The Chicago-based industrial metal band Derision Cult has released their new single and video, “Warning Signs”. The video premiered at Glitch Mode Recordings’ immersive cyberpunk showcase, Tech Noir, on July 20, 2024.

“Warning Signs” is a fast-paced industrial metal track featuring heavy, spoken-word vocals, thrash metal guitars, cyber beats, and guitar by former David Bowie guitarist, Reeves Gabrels.

Lyrically, “Warning Signs” explores the current turbulent cultural climate, highlighting the warnings that surround us. The chorus, “Is it getting real enough yet?” draws from a true story shared by frontman Dave McAnally’s brother, a Naval EOD officer. During a raid, a Hollywood director, witnessing the aftermath of a firefight, was shaken. As a Navy SEAL carried the body of a Taliban member past the director, he chillingly remarked, “Oh, is it getting real enough yet?”

The single features contributions from Glitch Mode stalwarts, including Jim Marcus, David Kultgen, Justin Broadrick, Chris Harris, and Pete Berwick. The video was created by Vancouver-based Empire Animae. Empire Animae previously collaborated with Derision Cult on their “Deaf Blood” video.

“We had so much fun with the ‘Deaf Blood’ video we couldn’t wait to work with Empire Animae again,” says Derision Cult founder, Dave McAnally. “This time around, we wanted to do a whole different setting and just go crazy with influences from ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,’ Martini Ranch and do things with animation that wouldn’t be possible in a live-action video.”

About Tech Noir

Tech Noir is Glitch Mode Media’s Cyberpunk Showcase, held in Chicago on July 20th. The event featured the premiere of the “Warning Signs” video and live performance, celebrating 40 years of cyberpunk culture. Tech Noir included performances from nine bands, cyberpunk films, and fashion, all housed in a building that once served as Al Capone’s private club. Tech Noir aims to redefine live music experiences by combining film and music in innovative ways.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Experimental, Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Jean-Marc Lederman (The Weathermen, Ghost & Writer, Gene Loves Jezebel ao)is back on track with a new and already conceptual work. The album title speaks for itself. The Belgian Electro pioneer has been assisted by Tom Shear (Assemblage 23), Christina Z, Jim Semonik (Red Lokust), Mari Kattman, Emileigh Rohn (Chiasm), Ken Magerman, Daz Sharp, Julianne Regan, Jim Marcus (Die Warzau) and Sapphira Vee.

Content: Lederman composed the music for the impressive list of guest singers. The music is filled with explicit astral sound treatments and -atmospheres. The slow rhythms together with the different singers make it more accessible while a few passages are more into Electro-Pop and danceable passages. The main characteristic of the work is the narrating format of the singers interpreting extracts of sci-fi stories.

+ + + : Jean-Marc Lederman moves on exorcizing his endless creative thoughts and concepts with one of his most creative and ambitious works ever. It’s not only about music -which totally stands for the concept of the album revealing a ‘space’-like dimension but also the accomplishment of a wider- and higher artistic goal. There’s a kind of cyber-puzzle wherein the listener/visitor has to unlock every single track.You really have to experience it on your own to realize what it’s all about.

– – – : The importance of the concept is maybe undermining a tiny bit the music itself.

Conclusion: Jean-Marc Lederman revisited sci-fi themes which must have been a piece of cake as he’s for sure the one and only sci-fi musician from the Electronic scene.

Best songs: “The Eyes Have It​!​ Feat. Ken Magerman”, “Titanium Aegis feat. Christina Z”.

Rate: 7½. 

Artist: www.jmlederman.com / www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100056370733178

Label: www.facebook.com/copint

Side-Line previously covered “Sci-Fi Revisited”, an audiobook and puzzle-game package accompanying the album, released via COP International.

Listen to “Sci-Fi Revisited”:

About Jean-Marc Lederman

Jean-Marc Lederman is a Belgian electronic musician known for his work with Fad Gadget, The The, Gene Loves Jezebel, The Weathermen, Ghost & Writer with Frank Spinath of Seabound, and Rohn-Lederman with Emileigh Rohn of Chiasm. Released under the Jean-Marc Lederman Experience name via COP International, “Sci-Fi Revisited” was produced, arranged and played by Lederman and features Tom Shear, Christina Z, Jim Semonik, Mari Kattman, Emileigh Rohn, Ken Magerman, Daz Sharp, Julianne Regan, Jim Marcus and Sapphira Vee, accompanied by a 12-page micro comic book and a computer puzzle game.

