The jewel in this
week's crown though was our interview with Stephen Carey of The Eden House as we got to the bottom what it's like working on such a unique
project.
Over on facebook we
were intrigued by the BBC reports into the state of the UK record
industry – first with a write up on Cherry Red Records and then
with two articles on how UK labels are / aren't investing in emerging talent.
It made for interesting reading, especially considering the reports
on music format sales and independent record shops from earlier in
the year. This in turn provoked us to add a poll to the facebook page
to try and get some insights into what the public want and what
labels actually sell. Go here to vote and comment.
In addition to this we
celebrated as it was announced that a new Nine Inch Nails album is on
the way. As well as a new musical project in a post-punk/industrial
vein from Slipknot & Murderdolls man Joey Jordison. Finally
Suicide Commando has let slip some new tour dates for the end of the
year.
Right. That's all for this week. I'm heading down to
London for a couple of days next week so here are my apologies in
advance if there is a break in regular service. In the meantime here
is a new lyric video from Aesthetic Perfection...
loveliescrushing have
an impressive pedigree that dates back to the early 90s when albums
such as 'Bloweyelashwish' and 'Xuvetyn' brought their brand of low-fi
noise rock to the public's attention. For 2013 the now duo of Scott
Cortez and Melissa Arpin Duimstra return with the band's tenth
full-length studio album, and first to feature Melissa's distinctive
vocals in over a decade.
'Ghost Coloured Halo'
is an ambient, highly textured and satisfyingly noisy take on the
band's original shoegaze influenced sound. Ambient guitar is filtered
through an array of pedals and looped into cavernous soundscapes
while Melissa's haunting vocals softly draw the listener's ear. While
the fact that this was all recorded live on analogue 4-track
recorders, in one long take, makes their dreamlike tonal odyssey all
the more impressive.
The strongest pieces on
the album 'Darklit And Crow', 'The Wounds That Won't Heal', 'Ghost
Coloured' and 'Blacklight Thundering Halo' are prime examples of how
blending melody and malevolence should be done. The songs slowly and
subtly shift the mood across the album to create a perfect soundtrack
for introspective listening. But best of all, for the most part the
songs are of an easily digestible length meaning that those new to
the band won't be too daunted at the prospect of
Reoccurring sonic
motifs serve to tie the songs together. Effects such as heavy reverb
give the tracks a nice central drone, and in some cases some
semblance of a rhythm. While the pronounced tapes hiss, present
throughout, gives the album and almost black metal edge in some
places.
'Ghost Coloured Halo'
is a sumptuous exploration of post-rock soaked in analogue ambience
and hallucinatory drones. The sheer skilfulness of the live sound
manipulation here goes to show why lovelicecrushing is a name
synonymous with shoegaze.
Impressive as it is
though, it still isn't quite the expected revelation, especially when
considering the diverse range of ambient acts around today. It does
feel like they're holding back somewhat. However it is still a very
strong outing for them.
For the past ten years
electro duo XP8 have forged a name for themselves on the back of an
innovative and beat-driven sound that has seen albums such as 'The
Art Of Revenge' and 'Drop The Mask' earn them both critical and fan
acclaim. However, XP8's fifth studio album 'Adrenochrome', is perhaps
their most ambitious to date. Funded by an already successful
crowd-sourcing campaign, the album doubles as the soundtrack to a
cyberpunk novel of the same name that was originally penned by Marko
Resurreccion in the late 90s. Some may recoil at the thought of such
conceptual ambitions, but XP8 being the band they are makes it all
look so easy.
The album mirrors the novel with each song named
after a chapter in the book. But unlike a lot of “soundtracks”
this isn’t an excuse to wallow in bland experimental ambience. What
XP8 have created instead is a cyberpunk album for the cyberpunk
vision of London expressed the novel 'Adrenochrome'. The story-arc is
fast-paced and gripping, and so is the music.
As you'd come to expect
from XP8, each track has the potential to be a club hit for the band
with their trademark strong dance beats and catchy melodies very much
intact. What differs is that concept ties everything together and the
way the songs join to each other reflects the twists and turns
expressed in the novel. But it's real strength is that when you take
the novel out of the equation, the album still works as a stand-alone
entity.
Songs like 'Awakening',
'Getaway', 'Information', 'Beyond The Looking Glass' and 'Showdown'
provide the backbone of the album mixing techno, hard ebm and trance
to create some utterly compelling dance music. While other tracks
such as 'Going Underground', 'Hostages' and 'Inside Their Heads'
change the mood a little on the second half of the album with a more
classic electro sound that features dominant clean vocals, which will
work really well live.
