The Cure - Songs of a Lost World (2024)

I'm two years late for reviewing this one, even if The Cure is likely the band I listened to the most in my life (daily when I was a teen), no, not even if but because! And never easy to review a band nearly 50 years old and which had such a big impact in music. But what helps is that Songs of a Lost World is an excellent album. Not as good as their old classics, but might be their best one since... Wild Moods Swings? the overall atmosphre reminds me a bit Disintegration, not as good, but nice anyway, and it's not just a recall of what they have done before, The Cure have always tried to push the boundaries of their music and try different things, and Songs of a Lost World isn't an exception in that regard. Especially in Warsong, Drone:no Drone and Ensong. Probably the most interesting tracks. But if your more into their "easier" pop side, they also delivered the nice signle A Fragile Thing. So Songs of a Lost World isn't as memorable and won't have the lasting ifnluence of their classics, but it's definitely a good album and I think it proves that The Cure is still absolutely relevant today.

 

The Cure.com

 

Soft Kill - Escape Forever (2024)

Escape Forever (released in 2024) isn't the most recent Soft Kill release, but I'll review this one because I think it's the most remarkable of the recent Soft Kill stuff (and the guy doing Soft Kill is too prolific to review everything he does). It saw an important shift for Soft Kill, basically it's when it got quite happy. Could have been a disaster for the inspiration and the music, but no. It's not so much a change of style than a change of mood. It still reminds The Cure a lot (the sound, the singing), just now it reminds The Cure happier songs... And it turns out to be one of the best Soft Kill releases. Recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Grave Pleasures - Plagueboys (2023)

After two albums that were good, but not as memorable as I expected from people coming from Beatsmilk/Hexvessel (singer Mat MacNerney, and for Beastmilk bassist Valtteri Arino) and Oranssi Pazuzu (guitarist Juho Vanhanen), Grave Pleasures released last year Plagueboys, which this time lived up to my expectations, even exceeding it. Plagueboys is less gothic rock and more post-punk/new-wave, in terms of writing and sound. Stripped-out songwriting, and sharp and/or echoing guitars, basslines pushed forwrad, simple and catchy beats.It reminds The Cure/Joy Division more than previously. But the main point, the key tot he improvement is the songs, they are more memorable, and just better. Highly recommended!

The BC page.

 

Circle of Ouroborus - Thurisa (2022)

Circle of Ouroborus keeps on releasing new stuff very fast, and this one called Thurisa, is one of the three he released last year. While on Aavikon Varjo he experimented with short keyboard /ambient oriented songs, and Autuala was closer than his usual to "normal" black metal with a focus on epic atmospheres, Thurisa sits somewhat in the middle, sounding between a drugged and depressed Emperor and a black metal tribute to The Cure (expect it's sung in Finnish!). And I think it's the most interesting and convincing album of the three. Good and singular stuff as usual from Circle of Ouroborus.

Cloud Rat - Pollinator & Do Not Let Me Off the Cliff EP (2019)

 Cloud Rat is releasing a new album called Pollinator, coming with a bonus EP called Do Not Let Me Off the Cliff. This time their experiment with more melodic or post-punk parts are concentrated on the bonus EP which is not hardcore at all whereas the album, Pollinator, is Cloud Rat at their most aggressive. Problem is this way the album is more "monochrome" more predictable, so I prefer their previous ones. Still once again their super fierce hardcore is extremely well crafted and it well could be the best hardcore album this year.
 What about the EP? It is more diverse than the album, going from neofolk to new-wave and dark ambient, with melodic singing only, but also it is more inequal in quality, some parts are very good and interesting, while some others are less memorable.
I'd like them to keep on creating non hardcore music, I'm curious to hear where it could lead them since there are promising elements in Do Not Let Me Off the Cliff,  but also I'd' like that next time they inject more experiment and diversity in their hardcore songs.

The BC page.

Circle of Ouroborus - Vangin Laulu (2018)

Usually the Circle of Ouroborus have a classy cover art, I don't know what happened with this one for Vangin Laulu, released last year... Anyway, what matters is that the music is as good as usual in this album with the "classic" Circle of Ouroborus sound (not an album with many folk/acoustic parts) with the melancholic atmosphere and a mix of black metal, shoegaze and post-punk/new-wave (think The Cure at his gloomiest). As usual it is finely crafted and works very well. Another excellent album from Circle of Ouroborus.

