The Belgian oldschool EBM act Pro Patria is put on hold. In a message to his Bandcamp followers Peter V. (aka PVC) says that “the past year has been difficult for me from a creative point of view. I love making music, but I felt increasingly restrained by the narrow boundaries that EBM allows (…) therefore, Pro Patria will be put on hold for some time, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t be publishing anything anymore.”

Peter V. presents in the same mail a new release, which he will simply publish under his own name (Peter V): “Metropolis”. The reason for this release is very simple, Peter has been dreaming about making a contemporary music score for the 1927 expressionist film by Fritz Lang. The first part of it, “Intro – Schicht – Die Stadt der Arbeiter “, is out now.

He will add the consecutive parts as he finishes them, and in the end he will publish the full movie with his score. Here’s the first part.

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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Genre/Influences: Electro-Wave, Neo-Folk, Cinematographic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This is the third full length album by Chilean solo-project Der Arbeiter. It also is the first new album since 2010.

Content: Juan A.  has always been inspired by Neo-Folk, which is an influence that comes back on, “Amor Fati”. But the artist explores different other paths as well, his work becoming clearly driven by good-old Electro/Dark-Wave evoking Trisomie 21. “Amor Fati” also walks on Cinematographic paths and even ends with a kind of Gothic-Chanson experiment.

+ + + : Diversity definitely appears to be the main characteristic of this return. Der Arbeiter reveals great composing skills in the Electro/Dark-Wave style, “En El Mar” being a song to discover. I also recommend listening to “Lebendiges Feuer”, which maybe stands for the most representative track of the album; it’s a mixture of influences, a kind of heterogeneous melting pot between Electronics, Gothic and Neo-Folk. A last song I want to mention is “Aus Diesem Traum Aufwachen” revealing a cool balance between electronics and acoustic guitar sounds.

– – – : The versatile character of the work is sometimes a bit disturbing. The artist moves from captivating Neo-Folk into pure Electro/Dark-Wave nostalgia, which feels a bit like comparing apples with oranges.

Conclusion: Der Arbeiter is moving on the edge of different styles but will mainly catch the attention of listeners with an open mind.

Best songs: “En El Mar”, “Lebendiges Feuer”, “Aus Diesem Traum Aufwachen”, “Deinem Weg”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/Der-Arbeiter-118187561595900

Label: www.facebook.com/urmuzik.rec

About Der Arbeiter

Der Arbeiter is the solo project of Juan A., a Chilean architect and musician who has worked under the name since 2002. The project sets acoustic instruments against synthesizer pads and electronic beats, and draws on the landscapes of Chile and the writings of Heraclitus, Friedrich Nietzsche, Ernst Jünger and Martin Heidegger.

The debut album “Reflejos Del Sol” was released as a limited CD on Divine Comedy Records in 2004. “Holzwege” followed on Ur Muzik in 2010, the year the project also took part in the “Scontrum Act IX” split on War Office Propaganda.

“Amor Fati” appeared on Ur Muzik in 2021 as a limited CD, eleven years after “Holzwege”. A further album, “Fernweh”, followed in 2026.

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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Genre/Influences: Industrial, Dark-Ambient, Experimental, Martial.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Grzegorz Siedlecki strikes back with a new album of his sonic brainchild Horologium. 

Content: This is probably one of the most eclectic Horologium releases I’ve been invited to listen to. The artist holds on to his Industrial-, Dark-Ambient- and Martial influences, but the songs are more diversified than ever before. It all sounds like a specific element has been accentuated on each song. From dynamic rhythms refined with some Neo-Classic elements to harder Industrial passages to Experimental- and Minimal influences to Pure Dark-Ambient and finally Martial atmospheres, this album has a lot to offer. Notice by the way one song is featuring vocals by Chilean artist Der Arbeiter.

+ + + : I don’t know if “Carmina Contagionis” can be defined as a work summarizing the sound and influences of Horologium, but it clearly has a very diversified approach. The main strength however remains the visual strength of some tracks, but also the sophisticated writing. The songs are elaborated and achieved with many little details and noises. The samplings remain another essential aspect of the work.

– – – : When listening to this album I was thinking –by the exception of the tracks featuring Der Arbeiter, why not adding real vocals like chants/choir) on a few cuts? It could definitely add a true bonus –and especially on a few tracks.

Conclusion: This album is the contrary of a silent movie; you now get the sound, but no images!

Best songs: “Usura”, “Dream Within A Dream”, “Monstrosity Roe”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: https://horologiumofficial.wordpress.com /

www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063582273588

Label: http://ur-muzik.blogspot.be / www.facebook.com/urmuzik.rec 

About Horologium

Horologium was formed in 2004 as the project of Polish musician Grzegorz Siedlecki. Its music moves between dark ambient, neoclassical and martial styles, and its albums have appeared on Divine Comedy Records, Neuropa Records, Old Europa Cafe and La Esencia.

The first releases arrived in 2005 with “A Handful Of Dust” on Cynfeirdd, “The Fire Sermon” on Divine Comedy Records, “Kaukasus” on Beast Of Prey and “Sangreal” on Old Europa Cafe. “The World Is Not Enough” followed on Neuropa Records in 2007, “Earthbound” and “Penfield Mood Organ” in 2008, the LP “Tellurian Anthems” on La Esencia in 2011 and “Decorated Silence” on Old Europa Cafe in 2012.

Later work includes “Labyrinthos” in 2014, the 10-inch “Der Volksmund Sagt Pt II” on La Esencia in 2015, “Atavistic Americana” in 2018 and “Starvation Musings” in 2020. “Carmina Contagionis” was issued in 2021 on Ur Muzik in digital and vinyl form. Side-Line published a ‘Click Interview’ with Horologium in May 2019.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com