Hang the Dance- Ghost Bloody Country LP

February seems to be a very post-punk month for Systems of Romance thus far. With that in mind here's an excellent LP from the UK which I discovered in a local record bin for just a few dollars. A random purchase, selected on the strength of the cover and a quick turntable preview. Some awesome sounds here, reminiscent of Southern/Death Cult, but with clear, catchy synth lines on a handful of the tracks. Fans of bands such as Play Dead, Into A Circle, Snake Corps, and the Situation Two sound should really enjoy this one.

This appears to be the band's only full length LP, though three singles were released around the same time. While there isn't a lot of information about the band themselves, many gigographies include shows with the band over the years. Most notably, member Roman Remeynes sparked some controversy when calling in about the Ukranian John Peel Sessions performed by The Wedding Present. Fluent in Ukranian, Remeynes playfully stated that the band was 'bastardizing the music.' He was then invited to join in for the second peel session!

Here's the info:



Hang the Dance- Ghost Bloody Country LP
1. Enfold
2. On the Waterfront
3. Babysitter
4. Horseflesh
5. Ghost Bloody Country
6. Host
7. Mahogany Day
8. Slate Detail
9. Look At Heaven
10. Some Sacred Ground

*download it here*

Apologies for the crummy sleeve scan. Haven't had the chance to take my own photo. Will rectify this asap!

Various Artists- Unreleased Vol. II

Last, but not least, here's a higher bitrate copy of the Unreleased Vol. II compilation, featuring a slew of classic coldwave cuts, at the time very scarce. You have some excellent work by many of the bands featured here in the past, including Mary Goes Round, Neutral Project, Little Nemo, and Asylum Party. The Wallenberg track is also a favorite.

This Unreleased series contained three volumes, the first of which I haven't heard, and the third which took a more classical/instrumental approach.



Various Artists- Unreleased Volume II
1. Little Nemo- My Eternal Friend (1st Way)
2. Mary Goes Round - The Nightmare
3. Via Valvag - Au Rythme Des Jours
4. The Wait - Moving In
5. Kindergarten - Machines'Co
6. Asylum Party - The Desert
7. Wallenberg - Someone's Changing (Helen Part 1)
8. Neutral Project - Enigmatic Dream
9. Close Cover - The Bomb
10. Les Tétines Noires - Marônium

*download it here*

Ex Post Facto- Oceanic Explorers 12''

For those not entirely thrilled with the idea of a Depeche Mode clone, here's a request that should suit you well. This particular 12'' has been posted before over at music...isms, but the author admittedly wasn't able to provide the b-side at good quality. A shame, as I find the second track on this 1982 single to be the best of the three!

You can read more about this UK synth/post-punk hybrid and nab the rest of their work over at music...isms, so let's just dive right in!



Ex Post Facto- Oceanic Explorers 12''
1. Oceanic Explorers
2. Bast
3. Marilyn

*download it here*

Black Sea- An Early Fall LP

THREE new posts to kick off this new week, so bear with me, folks! The first hails from Black Sea, a US-based four piece post-punk band who releaed just one (appropriately titled) LP in 1990. The band formed in New Jersey and had a sound comparable with early Cure, The Church, etc. with a slightly harder edge. The LP was released on a small label, the local No. 6 Records, but distributed by Rough Trade, which no doubt earned the band a small cult following.

Various sources allude to another released track, on a C'est La Morte compilation, but I can't seem to confirm it for sure. Feel free to drop a line if anyone has any further information on these guys. That said, here's the info for the LP:



Black Sea- An Early Fall LP
1. Washed Away
2. Immigrant Song
3. Hope
4. Mix
5. Killing Time
6. Darkest Days
7. Empty Fields
8. River Runs Red

*download it here*

Track 2 is indeed a cover of the infamous Led Zeppelin track, but with a fresh new take! Enjoy, and stay tuned for more goodies! I have a bunch of new stuff in this vein (more guitar-driven) so coldwave/post-punk fans, rejoice!

Bildenzone- Autodafé LP

Taking a drastic turn for the second post today, with a little French post-punk LP from 1988. Expect some dark, thrashy tracks on this LP, mixed with the occasional dance groove for good measure. Lots of doom and gloom and guitar driven greatness to be found, so fans of Ziyo, Siekiera, and the darker side of La Vague Froide (coldwave) should feel right at home with this one.

Otherwise, there's not a lot of info about this record floating around, as it's the band's only LP. If anyone can shed some more light on the band, feel free. With that in mind, have at it!



