by on

Some things are not for the faint of heart, so if you are weak of stomach or spleen, turn away now. For those who have guts of iron and a taste for the harsher music, then I have a tasty treat for you. UK based Skat Injector is experimental electronics, wearing the decimated innards of metal proudly, as they seek to drag your ears through your arse. We are going back to their 2018 release of the album, Unknown Violator, out on Slime City Records.

There are sixteen tracks in total and “A Garden Only Watered In Blood” is the greeting that tells you to strap in and enjoy the journey into madness. Are we being taunted by the ghosts of the bled? The demonic vocals bubble over the echoing cold space. However, the meaty “Slaughter is the Best Medicine” is a overwhelming onslaught of sped up black metal styled beats and tortured electronics, fritzing out and pummelling your psyche into dust, while the vocals growl.

“Urbane Misanthrope” builds and builds with sounds before letting loose with the almost danceable rhythms, however this could be trap! You don’t fit in the expected square and the gunfire of the beats is the warfare of the city streets in your head. A head pounding ode to the dispossessed that perfectly feeds into the oh so short and sweet desecration that is “Hollow Mantra.”

There is a cover of “Goodbye Horses,” originally by Q Lazzarus, right at the end, and admittedly it seems quite a reasonable version….. until you hear the vocals. Distortedly slow sounding, stretched and unfathomable in its ability to be disturbing, yet still enjoyable in that serial killer sort of way.

The cover artwork confirms the title is a mash-up of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures and Depeche Mode’s Violator, both iconic albums and carried through into the titles of the tracks for the most part. This is clever and in a way, I can see a certain similarity. Joy Division is one of the first post-punk bands, forging a sound that at the time was ground breaking and very much about being the outsider in a bleak world. Violator was the album that was not highly completed before Depeche Mode came together in the studio and it brought forth simpler tracks with lyrics which sound like they are full of provocation, and yet point to a guilt behind those words. Skat Injector have taken inspiration from both and created an album of modern day mental ills and truths that permeate our lives…. it is just in the form of noisecore to get your heart thundering.

Unknown Violator | Skat Injector

Facebook

by on

Now more than ever, we need to highlight those in the arts that not only lead the way, but also represent often harassed minorities. US gothic industrial project, Woundlicker is a trans female project, consisting of performances from Melora Cayce, Marya Alvarado and Primrose, with their latest album being “Haunted World of Mirrors.” Cayce told me she has too many fishnet, but really, no one can ever have too many lovely fishnets. Tre sexy!

The title track holds hints to the influences of Woundlicker, such as early Nine Inch Nails and the mighty Skinny Puppy, especially with the great drumming and the ferocious way the band attack the track.mHInts of trap and gothic impending gothic doom inhabit the echo chamber of “A Strange Crow.” Heavy bass and eerie church style organ, are heightened by repeated chorus lyrics, which de-evolves into a frantic snarling vocal exorcism attempt.

“Autumn Funeral Part 1” is an unbridled release of pent up anger and pain, directed towards a parent that cannot accept who they are. It is unapologetically raw in its violence, expressing mental torment as the metal guitar and industrial electronics trip over each other in their rush, yet Part 2 of the same track is a much more trippy event in finding or creating a family. There is Part 3 of “Autumn Funeral” which, for me, signifies the disparity between wanting the acceptance of blood ties, and knowing that those people will go to the grave without sharing in the highs and lows of an adult child’s life.

The album is ten songs long, full of honesty and introspection, questioning life and love while looking for ways to heal. It is dark and heavy going at times, mixing industrial noise, succulent gothic synths and liberal helpings of grinding metal, as we experience everything through the many reflections of Woundlicker. Woundlicker is watching through the “Haunted World Of Mirrors.”

Haunted World Of Mirrors | Woundlicker

by on

When the weather warms up, the clothes get skimpier, and the eyes wander, which all leads to gothic SEX… or something like that. Those Italians are hot blooded and Motel Transylvania have dropped the equally hot single “Burning Lust,” which is apparently the official track for the Burning Pants Festival 2025.

