Track Listing: Dreams, Where Are You Now?, While I Lay Here, My Eyes Are Closed, Thy Painted Garden.

Self-titled solo debut by a singer better known for her work with other bands and musicians. Quasi-operatic melancholia mostly accompanied only by the singer’s piano. Atmospheric, attractive stylings that seem to be something of a blend of art song and runic folk. Her website is lovely, located at www.dawndesiree.com. (Review by AF)

Track Listing: Arbeit Macht Frei, Exael, Song Of Nations (II), Vacant Nursery.

I thought for sure this would be another synthy industrial act when pulling this from the review pile o’ cds, but was gravely mistaken upon the opening bars. The dark deluge of ambience from this three-piece brings Vangelis’ brilliant epic Blade Runner soundtrack to mind. The perfect e.p. length and a very good listen all the way through.

For more information, check out www.oxygenlaw.com. (Review by MM)

Track Listing: Earth Of Blood, Childrens Of Darkness, Perverse Paradise, Even The Angels Fall, Race Of Cain, A Death In A Hole, Walk Down The Dark, Rage, The Savior Of God, The Cold Hour Before Dawn, Without Choice, Metabolic Damage, Schedule To Die, Healing By The Blood, Frightened By The Bombs.

Hardcore thrash, blackmetal outfit from Medellin, Colombia. Puts me in mind of Ozzfest. I feel that I cannot do this group justice, since I worked soooooooo damned many shows as security at Bogart’s in Cincinnati which involved tours featuring this kind of music. I am terminally jaded from overexposure. Still, I can aver that these guys have the chops and kick some heiney and should probably be on tour with Hatebreed, Slayer and their ilk... inflicting mayhem on cities around the earth. A few novel licks here and there and a little pushing the demonic growling envelope serve to keep the genre alive and throbbing.

For more information, check out www.athanator.8k.com. (Review by AF)

Track Listing: This Silence, The Inside World, Winter Fell, Mantra, Suspend, More Unto Fire Dreamt, Mother, Spider’s Bride, Illusions In Rain, If Ever, Goodbye.

I’m keepin’ this one! Eminently goth, very fine blend of old school and newer modes... but with their own definitive stylings, nobody’s clone. Okay... so I am repeating “Suspend” for about the gazillionth time. This song rules so much! This is the sort of stuff that reminds me why I love music. Available through Middle Pillar Presents.

For more information, check out www.tmitg.com. (Review by AF)

Track Listing: Come Close My Lover, Your Silent Tears, Rain Has Fallen All The Day, She Came To Me, At That Hour, Triste Quiete, All Day I Hear Your Voice, Disclose Your Eyes, Sleep Now, Autumn, Silent Lady.

Romantic Italian ethereal available from Cold Meat Industry. Beautiful music; accoustics and vocals are intertwined in softly dream-inducing melodies. Brings Jack or Jive and Ordo Equitum Solis to mind. If you’re a fan of this sort of music, you’ll certainly enjoy this cd, but unfortunately this seems to lack distinction from the aforementioned bands or many other bands of this genre.

For more information, check out www.allmyfaithlost.com. (Review by MM)

Track Listing: Human Shell, Falling Sky, Dormant, Sorrow Ashes, A Tangle Of Scars, Outlive, Cold And Empty Constellations, Hollow Girl, The Unshakable Demon, Eclipse, Cloudburst, Inward Bound.

Very dreamy, hypnotic etherea... like bathing in an undulating mist. Balm for the soul, tinged with touches of bittersweet longing that impart emotional edge. Nicely done instrumentation with female vocals. Frissons like evanescent waterfall rainbows. (Review by AF)

Track Listing: Pornography, Is Lust, Undone, Sonido Negro, Every Machine Makes A Mistake.

Strangely effective ambient electronica, with scraps of male/female spoken word. Like being on a dark street alone and in a mood. Lean and murky... and maybe a little “dirty”. Left me feeling irrevocably sad. (Review by AF)

Track Listing:

• Extropy - Heart and Soul
• Audra - Walked In Line
• In The Nursery - Love Will Tear Us Apart
• The Brides - The Drawback
• Unto Ashes - The Him
• Jupiter Blue - Regret
• Sheriff Scabs - Love Vigilantes
• Ahab Rex and The Fourteens - Crystal
• Neologos - 24 Hours
• Nerve Exhibit - New Dawn Fades
• Hearts Fail - Decades
• Theatre of The Absurd - Ice Age
• Kolar - Ceremony
• BlackCycle - Blue Monday

Twenty-five years after Ian Curtis’ death and Joy Division is not just relevent, but a great inspiration to a variety of musicians and many, many listeners, old and new. That and New Order sound better than ever on their latest, Waiting for the Siren's Call. So here we have a tribute album to both, which I find to be really novel, but this album runs hot and cold. My picks: In The Nursery (which is also on their Cause + Effect album), The Brides (because they totally rock out), and Unto Ashes (for a beautifully medieval version).

Available through Failure To Communicate Records. (Review by MM)

Track Listing:

• Faetal - Dirty Thirst
• Trauma Pet - Breaking
• Reincarnationfish - You and Me vs. The Massed Forces of Darkness
• Brother Orchid - Closer
• Schadenfreude - Pushed Too Far
• OVNI - What Have I Done?
• Normal - Ey Ey
• Exmaark - Cold Wet Night in Lonely City
• Interstellar Rhythm Machine - Generation
• The Sepia - Frustrate
• Reincarnationfish - I Was Born a Techno Kid
• Exmaark - Destroying Sound
• Interstellar Rhythm Machine - Draa Valley
• Schadenfreude - Oh Joy
• Normal - Take My Neighbour

This album is the Line Out Records compilation of new UK electro acts. Lots of digitally generated FX, D & B loops and such, along with a taste of guitar, piano, and more coventional rock instrumentation. Gothy/glammy guy-band vocals, computer altered voice, or instrumental electronica... with one notable exception of a female lead Some of these groups merit further investigation, and all are well done, well played, and interesting. Quite nice overall. (Review by AF)