americana / gothic / dark country

Silas J. Dirge is the onomatopoeic moniker of a Dutch singer/songwriter whose outlaw ballads really transport the feeling of a 20th duel scene on the streets of Laredo with hayballs flying across the path.

With the release of his second full-length called “The Poor Devil”, he shows why dark country and outlaw ballads will never die. He follows in the footsteps of artists like Townes van Zandt and Johnny Cash, but also more modern heroes like David Eugene Edwards or Conny Ochs. 
The interesting thing about the genre itself is the fact that musically there is hardly anything new under the sun and in a way the most important thing is the voice and the vocal delivery of the lyrics. The same can be said about “The Poor Devil” - apart from the final track “Dolly Shot” whose harmonium and electric guitar melodies are quite noisy and make for a very different musical landscape. It’s less 19th century wild west and more 22nd century futuristic city center where the enemies meet for their final shootout which is then dismissed as both see that they are nothing more than victims of a society which pushes them to the brink of insanity. And at that moment both find the way into the next cemeteries where they sit on one of the gravestones and look and moan the fellow enemies they had to bury. 

Silas’ voice is really something as it got this little rasp like Mark Lanegan but also the sweetness like Blake Shelton. That shall not in any way imply that Silas is singing about mainstream stuff like grandpa’s gun or the typical radio stuff on country radio stations. His songs talk about inner demons, his own shadow that he can’t face, or the time he met the devil, which sounds a bit like a mix of Robert Johnson’s disappearance and “The Devil’s advocate”. 

This is dark folk and outlaw country of the best imaginable kind and Silas certainly does not need to shy away from any other European artist of this genre.


​Thorsten

doom / gothic metal

I was fearful that an underlying sense of pride and bias would creep into reviewing an album from a band that hail from my home-town of Cork, Ireland. However, I'm confident you will find that after immersing yourself in this album, you'll agree that all the positive feedback it has received to date is on merit.

The Grief was a coming together of incredibly talented musicians from the Irish Metal scene. "Corr Mhóna" and "For Ruin" are well respected bands and have released some quality material between them. However, in 2016, their nostalgic and deep-rooted love for all things heavy, dark and gothic forged the creation of The Grief.This is an album the has manifested itself from two EPs that were released in 2020. "Ascent" was released in February and "Descent" followed in October. These two slabs of rapturous, doom inspired works are the ingredients of "Horizon's Fall".

So, to the music! "To a new dawn" opens proceedings with some sentimental, melody-driven hooks and riffs. Lush dual guitars fill the air, giving scope for the soaring clean vocals of Stephen Quinn to elevate the song to another place. Those of you of a certain vintage will acknowledge and rejoice in its Paradise Lost inspired splendour. The gothic and doom metal of the 90's is ever present throughout this album and is a joy to hear when it's done as well as this.

Next up is the herculean and impeccably delivered "In Defiance" which is crystalline in delivery, with clear vocal harmonies and mellow tones to begin. However, the tide shifts unceremoniously, and the song takes on a more sinister facade with the guttural vocal delivery that ensues. Stephen's vocal range is a joy to behold, but in this vociferous duel, the clean vocals win out and reach some truly lofty heights before the twin lead guitars see out the track.

Harsher and more aggressive moments are found on tracks like "sunder". Its bleak and harrowing delivery gives it huge presence and the promise of a classic live track. I can hear echoes of Mourning Beloveth rumble in the distance through both the dense and airy sections of this track. With this release, they've managed to capture all the atmosphere and theatre that the "doom metal" genre is renowned for.

The ebb and flow of this album is well anchored and is meticulously maintained by the drumming of John Murphy (with Con Doyle now taking the sticks) and the equally talented Kieran O Leary on bass. It's as diverse a release as can be expected in a genre that feeds off dark, slow tempos and weighty restraints.

Each of the nine tracks really pack a punch,and deliver melody and menace in equal measure. Tracks like "The Ascent", with its infectious lead hook, and its subdued vocal delivery is a joy. This is followed by "Den of thieves" which is equally as polished and memorable.

The  talent and the confidence in the guitar work on this album is truly something to behold. From heavy downtrodden riffs to great swells of grandeur, the tone is rich and full, but still has that heavy and commanding presence. It's fair to say Paul Quinn and John Murphy are true craftsmen and are a real driving force.

