Rhys Fulber to release ‘Memory Impulse Autonomy’ on September 5
Rhys Fulber
Electronic producer Rhys Fulber, known for his work with Frontline Assembly, Delerium, and Fear Factory, will release a new solo album titled “Memory Impulse Autonomy” on September 5, 2025. The release marks his debut solo outing for Canadian label Artoffact Records.
The album will be available in two formats: a limited mixed blue vinyl LP and a standard CD in jewel box with booklet. You can expect a blend of darkwave, EBM, and industrial techno.
“The title refers to fond memories of my roots in making electronic music and the excitement and passion I had for these sounds that were new at the time,” Fulber explains. “That style is embedded in me. Going back to them allowed me to make music on impulse, and many of the instrumentals were created from studio jams.”
“Memory Impulse Autonomy” draws on the spirit of 1980s experimentalism, with sonic nods to Cabaret Voltaire, Portion Control, and Skinny Puppy. Tracks like “All of You go to Heaven” reflect Richard H. Kirk-style collage, while “Baaderzeit” leans toward Tangerine Dream-like sequencing.
The record features a series of collaborations. William Maybelline (Qual/Lebanon Hanover) appears on both “The Abyss” and “Control”, while Barkosina (Years of Denial) lends vocals to “Only Love Will Save Us”. Konstantin Unwohl (aufnahme + wiedergabe/Tapete Records) appears on “Nichts dafür getan”.
A video for the Rhys Fulber track “Abyss” feat. Qual is available on YouTube.
About Rhys Fulber
Rhys Fulber, born October 10, 1970, in Vancouver, British Columbia, has carved out a unique space in the world of music as a producer and performer known for his contributions to industrial, EBM (electronic body music), and ambient soundscapes. Music was practically encoded in his DNA – his German father was a musician who exposed him early on to iconic acts like Led Zeppelin and Kraftwerk, even taking a young Rhys to see Kraftwerk live in 1975.
By the time he was six, Fulber was already behind a drum kit, experimenting with rhythms on his father’s gear. His musical tastes broadened quickly. At 11, he was delving into punk and new wave, drawn particularly to Pete Shelley’s “Homosapien” and mesmerized by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – his go-to band during those formative years. Meanwhile, his father’s studio, which doubled as a hub for Vancouver’s punk scene, became Rhys’s unofficial training ground. The turning point came in 1984 when he got his hands on a synthesizer, steering him decisively toward electronic music.
Two years later, a meeting with Bill Leeb (previously of Skinny Puppy) would prove pivotal. Their collaboration began with Fulber contributing to early Front Line Assembly releases like “Total Terror” (1986) and “The Initial Command” (1987). He hit the road with the band in 1989 for their “Gashed Senses & Crossfire” tour and stepped into a more central role in Delerium after Michael Balch’s exit.
Between the late ’80s and the late ’90s, Fulber became an indispensable force in both Front Line Assembly and Delerium. His fingerprints are all over landmark albums such as “Tactical Neural Implant” (1992), “Hard Wired” (1995), “Semantic Spaces” (1994), and “Karma” (1997). Delerium’s breakout single, “Silence”, featuring Sarah McLachlan, took the world by storm and solidified Fulber’s place in electronic music history. The song’s success earned the group two Juno Awards for Best Dance Recording in 1998 and 2000.
He and Leeb also ventured into several side projects, including Synæsthesia and Intermix (1992–1995), and Fulber co-founded the band Will in the late ’80s alongside Chris Peterson, John McRae, and Jeff Stoddard. In the late ’90s, he branched out with his solo project Conjure One, which showcased lush, cinematic compositions—”Extraordinary Ways” (2005) being a prime example.
Since 2017, Rhys Fulber has released a string of solo albums under his own name, embracing a futuristic take on EBM. Albums like “Your Dystopia, My Utopia” (2018), “Ostalgia” (2019), “Brutal Nature” (2021), and “Collapsing Empires” (2022) have appeared on underground labels such as Sonic Groove and aufnahme+wiedergabe, as well as his own imprint, FR Recordings. His next release, “Memory Impulse Autonomy,” is slated for 2025 via Artoffact Records.
Fulber’s reach goes far beyond electronic circles. He also works as a producer in rock and metal, most notably with Fear Factory. His contributions to their “Fear Is the Mindkiller” EP (1993) and “Demanufacture” (1995) helped define a new wave of industrial metal. Rhys Fulber also had a hand in records for Econoline Crush (“Affliction,” 1996), Paradise Lost (“Symbol of Life,” 2002), and artists as varied as Josh Groban, Megadeth, P.O.D., Mudvayne, The Tea Party, Yes, and Serena Ryder.
Not content to stay within the bounds of traditional music production, Rhys Fulber has also composed for film, with credits that include “Johnny Mnemonic” and “Hideaway” (both 1995), “X-Men 2” (2003), and the cult horror hit “Saw” (2004).
Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
