After the tragic death of Sophie Lancaster in 2007,  her mother founded The Sophie Lanster Foundation,  with the goals of “creating respect for and understanding of subcultures in our communities” and “work[ing] in conjunction with politicians and police forces to ensure individuals who a part of subcultures are protected by the law”.  In 2009, Martin Oldgoth and some of the seminal bands in the Goth scene began working to create an album to raise funds for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation. The down loadable album was released on World Goth Day, May 22, and every penny of the proceeds goes to the foundation.

And what an album it is!   The phenomenal music is eminently worthy of the cause. I am usually not a fan of the spoken word on music albums, but ‘The Prophet of Calgary” by Joolz turned out to be  notable exception.  Atmospheric and compelling, the imagery of this prose-poetry of this piece will stay with the listener long after wards.   The musical brilliance of Andi Sexgang is next with “Salarnum Child”.   Autumn Cannibals wrote the moving “Monument to Shame” especially for this album.   “One less color in the sky/one more name to be remembered…”

Gene Loves Jezebel’s “Who Wants to Go to Heaven” is a pure Goth  classic, followed by the dark and languid “All My Love” from The Eden House.   “Collide” from Euphoria is breathless and icy.   The mechanically minded among us will thrill to the characteristic fury of Alien Sex Fiend’s “Gotta Have It (Sliced and Dice Mix)” .   “The Hungry Years” by Andi Sex Gang and Marc Almond vividly evokes those glory days of the early ’80′s whenever I hear it.  And to add icing to those echoes of the past, UK Decay is next with “Battle of the Elements (club mix)” a gem which was unreleased until now.  I was thrilled to see “Cages” from The Last Dance included here. The Last Dance is one of my favorite bands to see perform with their fun and energy, and they are also some of the nicest people in the scene.

“I Have Changed”  by the renowned Anne Marie Hurst is another previously unreleased musical jewel, driving and intense.   New Model Army, one of my all time favorite bands, follows with “Dawn”,  a track hand-picked by Martin Oldgoth.  The Mission, another band from the Gothic  pantheon, launches into “She’s Gone Away”, also previously unreleased.  The haunting and elegant  “Death of An Angel”, by Uninvited Guest was written specifically for the album.  “It felt like the death  of an angel/…we were all moved to tears.” The incomparable Faith and the Muse appropriately end the album with their soaring and majestic “To Be Continued”.

At only $8 (US) for the downoad, “Hope”  is truly a bargain.  Not only do you get 14 tracks of fine music, you also help support a great cause.    Not only for our Gothic subculture, but for all those everywhere who dare to be different from the mainstream.   Remember Sophie Lancaster, and help prevent such a senseless tragedy from happening again.

For more information on the Sophie Lancaster Foundation:

http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/

To purchase “Hope”:

http://www.martinoldgoth.co.uk/hope.htm