Laibach – SIDE-LINE

Laibach’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstars’ turns 30 on 28 October

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Slovenian industrial group Laibach released their fifth studio album, “Jesus Christ Superstars,” on 28 October 1996 through Mute Records. The record turns 30 this year.

Peter Penko produced “Jesus Christ Superstars,” a concept album built around religion as its central theme, with a heavier, more guitar-driven sound than Laibach’s earlier work, closer to industrial metal. The nine-track album runs: “God Is God,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Kingdom of God,” “Abuse and Confession,” “Declaration of Freedom,” “Message from the Black Star,” “The Cross,” “To the New Light” and “Deus Ex Machina.” The album mixes originals with covers: “God Is God” reworks a Juno Reactor track, “Jesus Christ Superstar” covers the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice title song from the rock opera referenced in the album’s title, “The Cross” covers Prince, and “To the New Light” adapts the band’s own early song “Brat moj” into English.

About Laibach

Laibach formed in 1980 in the mining town of Trbovlje, in what was then the Socialist Republic of Slovenia within Yugoslavia, taking its name from the German name for Ljubljana. The group built its early identity around iconography that parodied totalitarianism, nationalism and militarism, drawing bans and controversy from the start. In 1984, Laibach co-founded the Neue Slowenische Kunst art collective alongside the IRWIN visual-arts group and the Scipion Nasice Sisters Theatre performance group, giving the band’s confrontational aesthetic a wider artistic framework.

Laibach signed to Mute Records and built a catalogue through the 1980s and 1990s that included cover-heavy, genre-reworking albums such as “Opus Dei” (1987) and “Kapital” (1992) before “Jesus Christ Superstars” continued that pattern with a religious theme in 1996. The band released “WAT” in 2003, its 23rd anniversary covered by Side-Line, and “Volk” in 2006, also marked by Side-Line on its 20th anniversary. More recently, Laibach released the studio album “Musick” in 2026 and toured Europe in support of it. “Jesus Christ Superstars,” the religion-themed album that pushed the band toward a heavier sound mid-career, turns 30 this October.

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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Laibach’s ‘Volk’ turns 20 on 26 October

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Slovenian industrial group Laibach released their seventh studio album, “Volk,” on 26 October 2006 through Mute Records. The record turns 20 this year.

Laibach wrote and produced “Volk” with fellow Slovenian act Silence, built around fourteen tracks that each rework a national or pan-national anthem: “Germania” (Germany), “America” (United States), “Anglia” (United Kingdom), “Rossiya” (Russia and the former Soviet Union), “Francia” (France), “Italia” (Italy), “España” (Spain), “Yisra’el” (Israel and Palestine), “Türkiye” (Turkey), “Zhonghuá” (China), “Nippon” (Japan), “Slovania” (the former Yugoslavia and Pan-Slavism), “Vaticanae” (Vatican City) and “NSK,” the anthem of the band’s own fictional Neue Slowenische Kunst state. Vocalist Boris Benko of Silence and a rotating cast of guest singers performed across the tracks, recorded between Ljubljana, London and Hamburg.

Volk by Laibach

About Laibach

Laibach formed in 1980 in the mining town of Trbovlje, in what was then the Socialist Republic of Slovenia within Yugoslavia, taking its name from the German name for Ljubljana. From the start, the group built its identity around iconography that parodied totalitarianism, nationalism and militarism, drawing bans and controversy. In 1984, Laibach co-founded the Neue Slowenische Kunst art collective alongside the IRWIN visual-arts group and the Scipion Nasice Sisters Theatre performance group, a framework the band continues to reference in its own invented NSK state.

Signed to Mute Records, Laibach built a catalogue of genre-reworking albums through the 1980s and 1990s, including “Opus Dei” (1987), “Kapital” (1992) and the religion-themed “Jesus Christ Superstars” (1996), followed by “WAT” in 2003, its 23rd anniversary covered by Side-Line. “Volk” continued that pattern in 2006 with an entire album of national anthems reinterpreted through the band’s martial, neoclassical sound. Laibach has remained active since, most recently with the studio album “Musick” in 2026 and an accompanying European tour. “Volk,” the album that turned the group’s long-standing interest in national symbolism into a single, anthem-by-anthem concept, turns 20 this October.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach share ‘#US’ and a SILVERWINGKILLER remix ahead of ‘Musick : Encore’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:07:46 +0000

Laibach have shared a new track, ‘#US’, featuring long-time collaborator Marina Mårtensson, alongside a remix of the song by SILVERWINGKILLER. Both versions are taken from ‘Musick : Encore’, the Slovenian industrial group’s companion album to “Musick,” due on Mute Records on 20 November 2026 across vinyl, CD and digital formats.

“#US” follows two tracks already released from the companion album: “This Is The End,” featuring Slovenian singer Kaja Skrbinšek, and a PUNCHBAG remix of “Love Machine” featuring Senidah. Richard X, Fat White Family, The Lincolnshire Poacher and labelmates PUNCHBAG also contribute remixes across the album.

What’s on Laibach’s ‘Musick : Encore’

The CD and digital edition carries 14 tracks: “This Is The End” (feat. Kaja Skrbinšek), “Yom Kippur”, “#US” (feat. Marina Mårtensson), “Tales From The Crypt”, “Faith No More” (feat. Marina Mårtensson & Bojan Cvjetićanin), “Musick” (Unsick Version, feat. Wiyaala), “Resistencia” (feat. Gregor Strasbergar, Richard X remix), “Love Machine” (feat. Senidah, PUNCHBAG remix), “#US” (SILVERWINGKILLER remix), “Modern Talking” (feat. Manca Trampuš), “Fluid Emancipation” (Fat White Family meets Schopenhauer Up Town remix), “Allgorhythm” (feat. Wiyaala, Algorithm remix assisted by iTurk), “Love Machine” (The Lincolnshire Poacher remix) and “Musick” (feat. Wiyaala, Balžalorsky remix). The vinyl edition carries a shorter, 10-track sequence of the album.

Musick : Encore by Laibach

Guests across the album include Manca Trampuš of the Slovenian band Koala Voice on “Modern Talking,” Bojan Cvjetićanin of Joker Out on “Faith No More,” Gregor Strasbergar of MRFY on the Richard X remix of “Resistencia,” and Ghanaian artist Wiyaala on two versions of “Musick.” “Yom Kippur” previously appeared as a standalone single, released in October 2025 featuring the Palestinian Children’s Choir via Nika. Richard X also co-produced several of the album’s tracks.

“Musick : Encore” follows “Musick,” released in 2026 on Mute, also on vinyl, CD and digitally. Laibach describe the pair of albums as a reflection on music-making itself: “perhaps these are the final moments when creating music purely for enjoyment still carries broader significance, before alien, generative intelligence outplays and outperforms us all.”

Laibach are currently touring Europe in support of “Musick,” with dates continuing into 2027.

About Laibach

Laibach formed in 1980 in Trbovlje, a mining town in Slovenia, then part of Yugoslavia. The band’s name is the German-language name for Ljubljana, a deliberate reference to the World War II occupation of Slovenia. In December 1984, Laibach co-founded Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) alongside the visual-art collective Irwin and the Scipion Nasice Sisters Theatre, uniting music, art and theatre under a single project. The band released its debut album, “Laibach”, in 1985 through the Slovenian label ŠKUC Ropot.

From 1987 onward, Laibach recorded primarily for Mute Records, releasing “Krst pod Triglavom – Baptism” and “Opus Dei” that year, followed by the covers albums “Let It Be” (1988) and “Sympathy for the Devil” (1988/1990). “Kapital” followed in 1992, then “NATO” in 1994, reworking military and pop songs against the backdrop of the Yugoslav wars, and “Jesus Christ Superstars” in 1996, a reinterpretation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera. “WAT” arrived in 2003, its 23rd anniversary covered by Side-Line, and the national-anthem reworking “Volk” followed in 2006.

Laibach’s catalogue since has included the soundtrack to “Iron Sky” (2012), “Spectre” (2014), “The Sound of Music” (2018), the musical “Wir sind das Volk” (2021/2022) and the symphonic work “Alamut” (2025). The band unveiled the “Musick” video ahead of the album’s release, and the record itself, described by the band as their “most pop outing to date,” followed in 2026. Laibach then announced ‘Musick : Encore’ in September 2026 as a companion piece built from the same sessions. “#US” and its SILVERWINGKILLER remix are the latest tracks shared from that album ahead of its 20 November release.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach announce ‘MUSICK : ENCORE’, a companion album to ‘MUSICK’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Laibach release “MUSICK : ENCORE” on Mute on 20 November 2026, on vinyl, CD and digitally. The companion piece to this year’s “MUSICK” combines unreleased material from the original album sessions with new remixes from SILVERWINGKILLER, Richard X, The Lincolnshire Poacher and PUNCHBAG.

MUSICK : ENCORE by Laibach

The album leads with two new tracks. “This Is The End” features Slovenian singer Kaja Skrbinšek, while a new version of “Love Machine,” featuring Balkan vocalist Senidah, is remixed by Mute labelmates PUNCHBAG.

Senidah also appears on a second version of “Love Machine,” remixed by UK producer The Lincolnshire Poacher. Electropop producer Richard X co-produced several album tracks and remixes “Resistencia,” which also features MRFY member Gregor Strasbergar. Ghanaian artist Wiyaala, whom Laibach first saw performing in an underground club in Ljubljana, appears on two new versions of “Musick”: the Unsick version and a remix by the band’s own guitarist, Vitja Balžalorsky, credited here as Balžalorsky. Long-time Laibach vocalist Marina Mårtensson features on new track “#US,” which SILVERWINGKILLER also remixes, and on “Faith No More” alongside Joker Out guitarist Bojan Cvjetićanin. Koala Voice frontwoman Manca Trampuš features on new track “Modern Talking.”

The vinyl edition carries a 10-track selection; the CD and digital editions expand to 13 tracks with the additional remixes. The digital and CD tracklist: “This Is The End” (feat. Kaja Skrbinšek), “Yom Kippur,” “#US” (feat. Marina Mårtensson), “Tales From The Crypt,” “Faith No More” (feat. Marina Mårtensson and Bojan Cvjetićanin), “Musick” (feat. Wiyaala) (Unsick version), “Resistencia” (feat. Gregor Strasbergar) (Richard X remix), “Love Machine” (feat. Senidah) (PUNCHBAG remix), “#US” (feat. Marina Mårtensson) (SILVERWINGKILLER remix), “Modern Talking” (feat. Manca Trampuš), “Allgorhythm” (feat. Wiyaala) (Algorithm remix, assisted by iTurk), “Love Machine” (feat. Senidah) (The Lincolnshire Poacher remix) and “Musick” (feat. Wiyaala) (Balžalorsky remix).

“Yom Kippur” previously appeared as a standalone single featuring the Palestinian Children’s Choir, released in October 2025.

On the new material, Laibach state: “Perhaps these are the final moments when creating music purely for enjoyment still carries broader significance – before alien, generative intelligence outplays and outperforms us all. So, we seized the moment.”

Laibach tour dates for 2026

Laibach continue the “MUSICK” tour through the autumn with UK and European dates, including a show at London’s Islington Assembly Hall on 29 September:

25 September – Ljubljana (SI), Kino Šiška
26 September – Ljubljana (SI), Kino Šiška
29 September – London (UK), Islington Assembly Hall
30 September – Manchester (UK), Ritz
1 October – Southampton (UK), 1865
2 October – Canterbury (UK), The Gulbenkian
4 October – Gent (BE), Democrazy
6 October – Bochum (DE), Zeche
7 October – Nijmegen (NL), Doornroosje
8 October – Hamburg (DE), Große Freiheit 36
9 October – Oslo (NO), Rockefeller Music Hall
11 October – Copenhagen (DK), Bremen Teater
13 October – Berlin (DE), Huxleys Neue Welt
14 October – Dresden (DE), Reithalle
15 October – Brno (CZ), Fleda
16 October – Zagreb (HR), Boogaloo

Further European dates are scheduled into 2027, including Milan, Bologna, Lausanne, Paris, Nancy, Winterthur, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, Thessaloniki, Athens and Benidorm.

About Laibach

Laibach formed in 1980 in the mining town of Trbovlje, Slovenia, evolving out of Dejan Knez’s earlier band Salto Mortale. The group co-founded the Neue Slowenische Kunst art collective with the IRWIN and Scipion Nasice Sisters Theatre groups in 1984. Their name was officially banned in Yugoslavia in 1983 after a controversial television appearance, a ban lifted in 1985 following the release of their second album, “Nova Akropola,” on Cherry Red Records. Laibach signed to Mute Records for their 1987 album “Opus Dei,” which paired subversive cover versions of Opus’s “Live Is Life” and Queen’s “One Vision” with original material, and went on to release “Let It Be” (1988), “Kapital” (1992) and “NATO” (1994), the latter reworking “The Final Countdown” and other pop and military anthems.

The band’s best-known lineup – Milan Fras on vocals, Dejan Knez, Ervin Markošek and Ivan “Jani” Novak – carried Laibach through the 1990s and 2000s, spanning albums including “Jesus Christ Superstars” (1996), “WAT” (2003) and “Volk” (2006). Knez left the group in 2003. More recent studio work includes “Spectre” (2014), “Also Sprach Zarathustra” (2017), “The Sound of Music” (2018), “Wir sind das Volk (ein Musical aus Deutschland)” (2022) and the symphonic work “Alamut” (2022), alongside “Sketches from the Red District” and the “Love Is Still Alive” EP, both from 2023. Milan Fras remains lead vocalist, joined by Ivan “Jani” Novak, longtime vocalist and guitarist Marina Mårtensson and guitarist Vitja Balžalorsky.

Recent singles have included covers of “Strange Fruit,” “White Christmas” and Bijelo Dugme’s “Top,” released as “Die Kanone” with Goran Bregović in 2025, plus the “Yom Kippur” single that October. Laibach unveiled “Musick” ahead of its 2026 release on Mute, the group’s most pop-leaning album to date. “MUSICK : ENCORE” extends that record with new songs and remixes, arriving 20 November 2026.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach’s ‘WAT’ turns 23 on 8 September

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:20:00 +0000

Laibach released “WAT” on 8 September 2003 through Mute Records. The album turns 23 this year. Iztok Turk and Laibach produced the record, with Umek co-producing and sharing mixing duties with Turk; Nilesh Patel handled mastering at The Exchange. The track “Anti-Semitism” was separately produced and mixed by Temponauta.

“WAT” is an acronym for “We Are Time,” revealed on the title track. Laibach has described the album’s intent as being not about “what Laibach is, or what it wants, but what you are and where you stand.”

What is on Laibach’s ‘WAT’

The CD edition runs 12 tracks: “B Mashina”, “Tanz mit Laibach”, “Du bist unser”, “Achtung!”, “Ende”, “Now You Will Pay”, “Hell: Symmetry”, “Das Spiel ist aus”, “Satanic Versus”, “The Great Divide”, “WAT” and “Anti-Semitism”, with a total running time of 58:23. The 2LP vinyl edition replaces “Now You Will Pay” in its track sequence with the bonus cut “Reject or Breed” and runs 62:27. The CD also carries an enhanced video for “Tanz mit Laibach”.

Tomi Meglič of Siddharta contributed music, lyrics and additional vocals on “B Mashina”. Long-time NSK collaborator Peter Mlakar wrote lyrics for “Du bist unser” and “Achtung!”. Slavko Avsenik Jr. arranged the choir parts and co-wrote the title track, and Matej Mršnik played guitar on “Ende”. “Tanz mit Laibach” was released as a single on 25 August 2003, with remixes by Umek, Johannes Heil, Zeta Reticula and Temponauta, and an accompanying video directed by Sašo Podgoršek.

