What was it about the 80s that gave rise, in certain quarters at least, to a fascination with mittel Europa ennui, industrial soundscapes, flirtations with fascist imagery, gay musings on freedom in deviancy, which then all seemed to morph into a dark neo-folk? At the silly end of the spectrum this gave us Midge Ure vamping around Vienna on a chilly evening. More credibly we had Marc Almond’s solo work, and so on until we reached the scarier climates of Coil, Current 93, and, here, Death in June. No surprise that both John Balance and David Tibet made up part of the revolving group of collaborators on this, Douglas Pearce’s ongoing project.
For some reason the hardcore frequently favoured shaved heads and the liberal application of khol eye-liner.
The Wall of Sacrifice bookends a set of neo-acoustic apocalyptic folk - think Dead Can Dance with added doom – with two longer experimental pieces. The opening track is a relentless barrage of martial rhythms, triumphant horn flourishes sampled from old German marches, all driven forward by repetitive piano riffs. Not everyone’s cup of sturm und drang but music to these ears. The similarly epic closer, Death is a Drummer, conjures up more ghostly military music against a droning hypnotic pulse. The sparser acoustic pieces in-between may be a safer point of entry for the wary.
Oddi wrth y brawd
giddy giddy carousel
10 comments:
Look forward to listening to this.
Re: Current 93, I had the chance to see them in London a week or two ago (they played two nights supported by Rameses III and Comus!)but thought better of it. 4 gigs and a festival in one month would have indicated a serious midlife crisis and have tried the patience of even the most understanding spouse. Sticking with the PTV theme am currently listening to the new David Max And The Sons of the Void CD (funny what drops into one's lap from strange places)which shows a surprising lightness of touch, and a cover of a Peter Tosh song of all things.
I was gagging for that Kentish Town Forum gig and all...you go and blow it out.....
David max and sons of void...will check it out....me, I'm currently grooving to Fela Kuti's Zombie
Never warmed to DiJ in the same way that I never 'got' Labach. Saw them once sometime in the 80s and remembe more aout the audience (grey, long coats, boots, shaved heads etc) than the music.
But wld have liked to have gone to the Tibet @ 50 thing for old times sake.
Fela Kuti's Zombie. Now you're talking!
Loved this, by the way, and especially the shorter "lullaby"- type numbers.
And to think (with apologies to Dinas Powys' finest) "I knew Y Brawd when he used to rock n' roll"
Ah yes, makes you want to sit down to Sunday lunch wearing a long leather coat and the darkest shades imaginable.
Now to paint the walls black. The missus is gonna love it!
"makes you want to sit down to Sunday lunch wearing a long leather coat and the darkest shades imaginable."
Normal attire circa 85. Not sure Sunday lunch would be made that often though after previous night's orgy of alcohol, powder and ritualistic sex. Maybe a late one after the EastEnders Sunday omnibus.......
Even Mark E Smith did the long leather coat and eyeliner look in 1985. Though that was maybe at Brix's bidding.
Realise I'm a year late with that jolly interesting comment.
True dat. He did have the good grace to take the piss out of himself though: MES in Shoulder pads etc.
I'm going to re-up a working link to this post in next 48 hours - check back.
Dead dead dead link... Sob.
OK. This time I will re-up. Gimme a coupla days n check back.
consider this puppy re-upped
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