'Adrenochrome' feels
like XP8 have finally been let loose without constraint and as a
result they have seriously upped their game in terms of production and
song-writing. The album is intelligent, innovative and cohesively
ties in with the atmosphere of the novel without denting its
club-friendly credentials. It's a rewarding experience and one that
perhaps even warrants dramatising or animating to cover all the media bases.
US-based electro-rockers
Deconbrio have announced the release of their heavy new single,
'Distractions'.
The single will be released on Tuesday, 4th
June via the band's own bandcamp page as a stand-alone
pay-what-you-want download and will feature both censored and
uncensored versions of the track as well as a remix kit.
For
more information on the band please visit their official website.
Before I even listened to this EP, I knew that it would have
to be something pretty special. 'The Twin Moons' is one of my favourite albums
brought out by an industrial artist in the last few years and, to me, made Siva
Six an important player in the industrial scene. Clever, heavy, and classy, 'Twin Moons' is a tough act to follow.
The EP opens with 'Superstition'. No punches are pulled as the
bass piles in, with the kick breaking in after a short amount of time; this is
a track designed for club play. As always with Siva Six, I can’t get enough of
the vocals in this track. Dynamic and strong, the vocals provide the focus of
the song, supported by the powerful kick and bass combination. I can certainly
see this track getting club play. The track cuts itself a little short, leaving
as quickly as it began, but it certainly works.
'Nemesis' is the second track. Here, we see the other side of
Siva Six; dark and atmospheric electro. Far from the four-to-the-floor club
oriented nature of 'Superstition', 'Nemesis' focuses on glitchy drums and sweeping
pads, weaving a well crafted ambience driven on by Z’s vocals once again.
'I Am A Groupie' surprised me with it’s introduction; it’s not
often you get a song that opens with the words "I fuck with Combichrist",
spoken over an acoustic guitar. This is not industrial. This isn’t even
electronic music. And you know what? This works. This works really, really
well. More and more, we are seeing industrial acts writing songs in other
genres, and this can only be healthy for the scene. I was taken completely by
surprise. I smirked at the lyrics, the name dropping, the humour. I genuinely
enjoyed the guitar work. This is well produced music, for the sake of music,
and I love it.
'She Is A Groupie' is the sister of the previous track on the
EP. Changing the angle of the previous song adds a whole new depth, and I feel
that Z’s vocals certainly fit better. He’s so damn expressive. It’s a clever
little experiment, and it really worked for me; it’s probably my favourite
track on the EP.
The remixes on this EP are a real mixed bag; Siva Six have
purposefully selected artists from multiple genres, to take their music to
different audiences. The three that stood out for me were the remixes by
Incubite, Christian Cambas, and Must Pain.
Jesus, Incubite are on a role! 'Collision Course', their most
recent EP, was excellent, and this remix leaves little to be desired. A fairly
commercial sound (for industrial) that I hope will get a fair amount of
club-play, with this huge filthy bass. As industrial remixes go, this was
easily the best on the EP.
The Christian Cambas remix has a very house-y feel to it
that is far and away from the original track. It’s a complete shift in
direction, and certainly intended for a different audience to Siva Six’s usual.
I enjoyed it because of this; not that I have anything against Siva Six’s
sound, but because I’m impressed that Siva Six had the balls to put something
that wasn’t really that industrial on their record.
Following the vein of ‘balls’, the Must Pain remix
completely blew me away. Black metal. Black metal on an industrial record. As
someone who came into this scene from black metal, I gelled really well with
this track. It’s heavy, orchestral, and works perfectly with Siva Six. I am
really rather impressed!
Superstition was never going to live up to Twin Moons. That
wasn’t the point, and they haven’t even tried. Instead, Siva Six have used this
EP as an experiment; A little humour, some interesting genres, some new ideas.
They’re testing the waters, and that, for an EP, is perfectly fine.
Murder Love God have
simultaneously released their third album, 'Death Circle Blues' along
with a remix version entitled 'Alter of Evolution'.
Intravenous have only
been sent the remix album to review, although we did listen to
assorted 'original' versions of the track for brief comparison,
however the tracks on 'AoE' sound fine in their own right, so we didn't
go too far into spot-the-difference.
The Milwaukee combo are
clearly influenced by Marilyn Manson, even if not listed in their
bio, but certainly the tracks here are better than anything Mr Warner
has put out in well over a decade, so if that's your bag then you
could almost stop now and go and buy the album.