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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“Stand Together” is the new remix single by Sapphira Vee that is accompanied by a video that was assembled by Jim Marcus (Die Warzau/Go Fight).

The new 6-track single was taken from the album “Fortune” and features remixes from LGBTQ and women artists that include Eva X, Morgue VVitch, Stabbed by Prongs and Wandering Whispers. Sapphira Vee recently said: “No matter which oppressed group with which you most closely identify, we get nowhere if we can’t stand together.”

“Stand Together” features Veronica Tam and was intentionally released today on Martin Luther King Jr Day, 2024 through Distortion Productions on all digital and streaming platforms.

You can download the release right below from Bandcamp.

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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Jean-Marc Lederman, known for his work with Fad Gadget, The The, Gene Loves Jezebel, The Weathermen, Ghost & Writer (with Frank Spinath from Seabound), and Rohn-Lederman with Emileigh from Chiasm, presents an audiobook of short sci-fi tales, “Sci-Fi Revisited”. The book is narrated by various singers and musicians, and it is accompanied by a computer puzzle game. The package also includes a 12-page micro book with 11 pulp covers.

Released under the The Jean-Marc Lederman Experience moniker, “Sci-Fi Revisited” features Tom Shear (Assemblage 23), Christina Z, Jim Semonik (Red Lokust), Mari Kattman, Emileigh Rohn (Chiasm), Ken Magerman, Daz Sharp, Julianne Regan, Jim Marcus (Die Warzau), and Sapphira Vee.

This release is a co-production between Les Disques De La Pantoufle and COP International. It was produced, arranged, and played by Jean-Marc Lederman. The images for the website and cover were prompted by Kevin B. Lederman. The lab/vault website and video game were developed by Kevin B. Lederman, courtesy of https://blackfoot.io/.

The album is available through COP International and on their Bandcamp page. Note that the CD version comes in a limited edition of just 100 hand numbered copies. It holds a 12-page micro book on 230 gram paper. You also get access to a puzzle game to unlock the tracks.

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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We got a few questions regarding this, so yes, the Chicago-based industrial band, Project .44, have unleashed their first album in sixteen years, “(The Storm Before) Reform”. It’s the band’s first full album output although there has been a sporadic single, some compilation contributions, and an EP and lead-man Chri5 Harri5 has been busy for a few years with Sean Payne (Cyanotic) on the Glitch Mode Recordings offshoot CONFORMCO.

Harri5 explains the 16 years of album silence: “Well after we released our debut, ‘The System Doesn’t Work’ on Invisible Records, we put out a follow up remix CD in ‘07 and then still had five years left on our deal. We were in limbo. Recording had started and demos have lived, some, up to ten years. After we were free we got the braintrust together, Louis Svitek, Charles Levi, MTL, and long time producing friends The Thump and Seibold and went full bore into finishing the jams.”

After seven more years, two reissued releases from the Give/Take label, appearances at SxSW, Mechanismus Fesival and Sanctuary Festival, Project .44 was able to take the final sprint and complete work on their new album.

You get 11 tracks of brutal Chicago industrial with Chri5 Harri5 and fellow industrialists Louis Svitek (Ministry/ReVco), Charles Levi (Thrill Kill Kult/Pigface), Seibold (Hate Dept.) and guest appearances from En Esch (KMFDM/Pigface) and Lady E (Slick Idiot).

The CD features 3 bonus tracks with remixes from Jim Marcus (Die Warzau), Phildo Owen (Skatenigs) and Sean Payne (Cyanotic) The cassette and vinyl features 2 bonus tracks with remixes from Walter Flakus (Stabbing Westward) & Mark Trueman (Choke Chain).

Check out the video for “Murder Weapon” featuring En Esch.

And here is the full release.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Indie-pop.

Background/Info: The first work of the American project Dissonance brings us back to the 90s. They in the meantime have released a considerable number of works, unleashing their latest work on HAKATAK International, which became the home of the project. “Ascent” is the fifth full length by Cat Hall’s project Dissonance although it looks more like a mini-album as only six songs have been featured here.

