Black Is the Night – The Definitive Anthology cover

Black Is the Night – The Definitive Anthology

The Damned · 2019

155 min · 39 tracks · new wave · punk · gothic rock

A darkly atmospheric journey through punk's evolution, blending gothic rock and new wave with biting lyrical commentary.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • dynamic journey with emotional peaks
  • darkly atmospheric late-night listening
  • biting lyrical commentary throughout
  • engaging sing-along moments
  • patient exploration of evolution

Maybe skip if you want

  • seeking instant gratification
  • prefer standalone tracks only

Where this album fits

Themes
punk rebellion· gothic darkness· theatrical storytelling
Career context
Released in 2019, 'Black Is the Night – The Definitive Anthology' encapsulates The Damned's influential career spanning over four decades. This anthology arrives after their previous studio album 'Evil Spirits' (2018), showcasing a retrospective of their genre-defying work that includes punk classics and later experimental sounds.
Stylistic neighbors
Siouxsie and the Banshees· The Cure· Bauhaus
Sounds like this from elsewhere
Juju by Siouxsie and the Banshees — Shares a haunting atmosphere with gothic elements and layered instrumentation.
In the Flat Field by Bauhaus — Embodies dark theatricality and post-punk experimentation with a stark sonic palette.
Pornography by The Cure — Explores themes of despair and darkness with a dense, immersive soundscape.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

Disc 1

  • 1 Love Song 2:21
  • 2 Wait for the Black Out 3:51
  • 3 Generals 3:24
  • 4 I Just Can’t Be Happy Today 3:43
  • 5 Bad Time for Bonzo 3:48
  • 6 Democracy? 3:21
  • 7 White Rabbit 3:17
  • 8 Anti‐Pope 3:21
  • 9 Ignite 4:52
  • 10 Melody Lee 2:07
  • 11 Smash It Up, Pt 1 & 2 5:13
  • 12 New Rose 2:42
  • 13 Neat, Neat, Neat 2:40
  • 14 Stretcher Case Baby 2:12
  • 15 Sick of Being Sick 2:29
  • 16 Born to Kill 2:35
  • 17 Rabid (Over You) 3:41
  • 18 Problem Child 2:12
  • 19 1 of the 2 3:06
  • 20 So Messed Up 1:50
  • 21 Machine Gun Etiquette 1:48
  • 22 Disco Man 3:19
  • 23 Fan Club 2:55
  • 24 Suicide 3:16

Disc 2

  • 1 Eloise 5:08
  • 2 Plan 9 Channel 7 5:08
  • 3 Grimly Fiendish 3:49
  • 4 The Shadow of Love 6:33
  • 5 Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 4:32
  • 6 Street of Dreams 5:36
  • 7 The History of the World (Part 1) 3:50
  • 8 Curtain Call 17:10
  • 9 Alone Again Or 3:28
  • 10 Lively Arts 2:55
  • 11 Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow 4:14
  • 12 Stranger on the Town 5:13
  • 13 Fun Factory 4:21
  • 14 Under the Floor Again 5:21
  • 15 Black Is the Night 4:09

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata