The Ceremonial Dagger - Shadows & Rhythm

MZ014 · The Ceremonial Dagger - Shadows & Rhythm

Mutant Zones' fourteenth mix comes from the vast archives of one of the most creative souls the witch house/experimental electronic scene has ever had - The Ceremonial Dagger. Musician, DJ, visual artist and creative DIY tour de force, Dagz has been an inspiration to me ever since he first surfaced on my radar back in 2011, and I'm super stoked to share this set recorded during a 2015 Shadows & Rhythm event in Austin, TX. A collage of dark synth and industrial witch house, this 30-minute sonic experience should appeal to anyone craving originality in music. Long live Dagz! You can stream the mix above and download it here.

Kutmah - Highly Illegal Fly Shit

"Highly Illegal Fly Shit" is a huge, 18-track mixtape/mash-up behemoth from Kutmah, merging (mostly) famous acapellas with underground beats including some rare joints. This one's for all the hardcore hip-hop heads. Beastie Boys on Suicide's Cheree is sick, so is the closing track with Rakim.

Support and buy the mixtape here. Stream in full below.

DN. Aideath - Noda

Military death industrial from Indonesian master DN. Aideath. Buy here.

A Place Both Wonderful And Strange - Matter And Desire

Make sure to support the band by buying the CD here. Stream the album in full below.

Rituel Encens - III

The French duo Rituel Encens (Ein Rijin and Bat Kalaayan) recorded and released their third album "III" last year, but to my surprise I never blogged about it. Yesterday, they released the album on cassette tape via their Bandcamp, so I figured it's perfect time to bring it to my blog's pages.

Grab the limited edition tapes here. Stream the album below.

LovelyEddie x Sad Madona - Scarecrowgaze (Demo)

Catching up on Sad Madona's last year's output - this two-track single recorded in collaboration with an individual called LovelyEddie sits somewhere between synthwave with extra dark glasses and shoegazing coldwave. While the "Demo" version is the more polished of the two, it's the extra lo-fi "(oct.2000)" edit that does something special for me. It has this underground, gritty 80s vibe many records had behind the Iron Curtain. Jam.

The single can be downloaded here. Stream both tracks below.

Mater Suspiria Vision - Le Masque Du Miroir (Feat. Violette De Xam) // video

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New video single from MSV dropped earlier today, promoting the new EP "Le Masque du Miroir" and featuring clips from Cosmotropia de Xam's latest movie "Hollywood Pandemonium 2".

Mary Shelley & The Implicit Order - Spring Time Steeped In Mud

The Implicit Order has resurrected his collaborative album with Mary Shelley, "Spring Time Steeped In Mud", which was deleted from Bandcamp a few months back. The redux comes with new mixes, a slightly altered tracklist, and refreshed cover art. The original version came out last year via Phantasma Disques in CD format. I bought it the moment it dropped, but totally forgot to blog about it. Josefin and Anthony's musical partnership has always been shrouded in mystery, so I can't tell how much each contributed to these tracks, but it's worth saying echoes of their distinct styles reverberate throughout. Sonically, the album floats through phantom witch house fog stretching over an eerie lake of dark ambient, psych-drone, and post-industrial soundscapes. With its range of sounds and influences, the record is able to instantly transport you to a spooky swamp, a satanic mass, or a dew-soaked meadow at dawn all at once, without losing its thread of cohesiveness. It's one of those projects where the more you listen, the deeper you fall into its grip.

Download here and stream below.

House of Leaves & Undead Evergreen - Dead Mans Ballad

House of Leaves and Undead Evergreen (fka s3wer dweller) are back working together, and "Dead Mans Ballad" is the result. Sick witch house track, with a touch of guitar work from Evergreen. Stream here here.

Intestines - Another Vision

Download the track on Bandcamp here.

Black Light District - Exhausted

Black Light District's new gothic electronica single "Exhausted" sounds like something out the the Lost Boys OST. Picture a handful of handsome vampire bad boys on motorcycles racing towards the moonlight. Sick track, you can buy it here.

God Is War & The Vomit Arsonist ‎- No Country For Old Men

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God Is War and The Vomit Arsonist, two stalwarts in noise circles released a collaborative album titled "No Country For Old Men" via Deathbed Tapes earlier this year in April.

