Page, Nik
The cover of “Sinmachine,” features a fetish robot krishna which is an interesting concept to go for. Music is a rather less poppy Apoptygma or Colony 5. Probably more electro-industrial of the Gary Numan mold in fact. His band are a fascinating lot with hints of steampunk, firefly and trad-punk and the booklet is illustrated throughout with flesh and fishnets. The rest of them are the “Sacrifight army,” apparently. “Ride of Damnation,” has a bit of a bagpipe vibe going on which is a sound I think I’m fairly unique in thinking is underused this side of the border and the chorus could be true Eurovision fair.
I don’t recall how I stumbled across this lot, I guess they were listed cheap on Amazon but if I was a stock market pundit I’d say “buy.” And there's a Falco theme going on as well.

Painbastard

Pain Bastard have a wonderful name although I am in two minds as to whether to say musically they are mercifully tuneful or disappointedly melodic. I had kind of expected overdriven industrial noise but in actual fact they are perfectly pleasant EBM. The Bastards, as I am sure their fans are not affectionately known.

Pain Emissions

Classic computer game/horror film music. Not adverse to disappearing off into long noodly guitar solo space rock territory though. Rather reminiscent of Iron Maiden up until Powerslave they seem rather keen to wear their lack of reliance on technology on their sleeves loudly proclaiming the absence of Samplers on their eponymous EP which I suspect would elicit a shrugged so what from most listeners.

Remember kiddies samplers aren’t big, they aren’t clever  - but they are pretty fun

Painmaker

Could be a sinister version of Cyndi Lauper singing a grease ballad or a track off a Kevin Smith film I can’t quite recall. I’m not being much help here am I?

Pale Forest

Norwegian Gothic Rock. Nice and atmospheric. Anonymous Caesar even includes a credible Pink Floyd cover and we all know how well they can work in Goth hands.

“Exit Mould” feels more folky All Abou Eve than full on rock.

Panic DHH

The album I have is titled “Panic Drives Human Herds,” I presume that is where the DHH comes from. It is a full on sonic assault that’s for sure. Brutal and relentless but in a good way

Pankow

Interesting lates 80s? electro industrial. Good thick rhythms with lead twitches that get your attention. Sounds kind of eastern European. Released stuff in the late 80s through Contempo records.

Paragon Null

American guitar Industrial with a slight funk.

Parallax

Early 90s Mute electro band that seem to owe as much to their rave contemporise as electro brethren so as much the so as much the Shamen as Depeche Mode or Nitzer Ebb with a little bit of crusty dub thrown in

Paralysed Age

Arpeggiator a go go, crunchy guitars, baritone vocals, vampire lyrics, what’s not to like. A bit Merry Thoughts. Quite Depeche Mode

Passion Play

Sadly not a gothic Jethro Tull tribute band although if anyone out there fancies forming one I suggest No Lullaby as a better name.

Adequate late 90s Goth who sound like they probably come from Bradford or some other northern town surrounded by dark satanic mills although actually from Oxford it would appear.

Fairly guitary sound that almost hints of Killing Joke at times.

Pathian

Significantly more guitar heavy than many of their “Nature of Gothic” album mates. Very mid-90s Nightbreed sounding.

Path of Memory, the

Whilst I am first to agree you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, equally I was pretty certain I was going to like these by the whole look and feel of the packaging of “Hell is other people.” Musically the most immediate comparison is early Judith who I love. Swiss apparently and brought to you by a veteran of the Black Metal scene apparently if bandcamp is to be believed. A quick Google would suggest Bornyhake in all his many guises is certainly prolific.

Pavor Nocturnis

Atmospheric dungeon music without any real feel of dungeons but a nice bit of remote shouting rather like performance poetry in a Spaced kind of way

Penal Colony

That crunchy slightly hissy vocal effect over bits of electronic and quite Teutonic chanting noises- bleeptastic

Perfects, the

Very electro but properly rocky at the same time. Bit of a Depeche Mode feel.

Perfidious Words.

Electro duo who have released material through the acely named Electric Starfish. Kind of reminiscent of a minimalist Depeche Mode except on “How Long Does it Take,” where they appear to want to be the Housemartins. Very OMD/Ultravox feel albeit a modern electro club version of it.

Peron, Carlos

Imagine Peter Gabriel’s “shaking the tree,” as a dark ambient masterpiece until the silly synths kick in. Probably used to be in Yello

Persephone

Persephone could do the villains themes for all of the new Disney live action remakes.

Pessary

Dark ambience that could loop round a DVD menu or the load up screen on a vampire based computer game

Pettalom

Nicely arranged Gothic metal that apparently hails from Brazil. “The wine of the night” dates from the end of the last millennium and they bill one of their vocalists as soprano rather than singing so I think these are a higher class of act.  

