World-Class Vocalist Spotlight Liv Kristine Espenæs (Stavanger, Norway) HEAVY METAL LEGEND

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Liv Kristine Espenæs became a KICK ASS METAL HEAVY METAL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE AS A WORLD-CLASS VOCALIST and a HEAVY METAL LEGEND INDUCTEE on July 4th, 1995. When the debut self-titled Theatre of Tragedy was unleashed on Planet Metal. KICK ASS METAL IS A GOTHIC METAL PUBLICATION IN THE Avant-Garde Metal and Death Metal Age. Theatre of Tragedy GOTHIC METAL GODS AND GOTHIC METAL LEGENDS Hailed from Stavanger, Norway. As part of our specialized press is just not TRUE GOTHIC METAL, but we are a specialized pressed for TRUE NORWEGIAN GOTHIC METAL. THEATRE OF TRAGEDY had 3 of the most important back to back to back albums not just in GOTHIC METAL, AND HEAVY METAL, but in all of music. With the GODLY “Theatre of Tragedy”, “Velvet Darkness They Fear”, and a top 10 GOTHIC METAL ALBUM OF ALL-TIEM IN “”Aégis” Liv Kristine Espenæs went on to become a GOTHIC metal legend in the 2oth and 21st with the next 2 Theatre of Tragedy albums [‘mju:zik] Musique and Assembly, but these 2 albums are INDUSTRIALIZED METAL masterpieces, heavily in the INDUSTRIAL/ ELECTRONICA genre. Unlike the heavy metal community the concept of “selling out” does not exist in the GOTHIC METAL community. I own gothic albums which are the softest albums of all-time, and  ALL OF THE MOST GOTHIC MOLTEN METAL ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME, which will whip you into a frenzy, and you will thrash and rage and bang your head until it l@@ks like a fucking bloody pancake!!!!! 

Liv Kristine Espenæs became Liv Kristine Espenæs Krull in  July 2003 until January 2016 and has 7 back to back to back to back to back to back to back classics, in the Symphonic Metal Genre, which like Gothic Metal has the same progenitor band as an influence and that is The 3rd and the Mortal. Every GOTHIC METAL worships hard… Theatre of Tragedy just as much as Nightwish, because of the roots of this genre being The Peaceville 3, Celtic Frost, The 3rd and the Mortal, Atrox…..!!!

As a solo artist Liv Kristine Espenæs Krull goes by the Moniker of Liv Kristine 5 KICK ASS albums as a solo artist. So between Theater of Tragedy, Leaves’ Eyes and Liv Kristine, has 17 albums with KICK ASS METAL that have 100 out of 100 blood dripping skulls — FUCKING ESSENTIAL RATING….

For those new to heavy metal Cradle of Filth has been the World’s Greatest Heavy Metal band since February 24th, 1994 on the INTERNATIONAL metal category, and since this is a NORWEGIAN METAL SPECIALIZED PRESS the World’s Greatest Heavy Metal Band in the Norwegain National Category has been Crest of Darkness since May 12th, 1999….there has never been a better band before these bands and since and for the last going on 25 years, these two bands have had close calls on losing the greatest album of all-time ranking, but these two bands will have this THE WORLD’S GREATEST BANDS OF ALL-TIME ranking going into the 22nd century…..and immortals of metal for all of eternity. The reason I bring up these important heavy metal historical facts is because Liv Kristine appears on the all-time classic album as a guest artist on the song “Nymphetamine”, for the album of the same name!!!! which was unleashed on Planet Metal on September 27th, 2004, and appears with the metal gods again in 2017 on September 22nd, 2017 and this track is “Vengeful Spirit” ….WHICH IS EXACTLY A MONTH AWAY from the time of this write-up todays news date on Planet Metal in August 22nd, 2017!!!!!  And the new Cradle of Filth Splatter Platter is titled Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay, and will be unleashed on Planet Metal September 22nd, 2017

Liv Kristine Espenæs is a 3 time KICK ASS METAL PERSON OF THE YEAR WINNER (1995, 1996, 2004) our KICK ASS METAL PERSON OF THE WINNER IS AWARED TO THE BEST WORLD-CLASS VOCALIST IN 2 categories Norwegian National and International Categories, the International Category, is for heavy metal bands not from Norway, since this is a SPECIALIZED PRESS FOR TRUE NORWEGIAN GOTHIC METAL. The golden age for Gothic Metal is from January 1st 1993 to July 27th, 2003.  

As a GOTHIC METAL LEGEND her best album is “Aégis” * August 18th, 1998, and as a SYMPHONIC METAL legend her best album is Leave’s Eyes “Symphonies on the Night” November 15th, 2013

 

On July 11th, 2013 The Sirens were founded as a band, these are 3 of the most important World-Class Vocalist not just of Gothic Metal, but off all-time, but in all of music!! …below is there biography

THE SIRENS – 3 Pioneering Female Metal Singers Join Forces Live On Tour

In this day and age female fronted metal bands are normal part of everyday life. They are so common, in fact, that it’s a waste of breath making the distinction between them and bands with a hairy, ugly guy behind the microphone. There was a time, however, when the idea of a woman fronting a full-on metal band was dismissed by metal fans and press alike as absurd. The world accepted Doro Pesch fronting Warlock and Sabina Classen leading Holy Moses in the ’80s, sure, but it wasn’t until the rise of The 3rd And The Mortal, The Gathering and Theatre Of Tragedy in the early ’90s that the movement towards equality in metal truly began. Now, in celebration of a revolution that launched an entirely new musical genre, vocalists Kari Rueslåtten (The 3rd And The Mortal), Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering) and Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull (Leaves’ Eyes, Theatre Of Tragedy) have united for a journey into the past presented live on stage: The Sirens.

The seeds for The Sirens were planted when Anneke approached Kari in early 2013 with the proposal of doing a duet for her Drive album (released in 2013). Regarded by Anneke as an inspiration going in to do The Gathering’s breakthrough album, Mandylion, her intention was to pay tribute to Kari via the collaboration. The song didn’t make the final cut as it didn’t fit the album, but they remained in touch. Then, in July 2013 Anneke and Liv had a chance meeting at the Masters Of Rock festival in the Czech Republic, and The Sirens concept was born.

“We had a few minutes only to talk in between our gigs,” Liv recalls, “but we agreed that we really should get together and tour. We both had to smile then, thinking that we were, with Kari, the ‘originals’ within our scene. Moreover, all three of us being mothers and still highly busy in music and art. Anneke told me that she had just talked to Kari, and that was the ‘go’ for The Sirens”

It would be fair to call Kari the catalyst for The Sirens, as both Anneke and Liv saw her as a role model when they first made their way into music.

“I find it hard to believe that I once inspired them,” Kari admits, “but if so it is truly flattering. It is a fantastic feeling to know that I will be singing live with two such amazing vocalists!”

The Sirens tour will be split into two parts, including festival appearances, and staged at the end of 2014 in October and December. It will be a full concert showcasing the trio, one band, and a setlist featuring songs from The 3rd And The Mortal, The Gathering and Theatre Of Tragedy as well as tracks from Kari, Anneke and Liv’s respective solo careers. They will sing alone, perform duets, capping off the night with all three of them on stage, with a show that is expected to clock in at around 100 minutes each night. Thus, it’s a trip down memory lane produced for the here and now with brand new and unexpected elements, making The Sirens a nostalgia-fuelled reminder of who started it all and why it worked. And at the end of the night nobody will leave disappointed.

“The female fronted scene has become so big all over the world, sometimes it’s hard to believe the three of us were at the very beginning of it,” says Anneke. “I am very proud of that. Without intentionally wanting to start a new genre, our bands made it okay to sound and look as a girl singer on a metal stage. It was all very new and exciting. I think the tour is great to, in a way, celebrate those early days now that a third-wave of bands is appearing on the scene.”

There are noteworthy parallels in the lives of Kari, Anneke and Liv that bind them together. All three fronted influential bands, they went on to have lucrative solo careers and remain active, and they’ve successfully balanced music with family life. It’s clear the trio share a chemistry that will make The Sirens a rousing success.

“I’m looking forward to it a lot,” Anneke says. “Making music with kindred spirits is such a wonderful feeling. I also love harmonizing with more than one singer on stage, so that will be a cool aspect of the show as well.”

“The fans have been waiting for this for years and years,” Liv adds. “I can’t wait to share stage with Kari and Anneke. They are absolutely lovely and we have so much in common. This is a kind of magic.”

Anneke van Giersbergen proved her credentials and immense vocal talent for 13 years as frontwoman of The Gathering. Their first joint effort Mandylion was considered a groundbreaking achievement upon its release in 1995. In 2007 Anneke felt it was time to begin her own solo career. The charismatic singer quickly established herself as a solo artist. In 2012 she was nominated for two Edison awards, Holland’s most prestigious music prize, for her album Everything Is Changing. The album took Anneke all over the world as she toured over 25 different countries. In recent years Van Giersbergen also found time to collaborate with some of her long-time friends and musical peers, lending her powerful voice to the likes of Anathema (Falling Deeper), the eccentric Devin Townsend (Addicted!, Epicloud, The Retinal Circus) and fellow Dutchmen Within Temptation (Black Symphony). Her fifth studio album, Drive, was released worldwide by Inside Out Music in September 2013.

Liv Kristine Espenaes Krull began her career in 1994 in her home town of Stavanger, Norway as soprano vocalist and founding member of Theatre Of Tragedy. Their self-titled debut, released in 1995, made waves across the metal scene due to the combined female soprano vocals and death metal growls. Theatre Of Tragedy’s breakthrough came the following year with Velvet Darkness They Fear, and in 1998 Liv released her first solo album, Deus ex Machina. In 2003 she launched Leaves’ Eyes with members of Atrocity, parting ways with Theatre Of Tragedy that same year. In 2004, she was nominated for a Grammy Award for her duet on Cradle Of Filth’s ‘Nymphetamine’, one of many guest vocal appearances over the course of her career. Liv has sold upwards of 500,000 records with Theatre Of Tragedy, toured through more than 40 countries on five continents, and has charted consistently with Leaves’ Eyes, Theatre Of Tragedy, and as a solo artist. She has done guest vocal appearances for acts such as Doro, Týr, Primal Fear, Atrocity, Delain and others and currently gearing up for the release of her 5th solo studio album.

Kari Rueslåtten began her career at the age of 19 with The 3rd and the Mortal, recording the Sorrow EP in 1994 and one full length album with the band, Tears Laid In Earth, also in 1994 before deciding to leave. She recorded one album with Storm in 1995, Nordavind, before choosing in favour of a solo career that has since yielded five albums. Kari Rueslåtten was nominated to the Norwegian Grammy awards for her first solo-album, Spindelsinn, in 1997. Although Kari’s time with The 3rd And The Mortal was short, she is best known and highly respected in metal circles for her performances. Nightwish keyboardist/founder Tuomas Holopainen has stated publicly numerous times that both Kari and Liv were huge inspirations in launching his band, and he appears as a guest musician on Kari’s latest solo album, Time To Tell, released in 2014. Kari has previously worked with Martin Eden (known from his work with Björk, Nellee Hooper) and her music has been remixed by artists including Rawthang and Art of Fighters. She is due to make a guest appearance on the upcoming album from Norwegian rock legend Åge Aleksandersen.

