Gothic Rock

Lunar Shadow – Wish to Leave Review

By Steel Druhm on March 18, 2021 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 21 comments

Lunar Shadow is a relatively young act, but they’ve logged more miles on their progress-o-meter than some bands do over several decades. Here on album number three, Wish to Leave, they’ve undergone their third significant style shift. Having started life playing a form of retro epic metal fused with black metal, they quickly shifted and incorporated a significant Goth rock element on 2019s The Smokeless Fire, while still trying to make their traditional/epic/NWoBHM/black style function. Now a scant year and change later they’ve shifted deeper into Goth rock and post/indie territory.” Sudden departures and chronic indecisiveness.

Rope Sect – The Great Flood Review

By GardensTale on August 10, 2020 in Reviews, 32 comments

“Idle Hands took the metal scene by storm last year. Their debut Mana had an unexpectedly widespread appeal and proved conclusively that the love for gothic rock among us was not as dead as many thought. The comparison to Idle Hands is easily made when looking at Rope Sect’s The Great Flood, another band seeking to revive old school gothic rock, and perhaps that may contribute to the quickly amassing buzz around the fledgling band, but two quality EP’s and a guest spot for Grave Pleasures and Hexvessel frontman Matthew McNerney a.k.a. Kvohst will do nothing to quell the surging tide of hype.” Rope, buzz, cults and hype.

The Path of Memory – Hell is Other People Review

By Steel Druhm on June 19, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Dark Rock, 42 comments

“June brings us sun, warmth and an urge to get outdoors. Yet the pandemic still hangs over the world like a mortuary drape, killing the natural buzz that accompanies summer. Stuck as we are between a plague and a good time, the moment may be right for what one-man goth/doom rock project, The Path of Memory is selling.” Most people suck.

Secrets of the Moon – Black House Review

By Steel Druhm on May 6, 2020 in Reviews, Not Metal, 28 comments

“Bands change and sounds evolve. These are the most inescapable truisms in music regardless of genre, with only AC/DC and maybe Sodom resisting the inevitable flux. The last time I reviewed a Secrets of the Moon album way back in 2012 they were a somewhat progressive black metal act endeavoring to mix goth elements into their sound. Now Secrets of the Moon no longer play black metal in any way, shape or form.” Evolve or die.

(DOLCH) – Feuer Review

By Grymm on November 13, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Reviews, Van Records, Doom Metal, 16 comments

“(DOLCH) are a mysterious duo from Germany who are known for their anonymity and their ability to blend DSBM with Gothic rock, and are often compared to Dead Can Dance. So, if you want some DSBM to go with your BDSM, have at it. And now, they’ve dropped their full-length debut, Feuer, upon the masses.” DSBM = BDSM = DONT.

The 69 Eyes – West End Review

By GardensTale on September 11, 2019 in 2019, Finnish Metal, Gothic Metal, Hard Rock, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, 30 comments

“With multiple platinum records under their arms from the 00’s, the glam-turned-goth collective has been active since the early 90’s. One might assume they intended to be a Sisters of Mercy that actually releases new music. That lengthy career path is evident in some of the stronger tracks.” Goth by the numbers.

The Exploding Boy – Alarms! [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Steel Druhm on December 12, 2018 in Drakkar Productions, Swedish Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, 102 comments

“As we approach the Days of Lists, you can expect to hear writers complain and/or praise the year in metal for what it gave us. I lean toward the camp that thinks 2018 wasn’t a banner year for the genre, and as partial proof of that, I spent more time spinning a non-metal album than almost anything else I came across. That album is Alarms! by the Swedish post-punk, Goth-rock act, The Exploding Boy.” Sound the Alarms!

Worm Ouroboros – What Graceless Dawn Review

By Steel Druhm on November 30, 2016 in 2016, Ambient Metal, American Metal, Doom Metal, Folk Metal, Gothic Metal, Not Metal, Profound Lore Records, Reviews, Doom Metal, Not Metal, 24 comments

“The San Francisco music scene is nothing if not creative. With oddball acts like Hammers of Misfortune, Vhöl and Slough Feg calling the area home, creativity is in abundant supply. Worm Ouroboros is yet another off-kilter act providing local color to the Bay Area, lesser known but no less interesting. The brain-trust of Lorraine Rath and Jessica Way, the band’s unique blend of dark ambient goth-rock, doom and neo-folk is as interesting as it is offbeat.” Bay Area goth-waves are rising.

Esben and the Witch – Older Terrors Review

By Steel Druhm on November 4, 2016 in 2016, English Metal, Gothic Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Reviews, Season of Mist, 31 comments

“I’m not alone among the AMG staff in having fallen hard for The Gathering’s career defining Mandylion release back in 95. That platter combined elements of doom and goth rock in a way that had never been done before and created something haunting, sad and achingly beautiful. The band quickly drifted toward more commercial waters, and many (myself included) were left hungering for more of what Mandylion delivered. Perhaps that’s why my ears pricked up when I heard a snippet of the Older Terrors promo from hitherto unknown by me English three-piece, Esben and the Witch.” Oh, Mandy, you came and you found me an Esben….

Ewigheim – Schlaflieder Review

By Grymm on October 21, 2016 in 2016, German Metal, Gothic Metal, Reviews, Rock, Gothic Metal, Rock, 14 comments

“The old adage “Never judge a book by its cover” holds firm here. Long story short, I picked Germany’s Ewigheim for review from our list of promos because a certain half-man, half-gorilla who shall forever remain nameless listed them as “black metal” due to the album cover, logo, and the fact that he glanced over the German one-sheet. Hankering for some kvlt blackness of the tr00est order, I grabbed their sixth full-length, Schlaflieder, and was met with… something totally not black metal.” Mistakes were made.