Critic's Choice 2015: Joel Top 5 of 2015

Intravenous Magazine contributing columnist Joel Heyes gives us his top five releases of the previous year.

1) Ghost – 'Meloria'

In years to come this album will be considered the moment when all the notions of Ghost being a 'novelty' act with a Satanic 'gimmick' were laid to waste. Following on from two albums which built both a remarkable catalogue of killer tracks but also a meticulously maintained image and schtick, 'Meliora' delivers an almost spiritual substance to back up Ghost's burgeoning reputation. The stand-out tracks here – 'Spirit', 'Cirice', 'Deus in Absentia' and the superlative Satanic AOR anthem 'He Is' – were the best tracks released in 2015 by far. The attention to detail and craftsmanship on display here both in terms of song writing and concept is staggering. This is the bar, and Ghost have just raised it.

2) Killing Joke – 'Pylon'

Something very strange has happened to the Joke these past several years, in that they have managed to do something relatively incredible – the reformed original line-up has been able to actually build upon enhance their considerable legacy. 'Pylon' manages to break a few records for the band, not only as it gave them their highest chart placing in decades but it is also the first time they have had a stable line-up for three albums since 1986. Strange then that one of the most notoriously unstable bands of the post-punk era has now settled into a formidable, brutal relevance. 'Pylon' shows the band remain at the cutting edge and are actually enhancing their reputation for a whole new generation of fans.

3) Zeitgeist Zero – 'Ghosts of Victory'

Always fiercely uncompromising and armed with a crystal clear vision of their sound and concept, Leeds' goth vanguard Zeitgeist Zero surpass themselves here with a perfect, modern classic. Mining a deep vein of personal turmoil and coming up with a brilliantly written and exquisitely packaged album, the guys and girls of Z0 have maintained one of the best quality control operations in UK goth with their most definitive statement yet. Some bands just know what their doing, and Zeitgeist Zero are on of those bands.

4) Lucifer – 'Lucifer I'

It's very rare that a band appears more or less fully formed, with an almost immaculately groomed sound and image, but Lucifer did just that. Formed from bands of such pedigree as Cathedral and The Oath, Lucifer spin an almost dreamlike spell of melodic doom rock here on their eponymous début, with Johanna Sedonis' vocal depth and song writing chops on prominent display. The album also promises just slightly more than it delivers, leaving the listener willing to follow the band down their psychedelic rabbit hole. Hopefully the best is yet to come!

5) With the Dead – 'With the Dead'

In terms of sheer throwaway brutality, this collision of former Cathedral singer Lee Dorrian and former Electric Wizard unit Mark Greening and Tim Bagshaw cannot be beaten. Put together under strangely furtive circumstances, With The Dead came up with a seminal slice of doom riffola on their eponymous début which will rank amongst the greats of the genre. The question inevitably was whether the band would be a one-off supergroup curio or whether it could become a going concern? Well, with the line-up already fracturing and transmogrifying into a live band it appears that all bets are off.

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Critics Choice: P. Emerson's Listening Obsessions of 2015

2015 was a year here I immersed myself less in new releases than I had most of the preceding decade, so I'm bringing together a short list of the albums that I kept coming back to until the vibrations re-arranged my DNA. This was a year in which I binged on Bach cantatas, an exploration of Czech composer Leoš Janáček compelled by reading Haruki Murakami's novel 1Q84 and finding I could not shake the feeling that we're in 2Q15, classic and more underground funk and a year-end orgy of wallowing in records and live video of The Damned. What follows are the releases that marked the releases that marked points of coming up for air and a waking up to the musical present amid the musical gluttony of which I was guilty.

The Ancients – 'Mind'

More than two decades after their debut album Fred Schreck & Co. return with a varied and beautifully produced followup. I found this out only after I heard their entry in the superb For The Bats III compilation. Upon finding their track I had to go find them online an exercise I had tried before, to no avail. This album would sit confortably next to the young bands a few years back who were plowing the post-punk furrow while courting the fashionable and steering clear of goth circles. The Ancients have better choruses than any of them, though. I never thought there would be more to come from this band, so this feels like getting an extra unexpected gift.

Killing Joke – 'Pylon'

Fanboy alert: any year in which we get a new Killing Joke release is means they have a place in my year-end roundup. The sound is a monstrous and aggressive thing roaring out across the charred landscape of the omnipresent pan-Atlantic military/industrial/surveillance/prison empire. Verily the soundtrack for staring down the billion eyes of the panopticon. Post-modern paranoia no a step closer to Anonymous than theories cribbed from Alex Jones (Fema Camps)as we found on MMXII. Geordie's guitar is an orchestral tour de force throughout, and enhanced with orchestration on New Jerusalem, the effect is glorious. Think tanks and the corporate propaganda machine aims to make us feel powerless, but it's impossible to give in to despair with Killing Joke raging the catalogue of their crimes and subterfuge at us. This is the sound of the unbreakable outsider. As the comliant middle manager and bourgeoisie is immolated, the outsider is most of humanity.

Attrition – 'Millions Of The Mouthless Dead'

The teaming teaming up of two such immense talents as Martin Bowes and Anni Hogan can only raise expectations to cosmic heights. This is not a product, this is a work of art comparable to Picasso's Guernica. We encounter much dark music, but rarely does a work take us to such dark places and express the horror of a human finding himself standing in the path of  unimaginable destruction and carnage. The mouthless dead are given voice and they speak with humanity and eloquence to the heart of the listener. The listener is left feeling a heartrending compassion for those who lived through the war while being overwhelmed by the harrowing and evocative beauty of the music. Contained in the tracks of Millions Of The Mouthless Dead are by far the most intense and stunning pieces of sonic art it was my privilege to experience in 2015.

