Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro, Aggrotech. 

Format: Digital, CD. 

Background/Info: “Damnation” is the fifth album by Martin Schindler aka SynthAttack. We get twelve songs plus six remixes.

Content: I realize that SynthAttack isn’t really innovating, the sound and approach being comparable to the previous album. SynthAttack is once more mixing Dark-Electro elements with pure Dance music reminding me of the 90s. They already illustrated it on their previous albums and even dares to go a step further now. The ‘90s tribute’ “Call Me Insane” is a parody of Culture Beat’s “Mr. Vain”. I already thought to have heard a comparable connection to the previous album so they now simply covered this song into a very own, but recognizable style. “Damnation” also features a few heavenly female vocals next to the cavernous, pitched vocals of Martin Schindler. 

Remixes have been accomplished by Basscalate, [X]-RX, C-Lekktor, Synapsyche, Reactor7x and Freaky Mind. 

+ + + : This band remains a true challenge, but it clearly becomes a successful formula to conquer the dancefloors. So the title of the album is totally matching with the ongoing pandemic and its consequences for the music scene: closed clubs and no more dancefloors. SynthAttack sounds like food for dancefloors; the sound formula is a true challenge, but it has this terrific kind of dance elixir, which will make you dance. I personally like the tracks with male- & female duo vocals, “Dark Days” being one of my favorite cuts. It also sounds a little bit different from the rest, but the female vocals are adding an artistic and heavenly touch on top of the work. The list of remixers is an extra noticeable element of the album.

– – – : The work sometimes sounds like a copy-paste of its predecessor; no single innovation, but why changing a winning formula? The work becomes a bit predictable and that’s a pity as this band also shows a few ‘different’ ideas, which are more than promising. Despite the great list of remixers, none of them really add a bonus to the album and the original edits. 

Conclusion: I would be not surprised to see SynthAttack once covering some of the greatest 90s Dance-hits and reworking them in their typical darker Dance style. God was a DJ and SynthAttack must be Judas…

Best songs: “Dark Days”, “We Are SynthAttack”, “Dirty Dark electro – Stomp Edition”, “Magic vs. Toal – Special Edit”. 

Rate: 7½. 

Artist: www.facebook.com/synthattack 

Label: www.darktunes.com / www.facebook.com/darkTunesMusic

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: Industrial-Rave, Trance-EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: German project Basscalate was set up during the lockdown. Driven by SynthAttack front man Martin Schindler, and he got some vocal assistance from Julia. A first single “Feel this Beat” was released last year while we now get an EP featuring three songs plus two remixes.

Content: Basscalate clearly sounds like a fun project to set dancefloors on fire. It sounds rather like a mission impossible during lockdown, but once the clubs will open their doors again; this EP has the potential to lead visitors into an ecstatic dance. As the name of the project indicates, the songs are driven by solid bass lines mixed with pumping rhythms and pure Trance arrangements. Julia’s vocals are produced in a half spoken way, sometimes creating the effect of a sampling. Martin does the backing vocals, which sounds like growls. Remixes were done by ES23 and Basszilla. 

+ + + : The main focus is to compose Electro for dancefloors and Basscalate clearly succeeded in their goal. The title song is hitting hard, mixing Techno and Trance with a dark touch on top. The lyrics are hilarious, but it fits with this kind of stuff. Both remixes add a cool extra.

– – – : It’s hard to say if we should treat Basscalate as a serious project; it’s just fun and music to drive you mad. 

Conclusion: Basscalate sounds like an antidote to Covid-19; the ultimate vaccine to get clubs open again!

Best songs: “Bass Bitch”, “Feel This Beat”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/BasscalateHQ

Label: www.darktunes.com / www.facebook.com/darkTunesMusic

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