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Kasumuen Records brings to you high definition thrills and spills, in the form of the new single “Victory Girl” by Melbourne based band Velvet Parade, an Australian super group made up of Ripley Hood (lead vocals) of Lime Spiders, Vincent J Kramer (guitar) of Cold Harbour, Peter Azzopardi (bass, backing vocals) of Claire Birchall’s Phantom Hitchhikers, Ashley Jones (keyboard) of Matt Malone’s Holy Spirits and Fraudband’s Don Drum (drums).

I had forgotten how rich Hood’s vocals can be, like bourbon whiskey, that slowly burns at it goes down, bringing the drama, and “Victory Girl” is a perfect tune for his singing. The other elements of the track are equally important with the strikingly rolling drums setting the pace, the stoic charged guitars adding the wonderful twang of consequence, and, of course, the piano that creates a touch of class in a town full of dust, trampled dreams and a love won, then lost..

There is a rawness to this track, and it brings the same chills down the spine as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ From Her To Eternity and points to a sound so profoundly Australian. Grippingly disjointed at times, that resolves into a grandiose upheaval of boudoir southern gothic honky-tonk, a perfect mixture of maudlin and yesterday’s personal regrets. The debut LP from Velvet Parade will not be far behind, which has been recorded, mixed and mastered by Loki Lockwood and Dugald Jayes, so all I can say is that I am down for this and a whole lot more…..

Velvet Parade – Victory Girl

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For some of us, certain rules seem more like a suggestion such as cuddling bears or snogging large cats. This brings us to the new maxi single “Kissing Lions,” by Massachusetts band Ghost Painted Sky, a gothic trio consisting of David Strong, Lisa Wood and Michael Boudreau. The single heralds in the soon to be released second album titled Failure Blooms.

Sinuous post-punk guitars greet your ears. “Kissing Lions” has Wood’s vocals in a deep register, casting a mournful pall across the track that has its roots firmly planted in The Cure’s Pornography era. There is a claustrophobic quality, where the lyrics pour forth the lament of an existence based in humdrum.

There is a Effervescent Remix of the single and a brilliant B-side called “My Words Are Not My Own,” that is a complete change of direction as it is very much an electronic affair, and it is a magical thing to hear them fluidly change from guitar based, into synths.

“‘Kissing Lions’ describes those mostly vain attempts to seize on anything that creates a fleeting feeling of being alive for a moment amid relentless waves of the humdrum, doldrums, and failure, which so often end up being misguided and ultimately just creating a thicker mire even more strangling than the original situation one sought to escape… bad decisions that bite back and create further downward spirals.” – David Strong

This single and the new album have been mixed and mastered by William Faith, which is kind a mark of quality. Love, love the grittiness of the subject melded with the dark 80s post-punk sound. So the question is, do you take the safer, more mundane path of existence or do pucker up with the king of the jungle for the quick thrill and find yourself the favourite treat with the gooey centre?

Kissing Lions (maxi-single) | Ghost Painted Sky

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In 2024, Oslo based darkwave band, Mayflower Madame released their third album Insight. At the time, Insight consisted of nine songs, however the band had actually recorded fourteen tracks, and now in 2026, Mayflower Madame have dropped the Deluxe Edition that now includes the extra five tracks.

It includes the possibly Echo and the Bunnymen inspired “In Hindsight,” which has the prominent deep bass lines and the lighter dreamy vocals. Or you could fixate on the incredibly moody and apprehension filled “Leave Everything Behind,” however, my pick is the last track, “Afterglow.” There is something overwhelmingly open in the sentiment of a love that there is no defence against, while the music pulls you in.

If Mayflower Madame tickled your fancy with the original release, then you should seek out the extra tracks, that you can now get in vinyl!…. and if you are a new initiate, then you have nothing to lose and a lot of lovely post-punk music to gain.

Insight (Deluxe Version) | Mayflower Madame

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Mayflower Madame – Insight

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Some people can be a tad mysterious and on that note, there is a new single from Bradford based project Signia Alpha, called “Cascade.” Matt Webster is the musical wizard that pulls the strings, and knows some bloke who knows this other bloke, and pulls it all together. Also appearing on the track is Harris and some fella called Paul, was meant to play the bass, but one Paul Gray of some unknown band called The Damned, though often seen in the vicinity at times, missed out on this beauty.

Extra trivia note is the x-ray does belong to one of the mentioned names as they become Lee Majors (insert Bionic Man noises here).

There is a very quintessential Englishness about “Cascade” and a harkening back to “Scarborough Fair.” Possibly it is the plucked acoustic guitar, or the dual vocals that are reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel, with those delicate harmonisations. It does poke at the edges of your imagination with that strong chorus, healthy drums and wandering deep bass lines. Oh my heart…”Cascade” pulls at the strings with the not only the beauty of the music, but also lyrics about life and how choices from the past can come back to colour your present, and haunt the future. Tis magic.

Music | Signia Alpha

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What do you get when you mix two parts Sunshine Blind and one part The Wake? A band named Los Tres Mortales with the debut single called “Bourbon,” boasting vocalists/lyricists Troy Payne (The Wake) and Caroline Blind (Sunshine Blind) with CWHK (Sunshine Blind), master of instruments and music. They are joined by Rich W. (The Wake) lending his mercurial guitar skills to the lead solo for this track.

Do you like your bourbon with rock? Payne and Blind have such distinct voices, which is a joy in itself in an age where auto-tune has reduced many to the bargain bin of indistinguishable, and Caroline’s powerful honey mellow singing is the perfect foil for the low timbre of Payne. The guitars are just beautiful with deep smoky tones that keep the drums company, and the lead guitar spiderwebbing its way as the highlight sweet notes.

The initial gustation of “Bourbon,” is vintage US gothic rock of the late 80s and early 90s, the top shelf stuff that hits you with a warmth that spreads through the chest, in that most delightful way. There is the southern gothic twang mixed with tomorrows buyer’s regret, viewed from the bottom of a bottle. The overall mouth-taste is classic and timeless, which is pretty good for three mortals.

Bourbon | Los Tres Mortales

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Stars and the Underground are a New Zealand shoegaze/darkwave project first created by John Mason, (ex-Winterland) and John McDermott (ex-Headless Chickens), and have been joined by guest vocalist Hannah Berry (Talmar) for the new single “Echolocation.”

Angelic vocals drift up introducing us to Berry, her lilting utterances in complete contrast to the far deeper vocals of Mason. Actually, Mason sounds like he’s channelling Carl McCoy, and the lyrics speaking of second sight due to an all encompassing darkness, could just be the cherry on top. Darkness can feel like torture, yet it cannot stop these hearts from finding each other.

Imagine, if you will, that Fields of the Nephilim had incorporated early Sisters of Mercy, but had become a bit more whimsical, nor did they require the clattering Dr Avalanche (drum machine), as the live drummer (McDermott) is far more nuanced. That somewhat goes towards what “Echolocation” sounds like, but also has this joyful shoegaze sonic wall of sound, which is great if you a post-punk loving human, though possibly bad if you are a bat.

Echolocation Feat Hannah Berry (Talmar) – Single | Stars and the Underground

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Ria Aursjoen (vocals, keyboards), Stephan Salit (guitars), Randy Gzebb (drums) and Jay Denton (bass) are US based Octavian Winters, a peak choice goth rock outfit, and their new single is “By The Stars.” Cherry on top is being recorded at ‘Studio 13‘, and produced, mixed and mastered by William Faith.

Ethereal is the first word that comes to mind from the first tantalising chords of guitar, threaded by the angelic vocals of Aursjoen. There is a gradual swelling in the music, a blooming sense of joy, that is hard to not get hooked into.

“The song has the feel of a sea voyage. The images for me were always ones of the vastness of the sky and the sea, and the feeling of the magnificent beauty of the world. The call and answer vocals are like two people calling back and forth across a valley. It’s meant to encompass that feeling of transcendence when you take a meta view of life and of the natural world, and just fall into the beautiful patterns of it all.” – Ria Aursjoen

“By The Stars” is an ode to the innocence of youth and the promise of possibilities, compared to wisdom and perspective in the later years. Floating the sea of life is not always predictable and sometimes we have to be present in the world just to experience it. Both the sentiment and the track itself are beautiful and gorgeously layered, woven delicately by Octavian Winters.

By The Stars | Octavian Winters

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Italy’s Christine Plays Viola dropped their latest album F.I.V.E, also known as Fear Increases Violent Emotion back in January, and now have released the single “Desolate Moments,” out on Cleopatra Records.

There is a definite slow maudlin air to the track, slow and deliberate. The guitars trace up and down the scale building tension and the synths are the light lifeline that sparkle in between. The vocals almost feel in sync with the drums, creating a heartbeat, sown with regret and a forlornness.

Classic goth. A dirge about contemplating promises unkept and love lost, and possibly my only complaint is that I wish during the chorus, the synths could have been bulked up to sound like a church organ…. yeah, I might be asking a bit much, but I could hear it in my head! Christine Plays Viola makes beautiful music, even in the “Desolate Moments.”

F.I.V.E. Fear Increases Violent Emotions | Christine Plays Viola

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A new single from Californian post-punk trio, Black Market Heart has crashed landed, and it is also the title of their soon to be released new album. Spencer Robinson (guitar, vocals), Tina Brugnoletti (bass, vocals) and Shawn Medina (drums) are going to tell you about “What Happens In The Dark.”

You know you are in for a good time when you start with guitar feedback and it just never lets up from there. The drums set a cracking pace, that the guitars are more than happy to keep up with. There are lyrics about how the darkness is the vampiric happy place and boo hiss at that abysmal burning fireball we call the sun, with the vocals taking equal delight in boisterously telling you all about it.

There is something genuinely joyous in this single and in top punk form, it doesn’t quite make the two minute mark, which just means you get to play it again for good measure. I imagine this is what the band sounds like live, and even this recording has that ambiance of all members being in the studio at the same time. There is definitely strong echoes of The Jesus and Mary Chain in the noisy reverb, the vocals and the nicely left in iconic amp buzzing. There is no fear in the shadows, for as Black Market Heart know, “What Happens In The Dark,” stays in the dark, and what a great track to kick off an album!.

What Happens in the Dark | Black Market Heart

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Concha Records is a Belgium label that dropped the debut single “Sentimental” from post-punk/darkwave project FAILED, a trio based in Ghent. Production is by legendary drummer Mario Goossens, mixed by Greg Gordon, who has worked with artists such as Helmet, System Of A Down and Nick Cave/ Warren Ellis, while mastered by Fred Kevorkian, who has notably mastered for the White Stripes and Iggy Pop..

There is a sense of urgency in the electronics and growing dread from the whispered vocals, that bloom into full singing and finally are hailing our attention. The guitar works its way into the track, playing the same line over and over again, almost hypnotically. You feel pulled in multiple directions with the mixing of the vocal styles, drowning in the mire of sensory overload. “Sentimental” is a great debut track and the visual style of the band is quite intriguing as well, as they wear wigs and full face masks. Slowly sink into FAILED’s “Sentimental.”

Sentimental | FAILED

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