Vancouver, Canada-based electro-industrial act Front Line Assembly have announced a set of seven UK dates. This UK tour will be the band’s first visit since 2018.

Front Line Assembly will follow their UK tour with a headline appearance at the 2025 edition of the Dark Malta festival on 26th April.

Front Line Assembly released their current studio album, “Mechanical Soul”, in 2021 via Metropolis Records. The album was promoted in the US via two extensive tours with Gary Numan and Ministry, plus selected dates in mainland Europe.

The tour follows the recent release of Leeb’s first ever solo album, “Model Kollapse” issued on Metropolis Records in September 2024. The album features collaborations with artists such as Shannon Hemmett and Jason Corbett of ACTORS, and Mimi Page.

Front Line Assembly UK tour April 2025

Tickets for these dates are available through various platforms, including Songkick and See Tickets.

• April 17, 2025: Sheffield – Corporation
• April 18, 2025: Birmingham – Asylum
• April 19, 2025: London – O2 Academy Islington
• April 20, 2025: Southampton – The 1865
• April 21, 2025: Bristol – The Fleece
• April 23, 2025: Manchester – Gorilla
• April 24, 2025: Glasgow – SWG3

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!

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Out now is remix of the Front Line Assembly track “Molotov”. The remix features s:cage aka producer Stephen Seto, Famine and Lys Morke (Irene Talló). The latter is a singer-songwriter, producer and visual artist based in Barcelona.

s:cage and Famine have been performing shows together since the mid 2000s. This is their first collaboration and mixes the soundscapes of s:cage and the complex rhythms of Famine. On vocals we find Lys Morke.

The single holds 2 tracks, the remix and an instrumental version.

Front Line Assembly included the original version of “Molotov” on their 2018 album “WarMech”, which they created as the soundtrack for the video game “AirMech Wastelands”. In 2024, they released remixed versions of “Molotov,” collaborating with artists like Seeming and Encephalon. These remixes also appear on their 2025 album “Mechviruses”, which features reimagined tracks from “WarMech”.

The remix album showcases 10 tracks, with contributions from Artoffact artists such as ULTRA SUNN, Ayria, Bootblacks, Seeming, Encephalon, and Fotocrime, as well as other artists like MVTANT and s:cage.

Listen to the Seeming remix of “Molotov” below:

About Front Line Assembly

Front Line Assembly (FLA) is a Canadian electro-industrial band formed in 1986 by Bill Leeb after his departure from Skinny Puppy. The band is renowned for its fusion of electronic body music (EBM) and industrial sounds.

Throughout its history, FLA has seen a dynamic lineup, with key contributors including Michael Balch, Rhys Fulber, and Chris Peterson.

FLA’s discography boasts over a dozen studio albums and EPs, with releases such as “Tactical Neural Implant” and “Hard Wired”, both considered classics.

With “Echogenetic” (2013) the band returned to purely electronic roots, while “WarMech” (2018) served as a soundtrack for the game “AirMech Wastelands”. Their 2025 album, “Mechviruses”, features reimagined tracks from “WarMech” remixed by various artists.

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!

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Finnish industrial band Cardinal Noire has just released their new single, “Diatribe”, through Artoffact Records, as a preview of their upcoming album “Vitriol”, set to be released on December 6. The single showcases the band’s signature blend of aggressive electronic beats, distorted synths, and dark atmospheres.

Following their previous single “Killshelter” released in August, “Diatribe” digs deeper into a sound that pulls inspiration from industrial pioneers like Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, and Nitzer Ebb.

Cardinal Noire, formed in the early 2010s by Kalle Linberg and Lasse Alander, launched their self-titled debut in 2015, followed by “Deluge” (2018).

You can pre-order the album right now on Bamdcamp.

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!

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(Photo by Bobby Talamine) Bill Leeb’s first solo album, “Model Kollapse”, drops tomorrow. Leeb, a Vancouver-based musician, is best known as the mastermind behind electro-industrial giants Front Line Assembly and ambient-pop duo Delerium. He’s also played a pivotal role in projects like Noise Unit, Intermix, and Cyberaktif.

This marks Leeb’s first solo effort since the early days of Front Line Assembly in the mid-80s, when he began recording in his bedroom and released his work on limited edition cassettes. Nearly four decades later, “Model Kollapse” was crafted between Vancouver, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with production support from Dream Bullet, long-time collaborator Rhys Fulber, and mixing engineer Greg Reely.

You can now stream the full album exclusively on Side-Line, including standout tracks like “Demons” and “Terror Forms”.

Today we can also present you this brand new video for “Muted Obsession”.

Musically, “Model Kollapse” taps into the legacy of post-punk electronic pioneers like DAF, Front 242, and Skinny Puppy (Leeb himself being an original member), while also drawing from more contemporary influences like Gesaffelstein and ADULT.

The album’s title refers to a phenomenon in artificial intelligence where trained models, particularly those dependent on synthetic or AI-generated data, degrade over time. Leeb elaborates, “As we push forward with unprecedented technological advances, I wonder how much longer we can truly stay in control. Automation has already consumed entire industries. With tech ruling much of the world, are we headed for a ‘Model Kollapse’? Chaos would surely follow.”

Released by Metropolis Records, Leeb notes the label’s crucial role in alternative music, saying, “This album was possible thanks to my long-standing friendship with the late Dave Heckman, who gave me complete artistic freedom.” Heckman, Metropolis’ founder, passed away in the summer of 2022.

Videos from “Model Kollapse”

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!

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Canadian producer Rhys Fulber returns with another compelling solo effort in “Balance Of Fear”. Known for his extensive work with acts like Front Line Assembly, Delerium, and Conjure One, Fulber’s solo work takes a different route, delving deep into the realms of Dark-Techno. This album continues his exploration of merging EBM-inspired basslines with Cinematic/Ambient elements and raw Industrial-Techno. The production quality is top-notch, showcasing a fearless and uncompromising approach to sound. Fulber’s freestyle compositions result in some truly standout tracks. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Fall Awake”:

https://rhysfulber.bandcamp.com/track/fall-awake

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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Bill Leeb, the Vancouver-based musician and mastermind behind electro-industrial scene mainstays Front Line Assembly and ambient-pop duo Delerium, has released a second second single from his upcoming solo album “Model Kollapse”: “Demons”.

Leeb says that the EBM styled track is a comment on “how much darkness and evil exist in the world, some of it created via technology that is here to stay, and how we have to carefully navigate our way through it all on a day-to-day basis.”

“Model Kollapse” will be released on September 13 via Metropolis Records and is the first solo venture Leeb. The album was recorded and produced in Vancouver, Toronto and Los Angeles with assistance from production duo Dream Bullet and long-term recording cohort Rhys Fulber, plus regular mixing engineer Greg Reely.

“Demons” follows the introductory single “Terror Forms”, featuring Shannon Hemmett of the group ACTORS, who are also based in Leeb’s home city.

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!

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(Photo by Babiracki) Out today is the brand new video from I Ya Toyah, “Fraud”. The industrial darkwave track “Fraud” is taken from the upcoming full-length album, “Drama”, due out on October 4th.

I Ya Toyah says this about the new video: “Fraud is a dance-floor anthem with a dark twist. It blends soft vocals, intense screams, synthwave, alt rock and dubstep, creating a unique clash of upbeat rhythms and serious lyrics. This track will have you dancing away your imposter syndrome!”

“Drama” is co-produced with/mixed by Stabbing Westward’s Walter Flakus and features new material as well as a few previously available tracks from her recently-released EP, “I Am The Fire”.

In other news, I Ya Toyah has been confirmed for a run of tour dates in Europe as support for Front Line Assembly. Prior to these dates she will play as part of the premier United States darkwave event of the year, the Cold Waves Festival (XII) on September 29th in her hometown of Chicago at Metro.

Here are the tour dates of I Ya Toyah’s European tour supporting Front Line Assembly.

November

• 26 Prague, Czech Republic – MeetFactory
• 27 Budapest, Hungary – A38 Hajo
• 29 Leipzig, Germany – Hellraiser

December

• 01 Oberhausen, Germany – Kulttempel
• 02 Berlin, Germany – Gretchen

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!

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Out now via Metropolis Records is the first single from the upcoming solo debut “Model Kollapse” by Bill Leeb: “Terror Forms”. The single features Shannon Hemmett of Actors.

Below is the video for the single.

“Model Kollapse” will be out on September 13th via Metropolis Records. The 11-track album “Model Kollapse” comes in two versions, a CD in digipak and a thick 16 pages booklet, and as a limited bleach effect double vinyl. The vinyl is limited to 500 copies and comes in extra heavy gatefold sleeve with seperate printed inner sleeves.

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!

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Out on September 13th via Metropolis Records is the first all solo album from Bill Leeb, titled “Model Kollapse”. The 11-track album “Model Kollapse” comes in two versions, a CD in digipak and a thick 16 pages booklet, and as a limited bleach effect double vinyl. The vinyl is limited to 500 copies and comes in extra heavy gatefold sleeve with seperate printed inner sleeves.

The first single “Terror Forms” features Shannon Hemmett of Actors and Leathers and will be out on July 9.

The album was recorded and produced in Vancouver, Toronto and Los Angeles with assistance provided by production duo Dream Bullet and long-term Front Line Assembly / Delerium cohort Rhys Fulber, plus regular mixing engineer Greg Reely.

Two tracks on the album feature Shannon and Jason from Canadian Electropop act Actors and one track has American singer-songwriter Mimi Page, who already collaborated with Bill on his Delerium project.

Tracks:

1. Demons
2. Exotic Matter
3. Neuromotive
4. Folded Hands
5. Pinned Down
6. Terror Forms (feat. Actors)
7. Muted Obsession (feat. Actors)
8. Simulation
9. Infernum
10. Fusion
11. Erosion through Time (feat. Mimi Page)

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!

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(Photo by Bobby Talamine) Metropolis Records announces the signing of industrial-electronic Vancouver-based music legend Bill Leeb for his debut solo effort “Model Kollapse”, out September 13.

“The album explores the intricacies of artificial intelligence and the survival of humanity itself,” says Bill Leeb.

The first single “Terror Forms” features Shannon Hemmett of Actors and Leathers and will be out on July 9. This album also involves Front Line Assembly / Delerium cohort Rhys Fulber, mixing engineer Greg Reely, Actors’ frontman Jason Corbett, and LA artist Mimi Page.

“We are proud to announce that Metropolis Records has signed Bill Leeb for his first solo project. Bill Leeb has had a prolific career as a founding member of Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly and Delerium. His music has been highly influential, and we are excited to see what this new chapter in his career will bring for him and his listeners,” says Nina Heckman of Metropolis Records. “I’m honored to fulfill my father’s (Dave Heckman who died in the summer of 2022) lifelong vision and to be doing this project with a lifelong family friend I can honestly call family (Bill Leeb). This project is near and dear to all of our hearts here at Metropolis and I know it would make my father proud.”

“Model Kollapse” marks Leeb’s very first solo venture since the mid-80s days of Front Line Assembly, when he used to make recordings in his bedroom and released them on limited edition cassette format. Almost four decades on, his new album was recorded and produced in Vancouver, Toronto and Los Angeles with assistance from Vancouver/Toronto-based production duo Dream Bullet.

The “Terror Forms” single will be unleashed digitally everywhere on July 9. The full “Model Kollapse” album will be released on vinyl and CD, as well as digitally, on September 13.

About Bill Leeb

Bill Leeb, born Wilhelm Anton Leeb on September 21, 1966, in Vienna, Austria, is best known as the founder and lead member of the industrial music group Front Line Assembly (FLA). Leeb moved to Canada in the 1980s, where he began his music career.

Before forming Front Line Assembly in 1986, Leeb was a member of the influential industrial group Skinny Puppy, where he performed under the pseudonym Wilhelm Schroeder. His departure from Skinny Puppy marked the beginning of his prolific career with Front Line Assembly.

In addition to Front Line Assembly, Leeb has been involved in several other music projects, including Delerium, which achieved commercial success with its fusion of ambient and pop music elements. Leeb’s other projects include Noise Unit, Intermix, and Conjure One, each exploring different facets of electronic music.

Bill Leeb discography

Bill Leeb has had a diverse range of musical projects, each with its own unique style and sound. Here’s an easy-to-read breakdown of the differences between his major projects:

Front Line Assembly (FLA) is characterized by a dark and aggressive style, blending industrial, Electronic Body Music (EBM), and electro-industrial sounds. The music features heavy use of synthesizers and electronic beats, often exploring dystopian and sci-fi themes.

Delerium, on the other hand, focuses on ambient, ethereal, and electronic music with a new age twist. Its sound is soothing and atmospheric, emphasizing melodies and textures. Delerium often incorporates world music elements and features various guest vocalists, achieving mainstream success with tracks like “Silence” featuring Sarah McLachlan.

Noise Unit showcases a mix of industrial, EBM, and techno influences. Over time, the project’s sound has varied, combining harsh industrial elements with more danceable EBM and techno beats. Collaborations with artists like Marc Verhaeghen of Klinik add to its diverse range of styles.

Intermix leans more towards techno, ambient, and electronic music. This project focuses on instrumental tracks, blending electronic and ambient music with techno rhythms. It is generally less aggressive than Front Line Assembly.

Conjure One presents a melodic and ethereal sound, incorporating ambient, electronic, world music, and pop influences. It features prominent guest vocalists and offers polished production with a radio-friendly appeal, blending electronic beats with organic instruments.

Cyberaktif, a collaboration with cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy, delivers a dark and experimental sound. Combining the signature styles of Front Line Assembly and Skinny Puppy, Cyberaktif features heavy use of samples and aggressive beats, resulting in a dense, experimental industrial sound.

