Japanese Gothic, industrial and dark indies music
Hello blog. It has been quite a while since I had anything to write about in this hallowed tome. Should I apologize? I don’t think so.
Anyway, as a small update, I received a most interesting package filled with a steel metal CD, cassette, poster and (most interesting of all) some cotton candy.
Well, I am not quite ready to do the CD review yet, but will drop some bread crumbs in the near future.
Dead Scarlet Records has just released Glimmer Void’s debut 5-track album “Souls Parade” in digipack cd, limited edition.
Glimmer Void is a band from Athens, Greece, that combine ethereal female vocals with dark atmospheric melodies, influenced by the Gothic, neo-folk and neo-classical music scene.
Bio
Originally formed in Athens, in September 2004 by Stelios Mastrodiamadoglou (keyboards, guitar), Thalia Makri (vocals, lyrics) and George Kokkoras (drums, percussion), Glimmer Void started working on experimental ideas to create songs that combine ethereal female vocals with dark atmospheric melodies.
The band felt completed only after Vaggelis Babadelis (guitar) and Diana Rahmanina (cello) joined in
The process of recording began no sooner than the year 2006 and the result of it was the debut album “Souls Parade” consisting of 5 tracks.
“Souls Parade” is now out thanks to Dead Scarlet Records.
At the present time, there are two new members, George Skoufas, (male vocals and bass guitar) and Dimitris Zannis at the guitar, after Vaggelis left the band.
Glimmer Void is now giving live concerts to the Greek audience and continues writing new songs for their next album.
I feel very honored to be able to do a review about the contemporary classical music site of Frederik Magle. Frederik Magle is a composer, concert organist and pianist based in Denmark. His works are mainly modern tonal-based classical and film music. Frederik Magel has composed a variety of instrumental and vocal ensembles as well as solo music for violin and piano. His work stretches across genres from full orchestral works to modern electronica.
All items reviewed in this post are available for
There were around 10-12 tracks available online, but I have selected four to review on JGoth.com – Rising of a New Day, The Shadow, Far Away and Lullaby.
Rising of a New Day is a powerful piece bursting with energy with lively strings and brass alluding to the moment the sun breaks the horizon with all the promise of a new day. There is a quieter interlude perhaps alluding to the still-sleeping creatures, before the sunburst sequence returns again. The piece culminates with drums and finally the music quickens its tempo to exude the feeling that the day has truly arrived. I find it to be an inspiring piece reminding me that every new day has the potential to be a great day. This song is only available in the Forum so you will need to register to listen. Another interesting light-themed piece is Let there be Light, a heavier piece available here. However, I personally find Rising of a New Day the more satisfying of the two to listen to and worth registering to get access to.
The second piece is Skyggen (The Shadow), one of 20 songs based on fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen on the album Sangen er et eventyr (The Song is a Fairytale). The Shadow is a vocal piece backed by cello, piano and bass. It is an interesting piece, capturing the fantasy tale’s essence. However, the vocals are in Danish so I was unable to fully appreciate the track. You can find this track and Fra et vindue i Vartorv (From a window in Vartorv) on the main site here.
One of my favorite tracks on Frederik Magel’s site has to be Far Away, an ominous piece of electronica. Starting slow there is a feeling that something dark is approaching. Then it breaks out into gamboling keyboards as the darkened being comes into view. It is a fine piece of work that captured my imagination especially in the fast-tempo sections with keys and percussion playing off each other. About two-thirds of the way in the music lets up before unleashing a high-tempo, more uplifting tone. I definitely recommend taking a look at this piece through the forums here – remember you need to register first before getting access to tracks released on the forums.
The final track I looked at is Lullaby. As the title suggests this is a very peaceful piano work. Its tempo is slow to begin with and slowly fades to lull you to sleep.
There are plenty of other downloads on this site and I would recommend anyone looking for more modern classical works to take a look at this site. My favorite was Far Away, but many more tracks have found their way to my iPod this weekend.
Links:
Frederik Magle’s site
Magle International Music Forums
According to the Destruct System Web site they have been recording a full album with new track due out this Summer. It’s early days yet, but I look forward to hearing a complete album from this band.
The band has five samples and one full recording available in MP3 format on the site (just click on sounds).
I was about to get ready to write some more reviews from the Greek Goth label, Dead Scarlet Records, when I received three really interesting CDs.
The first two came from the main man at DeathWatch Asia, Jude. Despair and Sawdust in Me are Japanese bands who are making waves in the Gothic/underground world. Two pops to Jude for sending these across. Jude who, apart from running the DeathWatch Asia label, heads up Sins of the Flesh and does keytair for Despair. I will get onto the reviews soonish – latest in the new year.
If you cannot wait for a review, you can buy either CD internationally from Music Non Stop (click here for Despair’s Rewired Riot Technology CD, click here for Sawdust in Me’s Mortification Made Me single).
The other CD received was from Chris of The Stompcrash (MySpace), a Goth band in Italy. The CD is called Requiem Rosa and the lyrics have their origins from a site of the same name created by an unknown songwriter. Quite a dark, mysterious provenance, which has certainly caught my attention!
Anyway, more events will be added in the days ahead and reviews soon after that.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Igor.
Now here is a Christmas movie I’d like to see. Johnny Depp as a 19th century serial killer. Armed with his razors edge, Johnny ain’t redecorating the hedges a la Edward Scissor hands. Oh, no. This time he’s taking a swipe at a few throats in his latest movie, Sweeney Todd opening December 21 – check the promo!
