Implant – SIDE-LINE

Implant interview: Len Lemeire on ‘The Kinematics Of Doubt’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:43:12 +0000

Implant mainman Len Lemeire discusses ‘The Kinematics Of Doubt’, his fifteenth studio album as the long-running Belgian EBM project, in a new interview with Side-Line. The record came out on Alfa Matrix on October 30, 2026, in digital and CD editions, led by the single “Underneath The Neon Lights.”

Lemeire named the fourteen-track album after kinematics, the branch of physics that studies motion without asking what causes it, a frame he uses to talk about songwriting as a series of decisions: tempo, key, sound, arrangement, hook and lyrics all pushing a track somewhere else. In the interview, he talks about the title’s origins, the political uses of doubt, a guest vocal he recorded for Aiboforcen, the physics behind track titles such as “The Observer Effect” and “The Insider,” the EBM scene’s old suspicion of trance, and mastering work for other Alfa Matrix artists.

Implant shares a double release night with Llumen at mOtown in Sint-Joost-ten-Node on November 20, with interactive visuals by Pieter Coussement.

The Kinematics Of Doubt by Implant

Implant interview

Side-Line: In physics, kinematics describes movement without asking what causes it. Why borrow that frame? Is it also a refusal to explain why you make the music you make?

Len: Kinematics is, quite literally, the study of motion. What attracted me to the term was the idea that composing is also a process of movement. Every decision pushes a track somewhere else: the BPM, the key, the sounds, the arrangement, the hook, the lyrics. At some point during the making of the album, I started to see this almost as a dance between doubt and decisions that worked. That is where “The Kinematics of Doubt” came from.

So I would not say the title is a refusal to explain why I make the music I make. If anything, the reason can probably be traced back to a kind of reverse childhood trauma.

My parents were actually very open-minded when it came to music. I could play almost anything at home without much reaction. But when I discovered Front 242, that was apparently the limit. I still remember my father standing at the bottom of the stairs shouting: “Turn that noise off!” And, well… the rest is history.

Side-Line: The album also has a track called “The Observer Effect”: in physics, measuring a system changes it. Kinematics, observation, are you writing a physics album about people?

Len: Haha, not really. Choosing an album title is always a long process for me. Once I have one, though, I do tend to start seeing connections around it and building on it as I go.

“The Observer Effect” is a good example. The track was originally called “The Hawthorne Effect,” after the psychological concept that people change their behaviour when they know they are being observed. A very simple example would be sitting at a red light with a police car next to you: even if you are doing absolutely nothing wrong, you suddenly become much more conscious of how you behave. The lyrics take that idea into relationships. Couples often develop a certain way of behaving when they are together, and I find it fascinating how different people can become when their partner, the “observer” in this case, is no longer there.

So no, I did not deliberately set out to make a physics album about people. But the record is very much about human interaction, and in hindsight that is actually quite an interesting thing to look at through the idea of movement as well: how people influence each other, change direction, adapt, react and pull one another into different patterns. I genuinely enjoy it when someone discovers layers like that in the music, even when they were not consciously designed that way. I always hope music can carry ideas as well as sound, so if it makes someone think beyond the immediate track, I take that as a compliment.

Side-Line: What were you certain about in 1996, when “Fun” came out, that you’ve since let go of? And what are you still unsure of today?

Len: When “Fun” came out, I was 26. I am 56 now, so inevitably the things you are certain about, and the things you are afraid of, change quite dramatically.

I recently did a guest vocal for Aiboforcen about the period when I first got to know Seba and Benoit. One of the lines goes: “We were young, a bit naive. We fought the demons in our minds.” I do not usually like explaining lyrics too much, but that line probably says something about the difference. Back then, we were singing about our fears and our demons, but we were also incredibly naive. At 26, a lot of your uncertainty is directed towards the future: what will happen, whether things will work out, whether you will become the person you think you are supposed to become. At 56, the uncertainty is different. In some ways, the fears become less selfish because you have children and there are people whose future matters to you at least as much as your own. They also become more concrete. You start seeing people around you disappear, slowly but inevitably, and time stops being an abstract concept.

So perhaps what I have let go of is the certainty that there will always be enough time to figure everything out. What am I still unsure of today? Probably most things that really matter. The difference is that I am much more comfortable with that than I was at 26.

Side-Line: Doubt has become a political tool: manufactured uncertainty about science, elections, facts. Does the album separate the doubt that frees you from the doubt that’s used against you?

Len: Doubt has definitely become a political tool. It can be a very effective way of creating division, although I would argue that doubt itself is often only the weapon, polarization is the broader strategy. A lot of political communication today is built around defining a problem in the strongest and clearest possible terms. But being very good at identifying a problem does not automatically mean you have a good solution for it. I think we sometimes confuse those two things. If someone describes a problem in a way that strongly resonates with us, we become more inclined to trust the solution they offer as well.

The problem is that a powerful diagnosis often benefits from simplification and extremes, whereas actually explaining something requires nuance. And nuance is much harder to communicate. There is a difference between naming a problem effectively and genuinely explaining it. But that is quite different from the doubt on “The Kinematics of Doubt.” The album is much more concerned with doubt as part of movement and creation: questioning a decision, changing direction, trying something else and eventually arriving somewhere.

For me, that is almost the opposite of manufactured doubt. Productive doubt opens possibilities. Doubt that is deliberately used against you usually tries to restrict them. At that point, it stops being curiosity and starts becoming manipulation.

Side-Line: “Information Systems” is built entirely from spoken samples about the mythology of computing. Which myths did you want to expose and why open with voices instead of a beat?

Len: “Information Systems” basically functions as the introduction to the EP. I wanted it to open with something that was not immediately a beat-driven track, but that created a context before the music really started moving.

The subject also comes quite naturally to me. In everyday life I am a university professor, and one of the subjects I teach to first-year economics students deals with the role of information systems in organisations. But I am at least as fascinated by the role computers have acquired in our everyday lives. We hardly notice most of these systems anymore, precisely because they have become so deeply embedded in how we live.

That fascination has become even stronger with the current discussion around AI and ideas such as “human in the loop.” There seems to be a growing tendency to regard computer involvement itself as problematic in certain areas, particularly when we talk about creativity and art. I understand where that discussion comes from, but I also find the contradiction interesting. We may strongly object to an algorithm interfering with art, while being perfectly happy to let another algorithm tell us where we can buy something for the lowest price.

What interests me is that underneath all those different applications, the basic principle remains remarkably simple. Computers perform computations. AI may appear mysterious, intelligent or even threatening, and an online recommendation system may appear completely mundane, but both ultimately emerge from enormous sequences of calculations.

That is why one of the samples in the track, “computations are carried out,” is almost the key line for me. There is a mythology surrounding computers because we tend to focus on what their output appears to mean rather than on what the machine is actually doing.

And that is also why I wanted to start with voices rather than a beat. It works almost like a small lecture or statement of intent before the EP begins. The rhythm comes afterwards; first I wanted the idea to enter the room.

Side-Line: “The Insider” asks how much of what we call fact is really interpretation. Who’s the insider in 2026: the expert, the algorithm, or the person who leaks?

Len: “The Insider” is really about the one-eyed man in the land of the blind. I don’t think anybody truly has “inside information” unless they are actually involved in shaping the thing itself. Experts are not necessarily insiders. They may understand the structure extremely well, but that is still different from being at the origin of it. An algorithm is something else again. Most of the time, it is a mechanism for supporting or automating decisions: who gets shown which music, what the next word in a sentence should be, which information reaches which person. It does not really “know” in the human sense; it classifies, ranks and predicts. And the person who leaks information is different again. That is often somebody who was close enough to help shape something, but who may no longer agree with the shape it has taken.

If you connect those three to doubt, you actually get three completely different forms of it. The expert doubts the nature or interpretation of the structure. The algorithm replaces doubt with classification and probability. The leaker may doubt whether something should remain hidden in the first place.

But the song itself is less about those three categories and more about the person who knows one fragment of the picture and then starts behaving as if they understand the entire artefact. That is the kind of “insider” I was interested in: someone who possesses a piece of the truth and mistakes that piece for the whole.

Side-Line: The record circles control, obsession, surveillance, manipulation, identity and truth. EBM grew up on images of uniforms and factories. Is today’s control more intimate than a boot on the street?

Len: The record is indeed very much about human interaction, and I think observing human interaction only becomes really interesting when you start looking at the boundaries. Almost every subject you mention, control, obsession, surveillance, manipulation, identity, truth, exists somewhere on a borderline. And human behaviour has a tendency to test those borders, to see what happens on the other side.

For me, EBM has always done something similar. It is a genre that probes boundaries. And the most interesting modern forms of EBM are crossing boundaries with other musical styles. I think that is also part of its origins, although the imagery traditionally associated with EBM, uniforms, factories, discipline, machinery, has not always been entirely consistent with what the songs were actually about. When I hear Nitzer Ebb sing “if you smile you can’t take it back,” for instance, I also hear an observation about human behaviour rather than simply an industrial aesthetic.

Control itself has also become much more complex. We have found ways of scaling up very personal forms of control through social media, algorithms and visibility. What used to happen between individuals can now be amplified to thousands or millions of people. Jimmy Carr, one of my favourite stand-up comedians, once made the joke that socialism is the redistribution of wealth, while social media is the redistribution of status. There is quite a lot of truth in that. Status, attention and visibility have become things that can be measured, distributed and manipulated.

So yes, I think control today is often much more intimate than a boot on the street. It can sit inside the way we present ourselves, the way we compare ourselves to others, the information we receive and even the way we start adjusting our behaviour.

Side-Line: “Transaction Failure,” “Beyond The Code,” “On TV”: money, software, media. Are those the three machines that manufacture doubt today?

Len: They are certainly machines that can produce doubt, but they are not the only ones. Doubt itself is not necessarily something negative. In many ways, it is fundamental to both science and religion. The most intelligent people I know usually leave some room for uncertainty in what they know, not because they distrust their own knowledge, but because they understand that very few things come with complete answers.

That is where it becomes interesting. The moment someone claims to have the complete solution, I become suspicious. Very often, certainty is also a form of power. If you can replace doubt with belief in one clear answer, one system or one explanation, you will always find people willing to follow that story. That is also why science can be frustrating. Science spends enormous amounts of time trying to reduce uncertainty, test assumptions and eliminate alternative explanations. Creating doubt is much easier than producing certainty.

So yes, money, software and media can all manufacture doubt, but the more important mechanism is perhaps the promise that doubt can be removed completely. That promise is often much more powerful than doubt itself.

Side-Line: Trance is back in the mix. Around 2000 the industrial scene looked down on it. Did the scene owe trance an apology looking backward?

Len: There are definitely a few trance ideas on the album, even some Goa influences, but also techno and melodic techno. I have never been very interested in treating genres as fixed territories. Those categories can be useful to describe music, but they become limiting very quickly if you start treating them as rules.

So does the industrial scene owe trance an apology? Maybe a little. Around 2000 there was certainly a tendency to look down on certain styles simply because they belonged to another scene or carried a different aesthetic. Looking back, that seems rather pointless to me. If an idea works, it works. All those boxes are there to be broken down anyway.

Side-Line: You master a lot of Alfa Matrix releases. Does hearing everyone else’s work up close make you more doubtful of your own or more confident?

Len: Mastering is quite a technical discipline, and I really see it as something different from writing or producing music. I always consider it a great honour when somebody trusts me with the final sound of an album or EP, because that is an important stage in shaping the end product. My job is to make the music come across as well as possible without imposing myself on it.

Compilations are slightly different. There you are often dealing with an overview of a period, a scene or a label, so consistency becomes very important. With an album or an EP, it feels much more personal because you are dealing with one artist’s complete vision.

Of course, listening to so much music that closely does affect the way I hear things. Sometimes I hear something and think, “Damn, I wish I had done that,” or “I should have tried that in a mix.” And sometimes I hear something and think that maybe there was more that could have been brought out of it. But to be honest, I have that with music all the time, even when I am simply listening in the car. Once you make music yourself, you never really listen in a completely passive way anymore. Whether you want to or not, part of your brain is always imagining the tracks in the DAW, wondering how something was built, mixed or arranged. So I would not say it makes me more doubtful or more confident. Both I guess.

Side-Line: You’ve worked with Front 242, Anne Clark and Noemi Aurora. What did a collaborator ever teach you that you couldn’t have taught yourself?

Len: Every collaboration has been unique, and I genuinely think I learned something from every single one of them. The list is actually much longer than those three, and every person on that list brought something different. Sometimes it was musical, sometimes technical, sometimes simply a different way of approaching an idea or making a decision.

What I probably value most, though, is the fact that music has allowed me to meet so many interesting people. Most of those connections started from a very simple place: mutual respect for each other’s music. I feel genuinely blessed that music has given me the opportunity to work with all those people and to build those connections along the way.

Side-Line: On November 20 you share a release night with Llumen at mOtown. Pieter Coussement also does Implant’s visuals. Does the image follow the sound, or does it sometimes lead?

Len: Pieter has programmed quite a lot for the visual side of the Implant live show. Some elements are prepared video clips, but there is always an interactive layer on top that he controls live. The visuals react to what happens on stage. Even when I play certain sounds on the keyboard, that can trigger an effect or a visual response and a sound. So the image is quite interactive rather than simply running alongside the music. Pieter also handles a few sound effects and additional elements during the show. All in all, it is definitely more than just pressing play on a laptop. The tracks themselves have also been reworked into proper live versions, so both the sound and the visuals are adapted for the stage.

On November 20, I would describe the show at mOtown almost as a preview or a try-out for that setup. Llumen also has a very strong new album out, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to combine both releases in one evening. And because Pieter is involved in both projects, there is a natural connection between them. We are hoping that the Llumen-Implant combination is something we can bring to a few more stages after that as well.

So does the image follow the sound? Sometimes, yes. But because so much of it is interactive, there are also moments where sound and image are really influencing each other rather than one simply following the other.

About Implant

Implant is the electro-industrial project Len Lemeire started in Belgium in 1996. That year’s debut CD single, “Fun,” credited Lemeire alongside Geert Machtelinck and was pressed in a numbered edition of 1,000 copies. Built on EBM sequencing, physical electronics and a recurring catchphrase, “did you have your Implant today?,” the project went on to release albums including “Implantology,” “Audio Blender,” “The Productive Citizen” and “Soft Flesh – Hard Steel,” alongside the EP “Fading Away.”

Lemeire released the free download single “The Drive” in December 2023, followed by the twelfth studio album, “The Chaos Machines Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen,” in May 2024. The trilogy continued with the limited vinyl EP “The Chaos Machines Part 2 – Scratching The Surface” in September 2024 and closed with “Judging Sinners – The Chaos Machines Part 3” on February 7, 2025, a ten-track album again featuring Noemi Aurora. Lemeire has also recorded with Front 242 and Anne Clark, and mastered releases across the Alfa Matrix roster.

“The Kinematics Of Doubt,” Implant’s fifteenth studio album, followed on October 30, 2026, on Alfa Matrix, in digital and CD. Lemeire marks the record with a double release night alongside Llumen at mOtown in Sint-Joost-ten-Node on November 20, with interactive visuals by longtime collaborator Pieter Coussement.

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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Implant – I’m Only Happy When You Bleed (Digital EP – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0000

The Belgian project Implant, led by Len Lemeire, has completed its fifteenth album. To announce its arrival and whet fans’ appetites, the band has released the EP “I’m Only Happy When You Bleed”, featuring five tracks and three remixes.

Implant is a band that manages to avoid self-repetition while remaining distinctly recognizable. What strikes me about this EP is that the tracks are more subdued, each contributing to a particular atmosphere. It isn’t exactly ‘cinematic’, but rather feels like an experiment or a Freestyle Exercise, With Nods To EBM, Ambient, and Electro-Pop. Blend all these elements together, and you get a rough idea of what this EP is all about. Personally, I find that the tracks—especially the title track—lack a real climax. For me, the standout is “Pills (In F Sharp),” which has a slightly harder edge, a cool EBM-driven bassline, and a rich array of sounds and effects, all topped off by Len Lemeire’s vocals. I hate to say it, but the remixes—particularly those by Crash Course In Science, with their minimalist approach, People Theatre, with their vintage textures, and Aiboforcen—are all far more inspired than the original title track.

I’m used to a higher standard from Implant, but let’s wait for the full album before drawing any broader conclusions. (Rating:7).

Listen to “I’m Only Happy When You Bleed – Crash Course In Science Remix”:

I’m Only Happy When You Bleed (Crash Course In Science Remix) by Implant

About Implant

Implant is the electro-industrial project Len Lemeire started in Belgium in 1996. The debut CD single, “Fun,” credited to Lemeire alongside Geert Machtelinck, was pressed in a numbered edition of 1,000 copies that year. The project’s catalogue spans harsh EBM, industrial dance, electro-pop and dark synth across releases including “Implantology,” “Audio Blender,” “The Productive Citizen” and the EP “Fading Away,” closing most releases with the line “Did you have your Implant today?”

Implant released the free download single “The Drive” in December 2023. The twelfth studio album, “The Chaos Machines Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen,” followed in May 2024. Lemeire discussed its modular-synth approach and a duet with Noemi Aurora in Implant interview: ‘Embrace chaos through the machines!’. The trilogy continued with the limited vinyl EP “The Chaos Machines Part 2 – Scratching The Surface” in September 2024 and closed with the album “Judging Sinners – The Chaos Machines Part 3” on February 7, 2025, again featuring Noemi Aurora and covered in Exclusive interview with Implant judging all those sinners.

“The Kinematics Of Doubt,” Implant’s fifteenth studio album, follows on October 30, 2026. “I’m Only Happy When You Bleed,” out now as an eight-track EP, is the second single revealed from the record.

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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Implant releases 15th album ‘The Kinematics Of Doubt’ on Alfa Matrix – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 15:49:18 +0000

Belgian EBM act Implant today released its 15th studio album “The Kinematics Of Doubt” on Alfa Matrix, thirty years after Len Lemeire started the project. The fourteen-track album is issued on CD and digital, and is also sold in a three-way bundle with new albums from Llumen and C-Lekktor.

The Kinematics Of Doubt by IMPLANT

The tracklist runs “The Observer Effect”, “Underneath The Neon Lights”, “Pills”, “I’m Only Happy When You Bleed”, “Civilization”, “Sanity”, “Framed”, “Transaction Failure”, “Are You Crying?”, “Talking In Your Sleep”, “Beyond The Code”, “No Apologies Required”, “On TV” and “Wounds”. Lemeire builds the album’s title from a term borrowed from physics, where kinematics describes movement without addressing the forces behind it; the label describes the record’s theme as doubt treated as motion rather than hesitation, running through songs about control, surveillance, obsession and identity. Lead single “Underneath The Neon Lights” carries the dancefloor pulse of the record, while “I’m Only Happy When You Bleed” is built on a 3/4 rhythm, and “Pills”, “Framed” and “Sanity” work as more direct EBM cuts alongside the slower “Civilization”, “Talking In Your Sleep” and closer “Wounds”.

“Underneath The Neon Lights” is also available as a single on Spotify.

Double release party with Llumen on 20 November

Implant and Llumen launch their respective albums together on 20 November 2026 at mOtown in Sint-Joost-ten-Node, Belgium, repeating a format the two Belgian acts previously used for a joint release show in Antwerp in October 2021; Side-Line reported the date as part of Llumen’s “Winter Eden” announcement in LLUMEN announces fourth album ‘Winter Eden’ for 30 October, led by the single ‘The Leftovers’.

About Implant

Implant is the electro-industrial project Len Lemeire started in Belgium in 1996; that year’s debut CD single “Fun” credits Lemeire alongside Geert Machtelinck and was pressed in a numbered edition of 1,000 copies. Built on relentless EBM sequencing, physical electronics and a recurring catchphrase, “did you have your Implant today?”, the project has carried a catalogue that spans harsh EBM, industrial dance, electro-pop and dark synth across releases including “Implantology”, “Audio Blender”, “The Productive Citizen” and the EP “Fading Away”.