To summarise, Horizon’s Fall is a polished and well produced piece of "Gothic Doom" that can stand shoulder to shoulder with anything that's out there today. I would even go as far as to say it wouldn't have looked out of place back in the 90's either. Comparisons will be made with the likes of My Dying Bride, Katatonia and Paradise Lost and that's justified recognition to the talent these Cork boys have in abundance. Even the artwork that Slava Gerj produced for both the album and the Eps is a triumph. An album cover can do so much in setting a mood and giving the music more meaning and reverence. I look forward to seeing what 2021 will bring for The Grief.

Pat O

post metal / black metal

Soul Grip are dead. Not to keep beating around the bush any more than necessary, the band is dead. The quintet from Ghent in Belgium have just released their latest EP and at the same time called it quits. They made it very clear in their final statement, that these songs were written during the Covid19-lockdown when it became obvious that their plans for recording a new full-length would not be happening. Thus they decided to record these two ‘quarantine songs’ in their rehearsal space and to have these songs reflect upon the times we are living in and (indirectly) how we deal with these things. The songs are Soul Grip at their songwriting peak, all the elements one loved about their music are still there and so much more. There are strong emotional, melancholic, deeply sorrowful moments on the record accompanied by some heavy outbursts that made them famous. “Sleep” is more based on doom elements and midtempo-structures. “Release me” on the other side is “classic” Soul Grip with all the hardcore-influences the band has been hailed for which even can be more relatable when you listen to those minute changes in pace and guitar work where only small little tidbits change the song’s atmosphere noticeably. It is always difficult to write and record your final songs, but maybe this is the best way imaginable because Soul Grip show up all the despair, all the sadness, the rage and the wrath that mankind is going through in this year of the pandemic. We can deny all our fears and anger as much as we want to, but when we go to bed and put our head to sleep we wish to be released from all of it in order to flee from reality when dreaming. Soul Grip do not deny the world around them, the show up all its darkness and bleakness and give word and sound to a year and time that will remain with us even after its gone. Just like Soul Grip will remain with us now that they’re gone. Good music always does that. Awesome music makes us aware of these changes inside of us. 

post rock / math rock

India and general Asia is turning out as one of the best places to look for awesome post-rock right now. Yet another example for this is Celestial Teapot from Pune, who has just released a three-song EP that is clearly post-rock in its layout and its roots but that is simultaneously incorporating so many other bits and snippets that it transcends the usual crescendo-core or quiet-loud-structure change ideas. You will find near-AOR guitar licks, some really wonderfully incorporated synth-passages and even some close-to-hardcore drumming parts – on the first track alone! The quintet is able to follow up to its full-length predecessor “One Big Sky” with a short EP (three tracks in 18 minutes) that will probably hit a mark within the post-rock community. The reason is simple that the band is able to (seemingly) effortlessly incorporate so many other genres that one can only categorize it under “Mathy Post-Rock” because they show the same ability to switch paces, moods, styles within a matter of seconds. The conceptual layout of the record is also very interesting as it deals with hearing problems and what it means to one’s life having to face these problems; how hearing things differently (up to the point where it causes physical pain to hear a something that “is” wrong) or how people who cannot hear (or lose their hearing abilities) have a very different quality of life resulting in a real fear of being able to hear. These ideas are shared in songs like “Misophonia” or “Defgain” - and most of the time they are shared instrumentally, as only one track features spoken word samples. Celestial Teapot deliver a short but thoughtful, cleverly arranged and mighty ingenious work of post-rock that you should really give a listen!

gothic / trip hop

TripHop is a genre that often plays with the future – Gaia Guarda uses it as a basis for her Gothic inspired music whose base features three very old instruments: The cello, the violin and the harp. Montreal-based Gaia plays the harp while Michelle and Jessica (who play with Gaia in the metal band Uriel) contribute the other two. Together with drummer Rocky Gray she wrote a record that is as much looking into the future, as it based in the past and reflecting the present. The combination of a classical string basis with triphop beats is not really new, strings have been used in the Bristol-sound for decades already. However, on Gaia’s debut album it is different, as the strings are not ornaments to an otherwise very beat-oriented music but as the centerpiece of it. Nevertheless, do not envision the music to be like Joanna Newsom only because of the harp – it is different and much closer to some synthpop acts like Wolfsheim or VNV Nation. Her music is at the same time classical and new – thus a good example of neo-classical music. The lyrics are often very introspective and reveal a person not rested but haunted. “I ran across the world / You won’t find me, I must survive / I can’t explain the force pushing me to never give up on you” – she is running away but at the same time doesn’t want to forget a certain person. At times, this sound like a masochistic perspective on one’s own pain and its roots. Gaia Guarda is surely a very well-trained artist to watch as she breaks down some boundaries and steps onto unknown territory, connecting the past, present and future of songwriting into a new approach to music. If she then gains a perspective (in her lyrics) outside of her own, not only “relying” on her own experience – then she can become the next big indie voice. 

