Out via Two Gods is the new Attrition album “A Permanent View? Black Maria Remixed”. As you could guess already, this new release is a companion remix album for last year’s “The Black Maria”.

The release features 20 versions of the previous album’s flagship songs – “The Great Derailer”, “The Alibi” and “The Switch” – by artists from the USA, Canada, UK and Europe, including Bellhead, Chiasm, Microwaved, Lights of Euphoria, Vaselyne, Kitty Lectro, Satori, Khost, Jenna Leigh Raine, Martine and more.

The original “Black Maria” album was dedicated to the memory of Kerri Bowes (1982 – 2022) who was part of the band between 2012 and 2018. She co-wrote the horror film score “Invocation” and performed it live with Martin in Germany (2013) and Transylvania (2018). The album features various guest female vocalists including Emke from Black Nail Cabaret, Yvette from Vaselyne, Jonna Wolf and most notably the return of original Attrition vocalist Julia.

“A Permanent View? Black Maria Remixed” is available exclusively now as a name your price download from Bandcamp, with streaming worldwide on all major platforms from 21 February 2025 onwards.

Attrition tour dates

• Feb 7th – Necroscope at The Arches, Coventry, UK
• March 28th – Necroscope at The Arches, Coventry, UK
• March 30th – The Black Prince, Northampton, UK
• May 9th – Speakerbox, Bangkok, Thailand
• July 18th – VOD Festival, Friedrichshafen, Germany
• Sept 5th – The Black Bull, Gateshead, UK

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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Horror & Opera, brainchild of Siberian-born classically trained operatic singer, multi-instrumentalist, experimental electronic musician, and multi-disciplinary mixed-media artist, Alia Synesthesia, premieres the track “Incantation”, launching the new immersive multimedia release, “The Lost Opera“.

An immersive, multimedia storytelling event, “The Lost Opera” by Horror & Opera is a ‘Haunted Box’ project, combining audio drama and an operatic composition, “Mortuus Messis”, with both physical artifacts and digital media. “The Lost Opera” tells the story of a mysterious opera known as “Mortuus Messis”, thought to have been lost forever, and the research of the passionate PhD student determined to uncover its secrets.

Project mastermind, Alia Synesthesia of Horror & Opera, says: “There’s something captivating about uncovering lost histories, hidden stories, and forgotten art. For the past year, I’ve been immersed in half composition, half research project that taps into a myriad of exciting for me themes, blends fact and fiction, myth and reality. Today, I’m excited to share the culmination of that journey: The Lost Opera Project – an exploration into the hauntingly beautiful and enigmatic world of Mortuus Messis, an opera that was performed just once in 1916 in Blackwater, Massachusetts, before vanishing into obscurity.”

The Lost Opera ‘Haunted Box’ is made available in both fully virtual (digital) and physical forms. The digital version includes audio downloads of both the opera itself, and the protagonist’s dissertation tapes, along with digital artifacts. The physical version of the box includes everything available in digital form, as well as physical cassette tapes, photographs, letters, and other ephemera.

About Alia Synesthesia aka Horror & Opera

The Lost Opera by Horror & Opera is composed, performed, produced, mixed and mastered by Siberian-born artist Alia Synesthesia; a classically-trained operatic singer, multi-instrumentalist, experimental electronic musician, and multi-disciplinary mixed-media artist, now based in Toronto, Canada.

Alia was born in Yakutsk (Sakha Republic), where she began her formal musical education at the age of 6. Alia started making electronic music in 2011, inspired and influenced by acts like Skinny Puppy, Depeche Mode, Chelsea Wolfe, and others.

Her music blends elements from classical music to musique concrète; from blackmetal to progressive rock; from synthpop to darkwave; from industrial to dark ambience.

Since 2017, Alia has toured from Hawaii to New Zealand and Japan, and as a live touring member Attrition. She is about to join this UK act as they embark on their first ever tour of Australia, and a return trip to New Zealand, from 24 October – 9 November 2024.

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 Brussels-based Spleen+ label (a division of Alfa Matrix) has prepared a deluxe 7CD collector’s edition – “Resurgence” – which brings together 133 active bands from across the globe, spanning the diverse sub-genres born from post-punk’s iconic roots. You can order it now from the Alfa Matrix webstore and in digital download format from Bandcamp.

The release comes housed in a luxurious vinyl-sized box, and comes accompanied by a 28-page book. The book holds interviews from renowned producers like John Fryer and Jean-Marc Lederman, label managers, journalists, and iconic artists (including Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, William Faith, No More, Skeletal Family, Mona Mur, KaS Product, And Also The Trees, Clan Of Xymox, Attrition, Das Ich, Merciful Nuns, The Names, The Breath Of Life, etc).

Spanning 23 different nationalities, the music included is a genre-spanning mix of post-punk, cold wave, dark synth, ethereal, and minimal EBM with such bands like Boy Harsher, A Cloud Of Ravens, No More, Skeletal Family, Collection D’Arnell Andrea, Underviewer, Attrition, Merciful Nuns, Lederman/De Meyer, Local Suicide & Sekelesys, Star Industry, Ataraxia, Czarina, Helalyn Flowers, Ascii.Disko, Je T’Aime, The Ultimate Dreamers, Lycia, Opera Multi Steel, The Breath Of Life, Auger, The Names, Whispers In The Shadow, Lovelorn Dolls, Astari Nite, Chiasm, Saigon Blue Rain, Omnimar, Still Patient, Creux Lies, Golden Apes, and many more.

You can already check out a few tracks here.

Apart from the 7CD vinyl size deluxe carton box format, “Resurgence” will not be available on mainstream digital platforms, except exclusively via the label’s Bandcamp page.

There is also a special combi pack including the 7CD set plus Darkness On Demand’s “Panic In Reserve” CD and To Avoid’s “All Gods Are Gone” 2CD.

“Resurgence” Tracklist

Cd 1

1. Bestial Mouths . Hex (The Spell)
2. A Cloud Of Ravens . Parable
3. Boy Harsher . Give Me A Reason
4. Czarina . Wonderland
5. Collection D’arnell Andrea . Waiting For Meaulnes
6. Krystal System . La Lame Dans Ta Main
7. Je T’aime . Out Of Sight
8. Aeon Rings . Fully Operational
9. The Ultimate Dreamers . Polarized
10. Partikul . Nothing Good In Me
11. Cosmobrigade . Spacepit
12. Aeon Sable . From Witchcraft To Deviltry
13. Stereoskop . Deep Down
14. The Breath Of Life . Slowly Crushing
15. Faust Project . Rats Lullaby
16. Al . Mistake
17. N.E.L. & J.P . Desinteresse
18. Zeitgeist Zero . Scream
19. Voyna . Moulding Heart

Cd 2

1. Blackbook . You Are Strange
2. Auger . My Heart Is Glass
3. Dekad . A Deadly Show (Video Edit)
4. Love In Cage . A Logical Secret Collection
5. Helalyn Flowers . Halos
6. Soft Scent . No Wounds
7. Sweet Ermengarde . Sweet Sacrifice
8. Martin Dupont . Bent At The Window (2023)
9. The Names . Far From The Factories
10. Boxes Of Blow . Melting Faces
11. Mirror Of Haze Feat. Primitive Heart . Reckless
12. A Slice Of Life . Seven Days
13. Then Comes Silence . Pretty Creatures
14. Nite . Inside Of My Head
15. Astari Nite . Bowie In Daydreams
16. Korus . Złote Światło Pierwszego Zachodu
17. Lovelorn Dolls . A Heart Cries
18. Whispers In The Shadow . Revenants
19. Merciful Nuns . Oneironauts

Cd 3

1. Lederman – De Meyer . Heartbeat
2. Local Suicide & Skelesys . Surface Of The Sun (Radio Edit)
3. Punx Soundcheck Feat. Ascii.Disko & Princess Superstar . Gasoline
4. No More . Sleepers And Trains
5. Mitra Mitra . Memories For Company
6. A Copy For Collapse Feat. Simona Pietrucci . Faded
7. Alien Skin . Depress Me
8. White Mansion . Cancel The Sky
9. Apnoie . Splash Your Bile
10. Celluloide . Compte Les Ombres
11. Risk Risk . Streetwalk
12. Total Chroma . Northern Lights
13. Opera Multi Steel . À Nos Moments Perdus
14. Lycia . Simpler Times
15. Noemi Aurora . Blood As Lipstick
16. Novus . Ess
17. I Ya Toyah . Death’s Kiss
18. Katcross . Rest
19. Winter Severity Index . Speak To Me

Cd 4

1. Systeme Paradoxe . Comme Le Sable En Hiver
2. Aiboforcen . Break The Black Ice (Original Mix)
3. Chiasm . Cut Right Through (Emileigh Rohn Edit)
4. Saigon Blue Rain . Dolls Dresses
5. Her Own World . Mistrust
6. Still Patient Feat. Minu-Schirin Samimi . Blind Vision
7. Creux Lies . Playtime
8. Der Klinke . Curtains (Your Life On Hold Remix)
9. On The Floor . Crying On The Dancefloor
10. Numa Echos Feat. Red Zebra . Waisted Items
11. Factheory . The Day (Ok Lion! Mix – Short Version)
12. Antiflvx . Crystal
13. Flor Concreta . She’s Closer
14. Golden Apes . Ash Trees
15. Glis . Blue Sky Night
16. Ataraxia . The Source
17. Hanging Freud . Grooming
18. Ok Lion! . Get Away
19. Yuzna . Queen Of The Eels

Cd 5

1. The Breath Of Life Feat. Implant . The Last Record
2. The Halo Trees . Happy Man
3. Palm Ghosts . Tilt
4. Your Life On Hold . Imprisoned (Merciless Radio Edit)
5. Götterdämmerung . Common Existence
6. Jenni Sex . Sin Chimes
7. Denner . She Radiates Darkness
8. Imjudas . I Love You
9. Black Needle Noise . Dollhouse On Fire
10. Dead Souls Rising . Dysmorphobia
11. The Waning Moon . Annabel
12. Korinthians . Leader Of The Night
13. Elektrostaub Feat. Stefan Netschio . Mantis (Auger Remix)
14. Omnimar . The Matrix
15. Synapsyche Feat. Chris Harms (Lord Of The Lost) . The Last Dying Flame
16. Dance My Darling . Criminal
17. First Aid 4 Souls Feat. Emke Of Black Nail Cabaret . Das Messer
18. Supernova 1006 . Tell Your Name (Mix)
19. Suicidal Romance . Runaways