Implant released the free download single “The Drive” in December 2023, followed by the twelfth studio album “The Chaos Machines Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen” in May 2024, a record Lemeire discussed in Implant interview: ‘Embrace chaos through the machines!’, where he described the album’s modular-synth approach and its duet with Noemi Aurora. The trilogy continued with the limited vinyl EP “The Chaos Machines Part 2 – Scratching The Surface” in September 2024 and closed with “Judging Sinners – The Chaos Machines Part 3” on 7 February 2025, a ten-track album again featuring Noemi Aurora and covered in a follow-up feature, Exclusive interview with Implant judging all those sinners. “The Kinematics Of Doubt” follows as Implant’s fifteenth studio album and, on Alfa Matrix’s account, its first release conceived outside that trilogy since 2024, arriving alongside the 20 November double release party with Llumen.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Implant releases ‘I’m Only Happy When You Bleed’ EP, second single from ‘The Kinematics Of Doubt’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 06:14:45 +0000

Belgian EBM act Implant releases the EP “I’m Only Happy When You Bleed” on October 2, 2026 via Alfa Matrix. The eight-track release previews the band’s fifteenth studio album, “The Kinematics Of Doubt,” due October 30 on the same label.

I’m Only Happy When You Bleed EP by IMPLANT

‘I’m Only Happy When You Bleed’ is the second single from ‘The Kinematics Of Doubt’

The title track is the second song revealed from “The Kinematics Of Doubt,” after lead single “Underneath The Neon Lights.” Built on a 3/4 rhythm, it pairs evolving electronic layers and a shifting pulse with lyrics centered on control, cruelty and forced submission.

The EP extends the single into an eight-track release. “Information Systems” opens the record with a long-form soundscape built entirely from spoken samples about the mythology of computing. “The Insider” addresses privileged knowledge and how much of what people take as fact is actually interpretation or assumption. “Pills (in f sharp)” reworks the album track “Pills” into a different key, turning its “I want more pills” refrain into both a chant and a comment on the pursuit of quick fixes. “Underneath The Neon Lights” also appears on the EP.

Three remixes of the title track close the release. New York act Crash Course In Science turns the song into a club-oriented dance track. People Theatre take it in a more melodic direction before a detuned lead takes over. Belgian label mate Aiboforcen contributes a version Alfa Matrix describes as distinctly Aiboforcen’s own while staying rooted in Implant’s sound.

‘I’m Only Happy When You Bleed’ EP tracklist

“Information Systems” (3:16)
“I’m Only Happy When You Bleed” (4:00)
“Underneath The Neon Lights” (4:55)
“I’m Only Happy When You Bleed” (Crash Course In Science remix) (4:39)
“Pills (in f sharp)” (4:00)
“I’m Only Happy When You Bleed” (People Theatre vein remix) (5:32)
“The Insider” (4:33)
“I’m Only Happy When You Bleed” (Aiboforcen remix) (4:12)

The EP is a digital release, available via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page.

‘The Kinematics Of Doubt’ follows on October 30

Side-Line previously reported on “The Kinematics Of Doubt” in Implant sets 15th album ‘The Kinematics Of Doubt’ for 30 October on Alfa Matrix. The fourteen-track album is issued on CD and digital and includes “I’m Only Happy When You Bleed” alongside “The Observer Effect,” “Underneath The Neon Lights,” “Pills,” “Civilization,” “Sanity,” “Framed,” “Transaction Failure,” “Are You Crying?,” “Talking In Your Sleep,” “Beyond The Code,” “No Apologies Required,” “On TV” and “Wounds.” Implant and Llumen launch their respective albums together on November 20, 2026 at mOtown in Sint-Joost-ten-Node, Belgium.

About Implant

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Alfa Matrix marks 24 years with a 69-track free label sampler, ‘Matrix+ Downloaded 012’

Eldrina Mich — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:43:04 +0000

The Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix releases the twelfth volume in its “Matrix+ Downloaded” series to coincide with the label’s 24th anniversary. The digital-only set collects 69 tracks across the label’s current spectrum – EBM, dark elektro/industrial, synth pop – and newer Spleen+ additions spanning post-punk, goth rock and coldwave. The compilation is offered as a free/pay-what-you-want download via the label’s Bandcamp page and also includes a PDF booklet.

On the cover you will recognize Erica Dunham from Unter Null.

Artists included on this free download compilation include: Studio-X (feat. Kyoko Baertsoen), Rector Scanner, Aesthetische, Cut.Rate.Box, Kant Kino, Frontal Boundary, C-Lekktor, Acylum, Diffuzion, Implant, Neikka RPM, First Aid 4 Souls (feat. Aux Animaux), Noemi Aurora, Suicidal Romance, Llumen, Hanging Freud, Lederman/De Meyer, The Ultimate Dreamers, Aiboforcen, Digital Factor, Armageddon Dildos, Helalyn Flowers, Krystal System, The True Union, Freakangel, Totem Obscura, Lovelorn Dolls (feat. Dero Goi), The Breath of Life, The Names, ImJudas, Synapsyche, Miseria Ultima, Unter Null, Alien Vampires (feat. Dani Divine), Venal Flesh, Helle9, To Avoid, Pouppée Fabrikk, Stahlgeist, Nigra Nebula, Aengeldust, Circuito Cerrado, Matthew Creed, Cubic, Metroland, The Psychic Force, Komor Kommando, First Aid Tech, Die Robo Sapiens, ELM, Plastic Noise Experience, AD:Key, Elektroklänge, 808 Dot Pop, Avarice in Audio, Elektrostaub (feat. Echo Image), Cryogenic Echelon, Entrzelle, Neuroactive, Technoir, Mondträume, Star Industry, Stray, Psy’Aviah (feat. Sorrow Stories), Zombie Girl, Darkness on Demand, Circumpolar, Dunkelwerk, and Lights A.M.

Matrix+ Downloaded 012 by Various Artists

A&R manager, Sebastien Dolimont says: “In 2025, Alfa Matrix proudly celebrates 24 years of existence. Nearly a quarter of a century fighting for dark alternative music, discovering new talents, and keeping the underground alive. This anniversary is not just about us and our artists – it’s about you, our fans. Because without your constant support, there would be no label, no releases, no future for the scene we all love.”

And he add: “In a world where indie labels are disappearing, streaming revenues collapse, and risks of signing new talents are higher than ever, we are proud to still stand strong — but we can only do it with you by our side. By downloading this compilation, you are not just enjoying music — you are actively supporting 69 artists and helping keep our scene alive, fresh, and forward-looking. From all of us at Alfa Matrix and Spleen+, and on behalf of all our artists: thank you for 24 years of loyalty, passion, and support. Together, we’ll keep writing the future of the dark underground.”

About Alfa Matrix

Alfa Matrix is a Brussels-based independent label founded in 2001. The catalogue focuses on electronic subgenres including industrial, EBM, dark elektro, and synth pop, later expanding into post-punk/coldwave via the Spleen+ division. The label’s team includes label & artists manager Seba Dolimont, promo manager Bernard Van Isacker, and head of design Benoît Blanchart.

From the early 2000s, Alfa Matrix used series-based releases to build international reach. Notable strands include “Sounds From The Matrix” (label samplers), “Re:Connected” (digital label overview), and the club-oriented “Endzeit Bunkertracks” multi-CD anthologies (first “Act” released 21 March 2005, featuring 60 tracks with 50 exclusives).

In 2023, Alfa Matrix inaugurated Spleen+, a division centred on post-punk and adjacent styles, and followed with multi-artist projects and catalogue building, including the “Resurgence” 7-CD box that assembled 133 contemporary bands from the post-punk family.

This interview is part of an ongoing interview series that we do in collaboration with Spleen+ / Alfa Matrix for the massive 7CD post-punk / coldwave / minimal electro boxset “Resurgence”. You can order this fine set as a 7CD set or as a download via Bandcamp. This release will NOT be available on Spotify or any other service, except for Bandcamp.

Resurgence by VARIOUS ARTISTS

The label has since the very start focused on a direct contact with its fans and customers via their online webstore and Bandcamp.

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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Exclusive interview with Implant judging all those sinners

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:50:04 +0000

With “Judging Sinners”, IMPLANT brings the Chaos Machines trilogy to its climactic conclusion – an album where pulsing beats, dystopian visions, and raw lyrical introspection collide. A master of blending EBM, industrial psy-trance, and dark electro, Len Lemeire delivers a sonic statement that is both club-ready and thought-provoking.

In this exclusive interview, Len dives into the themes of judgment, contradiction, and chaos that shape “Judging Sinners”, the organic evolution of the IMPLANT sound, and what the future holds beyond the chaos. From the dancefloor energy of “Why Don’t You Sin Like Me” to the haunting depths of “Nothing Left to Give, Nothing Left to Take”, discover the creative process behind one of IMPLANT’s most intense releases to date that closes the Chaos Machines trilogy with fire and fury. Step inside the mind of IMPLANT – where sin, sound, and subversion reign supreme.

The album is available on Bandcamp and via the Alfa Matrix webstore on CD.

Judging Sinners – The Chaos Machines part 3 by IMPLANT

S-L: “Judging Sinners” marks the final chapter of your “Chaos Machines” trilogy. What was the vision behind this closing installment, and how does it bring the trilogy full circle?

Len: This time the themes of the lyrics are more focused around people. How we judge each other starting from our own perspective. I think a good example of this is “Responsible”. A song about global warming. At the end I sing “and I can tell you exactly what is wrong and pretend that I act responsible”. The contradiction in the way we judge behavior and find a way to think our behavior is correct. I think this is very interesting.

“Judging Sinners” has the line ‘I’m judging sinners for sinning not like me”. That kind of sums it all up. (hence the album tittle)

S-L: The album has an intense, almost cinematic dystopian energy. What inspired the themes of sin, chaos, and judgment, and do they reflect your personal outlook on the world today?

Len: There are small little references in all the things about the chaos machine releases. Each sub-title of the albums has a sentence that was taken from the first track that got released from the album. with part one: “no more flies on the windscreen” was a sentence from “the drive”. With part 2 “scratching the surface”, it was a sentence from “responsible” (considering it’s a vinyl this one is spot on), “judging sinners’ comes from “why don’t you sin like me”. If you put them out of its original context and place them in a new spotlight (the album tittle) they get a second different life. I like small little references like this. It adds second layers to meaning etc. And yes, some tracks are an observation of things surrounding me. But others are deep emotional outlets. The dystopian energy just came naturally.

S-L: The fusion of 80s EBM, 90s dark elektro, and futuristic industrial psy-trance creates a unique sonic identity. How did you approach blending these influences while pushing the IMPLANT sound forward? Are you continuously stretching your studio boundaries or is it more a question of skills evolution?

Len: Yes, sure. I think one will always stretch the boundaries of what can be done in a studio. Most of the time because this is the part where interesting things start to happen. If a musician doesn’t do that, he is in fact formula editing his tracks. It will probably be more successful, but way less interesting (laugh). Blending influences is something that I never really think about in advance. While composing I do think ‘this could be nice’ and see where it will take me. My music reflects the music I listen to. And that is about anything that abuses synthesizers and a large blend of styles. Ranging from pure EBM to post punk to psytrance and anything in between.

S-L: Tracks like “Why Don’t You Sin Like Me” and “The Dancefloor Is Lava” seem tailor-made for the club scene, yet they carry a raw, almost anarchic energy. Do you consciously write with the dancefloor in mind, or does that element emerge naturally?

Len: I have always tried to make music that could be played in clubs. Of course there will always be tracks that are less dancefloor oriented. But in the end, I think a good collection of tracks on a CD should be for clubs. I do realize that the public listening to this type of music is no longer going to clubs on a weekly basis. But stuck in traffic, shouting along with hard hitting music is still way more fun than listening to the news!

S-L: NOEMI AURORA makes another haunting guest appearance on “nothing left to give, nothing left to take” What drew you to collaborate with her again, and how does her voice shape the mood of the track?

Len: Both tracks (‘I wasn’t there’ and ‘nothing left to give, nothing left to take’) were recorded at the same time. I asked Noemi to contribute to both tracks, because I really think they needed a female vocal. I think Noemi is probably the most talented female vocalist on Alfa Matrix. I’m not sure how this is perceived by other people. But I like her contribution to ‘nothing left to give, nothing left to take’ way better. To me this is not her voice carrying most of the track. In this case it’s more like a second layer. Yet it is so important to this track. The fact that she can add so much power to this refrain is exactly what I was hoping it would sound like. But Noemi is not only a good voice. She is also a very talented artist herself. People should check out her “Kintsugi” solo album on Spleen+/Alfa Matrix.

S-L: Beyond IMPLANT, you are also a producer and mastering engineer for lot of Alfa Matrix releases, shaping the sound of many other artists. How do these roles influence your own music, and do you approach your own albums differently compared to producing for others?

Len: Indeed, I do other studio work besides implant. I do a lot of mastering for AM. Doing productions is what I like the most beside composing for implant. You must build a relationship of trust with the artist. In the end it’s their music, not yours.

The production of The Ultimate Dreamers was very satisfying to do. Frederic is very open minded to new ideas yet has a clear vision of where to take his band. It’s a rare combination and something that really works in a studio. On top this post-punk genre is something I like (and listen to) a lot. For me the result is a typical Belgian product. (à la Belge). A guitar driven band that goes to an electro producer could be filed as Belgium surrealism, but it works…

S-L: The “Chaos Machines” trilogy has taken listeners on a dark, apocalyptic journey. Now that it’s complete, where do you see IMPLANT heading next? Will chaos continue to reign, or do you see a shift in sound or themes for future releases?

Len: The next album is getting close to being finished. I think I’ll release it early 2026. There is a lot new in my arsenal to compose. I switched computers (more calculating power) and I bought a lot of new software instruments and plugins. some other things have changed in the studio too. But I’ll explain all that in due time. People who heard the new tracks think that it is very promising, hard hitting and different (again). So, keep an eye out for the future (and don’t forget you dancing shoes)…

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Implant – Judging Sinners / The Chaos Machines Part 3 (Digital/CD Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Len Lemeire and Jan D’hooghe return with the final installment of their trilogy, “The Chaos Machines”. This work delves into the world of haters, sinners, and so-called responsible clowns, all awaiting their judgment. It feels like a striking commentary on the state of our contemporary world.

Musically, Implant stays true to their signature Electro sound, which defies easy categorization. Their songs are driven by danceable rhythms, yet the Electro elements result from a cross-pollination of various influences that aren’t immediately recognizable. It’s neither Industrial nor EBM, nor can it be classified as Pop, and their earlier Trance influences have long been pushed into the background. Implant crafts a soundscape of its own, where the magic of analog synths stirs a subtle sense of unrest. There’s always something visionary about their music—call it ‘Electro for Aliens’.

As with previous albums, there’s a track featuring Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers). While this is certainly a noteworthy release from the Belgian duo, it isn’t my favorite and ultimately feels like a somewhat underwhelming conclusion to the trilogy. (Rating:7).

Side-Line covered the album’s release on February 7, 2025, when “Judging Sinners – The Chaos Machines part 3” came out via Alfa Matrix.

Listen to “The Conformer”:

The Conformer by Implant

About Implant

Implant, the Belgian electronic act formed in 1992 by Geert Machtelinck and Len Lemeire, quickly crafted a distinctive sound that fused dark electro roots with dance-oriented electronic music. In 1996, they released their debut album, “Soft Flesh-Hard Steel”, under Celtic Circle Productions, following the single “Fun”. Two years later, they expanded their catalog with the “BrainFX” EP.

In 2000, Implant shifted toward a more dance-driven sound with their album “Kmputor”, incorporating goa trance influences and signaling a bold new direction. They continued this evolution with the double-CD album “Unidentified Flying Frequencies”, released via Flatline Records. When Flatline Records ceased operations, Implant transitioned to the Belgian label Alfa Matrix. Under this new partnership, they released “Planet Euphoria” in 2002, introducing a trancier vibe to their sound. This album also featured a collaboration with Canadian singer Jennifer Parkin.

Their production output continued with the albums “Horseback Riding Through Bassfields” (2003), “Self-Inflicted” (2005), “Implantology” (2009), “The Productive Citizen” (2013) and 2017’s “Oxynoxe-X”.

In 2021, Implant revisited a harder, more EBM-focused sound with the release of “Cognitive Dissonance”. The single “The Drive” followed in December 2023, it was the lead single from their upcoming 12th studio album. The track blended old-school EBM and industrial vibes with a futuristic edge, setting the tone for their subsequent albums, “The Chaos Machine Part 1: No More Flies On The Windscreen” and “The Chaos Machine Part 2: Scratching The Surface”.

Beyond their band productions, Len Lemeire produced and remixed tracks for numerous other bands, including a 2004 collaboration with poet and singer Anne Clark. “Judging Sinners – The Chaos Machines Part 3” closes the trilogy in 2025, again on Alfa Matrix, and features Helalyn Flowers singer Noemi Aurora on the track “Nothing Left To Give, Nothing Left To Take”.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Implant releases 3rd part of ‘The Chaos Machines’ trilogy in 2025 – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 08:39:24 +0000

Out now via Alfa Matrix is the 3rd installment of the ‘The Chaos Machines’ trilogy by the Belgian electro act Implant (Len Lemeire and Jan D’hooghe). Titled “Judging Sinners – The Chaos Machines part 3” the release holds 10 tracks including “Nothing left to give, nothing left to take” featuring Noemi Aurora.

In a reaction the band says that “‘Judging Sinners’ offers a dystopian limbo where sinners, haters, and responsible clowns await their final judgment. In this malevolent antechamber of hell, redemption comes not from repentance but from embracing the chaos that lingers in their fractured psyches.”

The album is available on CD (you can order your copy via the Alfa Matrix website) and as download and streaming.

Judging Sinners – The Chaos Machines part 3 by IMPLANT

About Implant

Scratching The Surface-The Chaos Machines part 2 by IMPLANT No More Flies On The Windscreen -The Chaos Machines part 1 by IMPLANT

Beyond their band productions, Len Lemeire producecd and remixed tracks for numerous other bands. In 2004, he collaborated with poet and singer Anne Clark.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Implant – Scratching The Surface – The Chaos Machines Part 2 (Digital/Vinyl Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Following the release of “No More Flies On The Windscreen” a few months ago, Implant now presents the second part of their trilogy, “The Chaos Machines”. This album is available not only in a digital edition but also in two distinct vinyl versions. It features some ‘Vinyl Versions’ of tracks from the previous album, including “I Wasn’t There” featuring Noemi Aurora, alongside new songs that allow Len Lemaire and his Belgian band to further explore and diversify their eclectic electronic sound. Ranging from highly danceable tracks to darker atmospheric pieces, and even moments with experimental, analog elements, the album’s cohesive thread is its solid bass lines. “The Drive – Vinyl Version” stands out as the album’s ultimate climax. Through it all, Implant maintains its distinctive, uncompromising style of composition. (Rating:8).

Listen to “The Drive – Vinyl Version”:

The Drive – Vinyl Version by Implant

Read the news on ‘The Chaos Machines Part 2’.

About Implant

Beyond their band productions, Len Lemeire produced and remixed tracks for numerous other bands. In 2004, he collaborated with poet and singer Anne Clark. With “Scratching The Surface – The Chaos Machines Part 2”, released on digital and vinyl, the band continues the trilogy it started earlier in 2024.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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‘Resurgence’, a massive 7CD post-punk boxset to be released in January 2025 – Pre-order now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 15:25:46 +0000

The Brussels-based Spleen+ label (a division of Alfa Matrix) has prepared a deluxe 7CD collector’s edition – “Resurgence” – which brings together 133 active bands from across the globe, spanning the diverse sub-genres born from post-punk’s iconic roots. You can order it now from the Alfa Matrix webstore and in digital download format from Bandcamp.

The release comes housed in a luxurious vinyl-sized box, and comes accompanied by a 28-page book. The book holds interviews from renowned producers like John Fryer and Jean-Marc Lederman, label managers, journalists, and iconic artists (including Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, William Faith, No More, Skeletal Family, Mona Mur, KaS Product, And Also The Trees, Clan Of Xymox, Attrition, Das Ich, Merciful Nuns, The Names, The Breath Of Life, etc).

