Genre/Influences: Neo-Folk, Chanson, Cinematographic.

Format: Digital, CD. 

Background/Info: Set up in the late 90s by Kim Larsen, Danish formation :Of The Wand And The Moon: became a renowned and established formation active in the wider fields of Neo-Folk music. It took ten years for Kim Larsen to unleash a new studio album, which has been written and recorded over the past three years. 

Content: “Your Love Can’t Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow” is much more than simply an old-styled Neo-Folk album; Neo-Folk remains an important source of inspiration and often the basis of the songs, but it has been mixed with other influences. From pure Cinematographic passages to a kind of smoked Jazzy sound to some surprising 60s elements, this work is true music fusion. The songs are driven by the deep timbre of voice of Kim Larsen. The use of acoustic instruments is one of the main characteristics of the composition while some irresistible trumpet sounds/play can be heard as well. A few guests like King Dude, Martin Hall, Sarah Hepburn and Uffe Lorenzen contributed to the work as well. 

+ + + : This is an astonishing return! The album is a deeply artistic creation, which can be heard in every single detail. First there’s an impressive production of the vocals revealing the artist’s irresistible timbre of voice. Kim Larsen is a great singer for Chanson. Next there’s the music, a true artistic creation Larsen accomplished together with producer and multi-instrumentalist Mikkel Elzer. I’ve been especially impressed by the magic of trumpet sounds/play. It has something mysterious, but also sensual and perfectly suited for ‘Film Noir’. “Les Journées Sans Fin Et Les Nuits Solitaires” featuring female vocals sung (or half-spoken) in French can’t leave you unmoved. But the absolute pearl of the album is “Let’s Take A Ride (My Love)”. This is such a beautiful song; simply a magic ballad with an elevating effect and featuring great trumpet sound and an explicit 60s influence as well. Darkness becomes beautiful thanks to the genius of this artist. 

– – – : If you’re into pure Neo-Folk, you’ll maybe be disappointed, but I don’t have any minus point. 

Conclusion: “Your Love Can’t Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow” definitely is one of the best and most artistic works from the year. What a return for this artist!

Best songs: “Let’s Take A Ride (My Love)”, “Les Journées Sans Fin Et Les Nuits Solitaires”, “Nothing For Me Here”, “Your Love Can’t Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow”

Rate: 9.

Artist & Label: www.facebook.com/wandmoon 

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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(Photo by Dean Wallflower) Kælan Mikla’s new single “Hvítir Sandar” is now streaming on all platforms. The track is a collaboration with French post-metal pioneers Alcest. “Hvítir Sandar” appears on Kælan Mikla’s forthcoming Undir Köldum Norðumljósum, the fourth album by the Icelandic band, set for an October 15th release on Artoffact Records.

Stream the official music video below.

In addition to touring with Alcest, Kælan Mikla has toured with the likes of Drab Majesty and King Dude and was hand-picked by Robert Smith of The Cure to play The Cure’s 40th anniversary show as well as a slot on the Pasadena Daydream festival. In 2018, the band’s third album, “Nótt eftir nótt”, won Album of the Year at the prestigious Kraumur Awards in Iceland and landed on year-end lists in magazines and blogs worldwide.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Out via Heidrunar Myrkrunar next month is the all new Of The Wand And The Moon album “Your Love can’t hold this Wreath of Sorrow”. It’s the Danish project’s first new album in 10 years since “The Lone Descent” from 2011. A Vinyl edition will follow in early 2022. The album has been over 3 years in the works and was produced by Kim Larsen and Mikkel Elzer (Kloster etc) and mixed by Mikkel Elzer.

Through the 10 new songs you clearly get to hear Kim Larsen’s inspirations from 60-70’s singer/songwriters such as Lee Hazlewood, Leonard Cohen and Serge Gainsbourg, as well as movie soundtracks from the same period. It of course still maintains some of the dark neo-folk roots of the band.

The album also includes guest performances by King Dude, legendary Danish singer/author/artist Martin Hall (who also wrote the liner notes for the album), as well as several other household names on the Danish scene such as Uffe Lorenzen (Baby Woodrose), Bo Rande (Blue Foundation) and Sarah Hepburn (Kloster a.o.).

