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

Today we received a mail from Hypervuur, a Bogota, Colombia-based horror industrial act mixing 1990’s rave, horror movies and – as the promo pictures show – hockey fights. We don’t normally do complete profiles, but here we’ll make an exception.

What started as something to survive 2020’s quarantine, has taken a life of its own with 6 albums, a DJ live act, and an upcoming video and seventh album, “so people don’t face their fears, they dance to them.”

The Hypervuur discography

Below are the releases from this project on Bandcamp, where you can get everything for a name-your-price. Alejo Klauun each time explains what the album is about.

“My first venture, ‘Covid-19 Tales,’ marks the inception of the Hypervuur project. In this exploration, I delve into new realms of Extreme Electronics, bridging Industrial and Gabber with undertones of Punk and Extreme Metal. This demo/album reflects my journey through the frustration and isolation brought by the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s a cathartic expression, hoping to resonate deeply with my listeners.”

“Moving to ‘C2020,’ my second album under the Industrial Hardcore banner, I encapsulate a peculiar year with a blend of introspection and explosive energy. This album continues and refines my Punk and Extreme Metal influences, while subtly integrating elements from electronic genres not typically associated with Hardcore or Industrial. It’s an invitation to experience the chaos and complexity of my thoughts.”

‘”Industrial Death Terrorcore,’ my third release, intensifies the blend of terrorcore with Punk and Extreme Metal elements. It’s packed with electro-industrial sounds, harsh noise, and an unapologetic rawness that aims to jolt and challenge the mind. I return with a renewed vigor, embracing the chaos.”

“In my fourth album, ‘Thanatoaesthetics,’ the electro-industrial influences take a front seat, steering towards a more introspective direction. Here, the fiery essence of my sound burns with the same intensity, reflecting the relentless spirit of the thousand suns.”

“My journey’s narrative arc peaks with ‘Middle Warrior,’ my fifth album. It’s a historical reflection where I delve into my Midlander roots to fully embrace the North American electro-industrial vibe of the late 20th century. This album is a quintessential nod to the nineties, crafted uniquely in 2022.”

“Finally, ‘Realpolitik,’ my sixth album, is where I channel my academic passion for International Relations. This album is a stark reminder of our minuscule presence in the vast tapestry of the world, portraying us as mere cogs in a larger, almost diabolical system. This album is not just music; it’s the soundtrack to a horror film that is both terrifying and enthralling – an audial embodiment of the International System.”

In the current pro-rata system used by music streaming services, all subscription revenues are pooled together and then distributed to artists based on their overall share of total streams on the platform. A user centric model in music streaming could however be an alternative to the prevalent pro-rata system used by platforms like Spotify and Apple Music says an article in The Guardian. This adds to the turmoil created by the upcoming changes to the Spotify royalty model which we talked about earlier.

But can that user centric model be a game changer? We are not so sure. Let’s first have a look on how such a user centric model would work.

User centric model in music streaming

The user centric model allocates each subscriber’s payment directly to the artists they listen to. Under this model, the funds from a subscriber who is passionate about indie music would be proportionally distributed among the indie artists they listen to. This means if a subscriber listens to fewer tracks more attentively, a larger amount is allocated per track, compared to someone who plays music more passively in the background. The user centric model thus aims to more fairly compensate artists based on individual listener preferences and engagement.

There are basically three main reasons why a user centric model in music streaming should be adopted.

1. Fair Distribution of Revenue: In the pro-rata model, all streams are pooled together, and revenues are distributed proportionally to the share of total streams a song receives. This often benefits the most listened-to tracks, regardless of individual user preferences. In contrast, the user centric model divides each listener’s subscription fee among the artists they actually listen to, thus reflecting individual listening patterns and choices more accurately. This system is particularly seen as fairer for indie artists, as it ensures that the money paid by each consumer is allocated to the artists they listen to, rather than being distributed based on overall market share​​​​.
2. Encourages Transparency and Diversity: The user centric model promotes transparency in revenue distribution and can lead to a more diverse range of music being supported. This model can empower consumers by making their choices more impactful, potentially leading to more paid subscriptions as listeners feel their preferences directly support the artists they enjoy. It aligns with the concept of ‘fair trade’ in music, ensuring artists are compensated for the use of their art by those who actually consume it​​.
3. Redistribution of Income: One study found that under a user centric model, the top 10 most streamed artists might see a drop in royalties (12-17% decrease), while artists outside the top 10,000 could experience a modest increase (4.6-5.2%). For many lesser-streamed artists, this increase might amount to less than €10 per artist. These figures suggest that while the user centric model could lead to a more equitable distribution of income, the actual monetary benefit for many artists, especially those with fewer streams, might be relatively small​.

In theory, it seems effective, but in practice, it falls short

And it’s this third reason which also immediately shows a problem in order to push the user centric model. In theory, a user centric model in music streaming presents as a more equitable and transparent alternative to the pro-rata system, promising fairer distribution of revenue based on individual listening habits. However, in practice, the actual impact on many artists, especially those with fewer streams, appears to be relatively modest. This suggests that, despite its theoretical advantages, the user centric model may not lead to significant financial changes for a large portion of artists in the current music streaming landscape.

The Culture and Education Committee of the European Parliament recently voted on a report titled ‘Cultural Diversity and the Conditions for Authors in the European Streaming Market‘. This vote led to a proposal for new legislation aimed at reforming music streaming within the EU. The report, adopted with 23 votes for, three against, and one abstention, seeks to address several key issues in the music streaming sector.

The European Parliament’s initiative comes amidst growing concerns over the distribution of revenues in the music streaming market, which is dominated by a few major labels and popular artists. The proposed legislation aims to create a fair and sustainable environment for music streaming and to promote cultural diversity.

These are the key aspects of the proposed legislation:

1. Transparency of Algorithms: The bill calls for streaming services to make their algorithms and recommendation tools transparent. This is to ensure that European works are visible and accessible to users.
2. Diversity Indicator: The proposal includes the creation of a “diversity indicator” to analyze the variety of genres, languages, and the presence of independent authors on streaming platforms. This aims to promote a wider range of music and cultural diversity.
3. Rights Identification: The bill would require streaming services to correctly identify right-holders through proper allocation of metadata, facilitating the discovery of their works. This measure also seeks to prevent practices like streaming fraud, which undermines the value of music content.
4. Labeling of AI-Generated Content: A provision in the bill calls for clear labeling of AI-generated tracks, allowing listeners to distinguish between human-produced music and AI-generated songs.
5. Investment in European Music: The bill urges increased investment in European music, particularly in local, niche artists and artists from vulnerable communities. This is aimed at offering a more diverse repertoire and supporting authors in the digital transformation of their business models.

Lead MEP Ibán García Del Blanco commented on the importance of recognizing the role authors play in the music sector and the need to review and improve the revenue distribution model used by streaming services to promote cultural diversity. The Plenary vote on this non-legislative resolution is scheduled for the January 2024 Strasbourg session.

As for our scene, especially the 5th key issue addressed above (aimed at niche artists) will be rather interesting. Nevertheless, the changes to the Spotify royalty model will have a huge impact on the industrial music scene, even if niche artists get more attention on streaming platforms. Its changes includes a controversial policy requiring tracks to get a minimum of 1,000 listens every year to receive royalties.

A few weeks ago we wrote an article on Greenwashing in the music industry. Some considered it to be nonsense but behold, there is something brewing in the music world with the launch of a Music Industry Climate Collective and a Music Climate Pact.

Music Industry Climate Collective

Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group have now formed the Music Industry Climate Collective (MICC) to address environmental challenges related to the global climate, particularly within the music industry. This collaboration aims to amplify environmental stewardship and provide tailored recommendations and strategies for music companies of all sizes.

One of MICC’s first initiatives is to offer comprehensive guidance for measuring scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, which are indirect emissions occurring in the music industry’s value chain, including product manufacturing, distribution, and licensing.

The MICC has worked with scientific experts to develop the first draft of this guidance, which will be available for industry participants to review. Additionally, the MICC has established an advisory council comprising independent record labels, value chain partners, and climate experts to gather broader industry input. The aim is to set a science-based standard, fostering climate resilience within the music sector. This initiative also aims to provide critical guidance to partner companies starting to measure their emissions and promote consistency in how music companies develop and disclose greenhouse gas inventories.

Music Climate Pact

Another initiative is the Music Climate Pact, which has as a vision “to harness the power of the music industry towards inspiring transformational action on the climate crisis.” By aligning as a sector, they stand to de-politicise sustainability and address their biggest environmental impacts in an efficient and collaborative way. “There is a lot of work to be done if we are to become a more sustainable industry, but we will be guided by climate science and take tangible, unified action and regularly update on our progress.”

The Pact’s founder signatories have committed to:

• Take individual and collective action to measure and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (scopes 1, 2 and 3)
• By February 2022, have either signed the Science Based Targets standard commitment letter stating that we will commit to setting science-based targets or will have joined the Race to Zero programme
• Work together as an industry to establish carbon measurement methodologies, tools and frameworks backed by climate science
• Work in partnership with shared suppliers and digital streaming platforms (DSPs) to obtain data and drive emission reduction projects in a collaborative fashion
• Support artists in speaking up on climate issues
• Communicate openly with fans about the impacts of the music industry.

Businesses signing up after the launch must have already signed up to one of the two pathways.

Basically what is being presented by these two initiatives is a lot less than what we talked about in our initial article. So it remains to be seen if all this will be something else than just green windowdressing, after all Greenwashing is rampant with concert organisers for instance as we pointed out. And that is where the biggest money is these days for the traveling artists.

Before the release of the new “Back To Basic” full length album, Belgian electronic artist Franky Deblomme aka Cubic comes out with a second 4-track EP. Titled after the legendary Commodore C128, this EP is the obvious logical successor to the previous “c64” EP.

The new EP features exclusive club oriented and extended versions of “Art In” and “Human Computer”. While “MF2HD” is an exclusive non-album track, Cubic also offers a powerful EBM/industrial dance mix of “B C L” by label-mates Diffuzion.

Kraftwerk comes to mind but with a very refined contemporary sound. The EP is now residing in the Top 10 best selling downloads on Bandcamp in the industrial section. You can find it here on Bandcamp.

About Cubic

Franky Deblomme started out with his EBM-project Darkmen. After having stopped the project he started working under the Cubic moniker. After the excellent “Alphabet Hymn”-EP and having revisited the 808 Dot.Pop-album “Cubic Temperature”, Franky launched Cubic’s debut album “The Cubic Alphabet”. The sound has a clear connection with 808 Dot.Pop and Metroland; a kind of Kraftwerk-Pop with a personal and more diversified touch on top.

Belgium’s electro act Llumen returns with a 9-track EP bridging the previous “Polygon Heart” album and the forthcoming album “The Breaking Waves” announced for Spring 2024 on Alfa Matrix.

“Die Stille Totgeschwiegen” is the first Llumen song mixing English and German lyrics, and is the first new song revealed from the forthcoming album “The Breaking Waves”. The track got remixed by Grendel, Elektrostaub and First Aid 4 Souls. Included as well are remixed versions of “Like My Pain” by Aiboforcen, Pre:Emptive Strike 0.1, Ah Cama-Sotz and Promenade Cinema.

You can download the new EP right here from Bandcamp.

About Llumen

Llumen emerged around 2010, marking a new phase in Pieter Coussement’s musical career. Before Llumen, Coussement was part of various projects, but with Llumen, he found a way to merge a more structured musical style with the experimental work he did at the Institute of Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music. As the years passed, Llumen developed its unique sound, leading to the release of its first digital EP in 2016 through Alfa-Matrix. 2017 saw the debut of Llumen’s album, “The Memory Institute,” which blends elements of EBM, futurepop, and gothic.

Infrastition is set to release Collection d’Arnell-Andréa’s new physical album, “A Forest Inside”, on December 15th. This follows the album’s digital release last month. The album will be presented in a digifile format, featuring deluxe gold hotfoil printing.

This album marks the 12th studio release from the band, and their first since the 2019 albums on Trisol. “A Forest Inside” incorporates more electronic elements, courtesy of producer Pierre-Emmanuel Mériaud, while maintaining the band’s signature use of strings such as cello, viola, and guitars.

About Collection d’Arnell-Andréa

Collection d’Arnell-Andréa, a French neoclassical darkwave group, was formed in 1986 by Jean-Christophe d’Arnell, Pascal Andréa, and Chloé St Liphard. Although Andréa departed shortly after the band’s inception, his name remained part of the band’s identity. The band’s sound is characterized by a blend of keyboards, cello, and the vocals of Chloé. They are known for their expansive ensemble of musicians during live shows and have played at various international festivals. Their work often explores themes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The band’s initial four albums were released under New Rose from 1989 to 1994. Their fifth album, “Cirses des champs” (1996), and the compilation “Coll AGE 1988-1998”, were issued by Last Call Records. In 2002, Prikosnovénie took over as the band’s independent label until 2010, reissuing previous albums with additional tracks. More recent works include “Another Winter” and “A Recrafted Winter”, released in 2019 by Trisol Music. The latest album, “A Forest Inside”, was first released digitally in November 2023, followed by CD and vinyl versions distributed by Infrastition and Meidosem Records in March 2024.

You can read an interview with Collection d’Arnell-Andréa right here.

(Pictures via Audioglobe) Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Italian distributor Audioglobe. Audioglobe played and still plays a significant role in distributing niche genres, including goth, electro, and darkwave. By providing a platform for these genres and offering a worldwide distribution, they have helped keeping this scene, its labels and bands staying afloat whereas other distributors came and disappeared.

Audioglobe also plays a significant at Side-Line as the distributor is one of our most trusted sources to find out about new upcoming releases.

Before Audioglobe there was Contempo Records

Before starting Audioglobe, four of its five founders worked at Contempo Records, a famous music store in Florence, Italy, since the early 80s. Contempo was also a leading independent label and distributor in Italy from the mid/late 80s. They had contracts with artists like Clock DVA, Lassigue Bendthaus, Pankow, and others, and released albums by bands like Suicide and The Rose of Avalanche. They also distributed many albums for 4AD (and even manufactured the albums under license), featuring artists like Clan of Xymox and Dead Can Dance.

In 1993, a couple of Contempo employees, Nicola Vannini and another, noticed some serious problems at Contempo. They left to start a new music business venture: Audioglobe. Officially founded on December 6, 1993, in a small office on the outskirts of Florence, the team initially consisted of five people, including three founders and two employees. Two more ex-Contempo employees joined in 1994, just as Contempo closed down.

Audioglobe experienced 14 incredible years from 1993 to 2007, faced some tough times, and since 2020, “things have been great again!” So Sebastian Koch confirms in a mail sent out this morning.

Congratulations to the whole Audioglobe team!

Movment are a post punk band from Ireland born out of the ashes of Raw Novembre which released 3 albums and some singles and EPs. As Movment they have so far released 2 albums, “Broken Down” and “Transformation”, and 1 EP, “Red Death Sessions”. Out now is the brand new, 3rd, album, “Reinvention”.

The new album “Reinvention” explores life says the band: “We are all on a journey. It will end. We live inside our heads. We will soon cease to be as we are. From it there is no escape. The sparkle disappears. Would we just wait for it to happen? Understand it, desire it. Go by what you feel. Become what you can be. Believe in being able to move on. Reinvent you. They still believe.”

Here’s the video for the song “The Light Goes Out”.

The albums “Fearless” (1995) and “Nocturnes” (1997) by the ambient group Solitaire are now digitally available for the first time. Following the passing of Elmar Schulte, a founding member of Solitaire, in late 2022, Projekt collaborates with his widow and Ruediger Gleisberg to release the full catalog digitally on a pay-what-you-want basis on Bandcamp. The two albums come in one single download.

These mid-90s albums by Elmar and Ruediger showcase a blend of progressive electronics. Notably, parts of three tracks from “Fearless” were featured in the 1998 vampire movie “Blade,” starring Wesley Snipes. The inclusion of electric guitar, unique samples, and a dynamic groove in “One Small Step…” drew the attention of director Stephen Norrington, leading to the incorporation of Solitaire’s music in the film.

Background on Solitaire

Solitaire was established in 1989 by Elmar Schulte and Ruediger Gleisberg in Paderborn, Germany. The duo initially met in a music store and soon started working on music together in an old apartment. Their first album, “Altered States,” was released in 1990 on Musique Intemporelle, a label based in Berlin. Shortly after the Berlin Wall fell, on November 11th, 1989, Solitaire performed their first concert in Berlin to a full church.