Cd 6

1. Ascii.Disko . Loslassen
2. Vioflesh . Emotions
3. Dina Summer . Who Am I (Club Version)
4. Pleasure Victim . Rascheln
5. Pink Opake . Pronta
6. Thewalkingicon . The Trail (Radio Edit)
7. Psy’aviah Feat. Sorrow Stories . Healing
8. Seasurfer . Collapsing
9. Lakeside X . Fire In The Sky (Radio Version)
10. Darkness On Demand . Hang On (Winterhart Remix)
11. Star Industry . Selling Icons (The Dreamside Remix)
12. Alphavox . Dark Satellite
13. Yama Uba . Shapes
14. Lifeless Past . Anxiety
15. Pink Turns Blue . Not Gonna Take It
16. Social Union . Waiting For Red
17. Sine . Until (Clan Of Xymox Remix)
18. Sorry, Heels . She Burns (We Burn) Version
19. Lights A.M . Clouds

Cd 7

1. Useless/You . Echo
2. Attrition . The Great Derailer
3. Children Of Zeal . Taking Over
4. Octolab . Friend Or Foe
5. Vague Phonique . The Last Man
6. Midnight Poetry . Black Hole
7. The Overlookers . Undercover (Edit)
8. La Machine . Vamos A La Playa (Radiomix)
9. Die Sexual . House Of God
10. Carrellee . Morning Sun
11. Underviewer . Was Soll Ich Tun (Aiboforcen Remix)
12. Night In Athens . Words Unspoken
13. Neila Invo . Alienation
14. Skeletal Family . My Own Redemption
15. The Murder Mystery . A Girl Named Red
16. Princess Ugly . For A Moment I Forgot The Desolation
17. Instant Lake . Ivory Dreams
18. Vision Video . Balaclava Kiss
19. La Scaltra . Dancing On Debris

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

Coventry’s industrial and cinematic darkwave band, Attrition, led by founder Martin Bowes, is gearing up for its first-ever tour of Australia and a return to New Zealand in October and November 2024. This tour follows the release of their album “The Black Maria” which dropped earlier this year via Two Gods Records.

Joining Attrition on the Australian leg of the tour is New South Wales’ industrial synth crust outfit Schkeuditzer Kreuz. Canadian ritual-ambient artist Subterranea (also known as Alia Synesthesia of Attrition) will accompany them for all Australian and New Zealand shows, except the Melbourne date. The tour will also feature a rotating lineup of special guests from the local underground music scene, including Life Cult, The Cold Field, DevilMonkey, Mankind, and more.

The 11-date tour kicks off in Perth on October 24th, with subsequent shows in Adelaide, Frankston, Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Nambour. Attrition and Subterranea will then travel to New Zealand, where they will perform in Christchurch for the first time, followed by shows in Wellington and Auckland.

Check Attrition’s website for ticketing details.

Attrition on tour

• 24 October: Perth, four5nine, Rosemount Hotel, with Schkeuditzer Kreuz, Life Cult, and Subterranea.
• 25 October: Adelaide, Hotel Metro, with Schkeuditzer Kreuz, The Cold Field, Subterranea + DJ Empusa.
• 26 October: Frankston, Singing Bird Studio, with Schkeuditzer Kreuz, DevilMonkey, Subterranea + DJ Varunia Khan.
• 27 October: Hobart, Altar, with Schkeuditzer Kreuz, Mankind, and Subterranea + DJ Black Paul.
• 31 October: Melbourne, The Gasometer (Halloween), with Schkeuditzer Kreuz, Death of Art, Palliative + DJ Crowley.
• 1 November: Sydney, Darling Nikki’s, with Schkeuditzer Kreuz, Sounds Like Winter, Subterranea + DJs Xerstorkitte & Action Ant.
• 2 November: Brisbane, The Cave Inn, with Schkeuditzer Kreuz, Chiffon Magnifique, Subterranea + DJs Richard & Josh.
• 3 November: Nambour, Black Box Theatre, with Schkeuditzer Kreuz, Chiffon Magnifique, and Subterranea.
• 7 November: Christchurch, The Embankment Tavern, with Acclimate, Placenta Cookbook, and Subterranea.
• 8 November: Wellington, Valhalla, with special guests.
• 9 November: Auckland, Whammy Bar, with special guests.

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

Breaches, the post-punk duo from Wellington, New Zealand, is composed of Hayden Ellis and Matt McGuiness.

Following their recent performance opening for Ville Valo (formerly of HIM) in Auckland, the band has been actively releasing new music. Their latest singles, “Twist the Knife” and “Left Behind,” have set the tone for their sound.

They now also unveiled a video for “Twist the Knife,” a track that holds significant meaning for the band. According to Hayden Ellis, “’Twist the Knife’ was the first song we wrote together, and it really defined our direction as a band. The song deals with the feeling of being lost in an unfamiliar place and is dedicated to the memory of a late friend who was always searching for an escape.”

With new music coming in the months ahead, Breaches will support Attrition (UK) in Wellington in November.

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

Martin Bowes and his main music project Attrition have been part of the collective memory of many Electro fans since the 80s. This year, Attrition released their first new studio-album in years. “The Black Maria” sounds on the one hand like a ‘classic’ Electro-Wave-Pop album but on the other hand also as a refreshing and sensual production with some Cinematic parts. The work became a truly collective production with the contribution of female singers Emke (Black Nail Cabaret), Yvette (Vaselyne), Joanne Wolf and the return of the original Attrition-singer Julia Niblock Waller. Guest musicians Alia Miroshichenko, Annie Hogan, Vancorvid and Marietta Fox, Ian Arkley, Steve Clarke and Kris Force joined forces together with Attrition. I asked Martin Bowes some questions about this new and fantastic work released on Two Gods. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Attrition has now been active for over 40 years. Can you draw up a preliminary and concise overview of this exceptional career with the highs and lows that spontaneously come to mind? And how do you feel Attrition and its work has influenced the music scene over the years?

Martin: I started out in music inspired by Punk… first running a local music fanzine here in Coventry, between 1979-81 (Alternative Sounds ran for 18 issues). I knew that I had to make my own music so started Attrition in 1980 with Julia Waller, and her brother Ashley. We were totally influenced by Electronics and Post-Punk by then. It wasn’t easy to get gigs for music like this in the early 80’s, at least not around here… it would take a while for the music to take hold… and Industrial, Dark-Wave, whatever you may call it gradually became a lot bigger; lot was so good to be there at the beginning.

We have gone through many record labels, booking agents and even band members since those early days. It’s never been an easy road but it has taken us all over the world and we have released a lot of albums… and scored some film soundtracks along the way.

I hear that Attrition has influenced bands and the scene… I remember Skinny Puppy writing to us back in the mid-eighties… which is a wonderful thing to know.

Q: “The Black Maria” is your first new studio album in quite a long time. Why did this take so long and what sparked the new work?

Martin: The last full studio album was the “Millions Of The Mouthless Dead” album of First World war poetry and sounds I recorded as Attrition with Anni Hogan (of Marc And The Mambas amongst many projects she has done over the years). Since then we have toured a lot and released various singles and live recordings, and I have put out a side project… The Engram-album of 2018, and the DPM improvisational collective I was a part of in more recent years.

Recordings were slowed by covid, and the tragedy of my ex-wife, and Attrition collaborator Kerri Bowes untimely death in 2022. And also by increasing production and mastering work for other bands here in my studio The Cage. So yes it was high time for another Attrition album!

Q: I think I can say that it became a collaborative album. Tell us more about the choice of singers and other musicians? How did this collaboration go and did you discover new facets of yourself as a musician and producer?

Martin: I have been the main person in Attrition for many years, and with knowing so many musicians after all this time, and the ease of recording remotely these days, I found myself working with guest musicians more and more. Since our original singer Julia dropped out of the music scene 20 years ago I have recorded with a succession of guest female vocalists…  I think “The Black Maria” is the peak of that phase… as Julia… and her brother Ashley… after decades… have rejoined the band! They came back recently and have been playing live again with me and Julia sang on 2 songs on the new album… so Attrition is now the original line up, augmented by more musicians… a good place to be.

Q: “The Black Maria” is an interesting title with a whole background and meaning. What exactly inspired you and what did you try to express with this title and entire album?

Martin: “The Black Maria” was the name for a mythical figure that would come to take away ‘wrongdoers and miscreants’. Later it was used for the name of the  UK Police vans in the 1970’s… Kerri and I had a clash with our local corrupt Police a few years ago… hence the inspiration for the title… The album is, like all our albums, very personal… like an audio photo album of the time if you like. And it also looks at issues of state and religious corruption and control. Nothing really changes…

Q: What comes next after this album and what dreams or expectations do you have for the coming years?

Martin: Next on the agenda… we are planning shows and tours in The UK, Europe (next is The Castle Party in Poland July 12th – 14th) then The USA (Cold Waves festival Chicago and Dark Arts Festival Salt Lake City and more) then we are looking at Australia/New Zealand and Japan for the end of 2024/start of 2025…  Meanwhile I am releasing a double album of remixes from “The Black Maria”, also on my own label, Two Gods. And have started recording a Dark-Ambient Soundtrack work.

After all these years I can still get that same feeling of excitement with music and of only just beginning… and I love being a part of a wonderful world community.  I never have expectations, but plenty of dreams.

Thank you for the interview! Interested parties please check out our online sites!

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, Cinematic, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Cassette.

Background/Info: Martin Bowes strikes back with a new album of his sonic brainchild Attrition. Being active since 1980 Attrition can look back at an impressive discography. The new work reveals eight songs and has been accomplished together with multiple guest singers and musicians. Martin Bowes teamed up with female vocalists including Emke (Black Nail Cabaret), Yvette (Vaselyne), Joanne Wolf and the return of the original Attrition singer Julia Niblock Waller. Guest musicians Alia Miroshichenko, Annie Hogan, Vancorvid and Marietta Fox, Ian Arkley, Steve Clarke and Kris Force joined forces together with Attrition. 