Equinox focuses on ambient and atmospheric soundscapes, similar to early Delerium works but more abstract and experimental. It emphasizes creating immersive sound environments with a minimalistic approach.

Pro>Tech is a dance-oriented project with techno and trance influences. It features high-energy beats and repetitive, hypnotic structures, offering a clear departure from the darker styles of Leeb’s other projects, aiming for a more mainstream dance music appeal.

Below are the releases.

Front Line Assembly

• The Initial Command (1987)
• State of Mind (1988)
• Gashed Senses & Crossfire (1989)
• Caustic Grip (1990)
• Tactical Neural Implant (1992)
• Millennium (1994)
• Hard Wired (1995)
• FLAvour of the Weak (1997)
• Implode (1999)
• Epitaph (2001)
• Civilization (2004)
• Artificial Soldier (2006)
• Improvised. Electronic. Device. (2010)
• Echogenetic (2013)
• Wake Up the Coma (2019)
• Mechanical Soul (2021)

Delerium

• Faces, Forms & Illusions (1989)
• Morpheus (1989)
• Syrophenikan (1990)
• Spiritual Archives (1991)
• Stone Tower (1991)
• Spheres (1994)
• Spheres 2 (1994)
• Semantic Spaces (1994)
• Karma (1997)
• Poem (2000)
• Chimera (2003)
• Nuages du Monde (2006)
• Music Box Opera (2012)
• Mythologie (2016)

Noise Unit

• Grinding into Emptiness (1989)
• Response Frequency (1990)
• Strategy of Violence (1992)
• Decoder (1995)
• Drill (1996)
• Voyeur (1998)
• Dead Sector (1999)
• Deviator (2021)

Intermix

• Intermix (1992)
• Phaze Two (1993)
• Future Primitives (1995)

Conjure One

• Conjure One (2002)
• Extraordinary Ways (2005)
• Exilarch (2010)
• Holoscenic (2015)
• Innovation Zero (2023)

Cyberaktif

• Tenebrae Vision (1991)
• Temper (EP) (1990)

Equinox

• Holon (1998)

Pro>Tech

• Orbiting Cathedrals (1997)

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!

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Since 2012, Brazlian electronic artists Fab Viscardi and Gui Pires (ex-AGHAST VIEW) have been releasing a bunch of albums, Eps and remixes under their new band project AESTHETISCHE through which they are both seamlessly blending modern dark dance vibes with hard-hitting cyber EBM assaults, all while infusing irresistibly catchy future pop choruses into the mix. They recently made a triumphant return and dropped a new dynamic 6-track EP entitled “Confidence Is Silent”. We asked Fab giving us some more insights on how the duo worked on this new release…

SL. The title-track fo your new EP “Confidence Is Silent” draws inspiration from iconic acts like CYBERAKTIF and FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY. Can you share more about the creative process behind this track and how these influences shaped its sound?

F. This track particularly started with the Chorus. Soundwise our creation process always starts with sound-design. Before starting a track we tweak synths, plugins and modules until we find the correct pack of bass sounds, fx, drums, etc to develop a new track. The lyrics of this track are related to one’s inner – faith. Being compared to FLA is really a big compliment as they are probably our biggest influence overtime. Gui is also good friend with cEvin Key from Cybearktif and has already co-written two Cyberaktif tracks with him.

SL. “Nudity” is described as an addictive EBM-pop anthem. What themes or messages did you aim to convey through this track, and how did you approach blending EBM elements with pop sensibilities?

F. It is a track about the unfortunate life of a cattle abattoir. Sad and true. This track has both a hard and a more melodic edge to it. I guess the contrast makes it interesting.

SL. “The Hidden Layer” is highlighted as a mind-bending frontal EBM killer. Can you delve into the production techniques used to create the intense and dynamic atmosphere of this track?

F. This track has a big amount of synth layering, using frequencies of all bass spectrums and a good amount of fx as well. The techniques are – sound design, layering, equalization, saturation, compression and mastering. The arrangements are very particular to our own writing style, not sure ai can describe it. I can say it has several – more than 30 tracks.

SL. Everything Ends” stands out as a moody experimental industrial soundscape. What inspired the experimental approach to this track, and how does it contribute to the overall sonic diversity of the EP?

F. This is small piece that really carries a big influence from Gui´s Cyberaktif sessions with cEvin Key…

SL. With each track offering a unique sonic journey, what do you hope listeners take away from the EP as a whole, and how does it reflect your evolution as artists within the underground techno body scene?

F. We really just hope that more people get to know and share our sounds… We feel that there are many potential fans out there…. as we are unable to tour it is somewhat difficult to reach a broader community.

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!

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Out now are the new Delerium singles “Remember Love (Zanias Justified Remix)” and “Falling Back to You (Myon Remixes)” featuring Mimi Page.

US singer-songwriter Mimi Page was a featured vocalist on “Signs”, the 2023 album by Canadian electronic duo Delerium (Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber of Front Line Assembly). Two of the songs she contributed to on that release have been remixed by the US DJ and artist Myon and Australia-born but now Berlin-based solo performer, DJ and producer Zanias, with both issued as singles simultaneously. “Signs” also featured contributions from Phildel, Inna Walters and KANGA, next to Page.

Below are the two singles. First is the “Falling Back to You (Myon Remixes)” 3-track single.

This is the “Remember Love (Zanias Justified Remix)” download on Bandcamp.

About Mimi Page

Mimi Page is an American singer, songwriter, and composer known for her ethereal, atmospheric music. She grew up in Los Angeles, California, and is classically trained in piano. She attended the Berklee College of Music, where she focused on composition and production.

Her music blends ambient, electronic, and dream pop elements, characterized by a dreamy, otherworldly sound. Influenced by a wide range of genres, from classical to modern electronic and alternative, her eclectic soundscapes are a key feature.

She has released several albums and EPs, including “Breathe Me In” (2011), “The Ethereal Blues” (2013), and “The Cure for Sleep” (2015) and has collaborated with various artists and producers, notably working with the electronic duo Delerium on their song “Days Turn into Nights.”

Mimi has composed music for film and television, creating immersive and emotive soundscapes well-suited for visual media and has also contributed to video game soundtracks, showcasing her versatility as a composer.

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!

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Out now is a brand new version of the Front Line Assembly track “Molotov”, featuring Alex Reed of Seeming. The single comes backed by and instrumental version of the track.

On the new single, Alex Reed comments: “It was a thrill to work with Front Line Assembly and their music. “Molotov” offers a lot of what the band does best, and I aimed for a classic, melodic FLA sound in reshaping it. When it came time to lay down vocals, I got thinking about how cyberpunk narratives usually hinge on one big turning point—a single explosion, or the broadcast of a suppressed truth. And maybe that’s romantic, but it’s rarely how real-world change happens. I wanted a lyric that’s more about keeping your head in the game than lighting a fuse. And that’s an urgent message I think, because it turns out that villains can be unmasked and people will still vote for them. Change doesn’t just happen. So I wrote the words to explore differences between merely revolutionary aesthetics and real grassroots action. The song challenges us to remember that progress has more to do with commitment than exhilaration.”

You can check the single on Bandcamp.

About Seeming

New York-based author, theorist, and composer Alex Reed broke out with his post-industrial art-pop project Seeming when the LP “Madness & Extinction” was released in 2014.

2017’s followup album “SOL: A Self-Banishment Ritual” introduced – surprise surprise – 1970s funk and psychedelia into Seeming’s sound. Reed also wrote the 400-page book “Assimilate: A Critical History of Industrial Music” of which the elements transpire in his music with themes such as crises of politics, race, population, and animal rights.

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!

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The Brazilian electro / trance EBM duo Aesthetische (Fabricio Viscardi and Guilherme Pires) makes their return with a new 6-track EP, “Confidence Is Silent”. This EP blends modern dark dance vibes with hard-hitting cyber EBM and pop elements, typical of the founding members of Aghast View & Biopsy.

This EP, like all their other productions, excels at the production level, surpassing many bands in the scene and is available via Bandcamp first with other platforms to follow.

The new EP is the follow-up to the well received 2023 release “Boiling Over” and includes five new tracks plus a club edit of the new track “Nudity” as a bonus. Fans of Front Line Assembly, Delerium, and related bands will surely find what they crave.

Here’s the previous EP as well to check out. Again, one of the best production team in this scene.

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

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Out on May 3rd via Metropolis Records is the release of the 16Volt album”NegativeOnArrivals”.

It holds condensed versions of the two most recent albums are being reissued on 3rd May as the single disc “NegativeOnArrivals”, with Powell stating: “I am excited to get this material out to a larger base through Metropolis! The collection of tracks was created during a hard time in my life and to feel them set free together is a great exorcism, I hope everyone enjoys them as we get warmed up for our new album.”

You can pre-order the album right here. Below is the artwork.

In further news, after a period of inactivity that saw 16Volt unable to tour, Powell began working on new material in his studio and re-signed with Metropolis Records for a brand new album entitled “More Of Less” to be issued later in 2024.

Here’s already the video for “The Last Time” featured on the new album.

About 16Volt

With roots dating back to the early days of the industrial rock genre, 16Volt have been successfully crossing over into multiple related genres for over three decades and retained a healthy worldwide fanbase while doing so.

Group founder, songwriter, lead vocalist, programmer and rhythm guitarist Eric Powell actually signed his first record deal in 1991 while still in his teens and delivered three albums in swift succession – “Wisdom” (1993), “Skin” (1994) and “LetDownCrush” (1996) – that saw him working alongside co-producers such as David Ogilvie (Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy), Keith ‘Fluffy’ Auerbach (Ministry) and Jeff ‘Critter’ Newell (Ministry, Angels & Airwaves, blink-182), as well as guest musicians like William Tucker (Ministry), Marc LaCorte (Schecter Guitars) and Bryan Black (Black Asteroid). Earning both critical praise and pole positions on the US Alternative Chart and at College Radio, the band also built a significant live following as they toured extensively around North America and eventuallly signed a major deal with Mercury Records.

Producer Bill Kennedy (Nine Inch Nails, Megadeth, Sepultura, Mötley Crüe) was hired to help make “SuperCoolNothing” (1998), which featured appearances from film composer Joseph Bishara (Insidious, The Conjuring, Marylin Manson, Danzig), Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails), Mike Peoples (Skrew) and Kraig Tyler (Crazytown), but the group soon found themselves in the middle of a legal battle shortly before album release when their label was bought by Seagram and its funding was cut. However, in a genius move, Powell was able to buy back the rights and made a deal with Sony to feature it within the Playstation game “Primal” as well as a two-disc European release that included both the album and the game with the band skinned in as characters and utilised as in-game bonus material.

The mid-’00s saw 16Volt sign to Metropolis Records and release the albums “FullBlackHabit” (2007), “American Porn Songs” (2009) and “Beating Dead Horses” (2012), which featured guests such as Paul Raven (Ministry, Killing Joke, Prong), Steve White (KMFDM) and Bildeaux (Lance Herbstrong), as well as mix engineer Shaun Thingvold (Strapping Young Lad, Lamb of God).

Meanwhile, an extensive touring schedule was maintained that included stints with KMFDM, Korn, Filter, Chemlab, Orgy, Prong, Stabbing Westward, Revolting Cocks, Fear Factory, Front Line Assembly, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Front 242 and more, as well as multiple successful headlining tours in their own right.

2016 saw the release of “The Negative Space”, produced by Marc Jordan (Velvet Revolver, The Cult, Hyro Da Hero, Die Antwoord), with “Dead On Arrivals” following a year later.

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

(Interview by Evan South) In a candid discussion with Side-Line Magazine’s Evan South, Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber of Delerium and Front Line Assembly shared some insights into their recent tour with Ministry and Gary Numan. The duo also talks about the logistics of sharing resources like lighting and equipment, which contributed to the tour’s success. You’ll further hear more about Matthew Setzer joining the lineup, the revival of Cyberaktif with a new album, “EndGame”, and the potential for a Delerium tour. Lots and lots of info.

SL: It’s the final date of the Ministry/Gary Numan/FLA tour, how has your experience been?

BL: It’s the tour of a lifetime!

RF:  It really is, it doesn’t get much better. These kinds of bands and this kind of tour…

BL:  It’s almost impossible to get three bands to do a tour like this, because most bands at this level, financially it doesn’t work. But on this tour everyone was willing to make it work, hence all the shows have pretty much sold out.

RF: And there’s a lot of camaraderie. Everyone gets along. It’s what we established on the previous tour just carried over, everyone knows each other.  Compared to most tours I’d say it’s a really good group.

BL: It’s a family.

RF: And everyone helps. We get a lot of leeway from Ministry and their crew.

BL: They let us use their stuff, their projector, which is an amazing one! It just doesn’t happen with most bands, you know, everybody’s trying to outdo everybody. But this tour everybody wants everybody else to succeed!

RF:  Everyone knows who they are and where they fit in, and it’s great!

SL:  So you didn’t have to pack in as much equipment, you were able to share?

RF: They let us dip into their lighting production and things that a lot of times would not happen on package tours.  They realize we set the table too, so if we have a good night, they have a good night.  It’s a real cool system.

SL:  Any of these three bands could headline on a given night.  How do you like the supporting role compared to headlining?

BL:  There’s no question, both these artists are much bigger than we are, but it’s the perfect hierarchy, right?

RF: You can’t argue with Ministry, Al’s an icon, he’s a national treasure, Ministry established themselves over the years, and we’re not going to get in front of those kind of crowds on our own! And we’re in front of crowds that seem to like what we’re doing, so it’s just great for everybody, it’s like a win/win.  I personally like going on playing a quick set of all bangers, I like it!  The pressures not on us!

