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

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: No need to introduce The Neon Judgement belonging to the collective memory of 80s Cold-Wave/EBM fans. Their biggest hits were released in the 80s. This album is a fine selection from tracks originally released in between 1995 and 2009. It features songs from three albums that were released on different labels during the post-Play It Again Sam (PIAS)-era. We get ten songs from the albums “At Devil’s Fork” (1995, Synthetic Symphony), “Dazsoo” (1998, KK Records) and “Smack” (2009, LC Music). These songs have been re-mastered and for the very first time released on vinyl format.

Content: This work is an opportunity to (re)-discover ‘late’ stuff from The Neon Judgement, the band having definitely taken some distance with their early, 80s, sound and becoming more open-minded, like experimenting with new genres and influences. But in the end that’s what the Belgian masters always did. The songs are still driven by icy synths but mixing Minimal-Electro together with Funky vibes, Dance tunes and Technoid influences and even Dubby elements.

+ + + : This selection of tracks aren’t the best exposure from this legendary formation although you easily recognize the Neon Judgement-touch in the icy leads/synths, the vocals and the open-minded style. It was really fun rediscovering “Serve” which evokes to me the Electronic version of Public Enemy but also the Dub vibes emerging at “Turki”. I also like “Shiny Happiness” and the more renowned “The Great Consumer” for the excellent synth lines.

– – – : “TV Treated” remains one of my all-time favorites from the band and 80s Electro-Wave music but the remix/edit from 1995 featured at this album is a true antithesis to the original version.

Conclusion: A cool record for the band’s die-hard fans.

Best songs: “Serve”, “The Great Consumer”, “Turki”, “Shiny Happiness”, “We Are Confused”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist:www.theneonjudgement.com / www.facebook.com/TheNeonJudgeMent

Label: www.facebook.com/JemenfishBE

Side-Line reported on “Blue Screens” when the compilation was announced in October 2023.

Listen to “Blue Screens”:

About The Neon Judgement

The Neon Judgement was founded in the early 1980s in Brussels by Dirk Timmermans, known as Dirk Da Davo, and Frank Vloeberghs, known as TB Frank. During the 1990s the duo changed labels several times, releasing “At Devil’s Fork” on Synthetic Symphony in 1995, “Dazsoo” on KK Records in 1998, and “Smack” on LC Music/Dancedelic-D in 2009. “Blue Screens 1995-2009” gathers ten remastered tracks from those three albums, released via Je M’en Fish Records on 5 November 2023 as a 180-gram vinyl edition in three colors. Earlier the same year, Dirk Da Davo released the solo album “Retrospective 1987-2023”, and Je M’en Fish reissued The Neon Judgement’s “PIAS 40” vinyl.

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

In 2023, Dancedelicd collaborated with Brussels-based Je M’en Fish Records on three vinyl releases. Among these, The Neon Judgement’s compilation “Blue Screens” is scheduled for November 5th. This release will be on a 180-gram vinyl format and will come in three different colors.

In the early 1980s, Dirk Timmermans, also known as Dirk Da Davo, and Frank Vloeberghs, known as TB Frank, founded The Neon Judgement. They initially gained attention for their unique blend of stark industrial elements with intricate guitar and synthesizer work.

During the 1990s, the duo shifted their musical direction and also changed labels. They released Dazsoo under KK Records, known for artists like Bauhaus and Frontline Assembly; At Devil’s Fork with Synthetic Symphony, home to Die Krupps and Welle: Erdball; and Smack on LC Music/Dancedelic-D, Dirk Da Davo’s own label.

This 10-track compilation features a curated selection from these latter three albums, all of which have been fully remastered and are making their debut on vinyl.

Earlier this year Dirk Da Davo’s album “Retrospective 1987 – 2023” album was released in April. Additionally, June saw a reissue of The Neon Judgement’s “PIAS 40” vinyl, which includes several tracks from the 1980s.

A digital EP is planned for November 20th, involving Dirk’s side project DDDJMX and Jean-Marie Aerts (JMX). The EP is titled “23”.

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 Mecanica in early Summer will be the 4 earliest albums of Bill Leeb’s main project Front Line Assembly, founded in 1986 (just upon his departure from Skinny Puppy). All 4 albums comes as limited pressing of 500 copies, on double vinyl, with deluxe gatefold sleeve and new vintage artwork.

The following albums will be included:

• “The Initial Command”: this the debut landmark album by Canadian EBM-industrialists Front Line Assembly, originally released in 1987 through Belgian label KK Records. Bill Leeb shows us already a unique style, setting a benchmark for all that would follow. Fiercely original, not least for ‘it’s time’, from the glittering synths and harsh metallic percussion of the unarguably cinematic “Casualties” and the abrasive white noise on “Ausgang zum Himmel”, to the punchy breaks and dramatic strings of “No Control”. This Deluxe re-release includes all original tracks and both bonus tracks taken from a re-release in 1997: “Complexity” and “Core”.
• “Corroded Disorder”: this album compiles some of the earliest hits of Front Line Assembly including the classic “Body Count” for which the band prepared their first official video-clip. “Corroded Disorder” was originally released in 1995 as a hybrid of the EP’s “Corrosion” and “Disorder” (both released in 1988 on Third Mind Records, UK), along with some extra tracks taken from the compilation “Convergence” and a couple of new bonus songs.
• “Total Terror 1”: This is the second of two self-released cassette tapes by EBM-industrial act Front Line Assembly (the first one being ‘Nerve War’). At this point, Bill Leeb was the band’s only dedicated member, with some help from Rhys Fulber. Most of the original cassette was remixed and re-mastered to be commercially released on CD in 1993 as “Total Terror 1”. This edition added three previously-unreleased bonus tracks from other old sessions: “Freedom”, “Distorted Vision” and “Cleanser”. The original recordings of these songs were done in 1986 using nothing more than a four track recording system. This would be quite primitive for today’s standards and sound quality will not be so effective, however the ideas are all ther, letting us enjoy some of the first songs EVER created by Front Line Assembly. The deluxe re-release includes all tracks from “Total Terror 1” plus the rare song “Eternal” and some bonus taken from old compilations.
• “Total Terror 2”: This is another collection of early Front Line Assembly demos, remixed and remastered for a limited CD release for the first time in 1994. The original recordings of these songs were done in 1986/87. The equipment used was primitive, but then so is mankind. The deluxe re-release includes all tracks from the first edition plus some bonus taken from old compilations.

