Spiderbaby: The Death of Spiderbay.

Fourpiece Spiderbaby are an interesting setup. A fairly new band playing the UK, "The Death of Spiderbaby" is their first EP, and at 8 Songs it is more like a mini album, coming with enhanced video and multimedia content too. Although not an obvious 'scene' band they have stuck their head above the Goth parapet, so let's take a look.

Now before I dive into the tracks you should be ware that there are two musical stakes which are always threating to destroy the glam-punk heart of Goth - Cheesey Industrial and Rawk / Metal. Spiderbaby could be accused of flirting with both of these, but I think they stay clear of falling in the embarressing mess that is most mainstream alleged 'Goth' music today. Sure they are by no means Deathrock or Batcave, if anything they are Glam, but they show a remarkable range.

Misfest

This is just about going to be the best Goth Festival in the UK this year. Sod Whitby. Come to this.

Smoke and Spotlight Volume 3

These series are great budget tasters / compilations.

79 minutes, to order your copy for 6 EUR (+p&p) go here or write the man a message via cyberpagan[at]death-rock.de.

Adoration

Those who like their Goth quite chilled and indiefied might want to keep an eye on this three piece who finally have an album due this summer.

Myspace

Batcave Night in London

This is shaping up quite nicely for the 11th of July. Sex Gang Children and Specimen will be playing in 84/83 line ups, followed by a club night til 6am with DJ Hamish and other folks entertaining.

Check out the Batcave Myspace for more.

Read more for the video ...

The Brides : Sofa City Sweetheart

I must admit that US fourpiece The Brides are one of those outfits I have been aware of but never really listened to. I now have a back catalogue to go through, but in the meantime I want to review their latest album, because it is just so good.

The Brides bring together a range of musical influences, Goth, Post-Punk, Caberet, Rockabilly, Glam, New-Wave and it is hard to think of many equivalent artists - The Soho Dolls have tried to do the same think in the UK with some mainstream sucess, but The Brides just seem to pull the whole thing off so much better.

Manic Depression offers Poisened Dead Frogs

Which happens to be a free two disc compilation available here

Read on for full download links ...

Deathrock Kittie & Goth Card

I have no idea why, but it had to be done.

Also a useful printout, cut out and keep proof of your subversive art-punk leanings. (click for bigga!)

Miguel and the Living Dead send a Postcard ...

Miguel and the Living Dead have updated their Myspace with new tracks from the forthcoming 'Postcards From The Other Side'.

From initial listening it seems they are heading in a slightly more Batcave direction whilst still carrying a lumbering load of Horror-Punk-Abilly on their decaying soldiers. Hope to have the album for review in a a few weeks. Fingers crossed.

Young Limbs And Numb Hymns

Way back in the day there was a Batcave Compilation on Vinyl.

And lo and behold it is available for download (50mb) thanks to Cactus Mouth Informer.

Made my day anyway.

Screaming Banshee Aircrew at the Coven

The Coven, five years young lies at the dark heart of Luton's seedy underworld. Well actually it lives at present in the basement of a rather obscure council building.

Run by self proclaimed 'sad old Goth', and all round top bloke, DJ Nephlimbabe, the Coven endeavors to cater to a wide range of dark subversive types. Everything from from hairy metal kids thru confused punks in black thru cyber creatures from planet goggles to all out art-punk ponces.

So that would be a Goth club then - the usual diverse and friendly crowd.

DJs CovenAlex & DJ Nephilimbabe spin an eclectic mix to suit the crowd, and educate too. But this night was special. To celebrate 5 years of dark spooky fun and games the Screaming Banshee Aircrew are here to entertain the local denizens.

Ultravox! : Ultravox!

Released in 1977 Ultravox!'s debut seems to fortell the coming post-punk evolution by two or three years. There is a least one web rockist that claims post-punk is nothing more than the bastard child of art-rock and poncey brit punk. And you know maybe they are right? In a good way.

Deadchovsky: Spiritus Sancti Bizarre

Deadchovsky return with 'Spiritus Sancti Bizarre', the follow up to their rather tasty 'Decadence Revolution'. Describing Deadchovsky is easy, they float some where in the middle of the Atlantic between folks like Sex Gang Children, Specimen and Alien Sex Fiend from the blighty Batcave and the Deathrock pioneers of the ex-colonies like Rozz's Christian Death.

In the patch of deep sea delight they bob about it it is still 1983 and Leeds never existed. Quite a picture. Actually they are from France and share a label with the beyond amazing Frustration. The question is, does 'Spiritus Sanct Bizarrei' live up to expectations?

Screaming Banshee Aircrew: When All is Said and Done

The Screaming Banshee Aircrew have always been one of those bands, not uncommon in the Goth scene, that work better live than in the studio. Hey, there is a long tradition of this going back to late 70's. 'Fishnet Messiah' was a good broad album with some great songs on, but just didn't sound right at times. Maybe a lot of that was to do with the drum machine, which always seems to be so hard to get sorted. But like Devilish Presley the Aircrew have got themselves a drummer, and trust me it makes all the difference.

Romance: Paris is Burning

While I get round to some Deadchovsky thoughts and a review of the new Screaming Banshee Aircrew have a video from Seattle dark post-punk band Romance:

Irn-Bru Goth advert.

This made me smile!

UK Decay: Death, So Fatal

This one has been out a few months now, but after the last review I had to write about something I actually liked. So just a quicky.

New Reviews on Deathrock.com

Deathrock.com has risen from the dead (again!) with a serious selection of reviews:

Deathrock.com Reviews

Evil Poppy Character Test at OKCupid

My score on The Evil Poppy Music Test:

MelonC
(34% Shoo, 82% MelonC, 3% TammyG, 24% Cyber)

You were there at the Batcave? Too Old? The 100 Club? We bow to your elder status. Alternatively you are 18 and have done your homework.

Link: The Evil Poppy Music Test (OkCupid Free Online Dating)

Last Days of Jesus:
Dead Machines' Revolution

The best thing to come out of Bratislava, The Last Days of Jesus return with a new album, and an evolved sound. Their last album Alien Road nestled safely between the caring arms of Goth, Deathrock and Dark Caberet, and was in a word: Fantastic. Does Dead Machines' Revolution follow in its footsteps?