Male Tears : "Paradisco"

 

Despite its title, the new album by this Millenial duo is not disco. Instead, we are getting a deep dive into 90s pop from this duo who feels like the Tiktok version of Spinal Tap for turquoise-haired goth kids of today, It is a case of where they get the sounds right but are merely serving as a tribute band, and the execution is not as pristine as you might expect, considering their last album was decent. The vocals on the first song are pitchy, perhaps this is due to stepping out of the comfort zone they have existed up until this point, It is requiring them to try to sing in higher keys. "Corlyx helps them out on "Leave" allowing the verse vocal to stay in the mono baritone 90s new wave bridged over from post-punk. Caitlin Stokes finds her vocals sitting further back in the mix.  They could have made better use of her talents. 

Xorlyx also contributes backing vocals to "Sex on Drugs" which finds the lead vocal track on the verse struggling to stay in key as they reach outside of their comfort again. It reminds me of the Pet Shop Boys song "It's a Sin", though he is no Neil Tennant. This album highlights the problem of focusing on getting a sound rather than writing songs. When you focus on a sound you are betting solely on the fact that you will nail that sound, but it has to be a bullseye. However, if the production fails you, a well-written song can be played acoustic or electric, so it still holds up. They have grossly overestimated their vocal abilities on this album. Astari Nite is an example of a band that is capable of shifting sounds, but they are also good songwriters and that means they write to sound that best suits their abilities.  The attempts at a more New Romantic sound on this album are just not who they are. 

The album continues to be hit or miss, for every note they hit, there is one that slips between the cracks, This is not on stage but in the studio, meaning this is a collection of the best takes they had in them. This is as good as it gets for them. The problem lies in the fact they produced this album themselves, if they had a proper producer, he might not have let this performance slip, as they clearly can not hear if they were in key or not. They rip "Love My Way" on "He Want's Everything". this album becomes bad 80s karaoke at this point. "Regret for Nothing" at least finds them able to nail Talk Talk's sound. "This Party Ends in Tears" finds the synths sounding like early Madonna. The vocals don't lose it until heading toward the chorus. But it's an almost more forgivable performance than what has been heard earlier in the album. I will give this album a 7, there are decent moments, and if you have really romanced this sound and want anything that comes close then it might work better for your ears, I am disappointed and wish they stuck to what was working. 

pst344

Gothtober- the Top 10 Goth Albums of 2023

 

Having already started the End of the Year List season of with the Top 10 Post-Punk Albums of 2023, it's time to move in a darker direction with the Top 10 Goth Albums of 2023. If this seems premature,  record labels have already sent me most of what this year has to offer. After I sort through sorting through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year. 2023. Perhaps it was marginally better than the previous year, though given the current climate of the world, we are progressing on a downward spiral, making dark music more important as a soundtrack for this.   As far as 2023 goes for Goth, a lot of great music came out forcing me to make hard choices. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Goth albums of 2023.

10- Bosco Sacro-"Gem" 

This quartet out of Italy plays a very dark and atmospheric kind of music that is hard to pin down. . There is more in common with neo-folk or goth. The spectacular job of creating this can not be denied and a must for those into dark atmospheric folk.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/bosco-sacro-gem.html

 

9-Skeletal Family-"Light From the Dark" 

These guys are an old-school goth band from the 80s who reformed with a new singer. They came out shortly after Siouxsie so it's not like these guys are a new band trying for a retro sound that is just how it's going to come out,.Anneka Latta employs a broader range of influences. a wonderfully written album that touches so many sonic colors I enjoy.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/gothtober-skeletal-family-light-from.html

  

8- Male Tears-"Krypt" 

It reminds me a great deal of Drab Majesty and perhaps this is what happens when millennials grow up listening to Drab Majesty rather than Bauhaus. It is very dance-oriented, so I can see young kids requesting this on goth night. Everything is draped in a haze of reverb aside from the retro jazzercise beats. It grows on you, if you have a high threshold for synths. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/gothtober-male-tears-krypt.html

                          

7-Naut -"Hunt" 

It is hard to believe at times this is not a long-lost album from the early 90s I somehow missed back in the day. In many ways this is defined by the sum of it's parts and the influences that make those up but this album is also a great deal of fun.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/naut-hunt.html

 

6- Ville Valo -"Neon Noir"

Better than the last HIM album, aside from the happy moments and weak bass tone, it is surprisingly well written, not that I was not already clued into the fact he is more than capable of cranking out slapper, it is just good to hear that he still has it. while the production is not as dark as I might like the vocals are really dialed in.   