'Defuser' is a meaty
opener to the album, choppy grinding rhythms and a charming
sing-a-long coda of “Hey, you, back the fuck off!”
It's
a piercing and frantic opener to the album, it commands your
immediate attention.
By
contrast, 'Going to Hell' is downtempo, but has a mixture of ideas
going on. A piano intro setting the scene and assorted trip-hop
influences keeps it a varied and interesting track.
For the best part
though, the album is rockier and solid. The odd addictive hook
thrown in here and there, “Come on baby/ don't say maybe / God
can't save me / Burn me like a Witch” on
'Witch' or the repetitive drones of “Murder Everyone”
on '38'.
It'll
have you singing along in no time. (Note : Intravenous strongly
recommending not walking around in public chanting “Murder
Everyone” you get more than
looked at for being-a-bit-weird).
Though
lyrics, “Hey, another day has come / It's time to murder
everyone”, does suggest there
is a worrying theme on this album, haha.
Perhaps
though, the juvenile 'Kill Everyone' may be off-putting for some,
which is a shame because it's generally a neat release.
Industrial
legends Kevorkian Death Cycle have released a brand new promotional video for their forthcoming album 'God Am I' to coincide with
what would have been the 85th birthday of euthanasia
activist Dr. 'Jack' Kevorkian on 26th May.
Their
new album is scheduled for release on 17th September his
year Via Negative Gain Productions and will be Kevorkian Death
Cycle’s first album for almost thirteen years.
The
band was founded by Ryan Gribbin and Roger Jarvis and in their time
have toured the US with bands such as Front Line Assembly, Front 242,
Project Pitchfork as well as releasing three albums on RasDVA and
Metropolis Records.
“We'll
get a bunch of early ideas together and decide who we'd like to
collaborate with on each... That’s our favourite part - hearing
someone like Julianne Regan’s vocals for the first time on your
song is like being a kid on Christmas morning!”
For
the past five years the super-collective known as The Eden House, led
by Stephen Carey (Adoration / This Burning Effigy), Tony Pettitt
(Fields Of The Nephilim / NFD) and Andy Jackson (Pink Floyd / David
Gilmour engineer), have proven themselves as one of the most unique
and accomplished acts in the UK rock scene. Enlisting a range of
guest talents and favouring a sound that blends trip-hop, psychedelic
rock and goth, the band have been lauded by both fans and critics for
albums and EPs such as 'Smoke And Mirrors' and 'Timeflows'.
2013
sees the release of their second full-length album 'Half Life', which
is already enjoying the same level of praise as it's predecessors.
Intravenous Magazine caught-up with founding member Stephen Carey to
talk about the new album and working in such an incomparable form of
musical project.
Intravenous
Magazine: Where did the idea to start The Eden House originate?
Stephen
Carey: Initially – it was just me and some of the people I knew
doing an occasional song, with no real plan to release it. Then in
2006 I left NFD and started working on it properly with Tony. The
main idea at that point was to explore styles we hadn't done before,
and make something without feeling like it had to fit into a
template. Just to have fun with it really! We decided then to invite
guests in to perform on certain songs – which added to it
enormously, as each guest brings a new element to the sound – and
also gave us the freedom to choose the vocalists that best suited
each song.
IVM:
Initially,
with so many big name bands linked to the various members that come
together to form The Eden House, was there every any concern that the
music may be overshadowed?
SC:
It
can be a pain sometimes. Yes - the associations with other artists
and bands can help open a few doors, but it can also shut a few too.
It gets on our wick when everything is FOTN-this or Pink Floyd-that,
and you can count on record labels and promoters to fling those
references around at every opportunity, which really pisses us off
(If you see that on a flyer it wasn’t from us). It's inevitable
really. Luckily - the project is establishing its own name now.
IVM:
The band's sound incorporates elements such as psychedelia, trip-hop
and shoegaze. Did you intend to set out in that direction or has it
been an organic process?
SC:
There’s
no master-plan - we're not that organised! We just like a lot of
music and its fun to mix things together and see what happens. It's a
mixture of our influences and new things we like put through the lens
of the sounds we like to make.
IVM:
How
does the song writing and recording process typically work for you as
a group?