Tech N9ne – 'Special Effects'

There are classical elements weaving in and out of the beats as hard and raging vocals, flavored more like an infernal chamber choir than the cinematic tendencies of RZA. Special Effects is another in a string of albums from Tech N9ne that shows immense growth, standing as a testimony of an artist's dedication to his art. There's nothing in mainstream hiphop that can approach this. Thois album may also be the most gothic thing I heard all year without being horrorcore. Where the lyrics blend the defiant stance of a survivor with frank exploration of personal pain and frailty is where this album is most powerful in its expression.

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Critics Choice: Sean's Top Albums Of 2015

It's time once again to look back at the releases of the previous year and try to decide what were the best releases.

This year Intravenous Magazine scribes Dokka, Joel Heyes, End: the DJ, P. Emerson Williams, and Dominic Lynch, as well as myself count down our personal favourites individually over the course of the month. And today we kick things off with my top 20 albums and 10 EPs (in no particular order) that got me hot under the collar last year.


Albums:

Caustic – 'Industrial Music'

If 'The Golden Vagina Of Fame And Profit' was Matt Fanale's club album, and 'The Man Who Couldn't Stop' was his grand concept album, then 'Industrial Music' is a return to his roots. After another successful Kickstarter campaign, the first full-length Caustic album in three years – and the début on new label Negative Gain Productions – sees Fanale making a stand and embracing the industrial tag. Returning to the big distorted beats, crunchy synths and aggressive vocals that characterised his Crunch Pod years, but adding the skill and experience that made 'The Golden Vagina...' and 'The Man Who Couldn't Stop' such must have albums. With this album Fanale continues to take risks and they continue to pay off for him. It is not an album that takes any steps backwards. It continues to push forward and in doing so reclaiming industrial music as a tag to be proud of. 

Beauty Queen Autopsy – 'Lotharia'

The uniting of Unwoman's Erica Mulkey and Caustic's Matt Fanale promised to be something special from the very beginning. Combining simple mechanical post-punk beats, minimalistic synthpop electronics, and prominently placing Mulkey's seductive post-grunge vocals high in the mix Beauty Queen Autopsy present a deceptively straight-forward but undeniably infectious formula that is both intimate and dance-friendly. The album has a wonderfully gritty 90s sound to it in so much as it evokes, the best elements of the Nothing Records, Wax Trax! and Warp Records catalogues of the era but maintains a modern dark sound that is both dark and strangely pop-friendly. 'Lotharia' is quite simply a wonderfully strong full-length début from the duo. This a subtle, but varied album that leaves you hungry for more. If this offering is anything to go by, Beauty Queen Autopsy are going to be a name to watch over the next few years as they can only grow from here. 

iVardensphere – 'Fable'

iVardensphere are one of those acts that seem to just get better with every release. Their last full-length studio outing, 2013's 'The Methuselah Tree', was a high-watermark for their tribal infused rhythmic industrial formula. The band proved they could be experimental, cinematic and club friendly all in the same breath and set the bar high for this year's follow-up 'Fable'. It is immediately obvious though from the stunning opening of 'Million Year Echo' that the band are continuing to push themselves. The band's global rhythms are reflected in a cinematic style of production that even with such heavily layered tracks they sound beautiful and expansive. The lessons the band learned in creating 'The Methuselah Tree' have been built upon. They've not rested on their laurels and have written an absolute stunner of an album that in its diversity still remains cohesive and focussed. If their previous album was a game changer for the band, then 'Fable' should cement their spot as one of the most interesting and unique bands at the top of the industrial pile.

Chelsea Wolfe – 'Abyss'

Chelsea Wolfe's blend of shoegaze, goth, doom and neofolk infused art rock has quite rightly seen her quickly amass a strong following. Thanks to albums like 'Apokalypsis' and 'Pain Is Beauty' she has a rich palette of esoteric songs that are utterly bewitching, but with her fifth full-length album, 'Abyss' she looks to go a step further. Wolfe has always incorporated elements of black and doom metal on her albums, but 'Abyss' goes much further than previous albums dared. The end result is a bleak and nightmarish journey permeated by blissful melodies and crushing atmospheres. The end result is her darkest and most honest album to date, one that pushes the boundaries of her songwriting further than ever before and reaps the rewards because of it. Chelsea Wolfe may have been a rising star in alternative rock, but 'Abyss' is an album that will definitely establish her as a creative force for years to come. 

Paradise Lost - 'The Plague Within'

'The Plague Within' is one of Paradise Lost's heaviest offerings to date harking back to the ground-breaking second album 'Gothic'. Nick Holmes' death vocals are front and centre backed-up by a bludgeoning doom metal barrage tinged with gothic symphonic elements. It's the kind of album that long-time fans will be yearning for. The production is cold and bleak, recalling the likes of Ulver and Swallow The Sun. It's the band at their melancholic best brought out by the capable hands of producer Jaime Gomez Arellano. A partnership that will hopefully continue onto future releases. 'The Plague Within' is a magnum opus for the band. Uniting 25 years of melancholic evolution while pushing their sound forward once more, they exemplify their own past and future. The album is heavy, dark and full of doom metal influences executed with the skill and attention to detail that you would expect from a veteran band of their status. The album is a proud declaration that signs acknowledges their roots but gazes towards the horizon.

Swallow The Sun – 'Songs From The North I, II & III'

Since the release of their riff-laden début 'The Morning Never Came' Finland's Swallow The Sun have been a shining beacon in the ever gloomy world of doom metal. Blending death doom with funeral and ambient elements and liberally sprinkling with memorable riffs they have quickly built an enviable discography. The band's newest album is an almighty slab of everything to love about their style. Split into three albums 'Songs From The North' takes the listener through their accessible death doom on the first album. Brings us through a head mix of acoustic folk and doom on the second album. And finally unleashes monolithic slabs of pure funeral despair on the final album. The band have taken their time, indulged their whims, and made a gamble that has ultimately paid off in a big way. This album is the definitive Swallow The Sun statement. It feels 100% complete as an album as well as a perfect distillation of what is truly great about doom metal in general. There is a lot to process but it is one of those rare albums you can truly loose yourself in.

