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Monday, October 06, 2008

Chp 203. Sweet Gothic Love


I came across these two “Gothic” music videos recently, and I love it. Being a Goth fan, I must say these people did an amazing job, and I really hope this small promotion here will give them a little bit more exposure to the rest of India and hopefully some of our fellow countrymen will realize how advanced the music scene is in the Northeast, contrary to popular belief that the only thing that exists in the Northeast is terrorism.

Click on “PLAY” of both the videos and then pause them and continue reading the rest of this post while you wait for the videos to load.

The Scavenger Project – Signs





Myth of Fate - Paradise




I am not getting into the whole debate on what exactly is Goth. It is too wide a genre to define in one sentence. The kind I am crazy about would be Gothic Metal, which as wiki aptly describes it, is “a combination of the aggression of heavy metal with the dark melancholy aesthetics of gothic rock.”

You have the Goth subculture, such as this picture below:



Nah, that’s not the kind of Goth I am into. The pictures below are the Goth I love, which showcase some of my favorite bands.












And that is why I stress once again that being Goth is too wide a term to use. In fact, if you look at the first picture above of the Marilyn Manson look-alike dude, many of you old timers like me would remember that popular rock band called KISS (Beth, I was made for loving you, Detroit rock city, Rock and roll all nite etc). Well, one thing is for sure, their music was nowhere near Goth and yet you can see the similarity in their looks.


[KISS]

Just like how Heavy Metal is too general as there are thrash metal, power metal, speed metal, death metal, glam metal, even nu-metal etc with different fan followings in each sub-genre, the kind of Gothic Metal I follow can come under “Symphonic Scandinavian Gothic”, since a majority of such bands come from Finland and other Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden and Iceland).

Of course I don’t like all Goth bands that have a female front (wo)man, like for example Cadaveria (former vocals of Opera IX) whose style is more extreme to the likes of death metal bands like Carpathian Forest, Satyricon, Deicide etc which are all way too dark for my taste.

[Cadaveria]


Likewise, I am not into Astarte, althought they are hot! After listening to a couple of their tracks, I had to sadly “shift+delete” the files.


[Astarte]

And there are many other Gothic bands I listen to, that do not have a female vocalist. It’s mainly about the similarity in style.

Some gothic black/death metal may be about Satanism, occultism, nihilism, necrophilism and all the other disturbing “isms” one can find in the dictionary, whereas the symphonic gothic metal that I love are usually about mysticism, nature (animism), medieval love songs, Norse mythology and even phantasmagoria.

However, there is no clear cult definition because of the continuous fusion of various styles and forms of music.

So rather than argue about what is the exact definition of Gothic, or the subtle differences between melodic black metal and symphonic black metal, or Gothic ambient and Gothic doom etc etc. let us all appreciate these two new Mizo bands and hope they continue to shine. In fact, "Scavenger Project" defines their music genre as ELECTROROCKGRESSIVE.

All the best to you guys! Show the world what you've got.

I’m just a little bit disappointed with some of the criticisms they get, mainly: “Why don’t you guys come up with your own style or originality? Why do you copy other styles?”

I find such people who talk like that to be quite ignorant about the music scene. I wonder what they mean by “original”. There has been so many many many different styles produced all over this tiny place that we call earth, that it would be extremely difficult to come up with a totally new style that has never been composed before.

If such people hear a “new” style and say “THAT is a new style”, then it is simply because they haven’t heard of it before, hence the reason they think it’s a new style. That is why I call them ignorant. Just because they’ve never heard of a particular style doesn’t mean it does not exist.

So keep rocking, Scavenger Project and Myth of Fate. Don’t listen to such unconstructive criticisms and may you take India by storm. Special wishes to the bassist of Scavenger Project - Jonah who’s the ex-bassist of IIIrd Sovereign and a good friend of mine.

Now, scroll up, watch the two videos that must have loaded by now, relax and admire their awesome talent. Cheers.



35 comments:

Mumbai Tuisunsuo said...

thanks for posting the video. love 'em. hope they stick around for the next I-Rock :P

Jinx said...