Content: Attrition stays true to their recognizable sound mixing Electronic sound treatments and Neo-Classical elements -played with acoustic instruments. There is a Soundtrack atmosphere interspersed with more danceable songs. The female vocalists bring a sensual touch to the work that is reinforced with the slow, sultry, rhythms. Martin’s deeper timbre of voice brings a nice contrast to the singing. 

+ + + : The album and its overall approach to sounds and arrangements remains recognizable. I like this sound DNA where Electro and Neo-Classical are in total harmony. Attrition also remains intriguing for its sensual passages covered in dark atmospheres and Industrial sounds. There is something to say about almost every song, but the well-known “The Switch” (previously released as an EP-title song) remains an absolute delight. Other highlights include “The Zero Hour” and the title track “The Black Maria.” Attrition remains a warrant for an original and very personal sound full of subtlety and other, small details.

– – – : I regret the work only features 8 tracks including an intro.

Conclusion: This is an astonishing and highly artistic work by Attrition; for Electro gourmets.

Best songs: “The Switch”, “The Black Maria”, “The Zero Hour”, “The Pillar II”, “The Great Derailer”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.attrition.co.uk / www.facebook.com/ATTRITIONMUSIC

Label: www.twogods.co.uk / www.facebook.com/TwoGods Read the news on ‘The Black Maria’.

About Attrition

Attrition is an English dark wave band formed in Coventry in 1980 by Martin Bowes and Julia Niblock, emerging from the early-1980s post-punk scene alongside Throbbing Gristle, Coil and Einstürzende Neubauten. Early releases included the cassette album “Death House” (1982) and the debut “The Attrition of Reason” (1984) on Third Mind Records. The band moved to Belgium’s Antler-Subway label for “At the Fiftieth Gate” (1988), then signed to Projekt Records in the US for a run of albums including “3 Arms and a Dead Cert” (1996) and “The Jeopardy Maze” (1999). Bowes founded the Attrition label Two Gods in 2006, reissuing the back catalogue and releasing the anniversary set “Tearing Arms from Deities”. Later albums include “All Mine Enemys Whispers – The Story of Mary Ann Cotton” (2008), “The Unraveller of Angels” (2013) and “Millions of the Mouthless Dead” (2015), the latter made with Anni Hogan and featuring a guest appearance from Wolfgang Flür. Current members are Martin Bowes, Simon Stansfield, Ashley Niblock, Richard Woodfield, Ian Arkley and Alia Miroschichenko. Following the 2022 compilation “A Great Desire (1986 – 2004)”, Bowes returns with the new album “The Black Maria” on Two Gods.

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 new Attrition album, “The Black Maria”, will be released on March 23rd. Pre-orders are now live in all formats (CD / Vinyl / Cassette / Download).

This time founder Martin Bowes has teamed up with female vocalists including Emke from Black Nail Cabaret, Yvette from Vaselyne, Jonna Wolf and most notably the return of original Attrition vocalist Julia. Musically Bowes brings a mix of industrial and gothic songs, plus dark ambient soundscapes. Lyrically he continues his exploration of introspective themes of life, love and death.

The album is dedicated to the memory of Kerri Bowes (1982 – 2022). Kerri Bowes was part of the band between 2012 and 2018. She co-wrote the horror film score “Invocation” and performed it live with Martin in Germany (2013) and Transylvania (2018).

Other guest appearances come from Alia Miroshichenko (Subterranea) Annie Hogan (Marc and the Mambas etc) on Grand Piano, Vancorvid and Marietta Fox on Violins, Ian Arkley (My Silent Wake, Guillotine Dream) on Guitar, Steve Clarke (Futumche/Octogoth) on additional guitar/bass, and Kris Force on Cello.

Also included are remixed/remastered versions of the singles “The Great Derailer” and “The Alibi”.

Attrition will have a bandcamp listening party for the album, from 7pm UK time on Sunday March 24th. You can join Martin to listen to the album and ask questions on this new album and future plans for the band.

Attrition shows for 2024

• March 29th – The Arches, Coventry, UK (Album launch show)
• July 13th – Castle Party, Bolkow, Poland
• July 25th – The Railway Inn, Winchester, UK
• August 22nd – The Peer Hat, Manchester, UK
• More tbc.

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

The Montreal, Canada-based coldwave act Scene Noir are releasing a download EP on Friday, called “Violent Summer”. You can preview all 3 tracks right now on Bandcamp, and also pre-order them there.

The band recorded the material for this new EP in Montreal in July 2023. Behind the production helmet we notice Andrew Velvet (Cold Model Studios). The EP will be released on Velouria Recordz.

The line-up for this EP consisted of Aislinn Vaudry (vocals, synths), Kevin Hills (bass), David Brennan (guitar) and Andrew Velvet (vocals, synths, guitars).

Scene Noir formed in 2011 when Andrew Velvet (vocals, guitar, synth) and Dave Brennan (bass, guitar vocals) began playing indie venues and festivals around their native Montreal. In 2012 Scene Noir opened for the UK’s Attrition on their Canadian tour, with Andrew Velvet also playing synths for the headliners.

2014 brought the release of “Waves” their first full length on Cold Model Records. This was followed by another Canadian tour in company of Montreal’s Echo Beach. 2017 marked the release of “From Dreams to Memories”, a more electronic/goth sounding release featuring the singles “Another Night Of London Rain” and “Submission”.

By 2018 the two new band members, Aislinn Vaudry (guitars/vocals) and Kevin Hills (bass), had joined the formation. In 2021 they released their third album, “Telegraph”, via Velouria Recordz.

Here’s the new EP. Read the review of ‘Violent Summer’.

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 veteran dark industrial music group, Attrition, which was formed in late 1980, reunited in its original line-up in 2022. The band played festivals and shows in the UK, while also preparing for performances in Europe and the USA to promote their latest album, “The Black Maria”.

In anticipation of the forthcoming tour, the band conducted rehearsals in February 2023. In a very nice surprise for their fans, these sessions were recorded in multitrack and professionally mixed by Martin Bowes at the Cage Studios.

This compilation is now released as a limited edition CD album titled “Live in the Cage. 07.02.23”, featuring what the band refers to as ‘interpretations’ of songs from their three-decade-long journey. The ensemble for these sessions included Martin Bowes, Ashley Niblock, Simon Stansfield, and Julia Waller.

A special limited signed edition of this live album is also available, with only 100 copies produced. Each CD comes in a card wallet with cover photographs taken by Antony Weir.

Tracklist:

1. The Voice of Truth
2. One Horse Rider
3. Dreamcatcher
4. Snakepit
5. The Mercy Machine
6. Invocation
7. Two Gods
8. Narcissist
9. The Great Derailer
10. Dante’s Kitchen
11. The Long Hall

And below is the release on Bandcamp, where you can also order the CD version.

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 dark wave / post-punk duo Vaselyne are back with a brand new album op COP International, the 3-track EP “Under Your Skin”. The EP is available now in pre-order and ready for release on the 5th of May 2023 (Bandcamp Day), tomorrow that is.

The EP holds the title track “Under Your Skin” followed by a cover of David Sylvian’s “Riverman” and an instrumental version of “Under Your Skin”. Note that the “Riverman” cover was created for the Japan cover compilation “Still Life in Polaroids” which we covered earlier this week. That compilation is curated by Yvette Winkler and Coitus Interruptus Production.

“We are both very much influenced by Japan. Their ability to mix musical genres, and their impact on the future of new wave, was very important. Especially considering the fact, they were all self taught. It’s an honour to be able to play their songs, but also a scary thing. As you feel you are touching the Crown Jewels 🙂 You want to do them and their music justice.”

This new EP follows the release of their full length “The Sea Says”. Vaselyne has now finished recording their upcoming album. The first single of that album is a ballad “Waiting to Exhale”. The video for this track was made by Dutch filmmaker Dorothee Meddens. The new album includes collaborations with Lynette Cerezo from Bestial Mouths, Searmanas, John Fryer ( Black Needle Noise, NIN, Prayers, This Mortal Coil and HIM) and Michael Aliani from Chiron/Ikon.

Vaselyne is a collaboration between Dutch singer Yvette Winkler and Dutch musician and producer Frank Weyzig. Yvette Winkler was co-founder of the Dutch band “Sea of Souls” (2006) and Frank Weyzig is a Dutch producer, composer and band member, known for his contribution to the original line-up for Clan of Xymox and his work for indie new wave band Born For Bliss. Vaselyne has so far released four albums on the German label Echozone: “Earthbound” EP (2012), their full length debut album “The Fire Within” (2013), “In Dreams” EP (2015) and “Fragile” EP (2016).
​
In the spring of 2018, after a two year hiatus, the band picked up things where they left and Vaselyne contributed to the new Textbeak (Michael Szewczyk) album, “Sick for Songs a Season Eats”, produced by John Fryer. For this album, Yvette wrote and sung the lyrics for “Legion_err” and both Frank and Yvette have written and sung the lyrics for “Information Medicine” a track with Mark Stewart of “The Pop Group”. Yvette also collaborated with IAMTHESHADOW, John Fryer’s Black Needle Noise, Jean- Marc Lederman, Attrition and Junksista. Frank worked with Kelly Cook (ex- Moev) on their new project “Tearing The BlackBox”.

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 / Techomancer press release. Photos: Tarjei Krogh) Out now is the new album from the Norwegian synthwave act Technomancer a.k.a. Alexandria “Alyxx” Digre (she/her). She debuted with the album ‘System Failure’ in 2013, and now, almost 10 years later, the second album ‘Hyperfuel’ is finally being released!

Originally from the Northern town of Mo I Rana, Norway, Alyxx moved to Sarpsborg in 2014 and had already started working on the album at that point. Realizing that the next album had to be of much higher quality than the debut album, Alyxx started working on honing her production skills, getting plenty of practice on her side projects Zone Tripper and Laboratory 5, as well as doing numerous remixes for bands/artists such as Die Krupps, Nitzer Ebb, Anne Clark, Naked Lunch, Attrition, Robert Marlow (RIP), Apoptygma Berzerk and several others.

