Bloodline &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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.

Frontwoman of Swedish post-punk act, It’s For Us, debuts solo EP ‘Bloodline’ under the Viola Travels moniker

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 08:38:49 +0000

(Photo by Mayasa El-Mahmadi) Swedish singer-songwriter Camilla Karlsson, who gained fame as the frontwoman of post-punk band ‘It’s For Us,’ is embarking on a new musical journey with her solo project, Viola Travels. Originally hailing from Stockholm, Camilla now resides in Ludvika, a small village in Dalarna, where she has drawn inspiration for her upcoming EP, “Bloodline”. This solo debut marks a new chapter in her career as a songwriter, musician, and artist.

“Bloodline” comprises four songs that delve into the intricacies of life while celebrating its inherent beauty. The forthcoming EP, “Bloodline”, will be released via the Swedish label Novoton, with the lead single “Blonde Redhead” set to launch on April 21st.

Here is an interview with It’s For Us from 1999, featuring Camilla Karlsson and Jon Gredmark, the creative forces behind Stockholm’s It’s For Us. The band released their first album, “Come With Me,” in 2017 through Luxury Records. Their most recent work, “Stay,” dates back to 2019 and was released via Novoton, which will now also release her solo material.

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!

Watch now: Previously Unreleased Pictures With Alan Wilder And Douglas McCarthy From Nitzer Ebb

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Sun, 08 Jan 2023 12:30:00 +0000

(Photo by Kevin Westenberg) UK photograph Kevin Westenberg has posted a previously unpublished photo from a Recoil promo shoot for “Bloodline” online. In the photo you can see both Alan Wilder and Douglas McCarthy from Nitzer Ebb.

Westenberg informs that the press shoot took place at the Worx Studios at King’s Cross, London on January 17, 1992. The shoot took place almost exactly 2 years after Westenberg had a Depeche Mode photo shoot.

Kevin Westenberg: “In 1990 Alan contacted me for another shoot. Turned out that while Alan was in the later years of being in Depeche Mode, he had a plan B. Our shoot was for Recoil’s third album, “Bloodline” released on April 14, 1992, which included the single “Faith Healer”. Alan was in fact one of the first musicians I interacted with once moving to London in the early 80’s. Somehow, I ended up at Alan’s flat in NW London interviewing him for a magazine cover story.”

And he adds: “I’ve not looked at this session for 30 years! My memories of the day seem somewhat inconsequential in hindsight. The early 90’s were the busiest and most exhausting daily of my career averaging 100 shoot days per year so this one sadly has been lost in the insanity. For whatever reason this stopped me from reviewing this job. So happy to have reviewed this session all over again and to have found this one. This is because I just saw in the music press that all the Recoil albums have now been re-released via Mute.”

For those who didn’t know, the artwork on these Recoil vinyl reissues slightly differs from the artwork used for the CD’s when they were released.

Fans can contact Westenberg for print sales at kjwestenberg@hotmail.com.

About the Recoil album “Bloodline”

“Bloodline” is the third album by Recoil, released April 14, 1992. It was recorded at Konk Studio in London, during sessions that lasted from January to March 1991, being mixed later that same year. The album was produced by Alan Wilder, engineered by Steve Lyon, and assisted by Dave Eringa.

After completing Depeche Mode’s most successful album, “Violator”, and subsequent “World Violation Tour” (with Nitzer Ebb as the support act), Wilder co-produced Nitzer’s 1991 album “Ebbhead”. This cemented both a good personal and working relationship with Nitzer lead singer Douglas McCarthy. fter completing the Nitzer Ebb album, Wilder went to work on his solo project, and McCarthy returned the favour by performing on the Recoil album.

Other guest vocalists included the then rather unknown musician Moby and Toni Halliday (from Curve). The album also marked the first Recoil single, a cover of the Alex Harvey song “Faith Healer”.

The album is also notable for the track “Electro Blues for Bukka White”, which introduced the idea of taking very old recordings and setting them in a new electronic setting. Moby, who contributed vocals for the song “Curse”, would later release his 1999 breakthrough album, “Play”, which clearly was based on Wilder’s approach for “Electro Blues for Bukka White”. Moby also used several old field recordings by Alan Lomax, again just like Wilder had used a 1937 recording of White’s “Shake ‘Em on Down”.

Neikka RPM – Scorpion In The Hourglass (Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-Electro, Industrial-Techno.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: New-York (USA) based Neikka RPM strikes back releasing their first new album in eleven years! This is Dominique and Rich Bova’s fifth album to date. The album was preceded by the EP “Battle Scars” which was already released in 2017. Notice by the way the CD edit features “Battle Scars” as a bonus.

Content: Neikka RPM moves on where previous productions stopped; an unpolished and heavy dark sound driven by furious and unique drum patterns injecting an Industrial style to the work. As a contrast to the harsh Electronic sound you’ll (re)discover the half-whispering and sensual vocals of Dominique. The album features raw, Techno-like tunes and arrangements making the production ultra-danceable.

