quête:gothic

35th ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE GENRE-DEFINING OPUS OF ATMOSPHERIC DEATH/DOOM
FROM THE UK METAL LEGENDS. ON LIMITED CORONA VINYL WITH
ADDITIONAL 4 PAGE BOOKLET & REMASTERED AUDIO

Paradise Lost formed in 1988 in West Yorkshire, UK, when vocalist Nick Holmes & guitarist Gregor Mackintosh came together with the idea of taking metal beyond the conventional styles of the time. They were influenced by acts such as Candlemass, Celtic Frost & Morbid Angel, & concocted a unique atmosphere of their own as a result. This was already apparent when their debut album ‘Lost Paradise’ appeared on Peaceville Records in 1990, & blended death metal with doom & some melodic elements, but it wasn’t until their follow-up album, ‘Gothic’, that the band truly made its mark.

Recorded in late 1990/early 1991 at the renowned Academy Studios in Yorkshire (responsible for classic albums from bands such as My Dying Bride, Anathema, Cradle of Filth, among many others), ‘Gothic’ was the album responsible for a whole sub-genre: Gothic Doom Metal, upon its release in 1991. Creating a more sombre & atmospheric form of dark extremity, with the introduction of Gregor Mackintosh’s highly distinctive & unmistakable lead guitar melodies, Paradise Lost established themselves as among the pioneering UK bands of the early nineties, becoming highly influential to a generation of subsequent greats.

This new edition of ‘Gothic’, marking the album’s 35th anniversary, is presented on limited corona vinyl, with remastered audio courtesy of Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios. The release also includes a four page booklet containing recollections from the band on the period & the shaping of the album, as originally featured in 2021’s ‘The Lost & The Painless’.

"Wer hätte gewollt, dass wir eine neue Extrem-Metal-Band gründen? Nun, vielleicht tatsächlich jemand, aber das ist diesmal nicht der Fall, denn wir haben etwas ganz anderes auf dem Teller..." Die nachdenkliche Stimme gehört dem außergewöhnlichen Gitarristen Markus Vanhala (Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum). In der neuen düsteren Band CEMETERY SKYLINE wird Vanhala von Keyboarder Santeri Kallio (Amorphis), Schlagzeuger Vesa Ranta (Sentenced, The Abbey), Bassist Victor Brandt (Dimmu Borgir und viele mehr) und Sänger Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity, The Halo Effect) verstärkt. "Mit CEMETERY SKYLINE begeben wir uns in bisher unbetretene musikalische Richtungen - in jene dunkleren Gassen, die uns am Herzen liegen, die wir aber bisher nicht wirklich durchwandert haben. Und wir sind kollektiv sehr begeistert!" Eines der Schlüsselwörter, Gothic, wurde bereits erwähnt. "Wir alle teilen eine tiefe Liebe für den Goth-Rock der 80er und 90er Jahre - egal, ob es sich um eher synthiegetriebene oder härtere, gitarrenlastige Sachen handelt. Du kennst das mit den besten Bands von The Sisters of Mercy bis Type O Negative", sagt Santeri Kallio, der sich das Songwriting mit Vanhala teilt. "Aber ist CEMETERY SKYLINE eine Gothic-Band? Vielleicht bis zu einem gewissen Grad, aber das ist sicherlich nicht die ganze Geschichte. Wenn ihr die vielfältige Musik von CEMETERY SKYLINE irgendwie beschreiben müsst, tut uns einen Gefallen und nennt uns Botschafter des melodischen, melancholischen und dunklen Rock. Danke." Der Inhalt der Texte ist tief in eine düstere Gothic-Atmosphäre eingebettet. Das von Stanne geschriebene Konzept - zum ersten Mal in seiner bemerkenswerten Karriere verwendet Mikael während des gesamten Albums Clean Vocals - taucht unwiderstehlich in die paradoxe Welt der "nördlichen Einsamkeit" ein. "Die Texte sind tief verwurzelt in der selbstgewählten Einsamkeit der nordischen Menschen, ihrem anti-sozialen Verhalten und ihrem düsteren Sinn für Humor... Beim Schreiben der Texte habe ich mir diese Besonderheit zu Nutze gemacht, die man als den skandinavischen Gothic-Lifestyle bezeichnen könnte", sagt Stanne. "Nordic Gothic" ist erhältlich als: Ltd. CD Digipak, als 180g LP sowie als digitales Album.

"Wer hätte gewollt, dass wir eine neue Extrem-Metal-Band gründen? Nun, vielleicht tatsächlich jemand, aber das ist diesmal nicht der Fall, denn wir haben etwas ganz anderes auf dem Teller..." Die nachdenkliche Stimme gehört dem außergewöhnlichen Gitarristen Markus Vanhala (Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum). In der neuen düsteren Band CEMETERY SKYLINE wird Vanhala von Keyboarder Santeri Kallio (Amorphis), Schlagzeuger Vesa Ranta (Sentenced, The Abbey), Bassist Victor Brandt (Dimmu Borgir und viele mehr) und Sänger Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity, The Halo Effect) verstärkt. "Mit CEMETERY SKYLINE begeben wir uns in bisher unbetretene musikalische Richtungen - in jene dunkleren Gassen, die uns am Herzen liegen, die wir aber bisher nicht wirklich durchwandert haben. Und wir sind kollektiv sehr begeistert!" Eines der Schlüsselwörter, Gothic, wurde bereits erwähnt. "Wir alle teilen eine tiefe Liebe für den Goth-Rock der 80er und 90er Jahre - egal, ob es sich um eher synthiegetriebene oder härtere, gitarrenlastige Sachen handelt. Du kennst das mit den besten Bands von The Sisters of Mercy bis Type O Negative", sagt Santeri Kallio, der sich das Songwriting mit Vanhala teilt. "Aber ist CEMETERY SKYLINE eine Gothic-Band? Vielleicht bis zu einem gewissen Grad, aber das ist sicherlich nicht die ganze Geschichte. Wenn ihr die vielfältige Musik von CEMETERY SKYLINE irgendwie beschreiben müsst, tut uns einen Gefallen und nennt uns Botschafter des melodischen, melancholischen und dunklen Rock. Danke." Der Inhalt der Texte ist tief in eine düstere Gothic-Atmosphäre eingebettet. Das von Stanne geschriebene Konzept - zum ersten Mal in seiner bemerkenswerten Karriere verwendet Mikael während des gesamten Albums Clean Vocals - taucht unwiderstehlich in die paradoxe Welt der "nördlichen Einsamkeit" ein. "Die Texte sind tief verwurzelt in der selbstgewählten Einsamkeit der nordischen Menschen, ihrem anti-sozialen Verhalten und ihrem düsteren Sinn für Humor... Beim Schreiben der Texte habe ich mir diese Besonderheit zu Nutze gemacht, die man als den skandinavischen Gothic-Lifestyle bezeichnen könnte", sagt Stanne. "Nordic Gothic" ist erhältlich als: Ltd. CD Digipak, als 180g LP sowie als digitales Album.

