Genre/Influences: Neo-Classic, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “The New Young Kings Of Midnight” was released by the end of 2023 resulting from a collaboration between famous vocalist Gitane Demone and Paul Roessler (who played with multiple great Punk- and other artists). This is a work about ‘death, mourning, transience and farewell’ and dedicated to their two friends Rozz Williams (Christian Death) and Darby Crash (The Germs).

Content: We’re listening to an intimate and poignant work featuring at one side the mysterious, and unique, vocals of Gitane Demone and at the other side Paul Roessler’s delicate music, accomplished with mainly piano but also cello. 

+ + + : When you know the album has been dedicated to two friends who passed away by suicide you can get an idea about the emotional content behind this production. Both artists are totally complementary; creating an artistic symbiosis between excelling vocals -and poignant lyrics, and melancholic music parts. I like the album for its sensitive format. Gitane Demone’s timbre of voice remains a very unique experience.  

– – – : This is an album you’ve to discover in the right circumstances. This is not a bite-sized piece of music.

Conclusion: A work filled with emotion and devotion; an artistic fusion between vocals and acoustic instruments.

Best songs: “April First”, “The New Young King Of Midnight”.

Rate: 7½ .

Artists: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100013501260047 / www.facebook.com/paul.roessler.3

Label: www.darkvinyl.de / www.facebook.com/darkvinylrecords

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.

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Out now via Dark Vinyl is the all new album by Gitane Demone (Christian Death, Rozz Williams) in collaboration with Paul Roessler (45Grave, Gitane Demone Quartet). The classically inspired album tackles about death, mourning, transience and farewell. The release is dedicated to Rozz Williams (Christian Death) and Darby Crash (The Germs).

The origins for this release can be found in 2017, when Gitane asked Paul to write orchestral music for a tribute she was writing for Rozz Williams, starting with his early life and his rise to goth stardom. When she brought up his suicide, Paul said, “This is something personal to me now, as I lost my dear friend Darby Crash to suicide as well.”

Together, Paul and Gitane explored the suicides: how they were affected, what Rozz and Darby could have accomplished had they lived (with such creative brilliance), the opportunities in life they missed by ending their lives, and rebirth.

Some time later, seeing Holst’s “The Planets” at the Hollywood Bowl and hearing the debut of Daniel Bjarnason’s Violin Concerto, they both decided to write orchestral pieces that became “The New Young Kings of Midnight”.

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!

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Co-founders of Sunshine Blind, Caroline Blind from New Jersey and CWHK from San Francisco, have revealed a revival of their songwriting collaboration. Sunshine Blind was initially active between 1991 and 2003, but they disbanded when the couple separated. Between 2010 and 2018, the band occasionally came together for unique live performances, with the consistent presence of drummer Geoff Bruce (of Faith and the Muse, Christ vs. Warhol) and a later addition, William Faith on bass (from Faith and the Muse, The Bellwether Syndicate, Rozz Williams, Mephisto Walz). This continued until lead singer Caroline Blind pursued a solo career.

Regarding her reunion with CWHK for songwriting and recording, Caroline commented, “After exploring various musical directions and locations for many years, and trying out different musical styles and band members, it feels like we’ve come full circle. The chance to revisit our roots and pen some new Sunshine Blind tracks presented itself, and we both felt it was the right move. I’m not sure if there’s any significance to the timing, other than both of us realising that we’ve been searching for someone to replicate what we once had together.”

Currently, there are no intentions for live performances, particularly given their residences on separate US coasts. “However, we can certainly write and record, and so far, it’s progressing smoothly,” added Caroline.

This announcement coincides with the digital release of the band’s original three studio albums: “Love the Sky to Death” (1995), “Liquid” (1997), and “I Carry You” (2003). These albums are available for exploration below.

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!

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In 2011 Gitane DeMone, together with her tour management, released a very limited CD-R compilation with unreleased demo tracks for her tour in Europe.

It was sold at concerts of this tour only and thus quickly became sold out. On the disc you would find otherwise unavailable tracks including demos of songs that saw the light in different versions on regular releases, including one track written by the late Rozz Williams.

Bastet Recordings (a sublabel of VUZ Records) in collaboration with Mother Dance have now re-released a really limited edition of “Gitane DeMone – Autumn Tour 2011” on CD-r which you can order here.

While using the original cover prints, the CDR label looks different to distinguish it from the original. The release is exclusive for Europe and will not to sold outside of Europe.

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!

