Review: Monomorte – 'The Three Mothers'

MONOMORTE
'The Three Mothers'
SELF-RELEASED

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 the latest EP outing from Monomorte and immediately dives straight in with some dark and spooky ambience permeated by a simple and addictive beat which harks back to the sound on 'Ad Extremvum', but with a noticeable improvement in quality. 'My Mirrors Are Black' follows with a more club-orientated feel to inject some energy into the release; complete with a steady dance beat, ebm style synth bass and near trance-like lead occasionally rearing up it has undeniable dance potential. The final cut on the EP is the dark ambient leaning 'The Men' which incorporates a little bit of the witch house sound but until about the halfway point where the beat kicks in it keeps the subtle. It is however one of the most stunning tracks from this artist to date and the stand-out on this EP.

In terms of production this release continues the upwards trend that Ryder has shown with every bit of output. The quality is excellent, the songs – even the more club-friendly 'My Mirrors Are Black' have and airy feel to them that lets each element shine through with ease.

'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.  

Read More

Book Review: William Todd Rose – 'The Realms Of The Dead'

WILLIAM TODD ROSE
'The Realms Of The Dead'
HYDRA

Working somewhere between horror and speculative fiction, 'The Realms Of the Dead' sees the pairing of two novellas by author William Todd Rose. The first, 'Crossfades', introduces Chuck Grainger, a Recon and Enforcement Technician who guides tormented spirits into the next life on behalf of a shadowy secret organisation called The Institute. The novella is a punchy and fairly fast paced exploration of dystopian fiction with horror elements – think Philip K Dick collaborating with Stephen King, and you'll get the gist of this universe.

With an emphasis on astral projection, nightmarish dimensions, the afterlife and evil the book feels more horror than sci-fi a lot of the time, and that's fine. The narrative is heavily focussed on Grainger and his task of helping souls stuck between life and death in so-called “crossfades”. His job takes a sinister twist as he discovers a force set on coming after him.

As a novella, 'Crossfades' doesn't have a lot of room to develop the background world and add a great deal of scope to the workings of its universe. Instead the plot keeps itself fairly straightforward and even when metaphysical subjects come up it doesn't dwell on them. Therefore it is quite an easy read that can be easily picked up and consumed in little time.

The writing style is again reminiscent of the likes of Stephen King – while it is not a grand exercise in literature it is accessible, intriguing and a solid story that comes to an enjoyable conclusion.

The second novella in this volume is 'Bleedovers'. Having overcome the evil force of the first volume this stand-a-lone, but related story sees Grainger face a different challenge.

The first novel saw the main action set in the spiritual world where the supernatural horror element was incredibly lurid and tense. This second story sees this horror bleeding over into reality as the evil that faced Grainger attempts to get revenge and threatening to unleash unimaginable terrors on the real world.

The subject matter is broadly the same with similar metaphysical themes running throughout. There is more of a psychic element to this story due to the character of Marilee Williams who joins Grainger in attempting to destroy this evil once and for all. And we do get to see a little bit more of The Institute and the world in which the characters inhabit.

When combined these two novellas make for a light, graphic and easy read. It is fairly logical in its premise and would very easily transpose into a TV mini series with ease. As a work of fiction it is unlikely to make a huge overall impression, but it is entertaining and well paced. It would be nice to see Rose develop this world further, perhaps in a full-length novel that delves more into the wider context of the characters world.  

Read More

Review: Acid Casualty – 'King Outcast'

ACID CASUALTY
'King Outcast'
BEYOND THERAPY RECORDS

Michigan, USA's Acid Casualty are a bit of an oddity. The electronic-industrial two-piece have a distinct sound that owes a lot to the 80s and 90s industrial scene. The beats are simple, the songs are fairly stripped back and they don't overindulge in the trappings of the modern sound. Instead we get a purer exploration of hardware and the interplay of groove and melody.

There is a nice seedy edge to the band's sound with the dominant synth bass permeating each track on the EP. The distorted vocals are not overly manipulated, but given enough treatment to make them sound creepy. And the heavy use of a pure piano sound for the lead melodies adds a more delicate dimension to the songs.

