Swedish electro artist EMMON released “Relics (Agent Side Grinder Remix)” on 14 August 2026 through Icons Creating Evil Art. The track is the third remix issued ahead of “ICONMIXED”, a remix album scheduled for 23 October 2026. Jimmy Monell produced and mixed the new version, Hans Olsson mastered it, and Emma Nylén is credited as writer.

The original “Relics” is the eighth track on “ICON“, the album EMMON released on 17 October 2025 with Emanuel Åström as guestvocalist. Agent Side Grinder move it off its EBM footing and into house tempo, adding LinnDrum programming, a Euro-disco riff and acid basslines.

Johan Lange of Agent Side Grinder set out what the duo changed:

“Had a great time remixing my dear friend Emmon (and a certain obscure guest singer). I took the EBM-driven original and pushed it in a more ’90s house direction, with LinnDrum, a Euro disco riff and plenty of acid basslines.”

Two reworkings of “Speak to Me” preceded it, one by SIIE and one by Copenhagen trio The Foreign Resort. “ICONMIXED” reworks material from “ICON” across a wider set of collaborators.

Icons Creating Evil Art issued an official video for the original “Relics” the same day. Niklas Kärreskog directed it, with Tyko Lann Lundin as editing assistant and Joakim Kärreskog on technical resources. Kärreskog set out his reference points in the video credits:

“Relics could easily be part of the soundtrack to a film adaptation of William Gibson’s Neuromancer. That’s why I aimed for a cyberpunk aesthetic inspired by Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) and Shinya Tsukamoto’s Tetsuo (1989). To achieve this, the video was processed through a CRT television and many metres of cable.”

EMMON has run this pattern before. “RECON” arrived in 2022 and drew a full companion remix record a year later; “ICONMIXED” applies the same treatment to the newer album.

About EMMON

EMMON is the solo project of Swedish artist and producer Emma Nylén, based in Stockholm and signed to Icons Creating Evil Art. Her earlier catalogue runs from “The Art and The Evil” and “Closet Wanderings” through “Nomme”, “AON” and “Under Construction”, built on hard synth basslines, clipped vocals and melodic electro structures.

“RECON” followed on 7 October 2022 and reopened that catalogue after an extended gap. Its eleven tracks include “Machines”, “Like A Drum” and “Purebloods”, a duet with Agent Side Grinder vocalist Emanuel Åström that set up the working relationship behind the current remix. On 6 October 2023 EMMON issued “RECONMIXED”, a thirteen-track companion that handed “Machines”, “Reconstruction”, “Purebloods” and others to Ultra Sunn, Tobias Bernstrup, Sex Kino, Harlem, Fred White, Maschine Brennt, Majestoluxe, ZackZackZack, Potochkine and Livmødr.

The “XCEPTION” EP came next, then “ICON” on 17 October 2025, a ten-track album covering “Neon Brown”, “Decisions”, “Shades of Blue”, “Cold Within”, “No Mans Land”, “Speak to Me”, “Blood on the Ceiling feat. Majestoluxe”, “Relics”, “DARK” and “Slow Running”. Icons Creating Evil Art issued it on vinyl, CD and digital. Side-Line covered that release and published an EMMON interview in February 2026.

The rollout toward “ICONMIXED” started with SIIE and The Foreign Resort on “Speak to Me” and continues with Agent Side Grinder on “Relics”. The album is due on 23 October 2026.

Karo Kratochwil

Based in Wrocław, I work as a music journalist and photographer covering electro, industrial, EBM, gothic, and darkwave. My work includes features and live coverage, as well as concert, portrait, promo, and theater photography. What interests me most is the connection between artistic intention, what the work communicates, and what unfolds live on stage, all in pursuit of the bigger picture behind the music.

(Photo by Daniel Kwon) The Stockholm, Sweden-based duo Hatif has released its latest single “Broken Bucket”, now streaming on all major platforms via Town And Towers Records. The track marks the first release from the duo’s forthcoming sophomore album.

“Broken Bucket” is about conflict, loss, and perseverance and showcases Hatif’s signature dark electronic sound. You can watch a visualizer below.

Hatif was formed in 2020 by Markus Majdalani and Johan Eckerström. Their music blends dark electronic and industrial elements with influences from both post-punk and Middle Eastern traditions. The duo’s name, “Hatif”, is derived from Arabic, meaning a voice heard without a visible source, which aligns with their soundscapes.

Hatif’s music often explores themes of emotional tension, rebellion, and resistance, with their debut album “Everything Is Repetition” (2022) focusing on life’s cyclical nature, distance, and connection. Their latest work, including singles like “Broken Bucket” and “Disappear in Seoul”, shows an evolution toward a more raw, intense sound while maintaining their signature dark, introspective style.

The duo also collaborated with acts like Agent Side Grinder and released music under labels like ScentAir and Town And Towers Records. Hatif plans to release a full-length album in early 2025,

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!

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Out April 26 is a clear vinyl edition of the 2019 released Agent Side Grinder album “A/X”. This third vinyl edition is limited to 250 copies.

“A/X” was the follow-up to “Alkimia” and the first to feature the new vocalist Emanuel Åström. “A/X” delivered 2 singles: “Doppelgänger” and “Stripdown”. The singles introduced a more electronic and danceable sound, but still incorporating the band’s core elements. “A/X” holds 9 tracks produced by Jon Bordon and contains guest appearances by Gustav Bendt (Club Killers) and the Danish-Canadian coldwave-singer Sally Dige.

About Agent Side Grinder

Agent Side Grinder was formed in Bromma, Stockholm, in 2005. Their debut and sophomore albums, “Agent Side Grinder” (2008) and “Irish Recording Tape” (2009), are deeply entrenched in post-punk, industrial, and dark electro, while their 2012 release, “Hardware”, marked a shift to a richer and more layered sound.The album also featured collaborations with Swedish artists Skriet and Henric de la Cour.

2015 saw the release of “Alkimia” featuring a guest appearance Nicole Sabouné. The band underwent significant changes in 2017 when members Kristoffer Grip, Henrik Sunbring, and Thobias Eidevald departed. Johan Lange and Peter Fristedt, along with new vocalist Emanuel Åström, then made a strong return in 2019 with “A/X”.