About Laibach

From 1987 onward, Laibach recorded primarily for Mute Records, releasing “Krst pod Triglavom – Baptism” and “Opus Dei” in 1987, followed by covers albums “Let It Be” (1988) and “Sympathy for the Devil” (1988/1990). “Kapital” followed in 1992, then “NATO” in 1994, reworking military and pop songs against the backdrop of the Yugoslav wars, and “Jesus Christ Superstars” in 1996, a reinterpretation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera. “WAT” arrived in 2003, continuing the band’s practice of operating as a collective rather than a fixed lineup.

Laibach followed “WAT” with the career-spanning compilation “Anthems” in 2004 and the national-anthem reworking “Volk” in 2006. The band has continued releasing new material into the 2020s, including the symphonic work “Alamut” in 2025 and the studio album “Musick” in 2026.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach sets October 30 vinyl and CD release for ‘Die Kanone’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:50:42 +0000

Slovenian industrial group Laibach will give “Die Kanone”, its collaboration with Bijelo Dugme, a first physical release on October 30, 2026, via Matrix Music Arhiv (MMA), distributed through Audioglobe. The release comes on two vinyl editions and a digipak CD, and follows the digital-only single Laibach issued via Mute in July 2025.

“Die Kanone” reworks “Top” (“The Cannon”), the first single Bijelo Dugme released in 1974, recast by Laibach in German for a collaboration initiated by Bijelo Dugme founder and songwriter Goran Bregović to mark that band’s 50th anniversary. The October 30 release adds the track’s Slovenian-language version, “S topom te bom ciljal moja mala” (“I’ll Aim My Cannon at You, My Little One”), together with previously unreleased remixes by German industrial and EBM act Die Krupps, UK producer the Lincolnshire Poacher, and Slovenian-Croatian electronic duo Black Dot. Both the German and Slovenian versions are being made available on a physical format for the first time.

The vinyl LP is issued in a limited green edition and a standard black edition, both carrying the same six tracks: “Die Kanone”, “S topom te bom ciljal moja mala”, the Die Krupps remix, the Lincolnshire Poacher mix, the Black Dot version, and a live recording of “Die Kanone” performed with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra at the Ljubljana Opera. The CD, released as a digipak, carries all six tracks plus two exclusive bonus cuts not available on vinyl: a live version of “S topom te bom ciljal moja mala” recorded at the same Ljubljana Opera performance, and a karaoke version of “Die Kanone”.

‘Die Kanone’ tracklist across formats

Vinyl LP (green and black editions):

A1 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – 3:03
A2 “S topom te bom ciljal moja mala (I’ll Aim My Cannon at You, My Little One)” – 3:01
A3 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – Die Krupps remix – 3:41
B1 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – the Lincolnshire Poacher mix – 5:18
B2 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – Black Dot version – 4:34
B3 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – live at the Opera with RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra – 3:05

Digipak CD:

01 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – 3:03
02 “S topom te bom ciljal moja mala (I’ll Aim My Cannon at You, My Little One)” – 3:01
03 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – Die Krupps remix – 3:41
04 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – the Lincolnshire Poacher mix – 5:18
05 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – Black Dot version – 4:34
06 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – live at the Opera with RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra – 3:05
07 “S topom te bom ciljal moja mala (I’ll Aim My Cannon at You, My Little One)” – live at the Opera – 2:51
08 “Die Kanone (The Cannon)” – karaoke version – 2:52

About Laibach

Laibach was formed in 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia, then part of Yugoslavia, by Dejan Knez, Milan Fras, Ervin Markošek and Ivan Novak. The group positioned itself from the outset as a multimedia collective, pairing martial industrial sound with provocative imagery, performance art and sociopolitical critique, and later became the musical wing of the Neue Slowenische Kunst art collective. After early cassette releases, Laibach’s debut album appeared on ŠKUC ROPOT in 1985. International attention followed a signing to Mute Records, which released “Opus Dei” in 1987, featuring reworkings of Queen’s “One Vision” and the Austrian national anthem “Geburt einer Nation”.

Laibach has maintained a steady release pace since, with albums including “NATO” (1994), “Volk” (2006) and “Spectre” (2014), and has worked with symphonic ensembles and experimental artists on projects such as “Also sprach Zarathustra” and, more recently, “Alamut” with A/Political. In 2015, Laibach became the first Western band to perform in North Korea. The group’s 2026 studio album “Musick” was released via Mute earlier this year, following a 2026 European tour. The current lineup includes Milan Fras, Ivan Novak, Luka Jamnik and Rok Lopatič.

Laibach initiated its collaboration with Bijelo Dugme – the Sarajevo rock band founded by Goran Bregović in 1974 whose original 1974 single “Top” is reworked on “Die Kanone” – at Bregović’s request, to mark Bijelo Dugme’s 50th anniversary. The two acts first released “Die Kanone” digitally via Mute and Classic Records in July 2025. The October 30, 2026 release on Matrix Music Arhiv brings the collaboration to vinyl and CD for the first time, adding the Slovenian-language version and three new remixes alongside a live recording made with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra at the Ljubljana Opera.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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New Laibach pop-leaning studio album ‘Musick’ out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 01 May 2026 12:59:48 +0000

Slovenian collective Laibach have released their new studio album “Musick“, today 1 May 2026 via Mute Records on a neon pink vinyl, CD and digital formats. The record is the bands’s “most pop-oriented work to date” and is their first original studio album since 2014’s “Spectre.”

Thematically “Musick” tackles an era of constant audio oversaturation and AI-generated content while also reflecting what the band call a “pathological devotion” to music itself. The title plays on being “sick of music” in a world where more than 100,000 new tracks appear online daily, including large amounts of AI-generated music, while simultaneously pointing to music as “an obsession, a kind of drug” that continues to drive the project.

The album was recorded in the group’s Ljubljana studio, using a deliberately maximalist setup that ranged from analogue synths and toys to computers loaded with sound apps. Collaborators include long-time vocalist Donna Marina Mårtensson and producer Richard X (known for his work with Sugababes, Goldfrapp, New Order and Kelis).

MUSICK by Laibach

A first teaser of this new direction was the single “Allgorhythm,” featuring Ghanaian singer Wiyaala on vocals. Apparently Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTV flagged “Allgorhythm” as a potential candidate for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 before later withdrawing from the competition. Below you will also find the videos for “Fluid Emancipation”, “Allgorhythm (feat. Wiyaala)”, and “Musick (feat. Wiyaala)”.

Laibach ‘Musick’ tour dates 2026

Laibach will support “Musick” with an extensive European tour running from May through October 2026. The tour opens on 18 May at Orpheum in Graz and continues through club, theatre and festival venues across Europe.

Confirmed dates currently include:

18 May – Graz (AT), Orpheum
19 May – Schorndorf (DE), Manufaktur
20 May – Cologne (DE), Essigfabrik
22 May – Aarhus (DK), VoxHall
23 May – Gothenburg (SE), Filmstudion
24 May – Stockholm (SE), Nya Cirkus
26 May – Helsinki (FI), Savoy Theatre
27 May – Tallinn (EE), Kultuurikeskus
28 May – Riga (LV), Spelet Concert Hall
29 May – Vilnius (LT), Loftas
30 May – Warsaw (PL), Progresja
31 May – Prague (CZ), Palac Akropolis
2 June – Leipzig (DE), Täubchenthal
3 June – Munich (DE), Muffathalle
4 June – Klagenfurt (AT), Burghof
27 June – Maribor (SI), Festival Lent
24 July – Castle (SI), Kolpa Music Festival
25 September – Ljubljana (SI), Kino Šiška
26 September – Ljubljana (SI), Kino Šiška
29 September – London (UK), Islington Assembly Hall
30 September – Manchester (UK), Ritz
1 October – Southampton (UK), 1865
2 October – Canterbury (UK), The Gulbenkian
4 October – Gent (BE), Democrazy
6 October – Bochum (DE), Zeche
7 October – Nijmegen (NL), Doornroosje
8 October – Hamburg (DE), Große Freiheit 36
9 October – Oslo (NO), Rockefeller Music Hall
11 October – Copenhagen (DK), Bremen Teater
13 October – Berlin (DE), Huxleys Neue Welt
14 October – Dresden (DE), Reithalle
15 October – Brno (CZ), Fleda
16 October – Zagreb (HR), Boogaloo

About Laibach

Laibach originated in 1980 in the industrial town of Trbovlje (then part of Yugoslavia) and later became closely associated with the broader Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) collective. The name itself uses the historical German term for Ljubljana.

The band’s early work in the 1980s combined industrial sonics, martial rhythms and appropriated iconography. Albums such as “Laibach” (1985), “Nova Akropola” (1986) and “Opus Dei” (1987) established a trademark sound that mixed original compositions with heavily reworked versions of existing songs, including “Live Is Life” and Queen’s “One Vision,” which became “Leben heißt Leben” and “Geburt einer Nation.”

Through the 1990s and 2000s, Laibach extended this approach across releases including “Let It Be” (a full-album rework of The Beatles), “NATO,” “Jesus Christ Superstars,” “WAT” and “Volk.”

From the 2010s onward, they released “Spectre” (2014), the theatre-derived “Also Sprach Zarathustra” (2017), the North Korea-related project “The Sound of Music” (2018), “Wir sind das Volk (Ein Musical aus Deutschland)” (2022), “Sketches of the Red Districts” (2023), the country-inflected EP “Love Is Still Alive” (2023), the rework set “Opus Dei Revisited” (2024) and the symphonic work “Alamut” (2025).

Laibach have also pursued large-scale collaborations and performances, including becoming the first Western rock group to stage a full concert in North Korea in 2015 and working with orchestras and visual artists on projects that connect music with broader political and historical narratives.

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Yom Kippur’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach issues ‘Yom Kippur’ single featuring Palestinian Children’s Choir via Nika

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 13:37:00 +0000

Laibach has released the new single “Yom Kippur” today, October 23, 2025, via Nika. The track is presented as a commemoration of the peace agreement to end the war in Gaza and is dedicated to civilian victims, especially children.

The track features Donna Marina Mårtensson, Manca Trampuš of Koala Voice, the Kinderreich Children’s Choir (directed by Marina Mårtensson), and the Palestinian Children’s Choir (directed by Israa Majdalawi). It was recorded at Laibach Studios, with the Palestinian Children’s Choir recording their parts in Beirut. Mixing took place at Eastside Sound Studios in New York with Marc Urselli, and mastering was done by Maor Appelbaum in California. The design and video were created by Komposter and Laibach.

The band builds the song around the Jewish Day of Atonement, describing it as a “requiem dedicated to the innocent victims,” and as a call for “acknowledgment of guilt” and reconciliation. The group states that the work is “directed toward the perpetrators and all those who have watched from the sidelines and refused to feel complicit.”

Here’s the complete message from the band:

“The song is dedicated to all the innocent victims of this conflict, and above all to the tens of thousands of children who have been killed or maimed, as well as to the child victims of all wars.

Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, dedicated to repentance, remembrance and the possibility of moral and spiritual renewal. It emphasises collective responsibility, reconciliation and the seeking of forgiveness, not only from God, but also from other people and from history itself. It represents a metaphor for the moment when society looks into the mirror of its own sins and denials, when repentance becomes a collective duty, with the aim of understanding guilt and striving for moral and spiritual renewal.

This song is therefore a requiem dedicated to the innocent victims, but also directed toward the perpetrators and all those who have watched from the sidelines and refused to feel complicit. It speaks of forgotten compassion, a silenced conscience and the responsibility the world continues to evade. In it, Yom Kippur is no longer merely a religious ritual, but a reminder that without reconciliation there is no future. Moreover, without acknowledgment of guilt, there can be no peace or redemption.”

Taken at face value, their position is: stop the war, mourn the dead, foreground children, and pursue moral reckoning and peace. It sounds like an artistic, universalist peace message, not a partisan one.

“Yom Kippur” continues Laibach’s 2025 run that includes the German-language reinterpretation “Die Kanone (feat. Bijelo Dugme)” and the large-scale work “Alamut,” which appeared in May 2025. Both projects were released alongside a series of one-off singles, including versions of “I Want To Know What Love Is” and “Strange Fruit.”

About Laibach

Laibach formed on June 1, 1980 in Trbovlje, then in SR Slovenia (Yugoslavia). The earliest lineup coalesced around Dejan Knez (founder), with Tomaž Hostnik, Ivan “Jani” Novak, and others; vocalist Milan Fras joined soon after.

The group became the musical arm of the NSK (Neue Slowenische Kunst) collective in 1984. After early bans and controversy in Yugoslavia, Laibach’s international profile grew through releases on Mute Records, including “Opus Dei” (1987) and later projects such as “Volk” (2006), “Spectre” (2014), and post-2010 works spanning film/theatre collaborations and orchestral productions.

In 2025, Laibach issued “Alamut”.

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Musick’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach reinterpret Bijelo Dugme with new single ‘Die Kanone’ – Out now via Mute

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 15:33:20 +0000

Laibach have released a new single, “Die Kanone”, available now on Mute. The track reimagines “Top” (translated as “The Cannon”), the 1974 single by Bijelo Dugme, the most successful rock band in the history of former Yugoslavia.

The collaboration was initiated by Goran Bregović, Bijelo Dugme’s founding member and principal songwriter, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the band. The resulting track merges Laibach’s martial, post-industrial style with Bijelo Dugme’s classic rock and Balkan folk influences.

“Die Kanone” is a cultural and musical mash-up that confronts notions of Balkan identity, masculinity, and nostalgia. The lyrics were translated into German for the occasion, touching on themes of militarism, post-Yugoslav diaspora, and industrial transformation. The track also alludes to Germany’s current shift from automotive manufacturing to arms production. The single’s artwork features a Volkswagen Beetle – once manufactured in Sarajevo.

The band stated that the cannon metaphorically represents distorted expressions of masculinity, adding: “Weapons are often used as a substitute for ‘masculinity’ in Balkan mythology and identity.”

“Die Kanone” follows several recent interpretations, including their covers of “I Want To Know What Love Is” by Foreigner and the anti-lynching protest song “Strange Fruit”, originally performed by Billie Holiday. Their most recent album is “Alamut“.

Laibach Live Dates

The band will perform several shows across Slovenia in 2025:

August 22 – Ruše, Letno gledališče Pod goroj (Festival)
August 23 – Nova Gorica, Mostovna
October 11 – Velenje, Dom kulture Velenje
November 7 – Trbovlje, Delavski Dom

Tickets and full event details are available via the official Laibach website.

About Laibach

The band was formed in 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia, then part of Yugoslavia. The founding members included Dejan Knez, Milan Fras, Ervin Markošek, and Ivan Novak. From the beginning, Laibach positioned itself as a multi-media collective, blending martial industrial sounds with provocative imagery, performance art, and sociopolitical critique.

Following cassette releases their debut album was released on ŠKUC ROPOT in 1985. International recognition came after signing to Mute Records, which released “Opus Dei” (1987), featuring interpretations of Queen’s “One Vision” and the Austrian anthem “Geburt einer Nation”.

The band has since maintained a prolific output, with albums including “NATO” (1994), “Volk” (2006), and “Spectre” (2014), and has collaborated with symphonic ensembles and experimental artists.

The current lineup includes Milan Fras, Ivan Novak, Luka Jamnik, and Rok Lopatič.

Laibach and controversies

In 2015, Laibach became the first Western band to perform in North Korea – though it’s far from sure this was actually a good thing to do. A concert in Iran was canceled.

