Genre/Influences: Gothic, Electro-Wave, Minimal-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD, Cassette. 

Background/Info: Werkstatt Recordings owner Toxic Razor made a selection of nine bands from the label’s roster. Notice by the way he’s involved with several of the featured projects.

Artists: Ceremonial Doom Hex, Eerie Sopor, Body Expander, Harsh Aesthetics, Paradox Obscure, Beatbox Machinery, Vanity Drum, Metal Disco, Geometry Combat.

Content: The common thing between all these bands is the minimal approach of the composition. It’s that characteristic for the label’s owner and some of his most renowned projects like Paradox Obscur, Metal Disco and Beatbox Machinery. Minimalism is the red line throughout the compilation while the influences are moving  from Gothic and Dark-Wave to EBM and Minimal/Electro-Wave. I also noticed all the songs featuring male singers (even for Paradox Obscur with a song Kriistal Ann is not singing).

+ + + : This is a perfect compilation to get more familiar with the Greek label which has already released an impressive catalog. But it also is a way to realize this pure underground label has some great bands which don’t always get the deserved recognition. And it also is a way to discover some unknown projects like Ceremonial Doom Hex and Harsh Aesthetics.

– – – : My only regret is that there are only 9 bands featured while Werkstatt Recordings has much more to offer.

Conclusion: If you like underground music and especially Electro and you would like to discover cool artists you better get in touch with Werkstatt Recordings.

Best bands: Paradox Obscur, Vanity Drum, Eerie Sopor, Metal Disco.

Rate: 7½.

Label: www.facebook.com/werkstattrecordings

About Werkstatt Recordings

Werkstatt Recordings is an Athens label started in 2009 and run by Toxic Razor. Its catalogue covers minimal electro, synth wave, EBM and related electronic music, issued on digital, CD and cassette.

Several projects on this compilation are run by the label owner, among them Paradox Obscur with Kriistal Ann, Metal Disco and Hardware Pulse. Side-Line covered his hardware-only working method in the 2022 ‘Click Interview’ with Metal Disco.

“Toxic Razor Selections” gathers nine acts from that roster and was released on digital, CD and cassette.

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: Gothic, Dark-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD, Cassette.

Background/Info: There’s not a lot of real information available about this band except that they’re signed on to the Greek label Werkstatt Recordings and they already released a few EP’s.

Content: The EP features 5 songs. There’s a kind of intro and outro cut while the other songs left are pretty short as well. Eerie Sopor deals with a rather classical Dark-Wave and Gothic style accomplished with guitar playing and Electro melodies with cavernous vocals on top.

+ + + : I like an EP featuring 5 different songs. The song “Burning Angel” reveals a true potential; it’s not that innovative, but a well-crafted dark song carried by guitar and melodic synth lines on top. The Gothic lovers are going to like the singers’ deep timbre of voice.

– – – : The songs are a bit too short to my taste. There’s more potential hiding inside this band than what comes out.

Conclusion: Eerie Sopor is a band I didn’t know. I can’t say this EP is setting the world alight, but it clearly reveals a band with potential.

Best songs: “Burning Angel”.

Rate: 6½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/eeriesopor

Label: www.facebook.com/werkstattrecordings

www.weyrdsonrecords.com / www.facebook.com/WeyrdSonRecords

About Eerie Sopor

Eerie Sopor is a gothic and darkwave project from Athens, Greece, released through Werkstatt Recordings. The line-up is not disclosed; the Bandcamp page credits music and lyrics to Eerie Sopor.

The first EP, “Constellations Of Body”, was released on 8 November 2015 as a four-track download. “Putrid Civilization”, a five-track EP, followed on 20 October 2019.

“The Plague That Lingers On The Plains” was released on 20 June 2021, catalogued as Werkstatt Recordings number 330, in digital, CD and cassette formats. The five tracks are “Onward To Darkness (Intro)”, “Tristful Hearts”, “Burning Angel”, “Nocturnal Skies” and “Where Plague And Tears Blossom”. The label describes it as the project’s return after a two-year break. In 2022 the project also appeared on the label compilation Toxic Razor Selections, reviewed on Side-Line.

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