+ + + : Neikka RPM took me by surprise for several reasons. They finally achieved a new album which stands a bit like a new start but it doesn’t really sound this way. This is their heaviest and most elaborated production to date. The Industrial drum sections remain the band’s sound DNA which they now seriously boosted. The sound treatments are also revealing irresistible, icy and raw Technoid tunes emerging on “Some Kind Of Hell”, “Raven” and “No Flow”. Nevertheless the unpolished production -which clearly sounds intentional, the work also reveals sound intelligence bringing different influences like Industrial and Techno together in a smashing accomplishment. Last but not least the hot and sexy vocals remain another essential aspect of the production like an angelic -or demonic sensation. I also noticed a kind of mysterious chant in the background accentuating the sexy, dungeon atmosphere of the work.

– – – : I regret most of the songs remain pretty short and that’s a pity when the songs are that good. This is maybe an item the band might consider when doing alternative edits/remixes. Quite curiously the already familiar “Battle Scars” -which remains a cool song, is not exactly one of my favorites.

Conclusion: Neikka RPM remains a very unique sound experience for their signature sound you immediately recognize through the hard and explicit drum patterns and the bewitching female vocals.

Best songs: “Some Kind Of Hell”, “Raven”, “No Flow”, “Vengeance Is What You Want”, “Serpents Seduce Your Angels”, “Bloodline”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.neikkarpm.com / www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100046370024672

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

Out of print titles from Alan Wilder project Recoil re-released on vinyl – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 18:45:02 +0000

(Photo by Joe Dilworth) Mute has announced details of a series of reissues from Recoil (Alan Wilder), starting with three long out of print albums “Unsound Methods”, “Liquid” and “subHuman” – due out on double coloured vinyl and CD on 7 October 2022. The first three albums, “1+2” (1986), “Hydrology” (1988) and “Bloodline” (1990) are currently being remastered for release at a later date.

The new editions of “Unsound Methods” (1997), “Liquid” (2000) and “subHuman” (2007) will be available in transparent green/clear, silver and curacao blue respectively.

In a reaction to Mute Alan Wilder recently said this: “Having not really listened in full to any of the Recoil albums for many years, the requirement to sit down and closely scrutinize the new test pressings meant that I was obliged to focus on everything once again. It was a surprising and pleasurable adventure to hear the work with fresh ears and I was able, perhaps properly for the first time, to experience all the detail which I had either forgotten about or hadn’t fully appreciated at the time.”

“Unsound Methods” was Wilder’s fourth album as Recoil, and his first release after announcing his departure from Depeche Mode in 1995. Recorded at his Sussex studio, “Unsound Methods” saw him working with four very different collaborators: Nitzer Ebb’s Douglas McCarthy, New York spoken-word artist Maggie Estep and vocalists Siobhan Lynch and Hildia Campbell.

“Liquid” followed in 2000 and the collaborations continued, this time working alongside Diamanda Galás, Nicole Blackman, Samantha Coerbell, Rosa Torras, The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet and more.

“subHuman” arrived after a seven-year break and saw Wilder working with vocalists Carla Trevaskis and Louisiana bluesman Joe Richardson, whose voice is complimented by guitar and harmonica performances.

‘Click Interview’ with Ravenous: “Forward To The Roots” Reminds Us Of Our Strength And Power’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Ravenous got some fame in the 90s. The German formation released three albums in between 1996 and 2000; “Mass Mental Cruelty” (1996, on Off Beat), “No Retreat And No Surrender” (1998, on Zoth Ommog) and “Phoenix” (2000, on Bloodline). The band next took a long break and got finally reactivated this year to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of their debut album. Björn Böttcher, Gerrit Thomas (Funker Vogt, Eisfabrik ao) and Tim Fockenbrock joined back hands together and released the ‘new’ album “Forward To The Roots” on RepoRecords. The band’s fourth album is a mix of new songs, previously unreleased tracks and rarities and the never released single “Frozen Tears”. The work remains a danceable mix between EBM and Electro-Pop. I got in touch with the band’s singer Tim Fockenbrock.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: After more than twenty years of silence, Ravenous has been recovered from dust. What have been the triggers and motivation to bring the project alive?

Tim: That´s pretty simple. We had our first CD-release in 1996 and so we´ve got our 25th anniversary in 2021. So Björn asked me, if I was interested to release some old Mix-Versions and unreleased material. I agreed and we took that chance to make some new stuff.

Q: What did you guys keep in mind from the early years, the ‘old’ releases and their sound approach and what does the band stands for today?

Tim: We were and still are incorrigible believers in hope and justice and that everything will turn out good in the end. We became older and wiser and our new songs are representing the powerful and uncomplicated faith in ourselves and our sound.

Q: The album “Forward To The Roots” is a melting pot of new songs, rarities, remixes and even a previously unreleased single. What can you say about it?