Here’s the first impression of what you can expect from these vinyl editions.

For more on Front Line Assembly, see Front Line Assembly team with Cleopatra Records for a 6cd box holding… on Side-Line.

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: Industrial, Electro.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Formed in the late 80s and having been mainly active during the 90s, Canadian Death And Horror Inc resurrected a few years ago and started to release their back catalog. The band even got signed to KK Records. The enthusiastic reactions incited front man Vicar to compose new songs, which have been released on this EP. The EP deals with a critical view of the narrow-minded society and people driven by denial ideologies.

Content: The EP features 2 sides; first you get 3 songs -including the previously released singles “Losing” and “Chosen Ruler” and taking off with the title song. Next you get 3 alternative versions of the 3 songs.

The title track is a heavy and rough piece of Industrial music carried by brutal sonic assaults and vocals reminding me of the rage of Marylin Manson. DHI has this typical and easily recognizable ‘Canadian sound DNA’, which is characterized by sophisticated, rough and hard Industrial music reminding me of early Skinny Puppy. The 3 last songs reveal ‘alternative’ edits, which have been empowered by furious guitar riffs, this way accentuating the Industrial sound.

+ + + : The new songs are more than simply a comeback, but clearly revealing a creative process from a project, which hasn’t lost its initial power and efficiency. The tracks have been meticulously elaborated with raw and rough sound treatments while the alternative edits have been empowered by a guitar boost. I like the 3 songs for their rage, complexity and simply their Industrial spirit. The title song is a great illustration of DHI’s talent and I can only encourage Vicar to move on.

– – – : I can’t say that there’s one single cut to throw away and I don’t see true minus points. DHI isn’t the most original nor innovative project in its genre, but on the other hand it’s an efficient and accomplished work.

Conclusion: If you like the good-old Canadian Industrial style, this new work by DHI will be a great surprise.

Best songs: “The Idiot Parade – Sardonic”, “Chosen Ruler – Shameless”, “Losing – Desolate”, “Losing – Mix V2”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.deathandhorrorinc.com / www.facebook.com/DHI-death-and-horror-inc-560328507342651 Read the news on ‘The Idiot Parade’.

About DHI

DHI (death and horror inc) formed in 1987 in Toronto’s early electronic industrial scene and released four CDs on Fringe Product, the Canadian home of Black Flag and The Dead Kennedys, during the nineties. The band also appeared on Belgium’s KK Records, label of Front Line Assembly and Bauhaus.

In 2019, the group released expanded editions of its entire 1990s catalogue, including remixes and rare early tracks. In response to the renewed interest that followed, and with the blessing of his cofounding band member, frontman Vicar returned to writing new material under the DHI banner. “The Idiot Parade” is the first set of new songs from that period.

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 Force Dimension is without a shadow of a doubt the most famous Electronic band from The Netherlands. Set up by René Van Dijck in the late 80s, the self-titled debut album (recorded as the ‘Red Version’), released in 1989 became an instant success. The music was labeled as EBM. The Force Dimension got signed to the legendary KK Records. After the debut album they released “Deus Ex Machina” in 1990. We next had to wait till 2017 to see the band releasing the album “Machinesex” on Daft Records followed by the self-released “Sorcery Pigs” in 2018. This year René Van Dijck strikes back with a new album released on Sonic Groove. “Mortal Cable” is hard to label, different from other albums, but it’s a great and minimal creation mixing elements of EBM, Techno and pure Minimal-Electro. I’d a chat with René.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Thirty two years are separating your very first self-titled debut album and your newest full length “Mortal Cable”.  Can you compare both albums with each other and how much of the early Force Dimension-sound and way of working do you still recognize in “Mortal Cable”? 

René: It is not so easy to compare as each album has its own -so to say- soul, spirit or energy. I am 32 years older so my mind and way of composing has changed as well. But instrument-wise there is a big difference: the instruments from KK020, the first album, are totally absent in “Mortal Cable”, which is fully composed on 1 laptop, 1 notebook (for the lyrics) and 1 singer, me. Very minimal!

Q: The Force Dimension belongs to the history of EBM. What does that music style mean to you today and what’s your perception of contemporary Electro-Underground music? 

René: I have nothing with boxes, niches or pigeonholes like EBM or whatever name you give to some kind of music. I listen to songs or to bands, to artists, not to styles. I have no notion of contemporary Electro-Underground music. I do not know. 

Q: Over now to “Mortal Cable”! What have been the sources of inspiration to compose this work (sound- & lyrical wise) and what kind of album did you’d in mind? 

René: My inspiration sources are in my life, what I experience or what I feel or think at the moment when I make a song. I improvised a lot when composing for that album. So I had no idea in mind what was coming out or would be the result. I listen to a lot of music, to a lot of artists and bands, all kinds of styles and maybe that influenced me on a subconcious level. 

Q: How did the album took shape? What have been the different stages you’d to go through to achieve “Mortal Cable”? What instruments and programs did you use and did you encounter major difficulties and/or challenges in the production? 