Phallus Dei
Very dark ambient. Seems to be a Germanic-Dutch affair

Phantom Leaf

Another Finnish outfit. 90s guitar Goth that almost reminds me of All Living Fear- well actually very reminds me of all living fear.  

Phantom Vision

“Nocturnal Frequencies,” was released by Nightbreed in 2000 and sounds exactly like the sort of band you would expect to be released through Nightbreed at the turn of the millenium. May well be a licensing deal as they hail from Portugal. Sound very All Living Fear who whilst never actually signed by Nightbreed were an act Trev kept a healthy interest in  

Philth

Not sure why we never came up with this one as a nickname for our mate Phil as it would have suited him down to the ground. As indeed would this band. Hard edged big banging beats etc.

Philtron

I’ve got a friend called Phil (I must have written this before Philth above) who rather likes his electro industrial stuff (and is a bit of a closet Jean Michelle Jarre fan.) this might just be his alter ego although having never seen a synth in his flat he does a very good job of hiding it if it is. Having said that perhaps the Philtron is his very own man machine hybrid and he becomes the Philtron as he morphs with technology (although to be honest I doubt it) Very listenable and quite poppy compared to some offerings in this field

Phosgene Girls

A synthier Siouxsie mixed with Germanic sounding guitar Goth with Moonchild style vocals interspersed

Pictures of Agony

Competent guitary mid 90s Goth although tend worryingly towards Athamay at times. I suspect they are German but I might be wrong. They are certainly good at song titles with “Vale of Ice,” and “The Death Inside,” notable examples

Pierce, Jeffrey Lee

Frontman of the Gun Club where Patricia Morrison cut her teeth before going solo producing slightly Cure influenced slightly Church influenced alternative Indie with a hint of Bauhaus.

Died unfortunately in 1996 from a brain hemorrhage.

Pierce Turner
Slightly ethereal sounding “Surface in Heaven,” is produced by Philip Glass amongst others. Signed to Beggars Banquet and Packaged more like 4AD. Has a kind of Sex Gang meets Cat Stevens kind of feel with a folk tinge

Pig

I’m sure I used to know something about PIG other than they are signed to classic industrial label Wax Trax! But for the life of me I can’t remember what it was. To be fair to them they play the Wax Trax sound with a straight bat heavy sound, good electro and hectic sounding vocals.. If  mid-late 80s electro industrial is your thing check them out, I was listening to “A Poke In The Eye,” and can’t fault it. They even throw in a half sample of that classical tune that made Apoptygma famous almost as an after thought because they can! Equally capable of showing a sleazy Mindwarp sound, with less guitars.

Pink Punk

“Universe of Tap,” was remiscent of “Space,” by New Model Army when Joolz reads the poem but then “Pink Punk Presents,” goes a bit rap and I’m not sure it works as well. Sold to me as Industrial Metal but musically its a mixed bag and I can’t say that much of it sounds particularly industrial to me but it has its moments. Quite sweary and political so probably not to be confused with the K-pop band of the same name. The album name “Zombie God Delicious,” is kind of cool and some of the music is nice and dubby.

Pitbull Daycare
Mediocre industrial signed to Cleopatra. “Unclean,” is notable for its complete failure to add anymore intensity or energy into a cover of “end of the world as we know it,” pretty much demonstrating if there was any doubt that REM were pretty much untouchable in the American alt rock scene. Quite a third rate Ministry feel to it. Even do a track with KRS-one suggesting they might have been better off being a Flesh for Lulu style REM wannabe guitar Goth band.

Pivot Clowj

Imagine a sound technician in the 60s guessing what a modem might sound like with a fairly basic beat and breathy vocals

Plan(e)s for empty cities
One long dirgey track that takes a fair few minutes to even make the listener aware they have pressed play. Then the rather predictable World Serpentness kicks in.

Planet Daily
Given the condition of some of the merch I can’t help thinking Trev’s bargain basement was riddled with damp if not flooded but of the CDs I acquired this is a bit of a high point. Really upbeat 80s electro pop with a bit of Aha thrown in. What’s not to like?

Plasma Pool

Electro but of the late 80s “Play it again Sam,” style with some Germanic vocals. One of those acts you don’t dislike but you’d never go out of your way to discover.

Plastique Noir

Upbeat Brazilian Goth pop which could come from Eurovision.

Plateau

Hard edged dark ambient electronic.

Plato

A kind of less poppy piano lead Robert Miles

Play Dead

One of the hard working second tier Goth band of the 80s. Never likely to trouble the Sisters or Bauhaus in the popularity stakes but knocking out high quality bass driven Goth rock none the less.

