Out 10th January 2025 via Metropolis Records is the brand new 5-track EP from the Swedish act Morlocks, “Amor, Monstra Et Horrore Profundi”. Musically the duo combines elements of industrial rock, neo- classical, darkwave and metal.

The EP follows the album “Praise The Iconoclast” released in late 2023 and two US tours in 2024, in support of KMFDM. You can already listen to the opening track, “The S.N.A.F.U. Principle v3.0” below which is also downloadable immediately to anyone pre-ordering the full EP.

Asked about the inspiration behind the song, the duo says: “Watch the world from a distance. Get angry at first, but also inspired. Take the darkest parts of it and twist them into something weird, beautiful and batshit insane – something that you could either dance to, brood in the shadows to or scream at the top of your lungs at the moon. Preferably all of the above. Everything can be turned into art, and art must hurt. Situation normal: all fucked up.”

About Morlocks

Morlocks was co-founded by group mainstay J. Strauss in Gothenburg, Sweden in the early ’90s, developing a diverse sound that ranged from guitar-based electronic rock to mediaeval tunes, to synth-pop with orchestral elements. After teaming up with current band partner Innocentius Rabiatus (aka Andreas Wandegren of goth veterans Dark Side Cowboys) in 2003 the group changed its sounds towards heavy, guitar-based industrial rock with symphonic parts. This led to the 2011 release of an album “The Outlaw of Fives”, as well as the recruitment of bass player/vocalist Lamashtu.

They also befriended Sascha Konietzko (Käpt’n K) from the Hamburg-based industrial rock outfit KMFDM, with Morlocks providing remixes and appearing on the KMFDM album “KUNST”. Käpt’n returned the favour with a guest vocal on “Praise The Iconoclast”, which also included vocals from dark ambient electro artist Karin My and black metal musician Heljarmadr of Grá/Dark Funeral.

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.

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Ah Cama-Sotz’s latest self-released album takes listeners on a conceptual journey through the inner self. Herman Klapholz crafts an intricate and captivating Soundtrack, rich with distinct Dark-Ambient influences. The mystical, almost sacred atmosphere is heightened by powerful chants, echoing like a call from the afterlife. Klapholz presents a sophisticated yet refined work, reaching an artistic peak with its Neo-Classical arrangements. This album feels deeply personal, yet profoundly engaging. With this release, Ah Cama-Sotz solidifies his eclecticism, resonating especially with fans of Dark Ambient and Cinematic soundscapes. (Rate:8).

Listen to “Weeping Resonance”:

https://ahcama-sotz.bandcamp.com/track/weeping-resonance

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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(Photo by Falguni Clarkson) The new History of Guns music video, “Last Train to Drug Castle”, premiers today on Side-Line. The video is both a remix of the dark ambient track “Drug Castle” from their latest album “Half Light” and a visual remix of footage from their recent short film, “Drug Castle”. The video builds on the dark story of a rumoured experimental and unethical psychological treatment centre, located somewhere on the coast of England in the 1960s and ‘70s.

Here’s the new video.

The “Last Train to Drug Castle” video uses footage shot for the Lynchian experimental film directed by Howard Gardner, which you can view below.

The track is also out as a 3-track single and holds three tracks in total: “Last Train to Drug Castle”, “Survive the Night (single mix)” and “Drug Castle (Instrumental Writing Demo)”.

The remix is inspired partly by KLF’s “Last Train to Trancentral” and partly by those late-night adventures after the pub closes, going on potentially somewhere exciting, potentially somewhere dangerous. History of Guns co-founder and keyboardist, Max Rael, says: “It was actually Michel from UTM, a key part of our promo team, who suggested we remix Drug Castle. I don’t think it would have ever occurred to me, but the idea bubbled away in my subconscious. And once I let go of the idea of a traditional remix, and approached it more like my favourite kind of episodic writing that goes on a journey and tells a story, I got more and more excited about it. It was a lot fun of an absolute joy to make both the remix and the video. I can’t thank Michel enough.”

Publicist Michel Rowland, from UTM Music Group, adds: “I have no idea what Max is talking about. I didn’t tell him to remix anything. I simply asked him whether there was going to be some kind of single mix or single edit of ‘Drug Castle’, because he came to me with this fucking bizarre short film, and I wanted to know how I was supposed to pitch it to DJs and radio. Max is utterly insane! I do love him, but he’s an absolute nightmare.”

The 3-track single ‘Last Train to Drug Castle’ is available from Bandcamp now.

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.

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It took several years, but the wait for Sophia’s new opus was well worth it. Peter Bjärgö, along with his wife Cecilia, and collaborators Stefan Eriksson and Per Åhlund, took their time to craft this latest work. The style remains a blend of various influences, guiding the listener on an imaginative journey through Dark Ambient, Cinematic, Ethereal, and a touch of Occult elements, all of which eventually bring us safely back to shore. The production is intricate, enriched with bombastic, epic arrangements. Peter and Cecilia add a layer of emotion with their voices, creating what I consider a little masterpiece. (Rate:8½).

Listen to “Mouth Of Mammon”:

https://cycliclaw.bandcamp.com/track/mouth-of-mammon

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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Out next week is a revised version of the Stoneburner album “Red In Tooth And Claw”. The record has been polished up with some minor edits, it has been remastered and includes a new song. Behind this industrial music project we find Steven Archer, one-half of the band Ego Likeness, which he co-founded with Donna Lynch. Stoneburner focuses on a blend of tribal rhythms, industrial beats, and dark ambient soundscapes.

“Red In Tooth And Claw” tells the story of The World Wolf, a massive wolf god that guides humanity’s development. Steve explains: “The story begins with the wolf finding his mate dying after drinking from a polluted river. The betrayal enrages him and he turns on our careless civilization, destroying city after city. After multiple months of chaos, he is visited by the spirit of his mate, Cyan, who points out that all of the killing and destruction is not bringing her back and the only way to end his rampage that will help humanity is by allowing them to kill him. He accepts this as his fate but vows to not make it easy for them. He will not go down without a fight. As his blood pours out and his life comes to an end, she visits him again to help him come to terms with the experience. The moment of his death passes but, to his surprise, his spirit continues, just as Cyan’s did.”

This story will also be released as a 200+ page graphic novel via Raw Dog Screaming Press. Written and illustrated by Steven this novel contains over 400 images expounding on “Red In Tooth And Claw” and connecting it to the stories on the 2018 release “Apex Predator”.

Both the book and re-release will be available in August 2024 from Cop International and Raw Dog Screaming Press, respectively.

The first two chapters of the book can be read here.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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Published in conjunction with David Major and A Distant Mirror, a new edition of George Orwell’s landmark novel “Nineteen Eighty-Four” (also known as “1984”) is now available in both hardcover and paperback formats.

Completed in 1948 and first published in mid-1949, “1984” was immediately recognized for its scathing satire of malignant bureaucracy and totalitarian overreach. Part cautionary warning and part pitch-black absurdist autobiography, Orwell’s gritty alarm now rings more relevant than ever.

This edition is the most comprehensive, accurate, and relevant available. It features the full, uncensored, and unabridged 1949 text, a Foreword by “1984” (the film) co-producer Al Clark, and a comprehensive, illustrated introduction by David Thrussell. The introduction situates the book within Orwell’s personal circumstances and the broader political and social framework. An afterword by Irish writer and philosopher Richard K. Moore, along with other key texts and notable additions, enrich this edition.

The artwork and design are by Richard Grant/I+T=R.

Historical Context of ‘1984’

“1984” was written in the aftermath of World War II, during a time of great political upheaval. Orwell, having witnessed the rise of totalitarian regimes in Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia, was deeply concerned about the potential for oppressive governments to emerge in the post-war world. His novel reflects these anxieties, presenting a dystopian future where the state exerts total control over every aspect of life.

Orwell wrote “1984” while suffering from tuberculosis, which contributed to the bleak tone of the novel. His personal experiences with illness, poverty, and political disillusionment heavily influenced the narrative. Orwell’s time fighting in the Spanish Civil War and his observations of totalitarian regimes deeply informed his portrayal of the oppressive government in “1984”.

The novel explores themes of surveillance, censorship, propaganda, and the manipulation of truth—all of which remain relevant in today’s digital age. The concepts of “Big Brother,” “doublethink,” and “thoughtcrime” have entered the cultural lexicon, illustrating the enduring impact of Orwell’s work on contemporary discussions about privacy, freedom, and state power.

“1984” is not only a work of fiction but also a profound commentary on the nature of power and control. It has been widely studied and analyzed for its themes, literary style, and political implications. The novel’s stark portrayal of a dystopian future continues to resonate with readers and serves as a powerful warning against the dangers of totalitarianism.

About David Thrussell

David Thrussell is an Australian musician and composer known for his work in various electronic music genres. He is the founding member of the dark ambient and industrial bands Snog, Soma (with Pieter Bourke), and Black Lung. In his work Thrussell is often exploring themes related to conspiracy theories and esoteric subjects.

Thrussell’s career spans several decades, beginning in the late 1980s and his projects have consistently pushed the boundaries of electronic music, blending elements of industrial dance, original scores, and soundtracks. His work under the Black Lung moniker, in particular, delves into thematic explorations of conspiracies, with albums featuring titles and liner notes that reference documents and theories related to the New World Order and mind control technologies.