Spanning 23 different nationalities, the music included is a genre-spanning mix of post-punk, cold wave, dark synth, ethereal, and minimal EBM with such bands like Boy Harsher, A Cloud Of Ravens, No More, Skeletal Family, Collection D’Arnell Andrea, Underviewer, Attrition, Merciful Nuns, Lederman/De Meyer, Local Suicide & Sekelesys, Star Industry, Ataraxia, Czarina, Helalyn Flowers, Ascii.Disko, Je T’Aime, The Ultimate Dreamers, Lycia, Opera Multi Steel, The Breath Of Life, Auger, The Names, Whispers In The Shadow, Lovelorn Dolls, Astari Nite, Chiasm, Saigon Blue Rain, Omnimar, Still Patient, Creux Lies, Golden Apes, and many more.

You can already check out a few tracks here.

Resurgence by Various Artists

Apart from the 7CD vinyl size deluxe carton box format, “Resurgence” will not be available on mainstream digital platforms, except exclusively via the label’s Bandcamp page.

There is also a special combi pack including the 7CD set plus Darkness On Demand’s “Panic In Reserve” CD and To Avoid’s “All Gods Are Gone” 2CD.

“Resurgence” Tracklist

Cd 1

Bestial Mouths . Hex (The Spell)
A Cloud Of Ravens . Parable
Boy Harsher . Give Me A Reason
Czarina . Wonderland
Collection D’arnell Andrea . Waiting For Meaulnes
Krystal System . La Lame Dans Ta Main
Je T’aime . Out Of Sight
Aeon Rings . Fully Operational
The Ultimate Dreamers . Polarized
Partikul . Nothing Good In Me
Cosmobrigade . Spacepit
Aeon Sable . From Witchcraft To Deviltry
Stereoskop . Deep Down
The Breath Of Life . Slowly Crushing
Faust Project . Rats Lullaby
Al . Mistake
N.E.L. & J.P . Desinteresse
Zeitgeist Zero . Scream
Voyna . Moulding Heart

Cd 2

Blackbook . You Are Strange
Auger . My Heart Is Glass
Dekad . A Deadly Show (Video Edit)
Love In Cage . A Logical Secret Collection
Helalyn Flowers . Halos
Soft Scent . No Wounds
Sweet Ermengarde . Sweet Sacrifice
Martin Dupont . Bent At The Window (2023)
The Names . Far From The Factories
Boxes Of Blow . Melting Faces
Mirror Of Haze Feat. Primitive Heart . Reckless
A Slice Of Life . Seven Days
Then Comes Silence . Pretty Creatures
Nite . Inside Of My Head
Astari Nite . Bowie In Daydreams
Korus . Złote Światło Pierwszego Zachodu
Lovelorn Dolls . A Heart Cries
Whispers In The Shadow . Revenants
Merciful Nuns . Oneironauts

Cd 3

Lederman – De Meyer . Heartbeat
Local Suicide & Skelesys . Surface Of The Sun (Radio Edit)
Punx Soundcheck Feat. Ascii.Disko & Princess Superstar . Gasoline
No More . Sleepers And Trains
Mitra Mitra . Memories For Company
A Copy For Collapse Feat. Simona Pietrucci . Faded
Alien Skin . Depress Me
White Mansion . Cancel The Sky
Apnoie . Splash Your Bile
Celluloide . Compte Les Ombres
Risk Risk . Streetwalk
Total Chroma . Northern Lights
Opera Multi Steel . À Nos Moments Perdus
Lycia . Simpler Times
Noemi Aurora . Blood As Lipstick
Novus . Ess
I Ya Toyah . Death’s Kiss
Katcross . Rest
Winter Severity Index . Speak To Me

Cd 4

Systeme Paradoxe . Comme Le Sable En Hiver
Aiboforcen . Break The Black Ice (Original Mix)
Chiasm . Cut Right Through (Emileigh Rohn Edit)
Saigon Blue Rain . Dolls Dresses
Her Own World . Mistrust
Still Patient Feat. Minu-Schirin Samimi . Blind Vision
Creux Lies . Playtime
Der Klinke . Curtains (Your Life On Hold Remix)
On The Floor . Crying On The Dancefloor
Numa Echos Feat. Red Zebra . Waisted Items
Factheory . The Day (Ok Lion! Mix – Short Version)
Antiflvx . Crystal
Flor Concreta . She’s Closer
Golden Apes . Ash Trees
Glis . Blue Sky Night
Ataraxia . The Source
Hanging Freud . Grooming
Ok Lion! . Get Away
Yuzna . Queen Of The Eels

Cd 5

The Breath Of Life Feat. Implant . The Last Record
The Halo Trees . Happy Man
Palm Ghosts . Tilt
Your Life On Hold . Imprisoned (Merciless Radio Edit)
Götterdämmerung . Common Existence
Jenni Sex . Sin Chimes
Denner . She Radiates Darkness
Imjudas . I Love You
Black Needle Noise . Dollhouse On Fire
Dead Souls Rising . Dysmorphobia
The Waning Moon . Annabel
Korinthians . Leader Of The Night
Elektrostaub Feat. Stefan Netschio . Mantis (Auger Remix)
Omnimar . The Matrix
Synapsyche Feat. Chris Harms (Lord Of The Lost) . The Last Dying Flame
Dance My Darling . Criminal
First Aid 4 Souls Feat. Emke Of Black Nail Cabaret . Das Messer
Supernova 1006 . Tell Your Name (Mix)
Suicidal Romance . Runaways

Cd 6

Ascii.Disko . Loslassen
Vioflesh . Emotions
Dina Summer . Who Am I (Club Version)
Pleasure Victim . Rascheln
Pink Opake . Pronta
Thewalkingicon . The Trail (Radio Edit)
Psy’aviah Feat. Sorrow Stories . Healing
Seasurfer . Collapsing
Lakeside X . Fire In The Sky (Radio Version)
Darkness On Demand . Hang On (Winterhart Remix)
Star Industry . Selling Icons (The Dreamside Remix)
Alphavox . Dark Satellite
Yama Uba . Shapes
Lifeless Past . Anxiety
Pink Turns Blue . Not Gonna Take It
Social Union . Waiting For Red
Sine . Until (Clan Of Xymox Remix)
Sorry, Heels . She Burns (We Burn) Version
Lights A.M . Clouds

Cd 7

Useless/You . Echo
Attrition . The Great Derailer
Children Of Zeal . Taking Over
Octolab . Friend Or Foe
Vague Phonique . The Last Man
Midnight Poetry . Black Hole
The Overlookers . Undercover (Edit)
La Machine . Vamos A La Playa (Radiomix)
Die Sexual . House Of God
Carrellee . Morning Sun
Underviewer . Was Soll Ich Tun (Aiboforcen Remix)
Night In Athens . Words Unspoken
Neila Invo . Alienation
Skeletal Family . My Own Redemption
The Murder Mystery . A Girl Named Red
Princess Ugly . For A Moment I Forgot The Desolation
Instant Lake . Ivory Dreams
Vision Video . Balaclava Kiss
La Scaltra . Dancing On Debris

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Implant launches 2 extremely limited vinyl runs of new EP ‘The Chaos Machines Part 2 – Scratching The Surface’ – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:02:25 +0000

Today Implant today officially releases two different vinyl versions of “Scratching The Surface – The Chaos Machines part 2”, the latest offering from the band centered around Jan D’hooghe and Len Lemeire. You can also download this release via Bandcamp of course.

“The Chaos Machines Part 2 – Scratching The Surface” follows “Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen” and is available exclusively on vinyl (with a digital download) in two different colors: clear transparent and black. Each color is limited to just 150 copies worldwide, making it a must-have for collectors.

This release features extended versions of tracks like “The Drive” and the chilling “Tales From The City”, alongside the electro-pop single “I Wasn’t There”, featuring the lush vocals of Noemi Aurora.

Also included are new tracks such as the old school dark electro track “Responsible” for which a video is available now too. Other tracks include “It Will Mutate” and “Why Don’t You Sin Like Me?”.

Below are the two vinyl versions.

The Bandcamp version can be checked out below.

Scratching The Surface-The Chaos Machines part 2 by IMPLANT

Note that Implant also released the 3-track single “Responsible” today on Spotify and all other platforms.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

side-line.com

Aiboforcen – Between Noise & Silence (Album – Digital/CD – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Belgian studio project Aiboforcen has been a fixture in the music scene for over 30 years. However, its operator, Benoit Blanchart, has taken a more relaxed approach to releasing new albums. Their latest, the 7th studio album, arrives after a six-year hiatus and features an impressive 22 tracks. Longtime collaborator Patrice Synthea (Regenerator) continues to contribute as a vocalist, appearing on several tracks. Blanchart also enlisted a wide array of guest artists, including Jan Dieckmann (Norderney), who shines on multiple tracks, Mari Kattman (Helix), Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers), Emke (Black Nail Cabaret), Sorrow Stories, and even Patrick Codenys (Front 242), Implant & Pouppéé Fabrikk (singing together), and Numb.

The album primarily consists of original compositions, but it also features a few alternative versions, a remix by Patrick Codenys, and a cover of a Death In June-song. The sound remains unmistakably Aiboforcen—a blend of Electro influences that lies somewhere between EBM, Future-Pop, and their unique, freeform style. The music is intricate and sophisticated, offering a compelling mix of tracks that are both listenable and danceable.

Jan Dieckmann’s vocal performance left a lasting impression, his voice evoking shades of Ronan Harris but with a subtler, more sensual delivery. His duet with Noemi Aurora—unquestionably one of the finest vocalists in the scene—creates a truly euphoric moment. While I’m unsure if this is my all-time favorite Aiboforcen album, it certainly showcases some of the project’s best work to date. (Rating: 8½).

Listen to “Heaven Knows”:

Heaven Knows (feat. Noemi Aurora) by Aiboforcen

About Aiboforcen

Aiboforcen is a Belgian electronic band founded in 1993 in Charleroi by Benoit Blanchart and Séba Dolimont. The project blends elements of electronic body music (EBM), industrial, and synthpop. Blanchart handled music, synths, and sampling, while Dolimont provided vocals, lyrics, and additional sampling. Their earliest work, the demo “Black Slang”, appeared in 1993 in fewer than 100 copies, released via Side-Line’s former tape label.

In 1995, Aiboforcen released their debut album “Elixir Lytique” through Khazad-Dûm, a sublabel of Celtic Circle Productions. Their second album, “Face (of) Death”, followed in 1996. After a period of inactivity, both members co-founded the Belgian label Alfa Matrix in 2001, the same year Aiboforcen returned with “Sons Palliatifs”, concluding the trilogy begun with “Elixir Lytique” and “Face (of) Death”. “Kafarnaüm” followed in 2004, then “Dédale” in 2011 and “Sense & Nonsense” in 2018.

“Between Noise & Silence” is Aiboforcen’s seventh studio album, arriving in 2024 to mark the project’s 25th anniversary. It features collaborations with Patrick Codenys (Front 242), Henrik Bjørkk (Pouppée Fabrikk), and Don Gordon (Numb), alongside vocal appearances from Mari Kattman, Noemi Aurora, Emke, and Sorrow Stories.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Llumen – The Breaking Waves (Album – Digital/2CD – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

After two stylistic, elaborate, and promising albums, Belgian artist Pieter Coussement returns to his beloved Llumen project. The influences remain versatile, sounding like a sonic fusion of EBM, IDM, Electro/Future-Pop, and Ambient. Over the years, Llumen has become more danceable, and this is evident in the new work, which sounds like his most danceable production ever. It is an intelligent production that also dares to experiment with somewhat cheaper Dance leads. “You Can Have It All” is an absolute masterpiece. The album also gets a solid bonus with numerous remixes featuring big names like Grendel, as well as label mates like Implant, Aiboforcen, Aesthetischye, and others. It may not be Llumen’s best work, but it is still a creative and polished production which might appeal for Haujobb-fans. (Rate:8½).

Listen to “You Can Have It All”:

You Can Have It All by Llumen

Read the news on ‘The Breaking Waves’.

About Llumen

Llumen is the solo project of Belgian musician Pieter Coussement, active in the dark electro and future-pop scene. Side-Line covered the project’s EP “The Dark In Her Eyes” in April 2021, featuring remixes by Auger, Implant, Antibody, and Entrzelle, followed by the album “Polygon Heart” in June 2021. The 9-track EP “Die Stille Totgeschwiegen” followed in December 2023. Llumen released “The Breaking Waves” as a limited 2CD set on Alfa Matrix in May 2024, discussed by Coussement in a Side-Line interview the following month about the album acting as a reflection of inner turmoil. “You Can Have It All” is featured on that album, alongside remixes from Grendel, Implant, and Aiboforcen.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Aiboforcen interview: ‘Transcending boundaries between noise and silence…’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 07:28:41 +0000

The iconic Belgian dark electro/future pop act Aiboforcen recently returned with their 7th studio album, “Between Noise & Silence”. Led by Benoit Blanchart and featuring the enigmatic Patrice Synthea (REGENERATOR), this album merges melancholic dark synth/EBM anthems with thrilling collaborations! Notable appearances include EBM/industrial legends like Patrick Codenys of FRONT 242, POUPPEE FABRIKK & IMPLANT (in a duet), and NUMB. The album also features outstanding female vocalists from the pop wave scene, such as Mari Kattman (HELIX), Noemi Aurora (HELALYN FLOWERS), Emke (BLACK NAIL CABARET), and SORROW STORIES… Without forgetting the splendid collaboration with Jan Dieckmann of NORDERNEY who sings on several songs and strongly contributes to crafting the album’s magic through moving lyrics, catchy dark pop melodies, and upbeat EBM sequences that often evoke the melodic and emotional depth of VNV NATION! Benoit gave us more insights on his new album…

You can order the new album now on Bandcamp as download and on 2CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore. Note that the 3CD version was sold out immediately.

Between Noise & Silence (Bandcamp Version) by AIBOFORCEN

S. “Between Noise & Silence” is your 7th studio album and features an impressive 22 tracks. Can you share the journey of creating such a substantial body of work, and what inspired the album’s title?

B. I started working slowly on what would become this new album during the covid period. Like many bands, those very special times allowed me to concentrate and spend much mor time in the studio creating new sequences and sounds. After a few months, what was started with no clear objective became to take shape and I started gathering several demo tracks thinking I could use them for an EP or album. It was a very creative period and also (hopefully for me) the opportunity to learn/improve a bit more the mixing and production side of the aïboforcen sound… I thus also started thinking about the right vocalist for each track. The title track “between noise & silence” is actually a sentence coming from a demo track that Tina from SORROW STORIES was working on for me… it became the title for the track but also for the album. It’s a bit of a special track (a bit more complex) that I really wanted to be on the album but couldn’t find the right vocalist for it… Then Tina did a test and she nailed it down!! 😊 It also has a double meaning because since I’m not considering myself as a musician what I create in a studio probably lies in the grey area between noise and silence! 😉

S. On this album it seems that Patrice Synthea and Jan D. play a key role as vocalists? Tell us more about these collaborations?

B. Well, Patrice (REGENERATOR) has been the main vocalist with aïboforcen for quite a long time now and she helped creating some kind of a trademark for us. But I’m always interested in working for certain tracks with other vocalists, either male or female. Of course it can break a bit the cohesion of the album but for me it’s more like trying to avoid the monotony of the album. I see/hear the different voices as new instruments I can play with, and it can totally change the result of the tracks. I also appreciate the fact that I can offer a broader pallet of sounds and emotions. I was introduced to Jan while working on a remix for our label mates of ELEKTROSTAUB. I knew a bit of his project NORDERNEY that I also appreciated a lot and I thought he would be the right vocalist for a track I was working on at the time. I sent him a demo and after a few days he came up with something really brilliant for me. I was so pleased with the result that I asked him to do a second track and the result turned out to be even better… He has such an emotional voice that it really adds another dimension to the song and brings them to a next level. After a while we started swapping ideas but also sequences and sounds and he eventually became more and more involved in the whole process. He helped me a lot giving advises and also programmed several synth lines, what was totally new and unusual for me… it was surprising, challenging and it contributed in creating a more mature and developed sound. In the end he helped for a great bunch of the album in various forms… Therefore the album is also much more balanced between male and female vocals. He also made a duet with Patrice on the track “everything” and I’m pretty sure that it’s something we should try again in the future…

S. The album indeed boasts collaborations with a variety of other artists too, from EBM/industrial legends to outstanding female vocalists. How did these collaborations come about, and what unique contributions did each guest artist bring to the album specifically?

B. As I said, when a demo is finished I try to think about what would be the right vocalist and what it would add to the sound of it. Of course there are some people/singer I would dream of having on the album but sometimes I have to stick to reality. My choice is influenced by the music I listen to, people I met through remixing, bands I know and so on… I’ve been blessed in the past working with great artists such as Jean-Luc from FRONT 242 and this album also gathers some legend from the scene such as Henrikk from POUPPEE FABRIKK or yet Don Gordon from NUMB who both helped me deliver the most aggressive cuts from the album. Tina from SORROW STORIES was also really involved in the process, contributing to several tracks that we can find both on the EP and the album but also on the special 8cm cd available with the limited edition. I had met her through a remix I had done for PSY’AVIAH actually and I had been mesmerized by her rather delicate and otherworldly vocals. She is also a very passionate and nice person, and meeting and exchanging with people is another aspect of collaborating on tracks. Then there is also Noemi Aurora who helped us with her very characteristic and powerful voice and it helped adding the extra touch to “cycle of life” and “heaven knows” you can find on the album. It was a pleasure working with her and she’s a professional and also involved and more than passionate with music… Also doing a track with Emese from BLACK NAIL CABARET was really an honor for me. She has one of the most distinctive voice from the scene at the moment and the result is a very captivating cut with upbeat sequences. I really hope listeners will like this track as much as I do…

Mari Kattman also lends her voice on the opening track as well as on a remix of “In My Arms” (a track from the previous album) and she also has a very distinctive and beautiful voice. Last but not least I also worked with Len from Implant since he is a long time friend of us and I was glad to have him back in one form or another. With the lyrics of the track he did evoke, it’s like a celebration of a long-time relationship between us (including also Seba, Bernard, Stephan) and how it was when we started this all as students (the magazine, the label, the bands, the gigs).

Patrice Synthea

S. Your sound is often compared to iconic acts like VNV NATION, FRONT 242 or yet COVENANT. How do you approach honoring these influences while still maintaining your own distinct identity as AIBOFORCEN? “Between Noise & Silence” seamlessly weaves between oppressive industrial assaults and catchy synth-pop tunes. Can you discuss the creative process behind balancing these contrasting elements to create a cohesive listening experience?

B. Well, it’s sure that I’ve been listening to those bands a lot (one of my first vinyl was 242’s politics of pressure, along with Kraftwerk radioactivity’s 7”) but I am also influenced by other acts from inside and outside the scene. I listen to a lot of music from the EBM but also to darkwave, gothic, experimental, industrial or yet metal… All this is ingested and some parts/influences appear here and there in my music. Also I hope that with time I manage to create a bit of my own distinctive sound and style.

As far as VNV NATION is concerned, I have to admit that Ronan has a deep sense for great melodies and a very emotional voice and is an example of what soulful music is. So if we sound a bit like this it’s a good point for us! 😊 Remember he remixed one of our track at our respective very beginning! But I always try to balance catchier tracks/tunes with a rougher sound and more complex structures or experimentations. For me it’s kind of logical and it can create a cohesion because some sounds, fx, way of treating things are the same and reflects the different side of one same “machine”. Also I tend to focus on recording an album with highs and lows rather than a succession of single tracks… so this new album (especially the first disc) needs to be explored and listened as a whole, with the tracks kind of merging one into another. I spent hours / days / months working on sometimes very little details of mixing, samples, eq’s to find the best result I could. I like it when it takes several listening to really get all the details included in the tracks and hopefully surprise the listeners…

S. One of the tracks on the album is a cover of DEATH IN JUNE’s “Break The Black Ice.” What drew you to reinterpret this particular song, and how did you make it your own while staying true to the original?