LIV KRISTINE – “Vervain” (2014)

1. My Wilderness
2. Love Decay (feat. Michelle Darkness)
3. Vervain
4. Stronghold of Angels (feat. Doro Pesch)
5. Hunters
6. Lotus
7. Elucidation
8. Two and a Heart
9. Creeper
10. Oblivious

Bonus:

11. Unbreakable
12. Love Decay
13. Stronghold of Angels

 

LIV KRISTINE – “Libertine” (2012)

1. Interlude(intro)
2. Solve Me
3. Silence
4. Vanilla Skin Delight (duet with Tobias Regner)
5. Panic
6. Paris Paris
7. Wait for Rain
8. Love Crime
9. Libertine
10. Meet me in the Sky
11. The Man With a Child in His Eyes (KATE BUSH cover)

 

 

LIV KRISTINE – “Skintight” (2010)

1. Skintight
2. Twofold
3. Train to Somewhere
4. Love in Grey
5. Emotional Catastrophies
6. Life Line
7. Boy at the Window
8. Wonders
9. Versified Harmonies
10. The Rarest Flower
11. One of Them (Bonustrack Limited Edition Digipak)

 

 

LIV KRISTINE – “Skintight” (2010) Download Single

1. Skintight
2. Train To Somewhere

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIV KRISTINE – “Enter My Religion” (2006)

1. Over the Moon
2. Fake a Smile
3. All the Time in the World
4. My Revelation
5. Coming Home
6. Trapped in your Labyrinth
7. Blue Emptiness
8. You are the Night
9. Enter my Religion
10. Streets of Philadelphia
11. You take me Higher
12. For a Moment

 

 

LIV KRISTINE – “Fake A Smile” (2006) EP

1. Fake a Smile
2. This is us
3. Woman in me
4. China Heart
5. Fake a Smile (Remix)
6. Fake a Smile (Videoclip)

 

 

 

 

 

LIV KRISTINE – “One Love” (1999) Single

1. One love (One Love Mix)
2. One love (Dance Mix)
3. One love (Up Tempo Mix)
4. One love (Film Mix)

Title track Schimanski “Sehnsucht”

 

 

 

 

LIV KRISTINE – “3AM” (1999) Fan Edition

1. 3AM (Radio Mix)
2. 3AM (Single Edit)
3. Sun In The Stream
4. Inamorata (live)

Title track Tatort “Dagobert’s Enkel”

 

 

 

 

LIV KRISTINE – “Take Good Care” (1998) Single

1. Take good care (Radio Edit)
2. Take good care (Album Version)
3. In the Heart of Juliet (Forever Mix)

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIV KRISTINE – “Deus Ex Machina” (1998)

1. Requiem
2. Deus ex Machina
3. In the Heart of Juliet
4. 3AM
5. Waves of Green
6. Take Good Care
7. Huldra
8. Portrait: Ei Tulle med Øyne Blå
9. Good Vibes Bad Vibes
10. Outro

Bonus:

11. 3AM (Now Loop Mix)

 

LIV KRISTINE – “3AM” (1998) Single

1. 3AM (Club Mix)
2. 3AM (Single Edit)
3. Huldra Part III
4. Good Vibes, Bad Vibes (Dance on the Ocean)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest vocal appearances

1997 Atrocity – Werk 80 (Album)
2000 Atrocity – Gemini (Album)
2004 Atrocity – Atlantis (Album)
1998 Heavenwood – Downcast / Swallow
1998 Atrocity & Silke Bischoff – Blue Moon
1999 Weltenbrand – The Devil gets the Profiteer / Der Untergang von Trisona
2000 Das Ich – Des Satans neue Kleider – Atrocity Remix / Re-laborat
2002 Atrocity – More / Sampler Thank you – A Tribute to The Sisters of Mercy
2004 Genius – To be free / A Rock Opera Part II
2004 Immortal Rites – Mirror Reflections / Art of Devolution
2004 Hortus Animae – Summoning of the Muse / Sampler The Lotus Eaters – Dead Can Dance Tribute
2004 Cradle of Filth – Nymphetamine / Nymphetamine
2005 Umbra et Imago – Ein letztes Mal – Leaves’ Eyes Remix / Motus Animi
2005 Infinity – Album Part II (tba)
2005 Only if – Sampler Enya Tribute
2006 Delain – A day For A Ghost (duet with Marco Hieleta (Nightwish) / See Me In Shadow
2008 Atrocity – Werk 80 II (Album)
2008 Doro – Celebrate
2012 Bob Katsionis – Rendez-Vouz In The Sky
2013 Atrocity – Okkult (Album)
2013 Samsas Traum – Niemand, niemand anderem als Dir
2013 Emerald Sun – Call of Nature
2013 Romanthica – Despierta
2013 Tyr – The Lay of our Love
2013 Melted Space – Dying Legend
2014 Primal Fear – Born with a broken Heart
2014 Savn – I Am Free
2015 Akoma – Revangels Now

Discography with Leaves’ Eyes

2004 Into Your Light – EP
2004 Lovelorn
2005 Elegy – EP
2005 Vinland Saga
2006 Legend Land EP
2009 We Came With The Northern Winds / En Saga i Belgia DoCD/DVD
2009 My Destiny EP
2009 Njord
2011 Meredead
2011 Melusine EP
2013 Symphonies of the Night
2015 Halvdan The Black – Single
2015 The Waking Eye – Single
2015 King of Kings

Discography with Theatre of Tragedy

1995 Theatre Of Tragedy – CD
1996 Velvet Darkness They Fear – CD
1996 Der Tanz Der Schatten – SCD
1997 A Rose For The Dead – EP
1998 Cassandra – SCD
1998 Aégis – CD
1999 Theatre Of Tragedy Shape – MCD
2000 Image – SCD
2000 [‘mju:zik] Musique – CD
2000 Inperspective – EP
2001 Machine – SCD
2001 Closure:Live – CD
2002 Assembly – CD

The Sirens

2014 Sisters of the Earth
2014 Embracing the Seasons
2015 Fearless

 

 

MindMaze * (Allentown, Pennsylvania) * TRADITIONAL/PROGRESSIVE/POWER METAL HERO’S — KICKSTARTER campaign has lunched — RUNS FROM AUGUST 18TH, 2014 TO SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2017 —- WE FIND THE ALBUMS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL

THE LINK FOR THIS EVENT CAN BE FOUND ON THE MINDMAZE FACEBOOK OFFICIAL PAGE

https://www.facebook.com/mindmazeband

MindMaze – New EP for 2018

A new EP coming in summer 2018 filled with new songs, covers, and acoustic versions!

 

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About this project

MindMaze has become a true example of the power and potential of crowd-funding. Utilizing the enduring support of our fans has allowed us to endure and thrive far beyond anything we would’ve been able to achieve on our own. The band has now produced three full-length studio albums, one EP, and been a part of multiple successful tours all because of the continued support of an amazing fanbase. 

We’re now asking for everyone’s help to create something new – another special EP that will primarily consist of new material we’ve been writing over the past several months. In addition to the new material, we will also be delivering two overdue covers of Iron Maiden and Queensryche’s deep cuts “Deja Vu” and “Roads to Madness”, as well as acoustic versions of some other MindMaze tracks with some cool rearrangements. The physical product will be the same quality you’ve come to expect from us, complete with cover artwork by Carl Andre Beckston who has done all of our album covers thus far. 

The EP’s release will keep our creative wheels turning while allowing to keep the promotional ball rolling. We’re aiming to make another music video to support this release in addition to giving all of our fans some new music to get excited about. Rather than having to wait 2+ years for another album, this will put new music in your hands sooner while also helping us maintain the means to keep touring throughout 2018 before turning our attention to our fourth album down the road.

This EP will also feature some keyboard contributions from our friend and Pyramaze keyboard player Jonah Weingarten who performed with us on our spring US/Canada tour.

Budget breakdown:
-Studio Costs – $3,000
-Pressing – $2,000
-Artwork – $1,000
-Music Video – $1,500
-Promotional Costs – $1,000
-Shipping/Distribution – $1,000
-T-shirt printing – $1,000 (based on demand)
-Other rewards – $500+ (based on demand)
-Project fees – $1,000 (based on amount raised)

Total Budget – $12,000

Risks and challenges

Time management is always one of our biggest obstacles in completing these projects. Even with the generous support of everyone involved, we are still holding down full-time day jobs to pay our bills and make ends meet, so we only have so much time to allot for writing, recording, mixing, and logistical planning involved with the release. It seems as though no matter how hard we try, every project hits some sort of snag somewhere along the timeline, and we thank everyone for their patience in those moments.

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*******************

MindMaze Contacts

FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/mindmazeband

YOUTUBE

https://www.youtube.com/user/MindMazeBand

TWITTER

https://www.youtube.com/user/MindMazeBand

ONLINE

https://www.mindmazeband.com/

BANDCAMP

https://mindmazeband.bandcamp.com/

 

MindMaze Discography

 

 

Mask of Lies

February 17th, 2013

100 OUT OF 100 BURNING FLYING V’S — FULL SCORE — FUCKING ESSENTIAL

TOP 100 HEAVY METAL ALBUMS OF 2013

 

BACK FROM THE EDGE

October 24th, 2014

100 OUT OF 100 BURNING FLYING V’S — FULL SCORE — FUCKING ESSENTIAL

TOP 100 HEAVY METAL ALBUMS OF 2014

KICK ASS METAL HEAVY METAL HALL OF FAME ALBUM

 

Dreamwalker

July 20th, 2015

100 OUT OF 100 BURNING FLYING V’S — FULL SCORE — FUCKING ESSENTIAL

TOP 100 ALBUMS OF 2015

Resolve

April 28th, 2017

100 OUT OF 100 BURNING FLYING V’S — FULL SCORE — FUCKING ESSENTIAL

2017 CONCEPT HEAVY METAL  ALBUM OF THE YEAR

KICK ASS METAL HEAVY METAL HALL OF FAME ALBUM

 

 

 

NECKBREAKING NEWS —-EVANESCENCE Guitarist JEN MAJURA Is Working On Her Second Solo Album, ‘InZENity’

THIS NECKBREAKING NEWS FEATURE IS COURTESY OF RoadrunneR/Blabbermouth newsservice 

 

 

EVANESCENCE guitarist Jen Majura is working on

her second solo album, “InZENity”. The disc, which

is tentatively due in early 2018, will feature guest

appearances by Mattias IA Eklundh (FREAK

KITCHEN), Jeff Waters (ANNIHILATOR) and Alex

Skolnick (TESTAMENT).