GOTHIC SUMMER ist das neueste Album der australischen Pop-Rock-Legenden The Veronicas! Nach einem aufregenden Jahr 2023 mit Auftritten auf der ganzen Welt hat die Band erneut ein Album geliefert, das eine klare künstlerische Vision vermittelt. Auch 2024 wird die Band das ganze Jahr über auf Tour sein - mit GOTHIC SUMMER im Gepäck.

Wir stellen vor: "American Gothic" von Wayfarer.Begib Dich mit Wayfarer auf eine transzendentale Reise, wenn sie ihr neuestes Werk "American Gothic" vorstellen. Die atmosphärische Black-Metal-Band aus Colorado taucht tief in den reichen Teppich der Americana-Themen ein. Dieses Album markiert einen bedeutenden Meilenstein auf ihrem musikalischen Erkundungszug.Dieses außergewöhnliche Album überschreitet die traditionellen musikalischen Grenzen und fasst die Essenz der verschiedenen Landschaften Amerikas zusammen. Wayfarers musikalisches Können malt eine lebendige und eindrucksvolle Klanglandschaft. Sie vereinen atmosphärischen Black Metal mit Elementen des Post-Rock und Folk und verbinden mühelos fesselnde Melodien mit wilder Intensität. Erhältlich als Ltd. 180g worn-steel silver LP mit Newspaper-look Booklet, sowie als CD Digipak.

Wir stellen vor: "American Gothic" von Wayfarer.Begib Dich mit Wayfarer auf eine transzendentale Reise, wenn sie ihr neuestes Werk "American Gothic" vorstellen. Die atmosphärische Black-Metal-Band aus Colorado taucht tief in den reichen Teppich der Americana-Themen ein. Dieses Album markiert einen bedeutenden Meilenstein auf ihrem musikalischen Erkundungszug.Dieses außergewöhnliche Album überschreitet die traditionellen musikalischen Grenzen und fasst die Essenz der verschiedenen Landschaften Amerikas zusammen. Wayfarers musikalisches Können malt eine lebendige und eindrucksvolle Klanglandschaft. Sie vereinen atmosphärischen Black Metal mit Elementen des Post-Rock und Folk und verbinden mühelos fesselnde Melodien mit wilder Intensität. Erhältlich als Ltd. 180g worn-steel silver LP mit Newspaper-look Booklet, sowie als CD Digipak.

Back in February, the prolific Past Inside The Present label boss Zake hooked up with Marc Ertel, James Bernard, and From Overseas at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis for a very intimate live show in a historic Gothic Chapel.

A vast array of instruments were used including a Fender Telecaster, Meris Mercury 7, Eurorack modular synthesizer, Stingray bass guitar and literally tens more tools and toys and the resulting eight tunes of absorbing ambient are all presented here. It is another mystic and mystifying release from this label that reaches sublime new emotional highs.

THE FULL 'GOTHIC EP' PRESENTED ON THE VINYL FORMAT FOR THE
FIRST TIME, CONTAINING A COMBINATION OF SPECIAL REMIXES &
ALTERNATE STUDIO VERSIONS OF PARADISE LOST CLASSICS
Creators, pioneers & purveyors of the whole Gothic Doom Metal scene which
subsequently came to prominence in the early 90's, Britain's Paradise Lost rose
from humble Northern roots to become one of the UK's leading artists in the
metal genre throughout the decade & beyond, remaining as relevant & revered as
ever to this day after a career spanning over three decades. The band's first two
albums were released on Peaceville, in the shape of 1990's influential deathly
debut 'Lost Paradise', followed up by the more atmosphere- focussed genre
classic, 'Gothic' in 1991. 'Gothic EP' was originally released in 1994 & combined
the tracks from the 1990 'In Dub' two track 12" release bookended by alternate
studio remixes from the 'Gothic' studio album. The two tracks which formerly
featured on the studio debut received extensive remixing & all new arrangements
in the shape of 'Rotting Misery (Doom Dub)' & 'Breeding Fear (Demolition Dub)'.
This edition of 'Gothic EP' is presented on black vinyl with design-work from the
original 1994 CD release.

