been on a 17 year hiatus, but Pougounas found himself without a project during the Covid lockdowns and decided to resurrect the band and through his friendships, had Greek guitarists Yiannis Drenoyiannis (Anti Troppau Council, Yeah!, Captain Nefos, Sigmatropic) and Michalis Galaios (Ερεβος, Lost Bodies, Mavres Comodies), bass player Michalis Semertzoglon (New Zero God, GAD, Atria) and trumpet player Louis Kontoulis (Stress, De Traces) help him on various tracks to create the album Ninouki, which was released February the 28th, 2022.
Mark Gemini Thwaite aka MGT (Peter Murphy, Gary Numan, Tricky, Spear of Destiny, Theatre of Hate, Mission) contributed guitar on the track “The Words That Got Away“, as well as playing and remixing “You & Me“. “Rhythm Of Life” is mixed by musician/producer John Fryer (This Mortal Coil, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Cocteau Twins, Black Needle Noise) and “Star Thief” was mixed by producer/engineer Steve Whitfield (The Cure, The Mission UK, Terrorvision)….. that is a lot of big names on the one album.
“The Words That Got Away” contains the title for the album. It is bright and joyful with MGT’s guitar work lighting the way. The trumpet melds so well as is not intrusive but rather a warm siren while Pougounas‘ vocals lure us into his world. A hypnotic beginning to “Do You Remember” with eclectic noises and the vocals give a hint of sadness, maybe remorseful about a time long ago. Suddenly the electric guitar breaks though and you are in a sonic place where time is ticking by. I love the start to “Star Thief” with those rhythms. It is bold and has a feel to it of something ancient swelling beneath while the modern music coasts above it. The lyrics capture your imagination in a story about foolish soul. It is beautiful and breathtaking plus reminds me very much of David J (Love And Rock).
“Voyager” does have a space like quality to it, traversing the inky darkness. The spoken words tell us we are but stardust. Psychedelic touches as we become one with the universe in a constant stream of consciousness. This MGT remix of “You & Me” is surprisingly on the more electronic side and the guitar work light and non-invasive. This track pumps along, not caring if anyone else is listening. It song is just for you, a sweet sentiment that time should not weary love. Some people seem to be able convey themselves into a track and John Fryer is definitely one of those people. “Rhythm Of Life” remix just oozes his touch with the glitching fuzzy tones and plumbing depths with electronics. The organic meets the stellar cool. “Turn Me On/Turn Me Off” is the last track is probably the most conventional post punk song with it’s riotous vocals and lashings of guitar, that set a merry pace towards the end.
Ninouki is a mixture of what was, what could be and what we shall become in the future. It all seems to tie into the theme of space and time, that we mere mortals are made of the same stuff of stars and return to dust…… so enjoy it while you can. Pougounas effortless flows from singing to dramatic spoken words, giving each track a nuance and capturing a moment. There are the the more rock aspects, mixed with the electronic and verbal artistry that make this new album from Nexus so easy to listen to, so 17 years have been worth the wait.
Some people out there are just so talented musically. One of these is Gold Coast based musician Jed A Walters with his newest project, Chiffon Magnifique. We previously looked at his debut under that moniker and it seems a shame to not display the wonders of the second single, “Ice Witch” which was released the 3rd of March, 2022.
Just a few seconds in, you can tell this is going to be good with the cold electronics and the unfaltering drum machine. Walters has said he has started to enjoy playing more guitar and it used to spine tingling effect here. The versus are in German and almost spat out with near poisonous contempt about a woman whose heart was as cold as the tundra she came from. The synths are scintillating as he proclaims in English, you’ve done it now and in an extra twist there is a near manic saxophone towards the end. And for those that have not guessed yet, it is about a relationship gone sour and a bad breakup.
It is really worth watching the video because there is the translation of the German and also you get the pleasure of watching a well made shoe-string budget video of Walters being chased across the Robina parklands by the evil ice witch (which I will tell you is no mean feat in Queensland weather being an ice witch!). ChiffonMagnifique showcases the growing prowess in electronic/post-punk music that I can only see Jed A Walters growing stronger in. Hurry up with the damn album. We need it!
