Irfan – SIDE-LINE https://www.side-line.com Industrial, electro, EBM, post-punk, darkwave news Mon, 29 Jun 2026 08:16:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 https://www.side-line.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/cropped-side-line-logo-png-32x32.png Irfan – SIDE-LINE https://www.side-line.com 32 32 Paleowolf, side project of Scorpio V of Metatron Omega, has just released new album on Cryo Chamber – stream the new album ‘Genesis’ https://www.side-line.com/cryo-chamber-welcomes-paleowolf-to-the-label-side-project-of-scorpio-v-of-metatron-omega-stream-the-first-2-tracks-from-the-new-album-genesis/ Tue, 20 Dec 2016 18:30:10 +0000 http://www.side-line.com/?p=9216 A few days ago we informed that Paleowolf had joined the Cryo Chamber label. Paleowolf...]]>
Cryo Chamber welcomes Paleowolf to the label, side project of Scorpio V of Metatron Omega - stream the first 2 tracks from the new album 'Genesis' A few days ago we informed that Paleowolf had joined the Cryo Chamber label. Paleowolf is the side project of Scorpio V of Metatron Omega. For those not familiar with Metatron Omega, it’s an esoteric / occult / religious dark ambient act combining religious choral chant, occult ritualistic invocations, dark soundscapes and drones. Paleowolf on the other hand focuses more on tribal/dark ambient again with choral chants. Out today is “Genesis”, an album which will with no doubt please the Arcana and Irfan fans as well. It’s out on CD (available here) and as a high quality download via Bandcamp. You can stream the album below. Excellent material! You can also view this promo trailer:

Read the review of ‘Genesis’.

]]> TOP 20 best albums of 2015 (By Stéphane Froidcoeur) https://www.side-line.com/top-20-best-albums-of-2015-by-stephane-froidcoeur/ Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:07:00 +0000 http://www.side-line.com/?p=4401 (By Stéphane Froidcoeur aka Deranged Psyche) 2015 has been already a prolific year for the...]]>

TOP 20 best albums of 2015 (By Stéphane Froidcoeur)

(By Stéphane Froidcoeur aka Deranged Psyche) 2015 has been already a prolific year for the section Side-Line Reviews. As head of the Side-Line Reviews section I can only, but be extremely satisfied with the huge amount of promo material we got. Over the 700 (!) releases were selected while nearly 550 (!) have been reviewed thus far. I take the opportunity to express my gratitude to all labels, promoters and bands considering and respecting our work and efforts and this for years now.

But I also have to thank all of our readers because for their interest, support, trust and consideration. It’s a very important source of motivation to keep me moving on trying to support our lovely underground scene the best I can.

A review of course remains always ‘subjective’ and a source of discussion, but keep in mind it will be always the perception of the reviewer, but I can assure you we always try to argue our reviews the best as possible. I noticed multiple great releases during 2015; from EBM to dark-electro to IDM to synth-pop to ethereal, to dark-ambient to industrial to gothic and a few related genres I made a TOP 20 of the best albums of 2015! This selection has been made with the promotional material we got while compilations and EP’s were not selected for this ‘best of’.

Stéphane Froidcoeur (aka Deranged Psyche)

01 Irfan – The Eternal Return (CD Album – Prikosnovénie)
02 Neuroticfish – A Sign Of Life (CD Album – NOR)
03 Acylum – Pest (DCD Album – Alfa Matrix)
04 Eisfabrik – Eisplanet (CD Album & EP – SPV/NoCut)
05 Senking – Closing Eyes (CD Album – Raster-Noton)
06 Ah Cama-Sotz – State Of Mind (CD Album – Hands)
07 Karjalan Sissit – …Want You Dead (CD Album – Cyclic Law)
08 Alien Vampires – Drag You To Hell (DCD Album – Alfa Matrix)
09 Supersimmetria – Kosmogonie (CD Album – Hands)
10 Johan Baeckström – Like Before (CD Album – Progress Productions)
11 Hearts Of Black Science – Signal (CD Album – Progress Productions)
12 Dear Strange – Lonely Heroes (CD Album – Out Of Line)
13 IAMX – Metanoia (CD Album – Caroline International)
14 Legiac – The Faex Had Decimated (CD Album – Tympanik Audio)
15 Grand((Ø))Signal – Aktivation (Digital Album – Grand((Ø))Signal)
16 Encephalon – Psychogenesis (CD Album – Dependent)
17 Noisuf-X – 10 Years Of Riot (DCD Album – ProNoize)
18 Star Industry – The Renegade (DCD Album – Alfa Matrix)
19 Chainreactor – Dirt (CD Album – ProNoize)
20 Frozen Plasma – Dekadenz (CD Album – Infacted Recordings)

