Rock noir is a term used to identify a sub-genre of rock

Rock music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 characterized by dramatic performances of theatrically rendered lyrical storytelling. It was originated by Italian band Belladonna

Belladonna (band)

Belladonna is an Italian Rock noir band.- Metaphysical Attraction :Belladonna was formed on February 14, 2005 in Rome, Italy by Luana Caraffa and Dani Macchi. During the course of the following months Belladonna wrote and recorded many songs, eleven of which would become their first full album:...

, whose debut album Metaphysical Attraction (2006) is the first full-length Rock noir album ever released

History

The term rock noir was used for the first time in 2005 by Belladonna

Belladonna (band)

Belladonna is an Italian Rock noir band.- Metaphysical Attraction :Belladonna was formed on February 14, 2005 in Rome, Italy by Luana Caraffa and Dani Macchi. During the course of the following months Belladonna wrote and recorded many songs, eleven of which would become their first full album:...

 founders and songwriters Dani and Luana in order to describe their musical genre in interviews and press releases. An emerging sibling genre, punk noir, combines dark, gothic/post-punk energy.
More recently, the genre has found a younger set of artists stretching along America’s West coast such as The Holy Kiss, Magick Daggers, Death by Doll (Dame Darcy

Dame Darcy

Dame Darcy is an alternative cartoonist. Her comic book, Meatcake, has been published by Fantagraphics since 1993. Darcy has also released several graphic novels, Frightful Fairytales, Dame Darcy's Meatcake Compilation, The Illustrated Jane Eyre, Dollerium , Comic Book Tattoo, and Gasoline .-...

), Fever, The Divine Madness. Californian artist Rykarda Parasol also termed rock noir the music genre on her second album "For Blood and Wine"

New York group Elysian Fields

Elysian Fields (band)

Elysian Fields is a Brooklyn, New York based band founded in 1995 by co-composers Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow . Their music has been sometimes described as "noir rock", due to its sultry, dark and mysterious inflections, be it sonically or lyrically...

 are also associated with the style.

Other bands within the rock noir community include the Bellmer Dolls

Bellmer Dolls

-Biography:Bellmer Dolls is a New York-based post-punk band. Named after the life-sized mannequins of German Surrealist Hans Bellmer, the group was founded in 2003 by Peter Mavrogeorgis after finishing a 3-year stint as guitarist for Tav Falco's Panther Burns. The band's earliest incarnation...

, The Vanishing, Tex Napalm, Elevation Sea Level, Fields of the Nephilim

Fields of the Nephilim

Fields of the Nephilim are an English gothic rock band formed in Stevenage, Hertfordshire in 1984. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Carl McCoy, saxophonist Gary Whisker, Tony Pettitt on bass, guitarist Paul Wright and drummer Alexander "Nod" Wright...

, Budhi Brown and Monalisa

London-based band The Gilded Palace of Sin's songs have been defined by Clash Magazine "dusty noir-rock anthems"

Characteristics, style and influences

Although rock noir has similarities to the Goth music scene, it is more aligned with suspense and mystery rather than grotesque horror and demonic atmosphere. It captures a visual sense of shadows and ambiguity used in David Lynch

David Lynch

David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...

, Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...

, and film noir

Film noir

Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...

 cinema - as well as symbolism found in poetry and literature. More recently, the genre has found a younger set of artists stretching along America’s West coast such as The Holy Kiss, Magick Daggers, Death by Doll (Dame Darcy

Dame Darcy

Dame Darcy is an alternative cartoonist. Her comic book, Meatcake, has been published by Fantagraphics since 1993. Darcy has also released several graphic novels, Frightful Fairytales, Dame Darcy's Meatcake Compilation, The Illustrated Jane Eyre, Dollerium , Comic Book Tattoo, and Gasoline .-...

), The Divine Madness, and Rykarda Parasol.

In France, Jack the Ripper seemed to lead the way of French rock noir with their theatrical and haunted performances on stage until the band split in 2008. Californian artist Rykarda Parasol also termed Rock Noir the music genre on her seond album For Blood and Wine

Rock noir is a modern genre of music that is strongly influenced by bands such as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...

 and Crime and the City Solution

Crime and the City Solution

Crime and the City Solution was a rock music band formed by Australian singer and songwriter Simon Bonney.They had four distinct line-ups: Sydney in 1977–78, Melbourne in 1979, and two groupings in Berlin from 1985–1990. The only common member in all four line-ups was Bonney.Other members included:...

, darker bands from the 1960s such as The Doors

The Doors

The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...

 and The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...

, and composers such as Kurt Weill

Kurt Weill

Kurt Julian Weill was a German-Jewish composer, active from the 1920s, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht...

, Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen

Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...

 and Erik Satie

Erik Satie

Éric Alfred Leslie Satie was a French composer and pianist. Satie was a colourful figure in the early 20th century Parisian avant-garde...

. Often characterized by intricate and dark stories, the songs themselves are distinctly aggressive in their restrained manner and composition. With roots in cabaret, Goth, and Americana folk; the genre connects with imagery in struggle, violence, deceit, and doomed romance. It is “Duende

Duende

Duende is a difficult-to-define word used in the Spanish arts, including performing arts. From the original meaning , the artistic and especially musical term was derived...

” in its nature – music most often created from conflict and struggle rather than inspiring muses.