René: In most of the songs I started with the rhythm, mostly danceable. Then I started improvising melodies and singing the lyrics. I only use Cubase to make music and I use my vocals of course. The lyrics are in most of the cases also improvised. I use a lot of automatic writing and composing, to let my intuition speak. The difficulty in making this album in my home studio was making it with good EQ-levels and mastering. But it turned out quite ok…I hope.

Q: “Mortal Cable” sounds to me as an artist who reinvented his own sound; still pretty vintage-like, but also deeply minimal-sounding and with some extra Techno elements on top. What does this album mean to you and how would you compare it with previous releases? 

René: For me the album, like all songs I create, is a kind of expression for my feelings, ideas and so on. Because of this, the album stands on its own. It is in that sense difficult to compare “Mortal Cable” with previous releases. I did this album mostly on my own and by myself, in contrast with the other albums, which were collaborations with Betty, Tycho and Armin. So this was completely new to me and challenging. 

Q: Music clearly is a perfect remedy for a lot of music lovers to forget the ongoing pandemic. What’s your personal experience about the question and what’s the impact on your activities? How do you expect things evolving? 

René: It is hard to say anything on what people experience when listening to music. It is a personal thing in the end. I have no expectations on how things will evolve in the future. But I hope the world will get better soon. 

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: EBM, Minimal-Electro.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: The Force Dimension belongs to the collective memory of the 80s. Hailing from The Netherlands, they became a renowned formation from the legendary Belgian KK Records. After a long hiatus they struck back in 2017 with a different line-up and a new album “Machinesex”. Four years later, core member René Van Dijck joined hands together with Sonic Groove to release “Mortal Cable”. 

Content: Forget about the 80s productions of this band and discover the ‘news’ sound of The Force Dimension. René Van Dijck has accomplished a true tour de force. The sound is hard to define, but clearly mixing good-old EBM vibes and bass lines together with a raw, icy Minimal-Electro sound. The sequences are repetitive, sometimes mixed with a melodic passage and always driven by danceable rhythms. The vocals have been produced in a rather robotic way. The album features eleven surprising cuts for dancefloors.

+ + + : I liked the band’s self-titled debut-album (the red edit) originally released in 1989 on KK Records. Thirty two years later The Force Dimension has completely reinvented its sound although holding on a great retro-like approach. You can hear it in the dry snares, the icy strings and good-old analogue sound treatments and effects. But this retro-basis has been boosted by contemporary elements, empowering the sound and getting the sound into an irresistible minimal approach. Sometimes on the edge of intelligent Techno music, the sound remains raw. There’re also sensual passages, which makes me think of music for pleasure games in dungeons…

– – – : The Force Dimension took me by surprise and left me rather breathless. The only single regret I can imagine is that this is just another band… but still another time!

Conclusion: The Force Dimension strikes back with a bang! This is a creative and original album, which is hard to label, but definitely great to consume!

Best songs: “Icicles”, “Deep Stalker”, “Door 2 Door”, “On The Floor”, “Cliff”, “With Your Feet”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.theforcedimension.com / www.facebook.com/theforcedimension

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

About The Force Dimension

The Force Dimension started in the Netherlands at the beginning of 1987 as a trio, with René Van Dijck on keyboards, Tycho de Groot on vocals and electronics and Armin Elmensdorp on effects. A demo led to work with the industrial label De Fabriek, which issued the 7″ “Fabrieksforce” in 1988. The band appeared on several compilations that year and moved towards EBM.

KK Records signed the group after hearing their tapes. Luc Van Acker produced the first version of the self-titled debut album, known as the blue version; the label then had the band record a second, rougher version, known as the red version. “Tension” followed in 1989, “Algorythm” and “Deus Ex Machina” in 1990, “New Funk” in 1991 and the compilation “12 Inch Singles” on KK Records in 1992. Subtronic Records issued the compilation “Kitty Hawk” in 1996.

After a long break the band returned in 2017 with “Machinesex”, followed by a run of self-released digital singles and the album “Sorcery Pigs” in 2018. The eleven-track “Mortal Cable” was released by Sonic Groove on 16 September 2021. Side-Line published a Click Interview with The Force Dimension on 19 December 2021.

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 now is DHI (death and horror inc)’s latest EP, “The Idiot Parade”. The song is described by frontman Vicar as “a condemnation of grotesque ideologies and their disturbing intertwinement. It’s a protest against fact denialism, Hollywood-esque conspiracy theories, anti-science activism, mob rule mentality, and the delusion of white supremacy.”

The EP’s four remaining tracks include a new ‘Desolate’ version of last year’s “Losing” single, “Chosen Ruler (Shameless)”, and 3 remixes: “Chosen Ruler (Mix V2)”, “Losing (Mix V2)” and “The Idiot Parade (Virulent)”.

As Vicar explains: “Once the EP’s title track and new remixes were completed, I went back and listened to the two singles from last year. Which, compared to the new material, almost sounded like demos to me. Ultimately, I ended up mixing the original versions of ‘Chosen Ruler’ and ‘Losing’ all over again, from the ground up. I’m happy to say that the ‘V2’ mixes do a better job at capturing the energy and emotion of those songs. And, hey… they’re louder now!”

About DHI

Formed in 1987 in Toronto’s early electronic industrial scene, DHI (death and horror inc) released four CDs on Fringe Product (the Canadian home to Black Flag and The Dead Kennedys) in the nineties. They also appeared on Belgium’s Kk Records (Front Line Assembly, Bauhaus).

In 2019, the group released expanded editions of its entire 1990s catalogue, including remixes and rare early tracks. In response to the renewed interest in DHI that followed, and with the blessing of his cofounding band member, frontman Vicar is once again creating new material under the DHI banner. Read the review of ‘The Idiot Parade’.

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

Metropolis Records was set up in 1994 by Dave Heckman. In no time the American label became a truly reference when it comes to Electronic and Industrial music. The label licensed –and still does, European productions, but also signed new artists. Among the Metropolis roster you’ll find bands as VNV Nation, Front 242, Front Line Assembly, Wumpsuct, Project Pitchfork, Juno Reactor, Assemblage 23, The Birthday Massacre, KMFDM, Numb, Haujobb, Leather Strip, Apoptygma Berzerk, Velvet Acid Christ, God Module, Covenant, Informatik and many, many more

(Stéphane Froidcoeur / Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

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

Dave: No philosophy per se. It was just something I wanted to do for a living, so I needed to go about things in a very professional manner and always stay focused on that goal.

I am going to presume you mean label activities as compared to my activities at the label, although I will go into both.

The first step is to find the talent and that has always been my job. I am the owner and the A&R guy. Then, of course, a deal needs to be worked out and again that has always been my job too.

After a deal is done, we have to assemble the assets for the release such as artwork, photos, masters, videos, and publishing information. This is all needed to setup the releases with our worldwide distributors and to manufacture the albums themselves.

Then comes promotion. Retail, club, radio, video, press, touring, social media, etc. A lot of this is done internally, but sometimes we hire outside companies, particularly for video, radio, press, and booking tours.

Finally, the royalty statements need to be processed and payments made. A tedious and important part of the business.

So, believe it or not, as much as the industry has changed, the setup and promotion is really quite similar to what it was years ago. The revenue just comes from different sources.

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

Dave: Not really. In general, I sign bands I like and there is no particular sound I am looking for. I cannot really tell you why I liked Numb or Project Pitchfork, I just did. When it comes to art, whether music, film, or paintings I cannot tell you why I like what I do. In some way it has to move me.

That said, I do have a tendency to like or lean towards things dark, edgy, and innovative. Some of the bands that I was interested in were never signed, because we could not come to an agreement. Sometimes the bands had higher expectations than I did and the advance they wanted was too large or we had different ideas on promotional aspects of a campaign.

Metropolis has released over 1200 albums with over 200 different artists, so I did not get to meet and know everyone. In the beginning I just licensed from a few European labels like Zoth Ommog, KK Records and Hyperium. So, my relationships were with my licensing partners. However, as things progressed and we brought the bands over to tour and I went overseas to festivals and conferences and finally met these artists, my relationships with them developed. Always liked to travel and visit the artists where they lived and liked hanging out with them during and after shows. As we got to know each other better it just made everything smoother.

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

Dave: The biggest change was the death of retail record stores. That was how I started consuming music as a 10 year old kid. I mean I just did not go there to buy music, but to discover it. The cool stores played cool music and I also would just go through the record bins to find something new that caught my eye. Retail was still a force in music in the 90’s, but went really downhill after 2002 or so. As I mentioned above, retail promotion was important, but now it is almost gone.

So, of course digital comes along and I knew tons of artists and labels that were vehemently opposed to the format. Don’t get me wrong I thought 128 bit rate MP3 played on a computer sucked compared to a Compact Disc on a good stereo system. However, that is the way people wanted to consume, so we sold digital downloads.

At present, hardly anyone buys downloads and streaming revenue is going through the roof. Of course, I have artists complaining about this. More arguments / discussions with artists about streaming than any other industry issue, but it has saved the industry not destroyed it. Illegal downloads and CD burning where the real culprits.

Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Prime, Deezer, Pandora are great platforms. However, YouTube sucks. They pay a fraction of what everyone else does, but people are complaining about Spotify instead of them. That I do not understand.

The bottom line is to adapt fast to a changing industry.

The benefit of the digital world is the massive savings on manufacturing, storage, and shipping, which of course is also good for the environment.

As far as the economic downturn, we go through these all the time and readjust.

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

Dave: The pandemic has hurt the industry considerably. We had a dozen tours lined up for last spring including Lords Of Acid, Clan Of Xymox, KMFDM, Front Line Assembly, The Birthday Massacre, and many more. All cancelled and the bands lost money to varying degrees. However, the recorded music industry saw their revenue grow since almost everything is digital or online even including physical sales. In the long run and this intermediate period, nothing will change much, people will go back to their old habits for the most part.

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

Dave: Yes, that medium is still important. All promotional activity counts. You have to spread the word around wherever you can. However, I really cannot comment on my relationship with the journalists as I never really had one. I am talking about me, not the label. Publicity and press is one of the few things I have always delegated to someone else.

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

Dave: Even though I eventually worked with some big names in the industry what I liked most was taking bands that were once small and introduce them to the scene, promoting them and then selling reasonable amounts of records for them. Covenant, Haujobb, Velvet Acid Christ, Wumpscut, Combichrist, Apoptygma Berzerk, And One, Assemblage 23 were all selling just a couple thousand copies and eventually sold 20,000 to 50,000 albums in North America alone. These are good numbers for alternative music. VNV Nation sold even much more than that. Just to put it in perspective only one in a hundred artists sold over 10,000 copies back then no matter what the genre.

I have met my goals. As I mentioned I wanted to do this for a living and I did. Also, Metropolis has a good brand name and I got to meet a lot of great artists who are now my friends. I wish I could have pushed the boundaries more and could have done more outside the Goth / Industrial genre. However, that did not work out that well except with the a few bands like Mindless Self Indulgence and Electric Six.

I am content with the label’s accomplishments. The label is 27 years old and I was well into my thirties when I started in the music business. So, we will continue to do what we do and improve where we can, remembering that adopting to change is important.

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

Cat Rapes Dog will next week release previously unreleased material that was found on a cassette tape last year. The tape is from the period after Joel Rydström but before John Lindqwister, which means 1995-1996.

The material holds demo recordings made on a four-track, so the quality is not 100%. Some songs have titles and lyrics (and samples) that were later re-used for the following two albums, but the music is different. As there was no lead singer at the time, all vocals are by Magnus and Annelie. The nine songs will be released on bandcamp under the title ”Holiday In The Welfare State”. If anything, they are likely the most sample-dense songs CRD ever made.

