Genre/Influences: Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Norwegian formation El/NeUe is back on track. This new album comes two years after the rather deceiving “Krank”-album.

Content: Defining the sound of this band remains a true enigma. The songs are featuring a mishmash of influences. Sometimes into Space-Electro and next into groovy Electronic-Dance parts. They also walk on the path of Cinematic music. The songs have been sung in their Mother tongue but also in English.

+ + + : The least I can is that this band sounds atypical which also is one of their main strengths. You can’t compare El/NeUe to any other band which makes their originality. I personally prefer this work to the previous album. The dance-groovy driven “Dette Kan Være Siste Gang” featuring sensual, female, guest vocals is a cool song. I also recommend “Aldri (Er Lang Tid)” featuring another female singer for its Electro-Space touch.

– – – : Originality is great but doesn’t necessary stand for efficiency. The free-style of this band isn’t easy to grasp.

Conclusion: To those of you who are into easy listening music, El/NeUe sounds far away from established standards.

Best songs: “Dette Kan Være Siste Gang”, “Aldri (Er Lang Tid)”.

Rate: 6.

Artist: www.kampenkontor.no / www.facebook.com/NeueEL

About El/NeUe

El/NeUe is a Norwegian duo built around picturesque, often bow-played guitars, swirling synths and deep, laid-back vocals, produced in part with an old Roland SH-2000 synthesizer. The band sings in both Norwegian and English. El/NeUe released “Krank” on June 1, 2021 through Kampenkontor, its first physical CD release in 34 years, before returning two years later with a new album that keeps the project’s mix of Space-Electro, Electronic-Dance and Cinematic influences.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Experimental, Lounge, EBM.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info:  This is the second album by German artist Thomas Schamann aka Grotto Terrazza. Next to the digital format the work is also available as a double vinyl edition.

Content: Each disc features 6 tracks. The first album sounds like a mix of  Dance- and Lounge music. The songs are instrumental edits empowered by saxophone playing. You’ll also notice a few Dub elements now and then. The second disc is somewhat different, being more Experimental and also covering EBM and Psychedelic  influences. Several songs have been achieved with male vocals while I also noticed female backings.

+ + + : The debut part of the album gives me a warm, summer feeling. “Long Ayran-Ice Tea” is my favorite cut for its extra Dubby accent on top. From the second disc I recommend the EBM-Dance driven “Krank In Der City”, which sounds atypical, but original.

– – – : The second disc features two short breaks, which don’t bring anything extra to the work. It’s not that easy to label this artist.

Conclusion: “Kalte Köstlichkeiten” is an eclectic piece of Electronic music.

Best songs: . “Long Ayran-Ice Tea”, “Krank In Der City”, “Inspektor Ginko”.

Rate: 6.

Artist: www.facebook.com/grottoterrazza

Label: www.mapledeathrecords.com / www.facebook.com/mapledeathrecords / www.cutsurface.com / www.facebook.com/cutsurfaceofficial

About Grotto Terrazza

Grotto Terrazza is the recording name of German musician Thomas Schamann, described on Discogs as a home recording music maker who also sets up live shows for other musicians. “Kalte Köstlichkeiten” is Grotto Terrazza’s second album, released digitally and on double vinyl through Maple Death Records and Cut Surface.

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.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “Ton Aus Strom” is the third album by German project Tension Control which is driven by Michael Schrader. This is also the first self-released opus.

Content: If you’re familiar with the band you exactly know what to expect. This is pure old-school EBM. No tricks nor complexity but just straight forwarded EBM with DAF as their ultimate reference and source of inspiration. Most of the songs are sung in German but you’ll also find a few sung in English. You’ll also find cover versions from Der Plan and Michael Matters.

+ + + : Tension Control stands for pure 100% old-school EBM. The songs are moving on where the previous album stopped, same sources of inspiration, same fascination for DAF. This is an album appealing for fans of Orange Sector, AD:Key, Armageddon Dildos ao. It’s not hard-core but simply powerful music featuring carrying choruses. The title song is a great piece of music but my personal favorite one is “kRaNK KrANk” driven by a great bass line.

