Genre/Influences: Industrial, Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This album comes two years after the official debut-full length “Blacken The Skies”. Terminal is a project based in Pretoria (South-Africa) and driven by Thomas Mark Anthony. “The New Republic” features thirteen new cuts and is dedicated to Dave Heckman -Metropolis Records owner who passed a way last year.

Content: The work sounds as the logical follow up to “Blacken Skies”. From Industrial-Metal passages to more explicit Industrial-Pop Terminal is revisiting Electronic standards. The tracklist reveals a few instrumental cuts, kind of intermezzos.

+ + + : I first of all have to salute the deep, charismatic, timbre of voice of the artist. It now and then evokes Nick Cave. Sound-wise this album is more consistent than its predecessor. It sounds more mature and accomplished but also reveals an original composition. It’s neither Industrial nor Pop but somewhere in between. The guitar injects power and the electronic sound treatments create a cool atmosphere while creating harmony. I like the work for its overwhelming bombast.

– – – : It’s not an ‘easy’ work to listen to; it might take time to seize the essence and strength of the production. Terminal sounds like mixing opposites but in the end it all sounds complementary.

Conclusion: The new Terminal-album sounds like a step forward and is definitely an accomplished production experimenting with opposite poles.

Best songs: “Smart Weapons”, “Dirty River (Necrosis)”, “Testify”, “Did We Ask For Truth”, “Disproportionate Response”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.terminalnoise.com / www.facebook.com/terminal.industrial

Label: www.metropolis-records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords

Genre/Influences: Indie-Pop, Electro-Pop, Industrial-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Missing In Stars is a music project driven by Dan Guenther. He has been involved with different projects but Blind Faith And Envy remains the most familiar name. A few years ago now he set up Missing In Stars and released the debut album “Echo Point” in 2017 by Splendid Recordings. A second opus has been now released by Infacted Recordings.

Content: Missing In Stars is much more than Electro/Future-Pop which seems to have been the main sources of inspiration. The songs are Electro-driven and definitely into Pop but now empowered by guitar playing and then transformed into a kind of harder, Industrial/Power-Pop style. Bombastic-, orchestral arrangements are quite noticeable elements of the work which is even resulting into a kind of orchestral Cinematic music. There’s also a surprising cover version of a song from The Echoing Green. 

+ + + : This is a diversified piece of music which is driven by Pop but transposed into very different sound formats. I like the Indie-Pop driven “Fight” but also the more Industrial-Pop sounding “The Sinners”. Another similar cut is “Playback” which is boosted by Industrial guitar  while revealing cool electronics. I also like “The Tides” for its progression and passionate vocals. Dan Guenther also is a talented and passionate singer.

– – – : I noticed several, softer, cuts which are dreamy but without real interest.

Conclusion: A fully accessible work although not the most cohesive and accessible album.

Best songs: “The Tides”, “Playback”, “Fight”, “Nothing But Lov’n”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.missinginstars.com / www.facebook.com/missinginstars

Label: www.infacted-recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted-Recordings/124099254321690

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Experimental, Ambient-Noise.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This work released in 2022 by the Bulgarian label Corvus is a split album between Егзорцизам (Exorcism) and Катакомбная Церковь (Catacomb Church). Each project released one single, extended, track.

Content: Exorcism takes off with an elaborated and diversified piece of Dark-Ambient driven cut. The final part of the track evolves into a more Ritual style. Catacomb Church deals with a different genre, creating a kind of ambient-Noise piece of music dominated by boiling sound waves.

+ + + : I especially like the track by Exorcism for its sophisticated and elaborated writing. But I also enjoy the way this cut is evolving featuring different sound layers and even fragmented vocal effects.

– – – : The track by Catacomb Church sounds like an antithesis to Exorcism but in the end it’s all about personal taste.

Conclusion: This is an interesting split album revealing a great obscure Ambient piece by Exorcism.

Best songs: “Узалудне молитве” by Exorcism.

Rate: 7.

Label: www.corvusbg.com / https://www.facebook.com/CorvusRecordsBG

Genre/Influences: Dark-Jazzy, Chanson, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This is the self-titled debut album of Italian formation Waveshard. Driven by Adriano Vincenti,  Giovanni Leonardi and singer Simona Navasinskiene “Waveshard” has been also featuring Belgian wind instrumentalist, Izzy Op de Beeck.

Content: “Waveshard” is mixing styles and influences becoming a true sonic symbiosis and revelation. You for sure gone notice Dark-Jazzy influences accentuated by trumpet parts and other wind instruments but the composition is also featuring Electronic sound treatments and field recordings. A slow rhythm brings all the elements together resulting in an imaginary offspring between Melanie De Biasio and Massive Attack.

+ + + : I really had a crush listening to this album which I’ve listened to non-stop during the past few days. It’s a styled, refined, and fully artistic creation revealing enlightening melancholia. The mix between all instruments and especially the symbiosis between electronics, field recordings and real instruments has something supernatural. The sound of trumpet excels, creating the spirit of this work. The fragile vocals of Simona Navasinskiene are complementary with the music. The album features 8 songs and there’s no single cut to throw away. This is the right music for an imaginary film-noir but also a great composition to relax and dream away in darkness.

– – – : I don’t have real minus points to mention.

Conclusion: Waveshard is a great and talented formation which I can only encourage to move on. This band has something magic and that’s because of their authentic sound.

Best songs: “Hardships Fade”, “Horse’s Eye”, “Borealis”, “Murder By Love – Seaside Remix”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089688952847

Label: www.corvusbg.com / https://www.facebook.com/CorvusRecordsBG

Genre/Influences: IDM, Experimental, Electro, Trance, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Hendrick Grothe is back on track unleashing the new Blac Kolor-album. The album was preceded by the excellent “Metanoia”-single.

Content: If you’re familiar with Blac Kolor you definitely know what to expect. “Weltenbrand” sounds like a true sonic labyrinth wherein Grothe experiments with multiple influences. It sounds like he has a knack to mix everything together but in the end it will always result in the intelligent and sophisticated sound of Blac Kolor. Several tracks feature guest artists who are taking care of the vocals. You’ll notice Panternoise,  Jennifer Touch, XTR Human and Donis (Love Ix Colder Than Death).

+ + + : What I like about  Blac Kolor is that every single album sounds different although holding on the main ingredients of this sound architect. It’s all about sound intelligence and the magic of sounds and noises. This work has an ‘exotic’ appeal to me which again resulted from the sound treatments. “Metanoia” featuring Jennifer Touch remains a cool, danceable, and sensual piece of music. Same intelligence although different approach at “Zerschmetterling” which sounds like the judicious offspring between Industrial- and electronic music. “Leuchtende Stürme” took me by surprise for its great, dark, atmospheric side but also the rough vocals by XTR Human.

– – – : I regret the work is not featuring a few more songs with vocals and/or spoken samplings. The debut part of the work sounds cool but the best comes at the second part.

Conclusion: This is not my favorite Blac Kolor-album but still an absolute must have for Electronic fine-tasters.

Best songs: “Metanoia”, ““Zerschmetterling”, “Weltenbrand”, “Leuchtende Stürme”, “Wogen”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.blackolor.de / www.facebook.com/blackolormusic

Label: www.ant-zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

Notstandskomitee became a renowned project in the Electronic Underground scene of the 90s. Driven by Malte Steiner Notstandskomitee released several great tape recordings in the early 90s. Characterized by Electro-Minimalism and Experimental music the German project moved on releasing its first CD’s. Malte Steiner -who has been involved with numerous side-projects (Das Kombinat, Elektronengehirn, Akustikkoppler ao) released most of his works on his own label Block 4. The newest album entitled “The Doomsday Layout” is a fine selection of sixteen tracks that were originally composed between 2009 and 2023. The work sounds like Notstandskomitee  at its best; great sound treatments, Minimal-Electronics, Experimental although accessible, sometimes Cinematic and even redefining Techno standards. Enough reasons to ask a few questions to this unique artist.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You set up Notstandskomitee in 1991. What did you keep in mind from the early years and original spirit of the project? And what remains of it thirty years later?

Malte: Lot has changed during the decades but what remains is the playfulness and the will to experiment, to find new means of expression with the technology which was and is accessible to me. But not only using other companies products and their implementation of ideas of how to create music, it is important for me to invent and design my own instruments, software and hardware. It is a constant development.

Music industry is driven by nostalgia, but I rather reinvent myself instead of becoming a pale copy of the past me, repeating old songs and ideas. Important is to keep the excitement. The political aspect in my art always was and is there.

Q: I often experience your sound approach as the work of a ‘sound architect’ instead of a true ‘musician’. How do you perceive yourself and do you feel closer with one or the other?

Malte: I guess I am more on the side of sound architect, being never that much interested in the reproduction of traditional Western music styles. My departure point is the visual arts. When I started with Electronic music in my very young years around 1983, the idea was to paint with sound. Instead of combining chord progressions I started with composing fragments of recorded sounds, basically what Musique Concrète is doing since the 40s.

Q: You recently released the new album “The Doomsday Layout” featuring tracks written in between 2009 and 2023. What is the album all about and tell us a bit more about the selection of tracks?

Malte: After the album “Automatenmusik” in 2001 I became a bit disillusioned about the future of the music industry and concentrated on other projects like Elektronengehirn and my exhibitions. But I kept making tracks which qualified as Industrial / IDM Notstandskomitee music and so I have now a backlog with more than 100 tracks, quite a pool to pick from and compile an album!

The current theme is the rising instability of the world. The world was on the edge already in the 80s, but now it is literally falling apart. Everything is out of balance. I work on ways to express that, also in my visual art, without falling in cliches.

Q: Talking about sound and song writing I would like to get more information about your way of working? What are the different stages you’d to go through in song writing and -production?

Malte: Like many artists I like to start new things and keep the tracks in the editing stage, I guess I need more discipline. Sometimes it is good to come back to a piece after a year and suddenly discover what was missing, the songs ripe over the time. There is no big distinction between the composing and the mixing stage, especially after 2018 when I went totally ‘In-The-Box’ for the mixing. Before it was very time consuming to recall manually an older mix on the mixing desk to continue the work which also caused some frustrations, maybe the reason for the 10 year gap between releases. Now I have the backlog portable with me when I am on the road and can continue to work on them everywhere in the world. Often during mixing it becomes clear if there is enough going on or something missing, or even if there is too much. Equalization and compression can bring out details which I overheard before so that step is important for composition.

Decoupled is the final mastering step, to create a consistent album. That is usually done in one go without big gaps. I know that it is a good idea to let others with fresh ears master the album, but I don’t have the money for it and also don’t trust others to make the right decisions for my weird music.