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!

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Korinthians is a Belgian formation from Ghent. The band name refers to the Corinthian people in antiquity. The band comments: ‘They were called barbarians by the Athenian elite, but actually they had a very egalitarian society. They tossed out their kings and ruled as a group. They gave women a prominent role in decision-making. And then you have the Letter to the Corinthians in the Bible, which many know as an ode to love. But it also contains a series of guidelines to the women in Corinth. That they should wear a veil, and pray, and are not allowed to speak up. Isn’t that ironic?’ In that case, Korinthians prefer to be barbarians of Corinth. After having released a promising debut album “Chaos Control” in 2020 they this year stroke back unleashing “A Major Walk”. This self-released new opus sounds as an offspring between different music genres like Post-Punk, Electronics, Indie-Pop/Rock, Cold-Wave… but as Mattias (vocals & guitar) and Kenny (drums) say:

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Who’s hiding behind Korinthians and what’s your musical background and eventually references when it comes to song writing?

Kenny: I was always a rock drummer. I had no background in the genre whatsoever. To not mess things up, I try to play as little as possible, which is always a good thing in the end. Plus, when I’m with other drummers discussing their gear and chops and shit, I honestly think I’m not a real drummer. When you add those things up, I get something that seems to work just fine for the band. When it comes to songwriting, I stay away from the lyrics as far as a can, but do my part when it comes to the arrangements. I know a good synth hook when I hear or play it, and I’ve been known for throwing out a verse or two to keep the song short and sweet, or, in case of the previous record, making Mattias play five-minute guitar solos.

Mattias: I suppose I am the songwriter of the band. As all four of us, I wasn’t ‘born’ into 80s music. I think we’re all kids of the 90s, really, which meant that we grew up with the sound of overdriven guitars, rather than analogue synths. I got into the music much later, when I discovered bands like The Soft Moon, Agent Side Grinder, Linea Aspera And Boy Harsher. Also acts outside of the genre are an inspiration, such as Mogwai, Goose, Kite and M83. In terms of song writing, I went from doing straightforward hardcore riffs in the 90s, to being in awe of compositions with many layers –Electric Light Orchestra, was an example for some time.

Q: Interesting to read you claim to be ‘children of the 90s’ as your music still sounds 80s Post-Punk-like with a catchy Electronic touch on top. What is it really all about?

Mattias: We definitely do not confine ourselves to the genres of Wave or Post-Punk. I spoke to a music journalist recently who declared himself a ‘fake goth’, since he liked so much music outside of the genre. To some extent, I identify with that term. Personally, I’ve never liked being put in one category. And I think that for the Post-Punk and Goth scene, which distances itself from the dominant Pop culture, it really makes no sense to put people in boxes.

Q: What’s the usual procedure to write a song?

Kenny:In terms of songwriting, the procedure has changed dramatically during the pandemic. Nowadays, Mattias brings his Ableton creations to the rehearsal, and then there’s three scenarios. One, we think it’s crap, don’t say it out loud, but waste a rehearsal to let Mattias notice for himself. Two, the composition is totally perfect and we have a new song within minutes. Three, I or someone else ends up re-arranging the song in Cubase or something, and Mattias approves, or not. Then of course, when we play through the song during rehearsals and each band member cleans up their parts. We also try to take the songs to the stage asap, to see how the audience responds.

Q: How do you perceive the evolution from your debut album “Chaos Control” towards “A Major Walk”? Did you want to improve and/or change certain elements of the production? 

Mattias:I think it’s very clear that this is a much more synth-driven album. Contrary to our debut album, on “A Major Walk” the guitar is subservient to the overall sound. Often guitar play is limited to an eerie Post-Rock tune.

Overall, the album also sounds a bit more Electronic, something we’ve trying to do from the start; play music with a classic trio of instruments (acoustic drums, bass, guitar) and then add synths and samples, so it starts to sound more Electronic. I didn’t realize until after the record was finished, but it also contains a lot of straightforward, punchy songs. Dance music, really.

Q: The lyrical content of your work clearly reflects a darker side and/or -perception of our society. Where does it come from and what did you try to express and maybe exorcize? 

Mattias:I don’t necessarily intend to write dark and brooding lyrics. I guess that is what happens spontaneously when I write. What I usually do is writing one specific scene and develop lyrics from that. For instance, for a new song we’re working on, I use a snippet of a newspaper article I found a while back, talking of a newborn baby found dead in the dunes of the Belgian coast. I imagine what it must be like to give birth to a baby, all alone, crying, bleeding. And leave it behind. In “No Future”, our latest single, I describe the scene of a guy sitting in his house, smoking cigarette after cigarette, watching the news, while the ground floor is on fire. And he stays where he is. Sometimes I write something which comments on broader social issues, but usually it’s just about a compelling story.

Q: How would you define Korinthians as a live band and how do you transpose the songs from the studio to the stage? 

Kenny:I would certainly define Korinthians as a live band. The songs are created during rehearsal with the instruments we have, and all of the songs have been played live many, many times before we end up recording them. And during recording, we try not to go overboard with overdubs and stuff. Firstly, because we cannot afford to go overboard with anything during expensive studio time, and secondly, we also can’t afford to hire additional musicians.

Q: Korinthians clearly seem to be a ‘Do It Yourself’ band. Is it a deliberate choice you made or just because there has been no interesting label deal so far? How do you manage all different aspects of being ‘independent’?

Mattias:Well, it’s not that we oppose the idea of having a label. But I’ve come to realize that I like to control as much as I can the artistic and commercial process. That means, indeed, that you’re keeping a lot of balls in the air. You write songs, you record them, you make art work, you make music videos, you launch online promotion campaigns, you release albums and singles, you write press sheets and send them to journalists, online magazines, labels and whatnot, you reach out to other bands, venues and promoters, you make dedicated merchandise and offer it to your audience, you send parcels all over the world from sales on the band website.