The Neuro Farm have been in existence since 2011 with founders Rebekah Feng (vocals, violin) and Brian S Wolff (vocals, guitar), later joined by DreamrD (drums, percussion) and Tim Phillips (keyboards, textures). This gothic quartet released the concept album Vampyre in 2021, with the tale starting in a grand ancient acclaim with the father of vampires, “Cain“. It follows a woman who is tricked into becoming a creature of the night eternal but struggles with the loss of her humanity and leaving behind the husband she loves. The bloodsucker that sired her, acts as a despot, so she gathers the others like herself to over throw this King of Vampires and then ascends to become Queen. Throughout, there is drama and dark beauty. Feng’s vocals are gorgeous and really give each track such profound grace. You can hear her classical training and “Vampyre” is a perfect track to showcase not only her violin playing but the vocals. Wolff is no slouch with his singing either while Phillips abilities on the synths has enriched their sound and DreamrD is the beating heart that holds it all together. A goth rock odyssey that could only happen when you have a group of talented musicians.
I think the moral of the story is in the end there is a little bit of Cain in each and every vampire that stalks the world from the shadows. So, we decided to have a chat with these ephemeral creatures that make up The NeuroFarm before the break of dawn and find out about this latest offering and what makes their synapses spark…..
Welcome to the psych ward where we conduct aptitude tests looking for Onyx’s new Renfield!
Brian: Thanks for inviting us in. 😉
The name of the band comes from Rebekah being a neuroscientist and Brian’s interest in neuropharmacology. How did the band come together?
Brian: Rebekah and I met in grad school at Georgetown University working on PhDs in neuroscience. We both had solo music projects going, and somehow didn’t know this about each other until a couple years after we first met. But we did eventually find out, and it turned out our projects were fairly similar, so we started a band. It wasn’t very serious at first, just kind of a fun spare time thing, but we got much more serious about it in 2017 when Colin joined and we started working on our Descent album.
Rebekah: I agree, the band was more like a fun side hobby at first, and was nothing like what it is now. In a way, The Neuro Farm only became a real band when we met Colin in 2017. Colin brought our rhythm section to a whole new level. The 3 of us played shows for a few years with quite a few bassists, but we had wanted a synth player for a very long time. Tim is one of the best synth players around. We had wanted to ask him to join our band for the longest time. To our surprise, he said yes! With Tim joining the band last year, we were able to create all these new sounds for Vampyre. We are now the Neuro Farm 2.0! 😀
Neuro Farm is based in Washington DC, so can you tell us what the goth/industrial scene is like in the nation’s capital?
Rebekah: Under the polished suit-wearing facade of Washington, DC, there’s an unexpectedly active underground goth/industrial scene! I bet everyone thinks they have the best goth scene, but I really do believe ours is special. Everyone is genuinely kind and supportive of each other. We have Vanguard and Dark & Stormy, which are both amazing dance parties. If you ever visit DC, you’ll have to come to one of these! Another super cool thing that happened in DC is the emergence of Procession Magazine. It was founded by our pal, Chris Canter, and has grown into a super popular print magazine in the US. So definitely check them out!
Your music is heavily based and influenced by vampire lore. What is it about this genre that inspires your music and creativity?
Rebekah: Vampires are misunderstood. They are often portrayed as monsters to be slayed. But they have memories of humanity and are tortured by eternity. They have loved and lost, and can be a bit jaded as a result. We wanted to tell the vampire’s story from their perspective, and that became the story of the album.
Brian: Vampires are also about power. Power is something they crave, something they covet, something that sustains them, but at the same time it’s quite literally a curse, and something that estranges them from those they care about. It’s great symbolism, and fun to explore from a songwriting perspective.
Congratulations on your latest album release, Vampyre, which comes with a story-line. Can you elucidate and give us a bite of what this epic tale is about?
Brian: The album begins with “Cain”, a song about the biblical figure who was cursed by God to wander the earth for eternity as a vampire. The main story is set in modern times, and the heroine of the story is made a vampire by an evil man, an egomaniacal cult leader who is the subject of the song, “Purity”. But as she grows to hate her maker, she lures vampires away from him and makes them loyal to her. Eventually, she slays her former master in the “Midnight Massacre” and declares herself queen. Mastermind ends the album saying the kings and queens aren’t really in charge, asking, who is the real mastermind? Then in a subtle touch I’m probably a little too proud of, you hear the theme from “Cain” start to play, answering the question.
Rebekah: Right before “Midnight Massacre” there’s a pair of songs, “Vampyre” and “Mortal”. Part of the tragedy of becoming a vampire is the inevitable farewell to their mortal loved ones. “Vampyre” portrays the difficult choice of breaking the bond. And of course, “Mortal” is the story told from the mortal lover’s perspective. You sense more of a trace of humanity in “Vampyre” before she abandons her humanity in “Midnight Massacre”.