SC:
Musically,
the best ideas all seem to arrive fully formed. We'll be sitting
around in rehearsal or soundcheck and someone will start playing
something, someone else will join in and it'll build from there.
they're the ones that tend to work out being the best. On the other
hand, the ones where your sitting there banging your head on the
mixing desk thinking "Where should this chord go to" etc. -
they usually don’t make the cut. We'll get a bunch of early ideas
together and decide who we'd like to collaborate with on each...
That’s our favourite part - hearing someone like Julianne Regan’s
vocals for the first time on your song is like being a kid on
Christmas morning!
IVM:
How do you feel The Eden House has progressed as an entity between
'Smoke And Mirrors' and 'Half Life'?
SC:
We're
older and more cynical! Bitter and Twisted! More machine now than
man(!) Seriously though, the main difference is that Smoke and
Mirrors was just Tony and myself as the main decision makers. Over
the last few years we expanded that to include others which had its
pros and cons. Ultimately we've returned to the original set-up.
IVM:
Your latest album 'Half Life' will be released at the end of May. How
did you approach the new album considering the universal praise for
your début 'Smoke And Mirrors'?
SC:
It
would have been stupid to try to live up to some of the hype that was
flying around after 'S&M'. We're very aware that things that burn
too brightly very often burn briefly too.. We wanted to give
ourselves time to make the second album, make a few detours with EPs
etc. Its also important to have something to say - we're not on a
release treadmill with Jungle Records breathing down our necks.
They're there if we want to release something. Otherwise we'll just
work away quietly, enjoying the process as much as the end result.
That’s the key thing about this project really. That its enjoyable
for me and Tony to do - if it stopped being enjoyable we'd simply
stop and do something else.
IVM:
You bridged the gap between albums with the EPs 'The Looking Glass'
and 'Timeflows'. What was the motivation behind releasing those as
opposed to heading straight into a new album?
SC:
It's
strange - to other people 'Half Life' is the second album. But
'Timeflows' was a mini-album of sorts. Some songs seem to belong
together thematically and stylistically, and we'd rather put out an
EP where we put them with their siblings rather than water them down
as part of an album. For example - if 'Timeflows' (the song) had to
go on an album it wouldn’t have had the space to run its full 15
minutes... The EP idea lets you run with a particular idea as far as
you want.
IVM:
The cover art for the new album is incredibly striking. How did the
concept come about and how do you feel it reflects the album?
SC:
It's
a piece called "White Guest" by a Russian artist called
Karina Marandijan. When we first saw it the image jumped off the page
at us. There’s a starkness and vulnerability to it, but also an
underlying strength. That related really well to the lyrics being
written for the songs so we approached Karina for the rights to use
the image, which she very kindly granted.
IVM:
As
a collective built around core musicians rather than a traditional
band. In terms of recruitment, do you tend to reach out to musicians
formally or is it a more informal process?
SC:
It's
usually informal - people we'd known or met at gigs over the years.
The only formal channel we went through was when approaching Lee
Douglas from Anathema. At the time their label K-scope was dancing
about us in the strange way that labels do when they're thinking of
offering you a deal. They were keen on artists on their roster
working together - so we pitched the idea of Lee doing a song with
us. She agreed and was fantastic to work with. Such a lovely person
too.
IVM:
You've favoured feminine vocals on all your releases so far, has this
been a conscious decision or would you be open to working with male
vocalists in the future?
SC:
It
started as a reaction to the bands we'd been in where a male vocalist
would do the growly thing. I was heartily sick of it and wanted to
produce something that was the polar opposite of that. We've been
lucky to have worked with so many different styles of vocalist in the
years since, everything from Folk to Jazz influenced. For me
personally, as long as they're Kate Bush influenced - I'm happy! As
far as male-vocals go its a possibility. There’s already one name
in the hat, it's just figuring out how to wear that hat, that’s the
issue!
IVM:
Is
there anyone in particular that you would love to work with on a song
with that you haven’t already?
SC:
Most
of them would need to be dug up first. Maybe a bit of febreeze for
the aroma.
IVM:
For
a band with so much input from so many different people has ego ever
been an issue?
SC:
Not
really – one of the things we look for in a guest is that they're
not an arsehole. It doesn’t matter how good they might be, or if
they're perfect for a song. We have been very lucky mostly.
IVM:
Does having so many guest artists throw up any logistical problems
when playing live?
SC:
It
can do - but these things are usually booked months and months in
advance so we can usually work around it.
IVM:
Ultimately, what would you like to achieve with The Eden House?
SC:
We
want to create great music. Its that simple.
IVM:
Finally, what are the plans for The Eden House for the rest of the
year?
