Reviews (20)

Another Cleo box set - at least it's fairly inexpensive
Whenever Cleopatra puts out a box set it's rush, rush, rush to get it - and with this one it's snore, snore, snore as you try to find good tracks. Although the overall box set is well put together, the "exclusive" and "first time on CD" labels are misleading. Most of the tracks are well known, though the mixes are not the typical ones encountered. Unfortunately - these variations are often not up to the more popular and commonly accessible versions of the tracks.

Good groups, ok music. Fair price given how expensive The Goth Box and some other Cleopatra box sets have been in recent history. PS to Cleopatra - if you want to include Industrial in a box set like this, you may want to aim for more than six tracks of it. Anyone who picks this up for a solid industrial gothic mixture of music stands a fair chance of disappointment.

Fantastic
This is a fantastic 4 cd set of the absolute best selections of goth/industrial music. It's great for long time listeners of underground music but it could also be a great introduction into the goth/industrial music scene. Great layout as well- beautiful disks featuring the brilliant artwork of celebrated masters. I would expect to see this set in popular music stores selling for at least fifty to sixty dollars- thirty dollars is a steal for such a great compilation set. I bought this on a whim, it's well worth it.

"goth" you might say
There is indeed goth rock on here, but there is also way too much industrial and Darkwave.... It is a decent c.d. but not exactly good. There could have been some really good older bands on it instead of really bad over redundant industrial/ebm/darkwave.
I don't really recomend this cd unless you like industrial. Industrial is nothing like goth or goth rock, and I wish compilations would just do one or the other.

Well made...
All I can really tell you is that this is one well made box set. It really captures the gothic/industrial mood that I was definitely looking for. My only question: "Where the hell is Joy Division?"

awesome
This collection of music is amazing. I would recommend it to anyone looking for something unique. I found every song on these 4 CD's beautiful. It opens up a whole new world for some people, including myself. It gives you a taste of many different bands and lets you explore what you like and dislike. I've bought many CD's from the bands featured in this set. Its not very expensive and you won't regret it. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Cruxshadows Saves It
I bought this CD while lurking around the "Goth" section of a local music store. I must say, the theme seemed interesting enough, so I thought I'd give it a try. I wish I could say some great things about it, but I'd be lying. The only good cut on the entire CD is "Deception" by the Cruxshadows, which mixes lovely Goth/synth beats with the beautiful music of the band's equally beautiful violinist. Other bands featured are Beborn Beton, Wench, Bella Morte, and Neuroactive, though this matters little as their songs aren't worth listening to. "Prey" by Seraphim Shock is decent enough, but the band is really no more creative than any of the other talentless artists they share CD space with.

Decent
For my money, this is a pretty damn good collection. As the blurb says, "13 exclusive new tracks by top international artists". And I know that people have got fanatical about some of the tracks here, particularly the Cruxshadows number. I'm quite happy to play the CD over and over again; in fact, I've just been playing it continuously for about a week now -- even though I didn't initially deem it that great. I think it's one of those things that grows on you.

I also think it's varied enough to be an okay intro to what contemporary goth music sounds like, except that there's nothing heavy here. If you're a White Wolf player, this will potentially make for good atmosphere, but don't take any of the clan correspondence stuff seriously. And if you're not a nerd, this is still an hour of long black skirt-swishing fun.

A number of the songs are humorous or tongue-in-cheek, in the tradition of Bauhaus.

The best description of the Deception video clip is "low-budget", but I hadn't seen the Cruxshadows perform before, so that was interesting.

There's a surprisingly uninformative website for the CD at www.succubusclub.com, which includes a link to a merchant of vampire prophylactics.

Some of the songs are used in adapted form in the "Vampire: The Masquerade -- The Redemption" computer game.

One of the best compilations I've ever heard
The bands are awesome and the music is absolutely deadbang perfect for almost all of the clans presented, except perhaps the Brujah and Giovanni tracks. I absolutely recommend this CD to any fan of the VtM series or any fan of goth music, period. I've since bought CDs from five of the bands featured (Cruxshadows, Bella Morte, Diary of Dreams, Paralysed Age, and the truly wonderful Beborn Beton).

hmm...
I have never heard of Vampire the Masquerade and simply got this album because I like some goth music and I'm beginning to like dance music. Anyways, I'm not sure that this album really follows along with most music in the "goth" genre, and before I knew it was affiliated with a game, I was quite surprised that this would be considered goth because the lyrics don't really go with what I'd expect. Anyways, this is an ok album, so if you want to buy it I say go for it. My favorite track would have to be "Fall No More" (Bella Morte).

