choke cherry : "Messy Star'

This band carries a raw grunge edge to their otherwise trippy take on "dream pop' that leans into the pop hooks. The opening song rocks out more and the dense guitar riffs pack more of a punch. One-half of the songriting dup fronted a hard-core band so the value of laying the smack down as needed is preserved on her. They might not go into screaming breakdowns, but they know what being heavy is worth. The title track works off some subtle hooks that are highly effective. The loud-to-soft formula is very 90s but cements their songs as being authentic to that era which they pay homage to. 

The jangled strum of "I Know You" sets the stage for the thoughtful verses. The chorus is not as big and radio-ready as the previous songs but still works well for what they are doing here,as here vocal is the guidepost. The guitar phrasing on this one is very clever. Dynamically there are no surprises with this one but it is a well-thought-out idea that works as a song. They kick in a get rowdier, but when you accept grunge is part of who they are it is a logical progression. 

"Mirror Mirror" rocks out in a harder fashion, with the vocals taking on a more aggressive shouted cadence. Some of the more nuanced vocal colors work really well for me here. It bounces more than it stomps, but they are not trying to be a metal band, so that does not factor in as much. The palm-muted crunch in the climax of the song is pretty effective. I will give this one a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. It drops on October 25th on Fearless Records. 

Gothtober - Cold Cave : "Passion Depression"

 Coming off a stint opening for Depeche Mode, Wesley is even more committed to the 80s-styled synth wave grooves, though his hanging baritone allows the project to retain its sense of dark wave. "Shadow Dance" stays on a darker path, as it coasts on a neon-laced synth bass line through the dark alleys of Hollywood.   Vocally his cold croon works well here. He becomes even more submersed in the 80's fixation with "Blackberries".  Lyrically he is playing off every dark wave cliche when it comes to being dramatic about relationships.  but overall, things flow together enough to deliver. 

"Hourglass' gives a lighter emotional shade than the first three songs that overtly lay on the darkness. Which works for, me but it also makes me more willing when he switches things up mood-wise with this one.  The vocal melody feels more like something a band like Modern English might do. Rather than attempt to go in a more pop direction with it, the song drones off a variation of the same melodic themes. The first song that strikes me as the song I would want on my "goth nite' DJ set from this album is "Siren Song".  It pulses with the kind of intensity you need to get the Vampira's twerking. He dialed in the production of his vocals perfectly here. 

The new wave radio nuance slips back into "Everlasting". His croon almost has more of an Ian Curtis feel here, though retaining enough of his personality to keep them from sliding into the post-punk revivalist hordes. Finally, a guitar riff plays a larger role in a song for "Holy Road" with Amy Lee's vocals coming to the forefront. Dark-driving synths take control of the last song. It is done in a way that has a heavier feel. His vocals drop down into a starker take on his baritone. I will give this one a 9.5, meaning it is better than most of the dark wave coming out these days but is not as iconic as "Cheris the Light Years ".  It will keep fans coming back for more. 

Gothtober- Kite : "VII"

 

This grandiose synth duo from Sweden has released a lot of singles but has yet to produce a full-length album despite having been an ongoing project for the past 16 years, They have assembled their singles and compiled them here into this album. They are highly skilled at grooves and big sprawling atmospheres, so those skills are showcased here. The vocals are oddly androgynous but work well on the anthemic "Hand Out the Drugs". While their song generally pulses off the melodic theme they establish with few surprises, they are still skilled enough songwriters to muster hooks. This applies even when things simmer down to more of a ballad. 

In some ways they remind me of Sigur Rios, in how the dynamics float, but without the post-rock instrumentation and more like applying it to Pet Shop Boys like new wave sounds. This is heard pretty clearly in "Don't Take the Light Away". There is also a touch of Kate Bush in the feel of "Teenage Bliss".  I can hear how fans of Fever Ray might dig this as it shares a similar odd vibe. It gets labeled Dark Wave, but this project is goth in the same way Cocteau Twins are, the darkness is veiled in ethereal wonder. "Demons and Shame' is the first song I would say is dark. Goth in the same way Zola Jesus falls into the genre. 

"Glassy Eyes" has a touch of folk to the vocal melody. "Bocelli" finds the vocals taking on a less biting tone. This also creates another more balladic moment. "Bowie 95 " is the first time we hear the vocals drop into a lower more masculine voice. If I was DJing a goth nite it's the song by them I would fit into the mix. 'Panic Music" has a weird youthful vibe to it. Some of the synths feel like 90s house. "Losing" features Anna Von Hausswolff, it's a pretty haunting song. The vocals are really well produced. Henric De la Cour also adds his voice to the choir. "Hopelessly Unholy' is a great song title. It's the orchestral version, giving it an almost Rufus Wainwright feel. There is no doubt he is a great singer, but he does make so weird choices in phrasing. "Hum Hum' is the last song, it's not far removed from the spectrum of sounds they have indulged in so far. Less emphasis on the vocals, making it feel almost more like an outro. I will give this a 9.5, it's pretty spectacular, like taking in a movie with your ears. 

Gothtober : Zombina & the Skeletones : "the Call of Zombina"

This British band has been around since 98. They play a dark 50s style pop that barrows from horror-billy and spooky punk, though their lyrics are the darkest part of what they do. Their singer has a bright pop voice.  Sometimes lower gothy backup vocals surface to help the mood but they are typically sitting pretty far back in the mix. "Vampire's Kiss' is almost too upbeat to paint the picture she is creating with the lyrics though the more horror-tinged sonic elements are wrestling against her cheerful vocals. 

"Don't Kick My Coffin" is more convincing and comes closer to horror punk, with its chord progression almost mimicking the Munsters theme song. The more death rock guitar melodies of "I'm Horrified " make things work better than the poppier bounce some of the songs have flirted with. "Valley of the Shadow" has more horror-billy elements in motion, that create the needed sonic shivers to send up your spin, It goes to show it does not matter how you dress up if you do not have the needed minor-key melodies going on it is not going to fit. 

