GGGOLDDD, based in the Netherlands, have for the past decade been releasing material that defies genre conventions and blurs the boundaries between all manner of musical styles, from Metal, to post-Punk, to Pop, to Trip-Hop. Their fifth full-length release, This Shame Should Not Be Mine (Artoffact Records) is based around deeply personal themes to vocalist Milena Eva, who uses this record, conceived during the 2020 lockdown, to address traumatic events including sexual assault.
TW for rape, sexual assault, violence, and ptsd.
Ghost Cult chatted with Milena Eva and Thomas Sciarone of the Dutch band GGGOLDDD to discuss their new album This Shame Should Not Be Mine due out on April 1st, 2022 via Artoffact Records. The pair spent time with us discussing the inspiration for the new album, how they created the album during the early part of the pandemic, their experiences with Roadburn Festival, performing there in the past, being chosen as guest curators for 2022, working with festival founder Walter Hoeijmakers, their plans to perfrom the entire new album live, touring and much more.
Not a lot of bands can pull off Gothic Pop. For Dutch avant-garde ensemble GOLD, it comes easy. They channel the darkest strains of Pop and straight out Rock to create their own version of industrial Goth Rock. They represent a dark, nihilistic world that runs smoothly. GOLD have put their blood, sweat and dramatic tears in Why Aren’t You Laughing? (Artoffact Records)Continue reading
At a time in the world when women are assailed at every turn, their rights threatened by laws, and are denigrated worse than ever by those in the spotlight, it is refreshing to see and hear the plethora of incredible women artists right now demanding to be heard. Either has been an amazing influx of talent to the music scene of late, or underground artists finally coming to the forefront of public consciousness. Although the full arc of Gold and their third album Optimist (Van Records) doesn’t solely rely on vocalist Milena Eva, she certainly dominates the proceedings. Continue reading
Ghost Cult is proud to partner with GOLD to bring you their new music video today, ‘Teenage Lust’. The track comes from their forthcoming third album Optimist, due out on Ván Records on Feb 24. You can watch the video below. Continue reading
Rotterdam quintet Gold’s pounding yet warmly-produced, Post-heavy bent is faithful to that freedom of expression and unconstrained creativity so expected from Dutch artists. Milena Eva’s androgynous tones assist the Indie feel driving sophomore album, No Image (Ván / Profound Lore): opener ‘Servant’ having a laid-back, Pop vibe coursing through the cocooning weight of the instrumentation. The psychedelic bleeps, whistles and squalling lead spiralling through the ensuing ‘Old Habits’, meanwhile, coupled with the determinedly-intoned yet almost angelic vocal, nearly disguise a fuzzing brute of staccato rhythm.
Extreme Metalheads could find the album falling between two stools: a harsh Rock sound, tempered by the voice and attitude of their guilty ‘chillout’ secrets. Those who stick with this will, however, find unexpected thrills in each track which have you hooked before you realise. There’s no shortage of atmosphere here: shimmering pedal effects complement Eva’s moving delivery in ‘The Controller’, and preface a Blondie-style Punk explosion; whilst the early synth and sample work of ‘D.I.R.’ is the prologue to a thudding New Wave structure. It’s here where the production really emphasises the power and weight underpinning Eva’s soft lilt, reminiscent of a happy Brian Molko.
Bitterness and despair travel freely within these walls despite both emotions being delivered in an energetic and, in the case of ‘The Waves’, febrile manner, with lead and backing vocals seeming to sound simultaneously pained and carefree. The heavy, Joy Division-infused shoegaze of ‘Shapeless’ is driven by a seedy, sexy rhythm section, while the early swerve and bludgeon of ‘Tar And Feather’ threatens a Black / Grind influence, before delicacy briefly tempers an anger conducted by Igor Wouters’ phenomenal stickwork. Only the nevertheless brooding and occasionally sensual closers ‘Don’t’ and ‘Taste Me’ mar things somewhat, having a Saint Etienne-like lethargic drift which allows the interest to wander.
It takes no little courage and confidence to put together such opposing shades of light and dark, and to do so with such youthful vitality is joyfully uplifting. No Image is a “something different” that unifies many styles and, in doing so, proves capable of engaging devotees from across the heavy spectrum.
7.0/10.0
PAUL QUINN