Born from the raw edges of vulnerability and the cold touch of societal indifference, “Necessity Meal” is a battle cry against the facade of perfection that suffocates an authentic connection. It’s about the dark, often unseen journey of seeking forgiveness and finding solace in the unexpected kindness of strangers. Stripping away the gloss of privacy, ASTARI NITE reveals a landscape marked by the struggle for a genuine existence against the backdrop of a judgmental world.
“In the end of it all, life can be rather messy, and I can sing if I want to, at my own pity-party!” – Mychael
“Necessity Meal” is available on all major digital platforms including Bandcamp and Spotify.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/1Kct3q55cU3hJXomNTjMGo
YouTube: Necessity Meal https://www.youtube.com/watch?
ASTARI NITE 2024 Live Dates:
2/10 – Nashville, TN @ Fascination Street (THE GOTH PROM) featuring ASTARI NITE!
3/23 – New York City, NY @ The Red Party
4/20 – Parsippany, NJ, @ Dark Force Fest
4/27 – Tampa, FL – Supporting Das Ich W/ guest Oberer Totpunkt (Communion After Dark Presents)
7/6 – Dallas, TX @ Obituary Festival curated by Lean lane of Rosegarden Funeral party
9/7 – Deutzen, Germany @ NCN Nocturnal Cultural Night Festival
9/28 – Louisville, KY @ Dark Castle Fest presented by Radio Arcane!
ASTARI NITE‘s ability to blend dark alternative sounds with introspective themes surrounding death, love, and the occult results in a haunting and emotionally raw atmosphere that sets them apart in the music scene. Their provocative approach captivates listeners and pushes boundaries, making them a standout in the dark alternative genre.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/astarinitemusic
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/astarinite43/
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Interview – Black Angel
Where are you located and what are the vibes like musically there? Have the different places you’ve lived inspired you differently or brought unique challenges to you as an artist?
Black Angel are located in Los Angeles, I myself come from the UK, I am a English 80s UK kid for sure, it was my time there is a teenager that has definitely inspired me to create and continue with our Gothic rock band Black Angel. Living in Los Angeles it’s obviously a great multicultural society with a lot of live music so we don’t really find any challenges without living here, I guess the only challenge we face these days is trying to get some exposure Over the over populated music industry as it stands right now
How did the creative process differ for this latest release than older ones?
Unfortunately, to say the creative process didn’t differ at all, we tend to stick to a fairly staple procedure, I’ll start writing songs when I get the opportunity and musical imagination to make a start, that usually takes about three or four months as they develop the music, tracks yet either expand it or quite often deleted, once I have a 10 track album that I’m happy with. I’ll send it over to Corey and Maneesha for them to do their vocal magic, it comes back, lives with me for a bit to finish up production techniques, and once I’m happy with it, I put it on the shelf for a month, go away, do something else, come back, have a listen, make tweaks, and then it’s released.
Can you talk about the current single and the next one?
We just released three singles, killer, black, velvet, amphetamine, and the last dance, these are all of our new album. Lascivious switches out now and you can purchase from our website or off Bandcamp, it was great to be able to start releasing some songs off the album before we got it finished, it’s all about timing, release them too early and people forget about you, release them too late, and sometimes people can miss the bus
How do you balance time between your profession, your creative work and family?
Is the discipline in balancing a challenge? I’m in a lucky position, whereby I have the studio that we use a Black Angel Projects attached to my house, it’s not in the house, which is good, there’s a separate building, but it’s very close, and it means when I get inspired, I can just go do my thing and then easily get back to the family, it’s also a way where I’m not pressured to have to go and work, I can just go there. When I need to, it’s easier to balance, family and regular work. we both work in the film industry and that can be fairly volatile in terms of schedule so sometimes it’s hard to make time for live events or if we were to go on tour as for both of us or Phil ministry work has to come first, then family, or maybe both of those are the same and then music needs to come last, but hopefully we balance everything equally so we can get a good lifestyle
How important is literature to you as an artist?