They came out before Twin Temple but the two share a great deal of common ground, These guys might be darker than Twin Temple, and vocally are more pop as she does not have the Amy Winehouse thing going. "Ghost Train 2" finds the pace picking up. The guitar delivers the needed Western flair. The song progresses through more rock-oriented breakdowns. The way it leaves room for them to jam them out lets you know this band would be fun live. The last song works really well, as this band is skilled songwriters they could be a shade darker for my tastes but this is growing on me. I will give this one a 9. 

pst516

Gothtober-AESTHETIC PERFECTION : "Bad Vibes"

 

These guys have been around since the days of Myspace, and perhaps that is where you know them from. To their credit, they have kept their ears to pulse of where music was going and stuck to their guns to not lose a great deal of who they are in the process. Granted who they are is a Hot Topic marketing scheme to some extent. They carry a heavier thum to their sound for the three-song EP which opens with the punchy title track that is equal parts, Marilyn Manson, Bad Omens, and their long-running dose of angst for teens who ear too much makeup

 Their image is typically darker than their music but this time they have balanced it out. The second song "Into the Void" is not a cover of the Black Sabbath, but touches more on their older sound, though heavily tempered with a Rob Zombie-like drive, which if you are celebrating Gothtober with us is something to be happy about. I have never been impressed with these guys, but I have to admit this is the best I have heard them sound, so it's hard to complain about something that is working. 

"Self Inflicted' rounds this out and has a strong electronic groove, with the vocals taking on more emotive nuance, as he coos his way into the verses rather than the more aggressive roar that dominated the first two songs. This is not the most original thing I have heard all month, but goth does thrive on adhering to a certain sound, the trick is not being a tribute act and making it your own, which they have done, while it winks in the direction of what Marilyn Manson has done, there have not been a great flux of people paying tribute to him since before the days of Myspace, so these guys are making it work. I will give this one a 9.5, which is way better than I expected from these guys but you gotta give credit where it's due.

pst516

Gothtober - Cyberaktif : "eNdgame"

 

This industrial project features an all-star industrial lineup of cEvin Key, Bill Leeb, and Rhys Fulber. It sounds like what you would expect, a cross between Skinny Puppy and Frontline Assembly. They are song-focused rather than just throwing beats and sounds at you as the vocals have a purpose. Granted given the minds this music is coming from it could easily slip into the set of any "goth nite" DJ who is worth a shit.  "Bitter End' feels more like a Skinny Puppy song, though it lacks Ogre's vocal, even though they try to give the vocals a darker edge, it is not the same, but a worthwhile effort. 

As the album moves onto "A New World Awaits" the sonic theme seems to be darker than your average industrial band these days, which includes Front Line Assembly, but is not as dark as Skinny Puppy, which is generally a pretty tall order. Even most of the band's solo work was lighter than Skinny Puppy too. "You Don't Need to See" feels like it would churn up the dance floor more than the previous songs, which is respectful. Lyrically however it is much bleaker than what I have made out from the other songs, so I appreciate that. The chorus works really well. 

As the album bounces around, they visit many of industrial music's varied niches. This works since they created most of them. 'the Fright ' is more introspective as the melody explores the darker sonic landscape.  It is almost like a ballad. It reminds me of Killing Joke's more melodic moments. "Broken Through Time" has more groove, but uses restraint in its aggression. It also showcases their songwriting smarts in how it modulates while keeping its sense of motion.  The vocals on this album are very purposeful and not just an afterthought with some coll melodic moments. The last song works less off groove and hooks and drones on moody ambiance.  I will give this album a 9.5, if you like industrial music it's a must, was released on Artoffact Records

    

pst515

Gothtober- Meat Beat Manifesto & Merzbow : "Extinct'

 I like Meat Beat Manifesto. I respect Merzbow. I was hopeful going into this, but once I pressed play I realized what I signed up for. I should have known this would be more sound-focused than song-focused because the first track is over twenty minutes long. The noise wrestles against the beats for dominance, putting them at the more extreme edge of industrial music. Five minutes in I began to have my doubts, aside from the layers of distortion shifting there is no real change until ten minutes in when the noise begins to win out, though the beat is maintaining a steady drone. The feedback ebbs a little to give the programmed drum tracks room to breathe at times.

 Playing this at high volumes would surely cause hearing loss, and has the finesse of sitting in the laundromat and listening to the dryers churn. 15 minutes in is when the first real shift occurs that feels like something that might be referred to as a song. It shifts its spin cycle in the levels of pummelling which is the most modulation we find til the end of the track. "Burner" is even more abrasive at its onset. Nothing happens aside from the droning sonic torture until ten minutes in, Then it sort of breaks down a bit into something that sounds like electric cars catching on fire from salt water.  

The third track of this album that would be single if things did not drone on for so long is the radio edit of the first song which trims things down to a more manageable not quite five minutes, that is not as abrasive as the first track, Still, you could not put this on at a club and not close the place down. I will give this a 6, I would prefer a new Meat Beat Manifesto album not this experiment in performance art. 

pst514

Gothtober- MVTANT : "Electronic Body Horror"

 

This Texas-based project comes closer to the 90s definition of industrial music than most of the albums I have found this year. We have clanging machine-like beats and samples coloring the edges of the song. The vocals are hushed and urgent. They work for the first two songs, but, will need some dynamics out of the album eventually. He does modulate the beats, so everything is not working off the same drone. There is also more of an attempt at songwriting than his other peers in the underground scene. This shifts to a pretty dancey place by the end of the second song. 

"Voraphobes' finds the dancey vibes consuming things as the whispered vocals fall further back in the mix. He adds just enough layers of sound for this to go somewhere. "Kanashabari"  does have some darker moods lurking enough the bounce of the plastic beats. The vocals continue to contribute very little to the songs, just an inner tension that is not allowed to explode. What is being missed here is the importance of vocals, which keeps something like this from being on the level of Nine Inch Nail.  Even when they drop a more banging beat into a song like "Ultra Gash Inferno", the ceiling is lowered for it without melody at the heart. Even abrasive bands like Skinny Puppy grasp this element. "In Dreams" is more ambient,  when the beat converges into a steamy groove it's about as effective as it's going to be with the vocals doing the ole thing. 

"Burst Boy' is more ominous and might work on a horror movie soundtrack. Cool sounds more than being a cool song. It seems like that is the direction this album is slowly heading.  This makes "Trauma Bond' more of an interlude while, "Mechaphilla" is more of a song even if he is once again employing the whispered vocals, which is all that has appeared on this album. He must not be an aggressive person and more of a pacifist in this regard. The last song at least shifts dynamically musically. I will give this an 8, and I am rounding it down due to the fact the vocals bored, perhaps with a different singer this album might have been awesome, but if you just want dancey music that is dark this will work , 

pst513

Gothtober- HARSH R : "I Won't Wait"

 

When it comes to industrial music, this year has been slim pickings, so I am taking whatever I can get as long as they still are about to fit in the definition of the genre, This project combines interesting elements. There is a synth wave ambiance, against angry vocals shooting in a more grooving cadence that has more in common with industrial music.  It works for the first song if every song on this EP is more of the same then I would be disappointed, but let's give it a shot.