Isabel is a classic of its time and an almost librarian like approach to re-releasing meant the majority of their early singles were given a wider distribution through “In the Beginning ~ the 1981 Singles,” and “The Singles 1982-85”

From the promised land was an album proper featuring Isabel whilst both Into the Fire and Caught from Behind capture the band live.

Apparently last seen selling jeans on Leicester market but having tried to buy some there recently there was no-one who looked like they used to be in Play Dead.

Early 90s compilation “Resurrection” is a good introduction with remixes of their most notable tracks and shares artwork with “From the Promised Land.”

Playthings, the
Won the instant approval of Mrs Gothapedia. Not sure how “G” they actually were but they aren’t dissimilar to some of those shoe gazey Goth bands like Sunshot and later AAE with ethereal vocals and big buzzy guitars interspersing the quiet bits

Plexi

Rather like some of the UK bands that tried to keep the flame alive for Goth in the mid 90s Plexi are very much of their time and place. Second EP sometimes know and “I.F.A.” was recorded in Seattle and there is a very definite post grunge  feel to this guitar driven outfit together with a heavy dose of shoe gaze.

Point of View

“modern electro pop,” apparently opening the “Vis a Vis” comp. A little Depeche Mode a little Erasure

Pointy Teeth
“Afraid,” could easily be a Mike Oldfield track remix although I say that in the most positive sense as he is one of my favourite musicians of all time but vocals aside the track could be off Tubular Bells 2 given the Orb treatment or similar

Positive Noise

The back sleeve of “distant fires” has them looking all brooding but frankly the music is so uplifting 80s it’s a shame John Hughes never stumbled across this lot. Seem to have nicked some Lightening Seeds riffs before the LSs. I’d forgotten about this lot prior to the night of the long players but they are pretty ace. I might even leave them out for Mrs Goth.

Postscriptum

A very Leonard Cohenesque vocal delivery over fairly minimalist almost loungey at time backing. Capable of throwing a bit of a U2 chorus.

Praise of Folly

An almost dark All About Eve sound, almost folk tinged one of the first bands in ages to inspire me to buy one of their CDs

Prelude to a Pistol
These sound like a fairly typical early 90s British guitar based Goth band in the Vendemian vein.

Pretentious Moi?

Thick jangly almost Smithsesque guitars with vocals that remind me of an alt-80s folk punk vibe kind of Men They Couldn’t Hang meets the Alarm.

I really like the album I have. There’s a little bit of Wolfsheim about the vocal delivery and the songs are just really good guitar lead Goth of the older school. A bit of a “Leftism” about the eponymous album, quite a range of styles but all done really well

Presence

Primary

The home made CDR which is this apparently eponymous 3 track EP is no reflection of the quality of the music contained within. A very bleepy euro style but with more traditional English Goth vocals. I am also slightly minded of Sheep on Drugs.

Primetime Victim Show

Industrial-electro and uncooked chickens

Primus
The first bloke I ever met who actually knew something about Industrial, or at least I walked past him at a party and heard him mention “Jesus Built My Hotrod,” so I leapt on him figuratively speaking even though he was clearly my senior (I must have been about 15/16 and he was at least 20 and a friend of the hosts brother.) He reeled off a list of other bands I should listen to including Revolting Cocks, Lard and Primus. It shows how much I listened to him as 20 years later having found “Antipop,” in Oxfam I finally decided to see if he had a point. As with most of those Ministry type bands (or not as it transpires) they for the most part would rather be Faith No More than Al’s lot albeit with some nicely interspersed samples. I admit this is fairly late and they may have been better in their prime but this is too bass slapping funky for me and if I wanted to listen to Prince I would have called my website tossapedia. Still it made Oxfam £2 which probably just about covers a mosquito net.

I have more recently acquired 1993s “Pork Soda,” a more contemporary example of their work and have to say I remain unmoved. Funk for Funk’s sake and little else. Acquired by same route but only a quid this time but at least it is probably some water purification tablets so they have done some good.

Princess Tinymeat

Quite oppressively dark for something that is packaged rather bubblegum. Caught me by absolute surprise, the perfect gothic curve ball

Priory666, the

Very post punk, a hint of some of the rougher March Violets and a bit of a horror punk vibe. Reading the sleeve notes of their “Dolly,” EP they clearly wish they had the infamy of Cradle of Filth

Procession of Faith

Nice guitar ambience. Even a bit Durutti Column to begin with before turning into Projekt ground in the dream Goth kind of direction soft guitars and a baritone voice with a hint of female harmony.