Running a band is hard work. On the other hand, it’s wonderful to have gathered around us a group of people who believe in us; our sound guys Björn and Bart, William at Sonic Rendezvous, our distributor, Malcolm Nix our booker and tour manager, Klaas at RUZD who has been doing a lot of our artwork and design lately. We couldn’t do what we do without their quality work and their dedication.

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.

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(Photo by Daniel Kwon) The Swedish dark electronic act Hatif has a new single and video out: “Heredity”. The release comes just one year after their debut album, “Everything Is Repetition”, which was nominated for the Swedish electronic music award Synthsläggan in 2023.

“‘Heredity’ is about things beyond our control, such as the passing of genetic information and the role that chance plays in life,” so the band says.

The music video for the single holds live recording footage from a Hatif concert in Stockholm, Sweden. The new single is out now on all music streaming platforms via the Danish synth label Town And Towers Records.

Hatif was formed in 2020 in Stockholm Sweden by the duo Markus Majdalani and Johan Eckerström. The band has released one full-length album five singles, including a remix by electronic/post-punk group Agent Side Grinder and has appeared on several compilations.

Watch the new Hatif video below.

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!

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On Friday 25th and Saturday 26th of August, the largest Gothic gathering in Central Europe will once again return to Prague. It features an expanded line-up of 14 bands (including icons Sigue Sigue Sputnik and Pink Turns Blue as well as bands like Rabia Sorda and Agent Side Grinder), DJs and the traditional gothic picnic.

Tickets have gone on sale now. Entry is 890 CZK + fees (GoOut).

In a reaction the organisation tells us this: “It’s hard to believe that Prague Gothic Treffen is turning eighteen this year. Yet it doesn’t seem that long ago when we first organized a gathering for a few gothic enthusiasts and played bands we’d never seen live from Winamp with religious reverence. But the years don’t lie, and PGT has since grown to become the biggest gothic gathering in Central Europe, still attracting more and more visitors from home and abroad. Last year’s move of the event ‘to a bigger place’ was a great success, so even this year, we can expect two concurrent stages in the inter-connected clubs Fuchs 2 and Bike Jesus. Here you will hear everything from traditional goth to the hottest trends of the dark scene.”

The linup consist of: Sigue Sigue Sputnik (UK), Rabia Sorda (MX/D), Pink Turns Blue (D), Agent Side Grinder (S), Sydney Valette (F), NNHMN (D), Golden Apes (D), Noktva (I), Dead Lights (NL/UK), Ductape (TR), Grundeis (D), Już Nie Żyjesz (PL), Warteraum (CZ/A), Latexotiq (CZ).

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!

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(Photo by Haris Mlivic) Hailing from Sweden, the electro/post-punk group Agent Side Grinder is back with an all-new album entitled “Jack Vegas”.

This sixth album from the band delves into the exploration of American culture, drawing inspiration from beatnik-era icons such as Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs, while also incorporating elements of proto-punk and avant-garde movements— all with a contemporary storytelling twist.

The band explains: “The American dream serves as a symbol for escape from a Europe ravaged by pandemics, war, and financial instability.” The lyrical themes centre around boredom, resilience, government and corporate intrusion, and mental health, with the occasional glimmer of hope.

“Jack Vegas” has been produced by former ASG member Henrik Sunbring and was recorded in Stockholm throughout 2022.

You can already watch the video for “Waiting Room” taken from the new album. The video was shot by Haris Mlivic at the “Kvinnliga Stormen”, Säter Mental Hospital in November 2022.

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!

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(Photo by Jon Bordon) Next Tuesday, April 4th, the UCR label will be releasing the first single by Dead Satellites, “Be Gone”. The Swedish electronic scene never fails to amaze. Bands like Agent Side Grinder, Kite, and Emmon are breaking records, and the latest newcomer Dead Satellites will try to position itself in between those bands as well.

This first single was recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, in collaboration with Jon Bordon, who has produced for Nicole Sabouné and Agent Side Grinder, among others. The recording features electro artist/producer Kris Sweden, who contributed backing vocals. A few years ago, she had a big hit with Niklas Stememo (Kite) and The Mo in the duet “Nostalgia Locomotive.”

With their music Dead Satellites tries to fill the void left by major bands from the ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s. The band comments: “This gap is bridged with an electronic foundation and beat, combined with impeccably arranged guitars in a retrospective soundscape updated for 2023.”

The members of Dead Satellites were one of the pioneers of the new wave of Scandinavian post-punk with the band The Exploding Boy. With that project they released several albums and toured Europe and North America.

Here’s a snippet the band released on Facebook from their debut single.

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!

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Agent Side Grinder is an electronic band from Bromma, Stockholm, which was formed in 2005.

The band now has a new single out, “Waiting Room”. It’s the lead track of their forthcoming album “Jack Vegas”, out early 2023. The track is the story of being stuck in a limbo, closing in on insanity. An outcry of desperation, infused with beatnik-era iconography and ASG’s signature blend of melody and sonic mayhem.

“Waiting Room” is the first release of eight new tracks, recorded and co-produced by former member Henrik Sunbring and released on Progress Productions.

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!

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(Photo by Daniel Kwon) Hatif, an electro project formed in 2020 in Stockholm (Sweden), has launched a remix of the track “Pool” by the electronic/post-punk group Agent Side Grinder.

“Pool”, a bass-driven, melodic and electronic layered piece, including influences of Middle Eastern harmonies, was turned into a harder hitting version by their fellow compatriots. The original song is featured on Hatif’s debut album “Everything Is Repetition”.

“It was fun to work with. I tried to make it more direct, highlighting the chorus and the 303”, says Johan Lange of Agent Side Grinder.

You can check out the remix below.

Here is the video for the remix.

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!

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(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Hello Human Records press release) Norwegian doomsday pop duo The Murder Mystery will release two singles in the coming weeks, starting off with ‘A Girl Named Red’ on all streaming-services May 27th (listen to it at the end of the article).
Two weeks later, June 10th, a total remake of the old demo track ‘Amphetamine’ will be out. (PS! I’ve heard’em both – excellent tracks!)

The Murder Mystery (Bjørn-Erik Borg and Ole Andreas Hagen) have been an active band since 2005. They have released several demos and EPs in addition to the two albums ‘The Murder Mystery LP’ (2017) and ‘HNFS’ (2018). They have played numerous gigs and festivals around Norway, as well as played support for bands like Agent Side Grinder, Kontravoid, Spleen United etc.

