Mouth Ulcers – Silent Pictures EP

This emerging London quartet deliver a striking debut that proves gothic post-punk still has plenty to say. It’s strange what passes for “goth” these days. A bit of eyeliner, a pair of black leather kecks, gravity-defying hair, and all too often the music ends up sounding more like bland electro-pop that wouldn’t feel out of place at the Eurovision Song Contest. It’s so jarring it often leaves me shaking my fist at the moon, shouting, “That’s not f****** GOTH!” Thankfully, London quartet Mouth Ulcers are something altogether different. Formed by vocalist and guitarist Zak Watson, guitarist and vocalist Josephine Rose, bassist Jamie-Lee Culver, and drummer David Zbirka, the band have delivered a debut EP that embraces the spirit of classic gothic post-punk while sounding refreshingly modern. Silent Pictures is a confident and atmospheric introduction that proves gothic post-punk still has plenty to say. Drawing on the haunting legacy of Bauhaus, The Cure and Joy Division without simply…