At the end of 2025, the German band Absurd Minds released their tenth studio album. Across 11 tracks, the album reflects on humanity in a fragmented world, exploring themes of responsibility, loss, and existential unease.

Musically, Absurd Minds remains a band unlike any other. I have often placed them in a small, select category of Electro acts, with Project Pitchfork still at the very top. Positioned somewhere between Electro-Wave and Dark-Electro, their songs sound dark and floating, yet remain highly danceable. The band has evolved into a remarkably experienced entity, something clearly reflected in the subtlety of their songwriting and the precision and patience with which even the smallest details are handled. Occasionally, a track stands out with a more aggressive, menacing bassline. The vocals remain as strong and, above all, as charismatic as ever.

While Absurd Minds may no longer surprise me with their musical formula, they do so with the strength and impact of individual songs. Fans will not be disappointed. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Fractured”:

https://scanner-dd.bandcamp.com/track/fractured

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com

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

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: By the end of 2023 German formation Absurd Minds unleashed their eighth opus which came three years after “Sapta” and twenty three years after their official debut album “Deception” -which by the way was already released by Scanner.

Content: This is an album without surprises and which will be liked by the growing fanbase of the band. The songs are driven by this unique Absurd Minds Electro/Wave/Pop touch mixing harder, dancefloor-orientated songs and softer, melancholic; Ballad-like cuts. I once more experienced Absurd Minds as the sonic hybrid between Project Pitchfork and The Sisters Of Mercy.

+ + + : The band doesn’t try new tricks or innovation but simply achieved a professional and alluring production. I prefer the ‘harder’ cuts whereon the band excels in great crafted songs carried by strong melody lines. I also like the symphonic, electronic, arrangements the songs have been made of while Stefan Grossmann remains a great, and charismatic, singer.

– – – : I never have been a huge fan of the band’s softer side and these cuts aren’t still my favorites after having heard the new work.

Conclusion: Absurd Minds strikes back in style once more confirming they’re a band with a very own and recognizable sound.

Best songs: “A Million Miles”, “No restraint”, “Silicon dreams”, “Gravitas”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.absurdminds.de / www.facebook.com/AbsurdMinds

Label: www.darkdimensions.de /  www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Dimensions-Label-Group/486014725206

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Future-Pop, Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: German trio Fractal Age strikes back with their second opus. Markus Horschig (Neuroklast, ex-ReAdjust), Jens Minor (Chainreactor) and singer Sascha Tümmler released the debut album “Modern World” in 2019.

Content: Even if this album is driven by Electro-Pop influences, the sound became harder and more future-Pop driven than its predecessor. It’s a catchy production carried by bouncing kicks and revealing a few harder elements like EBM bass lines. There are a few ‘softer’ pieces featured but the main part of the work stands for powerful Electro/Future-Pop music which sometimes reminds me of Neuroticfish. The 3 last songs are remixes by Intent:Outtake, Absurd Minds and Blue Images.

+ + + : There’s an evolution from the debut album towards the new one; it’s more into Future-Pop and I experienced this evolution has ‘harder’ which I prefer. The songs are well-crafted and there are a few noticeable songs featured like “The Beauty Of Truth” and “Sign”. “Another Way” reveals EBM influences and is another attention grabber.

– – – : Fractal Age isn’t exactly setting the world of Electro/Future-Pop music alight. The work even has something predictable but globally speaking it’s a fully enjoyable work. I’ve been less convinced by the softer parts like “Spiegelbild”.

Conclusion: If you like Electro-Pop with a heavier touch and a darker side “Another Way” is an album to discover.

Best songs: “The Beauty Of Truth”, “Sign”, “Another Way”, “Questions”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/FractalAge

Label: www.darkdimensions.de /  www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Dimensions-Label-Group/486014725206

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com

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

Format: Digital, 2 CD.

Background/Info: Scanner is a subdivision of Dark Dimensions, which this year celebrates its twentieth anniversary. Set up by Francesco D’Angelo, Scanner has been always and mainly devoted to Electronic genres like EBM, Dark-Electro and Electro-Pop. The compilation features twenty six artists and songs reminding us of the great artists from this label.

Artists: Gin Devo, BhamBhamHara, Autodafeh, Kreign, DSTR, Fractal Age, Destin Fragile, Blue Images, Twins In Fear, Cyan Inc, Vomito Negro, [:SITD:], Eden Synthetic Corps, Mechanical Moth, Centhron, Intent:Outtake, Disorder:Mankind, Das Werk, X-Fusion, Spetsnaz, Grausame Töchter, Epinephrin, Black Heaven, A Spell Inside, Absurd Minds, Straftanz. 

