You might say Witches Falls could be one of the most coolest names a place could be called and indeed it is a real locale, situated on Tamborine Mountain, in Australia. Gold Coast based ChiffonMagnifique, brain child of JedAWalters, have sprung forth a darkwave single, also named “WitchesFalls,” with an equally creepy video set in said area.
Echoing and ringing post-punk guitar on this track is really beautiful, setting the swirling tone, that sweeps you along for the ride. Walter’s vocals, deep and longing, beseech you for understanding, for one that finds the modern world, at times, so overwhelming, they need to retreat to the calm that is the quiet arms of the natural world. The video conveys the self doubt in a mind clouded in a tormented perception that they are forever alone and unwanted. The house full of curios, changes to the city (Vinnies’ Dive Bar), before a furious night drive to the Falls, and their majestic ancient rain forest, in which the “WitchesFalls” resides.
What could possibly top this great track? Maybe the knowledge that in 2024, we can expect the debut album named Anxietika, which, with all the current singles, you know is going to be punching well above its weight with all the gothic goodness Walters puts into his music. The man is seriously talented and very heavily involved in the dark alternative scene in South-East Queensland and I cannot stress enough to watch this space because ChiffonMagnifique are just starting to hit their straps, so find your way to “WitchesFalls.”
Berlin based NIGHTNAIL have a new album, FatesExplained, out in November on MetropolisRecords, but September sees the post-punk project dropping the first single, “NarcolepticDreamCatcher.”
The wonderful jangle of guitar fills the air and is joined by the trickling sighs of ValentinaVeil (VV& The Void), which help set the tone of the track. PeteBurns of KillShelter fame, graces us with the meaty bass lines that support NIGHTNAIL’s entrancing vocals.
Produced, mixed and mastered by the ever busy Burns, “Narcoleptic Dream Catcher” sweetly drips post-punk goodness, that would easily get a gothic two step going on the dancefloor. Both delicate and swirling like the motes of smoke of extinguished candles, this phantasmagorical NIGHTNAIL single, does not deserve to be a sleeper.
Should you go into the woods, you might not come out the same….or then again, maybe not at all. Californian deathrockers, BlackHeroinGallery have just released a promo video for the track “TakeThisRose“, which is off the album AFeastOfBats, that was unleashed in 2022.
“Death is seeking out her mark, trying to trick the carefree artist into taking her gift: a rose. She uses a surrogate in place of herself, who stalks the artist through the forest, trying to get him to take the rose, even using spells to will his compliance, or trick him with the poisoned rose in a gift box. Ultimately, she will take him to meet the ferryman.” – Eyajo Joseph
And indeed, the music video is like watching the black and white silent movies, with a goth rock soundtrack. There is also an air of the German Expressionist movement, which would eventually lend itself to the progression of American noir cinematography. The track, “TakeThisRose” is atmospheric and spiritually charged, as if the ghosts of the past are watching on, waiting for the inevitable fall of the unsuspecting soul, by the cold hand of Death herself.
Athenian post-punk project ReflectionBlack’s inception was in 2022, with the EP EnteringDreamtime. March of 2023, saw the debut album released on SwissDarkNights, titled ominously, LastStopToNowhere. ElisAlex is the man behind ReflectionBlack, who previously cut his musical teeth in the huge Greek black metal scene, with the bands Ravencult and Nigredo.
“With Last Stop To Nowhere I can say that I have made an album that I am truly happy with. One record, eight tracks, each one different from each other but still forming a very consistent big picture without any fillers. One should expect quite a few surprises in the album, from catchy riffs to heavily layered atmospheric synths and even guitar and saxophone solos. When it comes to the album’s lyrics, themes such as sleep, death, dreams and the occult are being explored extensively. In the end, most of the lyrical themes come down to a general context of mental and spiritual escapism with the questioning of current realities of all forms.” – Elis Alex
The first thing you notice in “Post Sleep Trauma” is the clinking sound like a hammer in a cavernous void, that is until there is a whirl of guitars to join the rhythm, along with bright synths. Alex’s vocals smoothly light up the track with their dark mourning of not wanting to see any dreams in his sleep.. The guitars chime and sparkle but there are “No Stars In The Sky” for this mesmerising and soaring apocalyptic piece, with the heavens being consumed by a black hole, but the chorus is far more riveting.
In amongst the gloom, true love always shines eternal, and this is the theme for “Under Your Shine” as it reverberates with the melting lyrics/vocals and consuming synths, entwined with the guitar. There is an 80s synthwave vibe to the title track “Last Stop To Nowhere“, bound on a ship going to a destination that is likely doomed. “Call My Name” is atmospheric and is filled with that beautiful echoing post-punk jangling guitar. The track soars with conviction and longing in Alex’s singing.
The entrancing “Let The Spirit“, delicately picks you up and bears you along on strong and gentle hands. The bursts of synths are truly magical and one could almost believe those spirits have been freed. When you sleep, there is a vividness not experienced in real life which is explored in the dreamhouse of the track “Yet Unseen Colours“, like a prayer for more than what reality can give. “Why Believe” is the final track, and what a track to finish with. Brooding, as if the angelic and devilish sit on each shoulder, pushing their agenda. Again there as the spiralling guitars that are forever drawing you in.
