Unleashing themselves onto the world with their debut release Parabellum in 2021, goth duo Moth Slut quickly built a devoted local following in their gloomy hometown of Manchester. Known for their intense live shows, and campy, dramatic visuals, Moth Slut is poised to captivate a much wider audience. The rising duo draws on classic gothic elements of the ‘80s complete with a drum machine, whilst their vocals hover menacingly above swirling synths. Moth Slut stands alongside goth’s finest in intensity and drama, feeling at once both nostalgic and fresh.
Recent singles In The Dead Of Night and Night of the Moth showcase the band’s signature blend of menacing darkwave and post-punk gloom, with each release growing their following and proving that this duo’s songwriting can easily rival the anthems of much better-known acts.
March 2024 marked their first UK tour, supporting The Nightmares across multiple cities, earning them fans outside their home turf. They also scored high-profile slots opening for goth-punk titans Creeper, and most recently joining enigmatic synth-rock outfit Zetra on a Winter 2025 UK tour. These succesful runs have cemented Moth Slut’s status as one of the most exciting up-and-coming acts in underground alternative music. If you’re a fan of dark, synth-laced rock, Moth Slut might just become your next obsession.
We caught up with Moth Slut to talk about their intense live shows, and what’s next for the band:
What is the story behind the name Moth Slut?
Countess Moth: I awoke from a restless slumber on a moonless night, having dreamt of a life beyond the veil, where mortals kneel and vampires walk the earth. A prophetic dream of church gates, sin and lust. The name ‘Moth Slut’ echoed in a whisper around the crypt walls and the vampiric entity you know and love today was born.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound?
CM: We hark back to the glory days of goth - the dingy clubs, the pounding drum machines and overdriven guitars of The Sisters of Mercy, their sense of fullness as a band even without a live drummer. The melodrama of it all. The guitar lines and stage presence of Christian Death really appeals to me too, Moth Slut is the first band I’ve ever fronted so it’s great to look back at what the freaks were doing before us. The Cure have always influenced me too, there’s something magic about a band that can dip their toes into so many different genres and still feel the same. I love bands that don’t shy away from experimentation, even after creating an established fanbase. Inject that with the energy of ‘Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge’ a little Meatloaf and a lot of Black Sabbath and you’ll come out with something sounding like us. I’ve always enjoyed trying to combine those influences with more modern acts such as Suzi Sabotage, Damien Hearse and Twin Tribes, these more synth based bands suited more for a dancefloor in a goth club than a mosh pit really speak to me, the hypnotizing drum beat, powerful waves of layered synths. I’ve always tried to keep the music danceable despite some of the lyrics being quite bleak at times.
Your visual aesthetic and intense theatricality, from the outfits to the makeup, is a huge component of the live shows. Can you talk about the development of your look?
CM: In the beginning we would share stages with cabaret and drag acts, so to comfortably compare with performers like that, where a large part of the act is the aesthetics and visual presentation, we needed to raise the stakes considerably. As we infiltrate bigger and bigger venues, we’re simply trying to see how far we can push the presentation and still thrash around the stage with all our usual fervor.
Twink of Darkness: Fundamentally, it has always been a pursuit of ‘more’ - bigger silhouettes, bigger eyeliner, more fishnet, more mesh, more movement. Visually I’m very inspired by gothic architecture, the striking aesthetics of black metal, DIY zines of the 80s and 90s and goth pioneers like Johnny Slut. As we were coming up through the DIY scene the wider Manchester music scene had largely fallen into minimalism, and we found a lot of stage outfits lacking. We set ourselves apart by evoking classical horror imagery, the flowing skirts and ruffled shirts of darklings past. We try to be a testament to maximalism and to always fill the stage. The blend of classical and contemporary that is so prevalent in the sound of Moth Slut then follows through to the presentation, and as we throw ourselves around the many layers and chains follow after us, hopefully crafting a spellbinding experience of visual delights.
What does being a goth mean to you?
ToD: Obviously, historically it is a subculture surrounding the music, but in the world we live in today we find it is more about creating community that centres those othered by wider society. The queers, the freaks, those who live and love in the dark. As a trans and queer band, this is of the utmost importance to us. Carving spaces where the mortals can express themselves to the fullest and embrace us as we are is immensely rewarding. As the world around us grows increasingly dangerous for the people we serve, the Church of the Moth becomes more and more important to us, to offer a reprieve from the forces that want us all dead.
CM: The bond you have with fellow freaks, goths, whatever you want to call it is almost unrivalled, it’s as thick as blood. It’s important to us that we can show the Mothlings there’s spaces out there full of people that will love you for the freak you are.
Your bio mentions wanting ‘world domination’. What would world domination look like for moth slut?
Both, in unison: To block out the sun and embrace eternal night.
Are you working on a longer release than the singles we’ve seen so far?
CM: The sacrifices have been made and the stage is set for our first extended offering to emerge from the ether, however summoning is a tricky business and it is not to be rushed. We endeavour to bring forth something dark and drenched in all the melodrama our congregation craves. Believe me when I say that something evil is coming sooner than you may think. All the music is entirely self recorded, as it was at the very start - that’s a lot of sacrifices to make even for a vamp as experienced as I.
What do you hope people feel or take away from your music and live shows?
ToD: We want to help carve a space for truly independent, weird, queer art in the wider music scene. We want other freaks and perverts and queers to see us and understand that it is possible to take up space as a band using just bloodlust and a crazed desire for more. The music industry as we know it currently just is not built for bands like ours, with no labels, agents, gods or masters, but by the skin of our fangs we have made it this far.
CM: Yes, you should fear us and our insatiable hunger for more. We want to show other DIY acts that you can grow as a band without giving in to the social media meat grinder. That you can attract like-minded individuals who will pray to your success through staying true to your darkest selves and putting your weirdest foot forward. Put simply, make the art you want to see in the world.