If you recognize the band name it might be because in the fall of 2021 the band was chosen from over 1500 contributions to be included on Side-Line Magazine’s compilation “Post-Punk (Genesis)”, available on Bandcamp and Spotify. They’ve also been included on a compilation released by the Swedish magazine Svartpunkt (#3) and on the soundtrack to the NRK (the National Norwegian Broadcaster) produced TV series ‘Unge Lovende’.

Written and recorded by The Murder Mystery, mixed by Gunnar Kjellsby. Released in co-operation with Swedish/Norwegian indie label Hello Human Records.

Listen to the new track below or buy it on Bandcamp, and come back in about two weeks for more!

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

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Taken from Kill Shelter’s sophomore album “Asylum” is the brand new single “The Necklace” (featuring Agent Side Grinder).

Pete Burns, Kill Shelter, explains: “The new single with Agent Side Grinder is very reflective of the overall tone of the forthcoming album. All the tracks delve into different interpretations of the word asylum and highlight challenging themes such as human trafficking, domestic abuse, seeking refuge, disillusionment, bedlam and redemption. It definitely has a dark energy.”

Johan Lange, Agent Side Grinder, from his side says: “The Necklace is a metaphorical vehicle for building personal resilience when dealing with violence and abuse on a daily basis. We had a shared vision for both the song and the video and it is a collaboration in the truest sense of the word.“

“Asylum” celebrates over 40 years of alternative and underground music and includes collaborations with Ronny Moorings (Clan of Xymox), Agent Side Grinder, Ash Code, Stefan Netschio (Beborn Beton), William Faith (The Bellwether Syndicate / Faith and the Muse), Valentina Veil (VV & the Void) and Antipole.

“Asylum” is available now in pre-order in 2 versions: via Metropolis Records in North and South America, and Manic Depression Records in Europe and the rest of the world , both on vinyl and CD and download, and will be officially released on July 15th.

Here’s a video for “The Necklace” featuring Agent Side Grinder.

About Kill Shelter

Kill Shelter is UK based alternative artist and producer Pete Burns. His work blends elements of darkwave and contemporary electronica with heavily processed guitars.

He debuted with “Damage” and collaborated on Antipole “A Haunted Place”. His remix portfolio includes cult names such as Christian Death, The Wake and Aleister Crowley as well as She Past Away, Agent Side Grinder and many more. He is currently working at The Shelter on two full length albums and a series of new collaborations.

About Agent Side Grinder

Agent Side Grinder is a Swedish electronic band formed in 2005. The band consists of Johan Lange, Peter Fristedt and Emanuel Åström and their music has been described as a mix of post-punk, industrial and dark electro. They have released five albums to date.

They are currently in the studio recording material for a new full length release.

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!

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Out in March 2022 via Metropolis Records is the newest album, “Barricades”, by the Swedish dark pop quartet Principe Valiente.

But before that the band offers the “Porcelain” single taken from “Barricades” which is the follow-up to “Oceans” from 2017. The single is also available as a remix package with treatments by Agent Side Grinder, Ash Code and TRAITRS. You can check the single below.

“Barricades” is the band’s first album for Metropolis and fourth overall. As with new records by many other acts, also “Barricades” is an album deeply affected by the Covid pandemic, with most of its songs recorded from home and the group members providing their individual contributions in isolation.

Although Principe Valiente has previously been seen as something of a solo project for the singer, this time around all four group members – Honorato, guitarist Jimmy Ottosson, keyboardist Rebecka Johansson and drummer Joakim Janthe – have made contributions.

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!

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The 2021 edition of the Sinner’s Day Festival will take place from 30th October until 1st November 2021 at The Max in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. About 53 new wave, EBM, industrial, post-punk, synth-pop and eighties bands are featured on 2 stages.

This year the line-up includes: Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundschaft (Robert Goerl & DAF world premiere), Gary Numan, Clan Of Xymox, Praga Khan, Covenant, Fields Of The Nephilim, Suicide Commando, Funeral Dress, The Arch, The Bollock Brothers, Your Life On Hold, Ground Nero, Absolute Body Control, A Slice Of Life, Astrasonic, Blancmange, Diary Of Dreams, Agent Side Grinder, Red Zebra, Siglo XX, The KVB, And Also The Trees, La Muerte, UK Subs, Glen Matlock, IAMTHESHADOW, A Split Second, BFG, Then Jericho, She Past Away, The Foreign Resort, Minuit Machine, Leaether Strip, Haujobb, Gene Loves Jezebel, Twin Tribes, La Lune Noire, Empathy Test, Jah Wobble and more!

There is also The Batcave, the dance-area where you can party while DJ’s spin their finest tracks 13h/day. A camping area is available if you want to stay next to the festival area at night!

Tickets can be ordered here

Be aware that you need to show a valid Covid certificate/Covid Safe Ticket to get access to the festival!

Progress Productions is a Swedish label set up in 2004 by Torny Gottberg. Torny already had some label-experience as he worked before for the legendary Energy Rekords. We still know him from his involvement with bands such as Project-X, Cryo ao. Progress Productions is the home of EBM, Dark-Electro and Electro-Pop bands such as Agent Side Grinder, Cryo, Henric De La Cour, Spark!, Necro Facility, Dupont, Code 64, Kite, Wulfband, Sturm Café, System and many more.

(Stéphane Froidcoeur / Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Was there a kind of ‘philosophy’ when you set up your label and did it evolve over the years? How would you define your label activities today?

Torny: Progress Productions started in 2004, but already before that, I had ideas of starting something of my own as I was not really happy with the way that Energy Rekords where I worked was going. I have always been more interested in building something from the very beginning and to evolve with bands while Energy Rekords in the end I felt was more about licensing stuff for the Scandinavian market.

