Bill Leeb, the legendary frontman of Frontline Assembly, as well as Delerium, Noise Unit, Intermix, Cyberaktif, and numerous other projects, is finally releasing his first solo-album after all these years. Model Kollapse draws inspiration from the world of AI and is infused with Leeb’s signature sound. While there are unmistakable EBM influences that echo Frontline Assembly, the album also incorporates elements from his other projects, making it distinctly Leeb. “Model Kollapse” is a meticulously crafted Electro piece that balances between intense, driving sections -my personal favorites, and more atmospheric, Ambient moments carried by rhythms. The album features guest appearances from members of ACTORS, contributing guitars and female backing vocals, and Mimi Page, known for her work with Delerium, lends her voice to the final track. Longtime collaborator Rhys Fulber also returns to produce several songs. Despite its strong start, the album concludes with a few weaker tracks, but overall, “Model Kollapse” stands as a compelling and polished addition to Leeb’s impressive discography. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Neuromotive”:

https://frontlineassembly.bandcamp.com/track/neuromotive

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Videos from “Model Kollapse”

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

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

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

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

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

Tracks:

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

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Bill Leeb

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

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

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

Bill Leeb discography

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Below are the releases.

Front Line Assembly

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

Delerium

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

Noise Unit

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

Intermix

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

Conjure One

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

Cyberaktif

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

Equinox

• Holon (1998)

Pro>Tech

• Orbiting Cathedrals (1997)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

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.

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

Genre/Influences: Metal-Pop, Dark-Rock, Gothic. 

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Set up in 2000 Hamburger (Germany) based formation Mono Inc. strikes back with their twelfth full length album to date.The work is available in different formats and limited editions.

Content: Mono Inc. remains a very unique experience in their genre; the songs being driven by melodic, elevating choruses while empowered by guitar play. This band brings different genres together; from Pop to Rock to Metal they composed an overwhelming and professional production with the vocals of their charismatic leader Martin Engler on top. The female backings inject an extra heavenly, melodic, touch to the work. It also became a tradition Mono Inc. inviting a few guests which for “Ravenblack” are SANZ and Storm Seeker. 

+ + + : In my humble opinion Mono Inc. remains a true phenomenon. First there’s the way they intermix influences creating a powerful, catchy, and melodic work. Next it remains a top notch production where every single detail has been accomplished with a similar patience and passion. Last but not least there’s the perfect match between Engler’s impressive vocals skills and female backings. The work is once more featuring multiple outstanding songs. My personal favorites are “Princess Of The Night”, “Heartbeat Of The Dead” and the softer, melancholic “Angels Never Die”. Mono Inc.’s songs have this particular elevating effect which comes through when melody and guitar are coming together in the chorus. 

– – – : There’re always a few cuts which don’t reach a similar climax but there’s no real reason complaining here. I just noticed both songs sung in German aren’t my favorites. 

Conclusion: Mono Inc. has already released a new masterpiece while the band remains rather unique in their genre. 

Best songs: “Princess Of The Night”, “Heartbeat Of The Dead”, “Angels Never Die”, “At The End Of The Rainbow”, “Never Alone”, “After Dark”. 

Rate: 9.

Artist: https://mono-inc.com /   www.facebook.com/monoinc 

Label: http://nocut.de / www.facebook.com/spvhannover

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Techno, Industrial, Experimental, Cinematographic.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Stereo_IMG is a solo-project driven by Canadian artist Patrick Haggart. He released already a few EP’s and now strikes back with this new work, which is more a kind of mini-album featuring six songs.

Content: Patrick Haggart has some experience with soundtrack music and that’s an aspect emerging at some tracks in the end of the EP. “Generation Of Gods” first of all is a true sonic exorcism or symbiosis between different influences. From harder, Industrial sounds with ghost-like voices and menacing atmospheres to pure Experimental and Ambient music, this work has a lot to offer.

+ + + : The work is characterized by diversity, but the common element is the great production work. Stereo_IMG reveals efficient sound treatments, but also finds a way to intermix different influences. My favorite cut “Apotheosis” sounds like an appropriate title for this sonic mix; danceable rhythms and repetitive loops with an intriguing sound atmosphere on top. There also is something to say about both last tracks, which are more into an explicit Cinematographic style.

– – – : Diversity is great, but maybe a little bit confusing as in the end it might give you the illusion listening to a compilation instead of one artist. 

Conclusion: Stereo_IMG is building imaginary sonic bridges between different music styles.