Check out the digital version here. Stream below.

The New Romantics - Now I See You

New Romantics returns with "Now I See You", a shoegazing alt-rock jammer that feels like something out of 90s. You can buy the single here.

Beauty - We Run The Skreets Mixtape

I just blogged about Beauty's new band Paradise, and two hours later found out he has a new mixtape out! "We Run The Skreets Mixtape" serves as a perfect dessert to his Vertigo Cult EP that came out two years ago, showcasing a number of influences that impact his production style. Of course there's a lot of Gucci Mane, but the original productions are what shine the most. Dope tape, make sure to buy it here.

Paradise - Strings

Paradise is a new project from the mind of Beauty, created in collaboration with an as-yet-unnamed singer. Their first single, "Strings", reverberates with echoes of the '90s dancefloor, sampled into a modern witch house/pop track. Loads of potential here—Ben has proven time and again that he is a force to be reckoned with. An amazing first release, you can buy it here.

Animal Lust - The Desire To Jump Is Overpowering The Fear Of Heights

Three new harsh noise tracks from Animal Lust landed on Bandcamp a few days, so I thought it's worth sharing them. The title speaks for itself, and AL manages to weave some power electronics into the mix, creating a depressingly bleak release that can fuck up your day if you're not in the right mood. Digging the collage on the front cover.

Download is available here. Stream below.

Pike - Warden/Nedraw

Hibernian Leather has just put out this sublime ambient cassette by Irish outfit Pike (only identified by the initials P.S and B. S). The almost 40-minute release, split into two parts, expertly merges dreamy, glacial soundscapes with submerged tape-loop samples, all occasionally dotted with desolate noise textures. With its slow, hypnagogic tempo, it feels like an out-of-body experience. Love it.

Limited tapes are available here. Stream the release down below.

White Ring - Eyes 4 U

"Eyes 4 U" is the first single off White Ring's upcoming album "Fate". The dreamy witch-pop single steers the band's sound into more radio-friendly territories, while remaining firmly rooted in their signature style.

Nameless Twin - Neon Machine Gun

At some point in time I followed on Bandcamp this artist, but completed forgot about them. Today they released a new single "Neon Machine Gun" and it just blew me away. This is like peak new wave White Ring vibe chiseled in a futuristic synth/metal marble, amazing arrangements, vocals and melody. Super stoked to check more! Make sure to cop this single here.

Jang Hun - Hundred Heartaches And You Won't Even Know Anything There

Sometimes it's just easier to copy-paste the info directly from the artist as there's no point reinventing the wheel. Jang Hun (better known as Witcha to readers of this blog) has a new release titled "Hundred Heartaches And You Won't Even Know Anything There", which is "a 60-minute-long ambient-DJ mix consisting of heavily-reverbed drones made of samples, private recordings, unreleased songs, remixes and more." The general consensus is that you should fully immerse yourself when soaking in new music, but with this ambient mega-mix/album, I feel like it works best in the passenger seat of whatever else you're doing - existing in the background and adding an extra layer of depth to life without overcrowding your mind. I really enjoyed it. Download here.

The House They Haunt Is You - Forgotten Life (1991 - )

The House They Haunt Is You has been super productive since my last blog post about him. "Forgotten Life (1991 - )" is his most recent album, inspired by SALEM, Shlohmo and found footage recordings - to which I'd also add the vibe of Lorn trying his hand at ambient. The lo-fi aesthetic is present from the very first track, which kicks off with a sample of someone loading a tape into a player and pressing play. Alex says he was aiming for a deteriorated sound with lots of delay, and the result is exactly that: sixteen tracks of gritty, eerie tension. The more I listened to this, the more it grew on me. Great stuff.

Buy the album here. Stream it below.

A Place Both Wonderful And Strange - It's Not That Bad, Muffin // video

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"It's Not That Bad, Muffin" is the lead single from the latest album of the NY duo A Place Both Wonderful And Strange "Matter and Desire". The album is so good (review coming soon), but in the meantime enjoy this game of mirrors videoclip.