Mattiel, the Atlanta based group made up of Mattiel Brown and Jonah Swilley, announce
the release of their third album, ‘Georgia Gothic’, on Heavenly Recordings. ‘Georgia
Gothic’, a magic third in Mattiel’s run of full-length albums, was shaped in the quiet
seclusion of a woodland cabin in the north of the Atlanta duo’s mother-state; “Some
faraway place that just Jonah and I could go where there would be no distractions,
nothing else going on, and we could turn everything off and only focus on writing songs,”
reflects Brown.
 Where 2017’s self-titled debut and its 2019 follow-up Satis Factory were written with what
Swilley refers to as a “hands-off” approach - he arranging the music and Brown the lyrics
and vocals, the two working largely separately - the making of ‘Georgia Gothic’ was, for
the first time, a truly collaborative undertaking. “This was the first time we made a point to
just be together and work out ideas in the same room. That was the initial intention... it
was about learning what each other wanted to accomplish on a sonic level, and then just
trying different things out,” Swilley continues. “Everything happened backwards. Normally,
you’d have friends that make a band... with us, we started making music from the jump,
and then became homies.”
 Cultivated by time spent together on the road touring the first two albums, it is this
newfound sense of intimacy between Mattiel’s members that enabled the writing of
‘Georgia Gothic’ not as two separate musicians, but rather as one creative entity. The
album remained within the four walls of Brown and Swilley’s private world for much of its
evolution - with recording taking place in a simple studio set up by the pair in the
borrowed room of a dialysis centre, Swilley in the producer’s seat - until, nearing
completion, it was transferred into the trusted hands of the Grammy award-winning John
Congleton (whose extensive list of credits includes artists as diverse as Angel Olsen, Earl
Sweatshirt, Erykah Badu and Sleater Kinney) for mixing.
 Not only does the affinity between its creators translate into an electric synergy between
‘Georgia Gothic’s words and music - the brine-shock of Brown’s taut lyricism cut against
the bourbon-smoothness of Swilley’s instrumentation - but here too are the palpable
spoils of experimentation, each party trustful enough of the other to trial and error their
practices into new geometries. Swilley puts this wide palate, in part, down to the place
they call home. “I definitely feel like being from Georgia allows us to have a certain way of
approaching music.” Brown chimes in: “We haven’t really highlighted where we’re from in
the past two records, even though those were also written in Georgia. There’s so much
great art and great music that’s come from Georgia, from all different types of genres and
all over the state - but take R.E.M. and OutKast: there’s this weirdness that I can’t really
put my finger on.” Swilley concurs: “It’s the same with the B-52s, the Black Lips... it
doesn’t feel like L.A., it doesn’t feel like New York, it feels like another planet. We’re not
really in a ‘scene’ here in the same way. You have to make your own sound, create your
own identity.”
 And it is precisely the forging of Mattiel’s distinct musical identity that ‘Georgia Gothic’
signals; its members guiding each other ever-homewards not just in a geographical or
sonic sense, but spiritually, too.
 Initial LP pressing on Red Hot coloured 140g vinyl with digital download code. (Once this
format has sold out, a black 140g vinyl edition with digital download - HVNLP202 - will be
made available.)

Long-awaited vinyl edition of Adia’s 2021 album. UK live dates due in the summer (announced soon!).

In Adia’s words: "This album is the culmination of years spent digging for the subtext of southern identity, and the bones of belonging down in Dixie. it was the challenge issued forth by Skip James, Victoria Spivey, Bessie Smith, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Junior Kimbrough to keep on contextualizing the blues."

With A Southern Gothic Adia continues her journey through the conflicts of the American South and the troubling resonance of its past. Sonically, the album is full of frequent juxtaposition. It is equal parts historical montage and modern prophesy, dark and light, love and loathing. The 14 tracks are the musical embodiment of the relationship that so many people, especially Black women, have with the South.

A Southern Gothic, was executive produced by T Bone Burnett, and features guest contributions from Jason Isbell, Margo Price, and Matt Berninger.

Rose Connolly has a beautiful voice with a wide melodic range, which she bends, twists, strains and warps through both her physical exertions and a sample-based granular synthesiser. The results recall both the Gaelic tradition of séan-nos singing, and the work of experimental artists such as Meredith Monk, Yoko Ono and Hatis Noit, while the beats meld folk with gothic, 4AD-era soundscapes unmatched since the glory days of This Mortal Coil.” – The Guardian (10 Best Folk Albums of 2024) “RÓIS is a composer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and electronic artist from Fermanagh, whose songs breathe new life into a forgotten Ireland. Self-released, written and produced by RÓIS with additional production from John Spud Murphy (OXN/Lankum), 'MO LÉAN' is a concept album, taking the listener through the grieving process from start to finish, from the chaos that loss brings, to the intense emotional outpourings and finally, a cathartic release.

‘MO LÉAN' features several new original recordings and reworks of songs and hymns based around the concept of death, life, mourning and catharsis. RÓIS re-imagines the tradition of 'keening' in Ireland that goes back to pre-christian times, a practice in which women would 'keen' a lamenting wail at the side of a coffin during a wake. After discovering the last two recordings of keening songs, RÓIS was inspired by their ethereal melodies to give them a modern reworking yet honouring the original women by sampling them in her adaption. 'Keeners', through their voices, movements and laments, conveyed the communal expression of grief and allowed those suffering a way to release their sorrow and loss. RÓIS aspires to do the same with 'MO LÉAN', by expressing the power of the voice to transcend death and help us relinquish our fear of it

‘Yarrow’ is a bouquet of new music by Portland, Oregon-based musician and field recordist Patricia Wolf, marking the label’s ninth release and the third of Season Two. These works are her reflections on the life cycle of plants and their dynamic ecological relationships.

Wolf created the album in response to her artist residency at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado, as part of the Art-Science Exchange Project in the summer of 2024. She worked closely with ecologists Dr Paul CaraDonna, Dr Amy Iler, Dr Jane Ogilvie, Dr Nickolas Waser, Dr Mary Price, and Dr Will Petry, spending weeks engaged in long-term research on plants, pollinators, and their interactions as the climate changes.

Each track on Yarrow looks at a different part of a plant’s life. The songs touch on the conditions that plants need to grow, the quiet life of roots, how flowers attract pollinators, and the strength of seeds. The first single, 'Inflorescence', the scientific name for the floral display that a plant makes in an effort to reproduce, captures this event in song. The music slowly builds layers, reflecting the album’s overall feel. The album ends with the majestic Boards of Canada-esque 'Adapted for Extreme Conditions', and the entire b-side features Patricia’s field recordings from around Gothic, Colorado, and a guided meditation by Dr Paul CaraDonna, whose research inspired the project, inviting listeners to tune into the sounds and activities of the ecosystem.

