Electro Aggression Records (EAR) has announced the upcoming releases of several albums. Founded and operated by Nader Moumneh, EAR specialises in EBM and dark electro with bands such as Synaptic Defect, Serpents, R010R, and so on. But coming up now are new releases from T.A.N.K., Trilogy and Sleepwalk.

T.A.N.K., the project formed in 2001 in Dessau, Germany is an industrial project heavily influenced by EBM. Primarily a one-man studio endeavor, the project now lands its third album, “Broken Mirror”, scheduled for release in early Summer.

Next is Trilogy, a new project featuring Erick Miotke, known for his work with the EBM band Trial, and vocalist Jens Müller, the former vocalist for Human Resource. Their debut release, “Forced Perspective”, is a 2CD album set to be released in early Summer as well.

The third release comes from Sleepwalk. Hailing from Bern, Switzerland, Sleepwalk has been active since the 1990s. The band brings dark electro soundscapes and rhythmic structures, and their upcoming release, “Dystopia”, will be a 2CD album.

In late 2024, Synaptic Defect already returned with the “Initializing Insanity/Restoring Sanity” 2CD on Electro Aggression Records.

About Electro Aggression Records (EAR)

EAR was founded in early 2006 by Nader Moumneh. The label specialises in EBM and dark electro with bands such as Synaptic Defect, Serpents, R010R, and so on.

Originally it was a subdivision of Vendetta Music. A slew of releases followed, namely Grandchaos’ “In Sedens” DCD, Brain Leisure’s “Methods of Madness” DCD & Object’s “The Ethane Asylum” CD.

In late 2008, EAR and Vendetta Music parted ways and the label has since mainly been focusing on Europe where the EBM scene is still the most vivid..

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!

side-line.com

Michael Renfield has been active with various music projects for several years. Some will no doubt remember Noise Process, but he is now back with a new album from R010R. “Total Disinformation Awareness” was released by Electro Aggression Records and delivers us 16 songs driven by intelligent, old-school EBM with a touch of Dark-Electro on top. This interview gives us a broader view of this in my opinion underrated musician.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: It’s been a while ago now you set up R010R. What were the triggers and influences to start this solo-project and how did you see R010R evolving throughout the years?

Michael: Hello, and thank you for this interview opportunity. R010R happened gradually after my previous music project Noise Process ran its course. I moved to New York, and started working with I, Parasite, an Industrial-Metal project. I wanted to create a solo endeavour that had no alignment to a genre or expectation. My initial album “Gradual Destabilization” (2008) was an experiment in deconstructing how I created music while I was also learning a DAW approach for the first time.

Previous to R010R, everything was hardware sequencers, synths, and drum machines. The software world was an interesting challenge. Since I was working with Christopher Jon and “I, Parasite, performing live noise/synths, the album was released on the Dark Vision Media imprint.

As far as an evolution, that is the very nature of R010R. I am not trying to make a product or sell a gimmick. I am just forging ahead and doing various audio experiments. Not everything works as an album or EP format. However, I do make new music consistently. I am just very selective about what I release.

Q: What means music to you? And tell us a bit more about the achievement of your new album “Total Disinformation Awareness”?

Michael: I do music for the love of it and mainly enjoy experimenting in the studio environment. My SoundCloud account has tracks that are only temporarily available, and it is not always feasible to make these into a cohesive release. I enjoy the temporary format and mainly use these as a springboard for new concepts.

After “Gradual Destabilization”, I created another album called “End Of All Reason” (2010). However, I decided to shelve the entire thing and go in another direction. The “Urban Renewal Program”-EP (2012) led to “Daybreak”, and “Unyielding” (2016). I made these while I was collaborating with Dejan Samardzic (Haujobb/DSX), and Martin Sax (Valhall/Ekobrottsmyndigheten) on their projects. “Unyielding” was polished up with Dejan’s feedback and released on their Basic Unit Productions imprint.

“Total Disinformation Awareness”, originated as a series of EP’s that I wanted to release through Bandcamp exclusively. In 2021 I sent a handful of tracks to Dejan again as well as Nader Moumneh (Electro Aggression Records) just to get some feedback as the music was a sort of ‘old school’, return to that 90’s Electro-Industrial sound. Basic Unit at that time was inactive as a label, but EAR had some plans for R010R because Nader stated that he loved the tracks, wanted more, and was considering releasing a CD of the material. I have worked with Nader and EAR for many years, doing artwork and remixes for bands on the label. So it seemed a perfect opportunity to create another album.

Q: What have been the different stages, challenges and difficulties you’d to go through to achieve this new work?

Michael: So now we get to the heart of it all. The challenge in creating “Total Disinformation Awareness” was not the music at all. It was the theme. With “Unyielding”, I was rattled by the Edward Snowden revelations. This led to reading about Thomas Drake and Bill Binney who were also NSA whistleblowers. This led to Wikileaks and Julian Assange, the Hillary Clinton emails, and Vault 7. Without getting into those details for the sake of your readers, my worldview journey eventually got to “Total Information Awareness”. A DARPA program of mass surveillance that utilized several defence and intelligence contractors that were also in Wikileaks documentation of interest. “Total Disinformation Awareness” is a nod to that program and the idea that social media took up where that program ended.

Q: Anything more we’ve to know about the lyrical content?

Michael: I think I made it clear with the press release. ‘There is a ton of disinformation being pushed through official channels and it is designed to keep us in a state of confusion and belligerence towards each other. It is imperative that we recognize and call out this attempt at deceit or we are going to become victims of oppression within our own ‘democratic’ systems.’

This has only become even more apparent with current news cycles where anti-war protesters are identified as anti-Semitic, COVID conspiracy theories are revealed to be factual, and politically aligned individuals are termed ‘a dangerous cult’. Meanwhile, all sides are pushing lies and misinformation frequently and without remorse. This is the art of destabilization that we must defend against. How can we be informed citizens and make informed decisions in our countries when our worldview is illusory?

Q: Sound-wise there clearly is a sophisticated, ‘old-school’, EBM sound running through the songs which might remind to legendary bands from the Canadian EBM school but also to bands like Mortal Constraint, The Klinik ao. What does it say about your perception of sound, sound creation and global production?

Michael: This is always interesting to me, the alignments that the audience hears in my music. Of course, I am aware of and listened to this style of music decades ago. However, if you ask me what inspired me to write “Total Disinformation Awareness” I would say Modeselektor, Ben Frost, and Bosse De Nage. I listen to a great deal of music 24/7 and only a small percentage of it is still Electro-Industrial. I honestly love this modern landscape of music. Independent music has never thrived like this. I have several webzines and platforms I visit every week just to keep up.

Q: What comes after “Total Disinformation Awareness” and do you’ve plans to bring the music on stage?