ElisAlex just has this voice to die for. Smooth, evocative and sensual. The music he creates takes the wonderful saturated guitar sound, made popular in the 80s with such bands as TheCure, MarchViolets and TheMission, and then it is mixed in with the modern synths, to give each track a wonderful dark velvet sumptuousness. All this is topped off by those vocals giving us some rather stunningly perfect tracks, as ReflectionBlack takes us to the LastStopToNowhere.
They say the road to ruin is paved with good intentions and maybe US band, Bellhead might know this better than many. As of May the 8th, their latest EP, aptly named GoodIntentions, was released on OppressiveSkyRecords. What makes this project a little different is the fact that there are two styles of bass being played and no lead or rhythm guitar, so you know from that fact alone that their sound is going to be something a little special. The Chicago based duo is made up of KarenRigheimer (low bass, vocals) and IvanRussia (high bass, vocals, drum programming), while they have entrusted Bellhead’s sound to regulars, audio engineer NeilStrauch (Iron and Wine / Counting Crows / Owls / Joan of Arc / Walking Bicycles / Slow Mass) and mastering engineer CarlSaff (AcidMothers Temple / Smoking Popes / Red Fang / Guided by Voices).
When you say “BadTaste“, I admit I think of the New Zealand comedy horror movie, but in the case of this song, it feels more like StevenKing’s ‘Misery‘, claustrophobic and just a tad a bit deranged in a stalkerish kind of way. The music for “IntoTheDeep” feels like really dark surf rock, that has the even darker tale of a relationship that is dragging the couple to their proverbial doom. The vocals are beautifully carried off between Righeimer and Russia. “Valentine” is both sweet and bitter at the same time. There is something poignantly timeless about this track as it wends it way through the unabashed sorrow and loss.
Oh my, Righeimer is vocally channelling KimGordon for “Apathy“. In fact, the whole song has the signature groove of SonicYouth all over it, making lassitude ever so cool. There is a cover in the track “NoBigDeal“, which was originally written and performed by LoveAndRockets, appearing on their 1989, self titled album. Honestly, I can hear why they picked this song, and I think LoveAndRockets might be a big influence on Bellhead’s overall sound. The two basses absolutely inject the funk into this cover. Last track is the delicious “DrugstoreKeri“, a raw and sleazy ditty about some bird named Keri, who can supply the drug of your choice, on the sly.
Bellhead literally rumble, causing your speakers to buzz at times, in a very good way. Having the two bass married to a drum machine makes for an ever so tight rhythm section, also giving you the melodies as well. This definitely gives the music a dirty post-punk groove to each track, and this new EP leans more into pop rock. The Good Intentions of Bellhead is fun, nostalgic and rocking… in that fabulously gloomy way.
It is cold and light doesn’t last long during the day currently in Brisbane, Australia. Creatures of the night, Killtoys have crept out, and the 31st of May tolls in the release of the new single, “Blind God“. The trio of Mick Bristow, StavTsolakides and BevanBancroft have been steadily building their own sound since 2020.
There is an amazing echoing quality and the guitar beautifully rings out, reminding me of the early 90s gothic second wave of bands. Bristow’s singing absolutely gives you the chills and in the pit of your stomach you can hear the nightmare. Yes, the terror is in the form of a night hag infecting your dreams and on another level, it is also dealing with one’s inner torment from the past..
“We’re thrilled to be releasing ‘Blind God’ to our fans around the world,” said the band in a statement. “This song is deeply personal to us, and we hope that it resonates with listeners who have experienced the same feelings of fear and helplessness that inspired it.”
The anguish is palpable and a music surges with the call and response making the track hugely anthemic, and definitely something that would go off live. Killtoys are fusing gothic rock with garage grunge, and the track “BlindGod” may just eat you alive……
I have noticed that the Germans are extremely efficient at consistently putting out great music in quick succession. AlexanderLeonardDonat is one such German. I still have to bring you the review for his new album from Assassun, but his other project Vlimmer, just brought out a new single called “Fatalidealb/wRaceForThePrize“, on the BlackjackIlluministRecords label.
There is an idealistic air of youthful golden delight in “Fatalideal“, with the ringing guitar work that is strikingly joyful. Even Donat’s vocals are light and wonderfully graceful in his native German tongue. The second track is far more electrotonic and slower than the original…yes, this is a cover. The vocals are tinged with a sense of morose as “RaceForThePrize” wends its way.
“Fatalideal” definitely holds about it, an taste of TheCure, and their more absurdly happy music. It is coated in a dreamy haze and is genuinely delightful, with the vocals absolutely in perfect form The b-side, “RaceForThePrize” was originally released in 1999, as a single by US group, TheFlamingLips and in true Vlimmer style, the lyrics have been transcribed into German. I actually had never heard the original version before, and I have to say i prefer the Vlimmer cover… so there :P. Donat is proving himself more than a capable singer and a composer of enchanting darkwave.