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Cleopatra Records presents “Corpus Delicti: The Complete Recordings 1992-1996”, a box set that includes the entire discography of this pioneering Darkwave band from the South of France. This set includes all 3 of the band’s original studio albums plus rarities, unreleased mixes, live tracks and more.

Packaged in a Gustave Doré illustrated clamshell box with individual wallet jackets for each of the 4 compact discs, this set also includes comments by Corpus Delicti vocalist Sébastien Pietrapiana, a full-color 16-page booklet of photos with art direction and liner notes by former Cleopatra Records A&R head Athan Maroulis (NØIR).

Right now, this limited edition box set can be pre-ordered on Bandcamp or directly though Cleopatra with the actual street date of July 15th, 2022 for the CD version and all digital and streaming platforms.

About Corpus Delicti

Corpus Delicti started in 1991 in Nice and broke up in 1996. In five years time they released four studio albums and two compilations on Cleopatra. Their sound was deeply influenced by Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Rozz Williams. The group nevertheless produced a last album under the name Corpus, with industrial, mechanical sounds, having no common feature with their previous works.

After the split Chrys (Christophe Baudrion) formed an industrial music project named Kom-Intern on the Brume Records label and Sebastian (Sébastien Pietrapiana) embarked on an indie pop/rock solo project, Kuta, Frank in Curl (D-Monic Records). Franck (Franck Amendola) and Chrys also formed Press Gang Metropol, a rock band in the tradition of Joy Division, The Cure, Interpol and Editors and were joined by Eric Chabaud on drums and Sebastian on vocals. A first album was released in early 2012 on the D-Monic Records label.

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!

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On Friday 26th and Saturday 27th August, the biggest gothic gathering in Central Europe will return to Prague. It will feature 11 bands (including scene mainstays Christian Death and The Frozen Autumn or contemporary cults Kælan Mikla or Minuit Machine), DJs and the traditional gothic picnic.

In a message to Side-Line the organisation says the following: “Who would have thought seventeen years ago that Prague Gothic Treffen would one day grow into the biggest event of its kind in Central Europe? That it would host the very bands we then used to play from Winamp for a few gothic enthusiasts with religious reverence. But it did. In fact, PGT started attracting so many people that after a few years it is moving from our beloved Futurum to a bigger club.“

In the two inter-connected venues, Fuchs 2 and Bike Jesus, you will be able to enjoy two concurrent stages covering everything from traditional goth to the hottest trends in the dark scene in terms of genre.

Tickets are available right here, you sign up to the Facebook event page right here.

The top 4 artists

The most recognizable name at this year’s PGT is Christian Death, the Apostles of deathrock defined the genre in the early 80s on the iconic albums “Only Theatre of Pain” and “Catastrophe Ballet”. The band continued on even after Rozz Williams left this world and Valor Kand took over the reins of the band. They will return to Prague six years after their excellent concert at Chmelnice.

The Italian The Frozen Autumn are the darkwave ambassadors. Originally a solo project of Diego Merletto the band was inspired by the European cold wave and bands of the iconic 4AD label. The duo perform very rarely, plus their concert at Prague Gothic Treffen will also be their Czech premiere.

The Icelandic women trio Kælan Mikla bring a unique and hard-to-define Nordic atmosphere  enhanced by abstract lyrics in Icelandic. Expect elements of post-punk, synthpunk, cold wave, ethereal to darkwave. The band recently released their fifth full-length album “Undir Köldum Norðurljósum”.

Rounding out the top four names on this year’s line-up is the French duo Minuit Machine who will bring their typical contemporary dark electronica.

And also…

The EBM side of things will be covered by the Swedish band Wulfband. The band will come to Prague for the first time. Another Czech premiere will be the performance of German goth rockers Wisborg and the Slovak deathrock act The Last Days Of Jesus. The Polish subculture will be represented by the dark electronic trio Her Own World and will present their current EP “This Fire”. From Ecuador comes Naturata Brutalismus mixing coldwave atmosphere with deathrock guitars and Spanish sung lyrics. More coldwave, postpunk and new wave will come from the Munich trio Paar. The Czech scene is also present thanks to the electronic act Isiolia.

DJ boots and more

After the live shows on both stages, the afterparties will commence with foreign and Czech DJs, spinning everything from classic goth/deathrock through dark/new wave and post-punk to various forms of dark electronica. The traditional Saturday afternoon gothic picnic is also an integral part of the PGT and a neat tradition – an ideal opportunity to meet and chat with other event visitors from all corners of Europe and tune in to the evening club scene. 

Here’s the video trailer for the event.

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!