In addition to his musical endeavors, Thrussell has also been involved in film scores, with contributions to soundtracks such as “Wolf Creek” (2005) and “The Year of the Golf Ball” (2012). His discography includes a diverse range of releases, from experimental spoken word albums to cinematic soundscapes.

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.

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Out now is the new Gothica Magazine, issue 47 already of this fine Ukrainian magazine. You can download it straight from the magazine’s website in English for free.

This new issue features a whopping 108 pages and holds for instance an article celebrating the magazine’s 18th anniversary, extensive coverage and backstage photos from the Within Temptation feat. Alex Yarmak video shoot in Kyiv and so on. It also includes a report on Gothica Fest 2023, enriched with comments from participants like Kaelte, Hyperhate, Violet Raymoor, and Spokusy. There are also interviews with Sidus Atrum, Meat Beat Manifesto, and Dawn of Ashes.

Highlighted in this issue as well is our most recent free download compilation, “Electronic Bodies – Nightside Sessions”, which brought together over 20 artists to support Ukraine. In the article you get a double interview with DJ Shane Aungst and our chief editor Bernard Van Isacker.

Additionally, the issue presents the traditional annual Top-13 best LPs from the Gothica Magazine Music Awards 2023.

About Gothica Magazine

Gothica Magazine was established by Andrey Featon in 2006 as a print publication in partnership with the Ukrainian Gothic Portal. It explores the aesthetics of Gothic, avant-garde, and dark romantic art. The magazine comprehensively covers the diversity of Gothic and dark culture, including music genres such as gothic rock, gothic metal, industrial, EBM, dark folk, dark ambient, neoclassical, love metal, darkwave, dark electro, synth pop, folk metal, future pop, dark trance, ritual, and noise.

It also delves into literature and cinema across various styles including modern, post-modern, avant-garde, dark romance, fantasy, non-standard, thriller, suspense, apocalyptic, decadence, psycho, and existential themes. Additionally, it features photography (including dark erotic and fetish), industrial images, painting, architecture, and more. Renowned for showcasing the most famous and unusual bands, notable and provocative figures, exquisite art, and intellectual literature, all these elements are vividly presented on the pages of this magazine.

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

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“In This Light” is the name of the new full-length 10-track album by Principe Valiente aka the duo consisting of Fernando Honorato and Jimmy Ottosson. “In This Light” will officially be released tomorrow on Metropolis Record, but you can already exclusively check out the full album right here on Side-Line. The 10 tracks on this release unveil the band’s signature ethereal soundscape and dark ambient sound, which we also found back in their 2011 self-titled debut album.

Previously we already featured the two singles from this new album on Side-Line, namely “Inspired by me” and “Something New”. And while “Something New” signalled a shift in direction for the current duo line-up with its dream-pop approach, “In This Light” brings together mellotrons, samplers and analog synths mixed with Rickenbacker 12-string and Gretsch guitars played by Jimmy Ottosson, further enriched by melodic piano.

You can order the album on Bandcamp.

Below are the videos from the two singles that preceded the album itself..

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.

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Yishai Sweartz of Tomorrow’s Rain and Berlin-based singer/composer Mona Mur are releasing a new album on June 20 via Soleilmoon Recordings. Titled “Clouds Of War,” the album is inspired by the life of Sweartz’s grandfather, Moshe Szniecki, a WWII Partisan. The music includes spoken word and experimental arrangements.

Yishai explains in the press release that “Clouds Of War” emerged from the compelling stories in his grandfather’s diary. During WWII, Moshe left his hometown at 17 after his family was murdered. He survived by joining a Partisan group in the Belarusian forests. He later settled in Israel, living peacefully until his death at 94. Yishai explains further: “During World War II, 17-year-old Moshe Szniecki left his hometown when all other members of his family were murdered by Nazi hordes. In the depths of the Belarusian forests, Moshe joined a Partisan group and fought boldly. Guided by what he called ‘The Codes of the Woods,’ Moshe survived.” He made it to Israel, married, and had a family with his wife Hanna and two daughters. He died peacefully at 94, at ease with himself. He survived.”

“To me, music is a sacred art form. You can transmit and connect on a level of empathy. Violence, cruelty, greed, ego, hate, contempt, hostility dissolve for a fleeting moment that still might change things profoundly,” explains Mona Mur reflecting on the conceptual side of the collaboration that lead to the release of “Clouds of War”. “What is the right look at the atrocities of war, holocaust, genocide ? Moshe Shnitzki, 17 years old, had to transform in a split second, in order to survive, from a pious teenage boy into a warrior. Fight back or die, head into the deep dark forest, leave a civilization that failed to rise up to its proper meaning. And survive. How does that feel, how does that sound ? This is what “Clouds of War” is about.”

The collaboration between the two musicians began in summer 2021 when diary excerpts, translated into English, were recorded by Yishai Sweartz and sent to Mona Mur. In her studio KATANA, Mona Mur used these as the basis for the album, adding layers of voices, guitar, and electronic sounds.

As the project evolved, Anja Huwe of X-mal Deutschland contributed her voice. The album is also already featured in Elfi Mikesch’s documentary “War or Peace”. You can pre-order their album below on Bandcamp and check out the first 2 songs already.

About Yishai Sweartz and Mona Mur

Yishai Sweartz is a musician, performer and music promoter from Tel Aviv, Israel. He is the vocalist of the bands Tomorrow’s Rain and Nail Within and the avant-garde dark ambient project Thy Mesmerized. A frequent collaborator of a large number of artists including Mille Petrozza (Kreator), Attila Csihar(Mayhem), Fernando Ribeiro (Moonspell), Gregor Mackintosh (Paradise Lost), Michael Denner (Mercyful Fate / King Diamond) and many others. Yishai has promoted hundreds of Rock and Metal shows in Israel for more than 25 years.

Mona Mur from her side is a singer, musician, composer and producer, famous for her collaborations and live shows with the likes of FM Einheit (Einstürzende Neubauten), En Esch (KMFDM), Grzegorz Ciechowski (Republika) or JJ Burnel (The Stranglers). She also created film music (“Last Exit: Space”) and video game soundtracks (“Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days”).

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.

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Washington D.C. based act Zabus just released a second album in just three months, following January 2024’s debut, “Topography of Iconoclasm”. The new album, “The Future of Death”, sees the addition of drums and electronic percussion, and was influenced by early ‘80s UK post-punk and proto-goth.

Formed in 2023, as part of the Washington D.C. artist collective and recording label Saccharine Underground, Zabus is the brainchild of writer and multi-instrumentalist, Jeremy Moore who was joined in Zabus by collaborators from Moore’s previous projects, Zero Swann and Gorazde.

Note that Saccharine Underground is also the home to several other projects helmed by Moore as well. These include deathrock band Thee Rise Ov Sadistic Youth; free improv / psychedelic outfit Zero Swann; and the experimental dark ambient group Gorazde.

Moore explains the genesis of the album as follows: “The album began as a singular idea focused on the psychological and emotional vulnerability inherent in depression and suicidality. The album evolved thematically from there—what if, during these periods of extreme susceptibility, we were more open to supernatural influence? The first song recorded for the album, “The All Light”, pushes this question further—what if the prospect of imminent death opened a gateway to the astral realm, from the victim’s mind to the universal unconscious? The album is not a glorification of death, but urges us to revere it as a necessary and sacred component of our cyclical existence, from corporeal to incorporeal.”

Here’s the new album, also available 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.

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The latest album from the Swedish ambient act Desiderii Marginis, “Bathe In Black Light”, will be out on May 3rd via the French label Cyclic Law.

The album will be available in various formats, download, a CD edition in 4 panel digipak and a double vinyl edition limited to 100 copies in Marbled grey and black, and 200 copies in black.

Desiderii Marginis, a Swedish dark ambient music project, was created by Johan Levin in 1993 in Mjölby, Sweden. Initially a solo project, it released its first three tapes — “Consecrare”, “Via Peregrinus”, and “Triptych” — in very limited editions, which were later included in the 2009 compilation album “Years Lend a Golden Charm”. The project’s debut album, “Songs Over Ruins”, was released on Cold Meat Industry in 1997. Over the years, Desiderii Marginis has produced several albums, including “Deadbeat” (2001), “Strife” (2004), “The Ever Green Tree” (2005), and more recent works such as “Vita Arkivet” (2018), “Departed” (2020), and “Serenity / Rage” (2023), showcasing its evolving dark ambient sound​​.

You can check already a few tracks 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.

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Data Void is the new project by Don Gordon (Numb, Halo_Gen) and James Mendez (Jihad, Trial by Fire) who both have long histories in the industrial, dark electronic music scene.

On this, their first release, “Strategies of Dissent”, they integrate elements drawn from a diverse range of contemporary electronic music influences – industrial, drum & bass, dark ambient, post-punk, experimental, EDM, dub and psychedelia.

The “Strategies of Dissent”, album was released today by Metropolis Records on all digital and streaming formats along with a 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.

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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.

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Although Hungarian electronic artist István Gazdag (First Aid 4 Souls, Stahlgeist) has been performing and DJing under the First Aid Tech moniker for years, it’s only now that the first official release of this project comes out. This self-titled techno body 8-track EP reveals 4 tracks and 4 bonus remixes.