B. We’ve always tried to include at least one cover song on any of our releases, either for fun or to show where our roots are… I was introduced to DEATH IN JUNE’s music more than thirty years ago and the album “The World That Summer” from 1986 has always been a favorite of mine. “Break the black ice” was an obvious choice because it is a rather simple, dark but catchy song, kind of desperate also and I really liked the version sung by Rose McDowall which is a fragile and delicate dark cut. I thought that Patrice could do it as well and recorded a demo. The first version was really slower and darker than the one on the album. We will feature it on a compilation from our label later this year actually. The final version has a stronger beat and an aggressive lead sound while the original one is softer. Both Patrice and I liked the version very much and what was a the beginning more like a “b-side” became one of the main important track from the album… I hope fans of DEATH IN JUNE and AIBOFORCEN will be pleased by this tribute… the structure is rather close to the original version from DEATH IN JUNE but of course it’s 100% electronics and there are some distortions here and there… 😊

S. The album is described as a high-tension dark elektro masterpiece. How did you approach crafting the sound production to achieve this level of intensity and maturity?

B. I always spend a long time editing, changing, mixing, adding details and I hope it can be reflected in the overall sound of the album. I never intend to choose the easiest way while producing the music and I hope I raised the level a bit more on this new release. I spent much more time on the vocals (cutting, eq’s , volumes, …) than on any other previous releases; there are lot of movie samples (hidden or not), lots of different synths and fx… I can sometimes leave a track for one month and then come back with new ideas and Jan also helped me developing as much as possible this new sound which is probably more focused than before. It still goes into any directions but with a common thread and overall atmosphere throughout the numerous tracks. It was exhausting (especially at the end) but it was worth (at least personally) and I really hope our fans will like it…

S. How important is the visual aspect of your music, and what role does it play in enhancing the overall experience for listeners?

B. It is important, not as much as the music, but it sets the tone for the whole album. We always tried to have eye-catching sleeve or at least mysterious ones that will give the envy to enter into the universe of aïboforcen… When I was a kid, I used to go to a place where you could rent vinyls and I would sometimes rent releases just because the sleeve would attract me in a way or another. On this release we obviously used AI to create the graphics but it was intended and assumed. It was our easiest way to express and get the closest to the images we had in mind while creating the music. And since our music relies on techniques, processors, synthetic soundscapes, it makes sense…

S. Lastly, the first 50 orders from the official Alfa Matrix e-shop received a signed version with an exclusive bonus mini-CD. Can you tell us more about the significance of this bonus content and what fans can expect from these exclusive tracks?

B. When the album was completed and sent to the mastering, I noticed that there were a few tracks left without vocals that couldn’t make it on the album but were a good insight of what it’s like being in the studio and working on new tracks. It is more like demo’s but also I had the feeling that they could stand on their own and give another view on our music. The first of those 4 tracks is called “eliza effect” and is a brand new one that maybe will give some infos of how the future sound of aïboforcen will be (or not). The track “pulsions” (with vocals by Tina from SORROW STORIES) arrived too late in the process of the album but was good enough as well. In the end it gives the opportunity to the die-hard fans to have some extra tracks (unreleased) and have a bit more “intimacy” with the band…

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Implant – No More Flies On The Windscreen -The Chaos Machines Part 1 (Album – Digital/CD – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000

“No More Flies On The Windscreen -The Chaos Machines part 1” has been released by Alfa Matrix and is the twelfth album by the Belgian Implant duo. At the same time, it is also -as the title somewhat indicates, the first part of a trilogy. IMPLANT releases a complex, intelligent yet danceable Electronic album. It is a varied work supported by analogue sound treatments that sometimes sound surprisingly dark. One song is featuring guest vocals by Noemi Aurora. From EBM to Space Electronics, IMPLANT is starting a promising trilogy. (Rate:8)

Listen to “I Feel No More”:

I Feel No More by IMPLANT

About Implant

Implant is a Belgian duo fronted by Len Lemeire, working across EBM, industrial and dark electro. “No More Flies On The Windscreen” opened the band’s “Chaos Machines” trilogy, continued by “Scratching The Surface” and closed by “Judging Sinners,” each subtitle drawn from a line in the trilogy’s first released track, “The Drive.”

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Inline Sex Terror to return with new album and tour after 13 years

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:51:01 +0000

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

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

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

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

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

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Bill Leeb from Front Line Assembly and Delerium fame to release debut solo album on Metropolis Records

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 18:13:20 +0000

(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 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 features 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)

Side-Line also covered Front Line Assembly’s ‘Molotov (Remixed)’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Llumen interview: ‘The Breaking Waves’ album acts as a reflection of inner turmoil

Eldrina Mich — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 10:12:06 +0000

Belgian multi-talented artist Pieter Coussement recently released the 3^rd Llumen album. A very diversified piece of work where emotional intensity merges with poignant melancholic vocals and addictive dark synth melodies. Pieter opened us his door for an open-heart conversation revealing the abyssal depth of “The Breaking Waves”…

You can get the album on Bandcamp, from the Alfa Matrix webstore as a 2CD set and all other platforms.

The Breaking Waves (Deluxe Edition) by LLUMEN

SL: “The Breaking Waves” explores themes of internal turbulence, health crisis, and introspection. Can you share some personal experiences or inspirations that influenced the creation of this album?

P. For as far as I remember there’s always been an uneasiness within me when dealing with this world. For a long time I thought I handled it well and kept on living my life, but this somehow caught up with me (like these things tend to do) about a decade ago. Since then it’s been a rollercoaster of events and emotions that on many occasions brought me to my knees and that have felt quite a few blows to me. It started with my mother’s passing which shook my whole existence and I never really felt with it in a healthy way. A few years later I had 2 (minor) heart attacks (and heart surgery). As you can imagine this was a huge disruption and completely numbed me. Prior to these heart attacks I was writing music for my second album Polygon Heart but that process suddenly stopped for the better part of two years because I was completely broken.

The song “Lifeline” got me through it in the end and life went on its merry way again. The biggest thing I learned through all of this is that I needed to be true to myself, something that very much inspired my writing process. Where lyrics used to be more fictional almost everything these days comes from within and has a close connection to moments where I deeply felt what I’m singing. Personally I think it has been beneficial both in life as in music to get in touch with your true self. In that respect, The Breaking Waves is a sincere collection of deeply felt emotions that I’ve put to music the best way I could.

SL: Your music draws from old-school EBM, gothic, techno, and future pop. How do you balance these diverse influences to create a cohesive sound in “The Breaking Waves”?

P. I’ve searched long and hard for that particular LLUMEN sound. I often fall back on old-school EBM for its ice cold sequences and driving beats, but also find myself drawn to melody and chord progressions. Because of this, there are a lot of future pop or even trance influences in my music. Above all things, however, I like good songs and meaningful lyrics, most of which have a very deep melancholic layer, which comes from my (early) goth days. I try to tie all of this together using many layers and meticulous mixing. A tedious process I must add.

SL: You’ve mentioned influences from iconic acts like FRONT 242, HAUJOBB, and DIORAMA. How have these artists shaped your musical direction, and how do you incorporate their influence while maintaining your unique sound?

P. I take inspiration from many different things. The bands you mention are just a few out there, but all bands that I have a deep respect for. They say that plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery and I’m very interested in how other bands bring their music to life. But I’m easily distracted and every stylistic exercise that I try eventually fails and becomes a LLUMEN song.

SL: Tracks like “Desire” and “Bring Me Flowers” showcase a range of emotions and musical styles. Can you talk about the creative process behind crafting such varied yet emotionally rich songs?

P. Thank you for mentioning these songs and especially appreciating the variance and emotionality within the songs. In many of my songs, I seek some kind of contradiction between melody or musical theme and the lyrics to accentuate the emotions I want to convey. Often this leads to a complex writing process where I want to set the mood first before bringing in all the different elements. I’ve struggled a lot with Desire because the leading piano melody really pulled at me for a long time into a direction that I didn’t want to go to. It’s only when I started playing with the instrumentation that it fell into place. Bring Me Flowers on the other hand, was a song that almost instantly fell into place. The musical idea was very much to have a typical EBM feel to it and the sentence “she brings me flowers to ease the pain” had been running around my brain for months before (I think I picked it up from a Brendan Perry song). I wrote the chorus and tied it to the music.

SL: The album features collaborations and remixes with various artists such as GRENDEL, AESTHETISCHE, and IMPLANT. How did these collaborations come about, and what do you feel each artist brought to their respective reinterpretations?

P. The collaborations come from some kind of connection with my fellow artists. For starters I need to like what they do musically, if not there is no sense in handing your babies into their skillful hands. Next it helps when there is a good connection on a human level, Len (Implant) has been a good friend throughout the years and I know he’s going to do a stellar job from the get go. When playing Mechanismus in Seattle last year, I had a few long talks with JD from Grendel and I thought we hid it off quite good, so I asked him to remix Die Stille which he did brilliantly. Many of the remixers are friends or become friends throughout the process. It’s one of the things in this scene that always warms me, every fellow musician is very eager to share their insights and knowledge, even if it’s a constructive critique.

SL: “The Breaking Waves” concludes with the track “Harbour,” symbolizing life’s ebb and flow. What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from this final track?

P. There’s always a push and pull in life, an ebb and flow. The metaphor of the ocean, a harbor and a ship has been used to illuminate how people and feelings change over time. What once was a safe place can become very threatening and violent. At heart, I believe that we as people try to do what is best for each other, fighting the same struggles and living with the same amount of insecurities. At times you can be someone’s harbor, a safe haven for them to rest, but there is always going to be turmoil just beyond the bend. The main feeling people should get from this track is one of hope, everything is possible if you manage to stay afloat.

SL: Following your previous releases, “The Memory Institute” and “Polygon Heart,” how do you feel your sound and artistic vision have evolved with “The Breaking Waves”?

P. It’s hard to pinpoint any definite aspects that evolved throughout this endeavor, but overall I think what changed is that there the songs now are closer to my heart and less fictional than they were when I started LLUMEN. The songwriting has evolved too, making better use of tonality, chords and melody to convey my thoughts. Polygon Heart was an album where the songs fitted well together and there’s a sense of unity. With The Breaking Waves I thought for a long time that the tracks were a bit harder to fit on one album. In the end I think it has become a diverse album with a broad variety of songs that earn a few listening stints.

SL: Your music is described as a profound exploration of human emotion and desire. What do you hope listeners experience when they immerse themselves in “The Breaking Waves,” and how do you want your music to impact them?

P. I first would be grateful if they truly immersed themselves into this music, on a quest for new elements in the songs with each time they listen. I also hope that the lyrics resonate with people and maybe help them to overcome some of the blows that are dealt throughout life. I certainly experience writing – or better finish writing- songs and lyrics as something cathartic. At the other hand, when listening or singing each of my songs, I’m also torn back into that mindset I had when writing it, which is often a very confronting emotion. For me, it’s a way to keep these memories and visit them from time to time, but also knowing that I can step away from these emotions when realizing I’m in a different mindset today. In this respect, I hope listeners can do the same and visit their memories good and bad from time to time, to become better versions of themselves. Read the review of ‘The Breaking Waves’.

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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Implant interview: ‘Embrace chaos through the machines!’

Eldrina Mich — Mon, 27 May 2024 10:21:38 +0000

When a band signs his 12^th studio album, “The Chaos Machines Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen”, and can be proud of an impressive eclectic discography and music legacy ranging from industrial dance to harsh EBM through electro pop and dark synth, we could not resist to meet with Len Lemeire, the voice and driving force behind that unique Belgian sonic UFO called Implant … And before he asks me, yes Len, I did have my Implant today 😉!

The new “The Chaos Machines Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen” album is out via Alfa Matrix and available from Bandcamp and from the Alfa Matrix webstore.

No More Flies On The Windscreen -The Chaos Machines part 1 by IMPLANT

SL: “The Chaos Machines Part 1 – No More Flies On The Windscreen” is the first chapter of a trilogy. What inspired you to embark on this ambitious project, and what themes or ideas can listeners expect to explore throughout the trilogy?

LL: It evolved into this indeed! We started composing on this album with the idea to release the typical Alfa Matrix 2CD limited edition. We have been doubting the concept of a CD and a remix CD for quite a while. With oxynoxe-x we wrote a 2^nd cd using only the modular synths. But we did this after we finished composing the first disc. This time we wanted to do something similar, but instead of composing 2 entities, we wanted to work on the 2^nd disc while working on the first one. To give the tracks more room to grow. At one point I started singing on these soundscapes, and it worked very well. And hence we started to re-arrange these tracks, but with vocals in mind. Along this process we realized that the 2 CDs were starting to intermix, to blend. So, the idea grew to release them as 2 separate albums. And somehow make clear they belonged together. We also wanted a 12” vinyl. Because we like to smell vinyl J. Alfa Matrix liked the idea, but only if the vinyl had some exclusive content. So, we decided to make a trilogy out of it.

SL: The album is described as a clash against algorithms and a journey into chaos. Can you elaborate on how you approached creating music that embodies these concepts of chaos and defiance against digital norms?

LL: It is a bit hard to talk about defiance against digital norms when a lot of the chaos is actually circuit based. Defiance implicates that one refuses to obey to something. I don’t think we are trying to refuse to be bound by norms or anything. It’s not a statement or a quest to redefine things. I think we embrace chaos more than we used to. We gave more space to the machines themselves. Sometimes synths can be rooted in such ways that chaos is more imminent. And we took that as a concept. we incorporated this while writing the songs. And eventually ended up adding chaos to unexpected places.

IMPLANT’s sound in this album ranges from psy-trance industrial cuts to electro-pop with influences from early SKINNY PUPPY and KLINIK. How did you blend these diverse styles to create a cohesive listening experience?

LL: I’m not sure if we always succeed in blending it all to a cohesive entity. But I guess that is one of the liberties you get if you work with chaos. You can hide behind the concept and claim that blending styles chaotically was part of the idea. The truth is far more pragmatic. Sometimes you must let a track take you on a little journey in the studio. And the final product should be judged by its quality, not its style. In the end the intersection between all the tracks is IMPLANT. It has always been a part of IMPLANT to experiment with elements from different styles. I think this has been our strength over the years. But I guess, one could easily argue that it is a weakness.

SL: Noemi Aurora’s lush vocals are a highlight on this album. How did her collaboration come about, cos it’s not the first time you guys work together, and what do you feel she brings to the overall sound and atmosphere of “The Chaos Machines”?

LL: I am a huge fan of Noemi’s voice, and she already collaborated with us on ‘phantom pain’. While writing the lyrics, I always had in mind to make it a duet. 2 sides of the story. She was the first one I had in mind. It took a while to set it up. But the result really works. She has this kind of power voice, and it was exactly what this track needed. She also collaborated on a track that will be released on ‘the chaos machines part 3’. It is very different from this track. But I think even more essential to the track than her contribution to ‘I wasn’t there’!

SL: Your declaration, “No boundaries, no compromises, only chaos and machines,” sets a powerful tone for the album. How does this philosophy influence your songwriting and production process?

LL: It is always a bit of a marketing tool to try and work with catchy slogans. But again, something I have always done with IMPLANT. The phrase ‘did you have your implant today?’ is something I have been using since the start. For the chaos machines I wanted to try and find a phrase that fits the concept. It’s kind of a justification for it all. We did not want to be restricted by boundaries, not in musical styles, not in sound design. We have tried to avoid compromises, although totally avoiding them is never possible. We did stress the limits of the technologies at hand. We never stopped taking a track into a certain direction because it was not scene friendly. And so on. And we did try and let the machines take over at some points. Most of the time this resulted in very chaotic sounds or textures. So, with all this in mind, the catchphrase does make some sense. And it can be used as a glue between the 3 releases.

SL: The album is filled with both dark moments and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. How do you balance these contrasting elements to maintain the album’s intensity while also keeping it engaging and enjoyable?

LL: A day without laughter is a day wasted. Or so they say. I think it’s trying to add another layer to the music. Lyrics is a place in art where an opinion, a vision, a feeling … can be expressed. But one can also use it for the obvious. Compare it to a painter. One can paint a very social critical painting, or one could draw a few lines on a canvas and claim it to be social critical. I never got the painter that painted lines and claimed to expand our thinking. To me, there are different mediums for different outlets of creativity. If lyrics is your forum for creativity, you should try and use it. A song is a little journey that can blend melodies with words. I’m not that keen on wasting this medium for the obvious. If it can make you smile or look at things differently it’s not wasted. If I use it to express some darker things, then It’s probably something that is bothering me or something that needs to be addressed. There is a lot of “me” in those lyrics. I hope I wrote them in such a manner that it leaves room for interpretation. I once read a scientific article on the correlation between dark humor and alzheimer disease, and I remember thinking: “shit, I’m going to die as a fool”. (laugh)

SL: Given that this is your 12th studio album, how has IMPLANT’s sound evolved over the years, and what new directions or experiments did you undertake specifically for this project?

LL: I always think it’s kind of impressive talking about a legacy of 12 albums. Not sure if that was the goal when I started all this. I guess this kind of happened. But yes, with each release I’ve tried to experiment with different things. The balance between soundscapes and more conventional tracks is the place we tried to experiment on these 3 releases. I think each song is a little experimental trip on its own. With its own merit. Either it’s the break, the intro, or the whole track. Or sometimes just the approach of the routing of the synths. To me the whole transition from the early years to now makes a lot of sense. It is what it is. We could not have made (or remade) the album we did 3 albums ago, and back then we would never have been able to create this album. if the creative process can be digitized, it will be done by machines. Surprising the algorithm is what differentiates us from automated processes.

SL: You mentioned that it’s always more fun to pick up the pieces with IMPLANT. Can you share an example from the making of this album where embracing chaos or an unexpected twist led to a particularly memorable or successful outcome?

LL: Ha, this might be the hardest question of the interview. Because you must understand how ‘intentional’ all this chaos actually is. Maybe I can explain this with a little example. If you work with modular synths, connecting cables is the routing of the sound. The fun thing is that anything can be connected to anything. So, if you have a hihat triggered by a clock-divider, you can feed it a clock (mostly the BPM of the track). But you can also feed it an LFO. If you do this with a modular, you can probably control the LFO-time or shape by a knob or connect another LFO to control the time or shape of the first LFO (and hence the rhythm of the hihat). Before you know it, you’ll end up with something very chaotic, but partially controllable. In like 99% of the cases this will turn into something that can’t be used (although some bands make full tracks out of this. And some of these tracks are surprisingly interesting). If you use the possibilities to control things (like a knob for the speed of the LFO), eventually you’ll end up looking for a sweet spot. Resulting in a sound or rhythm that can be blended with the track you are working on. All this is pretty time consuming. But the result no matter how chaotic it may sound, is very intentional. One could say that the chaos is planned, and the actual outcome more of a coincidence.Jan has this module called “morphagene” by Make-noise. This is one of those modules that create instant chaos. I have been nagging at him a lot to use this one in a track. Eventually he used it on the samples in ‘The drive’. And I think it works great. We remixed that track for the 12” and it has more of those samples. To me, this is a fine example of the beauty of a chaos machine.

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

Llumen is back with an all new album as a limited 2CD set – Out now

Eldrina Mich — Tue, 21 May 2024 10:55:21 +0000

“The Breaking Waves” is the title of the new Llumen album which comes as a 2CD set / Bandcamp download and which is available now. The album was already teased in November with the EP “Die Stille Totgeschwiegen”.

Llumen is the project by Belgian artist Pieter Coussement who brings a very updated EBM blending it with influences from old-school EBM, techno, and future pop. Influenced by acts like Front 242, Haujobb, Diorama, Assemblage 23, Suicide Commando or yet Covenant, Pieter has been able to develop an own mature sound.

Following the 2017 debut album “The Memory Institute” and the 2021 release “Polygon Heart”, “The Breaking Waves” is his 3rd album to date.

The accompanying CD holds remixes, edits, reinterpretations plus collaborations with Grendel, Aesthetische, Aiboforcen, Neuroactive, Implant, Mind.Divided, Dimethoxy, J Wølf, Nacht Nackt and The Saint Paul.

You can check out the full album below. Recommended!

The Breaking Waves (Deluxe Edition) by LLUMEN

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

Aiboforcen strikes back with 7th studio album including 3CD version limited to just 50 copies – Pre-order available now

Eldrina Mich — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 14:29:33 +0000

The Belgian cult dark electro/future pop act Aiboforcen has announced its 7th studio album, titled “Between Noise & Silence”. The new release will be out via the Belgian label Alfa Matrix at the end of May, but can already be pre-ordered.