After ‘System Failure’, a departure from the former sound was set almost immediately. The sleek futurepop style was cast aside in favour of a heavier influence from the 80’s, with The Sisters Of Mercy providing a strong influence on the new sound. Together with Zone Tripper, Technomancer adopted very much an early synthwave sound which since then has become a signature sound for Alyxx’ productions as a whole. The new album relies heavily on sampled guitars and drum machines to give a much heavier retrowave feeling, which should please fans of synthwave acts such as Dance With The Dead and Scandroid.

The album has been co-produced by Stephan L. Groth (Apoptygma Berzerk) and his brother Jonas Groth (Piston Damp, Apoptygma Berzerk) who both have also provided guest vocals on the album. Frequent collaborator Per Aksel Lundgreen (Angst Pop, Cronos Titan, Chinese Detectives, Shatoo) has also been involved.

Ole-Espen Kristiansen (OK Minus, Elec This!) has mastered the album and also mixed a couple tracks. Ole-Espen has also done mastering and live mixing for Apoptygma Berzerk and Piston Damp.

Wanting to know more about this release, we contacted Alyxx to have some questions answered.

S-L: You’ve gone from furutepop to synthwave – what’s the next step in your evolution?

Alexandria Digre: Well, I really don’t know. I’ve been listening to harder stuff lately. I especially loved REIN’s album, ‘Reincarnated’ and really loved that kind of old school EBM sound making a comeback. I also finally got around to listening to some Nitzer Ebb stuff, especially their legendary ‘That Total Age’ album. Some of my recent demos have been more in the vein of that, combined with some influences from Empirion.

I also saw Sierra in Gothenburg this summer and really loved the harder synthwave sound she had going. I’m definitely still in the synthwave scene and been listening to a lot of stuff there lately, so that might still be an influence going forward. I don’t think the next album will take a decade to make so I also doubt it will be as much of a new direction. But we will see, it all depends on where my writing takes me.

Right now I have some ideas for a new album but nothing solid, as I rarely do in the early stages. I actually wrote a few futurepop/techno tracks at the start of making ‘Hyperfuel’ that ended up not really fitting in, but I might use some of that for the next album if I can find a new sound they would fit in. But so far I’ve been wanting to draw more on early 90s EBM influences like Front Line Assembly and that early EBM sound.

S-L: How has the feedbacks on the album been so far?

AD: Well, even as the singles came out, it was usually positive. But as for the album, it really seems people are loving it. Everyone I’ve sent it to has enjoyed it and hasn’t really had much bad to say about it. Which is both flattering and a bit concerning. I really hope someone really goes into depth on the album at some point. I love praise and knowing people are connecting with the music, but I also love to know where I can improve going forward. After all, ‘Hyperfuel’ wouldn’t be the album it is without the criticism I got from ‘System Failure’.

S-L: You got some covers here – tell us more about how they came to life!

AD: ‘Puppets’ came to life as I was invited to contribute to a Depeche Mode tribute project. I made the original version on my own in my studio and on a journey with Stephan (Apoptygma Berzerk) I played it for him and Per Aksel (Angst Pop) and Stephan really loved what he heard. He not only advised me to release the cover myself, but also allow him to do it together with me. I was floored by the fact Stephan straight up asked to work with me on something, so naturally I agreed.

He spent a few days in his studio recording some additional synth riffs on his Korg MS-20 and recording the vocals, which we then added to the mix. We then spent a while in my studio producing the track with Per Aksel.

So yeah, very glad I didn’t just release it as a tribute album track. It ended up becoming a lot more than that, and I have so many good memories with ‘Puppets’. Only downside is I doubt I could perform it live without Stephan. It wouldn’t feel right, haha!

‘Ecstasy’ was a song I’ve wanted to cover for a long time. I’ve been a fan of Black Lab since I heard their cover of the Transformers Theme from their ‘Technologie’ EP, where ‘Ecstasy’ was also featured. I immediately connected with the song and it has always been my favourite Black Lab track.

‘Ecstasy’ was actually always intended to be on the album. I think it was on the first demo I brought Per Aksel right after I had moved to Sarpsborg. On the demo version, I did all the vocals myself, but I always wanted someone with me on it. Per Aksel suggested Stian Joneid as a candidate, and we also considered Dag Brandth (Shatoo) to do it with me. Honestly, Dag might have been perfect for it, but due to circumstances that never worked out, so I ended up choosing Jonas Groth (Piston Damp) since I was recording my final vocals in his studio for the song and he’s the best singer I know.

Jonas’ vocals really helped bring the song to another level and I am so happy we got to work together on it. Him and Truls Sønsterud did an amazing Piston Damp remix of it by the way that you can find on the single.

‘The Outsider’ was a song I originally did for a Psyche tribute album, ‘Unforgotten Rhymes’. It was also the second music video I did after moving to Sarpsborg, with Per Aksel directing and shooting it. It sort of became the first single from the album actually, featuring the signature sound I would be going for. It’s always been a song I connected with on a personal level, so having it on the album felt natural to me.

S-L: What’s next up for you?

AD: Working on a new Zone Tripper album and some other side projects. Lab5 has been dormant for a while and I am itching to get some of our material out there. Also working on a synthwave project called Neo Hyperdrive together with Hexebyte and Max Static from Lab5. There will also be a 2CD Deluxe Edition of Hyperfuel that will also be available on my Bandcamp. I’ll announce a release date for that later on.

The album was released digitally worldwide on November 4^th 2022, with a Deluxe Edition also available on 2xCD via Sector Industrial (www.sector-industrial.com) and digitally exclusive via the Technomancer Bandcamp, which includes 5 additional tracks and remixes by Machinista, Echo Image, Piston Damp, Substaat and Christian Espeland of Code 64. Release date for the Deluxe Edition will be revealed later.

Get it at Bandcamp along with more of the discography, or have a listen at Spotify!

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… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange

Gothic electro-rock trio Dispel presents “Glasya’s Heresy (Acoustic Version)” from their sophomore album “Inferno” out on October 12th. The video for the track was filmed in South Africa. Earlier this year, Dispel also released “Journey Into Limbo”.

Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Dispel is a trio made up of Ravensea, Sean Gallows and Scott Dispel, a founding member of the old- school hardcore band Face Value and former drummer for Textbeak. Produced by Dispel, the new album was mastered at The Cage Studios in Coventry, UK by Martin Bowes of Attrition.

“Glasya’s Heresy (Acoustic Version)” and “Journey Into Limbo” are out now, available across online music platforms.

Here’s the video.

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 now is “Live at projektfest. Chicago. 1996”, the live recording of the first ever Attrition show in the USA, at the Projekt festival at the Vic Theatre in Chicago on June 26th 1996. Recently unearthed by Sam Rosenthal, the material has now been mastered by Martin Bowes at The Cage and released for the first time.

Next to a download, the release is also available as a CDR on Bandcamp. The CDR is burnt on pro equipment on special vinyl style CD’s, with printed PDF cover on art paper and signed by Martin if you would like.

The live line-up consisted of Martin Bowes, Julia Waller and John Waller.

Check the release 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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Genre/Influences: Chanson, Psychedelic, Neo-Folk, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The duo Martyn Bates (Attrition) – Alan Trench released this latest opus by the end of 2021. It’s their sixth album and the third one released by FinalMuzik.

Content: Bates and Trench move on there where previous works stopped. They again got inspired by a kind of free-style mixing elements of pure Chanson together with Neo-Folk, Psychedelic music and Ballads. They sometimes remind me of the work of The Legendary Pink Dots.

+ + + : This is a new and totally minimal-kind of production. The work sounds as an invitation to travel and dream away with a touch of ‘World Music’ on top. Both artists used several acoustic instruments injecting authenticity to their work. It sounds graceful and immersive.

– – – : The album is missing a true climax.

Conclusion: I get a similar feeling with this album as its predecessors; an easy and pleasant listening without absolute ups not downs.

Best songs: “Two Ravens”, “Taile Of A Charm”, “At The Fair Of St. Botolph”.

Rate: 7.

Label: www.finalmuzik.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Final-Muzik/85814529244

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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The UK electro act Attrition has compiled the period 1986 – 2004 on the “A Great Desire (1986 – 2004)” on vinyl.

The vinyl holds 10 tracks, most never before released on vinyl. All songs were recorded at various locations in London, Brussels and Coventry, UK between 1986 and 2004. The material was remastered from the original DAT tapes by Martin Bowes at The Cage in 2021. The album includes 2 free posters of Martin and Kerri Bowes.

RIP Kerri Bowes

The band also informed us of the sad passing of Kerri Bowes (1982 – 2022) who was part of the band between 2012 and 2018. She co-wrote the horror film score “Invocation” and performed it live with Martin in Germany (2013) and Transylvania (2018).

Attrition will perform a live version of the score at The Tin on February 26th, in her memory, as special guests of their friends in Fütumche! who will play Coventry for a special event showcasing the release of their second album “A Healthy Dose of Fear”.

Here’s the score Kerri worked on.

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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COP International has announced the signing of the Dutch band Vaselyne. The duo came recommended by John Fryer who had worked with Yvette Winkler on a Black Needle Noise release.

“Waiting to Exhale” is the first single taken from Vaselyne’s upcoming album to be released in 2022. The video for the single, which you view below, was shot by dutch filmmaker Dorothée Meddens.

Through Pieter Nooten Winkler came into contact with Frank Weyzig who was Clan of Xymox’ original guitarist. They decided to write music together and Vaselyne was born in 2011. As well as being Vaselyne’s singer and lyricist, Yvette does guest vocals and lyrics.

Vaselyne has so far released four albums/EPs on the German label Echozone: the “Earthbound” EP (2012), their full-length debut album “The Fire Within” (2013), the “In Dreams” EP (2015) and the “Fragile” EP (2016). In the spring of 2018, after a two-year hiatus, Frank and Yvette Winkler picked up things where they left and Vaselyne contributed to the Textbeak (Michael Szewczyk) album, “Sick for Songs a Season Eats”, produced by John Fryer.

About Yvette Winkler

Yvette Winkler is a Dutch singer/lyricist and artist. After being a nightclub singer in her teens performing covers with a tape, she formed her first band Dazzle & Delight. In the following years, she did musical theatre, recorded with Orphan Amp and co-founded Sea Of Souls.