Something we look forward to, as Cat Rapes Dog remains one of the favorites amongst the Side-Line Magazine team members.

About Cat Rapes Dog

Joel Rydström and Magnus Fransson set up Cat Rapes Dog in 1984. The Swedish duo got world-wide recognition in the 90 with the albums “Maximum Overdrive” (1989) and “God, Guns & Gasoline” (1990), both released on KK Records, rapidly becoming references. The mix of harsh EBM and a truly punk attitude resulted in legendary hits such as “Motorhead”, “American Dream, “God, Guns & Gasoline” and so on.

The band went on releasing more albums such as “The Banzai Beats” (mini-album 1991), “Moosehair Underwear” (1993), “Biodegradable” (1995), “The Secrets Of God” (1998) and “People As Prey” (1999).

Throughout the years some line-up changes happened; Annelie Bertilsson became an extra member. Later on Joel Rydström got replaced by John Lindqwister while Jonas Avertoft completed the band.

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

Joel Rydström and Magnus Fransson set up Cat Rapes Dog in 1984. The Swedish duo got world-wide recognition in the 90s. The albums “Maximum Overdrive” (1989) and “God, Guns & Gasoline” (1990), both  released on KK Records, rapidly became references. The mix of harsh EBM and a truly punk attitude resulted in legendary hits such as “Motorhead”, “American Dream, “God, Guns & Gasoline” ao. The band went on releasing more albums such as “The Banzai Beats” (mini-album 1991), “Moosehair Underwear” (1993), “Biodegradable” (1995), “The Secrets Of God” (1998) and “People As Prey” (1999). After a long break, the album “Life Was Sweet” (2013) also is the last album of the band. Throughout the years some line-up changes happened; Annelie Bertilsson became an extra member. Later on Joel Rydström got replaced by John Lindqwister while Jonas Avertoft completed the band. Cat Rapes Dog is still doing live shows and is actually busy remastering the early works “Columna Vertebralis” (EP) and both debut albums “Maximum Overdrive” and “God, Guns & Gasoline”. A good reason to get in touch with Jonas to ask him a few questions about the band.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: What’s your feeling about the Covid 19 pandemic and its global impact on all artistic activities?

Jonas: I’s an awful situation and it destroys the things you love the most. Live music, meeting friends/family and drinking Absinthe in public… All gigs have been postponed to 2021.

Q: What does Cat Rapes Dog stand for in 2020? Are there further plans and a new album in the make?

Jonas: We’re actually sending demos to each other. Who knows? John is quite busy with his Machinista project. 

Q: You’re busy remastering the early works of the band. How does it feel bringing these productions alive

Jonas: You can’t polish a turd they say. But once in a while it works. Great! 

Q: Listening back to the song “American Dream” -which was released in 1990 (!), I get the feeling the lyrics still make sense today. How do you look back at this early hit and its content?

Jonas: To own a gun because you are afraid of guns? To protect yourself? That is like trying to scare an atheist with hell.

Q: Cat Rapes Dog was originally set up in 1984! The band went through a few line-up changes (or evolutions), but you’re all involved with the band and music for years now. A lot of things have changed so how do you perceive the (r)evolution in the music scene?

Jonas: Social media/streaming is so much better than before. It’s like flyers that you can distribute worldwide. You can basically organize a tour from your bed if you want to. Sure, sales go down maybe, but you have the world in your hands. Be creative!

Q: I can easily imagine there must be a chemistry between all of you, but probably also moments of disagreement and frustration. How does it all happen(ed)?

Jonas: We know each other quite well. No big dramas. We usually sort it out with wrestling nude or fist fighting.

Q: Cat Rapes Dog is a live band with a great reputation so what do you think about all those artists doing live streams during the pandemic?  

Jonas: Anything can happen live. If we’re having fun you might be sure it will be reflected on the audience. Live-streams are bullshit. No magic, no interaction, no, nothing!

Q: What have been the most memorable moments/facts in the band’s history and the most forgettable ones?

Jonas: I can’t remember anything….everything is a blur.

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: EBM, electro-rock, industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: John D. Norten is a veteran from the underground scene. Mainly active as a producer and mixer he’s also the creative spirit behind Blue Eyed Christ. The American formation got its success releasing on the Belgian KK Records the debut album “Leaders + Followers” in 1991. The song “Catch My Fall”, later on released as the EP title song, remains Norten’s biggest hit. A few more albums followed on an irregular basis. “World On Fire” is Blue Eyed Christ’s fifth opus and the first new one since “A Rush And A Thrill” (2014).  

Content: The album takes off with an intro followed by a heavy piece of music mixing electronics and guitar. It’s hard to define the style of the album, Blue Eyed Christ mixing multiple influences with each other. Experimenting with good-old EBM reminiscences –connected with the old hit “Catch My Fall”, other songs are more into speed rhythms empowered with meowing guitar parts. En Esch and Mea Fisher (Lords Of Acid) got featured at the title track, which is for sure one of the album’s most noticeable cuts.

The album sounds diversified in sound while pretty engaged when it comes to the lyrical content and sampled passages. John D. Norten clearly has a severe view upon his country. Why am I not surprised about this?!

+ + + : The least I can say is that Blue Eyed Christ achieved an album without real compromises. It’s a diversified work, becoming a sonic mishmash. Every song sounds different and driven by other influences. From this melting pot I personally like “Massive React” for its slow cadence and the kind of choir part. Another attention grabber is the already mentioned title song featuring En Esch and Mea Fisher. The song is carried by a great male-female duo. Last, but not least “The System Pt.2” is my personal favorite track for its electronic modernism.

– – – : Diversity is okay, but too much diversity resulted in a somewhat disjointed result. It probably explains why songs like “America H”, “Manic Adderall” and “The Slow Reverse” couldn’t convince me.

Conclusion: I got a similar feeling as with the previous album; I expected Blue Eyed Christ getting back to the early danceable EBM formula of “Catch My Fall” while getting something pretty different and not entirely convincing instead!

Best songs: “The System Pt.2”, “World On Fire”, “Massive React”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/blueeyedchrist

Label: www.distortionprod.com / www.facebook.com/distortionproductions

About Blue Eyed Christ

Blue Eyed Christ is the creative outlet of American producer and mixer John D. Norten. The band’s debut album, “Leaders + Followers”, was released on the Belgian label KK Records in 1991, and its title track “Catch My Fall” later became Blue Eyed Christ’s best-known song when issued as a single. Further albums followed on an irregular basis, including “Crash” (1995) and “American Whore” (2002), with “A Rush And A Thrill” arriving in 2014. “World On Fire”, the band’s fifth album, was released via Distortion Productions in 2020 and features guest vocals from En Esch and Mea Fisher of Lords Of Acid on its title track.

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

When in 1991 the Depeche Mode tribute album “I Sometimes Wish I Was Famous: A Swedish Tribute to Depeche Mode”, the very first Depeche Mode tribute album ever, was released via the Swedish label Energy Rekords, many non-Scandinavian electronic music fans suddenly got acces to a series of good Swedish bands they had never heard of before, except for Cat Rapes Dog who were by then already distributed by the now defunct KK Records. Bands like S.P.O.C.K., Scapa Flow, Elegant Machinery, Page, Pouppée Fabrikk, Inside Treatment, etc. had gotten quite a big platform (the compilation sold over 70.000 copies if memory serves us right) to represent their sound.

Another band was also present on that compilation, the Uppsala-based duo Cultivated Bimbo with their cover of “New Life”. The band debuted with their 12″ “Configuration 1” on the classic label Electronic Beat Association which later became part of Energy Rekords. Cultivated Bimbo alwasy has been quite an unpredictable band with a sounds constantly changing: they started out as a synthpop / industrial duo but switched to hip hop, rap and even metal and hardcore. The first EPs “Configuration 1 + 2” (1991) were typical synthpop / EBM while the first album “Tunes From A High Wire” (1991) was more industrial. But one year later when the EP “Blasting In Progress” (1992) was released they had switched to hip-hop a direction continued on the full length “Your Useful Guide To Life” (1993). From “98.66” (1994) on they went for a metal sound and on their last album “Album. 1995.” (1995) we got a mix of straight rock / hardcore / rap.

Unpredictable, we told you. And there’s more, on the above picture you see Joacim Thenander (Wallin at the time) and Heidi Martens. Heidi sang on the 2 Depeche Mode covers the band recorded (“New Life” and “Something To Do”). She was however never a member of the band. Ö-dahl simply couldn’t join the photo session, so Heidi was dressed in toilet paper to cover her up.

The past revisited on new album

But the band is back now with the album “Prequel” (limited to 500 copies). For the occasion Joacim Thenander (who is nowadays also the band Maschine Brennt) has taken 12 classic tracks and totally remade and reshaped them to fit into a more of a 2020 standard.

Included on the this release you’ll find new versions of “Impulzus”, “Slaugher House”, “Brutalize”, “Walking on Acid”, “Pain”, “Corruption”, “Horst”, “Brain Diggers”, “Assassin”, “Take No.5”, “Fascisma” and “Mr Rubber”.

Here’s a teaser for the album:

And here’s the track “Corruption” in its original version as the older readers will remember.

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: EBM, industrial, crossover.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Driven by ‘Graf’, ‘Nocturne’ and ‘Vicar’, DHI (Death And Horror Inc) saw the light of day in the late 80s and released their work during the 90s. Most of their work got released by Fringe Product, but their last album from 1994 (cf. “Pressures Collide”) got also released here in Belgium on the legendary KK Records. To celebrate the 25^th anniversary of this work, the album has been remastered plus expanded by the “Bitter Alloys”-EP released in 1993 on Fringe Product. The album this way gets a total amount of twenty songs!

Content: I confess DHI is a band I don’t exactly remember. So this album was an opportunity to rediscover their work, which is alternating Canadian (that’s where they come from) EBM sometimes reminding me of FLA and industrial or pure crossover. The tracklist is different than the original “Pressures Collide”, but the most interesting aspect is the new mastering of the  instrumental songs have been exposed to. I’ve been surprised to realize most of the songs still sound up to date. The guitar riffs are empowering the electronic layers while the vocals accentuate the power and energy emerging from these songs. Some passages remind me of Frontline Assembly during the 90s. The new edits of “Rage”,  “Ninety-Nine Realities” and “Red Carnival” will bring you back to the dynamism of DHI. The work also features a few instrumental songs and alternative edits.

+ + + : It’s interesting to see how an album can even remain very efficient 25 years after its original release. The new mastering has for sure empowered the original work, which will appeal to crossover fans. This format mixing electronics together with guitar was quite common and successful during the 90s. But it still makes sense today! I (re)discovered some cool songs, “Ninety-Nine Realities” getting somewhere lost in my brains, but now reactivated by this celebration album. I also have to say this album was produced in a very professional way.

– – – : A few instrumental songs (cf. “Exanthem”, “Undercurrent”, “Black Hour”) haven’t been remastered, which I can understand as they rather appear to be poorly inspired album fillers.

Conclusion: This is an album for the fans of DHI and KK Records, but first of all a real good opportunity to rediscover a somewhat forgotten formation from the Canadian EBM/industrial scene.