Q: Several tracks of the album caught my attention but one in particular; so what did you try to express with “Watch People Reacting To Music By Notstandskomitee”? Your music remains instrumental so I was wondering what you try to express by the titles?

Malte: Often they are critical, sometimes humorous or just plain cynical. A while ago, last year I think, there was a -hopefully- short lived trend on video providers like Youtube, TicToc etc, with people filming people reacting to something, a piece of music or a movie. So the artistic product lost focus and it became more important how people react on something. I really think humankind is doomed…

Q: In a recent Akustikkoppler-interview you said about Notstandskomitee that ‘it’s difficult to decide to finish a track and let loose.’ What makes it that difficult and how do you look back at ‘older’ songs and albums today?

Malte: The center of production is the hard disk (or to be more precise, SSD) and an artist can edit and manipulate a song, picture, text or video digitally endlessly, without loss of quality. That is a big thing when you come from other times where that was not possible in that quality, every edit step added artefacts like noise. In those old days, let’s say before and around year 2000, you had you commit your mix to tape or DAT. It felt more done because revising it involved to switch and fade all devices again to the correct programs and settings. Now everything is easy to recall and revise, or to go back to an older version, branch out for a remix etc, it never stops and ideas keep flowing. What happens if I change this or that, is that sound correct, how is the timing? This can go on forever, so some kind of discipline is necessary.

Like many artists I would love to redo old albums, there is always something to correct. But that would take out the charm of that times and kill the vibe. When I find time for a re-release, and the goal is to make and keep  everything available, I gently remaster the recordings, hopefully without changing too much. Especially with compression / limiter less is more, usually remasters of other artists albums in the last years are unlistenable to me, everything is driven against the wall.

Q: Any new plans/releases in the pipeline for Notstandskomitee and your side-projects?

Malte: Last month I finished a collaboration with Kim Holm from Aarhus (DK) and now I work on the Notstandskomitee live-setup. It is a constant development but I hope to create a technical platform for concerts, which I can keep a while and continue to add to it. Notstandskomitee concerts are usually audiovisual and follow my vision of the ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’. The music data, sequenced and played, controls the visuals which are generated in real-time with custom software I develop in the moment.

There is a new Elektronengehirn-album in the works which will be a CD, but also an vinyl album will be soon ready from TMS, the noise project I run with the artist Tina Mariane Krogh Madsen. We just released her experimental Noise CD “Compounds”. Our label block 4 is expanding, we found exciting artists for example in Helsinki which we going to release.

Genre/Influences: IDM, Cinematic.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Dmitry Stepnov (Diffuzion) strikes back with the third official album of his solo-project EFF DST. “Incarnate” has been released five years after the last opus.

Content: The Belarusian artist brings us a dense and elaborated IDM-work. Heavy, blasting sound treatments and transcendental sequences have been mixed with danceable, Technoid, kicks. Other passages are more evasive and driven by down tempo rhythms accentuating a Cinematic influence.

+ + + : Each time  I get flabbergasted by the unique sound treatments and also by the song structures ending in Trance and then becoming Experimental. The work features numerous great songs but I’ll mention the pure IDM-resonating “Shadowplay” and “Warped Peril”, the  transcendental sensation emerging from “Lunacy” but also “Curse Reborn” for the crashing percussion sounds. The sound intelligence and sonic welfare this album has been accomplished took me by surprise. This is the best production I’ve heard from this artist. The album features a succession of great songs so I can only but salute the genius of Dmitry Stepnow who without a shadow of a doubt has released his magnum opus.

– – – : I noticed a very few Experimental/Glitch elements which aren’t my favorites but there’s no true reason to complain.I regret there’s no physical format available from this masterpiece.

Conclusion: “Incarnate” revealed an artist who hasn’t reinvented himself but who has just reached the highest degree of creativity and perfection.

Best songs: “Shadowplay”, “Warped Peril”, “Lunacy”,  “Curse Reborn”, “Mournful Voices”, “Rebound”, “Sci Cry”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.effdst.com / www.facebook.com/eff.dst

Label: www.hymen-records.com / www.facebook.com/hymenrecords

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Only one month after their new album “Digital Outcast” Berlin  formation Darkness On Demand strikes back with an EP featuring next to the title song and an alternative edit three new songs and one remix.

Content: “White Clouds” is fully representative for the global sound approach of Wagner and Falgalas; the mix of power and evasion. Any Second remixed “Last Attack” -which is another song from the new album, into a hard and dark edit. Among the three new cuts I noticed two potential hits revealing powerful sound production and elaborated composition. The last new cut is a kind of Ambient ‘outro’.

+ + + : This EP serves as a perfect addendum to “Digital Outcast”. “White Clouds” isn’t my favorite song from the album although it remains an interesting, and fully representative song of Darkness On Demand. I’m more into the new cuts “Volle Kraft Vorraus” and “Say Hello” which both are engaged pieces of dynamic, dancefloor-driven, Electro music with alluring vocals on top. Any Second -which is a band I really like, did a great job remixing “Last Attack”. There’s enough stuff for DJs to feature from this EP.

– – – : I regret the new songs didn’t get released on CD format but we have  to face the truth; this is the digital age! I’m a bit skeptical about “White Clouds” as the title song.

Conclusion: This EP stands for a band with a meaning while producing a styled and solid Electronic sound.

Best songs: “Volle Kraft Vorraus”, “Say Hello”, “Last Attack – Any Second Remix”, “White Clouds – Maxi Version”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.darknessondemand.com / www.facebook.com/darknessondemand

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Two years after the astonishing debut-album “The Cubic Alphabet” and noticeable EPs Franky Deblomme is back on track delivering to us an appetizer for his upcoming full length album. The title of the EP indicates what it’s all about; the magic of the legendary Commodore 64 computer. 

Content: The Belgian artist moves on exploring the magic of 80s synths and equipment by revisiting Electro-Wave to transpose it in a refreshing and sexy, contemporary format. Pure vintage bass lines and drum sections mixed with robotic vocals. The 4 tracks sound pretty similar and filled with nostalgia.

+ + + : Cubic confirms the potential of the debut works; a styled production driven by vintage sound treatments to reactivate the magic of the 80s Electro-Wave movement. I like the solid bass lines and simple, but efficient, melody lines while the robotic, sterile, vocals still have this magic effect on me. The tracks are pretty similar but “Offline” is my favorite for its extra-danceable strength.

– – – : I’m missing a bit more vocals although it’s not absolutely essential. 

Conclusion: This EP sounds as a strong and promising teaser to the upcoming Cubic-album.

Best songs: “Offline”, “Titt”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.cubicpromo.be / www.facebook.com/cubicpromo

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

Genre/Influences: Cold-Wave, Wave-Pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Scene Noir is hailing from Montreal (Canada) and has been active since 2011. “Violent Summer” is their newest work featuring three songs.

Content: This work evokes good-old 80s memories reminding me of the glorious days of Cold-Wave and Dark-Pop music. The songs are driven by slow rhythms featuring melodic synth lines, low, resonating bass and discrete guitar riffs.

+ + + : This work sounds like a contemporary adaptation of 80s Cold-Wave music. I like the vintage synth melodies and the singer’s deep timbre of voice. The last track features a true balance between synths, guitar and bass.

– – – : The songs sound a bit rudimentary and missing more explicit guitar power.

Conclusion: A pleasant and enjoyable work but nothing groundbreaking.

Best songs: “Black Wedding Day”.

Rate: 6.

Artist: www.facebook.com/SceneNoir

Label: www.facebook.com/velouriarecordz

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Four years after their last album (cf. “Detoxination”) Darkness On Demand (ex-Dance Or Die) are back on track unleashing their third full length album which also is the first one released by the Belgian label Alfa Matrix. The German formation released a few singles and EP as appetizers to this album which is meant as a reconnection with nature and reality, ‘to escape from that digital world dominated by artificial social medias and credit card consumption’.

Content: Nothing has really changed in the global sound approach and production of the new work. This is DOD at its best; mixing more evasive, slower, tracks together with harder, dancefloor-driven cuts. The tracks are definitely EBM driven but with this typical dark, powerful, and elaborated approach which became that typical for the band. 

+ + + : Darkness On Demand didn’t reinvent themselves but simply remind us of the essence and genius of their work; hardly comparable to any other formation and driven now by power and then by beauty… but most of the time it’s just both aspects together. I however prefer the ‘harder’ cuts of the album like “Last Attack”, “Ban Of Truth”, “Reactor 4” and “Lord Of The Harvest”. The powerful and sophisticated Electro is totally matching with the powerful and charismatic vocals of Gary Wagner. There also is a perfect balance between power and catchy, melodic, and carrying choruses. On top you’ll notice subtle sound arrangements.

– – – : I regret the album is not featuring a few more up-tempo cuts but the good news is there’s also a great EP with extra, powerful, songs.

Conclusion: Darkness On Demand already strikes back with style and energy. It’s fascinating to see how this band thirty five years after the set up of Dance Or Die still remains a true reference in the Electronic underground scene.

Best songs: “Ban Of Truth”, “Reactor 4”, “Lord Of The Harvest”, “Last Attack”, “Stagnation”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.darknessondemand.com / www.facebook.com/darknessondemand

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

Genre/Influences: Electro-Wave, EBM, Cinematic.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Hungarian First Aid 4 Souls remains ultra-prolific already releasing new work. Core member István Gazdag wanted to revisit his Electro-Goth roots and paying ‘tribute to the work of geniuses who laid the foundations of Synth Dark-Wave and to his personal heroes that are Bauhaus and Tones On Tail.’ The EP -which rather looks as a mini-album, features seven songs. Belgian singer ‘Vain Sacrosanct’  (Causenation) sung on five cuts while Canadian-Hungarian female vocalist Linda Daemon (Kr3ll, Black Mamba…) and UK Pop singer Mark Duffield each sang on one song.

Content: We’re used to hear First Aid 4 Souls dealing with sophisticated EBM but István Gazdag also took us by surprise exploring other sonic fields during the past years. The EBM influence is definitely present at this work but there indeed is a good-old 80s Electro-Wave influence as well. The work sounds more atmospheric and even evasive on a few passages. The Electro-Wave tribute is accentuated at a few cuts by guitar sounds.

+ + + : Gazdag has already accomplished a meaningful production which sounds different from the ‘traditional’ sound of the project although featuring cool cuts. There also is a true symbiosis between his music and the charismatic vocals of Vain Sacrosanct. My favorite cuts are the ones revealing an explicit EBM touch but there’s also something to say about both debut cuts featuring an ominous atmosphere.

– – – : I can’t say First Aid 4 Souls is too prolific but it sometimes becomes difficult to catch the red line between all the different albums and EPs of the project.

Conclusion: A very personal but accomplished tribute to some of István Gazdag’s favorite 80s artists.