The band also got into trouble with their comments on the Russian invasion in Ukraine. On one hand, Laibach has expressed support for Ukraine, particularly in response to the 2022 Russian invasion. They canceled planned shows in Russia due to the conflict and stated their solidarity with Ukraine, condemning Russia’s aggression and emphasizing Ukraine’s right to defend itself.

On the other hand, in a 2023 Guardian interview they described the Russo-Ukrainian War as “a cynical proxy war for the geostrategic interests of the superpowers and financial capital,” a framing that echoes Russian propaganda narratives about Ukraine being a Western puppet.

This led to significant backlash in Ukraine, resulting in the cancellation of their Kyiv concert by the Bel Etage Music Hall, as many Ukrainians found the statement offensive and reductive. Additionally, their 2018 interview with pro-Kremlin media, where they expressed willingness to perform in occupied Crimea and Donbas, and their 2006 cover of the Russian anthem, have been seen as sympathetic to Russia.

About Bijelo Dugme

Bijelo Dugme (“White Button”) was a Yugoslav rock band formed in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1974. The band is widely regarded as one of the most popular and influential acts in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Founded by guitarist and composer Goran Bregović, the band initially operated under the name Jutro (“Morning”) before adopting the name Bijelo Dugme after their debut single, “Kad bi’ bio bijelo dugme” (“If I Were a White Button”), was released by Jugoton in 1974.

The classic lineup featured Bregović (guitar), Željko Bebek (vocals), Zoran Redžić (bass), Ipe Ivandić (drums), and Vlado Pravdić (keyboards). Blending Balkan folk influences with hard rock, their debut album, “Kad bi’ bio bijelo dugme” (1974), brought them nationwide fame, selling over 141,000 copies and earning the label “pastirski rok” (shepherd rock) for its unique sound.

Their 1979 album “Bitanga i princeza” is often considered their creative peak, with symphonic ballads and poetic lyrics, some penned by writers like Duško Trifunović, Vlado Dijak, and Arsen Dedić. Dubbed the “Yugoslav Beatles,” their popularity, termed “Dugmemania”, saw them sell millions of records, with one newspaper claiming they sold more albums than there were record players in Yugoslavia.

In the early 1980s, as Yugoslav new wave emerged, Bijelo Dugme adapted with a new wave and ska-influenced sound on “Doživjeti stotu” (1980). After Bebek’s departure in 1983, Mladen Vojičić “Tifa” joined as vocalist for the self-titled 1984 album, which incorporated folk and synth-heavy elements. Tifa’s tenure was short due to personal conflicts, and Alen Islamović became the final vocalist in 1986, recording two albums, including “Pljuni i zapjevaj moja Jugoslavijo” (1986), which embraced Yugoslavism-inspired themes amid rising regional tensions.

The band disbanded in 1989 as Yugoslavia’s political climate deteriorated.

Bijelo Dugme reunited in 2005 for three sold-out concerts in Sarajevo, Zagreb, and Belgrade, featuring all three vocalists but without Ivandić, who died by suicide in 1994. In 2025, they celebrated their 50th anniversary with a concert at Paris’s Olympia, joined by Crvena Jabuka.

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Yom Kippur’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach and A/Political present new symphonic work ‘Alamut’ – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 09 May 2025 13:06:29 +0000

Out today is the all new symphonic work by Laibach and A/Political, “Alamut“. The release was recorded in collaboration with Iranian composers Idin Samimi Mofakham and Nima A. Rowshan. The album is out now on Mute on double vinyl and as a 2CD box.

Alamut by Laibach

The album draws inspiration from “Alamut” (1938), a novel by Slovenian writer Vladimir Bartol. The book tells a story set in 11th-century Persia, exploring themes of martyrdom and the cult of personalities. “Alamut” has influenced the “Assassin’s Creed” video game series and inspired artists like Umberto Eco, Hawkwind, and William S. Burroughs, who referenced it in “Naked Lunch”, “Nova Express”, and “The Red Night Trilogy”.

The book centers on Hassan-i Sabbāh, the charismatic leader of the Nizari Ismailis and founder of the Hashshashin (Order of the Assassins). Claiming to be a prophet, he led a holy war against the Seljuk Empire from his mountain fortress at Alamut. Bartol’s novel, known for the phrase “Nothing is true, everything is permitted,” explores the power of propaganda during a time when the author witnessed the rise of Fascism in Trieste, Italy.

In Laibach’s 9-track reinterpretation of “Alamut”, radical nihilism merges with classical Persian poetry by Omar Khayyam, while the verses of Mahsati Ganjavi mix with minimalist orchestral elements drawn from Iranian musical traditions.

The album was recorded live at the Križanke Outdoor Theatre in Ljubljana, featuring Laibach, the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, and Iranian conductor Navid Gohari. Laibach emphasizes that “cultural and political differences must be overcome through open cooperation, even in challenging times.” Though initially planned to premiere in Tehran, political circumstances prevented this. Instead, Laibach collaborated with Tehran’s Human-Voice Ensemble alongside Slovenia’s Gallina Vocal Group and AccordiOna, a 60-piece accordion orchestra.

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Die Kanone’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach tribute ‘Schlecht Und Ironisch’ returns in May 2025 with expanded vinyl and CD reissue

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 17:10:30 +0000

The 1999 Laibach tribute “Schlecht Und Ironisch” originally released by the Italian label Radio Luxor gets a reissue as an expanded vinyl & CD version. The new versions will be released on Rune Serpent Europa on May 21st in limited edition vinyl, collector’s edition CD and digital formats:

LP Marbled Black – Numbered edition with sticker, Insert (limited to 250 copies)
LP Marbled Brown – Numbered edition with sticker, Insert (limited to 250 copies)
CD Jewel Case + 8-page booklet (limited to 800 copies)
CD (Special Edition), Jewell case + Metal artwork
LP (Test Pressing), 30 copies + Metal artwork
Bandcamp digital version

The album features a diverse range of darker genres, from industrial and EBM to dark ambient and neofolk, including Prager Handgriff, Kirlian Camera, Staat Und Organisation, DDR, Andrew King, Angels And Agony.

Tracklist CD (different from the vinyl versions)

Regard Extrême – Vier Personen
Apathetic Atrophy – We Are Forging the Future
Anesthetik Pharma – F.I.A.T.
Knifeladder – Dogs Of War
Kathodos – White Law
Andrew King – War Poem
Staat Und Organisation – Cari Amici Soldati
Prager Handgriff – Message From The Dark Star
DDR – Der See
Kirlian Camera – The Final Countdown (Laibach Suppe)
Paolo F. Bragaglia – Mars
Discordance – Agnus Dei
Angels And Agony – God Is God
Northgate – Nova Akropola
Manipulation – Geburt Einer Nation
Runes Order – The Great Seal
Die Larm – God Is God
Naevus – Bloody Ground, Fertile Land

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Alamut’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach reveal ‘War’ video from upcoming symphonic work ‘Alamut’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 16:20:09 +0000

Slovenian avant-garde collective Laibach have released “War“, the sixth movement from “Alamut”, their upcoming symphonic album built in collaboration with Iranian composers Idin Samimi Mofakham and Nima A. Rowshan. The project arrives 9 May 2025 via Mute in partnership with A/Political.

“War”, performed by the 60-piece accordion orchestra, is a piece under the direction of Iranian conductor Navid Gohari, you might consider it a symphonic cacophony to be honest.

Rooted in Vladimir Bartol’s 1938 novel of the same name, “Alamut” draws on the 11th-century Persian tale of Hassan-i Sabbāh and his militant cult of assassins. Laibach reinterpret this historical and philosophical epic through an orchestral-industrial lens.

The album was recorded live at the Križanke Outdoor Theatre in Ljubljana, featuring Laibach with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra under Gohari’s direction. Though originally slated for a premiere in Tehran, the political barriers blocked the performance. Instead, Laibach brought the Human-Voice Ensemble from Tehran to Slovenia, joining local groups Gallina Vocal Group and AccordiOna to realise the work.

To coincide with the album launch, Laibach will open an exhibition on 23 April at Cukrarna Gallery in Ljubljana. Titled “Unternehmen Barbarossa”, the show links Nikolaj Pirnat’s anti-fascist graphics, Picasso’s “Guernica”, and a handwoven Afghan carpet designed from a Laibach sketch.

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Schlecht Und Ironisch’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach cover Foreigner hit ‘I Want To Know What Love is’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 11:47:18 +0000

Laibach complete a trilogy of interpretations with “I Want To Know What Love Is”, a 3-track release featuring their interpretation of Foreigner’s track. The single is out now on Mute.

“I Want To Know What Love Is” follows their recent interpretations of “Strange Fruit” and “White Christmas” and has been performed as an encore on the Slovenian provocateurs Opus Dei Revisited tour (which continues into February / March).

The single holds the cover plus an extended and a ‘distorted love’ mix.

“I Want to Know What Love Is” is one of Foreigner’s most iconic songs. Written by the band’s guitarist and founding member Mick Jones, it was released in November 1984 as the lead single from their fifth studio album, “Agent Provocateur”.

Laibach – Opus Dei Revisited Tour – 2025

07 Feb – Ljubljana, Kino Šiška, SI
08 Feb – Ljubljana, Kino Šiška, SI – NEW DATE
16 Feb – Krakow, Kwadrat, PL
18 Feb – Ostrava, Barrak, CZ
19 Feb – Vienna, Arena, AT
20 Feb – Jena, F-Haus, DE
21 Feb – Sittard, Poppodium Volt, NL
22 Feb – London, Islington Assembly Hall, UK
23 Feb – Manchester, Ritz, UK
24 Feb – Southampton, The 1865, UK
25 Feb – Bristol, Trinity Centre, UK
27 Feb – Lausanne, Les Docks, CH
28 Feb – Bologna, Link, IT
01 March – Nova Gorica, SNG Nova Gorica, SI
04 March – Skopje, Macedonian Philharmonic, MK
05 March – Athens, Gazarte, GR
06 March – Sofia, Pirotska 5, BG
07 March – Bucharest, Quantic Club, RO
08 March – Beograd, Dom Omladine, RS
21 March – Maribor, Narodni dom, SI

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘War’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach launch Peel Sessions (1986-1987) for Record Store Day in a limited vinyl version – Available now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 15:03:49 +0000

Laibach continue their 12-month celebration of the classic 1987 album, “Opus Dei”, with a special Record Store Day Black Friday release collating the band’s John Peel Sessions for the first time on vinyl. The release is out today, in store only, with any remaining copies of the limited-edition (1000 copies worldwide) available online from 8am on Saturday 30 November.

John Peel was an early fan of the Slovenian band, he played them on the show often, and booked them for two of his Peel Sessions – one in 1986 and one in 1987.

This limited-edition vinyl album contains both sessions. The A-Side features the John Peel session from 24 June 1986, with versions of “Krvava gruda – plodna zemlja” from the “Nova Akropola” album and “Krst” from their album of the same name. It was this session that introduced the world to the first inkling of what “Opus Dei” would be, through an early incarnation of “Live Is Life”, the band’s cover version of Opus’ Euro-hit. The second session, from 24 April 1987, has interpretations of tracks that would feature on “Opus Dei”, their debut album for Mute – “Transnational” and “Leben-Tod” alongside “Krvoprelitje (Ti, ki izzivaš)”.

Laibach made such a deep impression on John Peel that they were selected for a documentary that explored his record collection. Watch “L is for…. Laibach” below, which examines his fascination with the band.

The sleeve features the band standing below a Peel monument (adapted from the original shot of the band at Karl Marx’s tomb in Highgate Cemetery, London).

Tracklist

Side A

Krvava gruda – plodna zemlja (Peel Session 24/06/1986)
Krst (Peel Session 24/06/1986)
Life Is Life Peel (Peel Session 24/06/1986)

Side B

Leben-Tod (Peel Session 27/04/1987)
Transnational (Peel Session 27/04/1987)
Krvoprelitje (Ti, ki izzivaš) (Peel Session 27/04/1987)

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘I Want To Know What Love is’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach unite with Silence, for ‘White Christmas’ cover – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 14:46:51 +0000

Laibach have shared “White Christmas“, a two-track single release that follows their recent cover of “Strange Fruit”. For this special release, they have worked with fellow Slovenian artists, Silence. The single itself has 2 tracks, the original version plus a ‘Silence Night’ version.

“White Christmas” was originally written by Irving Berlin – a Russian-born Jewish immigrant who didn’t celebrate Christmas – for the 1942 musical, “Holiday Inn”. The Bing Crosby version of the song, which reminisces about an old-fashioned Christmas, is not only the best-selling Christmas song of all time, it’s also the best-selling single ever according to Guinness World Records. The song was dedicated to Irvin Berlin’s three-week old son who died on Christmas Day.

With the single Laibach wants to consider what future Christmases, with the aggressive climate and political changes around the world, will look like. “Let this track be a weapon in the war against misery and unhappiness”, so they say.

Earlier this year the band released the remastered edition of the classic album “Opus Dei” and later this month, Record Store Day (29 November) will mark the first ever vinyl release of the band’s John Peel Sessions.

Laibach on tour

07 Feb – Ljubljana, Kino Šiška, SI
16 Feb – Krakow Kwadrat, PL
18 Feb- Ostrava, Barrak, CZ
19 Feb – Vienna, Arena, AT
20 Feb – Jena, F-Haus, DE
21 Feb – Sittard, Poppodium Volt, NL
22 Feb – London, Islington Assembly Hall, UK
23 Feb – Manchester, Ritz, UK
24 Feb – Southampton, The 1865, UK
25 Feb – Bristol, Trinity Centre, UK
27 Feb – Lausanne, Les Docks, CH
28 Feb – Bologna, Link, IT
01 March – Nova Gorica, SNG Nova Gorica, SI
04 March – Skopje, Macedonian Philharmonic MK
05 March – Athens, Gazarte, GR
06 March – Sofia, Pirotska 5, BG
07 March – Bucharest, Quantic Club, RO
08 March – Beograd, Dom Omladine, RS
21 March – Maribor, Narodni dom, SI

For more on Laibach, see Laibach launch Peel Sessions (1986-1987) for Record Store Day in a… on Side-Line.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach cover Billie Holiday protest song ‘Strange Fruit’ – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 18:56:58 +0000

Laibach have announced details of “Strange Fruit”, a three-track single release that follows their recent single “The Future” (originally by Leonard Cohen). This interpretation of the Billie Holiday protest song has featured in their ongoing Opus Dei tour (which continues into 2025), and precedes the band’s “Opus Dei Revisited” double album (out 13 December on Mute).

“Strange Fruit” tracklisting

Strange Fruit (03:06)
Strange Fruit (Alternate version) (03:00)
Strange Fruit (Live from Lublin, May 28th 2024) (03:19)

Watch the video for Laibach’s “Strange Fruit” below.

Billie Holiday originally recorded her version of “Strange Fruit” on 20 April 1939. The track, originally written by a Jewish school teacher Abel Meeropol (using the pseudonym Lewis Allen), was in response to lynching in US southern states. A year later, Meeropol, a socialist, was called to testify before a committee investigating communism and asked whether the US Communist Party had paid him to write “Strange Fruit”. Later, in 1999, it was named the song of the century by Time magazine.

Laibach go on to explain: “There’s something that’s still very radioactive about the song; it’s still relevant because race is still relevant. The impulses that Meeropol was talking about are very much still with us, on the front pages of our newspapers and across our social media every day. For us, ‘Strange Fruit’ evokes racial injustice, representing not just lynchings, but racism generally.” They expand, “Racism is a virus that mutates, taking on different forms as it adapts to a changing environment. Its mutation is made harder to observe by it being deeply embedded, not only in our traditions and institutions, but also in our unconscious lives.”

