Ulterior – The Bleach Room

Many of you may know Paul McGregor as a footballer, the striker of Nottingham Forest and not as “Honey“, the singer of Ulterior. The band is out there since 2006 and has a considerably interesting CV. With only one single on release,  they have supported The Horrors at the Schockwaves NME Awards back in 2008 and toured all over Europe supporting the Sisters of Mercy, getting the credibility from the goth community.

Their music, heavily based on synths, cannot be clearly described as EBM although it must be highly appreciated by dj’s. Scattered guitar riffs give a good sense of industrial and post-punk and offer a nice musical field to Honey’s steady and solid vocals. “Psychic Chic” is a good example of dark dance inferno and “Body Hammer” teaches how post-punk should be performed in the 21st century. Only two reasons out of ten not to ignore “The Bleach Room“.

 

Junkyard + The Wings of Desire – For Distant Friends

Singer/guitar player Boris K. is the person behind the project Junkyard + The Wings of Desire that released the EP for “For Distant Friends” in January 2013.

With 5 tracks heavily influenced by the Birthday Party, Bauhaus, Virgin Prunes, and Diamanda Galas, “For Distant Friends” is the second release of Boris K’s (the first one was the EP “Underground Tapes” released on May 2012).

“Lullaby”, which closes the EP is the highlight of this release with its very interesting violin solo.

You can order this EP HERE

 

 

Arts of Erebus – An Open Case of Parousia

Arts of Erebus is the name of a four piece act from France and Germany.

Their line up: Raven Burroughs– Vocals, Michel Meneguzzi – Guitars, Drums and Programming, Tommy Steuer – Bass and Stephane Marchal – Keyboards

The band was formed in 2001 and released the albums “Negative White” (2003) “Icon In Eyes” (2007) and “An Open Case of Parousia” (2013).
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“An Open Case of Parousia”, their new album, is influenced by the Fields Of The Nephilim but also carries a personal style managing to avoid imitating the legendary English band and present us with a unique sound.

Although the Arts Of Erebus logos are heavily influenced by The Fields Of The Nephilim, their tracks stand on a different level.

Always within the Gothic Rock limits but sometimes flirting with other styles (“On the Edge of Insanity” and “Spark of Hope” have some Paradise Lost touch).

There is the calm but somehow epic “Insight in Darkness” (were the sequencer sounds quite refreshing) and the closing track of the album, “Epilogue (Die is a Cast)”.

The 11 tracks of “An Open Case of Parousia” can take the listener on a journey to the world of Arts of Erebus and back.

If you want to do it, HERE is the link…

 

Anarchistwood – Situationist Normal: A Collection of Lies, Hearsay and Truths of an Inconvenient Nature

Anarchistwood is not the typical band your mom would like. In fact, she is more familiar to drop D riffs than the bacchanalian universe of Anarchistwood. It’s not only the politics but also their weird sense of music. Anarcho-punk blended with touches of The Fall, Butthole Surfers, The Cramps, or even Patti Smith, although you will find it relatively difficult to identify the latter, simply because singer Sista Kist is barely recognizable under her Nina Hagen outfit.

That makes listening to “Situationist Normal…” a real adventure. Among abstract gutar riffs that range from punk rock to psychobilly there is a voice sometimes yelling, sometimes mourning, and sometimes speaking words of political wisdom. If you finally make it to get through the whole playlist you will then realize why bands like Anarchistwood are potentionally dangerous for the music industry.

 

All Hallows Eve – All Hallows Eve

All Hallows Eve is not actually a band but a project of musicians from Germany, UK, and other European countries.

It started when the founder of the project guitarist/keyboardist Tom O’Connell (Traumtanzer/Garden of Delight) came up with the idea in 2012.

By October 2012, the first song was ready.  The instrumental “Fade In Silence” had Lars Kappeler (Violet/Sweet Ermengarde) on the bass.

Later the same month, the first vocal track was ready.  “Siren” was sung by Bianca Stücker (Violet) and Jörg Kleudgen (The House of Usher).

The titletrack “All Hallows Eve“, performed by Tim Chandler (Pretentious Moi?), was recorded during November and two more songs were recorded and mixed during December.

“The Dreaming” finds Mike York (Kalt/Garden of Delight) and Rachel Speight (Die Laughing) on the microphone while “Innocent” has the brilliant voice of Marion Küchenmeister (Invisible Limits).

“All Hallows Eve” is a 4 track EP, released on May 17.

What we have here is three different versions of “All Hallows Eve”, a guitar driven new wave/trad goth track with catchy melodies and good production.

Jörg Kleudgen is singing on the fourth track of the single titled “Morning Glory”, which, actually, is a song built on keyboard sounds and a dreamy guitar.

You can order it from HERE.

 

Sweet Ermengarde – Raynham Hall

Sweet Ermengarde is a German band that was born out of the ashes of Neon Dream.  (Before they split, Neon Dream released two full length albums…)

Soon after Sweet Ermengarde was formed, new songs were composed but the main problem remained — the lack of a steady singer.

Jörg Kleudgen (member of The House Of Usher) helped them with the singing parts for awhile and by October 28 2011 the band had a tape recorded.

It took them a whole year to find the right singer, Kuba, and to come up with the line up: Kuba – vocals, Lars – Bass, Marco – Guitar, Danny – Guitar/Keyboards, Rafael – drums.

“Raynham Hall”, their debut album, has a gentle dreamy guitar sound and is well produced.

Although this is a Gothic Rock album, the guitar effects carry a touch of Porcupine Tree creating the right wall of sound for the deep voice of the singer.

“A Promise to Fulfill” is the first high octane track of the album and one can trace some Fields Of The Nephilim influence.

There’s great guitar work on “In the Time” and “Kisses” and beautiful melodies on the vocals.

There’s also excellent guitar work and atmosphere on the Nephilimesque “Necropolitan Rest”.

This band from Bochum released a very good album that would please not only the fans of Fields Of The Nephilim but the rest of the Gothic Rock fans too.

If you want to catch them live on stage, they will play at Utrecht on July 27 (Summer Darkness Festival).

Click HERE to buy their album.

 

The Piano Man from Taksim Square

A song written by the “piano man” (aka Davide Martello) from Taksim Square.

“This track is dedicated to the Soldiers of Light, the victims of this insane violence by the turkish government. Composed during the protests in Istanbul two weeks ago… live in the crowds on Taksim Square.

Please download the track and spread the word, my message to the world to stop violence and injustice.”

You can download the track for FREE from HERE 

The following photo is taken from Amanda Rivkin‘s blog.

 

Siouxsie & Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono joined Siouxsie Sioux onstage to close the Meltdown Festival in London on Sunday for a rendition of “Walking on Thin Ice” the track Ono and Lennon were working on the night he was murdered.

Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, and Boy George were also on the bill of this 10-day event.

 

Mark Stewart – The Politics of Envy

Mark Stewart is the man without whom industrial hip-hop would never exist. Best known as a member of The Pop Group, a melting pot of an avant-jazz, funk, dub, and reggae, and politically highly concerned, he is out with his eighth solo album.

The first impression you get from this album is of a time machine set in 1979, the time analogue synthesizers and white suits were in fashion. Abstract tunes and bleeps, moog roars, and disciplined rhythm boxes pave the way to the spoken word and stories about consumerism and the media.

Mark Stewart is not alone in this war. Two Primal Screams, Bobby Gillespie, and Andrew Innes give a hand on “Autonomia“, Will Calhoun, Vernon Reid, Doug Wimbish, and Corey Glover, also known as living colour, add spirit to “Method to the Madness“, Daddy G from Massive Attack does his best “Apocalypse Hotel“, and Keith Levene co-writes “Stereotype“. Bowie‘s “Letter to Hermione” is a lyrical tribute to the thin white duke.

“The Politics of Envy” is a must-have album not only because it’s magically integrated but also as a history lesson back to the roots of industrial music and trip hop.

 

Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine – White People and the Damage Done

Jello Biafra is everywhere. He is a protester outside Wall Street Stock Exchange, a Palestinian labour, a Hollywood pizza delivery boy, an Afghanistan citizen. He eats and breaths political activism and east-coast punk would be too weak without him.

The Guantanamo School of Medicine is supporting well his vibratos with good old school punk riffs, raw enough to make you leave your sofa and hit the streets. And this is exactly what these lads are intending to do. For a generation brought up with two wars, for an hypnotized generation, awakening through music will always be an issue. Fortunately, Jello Biafra is doing the dirty job for years and his messages are clear.

If you follow Biafra since his Dead Kennedys days you already know why you are going to listen to this album. If you don’t, it’s never too late.