Doktor’s Prescription – More Recommended Doses
(Fave releases of 2018)
Here we go again, people. Another year behind us, another year in front of us. Musically speaking, 2018 brought us some new music, some from new bands, some from older bands. Some of it was great, some was OK. That’s why you come here and read this – for all of the exceptional insight I provide.
In all seriousness, the big story around our little scene here locally was obviously the first Mechanismus Festival, which I wrote about at length afterwards and was such a huge win for the PNW industrial music scene. We now know that this was NOT a one-off, and us here at Mechanismus are working on putting on something even bigger coming up in June – 5 days of bands plus an afterparty! More INDUSTRIAL than you can even handle! Bands from all over the world! Mayhem and destruction! We’re going to bring the Highline to the ground. Just wait until Funker Vogt literally blows the place up.
I’ll be writing much more about the fest as we get closer, plus a recap afterwards, so there’s no need for me to continue to ramble on in stupid, giddy excitement. Let’s get to the meat here – I listened to some stuff this year (though it never feels like enough stuff) and have a few things that I really enjoyed. In all honesty, I spent a lot of music time this year going backwards and digging a bit for stuff that I’d been missing over the last few years, so I didn’t get to listen to EVERYTHING – I can never stay caught up on all the great music that’s still being put out all the time, unless someone wants to pay me to do it.
Generally speaking, the releases I put on the list this year fell into one of two categories for me – an enhanced yet proven sound by an artist whose track record shows quality work within their realm, or an artist taking a more ‘classic’ approach to industrial music and bringing a retro feel into the future. There’s a fine line between sounding dated (or just ‘retro for retro sake’) and bringing your sound forward without forgetting where it began. Most of these records all did that to some degree for me this year, and I hope that you’ll take the time to listen to them and then tell me to my face at MechFest ’19 that you strongly agree or disagree with me and my opinions. After all – I’m a Doktor, not a music critic.
This comes with my usual disclaimer – these are not necessarily the BEST things that came out this year within our scene, nor am I sticking strictly to a subgenre. These are all releases that fall in the ‘darker music’ category and are simply releases that I enjoyed and/or felt impressed by. Much of what I put on this list are more dance-floor friendly, as that tends to be my measurement – would I stop being a lonely sociopath in the dark corner of the goth club and head to the floor if I heard this jam? If yes….then YOU JUST MADE THE LIST! On that note – I did the same format as last year – 5 LPs and 5 EPs – so let’s get to it (complete with Bandcamp links where I could because Bandcamp is the SHIT):
Eps
BONUS MENTION: The Gothsicles – The Mechanismus Festival EP
https://thegothsicles.bandcamp.com/album/the-mechanismus-festival-ep
Ok so this is totally a garbage, cop-out pick, but it has “EP” in the title so it’s CLEARLY an EP. I had to put it on here in some regard. It’s the goddamn Gothsicles doing a track about Mechanismus and the Highline Bar (and the OG Street Fighter II machine in the back), a 40 second chiptune jam, and an instrumental of the Mech track. BUT IT’S THE GOTHSICLES DOING A SONG ABOUT MECHANISMUS. That’s how you know we made it. Thanks Brian – we can die happy now. Download it for free – IN A VEGAN RESTAURANT!!!!!
Fave track – DUH.
5. Circle – Ohota
Ok so this is totally a garbage, cop-out pick, but it has “EP” in the title so it’s CLEARLY an EP. I had to put it on here in some regard. It’s the goddamn Gothsicles doing a track about Mechanismus and the Highline Bar (and the OG Street Fighter II machine in the back), a 40 second chiptune jam, and an instrumental of the Mech track. BUT IT’S THE GOTHSICLES DOING A SONG ABOUT MECHANISMUS. That’s how you know we made it. Thanks Brian – we can die happy now. Download it for free – IN A VEGAN RESTAURANT!!!!!
Fave track – DUH.
5. Circle – Ohota
https://ohota.bandcamp.com/album/circle
So I was trying to stay away from the synthwave/retrowave stuff this time around, but this release stood out to me a lot (and isn’t REALLY synthwave – it just has that retro-ish vibe). This is ONE 12 minute track and the reason I stuck it on here is because of the imagery it gave me. I totally got an ‘end credits from a bad ass sci fi movie that left me with more questions than answers’ vibe from it. It’s pretty epic. The middle of the track also has an awesome dark disco flavor. Fun fact – I discovered this artist on accident when I fat-fingered something on Spotify. Happy little accident. Sometimes that’s just how magic happens.
