Canadian post-punk/darkwave outfit The City Gates released a new single, "La douleur (des mortels)" via Velouria Recordz and Icy Cold Records. Known for their dark, melodic, and emotionally charged sound, the band blends elements of post-punk, shoegaze, and darkwave.
Since their beginnings, The City Gates has established itself on the international alternative scene with two albums, Age Of Resilience and Forever Orbiter, as well as standout tracks like "Lapidation", which will be featured on their upcoming release. Their music is defined by a constant dramatic tension, poetic darkness, and an immersive live presence that takes the listener on an interstellar journey—one you wish would never end.
"La douleur (des mortels)" is the band’s second French-language track, a deliberate artistic choice that highlights the emotional and intimate core of the piece. The poetic, symbolic lyrics are delivered through a deep baritone voice, blending dramatic intensity with mystical introspection. The production is rich in atmosphere, featuring thunderous bass, powerful drums, sharp guitars, and hazy reverb.
The song echoes influences such as The Sisters Of Mercy, Twin Tribes, She Past Away, Killing Joke, Pink Turns Blue, and iconic names from the French coldwave scene: Babel 17, Trisomie 21, Asylum Party, and Little Nemo. The lyrics, both dark and metaphorical, delve into existential depth. A sense of gravity is paired with sonic clarity. The listener is immersed in a mystical, spiritual world, drawing on the literary tradition of Romanticism — one that also echoes in the music of Joy Division, Lebanon Hanover, and Twin Tribes. Link

The enigmatic UK‑based electronic glamgoth duo Dead Lights unveil another facet of their ever‑expanding sonic identity with the release of their new single, “(The Edge Of) Dusk”. The...
Polish atmospheric black/epic doom metal solo project Divine Sovereign has announced a new album, Autaxia Chronicles: A House Divided, slated for release on 3 July via Wormholedeath.
Behind Us All, the second studio album from Finnish doom metal outfit Grain Of Pain, first emerged in March on Noble Demon. The vinyl edition required a little more time to materialise,...
Post‑punk/darkwave outfit Corlyx returns with “Sweeter Than Blood”, the first single taken from their forthcoming fourth studio album, released via Out Of Line Music. The track arrives...
"We're really into oxymorons and that sort of thing. Years and years ago, we came up with this idea—well, we didn't invent it, but we called it "happy sad"." - Matt James
"We were outsiders, and nobody knew what the fuck was going on. We just listened to this extreme music that nobody else liked, and that made us very strong..." - Mikael Stanne
"With Hypocrisy, I'm very "home", but with Pain, it's an adventure, just like going into the jungle only with a knife and no glass of water and trying to survive." - Peter Tägtgren
"There were already bands doing small illustrations of symphonic metal, and I was thinking, why doesn't someone do this all the time?" - Christofer Johnsson

