Today 1 year ago, we received the sad news of the death of Rüdiger Frank ((° 17. Juni 1967, Ludwigsburg; † 12. Juli 2019, Markgröningen, Germany), singer of German gothic rock band The Tors Of Dartmoor. Rüdiger Frank left Printed At Bismarck's Death in 1989 with keyboard player Heiko Muter (who died in 2001) to form a new gothic rock band: The Tors Of Dartmoor, named after an English rock formation in a mystical landscape.

I got to know The Tors Of Dartmoor in 1991, shortly after the release of their grand debut "The Obvious Darkness". I remember very well taking this CD in the store, intrigued as I was by the band's name as wel as the cover-artwork with a photo of a ruin. The seller told me that this was the latest gothic sensation from Germany. Sold! I absolutely loved this album with classics such as "Waterking" and "Meet Moshe Dayan" (a song they wrote still with Printed At Bismarck's Death). Since then The Tors Of Dartmoor has been number 3 in the list of my favorite gothic rock bands, after The Sisters Of Mercy and Fields Of The Nephilim and just before Love Like Blood.

I was delighted when The Tors Of Dartmoor came to play in my hometown of Antwerp in 1992 at the Phantom Festival in the Limelight (the poster also included The Lance Of Allotment, Dive and Die Krupps). I will never forget the performance of The Tors Of Dartmoor and I still remember perfectly how it began. A tall guitarist and bass player came on stage and started to play the first song. When, after a few minutes, everyone started to wonder where the singer was, a small jerk suddenly came out of the backstage door, a kind of troll king who controlled the entire performance. What a voice and what a presence! Rüdiger Frank suffered from dwarf growth and never grew taller than 1.34 meters. But as small as he was in stature, as big was his act and his stage presence!

And this not only with his gothic rock bands, because in Germany Rüdiger Frank was also a well-known and celebrated actor. He played numerous roles there, including that of God in the piece "Mefistofele" and of Riff Raff in the musical "Rocky Horror Show". In later years he was known for his double role in the world's first steampunk opera "Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober" and until very recently as Herod in the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar".

After the unparalleled debut "The Obvious Darkness" (1991) the albums "House Of Sounds" (1993, tip: "Welcome To The House"), "Third Second" (1996, tip: "Gypsy") and“ Chapter VI ”(2004) which still had a bunch of strong songs but which, as an album, unfortunately could not match the level of their debut.

Recently Rüdiger Frank was also active in the Romeo Is Bleeding formation, which made music inspired by Tom Waits. Unfortunately he could not finish a long-planned solo album. Rüdiger Frank had had health problems for a long time and was only 52 years old. I will cherish my copy of "The Obvious Darkness", signed by the four band members at the Phantom Festival in 1992, forever. [Henk Vereecken / Dark Entries]

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DISCOGS

This month it’s 28 years ago (July 1992) Ministry released the first single, N.W.O. (New World Order) taken from their fifth studio album ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ better known as Psalm 69. The single is considered Ministry's biggest hit, topping out on the Billboard Modern Rock chart at no. 11. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 1993.
The song is widely regarded as a protest against then-President George H. W. Bush. The song features audio samples of his voice, with him repeating "A new world order" over and over again at the end of the song. At this point of the song in the music video, Bush is portrayed by an actor with an enormous papier-mâché head, grabbing his crotch and waving his arms. Samples from Apocalypse Now are included in this track: Dennis Hopper's character exclaiming "It's alright!" as the patrol boat is approaching the colonel's fort, as well as the siren that was used during the scene. There is also a loop of the guitar solo coming from a transistor radio in the grenade launcher's bunker.
Next to the album version and the over eight minute long Extended Dance Mix of the title track, there's also the non-album bonus track Fucked writen by Paul Barker and Howard Beno.The cover artwork was designed by Paul Elledge.

N.W.O
Track listing

1. N.W.O. (Album Edit)
2. Fucked
3. N.W.O. (Extended Dance mix)

Lyrics

All the locals hide their tears of regret
Open fire 'cause I love you to death
Sky high, with a heartache of stone
You'll never see me 'cause I'm always alone

How to love without a trace of dissent
I'll buy the torture 'cause you pay for the rent
Tied high with a broken command
You're all alone to the promised land

I'm in love with this malicious intent
You've been taken but you don't know it yet
What you will know must never live to be found
'Cause it's the subject of the eyes of the clown

writen by: Al Jourgensen / Paul G. Barker

Dutch electro pioneers Minny Pops have announced the release of a brand new double A-Side single on the 7th of August 2020.

'Dat Dead Dad Dog' is available digitally at all the usual major outlets and is the latest in a series of ongoing releases and mixes by the band this year.

Now based in the UK and always truly innovative, the former Factory Records outfit are currently operating as a collective with a cast of global collaborators hailing from London, Manchester, Austin, Bucharest and Rotterdam. Both versions of 'Dat Dead Dad Dog' were recorded and mixed in one session without overdubs in Texas, with three musicians from Austin and two musicians from Amsterdam who had never met before.

Minny Pops' leader and founding member Wally van Middendorp explains - 'It was dark when we went into the studio, our spirits connected, something magical happened - et voila! Both tracks playfully engage with feelings about the transience of life and our connections to our parents and their dogs".

Formed in 1978, Minny Pops took their name from the primitive Korg drum machine that propelled their stark, confrontational post-punk rhythms. Their association with Factory Records saw them produced by Martin Hannett, tour with Joy Division, New Order and A Certain Ratio and gain press plaudits in the UK for their 'Sparks in A Dark Room' album and a string of ground-breaking singles. In 1980 they became the first Dutch band to record a John Peel session.

They returned in early 2012 and recorded their first new material for thirty years at the invitation of long time fan Tim Burgess and released a seven inch single on The Charlatans front man's O Genesis label, followed by the re-release of their acclaimed album 'Sparks in a Dark Room' on Factory Benelux.

open.spotify.com/album/7E5wSsuFw6xKPZ8BLXqGVw?si=4yBznskPTVS6G606fm6chQ

Darkwave artist Cat Hall (aka DISSONANCE) proudly reveals the new single & visualizer clip for "Precipice." Says Cat Hall regarding the struggle that inspired the song:

"When I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and told I could not have children, I was devastated. I was angry. I wrestled with the emotional pain for years after the physical scars healed. "Precipice" is me addressing this loss and the cause of it."

For fans of: GARBAGE, NINE INCH NAILS & INFORMATION SOCIETY

www.facebook.com/CatHallDissonance

St. Louis-based darkwave act STYKFAKTOR has announced the release of their new single & video, "Distance."

"Distance" is a song written in the context of social distancing. It is about a broken relationship that has been difficult to repair and the desire to make amends. It is the time and experience that makes the process of healing even more difficult when all you can do is make a phone call and hope they answer.

"Distance" is about seeing families and friends finding new ways to stay connected in these difficult times. You feel like you’ve moved on to a point at which you can start healing but now…simply cannot. It’s about heartbreak, love, pride, time, accountability, forgiveness…

For fans of: VNV NATION & PROJECT PITCHFORK

www.facebook.com/stykfaktorband