BL: And Gary’s an institution as well!  His history and his amount of hits he’s had…

RF: Everybody knows “Cars”!  Everyone knows that song.  Just to be part of that, it’s hard to believe sometimes.  We remember when that record was new.  And now we hang out with Gary Numan everyday, it’s wild…

SL: Expanding on what you said about a tight, “banger” type set…

RF: We keep our energy level up, so it hits hard the whole time.

SL: Rhys, during this tour you had your own “Tour within a tour” afterparty DJ sets…

RF: Those were just…  Some of them were great, some of them were… eh! (laughs) Sometimes you’re playing on a Tuesday night in the Midwest, so… The weekend ones were all pretty good!

SL: I was hoping there would be an Afterparty tonight, like a “wrap” party, being the last date of the tour!

RF: Honestly, we’re pretty tired… and doing both of those was… yeah.

BL: Gary (Numan) has booked a room in LA for an afterparty for when we play our last show there, it’s going to be a sold out show.  So there’s lots going on.  For Rhys it made sense to do those afterparty DJ gigs, because we were done at 8pm. So from 8 to midnight what do you do, right? Might as well be spinning…

RF: A couple of parties were really good… Montreal, Toronto…

BL: And a lot of fans came and would talk to us, and all the other bands would come down after.  Ministry would come down, Gary Numan’s crew.

RF: Yeah, Ministry’s band and Gary’s band would always be there. I think the first show in Portland even Al was there. Everybody was there, it was great!

BL: It was like an all night exclusive!

SL: You have a new guitarist on this tour, how did Matthew Setzer (Skinny Puppy, London after Midnight) come into the fold with you?

BL: We had Tim Skold for two years and we thought we had built up a really good rapport with him, and then all of a sudden he became unaffordable.  Me and Cevin (Skinny Puppy), had been pretty tight and lifelong friends, and we just finished the new Cyberaktif album, so we were talking every day for a full year. Puppy just finished their tour, so it was just natural, “Let’s ask Matthew,” he’s in our family.

RF: He stepped in pretty easily, he’s a great musician.

BL: And all our fans are Puppy fans, and vice versa, so it seemed like a perfect fit. And he’s skilled, right?

RF: I don’t think people realize he’s a very good musician, multi-instrumentalist.

BL: And he’s a tour guy. He goes on his own, he’s got friends everywhere… it’s amazing.

RF: He’s a real infectious, positive personality, and it’s great to have people like that on tour.  Matthew hasn’t had a bad day, he’s always upbeat, he’s always ready to go. He’s a good fit for us, he’s working out really well.

SL: Bill, you brought up Cyberaktif.  It had only been 33 years!

BL: At least 31 for sure… We go at this rate the next one we’ll be dead! Like Cevin said, the album is called “EndGame”.  Doesn’t sound very hopeful for the future, right?

SL: How did the new Cyberaktif come together? Was it a result of the end of Puppy?

RF: When Cyberaktif started (the new one) there was no end of Puppy.

BL: No, that’s true.

RF: We actually kicked stuff around a few years ago, so Puppy was not over at the time. It seems like it now, but when we started it…

BL: It was a lot of back and forth.

RF: Yeah, it wasn’t “Hey, Puppy’s over”, we just started doing it.

BL: And when Cevin sent tracks initially, me and Rhys looked at each other and we’re like “Well…”

RF: At first we had a hard time figuring it out, and then we just kinda isolated certain parts, and then all of a sudden it all came together really quickly!

BL: Rhys made it for me the way we understand each other, and how I know where I can sing, and what I can do, because at first they were these long jams…

RF: Cevin sent all these really interesting grooves and jams and ideas, so it was a question of taking those and giving them some structure so Bill can go “I got this part here and this part here” because I know that’s how Bill works and that’s what he’s comfortable doing, that’s sort of the sound of Front Line. So what we did was put a structure together and then Bill put the vocals on top of that structure.

BL: It was a real three-way collaboration.

RF: Cevin sent these, there were varying degrees of composition, but they’re all unique sounds and drums, then I put them to arrangement. It was Cevin→me→Bill. It was like a filter.

SL: At what point did you decide it was going to be under the Cyberaktif name?

RF: Pretty much right away.

BL: Yeah, it was definitely going to be Cyberaktif. Cevin just loves the project. He even talked about maybe doing it live, if we figure out how, when and what. He said it’s his favorite thing right now.

RF: Cevin’s very big on it right now. Not that we aren’t, but he’s already big on it.

SL: You think Cyberaktif might become a live project?

BL:  Maybe one time. Cevin wants to make it interesting. He said “I don’t just want two guys and a keyboard and a mic,” whatever that means. But right now we’re letting the album get out there and we’ll see…

RF: The (live) idea has been discussed.  That’s what we can say.

SL: It feels like the Cyberaktif album came together very quickly…

RF: Honestly, the Cyberaktif record we made quicker than any other record in recent memory. It came together really fast. Once we got an idea of what we were doing, we just banged it together. I don’t know why… I think everyone honestly was inspired by just working together.  It wasn’t hurried, it just rolled and fell into place. That doesn’t happen very often, but it happened on this one.

SL: Bill, was it surreal for you thinking this was going to be a Cyberaktif record after 3 decades?

BL: I think me and Cevin both felt like we just completed a big circle. We started Puppy 35-40 years ago, and everything that’s happened in-between, it felt like some kind of closure. It just felt right and good and something that we left unfinished now feels finished. If we don’t do another one, if it (Cyberaktif) doesn’t do anything else, it feels like it was the right thing to do at the time.  With Puppy calling it quits, for now… I’ve heard so many bands do this now. Front 242 has been doing it for a couple years now. I told Al, and he goes “Richard, he says that every year it’s the last tour.” (laughs) Motley Crue has done 4 of them (final tour) now, and now they have a new singer!

RF: Never say never I say…

BL: It was just the right time at the right place, Cevin had some things, Me and Rhys had time, we were all on the same page.  Maybe that will never happen again, but the energy was right, Greg Reely was available… It was like “Silence” (Delerium single), everything had to fall into place. It will probably never be like that again. So it’s a magic record for us, and people love it, and that’s all that matters, right?

SL: Since the Front Line tours have been going so well, what are the chances of another Delerium tour?

RF:  A tour is tough, a tour is way more complicated, especially for acts like that.

BL: That first Delerium tour we did was two tour buses, three singers…

RF: It was the right time, too, I don’t know if that’s possible now.

BL: It was kind of a money losing scenario, but the production was great! I just don’t think labels are willing to do that anymore.

RF: No, it’s a different time now.

SL: It’s been 30 years since your monumental releases “Millenium” and Delerium’s “Semantic Spaces.” You took risks in adding guitar to the FLA and vocals to the Delerium. How important were those releases?

BL: When we released “Millenium,” we did an online thing and people were calling in and it was pretty divided. People were going “What, they picked up guitars!” Remember?

RF: Yeah.

BL: But we knew we did the right thing. We felt like we had to change and do some different things, and no regrets, right?

RF: It expanded the fan base. Regardless of what those people had been like… When we did the Hard Wired tour we had double the audience! We got metal coverage, we were on a metal label that knew how to handle that kind of music… Metal and industrial is pretty interlinked now. A lot of metal heads love industrial music, and that maybe wasn’t the case then. It definitely is now.  Between Fear Factory and that record…

BL: And now “Millenium” is getting re-released by ArtofFact records! Picture disc, the whole thing, as of yesterday they announced it!

RF: It was the right move, because we had to progress. And like I said, when we did the Hard Wired European tour, especially in the UK, we had significantly more people. Also, I think it’s the biggest selling Front Line record. Again, people that don’t like the record they might not realize that was probably our biggest record! I know a lot of people that maybe wouldn’t have been listening to us that listened to that record, so it’s all good. And it all makes more sense now in the whole repertoire.

SL: What did you think of the changes of Delerium, taking it from old world instrumentals to adding the pop element and blowing things wide open?

RF: You can’t even compare the differences…

BL: We didn’t really plan it, either! The first Delerium was just a home project with a few synths and a tape recorder and Dossier records and I was just happy twiddling away and doing stuff, there was no concept of it ever being… with Puppy and the whole Nettwerk contact and we knew people and they were next door. We couldn’t plan it, and then Kristy (singer) showing up…

RF: Again it was just right time, right place. And then it took Delerium into the mainstream, in Canada at least. It completely changed everything. In Canada it really opened a lot of doors for us. It put us on the video channel, places that we had never been before.

BL: That’s the great thing about music and art. You just don’t know who you’re going to affect, who you’re going to reach. We enjoyed the process of making all that music, and then it just came back like that. We had no expectations. We weren’t trying to make singles or trying to be on a major label, we just had carte blanche on everything, right?

RF: Yeah, and it all came together! Anytime you force something, anytime you go out of your way to make a commercial record or commercial song it usually doesn’t work. It has to be a serendipitous event. That’s another example of that.

SL: So to wrap up, what’s next?

BL: The picture disc re-release of “Millenium” is pretty exciting. Rhys has a solo album coming out, right?

RF:  Yeah, more of the techno type stuff.  We got some more shows. We got Mexico with Front 242, we have some European festival dates…

BL: We’re playing the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas in 2 weeks… I’m excited about the 2 shows with Front 242 in Mexico!

RF: Yeah, more live shows and then I think we’re not really going to know until we get home and figure out what’s next. But we still have live shows booked even into November in Europe, I think.

SL: Anything as far as upcoming music?

RF: Not yet, we need to get off the road.

BL: I think we want to do a Delerium album.

RF: Yeah, we talked about that.

BL: And again, you always think you have to re-invent the wheel, because just the way the world is, I think we’ll try to find some sort of group, because everything’s been done now.  I think when we started Delerium, and with Karma, we were one of the first to do that kind of music. But now, if you go on internet radio, there’s channels with that music, right Rhys?

RF: Oh yeah, chill out music forever…

BL: So hopefully you can find your niche, but our sound, whatever that is, people respect that so we’re good with that.

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

(Photo by Élodie Duhoo) Along with their “Come and Join the Beautiful Army” EP, electro-trip hop duo The Noise Who Runs presents a short film, offering these five tracks plus the extra instrumental track “Goalmouth Interlude”. The film last for almost 20 minutes and “showcases this dark and brooding collection, straddling the line between hope and despair, defeat and optimism” so the band says. The EP is out now via TNWR Records.

“There are themes and ideas running through all the songs and the film reinforces and highlights those. There are various images that are repeated or linked across the whole thing, sometimes as quite literal broad strokes to fit the lyrics and sometimes more abstract juxtapositions as well as more off the wall, poetic references,” says Ian Pickering.

“This EP is a call for solidarity in a world constantly being sown with division and discord. So far, the start of the 21st Century seems remarkably like repeating the mistakes of the early 20th Century. In the First World War, all that flag-waving, jingoistic sense of and pride in nationality across Europe, the othering of governments and nations all engaged in the same exploitation of other continents, resulted in the most obscene and needless carnage and it feels today as if nothing has changed, save that rather than conscript us all and send us to France and Belgium for the slaughter, the big push would appear to be starving us to death in our own homes while we work all the hours of the day for a monthly wage that barely covers the cost of living,” says Ian Pickering.

Revolving around Hartlepool native Ian Pickering (Sneaker Pimps, Front Line Assembly), The Noise Who Runs is based is Lille, France. Pickering co-authored such Sneaker Pimps hits as “Spin Spin Sugar”, “6 Underground” and “Tesko Suicide”. In 2019, he launched this project with Brazilian-French guitarist Felipe Goes.

Here’s the full EP.

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

Celebrating its 30th year, Audioglobe, the most important distributor in the darkwave scene, just shared a statistical review, revealing the shifts and trends in the darkwave (and related) music genre.

Our readers will surely remember that we have reported on these stats for years, until 2018, the first year that Audioglobe didn’t communicate these stats. Sebastian Koch from Audioglobe explains: “Some customers never really cared that much about these, as they have better things to do than reading boring mails from the undersigned. But… Surprisingly there are quite a high number of customers, that sort of ‘complained’ about the fact, that no stats were being done any longer… The reason is: I was simply always far too busy in past years. Anyway: Here we go with the first new stats since 2017!”

So here are some export facts.

Top 10 Bestselling Labels of 2023 (export)

1. FABRIKA/DEAD SCARLET
   • She Past Away, Lebanon Hanover, Selofan, Kaelan Mikla, M!R!M, Doric…
2. METROPOLIS
   • Birthday Massacre, Delerium, Front Line Assembly, A Projection, KMFDM, Legendary P.D…
3. ICY COLD/MANIC DEPR.
   • Twin Tribes, Je T’aime, Traitrs, Kill Shelter, Closed Mouth, Talk to Her, Schonwald…
4. ALFA MATRIX
   • Alien Vampires, Front 242, Metroland, Die Robo Sapiens, Elm, 808 Dot Pop, Helalyn Flowers…
5. RUSTBLADE
   • Claudio Simonetti, Ennio Morricone, Lycia Lunch, Spiritual Front, Ketvector, Legendary Pink D…
6. OUT OF LINE
   • Blutengel, Hocico, Solitary Experiments, Suicide Commando, Signal Aout42, Erdling…
7. TRISOL
   • Sopor Aeternus, Rome, Clan of Xymox, Asp, Ostara, Skinflicks, Nachtmahr, Mantus, Soman…
8. DEPENDENT
   • Kirlian Camera, Girls Under Glass, Spectra*Paris, Mildreda, Black Nail Cabaret, Beborn Beton…
9. ARTOFFACT
   • Actors, Noise Unit, cEvin Key, Kaelan Mikla, Ploho, Sacred Skin, Kauan, Ken Mode, Spectres…
10. AUERBACH
    • Spiritual Front, Sol Invictus, Tenhi, Moon and the Night Spirit, Haavard, Hekate, Orplid…

Best Export Territories of 2023

If we look at the Audioglobe stats, we notice that Germany and Greece remain the company’s strongest markets, continuing a trend that has been consistent for ages. However, the 2023 statistics reveal some notable shifts.