 I can tell going into the second song that the vocals might be the most limiting element of what is going down here. They are mixed further back but the same shout is being employed. The synths are not grooving the same way as they did in the first song either. "Enough" works more off the ambiance with the vocals as a textured afterthought as his chant sits even further back in the mix this time. 

"Bury ME" works off a darker pulse. I like that the vocals are finally a little different. This guy is not the best singer, but at least he is making some effort to use his voice more like an instrument on this one. The instrumentation takes on a more neon-coated 80s feel. He self-identifies this project as synth doom, and I am not hearing anything doom, so that is wishful thinking on his part. This works for what it is and I think he is onto something here, I will give this album an 8. If you want an aggressive synth wave alb um this is for you. 

pst512

Gothtober- Meldamor : "My Ode to You"

 

When the album really kicks in there is a synth wave vibe colliding with a more militant chanted vocal that is not aggressive enough to be industrial, but perhaps that is what they are going for. The vocals could use effects as they are a little dry to mix with the electronic sounds presented here. I appreciate the creepy sounds they capture here, and the lo-fi nature is played into the overall sonic scope of what they are conjuring here. The smoky female vocals hold more in common with Boy Harsher when they are in the lower depths of her alto range. This dark wave is done in a manner that resonates with 2024. 

Things get more depressing for "Treading Out". Her vocals are once again in control of the dynamics. Though many of the same sounds are used on this one, they switch things up enough in their songwriting for it to still work well enough. "In This Moment" finds the groove shifting, as she gets more sultry in her lower register. You can hear the effort they are making to switch things up. However, halfway into this one, I find myself wanting them to introduce more sonic colors. They do not deliver this with "My Ode to You". I do like that there is a trace of witch house in what they are doing here. 

The low moan of her voice on "Underground" reminds me of Zola Jesus. In fact, this song feels like a more punk rock take on Zola Jesus.  "Angel  Rocker"  is more aggressive overall. It carries more drive in the drone of its pulse, as she chants the same phrases in a more hip-hop manner. The album closes with the more melodic "The Golden Rule". There is a boozy feel to the music as well as a raw tongue-in-cheek approach to the vocals. I think she can sing if she tries it is just more punk rock for her to make fun of that point. I will give this album a 9, as they are onto something cool here, hope to hear more from them in the future. 

pst511

Gothtober -The Chameleons : "Tomorrow Remember Yesterday"

 As long as both Mark Burgess and guitarist  Reg Smithies then this is the Chameleons. Having formed in 83, it puts them behind other British bands like the Cure or Joy Division as the forerunners of post-punk. This album puts melody before punk tension. Burgess's voice sounds great, and it captures who they were and who they are now in a genuine manner. The song "Nostalgia" pretty much sums up where they are at as a band, which finds the album's title lifted from these lyrics. There are impressive dynamics at play here, and they continue to prove their meddle as songwriters. 

"Nathan's Phase" is thoughtful and finds them breezing through things with a graceful groove. This album is wonderfully produced with all the sounds sitting right where they need to be to serve the song. His vocals sit further back against the guitar here, but it compliments the mood of the song.  The ghost of punk past haunts "Every Day I'm Crucified". It shows the band has not forgotten where they came from. 

"Things I Wish I'd Said' is more of a straight-up rock song though moodier than most.  Lyrically it is sorting through feeling and balancing regret. Almost more upbeat than what I want from these guys, but it works. I'll give this a 9.5, it serves as a fitting balance of where this band is in 2024, fans should be happy about this. this being an ep is respectful, as it shows they are smart enough to not drag what works out into a full length and dillute what they captured here.  

pst510

Gothtober : Ultra Sunn :"Keep Your Eyes Peeled"

This Belgian dark wave duo earned an 8.5, for their 2022 album, proving they are no slouches, so let's see how they do with this album that is three EPs, combined. At fifteen tracks it's only a few songs longer than a normal album. They have a good sense of groove, and the vocal melodies work well. By the time it gets to "Young Foxxes' things begin to feel a little like Depeche Mode. We are not at a tribute band level yet, but I can hear where it could slip in that direction. The chanted vocals sections are catchy enough to get you lost in the pulse. However by the time it gets to "Out of the Cage," it loses some of the novelty and feels more like a uniform formula with a few variations, 

Typically what you hear is what you get with this band, there are no arrangements that take unexpected left turns. The synth bass line to "The Speed" keeps the dance floor churning at this tempo, but we are getting into a sound more than crafting songs that will stand the test of time. Lyrically it seems like he is lamenting bad Tinder dates.  "Distress' is catchier thanks to the chanted vocal hook that drones into your ears.  'Silver Smile" is very late 90s in its drive. This could almost be the Pet Shop Boys. Lyrically it's darker which helps the overall tone of the song.  

The grooves begin to run together once we get to "Set Your Self on Fire" is needs more organic elements like guitar mixed in. This sounds like a faster variation of a drum pattern we have already heard.  The vocals take a more aggressive chant. Not only does the groove sound the same, but they could switch up some of the synth tones being used.  The ambient break "Kill Your Idols' and the guitar finally surfaces works in the song's favor. "Sorrows and Tears" lifts from the ambiance to set up the darker sounds that unfold. This along with the more finely tuned vocal performance sets this up as one of the album's best songs. 

"Body Electric' has the same bass line we have already heard, so ideas are being recycled in this formula.  The vocals do not do much to help out either. Things get a little darker for 'Two Snakes" as this would be an effective dance floor pumper for "Goth nite'.  Finally I power through to the last song, not that there has not been some enjoyable moments, things just got too uniform for me.  I will give this album an 8, as they are skilled at what they do and accomplished what they set out to when it comes to the making of this album,. If you just like to dance and do not care much about songs this album is for you.

pst509

Gothtober - Haunt Me : "Come Now, Sleep"

 This project dances among familiar graves while keeping enough of its own charm to not feel redundant. Though at this point, every band has the same guitar tone. I know Robert Smith has an amazing tone, but that does not mean it's the only goth guitar tone.  The vocals fade into the background and everything that worked on the first song goes stale when they try to go to the same well too many times. 