Best songs: “Apotheosis”, “Genetic Error”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/stereoimg

Label: www.facebook.com/nonrecs

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

The Kent based quartet Code debuted in 1995 with “The Architect” which was released on the Third Mind label just as that company folded. Out on November 6th is “Ghost Ship”, the newest album from Code, the first album from the band since 1995. “Ghost Ship”, the band’s second studio album, has certainly been a long time coming but finally arrives after a 25 year journey and will be available on vinyl and digital formats via the Lo-Tek Audio Ltd imprint. Note that the new album also holds their 1991 debut single “Light Years” in a rebooted version.

Discussing how the new album came about after such a lengthy hiatus, as well as its title, the band explain that “we had recently been approached simultaneously by two labels regarding a reissue of ‘The Architect’ that made us consider revisiting material from just after its recording that had been left behind. At the same time, the MV Alta cargo ship washed up intact on the coast of Ireland after disappearing over a year before en route to Haiti. The ‘adrift in time’ analogy appealed to us, and hence the title ‘Ghost Ship’.”

Was it difficult restoring the material? Not really so it seems, although they got confronted with some hurdles. “From 1996 to around 2001 we archived the material on hard drives. We have actually salvaged hours of material that was largely in great shape and needed minimal adjustment. The original sequencing and arrangement programs are lost in time and the sampling hardware is no longer available either, so all these tracks are constructed from the stereo mixes. Like salvaged treasure, the original audio was perfectly preserved digitally. The melodic and textural content was already there, it was a question of remaining faithful to the original recordings, editing and layering and in some cases adding new parts.”

Here is the opening track “Origin”.

Third Mind Records, a cult label

Founded by Gary Levermore in February 1983, Third Mind Records became one of the leading British independent labels for experimental, melancholic and electronic music during the 1980s. It was bought by Roadrunner Records in 1991 and eventually disbanded in late 1994, early 1995.

Released on the label were albums from In The Nursery, Front Line Assembly, The Moon Seven Times, Bill Pritchard, Controlled Bleeding, Intermix, Will, Doubting Thomas and many more.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Techno-body, industrial-body-music.

Background/Info: “Corruption Of Form” resulted from the common efforts between two familiar artists from the Sonic Groove roster. Rhys Fulber (FLA, Delerium, Intermix ao) and Joey Gonzalez (Blush Response) composed four tracks available as 12” and digital format.

Content: The tracks are characterized by a powerful and danceable fusion between industrial music, EBM and techno. The hard kicks will get people into dance and some passages are even leading into trance. “Federal Republic” sounds a bit more experimental-like while the last cut (cf. “Threat Perception”) is a pure body-trance sensation!

+ + + : The different ingredients featured are in perfect balance, creating a heavy danceable effect. “Threat Perception” sounds as the cherry on the pie! It’s a sophisticated track revealing great effects, a slow progression and a trance-like climax.

– – – : I’m not convinced by the rather experimental “Federal Republic”, but this is just one cut from the tracklist.

Conclusion: This maxi is an interesting collaboration between two artists who reveal to be complementary. So it would be interesting to see them renewing this experience.

Best songs: “Threat Perception”, “Dissipate”.

Rate: (8).

Artists: www.facebook.com/rhysfulbermusic /

www.facebook.com/blushresponseofficial

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Experimental, industrial, noise

Background/Info: Behind Diagnostic is hiding Jan Robbe, who you maybe know from his involvement with Frame Of Mind. Diagnostic is his debut work released on the Serbian label Jezgro (set up by Ontal-member Darko Kolar).

Content: “Repercussions” features 12 songs plus 6 remixes. The work is mixing an impressive number of music styles, but in the end it mainly sounds experimental-like. There also is a fascination for sound manipulation, which often leads into explicit noise atmospheres. You get the impression the musician has found a sonic platform to exorcize all kinds of music fantasies.

Two remixes have been made by Syyt while the others are from Aethereal Arthropod, Katran, K.K. Null while there also is an extra remix of the title track. 

+ + + : If you like experimental music, which is mainly driven by noise and industrial you’re probably going  to like this work. The mix between different genres is interesting, but more interesting is the impressive sound arsenal used by Jan Robbe. I’ve a little preference for one of the most accessible cuts (cf. “Cyberclub II”), which is merged with some techno influences. The remix of “Sacrifice System” by Syyt is another cool cut. 

– – – : This album is pretty complex and accessible because of the endless intermix of genres.

Conclusion: This is an album that will mainly catch the attention of experimental music freaks and lovers of improvisation.

