Project Pitchfork - "Lament"

From an aesthetic standpoint, I think this is my favorite Project Pitchfork video. The song is pretty solid, too. The emotion gets across and sticks to me pretty well.

Flesh Field - Strain

(Property of Metropolis Records, used under Fair Use for direct, substantial commentary on product)

Earlier, I did a review of Flesh Field's Strain album, but here is a link to be able to listen to all the songs on the album. I strongly recommend buying the album, but I also feel one should be able to make informed choices. So here is a link to Flesh Field's MySpace page, and you can listen to the songs, yourself. If you can't afford to buy the album, I still very much recommend "Amoeba" and "The Collapse" if you are just in the mood to buy a song or two. I play those two songs a lot on my playlist.

Decoded Feedback - "Dark Reflections"

For whatever reason, this Decoded Feedback song sounds like it could have easily fit into the soundtrack of the first Parasite Eve game. With that merit alone, I share the song with you. (Ignore the vocals and tell me it doesn't have a similar sound to the music the game used for its intro and boss fight music.)

Spider Lilies - "Serene" + tour date

You already saw this video if you read my interview with Stacey Campbell from a little while back, but I wanted to use this opportunity to show it to you again and to tell you that Spider Lilies is playing this Saturday at Axum Lounge. If you want to see Spider Lilies play, this is just as good of a time as any. There will also be sets by Nila Kay, These Future Saints, Dharmata 101, Lenorable, and Pleasure Curses. For more information about the event, go here.

Sebastian Columbine - "How to Get Perfect Gothic Makeup by Gothic Angel Kitty Princess Baby"

It just wouldn't be one of Sebastian Columbine's funny videos if it didn't involve video lag and melodrama. This one involves twerking, too.

Yes, twerking. Don't fight this one.

Eurythmics - "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)"

Although you've undoubtedly heard all the covers, such as by Marilyn Manson, there's nothing that beats the original by Eurythmics.

mind.in.a.box and Ray Koefoed - "World Without A Sky"

I have a real treat for you today. This is a video that Ray Koefoed made with the Valve Source Filmmaker and Portal 2 footage for the Machinima Interactive Film Festival. The music is supplied by mind.in.a.box.

Qntal - "Flamma"

So, meshing together traditional medieval European musical instruments with industrial sensibilities while singing in Latin is probably something you don't see very often. It's just a hunch. But it looks like you can get your fill of it when you listen to Qntal. I admit my Latin is very rusty, so I feel elation when I understand single words, but even if you don't understand one lick of Latin, this is the kind of music that you can feel without needing to understand the words.

The Crüxshadows - "Tears" (live)

This is the song that got me into CXS. Here's someone's live recording of it from years after it came out.

Kidneythieves - "Before I'm Dead" (live)

This song feels a bit more conventional than "Zerospace", but it's still very good, very listenable. Kidneythieves knows how to work a crowd.

Colony 5 - "My World"

Erica Dunham practically gave me this afternoon's article on a silver platter by posting her favorite EBM songs on the Unter Null Facebook page in celebration of International EBM Day. Here is my favorite of the ones she posted. It's "My World" by Colony 5. I hadn't listened to any of Colony 5's stuff before, but I really like this video. The song is as danceable as EBM should be, and the video feels intellectually stimulating.

Tying Tiffany - "3 Circle"

Does the sight of Tying Tiffany leading a dance around a fire sound appealing to you? I hope so, because that's what you're getting this morning.


Also, don't forget that she's playing in New York City on March 17!

Helalyn Flowers ReverbNation playlist

Apparently, Helalyn Flowers is doing really well in Italy, being top on the ReverbNation Rome IT Alternative charts. As such, I figure you all would like to see what the big deal is about. My favorite song of the bunch is "Voices", and I think that might be a lot of people's favorite. It's a bit catchier than most of their stuff, which is why I like it. But check it all out.

Learn how to make a free Electronic Press Kit

Android Lust - "Dragonfly"

Android Lust never disappoints when it comes to creating something original and artistic. "Dragonfly" from the Devour, Rise and Take Flight album is no exception.

A Flock of Seagulls - "I Ran (So Far Away)"

For your Friday night, you get to be subjected to the disturbing greatness that is the one song by A Flock of Seagulls that anyone really cares about.

Pompous Cyber Cat

Who likes cat memes? Who likes (or at least has a strong opinion on) cyber goth? Well, you're in luck! For all your needs, we have the Pompous Cyber Cat meme! Here are some good ones I found. (Also, here is where I think the source is, but the site was down when I tried to go.)