SC:
Gigs
and more gigs... To anyone reading this - If you want Eden House to
play where you live - contact info@theedenhouse.comand
tell us!
'Half Life' is available to buy now from all good retailers. For more
information on The Eden House, including tour dates and future
releases, please visit their official website.
US
electronic rocker Jenn Vix and electro-industrial pioneer, Dirk Ivens
(Absolute Body Control, The Klinik, Dive, ) have collaborated on a
double A-side single, 'Fuck.Rinse.Repeat' / 'Burn'.
The
single follows hot on the heels of her previous single, featuring
another collaboration with legendary guitarist Reeves Gabrels (Tin
Machine / David Bowie, The Cure), 'Speed Of Light'
Both
singles act as precursors to Vix's forthcoming album 'Electric
Midnight' which will be released on her own label Umbrella Music Co.
Both
'Fuck.Rinse.Repeat' / 'Burn' and 'Speed Of Light' are available to
purchase via iTunes and Bandcamp. For more information on Jenn Vix's
upcoming releases, please visit her official website.
Australian
dark
alternative outfit, The Jesus Cleaver, has released a limited edition
version of their album 'Life In Clouds', with all proceeds from the
sales going to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.
The
album includes the current single 'Europa', as well as bonus tracks
(including the 'Queen of Siam' mix by John P Shea of 'Fetish') and a
rare live recording of the band.
The
No. 1 copy of the Limited Edition is also being auctioned
on eBay (authorised
by the Foundation), at
1.
Mercy 2. Girl With No Name 3. New Day 4. Life In Clouds 5.
Empty 6. Oramics Interlude 7. Europa BONUS
TRACKS: 8.
Confidence 9. Dogmachine – Fetish (Queen of Siam Mix, May
2001) 10. Live At Statik (Brisbane, 18 April 2002)
For
more information on The Jesus Cleaver, and to keep up-to-date with
their forthcoming releases, please visit their official website.
Over
on the social networking site there has been a couple new music
videos from Vuvuvultures and Lacrimas Profundere. As well as some
freebies from Sombati Records and Defeat. It was also announced that
the kings of shock rock Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson will be
performing together in the USA... surely this is one of the signs of
the coming apocalypse?!
Well that's it for this week so we're
off for a beer... or six.
Polish
electro-industrialists Controlled Collapse have been making music for
a decade now combining the more experimental arm of the harsh ebm
spectrum and mix in hints of techno, rhythmic industrial and even a
bit of darkwave. It's a sound that many seem to strive for, but
inevitably don't achieve, instead becoming caught up in the clichés
of the scene. But not Controlled Collapse. With their third outing
'Babel', they distil ten years of work down into one definitive
statement.
The album is full of
the unexpected. Yes at its hear it is a hard and dirty dance album.
But the constant shifts in tempo and key changes in the songs give
this a more rockier edge that will definitely play well live. The
shifting beats, sparse but effective guitar and accomplished synth
work make this a very compelling listen. But when you throw in the
many vocal styles at work here, it becomes even richer.
Songs such as 'Pain',
'Numb', 'Dzień
Sądu', 'Cube' and 'My Fault' are ready made to take on dance floors
around the world with their body moving rhythms and utterly
infectious melodies that channel the likes of Suicide Commando, :Wumpscut:, Ade Fenton and Kraftwerk. But arguably the album's true highlight is the
stunning centrepiece that is 'Fragment Of Time' featuring guest
vocals from Aleksandra Burska. It's simply one of those songs that
the stars seemed to have intangibly aligned on, with the dual male
and female vocals, synth strings and throbbing bass coming together
for a memorable song.
In
terms of production this is a fine example of how to mix an album. It
feels fluid and organic with all the different elements within the
songs having room to breath, allowing the listener to take every
nuance in.
Controlled
Collapse have crafted a definitive album for themselves with 'Babel'.
It's everything a good electro album should be – accessible, yet
experimental and melodic, yet heavy – giving the listener plenty to
get their teeth into. CC have taken some bold moves that have paid
off in a big way, and if they can get the coverage they deserve, then
there is no reason why this album shouldn't be big.
The name Iron Fist Of The Sun is familiar to aficionados of power electronics of the last decade. The body of work built up by Lee Howard operating under the IFOTS banner started from the sonic brutality of 'Behavioural Decline' and has continued to apply method and experimentation which on 'Who Will Help Me Wash My Right Hand' shows the sure hand of a fully realized vision.
