June 28, 2009
Posted by: Chris Stead
Girl at DOMINION (Courtesy of Ast Riske)
One week ago today DOMINION, spelled in all capitals, opened in San Diego, CA. The showing, especially for a Sunday evening, was outstanding. Patrons came from all across San Diego County and descended on a club in La Mesa called the “Satin Lounge.” Patterned after other medium to large format clubs, DOMINION has more than one room, dedicated to varied styles of music. The thing that made DOMINION so distinct from other San Diego clubs, including the long-running Sabbat which also supports varied music in two rooms, is that it is a club geared for an 18 and over crowd.
This is not the first time that San Diego has seen an 18+ club. One of the most notable clubs of this kind was Soil, which had at least two different runs at different locations in the county. DOMINION differs even from earlier 18+ clubs as it drew a crowd that was age-diverse. This is undoubtedly due to two separate factors, a club admittance sliding scale and a full bar made available to patrons over the age of 21. (more…)
June 25, 2009
Posted by: Chris Stead
MAV Enter cover
This is a CD that I could almost get into. I gave it two good, solid listens all the way through. I listened to all seven tracks and I tried to like it. The mood is kind of spooky, that’s good. The music is somewhat reminiscent of older Darkwave stuff and that’s good too. Somewhere between track two and track whichever, I got bored.
Through the doom, gloom, mist and moonlight on this album, there is something kind of mundane about the whole thing. It’s not horrible, but it isn’t anything to write home about. It would make for a good cool-down soundtrack at a cub but it will likely be little more than background music while one shuffles through CDs looking for that old Die Form disc that made them weep blood.
This CD is simply listenable and serves as a reminder of music that had been. It serves as a passable effort by a band that is working to recall the dark sounds of yesteryear but it falls short of being an exciting new take on an old style. This is simply a retread of music that was done better before.
June 1, 2009
Posted by: Chris Stead
Nine Inch Nails on stage
Nine Inch Nails and Jane’s Addiction are on tour together for, most likely, the first time in two decades. Back in 1989, when Pretty Hate Machine was released, nobody could have imagined the wild success that Nine Inch Nails would have had. Today Trent Reznor’s project is hailed as one of the most influential musical visions of our time.
According to Trent, this year marks the twentieth anniversary of Pretty Hate Machine and this inspired him to contact Jane’s Addiction about pulling together a tour. This appears the be the source of the NIN/JA tour. After this announcement, Tom Morello’s new project Street Sweeper Social Club was recruited and they hit the road. (more…)
May 30, 2009
Posted by: Chris Stead
Walking out of the theatre, someone said “that movie was kind of like a comedy, there were some funny parts and stuff.” Apparently he had never seen any of the Evil Dead movies.
Drag Me to Hell is a spectacular demonstration of why the Raimi brothers are known for their offbeat, campy and addictive horror flicks. This is the best true horror movie to be released over the past 20 years. With a perfect amount of camp and cheese, coupled with Sam and Ivan’s uncanny ability to pace a relentless storytelling feast, Drag Me to Hell is sure to excite all of the Raimis’ rabid fanbase. (more…)
May 27, 2009
Posted by: Chris Stead
Welcome, baby. The third release from Blind Faith and Envy hit the shelves back in 2008 and it represents what is probably the most uniform and solid release to date. Dark and moody, the music represents synth-pop deserving a place with the likes of Depeche Mode, Wolfsheim and, at times, mid-eighties Cure. The instrumentation is reliably good and melodies are hooky.
Though the album is a little shaky out of the gate, it is well worth the listen. The opening set of tracks sound like BF/E was experimenting with their formula, resulting in an awkward feel. The record strengthens as the tracks move forward and by the end they leave you aching for more. Clearly drawing influence from Depeche Mode and showing hints of Nine Inch Nails in tracks like Dehumanized, fans of electro-rock, synth pop and new wave will enjoy this latest showing from BF/E. Standout tracks are the title track, Rising Tide, Dehumanized and Gentle Delay.
October 19, 2008
Posted by: Chris Stead
A year late and still completely relevant. Though it has been almost a full year since there has been activity on this site beyond H.M. Garber’s wonderful reviews, the site is not dead. Sadly, it has felt like there has been very little new and worthwhile to discuss in the community. It happens. However, there is a group that bears due mention, Tearwave. All due praise to Projekt records, they have found a winner in this group.
Dreampop and wonderment, Tearwave delivers 45 minutes of delight for the darkened soul. Offering up the best ethereal soundscapes that any group has presented in a decade, Tearwave should be on the shelf of any Goth that has ever enjoyed anything that Projekt has released. The instrumental work is cold, dreamy and distant. The vocals are heavenly and blend perfectly with the sonic presentation. Rather than being a leading element, the vocals simply become another instrument to create textures that capture the imagination and lure the listener in. Let us all give a tip of the hat to Sam Rosenthalfor his find. This is the yardstick that all new ethereal and dreampop will be measured against.
Posted by: Chris Stead
First the positive:
The new Nine Inch Nails album is out. That’s right, the second one THIS YEAR! Not only did he put out a full 2-disk, 4-volume instrumental album, but he also put out another album called The Slip. Not only is it the second album out this year, but he is GIVING IT AWAY! No, not like Ghosts where you could download Ghosts I and then purchase Ghosts II-IV, but, rather, the FULL FLIPPING ALBUM. He does state that there will be a CD pressed later which can be purchased, but you can get the whole album, including album art, for free! Personally, one of my favorite things about actually buying the album is that you get album art. I just like that kind of stuff. I would buy records if I had a turntable. (more…)