]]> Irfan flash: ‘This attempt is our most authentic opus so far’. https://www.side-line.com/irfan-flash-this-attempt-is-our-most-authentic-opus-so-far/ Fri, 09 Oct 2015 06:26:55 +0000 http://www.side-line.com/?p=2805 Irfan instantly became one of Side-Line’s favorite bands. “The Eternal Return” is their first full...]]>

IrfanIrfan instantly became one of Side-Line’s favorite bands. “The Eternal Return” is their first full length since “Seraphim” (2007). Right after the second full length (2007) they started working on new marterial, but the main part of the work has been accomplished over the last 2 or 3 years. Meanwhile they were also touring in Europe and were composing and recording music for several Bulgarian movies, TV documentaries and theatre productions. The recordings of “Seraphim” coincided with the withdrawal of their original female singer Denitza Seraphim and during this period of time Irfan were working with several different female singers. The trigger to start writing “The Eternal Return” was actually pulled twice. We asked a few questions to Kalin Yordanov.

The album is available now – get yours here!

(by Stéphane Froidcoeur aka DP)

SL: Tell us a bit more about the diversified musical- and cultural influences featured at “The Eternal Return”?

Kalin Yordanov: I believe that due to all these peculiarities the new album was based on a very sincere and personal quest for our own identity as a band and as individuals. Throughout the whole creative and working process we really tried to return to our roots and to our basic and primary sources of inspiration: the folklore and the sacred musical traditions of the Balkans, The Middle East and the Mediterranean along with the Early music of Western Europe and Byzantium have always been an inspiration for us but with the new album I think that somehow we managed to blend all these diversified musical- and cultural influences with this deep inner necessity of ours to reach our roots, to find our own identity, to return to our true essence. And I believe that the result of this attempt is our most authentic opus so far.

SL: I can imagine the recording of the album featuring multiple musicians and instruments has been a long and complex process. What do you keep in mind from the studio work and what have been the main differences with both previous albums?

Kalin Yordanov: The whole creative and working process was much different, longer and harder than our previous experience. The recordings and the post production took us around 2 years. From the very beginning till the very end we faced and surmounted many obstacles and ordeals of all kinds.
But all this made the creation of the new album even more memorable and special for us. Unlike the previous albums where the music was written jointly by Ivaylo Petrov, Denitza Seraphim, Kiril Bakardjiev (who meanwhile left the band in 2008) and I (Kalin Yordanov), now Denitza is only a featuring artist and had less active role in the creative process while the composer core for the new album “The Eternal Return” was formed by Ivaylo Petrov and I with the essential support by Yasen Lazarov (who joined the band in 2008). Of course all this reflected on the whole concept and the sound of the new album, thus creating a new identity of our music.

SL: How did you get the idea to cover the famous Dead Can Dance-song “Salamander” and what has been the reaction of Brendan Perry?

Kalin Yordanov: Dead Can Dance has always been a great inspiration for us but the idea to cover a song of theirs came much later, sometime after the release of our second album. Actually we were never tempted to cover one of their most popular album songs.

We decided to cover a less known and rare live song from their tour in 1993. It’s a 2 minute piece during the final credits of “Toward the Within” DVD. We found it challenging to cover and even to extend and develop this rare and nameless short track by DCD.

When we talked to Brendan Perry about it he liked the idea to record this cover and to extend the song and after listening to the first rough sketches of the recordings he kindly gave us not only his approval but himself even entitled the song “Salamander”. That was really very kind of him and we are truly grateful. I believe that he found a very suitable and symbolic name for the song.

SL: How do you try to bring your music on stage and what does it mean for you to perform in front of an audience?

Kalin Yordanov: With the release of the new album we will start a small tour in 2015/2016 to promote “The Eternal Return”.

Performing live has always been a part of our musical journey and a special experience for us and now we have a really good reason to finally celebrate the new release together with our fans. The feeling during our concerts is sometimes really intimate, emotional and even kind of sacred and sharing this energy with the audience could really be an intense experience.

The album is available now – get yours here!

