The Greek dark electro band Inline Sex Terror (IST) has announced the release of its third full-length album, “Re:boot”. The new album is set to launch on November 1, 2024, via the German Minusbeat label.

The album marks the band’s return after a 13-year hiatus, bringing a fresh take on old-school industrial EBM. The 11-track album, including titles like “No Regrets (No Rewind),” “Pulse of the Machine,” and “Grime and Gears”, explores themes of restarting, reflecting on past decisions, and embracing the inevitable changes that shape the future.

To support the album, Inline Sex Terror is preparing to release two music videos ahead of the album’s release and is planning a tour—their first in over a decade. You can already check out the title track below.

About Inline Sex Terror

Inline Sex Terror, originally formed in 2002 under the name Zerstorwut, began as a solo project by George.h, a DJ and promoter in Athens, Greece.

After five years, DV/h shifted his focus to music production and in 2008, the project was rebranded as Inline Sex Terror (IST), and the debut album “11:11” was released. The album, signed under the German label Danse Macabre Records, was followed by a first European tour, opening for Das Ich. The project also remixed the Das Ich song “Kannibale” for the Kannibale EP in 2008.

In 2010, Inline Sex Terror released the “Distorted Life” EP, which featured three new tracks and ten remixes by various artists, including Leather Strip and C-Lekktor. A second album, “The Architecture of Madness”, followed the next year and was released under the labels DSBP and Minusbeat.

In 2011 the project took a break largely due to personal issues DV/h faced and only two new songs were released during this period. In 2024 the project was revived the new album “Re:boot”. It will be followed by a European tour.

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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Industrial bass artist Sinthetik Messiah has just announced the release of a new album and novel, “Lies, Secrets And Death”.

The story goes something like this: In a galaxy torn by strife, a hero rises but falls to tyranny, sparking rebellion. Amid chaos, a journalist’s death fuels uprising while another leader seeks peace. War looms between factions as a loyalist questions his cause amidst shadowy manipulation, setting the stage for a power struggle.

Musically Sinthetik Messiah here fuses industrial and drum and bass, hence ‘industrial bass’. “Lies, Secrets And Death” is available on all major streaming platforms. The companion book is available on Amazon.com.

Below is the video for “When The World Is On Fire“.

Behind Sinthetik Messiah we find Cajun songwriter and sound designer Bug Gigabyte. The project has had music released in collaboration with several labels such as Darktunes (compilations), Metropolis Records, Plasmapool Records, Side-Line Magazine (compilations). DSBP Records (compilations), Crl Studios, and Wicked Wonderland Records.

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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After a hiatus of 13 years, the Greek dark electro act Inline Sex Terror is making a comeback with a new album and a European tour scheduled for this winter. These upcoming shows will mark the band’s first performances in 15 years.

The band was formed in 2002 under the name Zerstörwut as a solo project of DV/H alias George.H, who was a resident DJ and promoter in Athens, Greece, at the time. After 5 years, DV/H decided to make fewer appearances in the club scene and focus on creating and producing music for Zerstörwut.

In 2008, the project changed its name to Inline Sex Terror. The band signed to the German label Danse Macabre Records to release their debut album in August of the same year: “11:11”. Two years later, the project returned with the “Distorted Life” EP holding three new tracks and ten remixes from bands such as Leaether Strip, FabrikC, Supreme Court, Beati Mortui, Implant, C-Lekktor, Kadaver Acht, V2A, Without Recognition, and Concrete Rage.

Shortly after releasing the EP, DV/H returned to his own studio to begin working on the next album. In 2011, the project released the album “The Architecture of Madness” under a new label (DSBP/Minusbeat). Over the following years, Inline Sex Terror became dormant due to personal problems of DV/H. Only two new songs were created and released on compilations, and in 2017, DV/H declared Inline Sex Terror inactive.

Fast forward to 2024, DV/H has brought Inline Sex Terror out of its coma and is working on a new album. After the album is released, a European tour will follow, marking IST’s return to the stage after 15 years.

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 DSBP is the all new album by the industrial metal act Detestation, a project by label head Tommy T. Rapisard. “Renewed Killings” is available on CD and as a high quality download via Bandcamp.

Detestation was formed in 1994 distilling the sound from two previous projects, No Escape and Cenotaph. The project brings a hybrid of brutal death metal, industrial metal and hardcore.

Aided by Todd W., Steve W. and Dave “from the Grave” M. a debut album “Massacre Of Hate” was released in 1995. Unfortunately the band split up because of time, job issues and everyone had a lot of things going on, add to this that Dave M. tragically passed away in 1996.

