Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Only one month after their new album “Digital Outcast” Berlin  formation Darkness On Demand strikes back with an EP featuring next to the title song and an alternative edit three new songs and one remix.

Content: “White Clouds” is fully representative for the global sound approach of Wagner and Falgalas; the mix of power and evasion. Any Second remixed “Last Attack” -which is another song from the new album, into a hard and dark edit. Among the three new cuts I noticed two potential hits revealing powerful sound production and elaborated composition. The last new cut is a kind of Ambient ‘outro’.

+ + + : This EP serves as a perfect addendum to “Digital Outcast”. “White Clouds” isn’t my favorite song from the album although it remains an interesting, and fully representative song of Darkness On Demand. I’m more into the new cuts “Volle Kraft Vorraus” and “Say Hello” which both are engaged pieces of dynamic, dancefloor-driven, Electro music with alluring vocals on top. Any Second -which is a band I really like, did a great job remixing “Last Attack”. There’s enough stuff for DJs to feature from this EP.

– – – : I regret the new songs didn’t get released on CD format but we have  to face the truth; this is the digital age! I’m a bit skeptical about “White Clouds” as the title song.

Conclusion: This EP stands for a band with a meaning while producing a styled and solid Electronic sound.

Best songs: “Volle Kraft Vorraus”, “Say Hello”, “Last Attack – Any Second Remix”, “White Clouds – Maxi Version”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.darknessondemand.com / www.facebook.com/darknessondemand

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

Listen to “White Clouds”:

About Darkness On Demand

Darkness On Demand is a German dark electro/EBM duo formed by vocalist Gary Wagner and producer Falgalas, who have played together since 1993, first as Dance Or Die. As Darkness On Demand the pair released two albums on Repo Records before signing to Alfa Matrix, where they issued the “Final Way” EP and the single “Hang On (Winterhart Remix)”.

The duo’s third full length, “Digital Outcast”, followed on Alfa Matrix in September 2023, four years after the album “Detoxination”. The “White Clouds” EP arrived one month later, pairing the title track with three new songs and an Any Second remix of “Last Attack”. Darkness On Demand went on to release the album “Panic In Reserve” in December 2024 and the EP “Silence” in March 2025.

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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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Genre/Influences: EBM, Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Berlin trio Any Second released in December 2022 their third album to date. Oliver Senger, Thomas Beschoner and Jan Kluge left Out Of Line and joined hands together with Infacted Recordings to unleash “Enemies”. The opus was preceded by the powerful EP-teaser “Scalpel”. “Enemies” is available as a double disc featuring remixes on the bonus disc.

Content: If you know the band from their previous works you immediately will recognize the perfect mix between EBM and Dark-Electro. Nearly all the songs have been sung in English but there’s also one track with German vocals. Any Second don’t reinvent the music genres they’re inspired by but they mix it in a unique way while adding a catchy touch now and then.

The bonus disc features remixes by Suicide Commando (same one as on the EP), Blutengel, Darkness On Demand, Trensity, Die Braut, Captive Of Society, Digital Energy, Seelennacht, Batavia, Ma=st+er and TerrorFrequenz.

+ + + : The global production has been improved in comparison with previous works. There’s a perfect balance between all the different influences while in the end it remains an ultra-danceable work featuring noticeable songs. My absolute favorite cut is probably the most unusual one; “Cornered” is driven by an irresistible, catchy and Pop-driven lead. I also recommend “I Shout”, “Where Is God” and the Tyske Lüdder-sounding “Subtil 19”.

Among the remixes you’ll find great names like Suicide Commando and Blutengel but my favorite remix is the one by Die Braut.

– – – : I expected a bit more out of the bonus disc. Any Second has made a serious progression while I’m sure they still can do better.

Conclusion: A fully accomplished work featuring several, potential, dancefloor killers.