Bella Morte - "My Heart Will Go On"

Wait, let me get this straight. Bella Morte managed to take the iconic Celine Dion song, added a new wave/goth rock twist to it, and made it actually sound really awesome? Well, I've just seen everything. I don't know how I feel about this. *looks outside for flying pigs*

Alice in Videoland - "We Are Rebels"

I haven't adequately doted on Alice in Videoland lately. This song makes me want to jump out of my seat every time I hear it. Watch and enjoy.

KMFDM - "Godlike"

This was one of my favorite songs when I first-first-first got into the scene. I'd still recommend it to anyone. KMFDM got me instantly hooked.

Junksista - "C**t Rocker"

The level of bluntness that Junksista displays is astounding and refreshing. (If it's not obvious, this video may be NSFW, but only due to language.)

Covenant - "One World, One Sky" / "Replicant" (live)

You get two songs for the price of one, this morning! Enjoy Covenant!

Madness - "Our House"

Most people believe Madness never made any songs other than this one. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a number of people who couldn't even name the band, but simply know this song. Regardless, enjoy.

Junksista - "Fruits"

Maybe I'm reading more into this than I should, but I'm going to take a wild guess and say this Junksista video isn't actually about produce. Just a hunch.

The difference between having an opinion and being a horrible person

(Photo by Ivo Jansch, CC 2.0)

It's been a while since I've been on a good rant, but an interesting thing happened to some of my friends earlier today, and that's what prompted me to make this post. See, my other big social crowd besides the goth-industrial scene is the anime convention scene. I have a significant number of friends and associates who are active within the anime scene and are involved in a number of ways, including cosplay. As it so happened, some of my friends did group costuming at this year's Katsucon. For the most part, these people received praise for their costumes, but one incident that happened on Facebook today made for the entire spark for this entry.

There was this one person who was supposed to be a friend of one of my friends who did the cosplay. Apparently, this guy didn't like the cosplay and thought the majority of the cosplayers looked subpar. What was particularly tactless and odd was the fact the perpetrator told my friend that he looked fine, but all his friends who were part of the cosplay with him were awful to look at. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where this is going, particularly after the person making tactless comments about the cosplay threatens to put the pic in question on 4chan.

With friends like that, who needs enemies?

Cosplay is one of those small-time community art scenes, a lot like the goth-industrial music scene. There are a few people high up on the food chain, like Jessica Nigri and Yaya Han, who really make a decent living out of what they do, but most of the people who "make it" within the scene are still people who are close enough to the realities of the world of the common people that they aren't above feeling the sting or elation of what others say about their craft. If you keep up with cosplay, you sometimes see the same people get featured all the time on the big and semi-big geek portal sites, and they're the people who are really popular cosplayers who people enjoy seeing. These people may have a considerable number of followers on their cosplay pages on Facebook. But when Monday morning after cons hit, these people who are not the Jessica Nigris and Yaya Hans put their pants on one leg at a time and go to mundane jobs or classes like the rest of us.

In the goth-industrial scene, it's no different. For instance, while Brittany Bindrim might be telling you about how things were "not [her] plan" and letting you know over and over again that "[she] did this" after work, her mad skills with Photoshop are what pay the bills. I can guarantee you that nobody in I:Scintilla gets treated like Hollywood royalty. Those people shop at the grocery store and pump their own gas like the rest of us. As such, they're more like us than you might think.

We're quick to detach ourselves from artists, particularly in the age of the Internet, and we have kind of thrown decorum out the window. As a result of this detachment, we forget that someone who is a lot like ourselves worked hard on the thing we're consuming. It's one thing when someone who is very famous has a product that has been exposed to the masses, because when someone is at that level, he or she isn't even going to notice what individuals other than people with comparable clout have to say. Someone with that level of success will only notice macro-level trends from the masses, so noticing one person's flippantly biting remark is like noticing a single particular drop of rain within the context of a thunderstorm. But when it comes to most people within the indie scene, up-and-comers, and other people who haven't made it to the big time yet, those people do notice criticism on a much more micro level. Regardless of whether or not they've learned to deal with the criticism, they still notice it.

Of course, none of this is to say that I believe you shouldn't ever criticize artists below a certain level of fame. As a matter of fact, I think that idea is completely absurd. Good, constructive criticism is necessary for artists to improve and gain fame over time. Artists gamble when they completely ignore the input of their fans. Angering your fanbase is a great way make your artwork no longer financially viable. It's better to get constructive criticism now and be able to make adjustments than to wonder why your fanbase simply dwindled over time. That's not to say artists should never take risk, not is it to say that the fans are always right or perfect seers of the future, but public opinion is very important to consider when trying to peddle one's work.

