British cult outfit The Venus Fly Trap have announced their new ‘Icon’ LP, which will be out via Glass Modern Records. This album sees post-punk fuse with dark electronica envisioned through rose-tinted shades and dark acidic visions. Take a listen to Vitesse via YouTube below.
The group was founded in 1986 in Northampton by Alex Novak (vocals) and Andrew Denton (guitar, programming) after Novak parted company with darkwave post-punk band Attrition. Mythology has always been part of The Venus Fly Trap’s psyche, alongside space and science fiction. This is music created for imaginary films for your mind.
The Venus Fly Trap emerged from the same fold as Bauhaus, with Novak having attended art school with three-quarters of the band and gigging alongside Bauhaus in several previous bands. Bauhaus’ Kevin Haskins would later produce the band’s 1989 EP ‘Rocket USA / Cloud 9 / Opium War’ and co-produced the ‘Shedding Another Skin’ LP (1992) with Pat Fish (The Jazz Butcher). Fish also produced their ‘Pandoras Box’ album (1991).
Produced by Martin Bowes of Attrition fame and also Pigface, ‘Icon’ album follows the ‘Nemesis’ LP (2008) and ‘Metamorphosis’, which released on limited red vinyl in 2016.
About this new album, Alex Novak says, “I was inspired by ancient mythology how it has been subverted via cinema and TV screen idols / goddesses And the nature of fame via TV and the internet…the fascination of being famous for being famous, drawing on what Warhol said “in the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes’.
The ‘Icon’ album will be released on September 28. It will be available on CD via Glass Modern Records and digitally across online stores and streaming platforms, as well as Bandcamp.
Track list
1. Icon
2. Vitesse
3. Voodoo Voodo
4. Flashback
5. Deadly Nightshade
6. Return Of Sidewinder
7. The Genesis Of The Daleks
8. Puppet
9. In The Moonlight
With a strong European following, earlier releases came out via labels Danceteria (France), Azyl (Czech Republic), Spectre (Germany), Soundbuster (Germany), SPV (Germany Poland) and Big Blue (Poland).
Their live music adventures have seen them shared the stage with The Mission, Spacemen 3, Tom Verlaine (Television), Clan Of Xymox, New Model Army, Killing Joke, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Attrition, Pop Will Eat Itself, Chameleons, Christian Death, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, The Jazz Butcher, Sultans Of Ping and Front Line Assembly, among others.
For more information on The Venus Fly Trap their website.