Tim: We are all different characters in our band. We´ve got different stories to tell. We have internalized and accepted our past and our shadows. Now we are in peace with ourselves. Now the circle closes and we are ready to look forward without forgetting where we came from. “Forward To The Roots” reminds us of our strength and power.

Q: How comes the single “Frozen Tears” –meant to be released in 2001, never saw the daylight? And how comes Ravenous finally stopped its activities after three rather successful albums?

Tim: It´s because I started to make experiences in different bands. I was always open for good music, no matter what genre. So we had a break which took longer than we thought.

Q: How was it working on the new songs of the album? What’s the input of the different members and did you notice main changes with the old albums?

Tim: It was great to feel the power and inspiration again. In my opinion, the way we create our music, is now more effective. Gerrit creates the sound and I translate this on my piano to find the right melody. Afterwards we turn it back into the Electronic sound. This is a very special mix and typical for the Ravenous-sound. By writing the lyrics I also got another option to speak about my feelings, which is great.

Q: I noticed the single “Roots” has reached the Deutsche Alternative Charts while speaking right now, the album will probably enter as well. What does it mean to reach the DAC? What’s the true impact of these charts? And what brings the future for Ravenous?

Tim: It´s always good news if a lot of people recognize our music. Especially fans, DJ`s and Radio-Stations. There is no pressure and we will see what the future brings.

Resurrected EBM squad Ravenous launches brand new single and lyric video for ‘Roots’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 13:34:42 +0000

(Photo by Ravenous & Pixel Breed) The new song “Roots” is the first new Ravenous release in over 20 years. It is available as a digital single in all relevant stores today. An official lyric video is available on YouTube and can be seen below.

“Roots” is the opening track for Ravenous’ upcoming 25 years anniversary album “Forward to the Roots” which will be released on 29 October on Repo Records and is the 4th album of the trio consisting of Björn Böttcher, Gerrit Thomas and Tim Fockenbrock.

The album is a mix of new songs (“Roots”, “Here Again” and “Free Me”), unreleased tracks and rarities from the band archive ranging from unreleased versions of tracks from the 1996 debut (recorded by X-Marks the Pedwalk’s mind Andre Schmechta), to unreleased remixes, demos and rarities.

Also included is the never released re-recording of the single “Frozen Tears” (originally planned for 2001 but never released).

Enjoy the official “Roots” lyric video.

About Ravenous

Ravenous was born somewhere in 1989 and after their debut album on Off Beat they would release a second album, “No Retreat And No Surrender”, on Zoth Ommog in 1998. “Phoenix” followed in 2000 on Bloodline. And after that the lights went out.

During these 20 years apart, the band members have musically gone their own ways: While Björn Böttcher, after an extensive live artist career with Funker Vogt, ultimately delved into label and artist management with RepoRecords, Gerrit Thomas took a career in music production. Tim Fockenbrock, for his part, worked with several bands outside the scene and even deployed a dubbing career.

Out via Repo Records is the first new Ravenous album in 21 years: ‘Forward to the Roots’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 16:18:10 +0000

The German electro band returns after 21 years of silence. Björn Böttcher, Gerrit Thomas and Tim Fockenbrock are to release a new album on the 25th anniversary of their 1996 debut album “Mass Mental Cruelty” (Off Beat), November 29th that is.

The new album, “Forward to the Roots”, will be released via Repo Records and is the band’s 4th album.

Also included is the never released re-recording of the single “Frozen Tears” (originally planned for 2001 but never released).

Tracks:

Roots
Here again
Frozen Tears (2021)
Free Me
If you believe it (2002)
Roots (Alternative Vocal Edit)
Frozen Tears (2001)
Violent World (Plain Real Remix 1996)
Faster than Time (Alternative Version 1996)
Flesh and Bone (Alternative Version 1996)
Silverray (Radio Edit 1999)
Empire (Unreleased Version 1999)
The Last (Demo 1999)
Between the Worlds (Re/Work Remix 2000)
My Name (The Dust of Basement Remix 2000)
The Loop (2002)

About Ravenous

Elz and the Cult check in with maxi-single ‘Fire Meets Fire/Discipline’ – check out the video for ‘Fire Meets Fire’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Sat, 31 Jul 2021 08:43:44 +0000

Out today via the US label Black Pill Red Pill is the newest maxi-single from the Turkish act Elz and the Cult. The EP “Fire Meets Fire/Discipline” goes hand in hand with a video for the track “Fire Meets Fire” shot and directed by Elz and long-time collaborator Antresex. The video is an homage to George Bataille’s writings about erotica and la petite morte and features images of Elz and their ‘monster-under the bed’ played by Istanbul queer icon and drag artist Kiki Cicinash.

The single itself holds 2 tracks plus a remix of “Discipline” by Qual.

The Istanbul based act mixes dark electronic music with pop, industrial and goth undertones and first entered the spotlight with the 2016 released single “I Did This to Myself”. After their 3rd studio album, 2020’s “Bloodline”, Elz and the Cult released their first ever EP, “Sex Macabre”.

