Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: Set up in 2009 Polish duo ‘Ad-x’ (synths, composing, programming) and ‘Blackjack O’Hare’ (lyrics, vocals) signed to Alfa Matrix to unleash their new work. After having released two albums and a few EP’s there’s a new full length in the pipeline while “Are You My Bitch?” has been served as an appetizer.

Content: The EP reveals 3 new songs and 11 remixes. The new songs hold on the dark-electro inspiration reactor7x already showed at previous work. The songs are rough and unpolished while carried by typical dark-electro leads. This is the kind of stuff that will appeal for fans of Suicide Commando, C-Lekktor, Agonoize and related bands.

The “Circus Of False” has been remixed by Eexee, Syncfactory, Stahlnebel & Black Selket, Antibody and Restriction 9. “The Cycle Of Life” got exposed to the remixing skills of Neikka RPM, Third Realm,  00tz 00tz, Amorphous and At0shima 3rr0r. The song “Acid Symphony” has been remixed by Kilmarth and also is the opening track of the EP.

+ + + : Reactor7x has joined a leading label of the dark-electro scene and that’s for sure a real consecration for this promising band. They confirm their potential by 3 new songs, but especially “The Circus Of False” appears to be a potential hit. This is total electro-terror driven by enraged vocals and a rough production process. The remixes bring diversity, but also reveal a great canvas of established- and upcoming formations. Syncfactory gets my personal award for the best remix, transposing the ‘hit song’ into a brilliant exposure. Stahlnebel & Black Selket also did a great job on the same song. 

– – – : Even if there’s some diversity in the remixes, it mainly remain dark-electro driven formations. I regret that there are no more ‘atypical’ remixes like the opening piece by Kilmarth.

Conclusion: This EP is the perfect appetizer to welcome the new full length of this Polish dark-(h)el(l)ectro sensation and will serve as club food for many DJ’s.

Best songs: “The Circus Of False”, “The Circus Of False – Syncfactory Remix”, “The Circus Of False – Stahlnebel & Black Selket Remix”, “The Cycle Of Life”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: https://reactor7x.com / www.facebook.com/reactor7x

Label: www.alfa–matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Are You My Bitch?’.

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: Dark-electro, EBM, electro-industrial, techno-body, power-noise, IDM.

Background/Info: The first ‘act’ from this now legendary compilation was released in 2005. Fourteen years later Alfa Matrix released the eight edition of this series devoted to dark-electronics. The massive work features 72 songs on 4 discs and 40 extra songs available as download.

Artists: Suicide Commando, Blutengel, Zombie Girl, Funker Vogt, Komor Kommando, [SITD], Angelspit, Noisuf-X, Solitary Experiments, Ad:Key, Acylum, Phillip Münch ao.

Content: It’s impossible to go in detail when you’ve to review such a compilation featuring 112 songs! But “Endzeit Bunkertracks” remains faithful to a mix of music genres dealing with electronics and a fusion between great and established artists plus discoveries. No doubt about it, the some upcoming talents have been featured here. Next to a bunch of Alfa Matrix bands the compilation also features big names from other labels such as Out Of Line, Dark Dimensions, Infacted Recordings, Repo Records ao.

There’re a lot of exclusive cuts features and/or remixes while the best bands aren’t always featured on the discs.

+ + + : A great sampler and a hard copy means so much more than the digital version. The artwork by Japanse artist Tomoki Hayasaka is absolutely great and matching with the concept. Song-wise you’ll discover interesting young talents such as H.O.W., Complex Mind, Eexee, Suppressor, Playngrain, Pax Sono, Nitek, Fabrikmutter and C-Phalea. The diversity of the songs made this ‘sonic orgy’ more accessible then releasing such a box format with only dark-electronic bands.  

– – – : Even if this compilation remains a great and successful work, 112 songs is definitely too much so this is a compilation you’ve to listen spread over several days.

Conclusion: It has been my pleasure tipping some ‘unknown’ talents, which have been selected for the compilation while “Endzeit Bunkertracks” remains a sonic bible for all dark electronic souls!

Best bands: Komor Kommando, Implant, Noisuf-X, Electronic Frequency, Funker Vogt, [X]-Rx, Suppressor, Nitek, Ice Ages, Larva.

Rate: (8½).

Label: www.alfa–matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

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

Interview of Eexee: one of the hottest ‘discoveries’!

The new volume of “Endzeit Bunkertracks”  (the 7th already, available right here) will be released once again as a deluxe 4CD carton box featuring 68 songs mixing dark-electronics, EBM, dark-electro-pop and related genres. The box also contains an extended 32 page booklet masterfully designed by Japanese designer Tomoki Hayasaka. Next to the 4CD there also is a bonus download card giving you access to some 50 additional songs! Side-Line once again has been asked by Alfa-Matrix to recommend some interesting artists.  That’s why we decided to power this new volume by featuring 10 short interviews of bands that you’ll discover on this new volume plus an extra interview by the “Endzeit Bunkertracks” instigator Séba Dolimont.

(by Stéphane Froidcoeur aka DP)

SL: According to me Eexee is one of the hottest surprises at the new volume of “Endzeit Bunkertracks”. How did you get in touch with this compilation and what does it mean to be featured on it?

E: Before I released my first album I sent out demos to record labels everywhere. Alfa Matrix being one of them. A year later I received an email from them telling me that he really liked my music and wanted one of my tracks to be included on the newest “Endzeit Bunkertracks” compilation. I’ve been following and listening to the series for years and I’m truly honored to be a part of it.

SL: What do you expect from a compilation with such a great reputation, but featuring such a huge number of bands?

E: The great thing about “Endzeit Bunkertracks” is that you never really know what to expect. There are always so many great and unique bands with such different styles from one another, it’s always an amazing listening experience. The only expectation I ever have from the series is great music and I have never been disappointed.

SL: How did you come to set up Eexee and what kind of sound did you’ve in mind?

E: When I started Eexee I wanted to create music that had industrial elements but with a structure similar to a pop or EDM track. Since then I’ve been incorporating things I love about other genres and putting it in my own music. I just write music that sounds interesting to me and is something that I would actually want to listen to.

SL: What’s the next ‘big thing’ for Eexee?

E: I’ll be releasing my new album “Future Ghost Stories” within the month and I’m currently working on assembling a live band to help perform the music for future shows.

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