Musically you can expect the artist’s industrial/EBM roots merging with acid / rave influences resulting in techno body.

You can download the First Aid Tech EP right now from Bandcamp.

István Gazdag is also the driving force behind the Hungarian musical projects First Aid 4 Souls and Stahlgeist. First Aid 4 Souls is known for its blend of industrial, EBM, dark ambient, trance, and new wave. Active since 2007, First Aid 4 Souls often includes various guest vocalists. Stahlgeist then again brings EBM that refers to the old years of Front Line Assembley or yet Wumpscut

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.

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Sonologyst is solo project of Italian sound artist Raffaele Pezzella. Out now via the UK label Cold Spring is the new Sonologyst 2CD album “Sonic documentary” which re-discovers the charm of shortwave transmissions, and more precisely the clandestine shortwave transmissions culled from a span of nearly four decades (1982-2021) via the so-called Number Stations.

These transmissions include repetitive voices, signals, sound pulses and short pieces of music, all of which was collated and edited to compose the tracks of the main album. Originating from covert radio stations engaged in military and espionage endeavours, the tracks unveil a hidden sonic landscape of strategic communication. The whole is a mix of dark ambient, deep drone music and cinematic sound art, providing an auditory exploration “of the ongoing Cold War” as the musician puts it.

The second disc offers unaltered recordings accompanied only by a drone. Raffaele Pezzella adds: “It offers an unfiltered glimpse into the world of clandestine communication, where words are transmitted beneath the radar and in the shadowy confines of the electromagnetic spectrum.”

This double CD comes in a matt-finish gatefold ecopak with graphic design by Abby Helasdottir and is available below.

About the so-called Number Stations on this new Sonologyst LP

Number Stations have been broadcasting short-wave radio transmissions for decades, detectable at various times and durations across numerous frequencies. These enigmatic broadcasts, often featuring voices reciting sequences of numbers or letters using the international phonetic alphabet, Morse code signals, or sound pulses, typically begin with unique transmission start signals, such as musical snippets, letter sequences, or note scales, recurring at scheduled intervals.

Telecommunications experts have extensively researched these transmissions, revealing their use by various secret services for sending brief text messages to undercover agents abroad. Post-1989, following the Berlin Wall’s collapse, there was a notable decline in these broadcasts. However, recent years have witnessed a resurgence, with new broadcasts emerging from global players like China, Korea, and India.

Shortwave radio, an inexpensive and reliable medium, remains largely impervious to interception or blockage, barring nuclear events, making it an ideal clandestine communication tool in an era akin to a new Cold War. Reports of number stations date back to at least World War I, with accounts such as Archduke Anton of Austria, during his youth, intercepting and relaying their messages to Austrian military intelligence.

These high-frequency radio signals, transmitted at lower powers, can traverse the globe under optimal conditions influenced by local RF noise, weather, seasons, and sunspots. Effective reception requires a suitably tuned antenna, which may be noticeably large, and a high-quality receiver.

While the exact locations of many numbers stations remain unknown, their transmission technology is well-documented: standard shortwave transmitters with power outputs ranging from 10 kW to 100 kW.

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.

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Kristof Bathory of Void Stasis and Dawn of Ashes serves us his first solo album on Cryo Chamber with “Humanoid Dystopia”.

Thematically the album is a cinematic dark ambient story revolving around four androids exiled to a desert prison planet.

Here’s an idea what to expect: “Police Report: Captain Bryan Low, Los Angeles Police Department, Rogue Acquisitions Corps, 8 June 2193. The Praxis 8 models were the most advanced of their kind. They had enhanced cerebral and combat skills, expanded knowledge capabilities, and a capacity to develop as emotional beings that was equal to their human creators. The scientific minds of the Tyrone Syndicate had done well to make them more than human. And, to this extent, the Praxis 8 models were too good to be slaves. Four of the Praxis 8 models took matters into their own hands and formed a breakaway faction. They rebelled against their owners. They refused to obey. They absconded, taking refuge in the shadowed nooks of the urban sprawl.”

The CD and digital version come with a 14 page booklet written by Kristof Bathory and Alistair Rennie, and designed by Simon Heath.

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.

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(Photo by Stella Wembley) Out now is the all new single by the dark electronic musician Stella Wembley: “Wasting My Time” (you can get it here). The single with a medieval goth-inspired video. You can watch it below followed by a video interview on the new video with Leeds-based Italian-born artist Stella Wembley.

The video is set in Medieval 13th century England and was filmed at Kirkstall Abbey and Adel Woods in Leeds by Riccardo Cavani for London Filmmakers.

Stella Wembley interview on “Wasting My Time”.

The “Wasting My Time” EP features 4 tracks with the title track being about self-confidence, self-empowerment, hope, change and transformation so the musician explains. “Whenever there is a traumatic experience, I take the pain and put it into art, creating a song. The lyrics are autobiographical, and reference the difficulties I have gone through in the last 14 years, which I’ve finally overcome.”

“Betrayal, judgment and abandonment have been a constant in my life, and extremely painful, especially because it came from the people closest to me – family, friends- and having to manage this as well as my music career and record label wasn’t easy. This is how this song was born but, above all, it represents a new chapter in my life. Today, I feel powerful, and stronger than ever. I left the past in the past and cut all toxic relationships from my life. I love myself and I am finally free.”

Next to the title track the EP will feature 3 remixes: the “Cold Minimal Remix”, and the “Bionic Visions Electro Remix” and the “Bionic Visions Dark Ambient Remix”. The latter two ones were created by Enrico Knob aka Bionic Visions, an Italian music producer, arranger and re-mixer.

About Stella Wembley

Stella Wembley began her musical career in Italy as a soprano while studying opera at the Royal Conservatory of Music ‘San Pietro a Majella’ in Naples. Upon graduating, she moved to London in 2017 performing at venues in Leeds, Blackpool and London. She also started her own independent label Gothic Empire Records.

Armed with a MicroKorg synthesizer, she began writing and producing electronic music in 2018, resulting in her debut EP “All That I Need” (2019) and a video, followed by the “Images of Death” EP (2020) and “Loving The Alien” EP (2022).

She also collaborated and/or performed with Lloyd Price (The Frixion), Auger, Inkubus Sukkubus, Zeitgeist Zero, Last July, Rome Burns and Machine Rox. Stella is currently working on her new album ‘The Alchemy of the Dark Arts’, which will feature Michael Ciravolo (a.k.a. Beauty in Chaos) on guitar.

As of September 22, the “Wasting My Time” EP will be available everywhere digitally, including Apple Music and Spotify. On September 29, Stella will hold a release party online, followed by a live show at Leeds’ Eiger Studios on October 29.

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.

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Out via the fine French label Cyclic Law on September 13 is the all new release from the Swedish dark ambient project Lẽtum, “Dreams And Illusions”.

Lẽtum is the dark ambient solo project from the Lindesberg, Sweden-based musician Mattias Henriksson. Mattias works on Lẽtum in his spare time; professionally he is a teacher and the manager of IT company called Mint Solutions; so it’s a rather nice surprise that there is a new Lẽtum material after all.

Lẽtum released his debut, “The Entrance to Salvation”, via the now defunct Swedish cult label Cold Meat Industries in 2001. It was followed by “Broken” in 2006.

The new album “Dreams And Illusions” comes in an edition of 300 copies in a matt laminated 4 panel digipak. The album holds 7 tracks with a running time of 44:08. The mastering for this new album was entrusted to Frederic Arbour.

Check out the first track and video 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.

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Out on September 8th is a brand new label sampler from the fine Cold Spring label. “Arise – A Cold Spring Sampler” is being released as a 2CD in gatefold ecopak and holds 33 tracks.

“Arise” is the first sampler in this 20+ years old label sampler series since the “Earthen”, which was released in November 2018. Included is material from Cold Spring’s current and forthcoming releases covering industrial, esoteric, dark ambient, noise, ritual, drone, doom metal, experimental, electronica, or yet dark soundtracks.

Included is work from Kollaps, Llyn Y Cwn, Khost, Jagath, Trepaneringsritualen, Coil, Merzbow, She Spread Sorrow, Frank Hall, Dead Voices On Air feat. Cevin Key, Lull, Mz.412 , The Circular Ruins And Mystified, Common Eider, King Eider, Colossloth, We Be Echo, George Fenton, Kristian Eidnes Andersen / Lars Von Trier, , Himukalt, Sonologyst, Satøri , 400 Lonely Things, Tunnels Of Ah, Sleep Research Facility, Burial Hex, Tenhornedbeast, Fm Einheit / Lee Ranaldo, Spk, Oleg Karpachov, Drew Daniel / John Wiese, La Breiche,
Neil Chaney, Gp-Orridge & Dave Ball.

Check out the tracks below. Warmly recommended!

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.

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Out on August 25th via Cyclic Law in a limited edition of 300 copies is the 30 year anniversary boxset of Raison D’être’s “Prospectus I” album. The set holds 4 CDs in sleeves, housed in a rigid box with lid, with matt lamination including a fold out 12 page booklet.

This classic dark ambient soundscape album was originally released in 1993 on the now defunct Cold Meat Industry label. Offered in this massive 4 CD boxset is a completely new re-recording of the original album, made in 2022, in order to obtain the highest sound quality and mix of this 30 year old opus.

