PODCAST: Best ov 2024 (January/February 2025 Episode)

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EPISODE NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS:

 

Welcome to the 'Best ov 2024' episode of "Out ov the Coffin," my annual reflection on the best in Goth, post-punk, deathrock, darkwave, film scores, dark metal, and beyond.

As is the tradition, this first episode of each year serves as a sonic time capsule of the year that came before: The bands, albums, songs, films, and shows that shaped the year that was 2024. While I always delay this episode into the new year -- so that I can include releases from November and December, which so often get overlooked -- this year's was further delayed by illness that affected my voice and, well, the world being on fire and all. That said, the extra time made this episode bigger, better, and more thoroughly researched.

Instead of ranking my "Best ov" choices, I have played them in an order that flows smoothly between the various styles, like a normal episode would, and the talk breaks are backed by soundtrack selections from some of the year's most memorable films. The result is a specially curated collection of the sounds that made the strongest impressions, or were attached to the defining moments of the year. And while the accompanying graphic certainly includes the cover art from a lot of my personal highlights, it acts as more of a representative collage than a chart. Think of this episode as a highlight reel to enjoy in retrospect.

As with every year, there are some releases included here that were not previously covered on the show. Either they either slipped through 2024's proverbial cracks, or simply emerged late in the year. So, as you've come to expect each month, you are also getting some brand new music on this episode, including debuts from: David Galas, Whispering Sons, Light of the Morning Star, Akhlys, Acathexis, Morcaint, Cistvaen, Seth (a good deal of the dark metal section, since winter is my season for listening to that), plus the soundtracks to late 2024 releases like "Nosferatu" and "The Damned."

Without further ado, welcome to the "Out ov the Coffin: Best ov 2024" Edition. I hope you enjoy it, and if you like what you hear, please share the link online, or pass it along to your like-minded friends. As always, I hope you dig further into these artists and support them by using the linked band names on the playlist below, which most often link directly to their Bandcamp sites.

 

BONUS: The Out ov the Coffin "Best ov 2024" Video Playlist
Because music videos can be such great art, and they often get overlooked, I have once again prepared a companion piece to this episode that collects all of the music videos that were made for the songs featured on this episode, along with a few alternate selections to represent the albums as a whole. You can watch it here or on YouTube:

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PLAYLIST BEGINS HERE
Format: Band Name - Song Title [Album Title, Year]

(each band name is also a website link)
(sets and talk breaks separated by dashes)

"Out ov the Coffin" w/ Ichabod
  THE BEST ov 2024 Special!
   Show recorded on: February 23rd, 2025

 

Opening Theme: 
Elliot Goldenthal - Libera Me [from "Interview with the Vampire" (soundtrack), 1994]

 