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The American death rock pioneers Christian Death are reissuing one of their most classic releases, the 1985 album “The Wind Kissed Pictures”. There will be 3 formats, a digipak CD, a black vinyl and a dark green vinyl, the latter is limited to 600 copies.

The offering was the first Christian Death release after Rozz Williams left the band and Valor K took over command. It features Valor’s girlfriend Gitane Demone on vocals on 2 tracks and on keyboards on 1 track and even their common child, Sevan Kand, has a vocal appearance on “Ouverture”.

Originally a 4-track mini-album (limited first edition with a bonus-track on a 7″) on the Italian Supporti Fonografici label, this album has seen countless re-releases on different labels: Chameleon (USA 1986), as a 7-track CD in 1988 (Supporto F. + Normal Germany), in the same version on Cleopatra USA (1999) and as a 8-track edition with 1 bonus live-track on Candlelight UK (1999) and on Candlelight US in 2002.

The tracklist of this new 2021 edition is identical to the album that was released via the Contempo Records label in 1990, under the album name “Past, Present and Forever”.

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!

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Gothic death rock pioneers Christian Death have revealed the special, limited edition “The Dark Age Renaissance” CD collections for Part 3 and 4.

“The Dark Age Renaissance Collection Part 4: The New Dark Age” combines their three most recent recordings – “Born Again Anti Christian” (2000), “American Inquisition” (2007), and “The Root Of All Evilution” (2015) – into one limited package. It will be released on September 3, 2021 via Season of Mist.

“The Dark Age Renaissance Collection Part 3: The Age Of Decadence” is a 4 CD jewel case set which features three of their middle-period recordings and 1990 demos/outtakes compilation – “Insanus, Ultio, Proditio, Misericordiaque” (1990), “Sexy Death God” (1994), “Prophecies” (1996), and “Pornographic Messiah” (1998) – into one limited package. This is set for release on October 8, 2021 via Season of Mist.

Parts 1 and 2 will be revealed at a later date.

This release series is part of an ongoing series of CD and vinyl reissues of Christian Death’s catalog via Season of Mist. Previously, the label reissued LPs for the band’s “Catastrophe Ballet” (1984) as well as “The Root of All Evilution”, “Ashes”, “The Scriptures”, and “Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christ” as well as CD and vinyl reissues for 1986’s “Atrocities”.

About the early Christian Death

Founded in Los Angeles in 1979 by Rozz Williams, Christian Death trail-blazed the American goth and death-rock movement with their debut album, “Only Theatre of Pain” (1982) and the genre-defining “Catastrophe Ballet” (1984) and “Ashes” (1985).

“Ashes” marks the final appearance of the classic band lineup and features the final recordings of founder Rozz Williams alongside current Christian Death main-man Valor Kand, vocalist-keyboardist Gitane Demone and drummer David Glass before Williams’ death in 1998.

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!

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Season of Mist is reissuing Christian Death’s “Atrocities” album on LP and CD on July 9. “Atrocities” was the fourth studio album by the American act and was released in 1986 through the record label Normal.

The album’s subject matter deals almost exclusively with the Holocaust, including songs about Auschwitz and Josef Mengele. Recorded at Rockfield Studios in Monmouth, Wales it also featured the songwriting and arrangement skills of Barry Galvin, who, along with Johann Schumann, would leave the group upon the completion of “Atrocities”. Both went on to form Mephisto Walz.

It is the first Christian Death record with Valor Kand taking over main duties following Rozz Williams’ departure and also the first release with no original members of the band remaining. Some until today still doubt we can still speak of Christian Death at this point, but that’s another discussion.

The re-release is part of an ongoing series of vinyl reissues of Christian Death’s catalog via Season of Mist. Previously, the label reissued LPs for the band’s “Catastrophe Ballet” (1984) as well as “The Root of All Evilution”, “Ashes”, “The Scriptures”, “American Inquisition” and “Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christ”.

About Christian Death

Founded in Los Angeles in 1979 by Rozz Williams, the band formed the American goth and death-rock movement with their debut album, “Only Theatre of Pain” (1982), “Catastrophe Ballet” (1984) and “Ashes” (1985). The latter marked also the final appearance of the classic band lineup and features the final recordings of founder Rozz Williams alongside Valor Kand, vocalist-keyboardist Gitane Demone and drummer David Glass.

“Atrocities” was followed by 1987’s “The Scriptures”, recorded by a revamped lineup of Kand, Demone, Glass, guitarist James Beam and bassist Kota. Longtime drummer Glass left the group following the release of “The Scriptures” and returned to California, where he eventually worked with several Williams side projects.