Said Jen: “With all the EVANESCENCE touring and

recording the new project album ‘Synthesis’, I am

overwhelmingly happy that I have managed to be

in the studio with my second album in August this

year — to record my own and very Jen-like album!

Creating music followed by recording an album is a

very emotional special thing and I am really looking forward to it.”

 

Majura has launched an 

Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign 

for “InZENity” where fans have a chance to “get the

most personal items that had toured with me the

last trillion years all over the world,” she said.

Jen’s self-titled debut solo album was released in

2014. It was recorded at Gernhart Studios in

Germany with producers Dennis

Hormes and Martin Buchwalter (PERZONAL WAR)

and it featured guest appearances by Tobias

Kersting from ORDEN OGAN, Manni

Schmidt from REFUGE, and Marco Wriedt from 21

OCTAYNE.

Earlier this year, Majura spoke to Greece’s Rock

Overdose about what it has been like to

join EVANESCENCE in August 2015 as the

replacement for Terry Balsamo. She said: “[To be]

honest, I’ve never been, like, one of those

insane EVANESCENCE fans. Of course, I knew the

music — everybody does — and I love the music,

and I bought the CDs, and I listened to the songs,

and I sang along… But being able, and thankful for

being able, to be one part of this band is… It’s hard

to describe it in words, because… I do not see it as a

job. Of course it’s work, but, for me, mainly, after I

got to know all the guys really [well], [it’s] mainly

fun, because we really get along very good. Even if

we’re not on the road touring, we keep texting each

other and talk on Skype and stuff, and it’s really a

very, very mature, friendly relationship that we

have, with a lot of respect for each other. And

playing those shows… One can never understand

the feeling f how it is to stand on stage together

with those guys, because they’re just so talented,

creative, great musicians, and we’re just having so

much fun on stage, andI think the people can see

that. It has nothing to do with, ‘Oh, we’ve gotta

work now?’, ‘Oh, we’ve gotta deliver music?’ It’s

more like, ‘Come on! Let’s do a rock show and have

fun and have a great time!’ And I really appreciate

that, because this is something that is not

happening within every band. I know bands

[where] hardly the singer talks to the guitar

player, and they have different hotels, and so many

issues and stuff and… I was looking for a band my

entire life where I can say that everybody is

friends, everybody is honest, everybody is talented

and working on the same thing, which always

should be… Do a really cool rock show, enjoy

yourself and make fans happy. And I think that is

something I found in EVANESCENCE, because… it’s

just cool! [Laughs]”

Due this fall, EVANESCENCE’s new

album, “Synthesis”, will reimagine some of the

band’s past catalog with full orchestration and

electronic backing.

 

 

KILLER CONTACTS

Online

http://www.jenmajura.com

Offical YOURTUBE CHANNEL

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Ml18a42qSjONio9QraVOg

FACEBOOK OFFICIAL

https://www.facebook.com/jenmajuraofficial/

 

Biography in German

 

Seit 2002 ist die gebürtige Stuttgarterin Jen Majura Profimusikerin. Inzwischen kann die Gitarristin und Sängerin nicht nur auf eine Bandbreite an Studiojobs mit namhaften Bands aus dem Rock- und Heavy Metalbereich und weltweiten Veröffentlichungen wie u.a. mit „Bind Guardian“ zurückblicken, sondern auch auf Liveperformances und Fernsehauftritte (RTL Chartshow, Kabel1 „70.000 tons of metal“, KIKA „Dein Song“) und Livestreamings von Festivals wie dem Hellfest (FR) oder Wacken, sowie europaweite Tournee Erfahrung z.B. mit Künstlern wie TM Stevens oder Bands wie „Rage“. Anfang 2007 nahm Jen Majura an der Produktion des Samplers „Into the Light“ zum 20-jährigen Jubiläum der Plattenfirma Nuclear Blast als Duettsängerin mit Mats Leven (Ex-Therion) für den Song „Death Is Alive“ teil, die CD wurde am 01. Juni 2007 weltweit veröffentlicht. Weitere weltweite VÖs folgten als Backingvocalist für Rage auf den Alben „Carved in Stone“ / Nuclear Blast VÖ 2008 und „Strings to a web“ / Nuclear Blast VÖ 2010, sowie Live-Übertragungen auf Premiere, WDR u.v.m.
Im Frühjahr 2009 gründete Jen Majura die AC/DC Tribute Band „Black Thunder Ladies“, welche fortan eine der powervollsten AC/DC Ladies Tribute Bands aller Zeiten werden sollte. Sie feierten einen ihrer größten Erfolge mit 2 Shows auf dem Wacken Open Air 2009, sowie mit einer Doppelshow auf der Frankfurter Musik Messe für ihre Endorsementfirmen Ibanez, Engl Amps, Cordial, Line6, Paiste und Ice Stix. Die 5 Profimusikerinnen tourten bis zur Veröffentlichung ihres Debütalbums „First Take“ 2012 intensiv durch Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz, Holland, Belgien, Russland u.v.m. bis sie sich schließlich 2014 auflösten.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l5sI57xzWc
Da Jen Majura auf professioneller Ebene sowohl als Gitarristin, als auch als Sängerin gefragt ist, wurden immer mehr Profi-Bands aufmerksam auf das Talent der jungen Musikerin. Dies brachte Jen im Sommer 2012 als Gast-Gitarristin zu der Berliner Band „KNORKATOR“, mit denen sie bereits auf 2 Live-DVDs und 2 Alben inkl. Tournee, sowie zahlreiche Festivalauftritte (RockHarz, Summerbreeze, WithFullForce, Wacken uvm.) zurück blicken kann.

Im Januar 2014 hat Jen Majura die Music School Brilon übernommen und leitet seither diese erfolgreich in der kleinen Stadt Brilon in NRW. Die Musikschule hat durch das powervolle moderne Engagement der Musikerin einen positive innovativen Ruf und bietet neben Unterricht in den Fächern Gitarre (Axxis-Gitarrist Stefan Weber zählt u.a. neben Jen selbst zu der Lehrerschaft dort), Schlagzeug, Bass, Keyboard/Klavier und Gesang, Workshops mit Gastdozenten zu verschiedensten Themen an.
www.facebook.com/musicschoolbrilon

2013 begab sich Jen zusammen mit zahlreichen Gastmusikern ins Studio um ihr erstes Solo-Album aufzunehmen, dass 2014 erschien.
www.cdbaby.com/cd/jenmajura

Im Mai 2014 erweitert Jen bis Oktober 2015 ihre musikalische Vielfalt, in dem sie zur weltweiten Veröffentlichung des Albums „Erdentempel“ (Nuclear Blast VÖ 06/14) bei der deutschen Pagan Metalband „EQUILIBRIUM“ als Bassistin eingestiegen ist. Die Band ging im Oktober 2014 auf große Europatournee und spielte innerhalb von nur einem Jahr in Mexico, Norwegen, Russland und Rumänien u.v.m. Einen der Höhepunkte stellt sicherlich das Gastspiel im Januar 2015 beim „70.000 tons of Metal“-Cruise (Miami-Jamaika-Miami) dar, als die Band von dem Kamerateam „Abenteuer Leben“ / KabelEins begleitet wurde. Im Herbst 2015 trennten sich die Wege von Jen und der Band.

Anfang 2015 stand sie als Gastmusikerin mit der schwedischen Band „Freak Kitchen“ im Rahmen deren „Cooking with Pagans“-Tour auf der Bühne.
www.freakkitchen.com
https://youtu.be/Aw65DcsUR5o
https://youtu.be/mD3oqiHlDQQ

Im Mai 2015 nahm Jen als erste weibliche Gitarristin mit der Firma Engl, bei denen sie seit Jahren als Endorserin gelistet ist, im Rahmen von engltv ein Demo-Video für den Powerball 2 auf.
Mehr Infos unter: https://youtu.be/NH37DwMmyi8

Im August 2015 wurde offiziell bekannt gegeben, dass Jen Majura neue Gitarristin der US-Band EVANESCENCE ist, mit denen sie im November 2015 in Amerika und Japan tourte, u.a. als Co-Headliner für Korn auf dem OzzFest in Tokyo, gefolgt von einer weiteren Florida Tour und der großen US Fall Tour im Herbst 2016….Im Winter 2016 beginnen die Planungen zu Jen’s zweitem Solo Album.

Biography in English 

Since 2002, the native Stuttgarter Jen Majura is a professional musician. In the meantime, the guitarist and singer can not only look back on a wide range of studio jobs with well-known bands from the rock and heavy metal sectors and worldwide publications such as “Bind Guardian”, but also on live performances and TV appearances (RTL radio, Kabel1 “70,000 tons of metal”, Kika “Your Song”) and live streaming of festivals such as the Hellfest (FR) or Wacken, as well as Europe-wide touring experience e.g. with artists like TM Stevens or bands like “rage”. At the beginning of 2007, Jen Majura participated in the production of the sampler “into the Light” for the 20th anniversary of the record company Nuclear Blast as Duettsängerin with Mats Leven (ex-Therion) for the song “Death Is Alive”, the CD was released on June 01, 2007 worldwide. Further worldwide releases followed as Backingvocalist for Rage on the albums “Carved in stone”/Nuclear Blast release 2008 and “Strings to a Web”/Nuclear Blast release 2010, as well as live transmissions at premiere, WDR and much more

In the spring of 2009, Jen Majura founded the AC/DC tribute band “Black Thunder Ladies”, which should henceforth become one of the most powerful AC/DC ladies tribute bands of all time. They celebrated one of their biggest successes with 2 shows on the Wacken Open Air 2009, as well as with a double show at the Frankfurt Musikmesse for their Endorsementfirmen Ibanez, Engl amps, cordial, Line6, paise and Ice Stix. The 5 professional musicians toured through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Russia and much more until the release of their debut album “First Take” 2012, until they finally dissolved 2014.

Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l5sI57xzWc

Since Jen Majura is on a professional level both as a guitarist, as well as as a singer, more and more professional bands have become attentive to the talent of the young musician. This brought Jen in the summer of 2012 as a guest guitarist to the Berliner Band “KNORKATOR”, with which she can already look back on 2 Live DVDs and 2 albums including Tour, as well as numerous festival performances (RockHarz, Summerbreeze, WithFullForce, Wacken and many more).

In January 2014, Jen Majura took over the music school Brilon and since then has successfully managed it in the small town of Brilon in NRW. The music school has a positive innovative reputation due to the powerful modern commitment of the musician and offers besides lessons in the subjects guitar (Axxis guitarist Stefan Weber counts among others besides Jen himself to the teachership there), drums, bass, keyboard/piano and vocals, workshops with guest lecturers on various topics.

Www.facebook.com/musicschoolbrilon

In 2013, Jen went to the studio together with numerous guest musicians to record their first solo album, that 2014 appeared.

