Chosen by Monk
Despite the ongoing, and some cases renewed, lockdowns in many parts of the Überverse, we are still receiving a healthy bundle of submissions for our coveted ‘Video Of The Week’ title. Many of them are produced against the background of continuing quarantine conditions in some countries, while others reflect artists being able to return and flex their creative muscles once again.
Our chosen offering this week is something of an event in itself. But, then, a new release by an act as iconic, and, iconoclastic, as the Smashing Pumpkins truly is an event in its own right, especially when it comes at the end of a period when a global pan(dem)ic has virtually closed down the music and made normally “mundane” tasks such as writing and recording new material. So, it’s hardly surprising that, this past week, social media lit up when Billy Corgan and co suddenly revealed a new stand-alone double A-sided single, the typically eclectic ‘Cyr’/’The Colour Of Love’, their first new recordings in almost two years.
Our first “special mention” comes from another legend of the alternative scene, the godfather of goth himself, Wayne Hussey, who has enlisted a veritable who’s who of talented musos to aid his ReMission International project, which has seen him re-imagine, with appropriately timing, the epic ‘Tower Of Strength’, which apparently had been adopted by NHS workers as an anthem for the Covid-19 crisis. Among the all-star collaborators to this exciting project, which has resulted in five different versions of the song, are The Cure co-founder Lol Tolhurst, Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore, Gary Numan, Andy Rourke of The Smiths, All About Eve’s Julianne Regan, Midge Ure, Budgie of Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Creatures, The Cult’s Billy Duffy, Kevin Haskins of Bauhaus, Tones on Tail and Love and Rockets, Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell, Richard Fortus of Guns N’ Roses, Robin Finck (NIN), The Wonder Stuff’s Miles Hunt and a re-united line-up of Gene Loves Jezebel.
Another “all-star” collaboration, of sorts, brings us our next stunning visual opus, in the form of the atmospheric and haunting ‘Below The Waves’, the last video to be released by Fleetburner – the new project featuring former In Flames bassist Peter Iwers and Kalmah/One Morning Left keyboardist Veli-Matti Kananan, as well as contributions from Dark Tranquillity’s Christopher Amott, Sirenia’s Nils Courbaron and Madder Mortem’s Agnete M KIrkevaag – before the release next month of their debut, self-titled album. It shows the quality of the submissions we received this week that, on another occasion, this most likely would have been a worthy ‘VOTW’ winner, but this time around has to settle for an honourable mention:
Another video which probably would have picked up our award in any other week is the brilliant new offering from our favourite Midlands-based schlock horror goths, Ward XVI, who this past week introduced us to the gruesome ‘Mister Babadook’, whose tale they have told on the second single to be released from their stunning new album, ‘Metamorphosis’, which continues the story of Psychoberrie and her (mis)adventures in Whittingham Asylum, Believe me when I tell you that the inmates have most definitely taken things to the next level with this album, which will be the first to be released on the new Metal Rocka label next month.
A real bit of fun and another slice of rock ‘n’ roll insanity to finish off this week’s visual feasting, courtesy of those Spanish-based spaghetti dad rockers Sin City, who are preparing to release their third – yes, their THIRD – album this year alone, which they have prefaced with this cautionary, but hjghly fun, tale of a woman with no heart. If nothing else, this slice of pure cheese will put a smile on your face wider than the Cheddar Gorge…
Well, there you go. That’s your lot for this week. Hope you have enjoyed the new sights and sounds we have brought to you this week. Until next Sunday, keep ‘er lit, keep ‘er between the hedges and #StaySafe…
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