Greetings. I wanted to continue our last post with news that Nikole from Annex has a new project titled Her Corrosion. You will find a nice collection of interviews and news in the current dark arts scene. Please go to Her Corrosion
Nikole worked very hard on the site and it’s quite a task to compile and design a site like hers. Also, if you would like to submit or contribute please contact Nikole at nikole.wave@gmail.com
Also, Annex released a new cover single on their bandcamp, The Cure’s “One Hundred Years” you can listen, buy, or stream. Annex are also working on their follow up LP to DESPUÉS DE VI LP, it will be released on Occult Whispers (Chicago).
Her Corrosion features a great interview with Cait Autonomy, a long time friend and contributor to Mass Media. You’ll find out all about her history and her current endeavors, which includes playing bass in Shadowhouse. YAY! Which we are finally happy to announce a limited repress of their debut LP “Hand in Hand” will be shipping in April. You can pre-order HERE.
Masses “Moloch” LP // Annex “Despues de Vi” LP // Masquerade “Blood is the New Black” 12″ // Totenwald “Wrong Place Wrong Time” 12″ // Wives “Devoted to You” LP we actually only have a few copies left of certain titles so it is limited. We are making room for our 2017 releases so please support us!
Hey everyone, We are back after our annual fall hiatus. We will be moving away from facebook as it really does not serve us too well, with reach becoming less and less due to their every changing platform. So please check back here often. Anyway, enough of that boring nonsense, on to some news. Our good friend Rik that runs Nothing but a Nightmare (shop) will be taking over a lot of the label work for us. He runs a small shop and label himself and also has made his space available for touring bands to play small intimate shows. Also our bigcartel shop will have some updates and new products, as some of you may know or not know we used to run a small shop in Costa Mesa/Santa Ana and we have tons of merch from our shop still that we are working on listing. (jewelry, zines, clothes, patches, pins, records)
As some of you may or may not know MOTH has officially split up. We were so lucky enough to be able to see their only US show in Texas at SLM2016. I must say that everything about that band is magical and beautiful, their music, the people, just everything. We are so honored to have been able to release their music and in some small way be part of their magic. The members of MOTH are just so incredibly talented and really are very influential to us. They released so many hits in my humble opinion, they were so driven and active in their process that just amazed me every time they released something new. The members of MOTH have gone on of course to continue in new bands and write new music so I expect more great things to come from all of them.
MOTH photo by Robert SLM 2016 – Punkitos Photos
MOTH photo by Vivre at Ungdomshuset.
MOTH photo by Ina Noire
MOTH at Nothing Nice to Say Fest 2016
Also MOTH has a new and final new release out, it’s a split with Kold Front (featuring members of Metro Cult) you can purchase it here http://elektriskeplader.com/shop/
MOTH / Kold Front split
We also have just a very few copies left of the MOTH / Prison split EP which is up in our webshop now. Pressing was limited to 150 copies on colored vinyl with screen printed covers. Available here : http://massmediarecords.bigcartel.com/product/moth-prison-split-ep
MOTH / Prison split EP
That concludes our update. Big hugs and kisses to MOTH! xoxo
Hey Everyone… Here is our first ever Mass Media Records Zine Cast, featuring the radical Robert Sullen curator and host for San La Muerte fest, August 4th-6th 2016 in San Antonio, Tx.
Robert Sullen curator/host of San La Muerte Fest.
Listen to full interview here:
Robert is also a world traveler, musician, and photographer, he will be exhibiting his photos at the artshow pre-party for San La Muerte Fest 2016. He is also the drummer to Christ vs. Warhol. Continue reading →
We’ve decided to do a release schedule countdown for all the releases that came out in 2015 on Mass Media. Some releases are still available while others are sold out, nevertheless they all have a special place in our hearts.
Masquerade “Blood is the New Black” 12″ officially released around the 1st of the year 2015.
Photo by our friend David of Transylvanian Flag
Masquerade “Blood is the New Black” 12″ – Masquerade are from Helsinki, Finland they had released a demo in the summer of 2013 that was highly sought after and received some acclaim in modern deathrock circles. We were super excited to hear new recordings by Masquerade and most people had thought that they had broken up since they went through multiple lineup changes as the lead singer Suzi became known as difficult. We were happy to hear that they indeed continued on and had what we thought was a great follow up to their demo. The production value and aesthetic were on point and with Suzi working hard at maintaining a solid lineup and continually touring throughout Europe and eventually the US in late August 2015.
Official music video for “Needle Through a Bug” off their Demo.
Official Music Video for “All Things Hurt” off Blood is the New Black 12″
Masquerade live in Wroclaw, Poland at Return to the Batcave Festival 2015
For me Suzi is Masquerade she commands an audience similarly to Siouxsie Sioux, the same moves, vocal abilities, and fashion. Masquerade is no doubt informed by the Banshees and that is exactly what I love about them. It’s like if the Banshees made a new record and that is precisely why I love this record so much. It’s also probably why some people don’t like this record or are critical about it.