Best songs: “Cyberclub II”, “Repercussions”, “Sacrifice Systems – Syyt Remix”.

Rate: (6).

Artist: www.facebook.com/diagnostic13

Label: www.facebook.com/jezgrorecordings

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Industrial-medieval, dark-electro.

Background/Info: Pedro- and Nadine Engel got mainly recognized as the terrific Acylum-duo, but they’re also involved with a few more projects. Totem Obscura last year released its second album “Nordische Feste”. The duo now strikes back with this EP featuring Hubert Kah on the title song. Hubert Kah worked together with Michael Cretu and was also involved in the legendary Sandra hit “Maria Magdalena”.

Content: This is more than simply an ‘extended play’ as it features 16 (!) songs, which are mainly remixes from the title track plus 4 more songs that were originally released on “Nordische Feste”.

The debut song is an “Extended Version” of “Helden”, which brings us back to the medieval and dark-electro style of the album. It also has something cabaret-like. Remixes have been done by Acylum and HausHetaere (both featuring the Engel gang), but also by Nano Infect, Ilia Romashov, Restriction 9 and Ethan Fawkes.

“Blut Marschiert”, “Eisenmann”, “Bastard” and “Verräter” have been remixed as well while you also get a remix of the “Waldgeist”-song (originally released on the band’s debut work “Forgotten Time”). The most noticeable bands from the list are Mechanical Moth, XMH, Omnimar and Synapsyche.

+ + + : Totem Obscura tries to intermix medieval atmospheres with dark-electronics and I’ve to admit it’s a rather original idea. It sometimes reminds me a bit of Heimataerde, but in the end it simply sounds different and Totem Obscura-like. This EP doesn’t reveal that much new except for a real sonic orgy of remixes. I like the “Helden”-demo version vs. HausHetaere, which sounds original and featuring great chants passages. Other noticeable remixes are the “Eisenmann”-remix by Omnimar, which has been empowered by guitar riffs and the great “Endzeit Edit” of “Waldgeist”.  Restriction 9 also did a noticeable minimal-like remix of “Helden” while the most surprising remix is for sure the dark-techno version of the title song by Ethan Fawkes.

– – – : You have to be a die-hard fan of the band to fully endure this 16-tracks EP. Too many remixes here, but probably not for DJ’s.

Conclusion: I still believe there’s more potential inside Totem Obscura than what came out on “Nordische Feste” and this EP. I think they still have to find the right balance between the influences. I however have to admit there are a few really cool remixes featured.

Best songs: “Helden feat. Hubert Kah – Demo Version vs. HausHetaere”, “Waldgeist – Endzeit Edit”, “Eisenmann – Omnimar Remix”, “Helden feat. Hubert Kah – Ethan Fawkes Remix”, “Helden feat. Hubert Kah – Restriction 9 Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/totemobscura

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Out on June 6th via Sonic Groove is the new Rhys Fulber studio album “Your Dystopia, My Utopia”.

“Your Dystopia, My Utopia”, is the first album produced by Fulber for Sonic Groove and the follow up to his 12″ “Realism” released last year and available right here on vinyl. The new album consists of 9 tracks clearly aimed at the dance floor but definitely holds dark EBM elements.

Fulber has an extensive oeuvre; from his artistic collaborations with Bill Leeb (known predominantly as Front Line Assembly, and also as Delerium, Noise Unit, Intermix, and many others) to his work as a producer for bands such as Youth Code, Paradise Lost, and Fear Factory. He also works under the name Conjure One, which is a cinematic solo project that features collaborations with vocalists such as Sinead O’Connor and Leigh Nash.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

I last year discovered Damage Control by the successful debut full length “Ultranoia”, which is a real masterpiece revealing intelligent and sophisticated electronics. Set up by Australian core members Bill Barsby and Damian Davis they got joined by Markus App (Germany) and Jason Podmore (UK). “Ultranoia” became one of my personal favorite albums of 2017 so I get in touch with Bill and Damian to ask them a few questions. And they had a lot to say…

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I get the impression Damage Control is a project driven by a few core members joined by extra musicians who can join in and go whenever they want. Is that right and can you tell us a bit more about the background of Damage Control, the concept and the coordination?

Bill: At the project’s core at all times you will find Damian Davis and myself. Markus App has also been a part of the inner core of the band, he’s still involved, but more on a casual basis these days. I’m glad we did some music with Jason Podmore, an old friend of mine in the UK. New members are Richard Thacker and Craig Saunders. Richard has been involved with synth jams we had over the years and is a talented guitarist and sound designer. Craig joins us from Sydney industrial band Novakill. Craig is a great programmer and percussionist and is driven by similar influences to us with his approach to music production.

