Genre/Influences: Punk, Post-Punk, Cold-Wave.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Belgian Walhalla Records used to release the great “Underground Wave”-compilation series, mainly devoted to Belgian Electro bands from the 80s. This new compilation, which is again compiled by Lieven De Ridder, features eleven Belgian bands from the past involved with Punk, Post-Punk and Cold-Wave.

Artists: De Brassers, The Cultural Decay, Camera Obscura, Struggler, Siglo XX, Suspects, De Kommeniste, De Scheuren, Protection +, Vibø, Day After.

Content: The title of the compilation speaks for itself: this is pure nostalgia, but also an opportunity to get back to the early years of Cold-Wave and Post-Punk. Several bands were set up in the late 70s and got influenced by legendary UK Punk bands.

Siglo XX is for sure the most famous –and internationally renowned, band from the album. De Brassers became an established Punk band in Belgium, but the other formations received local success and recognition. Belgian fans will maybe know Struggler (who remained active) and The Cultural Decay.

+ + + : This compilation brings us back in time, (re)discovering the early years of Belgian Punk and Cold-Wave music, but it also is a way to discover lost and forgotten treasures from the Belgian Punk scene. Next to several live songs you’ll get the opportunity to discover some unknown bands like Suspects –which is featuring a more Electro-driven cut, Protection + and Vibø, which both are featuring cool Cold-Wave driven songs. If you’re more into the typical Punk music you also gone like De Brassers and De Kommeniste. Last, but not least you also will hear a live track of Siglo XX (cf. “Answer”). The inside info sheet is also interesting to get more info about the featured bands.

– – – : This is nostalgia so a few tracks are definitely suffering from the weight of time. You have to replace this work in the right context and time.

Conclusion: Just as for the “Underground Wave”-series, this compilation is a kind of sonic documentary and legacy…

Best bands: Suspects, Siglo XX, Vibø, Protection +.

Rate: 8.

Label: www.walhallarecords.be / www.facebook.com/WalhallaRecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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The Belgian re-release label Walhalla Records, specialized in new wave, cold wave and minimal synth, is releasing a new vinyl compilation including previously unreleased material by Belgian cold wave/postpunk bands suchs as De Brassers, Siglo XX, Struggler, De Kommeniste…

Titled “End of Corridor”, the LP will be presented on Saturday 14 August from 2 to 6 pm in café Mombasa (Moorkensplein 37, 2140 Antwerp). The first 100 copies contain an extra insert that is signed by the artists.

The tracklist:

Here’s a presentation of the 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. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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On Saturday December 1st the Limburghal (Jaarbeurslaan 6) in Genk (BE) will host the 5th edition of the Sinner’s Day Festival.

The following artists are featured in the line-up: MC50, John Cale, Gang Of Four, GBH, Cabaret Voltaire, Fischer Z, Claw Boys Claw, Wolfgang Flür (ex-Kraftwerk). There’s also a Belgian stage featuring: Vive La Fête, Whispering Sons, Cocaine Piss, Red Zebra, Funeral Dress, De Brassers, O Veux and Marcel Vanthilt.

The music on the afterparty will be provided by Side-Line collaborator DJ Wildhoney.

Tickets can be found at www.sinnersday.com.

And here’s the good news, we have 5 duo-tickets to give away via Side-Line! Enter the contest below, we’ll be picking 5 lucky winners by the end of next week and inform them personally!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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