Slamming drums rock your world and from the start, Motel Transylvania are in your face with the theme. If you like Lord of the Lost, then this is going to hit you right in the sweet spot. Big guitar riffs and an even bigger rousing chorus’, pounce and pin you down.

It is all about sticky, sweaty naughty bits, and the music see-saws between seduction and high power thrusting. Oh those young sexy driven darklings. I can appreciate the sentiment and Motel Transylvania definitely rock this hard. Beware of “Burning Lust,” as it might just consume you.

Burning Lust | Motel Transylvania

Facebook

Motel Transylvania

Motel Transylvania OFFICIAL (@motel_transylvania1320) • Instagram photos and videos

by on

While waiting for the release of the album, Knowing When To Bow Out Gracefully, UK industrial goth rock group Deadfilmstar dropped the single “Welcome Back” at the end of 2024.

Slow and stalky as we go, with vocals that creak like an unoiled door to that basement you don’t want to go into…ever. The singer is sick of ‘banging on the glass‘, and then it all takes off in a symphonic merger of synths and guitars.

I keep asking myself why are they banging on glass. Is it a glass sliding door because they are a zombie? Are they tired of peeping through windows at their victims? Or are they stylishly undead but stuck in a glass coffin? I might never know, but in the meantime ‘Welcome Back” is heavy with guitar, saturated in synths, kept in time with some excellent drumming and wrapped up in horror laden vocals, so this is Deadfilmstar.

Welcome Back | deadfilmstar

Facebook

deadfilmstar

by on

If you are a fan of The Cure and David Bowie, then you would definitely heard of Reeves Gabrels, an iconic guitarist, who has been a member of The Cure since 2012 and was heavily involved especially in the Bowie project Tin Machine, Industrial metal aficionados, Derision Cult have created the single “Warning Signs” with fellow American Gabrels heating up the strings, released on the Glitch Mode Recordings label.

Let there be rock, and there was rock with a driving force of epic proportions. The vocals of Dave McAnally could strip the paint off a brothel, and he is joined by Sean Payne, Jesse Hunt and Brad Huston, as they crush the metal into industrial shards. Gabrels makes his lead guitar wail and seamlessly waltz through the carnage wrought by Derision Cult. The video, created by Empire Animae, is kind of like watching a whacky animated apocalyptic Mad Max version of the band, hyped up on acid, and it is amazing. You really need to view it in all its glory.

The world, it feels, has been falling into a dark chasm, pushed by war, fuelled by extremism and holier than thou righteousness. How did it come to this? Depends if you were watching for the hints or the “Warning Signs.” Derision Cult are going to attack your senses and they aren’t asking you for permission. They are screaming for you to open your eyes and see the whole picture. When there are “Warning Signs,” fuck the system.

Warning Signs (featuring Reeves Gabrels) | Derision Cult (bandcamp.com)

Facebook

by on

Polish industrial rock band Inside Her dropped the new single “Nikt StÄ…d Nie Wyjdzie Å»ywy” in May…….. yep, unless you speak Polish, you might kill yourself saying this title which more or less translates to no one will get out of here alive. The track features the vocals of Justyna Gryka and this is the second single off the soon to be released second album.

And it all started with a beat and the rumblings of a bass guitar, before the track leaps out at you. There is the introduction to the deep male vocals followed by a female whisper above, and surprisingly the synths are so light within the within the heavy crush of guitar. Gryka plays between demure and power singing, slipping easily between modes, holding her own, while the guitars soar from harsh to classical metal. Always there is that bass guitar. These guys remind me a lot of Germany’s Eisbrecher musically but Inside Her definitely pushing their own sound.

it starts with the feet | inside her (bandcamp.com)

Facebook

inside her (@insideherofficial) • Instagram photos and videos

by on

Late at night, when all are asleep, and yet slumber escapes you…. do you hear it? Noises from under the bed, or is it the cupboard or down the hall? Maybe, you are about to “Meet Mr Scratch,” which coincidently is the new video for the single from Sinister Fate, the shock rock five piece unit, based in Chicago.