Best songs: “Now You Can See Me”, “The Sweetest Temptation”, “Alpha Female”, “Laudator Temporis”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.firstaid4souls.com / www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063628544089

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Industrial, Cinematic.

Format: CD, Digital.

Background/Info: Manabu Hiramoto started making music twenty years ago. The Japanese artist released an impressive number of works by multiple labels like Athanor, Ant-Zen, SSSM, Zhelozebeton ao. He this year released his first album by the leading Dark-Ambient label Cyclic Law.

Content: The work takes off with impressive, overwhelming, soundwaves leading the listener into an icy, frightening sound experience. We next visit imaginary, abyssal, sound depths creating reverie and achieved with subtle sound treatments. The work is progressively evolving featuring metallic- and other Industrial noises plus an impressive canvas of effects.

+ + + : The work is diversified and not always that easy to catch but the opening- and penultimate cut -which are quite different from each other, reveal the strength and creativity of the project. Shinkiro has used a true sonic arsenal to achieve this production appealing for a wider audience and not just Dark-Ambient fans.

– – – : The diversity of the work has something confusing.

Conclusion: I have mixed feelings with this opus but I prefer emphasizing the crushing passages which are just great. 

Best songs: “The Wind”, “Mountains”, “Fire”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/ShinkiroOfficial

Label: www.cycliclaw.com / www.facebook.com/cycliclaw

Genre/Influences: Electro, Ambient-Pop, Ethereal-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: “Chrysalis” is the third album by Zanias. Behind this project is hiding Alison Lewis aka ‘Zoe Zanias’ who you should know from projects like Keluar and of course Linea Aspera. The Australian born artist strikes back with eight new songs.

Content: The new album is a way to exorcize personal experiences and thoughts which have been transposed into a heavenly, sweet, Electronic creation. The songs are mixing different Electro influences which are mainly mixing Ambient and Pop. The vocals have something heavenly and sensual.

+ + + : It’s hard to define the sound universe of this artist but different parts evoke to me the sensuality of Delerium. I like the way different influences have been mixed while driven by down tempo rhythms. It’s a fully enjoyable sound experience to dream away upon serious themes.

– – – : I regret the work is only featuring 8 tracks while I’m missing a true apotheosis.

Conclusion: This album is fully accessible and definitely open for a wider audience.

Best songs: “Burial”, “Closing”, “Lovelife”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/zoe.zanias

Label: www.metropolis-records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords

Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This is the fourth full length album -and third one released by Cryo Chamber – by Swedish artist Karl Ture Rydby. By the end of last year, he released the opus “Rule From The Dark Mountain” while two years ago he unleashed “Creation Of A Star”.

Content: Planet Supreme holds on the Cinematic approach of previous releases. The music consists of growling sound waves and extended, dark, sound resonations. You’ll also notice guitar playing creating an extra-dimensional sensation. A few more, explicit, evasive passages are emerging at the end of the album.

+ + + : I especially like both debut cuts of the work which are slowly running, creating a delicate sonic sensation. The way this dark reverie has been built up is quite exciting. The guitar emerging on “A Northern Tale” sounds original although resulting in a totally different cut. 

– – – : I already mentioned “A Northern Tale” for its originality but unfortunately the tracks sounds like lost in a totally different atmosphere.

Conclusion: I already heard better works from Planet Supreme which don’t really bring anything new.

Best songs: “Cloud Maker”, “Overgrowth”.

Rate: 6½.

Artist: www.planetsupreme.se / www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063630746830

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com /  www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Dark-Ambient, Drone.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Six years after the “Forsaken”-album  Mehdi Saleh (aka Alphaxone) and Oleg Puzan (aka Dronny Darko) joined hands again for a new Iranian-Ukrainian collaborative work. Both artists are quite familiar and renowned names from the Cryo Chamber roster and next to having released different solo-works, they also like to collaborate with other artists.

Content: The album reflects a dark sound universe with a strong visual appeal. Intense, heavy, sound waves have been mixed with field recordings plus an interesting canvas of noises and effects. The work is mixing elements of Drone, Dark-Ambient and pure Cinematic music.

+ + + : Both artists gained a wider recognition while remaining really prolific. This second album between Alphaxone and Dronny Darko sounds more mature and accomplished than its predecessor. We now feel a true harmony resulting in a dense, and apocalyptic atmosphere which is mainly coming through at the beginning of the work. The long, elaborated, and poignant sound waves have been masterly fused together with subtle noises, aquatic field recordings and effects. The tracks are characterized by a slow progression.

– – – : The cuts are becoming a bit predictable during the last part of the work.

Conclusion: This is a successful collaboration between two, talented and visionary artists of the Dark-Cinematic music universe.

Best songs: “Out Of Orbit”, “Shadow Constellation”, “Signal Erosion”, “Transmission Zero”.

Rate: 7½.

Artists: www.facebook.com/alphaxone / www.facebook.com/dronnydarko

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com /  www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

Genre/Influences: Ambient-Electro, Experimental, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Cassette.

Background/Info: Greek sound engineer Bakis Sirros strikes back again with a new opus of his Parallel Worlds project. I noticed the debut album of the project was released twenty years ago.

Content: The sound universe of this artist remains driven and directly inspired by some of the greatest and most influential Ambient-Electro composers. This work reflects the magic of astral Electronic atmospheres. The music brings us back in time reminding us of the genius of Tangerine Dream and also Kraftwerk.

+ + + : The tracks have been meticulously built up featuring unique, analogue sound treatments. Parallel Worlds never stop improving its composition process which has been accentuated and getting more accessible through slow -and sometimes heavy, rhythms. The work will make you dream and carry you away to  an imaginary soundscape.

– – – : My single regret is that I would like to hear the songs with some vocal parts and/or effects or just a few spoken samplings.

Conclusion: Parallel Worlds stands for the true magic of Electronic music and comes as an ode to some of its pioneers.

Best songs: “Virtual Carrier”, “Machinism”, “Tension”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.parallel-worlds-music.com / www.facebook.com/parallelworldsmusic

Label: www.facebook.com/moatun7records

Genre/Influences: Experimental, Industrial, Electronic, Abstract.

Format: Digital, CD, Cassette.

Background/Info: Kryptogen Rundfunk is a Russian solo-project driven by Artem Ostapchuk. He was also running the label Zhelezobeton. He moved to The Netherlands last year and set up a new label Base Station and distribution company Fonodroom. He’s now also ready with a new album of Kryptogen Rundfunk which is the fourth one in the project’s history.

Content: The sound remains easily recognizable although remaining a sonic labyrinth of sounds, noises, field recordings and electronic sound manipulations. The work is dark and very atmospheric but also touching ground with more evasive and even relaxing passages. 

+ + + : Kryptogen Rundfunk sounds like a project operating from a sound lab. The work has been built up with an impressive sound canvas. The analogue sound treatments and Abstract/Experimental character are often reminding me of 80s experiments. But the main strength behind this approach is that it remains pretty accessible and fascinating.

– – – : Some passages are just a bit too Experimental for my taste.

Conclusion: This is a noticeable new work for Kryptogen Rundfunk and I can only wish living in The Netherlands will give more opportunities to this talented artist.

Best songs: “Hypnotoad On Air”, “Too Much Understanding”, “The Dream Of Bonifatsy”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.kryptogenrundfunk.com / www.facebook.com/kryptogenrundfunk

Label: https://fonodroom.bigcartel.com /  www.facebook.com/fonodroom

Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro, Industrial, EBM.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Italian Electro-act Alien Vampires strikes back with their first new studio-album in eight years. “Return Me To Hell” is a double disc featuring twenty one songs. The sixth studio full length comes 20 years after the band’s inception.

Content: Alien Vampires haven’t changed their initial approach composing harsh and merciless Electronic music. Harsh and provocative but still featuring ‘poppy’ melody lines, the work brings different influences together. Most of the tracks are powerful now and then boosted with extra guitar riffs. The second disc sounds more diversified, exploring Industrial-Rave fields -one of the cuts have been composed together with Chainreactor.  A few extra guests have been invited to achieve this work which comes to an end with a cover version of Skinny Puppy’s legendary hit “Assimilate”.

+ + + : Time is going fast but Alien Vampires haven’t lost their power and nose for provocation. Just take a look at the front cover of the album and you’ll immediately seize what this band is made of. But Alien Vampires are much more than an image, it’s a band with a great sound. There’s no true innovation but a perfect balance between elements of Dark-Electro, EBM, Techno-Trance, Industrial and even Dark-Pop. All ingredients have been shaken by powerful rhythms to produce dancefloor killers. The first disc sounds great but the second one moves a step further revealing a band at full speed and driven by adrenaline. Nothing sounds impossible for Alien Vampires and everything they touched turns into sonic gold. It’s hard to give a favorite track as there are multiple smashers featured.

– – – : The single cut that couldn’t convince me is the chaotic-sounding cover version of “Assimilate”. This could be cool to play live but poorly inspired on this album. I think there’s no reason to complain about this single cut as this album is probably the best one the ‘vampires’ have ever released.

Conclusion: A fully accomplished and diversified piece of Dark-Electro made in Italy.

Best songs: “Destroyer”, “10 Bags 10 Lines”, “Hyperbolic Doubt Feat. Chainreactor”, “Ready To Die”, “Automatic Writing”, “World In Denial”, “Time”, “Fuck Borders”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: Official Alien Vampires Facebook page

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Experimental, Cinematic, Neo-Folk.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Clay Ruby strikes back as Burial Hew unleashing a new album on Cold Spring which is a kind of compilation. “In Hiding” indeed features nine cuts which have been originally released on compilations.

Content: I’m used to discovering very diversified influences by this project. It’s not that different now, the album sounding as a true compilation. The influences are very diverse; from Dark-Ambient to Experimental to Neo-Folk impressions to a kind of obscure Chamber-Music to Power-Electronics to Martial. Now bombastic and then dreamy; now instrumental and then featuring vocals, this album really reveals the total sonic universe of the project.

+ + + : Clay Ruby sounds comfortable with any kind of dark music genre. From merciless Power-Electronics to artistic Neo-Classic elements his music canvas seems to be endless but always touched by creativity. The music is often complex and appealing for a strong  visual aspect. It’s first of all a work without compromises.

– – – : Diversity means that you’ll always find a few tracks to your taste but I’m sometimes missing a bit of cohesion between the tracks.

Conclusion: Definitely not the best work from this artist although an interesting selection of maybe forgotten and/or less familiar tracks.