– – – : Tension Control avoids any innovation but simply keeps the true EBM spirit alive. I was less convinced by the few English sung tracks but you don’t hear me complaining. I can’t understand why this band hasn’t been signed to a ‘big’ label.

Conclusion: Tension Control stands for pure EBM and is a band deserving more recognition.

Best songs: “kRaNK KrANk”, “Ton Aus Strom”, “Kraftwport”, “DAF Im Plattenbau”, “Deutschland, Bleiche Mutter”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/tension.control.ebm

Listen to “Ton Aus Strom”:

About Tension Control

Tension Control is a German old-school EBM project founded in 2016 and run single-handedly by Michael Schrader, who writes all music, sounds and lyrics and sings. Schrader has been based in Hamburg since 2018 and works with analogue synthesizers. He set out his approach in a 2020 Side-Line interview, ‘Click Interview’ with Tension Control.

The first album, “Im Rhythmus der Maschinen”, came out in 2017 on Brandsatz Records, followed by “Fortschritt durch Technik” in 2019. “Industrielle Revolution” arrived in 2023 and “Freiheit” in 2025.

Tension Control self-released “Ton Aus Strom” on 26 November 2021 on CD and digital. The thirteen tracks include the Der Plan cover “Deutschland, bleiche Mutter” and the Michael Matters cover “Der Panther”, alongside “kRaNK, KrANk”, “Kraftsport”, “DAF im Plattenbau” and the title track. A “Kurzschluss Mix” of the title song followed as a single in 2024.

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

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange) The Norwegian experimental / new-wave / electronica duo El/NeUe have released a new single this week titled “Ich möchte Dinge bauen” (“I want to build things”).

It’s is a two-part song, where the start is an electronics-based instrumental with heavy drums and soft guitar chords, which slides into part two with rhythm box, industrial-like drum loops, lots of synths and EL/NeUe’s characteristic dark vocals. The lyrics are sung in German, Norwegian and English, and is about what you want to accomplish in life.

EL / NeUe’s previous single ‘Det er ikke hos meg det brenner‘ was well received, and “Attention Please” with Eddie Carter on Nova Radio North East thought the song was “absolutely spectacular, a brilliant bit of industrial. You need to hear this music – it’s sensational.”

Do also check out this about their long overdue debut album ‘Krank’.

“Ich möchte Dinge bauen” can be found on several streaming services.

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / EL/NeUe press release)

The Norwegian duo EL/NeUe just released a new EP, and the title track ‘Det er ikke hos meg det brenner (It’s not my place that’s on fire)’ might be the darkest moment from EL/NeUe so far. The text is based on a poem by Simon Stranger, describing our indifference and ineptitude when the refugee camp in Moria were burning. The dystopian music is bass and noise oriented, while an old Roland SH2000 plays in the background.

The EP also contains four different remixes of the song ‘Ich bin Krank’ from the album ‘KRANK’, released June 2021.

First remix is Technomancer’s version, which in contrast to ‘Det er ikke hos meg det brenner’ is probably EL/NeUe’s most danceable and accessible piece of music so far.

Leo Avanti! has taken ‘Ich bin Krank’ apart and rebuilt it into an exciting and airy version called ‘Willkommen, Herr Doktor’.

Next is the synth-free version with lots of guitars and fuzz – the ‘Fuzzmix’.

There’s also the appropriately named ‘Covid 19 Delirium remix’ – mixed by EL/NeUe’s Askild Hagen just days before he was admitted to hospital and ended up in a respirator with a severe case of corona.

The last track of the EP is the ‘Mingomix’ version of ‘Det er ikke hos meg det brenner’ with less noise and bass and more tonal synths.

Check it out on Spotify:

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange

Genre/Influences: Experimental, New-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “Krank” is the first physical release by Norwegian formation EL/NeUe in 34 years. The band doesn’t release new work on a regular basis, but has now released an opus of eleven songs. EL/NeUe is driven by  Askild Hagen (vocals, synth, bass) and Og Håkon Johnson (guitars, bass, synth) while Liv Anna Hagen contributed as backing vocalist on two songs.

