Back in the mid-’70s, Jerry Garcia was on a roll, touring and recording both with the band which bore his name and GRATEFIL DEAD. No wonder, then, that the half-century expansion of the latter collective’s is to be followed soon … Continue reading
The post Jerry Garcia’s “Reflections” Sees Anniversary Reissue appeared first on DMME.net.
Reviewed by Oli Gonzalez
Well, there’s unorthodox, there’s far left field…and then there’s Crippled Black Phoenix! Beginning life in 2004 as an expansive musical project that was never designed to conform to typical musical boundaries, they blend post rock, gothic, and progressive metal in a mix that truly is hard to define. Though “Sceaduhelm” provides an insight into this collaborative and ambitious project.
Things kick off with ‘One Man Wall Of Death’. The use of voiceovers can add real intrigue and an extra dimension to a band that instruments just can’t. Sometimes they’re just straight up annoying and prove to be an unwanted distraction. The voiceover here is very much of the latter, playing over what is a very promising and potentially very enjoyable delicate progressive rock passage. It’s unclear what purpose it serves, and is almost like somebody talking at the cinema when you just want to watch the movie! Though when the voiceover finally clears off, the dynamics shift and we’re treated to a much more cathartic and atmospheric burst to close out the song. I was getting a vibe similar to the 70s/80s era of progressive rock that my parents raised me on. The likes of Genesis and Marillion; and that’s only a good thing! This energy continues into ‘Ravenette’, which reveals itself to be a rather infectious and catchy number indeed, especially with those glossy shoegaze style guitar tones! As well as Belinda’s impressive vocal delivery; ethereal and dripping in opulence.
So, a rough start maybe but the momentum is gathering.
Though things get spookier during the opening of ‘Things Start Falling Apart’. Especially with the ominous hypnotic guitar arpeggio and haunting effects that sound like they belong in a 1970s sci-fi movie! Though order is restored and we’re treated to more introspective and cathartic soundscapes which are quickly becoming a signature for Crippled Black Phoenix! What’s also becoming signature is that bleak melancholic undertone which becomes most prominent in ‘The Precipice’. Imagine a Tom Waits style blues ballad, especially with the anguish and palpable pain in the deep rich vocals provided by Justin Storm, and this is what we’re introduced to. All before the gears are suddenly shifted and we find ourselves in a much more uplifting and almost stadium like ballad that washes over you gracefully. You’ll notice that Crippled Black Phoenix don’t really have a fixed lead vocalist and will often swap vocalists on a song-by-song basis to match the emotion and timbre required. This rotation and shifting of vocalists provides a safeguard to boredom and staleness, and speaks to the vast creative reserves that Crippled Black Phoenix possess.
A little bit of calmer psychedelic spiced ambience in the shape of ‘The Void’ provides space for the album to breath. Definitely forming a whole greater than the sum of its parts. The psychedelics stay whilst the Belinda returns to the mic during ‘Hollows End’ and ‘Dropout’. As does the infectious pulse and eerie undertone, much like a Bjork or Julie Christmas kind of vibe. You feel as though tension is building, and is never fully resolved as we’re building towards something greater. Though some of that is seemingly lost with yet another seemingly unnecessary voice over to begin ‘Vampire Grave’ which is pretty uncomfortable to listen to and is better to just skip in all honesty. Though those who stick to this will see that it serves a purpose in setting the scene for a high tempo gothic rock style ballad. The gothic vibes continue through to ‘Colder and Colder’ though the pace slows drastically, and the walls of distortion are replaced with an introspective melancholic undertone. Justin and Belinda share vocal duties here and complement one another exquisitely.
If ‘Colder and Colder’ is melancholic, then both ‘Under The Eye’ and ‘Tired To The Bone’ are full blown serotonin drainers! Genuinely, if you don’t feel anything when listening to the ‘Tired To The Bone’ you may just be a robot, or cyborg. The music is much more stripped back and simple, with the strumming of the acoustic guitar and electronic synths setting the melodic foundations for Belinda’s haunting and ethereal vocals to glide over, where she delivers a performance dripping in raw human emotion and sentiment. This is the stand out song of the album as far as I’m concerned; dark and bleak yet achingly beautiful!
After an album that takes so many bizarre twists and turns, we need something big to end. The rather anthemic chorus and blazing guitars that characterize the final song ‘Beautiful Destroyer’ ends the album on a high; any unresolved tension is released here and provides you with a full brief and closure.
Let’s keep it 100. Crippled Black Phoenix isn’t going to be for everyone. “Sceaduhelm” is as complex as it is challenging, and at times difficult to decipher. Though those who are willing to be patient and take time to crack this riddle wrapped in an enigma will be gifted with an expansive and rewarding journey into the seldom visited and considered recesses of the vast musical spectrum.
The post Album Review: Crippled Black Phoenix – Sceaduhelm appeared first on The Razor's Edge.