'For You I Will' is the sound of nefarious plans being put into action, cold and unnerving in its calm. The pulse and hum of 'This Dog Has No Master' is the underlying OM of a universe that has it out for you. This could be the pulse in your own ear as from without the clang of metal percussion prepares the treatment and a venomous distorted voice cuts through. As with the opening track, it's the restraint of this track that makes it effective. 'Be Forever Green' is a power electronics assault that is about as structured and rhythmic as a composition playing in this field can be.
A fog horn drone initiates the action on 'Saltpulse', which proceeds with skittering and juddering loops and a sine-wave rotary phone off the hook heartbeat. This is a piece in three acts, with the second dissolving into what sounds like ham radio static. The track brings the listener on into a building noise-filled melodic resolution that is downright beautiful in its combination of distorted vocals declaiming forcefully over a soft bed of keys and grinding static.
'Who Will Help Me Wash My Right Hand' has a very retro-futurist vibe to it, bringing to mind the sound emissions of a mad scientist's lab in a 1950's b-movie. There is even a background of dramatic chords behind the screams and the death-ray stabs. A power electronic release may not be intended to make one smile, but with 'Who Will Help Me Wash My Right Hand', IFOTS bring a most enjoyable kind of hurt.
Although
this short story has been previously published in the collection
'Fragile Things', and therefore available for some years, the fact
Neil Gaiman is releasing his intellectual property as a freebie on
Amazon's Kindle software / hardware is nonetheless a nice gesture.
Particularly as this also includes a prologue to his new novel 'The
Ocean At The End Of The Lane'.
For
those unfamiliar with Gaiman's work – which considering his hand
has penned graphic novels, best selling adult and child fiction as
well as blockbuster films – should be very few these days, 'How To
Talk To Girls At Parties' is a fine example of the authors ability to
meld the ordinary with the fantastic.
The
story is a nostalgic look at teen awkwardness when matters of
romantic interaction with opposite sex becomes the overwhelming urge
of boys. Rooted firmly in 1970's south London, the story is a first
person narrative told from the perspective of one of two friends on
their way to a party. A fairly typical and recognisable situation
that takes a bizarre turn as the protagonist, envious of his friend's
ease at talking to girls, attempts to interact with those present at
the party. Focussed on the end result of snog he fails to grasp what
exactly he and his friend have got themselves in to.
It's
a very quick and easy story to get into and is unfortunately over all
too soon. But there is more.
The
prologue to Gaiman's new novel 'The Ocean At The End Of The Lane',
which will be released next month, is an intriguing mix of
middle-aged melancholy and warm childhood nostalgia coming together
to distort the present. The unnamed narrator traces his way back to
a farm where slightly odd characters from his childhood reside.
Gradually more and more comes back to him, but ultimately we are left
hanging from a question mark.
It's
a very effective introduction that makes you hanker after more... though anyone who has read the likes of 'American Gods', 'Anansi
Boys' or 'Neverwhere' can attest to Gaiman's power for page-turning
prose. Gaiman plays his cards close to his chest, but this is
certainly enough to hook most people as his engaging and stimulating
style is what really catches you.
Really, there is no doubt that this freebie will have the desired effect of
not only turning new readers onto Gaiman's short stories in 'Fragile Things' and 'Smoke And Mirrors', but also
tease the pre-orders for his new novel up a little more before its
launch in June.
London based
electro-industrial duo Biomechanimal are making a name for themselves
fast on the UK industrial scene, and upon listening to their début
EP 'Renegade 2.0' its easy to understand why. Their sonic formula is
simple but incredibly dance friendly; mixing pulsing bass, hard beats
and catchy synth hooks, it pretty much ticks all the boxes for a
full-on dance floor assault.
Opening with the
toe-tapping beat of 'Renegade 2.0' the band start as they mean to go
on with a minimalistic approach to song construction that has a nice
old school feel to it and a very catch lead, bass, beat and vocal
combination. 'Broken Wings' gets a little more complex and layered in
its construction but feels a little bit flat in the chorus, which is
a shame as this is the song with the most live sing-a-long potential
on the EP. 'The Stars Are Wrong' on the other hand is pure club
fodder with a bouncy bassline and infectious lead synth melody that
will definitely get bodies on the dance floor.
The band themselves
already have some high-profile remixes to their name, so it's no
surprise then that the bonus remixes of the title track for this
EP they have received in turn from Wormz and Telemark are both
excellent quality. Wormz take the song in a more hardstyle direction
playing up the dance potential some more. However Telemark take
things in an unexpected but very enjoyable electro-metal direction.