Www.cdbaby.com/cd/jenmajura

In May 2014, until October 2015, Jen expands her musical diversity, in which she entered the world-wide publication of the album “Earth Temple” (Nuclear Blast release 06/14) at the German pagan metal band “Equilibrium” as bassist. The band went on a major European tour in October 2014 and played within just one year in Mexico, Norway, Russia and Romania, and much more. One of the highlights is certainly the January 2015 of the “70,000 tons of metal” cruise (Miami-Jamaica-Miami), when the band was accompanied by the camera team “adventure Life”/”the One”. In the fall of 2015, the paths of Jen and the band separated.

At the beginning of 2015 she was a guest musician with the Swedish band “Freak Kitchen” as part of their “Cooking with Pagans” tour on stage.

Www.freakkitchen.com

https://youtu.be/Aw65DcsUR5o

Https://youtu.be/mD3oqiHlDQQ

In May 2015, Jen became the first female guitarist with the company Engl, in which she has been listed as Endorserin for years, in the framework of ENGLTV a demo video for the Powerball 2.

More information at: Https://youtu.be/NH37DwMmyi8

In August 2015 was officially announced, that Jen Majura is new guitarist of the US band EVANESCENCE, with whom she toured in November 2015 in America and Japan, including as co-headliner for Korn on the OzzFest in Tokyo, followed by another Florida tour and the Great US Fall tour in the fall of 2016…..In the winter of 2016, the plans for Jen’s second solo album Begin.

THE HAXANS (Los Angeles, California) featuring World-Class Vocalist Ash Costello “Party Monsters” album UNLEASHED ON PLANET METAL on October 13th, 2017 — PASS THIS CD OUT FOR HALLOWEEN 2017 ALL KILLER NO FILLER –!!!

 

 

THE HAXANS, the goth-pop-infused power duo

featuring Ash Costello (NEW YEARS DAY) on vocals

and Matt Montgomery (ROB ZOMBIE) on vocals and

guitar, will release its debut album, “Party

Monsters”, on Friday, October 13 via Another Century Records.

 

The music video for the track “Lights Out”, taken

from “Party Monsters”, can be seen below.

Costello states: “For years we have felt like mad

scientists, secretly working on our music hidden

away from everyone else… and we are so excited to

finally share our creation with the world!

“I genuinely love what we have made and cannot wait for you to hear it!

 

“We are two weirdos that hope we can call upon all

the rest of the weirdos in the world to join in on our fun.”

 

Montgomery adds: “Finally it’s party time! We

figure after a few years of building this Frankenstein

in the garage, we should let it get out and walk

around a little. Maybe someone will try to beat it up,

maybe someone else will fall in love with it. Who

knows? But it’s out there and it’s loose, and you

never know where it will turn up!

 

“This record is a party for everyone else like us. The

cover, the songtitles, the energy and the colors of

this record are going to pull together an amazing

cross section of people. It’s just everything we like

and celebrate every day, but amped up to eleven! It’s

got a kids-jumping-on-the-bed-while-the-parents-

are-out-of-the-room feeling to it to me, which is

kind of what this record was for us.”

 

Montgomery previously said that the “secret

ingredient” behind THE HAXANS was “having two

people that are on the same wavelength. You’re

painting with the same colors. We’ve got the same

color palette. We’re, like, ‘Purple?’ ‘You mean this

purple?’ And we go, ‘Yeah, that’s exactly the purple

we were looking for.’

 

 

 

 

….GOTHIC adjective noting or pertaining to a music style characterized by a gloomy unsettling setting, grotesque, mysterious, or violent events, and an ominous atmosphere of degeneration and decay….

As  Divine  Grace  • Lumo

 

As Divine Grace  •  Supremature

Artrosis •  Fetish

Avatarium • Avatarium

Avataruim • The Girl With The Raven Mask

Babylon Whores  • Cold Heaven

Babylon Whores  • King Fear

Babylon Whores   • Death of The West

Beseech •  … from A Bleeding Heart

Beseeh   • Black Emotions

The Birthday Massacre • …all releases…

Beyond Dawn (NORWAY)  • Pity Love

Blues Pills • Blues Pills

Blues Pills • Lady In Gold

The Bronx Casket Co. • The Bronx Casket Co.

The Bronx Casket Co. Sweet • Home Transylvania

C

Cadaveria  • Horror Metal

Celtic Frost  • Into the Pandemonium

Christian Death  • Atrocities

Christian Death  • Sex & Drugs & Jesus Christ

Christian Death  • American Inquisition

Cradle of Filth •  The Principle of Evil Made Flesh

Cradle of Filth  • Dusk… and Her Embrace

Cradle of Filth  • Cruelty and the Beast

Cradle of Filth  • Midian

Cradle of Filth  • Damnation and a Day

Cradle of Filth  • Nymphetamine

Cradle of Filth  • Thornography

Cradle of Filth  • Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder

Cradle of Filth  • Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa

Cradle of Filh  • The Manticore and Other Horrors

Crest of Darkness  •The Ogress

Crest of Darkness  • Project Regeneration

Crest of Darkness  • Evil Knows Evil

Crest of Darkness  • Give Us The Power To Your Evil

Coven  • Witchcraft Reaps Souls and Destroys Mind

Coven  • Jinx

Covenant  • Nexus Polaris

D

Darkseed  • Give Me Light

Darkseed  • Diving Into Darkness

Dead  Can Dance  • Dead Can  Dance

Death Penalty • Death Penalty82′

Devilment • The Great And Secret Show

Devilment  • II The Mephisto Waltzes

Dimmu Borgir   • Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia

Dimmu Borgir • Death Cult Armageddon

Dismal Euphony  • All Little Devils

Dismal Euphony   • Lady Ablaze

 

Dismal Euphony  • Python Zero

Dreadful Shadows  • Estrangement

Dreadful Shadows  • Buried Again

Dreadful Shadows  • Beyond The Maze

Dreadful Shadows  • The Cycle

Elusive  • Destination Zero

Elis  •  Gods Silence, Devils Temptation

Evanescence • Fallen

 

Elis •  Dark Clouds In A Perfect Sky

The Empire Hideous • Only Time Will Tell

Evereve •  Seasons

Evereve  • Stormbirds

The Fields of Nephilim  • Elizium

The Fields of Nephilim  • Fallen

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • ENKL’s Temple

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Epitaph

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Sargonid Seal

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Necromanteion IV

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Symbol And Vision

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Scheoul

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Paradise

The Gathering •  Mandylion

The Gathering • Nighttime Birds

The Gathering  • In Motion DVD

Graveworm • Engraved In Black

H

The Haxans • Party Monster

Hazel Und Gretyl •…all releases…

I

Ides of Gemini  • Old World New Wave

J

 Jack•Off •Jill    • Clear Hearts Grey Flowers

K

Kabbalah • Spectral Ascent

Kreator (GERMANY)  • Endorama

….yes this Kreator released one of the GREATEST GOTHIC METAL ALBUMS OF ALL….

L

Lacrimas Profundere  • Memorandum

Lacrimas Profundere  • Burning : A Wish

Lacroisma •  Inferno

 

Love Like Blood * Exposure

Love Like Blood * SnakeKiller

Lucifer • Lucifer I

Lucyfire * This  Dollar Saved My Life At Whitehorse

Lutherion * Kosmogensis

M

Marilyn Manson  • Anti-Christ Superstar

Mercyful Fate Melissa

Mercyful Fate Don’t Break The Oath

Macbeth * Vanitas

Moonspell Irreligious

N

Nefilim  • Zoon

NFD  • No Lost Love

NFD  • Dead Pool Rising

NFD  • Deeper Vision

Notre Dame • Coming Soon to a Théatre Near You!!!

Notre Dame • Vol 1 Le Théâtre du Vampire

Notre Dame  • Nightmare Before Christmas

Notre Dame  • Demi Monde Bizarros

One-Eyed Doll  • Witches

Paradise Lost   • Gothic

Paradise Lost   • Draconian Times

Riti Occulti  • Riti Occulti

Riti Occulti •  Secta

Riti Occulti • Elenor Rigby

Riti Occulti • Tetragrammaton

Savn  • Savn

 

Secret Discovery * Philarmonic Diseases

Secret Discovery * Slave

Scream Silence * To Die For

Scream Silence * The 2nd

The Sweetest Condition   • Edge of the World

The Sweetest Condition   • We Defy Oblivion

Theatre of Tragedy * Theatre of Tragedy

Theatre of Tragedy * Velvet Darkness They Fear

Theatre of Tragedy * Aégis

 

Theatre of Tragedy * Storm

Theatre of Tragedy * Forever is The World

Theatre of Tragedy •  Last Curtain Call DVD

Theatres Des Vampires of Night Breed of Macabria

Theatres Des Vampires • Candyland

Tiamat * Wildhoney

Tiamat * A Deeper Kind of Slumber

Tiamat * Prey

Tiamat * Judas Christ

Tiamat * Skeleton Skeletron

Tristania * Widow’s Weeds

Tristania * Beyond The Veil

Tristania * World of Glass

Tristania * Ashes

Tristania * Illumination

Tristania * Rubicon

Tristania * Darkest White

Type o Negative • ….all releases…..

P

Pale Forest * Exit Mould

Paradise Lost * Gothic

Paradise Lost * Shades of God

Paradise Lost * Gothic

Paradise Lost * Draconian Times

Paradise Lost * One Seconds

Yearning * With Tragedies Adorned

Yearning * Plaintive Scenes

Yearning * Frore Meadow

Yearning * Evershade

Yearing * Merging Into Landscapes

The Vision Bleak * The Deathship Has A New Captain

The Vision Bleak * Carpathia * A Dramatic Poem

The Vision Bleak * The Wolves Go Hunt Their Prey

The Vision Bleak * Set Sail To Mystery

The Vision Bleak * The Witching Hour

Zeraphine * Kalte Sonne

Zeraphine *Traumaworld

Zeraphine * Blind Camera

Zeraphine * Still

Zeraphine * Whiteout

First and Last and Always”, to name a specific metal genre as gothic, which makes the oh-so renowned and overabused gothic metal term, this specific metal genre MUST have references and influences from the gothic rock/dark wave scene from the 80s. Apparently, without any second thought and a shadow of doubt, many bands from this so-called commercial and big scene are not gothic metal because they have not a single reference from the gothic rock/dark wave scene of the 80s. It really is something funny for metalheads that know nothing about this scene to speak about gothic music. But what is even more funny is the fact that part of the metal scene dislikes goths and when you ask them “which people do you refer to as goths?” you get the answer “those people, man, that paint their eyes black and listen to Marilyn Manson endlessly”, even from this you can get that a big part of the metal scene really has nothing to do in knowledge and experience about the gothic subculture, its bands and its audience. And thus this over-confusion passes in the gothic metal scene.

