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GothRadio Presents - Top 10 Rising Stars of 2006
(in no particular order)

This list is dedicated to "starving artists" everywhere. This is our list of top unsigned, newly signed (limited to only very small independent labels), and lesser known artists for 2006 that deserve some extra attention.

Artist/Band: Angelspit
Style/Genre: Cyberpunk
Description: It's cyberpunk with an exquisite blend of style & aggression, blending male & female vocals. If you like your music with a dose of medical fetish & latex, you've got it all right here. When we first started playing Angelspit they were an unsigned band. Now, as of about 2 months ago, they're signed by Dancing Ferret Disks. Congratulations!
Link: http://www.angelspit.net

Artist/Band: Lost Area
Style/Genre: EBM
Description: Reminding one of L'Ame Immortelle, German newcomers Lost Area burst onto the scene with powerful melodies wrapped in warm pads and topped with intelligent catchy vocals. They've already attracted the attention of Blutengel, Unheilig and Ecphalgy, who've all done remixes.
Link: http://www.lostarea.com

Artist/Band: Romance
Style/Genre: Darkwave
Description: Upbeat mixture of styles expertly blended and reinterpreted, with a sound that at first seems innocent but upon closer examination reveals a more sinister side, like delicious candy coated poison. You might be forgiven for thinking this was a band from another time, sounding like they've been transplanted through a timewarp from early 80's England. Somewhat reminiscent of Joy Division.
Link: http://www.romancemusik.com

Artist/Band: Mankind is Obsolete (MKIO)
Style/Genre: Gothic Industrial
Description: MKIO masterfully juxtaposes dark driving sounds against the aggressive beauty of powerful female vocals. They're also able to take the volume down effectively without losing their edge, to show their equally impressive soft side. Having seen them on their 2006 US tour, I can confidently say that MKIO is excellent live!
Link: http://www.mkio.com

Artist/Band: Screaming for Emily
Style/Genre: Gothic
Description: They've expertly captured the best elements of a very European sound, despite being an ocean away. Just the right mix of pop, goth, and new wave styles (& maybe just a little bit of 80's new-romantic style). With 2 releases to their credit, Malice and Scriptures, they've established a very respectable track record. If the major labels weren't so busy being obsessed with Rap, Hip Hop, and lawsuits, they might have taken notice of Screaming for Emily and made them international stars. It's easy to imagine these guys being a featured artist on early MTV.
Link: http://www.screamingforemily.com

Artist/Band: Mister White
Style/Genre: Darkwave
Description: Take a little Mission, a dash of Peter Murphy, and mix it with a strong dose of Dead Can Dance and you'll get an idea of what Mister White sounds like. His debut release, "Bruised Up Aura", offers up a great collection of brooding & moody music. More please.
Link: http://www.misterwhitemusic.com

Artist/Band: Butterfly Messiah
Style/Genre: Darkwave
Description: Sadly, they are no more. But, due to their excellent back-catalog (some of which is still available) they're included here as a tribute. Blending elements of Ethereal with Dark Electro, plus male & female vocals, they create songs with a hypnotic enchanting quality. Maybe with some support we can encourage them to make a comeback.
Link: Click here

Artist/Band: Media Whore
Style/Genre: Industrial
Description: Diverse influences merged together into a solid & unique sound. The elements of electro, punk, & industrial rock are well balanced, each contributing to the strength of the sound in a positive way. They're great live, and frontman Mikee Plastic has excellent stage presence that you can somehow feel even on their recordings.
Link: http://www.myspace.com/mediawhoremusic

Artist/Band: Voices Without Volume
Style/Genre: Industrial/EBM
Description: Despite what the name implies, these voices DO have volume, and it's a good thing too. Ominous pads & pulsing synth lines underscore vocals about the modern world and the consequences of our actions in it. With such impressive songs as "Ritual (This World)" and "Suffer The Silence", Dennis, the solo force behind VWV, is off to a great start.
Link: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/vwv

Artist/Band: Domino Theory
Style/Genre: Gothic Lounge (okay, I just made up that style name, but it seems to fit)
Description: Sounds a bit like Portishead. They've got that creepy-casual sinister-lounge vibe that lulls you into a false sense of security, then before you know what's happening, sends a gentle chill up your spine. Like a sort of Gothic chill out music. Their song "No Apology" has earned a spot on our main playlist.
Link: http://www.mp3.com.au/dominotheory


This page/list will be growing. There's definitely a lot more good undiscovered music out there, we just haven't had time to type out a longer list. Please check back regularly to see new entries.

Wherever you live, please support your local bands. Remember, even your favorite bands were "just a local band" at one time.