After meeting Pieter Nooten of Clan of Xymox on Myspace, she started a collaboration for his album “Here is Why” for which she did lead, backing vocals, and wrote lyrics.

She has collaborated with Textbeak, John Fryer’s Black Needle Noise, IAMTHESHADOW, Junksista, Jean-Marc Lederman and Attrition.

About Frank Weyzig

Weyzig started his music career in 1985 with the Dutch electronic wave band Clan of Xymox when they were signed with the English independent label 4AD, which released their first album, “Clan of Xymox” that year. Weyzig played guitar and keyboards on the first album and performed with the band on stage as a live guitarist and keyboard player until 1990.

From 1995 until 1999 he played as vocalist and guitarist with Dutch indie-wave band Born For Bliss which you will surely remember from the track “Arabia” (released via Nuclear Blast / Death Wish Office).

In 1998 German Goth rock legends ‘Love Like Blood’ asked Frank to write a song for their “Snake Killer” album, “Ylene”.

In 2009 Frank co-wrote and produced the album “Spiders in the MindWeb” for White Rose Transmission, the band founded by Carlo van Putten (at that time vocalist of The Convent; later the singer of Dead Guitars) and the late Adrian Borland (frontman of English 80’s cult band The Sound). Other notable endeavors include the StarGazing Project with Remco Helbers and The White Rose Transmission live album “Spinning Webs at Night”.

In 2020, Frank started to work with Kelly Cook (ex-MOEV) on their new project Tearing The BlackBox. So far, TTBB released two EP singles; “Devil World” and “Breathe”.

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 via Velouria Recordz is the new album by the Montreal post-punk act Scene Noir: “Telegraph”. It’s the band’s 3rd full length release and it was recorded in Montreal and New York over the course of 2021. “Telegraph” holds 8 tracks.

Scene Noir formed in 2011 when Andrew Velvet (vocals, guitar, synth) and Dave Brennan (bass, guitar vocals) began playing indie venues and festivals around their native Montreal. In 2012 Scene Noir opened for the UK’s Attrition on their Canadian tour, with Andrew Velvet also playing synths for the headliners.

2014 brought the release of “Waves” their first full length on Cold Model Records. This was followed by another Canadian tour in company of Montreal’s Echo Beach. 2017 marked the release of “From Dreams to Memories”, a more electronic/goth sounding release featuring the singles “Another Night Of London Rain” and “Submission”.

By 2018 the two new band members, Aislinn Vaudry (guitars/vocals) and Kevin Hills (bass), had joined the formation.

Coming up is a music video for the track “Foreign Stranger”, to be launched later this fall. It was recorded by the full band in Montreal and New York and produced by Andrew Velvet out of his home studio.

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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After nearly 40 years the original Attrition line up, that recorded “This Death House” over 2 afternoons in 1982, reunited with the addition of new member Simon Stansfield, to perform “Death House Variations”, a first ever live performance, based on the original “This Death House” recordings, with additional Attrition material and new variations.

This is an extract from the first show, peformed at The Tin Music and Arts in their hometown of Coventry, England, as part of the 2021 UK City of Culture year. The line-up consisted of Martin Bowes, Richard Woodfield, Ashley Niblock and Simon Stansfield.

The material was mixed and mastered from the multitrack recording by Martin Bowes. There will be more performances and an all new follow up album to the original, which was remastered and reissued earlier this year.

You can check out the recording 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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Out now is Planetdamage “Relapse Protocol – The Remixes” on the Black Pill Red Pill label. “Relapse Protocol – The Remixes” holds 8 tracks and as source material the album “Relapse Protocol” was used, that one was released in November 2020.

The following remixers participated: Aether Pilot, Spankthenun, Mach Fox of Zwaremachine, Freeze Etch, The Gothsicles, Chrome Corpse and Vandalaze. Mastering (and additional production on track 5) was done by Reza Udhin (Killing Joke, Implant) of Cryonica Audio Mastering.

You can hear the EP below.

Damage has been working as a producer for 5 years, landing 5 EPs and a number of remixes, collaborating with bands like First Aid 4 Souls or Black Nail Cabaret, having been remixed by musicians such as Haujobb, Leaether Strip or Attrition.

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 Alibi” is the new single from the upcoming Attrition album “The Black Maria”. The single is being released with an accompanying video and remixes from Bellhead, Vaselyne, Steckdose and Follynator. The track was produced, mixed and mastered by Martin Bowes at The Cage Studios, Coventry (England).

The official video is up now on YouTube.

And the single is available here on Bandcamp.

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

In 1982 the UK electronic outfit Attrition released “This Death House”, a dark ambient soundtrack, spread over two long tracks: “Crawling” (23:22) and “Dead Of Night” (22:49). This iconic album now gets a re-release on vinyl and download to celebrate it’s 40th anniversary year. Included with the vinyl is a free poster.

Released on the Russian label Other Voices “This Death House” will also be available on all streaming services from April 30th on.

The line-up for this released consisted of Martin Bowes (Electronic drums/Synthesizer & production), Ashley Niblock (Synthesizer and Keyboards) and Richard Woodfield (Synthesizers). The whole was remastered by Martin Bowes at the Cage, Coventry, England last year. The artwork for this re-issue was executed by Oleg Galay.

You can check out the album below.

Also out soon in May is a new single and video, “The Alibi” taken from the all new album for this year, “The Black Maria”. More on that when it happens.

About Attrition

In 1979, Martin Bowes started a xeroxed fanzine called Alternative Sounds to document the Coventry music scene (including such notables as The Specials and Furious Apples). The fanzine ran for 18 issues until 1981, and culminated in a vinyl compilation, “Sent from Coventry” (on Cherry Red) and a brief appearance on the BBC’s Something Else programme. During this time, Martin met Julia at a local gig and, with the addition of Martin’s brother Chris on guitar, Attrition was formed. In 1980 Chris was replaced by Julia’s brother Ashley Niblock on synthesizer, and a short time later they replaced their live drummer with a drum machine

Musically the band emerged from the experimental post-punk scene of the early 1980s and, along with other groups such as Throbbing Gristle, Coil, Einstürzende Neubauten, and In the Nursery, greatly contributed to the development of industrial music in the UK.

Drones and tape manipulations released under the title “Death House” prefigured dark ambient by almost 10 years, while the group’s first two proper albums, “The Attrition of Reason” and “Smiling at the Hypogonder Club” set the tone for the style now known as darkwave.

A band which has never ceased to produce new material and as such one of the few still active today along The Cure and related bands who all coloured the early days of the post-punk movement pitch black.

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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US pioneers Lycia have been a landmark for the whole darkwave and gothic scene since their inception in 1988 and releasing such cult albums like “A Day in the Stark Corner” (1993), “Cold” (1996) and many more.

And this year the band is re-releasing their first studio album, “Ionia”, celebrating its thirtieth birthday in 2021, on vinyl. Originally released on September 3rd 1991 on Projekt Records, “Ionia” has been out of print for almost a quarter of a century, until a CD re-release appeared in 2017 (current deleted, but soon available again on Projekt).

The album will now be released for the first time on double vinyl in two different colored versions. Recorded from February to June 1991 on 4 track cassette, this vinyl reissue will come to wax in a completely remastered version (courtesy Martin Bowes/Attrition), specifically thought for this 2LP edition.

The two versions will be a red & black 2LP (250 copies) and a 3-coloured red, black & white splattered vinyl (250 copies).

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, dark-pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: “Damage Over Time” is the second official full length album by Gasoline Invertebrate. After the “Freak Drive”-album released three years ago, we get ten new songs by Brian Graupner who’s mainly known for his involvement with The Gothsicles. Notice by the way and that’s a real important aspect of this record, nearly all songs have been produced by a different producer!

Content: “Damage Over Time” is mainly driven by dark-electronics, but most of the songs are polished with electro-pop elements. The melodic side of the work is immediately noticeable and especially the song featuring Chris Connelly (cf. “Scarlet Slip”) has something pretty dance-like. Behind this ‘dark’ fusion between the music styles you’ll also notice multiple sound effects symbolizing the elaborated format of this work. The tracklist is progressively evolving towards harder and harsher cuts.

+ + + : “Damage Over Time” is an interesting work for different reasons; it’s not only a danceable and well-crafted composition, but there’s a great fusion between darker, powerful electro and pop-like melodies. It creates something apart from all other bands repeating the same old dark-electro sound formula. Chris Connelly is a noticeable guest on this album and that’s also a good reason to discover this work… although “Scarlet Slip” is not my favorite cut. I think if there’s a potential hit featured on the album it must be “Feast”, which is not only powerful and danceable, but still has a great retro-like melody line. Among the producers you’ll find artists such as Martin Bowes (Attrition), Vasi Vallis (Reaper, Frozen Plasma), Kolja Trelle (Soman), Brant Showers (Aaimon), Steven Archer (Stoneburner, Ego Likeness) ao.

– – – : I know it must be surprising to say that the song featuring Chris Connelly is the single one that can’t totally convince me. It has something more ‘commercial’ and ‘danceable’-like, which doesn’t really fit to the rest of the tracklist.

Conclusion: “Damage Over Time” is a noticeable and alluring second album for Gasoline Invertebrate.

Best songs: “Feast”, “Headschatten”, “Let The Demon Out”, “Boston”, “Rejected Organ Transplant”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/gasolineinvertebrate

Label: www.facebook.com/tigersquawkrecords

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

With “Tim, where are you now?” Projekt Records releases a tribute album to Timothy Leary who was born 100 years ago on October 22nd.

The album’s 13 tracks contain 4 spoken word trips with text excerpted and cut-up from Tim’s first LSD and DMT experiences chronicled in his 1968 book “High Priest”. The album features the music of: Sam Rosenthal, Steve Roach, Erik Wøllo, Mark Seelig, Forrest Fang, Byron Metcalf, Henrik Meierkord, Brian Parnham, theAdelaidean, Ryan Lum & Anji Bee (Love Spirals), Brian Viglione (The Dresden Dolls), Martin Bowes (Attrition), Jarguna, Nathan Youngblood and Mike VanPortfeet (Lycia).

The tracks:

Timothy… Who?

Most readers probably don’t have a clue who Timothy Leary was. So here’s a small round-up of his career.