Project Darklands
Perfectly listenable electro with a bit of an almost rappy bit in the middle. In fact imagine Aqua dueting with Trent Reznor, I reckon it would end up something like this.

Project Pitchfork

When I got married we weren’t in a position to go on a honeymoon so we decided that a Sisters of Murphy, Die Laughing, Project Pitchfork triple bill at Rock City would act as a substitute.

PP were shot and I don’t think we even stayed till the end and subsequent times I had heard them they were pretty dire and unnecessarily noisy.

I eventually gave them a second chance when I stumbled across Kaskade in a charity shop which was released in 2005 which is a much stronger offering.

A good quality electro industrial set with some nice guitars thrown in for good measure

Projekt

Projekt were almost indistinguishable from Inertia in my mind. Rather like the Merry thoughts were with the Sisters (you’d listen to Millenium songs as a change to Vision Thing but if Lord Von bothered putting out a couple more records you wouldn’t need to)  but “Evilution,” at least seems a little bit less formulaic, a bit heavier and a bit more willing to mix thing up again.

Promises of Rain

“Snowburn,” is quite shoe gaze and I’m reminded of Lush as well as “Ultraviolet,” era AAE.

Belgian apparently. My limited edition CD has never been hand filled in to tell me which of 200 it is so if I ever need to flog it I imagine it might actually be number 1.

Propaganda

80s electro stalwarts. Parts of “Wishful Thinking,” actually remind me of the Sisterhood  whilst other bits sound more like “Under Wraps,” era Jethro Tull.  

Prophet O Haphazard
Their cover of “Fade to Grey,” sound very Depeche Mode. Not sure there is anything else to say other than its not very good and why bother?

Proyecto Mirage

Very  fast, very noisy, very brutal

Psyche

Quality electro-instrumental one could almost describe as proto-Apoptygma.

Psyche are a French duo who were releasing records at least as early as 1986. Rather like Museum of Devotion leave you wandering why weren’t they far more influential than they were. More recent material appears to be 70s robot disco meets Fischerspooner

Psychic TV

Rather like Talking Heads or Blue Aeroplanes. Very much the new wave of Goth with a tinge of Sex Fiend.

Psychophile

Mid-noughties electronic duo of the boy girl variety. The sound is cluttered at times but they are decidedly OK. Quite catchy at times. Circles keeps sounding like it might be about to become “Love will tear us apart,” but never does.

Psychopomps

Competent industrial with fairly varied arrangements. Apparently banned from the radio in their native Denmark

Psychopomps sound kind of exactly as they should with the name they have got. Big industrial beats and shouty vocals.

Psychoslaphead

I’ve got a four track EP released on Waxt Trax in the early 90s. It sounds exactly like an early 90s EP on Wax Trax. Electronic Industrial Caustic Soul Moody and atmospheric. Have a distinct Judith feel in terms of both the delivery and the vocal style  

Pussybats, the

A little bit hard to place this lot. Quite atmospheric guitar lead with touched of Type-O and Judith with even a sprinkling of ENDG on top.

Putrefier

Soft industrial drones  

P.Vampire

Good old school guitar Goth. Their label hail from Santa Rosa that might be apt if i have remebered my Lost Boys folk law correctly. Lawnchair sounds like it should be from the Nightmare Before Christmas

Psycho Surgeons
Madhouse is possibly prophetic for this Leeds/Bradford/dark satanic mills based loons circa 1989. Part Rocky Horror (possibly the first time that’s been mentioned on here) and part Monster Mash, not actually bad to listen to but you can’t help wondering did they not have better things to do with their time. Perfectly acceptable guitar based rock Goth orchestration let down by mediocre comedy vocals. Did however have a track called “Schindlers Ark,” which suggests a level of education and insight lost across the other tracks and to be fair it is actually pretty good and the stand out track on the album

Psygram
Another one for the dungeon pile. Portugese possibly but recorded in Germany (Vision of Shadow’s, that is.)

Pyjama Sutra

What can I say, musically very varied from the Gothic Chumba to a Doorsy more accessible Birthday Party. Similarities with the Passion Flower Hotel. At times there is almost a touch of Roxy Music and a fair smattering of Sax.

Released an LP “Killing Time,” in the mid-80s on Plastic Head but beyond that I have little

Pzychobitch

I  think these might be German and I think it speaks for the comparative stature this sort of thing is held on the continent that  “The Day After,” seems to be  associated  with Sony records and you can’t really imagine a UK Electro Goth/EBM kind of act getting that sort of support. Musically it is nice and bleepy with some good drum beats without feeling over done. Bit of a geezer vibe creeping in at times

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anything to add e-mail librarian@gothapedia.org.uk