Credit: Image by momento mori under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
Very few acts can say they’ve impacted the music industry for nearly 50 years, but that’s precisely what The Cure has been doing throughout their extensive career. They first emerged onto the scene in the late 1970s and quickly skyrocketed into fame in the 1980s when they enjoyed the peak of their success. They’ve inspired many artists, including notable names like Smashing Pumpkins, Depeche Mode, and Radiohead. To this day, they’re still making music and playing shows and are even set to embark on their first North American tour in seven years. Despite the ups and downs in the reception of their music, one thing has kept them iconic all these years: their sound. No matter the genre, their music and tone have remained uniquely theirs.
The Cure’s Gothic era
Throughout The Cure’s long career, the band experimented with a wide range of genres. Their first album, Three Imaginary Boys, took on a post-punk sound, perfectly showcased in the single “Boys Don’t Cry,” which was released in the American version of the album with the same name. They touched on a darker and atmospheric gothic rock edge in their early works, beginning with their second album, Seventeen Seconds, and continued with their subsequent two releases, Faith and Pornography —which all became essential records for the gothic rock and solidified their status as icons of the genre. After experimenting with more post-punk and pop tones in succeeding albums, Disintegration brought them back to their gothic sound.
A psychedelic shift
After their brief split, the group thought a tonal change could catch the public unaware, gaining them more attention. They shifted to psychedelic, dream pop-inspired tones on records like The Head on the Door and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, boasting the hits “Close to Me” and “Just Like Heaven” respectively—the latter of which is one of Robert Smith’s favorite The Cure songs. Their most successful album Wish, featuring the iconic “Friday I’m in Love,” was their most pop-adjacent yet. These cheery, upbeat songs shocked old fans but gained a lot of love from new listeners. Around this time, the group achieved more success outside the UK.
Recreating the sound
Robert Smith’s role as The Cure’s guitarist shapes their sound. He used a lot of effects that are essential for achieving that atmospheric tone. Effects pedals are a simple way to enhance your guitar for a similar vibe. According to a 1996 rig diagram, Robert Smith favored pedals designed by Boss, a flexible choice across eras and genres. Flanger is crucial to The Cure sound, and the BF-3 Flanger is responsible for sweeping, jet plane-like guitar tones that lend well to the darker sound of gothic rock. Chorus is also a must-have for Robert Smith-type playing, giving the guitar a fuller, richer tone. He also uses a Boss pedal for that effect; the CH-1 Super Chorus is a prominent feature on his rig.
Amplifiers are also crucial for developing a specific tone, and Robert Smith’s runs his fairly clean. They’re used mainly as a platform for his stompboxes to shine. He also featured a similar number of both solid-state and valve amplifiers. One of the solid-state amps used by The Cure is the Line 6 Spider V 120, which was used in their Sydney Opera House residency during the 2019 Vivid Festival. It’s an excellent choice for either instant plugging and playing or tweaking your tone to perfection.
If you’re looking for bands who’ve taken a page out of The Cure’s book on musical style, tune into In a Darkened Room. The Texan band’s music is reminiscent of The Cure’s atmospheric tone with a darker spin that lends itself to the southern gothic sound. You can check out our interview with the band on Onyx Music Reviews.
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There was a stirring on the winds in New Jersey, and behold, the debut single “April” spang forth from goth rockers, TheAntoinePonceletBand. The band is made up of members, AntoinePoncelet (vocals), PeterQuilla (guitar), MarkMcClemens (bass), SantosMenendez (keys), GregBullock (keys) and JustinWright (drums).
There is the wailing and gnashing of teeth in “April“, for there does seem to be a questioning of why one has been left to fend for themselves, when the muses have fled. Is there meaning if you cannot see it? The music is boisterous, and the over all ambiance, reminds me a little of AndyPrieboy. There is also a b-side in the track, “VirginiaPlain“, originally released by RoxyMusic, back in 1972. They have retained that glam edge with the great keyboard work and lead singer Poncelet, pulls off a rather convincing modern take, of the sneering BryanFerry, though this version is more attacking.
Hearing a cover of RoxyMusic was rather delightful and a good reminder of what a great songwriter Ferry has been. The single “April” is this interesting dichotomy of 90s goth, grunginess and even honky-tonk blues at times, which is surprisingly enjoyable. It might no longer be “April“, but you can still indulge in TheAntoinePonceletBand.
VAZUM have defined their gothic rock mixed with shoegaze style as Deathgaze, and the Detroit duo of Zach Pliska and Emily Sturm have kept themselves very busy. Between 2020 – 2022 they have released approximately four full albums, a multitude of singles and even a ghoulish Christmas EP just for good measure.
Now we have V- (V negative), the greatest hits of this period. All tracks have been re-recorded to reflect their live performances, so don’t expect the usual crystal clear sound but rather, you are listening to a band recreating the live experience.
Sure enough, it feels like we are privy to a VAZUM show as we revisit some of their tracks such as the SiouxsieandtheBanshees like “RazorSmileV–” with its swirling guitars or the wonderfully bass heavy “Thief V-” and enjoy the interchange of male and female vocals. If you like yourself some VAZUM, dig really interesting gothic rock or really love the warm style of live music, then V– might be your glass of absinthe.
Onyx Music Reviews 