5 years ago Rüdiger Frank of Printed At Bismarck's Death and The Tors Of Dartmoor passed away...
Today 5 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]
Memorial-Site on Facebook
DISCOGS
Belgian industrial band, SUPER DRAGON PUNCH!! has announced the release of their new & highly-anticipated full-length album, Thorns
The songs are mainly about being lost in one's desperate tortured and destructive thoughts, about past and present demons, about being afraid of getting hurt by others or losing them or relationship difficulties and fights. It's called Thorns because there's some kind of pain associated to everything that is beautiful and nice in life.
Speaking specifically about a couple of the singles from the album, SUPER DRAGON PUNCH!! founder, Jérémie Venganza says, “Split” is about losing someone and being stuck in a place alone with thoughts, thinking that things could be better if I could try again. “Rise” is about surrounding oneself with people that seem like they want to help you in life while in reality you’re just being used by those you gave your time to.
Thorns is available on CD NOW and will be available on all major digital formats including Spotify and Bandcamp on August 7th.
Horror punk warriors Mourning Noise, featuring Samhain/Danzig member Steve Zing, bassist Chris Morance, guitarist Tommy Koprowski and vocalist Robby Bloodshed has released the third electrifying music video titled "Misery Loves Me" off their monster new studio album Screams/ Dreams via Cleopatra Records.
Steve Zing describes "Misery Loves Me" as "Sometimes, hands reach out and we still can't pull our loved ones from the Shadows." The music video was taken at the Prudential Center Arena in New Jersey opening for the Misfits in 2023.
"I want fans to see the progression of Kids from 40 years ago and that we can keep the same vein of punk going and still maintain the power in the music with the sound of today." - Steve Zing
About Mourning Noise:
Mourning Noise was founded by Zing in the early ‘80s and carried the torch of Misfits-styled gothic horrorcore before taking a somewhat less than brief hiatus in 1984. Now, 40 years later, the band is back and better than ever with a long-awaited new studio album released on June 7.
Screams/Dreams finds Zing and the boys going full throttle for this all-original album with go-for-the-throat guitar riffs, head smashing percussion frenzies, and dramatically dark lyrics.
Screams/ Dreams is available on all formats including CD, vinyl, cassette and all streaming platforms.
Buy Mourning Noise merch (CDs, vinyl, cassettes & more…) via Cleopatra Records HERE:
https://tinyurl.com/bdfvd9hh
"Industrial Bass" pioneer, SINTHETIK MESSIAH has just announced the release of their ambitious new project - an album & novel, Lies, Secrets And Death.
In a galaxy torn by strife, a hero rises but falls to tyranny, sparking rebellion. Amid chaos, a journalist's death fuels uprising while another leader seeks peace. War looms between factions as a loyalist questions his cause amidst shadowy manipulation, setting the stage for a power struggle.
The music album expertly fuses industrial and drum and bass genres, creating a unique blend known as "Industrial bass." It serves as a sonic reflection of contemporary challenges, infused with a sci-fi allure.
Lies, Secrets And Death is available on all major streaming platforms. The companion book is available on Amazon.com.
This month it’s 32 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