Following their debut, Elmar and Ruediger pursued separate paths until they reunited for “Fearless” and “Nocturnes.” “Fearless” combined ambient, ethno rhythms, and psychedelic sound collages in an experimental production. Despite initial doubts about its appeal, the album achieved success, with three tracks featuring in “Blade” as mentioned. “Nocturnes” followed a similar production style and was released on Arya, an offshoot of Italy’s Amplexus label. Both albums featured guest musician Amir Baghiri, who later gained recognition in the ambient music scene.

After Elmar Schulte’s death in 2022, Ruediger, in collaboration with Elmar’s widow, remastered and reissued their final two albums.

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

(Photo by A.J. Barratt) In 1986, a unique 2LP set titled “Walls Have Ears” captured the performances of Sonic Youth from three UK gigs in 1985. Initially a bootleg release on 2×12″ vinyl, unauthorized and without the band’s consent, this album will officially release on February 9, 2024, through Goofin’ Records.

The album documents Sonic Youth’s dynamic live energy. Tracks 1–7, recorded on October 30, 1985, in London, showcase the band’s raw sound. Track 8 captures the intensity of their November 8, 1985, performance at Brighton Beach, Brighton. Tracks 9–17, from an April 28, 1985, concert in London, where they supported Nick Cave at Hammersmith Palace, feature Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Kim Gordon, and Bob Bert. Later tracks introduce new drummer Steve Shelley, who replaced Bert.

Stevie Chick, in his book “Psychic Confusion: The Sonic Youth Story,” asserts that “The Walls Have Ears” is a crucial and electrifying document of the group at their live best. Despite being unloved by its creators, this album captures Sonic Youth playing with a violent and ecstatic abandon, proving that sometimes artists are not the best judges of their own work.”

This album marks Sonic Youth’s second UK appearance, building upon their high profile from their 1983 London debut. Despite facing technical challenges and overwhelming volume, the band significantly impacted the audience.

Sonic Youth bootleg gets second chance

“The Walls Have Ears” is a compilation of Sonic Youth’s early classics, including “The Burning Spear”, “I Love Her All The Time”, “Death Valley 69”, and “I’m Insane”. The raw recordings, interspersed with Madonna tape segues and vocal loops, reflect the band’s inventive approach before having a full stage crew. The album also includes an introduction by Claude Bessy, the French punk raconteur, humorously critiquing the indie label scene during their October 30th ULU London gig.

You can now watch a teaser for the album, featuring recovered VHS footage from these iconic 1985 performances.

(Photo by Ghilain Vermeersch) Out now is the new album from Mildreda, “Blue-Devilled”, via Dependent Records. Together with the release the Belgian band also presents a new black and white video for “Devil’s Gaze”.

Jan Dewulf adds: “My aim was to come up with a club track but at the same time I wanted to stay true to a dark electro sound.” Based in Belgium, Mildreda made their debut with the compilation album “Coward Philosophy” in 2016 on Alfa Matrix. In 2021 the new album “I Was Never There” was released.

“Blue-Devilled” is available on all streaming and digital platforms along with a limited 60-page artbook CD edition with a bonus CD.

Below is the video for “Devil’s Gaze”.

The South Carolina-based post-punk act Orcus Nullify has just released the full-length album “Creatures Of The Wheel”. The new LP was influenced by – and we quote the band – “the current of darkness running blatantly through the United States’ politics (…) this has brought with it a blood red flood of gun violence, inequality and cultural warfare.”

Frontman Bruce Nullify adds: “Society’s eyes are closed tightly shut as it votes in well-branded neo-fascism. This blindness is an abandonment of a government for and of its people. There is indifference and lack of respect towards our fellow man. There’s a struggle between environmental policy and greed. It’s a short, dark road we’re on.”

Orcus Nullify is mainly a solo project of Bruce Nullify and has been active since 2012. Bruce had his start in the mid eighties, playing bass for a hardcore band, Birth of a New Generation (BONG). He then played guitar and performed vocals for a few other local bands in Central Florida. After almost a fifteen year hiatus from music, he returns now with the band name Orcus Nullify – a name that he created for a previous band back in the 90s. For this album the line-up consists of Bruce Nullify and Ant Banister with lyrics written by Bruce Nullify and Leonia Teaneck.

Creatures Of The Wheel is available on all major digital platforms including Bandcamp and Spotify.

Below is the video for “No Justice”.

You can download the album below.

The Brescia, Italy-based goth act Ignis Absconditus has launched the official video of the song “Mr. Smith” is the first track from the band’s upcoming album “Golden Horses Of A Dying Future” scheduled for February 2nd, 2024 on the My Kingdom Music label.

Ignis Absconditus brings goth with influences from dark wave to post-punk, from black metal to avantgarde music and neo-folk. The band itself names bands such as Katatonia, Joyless, Christian Death, Bauhaus and Ved Buens Ende as influences. Behind the band we find Jack-G on electric guitars; Dani B-life on bass; and Henry Der Wanderer (Nebrus, Nott, Ad Omega) on drums, percussions, keyboards and 12 strings electric guitar.

This is the official video for “Mr. Smith”.

Here is what Henry Der Wanderer says about the album: “Our album “Golden Horses Of A Dying Future” is a work that shows the desire to find a personal way to express our deepest sensations and it is a source of great satisfaction for us to see it under the aegis of My Kingdom Music. Ignis Absconditus is a project that we care a lot about, it is extremely personal and, even if not immediate, I am sure that we will be able to bring it into the souls of as many people as possible and My Kingdom Music is the right label to be able to do this type of work, because a few ones are able to promoting the darkness like them.”

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

Kroppskontroll, a Stockholm-based band bringing a mix of modern old school EBM and industrial metal, has released an industrial version of Dia Psalmas’ 90s hit “Balladen om lilla Elsa”.

The band, comprising Patrik on vocals, Tess on drums, and Leia on the keytar, blends modern and old school EBM with industrial elements. They formed in 2022 and are known for their energetic beats and powerful vocals. Their discography includes the upcoming album “Diskoteque” set for release in 2024, and singles like “Kängdans”, “Schablonliv”, “Spring,” “Buskjäger”, and the recently released “Balladen om Lilla Elsa” in 2023.

Dia Psalma was a band fusing punk, folk rock, and metal. The band, which reunited in 2006 and released a compilation CD “Psamlade Psalmer” (Collected Hymns), also released a new studio album “Djupa Skogen” (Deep Forest) in 2007 and continued to tour and produce music until they announced their dissolution in 2011. Despite this, they made a brief appearance in 2012 at the 30-year celebration of their label, Birdnest Records.

You can download the track on Bandcamp.

Sly Koyaanis, a Paris-based artist, introduces his new electro krautrock EP, “Chaosdaïsme”. This second EP in his project merges electro-acoustic rhythms with krautrock‘s dynamic energy.

After a decade of recording and touring with various groups in noise rock, Sly Koyaanis left the rock scene in 2019, moving away from its associated excesses and gravitating towards electronic music. Drawing inspiration from artists like Burial, Forest Swords and Boards of Canada, Sly Koyaanis released his first self-produced EP, “Amouhoque,” in February 2022. This EP presents a collage of lo-fi electro sounds, marking a significant shift in his musical direction.

You can check out the new release on Bandcamp and all other platforms.

Although Hungarian electronic artist István Gazdag (First Aid 4 Souls, Stahlgeist) has been performing and DJing under the First Aid Tech moniker for years, it’s only now that the first official release of this project comes out. This self-titled techno body 8-track EP reveals 4 tracks and 4 bonus remixes.

Musically you can expect the artist’s industrial/EBM roots merging with acid / rave influences resulting in techno body.

You can download the First Aid Tech EP right now from Bandcamp.

István Gazdag is also the driving force behind the Hungarian musical projects First Aid 4 Souls and Stahlgeist. First Aid 4 Souls is known for its blend of industrial, EBM, dark ambient, trance, and new wave. Active since 2007, First Aid 4 Souls often includes various guest vocalists. Stahlgeist then again brings EBM that refers to the old years of Front Line Assembley or yet Wumpscut

The British electronic rock act Neon Fields, which recently joined the Italian independent label Epictronic, has launched a video for the track “Cage of Lions”.