“Strange Fruit” follows May’s remastered edition of Laibach’s “Opus Dei”. Their 12-month salute to their 1987 album continues in December with the release of “Opus Dei Revisited”, which features two new interpretations of the album – one by Laibach, and the other by original producer Rico Conning.

Laibach “Opus Dei Revisited” Tour – 2025

7 Feb – Ljubljana, Kino Šiška, SI
16 Feb – Krakow Kwadrat, PL
18 Feb- Ostrava, Barrak, CZ
19 Feb – Vienna, Arena, AT
20 Feb – Jena, F-Haus, DE
21 Feb – Sittard, Poppodium Volt, NL
22 Feb – London, Islington Assembly Hall, UK
23 Feb – Manchester, Ritz, UK
24 Feb – Southampton, The 1865, UK
25 Feb – Bristol, Trinity Centre, UK
27 Feb – Lausanne, Les Docks, CH
28 Feb – Bologna, Link, IT
1 March – Nova Gorica, SNG Nova Gorica, SI
4 March – Skopje, Macedonian Philharmonic MK
5 March – Athens, Gazarte, GR
6 March – Sofia, Pirotska 5, BG
7 March – Bucharest, Quantic Club, RO
8 March – Beograd, Dom Omladine, RS
21 March – Maribor, Narodni dom, SI

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘White Christmas’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach releases ‘Opus Dei Revisited’ single – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 20:42:22 +0000

Slovenian avant-garde collective Laibach has just shared the “Opus Dei Revisited 2024” version of their iconic track “Leben heißt Leben”, an reinterpretation of Opus’ 1985 hit “Live is Life”. This new release is part of the band’s “Opus Dei Revisited” project, a year-long tribute to their groundbreaking 1987 album “Opus Dei”. Laibach is currently on tour across Europe, revisiting the themes and tracks of this influential work.

“Opus Dei Revisited”, set for release on December 13, 2024, will be available as a double LP, double CD, and digitally via Mute Records. The album features two distinct reimaginings of “Opus Dei”, offering a radical interrogation of the original material. The first disc presents a modernized reworking of the tracks by Laibach themselves, which has evolved throughout their ongoing Opus Dei Revisited Tour. The band was so impressed with the live versions that they immediately entered the studio to record the fresh takes.

The second disc sees the original album’s producer, Rico Conning (known for his work with Wire, Pere Ubu, and Swans), invited back to re-explore the 1987 master tapes.

Formed in the industrial town of Trbovlje, Slovenia (then Yugoslavia), Laibach has long been one of the most influential bands from the former Eastern Bloc.

In addition to their upcoming Opus Dei Revisited release, Laibach has also been working on a potential performance of their original symphonic work Alamut in Tehran, in collaboration with Iranian composers. This year also saw performances of their score for Saint Joan of the Stockyards in Italy and an academic course at the University of Salerno delving into Laibach’s cultural significance.

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Strange Fruit’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach announce ‘Opus Dei Revisited’ + share ‘Geburt einer Nation’ remix by Rico Conning – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 09:16:21 +0000

(Photo courtesy of Laibach) Laibach are further celebrating their classic 1987 album “Opus Dei” with “Opus Dei Revisited” which holds new versions of the source material. “Opus Dei Revisited” is set for release on Mute on December 13, 2024 on double vinyl and double CD.

“Opus Dei” was the band’s first album for Mute for the Slovenian collective. The first disc of the Double LP / CD is a reworking by Laibach themselves which was initially crafted, and then refined, for their current Opus Dei Revisited Tour. They for instance reimagined Opus’ “Live Is Life” (as “Opus Dei”) and Queen’s “One Vision” ( as “Geburt einer Nation”).

For the second disc they invited Rico Conning (Wire, Pere Ubu, Swans, Front 242, William Orbit), who produced and mixed the 1987 version, to also revisit the material. Conning was given an open brief to explore new territories with what was on the original master tapes. To coincide with the announcement of Opus Dei Revisited they have shared a taster track from the album, “Geburt einer Nation” (Rico Conning’s Inner Ear RMX 2024).

Tracklist “Opus Dei Revisited“

Opus Dei Revisited (Disc 1)

A1. Leben heißt Leben RE
A2. Geburt einer Nation RE
A3. Leben-Tod RE
A4. F.I.A.T. RE
B1. Transnational RE
B2. How the West Was Won RE
B3. The Great Seal RE
B4. Opus Dei RE

Rico Conning’s Inner Ear RMX 2024 (Disc 2)

C1. Leben heißt Leben RMX
C2. Geburt einer Nation RMX
C3. Leben-Tod RMX
C4. F.I.A.T. RMX
D1. Opus Dei RMX
D2. Transnational RMX
D3. How the West Was Won RMX
D4. The Great Seal RMX

Laibach Opus Dei Tour

2024:

9/14/2024 – Portorož, Avditorij, SI
10/4/2024 – Split, Club Porat, HR
10/5/2024 – Zagreb, Boogaloo, HR
10/10/2024 – Mežica, ND Mežica, Big Hall, SI
10/11/2024- Budapest, Dürer Kert, HU
10/12/2024 – Leipzig, Felsenkeller, DE
10/13/2024 – Prague, Roxy, CZ
10/15/2024 – Dordrecht, Bibelot, NL
10/16/2024 – Arnhem, Luxor, NL
10/17/2024 – Vauréal, Le Forum 2, FR
10/18/2024 – Toulouse, Le Metronum, FR
10/19/2024 – Wavre, La Sucrerie, BE
10/20/2024 – Bochum, Christuskirche, DE
10/22/2024 – Hannover, Music Pavillion, DE

2025:

2/16/2025 – Krakow, Kwadrat, PL
2/18/2025- Ostrava, Barrak, CZ
2/19/2025 – Vienna, Arena, AT
2/20/2025 – Jena, F-Haus, DE
2/21/2025 – Sittard, Poppodium Volt, NL
2/22/2025 – London, Islington Assembly Hall, UK
2/23/2025 – Manchester, Ritz, UK
2/24/2025 – Southampton, The 1865, UK
2/25/2025 – Bristol, Trinity Centre, UK
2/27/2025 – Lausanne, Les Docks, CH
2/28/2025 – Bologna, Link, IT
3/4/2025 – Skopje, Macedonian Philharmonic, MK
3/5/2025 – Athens, Gazarte, GR
3/6/2025 – Sofia, Pirotska 5, BG
3/7/2025 – Bucharest, Quantic Club, RO
3/8/2025 – Beograd, Dom Omladine, RS

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Opus Dei Revisited’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach launches 2-track single ‘Opus Dei Live 1987-1989 PT. 1’ – Out now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 05:07:31 +0000

Laibach has released the two-track single, “Opus Dei Live 1987 – 1989 pt.1”, featuring two unreleased live recordings: “Leben heisst Leben (Opus Dei)” live from London, Queen Elizabeth Hall, 1987 and “F.I.A.T. (Let It Be)” live from Paris, Espace Ornano, 1992.

Both tracks are taken from the expanded edition of their 1987 album, “Opus Dei”, which is set to be released digitally on Mute on May 10, 2024 and on vinyl and as a 2CD box set on May 24, 2024. Additionally, the CD features 16 unreleased live tracks from 1987-1989 and 3 bonus tracks (which includes two that were previously unreleased).

The two-track single is accompanied by the below video of “Opus Dei (Life is Life)”, cut from live footage of Goran Gajić’s 1988 film “Pobeda pod suncem”, filmed in Belgrade, Münich, and Ljubljana.

“Opus Dei” was the band’s first album for Mute, and was mixed by Rico Conning (Wire, Pere Ubu, Swans, William Orbit) and opened up opportunities for the Slovenian collective to launch a first world tour. The re-release comes with a redesigned cover plus an extensive booklet with photographs, artwork inspired by the German anti-fascist visual artist John Heartfield, and new sleeve notes by the cultural theorist and author Alexei Monroe.

Laibach’s “Opus Dei (Remastered)” is out on Mute on vinyl (with 16-page booklet), 2CD box set (with 28-page booklet) on May 24, 2024 and digitally on May 10, 2024.

Bonus tracks on CD1

Geburt einer Nation (Eine Richtung und ein Volk Version)
Leben heisst Leben (Marche Funèbre Version)
Geburt einer Nation (3. Oktober – Kraftbach – Version)

CD2

Leben heisst Leben (London, Queen Elizabeth Hall, 1987)
Geburt einer Nation (Somewhere in Europe/US, 1987-1989)
Leben-Tod (Somewhere in Europe/US, 1987-1989)
F.I.A.T. (Paris, Espace Ornano, 1992)
Transnational (Somewhere in Europe/US, 1987-1989)
How the West Was Won (Somewhere in Europe/US, 1987-1989)
Opus Dei (Somewhere in Europe/US, 1987-1989)
Leben heisst Leben (Berlin, Quartier Latin, 1987)
Geburt einer Nation (Berlin, Quartier Latin, 1987)
Leben – Tod (Berlin, Quartier Latin, 1987)
How the West Was Won (Berlin, Quartier Latin, 1987)
Geburt einer Nation (Vienna, Messepalast, Kaiser Franz Josef Reitschule, 1988)
Leben – Tod (San Francisco, The I Beam, 1989)
Transnational (San Francisco, The I Beam, 1989)
How the West Was Won (San Francisco, The I Beam, 1989)
Opus Dei (San Francisco, The I Beam, 1989)

Laibach – Opus Dei Tour

5/14/2024 – Winterthur, Gaswerk Kulturzentrum, CH
5/15/2024 – Frankfurt, Batschkapp, DE
5/16/2024 – Berlin, Huxleys Neue Welt, DE
5/17/2024 – Copenhagen, Pumpehuset, DK
5/18/2024 – Gothenburg, Pustervik, SE
5/19/2024 – Stockholm, Nya Cirkus, SE
5/21/2024 – Helsinki, Savoy Theatre, FI
5/23/2024 – Oslo, Vulkan, NO
5/25/2024 – Cologne, Essigfabrik, DE
5/26/2024 – Dresden, Kultur Zentrum Strasse E, DE
5/27/2024 – Torun, CKK Jordanki, PL
5/28/2024 – Lublin, Radio Lublin, PL
5/29/2024 – Graz, Orpheum Big Hall, AT
7/3/2024 – Munich, Muffathalle, DE
7/4/2024 – Schorndorf, Manufaktur, DE
7/6/2024 – Halle, East Side Festival, DE
8/9/2024 – Jaromer, Brutal Assault Festival, CZ
10/5/2024 – Zagreb, Boogaloo, HR
10/11/2024- Budapest, Dürer Kert, HU
10/12/2024 – Leipzig, Felsenkeller, DE
10/13/2024 – Prague, Roxy, CZ
10/15/2024 – Dordrecht, Bibelot, NL
10/16/2024 – Arnhem, Luxor, NL
10/17/2024 – Vauréal, Le Forum 2, FR
10/18/2024 – Toulouse, Le Rex, FR
10/19/2024 – Wavre, La Sucrerie, BE
10/20/2024 – Bochum, Christuskirche, DE
10/22/2024 – Hannover, Music Pavillion, DE

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Opus Dei Revisited’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach offers remastered edition 1987 album ‘Opus Dei’ + plans concert in… Iran of all places

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 14:08:25 +0000

(Photo by Andy Catlin – Ljubljana) Laibach has announced a remastered and redesigned edition of their 1987 album, “Opus Dei”, scheduled for release on Mute on May 10, 2024. This edition will be available on vinyl and as a 2CD box set. It includes 16 previously unreleased live tracks from 1987-1989 and three bonus tracks.

A new video has been released, featuring edits from “Victory Under the Sun” (Pobeda pod suncem), directed by Goran Gajić in 1988, for the remastered version of “The Great Seal”. Watch it below.

“Opus Dei”, Laibach’s debut album with Mute, was originally mixed by Rico Conning, known for his work with Wire, Pere Ubu, Swans, and William Orbit. The album includes Laibach’s interpretations of Opus’ “Live Is Life” (rendered in English as “Opus Dei” and in German as “Leben heisst Leben”) and Queen’s “One Vision” (reimagined as “Geburt Einer Nation”), propelling the band into the limelight with support from MTV and ITV’s The Chart Show. The mainstream exposure and memorable music press features led to their first world tour, with performances from London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, San Francisco, Berlin, Paris, and various locations across Europe included on the second CD of this expanded edition.

The remastered edition boasts a redesigned cover that enhances the original artwork, an extensive booklet filled with photographs and artwork inspired by German anti-fascist artist John Heartfield, and new sleeve notes by cultural theorist Alexei Monroe.

Formed in the year of Yugoslavian founding father Tito’s death, the band faced censorship and bans in Yugoslavia before releasing “Opus Dei”. They embarked on the Occupied Europe Tour, appeared in Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket”, recorded a Peel Session for the BBC, and performed in Michael Clark’s dance production “No Fire Escape from Hell”.

The band have also recently announced ongoing diplomatic negotiations for a performance in Tehran of “Alamut”, a collaborative symphonic work with Iranian composers and performers. A very weird choice given the geopolitical tensions, just like their concert in North Korea.

In April 2024, Laibach will perform their score for a new theatrical production of Bertolt Brecht’s “Saint Joan of the Stockyards” by ErosAntEros, with performances in Bologna and Ravenna.

“Opus Dei (Remastered)” by Laibach will be available on Mute in various formats, including vinyl with a 16-page booklet, a 2CD box set with a 28-page booklet, and digitally, on May 10, 2024.

Tracklist of the CD:

CD1

Leben heisst Leben (Opus Dei)
Geburt einer Nation (One Vision)
Leben – Tod
F.I.A.T. (Let It Be)
Transnational
How the West Was Won
Opus Dei (Life is Life)
The Great Seal

Bonus tracks:

Geburt einer Nation (Eine Richtung und ein Volk Version)
Leben heisst Leben (Marche Funèbre Version)
Geburt einer Nation (3. Oktober – Kraftbach – Version)

CD2

Leben heisst Leben (London, Queen Elizabeth Hall, 1987)
Geburt einer Nation (Somewhere in Europe/US, 1987-1989)
Leben-Tod (Somewhere in Europe/US, 1987-1989)
F.I.A.T. (Paris, Espace Ornano, 1992)
Transnational (Somewhere in Europe/US, 1987-1989)
How the West Was Won (Somewhere in Europe/US, 1987-1989)
Opus Dei (Somewhere in Europe/US, 1987-1989)
Leben heisst Leben (Berlin, Quartier Latin, 1987)
Geburt einer Nation (Berlin, Quartier Latin, 1987)
Leben – Tod (Berlin, Quartier Latin, 1987)
How the West Was Won (Berlin, Quartier Latin, 1987)
Geburt einer Nation (Vienna, Messepalast, Kaiser Franz Josef Reitschule, 1988)
Leben – Tod (San Francisco, The I Beam, 1989)
Transnational (San Francisco, The I Beam, 1989)
How the West Was Won (San Francisco, The I Beam, 1989)
Opus Dei (San Francisco, The I Beam, 1989)

Laibach ‘Opus Dei’ Tour

14 May – Winterthur, Gaswerk Kulturzentrum, CH
15 May – Frankfurt, Batschkapp, DE
16 May – Berlin, Huxleys Neue Welt, DE
17 May – Copenhagen, Pumpehuset, DK
18 May – Gothenburg, Pustervik, SE
19 May – Stockholm, Nya Cirkus, SE
21 May – Helsinki, Savoy Theatre, FI
23 May – Oslo, Vulkan, NO
25 May – Cologne, Essigfabrik, DE
26 May – Dresden, Kultur Zentrum Strasse E, DE
27 May – Torun, CKK Jordanki, PL
28 May – Lublin, Radio Lublin, PL
29 May – Graz, Orpheum Big Hall, AT
03 July – Munich, Muffathalle, DE
04 July – Schorndorf, Manufaktur, DE
06 July – Halle, East Side Festival, DE
09 Aug – Jaromer, Brutal Assault Festival, CZ
05 Oct – Zagreb, Boogaloo, HR
11 Oct – Budapest, Dürer Kert, HU
12 Oct – Leipzig, Felsenkeller, DE
13 Oct – Prague, Roxy, CZ
15 Oct – Dordrecht, Bibelot, NL
16 Oct – Arnhem, Luxor, NL
17 Oct – Vauréal, Le Forum 2, FR
18 Oct – Toulouse, Le Rex, FR
19 Oct – Wavre, La Sucrerie, BE
20 Oct – Bochum, Christuskirche, DE
22 Oct – Hannover, Music Pavillion, DE

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Opus Dei Live 1987-1989 PT. 1’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach share new track ‘The Engine of Survival’ ahead of series of live dates

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 10:05:43 +0000

(Photo by Ciril Jazbec) Laibach have shared a new track, “The Engine of Survival” ahead of a series of live dates that include several performances in October of their symphonic multimedia collaboration with Iranian composers, Alamut, based on a story from eleventh-century Persia as told by the Slovene writer Vladimir Bartol (1903 – 1967) which debuted last year. In November, the collective will embark on a third part of European ‘Love is Still Alive’ tour.