The pulse to "I've Lost You" does change things up a bit, but the vocals are turning into a one-trick pony, it's a guy who can't sing so has come up with a cool way to mutter the lyrics. It's interesting how a great deal of the revivalist dark wave I have been checking out this month really isn't that, this might be marginally darker than Twin Tribes, by a very slim margin. "I Crave Only You" has a better groove, but the vocals are boring as hell. They need more effects on them as they come across as being flat. 

The title track has some interesting sounds haunting it, but the vocals ruin it for me. Perhaps you do not pay attention to vocals, so that will not be a deal breaker for you, but they are the most important aspect to me. Even Ian Curtis who did not have the widest range, or really not much of a range at all, used dynamics, had emotion in his phrasing, and made you a believer. So not everyone has to be a David Bowie or Peter Murphy when it comes to pipes, but I need more charisma at least. I will give this one a 7.5, they care about songs enough to make this work off the sound alone more often than not. 

pst508

Gothtober- Twin Tribes : "Pendulum"

 Not sure how or why I managed to avoid this album by the Texas duo for so long this year, but here we are. It is very synth-based, and I tend to like more organic instrumentation so there is that. The typical delay-heavy guitar. They have captured a great sound for this, but what this is might not be the most original take on this sort of thing. I like the vocals of the second song better as they are more emotive. His voice dips lower to try to create a more Sisters of Mercy feel, I appreciate that it is darker but it also sounds like everyone else doing this sort of thing. 

"Temperence' dances around a similar sonic zip code to the previous songs have, all of this fits neatly on a DJ's set at Goth Nite but it does not push any boundaries, which is what bands like the Cure and Bauhaus did when they came out which cemented their place in music history rather than being forgotten in the bargain bin. I am skipping over synth interludes to focus on songs as that is what keeps you from dying in the bargain bin. "Cauldron of Chaos' is not dark nor is it chaotic, it sounds dialed in and uninspired. The strum of the guitar that is low in the mix on  " Sangre de Oro" fills things out a bit and picking up the tempo was a smart move as everything was beginning to sound too uniform   

"Etternal' is way too happy for what they are supposed to be doing. With Cold Cave the lines are more blurred they can get away with something poppier and dancey, but these guys market themselves as darkwave. Things are more effective when they drop down to the dusky creep of the last song, the guitar is not fighting against the dance beat. I will give this album an 8, meaning it has kept them from the bargain bin once again, and will make their fans happy. Not something I am going to listen to again, as it can be done better, but appreciate the effort, and it sounds great. 

pst507

Gothtober - Louse : "Passions Like Tar"

 Right from the start these guys are getting a great deal right. The album is crisp. It pays tribute to the era this music evolved from without being a straight-up tribute band to it.  There is a hopeful brightness to the shimmer of their sound and the vocals are not totally despondent. The vocals have a starker yearning to their Morrison-like baritone. Things stay dynamic and they are not trying to drone you to death with tension.  Things get more spacious and more depressing for "Potter's Field" Amazingly, this is the band's debut album, they should be opening for bands like Interpol already or if they can pull all this off live. 

The Cure is an undeniable influence when it comes to songs like "Bed of Knieves" though they temper this with a more rock feel most of the time. Here that manifests more as aggression in the dynamics. There is a more atmospheric feel to "Feral Hound". It is not unlike the soaring atmosphere that prevails "Disintegration". "Human Remains" packs more punch sonically with its expansive dynamics. "Bernadette" finds him taking on a more belted croon. This gives things a little more of a Smith-like feel. The melodies are hookier though these guys are not trying to write pop songs, not unlike Vision Video in this vein. 

'From the Swarm" continues things along the lines of the moody Brit-pop sounds they captured in the previous song. There is more of an 80s college radio feel to the last song. The guitars are well layered and the vocals fit perfectly over them. I will give this album a 9.5, it marries the sound of two of my favorite bands, the Smiths and the Cure, so how can I complain about that, These guys released this album back in September so don't let it fly under your radar or you will regret not hearing this. 

pst506

Gothtober- CLOSED TEAR : "Slow Death"

This one-man project out of Los Angeles sprung from the mind of a man with a fetish for the late 80s and early 90s. That is the era of sounds he is cobbling together to create this shoe-gaze take on post-punk. There is a haze of dream pop covering this. It's dark enough to belong here but also could pass for a lo-fi version of what Crosses did on their first album, as the vocals carry the hushed urgency of Chino, but without the balls to scream out from that place.

The second song feels more like 'Pornography' era Cure in the way the bass drives every. The vocals do something similar to where they were heading on the previous song, it seems like the bass line is what the songs were written around, and the guitars kind of fall around that. The vocals are a one-trick pony, only capturing the most montone element of how Chino croons. Not sure if he was going for a Robert Smith thing and that is where he ended up since he is not that great of a singer. 

I guess this is post-gaze or shoe-punk. It's dreamier than it is dark. His breathy murmur is not emotive enough to get to a place of romancing his melancholy. It is even more muffled in the last song.  I think that while the lo-fi production gives this EP it's charm with the vocals getting better treatment it would have helped the songs, but atl east he was not so obsessed with capturing this sound that he forgot about writing songs, as things have their own groove, so I will give this an 8.5, as it works well for what it is. 

3.6

pst505

Gothtober-Looking Back in Anger at The Cure's "Pornography"

I am surprised that I have not gone back to review this album since it's one of my favorite Cure albums. It's their darkest also making it their heaviest. If you have read other reviews by me, you know I often bring up the fact that it's hard to be heavy without capturing darkness. This album finds Smith reaching deep into himself to pull out the most depressed parts of his tortured soul to set it to music. The opening track might be their best song. It is powerful and sonically dense. Perhaps the most goth song ever. 

"Short Term Effect' is upbeat compared to "One Hundred Years". It's still bleak but not as overwhelmingly desolate as the previous song. There are some wonderful guitar tones here/ I skipped over "Faith" as I have already reviewed it, I think the depth of growth when comparing the two albums is this one finds a more surreal expansion of guitar tones. "The Hanging Garden" is an underrated classic that displays the intensity the band is capable of and Smith offers wonderful lyrics. The video was shot in an ornate cemetery which makes me wonder if that is what this song is about, finding solace in the stone statues. 