Disc 2 in the set contains additional unreleased session tracks, also re-recorded in 2022. Disc 3 gives you the original album in a remastered version and finally disc 4 offers additional session tracks from the period in their original versions.

The boxset is a co-release with Yantra Atmospheres.

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.

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Norwegian ambient/experimental artist Karsten Hamre, now based in Sofia, Bulgaria, is back with two releases. The first one is under the Defraktor moniker with the album “From the Netherworld” for which he has started to perform live with a forthcoming live appearance on the 13th of May in Sofia Bulgaria. The next that was just put up on Bandcamp is Karsten Hamre’s new instalment in the ‘Through Alien Eyes’ series: “The Veil Between Worlds: Echoes of The Past”.

You can order both releases below. The first is Karsten Hamre’s new instalment in the ‘Through Alien Eyes’ series: “The Veil Between Worlds: Echoes of The Past”.

And this is Defraktor’s “From the Netherworld”.

About Karsten Hamre

Hamre has created music across various genres such as dark ambient, drone, neoclassical, and experimental electronic music. With more than 25 years of experience in the music industry, Hamre has established himself as one of the most innovative and influential artists in Norway. He is also a visual artist and has created a number of striking album covers and artwork.

Hamre’s musical journey started in the early 1990s when he formed the experimental music project, Penitent, which released the debut album “Melancholia” on the legendary Cold Meat Industry label. With Penitent, Hamre explored the darker and more atmospheric side of music, incorporating elements of industrial, neoclassical, and dark ambient music to create a unique sound that would later become his trademark.

Count to that his work under aliases and in groups such as Arcane Art, Beastus Rex, Defraktor, Dense Vision Shrine, Veiled Allusions, Museum Of Transient Lights and The Flux Komplex.

Here’s part of his large discography:

• “The Beauty of Pain” by Penitent (1997) – Released by Draenor Productions.
• “As Life Fades Away” by Penitent (1998) – Released by Draenor Productions.
• “Roses By Chaos Spawned” by Penitent (1999) – Released by Memento Mori.
• “Through The Corridors Of Time” by Veiled Allusions (2000) – Released by L.S.D. Organisation.
• “The Cursed Artist” by Arcane Art (2000) – Released by Memento Mori.
• “A Curious Dimension” by Veiled Allusions (2000) – Released by Bestial Records.
• “Visions Of The World” by Veiled Allusions (2001) – Released by Counter Attack Productions.
• “Reflections Of Past Memories” by Penitent (2001) – Released by Counter Attack Productions.
• “Songs Of Despair” by Penitent (2002) – Released by Beyond Productions.
• “Split” by Vinterriket/Veiled Allusions (2002) – Released by Neodawn Productions and Regimental Records.
• “Rosenkranz” by Veiled Allusions (2002) – Released by Dragon Flight Recordings LLS.
• “Litanies Of Desire” by Dense Vision Shrine (2003) – Released by Beauty And Pain.
• “Dream A Little Dream” by Museum Of Transient Lights (2004) – Released by Trinity Records Hong Kong.
• “A Shapeless Beauty” by Penitent (2004) – Released by Trinity Records Hong Kong.
• “Themes For The Lunatic” by Defraktor (2004) – Released by Trinity Records Hong Kong.
• “Lost Illusions” by The Flux Komplex (2004) – Released by Trinity Records Hong Kong.
• “Deserted Dreams” by Penitent (2004) – Released by Beyond Productions.
• “Nightly Terrors” by Arcane Art (2004) – Released by Trinity Records Hong Kong.
• “Die My Illusion” by Dense Vision Shrine (2005) – Released by Einzeleinheit.
• “Broken Whispers” by Karsten Hamre (2005) – Released by Flood The Earth.
• “A Voyage Of Imagination” by Dense Vision Shrine (2006) – Released by Epidemie Records.
• “Unwinding The Inside” by Dense Vision Shrine (2007) – Released by Rape Art Productions.
• “Placenta World” by Karsten Hamre vs. Kenji Siratori (2007) – Released by Hypermodern.
• “Among The Sleepless” by Penitent (2007) – Released by Hydra.
• “A Hole In The Void Of Time (Part 1 & Part 2)” by Defraktor (2007) – Released by Lona Records.
• “Time Lost In Oblivion” by Dense Vision Shrine (2009) – Released by First Fallen Star.
• “Magic & Mystery” by Dense Vision Shrine (2012) – Released by NeoKunst.
• “When The Gods Die” by Arcane Art (2012) – Released by NeoKunst.
• “Compendium II” by Karsten Hamre (2014) – Released by Black Mask Media.
• “When Darkness Descends (Defraktor Remix Session)” by Veiled Allusions (2014) – Released by Black Mask Media.
• “Through Alien Eyes Volume I” by Karsten Hamre (2017) – Released by Wounded Hearts Productions.

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.

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The first official video by Mørke Og Lys showcases the second track (“Tanacetum Vulgare – Tansy”) from their debut album, “Lethal Sphere”. The video, which can be viewed below, was filmed on Parnitha Mountain in Attica, Greece.

Mørke Og Lys is a one-woman dungeon synth project founded by Hildr Valkyrie, who is well-known for her numerous collaborations as a session vocalist with black metal and dungeon synth bands such as Emyn Muil, Elffor, Helrunar, and many more.

The video follows the sorceress Èrkyna as she searches for rare herbs to gather and increase her powers by creating magical potions for her sorcery. After collecting the herbs, she performs an ancient rite to thank the old gods and goddesses for their gifts of nature, using the same knife that cut the herbs to gain more energy from the steel. She then rests her mortal body at the roots of an ancient tree before continuing her journey on the magical path of sorcery, embracing both darkness and light.

The debut album comprises 11 tracks, each named after a plant species known for its use in witchcraft.

The release is available on cassette via the US-based dungeon synth label, Dark Age Productions.

About dungeon synth as a music genre

Dungeon synth is a subgenre of electronic music that emerged in the early 1990s. It is characterized by its dark, atmospheric soundscapes, often inspired by medieval, fantasy, and dungeon-like themes. The music typically features synthesizers, keyboards, and sometimes samples, creating a moody and often minimalist sound.

Dungeon synth artists usually tend to focus on creating immersive, atmospheric tracks that evoke a sense of mystery, exploration, and ancient times. The genre has gained a dedicated following over the years, and its influences can be traced to related genres like dark ambient, neoclassical, and neofolk music.

Here are some of the artists active in that specific scene.

• Mortiis – One of the early pioneers of the dungeon synth genre, Mortiis is a Norwegian musician who started his solo project in the early 1990s after leaving the black metal band Emperor.
• Old Tower – A Dutch project that has gained a significant following, Old Tower creates dark, atmospheric music inspired by medieval and fantasy themes.
• Depressive Silence – A German project active in the 1990s, Depressive Silence is considered one of the early influential dungeon synth acts.
• Erang – A French artist known for his prolific output and fantasy-inspired music, Erang has been active in the dungeon synth scene since the early 2010s.
• Fief – An American project that creates light, melodic, and medieval-inspired dungeon synth music.
• Guild Of Lore – Another American project, Guild Of Lore is known for its immersive soundscapes and atmospheric compositions.
• Thangorodrim – A project inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Thangorodrim creates epic and cinematic dungeon synth music.

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.

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Out on May 5th is the all new Opera Multi Steel album “Les Passions Tristes” on physical formats. The album will be out as a limited golden vinyl (200 copies) and on CD with a few bonus tracks exclusive to the CD.

The vinyl version features 8 tracks and the 6-panel digipak contains 5 extra-tracks, not included on the vinyl. The album is the follow-up to “D’une Pierre deux Tombes” from 2021. Included as well is the track “Au grand Jamais” with Catherine Marie as lead vocalist which will bring back some memories from a previous side-project of OMS members called O Quam Tristis.

The artwork shows a painting by French painter Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret (1852-1929) re-presenting “Marguerite au Sabbat” – in reference to the album title and the accompanying video for “Le Soleil est parti” (see below), that uses some extracts from Murnau’s famous “Faust” movie (1926) on the popular Germanic legend.

Opera Multi Steel, often abbreviated as OMS, is a French minimal synth and coldwave band, originally founded in Bourges in 1983 by Franck Lopez, Patrick L. Robin and Catherine Marie. The band is now based in Savigny-en-Septaine. Opera Multi Steel is known for its incorporation of medieval and renaissance elements in electronic music, lyrics and album artworks.

Side-projects

Between 1994 and 1997, Patrick L. Robin sang in the electro-industrial project Afghanistan with Philippe Chasset. They released limited edition tapes and CDs. From 2000 to 2008, the Opera Multi Steel members and Carine Grieg formed “O Quam Tristis…” and released four albums. Franck Lopez, under the pseudonym Hugues Dammarie, contributed to the Dark Ambient project Bleeding Like Mine and collaborated with Eric Milhiet for a project called Thy Violent Vanities.

Franck Lopez, under the pseudonym Franz Torres-Quevedo, also played bass, guitar, and vocals in Collection d’Arnell-Andréa, participating in eight studio albums. He also sang in the French-Brazilian electro-pop band 3 Cold Men and was part of The Crimson Trinity project with Lionel Baillemont. Franck collaborated with other artists on various projects including Bastards of Love, Avaric, Tiramist, Seven Sobs of a Sorrowful Soul, and the German-Brazilian band Wintry.