But April 20^th, 2004 I finally took the step to form Progress Productions. I always loved the way labels like Cold Meat Industry and Ant-Zen were setup. That many bands together build sort of a family and that we grow together reaching small goals that we setup. To be honest it´s really the same way I work with the bands we have today. We never thought of ourselves as a label vs. band thing. It´s really a collaboration between label and bands. And the great thing is that so many bands have become friends over the years as we have no internal competition and that’s the way we really wanted it. The funny thing is that when I started Progress I did reach out the other labels we had in Sweden back then as the scene is so small and I had the idea that we all could maybe work together to make the scene a little bit bigger and everyone told me more or less ‘You will not have a chance, you will not last a year’ etc. Well, here we are 17 years later…

But the idea and philosophy behind the label is still exactly the same. Finding new interesting bands, working together and building slowly. I do believe in the ‘quality over quantity’ thinking. Something I think a lot of people should really think about. For me every release is of equal importance and it does not matter if it´s a newcomer no one knows about or one of our more established artists. If I have decided to work with something, it deserves my full attention, and that’s also a reason why we NEVER release more than one record at a time, so nothing drowns or disappear.

Of course, it means that we don’t have several hundred releases in our catalogue, but at least I know that every single one of the releases we have made have been given the time it deserves. So, in that way we have maybe not evolved since the start, but of course one has learned and adapted a lot since 2004, but we are 17 years in more active than ever I would say.

Q: I can imagine you must have specific and explicit criteria to sign an artist/band. Can you give us more details about this aspect and how important is it for you to know the person(s) hiding behind the ‘artist(s)’?

Torny:  Well, for me it has always been really important that I like what I hear. It´s hard to explain, but there is something special I feel every time I find a new act that I want to work with. Something just clicks. After this I normally have a meeting with the band several times to get a feel for the persons behind it if it´s not someone I know since before. Just so we know where we both have each other and that we feel that we are both interested in working toward the same goal. Even though we intend to have a lot of fun together it is always mutual work to reach the goals that we set up together.

I think talent and attitude are of equal importance for me. There are several bands that I really like, but I have felt that it simply will not work out in the end and in those cases I would rather see that someone else can release it and I will support and buy it rather than to release it via Progress. Earlier I always asked the other already signed acts what they thought about something when I found something that I felt was interesting. I still do this from time to time. Of course, I will have the final word in what to do/not to do but it feels important that a new band also fits in well with the other acts and I really respect and value their opinion.

But I don’t really look to, and I really don’t give shit about how many followers a band has on Facebook or Instagram or something. This is something that we build together as we go along. Good music and great attitude gets you there… not followers on Instagram. Or at least it´s what I want to believe. That good music is the foundation for something.

Q: You are already active for numerous years now so you must have seen a lot of things changing and evolving; think about social media, streaming platforms, Youtube channels… but also economic crisis etc. What are the pros and cons of these changes/evolutions and in, which way did you had to adapt/change your strategy and activities?

Torny: Well I don’t know how many that knows this; but I also work a fulltime job within digital distribution in Sweden as a senior label manager/marketing besides Progress. I also founded Border Music’s digital distribution and at the moment we are building a brand-new independent platform for labels. So, I’m very aware of anything new that’s happening. Also, one should have in mind Spotify is a Swedish player, so I have more or less at least weekly contact with them on what’s going on etc. So, in this aspect we are of course very up-to-date on what is happening.

However, I think streaming is something that both has brought good and bad with it (like many other things) as I always have considered labels to be sort of a quality filter for music and nowadays anything can be added to these platforms and the listeners can more or less drown in material. It´s really a double-edged sword. On one hand I like it as anyone has the potential to reach people quickly and that you more or less, at least compete on similar terms. But like I said, on the other hand the scene has been overflooded with material which I think is not ready to be released yet. No quality filter, just straight out.

Of course, the whole marketing strategy has moved a lot as well. From in the early days; placing adverts in magazines (which we still do though) to doing more digital promotion. A big pro is of course that this is a cheaper and much, much, quicker way to reach people, but on the other hand it´s harder to get people’s attention nowadays than before as we are simply pumped with information. I think it´s in the movie “Seven” they say: ‘To get people’s attention nowadays you can’t just tap them on the shoulder, you need to hit them with a sledgehammer’ and in a way this is true. As record labels we also have a lot of new things that compete for consumer spending. People spend more money on other stuff than buying records. So, we as smaller independent labels are of course always struggling. But on the other hand, it´s also an interesting challenge for us. We can’t sit on our ass doing nothing we need to follow / learning / evolve with technology which I think is interesting and good.

But I still try to keep maybe not a whole foot but at least a few toes in the old-school promotional way of working, sending out physical promos etc. I think they key is ‘Don´t be afraid of changes, embrace them’. I mean look what happened with Napster. If the major labels would have understood it´s true potential directly instead of fighting them for years we would never have had any piracy. Thankfully Spotify and other services have more or less eliminated that scene. But I was never afraid of piracy and really never cared if people illegally shared files/music. You just needed to make sure that you released stuff that was WORTH buying. Not having 2-3 good songs and 10 fillers on an album. I know this might sound a little controversial, but the major labels really created this problem themselves and the independents as usual had to pay for their mistakes. And today an average person spends 110 Euro / year on a Spotify account and that’s far more money spent per person than the music scene has had for a long time. And I do believe that people that are still interestedin buying music will continue to do this. Physical sales will never disappear. I mean just look at all the vinyl selling on re-released material. Once again…. don’t be afraid…. Embrace!

Q: The ongoing pandemic has affected all artistic life and activities so what’s the true impact on your label activities and do you think it will also affect your long term objectives?

Torny: Well, a lot of things that were planned did not happen, that´s for sure. We were about to have loads of parties all over the world for our PROCD100-celebration. All of course, got cancelled. But who I really feel the most for during this pandemic are all the venues, tour personal etc. Thankfully Sweden has been pretty generous in supporting people/venues etc. with money and even though it´s not enough it´s still something but I can’t even understand how hard it must have been on them. And I really hope, to be honest that when venues are opening up, that people are not cheap asses asking for guestlists etc. A ticket is not so expensive so do support them when we all get there.