Canada, once a prominent market for Audioglobe, has surprisingly disappeared from the export landscape. In contrast, the United States and the United Kingdom have re-emerged as significant territories, marking their return to prominence in the darkwave music scene after several years.

The most unexpected development in 2023 is the rise of Australia as a key market. This growth stands in stark contrast to Switzerland, which, despite its affluence, has seen a sharp decline in sales. Sebastian Koch adds: “The (by far!) lowest sales of all countries where we export to, was to Switzerland… The rich Swiss don’t buy records! Since I left the country (1990), something is wrong back home!”

Here is the top 10 list of export territories:

1. Germany
2. Greece
3. Netherlands
4. Portugal
5. USA
6. United Kingdom
7. Australia
8. Spain
9. Russia
10. Poland

Not in the top 10, but France, Japan, Malta, Brazil, Sweden, Mexico, and Perù are also good export territories for Audioglobe.

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

(Photo by Élodie Duhoo) The Noise Who Runs is the brainchild of songwriter Ian Pickering (of Sneaker Pimps and Front Line Assembly), who also co-authored such hits as “Spin Spin Sugar”, “6 Underground” and “Tesko Suicide”. Upon relocating from northern England to France, Pickering launched this project with Brazilian-French guitarist Felipe Goes.

The UK-France duo The Noise Who Runs now presents “Tune Out, Turn Off, Drop In”, their second single from the forthcoming “Come and Join the Beautiful Army” EP. As with the first single “One Scratch Each”, “Tune Out, Turn Off, Drop In” continues the more stripped-down sound both musically and lyrically.

Felipe Goes says this about the new single: “With all these songs, it seemed better not to try and force it, and with ‘Tune Out’ it was quite complete but lacked something unnerving and off-centre, so the guitars needed to be almost imperceptible as guitars, but somehow add another layer of meaning or interpretation to the feel – something slightly jarring and disorientating. They’re coming from the exact opposite of a rock approach, more just able to change and confuse certain parts of the overall mood of the keyboards, rather than dictating and overpowering the sound.“

“Of course it failed on the most utopian level but it’s undeniable that without the upheaval and countercultures of the 60s, there wouldn’t be that liberation of behaviour and mentality that seemed stuck in the hypocrisy of the Victorian age. It strikes me as a total rejection of a tired establishment and that sense of respectability on the surface, keeping up appearances, toeing the line, doing as you’re told, obedience to the values of your elders and so-called betters,” says Ian Pickering. “But equally the overarching idea of the original phrase seems to be that introspection and dropping out of mainstream consumer culture would offer the solutions. And maybe they would have. But, as with any counterculture, once it’s been identified by the establishment, they take back the hard yards you’ve struggled to gain and they take back more than they ever relinquished and beef up the fortress around it so it can’t happen again. And then they get the marketing and advertising people on the case and sell it back to you with a cheap cover-all, shortcut to thinking logo and slogan.”

The full “Come and Join The Beautiful Army” EP was mixed and mastered by Colin C at The Cell Studio, whose clients include such artists as Front Line Assembly and Danny Saber (Black Grape, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Madonna).

Here is the previous single as well.

As of today, November 9, “Tune Out, Turn Off, Drop In” is available across fine music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where this and the “Preteretrospective” album can be obtained directly from the artist.

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

(Photo by Derick Smith) Al Jourgensen’s latest single against the system, “Just Stop Oil”, handles the themes of what he says “corporate greed. sharky politicians. climate out-of-control and questionable government interests.” The brand-new Ministry track – from their upcoming 16th studio album “Hopiumforthemasses” – is shared today alongside a video “that begs for action for the benefit of our collective future.”

“Hopiumforthemasses” will be out March 1, 2024 on Nuclear Blast Records. The album will be available in three vinyl variants, a CD jewelcase and digital/streaming platforms. The vinyl variants include: green with yellow splatter (in stores everywhere); blue with pink splatter (nuclear blast exclusive); red with white splatter (band/tour exclusive).

Below is the video for “Just Stop Oil”.

“Just Stop Oil” follows the release of earlier single “Goddamn White Trash”.

Ministry will play the new songs live on a Spring 2024 tour, kicking off February 27, supported by Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly.

February 2024

• 27 San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
• 29 Eugene, OR – McDonald Theatre

March 2024

• 1 Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
• 2 Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
• 3 Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
• 5 Calgary, AB – Palace Theatre
• 6 Edmonton, AB – Midway Music Hall
• 8 Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
• 9 Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore
• 10 Madison, WI – The Sylvee
• 12 Columbus, OH – Kemba Live
• 13 Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Music Theater
• 14 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom
• 16 Toronto, ON – History
• 17 Montreal, QC – MTelus
• 18 Boston, MA – Roadrunner
• 19 New York, NY – Terminal 5
• 20 Bethlehem, PA – Wind Creek Casino
• 22 Cherokee, NC – Harrah’s Cherokee
• 23 Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live
• 24 Tampa, FL – Jannus Landing
• 26 Birmingham, AL – Avondale
• 27 Biloxi, MS – Hard Rock Casino Biloxi***
• 29 Houston, TX – House of Blues
• 30 Dallas, TX – The Factory
• 31 Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Theater

April 2024

• 2 Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom
• 4 Las Vegas, NV – The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
• 5 Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre

***Front Line Assembly is not appearing

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!

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The Sacramento, California-based act Bestial Mouths release their new album “R.O.T.T. (inmyskin)” today via Negative Gain Productions. The whole was produced by Juno Award Winning producer Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly, Delerium) and is the band’s sixth studio album following the 2020 release of “Resurrectedinblack”.

While Bestial Mouths has seen a few line-up changes in their nearly decade long existence, Lynette Cerezo has remained consistently at the helm of the project. The “Inshroudss” EP from 2019 was the first Bestial Mouths release to be entirely written and conceived by Cerezo.

The band is today also sharing a new video for the title track “R.O.T.T.” (Road Of Thousand Tears). Of the video Cerezo says: “Singing in both English and en español, I took inspiration for ‘Road Of Thousand Tears’ from my ancestry and the suffering path of the Trail of Tears. The creation of the song that would become the album’s title went a surrealist route, because life is surreal. Is it even real? This is my journey, all of the steps I’ve taken with Bestial Mouths. It is a path that has taken me down a Carrollian rabbit hole, past lives recycled through a meat grinder. Connections are broken, strands of reality disconnected from their whole. Elements of the past bleeding into the Now, stripped of context to create only raw wounds in existence—like half-remembered fragments of melody, once pulsing with life and now devoid of meaning.”

Tour Dates:

• Aug. 26th – New Orleans, LA – NGP Presents Destination – House of Blues
• Sep. 2nd – New York, NY – A Murder of Crows Festival – Bowery Ballroom
• Oct. 26th – Chicago, IL – Sanctum Fest – Thalia Hall
• Oct. 27th – Detroit, MI – TBA
• Oct. 28th – Philadelphia, PA – Dracula’s Ball – Underground Arts
• Oct. 29th – Washington, DC – The Runaway
• Nov. 2nd – Montreal, QC – Casa Del Popolo
• Nov. 3rd – Toronto, ON – The Garrison
• Nov. 10th Los Angeles, CA – Substance – The Globe Theater

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!

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A while back the US goth rock act The 69 Eyes covered The Cramps’ “Aloha From Hell”, today they give us a preview of their rendition of Rammstein’s “Feuer Frei!”. This track was originally released as the fifth single from Rammstein’s third album, “Mutter”, which debuted on April 2nd, 2001. On August 9th, 2002, “Feuer Frei!” made its film debut in the Rob Cohen action feature, “xXx”, starring Vin Diesel, and can be heard in its near entirety at the beginning of the film, which takes place at a Rammstein concert.

The tribute song is accompanied by a video which you can view below. Directed by the acclaimed Vicente Cordero, it shows fire performers IvorySith & Kay Von Kola.

The song itself is part of the “A Tribute To Rammstein” compilation – of which we already previewed various tracks – available worldwide on August 25th. Included on this compilation are other bands like Priest, Manntra, and Julien-K, Front Line Assembly, Laibach, Burton C. Bell (Fear Factory), Paul Ferguson (Killing Joke), and Skold (KMFDM/Shotgun Messiah).

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!

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Fresh from two recently completed tour runs across the US, first as the headlining act and second alongside Ministry and Gary Numan, EBM legends Front Line Assembly release a brand new single today, a dark electronic reimagining of Rammstein’s groundbreaking “Deutschland” track.

“Deutschland” was released as the lead single from their untitled seventh studio album on 28 March 2019, it was their first new music since the song “Mein Land” in 2011. The song’s music video was directed by Specter Berlin and sparked controversy because of its dark, violent, and macabre style featuring various events from German history, including Roman times, the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, the Middle Ages, witch hunting, the November Revolution, the Golden Twenties, Nazi book burnings, the Hindenburg disaster, the First and Second World Wars, the Holocaust, the Weimar Republic, the Red Army Faction, and the division of the country into West and East Germany. The most obviously shocking scene references the Holocaust and the Nazi period. Four members of the band, in the striped uniforms of camp inmates, wait at the gallows, about to be hanged. They wear the cloth emblems used to identify their ‘crimes’: a pink triangle for homosexual prisoners, a yellow star for Jewish prisoners, a red and yellow star for Jewish political prisoners.

It also featured science fiction scenes set in outer space, cannibalism in which people were eating Germania, the personification of Germany, and a bank robbery featuring lead singer Till Lindemann crossdressing as Ulrike Meinhof. The song also twice uses the line “Deutschland, Deutschland über allen” (“Germany, Germany above everyone”) as a reference to “Deutschland, Deutschland über alles” (“Germany, Germany above everything”) from the Deutschlandlied.

Front Line Assembly’s cover serves as a standout track on the upcoming (August 25th.) cover compilation, “A Tribute to Rammstein”, featuring both old and new school industrial acts. Included in the 13-track strong release are renditions by Burton C Bell, Big Paul Ferguson & MGT, Front Line Assembly, Skold, Priest, Laibach, The 69 Eyes, Jah Wobble & Jon Klein, Julien-K, Stoneman, Lacrimas Profundere, Manntra, Original God and Leæther Strip.

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!

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Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Brazilian duo Fabricio Viscardi – Guilherme Peres strike back with a completely new work of their Aesthetische sonic alter ego. “Boiling Over” features five songs and comes one year after the ‘back to the roots’-album “RVPRTY”.

Content: “Boiling Over” moves on there where the last album stopped. A sophisticated EBM sound which comes closer to the great Aghast View period instead of the early Aesthetische Techno-Body releases. The title song features 3 edits -one of them being a remix by Sebastian Komor. All versions stand for alluring and well-crafted, powerful, EBM. There still is a more Techno-Body driven new song and one pumping instrumental one. 

+ + + : “Boiling Over” is a great title song and I really enjoy both edits by the band and the remix of Seb Komor. This is a meticulously crafted EBM format which might appeal to lovers of Front Line Assembly during the “Caustic Grip”-period. Both songs left are much more than EP-fillers but still great cuts to get people dancing. If this EP is a teaser to a new album I can only say it will be for sure a great vintage.

– – – : No real minus points here as this is exactly what we might expect from an EP: danceable and intelligent stuff.

Conclusion: I’ve never been disappointed discovering new Aesthetische stuff and this is once more a great, modern EBM work driven through some retro elements.

Best songs: “Boiling Over – Celsius Version”, “Boiling Over – Sebastian Komor Remix”, “Boiling Over – Fahrenheit Version”, “Dopamine Hyperdrive”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/aesthetische

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.

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Out via the Slovakian label Aliens Production is the all new album by the one-man project Fractal. The new album called “Antidote” is out on CD and available also in digital formats.

Behind Fractal we find the Polish EBM musician Tomasz Lukowicz. Tomasz: “The brand new album is a work whose production took place in the previous months, so this is a new direction and view of my musical world. Musically, the project is on a synthetic wave full of pulsating electronics and melodic structures. Of course, the melancholic instrumentals are also included in the new concept, where they are a strong part of the album.”

The 10-track album, mastered by Anatoly TOKEE Grinberg, is heavily influenced by bands such as Front Line Assembly, Haujobb, Forma Tadre, Noise Unit and related acts.

Here’s the video for “Leaving a dead planet” (Predator mix).

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!

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Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro, EBM, Industial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: 2nd Face hit the scene in 2017 wit the great album “Nemesis”. Six years later the German project driven by Vincent Uhlig hits back with a new opus featuring ten songs. There’s also a limited edition featuring an extra disc with six more songs.

Content: “utOpium” moves on where “Nemesis” stopped. An extremely dark and tormented work somewhere in between Dark-Electro and the Canadian EBM school reminding me of Front Line Assembly and Skinny Puppy. The work is filled with bombast and heavy sound treatments; a sophisticated composition achieved with Industrial elements and lead by ghost-like vocals.

+ + + : “Nemesis” took me by surprise and I can imagine it was a true challenge to Vincent Uhlig to strike back with a new album of the same, high level. Well it was worth the wait as “utOpium” reveals new, great stuff. Even if this kind of Electro isn’t new at all, the composition reveals an impressive maturity featuring great writing skills. You feel a bit like moving through a sonic mayhem crossing genius cuts like “Underneath The Silence”, “Vox Irae” and “Mydriasis”.

– – – : In my humble opinion “Nemesis” maybe featured more potential hits than “utOpium” but it however is a great piece of music. 