A mix of metallic doomgaze, epic gothic soundscapes and post punk attitude. Loud and crushing, yet sharp enough to stick in your head for days. There are two kinds of heavy bands: the ones that make a lot of noise and the ones that drag you somewhere you didn't know you needed to go. Cwfen (pronounced 'Coven') are the latter, and Sorrows is a record that doesn't just crush - it haunts long after the final note. The allure of Cwfen's sound lies in contrasts: the glacial ferocity of Amenra, with the velvet-and-razor vocals of King Woman, and the rotting grandeur of Type O Negative. It's as hypnotic as it is harrowing, but somehow even better than the sum of those parts. Since emerging from Glasgow's underground just 18 months ago, Cwfen's reputation is growing, selling out shows and pulling growing audiences into their doom-laden fever dream. Released in October, the band's debut single 'Reliks' was a hit with fans and critics, landing a spot on Kerrang!'s release of the week playlist. And rightly so. Their sound devours and delights in equal measure. "Cwfen have emerged from the darkest depths of the Caledonian underground with a beguiling blend of doom metal and gothic post-punk for those who like to live deliciously." Kerrang! Sorrows lives in the space around doom where the weight of the riffs is matched by the weight in your chest, where the lyrics and the songwriting are as important as the music itself. Loud and crushing, yet sharp enough to stick in your head for days. It builds, burns, collapses, resurrects. Big on riffs, bigger on feeling. The kind of songs you carry with you. Singer and rhythm guitarist Agnes Alder bears her claws one minute, then whispers the next, as the band follows like a storm front, rising, breaking, drowning you in the weight of it. From the guttural Penance to the lush Whispers, to the feral Wolfsbane and the insurrectionist Rite. It includes a long reworking of Embers and Bodies, the two self-recorded demos that launched them into the scene with a bang and their growing legion of fans already adore. Intricate vocal arrangements, heavy and harsh guitars, a mix of atmosphere and heft, it undoubtedly punches above its weight for a debut. As Agnes says: "When we stopped trying to fit into any one space, what came out was this beautiful mix of dark and light. Something visceral and cathartic." This is a band that sits right in the boundaries between the heavy genres, pulling in everyone from the young goths and to the die-hard metalheads alike and 'Sorrows' truly does deliver in spades. Make no mistake, Cwfen are set to be one of the names to watch in 2025. FFO: Chelsea Wolfe, Zetra, King Woman, Type O Negative, Alcest, Faetooth, Liturgy. Limited vinyl pressing, 500 copies in transparent red vinyl. Full colour Gatefold outer sleeve, with a full colour printed inner sleeve, Full download included as well.

Futurismo präsentiert das legendäre Debütalbum "Only Theatre Of Pain" (1982) der Gothic-Legenden Christian Death in neuen limitierten Deluxe-Formaten - remastert und erweitert um frühe Demos und rarem Material, samt Poster. "Only Theatre Of Pain" gilt als Meisterwerk und Ursprung des Deathrock - ein wegweisendes Epos von unheiliger Kraft und tiefschwarzer Emotionalität. Obwohl seine Wurzeln im Punk liegen – die Ursprünge der Christian Death-Originalbesetzung liegen in der Früh-1980er Hardcore-Explosion in Südkalifornien –, kann die Bedeutung dieses Werks für die nachfolgende Musiklandschaft nicht hoch genug eingeschätzt werden. Wie ein Adrenalinstoß ins Herz der Finsternis entspringt diese ungezügelte und geheimnisvolle Aufnahme bis heute jeder Kategorisierung. Mit dem visionären Rozz Williams (damals noch Teenager) sowie Punk-Legende Rikk Agnew (Adolescents), James McGearty und George Belanger präsentiert "Only Theatre Of Pain" eine musikalische Erkundung, geprägt von psychosexueller Lyrik und einem tiefen Glaubenskampf, aufgenommen innerhalb weniger Tage mit Produzentenlegende Thom Wilson. Klanglich und visuell seiner Zeit voraus, ist dieses Stück sakrilegischer US-Punk ein absolutes Muss für alle, die sich für Gothic begeistern, für Fans von The Misfits, Bauhaus und The Cramps.

Returning from an 18-month hiatus, Companion resurfaces with its long-awaited ninth offering – a six-track EP that beautifully distills the label’s devotion to patient tempos and deep immersive moods. The Garden is the result of a remote, cross-border dialogue between London and Belfast: a project born from a seasonal fatigue with the dancefloor and a collective turn towards our most inner states of being. The debut collaboration between Serenity Complex (Wigs) and Aika Mal, the EP is a meticulously detailed exercise in restraint, trading industrial harshness for a lush, subterranean hush.

The production breathes with a tactile, low-slung urgency: gritty, compressed drums and haphazardly recorded beatboxed percussion captured on a patio beneath the Devon sun provide a raw counterpoint to the EP’s cinematic sweep. Steered by narcotic basslines imbued with the brooding, early DNA of Massive Attack, these undulating pulses coil around the listener with a subtle, magnetic pull. They create a state of suspended momentum where tension never fully resolves and instead becomes the point of return. Aika Mal’s voice acts as a spectral anchor – mellifluous and transfixing as it moves in and out of each carefully curated element.

Drawing from the gossamer, reverb-drenched landscapes of Love Spiral Downwards and the gothic opulence of The Golden Palominos, the tracks lean into a slow, deliberate pace. Dub-influenced low end and trip-hop structures form the backbone, while fractured, gritty breakbeats bring a sharper edge. The release traces low-lit excursions into limerence, thriving in the heavy humidity of the afternoon just as easily as in the blue light of the pre-dawn or the apricity of first light.