'UltraViolence' opens with it's swinging drum beat and simple synth bass over which the vocals and lead piano melody push the song. It's a very simple opener but one that is nonetheless infectious for it. 'King Outcast' follows on with a little more texture in the mix, but again the piano and vocals over a simple synth bass and jarring drum beat create something quite addictive out of as few ingredients. The third and final track on the album, 'Sea Of Hate' attacks with a more forceful rhythm and bass combo and adds some more synth sounds to bulk out the track more and it works well for it without betraying that “less is more” quality of the first two songs.

The production has a retro flavour to it but it isn't low-fi in any way. It is nicely mixed, and has enough spit and polish to bring the various elements of each track out. There's no needless distortion or cavernous echo like you'd expect for a band that is trying to get that rough early sound. Instead it sounds clean and classic.

'King Outcast' is an unusual EP but a surprisingly satisfying one. It may be stripped back, straightforward and quite retro in it's construction. But that doesn't take away from the songwriting talent behind it. It is at the end of the day a solid and addictive listen that shows a lot of promise from this act.  

Read More

Review: Tor Marrock & Coco Star – 'A Christmas Night'

TOR MARROCK & COCO STAR
'A Christmas Night'
BLACK VULTURE RECORDS

Welsh doom metal masters Tor Marrock return with their first ever single in time for Christmas 2015. The aptly titled 'A Christmas Night' sees the band team up with Coco Star – who you may recognise as the vocalist behind the hit dance anthem 'I Need A Miracle' – to create a hauntingly ambient metal ballad.

The single sees the electronic and atmospheric elements of the Tor Marrock sound recognisable more from their 2007 début 'A Gothic Romance' at the forefront of the track. A sturdy bass line and drum beat add an old school gothic rock vibe to it, especially when coupled with the icy cold lead synths, before the heavy guitar kicks in for a little more power.

The interplay of the male and female vocals works especially well together with Tor Marrock's gravely, almost whispered voice underpinning Coco Star's more ethereal projections.

The production is nice and straightforward with the synths at the head of the mix to really drive that Christmas ambience home while the rock and metal elements provide a solid foundation from which the vocals can grow. It continues the build of quality from the band's last album 'Destroy The Soul', but with the added electronic elements it gives the sound another dimension.

This is a damn good song for anyone looking to shake up their Christmas play list. The use of the heavier metal elements of the band's sound is subtle, the gothic rock side is solid and drives the song forward, the vocals sound great together and the electronics have captured that dark winter atmosphere. Definitely one to check out this Yule.

Read More

Introducing... DrakenWerks

Name of band: DrakenWerks 

Members: Draken (mastermind, composer, vocals - Live and Studio), Martyn Zerostar (live synths), Kelly Lawrence (live synths). 

Year formed: 2013 

Location: South Wales, UK 

“The key to success in this industry is start off by listening. Patiently and quietly listen to everyone else, what they have to say. What works and what doesn't work. Yes, there is a degree of having to find your own way, but despite all the wonderful drama's that keep us entertained on the scene, there is a lot of good people out there who if you take the time are willing to impart their wisdom.”

Hard to categorize, DrakenWerks describes it's genre as an 'Industrial Mayhem,' an experimental melting pot of EBM-Industrial style music that is not so easy to pigeon hole. Yet this unique blend can shift one moment from hard hitting, heavy pounding dance songs through to gentle, reflective synth-pop melodies with orchestral elements the next.

Intravenous Magazine: Who are you and how did the band/project come to be formed?

DrakenWerks is an electronic music project that is the brain child of Draken, regular DJ and promoter on the Goth and Industrial scene in South Wales. Draken began from scratch, learning his art in 2011 with little musical background but was inspired by the local rock acts to do something musical based around his own passion for alternative electronic music such as EBM and Industrial.