For me, not so much, I’m definitely a music person, for the first two albums I collaborated with other songwriters to come up with the lyrics, on the third album I decided to do it myself and now we are on the sixth album I’m finding the process so much easier and more natural, I always use my wife as a sounding board for the lyrics on the tracks and she’s pretty much spot on every time when she can see that I really meant to say what I wanted to end when I was just writing lyrics because I needed to.
Favorite cities to visit or perform in?
That would be very nice to have a list, unfortunately, we’ve only played in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland, we would love to put together an American tour, and we are actively seeking out a tour company or promoter to help us to do that so if there are any out there that are reading this, please do not hesitate to get in touch if you might be interested :-)
What scares you?
I think as a band, and especially nowadays, you need to build a brand, that sounds very corporate, but it takes a hell of a lot of time and energy apart from making the music to actually get yourself. Heard these days, I did touch on earlier about how big and overpopulated the music industry is, well, it’s only getting more overpopulated as people release more and more music. Every day, some of this is essential and some of it maybe not so much, so trying to poke your head above, the absolutely enormous amount of independent music out there is getting harder and harder each day, so yes, we need to create a brand so I guess if anything scares me, it’s the fact that something might change and that all the work that we’ve done in order to get some exposure may have been in vain
Are there any locations on the globe where you would like to retire to & that you think would be inspiring as long as you live?
Oh, I’m definitely going to retire to Spain, I want to be near the UK I definitely won’t be retiring in Los Angeles, it is extremely extremely expensive, and in many cases is not a very nice place to live.
Name a song that can make you cry. Have you ever cried after you created a song or during the process? If so, what song?
That is a great question, I’d like to tell my wife that on every album I have created a song just for her, on the first couple of albums that was definitely true, but it was also more convenient, on our third album and Prince of Darkness, I wrote a song from the beginning for her, called my love, I definitely was in tears half the time I wrote it, I was definitely in tears, when I record of the demo, and in floods of tears when I played it for her for the first time, but it was definitely well received an anybody that has heard the song definitely feels the sentiment.
What was the last great record you heard?
That’s a tricky one, and definitely hard to single it out to one particular record, so I’m going to pick a couple, one would be Floodland by the sisters of Mercy, another would be juju by Siouxsie and the banshees and then I guess the album that I come back to over and over, and I just saw them play in Los Angeles last week, is the cult and their album love, I heard this album on cassette in 1984 and I still play the album regularly to this day
Motto?
I have it tattooed on my arm, ‘life is tough, be prepared’
What have you planned in the coming months for the band?
We just released lascivious, so we are just finishing up Publicity and getting to release the album on vinyl, then I’m going to start writing on our sixth studio album called Electric, and at the same time we are going to see if it is possible to come up with a North American or West Coast tour of America, we want to say thank you very much to all of the people that have listened to and bought all music, is extremely important to us and without them it’s very difficult to continue so I think thank you to those folks. Thank you very much for the great questions and thank you for listening.
written by W.Z.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blkangelmusic
Web: https://www.blackangelmusic.com/?fbclid=IwAR18YAJ-6joB7lT0yb_XVsG7x2ZKQrXeB_KQyHEg-7GO8E_otUZ_uIMYoLI
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Interview – Sonum Unum
What’s the meaning behind your band name?
Mike: It means One Sound in Latin.
Where are you from and what are the musical vibes like there?
Craig: We are both from Connecticut originally. Musically there is not a huge scene around here. New Haven and New London have some things going on but the Hartford area has been dismal to say the least for the last two decades or so. In 2019 I made it a point to venture up to western Massachusetts. The music scene is way more vibrant up there and is filled with diverse musicians of all sorts of genres.
What themes/stories run through your latest album?
Craig: A lot of the album touches on the human connection but also love and loss be it family friends or loved ones. I feel like my approach is similar to many other vocalists where the initial improvised melody comes first then I form the lyrics around that gibberish melody, trying to match the phrasing accordingly. In the end there is certainly meaningful results but much of what is heard is up to the listener to interpret what it means in their own human experience.
What was the last good book you read and how did it affect you?
Mike: Tao Te Ching. Taught me how to live with just enough effort without trying too hard.