During the late 1980s, while also recording as Shadow Project, Williams resurrected his own version of Christian Death, with his wife Eva O contributing guitar as well as vocals. Billing themselves as the original Christian Death, they were rejoined by first-album guitarist Agnew for a 1989 tour of Canada. The band was signed to Cleopatra Records, and released “The Iron Mask” album and “Skeleton Kiss” EP in 1992.

Williams’ reclamation of the Christian Death name sparked a fierce battle with Kand. However, Kand already had the rights to the name due to Williams’ departure from the band and subsequent neglect of the moniker. Williams consequently billed his version of the band as “Christian Death Featuring Rozz Williams”. After this, Williams’ version released “The Path of Sorrows” album in 1993 and “The Rage of Angels” in 1994.

Williams pursued other projects before committing suicide on April 1, 1998.

Meanwhile, Kand’s Christian Death continued performing and recording, issuing the 1990 album “Insanus, Ultio, Proditio, Misercordiaque”, on which Kand conducted the English Abbey Choir and the Commonwealth Chamber Orchestra. The band released the “Sexy Death God” album in 1994, the double-live set “Amen” in 1995, the Nostradamus-themed “Prophecies” in 1996, and “Pornographic Messiah” in 1998. “Born Again Anti Christian” followed 2 years later.

7 years later, in 2007, Christian Death released “American Inquisition” featuring a new drummer, Nate Hassan. In January 2015, Christian Death released “The Root of All Evilution” digitally via Knife Fight Media, and on vinyl via Season of Mist. A CD release followed on The End Records.

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!

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Genre/Influences: Post-punk, gothic rock.

Background/Info: Third full-length album for Mychael Ghost (vocals), Illia Tulloch (drums), Howard Melnick (guitar) and Danny AE (keyboards) from Miami – Florida, including a cover of ‘Til Tuesday (“Voices Carry”). The first 5 tracks were produced and mixed by Tom Shear (Assemblage 23) while the last 4 tracks were earlier released as an EP “Dreams Of Majesty”, mixed by Rees Bridges.

Content: Highlights: first track and previously released single “Sunday Queen” is a worthly opener full of dark atmospheric vibes. The very danceable and melodic “Unfulfilled Promise” could become for sure a dancefloor classic in goth clubs. “I Am Nothing” is built on a nice synth-bass with a very melancholic and bombastic chorus including piano. The uptempo “Rosary Society” is another dancefloor filler in the traditional gothic rock style. On “Divination” Mychael’s voice sounds very good and deep while on “The Girl Who Tried” especially the synth-melodies play an important role.

+ + + : The sweet and warm voice of Mychael Ghost directly reminded me on the voice of Rozz Williams (Christian Death) and also of Sean Brennan (London After Midnight).

– – – : You might get the impression that after a while all songs start to sound a bit the same because of the way Mychael sings.

Conclusion: Astari Nite brings modern post-punk/gothic rock songs full of sensitive lyrics about love and despair in a soft and fragile way.

Best songs: “Sunday Queen”, “Unfulfilled Promise”, “I Am Nothing”, “Rosary Society”, “Divination”, “The Girl Who Tried”.

Rate: (8) WH.

Band: www.officialastarinite.com / www.facebook.com/astarinitemusic

Label: www.cleopatrarecords.com / www.facebook.com/cleopatrarecords

Out on the 20th anniversary of Rozz Williams’ death, April 1st, 2018 , are “In the Heart”, recorded during the ‘Dream Home Heartache Tour’, and “On the Altar”, from Williams’ last European tour.

Both will be released on two limited Vinyls and a 2CD Set. All 3 releases features specially designed artwork by Herbert Starek. The limited 2CD comes as digipak with 3 bonus tracks (which are not on the vinyl edition) and a 16-page booklet (with liner notes by Nico B & Gitane Demone + Tour photos). The limited Vinyl comes with one bonus track each (which are not on the 2CD edition).

You can order the 2CD set holding both albums right here, the vinyl “In the Heart” can be ordered here and the “On the Altar” album right here.

The promotional video for the upcoming releases for the 20th anniversary of Rozz Williams legacy can be viewed below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27ppW6bx2HM

Rozz Williams was an American vocalist, musician, artist, and poet most known for his work with the bands Christian Death, Shadow Project (with musician Eva O), and with the industrial project Premature Ejaculation. Williams was also involved with Daucus Karota, Heltir, EXP, Bloodflag, and Christian Death Featuring Rozz Williams, along with recording a handful of solo albums.

Williams committed suicide in his West Hollywood apartment on April 1, 1998. He was only 34 years old.

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!

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