God's Own Medicine - Nowhere

God's Own Medicine - Nowhere
(2010) Eden Records

Part electronic, part gothic rock this Polish band are always interesting to listen to. Check them out on Bandcamp. "Nowhere" is my current favourite album of theirs, but I'm sure this will change with time.

Pretentious, Moi? - Pretentious, Moi?

Pretentious, Moi? - Pretentious, Moi?
(2010) Not On Label

I don't know how I missed this band? Anyhow, Tim Chandler, of Manuskript fame is the main man behind this project. He's sometimes joined by Rachel Speight, from Die Laughing, on background vocals. This CD is simply fabolous. It's very fast gothic rock with great melodies. I admit that both the bass and the drum programming is lacking a bit - both in punch and sound, but for once I simply can't seem to care that much. The songs are too good to be soiled by bad production! Get it directly from the band.

Ashbury Heights - Take Cair Paramour

Ashbury Heights - Take Cair Paramour 2CD
(2010) Out Of Line

Listening to, and writing about, Ashbury Heights latest album "The Looking Glass Society" two weeks ago made me re-explore their second CD "Take Cair Paramour". And what an album it is. I don't care that much for the remixes and demos on the bonus CD, the main album is where the magic's at. I guess this is some kind of synth pop, maybe with some gothic influences? I like it a lot!

Merciful Nuns ‎– Lib. I

Merciful Nuns ‎– Lib. I (2010)
Solar Lodge

The first Merciful Nuns album. When listening to this album it's easy to understand why Artaud wanted another name, different than The Garden Of delight, for this new project. It's still dark gothic rock music, but the songs are really different. Merciful Nuns are easily my favourite new goth band. Buy, buy, buy!

Blume - Rise From Grey

Blume - Rise From Grey DD
(2010) A Different Drum

I don't know anything about this great band, except that they're (supposedly) from Italy and that they have released two full lenght albums and an EP. "Rise From Grey" is their first album and it was already sold out when I found out about them. Thanks a lot to the great mail order service CD Baby for having this available as a Flac download. The music is kinda synth-popish, with a bit of futurepop hear and there. Support CD Baby, and the band, buy it now!

Grooving In Green ‎– Post Traumatic Stress

Grooving In Green ‎– Post Traumatic Stress
(2010) Inquisition

More goth this week, and I'm glad to say this is fairly new and very good. Grooving In Green is basically the classical UK goth band Children On Stun with a new name and improved sound. There's still hope of a goth revival! This is excellent stuff - get it now!

Lost Signal - Apparition DDEP

Lost Signal - Apparition DDEP (2010)
23db

This forgotten EP is only available as download. I suggest you visit the bands Bandcamp site and buy it immediately. It's only $5.00!
Lost Signal can best be described as Assemblage 23's little brother. Hell, they're even on Tom Shear's 23db Records label.

Frozen Plasma - Tour Monument EP

Frozen Plasma -
Tour Monument EP
(2009) Infacted

I'm continuing the Infacted Records feature with one of my all time favourite futurepop bands. This is a very limited EP that were exclusivly sold at the Frozen Plasma / Rotersand / VNV Nation Tour 2009. If I remember it correctly, Frozen Plasma quit the tour afrter just a few shows. I don't really know why... Luckily I was able to get hold of a copy through the excellent Storming The Base web shop.
The EP contains six live tracks and two awesome remixes, "Murderous Trap (Emblaze My Desire)" and " The End - Deliverance (Moriturus)". Frozen Plasma's remixes are always an improvement on their album tracks. Therefore I urge you to collect as many as you can get!

Culture Kultür - Spirit

Culture Kultür - Spirit (2010)
Caustic

In the beginning of January this year I wrote that I hadn't bought this record yet, although I thought it was great. And I was right. I really like Culture Kultür's take on futurepop. I think this album is even better, as an album, than "Reborn". But "Reborn" has the better songs. Get both those records now!

Ikon - Live In Dortmund

Ikon - Live In Dortmund CDr
(2010) Not On Label

Recorded live in Dortmund, Germany on Ikon's 2009 European tour. I'm very sorry I've missed that tour. I would really have loved experiencing Ikon live. This CDr was, just like the Boulevard Of Broken Dreams Volume 2 CDr, originally released as a free mp3 download on  http://www.ikondomain.com/
And it's almost as good as that CDr!

