Up From the Underground - Vivi Vex

Here I am prying my mind open with a crow bar and asking  is this future of goth? It's no mystery it has known many incarnations even in the genre's golden years during the 80s. Goth describes a feeling and not a sound. Industrial music the more abrasive punk blooded cousin of goth has acquired a rather incestuous relationship with goth along with metal and in some cases all three have bee mixed up like a flavor of Ben & Jerry's that only comes out in October. Goth is in a pretty good place now, the post-punk rival, darker shades of edm and the rising popularity of acts like Chelsea Wolfe and Youth Code keeps the casket from closing. As the sands in the hour glass turn with the days of our lives the generation of goth I grew up with  makes less frequent trips to the club to ensure that "Headhunter" is still being played. Spotify be damned, there is a whole generation with no clue who the hell Front 242 is and Combichrist holds that place in their hearts. These club kids are now growing up and into prominence in the scene. Vivi Vex is a product of this. So giving this project a shot is me allowing goth to continue on even if it looks and sounds different than what I grew up on.

 When I first gave a listen to to the new single by Vivi Vex, the resistance to change began because it really sounds a lot like a soundtrack to a post- apocalyptic video game.   Vivian Vex aka Vivi Vex is the leader of has a crust industrial group called the "Rust Punk Tribe". With a collaborative album coming the first single was released last week entitled ""Outlet" like the rest of the album to come it features some guest musicians here most notably Sin Quirin from the most recent era of Ministry plays guitar on the song "Outlet". Quirin has had his hands in a little bit of every from playing with American Head Charge and a new project called Supermaniac, he later dipped his toes in EDM by releasing some aggro tech tracks and this music has much more in common with that. Micheal Lubert of Distortion of Events adds to the sound manipulation. Quirin's tone is very distinct but is dialed pretty far back in the mix.I think there is potential here but it falls in a weird purgatory between being edm and industrial, without vocals there is not much to really pull me in on merit of the beats alone. I'll say I might take this "rust punk" thing over the turquoise Tumblr versions of goth from girls who have no clue who Skinny Puppy or the Cocteau Twins are and actually just like the look and listen to Kayne West.