Good, but not worth full price
I suppose you have to be a fan of Vampire: The Masquerade to really appreciate this compilation. If not, well, then, it makes good atmosphere/background music for a get together, but listened to alone it kinda falls flat. Other than Bella Morte, Seraphim Shock, and the magnificent Cruxshadows there aren't many standout tracks on here. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Darkest Hour Rocks !
Just go out and buy this Gothic Rock CD if you want some good heavy Industrial Rock. Although the songs are cover tunes, they rock out just the same. My personal favorite tracks are the first 3

Helter Skelter covered by Rosetta Stone

Paranoid covered by Type O Negative

and

Calling Dr. Luv covered by The Electric Hellfire Club.

Very good ,very very good
Any-one who's new in the goth or industrial thing will appreciate this ,as it is a look into what some of these bands grew up on . I particularly liked the Electric helfire club's version of Doctor luv and switchblade symphony's white rabbit re-do. Do yourself a favour and spend some money on this. it is realy good! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Alternative Press selected tracks for this compilation from gifted artists whose work, though enormously influential, has existed perennially outside the mainstream. However, established fans of industrial music will be tempted by the previously unreleased tracks by Revolting Cocks and Nine Inch Nails. The CD begins with lacerating sound sculptures by Throbbing Gristle and Non, plus a bit of Cabaret Voltaire's early electropunk. Einsturzende Neubauten and Test Department follow with brilliant sonic onslaughts created through the use of metal percussion and sound bites. Front 242's "Funkahdafi" and Skinny Puppy's "Dig It" are early explorations into the intriguing possibilities of harsh yet sophisticated computerized music. Meat Beat Manifesto and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult provide examples of industrial music's uncompromising mangling of electronic dance music. KMFDM's "Godlike" and Ministry's landmark "Stigmata" are paradigms of industrial artists' use of heavy guitar in conjunction with synthetic sound effects. For listeners interested in the origins of industrial rock, this CD is a must-have. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Outstanding compilation
This is a great, great compilation of industrial music and the perfect place to start if you are interested in the genre. I salute Alternative Press and Rhino. This album shows the progression of industrial and includes many of the great artists that have contributed to the genre throughout the years, as well as an informative essay on the genres evolution by Jason Pettigrew of Alternative Press.

Every song is great on here. Throbbing Gristle's "Hamburger Lady" is truly disturbing; you won't be the same after hearing it. "Nag Nag Nag" from Cabaret Voltaire shows how ahead of their time the band truly was. Non, the mighty Coil, and Test Dept. contributions are superb. The monumental Einsturzende Neubauten contributes a great song as well, "Yu Gung (Futter Mein Ego)".

The best song might be "Anything (Viva!)" from Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel, one of JG Thirwell's many Foetus variants. Interesting lyrics and amazing music. Of course "Dig It" by the wildly influential Skinny Puppy is great. Front 242, Clock DVA, and Meat Beat Manifesto's contributions are more techno-sounding, but just as good as the others. The legendary Ministry contribute "Stigmata." KMFDM show the uniting of brutal guitars with industrial music on "Godlike - Doglike." My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult's satanic sonics and the Revolting Cocks dirty industrial round out the set, which ends with an incendiary live performance of "Gave Up" by nine inch nails.

In short, ISMM is a great compilation that I think everyone should go pick up.

New sounds for me
I've not had much exposure to industrial music, so I bought this CD hoping to get an overview of the genre. I've certainly never heard anything like "Hamburger Lady". It still sends chills down my spine. Overall, I was enthralled by the sounds here. This is a challenging listen (I mean that in a good way.) ... Read more

Album Description

Darkwave tribute to The Doors featuring The Mission UK 'Love Me Two Times', Alien Sex Fiend 'Five To One', Spahn Ranch 'Strange Days', Controlled Bleeding 'When The Music's Over', Rosetta Stone 'The End' and many more. Also includes a special remix from Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) of Eating Crows cover of 'L.A. Woman'. Standard jewel case. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

If you like The Doors *and* Gothic/Industrial...
I love this CD... but I'm biased; I love both The Doors (and lots of classic rock) and goth/industrial music. I was raised on The Doors, it was probably some of the first music I ever heard, and they influence *all* my music choices today. I also have a great appreciation for a large variety of music genres.

I bought both this and the tribute "Stoned Immaculate". I like both, but actually enjoy a greater *majority* of songs on this CD at first. The reason? The beat of the songs was changed less on "Darken My Fire" than "Stoned Immaculate" (although once I got the hang of the cadence on both, I enjoyed both, for different reasons). You'll find the music greatly changed in style and often in beat on "Darken", with a great change in inflection in the singing, but the songs are quite recognizable (and you can still sing along, for the most part).