But the key term within the last paragraph was "constructive". If there is something you didn't like about a song, a video, an album, a show, or anything, you need to explain what you didn't like in as direct and non-confrontational as you can. "I didn't like this, because..." or "I would have preferred if you have done this, because..." works a lot better than "Your album sucks!" or "Don't quit your day job!" (An exception to this is if the artist actually did something you deem wrong or offensive. (e.g. took your money and didn't give you product in return, said racial slurs on stage, etc.) In those cases, being a bit more confrontational, without doing something that will get you arrested, mind you, may be more in order.) Artists who want to continue to be artists are remarkably receptive of feedback. You may think some of them are aloof, but they listen to what you have to say. As such, you need to not treat them like garbage. Talk to them like human beings, as if they were standing in front of you in a room.

In summary, I suppose the whole point of this rant is that you shouldn't treat artists within the scene poorly. They actually notice what you have to say. Even if they may not address you directly, they pay attention. Don't be a jerk, unless you just want the scene to dry up and die.

Collide - "Euphoria"

Do you like goth music that makes you feel like dancing around a campfire while the sounds just wash over you? Although this sounds like every Collide song ever, I'm going to show you all "Euphoria" for this post.

Funker Vogt - "Killing Fields" (live)

Although Funker Vogt seems to have gotten more inspirational these days, this video from a live concert in Mexico in 2011 of an older Funker Vogt song, "Killing Fields" shows what I normally think of when I think of this band.

Marilyn Manson on "The Phil Donahue Show" in 1995

We've really come a long way since those days. It's been almost twenty years since this show, and I think the general public has gotten a different point view about goth and industrial music and events since those days. Of course, the average Joe or Jane on the street is still probably going to think that people who present as goth are strange and might have problems, but it seems like, for the most part, only significantly conservative people at this point in time think that goths, by definition, worship Satan and are prone to violence. As much as we want to complain about the lack of mainstream acceptance of underground subcultures now, when we look back at things like the below video, we get a stark sense of perspective. That doesn't mean we should rest on our laurels, but we have made large amounts of progress.

In this episode of "The Phil Donahue Show", there is a debate about the safety of moshing, and there are some interesting points that are even applicable today, such as the need for competent security at clubs and the discussion about blaming media for personal actions. Also, I notice the level of shock value that Marilyn Manson attempts, and back then, it was considered super edgy, particularly to the mainstream. Now that I've been into the scene for a while, I see that Marilyn Manson is about as hardcore as a jar of Metamucil, but that shouldn't detract from his merits as an artist. I largely side with the Marilyn Manson and the other music scene people on there, although I think Manson could have worded some things better, particularly in regard to suicide as a result of music. I understand what he was trying to say, but I think he might have been a little too focused on being hardcore to try to get his point across properly. I think the point that he was trying to allude to, but didn't really come out and say, was the fact that the suicides people try to blame on music were probably a result of anything but the music and that we should be focusing on what the real problems were with these people as opposed to looking to create a scapegoat.

Anyway, sit back and enjoy some old 90s "trash TV".

Joy Division - "She's Lost Control"

What would a Sunday morning be without Joy Division? Well, it'd be like one with it, but not. Enjoy Gothic Worldwide's video of a 1979 live version of "She's Lost Control".

Glis - "No Pulse"

And now for something completely different...

Do you want to see what futurepop and EBM looked like in the ancient times of 2004? OK, maybe not "ancient", but this definitely doesn't have a polished, overproduced look to it. It really feels like art for art's sake, which is another one of those things for which I'm a sucker. A lot of the Glis video feels totally random, but it works and makes for a highly entertaining product.

Tying Tiffany - "One Second"

(Property of Tying Tiffany, used under Fair Use for direct, substantial commentary on product)

Tying Tiffany has done it again. She's put out a true work of beauty with "One Second", the one song from her new single, One. There is a hint of a 90s punk feel to this as well as a hint of synthpop. This is so calming, and if there's a way a song can be pretty, this is it. If none of this sold you though, maybe the fact that it's a free download will.

Skin Tight Remix Contest

(Property of Alfa Matrix and I:Scintilla, used under Fair Use for direct, substantial commentary on product)

On the I:Scintilla Bandcamp page, they are presenting the finalists for their "Skin Tight" remix contest. What makes this interesting is that instead of the web-based voting that you see for most contests like this, the money you're willing to pay for the songs is what generates the votes. All proceeds go to Amnesty International, and whichever song makes the most money gets to go into Marrow 2.