The Cure - Alone  [Songs of a Lost World, 2024]
-
Chris Bacon - Two Doors / I Can Show You God  ["Heretic" (soundtrack) 2024]
-
Soror Dolorosa - Obsidian Museum  [Mond, 2024]
The Rope - Murder of Gods  [Nightbird, 2024]
Astari Nite - What a Rainbow Feels Like  [Resolution of Happiness, 2024]
Seraphim Shock - Forever and Always  [single, 2024]
Kælan Mikla - Stjörnuljós [single, 2024]
David Galas - Psilocybin  [single, 2024]
Chelsea Wolfe - Everything Turns Blue  [She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She, 2024]
ROME - Vol de Nuit / First We Take Berlin  [World in Flames, 2024]
Whispering Sons - Try Me Again  [The Great Calm, 2024]
-
Pilou - Small Teeth / Hunting Bowling / Dark Side  ["Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person" (soundtrack) 2024]
-
Twin Tribes - Monolith  [Pendulum, 2024]
Urban Heat - Say the Words  [The Tower, 2024]
Small Depo - До Дому  [Терпіння, 2024]
Kælan Mikla & Bardi Johannsson - The Phantom Carriage  [The Phantom Carriage, 2024]
General Trust - A Season of Wrath  [GT1, 2024]  [N]
Harsh Symmetry - Stained Glass  [single, 2024]
She Past Away - Inziva  [single, 2024]
Ductape - Red Scar  [Echo Drama, 2024]
Nox Novacula - Flood  [Feed the Fire, 2024]
-
Stephen McKeon - The Living Are Always More Dangerous Than the Dead / Seaweed and Rotten Meat / Gutting & Cutting / Opening the Coffins  ["The Damned" (soundtrack) 2024]
-
Vision Video - Dead Gods  [Modern Horror, 2024]
ДК Енергетик (DK Energetyk) - Штрафбат  [Завтра, 2024]
Past Self - 귀신 / Gwisin  [Premonitions EP, 2024]
Heimberg - Crows  [Blind Eye EP, 2024]
Ash Code - Nostalgia  [single, 2024]
Isabella Summers - Sad Lisa  ["Lisa Frankenstein" (soundtrack) 2024]
The Awakening - Haunting  [The Awakening, 2024]
Vazum - Blush  [Western Violence, 2024]
Date at Midnight - Another Grace  [Another Grace, 2024]
Tears for the Dying - Dagger in God's Back  [In the Shadow of the Midnight Sun, 2024]
-
Robin Carolan - Orlok's Shadow / These Nightmares Exist / Covenant / A Curious Mark / The Crypt  ["Nosferatu" (soundtrack) 2024]
-
Calabrese - No Return from Darkness  [single, 2024]
Light of the Morning Star - Night Falls  [Wings in the Night Sky, 2024]
Akhlys - Sister Silence, Brother Sleep  [House of the Black Geminus, 2024]
Mark Korven - The Antichrist  ["The First Omen" (soundtrack) 2024]
Acathexis - The Other  [Immerse, 2024]
Morcaint - Summons Dire  [Mornië Utúlië, 2024]
Cistvaen - The Epitaph  [At Light's Demise, 2024]
Seth - Le Vin du Condamné  [La France des Maudits, 2024]
некрохолод (Necroholod) - Windswept Cross  [Fragments of Edward Munch's 'The Sick Girl', 2024]
SVRM - Мовчання і смерть  [Мовчання і смерть, 2024]
-
Will Bates - It Was Supposed to Be Me / Chapel / You Will Never Leave Here  ["Immaculate" (soundtrack) 2024]
-
The Cure - Endsong  [Songs of a Lost World, 2024]

[N] = Nashville artist.

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PODCAST: December 2024 Episode

 

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EPISODE NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS:

Welcome to the December 2024 episode of "Out ov the Coffin." To answer what might be your first question: No, this isn't really a Christmas special -- although the cover art certainly suggests so, I will admit. It's a nod to the 40th anniversary of my favorite "Santa Slasher," 1984's "Silent Night, Deadly Night," and while I do pay homage to that and several other anniversary-having Holiday Horror releases on this episode, there are only a handful of seasonal songs sprinkled throughout the show. Next year (in honor of the year '25 -- get it?) I do plan to finally revamp my classic full-episode Xmas episode, but for now some of you will rejoice to know that Santabod has actually brought you a huge stack of new music to check out this month, in lieu of seasonal nostalgia.

After a brief intro from the Cryptkeeper, in honor of the 30th anniversary of the "Tales from the Crypt: Have Yourself A Scary Little Christmas" CD, and the traditional opening theme from Elliot Goldenthal, we welcome new music from self-described "K-Goth" band Past Self, who have just issued a new dreamy post-punk collection called Premonitions. From there, we slide into some music from "Silent Night Deadly Night," to officially justify the graphic this month -- which, let's face it, is iconic among the Santa Slasher set.

