The Wake

Hailing from Columbus, OH, the Wake sounds like they were raised by the Sisters of Mercy. It's not an unfair comparison: the Wake, no relation to the early-'80s British band of the same name, have the Sisters of Mercy's gloomy riffs, icy keyboards, and apocalyptic vocals booming from their speakers. It might even surprise some gothic rock fans that it isn't Andrew Eldritch leading the group. The Wake released their debut album, Masked, on Cleopatra Records in 1994. As with the Sisters of Mercy, the band's danceable Halloween music landed in the clubs. After releasing an EP of songs remixed by Rosetta Stone, the Wake began to incorporate industrial rhythms into their gothic formula. Nine Ways followed in 1996.