So, you're still into gothic music eh!Three years ago, a chinese friend presented me 'Evanescence-Fallen' and surprisingly,I still enjoy listening to it.You know what..even though I've listened to Evanescence before, I didn't know the genre it belongs to before.I just thought it to be sorta like alternate rock. So I guess, you're the one who introduced me to gothic music. Sorted out the ones you gave me sometime back. I'm keeping the ones I like and chucked out the rest :)
Best wishes to the Scavenger Project and Myth of faith!

Mizohican said...

@ mumbai tuisunsuo: I hope they do too :) They reached pretty high in the recent competition this time.

@ Jinx: Yes I am :) Evanescence to me is more of alternative goth (if ever people wants to call it goth) but nice to listen nevertheless (though its not one of my favorites).

Hehe you still have those songs? lolz. Yeah I love Goth and this post was intended to clarify a few points on how big Gothic really is and that it is not possible to label anything as just simply gothic.

Secondly I was trying to point out the gross misconception people have about Gothic that it is satanic, which is not the case. Some of the bands I like may be dark, but not in those gruesome horrid, devilish, ghastly kind of dark.

Dark rituals, no. Dark emotions, yes, but in a very poetic way.

Eveline said...

You beat me to it! My next post was going to be about these two bands, with of course reference to the person who introduced me to them. Thanks Kima. Those were some really good tracks. I particularly liked Myth of Fate's 'Paradise'. You have great taste. :)

It's funny how ppl always think artists in this genre always sound alike and often compare it to ones that've made it big like evanescence.
I really hope i get to see the bands u named in concert. It would be quite awesome.

Mizohican said...

Ah. You can still post about these two bands if you like :-D

They really are amazing.

People should know that there is nothing wrong in following a particular style and what matters at the end whether it is their "own" style or a copy of "other" style, is whether they managed to pull it off or not. As long as people are not doing only covers, I must say imitate any style you want. That is also great talent.

Spankin Sunflowers said...

Hey I saw your message on my blog and I just had to check out a fellow goth music fan. I totally enjoyed your blog and I LOVE symphonic metal as well. Thanks for the nice message man.

In fact, there's not many bands that I have come across yet as you know they are quite niche and Singapore doesn't play these kind of music.

I don't know if you like these kind but Virgin Black plays good black opera and Lacrimosa & The Cruxshadows totally rocks. Switchblade Symphony is pretty sweet darkwave but not my kind. The 69 Eyes are good too, they're kind of goth rock.

And of course, we had real fun at the wedding! Awesome weather!

Anonymous said...

To be honest, I had heard the riffs of only two band which you had mentioned; Nightwish and Within Temptations...liked the former one only...frankly speaking I think Gothic is just an adulteration of Heavy Metal...hehe...however, for some its their good food..nonetheless, i myself found 'em fulfilling my hunger..sometimes

Mizohican said...

@ spankin: I've never heard of Virgin Black, but I definitely do have Lacrimosa, Cruxshadows, Switchblade Symphony, and 69 Eyes. They are among some of my favs. Speaking of eyes, do you like "Leave's Eyes"? It was formed by Liv Kristin after she was fired from TOT. And then there are many other Goth bands I used to listen to, bands like Theatres des Vampires , Moonspell, Dargaard, etc before I migrated completed to Symphonic. Thanx for the comment :)

and Singapore doesn't play these kind of music.

lolz. India doesn't play these kinda music either. Go to any rock concert and you'll only mainstream rock, speed metal, and death metal. Symphonic Gothic Metal is not very popular here :-(


@ Nell Maiden: Its not an adulteration of heavy metal! Metallica playing S&M is an adulteration. But symphonic Goth is a completely different style of its own. salaaa :-)

Bobby Revell said...

The only unoriginal music is top 40 pop - which I never listen to!!!

I think you have a thing for wicked evil women in black outfits...hahaha:) (me to)

Mizohican said...

wicked evil women in black outfits

aaaauuoooOOOoooooo...

*HOWLING GRIN*

dunno whats about them, but they are just so damnnn... :)

Sekibuhchhuak said...

ka music taste ani lo tih ka pha lova, chuvang erawh chuan ka sawisel hran lo.