Here’s the video for “Fire Meets Fire”.

In Strict Confidence back with ‘Cryogenix (25 Years Edition)’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 17:35:48 +0000

With “Cryogenix”, In Strict Confidence released their debut CD on Talla 2XLC’s electro cult label Zoth Ommog in 1996. Four years after its release, however, the label ceased to exist and as a result, “Cryogenix” disappeared from the market in 2000 until today.

The band and its label Minuswelt have now revived this album for its 25th anniversary in a special edition. The new edition comes with 4 extra bonus tracks (rare and unreleased material): “Dementia” (Funker Vogt Remix), “Inside” (Inside Out Instrumental), “Heavens Help” (Life – Part 3) and “Dementia” (Redux).

About In Strict Confidence

In Strict Confidence is a German electro-industrial band. Formed in 1989, they were known as Seal of Secrecy until 1992. In Strict Confidence has been signed to several record labels, including Zoth Ommog, Metropolis Records and WTII Records.

In Strict Confidence originally started out as a quartet, but stripped down to a duo (Dennis Ostermann and Jörg Schelte) in 1992, releasing two demos tapes on the way to their debut release “Cryogenix” on Zoth Ommog in 1996, shortly followed by an EP “Collapse”. The third album “Love Kills!” was released on the newly formed but unfortunately short lived Bloodline label two years later.

Founding member Stefan Vesper then re-joined the group in time for “Mistrust the Angels” in 2002 with subsequent albums “Holy” and “Exile Paradise” appearing at two-year intervals. These albums saw the increasing use of female vocals from Antje Schulz, vocalist of the band Chandeen, and the addition of female vocalist Nina de Lianin.

Labels Interviews: File 6: Torben Schmidt / Infacted Recordings: ‘It Was Always A Moving Experience To Be Part Of Creating Something’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 22 May 2021 18:30:00 +0000

Torben Schmidt gained some experience about label activities working as A&R manager for the legendary Zoth Ommog and Bloodline. He set up Infacted Recordings in 2001 and signed bands like Orange Sector, Namnambulu, Frozen Plasma, Reaper, X Marks The Pedwalk, Prager Handgriff, Heimataerde, Grendel, ES23, Ruined Conflict, Xotox, NZ, Aircrash Bureau, PreEmptive Strike 0.1, Shiv-R, Torul, IC434, Vanguard… but still the own bands he’s involved with Lights Of Euphoria and Binary Park. Twenty years later Infacted Recordings became a reference when it comes to EBM, Electro-Pop and Dark-Electro artists.

(Stéphane Froidcoeur / Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

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

Torben: My main aim and intention when I started Infacted Recordings back in 2001 was to get independent and release/support the music I love, whenever possible detached from the economical side (which of course is not always possible). I was working for other people/companies before I started my own record company and experienced many good, but also quite some things, which were to be improved. I think the big advantage I had from the start was that I knew both sides, working in a record company and being an artist, producer myself.

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

Torben: Well, to be honest, for me it is basically a matter of personal taste. One rule I had from the start was to get to know the human behind every band/artist whenever possible to make up my mind about the individuals. If there is a good chemistry in between label and band/artist, that’s the most solid base you can get for a strong work together.

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

Torben: I think you already hit the point with the question. Time changes and we, as the motors and creators of this scene had the task to step up with the changes. We are innovators to a certain point, always at the pulse with being DJs, musicians, producers, people who initiate ideas and start projects. For me personal it was always a moving experience to be part of creating something. I think you really have to be where the heart of the scene is, at clubs, at festivals at concerts, meeting fans and supporters and have a good communication.

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

Torben: The main problem we all seek is that one big part of our scene is missing, that’s the live/club thing we have with our bands and our supporting DJs. Many plans we had with touring and release events for 2020 and 2021 had to be shifted. There are fresh ideas with streaming events, but this rarely compensates the feeling most of our scene loves and lives. So well, we honestly hope that there will be perspectives again soon. On the other side I am very happy to have so many supporters out there who continuously aid me/us as a label and the bands and DJs directly.

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

Torben: I can only speak for me personally here, but I think that print media is losing more and more of its impact due to various factors. Time is running fast and news are spread way more easily digital then in print media. It’s not really blaming, but print magazines concentrate too much on the same bands over and over again (of course often due to demand).

There are exceptions of course and I truly appreciate the support we get and a lot of still really enthusiastic journalists, but I experienced so many people stop buying magazines in the last years and change to digital media to get there information. For me as a label, social media and online media in general is an important key for my promotional work.

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

Torben: During the years I had the opportunity to work with so many talented artists, known/not so knows, small/big, which is/was truly an honor. So many relationships were started, collaborations occurred and friendships actually did result. My dream to live & work with music did already happen, so I am pretty thankful for this. I have to say that I do not really regret anything. Being in the music scene was great in almost all time periods and every phase had it great moments. Even on bad experiences you grow and make internal progress.

