Deviant UK, the darkwave / industrial solo project of Jay Smith, returns with a brand new 9-track EP, “Speak Of The Devil”. On this new EP you’ll find the project’s two biggest hits (“Access Denied!” and “Raptured Saints”) both from the debut album “Barbed Wire Star” in a re-recorded version. Also included is a cover of Robbie Williams’ “Let Me Entertain you”, reimaging the song as a dark electro dancefloor track.

“Speak Of The Devil” is out now on CD and in download and streaming format.

Deviant UK formed in January 2004 as the solo project of Jay Smith. The project’s debut album, “Barbed Wire Star” followed in 2006. Subsequent releases included “Very Bad Things” and the 2014 EP “Cracks Start to Show”. There were rumours of new material to be released as “Larger Than Life” but that never materialised.

Deviant UK tour dates

• 6 th March – Ivory Blacks – Glasgow w/ PIG
• 7 th March – Rebellion – Manchester w/ PIG
• 8 th March – 229 Club – London w/ PIG – SOLD OUT
• 5 th April – Corporation – Sheffield w/ Zeitgeist Zero
• 26th April – Whitby Spring Goth Festival w/Play/Dead
• 30th May – Alhambra – Morecombe w/Cryogenica
• 27th June – Darker Days Festival – Leicester – w/Luxury Stranger

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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Toronto-based industrial/synthpop band for all the emptiness has been releasing one video each day on Facebook during the past week containing behind-the-scenes footage from their “Hearts against minds” video which you can watch below!

The video was shot on-site at multiple locations in Nevada during a fierce wind storm, making some of the shots difficult at first. But the band and production company used the wind to their advantage so it seems. Jonathan Kaplan of for all the emptiness: “We worked with a local production company, who assisted with the entire production. From concept to the final cut.” In short, the video follows the story of a world of people trapped within themselves, struggling, in pain, and wanting to break free.

In the video, the walls of the set are covered with newspapers with headlines and photos of war and horrible crimes, and mindless “drones” in military camouflage. The intent is to change hearts and minds to end such things, symbolized, as the song progresses, by the newspapers being taken down.

for all the emptiness is also preparing to release a remix version of their EP titled “mt repeat”. The album contains 5 remixes from well-known artists including Apoptygma Berzerk, Aesthetic Perfection, Neuroticfish, Laetherstrip, and Sebastian from Icon of Coil.

for all the emptiness originally started as an idea by vocalist/composer Jonathan Kaplan after viewing Apoptygma Berzerk’s live DVD “apbl98” and seeing frontman Stephan Groth go into the crowd after a performance. In 2011 they released their debut album “axioms”. It was produced by Yone Dudas of Decoded Feedback. In 2012, a remix version of “axioms” was released featuring remixes by Assemblage 23, Beborn Beton, Decoded Feedback and more. To help promote the release they went on a North American tour with artists Die Sektor, The Gothsicles, and Deviant UK.

For more information, please visit the band’s official website.

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: Dark-pop, electro-goth & new-wave.

Content: A new full length album by Deviant UK is in the pipeline and we here welcome a first single, which will give us an idea about the new work.

Jay Smith remains a very unique artist in this scene. He not only created a highly danceable sound mixing elements of pop, gothic and new-wave, but he also has this great timbre of voice –which often reminded me of Gary Numan.

“Cracks Start To Show” features the title song and 14 remixes. I’m not that fond of such a remix orgy, but it has the main advantage that you’ll never forget the original song, especially when it concerns a great composition. The “Original Mix” is driven by a solid kick and an overwhelming melody line. Electronics and powerful guitar riffs together are inciting Jay Smith to sing some passages a real enraged way. No doubt about it, this new track is one more great smasher by Deviant UK.

It would bring me too far away to analyze every single remix, but we get an interesting canvas of bands like Angels & Agony, ESA, Cyferdyne, Die Sektor, Katscan, Skinjob, Iszoloscope, Renoized ao.
The first noticeable remix reveals an intelligent approach by ESA. Angels & Agony coming up next did a great job transforming some parts of the song into a delicious and evasive electro remix. Die Sektor transformed the original song into a darker and clubby-minded version.

I also have to mention of few more attention grabbers made by Advance and Stereo Juggernaut. Both formations are not exactly the most familiar names, but a remix always is an opportunity to catch the attention of a wider audience. That’s also true for SkinjoB, which I always have seen as a formation with a huge potential, but for some reasons this band never broke through. But the “SkinjoB Remix” is a hard and merciless club-version and definitely one of my absolute favorite ones.

Conclusion: This new EP can be simply summarized as revealing one great new song and a real plethora of remixes.

Best songs: “Cracks Start To Show”, “Cracks Start To Show – SkinjoB Remix”, “Cracks Start To Show – Deep Within The Cracks Remix By ESA”, “Cracks Start To Show – Die Sektor Remix”, “Cracks Start To Show – Stereo Juggernaut Remix”.

Rate: (DP:7½)DP.

Band: www.deviantuk.net / www.facebook.com/deviantuk

Label: www.wtiirecords.com / www.facebook.com/WTIIRecords

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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