Neoclassical dark wave

Neoclassical dark wave
Stylistic origins	Dark wave early music classical neoclassical ethereal wave ambient gothic rock
Cultural origins	mid-1980s, Europe
Other topics
Martial industrial

Neoclassical dark wave refers to a subgenre of dark wave music that is characterized by an ethereal atmosphere and angelic female voices but also adds strong influences from classical music. Neoclassical dark wave is distinct from the art music form known as neoclassical music, a style of classical music dating from the early twentieth century. In the context of popular music, the term 'neoclassical' is frequently used to refer to music influenced by classical (including elements from the baroque, classical, romantic, impressionistic music).

Historical context

In the middle of the 1980s, the bands Dead Can Dance and In the Nursery released influential albums which essentially laid the foundations of the Neoclassical dark wave genre. In 1985 Dead Can Dance released Spleen and Ideal, which initiated the band's 'medieval European sound.'^[1] In 1987 In the Nursery released Stormhorse, which exhibited a bold, cinematic style and a symphonic/post-industrial sound lending itself to 'being envisioned as backing music for a dramatic epic.'^[2] This music, 'clearly more inspired by the classical than the rock tradition, had a melancholy, visionary and sometimes nostalgic quality'.

Neoclassical dark wave makes frequent use of formal styles associated with orchestral music as well as chamber music. Many bands utilize orchestra-derived synthesizer samples, while some better-known groups such as Elend make use of chamber orchestras and other acoustic instruments. Vocals in the genre can also vary. Some bands such as Les Secrets de Morphée make use of opera-like vocals, or in the case of Camerata Mediolanense, madrigal-like vocals. Others such as Autunna et sa Rose utilize contemporary classical chamber music vocalise together with spoken dramatic monologue. Several other bands in the genre such as H.E.R.R. are notable for using a martial approach, including the heavy use of snare drum and militaristic themes. Finally, there are in the genre a small number of purely instrumental groups such as Midnight Syndicate.

Notable artists

• Akiko Shikata
• Amethystium^[3]
• Amber Asylum^[4]
• Arcana^[5]
• Ashram^[6]
• Ali Project
• Ataraxia
• Autumn Tears
• Bacio di Tosca
• Black Tape for a Blue Girl
• Camerata Mediolanense^[7]
• The Changelings^[8]
• Chaostar
• Corde Oblique
• Collection d'Arnell Andréa^[9]
• Dargaard
• Dark Sanctuary^[10]
• Deletist / Das Blut & Zorngeist Orkestra^[11]
• Dead Can Dance
• Devil Doll
• Die Verbannten Kinder Evas
• Elend
• H.E.R.R.
• Hexperos
• In the Nursery
• Kalafina
• Life's Decay
• Life Toward Twilight
• Lisa Gerrard
• Love Is Colder than Death^[12]
• Malice Mizer
• Midnight Syndicate
• Mirabilis^[13]
• Nox Arcana
• Ordo Equitum Solis
• Regard Extrême
• Rising Shadows
• Sopor Æternus & the Ensemble of Shadows
• Vernian Process
• Yousei Teikoku

Notable labels

• Equilibrium Music
• Hyperium Records
• Prikosnovénie

See also

• Dark ambient
• Martial industrial (martial music)
• Neofolk

References

1. Raggett, Ned. "Review of Spleen and Ideal". allMusic Guide. Retrieved June 26, 2008.
2. Raggett, Ned. "Review of Stormhorse". allMusic Guide. Retrieved June 26, 2008.
3. "About Amethystium". Ramfjord Music. Retrieved September 3, 2013. Amethystium is the soundtrack to a journey – between light and darkness, humanity and fantasy. A dreamy fusion of ambient electronica, world music and neoclassical darkwave, the music walks a tight-rope between bliss and melancholy, taking you on an emotive escape from the ordinary.
4. "Amber Asylum". Profound Lore Records. Retrieved June 16, 2008. One of the most respected and influential acts that have emerged from the neo-classical/gothic/ambient/and post-rock alternative scene...
5. www.kogaionon.com. "Projekt Artist: Arcana". Projekt darkwave shop. Retrieved June 16, 2008. ...one of the leading bands in the neoclassical genre.
6. Equilibrium Music. "Ashram's Official Website". Shining Silver Skies. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
7. "Camerata Mediolanense Artist Page". Dark Transmission record label website. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved September 26, 2008. Its music can be classified as darkwave/neoclassical, with folk elements.
8. Rik. "Review of Astronomica". www.fluxeuropa.com. Retrieved September 10, 2008. Gothic, neofolk, neoclassical, and cinematic ...
9. Rik. "Review of Villers-aux-Vents". www.fluxeuropa.com. Retrieved June 16, 2008. ...the fifth neo-classical rock album from CdAA...
10. "Thoughts: 9 years in the sanctuary album description". Projekt darkwave shop. Retrieved June 16, 2008. They create a lovely, lush, somber neo-classical sound ...
11. http://www.amoeba.com/music/artist/156213/bio
12. Marks, Peter. "Review of Time". Release Music Magazine. Retrieved June 16, 2008. For the first half of the 1990s, this band were in the vanguard of the neo-classical movement...
13. "Projekt Artist: Mirabilis". Projekt darkwave shop. Retrieved June 16, 2008. Mirabilis is the neo-classical/ethereal musical project started by Dru Allen of This Ascension and Summer Bowman of the Machine in the Garden.