Bah and humbug! Tis Christmas again, where we will be serenaded by carols both new and old, so how about something both new and spooktacular for the holiday season in the form of the single “A Very VampireChristmas” from Who Saw Her Die?
Behold the jingling and what sounds like a drunken version of “Do They Know It’sChristmas?“, and I guess you can look at it as kindly gifting life, so that sneaky vampire is going to enjoy the seasonal cheer and get his fill of Bloody Mary’s… so to speak.
The drawling vocals are paradoxical compared to the chiming electronic music, plus coupled with wonderfully absurd concept that a vampire would like to join in the whole being a part of the Christmas joy, but they are people too….they just happen to be undead. This track was originally released last year on the GothsFor Sanctuaries compilation, which is aa great cause. Grab your favourite child of the night and celebrate “A Very Vampire Christmas” with Who Saw Her DIe?!
I have it on good authority that the folks behind LunarPaths are preparing for live shows, but in between these machinations, they have released a new single “Seen.”
Background looped guitar riffs set the stage for Dubois‘ strong vocals and lyrics. The drums by Hunter, pick their way through the layers of programming, adding to the extraordinarily full sound. The lyrics speak of seeing the young out at night and wishing they knew how wonderful they look and have the courage to be themselves.
There is drama of the noirish romanticism kind in this style of music that still harks back to the early post-punk era, especially in the delivery of the singing. It is like listening to Anne-Marie Hurst (Skeletal Family/Ghost Dance) or SiouxsieSioux, with that vibrato and it instantly makes you clamour for more. Lunar Paths is spinning and weaving beautiful darkwave creations, just like “Seen.”
ST///LL (Stiiill) we last heard from in 2023, and these three brothers in musical arms have released a double single in the form of “Empty Room” and “Shout Out.” With members spread out over the UK and Ireland, they are gearing up for their second album to drop in 2025 but in the meantime, this is a taste of what is to come.
A lone piano plays, to be joined by an electronic beat and then the track launches itself with a hail of guitar, and the vocals exude a forlornness in the vein of IanCurtis (JoyDivision). The bass thunders with the rhythm while the guitar flourishes and the piano wanders through like a ghost in “Empty Room.”
“ShoutOut” is full of atmospheric synths, with a grittier energy and purpose. The guitars and synths meld into a cacophony of melodic noise in the chorus with the vocals punctuating the urgency of it all.
I really enjoyed “Shout Out,” but for me, “Empty Room” kind of grabs you, full of melancholic emotions. I don’t think it is intentional, however ST///LL have created two track that could be on a Joy Division album and this is never a bad thing.
In 1979, Gary Numan released The Pleasure Principle, which was his debut solo after two albums with the Tubeway Army. “Metal” is a standout track that is favoured by Numan and has been covered many times…. even by Nine Inch Nails. Rob Hyman (drums, synths, programming, production) and Jax Allos (vocals, bass) are Chicago based [melter], and they have put out their own version of “Metal.”
PHOTO – JASON KRAYNEK
Those flourished synth lines are the staple essence of this track, and they are very much present, but I am also glad that this is not a carbon copy. Having the altered vocals of Allos brings a new element, compared with the memory of Numan’s cleaner singing style. The percussion is just so strong and perfect in propelling “Metal” along.
This is definitely a gritty version that pays homage to a great track, and takes it on a more experimental tangent. A case of sweet and industrial tang that is satisfying to hear if you know the song, and a guarantee that if you haven’t, it is going to pique your interest in following up the original and the back catalogue of [melter]. “Metal” is such a great single and [melter] have polished it up and given it teeth.
Los Angeles post-punk band The Sea At Midnight are extremely prolific, with the latest single “Burning” dropping in November. This a cover originally written by V. Grant and Marco Cattani of Chemical Waves, who released the track on the album II (Emotional Violence) and also featured The Sea At Midnight.
The track evolves from a low rumble, into languid drum beat and drifting electronics. The vocals are beautifully clean and soulful, accompanied by the jangly guitar. There is a wealth emotion pouring forth and “Burning” elicits a visceral response in the form of tingles down your spine. The original form of this song was a far more electronic affair, and The Sea At Midnight has given it a darker ethereal feel that wells and bubbles with a longing that grabs you by the heart strings.
Religion and governance should never be mixed, but in the US currently, it is hard to see any evidence of common sense versus religious fanaticism. “Dead Gods” is the latest single from Vision Video, off their new new album Modern Horror, where Athens based Dusty Gannon and co. rage against the pricks.
PHOTO BY JEREMY SAFFER
A dissonance of guitar heralds the beginning and one cannot help but revel in the heavy post-punk bass. The synths strike like a high organ peeling while the giving of hymns in holy prayer, except they have the silken vocals that are calling out the double standards and misogyny that nationalistic Christians hold before them like they are actual scripture.
“Dead Gods” is catchy…. no it doesn’t break new ground, but it doesn’t need to do so. Gannon’s singing the chorus is still stuck in my head and you should take that as a good sign of a great track. You can hear the influence of The Cure and Chameleons, and as I always say, we need songs that unify the dark scene and politically push all the wrong people’s buttons.