According to the band “Cage of Lions” is “an unapologetic voice of frustration and inner turmoil born of objection to many political decisions made within the past several years. It speaks to the state of the world and those who have contributed to its downfall while exploring ways to enact vengeance on the individuals responsible. We won’t fight fire with fire. We will be the flood.”

About Neon Fields

Neon Fields was formed in 2020, just before the global pandemic hit. During the resulting lockdowns, the trio from the southwest UK shared music remotely and refined their sound in isolation. Based in Bristol, UK, the band consists of Ed Barrett (vocals), Luke Russe (drums), and Piers Ward (keyboards/guitars). Since the release of their debut singles, Neon Fields has continued to release material.

In 2023, Neon Fields signed with the independent label Epictronic. Neon Fields’ is currently gearing up for the release of their debut album under the new label.

Industrial band Panic Lift have completed their five EP release cycle with the new release, “Again”. “Again” features the lead single “What Happens Now?” and is accompanied by the downtempo “Timelines” along with two remixes from E.S.A. and Absynthe Of Faith.

For “What Happens Now?” Panic Lift lead singer, James Francis addresses the anxiety of watching the world around us in turmoil and the long-term effects it has on the human psyche. “In the 80’s we had the Cold War, in 90s we had Iraq, then September 11th, and now we’ve had COVID-19. I feel like each generation has been constantly on edge due to the world being in a constant state of upheaval, and it’s hard to ever imagine a time where we could be optimistic about the future.”

With the release of “Again” they complete the entire 21 song release cycle by unleashing the double CD titled “Split Pieces Stitched Together Again”. This album compiles all 21 songs into a long play album format. The CD is limited to 100 copies worldwide and can be ordered below.

Again is available on all major digital outlets including Bandcamp.

Here’s the video for “What Happens Now?”.

Panic Lift was formed in 2006 and has released music and toured consistently for almost two decades. Panic Lift has issued four full-length albums on Metropolis Records, and countless EPs, remixes, and collaborations. James Francis is accompanied by his longtime live band which consists of Dan Platt (keyboards), and Ben Tourkantonis and Cristian Carver both on drums.

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

According to an interview with the Canadian industrial music pioneers, Nivek Ogre and cEvin Key, in LA Weekly (published on November 30), Skinny Puppy will split up after this tour. Skinny Puppy formed in Vancouver in 1982. The group is among the founders of the industrial rock and electro-industrial genres. Initially envisioned as an experimental side-project by cEvin Key (Kevin Crompton) while he was in the new wave band Images in Vogue, Skinny Puppy evolved into a full-time project with the addition of vocalist Nivek Ogre (Kevin Ogilvie).

Key acknowledges internal conflicts but emphasizes the joy and special nature of their last performances. Ogre from his side dismisses any notions of a future reunion: “People thinking that we’re gonna come back for a money grab in 10 years – it’s not gonna happen. In 10 years, I’ll be 70, so it’s definitely not gonna happen. But in five years or three years or whatever, it’s not gonna happen.”

The interview also reveals the complex dynamics between Ogre and Key, hinting at strained relations despite their mutual respect and admiration for each other’s talents. In the interview Key reflects on the band’s journey, expressing surprise at their longevity and satisfaction with their final tour. “I clearly remember saying in interviews back in the ’80s that there’s no way we’re gonna be doing this when we’re 60. So now we’re 60-plus, and it’s bizarre that we’re still going. (…) We have spent 40 years running that fine line between acrimony and getting work done.”

Talking about the past Key is quoted saying this about his work with the late Dwayne Goettel: “I only got to work with Dwayne for nine years, but we did manage to make a number of albums through that time. But the memory of working with him is unsurpassed.” As for highlights he mentions albums like “VIVIsectVI,” “Too Dark Park,” and “Last Rights” as creative high points.

Discomfort with the ‘industrial music’ label

Ogre shares his evolution as an artist and person since the band’s inception in 1983. Discussing the authenticity of his early work, he seems to be disillusionised with the current state of music, which he feels often prioritizes commercial success over genuine emotion.

Ogre and Key also discuss their discomfort with the ‘industrial music‘ label, noting how the genre has evolved and diverged from its original ethos. Ogre says more precisely this: “As far as the scene goes, it seems to have devolved into more of a metal vibe, for the most part. All of the stuff that I loved about industrial music that came out of Genesis, with industrial records, or even going back to Stockhausen, all of that kind of, just freedom to do whatever with whatever. That’s the thing that’s missing in industrial music.”

Despite their imminent split, both Ogre and Key have future projects lined up. Ogre is collaborating with Paul Barker and others on a new project, while Key has completed scoring for the video game “Silent Hill: Ascension” and is working on a new album with Bill Leeb.

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange, photos by Tarjei Krogh, Tom Helge Kleberg, Jarle Nyttingnes) How do you celebrate a driving force of the Norwegian electronic music scene when he’s about to turn 50? Ask a band if they can perform at his birthday party, that band involving another band, ending up in a full night of concerts by El/NeUe and Beranek and the collaboration release of a new track, video and a 10″ limited edition vinyl in various colours.

Øystein Moe was the lucky man celebrating his 50th anniversary Saturday November 2nd at Mir Lufthavn in Oslo, surrounded by friends and live concerts by El/NeUe and Beranek, who also debuted ‘Niedrige Erwartungen’ by showing the track’s music video.

Espen Beranek Holm, the multi-talented musician, comedian, stage-, radio- and TV-personality, remixer etc., elaborated about the evening and collaboration in our scheduled mail interview the day after.

S-L: How did your collaboration ’Niedrige Erwartungen’ come about? Triggered by this evening, or already in the works before?

Beranek: A part of this celebration also included the making of a limited edition vinyl EP containing some previously unreleased material from both EL/NeUe and me. In the discussion for the vinyl’s content the idea was born that we should collaborate on a track. A Thursday night in August I brought my Akai Force to Askilds house where Askild, Håkon and I sketched out the beginnings and framework for the composition. We very soon hit a common nerve for the thing, and after some 3-4 hours we had the main basics for the song. I spent the following Friday refining, re-structuring and adding to the composition. I also upgraded a lot of the sounds from the digital (Force) domain to the deeper analog domain using hardware synths (Moogs, Korgs, etc). I then sent the tracks to Askild and Håkon, and they added more musical motives and sounds; clarinets, voices and that marvellous and majestic «noisy» solosynth in the end. I got these tracks in return and added a vocal track dub to Askilds voice. Askild and Håkon finalized the mix. The lyrics was a suggestion by Askild.

S-L: Gotten any feedback on ‘Niedrige Erwartungen’ so far?

Beranek: It was very well received as the video was shown on screen to the audience last night!

S-L: Tell more about the video – how did the visuals come about?

Beranek: After I received the mix from Askild and Håkon I listened to it a couple of times – quiet loud actually. During these listenings I started to «see» how these notes and beats could trigger light beams, and I thought that space would form a perfect stage for this. I used a combination of 3D software and video editing software to generate the animations and synchronize it all to the music. Askild and Håkon was very pleased with both the video and the theme for the pictures, and the picture used on both the limited edition vinyl and on streaming platforms is taken from the video. (see the video at the end of article)

S-L: Your own and others reactions and feedback to the performances?

Beranek: I think it was a great night. EL/NeUe’s set was very well performed and very well received by the audience. Well deserved!
We – Johannes (Winther Farstad – keys and vocals) and I – was very pleased with the venue, Leon on sound and the crowd, and we felt that it all went down really well on our part.

Photograper Tarjei Krogh also attended the concerts, as always taking great photos!

The VERY special 10″ vinyl

We also wanted to know more about these records, and got hold of Tom Helge Kleberg from Kalall TM, a duplicord manufacturing company under the Etch Wear umbrella.

THK: On this production we made them for the two labels PIIV Grill and Hommage Records as a supplier, and we also collaborated on the sleeve production.

This is in short a duplicated record, hence we made the name duplicord. We make a lathe-cut or lacquer reference disc master first, then we make a mould negative used for casting two component resin records. It’s really an old technique with new compounds, like old one sided gramophones. The silicone really copies everything – even the warm sound!