It took Draken a few years to get things to a level where he was happy, but at the end of 2013, Draken took to the stage for the first time with DrakenWerks to support V2a (UK) and Ritualz (Mexico) when they visited Cardiff with a blinding first live performance. Since then, the project has been refined both in the studio and live, bringing in Kelly Lawrence and Martyn Zerostar for the live synths whilst in the studio, DrakenWerks in 2015 began working with producer Gregor Beyerle (formerly of Modulate, currently of Skyla Vertex and Reaper and also live keys for Nachtmahr and L'ame Immortelle) whose own touch has brought a more polished and professional touch to their existing sound.

IVM: How would you describe your sound/style, and how did you arrive at it?

It's very hard to pigeon hole your own sound / style, that's generally something other people do for your music. Draken finds it much better when writting our stuff to just go with what comes out at the time. Sometimes that is hard and dancey, other times more gentle and tender, what ever suits the particular song that is being worked on at the time. Certainly, our stuff is strongly influenced by the whole alternative electronic spectrum as a whole, but to then further define it into a sub-genre is not something we'd care to attempt because it is nearly always a subjective and opinion based thing.

IVM: Who and what are your primary influences both musical and non-musical?

Though our primary musical influences come from listening to other bands on the scene, both old and new, Industrial or Trad (we love going and seeing other bands perform and drawing from that experience), Draken also gets a lot of inspiration as well from other musical sources, particularly things like old synthpop artists like Mike Oldfield or Jean Michelle Jarre, old rock artists like Pink Floyd or Fleetwood Mac, 90's dance artists like KLF or Faithless or even older classical music (Draken is particular fond of Holst's Planet Suite). All these things could be said to end up in the melting pot that have an influence on the music Draken creates.

Non-musically, DrakenWerks draws a lot of inspiration from his own life with the things he has felt or stuff he has drawn from interacting with other people. A good example of this is 'Stress' from the new forthcoming album 'No Prisoners', a song that was literally written and recorded in a day whilst Draken was experiencing a large amount of the songs title and something many people should be able to connect too.

IVM: Do you perform live and if so where can we see you perform in the near future?

DrakenWerks has performed live multiple times over the last two years in the Welsh cities of Swansea and Cardiff, supporting acts like V2A, Ayria, Inertia and Ashestoangels as well as headlining a number of other gigs. More recently, DrakenWerks blazed into Bristol supporting industrial rockers 3Teeth in October 2015. We are currently working on the second album at the moment so we are taking a small break from the live scene but we already have one gig booked in for Swansea next May and we are working on booking a few others as well to help promote the new album a bit further a field.

IVM: What is your current release and where is it available from?

Our latest release is the single 'Suck it up M***er F***er', the title track from which is also due to be featured on our forthcoming second album, 'No Prisoners', due out in early 2016. The full version of this "single" which also features a B-Side (Candle in Darkness), a number of remixes and an orchestral re-imagining of the B-Side can be picked up from Bandcamp for just £2.99. If the more mainstream digital outlets are more to your style, the A and B-Side of this single can also be downloaded through all the usual outlets like iTunes, Spotify, Amazon etc.

IVM: What have been the highlights of your career so far?

We have achieved so much, but this summer of 2015 just gone has got to be our greatest highlight so far. After release the single, we've been literally gobsmacked at the huge positive response we have had with it globally. We have gained a large amount of new fans, particularly from countries like Brazil and Mexico, as well as here in the UK and across the water in Germany and it is all down to that one single. I think we can safely say we have found our sound and from this point forth it is all about refining that.

IVM: What are your plans for the future?

Our second album, 'No Prisoners', is due out early 2016. We have pretty much done everything we need to do our end of things and our producer is now working hard to get the album completely mixed and mastered properly on time. As well as featuring the singles title track, 'Suck it up M***er F***er', there are 14 more tracks also on this album, that we certainly think is our best work to date.

After 'No Prisoners', we plan to re-release our first album. 'Prototype to Destruction' was written whilst Draken was still learning the ropes and prior to ourselves bringing in a producer. Whilst we like the original album, it just isn't even in the same game as 'No Prisoners', so Draken is going back, refining the tracks and getting Gregor to mix and master those into an album called 'Prototype Rebuilt', which will also feature a couple of new tracks as well as rebuilt tracks from the first album.