4. Amelia Arsenic – Queen of Risk
So I was trying to stay away from the synthwave/retrowave stuff this time around, but this release stood out to me a lot (and isn’t REALLY synthwave – it just has that retro-ish vibe). This is ONE 12 minute track and the reason I stuck it on here is because of the imagery it gave me. I totally got an ‘end credits from a bad ass sci fi movie that left me with more questions than answers’ vibe from it. It’s pretty epic. The middle of the track also has an awesome dark disco flavor. Fun fact – I discovered this artist on accident when I fat-fingered something on Spotify. Happy little accident. Sometimes that’s just how magic happens.
4. Amelia Arsenic – Queen of Risk
https://ameliaarsenic.bandcamp.com/album/queen-of-risk
I was always a fan of Ameila/DestroyX when she was part of Angelspit. I knew that Zoog did much of the crazy production stuff and was responsible for that cyberpunk dancy noisey Angelspit sound, but I really missed Amelia’s vibe when she left the project - I love her fashion style and her attitude and I was stoked to see at least an EP of her own. She brings a trashy electro hip-hop vibe to this release; it definitely brings some noise over from her Angelspit sound, but she really makes it her own with her easily recognizable vocals and straightforward yet still chaotic production. If you were a fan of Angelspit’s first few albums, this one is worth checking out. She kills it here and I’m stoked for what she may be still to come!
Fave track: Architects of Death
3. Crystal Geometry – Red Faith Militia (SG 1887)
I was always a fan of Ameila/DestroyX when she was part of Angelspit. I knew that Zoog did much of the crazy production stuff and was responsible for that cyberpunk dancy noisey Angelspit sound, but I really missed Amelia’s vibe when she left the project - I love her fashion style and her attitude and I was stoked to see at least an EP of her own. She brings a trashy electro hip-hop vibe to this release; it definitely brings some noise over from her Angelspit sound, but she really makes it her own with her easily recognizable vocals and straightforward yet still chaotic production. If you were a fan of Angelspit’s first few albums, this one is worth checking out. She kills it here and I’m stoked for what she may be still to come!
Fave track: Architects of Death
3. Crystal Geometry – Red Faith Militia (SG 1887)
https://sonicgroove.bandcamp.com/album/red-faith-militia-sg1887
Straight from the factory new-school EBM. This was unexpectedly cool. I randomly happened across this and streamed the first track, and I was hooked. The sound is unmistakably retro but not OLD – that’s a very fine line that a lot of new body music bands cross over too much. The songs are JUST long enough - as with any music with minimal vocals or samples, things can sort of drone on. These guys do not do that. I dug every minute of this. Plus – they sampled Vincent Price’s iconic laugh in the final track. That alone put it on the list. If you like EBM, you’ll move the shit out of your B if you download this.
Fave track: Social Injustice
2. Webdriver Torso – Listen_Die_EP
Straight from the factory new-school EBM. This was unexpectedly cool. I randomly happened across this and streamed the first track, and I was hooked. The sound is unmistakably retro but not OLD – that’s a very fine line that a lot of new body music bands cross over too much. The songs are JUST long enough - as with any music with minimal vocals or samples, things can sort of drone on. These guys do not do that. I dug every minute of this. Plus – they sampled Vincent Price’s iconic laugh in the final track. That alone put it on the list. If you like EBM, you’ll move the shit out of your B if you download this.
Fave track: Social Injustice
2. Webdriver Torso – Listen_Die_EP
https://webdrivertorso.bandcamp.com/
I’ve already gushed about these guys all year long – by far the most unexpectedly cool new band I saw at the Mech fest last year, and had the pleasure of interviewing them for the site as well. This EP perfectly encapsulates what WT is all about – weird but not too weird, noisy but not too noisy, dancy but not too dancy. This EP makes you go ‘what the fuck did I just hear’, but in the best possible way. They are on to something here and if for some crazy reason you haven’t heard them yet, please do yourself a favor and jump on so you can say you heard them before they become a much bigger deal.
Fave track: Web_007
1. Blush Response – Abuse Your Freedom
I’ve already gushed about these guys all year long – by far the most unexpectedly cool new band I saw at the Mech fest last year, and had the pleasure of interviewing them for the site as well. This EP perfectly encapsulates what WT is all about – weird but not too weird, noisy but not too noisy, dancy but not too dancy. This EP makes you go ‘what the fuck did I just hear’, but in the best possible way. They are on to something here and if for some crazy reason you haven’t heard them yet, please do yourself a favor and jump on so you can say you heard them before they become a much bigger deal.
