The Deathrock Desk:

The recommended album for the rest of this week is:



Cryptology (Best of 1988 - 2001)

Did the 90s suck for goth music? It's a tough question. I mean, I suppose if you really really really loved the Sisters of Mercy, no. But that's also if you really like ebm being called goth and the birth of "synth-goth", "Industrial-Goth", "Country-Goth" and other ridiculous statements like that. And if you were ask an ordinary person in the 90s what they thought of when they heard the word "goth", the first thing they thought of would've likely have been "Marilyn Manson". So I guess, for those of us who like driving, heartfelt, guitar-driven music with emotion, originality, and integrity, I guess the 90s did suck pretty badly, didn't they?

But, believe it or not, there were a few acts that didn't buy into Cleopatra Records' insistance on Sisters of Mercy clones, nor did they give into the idea that if it didn't have electronics, it was passe`, and that they wouldn't get anywhere. Of these acts were Corpus Delicti, an early, budding, Cinema Strange, Rasputina, Faith and the Muse, and a lesser known act out of LA, led by Tony Lestat, named Wreckage.

It's almost as hard to find information about this band as it is to find their actual albums. Of which there are, I have no idea. I scored this collection Used for cheap on GothAuctions.com, but frankly, don't expect other people to be as lucky.
Wreckage, as with their French peers, Corpus Delicti, took a style that was well-established, and while they didn't change the formula very much, they got it so right, it's hard to accuse them of being "unoriginal". The fact is, their music is original in the sense that it doesn't sound like it's trying too hard to be anybody in particular (much more than could be said for many of the 90s peers), but rather, it's more of a mix of different influences, well noticed, yet not relying on any one to make the sound.
Most of the tracks on this collection are pretty stock deathrock, even if they are good. But every once in a while they'll surprise you, like pulling the Jesus And Mary Chain card on you with Subway's End, or trumping you with a very Misfits-esque Blue Monkey, and culminating with a remix of Devil's Little Helper that I can't help but think would transition superbly into Deathwish (Wishful Death Mix), if a DJ were to get a hold of it. They do flirt with a modern version of Industrial once, with Blood is Life, but quickly redeem themselves with a fantastically tribal Sister Night, or a beautifully done Phoenix Rising that could have been done by Siouxsie and the Banshees - well, if Siouxsie were a man, of course :-P. Wreckage, like the Virgin Prunes, end up sounding classic, but never textbook. A wondrous balance.

Also featuring their covers of Atmosphere and Wait For The Blackout

It's not only worth checking out, it's essential for anyone interested in deathrock.

Not dead, just inactive. Feel free to post something!

Deadchovsky - Chemical Underground



Chosen by NocnikStargazer.

Bloodbath

Critically acclaimed as a "superstar line-up" death metal outfit, the band is the brainchild of Anders Nystrom (Katatonia, Diabolical Masquerade), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia, October Tide), Dan Swano (Edge of Sanity, Nightingale, etc, etc), and Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth). The whole project indeed was the upshot of one rip-roaring night and intended to reinvent old school death metal.



I can highly recommend the Breeding Death album. Maybe it's the fact they're from sweden (prog influence) or the all-star line-up, but this album is one of the best death metal albums I've heard. ok, I'm no authority on death metal, but this is a good one for the newb's and the long time listeners.

Entombed anyone?

Hey, it's a deathrock, not death metal desk :/ And they have completely nothing to do with each other.

Ok I just went on the Deathrock group's page and I understand now.

My bad.