Reviews: gothic

The history of Act Noir dates back to 1994. They were then founded in Italy under the name Alma Mater. The band made 3 demo tapes, with darkwave-inspired music with classical and ethnic elements, mostly made with electronic means. In 1998 the band underwent a transformation. Three new bandmembers came, while Sergio Calzoni stayed as the only original member…

Rosa Selvaggia is (amongst others) an Italian magazine, professionally printed (A4 size). This compilation attached to the magazine offers a nice variety of music and a mixture of obscure and well-known names. I think most of the artists involved are of Italian origin…

A promotional cdr with half an hour of music from Vidi Aquam, an Italian project. I did not know them yet, but they seem to be active since the mid 90’s. The first track is an instrumental intro. somewhere between neo-classical and darkwave, reminding me of old Hyperium acts like Stoa or Black Tape for a Blue Girl. Not spectaculair, simply pleasant to listen to…

The Sand is a one-man project from Italy. Main man is Umberto Marconi, who has created this self-released cd. The listerer can expect gothic music with a sense of tradition. The vocals are rather tormented, especially in ‘Prayers’, even more than The Fields of the Nephilim. The gothic rock is adorned by electronic means, which sound somewhat orchestral at times…

Missionaries from the Outside is a Russian band which plays a mixture of classic gothic rock and more synth-driven goth music. Main member is Sergey Laskin, who wrote most of the songs. Also contributing is Ivan Rozmainsky, also known for the progressive/psychedelic project called Roz Vitalis…

ecently there have been numerous new gothic rock releases of high quality. Acts like Frank the Baptist, Kiss the Blade and Screams For Tina all play music which has its root in the 80’s but sounds very good and up to date.

Ever since the end of Joy Division people have been hungry for more material. The band only left two regular albums (Closer + Unknown Pleasures) and two compilations (Substance + Still). Plus an unofficial album recorded as their first incarnation Warsaw, and two Peel Sessions, compiled on one cd…

For the greatest part the contemporary gothic public doesn’t seem to know what their roots are. Due to the present electronic domination in the genre the relation with the punk background seems to be lost. Antiworld plays music that goes back to these roots of gothic music. Their style is proto-gothic in the tradition of horrorpunk/post-punk/deathrock acts like The Damned and Alien Sex Fiend…

Dream is the second album by wave band Sophya. A few years ago this band was discovered by Ronny Moorings from Clan of Xymox. He signed the band to his own Stichting Xymox Control label on which the debut ‘The Age of Sophya’ was released. Sophya had a sound very close to that of ethereal 80’s wave music. On this second album they refined their sound…

After the recent release of the limited edition cd single Ceremony/In A Lonely Place, Ikon has released this compilation album. From Angels to Ashes is a very nice overview with songs from the cd’s the band has released from 1997 till now. For the greatest part the songs featured on this compilation differ from the versions as found on the albums…

Some bands are well known, but only to a relative small group of people. Kiss The Blade is one of those bands. This Swiss gothicrock band has been around for many years now, but their music isn’t wide spread. The history of Kiss The Blade goes back to 1988. After several albums on different labels the band found a new label that re-issued their Headcrash ­ A Romance album last year…

Screams For Tina is an American gothic rock band that has quite a reputation, but mainly in their own country. In Europe the group is only well-known by a select group of listeners. Their last album, Screams For Tina, dates back from 1994…

Frank the Baptist is a gothicrock band that has been around in the American underground since 1997. Only now a, new German gothicrock, label has released their debut album. This first release by Strobelight Records sets high hopes for the future. Frank the Baptist plays high quality and an original brand of melancholy rockmusic…

Together with the very good debut of Frank the Baptist Strobelight Records releases another potential gothicrock hit. This cd is a compilation of Murder At The Registry with both old and new material. Fans of deathrock in the Christian Death style will be happy with this release. Murder At The Registry sounds at times just as dark and theatrical as Christian Death in their early days…

Some time ago I reviewed a 3 track promo cd by Italian wave band Ludmila. This cd was a teaser for the forthcoming cd Disadorne. Ludmila’s style is best described as minimal wave with trip hop and medieval influences.

Ikon has very recently released a compilation cd (a review will follow soon on this site) and this new limited edition single-cd. The band has always sounded a lot like Joy Division. So, it might be no surprise that Ikon has released a cover single that can be seen as a tribute to this band…

Tears of Mystigma is a German gothic band that operates in the twilight zone between gothrock and gothic metal. Metal guitarriffs like Type O Negative used to play in the past are combined with more quite and atmospheric passages. At times the sound becomes a bit new wave-like…

A curious act from Iowa, formed in 1999 by L. Erickson. The band uses various techniques to ‘translate music From Beyond’. Their influences are not exactly confined to one little subcultural corner. They incorporate influences from gothic and industrial rock, electro and psychedelic traditions. And don’t forget to mention Carnatic, Inupiat and Haitan music. And a large dose of humour…..

Black Ice is a project from two musicians from the postpunk band The Phantom Limbs. The music of The Phantom Limbs sounds pretty cheerful in comparison with the postpunk/deathrock that Black Ice plays. Their music might be darker but their sound is at times just as chaotic as that of The Phantom Limbs…

A typical classic gothic guitar can be heard in the intro, predicting what will follow. Here we have oldschool gothic rock, with the typical haunting guitarwork and drumming and the grave male tormented vocals. Artica already came into existence in 1989…