Conclusion: 2nd Face confirms its impressive potential and might be pointed as one of the most visionary artists in the Dark-Electro/Industrial genre.

Best songs: “Underneath The Silence”, “Vox Irae”,  “Mydriasis”, “Formula Extinction”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/iindface

Label: www.dependent.de / www.facebook.com/dependent.records

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

The Noise Who Runs, a duo composed of Ian Pickering (of Sneaker Pimps and Front Line Assembly) and Brazilian-French guitarist Felipe Goes, has released a new single, “New York To L.A. In 2-And-A-Half Minutes”. The release comes fresh off the launch of their 14-track album, “Preteretrospective”, which was mixed and mastered by Colin C at The Cell Studio.

Pickering, who recently relocated from Northern England to Lille, France, found inspiration for the new track from commentary on space probe solar observations. In his own words: “That line – ‘New York to L.A. in 2-and-a-half minutes’ – instantly just starts painting pictures of an insane future, good or bad, at a certain cost, which is now too much, gone too far…”.

Here’s the video for the new single.

Earlier, the duo previewed “Beautiful Perhaps”, “Takes a Long Cold Look and Then The Kitchen Sink” and “2poor2die”, blending electric guitars and electronica.

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!

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Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber have been working together since the late 80s. They got international recognition in the EBM scene with Front Line Assembly. Next to other side-projects they also worked together as Delerium. The first album bring us back to 1988. I remember “Faces, Forms, And Illusions” as a kind of Industrial-Ambient work which also was the band’s main source of inspiration for the next few years. “Semantic Spaces” (1994) and “Karma” (1997) both revealed a different sound becoming more Downtempo-like while driven by sensual, female vocals. “Silence” became a word-wide famous hit while Delerium never stopped releasing new works in a similar style. They this year strike back with “Signs” (Metropolis Records) which is the duo’s first album in seven years. Sensual, mysterious and refined Ambient-Electronics featuring a few new potential hits. I asked a few questions to Bill Leeb.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Signs” is your first new Delerium album in seven years. Why did it take so long to release a new opus and what was the spark to start writing “Signs”?

Bill: We were taking a little breather from Delerium when the complications of Covid extended the giant gap between releases. What ultimately made a difference is that Rhys moved back to Vancouver, Canada, so with him being close by, we were able to start working again. Being in the same room creating together is what provided the spark that we needed.

Q: What are these “Signs” all about and how did you transpose it into songs?

Bill: Well, the title of the album alludes to the sign of the times. So much has happened in the world since we released the last Delerium album “Mythologie” in 2016. Yet with “Signs” the title came last. When we were on tour Front Line Assembly, we were talking about titles for the album, our guitarist Tim Skold threw the title at us and Rhys and I both liked it so it stuck. We gave Tim Skold an actual credit for the title on the album.

Q: What have been the different stages in writing, recording and production of “Signs” you’d to go through? And what have been the main challenges and difficulties you encountered?

Bill: When Rhys moved back to Vancouver (about 40 minutes from my house), it was great to be able to get together in a room and start writing. After 35 years of doing Delerium, that is still the best way. Ideas came up and we were able to the kick them around and work on them with consistency.

It is always a challenge to find the right people to work with. Many artists are working on their own bands and projects, collaborating is a different game these days and many are doing their own thing. I think we found the right balance. Rhys had worked with Kanga in the past, some of the other great vocalists on “Signs,” we’ve worked with before including Emily Haines (from Metric), Mimi Page and Phidel.

Q: That brings me to ask if you handle specific criteria to work with vocalists? And what’s their real input and impact in the lyrical themes and singing?

Bill: I think the thing that differentiates FLA from Delerium is that when we write the music, we think in terms of what voice would work on this or that song. The singers themselves write the lyrics, the magical part is that the instrumental music often drives the vocalists to lean heavily on atmospheric vocals and that is what Delerium is all about. It is collaboration in the truest sense. Mimi Page, contributes in a different way as she often presents song ideas as well.

In general, we always know when we hear something if it is going to work. This is the zone and kind of environment we like Delerium to work in. On “Signs” we found that perfect balance with all of the songs and the singers.

Q: I’m always wondering if you handle specific criteria and/or references when you’re composing your music? Are you perfectionists?

Bill: I definitely hear music and voices that influence the compositions. In the past, I’ve heard singers that I myself have contacted to collaborate on songs.

As for being a perfectionist? When we write something and it’s done, later, I always think I could have done that better or change that. Music is never ending, like painting. Even when it’s done, I think at the end of the day you have to know when to walk away and let other people hear it and hope for the best.

Q: Did you both need a special and/or different mindset when working on Delerium than on one of your other music projects like Frontline Assembly for example? How does it happen?

Bill: That’s really easy, most artists, painters or musicians have two sides. I find when tour with FLA, afterwards, we want to turn off that side of ourselves and become someone else for a while. Delerium is a healing process, a perfect escape from the aggression in the world. Delerium opens the door for us to diversity and brings us to the Trance, Ambient side of things and remix possibilities. That Dance world has created a whole new platform for us to exist on that is very separate from the world of Industrial music. It’s like a great escape.

Q: What does the front cover of “Signs” stand for and how important is the artwork -especially in times people are more into streaming than physical productions?

Bill: Dave McKean created the artwork for “Signs.” We’ve been working with him since the Front Line Assembly album “Millennium“ In 1994. Dave’s first Delerium-album cover was “Mythologie” in 2016 and it blew us away, so it was a no brainer for us to have him do this cover. Dave is somewhat like the singers in Delerium, he collaborates with us. We give him the title, send him some songs to listen to and he sends us image ideas. It is a real collaboration, he then sends us art and it ends up being the ideal cover. Dave does his artwork from scratch. It’s not an AI thing, it is real voices with real art. The bird on the cover of “Signs,” is like a phoenix rising in the face of the way things are in the world these days.

Q: Early Delerium-albums were remastered and re-released in 2022. There’s a gap of nearly thirty five years between your debut album “Faces, Forms, And Illusions” and “Signs” but is there still a deeper sound-connection between both periods? How do you perceive this impressive evolution?

Bill: Well, I wanted to give a shout out to the late Dave Heckman for rereleasing these on Metropolis and presenting them exactly as an artist would want. As far as the evolution of Delerium from those early years, many things came into play. During the first album I was still in Skinny Puppy, so it was really a side project. I was bouncing off things like Ofra Haza, The Orb and even Pink Floyd. I started experimenting with ideas, much of it was organic and made by hand, perhaps using some cassette recorders for sampling. We’ve evolved so much with technology, it was a natural evolution for Delerium.

“Semantic Spaces” in 1994, was the first time we would write songs like that and brought in Kristy Thirsk to sing. We received legitimate radio play and it was quite an evolution from our earlier material. We were able to bridge the two parts later with monks, angelic voices and classical influences with “Silence”, featuring Sarah McLachlan, and evolved even further. Now, with “Signs” it has quickly become one my personal favorite Delerium albums. And the flow continues even after 35 years. If it all ended today with this album I’d be ok with it, full circle, old meets new, keeping all of the elements and the sincerity of the project intact.

Q: What are the plans for Delerium in the next few months?

Bill: As of now, the album is only a few weeks old and we have just released the video with Kanga. We are working on another video, this time for “Coast To Coast” featuring Phildel. Then looking at possible remixes. There’s a lot to work with.

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

(Photo by Tarik Essamamni) Paris-based French post-gothic group Alien Mekanik has launched their second album titled “La Colere De Dieu”. Alien Mekanik’s new album is accessible for streaming and in CD format through the French label Musiko_eye.

Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of musical influences, including Nine Inch Nails, Skinny Puppy, and Front Line Assembly, the band released their debut album “Apostasie” in 2021.

Alien Mekanik was established by Olivier Korbo, a former member of Tétines Noires, La Souris Déglinguée, and Collapse, along with guitarist Quentin, who has a black metal background from bands such as Acedia Mundi, The Owl Cave, and Spectral Void, and drummer Ibo.

Their work primarily explores themes of death, fear, belief, and chaos. In terms of lyrics, the band finds inspiration in the works of Louis Aragon (“Les soleils révolus”), French avant-garde writer Antonin Artaud, and film directors like Jean Cocteau, David Lynch, John Carpenter, and Stanley Kubrick, from whose movies they also incorporate samples.

Here is a sneak peek 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. 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

Ner\Ogris has been set up by Kai Neugebauer who you probably remember from Les Berrtas. He got company from singer Tino Claus who’s involved with Amnistia, TC75, MRDTC. They early this year released the debut album “I Am The Shadow – I Am The Light” on Dependent. The work is driven by retro-like EBM & Dark-Electro influences reminding legendary bands like Skinny Puppy and Yelworc… The power of the production emerges from bombastic drum sections, Industrial sound treatments and dark atmospheres. I talked with the German duo about this promising debut.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Both of you are experienced artists active in Electronic music for years. How did you get in touch with each other and where did the need come from to set up a new project? What does Ner/Ogris stands for by the way?

tinoC: We met the first time in 2014 at a Tommi Stumpff show. We talked about the ‘good-old days’ and had some fun. We have been in contact since then and did remixes for each other. In 2021 Kai sent a couple of instrumental tracks to get some feedback. His idea was to release an instrumental album. I had an idea of one of the tracks, asked if I should try something, got a GO and 90 minutes later I sent a vocal demo for “Shadowlight” to Kai.

kaiN: I was blown away, because I never thought that vocals fit into that song. And of course I asked Tino if he might want to try some more songs. At the end we had 6 songs. It was more than obvious that we could not call it a ‘featuring’… Ner\Ogris was born. This was in February 2022. The meaning of Ner\Ogris is simply Nero for black and Gris for grey. That’s it –no mystical meaning.

Q: I noticed you speak about Ner/Ogris as ‘always about contrasts and opposites’. What are these contrasts all about and how do you reflect it in your sound and lyrical content?

tinoC: First of all the contrast is that we both have our own ‘playground’ in the project. kaiN is the music and I am the voice. We don’t have the same age so our influences are different. We like the same artists but we have some addictions to artists the other will never listen too. So the base is quiet interesting and a great seed for creativity.

kaiN: The second point is that the album was not planed to the songs where there and tinoC added his vocals to an almost finished painting in some ways. We did not change anything on the tracks. This is (maybe) a bit unusual but this was a great challenge for us.

Q: The theme of contrast is clearly related in the album title “I Am The Shadow – I Am The Light” but what is the deeper significance of the title? And how did this album took shape?

tinoC: The name of the album is one line from the track “Shadowlight”. We called the album like the track but the label asked to name it “I Am The Shadow – I Am The Light”. And they were right. A strong name that reflects our philosophy. Sometimes the label guys have good ideas 😉

Q: I noticed a very strong, powerful, and overwhelming, ‘dark atmospheric’ side running through the composition which sometimes remind me a bit of early Canadian EBM formations. Can you give us more insight about the sound properly speaking and eventually influences/references?

kaiN: My influence is of course Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, The Tear Garden, Schnitt 8 and all the other Belgian, American or European bands of the 90s. That’s what I grew up with. I absorbed all those songs and it’s obvious that it has to come out again. Maybe the sound is like that because I’ve been collecting studio equipment since the 90s and of course I use it. That makes for this exciting mixture of old, perhaps familiar sounds and fresh sounds from modern DAWs.

Q: The album is also available as a special edition featuring an extra disc. What is the bonus of this extra disc all about and how did the selection of the songs for this bonus disc happened?

tinoC: To be honest… the label deal came very fast and was a big surprise. We did not think about the possibility of a release at Dependent. But when Dependent asked for songs for a special edition we had not so much material… ok we had a bunch of instrumentals but we thought that an instrumental bonus disc is maybe not sexy for most of the people. So we decided to record vocals for at least 2 songs. And here we are now with a bonus disc. Our label says that the tracks of the bonus disc are very good, so you guys should give it a try.

Q: I noticed you played your first concerts so what have been your experiences and reactions? How does it feel to go on stage with a ‘new’ project and what brings the future considering live shows, new songs, remixes, clips etc..? 

tinoC: We both are active in other bands so it is exciting to bring Ner\Ogris on stage. We are a bit nervous of course but we are no newbies. We believe that the concert will be as good as possible for us. And we hope and believe that all will work properly.

kaiN: Playing live and having a direct line to the fans is the greatest thing. We really want to do that. Besides the concert on 18.3.2023 in Naumburg/Saale, the NCN Festival in Deutzen on 31.8.2023 is also confirmed for this year. I’m currently working on a few remixes for a few bands I’m friends with, and of course I’m already working on more material.

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

Aesthetische, the EBM/electro band from Brazil founded by former members of Aghast View & Biopsy, is back with a brand new EP: “Boiling Over”.

On this new EP, the Aesthetische duo (aka Fab Viscardi and Gui Pires) offer the follow-up to 2022’s full-length “Rvprty”. The new EP contains 5 tracks, with 3 versions of the title track – “Boiling Over” – including a smashing (!) remix by label mate Sebastian Komor and two other versions executed by Aesthetische themselves.

The title track can be described as a return to the roots of EBM, but with a range of modern elements mixed in. To complete the 5-track piece, you will find two other tracks – “Dopamine Hyperdrive” – a dark and moody technological piece, and “Final Flow” – an instrumental piece designed to fill club floors.

Not sure what to expect? Fabrício Viscardi explained the sound of the band a few months ago in an interview: “Aesthetische definitely has solid influences from Aghast View and Biopsy, but it is more polished and with influences from Trance and Techno too.” Add to that an exquisite production.

Personally, I’d describe their sound as a very clubby blend of Front 242’s “Front By Front” era mixed with catchy trance elements. A must-have for fans of Front 242, Front Line Assembly, and similar bands, especially if you are into a superior production approach.