Timothy Leary was an American psychologist and writer known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs. As a clinical psychologist at Harvard University, Leary worked on the Harvard Psilocybin Project from 1960–62 (LSD and psilocybin were still legal in the United States at the time), resulting in the Concord Prison Experiment and the Marsh Chapel Experiment.

Leary believed that LSD showed potential for therapeutic use in psychiatry. He used LSD himself and developed a philosophy of mind expansion and personal truth through LSD.

The scientific legitimacy and ethics of his research were questioned by other Harvard faculties because he took psychedelics along with research subjects and pressured students to join in. As a result Leary and his colleague, Richard Alpert (who later became known as Ram Dass), were fired from Harvard University in May 1963.

After leaving Harvard, he continued to publicly promote the use of psychedelic drugs and became a well-known figure of the counterculture of the 1960s. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was arrested often enough to see the inside of 36 prisons worldwide. Nevertheless he was embraced by people from the music scene and worked with several artists including German Krautrock act Ash Ra Tempel, and so on.

Leary continued to take drugs frequently in private, but stayed away from proselytizing psychedelics. Instead, he preached about space colonization and extension of the human lifespan. He died in May 1996.

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

Burton C. Bell has announced his departure from Fear Factory in a statement on his official website. The split doesn’t seem to be very amicable as Bell cites “the toxic drama of the greed of three members (who) have dragged me through the unjust, judicial system, resulting in the legal attrition that has financially crippled me.”

Bell is clearly referring to Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares and former Fear Factory members Raymond Herrera and Christian Olde Wolbers.

The whole drama is all about the legal battle over the Fear Factory name. The drama started to unfold publicly when Cazares recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to finish the group’s new album. Burton called the campaign a scam to cover Cazares’ own legal fees, especially because the album had already been completed since 2017.

From dispute to dispute

Fear Factory formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1989. Throughout the band’s career, they have released 9 full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of groove metal and industrial metal. Over the years, Fear Factory has seen changes in its lineup, with lead vocalist Burton C. Bell being the only consistent member for 31 years until his departure in 2020.

Other than guitarist Dino Cazares, there are no original members left in its current lineup. The band went on hold in March 2002 following some internal disputes, but resumed activity a year later without founding member Cazares. Previous bassist Christian Olde Wolbers replaced him as the new guitarist, and bassist Byron Stroud joined the band.

In April 2009, a new lineup was announced. Cazares returned as guitarist, and Gene Hoglan as drummer. Bell and Stroud reprised their respective roles, and this lineup recorded the band’s seventh studio album titled “Mechanize” (2010). Former members Wolbers and Raymond Herrera—both of whom were playing in Arkaea—disputed the legitimacy of the new lineup, and a legal battle from both parties had begun. Despite this, Fear Factory has since released two more albums: “The Industrialist” (2012) and “Genexus” (2015).

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

“Pathways and Dawns”, the debut solo album from Peter Ulrich sees a re-release on vinyl via Infinite Fog. It’s the first vinyl edition of Peter Ulrich’s debut. Widely known for his past work as drummer/percussionist with legendary Dead Can Dance and contributor to 4AD’s This Mortal Coil, Ulrich here offered driving rhythms and meditative ritual patterns of percussion.

Also included was guitar-work, arrangement and production from Dead Can Dance mastermind Brendan Perry.

The album was recorded in two parts, the first in England in 1990, and the second after a long time break in 1996-97, by Brendan Perry at Dead Can Dance’s Quivvy Church studio in Ireland. The album was released on CD in 1999 on Projekt.

For this vinyl edition the tracks were mastered from the original master takes by Martin Bowes (Attrition).

When it was first released, Side-Line’s reviewer Deranged Psyche wrote this about it: “His first album is a remarkable piece moving on the edge between ethnic and medieval art pop music.”

For those wanting to listen to it on Spotify, the album is not available there.

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: Post-punk, cold-wave, gothic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The Venus Fly Trap is a British band that was originally set up by Alex Novak. The band is active since the late 80s and released multiple records. This album is a kind of ‘best of’, but also a look back to different side-projects Alex Novak has been involved with.

Content: Let’s begin with the 10 songs from The Venus Fly Trap. The sound belongs to the UK-80s scene revealing a cold-wave and somewhat post-punk approach. The raw guitar play and some melodic electronic arrangements are some of the main characteristics. Among the tracklist you’ll also discover cover versions from Suicide (cf. “Rocket USA”) and The Cramps (cf. “Human Fly”).   

The next part of the album brings us back to punk with Isaws, Religious Overdose, The Tempest, Attrition (Alex Novak contributed to the album “Smiling At the Hypogonder Club” (1985), Nova State Conspiracy, The Den and Spore.

+ + + : There’re always some cool songs featured at the The Venus Fly Trap albums so this ‘new’ compilation is for sure a good idea, but things are getting more interesting when getting back to the multiple side-projects and bands Alex Novak has been involved with. From the pretty cool punk formation Isaws to Religious Overdose and The Tempest this musician touched ground with different styles although all related genres. This album is an interesting discovery for 80s fans.

– – – : I’m not a huge fan of both aforementioned cover versions. I think these songs must be cool on stage, but can’t compete with the originals on CD.

Conclusion: This is an interesting retrospective from Alex Novak’s main band The Venus Fly Trap while the songs from the other bands he has been involved with is a cool bonus.

Best songs: “Achilles Heel”, “Morphine”, “Desolation Railway” + Isaws: “Standens” + Religious Overdose: “In This Century” + The Tempest: “Lady Left This”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.spiralarchive.com / www.facebook.com/thevenusflytrapuk

Label: www.facebook.com/glassrecordsoflondon

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: Experimental, electro, industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This album is a re-release and for the very first time on CD format of a split album between Attrition (UK) and Alu (Germany). The work was originally released in 1983 on cassette format by IRRE Tapes. For both of the projects this split work was one of their first releases.

Content: This work features 6 songs by Attrition and 5 songs by Alu. It’s an opportunity to (re)discover the first steps and especially experiments of Martin Bowes, but still a somewhat forgotten –or rather unknown project like Alu. You’ve to imagine this work in the context of the early 80s when artists such as Throbbing Gristle, SPK, Monte Cazzazza, Nocturnal Emissions ao revealed their first experiments to the world. It’s a mix of industrial- and experimental music. It’s hard to hear what’s improvised and what not. Creating and manipulating noises appeared to be more interesting than composing ‘songs’. It was a period of ‘anti-music’. 

+ + + : It’s just great to get back to this forgotten record and especially (re)discovering the work of Attrition. This composition has nothing in common with the later electro style of Martin Bowes. No, this is total experiment and improvisation although resulting in a few little jewels like “Day I Was Born” –which might be considered with a little bit of imagination as the basis for the later sound of the project while “You Will Remember Nothing” is pure Throbbing Gristle-music. Alu is comparable to the work of Attrition and yet it sounds more diversified. Sometimes industrial with a funky touch on top and next total improvisation. The fans of Throbbing Gristle will like these songs as well.

– – – : The extremely experimental approach and impro style both made it hardly accessible for a wider audience.

Conclusion: This album belongs to the history of industrial/experimental music and it’s really great it has been recovered from dust to get now released on CD format. 

Best songs: Attrition: “You Will Remember Nothing”, “Day I Was Born”, “Onslaught” + Alu: “Vendetta”, “Unaba”.

Rate: (7).

Artists: www.attrition.co.uk / www.facebook.com/ATTRITIONMUSIC /  www.alugenerator.de

Label: www.peripheralminimal.com / www.facebook.com/PeripheralMinimal

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

(Photo courtesy of Chiasm) Chiasm has announced a brand new EP: “Away”. Released via the COP International label it’s a teaser for the upcmong full-length album “Missed The Noise”. For those who don’t know the project, Chiasm is Emileigh Rohn’s musical output augmented here by collaborator John Fryer (Black Needle Noise).

Here’s what Detroit-based musician says about her collaboration with Jon Fryer: “The COP team, along with John Fryer, really knew what I needed. It was absolutely a new adventure. This EP is much more accessible than previous works because we made it so quickly (John moves fast!) so there wasn’t a lot of room for total introspection and intense analysis, which is unusual for me. John makes everything sound beautiful, and I’m so eager for everyone to hear it,” says Rohn. “I also need to acknowledge my home team, including the cats, for the inspiration and encouragement.”

The “Away” EP follows a long line of notable releases from Chiasm which was established in 1997. Older readers will for sure remember the 2001 album “Disorder” with the track “Isolated” that was featured in the television show “NCIS” as well as in the “Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines” computer game. Rohn has also collaborated with genre stars Attrition, Carphax Files, Jean-Marc Lederman, Third Realm, :10:, and Acclimate.

Here’s a preview:

Side-Line also covered John Fryer’s ‘She Talks to Angels’.

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 is the brand new Attrition video “The Great Derailer” for the single which was already released on January 31. The video was directed and edited by Antony Weir and camerman Tom Laxton and filmed on location in Coventry, England with additional footage of Emke.

Attrition are currently setting up shows in support of “The Great Derailer”, so far confirmed are:

• April 3rd- The Tin, Coventry, UK
• June 13th: Woodgothic Festival, Sao Thome Das Letras, Brazil
• June 17th – Gothic Ba, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• June 19th – Producciones Mortem Collections, Santiago de Chile
• June 20th – Tumbas Eternas Producciones, Lima, Peru
• July – Manchester – tbc
• August 20th– Feketa Zaj festival, Hungary
• August 30th – Infest festival, UK
• November 28th: Winter Ghosts Symposium, Whitby, UK
• December 5th – Face Bar, Reading, UK

You can watch the video below.

Attrition are an electronic music band, formed in Coventry, England in 1980 by Martin Bowes and Julia Niblock. The band emerged from the experimental post-punk scene of the early 1980s and, along with other groups such as Throbbing Gristle, Coil, Einstürzende Neubauten, and In the Nursery, greatly contributed to the development of industrial music in the UK.

Read the review of ‘The Black Maria’.

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 is “Wish No Harm”, the first new Audra song released in 10 years, and also the first single from the upcoming fourth album “Dear Tired Friends”.