The Garden celebrates togetherness by blurring two distinct artistic outlines into a single, prismatic whole. It is an invitation to submerge – a descent into the overgrowth.

" 'Stay' by Shakespears Sister stands as one of the most creatively and commercially powerful singles of the early '90s, dominating the UK Singles Chart for eight consecutive weeks, one of the longest-running number-one hits of its era.

" 'Stay' was a defining cultural and artistic statement, the track's dramatic structure and accompanying video shifting from a delicate ballad into a theatrical, gothic climax.

" Decades later, 'Stay' continues to win new fans through chart re-entries and renewed popularity, most recently cited by Charli XCX as a key influence on her soundtrack for Emerald Fennell's 'Wuthering Heights'.

[a] A1. Stay [Radio Mix]
[b] A2. Stay [Andre Betts 12" Remix]
[c] A3. Stay [Acoustic Version]
[d] B1. The Trouble with Andre [Luke Mornay Sweeter Mix]
[e] B2. The Trouble with Andre [Luke Mornay Deeper Mix]
[f] B3. The Trouble with Andre [Chris Thomas Remix]

Ploughing a different furrow, Alone in a World of Wounds is an album of sweeping gothic tinged Americana, tripped out drones, beautiful world weary vocal melodies and slowly unfurling cello arrangements. Initially inspired by the harmonic resonance of piano and synths and his long standing love of ambient music, Alone in a World of Wounds follows 2021’s No Wilderness Deep Enough in reflective ambience. Opening up his voice in ways he has never done before, the album's genesis came via intuitive improvisations.
The search for deeper connection, living with the sorrow of our separation from the natural world, and relying on gut level intuition to get closer to the primal creative state are all key to Von Till’s creative process.
Recorded mostly at his barn studio at home in Idaho and mixed at Circular Ruin in Brooklyn, NY, with storied producer Randall Dunn (Jóhann Jóhannsson, Sunn O))), Earth, Jim Jarmusch), Alone in a World of Wounds also boasts cover artwork from Spokane, WA based alternative process photographer Brian Deemy - who works with colloidal wet plate ‘tintype’ aesthetics, which compliment Von Till’s uniquely ancient yet grounded aesthetic, and one that perfectly matches his desire to reimagine the connection between the human and the more than human world.

Das Avant-Rock-Sextett aus Beirut verschmilzt auf diesem großartigen Nachfolger seines gefeierten 2023er Debüts "Mais Um" Psych/Kraut, Improv/Skronk, Elektronik, Gothic und Jazzelemente mit traditionellem ägyptischem Gesang und moderner arabischer Poesie. Produziert von Radwan Moumneh (Matana Roberts, Sarah Davachi, Jerusalem In My Heart). Der Titel des zweiten SANAM-Albums ist ebenso vielversprechend wie die Musik der libanesischen Band. "Sametou Sawtan" bedeutet aus dem Arabischen übersetzt "Ich habe eine Stimme gehört". Spukhaft oder spirituell, wie auch immer man die Phrase liest, sie spricht von der Fähigkeit von Klang und Sprache, innezuhalten, Aufmerksamkeit zu stehlen und uns für den Moment zu öffnen. In ähnlicher Weise vermischt die Musik von SANAM zarte Rasereien und feuerverbrannte Balladen, indem sie frei fließende Rock- und Jazzgerüste mit der tief verwurzelten arabischen Tradition verbindet. Sie in vollem Flug zu hören bedeutet, in der Gegenwart gehalten zu werden und sich neu zu orientieren, um einen offenen Horizont zu eröffnen. Die Arbeit an "Sametou Sawtan" begann im Frühjahr 2024. Die ersten Ideen, die in den Tunefork Studios in Beirut entstanden, wurden im April während eines Aufenthalts in Beit Faris, einem mittelalterlichen Haus in der Küstenstadt Byblos, weiter ausgearbeitet. Das Sextett: Sandy Chamoun (Gesang), Antonio Hajj (Bass), Farah Kaddour (Buzuq), Anthony Sahyoun (Gitarre, Synthesizer), Pascal Semerdjian (Schlagzeug) und Marwan Tohme (Gitarren), wurde vom Produzenten Radwan Ghazi Moumneh (Jerusalem In My Heart) unterstützt. Die letzten beiden Tracks des Albums sind Aufnahmen aus den Beit Faris-Sessions, während der Rest in den La Frette Studios in Paris während der Europareise der Band im Sommer 2024 aufgenommen wurde. Die Platte verarbeitet Gefühle der Distanz und der Entwurzelung. "In den letzten fünf Jahren hatte ich das Gefühl, dass jeder den Libanon verlässt", erklärt Chamoun. "Das Album handelt nicht wortwörtlich davon, sondern von der Vorstellung, dass dich etwas verlässt. Eine Distanz zu den Ereignissen, obwohl du in ihnen lebst, eine Distanz zu deinem Haus, obwohl du in ihm wohnst." Ob in der sehnsüchtigen Ballade "Goblin" oder dem langsam brennenden, autotune-überladenen Freakout von "Habibon", Sametou Sawtan fängt das Streben nach festem Boden in einer Welt ein, die diesen nur selten bieten kann . Das Album hat die hypnotisierende Intensität des SANAM-Live-Erlebnisses, während es der Musik Nuancen, Tiefe und eine enorme dynamische Bandbreite verleiht. Wie bei ihrem Debüt sind die Texte vieler Tracks entliehen, Worte, die in neue Kontexte gestellt werden, um die Gegenwart zu verarbeiten. "Hamam" interpretiert ein ägyptisches Volkslied neu. In "Hadikat Al Ams" treibt der krachende Hardrock-Stampfer den Text des zeitgenössischen libanesischen Schriftstellers Paul Shaoul an. Und sowohl "Sayl Damei" als auch der Titeltrack verwenden Gedichte des iranischen Dichters und bahnbrechenden Mathematikers Omar Khayyam aus dem zwölften Jahrhundert. "Wenn man etwas von Omar liest, fühlt man eine Verbindung zur Gegenwart", sagt Chamoun. "Das Gefühl, dass es keinen klaren Weg gibt." "Sametou Sawtan" enthält auch zwei Lieder mit Chamouns eigenen Texten, darunter den Opener "Harik". Es war die Keimzelle des Albums, geschrieben von Chamoun im Februar 2024, wobei die Band den Track um ihre Worte herum aufbaute. Es beginnt mit einem Schauder, zerfetzter Elektronik und einer keuchenden Stimme, die das Schlagzeug durchdringt, bevor sich die Band zu einem triumphalen Aufstieg aufschwingt. Es geht um Eintauchen in "ein unendliches Feuer", verrät Chamoun. Den Text zu "Tatayoum" schrieb sie allein, bevor sie ihn der Band vorlegte. Er spiegelt eine andere Art von Intensität wider, "eine Schleife, eine Besessenheit", wie sie sagt. Buzuq webt durch schwebende Elektronik und drängende Trommeln, während Chamoun arabische Worte rezitiert, die die Liebe beschreiben. Die unaufhörlichen Energien, die in diesen Tracks erforscht werden, sind nicht unbedingt negativ. Sie vergleicht deren Intensität mit der eines Schriftstellers, der in einem Gedankengang gefangen ist, im Guten wie im Schlechten. "Es geht nicht darum, deprimiert oder traurig zu sein", sagt Chamoun. "Es ist eine Falle, aber sie kann auch magisch sein." "Sametou Sawtan" wurde von Farah Fayyad mit ikonischen Grafiken und Design versehen.