BRIAN S WOLFF
How important was it for there to be a story-line for this album and who was the one to come up with theidea?
Brian: Rebekah came up with the vampire theme by writing the song, “Vampyre”. We had a few songs already written at that time, but we realized we could easily form a story about that vampire character, so we decided to turn the whole thing into a concept/story album. The song “Cain” was actually originally written about the Norse god Loki, but we adapted it into a song about the world’s first vampire.
Rebekah: It’s more fun when an album reads like a book rather than a collection of loosely-connected songs! We first came up with the song “Vampyre” and built a whole storyline around the vampire. There’s a cult, a love story, a rebellion, and the takeover in the story. We added the origin story of the biblical Cain, the first vampire, because we do everything from start to finish. That’s how we roll! 😀
DreamrD: Fortunately, during the pandemic, we had the time available to devote to the project. Making and releasing albums is a tremendous amount of work under any circumstances, much less a concept-based undertaking that communicates a compelling story. We’re familiar with what effort is involved though, because our 2019 release “The Descent” is also a concept/story based album.
REBEKAH FENG
I believe Vampyre is your fourth studio album. How do you feel your sound has changed since that first release in 2011?
Brian: In 2011 it was really just a side project with Rebekah and me, and pretty amateurish. You can definitely hear us develop with each album, with the songwriting and production improving considerably over time. And we added Colin for “The Descent” (2018), which improved our sound pretty dramatically, and then added Tim for “Vampyre” (2021) which once again gave our sound a huge boost. I feel like we’ve found a really great lineup for the band now where we all contribute a lot to the sound, and we really like working together to make music we’re all proud of.
Rob Early of 11 Grams/Retrogram did a great job mastering Vampyre, so how do you know the fabulous Rob?
Rebekah: Haha! You know Rob too? Isn’t Rob a great guy? A few years back, we played a show at Black Cat in DC with Red This Ever (another great band from our area) and Rob was the synth player at that show. We started chatting then and have been good friends ever since.
Brian: Rob was absolutely fantastic to work with, and just a great guy as well.
DreamrD: Rob also happens to live right down the street from me so we’re neighbors as well, though we only recently discovered this fact. Knowing this, I’ll be dropping by his place often for a spare cup of baking powder or sea salt. 🙂
Rebekah, you are a trained classical violin player. Does this make it easier or harder to integrate into a rock style for you?
Rebekah: Like everyone else, I grew up playing an acoustic violin and didn’t even know about electric violins until later in life. As you know, classical violin training focuses more on techniques rather than artistic expression. I get bored easily, so perfecting my technique or playing sheet music was not as fun. I’ve always been more interested in creating new sounds and coming up with my own music. Fast forward to 2010, I bought my first electric violin and the world of effect pedals opened up to me. The rest is history. 🙂 Now I have so many effects pedals and somehow keep acquiring more. So, to answer your question, integrating violin playing into a rock style actually felt quite natural. It was meant to be! 🙂
TIM PHILLIPS
The whole band comes from a lot of different musical backgrounds. What are the bands that influenced you all in your youth?
Brian: My biggest influence growing up was Pink Floyd, who gave me a deep love for the concept album. And Dave Gilmour was probably the main reason I decided to learn guitar. Otherwise, the way Radiohead writes and arranges their songs has definitely been a big inspiration for my own songwriting over the years. And I love how Portishead had a really cinematic vibe to their music, which is something I’ve always pursued in my own music.