“Dear Tired Friends” will feature 10 songs with a guest appearance by Mike VanPortfleet of Lycia on the song “Planet of Me”. The album was recorded and mixed by Joshua Rozenboom and mastered at The Cage Studios in Coventry, England by Martin Bowes of the band Attrition.

The tentative release date for Audra’s newest studio album is August 23, 2019 and will be available in the following formats: Black Vinyl, Clear Vinyl, CD and digitally.

Here’s the first single: “Wish No Harm “.

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: EBM, dark-electro.

Background/Info: American duo Jourdan Turner – Rick Mitchell aka Contaminated Intelligence are back on track unleashing a CD with seven songs. It rather looks as a mini-album instead of a real full length. I discovered this formation by their previous works released on Two Gods (label of Martin Bowes) Attrition).

Content: The album takes off with an intro followed by 6 new songs. Contaminated Intelligence clearly focused on the EBM style, which rapidly reminds me of early Frontline Assembly. It’s an elaborated composition featuring dark atmospheres and spooky vocals.

+ + + : The FLA style remains a true reference when composing EBM. Contaminated Intelligence has found the ‘intelligence’ to accomplish a sophisticated production mixing danceable cuts with overwhelming atmospheres. The ghost-like vocals only accentuate the darker side of the work.

– – – : The main point that hurts is the global mixing and mastering of the album. It doesn’t sound that professional, which is maybe intentional to get this typical retro-feeling. I think it ruins a part of the efforts both members have put in this composition.

Conclusion: Contaminated Intelligence are great composers, but they now need to improve their skills as producers. This album needs a talented producer and I’m sure the result will be different. 

Best songs: “I Want You”, “Distress”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/ContamInatedIntelligence 

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

Coil fans, attention, you will not want to miss out on this one! Out in a few weeks (closer to June) but already available for pre-order via Bandcamp, is the “Swanyard” 3LP Vinyl (available here) and 2CD set (available here).

This new release holds – hold tight – nearly 150 (!!) minutes of previously unreleased Coil recordings. The material was all written and recorded between 1993 to 1996 and was selected and assembled by Danny Hyde (Electric Sewer Age, ex-Coil, ex-Psychic TV, ex-Black Light District) from the studio archives.

The artwork for the release was delivered by Steven Stapleton, from a recalled dream by Jhon Balance. The mastering was executed by Martin Bowes (Attrition) in a Cage Studio.

Tracks:

• Spastiche (5:42)
• Heaven’s 98 Horror mst (11:52)
• Siminon Master Backwards (Swanyard demo) (6:28)
• Jhon’s House Tune from GM Guide – Protection (5:36)
• Spastiche (basic) (6:46)
• AYOR Master (It’s in my Blood) (6:40)
• Original Amber Rain (demo) (4:51)
• Wur CLK Wir 1993 (2:05)
• Crumb Tune (master) (6:00)
• The March of Time (extra version) (8:56)
• Spastiche – The Night’s alive (master) (5:34)
• Kusnir Jazz (2:39)
• Heavens Blade (John Balance vox demo) (7:25)
• Wur CLK Wir 1998 mst vox (18:35)
• The Test early mst (2:17)
• AYOR (extra version) (4:29)
• Elves (master) (6:35)
• Heaven’s Blade (Inst) 1993 (8:24)
• Melotron Song (amber rain demo) (2:51)
• March of more Time (master) 1993 (6:27)
• Crumb Tune (4:20)
• Simon (extra long) (6:10)
• Egyptian Basses 1993 (7:18)

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

Read the review of ‘Voyagers’.

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

To celebrate the imminent Attrition show in Transylvania, performing their horror film score “Invocation” (released in October 2012), the UK act is giving away the soundtrack as a free download (the CD version will be half price) for the month of August only.

The album came 30 years since their dark ambient album “This Death House”. For the occasion Martin Bowes has combined forces with his wife Kerri on this full length movie score, written for the film “G.H.O.S.T” from cult U.S. horror film company Mutantville.

You can download it right here:

Attrition was formed in Coventry, England in 1980 by Martin Bowes and Julia Niblock. The band emerged from the experimental post-punk scene of the early 1980s and, along with other groups such as Throbbing Gristle, Coil, Einstürzende Neubauten, and In the Nursery, greatly contributed to the development of industrial music in the UK.

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: New-wave, gothic, punk, electro-pop, dark-electro, wave-pop, future-pop, EBM.

Background/Info: I couldn’t resist reviewing this artistic double vinyl compilation featuring 20 international bands dealing with varied, but related music genres. This compilation released in 2016 (!) is a celebration of the 10^th anniversary of the Mexican organization “El Real Under”. This organization is totally devoted to the ‘underground’ music and brings parties and concerts. Sector Industrial Producciones is driven by Dimitri Berzerk. This vinyl was the first release from the label.

Artists: Carcrash International, Simi Nah, Attrition, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Apoptygma Berzerk, Cid Project, Trans-X, State Of The Union, Shiv-R, C-Lekktor, Larva, Tobias Bernstrup, Sturm Café ao.

Content: The tracklist is absolutely impressive, revealing a wide diversity of bands and music styles, but still a very international selection of bands and artists from the early new-wave years (Carcrash International, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Trans-X, Attrition…) and contemporary leading formations (Apoptygma Berzerk, C-Lekktor, Shiv-R, Sturm Café…).

The tracklist is composed by exclusive tracks and songs that have been featured for the very first time on vinyl. I’ve to say that several ‘exclusive’ songs are remixes.

+ + + : You just need a brief look at the tracklist to realize this compilation is featuring real great names, but the diversity of the artist is also worthy of examination. From 80s legendary formations dealing with new-wave and wave-pop to great electro-pop to pure EBM to powerful dark-electronics to future-pop (with a Spanish cover of VNV Nation’s “Honour” by State Of The Union) this album is filled with numerous great surprises. Another essential element is the ultra artistic artwork of this release featuring 2 picture discs.

– – – : I’ve been just less convinced by a few (I guess) Mexican formations dealing with poorly inspired punk music, but which are probably renowned and respected in their homeland. Another and very personal regret is that the informative booklet is only written in Spanish.

Conclusion: This is a great compilation and I also have to recommend you to discover the Mexican label Sector Industrial Producciones.

Best bands: Simi Nah, Cid Project, Trans-X, Shiv-R, The Ancients, C-Lekktor.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.sector–industrial.com / www.facebook.com/sector.industrial.producciones

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: Minimal-electro, EBM, experimental.

Background/Info: Bari Máriusz is a Hungarian artist active as Planet://Damage. After a few released EP’s he now unleashed his debut CD-album on Two Gods (label of Martin Bowes from Attrition). This is a kind of compilation featuring 2 previously released EP’s.

Content: “Angst/Snapshots Of A Surveillance Manifesto” is electronic music exploring minimal sound treatments featuring deep, resonating bass lines, dark atmospheres, raw piano-like arrangements, intelligent bleeping sequences and a real cool vintage touch. The work sometimes reminds me of Attrition and that’s maybe not a coincidence as Martin Bowes did some additional production (while he mixed the album as well).

The vocals don’t have an important place on this work and yet they’re an essential item. From robotic vocal parts to guest vocals, this work is quite diversified in multiple aspects of the production.

There also is an interesting list of remixes featuring Attrition, Black Nail Cabaret, Lhasa Mencur, The Mercy Cage, Haujobb and First Aid 4 Souls (compatriot of Planet://Damage). The last song is a live “ambient” version of “Angst”.

+ + + : I like the sound intelligence of this musician. The songs have been meticulously crafted and achieved with a real great retro approach. It’s an ultra dark production carried by low bass lines and great synth leads. I also noticed an interesting and somewhat psychedelic lead running through “Firewalls”. Another noticeable element is the robotic vocals. Last, but not least there’s an interesting selection of remixers and I here especially enjoyed the work done by Lhasa Mencur and First Aid 4 Souls.

– – – : Intelligent music always remains a kind of challenge.  The minimal approach is far away from the usual electronic standards often driven by dark-electro and EBM cliché formations. So it will be not easy for this project to get more recognition.

Conclusion: This is a real interesting release, which will appeal for all fine-tasters of electronic music. This is a project with an own sound and a personal approach in electro underground music. I hope to hear more from this band!

Best songs: “Firewalls”, “The Mark”, “Firewalls – First Aid 4 Souls Remix”, “The Mark – Lhasa Mencur Remix”, “The Mark – Attrition Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.planetdamage.com / www.facebook.com/planetdamage

Label: www.twogods.co.uk / www.facebook.com/TwoGods

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

In 1996 the album “A Thousand Lights In A Darkened Room” was released by the band Black Light District which was basically a production by Coil. The alias was one of a few assumed by them in the mid-nineties for putting out drone based music (and also a name of a song by Boyd Rice on the compilation cassette “Bethel”).

This album now gets released as being a Coil release with the title “Black Light District” and with an unreleased bonus-track. The team who worked on the material consisted of John Balance, Peter Christopherson, Drew McDowall and Danny Hyde.

You can order the album right here.

The material on this reissue was remastered by Martin Bowes (Attrition) with the bonus track being taken from the “Black Light District” recording session. Also added are Danny Hyde’s comments in the booklet.

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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“Ionia” is the second studio album by the American dark wave band Lycia, and was initially released in 1991 by Projekt Records. The album offers a blending of intense cascading guitar, droning synths and deep, whispered vocals.

The album is now back in print for the first time in a decade, digitally remastered by Martin Bowes (Attrition) and can be ordered right here. The personnel at that time conistsed of Mike VanPortfleet with additional help from Susan Jennings, Sam Rosenthal (mixing) and Will Welch (sampling).

Here’s a preview of the title track, in case this band is all new to you.

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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Aidan Casserly (Empire State Human & KuBO) has just released an album called “Spoken”, which contains 15 new poems of Aidan’s, spoken by several artists, which Aidan then put to electronic/organic music backing.

Among those featured are Martin Bowes (Attrition), Monica Brito (poet, artist), Jean-Marc Lederman (The Weathermen, Fad Gadget), Maggie K. DeMonde (Scarlet Fantastic), Kriistal Ann (Paradox Obscur), Brian O’Malley (director of “Let Us Prey”, starring Liam Cunningham from “Game of Thrones”), Caesar Gergess (jazz singer and member of Billie Ray Martin’s live band), Clayton Littlewood (writer of “Dirty White Boy” & “Goodbye to Soho”), Ginnie Watson (actor) and Ruby Lorcan (model).