You see, the gothic subculcture has all these chicks dressed in black, with the cute faces, the beautiful make up and stuff, yes, I know, they are beautiful, I adore them as well, but, sadly, when a female-fronted metal band starts sounding a bit more symphonic/atmospheric or even a bit melancholic and has a female singer, preferably cute that stands as the front of the band and wears all these beautiful scarlet or velvet or black dresses with flowers and stuff, people start referring to this band as gothic metal, for no reason apparently. A female singer that has a more obscure and “poetic” dress-code won’t make a band a gothic one, apparently, it’s the music that matters, not the supposed dress-code. And so we come to bands like Evanescence, Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation, Epica, After Forever and so on, well, these bands have nothing to do, more or less each one of them (or used to have a slight reference but they have nothing to do anymore), with the gothic metal genre, the only common thing they have as bands is that they are female-fronted, does this make them gothic metal? No, for fuck’s sake no! Ok, they have their own atmosphere each one of them, they have some strong female vocalists, some good tunes, others more others less, but that’s all people; no gothic elements, no gothic metal.

If you want some bands with female vocalists that actually play gothic metal then you should definitely check Tristania of the first era (who can deny that “Widow’s Weeds” has gothic rock elements? I’ll give the answer, no-one can because these elements are present in the guitar work; and let’s not forget the gothic rock guest male vocals on “Angellore” ), Theatre Of Tragedy of the first three releases, yes, they are gothic metal, and not because Liv Kristine used to wear black dresses and have that absolute female gothic look, just check the music, apparently gothic metal, then come Trail Of Tears, their first releases are also strong and gothic metal, really good work and it seems to me at times that the gothic metal scene including female vocals blossomed in Norway, judging from the bands I mentioned above. And of course I shouldn’t skip to mention Sirenia, the band Morten Veland formed after he left Tristania, another wonderful gothic metal act, with intense gothic rock elements, even the hat in the vein of The Sisters Of Mercy/The Fields Of The Nephilim is present, hehe (if you don’t believe me ask Mr. Veland and check Elusive’s debut album, “Destination Zero”, to see which are his influences; for the history, Elusive are a rising gothic rock act from Norway and Veland played the guitars on this album) and of course I shouldn’t skip to mention Beseech, they have female vocals as well in their compositions, but they are a 50%-50% female-male fronted band now, with balanced male and female vocals. Just check their first two releases, pure romantic gothic/doom metal with The Fields Of The Nephilim references being too intense, both in guitar parts filled with gothic rock riffing and vocal lines in which the first singer of the band sounds like a reincarnation of Carl McCoy. And of course I shouldn’t skip to mention As Divine Grace from Finland, they used to be a romantic doom/death metal act but with years they became more gothic metal oriented, with female vocals, a really strong band that sadly disbanded.

You know, a band to be called gothic metal must have references from the gothic rock/dark wave scene as I said above, which means, Christian Death (with Rozz Williams on the vocals of course, hehehe! Or Valor of “Atrocities”, it was an awesome album, i have to admit it! And why not “Sex & Drugs & Jesus Christ”, their last really strong album with Valor!), The Mission, The Sisters Of Mercy, The Fields Of The Nephilim, Bauhaus, early The Cult, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Clan Of Xymox, Virgin Prunes, early Dead Can Dance etc must be present, with each band sticking to its own references. And what the history has shown to me is that whenever gothic rock acts started turning heavier and more metal-oriented they made far better work from gothic metal acts, because gothic rockers really know what to do, they have the feeling in their blood, it’s flowing, they know how to express it correctly and make it sound heavier if they want to enter a heavier sound stage. And of course I will mention some gothic rock/metal acts and first and above all one of the best gothic acts of the 90s that most of you don’t know, DREADFUL SHADOWS, listen to them to feel the decadence, the sorrow, the pain, the gothic aesthetic, the gothic feeling from a band that released four great albums and with every album it tended to sound steps further, reaching “The Cycle” where more modern references made their appearance. After Dreadful Shadows sadly disbanded Sven Friedrich and Norman Selbig of Dreadful Shadows formed Zeraphine, another wonderful gothic rock/metal act with a more modern approach of course. Another fabulous gothic rock/metal act have to be Scream Silence, at times tending to sound like Dreadful Shadows, but they tended to perfect their own sound, their first two album are the most metallic ones and the other three are heavy still, but more gothic rock definitely; at times they tend to have a doomy feeling as well. Secret Discovery is a good band as well, moving in pure gothic rock in their early years and from a moment and on they started sounding a lot more metallic. Also, Love Like blood is a gothic rock band ,one of the best if you ask me, they have released some really strong opuses during the first half of the 90s, in the second half of the 90s from a moment and on they started sounding heavy and “Snakekiller” is a good gothic metal/rock album. Take Garden of Delight now, one of the best gothic rock acts of the 90s, they released in 7 years 7 albums with 7 songs each one of them, they disbanded afterwards, after the first circle had ended. They came back in the 00s, stronger, heavier, more powerful, but above all gothic rock. After 4 albums they formed Lutherion and they definitely are gothic metal/rock now, sounding really heavy, gothic rock-oriented and with an electro touch as well! Most and above all I shouldn’t forget to mention the metal approach of Carl McCoy, first with The Nefilim in the second half of the 90s and recently with the dynamic come back of the Fields Of The Nephilim. “Zoon” of the Nefilim was a brilliant piece of thrash/death metal blended with strong doses of gothic rock in the renowned McCoy n’ Fields vein and “Mourning Sun” of The Fields Of The Nephilim is an album of pure gothic rock/metal, a really strong release to show to the gothic metal scene who can rule the scene in no time. And let’s mention NFD, a The Nefilim oriented project, heavy enough and always gothic rock and another project from members of The Nefilim, Saints Of Eden, gothic rock with heavy doses of metal and electronic/industrial elements, sounding really heavy and definitely really strong!

Now concerning some gothic metal acts I should mention Evereve of their first era with Tom Schedotschenko, heart-rending, twisted, mourning gothic metal from the pits of Hell, utterly desolate and melancholic, with the ideal references! After the suicide of the singer a new singer came on board and they released an easier album, gothic metal still, afterwards they started moving in more electronic soundscapes. Darkseed as well, they definitely had gothic-oriented references in albums like “Diving Into Darkness” and “Give Me Light” etc, a good band definitely. Paradise Lost OF COURSE and no matter how much doomsters hit their asses on the wall and point out that “Gothic” is doom/death metal I will always be there to be a pain in the ass and their closed mind to point out that it is one of the first pure gothic metal releases, not because of the name, “Gothic”, but because of the music. Listen carefully, the gothic rock references on the guitars are too obvious, where Sisters Of Mercy stepped Paradise Lost found water. The orchestrations have a Celtic Frost sense from the “Into The Pandemonium” era and a dark wave aesthetic as well along with the fragile female vocals that seem to have come out of the 80s dark wave scene. Sure, it has a doom sense, but think about it more. Paradise Lost continued as a gothic metal act after “Shades Of God” (which was doom metal at all costs) releasing many fabulous albums like “Draconian times”, “Icon”, “One Second”, “Paradise Lost” etc, one of the best acts of the gothic metal scene. I shouldn’t skip Lacrimosa, one of the most important acts of this very scene; i have heard/read that they are progressive gothic metal, this statement always sounded funny to me from people that really have absolutely nothing to do with the scene. Tilo Wolf is a pure genius, from the gothic-death rock/dark wave oriented first releases of Lacrimosa to the historic moment when Anne Nurmi entered the band and Lacrimosa started becoming metal, gothic metal of course! Because the references remained, the doses of classical music became too obvious and one of the characteristic parts of the sound of the band. Generally they kept the Lacrimosa feeling alive, they just became one of the most quality, recognisable and best acts of the scene. Lacrimas Profundere, from a romantic doom/death metal act they started slowly and steadily incorporating in their sound gothic references reaching nowadays where they are a goth n’ roll act, slightly metal, more of a rock band, gothic rock with a poser attitude. And since I mentioned the poser attitude of Lacrimas Profundere I shouldn’t skip at all to mention The 69 Eyes, a non-metal band, they are goth n’ roll as well, at some times offering more more romantic gothic rock like on “Paris Kills”, at others more hard rock/gothic rock having several references from the 80s/early 90s. Where the Sisters Of Mercy left “Vision Thing” and The Cult left their releases Jyrki, Jussi and their companions stole them and found out many useful things for the now-sound of The 69 Eyes and Jyrki where Ian Astbury and the singer of LA Guns stood proud stole a bit of their pride to form his stage presence. So no, The 69 Eyes are not metal, poser gothic rock or goth n’ roll yes, definitely. A! Beyond Dawn’s “Pity Love” shouldn’t be missing from here as well, an album having the decadence of doom, references from the doom metal scene and of course intense The Sisters Of Mercy passages, both in structure and guitar parts, but always tending to present them through their very own and unique avant-garde prism. I shouldn’t forget to mention, just for the history, that Beyond Dawn during that period were supporting the Sisters Of Mercy at some of their shows, not a coincidence, is it? I shouldn’t skip Tiamat, they had a good course changing their sound from album to album, progressing positively, and as you all noticed they had their gothic rock-driven moments as well. Their latest release to date “Prey” was a metallic gothic rock worship with Edlund’s haunting vocals entrancing the atmosphere, “Skeleton Skeletron” had also a gothic rock air, quite modern in sound, good enough but nothing awesome and “A Deeper Kind Of Slumber” which was a mixture of psychedelic rock with gothic rock and stuff, good work! And some of you that may know, Johan Edlund has a gothic rock oriented band, Lucyfire, good stuff. Also, The Babylon Whores, not many know them, but they are awesome, a metal-driven Christian Death worship band, they know what they are doing, really good act! Another bright example of a band that injected intense 80s gothic/dark elements have to be Portugal’s finest and most known act, Moonspell, with bands like “The Antidote”, “Sin/Pexado” (a very underrated album), “Darkness And Hope” and “Irreligious”, they have to be one of those bands that interpret gothic metal in a really good and personal manner! Also, a new band around that had quite an impressive course so far with their two releases are definitely The Vision Bleak, travelling through the corridors of nightmares, drama, horror and gothic decadence they offer a new and fresh air to the scene! Also, Yearning from Finland are doing a good job with their esoteric and beautifully adorned by sadness and esoteric emotions gothic/doom metal. Last but not least Kreator’s “Endorama” is a thousand times more gothic metal than all those so-called gothic metal bands that are being referred as gothic metal by the silly music press and the audience that knows nothing about what is gothic, doesn’t “Endorama” sound so gothic metal to you? Change scene! It’s so simple!