Michael: Next up on the worklist, I continue the R010R EP’s I was writing before Total Disinformation Awareness”. I already have several new tracks that will drop on Bandcamp later this year. These will be more Techno and Noise-related than EBM or Electro-Industrial. However, I have been tasked with a handful of new remixes for EAR artists as well as some additional Electro tracks for the upcoming EAR compilation. Those will be along the lines of “Total Disinformation Awareness”. I also have plans to start doing live Noise webcasts through my Youtube channel, as well as a new free-form Noise project I call Diminished Bastard Sword. The best way to keep track of what I am doing is through SoundCloud and Youtube. I will drop a link below.

Lastly, negative. I have no plans to play out live. I have done that thoroughly in my youth and I rather stay in a controlled studio environment. I also have a family and a ‘day job’. Arranging shows or a tour schedule is not possible.

Thank you again for reaching out and arranging this interview. I very much appreciate it. https://linktr.ee/soillodge

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.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Released by the end of 2023 this is the third full length album of German solo-project Synaptic Defect. Driven by Marc Tater (previously involved with Evil Sermon this is the first new album since 2008.

Content: This work takes us back in time awakening somewhere in the midst of the 90s. This is old-school EBM appealing for fans of bands like Skinny Puppy, Mortal Constraint and even Cat Rapes Dog. The songs are well-crafted, sometimes moving into a minimalistic approach. The second features a few more songs in the same vein plus remixes by Second Disease, Sleepwalk, Plastic Noise Experience, Serpents, T.A.N.K., Terminal State, R010r, Trilogy, tEaR!doWn and 2 remixes by Pyrroline (which co-produced and mastered the album).

+ + + : Synaptic Defect isn’t maybe the most renowned project although it deals with good-old EBM built up with elegance and knowledge. This project is part of an imaginary ‘Skinny Puppy’-academy and will please the fans of haunting Electronics. The bonus disc features cool songs as well plus a great selection of artists for the remixes. I especially recommend the remixes of Sleepwalk and Plastic Noise Experience.

– – – : The album is maybe missing a real ‘potential’ hit.

Conclusion: This album stands for an appreciable come-back and will be pleased by old-school EBM supporters.

Best songs: “Morphine”, “Sniper”, “Killing Tides” + “Man Is Machine”, “Tacky Games – Sleepwalk Remix”, “Combat War – Plastic Noise Experience Remix”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/marc.tater.14

Label: www.electroaggressionrecords.com /  www.facebook.com/ElectroAggressionRecords

About Synaptic Defect

Synaptic Defect is the solo project of German musician Marc Tater, founded in 1996. Tater started out in 1994 with the dark EBM duo Evil Sermon, which released a split tape, “Godfeeler / Psychological Warfare”, with LPF12 before splitting up in late 1997. He then began releasing solo material as Synaptic Defect, issuing “Mechanical Oppression” (BLC Productions, 2004) and “World-Wide Life & Death” (Advoxya Records, 2008). The project went quiet until 2020, when Tater started recording new songs, a process that led to “Initializing Insanity”, released through Electro Aggression Records at the end of 2023.

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.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: After a silence of a few years Michael Renfield -who you might know from his involvement with Noise Process, strikes back with a new opus featuring sixteen songs and four more songs plus twelve remixes at the bonus disc. 

Content: The album deals with an elaborated and intelligent approach of EBM/Dark-Electronic music. The sound is totally retro-like, reminding me of bands like The Klinik, Skinny Puppy and Mortal Constraint. On top of the icy sequences and dark strings you’ll notice harsh, haunted, vocals. The second disc features remixes by tEaR!doWn, Pyrroline, Index AI, Trilogy, Serpents, G.O.L.E.M., Terminal State, Second Disease, Testube, T.A.N.K., Sleepwalk and Synaptic Defect.

+ + + : I salute the intelligent approach in the global production of this work. Even if it sounds cliché and evokes the sound of some legendary formations, it has been meticulously built up resulting in several outstanding songs. “Litany Of Greed” is my absolute favorite one but there’s more stuff to enjoy like a few extra cuts at the second disc. There also is a cool selection of remixers and I especially like the Serpents-one.

– – – : Some might say the album sounds too stereotypical but I don’t care. It’s good to see this artist is back on track. I expected a bit more from the remixes.

Conclusion: “Total Disinformation Awareness” is a fully achieved piece of retro-EBM.

Best songs: “Litany Of Greed”, “Memory Palace”, “Scorched Path”, “Body Politic” + “Total Enslavement”, “Was Carbon-Based”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/R010RNOISE

Label: www.electroaggressionrecords.com / www.facebook.com/ElectroAggressionRecords

About R010r

R010r is the solo project of Michael Renfield, a musician originally from Phoenix, Arizona, and also half of the Harsh EBM duo Noise Process. After Noise Process ended in 2007, Renfield launched R010r, releasing the albums “Gradual Destabilization” (Dark Vision Media, 2007) and “Unyielding” (Basic Unit Productions, 2016) along with several digital EPs. He has been part of the Electro Aggression Records roster since the label’s founding in 2011, a run that continues with “Total Disinformation Awareness”.

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, 3CD.

Background/Info: German Serpents were set up in 1988 featuring Kazim Sarikaya, Stefan Kuboteit, Frank Heiner and Nicole Altmann. After a few demo tapes they released their debut album “Terminal Breath” at the legendary Gothic Arts Records. Despite different line-up changes the band moved on releasing new works on an irregular basis. This album is a fine selection -kind of ‘best of’ from tracks that have been featured on their different releases. Both bonus discs feature remastered songs from early demos. The title of the album also was the title of their last demo (cassette) released in 1992.

Content: The main disc brings a fine selection of Serpents-songs getting us back to the early sound revealing a sophisticated and robotic EBM. There has always been a connection between Serpents and Plastic Noise Experience and that’s an element which is clearly noticeable in the global production process. There also is one previously unreleased (new)-song entitled “In Your Mind”. Two remixes have been accomplished by label mates Synaptic Defect and R01t0r. The remastered demo songs are an opportunity to (re)discover the very first steps of the band.

+ + + : Serpents remains a band which I think should have deserved a wider recognition although 90s EBM fans for sure known most of the prominent songs they’ve ever written. Serpents had their own elaborated and styled Electro sound. Another main characteristic is the typical 90s EBM sound. This work will bring you back to songs like “Kill What Kills You”, “Cyberspace”, “Gib Mir Alles”, “Resistance”, “Violence” ao. Both bonus discs let us discover the way this band has accomplished over the years. It’s definitely stuff for the band’s die-hard fans but also for retro-EBM lovers.

– – – : The single ‘new’ song is not exactly the best one ever composed by Serpents. The remastered demo songs are a nice gift for the fans but quite long to endure if you’re not a die-hard.I also salute the booklet featuring essential information about the band’s history but it’s a pity it’s only written in German.