Best Songs: “A Kiss To Birth The Rotted Sun”, “Penitential March”, “O’ Crescent Shedding Queen! A Dark Tide Is Cast Inside The Hearts Of Those Who’d Lay Siege To Your Luminous Shade”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/burial.hex

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

Genre/Influences: Dark-Pop, Electronic.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: The new album from the American formation Bestial Mouths is still driven by core member Lynette Cerezo who got assisted by Brant Showers and Matthew Tucker. Several productions have been released since 2009 but this is the first opus released by Negative Gain Productions.

Content: If you’re a bit familiar with the sound of Bestial Mouths you’ll directly recognize the charismatic and bewitching vocal parts by Lynette Cerezo. She has a particular, expressive, timbre of voice which is often reminding me of Gothic singers. The particularity of Bestial Mouths remains the mix of the vocals together with an explicit Electronic composition. The music sounds like a Dark-Pop exposure featuring piano-sound arrangements and bombastic elements.

+ + + : Bestial Mouths would be a different band without Lynette Cerezo who remains a true charismatic performer. She injects the spirit to the music. I also like the delicious contrast between her voice and the Electronic music. Another contrast comes back in the arrangements which can be now refined and then heavy, bombastic. The album is supported with a haunting atmosphere getting its highlight with the great “Slitskin”-song.

– – – : I regret the work only features 9 songs.

Conclusion: This album brings no true innovation nor surprises but is another noticeable work from a band which according to me deserves a wider recognition.

Best songs: “Slitskin”, “Only Dead Fish”, “The Knife”, “Vast Murmur”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.bestialmouths.com / www.facebook.com/BESTIALMOUTHS

Label: www.negativegain.com / www.facebook.com/NegativeGain

Pavor Nocturnus is an Italian solo-project driven by Eugenio Mazza. He this year released his newest album by Cyclic Law. “Ecatombe” is a poignant production featuring elements of Dark-Ambient and Cinematic music while you’ll notice numerous Industrial sound treatments and slow rhythms. I can’t affirm this album innovates although it has an atypical and refreshing approach.(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: What can you tell us about your music background and what have been the triggers to set up Pavor Nocturnus?

Eugenio: I think the roots of my music are in between my classical piano studies, extreme Metal and Soundtracks for movies and videogames. When I started my project I was in search of a musical language that could fit with my expressive needs and that could give me the creative freedom I was looking for, despite I was not that much into Electronic music; later on I started to discover more Electronic artists and genres.

Q: You’re now busy for a couple of years and released several albums plus collaborative productions. How would you describe the sound and eventually ‘concept’ of Pavor Nocturnus? And how do you perceive the evolution of the project?

Eugenio: Pavor Nocturnus Is my personal display of what I experience in my life, a musical manifestation connected with fear (that lies in the monicker too), dreams and some kind of spiritual perception, although I am not a religious person.

The sound of the project is variable but its foundations are dark and unsettling as a nightmare. Sometimes it is unclear for me too, but I am understanding that the better I feel (as a person) the darker my music becomes.   

Q: Tell us a bit more about your way of composing music? What are the main stages in the creation of your sounds/noises/field recordings/rhythms etc. resulting to tracks/albums?

Eugenio: If the concept is well defined in my mind I start to translate it with sound design or collecting samples, otherwise I usually start playing with some instruments and I get carried away.

I have made large use of field recordings while I was working on my previous album inspired by H. Bosch’s paintings, but for this album I chose to sculpt sounds on synths or work with samples and previous recordings. When I have all the sounds I need I start to record and build the tracks, trying to keep in mind how to reproduce them live.  

Q: Your new album “Ecatombe” has been composed during the confinement. What has been the impact of this particular situation to the creation- and content of the album? And what do you want to express?

Eugenio: “Ecatombe” originates from the time spent in confinement but it is not an album about the pandemic. It is a journey through the thoughts and emotions that stormed during those days. Many suggestions have been collected from different inputs, I have been diving into very unpleasant moods, so I decided to translate all those feelings in sounds, re-elaborate them as archetypes and finally dispel them.

One thing (I think) I wished to express was the urge to escape that stagnant existence we all were living.

Q: What have been the high lights in the creation of this work? And how do you look back at the result right now?

Eugenio: Working on the tracks was a smooth process, the concept behind each composition was clear except for “Abisso” and “Supplica”; I had to understand what I was experiencing while composing those tracks, get back to the moment when my mind was drowning and I could not see the bottom of the abyss. That’s why “Abisso” is the longest track of the album, like an endless descent.

I think this is my most intimate album so far, I am pleased with the result and with the feedback coming from people during live performances.

Q: Talking about performances, how do you transpose your music and equipment from the studio to the stage and how do you see yourself as a live artist/performer?

Eugenio: I usually try to build the foundations of my tracks on the same setup I will use for live performances, then I make some adjustments and prepare samples for the synths/sounds I can’t take with me live. I also like to have some space for improvisation, the live tracks will not sound exactly the same as  they are on the album.

The more gigs I play, the better I understand how I want to engage people during my performances, figuring out what is effective in a live set and what is not.

Considering that there is no interaction between me and the audience except for the music, I am trying to improve my formula to obtain that kind of engagement I look for when I am attending a concert. 

Genre/Influences: Ritual, Industrial, Dark-Ambient, Drone, Experimental.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: British Industrial music veteran  Stephen Āh Burroughs (known from Head Of David) released now twenty years ago the debut album of his solo-project Tunnels Of Āh. This album is a selection of previously unreleased tracks which have been released as a double CD.

Content: The first disc features 11 tracks  originally released in between 2012 and 2015 which means we here get compositions from the period of the official debut album. The second disc reveals 10 more unreleased cuts originally composed in between 2016 and 2018. The common element between all cuts is the very particular, specific, sound universe created by Burroughs. The sound is a perfect mix between noticeable Ritual elements, Dark-Ambient atmospheres, and Drone. It’s a cold sound universe featuring spoken vocals empowering the mysterious and Ritual sphere of the work.

+ + + : I think it’s a damned good idea these previously unreleased sonic pearls have been recovered from dust. The composition perfectly stands for the obscure universe of Tunnels Of Āh and doesn’t really sound outdated. This work brings us back to the perfect sonic osmosis between Ritual, Drone and Dark-Ambient. The work features multiple outstanding cuts. I’ve a little preference for the second disc. This work will appeal to lovers of Z’Ev and co. I also have to say a word about the great, sober, artwork of the album.

– – – : Most of the tracks are pretty extended so in the end it might be a true marathon listening to this album. The fans will be pleased…

Conclusion: Great previously unreleased material by sonic master Stephen Burroughs.

Best songs: “Camphor”, “To The Paschal Victim”, “Circumcision (Hunter Christ)”, “Brute World”, “Keys King At Womb Door Again”, “In A Pig Ark dark”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/TheTunnelsOfAh

Label: www.zoharum.com / www.facebook.com/zoharum

Genre/Influences: Minimal-Electro, Experimental.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Dan Serbanescu is a busy bee who has been involved with numerous projects -think to ARM, Alone In The Hollow ao. He’s also releasing music as Tanz Ohne Musik since 2011. Nearly all productions have been released on his own label Red Cavity Records. The Romanian artist has signed to Ant-Zen, getting back to the early days of the project.

Content: We get 3 songs that were originally released in 2011 and 2012. It’s a way to get back to the magic of analogue equipment resulting in Minimal-Electro carried by fuzzy leads, vintage drum sections and an impressive canvas of noises and sweeps.

+ + + : The opening, title-song is a brilliant exposure of this project’s Electronic magic. It sounds pretty 80s driven and carried by an impressive, noisy lead with vocals on top. It sounds like Industrial-Pop music. The last piece “Mescaline Swimming” is another cool exposure of Tanz Ohne Musik. It sounds more improvised because of all sweeps and effects while featuring a cool, spooky, lead.

– – – : “Cold” is the single cut that couldn’t totally convince me.

Conclusion: This album will ravish all Minimal-Electro lovers and could be a great prelude to a kind of ‘best of’-album.

Best songs: “Seventeen”, “Mescaline Swimming”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/tanzohnemusik

Label: www.ant-zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

Genre/Influences: Dark-Pop, Electronic, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This is the debut album of Polish formation Her Own World. Several singles and EP’s have been previously released as an appetizer to “Tales From Another Life”.

Content: You might have discovered singles and EP’s from this band but the album gives a better view of their sound approach. The album takes off with powerful guitar playing and electronic arrangements on top. It’s a rather Industrial/Metal debut featuring powerful female vocals. Quite progressively the songs became more Electronic and even dancefloor orientated. The band now reveals a darker Electro-Pop approach carried by powerful leads and charismatic vocal parts.

+ + + : This band sounds rather diversified but I definitely prefer the explicit electronic side which they already introduced by some of their singles. “Happiness Imperative” is one of these cuts driven by an impressive lead. Another attention grabber is the very dancefloor suited “Stalker Girl”. I also want to mention “Sin” which is a bit more aggressive while featuring harsh backing vocals. I also want to salute the charismatic female vocals adding passion and spirit to the work.

– – – : The debut cuts are quite different for their Metal-driven elements. It’s not entirely cohesive with the main part of the work although I was not shocked.

Conclusion: Her Own World is one more interesting formation which joined the darkTunes roster. This band clearly hides its true potential.

Best songs: “Happiness Imperative”, “Stalker Girl”, “Sin”, “Mistrust”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.herownworld.eu / www.facebook.com/herownworldband

Label: www.darktunes.com / www.facebook.com/darkTunesMusic

Genre/Influences: Noise, Experimental, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: This is a split release featuring Italian Experimental/Noise veteran Maurizio Bianchi aka MB and the Philippines project Coalminer. Two tracks by MB and four cuts by Coalminer featuring collaborations with Gnaw Their Tongues (Netherlands), Richard Ramirez (USA), Torturing Nurse (China), Zenabi (Philippines), Grodock (Germany), Toshiji Mikawa (Japan),
Many Blessings (USA) and Unsignified Death (Thailand).

Content: The album takes off with 4 merciless Noise Coalminer cuts. We get monstrous Noise treatments empowered by screaming vocals. Both last cuts by Maurizio Bianchi are totally different revealing a more Experimental-Cinematic style.

+ + + : Noise lovers will be pleased (re)discovering Coalminer. The list of contributors is impressive, delivering a good balance between recognized artists and discoveries. The tracks invite the listener to face a merciless wall of sound built up with boiling noises and enraged screams. MB serves a bit as an antithesis to the Noise aggression although bringing an enigmatic touch to “Antimateria”. I like both cuts which sound to me as an inner reflection. I also want to say a word about the great artwork of the vinyl release strictly limited to 50 copies.

– – – : The sonic violence of Coalminer and ‘friends’ is clearly meant for a very restricted number of music lovers.

Conclusion: “Antimateria” sounds as an extreme sonic exposure mixing Noise and Apocalyptic Cinematic work.

