Ari Mason - Neuropathy

Ari Mason - Neuropathy
(2014) Danse Macabre

I bought this album immediately after hearing the "Dim The Lights" and "Brother" singles. Buy them now! This album is a bit older, and maybe not as good. But I don't think it's fair to compare albums with singles. However, I really like her moody, synthpop-y sound - not far from a female Mr.Kitty. I want more!

Factice Factory - The White Days

Factice Factory - The White Days
(2014) Manic Depression

I know almost nothing about this France band. They've made two albums, this one being the first - and best! The music is maybe a hint of the cold wave/post punk crossover that seems to be so popular nowadays. You can get this album for free at Bandcamp (where else?). I liked it so much after freeloading it, that  I had to buy the CD, too!

Keluar - Keluar

Keluar - Keluar (2014)
Desire

This is a new project of former Linea Aspera member Alison Lewis. The CD compiles both the 2013 "Ennoea" EP and the 2014 "Vitreum" EP with 2 unreleased remixes. I like all parts of this CD except the drum machine sound on certain tracks. The album, or rather, the EPs, are all about cool melodies and interesting arrangements and rhythms.

Aeon Sable - Visionaers

Aeon Sable - Visionaers (2014)
Solar Lodge

This has been my go to album when testing my new Bluesound Node music streamer. I quickly throw away my previous streamer, the Sonos Connect, because of the superior sound quality of the Bluesound Node. Anyway, I've been listening a lot to this album and I like it very much. It's some kind of modern goth rock, but that's what you'd expect when released on Artaud Seth's Solar Lodge label, right? The album is just seven songs long. But it's seven moody, mid tempo gothic rock songs of stellar quality!

NU:N ‎- Nothing Unveils Nothing

NU:N ‎- Nothing Unveils Nothing
(2014) Black Genesis

I'm still waiting for the actual CD, but in the meantime I've got the Bandcamp download. The download version actually lacks two songs, but that can only mean that the CD will be even better! This is pure gothic rock from Portugal (I think?) with a drum machine that sounds like a drum machine. No punch at all in the artificial bass drums, but I like it a lot. At least the drums are well programmed and interesting to listen to. Nothing like the poor drumming of Angels Of Liberty.

Alter Der Ruine ‎- I Will Remember It All Differently

Alter Der Ruine ‎- I Will Remember It All Differently
(2014) Negative Gain

Oops, I've forgot to mention one of last years best albums. But here it is! If I'm not mistaken, this is sort of a come back album for Alter Der Ruine. I haven't followed their career especially close, so I can't tell if it's true. But I think it is. Anyway, the album is filled with great EBM/futurepop kinda sounding tracks. And it's a grower. Give it a couple of listens, I'm sure you'll love it!

Rotersand - Truth Is Fanatic Again

Rotersand - Truth Is Fanatic Again
(2014) Trisol

I want a new Rotersand album. This isn't it, it's just a rework of their 2003 album "Truth Is Fanatic" with a lot of guest artists/remixers. None of the versions here are better than the original songs. But there are some new songs, making this a must buy anyway. Tip, get the download version. It includes the first, and far better, attempt on reworking "Truth Is Fanatic", "Electronic World Transmission - Excursions On Truth Is Fanatic" as bonus.

Röyksopp ‎- The Inevitable End 2CD

Röyksopp ‎- The Inevitable End 2CD
(2014) Dog Triumph

The last Röyksopp release in album format. Well, we'll see about that, won't we? I don't really understand their plans for future releases. But if their plan is to just release downloadable single tracks from here on, I won't bother getting their forthcoming releases. I'll wait for a compilation of the singles (and what is that, if not an album?). I can be totally wrong about this, maybe they have a new, revolutionary idea for their releases. But I doubt it.
Anyway, this is a great album featuring really good guest vocalists.

VA - This Is Gothic Rock Vol. II

VA - This Is Gothic Rock Vol. II
(2014) Gothic Music

It's already time for the second CD in the This Is Gothic Rock series. This CD was supposed to be CD2 of the first volume, but Oscar decided to go with separate releases instead of  double CD's. I think it was a problem with printing the booklets. They're massive 20 pages each, and I don't think a 40 page booklet would fit a standard CD case, or a nice digipac, whatever was the original plan. Nevermind, here it is! Bands featured this time are Merciful Nuns, The Wake, Ikon and a whole lot more! Great music for a great price.

The Foreign Resort - New Frontiers

The Foreign Resort - New Frontiers
(2014) Blvd

This is a nice sort of electronic Post Punk album from Denmark. For some reason I don't know about/listen to a lot of danish bands. Maybe I should further investigate the danish music scene? Because this is a fantastic record! But where to start? I enjoy so many different genres... I think it's up to the danish bands/labels to better promote themselves, because I'm sure that there's a lot of great stuff out there that I'm missing.