Cleopatra to release ‘Leaether Strip: The Zoth Ommog Years 1989-1999’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 17:11:59 +0000

Cleopatra Records has announced the forthcoming release of “Leaether Strip: The Zoth Ommog Years 1989-1999”, a boxed set featuring 10 individually packaged CDs with original artwork and rare bonus material. This limited edition collection showcases the output of projects helmed by Claus Larsen when being signed to the German label Zoth Ommog with both Leaether Strip and Klutae.

This collection will hold 148 tracks along with a 16-page booklet filled with rare photos as well as liner notes by Athan Maroulis (Spahn Ranch, Executive Slacks, NØIR). The set will reach the shops on December 4th and will also be available via all digital and streaming platforms.

About Leaether Strip

The Danish musical project Leaether Strip was founded in January, 1988 by Claus Larsen. Its influence has been most felt in the electronic body music and electro-industrial genres.

Leæther Strip was one of the earliest and most prominent acts on Germany’s now defunct Zoth Ommog record label. For distribution outside of Europe, the music has been licensed to the U.S. labels Cleopatra Records and Metropolis Records.

After the demise of Zoth Ommog in 1999, Larsen signed to Bloodline Records, which only released a single before also going out of business. In 2005, Leæther Strip signed with the Belgian-based label Alfa Matrix until 2011.

Istanbul based industrial goth band Elz And The Cult release new album ‘Bloodline’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 18:14:14 +0000

“Bloodline” is the second studio album by the Istanbul based industrial goth band Elz And The Cult. The album consists of 12 tracks mixing industrial music with dark wave and pop elements and is produced and mixed by Taner Yucel and mastered by Gorkem Karabudak. The album is available through all digital platforms, on CD by Cold Transmission Music, Germany and on vinyl by Young and Cold Records. A special limited-edition cassette will follow via Domuz Records.

The Istanbul based band first popped up on our radar via the 2016 single “I Did This to Myself”. In December 2018, the band released 2 different versions of their second studio album “Psychodrama” digitally and on CD & Cassette. The album even had its own special zine dedicated to it on the underground art scene in Turkey.

You can check the album on Spotify.

And here is the video for the track “Horrified”.

‘Click Interview’ with Melotron: ‘We Lost The Sense Why We Are Making Music’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 18:00:52 +0000

Melotron

Some of you might remind The Vermin, which was the first band featuring the German trio Andy Krüger, Edgar Slatnow and Kay Hildebrandt. They in 1995 went on as Melotron and got signed on the legendary Zoth Ommog label. Other productions got released by Bloodline, Synthetic Symphony and Out Of Line. Melotron became one of the absolute leading synth-pop formation in Germany, but still a successful export product. But after numerous hits and successful albums they needed some rest to reinvent themselves. After years of silence they this year strike back with a new full length entitled “Für Alle”. The perfect moment to welcome this come-back with an interview. The questions were answered by Edgar.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Für Alle” is your first ‘new’ studio album in eleven years, but it all sounds like you never stopped making music. How does it feel to be back and have released this new work?

Edgar: I’m happy. I’m happy what we have achieved. Yes, “Für Alle” was a long and sometimes stony road. But we needed this time to think about ourselves and about Melotron. Eleven, twelve years ago we lost the sense why we are making music. There were no good ideas for new songs anymore. We felt empty and tired. Other people tried to explain how we could succeed.

We didn’t like that and we thought about breaking up the band. At this moment, we three began to think about finding out what we really wanted. We spoke about our lives, dreams, hopes, changes, responsibilities, music and the future of Melotron. Finally, we found out that we would like to continue making music together, but not in the same way as before. It was the beginning of “Für Alle”.

Q: So how do you see this new album in the band’s discography and in, which way the album became different?

Edgar: Memories about the beginnings of the band showed us the direction. We took the responsibility in our own hands and started with writing and composing like in 1991, true to the motto: ‘Alles auf Anfang’ (cf. which can be translated as ‘as in the beginning’).

Let me get to the point: In the last fifteen/twenty years we had produced only with professional producers. It was more comfortable, but on the other hand you made a lot of simple compromises. So we canceled this kind of working. Andy started his ‘career’ as a producer and I never felt so comfortably to make music before. Yes we needed ‘a little bit more’ time for the producing, but this was our one and only compromise for “Für Alle”. We did what we want and in the way we wanted. So for me, this album is the most important album I ever worked on.

Q: What does the title of the album “Für Alle” stands for and what can you tell us about the main lyrical themes of the album?

Edgar: First of all, each song stands alone. But all together they are reflecting our search and the process of the album. There are some songs like “Alles Auf Anfang”, telling the story about transience and the small part that is staying forever. We wrote this song in just a few hours, but it was a big surprise. Andy and I had worked on another song. I can’t remember on which one, but it doesn’t matter. Andy should start singing this song, but he told me, he would want to do this later and I should look for another song. I thought, it was just a trick because he didn’t want to sing it. I was not happy with it, but he convinced me. So I focused on the new one. A little bit later Andy interrupted me, because we needed something to eat and drink. So we left the studio and during the next two hours, Andy was shopping. I had found the first right words for the song. Back in studio I finished the text, showed it to Andy and he plugged in the microphone and started to sing.