VNV Nation - "Standing" (live)

VNV Nation's "Standing" in live form really speaks for itself. What can I say? It's like presenting the Hope Diamond to someone and then being forced to explain what's so great about it.

Industrial Dancing to "Barbie Girl"

It's funny video time! Here's some epic hardcore dancing to the most dark industrial song ever, Aqua's "Barbie Girl".

You're welcome.

Miss FD - "Cry For You (Haunted) ft. Robert Dante"

I won't lie and say I have ever been particularly high on Miss FD or Frightdoll, but this latest video is better than what I expect from this artist. I think this style that she took for her latest video suits her better than most of her electronic works. Honestly, I think she might be better served if she goes to the acoustic arts. What do you think?

Jakalope - "Digging Deep"

This song is absurdly depressing, yet it is one of my favorite songs. It's an old song by Jakalope from their Born 4 album.

What is goth (Part 9274)?

If you want different perspectives on what goth is in an elevator blurb, here are a couple of interesting videos I've found.

FEARnet's question to Voltaire:


A video where a young lady interviews her own mother about goth subculture to help explain goth to parents:

IMATEM - "Haven (feat. Ronan Harris)"

IMATEM is Peter Spilles's collaborative side project. From Journey is undoubtedly IMATEM's most popular song, "Haven", which has VNV Nation's Ronan Harris. (Note, like I said before in regard to MySpace streaming, MySpace likes to only give you a little circular button instead of a decent banner, like, say, Bandcamp. So, click the play button if you want to hear the song.)


Haven - feat. RONAN HARRIS

Tying Tiffany - "Show Me What You Got" + tour date announcement

Here's Tying Tiffany wanting you to show her what you got.


That being said, she's coming to New York next month! She'll be at Glasslands in Brooklyn on March 17. Be there or be square!

New Order - "Blue Monday"

New Order's "Blue Monday" is easily the most popular song by the band. Enjoy Monday on Tuesday.

Project Pitchfork - "Existence" + tour date announcement

I'm in a very Project Pitchforkish mood right now, so I feel like you all should be, as well.



But there is more to tonight's post! I just heard that Project Pitchfork is coming to Empire in Springfield, VA on June 2. And that's not all! Ayria and Spider Lilies are going to be there, too! This event is going to rock your socks. You don't want to miss this.

Ayria - "Hunger"

I thought I posted this before. I guess I didn't. Well, whenever Ayria puts out her Plastic Makes Perfect album, you're in for a ride. "Hunger" has been out for a while, but I just wanted to share this to those of you who might not realize just how great this evolution of Ayria has been. Based on what I've heard so far, I'm liking this just as much as I liked the Debris album.

The Eden House - "Neversea"

If you're in the mood for some soothing, yet awake gothic rock of the non-electronic sort, The Eden House seems like a good place to start. These people are highly focused on collaboration, bringing in tons of guest musicians to make music.

Depeche Mode - "Just Can't Get Enough"

I don't know about you, but I don't see how anyone can dislike some classic new wave. If you want to feel old, here's a great way to do it.

Chiasm - "Someone"

(EDIT: 2/15/2012) So, I totally forgot to come back and add a description for this until just now. If you like Chiasm's stuff in general, I think this doesn't particularly deviate from the pattern. I get a sense of slow-burning creepiness from the song and the video, and I like it.

The Birthday Massacre - "Broken"

It's a Saturday afternoon, so I think The Birthday Massacre sounds like just as good as a band as any.

Diffuzion - "Dbd (While You Can)"

I'm not sure how to categorize this song. It feels like a mix between Unter Null and Emmon, which is like saying a food tastes like a mix between Buffalo wings and chocolate bars. But you need to listen to this. You'll find out that there really is a method to the madness. Diffuzion seems to know what they're doing.

Ayria - "Missed the Mark"

As an early Valentine's Day gift to her fans, Ayria is going to let you all download a song, "Missed the Mark", from her new Plastic and Broken EP right now, before the February 14 release date if you preorder her EP. "Missed the Mark" is very pop, but I like it.

Marilyn Manson teaches a class

If you're interested in seeing how intelligent Marilyn Manson actually is, here's a good video for it.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - "The Killing Jar"

As we all know, Siouxsie and the Banshees are incredible. As such, I have to show you their music videos from time to time. Here's one about trapped beauty, "The Killing Jar".