Some names are chosen. Others feel inevitable. Long before Wednesday Addams stepped into pop culture, her identity was already written—quietly waiting in the shadows of Victorian folklore.
When we think about Victorian names, we often imagine old books, cemetery stones, or forgotten family records. However, one of the most iconic gothic names did not begin in Hollywood. Its origin traces back to 1838, through the words of a Victorian writer named Anna Eliza Bray.
In her collection Traditions of Devonshire, Bray recorded a traditional nursery rhyme known as “Monday’s Child”. This poem acted almost like a guide for destiny, assigning traits to children based on the day they were born.
One line, in particular, echoes through time:
“Wednesday’s child is full of woe.”
During the Victorian era, emotion was not hidden—it was elevated. Melancholy carried meaning. Darkness had elegance. While other days in the rhyme promised beauty, grace, or joy, Wednesday stood apart. It carried weight. It carried mystery.
This fascination with sorrow aligned perfectly with the gothic sensibility of the time. The idea that a child could be “full of woe” was not a curse—it was a poetic identity.
More than a century later, this same identity would be reborn.
When Charles Addams developed The Addams Family in 1964, one character remained unnamed. The daughter of Morticia and Gomez needed something distinctive—something that carried depth beyond the surface.
The answer came through poet Joan Blake, who suggested the name “Wednesday,” directly inspired by Bray’s nursery rhyme. With that choice, the character instantly inherited over a century of gothic symbolism.
Wednesday Addams was not simply created. She was summoned from history.
Today, the rise of gothic culture has brought these Victorian names back into the spotlight. There is a growing desire for names that feel timeless, mysterious, and emotionally rich.
If you are drawn to the same dark elegance that defines Wednesday, these names carry a similar presence:
Victor — A name tied to power and legacy, forever linked to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
Edith — Soft yet strong, often found in ghost stories and noir narratives.
Silas — A name that feels rooted in shadowed forests and hidden paths.
Lenore — Immortalized by The Raven, a name filled with longing and absence.
Arthur — Echoes of fog-covered London and forgotten legends.
The story of Wednesday Addams reveals something deeper. Names are not just identifiers. They carry history, emotion, and meaning across generations.
By reaching back to a simple rhyme from 1838, Charles Addams connected modern storytelling to Victorian tradition. He gave his character a foundation built on folklore, poetry, and the quiet beauty of melancholy.
And that is why Wednesday endures.
Because sometimes, the most powerful names are the ones that were never invented—only rediscovered.
Read our full analysis of The Raven
The post The 1838 Prophecy: How Victorian Names and “Monday’s Child” Created Wednesday Addams appeared first on Edgar Allan Poets – Noir Rock Band.
Yoko Ono At last, a must read, in depth book that places Yoko Ono as a pioneering avant-garde artist rather than just John Lennon’s wife
The post Paul Morley ‘Love Magic Power Danger Bliss: Yoko Ono and the Avant-Garde Diaspora’ Book Review appeared first on Louder Than War.
Three different moods. Three different kinds of nerve. All still breathing. Let’s get into the greatest albums of the 1990s.
The post The 3 Greatest Albums of the ’90s Still Hold Up appeared first on Audio Ink Radio.
Nine Inch Nails recently announced a new collaborative project with German producer Boys Noize just ahead of its official live debut at Coachella 2026. The project, Nine Inch Noize, is set for release on April 17th via The Null Corporation and Boysnoize Records, with the album designated as Halo 38. Nine Inch Noize made its first onstage appearance on Saturday night in the festival’s Sahara tent.
The rollout began with a billboard in Indio, California, before Nine Inch Nails formally confirmed the album through their official channels. At the time of the announcement, few additional details had been made public beyond the title, release date, and cover art, though the reveal made clear that Nine Inch Noize is being presented as a formal full-length collaboration rather than a one-off remix release or live-only experiment.
Nine Inch Noize made its official debut at Coachella on April 11th, joined in part by Mariqueen Maandig of How to Destroy Angels. The set pulled from across the Nine Inch Nails catalog while reworking the material for this new configuration, opening with “Vessel” and moving through tracks including “She’s Gone Away,” “Heresy,” “Copy of A,” “Me, I’m Not,” “Closer,” “The Warning,” and “Came Back Haunted.”
The performance also included “Parasite” from How to Destroy Angels, as well as a cover of Soft Cell’s “Memorabilia,” an apt choice for a project built around the meeting point of industrial electronics, body music, and club culture. The set closed with “As Alive as You Need Me to Be,” and the group is scheduled to return to the Sahara stage for Coachella Weekend Two on April 18th.
The connection between Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Alexander Ridha has been steadily building for some time. Boys Noize has appeared in Nine Inch Nails’ orbit as a touring collaborator of the band’s acclaimed Peel It Back Tour and has also worked with Reznor and Ross on projects outside the core band catalog. In 2024, he reworked the duo’s Challengers score for the release of Challengers [MIXED] by Boys Noize. More recently, he was also involved in the wider orbit of the Tron: Ares soundtrack campaign.