We also have plans for a third album to be released towards the end of 2016 / beginning of 2017, called 'Age of Information'. Work has also already begun on this and will be continued on by the band whilst 'Prototype Rebuilt' is with our producer.

IVM: Finally, is there anything that you would like to add?

The key to success in this industry is start off by listening. Patiently and quietly listen to everyone else, what they have to say. What works and what doesn't work. Yes, there is a degree of having to find your own way, but despite all the wonderful drama's that keep us entertained on the scene, there is a lot of good people out there who if you take the time are willing to impart their wisdom. DrakenWerks owes it's growing success as much to that as it does to all the other things like passion, drive, creativity and ambition. If we can do it, so can many others.

Links:
www.drakenwerks.com
www.facebook.com/DrakenWerks
www.tsu.co/DrakenWerks
www.twitter.com/DrakenWerks

Read More

Review: Inkubus Sukkubus – 'Mother Moon'

INKUBUS SUKKUBUS
'Mother Moon'
RESURRECTION RECORDS

Inkubus Sukkubus have been a mainstay of both the UK and European goth scenes for 25 years now with their unique brand of pagan infused gothic rock inspiring a loyal following and gaining the mainstream exposure now and then. The band have an already expansive discography that includes genres classics such as 'Wytches', 'Vampyre Erotica', and 'Supernature'. Now in 2015 the band have released their seventeenth full-length studio album in the form of 'Mother Moon'.

The band pick up where they left off with perfectly sequenced rhythms, searing guitars, throbbing bass and the always sensuous vocals of Candia taking centre stage. You might not think that there is much room to manoeuvre with their sound after a quarter of a century and so many albums, but they just do that.

Songs such as 'Mother Moon', 'Shadows In the Darkness', 'My Demons', and 'Witch Child'stylistically and thematically link back to many of the strongest offerings from their previous releases and living up to their pagan rock crown. The album has a heavily acoustic leaning that is explored particularly well on tracks such as 'Loose Yourself At The Nymphaeum', 'Zephyrus', 'I Am The One', 'Dark Sisters', 'Bitter Sweet Succubus', 'No End To War' taking the album in an almost neofolk direction. The end result is an ethereal bias that is one of the most overt than on any Inkubus Sukkubus album for a while.

The production is light and airy that particularly benefits the stripped-back acoustic compositions, while the more rock flavoured cuts are up to the usual standards we've come to expect. It doesn't play hard and fast with the band's core elements but compliments them nicely.

The album may not be a revelation or grand reconstruction of their core sound. Also the acoustic bias may limit it's appeal somewhat to fans of their more gothic rock sound. However 'Mother Moon' shows that after 25 years, Inkubus Sukkubus are still relevant and able to craft something genuinely beautiful while staying true to their long- term manifesto. 

Read More

Review: KPT – 'Alive By Machines'

KPT
'Alive By Machines'
POLKADOT MAYHEM

The recent single from KPT, 'Descent' (featuring Jekka) was a tantalising peak into the forthcoming full-length studio album from the US-based dark electronica producer. Blending the dark and deep textures of darkwave and industrial with the attention grabbing accessibility of modern edm, it promised great things from it's parent album 'Alive By Machines'. And it is a promise the album makes good on.

The album blends elements of dark ambient, dark wave, industrial, edm, and techno with ease. It is quite a unique and hard to pin-down sound, but there are definitely parts that recall the likes of Diamond Version, Aphex Twin, and Blush Response. It's a sound that would sit well on the Raster-Noton roster very comfortably as it straddles the line between experimental and accessible effortlessly.

Tracks such as 'Ventilate', 'Revol' (featuring Gus Watkins), 'Collapsed', and 'Burn' give the album a fiercely intelligent and almost confrontational backbone with heavy distortion, dark atmospheres and creepy samples peppering the tracks. On the other hand tracks like 'Open', 'Descent' (featuring Jekka), 'Disintegrate', and 'Reconstruction' frame a core edm sound with darker textures and overtones for great effect.