Here’s the new EP “Boiling over”.

Signed to the renowned Belgian Alfa Matrix label, the duo draws on their rich history in the EBM and electro scenes. As a result, they have managed to forge a distinctive sound that sets them apart from their peers, all while staying true to their roots. With each release, the band continues to push the boundaries of the EBM and electro genres.

Starting in 2012, they made a powerful entrance with their debut album, “Powerswitch [LTDPWR]”. The following year, they expanded their sonic horizons with the release of the “Nachtbrenner EP” and “Statement / Amplitude Zero EP”, further showcasing their versatility. Building on this momentum, the band released the impressive “HybridCore” album in 2014, followed by the “Colder Lights EP” later that year. They continued to push their creative limits, delivering the mesmerising “Cold Is Clean EP” and “Dirt And Basslines EP” in 2015. Their 2016 release, “We Follow Blindly EP”, proved that they were far from slowing down.

Collaborating with Noemi Aurora in 2017, they introduced the appealing “In My Aurora EP” to their growing discography. The band then continued work on their 2019 album, “Co3xist3ns3”, followed by the “MMXX EP” in 2020. Entering the new decade, they didn’t miss a beat, releasing the excellent “Overflow EP” in 2021. Most recently, in 2022, the band has treated fans to yet another album, “Rvprty”, solidifying their place in the EBM/electro scene as innovative trailblazers who consistently deliver enjoyable and engaging music. They ended the year with a splendid remix of “Ukraina” from the charity EP with the same name, released via Side-Line’s own Bandcamp page.

Discography:

• Powerswitch [LTDPWR] (Deluxe edition) (2012)
• Nachtbrenner EP (2013)
• Statement / Amplitude Zero EP (2013)
• HybridCore (Deluxe edition) (2014)
• Colder Lights EP (2014)
• Cold Is Clean EP (2015)
• Dirt And Basslines EP (2015)
• We Follow Blindly EP (2016)
• In My Aurora EP (2017)
• Co3xist3ns3 (Deluxe edition) (2019)
• MMXX EP (2020)
• Overflow EP (2021)
• Rvprty (Deluxe edition) (2022)
• Boiling Over EP (2023)

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

www.side-line.com

(Photo by Théo Valenduc) Today is the release day of “Takes a Long Cold Look and Then The Kitchen Sink”, the newest single by the UK-France duo The Noise Who Runs. B-sided by “More Beautiful Perhaps (LHT Remix)”, “Takes a Long Cold Look and Then The Kitchen Sink” is yet another teaser from their forthcoming “Preteretrospective” LP, to be released on April 7 on TNWR Records.

The Noise Who Runs is a duo based in Lille, France and consists of Brazilian-born French guitarist Felipe Goes and songwriter-performer Ian Pickering of 90s British trip hop outfit Sneaker Pimps and also of Front Line Assembly. Pickering churned out this new material over the past two years simultaneous to working on the new Sneaker Pimps album.

The new “Preteretrospective” album follows the “These Will Be Your Gods” EP, released in January, and “High Time in Lo-Fi”, their third EP released in mid-2022. During the lockdown stalemate of 2020, the duo released two EPs – “The First of Two Sides of a Double-headed Coin” and “The Other Side of the Same Double-headed Coin”.

Check the new single and more 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. 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

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Techomancer press release. Photos: Tarjei Krogh) Out now is the new album from the Norwegian synthwave act Technomancer a.k.a. Alexandria “Alyxx” Digre (she/her). She debuted with the album ‘System Failure’ in 2013, and now, almost 10 years later, the second album ‘Hyperfuel’ is finally being released!

Originally from the Northern town of Mo I Rana, Norway, Alyxx moved to Sarpsborg in 2014 and had already started working on the album at that point. Realizing that the next album had to be of much higher quality than the debut album, Alyxx started working on honing her production skills, getting plenty of practice on her side projects Zone Tripper and Laboratory 5, as well as doing numerous remixes for bands/artists such as Die Krupps, Nitzer Ebb, Anne Clark, Naked Lunch, Attrition, Robert Marlow (RIP), Apoptygma Berzerk and several others.

After ‘System Failure’, a departure from the former sound was set almost immediately. The sleek futurepop style was cast aside in favour of a heavier influence from the 80’s, with The Sisters Of Mercy providing a strong influence on the new sound. Together with Zone Tripper, Technomancer adopted very much an early synthwave sound which since then has become a signature sound for Alyxx’ productions as a whole. The new album relies heavily on sampled guitars and drum machines to give a much heavier retrowave feeling, which should please fans of synthwave acts such as Dance With The Dead and Scandroid.

The album has been co-produced by Stephan L. Groth (Apoptygma Berzerk) and his brother Jonas Groth (Piston Damp, Apoptygma Berzerk) who both have also provided guest vocals on the album. Frequent collaborator Per Aksel Lundgreen (Angst Pop, Cronos Titan, Chinese Detectives, Shatoo) has also been involved.

Ole-Espen Kristiansen (OK Minus, Elec This!) has mastered the album and also mixed a couple tracks. Ole-Espen has also done mastering and live mixing for Apoptygma Berzerk and Piston Damp.

Wanting to know more about this release, we contacted Alyxx to have some questions answered.

S-L: You’ve gone from furutepop to synthwave – what’s the next step in your evolution?

Alexandria Digre: Well, I really don’t know. I’ve been listening to harder stuff lately. I especially loved REIN’s album, ‘Reincarnated’ and really loved that kind of old school EBM sound making a comeback. I also finally got around to listening to some Nitzer Ebb stuff, especially their legendary ‘That Total Age’ album. Some of my recent demos have been more in the vein of that, combined with some influences from Empirion.

I also saw Sierra in Gothenburg this summer and really loved the harder synthwave sound she had going. I’m definitely still in the synthwave scene and been listening to a lot of stuff there lately, so that might still be an influence going forward. I don’t think the next album will take a decade to make so I also doubt it will be as much of a new direction. But we will see, it all depends on where my writing takes me.

Right now I have some ideas for a new album but nothing solid, as I rarely do in the early stages. I actually wrote a few futurepop/techno tracks at the start of making ‘Hyperfuel’ that ended up not really fitting in, but I might use some of that for the next album if I can find a new sound they would fit in. But so far I’ve been wanting to draw more on early 90s EBM influences like Front Line Assembly and that early EBM sound.

S-L: How has the feedbacks on the album been so far?

AD: Well, even as the singles came out, it was usually positive. But as for the album, it really seems people are loving it. Everyone I’ve sent it to has enjoyed it and hasn’t really had much bad to say about it. Which is both flattering and a bit concerning. I really hope someone really goes into depth on the album at some point. I love praise and knowing people are connecting with the music, but I also love to know where I can improve going forward. After all, ‘Hyperfuel’ wouldn’t be the album it is without the criticism I got from ‘System Failure’.

S-L: You got some covers here – tell us more about how they came to life!

AD: ‘Puppets’ came to life as I was invited to contribute to a Depeche Mode tribute project. I made the original version on my own in my studio and on a journey with Stephan (Apoptygma Berzerk) I played it for him and Per Aksel (Angst Pop) and Stephan really loved what he heard. He not only advised me to release the cover myself, but also allow him to do it together with me. I was floored by the fact Stephan straight up asked to work with me on something, so naturally I agreed.

He spent a few days in his studio recording some additional synth riffs on his Korg MS-20 and recording the vocals, which we then added to the mix. We then spent a while in my studio producing the track with Per Aksel.

So yeah, very glad I didn’t just release it as a tribute album track. It ended up becoming a lot more than that, and I have so many good memories with ‘Puppets’. Only downside is I doubt I could perform it live without Stephan. It wouldn’t feel right, haha!

‘Ecstasy’ was a song I’ve wanted to cover for a long time. I’ve been a fan of Black Lab since I heard their cover of the Transformers Theme from their ‘Technologie’ EP, where ‘Ecstasy’ was also featured. I immediately connected with the song and it has always been my favourite Black Lab track.

‘Ecstasy’ was actually always intended to be on the album. I think it was on the first demo I brought Per Aksel right after I had moved to Sarpsborg. On the demo version, I did all the vocals myself, but I always wanted someone with me on it. Per Aksel suggested Stian Joneid as a candidate, and we also considered Dag Brandth (Shatoo) to do it with me. Honestly, Dag might have been perfect for it, but due to circumstances that never worked out, so I ended up choosing Jonas Groth (Piston Damp) since I was recording my final vocals in his studio for the song and he’s the best singer I know.

Jonas’ vocals really helped bring the song to another level and I am so happy we got to work together on it. Him and Truls Sønsterud did an amazing Piston Damp remix of it by the way that you can find on the single.

‘The Outsider’ was a song I originally did for a Psyche tribute album, ‘Unforgotten Rhymes’. It was also the second music video I did after moving to Sarpsborg, with Per Aksel directing and shooting it. It sort of became the first single from the album actually, featuring the signature sound I would be going for. It’s always been a song I connected with on a personal level, so having it on the album felt natural to me.

S-L: What’s next up for you?

AD: Working on a new Zone Tripper album and some other side projects. Lab5 has been dormant for a while and I am itching to get some of our material out there. Also working on a synthwave project called Neo Hyperdrive together with Hexebyte and Max Static from Lab5. There will also be a 2CD Deluxe Edition of Hyperfuel that will also be available on my Bandcamp. I’ll announce a release date for that later on.

The album was released digitally worldwide on November 4^th 2022, with a Deluxe Edition also available on 2xCD via Sector Industrial (www.sector-industrial.com) and digitally exclusive via the Technomancer Bandcamp, which includes 5 additional tracks and remixes by Machinista, Echo Image, Piston Damp, Substaat and Christian Espeland of Code 64. Release date for the Deluxe Edition will be revealed later.

Get it at Bandcamp along with more of the discography, or have a listen at Spotify!

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange

American  Paul M. Graham this year unleashed the fourth album of his Tragic Impulse sonic project. It’s the third opus released by Distortion Productions. “Distant Worlds” takes the listener away to visit a dark- and danceable experience of EBM empowered by Dark-Electronics and Industrial, but also polished with Pop elements. Most elements of the production process have been improved so in the end you get a varied, danceable and efficient work.

(Picture credits by Sergei Photography / Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I remember a previous interview you were talking about growing maturity and studio equipment, which both are essential aspects in the evolution and development of an artist. How did you see both elements evolving from your very first song till the new album?

Paul: I’ve definitely had growth in my production skills since the first album (“Machine Parts”). I felt great about the writing on the first album, but I just didn’t feel the mixing and such was at a similar level. I was still very much a newbie at the time. Rather than farm out that work to a more accomplished producer, I’ve stuck with it and feel pretty good about where things are now. There’s always lots of room for improvement though and I’ll never consider myself a finished product.

As for studio equipment evolution, almost all of that has happened in the form of soft-synths and software tools. I’ve found that I can create the music I want without the extra expense and physical space it takes to keep all the hardware. There are advantages to hardware for sure, but I’ve found that for my needs, I really don’t need that anymore. “Distant Worlds” was done entirely without any hardware synths.

Q: I can imagine “Distant Worlds” was mainly –or entirely, written during the ongoing pandemic. In which way did COVID affected your artistic activities and your mood plus creativity when composing the opus?

Paul: The album is definitely a product of the pandemic and the track “Oubliette” is a great example of that. The term by definition means: ‘a dungeon with the only entrance or exit being a trap door in the ceiling’. It’s a dark song that parallels the confinement, fear, and uncertainty we all felt/have been feeling during this time. Other tracks also have hints of this mood and feel as well.

Q: What have been the different stages from the moment you started writing the first song for “Distant Worlds” till the moment you got the production finished? What have been the main challenges when composing this album and what are your biggest points of satisfaction?

Paul: I tend to ‘nibble’ with my song creation, moving around from one song to the next and back again, and this album was no different. Sometimes everything falls into place with a song and I finish it in one pass but that’s rare. Giving me time between songs helps me prevent listening fatigue and keeps me inspired. My method might seem strange to some artists, but it works for me.

For “Distant Worlds”, the bulk of the album writing was done during the pandemic and since I had spent more time indoors, I created lot more material I considered viable for the album. At one point, I had considered doing a double-album but the ten I went with just felt right. Having all that material is both a blessing and a curse because while I had a lot to choose from, deciding what stays and goes is always hard.

I’d say the biggest point of satisfaction is that the album seems to have successfully provided a little something for everyone and avoids pitfalls like repetition and predictability. I asked fans shortly after the album was released what their favorite songs were, and the answers were all over the place. Hearing that kind of feedback is always very satisfying and rewarding. 

Q: I experienced “Distant Worlds” as your most diversified album to date; from familiar EBM/Dark-Electro songs to sophisticated passages reminding me Clock DVA to a furious cover version of Ministry. Tell us a bit more about the content and different influences running through the work?

Paul: I touched on this a little bit in the last question, but I feel great about the diversification on this album and that’s probably because that’s an approach I favor in the artists I listen to as well. “Oubliette” is dark and brooding, “Failed Reality” up-tempo/high energy, and “Dance Till You Die” stompy so there’s some ground covered there. “Parasite” is also an interesting example of that diversification because it feels so very different than the rest of the album. It’s actually been a very popular track and that’s probably because of the throwback EBM vibe it has to it. As for the Ministry cover of “Just One Fix”, I really wanted to pay homage to a song that was a gateway for me getting into Industrial music. I was mostly into Metal music back-in-the-day and when I transitioned on from that I was looking for something with an edge to it and bands like Ministry, Front Line Assembly and KMFDM bridged that gap. To this day I’m still heavily influenced by those bands.