"The machine looms—it watches you from within. The finger points, but the face is missing."

The Bristol/Amman connection just got even deeper… following DBL's impressive string of Avon-infused heaters (check the recent scorchers from Nzumbe, Content Provider and 2023's 'Weld'). And we're well informed there's even more of this cross-continental greatness to come…

But first...

Kinlaw & Franco Franco. ATC's original prodigal sons. A two-headed nephilim with an ever-growing tally of near-biblical performances – leaving shook audiences coughing dust for months after. Resurrected for 2025.

Those familiar know their hallowed-dogma – brimming with cyberpunk prophetics, surveillance state paranoia and rusted gothic futurism. Each chilling sermon accompanied by a bespoke blend of crusted sonics, taut future-concrète prangers and only the finest industrial-trappist beats.

Back with renewed precision. 11 hot-kneelers for your mental.

On 'Faith Elsewhere', they lead the congregation into uncharted waters with pop-confessional, 'Pitstop 2024'. There's a fresh revamp of the beloved feudal anthem, 'Crocs on the Plough'. Next, a long-fermented, yet still refreshing, kind of chamber-wave on the album's self-titled track. And there's even a touch of the devotional in the final ethereal reprise… Plus, there are plenty more teachings to be found elsewhere…

The writing's on the wall. Accept no false idols. Now pull up your cushion and kneel at their altar. It might just be their best yet….

"In the holiness of their temples, unsuspecting worshippers were being observed by indiscreet eyes."

Paradise Lost’s sixth studio album (1997), which charted well across Europe, marked something of a change of direction for the West Yorkshire group: a transition from gothic metal to a more electronic approach, epitomised by the lead single ‘Say Just Words’, which remains a fan favourite and one of their biggest streaming tracks. This re-tooled aesthetic proved slightly controversial at the time but by the time of its acclaimed 20th anniversary reissue (mirrored here), for which it was remastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano, the general consensus was that the riffs, lyrics, and compositions on One Second are all vintage Paradise Lost. As noted by Decibel magazine, “There is a natural flow on display throughout the 12 songs that is akin to watching a favourite actor take on a somewhat different role than he or she is known for— and killing the performance.”

Acclaimed Swedish multimedia artist and electronic music visionary TOBIAS BERNSTRUP returns with his highly anticipated new 7th studio album, “Shadow Dancer”, on German indie label Nadanna Records.

Known for his fusion of visual art, retro-futuristic aesthetics, and Italo-inspired synthpop, BERNSTRUP’s latest offering dives deep into the shadows of the dancefloor—where desire, danger, and digital nostalgia collide. “Shadow Dancer” marks a bold evolution in BERNSTRUP’s sound, channeling pulsating analog synths, icy vocal hooks, and cinematic atmosphere into a darkly euphoric collection of tracks. The album explores themes of identity, transformation, and nocturnal seduction, blending BERNSTRUP’s signature 1980s stylings with a sharply contemporary edge.

“This album explores the tension between appearance and reality—how we perform identity, desire, and memory in a world flooded with simulation,” says BERNSTRUP. “It’s both a personal and cultural reflection, rooted in the shadowy edges of nightlife, surveillance, and performance.”

Standout single tracks like “Chiaroscuro”, “Legend”, “And The Smile” and “Jackie 60” showcase BERNSTRUP’s unique ability to fuse melancholic nostalgia with dancefloor-ready energy. The album’s visual aesthetic is just as striking, featuring dystopian glam imagery, gothic noir, and sleek, gender-fluid costuming.

Single Sided Vinyl

Meet Camy Huot: a French performance artist, music producer, and DJ currently based in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Known for driving the pulse of the underground scene via her events, radio shows and DJ sets at live shows & festivals (e.g. Best Kept Secret, Gothic Pogo and Grauzone)

The night stretches elastic, twisted. You’re a hostage to the rhythm, riding the edge of something primal and broken. Neon shadows flinch and fold into your peripheral vision. A voice, your own maybe, says you don’t have to worry about it. The night insists. The echoes pile up in your skull, turning themselves inside out. –It’s boring here, and I don’t wanna go home–

For her debut EP “Echoes in my Room”, Camy Huot set out to write about what she knows, channeling a primal collection of fucked up thoughts through an invigorating, brutally honest clash of feverish noise, cavernous textures and arpeggiated beats.