These are to be considered more like artefact records or artist merchandise than an audiophile release. The final result varies from Good+ to NM, but most common VG/VG+. The research to make them better continues with every edition…

So far we have casted about 15 copies, all in various colours. It’s easy to mix different pigments for each duplicord, so most often no one is exactly the same, giving a wide range of colours and sometimes playing around with two or more colours. For special editions we have also put various objects in the mix on the label area, giving totally one of a kind unique duplicords unlike any vinyl you have seen.

All runs have sold out since we started doing these, so they’re really a token for a fan – these sell out first on merchtables!

Check out the track at several streaming platforms, and see the video right here!

The Serbian industrial rock band dreDDup has been working hard lately on it’s video productions. “Cherry Noble” is the second single from the upcoming eleventh studio album “Pan/Dora” scheduled for a release in mid 2024 via Crime:Scene Records.

The video for the single was directed by Mihajlo Obrenov with the help of AI. It represents a critique of today’s society. In less than a month, dreDDup will enter it’s 27th year of existence and besides “Pan/Dora” they’ve been working on two more albums simultaneously.

You can see the video for “Cherry Noble” here.

Below are stills from the new video.

About dreDDup

dreDDup is based in Novi Sad, Serbia and has been active since June 1997. Their first release, “Abnormal Walz”, featured a sound ranging from experimental electronics and techno to electro punk. It was followed by their first full-length album, “Mr Borndead’s Feast” which was released in 2004. In August 2007 the band landed the album “Future Porn Machine” offering a crossover sound. From that moment on, dreDDup labeled their music as being ‘massacre industrial’. The third album, “El Conquistadors”, came out late in 2008, the 4th was released in February 2011 simply titled “dreDDup” again offering a crossover of multiple electronic genres. Their fifth album was released in 2012 celebrating their 15th anniversary.

In late 2013 the band started working on their new record entitled “I dreamt of a Dragon” which was released at the end of 2014. For this album they abandoned their aggressive style of music and went for a more electronic and commercial sound. The album was self-released and the track “Etika” which was available on the free “Face The Beat: Session 2” compilation featured the legendary Dario Seraval from the Croatian/Slovenian cult industrial band Borghesia on vocals. It was one of 3 songs that the industrial outfit dreDDup sent us for inclusion on the compilation.

Out via Amour Records is solo project by Marsheaux member Sophia Sarigiannidou. Now active as Aspra her debut single “Velvet/Anoint” now comes re-released as a limited edition 7 inch single (300 copies) on white vinyl. The set also holds a (folded) A2-sized colour poster, the whole comes inside an outer plastic bag.

“Velvet” is a rework of the shoegaze track by Big Pink and was released already last year. “Anoint”‘,” is originally by The Field Mice.

Both tracks were written and recorded during the lockdown at Sarigiannidou’s studio in Athens, Greece. This is the first ever new material by (one half of) Marsheaux, after their split. The Greek electro girl duo released their fifth (and last) studio album “Ath.Lon” in June 2016.

Aspra recently also collaborated with the veteran electronic composer Lena Platonos, resulting in the releases of “Markos” and “Kymata”.

In related news, Sarigiannidou also curated the release “Play for Tomorrow Vol. 1” holding a collection of rare and obscure post-punk and minimal synth pop tracks from the period 1977-1985.

Tracklist “Play for Tomorrow Vol. 1”

1. The Gadgets – U.F.O. Report N°1 (1980)
2. Michael Rother – Karussell (1977)
3. Amin Peck – Love Disgrace
4. Car Crash Set – Fall From Grace (1983)
5. Alan Burnham – Music To Save The World By (1981)
6. Blaine L. Reininger – Mystery and Confusion (1984)
7. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Of all the Things we’ve made (1981)
8. Ruth – Polaroid/Roman/Photo (1985)
9. Chrisma – Black Silk stocking (1977)
10. Buggles – On TV (1981)
11. Electronic Circus – Direct Lines (1981)
12. I Start Counting – Still Smilling (1985)
13. Chris & Cosey – October Love Song (1983)
14. Ultravox – Just for a Moment (1978)

FEBRVVM, an industrial metal act, has released the second single from its upcoming album “Cholera in the Time of Love” due in February 2024. The song is called “Sleeve” and deals as the band says “in a humorous manner with situations which are, frankly, not funny at all.”

You can watch the lyric video for the track here.

The single is available for streaming pretty much everywhere, including bandcamp.

About FEBRVVM

FEBRVVM is an alternative/industrial/gothic rock/metal band hailing from Providence, Rhode Island. The band, characterized by its industrial metal roots, has also been known to infuse elements of gothic metal into its sound.

The discography of FEBRVVM includes several releases including the debut EP “Secretly Dreaming of Freezing to Death” from 2017. This was followed by the EP “Ekpyrosis” in 2018 and “Praemeditatio Malorvm” in 2020. The year 2021 saw the release of two albums, “Apokatastasis” and “Breaking the Broken”.

In addition to original compositions, FEBRVVM has also made a mark with a cover album, “Cross Over and Turn”, offering his take on songs by The Cure, The Sisters of Mercy, Leonard Cohen, Low, Tweaker with Will Oldham, U2, and more.

(Photo by Kadri Sammel) Out now is the all new video from Bedless Bones, “Solar Animus”, taken from “Mire Of Mercury” – the new album by this Estonian electro-noir musician. “Mire Of Mercury” is already the third album by Bedless Bones and was released on Metropolis Records in early November.

“The video is directed and edited by me and filmed by [Bedless Bones drummer] Anders Melts,” explains Sammel. And she continues to explain the track itself: “The song is inspired by the contrasexual archetype in the unconscious. The predominance of the shadow extends to a possession, a chronic eclipse of the sun. Animus in anima. So she has to transform her Eros.”

About Bedless Bones

Bedless Bones is Kadri Sammel, a singer-songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and interdisciplinary artist from Tallinn, Estonia. Musically she experiments with electro-noir sub-genres such as darkwave and EBM and marrying them with techno beats and industrial sounds.

She is also a member of Estonian avant-garde deathbeat/outdustrial outfit Forgotten Sunrise and the singer in the UK/Estonian dystopian industrial band Deathsomnia. Additionally, under the alias DJ Dirt Vessel, she has been a crucial part of Beats From The Vault, an underground event series in Estonia that has been in existence since 1998.

Richie Hawtin and Mute have announced the 30th anniversary edition of the Plastikman debut album, “Sheet One”, set for release on BioVinyl, remastered from the original masters and available via sublabel NovaMute on double vinyl on 1 December 2023 with a December 15th release in the US and Canada. The release has also been remastered for digital re-release, courtesy of Manmade Mastering from Berlin.

And BioVinyl? Well those are vinyl records made from bio-based PVC.

Plastikman is one of Richie Hawtin’s alter egos, and “Sheet One” was the first in a series of releases. The album was the beginning of a long creative relationship between Richie Hawtin and Mute resulting in six albums offering contemporary electronic music. The series of Plastikman vinyl reissues will continue in 2024.

Richie Hawtin comments like this: “After a few years of experimenting with equipment and techniques, I slowly started to find my own unique direction and sound by digging deep into the possibilities of the Roland TB303. The first crucial steps were the F.U.S.E. tracks ‘F.U.’ and ‘Substance Abuse,’ both throbbing dancefloor inspired physical work-outs. That led to my idea of taking the sound of my style of Acid deeper into a more cerebral long-form experiment that became the foundation of ‘Sheet One.’ Recorded mostly over an intense 48 hour period, the album came alive as I paired the Roland TR606 drum machine to the TB303 for my first time, which opened the doorway into this unique Hawtin trip! ”

Daniel Miller from Mute is clear about his appreciation of Hawtin: “(A) pure electronic music innovator!”

2023 is also the anniversary of “Dimension Intrusion” by his other alter ego F.U.S.E. for the Artificial Intelligence series on WARP (which gets a reissue on 10 November).

Bay Area post-punk outfit Topographies will release their sophomore LP, “Interior Spring”, via Dark Entries on February 2, 2024. And the whole has a The Cure link as well, as you will see.

Formed in 2018 in San Francisco by Justin Oronos, Jeremie Ruest, and Gray Tolhurst, Topographies mix early coldwave with classic shoegaze. While the work of Tolhurst’s father – Laurence Tolhurst from The Cure – provides a clear influence, Topographies also has influences from such acts as Asylum Party or The Chameleons. The band debuted in 2018 with the 2-track single “Topographies”. A few more singles followed before the band released its debut album “Ideal Form” on December 4, 2020.

On “Interior Spring”, Topographies explore themes of guilt, inherited trauma, and recovery. The album holds 10 tracks of which you can already check the opening track “Night Sea”. You can check it below on Bandcamp.

The gothic rock ensemble The Waning Moon has recently launched their inaugural album titled “A Dream Or A Vision”, showcasing a collection of ten tracks. “A Dream or a Vision” is released through Danse Macabre Records and lLyrically wanders through dark and haunting emotional landscapes, tragic love stories and deep dark introspections.

The Waning Moon, primarily driven by guitar, revives the quintessential gothic rock sound of the 80s and 90s, infusing it with a contemporary essence. The band features a global collaboration with Ariel Maniki from Costa Rica, known for her work with Ariel Maniki and the Black Halos, and Zac Campbell from the USA, associated with The Kentucky Vampires. The group’s live performances are further enriched by Ian Joseph on bass and Maggie Campbell on keyboards.

Their debut album, available for digital download and in limited vinyl and CD formats, should resonate with enthusiasts of bands like Nosferatu, Christian Death, The Mission, Suspiria, and others from the gothic rock domain.

New York-based goth act Crimson Brûlée has just released the new video for their track, “Why I Wear Black” in support of the charity cause Goths for Sanctuaries (see more info below on this charity).

Here’s what vocalist/guitarist, Lapis Ahumada, says about the video: “The video was originally shot around 2 years ago, and of course we were planning on releasing it as a proper follow up to our first video for “I came back to you” which was received with much love. However, health issues with some members of the band held up the full finish of the video as well as recordings, and shows. So sadly, the video got pushed to the backburners.”

Then around September – October 2023 Shellee Turner (Goths for Sanctuaries) reached out and the band started talking about doing a special remix for her charity venture. The band decided to donate a special remix of “Why I wear black” to the good cause.

The remix itself was done by Lovers/Deceivers. “I was so blown away by the quality of the work that it inspired me to finish editing the video to help Shelle’s cause“, says Lapis Ahumada. “The video for the remix turned out a lot better than I had hoped for – which was great because I wanted to be a positive force in the “Goths for Sanctuaries” campaign. I was so happy with it in fact, that it inspired me to finish the video for the original song. I then jumped back on the horse and finished the video for “Why I wear black”.”

Crimson Brûlée video for “Why I wear Black”

You can check out the video here.

There will be another video release from Crimson Brûlée later this year and a new EP with more videos in 2024. “Why I Wear Black” is originally featured on the album “Tragica” released in December 2021. You can check it below on Bandcamp.

About Goths For Sanctuaries

Goths For Sanctuaries is a fundraiser for animal sanctuaries and rescues around the world. Animal sanctuaries and rescues struggled enormously during the pandemic with some even having to close their doors.

Shellee Turner explains: “Goths For Sanctuaries was born during the lockdown of 2020, out of a desire to bring the alternative community together, support the amazing bands and DJs that were keeping us all sane and to raise funds for animal sanctuaries & rescues around the world.”

With two festivals, an earthquake relief event and a co-curated album so far, they also organised a two-part festival in October and November 2023, with an accompanying charity compilation.

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

Out on double vinyl via Other Voices on January 5th 2024 is a reissue of the Muslimgauze album “Intifaxa”. This is the first part in a series of 4 double vinyl albums with bonus songs, previously released on CD between 1990 and 1994 on the Australian cult label Extreme Music.

“Intifaxa” is full of heavy percussion mixed with deep tribal grooves, embedded in modulated field recordings. The original tracks were remastered for this first time ever vinyl release. New sleeve designs were created by Oleg Galay, who already did a number of artworks for Muslimgauze reissues.

All 4 album covers will be made from extra heavy cardboard with deluxe spot UV finish and inside print.

About Muslimgauze

Muslimgauze was an influential music project by British musician Bryn Jones, active from 1982 until his untimely death in 1999. Jones first released music in 1982 as E.g Oblique Graph on Kinematograph, his own imprint, and the independent co-op label Recloose, run by Simon Crab. E.g Oblique Graph came from the do-it-yourself (DIY) ethos of the time and was musically composed of electronic/experimental drone with occasional synth-melodic hooks and use of radio broadcast samples. Releases at the time were occasionally on cassette, more often vinyl EPs and LPs.

Muslimgauze was named in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and was primarily inspired by conflicts in the Muslim world, with a particular focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Despite this focus, Jones himself never visited the Middle East, drawing his inspiration from a distance and expressing his political stance through his music.

The sound of the project was characterized by its fusion of traditional Middle Eastern or Islamic music with experimental electronic and ambient music. Jones was known for his prolific output, producing an extensive discography that included over 90 albums. His music often featured layers of ethnic percussion, looping textures, and samples from Middle Eastern sources. The production style was raw and unpolished, contributing to the distinctive and immersive soundscapes that became synonymous with Muslimgauze.

The project gained a cult following for its unflinching political stance and unique sound. However, it remained largely underground, with Jones preferring to release his music on small independent labels and maintaining a low personal profile.

On 30 December 1998, Jones was rushed to A&E in Manchester with a rare fungal infection in his bloodstream, for which he had to be heavily sedated. He contracted pneumonia and died on 14 January 1999. Despite his passing, Muslimgauze’s music continues to be influential in the experimental and electronic music scenes, revered for its pioneering approach to sound and its uncompromising artistic vision.

Out via Bureau B on February 9th is the all new Karl Bartos (former member Kraftwerk) soundtrack “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” which includes narrative film music and sound design for Robert Wiene’s classic 1920 psychological thriller. The film comes digitally restored in 4K by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Foundation.

Musician and writer Karl Bartos has long been an admirer of Weimar-era culture. During his time in Kraftwerk, he helped create the stunning track ‘Metropolis’, directly inspired by a band viewing of the classic 1927 Fritz Lang film of the same name. The original orchestral music composed for “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” by Giuseppe Becce had long been lost and in 2005, after watching the film, Bartos imagined what it would be like, to create an entirely new one in the 21st Century in his home studios in Hamburg.

“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” is his first piece of film music and sound design. The release is planned on double vinyl and digipak CD.

Now with crystal clear images, digitally restored by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Foundation, the film is visually the best quality it has ever been, and now comes with Bartos’ soundtrack.

About Karl Bartos

Born in Germany in 1952, sound, music and culture have been a lifelong fascination for Karl. He studied at the Robert Schumann Conservatory in Düsseldorf, played at the Deutsche Oper and was in several experimental bands before he joined Kraftwerk for their Autobahn tour of the US in 1975. He co-composed tracks and performed with the band until 1990 and is featured on the seminal albums “Radio-Activity” (1975), “Trans-Europe Express” (1977), “The Man-Machine” (1978), “Computer World” (1981), “Electric Café” (1986) and “The Mix” (1991).

After leaving Kraftwerk, he first formed the band Elektric Music (2 albums in 1993+1998), collaborated with Bernard Sumner (New Order), Johnny Marr (The Smiths) for their Electronic band project and with Andy McCluskey (OMD), and released two well-regarded solo albums (2003 & 2013).

In 2021, Karl Bartos was awarded the Early Influence Award / Kraftwerk as a member of the ‘classic line-up’ and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His autobiography “The Sound of the Machine – My Life in Kraftwerk and Beyond” was published in 2022 worldwide.

Below is the original film, albeit in less good quality for reference.

Out now is the new Front Line Assembly remix of their 2018 hit single “Mechvirus” featuring vocals written and recorded by labelmates Ultra Sunn. The two bands will meet again this coming April at Sick New World Festival and will set out on respective North American tours in 2024. All dates are listed below.

“Mechvirus” was originally released on Front Line Assembly’s 2018 album, “WarMech”. On the new remix, Ultra Sunn comments: “We loved working on this remix. Front Line Assembly really does research into very specific sound material and particularly for this track.Adding vocals was quite natural for us. We wrote a text about the relationship with the truth. When two people share a moment, they are actually the only ones who have the truth, no matter how it has been twisted afterwards. We are happy to have been able to use these ingredients and put our sound, our signature on it. We made it a danceable tune with our “Sound of Belgium” heritage, while trying to bring a freshness of our time.”