It is more ethereal and atmospheric than the original Doors. It is definitely gothified. My favorite track is "L.A. Woman" done by Eating Crow. The beat is hypnotic. My least favorite was "People Are Strange" done by Nosferatu, mostly because it was changed too much and is one of my favorite Doors songs. "The End" is done beautifully by goth staple band Rosetta Stone.

If you like both The Doors and goth music, you'll probably love this CD.

Goth Bands Celebrate The Masters Of Rock Darkness
With "Darken My Fire" some of the most known of goth bands finally pay due homage to the band that essentially introduced darkness into rock music right smack in the middle of the Summer Of Love, The Doors. This is not a great tribute, this is not a classic tribute, in fact, some of the songs here are downright diviations from the original idea, but it is a truly fitting tribute. When Jim Morrison stepped on stage bathed in black leather and began singing, reciting and screaming his rich, dark, apocalyptic, visceral lyrics on stage, goth was born in the rock sphere along with other elements. Some of the tracks do stand out, Spahn Ranch delivers a very good "Strange Days" with electronically-tweaked vocals that pay homage to the Morrison original, there is also some great tribal drumming here. One disappointment is Eating Crowe's "L.A. Woman," this doesn't even sound like goth, it sounds more like a club dance track. Alien Sex Fiend deliver a naughty-sounding "Five To One" that is downright insane while the Newlydeads speed-up "Hello I Love You" and deliver an almost deliciously evil cover. The Electric Hellfire Club deliver exactly what you would expect from them, a "Light My Fire" that sounds like the version out of hell, very edgy and almost violent, but this isn't a negative for the band, because, well, do we not expect a band to cover a song in their own style? The Mission U.K. do a great "Love Me Two Times" that stays true to the original but with gothic flourishes while Controlled Bleeding do an equally acceptable job with "When The Music's Over," the only thing wrong with this track (which features keyboarding IDENTICAL to the original) is that it is not the complete 11-minute epic. The best track in the album is Rhea's Obsession performing "End Of The Night." This is a band that has become one of the great darkwave groups, their music is very atmospheric and evocative and here they render a version of the song that is truly hypnotic and expresses the essence of Jim Morrison's words. Rosetta Stone disappoint with "The End," this is not meant to be a techno song, this is meant to be a visceral epic of William Blake images. Mephisto Waltz are very good with "Peace Frog" in a version that is wonderfully atmospheric and dark, especially with the nightmarish vocals. Nosferatu do a terrible "People Are Strange," this could be such a great song for a goth band, I can perfectly see Marilyn Manson doing a creepy, disturbing rendition, but here it is once again converted to weird rave-like rantings. Doors music is like great theater, as the years go by we get good and bad performances. "Darken My Fire" isn't worth remembering much for, but it has it's moments and any true Doors fan should check it out to get a clear view of another area of rock music Jim Morrison was highly influential in. I guess we can also see here why this music will probably never go mainstream, but we should still give the bands credit for doing the songs and paying due homage to The Lizard King, who would probably like the stand-out tracks here anyway.

An ok tribute album
I have never really been crazy about The Doors. To me, some of their songs have a tendency to be too long. Secondly, I am not a classic rock fan. I bought "Darken My Fire" because I loved the two Madonna tribute albums and the Tori Amos tribute album that Cleopatra Records released a few years ago so I thought "Darken My Fire" would be something of interest. In general I think Cleopatra Records has gone overboard with the tribute albums and really needs to take a break from churning out more tribute albums. "Darken My Fire" is interesting to say the very least however I wouldn't rank it as good as the two Madonna tribute albums or even comes close to the Tori Amos tribute album. It just lacked the magic that I felt that the other tribute albums for Madonna and Tori Amos had. There were a lot of hits and misses. I loved The Mission Uk's interpretation of "Love Me Two Times". It was very dark and sinister. I also liked Nosferatu's "People Are Strange" (my favorite song by The Doors), and Mephisto Waltz's "Peace Frog". I didn't like The Newlydeads' "Hello, I Love You". Although I never liked the song to begin with but at least I thought The Doors' version was ten times better which is saying a lot. I wasn't wild about Eating Crow's "L.A Woman" or The Electric Hellfire Club's "Light My Fire". I think The Doors' music is like New Order and Depeche Mode, don't cover their music because no one can out do the original versions. Thanks to tribute albums like "Darken My Fire", I consider tribute albums nowadays so unbelievably cheesy and pointless.

Proto-goth!
Been WAITING for a buncha goths to make this exact album and honor these guys properly! A decent effort for Cleopatra. Some weak spots as usual (I would love to find one compilation that doesn't have the Electric Hellfire Club on it), but the stronger songs make the album worth buying, at least a used copy.

Standouts: LOVE Spahn Ranch's cover of "Strange Days". Athan Maroulis's gorgeous shot-of-codeine-syrup-on-the-rocks vocals pay just the perfect homage to Morrison's famous croon, but the tribal electrotweaker drums & thick synth backdrop make the song all their own. Love the Newlydeads-- they turn "Hello I Love You" into a sloppy batcave-rock number that should've been on the 'Return Of the Living Dead' soundtrack. And while I'm really not fond of techno, Alien Sex Fiend's gleeful trashing of "Five To One" just brings a warm glow to my heart.

I love the Doors originals and I love these modern interpretations. Cover songs that sound too close to the original are usually anticlimactic (viz. Echo & The Bunnymen's "People Are Strange" a billion years ago, technically flawless but hardly Bunnified at all). And I agree with the others here-- if you're a Doors purist, don't go buying ANY tribute albums, because tribute albums DO sound necessarily different from the original artist's sound. This is the idea: take the old influence and build something out of it. Long live Jim and vive le goth.

Even darker than the Doors?
Various groups perform gothic interpretations of Doors' songs in this CD; another way to describe the music, with its murky instrumental and bass line overlays, could be "gothic baroque." The best songs are those that most preserve the basic melodies while employing overlays that fit the texture of the song. This is definitely accomplished in "Strange Days," perhaps the strongest track, in which the atmosphere is preserved and embellished, and "Hello I Love You," in which The Newlydeads pretty much follow the original but intensify the rhythm blasts and sing more forcefully than Jim. "The Spy" interposes a supplemental fast-paced beat to contrast with the otherwise-followed slow tempo of the original. Lovely female vocals from Rhea's Obsession grace "End of the Night," which is very pretty and one of the best covers. "Peace Frog" is also strong, and the most regular-sounding rock number. Among the long cuts, "Riders on the Storm" is well-done, great synth, and "The End" is intermittently successful, but "When the Music's Over" is too much of a carbon copy of the original and the singing is wishy washy. Warning 1: "Light My Fire" and "LA Woman" are not so hot, with grungy vocals and blah truncated instrumentals, and the most glaring omission is "Break on Through"--inexcusable. Warning 2: Keep in mind that one thing everyone, even Doors detractors, agrees on is that The Doors are listenable. Such a fluid sound, no fuzz boxes, synth distortion, etc. This set, while interesting, is not very listenable, with mostly gruff vocals, some distortion, and heavy texture. While it may not be totally a case of not wanting to listen to this CD more than once, you probably will not have the impulse to put it on in most of your moods. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A great look at Industrial
It's suprising to see K-Tel still in exhistence, and even more surprising to see an Industrial Compilation from them.. What's even more surprising is the fact that it's a great compilation. It covers almost the entire span including the rawer stuff from the early 80's (Einsturzende, Chrome, Throbbing Gristle) all the way up to the later 21st Century stuff (Apoptygma) Anyone who has been interested in Industrial has eventually gone out and looked for every band on this list. Here's an Industrial comp that represents the music and not a particular label. I would definitely recommend this to the younger tribe just starting out, or the older tribe looking for a quick nastalgia fix.

Industrial: 101
In the booklet of this compilation, it clearly states that "this album is not a best of..., nor a collection. No such thing could ever be captured on one album." That statement is pretty much and lives up too it. This album is mainly a pre-history look back on the industrial genre. But this album does have some good tracks by some bands that we might know (that's if you know your industrial) such bands like KMFDM, Leather Strip, Ministry and My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult. The other bands on this album i have never heard of before, and they don't sound that bad. But 3 tracks on here just don't cut it like "Firebomb" By Chrome (1996) is just really lame, "United" By Throbbing Gristle (1990) is another lame one and "Vanadium-I Ching" By Einsturzende Neubaten (1991) is just AWFUL!. This CD is cool for any Goth or Industrial heads alive. You be the judge. ... Read more

Album Description

1999 tribute to Ireland's favorite sons. Features musical homages by Tiffany with Front Line Assembly, Heaven 17, Infor mation Society, Dead Or Alive, Mission UK, Die Krupps, Polecats, Bang Tango and more. 14 tracks, including remakes of 'With Or Without You', 'New Year's Day', 'October', 'Even Better Than The Real Thing', 'Pride', 'Numb', 'Where The Streets Have No Name', 'I Will Follow' and many others. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Not What You Might Expect
Well I got this album because I thought it would be a nice additon to my U2 collection. When I first played it I was about to cry. The songs were nothing like the U2 versions. But after a couple listenings I found some things to appreciate. With Or Without You doesn't have the emotion of the original but it is powerful. One is close to the original but it is a little more intense- I actually enjoy the whiny vocals. New Years Day seems to be the track everyone loves. Well, I hate it. The singing may be allright but the music is terrible- I can't stand listening to it. Pride is also terrible. It starts off pretty cool and then you hear the chorus- awfull. EBTTRT is the best song on this cd. Dead or Alive was the only band that could change the song and it still be good. I Will Follow is pretty bad. It's about as boring as an Al Gore speech. All I Want Is You isn't bad, it just sounds a little evil. Sunday Bloody Sunday is evil. The music is good and the guitar solo is cool, just the singer sounds like serial killer and the backup singers sound like possesed school girls. October is good because it has a drum beat. Numb is allright with some cool guitar. WTSHNN has a nice intro and the singing isn't too bad. The 2nd EBTTRT is terrible. The singers do not harmonize at all. Desire is pretty good plus it's the only song done by an actual Rock n Roll band without the aid of computers. Discoteque is allright as well. I only recommend this cd if you have all the u2 albums or you hate U2 because after hearing this you'll realize how much better U2 is.

Brilliant
Tiffany with Front Line Assembly on 'new years day'. That track is worth the purchase.

Best U2 Tribute CD You Can Buy!!!!
If you like U2 and you like techno/punk, this album is for you. It's not a bunch of bands trying to imitate or sound just like the real thing. These artists have taken U2's songs and made them their own. They are all very different from the original, but close enough that you can still sing along. A must have for any serious U2 fan.

Not too bad...
I bought this because U2 is the best band on the planet ever. Period. And I enjoy hearing how other musicians interpret U2's songs. I gave it a 3 stars simply because they are great songs, but there are some on here that are [not so good]. The band that covers "With or Without You" should be taken... but only after being tortured with their song for a couple of days. Everything else is pretty good. I really enjoy "Numb" -- very [nice]. This is a great addition to the collection of any big U2 fan. If you enjoy tribute albums the same label that put out this album has Bauhaus and New Order tributes too. Both excellent and really live up to being called tributes.

Points for originality
This CD would have been worse if the cover bands did nothing with the songs. Most of the songs would have sounded better, but then there would be no reason for this album to exist. It is worth listening to for the new takes on each song. But they are very difficult to listen to, especially for big U2 fans. After a while, though, they become tolerable, and you might even like a couple of the tracks as much or more than U2's versions. For me these are "Numb" and "October." In conclusion, U2 is better at playing their songs than these groups are, but if you are a big U2 fan, you might appreciate the originality of their covers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Decent, if spotty genre intro
This is a nice introductory compilation for someone who is relatively unfamiliar with the genre. That said, don't look for any bauhaus, siouxsie or (god forbid) marilyn manson sound-a-likes here. The sound is more underground than the fodder that passes for popular goth and industrial these days. The bands run the gamut from founding fathers Psychic TV, Nico, and the March Violets (an old favorite of mine!)to newer tracks by Spahn Ranch and Children on Stun. Also included are club classics by Laeather Strip, Rosetta Stone and the Wake. The most notable tracks are the aforementioned Rosetta Stone's "Adrenaline" (overplayed, yes, but still a great dance track!) and Pressurehead, who in "Time Slip" blend the best of Killing Joke, Joy Division and early Clan of Xymox. Disappointments here include Psychic TV's weak remake of "God Star" (They should have left well enough alone!), as well as The Wake and Two Witches, both of whom want really really badly to sound like the Sisters (Hell, don't they all?). Which, if you're a big Sisters fan might be a good thing. Actually, all in all a great cd to get your hands on if you want to look, just a very little bit, at the underbelly of earlier goth and industrial dance music from the eighties and early nineties. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Defenitley worth listening to. Skinny Puppy with a twist
This Album covers alot of Skinny Puppy tunes, All the artists who are on the cd have done a good job with the version of the songs. Just dont expect the true Skinny Puppy sound and feel. Seeing as Skinny Puppy is dead this is a must to ad to your collection of Industrial tunes.

1/4th Star should be a rating option
This is what happens when you get a bunch of wanna be Industrial musicians together and ask them to cover songs of Industrial Gods.
Granted some of the artists on here are the real deal such as Mark Spybey, but then you got a bunch of Euro dance dorks such as Spahn Ranch, Electric Hellfire Club, and the like who don't even deserve to have a stab at a project such as this.
What the heck happen, did Britney Spears' manager get the rights to Skinny Puppy intellectual property and decide it would be a good idea to collect the worst Industrial Spin off bands together and make a Skinny Puppy tribute album?!?!?
Actually a Britney Spears or NSYNC version might actually be an improvement.

Buy this USED, only if it is a must have for your collection. The Dead Voices On Air and the Download Track are worth the $1.60 at least.

Poorly Titled, but fair remixes
This album is getting ripped to shreads and honestly it's time some gave it a fair shake. Okay, so it isn't Skinny Puppy, nor would I take it a a 'tribute' album. It is a remix album much like "Dystemper" (which also gets ripped into alot). If your a fan of Puppy and the more b-side/experimental side of them, as I am, than you might enjoy this album for that whole reason. I look at it as a tribute/remix album. This album is mostly good, with a few dull tracks. I wouldn't suggest picking it up at full price, but if you can get a discount than add it to your Puppy collection. I like it.

Absolute Fecal Matter
This is one of the most worthless things ever recorded. All the newer versions of these songs suck and capture nothing resembling the original recording. It would have been better had the recorded nothing. Or did covers of Nsync. I now feel retarded from having heard it. I'm so very lucky that i never bought or even considered it. It was the only birthday gift I've ever given back.

Pure insult
Well, I've only listened to a small clip of this tribute album, thanks to RealPlayer, and I can already tell how much I would hate it. If you haven't had the sheer pleasure of listening to Skinny Puppy before, this isn't the way to go. Cleanse, Fold, & Manipulate is my personal favourite followed by Bites. The next best thing having lunch in the cemetary is listening to Skinny Puppy. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What a waste!
First off, I bought it for a college project I was doing on underground music and so I expected what I got. The music isn't very well engineered and it's just .... There are a few decent songs, but the rest of them aren't worth the listening time. Maybe this is your cup of tea, but it isn't mine and I don't recommend this cd at all.

Uh, I don't think so...
This is a high 1 or a low 2 as I feel it may appeal to SOMEONE else moreso than it did to me. I'm sorry to say but despite a fair number of *names* included on this disc, and some minorly interesting artwork obviouslymixing the Goth world with that of the Ewan McGreggor movie, I only found atrack or two (Chandeen...maybe!and Rosetta Stone) that bore repeatedlistening.As it sits in the back of my collection, this CD is quiteskippable in favor of the more popular (perhaps justifiably so) yetslightly more expensive "Goth Box" or "Black Bible". ... Read more

Album Description

Includes liner notes by Sam Rosenthal, founder of Projekt Records and the band Black Tape For A Blue Girl. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Darkwave; music of the Shadows v2 is......
Just a great CD. I probably have been listening to it at least once a day for over a year now. You can space out to it, listen to it as you're going to bed, or while on the computer. Each song is different but mostly ties together in one way or anyother. My fav songs Partus - Stoa and Sparks by Faith and The Muse. If you like dark ethereal music, you need this in your collection.

Good Compilation
This comp was put together by Sam Rosenthal of Prokekt, so Projekt bands feature rather heavily (in addition to Love Spirals Downwards, Black Tape, Controlled Bleeding, Lycia and Steve Roach, the bands Rhea's Obession, Faith and the Muse, Stoa, and The Crüxshadows have all made their way onto Projekt samplers in the past).

That being said, though, it's a good compliation, and comes off very strong. I personally would have liked some more etherial tracks to some of the more percussion-laden songs chosen for the disc, but that's just personal preference.

The CD would probably make a good introduction to the genre.

Again Scary to think that KTEL is doing this
I mean honestly, has the goth movement become so well mainstream that K-Tel has decided to do us? But aside from the K-Tel label, again, they have come out strong with this CD. Not quite the basic Gothic Music you find on other compilations. Lot's o' Projekt bands and such, but a very nice melodic view of the Gothic Genre from the electronica/medevil view. Nice mix again! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

It's not that bad
Man, the last two reviews would make you think that it was entirely noise. It's actually got some really good songs on here. Granted some of the songs could have been left off an no one would have noticed, a couple of songs sound just like Dead Can Dance, but there are a few that are gold. Leaether Strip's cover of The Carnival is Over was a perfect interpretation of DCD's style.

The dead still can dance.
Dead Can Dance is that kind of band you can't review by this time. You can only watch its beauty, listen to that immortal music and voices of Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry. This is a legend, which we have to respect and pay worships. "The Carnival Within" is an obvious tribute to simply unearthly band, the one strange thing is that CD is single. The selection of bands is uncommonly felicitous, but not all songs deserve the prototype. Maybe because it's impossible to get close to that inimitable ideal, which is Dead Can Dance. Maybe because songs of "The Carnival Within" should be more delicate as the object of tribute, because very often hard notes are breaking out in sudden places; in short here goes a storm without storm warning. Heart was bleeding for "Cantara" and "Yulunga" over lack of customary heavenly vocals and adorable clear percussion in their rehashes. Something like relief was given by Rhea's Obsession, Javroe & PBK and Surface 10 with Athan Maroulis. In "Mesmerism" Rhea's Obsession kept subtly those elusive notes of gothic charm, at the same time being themselves. "I Can See Now" by Javroe and PBK is agreeable for ears by soft singing and original sound. As for Athan Maroulis, he's not guilty for that his voice is familiar with vocals of Brendan Perry, and so his soloing in "Ulysses" was rather effective and realized. Leaether Strip had wildly fabulous sound in "Carnival is over", but, sorry, I laughed when I've heard a whisper instead of speaking at least.

Worth it to me
This CD is worth it for the Leaetherstrip version of the "Carnival is Over". The whole thing is very mellow and atmospheric. It's not as good as DCD, but if you recognize and like these bands, you'll probably like this CD.

PLEASANT ENOUGH
Although some of these covers tend towards the forgettable, this is a pleasant enough album. The delightful exceptions include the magnificent Ulysses by Surface 10 - a very impressive version with its solemn world-weary male voice and beautiful arrangement, the aggressive/erotic punk Cantara by Evil Mothers and the spooky, whispered Carnival Is Over by Leather Strip. And why is The Unbiquitous Mr Lovegrove covered twice? Far better candidates for memorable cover versions would have been Persephone (The Gathering Of Flowers) or The Host Of Seraphim. I can understand that DCD fanatics won't appreciate this album, but the above three tracks make it worthwhile.

The more I listen, the more I like it.
Some of these reviews would make you think that it was entirely noise. It's actually got some really good songs on here. Leaether Strip's cover of The Carnival is Over was a perfect interpretation of DCD's style. It was truely inspired by them, and plays great in their style. It's a great pay back for what Dead Can Dance gave to the gothic community. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Unusually good for Cleopatra
This one would've been hard to screw up. Who's not gonna jump in on a Bauhaus tribute CD? They have (mostly) good bands doing all the hits.

The Electric Hellfire Club's cover of "Bela" stays close to the original, as do several other tracks. Faith and The Muse's "Hollow Hills" is a reminder that any good comp sparks interest in the featured bands. Fahrenheit 451 and Eva O take "The Three Shadows (Part II)" in a fresh direction. (Now that Brendan Perry is pretty much retired, Athan Maroulis is neck-and-neck with Peter Murphy for Best Male Voice in dark music.) Black Atmosphere's "Muscle In Plastic" and Wreckage's "Largartija Nick" are the strongest reminders of the role punk played in early goth.

Two Witches' cover of "King Volcano" isn't as bad as others have claimed; it's a goofy song to begin with. The only real problem is that the singer sounds like he just had a novocaine shot. Makes you appreciate This Ascension's "In The Flat Field" that much more. "She's In Parties" continues Ikon's homage to Ian Curtis. Blade Fetish provides a perfect closing with "All We Ever Wanted Was Everything."

The "Multi-Image" cover is nifty, and the bands bring enough new flavor to merit the compilation. I'd give it five stars if it had Faith and The Muse covering "Silent Hedges."

The best Tribute I've ever heard
Cleopatra is known to release a tribute album a week practically and usually they are the worse thing since Milli Vanilli.

But this tribute was another story. I've always liked Bauhaus so I thought I would be sorry to get this album. But every song was good, well the Two Witches one is iffy. I like the Two witches but well... Faith and the Muse are the highlight on this album, their contribution is one of the songs I play the most. It's so soothing it's eerie. I'd buy this album again just to hear their version of Hollow Hills.

Shame Cleopatra hasn't released a tribute this good since. And this album is kind of a oldie.

Other highlights

Fahrenheit 451, Ex-Voto, The shroud

Play the songs by those bands and you'll love the album. If you still don't theres no hope :).

Some Good, Some Bad
But the good over weight the bad. Just ignore the two witches on here butchering music and you'll be happy. I like this album and use it a bit when I DJ.

BAD BAD TYPICAL CLEOPATRA RELEASE
All I can say is that this cd is terrible, the only highlights are The Shrouds version of "The Passion of Lovers" and Ikon's version of "She's in Parties." The rest of this cd is absolutely worthless, go out and buy REAL Bauhaus! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Sweet Music
Ever play video games? Shut off the sound and put this on. This music is intense! I work to it often and my roommate keeps on stealing it from me to listen to in class. If you like Delerium or Front Line Assembly it is a must.

Excellent CD. Period.
This album is a piece of electronic perfection! It's also a great album to introduce electronica/industrial/drum+bass/ambient music to uninitiated ears! Also, for any FLA fans, this is also a good introduction to the various side projects of Leeb, Fulber and Peterson. Pretty much every single track on this album is very good, but "The Flood" by Synaesthesia is just incredible; I would by the album just for that track! So, all in all, this CD is an excellent (and permanent) addition to my music collection! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Darn good ditties all around
The Sister Machine Gun and Die Warzau tracks jump out and grab you - darn good stuff. The two songs that surprised me the most on this compilation were from Underworld - this is, by far, their best song and GREAT! - and Psykosonik, a smooth groove. Get this disc now!

Good Industrial songs
Wax trax has been introducing great industrial bands to the pubic for years.

waxtrax has done it again
mediocrity. I had this cd for a week when it first came out, and listened to it about 10 times. I listen to the average cd five or six times before tiring of it. The case looks cool, so if you pull it out, it's likely to get played by friends. The songs? There could have been a better track for KMFDM, but it's good music for sitting in a dark room and drinking Snakebite. The Ms. liked it too. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Of Land And Sky
Drug Test 1 Is World Of Trance Hidden Behind A Thick Wall Of Dissonance. This Album Is A Beautiful Experience, But At Times It Feels Claustrophobic. Bewarn. . . ... Read more

Album Details

Thirst Ear compilation featuring 10 tracks including Coil-The Wheel, Psychic TV-Twisted, Yello-The Roxy Cut, Cabaret Voltaire-Product Patrol, Test Dept.-Total Nervous Phenomnon, and others. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Interesting Mixture
Being the re-issue of a vinyl album long out of print, this CD is an interesting way to get to know the various forms of progressive industrial developed in the (late) 80ies. Collecting 10 songs of 10 (sometimes extremely different) artists, this album still can (and should!) be listened to "as a whole", as the different styles never clash in an unpleasant way. Some of the featured songs are in this form unavailable on any other album, e.g. Coil's "The Wheel" (Track 07) [for collectors: a different mix of this track has been included in the german release of "Gold is the Metal..."]. Einstuerzende Neubauten's "Wardrobe" (Track 10) is the classical album version, whilst Cabaret Voltaire's "Product Patrol" has been slightly altered, so the bass is a bit more prominent. For collectors, this item is "close to a must" (hence 4 stars), for those interested in the history of progressive (not necessarily aggressive, mind you) music, this is a highly recommended compilation. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Neither a label sampler nor a hits collection, 13 Years of Electronic Lust is more a historical document examining the state of industrial dance music circa 1987. As such, its appeal will be primarily to newcomers to the genre, since fans will probably already own most of these recordings on their original albums. The usual late-'80s suspects make an appearance: Front 242, Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, Laibach, Nitzer Ebb. But they are put into context with other electro bands around at the time that have all but been forgotten: the angsty Mussolini Headkick, the synth-poppy Moev, and the dramatic Click Click, to name just a few. Not all the tracks are winners, but at least some thought seems to have been put into their selection. Take your pick: it's either a great jumping-off point or a decent slab of nostalgia. --Steve Landau ... Read more

Album Details

14 track collection paying tribute to the king of vampires: Dracula. Artists include: THC, Sone 588, Stun Gun, & more. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Desmo Donte is the King of Vampires
Desmo Donte is THE band to listen to on this cd. The lead singer, Riccardo has a beautiful voice that haunts deep to your innermost soul...."Into the Sun" still lingers in my mind....good job Desmo Donte...and Riccardo :)

Excellent
These are the sort of songs my favorite goth club djs play, but I hadn't heard most of these. I had heard ExVoto, saw them in concert, they were awesome. I'd love to find more cds of theirs.

Great etherial Goth from the immortal Ex-Voto and others.
This is the kind of compilation Cd that you can just let run...no wannabe covers from Puff Daddy...its all etherial Goth. Ex Voto has been around a long time, and developed a loyal following. This effort prominently features the voice of the stunningly beautiful Babalon (shes also on the cover of their new CD). If you're into it, see their website too...you can get more CDs there. ... Read more