The Goth/Post-Punk Revival Blog Top 50 of 2020 - part 8, 15 - 11

With no new studio work from the likes of scene giants She Past Away, Whispering Sons, Antipole and Der Himmel Uber Berlin, 2020 could have been a musical disappointment, but such was the breadth and depth of talent on display that those making the Goth/Post-Punk Revival top 15 brought out their best music to date, and these next five selections, from traditional goth rock to electro punk, again hint at the range of sounds to be enjoyed by fans of the genre.

 

15 Raven Said – She Comes To Me

Russian duo Raven Said are quite possibly the world’s most goth act ever, and their 2020 album Beyond The Darkest Hour brimmed with a confident, multi-layered gothic rock that soon made waves thousands of miles away from their native Ekaterinburg. Steeped in gothic musical and cultural history, Andy and Maria live the gothic lifestyle 24/7 and pour everything into their music, patiently explaining their vision to less scholarly interviewers. Maria’s synths and Andy’s guitar lines and often semi-whispered vocals create a potent mix, as here on the single She Comes To Me, hinting at greater things to come from one of Eastern Europe’s finest ensembles.

14 Glasszone –  The Lighthouse

Glasszone continue the great tradition of French wave music which dates back to the days of Jad Wio, Asylum Party and Mary Goes Round in the late 1980’s. Following up their 2019 album Garden of Glass, the Restless Nights EP featured an up-tempo title track, but atmospheric slowburners like The Lighthouse and The Last Time showed the true depth of the Glasszone sound.

13 Horror Vacui - Frustration

Italian anarcho deathrock outfit Horror Vacui returned in 2020 with their fourth and best album to date, Living For Nothing, full of galloping bass and jagged shards of guitar to create a series of excellent songs which never stray too far from the classic gothic template, like Frustration. Although only half an hour long in total, Living For Nothing delivered more punch than many albums twice the length.

12 Into Grey - Bloom

US post-punk/coldwave solo project Into Grey enjoyed a prolific 2020, releasing two excellent EPs of well-rounded “miserygoth”, Into Grey and Picture Perfect, as well as a series of individual tracks all released via Bandcamp. Bloom rattled along at high speed and had a Sonic Youth detuned vibe with dark twang atmospherics and a haunting and vulnerable vocal. Introspection at its finest, Into Grey is the highest placed debut act in this year’s countdown.

11 The Guilt - Stick To Your Guns

Swedish electro-punk act The Guilt were one of those artists whose place in this countdown was in doubt given that they operate at the very extremes of the genre (rather like Bob Vylan, who were ultimately just the wrong side of the line, being more punk than post-punk), but the post-punk guitar vibe and coldwave synth base swung the decision in their direction. The 2020 album Hot Knives is arguably one of the strongest selection of songs I’ve heard all year, with in-your-face vocals from the sassy Emma over Tobias’ whipsmart beats and licks. If you’ve not heard this album you’re in for a treat – think The Ting Tings meets Kas Product with a vocal power and energy that makes Beth Ditto sound like she’s singing nursery rhymes in comparison.