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Jul 14, 2026 By Dom Gourlay Web Exclusive

After being something of a dirty word for the best part of three decades, the darker side of post-punk commonly known as “goth” is undergoing something of a resurgence at present. Not least in the UK, where the likes of Nottingham’s Bloodworm, Newcastle’s Social Youth Cult and London-based four-piece Mouth Ulcers have become national trailblazers for the new wave of a movement that found itself unfairly ridiculed by the turn of the 1990s.

Looking back, it’s difficult to understand why those associated with the original goth scene were lambasted in such a way, not least when revisiting the musical legacy those artists left behind. The Cure as we know them, The Cult, The Sisters Of Mercy, The Chameleons, Bauhaus, The Sound, Killing Joke, The Birthday Party, and even the likes of Depeche Mode and Soft Cell all dipped their toes in goth’s dark recesses at one time or another. And they’re just the tip of a Titanic-sized iceberg.

So, it’s actually quite refreshing to hear new artists placing their own stamp on a style and sound that has since become quite timeless. Particularly amidst the avalanche of male-fronted, shouty post-punk bands that have dominated the underground (and crossed over to the mainstream in some cases) this past decade.

Which brings us onto Silent Pictures, the debut EP from the aforementioned Mouth Ulcers. Despite only forming as a band last year, they’ve already been earmarked as a potential breakthrough act for 2026 and after listening to this EP several times, it’s easy to see why. While Mouth Ulcers’ influences won’t come as a surprise (The Cure, Joy Division, Bunnymen, Banshees) their adept way at being able to construct melodies around an incessant riff or two from what’s become the standard for post-punk throughout the 2020s makes them stand out.

Comprised of seven songs in total, Silent Pictures is an excellent starting point for anyone new to this band as it highlights their uncanny knack of weaving different textures around the typical verse-chorus-verse structure before heading into territories of their own making.

Five of the seven compositions here have already come out as singles, from the meandering and dramatic “Western Horror Story” to the pure adrenaline rush of “Closer to You” and “Prevail,” via the atmospheric transience of “Space” and Killing Joke-esque “A Perfect End.” Each one demonstrates a different string to Mouth Ulcers’ varied bow.

The two previously unreleased songs—“Satisfy” and “Silent Pictures”—take their menacingly broody textures into pastures new. The former quite sparse and reflective in its execution, whereas the latter goes straight for the jugular, all guns blazing.

On hearing this EP, it’s difficult to argue with those commentators predicting a bright future for Mouth Ulcers and Silent Pictures is just the beginning of what promises to be a very wholesome journey. (www.mouthulcers.bandcamp.com)

Author rating: 8.5/10