Best songs: “Rage – Amplified Vox Mix V2”, “Catastrophe (Mix V2)”, “Ninety-Nine Realities (A Tougher Mix V2)”, “Pain and courage (Mix V2)”, “Red Carnival (Mix V2)”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.deathandhorrorinc.com / www.facebook.com/DHI–death–and–horror–inc-560328507342651  

About DHI

DHI (death and horror inc) was formed in the late 1980s in Toronto’s electronic industrial scene by Graf, Nocturne and Vicar. The band released its work through the 1990s on Fringe Product, the Canadian label also home to Black Flag and The Dead Kennedys, with 1994’s “Pressures Collide” issued in Belgium on KK Records. Renewed interest following the 25th-anniversary reissue reviewed here led frontman Vicar to record new material under the DHI name, released in 2022 as the “The Idiot Parade” EP.

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

Numb is a Canadian electronic formation that saw the daylight in 1986. The band was driven by Don Gordon, David Hall and Sean Stubbs. Singer David Collins joined the band in 1995. Numb started as an electronic formation, but the sound progressively evolved towards a harsh and merciless industrial sound. Numb on stage was a bit like facing a merciless noise wall. They released several successful albums on major companies such as KK Records and Zoth Ommog. The band splitted in 1998 and instigator Don Gordon moved to Vietnam. Twenty one years after the last album “Language Of Silence” released by the long-time defunct Zoth Ommog, Numb strikes back with a noticeable electro-driven opus “Mortal Geometry”. The work got released on Metropolis Records and reveals a somewhat old-school, fascinating electronic creation. It talked about it with Don Gordon.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Mortal Geometry” stands for the return of Numb, but also the return of Don Gordon as musician/composer. How do you look back at the past years, the feeling to be no longer releasing new music and what incited you to strike back and writing this new work?

Don: After completing “Language Of Silence” and “Halo_Gen” in 1999/2000 I had intended on taking a break from Numb. However, this break extended for longer than originally planned due to a number of opportunities that I was able to pursue when I arrived in Vietnam. That being said, the limited amount of Numb material released over the last 20 years (ie. remixes for other artists and some compilations/re-issues) doesn’t reflect a lack of activity on my part in other areas of music/sound production. After moving to Vietnam I focused more on commissions, commercial sound design and production rather than Numb. A couple of highlights from the commissions included writing and performing the music for “Missed Connections”, a video installation work by artist Richard Streitmatter-Tran that is now part of the Singapore Art Museum permanent collection. The track “The Waiting Room”, which is included on “Mortal Geometry”, had its origins as a short 30-second soundtrack for a YouTube promotional clip to the novella of the same name by the literary erotica author Remittance Girl. 

I was also engaged in audio production work in advertising and teaching music/sound production at a university in Vietnam.

About 3 years ago, I started writing material as a personal response to the social/political changes I was seeing and Numb felt like the relevant instrument through which to comment… “Mortal Geometry” is the outcome of this.

Q: You are a kind of veteran, who has seen it all; you have been involved with music since the 80s, you released multiple successful albums with different projects, you played live all over the world, worked with prominent record companies etc. How do you look back at it all and what have been the main changes/evolutions throughout the years?

Don: A complete answer to this could probably fill a book but to summarize a few observations:

-The evolution of music technologies from the 80’s through to the present day has completely transformed the way in which I write, record and produce music. The creative/technical potential that I have to work with in my home studio was unimaginable not so many years ago.

-The mass adoption of digital media technologies has radically changed how music is consumed and used by audiences as well as redefining the relationship between artists and their fans.

-The music databases at Spotify, Apple etc have created this interesting scenario in which they both provide an incredible resource for music fans and musicians while at the same time creating a situation in which new artists are now competing for attention with the whole history of recorded music

Q: “Mortal Geometry” sounds a bit like ‘going back to the roots’, but what kind of album did you want to compose and what means this album to you compared to previous Numb-productions?

Don: From the outset I intended for “Mortal Geometry” feel contemporary, but recognized that at the same time it also needed to evoke a sense of continuity with previous Numb releases. One of the ways this was accomplished was to consciously reference elements of earlier Numb to act as a bridge… a bit like picking up on a lapsed conversation with an old friend you haven’t seen in a long time through the introduction of some familiar ideas and then to build on these as the foundation for new explorations.

The actual approach to production for “Mortal Geometry” was quite different from previous releases reflecting both changes in technology and in the fact that as a solo production I was able to bring the vocals into the process earlier on. This allowed for a more tightly integrated link between the music, lyrics and vocal delivery.

Q: Next to the harder songs I also noticed cinematic/ambient passages running through “Mortal Geometry”. Where do they come from and do you’ve references and/or favorite artists when it comes to this specific music genre?

Don: Numb-releases have always included aggressive industrial/EDM tracks along with abstract/cinematic tracks. On “Mortal Geometry” this is more pronounced as there are several instances in which both aggressive and cinematic elements are combined within a single track.

I still think of an album as an integrated whole through which the listener navigates, rather than as a collection individual tracks.

My interest in cinematic/abstract music goes way back to my first hearing of releases like side 2 of Bowie’s “Low”-album, early Berlin period Tangerine Dream and composers like Edgard Varese. My exposure to traditional Asian musical forms over the last 20 years, in particular Gamelan and Smot, has furthered this interest. There is an abstract trance-like quality to this music that is particularly strong when experienced live.

Q: You said you started to write new songs ‘as a personal response to the social/political changes’ so what did you try to express with the album title and the lyrical content of the album?

Don: The title and artwork reflect a convergence of different themes that are explored on the album. Living in Asia for the last 20 years has had a massive influence on me so it was important that the cover art visually capture an element of this experience.  The visual core of the artwork is a series of images by Andrew Stiff who produces ‘extrusion photographs’ as a part of his PhD research. In particular he is looking at the application of Tschumi’s architectural theories of space, event, and movement in the context of the (destructive) urbanization in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. This approach to representation easily extends to include how digital technologies are mapping/recording our lives as data points within spatial geometries over time… in essence, surveillance to predict and control. In parallel to this there is the impact of digital disruption on communications/media that corrupt and erode meaning by intent (editing/redaction/hacking), error (glitch), spectacle and apathy… and through this, a death of social rationality. So “Mortal Geometry” is a kind of metaphor for this convergence visualized through an Asian lens.

