Seems kinda weird for such an obviously mainstream pop-aspiring artist to release their debut via the self-limiting 7" format, but it's not as if I mind. The full-color foldover and white vinyl makes for a nice package that befits the ambitious music contained therein. And ambitious it is: both tracks soar with grandiose Swedish melancholy, no doubt helped considerably by the talents of producer/engineer Rikard Löfgren (Bay Laurel/Leon Music), who also happens to share songwriting credits alongside Jessica Johansson, the artist herself. While Viridiflora's electro/pop is in no way groundbreaking, it is well-executed, especially on the b-side "I bleed you out" which attempts a more personal and mature lyrical approach that appeals to me far more than the vague generalities expressed in "High on you". There's still a bit too much guitar on the far side of corny for me to give it a wholehearted recommendation, but it's still enjoyable. - Avi Roig
This is the sort of release that feels tailor-made for me: obscure Swedish postpunk act records a single demo that gets lost to the ages, only to be resurrected a dozen or so years later by a likewise obscure label for a limited vinyl release. I had never heard of the band Monument before unearthed their lone 4-song EP, but why would I? They didn't do much except make great music in the wrong place at the wrong time, a fatal and inescapable error only apparent in retrospect. It's a shame too, because I think they'd fit quite nicely alongside the current pseudo-goth/synth revival (Zola Jesus, Cold Cave, etc.), though their sound is a bit more streamlined/less overtly indie. So yeah, if you dig on classic dark rock ala Cure or Depeche Mode or are one of those few people like myself who count themselves as fans of Bay Laurel (some strong similarities there in terms of pacing and vocal timbre, though Monument lacks their heaviness), then you'll be way into this. Or if you're like me and you love digging up unknown Swedish postpunk gems, you need this too.
Swedish classic-metal act Enforcer will be going into the studio on November 27 to begin work on their sophomore album "Diamonds", tentatively set for a late April 2010 release. Rikard Löfgren (ex-Bay Laurel?) will produce.
Finally, back to discussing mp3s I actually like. First impressions of Danes The Silent Section had me thinking early Madrugada or mid/late-period Swans, but further investigation makes me think of Bay Laurel, should you remember them. I think it must be those tenor vocals because they're certainly not as overly metallic as that band ever was. Beyond Dawn might be a good point of comparison too, though in that instance it's the sound of recording that reminds me of them. Both "In reverie" and "Electric sulking machine" had a similar brittle-ness to them. Of course the one thing that ties of all these points of interest together is the mood: black as pitch. The Silent Section play gothic rock, straight up. There are pop overtures and bits of neo-folk and sometimes they get a little heavy, but at its heart, it is what it is. Call it "death rock" if you want, but I say it's a cop out for people scared of the g-word. If you can embrace a little darkness, there's nothing to be frightened of whatsoever.
I spent quite a bit of time combing through my music archives looking for dark and scary music to use in my various Halloween playlists, naturally digging up quite a bit of my old goth and doomrock in the process. One of the bands that jumped out was Bay Laurel, a Swedish act that I probably first became aware of through Katatonia, back when I used to regularly check the current playlist section of their website to see what they were listening to. I discovered quite a few great acts that way- it led me to revisit Kent and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and got me into other stuff like Ben Christophers, Novembre and Madrugada. Bay Laurel actually reminds me a bit of Madrugada, come to think of it, at least their older material circa "Industrial silence". It strikes a similar mood the guitarists do a decent job of approximating Robert Burås' superb use of space. It also helps that Bay Laurel frontman Rikard Löfgren has a deep voice reminiscent of Sivert Høyem, though his lyrical aspirations don't quite match up. Still, I appreciate Rikard's incredibly earnest delivery even if he sometimes over-indulges in cliché. And the music is great; dark and heavy without crossing the line into metal. Too bad there aren't more bands like this around nowadays or, if there are, I'm certainly not hearing about 'em.
Here's the playlist for this week's special spooky/scary Halloween edition radio show:
01. TALK 1
02. Entombed - Hollywood Babylon
03. ARM - Humming bug
04. Camouflage - Oktober
05. TALK 2
06. Notre Dame - Red Cross
07. Sanctum - Lie low
08. Bay Laurel - Pale colours
09. TALK 3
10. At the Gates - Blinded by fear
11. Frode Haltli - Lude
12. Brighter Death Now - Little baby
13. Death Breath - Lycanthropy
14. TALK 4
15. Breach - Mr. Marshall
16. The Skull Defekts - Carved in bones
17. The Cardigans - Mr. Crowley
18. TALK 5
19. Diabolique - Catholic
20. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Masks, walls and other ways to keep things out, to keep things in
21. The Bear Quartet - Broken heart
22. Mercyful Fate - Come to the Sabbath
23. TALK 6
24. Beyond Dawn - Cigarette
25. Pimentola - Heart's dementia (Phase I)
26. Repoman - Chemically obsessed
27. TALK 7
28. MZ412 - Infernal affairs II
29. Satyricon - Nemesis divina
30. Switchblade - Selfdestruct schematics / Open aftermath
31. TALK 8
32. Rasion D'etre - Metamorphyses Phase IV
33. Cortex - We are the dead
34. TALK 9
35. Emperor - I am the Black Wizards
Dark Dose posts a track from Swedish gothrock act Bay Laurel: http://darkdose.com/?p=35 Just like their post on Diabolique, this is another hidden gem that they've unearthed. I don't talk a lot about goth stuff on here because, to be frank, a lot of it is quite embarassing, but there are definitely some worthwhile bands out there to check out.
Viridiflora