Conclusion: This is a real cool ode to a prominent EBM formation which got mainly success during the 90s;

Best songs: “Kill What Kills You”, “Resistence”, “Protection”, “Das Zweite Leben”, “Violence”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/serpents.de

Label: www.electroaggressionrecords.com / www.facebook.com/ElectroAggressionRecords

About Serpents

Serpents is a German EBM act founded in March 1988 by Kazim Sarikaya and Stefan Kuboteit; Frank Heiner and Nicole Altmann joined a few months later. The band self-released the tapes “The Clock Strikes the Midnight” (1989), “Until Eternity” (1990) and “L’Âge D’Or” (1992) before signing to Gothic Arts Records for the debut album “Terminal Breath” (1993), followed by the “Have Fun” mini-CD (1995). Out of Line released “What’s Fear?” in 1999, and the digital-only “Immer Voran!” followed in 2010. Electro Aggression Records issued the fourth album, “State Of War”, in 2015 alongside a revised edition of “Immer Voran!”. The label’s 2024 3CD “L’Âge D’Or” reuses the title of that 1992 demo tape for a compilation of reworked tracks, the new song “In Your Mind”, and remastered early tapes alongside “Terminal Breath” and “Have Fun”.

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

Set up in 1991 by Torsten Schröder (vocals, drums) and Erick Miotke (keyboards), Trial gained instant success in the early 90s with their EP “Blut Und Eisen” and the debut album “Zero Feeling”. The icy EBM/Dark-Electro sound of the German formation became part of the collective EBM memory. A few more albums saw the daylight, but never reached a similar success. The band however remained a true reference even thirty years later. Electro Aggression Records recently released a massive box featuring three CD’s and one DVD as a celebration to Trial’s thirtieth anniversary. “Für Zwei” is a way to rediscover this unique formation, which also had a great live reputation. I got in touch with Erick Miotke and asked him several questions about the great TRIAL adventure, but also about the future…

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You this year celebrate your thirtieth anniversary by the massive release “Für Zwei” featuring 3 CD’s and 1 DVD. This production doesn’t only feel as an anniversary tribute, but still a consecration! What does it mean to you and how did this production saw the daylight?

Erick: Wow, ‘consecration’ is a great word! Thank you very much. For me it is the last chapter of the Trial project. There were too much loose ends I didn’t want to leave behind like they weren’t worth to be tied up.

The first of the three CDs: “Für Zwei” connects the work of the last phase of the band and a solid conclusion to the project. In 2009 we finished the EP “Für Zwei” with four mixes of the title track and a bonus track for a release that unfortunately didn‘t take place anymore.

For the 20th anniversary in 2011 I wanted to release the best-of “Classic Anthology”, which was specially remastered in 2009 at Timetools mastering as a double CD with a collection of all unreleased tracks as well as various contributions to samplers. But like the planned appearance at the Amphi-Festival in 2011, this was rejected by Torsten. Under these circumstances, of course, it made no sense for me to show any further commitment to the project.

With Jens Müller, the follow-up project TRILOGY started in 2012, which can be seen as a direct continuation, both musically and lyrically, I am the author of the very most Trial back-catalogue that has been published up to then.

I looked through all the data from Trial in my archive in 2018 and stumbled upon the preselection of “Für Zwei”. Since over the years I was asked again and again about possible new material or even live shows, I made an overview of all available material for quite some time and derived an extract from it. When the tracks were fixed, I tweaked the ones that had already been completed. The actually time-consuming work then consisted of working out the selected basic demos or improvisations into finished tracks or remixes. These were at least 10 in number, so an album in itself in terms of effort.

The process took months and was associated with many mixed feelings; ups and downs. I couldn‘t always go straight to the tracks. And I was always impressed by the potential of this band -and of course frustrated by the sudden end. Since I don‘t like to give up, of course I went through with it. Because it‘s important to me that Trial ends with a straight standing and doesn‘t just sneak out the back door. A little later, if you like, as you can see now.

Under the given circumstances, I am very satisfied with the result: “Für Zwei” is not just ‘rests’ and offers those interested a full new Trial experience. At this point, it is very important for me to mention our mastering studio Timetools from Hanover with ‘our’ engineer Mo Heidrich, because only there the final full sound is created, which only professionals of this league can forge from the existing material.

I see mastering as an elementary component such as sound design, composition or vocals. So I am very happy with the result and can finally finish with TRIAL in its old form. A lot of shadows and a lot of pain fell from me when I was able to celebrate the final master loudly. Very good. We never give up.

Q: Let’s get back to the origins of the band. How do you look back at the first steps of Trial and how important has been the meeting with Kai Lotze?

Erick: Characterized by Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly and Front 242 ‘sang’, or rather Torsten roared a few improvised lines after a rehearsal of our than actual band The Crybabies with Gunnar Duvenhorst, completely free on my first demo-track. inspired by the vocals of Skinny Puppy and Panthera. Gunnar heard this and said ironically before leaving the practice room after the rehearsal: ‘hard as kruppstahl, or what!?’ For me it was about the fight of the machines against humans; fiction, as thematically edited in some of the films that were current at the time and are to this day.

Torsten and I recorded this track in the session room of the Garbsen music school with my Philips d8134 ghettoblaster. This device recorded an astonishingly good sound. At the time my equipment consisted of an Ensoniq Esq1 and a Roland Boss dr-22a drum computer. Torsten used an Alesis effect rack for the reverb on the voice. So we started absolutely free and as young fans of Dark-Electronic music.

We had our first gig only 6 weeks after starting off.  Immediately after the first gig in the Ujz Langenhagen, Hanover, we were approached by Kai Lotze, who at the time was freshly active as a manager building up Project Pitchfork and its first album. After a short talk and mutual sympathy, we sealed a collaboration for TRIAL that lasted until 2011 with a handshake.

Q: Trial became an instant success; you got directly signed to Hypnobeat; the EP “Blut Und Eisen” and the album “Zero Feeling” became successful productions. What made the success formula of TRIAL and did you handle specific criteria and references in the writing/production of your music?

Erick:I don’t think there was a formula for the success, more a true compassion to what we did. We were young and had a pure and basic feeling to what we did. Probably naive, if I think of what my father always said to our efforts. In his eyes I was crazy. Wasting my time in some music project. Studying was the only ‘religion’ he believed in. He was probably right, of course, but I could solve this problem by finishing my diploma in graphic-design with an outstanding degree.

I believe in true compassion. I like to quote my first band of fandom: Kiss: ‘we are nothing without our fans’. We had the luck to be worshipped by loads of people from the beginning. So as I said, as naive youngsters you believe in your own impact. And you work on.

We were some kind of crazy and ‘tough’ guys, always on the edge, but straight in delivering what was necessary in production and live performance. It was no debt, it was an attitude to us. And we lived it. In full broadness.

Torsten is besides the music the only unique ‘formula’ of Trial’s impact. A simply devastating ego in vocal and on-stage performance. Dark, tough and flawless, even in vomiting on stage and still going on. He is a phenomena. Even Klaus Kinski is a novice in comparison to him in my eyes as a live performer. His and my compassion was always a mix of brotherhood not often to be found. He is the only true ‘Blutsbruder’ I will probably have in my live, cutting our veins, and drinking our blood with southern comfort on ice in 1992 vice versa. Some hit not every band would take. The chemistry was basic and true. No one will be left behind. We lived and delivered this status until early 2011.