Best songs: Coalminer feat. Richard Ramirez and Zenabi: “Gaping Crevism” & Maurizio Biancho: “Gnayang”.

Rate: 6.

Artists: www.menstrualrecordings.org/maurizio_bianchi.htm / https://coalminer.bandcamp.com

Label: www.facebook.com/grubenwehrfreiburg

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Two years after RGNMNN last album “The False Dawn” we get a revisited edit of the work featuring collaborations with other artists.

Content: The work sounds as an addition to the successful “False Dawn”-album. The tracks remain driven through Dark-Ambient influences and Cinematic passages but still by inhibited atmospheres. Quite logically the album is more varied than the original edit. Line Spectrum, Nam-Khar + Sielwolf, Sysselmann, Gydja, Tineidae, Gdanian, Onasander and Argyre Planitia collaborated on this opus by achieving reworked or remixed versions.

+ + + : Remixes and reworked versions by other artists are quite unusual for this kind of music and scene so in the end it’s pretty innovative. The reworked edits and remixes are holding on the original spirit of RNGMNN while adding a little extra. I enjoyed the apocalyptic reworked edit of “The Dawning Of Falsehood” by Nam-Khar and Sielwolf but also the remix of “Confusion & Desillusions” by Sysselmann, the evasive reworked version of “Bleak And Empty” by Tineidae and the Industrial/Drone-like “Down South”-remix by Gdanian.

– – – : This work also celebrates the fiftieth release by Winter-Light featuring a great artist, an interesting concept in this genre of music but definitely not the best album of Ronny Engmann. The original “False Dawn”-album remains better.

Conclusion: An interesting- and surprising addition to the “False Dawn”-album featuring a cool selection of artists.

Best songs: “The Dawning Of Falsehood – Sielwolf & Nam-Khar Re-Shape”,  “Confusion & Desillusions –  Sysselmann Remix”, “Bleak And Empty – Tineidae Rework”, “Down South – Gdanian Mix”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: https://1mhz.org

Label: www.winter-light.nl / www.facebook.com/winter.light.1

Genre/Influences: Experimental, Minimal-Industrial, Electro-Industrial.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Rafael Martinez Espinosa released his first Geistform album in 2002. More than twenty years later the Spanish artist unleashed his eighth album -which also is the first one released by 30D Records.

Content: “Resonancia” is not totally innovative but it clearly sounds as one of the most Experimental compositions by the artist. Both debut cuts are into pure minimalism remaining pretty rudimentary. We next move into Electro-Industrial music remindings me of Dive. The work also features pure Industrial Minimalism and Experiment.

+ + + : Definitely the most versatile work by the Spanish artist who remains a genius when the tracks are a little bit more elaborated and driven by danceable rhythms. “Operator” and “Ceers” both a magical cuts and sonic illustrations of great electro-Industrial music. Espinosa ever contributed to works of Dive and these cuts sound a bit like evoking this distant period. There’s also something to say about the blasting sound treatments running through other cuts creating a tormenting sensation.

– – – : I remain addicted to the work of Geistform although this album is probably the less accessible one. Some cuts remain rudimentary giving me the feeling of being unaccomplished.

Conclusion: Geistform still stands for the future- and visionary side of Industrial music but this is not my favorite work. 

Best songs: “Operator”, “Ceers”, “White Sands”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/Geistform

Label: www.30drecords.com / www.facebook.com/30DRecords

Genre/Influences: Dark-Techno, Cinematic, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Debut-album of Polish solo-project Paarabola. The album features eight tracks.

Content: The opening -intro-like cut reveals an electronic approach which is rapidly evolving into repetitive, Dark-Techno loops. You’ll notice spoken samplings here and then. The work also reveals Cinematic elements. 

+ + + : Paarabola brings an atypical work which is mainly dominated by alluring, Dark-Techno influences. “Psychopath Killer” and “Digme” both are great exposures of this album. It also is a diversified release moving into rather, relaxing, Cinematic passages.

– – – : The last part of the work is less convincing. It’s more into Cinematic and Experimental music missing a climax.

Conclusion: “Pure Holistic Evil” is an interesting debut album which I especially recommend for its darker side of Techno music.

Best songs: “Psychopath Killer”, “Digme”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/paarabola

Label: www.zoharum.com / www.facebook.com/zoharum

Genre/Influences: Dark Electro-Pop, Dark-Electro, Body-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: We welcome the fifth official album of ES23. The German solo-project driven by Daniel Pad brings us ten new songs.

Content: ES23 is a project which feels comfortable with the harder Dark-Electro style but also with a softer exposure like Dark Electro/Future-Pop. “Dancing With Clouds” sounds as an offspring between the different influences Daniel Pad has mixed into his music since the early debut. From harder, Dark-Electronic music reminding me a bit of Funker Vogt to ‘softer’ Electro/Body-Pop with Dance elements on top -featuring previously released singles “Now” featuring Dino Serci and “Never”, will maybe appeal for fans of X Marks The Pedwalk. This work has a lot to offer.

+ + + : As Daniel Pad claimed in an interview I did with him ‘I’m not a huge fan producing the same music over and over again’ this new work stands for diversity. It’s not all about ‘innovation’ rather than a mix of the different influences ES23 has experienced over the years. The debut part stands for solid Dark-Electro power featuring orchestral elements and melody lines. Quite progressively the work moves into danceable Electro/Body-Pop music with robotic vocals on top. These songs are driven by solid bass lines and carrying choruses while holding on a powerful exposure. I like both sides of the work although I have a preference for the ’Pop’ side revealing an artist in constant progress.

– – – : The album’s diversity, and especially the mix of styles, is not fully cohesive although I’m not shocked about it.

Conclusion: ES23 has released an album without compromises and appeals for a wider audience of underground electro lovers.

Best songs: “Now”, “Never”, “Firefly”, “Storm”, “Feed The Machines”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.es23.de / www.facebook.com/ES23official

Label: www.infacted-recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted-Recordings/124099254321690

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Industrial-Techno, Industrial-Body.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: I might easily affirm Xotox is the main project from Andreas Davids. The German artist rapidly gained recognition with his Industrial music since 1998. He released an impressive number of albums -featuring collaborative releases, and now strikes back with his first new opus in three years. You’ll also hear 2 remixes right at the end of the album.

Content: I’ll directly go to the point; this is without a shadow of a doubt, the most diversified work of Xotox. Most of the tracks remain driven by Industrial-Electronics but you’ll also notice dancefloor driven Industrial-Techno pieces, EBM elements and even a kind of Industrial New-Beat cut. The work also features more elaborated cuts driven by cold sound sequences. You’ll notice numerous German- but also English samplings.

+ + + : Xotox is no longer dealing with the harsher, brutal, and unpolished side of Industrial music. Andreas Davids feels comfortable mixing different influences to his Industrial ‘ogre’ project. I like when he’s adding EBM bass lines mixed with surprising, heavy, drum sections(especially at the debut of the album) but I’m still into his ‘classic’ sound. The best cuts are however at the second part of the album. He’s experimenting with Industrial-Techno and minimal sound treatments. One of the most surprising cuts is a remix of “Robotorkrieg” by Sven Phalanx (who’s also releasing work together with Andreas Davids). 

– – – : I can imagine the early die-hard fans of Xotox will maybe be less pleased by the evolution of the project touching ground with Industrial-Techno and EBM.

Conclusion: This is a pretty cool album which also comes as a celebration for the twenty fifth anniversary of Xotox.

Best songs: “Erkenntnis”, “Ich Bin Da”, “Leben und sterben f​ü​r Musik aus Strom”, “Ich Funktioniere”, “Roboterkrieg  – A Tribute To 25 Years Of Xotox by Sven Phalanx”, “Imaginary City – Bonus”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/xotoxmusic

Label: www.infacted-recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted-Recordings/124099254321690

Genre/Influences: Dark-Techno, Breakcore, Experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Dariusz Jakowski is a Polish producer & artist who has released an impressive number of productions during the past years. “Bleach Cocktail” is his newest work featuring ten tracks.

Content: “Bleach Cocktail” takes off with a kind of Dark-, Experimental-Techno sound filled with a true canvas of noises and effects. The tracks are still revealing a minimalistic approach. Quite progressively the album evolves into Breakcore. The tracks feature minimalism and darkness.

+ + + : This is an interesting album for its Techno- and Breakcore free-style. Both influences have been mixed with Electronic sequences, dark noises and Industrial sound treatments. I especially like the Techno-driven debut cuts. 

– – – : The album is gradually evolving into a few less cohesive cuts which sound a bit like improvisation.

Conclusion: I  have mixed feelings listening to this album which is moving from dark, creative Techno music towards less inspired and less cohesive passages.

Best songs: “Bleach Cocktail”, “Bacteria”, “MDnT”.

Rate: 7.

Label: https://uboczerec.pl / www.facebook.com/ubocze

German musician Mike Erkau started making music forty years ago now! He got involved with multiple projects like Trackologists, Cosmic Noise Crew, Stimulus Response and his own sonic alter-ego The_Empath. Earlier this year Mike Erkau stroke back with the first new studio-album in eight years. “Black Holes” also is the first album released by Audiophob. This opus is a genius composition which is mixing good-old Ambient-Electro together with a more contemporary IDM touch; a kind of retro-futuristic voyage which might appeal for fans of Tangerine Dream and clock dva. I talked with Mike about this The_Empath masterpiece which took some time to get accomplished. This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best albums from the year.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I noticed you started dealing with Electronic music in 1993. What did you keep in mind from your early experiments and compositions and what remains today from the musician you were at that time?

Mike: It is a great challenge to consistently follow your path, to find your own style and to remain true to yourself. Not to lose sight of the big picture. To keep your heart and your antennae open for new things. Curiosity.

To think outside the box. To be inspired across all genre boundaries. It’s like picking flowers away from the mainstream. Searching for sounds and musical structures that touch something somewhere deep inside yourself. Playing around, recreating, adapting, taking apart, picking apart, recombining to find out what it does to you, and what it might do to others. To share with soulmates and walk a path together. Taking perspectives, approaches into your own toolbox. Learning and getting better. That’s exciting.

I see music as the perfect catalyst for any emotion, both positive and negative. In doing so, the balance should always point in the positive direction, because that generates the necessary energy for my musical journey. It’s an ongoing process.

Q: I read your newest The_Empath album “Black Hole” took you a while to achieve. Can you give us more details about the concept and composition of the album? What did you try to express?

Mike: The original idea for “Black Hole” came up back in 2016. At various festivals I heard some musicians whose music appealed to me a lot, and I felt like trying out collaborations with them.