For fans of Sexy Sushi, L.F.T.

Under the motto «We become more from what is left, deliver else than just the now, build sound stories for the then», Sediments is the new label and sonic adventure launched by Estrato Aurora and d_o_ppelgaenger, partners in the electronic duo Pajaro Dune.

d_o_ppelgaenger || aka David Ortolà || is a pianist, composer, electronic music producer, teacher and scholar specializing in contemporary music and electroacoustic composition and performance. As a solo artist, he has composed multiple electronic, ambient and techno works, modular scores as Grooves #1 (2017) and Déjà vu (2024), unique musical events such as Efímeras for 20 Pianos (2011), compositions for piano and electronics as well as his latest release Live at Perpendicular (2024).

Live at Perpendicular 2024 is Sediment's inaugural offering. Recorded May 25, 2024 by d_o_ppelgaenger at Perpendicular Festival in the woods of Cuenca, Spain, this album is both an ambient live set and a sound journey inspired in the Doppelgänger archetype from the early gothic novel.

d_o_ppelgaenger's signature chiaroscuro medley of styles and ideas relies on narrative sound design, using both electronic production, classical instrumentation, field recording and generative synthesis. His music challenges the boundaries between acoustic and electronic sound calling on a wide range of oft-conflicting aesthetics: from early music to soundtrack atmospheres or disruptive avant-garde trends. This album explores the liminal terrain between divergent languages, trying to create perceptional experiences in search of empathy between the known and the misunderstood or the unheard-from.


|| We
become more from what is left,
deliver else than just the now,
build sound stories for the then. ||

Elektorni, based in Oulu, Northern Finland, lands with their second release, this time with three original cuts from the singular Finnish legend Mesak (Klakson, Orson) and a mesmerising remix from Århus-based Picture (Help Recordings, Kalahari Oyster Cult), who you might know from many different aliases as well.

The a-side opens with Mutella, a slapping electro track dripping with gothic emotion and powered by a growling bassline. Next up is Ei Damagea, a smooth slice of electrohypnotism calling to you from an otherworldly dimension inhabited by floaty rhythms and quirky synth stabs. Flip the record, and Mesak flexes his versatility with the 155bpm piece Musantropia, cruising top down and top speed somewhere between IDM, d&b and electro. Fresh! The journey ends with Picture’s remix taking Musantropia deep into an eight-minute techno meditation reminiscent of Basic Channel material, but with an Århusian take on the sound.

A bass heavy record with intricate detail, this is a release as ready for the club as it is for your home hi-fi system.

"LATZFONSER KREUZ / FELTUNER HÜTTE scheduled for release on September 20th 2024 is the third single to be lifted from Ulrich Troyer's TRANSIT TRIBE due later this year.

Mamadou Diabate, originally from Burkina-Faso and now resident in Vienna, who is also a world-famous virtuoso balaphon player, collaborates on "Latzfonser Kreuz" with fellow countryman Hamidou Koita to produce a remarkable percussion track, both singing and employing talking drum and djembe to come up with a sound that can only be described as dubbed-out Nyahbinghi-style electro-beats! The track references the little church at Latzfonser Kreuz, which is the highest pilgrimage spot in South Tyrol, one of the highest in Europe; every year in June, the Black Lord, a black carved Gothic wooden cross, is brought from the village church in Latzfons to thepilgrimage church, where it remains throughout the summer.

On the flip for "Feltuner Hütte" Ulrich Troyer is joined by co-producer Osman Murat Ertel, founding member of the electro-psych-folk group Baba Zula from Istanbul, who has worked internationally for many years collaborating with the likes of Jaki Liebezeit, Fred Frith and Mad Professor. But here Murat takes us on a dub psych-out trip with his favoured electric saz, with wha wha FX, delay and echo, like Link Wray meeting King Tubby on the old streets of Istanbul."

Steve Barker (DJ, Radio Presenter - On the Wire, BBC 1984 – 2023, now Slack City Radio & reggae/dub columnist and contributor to The Wire)

Credits:

Mamadou Diabate: vocals (A) & talking drum (A)

Osman Murat Ertel: electric saz (B)

Hamidou Koita: vocals (A), djembe (A)

Didi Kern: percussion (A), drums (B)

Flip Philipp: percussion (B)

Ulrich Troyer: analog synthesizers & drum-machines, sampler, field recordings, dub effects (A+B)

A written by Mamadou Diabate, Hamidou Koita & Ulrich Troyer

B written by Osman Murat Ertel & Ulrich Troyer

Recorded by Ulrich Troyer at 4Bit Studio & 4Bit Bungalow, Vienna - except electro saz on track B recorded by Osman Murat Ertel at Saniki Studio, Istanbul

Mixed & arranged by Ulrich Troyer at 4Bit Bungalow, Vienna

Produced by Osman Murat Ertel & Ulrich Troyer

Mastering & Lacquer Cut by Kassian Troyer at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin

Cover Drawing by Ulrich Troyer

Special thanks to Steve Barker, Mamadou Diabate, Osman Murat Ertel, Diggory Kenrick, Eva Kelety, Didi Kern, Hamidou Koita and Flip Philipp

Kindly supported by the City of Vienna (MA7 - Kultur), Federal Ministry Republic of Austria (Arts, Culture, Civil Service & Sport), SKE-FONDS (AT) & Amt für Kultur, Bozen (IT

Splatter is a new vinyl and digital underground techno label from Austrian artists Luca Tresque, Joe Haensn and Rotary Motion.

'Exceed Limits' follows their special prequel EP and launches the label catalogue in style.

Florian Meindl is a Berlin-based artist who runs the FLASH record label and who has appeared outside of his own imprint on labels like Stephan Bodzin's Herzblut to Oliver Koletzki's Stil vor Talent. "Gridlock" is a true jackin' cut with a multitude of mechanical elements and raw analogue energy.

