MK ULTRA

THE BLUE HOUR is a Seattle-based duo that blends elements of ethereal, electronic, and neoclassical to create a haunting dreampop-noir that is reminiscent of early 4AD artists while retaining a vision that is unique to Marselle and Brian Hodges. Marselle’s ethereal yet soulful vocal delivery often draws comparison to “lost studio sessions by ambient music’s first lady, Kate Bush, slowed down and blissed out … the result is nothing less than a future classic of the dream-pop canon.” – Dancing About Architecture. Meanwhile, Brian’s songwriting and production, which focuses on finding that rare balance between the melancholy and the sublime, is frequently likened to This Mortal Coil and Dead Can Dance.
 
THE BLUE HOUR’s albums are a journey, inviting listeners to join them in dreamscapes.  “THE BLUE HOUR are arch-dream weavers whose almost narcotic backdrops are the perfect structure to hang such rich and emotive vocals.” -Dancing About Architecture.
 
THE BLUE HOUR’s latest release, “Lore,” offers 12 tracks of darkly resplendent dreampop. “Lore” features contributions from Barry Galvin (Mephisto Walz/Christian Death), John Fryer (This Mortal Coil, NiN, Depeche Mode), Pieter Nooten (ex-Clan of Xymox), Mark Gemini Thwaite (Peter Murphy, the Mission), and Wade Alin (Christ Analogue).
 
Founded in 1993, THE BLUE HOUR’s roots reach back to the early days of goth and new wave. Marselle and Brian met each other during Seattle’s new wave explosion in the 1980s, where they were part of a tribe of youth sleeping in abandoned buildings and dancing the nights away in clubs, discovering worlds of texture and rhythm and beautiful discord … and most of all, magic.
 
Prior to forming THE BLUE HOUR, Brian was the keyboardist for the cult goth-rock band, Black Atmosphere—a band formed by Xstoph Gladis (a former guitarist for Christian Death). Black Atmosphere was featured on several compilations from Cleopatra Records and shared the stage with luminaries, including Christian Death, Sex Gang Children, Clan of Xymox, the Church, Switchblade Symphony, and Gitane Demone.
 
Before joining THE BLUE HOUR, Marselle was the lead vocalist for the dark metal band Crypt Orchid and, over the years, has provided guest vocals for several electronic dance and industrial projects, including the track “I Am God” for John Fryer’s Black Needle Noise and backup vocal’s for Chris Connelly’s track “Dark Skies.” Marselle recently completed an album of downtempo ambient music with Pieter Nooten of 4AD/Clan of Xymox fame, which was released on May 7, 2021.

 Season Of Mist has teamed up with legendary gothic rock band CHRISTIAN DEATH to release an ongoing series of CD and vinyl reissues of CHRISTIAN DEATH‘s acclaimed catalog.

Previously, the label reissued LPs for the band’s highly influential Catastrophe Ballet  as well as The Root of All Evilution, Ashes, The Scriptures, and Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christin addition to CD and vinyl reissues for 1986’s Atrocities.

The Dark Age Renaissance Collection, Part 1:  The Renaissance, due on December 10, 2021, combines four of CHRISTIAN DEATH‘s early genre-defining early recordings. This special set pulls together their classic albums, ‘Catastrophe Ballet’ (1984), ‘Ashes’ (1985), ‘Atrocities’ (1986), and ‘The Scriptures’ (1987).

The Dark Age Renaissance Collection, Part 2:  The Age Of Innocence Lost, due November 5, 2021, combines four of their middle-period recordings that marked the rebirth of the band as fronted by Valor Kand. This special set pulls together their 1988 commercial break-through ‘Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christ’,  (1990), ‘All the Love All the Hate’ Part 1 – All the Love and Part 2 – All the Hate (both 1989), and the full-album version of ‘The Wind Kissed Pictures’ (1988).

The Dark Age Renaissance Collection Part 3:  The Age Of Decadence is a 4 CD jewel case set features three of their middle-period recordings and 1990 demos/outtakes compilation – ‘Insanus, Ultio, Proditio, Misericordiaque’ (1990), ‘Sexy Death God’ (1994), ‘Prophecies’ (1996), and ‘Pornographic Messiah’ (1998) – into one limited and specially-priced package of provocative dark music. Released on October 8, 2021. 