Häxan, the Swedish silent horror movie from 1922, is the setting for the video, where the band has been grafted into the the story of medieval witchcraft and terror. Band members, David Bates (vocals), Noel Divad (guitar), Leo Garcia (guitar), The Omen (bass), and DK (drums) seem to play the roles of ghastly beings who are watching and taunting the religious protagonists, while the music heightens the paranormal tension, in that sassy theatrical way.

In the milieu of such artists as Rob Zombie and Wednesday 13, it has to be said that horror inspired rock is very appealing, especially with its tongue in cheek sense of humour, which definitely is there in spades when watching the music video. Basically it is good old fashioned fun, enhanced by a guitar fuelled track, where one must be careful or encounter the Sinister Fate and “Meet Mister Scratch.”

Meet Mister Scratch | SINISTER FATE (bandcamp.com)

http://facebook.com/sinisterfateofficial

https://allmylinks.com/sinisterfate

http://instagram.com/sinisterfate.official

by on

PTSD is a terrible mental affliction brought on by living in a high stress environment, and this often includes those who have served in the armed forces, in areas of both war and peace keeping. The Dreadful Tides are a heavy rock/metal band from Melbourne, a four piece comprised of Jimmy Black (vocals), Wes Hopkins (bass), Justin Strudwick (guitar) and Leland Hallett (drums), who are addressing this topic in the single “Fire In The Hole.”

Photo by Andrew Sladdins

Hear the chorus explode in the exclamation of ‘FIRE,’ crashing drums and rumbling guitar chords, with the pull and push of what for me is the essence of classic heavy rock. The guitars drive this formidable tank, while Black’s vocals call down the artillery strike.

The Dreadful Tides throw that grenade, grabbing your attention, with “Fire In The Hole,” which definitely reflects a certain Aussie rock flare, though the track has an international appeal. It is a fist pumping affair, powerful not only as a force of nature musically, but also for bringing to the fore the idea that discussing mental health can make a difference.

Facebook

‎The Dreadful Tides – Apple Music

by on

Nikola Stanojkovski (guitars, bass, synths) and Christopher Cronce (vocals, lyrics) make up Pennsylvania based industrial metal group Agremorta. Their single “Adrocitas” is also their debut and herald’s in the March 15th release of the EP Anomalia.

What strikes me first is the blending of styles within the one track. A combination of clean and heavily growled vocals, plus there are fluid classic guitar solos by Louis Snyder that would not sound astray in Amon Amarth or some other European band of that ilk. The chorus harmonies are a throwback to Linkin Park and tempered by the synths and howling gurgled utterances.

Verbose and powerful guitars, matched with booming rhythms, dynamic vocals and you have “Adrocitas,” a track about self loathing, doubt and never feeling good enough that soars high.

Adrocitas | Agremorta (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/agremorta

https://www.instagram.com/agremorta_official

by on

We are going back in time…well….back to the beginning of 2023, when the single “Kill Me” was released on Bandcamp, by Oklahoma artist, Saturn Dethroned. I actually know nothing about Saturn Dethroned, but I am guessing this is his debut track.

The rhythms from the beginning inform you that this is industrial, with the machine working, to be joined by a growing surge of fuzzing electronics, almost serpentine in its winding sound. “Kill Me” grows from slow simple clunks, into a instrumental track that builds like mental breakdown, throbbing and overwhelming. If experimental industrial is your thing, then you are going to get a kick out of the Saturn Dethroned track “Kill Me,” and the best thing is you can download it off Bandcamp for name your price!

Kill Me | Saturn Dethroned (bandcamp.com)