Fave track: Web_007
1. Blush Response – Abuse Your Freedom
https://blushresponse.bandcamp.com/album/abuse-your-freedom
This shit is so good. I totally slept on this band when they first came out, but after this release I’m giving them a second look. This is the embodiment of the new EBM flavor that’s been all the rage over the last year or so. It reminds me of Haujobb at times – dark, raw, and heavy, but keeps that beat going through the whole EP. If that’s how you like your industrial, then hop on this train. On that note, the label this release came out on (aufnahme + wiedergabe) is putting out all sorts of awesome darkness (including past Blush Response releases that I totally missed). *chefs kiss*
Fave track: Weak People
LPs
*HONORABLE MENTION* - Cyanotic – T2
This shit is so good. I totally slept on this band when they first came out, but after this release I’m giving them a second look. This is the embodiment of the new EBM flavor that’s been all the rage over the last year or so. It reminds me of Haujobb at times – dark, raw, and heavy, but keeps that beat going through the whole EP. If that’s how you like your industrial, then hop on this train. On that note, the label this release came out on (aufnahme + wiedergabe) is putting out all sorts of awesome darkness (including past Blush Response releases that I totally missed). *chefs kiss*
Fave track: Weak People
LPs
*HONORABLE MENTION* - Cyanotic – T2
https://cyanotic.bandcamp.com/album/t2
OK yeah another bullshit add-on cheater pick, but this record is bitchin. It’s technically a souped-up version of Cyanotic’s 2017 album “Tech Noir”, but it came out in 2018 with some new hotness added to it, so I’m putting it on here now since I didn’t put it on last year’s list. Cybertech industrial at its finest. I’m pretty sure Cyanotic just wanted to call an album “T2”, so instead of releasing an EP of the other stuff, they slapped it on here and made a sequel better than the original while maintaining the flavor of the first one. Bravo, gentlemen. Keep on melting our faces - just no “T3”, please?
Fave track: Time To Move (purposely picked one from the T2 release, otherwise it’s Clear a Path)
5. OhGr – TrickS
OK yeah another bullshit add-on cheater pick, but this record is bitchin. It’s technically a souped-up version of Cyanotic’s 2017 album “Tech Noir”, but it came out in 2018 with some new hotness added to it, so I’m putting it on here now since I didn’t put it on last year’s list. Cybertech industrial at its finest. I’m pretty sure Cyanotic just wanted to call an album “T2”, so instead of releasing an EP of the other stuff, they slapped it on here and made a sequel better than the original while maintaining the flavor of the first one. Bravo, gentlemen. Keep on melting our faces - just no “T3”, please?
Fave track: Time To Move (purposely picked one from the T2 release, otherwise it’s Clear a Path)
5. OhGr – TrickS
https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/ohgr
If we’re not getting a new Skinny Puppy record in 2018 (which is actually a ridiculous thing to type out), then I’ll take this. I was always a bigger fan of ohGr’s solo ventures than cEvin Key’s side projects, and this one did not let me down. Cryptic obscure lyrics? Yup. Awkward rhythms? Here. Poppier song structure? We got it. It’s Ogre being Ogre, and if you’re a fan of his, you’ll be a fan of this record. He has consistently delivered a sound that’s *just* enough NOT Skinny Puppy, so if you were not a Puppy fan, this album could definitely be a way back in to appreciating the weird charisma that Ogre brings to his art. It’s actually kind of a fun record, but still maintains a slight creep factor. Thumbs up.
Fave track: Toxick
4. Ministry – AmeriKKKant
If we’re not getting a new Skinny Puppy record in 2018 (which is actually a ridiculous thing to type out), then I’ll take this. I was always a bigger fan of ohGr’s solo ventures than cEvin Key’s side projects, and this one did not let me down. Cryptic obscure lyrics? Yup. Awkward rhythms? Here. Poppier song structure? We got it. It’s Ogre being Ogre, and if you’re a fan of his, you’ll be a fan of this record. He has consistently delivered a sound that’s *just* enough NOT Skinny Puppy, so if you were not a Puppy fan, this album could definitely be a way back in to appreciating the weird charisma that Ogre brings to his art. It’s actually kind of a fun record, but still maintains a slight creep factor. Thumbs up.