We finished this song on this evening. We put it in a loop and drunk what we’ve bought until the early morning hours, pleased and deeply impressed of ourselves. At this point, we realized that it’s would be an album for us, and for everyone who loves our music. This is how the name was born. Other songs like “Willkommen” or “Dein Glück” accompanied us for a long time of the production.

Q: You just mentioned “Dein Glück”, which is the last song from the album and, which has something soundtrack-like. A lot of artists have this secret dream to compose soundtrack music so is it also one of your dreams or do you want to accomplish other ideas?

Edgar: It’s a very special song. I’d the idea of the lyrics really early. Andy tried a lot of sound dresses, but they didn’t fit. Most of them were really faster. Only when he plays the song on the piano, the lyrics can breathe. I don’t know, why we didn’t try that before, but in one of the last sessions we tried a slow version of the song and the result was, what you hear on “Für Alle”. We like this kind of music; it’s for feeling and dreaming.

You can use our songs for soundtracks, but we don’t produce songs exclusively for soundtracks. Our next goal is the next album and we are working on it. It will follow the dynamic of life.

Q: Melotron is now active for more than 20 years. What have been the main facts from your career that come directly into mind and how do you see yourselves today as musicians/artists compared to the period you were still involved with The Vermin?

Edgar: Friendship!!! As we started with The Vermin, the former name of Melotron, we were three guys with synthesizers, not more and not less. The years made us to become friends. It sounds easy but sometimes it was really hard. We were not aware of the fact that we were the pioneers of German-speaking synth-pop music. Other things were more important to us. We fought for our places in the band and gradually we found our places to work from. We built a platform for a trust-based relationship. Today it doesn’t matter who writes the lyrics or who is composing the music. If someone has a good idea, we try to realize it. Today MELOTRON is our beloved and relaxed life project until the end of our days…maybe.

Q: You’re actually preparing a live tour, which I think is something really important for bands today, but it also is a lot of work and efforts. Tell us a bit more about this aspect and what might we expect from the new live shows?

Edgar: Yeah, live shows are really important for us too. We love to stand on stage and hear our music really loud. The music then feels much more powerful than at home. You can feel the energy and we want to bring it to the audience.

What do you expect from the Melotron live shows? Everything you need for a wonderful evening with good music and a little bit more. Most of the times there are some surprises who no one expects. It’s live (lol).

Honestly, we love to play the new songs as much as the old ones. The mix is very important to us. Cause this is the open secret for a successful party with happy people at the end of the night. So if you get the chance to see us live, do it and you will have one nice evening more in your life. Come and see us at:

08.12.2018, Moskau, Theatr
09.12.2018, St.Petersburg, Mod Club
15.03.2019, Kopenhagen t.b.a.
16.03.2019, Göteborg, Musikens Hus
07.06.2019, Oberhausen, Kulttempel
10/11.08.2019, Hildesheim, Mera Luna Festival

You can order the band’s newest album right here.

‘Click Interview’ with Funker Vogt: ‘Time Heals All Wounds’!

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 17:00:12 +0000

Funker Vogt was set up in 1995 and got instantly successful. Gerrit Thomas (composing) and Jens Kästel (vocals) progressively became one of the leading bands from the dark-electro & EBM scene. They released legendary work on Zoth Ommog, Bloodline, Synthetic Symphony while their previous full length got released on Out Of Line. When Jens Kästel left the band in 2013 the band had to search for a new vocalist. Sacha Korn (‘Sick Man’) joined in creating a real media storm. A new singer and a new label had to be found so Chris L. (Agonoize, The Sexorcits, Dance Or Die) joined in and Repo Records recently released the new album “Code Of Conduct”. I got in touch with Gerrit Thomas and Chris L. but started the interview with a question for label owners Kai Schmidt and Björn Böttcher (who both got involved with Funker Vogt as well) to know what they think about it all.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You (Repo Records) guys are quite familiar and pretty close to Funker Vogt so how did you perceive all what happened around the band during the past few years and what does it mean to you and Repo Records to have released this new album?

Repo Records: After our split in 2010, we have all kept a distance from each other. So we have certainly read about all this, but at that time it didn’t affect us that much. We all decided to go separate ways in 2010, without knowing if we ever will get together or not. And at that time, we managed this ‘divorce’ as harmonic as such a thing can happen.

As we have been personally involved in the old releases, we wanted to make them available again. So we approached Gerrit with this idea. After some negotiations we found an agreement.

Last year Gerrit told us that he wanted to restart Funker Vogt and if we were interested to release also new material. After so much time has passed, we thought that the time was right, to work together again. And it works very well so far.

