French musician Yannick Rault remains remarkably prolific, releasing yet another new album featuring 10 tracks.

In terms of influences, the formula remains largely unchanged: a Dark-Wave production deeply rooted in the magic of 80s bands such as The Danse Society—a frequent point of comparison for this project—as well as the haunting atmosphere of The Virgin Prunes and the melancholic brilliance of The Cure, although with an even darker edge.

A pitch-black mood lingers over the entire album. The overall tone is one of despair, heightened by several instrumental pieces that underscore the sense of emptiness. The melancholic guitar work creates a stirring emotional current, drawing the listener into a state of inner unrest. Still, I feel the album lacks a true climax—something to bring it all to a powerful resolution.

While Closed Mouth may not have delivered their strongest work with this release, it remains a compelling and worthwhile project. (Rating:7½).

Listen to “Feel The Sky”:

About Closed Mouth

Closed Mouth is the musical project of French musician Yannick Rault, working in coldwave, dark wave and post-punk. “After The Tears The Fury” is issued through Icy Cold Records, continuing Rault’s prolific release pace under the Closed Mouth name.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Celebrating its 30th year, Audioglobe, the most important distributor in the darkwave scene, just shared a statistical review, revealing the shifts and trends in the darkwave (and related) music genre.

Our readers will surely remember that we have reported on these stats for years, until 2018, the first year that Audioglobe didn’t communicate these stats. Sebastian Koch from Audioglobe explains: “Some customers never really cared that much about these, as they have better things to do than reading boring mails from the undersigned. But… Surprisingly there are quite a high number of customers, that sort of ‘complained’ about the fact, that no stats were being done any longer… The reason is: I was simply always far too busy in past years. Anyway: Here we go with the first new stats since 2017!”

So here are some export facts.

Top 10 Bestselling Labels of 2023 (export)

1. FABRIKA/DEAD SCARLET
   • She Past Away, Lebanon Hanover, Selofan, Kaelan Mikla, M!R!M, Doric…
2. METROPOLIS
   • Birthday Massacre, Delerium, Front Line Assembly, A Projection, KMFDM, Legendary P.D…
3. ICY COLD/MANIC DEPR.
   • Twin Tribes, Je T’aime, Traitrs, Kill Shelter, Closed Mouth, Talk to Her, Schonwald…
4. ALFA MATRIX
   • Alien Vampires, Front 242, Metroland, Die Robo Sapiens, Elm, 808 Dot Pop, Helalyn Flowers…
5. RUSTBLADE
   • Claudio Simonetti, Ennio Morricone, Lycia Lunch, Spiritual Front, Ketvector, Legendary Pink D…
6. OUT OF LINE
   • Blutengel, Hocico, Solitary Experiments, Suicide Commando, Signal Aout42, Erdling…
7. TRISOL
   • Sopor Aeternus, Rome, Clan of Xymox, Asp, Ostara, Skinflicks, Nachtmahr, Mantus, Soman…
8. DEPENDENT
   • Kirlian Camera, Girls Under Glass, Spectra*Paris, Mildreda, Black Nail Cabaret, Beborn Beton…
9. ARTOFFACT
   • Actors, Noise Unit, cEvin Key, Kaelan Mikla, Ploho, Sacred Skin, Kauan, Ken Mode, Spectres…
10. AUERBACH
    • Spiritual Front, Sol Invictus, Tenhi, Moon and the Night Spirit, Haavard, Hekate, Orplid…

Best Export Territories of 2023

If we look at the Audioglobe stats, we notice that Germany and Greece remain the company’s strongest markets, continuing a trend that has been consistent for ages. However, the 2023 statistics reveal some notable shifts.

Canada, once a prominent market for Audioglobe, has surprisingly disappeared from the export landscape. In contrast, the United States and the United Kingdom have re-emerged as significant territories, marking their return to prominence in the darkwave music scene after several years.

The most unexpected development in 2023 is the rise of Australia as a key market. This growth stands in stark contrast to Switzerland, which, despite its affluence, has seen a sharp decline in sales. Sebastian Koch adds: “The (by far!) lowest sales of all countries where we export to, was to Switzerland… The rich Swiss don’t buy records! Since I left the country (1990), something is wrong back home!”