The problem with the gothic metal scene doesn’t end here, there are two more problems with the scene except for the female-fronted bands that are mostly being referred by both press and audience as gothic metal and of course i’m referring to part of the Visual Kei scene and the Suomi Metal scene with bands tending to sound romantic, melancholic or suicidal, moving in metal/rock soundscapes with common road on their course being the melancholy factor. Concerning the Visual Kei scene with bands like Moi Dix Mois, Malice Mizer and stuff, they have an intense gothic aesthetic in their appearance, but this is the most gothic part of their existence, their music apart from some keyboard-driven really dark passages has nothing to do with the gothic rock/dark wave scene and the Bauhaus references in those bands that i have read somewhere is definitely non-existent and i know Bauhaus really well to not recognise them in a band. Well, part of the Visual Kei that is being referred as gothic metal could be the Japanese option of gothic metal, somethng different, something “foreign” to the European scene/audience, so I won’t be absolute in this case. I have to admit, anytime with the hand on my heart, that those Visual Kei bands are more gothic than all the other female-fronted or Suomi “we’re supposed to be gothic” metal bands will ever be, both in reality and dreams. And let’s move to the Suomi metal scene, believe me, I used to be a huge fan of this very specifc scene supporting bands like HIM, Entwine, For My Pain, Poisonblack, Charon, Sentenced, Lullacry, To Die For etc, I still support Entwine, HIM and To Die For because all those three are bands that have a lot to offer in my opinion, but really, where did you people find all these gothic elements in their compositions? You can always inform me because I’m craving to know more about gothic music and I would love to find out where all these elements hide and I can’t find them. I had read somewhere that Sentenced were gothic metal and on their latest releases they became gothic rock, HA HA! I mean, how funny is that? Only a metalhead that knows nothing about the gothic scene would ever say that, and a metalhead was indeed the person who said that. Ignorance is bad, definitely bad, and in this case ignorance has caused a lot of harm, something that disgusts me seeing it going on more and more day by day.

Well, I got bored writing and I think you’ll get bored reading too, so I will stop for now, but I will have to warn all of you i-know-it-all metalheads (to avoid misunderstandings, I’m not referring to every single metalhead, but to a specific part of it) that will give my article a shot, “if the truth hurts, prepare for pain”. Kisses!

“Lipstick on my cigarette…”    

……..DO YOU GOTH WHAT IT TAKES………………

 

……………….IN GOTH WE TRUST……………………..

 

……………ONLY GOTHIC IS REAL……………………..

 

 

 

 

Hanoi Rocks — HEAVY METAL LEGENDS — (Helsinki, Finland) “Two Steps From the Move” 100 OUT OF 100 BLOOD DRIPPING FUCKING SKULLS — FUCKING ESSENTIAL — TOP 100 HARD ROCK/HEAVY METAL ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF HEAVY METAL — AUGUST 1ST, 1981 TO OCTOBER 31ST, 1986 — KICK ASS METAL HEAVY METAL HALL OF FAME ALBUM

Hanoi Rocks

HARD ROCK/ HEAVY METAL GODS

HARD ROCK/ HEAVY METAL LEGENDS

HELSINKI, FINLAND

Two Steps from the Move

August 10th, 1984

EPIC RECORDS

EK 39614

KICK ASS METAL RATING

100 OUT OF 100 BLOOD DRIPPING FUCKING SKULLS

FUCKING ESSENTIAL

KICK ASS METAL HEAVY METAL  HALL OF FAME ALBUM

TOP 100 HARD ROCK/ HEAVY METAL ALBUMS OF 1984

TOP 100 HARD ROCK/ HEAVY METAL ALBUMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF HEAVY METAL — AUGUST 1ST, 1981 TO OCTOBER 31ST, 1986

TOP 100 ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME

June 11th, 1984 Hanoi Rocks was in heavy rotation on MTV with the song Hanoi Rocks “Up Around the Bend”. Hanoi Rocks “Two Steps from the Move” went on my wantlist right away. My local Metal Records shoppes. The Record Gallery and Molten Metal in Las Vegas, Nevada did not carry this since those were elitist METAL ONLY record stores. I had to get it @ Odyssey Records, which if you were paying attention back in 1980/1981/1982/1983/1984 Odyssey Records was the biggest college rock record shoppes I have ever seen in the world… and at the time the term alternative rock and alternative was a half a decade away!! MY average disposable income from 1982 to 1999 was on average was $800 a week for vinyl and attending a concert everyday for a decade and a half, i was allowed to drink for free since i worked for heavy metal concert booking agencies, which freed up tons of money for vinyl binges, my daily per diem was 3 gourmet meals a day, and no limit on alcohol!!!!!!!!!! I was easily a $5,000,000 million dollar a year producer, most of my recommendations never flopped as a concert booking agency employee…. so I knew how to handle negotiations dealing with pay raises, perks, bonuses and vacations and i easily drank bands like alcoholica under the table…. In the Summer of 1997. I traded my album and international tape trader demos collection for a 1 to 1 trade…my tens of thousands of albums for tens of thousands of CD’s @ first I thought I won, because this dude who i did the trade with was a DEATH METAL maniac, and I was always on the RIFF BASED side of hard rock and heavy metal. If you do NOT have a riff you do not have a song…!! Since I always bought duplicates of tons of albums, I had this on cassette forever and a day…I started collecting CDs in the Summer of 1997, because I have a LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP with the compact cassette. I LOVE TO HATE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like I said, I collected one way, and my collection resembled more and more of what you see on metal elitist websites like Voices from the Darkside instead….but as DEATH METAL and BLACK METAL became over saturated, like the other 1,300 genres in this world. I just went back and see what albums i could recall from memory note for note…this for sure was one of them…!!!!!!!! THE RIFFS AND DIRECT HEADBANGER ACTION ON THIS ALBUM IS SECOND TO NONE…..AND HAS A ALBUM REVIEW SCORE OF 100 OUT OF 100 BLOOD DRIPPING FUCKING SKULLS — FUCKING ESSENTIAL. Since this is a album in the upper-tier of the upper echelon of WORLD-CLASS HEAVY METAL….!!!!!!!! WITHOUT HARD ROCK HEAVY METAL WOULD OF NEVER EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE, and if you play your record collection backwards in chronological order by release date….the music gets better. For every band feature here on KICK*ASS*METAL we look for a bands that is original and unique. And for each artist we always seek out there predecessor and successor. To make the KICK ASS METAL HALL OF FAME COMPLETE/PERFECT…. But for sure, this band CAN NEVER BE DUPLICATED OR IMITATED…!!!.. since they are a true one-of-a-kind!!!

THIS ALBUM FEATURES KILLER AND KICK ASS METAL RIFFS SO….RIDE THE LIGHTNING TO THIS ONE!!

Exit Eden * International (Wolfsburg, Germany/ Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France/ São Paulo, Brazil / Germany) Featuring World-Class Vocalist Amanda Somerville * World-Class Vocalist Clémentine Delauney * World-Class Vocalist Marina La Torraca * World-Class Anna Brunner * Exit Eden Write-UP

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FExitEdenMusic%2Fvideos%2F442636999462811%2F&show_text=1&width=560

Four musicians from four different countries with four entirely different biographies, yet all stemming from the world of Rock, now united in one band: EXIT EDEN!

The all-female four piece *ensemble / group / band* unites all attributes ascribed to the new millennium: cosmopolitan, self-confident, independent and ready to do their very own thing. Despite their diversity, the four singers Amanda Somerville, Clémentine Delauney, Marina La Torraca and Anna Brunner blend together personally as superbly as they do vocally with their very diverse vocal tones and techniques that go from opera style to raspy rock. This constellation created extraordinary and powerful ideas and it became their unique plan to raise EXIT EDEN’s very own edge: to show the world that almost every classic song can be transformed into a solid metal-rock song.

Amanda Somerville:

Amanda is a rock-solid authority of the music scene, both as a solo artist and sharing success and the stage with bands like AVANTASIA, EPICA and KAMELOT. Though her US-American roots are based in Pop & Rock, she fell in love with the Metal scene and made it her home. She has toured with Alice Cooper, Ian Gillan and many more legends with her commanding voice and fronts the projects TRILLIUM and Kiske Somerville (with HELLOWEEN icon Michael Kiske). All of this, combined with her wide range of experience, grants her a unique edge and a permanent address in the Metal world.

Anna Brunner:

Anna Brunner far right photo below !!

A natural talent, Anna began singing at a very young age. As a daughter of a German father and an American mother, she grew up bilingual and founded her first Rock band as a teenager. Due to a music study that lead her through different parts of the world, she garnered a multitude of experience and it became crystal clear to her: music has to rock – and vocals need to be emotional – just like a passionate scream.

Marina La Torraca:

Hailing from Brazil, Marina was born with rhythm in her blood. As the auspicious frontwoman of several Metal bands since the age of 15, her path led her to Europe, where she got to perform with AVANTASIA and to found her up-and-coming band, PHANTOM ELITE. Since having studied musical theater in New York, the versatile singer and actress can also be seen internationally in musical productions, including the upcoming German tour of the Broadway-Hit, RENT. For her, being close to the crowd is what counts – no problem for her and her natural convincing character.

Clémentine Delauney:

Clémentine was born near Paris 30 years ago. She has been a multi talent since her childhood days – no matter if she was dancing, playing the piano or singing – she enchanted her audience. At the age of 16, she joined her first Metal band, she is currently fronting Symphonic Metal outfit VISIONS OF ATLANTIS and also worked with SERENITY and MELTED SPACE. Another one of her career highlights is her participation on Kai Hansen’s (HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY) first solo album, released in 2016. Thus, Clémentine has carved her way into being one of the great performers of the scene.

 

 

 

 

Exit Eden Select Discography

Exit Eden “Rhapodies In Black” * Napalm Records

NPR 747 JC

August 4th, 2017

KICK*ASS*METAL TOP 100 ALBUM OF 2017

 

 

NUCLEAR BLAST FROM THE PAST feature — Evanescence (Little Rock, Arkansas) featuring World-Class Vocalist Amy Lee “Fallen” Unleashed on Planet Metal on March 4th, 2003 — TOP 100 GOTHIC HEAVY METAL ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME — GOLDEN AGE OF GOTHIC METAL CLASSIC ALBUM EPIC RECORDS EK 91746 CANADIAN PRESSING

 

This Nuclear Blast from the Past is a all-time top 100 gothic rock/ gothic metal album of all-time, since Evanescence has a transcendence to there artistic vision, there is also elements of Symphonic Metal, Alternative Metal as well as NuMETAL….But this is a Gothic Metal publication in the Avant-garde-age as well as the Death Metal-age.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF HEAVY METAL IS FROM AUGUST 1ST, 1981 TO OCTOBER 31ST, 1986

THE GOLDEN AGE OF EXTREME METAL IS FROM AUGUST 1ST, 1983 TO OCTOBER 31ST, 1986

THE GOLDEN AGE OF GOTHIC METAL IS FROM JANUARY 1ST, 1993 TO JULY 27TH, 2003

This album was UNLEASHED ON PLANET METAL ON March 4th, 2003 @ the tail-end of the Golden Age of Gothic Metal. So not only is a top 100 heavy metal album of all-time — pick a genre NuMEtal, Alternative Metal, Symphonic Metal, or Gothic Metal….!!! I was really expecting this album to be slandered, by the likes of Metal-Archives and or BNR Pages, but neither of those publications have a Evanescence Encyclopedia Metallic entry over-there. I love reading up on the top 100 heavy metal albums of all-time and like to see how bad the quality control is over @ Metal Archives, there is none….!!!! The page has over a billion errors on the 117,000 bands they cover over there, the review section of course has more errors in this one publication that the whole internet combined, since the internet happened on April 1st, 1995 !!!! This is one of those albums if your a fan of World-Class Heavy Metal with a World-Class Vocalist, then you have multiple copies of this in your serious metallic collection!! I live by the US/Canadian Border, when this KICK ASS METAL album was unleashed on Planet Metal on so I am using the Canadian Epic/Wind-Up Records Import version — EPIC RECORDS — EK 91746 for this NUCLEAR BLAST FROM THE PAST !!!!