Rebekah: I was actually really into classical music when I was a kid. My first cassette was a piece by Schumann. I got it when I was 6 and I remember being moved by the music. String harmonies still give me goosebumps. Then there’s Bach who made me fall in love with Baroque arpeggiation patterns. Nowadays, I notice that I incorporate these influences when I write music without realizing it. If you listen to the song, Vampyre, you’ll see what I’m talking about. 🙂
DreamrD: Having come up in the 80’s (think “Freaks and Geeks”) a lot of pop music and MTV in particular were inescapable. So all of that rubbed off on my musical interests at the time, and much of which I still enjoy. The Police, Devo, Missing Persons, Duran Duran, Ministry, The Cult, Prince, and The The were all bands that really captivated my youthful ears. I recall much later seeing Cirque du Soleil for the first time and being impacted by the music, but also just the overall performance and theatrics, the creation of distinct show characters, the acrobatic and physical prowess, and the fantasy of it all. It was impressive and stuck with me as an elevated piece of artistry. The Blue Man Group show also made a similar impact from a unique live performance perspective, as did U2’s Zoo TV tour in the 90’s. Amazing productions! Unrelated to musical influences, but with additional personal insight, DreamrD is a nickname that’s been with me in some form (DreamR, Dreamer, Dreamer-D, etc.) since my teens and just never went away. It works in a musical/band/performance setting, however my dearest Mum still calls me Colin. I also answer to “schlagzeuger” for our German followers since we seem to be making inroads there. But maybe Australia is next for The Neuro Farm to really infiltrate? 😉
Tim: I became a fan of Duran Duran in the early 80’s and when I saw a live performance on MTV, I saw Nick Rhodes behind a glorious stack of synths and computers and I knew instantly that I wanted to be him. My tastes expanded when I got into Pink Floyd and early Peter Gabriel solo albums, but hearing The Cure’s ‘The Head on the Door’ was the moment I wanted to compose songs. This also led me down the college and alternative radio path and fell in love with Depeche Mode, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, etc. Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead then enforced the fact that writing and performing music was the path I wanted to follow.
DreamrD
What do you find yourselves listening to now?
Brian: Honestly, a lot of the same stuff I was listening to in my youth. But I’ve definitely had a recent focus on post-punk and industrial stuff like Joy Division and NIN. I like listening to all kinds of different music, though I think pretty much every genre has good stuff in it.
Rebekah: I go through phases with music. There will be weeks when I listen to Chelsea Wolfe nonstop. Then there are other weeks when I listen to a lot of German bands, Rammstein, Eisbrecher, etc. Currently, I’m in a Sigur Rós phase. They are going on tour this year and we all bought tickets to see them, so I’m quite excited about it! The ONE band I always come back to is Radiohead. They are incredibly creative and the music is both beautiful and so interesting!
DreamrD: In the “smaller band” realm, I have been enjoying Ritual Howls who are based in Detroit. They have a dark, mechanical, and minimalist quality to their sound but that is also infused with a Western twang to it. “Turkish Leather” is a good full-album starting point for their music. In the “bigger artist” category, I typically stop whatever I am doing if I hear Johnny Marr’s solo work come on or also Interpol (Antics!). Those sounds just never get old to my ears.
Tim: Other than revisiting all of the music I grew up with, I find myself listening more and more to bands like Deftones, Mew, Sigur Ros, and 65daysofstatic. Even side projects of some of those bands are in my heavy rotation such as Crosses (Deftones) and Apparatjik (Mew).
Due to the pandemic hitting us from 2020 to 2021, how has it affected the band? Did it make some things harder/impossible or other things easier?
DreamrD: The pandemic initially impacted The Neuro Farm by shutting down a planned 2020 tour and obviously separating us physically from gigging and hanging out together, etc. But we made a point of staying active and productive. The time away from performing really cleared the way for the Vampyre album to be our sole focus and brought it to completion without any particular pressure of time or imposed deadlines. It felt good to embrace flexibility and to be able to adapt to the unexpected.
What are the future plans for Neuro Farm?
Rebekah: Venues are opening back up in DC, and we recently began to play local shows somewhat regularly. When we wrote our “Vampyre” album, we had envisioned an almost movie-like storyline which warrants music videos. We are in the process of making them and hope to finish those this year. In April 2020, we were about to go on our first east coast tour, which didn’t happen for obvious reasons. So touring domestically is definitely on our agenda. Also, we’ve been gaining popularity internationally, so touring in Europe and maybe Australia is something we’ve been talking about as well.
If you were a character out of the role playing game Vampire The Masquerade, what clan would you be from and why?
Brian: My real life might most resemble Nosferatu because I’m reclusive and I spend a lot of time in front of a computer. But screw that, I want to be a Toreador because they’re much more attractive, and I want to be attractive, dammit!
Rebekah: I think I am a Tremere because of my day job. I wish I knew magic. But hey, science is like magic, but based on empirical evidence! 😀 Supposedly, Tremeres are hated by many. I hope that’s not the case. 😦
DreamrD: I would probably be part of the Ravnos. I’m often a little restless but also prefer not to fight about things when a smoother, more charmed approach can achieve the same or better result in life. 😉
Tim: I was going to say I’d lean heavily towards Ravnos, but we can’t have TWO charmers in the same band, right? I’d go with Malkavian as I can be a bit of a joker and may be prone to hallucinations when I’m hungry 😛
Thank you for being my willing thralls and giving your time to this experiment.