Iceage - Beyondless (2018)

I admit being late for getting familliar with Iceage, probably because for me the hype deserved them. And I first listened to Marching Church the solo project of their singer/guitarist (also excellent in a quite similar vein) But sometimes the hype is right... So "Beyondless" is the first Icage album I review, their fourth one. The Danish band is indeed one of the very best recent band in the post-punk/noise rock scene. In terms of influence The Cure first and then Sonic Youth comes to my mind. But where they do better than the countless bands trying to "sound like" is that they bring some inventivity and diversity (including a clever and subtle use of sax), and have their own specific sound, not only reminding other bands. And they have a truly excellent singer that really brings character to the music. Excellent stuff.

Lunch - Let Us Have Madness Openly (2015)

Lunch is a new american band that managed to released last year a first album called Let Us Have Madness Openly that is a flawless exercise in postpunk, really good at conjuring Joy Division and The Cure. Really good at capturing that kind of atmosphere and sound, but not only at that because it's often more uptempo and rocking, evoking also bands like The Cramps or The Misfits. But more improtant than the influences is that it's a really good album, with each songs being very good and memorable. Recommended sutuff!

The Bandcamp page.

Captive - Black Leather Glove (2015)

In my teenage, before listening to a lot of grindcore and death-meal I used to listen to The Cure on a daily basis. So this Captive album, Black Leather Glove, released last year, struck a chord with me, reminding one of my first musical obsession. The singing especially reminds Robert Smith, the overall sound as well, even though the synths plays a larger part. But don't think it's a more cheesy version of The Cure, no it doesn't reminds the "poppy" side of The Cure, it's more the dark and subtly disturbing The Cure that comes to mind, "Pornography", "Seventeen seconds", stuff like that. The side of The Cure I liked the most, and still like. But even if you never heard a single note of The Cure, or just the "radio hits" like "Boys don't cry", you have a big chance of enjoying Captive. It's really well done and classy post-punk / New wave. Recommended!  

The Bandcamp page.

Conjuro nuclear - Conjuro nuclear (2014)

Conjuro nuclear is a spanish one man band and it's music could be described as a mix of new-wave, black metal and D-beat. it evokes Joy division (the sound and the basslines), Emperor's Nightside eclipse era (the synth parts, the black metal vocals and the obscure epic feel) and Discharge (remember "D-beat" is for "Discharge beat"). but the most striking is not the influences it's that this mix is quite original and that it's really well done and fresh sounding in Conjuro nuclear. this black metal / post-punk crossover reminds a bit Circle of Ourorborus but Conjuro nuclear is way more punk and direct so it's really a different thing. their new self titled cassette is their second full-lenght album and it's a really enjoyable and exiting one.

Conjuro nuclear bandcamp

Arctic flowers - Weaver (2014)

Arctic flowers, from Portland, is one of the best recent bands in the post-punk scene. Weaver is their second album, following the excellent Rêveries and a few EP/split/demo. they managed again to build a good balance between nervous punk rocking songs and some more post / gothic rock / new wave elements, melancholic melodies, atmosphere and the female vocals (melodic but punk as well).
Weaver is as addictive as was their first album.

their BC page

their blog.

Circle of ouroborus - The final egg (2013)

Circle of ouroborus is a finnish band formed ten years ago and which has released many records. The final egg is their latest full lenght and as usual with them it's really good. They have roots in atmospheric black metal but The final egg sounds more like post-punk and reminds me a bit of the darker, slower and weirdier moments in the early The Cure records. but with some shoegazing added. I think it could appeal to the more open minded atmospheric black metal fans as well as to people more into post-punk / new-wave / shoegaze. I really like the atmosphere developped in this record, melancholic, somewhat occult and lost in dark smokes and dreamy soundscapes.

their Lastfm page

Ascetic - Self initiation (2013)

Self initiation is the first album by Ascetic. I t comes from Australia but it is cold. and dark. and slow. and yes it does remind a lot Joy division. it's a new band doing some extremely well crafted post-punk / new wave. they don't really bring something new to the genre but they play it with really good taste. excellent songs good melancholic melodies, good vocals, a softly cold atmosphere growing around you as the album progress.
a new band that matters in the post punk scene.

check it on BC.