Content: Cat Hall has invited several guests to achieve the work. Jim Marcus (Die Warzau) did the production while Kurt Larson (Information Society) is probably the most famous guest singer (cf. “Poison Kiss”). The work reveals a real diversity in the singers, which injects extra variety. Sound-wise Dissonance moves from pure indie-pop music to a kind of electro pop-rock. The songs are rather dynamic.

+ + + : The most noticeable element of the work and definitely main strength emerges from some pretty cool sound treatments. I like the flat bass line running through “Poison Kiss” and some of the sweeps. Cat Hall’s grave timbre of voice also is something particular.

– – – : I’m missing a highlight among the tracklist.

Conclusion: I can’t say that this album had a serious impact on me. It’s a pleasant work, but missing some little details to speak about a fully successful work.

Best songs: “Taste”, “Poison Kiss”.

Rate: (6).

Artist: www.facebook.com/CatHallDissonance

Label: www.facebook.com/hakatakinternational

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

A documentary film exploring the birth, rise, fall and moderate rebirth of American industrial music is nearing completion. This film explores the mid-to-late 1980’s birth of a form of aggressive dance music that incorporated: sampled noises, synthesizers, howling vocals and big dance beats.

Launched now is a Kickstarter for 60 days to deliver the final round of funding. The trailer for the film is available below.

What is the film about?

The film talks to the players who were then and there: Al Jourgensen (Ministry/RevCo), Joe Shanahan (Metro/Smart Bar), Jim Marcus (producer/Die Warzau), Marston Daley (aka Buzz McCoy of Thrill Kill Kult), Jason Novak (Acumen/Cold Waves Festival), Reid Hyams (Chicago Trax) and Martin Atkins (Pigface/Killing Joke) just to name a few.

The movie also talks with music historians, musicians who watched in awe from afar and others whose lives were forever-changed by the music, fashion, and way of life.

This movie has been a labor of love for director Chris Harris who started production almost 10 years ago: “This story is so fascinating, so original – the players such characters – the story had to be told.” To make the documentary Harris has assembled a team of production veterans who have worked on music docu-series and for networks such as HGTV, Discovery and 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!

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Following on from Armalyte’s “Brutalism” retrospective of Cubanate’s early works, “Darker + Cut” sees the original two C-Tec albums (1997 + 2000), completely re-mastered and re-branded as a 2CD set with bonus tracks in deluxe digipak packaging designed by Jim Marcus of Die Warau / Go Fight.

You can order the set right now on Bandcamp!

The material features Jean-Luc De Meyer (Front 242), Marc Heal (Cubanate / Pigface) and Ged Denton (Der Prosector / Crisis NTI) and holds two bonus, previously unreleased tracks (“My unbreakable Code” and “Until we disappear”). C-Tec are co-headlining a series of festival dates across North America this Summer, with possible European dates to follow.

C-tec were an electro-industrial supergroup, originally formed as a side project to the Cyber-Tec Project in 1995 by Jean-Luc De Meyer (Front 242, Cobalt 60, etc.), Jonathan Sharp (New Mind, Bio-Tek, etc.) and Ged Denton (Crisis NTI). After the first album release, Jonathan Sharp left the band and Marc Heal (Cubanate) joined as a full-time member. They shortened the name to C-Tec and released two albums on Synthetic Symphony (Europe) and Wax Trax! (U.S.).

Check out “Brutal”.

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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“Chemical” is the latest single from industrial act Go Fight. The song is taken off their new album “Toyko Sexwale”, which was released earlier this year. The song was written and composed by Jim Marcus, founder of the legendary industrial act Die Warzau.

Jim Marcus: “When I was younger I used to hate so much shows like Bewitched and I dream of Genie because they were all about these magical people – women with magical powers – and they were all with these dullards – men who wanted them to be no magical. I wanted to showcase that here in this video – to show how someone magical doesn’t really need anyone in their life to be that magic person. So I asked Nicole to be in to – one of the most magical people I know. We had a lot of fun with the song and with the video.”

The video for “Chemical” can be seen here.

Jim Marcus, the lead singer of the seminal 80s industrial band Die Warzau, started Go Fight in 2013 with fellow Die Warzau member Dan Evans. The duo called the music they produce ‘Electroscuzz’. Integrated in the project as well are Marcus’ son Mission and drummer Vince McAley (Cubanate, Chemlab).

Below is the download version for “Chemical”, an 11-track long single!

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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