The writing and production of all tracks went hand to hand with this attitude. We were brothers, supported us, or kicked us up if necessary. Torsten called me his ‘backbone’, his brother in arms. He always knew, when anybody came to close to him, I would interfere. And I felt the same way. This was a band; a pure team and all people we met could feel it.

Q: How did you manage the early success of the band and how did you see the band evolving from “Zero Feeling” towards “Secret Pain” released in 1994 on Electric Blue?

Erick:I don`t think we ‘managed’ the success. Probably we didn’t even felt it. We had too much to do with our personal lives, not moving into professional music business, but going on in studying in my behalf or getting into working as a barber in Torsten’s life.

The first peak to us was the opportunity in supporting Front Line Assembly in their 1993 German tour. Sadly the tour was shortly cancelled, but left a feeling of thankfulness in us. This was repeated by the possibility to support Front 242 on a short tour in the end of 2010, which couldn`t be affirmed by Torsten. So in my eyes we almost reached our personal peak in credibility as a ‘small’ band. Almost. Anyway, we were at hand.

The evolution was tough for us, keeping up with the ideas we had and true reality. Loads of hard work. But to what price? Believing in what we did was what we did. In some opinion wasting our time, in our view doing what we had to do. Now, almost 20 years later I know what we did: we lived a dream and fulfilled it. This interview shows what I am saying: Some things die, others live on. To a certain extend.

The main difference between “Zero Feeling” and “Secret Pain” is that I used more self-made sounds, besides the great Ensoniq sound library I basically used on the first album.

Q: After “Secret Pain” we’d to wait till 2008 and the self-released album “No Fate”, which didn’t gain that much recognition although revealing an evolution in sound and production. How did it happen you self-released this album and what was your perception/vision upon the scene and music industry at that moment?

Erick:We produced the “No Fate- EP in 1999 with Jan-Heie Erchinger; 9 mixes of the track. In almost all directions possible for the Trial sound in album length. Our music company told us it wouldn´t be commercial enough, and too sophisticated. We should switch our sound to more standard disco-like style. But this was not our opinion of making music. We swallowed this pill and went on.

Supported by a lot of great live-show possibilities we could gain our presence, and worked on the upcoming album against all odds. The concept sadly didn`t work out. What can I say?

We offered a broad and special range of a Trial-credible sound world. In our eyes tight until today. I presume the audience expected the typical sound of the first two albums. We delivered this attitude in 24 tracks with reworks and new material. I didn’t want to push us into the regions oF front 242, but they experienced the same problems with their album in 2003. The audience didn’t want something ‘new’, but asked for pure trademark style. That is why Front 242 and Kraftwerk are touring with their classic hits, masterfully optimized of course. So there is not much space to work on. Trial is in a different league of course, please don`t get me wrong or high-minded. Anyway, we always remained true to our roots, as to be seen in the “Für Zwei” 4-CD box.

Q: The fans never forgot Trial and you were still invited to play live and even at famous festivals. What made you going on without releasing new material and what keep you in mind from the past years?

Erick:As I said, we always went on. There is a strict continuity in the way of Trial. But without bowing to influences in the scene. This is, was and always will be unique. In our eyes it’s the only way to survive in long terms in the music scene. We always were thankful to be booked, and delivered what was expected from us. Our thankfulness to all those who appreciated us is never forgotten. We always delivered new material. Sadly there was no label who wanted our work in the way we thought was fair. It surely can`t be the failure of our management Protain by Kai Lotze, who supported us all the way round. Anyway. No one wanted us, so we had to release “No Fate” on our own behalf. As we can see, they were right. Only a small and committed fan-base wanted the product. That is as it is. But we made it.

Q: I can imagine a lot of things have changed/evolved in music industry since the set up of the band; think about technology & equipment, social media, streaming platforms etc. What are the pros and cons of this evolution and what did you hold on from the early Trial in your music today?

Erick:Well, there are loads of possibilities to bring ‘your’ sound to the people via the new platforms. Right. But, there’re too much mediocre acts, or to be honest, loads of crap are floating all channels. 30 years ago you had to overcome obstacles that are no problem anymore in these days. At first, almost everyone can blast out his stuff all the way. But is it worth it? I don`t think so, but it’s ok to me. On the other hand I see the great acts from about the end of the 80´s and the beginning 90’s, which are still dominating the scene. You ask me why? Because they learned it the hard way, had hostile machines to conquer, and had to bleed for their live performance. It is my personal opinion, but I would stand any discussion on this behalf. For sure.

It’s a new world, and is the way it is. This doesn’t has to be wrong. Quality will stand the measure of time. I am quite pleased, that Trial survived until today, just like all the other memorable acts. Credibility can’t be faked in long time measures, as I suppose. Time moves on, and we will see, when Trial might dissolve into meaningless standards. Time will tell.

Besides this I love the possibilities of making music, videos and spreading the results to loads of people. The feeling of exclusiveness in comparison to past days is a lack, of course. Today you have almost anything at hand with sounds, but the true spirit is a feeling and the true reproduction of it. We have too much messy stuff floating the music scene by the simple possibility of just clipping loops without charisma in it. This doesn’t make it easier for guys like me. So I remain in the ‘independent’ poor area of the music scene.

Q: So the sad news is that Torsten Schröder left Trial while the good news is that you’ve found a new singer (Jens Müller) to move on as Trilogy, right? How did Trilogy saw the daylight?  

Erick: Sadly Trial might be out with this release. Torsten shows no interest in this release and all of my personal uploads before the finalization of this box to him. He said he is finished with this chapter of his life. So let’s be thankful for what he delivered in some pure and unique style and walk on. His ‘secret pain’ with Trial came to an end. So does mine, as disappointing as it may be.

Trilogy picks up where Trial ended. In marketing ways it was a mistake to re-name the project, but I think it is the only fair way to cope with this situation.

Jens delivers the same credible energy as Torsten, but with a more pure and energetic way. Torsten’s demon-style is changed into a kind of athletic-energetic performance. Still dark, but not as self-destructing as before. Toughness may be relative, but it is a tight approach to the project and delivers live what the Trial legacy needs to live on in my eyes. It’s no substitute to Torsten, it’s an evolution. Torsten’s performance remains, also for Jens, who admires his unique style as a fan for more than two decades. As can be seen on the live DVD of the “Für Zwei” live DVD in the “Blut Und Eisen”-track.

Q: Trilogy is active for a few years now and has already released multiple EP’s and even a live album. I get the feeling the band didn’t get that much attention so far so tell us a bit more about the ‘young’ career of the band? What are the main differences in sound and approach with Trial?

Erick:Yes, that’s correct, Trilogy doesn’t catch up with the status of TRIAL until now. We acknowledge this, but won’t back down until we deliver the album “Forced Perspective”. But we may not forget that Trial is and remains as a special band in the shadows of independent music. So is Trilogy. We can only deliver highly inspired tracks. No more. No less. As I ever did.

