Terminal Serious – Tear You Away

Post-rock goth vibes with that classic deep male voice. My only complaint is the drums, which falls in that uncanny valley of not being played live, but mimic that just too closely while not getting there. Something that sounds more like classic programmed drums would work better, or just playing the whole thing with a live band would as well, of course.

Lebanon Hanover – Sci-Fi Sky

This is cold wave.

I don’t know that the fact they don’t (can’t?) properly play their instruments (which includes voice) in most songs is form over substance, an aesthetic choice, or just shows that in this genre it’s not the musical prowess that matters. In any case, it gives the album a noisy bedroom DYI feel.

Black Angel – Kiss of Death

For goth rock, there’s this triangulation of post-punk to glam-velvet to rocker-dudes, and I could paint the amoeba visualization for all albums based on their style in this triangle. This one’s the least post-punk, and about equal rock-and-roll and glam. This is not goth to be sad about but one to dance to and drink deep crimson wine from large brass chalices by.