Originally, it was supposed to be 6 sound structures of 12 minutes each, the theme was already called “Black Hole”, in the astronomical sense. The desire was to find out how something like that could sound. So I had 12-minute sound collages sent to me, which I wanted to use as a basis for adapting, refining and expanding them. A perfect playground, so far, so good.

A couple of massive impacts in the private sphere and the events that overruled everything valid until then  in the years 2020 to 2022 threw me completely off track and pulled me emotionally into a deep black hole.

The rat race was stopped, no one could tell where it was going, unforeseeable consequences. Omnipresent powerlessness and ambivalence. Social, ethical and moral upheavals and everywhere only masked insecure, dissatisfied, annoyed and angry people.

The mourning for the many dead, while others stuffed their pockets. The emotional hell for empathic people. “Lost Your Cygnal”, “Ergosphere” and “Supermassiph” are the most impressive sound documents for it. Luckily I always had the Cosmic Noise Crew around me at that time, and we used the lockdowns to revise the concept for the album in the studio, to explore sounds and to bring everything down to a good denominator.
That helped me a lot to get out of that black hole and not lose sight of the stars. To think positively. Examples of this are “Utopia”, “Star Cradle”, “Hypernova” and “Southern Hemisphere”.

Q: The concept of black holes seems to be a perfect source of inspiration for Ambient music but how did you proceed to transpose the concept into sounds, noises and finally songs? And can you tell us a bit more about the equipment you used?

Mike: I experimented with my hardware synths for a while in the beginning, but somehow it all sounded too ‘earthly’, too limited. In 2016, I only had a very small home studio due to lack of space. So I started chopping up the source collages, looking for loops and micro events on a granular level and creating iterations of them with effects. At the time I was collecting freeware VST’s – and experimenting my way through over 1000 plugins. Along the way I browsed the internet for sound samples -there are quite a few sound documents that have been made available to the public by NASA. Among them are recordings of the Cassini probes and radio wave emissions from supermassive black holes, e.g. TON 618, a distant, bright quasar in the constellation of the hunting dogs, or the black hole in the Perseus galaxy cluster. These cosmic sound machines can be experienced by human hearing through translation.

In 2019 I had begun to build a sound spaceship into my apartment, just as I had always wanted since 1993. Stuffed with hardware sound generators covering a spectrum of synthesis types as wide as possible. Just like in a spaceship cockpit.

In recent years, a lot of good hardware has come on the market, which is above all also affordable, as well as tons of ingenious VST plugins. I use these depending on my mood, controlled by a Novation KS5 as a master keyboard. As a mixer I use a Behringer X32Rack + S16, for the USB stuff a Swissonic 1916 with Sub Hub’s. It really wasn’t until 2020 that I had all the technical requirements in place to be able to use all these options at will. And that without hitting technical limits during every studio session.

The following hardware sound generators were used on the album, among others: Access Virus Indigo, Clavia Nordlead 2, Korg MS20 mini, Novation KS5, Arturia Microbrute + Microfreak, Waldorf Blofeld + Streichfett, Doepfer MS404, Roland GAIA, Behringer Neutron + Pro-1. VST plugins: Sonic Charge, GForce, NI Absynth(!) + Reaktor, Spire, Sylenth, Valhalla, Arturia V-Collection etc.

When I look back to 1993 – oh man. With my beloved Amiga500 with 1MB RAM and Clarity Sampler, Doepfer MS404, Novation Bass-Station Rack and Korg DW8000 with the most rickety keyboard I’ve ever experienced -without the possibilities of any audio warping and DAW controllers, let alone boundlessly huge sample libraries and tons of VST’s. You had to be inventive and willing to experiment and have fun doing it. At that time, you couldn’t buy creativity, and you still can’t.

Q: You invited a few guest artists to collaborate on three tracks from the album. I’m especially wondered how the track together with Heimstatt Yipotash happened as both of you are still involved in Trackologists? What made this collaboration different? And do you still have further plans with Trackologists?

Mike: At that time I was already on the road for a while as a VJ with the guys from Heimstatt Yipotash and we hatched the idea for a joint music project on a trip to a gig. When I started with “Black Hole”, the first Trackologists album  (cf. “No Surrender, No Retreat”) was just finished, and while rummaging through the huge collection of material, I stumbled across leftovers, field recordings and experiments, a few tracks played several times slower and so on. I then processed them further, added more layers to them and expanded them. I simply wanted to have these sounds on “Black Hole”. The special thing about our collaboration was and is that we first and foremost understand and complement each other super humanly and musically and always have a good time together.

YES, there are further plans with Trackologists. After the whole difficult time, which has more or less burdened everyone in all areas, we have resumed the common track. At the moment we are working on a come-back EP and structuring sketches and ideas for a second album, whose theme and name is already fixed. It will follow the first album musically and in terms of content, with more lyrics and a musically more homogeneous concept. This will hopefully be followed, desirably, by a series of gigs where we can really let off steam for ourselves and the audience.

Q: Next to music you also have a true passion and fascination for visual creation. You already did numerous live shows for other artists. Tell us a bit more about this other aspect of your art and do you’ve plans about any kind of imagery for the The_Empath album “Black Hole” (think about live shows, clips…)?

Mike: My fascination for visual design has resulted from the desire to see another media layer at live gigs, complementing and enriching the music, performance and light show. Not necessarily just a flickering background wallpaper, but matching the music, reacting to the music. So to speak an amplifier for the message and thus for the transported emotion.

I started doing that during my studies, for my own tracks and every now and then at parties as a VJ. From 2005 to 2015 I was often on the road with XABEC and learned and got to know immensely. The absolute highlight from this time is still for me the gig at the Maschinenfest 2008 in Krefeld, from which a DVD was created afterwards. I am very grateful for this time. It resulted in many contacts, and when I was up for a festival, I asked friends: ‘hey, can I make a video for you’ and was in the middle of it instead of just being there. Give and take. There were also facade projections for multimedia festivals and a trailer for Tzolk’in.

Working with these techniques is no less complex than creative work with audio, unfortunately at least as time-consuming and was/is often put on the back of the line for cost reasons. I still enjoy producing videos because I like the aesthetics and the interplay. At the moment, however, I’m concentrating more on my own projects.

For “Black Hole” there are no promising ideas for live shows and clips yet due to time constraints.
A dream would be to play the album in planetariums on 3D audio systems. If it comes so far I am then quite fast with the thing.

Q: You already mentioned Cosmic Noise Crew which is another project you’re involved with. I think it sounds  even more Ambient-driven than The_Empath but what makes the difference to you between all of your projects? And do you’ve specific references and/of ‘masters’ when it comes to this kind of music?

Mike: The difference between the projects is primarily the subject matter and secondarily the intensity of the emotions that are processed with it. For a long time I resisted opening up different pigeonholes and sorting my emotions into them. However, it became increasingly difficult for me to bring all this into one mould, and for the listeners it was certainly not easy to classify it. Mixing my musical preferences for aesthetic soothing sounds alternately with brute beats and noises, I was fortunately able to get away from this by splitting up into different projects. Cosmic Noise Crew clearly has Ambient, healing musical structures and sounds as its goal, where inspiration and the musical socialization of several players come into play and complement each other. With Trackologists it’s more forward, also sometimes straight in your face -full speed ahead. Here we act out, with a view to content and sound aesthetics, but without destroying. We put in the texts many clues between the lines for the people who are looking for it. To hold up the mirror, but not only to others, but starting with ourselves.

The_Empath I need as an island for myself, but on which everyone is welcome at any time, who is able to enrich this project with positive energy.

References and masters, a tricky question to finish. I can only answer for myself. I would say to be a reference deserves everything that combines the attributes honest, technically brilliant, creative, surprising, expanding the horizon, rousing and emotional. The list is endless, and it never stops growing. My master is the universe.

Genre/Influences: Experimental, Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Rogue Spore is an Irish project active since 2010. The music has been introduced by the project as ‘amphibious electronics’. The newest album features twelve cuts.

Content: It’s hard to catch the sound of this project. It sounds definitely Electronic and reveals numerous vintage sound treatments. From experiments with computer bleeps to space-like atmospheres to experiments reminding me to Suicide this album is diversified although very Experimental.

+ + + : This music sounds like being conceived in a sound laboratory. I like most of the vintage sound treatments which have this unique, magic, touch. The debut cuts are interesting but especially “Xhiro” is worthy of examination. Another essential piece is “The Third Secret Of Ballinspittle” which has this good-old Industrial Suicide touch. 

– – – : By the exception of some spoken vocals I’m missing a few more samplings and/or vocals. The experimental sound of the work isn’t exactly the most accessible side of the project.

Conclusion: Contemporary Experimental-Electro music with vintage sound treatments.

Best songs: “Xhiro”, “The Third Secret Of Ballinspittle”, “The ramen Vector”.

Rate: 6.

Artist: www.facebook.com/roguespore

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: This is the third full length album by Italian female solo-project Shedir. Previous albums of Martina Betti were released by Cyclic Law.

Content: The sound universe of this artist is characterized by dark, dreamy, compositions. Martina Betti didn’t change her familiar sound formula although she reinforced some passages of the composition by heavy, symphonic arrangements. She also invited a guest musician to play saxophone on one of the cuts creating a ‘film-noir’ sensation.

+ + + : Shedir stands for dreamy, inhibited, music; the perfect mix between Dark-Ambient and Cinematic music. Introverted and refined but still dreamy and orchestral. She works with opposite elements which in the end became complementary. This is the most diversified work of Shedir which seduced me by the Film-Noir like  “Deer Fluent In Wind” -featuring saxophonist Guido Tabone but also by the intimate “A Time Gone Out Of My Mind” which is a great last track.

– – – : Hard to say if this is the best Shedir production in time but I still got the feeling this artist has more potential than what comes out in her works. The best is maybe yet to come… who knows!?

Conclusion: Shedir moves on composing dark, dreamy, sound travels.

Best songs: “Deer Fluent In Wind”, “A Time Gone Out Of My Mind”, “The Bald-Faced Sun”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/shedirMartinaBetti

Label: www.n5md.com / www.facebook.com/n5Mafia

Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave, Ethereal.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: German formation Milicent was founded in 2022 by Valerio Kuhl (ex-XTR Human), Simone Mayer and Janey Schumacher. “Myrsky” is the band’s debut album featuring eight songs -the CD format featuring three extra cuts.

Content: This band is driven by good-old 80s dark-Wave influences featuring guitar play reminding me of The Cure. Guitar and electronics have been mixed as a perfect match; guitar to inject a dark spirit to the work and electronics to make it all more melodic. On top of the composition you’ll discover heavenly, powerful, female vocals by Simone Mayer. One of the most surprising cuts is the adaptation of the French popular song “A La Claire Fontaine”. The bonus tracks from the CD are alternative edits of 3 album songs.