psychedelic / sludge

Interstellar Smoke Records

This split by Ghost:Hello and Night Goat, both from Ohio, is like a trip back in time. The cover is a bit like those old 50s and 60s pulp fiction “books”. The sound is also like a voyage in the Delorian, back to two places – once the late 60s, early 70s when psychedelic was at its peak and once to the late 80s when noise rock was in its bloom. Interestingly, the two bands involved here each have a hold on one of these two epochs – where Ghost:Hello are a bit like the whirlwind from the Nixon-ear with a very nice fuzzy tone to their psychedelia. This trio from Akron (the town of the Black Keys) is definitely a good choice for all those whose understanding of music revolves around bands like 13th Floor Elevators, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown or Iron Butterfly but probably also on bands like Primal Scream or My Bloody Valentine. The latter two are probably like the most common denominator with fellow Ohioans Night Goat (from Canton) whose noise likely takes inspiration from those Brits too, but also of course from Jesus Lizard and Unsane. Their three songs on the flipside are much sludgier and much more aggressive but never running away without control. They attack you with their noisy riffs and thundering rhythm section, but they don’t go for the quick win, no they rather enjoy beating your ears to pieces by punching them song by song with their highly efficient noise rock. This split is one for the lovers of the sounds off the popular paths and into the underground where there is a lot of sweat from repairing the Delorian just to go back in time.

post hardcore / emo

Okay, Adam Sakauye has listened to some The Smiths and probably also some Placebo as he really sounds like a mix of Morrissey and Brian Molko (which is not the worst combination when it comes to vocals – and only vocals!) and that becomes quite obvious when listening to Ottawa’s T-Rex Marathon and their new record “Days without Incident” out since Mid-October. The band channels their post-hardcore motifs and song-structures into 10 very nicely done and well-balanced songs. Especially songs like “A Prison just for Us” are really nicely done because they show how non-aggressively gang shouts can be integrated into modern hardcore. It is a band whose musical references are bands like Alexisonfire or Silverstein and the band does not imitate those Canadian idols but rather channels their ideals and abilities when it comes to writing good midtempo hardcore songs with a message. “Faux News” for example is a good pun on Fox News and tries to show how we are manipulated by mass media whose purpose is not to deliver information but to deliver narratives. The band says the song is “punchy, energetic, focused, and provocative, the song is meant to be shouted out loud” - right they are, if you cannot shout along to this one, then you are already dead. And if there is one thing that T-Rex Marathon is not – then it’s dead. This band is very much alive and kicking. 


​Thorsten

doom / gothic metal

SubRosa and Minsk – two heavyweights in the world of Post-Metal with two very different approaches to the sound of said genre. While SubRosa was more on the elegant side, Minsk was wondering more on the earthy, gritty side of the spectre. Now we have Asphodel Wine a musical collaboration between the real-time couple of Zachary Livingston (Minsk) and Sarah Pendleton (SubRosa). Sarah is contributing with her vocals skills and her violin, while Zach is playing the drums, the guitars and the bass while also singing. 

A few years ago we had an unforgivable “rock-duet” of Ville Valo and Natalia Avelon covering the old classic “Summer Wine” (by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood), and my, my, my how bad that turned out. Now we have a romantic, dark duet that is much closer to Nancy and Lee or Nick Cave and PJ Harvey – Zach and Sarah really hit so many right buttons and take the (positively) necessary turns every and their “wine” is much more seductive than the Ville’s and Natalia’s. 

Much of that attraction derives from Sarah’s and Zach’s skills on each of their instruments. Especially Sarah’s violin is rich in sound and her skills turn the remarkable tunes into sparkling diamonds in a sea of sound. That sea is laid out and based on Zachary’s guitars and rhythm instruments. Especially the drums which he lays out are woven into such a wonderful blanket that even when he goes a little against the rhythm with certain fills or kicks that it is a welcoming embrace. If we add the violin parts when Sarah accompanies the drums with a deep-tuned passage. Those passages then work like a second guitar which is highly welcome, as Zach mostly plays and acoustic on “Slowdance Macabre”. The acoustic guitar is also part of this welcome, homely feeling that their first record together emanates. 