Sad Madona - Amor Hardcore

"Amor Hardcore" is Sad Madona's compilation from last year, released on vinyl and CD by French label Manic Depression Records. The record is a collection of singles released between 2023 and 2025, and additionally includes two previously unreleased tracks. Cult bangers "Witch Coast" and "Crimes", despite being released on the 2023 mini-album "Dramatic Dance", are also included here - and I can't fault them, the former in particular is an absolute jam. The compilation displays a huge spectrum of sub-genres, showcasing Sad Madona's range and eclectic taste - from early-TRST era post-witch heaters, to lo-fi post-punk and coldwave gems, to sadcore ballads. An incredible artist and a great release.

Last copies are still available here. Stream the whole comp below.

Hemorrhage Therapy - Hemorrhage Therapy

Bone Valley special continues. I blogged about Hemorrhage Therapy's two other releases, but for some reason left out their self-titled debut EP - which, by the way, was my introduction to their music. It has now been given a home by Bone Valley and is available on limited 3" CDRs. The five-track record is a collage of harsh noise experiments and noise wall manipulations that fuck everything up in their way like an unstoppable force. Anger music for when you're just done with everything. Dope.

Grab the digital here, CD here and peep the whole release down below.

Lover's Leap - To Penetrate Into The Walls Of Perception

"To Penetrate Into The Walls Of Perception" is the debut EP from London-based musician Lover's Leap. Lo-fi transmissions of death industrial origin, this project feels like a found footage recording compiled moments before impending doom. There are echoes of noise and power electronics here too, styles that would later define the sound of Lover's Leap, but here they add an extra texture to the gravely ambient. Incredible stuff.

The EP is out now on Bone Valley and can be ordered here. Stream below.

Mater Suspiria Vision - Flesh In Paradise EP

"Flesh In Paradise" marks the surprising return of Mater Suspiria Vision after the Phantasma Disques Bandcamp got nuked a few months ago. This 3-track EP sounds like a collage of older material, rearanged and glued in new ways that pay tribute to both the old and new sound of the collective. Short and fun.

Cop the EP here, and stream below.

Replicant - Leather & Lace

The Replicants are back with a new single "Leather & Lace", a dark synth ode to hedonistic senses of human nature. Grab the track here.

Knifework - Nothing Is Coming

Knifework is a new side-project of Dave Duval, from the kosmische duo Tetsüo ii. On "Nothing Is Coming" he takes EBM, industrial and krautrock under the microscope, extracting the essence from their roots and creating this (slightly dungeon-facing) sonic mutation. The titular track is mesmerizing in its simplicity and depth.

You can download the EP here and stream all the tracks down below.

White Columns - Regret Is An Inevitable Consequence Of Life

"Regret Is An Inevitable Consequence Of Life" is an 18-minute drone epic. White Columns, like a monk on the edge of his temple, is sending out a heavy signal to guide lost wanderers and adventure seekers. To continue the story, roll the dice. Grab this composition here.

The Implicit Order - Post Ambient Volume One

Post ambient, still occult. The Implicit Order returns with a new album of ghostly recordings for Wholeness Recordings, exploring the esoteric corners of the ambient spectrum. Unintentionally spooky, this project proves that The Implicit Order is a master of eerie world-building through his sound collages and sonic experiments.

You can support Anthony by buying the album (or the whole discography) here. Stream the whole LP below.

Deseo/Realidad - Deseo/Realidad

Deseo/Realidad is a drone side project from JC Lobo, better known as Ritualz. His self-titled EP came out in March this year, but only now made its way to my speakers. It is a-mazing, the three soundscapes JC crafted here are utterly hypnotising, cinematic in their grandiose, and both minimal and hyper-detailed. Obsessed!

You can still be limited to 6 copies CDR here. Stream below.

Insignificant Spirit - Kykeon Hymn

Occult electronics from Black Artifact regular Insignificant Spirit. "Kykeon Hymn" sounds like an intimate glimpse through the curtain of a room where black magic is happening - something you shouldn't be looking at. The press info says it all: "inspired by the Eleusinian Mysteries and the secret rites associated with the European witchcraft revival led by Eleanor Bone" - how fucking cool is that? Noise drone music for lost souls and curious searchers. Best enjoyed in the dark.

Tapes are still available here. Check out the album below.

STRFLL - Hatred For Everything

Holy fuck, STRFLL goes all in on this new single. Raw, brutal and more metal that I was expecting, despite donning the most metal logo on the cover. Support here!