For us this release really matters as Funker Vogt was a big part of our past. And from the label side it’s nice to have them on board for the very first time with a brand new release.

Q: Gerrit, after the departure of Jens Kästel, there was a lot of commotion around the new singer Sacha Korn who got rapidly replaced by Chris L. I can imagine it must have been a relief to release this new album “Code Of Conduct”?

Gerrit: We worked on some songs for about three years until they were sung by Chris and finally got released. It was a very hard time before Chris joined the band. So, the release of “Code Of Conduct” was a kind of start into a new era for us. And now, we’re so happy about all the good reactions.

Q: I can easily imagine all the commotion that happened must have been one of the darkest chapters in the band’s history. How did it feel for a musician to face all these events and what do you think about it right now?

Gerrit: Everything comes to an end -also hard times and dark chapters. Time heals all wounds! There had been lots of bad things against the band in itself, but also personally against René and me. Many things that were not justified. But I don’t want to rewind this by going into details here. We’re just happy to start again now.

Q: I should say “Code Of Conduct” sounds in the purest tradition of Funker Vogt, but with another singer instead of Jens Kästel. Tell us a bit more about the writing of the album and how did the integration of Chris L. happened?

Gerrit: The writing process remained exactly the same as before. I did the instrumental parts by always knowing where the vocal parts should later be. Then Chris got the instrumentals, wrote some fitting lyrics and sung them. Chris got that Funker Vogt-feeling from the very beginning, so we never had much to discuss or change a lot of his work. It simply fits!

Q: Chris, I can imagine it’s not an easy thing to become the new vocalist of such a famous band. What does it mean to you personally to have joined Funker Vogt and how did the collaboration happened with Gerrit?

Chris: We have been friends for a long time, I didn’t thought about it that much; we just did it, maybe because I never had in mind to replace Jens… I can live very well with the shitstorm…

Q: Funker Vogt has been always much more than simply hard electronic dance stuff, but still a band with a critical perception about society and our world. What about “Code Of Conduct” and tell us a bit more about the song “Brexshit”?

Chris: Every single day is an inspiration; turning on the news and see all the shit that is going on gives more inspiration then I actually need. Europe is falling apart as a community; it’s a good idea but it doesn’t seem to work as long as people are only taking care of their own needs…

Q: What have been the main changes and evolution in the global production process from the very first album “Thanks for Nothing” towards “Code Of Conduct”?

Gerrit: Puh, the whole production has completely changed all over the years. 21 years ago I worked with real synths, drum computers and samplers and recorded all the stuff with DAT tapes. Now, it’s all made with hard drives on computers – from the first note through the vocal recording to the mastering. Therefore everything’s much easier and works faster than twenty years ago.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

British post-punk legends 1919 announce death guitar player Mark Tighe

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 21:00:02 +0000

Again bad news. 1919 guitar player Mark Tighe is no more. Tighe was the first and only guitar player for the post-punk act 1919, from the band’s inception in 1980 to the eve of their second LP “Bloodline” in March 2017.

It was the band who announced the sad news: “It was Mark’s incredible passion for music that brought the band back to life so many years after it started, and his warmth and spirit that has bonded us for life as friends and human beings. As a technician there is no other, and his commitment to his craft has provided the soundtrack to a band loved in all corners of the world. We’ve been lucky enough to perform for you, and meet many of you, and anyone that spoke to Mark will have known how grateful we are for your support. In our darkest hour, your words of support and love have been overwhelming. Now, whilst our immediate plans are somewhat up in the air, we can only commit ourselves to honouring Mark in the way we deem most appropriate. This will take some time so please bear with us. But rest assured, we will. Mark, your D.N.A is built into the core of this band. We can never and will never forget you. Everything we have done has been because of you, and anything we may do will be for you.”

1919 formed in December 1980 in Bradford and was an early contributor to what became the Goth genre. The band had chart success with the singles “Caged”, “Repulsion” and “Cry Wolf” as well as with the 1984 LP “Machine”. They also recorded 2 Peel Sessions. In 2014, founding guitarist Mark Tighe attempted to reform the band, recruiting Rio Goldhammer from the Leeds underground scene to perform vocals and (initially) bass. In 2015, original drummer Mick Reed returned to the fray, providing the final piece of the puzzle in the form of bassist Karl Donner. With the band’s core reunited, the “‘Madness Continues’ Sessions” live-album quickly emerged, along with the self-released “Death Note” EP.

Two European tours and a host of festival appearances later, the band signed a deal with Westworld Recordings in 2016 to release a new album, “Bloodline”. The second studio album from 1919 is to be released in March 2017, 33 years after the first.