As part of their spooky season, Kentucky’s Who Saw Her Die? religiously drop in October a few singles, and the latest is another horror movie inspired release in the form of “Pleasure and Pain” and “One of Us.”
If you haven’t guessed before, “Pleasure and Pain” is exactly how a cenobite from Hellraiser is going to love you and this is the premise behind the single. The version the band have put up first is the EBM mix and I have to agree in their choice as it really has that classic sound of Hellraiser’s weird modern techno wonder, plus that wandering synth line, matched with the spiritual abyss in the vocals, that vary from seduction to anguished.
The second track goes a bit more old school in the way of The Body Snatchers in “One ofUs.” It is a retelling of the motives of said snatching aliens, a morose dirge that is actually sympathetic of the horror baddies.
Even when October is done and dusted, there is always Halloween to be enjoyed for the rest of the year in tunes like this. To quote The Divinyls, ‘there’s a fine line betweenpleasure and pain,’ so why not choose both with Who Saw Her Die? They have such wonders to show you.
Naarm (Melbourne) based Velatine are back with a third single in quick succession, called, “Orange to Black.” It feels like I just blinked after the previous single, but this goes to show how prolific LokiLockwood is and he is showcasing yet another with female vocalist Nocturna.
The rhythm is both lethargic and rolling, yet constant, and it is joined by a trickling piano that dances around Nocturna’s singing. Her voice is cool and bluesy, with a certain enigmatic air, creating a bleak and beautiful gothic tribute to where everyone ends up in the end….as dust.
It really is a treat to hear so many different female vocalists performing with Velatine, and Nocturna really makes “Orange to Black” a brilliantly sultry experience. The video is a gothic delight, filmed in a cemetery giving the track a noire ambience. Finding the sombre allure at the end has never been so good.
We knew it was coming. Those Norwegians, Mayflower Madame have finally dropped the new album called Insight, near the end of 2024. They have been threatening this for a while, dropping singles along the way, like bread crumbs, in order to give you a taste but leaving you wanting more. Wait no more, and let the darkness take you.Â
We can not go past the last single, the track, “Crippled Crow.” The band’s signature guitar is there, but also the synths sound like gusts of cold air. The vocals are echoing and, for me, remind me a little of Echo and the Bunnymen. Without warning, drums and guitar fall into a wonderful vortex of noise, where you will want to save this broken ‘crow.’
There is an area in my chest that just reverberated with “Queen of the Underworld.” I am not sure if it is the heavy guitars or lonely piano, or perhaps the accompanying synths, but it resonates and captures feelings of shivering delight. The first track “Ocean of Bitterness” will instantly drag you into the dark heart of Mayflower Madame.
I am going to say that the cover brought back memories of another in the form of the UK’s Play Dead’s album Company of Justice, which is also an excellent gothic release. Mayflower Madame have that Scandinavian cool about them, mixed with a classic 80s post-punk sound, and creates magically dark and sonically expressive gothic music that strays into shoegaze. Insight is a collection of all the singles, yet there are all the other tracks here to discover and this album won’t leave you feeling disappointed.
Reza Uhdin first created gothic/industrial project Inertia, back in 1992, based in London. His new album, Estranged Icon, has been released in October on the label Distortion Productions and joining him are Andrew Lowlife (additional synths, programming), Andrew Cater (guitar), Time Stephens (guitar) and Blue Jigsaw (drums).
The opening track, “New Format” features the violin of Matt Howden of Sieben, and you know an artist is confident of their product when they kick off with a single, which bodes well for the rest of the album. It is a song that feels exotic, speaking of other worlds and foreign places, and the chorus creeps up on you, swelling and building. It also gives you the opportunity to hear Uhdin’s vocal range from near growling to melodic in the hypnotic “New Format.”
Speaking of singles, the second track, which features KMFDM and PIG’sSteveWhite on guitar, is the far more energetic “Scowl.” White’s guitar work buzzes, emphasizing the chorus and giving us a kick butt interlude, and there is also yet another guitarist on the single, Nick Bayford helping filling out the industrial sound. You might notice there is a soul filled female backing vocalist in the form of Alexys B, and you can appreciate her as she wails up a storm against White’s solo break..
MikaGoedrijk of This Morn’ Omina have collaborated on the track “Heartbeat,” and from this union has come a throbbing and pulsating electronic kick start, full of emotion filled singing combined with stirring synths. Both surreal and spinetingling, “Heartbeat” is a dance floor filler guaranteed to raise more than a few resting rhythms.
I have to admit that I’m always a little afraid of being disappointed with projects that have been around a while. I have no such fear here as Inertia really excels at what they do. The album is this wonderfully crafted electronic odyssey. “Estranged Icon” drags you to the highest peaks on the glorious wings of the music and then can bring you crashing down harder than Icarus with dark imagery. Be captured by the Inertia and bow down to their “Estranged Icon.”
Onyx Music Reviews 