Fave track: Toxick
4. Ministry – AmeriKKKant
https://www.amazon.com/AmeriKKKant-Explicit-Ministry/dp/B077YQQ3VC
I know. I KNOW. WHAT THE FUCK RIGHT?? How did this happen? I gave up on Crazy Uncle Al after the 4th straight uninspired metal album and his 3rd retirement. The last Ministry record I really liked was Animositisomina, and everything after that I tried SO hard with. I was a 90s industrial rock kid, so it really bummed me out when they fizzled out. Some-fucking-how, this happened. A kick-ass Ministry record featuring a shitload of hip-hop scratching, samples, and a guest appearance from Fear Factory’s Burton C. Bell? This was fabricated by 17-year-old me. It’s actually a true album too, with Al’s very clear opinions of the current political climate weaving the narrative through all the tracks. It is to be expected
of a guy who wrote 3 albums about the Bush administration, if not a little bit predictable. All in all - it’s a blast to the face from Ministry’s past (not the weird synthpop past – more like the Psalm 69 past).
Fave track: Wargasm
3. Neuroticfish – Antidoron
I know. I KNOW. WHAT THE FUCK RIGHT?? How did this happen? I gave up on Crazy Uncle Al after the 4th straight uninspired metal album and his 3rd retirement. The last Ministry record I really liked was Animositisomina, and everything after that I tried SO hard with. I was a 90s industrial rock kid, so it really bummed me out when they fizzled out. Some-fucking-how, this happened. A kick-ass Ministry record featuring a shitload of hip-hop scratching, samples, and a guest appearance from Fear Factory’s Burton C. Bell? This was fabricated by 17-year-old me. It’s actually a true album too, with Al’s very clear opinions of the current political climate weaving the narrative through all the tracks. It is to be expected
of a guy who wrote 3 albums about the Bush administration, if not a little bit predictable. All in all - it’s a blast to the face from Ministry’s past (not the weird synthpop past – more like the Psalm 69 past).
Fave track: Wargasm
3. Neuroticfish – Antidoron
https://neuroticfish.bandcamp.com/album/antidoron
Truthfully – there’s not too much insight I can provide on this album. I just fucking love Neuroticfish and I’m really happy he’s back making music. I love a little futurepop in my life and this hit the spot dead-on. This was also a year that VNV Nation put out a brand new record, which I was digging until this one
came out. I don’t know what it is. I think it’s just the perfect essence of what ‘futurepop’ really feels like it should be - epic, brassy, catchy, and simple. Lyrically, Neuroticfish always came across as poetic without being too pretentious or trying to have layers of meaning. Sometimes I just want something to make me feel good, then kinda sad, then really good, then dance a little, then reflect, then sit the fuck down and listen and feel something. Neuroticfish has always done that for me, and this release is another great example. It also feels more like an album than a collection of songs – it makes you wait until 2 minutes into the 3rd track to bring the 4/4 dance beat and when it hits you’re SO ready for it. Welcome back, Sascha.
2. Funker Vogt – Wastelands
Truthfully – there’s not too much insight I can provide on this album. I just fucking love Neuroticfish and I’m really happy he’s back making music. I love a little futurepop in my life and this hit the spot dead-on. This was also a year that VNV Nation put out a brand new record, which I was digging until this one
came out. I don’t know what it is. I think it’s just the perfect essence of what ‘futurepop’ really feels like it should be - epic, brassy, catchy, and simple. Lyrically, Neuroticfish always came across as poetic without being too pretentious or trying to have layers of meaning. Sometimes I just want something to make me feel good, then kinda sad, then really good, then dance a little, then reflect, then sit the fuck down and listen and feel something. Neuroticfish has always done that for me, and this release is another great example. It also feels more like an album than a collection of songs – it makes you wait until 2 minutes into the 3rd track to bring the 4/4 dance beat and when it hits you’re SO ready for it. Welcome back, Sascha.
2. Funker Vogt – Wastelands
https://www.amazon.com/Wastelands-Funker-Vogt/dp/B07FSJB6RK
Full disclosure – I was prepared for the worst here. I LOVE Funker Vogt, but ever since Jens Kastel left the band, they’ve been in a weird flux. There was that whole thing with the white nationalist dude, and then it was like 4 years before we got a new album. They got a new singer (Chris from Agonoize) which made me nervous, because I really was not a fan of Agonoize, and last year’s “Code of Conduct” just didn’t do it for me. Here, on “Wastelands”, I feel like Funker Vogt has become the fully-formed new version of themselves, and I loved the SHIT out of this one. It brings the energy from start to finish and I feel like these songs (more so than the last album) were all created with Chris’s voice. Then when I really thought about it, I realized how recognizable Funker Vogt’s production has been over the last 20 (!!) years and how you could always tell a FV track BEFORE the vocals hit. That production is in full effect here, and Mr. Gerrit Thomas has somehow been able to sound the same yet different over two decades. Lyrics and vocals are a big part of FV’s message, though, so on this record when it all came back together again, I was a happy man. I will be spinning this one into the ground. I CAN FEEL YOU!