But the project is back now with Rapisard aided by James Wickham and Alexander Borsov. You can check the full release “Renewed Killings” 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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Carlos Ruiz got involved with the Spanish Dark-Electro duo Dioxyde. The band gained recognition in its genre, but Carlos left in 2004 to move on with his solo-project Asseptic Room. The sound became different although still driven by good-old Dark-Electro vibes. The albums “Morbid Visions” (2006) and “Visceralophobia” (2011) saw the daylight. It next took ten years to Asseptic Room to strike back. Carlos Ruiz got joined by Mario González to compose the new work “Extinction Or Reawaken”. The opus has been again released by Advoxya Records and became a double album revealing next to the Dark-Electro influences at the first disc a more Cinematic exploration at the second disc. I asked a few questions about the past, the present and the future to both protagonists.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I noticed you first started in the scene as DJ. What kind of music were you playing and how did you finally made the step to compose your own music and getting involved with Dioxyde?

Carlos: I started as a professional DJ in a famous club in Madrid somewhere at the end of 1987 – beginning of 1988. I started collecting vinyls since I was 14 years old and my ear was always attracted by genres that were not very commercial at that time. One day a couple of vinyls came into my hands in an import store, (“Party Hate” from Click Click and “Freiheit Fuer Die Sklaven” from Pankow), which made me listen to genres such as Industrial, EBM from the 80’s and especially Dark-Electro from the 90’s.

I started to compose my first tracks in 1991, when I was able to buy my first great computer ever and a Kawai keyboard. But it wouldn’t be until 1998 when I would meet Marcos Calvo and decided to take the leap to produce an album. During one of my sessions as a DJ in a famous Club in Madrid, I met Marcos Calvo who told me about the idea of ​​making music together. In a short lapse of time we had a lot of good songs; Marcos had already composed some good songs, and at that time I had many bases and consolidated themes, which we finally managed to adapt to create the first Dioxyde album “Torschlusspanik”.

I decided to send a cassette with a small sample to Johan Van Roy (Suicide Commando). I never thought  he would answer that soon with the intention to know more about the project. It was the beginning of a beautiful story.

Q: How did you finally come to set up Asseptic Room and what makes the difference in sound and approach with Dioxyde?

Carlos: My experience with Dioxyde was incredible. It allowed me to grow as an artist and develop all my creativity and to create my own compositions. Time passing by I found the need to do something on my own and create that dark sound that had been spinning around in my head for so many years. So in 2006 I decided to take a leap into the void and started working for my most personal project.

With Asseptic Room I wanted to explore other types of genres, perhaps more retro, Experimental, more Ambient, but without neglecting the hardness of the percussion and the melodies that have been so successful in my previous work with Dioxyde and used to create songs. such as “Acto Primero”, “Angel (Espina Mortal)”, “Panzerfaust”, “Primary Structures” or “Torschlüsspanik”, a track that I had created for a long time and which has a lot of strength.

That same year (2006) I sent my first demo to Tommy T (DSBP Records) to release the first album “Morbid Visions”. The album responded satisfactorily to my expectations and proof of this is the long list of compilations that wanted to include songs from that first album.

Also, it gave me the opportunity to do some remixes for bands like: Alien Produkt, Vigilante, Aengeldust, Haushetaere, Tyske Ludder or Acylum (Pedro Engel’s project with whom I have had contact on several occasions to create some of my best remixes). Nor will I forget, the magnificent remixes that have been created for Asseptic Room, to highlight among others those of Totalverlust, Acylum, Hioctan, Reality, Suicide Solution, Proyecto Mirage, Larva and many others.

During these years I got in touch with my great friend, Mario González and we had the opportunity to work together in the studio, developing a track for this album. Next I personally went through dark and very difficult years. It was like this until 2011 and the release of the second album “Visceralofobia”. It was a difficult album, like a challenge going through a restless and desperate period. But in the end and with a lot of efforts I was able to release the album thanks to Advoxya Records. After this album I’d to go though the most difficult moments of my life resulting in abandoning the creation of music for many years.

Q: So does the new album you released last year feel like a new beginning? How did it feel all these years without releasing new material? What brought you back to compose new songs?

Carlos: Finally, after the loss of my partner and two years of mourning I came back to surface. One night some musical notes began to sound that I could not stop listening to over and over again. I had to get up and play it in the middle of the night. The first thing I thought was that it was different and it was born from deep within. Those were the first notes of “The Memory Of Silence”; I even imagine to play it in a great philharmonic. A nice dream;)

Around the same time I got back in touch with Mario after many years and everything started flowing quickly. The Covid 19 pandemic came into our lives and for us there were moments of great creativity that helped us to create many new songs.

Q: The new album “Extinction Or Reawaken” has been released as a double album and there clearly is a difference between both discs; than main disc is pure Dark (h)El(l)ectro music while the second disc sounds more into Soundtrack. Tell us a bit more about both discs and the global production process of the work?

Carlos: When we began to develop the songs for the new album, we realized that we had a lot of material and we did not want to leave any song off the album, for this reason we had to think that “Extinction Or Reawaken” should be a double one. It is true that in a few months we had a large and varied number of songs, some songs are pure Dark-Electro, but I incorporate new elements to the compositions that make them different from other personal works.