Front Line Assembly and Ultra Sunn tourdates

Below are the upcoming tour dates for both bands.

Ultra Sunn Tour Dates

• 04.25.24 Denver, CO @ The Oriental Theater
• 04.26.24 Los Angeles, CA @ Catch One
• 04.27.24 Las Vegas, NV @ Sick New World Festival
• 05.02.24 Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge
• 05.03.24 San Diego, CA @ The Kensington Club
• 05.04.24 Riverside, CA @ The Hideaway Cafe
• 05.07.24 San Fransisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
• 05.08.24 Sacramento, CA @ Harlows
• 05.10.24 Portland, OR @ Coffin Club
• 05.11.24 Seattle, WA @ Substation
• 05.12.24 Vancouver, BC @ Verboden Festival

Front Line Assembly Tour Dates

• 02.27.24 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
• 02.29.24 Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theatre
• 03.01.24 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
• 03.02.24 Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
• 03.03.24 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
• 03.05.24 Calgary, AB @ Palace Theatre
• 03.06.24 Edmonton, AB @ Midway Music Hall
• 03.08.24 Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre
• 03.09.24 Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore
• 03.10.24 Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
• 03.12.24 Columbus, OH @ Kemba Live
• 03.13.24 Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theater
• 03.14.24 Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
• 03.16.24 Toronto, ON @ History
• 03.17.24 Montreal, QC @ MTelus
• 03.18.24 Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
• 03.19.24 New York, NY @ Terminal 5
• 03.20.24 Bethlehem, PA @ Wind Creek Casino
• 03.22.24 Cherokee, NC @ Harrah’s Cherokee
• 03.23.24 Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
• 03.24.24 Tampa, FL @ Jannus Landing
• 03.26.24 Birmingham, AL @ Avondale
• 03.29.24 Houston, TX @ House of Blues
• 03.30.24 Dallas, TX @ The Factory
• 03.31.24 Tulsa, OK @ Tulsa Theater
• 04.02.24 Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
• 04.04.24 Las Vegas, NV @ The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
• 04.05.24 Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
• 04.24.24 Las Vegas, NV @ Sick New World Festival

Deep Red has teamed up with new electronic act Faustan for their debut release “Pop Music for Old Men” out now on Bandcamp. Martha’s vocals are featured on the original track for “Pop Music for Old Men” and Deep Red also contributed with a remix of the debut title. “We really enjoyed working with Faustan and are really excited about this release,” said Deep Red.

“Pop Music for Old Men” contains the original track, the Deep Red remix as well as a third remix and the self-titled single “Faustan”. All tracks are available on Spotify and all major digital platforms including Bandcamp.

Faustan is a new electro pop act based out of Miami and formed by Harry V. previously of Universal Latino signed act Formula Redux and Hoffa from underground Berlin legendary band Flying 55.

The Belgian cult dark electro / future pop act Aiboforcen has announced the release of their 7th studio album in the Spring of 2024, titled “Between Noise & Silence”. But before that they release an all new 7-track EP via Bandcamp revealing 5 new songs as well as the first guests to be featured on “Between Noise & Silence”.

The 7-track EP’s title-track “Cycle Of Life” features a vocal duo between Jan of Norderney and Noemi Aurora. The same line-up is used on “Heaven Knows”. “Cycle Of Life” gets featured in a single and in a club version plus a melodic remix by label mates Elektrostaub. And just like on the previous album, Mari Kattman (Helix) lends once more her voice on “Dead End” which is featured in a remixed version by Aesthetische. The EP also features 2 exclusive non-album songs with Patrice Synthea on the EBM cut “Katarsis” and Tina Forlom (Sorrow Stories) on the dark electro pop tune “Echoes”.

The bandcamp edition is accompanied by a booklet with lyrics and cool artwork design.

Brand new Aiboforcen video

Also included is a video for the track “Heaven Knows”.

The Belgian electro duo Implant unveil the first song from their forthcoming 12th studio album. “The Drive” is available now for free download from Bandcamp.

The single comes hand in hand with a video for the song which blends old-school EBM/industrial vibes with a futuristic twist.

About Implant

Implant is a Belgian electro-industrial band which formed in 1992. Their evolution in sound is evident through their discography, showcasing a journey from dark elektro roots to a more dance-oriented electronic style, incorporating elements like goa trance.

In 2000, Implant released the album “Kmputor”, which marked a shift in their music style, moving towards a more dance-oriented electronic sound. This evolution continued with their double-CD album “Unidentified Flying Frequencies”.

After the demise of Flatline Records, they joined Alfa Matrix, a Belgian label, and released the album “Planet Euphoria”. This album was noteworthy for its trancier vibe and the collaboration with Canadian singer Jennifer Parkin.

The band’s album “Horseback Riding Through Bassfields”, released in 2003, was seen as a turning point in their career, combining their darker roots with intelligent electro and a dance edge. Len Lemeire, the mastermind behind Implant, teamed up with classical trained jazz singer Myriam Kuliasko for this album. They also gained recognition for their intense live performances, including appearances at major festivals like the Dour Festival and Eurorock Festival.

Len Lemeire’s expertise in remixing has also earned him respect in the electro community, having remixed tracks for several prominent bands. His collaboration with poet and singer Anne Clark in 2004 further highlights his diverse musical capabilities.

The band experienced a hiatus of four years between albums, attributed to changes in personal and professional life, according to Len Lemeire. Their 10th studio album “Oxynoxe-X” reflects a process of learning and evolution, with Lemeire emphasizing the importance of personal connections and experiences gained through music.

And now they write a new chapter with “The Drive”.

The Glasgow-based duo Hanging Freud (signed to the Belgian label Spleen+) (division of Alfa Matrix) has a new album out today: “Worship”. “Worship” is the 7th album for this Scottish new wave / minimal synthpop duo.

On this new studio album, Paula Borges and Jonathan Skinner offer 10 songs. The tracks were written in particular claustrophobic circumstances during the pandemic lockdown. “Because of what was going on, we were essentially stuck in temporary accommodation in Scotland, away from our studio and forced into a period unexperienced before. The songs that came out therefore come from a different place. Everything was done within a laptop and is proudly 100% digital. It was recorded and mixed while literally sitting on the side of a bed in a mouse infested apartment…” explains Paula Borges.

“Worship” is out as a limited vinyl edition available in 2 different colours: transparent violet and transparent turquoise (150 copies each worldwide) as well as a lush double-CD digipak with the “Anomalies” bonus EP just like in this Bandcamp download.

You can check out the album below on Bandcamp.

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

(Photo via It’s Alive! Media & Management) DEVO member Gerald V. Casale, a pioneer in the New Wave genre, has released a groundbreaking “4-Dimensional” music video for his track “Lounge: Pay U Back”. This release is part of his newly reissued The Invisible Man EP, which is available for purchase directly from GeraldVCasale.com.

Casale collaborated with 4D Fun Studios, the video employs an advanced volumetric capture system, creating a 360° virtual CG environment from reality, using 32 digital scanning cameras.

This version of “I’m Gonna Pay U Back” features a ‘Lounge’ style reinterpretation, marking Casale’s first collaboration with Foo Fighters’ new drummer Josh Freese. Steve Bartek, the lead guitarist of OingoBoingo, also joins this unique musical venture. The video showcases digital avatars of all three musicians in an alternate 4-Dimensional reality.

Initially released as an exclusive for Record Store Day, the first pressing of the EP quickly sold out. Now, fans can acquire the 12-inch crystal clear ‘invisible’ vinyl, which is offered with autograph options. Additionally, the EP is available on CD and cassette, marking Casale’s first in three decades. For a limited period, orders will include an exclusive 10 sticker set featuring a Glow-in-the-Dark replica of the front cover artwork by Tomo77.

About DEVO inhouse video director Gerald V. Casale

Gerald Casale, an early MTV icon with DEVO, is credited with directing iconic videos like “Whip It” and “Beautiful World”. Even at 75, he continues to push the boundaries of audio-visual entertainment.

Gerald V. Casale is not only a founding member of DEVO but also a prolific songwriter and music video director. His portfolio extends beyond DEVO, having directed videos for The Cars, Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, Rush, and A Perfect Circle, among others. His influence spans over 50 music videos and numerous television commercials.