Bildenzone- Autodafé LP
1. A Pig
2. Livre De Poèsie
3. Île De Pâques
4. Autodafé
5. Rhinocéros
6. Nineties Fright

*download it here*

The Plague- Naraka LP

Now here's something for all you deathrock/post-punk kids. Up on the slab is the lone LP from NY's very own The Plague, self-released in 1987. With tracks titles such as "Vampyre" and "Suicide Queen," you can expect some witchy female vocals, thrashy guitar riffs, and other such gothic sounds, which should be right at home for fans of the genre.



The Plague- Naraka LP
1. Naraka
2. Vampyre
3. Murder
4. Suicide Queen
5. Empress
6. Never Die
7. Paradise of Pain

*download it here*

For those who downloaded the first link, all track discrepancies and skips have been sorted out. If you don't want to download the entire record again- get a clean version of "Empress" HERE.

Man Klan- Flesh Machine LP

Second on the slab we have Man Klan's lone LP, released in 1987. Can't seem to find much about these guys either, and their entire discography consists of two 12'' releases in 1985, this LP, and a 12'' single for "Wanting & Waiting." I believe the band was Swedish, though this particular LP was released on a UK label and features vocals in English. Pretty fluent, to boot!

Some great female fronted gothic grooves on here, sort of reminiscent of Concrete Blonde, (Devils era) X-Mal Deustchland, or Missing Persons, with sexually ambiguous lyrics. Striking similarities to mid-period Siouxsie as well, though track six is not a cover of the Banshees hit.



Man Klan- Flesh Machine LP
1. Wanting & Waiting
2. Everytime
3. Love For Pleasure
4. No Time For Mercy
5. Redheads
6. Candyman
7. Getting Closer
8. Fisherman
9. Flesh Machine
10. Love Child

*download it here*

Up next: the highly coveted debut LP from Sanity Plexus! Just got a fresh copy in the mail!

Soviet Sex- End of INRI LP

Last week, I left you kids with a trio of synth-based dance records. Now, to switch over to the guitar driven side of things for a few posts. Up on the slab for today we have the 1984 debut of Soviet Sex, a post-punk band based in Switzerland. There are also two other bands with this name- a band from the US and a band from the Netherlands (featured here), but according to a few pieces of info kicking around and the band members listed on the sleeve of this record (Beat Rohrer, Vico, Alwin Luschin, and Jost Baggenstos), I believe this is a completely separate entry.

According to the Swiss Punk Archive, the band's roots lie in a band called Crazy, a more punk-driven outfit. Naturally, the sounds here are still fast and energetic, but there's a bit more gloom and tension in these songs. Definitely recommended for fans of Ziyo and Siekiera. Here's the info:



Soviet Sex- End of INRI LP
1. Sünde
2. Walpurgis Night
3. Immer Noch Das Leben
4. Trauer
5. Bare Bodies
6. Zwischen Wann Und Wirklichkeit
7. Rettet Uns!
8. Weisser Tod
9. Geschirr Zerbricht

*download it here*

The band would follow this LP up with the Blind Dogs 12'' in 1985, just before disappearing. Would love to hear that one, if anyone has a copy kicking around!

Feu Ma Mere- Seasons of Mournful LP

Here's an obscure German darkwave record dating back to 1989. The band was a two piece, centering around the efforts of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Joelen Mingi and Alexander Klaffke. While discogs claims this is their only release, a youtube clip hints at a handful of earlier releases.

The band split just a year after releasing this LP. Mingi continued on with The Angina Pectoris, which aimed to update Feu Ma Mere's electronic sound with a more fleshed out lineup.

As for the record at hand, it's a curious blend of Sisters-gloom, simple driving drum machines, and layers of romanticized keyboards, definitely a good listen for fans of the more wistful darkwave sound. You kind of get a good idea of what you're in for by simply looking at the cover. Here's the info:



Feu Ma Mere- Seasons of Mournful LP
1. Eyesore
2. The Agony After
3. Remain
4. The Coldest Sea
5. Confession
6. Fashion Dance
7. Searching
8. The Hiding Place

*download it here*

Move- Move LP

I've seen this one on several wantlists across the blogosphere. Through a generous donation from Herr Pieter Schoolwerth of Wierd Records, who has leant the wax to me, I was able to rip and upload it here for you. Especially rare treat here today, folks! So rare in fact, that very little information exists about this Italian post-punk/gothic band. Their sound walks a fine line between early Christian Death with a few synth influences.

