I thought I'd try something a little different this time around. Instead of going on and on about album art, I thought I'd pick a few of my favourite music videos and have a look at those. After four volumes and twelve albums it is getting harder to think of truly great album covers. Though I'm sure there are many that haven't occurred to me yet. So for now I'm going to leave that and come up with another few posts worth of ideas (feel free to leave any suggestions in comments). In the meantime here are some brief thoughts on some great music videos.




Killing Joke - 'Love Like Blood'
'Night Time', 1985


My first pick this month is the fantastic classic by Killing Joke. A proud left wing band, this anthemic song has a suitably inspiring video with classic socialist imagery used throughout with the colours of the flag of the Second Spanish Republic featuring prominently. Not only is the song brilliant with it's steady drum beat, haunting melody and astounding bass line courtesy of the late Paul Raven - but the video is a high point for industrial/goth/indie bands that followed.


Moonspell - ‘Finnisterra’
'Memorial', 2006


A bit of a heavier choice now and quite a modern metal video. Moonspell's use of 'Gothic' imagery over the years has been somewhat cheesy. However the heavily CG video for 'Finnisterra' is so over-the-top that it is borderline genius. The band and director have lost all sense of subtlety, and the resulting video is a brilliant summation of the song.


Android Lust - ‘Stained’
'The Dividing', 2002


It's hard for me to say anything bad at all about Android Lust. Shikhee's song writing and conceptual execution is simply astonishing. The complexity and beauty of the music is so brilliantly mirrored by the imagery of AL, and none more so than in this video. 'Stained' is full of surreal, alien, sexual, and claustrophobic images that are held together by the band's distinctive style of melodic industrial music. This video will no doubt leave a lasting impression on the viewer.



Fields Of The Nephilim - ‘Psychonaut’
'Psychonaut (Single)', 1989


Fields Of The Nephilim have always used the music video to their advantage. The early promotional videos for 'Preacher Man' and 'Blue Water' were like short sci-fi/horror films set to the band's music. On ‘Psychonaut’ though they go one step further, using a catalogue of imagery held together by the visceral scenes of a Sun Dance. The grainy and sometimes oversaturated images are spooky enough, but when layered and blended as they are the video takes on a very surreal facade.



The Faint - ‘Agenda Suicide’
'Danse Macabre', 2001


The Faint are easily one of the most underrated of all the New Wave style indie bands of the new millennium. Punk, New Wave, Synthpop, and even Industrial a can all be heard in the band's sound making them somewhat unique amongst their ilk. A unique band needs a unique video, and the video for 'Agenda Suicide' is just that. Wonderfully animated in a modernist-meets-pop art style, the visual accompaniment sums up in four minutes, the angst of the modern age.


Great Music Videos Vol. 2 coming soon...

In true democratic style over at the Dominion website we have voted on our top 20 Goth/Industrial albums of the year. However there were a few in my personal top 10 that didn't make the collective cut, so I thought I'd post them here as well.
To read Dominion's top 20 albums of 2010 head over to the True Cult Heavy Metal website.

1. Killing Joke - ‘Absolute Dissent’
Spinefarm Records
The masters return with a soundtrack for the modern world that combines genres and unites fans across the spectrum.

2. Android Lust - ‘The Human Animal’
Synthellec Music
Another innovative and complex blend of electro-industrial that explores the depths of the modern human psyche.

3. Rhombus - ‘Open The Sky’

Models Own Records

Rhombus’ latest album manages to hit the nail on the head for what a modern “Trad Goth” album should sound like. All the classic sounds are present but the band just make them their own.

4. Combichrist - ‘Making Monsters’
Out Of Line Records

This band just keep building momentum with every release and this album is no exception. Full of throbbing beats and grating synths, Combichrist once again show why they’re at the top of the industrial pile.

5. Merciful Nuns - ‘Lib. I’

Solar Lodge

“The only true successor to Garden of Delight”. Seth and cohorts revisit the ‘80s for inspiration for this traditional Gothic Rock project.

6. Midnight Configuration - ‘The Unquiet Void’

Nightbreed Recordings

Nottingham’s own “Satanic Industrialists” up their game once again for their latest, and possibly, best album.

7. Alien Sex Fiend - ‘Death Trip’
13th Moon Records
The first Fiend album in six years and still brimming with that irreverent batcave sound. Alien Sex Fiend once again cement their place as the Gothparents of electro-goth.

8. Aeon Sable - ‘Per Aspera Ad Astra’
AFMusic
A new project from the duo behind Deied and Melanculia. Dark, haunting darkwave and best of all it’s free!

9. Suicide Commando - ‘Implements of Hell’
Out Of Line Records
Hard-hitting gore-obsessed electro-industrial. An album crammed full of dance floor seducing tracks.

10. Method Cell - ‘Curse Of A Modern Age’
RebCo Records
Probably one of the best synthcore bands this country has ever produced. With their intelligent approach to writing dance floor-filling hits Method Cells’ debut is a shot of adrenaline for the industrial scene.