Ikon - Stolen 7''/CDM

Ikon - Stolen 7''/CDM (2014)
Nile

Second single from Ikon's fantastic "Everyone Everything Everywhere Ends" album. Just as all Ikon singles of late, this EP is released in several different vinyl colours plus a CD with some additional tracks. "Stolen" is one of the more electronic sounding songs on "Everyone Everything Everywhere Ends". I like this song a lot! Now I'm just waiting for the next single, "Blood Of Love".

VA - 10 Years Of Progress Productions 2CD

VA - 10 Years Of Progress Productions 2CD
(2014) Progress

Finally, the compilation album I've been waiting for all year! It's a double CD packed with 28 exclusive tracks. Well, some songs may not be that exclusive... But for the most part, they are. Bands included are; Cryo, Kite, Henric De La Cour, Spark!, Wulfband - basically the whole Progress roster. I like most of the bands on Progress, so this was a must buy for me!

Iris - Radiant 2CD+2LP

Iris - Radiant 2CD+2LP (2014)
Dependent

The second Iris record I own. I don't know how they sounded before Infacted and Dependent began to release their records. This box was a bit expensive, mainly because I'm not that interested in vinyl. But it was the only way to get hold of the bonus CD. Unfortunately I soon realised that the whole album was easily bought as a download (with the bonus songs). Great melancholic syntpop with cool bass lines. This is the third synthpop album in a row on this blog. Now it's time for a change..

Emmon - Aon

Emmon - Aon (2014)
Wonderland

Hurry, hurry! Only 500 copies of this new excellent Emmon CD was made, and as a special treat to us who pre-ordered it we all got 2 copies each. I almost thought Emmon had disappeared - it was a struck of luck that I found about this CD. I really like Emmons take on synthpop. Wonderland Records are doing a great job in releasing some hidden synthpop gems (at least the records seems to be hidden gems for me - I'm normally not that keen on this stuff).

Harmjoy ‎- Silver Lining Of The Mushroom Cloud

Harmjoy ‎- Silver Lining Of The Mushroom Cloud
(2014) 73 Seconds Bismarck

After two great EP's earlier this year, it's finally time for Harmjoy's first album. The album collects most of the songs from the EP's, but there's so much more to this record than being just a sampler. Most of the songs are presented in special "Album Edits", and the new songs are really great too. Harmjoy is one of the few synthpop bands I enjoy, I guess I will feature more synthpop in the coming weeks, as some of my other favourites have new records out!

VA - Pagan Love Songs Vol. 3

VA - Pagan Love Songs Vol. 3 2CD
(2014) Alice In...

This is the third new and really good gothic rock compilation CD I've written about in just a couple of months. There must be a gothic rock revival going on, but I haven't heared or read anything about it.
This compilation is very similar to the other two, "God Is Goth" and "This Is Gothic Rock Vol. I", featuring a mix of both new and old bands.
I really like this album. Go get it!

Merciful Nuns ‎– Meteora VII

Merciful Nuns ‎– Meteora VII
(2014) Solar Lodge

More Merciful Nuns? Yes, and this album is even better than

"Xialba III". I like Merciful Nuns' take on gothic rock, and this album is also a really rock oriented one. I like the atmospheric side of Merciful Nuns, too, but generally I want uptempo songs. There's also a couple of cool videos made for some of the songs. Check them out on youtube!

VA - God Is Goth 2CD

VA - God Is Goth 2CD
(2014) Wave Records

Continuing with my rediscovered love for gothic rock. This Brazilian compilation album features a lot of, at least for me, new third wave of gothic rock bands. Buy this 2CD together with the This Is Gothic Rock series and you're all set and updated on what's hot in this new era of gothic rock!

And One ‎- Magnet (Trilogie-Edition)

And One ‎- Magnet (Trilogie-Edition)
3CD (2014) Deutschmaschine

A new triple CD? From And One, probably the most uneven band in the world? And it's good?
Yes, I'm as surprised as anybody. But this is actually a really good album. The first CD, "Magnet", is a cool modern And One album. It features som The Cure-ish guitars and a selection of good pop songs. The second album "Propeller" is my favourite, though. The theme of this CD is EBM, and there's EBM songs in almost every possible style! I don't care for the third CD, "Achtung 80", with it's 80's inspired songs. I do like 80's music - but not done today! I think I enjoy 17 of the 30 tracks featured on this box. And that's not bad, considering the 2-3 songs I like on a regular And One album.

Miazma - Miazma

Miazma - Miazma (2014)
Gothic Music

Hell yeah! Gothic rock just the way I like it! I'm so glad that I found the finnish Gothic Music Records label. They're quickly becoming my favourite goth record label. I haven't got this CD yet, but I've ordered it on Bandcamp, so I'm currently enjoying the sweet sweet flac downloads. The album's supposed to be some sort of best of compilation. I don't really know, Miazma are totally unknown to me. I just bought the album on a hunch. The music is the sort of goth rock that everybody will tell you sounds just like The Sisters Of Mercy, but it really doesn't. Sure, the band wouldn't probably been here if it wasn't for the Sisters, but that doesn't make them clones. Check it out. And be fast about it - currently there's just 65 copies of the CD left!