SILKE BISCHOFF reveal a spectacularly disturbing music video for the previously unreleased title track of their forthcoming compilation album, ‘Tears - A Collection of Silke Bischoff Songs’. Please note that due to production issues, the release date had to be delayed until September 25, 2026 (and the US until October 2).For far too long, the artistic legacy of iconic German dark wave and synthpop act has been withheld from the world. ‘Tears - A Collection of Silke Bischoff Songs’ marks the first step in making these important milestones of the goth scene officially available to the public again with carefully remastered tracks and even a new song from the archives.
SILKE BISCHOFF comment: “First, we unearthed this track, then we diligently listened to it, and finally we decided to reconstruct it piece by piece”, Axel Kretschmann explains. “Regarding the video, Ronny Zeisberg from the production company wieglas found a doll. This inspired us, and more and more dolls were added. The production lasted month and I had started to consider becoming a doll repairer. Well, now you can see for yourselves how it all turned out.”
Credits
Produced by wieglas Filmproduktion
Creative director, idea & camera by Ronny Zeisberg
Assistance, edit & post-production by Sophia Saggau
Lyrics by Felix Flaucher
Music by Axel Kretschmann & Felix Flaucher
Tracklist
01. Tears
02. I Don’t Love You Anymore
03. Under Your Skin
04. No Paradise
05. Northern Lights
06. The Union
07. The Man on the Wooden Cross
08. The Letter
09. On the Other Side
10. Ajna
11. Benetton Girl
12. Waste of Time
13. Sometimes
14. To Protect and to Serve
SILKE BISCHOFF were an iconic band that left a massive legacy and were mournfully remembered far beyond the dark electronic and goth scenes that they championed particularly in Germany during the 90s. Their albums are regarded milestones until today, but internal friction, legal issues, and most of all the tragic passing of one of the two founding members, Felix Flaucher, have left their works in a limbo for many years. The compilation ‘Tears - A Collection of Silke Bischoff Songs’ is the first step in making their oeuvre available to the public again.
‘Tears - A Collection of Silke Bischoff Songs’ features a hand-picked selection of classic tracks that have been diligently and respectfully restored with a new master by renowned producer Olaf Wollschläger, who has worked with MESH, YELLO, MILÚ, MELOTRON, and BEBORN BETON among many other greats. As a delightful gift to long-time followers of SILKE BISCHOFF, this compilation even contains the previously unreleased title track ‘Tears’ from the archives that features the vocals of the late Felix Flaucher!
SILKE BISCHOFF were originally founded by Axel Kretschmann and Felix Flaucher as a gothic and dark wave project in 1990. Following the release of three two-track demo tapes that generated a huge buzz and an underground club hit with the track ‘I Don’t Love You Anymore’, their self-titled debut album established SILKE BISCHOFF as a leading act of the dark wave music scene in 1991. The track ‘On the Other Side (I’ll See You Again)’ even became regarded as an anthem of the European goth movement.
The band name, SILKE BISCHOFF, initially caused controversy in Germany as it was inspired by an 18-year-old victim of the 1988 ‘Gladbeck hostage crisis’ that tragically ended in the death of the young woman. The grave misconduct of the media and the actions of the police came under intense public criticism. With time it became widely accepted that the founding duo considered the name as an artistic memorial, particularly as often only the names of the perpetrators are remembered.
On the sophomore full-length ‘The Man on the Wooden Cross’ (1993), guitarist Frank Schwer joined the original duo and became a full-time member. With the following album ‘To Protect and to Serve’ (1995), SILKE BISCHOFF began to reach beyond the dark scene and ‘Under Your Skin’ became a veritable club hit. This underlined their popular appeal, which also brought the band to the attention of mainstream media and even a ridiculous accusation of spreading “Satanism” on German television.
In the wake of the fourth “classic” album ‘Northern Lights’ (2001), Kretschmann left the band due to internal differences. Following a legal dispute, Flaucher and Schwer continued briefly under the new name 18 SUMMERS. In 2017, the reconciled members came together for an intimate private performance of some songs among a few very close friends that took place just before Flaucher passed away at the age of only 59 due to a long, serious illness on the 22nd of August that year.
At the 2025 edition of the prestigious Wave-Gotik-Treffen, Axel Kretschmann revived SILKE BISCHOFF with a celebrated stellar show and guest performances by DEINE LAKAIEN frontman Alexander Veljanov and Sven Friedrich (DREADFUL SHADOWS, ZERAPHINE, SOLAR FAKE) in front of a packed AGRA hall. More concerts with renowned guest vocalists have already been announced for 2026. More SILKE BISCHOFF materials will be carefully restored and become available again both in digital and physical form. The legend has returned!
Album Details
Artist: Silke Bischoff
Album title: Tears
Album subtitle: A Collection of Silke Bischoff Songs
Release date (new): September 25, 2026
Release date US (new): October 2, 2026
Style: Dark Wave, Synthpop
Label: Dependent Records
Distribution: SPKR
Review Impact Date (new): August 24, 2026
Recorded by Axel Kretschmann at Kinderzimmer Studio, Berlin (DE)
Mixed by by Axel Kretschmann at Kinderzimmer Studio, Berlin (DE)
Re-mastered by Olaf Wollschläger at Cottonbeat Studio, Burscheid (DE)
Artwork by Felix Flaucher
Layout by Felix Flaucher, Nico J. & Axel K.
Recording line-up
Felix Flaucher - vocals
Axel Kretschmann - vocals, keyboards, guitar
Frank Schwer - guitar
Current line-up
Axel Kretschmann - vocals, keyboards, guitar
Live line-up
Axel Kretschmann - vocals, keyboards, guitar
Markus Köster - drums
Andy Simanowitz - piano, keyboards, background vocals
Links
www.facebook.com/61573736527374
www.instagram.com/silkebischoffofficial
Shop: https://spkr.store/collections/silke-bischoff
Available formats
‘Tears - A Collection of Silke Bischoff Songs’ is available as a hardcover 48-page CD artbook incl. exclusive photography by Felix Flaucher & liner notes by renowned German author Mark Urban.
Source: Press Release
