Nightcrawler – Malevolent Forces (Digital Album – Nightcrawler Music)

Nightcrawler is a Spanish solo project inspired by George Gold. Active since 2011, he has built an impressive discography that includes several albums and EPs. At the end of 2025, he released this new work, featuring eight tracks.
The least I can say is that Nightcrawler has evolved enormously in terms of overall production. Still drawing inspiration from film music and sci-fi themes, the creative process has now matured into a hard, cohesive, and—above all—intelligent style and production. While guest vocalists were frequently invited on earlier releases, this album instead makes effective use of spoken-word samples. The music presents a particularly well-developed form of EBM in which power and intelligence merge into an exhilarating whole. Deep, forceful bass lines combined with a menacing atmosphere build toward an absolute climax. The sound production is phenomenal and clearly sets this release apart from more average efforts. At times, certain elements may evoke Front 242, yet the overall sound remains distinctly Nightcrawler’s own. Two of the tracks are reworked as “Club Edits,” further enhancing their impact on the dancefloor. Although I occasionally miss a prominent lead vocal, there is little reason to complain.
“Malevolent Forces” is a sublime record and, above all, a creative and forward-thinking example of EBM. In my opinion, it is also the strongest work I have heard from Nightcrawler to date. (Rating:8½).
Listen to “R.U.S.H. (Club Edit)”:
About Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler is a Spanish electronic project active since 2011. The producer mixes darkwave, synthwave and cinematic-influenced electronics, and released the album “Strange Shadows” in 2014. Nightcrawler has collaborated with numerous artists and remixers, including the 2025 single “Ghostless” made with the Valencia EBM duo Spammerheads. “Malevolent Forces”, released on November 13, 2025 through Nightcrawler Music, is the project’s latest album and runs eight tracks, drawing on film-inspired EBM and spoken-word samples.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

