Rudimentary Peni - Farce (1982)

Artist: Rudimentary Peni
Album: Farce EP
Release: 1982
Label: Crass Records


Tracklist:
1. Sacrifice
2. Cosmetic Plague
3. Subdued Violence
4. Only Human
5. The Bile Ball
6. Farce
7. Bloody Jellies
8. Mice Race
9. Defined By Age
10. Zero Again
11. Bubble

Friends and scene-mates of fellow deathrock outfit Part 1, Rudimentary Peni were an anarcho-punk group out of the UK who played a brand of energetic punk that seems to border hardcore in some respects. They self-released several of their records, but this particular EP, "Farce," was released on Crass records, sharing the label with similar acts like The Mob.

Vocals are what make this band. The sound of a broken man. Don't miss this seminal release.



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The Sound - From the Lions Mouth (1981)

Artist: The Sound
Album: From the Lions Mouth
Release: 1981
Label: Korova Records


Tracklist:
1. Winning
2. Sense of Purpose
3. Contact the Fact
4. Skeletons
5. Judgement
6. Fatal Flaw
7. Possession
8. The Fire
9. Silent Air
10. New Dark Age


The Sound were an English darkwave/post-punk band that formed in 1979, and were fronted by Adrian Borland, a tragic figure who suffered mental instability until his suicide decades later. Their lyrics are lonely, their hooks seductive, and Adrian's vocals desperate. "From the Lions Mouth" is their second LP, released on Korova Records, a label owned by Warner Brothers. Korova always pushed the band to break through to commercial success, but The Sound never chose to compromise their sound to achieve more than cult status. Good thing, because what makes this LP fantastic is its balance between insatiable pop and the dark post-punk movement that bloomed in the early 80's. If for nothing else, this record is worth loving for its final track "New Dark Age," an apocalyptic masterpiece with bone shaking bass synth.

Here it comes, a new dark age.

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Lost Tribe - S/T Tour CS 2012

Artist: Lost Tribe
Album: s/t Tour CS
Release: 2012
Label: s/r


Tracklist (incomplete, will be completed upon tape release):
1. Coma
2. Psychic Death
3. Darkness


Lost Tribe are a peace punk/goth project out of Richmond, VA. In 2010 they released The Dawn CS, a demo that would constitute much of their excellent s/t full length on Blind Prophet (you can still get it here!), as well as their Unsound 7" single, which includes possibly the best song from the demo, Unsound (hear it below).

Now they are touring, and soon, lucky for all of us, they will be releasing a tour tape, also s/t. Three of the five tracks on this tape are already available to your welcoming ears on their bandcamp (and below). The new material is less frantic and more synth heavy than previous tracks,  but retain the fast-paced punk melodies that make this band so damn good. Keep an eye out for upcoming tour dates so you can get your hands on one of these. Lost Tribe may be coming to catacomb near you.





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Cemetery Interview - WLUW 88.7 Chicago Sound Alliance

Cemetery are a great deathrock band out of Chicago. I posted their demo not too long ago, and if you liked it, you'll be excited to know that Cemetery aired two new, unreleased tracks on this interview with 88.7 WLUW's Kenneth W on his program Reality Radio in April. I was lucky enough to catch the show, and even luckier to get permission from the band to post this interview.

Below I've included streams of both the full interview (well worth the listen, as along with the new tracks Cemetery shared some of their favorite gothy tunes), and, for the impatient, the new tracks*, 'Sex Foil' and 'Voices in the Floorboards.' 

True to form, 'Sex Foil' is a straight deathrock anthem. With significantly higher production than the demo, the track is well worth the hellish recording session I've been told it required. 'Voices...' is another installment in the analog synth project singer Danny G contributes to the band. It's less ambient than some of the previous synth tracks Cemetery has released, and is my favorite to date.

If you enjoy this interview then let Cemetery know! They can be found here. And make sure to look out for any new releases. Rumor has it a 12" comp with Cemetery, Autonomy, Staring Problem, and Population will soon be released.

*Unfortunately the label releasing these tracks on the aforementioned comp has asked they be taken down. Lucky for you, the entire interview is great, you'll just have to listen to it to hear the new tracks!

I have no legal right to any of this content. If you do, and want it taken down, just let me know.

Spectres - Discography CS (2012)

Artist: Spectres
Album: Discography CS
Release 2012
Label: Crysis Records


Tracklist: 
1. Pattern Recognition
2. Time is Out
3. Stasi
4. Romans
5. Our Time
6. Loginas
7. City of Ghost
8. Standing East
9. Last Days
10 Decline And Fall
11. Revolutions
12. Visions of a New World
13. Complications
14. Cold War
15. Message From Above


Spectres is a fantastic anarcho/darkwave outfit out of Vancouver. The obvious comparison is Joy Division, but Spectres puts their own spin on this classic blueprint. Endless hooks make this release catchy as hell. Unfortunately, these tapes are sold out, but this is not a band to overlook.



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Amebix - No Sanctuary EP (1984)

Artist: Amebix
Album: No Sanctuary EP
Release: 1984
Label: Spiderleg Recordings


Tracklist: 
1. Battery Humans
2. Control
3. Progress
4. No Sanctuary
5. The Church is For Sinners
6. Sunshine Ward
7. Moscow Madness: No Gods Part II


My roommate is really into raw black metal, the kind that could just as easily be identified as crust. Its been ever-present in the house for a couple years now, hes turned me on to some great bands, and this new appreciation for the lo-fi black metal/crust sound got me hooked on this EP all the much more. Amebix are just as much Discharge as they are Joy Division, and at times distinctly seem to me an obvious pre-cursor to black metal. "Sunshine Ward" (below) exemplifies this, but crusty guitars and great bass lines are to be found abound on this release.