We had to stop for a moment to reflect if we wanted to create classic dark music or experiment to achieve what our heads wanted with these new compositions. We finally decided to open up and experiment with a multitude of genres.

We had classic songs, perfect to be played in an orchestra, with epic choirs and we had to learn to work with this type of instrument. We also had tremendously hard and dark tracks and other ambient and epic songs.

In the end, all those tracks were a mixture of feelings and emotions, which tell a story full of symbolism for us. It has been a very hard job that has lasted many months, and we are very satisfied with the final result.


Q: What have been the main sources of inspiration to compose this new work and what did you try to express by the title? What has been the input of Mario González and how did you get in touch?

Mario: The inspiration came mainly from the recent loss of our family members. They were very hard times for both of us, but thanks to this we have done our best work.
We explore many sounds with our equipment and for the first time we did not dare to put any limits on creativity and we were open to explore and experiment   even antagonistic genres.

We try to go beyond the Dark-Electro genre by simply trying to imprint the soul of Asseptic Room by using influences from classical music, epic passages, Tibetan sounds and even pure noise.

The album title was chosen on the edge of life’s bad circumstances and somehow represents the nature of human life that transcends good and evil to survive/self-extinct.

Carlos: Mario and I got in touch at the end of 2019 at a perfect time and with all the past experience we had making some tracks for the “Morbid Visions”-album. The process happened automatically and we rarely even talked about how to make music because of a very special connection. We really enjoy doing these things.

Q: How do you see Asseptic Room evolving and what are the further plans –especially in times of ongoing pandemic? 

Mario: Our next plans are to prepare the concert in Madrid with Hocico. We have finished taking up the album “Visceralofofia” with a new production. Eight tracks are included in this new work and our idea is to release it in a special vinyl edition. Now we have to assess the budget to launch it in the coming months.
We have also started working on new songs for Asseptic Room and doing a review of tracks created in my period with Dioxyde. A special way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the project.

Carlos: The pandemic has not stopped our illusion of continuing to do what we like and now our creativity is at a high level and we are excited about the amount of work we have in our hands. The pandemic has been very hard, as for everyone, but thanks to music we have been able to escape from this madness.

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

Christian Paulsen aka Hell:Sector is dropping a brand new single and video today: “Covid-666”. On the single the Norwegian aggrotech / industrial-metal act is addressing both the current Covid-19 situation but also the human behavior of destruction and selfishness in this difficult time and age. “All this painted on a canvas of the apocalypse and doubt in faith of humanity,” says Christian.

Expect Hell:Sector’s trademark aggresive blend of hellish vocals, detuned guitars and synth aggression with huge beats.

“Covid-666” is avaliable now on all major streaming and digital music services including the Hell:Sector bandcamp page. If you want ‘to get physical’, the track will also be featured on the DSBP records compilation “Futronik Structures Vol. 10” out on August 7th as well.

You can download the new single right below on Bandcamp. Good stuff!

Here’s the video for “Covid-666”.

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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Dark-electro and EBM formation Wolfchild released its third full length album “Evil Calls Home” a few months ago now. The band originally set up by Robert Van Kooij (The Netherlands) and later on joined by singer Jan Ricker (Germany) released two albums on DSBP, but moved to Advoxya Records to unleash their newest work. The album  reveals an alluring number of great, danceable songs, which sometimes make me think to the imaginary offspring between Tyske Ludder and God Module. If you don’t know yet this album, it definitely is an opus I highly recommend. I talked about it with both members.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: How did you guys met and how did the first songs took shape? What makes the chemistry between both of you?

Jan: We met in 2016 via Facebook, when I was in a band called 13th Angel. Robert was searching for some guest singers for his first album “Sunt Mala Quae Libas”. So we agreed to make a song together. Later on when the first Wolfchild singer quit I told Robert that I could do more vocals if he needed any. Said and done. It was a good change for me as 13th Angel was a lot more mellow and less aggressive and Robert really liked the songs we did for Wolfchild, so he asked me if I would join permanently and I accepted.

Our taste in music is very similar, I know right away what I want to do with the songs that Robert writes, which was never the case before in my musical career. It just works out very well.

Q: Sorry to say guys, but Wolfchild is maybe not the most original name for a band as there’re other bands with the same name. So what’s the deeper significance behind and eventually the link with the lyrical subjects and song titles?

Robert: I’m sorry too, but I don’t give a shit how original a bands name is. I just liked it for this project, because I am a huge fan of wolves. Nothing more, nothing less.

Jan: Honestly, I didn’t know any of the bands when I joined, so I am not too concerned. Also changing it now would just feel wrong. But it definitely lead me to write lots of lyrics that are ‘Wolf’-related. It wasn’t really planned, it just happened. It’s a recurrent theme I like to explore again and again.