The core line up for the new album “Oblivion Grid” is now Bill, Damian, Richard and Craig. We also owe a lot to Craig Huxtable and Chris Peterson from Ohm along with Claus Larsen from Leather Strip. This collective effort and push to get things done helped get our debut release “Ultranoia” off the ground.

I’m always looking to forge new musical relationships with people on the same or a similar page to us. I can’t imagine any other people in the world I’d trust our mix and masters with than Chris and Greg Reely. It feels to me like Craig Huxtable and Chris are in the band too. We will always try to collaborate with them creatively on tracks as and when schedules allow. We collaborated with Ohm on a few tracks on “Ultranoia” and they have performed “City Of Ruins” in Germany and Canada in their live sets. I’m happy to have such a great team of talented and nice people around me (albeit dotted around the world).

I can reveal exclusively to Side Line a new Remix-EP of tracks from “Ultranoia” is well underway called “Hypernoia – The Remixes”. We are currently collaborating with Brian Bothwell of old-school industrial legends Manufacture on this project we are excited to confirm. This will be released later in the year.

An album of new material called “Oblivion Grid” which is half written and sounding epic to us so far is well underway, featuring the solid new line up. We expect to release that album in 2019. We have began collaborating with other artists in Germany, Slovakia and the US who are new to Damage Control. These guys have excellent track records for industrial music. Watch this space for more details on that. I’m excited that Chris Peterson and Greg Reely are on board for mixing and mastering on both “Hypernoia” and “Oblivion Grid”.

Please keep an eye on our website www.damagecontrolofficial.com and Facebook page www.facebook.com/damagecontrol for updates.

We are so very appreciative and thankful to all the cool folk around the world who have supported us with purchases of “Ultranoia” and the positive reviews we have received. Your support means a lot to us. It makes a huge difference to help kick start the next writing and recording project for Damage Control. We cannot thank Side-Line/inferno Sound Diaries enough for their excellent review of “Ultranoia” and it polling at number 13 in the top 25 reviewed releases of 2017 by Side Line Reviews! Thanks for your 9/10 review!!!

In regards to the concept and the co-ordination of the project, being a music technology, gear head, and huge music fan along with my fellow artists in this project, over the years we have always been determined to create something we like ourselves. We have tried various real-time recording technologies, but have found the perfect workflow for us is to simply use dropbox and exchange audio multi tracks (stems) and use a google calendar to help keep organized with who is working on what and when, and what the deadline is. This also of course addresses the time difference issue. I very much push this agenda from the ground up and start mini projects with each member, and collaborator and that can take on a life of its own and go in any direction without creative boundaries other than making sure we have a central vibe and sound people can identify with Damage Control’s music.

With a lot of material we can pick and choose what works together to make a cohesive sounding release. It’s very important to me that everyone is enjoying themselves when working on a record and that it does not feel like a chore or for anyone to feel trapped creatively at any point. We are pretty free form with how we work. This allows for great creative accidents and collaborations to mutate naturally. A collective pool of individual creative strengths working together to achieve something great is the goal. It’s also good to have disagreements in creative direction at times so the compromise can make for interesting results. This to me gives a certain kind of tension and unpredictability to the music in how it flows together and hopefully makes for an interesting and varied listen.

Knowing Chris Peterson will be producing us requires everyone to bring their A game so we are all of course motivated by that too. Chris helps us make important decisions in the writing process and we have a good laugh along the way with analogies of a track and its mix at times. It’s certainly not a project for the easily butt hurt! You have to have a good sense of humour with all this. I would like to mention how two talented friends of mine here in Melbourne have had an impact on the image of Damage Control’s “Ultranoia”. Adam Verspaget (Photography) and Roberto Massaglia (CD Design and artwork).

Q: I can imagine it’s not that easy to accomplish a full length album featuring multiple members. How did the writing and recording of “Ultranoia” happen and what has been the input of each member?

Bill: Well that was an interesting rollercoaster ride to get the thing off the ground! It was a struggle at times although it had its moments of excitement, fun skype conferences, and brainstorming. My challenge was to work with everyone individually to focus on their strengths and come up with solutions for the recording process and workflow, something Mitrefinch TMS helped us with. Dealing with different opinions on how things should be done, and finding a common ground and plan of action. The brief was to make something cool and then bring it all together through trial and error and finding the right creative path to tread and people to work with. What I love about working with a few like minded people is when you hit a brick wall with an idea, someone else picks up the ball and runs with it and then comes back to the with a fresh and new inspiring perspective on a track which reignites the creative process. This keeps things moving forward.