Q: I think you’ve live dates planned in the US so tell us a bit more about Tragic Impulse on stage? What might people expect when going to a live show and how do you transpose the studio sound to the stage? What about European shows?

Paul: Our live shows have always translated well from the studio and part of that is by design. For example, I never use too many FX or heavily process my vocals for that reason. When you hear me sing live, I want you to have a similar experience to our recorded material, so I put an emphasis on that. Also, I’m not sure why, but we tend to surprise people (in a good way) with our live shows. It’s happened so many times, we started referring to it as “The Response” lol.  I think this may happen because we don’t have the same name recognition as some of the bigger bands so we surprise people when they see us. So while they expect someone like Suicide Commando to be amazing (and rightfully so), us…?, not so much. We’re working hard to change that however!

As for live dates, a few months ago we played the Dark Side of the Con festival and that was an amazing experience. We also just finished performing at the Distortion Productions (Jim Semonik) 200^th show extravaganza and we had an awesome and energized crowd for that one as well.  Upcoming shows in 2022 include a date in New-York City with Rain Within, Red Lokust and Interface, and one in Pittsburgh with Solar Fake. We had hoped to tour more in support of the album this year but have had some unexpected interruptions in our schedules so we’re looking to hit that hard next year.

We haven’t played anywhere in Europe yet but that’s definitely on our ‘to-do’ list. Playing at something like WGT would be a dream for us. For you promoters out there, we can be contacted at info@tragicimpulse.com 

Q: What place did Tragic Impulse take in your life? What are the further plans and ultimate goals? 

Paul: Since the live show is my wife Heidi on keys, and me on vocals, it’s been a great way for us to travel and meet new people. The recorded music is great but the real thrill for us is live shows since we get to connect with fans, other bands, promoters, DJ’s, etc. We’ve been into the Goth/Industrial scene the entire time we’ve been together (almost 19 years) and the band is just another way we get to spend time together doing what we love.

As for the future, we’ll keep making music and keep playing shows with the intention of playing more gigs in more places. Hopefully we can keep that momentum going!

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 August 19 via Cleopatra Records is a 6cd box holding the earliest recordings of Front Line Assembly. Founded in 1986 by Bill Leeb shortly after leaving Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly laid the foundation for what became known as Electronic Body Music (or EBM) as well as the second wave of industrial music.

The brand new box set entitled “Permanent Data 1986-1989” will hold 6 individual CD wallets as well as a full-color 12-page booklet of liner notes written by music journalist Dave Thompson based on an exclusive and recent interview with Leeb. Every track has been digitally remastered by Jürgen Engler of German band Die Krupps, including also rare bonus tracks. The set is capped with a rare 1989 live album.

As an added bonus, Cleopatra Records is also releasing a digitally remastered 2CD collection of Front Line Assembly demos. Titled “Nerve War”, the collection is available as both a 2CD set as well as on vinyl in a 2LP gatefold jacket with splatter vinyl.

Disc 1: Total Terror I

1. Total Terror
2. A Decade
3. Rebels In Afghanistan
4. Eternal
5. Developing Suicide
6. Black Fluid
7. Falling There
8. All You Do
9. Seeing Is Believing
10. Empty Walls
11. Enemy Number One
12. On The Cross

Bonus Tracks

13. Freedom
14. Distorted Vision
15. Cleanser

Disc 2: Total Terror Ii

1. Assassination
2. Intensive Care Unit
3. Immobilized
4. They’re Going To Kill Us
5. Stimulant Combat
6. Hatred By Society
7. Intruder
8. Face Puller
9. A.E.C. Krunch
10. Cro-Magnon
11. Guilty
12. Attack Decay
13. The Bonening

Disc 3: State Of Mind

1. First Reprisal
2. Consequence
3. Burnt Soul
4. Testimony
5. Landslide
6. Terminal Power
7. Malignant Fracture
8. Eastern Voices

Bonus Tracks

9. Resistance
10. Sustain Upright
11. No Tomorrow
12. And They Shall Bow

Disc 4: Corrosion

1. Lurid Sensation
2. Right Hand Of Heaven
3. Concussion
4. On The Cross
5. Conflict
6. Controversy
7. Dark Dreams
8. The Wreck Part III (Wisdom)

Disc 5: Disorder

1. Body Count
2. Obsession
3. Aggression
4. Lurid Sensation
5. Die-Sect
6. The Wrack

Bonus Tracks

7. Solitude Of Confinement
8. Collision
9. Headcase Fargone (Wisdom)

Disc 6: Live

1. Intro (Turmoil)
2. Digital Tension Dementia
3. Sedation
4. Lethal Compound
5. Bloodsport
6. Body Count
7. Lurid Sensation
8. Foolsgame

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

“Dark Sanctuary: The Story Of The Church” will be a feature-length documentary about the historic Dallas goth club The Church. The documentary will explore the history and stories of one of the longest running goth clubs in the U.S..

Through interviews with music artists (including Paul Oakenfold, Bill Leeb, Aurelio Voltiare, and RubberDoll), local bands, and patrons, the film will tell the story of the transgressive community of misfits that formed in the nearly three decades of the legendary club’s existence.

The film will center on the club’s DJ in residence, Joe Virus, and follow his journey from aspiring musician to DJ’ing the main stage for over 20 years. The film will also narrate the events of 2019 and 2020 as a multimillion-dollar real estate company bought up the neighborhood, and the pandemic claimed the community’s beloved building at 2424 Swiss Avenue. Now, their home of nearly three decades stands on the brink of being lost forever.

They plan to seek more interviews with many of the world-famous artists who performed there over years such as cEvin Key, Front 242, Front Line Assembly, Combichrist, Clan of Xymox, VNV Nation, Dita Von Teese, and many more. The additional plan is to explore many of the stories and personalities intertwined with The Church’s history including such Marylin Manson, The Cure, Trent Reznor, Joan Jett, and even Madonna.

In tandem with the story of The Church, the film will talk about the Friday and Saturday EDM nights known as The Lizard Lounge where legends of electronic music performed: Paul Oakenfold, Paul Van Dyk, Moby, Tiesto, The Prodigy and more.

To complete the documentary Dallas, Texas-based Spectrograph Films has launched an IndieGoGo campaign to fund their film. You can check out the Indiegogo campaign right here.

Music by cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy

cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy will co-compose the title music track along with resident DJ of The Church, Joe Virus. Artist Ashley Thorpe known for the Shudder Exclusive film Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched will do illustrations and animations as well as design the movie poster.

The goal is to collect $70,000 in funds. The perks for the backers include DVD’s, signed posters, 45 rpm records, and even actual ceiling tiles from 2424 Swiss Ave.

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

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Hailing from Seattle (USA) Black Agent started as a solo-project in 2016 and evolved into a trio. “Industrial Ruination” is the band’s debut full length album featuring thirteen songs.

Content: From the very first notes this album got me the feeling to wake up in the early 90s. The sound stands for elaborated EBM, reminding me of bands like Revolting Cocks, Front Line Assembly, X Marks The Pedwalk, Insekt and even Front 242 at some sequences and sound treatments. They injected multiple spoken samples next to the vocals.

+ + + : Black Agent took me by surprise. This is a well-crafted and intelligent retro-driven EBM production. I mentioned several potential sources of inspiration but they accomplished a very personal fusion of these bands and the typical 90s spirit. The work has been composed with great sound treatments featuring irresistible analogue sounds and strings. The album is maybe missing a potential hit but we get a succession of treat songs instead.

– – – : I don’t have real minus points but I hope this band will gain a wider recognition. They really have a huge potential.

Conclusion: Black Agent maybe sounds like how bands such as Front 242, Revolting Cocks, FLA, Skinny Puppy and co would have sounded like if they had just got started, and signed today!

Best songs: “Strange Like Me”, “Murdering Truth”, “ACAB”, “Everything’s Wrong”, “Concrete Sky”, “Dying Time”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/BlackAgentBand

Label: https://linktr.ee/remissionentertainment / www.facebook.com/remissionentertainment  

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 via Mecanica in early Summer will be the 4 earliest albums of Bill Leeb’s main project Front Line Assembly, founded in 1986 (just upon his departure from Skinny Puppy). All 4 albums comes as limited pressing of 500 copies, on double vinyl, with deluxe gatefold sleeve and new vintage artwork.

The following albums will be included:

• “The Initial Command”: this the debut landmark album by Canadian EBM-industrialists Front Line Assembly, originally released in 1987 through Belgian label KK Records. Bill Leeb shows us already a unique style, setting a benchmark for all that would follow. Fiercely original, not least for ‘it’s time’, from the glittering synths and harsh metallic percussion of the unarguably cinematic “Casualties” and the abrasive white noise on “Ausgang zum Himmel”, to the punchy breaks and dramatic strings of “No Control”. This Deluxe re-release includes all original tracks and both bonus tracks taken from a re-release in 1997: “Complexity” and “Core”.
• “Corroded Disorder”: this album compiles some of the earliest hits of Front Line Assembly including the classic “Body Count” for which the band prepared their first official video-clip. “Corroded Disorder” was originally released in 1995 as a hybrid of the EP’s “Corrosion” and “Disorder” (both released in 1988 on Third Mind Records, UK), along with some extra tracks taken from the compilation “Convergence” and a couple of new bonus songs.
• “Total Terror 1”: This is the second of two self-released cassette tapes by EBM-industrial act Front Line Assembly (the first one being ‘Nerve War’). At this point, Bill Leeb was the band’s only dedicated member, with some help from Rhys Fulber. Most of the original cassette was remixed and re-mastered to be commercially released on CD in 1993 as “Total Terror 1”. This edition added three previously-unreleased bonus tracks from other old sessions: “Freedom”, “Distorted Vision” and “Cleanser”. The original recordings of these songs were done in 1986 using nothing more than a four track recording system. This would be quite primitive for today’s standards and sound quality will not be so effective, however the ideas are all ther, letting us enjoy some of the first songs EVER created by Front Line Assembly. The deluxe re-release includes all tracks from “Total Terror 1” plus the rare song “Eternal” and some bonus taken from old compilations.
• “Total Terror 2”: This is another collection of early Front Line Assembly demos, remixed and remastered for a limited CD release for the first time in 1994. The original recordings of these songs were done in 1986/87. The equipment used was primitive, but then so is mankind. The deluxe re-release includes all tracks from the first edition plus some bonus taken from old compilations.

Here’s the first impression of what you can expect from these vinyl editions.

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

The track “Stay” taken from the last In Strict Confidence album “Hate2Love” is finally honored with a video. The video recordings were made partly already about 8 years ago (!!) and were combined with current footage.

The song was co-produced by Dirk Riegner & Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly / Conjure One).

Check out the video 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. 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

The first seven albums by Canadian electronic duo Delerium have been remastered and are now digitally available via Metropolis Records. Limited edition 2xLP white vinyls and CD formats will be released on 6th May.

The titles are “Faces, Forms & Illusions” (1988), “Morpheus” (1989), “Syrophenikan” (1990), “Spiritual Archives” (1991), “Stone Tower” (1991), “Spheres” (1994) and “Spheres II” (1994).

About Delerium

Delerium is a Canadian electronic act that formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act Front Line Assembly. Throughout the band’s history, their musical style has encompassed a broad range, including dark ethereal ambient trance, voiceless industrial soundscapes, and electronic pop music. They are best known for their worldwide hit “Silence” and for their use of several female guest vocalists on their albums since their 1997 album “Karma”.

Delerium has traditionally been a two-person project, but the only constant member throughout its history has been Bill Leeb. Leeb was an early member of industrial dance pioneers Skinny Puppy, but after he left in 1986 he went on to create his own project, Front Line Assembly with collaborator Michael Balch. Later, the two worked on the side project Delerium and released their first album, “Faces, Forms & Illusions”. After Balch left both Front Line Assembly and Delerium, Leeb worked with Rhys Fulber, and the two released several albums under the Delerium moniker. After the release of “Karma”, Fulber left to pursue other interests, and Leeb teamed up with producer Chris Peterson to release “Poem”.

2003, however, saw the reunion of Leeb and Fulber for the release of “Chimera”, followed by “Nuages du Monde” in 2006.

In contrast to Leeb and collaborators’ other projects, Delerium has included several guest vocalists since the release of Semantic Spaces. These have included mostly women, such as Kristy Thirsk (of Rose Chronicles), Sarah McLachlan, Leigh Nash (of Sixpence None the Richer), Elsieanne Caplette (of Elsiane), Lisa Gerrard (sampled only), Jaël (of Swiss band Lunik), Camille Henderson, Nerina Pallot, Emily Haines (of Metric), Jacqui Hunt (of Single Gun Theory), Isabel Bayrakdarian and Shelley Harland. Other than Leeb, only three males have contributed vocals to a Delerium album: Matthew Sweet (“Daylight”, on Poem), Greg Froese (“Apparition”, on Nuages du Monde), and Michael Logen (“Days Turn into Nights”, on Music Box Opera); in addition, the noted griot Baaba Maal was sampled (“Awakenings, on “Spiritual Archives”).

The Mediæval Bæbes provided the vocal track for, and starred in the video of “Aria”; the vocals are an adapted version of the vocals from “All Turns to Yesterday” on the Bæbes’ “Worldes Blysse” album. They are also featured on two tracks from Delerium’s 2006 album, “Nuages du Monde”.

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!

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Exactly one year ago Asthetische released the – very well-received – “Overflow” EP (available here on Bandcamp). Our main reviewer Inferno Sound Diaries back then wrote this about the EP: “If this EP is meant as an appetizer to welcome a new album, then it can only become a smasher!”