That history makes Nine Inch Noize feel less like a surprise and more like the next logical step. Reznor and Ross have spent the last several years moving fluidly between film composition, electronic textures, and the harder rhythmic machinery that has long defined Nine Inch Nails at its most club-facing. Boys Noize, meanwhile, has built his reputation on a body of work that pushes electro, techno, and distortion-heavy production into blunt, high-impact forms. Bringing those approaches together under a shared banner gives a proper name to a partnership that has already been visible in fragments.
With the album arriving on April 17th and the live debut now complete, Nine Inch Noize is positioned as a major new entry in the broader Nine Inch Nails universe. More details on the album are expected soon.
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The post Nine Inch Nails and Boys Noize Debut Nine Inch Noize at Coachella Ahead of Collaborative Album “Halo 38” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.
ANGINE DE POITRINE from a small city of Saguenay, Quebec, Canada.
I’m so happy that this ‘anti-commercial’, avant-garde, progressive, unorthodox, unusual, and weird (in a good way) music is brutally conquering the world, shaking up online platforms and social media of all kinds, reaching unprecedented audiences at a near-mainstream level, and it’s growing. Mentioned by great rock icons and the influential Rick Beato, featured on major television networks, and so on. Are they really that great? Undoubtedly, they’re extremely talented, but this is nothing new in terms of music. This kind of music has been played for decades, and there are probably greater talents around the world. But the great thing is that they’ve found a winning formula to conquer the world with their inventiveness and have taken full advantage of social media. They’re fun to watch, they’re unique in the way they dress and present their music, they’re weirdly charming and entertaining, and I am very happy not only for them, but for the whole music world of non-prefabricated music, which gives us hope that quality music can reach a wider audience. The mainstream world is controlled by a few companies that present the world with prepackaged content of low artistic quality. This Canadian duo, while not the most original in terms of music, is truly original in the way they present their product to audiences, both old and new, challenging the boredom of what the music industry oligarchs dictate to brainwashed masses. Yes, there is a gimmick, and a rather obvious one at that: the images are more impactful than the content, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all, because despite the devastating power of their photos and videos, the content is of reasonably high quality. If it weren’t for the visuals, they wouldn’t sell more than the usual few hundred downloads on Bandcamp and a few hundred CDs and LPs, but I think they’re breaking all records on Bandcamp. Over 50,000 copies sold on Bandcamp in a matter of a few months, evenly distributed between Bandcamp users (users => visible with their profile icons) and non-users. And I am sure their Spotify numbers are very high.
Their ‘anti-commercial anti-establishment’ approach challenges the establishment of the oligarchic music industry, prepackaged formulas, creating a gimmick to be “commercial” and ultimately to be “commercial” according to their own terms and conditions. Because everything that sells is commercial, but there are gimmicks and gimmicks, some good and some bad, they have a good gimmick
If I have the chance to see them live, I will, and if they don’t come to Madrid, I’ll travel anywhere in Europe, subject to my availability, to see them.
In the way Snarky Puppy opened the ears of jazz to a younger audience, I hope ANGINE DE POITRINE can introduce younger people to new sounds in rock and progressive music of all genres. Therefore, more than anything, I wish them even greater success and encourage artists, not just their record labels, managers, agents, etc., to invest more time and greater effort in social media networks. Of course, if the artist wants to go ‘somewhere’ rather than to be stack in ‘nowhere’. Create new inventive idea, cherish people even with entertaining gimmicks, don’t be static; be passive, active, and proactive; unleash your creativity in this rather boring world. Don’t take yourselves too seriously. If there were more content like this online, our lives would be more enjoyable in this world forcefully dominated by oligarchs, corporations, modern Neros and Caligulas, and other such idiots whose amusement consists of spreading and inciting lies, hatred, wars, genocide, greed, and much more.
Is this band a temporary meteor or a phenomenon destined to shine on the world for a longer period, rather than fading away in a year or three? It’s to be seen. And awaiting some news about future European tours.
But check them out, it’s fun and joy to watch their fun-loving microtonal world.
About Leonardo Pavkovic
Leonardo is widely known as Leonardo MoonJune, is a record producer, promoter, and founder of MoonJune Records, an influential independent label established in 2001.
Born in the former Yugoslavia and later based in New York City, Pavkovic built MoonJune into a global platform for progressive rock, jazz fusion, and experimental music. He is especially known for supporting artists who push creative boundaries rather than following commercial trends.
Beyond running the label, he is also an active concert promoter and tour organizer, helping connect musicians from different countries and scenes. Through his work, he has played a key role in bringing international progressive and fusion artists—such as Soft Machine and guitarist Dewa Budjana—to wider audiences.
Pavkovic is widely respected for his passion, global vision, and dedication to artistic freedom, making him a central figure in the modern progressive and fusion music community.
Follow MoonJune Records
Website: https://moonjune.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moonjunerecords2
Bandcamp: https://moonjunerecords.bandcamp.com/