The 22-track album again shows a blend of electro pop, future pop and dark pop but also includes a cover of Death in June’s “Break The Black Ice”. The album is available as a double-CD digipak with a 16-page booklet and as a download via Bandcamp.

ATTENTION: The first 50 orders (!!) from the Alfa Matrix e-shop include a signed version with a bonus mini-CD “Eliza Effect” featuring four exclusive tracks.

Aiboforcen – Between Noise & Silence

Benoit Blanchart this time worked with Patrice Synthea from Regenerator, Patrick Codenys of Front 242, Poupee Fabrikk, Implant, Numb, and female vocalists Mari Kattman, Noemi Aurora, Emke, and Sorrow Stories. Also Jan Dieckmann of Norderney joined in.

Between Noise & Silence (Bandcamp Version) by AIBOFORCEN

This new album was teased earlier with the 7-track EP “Cycle Of Life” featuring collaborations with artists such as Jan of Norderney and Noemi Aurora. The EP included a mix of new songs and exclusive non-album tracks, and it’s still available on Bandcamp with a digital booklet containing lyrics and artwork.

Cycle Of Life EP by AIBOFORCEN

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

Alien Vampires present brand new deluxe version ‘Harshlizer’ with bonus disc

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 18:19:48 +0000

Alien Vampires out of print 2010 album “Harshlizer” is available again in a 2CD deluxe version this coming February 14th (pre-orders available now). The re-release comes in brand new uncensored artwork taken from the original photo sessions of the models featured on the album’s original cover.

This reissue holds the “Industrializer” bonus disc, featuring additional tracks and remixes created during the same period as the original release.

This 2CD version is available now from the Alfa Matrix webstore in pre-order, as download via Bandcamp and in a combi pack together with the all new albums from Acylum (2CD), Synapsyche (2CD), and Implant (CD).

To give you an idea what this album was about, check out the below videos.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

side-line.com

Belgian electro act Implant offers free download single right now: ‘The Drive’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 14:12:15 +0000

The Belgian electro duo Implant unveil the first song from their forthcoming 12th studio album. “The Drive” is available now for free download from Bandcamp.

The Drive by IMPLANT

The single comes hand in hand with a video for the song which blends old-school EBM/industrial vibes with a futuristic twist.

About Implant

Implant is a Belgian electro-industrial band which formed in 1992. Their evolution in sound is evident through their discography, showcasing a journey from dark elektro roots to a more dance-oriented electronic style, incorporating elements like goa trance.

In 2000, Implant released the album “Kmputor”, which marked a shift in their music style, moving towards a more dance-oriented electronic sound. This evolution continued with their double-CD album “Unidentified Flying Frequencies”.

After the demise of Flatline Records, they joined Alfa Matrix, a Belgian label, and released the album “Planet Euphoria”. This album was noteworthy for its trancier vibe and the collaboration with Canadian singer Jennifer Parkin.

The band’s album “Horseback Riding Through Bassfields”, released in 2003, was seen as a turning point in their career, combining their darker roots with intelligent electro and a dance edge. Len Lemeire, the mastermind behind Implant, teamed up with classical trained jazz singer Myriam Kuliasko for this album. They also gained recognition for their intense live performances, including appearances at major festivals like the Dour Festival and Eurorock Festival.

Len Lemeire’s expertise in remixing has also earned him respect in the electro community, having remixed tracks for several prominent bands. His collaboration with poet and singer Anne Clark in 2004 further highlights his diverse musical capabilities.

The band experienced a hiatus of four years between albums, attributed to changes in personal and professional life, according to Len Lemeire. Their 10th studio album “Oxynoxe-X” reflects a process of learning and evolution, with Lemeire emphasizing the importance of personal connections and experiences gained through music.

And now they write a new chapter with “The Drive”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

side-line.com

Download The Ultimate Dreamers’ free cover of The Cure’s ‘Lovesong’

Eldrina Mich — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 13:17:57 +0000

Belgian post-punk band The Ultimate Dreamers have unveiled their unique rendition of “Lovesong,” originally by The Cure. The cover is available for free download now from the band’s Bandcamp page and is part of the Spleen+/Alfa Matrix tribute compilation, “A Strange Play vol.2“, which features various artists paying homage to the iconic British band. The compilation is available for streaming and download on Bandcamp.

A Fresh Spin on a Cult Classic

The Ultimate Dreamers have put their own spin on this beloved track by slowing down its tempo and incorporating TR808 drums. The band’s signature reverb adds a layer of depth, enhancing the song’s already dark atmosphere. This creative approach has led the band members to affectionately refer to their version as “Lovedark.”

Lovesong by The Ultimate Dreamers

A Glimpse into the Band’s Unique Style

The cover serves as an excellent introduction to The Ultimate Dreamers’ melancholic cold wave universe. The band has also released a complementary video clip to accompany the song.

Credits

Words by: Robert Smith
Music by: Roger O’Donnell, Robert Smith, Porl Thompson, Lol Tolhurst, and Boris Williams
Recording, Mixing, and Production: Len Lemeire at Implant-Plant 3.0
Video: Valentine Blanco

Side-Line also covered The Cure’s ‘Los Angeles’.

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

Alfa Matrix unleashes new free massive download compilation – Dominates industrial Bandcamp charts overnight!

Eldrina Mich — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:28:25 +0000

Alfa Matrix, the renowned Belgian label, commemorates its 22nd anniversary with yet another mastodont compilation on Bandcamp. The latest installment in the acclaimed “Matrix Downloaded” series, titled “Matrix+ Downloaded 011”, is now available as a free download on their Bandcamp page. Packed with 60 tracks, including new signings and a preview of the upcoming Spleen+ label releases, this compilation showcases Alfa Matrix’s diverse music repertoire.

“Matrix+ Downloaded 011” soared to the top of the industrial Bandcamp charts within hours of its release, claiming the coveted number 1 position.

The collection holds 60 tracks in total including several new signings. These are the bands present on this brand new free download compilation: Hanging Freud, The Ultimate Dreamers, The Breath Of Life, Psy’Aviah Feat. Sorrow Stories, ImJudas, Star Industry, Halo In Reverse, Lovelorn Dolls, The True Union, Freakangel, Avarice In Audio, Siva Six, Alien Vampires, Synapsyche, Helalyn Flowers, Neuroactive, Elektrostaub Feat. Stefan Netschio, Technoir, Entrzelle, Llumen, Noemi Aurora, Aiboforcen Feat. Jan D., Reichsfeind, Mondträume Feat. N-Frequency, The Psychic Force, Digital Factor, Implant, Darkness On Demand, Aesthetische, Komor Kommando Vs. The True Union, Matthew Creed, C-Lekktor, First Aid Tech, Pouppee Fabrikk, ELM, Die Robo Sapiens, Plastic Noise Experience, Armageddon Dildos, Stahlgeist, AD:keY, Kant Kino, Suicidal Romance, Miseria Ultima, First Aid 4 Souls, Neikka RPM, Circumpolar, Venal Flesh, Helle9, Diffuzion, Acylum, Circuito Cerrado, Aengeldust, Studio-X, 808 Dot Pop, Cubic, Metroland, Rector Scanner, Elektroklänge, Cosmic Armchair, Lights A.M.

You can download “Matrix+ Downloaded 011” for free via Bandcamp.

Matrix+ Downloaded 011 by Various Artists

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

Out now: Brand new The Cure tribute 2CD compilation via Alfa Matrix and Spleen+ featuring 27 songs: ‘A Strange Play (Vol. 2) – Tribute to The Cure’

Eldrina Mich — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:26:25 +0000

Nine years after the release of their first tribute to The Cure, titled “A Strange Play – Tribute to The Cure“, Alfa Matrix and Spleen+ have joined forces to create a follow-up tribute album. The second volume in the series, “A Strange Play (Vol. 2) – Tribute to The Cure“, features 27 tracks, including electro, synth pop, EBM acts from Alfa Matrix and cold wave, post-punk, and gothic rock bands from their Spleen+ division and is out now via Bandcamp, the label’s webstore and all other platforms.

The album includes reinterpretations of classic hits and lesser-known B-sides, shedding new light on the original tracks or giving them an entirely different sonic perspective. The tribute album itself this time is a collaborative effort between both established and emerging artists from the Alfa Matrix and Spleen+ rosters.

Compiled by and for The Cure fans, this new tribute adventure brings together a growing roster of Spleen+ artists, including Noemi Aurora, Star Industry, Imjudas, The Ultimate Dreamers, The Breath of Life, and Lovelorn Dolls. Additionally, the album features synth and electro cult acts, as well as upcoming Alfa Matrix artists, such as Neuroactive, Armageddon Dildos, Implant, Darkness on Demand (formerly Dance or Die), Helle9 (an Alien Vampires side-project), Metroland, Aesthetische featuring Zombie Girl, Aiboforcen, Technoir, Kant Kino, Digital Factor, Regenerator, Lights A.M (an Essence of Mind solo project), Neikka RPM, First Aid 4 Souls, Diffuzion, Avarice in Audio, Elektroklänge, Circumpolar, and Cosmic Armchair.

In conjunction with the release of “A Strange Play (Vol. 2),” goth-metal/darkwave act Lovelorn Dolls has released a single and accompanying video clip for their cover of “Lullaby.” The music video, created entirely using artificial intelligence, tells the story of a girl pursued by a mysterious, threatening, yet alluring man. The video’s creator, Kristell, was inspired by her own childhood experience of being both fascinated and frightened by The Cure’s original “Lullaby” music video.

Here’s the track list for the new volume which is available now on 2CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore and as download via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page and the Spleen+ Bandcamp page.

A Strange Play (Vol.2) – Tribute to The Cure by VARIOUS ARTISTS

Here’s the first volume.

A Strange Play (Vol.1) – Tribute to The Cure by VARIOUS

Side-Line also covered The Cure’s ‘s ’.

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

Belgian goth / coldwave act The Breath Of Life signs to Spleen+, announces new album and immediately releases a download EP

Eldrina Mich — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 12:08:19 +0000

The Breath of Life was formed in 1985 and the band immediately stood out thanks to a creative originality, as a result they are the best known cold wave gothic rock band from Belgium. The band has now signed to the brand new post-punk label Spleen+ (division of Alfa Matrix) where they will be releasing their 11th album.

A first excerpt in the format of a 3-track EP is out now via Bandcamp (and all other platforms): “Down We Go”. The EP evokes good old ethereal moments from the 4AD cult years merged with their classic darkwave roots. Also added to this 3-track release is the band’s take on The Cure’s “The Lovecats” which got turned into a much darker version. As 3rd track you get a more electronic song which is their very own reinterpretation of Implant’s “The Last Record” featuring Len Lemeire himself on backing vocals.

Down We Go EP by THE BREATH OF LIFE

Anno 2023, The Breath Of Life are Isabelle Dekeyser (vocals), Philippe Mauroy (guitar, drums programming), Giovanni Bortolin (violin, keyboards), Didier Czepczyk (bass).

Below is the video for “The Lovecats”.

About The Breath Of Life

The group was formed in 1985 in Gembloux when Isabelle Dekeyser (vocals), Philippe Mauroy (guitar), and Benoît Sokay (bass) first met. In 1990, with the addition of Giovanni Bortolin (keyboards & violin – formerly of Jo Lemaire + Flouze) and the decision to incorporate a drum machine, the group independently produced a 10-track cassette. In 1991, the band embarked on a tour in Czechoslovakia, followed by another tour the following year, which is reflected in their debut CD “Live in Praha 92”.

That same year, they released their first studio album “Painful Insanity,” recorded by Gilles Martin, a renowned producer of Coldwave (Minimal Compact, Tuxedomoon, Anna Domino, Colin Newman, Malaria, The Names, Indochine). 1993 marked their breakthrough with the release of “Taste of Sorrow,” also produced by Martin, featuring the title track “Nasty Cloud,” which became a gothic classic.

In 1995, the band released “Lost Children,” showcasing a more ethereal wave style. They subsequently signed with Hall of Sermon for their next album, “Sweet Party,” which came out in 1997 and marked a shift towards a more pop and electronic sound. In 2000, they released “Silver Drops,” once again with Martin at the mixing desk. The album combined melancholic pop with elements of trip hop. Shortly after, Mauroy departed the band, and Didier Czepczyk took over on guitars.

With the albums “Everlasting Souls” (2005) and “Whispering Fields” (2012), the band returned to their gothic roots and introduced a real drummer, Marc Haerden. Benoît Sokay, the bassist since the band’s inception, left in 2014, and in January 2015, Philippe Mauroy rejoined the band, almost 15 years after his departure.

In May 2017, the album “Under The Falling Stars” was released, marking the return of Gilles Martin as the producer. In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and while Belgium was still under lockdown, the band decided to record their 10th album. Each member recorded their respective parts at home and shared the files using WeTransfer. However, when COVID-19 restrictions allowed, two band members traveled to France and met with Gilles Martin for the final mixing process. The resulting album, titled “Spark Around Us,” was released in November 2020.

During the lockdown in Belgium, the band recorded three cover songs: “Winning” by The Sound, “Ashes To Ashes” by David Bowie, and “Inner Station” by Minimal Compact. These covers were exclusively released on Bandcamp. In 2022, they were approached by the Belgian record label Alfa Matrix for various compilation projects. The band was asked to cover a song from the Belgian electro project Implant, a song from the electro-pop band Psy’Aviah, and a song from the Italian project Imjudas.

As one thing led to another, the band was soon approached to join Alfa Matrix’s post-punk sublabel, Spleen+.

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

The Ultimate Dreamers – Echoing Reverie (Album – Spleen +)

Eldrina Mich — Thu, 04 May 2023 11:41:35 +0000

Genre/Influences: Cold-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Spleen +, a new Belgian label and subdivision of the established electronic label Alfa Matrix, brings a fresh focus on Dark-Wave, Post-Punk, and Minimal-Synth music. Their first signing is the iconic Belgian formation The Ultimate Dreamers, who rose to prominence in the 80s and re-emerged during the Covid-19 era. After releasing an album through Wool-E-Discs (“Live Happily While Waiting For Death”), they now present a new work produced by Len Lemaire (Implant), with a limited vinyl edition released by Wave Tension Records.

Content: Echoing Reverie showcases the band’s signature Dark-Wave style, featuring elements reminiscent of The Cure. One of the most surprising songs is a cover of AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells”. The second part of the album introduces more explicit electronic arrangements, evoking the sound of 1000 Ohm. The final track is a very captivating Electro version/remix of “I Loved You?!” by Implant, reimagined as “Implant Loved You?!”.

Positives: The second half of the album is particularly noteworthy, with standouts such as “Midnight” (a must-listen for The Cure fans) and the Dark/Cold-Wave infused “I Loved You?!”. Though initially hesitant about the Implant cover remix, it ultimately proves to be a fantastic and extended edit perfect for Electro dance floors.

Conclusion: Echoing Reverie is an album of contrasts, with a tentative first half that gives way to a magnificent second half, ultimately delivering a very satisfying listening experience.

Best songs: “Midnight”, “I Loved You?!”, “Implant Loved You?! – Implant Remix”.

Rating: 8½.

Artist: www.the-ultimate-dreamers.com / www.facebook.com/theultimatedreamers

Label: www.facebook.com/spleen.plus Read the news on ‘Echoing Reverie’.

About The Ultimate Dreamers

The Ultimate Dreamers are a Belgian post-punk and cold wave band originating from Lessines in Hainaut province and now based in Brussels. The group first came together as teenagers in the mid-1980s, writing and recording a series of home and rehearsal-room demos between roughly 1986 and 1990 and playing shows in the local scene without releasing a studio album at the time. Those early recordings resurfaced decades later and were compiled as “The Ultimate Dreamers – Live Happily While Waiting For Death“, issued on digital, CD and vinyl formats.

From 2022 onward, The Ultimate Dreamers shifted their centre of operations to Brussels and joined the Spleen+ roster, the post-punk / cold wave division of Alfa Matrix. They released the “Polarized EP” and the two-track single “Polarized / I Loved You?!”, which prepared the ground for their first new studio album “Echoing Reverie” in March 2023. In parallel, the band contributed a cover of The Cure’s “Lovesong” to the Alfa Matrix / Spleen+ compilation “A Strange Play (Vol. 2) – Tribute to The Cure”.

Following “Echoing Reverie”, the group issued the “Violent Ghost” EP with alternative versions and remixes by artists such as Front 242, Shad Shadows and Hørd. In late 2023 they appeared on the seven-disc post-punk anthology “Resurgence”, released as a boxset in January 2025. The singles “Digging” and “Spiritchaser” mapped the route toward their second modern full-length “Paradoxical Sleep” on February 7, 2025.

In 2025, the band released the French-language single “Envoler” and its companion “Envoler-Wegvliegen EP”, before returning to the “Paradoxical Sleep” material with the “Kids Alone” EP at the end of the year. “Echoing Reverie”, reviewed here, remains the album that opened this run of releases on the Spleen+ label.

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

Belgian post-punk / cold wave act The Ultimate Dreamers releases all new album ‘Echoing Reverie’ on new post-punk label Spleen+

Eldrina Mich — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 12:09:19 +0000

“Echoing Reverie” is the name of the brand new studio album from the Belgian post-punk / cold wave quartet The Ultimate Dreamers out now via the Alfa Matrix sub label Spleen+ on CD and as a download. The release comes after the release of the “Polarized EP”.

Active since the mid-80’s the band resurrected in a new line-up during the COVID lock-down, releasing a selection of old demos on the “Live Happily While Waiting For Death” CD and vinyl in 2021 and re-distributed via Spleen+ now as well.

Now signed to Brussels-based label Spleen+ (cold wave/minimal synth division of the Alfa Matrix label group), the band got its newest album produced by Len Lemeire (Implant, 32CRASH, Anne Clark, …). Also included on the album is the band’s interpretation of AC/DC’s classic “Hell’s Bells” as well as the bonus club remix of “I Loved You!?” by Implant.

The album is also be available as a limited vinyl edition, released by Wave Tension Records, with a slightly different track listing.

You can check the full release below.

Echoing Reverie by The Ultimate Dreamers

And here is the previously released “Polarized EP”.

Polarized EP by The Ultimate Dreamers

Official video clips on YouTube: Read the review of ‘Echoing Reverie’.

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

V/A Anthologies 3 (Album – Je M’En Fish)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave, Cold-Wave, Electro, Minimal-Electro.

Format: Vinyl.

Background/Info: This is the third “Anthologies”-compilation released by Brussels (Belgium) based label Je M’n Fish. Nine formations have been selected.

Artists: Dirk Da Davo, Your Life On Hold, The Breath Of Life, This Vale Of Tears, NU:N, Implant, Psy’Aviah, The Neon Judgement, Mirland.

Content: Seven Belgian bands plus one from Portugal and another one from Denmark have been featured. The compilation is mainly featuring ‘familiar’ artists from the Brussels label while the music genres they’re dealing with are mainly driven by Dark/Cold-Wave influences but still by Electronic and Minimal-Electronic elements.

+ + + : I truly respect and support this small Belgian label which is mainly releasing vinyl productions. This compilation reveals a diversified tracklist mixing familiar artists together with a legendary name like The Neon Judgement. I like the “Early Tapes Version – Remastered” of Neon Judgement’s great “Sister Sue” but I also recommend Dirk Da Davo and his very American-sounding “King Of Fools”, the dreamy Dark-Wave “The Dark Side” by The Breath Of Life and the Minimal-Electro sound of “Wolf Among Sheep” by Mirland.

– – – : No absolute hits featured.

Conclusion: This vinyl is a perfect opportunity to discover the open-minded sound canvas of Je M’En Fish.

Best bands: The Neon Judgement, Dirk Da Davo, Mirland, The Breath Of Life, NU:N.

Rate: 7½.

Label: www.facebook.com/JemenfishBE

About Je m’en Fish

Je m’en Fish is a Brussels-based label, collective and promoter releasing primarily on vinyl within the Dark-Wave, Cold-Wave and Minimal-Electro sphere. “Anthologies 3”, released 31 October 2022, is the label’s third compilation LP, gathering seven Belgian acts alongside one Portuguese and one Danish formation, including an “Early Tapes Version – Remastered” of The Neon Judgement’s “Sister Sue”.