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Get excited for synth. Preorder.

Part 1 - Discography (1982-1985)

Artist: Part 1

Album: Funeral Parade EP

Release: 1982

Label: Paraworm Records

Tracklist:

1. Funeral Parade

2. Graveyard Song

3. Tomb

4. Ghost

5. Salem

6. Funeral Parade II

Part 1 are incredible, and at this point an internet phenomena. They've been chronicled as the influential anarcho-punk band that they are on cvlt nation, and are motivated enough by their new audience that they've even discussed reforming and reissuing their small catalog. This is the first of two releases in this discography. Consisting of three trance-inducing, dark post-punk tracks, Funeral Parade is fifteen minutes of impending gloom.

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p.s. Special thanks to Atomic Age Distro for making this available.

Artist: Part 1

Album: Pictures of Pain

Release: 1985

Label: Pusmort

Tracklist:

1. Possessed 

2. Black Mass

3. Pictures of Pain

4. The Corpse

5. Incest

6. Ghost

7. Hymn

Part 1's full length is at least as good as their first release. It's less noisy than the EP, but the songs are more developed. A staple for any dark punk fan.

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PDX Compilation Volume 2

Artist: Various
Album: PDX Compilation Volume 2
Release: 2012
Label: Blackwater Records


Tracklist:
1. Crusaders + Banshees (Arctic Flowers)
2. Tension Building (The Bellicose Minds)
3. With You (Funeral Parade)
4. Mortality (Moral Hex)


Great comp of the best in Portland dark punk. I can't even say there is a highlight on this album, its all just too damn good. All of these bands have other releases, and as you'll definitely be interested in other material by them, you'll be excited to know both Arctic Flowers and The Bellicose Minds put out records last year, Reveries and Whisper in Darkness respectively, that you can still get your hands on. Demos and such from all of these bands are also worth looking into. Unfortunately physicals are harder to come by, but completely worth the hunt. Happy searching.

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Fifth Column - Decadent Disco! (1985)

Artist: Fifth Column
Album: Decadent Disco! Demo
Release: 1985
Label: Unknown


Tracklist:
1. Necromancy
2. Monitors
3. Golden Girl
4. Schizophrenic
5. A Sadistic Practice


This UK dark punk band is not to be mistaken for the Canadian all-female post-punk outfit, who put out material during the same period. This demo is the only studio recording Fifth Column ever released, and its a shame because these garage-tinged tracks rip.



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Crimson Scarlet - Sanctuary 7" (2012)

Artist: Crimson Scarlet
Album: Sanctuary 7"
Release: 2012
Label: Cool Summer Records


Tracklist:
1. Sanctuary
2. Two Kinds of Red


Debut (?) release from Santa Barbara punks Crimson Scarlet on Cool Summer Records.This 7" sports two excecptionally produced, vaguely danceable tracks of female fronted deathrock. If you're into Cemetery, I would highly recommend it. Cool Summer pretty much sum says all there is to say:


"Forged in hell fire under a full moon, summoned by witches, the embodiment of forsaken spirits of the ancient world.  Echoing the wolves howl, and the banshee’s cry. The sea turns black, the mountains tremble, the dead rise.  The forest floor stirs with unholy life, limbs and branches twist and bend in the still night.  The crow that raps upon the window pane, the dog that stalks the alley, beware the shape shifter.  The lone traveler upon the desert plain beckons, but keep your distance or risk venturing to realms unknown.  The hunter or the hunted, choose, and seal your fate.  The spell has been cast, the spirit world unlocked.  The hollows offer no refuge.  The stones are aligned, the crystal blessed, the blood of the serpent spilled.  All are damned."



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Autonomy - Demo CS (2011)

Artist: Autonomy
Album: Demo CS
Release: 2011
Label: Cut the Cord Records


Tracklist:
1. Homostasis Stasis
2. Fear Hate
3. No Need
4. Kistvaen
5. Schism
6. For What Cause
7. Public Faith
8. Gulag Romeo


"Dark melodic anarcho post-punk. Somewhere between The Mob (UK) and The Cure." Definite hardcore influences make this release stand out as a stripped down, more aggressive take on the current dark punk/goth trend. This demo is a must hear, and you can still get your hands on it.

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Cemetery - Demo CS (2011)

Artist: Cemetery

Album: Demo CS

Release 2011

Label: s/r

Tracklist:

1. Reptile Walk

2. Cask

3. Voices in the Ceiling

4. State Ward

5. Grave Dance

6. Voices in the Walls

This deathrock outfit from Chicago introduced me to the genre via Terminal Escape.  Obvious Christian Death worship meets a good dose of punk with the product being undeniably catchy, brooding anthems. Also included is the "Voices in the..." series, wandering gothic tracks which act as an outlet for Cemetery's affinity for analog-synth. 

Unfortunately their demo has been sold out for some time (I've yet to get my hands on a copy), but it is supposedly being repressed soon (check vigorously here). New material is also in the works. Cemetery recorded two stellar new tracks that were aired during an WLUW interview last month. I recorded the show and hopefully will have it streaming soon pending on Cemetery's good grace. 

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