But for Progress I pretty quickly made the decision not to let Covid-19 have any effect on at least the release schedule. I think maybe now it’s more important than ever and that people need new music. Touring and the promotion will have to come later. So, no I don´t see it affecting us in the long run. We more tried our best to do something during these weird times. I created something called “One Hour With”… which is an hour where we invite fans/listeners from all over the world to join their favorite artist/band for an hour to hang out with them, ask questions etc. This has really been a huge success and people have really enjoyed it. But of course, all the bands are missing playing live a lot. But we really just need to hang in there, things will turn for the better and then we will all be back. But like I said what I really find somewhat devastating is record shops, venues, concert agencies, tour/crew personal etc. I really hope we all get the vaccine during the Summer so we can all meet and party in Autumn. However, this is still wishful thinking on my part, but I hope… I really do. Culture is important and we all need it.

Q: Do you think media (magazines, online platforms etc…) still have an impact and a role to play today? What’s your relationship with ‘journalists’ and how important is their work?

Torny:I still think this is really important. At least personally. We are operating on such a small scene so I think we as labels should be extremely grateful for ALL support that we can get. And 99% of people that work for smaller online zines/blogs etc. don’t get payed at all and most work is done on pure passion. This is something I highly respect and also a reason why I still do send physical records to quite a lot of people, at least it´s a small appreciation and something for their hard work. I’m sorry, but I can’t do it for everyone even if I wished I could so don’t feel bad if I sometimes just send you a download link. It´s very expensive for us to send stuff out. Funny enough it’s the postage costs which are the worst in this case.

With this said I don’t know what kind of impact it does have today as so many can listen on Spotify/YouTube or other streaming sites so easy, but for me (40+ year old dinosaur) I still read/check and discover things through these platforms. I try to treat all journalists fairly and nice as I know (I used to run a physical magazine myself) how much work it is behind it. Even though it´s online it´s still a shitload of work behind it. And like I said a BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST even ENORMOUS hat off to all of you people keeping the scene alive with magazine, fanzines, blogs or podcasts etc. You are worth your weight in gold in my book. Keep up the excellent work and I promise I will try to do my part of delivering music your way.

Q: What do you consider as your biggest accomplishment(s)? Do you have specific goals/dreams you want to achieve and how do you prepare and see the future of the label(s)? And what are your biggest regret(s)?

Torny: Well, this will sound cliché like hell. But I do think every time we reach a small goal we set up and when we reach it it´s a big accomplishment. And honestly I’m always extremely humble every time someone gives me the chance to work with their art. I think this is way a record label should think. You should be grateful that people give you this chance. Even though it´s a lot of co-work they still have chosen YOU as a label to work with something they might have spent YEARS doing.

My biggest dream was however to build up a label that has a friendly attitude where we all respect each other within the label. And I could not have wished for better people to have with me on this journey. I really love all the people that are in the bands on the label. But we of course always aim to reach more people / new people and constantly develop together with the music market. But my objectives from start I think we have nailed and I’m really so grateful for this. In regard to the future of labels, I think we will see more labels like Progress in the future where you simply are not just a person that releases the music, but work with setting strategic goals/aims together with the artists. I’m not afraid of getting my hands dirty doing merchandise on festivals, being a stagehand, booking agency. The 1980/90s ‘label bosses’ I think/hope will go away and never come back.

Regrets….. hrrmmmm…. I don’t know. Maybe I could say it would have been smart doing Progress earlier in my life, but then again life is too short for regrets and you need to see the result that has come out of what/when you actually did something. It´s always better to look 1 day in the future rather than look back 1 day as we all learn as we go. If you stop feeling that you learn or loose your drive, then I see no purpose in doing this. As it´s for sure not the money that drives or motivates me running Progress Productions. 

Last words: I really hope you all stay safe out there, and that we soon can catch up and enjoy together what we love the most: MUSIC. Meanwhile don’t forget to support the independent music scene. Buy something without pre-listening…. Take a chance… who knows….. it might be the BEST thing you have done. Or if you have a specific release you like…. Surprise a friend with a gift which lasts longer than a coffee or an expensive IPA….

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: Electro-Wave, Electro-Pop, Gothic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info:  Swedish formation Agent Side Grinder last year struck back with their fifth album entitled “A/X” and featuring their new singer Emanuel Åström. In my opinion this album belongs to the best releases from 2019. While the band is actually working on a new full length, the album has been exposed to the remixing skills of other artists while there’s also one new song featured.  

Content: The 9 original songs from “A/X” have been remixed. The tracklist is a bit different while we also get 4 extra songs featuring the previously unreleased “The Archives”. Let’s start with this new song, which has something pretty Bowie-like and yet it also sounds in the eclectic style of Agent Side Grinder.

Remixes have been done by a much diversified selection of artists: Ash Code, Antipole feat. Paris Alexander, Adsol, Tobias Bernstrup, Delphine Coma, Siri Karlsson, Luminance, Hidden Operator and Buzz Kull. The remixes are pretty diversified, moving from pure Electro-Dance to melancholic to pure minimalism to Electro-Wave.

After the 9 remixes you get a little bonus taking off with the previously mentioned new song “The Archives” plus extra remixes from 2 album songs by She Pleasures Herself and Kiss Of The Whip. There also is the song “Döden På Lätt Svenska”, which is one I honestly don’t know and has been reworked by Diskoteket.

+ + + : Agent Side Grinder already is a band with an open-minded spectrum of influences and this remix-album only increases the diversity. According to me there’s one absolute highlight, which is the pretty danceable and  intelligent remix of “Allisin Sane (No.2)” by Adsol. Other noticeable remixes are the powerful “Inner Noises” remixed by Ash Code and the ultra Minimal-sounding “MM / CM” remixed by Hidden Operator. I’ll also mention the unavoidable “Doppelgänger” remixed by Luminance. The new song “The Archives” is a nice little bonus.

– – – : I can’t say that the remixes are adding a real bonus to the original edit of “A/X” by the exception of Adsol –a Greek EBM driven project I discovered by the EP “Endzeit”.

Conclusion: This kind of album will maybe please some fans to complete the growing Agent Side Discography while DJ’s will find some alternative edits to play.

