Looking Back in Anger at the Crow Soundtrack

 

It's time to look back at a soundtrack from the 90s and see how it has held up over the years.  For an album largely of covers and b-sides, it has stood the test of time better than most albums from 1994, and in truth aged better than the movie. It opens with "Burn" by the Cure which Smith wrote for the film. Not only is it the album's best song, it is one of the Cure's best songs. It has the drive of "Fascination Street' but the drums bring a tribal tension to it. The slinky bass line finds Machines of Loving Grace abandoning some of the industrial stomps for a more groove-minded song that plays to their strengths as a band, making it one of their best songs as well. Thus two songs in a they have established the theme of sexy darkness, which was the mood this movie was aspiring to. 

Stone Temple Pilots were heading toward peak popularity with the album "Purple" which this song would later appear on. They debuted it on this soundtrack first,  I think this song is lyrically clever, and I like the more subtle blues elements they ebb back down into. Nine Inch Nails cover of  "Dead Souls" works really well. Reznor does his thing rather than going for an Ian Curtis impersonation and it works. The more subtle jazzy passages of "Darkness" bring out Rage Against the Machine's more melodic side, making them seem like less of a one-trick pony. The Violent Femme's "Hallowed Ground" album is an example of their darker side which they tapped back into for "Color Me Once", an overlooked gem on this album.

Despite Henry's vocal limitations, the Rollins Band does a pretty good job of covering Suicide's 'Ghost Rider". There is more swagger than expected here. Butch Vig remixed Helmet's "Milk Toast' for the soundtrack, it's one of the band's calling cards. Pantera covers Poison Idea's "The Badge". and makes it sound like they wrote it. For Love Not Lisa proves they were better than most bands who merged as bigger one-hit wonders from the 90s like saqy Candle Box and this song is a testament to that fact.   My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult is one of the most reliable bands on this soundtrack so you can count on them to deliver, their whole persona is why they were actually playing at a club in the movie. Musically Jesus and Mary Chain is just as consistent, "Snakedriver" being a clear example of this. 

Medicine brought Elizabeth Fraser in for their remake of "Time Baby". Speaking of the Cocteau Twins , they should been the artist to perform the last song "It Can't Rain All the Time". as the Jill Siberry track is the album's only weak moment. It drifts without focus and the Cocteau Twins could have done much better doing similar. So far this reason this album is getting a 9.5, putting it still in the upper tier of movie soundtracks along side the "Lost Boys" soundtrack, 

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the Top 10 Goth / Industrial Albums of 2019

It's that time of year again, to sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, then use them, to compile the top 10 albums of the year. Later in the month I am making the top 10 lists for the decade, though to be blunt this is the decade's weakest year for music. Goth tends to lean toward it's hey day in the  80s ; so is not surprising that there are only two new bands on this list. If you are wondering how we are defining the goth of the equation this year it ranges from dark wave to neo-folk, so it's darker than the peers of  the artists in the other sub genres they might fall into as well.  More of a Halloween vibe than post -punk. 

I am; giving a brief explanation as to why these albums stand over their peers in lower positions on the list. 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.

I could have picked albums from bands that are more hispter darlings ,  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. Sure you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However I listen to five new albums a day so yes I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No, I do not care what you think about it.;I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list. There are links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 goth / industrial  albums of 2019

10-Porn- "the Darkest of Human Desires Act 2" 

German band does an excellent job recreating the industrial strength brand of rock that came out in the 90s. The vocals remind me a little of Orgy. Not unlike Strvngers who rules last year, these guys are more accessible, where Strvngers had more of an edge in their attitude and the sleaze that dripped from their songs, while ironically for this band to be so named I do not get the same vibe from them. The influences they war on their sleeves are bands I like so this album works for me.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/01/porn-darkest-of-human-desires-act-3.html

9-Unto Ashes -"Pretty Haunted"


It is a solid album from a genre that can wander too far out into the woods and become hippie background music. The vocals are focused and the sound is fleshed out. That is not to say it is all sound no songs because they songs engage you in the way I would expect from this sort of thing. They are much less ominous than Death In June and that is ok, the vocals here are more emotive. If you are a fan of neo folk I do not have to sell you on this one. dark enough to skip the folk list and show up here at number 9


. https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/gothtober-unto-ashes-pretty-haunted.html

8-Night Sins-" Portrait in Silver"

They have shed their aspirations of the Bat Cave and gone a more polished 80s new wave direction. The vocals are breathy not low and gothy. It still gets the point across. It's more 90s dark wave than 80s. This album is produced better and I like the use of samples. While we think of the 80s for goth, a concept that is not unfounded. It is the 90s that goth became self aware. It is hard to deny the more Depeche Mode like groove to "Daisy Chain". It's not even from Depeche Mode's darker period. Think "Strangelove" . Still their is enough of their old sound in the grooves to make the number 8 spot.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/09/gothtober-night-sins-portrait-in-silver.html

7-Die Krupps- " Vision 20/20 Vision" 

Never got around to reviewing this one so here it goes. They get political and ambitious. For industrial I can take raging against the machine in doses. It works here. Covering a Peter Gabriel era Genesis is however more than they were equipped to handle vocally, but aside from that they are staying true enough to themselves to earn the number 7 slot.