Q: A few months ago now, you released your third album “Evil Calls Home”. How do you look back at the entire writing- and production process of this work? What has been the main focus and the biggest challenge(s)?

Jan: Well, all in all it went relatively smoothly. The biggest challenge for me was to convince Robert that the wrote good songs (lol). He had some problems with “Wenn Wölfe Heulen” and “The Burden Of A Sinner”, which he hated at first, but they were really good, so I told him he should stop complaining and let me do my thing… and everything turned out great. Unfortunately he still hates “The Burden Of A Sinner” today…

Q: Do you follow a particular procedure and/or way of working? Do you notice an evolution/changes in the working process since your early songs?

Jan: The procedure is nearly always the same: Robert comes up with a song and I write lyrics and sing to that song. Sometimes I give him a sample that I want to use… Sometimes I tell him what I want to write about, so he can try to match it a little closer. But there was definitely an evolution in our songs itself. I took a lot more care writing better lyrics and also I try to tell a story with each song which I have never done before. Also the music evolved; we included a lot more orchestral elements and epic percussion… and we are definitely not finished with evolving, we always do what we like, there are no boundaries.

Q: I noticed an interesting quote at your Facebook page ‘You ask me if I have a God complex. Let me tell you something. I am God’!  This quote is taken from the movie “Malice”. What makes this quote interesting and is there any link with Wolfchild?

Robert: I’ve heard this quote a long time ago…back in the Robert Dope days. Like you said, from “Malice”. Since then it’s in my head and always wanted to use it for something. Nothing to do with Wolfchild, but once again… I just like it.

Q: There’s also an album in the pipeline from the side-project Robert Dope? Can you reveal us some details? Other further projects, plans in the pipeline?

Jan: We both are working on a new Robert Dope album, parallel to our new Wolfchild release. Yes, I am on board this time, too. But of course it will be a very different ‘beast’;  a different musical approach and also the vocals will sound very different. Otherwise there would be no point, really. And of course…

Robert: Not sharing a damn till everything’s ready!

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: EBM, dark-electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: After having released two albums on the American label DSBP, Robert Van Kooij (The Netherlands) and singer Jan Ricker (Germany) signed to Advoxya Records. “Evil Calls Home” was released by the end of 2019 and features eleven songs.

Content: “Evil Calls Home” is a work evoking different bands dealing with EBM and dark-electro music. I experienced some songs as the offspring between Tyske Ludder and God Module, but in the first place it’s a fully accomplished opus. The songs are driven by danceable beats, melodic leads and vocals in English and German. The last track is a remix of “No Warning Shot” by Stahlnebel & Black Selket.

+ + + : The opening song “Hydrangea” is a cool take off for the neo-classic arrangements with violin sounds. It also and directly reveals the EBM/dark-electro inspiration from Wolfchild. The melodic touch running through the work makes it fully accessible. But I also like this work for the elaboration of the songs resulting in an album with several attention  grabbers. The remix of Stahlnebel & Black Selket brings a great apotheosis.

– – – :  Despite of the great songs, this album also has something predictable. There’s nothing new, but also no reason to complain as the global production sounds right!

Conclusion: “Evil Calls Home” is a successful EBM fusion, which I can, but only highly recommend!

Best songs: “Wenn  Wölfe Heulen”, “Bestie:Mensch”, “Hydrangea”, “The Burden Of A Sinner”, “No Warning Shot – Touched by Stahlnebel & Black Selket”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/wolfchildelectro

Label: www.advoxya–records.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Advoxya–Records/265765706059

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

Four very long years. That is how long we had to wait on the newest EP by the Swedish Dark Electro veterans Severe Illusion. “A Familiar State of Passive Compliance” was recorded in the past few months and offers their trademark dark electro throughout 5 tracks, spanning more than 21 minutes.

The EP will see a physical release and comes in a 4-panel digipak with artwork by Noculture. The estimated arrival is just in time for christmas 2017!

Here’s a preview.

The band was started in 2000 by Fredrik Djurfeldt and Ulf Lundblad and they saw their first album “Discipline” released by PAF records in May 2003. Soon PAF records ceased to exist and Severe Illusion moved to New Mexico based Dangerous Sharks Biting People (DSBP) who released the next album, “Accomplishments of Leopold II” in 2005. In 2011, the band signed to Complete Control Productions for the album “No More Alive Than You Deserve” released in September that year. In 2013 they offered “Deliberate Prefrontal Leucotomy” also on CCP.

Currently the band consists of Fredrik Djurfeldt, Ulf Lundblad, Janina Danes and Anders Karlsson.

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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Hybrid-industrial act UCNX return to end your summer with their brand new full-length LP “Rebellion Ruin Redemption”. The album is a follow-up to last year’s digital preview “Servant”. You can get the CD right now on DSBP records.

The album also features collaborations with David Collings (The Fourth Man/NUMB), Some Kinda Nobody, and 2 exclusive bonus remixes by Out Out and Produkt. You can already listen to “Tasteless Killing Spree” (feat. The Fourth Man) 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.