The quality of production is higher than ever before. The spirit remains all the way. It might be the same phenomena as in times when “Secret Pain” was released. At the time of the release it wasn’t worshipped as it may be today. Time will tell and we’ll see, how the Trilogy debut album will be accepted. Too good, that Jens and I do it for the album in itself and don’t have to make a living from it. We try harder, anyway … 

Q: What brings the future?

Erick: As I said before, “Forced Perspective” will be released in 2022 via Nader`s Electro Aggresion Records as a double CD with 17 tracks and 17 remixes on disc two by great bands around the scene. This will show where we stand. And not fall. For sure.

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.

Format: Digital, 3CD + DVD.

Background/Info: This massive release by Electro Aggression Records comes to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the legendary German duo Trial. Set up in 1991 by Torsten Schröder (vocals, drums) and Erick Miotke (keyboards) the band gained instant success in the early 90s with their EP “Blut Und Eisen” and the debut album “Zero Feeling”. They moved on releasing the second album “Secret Pain”. The band struck back after the millennium, doing live performances and even self-released a new album “No fate” in 2008. This release features three CD’s plus a live DVD.

Content: I’ll take off with the last CD, which is called “Classic Anthology” getting us back to some of the band’s most famous songs from the early years –and even featuring songs from their early cassette period. It brings us back to the dark EBM format of the duo, which was icy sounding and driven by harsh and cutting vocals of Torsten Schröder.

“Für Zwei” brings us back to the ‘later’ period and work of the band, revealing new edits and previously unreleased songs. This album is an interesting work mixing the early trial sound with a more elaborated approach, which mainly comes through in the impressive and dynamic percussion parts. Some tracks even sound like injected by Dark-Techno elements, which also comes through on the reworked version of “Blut Und Eisen”.

The second disc entitled “Live” features live tracks, especially from the early years. The DVD brings a different tracklist, but mainly going through to their early years. The live recordings happened in Germany at different locations and different years (2006, 2007 and 2009).

+ + + : This is an essential release –and probably the greatest work ever released by this small EBM label, but it’s an absolute ode to the genius of Trial, which especially in the mind of old-school EBM lovers remained a favorite band. I was deeply impressed by the composition of “Für Zwei” where the band deals with an empowered EBM sound. The percussion layers are terrific, but also the global writing reflects coldness and intelligence. I can’t understand why some of these songs didn’t get more attention, but this release is for sure an opportunity to put Trial back on the map.

The “Classic Anthology” is also cool and definitely an opportunity to rediscover the genius of the band. Several songs are irresistible, reminding us why Trial was different from the rest. I also have to say a word about the great artwork of this album.

The live-CD is a great work for the fans, but I especially recommend the DVD recorded in Magdebürg, Leipzig, Hannover and Köln. The live shows were pretty sober, but characterized by the presence of Torsten Schröder. I especially like the few tracks where he’s playing live drums, injecting an extra boost to the songs. The DVD is also of a great sound quality and filmed with different cameras.

– – – : You clearly have to like Trial otherwise you gone get rapidly saturated. The 3 albums feature 55 (!) songs. The live-CD doesn’t sound like the most essential part to me.

Conclusion: This is a great way to celebrate 30 years of Trial; EBM with a cold, but irresistible style!

Best songs: “God Is Dead – Extended Rework”, “I Speak To You – Finished Mix”, “You Want It”, “Für Zwei – Extended Single Mix” + “Dreamstalker” + “Strange II”, “Prisoner”, “Blut Und Eisen”, “Sin”, “Is T Worth It”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.trial-force.de

Label: www.electroaggressionrecords.com /  www.facebook.com/ElectroAggressionRecords

About Trial

Trial was a German EBM and dark electro duo from Hannover, formed in 1991 by Torsten Schröder on vocals and drums and Erick Miotke on keyboards, and active until 2008.

The duo self-released the cassette “Conflict” in 1991. Hypnobeat issued the CD maxi “Blut Und Eisen” in 1992, the year of the debut album “Zero Feeling”. “Secret Pain” appeared as a self-released cassette in 1993 and as a CD on Electric Blue in 1994. “No Fate” was self-released as a CDr in 2001 and issued as a double CD by Maxsoniq Recordings in 2008. A run of tour CDrs and live DVDrs documented the band’s shows between 2006 and 2009.

Electro Aggression Records released “Für Zwei” in 2021 as a limited 3CD and DVD set marking thirty years of the duo. Time Tools Recordings reissued “Für Zwei”, “Live” and “Classic Anthology” digitally in 2022.

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, 2CD.

Background/Info: German duo Arnte and Schmoun aka Pyrroline doesn’t release new albums on a regular basis, but they now strike back with the fourth album to date. Both protagonists were also involved with Nordschlacht, which unfortunately only released one single album in 2007.

Content: Four years have passed since the previous album, but nothing has really changed when it comes to influences. Pyrroline doesn’t innovate, remaining faithful to their old-school EBM reminding Skinny Puppy and Mentally & The Fixer. The work has a strong déjà-vu feeling, but globally speaking Pyrroline has seriously improved little details of the global production. The songs have been supported with haunting synth atmospheres while accomplished by Industrial sound treatments. I also noticed a few delicate passages. Arnte’s vocals are totally fitting to the ghost-like EBM while Schmoun is now and then injecting a female touch to the vocals.

The bonus disc features a few extra songs, which sound in the same vein as the main disc. But we also get an impressive number of remixes by The Opposer Divine, G.O.L.E.M., Sleepwalk, Amorphous, Fix8:Sed8, Jihad, Terminal State and 2 remixes by Placebo Effect.

+ + + : No doubt about it, “Struggling” is Pyrroline’s opus magnum! The production never has been that elaborated, revealing a great songwriting with dark and Industrial sound treatments. There’s a right balance between the sound and the vocals. Especially the 3 debut songs left me breathless; Pyrroline here reveals its harder side, but every single note and synth sound at the right place. I like when an album gives me the feeling of mathematics… The work is powerful, but also very atmospheric, the band here again reminding me to music from Benestrophe, Noise Unit ao.

Among the bonus disc I also discovered 2 excellent extra songs (both debut cuts) while there’s an interesting list of remixers. Most of the bands are dealing with a similar sound, but it’s great to see Fix8:Sed8 (definitely the new Master when it comes to composing Skinny Puppy-inspired Electro) and Placebo Effect. My favorite remixes are however these by G.O.L.E.M. and and especially Terminal State.

Last, but not least I also have to say a word about the cool digipak format of the album. Electro Aggression Records doesn’t release that much stuff, but each time again, it’s a very artistic and professional layout!

– – – : A very few songs couldn’t totally convince me, but you don’t hear me to complaining. I just can imagine some Electro heads will consider this band as inferior to the real masters in the genre… but it’s quite a long time ago since Skinny Puppy achieved such a masterpiece!