6- Corlyx- "In2 the Skin"

This Los Angeles duo drinks deeply of the industrial influence Alt-pop from the 90s. The production is more complex with more layers sitting in interesting places. The guitar has similar intent as that of mid-period Nine Inch Nails- though not as aggressive or dense. Vocalist Caitlin Starks has a tongue that drips with sex and slathers her melodies in it. Riding the line between organic elements and electronic propulsion. Having a sexier sound than the competition earned them the 6th spot.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/08/corlyx-in2-skin.html

5-3Teeth-"Metawar"


This band has been building momentum so this is the album that is poised to break them out to a larger audience. This fact scared me as it could mean they would sell out and become a more commercial nu metal version of what they were doing. This first track is a relief to find they are leaning into the more electronic industrial side of what they do without becoming a big dumb metal band. Yet it's the heaviness of what they do that gave them an edge to get to the number 5 spot.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/05/3teeth-metawar.html

4- KMFDM- "Paradise"

I have heard them less inspired than this. The title track and "Oh, My Goth" hold up against the body of work that makes this band who they are.  They punched the clock at times, but even them dialing it in is better than most bands. This album is solid it's just I have the bar really high for these guys.


https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/gothtober-kmdfm-paradise.html

3- Frontline Assembly- "Wake Up the Coma" 

The project's 20th album finds them pumping out what you would want from them. Aggressive dystopian dance music with slithering grooves. The first departure from their tried and true formula is on their cover of Falco's " Rock Me Amadeus" with Jimmy Urine from Mindless Self Indulgence on vocals. Even these playful risks worked for them, if KMFDM has been on their A game they might have claimed this spot as it was already a tough call.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/02/frontline-assembly-wake-up-coma.html

 2- Strvngers- "Death is the Only Way Out"


Amor/ Noir" was one of the decade's best albums so the bar is high for this one. Echoes of it still haunt this one. The biggest shift comes from having a different theme than the "Amor/Noir"   , this time it's suicide making this album lyrically heavier. There is a more electronic feel. It's spacious mix with very clean synth sounds. More emotive than your average dark wave band. day these guys are masters of the hook which elevates them over even the veteran skills of Frontline.



https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/12/strvngers-death-is-only-way-out.html

 1- My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult- "the House of Strange Affairs" 

 I am very happy to hear the first song on their 14th album is a return to darkness rather than the disco they dipped into with "Sex on Wheels". When I interviewed Groovy Mann, he said this album was made pretending that "Sexplosion" did not exist and they were picking up where they left off, and that feels very true. Darker is always better , when you pair it with their song writing skills how could they not take the number one spot.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/01/my-life-with-thrill-kill-kult-in-house.html

My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult : 'In the House of Strange Affairs"

I am very happy to hear the first song on their 14th album is a return to darkness rather than the disco they dipped into with "Sex on Wheels". "Forbidden Saints" keeps things along the left hand path with a little more bumping groove but no less sinister than the first song. Groovie Mann's vocals sound great and I think he does work best when slathered in effects. There is more of an 80s New wave take on New York funk with "Treat Street" that sounds like it could have come from the soundtrack of a cop sitcom. It's not a bad song it just has an odd quirky quality that breaks the established mood. "the Chains of Fame" works off of the best of both worlds it's got groove and a sleazy darkness. Which is all you could want from these guys .

The title track carries a thick atmosphere that obscures the groove. It is dark, though kinds drones in it's own shadows. "It's Me Holly" has a similar mood , but more movement, so it keeps me paying more attention rather than becoming a haze of opaque pulsations. "Studio 21" has more disco to it, but it's still dark enough that it works . The funky bass lines of a song like "Year of the Klown" are another staple to their sound as it has more of a slither to it. There are some accents of distorted guitar that crop up on this one. "Royal Skull" is a marginally more uptempo take on a similar formula. Rock riffs don't make it overly industrial as they have a rubbery slink to them. They do help things build in intensity.

They get a great deal darker on " Hanging Hearts". The vocals are a little more of a narration. Where the chorus would sit things take a weird turn. "Under a Crown" starts off like a surreal b section to the previous song. The guitar emerges to give things a little more structure. When he says he is flying higher than the clouds it's believable after the journey you have been on up to this point. The more experimental outro that is "Am I Dead" I'm sure sounds great on the right drugs or even the wrong ones, but it never really turns into song and feels like a crazy avant garde spoken word trip. I'll give this one a 9.5 and see how it grows on me, the drugs have taken their toll on these guys and they might be better for it.This album is being released on Valentines.

Trash Deity : "Cross & Divide"

 Here's one from Groovie Mann the lead singer of My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult and John Norten of Blue Eyed Christ. The first two songs do sound like Thrill Kill. Less of a disco groove and more like their earlier work, though not as dark. "Fame Games" has a little darker pulse with it's more cynical commentary. "Frantic Child" has more drive , but the vocals are getting a little stale at this point. I like the use of samples , but the song itself feels a little regurgitated. I'm not sure if I would call this industrial. I never thought of My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult as industrial just sometimes darker electronica. "A Perfect One" feels more like an interlude from a Revolting Cocks album.

While it doesn't have the strongest chorus, I like "Hard Drive". I think they could have perhaps benefited from taking other musicians on , rather than trying to do all of this themselves. "Finger on the Trigger" grooves along with a very 90s feel. It's in a weird gray area. Not really that dark, but still not pop. "Emotion Matters" has enough groove in it's futuristic drone to keep my interest. When we get to "Icons & Idols" I realize my only qualm with this album is the production on the drums could have been better. I feel if these beats really hit you then the entire album would have a greater sense of urgency to it.

I'll give this album a 7.5. Some of the songs work really well. I think the production value doesn't hold up to where Thrill Kill was at back in their day. It would be nice for Mann to have to measure up against himself in that manner, but he has a legacy to up hold. I thinks he likes the idea of being a rock star more than he seeks to invest into some of the sounds committed to this album. He more of less lives up to his end of the bargain, as he does what he does. I did not go into this expecting him to have become an incredible singer, I just wanted him to do what he does. Where he is accountable is more of an issue with quality control unless he was too high during the final mix. Granted I am not cranking this through studio speakers at present so maybe louder makes it better. I am not saying it sucks . I am saying he has to bring it like he used to.