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Background/Info: Severe Illusion was founded in 2000 by Fredrik Djurfeldt and Ulf Lundblad. The band released several albums and EP’s on different labels such as PAF Records, DSBP, Khazad-Dûm, Complete Control Productions and a few more companies. They already released one EP (cf. “Armed Revolution”) on Advoxya Records in 2007. I thought that the Swedish EBM duo was finally back on track with their first new album since 2013, but the die-hard fans will notice it’s the title of their first official album released in 2003 on PAF Records.

But this work is much more than simply a re-release. You also will discover tracks originally released on compilations, rare material and even a few previously unreleased songs (that were meant to get released, but which never were) plus 2 live cuts.

Content: The first disc takes us back to the early years of the band and their debut album characterized by a raw and unpolished EBM sounds mixed with industrial elements and multiple noises. The sound is quite retro-like and often reminding to early FLA, but with extra industrial influences on top. This industrial aspect is not that surprising when you know that Djurfeldt is still active in the dark-ambient scene (Analfabetism).

The work sounds minimal, but a bit different from the average EBM production. Next to the industrial elements you’ll also notice space-like bleeps and impressive sound treatments. The vocals are quite ghost-like and in total harmony with the music.

The second disc reveals an interesting mix of rare and previously unreleased material. You’ll get some songs from their first demo, new versions from other songs and previously unreleased material. The sound and influences remain exactly similar, but you sometimes can hear some passages are quite ‘demo’ and experimental-like.

The live cuts feature Seventh Harmonic on the first song and Tecnoman SF. on the next one.

+ + + : Severe Illusion has always been a rather atypical EBM formation carried by classical elements. The industrial noises and experimental treatments make the originality and specificity of this band and that’s an element I really like. The retro-EBM style might appeal to lovers of Frontline Assembly, but first of all to all old-school lovers. I also have always enjoyed the more minimal and somewhat space-bleeping aspect of Severe Illusion. Last, but not least this work is especially interesting for the rarities featured on it. So this is an opportunity to (re)discover their debut work with a lot of extras.

– – – : I was a bit disappointed for not receiving a complete new album and I sometimes think to self ‘who can be interested in re-releases expect the fans’? The atypical aspect of this EBM combo is an element I especially like, but I’m not sure EBM die-hard fans will be totally convinced.

Conclusion: Nothing new although an interesting work because of the many rarities!

Best songs: “Change The World”, “Mace”, “Massive Democratic Maintenance”,  “Only Pilots Change The World (Again)”, “Clear Head”, “Lost (Longer Version)”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.facebook.com/Severe–Illusion-75567054789

Label: www.advoxya–records.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Advoxya–Records/265765706059

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

Out in early July is the brand new Diverje release “We still remain”. The release is the band’s 10th album so far for this dark electro US act. The CD offers 12 brand new tracks with Vince Pujol(E.S.R/ B.M.D.) being included on a couple of them. Further remixes and collaborations are offered by Rick Sandoval, Inline Sex Terror and Viscera Drip.

“We still remain” is also available as a 3CD set (and 2CD set) right here on Indiegogo, which then includes “We still remix” and “Remix wars vol.1”.

Below are the covers for the 3 CDs (“We still remix” and “Remix wars vol.1”) which are in line of the artwork for “We still remain”. Diverje was started by Tommy T, front-man of DSBP Records, in 1996. The band started as a metal/industrial hybrid and has mutated since to create an industrial/electronic hybrid.

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.

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, dark-body music.

Background/Info: Coldlink is a new EBM project set up by ex-Filament 38 singer Rob Armstrong and keyboardist Shawn McNoldy. “Ghosts I’ve Known” is the official debut work from this duo. It’s a more a kind of mini-album featuring 6 songs plus 3 remixes.

Content: the band claims to be inspired by bands like Nitzer Ebb and NIN. The EBM inspiration is rapidly noticeable and sounds rather dark and cold. The rough vocals accentuate the dark side of the work.

There’s some diversity between the 6 songs accomplished by Coldlink. The sound is not only into an EBM-driven approach, but also features wafting synth passages getting the work a bit softer.

Remixes have been accomplished by Textbeak, Digital Geist and label mate Diverje.

+ + + : Coldlink clearly doesn’t reinvent EBM standards, but this EP is a successful debut. Next to the alluring title song, which is a perfect way to start off, I also like “W1tchvnt” for its great and menacing bass line plus “Disappear Tomorrow” for the cool sound treatments. Coldlink is not a new ‘copyist’, but a formation inspired by EBM and trying to create a unique sound in the genre.

The remixes are cool although I have a little preference for the “Shelter Remix” of the title song by Textbeak.

– – – : I’m less convinced by the ‘softer’ parts on this EP. They inject some variation in the tracklist, but Coldlink clearly has a stronger ‘hard EBM’ potential.