Conclusion: If you like intelligent old-school driven EBM, Pyrroline is for sure a great addition to your collection!

Best songs: “Song Of Deliverance”, “Battleground”, “This Dusky Faith”, “What Might Have Been”, “The Divine Image” + “State Of Things”, “Atelier Complex”, “Stop Acting So Small – Remixed by Terminal State”, “Song Of Deliverance – Remixed by G.O.L.E.M.”

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/arnteANDschmoun

Label: www.electroaggressionrecords /  www.facebook.com/ElectroAggressionRecords

About Pyrroline

Pyrroline is the German duo of Arnte (production, vocals) and Schmoun (composition, arrangement, vocals). The project debuted with “Behind The Horizon” (2010), followed by “Ruins Outlast” (2013) and “In The Dawn Of Freedom”, reviewed by Side-Line in 2017 (Discogs).

“Struggling” is Pyrroline’s fourth album for Electro Aggression Records, released 14 February 2021. Its limited 2CD digipak bonus disc carries remixes from Placebo Effect, Jihad, Sleepwalk, Terminal State, The Opposer Divine, Fix8:Sed8, G.O.L.E.M. and Amorphous, according to the album’s Bandcamp credits.

Pyrroline went on to announce a sixth album, “Ambiguity”, in June 2026, followed by a “Day 45” video in August 2026 and its own Side-Line review later that month.

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

Sleepwalk celebrates their 25^th anniversary by the release of the new album “Tempus Vincit Omnia”. Core member Bruno Ruch, Andreas Lehman and new member Charly (tEaR!dOwN) accomplished a double disc released on Electro Aggression Records. It’s without a shadow of a doubt the most accomplished and sophisticated work to date. The album is a sonic bridge between EBM and dark-electronics. I asked a few questions to Andreas Lehman.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: The new album “Tempus Vincit Omnia” became a quite special opus for celebrating the 25^th anniversary of Sleepwalk, but still the first full length in 5 years, the second album without former singer Oliver Spring and also the first album on a new label (Electro Aggression Records)! What can you tell us about all these facts and changes?

Andreas: Oliver left the band in 2005. We are close friends. At this time I was at the same label (Scanner) with my project Framework. I wrote some lyrics and we had done some remixes for Sleepwalk already and I sang on the track “Shattered Soul” featured on “Rapid Eye Movement”, the last album Oliver was involved. So it was like a natural process that I became the new singer of Sleepwalk.

We released the EP “Revenge Of The Lost” and the conceptual album “Nibiru” at Scanner. The work on “Nibiru” was really exhausting. We felt like we need a restart. So we made that big cut and began to work without the feeling that there has to be a finished product in a certain time. Charly of “tEaR!doWn”, who is also a good friend, joined in to inject some fresh ideas. Nader of Electro Aggression Records was interested for years to work with us. It felt right and we are happy Nader supports our ideas.

Q: “Tempus Vincit Omnia” can be translated into English as “Time Conquers All” so what’s the deeper significance behind this title and what’s the possible link with all what happened inside the band and the lyrical themes of the songs?

Andreas: The lyrics reflect my thoughts on the current world situation. Much is changing. And as much as we destroy this planet and ourselves, time moves on. We are transient. Time is the only constant.

Q: I experienced this new opus as the most accomplished Sleepwalk album to date; there’s a perfect twist between dark-electronics and EBM, but it still is a sophisticated and intelligent opus. Tell us a bit more about the writing and production of the album and what have been the main changes with the past releases?

Andreas: Thank you! We are three people living in three different locations. So most of the work is sharing files, work on them and send them back to each other. The main change was working with three people instead of two. In the end we had nearly 30 demos we could choose from. That was really comfortable. It was good to work without any pressure and we even didn’t pressured ourselves. We spent a lot of time experimenting with effects, samples and new synths. It was worth it.

As I said earlier, “Nibiru” was a conceptual album. The topics of the lyrics were limited. That is sometimes really demanding and frustrating. This time I could write really free. An important change that brought a lot of creativity back. We decided early to go back to our roots with the sound and bring it to a new level. The reactions to the album reflect this. We are glad it worked that well.

Q: A singer always is the front man of a band so how did it felt to replace Oliver Spring?

Andreas: To be honest, I really didn’t thought about how it feels. Oliver and I are close friends for many years. We respect what we do and did with our projects. Sometimes we are working together on lyrics or songs. He also wrote the lyrics and did the vocals on “Downfall” featured on the new album. He is a part of 25 years Sleepwalk history and we wanted to appreciate this.

Q: The second disc features multiple remixes, but still a few new cuts. Tell us a bit more about the ‘new’ songs and what do you like in getting remixed by other bands dealing with a similar music style?

Andreas: There are 4 new tracks on the second disc. We had to make a choice which tracks should be on the main disc, but the remaining tracks were too good to leave them unheard. I don’t want talking too much about every track, but one is really special. Bruno and his brother Roland lost their mother. They’ve written “Embrace” specially for her. Even if it doesn’t sound typically Sleepwalk-like, it was very important for both of them to have it on the album. I think it helps both to overcome this stroke of fate and to give their mother a worthy memory.

The remix part is always exciting. Sometimes you get a totally different view at your songs. And even if most remixers are dealing with a similar music style, the results are amazing. You hear if someone has fun with your material. It also brings some new ideas for forthcoming tracks.

Q: All Sleepwalk members are still involved with other projects so what means Sleepwalk to each of you, which you maybe don’t find in these other projects?

Andreas: It’s hard to describe, but I will try. Sleepwalk is like a trademark that stands for a typical sound. Everyone, we included, are expecting this. But we are not only creating music, we are also consuming it. Many influences wouldn’t fit in the concept of Sleepwalk. Therefore we are all involved in other projects to create some more music beside Sleepwalk. I wouldn’t say that Sleepwalk brings something which we don’t find in other projects. It is more that we are all music addicts. And every project fulfills a preference. Sleepwalk is maybe the evil twin of all. Something that splits conventions. A place to canalize the darker emotions.

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

Electro Aggression Records (EAR) welcomes the veteran Swiss electro act Sleepwalk to its roster of artists. After 5 years of silence, Sleepwalk return with a double disc to celebrate the band’s 25th anniversary.

With “Tempus Vincit Omnia” revisits its old school electro roots resulting in a mix of EBM and dark electro. The album is the follow-up to the concept album ”Nibiru” (2012) and reconnects with its trademark sound which consists of atmospheric accessible melodies, heavy beats, and angry shouts.

The bonus disc of “Tempus Vincit Omnia“ is called “Addendum Est” and includes 4 bonus Sleepwalk tracks and 11 remixes by such acts as Pyrroline, Second Disease, kFactor, Terminal State, Trilogy, Tri-State, Seven Trees, KIFOTH, Atropine No Sleep By The Machine and Amorphous.

You can preview 2 trailers below, for CD1 and CD2. Enjoy! Orders are accepted here.

Read the review of ‘Tempus Vincit Omnia’.