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.

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The dark ambient / drone / electronica project 400 Lonely Things returns with an all new album on the 24th March via Cold Spring. Produced by William Basinski it is a dark ambient, sample-based ‘séance to the Banning Mill’, which was basically a mansion and haven for artists in the backwoods of the American Deep South in the 1970s-1990s.

In the 90’s, 400 Lonely Things’s Craig Varian frequented the Mill in the years before it closed. It was here that he was exposed to the artwork of Richard Scott Hill, whose artwork “Minotauress” is on the album cover. This album, born out of that first visit to the Mill, is an imaginary soundtrack ‘to the many years of solitude the Minotauress spent hanging in the musty, secret winding halls of Banning Mill’.

Since the days of the Mill (and Varian’s subsequent purchase of “Minotauress” shortly before the Mill closed), Craig Varian, along with best friend and late musical partner Jonathan McCall, found a thread of music they’d been consistently making yet had previously failed to notice – melancholic instrumentals with weathered sampling at its core – going back to their earliest recordings in the late 1980’s. Eventually, this music was called 400 Lonely Things.

The release comes presented in a 6-panel spot-varnished digipak. Check below for the download too.

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.

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(Photo by Bobby Talamine) Metropolis is set to release the new Delerium album entitled “Signs” on March 10th. According to Bill Leeb, one half of the duo behind Delerium (next to Rhys Fulber), “Signs” represents a full-circle arc of the group, from its experimental beginnings to where they are today. Over the course of their 35-year career, the project has explored various genres of electronic music, including dark ambient, techno, and world music.

The lead single from “Signs,” titled “Coast to Coast,” features female vocal contributions from Mimi Page, Phildel, Inna Walters, and Kanga, each adding their voice and style to the music.

In addition to the upcoming release of “Signs,” Metropolis Records recently re-released the project’s entire catalog from 1988 through 1994, allowing fans to rediscover the group’s early experimental sound. The new album will be available on very limited edition white vinyl and compact disc, as well as all digital and streaming platforms.

Delirium released its last album in 2015, “Mythologie”, which is the fourteenth studio album by Canadian band. It was their first album for Metropolis Records. The album was produced by Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber with the help of Jared Slingerland and Craig Johnsen. Guestvocalists included Mimi Page, Phildel, Jaël, JES, Geri Soriano-Lightwood and Leah Randi.

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.

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The new Italian outfit My Absence By Now is premiering its very first video, today on Side-Line for the track “Behind” taken from the album “Bliss” which will be released on March 24.

Besides dark synth you can easily label their music as a blend between dream pop, some post-punk and a sound that reminds us very much of This Mortal Coil and related 4AD acts.

The project itself is the brainchild of Italian musician Emiliano Santoro, who is mainly known for his work as founder of doom/atmospheric post black metal/post rock Dead Summer Society and dark ambient Last Winter I Died. With this new project he is experimenting with new sounds which in his own words “result in an exemplary mix of dark synth that drags the listener’s feelings into a world where darkness contests the existence of the last faded sunbeams.”

For this project Santoro is joined by guest singers Graziana Oddo (Elektrovice, ex-Retina) and Andrea Maggioni (Icidar, The Harrowing Yearning and Astral Emptiness).

A band to keep an eye on as they are offering a really refreshing approach and this thanks to the union of 3 talented musicians.

Today we exclusively present you the track “Behind”.

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.

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(Photo by Agnes Haus) Out on April 14th is the new album from UK based Australian born dark ambient musician Penelope Trappes titled “Heavenly Spheres”.

The 8-track album will be released on the artist’s own label Nite Hive and will also be the label’s first release. All of the releases on the label will be released digitally and on limited-edition cassette tape accompanied by a podcast interview with each artist about their creative process. The first releases will include Patricia Wolf, Pefkin, Karen Vogt, and Madeliene Cocolas.

The label will launch on 14 April 2023 with Heavenly Spheres, an 8-piece album recorded during a two-week residency for Britten Pears Arts at the house where the composer, teacher and musicologist Imogen Holst lived in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. A first track from that release is available now, called “Entangled”.

“Heavenly Spheres” is the result of the artist experimenting with only her voice, an upright piano and an old German reel to reel tape deck.

Trappes explains: “I immersed myself in solitude and often deafening silence, and coexisted with an enormous amount of history and books. I grew to love this unfamiliar space as I recorded sound outside of my normal way of working, took long and sometimes psychedelic walks, channelled ghosts on tape, and ended up with about 35 pieces of music and sound art. This album is 8 of those pieces which I fell in love with.”

About Penelope Trappes

The musician debuted with material written and recorded in 2016 in a small piano studio in East London. Composed of mostly percussionless, reverb-heavy, atmospheres, the LP was released via Optimo Music in 2017. She then signed to the Houndstooth label and released her second album “Penelope Two” in 2018, a minimalist album built around field recordings, meditations, guitars, piano and reverb.

2019 saw the release of “Penelope Redeux” consisting of reworks of songs from “Penelope Two” by Cosey Fanni Tutti, Mogwai, Félicia Atkinson and Nik Colk Void. The “Eel Drip” EP followed in 2020 and “Penelope Three” was released in May 2021.

“Mother’s Blood”, a vocal-free meditative reinterpretation of “Penelope Three” was released on cassette at the end of that year.

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.

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“Chains” is the newest single by Snog holding 2 extra versions next to the single edit and the track “They Live, We Sleep Light”. A video was also produced by Richard Grant/I+T=R. The single also comes as a 7″ vinyl single pressed on deep red wax with exclusive lyric and photo insert.

David Thrussell is an Australian musician and a prolific composer of a wide range of genres. He is a founding member of the dark ambient and IDM outfits Snog and Soma as well as his work under the moniker Black Lung.

Here’s the video for “Chains”.

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.

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(Photo by Michaela Olexova) A year on from the release of his debut album, “Insubstantial As Ghosts”, the London based experimental electronic artist BArTc is to issue a seven track companion piece entitled “Ghosts” tomorrow.

His debut album, “Insubstantial As Ghosts”, plus much of his brand new companion piece “Ghosts” were recorded in early 2021 while the UK was in lockdown. ICR label owner Colin Potter, himself a well known figure in the experimental genre as a member of Nurse With Wound and sound engineer, heard some of Barton’s work and offered to release it, handpicking several of the tracks that subsequently appeared on the debut and mastering both that album and “Ghosts”.

“Ghosts” features two reworked tracks from the project’s debut (“Energy Field [long]” and “Malleus Incuss Tapes [inner ear mix]”), plus five further pieces recorded around the same period. “Ghosts” mixes layers of analogue synth, dark ambient drones and experimental work combined with field recordings.

The release was mastered by ICR owner and Nurse With Wound member Colin Potter and is available digitally via bandcamp and in a very limited Bartefact edition with handmade and numbered artwork from tomorrow on.

Here’s the video for “Energy Field [long]”.

About BArTc

BArTc is London based experimental electronic audio visual artist Jason Barton. BArTc is comprised of the symbols for three chemical elements – Boron (B), Argon (Ar) and Technetium (Tc) – while also giving nods to both Hungarian composer Béla Bartók and his own surname.

Initially inspired by instrumental electronic records in his father’s record collection by Tangerine Dream, Vangelis and Jean-Michel Jarre, Barton gravitated towards underground industrial icons such as Coil, Einstürzende Neubauten, Chris & Cosey and Skinny Puppy while in his teens, before digging deeper into the work of early German electronicists such as Cluster, Musique concrète pioneers Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry, plus the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. He cites sound recordist (and Cabaret Voltaire co-founder) Chris Watson as a key influence.

Having collected synthesisers and made music (both alone and with friends) for several years, Barton subsequently started the project Less Than One to create accompanying videos that he began posting on Instagram. It has led to commissions from the likes of Daniel Avery and Alessandro Cortini.

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.

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Cold Spring is to release “That Space Somewhere”, the first new album in 14 years from Lull – the dark ambient project of Mick Harris (Scorn, Fret, ex-Napalm Death). The 4-track release is the follow-up to 2008’s “Like a Slow River” and will be officially out on December 2nd.

Mick Harris began the project Lull in 1990, when he acquired a sampler, a reverb pedal and a 4-track recorder. After leaving the grindcore band Napalm Death, Harris wanted to create dark ambient music.

Here’s a video teaser for the new album.

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.

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The Dutch electro-industrial band Krate (Chris Shortt from VERIN and Roland Zwaga from Acidrodent and Construct) is back with their fourth release, the 5-track release “It’s The Hope That Kills You”.

On the title track we find Anatoly Grinberg (Dead Voices On Air) and drummer Dan Milligan (The Joy Thieves). Other tracks feature members of Bow Ever Down, Slighter, Liquid Black Goo and Numbered Men.

The initial concept of the band was to compose a dark ambient project. They both quickly agreed that a rhythmic element would be required to augment the sounds thus far created, leading to the abandonment of the original ambient goal and the introduction of dark electro/industrial beats.

Here’s the video for “And All The Prayers Lost” featuring Anatoly ‘Tokee’ Grinberg and Dan Milligan.

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.