“The Engine of Survival” was originally written by Laibach collaborator and backing vocalist Donna Marina Mårtensson. It was then re-arranged by Laibach who renamed it “The Engine of Survival” referring to the lyric (“Love is the only Engine of Survival”) in Leonard Cohen’s famous track, “The Future” recently reinterpreted by Laibach.

The video for “The Engine of Survival” references a conceptual performance by Raša Todosijević, “Was ist Kunst, Marinela Koželj?”. Dragoljub “Raša” Todosijević (born 1945) is a Serbian artist from the first generation of neo-avant-garde artists of the so-called New Art Practice of the 1970s, one of the most prominent political performative artists of former Yugoslavia, alongside Marina Abramović. His conceptual works relate to rudimentary questions of history and our relationship to ideologies.

Laibach – Alamut performances

14 Oct – Ljubljana, Cankarjev dom, Gallus Hall (SI)
15 Oct – Trieste, Politeama Rossetti (IT)
19 Oct – Frankfurt, Jahrhunderthalle (DE)
22 Oct – Zagreb, Vatroslav Lisinski Hall (HR)

Laibach – Love Is Still Alive tour

7 Nov – Luxembourg, Den Atelier, LUX
8 Nov – London, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, UK
9 Nov – Coesfeld, Fabrik, DE
10 Nov – Heerlen, Poppodium Nieuwe Nor, NL
12 Nov – Malmö, Moriska Paviljongen, SE
14 Nov – Amsterdam, Melkweg, NL
15 Nov – Nuremberg, Z-Bau, DE
17 Nov – Glauchau, Stadttheater, DE
18 Nov – Katowice, P23, PL
19 Nov – Warsaw, Progresja, PL
20 Nov – Prague, Hybernia, CZ
21 Nov – Vienna, Arena, AT
22 Nov – Bratislava, Majestic Club, SK
23 Nov – Cluj-Napoca, FORM Space, RO
24 Nov – Bucharest, Quantic Club, RO
25 Nov – Bitola, NI Center for Culture, MK
26 Nov – Sofia, Pirotska 5 Event Center, BG
28 Nov – Novi Sad, Serbian National Theatre, RS
29 Nov – Mokrin, Mokrin House, RS

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Opus Dei’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Swedish dark synth act Priest next one in covering Rammstein – Check their version of ‘Engel’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 13:56:44 +0000

Next to Laibach we also offer you Priest’s version of Rammstein’s “Engel” today, both of which will be feautred on the upcoming “A Tribute To Rammstein” compilation out soon via Cleopatra Records.

Rammstein’s “Engel” was released in April 1997 as the first single from their second album, “Sehnsucht”, along with a music video inspired by the 1996 Quentin Tarantino film, “From Dusk Till Dawn”. “Engel” made its own on-screen debut during the closing credits of November 1997’s “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation”. An English version of “Engel” can be found on US special editions of “Sehnsucht”.

The female part of song’s chorus in Rammstein’s own version is sung by Christiane “Bobo” Hebold of the German pop band Bobo in White Wooden Houses. Priest’s version features female vocalist (and the band’s visual artist) Greta Helling.

But let’s first check the new version by Priest.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach releases Rammstein rendition of ‘Amerika’ from forthcoming tribute album

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 13:16:33 +0000

The Slovenian band Laibach is set to release their cover of Rammstein’s satirical song “Amerika” for the upcoming “A Tribute To Rammstein” album. This album is due for release through Cleopatra Records on 25th August.

“Amerika” was originally released by Rammstein on 6th September 2004 as the second single from their fourth studio album, “Reise Reise” (2004). The band describes the song as a satirical commentary on ‘Cocacolonisation’, addressing what it called “the global cultural and political influence of the United States of America”.

Below, you can find Laibach’s cover version of the song.

The song’s lyrics, alongside most of the video imagery, offer a clear critique of America’s cultural imperialism, political propaganda, and perceived role as the world’s police force. The song features two verses sung in German and a chorus in Denglisch, such as: “We’re all living in Amerika, Amerika ist wunderbar, We’re all living in Amerika, Amerika, Amerika…”

The music video for the original track portrays the band in Apollo-era spacesuits on the Moon, intercut with scenes of various cultures adopting stereotypical American behaviours. This includes scenes of Africans eating pizza and sending Christmas wishes to Santa Claus, Buddhist monks enjoying hamburgers, and various global communities engaging in recognisably American activities. Near the video’s end, diverse ethnic groups are seen singing and dancing along.

As the video concludes, it is revealed that the band has been on a fake moon set in a studio, complete with a film crew, which appears to nod to Moon landing conspiracy theories. Lead singer Till Lindemann is seen wearing a spacesuit with the name “Armstrong” on it, referencing astronaut Neil Armstrong. The video concludes with a photograph of the band left on the moon’s surface and plays a recording of Jack Swigert’s famous quote: “Houston, we’ve had a problem here.”

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘The Engine of Survival’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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The 69 Eyes cover Rammstein’s ‘Feuer Frei!’ for upcoming Rammstein tribute album

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 06:18:30 +0000

A while back the US goth rock act The 69 Eyes covered The Cramps’ “Aloha From Hell”, today they give us a preview of their rendition of Rammstein’s “Feuer Frei!”. This track was originally released as the fifth single from Rammstein’s third album, “Mutter”, which debuted on April 2nd, 2001. On August 9th, 2002, “Feuer Frei!” made its film debut in the Rob Cohen action feature, “xXx”, starring Vin Diesel, and can be heard in its near entirety at the beginning of the film, which takes place at a Rammstein concert.

The tribute song is accompanied by a video which you can view below. Directed by the acclaimed Vicente Cordero, it shows fire performers IvorySith & Kay Von Kola.

The song itself is part of the “A Tribute To Rammstein” compilation – of which we already previewed various tracks – available worldwide on August 25th. Included on this compilation are other bands like Priest, Manntra, and Julien-K, Front Line Assembly, Laibach, Burton C. Bell (Fear Factory), Paul Ferguson (Killing Joke), and Skold (KMFDM/Shotgun Messiah).

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Industrial band Elektrikill returns with ‘Monsters’ album

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 09:08:49 +0000

The industrial band Elektrikill, based in New Jersey, has just released their latest album called “Monsters.”

Elektrikill is the musical project of industrial musician Steve Vil, whose music has been featured in various film soundtracks, including “Grace And The Storm”, “Coma”, “The Pizza Man”, “No Clowning Around” and the theme music for the horror anthology series, “Horror Shop Radio”.

On “Monsters”, Vil explores the darker aspects of the human condition. He says, “We’re all monsters, one way or another. The album explores different ways people can hide their inner monsters, focusing on life in the age of the internet and social media. The song ‘Your Browser Is’ specifically comments on targeted information.”

The album “Monsters” is divided into two parts: the first six songs have a club-vibe, while the next eight songs draw inspiration from Vil’s experience as a soundtrack composer. For instance, the track “Requiem” originally started as an instrumental piece used in a pivotal overdose death scene in one of the films Vil worked on. The closing track, “Your Browser Is”, provides a glimpse of Elektrikill’s future sound, with its heavy beat, eerie synths, and powerful bursts of industrial noise.

Steve Vil’s musical influences range from early industrial pioneers like Cabaret Voltaire, Gary Numan, Skinny Puppy, and Ministry, to modern industrial sound-makers like KMFDM, Laibach, and Rammstein. These diverse influences contribute to the unique and captivating sound of Elektrikill’s “Monsters” album.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Front Line Assembly cover Rammstein’s ‘Deutschland’ ahead of tribute album

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 11:31:54 +0000

Fresh from two recently completed tour runs across the US, first as the headlining act and second alongside Ministry and Gary Numan, EBM legends Front Line Assembly release a brand new single today, a dark electronic reimagining of Rammstein’s “Deutschland” track.

“Deutschland” was released as the lead single from their untitled seventh studio album on 28 March 2019, it was their first new music since the song “Mein Land” in 2011. The song’s music video was directed by Specter Berlin and sparked controversy because of its dark, violent, and macabre style featuring various events from German history, including Roman times, the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, the Middle Ages, witch hunting, the November Revolution, the Golden Twenties, Nazi book burnings, the Hindenburg disaster, the First and Second World Wars, the Holocaust, the Weimar Republic, the Red Army Faction, and the division of the country into West and East Germany. The most obviously shocking scene references the Holocaust and the Nazi period. Four members of the band, in the striped uniforms of camp inmates, wait at the gallows, about to be hanged. They wear the cloth emblems used to identify their ‘crimes’: a pink triangle for homosexual prisoners, a yellow star for Jewish prisoners, a red and yellow star for Jewish political prisoners.

It also featured science fiction scenes set in outer space, cannibalism in which people were eating Germania, the personification of Germany, and a bank robbery featuring lead singer Till Lindemann crossdressing as Ulrike Meinhof. The song also twice uses the line “Deutschland, Deutschland über allen” (“Germany, Germany above everyone”) as a reference to “Deutschland, Deutschland über alles” (“Germany, Germany above everything”) from the Deutschlandlied.

Front Line Assembly’s cover serves as a standout track on the upcoming (August 25th.) cover compilation, “A Tribute to Rammstein”, featuring both old and new school industrial acts. Included in the 13-track strong release are renditions by Burton C Bell, Big Paul Ferguson & MGT, Front Line Assembly, Skold, Priest, Laibach, The 69 Eyes, Jah Wobble & Jon Klein, Julien-K, Stoneman, Lacrimas Profundere, Manntra, Original God and Leæther Strip.

Side-Line also covered Front Line Assembly’s ‘Mechvirus’.

About Front Line Assembly

Front Line Assembly is a Canadian electro-industrial project founded in Vancouver in 1986 by Bill Leeb (born 21 September 1966, Vienna, Austria), who had left industrial band Skinny Puppy that year. Early collaborators included Michael Balch, later joined by Rhys Fulber and Chris Peterson. Balch departed in 1990, after which Fulber became Leeb’s full creative partner. Key albums include “Caustic Grip” (1990), “Tactical Neural Implant” (1992), “Millennium” (1994), “Hard Wired” (1995), “Implode” (1999), “Epitaph” (2001), “Civilization” (2004) and “Echogenetic” (2013).

Front Line Assembly recorded a dark-electronic cover of Rammstein’s “Deutschland,” released as a single on 3 July 2023 ahead of Cleopatra Records’ various-artists compilation “A Tribute to Rammstein,” released 25 August 2023 with contributions from Burton C. Bell, Laibach, Skold and others. The “Deutschland” cover preceded Cleopatra Records’ “A Tribute to Rammstein” compilation, released 25 August 2023 with contributions from Laibach, Skold and Burton C. Bell, among others.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Click Interview with Torul: ‘I Need Something That Will Fulfil Myself In The First Place, Not The Audience’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 07 May 2023 17:00:00 +0000

Torul is a Slovenian project originally set up by Borut Bernik aka ‘Torulsson’. Several albums have been released over the years mixing elements of Dance music and Techno together with Electro/Indie-Pop. The band went throughout different line-up changes but hold on its ‘non-compromised’ writing approach. The new album “End Less Dreams” released by Infacted Recordings appears to me as the band’s magnum opus; a well-crafted and professional Electro-Pop production with sensual vocals on top. I talked about this master piece with ‘operator’ Torulsson.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Torul has been set up in 2010. Can you draw up the balance sheet of all these years of commitment considering sound, albums, line-up changes etc?

Torulsson: It’s been quite a ride! After some really successful early releases since 2011 we begun to tour wherever possible and/or made sense for us. Our ‘main card’ has always been a wish to be and stay as independent as possible. Meaning, we felt no pressure or obligations to ‘adapt’ to any scene or mimic any style, band. We tried to keep on doing things our way. And we are obviously recognized this way these days, which is kind of fulfilling.

As Torul has begun as my solo project, I could actually work with any talented singer that is willing to work and develop and that’s how we survived a couple of front man changes. So Maj is actually our 3^rd front man. Sticking to our style and direction, there hasn’t been a big gap for our fans and audience. Currently, we enjoy really enthusiastic reviews of our new album and we feel the same about it -might be our best to date.

Q: Let’s talk about this new album entitled “End Less Dreams” which comes four year after your previous full length. So the album has been composed during the pandemic and seems to reflect feelings you encountered during this period. Tell us a bit more about it and how did the album come alive?

Torulsson: This period has been quite challenging for me. So many things have changed in my world -disintegration of a long term relationship, corona restrictions, no gigs, and also important, I sensed so many changes in society due to the new crisis and dynamics. Well, probably many people have. It’s just that it added up to my introspections, re-questioning many things etc. Far from playing a victim or anything, I’m just saying I’ve been having a personal transitional period. I’ve discovered some things that I’m still processing. And at the same time I have begun to see my music explorations even broader, started a couple of new projects that are yet to see light, i.e. Flamingo Revolt, which is a new solo Indie-Pop-Rock project of mine, first single coming out in May.

As for Torul stuff that is on “End Less Dreams”, I got a very clear picture what I wanted and I’m very happy both with how smooth I’ve been writing and producing it, it’s always rewarding when the production of a new full length is effortless in terms of frustration and considering it as work -it was more like my playground, heading to the clear goal.

Q: Music and arts generally speaking have been seriously affected during the pandemic and lockdowns. But music also was a kind of therapy and cure for numerous people to hold on. How did it happen at your side and what’s the importance of arts, music and Torul?

Torulsson: As I’ve already described above, it was very personal and like a time -stamp of a very certain period of mine. I just knew this is like the most important thing to do and the very right time to do it. That part has been one of my few joys during the pandemic. Well, I also improved my routine a bit, doing more sports etc. But at the same time I coped with some weird form of depression, not like just feeling down or something, the sensation of loneliness and sadness crawled up to me and couldn’t get rid of it easily. It’s still there, but I understand it better, I understand it’s a process and try not to fight it, I try to live with it.

Q: What have been the different stages you’d to go through to compose and produce “End Less Dreams”? What have been the influences and eventually references when it comes to writing process and production? And what have been the main challenges and difficulties?