Well, that smasher is out now: “Rvprty”. On “Rvprty”, which holds 10 solid tracks, the two Brazilian electronic producers Fab Viscardi and Gui Pires offer a solid upbeat clubby sound signature merging modern electro production skills with banging EBM sequences and catchy icy melodies. It looks like they kept their promise!

You can immediately download the new “Rvprty” album right here and exclusively first on Bandcamp.

For this album the band worked with Dutch underground vocalist Lis Van den Acker on “Back To Life” and also offers a cover-version of the Swiss 80´s cult band Deo Cadaver’s “Blind Oracle”. The cover was personally authorized by Daze Dasen & Marco Marchi themselves and sees the track performed in a new old school EBM style.

You can check out and download the album right below. Warmly recommended!

If you didn’t check out the band’s “Overflow” EP, then do it below.

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, IDM, Cinematographic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Boris Mutina (still involved with other projects like Terminal State, Minor Float ao) reactivated The Opposer Divine and unleashed eight new songs. The title of the album refers to the instrumental edits of the songs.

Content: The work reveals a sophisticated sound approach, mixing multiple influences like EBM bass lines reminding me of Front Line Assembly, IDM elements and a Cinematographic input accentuated by the instrumental format. I however noticed one song featuring vocals. Some songs have been carried by heavy, transcendental rhythms and even guitar riffs. 

+ + + : If you like intelligent Electronics you’d better listen to this new production by The Opposer Divine. The sound isn’t that new, but the different elements together create a fully accomplished work; imposing  sound treatments with empowering blasts and solid bass lines, overwhelming atmospheres and heavy, complex drum sections. The song “Prophecy” features vocals adding a true bonus to the work.This production also confirms the great taste of the Slovakian label Electrofrequent, which is a small, but interesting company. 

– – – : I would like to hear a bit more vocal parts

Conclusion: The Opposer Divine strikes back with an intelligent piece of modern Electronics.

Best songs: “Pulse Integration”, “Prophecy”, “EEE”, “Renegade”, “Contagious”.

Rate: 8½. 

Artist: www.facebook.com/TheOpposerDivine 

Label: www.electrofrequent.com / www.facebook.com/Electrofrequent-102179464888936 

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

Canadian electronic musician and producer Rhys Fulber has just released his latest solo album, “Brutal Nature”, which has been well received by Side-Line as well. Out now is a video Fulber has made for an edited version of the album track “Fragility” featuring Jeza.

You can view the video below.

Fulber is best known for his lengthy (and ongoing) tenure with industrial standard bearers Front Line Assembly and ambient pop exponents Delerium (both with Bill Leeb), his solo project Conjure One, plus five albums released under his own name. As a producer, he has worked extensively with established metal acts such as Fear Factory and Paradise Lost, as well as the industrial hardcore group Youth Code.

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

Polish musician Kuba Włodarski set up Egoist around 2002/2003 as a solo Electro-Industrial music project. A self-released demo CD came to light in 2004, and was followed by live gigs. In 2008 Kuba had the pleasure to collaborate with ‘Jan Siuta Art Gallery’ in Krakow, which resulted in the “Phazes”-album; Industrial-Ambient music to accompany cycle of exhibitions: “Ritual, Rhythm, Harmony”. In 2020 the digital version of the album “Breaking Moment” got released by Slovak label Aliens Production and followed by a limited physical release in 2021. The album is clearly appealing for lovers of Canadian EBM reminding Front Line Assembly. The album is a well-crafted and sophisticated work. Recently the digital remix album “Phantoms” has been released on Aliens Production as well.  

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Egoist is an ‘older’ project, which has been reactivated, right? Can you tell us how you got involved with music and what kind of music/sound did you wanted to create with Egoist?

Kuba: Egoist is an old project indeed, but it was rather hibernated than abandoned… I was always involved in doing music, but even when I was working in some cooperative projects covering slightly different musical stylistics, I was always keeping Egoist in back of my mind, and was composing ‘Egoist’ songs –slowly but surely…

Q: Your sound is clearly driven by EBM influences reminding Front Line Assembly. What’s your perception of EBM and what’s the impact of Frontline Assembly and other sources of inspiration on your own music? How do you transpose these influences into an own sound?

Kuba: I always had a soft spot for Canadian Electro-Industrial music. Skinny Puppy, Numb, early Psyche and of course Front Line Assembly. What kept me interested, especially in Skinny Puppy and FLA, was the complexity of their sound, attention to almost every detail that emerges in the background, helping to create rich, evolving sonic atmospheres. As to the FLA –in my early stuff I might have been under too much influence regarding song structures, etc., it seems, however, that I managed to broke off that convention as you may hear in more recent songs.

I really appreciated, but was never too carried away by classic European EBM bands such as Front 242, DAF or Nitzer Ebb. I was always intrigued in more complex alternative ‘body’ music – like Haujobb, Gridlock as well as classic industrial acts.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the re-release of “Breaking Moment”, which was originally (self)-released in 2004 as an EP. And what can say about the extra songs?

Kuba: The self-released demo consisted of 5 original tracks and a remix of a Controlled Collapse song. It was received rather well by the audience and gave me opportunity for live shows. In 2005 I did a gig in Bratislava, during ‘Apocalyptic Visions’-festival, organized by Ryby (Peter Rybar) of Disharmony and Aliens Production label. During full European lockdown AD 2020 Peter contacted me and proposed releasing a full LP with tracks from my demo plus previously unpublished material. I collected songs that I thought were good enough to be released, Ryby took care of mastering and production side of things, and released it as both digital download and 13 track physical CD. I believe the extra songs are more mature, complex and showing an evolution in music I make.

Q: How do you see yourself as musician/producer? Do you’ve a specific way of working and are there specific references/criteria in the production work?

Kuba: I do not have a proper modus operandi when it comes to creating music. I try to combine the most convenient benefits of hardware synths, drum machines, samplers, whatnot and the overwhelming power of computer equipment used for musical purposes nowadays. I’m certainly not a big fan of mixing and music production in general, as I find it much less interesting than the creative process, such as sound sculpting, arranging, etc.

If you ask about the compositional process -it varies, sometimes I have a general outline of the main theme and structure of the piece or just fragments of the melody lines around which I arrange the whole song. Sometimes interesting ideas emerge during jam sessions to be developed later during work in D(igital)A(udio)W(orkstation).

Q: There’s a new album (or EP) out now featuring two new songs and an impressive list of remixes. Tell us a bit more about the writing of the title song “Phantoms”? What do you think about the remixes? Any favorite ones?

Kuba: Remixes are intentionally of different, bar electronic, stylistics, as it shows how much one can make with the same source track. It is a very interesting experience to find out what parts of the original song were most appealing to remixers, and how they transformed it, picking up different ‘start points’ and approaches.

If I had to choose my favorite remix –I think it would be Tomtylor’s one or a dancefloor killer by Procesor Plus.

Q: What are your further plans about new productions, live shows, remixes and eventually side-activities?    

Kuba: I did remixes for well known Polish alternative artists, i.e.: Agressiva 69 and Clicks. Right now I am finishing a thing for legendary polish Post-Punk formation 1984. I am also preparing EGOIST live shows, which will start at the end of 2021 at ‘Energia Dzwieku’-festival in Wroclaw, alongside Frett, Liebknecht and Haujobb, as well as trying to find time and energy to finish an EP of my side-project Brud.

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 DHI (death and horror inc)’s latest EP, “The Idiot Parade”. The song is described by frontman Vicar as “a condemnation of grotesque ideologies and their disturbing intertwinement. It’s a protest against fact denialism, Hollywood-esque conspiracy theories, anti-science activism, mob rule mentality, and the delusion of white supremacy.”

The EP’s four remaining tracks include a new ‘Desolate’ version of last year’s “Losing” single, “Chosen Ruler (Shameless)”, and 3 remixes: “Chosen Ruler (Mix V2)”, “Losing (Mix V2)” and “The Idiot Parade (Virulent)”.

As Vicar explains: “Once the EP’s title track and new remixes were completed, I went back and listened to the two singles from last year. Which, compared to the new material, almost sounded like demos to me. Ultimately, I ended up mixing the original versions of ‘Chosen Ruler’ and ‘Losing’ all over again, from the ground up. I’m happy to say that the ‘V2’ mixes do a better job at capturing the energy and emotion of those songs. And, hey… they’re louder now!”

About DHI

Formed in 1987 in Toronto’s early electronic industrial scene, DHI (death and horror inc) released four CDs on Fringe Product (the Canadian home to Black Flag and The Dead Kennedys) in the nineties. They also appeared on Belgium’s Kk Records (Front Line Assembly, Bauhaus).

In 2019, the group released expanded editions of its entire 1990s catalogue, including remixes and rare early tracks. In response to the renewed interest in DHI that followed, and with the blessing of his cofounding band member, frontman Vicar is once again creating new material under the DHI banner.

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

Canadian electronic musician and producer Rhys Fulber returns with a solo album, “Brutal Nature”.

Utilising a smaller home set-up rather than Fulber’s usual preferred studio made for an engaged environment and the creation of a greater number of intimate compositions to sit alongside club and night culture influenced tracks that dominated his previous releases for the Sonic Groove label.

This time around, you can expect shimmering ambient textures and floating voices mixed with pulsating technoid rhythms. The more EBM-flavoured “Stare At The Sun” features guest vocals from Sara Taylor of Youth Code.

The new album will be out on November 26 via FR Recordings.

Fulber is best known for his lengthy (and ongoing) tenures with industrial standard bearers Front Line Assembly and ambient pop exponents Delerium (both with Bill Leeb), his solo project Conjure One, plus a series of recent dark techno-based albums released under his own name. As a producer, he has worked extensively with established metal acts such as Fear Factory and Paradise Lost, as well as the industrial hardcore act Youth Code.

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!

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Metropolis Records will be reissuing the first seven albums by Delerium. These seven remastered albums include “Faces, Forms and Illusions” (1988), “Morpheus” (1989), “Syrophenikan” (1990), “Spiritual Archives” (1991), “Stone Tower” (1991), “Spheres I” (1994) and “Spheres II” (1994).

All of these long out-of-print albums will be simultaneously released by Metropolis on very limited edition white vinyl sets and compact disc along with all digital and streaming platforms on March 4th, 2022.

The material has been remastered for the occasion.

About Delerium

Delerium formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act Front Line Assembly. Throughout the band’s history, their musical style has encompassed a broad range, including dark ethereal ambient trance, voiceless industrial soundscapes, and electronic pop music. They are best known for their worldwide hit “Silence”. The band is known to feature several female guest vocalists on their albums since their 1997 album “Karma”.

These have included mostly women, such as The Mediæval Bæbes, Kristy Thirsk (of Rose Chronicles), Sarah McLachlan, Leigh Nash (of Sixpence None the Richer), Elsieanne Caplette (of Elsiane), Lisa Gerrard (sampled only), Jaël (of Swiss band Lunik), Camille Henderson, Nerina Pallot, Emily Haines (of Metric), Jacqui Hunt (of Single Gun Theory), Isabel Bayrakdarian and Shelley Harland. Other than Leeb, only three males have contributed vocals to a Delerium album: Matthew Sweet (“Daylight”, on Poem), Greg Froese (“Apparition”, on Nuages du Monde), and Michael Logen (“Days Turn into Nights”, on Music Box Opera); in addition, Baaba Maal was sampled (“Awakenings, on “Spiritual Archives”).

The only constant member throughout its history has been Bill Leeb. Leeb was an early member of industrial pioneers Skinny Puppy, but after he left in 1986 he went on to create his own project, Front Line Assembly with collaborator Michael Balch. Later, the two worked on the side project Delerium and released their first album, “Faces, Forms & Illusions”.

After Balch left both Front Line Assembly and Delerium, Leeb worked with Rhys Fulber, and the two released several albums under the Delerium moniker. These years saw a gradual stylistic change from darker ambient to a more danceable sound. After the release of “Karma”, Fulber left to pursue other interests, and Leeb teamed up with producer Chris Peterson to release “Poem”. 2003, however, saw the reunion of Leeb and Fulber for the release of “Chimera”, followed by “Nuages du Monde” in 2006.

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!

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Pennsylvania-based industrial band Malice Machine have just unleashed their new full-length album, “Chemical Violence”. Concept wise the lyrics on “Chemical Violence” express some of the the darker sides of our nature. All songs were written by Syn and Ammo and recorded and mastered by Syn at Prototype Studio. The tracks “Restrict” and “Dead Circuit” on the other hand were co-produced and mixed by John Bechdel from Ministry.

For the band “Chemical Violence started as a continuation of their first album, “Digital Scars”, but quickly evolved into a more electronic driven, rhythmic industrial project with guitar being a lesser element. Musically “Chemical Violence” covers a lot of industrial territory. Says the band: “We don’t want to be pigeonholed into one sub-genre so all the songs have their own flavor. Retro and post style, Electronic, driven guitar, grinding Noisecore and Aggrotech elements, Synth bass, Drum-dominant.”

Front line Assembly, KMFDM and Wumpscut fans. Here’s the video for “Restrict”.

Check out the full album 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. 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!

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Portland, Oregon-based ambient act Slighter returns with “V O I D”, the follow-up to their 2019 album “Automata”. On “V O I D” mastermind Colin C. brings a new collection of songs, continuing the atmospheric and moody style he’s known for.

At the moment a campaign is running to get “V O I D” pressed to vinyl. Along with the original 9 album cuts, you’ll get 2 bonus tracks: “The Hunt” (featuring Moris Blak) and “Lights Out” (featuring Craig Joseph Huxtable of Ohm/Front Line Assembly/Noise Unit) plus the single “Cold Calculation” and an unreleased reprise of “Burning Embers”.

You can check out the campaign right here.

Check out the video for “Complicit”.

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!

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