+ + + : The sound and influences aren’t innovating but I like the result. There’s a perfect balance between guitar and electronics while the vocals inject an extra dimension to the work. There’s an artistic touch emerging at the surface created by sound treatments reminding me of violin. Some parts have been driven by harder, menacing, bass lines while other cuts are moving into dreamy sensation. So the work stands for diversity with graceful vocals on top. Next to the female vocals you’ll also notice male vocals accentuating the diversity.

– – – : The work is missing a true hit while I also notice a very few cuts which are less inspired.

Conclusion: Milicent has released a graceful and promising debut album mixing Dark-Wave together with Ethereal.

Best songs: “Cosmic Joke”, “Unhappy”, “Helsinki”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: https://dansemacabre.de/artist/milicent /

www.facebook.com/milicentmusic

Label: https://dansemacabre.de /  www.facebook.com/dansemacabrerec

Genre/Influences: Minimal-Electro, Experimental, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info:  Lena Heiler aka ‘Das Ultra’ set up Ultra in 2019. Last year she self-released her debut-album “Eins” and now strikes back with “Zwei”.

Content: We get 9 songs taking off with an intro and soon moving into a deeply, minimal approach of Electro and Experimental music. The composition reveals multiple Industrial-like sound treatments which have been put into loops. Some parts of the rhythm result in danceable cuts.

+ + + : “Zwei” is not exactly a copy-paste of “Eins”. This work sounds far more Experimental although I still like the Minimal-Electro basis. The best cuts “Stracks” and “Untergrund” are right at the final part of the album. You’ll notice explicit Industrial elements mixed with Minimal-Electro. I also like the very few spoken samplings injecting a bit of diversity to the work which remains mainly instrumental.

– – – : I was less convinced by the explicit Experimental side of the work which also marks the main difference with the debut album.

Conclusion: I expected a bit more out of this new opus but I still recommend you to keep an eye on this German project.

Best songs: cuts “Stracks”, “Untergrund”, “Clubbing”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.ultraofficial.de / www.facebook.com/DasUltraOfficial

Genre/Influences: Industrial-Techno.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: The collaboration between British Simon Carter and German Fabsi started during lockdown. After a debut-EP followed by the remarkable first full length “The Bitches Potion” the duo strike back with a new opus featuring eleven songs.

Content: The album moves on where its predecessor stopped; a heavy sonic potion of Dark-Techno and other elements like EBM and Industrial. The half spoken and whispering-like vocals by Fabsi again inject this sensual, ghost-like, touch to the work.

+ + + : I already liked the debut album by the duo which confirms at “Hex, Herbs ‘N’ Techno” they’ve found a magic sound formula to mix Techno mix with other influences. I’m not affirming they innovate but deal with an exciting, personal approach. The work is recovered by a magic flavor which is accentuated by Fabsi’s spooky vocals. Simon Carter perfectly knows how to make people dance and that’s what this project has been made for. “Moonchild” is a true masterpiece, kind of title track for an EP revealing danceable vibes and irresistible sequences made by great sound treatments. The song still has a sexy touch as well. 

– – – : The last part of the work isn’t my favorite one so the best comes rather at the debut and first part.

Conclusion: Bewitching Techno music by a sexy British/German duo.

Best songs: “Moonchild”, “The Power Of The Moon”, “Mondkind”, “Cleansing”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: https://simoncarter.info /  www.facebook.com/HumansCantReboot

Genre/Influences: Industrial-Techno, Dark-Techno.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: DJ Simon Carter -known from his collaboration with Studio-X and Fabsi but also active under his own name plus Humans Can’t Reboot and Narconic, strikes back with a new EP featuring seven tracks.

Content: The title song is driven by a brutal, unpolished, hard, techno kick with spoken samplings and a cold gimmick running through it. You’ll discover 3 alternative edits of the title song at the end of the EP. The 3 tracks left are still driven by elements of Dark-Techno but the tempo is slower and the tracks more elaborated. 

+ + + : I personally prefer the 3 ‘B-sides’ cut instead of the title track. These cuts are more sophisticated and I especially like the slower tempo mixed with refined bleeps and icy sequences. “The Living And The Dead” is a genius piece of Dark-Techno moving progressively till reaching a climax. “Simon (Body Trap)” is a noticeable piece for its Techno-Body sound. I also have to say a word about the different ‘alternative’ edits of “Don’t Blink” which I personally prefer for their darkness, Industrial- and even EBM elements.

– – – : The original edit of the title song is the single cut which couldn’t convince me. I especially don’t like the brutal, unpolished, flat kick. 

Conclusion: Simon Carter confirms with all of his projects that he’s involved with, to be an atypical artist active in the wider fields of Techno music.

Best songs: “The Living And The Dead”, “Simon (Body Trap)”, “Don’t Blink – Industrial Version”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: https://simoncarter.info /  www.facebook.com/HumansCantReboot

Behind this American solo-project is hiding Bruce Maollem. He was previously involved with Metal projects till he set up God Body Disconnect. The debut album “Dredge Portals” was released in 2016 by Cryo Chamber. Bruce became a prolific artist who this year released “The Weight Of Regression” which is his eighth album so far. The music reflects some of the darkest thoughts and states from his inner life.It’s a dark and tormented sound universe featuring narrating, ghost-like vocals. God Body Disconnect is an unique experience in sound which incited me to get in touch with the artist.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I think to might affirm God Body Disconnect is a very personal, prolific and intimate sonic project. Do we’ve to see it as a kind of mirror to your inner self and how important is this music project to you?

Bruce: God Body Disconnect is a dear project to me. A mirror reflecting myself is an accurate description. It represents my fears, hopes, pain, emotional states, etc. The project can be viewed as a blueprint to my life.

Q: How do you perceive the evolution of God Body Disconnect from the very first album “Dredge Portals” released in 2016 to your newest opus “The Weight Of Regression”?

Bruce: I don’t think the overall direction of God Body Disconnect has changed all that much since it’s inception. Even on “Dredge Portals” I was writing melancholic music, and doing introspective monologues. I view all my solo-albums to be interconnected. Each album represents a view of myself. If there is an evolution, it is representative of my own emotional growth. “The Weight Of Regression” is just the next chapter in the book so to say.

Q: “The Weight Of Regression”  is based on your experiences in psychiatric hospitals, mental illness, and a chaotic past. That makes this work very personal and I even get the feeling to become ‘voyeur’. Can you share a bit more details about the content and the goal behind the work? And in which way do you consider music and especially God Body Disconnect as a kind of self-therapy? 

Bruce: “The Weight of Regression” is very much connected to the title itself. It explores the dread, and emotional weight of regressing in my mental health. Going back to the psychiatric hospital, or the medicine I depend on not working anymore is a real fear of mine. The album also delves back into my past, and some of the traumas that have brought me to this point. With that being said, there isn’t one definitive theme I can point to for this album, or any of my albums, besides exploring my life and emotions.

God Body Disconnect is most definitely akin to self therapy for me. It’s a place where I can fully express myself, and try to make some sense of how I’m feeling, and why. I don’t always get the answers I seek, but I usually come out of it with a better understanding of who I am.

Q: God Body Disconnect also stands for a deeply, artistic music project. I’m always interested in the way an artist transposes concepts and especially inner-thoughts into music. Can you tell us a bit more about this procedure and your modus operandi to compose a track/album?  

Bruce: I don’t have a set procedure for writing an album. When the inspiration hits, I’ll sit down and begin to compose. I’m never sure what the end result will be. The vocal narrations usually come at the end of the process, when I’ve had some time to process what music I’ve written. They aren’t well thought out or written monologues, but rather pieces of vocal recordings I’ll make at night off the cuff. When something resonates with me, I’ll use the vocals to build a story around the musical compositions. It’s sort of a backwards process, but it’s usually what works for me.

Q: What have been the highlights in the writing and production of the new album? And what have been the biggest challenges and difficulties? 

Bruce: The highlights are always writing music that moves me inside, and the experience of going on a personal journey. The challenges are finding the correct path to begin the journey. I’ll sometimes write a full album, and find that I’ve reached a dead end with no real emotional closure. It’s then I’ll have to muster up the inner strength to start on a different path, hoping that it will reach something meaningful for me. It’s the same process with every album, not just my latest.

Q: I get the idea you must be already working on new ideas but what are the future plans and productions?

Bruce: I’m currently in production of a new God Body Disconnect solo-album. I’m also beginning to work with my good friend Pär Boström on our Underwater Sleep Orchestra-project. There is also a new non-Dark-Ambient project I’ve completed an album for that will soon see the light of day. 

Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: One year after the debut-album “Vestigium”, Simeon Popov strikes back with the second opus of his Crypthios project.

Content: The sound universe of the new work remains driven by an explicit Cinematic sound approach. The work is however evolving into a more Experimental sound approach. The tracks have been built up with impressive, numerous, field recordings. You’ll also notice slow, broken beats getting the work more accessible. The music is moving in between darkness and more evasive parts.

+ + + : The album sounds like an imaginary sonic collage. The project remains atypical to the Cryo Chamber roster although the Cinematic style remains connected to what we’re used to discovering on the Swedish label. The slow rhythm is an interesting aspect of this composition. I also noticed a few poignant cuts like the dreamy, but beautiful last cut “Sunrise” which is a cool apotheosis. Another magic cut is the more Experimental “A Place To Live” which is characterized by multiple sound effects.

– – – : The album is enjoyable but sometimes missing a few extra elements to speak about a true successful work.

Conclusion: Crypthios enlarges Cryo Chamber’s sonic horizon by an album which is definitely apart from the ‘classical’ Cinematic productions.

Best songs: “Sunrise”, “A Place To Live”, “I Saw Them As Their Fins Were Splitting The Sky”.

Rate: 8.

Label: www.cryochamberlabel.com /  www.facebook.com/CryoChamber

Genre/Influences: Ritual, Dark-Ambient, Drone.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Greek sonic project Shilbalba has been active since 2009 and has released an impressive number of works. The band progressively evolved in style; moving from Metal-inspired creation towards Ritual and Dark-Ambient influences. This new opus has been introduced as ‘a ritual deriving from the darkest corners of the mind, the deathlike spheres of the Netherworld and the truest essence of the Afterlife, to become a homage to the Force of Life Eternal.’. It’s the first release ever released by Cyclic Law.

Content: Shibalba doesn’t really change the sound formula from previous works; we’re visiting a dark sound universe mixing Dark-Ambient atmospheres, Ritual, obscure, elements with Drones and Mystic chants on top. The work has been accomplished by multiple traditional, acoustic, instruments plus hand-crafted instruments empowering the Ritual side of the work.