The production is slick and modern with even the harsher elements sounding more textural than abrasive. While the ambient and dance elements, though subtle, are used to great effect. The balance between melodic and harsh is perfect all the way through and the mix creates a nice sense of space that gives the whole album a cinematic quality.

This is a great album that will appeal to anyone who likes the more challenging end of the edm spectrum. But fans of industrial, dark electro, and ambient music will also find lots to get stuck into. KPT will certainly be a name to keep an eye out for as an exciting rising name in both the dark electronica and edm genres with cerebral releases such as this.  

Read More

INGRID PITT AND THE DARKNESS OF HORROR

This month sees the anniversary of both the birth and death of Ingrid Pitt, who passed away in 2010. Like the recently deceased Christopher Lee, Ingrid was one of the most iconic horror actors in British cinema and today we remember her not only as one of the formidable group of women actors involved in Hammer and Amicus horror factories but also as staple of cult, sci-fi and horror culture. She was also that extremely rare thing - a female anti-heroic lead. In both 'The Vampire Lovers' and 'Countess Dracula' Pitt played the roles of powerful and sadistic predators, which was very unusual at the time (and since) and which marked her out as a rare and vivid screen presence. Add to that her role in 'The Wicker Man' and her work on 'DrWho' and Ingrid Pitt has her own corner of pop cultural history. So, what can we take from the Pitt legacy?

Well, first of all beneath the hammy British gothic exterior there are much darker realities. The horrors of myths and of legends were nothing compared to the horrors of real life, and Ingrid Pitt had a childhood which plenty of real horror in it. After several years when her family tried to evade the Nazis' attempts to enlist her father for the war effort they were eventually captured, the young Ingrid and her mother separated from her father and condemned to spend the three years until the end of the war in a concentration camp. The events of her time there – the murders, gas chambers, rats, beatings, rapes, child abduction, hangings and arbitrary cruelty – are detailed both in her autobiography and the recently released animated film 'Beyond the Forest'. Ultimately, Ingrid and her mother escaped with their lives by pretending to be dead as their captors marched the prisoners out into the forest and executed them. After a long search spanning Poland and Germany they were eventually reunited with her father.

Such a tale of unspeakable atrocities can only sharpen the contrast with the sweet, almost camp nature of most of her horror film output, and such a change in gear is illustrated by her sudden decision to stay in the UK in the late sixties as she fell in love with the cliches of the RAF and Big Ben that represented the Britain helped with her liberation from the camps.

So what we can from this is a simple line between real horror and Horror; Horror is fun, escapist, thrilling and entertaining, whereas real horror is none of these things. Whilst we may draw inspiration from real horror and place it within Horror we must always be careful that it is analysed and not celebrated. At the same time we have a responsibility to fight horrific realities. Abuse, war, torture and murder are not what we are actually relating to when enjoy Horror, and the demarcation between the Stutthof concentration camp and 'The House That Dripped Blood' is worth recognising and preserving. The latter is joyful and fun, and the other only representative of a chilling darkness.

And finally, what we should take from this is recognition. Ingrid and her family were refugees, survivors of war and potential victims of genocide, and we are currently amidst a refugee crisis that is unprecedented since World War 2. The experiences of her family should provide a source of context and compassion as we view this, and maybe inspiration too: inspiration to do something to help, and maybe even to wear a cravat or a corset whilst doing so, as a tribute to Countess Dracula herself.

Read More

Review: Caustic – 'Industrial Music'

CAUSTIC
'Industrial Music'
NEGATIVE GAIN PRODUCTIONS

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. Matt Fanale's recent output under the Caustic moniker, along with his work with Beauty Queen Autopsy, The Causticles and Prude has shown the world that the king of Jizzcore is industrial's answer to Mike Patton. Moving one from his DIY, rough and ready style into ever more eclectic waters Fanale has shown he has the sight and talent to create fresh, exciting and memorable music.