Content: This sampler is a perfect way to (re)discover the Scanner label roaster, which features some great EBM names such as Autodafeh and Spetsnaz while other names such as [:SITD:], Vomito Negro + Gin Devo, Eden Synthetic Corps and Absurd Minds were more active in a darker EBM format, getting pretty close with pure Dark-Electro. Centhron and X-Fusion are for sure Dark-Electro! Other bands like BhamBhamHara and Straftanz are more representative of the progressive (Techno)-EBM format. A Spell Inside remains one of the ‘oldest’ bands from the roster and still one of the few to deal with Electro-Pop. And then there’s Grausame Töchter, which remains a very unique experience in sound. The compilation also features a few bands we’ve a bit forgotten like Fractal Age, Destin Fragile, Epinephrin. It’s also a while ago we’ve heard something from Cyan Inc. And there’re new signatures like the promising EBM formation Kreign and the Experimental-Electro Twins In Fear plus a few totally unknown names like Das Werk and Disorder:Mankind.

+ + + : When you take a brief look at the names featured at this compilation you can only, but agree Scanner has been for numerous years one of the leading labels from the Dark-Electro scene. But this compilation becomes really interesting when you’ll know that nearly all of the tracks are exclusive ones and/or rare edits. Frank D’Angelo always has had a nose to sign great artists, Kreign being the new sensation! My favorite cuts from the album are the ones by X-Fusion and Grausame Töchter remixed by And One.

– – – : This compilation doesn’t cover the entire Scanner roster, which says something about the Electronic welfare from the label. Some artists that haven’t been featured (because they’re no longer part of the label) are Amnistia, Stromkern, Distorted Reality, Sleepwalk, Page 12, The Eternal Afflict, Cycloon, Sara Noxx, Re:Work, Spiritual Reality, Inside, Das Präparat.. More than enough to fill an extra disc and they all are still part of this great label’s history.

Conclusion: This compilation is a part of history; 20 years of great underground music by Scanner!

Best bands: X-Fusion, Grausame Töchter, Autodafeh, Straftanz, BhamBhamHara, [:SITD:].

Rate: (8½).

Label: www.darkdimensions.de /  www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Dimensions-Label-Group/486014725206

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com

Out via SkyQode is the newest Unitcode:Machine single “Instigator”. The new single by this very enjoyable EBM / industrial act is taken from the band’s latest album “Tyranny” showcasing the band’s distinctive blend of EBM and industrial .

In addition to the title track, the single features remixes by Freaky Mind, Elezoria, and Invisible Devastation. This single should please fans of Imperative Reaction, Absurd Minds, Decoded Feedback and the like.

Unitcode:Machine is a US-based band which was formed in 2000 by Eric K.. Their first official release landed in 2004 and mixed multiple genres like EBM, industrial, synthpop, and many others.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Wave-pop, dark-electro, EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The album “Tempus Fugit” (2017) marked the return of Absurd Minds after an absence of seven years. This year the band celebrates its twenty fifth anniversary. But better than releasing a ‘best of’-album Absurd Minds strikes back with their seventh full length album featuring twelve new songs.

Content: Absurd Minds moves on composing the ‘classic’ songs that we are used to hearing from them. The influences are once again covering different genres; from dark-pop and wave-pop towards a few ‘harder’ cuts, mixing electronics with guitar. The charismatic vocals of their front man Stefan Grossmann remains another main characteristic of the band. This album features several beautiful songs leading the listener into reverie. Other harder cuts are more danceable, injecting some variety to the work.

+ + + : This album is made to dream away; globally speaking there are more wafting songs featured instead of harder, danceable pieces. I however like the ‘hard’ side of the album revealed at “Dear End”, which sounds as the offspring between Project Pitchfork and The Sisters Of Mercy. Another noticeable song is “One Blood”, which is driven by great electronic sequences. This song could be a potential title track for an EP. I also like the melancholia hanging over “A Light That Shone” and the refined touch of “Turning Away”.

– – – : Absurd Minds remains a rather unique band in their genre although after twenty five years I must say the songs have become a bit too predictable.

Conclusion: Absurd Minds remains a fixed value in an electronic approach only a few bands are dealing with. I don’t consider “Sapta” to be their best work in history although it’s a fully accomplished work.