Best songs: “Allisin Sane (No.2) – Adsol Remix”, “MM / CM – Hidden Operator’s Voodoo Dub Mix”, “Inner Noises – Ash Code Remix”, “The Archives”, “Decompression – Delphine Coma Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.agentsidegrinder.com / www.facebook.com/agentsidegrinder

Label: www.progress-productions.com / www.facebook.com/progresspro Read the news on ‘Rema/x’.

About Agent Side Grinder

Agent Side Grinder is an electronic band from Bromma, Stockholm, formed in 2005. The line-up has included Peter Fristedt, Johan Lange and, since the “A/X” album, singer Emanuel Åström.

The band’s albums include the self-titled debut (2008), “Hardware” (2012), “This Is Us” (2014), “Alkimia” (2015), “A Question Of Time” (2016), “Doppelgänger” (2018), “A/X” (2019) and “Jack Vegas” (2023). “REMA/X” gathers remixes and one new song built around the “A/X” album.

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 Progress Productions by mid-October is the Agent Side Grinder remix album “REMA/X”. The album holds remixes of the 2019 album “A/X”. For this remix album the Swedish act could chose from clubdriven remixes to Swedish electro-folk.

The album also holds a new track, “The Archives”, which was originally written during the “A/X” sessions. As for a complete new album, the band are working/writing brand new material.

Check out the new video for “MM/CM”.

Track-list:

1. Inner Noises – Ash Code Remix
2. In From The Cold – Antipole ft. Paris Alexander Remix
3. Allisin Sane (No.2) – Adsol Remix
4. Stripdown – Tobias Bernstrup Remix
5. Decompression – Delphine Coma Remix
6. Wounded Star – Siri Karlsson Remix
7. Doppelgänger – Luminance Remix
8. MM/CM – Hidden Operator´s Voodoo Dub Mix
9. The Great Collapse – Buzz Kull Remix
10. The Archives – Agent Side Grinder (A/X Outtake)
11. Döden På Lätt Svenska – Diskoteket (Wounded Star Alt. Version)
12. Stripdown – She Pleasures Herself Remix
13. Doppelgänger – Kiss Of The Whip Remix

Agent Side Grinder is an electronic band from Bromma, Stockholm, which was formed in 2005. The band has made four albums and toured extensively throughout Europe. After Kristoffer Grip, Henrik Sunbring and Thobias Eidevald decided to leave the band in 2017, Johan Lange and Peter Fristedt together with new singer Emanuel Åström returned in 2019 with their comeback album “A/X”. Read the review of ‘Rema/x’.

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

Swedish formation Agent Side Grinder saw the daylight in 2005. Their previous and successful full length “Alkimia” was released in 2015. It took time to achieve their fifth album “A/X”, which also marks an important change in the line-up. Emanuel Åström became the band’s new singer. We all know it’s not an easy thing to move on with a new vocalist, but “A/X” (again released on Progress Productions) is a fully accomplished work. It reveals the band’s passion for the 80s mixed with a very personal touch. If their previous album already was a successful opus, “A/X” has the potential to do better. This is what Johan Lange has to tell us.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

You can order the album right here on Bandcamp!

Q: Agent Side Grinder was set up in 2005, has released multiple productions and went through several line-up changes. How much of the early Agent Side Grinder do you still recognize in the newest album “A/X” and how did you see the band evolving throughout the years?

Johan: I hear all eras of ASG in “A/X”, both the early industrial stuff and the later more melodic and grandiose. We tried to distill the best parts of ASG into this album. We’ve developed our sound a lot through the years, from being punky minimalists to become very detailed, almost sophisticated. But the core has always been intact, you can always tell it’s a ASG record.

Q: “A/X” features your new singer Emanuel Åström. The singer often is the ‘image’ of a band so how did the integration happened and what has been the impact of Emanuel on the sound and influences of “A/X”?

Johan: Emanuel has a both personal and versatile voice and it’s inspiring to work with him, both on the new material and when re-working our older stuff. He helped us revitalize the band, that’s for sure.The collaboration has been great so far and for each concert he’s taking giant leaps.

Q: Let’s talk about “A/X”; what kind of album did you try to accomplish, what has been the impact of producer Jon Bordon and where do you place this album in the band’s discography? 

Johan: We wanted to make an electronic album, keep it tight and harsh, with a cold European feel to it. We wanted to expand our sound, but yet not frighten old listeners away. Jon was great fulfilling our ideas and helped us both polishing the production and make it more sinister. “A/X” is a crucial album to us, it’s the rebirth of the band, but yet it ties it all together.

Q: The sound of Agent Side Grinder always has something ‘retro’ / 80s-like mixed with multiple other influences. What can you say about the impact of 80s music and other influences in your own creation and music?

Johan: The 80s is always present in our music, not just sound-wise or how we use analog synths etc, but also how we write music, we enjoy good old songwriting. But we’re not trying to recreate any era, instead we’re blending ideas from many periods to create something timeless.

Q: Two EP’s (cf. “Döppelganger” and “Stripdown”) have been released as teasers before the album.  A clip has been made for each song. Tell us a bit more about both songs plus the impact of EP’s and clips today?

Johan: “Doppelgänger” instantly became important to us, both the lyrics and music. It paved way for the new incarnation of ASG, but mysteriously also connected to our past. “Stripdown” is more a straight-up, fun track with a lot of hooks. It took long to finish, but we always knew it was a single. The response has been great on both releases.

Q: Agent Side Grinder clearly is a live band. What kind of spirit do you try to create on stage and what’s the importance of playing live today?

Johan: We want to create an intense, strong experience for all senses. Our machines come alive on stage and the room is filled with strange and beautiful music.

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: Electro-wave.

Background/Info: Agent Side Grinder has been active since 2005 and are now releasing their fifth studio-album to date. The band worked together with several labels and went through several changes in the line-up. “A/X” features new vocalist Emanuel Åström who already sung on the previously released EP’s “Doppelgänger” and “Stripdown”.

Content: Agent Side Grinder remains faithful to their 80s inspired sound, which can be seen as the basis of their composition. But the band also adds a very personal touch, which once again appears to be taken from a wider canvas of influences. Sometimes on the edge of EBM and also -and quite surprisingly, revealing acid sequences, the album is a fascinating electronic walk. The songs are maybe more electro-driven than previous productions, but you can still perceive guitar- and bass playing plus a saxophone.

