Artist: Lostime Title:Demo II Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal Country: China Release date: 2011
One more Asian post-black metal project, which has released two demos so far. I haven't listened to the first demo, but this one is quite good (yet very short - consisting of only one untitled track).
Artist: Al-Kamar Title:Abstract Spread Genre: Post-Black Metal / Depressive Rock Country: Japan Release date: 2011
Track List:
Float World
Black End (Miku Hatsune - Clean Vocal)
Pessimism
Vanity Moon
Nothingless (x2)
Hypocrisy Luna
Hollow Revenge
I became interested in this project mostly because it uses some synthetized vocals by Miku Hatsune (Vocaloid 2 pack). Yes I know there are death metal bands using dogs and parrots as singers, but it's the first time when I hear about a metal band using Vocaloid. Apparently it's music made for hikikomori and by a hikikomori who couldn't find a real female singer for his project :) However, it's just amateur stuff and I can't take it seriously TBH. If you want some really good depressive black metal/shoegaze, you'd better listen to Amesoeurs or Dernier Martyr...
A very obscure 3-way split album featuring 3 digital grindcore projects from the United States - namely Gigantic Brain, Ganglia, and Jet Jaguar Kr-3 Kill Spree. There's almost no information about this release - even the date is uncertain (2009? 2005?), plus I couldn't find a cover image for it. However, all 3 projects are great, especially Jet Jaguar Kr-3 Kill Spree - which is rather a noise project than a cybergrind one.
JASON KAVANAGH [glitching, weeing, melting & rebuilding sounds, field recording]
NEIL MORRISON [drums]
"Turbogrind Terrorizers are a cybergrind political/satirical band from Venice, Italy. Formed in 2011, they started as a side project by Gianluca Missero a.k.a. Hox of Hox Vox, then right after first single Turbogrind Terrorizers entered the band Jason Kavanagh (also in awaycaboose and Cavity Pitch), Vince Gauthier (a.k.a. Corroded Master) and Neil Morrison. They release via coop itsu jitsu netlabel and Hox Vox records"
This stuff is quite similar to "The Invasion Discography" by Gigantic Brain which I've posted here before, so I think you'll like it too. Moreover, it's licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 and freely available on Jamendo. And one more fact which made me interested about this project: they've credited the Rock In Opposition movement as one of their main sources of inspiration. Grindcore/RIO crossover? Sounds nice.
Artist: Vic Anselmo Title:In My Fragile Genre: Gothic Alternative Country: Latvia Release date: 2011
Track List:
Introduction
More than you can comprehend
Open Wide
Horizon
Wellspring
Bones Blues
Ashes
Secrets of the universe
Das dunkle Land
In the Darkness
The Day
Who (Acoustic Live)
Bones Blues (Acoustic Live)
Leaving Eden (Acoustic Live)
Tumsha Nakte (Acoustic Live)
I'm not sure if this Latvian female-fronted project is plaing gothic rock... it's rather alternative rock with "gothic" overtones (comparable to Evanescence), but it's good music anyway. I especially liked the cover of Das Ich's "Das dunkle Land", which is the only track with lyrics in German on this album (and I think it's even better than the original version). Don't know much about the vocalist, but she has a very nice voice, and judging from her moniker, she's a fan of Phil Anselmo (Pantera).
Artist: Deafknife Title:demo Genre: Post-Black Metal Country: Russia Release date: 2011
Track List:
Father Dagon - Mother Hydra
Shub-Niggurath
Lovecraftian black metal from Siberia, strictly apolitical. The band name is an obvious pun on Deafheaven and the whole "hipster black metal" thing. It's their first 2-track demo, and it's surprisingly good (at least when compared to the majority of other VKBM bands, if you know what I mean :P)
Title:Infiziert Genre: Darkwave Country: Russia Release date: 2010
Track List:
Das Nordlicht
Landscape of apocalypse
Я наигралась
Нейтральная земля
Черный город
Biohazard
Не возвращайся
Без света
Самоубийство души
Атомный Ветер
Я учусь молчать
So Zart
Maybe Neutrale Erde isn't my favourite project on Russian gothic/industrial scene, but they're relatively well-known (at least locally), so you may be interested in checking out their debut full-length album, "Infiziert". Moreover, Yarina, the leader of the project, is a vehement supporter of informational freedom, so all the stuff by Neutrale Erde is officially available for free download. Kudos to her for that.