Evanescence

Fallen

March 4th, 2003

Epic Records/ Wind Up Records

EK 91746

KICK ASS METAL RATING

100 OUT OF 100 BLOOD DRIPPING FUCKING SKULLS

FUCKING ESSENTIAL

KICK ASS METAL HEAVY METAL HALL OF FAME ALBUM

TOP 10 HARD ROCK/ HEAVY METAL ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME

TOP 100 GOTHIC METAL ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME

TOP 100 SYMPHONIC METAL ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME

TOP 100 ALTERNATIVE METAL ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME

TOP 100 NuMETAL ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME

….GOTHIC adjective noting or pertaining to a music style characterized by a gloomy unsettling setting, grotesque, mysterious, or violent events, and an ominous atmosphere of degeneration and decay….

As  Divine  Grace  • Lumo

 

As Divine Grace  •  Supremature

Artrosis •  Fetish

Avatarium • Avatarium

Avataruim • The Girl With The Raven Mask

Babylon Whores  • Cold Heaven

Babylon Whores  • King Fear

Babylon Whores   • Death of The West

Beseech •  … from A Bleeding Heart

Beseeh   • Black Emotions

The Birthday Massacre • …all releases…

Beyond Dawn (NORWAY)  • Pity Love

Blues Pills • Blues Pills

Blues Pills • Lady In Gold

The Bronx Casket Co. • The Bronx Casket Co.

The Bronx Casket Co. Sweet • Home Transylvania

C

Cadaveria  • Horror Metal

Celtic Frost  • Into the Pandemonium

Christian Death  • Atrocities

Christian Death  • Sex & Drugs & Jesus Christ

Christian Death  • American Inquisition

Cradle of Filth •  The Principle of Evil Made Flesh

Cradle of Filth  • Dusk… and Her Embrace

Cradle of Filth  • Cruelty and the Beast

Cradle of Filth  • Midian

Cradle of Filth  • Damnation and a Day

Cradle of Filth  • Nymphetamine

Cradle of Filth  • Thornography

Cradle of Filth  • Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder

Cradle of Filth  • Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa

Cradle of Filh  • The Manticore and Other Horrors

Crest of Darkness  •The Ogress

Crest of Darkness  • Project Regeneration

Crest of Darkness  • Evil Knows Evil

Crest of Darkness  • Give Us The Power To Your Evil

Coven  • Witchcraft Reaps Souls and Destroys Mind

Coven  • Jinx

Covenant  • Nexus Polaris

D

Darkseed  • Give Me Light

Darkseed  • Diving Into Darkness

Dead  Can Dance  • Dead Can  Dance

Death Penalty • Death Penalty82′

Devilment • The Great And Secret Show

Devilment  • II The Mephisto Waltzes

Dimmu Borgir   • Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia

Dimmu Borgir • Death Cult Armageddon

Dismal Euphony  • All Little Devils

Dismal Euphony   • Lady Ablaze

 

Dismal Euphony  • Python Zero

Dreadful Shadows  • Estrangement

Dreadful Shadows  • Buried Again

Dreadful Shadows  • Beyond The Maze

Dreadful Shadows  • The Cycle

Elusive  • Destination Zero

Elis  •  Gods Silence, Devils Temptation

Evanescence • Fallen

 

Elis •  Dark Clouds In A Perfect Sky

The Empire Hideous • Only Time Will Tell

Evereve •  Seasons

Evereve  • Stormbirds

The Fields of Nephilim  • Elizium

The Fields of Nephilim  • Fallen

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • ENKL’s Temple

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Epitaph

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Sargonid Seal

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Necromanteion IV

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Symbol And Vision

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Scheoul

Garden of Delight (deutsche)  • Paradise

The Gathering •  Mandylion

The Gathering • Nighttime Birds

The Gathering  • In Motion DVD

Graveworm • Engraved In Black

Hazel Und Gretyl •…all releases…

I

Ides of Gemini  • Old World New Wave

J

 Jack•Off •Jill    • Clear Hearts Grey Flowers

K

Kabbalah • Spectral Ascent

Kreator (GERMANY)  • Endorama

….yes this Kreator released one of the GREATEST GOTHIC METAL ALBUMS OF ALL….

L

Lacrimas Profundere  • Memorandum

Lacrimas Profundere  • Burning : A Wish

Lacroisma •  Inferno

 

Love Like Blood * Exposure

Love Like Blood * SnakeKiller

Lucifer • Lucifer I

Lucyfire * This  Dollar Saved My Life At Whitehorse

Lutherion * Kosmogensis

M

Marilyn Manson  • Anti-Christ Superstar

Mercyful Fate Melissa

Mercyful Fate Don’t Break The Oath

Macbeth * Vanitas

Moonspell Irreligious

N

Nefilim  • Zoon

NFD  • No Lost Love

NFD  • Dead Pool Rising

NFD  • Deeper Vision

Notre Dame • Coming Soon to a Théatre Near You!!!

Notre Dame • Vol 1 Le Théâtre du Vampire

Notre Dame  • Nightmare Before Christmas

Notre Dame  • Demi Monde Bizarros

One-Eyed Doll  • Witches

Paradise Lost   • Gothic

Paradise Lost   • Draconian Times

Riti Occulti  • Riti Occulti

Riti Occulti •  Secta

Riti Occulti • Elenor Rigby

Riti Occulti • Tetragrammaton

Savn  • Savn

 

Secret Discovery * Philarmonic Diseases

Secret Discovery * Slave

Scream Silence * To Die For

Scream Silence * The 2nd

The Sweetest Condition   • Edge of the World

The Sweetest Condition   • We Defy Oblivion

Theatre of Tragedy * Theatre of Tragedy

Theatre of Tragedy * Velvet Darkness They Fear

Theatre of Tragedy * Aégis

 

Theatre of Tragedy * Storm

Theatre of Tragedy * Forever is The World

Theatre of Tragedy •  Last Curtain Call DVD

Theatres Des Vampires of Night Breed of Macabria

Theatres Des Vampires • Candyland

Tiamat * Wildhoney

Tiamat * A Deeper Kind of Slumber

Tiamat * Prey

Tiamat * Judas Christ

Tiamat * Skeleton Skeletron

Tristania * Widow’s Weeds

Tristania * Beyond The Veil

Tristania * World of Glass

Tristania * Ashes

Tristania * Illumination

Tristania * Rubicon

Tristania * Darkest White

Type o Negative • ….all releases…..

P

Pale Forest * Exit Mould

Paradise Lost * Gothic

Paradise Lost * Shades of God

Paradise Lost * Gothic

Paradise Lost * Draconian Times

Paradise Lost * One Seconds

Yearning * With Tragedies Adorned

Yearning * Plaintive Scenes

Yearning * Frore Meadow

Yearning * Evershade

Yearing * Merging Into Landscapes

The Vision Bleak * The Deathship Has A New Captain

The Vision Bleak * Carpathia * A Dramatic Poem

The Vision Bleak * The Wolves Go Hunt Their Prey

The Vision Bleak * Set Sail To Mystery

The Vision Bleak * The Witching Hour

Zeraphine * Kalte Sonne

Zeraphine *Traumaworld

Zeraphine * Blind Camera

Zeraphine * Still

Zeraphine * Whiteout

First and Last and Always”, to name a specific metal genre as gothic, which makes the oh-so renowned and overabused gothic metal term, this specific metal genre MUST have references and influences from the gothic rock/dark wave scene from the 80s. Apparently, without any second thought and a shadow of doubt, many bands from this so-called commercial and big scene are not gothic metal because they have not a single reference from the gothic rock/dark wave scene of the 80s. It really is something funny for metalheads that know nothing about this scene to speak about gothic music. But what is even more funny is the fact that part of the metal scene dislikes goths and when you ask them “which people do you refer to as goths?” you get the answer “those people, man, that paint their eyes black and listen to Marilyn Manson endlessly”, even from this you can get that a big part of the metal scene really has nothing to do in knowledge and experience about the gothic subculture, its bands and its audience. And thus this over-confusion passes in the gothic metal scene.

You see, the gothic subculcture has all these chicks dressed in black, with the cute faces, the beautiful make up and stuff, yes, I know, they are beautiful, I adore them as well, but, sadly, when a female-fronted metal band starts sounding a bit more symphonic/atmospheric or even a bit melancholic and has a female singer, preferably cute that stands as the front of the band and wears all these beautiful scarlet or velvet or black dresses with flowers and stuff, people start referring to this band as gothic metal, for no reason apparently. A female singer that has a more obscure and “poetic” dress-code won’t make a band a gothic one, apparently, it’s the music that matters, not the supposed dress-code. And so we come to bands like Evanescence, Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation, Epica, After Forever and so on, well, these bands have nothing to do, more or less each one of them (or used to have a slight reference but they have nothing to do anymore), with the gothic metal genre, the only common thing they have as bands is that they are female-fronted, does this make them gothic metal? No, for fuck’s sake no! Ok, they have their own atmosphere each one of them, they have some strong female vocalists, some good tunes, others more others less, but that’s all people; no gothic elements, no gothic metal.

If you want some bands with female vocalists that actually play gothic metal then you should definitely check Tristania of the first era (who can deny that “Widow’s Weeds” has gothic rock elements? I’ll give the answer, no-one can because these elements are present in the guitar work; and let’s not forget the gothic rock guest male vocals on “Angellore” ), Theatre Of Tragedy of the first three releases, yes, they are gothic metal, and not because Liv Kristine used to wear black dresses and have that absolute female gothic look, just check the music, apparently gothic metal, then come Trail Of Tears, their first releases are also strong and gothic metal, really good work and it seems to me at times that the gothic metal scene including female vocals blossomed in Norway, judging from the bands I mentioned above. And of course I shouldn’t skip to mention Sirenia, the band Morten Veland formed after he left Tristania, another wonderful gothic metal act, with intense gothic rock elements, even the hat in the vein of The Sisters Of Mercy/The Fields Of The Nephilim is present, hehe (if you don’t believe me ask Mr. Veland and check Elusive’s debut album, “Destination Zero”, to see which are his influences; for the history, Elusive are a rising gothic rock act from Norway and Veland played the guitars on this album) and of course I shouldn’t skip to mention Beseech, they have female vocals as well in their compositions, but they are a 50%-50% female-male fronted band now, with balanced male and female vocals. Just check their first two releases, pure romantic gothic/doom metal with The Fields Of The Nephilim references being too intense, both in guitar parts filled with gothic rock riffing and vocal lines in which the first singer of the band sounds like a reincarnation of Carl McCoy. And of course I shouldn’t skip to mention As Divine Grace from Finland, they used to be a romantic doom/death metal act but with years they became more gothic metal oriented, with female vocals, a really strong band that sadly disbanded.

