Written by:	jupitreas
Published:	August 08, 2008

Every serious music listener has wide-ranging musical tastes, tries to have a go at many genres and generally enjoys music for its own worth, instead of relying on superficial distinctions. With this said, I think we all have that one specific mood in music that means the most to us - the underlying current that satisfies us the most as consumers of the beautiful art form that is music. For some, it might be the unadulterated anger present in hardcore and thrash music; others might love to envelop themselves in the depravity of gangsta rap. Others still might just want to have the grey cells in their cranium turned into pudding by the booming bass of dub or their thirst for juvenile occultism satisfied by raw black metal. To each his own. There is nothing wrong with identifying that which means the most to you in music, provided that you don't get addicted to it and listen to nothing else. With all this said, I'd like to use this blog entry as an opportunity to write a little bit about what the number one thing that I am looking for in music is - the dark, forlorn and cold atmosphere of depressive post-punk. I'm writing this blog in the hopes that some of you, who might have similar or relatable tastes might speak up and share your views on the subject.

A little history is in order. After the Sex Pistols, Clash, The Damned and many other bands stormed through the mainstream with their punk rock movement, the face of rock has changed significantly. Post-punk was born. Insipired by the non-conformist attitude of punk, but not necessarily by its rudimentary musical direction, post-punk bands brought a much needed injection of innovation and experimentation into rock music. Post-punk had numerous sub-genres: the more pop-oriented new wave, new romantic and synth-pop bands (The Cure, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran), gothic rock (Bauhaus, The Sisters Of Mercy, The Cult) and even bands that later would be called industrial metal (Killing Joke, Big Black, Head Of David). Amidst all of these stylistically varying bands was another small movement that I would like to call depressive post-punk. Bands like The Comsat Angels, The Sound, The Chameleons UK, Joy Division, Low Life, Crispy Ambulance, early Echo & The Bunnymen and others all shared an incredible, almost tangible bleakness about them that I personally find very attractive.

Blame it on the Cold War or on the failure of punk ideals in making a serious dent in the sensibilities of the mainstream music listener - either way - these guys were seriously depressed. Besides using claustrophobic arrangements, cold, distorted guitar lines and industrial elements, the most noticeable thing about the general mood of this music was the absolute lack of any kind of optimism in any shape or form. This is music for people who have already made peace with the insignificance of life. No need to whine about anything - we give up.

Here are five must-hear releases of this style:
Echo and The Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here,
The Comsat Angels - Sleep No More,
The Chameleons - Script Of The Bridge,
The Sound - From The Lion's Mouth and
Low Life - Diminuendo.
Sleep No More, in particular, is perhaps the bleakest album ever written, while the Chameleons might appeal to metal fans the most due to their very innovative heavy two guitar arrangements.

Depressive post-punk has been influential. One can hear echoes of it in doom metal, industrial metal and even forms of pop and folk. Paradise Lost, Kill The Thrill, Katatonia, Klimt1918 and other bands are good examples. Sadly, the current post-punk revival also brings us some absolutely tepid followers of the style - Interpol, Protokoll and even Franz Ferdinand. Luckily, nobody is forcing me to listen to the revival and I just like to stick to the immensely powerful original purveyors of the style. If you want music that is truly depressive, a true expression of dread and giving up - look no further. If any of you share my love for this style of music or have anything else to add or comment about, please let me know. I'll also be happy to share recommendations.

I'll finish this post with some links.
Comsat Angels - Independence Day
The Chameleons - Don't Fall
Echo & The Bunnymen - Over The Wall