Matrix Downloaded 006 by IMJUDAS

Who is behind the brand new dark wave project ImJudas? Here’s your answer… and interview!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 17:30:50 +0000

Whilst checking out the recent free Alfa Matrix download compilation “Matrix Downloaded 006“, one new name popped up: ImJudas with “People Of The Blame (Alfa Edit)”, a dark wave track that already caught the attention of many especially thanks to it references to bands like early Alphaville, Deine Lakaien and related acts. Well, we can now reveal that ImJudas is in fact the brand new electro dark wave solo-project from maXX of the Italian dark/gothic electro metal duo Helalyn Flowers!

We contacted maXX a few days ago to give us some info on this well hidden project from him. But first, here’s the track (which you can download for free from bandcamp now).

SL: I had expected a guitar-powered project from you, but you totally went synth/electropop with ImJudas, talking of a real surprise!

M: Actually nobody was expecting this! You know, many figure me as a rude guy attached to his guitar but the truth is that I simply live my life as a manifesto of self-expression. Why Synth Pop? I didn’t wake up one day and sat at the studio trying to do something different. I don’t plan my projects that way. They all come from a voice within and that voice is the singing in my head. It happened that I was touring with Helalyn Flowers and on the road back to home I had in my mind two of the ImJudas songs. When I started working at the studio I simply followed my instinct and sang my lyrics on a synthesizer and a drum machine. It worked so I stuck that line. It’s a part of me that still I hadn’t time or a chance to let come out.

The main focus is on my voice and on the rhythm as well. There are almost no guitars on purpose because they would saturate the sound too much and these songs need more room within, a sort of something untold. Secondly, I already have other projects that unleash me as a guitarist, like Helalyn Flowers, that all you already know, and Black Shine Fever (formerly known as BlackCore) that is my other solo-project which EP is going to be released this Winter and that sounds like a blend of Post-Punk, Heavy Metal and Goth Rock.

I don’t know if the ‘synth pop’ label is appropriate for describing ImJudas, at least on my personal level, because there is this current tendency to have everything so polish, so clean, with clinic productions that all sound the same and that I keep my distance from. What I love in the early works in this genre was just the dirt, the slight defects, the image of the machines replacing traditional electric instruments and not humans. When I put ‘play’ on albums like ‘The Art of Falling Apart’ of Soft Cell or ‘Dark Star’ by Deine Lakaien I can feel that Rock n’Roll element that was typical to the genre. I am still in that mood, that’s the way I like it (sorry K.C.). I’d like that people accept the fact that ImJudas is not a ‘nice’ act’ and that there is a bloodline of Rock music within it. Well, sonically ImJudas may have all the rules of Synth Pop but I wish that everyone will catch the dark/wavey blood of ImJudas too.

SL: Any special references next to the aforementioned acts?

M: I like to think that ImJudas is some kind of ‘double’ that I exhaled when I was a kid and watched at the ‘Silence of the Lambs’ movie. That’s when I heard for the first time that dark and dancy stuff from Colin Newman and Q Lazzarus. I started searching for those records so I ran into Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Dead Or Alive, Visage, Talk Talk and all that great 80s stuff before I went deeper and deeper with acts like Coil, Deine Lakaien and Virgin Prunes. The common source of all these acts were always icons of the 70s like Bowie and Roxy Music that I love so much. Also the new-romantics were influenced by that stuff and in fact they inspire me as well.

ImJudas is now the face of that ‘double’, it’s the voice of that child ravished by a beautiful underworld of black and white shapes.

SL: You have been working in total secret on this project, I guess Noemi was aware of your tendencies? 😉

M: How couldn’t she? Eheh… She is aware of all of my tendencies as well as of all the music that I write and that still is imprisoned in hard-disks and CD-R’s! Simply, my ‘secret’ is based on my belief that if I have to unleash something then that something must be ready for me. I can wake up tomorrow and put all of my unreleased music on Bandcamp just for a compulsive share-thing but it wouldn’t be true to myself.

A project of mine should live its own life in the dark before being launched. It must have its own story. Noemi has been my muse, my advisor and always pushed me to bring this to the light of day. I was in the studio listening to these songs over and over again with other music trying to come out of my mind… so at a point, it’s been healthy to me to unleash everything. It’s like freeing a flock of wildened birds imprisoned in the house. And Noemi was always there at my side telling me wise words. I thank her everyday. She’s a part of ImJudas, she takes care of the whole visual and she is my vocal trainer too!

SL: How does it feel to finally come out of the closet?

M: Hah! I feel like I’m still in the closet! Jokes apart, I always try to not think at this kind of things. I learned to feel detached. I ain’t the kind of emotional guy, I want to turn emotions into feelings. But… How good is the human circle of emotions when it allows you to lose yourself in the tide, even just for a while? ?

SL: what’s in the pipeline for ImJudas?

M: My next song to be released after “People Of The Blame (Alfa Edit)” is going to be a cover version of the Front 242 classic ‘Don’t Crash’ on an Alfa Matrix tribute 2CD out next 16 December. I want to release my debut album next year because this stuff is tired to be played among these four walls and I can’t afford to get insane, at least not now! ;-))

You can find ImJudas right here on Facebook.