This band is such a perfect krautrock blend where alternative rock meets coldwave. I’ve seen them live once, they were so professional and maintained this spot-on atmosphere during their whole set.
Cymbaline – Computerleven
Adam Tristar – Suicide Neighborhood
I saw Adam Tristar on a goth club night headlining after like ten other concerts. It was a duo performing live and they stood out so much from the others, like it would be a professional act after a list of DIY bedroom bands. Well, that’s probably a pretty good approximation of what happened.
The music is all along the goth aesthetics with electronic coldwave synths. Hits close to my heart.
Aphex Twin – Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760
This is a very nice IDM record. Other than that, my relationship to this is quite neutral, and saying that as a long time Aphex Twin fan. It just doesn’t have any specificity to this time and place, and it also doesn’t invoke memories strongly enough so it would be clearly on the nostalgia side. It’s like the B sides collection of records from twenty years back. It’s… fine.
nthng – There Is A Place For Me
Peaceful downtempo electronics. Music to work by.
Unto Others – Strength
Definitely one of my new personal hypes for this year. It is an epitome of a goth rock album that is right in the middle lane of my alley, pretty much occupying the whole street. It’s a perfect, epic record that gives me goosebumps. It’s also interesting how some heavy metal flavor is sprinkled in here and there.
I just checked my Last.fm stats and this album is already on the top of my artist and album lists for 2023. Wow, I knew I listened to this a lot, but I wasn’t aware this much. And with every listen it just grows stronger.
Don Broco – Amazing Things
Part super cool nu metal, part cheesy pop music. I’m back an forth between how much I like the first part and how much the second detracts me. Overall I try to focus on the good bits and those are really-really good. It would be good to see them live to see how this whole things play out, usually on a concert you see their true self.
Slipknot – The End, So Far
I admire that this album starts with a song that’s not typical for Slipknot, it almost sounds like Queens of the Stone Age for the vocals or Nine Inch Nails with the piano. Mature, thoughtful, with lots of fine details. Still I can see how this is a Slipknot song: I can feel how it reflects the journey and experiences that these individuals have gone through. Just looking at the side projects and solo career of Corey Taylor, it is so well reflected in Adderall how he brings back his own development to the band.
Besides this aspect, the record at length has everything Slipknot owns, even pushing their signature nu metal further to heavy metal. Amazing album as always, scratches all my Slipknot itches, it just delivers.
Thrice – The Artist in the Ambulance Revisited
Time travel to high school. It was 20 years ago, omg. Still a kick in the teeth and stabs like a blade. Makes me wonder where’s life gone in twenty years and what my teenager self would think or do seeing me now. Would slap me in the face, that’s what.
Gorgonn – Six Paths
Dubstep, like in the good old days.
Bot1500 – Surreal
It’s a little gem on the IDM-techno axis with an ambient mood. Beautifully crafted music.