Torulsson: I can’t talk about influences, as usually, it’s a whole broth of them and never think about that -I have an empathy and appreciation of many different kinds of music and I sense music more like mood -boards, than individual isolated pieces. If you listen to our work with some attention, you can discover things that come from different fields, I think and am often recognized as having quite unique and eclectic approach inside of the genre. That is kind of important to me, as I also hear many genre music which is so full of cliches and copying stuff more or less directly. I am really not interested in doing stuff this way for Torul. I need something that will fulfil myself in the first place, not the audience -the audience must ‘understand’, haha… not to get me wrong, it’s just my hope they do.

Q: Torul is playing live again. What does it mean to be back on stage again and how would you define yourself as a live band? How do you transpose the songs from the studio to the stage?

Torulsson: Well, it’s a bit different now for us. I’m singing more than I used to and have more presence on stage, it’s a natural progression and kind of new one to me. I’m discovering myself as a performer more than I have in the past. We really love to play new material, all of us are enjoying it. It’s a very emotional and energetic performance. We are still developing it, gig after gig.

Q: You’re hailing from Slovenia. We for sure all know Borghesia and Laibach but I’m wondering about the underground ‘scene’ in your country. How does it look like considering bands, live venues, festivals, radio broadcasts, media etc. ?

Torulsson: There’s a lot going on in Slovenia within music, but all the scenes are more or less crumbled. We are only 2 million in total, so not every scene can develop -no critical mass. But audience can be curious and we see many different genres. A lot of concerts take place here, international ones as well. We do get radio play here, but not much on commercial radios, the same as everywhere, we know that on many radios there is no music editors really, there is a ‘model’, playlists that sell most commercial productions. That is the saddest thing for music industry really. So many great bands are overlooked these days.

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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Laibach issues statement as concert in Kyiv (Ukraine) gets canceled after social media drama

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 13:23:00 +0000

On February 22nd we announced that after Rome and some other bands playing in Kyiv, it’s now the turn of Laibach to perform a full show in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The concert was to take place at the Bel Etage Music Hall in Kyiv, Ukraine on 31 March 2023 but has now been canceled.

Unlike the original press promo, in our own news reporting we never talked about the band being the first non-Ukrainian band playing a full concert in Ukraine since the war broke out. That and some other past comments from band members has created some online drama. Sufficient for the band to issue a statement.

In the statement the band says that they “are not coming to Ukraine to be the first, second or third group to perform in your capital during the war, as some media reported, but as a clear expression of support for your country in this war.” Again, a bit odd since the official press release to the media exactly said that, “Laibach to become first foreign band to perform in Kyiv since invasion”, a communication error which never was published by Side-Line. The Guardian for instance did literally took over the press release just like hundreds of other media outlets who also enjoyed copying texts from one another 🙂 .

And we stay with The Guardian who printed the below fragment:

Also this Technik Art interview quote didn’t fare well for obvious reasons.

Regarding this the band says the following: “We must stress here that some of our statements, which may not have been in line with your thinking, were never intended to offend you in any way or to diminish the importance of your just struggle. Since the first days of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we have taken an unequivocal position and reiterated that there is no place for war in a modern society. Geopolitical issues cannot be resolved by armed attack and political incitement. We also immediately cancelled all planned appearances in Russia and in all interviews condemned Russia’s aggression in this war.” That’s correct, the band was one of the few to act promptly in the first days after the invasion started. They do say though that the war was ‘provoked’, but – and that is actually the main thing we all should focus on – they do also say that invading a country just because of some provocation is wrong, period. What is clear, is that every discussion regarding the pre-war politics remains extremely sensitive right now, but for everyone who has been working on Ukrainian projects during this wartime, it’s also clear that this discussion has – rightfully – no place now, something which Laibach should have understood.

The statement also reads that the band members love Russian literature, music and art but that they side with Ukraine: “We love Dostoyevsky, Bulgakov, Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, Mayakovsky, Tatlin, Rodchenko and El Lissitzky – to name but a few – and we always will. But in this senseless war between Russia and Ukraine, we are wholeheartedly on the side of Ukraine and its people, who – as in the old biblical story of David and Goliath – are fighting with dignity against a stronger enemy. We mourn with you for the innocent victims. We rejoice with you in your victories.”

And if that wasn’t clear enough they add: “To all those who doubt our views, let us therefore once again make it very clear that Russia is the main aggressor in this clash of destructive political and geostrategic interests. Russia’s army illegally entered foreign territory with weapons and started this terrible war. Ukraine therefore has every right to defend itself and must defend itself by all means. We support you unconditionally in this, that is why we are coming to Kiev and on this occasion we call on the world powers to sit down at the green table as soon as possible and end this unbearable slaughter and all other wars and military conflicts around the world.”

The band was to donate all the proceeds from ticket sales to charity, “with no strings attached” they say. The statement ends with the words: “Glory to Ukraine!” Ticket refunds are available from the point of purchase.

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Amerika’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach to perform in Kyiv, Ukraine on 31 March 2023

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:10:46 +0000

After Rome and some other bands playing in Kyiv, it’s now the turn of Laibach to perform a full show in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

The concert will take place at the Bel Etage Music Hall in Kyiv, Ukraine on 31 March 2023. While the rest of Europe prepares to celebrate its idea of freedom and solidarity on 9 May in Liverpool, Laibach will be taking Eurovision back to Ukraine – where it belongs and where the only true and real vision of Europe is taking place right now.

‘Eurovision’ is also the name of the special concert programme by the Slovenian band which will also feature “The Engine of Survival”, a brand new track set for release in 2023. With this concert in Kyiv, Laibach supports Ukraine and Ukrainians in their fight against Russian, and any other aggression.

All proceeds raised from the Kyiv concert will be donated to charity and animal aid working in Ukraine.

We at Side-Line are more than pleased to see more and more bands showing their support for the Ukrainian people. If you are new to Side-Line, know that in the past few months we have continuously kept Ukraine on the musical agenda via several charity releases that finance Ukrainian aid including also a special photobook.

Electronic Resistance – A Darkwave / Post-Punk Compilation From The Ukrainian Underground by Various Artists

Electronic Resistance – Reconstruction by Various Artists

Ukraina EP by Iwan Lovynsky & KingSMarine

For more on Laibach, see Laibach issues statement as concert in Kyiv (Ukraine) gets canceled… on Side-Line.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach returns with ‘Love is still alive’ EP on January 20th

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:30:42 +0000

Out on January 20th via Mute Records is the all new EP from Laibach. The “Love is still alive” EP is a journey through our solar system to Mars after the destruction of Earth and the Moon.

The song is taken from the “Iron Sky – The Coming Race” film (2019), directed by Timo Vuorensola. The video was created by komposter in collaboration with Laibach in 2019 already.

You can watch the video for “Love Is Still Alive I (Moon, Euphoria)” right below. It is the first piece of an 8-track EP due out on CD and digitally on 20 January 2023, before Laibach embark on the 2nd part of The Coming Race tour.

For more on Laibach, see Laibach to perform in Kyiv, Ukraine on 31 March 2023 on Side-Line.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach production duo Silence returns with first new studio album in 10 years

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 14:57:21 +0000

(Photos by Borut Peterlin) Silence, best known for their long-time collaboration with Laibach (which yielded two studio albums: “Volk” from 2006 and “The Sound of Music” from 2018), with whom they performed in North Korea, have recently released their first studio album in ten years, “The Vocabulary of Madness”. The album is out via The Pekinpah Association label.

Attention for the wokies, the album contains graphic cynicism that may be disturbing to you.

Silence is a Slovene duo consisting of Boris Benko (singer and songwriter) and Primož Hladnik (keyboards and arrangements). Their music is characterised by eclecticism, complex vocal arrangements, and meticulous production. The duet’s discography consists of five studio albums and four theatre soundtracks and the duet has scored more than fifty plays and dance performances.

“The Vocabulary of Madness” is released as a 32-page hardcover book with CD, consists of ten tracks.

The songs were co-produced and mastered by Silence’s long-time collaborator, Gregor Zemljič. In 1999 already, Zemljič co-produced “Unlike a Virgin”, Silence’s sophomore album.

Here’s what the duo says about the album: “‘The Vocabulary of Madness’ is therapy for those afflicted by so-called normality, by the ever-diminishing returns of business as usual. It is a committed – excuse the pun – attempt to turn psychoanalysis into a music genre. An album for the Jung at heart.”

The album is available from the label.

Here are a few tracks to check out already.

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Love is still alive’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach pay tribute to Leonard Cohen with a reinterpretation of ‘The Future’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 17:56:44 +0000

(Roger op den Camp) Laibach is paying tribute to Leonard Cohen with a reinterpretation of “The Future”, originally from Cohen’s 1992 studio album of the same name.

In an interview talking about the original, Leonard Cohen, who died 6 years ago today, said “’The Future’ is dark and funny. If I’d have nailed that to the church door like Martin Luther it’d be a very sinister document. But it’s married to a hot little dance track so, in a sense, the words melt into the music and the music melts into the words and you’re left with a kind of refreshment, a kind of oxygen.”

You can listen to Laibach’s “The Future” right below.

For more on Laibach, see Laibach production duo Silence returns with first new studio album in… on Side-Line.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach announces new EP ‘Love Is Still Alive’ for 2023 – New track & video available now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:54:32 +0000

(Photo by Roger op den Camp) Laibach has announced the first piece of an 8-track EP due out January 20 before the Slovenian collective embark on “The Coming Race” tour later this month. A vinyl edition will follow on March 3.

The “Love Is Still Alive” EP tracks the survivors’ journey through our solar system, and this trip is also a journey through some of the more “space” music genres of recent decades. The EP is an extension of music created for the film “Iron Sky – The Coming Race” (directed by Timo Vuorensola, 2019). Laibach’s music for “Iron Sky – The Coming Race” is (finally!) scheduled for release in 2023, alongside a specially created video game.

Here’s what the band says about the track’s concept: “This is the dawn of the third millennium of Mankind. The planet Earth, which we once knew as our home, is now nothing but a dead rock floating in space, destroyed by wars, pandemics, and all the evil that men do. So is the Moon, which once served as the stepping-stone into the vast universe, but later turned into a refuge for the last of us. Now, the remnants of mankind are hurling across the Universe on a single spacecraft, carrying the lucky few, saved from annihilation. They are heading for Mars, where all life once originated. They might have lost their history and their planet, but as long as they have a glimmer of hope and a guiding red light shining in the darkness, they will boldly go where no one has gone before – as long as love is still alive.”

Watch the video for “Love Is Still Alive I (Moon, Euphoria)” below.

Here’s the tracklisting for the “Love Is Still Alive” EP

Love Is Still Alive I (Moon, Euphoria)
Love Is Still Alive II (Venus, Libidine)
Love Is Still Alive III (Mercury, Dopamine)
Love Is Still Alive IV (Neptune, Oxytocin)
Love Is Still Alive V (Uranus, Prolactin)
Love Is Still Alive VI (Saturn, Insomnia)
Love Is Still Alive VII (Jupiter, Tristitia)
Love Is Still Alive VIII (Mars, Dysphoria)

Laibach – “The Coming Race” tour

October 26 – Ludwigshafen, Germany – Pfalzbau
October 27 – Schorndorf, Germany – Club Manufaktur
October 28 – Prague, Czech Republic – Palac Akropolis
October 29 – Bochum, Germany – Christuskirche
October 30 – Arnhem, Netherlands – Luxor Live
November 2 – Gdansk, Poland – B90
November 3 – Krakow, Poland – Klub Kwadrat
November 4 – Dresden, Germany – Kulturzentrum Strasse E
November 5 – Budapest, Hungary – A 38
January 23 – Lausanne, Switzerland – Les Docks
January 24 – Rostock, Germany – Nikolaikirche
January 25 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Bremen Teater
January 26 – Gothenburg, Sweden – Pustervik
January 28 – Helsinki, Finland – Savoy Theatre
January 29 – Tallinn, Estonia – Vaba Lava
January 31 – Stockholm, Sweden – Lilla Cirkus
February 1 – Oslo, Norway – Marmorsalen
February 2 – Aarhus, Denmark – VoxHall
February 3 – Berlin, Germany – Astra
February 4 – Leipzig, Germany – Schauspiel
February 6 – Munich, Germany – Muffathalle

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘The Future’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Venil – My Fears Are Not Strong Enough To Save Me (Album – Medication Time Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Experimental.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Venil is a French trio unleashing their debut album inspired by the spoiled world we’re living in.

Content: The work features 9 songs driven by electronic sequences, Industrial bombast -which might remind you of Laibach and Swans, and an experimental touch on top. The work is driven by heavy blasting sound treatments accentuated by guitar riffs. The vocals express rage, which is fitting by the themes the album is inspired with. The album however ends with a ‘softer’ cut.

+ + + : I like the way this opus has been built up. The hostile atmosphere supports a heavy, bombastic production empowered by repetitive, electronic sequences. Even if I aforementioned a few Industrial pioneers, Venil seems to strive for a very own sound identity. This is a great production featuring different noticeable cuts, but I especially recommend listening to “Enough”, “My” -which is a terrific opener, and “Not”.

– – – : I regret the work only features 9 songs including an instrumental intermezzo.

Conclusion: This is a great debut work, which will appeal for open-minded Industrial lovers.

Best songs: “Enough”, “My”, “Not”, “Fears”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: https://venil.xyz / www.facebook.com/venil.band

Label: www.facebook.com/medicationtimerecords

About Venil

Venil is the French trio of Alan Billi, Mikel Perez and Txomin Urriza. “My Fears Are Not Strong Enough To Save Me” was written between 2019 and 2021 and recorded with Amaury Sauve at The Apiary in Laval, France, between November 2020 and March 2021. The album was mixed by Sauve and mastered by Thibault Chaumont at Deviant Lab. Medication Time Records released the debut in September 2022 on double LP, alongside a companion film directed by Alan Billi featuring Malandain Ballet Biarritz and painter Julien Jaca.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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‘Click Interview’ with Monstergod: ‘I See “Ozymandias” As A Final Chapter Of Monstergod History’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Polish Monstergod-duo this year released their third official full length album “Ozymandias” by Space Race Records. Miłosz and Marek don’t exactly release new work at regular basis, which probably explains the sound is in constant progress. “Ozymandias” is mixing an impressive number of influences resulting in a kind of ‘Epic-Industrial-Pop-Metal’-work. It’s a major production mixing sensuality and bombast. I talked about this masterpiece with Marek.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Let’s get back to the origins of Monstergod. How did it all started and what was the main purpose when it comes to composition and production? And how did you see the project evolving?

Marek: Me and Miłosz have met about 2000, we became friends, talked about music, books, life etc and in 2003 or 2004 we decided to try making music together. We didn’t have any particular purposes, just wanted to make some music for fun and maybe play a few gigs around. So, it’s going. As well, we usually work on albums together. This time, during recording “Ozymandias”, I was more involved than before. For example I’ve recorded as a few of vocals.

Q: Let’s talk about your sources of inspiration, which are going further than only music. Literature and poetry seem to be very important for Monstergod. Tell us a bit more about these influences and the way you transpose literature and poetry into sound?

Marek: At the beginning of our music journey, we just wanted to make some music inspired by The Sisters Of Mercy, Suicide Commando and Laibach with great poetry of William Blake and Charles Baudelaire.

The general idea is still evolving by adding new inspirations and new poets. On “Ozymandias” we have added, for example, Friedrich Nietzsche to our lyric sources.

We usually make music first and after that we try to find lyrics for it. It’s not a sophisticated process. Much more interesting is how to find a unique sound to be not just a copycat of other bands but try to make something fresh. That’s why we try to use different instruments on our albums. Of course, what we do is based on electronic, computer-generated sounds but we’re not afraid to play bass, guitars, harp or even banjo or baglama. If something adds something unusual to the music – we would like to use it.