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Alfa Matrix launches brand new post-punk recordlabel: Spleen+

Eldrina Mich — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 13:48:56 +0000

The post-punk scene has a new recordlabel with Alfa Matrix launching a sublabel created to accomodate this specific genre and its varieties including coldwave or even minimal synth. Called Spleen+ you can already find 2 bands signed to it, the Belgian post-punk act The Ultimate Dreamers, who launched their label debut with the EP “Polarized”, and the Italian new wave act ImJudas who presents 2 new EPs, “People Of The Blame” and “So Untrue”.

We sat together with Seba Dolimont who is the A&R behind Spleen+ (and Alfa Matrix).

SL: Congratulations Seba with the new endeavour. Why start a side label next to Alfa Matrix?

SD: Since 2001, Alfa Matrix has been showing a quite eclectic approach of our music repertoire and label artist roster. We release EBM music from FRONT 242, POUPPEE FABRIKK, ELM or DIE ROBO SAPIENS, but also harsh dark elektro with ALIEN VAMPIRES, ACYLUM or C-LEKKTOR, minimal vintage synth with METROLAND, future pop with REICHSFEIND, NEUROACTIVE, MONDTRÄUME, BRUDERSCHAFT… Modern avantgarde electro with RECOIL, IMPLANT, KOMOR KOMMANDO, PSY’AVIAH or yet CUBIC! But also without forgetting our darker acts merging industrial with goth darkwave guitars like STAR INDUSTRY, HELALYN FLOWERS or FREAKANGEL.

We have been toying with this idea for this Spleen+ division for many months. It’s not something that comes out on the spur of the moment, you need to prepare such additional activity within our whole Alfa Matrix Label Group concept. We have been following and enjoying this continuous resurgence of the cold wave / post punk / minimal synth scene for some time. We also noticed that new sub-scene walls started emerging from the ground where the fans do not look much over the walls. Dedicated events and festivals get organised. Dedicated blogs, playlists, etc. start gathering more and more dark souls… So the idea from our side is to simply contribute to this movement offering it some structured and more targeted approach cos there are so many talented artists out there in need of support in their DIY efforts. This focused approach should allow us better supporting artists playing this kind of sound and reaching out to a boiling sub-scene, enlarging our scope of activities and bringing complementary fanbases together because eclecticism remains a core value for our work… And this without bringing us too far away from our roots cos the label team is made of 3 friends born in the early 70’s who were fed on JOY DIVISION, THE CURE, SIOUXSIE, SISTERS OF MERCY and other GHOST DANCE, X-MAL DEUTSCHLAND and SKELETAL FAMILY and not only on 80’s synth pop and the Belgian Electronic Body Music movement!

SL: What (new) signings can we expect?

SD: The very active Belgian act THE ULTIMATE DREAMERS is our first new signing in the genre (see the number of concerts they already played this year only! They are amazing! Their new album comes out in March…) while some current Alfa Matrix artists are potential candidates for a next release on Spleen+ including IMJUDAS or yet STAR INDUSTRY for example. Together with Frédéric Cotton (known for decades of activities as concert & party promotor in Brussels behind the famous “Fantastique Nights” but also as lead singer of THE ULTIMATE DREAMERS) we will also release this year a mega compilation devoted to the cold wave/post punk genre showing how prolific this scene can be anno 2023! We are working on it as we speak…

Since the announcement of this new label division, I am also quite happy and positively surprised by the number of proactive connections we got from very great bands who showed interest in working with us. That’s really exciting. Of course some of them are cool Belgian bands, some being living legends, cos it’s always easier collaborating with a local label speaking your language, but we are also in contact with artists from the UK, Italy, South America, etc. Nothing I want to reveal yet, but we will do this on due time. Keep an eye on our pages at https://www.facebook.com/spleen.plus and https://spleenplus.bandcamp.com . A website will follow soon as well.

SL: Will this also mean extra vinyl releases?

SD: The vinyl format is part of the equation on today’s music market. A portion of music fans who are collecting physical products do prefer the vinyl format but not all of them. So already with Alfa Matrix we have been issuing vinyls for some time for selected bands with own fanclubs and/or who are touring a lot. The vinyl format is also very appropriate to the cold wave/post punk genre that is uniting past, present and future. So my answer is a big YES. Absolutely!

Below are the first releases from the brand new label:

Polarized EP by The Ultimate Dreamers

People Of The Blame EP by ImJudas

So Untrue EP by ImJudas

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

Die Robo Sapiens – Robo Sapien Race (Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Four years after their impressive debut EP Die Robo Sapiens are back with their debut album. The German side-project of Die Krupps featuring Jürgen Engler, Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher brings us an album of ten songs plus an extra disc (available on CD and digital edits) featuring ten extra songs.

Content: Die Robo Sapiens stands for pure EBM. Good-old and elaborated songs from Düsseldorf which sometimes to me sound like a homage to legendary town mates Kraftwerk and DAF. Pure Electronic music mixing the robotic side and atmospheres of Kraftwerk together with the power of DAF. Engler’s captivating and alluring vocals on top will bring you to dance.

The extra disc features remixes by Seb Komor, Aiborforcen, Orange Sector, AD:key, Implant, Aesthetische, Cubic, Kant Kino, Metroland and Plastic Noise Experience.

+ + + : The already familiar songs “Teufelskreis” and “Tanz Mit Dem Roboter” both remain alluring cuts but I also have to mention “Transrapid Rapid”, “Robotimierung”, “Robo Normativ”, “Niemals Stillstehen” and “Automatenland” which all are outstanding pieces. It feels like Die Robo Sapiens moved on there where Die Krupps decided to experiment with guitar and Metal/Industrial music. You can feel the guys had some fun composing this album while the ‘Düsseldorfer’-sound reminding Kraftwerk but also DAF is a pretty cool wink. The bonus disc brings an impressive selection of great remixes in different genres; from EBM and sophisticated EBM to Minimal-Electro it’s nearly impossible to say which one sounds the best.

– – – : No minus points to mention.

Conclusion: When ‘veterans’ are teaching EBM artists how to compose great stuff!

Best songs: “Transrapid Rapid”, “Teufelskreis”, “Robotimierung”, “Tanz Mit Dem Roboter feat. JG. & The Robots”, “Robo Normativ”, “Niemals Stillstehen”, “Automatenland” + “Teufelskreis – Sebastian Komor Rmx”, “Robotimierung – Orange Sector Rmx, “Transrapid Rapid – Aiboforcen Rmx”, “Niemals Stillstehen – Kant Kino Rmx”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.facebook.com/DieRoboSapiens

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Robo Sapien Race’.

About Die Robo Sapiens

Die Robo Sapiens is a German side-project of Die Krupps, formed by Jürgen Engler, Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher. The project debuted in 2018 with the single “Teufelskreis – Tanz Mit Dem Roboter” before releasing its debut album, “Robo Sapien Race”, through Alfa-Matrix in 2022 on digital, CD and vinyl formats, accompanied by a bonus disc of remixes. Side-Line spoke with the band about the project’s Düsseldorf-rooted EBM approach in a 2023 Click Interview.

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Out now – debut album by Die Krupps side-project Die Robo Sapiens – ‘Robo Sapien Race’ out on Vinyl and as 2CD boxset

Eldrina Mich — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 13:50:29 +0000

After a couple of teasing EP and video clip releases, the Belgian Alfa Matrix label releases today the full length debut album by Die Robo Sapiens, the ultimate EBM project by the members of Die Krupps. “Robo Sapien Race”. The release is available now on a fan edition Vinyl (with lots of extras such as a DJ Turntable slipmat) and as a limited 2CD box set pressing next to download.

Behind Die Robo Sapiens we find the Die Krupps members Jürgen Engler plus Ralf Dörper and Marcel Zürcher.

The 10-track “Robo Sapien Race” album offers a blend of minimal, vintage and powerful synth music with harder, stronger and angrier EBM assaults made of fat and ripping basslines, powerful German vocals and upbeat synth sequences. The artwork was rendered by the talented Japanese designer Tomoki Hayasaki.

Jürgen Engler: “The idea for us was to have an outlet for songs that couldn’t be used in a Die Krupps context. The use of guitars in Die Robo Sapiens music being taboo In a way, it’s a return to our electro roots, but with a twist. Imagine the Duesseldorf sound of Kraftwerk mixed with hard Die Krupps EBM. This combination of styles has been spooking around my brain for a while, and it was time to put it into action.”

The album’s first pressing comes out as a limited deluxe double-CD Digipak holding a bonus disc featuring each album song remixed by an impressive list of electro artists in the likes of Sebastian Komor, Orange Sector, Plastic Noise Experience, Metroland, Aiboforcen, Ad:Key, Implant, Aesthetische, Kant Kino and Cubic.

The album also gets released on vinyl format as a fan edition pack limited to 333 units worldwide including the 10-track album on black vinyl in a deluxe gatefold packaging (with full lyrics) with a bonus DJ turntable slipmat, a page marker and a numbered postcard, plus the new 20-track “Sounds From The Matrix 023” label CD compilation which for now is exclusive to this release.

You can check the tracks right below. Read the review of ‘Robo Sapien Race’.

Robo Sapien Race (Bonus Tracks Edition) by DIE ROBO SAPIENS

Videos

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

Psy’Aviah – Bittersweet (Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 20 May 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Dance-Pop, Indie-Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: “Bittersweet” is the final part of a trilogy which started with the album “Lightflare” (2018) followed by “Soul Searching” (2019). But the work is also meant to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Belgian project. There’s a bonus disc featuring fifteen surprising songs while the digital version reveals fourteen extra tracks.

Content: The working formula of Psy’Aviah hasn’t really changed. Yves Schelpe composes the music while working with an impressive list of guest singers. The opening piece again features cavernous, spoken vocals by Dutch psychiatrist Dirk De Wachter. It’s a dark, dreamy intro followed by twelve, mainly, danceable cuts. The songs are meticulously elaborated and mainly Dance-driven, sometimes reminding me of the magic of Delerium. Olivya Nicole, Mari Kattman, Saydi Driggers, Lumi, Huong Su, Maysa, Marieke Lightband, Tina Forlorn, Eli Rho (2 songs), Rebecca Schneider and Addie Nicole contributed guest vocals while there also guest artists featured playing violin and cello. Notice by the way the tracklist features 2 ‘older’ reworked songs.

The bonus disc features Psy’Aviah songs taken from the wide discography of the band which have been all reworked -and in a way covered by an impressive list of artists. Madil Hardis, The Breath Of Life, Clairval, Your Life On Hold, IC434 (2 songs), Digital Factor, Aesthetische, KC Woong, Implant and Leather Strip contributed to this celebration while you’ll also hear collaborative tracks with Implant, Cat Hall and Bow Ever Down.

The digital format reveals extra songs featuring 808 Dot.Pop, Impulse Control Disorder, Fakzillity, Llumen, Miseram Mortem, Designer Violence, Hartung & Schleinitz, Y-Luk-O, Cosmic Armchair, Huilende Wolf, The Breath Of Life and Leather Strip plus 2 collaborative cuts together with Leather Strip and Implant.

+ + + : The main strength of “Bitter Sweet” is its ‘easy listening’ format. Psy’Aviah is nearly impossible to label -although hardly driven by a very personal approach of Dance music, but simply following its path. The project has seriously evolved throughout the years and the sound often appears a true challenge. The composition is well-crafted, styled, sensual for the slow rhythms and here again reveals an interesting and diversified list of talented singers. “Can we Make It Rhyme ” featuring Mari Kattman is a great piece of music reminding me a bit of Delerium. And I also want to mention “Tired” which is an older song that has been reworked and features passionate vocals by Addie Nicole (Hallocene).

I also have to salute the original concept of the bonus disc (and bonus songs for the digital edit) where the artists totally reworked the older Psy’Aviah songs while putting their own voice on it. The result is diversified but I especially recommend both cuts by IC434 and the one by Your Life On Hold.

– – – : The main strength of Psy’Aviah also appears to be its biggest weakness; hard to label and sometimes dangerously moving to the edge of pure ‘commercial’ Dance music. That’s why I often wonder if this is the right scene and label for this project? The bonus songs are a pretty cool commemoration although I’m missing Emélie Nicolaï who was the singer of the band during the first decade.

Conclusion: Psy’Aviah remains a true challenge although we can’t be unmoved by the creativity, ideas, concept and sound intelligence of this artist.

Best songs: “Can we Make It Rhyme”, “Tired – Rediscovered”, “Cold Summer Nights”, “The Wildness In Me” + “Broken Child” (IC 434), “Anger Management” (IC 434), “Our Common End” (Your Life On Hold), “The Worst In Me” (Leather Strip), “Wild Ride” (Llumen).

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.psyaviah.com / www.facebook.com/psyaviah

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Bittersweet’.

Listen to “Bittersweet (Bonus Version)”:

Bittersweet (Bonus Version) by PSY’AVIAH

About Psy’Aviah

Psy’Aviah is an electronic music project from Antwerp, Belgium, founded in 2003 by producer and composer Yves Schelpe. The project blends genres such as industrial rock, trip hop, electropop, and electro-industrial.

Initially, Psy’Aviah featured vocalist Emélie Nicolaï and guitarist Kristof De Clerck. In 2008, they signed with Alfa Matrix and released their second album, “Entertainment Industries”. The single “Moments” featuring Suzi Q. Smith was selected as one of the 20 best submissions in the BBC Next Big Thing 2007 contest.

Over the years, Psy’Aviah has collaborated with various artists, including Jean-Luc De Meyer (Front 242), Jennifer Parkin (Ayria), and Kyoko Baertsoen (Lunascape, ex-Hooverphonic). Their discography includes albums like “Eclectric” (2010), “Introspection / Extrospection” (2011), and “The Xenogamous Endeavour” (2014).

Their music has also been featured in television series and commercials, such as the use of “Our Common Future” in episodes of a TV series aired on VRT’s Eén and “Tired” in a Microsoft campaign for Windows 7.

Alfa Matrix issued “Bittersweet” on 1 April 2022 as a limited double-CD digipak. The second disc carries the title “Rediscovered (20th Anniversary)” and the set was presented as a twentieth-anniversary edition, which sits one year ahead of the 2003 founding date given in the project’s own biography.

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First Aid 4 Souls – Beyond The Galaxy / Rework (Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM, Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Hungarian project First Aid 4 Souls driven by István Gazdag started a series of ‘reworked’ albums. The first one “Beyond The Galaxy” was originally released in 2013 by Electro-Arc. The artist completely reworked the songs.

Content: I can’t compare with the original album -which I can’t remember to have ever heard and which seems not available on digital platforms, but you rapidly recognize the elaborated EBM format of the project. It’s a sophisticated and detailed composition evoking Frontline Assembly, but still reminding me of Neuroactive. Guest singers were invited for the vocal parts. It brings a diversity of mainly male- and female vocals while István Gazdag is doing backings.

+ + + : Being re-released on Alfa Matrix this album will definitely get more exposure than its original edit, but it also is a way to re-discover a great piece of music. First Aid 4 Souls remains a talented project with an open-minded EBM spectrum. The work reveals great songs like the opening piece “The Thirteenth Floor” (there’s also another version of the song), which sounds a bit minimal-like. “Alien Implant” is the most surprising ‘rework’ reminding me a bit of the energy of The Chemical Brothers. I also recommend “Chaos Cultist”” for its overwhelming production mixed with minimal sound treatments. “Gemini”, “Visitors” and “Nebula” sounds like hard-bouncing EBM cuts for FLA fans.

– – – : I’m always a bit reticent with bands revisiting their back catalogue, but I’ve to admit this is a cool production.

Conclusion: Definitely an album for the fans of First Aid 4 Souls while it’s also an opportunity to (re)discover a somewhat forgotten opus.

Best songs: “The Thirteenth Floor”, “Alien Implant”, “Chaos Cultist”, “Gemini”, “Visitors”, “Nebula”.

Rate: 8.

Listen to “Beyond The Galaxy (Rework)”:

Beyond The Galaxy (Rework) by First Aid 4 Souls

Artist: www.facebook.com/First-Aid-4-Souls-180876236297

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

About First Aid 4 Souls

First Aid 4 Souls is an electronic and industrial project from Budapest, Hungary, started in 2007 by István Gazdag. Gyorgy Turoczy has since joined the line-up. The project mixes noise, acid and trance elements with new wave melodies and industrial metal.

The 2CD “My Favourite Pain With Some Bizzare Remix Package” appeared on Some Bizzare in 2008. Electro Arc then released “Deathstep” in 2011, four volumes of the “Selected Electro Works” series between 2011 and 2012, and the CD album “Beyond The Galaxy” in 2013.

Alfa Matrix signed the project for the EP “Dreambox” in 2020 and the album “Stainless Steel Eyes” in 2021. The reworked edition of the 2013 album followed in December 2021, which Side-Line covered in First Aid 4 Souls re-release 2013 break-through album ‘Beyond The Galaxy’ in a reworked version.

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Psy’Aviah returns with 2CD album ‘Bittersweet’ including an extra 3rd volume

Eldrina Mich — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 15:10:47 +0000

(Photo by GNY) Out on April 1st – but already available in pre-order via the Alfa Matrix label’s webshop – is the all new album from the Belgian dark trip electro pop act Psy’Aviah. “Bittersweet” is the last album in the introspective trilogy that started with the previous 2 albums “Lightflare” and “Soul Searching”.

The first disc of this 2CD set offers 13 new songs featuring several collaborators including Irina Markevich on violin and Polina Faustova on cello, and the vocalists Addie Nicole, Mari Kattman, Marieke Lightband, Saydi Drigger, Huong Su, Lumí, Tina Forlorn, Eli Rho, Rebecca Schneider or yet the famous Belgian professor Dr. Dirk De Wachter. Next to the new songs the first disc also offers revamped versions of the classic Psy’Aviah songs “Tired” and the mega hit “OK”.

To celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary, this first edition of the album comes as a limited double-CD digipak holding the exclusive 15-track CD “Rediscovered (20th Anniversary)” plus a download link to 14 extra additional songs. These 29 tracks (!!) hold cover version of Psy’Aviah tracks by a long list of other bands including The Breath Of Life, Implant, Aesthetische, 808.DOT.POP, Leaether Strip, Your Life On Hold, Digital Factor, IC 434, Llumen, Madil Hardis and many more.

This is not the end product, just a render.

The 2CD (and the additional 12 download tracks) can be pre-ordered via the Alfa Matrix webstore, while you can get the full 42 tracks in one bundle right here from Bandcamp.

Below you can already listen to 4 tracks. Read the review of ‘Bittersweet’.

Bittersweet (Bonus Version) by PSY'AVIAH

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

Implant doesn’t trust the machines on it’s newest EP

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 17:21:25 +0000

On March 26, 2021 Implant released its album “Cognitive Dissonance”. The duo now returns with a new download EP, “I Don’t Trust The Machine”, featuring three album songs all entirely redesigned and regenerated by Implant themselves. The new EP is available for download on Bandcamp.

The result is a 6-track EP featuring reworked version of the tracks “I Don’t Trust The Machine”, “The Room” and “The King And The Rebel” plus 3 remixes of the title track.

Check out the full EP below.

I Don't Trust The Machines EP by IMPLANT

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Gunmaker – The Third (Album – Advoxya Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 18:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Metal-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The Hungarian band Gunmaker has been active for a few years and released their third opus at the end of 2020. This new work features eight songs plus nine remixes. The album has been again produced by Rob Dust.

Content: The least I can say is that Gunmaker never repeats itself. From a rather Metal-driven debut album towards a more Electro/Indie-Pop next album they now strike back with a kind of Metal-Pop offspring. The songs have something Electro-Pop/Wave driven while being empowered by guitar riffs. Some of the most refined cuts remind me a bit of Apoptygma Berzerk.

Remixes have been made by Numb Haze, Rob Dust, Monolith, Human Vault, Dark Control Operation, Implant, Southern Pines, Cyberbob, Jihad, Angst Pop & Technomancer and Linda Daemon. The last song is an alternative mix of an album song by the band themselves.

+ + + : I can’t say that Gunmaker is constantly reinventing their sound, but at least they don’t get stuck in one specific sound formula. The mix of Metal driven riffs and Electro-Pop works pretty well, but I have a preference for one of the most Pop-driven cuts (cf. “Dreams And Desires”). Among the remixes I noticed a brilliant remix of “Wherever You Go” by French formation Dark Control Operation. I especially like the Gary Numan spirit emerging from the strings. Another cool remix is the one by Monolith.