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. The cover may be a simple and straight forward design evocative of something from the heyday of Factory Records, but that black and yellow colour scheme should also serve as a warning that Fanale means business.

Tracks such as 'Bomb The Clubs', 'Scream Your Name', 'Military Facist Show', 'Fuck In A Suit', 'Toxic Waste', and 'Why Because' in essence hark back to the likes of 'This Is Jizzcore' and 'Unicorns, Kittens And Shit' with elements of breakbeat, industrial, noise, and hard ebm coming through. However the arrangements are more mature and well-rounded and there is still a nice club-potential feel on each of them. Also, lyrically the album is more dynamic, clear-minded, and vitriolic than ever and in keeping with the wry and intelligent humour of his previous two efforts. The end result is something that while it has that DIY feel to it, it is far more grown up and polished that could sit alongside classic album or two with ease..

The album also shows off the deeper and more subtle end of Fanale's sonic palette with the down-tempo and almost psychedelic 'Gravity Bong'. The dark malice of 'The Casualties' featuring the melodic counterpoint of Aaimon's Nancy. While the album's parting shot 'Bleached Asshole/The Deafening Beat Of My Heart' delves into rhythmic noise and dark ambient before erupting into the anguished and repeated screams of “All I hear is the deafening beat of my heart.” Its an incredibly powerful track that's strength lies in its simplicity and the impact of its final sentiment.

'Industrial Music' is a very strong album that shows more of Matt Fanale exposing himself as an artist than ever before. The humour is present, but less in your face in the music. The gritty DIY feel has returned, but is executed with greater skill and expertise than ever before. 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.  

Read More

Review: Paradise Lost – 'Symphony For The Lost'

PARADISE LOST
'Symphony For The Lost'
CENTURY MEDIA

2015 has been a good year for Paradise Lost. They released their heaviest album in 20 years in the form of the stunning 'The Plague Within' and have enjoyed a successful seven week headlining tour in the UK and Europe. Not being strangers to the live album/DVD formats the band have further chosen to commemorate their 25th year with a new double CD and DVD release in 'Symphony For The Lost' recorded live last year in the ancient Roman theatre of Philippopolis in Plovdiv, Bulgaria and accompanied by the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra.

Long time fans will know just how many times the band has integrated orchestration and classical instruments on their studio albums, but to hear this in a truly live context gives the band's already powerful compositions even more depth.

The first disc cover tracks that encapsulate the band's history such as 'Gothic', 'Tragic Idol', 'Last Regret', 'Joy Of Madness', and 'Soul Courageous' featuring the full support of the orchestra, and it sounds utterly stunning. The bottom end of the band's sound is filled out with the rich acoustic textures of the classical instruments as the band's guitars and Nick Holmes' unmistakeable vocals power through the mix.

Disc two covers the second half of the concert. This time without the orchestra but no less powerful for it. Tracks such as 'The Enemy', 'Erased', 'Isolate', 'Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us', 'One Second', and 'Say Just Words' showcase more of the band's middle period characterised by a more electro-rock leaning, which probably wouldn't work as well with the orchestra anyway. But still the songs are performed with the skill and finesse a band of their veteran status.

The accompanying DVD is shot in superb quality with multiple cameras that capture the true grand decay of the venue. It is one of those live documents that really does make you wish that you were there to see it in person and is a fitting tribute to the band. The accompanying documentary shows the thought, preparation and execution of the concert which adds a nice nerdy dynamic to the original spectacle.

The audio mix on both the DVD and the audio discs is excellent. The vocals, guitars and drums sound like a true reflection of the band's live presence. The crowd noise, and the on-stage banter is preserved in full without being trimmed down or muted. And the Orchestra is mixed nicely to give you the optimum balance between what would be the original sound of the song and the live power of the classical instruments.

This is a lovely package that reflects the band's 25 years of duty. This in conjunction with the ban's most recent studio effort show that Paradise Lost are a band on the top of their game and one that still has a hell of a lot to offer in the studio and live.

Read More