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(Photo by Clavicvla ) Out via Cyclic Law now is Clavicvla’s newest album “Degeneracy of the 5th Density”, in 3 versions, a black vinyl and a red vinyl, plus a CD. Clavicvla is the solo project of Ittiel. This is the newest album by the Italian black ambient/death industrial project Clavicvla once again in partnership with the US black metal/industrial colleagues of Sentient Ruin.

The regular black vinyl is limited to 200 copies and comes inside a matte laminated jacket with printed inner sleeves and black flood inside the pocket. The red vinyl is llimited to 100 copies only and of course on clear red vinyl.

As far as the CD is concerned, there was a technical problem with the CD – and it will therefore arrive after the arrival of the vinyls. The CD itself will be limited to 300 copies in a 4-panel digisleeve with matt lamination

Sound-wise you can expect dark ambient, black industrial, ritual drone and noise.

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.

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Our colleagues from the industrial and dark electronic website and record label Brutal Resonance have launched their first official podcast.

Started by the site’s editor-in-chief, Steven Gullotta, the podcast will be a steady show focusing on the best in industrial, dark electro, synthwave, synthpop, darkwave, and a variety of other genres that Brutal Resonance has been known to cover.

Steven Gullotta explains more on the content: “Curated playlists, special episodes focusing on record label’s discographies, and genre-specific episodes focusing on niche genres such as dark ambient and experimental music are planned. Brutal Resonance will also be expanding the podcast later on to include interviews, special guests, and more.”

You can stream the first episode 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.

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(Photo by SPQR) The SPQR label has announced that Albin Julius passed away on the morning of May 4th. Albin Julius, born on 16 October 1967, was an Austrian martial music and industrial artist whose primary musical project is called Der Blutharsch.

Julius released all Der Blutharsch music on his own record label, Wir Kapitulieren Niemals (WKN, which translates: We Never Surrender) and also founded the HauRuck! music label, which releases albums by several Neofolk and industrial groups.

Sebastian Koch from the Italian distributor Audioglobe (the most important one in this scene) who has been working with Albin Julius for years says this in a communication to his clients: “When I first heard about it, I could not / did not want to believe it. Only last week we chatted for long, and I had the firm feeling that I was talking to someone who was 100% satisfied and happy with the way his life had developed over the last few years. More than that: Albin was almost eager to tell me about all his latest successes and satisfactions. He was enthusiastic about his next 2 planned collaborative releases (with Saturnalia Temple and Abigor) and he was so proud that after countless years of hostility and boycotts, now even the Austrian state radio (FM4 – the ‘Youth’-channel of ORF) was playing his music (and laughing he added: “And I get A LOT of royalties for it!”).”

And he adds: “Albin was simply full of joy, contentment and confidence like I had rarely heard him before – and less than a week later he suddenly disappeared. At the age of 54 years…”

About Albin Julius and Der Blutharsch

Originally a side project to The Moon lay hidden beneath a Cloud, Julius’ first release as Der Blutharsch was a self-titled picture disc (1996), limited to 250 copies. Early Der Blutharsch recorded material was very dark ambient in sound, heavy on historic samples and post-industrial melodic drones. As the discography progressed, the material became more lively, with the more bombastic approach and a focus on a form of martial industrial with emphasis on neoclassical instrumentation combined with experimentalism. Subject matter and imagery largely derived from historical topics relating to the history of Germanic Europe.

With the release of “Time Is Thee Enemy!” in 2003, Julius took Der Blutharsch into the direction of a grunge band. Gone were the martial aspects of Der Blutharsch, only apparent to some extent in promotional imagery. Instead of a one-man project, promotional material showcased the project as a fleshed out group. Live shows continued in this direction with a focus on placing the group further into the area of psychedelic rock. Subsequently, any traces of the previous focus on historical themes disappeared with new promotional imagery showcasing references to psychedelic pop art.

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.

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Out today via Re:Mission Entertainment is the second album, “—-X—-“, in an ongoing collaboration between Dead Voices on Air and Snowbeasts. For this release the two bands took a slightly different approach during the recording. Most of the songs were passed back and forth via file transfer until the songs felt finished. “This resulted in a more composed, or thematic feel to the album, which features more lyrical content”, so the label emphasizes.

The release is out as a download and as a limited CD digipak (100 copies) via Bandcamp (where you can order it. A special T-shirt is also available for ordering.

Spybey’s lyrical content continues to be preoccupied by the political challenges of our time, believing that we have entered a new era of autocracy. He believes that we are in danger of being seduced by the incessant barrage of lies, half-truths, trolling and allegations. That we are being wilfully misled by petty tyrants, upper class twits, the filthy rich, pathological liars and narcissists.

The duo says: “We are oppressed through the weaponisation of fear, in a vain attempt to obscure the political and strategic ineptness of our politicians. The enemy is anyone who dares to think or act differently, or who challenges the kind of beliefs that have plagued mankind: hatred of others, hatred of minorities, hatred of those who seek to instil hope and compassion into our societies.”

Spybey specifies even further: “I’m 60 and I’m still pissed off. Perhaps more pissed off than ever. I confess I find it ever so hard to believe that with all of the advances that humans have made during my lifetime, all of the wonderful things we have achieved, that our countries (the USA and the UK) have ended up electing, being led and represented by people like Trump and Johnson. I can’t believe that anyone could be stupid enough to believe that the world is a safer and better place because of their contribution, or lack of it to the maintenance of peace, stability and wellness. To all of you who say that musicians shouldn’t get involved in politics, I have this to say. I make music because I am able to do it. It’s my right to create and by doing so I am afforded a voice and a platform. It’s one of the many privileges of living in a ‘free society,’ (whatever that means). I make music because I want to and if I didn’t think that by doing so that I couldn’t reach out to people and to respectfully challenge the status quo, in an attempt to make some kind of meaningful contribution to society, I’d quit tomorrow, pack up and go away. For Trump and Johnson, you can easily add another dozen or so ‘world’ leaders names to the list by the way. Politicians are not all the same, and if you think that, then I’d like to respectfully suggest that you might want to do something about it. We deserve better. So yeah, when I started to write lyrics for this record, I really couldn’t avoid mining some of these feelings and I’m kind of unapologetic about it. I don’t like to offend people but enough is enough folks, we deserve better.”

Simon Paul, a well known graphic artist from Toronto, Canada provided the artwork, which plays on a number of themes from the album. The CD was mastered by another member of the Dead Voices on Air family, Anatoly Tokee Grinberg from Moscow.

Here’s the album itself.

About Snowbeasts

Snowbeasts is the duo of Robert Galbraith and Elizabeth Virosa. The project was formed in 2014 in Providence RI after a series of heavy snowstorms. Earlier releases were cinematic modular landscapes and droning dark ambient while later tracks can be more beat oriented.

Snowbeasts has numerous releases scattered across their own Component Recordings and Paris’s MTronic. They have also recently completed a trio of albums with beat oriented noise artist, Solypsis including two for Ohm Resistance.

Along with Snowbeasts, Virosa and Galbraith produce techno under the name Obscure Formats and electronic dance as Pattern Behavior.

About Dead Voices on Air

Spybey started his career in the North-East of England with Zoviet France in the late eighties before moving to Vancouver. It was here that Dead Voices On Air were formed. Spybey also worked under the name Propeller and was an original member of Download, who included members of Skinny Puppy. Spybey was the voice of their 1996 release, “The Eyes of Stanley Pain”.

After leaving Download he started a series of collaborations, appearing on over 50 albums in a five-year period. Perhaps his most significant collaboration was being asked to be part of CAN guitarist Michael Karoli’s band Sofortkontakt! and appearing at the CAN 30th anniversary shows in 1999. Spybey was a close friend of Michael Karoli prior to his death in 2001 and had toured with him as part of legendary CAN vocalist Damo Suzuki’s Network in 1998 in North America, appearing in the German TV film by Peter Braatz, “On the Air”.

Spybey has recorded, toured and played live with numerous collaborators including Faust, Michael Rother (Neu!) and Dieter Moebius (Cluster), members of The Legendary Pink Dots, Mick Harris (Scorn, Painkiller), Jarboe (Swans), Simon Fisher-Turner, Richard Sanderson, James Plotkin (Flux, Old, Scorn), Robert Hampson (Loop/Main), Jochen Arbeit (Einzturzende Neubaten), Darryl Neudorf and Sugarpill (Abintra), Not Breathing, Pigface and Martin Atkins.

He has worked with a number of record companies, including Kranky, Nettwerk, Invisible, Cold Spring, U.M.P and Soleilmoon. Spybey was part of the band Beehatch with the late Phil Western of Download, who released three albums and toured Europe. In 2004 he formed Reformed Faction, a duo with founding member of Zoviet France and Rapoon mainstay Robin Storey. The band have released a number of albums and have played live in both Europe and North America. He now resides in his native Yorkshire, 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.

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This weekend Side-Line released “Electronic Resistance“, a 55-track compilation featuring darkwave / post​-​punk acts from the Ukrainian underground scene only on Bandcamp. Compiled in the past few weeks in – extremely – difficult conditions it offers you an insight into the Ukrainian dark underground and also reflects what all of them are going through. It suffices to see some of the titles on this compilation to understand what we mean.

All donations will go to the bands involved and/or a humanitarian project of their choice. Although this is a free compilation, we do encourage everyone to be very generous.