Best songs: “One Blood”, “Dear End”, “A Light That Shone”, “Turning Away”, “Carry The Flag”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.absurdminds.de / www.facebook.com/AbsurdMinds

Label: www.darkdimensions.de /  www.facebook.com/pages/Dark–Dimensions–Label–Group/486014725206

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com

Out now is “Paper Empires”, a new single by the US-based EBM / industrial act Unitcode:Machine. The title track is taken from the band’s latest album “Tyranny” which was released in late 2019. The album spent several weeks in the German GEWC charts and received a lot of positive feedback from fans and DJs worldwide.

“Paper Empires” comes coupled with remixes done by Uncreated, Technolorgy, Switchface and GW4, each adding their own unique feel to the title track. If you are a fan of Imperative Reaction, Absurd Minds, Decoded Feedback and the like, then this is something for you.

Check it out for yourself!

Unitcode:Machine was formed in 2000 by Eric K.. With their first official release in 2004, the band established themselves as mix of multiple genres that inspire the group like EBM, industrial, synthpop, and many other. In April 2019, Unitcode:Machine joined the SkyQode label roster of artists.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Out now via SkyQode is “Army Of Impostors”, a brand new single by Stars Crusaders. Mixed and mastered by Nick of Absurd Minds, the title track combines elements of futurepop and EBM with a futuristic sci-fi atmosphere.

In addition, the single features stylistically diverse remixes by Unity One, Esplosioni Controllate, Egoprisme and c0r3 c1ty, as well as a new version of “Convex Vision” from the band’s debut album. “Army Of Impostors” is the first single off the third album entitled “M.A.T.E.R.”, due in 2020.

The single is accompanied with a music video as well.

Tracklist:

• Army Of Impostors
• Army Of Impostors (Unity One Remix)
• Army Of Impostors (Esplosioni Controllate Remix)
• Convex Vision (2019 Version)
• Army Of Impostors (Egoprisme Version)
• Army Of Impostors (c0r3 c1ty Remix)

You can also check it already on Spotify.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, EBM, new-wave, electro-punk, metal-rock.

Background/Info: Thee Flanders is a German psychobilly formation, which has already released several albums throughout the years. They sometimes seem to cover famous songs. This album features 20 remixes by an impressive list of mainly electro-underground formations.

Content: The main songs of this release are “You Spin Me Round” from Dead Or Alive and “Nightmares” from A Flock Of Seagulls. Both 80s new-wave hits have been covered by Thee Flanders, sung together with Bela B (Die Ärzte) and Markus Meyn (Camouflage) and remixes by Leather strip, Die Krupps, Blind Passenger, Robert Görl, Ad:Key, Beborn Beton, Scheuber feat. G. Thomas, Patenbrigade: Wolff, In Strict Confidence, Absurd Minds, Mirko Hirsch, Head-Less, White Trash Wankers, T.A.N.K., Sound Tessellated, Beyond Obsession, Tomas Tulpe, Modekay, Keller Technik and The Klaak Syndrome.

The result is a very diversified release, which mainly sounds electro-like, but moving from darker-electro remixes to EBM to electro-minimal, but also electro-punk, new-wave and somewhat metal-orientated work. Notice by the way that White Trash Wankers is the only band that remixed another song (cf. “Buried Alive”).

+ + + : This album definitely sounds like a challenge, but especially for the fans of the band who I can imagine aren’t used at all to hearing their favorite band remixed by electronic formations. It’s not only a challenge, but I like this originality and it could be fun to hear one of those famous electro-acts featured on the album getting remixed by psychobilly bands. Why not? But the main point is that especially the remixes of “You Spin Me Round” feature a few outstanding versions. I want to make a special mention for the originality and minimalism of Patenbrigade: Wolff, the groovy approach of Head-Less, the harder version of Die Krupps and into EBM transposed remix of AD:Key. Another noticeable remix is “Nightmares” from Leather Strip.

– – – : There are a few less inspired remixes featured, but that’s rather understandable when you get a total amount of 20 remixes. But the main point remains for sure the reaction of the Thee Flanders fans about this totally weird challenge.

Conclusion: Is it just for fun or a psychobilly formation that has found a way to enter electro clubs? Whatever it is, this work is DJ food and be sure you are going to dance to it!

Best songs: “You Spin Me Round – Patenbrigade: Wolff Mix”, “You Spin Me Round – Head-Less Mix”, “Nightmares – Leather Strip Mix”, “You Spin Me Round – Die Krupps Mix”, “You Spin Me Round – Mirko Hirsch Mix”, “You Spin Me Round – AD:Key Mix”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.theeflanders.de / www.facebook.com/theeflanders

Label: www.half7records.de /  www.facebook.com/Halb-7-Records-203287363058978

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com

Absurd Minds started in 1995 as a small project featuring Tilo Ladwig and Stefan Grossmann. They got in touch with Francesco D’Angelo (Scanner/Dark Dimensions) and quite progressively the Dresden based duo became a real band and started to release their first official productions. The band progressively gained a serious reputation releasing acclaimed albums. The last work was released in 2010, but seven years later now the band is back on track with the album “Tempus Fugit”, which probably is their best work to date. I got in touch with Timo Fischer.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Tempus Fugit” is the first new album in seven years! Why such a long break and what happened in between “Serve Or Suffer” and “Tempus Fugit”?