Linear System is a Spanish artist who has released music on esteemed labels like Edit Select, Ben Sims' Symbolism and Dynamic Reflection. "Taurinom" is a moody, rolling groove with gripping suspense and haunting touches from gothic effects and an eerie atmosphere.

Leipzig is the home of JANEIN, a respected artist known for releasing on Index Marcel Fengler, Slam's Soma, Fiedel's Fiedeltwo, Exos' Planet X and Electric Rescue's Skryptom. "Neowise" is punchy and percussive track with a metallic, siren-like hook and infectious energy.

Daniel Heinrich is also from Berlin, and shows himself to be a top talent following his EP's on Elektrotribe to Inherit with remixes by Arnaud Le Texier an Hadone. "Close Your Eyes" has a pacey style with superb stabbing chords that create an old-school feel alongside vocal chants for extra impact.

Stuttgart-based Egotot runs the Schimmer label and also lists BCCO, OECUS and Ketch's SYXT in his quality back catalogue. "Name It As You Want" has a quirky, bouncing beat with Detroit-style stabs and a light-hearted vibe ready for the dance floor.

Shake The Feeling: Outtakes & Rarities 2015-2021, Iceage's second full length for Mexican Summer, is a collection of non-LP cuts (or “misfit children,” as lead singer Elias Bender Rønnenfelt describes them) from the seven years during which Iceage made Plowing Into the Field of Love (2014), Beyondless (2018), and Seek Shelter (2021). As with all of Iceage’s albums, whether it be the sensual daring-do of their dark-hardcore masterpiece debut, the Flying Nun-dappled “Oi!!!!” of You’re Nothing, the shift to cowpunk gothic romanticism on Plowing Into the Field of Love, or the space truckin’ gospel-rock of their most recent albums, Elias Bender Rønnenfelt, Johan Suurballe Wieth, Jakob Tvilling Pless and Dan Kjær Nielsen make the impossible seem effortless.

SULPHUR AEONs neuestes Werk ist gesegnet mit Kontrasten, klanglicher Ebbe und Flut. Ein Taifun kantiger Riffs und wilder Blastbeats, raffinierte Melodieschichten, dichte Atmosphäre und triumphal gesungene Refrains reißen dich mit. Ätherische Akustikgitarren, subtile Synthesizer, einen Hauch von Gothic ('The Yearning Abyss Devours Us'), satte Leads, E-Bow-Parts, heftige Aggression ('Arcane Cambrian Sorcery'), monumentale Schwere, die in hypnotische Gesangsmuster übergeht ('Seven Crowns And Seven Seals'), und ein großes Finale ('Beneath The Ziqqurrats') - "Seven Crowns And Seven Seals" überschreitet Genres; es wütet und zerstört, lullt dich im nächsten Moment in gefährlich täuschende Ruhe, nur um dich unwiderbringlich in den dunklen Strudel des Ozeans zu reißen. SULPHUR AEON meistern ihren durchdringenden Cinematic Death Metal der Extraklasse, gehen über sich hinaus und klingen dabei doch unverkennbar kohärent - perfekt eingefangen und verfeinert von den langjährigen Mitarbeitern Simon Werner und Michael Zech (Secrets Of The Moon, Bølzer etc.), während das Mastering von V. Santura (Triptykon, Dark Fortress) übernommen wurde. Was das Artwork betrifft, so haben SULPHUR AEON diesmal mit der Tradition gebrochen, wieder mit Ola Larsson zu arbeiten, und sich mit dem Italiener Paolo Girardi zusammengetan, um eine Lovecraft'sche Apokalypse darzustellen, die der Opulenz und Dynamik des Albums einen raueren Stil entgegensetzt.

Blood Sanctum Vinyl w/ Poster

Futurismo präsentiert das legendäre Debütalbum "Only Theatre Of Pain" (1982) der Gothic-Legenden Christian Death in neuen limitierten Deluxe-Formaten - remastert und erweitert um frühe Demos und rarem Material, samt Poster. "Only Theatre Of Pain" gilt als Meisterwerk und Ursprung des Deathrock - ein wegweisendes Epos von unheiliger Kraft und tiefschwarzer Emotionalität. Obwohl seine Wurzeln im Punk liegen – die Ursprünge der Christian Death-Originalbesetzung liegen in der Früh-1980er Hardcore-Explosion in Südkalifornien –, kann die Bedeutung dieses Werks für die nachfolgende Musiklandschaft nicht hoch genug eingeschätzt werden. Wie ein Adrenalinstoß ins Herz der Finsternis entspringt diese ungezügelte und geheimnisvolle Aufnahme bis heute jeder Kategorisierung. Mit dem visionären Rozz Williams (damals noch Teenager) sowie Punk-Legende Rikk Agnew (Adolescents), James McGearty und George Belanger präsentiert "Only Theatre Of Pain" eine musikalische Erkundung, geprägt von psychosexueller Lyrik und einem tiefen Glaubenskampf, aufgenommen innerhalb weniger Tage mit Produzentenlegende Thom Wilson. Klanglich und visuell seiner Zeit voraus, ist dieses Stück sakrilegischer US-Punk ein absolutes Muss für alle, die sich für Gothic begeistern, für Fans von The Misfits, Bauhaus und The Cramps.

LEATHERWITCH is a new Heavy Metal band formed by vocalist and multiinstrumentalist Marta GabrielThe witch is dead, long live the witch! After disbanding CRYSTAL VIPER, Marta Gabriel - who also is a respected session musician, and toured and recorded with acts such as VADER, MANILLA ROAD or METALUCIFER - strikes back with her new band LEATHERWITCH presents new approach, new attitude, new quality and new energy. Debut single "Beast Inside", where fast headbanging rhythm, classic Speed Metal riffing, pounding rhythm section, shredding guitar solos and super catchy vocal lines, meet a classic gothic horror Werewolf tale, already reveal what to expect from the debut album, "First Spell