Aidan Casserly says: “Working in such a unique area and with such a diverse group of friends really brought something fresh to my working method. Having to create, to a voice only, was a wonderful opportunity to serve the words only, as opposed to a vocal melody and chord, song structure. I am deeply passionate about the written word, and discovering ways of making something beautiful with them. I hope I did justice to each amazing artist and friend of mine, who gave of the time, talent and expression. I will be forever in their debt”

You can preview the release right below and order your copy right here on iTunes.

The album was mastered by Martin Bowes at The Cage, with artwork by Monica Brito.

For more on Jean-Marc Lederman, see Brand new album by Jean-Marc Lederman available now on Side-Line.

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: Cinematographic, new-wave, electronics, ambient.

Background/Info: This Makes Me… is not a band, but a kind of conceptual release created by Wave Records owner Alex Twin to celebrate the 50^th release of the label. The concept consists of an endless list of artists who contributed together while the profits of the sales will be given away for a charity project helping poor people who need medicine, surgery ao.

Content: It will bring me too far away giving you the entire list of artists who contributed, but you get a real nice cocktail and especially occasionally bands like Chiron together with Auroram, Collection D’Arnell-Andréa and Opera Multi Steel, Cinemascope and Scarlet Leaves, Pitch Yan Of Matter and Bleib Modern, Lost Elegy and Scarlet Leaves, 3 Cold Men and Twilight Ritual, Psyche and Bleib Modern, Haujobb and Data-Bank-A/Dominion.

The result is diverse and absolutely eclectic.

+ + + : The concept is the original and I think the scene really needs more similar ‘occasional’ bands working together for a great goal. I noticed different cool songs and even a few master songs like the dark and mysterious sounding “Departure” from Kriistal Ann and Martin Bowes (Attrition) or “Decent” by Haujobb (on vocals) and Andrew S. Kovats. Another attention grabber is “Falling From Skies” featuring Darrin Huss (Psyche) singing and Bleib Modern. There also is the beautiful song composed by Opera Multi Steel, which will appeal to lovers of heavenly voices.

– – – : I can only, but totally support this kind of great and original concepts. The only thing I would have (maybe) changed is to create a more noticeable cover artwork.

Conclusion: Charity releases are quite common, but the concept of ‘creating’ bands is absolutely genius!

Best songs: “Departure”, “Desolation”, “Javelots Acérés”, “Decent”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.facebook.com/thismakesme

Label: www.waverecordsmusic.com / http://pt–br.facebook.com/pages/Wave–Records/110635789015082

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 Toronto duo Andrew Hercules and Arthur Yeung aka Depression Era are debuting with the six track EP “Volume 1” offering dark pop as you can hear in the video below.

The mastering of this debut release was executed by Attrition’s Martin Bowes. The 6-track EP can be ordered on CD right here.

Listen to “Good Night Sweet Charlatan” 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!

side-line.com

Spiral Archive Records artist Venus Fly Trap hits the UK tour road and will play 4 shows.

The British alternative rock band which formed in Northampton released five studio albums between 1988 and 1997 after going into a winter sleep in 1997.

The band was formed by Alex Novak (vocals, formerly of Religious Overdose, Attrition, and The Tempest) and John Novak (guitar, vocals), and Tony Booker on bass guitar prior to their debut twelve-inch single “Morphine” in March 1988. By the 2000s the permanent members were down to Novak and Denton.

The shows confirmed:

• 28th July – Craufurd Arms/Wolverton-Mk with Chameleons Vox – more info
• 16th September – Craufurd Arms/Wolverton-Mk with Spear Of Destiny – more info
• 12th November – Charles Bradlaugh/Northampton at the “BLITZ Festival” with Lizzie and The Banshees/Attrition/Vuduvox/Pat Fish – Jazz Butcher – more info
• 13th November – Black Heart/Camden/London with Attrition/Vuduvox/Pat Fish(Jazz Butcher) – more info

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

Venus Fly Trap have released a taster track from the new album “Icon” (out later this year). The single, called “Vitesse”, is available now and was mixed by Martin Bowes (Attrition). You can listen to the single below.

Venus Fly Trap are plannning dates later this year including a performance at the “Have Guitars… Will Travel Festival” in June to coincide with the 3rd book of the same title being published. The book covers bands from the region between 1979-1987.

In related news, the band’s Alex Novak also appears on the re-issue of “The Tempest-5 Against The House” album (originally released on Anagram Records in 1984) to be available on limited colour vinyl and CD out soon via Optic Nerve. Alongside this release a best of Religious Overdose is being compiled, called “Strung Out On Heavens High (1980-82)” the CD will be released on Glass Redux.

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

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange) Being both a progressive gothic singer/songwriter, keyboard player and backing vocalist in Naked Lunch (presently on hiatus), and also an alternative model, the multitalented London-based Jet Noir is keeping herself busy by releasing her 4th EP “The Hall Of Ghosts” on December 5th.

The EP contains 4 original tracks and 5 remixes by Jeremiah Saint, Attrition, Dean Baker (of the progressive rock band Galahad), Ruinizer and Technomancer.

It also features Pietro Hoffmann on electric guitar and backing vocals, and he joins her along with Dean Baker on synth and Mark Spencer (of progressive rock band Twelfth Night) on bass guitar for live performances. ‘The Hall of Ghosts’ is mixed by Dean Baker and mastered by Martin Bowes of Attrition.

Out on the 5th of December on CD and via digital outlets iTunes, Amazon and Bandcamp.

See the video for ‘Till the Bitter End’ right here!

Read the review of ‘The Hall Of Ghosts’.

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… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange

Out now via Bandcamp is the download EP “Alternate States : chapter 1” by Naked Lunch. Naked Lunch should ring a bell with many amongst you as the band was featured on the now legendary “Some Bizzare Album” with other acts such as Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, etc.. Not all that surprising since Tony Mayo, the lead singer, had close connections with Stevo Pearce and aided with pulling the artists for this album together.

The cult track “La Femme” from that “Some Bizzare Album” was re-recorded for this new EP with extra vocals by Jet Noir. Jet Noir joined up with Naked Lunch in 2013 when the recording of their “Beyond Planets” album was underway. The tracks on “Alternate States : chapter 1” were then mixed by Dean Baker (Galahad) and mastered by Martin Bowes of Attrition. 4 extra tracks complete the EP which is out now and can be downloaded now.

Interesting detail about “La Femme” is that the song was originally called “Le Femme” but Phonogram to who the “Some Bizzare Album” album was licensed to changed it to grammatically correct French, missing the point of the androgyny of the electronic music scene (and that the song was about that).

Naked Lunch are one of the one of the first synth based groups and was formed in 1979 by Tony Mayo. Mick Clarke was an early addition shortly followed by Cliff Chapman and Paul N. Davies and then, in 1981, by Mark Irving. Although they called it a day in 1985, 2010 saw Tony Mayo link up again with early member Paul Davies to write new material. Mick Clark and Cliff Chapman joined in 2011, Mark Irving in early 2012. The band released the album “Beyond Planets” in 2014 after signing with Sub Culture Records for digital distribution. In 2014 Naked Lunch toured the UK with Combichrist and in 2015 with Covenant.

For more on Depeche Mode, see Your TOP 10 wishes for a new Depeche Mode album on Side-Line.

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

From time to time we at Side-Line want to know what goes on behind the scenes. So, this time we went to talk with the man behind the record shop Spiral Archive Records in Northampton (UK): Alex Novak which you might know as the man behind Venus Fly Trap. Novak set up his business at the end of 1999 as an alternative to the mainstream stores.

Spiral Archive Records is one of the few remaining independent record shops left in the area and can be found at 26 St.Michaels Road, Northampton (UK). It’s open Wednesday till Friday from 11 till 4PM and also on Saturday between 11 and 5PM. You can contact them by phone at +0044(0)7974-885450 or alternatively via their online mail order.

The shop stocks new and used CDs and records covering a lot of genres including indie, goth, electronic, industrial, punk and new wave, but also rock, metal, psychedelic, ska, mod, funk, soul, reggae, psychobilly, rock n roll, soundtracks, etc.. Alongside the shop Alex DJs at Voodoo Amplifier/Mix Tape/Revolver/Blitz/Alphabeat and has been involved in promoting at various Northampton venues including Soundhaus(RIP), Racehorse, Labour Club, Grinder (RIP), Roadmender, Monkeys Head (RIP), Bantam, Lamp Lighter, Bradlaugh, etc.. You can find an overview here.

SL: What drew you to the decision to set up a shop?

Alex Novak: I been involved in various bands over the years including Isaws, Religious Overdose, Tempest, Attrition and Venus Fly Trap alongside DJing and promoting. Part of the DIY ethic was to set up your own mail order distros and. So I started with selling my own bands material and then developed on from that moment, ending up opening a shop.

I have been involved in bands for many years and I have always had an interest in music. It was a way of making a living out of my interest, just relying on a band can be difficult.

SL: How do you try to stay different and keep your head above the water in the ‘hostile’ environment which the music business has become?

Alex Novak: The shop stocks mostly vinyl, so I do a lot of sales to collectors, but I also stock CDs although I concentrate on more specialist areas which you won’t find in more mainstream stores. Of course I sell online, usually rare, obscure or unusual items. Also I get material directly from bands, get them signed with posters and badges so I have something different alongside instore events.

Others are using the internet to their advantage where they can. Both Spiral Archive and Pied Piper are both expanding their sales online. But rather than selling downloads, they’re selling their usual stock to a wider, global audience.

SL: Vinyl is a big part of what you offer I see, is this a trend that will stay according to you or just one that is good for the second hand market?

Alex Novak: I’m starting to get more new vinyl releases as there are some nice items limited editions, colour vinyl with good packaging… Anything that has that little extra.

Below you can see a video for Venus Fly Trap’s “Human Fly” (a Cramps cover) which is taken from a Metamorphosis best of but which originally appeared on the album “Nemesis” (Big Blue Records).

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

Content:

Read the news on ‘Millions Of The Mouthless Dead’.

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

Read the review of ‘Millions Of The Mouthless Dead’.

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