Best songs: “Cornered”, “I Shout”, “Where Is God”, “Subtil 19”, “Enemies Among Friends” + “Scalpel – Die Braut Remix”, “Me And My Enemy – Suicide Commando Remix”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.anysecond.eu / www.facebook.com/anysecond.berlin

Label: www.infacted-recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted-Recordings/124099254321690

Listen to “Enemies”:

About Any Second

Any Second is a Berlin-based EBM and dark-electro project founded in 2009 under a different line-up. Jan Kluge, a founding member, is now joined by Oliver Senger and Thomas Beschoner. The band released “Dein Schicksal” as a self-released debut in 2012 and the double-disc “Sünde: Mensch” through Out Of Line in 2018, before signing to Infacted Recordings for “Enemies”, released in December 2022 as its third album, preceded by the EP “Scalpel”.

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.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Berliner trio Any Second strike back with a new EP as a teaser to their second official album. The work features two original songs plus three remixes.

Content: Any Second moves on mixing pure EBM together with Dark-Electronics. The harsh vocals in English and German accentuate rage hanging over the work. Next to both new cuts we get remixes of other songs taken from the upcoming album. Suicide Commando, Chains Of Agony and Error State have been asked to do the job.

+ + + : Any Second strikes back with a strong teaser to their new album. The songs have been well-crafted resulting in a perfect sonic osmosis of EBM and Dark-Electro. The sound might appeal for lovers of Tyske Ludder. Both new, original, songs are worthy of examination while I highly recommend the remix of “Dreamer” by Error Fate -this project was featured on one of the “Face The Beat”-samplers. I prefer “Teufelskreis” to the title song.

– – – : I’m missing power in the remixes and expected a bit more out of the Suicide Commando-remix which however remains a big name.

Conclusion: This is a powerful teaser to the upcoming album; great Dark-Body-Music made in Germany.

Best songs: “Teufelskreis”, “Scalpel”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.anysecond.eu / www.facebook.com/anysecond.berlin

Label: www.infacted-recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted-Recordings/124099254321690

Listen to “Scalpel”:

About Any Second

Any Second is a Berlin-based EBM and dark-electro project founded in 2009 under a different line-up. Jan Kluge, a founding member, is now joined by Oliver Senger and Thomas Beschoner. The band released “Dein Schicksal” as a self-released debut in 2012 and the double-disc “Sünde: Mensch” through Out Of Line in 2018, before signing to Infacted Recordings. The label first issued the “Scalpel” EP, a teaser featuring two original songs and three remixes, ahead of the band’s third album “Enemies”, released in December 2022.

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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Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, future-pop.

Background/Info: The Spanish Mondträume duo strikes back with their second full length, which comes five years after the promising debut “Empty”. In the meantime front man Damasius Venys also started with a solo side-project Mental exile, which released its debut-EP in 2018.Notice by the way this new album was preceded by the singles “Still Beating” (2014) and “Free” (2016).

Content: Pikotto Vond Mond and Damasius Venys remain faithful to their electro/future-pop style they introduced on “Empty”. The influences remain identically the same, but the global writing- and production process have been seriously improved. The songs are featuring danceable beats and melancholic, but melodic leads and choruses. I however noticed a fewer ‘happy’-like passages (cf. “Nothing”) and even a simply beautiful song (cf. “Let Me Go”), which has something sensible and poignant.

The limited edition features a bonus disc with remixes by Crytek, Massive Ego, Kant Kino, X-O-Planet, Avarice In Audio, Headzor, Evo-Lution, Octolab, Any second and Elektrostaub. Both previously released single-songs are the main songs exposed to the remix skills of other artists.

