New Album ‘Neon Goth’: A Visceral Journey Through Industrial, EBM and Gothic Desperation

William Bleak begun writing music in 2016 after the dissolution of his previous band ‘I am the svn’.  He spent a few years working jam sessions, playing surf-inspired garage rock in different line-ups. With the release of the first full album “Songs of Death”,  while still searching for his true artistic voice, he established a dark,  melancholic sound, at the time still deeply infused with influences from surf and all manner of dark rock.  

After relocating to Berlin, he reimagined the project, re-introducing the gothic  sounds he grew up with. Forming a new trio, he recorded the second album  “Viva Lost Love”, largely inspired by the dreamlike atmospheres of Silent Hill,  introducing impressionist and ethereal textures to his dark sound. While gigging  around Berlin, this iteration also did not find success.  

In the summer of 2023, while sick with COVID, William Bleak received a text message from the rest of the band – both bassist and drummer chose to quit  the band over a lack of gigs. At this emotional low point, William read an article  about the creation of the second Sisters of Mercy Album “Floodlands”. Inspired  by this, he bought a drum machine and rebuilt his sound from the ground up.  

Finding access to a more honest, direct artistic voice, fuelled by anger and  frustration, he recorded a series of singles starting with “Es wid schon” while  also assembling a DIY US tour with the help of a few indie musicians from the  states. Before this tour kicked off, he released “Crows and Ravens”, a dark post  punk song and committal towards the goth scene, marking his first visible hit in  the goth scene.  

After a chaotic tour run in the United States, William continued at a neck breaking pace. Releasing near-monthly singles while opening for such legends  as Clan of Xymox and She Past Away, at the same time honing a new,  aggressive sound.  

At the cusp of 2025, the twin releases of “Blood Red” and “Beat and Bleed” marked a further shift towards EBM and Industrial, while “Delirium” and “Never  Feel” provided a new fusion of gothic rock, punk and some hidden influences  from visual kei.  

By this point William Bleak became known as a volatile and energetic live  performer, often breaking the boundary between audience and band. Along  with supporting Ductape on their unending tours, he also opened for She Past  Away to a crowd of 1300 guests, along with appearances at the Infest Festival  in Manchester and NCN Festival in Germany.  

In the summer of 2025, a close friend and former band member of William Bleak died in a motorcycle accident. The emotional impact of this happening pushed William into temporary isolation. Obsessed with creating something of  lasting value, he wrote and recorded the album “Neon Goth”, a  bitterly pessimistic piece of industrial gothic, with clear influences from NIN,  Killing Joke and the Industrial Metal of the 2000s.  

While emotionally devastated and physically drained, he still performed  opening for Rosegarden Funeral Party, played a series of gigs including a  French debut in Toulouse at the Setmana Santa festival, and kept pushing  himself into harder and heavier live performance.  

Defeated and exhausted, for the first time in his career William reached out for  outside help – and Breathing Records responded.  

The completed album caught their attention, securing a record deal which was  signed on January 6th, 2026. The resulting album, retitled “Neon Goth” is out now.

SOUND 

William Bleak’s early influences stem from Classical on his opera singer  mother’s side as well as post punk and hardcore on his father’s side.  He started playing guitar at age 12 after a few years of failed piano lessons. At  age 15 he began producing electronic music, at times DJing at a wide variety of  venues and parties. He plays multiple instruments, along them guitar, bass, synthesizer and drums,  along with producing and mixing everything.  He’s released music under many monikers, including Saint Ark, Dear Envy,  Weekend Dad, I am the svn and STereochan.  

His own stated influences are largely the Japanese Visual Kei music scene (with  bands such as D’espairsRay, Dir en grey and MUCC), various experimental  electronic artists (Crystal Castles, Death Grips, HEALTH) along with more  traditional rock bands (Death from Above 1979, The Garden, Type O Negative).  

His connection to the gothic subculture is undeniable as his earliest childhood  memories include being exposed to the music of Killing Joke, The Cure and  Siouxsie.  

He’s often found himself at odds with the gatekeepers of the gothic sphere,  particularly calling certain German gothic acts “Schlager with eyeliner” and  harshly criticising the selection process over what is and isn’t considered  “goth”.  

PERSONAL LIFE 

William’s frustrations with trying to exist in modern society, along with his  experiences with mental illness (namely depression and ADHD) and his chaotic love life all inspired a majority of the music released Bleak project.  He currently resides in Berlin.

https://www.instagram.com/william_bleak