Neurotech – 'Stigma'

With two great albums out last year it was a tough choice to choose between them but in the end the more accessible 'Stigma' won out. The Ljubljana based multi-instrumentalist Wulf, has been crafting strong albums that utilise elements of future pop, new age music, symphonic electronics and metal. The latest release, 'Stigma', marks the first full-length studio album since 2011's raucous 'The Antagonist' and it aims to make people sit up and take notice. Recalling in particular the work of Peter Tagtgren with his projects Pain, and to a certain extent Lindemann, Wulf presents a highly polished individualistic project. The production is pretty good with a nice fresh and modern sound to the whole of the album. With each track getting a solid mix down. Neurotech have created another strong album that is dance friendly enough for club play, but has the right amount of heaviness to give it a broader appeal amongst metal fans.

Killing Joke – 'Pylon'

Picking up from the band's previous two outing ('Absolute Dissent' and 'MMXII') Killing Joke's latest studio album 'Pylon' is another uncompromising blend of industrial electronics, post-punk venom and metal riffs that will not fail to satisfy long-time fans of the band. In the 35 years since the band's eponymous début, music trends have come and gone, politics has come round full circle, technology is choking humanity and a dystopian malaise has set in. It's no wonder then that the anarchic and apocalyptic fire of Killing Joke is just as relevant and needed as it has ever been. The new album (number fifteen and counting!) recalls not only the band's most recent works 'Absolute Dissent', 'MMXII' and 'Hosannas From The Basement Of Hell' etc, but it also looks back to the likes of classics such as 'Pandemonium' and 'Democracy' for its musical and lyrical inspiration. 'Pylon' shows that after 35 years Killing Joke still have a lot to say and they know how to grab our attention. The band sound stronger and slicker than ever – the song writing is punch, the musicianship is solid throughout, and Jaz Coleman's vocals are sounding powerful and full of conviction. This should be an easy album for both long-time and new fans to get into as it showcases both the band's melodic and heavy sides almost equally within each song. 'Pylon' continues the band's latest and perhaps greatest run of album and promises much more to come.

Marilyn Manson – 'The Pale Emperor'

At one time it seemed as though Marilyn Manson, the self-proclaimed “God Of Fuck” could do no wrong. The former Brian Warner began his transformation into America's worst nightmare in the Florida underground rock scene in the early 90's before getting signed to Trent Reznor's Nothing Records imprint and releasing a slew of critically and commercially acclaimed albums including 'Antichrist Superstar', 'Mechanical Animals', Holy Wood' and 'The Golden Age Of Grotesque'. Fast-forward to 2007's 'Eat Me Drink Me' and 2009's 'The High End Of Low' and Manson appeared to have lost the spark that had won him legions of fans. And indeed the man himself seemed to be on course for his own public breakdown. We then pick up the story with the latest chapter 'The Pale Emperor', which is principally a collaboration with producer Tyler Bates rather than with his long-time musical confidant Twiggy Ramirez. Musically the album carries on the spikey post-punk characteristics of its predecessor and swamps it in nods to the likes of Nick Cave, Bauhaus, David Bowie and Tom Waits as well as some cinematic atmosphere for a “black and blues” slant on the Manson sound. As with 'Born Villain', 'The Pale Emperor' is good as an album and sees Manson continue the conceptual momentum as he draws the listener into his Faustian tale.

Zardonic – 'Antihero'

Following on from the thunderous 'For Justice' single that went off like a bomb earlier this year, was there ever any doubt that Zardonic's next album was going to be one to watch out for? His unique blend of bass-heavy electronic dance music genres melded with extreme metal has lit a fire under the edm scene. In the ten years since its inception, Zardonic has become one of the hottest DJ acts in the world today with not only his original tracks being released to acclaim, but also his remixing skills in demand from a range of notable artists. With a certain amount of anticipation behind it, 'Antihero' is an album that needs to hit hard, fast and leave a lasting impression. And that is exactly what it does. Drum 'n' bass, glitch hop, electro, darkstep, industrial, breakbeat, and hardcore techno collide head-on with extreme metal across eleven original tracks that will appeal to fans of Cubanate, Be My Enemy, Atari Teenage Riot, The Berzerker and the latest work from Combichrist. If you haven’t encountered Zardonic before, or are approaching his work with any degree of cynicism, then this should convert you. With 'Antihero' Zardonic has truly found his sound... and it kicks serious ass.

Grave Pleasures – 'Dreamcrash'

Under the moniker of Beastmilk, the band that is now Grave Pleasures instantly seared itself into the rock landscape with a stunning EP release in 'Use Your Deluge' and the follow-up full-length debut 'Climax' Blending post-punk, proto-goth / death rock, and elements of black and doom metal giving themselves a lot to live up to. The band then had a re-shuffle, changed their name, signed a new record deal and have hit even harder with their latest output 'Dreamcrash'. It's arguable as to whether is is in essence a debut or a sophomore album, but that minor complication is by-the-by. 'Dreamcrash' consolidates all the effort the band made under the Beastmilk moniker, expands on it, and focuses its gaze on the horizon. Icy cold atmospheres, sinister jangling guitars, tribal drums, palpitating bass lines, and the distinctive emotional evocations of vocalist Mat “Kvohst” McNerney come together in such a perfect way. There is nothing forced or contrived. 'Dreamcrash' is an album that has successfully surpassed expectations. Any worries about the line up change and subsequent re-branding of the band are instantly dispelled and all that is left behind is some of the best gothic-tinged post-punk released in years.