Here is the top 10 list of export territories:

1. Germany
2. Greece
3. Netherlands
4. Portugal
5. USA
6. United Kingdom
7. Australia
8. Spain
9. Russia
10. Poland

Not in the top 10, but France, Japan, Malta, Brazil, Sweden, Mexico, and Perù are also good export territories for Audioglobe.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: French musician Yannick Rault remains very prolific. He released an impressive number of productions as Closed Mouth in the past few years. He now strikes back again with a new opus plus an extra album featuring previously unreleased material.

The set appeared on Icy Cold Records, the French label that also released the “Unreleased” companion collection in the same year.

Content: I can’t say there’s a huge difference between both albums. This project remains driven by good-old 80s Dark-Wave music. The songs remind me of an imaginary meeting between The Cure and The Danse Society with some extra Joy Division elements on top. The title song of “Last” is somewhat different for its Cinematic approach while it also is the longest cut from the album, holding you in its grip for more than 10 minutes.

+ + + : I’m always a bit skeptical with prolific artists but Closed Mouth always tries to put a different accent in each new work. The guitar playing is predominant, injecting the dark 80s spirit into the songs which is accentuated by the low bass lines. But there also is a great balance with the electronic arrangements. One of the most Electro-driven songs “No Reason” even reminds me of Absolute Body Control with Joy Division on top.

– – – : You have to like this band and/or being a Dark-Wave lover to start this listening featuring 28 songs. It’s quite understandable all the tracks aren’t convincing but globally speaking ‘mission accomplished’ for Closed Mouth.

Conclusion: I haven’t heard all the albums of this project so far as I can remember, but  I think this album is the best one. Great Dark-Wave songs so let’s hope this is not the ‘last’ album.

Best songs: “Lonely Life”, “Give Me Your Tongue” + “No Reason”, “No Movement”, “Don’t Leave You Alone”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/closedmouth19

Label: www.facebook.com/icycoldrecords

About Closed Mouth

Closed Mouth is the solo project of French musician Yannick Rault, who describes the music as influenced by coldwave, dark wave and post-punk. Rault plays guitar, bass and electronics and handles the vocals himself.

The project has been running since the mid-2010s and is one of the most prolific in its field: Discogs lists more than a hundred Closed Mouth releases, the large majority of them self-released digital albums and EPs. The earliest listed entry is “Insomnia #1” from 2014, followed by a long run of titles including “Radio” and “Coffee And Cigarettes #3” in 2016 and “Tesla”, “Another Strange Day”, “This Day” and the “Bluebirds” series in 2017.

Icy Cold Records issued the pairing of “Last” and the “Unreleased” collection in 2022, the first Closed Mouth material to appear on a label rather than under Rault’s own name. The label returned to the project with the CD album “Forgotten” in 2024, and the Spanish label Oráculo Records released the limited 12″ EP “You Dont need a God” in 2025.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Cold-Wave, Dark-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Yannick Rault strikes back with a new album of his sonic alter ego Conversation Piece. He released an impressive number of –mainly self-released, digital productions since 2019.

Content: This new work sounds darker than the official debut-album “One” released in 2019 on Cold Transmission Music. The Dark/Cold-Wave influences are recovering the entire work, creating a sensation of melancholia and despair. Most of the songs are driven by a rather slow cadence, accentuating the emotional side of the work. The songs have been composed with typical 80s guitar playing and low and vibrating bass lines. The last song has something more bombastic and into certain drama.  There’re also 2 breaks –called interludes, in the tracklist.

+ + + : This album moves a step further than previous stuff I heard from this artist. I especially like the dark sphere supporting the songs, which are created by cool guitar parts and bass lines. Closed Mouth brings the true 80s spirit back alive. The somewhat harder “I Can See” is one of the main attention grabbers, but I also have to mention “Your Eternal Sleep” and “Voices”.

– – – : The songs are pretty similar, but if you like the good-old 80s dark ambiance you going to like this work.

Conclusion: This new opus is maybe a little less surprising than the debut work, but Closed Mouth however remains an interesting name to discover.

Best songs: “I Can See”, “Your Eternal Sleep”, “Voices”, “Never Getting Old”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/closedmouth19

Label: www.facebook.com/icycoldrecords

About Closed Mouth

Closed Mouth is the solo project of Yannick Rault, working in a Cold-Wave and Dark-Wave style. The project has released a steady stream of mostly self-released digital productions since 2019, starting with the debut album “One” on Cold Transmission Music.