As for her music - I can't compare NE with world-class gothic/darkwave bands, but fans of minimalisic darkwave/gothic electro may find this album interesting. The main lyrical themes are personal feelings and post-apocalypse - so, nothing really uncommon for Russian darkwave scene. And after reading Yarina's blog, I fount it somewhat interesting, but it looks like she and Pavel (Mirror of Death - see my previous post) share the same ideology... but well, it's not that important. Just enjoy the music... and the cover art, of course! You can find the full photo set (4 photos) here. If I'm not mistaken, that's what is called "stitchpunk". AFAIK this term came to wide use after the release of "Nine"; basically, "post-apocalyptic settings" + "ragdoll characters" = "stitchpunk". However, stitchpunk usually doesn't involve any human characters, while we can see Yarina on the cover of "Infiziert"... well, only her legs, which are very beautiful :) but that's another matter.
Artist: Mirror of Death Title:Кибернетическая Эра Genre: EBM/Dark Electro, "Military Aggrotech" Country: Russia Release date: 2010
Track List:
Кибернетическая Эра
Full Moon (bonus)
Mirror Of Death is a band led by Pavel Nesterov who lives in Khabarovsk (Russia, Far East), and it's one of the most promising projects on today's Russian industrial music scene. Unfortunately, this 2-track EP is quite short and doesn't contain my favourite track by MoD, "Борт №402" (however, it does appear on the other EP by MoD called "Discrimination" - but I could find only a few tracks from it). The first track, "Cybernetic Era" is really good even in comparison with world-class dark electro hits, while the second one is quite average. Even though I'm not very fond of stalinist and militaristic ideology of the band (Laibach have used such ideology as well, but only for aesthetic purposes - while P.Nesterov seems to be very serious about his beliefs), I really appreciate the music. Future releases by Mirror of Death are said to have female vocals and lyrics in German, so I can't wait for the new tracks...
Artist: MP44 Title:2008 - Год сурка Genre: "Dadacore", Industrial Electronic, Cut-Up Country: Russia Release date: 2008
Track List:
Интро
Сахар & Гексоген (OST "ФСБ взрывает Россию")
Авторицаризм
Дао кремлина
План Путена
На Трубе
Баллада о маньяке-освободителе
Я начинаю путь
2008
Another DIY release by this anti-consumerist, anti-establishment, transhumanist, dadaist & futurist Russian duo. It was recorded in 2008, the year when Putin stepped from power at the peak of his popularity, so it's not surprising that the lyrical content on this album deals with various controversies and conspiracy theories related to Putin's presidency. I don't think it all would be understood be an average foreign listener, but I'll put it here anyway (even though it's clearly not intended for the foreign audience). At least they staunchly opposed Putin's regime before it was cool :)
Of course, all albums by МП44 are free for download. And even if they weren't, I could easily ask them for permission, since they're very open for feedback, and I'm a reader of one of their members' (Dima "Beslan") blog for many years already.
Another industrial project which music is often described as "dadacore", this time from Russia. MP44 is a "virtual" duo that's making expiremental music based on the "cut-up" sampling technique, and the result of their efforts is quite close to early 1980s industrial music both in terms of sound and ideology. MP44's creative output is very hard to understand outside the cultural context of modern Russian society, but I'll post this album here anyway (especially since I've posted two albums by Pornostroika Dadaifi, whose music is very hard to understand without context as well).
Artist: Lostime