With The Dead – 'With The Dead' 

Given the past relationship between Rise Above Records (owned by former Cathedral vocalist Lee Dorrian), and Electric Wizard (whose founding rhythm section comprised of Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening) having been a tempestuous one, the coming together of individual members of new doom metal trio With The Dead seemed like one of those “when hell freezes over” prospects. But nevertheless it has come to pass and the end result is a heavy dose of real doom that sees the distinctive voice of Dorrian set to the rhythmic talents that gave us 'Dopethrone'. With such accomplished work in every member's respective discographies, it is evident that With The Dead is a band that has nothing to prove and is free from the shackles of everything that has come before it. Yet this isn't about resting on their laurels. With The Dead want to craft their own identity and have one hell of an album with to do it. The album is grim, heavy, eerie and crushingly brilliant. This is a stunning début from three veterans of the doom genre that acknowledges their past work, but seriously amps it up. The eerie atmospheres, use of samples, and that ever present pressure from the guitars is a simple but wonderfully effective combination that has set the bar just that little bit higher. Hopefully With The Dead will become a mainstay of the doom genre for years to come. 

Mr Kitty – 'Fragments'

Forest Carney AKA Mr Kitty returns with his fifth full-length studio album and the first since the conclusion of his acclaimed “Dark Youth” quadrillogy that encompassed 'Death', 'Eternity', 'Life', and 'Time'. The new album 'Fragments' sees a much more open and vulnerable side to Carney's song writing coming through. Musically the icy synthpop and trippy witch house elements that characterised the first four albums remains at the core of the album, but with an air of stark and clinical futurism that recalls turn of the millennium ebm. The album is a deeply satisfying of melodic synthesizers, throbbing bass, steady dance beats and soaring vocals drenched in delay. It feels delicate and brittle, but altogether more hopeful and optimistic than his previous albums. This is another great and solid album from Mr Kitty that heads in new directions with ease. It is more emotional, measured, and instilled with a strong sense of purpose that sees him firmly close the door on the quadrillogy and look ahead to a very bright future.

Primitive Race – 'Primitive Race'

There are super groups and then there is Primitive Race. Boasting members of acts such as Pop Will Eat Itself, Peter Murphy, <PIG>, KMFDM, Ministry, Tricky, Nitzer Ebb, Combichrist and others in its ranks the group headed by Chris Kniker evoke everything that is great about industrial rocks past, present and future. The sound is hard to pin down though. It is a hard mix of industrial rock and ebm, but here are so many different flavours that bubble to the surface courtesy of the revolving line up of musicians and vocalists on every track. It's a veritable smorgasbord of world class talent coming together to do what they do best. Primitive race may be a new moniker, but it's members are some of the most respected names associated with industrial, ebm, and gothic music of the last 30 years. As such, this first full-length outing feels fully formed and actualised without any straining to find a niche. Fans of classic acts such as <PIG>, KMFDM, Skinny Puppy, Nitzer Ebb, Ministry, and Nine Inch Nails will feel right at home with this. While those just taking their first steps into the scene will find this album sits comfortably on the shelf next to modern acts like 3Teeth, Youth Code, Caustic, and Project F.

Cocksure – 'Corporate_Sting'

One year on from their full-length début album, the duo of Chris Connelly and Jason Novak return with their sophomore outing under the Cocksure moniker. The band's second album 'Corporate_Sting' sees the duo continue the big beat orientated industrial mayhem of their début across ten brand new tracks that evoke they 90s heyday of the Wax Trax! sound. Hard gritty beats, throbbing bass, heavily distorted vocals, and an anything goes attitude come together to blend old school sounds with modern execution. And once again it just works so damn well. There's certainly nothing corporate about this album, but there is plenty of sting to it. 'Corporate_Sting' is another great release from Cocksure, and fans of both old school acts as well as modern bands such as 3Teeth, Project F, Öhm, and Youth Code will definitely find plenty to enjoy here. Connelly and Novak's musical partnership is fast producing some of the strongest and most memorable material of their respective careers, and long may it continue.

Lindemann – 'Skills & Pills'

The coming together of the musical maestro behind Hypocrisy and Pain, and the vocalist and lyricist of Rammstein was always going to yield interesting results. Peter Tägtgren's blend of addictive industrial metal that he perfected over the years under the Pain moniker melds perfectly with the twisted humour of Till Lindemann who now treats, or subjects, his audience (depending on your position) to every filthy lyric in English. With Rammstein Till has used English sparingly, usually for comedic effect in songs such as 'America' and 'Pussy', but with his Lindemann project he drops the veil for the non-German speaking world to finally hear. Musically the album calls heavily on Pain albums such as 'Psalms Of Extinction' and 'Cynic Paradise' with its hard, memorable riffs and industrial meets symphonic synthpop electronics. All the while Till Lindemann's distinctive vocals power through the tracks to whip up huge sing-a-long choruses. It's a combination that simply works. Hardened Rammstein and Pain fans should find plenty here to get their teeth into, though casual listeners may be turned off by Till's explicit use of English, or perhaps the strong musical resemblance to Pain rather than something drastically different. However, that's not really the point of the album. It's dirty, it's fun and it's most certainly memorable.

Cold In Berlin – 'The Comfort Of Loss & Dust'

Cold In Berlin have become one of the most respectable and genuinely intriguing bands in the UK underground. The band's first two albums were stunning exercises in gritty and arty gothic tinged post punk. But the band's third album sees perhaps the biggest step in their sonic evolution thus far as 'The Comfort Of Loss & Dust' slaps a heavy dose of stoner rock on top of the bands cool gothic sounds. The fusion is a slice of sheer bliss that recalls the black metal tinged post punk of Beastmilk, and the avant garde doom rock of Chelsea Wolfe, as well as occult rock bands such as Jex Thoth and Subrosa. The Siouxsie Sioux meets Lene Lovich with a liberal sprinkle of Grace Slick style vocals of Maya cut through the cacophony of fuzz to preserve the bands gothic menace. The bass and guitar switch between doom, stoner, and punk riffs while the drums thunder above to create a thick and foreboding atmosphere of melancholia. The Comfort Of Loss & Dust' is a revelation. They've taken a gamble and it has definitely paid off for them. It mangles and distorts genres into a captivating new beast. One that will still appeal to their long-time fans but will open new doors for them with an appeal that fans of occult rock, stoner rock and doom will find hard to resist.

Near Earth Orbit – 'The End Of All Existence'

Artaud Seth (Merciful Nuns, Lutherion, Garden Of Delight) teams up with Ashley Dayour (Whispers In the Shadows, L'Âme Immortelle, Veneno para las Hadas) to usher in the end of days. The duo's new project Near Earth Orbit is an apocalyptic exercise in atmospheric gothic rock fixated on the threat of destruction from space. The album is propelled by Fields Of The Nephilim style bass lines, coupled with near ritualistic beats, washes of droning guitars, and dark ambient synthesizers which frame Seth's shamanistic vocal style. There are nods to the likes of Fields Of The Nephilim, Pink Floyd, Tiamat, Tool, and the duo's own expansive back catalogues. It's a seminal and wholly original sound that is both disturbing and utterly compelling. 'End Of All Existence' is less of an album than an audio disaster movie. Such is the scope and excellence of the execution. Seth and Dayour have crafted a fine and original work that while following the path laid out by Seth's own recent work with Merciful Nuns, still manages to create a unique and effective identity of its own. The songs are catchy and fans of both artists will easily be able to pick up this album and engage with it. It's a promising first move from a partnership that looks set to pay off time and time again.

Sidewalks And Skeletons – 'White Light'

Love it or loath it, witch house is here to stay and so is Sidewalks And Skeletons, AKA Bradford's Jake Lee who, on his latest release under the moniker continues to experiment and push the definition of the genre. 'White Light', the follow-up to last year's 'Future Ghosts', incorporates the classic trappings of witch house but pushes beyond them as well and even goes as far to infuse metal elements into some of the songs. It is an album that is set on expanding the palette of its creator and the experimental scope of the genre. 'White Light' is hands down the strongest Sidewalks And Skeletons release to date, and perhaps one of the best witch house-related releases of the year. The songs are aiming for another level and more often than not reach it. It has aspirations to stay true to its roots but at the same time redefine what they are and can encompass. This is an album that should hopefully capture a lot of people's attention, and quite rightly so.

Chant – 'Brave New Apocalypse'

Chant, AKA Bradley Bills, sounds like one of those projects that has been around forever... despite only being on album number three. Chant's high profile North American and European tour supports with the likes of KMFDM and Die Krupps has seen Bills spread his tribal infused industrial sound far and wide and gained an international following in the process. Drawing on influences such as Nitzer Ebb, Nine Inch Nails, Killing Joke, and KMFDM there is something classic about his sonic formula that creates and instant familiarity. The third album from Chant, 'Brave New Apocalypse' sees Bills further refine his rhythmic industrial manifesto and brings in a fresh take on the classic industrial rock style of the early 1990s. 'Brave New Apocalypse' is a great stylistic turn by Bills and should play well to new fans looking for something to rock out to, as well as older fans who will feel a pang of nostalgia for the days in which industrial rock gained some mainstream traction. It is full of potential club-friendly hits and will ensure a healthy live repertoire for future live shows. But most importantly it should continues to see Bradley Bills song writing talents strengthen and his position solidify as a name to be reckoned with.





EPs:

Wik▲n – 'Nightfall'

Sheffield's Wik▲n may be flying the flag for the witch house scene, but there is so much more to their sound than that. Their newest offering (their eighth EP since 2010) 'Nightfall' includes ambient, drone, noise, dark electro, and even neofolk as well as drag and witch house to create haunting soundscapes and experimental grooves. But no matter which direction they choose to go, the songs remain epic in their scope and rarely drop below seven minutes in length. Wik▲n may not be a common name in the UK underground scene but they should be. 'Nightfall' is a mature, engrossing and deeply fulfilling listening experience. The band prove they can turn their hand to anything and everything here and still make it sound like a cohesive whole. This is definitely an act to keep your eye on.

Garek – 'Take the King Vol. 1'

You may have seen the videos for the incendiary slices of pop-industrial that Garek has released prior to his début EP in the form of 'Cavity', 'Save The Queen' and his cover of Katy Perry's 'E.T'. If you haven't had the pleasure yet then you've been missing out. Garek presents a satisfying blend of electro mixed with industrial rock and given a radio-friendly pop veneer that recalls the classic years of Marilyn Manson, Orgy, Nine Inch Nails, and recent acts such as Aesthetic Perfection. Throw in a glamorous presentation and a genuinely artistic idiom and you have a winning formula. The EP is brief clocking in a t just over twelve minutes in length and refreshingly doesn’t include any tacked-on remixes, instead keeping to the short but complete statement of the four tracks. But despite it's length it hits its mark with ease. Garek has a great sound that won't fail to inspire a big following and perhaps even some cross-over success down the line.

(((O))) – 'We Hate You'

Despite only emerging in 2012 (((O))), AKA Nikita Vasilyev has already developed a loyal following thanks to releases such as 'Black EP' and 'Motherland'. This year the Belarus-based artist returns with the new three-track EP, 'We Hate You'. Taking its cues from LaVey and Lovecraft it's dark experimental electronics and witch house embellishments make it one of the few underground electronic bands that can be happily summed up as avant garde while keeping a straight face. If you haven't had the pleasure of listening to (((O))) then 'We Hate You' is a good starting point. It's accessible, moody and psychedelic electronic that fans of dark electro will be able to appreciate. It would have been nicer to have a bit of a longer running time. But the three tracks feel like a complete statement, so it is by no means disappointing. However it does build up the anticipation that could be quenched by another full-length release.

The Gothsicles – 'The Nyarlat Hot EP'

After Brian Graupner and his band of reprobates embark on their most club-friendly and well-rounded outing to date with the delightfully mad 'Squid Icarus', The Gothsicles returned with a follow-up EP in the form of 'The Nyarlat Hot EP'. Picking up where they left off the band with three new songs and some bonus remixes to extend their club appeal a little further. The classic Gothsicle elements are all present such as Graupner's bat-shit crazy vocals, the 8-bit leads, and of course more nerd culture thrown under the microscope and lovingly mocked. Throw in some great remixes from the likes of  Ballpeen, Projekt F and God Module and this is becomes and addictive little taste of where the band are at. The EP may be a humble one and not exactly push new ground in it's own right, but it is a nonetheless zany and delightful appendage to the main album that still has some great dance floor moments to enjoy.

Monomorte – 'The Three Mothers'

Danny Ryder AKA, Monomorte, returns with a new EP sure to appeal to fans of witch house. The Liverpool-based producer has crafted some wonderfully unique releases in recent years including 'Ad Extremvm', 'Coven XXIII', and 'Douosvavvm' which have explored genres such as chillwave, ambient, old school house, trip hop and industrial to create a take on the witch house sound that is accessible, enjoyable and most importantly high quality music. 'The Three Mothers' is a very, very strong release from Ryder. Its a shame it only features three tracks as it leaves you hungry for more. It shows Ryder continueing to develop and improve his take on the witch house sound, and as a result raise the quality for others to aspire to. Let's hope a full-length release is on the cards soon.

Psy'Aviah – 'Never Look Back' / Words' EP

Belgium's Psy'Aviah AKA multi-instrumentalist and producer Yves Schelpe, have been providing an eclectic injection into the electronic scene for a number of years. Blending elements of trip hop, ambient, pop, rock, techno, electroclash, and ebm Schelep and his now revolving door of talented vocalists the music of Psy'Aviah has always been something that is hard to ignore. Now one year on after the last full-length outing on 'The Xenogamous Endeavour' Schelpe returns with the 'Never Look Back' / 'Words' EP as a precursor to the next Psy'Aviah album. With the two lead tracks Schelpe continues to break down genre conventions injecting 'Never Look Back', which features the vocal talents of Ellia Bisker of New York's Sweet Soubrette, with a heavily trip-hop saturated direction while keeping it's fresh electro framework. While 'Words' , featuring J Ari, adds a couple of big helpings of reggae and Mowtown to Schelpe's electronic formula. This EP bodes well for the forthcoming album. If it continues down a similar line of eclectic genre blending and emotion-tugging melodies, then the next full-length Psy'Aviah album could be their best yet. 

V▲LH▲LL – 'Vi††ΞЯS†ЯåK'

Stockholm's V▲LH▲LL are an undeniably impressive act. Formed in 2012 they have fast become one of the most impressive underground electronic acts around today despite only having a few releases to their name. Their début full-length release last year on Artoffact Records, 'Leaning On Shadows' was a triumphant blend of atmospheric songwriting incorporating elements of witch house, neofolk, dark ambient and industrial. Just in time for Halloween comes the band's new single 'Vi††ΞЯS†ЯåK' which features two tracks of dissonant dark ambiance to send shivers down your spine. This is another great release from V▲LH▲LL that continues to show off their skill and diversity. They seamlessly span experimental and more accessible genres and can craft exquisitely haunting atmospheres with ease. 'Vi††ΞЯS†ЯåK' is Halloween friendly scary music in a non cliché way that shows a real mastery of sound, melody and rhythm. Hopefully the band will follow this up soon with another full-length album to show the full scope of their abilities again.

Blush Response – 'Future Tyrants'

Blush Response's last release, 2014's 'Desire Machines' was a stunning blend of avant garde electronics and intelligent dance music that consolidated Joey Blush's position as arguably one of the most exciting electronic musicians around today. Utilising modular synthesizers, Blush blends a mixture of influences gleaned from glitch, ambient, industrial, ebm and electronica to create something truly fresh and modern. Fast forward two years and the now Berlin based artist releases his latest EP 'Future Tyrants' on Aufnahme + Wadergabe. Distorted glitch elements combine with subtle dance beats and throbbing synth bass for a dark and satisfying sound that evokes the early works of acts such as Front 242, Skinny Puppy, Die Krupps, Cabaret Voltaire, and Front Line Assembly. 'Future Tyrants' is another feather in Joey Blush's cap showing him to be a true master of his art. The album is comprised of instrumentals, and that may turn off those who like a nice lyric or two to get stuck into, but it doesn't hold it back. These are four bold and forceful tracks that demand to be heard and leave you feeling satisfied. Fans of the old school sound will immediately dig it, while those newer to the classic ebm / electro-indutrial scene will still find this an accessible point of reference.

Celldweller – 'End Of an Empire – Chapter 3: Dreams'

If the previous album had been a scatter-gun affair then this time around it shows that Klayton has learned his lesson and kept to a more unified plan. '...Dreams' continues the sound-designed approach of the previous two instalments with the instrumental 'Faction' tracks taking the majority of the airtime around two central vocal tracks. This chapter shows that the 'End Of An Empire' album is progressing nicely and may even eclipse the eponymous début album. The fact it is being released in chapters is still very frustrating as it would be great to listen to everything in one sitting and take it all in properly. However it seems as though Klayton has got this one completely under control this time and we won't have long to wait to get the final instalment.

In Death It Ends – 'Protogrammaton'

In Death It Ends has maintained an intensive release schedule over the past few years with multiple album, single, EP and free download releases each year. This has already built up into an impressive and enviable back catalogue that synthesizes elements of witch house, post punk, gothic rock, industrial and darkwave into something genuinely unique. 'Protogrammaton' marks the start of the 2015 release cycle in anticipation of the next full length LP 'Beneath Eden'. Even though it is a free to download mini-album, that doesn't take away from the quality of the music it contains. If this is your first introduction to IDIE then 'Protogrammaton' is a good place to start. It provides a good cross section of the band's styles and influences in one accessible package. It isn't the most defining of the back catalogue to date, but it still holds its own.

