WCH - WCH 12" (1986, Big Heat)

WCH (Working Class Heroes --> sounds like a skinhead band!) were a short-lived dark/cold Belgium band that formed in '84, released this single 12" (also off the Big Heat label such as the Rank Z'Heroes MLP posted above), and then vanished. Good stuff with some throaty-vocals, though the last track is a bit silly.

WCH - WCH 12" (1986, Big Heat)

01. Chanson D'Amour
02. Time
03. I'm On Holiday
04. Jazz

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VA: Cascades K7 (1992, Beton Tapes)

One of several compilation tapes put out by Beton Tapes spotlighting some of the then current underground goth, darkwave, and dark electro bands in Germany during the early 90s. Beton Tapes was formed in 1990, and ran by Alexander Pohle who now does the minimal label NLW, along with the Back Again zine (amongst other things). He also had another tape label called Gorkon Recordings in the 90s too. If the label's catalog numbers are correct, Beton put out well over 100 cassettes, though I have only been able to uncover maybe around 50-60 of these (so would love to see a complete list of tapes if anyone has this available! *wink *wink). Some years ago, I got a handful of emails from Sopor Aeternus-obsessed collectors offering me steep prices for this tape since it does include an exclusive version of "Birth - Fiendish Figuration" that to my knowledge has never been released elsewhere. Several of the bands included here went on to become common names in the 90s German Goth Hall of Fame (or Shame), so you get some early recordings from The House of Usher, Ghosting, The Hall of Souls, etc. along with bands that never got past the cassette circuit. My favorite track is certainly the one by Disorder.

VA: Cascades K7 (1992, Beton Tapes)

01. The Trinity-Mania - Invisibility
02. Ghosting - Ad Infinitum
03. The Hall of Souls - Shadow Factory
04. Disorder - Der Taucher II
05. Tumorous Flesh - Below The Cascade
06. Static Threshold - Der Schmerz
07. Serpents - Dying Angel
08. Halo Svevo - Pain Leisure
09. Sopor Aeternus - Birth - Fiendish Figuration (The Inner Hell)
10. Halo Svevo - And So Am I...
11. The Hall of Souls - Leviathan
12. Elephant Vs. Bromley - Clock
13. The House of Usher - Anne
14. 1 SBH - Seconds
15. Ghosting - With Closed Eyes
16. Sopor Aeternus - Birth - Fiendish Figuration (Memories Are Haunted Places)

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VA: A Brûle-Pourpoint K7 (1984, Présence)

So much music always, but so little time to actually sit down and listen to most of it... and even less time to spend ripping records and tapes lately. I did squeeze some time in for this one. Ignore what discogs says, this one came out in 1984, which is clearly listed on the cassette and the booklet contains information in it regarding some releases that came out in 1984... Released on the Présence label, which was ran by members of Isolation Ward... so naturally mostly Belgian bands... but a few from France and one from the UK too (though recorded in Belgium). Many rare, obscure bands/tracks ranging from coldwave, minimal synth, new wave, post punk, and experimental. Here is a quick, vague description of the lot... to give you an idea.

01. Crime of The Kitchen - "Batgirl"  // Belgium minimal synth/new wave with girl vocals, sounds similar to Vita Noctis

02. Isolation Ward - "Fifth Rate Puritains" // Famous Belgium coldwave / postpunk band... male singer on this track. The trumpets sort of give it that early Death In June feel ("We Drive East")... though this is certainly less dynamic, and much more lo-fi

03. Pip - "Wiskey Hour" // UK band... mournful experimental track with violin, percussion, female vocals, etc.

04. Digital Dance - "The Night Suite (Live 3-12-81)" // Belgian post-punk / new wave band... fairly well known I would think

05. DZ Lectric - "Chine" // France .. Instrumental, experimental minimal synth track... but good quality. This guy did tons of tapes (and one LP), often collaborating with Anton from Norma Loy.

06. Entrée En Gare De La Ciotat - "The Quest" // Belgium post-punk, new wave

07. North Pole - "Transhumans" // Belgium experimental, instrumental minimal synth track

08. Magnétique Bleu - "In The Night" // France, same guy from DZ Lectric with additional members. Coldwave, minimal synth, new wave... Best known for their tracks from the "Le Cimetière Des Passions" LP and their 7".

09-Bernthöler - "Extérieur Nuit" // Belgium, one of the darker and more obscure tracks I've heard by them... similar sound to their track from "Underground Belgian Wave Vol. 2" LP, but darker / less upbeat.

10. Nox - "Kano" // France, certainly similar to their early track "White Noise" from the "Rituals Dos Sadicos" K7 if you've ever heard it... I never really kept up on this band, so don't know how it compares to their later material that is probably better known...

11. Chemical Hours - "Hate" // Another Belgium band with a girl singer playing DIY new wave with some synths...

12. Venise - "Giepsies" // French coldwave, gothic, new wave band... I posted their 7" on this blog not too long ago. Often listed as a Belgium band, the booklet claims they are French, and this track was recorded in Paris as well.

13. Dirty Time - "Silence" // Belgium post-punk, cold... Factory Records influenced.

14. Michel D. - "Dead End Poison" // Belgium - experimental, instrumental track

15. Two Witnesses - "Mangeons Les Esquimaux Tant Qu'ils Sont Froids" // Belgium - experimental track


If I have the free-time, I will post something new late next week, if not.... then maybe the next week!

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Screaming Fools - Recent Moments In Life 12" (1991, Self-Released)

Another very good quality, rarely mentioned German private-press oddity from the early 90s mixing dark wave and guitar wave, not too dissimilar to country mates Dusk To Dawn and others from the German wave scene of that era.

The first track "I Wonder" is probably the most radio-friendly of the bunch (think Pink Turns Blue, Escape With Romeo, The Colour of Spring, The Convent, Blessing In Disguise, etc. if recorded on a small budget), "The Light" reminds me of Passion Noire with a stronger Cure influence (my second favorite track on here), "The Girl & The Train" is an okay track, and "No More" is the dark wave smasher that might make you want to hunt this one down.

No other releases from this band unless some cassettes are available... which wouldn't surprise me because I do have one live track by them included on the German Beton Tapes compilation tape "Brave Boys Keep Their Promises" released in 1992. The keyboard player is now in an electronic band called The Promise, and some past Electro/EBM/Synthpop bands such as Philtron and SFOR Crime.

http://netkups.com/?d=39a502a72f021
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Rineva 7 - Ennui 7" (1981, F.L.V.M.)

Another rare, obscure French coldwave record.... their only release from the F.L.V.M. label that had some other nice releases too. Rineva 7 sounds quite a bit like Guerre Froide, especially on the excellent B-side "Brulure".


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Formule Tag - Derniers Baisers 12" (1986, Nad Disques)

Based off the five track I've heard by Formule Tag, I would be lying if I said they were overall a great band... but like many obscurities from the 80s... they did manage to produce one brilliant song. That song is "July", included here... a perfect example of mid 80s period Cure mixed with that melodic French coldwave/touching pop charm.



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Disciples of Spess - Another New Iceland 7" (1987, Grimble Records)

Not much to write today... just another lost classic dark synth UK single... Check out their website for an alternate version of the title track + a lot more tracks to download. http://www.disciplesofspess.com/

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