En Esch unleashes politically charged LP ‘Dance Hall Putsch’ – First album in 8 years out now
En Esch (Photo by Petrov Ahner)
En Esch, a veteran of the industrial scene known for his roles in KMFDM, PIG, and Slick Idiot, has released his first full-length solo album in eight years. Titled “Dance Hall Putsch”, the LP is out now via GIVE/TAKE in translucent Coke bottle clear vinyl, CD, and digital formats.
The album offers a blend of industrial metal, EBM, and electronic experimentation and features guest contributions from Raymond Watts, Guenter Schulz, Mark Durante, Vas Kallas (Hanzel und Gretyl), Mea Fisher and Erica Dilanjian (Lords of Acid), and Hope Nicholls (Pigface), among others.
Commenting on the context behind the release, En Esch says: “I began work on Dance Hall Putsch in the early days of Covid-19. I was trying to create an upbeat, rather positive and very danceable album to leave the pandemic days behind us. Then it happened that a war began near where I live… From living with this ‘war next door,’ the album turned out much more sinister than originally planned.”
And he adds: “It became a rather political album that reflects on the senselessness and nastiness of all the current wars around us. It’s always the innocent and those who hold no power that suffer the most.”
En Esch tour dates
- Industrial Nation 2025 Tour w/ Front Line Assembly
Sept. 23, 2025 – Baltimore, MD, USA - Additional U.S. dates: TBA
- European tour with PIG (guitar/vocals): Jan–Feb 2026
About En Esch
En Esch, born Nicklaus Schandelmaier, co-founded Slick Idiot after gaining prominence as a member of KMFDM in the 1980s and early 1990s. Based in Berlin, Germany, his solo career has spanned decades and includes collaborations with Pigface, PIG, and others across the industrial spectrum
His debut solo album “Cheesy” was released in 1993. En Esch is known for fusing electronics, provocative themes, and multilingual lyrics into politically and socially charged compositions.
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