– – – : I still think the production of the vocals could be better. It remains the main point of the band to improve.

Conclusion: Gunmaker moves on composing a very personal interpretation of different, but related music genres.

Best songs: “Dreams And Desires”, “Wherever You Go”, “Wherever You Go – Dark Control Operation Remix”, “Wherever You Go – Monolith Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Gunmaker-474227946012195

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

The Third by Gunmaker

About Gunmaker

Gunmaker is a Budapest-based duo of János “Headfield” Erdei (vocals, guitar) and Andrew “Gunhead” Maker (synths), according to Discogs and the band’s Bandcamp credits. Gunhead had previously been involved in Impact Pulse and Nothing Nada. The debut album Headmaker (Advoxya Records, 2015), recorded with a female singer, was reviewed on Side-Line in March 2016, and the successor Daymaker (2017), produced by Rob Dust with Erdei on vocals, in June 2018. The band also appeared on the Advoxya compilation Hungarian Allstars Synthpop Compilation Volume 1 (2020).

“The Third” was released by Advoxya Records on 28 October 2020 on CD and as a download, with a limited double-CD edition in a carton jacket that adds a 3-inch maxi-single titled “B-side”. The eight songs are “I Wanna Feel”, “Wherever You Go”, “Your Own Star”, “Dreams And Desires”, “Give Me Your Life”, “Last Song”, “A Book” and “Take Me Into The Dark Night”, followed by nine remixes by Numb Haze, Rob Dust, Monolith, Human Vault, Dark Control Operation, Implant, Southern Pines, CyberBob and Jihad. Gunmaker wrote the words and music, Rob Dust produced, mixed and mastered the album and The Borg made the artwork.

Gunmaker has also remixed other Advoxya acts, including Stupre on You Are Made For Me and The Quinsy on To Feed Your Fever. “The Third” is the band’s third album and third Side-Line review.

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Llumen – The Dark In Her Eyes (EP – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 20:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, Electro-Ambient, Experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Four years after the debut album “The Memory Institute” Belgian solo-project Llumen –driven by Pieter Coussement, strikes back with this EP announcing the new full length “Polygon Heart”. The EP reveals two new songs plus remixed versions, which seem to exorcise personal demons.

Content: Llumen strikes back with a high-tech title track, which reminds me once again of the sound intelligence of Haujobb. A perfect mix between Ambient-like atmospheres with an astral dimension and slow, danceable rhythms with clear, powerful vocals on top. “The Path That Leads Me Home” sounds rather similar, but with an extra ‘dance’-led on top while hopping sequences inject some extra dynamic into the song.

The title song has been remixed by Implant, Entrzelle and Auger while the Antibody made a remix of the other track.

+ + + : I personally consider Llumen together with Circumpolar as two of the most ‘intelligent’ Electro acts from the Alfra Matrix roster. Llumen has its own sound and style, which is a sonic fusion between different influences. Definitely into electronic music, but also Ambient-like while refined with Electro-Pop and even Dance-elements it resulted into sophisticated and accessible music. It might appeal to Haujobb lovers, but I personally prefer Coussement’s vocals instead of Daniel Myer. “The Dark In Her Eyes” is a well-crafted and accomplished piece. It also inspired Implant, but especially Entrzelle to achieve great remixes. Entrzelle’s remix is even more sophisticated than the original version.

– – – : The B-side cut “The Path That Leads Me Home” reveals great ideas, but the lead is somewhat ordinary and too Dance-driven.

Conclusion: “Llumen is back on track and that’s great news for all Electro fine tasters.

Best songs: “The Dark In Her Eyes – Entrzelle Mix”, “The Dark In Her Eyes”, “The Dark In Her Eyes – Implant Mix”.

Rate: (7 ½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Llumen-official-192854384064057

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘The Dark In Her Eyes’.

The Dark In Her Eyes EP by LLUMEN

About Llumen

Llumen is the Belgian electronic solo project of Pieter Coussement. It started as a three-piece in the first decade of the 2000s and continued as a one-man project from 2009, mixing old-school EBM, future-pop, techno and IDM. Llumen signed to Alfa Matrix and debuted on the label in 2016 with the EP Cold In December, followed by the double-CD debut album The Memory Institute in 2017; Coussement discussed that record in the ‘Click Interview’ with Llumen of February 2017.

“The Dark In Her Eyes” was released by Alfa Matrix on 2 April 2021 as a six-track download. Alfa Matrix wrote on Bandcamp that Coussement “went through some serious health crisis moments the last few years” and that the new songs reflect “that very personal post-surgery rebirth”. The tracks are “The Dark In Her Eyes”, “The Path That Leads Me Home”, “The Dark In Her Eyes (Implant Mix)”, “The Path That Leads Me Home (Antibody Mix)”, “The Dark In Her Eyes (Entrzelle Mix)” and “The Dark In Her Eyes (Auger Mix)”.

The EP preceded Polygon Heart, which Alfa Matrix released on 18 June 2021 in digital and CD formats and Side-Line reviewed in September 2021. The EP “Die Stille Totgeschwiegen” followed in 2023 and the album The Breaking Waves in 2024, issued as a limited 2CD set; Side-Line reported on the album Winter Eden in August 2026. “The Dark In Her Eyes” is the project’s third Side-Line review.

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AD:Key – Alles Was Ich Will (EP – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 18:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM, Body-Pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: This new EP is the third one taken from AD:Key’s sixth album “Resonanz” released last year. The work features five edits of the title track plus 2 remixes of another album song “Schlachtfeld Der Liebe”.

Content: “Alles Was Ich Will” is quite characteristic for the “Resonanz”-album; still driven by good-old and well-crafted EBM, but with some extra Electro-Pop elements on top. There’s a “Single Mix” and “Tanz Mix” plus remixes by Final Selection, Implant and less familiar X10ded. “Schlachtfeld Der Liebe” has been adopted into a “Single Edit” as well plus an alternative and totally reworked edit.

+ + + : I have to admit the title song was not exactly my favorite cut from the album, but it remains AD:Key-stuff: danceable and revealing an intelligent retro-EBM style while the German vocals by Rene and Andrea Nowotny inject a special touch to the work. The “Single Mix” sounds cool, but especially the club-orientated remix by Implant is the true attention grabber. There’s also something to say about the down-tempo, evasive remix by Final Selection. And X10ded injected some extra ‘robotic’ elements to the song, which are cool as well.

– – – : “Schlachtfeld Der Liebe” doesn’t really add a true bonus to the EP. The song didn’t catch my attention on the album and both new edits aren’t convincing.

Conclusion: This EP is an item for the fans of the band, but definitely not the record I would recommend to discover this great formation.

Best songs: “Alles Was Ich Will – Club Mix by Implant”, “Alles Was Ich Will – Forever Sentimental Mix by Final Selection”, “Alles Was Ich Will – Single Mix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/ADKEYmusic

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Alles Was Ich Will’.

Alles Was Ich Will EP by AD:KEY

About AD:Key

AD:Key is a Berlin-based German EBM duo formed by Andrea Nowotny and René Nowotny, a husband-and-wife team. The project grew out of René’s earlier act Rector Scanner, founded in 1997 as his first music project, before he redirected his energy toward the more EBM-oriented AD:Key together with Andrea. Formed around 2006-2007, the duo released club-driven EBM early on. The debut album “Thema Nummer Eins” arrived on 5 December 2008, followed in 2015 by “Anthropozän”. René Nowotny discussed the project in the ‘Click Interview’ with AD:KeY of April 2016.

After signing to Alfa Matrix in 2017, AD:Key released the digital EP “Shameless” and a steady run of releases on the label, including “Reanimator” (2017), “10th Anniversary” (2018) and the EP “Never Enough” (2018). The EP Herz Lass Los (June 2020) preceded the sixth album “Resonanz”, reviewed on Side-Line in November 2020; a second EP taken from the album followed in December 2020, before “Alles Was Ich Will”.

“Alles Was Ich Will” was released by Alfa Matrix on 1 April 2021 as a seven-track download. The tracks are “Alles Was Ich Will (single mix)”, “Alles Was Ich Will (forever sentimental mix by Final Selection)”, “Schlachtfeld Der Liebe (single edit)”, “Alles Was Ich Will (club mix by Implant)”, “Alles Was Ich Will (x10ded mix)”, “Schlachtfeld Der Liebe (hölle ist, wenn du nicht bei mir bist)” and “Alles Was Ich Will (tanz mix)”. No further production credits are listed on the Bandcamp page.

The duo has since released the EPs “Nackt” (2024) and “Deine Augen” (2024), the seventh album 06.09 (2024), the EP Kontraktion (2025) and the single Der Böse Gott (2025), all on Alfa Matrix. “Alles Was Ich Will” is the third EP taken from “Resonanz” and the duo’s fifth Side-Line review.

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Implant – Cognitive Dissonance (Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 18:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-Pop, Electro, Experimental.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Belgian Implant duo is back on track, unleashing their eleventh album in history. Len Lemaire and Jan D’Hooghe have been inspired by the ongoing pandemic and the impact on humans. It resulted in a double disc featuring numerous remixes on the second disc. Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers) contributed to some songs of the album.

Content: Implant already revealed a different approach in sound on the previous –and great, album “Oxynoxe-X” while the last year released EP “Phantom Pain” confirmed this evolution although getting more into Electro-Pop fields. It’s quite significant for this new opus, which is bringing elements such as Minimal-Electro and a kind of Industrial-Pop together. The ‘Trance’ roots of the band are far away, but still present on a few cuts. The main evolution of the sound is due to the use of analogue gear, which becomes pretty explicit at a few shorter, instrumental pieces. Noemi Aurora is singing on 3 songs, creating a weird, but cool match with the growls of Len Lemaire.

The work features remixes by Suicide Commando, Signal Aout 42, Aiboforcen, Q’Pnz, 808 Dot.Pop, Növö, Armageddon Dildos, AD:Key, Neuroactive and Helalyn Flowers. The second disc also features a few extra songs by Implant. Last, but not least The Breath Of Life simply covered one of the songs instead of making a remix.

+ + + : I truly respect the global evolution in sound Implant has made during the past years. It still sounds Implant-like, but the Belgians seem to have found new sonic paths to explore. The analogue sound treatments create this minimalism, but also very original sequences emerging at the shorter ‘intermezzo’ cuts. Noemi Aurora remains to me one of the most talented singers in this scene and she adds a graceful-, sensual- and artistic touch on top of the songs. “Phantom Pain” remains a cool track, but she also sings on “The Last Record”, which clearly appears to be a potential hit –and has been remixed by several artists. One of my favorite songs however is “The Room” for its extra robotic dimension plus deep, resonating bass line and “Nutshell” for its minimalism. The opening song “I Don’t Trust The Machine” is another attention grabber with a strong dance/club appeal and driven by an amazing lead.

The list of remixers is also a noticeable aspect of the album. I here want to mention the work by Suicide Commando and Trance-driven remix by the Belgian producer Q’Pnz. The Breath Of Life did a great job covering “The Last Record”; this is a beautiful and sensitive version. Last, but not least Implant put 2 more great pieces on this disc (cf. “Censorship Through Noise Part III” and “Lied 13”.

– – – : I regret some short, instrumental cuts from the main disc haven’t been more worked out; “Nutshell” is not only one of the best tracks, but unfortunately it’s just a kind of break. Despite the impressive list of remixers, I definitely expected a bit more.

Conclusion: Implant is now active for nearly 30 years and has already found new new horizons to explore.

Best songs: “The Room”, “I Don’t Trust The Machine”, “Nutshell”, “The Devil Made Me Do It”, “The Last Record”, + “The Last Record – Cover by The Breath Of Life”, “Run To The Lights – One Messed Up Mix by Suicide Commando”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.implant-music.be / www.facebook.com/Implantmusic

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Cognitive Dissonance’.

Cognitive Dissonance (Bonus Tracks Version) by IMPLANT

About Implant

Implant is a Belgian electronic act formed in 1992 by Geert Machtelinck and Len Lemeire (spelled Lemaire in the review above), mixing dark electro roots with dance-oriented electronics. The debut album “Soft Flesh-Hard Steel” appeared in 1996 on Celtic Circle Productions after the single “Fun”, followed by the “BrainFX” EP in 1998. “Kmputor” (2000) moved toward goa trance influences, and the double CD “Unidentified Flying Frequencies” was released via Flatline Records. When that label closed, Implant moved to Alfa Matrix and released “Planet Euphoria” (2002), featuring Canadian singer Jennifer Parkin, then “Horseback Riding Through Bassfields” (2003), “Self-Inflicted” (2005), “Implantology” (2009) and “The Productive Citizen” (2013). The double CD “Oxynoxe-X” (2017) was reviewed on Side-Line in January 2018.

The EP “Phantom Pain”, announced in Cult Belgian electro act Implant breaks silence with brand new EP ‘Phantom Pain’ in December 2020, preceded “Cognitive Dissonance”, which Alfa Matrix released on 26 March 2021 as a download and as a limited deluxe double-CD digipak. The thirteen album tracks are “I Don’t Trust The Machine”, “Phantom Pain”, “The Shipwreck”, “Nutshell”, “Hell Hole”, “The Devil Made Me Do It”, “The Drums Have Been Talking”, “The King And The Rebel”, “The Room”, “Run To The Lights”, “Censorship Through Noise (Part I)”, “Censorship Through Noise (Part II)” and “The Last Record”; Noemi Aurora sings on “Phantom Pain”, “The Shipwreck” and “The Last Record”. The bonus disc “When Prophecy Fails” holds the remixes and cover named in the review plus the exclusive tracks “Censorship Through Noise (Part III)” and “Lied 13”. No further production credits are listed on the Bandcamp page.

The single “The Drive” followed in December 2023, leading into the trilogy No More Flies On The Windscreen -The Chaos Machines Part 1 (2024), Scratching The Surface – The Chaos Machines Part 2 (2024) and Judging Sinners / The Chaos Machines Part 3 (2025), all reviewed on Side-Line; Lemeire discussed the series in the Implant interview of May 2024. “Cognitive Dissonance” is the band’s eleventh album and its fifth Side-Line review.

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Planetdamage back with ‘Relapse Protocol – The Remixes’ holding 8 remixes

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 17:31:44 +0000

Out now is Planetdamage “Relapse Protocol – The Remixes” on the Black Pill Red Pill label. “Relapse Protocol – The Remixes” holds 8 tracks and as source material the album “Relapse Protocol” was used, that one was released in November 2020.

The following remixers participated: Aether Pilot, Spankthenun, Mach Fox of Zwaremachine, Freeze Etch, The Gothsicles, Chrome Corpse and Vandalaze. Mastering (and additional production on track 5) was done by Reza Udhin (Killing Joke, Implant) of Cryonica Audio Mastering.

You can hear the EP below.

Damage has been working as a producer for 5 years, landing 5 EPs and a number of remixes, collaborating with bands like First Aid 4 Souls or Black Nail Cabaret, having been remixed by musicians such as Haujobb, Leaether Strip or Attrition.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Labels Interviews: File 3: Seba Dolimont & Bernard Van Isacker / Alfa Matrix: ‘We Keep Anticipating New Trends In Order To Stay Relevant And Future Proof’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 19 May 2021 10:22:31 +0000

Seba Dolimont

Alfa Matrix has been set up in 2001 by three friends. Séba Dolimont, Benoît Blanchart and Bernard Van Isacker were all involved with Side-Line magazine, but decided to start an Electronic label. The label became a home for artists dealing with EBM, Dark-Electro and Electro-Pop, but throughout the years the label welcomed other genres like Gothic, Ambient and Industrial. Front 242, Ayria, Pouppée Fabrikk, Plastic Noise Experience, Armageddon Dildos, Unter Null, Acylum, Implant, Metroland, Zombie Girl, Helalyn Flowers, I:Scintilla, Mentallo And The Fixer, Leather Strip, Star Industry, Alien Vampires and many others joined the ‘matrix’. And I nearly forget to mention Aiboforcen which was set up by Benoît Blanchart and Séba Dolimont.

(Stéphane Froidcoeur / Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Was there a kind of ‘philosophy’ when you set up your label and did it evolve over the years? How would you define your label activities today?

Seba. Alfa Matrix was created in 2001 with 2 key values: running the label from an artist perspective in our collaboration approach, and focusing on a direct servicing of our customers. All this with the aim to support and market underground Electronic music with attitude with an eclectic approach. Twenty years later, and although the music market situation has drastically changed, we are still active on the same Indie music scene, we still dare signing newcomers and our repertoire confirms our quite open-minded sound range of interest. We do run the label in mutual respect and care with our roster of artists and developed a quite strong direct sales approach for both digital and physical releases.

So we quite sticked to our original mission and simply adapted our operational mode to the constantly evolving music consumption habits and we keep anticipating new trends in order to stay relevant and future proof.

Q: I can imagine you must have specific and explicit criteria to sign an artist/band. Can you give us more details about this aspect and how important is it for you to know the person(s) hiding behind the ‘artist(s)’?

Seba: Through the years, it has become harder and harder to open the gate of the ‘matrix’ simply because we want to stick to a certain maximum number of bands, but also because any new signing to the label should bring something new to the label family, add a new color to our sound/artistic palette. Also important for us is that any new addition to the label must get the green light form the 3 members of the label management team.

The art must touch us for sure, but personally, in my role of artists manager, I pay a lot of attention to the personalities of the artists, probably more today than 20 years ago! Simply because we believe in long term collaborations and to achieve such goal we better construct our relationship on solid foundations and values. So that personal click is also something I need to give my vote…

Bernard: Nowadays it takes time to launch a new unknown artist, and we work slowly, but steadily to get their music heard to the public. There is no magic formula to create instant success, it’s continuous work both by the label and the band. The first has to use the best channels to create the best value for the band while the bands have to work on social presence, and the interaction with fans on several platforms. It’s also why we have started releasing lots of singles, so bit by bit we reach a bigger audience this way via all platforms.

Bernard Van Isacker

When we started the music market was already in decline so we had to start early on with a new model to get the word out. Know that there are many bands out there and if you actually look at it, too few labels to manage all those great talents.

Q: You are already active for numerous years now so you must have seen a lot of things changing and evolving; think about social media, streaming platforms, Youtube channels… but also economic crisis etc. What are the pros and cons of these changes/evolutions and in, which way did you had to adapt/change your strategy and activities?

Seba: As owners of a company several dozens of artists gave their trust to, the least we can do is running this company professionally through a strong overall financial management and anticipating business and market evolutions to remain future proof. This is why Alfa Matrix was one of the first labels from our scene to be on digital platforms, and I even remember some were laughing about us, especially when we decided to invest a lot in streaming that is still seen as a danger by some today. Like other labels we also went through some tough economic challenges when we faced several bankruptcies from big CD distributors in Germany or in America. But with our strategy of focusing on an international market rather than putting all eggs in one or two baskets, it was easier for us going through all this, and especially with the unmatchable force of having a strong fanbase buying in direct from our e-shops and giving us more financial independence. So the decisions we make are more guided to the way we adapt our ‘go to market’ strategy: changing distribution channels, deciding how we spread our budgets and investments, etc…

Bernard: In respect to that, we have been continuously checking out new platforms to vet if they were adding value to our media mix or not. For instance Facebook was quickly used by us, but we also knew that this free ride would not continue and that at some point Facebook would close the open gates and restrict the organic reach from their pages. That happened, a bit later than we anticipated, but it did happen. The same for Instagram for example. The free rides are over and done and you can no longer count on getting free unpaid reach for every communication you do. During that process we continued to work on a direct relation with customers. So while some bands and labels have gone that far to only have Facebook as their window we never neglected the own properties we can manage for the full 100%: an own e-shop, a very active Bandcamp page which both have given that what we are looking for, namely a direct link with the fans. So, suppose that Facebook or any other social media platforms stops their activities, we won’t feel any impact as we have a direct link with customers. This under the hood approach has been working very well for us and is something we will continue to do. Social media for us are a nice extra, but nothing more than that, the real value lays elsewhere for us.