This is a strong first
step for the band. They're making all the right moves and rather than
pandering to any particular style, they're crafting their own. The
production could use a little more spit and polish to get the most
out of the catchy but slightly flat sounding choruses. But for the
first EP this is promising stuff that will have a lot of people
taking notice.
ASOFY is one of those
projects that has been simmering away for over a decade, perfecting
it's sound, and occasionally surfacing to release something
interesting before fading away again. The band's second full length
album, 'Perceszione' is a blend of ambient black metal, doom, avant
garde and prog elements. It's an album of dichotomies. On one hand
its sombre and melodic, and on the other hand its jarring and
discordant. But it works.
Weighing in at 48
minutes-long across four tracks, it may at first seem like it will be
a dense and thankless listen. But it does have its rewards to reap.
The opening song 'Luminosità'
is s haunting and melancholic piece that is still light and easy to
loose yourself in. The reverberating guitars and repetitive melodies
twist and reform themselves hypnotically while the disturbed vocals
chant and bark overhead. 'Saturazione' carries on down this stylistic
path somewhat in terms of its use of reverb and repetitive melodies.
But ventures into heavier, more doom-laden territory to evoke a more
claustrophobic and menacing atmosphere. 'Ombra' is more assured in
it's black metal leaning. However the ambient side of the band is
always present and ready to take over sharply with a more haunting
guitar melody. Finally, 'Oscurità'
is a spiralling mix of muffled vocals and melancholic guitars that
ebbs and flows between a faster black metal pace and a slower
dreamlike one.
In
terms of production its a rather raw affair but rather technically.
The mix throws in a few interesting tricks like keeping the vocals
low and having rather sharp cuts between the raw and soft edges. Even
the way the songs progress almost feel as though they have their
roots in classical music.
The
song lengths may put some off. As may the band's emphasis on
atmosphere and emotion rather than catchy hooks. But this is an album
for those who appreciate opposites in music. The melodic and the
discordant come together so well under the band's direction. Fans of
Filosofem era Burzum as well as the likes of Caïna
will want to give this a listen.
A Pale Horse Named
Death, the brain trust of Sal Abruscato – the former man behind the
drums to legendary New York metal bands Type O Negative and Life Of
Agony – threw the world a major curve ball with the début album,
'And Death Will Follow Me'. Blending Type O Negative-esque
melancholic doom with the southern-tinged grunge of Alice In Chains
and a liberal help of NOLA sludge for good measure, APHND put Sal on
the map as a songwriter in his own right. Now he's back with a full
band and a new set of world weary and horror inspired songs in the
form of 'Lay My Soul To Waste'. But will the Brooklyn, New York
natives' sophomore offering live up to the post Peter Steele
resonance of the début?
The short answer is
yes. A Pale Horse Named Death has come a long way as a
band both technically and in terms of performance quality. Sal hasn't been precious, and
the contributions from the rest of the band give this album a fuller
sound. In terms of songwriting, the band's core sound of Type O
Negative's self-loathing aggression filtered through the opiate haze
of Alice In Chains remains intact. But it all feels a lot more
self-assured this time around, especially with the keyboard elements
being used to greater effect.
Songs like 'Shallow
Grave', 'The Needle In You', 'Growing Old', 'Devil With A Smile' and
'Day Of The Storm' all show off the diverse range of ways that Sal
and Co. can achieve their end goal of crafting dark, heavy music.
It's slow, hard, demented and bleak. But the use of harmonised
vocals, acoustic guitar and keyboards keep things interesting and
strangely approachable. Yet the album's true appeal can be summed-up
in the track, 'Cold Dark Mourning'. Much like 'Die Alone' on the
previous album, it's sheer emotional gravitas doesn't relinquish its
hold until the final bars have faded to silence.
It is evident that the
band have taken their time to create a truly memorable album. Sal has
upped his game significantly in terms of songwriting with 'Lay My
Soul To Waste'. And while this album doesn't have that initial
pleasant shock of the first, which left many people wondering why he
hadn't started A Pale Horse Named Death a long time ago. It does
however, feel more well rounded and comfortable than its predecessor.
The end result of which is a feeling that Sal and APHND are fast
cementing their legacy as a band to be reckoned with.
Thanks to everyone who
entered the competition to win a copy of the fantastic double CD
compilation, 'Foundations' from Juggernaut Services.
