Morticiafattymshasabeard - Morticia Fattyms

Totally obsessed with these 1920's Austrian Neo-Gothic/Art Nouveau Bronze Bat Lamps.

Dear Baby Bats - Goth Band Recommendations

As a middle sibling goth (I’ve been in the subculture for close to 10 years now, so not a baby bat but not an elder goth either), let me turn you on to some bands because we do not gatekeep in this house!! Also, if you want consistently good lesser-known & brand new goth band recs, go follow Awfully Sinister on TikTok and Instagram. He’s a DJ & has great recs. I've found so much music through him because it's really hard to keep up with all the new bands cropping up every year. You want to avoid the goth subreddit because they are extremely gatekeeper-y and argue over labels constantly. It’ll just confuse you, and they are not nice over there.

If you’re very new to the subculture, and you haven’t yet listened to all of Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, Sisters of Mercy, Christian Death, Cocteau Twins, Clan of Xymox, Joy Division, and Depeche Mode, go do so now. You'll want to know which of them you really enjoy the most because it will help you know which sub-subgenre(s) of goth you want to watch out for, and it'll tell you what to look for to find it. For example, Sisters of Mercy is the gothic rock subgenre, Christian Death is deathrock, Cocteau Twins is ethereal wave, Clan of Xymox is like the original darkwave, Joy Division is classic post-punk, etc.

I’ve bolded some of my absolute must-listen to goth bands, and I've put monthly Spotify listeners for each band so you know which ones deserve WAY more love. And in my pre-list ramblings for each OG band, I've given you some key terms to look up so you can more easily find music that's similar to what you enjoy. Okay, here we go:

If you like Bauhaus:

Bauhaus is a hard one because honestly, nobody really sounds like them, and they aren't really that closely associated with a specific sub-subgenre of goth. They have an extremely unique sound. They’re my favorite band of all time (I even have a tattoo for them, like I am devoted lol), but even I have a difficult time finding other bands that scratch their particular itch for me. These bands I’ve listed are as close as you’re gonna get imo.

Virgin Prunes (80’s band that has absolutely unhinged music in the way Bauhaus has unhinged music; one of my favorites; no one else does it like them and no one else ever will; I would actually give my left foot to see them live); 13.2k monthly listeners (this is actually physically painful to me, how is it this low!!! don't walk, RUN to go listen to them)

Alien Sex Fiend (80’s classic unhinged goth); 77k monthly listeners

Sextile (modern band that has some very Bauhaus-sounding guitar work at times); 147k listeners

The Danse Society (80’s unhinged goth; has similar experimental vibes to Bauhaus imo); 36k listeners

Sex Beat (80’s band); not even really on Spotify

Ritual Howls (modern band; I don’t know why it gives Bauhaus, but it does; one of the few modern bands that scratches that particular itch for me); 45k listeners

The Agnes Circle (modern band; one of my favorites; they have the right Bauhaus-like atmosphere for me); 52k listeners

Traitrs (I can’t explain why they remind me of Bauhaus, but they do; another one of my fave modern bands; they make me want to start levitating and doing the Ian Curtis dance in the same way Bauhaus does lol); 239k listeners

If you like Siouxsie and the Banshees:

Siouxsie is another one that's hard to pin down sound-wise because again, they don't really fit into one specific sub-subgenre, so all of these recs are just goth bands with female vocalists who have the same kind of powerful vocals that Siouxsie does.

Second Still (modern band; singer sounds a lot like Siouxsie to me at times); 69k listeners

Skeletal Family (80’s band; has the same “women in punk” vibes that Siouxsie has); 55k listeners

Xmal Deutschland (80’s band; has the same powerful vocals that Siouxsie has; makes you wanna go stupid go crazy the way the Banshees do); 73k listeners

Secret Shame (modern band w/ w woman singer; has the same rage that Siouxsie songs have to me, especially early Siouxsie); 6k listeners (let's get those numbers up, folks!!!)

Rosegarden Funeral Party (modern band w/ a woman vocalist); 57k listeners

Mephisto Walz (90s & 2000s; sounds so much like the Banshees at times); 56k listeners

If you like Depeche Mode:

For Depeche Mode enjoyers (which DM is kind of on the fringes of what’s considered “goth,” but they’re so entrenched in the subculture that I included them anyway), you’re gonna want to delve into modern goth playlists that have a lot of EBM (electronic body music) and modern goth that leans towards synthpop/synthwave. So those are the kinds of playlists you’ll want to search up for similar sounds to DM.

Nuovo Testamento (modern band; combines post-punk and pop elements in a way that’s very similar to Depeche Mode; lots of fun live, and they have a good sound); 25k listeners

Boy Harsher (modern band; relies heavily on synth; feels like it should be playing at every goth club); 558k listeners

ULTRA SUNN (modern band; singer sounds like Dave Gahan); 217k listeners (they just blew up on tiktok recently, which explains why this just skyrocketed since the last time I was on their Spotify page lol; good for them, good for them, they deserve it)

Ministry's first album, which was synthwave/synthpop before they went industrial (this is one of my all-time favorite albums)

French Police (modern band); 252k listeners

Closed Tear (modern band); 152k listeners

Night Sins (modern band); 33k listeners

Panic Priest (modern band; vocals sound decently similar to Dave Gahan & there is a lot of reliance on synth; In All Severity is a gorgeous song); 5k listeners

Fad Gadget (underrated 80’s band; I just feel like if you like DM, you’re also gonna like this band); 58k listeners

If you like The Cure:

You'll be hard-pressed to find a goth band that wasn't influenced by The Cure, so I really can't give you any key terms for what to look up lol. They also changed their sound so frequently that it entirely depends on what era of The Cure's music you're looking to find similar music for.

Vision Video (modern band; combines post-punk and pop elements like The Cure does; one of my fave modern goth bands; they are INCREDIBLE live); 52k listeners (I'm gonna need y'all to get a song or two of theirs to blow up on tiktok expeditiously lol)

Urban Heat (modern band; great live); 36k listeners

The Chameleons (80’s band; very underrated; they are also very good live); 167k listeners

House of Harm (modern band, very new; also very good live; has pop elements); 44k listeners

Deceits (modern band, another very new one); 28k listeners (it's crazy how much this number has grown the past two months because it was in the single thousands not that long ago; everyone say thank you, tiktok)

Drab Majesty (modern band; their instrumentals remind me of The Cure); 172k listeners

Double Echo (modern band; their instrumentals also remind me of The Cure); 15k listeners (let's get these numbers up!!!)

The Bolshoi (underrated 80’s band that combines new wave and goth elements in a similar way to The Cure); 114k listeners

The Essence (underrated 80s band that sounds so much like The Cure it’s actually insane, but they’ve got their own sound too; they’re like a perfect blend of all of The Cure’s different sounds); 25k monthly listeners

Miss Teen America (brand new band from NYC! They only have one single out right now, and it’s well worth listening to); 940 monthly listeners (y’all know what to do!!! Let’s get those numbers up, up, up!) link to their single: https://open.spotify.com/album/4nvdZeUVLLrMv3tEziCqm7?si=2WVS7-eYQLGR7Id3wLiKhg

If you like Clan of Xymox:

Most of these bands will be modern ones because Clan of Xymox was honestly way ahead of their time. (They are also amazing live, so go see them before they eventually call it quits!) For playlists that are full of their vibe, you’re gonna want to look up “darkwave” playlists and also some EBM. Clan of Xymox pioneered darkwave, so any darkwave band you listen to is gonna be influenced by their sound in some way or another.

Harsh Symmetry (modern, very new; very heavily relies on synth); 29k listeners

Ssleeping Desiress (modern band; instrumentals similar to Xymox); 55k listeners

Twin Tribes (probably my favorite modern goth band; they are fucking incredible, and I’m dying to see them live); 276k listeners

ACTORS (modern band; heavily relies on synth); 86k listeners

Mareux (modern; heavily relies on synth); 4.8 million listeners (this is wild!!!! everyone say thank you, tiktok)

Sixth June (modern); 23k listeners

Plastique Noir (modern); 40k listeners

Rendez Vous (modern); 160k listeners

Minuit Machine (modern); 97k listeners

If you like Christian Death:

All of these recs will be deathrock recs or goth bands that heavily leaned on punk sounds. So if CD is the OG goth band you’re most fond of, you’re gonna want to delve into deathrock playlists for similar sounds.

Asylum Party (80’s band); not on spotify

45 Grave (80’s band); 47k listeners

Voodoo Church (80’s band; probably my favorite out of this bunch; I actually like them more than Christian Death); 7k listeners (let's get these numbers up immediately!!!!)

Ausgang (80’s band); 2k listeners (WHAT; they deserve so much more, damn)

Corpus Delicti (90’s band; they are very good; they sound the least like Christian Death on this list imo); 26k listeners

13th Chime (80’s band; very underrated); 6k listeners

The Birthday Party (80’s band; very unhinged sound); 54k listeners

UK Decay (you know, I actually don’t know what era they’re from; unhinged sound); 1k listeners (omg)

Super Heroines (underrated 80’s band); 2k listeners (you see what I meant about underrated?)

Specimen (80s band; this one could have just as easily gone under Bauhaus tbh, but the vocals are generally higher pitched than Peter Murphy’s, so I put them under this category); 102k listeners

Sex Gang Children (80’s band; just so unhinged & I love them for it); 27k listeners

Suspiria (90s, I think? I don’t actually know); barely on Spotify but 27k listeners

Theatre of Hate (80s); 7k listeners

Bloody Dead and Sexy (2000s, I think); 44k listeners

If you like Cocteau Twins:

Cocteau Twins’ early sound is usually categorized as “ethereal wave” goth, so those are the playlists you’ll want to look up if you enjoy their early sound. If you like their later sound, you’re gonna want to lean more towards shoegaze for similar vibes.

Dead Can Dance (80’s band; NO one, and I mean NO ONE, was doing it like Dead Can Dance; so fun to dance to in the goth club); 332k listeners

Lycia (90’s band; their music is very transcendent); 20k listeners

Linea Aspera (modern band; gorgeous woman vocals; honestly, their music is just very beautiful); 67k listeners

This Mortal Coil (formed in the 80s; women vocals that sound extremely similar to Robin Guthrie at times; Sixteen Days/Gathering Dust is just like the best song ever); 310k listeners

If you like Joy Division:

All of these bands will be ones that sound very classically post-punk, so those are the playlists to search out; emphasis on "classic" because post-punk is a very broad term that gets applied to a lot of music. I would argue that Joy Division has had the most influence out of all the OG goth bands on the current goth sound/goth renaissance we're going through right now, so there are a LOT of bands out there for you if you’re a JD fan.

Molchat Doma (modern band); 2.5 million listeners (wow lol, they've grown so much over the past two years, it's actually insane; good for them)

Soviet Soviet (modern band); 152k listeners

Fearing (modern band; very good live); 30k listeners

Ploho (modern band); 146k listeners

Pink Turns Blue (criminally underrated 80’s band; they are SO good live); 98k listeners (this is an actual travesty, this band is way too good to not even be in the hundred thousands)

The Sound (another incredibly underrated 80’s band); 119k listeners

This Cold Night (modern; has the deep vocals of Joy Division and the driving bass); 150k listeners

Bleib Modern (modern); has very similar vocals to Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, which is a band listed under the Sisters of Mercy section of this post, so if you end up liking this band, you should also listen to Red Lorry Yellow Lorry & vice versa; 36k listeners

Lebanon Hanover (modern; has the existential angst that Joy Division always ignites in me); 936k listeners (this is crazy, holy shit!!!!!! go, Lebanon Hanover, go!! now if only they would tour the damn US)

She Past Away (modern; deep vocals); 226k listeners

Belgrado (modern; woman vocals!); 18k listeners (they deserve better than this!!)

Leonora Post Punk (modern; Mexican goth band w/ Spanish vocals, so support them! They’re amazing! They have those deep vocals you want when you’re looking for a similar sound to Joy Division); 56k listeners

O. Children (modern; has the deep vocals & interesting bass lines that Joy Division was known for; great band); 29k listeners

If you like Sisters of Mercy:

This is one of my least favorite goth subcategories, which is odd because I actually love Sisters. But if you’re looking for a lot of music that sounds like SoM, I’d suggest delving into the 90’s and early 2000’s goth music scene. Search out those playlists.

Rosetta Stone (90’s band); 54k listeners

Miazma (modern); 10k listeners

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry (another criminally underrated 80’s band; one of my fave goth bands); 40k listeners (THEY!! DESERVE!! BETTER!!)

Dreamtime (modern); 65 listeners (ouch lol, please go show them some love)

Fields of the Nephilim (80’s, I think; if you’re a metalhead, you’ll probably appreciate this band); 95k listeners

The Merry Thoughts (80s); 19k listeners

The March Violets (underrated 80s; might be a controversial opinion to put them under SoM, but I’m standing by it); 69k listeners

Horror Vacui (modern; it’s kind of a stretch putting them here tbh, but I couldn’t figure out what other category to put them under); 44k listeners

Also, if you want a 1500-song, 105-hour goth playlist that’s constantly growing, here you go. The name of it is a dig at my ex lol: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6jCV530pMmOEmDHj4CLNka?si=cEVKiyAwQpaieGiV2pMyqw

Hey brain,

Can you PLEASE not think about if my partner would do for me what I'm doing for him?

I don't like that you're telling me no . . . .

No Fooling: Dark Force Fest Saturday, April 1st, 2023 Review

(Hi, few days later Morticia here! I'm transferring the original Blogger post to Tumblr, and am fleshing out more of the content with links and anything new I've learned in the days following the event.)

I know I have other posts I really should have written and posted long before this one, but it is what it is. I'm just a girl with a cellphone and a passion to talk about this festival Right NOW.

Why am I only writing about Saturday? Because it was the only day I could go.  I had an Amazing time and wouldn't trade a single second of it for anything.  

Dark Force Fest is a 3-Day Alternative Music and Lifestyle Festival in New Jersey. Formerly a convention known as "Dark Side of the Con", Dark Force Fest has an amazingly Passionate and Prolific Organizer, Jet, and is presented through his company, former Social Media site now Gothic Retail store, VampireFreaks. VampireFreaks is a topic for another post and maybe a full video deep dive.  There's so much to cover, there was so much to do! I chose to check out the Swap Meet, the Live Bat Exhibit, The Super Smash Bros Tournament (I lost), and the Goth Dad Q&A. While  I could have walked into any number of bands, I specifically saw Carnivore A.D.'s Tribute to Type O Negative. For all my fan-girling about Vision Video with my friends, I couldn't stay for their show.  A quick note: While there was the banner on the outside of the Sheraton, there wasn't anything telling you where registration was. The few people milling around outside were talking in groups that seemed to be attendees. There was one Security guard inside of the Main hotel entrance to tell us to "go out and around". Signs, Please! Let's start this wordy tour of DFF2023 with the first thing we encounter after registration: the Vendors. Gathering the creative, dark minded Artisans that build our community via Clothes, Jewelry, Housewares, Cosmetics, and Consumables, Dark Force Fest gives a physical location to many vendors that would otherwise not have as targeted an audience at their local Farmer's Markets on Sunday mornings. It also gives prospective buyers, and online followers, the opportunity to meet the artists, and make the decisions they need in order to ensure they make a great purchase they'll brag about for years to come. There is nothing more satisfying than saying "This was handmade by_____ !" and knowing you're helping directly keep our community thriving. In some cases, you're literally saving lives.  A few of the Artists that I interacted with mentioned how they traveled a few Hours to vend at the festival, but felt it was worth it to be more immersed in their culture. A few lucky vendors would share the concert rooms with the shows, getting themselves some pretty comfortable seats to a plethora of bands. One such vendor was the effervescent Shirley, The Tragic Doll. She creates deeply personal works of art about living with Scleroderma, an autoimmune disease that she describes as feeling trapped in her own skin. Incorporating Skeletal imagery and the color Red, representing Blood, to symbolize the effects of her condition, Shirley hand makes every piece of her Horror Art with passion, and anatomically correct hearts, because her motto is "Live My Heart Out".  Thanks to the map and a few kind Vendors, I was able to find the Swap Meet in the Skyland room. This was my first Swap Meet and I was surprised to find a few items in my size, or near enough I can modify them in future content. Everyone there was so helpful and wonderful, suggesting items they think would fit me or suit my style, and I'm so thrilled to say they were absolutely correct! (Thank you Rainbow Fairy; you took my hat in return for your snake skull dress.) The kindness and sense of community in that one room was so awesome, it really made me love being a part of this culture. Swap Meets are a great way to clear some unused clothes/boots/accessories from your closet and pick up something you might love forever. The Swap Meet at Dark Force Fest was Free with registration. While looking for the Batcave and taking some photos of the overall hallways, I passed Dusty Gannon of Vision Video without noticing. So, behold this glorious shot of Goth Dad being a Goth Rock Daddy.

The Star Wars cosplay group, the 501st stormtroopers, were raising money for charity.  There was an interesting skeletal capital(ism) M mouse sculpture by Jasin Cadic in the main lobby of the hotel. "The Batcave" was an ongoing  Live Bats Exhibit w/ Joseph D’Angeli (NJ Batman). Joseph D’Angeli’s “Bat-Cave” is the only facility specializing in bat conservation in the NY/NJ area. These cuties were pretty shy, but so was I.

 Feeling a little worn out, we wandered out to the food trucks and picked up poutine to snack on while determining if we had the energy for a band. I believe it was the hotel that provided extensive options for more food inside of the event, in front of the Main Ballroom. I'm really glad there was free Water stations and clean Restrooms tucked around the venue. There was a water station in the Batcave, and a private bathroom in the Gaming rooms that I knowingly used, there was most likely more. 

Deciding we needed to rest from the sensory overload, we found the Super Smash Bros Tournament, and we're incredibly thankful for this respite. There were a handful of other people so we all took turns warming up. As I had planned around seeing Carnivore A.D. and Goth Dad, I did leave immediately after I lost my bracket.

Carnivore A.D. is the closest to Type O Negative live as you can possibly get in 2023. No joke, they're Peter Steele's former Carnivore bandmates! I wanted to see this show because 1. I like TON. 2. My bestie loves TON and I miss her a lot. 3. They pair well with The 69 Eyes. I definitely fucked up by headbanging,  but it's irresistible! 

We had a little time left and found Goth Dad's Q&A still going back in the Skyland room. People had some great questions, and it was powerful to hear him speak on the horrors of active combat. Dusty Gannon, the internet's "Goth Dad", has made a huge impact on how Goths and Goth Culture is seen and accepted online through Tiktok and Instagram. The Goth Dad persona is a Gentle, Kind, and Accepting person that you want to have call you sport and pat you on the head. Embracing the gender breaking styles of Post Punk influences, Dusty creates intense and stunning eye makeup looks and can be caught performing in torn tights, skirts, Fishnets and Lace tops, alongside his bandmate, Emily, as Vision Video.

We had to leave to make a dinner reservation with some friends from the area. My paper wristband didn't hold up, it frayed from being too tight and handwashing, and popped right off in the car while on our way to dinner. I didn't want to push my luck trying to get in later with a broken band.

Needless to say, I'm super excited for the next Dark Force Fest, and will be doing a whole lot more planning and managing to get to enjoy even more of it to share with you all. 

Somethings I wish I had checked out (limiting to Saturday Only events: this list would get too long for the whole weekend):

-Custom fit Fangs -The Costume Contest hosted by Electronic Saviors: Industrial Music to Cure Cancer -Write a Song with Bella Morte -Nightmare Before Christmas Shadowcast -V is for Villains -Leathers - Vision Video  -Actors

Thanks for Reading all this!  Reach out to me on my socials: Linktree

Jet, if you read this, DM me on Instagram, please. I'd love to talk. 

"I'm so Goth, I exhale black mold. So the sooner shall this body be made to dust than I shall finally be at peace."

Why is a spot in my side shaking like it has a vibrator in it? Just one spot near my left ribs, nowhere else. Doesn't feel like an organ, but IDK.

Love all these shitty scary aches and pains and racing heart symptoms because I don't know what any of it means and I'm too worried a Dr will just pile on more possible illnesses.

Like, why can't it *just* be that I have cysts, why does it *have* to *also* be more than that?