Content: It’s pretty hard to defy the sound universe of this formation. It’s a versatile production, which is mainly driven by Electronics, but still features guitar playing. The songs are switching reverie and sonic mayhem, pure electro-Minimalism and good-old New-Wave reminiscences. Most of the vocals have been sung in their Mother tongue in a rather whispering way.

+ + + : The main strength of this work is its atypical approach. EL/NeUe definitely sounds like a sonic trip mixing different influences. My favorite aspect is the deep, vibrating bass lines.

– – – : I don’t know what to think of this band; I don’t have the feeling they’re taking themselves that serious, but result isn’t always that exciting.

Conclusion: EL/NeUe is maybe somewhat renown in their homeland, but I’m afraid it will be hard to catch the attention of a wider audience.

Best songs: “Så Fant De Ikke På Noe Mer Å Si”, “
(I Wish I Was) Billie Eilish’ Grandmother (Album Edit)”.

Rate: 5.

Artist: www.kampenkontor.no / www.facebook.com/NeueEL Read the news on ‘Krank’.

About EL/NeUe

EL/NeUe is a Norwegian duo of Askild Hagen (vocals, synth, bass) and Håkon Johnson (guitars, bass, synth), both based in Oslo. Both also write for the Norwegian comedy show “Nytt På Nytt”. The band started in the 1980s under the name EL and released the 7″ EP “Et hvilested” in 1987, contributed to several cassette compilations and disbanded in 1988.

EL’s “Visshet” was included on the 2009 compilation “Maskindans – Norsk synth 1980-1988” and “Og Tilslutt”, from the 1985 demo cassette, appeared on the Domestica Records compilation “Domestic Landscape” in 2014. The band returned in 2020 as EL/NeUe with the EP “LYKKeØNSKNINGeR 2020” and a series of streaming singles.

“Krank” was released on 1 June 2021 on CD and digital platforms, the band’s first physical release in 34 years, with Liv Anna Hagen (ELLADY) on backing vocals on two songs. The EP Det er ikke hos meg det brenner followed in November 2021 and the single “Ich möchte Dinge bauen” in January 2022. In November 2023 the duo recorded Niedrige Erwartungen with Beranek for a limited 10″ vinyl, and the two acts released the single Ein Bisschen Frieden in April 2025. “Krank” is the album that restarted the band’s release schedule.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: “666 Degrees Below” was a solid teaser to Agonoize’s seventh album to date. The Berlin-based combo released their second album on RepoRecords and again asked Gerrit Thomas (Funker Vogt, Eisfabrik) to mix and master the album. The album again included a second disc featuring six extra tracks.

Content: The influences and sound formula of the ‘Hellectro’ band hasn’t changed. Frontman Chris L. seems to be warding the sound formula to remain the same. The sonic universe of Agonoize is made of provocation, which you can notice in the titles, artwork and of course the songs versus lyrics. The sound remains driven by furious beats overloaded by dark strings and carried by heavy, melodic sequences. On top of it all you’ll hear Chris L.  singing in his familiar enraged way. The songs are sung in German, but some choruses feature English words while there also is one song in English. Some of the melodies are reminding me of Suicide Commando, but where Johan Van Roy also likes calmer, moody songs, Agonoize holds on a constant and merciless power. The album features 13 songs and among the tracklist you’ll recognize the already familiar “666 Degrees Below” plus the original edits of “Komakind”, “Angst Ist Macht”, “Faux Amis” and “Dein Gott”, which were featured in an alternative- and/or remixed version at the EP.

The bonus disc brings a bit more diversity revealing a few ‘softer’ songs, but the main trend remains harsh and merciless. The tracklist features and “Frozen”-edit of “666 Degrees Below” plus alternative edits of “Mststck” and “L.ove I.s L.ost” plus 3 real new songs. One of these songs (cf. “Every Day, I Die”) is a kind of hell-electro ballad while both other cuts are pure rage.