+ + + : I already talked about the impressive evolution in sound and composition. If Mondträume was announced by their label as a ‘hot’ newcomer in 2013, they for sure confirm this potential with this great work. The album brings a perfect twist between danceable songs and softer, deeply melancholic pieces. Most of the choruses have an elevating sensation, and I especially want to mention the title song, the already known “Free”, “Nothing” and the beautiful “Le Me Go”. A good ‘pop’ band needs a talented singer and here again Damasius Venys confirms to be the right man in the right place. I think it’s not a coincidence he has already been asked by numerous bands to do some guest vocals. Among the remixes I’ll mention the great contribution by X-O-Planet (featuring male-female duo vocals), Octolab for the groovy approach and Crytek for their punching remix.

– – – : This album also features a cover version of The Cure’s “Lament”, which is not my favorite song from the tracklist.

Conclusion: This album sounds as an invitation to dance to melancholia and it’s weird to say, but it will make you feel good!

Best songs: “Lovers, Sinners & Liars”, “Free”, “Nothing”, “Let Me Go”, “The Center Of Your World” + “Still Beating – X-O-Planet”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Mondtraeume

Label: www.alfa–matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

About Mondträume

Mondträume is a Spanish synth-pop and future-pop duo of vocalist Damasius Venys and producer Pikotto VondMond. The project’s debut album, “Empty”, appeared in 2014, followed by the singles “Still Beating” (2014) and “Free” (2016). Venys also records under the solo alias Mental Exile, which released a debut EP in 2018. Mondträume is signed to Alfa Matrix, which issued the duo’s limited 2CD edition of “Lovers, Sinners & Liars” in 2019 and later released the EPs “The Unknown Path” (2022), “Heart Machine” (2023) and “Poisoned Love” (2024).

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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Genre/Influences: Dark-pop, wave-pop.

Background/Info: The new Blutengel album comes exactly 20 years after the band’s official debut opus “Child Of Glass”. Blutengel became one of the absolute leading formations from the electro-underground scene and has never stopped releasing referential albums. After the brilliant “Vampire”- and “Surrender To The Darkness”-EPs we now get “Un:Gott” featuring 15 songs on the main disc and 9 remixes on the bonus disc.

Content: Blutengel remains faithful to its dark/wave-pop music mainly characterized by solid melody lines and great choruses, but it’s also an album with empowering guitar parts. The familiar “Vampire” song is one of the best illustrations from this ‘heavier’ and yet melodic approach. “Un:Gott” also appears as one of the Blutengel albums with more English sung songs than ever before. Chris Pohl’s deep timbre of voice excels in charisma while Ulrike Goldmann brings her familiar heavenly and sensual touch to the work.

The bonus disc features remixes by Rave The Reqviem, Any Second, Wort-Ton, Angriffspakt, X-RX, Rabia Sorda, Harmjoy, Battlescream and one remix of the song “Auf Deinen Wegen” (originally featured at the “Vampire”-EP) remixed by Blutengel.

+ + + : Blutengel holds on to  the elements that have made this band become what they are today. It’s a dark and melodic electro/wave-pop format on, which Chris Pohl once more excels in the writing of carrying melody lines. But the essence of a ‘great’ pop song also is the power and magic of a chorus and here again “Un:Gott” confirms great skills. But Blutengel is not a ‘classical’ formation dealing with pop, but a formation with a very specific sound DNA; a band you can’t compare with any other one. And also a band that all over the years has progressively evolved, accentuating some elements of the production such as powerful guitar parts. I also have to say a word about the meaningful lyrical content, which has something deep, metaphoric and psychological. “Vampire” remains an absolute attention grabber –and definitely one of my all time favorite Blutengel songs, but I also have to mention “Into The Void”, “Alles”, “Surrender To The Darkness” and “Morningstar”.

Among the remixes I noticed great contributions by Rave The Reqviem, Angriffspakt and X-RX.

– – – : Remixes always are a nice addition as extra disc, but they don’t really bring a bonus compared to the original versions.

Conclusion: Blutengel has released an impressive number of albums over the past 20 years, but I definitely consider “Un:Gott” as one of the most accomplished and successful ones. A must have!