Until ripping this record, I had only heard "Cosa Domani," a particularly excellent track that's good for an aggressive dance floor. Released in 1986, this is the band's only proper full length release. Just a year later, however, the band released a split 12'' with Gronge. I should be able to convert this one soon as well, so stay tuned for that. In the interim, here's the information for Move's s/t full length.



Move- Move LP
1. Any Move
2. Cosa Domani
3. Lei
4. Lo Scoglio
5. Still Smoking
6. When I'm With My Self
7. Quattro E Tre/Quarti

*download it here*

Happy listening!

Trash Groove Girls- Vol. 1 Arbeit, Sport & Spiel EP

The Trash Groove Girls were a three piece gothic/new wave act who I believe hailed from Germany and were active in the mid 1980s. The lineup consisted of Katinka Päkel on vocals, Simone Stepputat on guitar, and Barbara Matzner on keyboards, all other instruments pre-programmed by the trio. The band released one full-length record, two singles, and one Mini-LP/EP, the latter which I've uploaded below.

I can't come up with much else in the way of visuals and information, but their sound is incredibly catchy and danceable, with a bit of abrasive edge thrown in for good measure. Without any further ado, here's the release information for their 1986EP release:



Trash Groove Girls- Vol 1. Arbeit, Sport, & Spiel EP
1. Trash Beat
2. Zero
3. Sugar Pink Go Go Baby
4. Gimme, Gimme
5. Arbeit, Sport + Spiel
6. Gimme (The Beat Part 1)

*download it here*

I also have digital copies of the band's two singles, but they're ripped at a meager 128kpbs. Holler if you're interested and I'll zip them up and send them you're way...

Clint Ruin & Lydia Lunch- Stinkfist 12''/(Don't Fear) the Reaper 12''

Today's post features two collaborative 12'' singles from two of NYC no-wave's greatest. Clint Ruin (a.k.a. Foetus, Jim Thirwell) and Lydia Lunch (ex-Teenage Jesus and the Jerks) dated a spell in the late eighties/early nineties, and during the scuzz-punk romance of the century, cut two 12'' singles. Aside from the covers that grace the second single, the original material is as dissonant and heavy-hitting as each of the pair's own work.

Details:


Clint Ruin & Lydia Lunch- Stinkfist 12'' (1987)
1. Stinkfist
2. Meltdown Oratorio
3. Son of Stink
4. The Crumb*

*feat. Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth on guitar.



Clint Ruin & Lydia Lunch- (Don't Fear) The Reaper 12'' (1991)
1. (Don't Fear) The Reaper (orig. by Blue Oyster Cult)
2. Clinch
3. Serpentine
4. Why Don't We Do It In the Road? (orig. by the Beatles)

*download both here*

Though no proper recording of this exists, here's the pair performing the Stones' 'Sympathy for the Devil' at a concert in 2001.

Rhythm & Faith- 'Time to Run' 12''

Today's post is on one-shot UK act Rhythm & Faith. Another sparsely documented act, this female-fronted goth-rock band released but one 12'' single in 1983 on Future Records, an offshoot of seminal punk label No Future (also home to early incarnations of And Also the Trees and Christian Death).

Rhythm & Faith's sound is very reminiscent of Juju-era Siouxsie & the Banshees, so fans may want to especially check this one out.

Tracklist:
1. Time to Run
2. Young Too Young Girl
3. When the Wind Blows Love Will Die
4. Illusions

download Rhythm & Faith- Time to Run 12'' (zip file)

Starting tomorrow, I'll be off and away for the holidays, so expect some more treats early next week!

Look Back In Anger- 'Caprice' EP

Another zip file for you folks today... I've uploaded the entirety of Look Back In Anger's Caprice, a six-track female fronted goth-rock record produced by Billy Duffy (The Cult/Theatre of Hate).

The band hails from Southampton, and formed in 1981, quickly securing gigs with like-minded acts Brilliant and Death Cult. The band released a cassette recording and an initial single early on, and made two parting recordings for small-time label Criminal Damage in 1984, the Flowers single and the Caprice mini-album/EP. The band folded soon after.

Personnel:
Mich Ebeling (vocals)
Jim Newby (guitar)
Steve Butler (keyboards)
Simon Tuffnell (bass)
Chris Pickford (drums)

Track listing:
1. Grey Sky
2. Silent Partner
3. Executioner
4. Torment
5. The Dark
6. Inamorata

download Look Back In Anger- Caprice (zip file)

This record often appears on the net, fetching decent prices...Keep your eyes peeled for it and snap it up if and when you can...and happy weekend, kiddies!