Q: How did the writing and production of “Ozymandias” happened? And tell us a bit more about the title, which must be inspired by Percy Bysshe Shelley?

Marek: “Ozymandias” is, in my opinion, the most dark and depressive album we have ever done. I started to work on demos back in 2018 but most of the material was created in Covid pandemic. Title song “Ozymandias” was composed as one of the last songs. I wanted something to open the album, to show how we evolve from electronic to epic choir, bass and guitar sound.

I always liked Shelley’s poem. I had no idea how to use it on music. After watching “Alien Covenant” with so great opening scene and declamation of this poem by one of main characters –David, I knew I have to use it at least as a vocal sample. After recording music I added vocals, choirs and used the whole poem as lyric.

Q: Sound-wise this album is a great mix of influences resulting in a kind of ‘Epic-Industrial-Metal-Pop’-production. What is the sound all about and what have been the input of all members and guests -but especially Dariusz ‘Daray’ Brzozowski in the final production?

Marek: When we started to mix this album I had all of the songs as open music projects ready to be changed if any ideas come up. Once I asked Cesar Soto from Ministry to help me record guitars for “Austere”. He agreed, but after receiving tracks I decided to change a bit an arrangement. Filip ‘Heinrich’, who mixed the album, added bass, some synths and asked me to record live drums with his friend. A moment later, we called Daray to help us.

Daray is a great drummer, probably the best I’ve ever met. He’s a true professional. I had all the drum parts written in midi, Daray played them all adding his own flavor, music sense and feelings. After recording I was more than surprised how it all sound together.

The real hero in this album production was Filip Heinrich who spent hours on calls with me but was also open to record some additional instruments or even changed some arrangements. Without him the album wouldn’t sound as it is.

Q: I experienced “Ozymandias” as a noticeable evolution in sound, but where do you place this work in the band’s history? And how did you see Monstergod evolving over the years?

Marek: Creating music for fun as I do means to find new ideas. I don’t want to record another identic album. It’s boring. I’m not focused on selling CDs or counting streaming incomes so I can experiment, I can always try to add something new to the sound or sing in German, hahaha. But, at the moment, I see “Ozymandias” as a final chapter of Monstergod history. I have no idea how to evolve further with this project.

Q: “Ozymandias” has been released in dark- and uncertain times. Do you think music and arts generally speaking can bring relief and maybe a solution by connecting people?

Marek: “Ozymandias” is also a reflection of times we live in and my own personal problems I was struggling with. I make music for myself to deal with my own demons and it’s my way getting a relief. If somebody else could get it in the same way –great, but if you feel it too depressive –sorry, do not blame me. Read the review of ‘Ozymandias’.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Ukranian post-industrial act Ship Her Son lands all new EP, ‘Alles wird gut’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 09:35:44 +0000

“Alles wird gut” is the third EP for the Ukranian post-industrial act Ship Her Son and the ninth release for the Dnipropop label. The work on the release started more than a year ago and was finalized during a period of the full-scale war beginning.

In a reaction Anton Shiferson goes further into detail on what effect this had: “This, for sure, was reflected both in the sound/mood in general and in the themes of individual tracks. There are no soul-warming quotes or recipes of traditional cuisine here – it is, rather, a complete story about the crisis state of man and his worldview, where there is still some room for irony and hope.”

The Ukrainian post-industrial electronic one-man band was formed in Lviv in 2020 by Anton Shiferson. The band brings a combination of ironic German speech and a cold mixture of EBM, darkwave, electro-industrial, and techno which is heavily influenced by bands like Einstürzende Neubauten, Front 242, Skinny Puppy, Laibach, Wumpscut, and a big dose of experimental metal. Lyrical themes contain many references to Ukrainian life, culture, traditions, and local meme-heroes.

The project started with two EPs in the summer of 2020 and in May 2021 the debut album “Essen” was released. In June 2021 the Ship Her Son remix of Till Lindemann’s single “Ich hasse Kinder” was released in the digital version and in early Spring of 2022, right after the war started in Ukraine, the band joined 54 other Ukrainian bands to participate in Side-Line’s “Electronic Resistance” mastodont release which raised money for aid towards Ukraine. A band to follow for sure!

Here’s the download on Bandcamp.

ALLES WIRD GUT – EP by SHIP HER SON

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Murmur Of Monks – Laibachesque (EP – Murmur Of Monks)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Cinematic, Industrial, Experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Murmur Of Monks is a Belgian solo-project driven by ‘Humwawa’. The title of this new work reveals what it’s all about. Laibach seems to have been a famous source of inspiration for Murmur Of Monks so the work is meant as an ode to the great Slovenian project.

Content: The EP features 5 songs, which have been composed and adapted by the sound and style of Laibach. I can’t say that it sounds like a copy-paste of Laibach, but the cavernous production of the vocals and some symphonic arrangements are clearly reminding me of this band.

+ + + : Murmur Of Monks doesn’t hide its influences, but clearly claims what has been the main source of inspiration in its own work and writing. But the main strength is that it doesn’t sound like an emulation of Laibach, but just an adaptation and transformation into its own sound. I like the obscure sphere supporting the work, the slow cadence and the deeply, reverberating timbre of voice.

– – – : I personally prefer previous work of this project. I’m missing a true climax.

Conclusion: Murmur Of Monks remains a project with a true potential and a different approach than the average Industrial project.

Best songs: “Jesus Christ Moviestar”, “Opus Diaboli”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/murmurofmonks

About Murmur Of Monks

Murmur Of Monks is a Belgian solo-project based in Torhout, driven by the artist known as Humwawa. The project draws on influences including Dead Can Dance, Morbid Angel and Laibach, and records at a home studio referred to as “Torture Tomb”. Releases include the albums “Artista Non Grata” and “Sol Oriens”.

The EP “Laibachesque”, reviewed here, is presented as a direct tribute to Laibach.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Click Interview with First Aid 4 Souls: ‘There Is Trouble Ahead…’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Driven by István Gazdag the Hungarian Electro project First Aid 4 Souls remains a prolific and top notch formation. For the new album “I Am The Night” –released by Alfa Matrix, István renewed the experience working with his compatriot ‘Mortum’ as vocalist. The main difference with previous productions, which were often driven by sophisticated EBM influences, is the evolution in sound. First Aid 4 Souls injected, heavy, epic/orchestral, arrangements to the sound resulting in a heavy, bombastic work. The music creates a perfect match with the conceptual theme of the album around paintings from different international artists. “I Am The Night” is a Soundtrack for these painting.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

I Am The Night (Bonus Version) by FIRST AID 4 SOULS

Q: First Aid 4 Souls is now active for 15 years. You released multiple productions so can you draw up the balance sheet of the past 15 years? What have been the highlights and biggest deceptions?

István: We’ve started at the apex, thanks to the legendary publisher Some Bizarre, publishing us with a double CD back in 2008. I’ve had the opportunity to mix bands like Coil, Soft Cell, Cabaret Voltaire, Swans, Test Dept, Einstürzende Neubauten or Depeche Mode on the second CD.

Our album “Deathstep” was also a big hit, and our latest joint work with Mortum (Human Vault) entitled “I Am The Night” is considered a great success within the industry.

In the name of being unpredictable we’ve published a Psy-Rock album, full of real guitar riffs and old-school sci-fi tones. This however, caught no one’s attention.

Q: Your newest album “I Am The Night” is a particular conceptual work which seems to be a Soundtrack for paintings from different artists, right? How did you get the idea of this concept and how did you manage the different stages from the choice of the paintings till the music?

István: Back in the days I was aiming to become an art historian; I’ve had forty conscious years of picking the right pictures. Amongst the main themes are manly attitude, and a darker viewpoint of our world.

Tracks are recomposing the original paintings to the smallest details. Light, bound to canvas, can morph back into vibration this way.

Q: You already experienced working with concepts and artistic themes (like “Keep This World Empty”). What makes a conceptual release that exciting and what means ‘arts’ to you -and especially during the lockdowns where people were no longer allowed to cultural events?

István: These days, culture is not a trendy call-sign. One can only rebel against apathy and ignorance through action. A higher level of this is ‘total art’, where high culture is a starting point in composing.

People are generally devoid of all presence, being in lockdown or not. COVID did not change much about this.

Q: “I Am The Night” also brings a different approach in sound which is clearly driven by Epic/Orchestral arrangements. What have been the main sources of inspiration and references to produce this work? And did you notice important changes/evolutions in the global writing process?

István: Will, Coil, Laibach or the In The Nursery are all fantastic when it comes to harmony and Kevin Key is still an in exhaustive source of inspiration to me.

Nowadays symphony can fit on a pendrive. This helps a tremendous amount when it comes to creating the euphony by producers.

Q: A few years ago now you signed to Alfa Matrix. Do you notice and experience major differences being signed to a leading label? And what do you expect from labels today?

István: Alfa Matrix represents a status for us. Being an important company, financial accounting is much more manageable.

Underground publishers are fighting for their survival these days. Promotion may be better with them, but soon enough these stars will fade…

Q: You also started to re-release ‘older’ productions revealing ‘reworked’ songs. Does it mean you weren’t satisfied with the original recordings and do you see yourself as a perfectionist? What did you try to improve?

István: In the past ten years my knowledge of mastering and audio techniques have massively improved. Yes, I’m a perfectionist, and I have a strong inner drive to be able to roar louder and more effectively.

No one can tell that we haven’t said it enough times; there is trouble ahead…

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Belgian drone artist Phil Maggi explores ‘imaginal’ ideas of French philosopher Henry Corbin on new album ‘The Encrimsoned’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 12:46:03 +0000

(Photo by Geoffrey Meuli) The Liège based Belgian drone artist Phil Maggi (Ultraphallus, IVA BEDLAM, Cities A.D.) explores ‘imaginal’ ideas of French philosopher Henry Corbin on his new album “The Encrimsoned” which is dedicated to Hardy Fox (The Residents) and which began which began with the 2018 release “Animalwrath”. The album is out on September 20th via the Sub Rosa label.

Maggi enlisted an ensemble of collaborators for the final recordings including Radwan Ghazi Moumneh (Jerusalem In My Heart) (voice, organ, noise), Maja Jantar (voice), and Tom Malmendier (drums, objects) – who all played on the first volume “Animalwrath” – as well as new recruits Xaviere Fertin (bass clarinet, clarinet) and Sebastien Schmit (Drums, gongs, steel tongue drum, percussion).

Watch “The Encrimsoned” teaser below.

About Phil Maggi

Phil Maggi (1980) is the founding vocalist of the heavy-rock band Ultraphallus, the creator of electronic avant-pop combo IVA BEDLAM and has developed an extensive body of work as a solo musician with releases on labels including Idiosyncratics and Sub Rosa Records. He also participates as an improviser in the Qumrân Grounds project and is involved in numerous other collaborations.

With his various projects, he has shared the stage and/or collaborated with Keith Rowe, Philippe Petit, Oxbow, KK Null, Tuxedomoon, Thor Harris, Hey Colossus, Nadja, Moe, Hati, Batur Somnez, Jerusalem In My Heart, Sote, Phill Niblock among others. He has also closely collaborated with Radwan Ghazi Moumneh (Jerusalem In My Heart), Brooklyn hip-hop legend SENSATIONAL, Eugene Robinson (Oxbow), Thisquietarmy, Yannick Franck (aka RAUM), Maja Jantar, Oren Bloedow (Elysian Fields), ssaliva and many more.

About the Sub Rosa label

Sub Rosa is a record label based in Brussels specializing in avant-garde music, electronic music, world music and noise music. Directed by Guy-Marc Hinant and Frédéric Walheer, Sub Rosa has released over 250 titles of experimental, drone music, noise music, Musique concrète, ritual music and film music.

Sub Rosa was established at the end of the ‘80s, and expanded its catalogue in the mid-‘90s through the release of electronic music. The soundtrack album by Laibach for the Neue Slowenische Kunst production “Baptism” was one of the labels’ early releases.

The label has also released archival material related to prominent twentieth-century avant-garde figures such as Marcel Duchamp, William S. Burroughs, James Joyce, and Kurt Schwitters. Sub Rosa also releases material from a number of important electronic music composers, such as (Luc Ferrari, Henri Pousseur, Tod Dockstader, Nam June Paik, Francisco López); and traditional music from around the world in anthologies of Inuit sound, the Master Musicians of Joujouka, Tibetan music and Bhutanese music, recorded by John Levy).

An interesting label, for the more ecclectic minds.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Parzival – Ordalium (Album – Moondrop Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 21 May 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Epic, Electro, Industrial, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: “Ordalium” is the eleventh album of Danish based Parzival. It also is the first part of the “Tradition And Discipline”-trilogy.

Content: The work features 4 extended cuts going a few seconds over the ten minute mark. The work of Parzival remains easy to recognize, characterized by the impressive Electro/Epic arrangements mixed with deep growls. The songs have an uplifting effect which sometimes evolves into a true climax. You’ll also notice passages featuring bagpipes and chants accentuating the Epic aspect.

+ + + : Some should say Parzival is an emulation of Laibach but I think it’s just an influence. The epic/orchestral approach sounds more constant than the work of Laibach and is often darker. The songs reflect pure drama created by Electro-bombast and growling vocals. I like the sound of bagpipes running through “Bottomless Pit” but the absolute highlight is “Toads And Vipers” for its elevating and even transcendental effect.

– – – : The main strength of Parzival remains its particular and pretty unique sound constructure. You like it or not, and if you don’t like it I’m afraid you’ll rapidly stop listening. I can’t get enough of it!

Conclusion: Parzival didn’t change their good-old success formula driven by a unique Industrial/Epic sound.

Best songs: “Toads And Vipers”, “Bottomless Pit”, “Petty Pride”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/parzivalband

Label: www.facebook.com/moondroprecordsdk

About Parzival

Parzival formed in Denmark in 1996 out of the industrial group Stiff Miners. The band counts ten albums under the Parzival name, or twelve when the Stiff Miners records are included, and has moved across martial industrial, symphonic EBM, atmospheric metal, darkwave and electro, with folk material from Russia, Europe and Asia feeding into the arrangements. Live appearances include Wave-Gotik-Treffen, NCN, Nocturnefest and Entremuralhas.

“Ordalium” was released on 29 April 2022 by Moondrop Records and holds four tracks: “Petty Pride”, “Bottomless Pit”, “Toads And Vipers” and “Island Of Despair”. The vinyl edition was pressed on transparent red vinyl in a run of 150 copies with a printed inner sleeve. The label placed the record next to the 2012 album “Die Kulturnacht” and announced “Grimoire” and “Teurgia” as the remaining parts of the “Tradition And Discipline” trilogy.

The band discussed its working method in the ‘Click Interview’ with Parzival published on Side-Line in October 2022.

Inferno Sound Diaries

www.side-line.com

Bands cancel shows in Russia, others are still scheduled (but for how long)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 15:35:16 +0000

Photo by James Owen on Unsplash

In the past week, several acts have canceled upcoming shows in Russia. While some artists point towards the war in Russia for canceling their concerts, others just removed the dates from their agenda without any explanation, such as The Pixies. Nick Cave for instance has canceled his summer tour dates in Russia and Ukraine, while praising the “brave people of Ukraine.”

Other bands like Laibach, Godflesh, Static-X, Till Lindemann, Lebanon Hanover, She Past Away, Oscar & the Wolf, Disclosure, Lacrimas Profundere, Tricky, Morcheeba, Fatboy Slim, Bjork, My Chemical Romance, Behemoth and Slipknot are still scheduled to play though this can change anytime as we pulled this info from ticket vendor websites who still offer tickets.