Conclusion: Coldlink clearly has not the pretension to reinvent EBM. It’s just an honest debut production from a band with an interesting approach. So let’s keep an eye on this band.

Best songs: “W1tchvnt”, “Ghosts I’ve Known”, “Disappear Tomorrow.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.coldlinkmusic.com / www.facebook.com/coldlinkband

Label: www.dsbp.cx / www.facebook.com/dsbprecords

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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Vince Pujol (Electro Synthetic Rebellion, Diverje) and Tommy T (Diverje, inFused and DSBP label owner) know each other for quite a long time now. They’re not only involved in Diverje, but still in Bio-Mechanical Degeneration. This project got a bit lost from our radar as the debut-album “Exoskeleton” was released 11 years ago now. “Warbeats” is a new and great dark-electronic opus, which will bring this band back on the map. The album has been released on Advoxya Records. Here’s what both mates have to say about their new work.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Let’s take off with the binning, how did you guys ever met and finally set up this common project with this crazy name? What is it all about?

Vince: I was a young artist trying to get in touch with people in the scene so I sent a demo CD-R to Tommy who got into it and brought me support through the Cyberage radio show, this is how we first met. After my debut album “Distorted Vision” got released in Europe, I was looking for a label to release my second album “Corroded Fragments” and Tommy/DSBP signed me. We became friends and since the beginning we share our passion for electronic/industrial music.

In 2004 I had the idea of releasing some dark sci-fi instrumental tracks I had composed. I don’t exactly remember how I came to Bio-Mechanical Degeneration but I was looking for a crazy dark Sci-Fi oriented name!

Then we started talking with Tommy about a possible release and he suggested to sing some of the songs. So I asked him if he wanted to join me and we started our collaboration on “Exoskeleton”. The project is very dark, kind of apocalyptic, it’s all about the degeneration of the human race leading to hybridization with robots.

Tommy T: I have always admired Vince’s work from the beginning and we have made some great tracks together since then and it is always fun!

We were friends from E.S.R. and Cyberage meeting and then DSBP signed E.S.R. and we realized how much we both loved dark-electronic music, and then I asked him if he would collaborate with me in some Diverje tracks too!

We been doing that since 2003 and the first Bio-Mechanical Degeneration-CD came about soon after that as we were wanting to take on a different theme for Bio-Mechanical Degeneration and it has been fun writing together in this way with music and vocals going back and forth…

Q: Why did it take 11 years to compose and release a new full length after the “Exoskeleton”-album and how do you look back now at this debut opus?

Vince: I remember during an interview concerning “Exoskeleton” we said we’ll do another one but then we both get back to our main projects and forget a bit about the project. I have thought about a new album several times, but couldn’t really find the inspriration to start something new and different from our main projects. In 2013 as I was looking for new sample libraries, I found a very interesting one and I asked myself how could I use it and like a sparkle in the night I immediately thought about the rebirth of Bio-Mechanical Degeneration with a more EBM/robotic approach. I composed a few demos and send them to Tommy to see how he felt about them and that’s how we decided to work on that new album.

When I look back and listen to “Exoskeleton”, I like the experimental approach and I like the way we did something different. It was also my first collaboration with someone since a long time and I’m happy we did it with Tommy because it’s important to do things with friends and people you share your passion with. From a technical point of view I think I would mix the songs a bit differently nowadays cause it sounds a bit ‘raw’ when I play it now but I did my best at the time with the gear I had.

Tommy T: I personally LOVE the “Exoskeleton”-CD as it is so unique overall in sound and the way we produced it together… the songs are still very fresh more than 10 years later too!

We have been wanting to do this new “Warbeats” 2^nd album for awhile now, but we are both always busy it seems with work, music and life, we are definitely inspired to make the next album within a couple years. I love how both albums have their own sound and identity, and we will build upon that.

Q: May I affirm that the main difference between both of your albums can be heard in the remixes you made of 2 songs that were originally released on “Exoskeleton”? What did you try to change/improve?

Vince: Yes, that’s right. Studio equipment and techniques have changed in 10 years, there’s nearly no limitations these days so I wanted to take the best songs from the debut album and take them to a new level. I didn’t really want to change the songs but just want to have a better production and add little things there and here. Note that the remix version of “Hybridization” comes from a DSBP compilation, that was not the original version appearing on “Exoskeleton”.

I also think our skills in writing and working on arrangements, effects and mixes have grown over the years and it shows with that new album.

Tommy T: Yes, as Vince said, we wanted to re-release these 2 tracks with a newer sound and mix, as bonuses and to connect the old and new!

Q: You already said a word about the influences running through “Warbeats”, but tell us a bit more about the writing process?

Vince: “Warbeats” was first inspired by a Sci-Fi/robot Fx sample library. I wanted to mix together hard electronic basses with strong beats and lots of Fx samples, that’s how the first demos came out and that’s how the album took shape adding melodies and working on the arrangements. The treatments on the vocals have been pushed to a new level too with lots of different effects. The inspiration here is all about sci-fi, robots and aliens!

