CXLIX. //Tense// | Consume EP

//TENSE//

Consume EP

©Disaro. US, 2010.

‟Straight out of the wet and hot city of Houston, //TENSE// delivers a great follow-up to the Memory album with this 6 tracks EP.

Released on vinyl for the first time (the EP was originally out on the hype label Disaro as a limited CDr), Consume EP presents a new angle to the hard hitting EBM tracks the band has already released. The sound is cleaner and sharper. It mixes hard beats EBM style with more ethereal and atmospheric ambience of the shoegaze bands of the early 90s.
Think Ministry jamming with Slowdive and produced by Salem with the help of DJ Pierre!

After an acclaimed tour opening for Nitzer Ebb in North America, //TENSE// is back in their creepy studio writing new tracks for a forthcoming split EP.‟

Desire

CXIV. Cold Cave | Cremations

COLD CAVE

Cremations

©Hospital Productions. US, 2009.

‟Ya a comienzos de 2009 destacábamos al proyecto de Wes Eisold, Cold Cave y el mini-álbum, "The Trees Grew Emotions And Died" de fines de 2008, ahora nos encontramos con "Creamations" recopilación de tres EP's y rarezas surtidas que Cold Cave ha ido dejando en su tránsito mutante por las estructuras sonoras.
El de Filadelfia es un artista especial y deslumbrante que edita CD-R's y cassettes sin control, este año ya lleva tres ediciones sin contar este CD, prolífico y retorcido en "Cremations" tenemos un espectro más amplio de su opaca y vehemente forma de hacer música, ya que contiene tres registros- "Painted Nails" ep (2008), "Electronic Dreams" cassette (2009) y "Coma Potion" lp (2007)- donde se pasea por un noise sombrío de baja fidelidad, electrónica industriosa y darkwave de vieja escuela que recuerda a Coil, Death in June, Gary Numan y The Third Eye Foundation, de alguna manera toda su creación se esmera en dañar, en afectar al oyente por medio de sonidos fantasmales, perversiones del ruido, pedales, minimalismo y voces de ultratumba, incluso los trayectos bailables como "Gates"o "In a cave", terminan en una trampa escalofriante.
Música cavernaria y angustiante, que de seguro muy pronto nos entregará insanos frutos, ya era tiempo que algún proyecto norteamericano aludiera a Christian Death como lo hace Cold Cave en "Chrissie sally", oscuro manto que reina nuevamente.

P.D.: A fines de ese año editarán su primer álbum largo, el magnífico "Love Comes Close", con Dominick Fernow y Caralee McElroy como miembros oficiales de Cold Cave junto a Wes Eisold, la banda deja el anonimato y entra de lleno a capitanear la nueva ola fría que hasta hoy nos arrulla.
Dark Forever!‟

Raúl Cabrera H.

LXXXVII. Love Is Colder Than Death | Mental Traveller

LOVE IS COLDER THAN DEATH

Mental Traveller

©Hyperium. Deutschland, 1992.

‟The 90s were a great decade for genres like goth, dark wave and ethereal. In that time goth music wasn't so distorted and commercial as it is today, full of supergroups that care more about their hideous headbanger look than the music as itself.

The 90s saw the rise and fall of the best goth label ever existed, the Hyperium Records, from Germany. Love Is Colder Than Death was one of the most important bands of their cast.

"Mental Traveler" is Love Is Colder Than Death's darkest album, with intrincated arrangements of electronics, chords and percussion, and themes like religion, mythology and emotional conflicts.

There are memorable songs, like "Fiorina" and "Veronensis" that explore medieval sound textures, or "Down and Out" and "The Bronx of Life", that tends more to the electronic beats of EBM.

The vocals are relayed between Susann Heinrich, Maik Hartung and Ralf Donis, but the best songs were sung by Susann, whose voice is a standart for the so called "heavenly voices".

This record is probably the best of the group, made before Susann quit. After this incident, the band changed their musical path to a more "new age" related style.‟

dElicio

LXXIX. Die Form | L'Âme Électrique

 

DIE FORM

L'Âme Électrique

©Hyperium. Deutschland, 1995.

‟Sounds great real loud or low enough to sleep too. I must warn you though: If you play this at nite while you sleep, the music & Elaine's voice will creep up under your flesh and contort your dreams into the dark realms of extascy and bliss....maybe, Then again you may find yourself in a 16th century dungeon just before the executioner chops off your head with an axe ....you never know?
I see myself buying many more Die Forms CD's in the near future. If I had to describe them I would say: A cross between Skinny Puppy/Thrill Kill Kult & Dead Can Dance/Enigma, maybe a touch of Frontline Assembly? Most Definately a Worthy addition to my collection. I know now why I can never find D.F. cd's in the used bin... either nobody in their right mind would ever get rid of them, or they just get snatched up quick ??? Oh well Some bands I dont mind paying full price for....PIG, M.Manson, NIN, Ministry, KMFDM, System of a Down, etc.
Hauntingly beautiful music,if you by chance think your house has a ghost floating around in it then I dont recommend listening to this by yourself, at night, alone, in the dark.‟  

Magadogx13