Like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I had heard of Sweeney Todd, but was not particularly interested until I saw that Mr. Depp was playing main role.
I have always liked Johnny Depp since I saw him in 21 Jump Street oh so many years ago, and have enjoyed all his performances which he plays with gusto – be it pirate, investigator or serial killer.
The story of the new movie of about the grisly revenge played out by Benjamin Barker, a man imprisoned unjustly by a judge who. Barker manages to escape and return as the barber Sweeney Todd to exact his revenge on the judge. Of course there are numerous other victims and Mrs. Lovatt who pitches in with the creation of special meat pies from the remains. Quite dark indeed.
Aside from Johnny Depp, the film co-starts include Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen and Alan Rickman
Directed by Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, promises to be another sleek, grim, occasionally tongue-in-cheek fantastical horror movie.
Pity I don’t know when it will reach Japan ZZZzzz.
Igor is proud to announce that he has become an affiliate of Music Non Stop, a totally kicking alternative music store able to ship all manner of music almost anywhere in the world. It even carries a range of Japanese Gothic titles from the small, but growing DeathWatch Asia label. If you are feeling like shopping for some alternative music or something dark and from Japan, please click on the banner or individual links below!
Demonoid 13
- Gate of Hell (Igor’s Review)
Despair
- Deserted Technology Riot (Igor’s Review)
- Rewired Riot Technology (Rewired! Review coming soon)
Sawdust in Me
- Mortification Made Me (Review coming soon)
Sins of the Flesh
- Death Wish
- Death of the Flesh (Igor’s Review)
Various Artists
Dark Waters (Igor’s Review)
All these titles are quality examples of the Japanese Goth, especially Dark Waters which offers a broad cross-section of Goth, industrial, electro and more. Remember if you make a purchase after clicking the links above, that supports Igor and JGoth!
Gothika (MySpace) will be conducting its third European tour in December with appearances in Greece, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Finland and Russia! The band also released its first full CD, 120 Days of Sodom, on September 15 this year – I must get my hands on a copy. If you are interested in getting a copy for yourself they are available at J Music Store.
Tour Information:
2007/12/14 (Fri) Athens, Greece @ Underworld Club
2007/12/15 (Sat) Lahr, Germany @ Universal D.O.G. -Dark Dance Treffen-
2007/12/16 (Sun) Barcelona, Spain @ BeCool
2007/12/19 (Wed) Paris, France @ Le Klub
2007/12/20 (Thu) Brussels, Belgium @ The Windows
2007/12/21 (Fri) Helsinki, Finland @ Gloria
2007/12/22 (Sat) Moscow, Russia @ Relax Club
CD Information:
120 Days of Sodom :: Track List
01. Nazareth
02. Elflock
03. Girl Inferno
04. fata morgana Android
05. Lage Kokeshi Doll
06. Beyond God and Evil
07. Hair Cut Millennium
08. Mitsu-Getsu-Ka
09. I’m sorry for my birth.
10. Alexa
Available at J Music Store.
Location: Tokyo, Japan – Genre: Heavy Industrial, Electro
On October 3 Despair released its new remix CD, Rewired Riot Technology offering nine tracks from the band. Despair is best described as post-industrial carnage, discarding the traditional instruments for reworked noise and samples backed with a digital keytar. My recent review of the band’s 2006 release of Deserted Technology Riot (DTR) was very positive.
Igor’s final call on DTR is that this is a must-buy album for serious industrial-music lovers. It marks the evolution of Despair from a largely live band (they always drive the crowd nuts!), to a band that can produce high-quality recordings that excite CD listeners in the same way! See my full review here
In truth it took me several listens to reach my decision as DTR was a very tech-heavy piece of work unlike any other CD I had heard (even from Despair itself).
The new CD, Rewired Riot Technology features 9 remixes from DTR totaling nearly 40 minutes. There are three rewired versions of Jarring God and MPD Conflict and one for Mechanical Rabies, Filth Pig and Junk War. I will save judgment for a review when I get a hold of the new CD, but the sample remixes on the site are pointing towards an awesome piece of re-worked music.
Rewired Riot Technology :: Track List
1. MPD Conflict (A New Model) – Sample
2. Jarring God (Rebel Action Remix) – Sample
3. Mechanical Rabies (No Vaccine For Your Machines) – Sample
4. MPD Conflict (Mind Control Mix) – Sample
5. Jaring God (The Devil Built My Beat Box) – Sample
6. Long Pig – Sample
7. Junk Whore – Sample
8. MPD Conflict (A New Machine) – Sample
9. Becoming God – Sample
The price for this 9 track 39 minute CD is 1,500 yen or 10 Euros. Once I get my hands on a full copy I will do another review!
Despair’s music is available at a number of music stores in Japan, the U.K., France and Australia. Just check out the bottom of the Destore page (that is also where you will find all the samples).
[FREE DOWNLOADS!] Totally cool! Tactical industrial with a strong sense of irony – wearing military regalia, with an anti-totalitarianism stance. Their fast, hard-hitting industrial sound packs quite a punch and keeps hitting throughout the trax. But THE BIG NEWS is that the SONGS ARE FREE and you can DOWNLOAD and you can SHARE them. The guys reserve some rights of course (like no re-sale), but the general idea is to get this sound out to as many people as possible. So tell your online and real-life friends about 2Bullet and their downloads!! Get your DJ friends to take a gander. Tell the world! Four full songs are up along with another coming later in the year.
Click here and start downloading!
http://2bullet.net/xoops/modules/contents0/index.php?id=8
The band will also be doing a new live gig on the 25th of November.
Recent Comments