Where Is My Mind?

     Detroit trio Ritual Howls are an interesting band that creates filmic western industrial rock that feels right at home in a barren, post-apocalyptic world. Complete with twangy guitars, dance floor rhythms and a sense of dystopia and decay, their music sounds like the Motor City’s dying breath. On Rendered Armor , the band’s fourth release, vocalist/guitarist Paul Bancell, keyboardist/sampler Chris Samuels and bassist Ben Saginaw continue on their path with rolling, masterfully crafted arrangements and production, and with Detroit's untimely agonizing death, Rendered Armor is the soundtrack for it. photo: floodmagazine.com      To say that Ritual Howls have a bit of a basic blueprint to their music is an understatement. Sure, we’ve heard it all before, but the band has a true gift in their interpretation of what goth rock is thought to be. Bancell’s vocals are a cavernous baritone mixed with twangy, reverb-y Spaghetti Western-style guitars, ...

     Turkish goths She Past Away are back with their third and long-awaited new album, Disko Anksiyete , a masterfully crafted blend of post-punk, dark wave and gothic rock (obviously). On Disko Anksiyete (Anxiety Disco in English), the duo comprised of guitarist/vocalist Volkan Caner and producer/keyboardist Doruk Ozturkan switch gears a bit and go into more pop structured/disco-y territory, but the band doesn’t completely abandon their typical sound. Easily their more accessible album, Disko is full of 80s cold wave/post-punk influence, alluding to the classic sounds of Joy Division and New Order. Caner displays unique musicianship and his singing is reminiscent of the Sisters of Mercy’s Andrew Eldritch, while Ozturkan’s keyboard washes and production are crisp, polished and solid. photo: rockallphotography.com      In comparison to their previous releases, debut Belirdi Gece and the sophomoric Narin Yalnızlık , both phenomenal albums, Disk...

     Stephen Patrick Morrissey is no stranger to controversy. Whether it be notoriously cancelling performances over the smallest diva-like complaints or sharing insensitive commentary, the English crooner certainly knows how to make headlines. Recently during a televised performance on Jimmy Fallon’s late-night talk show, the former Smiths front man caused a big stir by sporting a pin from the far-right political party, For Britain. The backlash has had some negative effect for Morrissey and has shaken fans, but given his history of not so PC behaviour, are we really all that surprised? photo: nme.com            For Britain is a minor far-right political party in the United Kingdom formed in 2017 by anti-Muslim activist Anne Marie Waters and defected members of the UKIP (UK Independence Party). It runs on a platform of reducing Muslim immigration to the UK to near zero, to “bring the entire EU project down” and being the “voice f...