Fave track: Feel The Pain
1. Ashbury Heights – The Victorian Wallflowers
Full disclosure – I was prepared for the worst here. I LOVE Funker Vogt, but ever since Jens Kastel left the band, they’ve been in a weird flux. There was that whole thing with the white nationalist dude, and then it was like 4 years before we got a new album. They got a new singer (Chris from Agonoize) which made me nervous, because I really was not a fan of Agonoize, and last year’s “Code of Conduct” just didn’t do it for me. Here, on “Wastelands”, I feel like Funker Vogt has become the fully-formed new version of themselves, and I loved the SHIT out of this one. It brings the energy from start to finish and I feel like these songs (more so than the last album) were all created with Chris’s voice. Then when I really thought about it, I realized how recognizable Funker Vogt’s production has been over the last 20 (!!) years and how you could always tell a FV track BEFORE the vocals hit. That production is in full effect here, and Mr. Gerrit Thomas has somehow been able to sound the same yet different over two decades. Lyrics and vocals are a big part of FV’s message, though, so on this record when it all came back together again, I was a happy man. I will be spinning this one into the ground. I CAN FEEL YOU!
Fave track: Feel The Pain
1. Ashbury Heights – The Victorian Wallflowers
https://www.amazon.com/Victorian-Wallflowers-Ashbury-Heights/dp/B07G5KW859
And it’s come down to this. I look back on this top 5 list and think “I am all over the goddamn place”. But, that’s truly what I love about industrial music – the branches on the tree that have sprung out and grown and seem so far removed from each other, but all share similar roots. I finish my list with the lightest, poppiest, and most straight-up amazing album I’ve heard all year – all across any genre. Ashbury Heights were one of those bands that, when I first heard them, wondered “why aren’t they superstars??” Their whole aesthetic is very steampunk-burlesque, Victorian-age timelessness and musically they are just SO DAMN CATCHY! You could give the album to anyone and they could find something they like about it. As a group, Ashbury has been the vision of Anders Hagstrom and a revolving door of female vocalists. This album is the first time he’s had the same collaborator (Tea
Thime) on consecutive releases (the last one being 2015’s “The Looking Glass Society”). I believe that the strength of that partnership really shows through on this release with Tea’s vocals being allowed to shine just as bright as Anders’ fabulous voice. Ashbury Heights have always been a personal favorite of mine, and putting out an album that evolves their sound and showcases their talent even further is all I could ever ask for. Dark pop music at its absolute finest.
Fave track: Long Lost Dead and Gone
And, on that note, this article is now dead and gone! I hope you found something new to listen to after reading this, or found a new person on the Internet to vehemently disagree with. Either way, thanks for reading if you did and I’ll be back with more nonsense down the line! The Doktor is OUT!
And it’s come down to this. I look back on this top 5 list and think “I am all over the goddamn place”. But, that’s truly what I love about industrial music – the branches on the tree that have sprung out and grown and seem so far removed from each other, but all share similar roots. I finish my list with the lightest, poppiest, and most straight-up amazing album I’ve heard all year – all across any genre. Ashbury Heights were one of those bands that, when I first heard them, wondered “why aren’t they superstars??” Their whole aesthetic is very steampunk-burlesque, Victorian-age timelessness and musically they are just SO DAMN CATCHY! You could give the album to anyone and they could find something they like about it. As a group, Ashbury has been the vision of Anders Hagstrom and a revolving door of female vocalists. This album is the first time he’s had the same collaborator (Tea
Thime) on consecutive releases (the last one being 2015’s “The Looking Glass Society”). I believe that the strength of that partnership really shows through on this release with Tea’s vocals being allowed to shine just as bright as Anders’ fabulous voice. Ashbury Heights have always been a personal favorite of mine, and putting out an album that evolves their sound and showcases their talent even further is all I could ever ask for. Dark pop music at its absolute finest.
Fave track: Long Lost Dead and Gone
And, on that note, this article is now dead and gone! I hope you found something new to listen to after reading this, or found a new person on the Internet to vehemently disagree with. Either way, thanks for reading if you did and I’ll be back with more nonsense down the line! The Doktor is OUT!