House of Leaves - I Am But A Vessel

House of Leaves released "I Am But A Vessel" back in November last year, on Soundcloud as a stream only EP. Now, we finally get an option to purchase it on Bandcamp. While still basking in the eerie samples and ghostly soundscapes characteristic of his previous work, this project leans into more beat-driven tracks, offering a clear glimpse of where HoL is headed next.

Cop the EP here. Stream all the tracks below.

Wilting God - Static Gardens And Silencing Mantras

Wilting God's new compilation "Static Gardens And Silencing Mantras" is a descent into sci-fi-flavoured noise madness. You wake up on a deserted space station to a concerto of bleeps and glitches before being consumed by an overwhelming feeling of dread. Despite this album being a collection of unreleased tracks, my brain decided to weave a story around these sounds. Best enjoyed at night!

Support Wilting God by buying the album here. Stream below.

Morgue File - A Hole In The Earth That Made Me

The most exciting death industrial artist returns with a new EP, this time released through Bone Valley. "A Hole In The Earth That Made Me" is fairly short, but almost instantaneously transports you to a coffin six feet deep, where you wake up in a cold sweat realising you're buried alive. Muted earth thumps are faintly pulsing above, marking your last breaths before the inevitable happens. Best enjoyed as a double feature with The Vanishing (1988).

Limited CDs are available here. You can also download the EP directly from Morgue File here. Stream below.

STRFLL Feat. Same Me - Night Vision // video

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STRFLL's new single with Same Me is a freaking radical banger. Channeling CRAVE's delivery in the first half, STRFLL opens the track with a whispered grave-rap to the tune of sick witch house beat. The second half is owned by Same Me who drops a verse that takes me back to backpack era of 2000s, but with a British accent. So good!

Lowlife - Lowlife

Lowlife is a new witch house project from Georg-Konstantin Olivier. I'm not really sure where he's based, but the music on this super short EP is insanely good, introducing an exciting new face to the scene. Merging slower, horror-influenced lo-fi soundscapes with darker, beat-driven tracks, this self-titled mixtape offers a perfect balance of melody and grittiness you want from witch house. Sick debut, can't wait for more! Out now on Vertigo Cult.

Download the EP here. Stream below.

Mig Inc - Bad Dream

Mig Inc's latest screwed album "Bad Dream", like the name suggests, does feel like a trippy and eerie fata morgana experience at the crossroads of dream and reality. Heavily slowed-down tracks will lead you into a trance with their sluggish tempos and dragged vocals. One for fans of early Phantasma Disques experiments and Black Zone Myth Chant's debut. The album was released in digital format, but there's also a pre-order open for a vinyl variant, which I assume will be very limited.

Download the album here, pre-order the record here, and stream below.

Silverelys - Purity Party

Silverelys is an enigmatic vocalist and producer from the depths of Soundcloud, who debuted a couple of weeks ago on Vertigo Cult with "Purity Party". The album, unlike any other project on the label so far, is a collection of beats from a plenthora of producers, perfectly arranged, compiled and sang on by Silverelys. Most of the time, their vocals can lull you comfily into hazy heaven, oscilating between shoegazing lo-fi feel, etheral lightweighness and delicate innocence. The production credits boast ten names who delivered a selection of amazing beats, ranging from straigh-on witch house bangers to ambient-adjecent soundscapes - all perfectly compiled into a cohesive record that feels like it was crafted from scratch by one visionary. So good!

Download the album here, and stream all the tracks below.

John Thayer - Winds Gate

John Thayer, one half of the amazing duo YAI, returns to the Aural Canyon label with his latest solo record "Winds Gate". The press release accompanying the album makes numerous references to rivers and water to describe its mood and creative process. Yet after my first listen, my mind was instantly drawn to the titular element instead: the wind. While water, much like the record itself, is characterised by fluidity and currents, Thayer's airy, synth-led ambient soundscapes convey the weightless freedom found only in the open air. Listening to this at night on my headphones, the opening tracks immediately transported me to an almost empty amphitheatre just before a performance, as the audience gradually fills the space and the orchestra tunes their instruments; you can feel the magic is about to happen, and this subtle excitement, encapsulated in those tracks, feels like a special event on its own. Quite often, the journey, not the destination, is what matters and makes every moment special - "Winds Gate" will take you on an amazing trip.