Anonymous said...

Hey Sandman, I regularly visit your blog which i think is one of the better ones that i have come across. Always been a surf and scroll participant but since you have featured a subject i love hence this comment.
Kudos to these two bands! i think they are awesome and makes me proud to be a Mizo.

Keep it up
Zualbonez (a very good friend of the late early school death metal Jimbo)

Anonymous said...

Nothing against Goth music but, im more into the classical/blues/instrumental mould (these two never gets much popularity). Ive listened to some goth but frankly, they do nothing for me ( i mean the feeling is lost in all the loud instruments)

Puia said...

Kei pawh ka ngainat zawng a ni tlat lo mai a. Ruahmualliam an tih ang deuhin Music mualliam an tih ang hi a ni ve thei ang em? te ka ti rilru a. Mahse, miin uluk taka an tih chuan a nalh ve thei viau dawn erawh chuan ka hria.

Keini zawng kan upa ta a ni ang, kan music ngainat zawng pawh a ni ruih tawh mai.. :)

Naupang^Fel said...

We kinda have the same taste but not always. Sometimes I enjoyed Gothic rock more than anything else but when it comes to my weak efforts, I have always been forced to enter the world of country.

Mizohican said...

@ Seki: i music taste ni chuanglovin i sawisel ngailo tih i rawn sawi a, i ti lawmawm hle e. Nang nge nge. SKK pasaltha. SKK nula gothic ngaisang ho pawn an star che.

@ zualbonez: Hey ur most welcome bro. It definitely does make me proud to be a Mizo. You know, I just remembered something about our friend Jim who passed away... Well, he was more into death metal while I was more of a gothic guy, and whenever we hang out at his pad on those lazy bangalore afternoons, he always used to make fun of me, saying "people who like gothic are usually those who don't know how to play the guitar" etc. ah those good ol days. Really makes me miss him a lot.

:-(

@ 3d: Yeah, I guess everybody have different tastes. I like loud noise, but I also have my limitations on how extreme that noise is. I love slow rock too. But blues/country etc is not exactly my cup of tea, even though I can listen if somebody plays it. But not continuously.

@ Puia: eeee Hotupa, nang ten gothic i lo ngaihsan ve ten, khawvel a tawp a nga sin. :D Mahse tuna ka gothic sawi ber chu, tunlai tleirawl ho in an lawm ang hi a ni chiah lova (an lawm chi chu punk-gothic a nia), mahse Music mualliam an tih hi chu a ni thei nge thielo chu ka hre hranpa lo. Gothic ngaithla chunga lu i su bur bur ka mitthla ah ka hmu a, nuih ka insum tang tang! :)

@ naupang^fel: Same with me. I don't listen to Gothic all the time, but then, the difference is, while u listen to country when u are not listening to goth, I listen to speed metal when not listening to goth :D plus till now I loveeee those 80s 90s slow rockers. I switch among all these "rock" bands depending on my mood and what kind of idea/visual I need to come up for an advertisement project.

Aduhi Chawngthu said...

what weird names

claytonia vices said...

what you say about 'new style' is so true... there is really very very little that might not have been done before... or maybe there is none...

awitei said...

I thil ziah a trang hi chuan Kasauti Music vel ngai thla i nih ka lo ring a..lolzz

Lucy In The Sky said...

Huizz..Kan mizo zai leh rimawi tum thiam te an chhuanawm e.

Gothic rock... My knowledge of this genre is less than zero. I'll move up to Zero after today, thanks to you. I doubt I'll ever enjoy Gothic though.

Anonymous said...

yes...maybe Jim was right. I picked up the guitar at the same time he did along with a few other friends....while they got better i stayed the same (therefore my progression to goth) ...thinking about it he did influenced me a lot in my taste of music. when he was into metallica, pantera and megadeth i was still in glam and GNR, when i got to these three he got into sepultura, slayer etc with an injection of RATM ...when i got into those he got into death metal with a brief love of Prince/the symbol intersecting....lol.... and now i love death metal also... man he was a real music lover...when we started underage drinking once his father socked him (sim angem sim angem) with no effect...but the moment his father ran to his room and gave a floor treatment to his bass guitar (nirvana style) he was like sim aag sim hrim2.. yeah he mentioned about you (i guess you and others in his team) and the jamming sessions in his bangalore pad, whenever i go and stay there... and i have never seen a guy turn pink as if he is going to die of embarassment when a boy band or britney song is played...i appreciated your post when he left.. may his soul RIP

Zualbonez

Mizohican said...

