Bands Keeping Goth and Darkwave Alive
There’s no doubt that out of all the music subcultures of the last 50 years, goth and its cousin darkwave are live more than most others.
There have been lots of spike in music like indie sleaze, dance music, and punk, but goth and darkwave are the most enduring of all related music sub-genres.
A few artists, old and new, are doing more than their fair share to keep the spirit alive.
Pixel Grip
Steeped in the dark industrial grit of 90s club bangers, Pixel Grip takes those textures to new places.
With the help of vocalist Rita Lukea, the drumming of Tyler Ommen and synth work of Jonathon Freund, their live shows are becoming a thing of legend.
Selling out mid-sized clubs around the country, the act has been featured on remix albums from the likes of Nine inch Nails and more.
Their latest album, Percepticide, brings together some of the darkest industrial beats of modern music with the epic vocalizing of Lukea. At times both cold and hot, the songs pulse with the life of the modern queer club scene.
Martin Dupont
Martin Dupont, once a dormant French act of the 80s new wave, has now returned with new music from the avant garde coldwave project.
Spearheaded by Alain Seghir, the groups sound has never been more relevant and within the zeitgeist of modern darkwave.
At times psychedelic and goth, their songs include a unique blend of electronic textures and off-the-wall lyrics.
Their live shows have energy to rival bands half their age.
MIDNIGHTCHOIR
MIDNIGHTCHOIR, recently featured on an album from Martin Dupont, brings together the brash and sardonic spirit of Sisters of Mercy along with the groove of mid-era Depeche Mode.
Their dark music covers sociopolitical issues as much as the emotional reaction to living under the thumb of institutional powers.
At once romantic and utopian, other times psychedelic and poetic, the duo’s live performances include vocalist Patrick Bobilin’s electric energy along with percussionist Sarah Simon’s soaring harmonies.
Their latest album, DEBTORS DISCO, brings together all of the above into a dance-driven soundtrack for the revolution.
Academy Order
Academy Order is an act that blends death rock, post-punk, goth, and hardcore punk vocals into energetic performances.
Based in Tennessee, the band tours constantly, bringing their unique take on goth music to DIY venues and rock clubs all over the USA.
Their songs have the revolutionary spirit of a punk band with the gloomy soundscapes of classic goth music.
AFI
For most of the 90s and early 00s, AFI was a punk band with dark tendencies. While never truly a “goth” band, they flirted with the imagery and sound of classic deathrock like Samhain and other projects.
With their 2025 album Silver Bleeds the Black Sun, they fully embraced their goth heritage and took their sound in a refreshing direction.
Injecting life into classic post-punk and goth songwriting, AFI has become a group of elder goths with no less energy than they ever did as a punk band.
With songs covering the current political moment as well as classic goth-rock tropes, their newest offering is something special.
Male Tears
There are few bands as unafraid to be unique as Male Tears.
With songs that range from synth-pop to darkwave and goth, Male Tears, led by vocalist James Edwards, takes on their dark rave style sometimes in colorful garb. Other times you can find them in black and white tradgoth makeup.
Other times, you’ll hear what sounds like a classic 80’s synthpop love song, but with lyrics that are unflinichingly honest. They have a range that covers hard hitting dance tracks to softer and melodic Italo-disco sounds like their album Paradisco.
Their 2023 album Krypt remains a “must listen” for all fans of contemporary dark music.