Interestingly, the full-length also has a very nice build-up when thinking of the arrangement of the songs on the record because the first few songs are a bit more laid-back in the sense that they feature a more gothic pop oriented sound while some of the songs of the second half tend to be more post-metallic especially “The Worst Way” which could also be a SubRosa-track. 

Noteworthy is also the use of the echo effect on some of the instruments and on Zachary’s vocals which makes them sound even larger than life. That is one of the things that make this quite the standout-record: the vocals. Both have already shown how amazing their voices can sound but here in this combination it is like witnessing a happily married couple going strong onto its 20th wedding anniversary and singing their own stories together. In some songs the timing and intonation is so perfect that it is nearly non-intelligible that they are not a thing for more than a few years. Especially in the title track and its near 9.30 minutes it becomes obvious that there a two master musicians at work here with lots of experience and a perfect feeling for how to write songs, how to build moods and how to reach their audience. 

This is definitely a perfect blend of the two original bands with a vocal duo that is amongst the best when it comes to creating a candlelit doomy mood without sounding like Paradise Lost or Type o Negative as Asphodel Wine’s focus is on the sparkling of the lights and not the darkness of the shadows. 


Thorsten

gothic rock

Let's pick another one of the pile of albums to be reviewed, shall we? From Vienna comes Exit To Eden, delivering a decent slab of gothic rock on their mini-album 'Love And Other Nightmares'. What they come up with is a groovy version of gothic rock, influenced by bands like Killing Joke, Christian Death and Lacrimosa, to name a few.

The only thing is, this mini-album comes with quite a weird into, a poem that somewhat sounds like Eminem being drunk on whiskey, something like that. The poem isn't that much of a shocker either, enter the gothic clichés, so to speak.

Luckily, the rest of this album rocks, bringing the guitars, the gritty vocals and the dark atmosphere of gothic rock. 'Goth 'n Roll Head' is an uptempo tune, with energetic vocals which often nudge towards the whole post-metal scene, screams and all. Once again, the listener will have to deal with nothing renewing or innovative. You might have heard all of this before but it'll be a decent dark rock party nonetheless.

I think 'Without That Pain' is my personal favorite here. This slow, sluggish tune somewhat reminds me of goth rock era Tiamat, which I think is a compliment. It's also the one where the distinct vocals seems to be suited best. Plus, from an overall music standpoint 'Without That Pain' is a most compelling tune on this mini-album. Here, the true quality of Exit To Eden shines true. One 'Bad Day' the band finally digs into the influences of Sisters Of Mercy and LOove Like Blood, which also is a compliment.

So what to remember from 'Love And Other Nightmares?' Putting together this version of gothic rock with lyrics about love gone bad makes comparisons to bands like Him plausible. Yet, unlike the overproduced music of Him, Exit To Eden comes up with a gritty, eerie and raw sound. My advice, check it out. It might be something up your alley or you might not like it at all. Fact remains, I don't hear a lot of death rock / gothic rock or whatever you call it these day, so this mini-album has been a lot of dark rocking fun...


​Serge

darkwave / post punk / goth rock

The Arch are without a doubt more popular outside their home country Belgium, some call them the best kept Belgian secret. VIII / XII is the third release since their comeback in 2011, containing a compilation of songs which were dropped monthly one by one during the year 2018. The four headed band  wrote, recorded and mixed  each song before starting on the next one. A diversity of music styles was folded together into twelve touching pieces of music.

We can’t deny that the sound of The Arch is recycled from the legendary new wave bands of the eighties and a lot of listeners will call this a copycat. Well, the music is far from original but the passion and ambition shows itself after a few attentive listening parts of this album. Fresh and merrily sounding guitar riffs with sensual synths convey a romantic pop sound without losing the gloomy atmosphere. The lyrics have a darker tenor than the music, which is very admissible.

The band is thirty years active, they started as friends, they disappeared, they came back and sound mature and better than ever. They flirt with gothic and indie rock that tinge their balanced (post) new wave style. On the folk inspired Cadaver synod, the band got the vocal cooperation of Blaine L. Reininger (Tuxedomoon). 

Hopefully this hard working band gets more attention from the Belgian music lovers. Their deep weaved reflections of this world deserves to be heard. We needed to put some more energy in this album to get deeper but it was worth. Good music doesn’t always trigger the mind immediately.  Depending on which medium you choose, the VIII stands for the number of tracks on the vinyl edition, the XII for the CD version.

​
Patsker

new wave / gothic / darkwave

Already ten years active and entertaining the Belgian Post-Punk and Gothic scene, Der Klinke releases a compilation of their work called Decade. This summary is a time line containing remixes, cleaned up versions and two new songs. The CD version includes the story of this interesting band.

The band name ‘De(r) Klinke’ (doorknob) has its own history. A small garden house without a doorbell of the parental home of Geert ‘Chesko’ Vandekerkhof was a gathering space where you could just step in by simply using the door handle. This man cave was soon called De Klinke.

The musical path of Der Klinke is one of progression. Der Klinke formed in Ostend Belgium started to play music inspired by cold wave and electronics but slowly created an own stubborn and modern twist in their darkly music. Curtains and Bridges are new songs and show the deep influences from the Sisters and Front 242. Both songs are strong and filled with dark atmospheres. 

Cult hit The Doll sounds still timeless. The compilation has no weak songs and the remixes sound remarkably good. Der Klinke celebrates with glory their musical career. Gothic and dark wave lovers just can’t walk around this album. The mood on Decade is filled with ten years of gloominess, dark dancing tunes (The Doll and The facts of Live remix) and post punk vibes.

This selection of songs is dope. We can’t get enough of these wild and varied sounds of Der Klinke.  Decade is available on CD (limited edition 300 pieces) and vinyl (only 100 pieces). Do not hesitate to grab this Wool-E diamond. Instead of chasing shadows we are chasing the sounds of Der Klinke (again).

​
Patsker

industrial post wave

Almost two years ago, I ended my review for the debut album by This Can Hurt with the words: "This is another example of Belgium's talent, unique but familiar and always intriguing. I'd like to see this live one day, preferably very soon..."

Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to witness these guys yet but judging from this album, a tour is inevitable. Once again This Can Hurt has unleashed something intriguing. 'Worlds Apart' is another excellent statement about crossing genre restrictions, creating emotional alternative music and having great songwriting skills. 


Initially founded as an alternative rock outfit for Ray-M, This Can Hurt quickly developed into a unique entity in the darker regions of the rock industry. The band seemed to nudge towards gothic rock and post punk acts while also incorporating electronic elements from trip hop and industrial. At first glance, 'Worlds Apart' follows the path of its predecessor. The broody elements are still present, making most of these songs ideal for the darker dancefloor, where Sisters Of Mercy, Joy Division and Nine Inch Nails invite you to shake your hips.

But This Can Hurt has also grown over the past few years, and that results in a mature sound and several possible fan favorites. Title track 'Worlds Apart' is one of those and so is the infectious 'Rivers Run Deep'. The latter even brings Evergrey to mind, a melodic metal band. Thing is, with 'Worlds Apart' This Can Hurt tries to appeal to a broader audience. Yet, I didn't expect them to delve into the metal scene. But then again, dark rock and dark metal are very close together, just ask Trent Reznor.

My DJ-mind tells me that 'The Fall Of Mark E. Smith' will mix perfectly with 'Lucretia My Reflection' by Sisters Of Mercy. I'm going to try that out soon. Fact remains, this tune is massive, a certain dancefloor filler, even with the somewhat unusual vocals. And that goes for most of the tunes here. There is still something familiar, something from the dark eighties, but This Can Hurt adds a unique identity to their music which sets them apart from pretty much all other bands. This is the beauty of stubbornness, walking your own path and creating something brilliant.

'Some Days' is the track that mostly nudged towards trip hop, until the guitars come in. The focus here is mostly on straight forward rock music. Electronics seem to have a smaller role, which actually improves the whole thing. I think that's where the mature sound comes from. 'Diane' drives on a harsh electronic bassline but here too, the guitars eventually take the upperhand. The rest of the songs are up to you to discover. If you are a fan of dark rock music, this album definitely deserves a spot in your collection. I know, it's already a massive collection but still, I just know you will enjoy this.


​Serge

drone / ambient

death metal / grindcore

death industrial / dark ambient

Exabyss Records

post rock / ambient / electronic

ambient / classical

funeral doom

gothic rock / alternative / metal

drone / ambient / folk

dark ambient 

alternative rock / funk rock

facebook

indie / dreampop

industrial / electronic

Perc Trax

​Serge (2 & 3 by Patsker)

drone / ambient / folk

electronic / ambient/ synthwave

bandcamp

bandcamp

acoustic / folk

post punk

post punk

funeral doom

shoegaze / dreampop

electronic / house / synth

hard rock

math rock / alternative rock / experimental / noise rock / punk

​Serge