Brian: We have been enthralled. Get it? Because “Enthralled” is a song on our album. 😀
Mwahaha congratulations Brian, you are the new Renfield.
Here on Onyx, we love our Australian underground music. To that end, we figured people needed to know about the latest video from post-punk provocateurs, Sounds Like Winter. “No Interest“, off their third album, FightThe Stairs, is a combination of footage from around the time of the original Wall Street Crash and the live online video of the band’s album launch.
We previously said…The tribal beats are unmissable here and maybe a harkening back to Southern Death Cult. “No Interest” is the cold reality that humanity isn’t so humane and will ignore you when you are at your lowest point. As their promoter, UTM Music Group said…..If you’ve been ignoring this band, you’re clearly a fucking idiot. Could not have really said it better myself.
Honestly, there are very few people who are into post-punk music, that do not know the name David J. David JohnHaskins, a founding member of Bauhaus and a member of Love And Rockets, also known as The Bubblemen, has worked on a solo career since 1983. While being very prolific in the avant-guard music world, he has had a huge influence on many musicians with his writing style, experimentation and most definitely his bass playing. To this end, David J has released a compilation of tracks, originally only available to his Patreon fans but now available on CD, digital and vinyl. Called “What The Patrons Heard“, these are previously unreleased tracks and it all drops on March the 25th, 2022, on the label GIVE/TAKE.
There is the overly jaunty “Lay Over And Lay” and it sweeps in and takes your breath away with a joyous veracity. What a start to this venture. “(I Don’t Want To Destroy) Our Beautiful Thing” is a far more subdued affair. A slight country feel in this one as David J goes deep on the title of the song. A love song about the person that has stuck with him through the good and bad… and it really is a beautiful thing. After being associated with one of the most goth bands and having a huge amount of input into writing the most famous and possibly longest vampire song ever, maybe you do get the “Vampire Blues“. However this vampire seems to be definitely on the fuzzy pedal of undead music. Slow and deliberate, with what sounds like something being dragged across the strings of a piano, give it all a deranged quality.
“Gimme Some Truth” is almost a throw back to the Love And Rocket days, with near staccato vocals ie “BallOf Confusion” style, mixed with hurdy-gurdy fair flare and cuts of Trump in full flight absurdity. There is some backwards tape playing and Spanish inspired guitar while David J narrates a story about “His Majestiy The Executioner” while the music swirls in the background in support, trickling like a train of thought. A story of a State were there is very little tolerance -not very nice having the ice cream seller executed! There is something so very charming about “The Shadow” even if they are a creature of the night, whom has a penchant for a touch of murder, for he is Death. The near whispered tale of the shadow that has no pity for the humans who are leaving this mortal coil.
The name “The Rape Of The Rose Garden” sounds a little serious but this is almost a Pogues style piece, it feels like a Irish dittie about apple trees being planted in the White House garden by Jackie Kennedy. There is such a overwhelming feeling of loss or being lost in “Scott Walker 1996“. A drone in the background and what is presumed to be castanets, keeping the time to the spoken word. There is a certain amount of absurdness in “Down In The Tenderloin“. And yet there is also a certain amount of wistfulness in this oddity. “A Girl In Port” is the last tune and it is a sweet track, with reference to Camden Town. A gorgeous homage about a girl, done on acoustic guitar, piano, some slide guitar and violin. His voice melts into you, warm and golden.
For me personally, it is heartwarming to hear David J performing these tracks. They are quirky, symbolic and have the ability to transport you away to another place or another life. It is also nice to see that unlike other “gothic” heroes, he still enjoys the macabre and dark, mixing grim history with his tongue firmly placed in cheek. As an orator Mr J is beautifully spoken and as a singer, he calls to your soul with a voice, it seems, untouched with age. My favourites are “The Shadow” and “A Girl In Port“, so maybe you need to discover yours from “What The Patrons Heard“.
So Z Cluster have been a little quiet recently, though hardly surprising with Covid-19 locking down both Sydney and Melbourne, where one each of the duo live and then the pandemic progeny are also an after effect….so congratulations are due. However, INfest8 & Sai Jaiden Lillith, somehow have found the time to write and record a new single….which is leading to a new EP. Huzzah!! The latest tune is called “The Rapture” and it dropped on the 28th of February.