The Dark Age Renaissance Collection Part 4:  The New Dark Age combines their three most recent recordings – ‘Born Again Anti Christian’ (2000), ‘American Inquisition’ (2007), and ‘The Root Of All Evilution’ (2015) – into one limited and specially-priced package of provocative dark music. Released on September 3, 2021 via Season of Mist!

In addition, CHRISTIAN DEATH will be reissuing their long out-of-print 1985 EP ‘The Wind Kissed Pictures’ on November 19, 2021 via Season of Mist! This will be the first time in 30 years that it will be available on vinyl format. The endeavor features the vocal debut of Valor Kand, and marked the start of a new era for the revolutionary band.

This expanded edition includes the companion ‘Lacrima Christi’ 7″ feat. the track in both its English & Italian versions, as well as three additional tracks from that era. ‘The Wind Kissed Pictures’ was way ahead of its time, and it further proves that the bulk of modern dark music still exists under the shadow of CHRISTIAN DEATH‘s influence.

With Flood, the 6th release from, THE FUNERAL MARCH OF THE MARIONETTES (aka THE FUNERAL MARCH) the band continues to evolve their sound while exploring their influences old and new.

Joe Whiteaker says of the process “The initial concept/demo for Flood occurred in the same sessions as Useless. When it comes time to make Flood, one goal I had was to take a look/listen to where we have been, and see how the path might diverge… I didn’t want to just make another song like the ones that came before it.”

I also had been struggling with what the song “Flood” was going to be titled. I kept coming back to the refrain “In the flood of our end times…” So “Flood” just stuck.” At the same time, however, since my producer and I kind of threw it all in a blender, I think you start to hear some of the newer things I am really into.”

Flood also features a remix by Hide Tepes from the band CARRION.

THE FUNERAL MARCH (aka THE FUNERAL MARCH OF THE MARIONETTES) is a band known for their dark image and gloomy sound formed in 1987 in the post-industrial city of Rockford, Illinois. Their work has blended elements of gothic rock and post-punk music, combining a number of influences (The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and others) to create a very dark but passionate sound, appealing to many. The band took its name from a Charles Gounod composition best known as the theme music for the television program Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
 
The band has been featured on Post-Punk.com, Side-line.com, Whitelight/WhiteHeat, Brutal Resonance, and other dark music publications. The band was also chosen by deathrockradio.com as one of the Top Bands of 2019. The band is currently promoting their new release Flood.

Gothic rock band OCTOBER NOIR has just unleashed their highly-anticipated new full-length release, Fate, Wine & Wisteria. The themes of the album draw upon lust, loss, love, pain and arrogance.

The album features the recently released single, “Windows” for which the band shot a video. The song is about finding a savior in the midst of being in a miserable state and being able to see everything the world has to offer through that person’s eyes. The video was filmed in multiple locations around south and central Alabama, depicting the band being in different parts of the world and all that the scenery has to offer.

Fate, Wine & Wisteria was engineered and produced by Paul Bento (CARNIVORE) & Wicked Wind Studios.

Since 2016, OCTOBER NOIR has been crafting original songs and covers faithfully in the spirit of their namesake. Born out of a desire to fill a void long left unfilled for grieving fans, OCTOBER NOIR’s music is an echo of the legacy of one from beyond the veil. After the tragic passing of Type O Negative’s Peter Steele, the band seeks to carry the torch of his iconic music to the next generation as the first true disciples of Negativism. The band has produced two albums and six cover singles to date. On September 22nd 2021, the band added a third album to their repertoire (also featuring their seventh cover, a favorite from Glenn Danzig) –Fate, Wine & Wisteria-available on CD and digital formats.

DEINE LAKAIEN, the beloved German Dark Wave icons, have just released their homage to the Pink Floyd classic “Set the Controls for the Heart of
the Sun,” their second single and accompanying video from their forthcoming new album entitled “Dual +.” This new album features new material, covers of Devo, REM and the aforementioned Pink Floyd, that will be released in lavish limited CD editions as well as a limited edition vinyl version
on November 26th, 2021 through Prophecy Productions of Germany.

Industrial music legends Tim Skold (Marilyn Manson, KMFDM, Motionless In White, Skold) and Nero Bellum (Psyclon Nine) have combined forces for a second time as NOT MY GOD, their much praised project. The album entitled “SIMULACRA” was released today by Metropolis Records via all digital and streaming platforms, CD and a limited edition version on vinyl.