I also strongly believe in the streaming market for the future, it’s how most of the music will be digested by music fans alongside HQ audio which people will find on Bandcamp and via physical products. As far as YouTube is concerned, I share the same comment and idea which Dave Heckman made earlier this week to you. This Google moloch pays really peanuts, 10 times less than Spotify, it also offers poor audio, but surprise surprise… everybody wants to be on it. It’s maybe good for the image but not so good for your wallet in the end if you consider the production cost of a video versus the extremely low return you get from it. It doesn’t mean we don’t have to be present there, but I seriously doubt that a lot of money should be thrown at it, it’s not our preferred medium.

Q: The ongoing pandemic has affected all artistic life and activities so what’s the true impact on your label activities and do you think it will also affect your long term objectives?

Seba: First of all the pandemic affected every person behind our Alfa Matrix bands and the label staff itself, most probably first on a personal level, cos they themselves struggled against Covid-19 or lost loved ones around them. What obviously hurts the most is the recurrent cancellation of tours, festivals, shows… this is hard for all bands. The stage remains the ultimate place of communion between artist and fans. The duration of the pandemic crisis also makes it more and more complex for artists releasing new albums and not being able to perform the new songs live.

Economically, so far we have been working hard and increased our promotional efforts to support the bands. As a result we actually managed increasing our label turnover between 2019 and 2020 with over 15% although the lockdown hit us all heavily. It was a combination of efforts: we continued to deliver CD’s to shops in direct -when some of our distributors were obliged to keep doors closed for example, but also from our bands who released more digital music to also bring some nice entertaining moments to their fans in these difficult moments, but also from our fans who continued supporting us massively.

Now unfortunately we all know that the economic crisis that will follow will hurt at all levels, but we will only start experiencing the real impacts in the second half of this year. It’s then that more and more people will continue loosing their jobs, loosing a portion of budgets they usually put into art and leisure. I also hope that this sanitary crisis will lead more people to pay more attention to their health in general. So yes, the world will change for sure, and we will all need to adopt and adapt at some point.

Q: Do you think media (magazines, online platforms etc…) still have an impact and a role to play today? What’s your relationship with ‘journalists’ and how important is their work?

Seba: Media changed a lot in 20 years indeed! Print magazines have been going through tough times. The major challenge is remaining relevant as a print magazine coming out monthly while online news get published instantly and spread a few clicks further. Combining digital with print is not easy. Integrating social medias, streaming platforms, etc… in the overall journalistic equation is tricky.

It’s just like for music, the new generations tend to consider that art and information should be free of access. As a label, of course journalists still play an important role for a certain portion of music fans who still enjoy turning pages while reading and enjoying the pleasure of holding a magazine or a book in your hands. They then also reach out to the digital audience via their blogs and other websites. But the readers tend to identify themselves less than before to some specialized journalists, but will rather trust and follow the advise of some friends posting on social medias, other buyers leaving comments on webstores or other influencers. They also tend to trust themselves more and more and believe in algorithms recommending them the next music to play on their own music radar.

Bernard: Many online magazines do not publish news daily or even regularly which makes it difficult for them to stay relevant in these days of social media. In the past we were able to work with a lot of great web magazines, but these days we have to work with hundreds and most really have a very very small readership, while others have been smart enough to evolve, develop, stay relevant. Those online magazines from the past who did not evolve have seen their visitors go to Facebook and never have seen them back. Most also ceased all activity. It shows clearly that Facebook for instance is not the booster that most had hoped, on the contrary, and it also explains why many magazines are increasingly negative towards Facebook because they have now largely decided what you get to see, what you discuss about etc..

As a label we must combine all these elements to reach out to our customers/fans and make choices based on gathered experience and acquired know-how, while exploring new grounds…

Q: What do you consider as your biggest accomplishment(s)? Do you have specific goals/dreams you want to achieve and how do you prepare and see the future of the label(s)? And what are your biggest regret(s)?

Seba: I think our biggest accomplishment is to be talking with you today and celebrating 20 years of Alfa Matrix, each release from our music repertoire between 2001 and now each contributed to this success, from newcomer acts to living legends from our beloved music scene.

The only regrets I might have are first of all not to have 10 days in a week to do all I’d like to do, and maybe having put a couple of friendships in danger by starting a label collaboration with friends without having been enough aligned and synched together on strategic elements. As far as the future, I hope we will still be able supporting talents as long as possible and having the chance to release the great work from our artists, and working with experienced music supporters like you…

Bernard: I personally never expected that this story that started as an idea amongst friends would turn out to be that successful and long-lasting. Seba had the basic idea and then pitched it to Benoit and me. Since I knew Seba as a very trustworthy guy (you introduced him to me remember!) it didn’t take long for me to decide to get on board and invest in it.

Benoît Blanchart

As far as the future for the label, or any label, I guess that the love for what we and the bands do will be the biggest power behind it all. I still discover great music in this scene so we are not in desert modus. The biggest challenge will be to keep on making new people warm for this scene’s music. Not a simple task, but we’ll manage alright I think.

My biggest regret… we all know it’s very time consuming and it’s not always easy to find a good balance between family life and work. As far as my two colleagues is concerned, I know how to separate my private life from work, so even if we have some catfights about certain things (we have to agree all 3 on something or it doesn’t happen), we remain loyal friends above all. And as far as how we function together, you can say that the structured thinking of Seba combined with the fuzzy logic style of thinking of Benoit and myself is an ideal breeding platform for great adventures!

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808 Dot Pop – Ultraviolet –Phototonic + Pentatonic +Diatonic (EP + Single – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 06 May 2021 18:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: We discovered 808 Dot Pop –side project of Metroland’s ‘Passenger S’ with the successful debut album “The Colour Temperature”. One year later the Belgian artist strikes back with a new album entitled “The Cubic Temperature”, which is a collaboration with Cubic. And Cubic is another Belgian project driven by Franky Deblomme (previously involved with the EBM project Darkmen) and recently signed to Alfa Matrix. “Ultraviolet” is featuring three separate although connected releases: “Phototonic”, “Pentatonic” and “Diatonic”.

Content: “Ultraviolet Phototonic” features the title song plus 3 remixes. “Ultraviolet Pentatonic” is a single featuring 2 songs and “Ultraviolet Diatonic” is the final production revealing 3 more tracks.

The music remains in the line of 808 Dot Pop’s debut album; pure robotic Electro-Pop, which sounds catchy and full of bleeping sequences and some computer vocals. Remixes have been made by Implant and the German artist My.Cosmo while 808 Dot Pop accomplished alternative edits as well. The most surprising work is “Ultraviolet Diatonic” featuring a piano edit by My.Cosmo plus 2 surprising cover versions from classical pieces. First Erik Satie’s famous “Gymnopedie” and next Johan Pachelbel’s “Canon In D”. Both tracks have been transposed into robotic-pop.

+ + + : The title song has been masterly reworked by Cubic and will appeal for all lovers of 808 Dot Pop and Metroland. This is catchy, robotic music featuring sophisticated passages, but especially entertaining, danceable Electro. Among the remixes I especially want to mention the harder version by Implant and the more elaborated “Suntanned”-version. From the 3 productions I especially recommend the “Phototonic”-one. The reworked of “Gymnopedie”-theme from Erik Satie is cool and original.

– – – : I know Passenger S likes releasing different edits from the same title-song, but I personally prefer one great piece with consistence instead of different digital formats. The classical covers are cool and original, but not exactly adding a true bonus to the work.

Conclusion: These works –but especially “Ultraviolet –Phototonic” only confirm the potential of 808 Dot Pop and the talent of Cubic.

Best songs: “Ultraviolet – Photonic”, “Ultraviolet – Implant Remix”, “Ultraviolet – Suntanned”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/808dotpop

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

“Ultraviolet (Phototonic) EP” by 808 DOT POP

About 808 Dot Pop

808 Dot Pop is the solo electropop project of Metroland member Passenger S, who launched the project with the album “The Colour Temperature” in March 2020 and discussed his approach in a July 2020 Click Interview.

The “Ultraviolet” single was issued across three separate download EPs, “Phototonic”, “Pentatonic” and “Diatonic”, taken from the collaborative album with Cubic, “The Cubic Temperature”, released on Alfa Matrix in March 2021.

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Helalyn Flowers – Àiresis (Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 19:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Industrial-Rock, Metal-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD & 2CD.

Background/Info: TheItalian act Helalyn Flowers duo strikes back with their sixth full length to date, which comes three years after the astonishing “Nyctophilia” (2018). This album wants to be a reflection about our lives and habits or as the work has been introduced as ‘the antidote against sterile chatting, obsessive mechanization and the excessive culture of hype’.

Content: One of the first aspects that caught my attention is that Helalyn Flowers don’t repeat themselves, but try to explore new paths with each new album although their sound remains easily recognizable. First of all there’s the great, sensual and passionate way of singing of Noemi Aurora who literally injects a soul into the music. And next there’s the music itself composed by Maxx Maryan and Noemi. It’s hard to define the sound, which clearly appears as the offspring between different- and sometimes opposite genres. The result is a hard piece of music mixing elements of Rock-, Industrial- and Metal music, which are polished with an unexpected –but already familiar, Pop touch.

The bonus disc features remixes by Jean-Marc Lederman, Mario Rühlicke, Junksista, Implant, Alien_Nation, ImJudas, Planet Pop, ExoPhantom feat. Xyren Version, Digital shadows and DJ Und3rmin3r. There also is an interesting “2015 Version” of the song “Skyland”.

+ + + : Helalyn Flowers is a band you can’t really compare to others; they have something very personal in the global sound production being a true sonic osmosis between styles, but also –and mainly, driven by one of the best female singers from this alternative scene. Noemi Aurora not only has a great timbre of voice, but she injects different emotions to her voice. She can be sweet and passionate and even enraged. There’s a great balance between her vocals and the music. But the music itself resulted from a perfect harmony between guitar and electronics; guitars to inject rage and electronics to bring some extra melody and even elevating moments.

Among the remixes I salute the work of Jean-Marc Lederman, the punching remix by Mario Rühlicke, the more electro-driven remix by Implant and the club-friendly remix by Planet Pop.

– – – : It’s sometimes pretty hard to catch Helalyn Flowers; that’s what makes them original, but at the other side the songs aren’t always the most accessible. They this way create a perfect symbiosis with the concept of the album -an antidote against the excessive culture of hype. I already heard better works from the Italian duo.

Conclusion: Helalyn Flowers became a true antidote to established music genres, mixing all these genres together in a very own sound.

Best songs: “Metropolis Necropolis”, “Cosmic Ants”, “Halos” + “Suicidal Birds – Trensity Remix by Mario Rühlicke”, “Suicidal Birds – Waves, Trash And Garlic Mix by Implant” and “Before The Sunshine – Planet Pop Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/helalynflowers

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Àiresis’.

About Helalyn Flowers

Helalyn Flowers is an industrial rock duo from Rome, Italy, formed by vocalist Nøemi Aurora and guitarist/producer Maxx Maryan (credited as maXX). The pair drew attention in 2006 with the singles “E-race Generation” and “Voices” before signing to Belgian label Alfa Matrix, which released their debut album “A Voluntary Coincidence” in 2007. Subsequent albums followed with “Stitches of Eden” (2010), “White Me In // Black Me Out” (2013), the “Beware of Light” EP featuring Chris Pohl (2015), and “Sonic Foundation” (2016), the last of which reached the Top 50 of the iTunes Rock Charts in the United States. “Nyctophilia” followed in 2018. “Àiresis,” reviewed here, is the duo’s sixth full-length album, released via Alfa Matrix.

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Acylum – Kampf Dem Verderb (Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 18:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD & 2CD.

Background/Info: The German band Acylum driven by Pedro ‘Acylum’ Engel and his partner in crime Nadine ‘Cooraz’ Engel strike back with the first Acylum album in nearly six years! “Kampf Dem Verderb” was introduced last year introduced by the EP “Sieg Oder Walhalla”. The work wants to be a reflection upon the ‘overall bloody atmosphere of hatred, violence, terror and war’.

Content: The return of Acylum is characterized by an extremely dark and tormented sound perception, which totally matches with the ‘concept’ of the album. The songs are constantly driven by harsh, Industrial kicks while similar desolate tunes are supporting the work with darkness. The use of mainly German samplings accentuates the horror of the war vision, but still appears to be provocative. The harsh vocals by Pedro Engel only accentuate the nightmarish atmosphere emerging at the surface of this opus. The main difference with the brilliant and previous album (cf. “Pest”) is that this work sounds less powerful, but more into an atmospheric approach. A few tracks are even harder! One of the most surprising cuts is a new version of “The Enemy” (originally released in 2009 at the same-titled album) and now reworked with the contribution of Nano Infect, Totem Obscura, Viscera Drip, Wolfchild, Xentrifuge and Technogenetika.

The bonus disc from the limited edition is featuring remixes by Suicide Commando, Armageddon Dildos, David Blackstar, Asseptic Room, Ice Ages, Larva, Advent Resilience, Schwarzstern, Project Eratic, Dirty K, Implant, Nano Infect, Aesthetische and Mental Exile.

+ + + : I was eagerly awaiting the sixth album of Acylum and especially after the brilliant “Pest”, which I consider as one of the best Dark-Electro productions from the past ten years. This new work sounds different, which in a way is a good thing, revealing a band which doesn’t want to repeat itself. But the good thing is you rapidly recognize the unique and extremely tormented horror vision emerging from the tracks. Acylum has its own sound DNA, which you’ll instantly recognize. The best cuts however are the hardest ones; “What Do You See?” is my favorite and for sure a song reminiscent of the glorious days of :Wumpscut:. I also have to mention “Violin Of Death” and the already known “Sieg Oder Walhalla”. The idea of reworking “The Enemy” by inviting multiple bands from the darkest Electro scene is a great idea.

Among the remixes I heard different inspired versions, but especially want to pick up Suicide Commando with the very ‘Klinik-al’ remix of “Masquerade”, some club-driven remixes by Armadeggon Dildos and Schwarzstern, the Industrial and instrumental transformation of “Venom” by Dirty K and the phenomenal EBM transposition of “Sieg Oder Walhalla” by Aesthetische. The last remix by Mental Exile is also worthy of examination as they remixed “Sieg Oder Walhalla” into an Electro/Disco-Pop edit.

– – – : I’m missing the power and rage of “Pest” while the melody sounds/tunes are pretty similar to each other. Acylum remains a particular experience, but this not my favorite album!

Conclusion: No doubt about it this harsh and provocative album will catch a wider attention, but I was less impressed. It however remains a particular experience in (h)el(l)ectro music!

Best songs: “What Do You See”, “Violin Of Death”, “Sieg Oder Walhalla”, “Venom – Album Version” + “Sieg Oder Walhalla – Aesthetische Remix”, “Hunter – Armageddon Dildos Remix”, “Schwarzer Adler – Schwarzstern Remix”, “Masquerade – Suicide Commando Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Acylum.Music

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Kampf Dem Verderb’.

About Acylum

Acylum is a German dark electro project set up by Pedro Engel in 2004. Nadine “Cooraz” Engel joined the project as his creative and vocal partner a few years later. Engel released Acylum’s debut album, “Your Pain,” in 2005. The project has continued on Alfa Matrix through albums including “Karzinom” (2011) and “Pest,” with “Kampf Dem Verderb,” reviewed here, arriving as the sixth full-length. Beyond Acylum, Pedro Engel records under the side projects Totem Obscura and Aengeldust.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Body pop act AD:keY returns with a lovely new 7-track download EP: ‘Alles Was Ich Will’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 13:08:56 +0000

Out now, first via Bandcamp and later next week via Spotify, is the 3rd single (rather a 7-track EP) from AD:keY’s recently released “Resonanz” album. For this EP, AD:keY chose two very opposite, but also complementary, songs: the catchy body pop love song “Alles Was Ich Will” and a darker counterpart “Schlachfeld Der Liebe”.

Next to these two tracks you also get a remix of the title track by Final Selection who gave it a calmer and more melancholic touch, while label mates Implant focused on the danceable elements. AD:keY themselves also offer three alternative versions, 2 of “Alles Was Ich Will” plus a slow and heavy remake of “Schlachfeld Der Liebe”.

You can check out and download the release already on Bandcamp. Read the review of ‘Alles Was Ich Will’.

Alles Was Ich Will EP by AD:KEY

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Llumen finally returns with a smashing brand new EP: ‘The Dark In Her Eyes’ feat. mixes by Auger, Implant, Antibody, Entrzelle

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 16:02:52 +0000

Belgian dance electronica act Llumen finally returns with a new 6-track EP, “The Dark In Her Eyes”, announcing a more than promising new full length CD “The Polygon Heart” for this Summer. Llumen is the project by the versatile Belgian artist Pieter Coussement who used the EP as a therapy to talk about some serious health crisis moments he went through the last few years.

With this new EP, you get two new songs, the super catchy dark beat driven “The Dark In Her Eyes” (one of the best electronica tracks from the year so far as far as we are concerned) and “The Path That Leads Me Home” which offers a more uplifting melody. These two tracks surely raise the bar in electro land and make us look forward to what the full album will bring. For Mesh, Covenant or yet Assemblage 23 fans this release is mandatory.

The EP also features an effective club remix by Implant of “The Dark In Her Eyes”, and a an electropop take of that same track by the USA based act Entrzelle. We were also very impressed by the Auger mix with a very stripped down take on the title track. Antibody from their side took the B-side “The Path That Leads Me Home” into a more trance direction.

All in all a very enjoyable 6-track EP that shows why Llumen is a band to look out for. The release is for now exclusively available via Bandcamp for immediate download. Read the review of ‘The Dark In Her Eyes’.

The Dark In Her Eyes EP by LLUMEN

Previous releases

The Memory Institute (Bonus Tracks Version) by LLUMEN The B52 remixes (Mildreda – Psy'Aviah – Llumen) by VARIOUS ARTISTS Cold In December EP by LLUMEN

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Out now – all new Implant album ‘Cognitive Dissonance’ – available in a limited 2CD box edition as well

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 08:01:00 +0000

Implant’s 11th album is a fact and officially out since this morning! The Belgian electronic act recently released the “Phantom Pain” EP and video clip as a teaser for what was to come, and now the band has finally released the full length “Cognitive Dissonance” in 2 physical versions: CD and a very limited 2CD.

You can expect an array of sounds on the new album, from industrial dance over dark elektro and melancholic chanson (“The Last Record”) to upbeat future pop and techno pop. For the album Implant could count on vocal contributions by Helalyn Flowers’ front woman Noemi Aurora on several songs.

The limited deluxe double-CD digipak edition of the album (available here) holds the “When Prophecy Fails” bonus disc featuring 2 exclusive tracks and an eclectic selection of remix collaborations with such artists and bands like Breath Of Life, Suicide Commando, Armageddon Dildos, 808 Dot Pop, Signal Aout 42, Aiboforcen, Helalyn Flowers, Neuroactive, AD:keY, Q’pnz and Növö.

You can check the tracks from the album below on Bandcamp (where you can also pre-order the release).

Cognitive Dissonance (Bonus Tracks Version) by IMPLANT

About Implant

Implant was formed in 1992 when Geert Machtelinck and Len Lemeire attended the same university. It took them till 1996 to release the first CD album (“Soft flesh / Hard steel”) which was followed by 2 MCD’s (“Fun” and “Brain FX”). The band then took a swing in unexplored territory of psy-trance, becoming one of the first psy-electro bands. They later on returned to a more eclectic electro approach incorporating various electronic influences in their work.

Since 2004 Implant is signed to Alfa Matrix for which Len Lemeire has also been mastering quite a lot of releases. Read the review of ‘Cognitive Dissonance’.

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The Breath Of Life cover Implant and release a video clip – watch it here exclusively

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 19:26:02 +0000

When 2 musical worlds collide and fuse, the outcome can only be explosive! This is exactly what happened when Belgian electro industrial act Implant proposed to another Belgian living legend to rework one of their new songs from the “Cognitive Dissonance” album which is out officially tomorrow via Alfa Matrix.

Cult gothic wave act The Breath Of Life went the extra mile and made an own cover version of “The Last Record”, giving it an all new dimension with Isabelle on lead vocals. Boosted by the overwhelming response triggered by this unique collaboration, The Breath Of Life now recorded a video clip for this beautiful melancholic cold wave / pop tune.

Warmly recommended!

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