Timo: Anyone who ever has begun to make music knows that it accompanies you during your entire life. There are times when other things seem to be more important. Love, marriage, family, building a house, job… There is no time left, but one day when the desire to make music again awakens, you for sure move back. It took us 7 years to get back into music and now it was just time to break the silence.

Q: I experienced “Tempus Fugit” as a rather classical Absurd Minds-album although you most diversified work to date. What kind of album did you want to compose and do you see some evolutions compared to the earlier work?

Timo: When you start composing songs, you have an idea in mind that you want to implement. You’re use your experiences, technical knowledge and possibilities, as well as musical preferences. This automatically creates something close to one’s own musical tradition. “Tempus Fugit” is therefore a typical Absurd Minds album.

Q: How did the writing process of the new album happened?

Timo: The song writing process can be described as ‘Janus-faced’. This has always been the case and was made clear once again this time. The creating of the music was surely the most convenient part of our work. Writing the lyrics is really more of a sweaty procedure. The art is to manage this ambivalence.

Q: I got the impression that the lyrical themes are very personal, sometimes dealing about very intimate experiences. Can you tell us a bit more about it?

Timo: This time the lyrics are indeed primarily personal. For example the loss of a person has been evoked (cf. “Farewell”), but there also is a declaration of love from a father to his daughter (cf. “Guardian”) or on another song we complain the principal narrowness of the human capacity for cognition (cf. “Threnody”).

Q: What might we expect from the future considering aspects like new songs, remixes, live performances and maybe other music activities?

Timo: We want to continue to work on our project in the future. A few concerts have already been organized for this year. We hope that it will be even more, because we want to play live again. Everything else will develop during the course of this year.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro & pop, wave-pop, EBM.

Background/Info: Absurd Minds strikes back after a hiatus of seven years! Stefan Grossmann, Tilo Ladwig, Nick and Timo Fischer are back on track with “Tempus Fugit”, which is the band’s 6^th official album to date.

Content: Absurd Minds rapidly became a successful formation and that’s probably because of their unique sound approach. Time runs by, but the influences and global sound approach of Stefan Grossmann and his acolytes hasn’t changed. Absurd Minds has always reminded me to the bombast and refinement of Project Pitchfork. “Tempus Fugit” is an appropriated title to bring us back to the essence of Absurd Minds.

The songs are still carried by bombastic and sometimes somewhat orchestral sound treatments next to subtle and refined arrangements. There’s a constant duality between powerful parts and dreamy passages. The songs are driven by solid choruses featuring sweet melodies and other easy to remember vocal lines.

A few cuts were accomplished with guitar, which now injects a new-wave touch to the work and then a more psychedelic touch.

+ + + : “Tempus Fugit” not only marks the return of Absurd Minds, but it also is a fully accomplished and diversified opus. This work has it all: powerful cuts with carrying choruses and great melody lines and softer pieces leading you into a dreamy universe. I sometimes get the impression of hearing a hybrid sound between Project Pitchfork and Depeche Mode. “Kreuzfeuer” is a great song in the genre, but I also have to mention the modernism of “For Those Who Love”. Globally speaking this new work sounds in the line of previous albums although I like its diversity and sound production. The synths are absolutely great while Grossmann remains a charismatic singer. Last, but not least I also like the digipak of this album.

– – – : I’m not that fond of the somewhat psychedelic guitar playing (on “Hourglass”), which is quite different from what Absurd Minds are used to composing. I also have a preference for the ‘harder’ cuts although some of the ‘softer’ pieces are real beauties.

Conclusion: You don’t really get the impression Absurd Minds took a break for so many years, but “Tempus Fugit” is a noticeable comeback and one of their best albums to date!

Best songs: “For Those Who Love”, “Kreuzfeuer”, “Now We Hear The Call”, “Threnody”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www.absurdminds.de / www.facebook.com/AbsurdMinds

Label: www.darkdimensions.de /  www.facebook.com/pages/Dark–Dimensions–Label–Group/486014725206

Inferno Sound Diaries

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.

www.side-line.com