“Conversation Piece” followed in 2021 via Icy Cold Records, on digital and CD formats.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Cold-wave, dark-wave, gothic. 

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Chemical Waves is a project driven by Marco Cattani (Halo Effect, The Mark). This project has already been active for numerous years now and has self-released a lot of stuff in between 2012 and 2015. Chemical Waves is now back on track unleashing its official debut album on the French label Unknown Pleasures Records.  

Content: Marco Cattani invited several guest singers to accomplish his work. Bedless Bones, Closed Mouth, HIV+, Virgin Tears, L’Avenir, Antiflvx, Egoprisme and RjVj have been featured. It resulted in a rather diverse album, which is mainly driven by the good-old dark/cold-wave demons from the 80s. The different singers each inject a very personal touch to the work moving from sensual passages to pure cavernous vocals. The guitar playing brings the 80s spirit to life. Some songs remind me of The Virgin Prunes, but globally speaking you get a nice pastiche from the cold/dark-wave era.

+ + + : The diversity of the tracklist makes it interesting. I was mainly convinced by the perfect symbiosis between Marco Cattani and Kadri Sammel from Bedless Bones. I like this girl’s work and especially her somewhat sterile, sensual timbre of voice creates a great match with the music. Another noticeable cut is the one featuring Jason Sloan (L’Avenir), which has something mysterious, and is even a bit ritual-like. On top of the composition I especially like the cool guitar playing injecting a truly retro-spirit into the work.

– – – : One of the very few cuts that couldn’t totally convince me is the one featuring Egoprisme. I’m not convinced by the possible match between the singer and the song, which also sounds a bit more electro-driven.

Conclusion: “Even When We Fall Apart” is an interesting album; the concept of working with different vocalists is nothing new although not always successful. I think it however works for this album!

Best songs: “Denied”, “Hymn”, “The Sphinx”, “Void And Light”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/chemicalwaves

Label: www.unknown–pleasures–records.com /  www.facebook.com/Unknown–Pleasures–Records-566180440115465

About Chemical Waves

Chemical Waves is the Rome-based project of Marco Cattani, who also records as Halo Effect and The Mark. Discogs lists a run of self-released EPs and singles between 2012 and 2015, including “The Origin”, “Murders TV” and “The Great Dictator”.

“Even When We Fall Apart”, released in 2020 on Unknown Pleasures Records, is Cattani’s first official album, built around a rotating cast of guest vocalists including Bedless Bones’ Kadri Sammel and Jason Sloan of L’Avenir.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Cold-wave, shoegaze, dream-pop, gothic.

Background/Info: Closed Mouth is a French project set up by busy bee Yannick Rault (Triple Sun, The Bluebeard’s Castle, So What?, Sander & Melody, Twenty Years). He set up the band in 2019 and released his debut album a few months later.

Content: The songs are clearly driven by dark 80s influences, which are moving from dream-pop and shoegaze at the opening song to typical cold-wave music during most of the songs. There’s a perfect twist between guitar and electronics, often creating a depressive atmosphere.

+ + + : The debut songs are somewhat hesitant, but quite progressively the album starts to be really fascinating. There are numerous noticeable songs featured and for a debut work this can be considered as a real tour de force. It’s a typically cold-wave production with great guitar play and misty vocals supporting he songs with a mysterious touch. Songs such as “Man Is An Animal”, “Strange New Room” and “Mirror Man” all are remarkable exposures from this band’s potential.

– – – : The debut part of the work can’t convince me in a similar way, but honestly there’s no reason to complain.

Conclusion: This is a debut album, but the musician behind Closed Mouth isn’t clearly a debutant! This is a remarkable new band signed at Cold Transmission Music.

Best songs: “Man Is An Animal”, “Strange New Room”, “Mirror Man”, “Silence Grows”, “See What You Can Find”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/closedmouth19

Label: www.facebook.com/coldtransmissionmusic

About Closed Mouth

Closed Mouth is a French project founded in 2019 by Yannick Rault, also known for Triple Sun, The Bluebeard’s Castle, So What?, Sander & Melody and Twenty Years.

Rault released Closed Mouth’s debut album “[One]” the same year on Cold Transmission Music, followed by “After The Tears The Fury” on Icy Cold Records in 2025.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com