Genre/Influences: New-wave, EBM, minimal-electro, dark-electro, gothic.

Background/Info: This compilation featuring 26 bands is a way to remember the great W-Fest (festival) that took in place this Summer in Belgium. The festival was spread over 4 days, 3 scenes and featured an impressive number of bands. The organization invited some legendary 80s artists next to contemporary groups.

Artists: Parade Ground, A Split Second, Simi Nah, Dive, Suicide Commando, TB Frank & Baustein, Vine La Fête, A Slice Of Life, Flesh & Fell, Doganov, Red Zebra, The Breath Of Life ao.

Content: The first CD is clearly devoted to different kinds of electronic underground music. Parade Ground and A Split second will Takes us back in time with some legendary 80s songs while the electro-pop & minimalism of other bands such as Simi Nah, Enzo Kreft, Vive La Fête reveal contemporary 80s inspired sounds. It also is a way to rediscover some living legends such as Dive and Suicide Commando plus smaller bands such as Mildreda, Pro Patria, Herrnia.

The second disc brings us a mix of ‘old’ and contemporary gothic/new-wave. Red Zebra is a band we all know in Belgium, and which remains one of our best 80s ambassadors. A Slice Of Life could be the next big thing from Belgium. Here again you’ll discover very diversified groups moving from Ground Nero to Flesh & Fell, from Doganoc to The Breath Of Life etc.

+ + + : This is a fully enjoyable compilation, bringing different genres and especially music decades together. It also is a way to realize Belgium has a real great underground scene.

– – – : I just regret there aren’t more ‘exclusive’ tracks featured on the album, but it remains first of all a way to promote a great festival, already announced for 2019!

Conclusion: After the terrible lost of the Eurorock festival, Belgium moves on with a new ‘big fest’: W-Fest.

Best bands: A Split second, Enzo Kreft, Herrnia, Vive La Fête, A Slice Of Life, Flesh & Fell, red Zebra, Doganov, The Breath Of Life.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.wool–e–shop.be / www.facebook.com/woolediscs

About W-Fest

W-Fest is an annual new-wave, EBM and gothic festival held in Belgium, running across several days and multiple stages. The 2018 edition drew on both veteran acts and contemporary bands, a mix reflected on this compilation.

The album was released on Wool-E Discs, the Belgian label that also documented the festival’s lineup through earlier compilations.

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

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Swayed’.

About I:Scintilla

I:Scintilla was set up in Chicago in 2003 and has released its music through Alfa Matrix. “Swayed” is the band’s third official album and its first new full-length in eight years. The line-up is built around vocalist Brittany Bindrim, guitarist Jim Cookas and drummer Vince Grech, joined here by bassist Dean Dunakin and guitarist Myles Arwine.

The limited edition of “Swayed” adds a bonus disc with eight remixes, including contributions from Angelspit, Iris, Doganov and Al1ce. The album’s title track has drawn comparisons to The Birthday Massacre.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Industrial-metal, new-wave, electro.

Background/Info: Third self released album (EP) of this underestimated Belgian band, described as Praga Khan meets Rammstein, that was formed in 2010. Twincest Games is a story about a twin of which one doesn’t survive the pregnancy. The other one gets born with a tremendous sense of loss and needs to fill that void. A cocktail of beauty and strange relationships are destructive but a good surrogate. Every song tells another chapter of this story.

Content: “Cupid’s Dance” opens the album in a brilliant way: synth- and guitarriffs are perfectly combined with the harsh voice of singer Karl. “Twincest” is released as a first single and carries the typical Doganov concept: slowly built up verses followed by an exploding climax in the choruses. The guitars are more dominant on “Grimm”, while “Take The Night Away” has a very melodic chorus. “Receiver” is a track that easily can fill a dancefloor, a nice combination between electro and guitars, in the Goose-style! Track 6 is a smashing remix of “Endear You” (from the first album “Something Dark To Dance To”) done by Jürgen Engler of DIE KRUPPS. The very danceable Doganov-remix of “What You Need” from Goose is also featured while the last track “Whack This Guy” from La Muerte also got a nice Doganov remix-treatment.

+ + + : 8 high-quality songs are presented on this limited edition EP that was produced by the band itself. Doganov keeps following the same road as before, bringing danceable dark songs, full of modern electronics with a layer of smashing guitar-riffs over it!

– – – : This band should already have been picked up and signed by a label for a long time!

Conclusion: If you’re into electronics combined with guitars, check out Doganov! Step by step this promising band is reaching a wider audience. Make sure you see one of their explosive live-gigs as well!

Best songs: “Cupid’s Dance”, “Twincest Games”, “Receiver”, “Endear You (DIE KRUPPS remix)”, “What You Need – Goose (Doganov remix)”.

Rate: (9) WH.

Band: www.doganov.be / www.facebook.com/doganov.be

Label: www.doganov.be

Doganov, the unsigned Belgian industrial-metal/new-wave/electro band, made a great remix of the Goose song “What You Need”. Goose chose both remixes of B-Sights and Doganov as winners out of 117 participants of a remix contest, organised by Belgian radio station Studio Brussel.

The remix will be part of the soon to be released “What You Need” remix-EP of Goose (featuring other bands such as Digitalism)!

The Doganov remix can be heard here

Doganov already remixed the song “Skin Tight” of I:Scintilla before, which can be found here

On Saturday 5 November they will play at Dubhfest Festival in Poperinge (BE) together with Merciful Nuns, Freakangel, Der Klinke, Here Be Flames, Whispering Sons and Near Earth Orbit.

Genre/Influences: Industrial-rock, new-wave, electro.

Content: After the “Something Dark To Dance To”- EP and the ‘History’ single in 2012, it was high time for a first full album from this Belgium promising band.

Doganov’s music has many facets; it is built on a firm base of new wave, and at the same time there’s EBM, metal, electro, trance and industrial rock. Elements of bands like Rammstein, Die KRupps, Mind Shredder, KMFDM, The Sisters Of Mercy and Gothminister can be found back. Doganov is a multifaceted band, a lot of the punch in their music comes from the electronics. The guitars are mostly used as a rock layer which comes on top of the harsh and melodic synths.

Furthermore Doganov thrives on blistering beats and Karl Cleeren’s strong versatile voice. Without becoming anywhere near cheesy, Karl’s lines have a high sing-a-long caliber. This album not only shows fine songwriting, but also production craftsmanship, as well as great mixing. It was co-produced and mixed by Didier Moens (La Muerte), who is also the band’s live mixer. The mastering on “Conducting Chaos” is very crisp and in-your-face; adding power to the songs.

And I haven’t even mentioned Doganov’s trademark staccato breaks yet. Each of the songs on “Conducting Chaos” could be a single. There are no fillers here. Cherry on the cake is a Doganov’ed cover of Front 242’s “Headhunter” which they gave their own sauce, just like they did with I-Scintilla’s “Skin Tight” during a previous contest.

The album is released on all digital media (iTunes, 7digital, Spotify, Deezer, etc.) as well.

Conclusion: “Conducting Chaos” is an intense, memorable, catchy, melodic album that is hard to sit still to and at the same time very accessible with potential to please a wide audience.

Best songs: “A Call Upon The Underworld”, “Distorted Nusery Rhymes”, “Phoenix”, “Sun.

Rate: (SR: 9)SR.

Band: http://www.doganov.be / http://www.facebook.com/doganov.be

Label: http://www.doganov.be

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