Tommy T: I definitely think we are both always progressing as writers and creators and this album was a natural progression for us and more vocal oriented this time around as well..not 50/50 instrumental to vocal tracks like the “Exoskeleton”-album was. We are becoming more diverse in sound and in our Sci-Fi subjects as well, and this album we also deal with the reanimated/zombies as well…lol

Q: What are the main differences between Bio-Mechanical Degeneration and all the other projects you’ve been involved to?

Vince: To me “Bio-Mechanical Degeneration” is a lot more Sci-Fi oriented and ‘mechanical’ than Electro Synthetic Rebellion. It’s harder too with a lot more harsh/tortured vocals.

It’s interesting to have another project in addition to my collaborations with Diverje so I can experiment new things, new atmospheres and sounds. As a composer I think it’s important to have different sources of inspiration and develop different things so you’re not “locked” into one and only project especially when your project is nearly 20 years old.

But obviously some people will recognize some kind of ‘song writing signature’ or even ‘sound signature’ because the gear, the studio and the men are the same.

Tommy T: I really enjoy the differences with Bio-Mechanical Degeneration and my other projects Diverje and in-Fused! Diverje is more of an aggressive industrial, harsh EBM/coldwave mix, with lots of ferocity, and in-Fused is more experimental, IDM, wave, power noise, trance influenced..
Between all 3 projects I feel pretty balanced and doing all kinds of awesome electronic/ industrial music!

Q: Tcheleskov Ivanovitch (Grandchaos, Grand O Signal) contributed to one of the songs. How did you came to work with him and what did he add to the song & album?

Vince: I know Tché for quite a long time now and I think we share the same passion for music. I remember a long time ago we were talking on the phone and we said we should try to collaborate together in the future so when I started working on “Warbeats” I immediately though about inviting Tché.

That was an open process, I sent a few demos to Tché for him to see what the project was all about and asked Tché to start composing and to send me whatever he wanted (sequences, sounds, loops, etc). Then step by step I tried to arrange my parts with his parts and we talked about the direction of the song until the final version of the song.

Tommy T: I love this track with Tché! He added a lot to the sound and I look forward to having him work with us on more music in the future!! Very cool sound and he loves the dark electronic music as we do!

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

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: EBM, dark-electro.

Background/Info: Behind Bio-Mechanical Degeneration hides Vincent Pujol (ESR) and Tommy T. Rapisardi (Diverje) plus guest musician Tcheleskov Ivanovitch (Grandchaos, Grand O Signal). The duo Pujol – Rapisardi already released a somewhat forgotten debut album “Exoskelton” in 2005 on Tommy T’s own label DSBP. Vincent Pujol also joined Diverje so both musicians know each other for quite a long time now. “Warbeats” is a comeback album released on Advoxya Records featuring 13 songs plus 2 remixes.

Content: “Warbeats” is clearly into sophisticated EBM. The composition is elaborated and accomplished with great sound sculptures and numerous sound effects and other crashing percussion. The songs are carried by icy synth treatments and Tommy T’s zombie-like timbre of voice.

The elaboration and global approach reminds me of a mix of Frontline Assembly (which remains an important source of inspiration in the work of Vincent Pujol) and Vomito Negro.

Both remixes are interesting as is consists of two tracks that were originally released on their debut album.

+ + + : “Warbeats” is a fully accomplished dark-body music opus revealing amazing sound treatments like deep bass lines, icy sound effects and somewhat industrial like percussions. It’s an elaborate composition, and according to me one of the best productions ever accomplished by this duo. This is not the typical EBM format, but an intelligent songwriting that reveals a passion for sound creation. There’s an efficient twist between danceable vibes and haunting atmospheres. The album reveals several brilliant songs.

– – – : It’s not always that easy to differentiate verses from choruses. The writing is dense and all the layers and structure sometimes feel a bit like melting together, but you don’t hear me complain!

Conclusion: “Warbeats” definitely belongs to this restricted number of absolute ‘best of’ EBM-albums of 2016. I hope this duo will not make us wait  a decennium to unleash a new album.

Best songs: “Invisible Threat”, “Victory”, “Outbreak”, “Lies For Answers”, “They’re Coming”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www.facebook.com/Electro–Synthetic–Rebellion-115630698473655 / www.facebook.com/diverje

Label: www.advoxya–records.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Advoxya–Records/265765706059

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

(Picture by the band) DSBP Records (USA) and Stahlnebel & Black Selket have joined forces for their new double CD “Questions”. “Questions” will be a double CD with all new originals and new remixes as well. You can order the 2CD set right now from this mailorder.