Check out the title track.

About Of The Wand & The Moon

Of The Wand & The Moon started as a soloproject by Kim Larsen in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1998 when he was still a member and composer in the doom-metal band Saturnus. The debut album “Nighttime Nightrhymes” was released in 1999 and was a dark folk/neo-folk album that received quite some attention in both neofolk, goth and metal scenes.

With the second album “Emptiness Emptiness Emptiness” (2001), the sound of Of The Wand & The Moon had developed much, and was by then considered a neo-folk/dark folk classic.

Of The Wand & The Moon would continue to release new material, the albums “Lucifer” (2003), “Sonnenheim” (2005) and “The Lone Descent” (2011 – see further down), as well as several EP’s and vinyl singles followed.

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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Soon out via Artoffact Records will be the fourth album, “Undir Köldum Norðumljósum” by the Icelandic synth-punks Kælan Mikla. “Undir Köldum Norðumljósum” features a guest appearance by Alcest, with whom Kælan Mikla toured Europe in early 2020.

Two singles have been released from the album so far in 2021 — “Sólstöður” and “Ósýnileg”.

Kælan Mikla was founded in 2013 as part of a poetry contest hosted by the Reykjavik Library. In 2015, the song “Kalt” was released, it was followed by three LPs and touring with the likes of King Dude and Drab Majesty and as headliners. Kælan Mikla also played The Cure’s 40th anniversary show,.

The upcoming fourth album, “Undir köldum norðumljósum”, is set for an October 15th release on Artoffact.

The lineup consists of Laufey Soffía Þórsdóttir, Margrét Rósa Dóru-Harrysdóttir and Sólveig Matthildur Kristjánsdóttir.

Here’s the track “Sólstöður” taken from the new album, an excellent track by the way.

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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(Picture by Renee Parkhurst ) Let’s hope this article doesn’t get flagged by Google, Facebook and related because the follow-up of words in the title is rather worrysome (joke aside).

Adult has launched a remix of the Bestial Mouths song “Unshivered”. A video was equally made and can be seen below. The song is included in Bestial Mouths’ remix album “Thousandneedles” that features collaborations with SRSQ, Ash Code, Void Vision, Light Asylum, and more and which dropped earlier this month.

“Thousandneedles” will be available on vinyl and cassette versions this August via Fill-Lex Records and Soil Records.

In a reaction Adult says: “We got this remix request in the summer from Bestial Mouths and it was just the thing we needed to get us back in the studio again. It wasn’t like looking at a blank canvas and it felt more like collaboration in a way, which was much needed during such an isolating time.”

The track’s visual counterpart offers a psychological portrait of a person clawing their way to meaning. Director Jamie Parkhurst, who has previously worked with Los Angeles post-punk outfit, Death Bells, and experimental electronic artist Trevor powers, was helped by producer Yelena Akopian, stylists and designers Bradley Soileau and Elliott Evan, photographer Renee Parkhurst, DP Connor Ellman, and camera operator Alex Van Putten. The video was edited by editing is by Alex Nicolaou (Drab Majesty).

Here is the video.

Tracklist “Thousandneedles”

1. Grendel – Ruins Remix
2. Adult – Unshivered (If I Could Feel Mix)
3. Rodney Anonymous Or 7th Victim (Of Dead Milkmen) – Withiin Remix
4. Plackblague – Heavy Coil Mix (Industrial Waste Remix)
5. Ash Code -The Bleed Remix (Mixed/Mastered By Doruk Ozturkcan From She Past Away)
6. Nnhmn – The Loss Remix
7. Statiqbloom – The Falls Remix
8. Buzzkull – Lain To Rust Remix
9. Srsq – Reimagination (Souls Take Remix)
10. Shannon F /Light Asylum – Industrial Waste Remix
11. Kontravoid – Dry As Dust Remix
12. Void Vision- (A) Siren Calls Remix
13. Crowhurst – 23 Hours Before Resurrection Bestial Mouths Remix
14. Melania – Inshroudss

About Bestial Mouths

From their inception in 2009, the core root of Bestial Mouths has combined Lynette Cerezo’s voice with several genre influences across the spectrum of goth, industrial, post-punk, new wave, noise, metal, and other underground sounds using live acoustic and electronic drums and analog synthesizers. Since 2018, Bestial Mouths has been the sole project of Cerezo.

