Category: Tim Skold

Snakes of Russia and the Ghost Hat

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It all started with a ball cap. As I settled into parenthood, I maintained that silly itch to retain some of the fashion sense of my youth. While doom scrolling, I came across an artist on Instagram known as Xavier (@builtfromsketch) who makes lovely artwork if you’re into darker aesthetics. While looking over his watercolors, I noticed a simple black baseball hat with a little bed sheet ghost knitted on it. I decided to treat myself to a little consumerism, and it’s been a favorite warm-season hat ever since.

            Snakes of Russia came across my radar in autumn, 2023. They had just dropped an LP and went on tour with Not My God and Death Loves Veronica. The tour never came close to me, but that’s neither here nor there…so it made sense to spin the new Snakes of Russia record, True Surrender.

            It’s a dark, ambient collection of haunting tracks. Low tempo, huge beats, and the creepiest sounds the imagination could conjure, all of this lacking vocals, I immediately put this record into my “writing music” rotation. It feels like a soundtrack to a thriller or horror film that doesn’t exist. If you listen to it on headphones and go for a walk after dark, it’ll be no time at all before it’ll feel like you’re being watched or followed.

            Pivoting again, my youngest child constantly notices what I wear. From my work uniforms to casual day off clothes, it’s one of the details about me that he takes in and acknowledges. For now, I’m convinced it’s because he loves me…not to be confused with a decade from now when those observations will include a joke at my expense…but I digress, one thing he’s long noticed and likes is my ghost hat.

            Because my oldest child loves all things spooky, we’ve made our own warped version of hide and seek in our home that we only play after dark. We close the curtains, kill the lights save for minimal ambiance, and put on some spooky music to top off some proper atmosphere. From there, I throw a blanket over my head and chase the family around the house, occasionally hiding myself so that I can bait them into a jump scare. My youngest began to call this game, “Ghost Hat” as I resembled the figure on the hat. The name caught on with the rest of the family, and it stuck. Once we played this game a handful of times, it was determined that True Surrender by Snakes of Russia was the music for this game. If any other record is put on, the kids will protest, “that’s not Ghost Hat music!”

            All of that to say this dark ambient record has broken through and become a regular listen in my home with my kids. My son will even ask for, “Ghost Hat music” on car rides. I never expected Snakes of Russia to be so prevalent during family time, as I thought it to be a gem kept to myself for writing sessions, but here we are and I’m not complaining.

Snakes of Russia announced a forthcoming LP on the horizon. When I informed my three year old that there’s new Ghost Hat music in the works, he lit up with excitement that brings me joy. Death beats, forever!

[pictured:album art for True Surrender by Snakes of Russia]

Death Loves Veronica:Music Review

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Pulsating electronic bass coupled with electro-dance drumbeats is a signature piece that sets the foundation for the kind of vocals where I imagine the singer to be knee-deep in combat boots, standing on a stage of throats. Veronica Campbell has an impressive catalog, but since I’m late to the party, I intend to talk about the 2021 album, Chemical, and the 2022 single, When I Was Dead.

            I opted to check out Chemical the day before the new single dropped, and was pleased to find straightforward songs that take me on the kind of dark wave excursion I associate with contemporary gothic music. She’s not trying to go over the top, nor is she aiming to appear overly complicated for the sake of faux depth. No, it seems to me that Chemical is loaded with love songs written by someone who hates you. Lyrics like, “Nothing dies…the way you do,” in Spindeln was the first instance where my eyes narrowed as I looked to the side and thought, “hell yeah, that’s good loathing.”  Further down the track listing is There’s Nothing Left, where Veronica states, “I hate everything…that fucking reminds me of…you.” The song builds upon rhythm and atmosphere in an organic fashion that stops just short of the ‘wall of sound.’ There’s an emphasis on minimalism, as there isn’t a moment on the record that feels cluttered. Though uncomfortable, the lyrical content is the sweetest kind of bitter, and I’m left wanting more. 

            The twelve songs offer a total of fifty-six minutes of music, all of it appropriate to the thematic elements offered up at the start of it. It feels like a cohesive record that sticks to the honest approach of an artist, uncompromised. It’s been on repeat in my car for since the new single dropped. 

            When I Was Dead came across my radar thanks to guest guitarist, Tim Skold. I’ve been a fan of his solo work for years and he pops up quite a bit in the goth music community. This song has sleeker guitar parts than what was recorded on Chemicals, which was to be expected. But what stood out to me was what made the prior album so special…lyrical bleakness that reflects all I want to hear in a gothic/dark wave song. She croons, “Where were you when I was dead,” which, given the title, isn’t a surprising line, but I’m still taken aback as it’s exquisite when paired with the music. 

            A new record, Corruption for the Insidious, dropped last week on Bandcamp. From what I’ve heard, it’s more high quality ‘hate you’ anthems. It includes the single When I Was Dead. Go give this artist a listen.