]]> Irfan – The Eternal Return (CD Album – Prikosnovénie) https://www.side-line.com/irfan-the-eternal-return-cd-album-prikosnovenie/ Mon, 31 Aug 2015 14:42:45 +0000 http://www.side-line.com/?p=2236 Genre/Influences: Ethereal, heavenly voices, world-music. Content: New albums released by Prikosnovénie have become rather rare,...]]>
Genre/Influences: Ethereal, heavenly voices, world-music. IrfanContent: New albums released by Prikosnovénie have become rather rare, but this new opus by Bulgarian Irfan is a release which caught my attention for different reasons. Irfan is one of Side-Line’s favorites, but after two exceptional albums it has become rather quiet in the band’s camp. “The Eternal Return” is their first new work since “Seraphim” (2007), but I can already tell you it will be, in my opinion, the ‘album of the year’! This band remains inspired by ‘sacred and folk music traditions of Bulgaria, the Balkans, Persia, the Middle-East, North-Africa and India, as well as by the musical and spiritual heritage of Byzantium and Medieval Europe’. The band has often been compared to Dead Can Dance and that’s a link, which already comes through on the new work. I know it sounds weird to say, but Irfan always had a bigger influence on me because of their more traditional and especially authentic sound. They like to compose their songs with an impressive arsenal of authentic and acoustic oriental instruments, which inject this particular magic atmosphere to their work. Irfan is the sacred union between enchanting music and heavenly female vocals. The music is directed by Ivalyo Petrov while vocalist Denitza Seraphimova sounds like an angel muse. But Irfan is much more than both aforementioned members. It is a real collective featuring different musician playing different instruments. You can feel a true passion for instruments, and also for different cultures. The main difference between both previous albums is the global improvement of the production process. The album feels like touched by the hand of God. It is a sacred union and an intercourse between sound and voices, which will rapidly lead you towards a strong visual universe where you’ll enter a dreamy universe. The title song opens this work with grace and mysticism. The sound of an Eastern flute reinforces the mysterious impact while the dreamy vocal parts will be your guide during this transcendental trip that will hold you in its grip for more than 9 minutes. “Burana” is the next essential piece, which sounds a bit tribal-like for the rhythm. It’s a song about a local wind of Eastern Asia, Siberia and the Balkans as well. I didn’t exactly get the feeling of wind rather than getting into a new transcendental trip joining a pure orgasmic climax revealing a truely symphony between the different elements of the song. “Salamander” is the next highlight and a real special song as well. It of course is a cover version of Dead Can Dance. Irfan got the permission from Brandon Perry himself to cover this song. It’s a real challenge to cover such a legendary formation like Dead Can Dance, but Irfan did it a graceful and judicious way accentuating their own mystic and authentic style. Male and female vocals are operating like the attraction between yin and yang while here again you’ll possibly get into a trance-like experience. Irfan next moves throughout a few quieter pieces of reverie, but still animated by mystic passages and sacred arrangements. We’re getting back into charm again with “The Golden Horn” symbolizing the meeting between Europe and Asia under the walls of the ancient Constantinople. I also experienced this song as clearly a message of peace between different cultures. This is an instrumental song, which mainly reflects the musical heritage of Asia instead of Europe. The last cuts are getting deeper into reverie although “Tebe Poem” evokes some liturgies masterly performed by the magic of the female vocals. “Day To Pray” sounds a bit darker, but remains a delicate and warming caress for our devoted ears. Conclusion: I didn’t know what to expect from this ‘return’, but “The Eternal Return” clearly appears to be Irfan’s opus magnum. This album is a deeply artistic creation a band can be only proud of while listeners can be only thankful for such a great moment of enjoyment. Best songs: “Burana”, “Salamander”, “The Eternal Return”, “The Golden Horn”, “Day To Pray”, “Tebe Poem”. Rate: (DP:9½)DP. Band: www.facebook.com/Irfantheband Label: www.prikosnovenie.com / www.facebook.com/labelprikosnovenie

Read the news on ‘The Eternal Return’.

]]> Irfan finally returns with new album ‘The Eternal Return’, 8 years after ‘Seraphim’ https://www.side-line.com/irfan-finally-returns-with-new-album-the-eternal-return-8-years-after-seraphim/ Wed, 17 Jun 2015 16:07:31 +0000 http://www.side-line.com/?p=1416 Out via Prikosnovenie by early August (and available right here in pre-order) is the brand...]]>
Irfan finally returns with new album 'The Eternal Return', 8 years after 'Seraphim'Out via Prikosnovenie by early August (and available right here in pre-order) is the brand new Irfan album “The Eternal Return”. “The Eternal Return” comes 8 years after the album “Seraphim” and marks the return for this exquisite Bulgarian band. Early fans will be delighted to hear that this new album was recorded with the original singer of the band Denitza Seraphimova next to Ivaylo Petrov, Kalin Yordanov, Petar Todorov and Yasen Lazarov. The 10-track album again caters to a wide array of ethnic influences and will unavoidably remind you of the best periods of Dead Can Dance. They also adapted “Salamander” from the Dead Can Dance album “Toward the within”. Irfan will do a tour in 2015 to present their new album. Warmly recommended! Here’s what they sound like live.

Read the review of ‘The Eternal Return’.

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