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/01/ville-valo-neon-noir.html

5-Night Goat - "Totem" 

This band from Portland is kicking up an interesting blend of sonic abrasion that takes Death Rock in a heavier direction.  Imagine L7 jamming with 45 Grave and you are pretty close to what is happening here. The vocals are tortured screams and moaning. It darkly broods like a storm closing in.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/night-goat-totem.html

4-Troller- "Into Dust"

 Troller's Relapse debut opens with the Texas trio droning through a thick atmosphere that is coupled with haunting vocals. Adam Jones of the band SURVIVE is working the synths of this album, so these kids did not just pop out of nowhere. They have a sound they are very focused on but make things interesting enough to tell a story with the mood.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/troller-drain.html

 

 3-VOSH- "Vessel"

This album's strength is how it splits the difference between the guitar-driven goth and dark wave. Their singer throws her voice around in an interesting manner, as they capture  a wonderful balance of old and new goth sounds

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/gothtober-vosh-vessel.html

2- Myrkur - "Spine" 

The refinement on this album finds her on the more ethereal side and blending post-rock with goth rock, since it has more drive, it is poppy in terms of melody but not in the saccharine manner of dream pop and feels like waking from a depressive episode in the woods, rather than a fey wonderland. She edges out VOSH due to the more organic way she achieved this. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/10/gothtober-myrkur-spine.html

1- Temple of Angels - "Endless Pursuit" 

I sat down with this album and weighed the dream pop shoegazing moments versus those that owe more to romantic darkness, and came to the conclusion that this album leans into the shadows at least 60 percent of the time, and even when it lightens up a bit their songs are still haunted by a melancholy longing that still earns their place here.  They might not dress the songs up for Halloween in the way other bands on this list do but they are better songwriters, which is why they take the number one spot. These songs are passed by plenty of heart-gripping moments.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/04/temple-of-angels-endless-pursuit.html

Gothtober -Wil’s 9th Annual Halloween Playlist

Here is my 9th annual Halloween Playlist. The world holds as many distractions and diversions as the previous years, I am just making a more concerted and intentional effort to focus on celebrations of the Halloween season around me since my soundtrack pretty much remains constant year. I believe if we forget the things that brought us joy as children, we will become miserable adults buried in anxiety over bills and the stock market. This makes a proper soundtrack dedicated to darkness even more needed to capture the magical excitement of Halloween. . Perhaps these songs might bring some sonic horror to ears and carry Halloween into the rest of the year for you. . This year all but one song are from new releases. I am continuing the tradition of not repeating artists from previous years. Goth and all its various sub-genres are the most obvious tombs to plunder, I am including a few artists that lean in a more rock or metal direction. Lyrically, the songs are at least metaphors for things that go bump in the night or are related to the season. This year’s theme seems to be death. As the veil between the living and the dead thins, may you be happily haunted and continue to play this loudly in dark places.

 

 Male Tears-"Domin8"

 

 Snow Ghosts - Curse

 

Still Patient - "All Dead"

   

VOSH- "Superstition"

   

                               

Orphans of Dusk- "Victim of a Vampire"

   

 Temple of Angels - "Torment"

   

Troller - "Gore"

   

Shores of Null- "A New Death is Born"

   

Night Goat - "Death Crow Dance" 

Gothtober - Male Tears : "KRYPT"

 This is a newer band that I always forget about, as based off presentation I assume they are not taking themselves seriously. It reminds me a great deal of Drab Majesty and perhaps this is what happens when millennials grow up listening to Drab Majesty rather than Bauhaus. It is very dance oriented, so I can see young kids requesting this on goth night. Everything is draped in a haze of reverb aside from the retro jazzercise beats. "Domin8" finds things beginning to take on a uniform sound. They are heading in the direction of caring more about a sound than writing songs, as the vocals are more of a droning texture at this point. Right now I can handle it but things need to shift dynamically. 

They give me the change I need on "I Expire". The vocals take on more of a death rock pout, though the retain the darkwave bump, that is prepped for a fog machine. "Dealer" borders on techno, and leans more into a dancefloor drone. By the time I get to "Never Again" I am delving into what is gnawing at me about these guys, and it's the fact that this is all synth patches. When I went to the Absolution Fest in Tampa last week that was also one of my concerns, the lack of real instruments on stage, in this case in the studio. It creates a lack of depth as digital only has so much resonance no matter how you mix it. 

"Jaded" does not do anything to change my perspective in this regard, all that shifts is the vocals sound like Count Chocula. "Slay" closes the album. It brings more synths to the table, though there is more room to breathe and not as relentless a pulse. This sounds less dark wave and more like dance music. The vocals are more delicate and sung more, it reminds me a little of Depeche Mode. The varying vocal colors are really the best thing about this album. I will give this a 9, it was an enjoyable listen, though not sure how much mileage I would get out of this sort of thing, it pushed me to my maximum synth threshold , if you are more into that sort of thing , you might not mind this, and find this to be exceptional because you do not know better.