Beastmilk - Climax (2013)

Beastmilk, a new post-punk band from Helsinki, get noticed and created expectations with their excellent 7'' Use your deluge released last year. they are now back, once again with Svart records, witht their first album called Climax.  their sound reminds bands like Joy division or Fields of the Nephilim but is more punk and heavy and could be related also to The Misfits (including the vocals that are a bit Danzigesque). the album develops a good atmosphere, cold and intimate, it's filled with good melodies, and it also have enough energy to be a real "rocking" album (I'd say Climax is faster and less new-wave than was Use your deluge). it's crafted with a lot of taste and is highly addictive. each songs is a post-punk / gothic rock "hit". Use your deluge was already so good that it was a challenge to top it. but yes with Climax they did it again!  

here's their website.

Hielo en Varsovia-st (2012)

Hielo en Varsovia is a band from Madrid and I suppose their self titled record is their first release, apart from that I don't know much about them, exept that I really like thir music.
how does it sounds like? you have elements of post rock, new wave / post-punk, shoegaze and noise rock, something a bit like a mix of Godspeed you black emperor!, The Cure and Sonic youth. they develops a very strong dreamy and melancholic and dark atmosphere with shoegazing and noisy guitars and far distant vocals. but in comparison to other bands with a similar approach they also, occasionaly, get more into punk beats or nearly "free" noisy parts. I think it's a very stong debut from Hielo en Varsovia and if you're into this kind of stuff or just curious I really recommend it.

you can listen to it and download it for free on their Bandcamp

Spectres-Nothing to nowhere (2012)

Spectres is a band from Vancouver and their second album Nothing to nowhere is maybe the best record reminding Joy division that's been released these times. all the 10 songs are excellently written and executed, making a flawless record. the only problem is that it sounds really close to Joy division, but is it such a problem? I think if Joy division would have made another record (I mean with Ian Curtis) it would'nt have been better than this maybe..and well, Spectres is not carbon copy, I think they sound less "miserable" and a bit more "rocking". anyway take it for what it is, a very strong post-punk record. and enjoy.

Nothing to nowhere on BC

Blut Aus Nord-777 Cosmophony (2012)

This record is not a black metal record. It is a Blut Aus Nord record. The third part of the 777 trilogy. I don't know if black metal fans or Blut aus nord fans will likes it (and I don't care) but what I know is I like it. the only things left from the black metal origin of Blut aus nord is the dark atmosphere (and even that...since some light appears) and its deep spiritually charged intensity that really good black metal can have. But musically most of it sounds more like a dark new wave or dark industrial ambient. could be as well released by 4AD or Jarring effect. no blast beats. very few metal singing, mostly clean melodic vocals. and even in one song a bit of spoken word / rap vocals (this part reminds me a bit of the french old school rap band Kabal). what makes the link wih the other B.A.N records is the cold industrial feel of the sound. and the quality. Cosmosophy is five long and good songs and a really good record. take it for what it is. I really recommend it.

Blut Aus Nord on FB

White hex-Heat EP

Heat by the australian duo White hex is the name of a very cold record. Released this year by Avant! records it's 6 songs with a cold melancholic new wave atmosphere filled with good female vocals and great melodic post punk riffs beating with some industrial sounding drums. This is their first record and put them on the list of bands to follow if you like the cold new wave side of post punk. If you also like the wilder and dirtier side of post punk check also Slug guts, the other band of White hex guitarist.

Heat on Bandcamp.

Arctic flowers-Reveries

Portland's Arctic flowers is a band (featuring an ex-signal lost on guitar and the drummer of Defect defect) renewing in a good way post-punk / new wave punk, and their music can please emo fans and crust fans alike. They merge the punk sound and urgency on one hand and melodies (guitar and the female vocals) and dark melancholic atmospheres on the other. they released their first LP, called Reveries, in 2011, and it is a really cool and catchy record (they also released casettes, an awesome demo and a really good split with Spectres).

you can stream some of their songs on their blog.