Keep an eye out for more countdowns this month. In the meantime, what were your favourite albums off the past twelve months? Let us know on our Facebook page.  

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The Intravenous Magazine Halloween Roundup 2015

It is that time of year again children of the night. The nights are getting longer, the moon is full and all those nasty things that go bump in the night are coming out to play! Of course by that I mean it is time for Halloween, which luckily falls on a Saturday this year! That means you can take longer to get ready and still have all of Sunday to recover... depending on what it is you'll be getting up to of course.

If you're still not sure what there is to do this Halloween, don't worry. We here at Intravenous Magazine have once again accumulated a big list of suggestions to give you a few ideas no matter who... or what you are! If you want to head out and do the monster mash at a club, we have a few ideas. Want to head to the cinema? There's some great looking films out right now. Want to stay in with a good book or DVD? We've got you covered. Want something more family friendly? Yep, we've even taken that into consideration.

So without further ado here are our picks for Halloween 2015...

A Compendium Of Terror...

First off we have some features from our crypt to get you in the mood while you're getting ready to get your costume on and head out to terrorise the town...

• Halloween And Other Rituals
• Dress Up, Dress Down - Everyday is Halloween
• Christopher Lee: The most terrifying roles!
• Obituary: Sir Christopher Lee 1922 – 2015
• Come to Daddy: 5 Things we want to see in the new Hellraiser (and 5 things we don't)
• Video Nasties (NSFW)
• Screams in the silence: Horror films of the silent era (Part 1)
• Screams in the silence: Horror films of the silent era (Part 2)
• For The Love Of Lovecraft...
• Obituary: H.R. Giger 1940 – 2014
• IVM's 50 essential horror films for Halloween
• IVM's All Hallow's Read recommendations
• The bloody shadow of Jack The Ripper
• Hammer Horror Head To Head: Frankenstein Vs Dracula (part 2)
• Hammer Horror Head To Head: Frankenstein Vs Dracula (part 1)

Strange Frequencies...

If you'd rather set the mood with a little audio, huddled round the wireless listening to tales of terror then why not check out these links to some of the spookiest podcasts on the web...

• The No Sleep Podcast
• Anything Ghost
• Tales To Terrify
• The 13th Hour
• The Byron Chronicles
• Campfire Radio Theatre
• Dark Adventure Radio Theatre
• Frankenstein Vs Dracula
• Horror Theatre
• Night Terrors
• The Professor Winters Mysteries
• Sci-Fi Radio Theatre
• Twilight Zone Radio

Or why not listen to some vintage radio plays for some old school scares?




Mercury Theater on the Air: Dracula from The Radio Ghost on Vimeo.

• Quiet Please 
• Lights Out 
• The Hermits Cave 

Sinister Tomes...

As we say every year, we here at Intravenous Magazine are big supporters of Neil Gaiman's All Hallow's Read project which promotes the giving of scary books as a gift every Halloween. So every year we like to recommend a few scary books that you can pick up to read alone or with friends this Halloween.

'Rawblood' – Catriona Ward
In 1910, eleven year old Iris Villarca lives with her father at Rawblood, a lonely house on Dartmoor. Iris and her father are the last of their name. The Villarcas always die young, bloodily. Iris knows it’s because of a congenital disease which means she must be strictly isolated. Papa told her so. Forbidden to speak to other children or the servants, denied her one friend, Iris grows up in solitude. But she reads books. And one sunlit autumn day, beside her mother’s grave, she forces the truth from her father. The disease is biologically impossible. A lie, to cover a darker secret.

'Monster' – C.J. Skuse
At sixteen Nash thought that the fight to become Head Girl of prestigious boarding school Bathory would be the biggest battle she’d face. Until her brother’s disappearance leads to Nash being trapped at the school over Christmas with Bathory’s assorted misfits. As a blizzard rages outside, strange things are afoot in the school’s hallways, and legends of the mysterious Beast of Bathory – a big cat rumoured to room the moors outside the school – run wild. Yet when the girls’ Matron goes missing it’s clear that something altogether darker is to blame – and that they’ll have to stick together if they hope to survive.

'The Darkness On His Bones' – Barbara Hambly
When James Asher is found unconscious in the cemetery of the Church of St. Clare Pieds-Nus with multiple puncture-wounds in his throat and arms, his wife, Lydia, knows of only one person to call: the vampire Don Simon Ysidro. Old friend and old adversary, he is the only one who can help Lydia protect her unconscious, fevered husband from the vampires of Paris.

'Dark Screams: Volume 5' – Brian Jame Freeman & Richard Chizmar
Mick Garris, J. Kenner, Kealan Patrick Burke, Del James, and Bentley Little pry open a sarcophagus of horror and dread in Dark Screams: Volume Five, from Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar of the esteemed Cemetery Dance Publications.

'The Damned' – Tarn Richardson
1914. The outbreak of war. In the French city of Arras, a Father is brutally murdered. The Catholic Inquisition - still powerful, but now working in the shadows - sends its most determined and unhinged of Inquisitors, Poldek Tacit to investigate: his mission to protect the Church from those who would seek to undermine it, no matter what the cost.

'A Head Full Of Ghosts' – Paul Tremblay
The lives of the Barretts, a normal suburban New England family, are torn apart when fourteen-year-old Marjorie begins to display signs of acute schizophrenia.To her parents’ despair, the doctors are unable to stop Marjorie’s descent into madness. As their stable home devolves into a house of horrors, they reluctantly turn to a local Catholic priest for help. Father Wanderly suggests an exorcism; he believes the vulnerable teenager is the victim of demonic possession. He also contacts a production company that is eager to document the Barretts’ plight. With John, Marjorie’s father, out of work for more than a year and the medical bills looming, the family agrees to be filmed, and soon find themselves the unwitting stars of The Possession, a hit reality television show. When events in the Barrett household explode in tragedy, the show and the shocking incidents it captures become the stuff of urban legend.