Lyrically the album presents a number of themes that reappear across the different tracks. The challenge was to present these in a manner that draws a listener in rather than coming across as didactic… to seduce and entertain rather than having the listener feel that they are being lectured to. I think that Mortal Geometry has been successful in this.

“Redact” is very much a reaction to the corruption of language and meaning in the media-sphere to ultimately redefine a new compliant ‘reality’ that aligns with the narrative of those wanting power and control. It contextualizes ideas presented in the novel “1984” within the modern media environment of social media, commercialized news, contemporary technologies and the rise of authoritarianism. “When Gravity Fails” reflects some of the same issues but presents this more from the perspective society becoming increasing divided and falling apart.

“Hush”, suggests that rather than the dystopian cyber-punk futures, or a technological utopian futures suggested by some… these have been replaced by a ‘future’ that looks suspiciously like the past and which in turn looks like the present… a kind of ‘forever now’ loop. Mark Fisher and others have written about this sense of ‘haunted by lost futures’, the ‘persistent recycling of the past’ and an ‘inability to escape old social forms’.

“Complicit Silence” builds further on some of these themes while at the same time rejecting a simplistic, homogenous view of society. Silence is about so much more than just an absence of sound. Its power comes from what it reveals or makes you confront… the objects, events and ideas that are normally masked or unspoken and as a result gain an acceptance just through their being. Noise, on the other hand, is about immersion in complexity, diversity and change…qualities that I see as desirable. So the line ‘resurrect the worlds of noise’ is a call to embrace this.

“How It Ends” is about lost opportunities, a society contracting on itself, a focus on spectacle over the real and the rise of the sense of ‘the other’ through the distancing of human interaction.

Instrumental tracks like “The Waiting Room”, “Shadow Play” and “Mortal Geometry” reflect aspects of my time living in Asia while the ‘morality of altitude’ theme from the first Numb-album finds a new expression on “Mortal Geometry” in the track “Summer Lawns”.

Q: I think too much bands are sharing a similar sound today while “Mortal Geometry” sounds as a truly antidote! I can’t understand the more equipment and facilities so-called ‘artists’ have the less creative they become! What makes “Mortal Geometry” different from the rest and what means ‘creativity’ to you?

Don: For me creativity is a process in which an initial core idea gets translated into a final form which successfully communicates its intended ideas and emotional context. The challenge in this is in developing the core idea into the larger form that both amplifies and reinforces the initial inspiration without losing its essence. This can be harder than it might seem and for me is where most of the effort is applied. Interesting core ideas often come out of improvisations or  ‘planned accidents’ which help you get beyond your own habits and the strictures of hardware/software interfaces that try to force you into a particular way of interacting with them.

“Mortal Geometry” succeeds at a number of levels. It is a very personal statement that incorporates a diverse range of experiences and influences; it challenges the listener with new ideas while still retaining a sense of familiarity.

The ‘early’ decades of electronic music coincided with quantum leaps in music technologies… the introduction of drum machines, analog/FM/wavetable/digital synths, samplers, etcetera. This meant that musicians, both through intent and chance, were creating new timbres, forms and genres that had never been heard before almost by default. While music technology is still evolving today these changes are much more incremental so the seeming quantum leaps in creativity appear to be fewer. Also, electronic music has been with us for at least 40+ years and as a result has developed a canon in much the same way that rock or classical music has. One outcome of this is that new electronic music tends to be viewed and contextualized against this framework by audiences and artists.

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 later this Summer is the all new album by the legendary electro act Numb. Numb’s Don Gordon will offer electro with trance elements, ambient interludes & dark EBM on his newest studio effort “Mortal Geometry”.

The new album will be available on CD and vinyl.

For the newbies, Numb was founded by Don Gordon, David Hall and Sean Stubbs in 1986 and is originally a Canadian electro-industrial band that is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Since starting in 1986 the project has been releasing material via various labels including Metropolis Records, Zoth Ommog, Re-Constriction Records, Kk Records, Lively Art, Edge Records and Burning Records. Read the review of ‘Mortal Geometry’.

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

20 years went by since the last release from Force Dimension. But a new album is finally being released: “Machinesex”. On this new album – which you can order already – René van Dijck (synthesizers, vocals) and Betty Correa (vocals, guitar, percussion) present 13 brand new tracks, produced by the band itself.

Originally the band started out as a trio. Rene van Dijck and Tycho de Groot with effect-generator Armin Elmensdorp had sent a demo to a range of labels at the beginning of 1987. Their quest resulted in an experimental but melodic collaboration 7” with the industrial label De Fabriek. But fortunately it didn’t stop there and by 1988 the band would appear on several compilations sounding more and more EBM-like. Finally a few tapes would reach the cult label KK Records which offered them a record deal. In 1997 however the band split up.

In 2011, an attempt for a re-union was made, but failed. In 2014, however, another attempt to restart was undertaken, now with a different line-up featuring René van Dijck (synthesizers, vocals) and Betty Correa (vocals, guitar, percussion).

Enjoy these 2 new tracks from this album:

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

In 1989 KK Records released The Force Dimension’s self titled debut. It now finally sees a reissue on vinyl/CD. This reissue edition contains the debut album, originally released as KK020 on KK Records in Belgium 1989, the so-called red edition, which was produced by the band themselves and a free bonus cd which includes both the red and blue editions (produced by Luc Van Acker). Also included are the complete tracks from the first two 12 inches “Dust” and “Tension”.

The tracks have all been remastered. This limited set of 500 units is available now, get your order before it’s sold out.

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