Masquerade live in St. Petersburg, Russian 2015
As noted Masquerade toured the Western US in August 2015, they were supposed to play San La Muerte Fest in San Antonio, Tx. and decided not to for logistic purposes. That was a real shame because they would have been a great fit and the shows that they did play in California were poorly attended unfortunately. Years ago if a band from Finland was touring the show would have undoubtedly been packed because it was a touring band from Finland. That’s just not the case anymore, it’s becoming harder and harder to get people to come out to shows, it’s like the movement has gone back to it’s infancy.
Suzi of Masquerade / Virgin in Veil 2015
The “Blood is the New Black” 12″ was released in Finland on Fight Records and in the US on Mass Media Records. Limited red vinyl is only available for the US version. It can be ordered direct through us HERE
Masquerade are still playing and have just finished working on a follow up to the “Blood is the New Black” 12″. Their new release will be released in Finland on Fight Records and they are currently looking for a US label to release it here as well, so contact them if you want to release it. Here is the official video for “Panic Paranoia” off their upcoming release in 2016.
We saw Shadow Age in Richmond, Va. Shadow Age’s performance had the perfect ambiance for their melodic and haunting sound. With just the right amount of fog filled air, they were f*cking (not surprisingly) perfect. Aaron Tyree has such a smooth voice and their set was more of an experience rather than a performance because of their super tight musicianship. Typically, we stray to the harsher side of post-punk, yet Shadow Age was so captivating and real that there is no denying that they easily take out a lot of the post-punk bands emerging in the world right now.
Shadow Age live in Los Angeles at Part Time Punks.
Cemetery – Chicago, IL
Cemetery played at San la Muerte Fest in San Antonio, TX. As most of us know, Cemetery is one of the best modern deathrock bands in the U.S. Their live performance was amazing to say the very least. The Texas crowd was thirsty for Cemetery and immediately detonated once they started playing. Desmond and Sam kept their guitar sound solid despite all the action. This performance was especially near and dear for us because we got to experience Cemetery with both Tricia and Cameron from MMR. I think we are all still having withdrawals from Cemetery’s set that night and, well, from the entire fest in general.
Cemetery live at San La Muerte fest, San Antonio, Tx. Photo by Robert Flores “Sullen Serenade”
I can not agree more, Cemetery seriously blew my mind live. I had an out of body experience through their entire set. I just wanted them to play over and over again like for the rest of my life. Do not pass up a chance to see them live. They are incredibly fucking powerful, best band in US hands down! – Tricia //
Survival played at Latino Punk Fest in NYC during August. We played right before them at LPF’s Post-Punk After Party at around 3:30 am inside of Rudy’s Barbershop. The night had turned into a dance party as soon as the first note kicked in. Survival was refreshing and super killer. Jess P.’s vocals and moves were fresh AF. Survival’s beats and guitar sound were perfect for blazing and dancing in NYC. This was one of our favorite sets at LPF.
Wrung – New York City, NY
Watching Wrung reminded us of what some dark punk / post-punk bands try to do but don’t get quite right. They had well constructed songs and a sound that was catchy yet goth. We hadn’t heard Wrung before we watched them because they hadn’t recorded any material yet but that didn’t matter once they started playing because it was kind of cooler to just get to see them live first. Wrung represented NYC so well. They were gritty, quirky in a really dark way and Steven Raftis’ stage presence was truly intriguing. Wrung has recently recorded so we’re really anticipating hearing the final product. We hope to see more of Wrung in the future.
Muerte – Mexico City, D.F.
Muerte played the main stage at Latino Punk Fest in NYC. Muerte encompasses the raw dark punk sound that’s emerged from Mexico. The intensity of their live performance was just blistering and straight forward. Dark melodies and fast hardcore punk progressions, easily gave the crowd what they had anticipated. They are one of the biggest dark punk bands in Mexico and easily were one of the biggest highlights of LPF 2015.
I want to thank Nikole and Migas for taking the time to contribute their top performances for 2015. There is nothing better than seeing a live performance by a band, their enthusiasm, personality, and depth as musicians can really leave a lasting impact on people. So with that said, go to shows even if you are tired and it’s cold outside. It takes a lot of work and effort to play in bands, so lets all support each other. Our scene is what we make of it! Please go see Annex if you get a chance, their performance at San La Muerte Fest was one of the best, they brought such power and fury, they are just amazing! Also, please buy their releases. Labels can not maintain themselves if everyone is just downloading music, the physical format is everlasting and a true archive. Annex LP is still available through us and Imminent Destruction Records UK and Annex also has a new EP out on Occult Whispers ran by Dez of Cemetery. xoxo Tricia
