goth music – Vamp Jenn's Corner

The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth Book Review

May 1, 2023April 29, 2023by Jennifer Vasquez4 Comments

John Robb (Photo credit: John Middleham)

“Nothing exists independently; goth was a kind of fever. It just seemed to seep in on a tide of black lace and black leather.”
–Nina Antonia quoted in The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth

Various books have been written attempting to unravel the mystery of the goth subculture and trace its roots. A new text has recently been added to the canon, The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth by John Robb who’s the frontman of the post-punk band The Membranes and head of the online media publication Louder Than War. His behemoth of a book takes a deep plunge into the musical origins of goth, and it’s quite an adventure.

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music

Absinthe Vows: ‘Sunlight Stabs’ Album Review & Interview

April 4, 2023May 1, 2023by Jennifer Vasquez3 Comments

Hailing from Columbus, OH, Absinthe Vows is a band blending gothic rock, post punk and darkwave with hints of alternative rock. The variety of genres their music possesses makes it interesting and entertaining to take in. They released their second album, Sunlight Stabs, earlier this year, and I’m reviewing it, as well as interviewing the group about their music.

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entertainment, Events, music, Nightlife

Welcome to Phantasmagoria: A Night with Death Rock Icon Eva O & The Sixth Chamber

January 20, 2023March 3, 2023by Jennifer Vasquez7 Comments

Vamp Jenn at Phantasmagoria at the Knucklehead Hollywood

I spent Friday the 13^th attending Phantasmagoria, an event showcasing live dark music, bewitching entertainment and macabre vendors. It’s the creation of Rahne Pistor, founder of The Sixth Chamber, and it debuted in 2021 in Las Vegas. It’s continued to take place ever since in both Sin City and Los Angeles. The January 2023 edition was held at Knucklehead Hollywood in LA and featured performances by The Sixth Chamber and the legendary Eva O, as well as other beguiling amusements.

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music

Spotlight on In Isolation: Uniting 80s New Wave & Dark Alternative Beats

September 30, 2022November 10, 2022by Jennifer Vasquez4 Comments

Albums | Singles| Soundtracks by In Isolation — *Albums | Singles| Soundtracks* by In Isolation

How the band, In Isolation, has gone under my radar for so many years, is beyond me, but I’m thrilled to have been able to experience their music recently. It’s a fascinating blend of ‘80s New Wave and dark alternative sounds. They debuted their first single, “The Wrong Girl,” in 2007 and have gone on to produce a wealth of songs. This past June, the group released their latest project, Albums | Singles| Soundtracks, which delivers a retrospective of their past 15 years creating music.

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Art, Events, Nightlife

Goth Night at Mirus Gallery

August 5, 2022October 25, 2022by Jennifer Vasquez8 Comments

Mirus Gallery in Los Angeles, in collaboration with dark artist Shane Izykowski, has a new recurring event they’ll be hosting for the darkly inclined—Goth Night. It debuted in May, and I had the opportunity to experience the July edition, which included macabre art, live entertainment, spooky vendors and, of course, DJs spinning goth music. Here’s your look inside the festivities.

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music

Spotlight on Edward Transylvania: Dark Singer, Songwriter & Poet

June 17, 2022August 4, 2022by Jennifer Vasquez5 Comments

Singer, songwriter and poet Edward Transylvania — Photo courtesy of Edward Transylvania

Into the depths of the psyche we go, with artist Edward Transylvania as our guide. The Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and poet has been crafting macabre magic through his lyrics for more than a decade and is continuing to carve out his own place within, not only the goth genre, but also the world of dark music. Listeners can expect passionate vocals and sinister beats.

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Lifestyle, music

Experiencing the Goth Subculture Through the Music

May 22, 2022June 28, 2022by Jennifer Vasquez24 Comments

Gothik: Special Anniversary Edition CD compilation

When I started getting into the goth scene, I went on a mission to navigate my way through the numerous bands that existed. Since it is a music-based subculture, I wanted to have at least a general knowledge of what had been and was continuing to be produced. One of the beautiful facets of goth is its rich musical heritage. There’s an abundance of beats and sounds that have been created within the genre, and others that have sprouted from it, such as darkwave, ethereal, deathrock and coldwave. For World Goth Day, I’m going to share what I listened to and some of the core groups that were my gateway to the music.

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entertainment, music, Performing Arts

Spotlight On BARA HARI: The Artistic Creation of Sam Franco

July 8, 2021August 17, 2021by Jennifer Vasquez12 Comments

One can’t help but pick up on the enigmatic energy that pulsates from the creative works of Sam Franco who’s also known professionally as BARA HARI, her music persona. The artist crafts dark pop sounds tinged with ethereal vibes fit to dance to in the goth clubs. The songstress writes and produces her music, plus heads the creation of the accompanying videos—and that’s not all.

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Lifestyle

The Dark Pariahs of Society: A Baby Bat’s Ruminations on Goth

May 20, 2021June 21, 2021by Jennifer Vasquez8 Comments

Left image: me at the age of 16 circa 2002; Right image: me at Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Halloween 2019 event

To commemorate World Goth Day this year on May 22^nd, I’ve decided to take a nostalgic look back at a high school paper I wrote on the subculture in 2002. I was 16 years old and in 11^th grade. The assignment was for an English class and I was to write an expository essay. I was a young goth who was still learning about the scene and eager to share the knowledge I had gained. This project was my opportunity to not only reveal to readers the dark beauty of this alternative community, but also proudly proclaim my connection with it.

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music

Fantasy Storytelling With Metal Beats: FIRA’s “From Vegas With Blood” Album Review

December 1, 2020December 14, 2020by Jennifer Vasquez4 Comments

Imagine you’re on a journey to a sinister kingdom buried in the center of the moon to battle a wicked demon king known as Fear who has threatened your existence. This is the story that comes to life in dance metal band FIRA’s debut album From Vegas With Blood. Recently, I shared news of the Halloween release of their music video for “Endless Night” and got details about the musical project in interviews with members Hannah Fira and Michael “Vette” Rodd. Now that the album has officially dropped, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the narrative and listen to the entire set of tracks. Get ready to head out on a “vampirate” adventure.

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Tag: goth music

The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth Book Review

Absinthe Vows: ‘Sunlight Stabs’ Album Review & Interview

Welcome to Phantasmagoria: A Night with Death Rock Icon Eva O & The Sixth Chamber

Spotlight on In Isolation: Uniting 80s New Wave & Dark Alternative Beats

Goth Night at Mirus Gallery

Spotlight on Edward Transylvania: Dark Singer, Songwriter & Poet

Experiencing the Goth Subculture Through the Music

Spotlight On BARA HARI: The Artistic Creation of Sam Franco

The Dark Pariahs of Society: A Baby Bat’s Ruminations on Goth

Fantasy Storytelling With Metal Beats: FIRA’s “From Vegas With Blood” Album Review

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