Stahlnebel & Black Selket are a dark-electro/industrial/future-pop music project from Germany and The Netherlands. Says the band about their project: “This music project is pure passion and our target is to create music that we enjoy and let people move on the dark dance floors. The lyrics go between bad world reality and fictional themes. WE ARE UNITED, no borders. It’s important to keep our dark scene alive !”

Below is the video teaser of the 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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Those who downloaded our free “Face The Beat: Session 3” compilation since it was launched last year will surely know Coldlink who was featured on this mega-compilation with the track “Ghosts I’ve Known”, which now turns out to be also the title track for the album the band has released on DSBP Records.

The 9-track album is the band’s debut and you can order it via the DSBP label store.

Coldlink is the new all-electronic project from Filament 38’s singer/writer Rob Armstrong & keyboardist/writer Shawn McNoldy. Drawing from legends like Nitzer Ebb and NIN, their influences also include dark electro, coldwave and old school industrial.

Check the album preview 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.

side-line.com

Fredrik Djurfeldt is a musician of multiple talents. The EBM community know him as the front man of Severe Illusion while he’s also involved in Instans. The Swedish artist also has a darker and obscure side, which he fully exposed into bands like Knös and Analfabetism. I get in touch with Fredrik to get more details about his dark-ambient and noise-minded work. He recently released a poignant album entitled “Av Hjord Är Du Kommen” on Tumor/Malignant Records.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Your involvement in electronic & EBM driven bands like Instans and Severe Illusion at one side and more dark-ambient & industrial inspired bands like Knös and Analfabetism at the other side reveal a great eclecticism. Where does this diversity comes from and what are the main differences moving from one style to another?

Fredrik: I have been into electronic music since I was very young. Me and a friend started experimenting with old tape recorders and anything else we could get hold of when we were about six years old. Later I got into machine language programming on 8-bit computers, and started tweaking the SID chip like to may others back then. So partly I come from an SPK type mind set, partly from a heavily Rob Hubbard influenced culture.

I have been trying to combine the two from time to time, something I believe is evident in some of the more experiential parts of Severe Illusion. The DSBP years are a good example of that.

I have been making some Ambient Noise from time to time for well over twenty years as well, but it was first when Peter Nyström from Megaptera and Negru Voda suggested we release a split together a few years ago that I decided to go all in with that as well.

Then again, the distinction between the projects is not always obvious. Not even to me. The new Instans album “Derailed” is fairly close to some of our early works from Severe Illusion. There are two Ambient Noise tracks on the last Severe Illusion album. I would expect this to happen even more in the future.

Q: What are your main ambient/industrial references and criteria about the composition when focalizing on Analfabetism?

Fredrik: I like working with a more complex rhythm structure and atonality than is really possible in EBM and Dark Electro. Sometimes. I have made extensive use of modular synths on the one hand, and home-made metal percussion on the other. I am not listening so much to what contemporary musicians within the genre do, even though it happens.

Q: Can you explain the so-called ‘correlation between western drug culture and mental illness, and applied quantum physics’, which you seem to fuse and transpose  into one musical concept?

Fredrik: Mental illness is in itself a misconception. It is a failure to see the individual as part of a profoundly sick society. So when the individual is starting to malfunction, it is commonly drugged back into compliance. It should be done the other way around. I have been working within psychiatry for quite a few years, and so I have been studying this from a very close distance. Endless conversations will the so called insane have served as a foundation for how I structure the music of Analfabetism.

Q: What have been your main ideas when starting the writing of “Av Hjord Är Du Kommen” and how do you look back at the result right now?

Fredrik: It actually goes back to Severe Illusion and the year 2006. We went to play at the ‘Deti Nochi’ festival in Kiev, Ukraine. We spent a few days in the city, and had a truly amazing time there. I personally liked Ukraine so much I came back a couple of times just to travel around the country. This took me to the beautiful city of Donetsk just before the Western backed Nazi coup in Kiev. Now the war is raging on and people I’ve met are throwing bombs and stuff at each other.

The title of the album is a play on words. What it is saying is, that people who follow the herd and mentally dead. People going to war just because their leaders told them to do so, are mentally dead. Human society is insanity played out on a macro scale, and with Analfabetism I am trying to express that with sound, with rhythm and without distinguishable words.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

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

Out now is “The Grand Betrayal”, the all new album by Diverje. This is the 9th official album of the outfit and for this release Tommy T. was again joined by J. Wicked. Several tracks (“Human Condition”, “The American Candidate”, “Another Douchebag” and “Eliminate the Waste”) deal with the current state of affairs in this society and rebel against – and we quote – the government and rich, greedy bastards who have destroyed so much of our friends and families.

Contributions come from Vince Pujol (Electro Synthetic Rebellion), Inline Sex Terror on “Closed Minds” and [de:ad:cibel] on the title track “The Grand Betrayal”.

The 16-track album comes completed with 2 bonus remixes from Proyecto Crisis (Chile) and Cutoff:sky (Russia). Below are various previews to check out. The album is available from the DSBP online shop.

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.

side-line.com