Best songs: “Vampire”, “Into The Void”, “Alles”, “Surrender To The Darkness”, “Morningstar”, “Am Ende Der Zeit”, “Praise The Lord” + “Into The Void – Rave The Reqviem Remix”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.blutengel.de / www.facebook.com/BlutengelOfficial

Label: www.outofline.de  / www.facebook.com/outoflinelabel

Read the news on ‘Un:Gott’.

About Blutengel

Blutengel was formed in 1998 by singer Chris Pohl after he left the band Seelenkrank. The project’s debut album, “Child Of Glass”, followed in 1999 with Kati Roloff and Nina Bendigkeit as the original female vocalists.

Ulrike Goldmann, previously of Say-Y, joined as the band’s female voice in 2005, succeeding Eva Pölzing, and remains Blutengel’s co-vocalist alongside Pohl. The group releases through Out Of Line and describes its own sound as “dark pop”. “Un:Gott” arrived two decades after “Child Of Glass”, the anniversary the album itself marks.

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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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Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, EBM.

Background/Info: Set up in 2010 by Jan Kluge (vocals) and Thomas DosUnit the Berlin duo self-released the album “Dein Schicksal” in 2012. They were joined in 2016 by Oliver Senger (Agonoize) and started writing new material. “Sünde Mensch” is the first official album from Any Second and features an extra disc with remixes.

Content: The sound and influences of Any Second are somewhat 90s like and clearly reminding me of bands such as Tyske Lüdder, Der Prager Handgriff and Calva Y Nada. They bring a powerful mix of dark-electronics and pure EBM sung by charismatic vocals. Most of the vocals are sung in German.

The bonus disc features 10 remixes by [:SITD:], Cephalgy, Centhron, Trensity, Mondträume, Electronic Frequency, Synthattack, Tranzresonanz, Pseudokrupp Project and Angriffspakt.

+ + + : No doubt about it, this is a ‘typical’ Out Of Line production that will appeal for lovers of dark-electronics and EBM. Any second moves somewhere in between and clearly evoke good-old 90s influences. The songs are well-crafted and feature several great cuts. I especially want to tip “Seelenhügel”, which appears to be a real potential hit. The powerful and charismatic vocals are sometimes reminding me of Tyske Lüdder.

Among the remixes I want to say a word about the great job done by [:SITD:] (remixing “Seelenhügel”) and Tanzresonanz (a band I remember from an ‘old’ Out Of Line-compilation entitled “Electrostorm Vol.6”).

– – – : I noticed a few ‘softer’ cuts, which are not the most captivating ones from the work. Sound-wise Any Second avoids all innovation, but I have to admit they accomplished an efficient production.

Conclusion: This is the kind of band that will appeal for multiple electro-heads passionate by EBM and dark-electronics. Nothing new although a cool work!

Best songs: “Seelenhügel”, “Niedergand”, “Sünde” + “Zorn – Tranzresonanz Remix”, “Seelenhügel – [:SITD:] Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.anysecond.eu / www.facebook.com/anysecond.berlin

Label: www.outofline.de  / www.facebook.com/outoflinelabel

About Any Second

Any Second was formed in Berlin in 2010 by Jan Kluge and Thomas Strauß, who self-released the album “Dein Schicksal” in 2012. Oliver Senger, also known for his work in Agonoize, joined in 2016, after which the trio began writing the material that became “Sünde Mensch”, their first album for Out Of Line.

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

The 8th instalment in the Electrostorm electro-sampler-series will be released in early May.

This new volume will hold 17 tracks by the following bands: Hocico, Combichrist, Agonoize, Dive, Too Dead To Die, Solitary Experiments, Blutengel, Massive Ego, Melotron, Rummelsnuff & Asbach, The Juggernauts, Cephalgy, CHROM, Ashbury Heights, Solar Fake, The Sexorcist and Any Second. The latter is the brand new Agonoize-side project.

You can already order the compilation right here.

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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