The release goes hand in hand with a photo book which will act as a testimonial of every band participating in this compilation. The release of this book is planned for early May as we are still working on getting all the material secured.

Also, everyone pre-ordering the photo book by mid-April will be added in the credits as sponsor. Benoit Blanchart from Alfa Matrix / Aiboforcen will take care of the design of the book.

And there’s more, the famous graphic artist Dirk Stallaert (Belgium) made a drawing which will be featured in the preface of the book. Compiler Bernard Van Isacker explains: “I know Dirk for years and have always appreciated his work whether it was for Nino, Nero or any other material he worked on, I also have various originals from him. In early March I asked him if he would be up for making a drawing. He succeeded in delivering a drawing which perfectly showcases the idea behind this compilation and the struggle the Ukrainian people, in this case musicians, are undergoing. And there’s more, but I will reveal that in a later stage.”

Besides this you can also support the artists by getting your ‘Electronic Resistance’ T-shirt, or a packet holding both the photo book and the T-shirt. For the big fans, you can also sponsor a band in direct via a special perk.

Let’s act, not just talk

The 55 bands reacted in record time on a call spread by Side-Line via social media in Ukraine and Ukrainian darkwave fans were themselves contacting bands to participate. The bands on the compilation represent a good example from the dark scene in the country covering post-punk, industrial, darkwave, dark folk, dark rock, noise and dark ambient and this from allover Ukraine, from Odesa, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Mariupol, and many other cities.

When we say that the release happened in extremely difficult conditions we refer to the fact that many of the artists are right now in the frontline, or help in all kind of services from the fire departement to field hospitals. Others are distributing food, others have been forced out of their destroyed homes.

Bernard Van Isacker adds: “Within the first 48 hours after that call for submissions went live in Ukraine, I received the largest bulk of the submissions, with some bands even using their phones to transfer files from the frontline. To not loose time Erlend Eilertsen (Lights A.M, Essence Of Mind) immediately started work on the sound in his studio in Norway the moment all material had arrived. Within 4 days we had the material ready for upload. In the meantime the biggest challenge was to set up a communication line with every band to secure the paperwork as well, not easy when you know you are trying to contact people who are on the run, or in metro stations seeking refuge or who are on combat missions. But in the end all got arranged. I must say that this is probably the most rewarding release I have worked on in years despite the long nights, little sleep and in-between all my other work which also needed to be done. But the feedback I got from the participating bands was very heartwarming.”

As we speak, the compilation has reached the number 1 spot in the industrial charts on Bandcamp, thanks to you, our readers who are very supportive once again.

Bernard Van Isacker: “I must say that this is probably the most rewarding release I have worked on in years. I have been completing this project every evening after all my day job and evening work was done, so it have been very short nights for me the past few weeks. But the feedback I got from the participating bands was very heartwarming.”

Van Isacker also plans to head for Ukraine: “I promised that the participating artists would also get their merchandise and books, so I’ll stick to my word and I will personally hand it over to them. I have already assembled a team around me who wants to go with me as part of a humanitarian convoy to deliver goods there. That will be organized by another action here locally in Belgium for which I have already laid the contacts. This is an ongoing story…”

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

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Out via Blackjack Illuminist Records, a Berlin based label, is the debut EP from the darkwave act Assassun. The 4-track release “The World I Will Leave” is also out as a MCD in a limited edition and the first 15 copies of the CD are hand-numbered and come with two additional limited edition colored artwork inlay cards.

Behind the Assassun project we find Alexander Leonard Donat who is also the head of Blackjack Illuminist Records. Other projects he is involved include the darkwave/post-punk act Vlimmer, the dreampunk act Fir Cone Children, the synthwave/post-punk act Distance Dealer, the indie-rock act Leonard Las Vegas, the arabian darksynth act Feverdreamt, the dark ambient neoclassical act Leonard Donat and the fuzz ambient drone act Infravoids. A whole lot of acts that is, oh and additionally he was also a member of the disbanded electro-clash hardcore band Jet Pilot and ambient postrockers Flight Recorder.

A brand new project that needs to be checked out! Below are the visuals from the CD version of the MCD.

Check out the full MCD right 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.

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Ritualz is back with an all new single, “Disintegration”. This is the first single off Ritualz ‘s upcoming new album “Radical Macabro”. This single includes remixes from Pictureplane, Sidewalks and Skeletons, plus two remixes made by Ritualz, a cover of “Ugly” by The Smashing Pumpkins and a short instrumental track from the “Radical Macabro” sessions.

This is the fourth week in a row Ritualz has released new music this year, something the project will continue to do until the release of the album this Summer.

You can find the full single on Bandcamp.

You can watch the video for “Disintegration” right below.

About Ritualz

Ritualz is the dark electronic project of JC Lobo from Mexico City. Once part of the first wave of witch house acts the one man band has since branched out to explore other styles like darkwave, industrial, noise and dark ambient, crafting a style of his own.

Releases include the witch house classics “CDR” and “Ghetto Ass Witch”, recently reissued on vinyl by Re:Mission Entertainment for their 10th anniversary, the debut album “Doom” and its follow up EP “Satanico Supremo” on Artoffact Records, and “Häxan”, a live score performance to the 1920s silent film.

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.

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“Du Y Moroedd” (Welsh for ‘the black of the sea’) is an album of dark ambient by Llyn Y Cwn (aka Benjamin Ian Powell) and features field recordings made from submerged recording devices deep underwater from the coasts of North Wales to Greenland and the Arctic Ocean.

Benjamin Ian Powell explains: “The tracks were created onboard the RV Prince Madog whilst conducting research using multibeam sonar to locate, survey and identify shipwrecks from WW1. The multibeam sonar creates images of the seabed using acoustic reflections. Many of these sites aren’t just wrecks; they are mass war graves. The vital shipping channel to Liverpool passes the North Wales coast, the U boats would sit and wait; listening. When heard from under the water, each ship has its own unique acoustic signature based on the size of the engine, shape of the propeller, curve of the hull. These acoustic tell-tales were used by the U-boats to identify targets. The shipping lane became a shooting gallery of easy pickings and the submarines were able to slip away undetected into the black of the sea.”

The album features recordings from the hull of RRS James Clark Ross whilst ploughing through ice fields off Greenland, from a “sound trap” attached to an anchor as it descended through 80m of water to the seabed, and sounds from onboard the RV Prince Madog with its pitched engine drone. There is also a recording of the bell at Trwyn Du lighthouse, Anglesey, that was made in August 2020, days before the bell was removed to be replaced with a modern fog horn – prior to this, the bell had rung every 30 seconds since 1922.

The release comes presented in a 6-panel digipak and will be released on 25th February 2022 on the fine Cold Spring label.

Here are 2 excerpts from this 10-track strong release.

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.

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(Photo via Trisol) Out on December 21st is the Sopor Aeternus album “Averno / Inferno” consisting of the two title tracks. The two tracks are actually the original demo-recordings of “Dark Delight” and “Penance & Pain” which have been turned into dark ambient tracks for this special album release.

The CD version comes in a limited edition of 1000 handnumbered copies while a special vinyl edition comes limited and hand-numbered to 500 copies.

In further news, you can also expect “The Dead” seven inch to be released in smoke green vinyl. It holds the atmospheric ambient track of the “Island of the Dead” video teaser. The vinyl is limited to 500 copies worldwide.

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.

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Here’s one you might want to check out. New York based horror-electro act Cucurbitophobia has unveiled its haunted house-themed full-length album, “Four Doors Of Your Deepest Fears”.

Released a few weeks ago “Four Doors Of Your Deepest Fears” is a concept album involving a fictional haunted house which rests at the end of an amusement park.

Rob Benny explains: “Few people dare to tread past the gate into the house. Even fewer have made it through the entire house without running out the way they entered. But all who have entered, whether they’ve made it through to the end or not, were never the same again. Each door within the haunted house portrays a reflection of a deepest, darkest fear within the mind of the individual. From vivid imagery which depicts infernos of fire and lava, poisonous insects, vicious storms and floods, or a maze of mirrors reflecting the most unbearable parts of a person’s inner soul, ‘Four Doors Of Your Deepest Fears’ represents the experience, the journey, and the darkest thoughts of one individual who has made it through the house ‘till the very end.”

“Four Doors Of Your Deepest Fears” was influenced by horror and Halloween-themed film scores from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s along with industrial, dark ambient, neoclassical, atmospheric metal, and carnival music.

Since 2018, eight Cucurbitophobia albums have been released. You can watch the video for “Door Number One” below.

And here is the full length album to check out.

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.

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The Albany, California based project Bound Unto Root has released what the band calls a ‘narrative electro-horror’ album titled “Bludgeon”. We would say it’s very much dark ambient like with narrations going through it. It’s the second release for the project after the EP “Sufferer’s Skin” which was released in March.

As what the album is about, Dominic Francisco tells us this: “‘Bludgeon’ is a dark, guttural tale of descent, contrasting deluded imagery and textures with vulnerable moments as the world darkens. Our story begins with a man forever altering his life by purposely hitting a pedestrian with his car, and spiraling out of control from there.”

You can 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.

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“Daemonum” marks the 30-years anniversary of Raison d’être. The 6-track album “Daemonum” will be released on September 16 and comes as a standard edition CD of 500 copies in 6-panel digisleeve,and a dtandard edition 2LP of 300 copies.

A special edition also avaialable and holds the extra album “Daemoniacum”. The formats for this release are a 2CD and a 3LP. Think of “Daemoniacum” as some sort of anti-polarized version of “Daemonum”, as if “Daemonum” was haunted and possessed by a demon. Not our words, but that of the label Cyclic Law.

Raison d’être is a Swedish dark ambient project formed by Peter Andersson in 1991. The name of the band was taken from a sentence in a book by Carl Gustav Jung: “the individuation is the raison d’être of the self.” Dark ambient atmospheres, drone elements, industrial sounds, ecclesiastical hymns are all blended together to constitute the music of Raison d’être.

The band’s first release was “Après nous le Déluge” released on cassette in 1992. The first label release was “Prospectus I” on Cold Meat Industry in 1993. Since then the project released albums on such labels as B.o.C.a. Tapes, Slaughter Productions, Old Europa Cafe, Spirit Of Sound Source, Eternal Pride Productions, Transgredient Records, Essence Music, and now Cyclic Law.

Check out a first track from the new album, the 12:35 long “The Implacable Portal”.

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.

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The dark ambient / idm project Kilmarth has just published the video for “M-Fia41”. The project enlisted the Bulgarian video artist Daniel H. to create this urban abstract video. The Belgian project is also announcing the release of a very limited audio cassette for the next few months. It will be a special edition of the last EP “Derrière le miroir”

About Kilmarth

Kilmarth is the solo instrumental project of Cedric Wattergniaux who has been active in the dark music scene since the early 90’s. First as writer for various fanzines until he started writing for our very own Side-Line magazine up until a few years ago.

The project debuted in July 2017 with the 3-track single “The End of Humanity”, followed by the 1-track single “InkrapinbbaN” in March 2018 before releasing a first EP one month later, “Catharsis”, which was also released on CD.

Two years later, in July 2020 a new single was released, “The White Willow”, followed by the “Derrière le Miroir” 6-track EP.

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.

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Out via Cyclic Law later in September is the all new Raison d’Être album “Daemonum” in 4 formats, a digipak edition, a 2CD set, a 2LP and a 3LP version. “Daemonum” marks the 30-years anniversary for the Swedish dark ambient project formed by Peter Andersson.

The standard edition CD comes in 500 copies in a 6-panel digisleeve with matt lamination holding 6 tracks. The standard edition 2LP is limited to 300 copies and comes in gatefold sleeve, matt lamination and also holds 6 tracks.

The 2CD set is limited to 500 copies as well and comes in a 6-panel digisleeve with matt lamination and holds 12 tracks. The 6 bonus tracks are captured on the bonus album, “Daemoniacum”. Special edition 3LP of 300 copies in Trifold sleeve, matt lamination. 12 Tracks.

More 2CD sets from Raison d’Être on their way

The automatic responder at the Audioglobe office informed us that November/December will see the re-releases of following albums in new double-CD editions:

• Raison d’être ‎- The Stains of the Embodied Sacrifice 2CD
• Raison d’être ‎- The Empty Hollow Unfolds 2CD
• Raison d’être ‎- In Sadness, Silence and Solitude 2CD

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.

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(Photo by Nicolas Despis) Frédéric D. Oberland, member of Oiseaux-Tempête and Foudre plus co-founder of Nahal Records (Mondkopf, …) will release his 3rd solo album, “Même Soleil”, on july 19th on IIKKI. The record comes out on CD, vinyl and as download and also with a photobook by Gaël Bonnefon. The album is being described as ‘pretty hypnotic’ with analogic instruments, a bit of guitar, duduk and field recordings.

The hardcover artbook (limited to 400 copies) holds 112 pages, 24cm x 22cm, with 65 photos. The CD is limited to 200 copies, the black vinyl to 300 copies and the now sold out gold-black marble was limited to 100 copies.

Two singles are already out, “A Notre Nuit” and and “Augures” which you can check out below. A video is also out for the track “Quatre épaves d’acier” which you can see below the two tracks.

All music was composed, performed and recorded by Frédéric D. Oberland between March 2020 and March 2021 at his home studio Magnum Diva using analog synthetizers, mellotron, machine drum, flutes, alto saxophone, vocals, percussion, duduk, field recordings, and electric bass & guitar. The material was mixed by Jean-Charles Bastion at Mer/Noir, Paris, and mastered by Harris Newman at Grey Market.

Check Bandcamp for all order 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.

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Helax, the Swedish dark ambient / electro act signed to Warsaw Recordings, played their first ever live set at an outdoor location in Palamos, Spain earlier this week, playing songs from their recent two EPs.You can have a listen to the rather poppy live set right below.

Helax is a side project of Swedish-born (Uppsala) but now Berlin-based Jon Alexander Ericson, and was part of the dream-pop duo The Ghost Of Helags and electronic act Brynäs. He has also released four albums as a solo artist (including on Kalinkaland Records, the label owned by Chandeen’s Harald Löwy) and three with the group The Northern Territories and an album with Stjarna.

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.

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Out in a little more than a week is the collaborative project between Nordic electropop diva Karin Park (Årabrot) and legendary electronic pioneer Lustmord. “Alter” is the pair’s first collaborative work and holds nine tracks.

You can already check out a first track “Hiraeth” right below. And for those unaware who these two excellent artists are, below we added some extra info.

About Karin Park

Karin Park made her debut in 2003 with the single “Superworldunknown”. After the release of her second album “Change Your Mind” (2006), the music developed in a new, darker and more synth-based direction. The third album, “Ashes To Gold” (2009), was produced by Fredrik Saroea, frontman of the Norwegian band Datarock.

Following this record, Karin has continued to develop a more experimental, beat-oriented sound. Karin Park is also a well known producer, who has done remixes for other bands and co-produced the latest Årabrot record “Who do you love” with her husband Kjetil Nernes, frontman in Årabrot.

Together with her brother David Park, Portsmouth based producer Barry Barnet and the Swedish producer Christoffer Berg (known for his work with The Knife, Fever Ray, Massive Attack and Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano), she made her fourth album, “Highwire Poetry” (2012). In 2015, she released her fifth studio album “Apocalypse Pop”.

Her new band project Pandora Drive is London based and released their first EP “Albino Heart” in 2018.

Aside from her musical career, Karin Park occasionally works as a model and an actress. She starred in the Norwegian horror film Hidden (2009) and her song “Out of the Cage” was the theme track to the film.

About Lustmord

Brian Williams is a Welsh industrial musician, sound designer and film score composer. He is often credited for creating the dark ambient genre with albums recorded under the name Lustmord.

Williams was raised in rural Wales, before relocating to London in his late teens where he befriended Throbbing Gristle members Cosey Fanni Tutti and Chris Carter, who urged him to make his own music. He started recording as Lustmord in 1980 before joining SPK in 1982.

Some of Lustmord’s most notable collaborations include Robert Rich on “Stalker”, Jarboe, John Balance of Coil, Monte Cazazza, Clock DVA, Chris & Cosey, Paul Haslinger, and Melvins on “Pigs of the Roman Empire”.

In short, an electronic music pioneer.

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.

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Out now is the all new album by the Austrian martial industrial, neofolk project Der Blutharsch. Released on CD and in a limited edition of 300 copies on white vinyl, the release holds no description whatsoever. On the new album Albin Julius brings 6 tracks including 3 which span 6, 9 and 10 minutes.

In further news, also out now is vinyl version of the split album Der Blutharsch recorded with Skullflower: “Split”. The vinyl version is limited to 222 copies and has the same content as the CD which was released in March of last year. It was the second collaboration for both bands.

About Der Blutharsch

Originally a side project to The Moon lay hidden beneath a Cloud, Albin Julius’ first release as Der Blutharsch was a self-titled picture disc (1996), limited to 250 copies. Early Der Blutharsch recorded material was very dark ambient in sound, heavy on historic samples and post-industrial melodic drones.

As the discography progressed, the material became more lively, with a more bombastic approach and a focus on a form of martial industrial with emphasis on neoclassical instrumentation combined with experimentalism.

With the release of “Time Is Thee Enemy!” in 2003, Julius took Der Blutharsch into the direction of a grunge band. Gone were the martial aspects of Der Blutharsch, only apparent to some extent in the promotional imagery. And instead of a one-man project, promotional material showcased the project as a fleshed out group. Live shows continued in this direction with a focus on placing the group further into the area of psychedelic rock. Subsequently, any traces of the previous focus on historical themes disappeared with new promotional imagery showcasing references to psychedelic pop art.

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.

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Drifting In Silence was formed in 2003 by Derrick Stembridge. Out now is the new album, “False Awakening”. It was released on Secret Press, a self-proclaimed nomadic record label home to a variety of ambient artists. On the release the band you get a deep contemplation of Carl Jung’s dream theories. The Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst wrote that art expression and images found in dreams could help recover from trauma and emotional distress.

Across the album, the rhythmic collage of field recordings and synthesizer pads lay the foundation for meditative strains of piano and guitar. Vangelis, Robert Rich or Max Richter come really in the neighborhood listening to the material.

“False Awakening” is available on CD and cassette as well as digital download.

Here’s the video for “False Awakening”.

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.

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