+ + + : I think it was not easy releasing a new album after the successful“Midget Vampire Porn”, released in 2019. But Agonoize seems to like challenges and did it again. The work doesn’t innovate, but the band simply becomes better and better. The songs are just what you might expect from Dark-Electro music; harsh, dark, powerful and provocative. Agonoize brings all these ingredients together in a perfect, balanced work. “666 Degrees Below” remains an absolute hit, but I also want to mention “Faux Amis”, the English sung “Love To Hate”, which is a song that will appeal to Suicide Commando fans and “The Age Of Depression”. On the bonus disc I recommend “Tease & Denial” and Krank”, the last cut featuring cool epic chants. “Mststck – Sucht” sounds also more convincing than the original version on the main disc. The nearly constant power of this album is great. I also highly recommend the CD-version for its –once again, great, artistic digipak and artwork.

– – – : You get a total amount of 19 songs and there’s only one single piece –the atypical ballad-like “Every Day, I Die”, which couldn’t convince me. So you’ll have to agree there’s no reason to complain.

Conclusion: Agonoize moves on there where the previous album stopped, and it’s again an undeniable masterpiece and for sure what will become one of the best Dark-Electro albums of 2021!

Best songs: “666 Degrees Below”, “Love To Hate”, “Faux Amis”, “The Age Of Depression”, “Mststck”, “A Hole” + “Krank”, “Tease & Denial”, “Mststck – Sucht”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.agonoize.berlin / www.facebook.com/AgonoizeOfficial

Label: www.reporecords.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Repo-Records/119590774857404 Read the news on ‘Revelation Six Six Sick’.

About Agonoize

Agonoize is a Berlin-based Dark-Electro/’Hellectro’ band fronted by Chris L. The group released the EP “666 Degrees Below” as a teaser before this seventh studio album, “Revelation Six Six Sick”, which followed 2019’s “Midget Vampire Porn” on RepoRecords. As with the prior album, Gerrit Thomas of Funker Vogt and Eisfabrik handled mixing and mastering. Agonoize marked the album’s release with a streaming concert on 1 May 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

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Kampenkontor press release) EL/NeUe from Norway released their album ‘KRANK’ June 1^st on CD and digital platforms – their first physical release in 34 years! 11 songs in various styles, yet all still typically EL/NeUe: A powerful sound of picturesque, magical guitars (often performed with bow), swirling synths, deep, laid-back vocals and an old, battered Roland SH 2000, and a very liberal use of upper- and lowercase letters in their song titles.

EL/NeUe are Askild Hagen (vocals, synth, bass) og Håkon Johnson (guitars, bass, synth), with invaluable help from ELLADY (Liv Anna Hagen), contributing vocals on two songs – the dreamy ‘Prosopagnosia’ and the darkly beautiful ‘Når er det på tide’. The guys also both work as writers for the Norwegian comedy show ‘Nytt På Nytt’ (Norwegian version of ‘Have I got news for you’), and have created many musical comedy projects, notably the legendary Oslo International Playback Free Jazz Festival.

‘KRANK’, the CD, is the first physical release by EL/NeUe in 34 years, but they have contributed on several releases through the years. It all started with the classic ‘Et hvilested’ 7″ EP in 1987 (while the band were just called EL …). EL contributed to several cassette compilations in the Eighties, and performed a few, memorable concerts before disbanding in 1988.

2009 saw the release of the compilation CD ‘MASKINDANS’, with Norwegian electronic music of the 80’s, where EL’s ‘Visshet’ was included. Five years later, in 2014 Spain’s Domestica Records put out their «Domestic Landscape» compilation, featuring a track from EL’s ‘Demo 85’ cassette; the darkly poetic ‘Og Tilslutt’.
In 2020, EL returned as EL/NeUe, releasing the EP ‘LYKKeØNSKNINGeR 2020’ and several singles via streaming services (see their Spotify artist page).

‘KRANK’ contains 11 songs, somewhere between 80’s new wave/cold wave and modern electronic alternative music. At times, it may sound like Rammstein meets Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, elsewhere it may envoke the feeling of Ulver growing up in 1987.

Listen to the album at Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, deezer or Tidal! Read the review of ‘Krank’.

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange