Australian Gothic Cacophonies

(Pic by Ben Butcher)

Just saw this band on the weekend. Comprising of the core creative duo of husband and wife Tom Lyngcoln (of ace Melbourne rock band The Nation Blue) and Alex Kastaniotis, and fleshed out by a brace of female backing vocalists (Maria Kastaniotis, Amanda Roff, Quinn Veldhuis) and bass by none other than Jon Chapple (Mclusky, Shooting At Unarmed Men), Harmony are striving to create their own genre - Australian Death Gothic Folk. An unwieldy title, yes, and in no way endorsed by any member of the band, but how else do you describe what these great people have concocted? With songs steeped in depression, alcohol, suicide, and domestic distress, all within the confines of the working class, I can't help but think that we are hearing the best musical that never was. Raw, stark, elegiac, rough-hewn, yet stirring and ultimately it is harshly beautiful. You could say that they owe some of this to the road paved by the likes of the Drones, but this is very much its own tortured beast - and fuck me if its not one of the most striking albums Ive heard this year. Highly recommended.

Harmony is out July 1. Do yourself a favour - preorder it here.

Harmony - Cacophonous Vibes