The standard has to be high or why bother is my motto. I think collectively we made something really cool that achieved its sound by our individual differences. That was an interesting point you picked up on in your review last year. The song lyrics themselves are often derived from Damian’s interpretation of my stories, fact or fiction and his. It’s always a fun part of it to brain storm the lyrical ideas and set the scene for the track. Damian is very talented in this area we feel. He usually hits the spot for what we had in mind for the vibe and the delivery. We focus on painful world affairs and the unpleasant realities of what’s going on in the world. I often come up with the concept and the idea and then we flesh it out until the song unfolds. Damian just goes for it with the lyrics and vocal delivery and I will edit the results until I’m happy and then go back to him with suggested fine tuning. Other times he just nails it straight away. It was awesome working with Craig Huxtable and Markus App on the tracks they sung on.

With us coming from different countries and cultures, it mixes things up nicely and keeps it interesting for us. In the spirit of keeping the international collaborative approach to how we make music, we are now working with other artists in other countries including Slovakia.

As far as the input of each member on “Ultranoia” goes, to highlight individual strengths and our approach with that project. I like to drum program and experiment with a lot of synths including the rare vintage collection at the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio and to bring interesting rhythms, sounds and vibes to an idea, ambient drones and pads are also my thing. I’m fussy about the signal flow and sonic flavours different equipment brings. I often re-record other people in the band’s midi through high-end hardware synths like Moog, Doepfer and Oberheim, DSI etc.

Markus was always good at arranging and some of the melody along with great programming and sound design in the software world such as Omnisphere but I think it’s safe to say Damian is our melody man, vocal meister and bass are also strengths and atmospheric pads. He also collects hardware synths and vintage samplers like myself. Jason and I used to like messing around with weird samples and Damian too to try and have something sublime in there that might mess with your head when you’re listening in the dark by candle light.

Craig Huxtable I believe recorded his vocals for “City Of Ruins” in a van if my memory serves me correctly as not to upset his neighbours in Victoria, BC, Canada where he lives. I think he was able to record “Trauma” at home as that one’s a little less angry! Having Markus sing in German on the track “Angst” was also a highlight and with Ohm taking care of a lot of the music on that one. This was intended to be a remix so that was a happy accident how that one turned out.

Damian: Yes, I agree that accomplishing this album had challenges, having multiple members. It was a blessing as well as a trial. There was so much to gain from having a few extra sets of ears, which were willing to put their money where their mouth was. This is crucial this fact, because there is only so much external opinion and advice a musical outfit can tolerate and absorb. I often drew parallels to the trials and tribulations of The Beatles, where too many cooks could spoil the home-brew. But in the linear fashion of Exporting Stem tracks to each other, cyclically, the music could do round-robin and end up sounding soul-less, or it could build a serious shit-load of power. It was hit-and-miss really. But we could always revert to the original stem package at any stage of the way. Bill’s mastery at co-ordinating this, at certain times, ’world-circus’, was nothing to be envied, and yet totally astonished with.

Q: Right now you’re in between 2 albums so how do you look back at “Ultranoia” and what can you already reveal about “Oblivion Grid”? What will be the main differences and sound evolution?

Bill: It’s nice to reflect on “Ultranoia” being well received so far, the effort to create our debut and find our sound has been very rewarding on all fronts.

For “Oblivion Grid” Markus, Craig, Damian and myself have had a good push to write new material and it’s going well. Richard has started adding to our demos and we are reworking some older stuff we did not finish from years ago with the Oberheim Xpander classic old synth from the 80’s. You will also soon have a sneak preview of the new remixed version of “Ultranoia” we are calling “Hypernoia  The Remixes” which debut’s Craig Saunders and Richard Thacker to Damage Control. It’s great to have Craig and Richard on board who bring diverse skills with a common ground to what we are doing. I would say that so far, the new material for “Oblivion Grid” is sounding very much like a fine-tuned evolved version of us. There might be more guitars on this one and some new vocalist talent. We have some awesome new songs shaping up. The collaborations we currently have lined up with VIP remixers for this album, we are pretty excited about. We look forward to revealing more about that as it happens with the future releases.