Set one begins in Chile, with new music from Diavol Strâin, whose latest EP Vipera Mortis offers some abstract takes on traditional post-punk/goth sounds. From there we visit Ukraine's Small Depo for a taste of their EP Терпіння (which already has a follow-up!). 'Tis the season for eastern European post-punk, as you will notice as this episode continues to unfold, so you might want to raise the collar on your jacket. It's going to get cold. We then turn to France for some new sounds from Canteleu's self-titled EP, but you can also find "Le Tunnel" on the new "Bats for Palestine" benefit compilation (released by fellow French act Trait D'union, whom we'll hear from in the next set).

The later half of set one takes an ethereal, wintry turn, starting with a new single from Amber Asylum's forthcoming album, Ruby Red, which is due out on Valentine's Day 2025. We then jump back a couple of years to pick up an overlooked track from French act Je T'aime, whose 2022 album Aggressive demonstrated a lot of range for the band. Finally,   The Cure are give the final words in this set, with a deep cut (on so many levels) from their much-needed new album, Songs of a Lost World.

 

Set two begins with a triple-shot of collaborative singles from across the globe. First up is the meeting of Turkiye's two greatest darkwave exports, Ductape and She Past Away, working together on the song "Ölüm Günüm" (My Death Day). Then, we have a debut from Latvian band Anait, who team up with Russian post-punk act Ploho on the song "Черный на белом" (Black on White), before we finally round back to France's Trait d'union, who team up with fellow Frenchmen Gravekvlt on a the track from the aforementioned "Bats for Palestine" compilation. After all of those collaborations, we jump back to Ukraine for some new post-punk from Smurno, followed by a snappy new single from Italy's Ash Code. It is at this point that we get a li'l bit 'Christmassy' with the new holiday single from The Crüxshadows, who have released their annual pay-what-thou-wilt Christmas song on their official website. And, of corpse, I couldn't resist adding in some more Cryptkeeper action, in the form of another sample AND his immortal rendition of "'Twas the FRIGHT Before Christmas."

So, if you're done with holiday music at this point, GOOD NEWS! It's done, at least until the very end of the show. Set three turns our attention to more darkwave-leaning material, but works its way towards deathrock and even goth-metal by the end. We begin with a catchy new single from Harsh Symmetry, followed by something new from eclectic new German act Curses' Another Heaven LP. US 'pagan-synth' act then returns with "Mentor" from their new Archetypes EP, which is followed by a new single from UK darkwave act Spire Circle. Storming in with an aggressive new side to their sound pallet is Tears for the Dying, with the electronic-but-angry sounds of new single, "Dagger Deep Within My Mind's Eye," which consequently works as a segue back into deathrock territory with a debut from Washington state's Excess Blood. The set draws to a close with new music from Greek gothic rock act Mosquito, whose Deep Slumber album brings back some missing sounds from the '90s goth scene, ala underappreciated acts such as Germany's Love Like Blood.

Set four kicks off with new goth metal from US-German hybrid Caressing Misery, which features the ever-expanding talents of Zac Campbell (The Waning Moon, The Kentucky Vampires, etc.). Also combining metal with goth-scene elements is the new album from New Skeletal Faces, which sees the band leaning further into their deathrock-Bathory-core sound on Until the Night. We then salute the 25th anniversary of Agalloch's debut album, Pale Folklore, which was first released in the summer of 1999, but we all know it's really a winter album. An overlooked, but perhaps similarly appealing track from Valdrin's 2023 album Throne of the Lunar Soul wanders in next, followed by a brand new track from Balkan black metal act CMPT, whose new album Na utrini is the second part of the trilogy they've been working on for the last few years. Now, would it be Christmas without a ord from King Diamond? Maybe, but it wouldn't be as much fun, so we end the set with his new single!

Finally, to close out the December episode in the traditional style, we turn to Edward Ka-spel and company for The Legendary Pink Dots' annual Christmas single -- in particular, the story that's always included, because that's the closest I can get to tucking you all in and kissing you on the forehead before stealing your last can of Who-Hash.

