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Post-punk, darkwave, & gothic rock


navybsn

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Anyone else appreciate post-punk, darkwave, and or gothic rock? As an 80's kid, I had a steady diet of The Cure, Joy Division, Bauhaus, Echo & The Bunnymen, Christian Death, and plenty others. I still find it to be one of my favorite subgenres of music these days. Most of the classics are well known, so maybe we can use this thread to post newer stuff coming out or recent faves. I'll start with a few of my recent bandcamp pickups. A few are just tracks off the album mentioned due to YT not having the full album.

The Gnosis - s/t

The Wraith - Gloom Ballet

Poison Ruïn - s/t

Secret Shame - Dark Synthetics

I N F I D E L - Ministry of Hate

 

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I still haven't figured out what Darkwave is. I know a lot of the post punk band names but I have no idea what Echo and the Bunny men or Bauhaus sound like tbh. I'm currently in the laundromat parking lot happily grooving on Dopethrone with 12 minutes left til I have to throw my shit into the dryers but maybe I'll check out some of those youtubes later when I get home.

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Nice topic. I got into a lot of the 70s and 80s stuff as a teenager - Swans, Joy Division, Sisters Of Mercy, Fields Of The Nephilim, Depeche Mode, a little bit of Birthday Party and Cure and Killing Joke and Siouxsie and Bauhaus, etc. I still listen to a lot of it but I haven't kept up with newer bands. The one of these I know is The Wraith, and I think they're great, Shadow Flag is a really solid and enjoyable EP. One of my other favorite bands under this broader umbrella is Deine Lakaien - they have several really good albums, even including some of their more recent efforts like Indicator, but I'll share the first song I heard of theirs - "Into My Arms", from their album Kasmodiah:

 

Another band I somehow missed for decades and only found recently is The Sound. Their first two albums in particular are just fucking gold. From The Lion's Mouth has been in constant rotation since I heard it last year:

 

I'll have to listen to your links above, always down to discover some new stuff along these lines.

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2 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

I still haven't figured out what Darkwave is. I know a lot of the post punk band names but I have no idea what Echo and the Bunny men or Bauhaus sound like tbh. I'm currently in the laundromat parking lot happily grooving on Dopethrone with 12 minutes left til I have to throw my shit into the dryers but maybe I'll check out some of those youtubes later when I get home.

Post punk and darkwave are pretty much synonymous. Darkwave refers that gloomy sound of those early bands like The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, and Joy Division.

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I am familair with Siouxie Sue, my buddy had some of her records back in the day. I know I've checked out Joy Division at least a dozen different times because they have a legion of fans and their name comes up a lot but it just goes right out of my head, I honestly can't remember what they sound like. Same with the Cure, I know I've heard a few of their songs on the radio way back when but I can't remember them now. I just remember the dude's haircut. I think my little sister was both a Cure and a Bauhaus fan at one time in the 80's but I had already moved out by then so I don't think I've ever bothered to hear them either. If you think I'm closed minded and intolerant now you should have seen me in the 80's. I was that metal or punk or GTFO guy back then with just a very few special exceptions.

Only band in that vein I was ever really super into from that whole era was Sisters of Mercy. I still listen to their 3 records and consider myself a fan. But they're a little bit harder than the rest of these, probably why I like them so much.

Alright here we go, Gnosis track was very interesting, I liked it but it's not something I'd buy. The Wraith was giving me heavy Lords of the New Church vibes, just not as catchy or edgy. And there will only ever be one Stiv. Poison Ruin was pleasant enough but not something I'd seek out again. Secret Shame was my favorite of the bunch, that song was great. Was that actually from the late 80's? Because if not they nailed the sound and the vibe 100%. I will explore them further. I guess I must be sexist or a homophobe or something because I have to admit I am more willing to accept this kind of new wave/post punk sound from a chick than I am from a dude with an androgenous, effeminate voice. Infidel demo was my second favorite, lots of guitars there, I'd listen to that again.

But anyway the verdict is: I'm gonna go listen to First and Last and Always now, haha.

 

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Sisters of Mercy are great. Like you said, probably the heaviest of the bunch. Depeche Mode is another good one I forgot. Their early stuff is excellent.

Secret Shame is a current band from Asheville, NC. They have a couple of albums/EPs. Dark Synthetics is my favorite. The whole album has a very dark vibe that just nails the sound of the early bands so well you wouldn't know they're modern.