Sadly, the tapes are sold out, but you can still grab the digital version here.

Sun Glitters - Traces

I feel like Sun Glitters has been around for ages, yet he still manages to engage me with his craft, both in terms of music and visuals. His new three track EP "Traces" revolves around the title track of the same name, which will eventually appear on his upcoming album. Sound-wise, this album would fall under the category of cinematic downtempo, however it also gives me a lo-fi beats vibe in the vein of Baths. Very cool and instantly catchy if you're into chill instrumentals.

Grab the EP here and stream after the jump.

Candle Ea†er x RAREPERSONA - Last St☆r Mall

Peak capitalism sold in a limited edition capsule stored in a VHS clamshell for that extra bit of nostalgia. Or you can call it "experimental mallsoft", like the two creators of this album do. "Last St☆r Mall" is a collaborative record between Canadian producers Candle Ea†er and RAREPERSONA. Channeling ghosts of retro past, they have delivered a zany, feels-familiar album of ten post-vaporwave joints that could work as intros for various TV shows from a non-existent '80s era. The vaporwave gimmick got boring to me a good while ago, but this is quite fun! Check it out.

Cop it here and stream in full down below.

Exsufflation - Ashes (Strfll Remix)

STRFLL steps up for remix duties, adding their special touch and distortion to Exsufflation's single "Ashes". The track originally appeared on his new album "Channel 0", which came out a few weeks ago (review coming soon!). Meanwhile, grab this sick remix here.

Intestines - Precious Moments

New haunded hip-hop joint from Intestines, this time on vocals only. "Precious Moments" was produced by Anvil, who remains a mystery - I couldn't find any info about him. You can download the track here. This track may appear on the new album.

YlangYlang - Skewed Fuck

YlangYlang is a name I haven't seen in a while. Her new EP "Skewed Fuck" just dropped on Bandcamp and I'm pleased to report it's a rather rad outsider-ambient project. I'm not even sure if that's a good way to describe it. It does have an outdoors feel, and the tracks have a nonlinear structure - they often feel fragmented, looped and heavily processed, with the final compositon "Drowned mandrake" almost verging on noise.

Check it out here and stream below.

Cop the EP here and steam below.

STRFLL - Summer Drone

STRFLL's new drone single hits the same sweet spot as Enya "Orinoco Flow", slowed down 300%. Bliss with an edge, I just wish it was 8 minutes longer! Make sure to support here.

Humanfobia - Living In A Haunted House

This eerie EP from Humanfobia, released in collaboration with Bromtol Largesse, is an abridged capsule of their mammoth 20-track compilation released under the same title last year. I'm really pleased with what they've done here - by making the release shorter, it feels much more cohesive and manages to elevate their haunted, ambient world-building even further. The sound design is really good: minimal yet immersive, capturing the distinct atmosphere of a horror game OST. Recommended for late night freaks.

Stream it all below, and download the EP here.

Joseph Randolph - Errant Light, Constant Witness

Superb new single from Joe Randolph, "Errant Light, Constant Witness" has it all (multiple tempos, noise elements, cinematic synths, classic beats vibe, dope drops) and manages to sound cohesive and ill. Fantastic job with sound design and editing. DO NOT SLEEP on this one. Buy here.

Morgue File & Necroviolence - Self-Inflicted

Death is here - unlock the door and don't look up. Morgue File and Necroviolence join forces and contribute tracks to this split tape, released just a couple of days ago by the ever-amazing Black Artifact. Decomposing noise experiments define Necroviolence's contributions, while Morgue File ventures away from death industrial towards louder, more abrasive noise transmissions. Not for the faint of heart.

Tapes are limited to 50 copies, so don't sleep and bag one here. Stream the whole thing below.

A Large Sheet Of Muscle - A Painting Of My Daughter

Louis Johnstone is truly a bard of the post-internet era. This one-hour long album was composed for his latest NTS Radio appearance, and sonically it covers all the bases from Lou's musical past - from outsider art/digital folk hero to Dem Hunger warped beat abstractions to musique concrete and spoken word. Trip like no other.

Support here and stream below.