+ + + : Shilbalba reminds me of the magic of 80s Industrial/Experimental projects -think to Zero Kama, for the use of real instruments and self-made equipment like bones and skulls, percussion instruments, Tibetan Horns, Tibetan Singing Bowls, bone & horn trumpets, Darbuka’s (goblet drums) as well as ceremonial bells and gongs. All together these instruments are injecting authenticity but also this obscure, Ritual, spirit to the work. It resulted in a atmosphere which is hard to catch but definitely awakening dark images and thoughts. The work has been slowly built up reaching an ultimate level of terror at “Te​λ​eth VI” and “Te​λ​eth III”.

– – – : Maybe not the most accessible release but you definitely gone like it if you’re into this kind of sonic experiences.

Conclusion: This work is touched by graceful obscurity.

Best songs: “Te​λ​eth VI”, “Te​λ​eth III”, “Te​λ​eth I”, “Te​λ​eth IV”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/ShibalbaHalls

Label: www.cycliclaw.com / www.facebook.com/cycliclaw

Genre/Influences: Wave-Pop, Dark-Wave.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: One year after their debut-EP “We Become Strangers” Kimberly Kornmeier of Bow Ever Down and Michael Smith of Fiction8 are back on track unleashing their second EP -which looks like a mini-album format.

Content: The EP features 6 songs including the previously released single “Alibi”. Sound-wise the band reveals 80s influences reminding me of Electro-Wave/Pop and Dark-Wave. Guitar and synth lines create an evasive sound with Kimberly’s vocals on top.

+ + + : I especially like the debut-song “A Night Like This” which is driven by a Depeche Mode-touch. Another attention grabber is the totally vintage -80s, like “Homesick”. This duo clearly has found a true chemistry composing a darker but evasive Electro-Pop style carried by 80s influences.

– – – : The previously released single “Alibi” isn’t the best track while the second part of the EP is a little bit too dreamy for my taste.

Conclusion: The Bleak Assembly is a band with a true potential which isn’t still totally coming through.

Best songs: “A Night Like This”, “Homesick”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/TheBleakAssembly

Genre/Influences: Electro-Wave, Minimal-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Two years after their excellent debut-album “Nighflower” Italian Ohno Nomen duo strike back with their second album. Francesca ‘AngeNoir’ Marlat and Filippo Marlat (Iamnoone) have written eleven songs to this album.

Content: The songs move on there where “Nightflower” stopped. There’s a similar source of inspiration which directly evokes 80s Electro-Wave music. Dark, and minimal, sound treatments have been mixed with danceable rhythms with on top Francesca’s sterile, sensual, timbre of voice. 

+ + + : Ohne Nomen confirm with “The S-Witch” the potential of the debut work. The songs became more danceable while the tracklist reveals a succession of cool songs. I also like the progression of the global production process. There’re less songs which couldn’t convince me. We get an accomplished production featuring danceable vibes, easy, enjoyable, melody lines and the singular vocals of Fra Marlat. She’s injecting a touch of icy, sensuality but still a more passionate approach at “Cold Sadness” -which by the way is driven by a great 80s-like melody line. I don’t want to compare Ohne Nomen to another formation but I think it might appeal for lovers of Paradox Obscur.

– – – : I noticed a very few cuts -which are the softest ones, which couldn’t totally convince me.

Conclusion: “The S-Witch” stands for great, alluring, Electro-Wave music while I hope Ohne Nomen will progressively reach a wider audience.

Best songs: “Darkness”, “Cold Sadness”, “Crystal World”, “Deep Hole”, “Thelema”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/Ohnenomen

Label: www.coldtransmission.com / www.facebook.com/coldtransmissionmusic

Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Like The Snow is the solo-project of Italian musician Luca Mazzariol (previously involved with The Sunset Boulevard). This opus features ten songs.

Content: The debut cuts reveal the Cinematic side of the project. We’re entering a dreamy sound universe which is progressively evolving towards a more elaborated production. A few tracks from the second part of the album are driven by Eastern sound influences. You will also notice passages with rhythmic, spoken vocals and sampling. Giuseppe Verticchio (Nimh) contributed to one song by playing guitar. 

+ + + : The work sounds to me an imaginary Soundtrack. I like the progression and diversity in the tracklist; it all starts with reverie and progressively moves into more elaborated cuts. “Lux Interni” is my favorite one for the guitar play mixed with buzzing sound waves, percussion parts and some chants. It’s a beautiful song with a true elevating effect. “The Astral Path” is another noticeable piece for the vocals/chants as well. I’ll also mention “Arabian Whirlwind” for its Arabic sound countenance.

– – – : The debut part sounds as easy listening music but without that touch of creativity I discovered later on in the tracklist.

Conclusion: A dreamy and peaceful sound experience with a touch of magic on top.

Best songs: “Lux Interni”, “The Astral Path”, “Arabian Whirlwind”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064615013798

Label: http://store.silentes.it

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Cinematic, Drone.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Italian solo-project Nihil Impvlse is driven by Francesco di Stasio. “Anabasis” is his fourth full length opus and the second released by Eight Tower Records. “Anabasis” has been introduced as ‘the drone industrial soundtrack of the constant strife for the pursuit of progress.’

Content: “Anabasis” sounds like the entrance to a dark and unknown sound cave. Somewhere in between obscure Cinematic, Dark-Ambient and Drone the tracks are resonating throughout the speakers with low vibrations. I noticed passages with vocals’ exclamations empowering the freaky sound experience.

+ + + : The tracks have been meticulously built up featuring elaborated sound treatments and impressive sound effects. It all leads towards a poignant, tormented, visual strength which mainly comes through at the beginning of the work. “Anabasis” sounds in the line of previous work although it became darker and tortured.  I salute the efforts and accomplishments of the artist who seems to have reached a next step and higher, qualitative, level in his artistic exposure.

– – – : I regret that the album only features 6 cuts. I also got the feeling Nihil Impvlse still has more potential than what came out.

Conclusion: This is a fully accomplished piece of dark music; a thorough sonic nightmare which will give you cold sweat.

Best songs: “Fog Of War”, “Blood On Our Hands”, “Drifting Ground Zeroes”.

Rate: 8.

Label: www.facebook.com/eighthtower

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Active since 2009 the Danish duo Jannik Vittrup – Søren Brandstrup this year released their second full length album featuring ten songs.

Content: From the very first notes of the debut song you recognize the addiction to EBM. The music sounds dark and danceable, driven by aggressive bass lines and carried by cold tunes. The vocals are harsh but not too much.

+ + + : Monospore don’t reinvent the EBM sound but has great skills to compose it. “Into Darkness” features all essential EBM ingredients but has been accomplished with knowledge. Some passages might appeal for Leather Strip-lovers (maybe a typical Danish touch?) but Monospore also has their own approach. I’m addicted to the solid bass lines and cold tunes. The work features a few outstanding cuts like the aggressive “Fall” and “Going Down” carried by a deep, bouncing bass line.

– – – : I don’t see real minus points however the album doesn’t bring anything new not surprise.

Conclusion: If you don’t know Monospore yet and you’re in search of a cool and accomplished EBM album I can only but recommend purchasing “Into darkness”.

Best songs: “Fall”, “Going Down”, “Into Darkness”, “Next Generation”, “Alive”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.monospore.com / www.facebook.com/Monospore

Label: www.delta-ego.com

Genre/Influences: Post-Punk, Psychedelic-Rock.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Ġenn is a Brighton (UK) based formation with Maltese roots which released their debut-EP in 2021. “Unum” is the band’s album debut featuring eleven songs. The band is composed of four female members.

Content: There are multiple influences running through this work. I think it would be too easy calling it Psychedelic-Rock as they obviously deal with extra elements like Post-Punk and even Trance. Ġenn is driven by solid and transcendental guitar playing creating to me a weird offspring between B52s and Nirvana.

+ + + : The guitar play injects the true spirit to this work  and still creates an hypnotic sensation during “A Muse (In Limbo)” and “Heloise”. The elevating effect of both songs is impressive, revealing the potential of the band. I also have to say a word about the powerful vocals injecting passion.

– – – : The main difficulty is to define and catch the sound of this formation. But on the other side it also says something about originality.

Conclusion: Ġenn sounds a bit out of the box and yet it has something recognizable.

Best songs: “A Muse (In Limbo)”, “Heloise”, “Le Saut Du Pigeon”. 

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.genntheband.com / www.facebook.com/genntheband

Genre/Influences: Experimental, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The Gray Field recordings is an American, Experimental project that saw the daylight in 2001. Driven by R. Loftiss, this album is the first new release in more than ten years.

Content: The album takes off with a truly dark cut featuring freaky, female vocals. We next explore an explicit Cinematic sound universe which is switching from dark parts towards dreamy passages. A dark, dreamy cut takes us away for more than 18 minutes. I also noticed a more Experimental side animated by Industrial sound treatments.

+ + + : This is not the most easiest recording to listen but I enjoyed the inhibited and minimal parts of the work. The opening cut is a noticeable one but I also have to mention “Sarah Bishop” for its refined sound treatments. The track going over the 18” (cf. “Rappaccini’s Daughter”) is a bit too long for my taste although I like the obscure, minimal and still dreamy side of the song.

– – – : As I already mentioned this is not the most accessible album to give a listen. The most experimental cuts sound a bit unaccomplished while there’s no true apotheosis over the entire album.

Conclusion: A strange and Experimental experience taking us through unknown hidden places.

Best songs: “Sarah Bishop”, “Rappaccini’s Daughter”, “Sunlight Is The Color”.

Rate: 6.

Label: https://anticlock.net /  www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063562116356

Genre/Influences: Indie-Pop/Rock.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Bluedaze is an Italian formation set up in 2017. “Flesh” is their second EP dealing about a transformation within Bluedaze, ‘not only as a band, but as people too’.

Content: The EP features 4 songs which are clearly driven by a powerful Pop & Rock sound. Next to the powerful side there also is a catchy touch emerging at the surface. The female vocals sometimes remind me of the passion of Emiliana Torrini. You’ll discover 3 powerful, catchy cuts and one smoother last song.

+ + + : This EP stands for a powerful, catchy, and professional production. I salute the band’s maturity but also the mix of influences resulting in an accessible and sexy Indie style. I like the very powerful “You’d Better Run” but also the somewhat Indie-Wave like “Knife” which reminds me a bit of The Smiths.

– – – : The title song isn’t my favorite one although a cool opener revealing the sound and style of the band. The last cut is the single one which couldn’t convince me because of its flatter sound.

Conclusion: Nothing groundbreaking here although an enjoyable production and a band I would like to hear more stuff from in the future.

Best songs: “You’d Better Run”, “Knife”, “Flesh”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.bluedazemusic.com / www.facebook.com/bluedaze.music