The album also features contributions by guest artists Gustav Bendt (Club Killers) and singer Sally Dige.

+ + + : Agent Side Grinder became a recognized and successful group, but this album is according to me their best and most accomplished work to date. There’s a perfect balance between all influences, electronics and other instruments and last, but not least between the vocals and the music. New singer Emanuel Åström clearly appears to be the right fit. Agent Side Grinder can’t really be compared to any other formation and I like this ‘originality’. The work brings something refreshing, but also is a mature and accomplished work. Overwhelming synth lines support the songs with a dark sphere. The acid-like sequences running through a few cuts are quite unexpected, but here again showing the originality of the band.

– – – : The album only features 9 songs and when you’re listening to a great work you always expect a bit more than 9 tracks. But in the other hand I prefer it this way than an endless tracklist with multiple boring tracks.

Conclusion: Agent Side Grinder confirms with “A/X” their growing status as a successful band. This album features multiple great songs and I’ll not surprised to see this work listed in several ‘best of’-album from 2019!

Best songs: “In From The Cold”, “Doppelgänger”, “The great Collapse”, “MM / CM”, “Decompression”, “Allisin Sane (No. 2)”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.agentsidegrinder / www.facebook.com/agentsidegrinder

Label: www.progress–productions.com / www.facebook.com/progresspro

About Agent Side Grinder

Agent Side Grinder formed in Bromma, Stockholm, in 2005. Its debut and second albums, “Agent Side Grinder” (2008) and “Irish Recording Tape” (2009), drew on post-punk, industrial and dark electro; 2012’s “Hardware” marked a shift to a richer, more layered sound and featured Swedish artists Skriet and Henric de la Cour. “Alkimia” followed in 2015 with a guest appearance from Nicole Sabouné. The band’s line-up changed in 2017 when Kristoffer Grip, Henrik Sunbring and Thobias Eidevald departed; Johan Lange and Peter Fristedt, with new vocalist Emanuel Åström, returned in 2019 with “A/X,” reviewed here, released on Progress Productions.

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

Finally it´s here. The long awaited follow-up to the award winning album “Alkimia” from Swedish electro/new wave/postpunk giants Agent Side Grinder. It’s the first album to feature the new vocalist Emanuel Åström. “A/X” was already teased quite a lot thanks to two singles: “Doppelgänger” and “Stripdown”.

The latter quickly became an underground hit and has been frequently played on Swedish National Radio this winter and was of course picked up for our Spotify playlist.

The album can be purhcased both as a CD (available here) and as a vinyl (available here).

Here are the two singles:

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

“Gary Numan Revisited” is a brand new vinyl release (available now for pre-ordering) holding covers recorded by 7 contemporary dark wave, gothic and dreampop artists to honour Gary Human.

The album opens with Agent Side Grinder’s analogue rendition of “I’m an Agent”, followed by Ash Code’s postpunk/dark wave version of “Down in the Park”. Shad Shadows turn “Metal” into a darkwave track. On the last track of side A, Box & The Twins create dreamy soundscapes in their version of “Complex”.

Suir opens side B with a art-punk version of “Cars”. Synths Versus Me turns Numan’s monster hit “Are Friends Electric?” into a synthpop & EBM take with Art of Noise-esque vocals. The album’s closing track is a gothic rock rendition of “My Name is Ruin” by Swedish rockers Then Comes Silence.

Pre-orders are available right now.

Here’s already the video for the version Box & The Twins recorded of “Complex”.

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

Agent Side Grinder plan a second edition of their album “Industrial Beauty” which comes as an extended version to the 2011 edition. You’ll find no less than 10 bonus-tracks on this double CD set, so it’s worth checking it out.

The 2CD set is available now from this fine mail order.

This compilation, originally released in 2011 as a single CD, features the following on CD1: a collection of studio tracks taken from the 2 first albums of the band, originally released on the exquisite Dutch label Enfant Terrible (a self titled release and “Irish Recording Tapes”) plus 6 tracks from “SWFTR”. CD2 is a collection of live tracks recorded live during the European Spring Tour 2010 plus 2 tracks from “Transatlantic Tape Project” and 4 bonus-tracks from “Hardware comes alive”.

Agent Side Grinder hails from Bromma, Stockholm and was formed in 2005. While their first 2 albums were rooted in post-punk, industrial and dark electro their later material showed a bigger and more textured sound.

Here are a few tracks:

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

Today the fine people at Storming The Base start a World Goth Day Sale action. The sale will go all weekend and will be ending on Sunday.

We checked out what they have on offer for you. One thing is sure, it isn’t dustbin material at all! On our wishlist we added material by Agent Side Grinder, Rational Youth, Ohm, IAMX, 3TEETH, Mlada Fronta, Chrysalide, The Horrorist, S.P.O.C.K., Chandeen, Necro Facility, the very rare Headscan + Implant split EP, Xandria, Isis Signum and much much much more.

If you want to have some great music at a low price, then go and head for this special sale page at Storming The Base!

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!

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Out in a few days (and available here for ordering) is the reissue of the deleted “Irish Recording Tape” album by the postpunk/darkwave act Agent Side Grinder, originally released in 2009 on CD and vinyl via Enfant Terrible, a small Dutch label for electronic music which we have covered in the past on Side-Line. It was released on CD in 2010 on Klangarkivet for the Scandinavian market.

This re-release holds several of the bands most known tracks like “Die to Live”, “Life in Advance” and many more. The album was the follow-up to their self-titled debut “Agent Side Grinder” from 2008 also released on Enfant Terrible.

Regarding Enfant Terrible, it was one of the first labels to start to give recognition and attention to the pioneers of minimal electronics / proto-elektro / avant-garde pop / experimental pop from the early 1980’s.

This exclusive reissue is limited to 500 copies worldwide on mint-green coloured vinyl and can still be ordered right here. The Bromma, Stockholm based act has been active since 2005 and has since then gathered a loyal following. Below are 2 tracks from the “Irish Recording Tape” album:

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