Touching – Cauldron
Similar artists: Trent Reznor, TV On The Radio
Genre: Gothic / Dark Wave, Indietronica, Indie Rock
Pop music can only talk about a few things. And pop audiences know this. It’s why when a pop singer dares to try and stretch out, they often, mercilessly sacrifice the star. Many careers have been destroyed because of this minor misunderstanding. Few people expect top pop stars to explore wild experimentation because most people can see the writing on the wall if they do.
Artsy rock music is able to take on greater risks. It is not subservient to any expectations. At least not at first. But, if the artists making this kind of music hope to achieve any kind of success, they must learn to communicate their ideas, no matter how strange or negative, to an audience willing and capable to understand them.
Touching’s “Cauldron” is a soundtrack to the worst night you’ve had in a long time. Believe it or not, people actively seek both these types of nights and these types of songs. Regardless of the effort involved, these are the ones that can help reveal important things. Just as trauma is best relieved in order to rid yourself of it, artsy rock music can also help confront you with things that you don’t want to see but must see. With a twist of dark humour, Touching does this here.
Slower Avenue – Dark Shades
Similar artists: The Cure, Joy Division, Harsh Symmetry, Black Marble
Genre: Gothic / Dark Wave
It’s especially hard to be stylish these days. For most people, it’s extremely hard to decide what their style is. There are more choices than ever before. Each of them promises something. There are so many opportunities that it must be difficult to decide on taking one road and sticking with it until the proverbial light at the end.
This is especially true in music. The bands that try to do too much usually don’t do anything. And fans know it too. Sure, it must be painful for a music artist to change directions and get the cold shoulder from people who previously supported them. But it’s the name of the game. Once you have a style, you cannot just forsake it.
Goth-rock bands are more consistent with their musical style and the way of presenting their work than the majority of other groups. Slower Avenue’s “Dark Shades” is a rare find – a modern goth/post-punk song that manages to blend retro sounds with a modern vision. Yes, yes, it’s all dark. But this isn’t a mournful dirge, no. This is a party down at Count Dracula’s Romanian villa, and there’s a strict dress code.
