Devoid Of Hate

The Resurrection of Hate: Devoid of Hate's Self-Titled Return

For over two decades, the lost second album from industrial gothic pioneers Devoid lay dormant, a collection of promising demos seemingly destined to fade into obscurity. Now, resurrected and re-christened Devoid of Hate, the band is set to release their self-titled album on Halloween this year. This is more than just a comeback; it's a testament to the band's enduring vision, a reflection on the roots of UK Goth, and a bold embrace of artificial intelligence to honor the past and forge the future.

From Post-Punk to Goth: The UK Scene and Rob Stroud's Legacy

The UK Goth scene emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s from the ashes of post-punk. Influential bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Bauhaus, and The Cure created a distinct sound characterized by minor chords, reverb, and melancholic melodies. These groups, along with others such as Killing Joke and UK Decay, laid the groundwork for a burgeoning subculture. Within this scene, bands like Sex Gang Children became central to the Goth movement. As the original drummer for Sex Gang Children, Rob Stroud was an integral part of this foundational era of UK Goth. The band, formed around vocalist Andi Sex Gang, was known for a dramatic sound featuring heavy bass, tribal drumming, and cabaret influences. Stroud's departure from the band to join Aemotii Crii marked the end of the original lineup.

A lost classic gives way to a phoenix of an album

Songs of Mass Destruction: A Cult Classic Lost in the UK

After leaving Sex Gang Children, Rob Stroud formed the industrial gothic band Devoid in the 1990s. The band's 1993 album, Songs of Mass Destruction, was released by the Swedish record label Energy Records. While the album gained a cult following in Europe and America, it struggled to find traction in the UK due to a lack of promotion. The band eventually broke up a couple of years after the album's release.

The band's name was eventually changed from Devoid to Devoid of Hate to avoid confusion with other bands with the same name. The new name was used on the song "Sisterhood Sing" when it appeared on a 1997 compilation album called Touched By The Hand Of Goth Vol. III.

A Technological Resurrection: The Use of AI

The story of the new album is one of creative persistence and technological innovation. Studio Producer Jezz Wright from True Blockhouse, a studio with roots in the early EDM, hardcore, and jungle scenes, convinced the band to reform. The original Blockhouse label and studio operated from 1988 to 1995, and the name was resurrected in 2018 to pick up with long-lost musical collaborators.

The band decided to use AI to complete their second album, which had only existed in demo format. This collaboration highlights an exciting and increasingly important trend in the music world: using AI to complete posthumous works. For Devoid of Hate, this technology provided an amazing opportunity to bring back the creative contributions of musicians from the original band who are no longer with us. By using AI, the band was able to realize the potential of these tracks, transforming them from great demos into the finished masterpieces they could have been.

The new self-titled album, Devoid of Hate, is a powerful example of how AI can serve as a creative partner, allowing artists to overcome the limitations of time and loss. It's a bridge between the past and the present, a way to honor those who contributed to the music while pushing the boundaries of what is possible in music production today. This release is a significant moment not only for fans of the original Devoid but for anyone interested in the future of music.

(reproduced with kind permission from Jamsphere Magazine)

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