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!

side-line.com

Read the review of ‘Confront’.

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 EBM.

Background/Info: Pyrroline has released their second official album. Four years after “Ruins Outlast”, Arnte & Schmoun are back on track with a kind of conceptual album dealing about the war in Croatia during the 90s.

Content: “In The Dawn Of Freedom” is a kind of sophisticated EBM sound. The main focus clearly is not to composer hard and powerful songs, but a more elaborated and complex writing, which might remind you of Mentallo & The Fixer and even Skinny Puppy. The songs have been constructed with multiple bleeps and crystalline sequences mixed with harsher and somewhat bombastic rhythms. The vocals are quite spooky, which fits with the atmospheric side of the work.

Some (instrumental) cuts are even moving on the edge of cinematographic music and I here would make a comparison with Benestrophe. But Pyrroline is a band with many ‘faces’ and also deals with a few more ‘traditional’ EBM cuts.

Both last cuts are remixes by One Eye Wanders and kFactor.

+ + + : The diversity of the songs definitely is one of the main characteristics of the album, but it also reveals that Pyrroline is open to different influences. I personally prefer the main part of the album revealing sophisticated and elaborated cuts. The ambient side hanging over the songs is more important than power. You should (re)listen to these songs with headphones to fully distinguish the little bleeps and icy sequences. I also discovered another side of Pyrroline, which sounds somewhat harder and into ‘classical’ EBM fields. “Succeed” is a great piece in the genre, reminding me of Plastic Noise Experience.

– – – : Despite of the diversity and the well-crafted songs, Pyrroline doesn’t really add anything new in the wider fields of EBM. I rapidly got a ‘déjà-vu’ effect although you don’t hear me complaining. Both remixes aren’t exactly adding a bonus to the album!

Conclusion: Pyrroline transforms EBM into a moody, ghost-like creation. It’s an intelligent composition although I’m missing some innovative elements.

Best songs: “Succeed”, “Nothing To Lose”, “Fellow Passenger”, “Vukovar”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www.facebook.com/Pyrroline-168370663180474

Label: www.electroaggressionrecords.com /  www.facebook.com/ElectroAggressionRecords

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 ‘Confront’.

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

Tcheleskov Ivanovitch is already into music since the late 80s. He together with his brother set up the Belgian project Ivanovitch Dans L’Ombre, but gained more recognition during the past few years with his Grandchaos project. Several productions have been released on labels like Urgence Disk Records and EK Product and are pure lust for lovers of good-old vintage and minimal electronics. More recently Tcheleskov Ivanovitch together with Jacky Meurisse (Signal Aout 42) set up a common project Grand((Ø))Signal, which is another minimal electronic experience.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: From the early days of Ivanovitch Dans L’Ombre towards Grandchaos and now Grand((Ø))Signal clearly appears to be a serious move in sound, writing and production as well. What explains this evolution? 

Tcheslov: When my brother Trevosky and I founded Ivanovitch Dans L.ombre in 1982, we were at the beginning of the ‘democratization’” of electronic instruments and recording techniques. The production costs were steep, but making music was an enthralling experience mainly because we both entered uncharted territory. It was a labor of love and a way to take part in politics for most punk acts. For Grandchaos et Grand((Ø))Signal (my collaboration with Jacky Meurisse), I took advantage of the creative possibilities offered by modern technology, but it remains quite difficult to attain a tight rhythm section and ‘solid groove’. Machines are just instruments and you need to find inspiration to write music and create magic moments.

Q: Getting back to the early years of your music career, what have been your main sources of inspiration and references in electronic music? 

Tcheleskov: As a child, I was very fond of Kraftwerk and J.M Jarre, but they were not revolutionary artists by any means. Fortunately, the punk and DIY ethic made good use of synthesizers to create spontaneous and aggressive melodies. In my humble opinion, Suicide and Cabaret Voltaire were the marquee acts of that period. “Frankie Teardrop” and “Nag Nag Nag” are absolute masterpieces that will remain engraved in my mind forever!

Q: Grandchaos clearly reveals a minimal- and somewhat vintage EBM approach, but still a passion for hardware equipment! What does it says about you as a musician/producer and your perception of contemporary electronic music? 

Tcheleskov: I’m irremediably old school! I don’t find digital synths appealing at all. Touching an instrument is essential to me. When I see my synths and drum machines I feel like a kid in a candy store. Music nourishes me. I am always looking out for new bands. Creative musicians continue to explore new sounds and they never cease to amaze me. Record labels continue to play an instrumental role in scouting new talent.

Q: Except the fact that Grand((Ø))Signal is a duo and Grandchaos a solo-project, what are the main differences between both formations and especially when it comes to aspects like sources of inspiration and global production? 

Tcheleskov: Grandchaos is a therapy to overcome my personal problems as it allows me to express how I feel. Dark themes such as suffering and death have haunted me for many years. The loss of loved ones as well as my serious health issues may have accentuated the dark tones of Grandchaos lyrics. With Grandchaos, I feel somewhat close to the ‘EBM United’ movement that gained popularity across the globe. The ‘No Pain No Gain’ slogan resonates well with the human nature. Grand((Ø))Signal, for its part, is a joint project between Jacky and me. We put in practice what we have learned throughout our long musical journey. The sound and image have been purified and geared towards the dancefloor. We would like to make retro-futurist music ‘made in Belgium’ that would appeal to fans of Gesaffelstein or Schwefelgelb. The release of our debut album “Aktivation” on Unknown Pleasures Records will definitely prompt us to pursue this project and play live shows.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the choice of the artists who contributed to the remixes on “Days + Memories” and are there some inspiring remixes for the further work of Grandchaos? 

Tcheleskov: Every time I discover the work of an artist that inspires me, I add his/her name to my address book and I contact them when the opportunity presents itself i.e when I start compiling remixes. For the “Days” and “Memories” EP’s, I ‘ve had the pleasure to work with mega-talented artists such as Nicole & Anne (2XNI), Noamm or Franck Kartel to name just a few.

Q: A new album (cf. “Tempest”) has been just released on EK Product featuring a new list of remixed songs. What do you like about remixes?

Tcheleskov: 2016 was indeed a very prolific year, and 2017 will be even busier! The “Tempest” compilation just came out on the Italian label EK Product. Many friends took part in this project such as Jacky Meurisse (SA42), Vince (ESR), Dada (BAK XIII) or Arthur Plata (Mechaload) to name a few. My last album “We Suffer When The World Changes” was reinterpreted by artists from across the globe and I’m really glad that Amedeo and his label EK Product decided to release this project. Grandchaos has a long story with the remixes. One could even say that Grandchaos took off with the double disc compilation “In Sedens” compiled by the old school electro purist Nader Moumneh who now runs the highly-regarded record label  Electro Aggression Records (EAR) specialized in old school EBM and complex, multi-layered dark-electro. Nader is also the co-founder of the rising synthpop/Italo Disco record label NADANNA with Marc schaffer of Anna Logue Records.