We have
picked three people at random by a numerical generator and we can
announce the winners are:
Patrick Thompson
Joel Watkins
Antonella Di Franco
You can expect an email
this evening to confirm and get your address details in order for us
to post your prizes out to you.
Thank you to Juggernaut
Services for the prize as well as all the great talents that made the
album possible.
If you were unlucky
this time around please visit the Juggernaut Services webshop to grab a copy of 'Foundations', and don't forget to keep your eyes peeled for out next
competition!
The big day is almost
upon us. A chance for the darkly-inclined to have some light-hearted
fun in celebration of the worldwide subculture that is GOTH! Over the
course of a few years the World Goth Day movement has spread and
become one of the essential days of the scene's calendar. And quite
rightly so. As a result, 22nd May every year sees a whole
host of events going on around the world, as well as the world wide
web.
We here at Intravenous
Magazine need no excuse for a knees-up so we thought we'd have a look
at what's going on to give you a taste of what is out there this
week, and hopefully give you some ideas of your own.
Cyberspace:
World
Goth Fair: A Second Life Event
World
Goth Day in Second Life is currently being set in motion! WORLD
GOTH FAIR will be taking place on Cursed & Port Seraphine on May
15th-31st & proceeds will benefit the Sophie Lancaster
Foundation. If you're a Second Life user or marketplace seller,
please visit the Wordpress blog
here:http://worldgothfair.wordpress.com/
Music:
Blackout Gothic Radio Show World Goth Day Special
Join
Blackout Gothic Radio Show from 9:30pm until 12 midnight for a mix
and mash up of Goth, Post-punk and Deathrock music. Visit the
event Facebook page HERE
Shopping:
World Goth Day Discount at Subversion Clothing
Online
store Subversion
Clothingare
again offering a 10 per cent discount up until World Goth Day so you
can freshen up your wardrobe for the big day! Use the discount
code GOTHDAY
when
you checkout on your order.
El
Teatro de las Ánimas, C/SANTA TERESA DE JESUS Nº9, Zaragoza,
Spain Visit the event Facebook page HERE
World
Goth Day events in Madrid and Barcelona
Barcelona:
25th May at The Bunker Club, Plaza De La Navas, 9 Poble Sec, Apertura
Puertas: 22:00hrs Madrid: 25th May at 666 Gothic Club (Y'Sta),
C/Valverde No.10 Gran Via, Apertura Puertas: 21:00hrs Visit the
event Facebook page HERE
Elysium
705 Red River St, Austin, Texas 78701. Visit the event Facebook page
HERE
World
Goth Day event @ Milwaukee, USA
Club
? 807 S. 5th St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204. Visit the event
Facebook page HERE
World
Goth Day event @ Mid Michigan, USA
World
Goth Day Picnic in Mt Hope Cemetery. Visit the event Facebook page
HERE
World
Goth Day event in Washington DC, USA
KISS
KISS BANG BANG, UPSTAIRS @ Little Miss Whiskey's Golden Dollar, 1104
H Street NE Washington, DC 21+ / NO COVER / Doors 9pm - 1am. Visit
the event Facebook page HERE
World
Goth Day Dinner in Portland, Maine, USA
Friday
May 24th @ Asylum, 121 Center St, Portland, Maine 04101-3923 Visit
the event Facebook page HERE
Playground
Twist: Dark Culture Tea Party/Picnic in Missoula, Montana
Wednesday
May 22nd 2.30pm til 7.00pm or after. Sacajawea park, across the
street from Orange St. Food Farm. Visit the event Facebook page
HERE
Rest
Of The World:
World
Goth Day Picnic in Guelph, Ontario, Canada
May
22nd: Picnic event at Peter Miseresky Memorial Park, 122 Hadati Road,
Guelph ON. Visit the event Facebook page HERE
World
Goth Day II ELECTRO INDUSTRIAL MUSIC @ Bogota, Colombia
Universidad
Nacional de Colombia carrera 30 calle 45, Bogotá, Colombia Visit
the event Facebook page HERE
World
Goth Day event @ Oaxaca, Mexico
Mauistik
Bar, Oaxaca, Mexico. Visit the event Facebook page HERE
DV8
& Cab Noc present: WORLD GOTH DAY - May 18. Visit the event
Facebook page HERE
If
you don't see an event listed near you please check out the World
Goth Day website and forum for a more complete picture of what is
going on. If you are throwing your own World Goth Day shindig, why
not let us know on the Intravenous Magazine facebook page.
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