Edge Of Dawn - Stage Fright EP

Edge Of Dawn - Stage Fright EP+DD
(2010) Dependent

Edge Of Dawns "Stage Fright EP" is a bit more club friendly record than their most recent album "Anything That Gets You Through The Night".
It consists mostly of remixes from that album, and some new songs.
Personally I think this is the better album of the two. Especially if you consider the two free bonus download remixes you get if you buy the album. Urceus Exits remix of "All The Time" is nothing but stunning! I want that song on CD. Now!
The Steril remix of "Stage Fright" is also really, really good.

VA - Advanced Electronics Vol.8

VA - Advanced Electronics Vol.8
2CD/DVD (2010)
Synthetic Symphony

I've been hoping and waiting for this release since SPV announced that they will rebuild the company. Nothing was said about the Synthetic Symphony label, though. But here it is, volume 8 of the fantastic Advanced Electronics series. It's a who's who of the current electronic scene and almost all tracks are exclusive!

Veil Veil Vanish - Change In The Neon Light

Veil Veil Vanish -
Change In The Neon Light
(2010) Cellardoor

This is a bit odd. I mean, finally a really good goth rock band shows up - on a sublabel to Germany's greatest industrial label, Dependent Records! Ok, I know it's a license from their partner label in US, Metropolis Records. But I didn't really expect the gothic rock newcomer of the year to be released on my favourite electronic label. Get this album now if you're interested in new goth rock!

KMFDM - Greatest Shit

KMFDM - Greatest Shit 2CD
(2010) Metropolis

This is actually KMFDM's best of collection "Wurst" expanded with a second disc of great songs. If you like KMFDM's industrial sound you're going to love this album! I ordered my copy directly from Metropolis records. I don't know, but I suspect that this a limited edition. And if it is, hurry while the stock lasts!

Fatboy - Overdrive

Fatboy - Overdrive (2010)
Family Tree

Finally Fatboy releases a great album. I've liked a couple of songs off their previous two albums, 2004's "Steelhearted" and 2008's "In My Bones", but altogether they weren't as good as this one.
If you're into modern sounding rock´n roll/rockabilly you're gonna like this album!

Ghost - Opus Eponymous

Ghost - Opus Eponymous
(2010) Rise Above

What can I say that haven't already been said about this fabolous record? I can only agree to the all the praises it have gained. It sure sounds a bit like both The Devil's Blood and Mercyful Fate, but you already knew that! Fortuneately Ghost adds a bit of their own sound as well, therefor I don't consider this as being a cheap copy. Get it now!

The Concretes - WYWH

The Concretes - WYWH (2010)
Licking Fingers

And now for something completely different, but maybe not as different as you first think. Sure, this is supposed to be yet another of all those boring Swedish (indie-) pop bands that all sound the same. But I must say I like this album. It's very melancholic and it has an almost danceable feeling to it. I haven't heared their earlier albums, and I don't think I ever will. I have serious doubts of them being as good as this.

Rotersand - Waiting To Be Born EP

Rotersand - Waiting To Be Born
EP (2010) Trisol

Not Rotersand's best release in any way, this companion EP to last years excellent "Random Is Resistance" album. But it has some good remixes and three new tracks, too bad the new tracks sound like leftovers from the before mentioned album. Buy it if you, like me, are a huge Rotersand fan - otherwise save your money for a I Am Awesome Because I Still Buy Music t-shirt.

Kite - III EP

Kite - III EP (2010)
Progress

Yes! A new EP by my favourite Swedish electro pop band. This is just as good as their previous EP's. I hope they never give up the EP format, 4-5 songs at a time is just perfect!
If you've heared Kite before you'll know what to expect. Both playful and mellow electronic pop-tunes.

Code 64 - Trialogue

Code 64 - Trialogue 2CD
(2010) Progress

A bit disappointing this one. I've been expecting one of the better electronic releases of 2010. I certainly don't agree with the Blackvector review giving them 9/10, I'd rather give them a modest 5/10! The best song is "Advanced Robotics". If only they'd written more songs like that... Even the Mind.In.A.Box remix on the limited (200 copies) second CD is disappointing.