Fuzzy beats with a guitar that is trying to wind up and Sai’s vocals provocatively imploring are just the start. It is that slow burn that leads you to be engulfed in a blaze of euphoria. Cheaps Coffins has taken “The Rapture” and remixed it into something huge, which is lying in wait to rip into you. He has brought in his more metal/industrial influences and made “The Rapture” into this amazingly tortured spectacle, with a Middle Eastern touch.
Not going to lie. I heard Nine Inch Nails in the delivery, those waves of attacking lyrics that pull back like waves on the beach after they have crashed. The Cheap Coffins remix is not the first we have heard from him and at this rate definitely not the last! There really is nothing stopping you from checking out Z Cluster’s “The Rapture” especially when it is priced on Bandcamp for free!
From Fort Lauderdale in the US, electro-goth pop princess, Miss FD has released her latest EP, As Above, So Below as of the 11th of February, on Quantum Release Records. She has taken inspiration from the archaeological exploration of Göbekli Tepe, a Neolithic settlement in South Eastern Anatolia, Turkey and some spirituality as well.
There is a delightful Middle Eastern influence in the “Summoning” mixed with the electronics and perhaps conjure an ancient angel or djinn to find solace in the desert night air. “The Veil” is thought to be the barrier between the living and the dead. Only the dead may pass though and at certain times of the year, Day of the Dead/Halloween the veil is at it’s thinnest. It pulses with life and beats while wishing to dalliance with the ethereal to meet with lost loves. A bit darker and oh so alluring is the title track, “As Above, So Below” with that great driving rhythm and the alluring vocals of Miss FD sweep you away to the dichotomy that is the earthly and the mystical.
The term as above, so below is used as a reference in the belief that what we do on this earthly plane, will also be played out in the spiritual world. Through all three tracks, you can hear the references to the other worldly, intangible and karmic. The music curls around your ears, like the smoke from the hookah the Caterpillar smoked in Alice In Wonderland, permeating your being just as a drug would and Miss FD’s vocals coo and call you to the other side like a siren. Maybe time to contemplate your mortality because As Above, So Below.
Greek gothic rockers, The Black Capes have dropped their 3rd studio album called Looks LikeDeath. Released on the 3rd of March, via the labels The Council Of Bones (USA) and Ikaros Records (Europe), and recorded at the Devasoundz Studios which also boasts working with Rotting Christ, Septic Flesh and On Thorns I Lay.
Do not be fooled by the gentle beginning with “Apokalypsis” as it soon takes off on a supernatural plane as the spirits call you to The Black Capes convergence. In “Asphxiate“, even though the music swirls, there is something cloying and suffocating within the song, along with the feeling of no hope. The drums and guitars are on the move like a train that has no stops in “Love Is Love” because there is no one who should judge what love is. Every rock band needs an anthem song and Black Capes have “The Reject Anthem” with it’s beautiful guitar work and delicate piano that peeks through, It swells and proclaims I could have been in your place, You could have been in mine, for many do not choose rejection in society.
The sad somber saxophone rings in the more serious track “Reset” with the theme of domestic violence and staying instead of running away. There is an air of Sisters Of Mercy mixed with the perfect amounts of guitar and ever pervasive saxophone. “Cruel World” reminds me a bit of Amorphis which is not a bad thing with it with the clean guitars and even vocally is reminiscent while “Forever And Ever” gives me the Vile Valo chills as they resurrect HIM from the dead. This is possibly my favourite track off the album.
Nice heavy bass propels you through “Apathy“. Little untruths never cause problems..do they? Soaring organ style keyboards are the cherry on top. Neil Gaiman’s Death was a female comic book heroine and a thousand gothic girls wanted to emulate that look. No wonder we have the brilliant “Looks Like Death“. Seems “The Beast Within” in residing in the lead singer’s mind and it is one of those devilish women in a black dress who has cast doubt and misery. Psychic vampire or a phantom of depression, we may never know but does make for a cracking tune.
There is a plethora of influences coming through such as Sisters, HIM and Amorphis but also Type O Negative and Paradise Lost to name a few more. Not that The Black Capes are imitating these other bands, not at all but rather they are using what came before them to craft new gothic rock. It is dark, occasionally foreboding and never boring.
Onyx Music Reviews 