Damian: Well, interestingly, I think that “Hypernoia”, our remix collection, is one way of us to reflect on our efforts with “Ultranoia” in a very hands-on way. We can see where things could easily travel in a direction that could lose the momentum and impact, that a brand new album would have. So “Hypernoia” is a release for us, that deals with this possible issue very elegantly. In the early days of Depeche Mode, sonic variation was critical from album to album, and a deep obsession with technical and musical change was vital for the band to move forward on. I feel that this may be a path we could travel, and it would be remiss of us to settle on a ‘winning formula’ if we refused to experiment with sound. “Oblivion Grid” shows such promise, and I’m sure the final sound will impress us, and all who hear it.

Q: On “Ultranoia” I felt a real strong concern about sound creation. Damage Control sounds not like a band using ‘cheap’ preset sounds, but musicians with a real quest to find unique sounds! What is the sound creation and -approach of Damage Control all about?

Bill: It’s great people have noticed this aspect of what we do. The band is made up of engineers as well as musicians, we believe in experimenting with many combinations of analogue and digital hardware vintage and current. I like nice pre amps and high-end effects. I am part of the team who represent MOOG, Novation, Teenage Engineering and Elektron in Australia.  I am lucky to have access to all of these wonderful synthesizers. We also dabble in a small amount of software we believe to be the best after a lot of trial and error. We generally find ourselves preferring to work with hardware synths again. The machines have a soul of their own. We are using a Kemper profiler on guitars for “Oblivion Grid” so going back to hardware again there too. An extremely cool and unique technology for guitar amp and effect solutions with all the realism you want from actual guitar amps as apposed to regular amp modelling in software. Software is however, awesome in context to certain things. I heard the excellent recent Gary Numan album “Savage” only uses software and I know Gary is a big fan of Omnisphere. It’s just a question of preference and what inspires you. The more sonic colours in the mixing pallet, the better as far as I’m concerned.

Between us we have a pretty large collection of gear and with access to the vintage rare collection of synths at The Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio, this gives us a point of difference. We make the effort to do something interesting rather than just reaching for a plug-in. We do that too, but usually to replay field recordings or sound libraries we have resampled into the computer from older samplers. Damian and I have both been enjoying the Emu Emulator V Sampler with the Z Plane filters from the 90’s in recent times. I grabbed a Proteus 2000 and Morpheus from eBay too for ‘Oblivion Grid’ sessions. I used the EMS VCS3 Putney on “Ultranoia” and a lot of my recordings of that old beast from 1969 are being used on “Oblivion Grid”. That synth is an important part of our sound. We have an interesting and very cool synth community in Australia with access to the M.E.S.S. as I mentioned. https://mess.foundation/

Damian: Yes, I’m amazed at how finely tuned ears, which are used to hearing a lot of this style of music, can aptly spot any differences in sound design (be it digital/analogue/found-sound/acoustic/preset/original). Whether this be true, or whether reviewers can sense that musicians are also in it for the sonic discovery, is a true talent. The one thing I can’t do without, is instant access to a device that samples your voice, and can do immediate manipulations, all without booting a computer. There is no creative killer worse than feeling compelled to check your emails, just as you get a musical idea in your head. Some bands who use laptops seem to be doing this onstage, and seriously, who could tell otherwise? Original sound creation is VITAL in this preset-soaked era. I would shudder and wince if I heard a preset on a recording, that I would possibly ever regret using. If the project called for that type of sound, yeah then great, but for this project, there is no compromise.

One great thing about some types of hardware, and outboard gear, is that they are either too rare to clone virtually or mass produce Behringer-style, or they can have presets made on them, that can’t be replicated easily any other way. I personally feel that the approach of Damage Control is a mix of discrete sonic-design, and blatant outright gear endorsements and plugging. You can’t maintain a mystique for too long, whereby people aren’t inquisitive about what you use to write your music. It’s electronic. We aren’t pioneers. There’s no hocus-pocus voodoo to that…lol. It’s about finding a combined spirit of adventure and a social, emotional, mental release of personal takes on world problems and issues.

Q: The mixing and mastering of an album is such an important aspect, which I think is sometimes neglected by bands. I can imagine that’s the reason why you worked with Chris Peterson and Greg Reely? Tell us a bit more about this aspect?