'The Fifth House Of the Heart' – Ben Tripp
Asmodeus “Sax” Saxon-Tang, a vainglorious and well-established antiques dealer, has made a fortune over many years by globetrotting for the finest lost objects in the world. Only Sax knows the true secret to his success: at certain points of his life, he’s killed vampires for their priceless hoards of treasure.
But now Sax’s past actions are quite literally coming back to haunt him, and the lives of those he holds most dear are in mortal danger. To counter this unnatural threat, and with the blessing of the Holy Roman Church, a cowardly but cunning Sax must travel across Europe in pursuit of incalculable evil—and immeasurable wealth—with a ragtag team of mercenaries and vampire killers to hunt a terrifying, ageless monster…one who is hunting Sax in turn.

'Little Girls' – Ronald Malfi
When Laurie was a little girl, she was forbidden to enter the room at the top of the stairs. It was one of many rules imposed by her cold, distant father. Now, in a final act of desperation, her father has exorcised his demons. But when Laurie returns to claim the estate with her husband and ten-year-old daughter, it’s as if the past refuses to die. She feels it lurking in the broken moldings, sees it staring from an empty picture frame, hears it laughing in the moldy greenhouse deep in the woods…

'Troll Hunters' – Guillermo del Toro &Daneil Kraus
Jim Sturges is your typical teen in suburban San Bernardino-one with an embarrassingly overprotective dad, a best friend named "Tubby" who shares his hatred of all things torturous (like gym class), and a crush on a girl who doesn't know he exists. But everything changes for Jim when a 45-year old mystery resurfaces, threatening the lives of everyone in his seemingly sleepy town. Soon Jim has to team up with a band of unlikely (and some un-human) heroes to battle the monsters he never knew existed.


'The Silence' – Tim Lebbon
In the darkness of a vast cave system, cut off from the world for millennia, blind creatures hunt by sound. Then there is light, there are voices, and they feed... Swarming from their prison, they multiply and thrive. To scream, even to whisper, is to summon death.
Deaf for many years, Ally knows how to live in silence. Now, it is her family's only chance of survival. To leave their home, to shun others, to find a remote haven where they can sit out the plague. But will it ever end? And what kind of world will be left?


Evil Visions...
We've already given you a definitive run-down of our 50 favourite horror films of all time. But there are plenty more new cuts on offer on DVD and in the cinema this year. If you're the kind of person whou would spend Halloween under a blanket watching a scary film, here are some new ones worth checking out.

Crimson Peak
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston
Director: Guillermo del Toro

Goosebumps
Starring: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush 
Director: Rob Letterman

The Visit
Starring: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan
Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan
Director: Christopher Landon

Insidious: Chapter 3
Starring: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson
Director: Leigh Whannell

The Witch
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie
Director: Robert Eggers

Maggie
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, Joely Richardson
Director: Henry Hobson

Tale Of Halloween
Starring: Booboo Stewart, Ben Woolf, Cerina Vincent
Director: Various

Poltergeist
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kennedi Clements
Director: Gil Kenan

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension
Starring: Chris J. Murray, Brit Shaw, Ivy George
Director: Gregory Plotkin

Black Masses...

If you're a party animal who relishes the chance to get out on the town every Halloween, but haven't made up your mind as to where to spend your night yet, we've got some club nights across the UK to recommend. 

Slimelight, London – Klub Wicked: 31^st October

Fulford Arms, York – Rock n Roll Zombeach Party: 31^st October

Corporation, Sheffield – Satellite 'Hellraiser': 31^st October

Academy, Glasgow – Club Noir Halloween Masked Ball: 31^st October

Pit and Pendulum, Nottingham – Coven Nun Of A Bitch: 31^st October

Grand Hall Camden, London – Belle Epoque Halloween Circus: 31^st October

Coronet, London: Torture Garden Halloween Ball 2: 31^st October

Whitby – Goth Weekend: 28^th October - 1^st November

Eddies, Brimingham: Halloween at Eddies: 31^st October

The Candlelight Club, London – Halloween Ball: 31^st October

Best Of The Rest...

If you've got kids, or fancy doing something a little different this year, why not check out these fun activities across the UK.

Pinup Nightmare Halloween Special 
Lola Lo, Manchester, Thursday 29th October 

Tulley's Parks Spooktober Fest / Schocktober Fest / The Howl
Tulley's Parks, Crawley/Leighton Buzzard, Multiple dates

Nightwatchers
Tower of London, London, 28^th October - 7^th November

All Hallow's Eve All Nighter
Regent St Cinema, Marleybone, 31^st October

Halloween Ghost Hunt
Oxford Castle, Oxford, 31^st October & 1^st November

The Home of Halloween
York Dungeon, York, 17^th - 31^st October

Illuminated Abbey
Whitby Abbey, Whitby, 28^th - 31^st October

Icky, Yucky, Sticky Stuff!
Eureka!, Halifax, 24^th October - 1^st November

Quarantine: Zombie Fright Night
Thackray Medical Museum, Leeds, 31^st October

The Annual Pumpkin Festival
Canon Hall Farm, South Yorkshire, 24^th - 31^st October


That is just a little taste of some of the great and ghastly goings on that can be found up and down the country this week, but there are many more. So please consult your local papers, event guides, Facebook and anywhere else that may advertise events and support them. However if you're not feeling socially inclined this year, you can always check out the various podcasts, films and books that we have recommended. But no matter how you choose to spend your night, we here at Intravenous Magazine would like to wish you a very happy Halloween. 

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