Grandchaos has been remixed over a hundred times and I’m a serious candidate for the Guinness records. On a more serious note, I truly enjoy the reinterpretation of my songs by other artists. It is a formidable sensation and we learn a lot when we listen to the music of other artists with an open mind.

Q: What brings 2017 for Grandchaos and your other projects? 

Tcheleskov: For Grandchaos, a mini-album titled “The Day Disappears Only To Reappear” is slated for a June 2017 release. It will be released as an ultra-limited picture disc via 2 exceptional record labels: Urgence Disk Records (CH) and Law Lynch Records (BE).

Trevosky and I would like to release a compilation featuring unreleased material by IDLO but since the original material was recorded on tapes, it is gonna be a long and daunting task. We will see how it plays out.

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

Content:

Read the news on ‘State Of War’.

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.

Content: kFactor is a Brazilian solo-project inspired by the good-old EBM sound from the late 80s and especially the 90s. This band totally fits to the retro-EBM taste of Electro Aggression Records.

I didn’t know what to expect from kFactor except a pure old-school EBM production. The opening tracks clearly reveal a typical 90s electro format, which is driven by a typical kick and cold synthesizer sounds. The spooky vocals inject a dark and mysterious element to the work. I can’t say that the opening cuts are essential ones, but they give an indication about the dark-atmospheric style of this EBM project. I was a bit afraid to discover an old stereo-type without real creativity, but the album rapidly evolves into more elaborate songs featuring sounds à la Cabaret Voltaire and even more intelligent treatments reminding me of Clock DVA.

The sound is clearly old-styled EBM, but I progressively get into the mysterious and obscure sound creation of Junior kFactor. One of the main sources of inspiration appears to be the good-old Belgian EBM school. That’s for sure an element I recognize in the global sound production, but if I really have to make a link with another formation it would be without a shadow of a doubt early X Marks The Pedwalk and the early EP’s “Arbitrary Execution” and especially “Disease Control”. A few other cuts remind me of early Frontline Assembly as well. It becomes rapidly clear that kFactor is a band taking us back to the sources of EBM. There’s a perfect mix between 80s and 90s body music.

The work is pretty minimal and bringing good-old tricks to life like spoken samplings, icy synth-lines and other choir synth passages, typical spooky vocals and the familiar 4×4 structures. “Ghastly Monolith” avoids any innovation, but brings a well-crafted emulation of retro EBM music. You don’t hear me complaining as the more I got into the work of this artist the more I really started to like it. I also like the global concept featuring 2 discs each with 15 songs. The 2nd disc features a few remixes by bands like Pyrroline, Astma, Serpents and few others.

I have a little preference for the main disc but both CDs reveal a high quality level and several attention grabbers. Some cuts are carried by a somewhat heavier, bombastic rhythm and a few songs are more complex in their global writing. That’s precisely the reason why I like a song like “Lobotomy”, which is one of the cuts reminding me of the more sophisticated work of Clock DVA. The “Jihad Remix” of “Dead Place” is another fascinating cut in the genre. This album is not only revealing intriguing, cool songs, but also accomplished remixes as well.

kFactor is not exactly the kind of furious EBM but rather a slow tempo sound joined by poignant, dark atmospheres and great vocals.

Conclusion: This is a fascinating work bringing elements of 90s EBM to life. kFactor moves back to the sources and can be considered as an accomplished ode to some legendary bands, which helped EBM get a name!

Best songs: “Lobotomy”, “Iron Tree”, “Prototype”, “Chrome”, “Casting Shadows”, “Take A Chance” + “A Dead Place”, “The Right Course”, “Auto-Darwin”, “A Dead Place – Jihad Remix”, “A Blind Spot – Factory Automatic by Soillodge”.

Rate: (DP:8)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/kFactor.ebm

Label: www.electroaggressionrecords.com / www.facebook.com/ElectroAggressionRecords

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.

Content: Astma is a familiar name at the wider fields of EBM. This Swedish formation is not what I would call a leading band in the genre although an interesting combo dealing with hard EBM since 2001, which gained some reputation from their live performances.
Electro Aggression Records gave them the opportunity to release an official full length featuring 23 (!) songs plus an extra disc with some great remixes.

If you’re not familiar with Astma, you can imagine an hybrid between Orange Sector and Pouppée Fabrikk. This is a rather classical ‘hardcore’ version of EBM, which sounds in the purest tradition of the genre. There’s no real innovation, but this kind of EBM definitely appears to be vaccinated against any new element. You better prepare yourself to ‘move your body’ with the 23 (!) songs of the main disc. The tracks are pretty short – in the 2- 3 minute range, but driven by maximum injection of testosterone.

The sound formula is no longer a secret for EBM lovers. You get a fast cadence joined by dry bass lines and some extra metallic percussion plus heavy shouting vocals. It’s as simple as that and it still works. I however can’t say that Astma has the potential to become a new sensation in the genre, but they have the power to make you move. In the end I would say that this is exactly what we expect from this kind of music, isn’t it?

Behind the ‘cliché’ Astma tries to put their own stamp on the EBM sound. It’s not exactly about their sound, but some of their funny lyrical parts, which are more into punk. “Cut It Short” is one of these songs, where they sing about wanting to cut the hair of hippies. One of the hardest cuts is the so-called “New Version” of “A Global Game” featuring a weird chorus about football. Another funny cut is “Body In Japan” for the mishmash of Japanese words. It doesn’t mean that much, but it’s pure fun and it works.

One of my favorite songs is also one of their most elaborate. Astma added a cool, raw lead on “Suffer And Pain”, which adds more elements to the song although it still remains a pretty simple and efficient. I just regret there are no more variations in the songs like on this track.

The 2nd disc will definitely catch your attention if you’re a real EBM freak. Nineteen bands have been asked to make a remix and you’ll discover bands like Signal Aout 42, Armageddon Dildos, The Psychic Force, Plastic Noise Experience, MRDTC, Autodafeh, Invoke The Insult, Cardinal Noire, Serpents, DRP, Brigade Werther, kFactor ao. This is a truly sonic orgy resulting in several great remixes.

In my opinion, one of the best remixes is the one of “Mr. Miller” by Full Contact 69. This is not exactly the most famous name on the list, but maybe the most creative one revealing a minimal EBM touch reminding me a bit of PNE. Other noticeable remixes have been accomplished by Plastic Noise Experience, Autodafeh and Invoke The Insult. The bands injected their own touch to the work, which brings more diversity to this disc.

Conclusion: A stereotypical-, but solid EBM release with an impressive list of remixes.

Best songs: “Suffer And Pain”, “Cut It Short”, “Tune In The ESP”, “Body In Japan”, “A Global Game – New Version” +” Mr. Miller – Full Contact 69 Remix”, “Suffer And Pain – Autodafeh Remix”.

Rate: (DP:7½)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/Astma-164850410224999

Label: www.electroaggressionrecords.com / www.facebook.com/ElectroAggressionRecords

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