Bill: The huge difference it made to us having Chris Peterson on board as a producer. I thank Craig Huxtable for helping to make that happen and that also led to having Greg Reely involved with final sonic details. I have been a fan of Chris’s work as an artist and mixing engineer with Decree, Frontline Assembly, Noise Unit, Delerium, Equinox, Intermix, Ohm etc for decades so to be able to just say to him ‘please do your thing’ rather than to a different producer where we would be saying ‘please do it like this Chris Peterson guy does on these records’ that makes a massive difference to me. Chris doesn’t just mix and master Damage Control tracks, he pours his heart and soul into the project. As I’ve mentioned before, we consider him a member. I have a good rapport with Chris and we get along as friends, which makes it a fun project to work on for him as well as us. He takes our music where we need it to go.

It was also fantastic to collaborate with Claus Larsen from Leather Strip on the mixing of “Hate Crime” in which he added the samples to and nailed a fine remix of that track also. We have had success in clubs with “Hate Crime”. It’s been an awesome learning process for Damage Control and gotten the project off the ground. The album is a mixed bag of styles we like. To anyone reading this, please check us out if you have not already.

Damian: A big part of pursuing this project, was to encapsulate a particular sound that all of us pretty much grew up with. As Bill states, our relationship with Greg and Chris, extends to utilizing these guys as members of the band, as their fingerprint on the final sound is vital to our cause. Otherwise, we would have floundered along with leagues of other acts, who shun, or are ignorant to the power of experience provided by these geniuses, and other such super talents we collaborate with along our journey.

Q: You guys are experienced musicians who’re into music for years now so what does Damage Control mean to you and how do you see this project evolving during the next few years?

Bill: Well we know what we like and how we like it done. We also need to make sure everyone working on the project is having fun. To me Damage Control represents therapy using Cubase and creating an outlet for creativity and collaboration. To be releasing musical outcomes of sonic experiments and compositions that turn out good enough that we like it ourselves while keeping standards high. I know I can speak for all of us; we are long time fans of electronic music, industrial, goth and post punk kind of stuff and a bit eclectic across the board too. We hope to play some one off shows from time to time when possible. It would be nice to play WGT but for now we are a studio project. We will see what happens. Making good records and enjoying the process of making them is the number one priority for us.

Thank you for the interview and your support. It’s very much appreciated and we love Side-Line!

Damian: I want to get to the difficult third album stage, and destroy that cliché once and for all… Haha, but seriously, I believe that no matter what fate may bring to the Damage Control viking table, music will still exist in our hearts. I would love to perform live again, but we shall see what the future brings for us. Thank you for your amazing level of support for us, and I fully appreciate the time you have spent with us on this interview. Cheers.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Rhys Fulber is a musician/producer who will be forever linked to the EBM giant Frontline Assembly and the ambient-ethereal-dance project Delerium. I also can mention other music projects like Conjure One, Will, Noise Unit, Intermix, Synaesthesia ao. The Canadian musician has now started a new solo-project under his own name. A first 12” “Realism” got released on Sonic Groove revealing a surprising, but great dark electro-techno sound. This is what Rhys says about it.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: After Frontline Assembly, Delerium, Conjure One, Synaesthesia, Will, Intermix etc… you’ve just released a first 12” under your own name! What does “Realism” stands for and what inspired you to compose this work?

Rhys: The title “Realism” was inspired by the Socialst Realism art style that also inspired the sleeve of the record. I have always been fascinated by the imagery and mystery of the former socialist states and again took my cue from this. The music itself started out as just some improvisations on the modular synthesizer. I had accumulated several sessions of this material, then went back and chose which ones to develop further. Eventually it evolved into this EP.

Q: It seems you had no specific idea of sound in mind when starting the composition, right? What do you think about “Realism” right now?

Rhys: I had no initial concept at all other than wanting to make some harder edged music again. Like I said, I just started recording some modular synth jams and that grew its own momentum.

Q: This is a totally new project so did you try to experience with new ideas/sounds/instruments/production skills ao?

Rhys: It was some of the most freeform music I have made in a while, so in that way it was very different to the labor intensive productions I have been making for some years now. I just started and went where it took me, with no real rules other than what sounded good rhythmically. Once I got told this would work in a techno format, I developed some of the sounds in that direction as well as a more club style arrangement. But overall it has been very liberating to make music this way.

Q: What has been the main focus in the global production process and do you have some references?

Rhys: The main focus is just following instinct. Recalling some old techniques I haven’t used in a while, then present them in a current way. I only reference other records for the kick drum sound, as that is the foundation of music in this style usually.

Q: How did you get in touch with Sonic Groove and what does it mean to release a vinyl ano 2017?