Emilie Autumn - "Opheliac"

Let's face it. Videos of Emilie Autumn live shows never get old. Here's a video I found of "Opheliac" that someone took at a show in Paris.

Detroit Diesel

I know that I sometimes have trouble finding good aggrotech and hard EBM bands and musicians, because there are a number of them out there that make me feel gross inside. There's often a fine line in regard to sound (and a not so fine line in regard to other things) that makes my decision about something great and something deplorable when it comes to this part of the industrial genre. That being said, at least based on what I've listened to so far, Detroit Diesel has ended up on the correct side of things for me.

In particular, I enjoy "All Lost Before Dawn". This is a perfect example of what I like about this band. It feels very much like old-school Funker Vogt with a more light-footed dance feel as opposed to a stompy feel.

Free embed music player from ReverbNation.com

Seabound - "Castaway"

I have to admit that I think Seabound is one of the more artistic pure futurepop bands out there. They seem to be very focused on art for art's sake, which I like. It's a shame they don't do more videos, but I definitely like the one for "Castaway".

Collide - "Mind Games"

If you want something sultry, something that feels like it's dripping slowly and filling your ear to mold comfortably inside it, look no further than Collide. The duo of kaRIN and Statik know how to wiggle and scratch musically like nobody else. This is "Mind Games" from their Counting to Zero album.

Facebook stuff

*points to sidebar* We do have a Facebook page, you know! If you like this blog/site/e-zine/whatever you want to call it, there are other people on the Facebook page who do too! Discussion is awesome, and I'd like to see some! ^_^;

Imperative Reaction - "Siphon"

I've told you before how much Imperative Reaction rox my sox. Here's another song by these guys that makes me happy. It's from their self-titled album.

Random videos

Do you like seeing your favorite musicians be entertaining in ways that have little or nothing to do with their music? Well, here's a video dedicated to that.

First, here's Erica from Unter Null practicing her French:




Here's a Santa Hates You video from 2011 that you might have to understand YouTube trends from that time to get:

The people from Psy'Aviah had to make a wine commercial for a school project. Here is what they made:

Industrial charity

(Public Domain License)

One thing that I wanted to highlight for a while now has been the different charitable things people within the goth-industrial scene have done. Although this is drastically not a comprehensive list of nice things that musicians have done ever, this just gives you a taste of their humanity.

Honestly, what finally got me off my duff to write this post is the fact Spider Lilies joined Music for Good on ReverbNation today to give a portion of their proceeds to charity: water, an organization that focuses on making it so people in developing nations have access to potable water.

I:Scintilla gave a portion of their proceeds from the sales of the Dying and Falling EP to help the victims of the 2011 Tohuku earthquake in Japan.

Helalyn Flowers donated music in 2012 for "The Greenlight Bundle" on groupees.com, which donated proceeds to War Child International, Make a Wish, and the Sandy Hook School Support Fund.

Trent Reznor raised money to help someone pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses incurred from a heart transplant in 2009.

Finally, Emilie Autumn released a charity single, By the Sword, after the events of 9/11 to raise money for AmeriCares and the American Red Cross.

Like I said, I'm probably only just scratching the surface here, but the goth-industrial community does a lot of good things for people. If you know of other musicians who have given to charity or performed other charitable acts, let me know!

Client - "Drive"

I'm not going to lie. A lot of why I love this video is because they used maps in a cool way. The music is also soothing, and they used monochrome to fantastic effect. But mostly, it's the maps.

Santa Hates You - "Scum"

I've spoken before about how Santa Hates You is incredibly vocal about social issues in their music. "Scum" is no exception. They really despise oppression, and want you to know what they intend to do about it.

"Tutorial on Industrial dance"

Is this for real? I thought the whole point of dancing to this music was to just be energetic and do whatever you feel like doing with your body. The idea of having a tutorial on this seems kind of wrong.

Ashbury Heights - "Spiders"

This is a video all about time by the Swedish band on hiatus, Ashbury Heights.

Kraftwerk - "The Robots"

I've been in the mood to listen to the seriously retro stuff lately. Here's some old-school Kraftwerk to make you amused or possibly depressed.

Project Pitchfork - "Rain"

The new Project Pitchfork video left me feeling a bit perplexed. On the one hand, the song is absolutely beautiful. It's powerful, and Mr. Spilles's vocals shine and boom. That being said, the video seems really random and kind of all over the place. You be the judge.

Japanese goth

Here is a video vlogger La Carmina did that showed off some of the Japanese goth scene.

How to Destroy Angels - "How Long?"

Trent Reznor does other things besides Nine Inch Nails.