All of that PLUS: New Ukrainian dark ambient from некрохолод; Music to reflect my late-in -the-game "Yellowjackets" obsession; Selections from the holiday horror vault; and more!

Ready to hear the show?
Stream it or grab the podcast file?
Here you go...

Click the photo to save this podcast
for your portable device.
Now stored on GoogleDrive!

[STREAM this episode (on Mixcloud)]
(scroll down to stream it from this page)

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PLAYLIST BEGINS HERE
Format: Band Name - Song Title [Album Title, Year]

(each band name is also a website link)
(sets and talk breaks separated by dashes)

"Out ov the Coffin" w/ Ichabod
  December 2024 Episode
  Show recorded December 23rd-24th, 2024

[Sample] Cryptkeeper's Intro (Have Yourself a Scary Little Christmas)

Opening Theme:
Elliot Goldenthal - Libera Me ["Interview with the Vampire" (soundtrack) 1994]

Past Self - 재난 - Jaenan  / 내 마음이 무덤이야 - Nae Ma-eum-i Mudeom-iya  [Premonitions, 2024]
-
Perry Botkin - Going Nowhere / Snow Ax / Santa's Bow & Arrow / Naughty  ["Silent Night, Deadly Night" (soundtrack) 1984]
-
Diavol Strâin - En la Eternidad  [Vipera Mortis, 2024]
Small Depo - До Дому  [Терпіння, 2024]
Canteleu - Le Tunnel  ["Bats for Palestine" (comp.) 2024]
Amber Asylum - Weaver  [Ruby Red, 2025]
Je T'aime - The Last Words of a Sad & Pathetic Hero  [Aggressive, 2022]
The Cure - Warsong  [Songs of a Lost World, 2024]
-
Carl Zittrer - Silent Night (exc.) ["Black Christmas" (soundtrack) 1974]
-
Ductape feat. She Past Away - Ölüm Günüm  [single, 2024]
Anait feat. Ploho - Черный на белом  [Anait, 2024]
Trait d'union ft. Gravekvlt - Marche Nocturne  ["Bats for Palestine" (comp.) 2024]
Smurno - По колу  [single, 2024]
Ash Code - Nostalgia  [single, 2024]
The Crüxshadows - Noel Nouvelet (A Heart in Winter)  [single, 2024]
[Sample] The Cryptkeeper (Have Yourself a Scary Little Christmas)
The Cryptkeeper - 'Twas the Fright Before Christmas  ["Tales from the Crypt: Have Yourself A Scary Little Christmas" 1994]
-
Des Dolan - (untitled end credits theme) ["Don't Open Till Christmas" (soundtrack) 1984]
-
Harsh Symmetry - Stained Glass  [single, 2024]
Curses - Echoes  [Another Heaven, 2024]
Esoterik - Mentor  [Archetypes EP, 2024]
Spire Circle - Burning Alive  [Burning Alive, 2024]
Tears for the Dying - Dagger Deep Within My Mind's Eye  [single, 2024]
Excess Blood - Here and There  [Excess Blood, 2024]
Mosquito - Vainness, Ever-Changing  [Deep Slumber, 2024]
-
Craig Wedren and Anna Waronker - Misty Brings Tea / Whatever You Need / Pyre / Missing Eyes  ["Blood Hive (Original Score From The Showtime Series Yellowjackets)" 2022]
-
Caressing Misery - Giving Birth to Loss  [Lost and Serene, 2024]
New Skeletal Faces - Enchantment of My Inner Coldness  [Until the Night, 2024]
Agalloch - Dead Winter Days  [Pale Folklore, 1999]
Valdrin - Neverafter  [Throne of the Lunar Soul, 2023]
CMPT - U raljama košave  [Na utrini, 2024]
King Diamond - Spider Lilly  [single, 2024]
-
некрохолод (Necroholod) - They Came  [∅f Λll, 2024]
-
The Legendary Pink Dots - Follow the Yellow Black Road  [The Legendary Pink Dots' Christmas Special 2024]

 

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