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7 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

Think I probably could have gotten into these guys but they weren't metal so I didn't pay them no nevermind.

 

Bauhaus were never my favorite when I was younger, but I do enjoy them quite a bit now.

I know you've said you had checked out Joy Division in the past and found them unmemorable. I think I like Joy Division and early New Order (the band that reformed after the suicide of Ian Curtis the lead singer for Joy Division) is mainly because of Peter Hook's bass lines. He plays the bass as a lead instrument. His bass lines are driving, melodic, and catchy as fuck. As a burgeoning bass player in the mid-80's, he was the tits. Along with Simon Gallup of the Cure, they showed that the bass could be a valid instrument for those without the virtuoso flair of Chris Squire or Geddy Lee.

This is the video to check out. Still probably not up your alley, but if you liked Bauhaus, you will may like this.

This song in particular is really great

The first New Order album continues very much in the vein of Joy Division.

One more to mention that I'm betting you've heard somewhere along the way. Christian Death's first album is fantastic. 

 

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I am desperate for discovering new alternative artists that I like. I don't like any of these that I don't already know. Only solution will be to force myself to listen to this stuff till I acquire a taste for it. Has worked for me before. I have all these mixtapes with different metal but the same few alternative artists which getting annoying. 

Forever Grey.

 

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Some links from other stuff I mentioned. If you want aggression, you can't beat early Swans - Filth, Cop, Young God, etc.

Clay Man:

Stay Here:

 

The Birthday Party had some great energy too, I used to listen to their album Junkyard a lot. Here's a live version of "Dead Joe":

 

If you like the idea of post-apocalyptic goth rock cowboys with good production values, here's Fields Of The Nephilim - "Preacher Man":

 

Nice to see Sisters Of Mercy posted, they've been a favorite of mine for a long time. Some of their early recordings are great too, I always loved the song "Alice":

 

 

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On 4/29/2021 at 8:02 AM, GoatmasterGeneral said:

I still haven't figured out what Darkwave is. I know a lot of the post punk band names but I have no idea what Echo and the Bunny men or Bauhaus sound like tbh. I'm currently in the laundromat parking lot happily grooving on Dopethrone with 12 minutes left til I have to throw my shit into the dryers but maybe I'll check out some of those youtubes later when I get home.

E and the B'men sound good if you like that sort of thing.  Bauhaus sound bad.  That's all you need to know, really.

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Marko's a huge post punk and Swans fan, I'm sure he'll have a lot to add if he ever makes an account and joins the party. I PM'd him a few days ago and he said he would. In his own time. Mark & Jon say they'll be along too at some point but they're busy dudes so don't wait up for them they'll get here when they get here.

 

Trying out Fields of the Nephilim now, another familiar name that I've never bothered with. Kinda liking it, probably could've gotten into this back in the late 80's NYC club days when they'd play all kinds of non-metal stuff on the PA between the metal bands' sets. Got exposed to alot of cool stuff that way.

Christian Death is up next. Actually Navy that's a new one on me, I can't recall ever hearing their name before. First impression: the music seems alright but I'm not gonna lie, these vocals are a little cringey.

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Romeo's Distress is the only song you need by Christian Death really. Dudes vocals are a bit different. I've heard it so many times they don't bother me anymore. Fields of Nephilim are pretty great. They got weird towards the later albums. Makes sense you would like them since you like Sisters of Mercy.

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9 hours ago, navybsn said:

Romeo's Distress is the only song you need by Christian Death really. Dudes vocals are a bit different. I've heard it so many times they don't bother me anymore. Fields of Nephilim are pretty great. They got weird towards the later albums. Makes sense you would like them since you like Sisters of Mercy.

I love Fields Of The Nephilim up through Elizium but I couldn't get into anything after that. I think Dawnrazor is probably my favorite these days. I used to listen to Christian Death a bunch, Catastrophe Ballet and Ashes were pretty cool, but I thought Only Theater Of Pain was the best thing they did.

Here's a project that may not exactly fit into the thread, but it's related - Dali's Car. A collaboration between Peter Murphy and Mick Karn of the band Japan. The songs don't really "go anywhere" but they're a little bit weird and fun to listen to anyway. "His Box":

 

It would be remiss to not mention some stuff from Peter Murphy's solo albums too, for the Simple Minds/easy listening crowd. I am the entry-level teeny bopper who still loves "Cuts You Up":

 

"Cascade":

 

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