You know, a band to be called gothic metal must have references from the gothic rock/dark wave scene as I said above, which means, Christian Death (with Rozz Williams on the vocals of course, hehehe! Or Valor of “Atrocities”, it was an awesome album, i have to admit it! And why not “Sex & Drugs & Jesus Christ”, their last really strong album with Valor!), The Mission, The Sisters Of Mercy, The Fields Of The Nephilim, Bauhaus, early The Cult, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Clan Of Xymox, Virgin Prunes, early Dead Can Dance etc must be present, with each band sticking to its own references. And what the history has shown to me is that whenever gothic rock acts started turning heavier and more metal-oriented they made far better work from gothic metal acts, because gothic rockers really know what to do, they have the feeling in their blood, it’s flowing, they know how to express it correctly and make it sound heavier if they want to enter a heavier sound stage. And of course I will mention some gothic rock/metal acts and first and above all one of the best gothic acts of the 90s that most of you don’t know, DREADFUL SHADOWS, listen to them to feel the decadence, the sorrow, the pain, the gothic aesthetic, the gothic feeling from a band that released four great albums and with every album it tended to sound steps further, reaching “The Cycle” where more modern references made their appearance. After Dreadful Shadows sadly disbanded Sven Friedrich and Norman Selbig of Dreadful Shadows formed Zeraphine, another wonderful gothic rock/metal act with a more modern approach of course. Another fabulous gothic rock/metal act have to be Scream Silence, at times tending to sound like Dreadful Shadows, but they tended to perfect their own sound, their first two album are the most metallic ones and the other three are heavy still, but more gothic rock definitely; at times they tend to have a doomy feeling as well. Secret Discovery is a good band as well, moving in pure gothic rock in their early years and from a moment and on they started sounding a lot more metallic. Also, Love Like blood is a gothic rock band ,one of the best if you ask me, they have released some really strong opuses during the first half of the 90s, in the second half of the 90s from a moment and on they started sounding heavy and “Snakekiller” is a good gothic metal/rock album. Take Garden of Delight now, one of the best gothic rock acts of the 90s, they released in 7 years 7 albums with 7 songs each one of them, they disbanded afterwards, after the first circle had ended. They came back in the 00s, stronger, heavier, more powerful, but above all gothic rock. After 4 albums they formed Lutherion and they definitely are gothic metal/rock now, sounding really heavy, gothic rock-oriented and with an electro touch as well! Most and above all I shouldn’t forget to mention the metal approach of Carl McCoy, first with The Nefilim in the second half of the 90s and recently with the dynamic come back of the Fields Of The Nephilim. “Zoon” of the Nefilim was a brilliant piece of thrash/death metal blended with strong doses of gothic rock in the renowned McCoy n’ Fields vein and “Mourning Sun” of The Fields Of The Nephilim is an album of pure gothic rock/metal, a really strong release to show to the gothic metal scene who can rule the scene in no time. And let’s mention NFD, a The Nefilim oriented project, heavy enough and always gothic rock and another project from members of The Nefilim, Saints Of Eden, gothic rock with heavy doses of metal and electronic/industrial elements, sounding really heavy and definitely really strong!

Now concerning some gothic metal acts I should mention Evereve of their first era with Tom Schedotschenko, heart-rending, twisted, mourning gothic metal from the pits of Hell, utterly desolate and melancholic, with the ideal references! After the suicide of the singer a new singer came on board and they released an easier album, gothic metal still, afterwards they started moving in more electronic soundscapes. Darkseed as well, they definitely had gothic-oriented references in albums like “Diving Into Darkness” and “Give Me Light” etc, a good band definitely. Paradise Lost OF COURSE and no matter how much doomsters hit their asses on the wall and point out that “Gothic” is doom/death metal I will always be there to be a pain in the ass and their closed mind to point out that it is one of the first pure gothic metal releases, not because of the name, “Gothic”, but because of the music. Listen carefully, the gothic rock references on the guitars are too obvious, where Sisters Of Mercy stepped Paradise Lost found water. The orchestrations have a Celtic Frost sense from the “Into The Pandemonium” era and a dark wave aesthetic as well along with the fragile female vocals that seem to have come out of the 80s dark wave scene. Sure, it has a doom sense, but think about it more. Paradise Lost continued as a gothic metal act after “Shades Of God” (which was doom metal at all costs) releasing many fabulous albums like “Draconian times”, “Icon”, “One Second”, “Paradise Lost” etc, one of the best acts of the gothic metal scene. I shouldn’t skip Lacrimosa, one of the most important acts of this very scene; i have heard/read that they are progressive gothic metal, this statement always sounded funny to me from people that really have absolutely nothing to do with the scene. Tilo Wolf is a pure genius, from the gothic-death rock/dark wave oriented first releases of Lacrimosa to the historic moment when Anne Nurmi entered the band and Lacrimosa started becoming metal, gothic metal of course! Because the references remained, the doses of classical music became too obvious and one of the characteristic parts of the sound of the band. Generally they kept the Lacrimosa feeling alive, they just became one of the most quality, recognisable and best acts of the scene. Lacrimas Profundere, from a romantic doom/death metal act they started slowly and steadily incorporating in their sound gothic references reaching nowadays where they are a goth n’ roll act, slightly metal, more of a rock band, gothic rock with a poser attitude. And since I mentioned the poser attitude of Lacrimas Profundere I shouldn’t skip at all to mention The 69 Eyes, a non-metal band, they are goth n’ roll as well, at some times offering more more romantic gothic rock like on “Paris Kills”, at others more hard rock/gothic rock having several references from the 80s/early 90s. Where the Sisters Of Mercy left “Vision Thing” and The Cult left their releases Jyrki, Jussi and their companions stole them and found out many useful things for the now-sound of The 69 Eyes and Jyrki where Ian Astbury and the singer of LA Guns stood proud stole a bit of their pride to form his stage presence. So no, The 69 Eyes are not metal, poser gothic rock or goth n’ roll yes, definitely. A! Beyond Dawn’s “Pity Love” shouldn’t be missing from here as well, an album having the decadence of doom, references from the doom metal scene and of course intense The Sisters Of Mercy passages, both in structure and guitar parts, but always tending to present them through their very own and unique avant-garde prism. I shouldn’t forget to mention, just for the history, that Beyond Dawn during that period were supporting the Sisters Of Mercy at some of their shows, not a coincidence, is it? I shouldn’t skip Tiamat, they had a good course changing their sound from album to album, progressing positively, and as you all noticed they had their gothic rock-driven moments as well. Their latest release to date “Prey” was a metallic gothic rock worship with Edlund’s haunting vocals entrancing the atmosphere, “Skeleton Skeletron” had also a gothic rock air, quite modern in sound, good enough but nothing awesome and “A Deeper Kind Of Slumber” which was a mixture of psychedelic rock with gothic rock and stuff, good work! And some of you that may know, Johan Edlund has a gothic rock oriented band, Lucyfire, good stuff. Also, The Babylon Whores, not many know them, but they are awesome, a metal-driven Christian Death worship band, they know what they are doing, really good act! Another bright example of a band that injected intense 80s gothic/dark elements have to be Portugal’s finest and most known act, Moonspell, with bands like “The Antidote”, “Sin/Pexado” (a very underrated album), “Darkness And Hope” and “Irreligious”, they have to be one of those bands that interpret gothic metal in a really good and personal manner! Also, a new band around that had quite an impressive course so far with their two releases are definitely The Vision Bleak, travelling through the corridors of nightmares, drama, horror and gothic decadence they offer a new and fresh air to the scene! Also, Yearning from Finland are doing a good job with their esoteric and beautifully adorned by sadness and esoteric emotions gothic/doom metal. Last but not least Kreator’s “Endorama” is a thousand times more gothic metal than all those so-called gothic metal bands that are being referred as gothic metal by the silly music press and the audience that knows nothing about what is gothic, doesn’t “Endorama” sound so gothic metal to you? Change scene! It’s so simple!

The problem with the gothic metal scene doesn’t end here, there are two more problems with the scene except for the female-fronted bands that are mostly being referred by both press and audience as gothic metal and of course i’m referring to part of the Visual Kei scene and the Suomi Metal scene with bands tending to sound romantic, melancholic or suicidal, moving in metal/rock soundscapes with common road on their course being the melancholy factor. Concerning the Visual Kei scene with bands like Moi Dix Mois, Malice Mizer and stuff, they have an intense gothic aesthetic in their appearance, but this is the most gothic part of their existence, their music apart from some keyboard-driven really dark passages has nothing to do with the gothic rock/dark wave scene and the Bauhaus references in those bands that i have read somewhere is definitely non-existent and i know Bauhaus really well to not recognise them in a band. Well, part of the Visual Kei that is being referred as gothic metal could be the Japanese option of gothic metal, somethng different, something “foreign” to the European scene/audience, so I won’t be absolute in this case. I have to admit, anytime with the hand on my heart, that those Visual Kei bands are more gothic than all the other female-fronted or Suomi “we’re supposed to be gothic” metal bands will ever be, both in reality and dreams. And let’s move to the Suomi metal scene, believe me, I used to be a huge fan of this very specifc scene supporting bands like HIM, Entwine, For My Pain, Poisonblack, Charon, Sentenced, Lullacry, To Die For etc, I still support Entwine, HIM and To Die For because all those three are bands that have a lot to offer in my opinion, but really, where did you people find all these gothic elements in their compositions? You can always inform me because I’m craving to know more about gothic music and I would love to find out where all these elements hide and I can’t find them. I had read somewhere that Sentenced were gothic metal and on their latest releases they became gothic rock, HA HA! I mean, how funny is that? Only a metalhead that knows nothing about the gothic scene would ever say that, and a metalhead was indeed the person who said that. Ignorance is bad, definitely bad, and in this case ignorance has caused a lot of harm, something that disgusts me seeing it going on more and more day by day.

Well, I got bored writing and I think you’ll get bored reading too, so I will stop for now, but I will have to warn all of you i-know-it-all metalheads (to avoid misunderstandings, I’m not referring to every single metalhead, but to a specific part of it) that will give my article a shot, “if the truth hurts, prepare for pain”. Kisses!

“Lipstick on my cigarette…”    

……..DO YOU GOTH WHAT IT TAKES………………

 

……………….IN GOTH WE TRUST……………………..

 

……………ONLY GOTHIC IS REAL……………………..