The legendary Belgian label Antler returns. Pioneering in the 80s and 90s and an absolute vanguard in the world of post-punk, cold- and new wave, EBM, electro… a series of albums and compilations from the extensive Antler archives are now being re-released. Following the earlier released remastered version of the double album of the Limburg Cold Wavers Siglo XX, a first compilation of tracks from the early period of the label: “Antler Records – Early Years Vol. 1” is now following.

Roland Beelen: “For almost half a century, Antler has been my life, my love, and my soul. I founded Antler Records more than 40 years ago. In the early days, I was not only chasing my own dreams, but those of many new and groundbreaking bands in Belgium in an exciting new world of music and an emerging music scene. After the collaboration with Maurice Engelen, there was no turning back. Our label has broken barriers in many different genres with our joint forces, from dark electro, EBM, pop, dance and techno, singer-songwriter to even reggae. It’s now 2023 and I’m proud to put parts of this legacy back in the spotlight with a series of releases and reissues. After more than 40 years, Antler will come back to life and bring joy to all fans who have cherished the label over the years.”

The history of Antler

Neue Sachlichkeit and their single “Ice/Painless Rage” was the last release on Roland Beelen’s Kleo Label and came out in 1981. It also became the first release on the Antler label founded after a meeting in café De Knoet in Aarschot with Maurice Engelen. Kleo Records became Antler Records and both gentlemen entered into a collaboration that would last until 2005. Beelen had a serious accident and withdrew from the music biz in 2005, Engelen continued with Praga Khan and Lords of Acid.

In 1995, Antler (by then transformed into Antler-Subway Records) entered into a collaboration with EMI Records. The legendary Belgian alternative-new wave catalog was supplemented with a series of striking and still current and unforgettable Belpop hits in 2023. From 1995 onwards, even more Belgian and international hits were scored and millions of records and CDs were sold, including Black Uhuru, 2 Fabiola, Kate Ryan, Milk Inc, Lasgo, Ian van Dahl, but also Praga Khan, Lords of Acid and in Belgium Leopold 3)

With the disappearance of EMI Records and EMI Music, the label was swept under the rug, archives were lost and Antler eventually ended up at Warner Music via Universal after wanderings.

Starman Records acquired the right from Warner Music in 2022 to use the name Antler and Antler-Subway again to breathe new life into the more than 40-year-old label. Two compilations (vinyl only) with the rarest and long-lost tracks from the early Antler period were compiled by Lieven De Ridder (Walhalla Records) with the greatest care and remastered by Pieter De Wagter. The first of these: “Antler Records – Early Years Vol. 1” will be released on January 5, 2024.

The logo has now a very sustainable green colour.

Siglo XX returns as well, more or less

Also to be re-released on Antler will be the Siglo XX “Double album” which is the last album of the Limburg coldwave band that appeared on the Antler label. The release is the result of the last artistic collaboration between Roland Beelen and Siglo XX in the mid-1980s. The record is considered a masterpiece and numerous renowned artists from the then Belgo-Manchester Scene collaborated on it.

Shane MacGowan, the renowned Irish singer-songwriter, poet, and frontman of The Pogues, passed away at the age of 65. His death was announced by his wife, Victoria Mary Clarke. The Pogues also released a statement confirming his peaceful passing with his family by his side.

You can read the statement by Victoria Mary Clarke below.

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A post shared by Victoria Mary Clarke Angels (@victoriamaryclarke)

Below is the statement by The Pogues.

pic.twitter.com/1OPVekSDyX

— The Pogues (@poguesofficial) November 30, 2023

About Shane MacGowan

MacGowan, born on Christmas Day in 1957 in Kent, was celebrated as one of Ireland’s most influential songwriters and poets. Despite a challenging upbringing, which included being expelled from school and struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, he made a significant impact on the arts and entertainment world through his work with The Pogues and collaborations with a host of musical legends.

Throughout his career, MacGowan battled various health issues, leading to multiple hospital stays in recent years. He was treated for viral encephalitis, a condition causing brain swelling, and also suffered from shingles. Moreover, a severe pelvis injury in 2015 left him wheelchair-bound during his final years. Despite these challenges, MacGowan achieved sobriety in 2016 following a serious bout with pneumonia and a long hospital stay due to his hip injury. His wife, Victoria, with whom he shared a decades-long relationship and married in 2018, frequently updated fans on his health struggles.

MacGowan’s legacy, marked by hits like “Fairytale of New York” and “A Pair of Brown Eyes,” and his collaborations with artists such as Kirsty MacColl, Joe Strummer, Nick Cave, Steve Earle, Johnny Depp, the late Sinéad O’Connor, and Ronnie Drew, leaves a lasting impression on music and culture​.

The below “Haunted” was the soundtrack of both the lives of Sinéad O’Connor and Shane MacGowan.

About The Pogues

The Pogues, an Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band, was led by Shane MacGowan and other members. It was established in King’s Cross, London, in 1982 under the original name “Pogue Mahone,” an anglicized version of the Irish phrase “póg mo thóin,” meaning “kiss my arse.” The band gained international fame in the 1980s and early 1990s, producing several successful albums and singles. MacGowan departed from the group in 1991 due to issues with alcohol, and the band continued with Joe Strummer and later Spider Stacy as vocalists until their initial breakup in 1996. They reunited in late 2001 and performed regularly in the UK, Ireland, and the US East Coast until their final disbandment in 2014, not recording new material in this latter period.

Their music, which carried political undertones, was shaped by MacGowan and Stacy’s punk roots. However, they uniquely blended this style with traditional Irish instrumentation, incorporating the tin whistle, banjo, cittern, mandolin, and accordion into their sound.

Out via Apocalyptic Vision on December 21st is the all new Sopor Aeternus album “The Rules”.

The full-length album is part 3 of the current Sopor Aeternus trilogy, which is based on an actual boardgame. Like part 1 (“Alone At Sam’s – An Evening with…”) and part 2 (“The Colours”), “The Rules” was also recorded and produced at TidalWave Studios and is part of a larger total work of art.

“The Rules” will be available in two editions, a double LP one and on CD.

The 2LP comes in a limited 2×12″ screen printed vinyl edition combined with screenprint. The screenprint on side D comes with the special colour ‘Halloween orange’. The vinyls will be 180 gram, super-audiophile high quality discs with black inner sleeve with antistatic lining and a gatefold sleeve. The copies are hand-numbered by Anna-Varney Cantodea. The 2LP version is limited to 500 copies worldwide.

The transparent jewelcase CD edition comes with a 16-page lyric booklet and holds the same tracks as on the limited vinyl edition.

Check out the video that was released just now.

Sad news, again, with the passing on Wednesday evening of Michael Formberg. Aachen-based musician Michael Formberg was the former lead singer of Paranoid, and was also the founder of Paralyzzer. He was just 50 years old.

Michael Formberg and Stephan Tesch formed the rather melodic EBM act Paranoid in 1987. In 1988, Paranoid played their first gig at the Metropol club in Aachen. A first demo cassette was released one year later. In 1990, the band signed to the German music label KM-Musik for the single “I Dominate You”. In 1991 they signed to Animalized (a division of SPV GmbH) and released the album “Strain” which featured several club hits. During 1991 and 1992, they recorded two albums and four singles. Paranoid initially disbanded in 1993, then officially and permanently in 2000.

Formberg returned in 2018 with his solo project Paralyzzer and released two albums. The third album, which he was working on, remains unfinished. Paralyzzer picks up where Paranoid left off bringing a mix of EBM and Electro combined with hard bass lines and driving synth sequences paired with catchy vocals. Stephan Tesch from his side joined Orange Sector singer Martin Bodewell to set up Pandoria.

Paranoid discography.

Albums

• 1991 Strain (Animalized, LP / CD / Cass)
• 1992 Sweat Blood & Tears (Machinery Records, CD)
• 2011 I Still Dominate You (Infacted Recordings, CD)
• 2016 Never too late (Infacted Recordings, CD)

Singles

• 1991 I Dominate You (KM-Musik, 12″)
• 1991 Vicious Circle (Animalized, CD / 12″)
• 1992 Desire (Animalized, CD / 12″)
• 1992 Love And Hate (Machinery Records: CD / 12″)

Paralyzzer discography.

Albums

• 2019 Extatic Instinct (Invincible Spirit Media, CD)
• 2020 Humanized (Invincible Spirit Media, CD)

Paranoid and Paralyzzer videos