Craig: The Art Of Not Giving A Fuck. The title says it all. Really it’s a wonderfully written self help guide about not sweating the things that we typically do everyday.
Which public figures do you most despise?
Craig : Politicians, News pundits, anyone not contributing to good for all mankind. Despise is a harsh word though. I just think those people have always been misguided.
Favorite cities to visit or perform in?
Craig: I’ve always had some great experiences in New York, Boston and Philadelphia. You can typically rely on a relatively built in audience in the major cities,
What artists do you think are overrated/underrated and why?
Craig: While I understand the accessibility and catchiness of mainstream pop music I would say the vast majority of anyone on the Billboard top 10 is super overrated.
Name a song that can make you cry?
Craig: “Vaka” by Sigur Ros or “Song To The Siren” by Tim Buckley
Mike: The Wind by Cat Stevens
What do you feel is the most emotional track you’ve ever written?
Mike: “Seasons”
Craig: Emotional is typically what I aim for when it comes to songwriting. I have a few other projects that definitely tug at the heartstrings.
Three records guaranteed to evoke emotion for you?
Craig: :Sigur Ros – (), Queensryche – Rage For Order, Voivod – Angel Rat
Where do you go to chill out?
Craig: Anywhere there is water
written by W.Z.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonumunum
bandcamp: Musik | Sonum Unum https://sonumunum.bandcamp.com
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The Bleak Assembly – ‘Strangers Among Strangers’ (darkwave/electro)
The Bleak Assembly invites you into new dark spaces with Strangers Among Strangers, a compelling exploration of shadow and light. This highly-anticipated EP showcases the innovative and familiar sound that only The Bleak Assembly can deliver.
Featuring six meticulously-crafted tracks, Strangers Among Strangers pierces the darkness, exploring themes of revenge, nihilism, and vulnerable introspection. Each track stands as a testament to the EP’s sonic range, incorporating driving beats, aching guitars, haunting synthesizers, and mesmerizing vocals that create a sonically complex sound.
With Strangers Among Strangers, The Bleak Assembly pushes the boundaries of darkwave and post-punk, fusing howling guitars, electronic textures, and provocative lyrics to deliver a sound that is as refreshing as it is relentless. Drawing inspiration from both legends and the obscure while adding their unique creative vision, The Bleak Assembly has crafted an EP that will leave listeners aching for more.
Strangers Among Strangers is available now and completes the work begun on We Become Strangers.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheBleakAssembly
Bandcamp: https://thebleakassembly.bandcamp.com/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/thebleak23/
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Binary Order Drops New EP Featuring Industrialized Papa Roach Cover
New Album Announced For Winter, 2023
UK industrial band, Binary Order just unleashed their new EP; a release containing three remixes of previously released tracks and a reimagined, industrial cover of Papa Roach‘s song, “Thrown Away”.
Says Binary Order’s creator, Benjamin Blank, “The song’s subject matter is something that resonated sharply with me when I first heard it. It’s about being an outcast and only knowing a life of being rejected. It has continued to resonate with me till this day.”
The Thrown Away EP is available NOW on all digital platforms.
Binary Order Also Announces A New Album
The new Binary Order album is called The Future Belongs To The Mad. It’s a twelve-track album and will be released in Winter of 2023. Currently the album is in the very last stages of production. The album is heavier, darker and far more intense than the last record, but also is far more electronic-driven,
“I’m very excited to see how people react to what I consider to be the greatest musical achievement I’ve ever accomplished.“ – Benjamin Blank
Bandcamp: https://binaryorder.bandcamp.com
Binary Order started in 2008 by London-based solo musician, Benjamin Blank as a way to combine his love for multiple genres, fusing the intensity of alt metal, the haunting atmosphere of ambient soundscapes and the piercing electronics of darkwave.
Binary Order creates the soundtrack to our descent down into this hell of our own making, as we become ever more disconnected from ourselves and each other with each day, succumbing to the unrelenting fear that mankind is too far along to stop these horrors that we have set in motion. This is the sound of Binary Order.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/binaryorder