@ aduhi: weird indeed :)

@ claytonia: thanx for the comment. Yes thats what I have been trying to say here. One can criticize a musician for so many factors, but criticizing them for "copying a style" is not helpful at all. It doesn't make any sense. It only shows the critic's ignorance about the music scene. There is absolutely nothing wrong in copying a style.

@ zualbonez: I'm not one of his "team" :) I wasn't in any band, but I am one hell of a music freak, especially when it comes to metal. Thats why I bonded immediately with Jim. I still listen to all that, right from glam rock to speed metal. Im just not into thrash form of death metal. Thanx about my tribute to Jim, that was the least I could do for him. We'll always remember him in our hearts, and as rockers say, salute him with our guitars raised to the Heavens.

@ toy: Britney ai chuan heng ho hi ngaihthlak an nuam zawk :)

@ lucy: I am honored to have pushed up your gothic IQ up to 0 my dear :)

luliana said...

Gothic khawles a zau leh ta sawt mai :D ka ngaithla tam em em lo, mahse duh bik chu ka nei ve nual..chuan nightwish vocalist thar zawk hi a hlui ai khan ka duh mah zawk tlat mai :)

Anonymous said...

hello comrade!!! :-)
Been into this gothic world for quite sometime now and i won't leave it!!
Gothic chungchang i rawn sawifiah a ti tha hle mai. Misual ah te hian han link la mawle, chuan sub-genre 1 ve mai2 a ni lo tih hi hria kan pung phah mahna!!
Evanescence hi chu gothic band ah ka ngai thei bau lo. They are just a modern rock band with a female vocalist!!! :-)
Chuan Black Angel ho hi an ngaihthlak tlak ve fuuu!!

Anonymous said...

Could you perhaps comment/conjecture on why this genre of rock is so popular in Mizoram ? Also, you are right in saying that musicians cant be criticized for adapting a style, it is a different matter from just lifting tunes which is very common in India. But I would like to know whether any 'native' Mizo instruments, ideas have been used in these songs ?

Anonymous said...

All the bands you listed off are metal bands not Goth bands! You aren't even anywhere close to goth with most of the bands you listed! In fact the fact that you listed so many mainstream acts just proves you don't have any clue what your talking about at all! Do some research!!! Damn some people are just careless mindless idiots when it comes to some things! You might be a great person ,but damn! You really have a hell of a lot to learn!

Anonymous said...

Goth & metal are so overly different that you can't even start to lump the two together the way everyone here seems to be doing so! Goth came out of a cross between Punk,New Wave & Glam!Goth is an off shot genre of Industrial! Both genres rely a lot on synth driven beats & despite what some idiots will tell you,not all Goth bands wear black!!! Some Goth bands wear bright pink! But Without the use of some sort of synthesizers,often in both the music & the vocals,but mostly the music,What you are hearing is metal! Some people hear Bands like Tristania & think they must be Goth Trstania is actually a Black Metal band & the music should be a dead give away for that!!! Tristania uses deep Growling vocals in many of their songs! They do have some gothic over tones in some early songs,but only in the form of some vocoder effects used to get a special whisper on a few early songs! Evenessence on the other hand,is 100% pop !!! They just happen to have a look that some (going back to the Black thing here!) Mistake for Goth! Lacuna Coil is a mainstream rock act again ,their looks get them mistaken for goth!
If you wish to hear true Goth Music, you need to look far outside the mainstream to bands you probably will never hear on radio! Also that first pic you showed was from Wave Gotik Treffin,the biggest goth festival in all of Europe & likely the whole world!If ever you hear a real Goth band,you'll be totally shocked at how far off you are!!!

gothic love said...

great gothic pictures and videos, keep on rocking on the dark side of life and never back down !

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