2019’s “Inshroudss” EP was the first Bestial Mouths release entirely written and conceived by Cerezo. The EP was released on the independent label RuneE & Ruin, which Cerezo formed together with friend and frequent collaborator Alison Lewis (Linea Aspera / Zanias / Fleisch Records).

In their decade-plus existence, Bestial Mouths have worked with a long list of producers and artists. Zola Jesus, Mick Harvey, Egyptrixx, Boy Harsher, Die Krupps, Mater Suspiria Vision, Zanias, The Horrorist, and Ludovico Technique are just a few collaborators, while they’ve shared the stage with the likes of Psychic TV, Austra, Chelsea Wolfe, DAF, 3 Teeth, OAKE, Front Line Assembly, White Ring, Suicide Commando, David J, King Dude, Youth Code, Cut Hands and Light Asylum.

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: Industrial-techno.

Background/Info:

Originally set up as a duo, Michael Wollenhaupt remained the single member on board. After numerous EP’s Ancient Methods has now released its debut full length  -available as 3-vinyl format, featuring 14 tracks.

Content: The sound of Ancient Methods is clearly driven by industrial-techno vibes. From heavy, bouncing cuts carried by a big kick to frenetic-trance passages to somewhat mysterious and Eastern-like atmospheres this work is quite diversified. You’ll also notice multiple sound effects, exciting electronic signals and even a few passages with vocals.

“The Jericho Methods” also reveals the contribution of some famous guest artists such as Orphx, Prurient, Cindytalk, Regis and a few more vocalists.

+ + + : I like the sonic fusion between techno- and industrial music and especially when it has been accomplished with passion and knowledge. The sound production reveals multiple great aspects and I especially enjoyed the heavy blasting sounds running through the album. The contribution of some talented guest artists also adds a little extra to the work. “The Jericho Methods” is an accomplished and diversified piece of music featuring multiple noticeable cuts.

– – – : I can’t get away that this kind of music is a bit too dark for techno heads and maybe too techno-driven for industrial lovers, but one thing is for sure, there’s a growing audience for this kind of music. Back to the album now, I personally expected a bit more from the songs that featured guest artists.

Conclusion: Welcome to the world of Ancient Methods, revealing a successful work filled with styled industrial-techno.

Best songs: “The House Of Rahab”, “Treason Creeps In”, “I Am Your New King feat. King Dude”, “Twelve Stones To Divide Jordan’s Sand”, “Crack And Collapse In The Storm Of Lights”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.ancientmethods.com / www.facebook.com/ancientmethods1

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

Dark folk / neo-folk artist King Dude (real name Thomas Jefferson Cowgill) returns with a brand new album, “Music To Make War To“. The album is the follow-up to 2016’s “Sex” and brings more dark folk material in his typical style which holds resemblances with the music by Johnny Cash.

The new album will be released on vinyl as well and can be ordered right here. He has once again been helped by August Johnson, Tosten Larson and Lee Newman.

King Dude has previously released material on Dais, Avant!, Bathetic, Clan Destine, and Ván records and has succeeded in succesfully integrating elements from British Folk, Americana, Country and Blues in his work.

Here’s a song taken from the new album, “Good And Bad” featuring Josephine Olivia.

And this is “Velvet Rope” which was shot in Kiev.

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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King Dude aka Thomas Jefferson Cowgill sees his CDr-only release of “Tonight’s special death” (2010) re-released in re-mastered quality and including a number of bonus-tracks. The re-release is available on CD and on vinyl right here. The vinyl comes with an LP-sized inlay, including all lyrics of all 10 tracks, packaged inside black poly-inner sleeve.

King Dude is an American Seattle based dark folk / neo-folk project trademarked by the singer’s deep voice. The lyrics often deal with death as well as pain. The project has often been compared to Johnny Cash’s music. Apart from Cowgill we also find August Johnson, Tosten Larson and Lee Newman in the band’s line-up.

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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