I am clearly going through a goth phase and it’s SOOOOO fun! This is just a flat-out great song. I send this out to every different, odd, whimsical, outcast, lonely-in-a-crowd, for all of us who walk to our own beat, who hear music that no one else hears. It’s for anyone who didn’t fit in, who wasn’t at the cool kids’ table. It’s for anyone who wondered who their friends were, who wasn’t seen. I see you.
Here’s a bit of my story. I do not take kindly to being shushed. Everyone who knows me knows I am loud. I don’t like being told which subjects I am allowed to discuss. Everyone who knows me knows that I can and will converse on almost any subject. I don’t like being judged for being a night person. Everyone knows I am a night person. I don’t like being judged for being too social and running into people I know… everywhere. Everyone already knows this about me. I don’t like being treated as though I am stupid when I am smart. I love to dance and head bang. I love to get lost in a book. I love to sing though I do it poorly. I love to skip and spin and I don’t care who sees me. I only see the sunrise when I stay up all night for it. I have been honest about all this for years. Don’t try to change me. Those who know me, accept me for who I am and who I have always been.
We, and here I mean “the children of the dark,” don’t really care what other people think. Some call their judgment love. I call it control. We will not be controlled. When one person tries to control and change another it never ends well. What did you actually think would happen? I am who I am and I wear my scars with pride. I survived. I am still here. I love to bathe in the sunshine, yet I am equally happy in the night. I love the velvet of the night. I love the elegance of the shadows. I love the charm in all that is odd, different, unique and other.
I love the Children of the Dark. The band is Mono, Inc. of Hamburg, Germany. The word Mono actually comes from a derivative of Monomania, a term from the 19th century psychiatric disease theory. This was a form of partial insanity conceived as single pathological preoccupation in an otherwise sound mind. Call it the ultimate fixation. It’s a gorgeous, layered song. It makes me smile. There’s that wonderful push and pull of the male and female shared vocals. The song begins with the drum beat and baseline then this gorgeous female soprano voice pours out into the world. That’s Katha Mia singing and she is also the drummer. She sings and drums with the most beautiful smile on her face. Outstanding vocal! Then the guitar comes in and their lead singer Martin Engler brings the deep, dark male aspect. It’s super fun. Long live the outcast.
And my favorite bit? The end when the crowd takes over and sings and claps the band out. Such love, such genuine love. Beautiful. What an amazing community. I’m safer at a metal show than anywhere. If you know heavy metal, then you know.
Today I am bringing you two different versions of this awesome tune. The first is the original release by Mono Inc.. The second features three amazing guest vocalists. I like the video of the original better because I love seeing Katha sing. That said, I love the SINGING of the male guest vocalists on the second version. Let’s begin with the original video below:
And here is the alternative version with guest vocalists: Tilo Wolff (of Lacrimosa), Joachim Witt (German solo artist) and Chris Harms (of Lord of the Lost). I simply HAD to include this as the guest line up is EPIC! I won’t bury you guys in details, but let me at least introduce our guest stars because you might fall in love with one or all of them. German Tilo Wolff is the founder and one half of the classic goth-metal duo that is Lacrimosa. His creative partner is the Finn Anne Nurmi. They’ve been making gorgeous, haunting, uncomfortable music together since 1993. Next we have the amazing Joachim Witt (he’s 76 and not slowing down, such a badass). Witt is a German musician and actor. If you want an epic song, look up his Dämon. It’s best at eleven (volume ala Spinal Tap). Incidentally, Chris Harms was the producer on that song. Which leads me to the last guest star, Chris Harms of Lord of the Lost. This is a really fun, funky goth band. They’ve put out a dark vocal of Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe and they’ve covered Abba. They are, incidentally, a must-see live band. You heard it here first.
One thing I love, other than the clear and warm camaraderie between all four singers, is that their video shows their fans as Katha sings her soaring vocal. These are the actual children of the dark and their community, love and unique beauty is on display throughout the video. Makes my heart happy.
