Genre/Influences: Industrial, Electro, EBM. 

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Belgian Marc Ceulemans has released a second album in 2021, which now has been released on the Bulgarian label Mahorka.

Content: Brainquake holds on its heavy Industrial sound treatments empowered by a raw, metallic atmosphere. But the tracks also feature slow EBM influences and some Electro-Minimal passages. The vocal parts have been produced in a rather ghost-like way, which is totally complementary with the darkness of the work. The last song features guest vocals by Humanfobia.

+ + + : Brainquake didn’t change its global approach and influences although this album sounds a bit different to its predecessor “A Fronte Praecipitium, A Tergo Lupi”. I however like the familiar cold atmospheres and raw sound treatments empowered with pure Industrial elements. “The Number 12” is a great piece, which has something Klinik-al, but I won’t make further comparisons. “Static” is another attention grabber for its sound treatments. 

– – – : Some tracks aren’t always accessible for a wider audience, but Brainquake is definitely more suited for a restricted number of listeners. The global sound production can eventually be improved. 

Conclusion: Brainquake definitely sounds as something different and apart from the rest of the scene; somewhere between Industrial and Dark-Electro. 

Best songs: “The Number 12”, “Static”, “Humanfobia”, “Red Sprites”. 

Rate: 7½. 

Artist: www.facebook.com/brainquake.music 

Label: www.facebook.com/mahorka.org 

About Brainquake

Brainquake is the project of Belgian musician Marc Ceulemans. Ceulemans handles synths, composition, percussion, effects, vocal processing, recording and mastering at his Hemel Centraal studio in Belgium. Lyrics and vocals are credited to xendemon.

“Excess Denied” was released on 14 August 2021 by the Bulgarian label Mahorka and holds nine tracks: “Circle Upon Circle”, “Freigth”, “Red Sprites”, “The Number 12”, “Static”, “Ghosting Society”, “Brutal Coincidence”, “Slowed By Gravity” and “Lilith (Feat. Humanfobia)”. The lyrics of “Lilith” were provided by Humanfobia and the vocals sung by Mist Spectra. Cover design is credited to TDOP, using the Chinese ink drawing “Schizophrenia #6” by Nammu Eliaerts.

The album follows the earlier Brainquake full length “A Fronte Praecipitium, A Tergo Lupi”. The project also maintains its own Bandcamp page alongside the Mahorka edition covered here.

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, Dark-Electro, Ambient.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Belgian Brainquake project has been driven by Marc Ceulemans since the late 80s – and who has been involved with countless projects, Psych Krist Kastrator being probably the most renowned. This new album features six songs.The Latin title can be translated as ‘a precipice in front, wolves behind’…

Content: Marc Ceulemans has great experience with Industrial- and related music genres. It remains an important basis in the composition of this new work, but you also will notice Dark-Electronic sequences reminding me of the atmosphere of The Klinik. The tracks have a retro feeling, which also comes through in the icy leads. The songs are instrumental edits –sometimes mixed with spooky samplings, which have been progressively built up and are all moving in between 6 and 9 minutes.

+ + + : I’m impressed by the creative spirit of the artist who after all these years and an endless number of releases, still has this creative fire to compose great music. It’s a unique production although featuring familiar influences. I especially like the phenomenal icy leads running through “Vae Soli” and “Deiecta Oculus”. Production wise I also have to mention the opening track “Fata Obstant” featuring overwhelming sound blasts and great stereo effects.

– – – : The single deception about this work is the last track, which is less inspired, more sounding like an outro.

Conclusion: This is a great and artistic underground production, which definitely deserves a wider attention. Rough and intelligent Industrial music with a retro-futuristic approach.

Best songs: “Vae Soli”, “Deiecta Oculus”, “Fata Obstant”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/brainquake.music

Label: www.facebook.com/camembertelec

About Brainquake

Brainquake is the solo industrial and dark-electro outlet of Belgian musician Marc Ceulemans, active since the late 1980s. Ceulemans has also recorded as Psych Krist Kastrator, an outlet active from 1992 to 1997 with a rotating line-up of vocalists, and released the Brainquake album “The Ongoing Sequence of Events” on Mahorka in 2020.

“A Fronte Praecipitium, A Tergo Lupi” appeared on Camembert Electrique in 2021. Brainquake followed it with “Excess Denied” on Mahorka in 2022.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com