"Siamese Twins" works off a droning riff that showcases Smith at his dismal best. The vocals of this song are more abstract as it wanders into the midnight fog. Not as hooky or driving as the other songs so far. The bass line to "Figuredhead " is heavy enough to belong in a doom metal song. Smith's voice carries a pained desperation.  "A Strange Day"  has a throb that moves like a storm cloud with a softer melody hanging like a memory from it.  "Cold" is even darker and heavier with the drums taking on a tribal pound, It's the most classic goth sound ever. The poetry of his lyrics is especially haunting on this one. "Your name like ice/ into my heart" is a great line. The use of manipulated samples on the title track that closes the album was an influence on industrial music.  The way the drums come in Trent Reznor took notes on when making 'The Downward Spiral".  Smith's vocals are more of an abstract narrative, as he is not guiding a melody into this chaos.  This of course gets a 10 as it is one of the best albums ever recorded.

pst504

Gothtober- Dead Posey : "Are You in a Cult'

 

This band might be deceptive, as Goth is a sound, not a look. They are a fun hard rock band. They write catchy choruses and sing about creepy things, but do they sound creepy?  How dark are they vs how much arena rock is in their sound Ozzy's "No More Tears' uses darker chord progressions than the bulk of this album. That is not to say this is not fun.  can see given the imagery of their videos, if you were listening to it with the sound off how it would be easy to assume if you are dressed up for Halloween then you must also sound like it. The same thing could be said for Motionless in White, who look more goth than they sound as well.  The song that sounds dark is "Darkside' which given the name how could it not be?

Sonically they tend to hold more in common with the Pretty Reckless, though lyrically they are darker than what Taylor Momson sings about. There is a touch of Marilyn Manson in a song like "Welcome to the Nightmare". The song itself is about politics. "Can't Take Me Down". The infectious anthemic nature of the choruses works really well, and these kids are good at what they do. The darkest part of the song is when things are allowed to break down to the bass line. Danyell Souza's voice is strong and dynamically nuanced. The album is produced in a manner to make the most of it. It gives the right space for her to place the sensual moan that gives this more emotional color. 

"Russian Roulette" finds a more upbeat groove moving things along. It sounds very 90s but in a way that works for what they do. Her singing in this one is what keeps it from going in a goth direction as she is approaching it more like a rock song whereas if  Manson was singing it he would use his voice to darken it. The electronic pulse to "Sorry I'm not dead" leans slightly in the direction of goth though the chorus is almost too happy for that. If we are keeping count I think two songs might fit in a DJ set of goth rock.  If we are comparing it against Type O Negative or Switchblade Symphony then not even close. 

It's hard not to be goth covering New Order, though, I think picking a song that is not 'Blue Monday" is a wiser choice as both Manson and Orgy have covered it. I think "Scar" does the best job of blending who they are with the band they want to be and creates something fully realized. They are not the darkest band I have covered this month, but damn good at what they do and make ghoulish rock music that is fun and sexy.  

pst503

LIFESICK : "Loved By None , Hated By All"

 This Danish hardcore band packs a punch that is more metallic than not. They take you back to the 90s when this style really began popping off. If you were a fan of Victory Records styled hardcore then these guys will appeal to you. If you just like in-your-face, hyper-aggressive metal you might also dig this. "Peace Through Superior Firepower " takes aim at the Military Industrial Complex.  There are moments of blast-beaten accents. The vocals are angry, somewhat similar to Itergrity in this approach. 

The guitar tones as crushing in the vein of Entombed with this album sounding like a "Wolverine Blues" tribute. Sometimes the vocals are more howled, they are always angry. A song like "Hollow Treats' displays how they prove you can be a hard-core band and still write nuanced songs with melodic touches. Another example of the difference between, metallic hardcore and metalcore. The big difference is the organic nature of their riffs. These guys are not only influenced by Entombed but you can hear how Obituary has played a role in their playing. They crush your head in with the breakdowns on this one. 

"The Mourning March" packs a punk. Less deliberate than the previous song, it still works for what they are doing. They keep the tempo to a reasonable speed. These guys do not allow their momentum to carry them away.  I will give this a 9.5, as they pull this together in the most aggressive manner possible while still writing songs with grooves. If you like 90s hardcore you should like this album.

pst502

Gothtober- Lila Ehjä : "Clivota"

 

This French artist is making something intriguing with the depressive drone of her sound. It captures a mood I enjoy, though even when my ears are tickled by things that sound good to them I have to stop and ask what is the emphasis here capturing a sound or writing a song, With the right producer and tools at hand anyone can capture a sound, not everyone can write a song, The album opens with the sound winning me over, but it is not until the bass line of "the book" kicks in that I begin to hear her willingness to write a song. There is a hypnotic element to what she does that made the songs begin to float by me so I had to stop and give the first few a second listen to really lock into what is going on here. 

The darkness this delves into is a darkwave most fans of goth should find appeal in. The title track breezed by a few times before I paid attention to it. The pace picks up a little for "ghost love" and when the guitar sounds kick in the dynamic shifts, allowing her rather deadpan vocals to find a place to fit.  She is not far removed from Boy Harsher when it comes to the Sonic zip code she occupies. There is a heavier darker mood to "Rust" which works really well. Not geared towards the goth night dance floor but that is ok. The fact that organic instruments are being played rather than just button-pushing carries a great deal of weight with me. At seven minutes this is the album's longest song, so it does kind of drone on a bit. 

It would have made more sense for her to have shot a video for the catchier "Trigger" rather than 'Worship' which hits you with the frantic strum of her guitar creating abrasive white noise, but that is where we are at with things. There is a more opaque haze cast over "Noyades' which works well if she wants to take things in a more shoe-gaze direction. That is where she is headed with it which makes sense, I like the autotuned effect she uses in parts. I will give this album a 9, think I have been pretty clear what works for me with it, but if you want a darkwave project not just trying to go for booty shaking but doing something with sonic depth this is it. 

pst501

Who Should Play Welcome to Rockville 2025

>Barely a week had passed before fans were making their wish lists for who they thought should play the 2025 edition of Welcome to Rockville. The main problem with these lists is that they are either acts that have already played this festival at least twice over or just boring radio rock fodder. In the current economy, big-dollar mainstream rock festivals could find themselves burning out unless they change their formula. After all how many times can you book the same old bands before people get tired of it? This does not mean they should dilute the rock theme by adding crap like Megan the Stallion or Imagine Dragons but getting more creative would be nice. I came up with a line-up that would other fresh blood, while still including relevant big names who put butts in arenas. So here is who should play Welcome to Rockville 2025. 

 

Thursday 

Vortex stage 

155- 225 - Left to Suffer

305- 335- Nails 

415- 445- Kvelertak 

535-6:10- Integrity

7:10 to 7:50 -Thursday 

Octane Stage

1:55 to 255- Narrow Head 

3:05- 3:35- Hight Vis 

4: 15 - 4: 50- the Menzingers

5:40 -6:20- Idles 

7:10- 8:00- the Stooges

Inferno Stage

1:25- 1:50- Terminal Nation 

2:15- 3:00 Snapcase

3:40-4:10- the Cro-mags 

5:00 - 5:30 -Failure

6:30-7:05-AFI

8:00-845- Brand New 

Apex Stage-

1:20-1:50 - Gouge Away

2:30-3:00- Drug Church

3:40-4:10- Callous Daoboys

4:55-5:35-Reverend Horton Heat 

6:25-7:25- FEAR

8:05-9:05- Bad Religion 

10:15-11:35- the Misfits 

FRIDAY 

Vortex Stage 

12:40- 1:05- Night Goat 

1:15-1:45 Sumo Cyco

2:`10-2:40- Spotlights 

3;15-3:45-Unto Others 

4:30-5:00 -Chelsea Wolfe

5:40-^6:20- Crosses 

7:20-8:00 Ville Vallo 

Octane 

2:10-2:40 Cruel Intentions 

3:20-3:50-Warrior Soul 

4:30-5:05- Placebo

5;45-6:25- Dokken

7:20- 8;10-The Darkness 

9;10-10:10- Muse

Inferno

1:40-2:05 - Reckless Love

2:45- 3:05- the  Hellacopters

3:50-4:20- LA Guns

5:15- 5:45- 69 Eyes 

 6:40-7:15- WASP

 8:10- 8;55- Twisted Sister 

Apex Stage

2:45-3:15-Cancer Bats

3:55-4:25-Royal Thunder

5:10-5:40-  Whitesnake

8:15 - 9:05-  Scorpions 

10:15- 11:45 -AC.DC 

Saturday 

Vortex Stage

1:50-2:20- Predatory Void 

3- 3;30- Bloody Hammers 

4;20- 5:00- Author & Punisher

5;45-6;15-Chvrches

7:05-7;45- Carpenter Brut 

Octane

1:50-2;20- Astarie Nite

3:00-3:30- Deathstars  

4:05- 4:35 My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult 

5:30- 6:10- Godhead 

7:00-7:50- Mindless Self Indulgence 

9:10-10:10- Faith No More

Inferno

2:25- 2:55- Strvngers

3:35-4:05- Lords of Acid 

5:25-5:55 -KMFDM

6:25-7:00- HEALTH 

7:55-8:55- Coal Chamber 

Apex

2:45-3:15- Hangman's Chair

3:55-4:25-Porcupine Tree 

5:10-5:40- Opeth 

8:15 - 9:05-  Mercyful Fate

10:15- 11:45 -Iron Maiden 

Sunday 

Vortex  Stage 

2:25-3:05-Vision Video 

3:30- 4:05-Talk Show

4:30 -5:05 - the Jesus Lizard 

5:30- 6:05- Glassjaw 

6:30- 7:05- Hum 

7:30-8:10-Danny Elfman 

Inferno 

12:40- 1:05- Maul 

1:15-1:45 -200 Stab Wounds

2:`10-2:40- Frozen Soul

3;15-3:45-Life of Agony 

4:30-5:00 -Tribulation

5:40-^6:20- Katatonia

7:20-8:00  Behemoth 

Octane 

2:25-3:05-Troller 

3:30- 4:05-Black Magnet 

4:30 -5:05 - Snow Strippers 

5:30- 6:05- Sevens Hour to Violet 

6:30- 7:05-Die Antwoord 

7:30-8:10-Linkin Park 

 Apex Stage

1:45-2:15- Ratboys 

2:45-3:15-Fontaines DC

3:40- 4:15 -Lydia Loveless

5:10- 5: 40- Sliversun Pickups 

8:0 5 - 9:05- the Pixies 

10:15 - 11:40 Pearl Jam

pst500

Gothtober -Black Dresses " Laughingfish"

 

The 2022 album by this Canadian duo got an 8, which is high enough of a score for me to risk investing the time to review another one of their albums. They are a little angrier this time around on the almost nu-metal sound of "Feel Something". It has a groove where the opening track feels like more of an intro. "Cat Cup' is almost too chaotic for its own good. Though they pull it together somehow. It's funny because I found this album while looking for industrial albums to review, and while this is not industrial their style of glitched-out pop meets cybercore- is enough to earn them a spot here. If memory serves this album feels heavier than 'Forget Your Own Face".  Their childish melodies will appeal to younger listeners who are stuck in a suspended state of childhood these days.

There are 22 songs on this double album, which is excessive and I am betting at the end of the day this would have all made one killer album if they had focused on ten solid songs. "Wounded Animal' is like a depressed child chanting nursery rhymes. This could have been scrapped on the planning table as it does not contribute to the overall feel of the album. Though I have heard this album is their swan song, which means they wanted to slap everything they had on it, as a goodbye. "Good Things Happen" has a more reliable groove. It does wander off into the more adolescent indie pop sound they also toy with. 

So far I think if a DJ tried to mix these songs into a goth nite set, they would confuse everyone. "Don't Forgive the World' is more of a deliberate spastic outburst tempered with the silly melodic side and lyrical brattiness. At the heart of this album, I think they are making it for people who listen to Bright Eyes rather than Ministry fans, though there is a great deal of shared sonic ground with Mindless Self Indulgence. This indie pop theory is confirmed more in "The World". The beats modulate in some interesting ways.  "Pure Reality" finds them in an apathetic melancholy, as they muse about what people think of them. The guitars are more rock on this one.  "If You Find Me Gone" is just your average slacker rock. 

"Last Love Song on this Little Planet' is another middle-of-the-road indie rock song, that does not bring much new to the table. There is a dynamic shift in a more rocking direction but nothing is ground breaking here. "I Still See Everything' works off an endearing groove.  Things get a little darker on 'Stoopid Dream' which works well enough.  "1-800- the -Moon" is poppier, which in their case means they put more thought into the songwriting process. Things touch on witch house-like synth passages."Magic Eye" finds a more white girl approach to rapping taking over. "Rotation" takes the themes from the previous song into a more uptempo direction. 

The beat to "No Days Off'" finds a needed increase in its punch multiplied that keeps the song moving in a better direction. This might be the album's best song. "Champion in Decay' is another song no one would have missed if they had trimmed things down here. "Can't Keep the Knots Out". There is more of the noise-haunted indie pop going down as the album progresses. I like the tinge of auto-tune on her voice for "Zero Fantasy'. This effect works well with what they are going for. The song takes a happier turn than expected but it works for what they are doing. "Silence' shifts into an angular pop direction. The indie thing is pretty prevalent. This is a fitting goodbye though the length of this album is excessive I will give it an 8, putting it on par with the previous album. 

pst499

Gothtober - Talk Show : "Effigy"

 

Was looking for more industrial music to cover and stumbled across this four-piece from London, who are making interesting music not far removed from Meat Beat Manifesto or Young Gods. This sounds like a lost album from the 90s which is good for industrial music as that is the golden decade for it. It's rooted in punk, but with other influences flourish, and more organic than button pushing as the bass line driving the second song is very solid. This is hooky even the the vocals are muttered more than screamed or sung. In some ways, it creates a uniform sound but it works for the first two songs, so I am going to wait and see how they expand on the dynamics before weighing judgment.  

Things are more organic placing them closer to post-punk. The baritone vocals ride the beat well but seem unenthused which is a counterpoint to the upbeat grooves. The bass sits more forward in the mix than the guitar which creates a syncopated jangle in the background. "Closer" moves with a street-wise swagger while the vocals are more of a chant. "Oil at the Bottom of a Drum" works off a darker more dub-like groove, the vocals switch their approach just enough to work with this more dub-ish style. 

'Got Sold " feels like it's working off an almost Chemical Brothers-like beat. "Panic' sets what they do in a more manic setting. The guitar steps up to lend the melodic touch the album needs on "Small Blue World" as the bass holds things down. This album feels stark and brooding in its urban environment, but not dark like goth, though dark enough to be adjacent enough to be included this month as we are having to take what we can get this year in terms of this kind of music. There is a darker pulse to "Catalonia' which works pretty well and manages to hide the fact their singer has just gotten away with talking his way through this album. I will give this album a 9, it's good for what it is , and does not sound like everything else while combining some interesting elements and killer grooves. 

pst498

Gothtober - Vision Video : "Modern Horror"

The 2022's "Haunted Hours" took the top spot in our end-of-the-year post-punk top 10, so the bar is set high for this one. The 3rd album from this Athens, Ga, based band finds, them opening things up with the moodier title track, yet leans more into the organic post-punk side of what they do. All of this comes together with a smooth melody thanks to another great performance by Dusty Gannon. "Dead Gods " is the lead single, and it continues with a similar lyrical theme as the title track, as it's very bleak and agnostic in its outlook, which works for me. Religion is the passive-aggressive target of the dance floor-rocking anthem. To complement the lyrical shift the music is more aggressive in its drive that is empowered by some solid bass playing.

This is almost a concept album as "Sign of the Times" is only marginally less stark than the previous song. It is not as geared for the dance floor and feels more firmly rooted in post-punk. Gannon's voice seems to be soaring a little higher on this album. It's more Duran Duran sounding at times. "Balacave Kiss" is just as rooted in the sounds of the 80s, though the melodic nature reminds me more of Merchandise than anything dark wave. Keyboardist Emily Fredock lends her voice to the chorus to add a new sonic color.  They get a little darker on the more Cure-like"Normalized". Which bemoans the woes of the common man.  Gannon's croon is supple on this one with a tinge of vibrato. 

"Living Dead" is not as Halloween-minded as you might expect. The synth melodies often being the most goth thing about the overall. In fact, the chorus is rather upbeat. "Haunt Your Dreams' almost feels more like Roxy Music than the Cure, but it's a really well-written song so that does not matter. At this point, the lyrics have shifted to a more introspective musing. This feels like it might be the album's best song. It has some of the most driving drumming. The Roxy Music comparisons gain more weight with "Let Go of Time". Then they steer things into a new wave direction for "Never Enough" which has more in common with 80s synth wave revivalists like Gunship or the Midnight. The last song is the first song that taps back into the Smiths-like jangle. His croon is more relaxed, as they take you on a casual stroll.  I will give it a 9.5, so not quite measure up to the last album, but It might just need to grow on me. Though unlikely to usurp Crippling Alcoholism from the band's firm grip on the post-punk throne this year. I need to give it a few more spins, but it's still and impressive offering. This album drops on Oct 22nd. 

 

pst 497

Gothtober- Looking Back in Anger at the Cure's "Seventeen Seconds"

Despite the fact Robert Smith swears they are not "goth" going back and reviewing the Cure's early work seems fitting.  The first track is more of an instrumental intro, with "Play for Today", which is, of course, a class. A great deal of this is owed to the fact that Robert Smith finds his voice on this album. The punk influence is tempered with moodiness. The instrumental "Secrets' feels like an idea he was not ready to put vocals to. "In Your House" has a solid riff that creeps it along. It also shows how the melodic nature of Smith's playing began to mature. An excellent vocal performance that serves the song while making the most of the sullen mood that would become their trademark. 

"Three' recaptures the sitting in on their band practice feel the first album had. I like that it is dark, but once again feels like something he was not ready to commit vocals to, as the vocals that do appear are mixed in the background like he was not confident in them. In hindsight, this might be due to the fact the songs he does write for songs like "In Your House" are his fully realized vision he painstakingly created, knowing he wanted to do more than just be a punk band. "the Final Sound" is just an interlude to set the stage for what might be one of the band's most iconic songs " A Forest". Even if you have not listened to this album, but have been to a "goth nite" then you have likely heard this song. It's driving, but dark with his vocals possessed by a stark desperation.  At almost six-minute it takes you on a droning trip into dark places. 

"M" is one of my favorite Cure songs, I think it's one of Smith's best lyrical moments at this point in their career. 'At Night" is an underrated goth song as it has some of the most defining elements of death rock, a burly bass line that makes the sinister groove for the haunted atmosphere to flow over. 'Seventeen Second" features a sparse electronic sounding drum beat to use minimalism to build tension over.  His vocal lines are more droning than hooky here. I will round this up to a 10 as it is the album that helped define who they were as a band.

7

pst496

Gothtober-: "Looking Back in Anger at the Cure's "Three Imaginary Boys"

 Listening to the Cure's 1979 debut album this month makes sense. It was before Robert Smith started wearing makeup and they were much closer to being a punk band.  The bounce of the opening song is upbeat. It has a more new wave feel. This is back to when their keyboardist Lol Tolhurst was playing drums. He gets the job done for this sort of thing. "Accuracy' is closer to what we now consider post-punk."Grinding Halt" works for what it is, but     I appreciate the Cure more once they evolved past this straightforward jangle. 