Rhys: Adam X (Sonic Groove) had heard some of the modular jam demos I had shared with my friend Joey Blush (Response) and then expressed interest in making a record with me. I had heard good things about the label and that they are selective with their releases so it sounded like a good opportunity.

I love the resurgence of vinyl. We have had some older releases being re-issued recently and coming from a vinyl collecting background, I am all for a resurgence in music being something more tangible than digital files, with vinyl being the premier format of the recorded music experience.

Q: Sonic Groove is labeled as techno-industrial! Are you a bit familiar with this ‘scene’ and what’s your perception about techno music generally speaking?

Rhys: I have followed techno on and off since its inception, especially in the early 90s and the last four years or so, so I have kept fairly up to date. I have always felt like industrial music’s torch was passed through different club genres over the years and now the underground techno scene is representing its spirit far more accurately than the current genre holding that title.

Q: Is “Realism” just a ‘one-shot’ experience or do you’ve further plans considering aspects such as live performances, new releases, eventually an album?

Rhys: All of these are currently in the works – a full length album as well as live performances. There was already a surplus of material as “Realism” was finished, so that will be coming on the full length. I also did a recent live set in Los Angeles in preparation for a gig at “Tresor” Berlin coming this August 10th, so expect to see more of everything.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Minimal-electro, industrial-techno.

Background/Info: Rhys Fulber doesn’t need that much of an introduction. Long-time member of Frontline Assembly, involved over the years into bands like Delerium, Noise Unit, Will, Synaesthesia, Conjure One, Intermix ao, the Canadian sound guru has now achieved a new EP under his own name.

Content: If you’re a bit familiar with the Adam-X label Sonic Groove, you for sure get an idea what to expect. Rhys Fulber has composed 4 industrial dance-cuts. The opening track is quite FLA-like, but with this little techno-groovy touch on top.

Quite progressively the tracks become more technoid, but still minimal and always dark. “Realism” sounds like industrial-techno with some groovy dance kicks and several spoken samplings.

+ + + : After great names and sound architects such as Orphx, Monolith, Fixmer/McCarthy it’s now time for another famous artist from the dark-electronic scene to join hands together with Sonic Groove. Rhys Fulber remains a real genius when it comes to transposing sounds into a very own styled dimension. But I especially like the way he mixes electronic-minimalism and other EBM influences together with a dark, danceable technoid style. It’s a fascinating experiment resulting in four brilliant songs.

– – – : I didn’t hear any minus point on this release and I just hope that Rhys Fulber will go on with this intelligent industrial-techno format!

Conclusion: If you think that Rhys Fulber is just an electronic veteran without new ideas, you’re at damned fault! “Realism” is an intelligent and contemporary format mixing underground elements together with techno influences. Brilliant!

Best songs: “Abstraction”, “Reload”, “Effigy”, “Minsk Maschinen”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www.facebook.com/rhys.fulber

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Industrial-rave, dark-electro, industrial-EBM.

Content: This new EP by Seraphim System is meant as a teaser to the new full length album “Automaton Assisted Anihilation”.

Seraphim System remains a total sonic enigma as this formation likes to intermix multiple influences with each other than really belonging to an established music genre although I’m sure it will mainly appeal to lovers of dark-electro and industrial-rave music.

“This Is Invasion” rather sounds like a warning! The title song is a hard and merciless, pumping cut revealing elements of industrial, EBM, dark-electro and even dance-trance music with zombie-robotic vocals on top. Some elements remind me of early God Modulate, but let one thing be clear: this is a band with a unique sound and style.

The “Bass Invasion Version” digs a bit deeper into sound exploration resulting in some d’n’b elements getting the song pretty furious for its rhythmic element while globally speaking this version is more experimental as well.

The last two songs are devastating remixes by two genius sound architects. I think it’s the right song to get remixed by Noisuf-X and Jan L. once more takes the listeners by their bollocks! This remix is pure testosterone and dance energy. The typical hard kick of Noisuf-X and multiple sonic treatments will get you wild.

Iszoloscope injected a boost of industrial power to the song, but here again we can speak about a devastating remix. This song stands for total industrial-rave composed with unique sound treatments. You’ll find this remix also on the CD-format of the album.

Conclusion: “This Is Invasion” maybe is the best EP of 2015! This is a brilliant title song while both remixes stand for perfection!

Best songs: “This Is Invasion – Iszoloscope Remix”, “This Is Invasion – Noisuf-X Remix”, “This Is Invasion”.

Rate: (DP:9DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/seraphimsystem

Label: www.digitalworld.audio / www.facebook.com/DigitalWorldAudio

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com