The guitar sounds much better on "Another Day' there is a more emotive sense to the vocals that the guitar complements. "Object" is more of a straightforward punk, though I like how the vocals were recorded. The bass on a song like "Subway Song" finds the slink of the bass playing down a more abstract groove. The cover of "Foxy Lady' is not the band's best moment. It feels more like Gang of Four. There are points in this album where it feels like you are sitting in on their band practice. Robert Smith's voice is still finding itself, though you can hear where he ends up on "Meat Hook".  "So What"  is more punk than not. 

"Fire In Cairo" is more focused, making it one of this album's gems. "It's Not You" is another punk song, that works better than some others. The title track is another one of the the album's classic tracks and perhaps the darkest. The last track is an outro jam which I am not even going to bother with, so as it stands I will give this album a 9, showing that an album can be very influential without having to be perfect nor the band's best album.

11.1

pst495

Gothtober - Rosetta Stone : "Under the Weather'

 I had to go back and listen to "The Tyranny of Inaction" album to get a perspective on what has changed with these guys. There is less guitar on this album and the beats are more electronic-based and feel less industrial. The vocals are not as gritty, though one element that most closely resembles the present day. They are still on Cleopatra Records, so no pressure from the label they are conforming to. They dance in more of a middle ground which has become typical for many guys from this era. It's not until "Host" that they find a groove that makes me pay attention. 

Some of the problem seems to be the way this album is produced as it needs more reverb to create a darker sound, which is what made their older work resonate in a more shadow-infested manner. "Fear Over Nothing" is bright sounding and too forward in the mix. This makes it sound like future pop, not dark wave. "Sick and Tired" is a little clunky, but the bass line to " Coherence" finds its more solid footing. The vocals are getting a little weak it would not be that hard for him to put more balls into it. 

It's perhaps more frustrating that "Last Words " is as dark as the whole album should have been up to this point. This means they made some of the sonic choices on purpose and are capable of doing better. The vocals are hookier on this one as well making it one of the album's best songs. "All the  Devils" is more upbeat than its subject matter thinks it should be. "Change" has more tension which is what this album needs.  There is a little more depth in the vocals as well. I will give this album a 7.5, it's decent and sounds great at times. It does not capture their classic sound.

pst494

Blood Incantation : " Absolute Elsewhere"

Blood Incantation pushes the bounds of death metal further into prog on this album, as it opens in a more Rush-like fashion. The drummer makes himself known right from the start. Granted death metal drummers have to be good to cut it, but this guy might be one of the best metal drummers in the game right now.  They are students of 70s prog for sure, as it floats in on a cloud of weed smoke and science fiction. The Moog solo brings a Pink Floytd feel that is only pushed further to the dark side of the moon but the phrasing of the guitar solo. 

Before we go further here is what is going are here. The album is six songs, but they are being presented as two songs broken up into three pieces, if you played this in shuffle mode you would not be confused. The second song is more krautrock it wanders on for a bit building up into a metal climax 
for the last minute, but it is a pretty kicking riff so it's all good. The third song has an angular riff that grinds with the machine-like shifting heard on post-domination" albums. The blast off with a space-tinged feel to the rapid-fire drumming. It is not a bass mix so it's not really dark, but very precise. It wanders into tribal drumming and exotic instrumentation. Sung vocals also surface here to give things a Cynic feel. 

If you followed what I told you earlier the 4th song is the first song of the "Stargate" section. It's more of an early 90s death metal feel here. The riffs pummel more than groove until they break down into a more melodic section. There is a pretty epic guitar solo on the song. , It does eventually go into a more Slayer-inspired riff. The song after this, goes into a jazzy groove. It eventually weaves to another Pink Floyd-like floating. There is almost a power metal-like feel to the riff of the last song. Though it weaves in a more technical direction. This is before the wandering prog section of this 11-minute song. All of this occurs not even halfway into the song before the more blasting drums kick up. The more grandiose themes return, feeling like something you might expect more from Coheed and Cambrai. From there is of course blasts into a more frantic pounding.. Over all their big adventure pays off as they are much more than a death metal band now, I will give this a 9. 

pst493

49 Winchester : " Leavin This Holler"

This Virginia-based based plays a traditional style of country. The opening track is a little more upbeat than what I normally listen to, but it's well done so I am open to checking the rest of the album out. It's really well produced as all the instrumentation fits in the lush mix. Lyrically the outlook is pretty bright so I am waiting for all the Drink It Up to go south and hear songs about alcoholism. "Hillbilly Happy" is sure to make line dancers do some boot-scootin'. These songs are well written, though perhaps not with the depth of a Tyler Childers. The guitar playing is pretty solid for what this is. You can tell they have polished their chops live, as they carry a jammed sound to the arrangements. Almost bordering on Southern Rock, as they would not be out of place opening up for the Black Crowes. 

"Yearnin For You " is another song that is bound to kick up some sawdust.  Another case where this vibe might not be my thing, but I can appreciate what they are doing here. "Make It Count" is a little more grounded. They manage to keep an upbeat attitude even when they are lamenting the ills of society. Their view is they just hustle and play music as they are not getting any younger. The title track gets more soulfully introspective and this puts them closer to what I normally listen to when it comes to country. This is the best song so far. There is a cool guitar solo that does not hog the spotlight at the end. "Fast Asleep" is also a stellar song, Very dynamic, and perfectly written the verses are picked with acoustic then they crank for for the choruses. 

"Tulsa" finds them hitting their stride it's more purposeful with a blues streak running through it. The lyrics are about getting busted for weed. Another effective guitar solo busts out of this one. Perhaps the weed is the x-factor that makes their songwriting more thoughtful. "Rest of My Days' has a more Southern Rock feel. Riff wise it's not unlike Lynrd Skynrds mellower moment though with a slight pop tinge to the vocals. "Travelling Band" finds them more upbeat, but not trying to get you to line dance, the southern rock thing still lingering in the guitar playing. He is singing about missing life at home while on the road, but they are pretty stoked to be playing about it. 

"Anchor' finds the mood breaking down a bit. It's soulfully introspective. It hits almost like a power ballad, in the way it builds. I like the more laid-back mid-range his voice drops into in this one, it shows more range than when he is gleefully belting it out and having a good time. The rock things out more at the end of the song giving it a dynamic build. This album took a turn and surprised me. There is great guitar playing and singing on it. I will give this one a 9.5 .

pst492