At the same time Live Nation Entertainment has announced that it will cease all business activity with Russia.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

side-line.com

Laibach announce new album ‘Wir sind das Volk (ein Musical aus Deutschland) – check a first track: ‘Ich will ein Deutscher sein’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 16:01:59 +0000

(Photo by Valter Leban) Out on March 25 on Mute is an all new Laibach album, “Wir sind das Volk (Ein Musical aus Deutschland)”. The record will be available on digital platforms as well as a deluxe CD format with extensive sleeve notes. A double vinyl edition will follow on June 10.

The album collates music from the acclaimed theatrical production “Wir sind das Volk” (“We are the People”), which premiered at Hebbel am Ufer (HAU) theater in Berlin on February 8, 2020. Two more shows were performed before the production was halted due to the pandemic. In 2021 Laibach opened the Klagenfurt Festival with a Slovenian version of the same production and performed two more sold out shows at Ljubljana’s Kino Šiška.

Performances will resume in March 2022 at Berlin’s HAU with more confirmed for Zagreb, Ljubljana, Hamburg, Maribor and in the Cultural Capital of Europe, Novi Sad. Full details will be announced soon.

Here’s already the video for “Ich will ein Deutscher sein”.

About the “Wir sind das Volk” theatrical production

“Wir sind das Volk” is based upon the writings of Heiner Müller (1929-1995). Laibach’s own association with the theater began in 1984 when they composed music for Heiner Müller’s “Quartet”, a play that was presented at the Slovenian National Theatre in Ljubljana. The following year they met Müller in Berlin who suggested that they collaborate. Müller went on to use Laibach’s music in a production, but the collaboration never happened until the head of the International Heiner Müller Society, Anja Quickert, proposed a posthumous project based on Müller’s texts.

Laibach explain: “We followed Heiner Müller’s own strategy of cutting and rearranging the material, taking his text and putting it into another context, rebooting it with music, in order to drag the audience into it or alienate them from it. Music unlocks the emotions and is therefore a great manipulative tool and a powerful propagandistic weapon. And that’s why a combination of Heiner Müller, who saw theatre as a political institution, and Laibach, can be nothing else but a musical.”

Quickert goes on to say this: “This project finally brings together what should have happened a long time ago: Laibach and the German playwright and poet Heiner Müller together. The myth of the nation cannot be buried as long as ghosts undermine its foundation. ‘Dialogue with the dead must not be interrupted until it is revealed which part of the future was buried with them.’ Welcome to the abyss of the nation!”

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Love Is Still Alive’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

side-line.com

’30 Years Of Journalism – Celebration Interview’ with Ben Watkins aka Juno Reactor

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 16 May 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Back in 1991 I started writing my first reviews for Side-Line magazine. I would have never thought to go on writing reviews and making interviews non-stop for 30 years. So 2021 is a special year to me, a kind of ‘celebration year’. I got the idea to celebrate this special event by interviewing people from the scene who all have a special meaning to me. ‘Journalists’ have to remain neutral, but it doesn’t take a way we all have our own favorite artists. Juno Reactor is one of my all-time favorites. Instigator Ben Watkins is an artist who each time again takes me by surprise. His work is mixing influences like Psy-Trance, Tribal and Cinematographic music. The Juno Reactor sound has something special featuring elements you directly recognize; a true sound-DNA. I already got the opportunity to interview Ben Watkins before, but I’ve been deeply touched he accepted to answer questions for this special interview. Great artists aren’t only composing great music; they’re still accessible and humble persons. I’d an endless number of questions to ask. Ben took his time to answer and it finally resulted in one of the most informative and complete Juno Reactor interviews ever. Thanks Ben and respect!

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

‘I Was Smitten By Girls And Rock’

Q: What have been your first experiments as a musician? What have been the triggers and, which were your favorite bands as a teenager?

Ben: I was born into a family of five kids, I was the second, my parents had both been actor’s. When I was between 5 and 6 years old I would wait for my brother in my classroom to finish his school -I would have about an hour, so about 10 of us kids and a teacher would do drawing, games etc. One day I suggested we do a “Top Of The Pops” (a popular TV show); I formed a band with air-minus-everything, sat my mate Jason down on drums as he had the biggest nose like Ringo Star, can’t remember the others; we would make what surely was a cacophony of made-up words and stamping to the beat. “She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah” must have rung out beyond the classroom as the headmaster, a demonstrative man, with a liking for beating kids with his sports shoe would appear at the window looking very irritated. As it was not the first time I had had the unwarranted shoe across my backside, a shiver would go down my back as his eyes and Hitler moustache bobbed above the door partition.

These pleasant heady afternoons were soon banned due to the repetition of “She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah”. I noticed the rather large female teacher was pretty good at the piano, So I asked if I could have lessons, even her non-stop smoking didn’t not put me off.

The headmaster had too much of a liking for giving me a sore ass, so I asked my parents if I could move school. I had joined the parish choir, the choirmaster was a man named Roy Massey. Roy Massey was cool and pushed me as he liked my voice. He suggested I go to a Cathedral Choir school and apply for a scholarship.

First I went to audition at St Pauls Cathedral in London. It was a bleak audition, I didn’t prepare enough, and glad I escaped what reminded me of a Charles Dickens movie. Next was Chichester. I could breathe in this atmosphere, I passed the audition of 200 kids for one place and felt very puffed up with myself, knowing my parents didn’t have to pay for my education.

Picture by Sanja Karin Music

Violin followed, along with daily practise -7 am wake up, 30 minutes piano or violin practise. 8 am breakfast, 8:30 practise piano violin, 9 am going to the classroom, 12:00 choir practise, lunch then school, sports, choir practise, choir service, dinner, do homework, play free games, practise then bed. This went on for 4 years along with a new disciplinary teacher who equally enjoyed punishment -this time a cane, up the wide massive stairs of the bishops palace, down a long dark corridor, knock, explain my crime, ‘Ben-d over Watkins’, a leather chair which when bent over lifted my behind into the perfect position. 6 whacks later, my hands firmly on my butt, dark bruises would appear later in the night. I had been born again to the boy I should have been in the first place.

Music school and punishment always seemed interlinked. Even now it annoys me that the first headmaster refused to put my name on the scholarship board, what a cunt. His name was Mr. Sandford.

I survived Chichester, I became the head of House, by this time I was no longer beaten, and had a champion in Mr. Ross, the disciplinary teacher, sports freak alto in the choir with a certain eye for pubescent males. I was good at winning in Rugby, as we had the biggest 13-year-old god or whoever made him, like a superhero he would destroy other schools and me riding on his coattails basked in his glory. Mr. Ross showed me how to take down a man, so we did with as much aggression as possible when he joined in.

I left Chichester, a remnant from the stone age of how not to teach a dyslexic kid like me through corporal punishment on how to learn -I didn’t. My choirmaster at Chichester I must say was equally odd, looking like Eric Malcombe (a British comedian). He again had a draconian delight in making sure the boys of the choir feared him, his eyes would hover over you like the follow spots of a prison camp from high above us in the organ loft. He had two mirrors focused on us, and if you looked up, the Vampire of Bela Lugosi would be there. I can’t say I cried when he died a few years ago, as I still hold a dagger that was thrown too many times my way.

So Wells Cathedral school was next, my introduction to the female sex… well, bye bye learning, OK practise the violin, do all the rest, then focus on bands, Led Zep, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Alice Cooper, Queen, glam rock. I was smitten by girls and rock. My mate Simon Baggs was older and had a car, we would venture out of the school across to Glastonbury plateaus, a labyrinthian set of roads through old mash lands, country pubs to drink cider, smoke John Players Special fags, and listen to his 8 tracks (?) as the beams of his car entered the mists of the backcountry lanes. Alice Cooper’s “Love It To Death” album never sounded so sweet. I continued exploring musical possibilities by experimenting with my first band Spiritual Sky, influenced by David Bowie, whose concerts was the first I went to, the Aladdin Sane tour at the Earls Court Stadium.

‘I Was Listening To D.A.F. And I Realised This Is The Future’

Q: Hailing from London (UK) I can imagine the late 70s and 80s have been fascinating years when it comes to music and the (r)evolution of Electronic music. What did these years mean to you and do you still feel an impact today?

Ben: I left school when I was 16/17 with the intent of going to a music college. At that time I played classical guitar, and would practise 8 hours a day, and got quite OK on it. I flunked the first audition as I didn’t present a second instrument. This depressing point changed the course of my life, I was so annoyed by myself, I stopped playing classical guitar and got more into songs of Dylan and people like John Martin. Smoked a ton of dope, started busking, went off to Paris with a semi pyscho guy called Lynn, a man with an addiction to Valium and a crushing right hand as a rhythm guitarist, and spent the summer playing on the streets of Saint Michelle and the Champs Elysée. After months of being arrested (and sometimes put into prison -the police were quite nice and would give me beers to play) I had had enough. I wanted to form a band! Due to my parents lengthily separation and all the conflicts attached to it, starting since I was 9, and final divorce shortly after my return home from Paris, life diverted and I ended up establishing a rehearsal room in the now deserted parental house, where I and my older brother would continue living alone, experiencing the newly found peace and evolving musical projects while rehearsing with my first band Panther. I started gigging, Punk-Rock was kicking off! I was playing, now with my band Rainstorm, the same pubs as the Sex Pistols, Japan, The Stranglers amongst others, we did a tour withThe Frankie Miller Band. A Glasgow singer that should have been born in Memphis -a great singer, wild and very much a Glaswegian. Back then I was booking shows from a red phone box -coins every 30 seconds. Rainstorm turning into I.O.U., we played pretty much every music pub in the country. I really wish I’d kept my bass player from I.O.U. for my next musical project, a guy named Ian Taylor, who I had a natural affinity with.

I was bored of being skint and driving up and down the country for 2 years in our Box Transit with 6 aircraft seats, a PA we had on HP (higher purchase/credit) and going nowhere, fun but nowhere. One time we had to be rescued by the police near Shropshire in Winter, heavy snow blocked the roads at midnight, and the Transit was stranded and being snowed in, the guitarist, also called Ben, had icicles forming on his moustache. I remember crossing fields alone to find a house, first one wouldn’t help us, onto another who did ring the rescue, six of us stuff into a police car -never felt so good.

I partnered up with some musicians an A&R man from CBS suggested. The A&R man was a guy called Chas de Whalley, the brother of a friend of mine from back in the days of the headmaster with a penchant for corporal punishment. We, The Hitmen, went on to be signed to CBS after a year of rehearsals and songs that sounded like a primitive AI had made for a pop audience. Much to the chagrin of CBS, the management and the band, we were incredibly unsuccessful despite all the money and machinery CBS provide. I hated it, the mentality of playing the same notes, in-jokes and seriously underwhelming emotions. I had to leave as I couldn’t stomach The Hitmen any more, the characters in the band were the antithesis of my mental state or desire. Luckily the second album decided to shoot itself in the head, due to too much fighting, no focus and CBS’s realisation The Hitmen were doomed.

Phil Manzanero’s studio (the guitarist of Roxy Music) was a white circular house -I had never seen anything like it! The engineer was a guy called Ian Little. We had made the last Hitmen record there, and I got on with him well. We talked nearly the same language, as opposed to the disconnect with the band. He wanted to make an avant-garde album, free of doctrine -just do what you want. So for a few tracks I threw away all concern and I was to be David Bowie, imagining myself on an alternative “Lodger”-album. Nothing was written, all just improvised. The band was called New Asia… This set my brain off into new ways of writing, like Brian Eno, as studios were expensive and this gave me a chance to experiment.

Picture by Sanja Karin Music

So in the ’70s and ’80s it felt like I was always playing catch up with what other people were doing. I had had the band signed to CBS – it sounded like another band (Elvis Costello mix), or my previous bands -we didn’t sound particularly individual. It was only when I was sick enough of all the ego’s, bullshit or the hatred that you got from possibly jealous band members, that when I got introduced to a drum machine and a sequencer I realised I could get rid of half the band. I was listening to D.A.F. -it was a two-piece and I realised this is the future.

I met Youth (the bass player of Killing Joke) in ’82, around the time when he had just left Killing Joke and was looking to start a new band, which became Brilliant. I was the only guy he knew with a sequencer so for a short time I joined. Toured UK and Spain. We went on to record under the Name The Youth & Ben Watkins on the “The Empty Quarter”-album and “The Empty Quarter” on the “Delirium” album. Both albums were extremely quick in making; first album -the official soundtrack to Jonathan Moore’s stage play “Street Captives” -2 days. Written, recorded and mixed with predominantly pulsating bass lines, drums, early Greengate samplers and synthesizers. Second album -5 days. We recorded “Delirium”, focusing more on rhythms and Electronic elements with still some instrumental aspect, ranging from Tribal to Industrial to Gothic-Funk. So many funny stories with Youth -the time in Spain on the evacuation of the tour, as it all fell apart after Barcelona; we took all our equipment back on the train, decided to eat all of our dope before the French border. By the time we arrived at midnight, the French border police wanted to play games with this group of English stoners. ‘Who is this woman’ they said, referring to a passport. We all looked and couldn’t identify her? ‘Go find her…’ so we all went looking on the train platform, bewildered and laughing, about an hour later we returned to their pigeon hole and asked to look again, as no way was she still on the platform. Upon second look we realised it was me they were referring to… Ha. Ha.

I heard DAF and Suicide around this time, I was saved! This music spoke to me. My grandmother died and left me 200£ which I immediately spent on a Roland MC 202, a sequencer with one monophonic synth. On HP I bought a cheap drum machine and a Moog Rogue. I formed The Flowerpot Men with Adam Peters, a classical cellist, who later became Echo And The Bunnymen’s orchestrator.

Our first single sold well for an underground track. We toured with Dead Or Alive and Siouxsie And The Banshees. Steven Severin of the Banshee’s produced the first “Single Joe’s So Mean to Josephine”, a dark murderous story I had read in the papers. The police knew who had killed the woman in bed, but couldn’t work out how Joe had managed to tie himself up. For the track I expanded on the story a bit. The 202 was driving this with the added influences of T.Rex, sort of a suicide inspired track. It charted in the indie charts and you could hear it being played by John Peel on BBC Radio 1 and loads of underground Gothic Dj’s. “Jo’s So Mean (to Josephine)” was also on our own independent record label, Compost Records.

In 1985 we recorded a cover of Dr Johns “Walk On Gilded Splinters” with Dr John on guest vocals, at Run DMC’s Studio In Nostrand Ave, Brooklyn NY. The B side featured a track called “Melting Down On Motor Angel” which was an elongation of the new drug MDMA, which we sampled on a roof garden on 8th Street watching a shoot-out down below. “Melting Down On Motor Angel” was also the album title to Sunsonic’s only album.

Around this time also, Sigue Sigue Sputnik started turning up to our gigs in full dress, noting down all we were doing, later to make their own version of our madness. A single a year, then along came Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in 1986 completely out of the blue.

Another EP “Alligator Bait”, four songs inspired again by the time in New York… what wasn’t great about New York at that time? So much vibe, parties, gigs, the Danceteria, hanging out with artists, musicians, actors, painters, just walking down the street was like being in a Kojak episode, I loved it!

We were building a nice audience when Adam decided to go produce a Punk band in Denmark instead of headlining the Temple of Gothic achievement -the Camden Palace. The Flowerpot Men were no more.

Yello had come into my life with the “80 – 85”-remix album, it never left the record player, Sonic Youth, Front 242, most of the Mute Records catalogue, Beggars Banquet label, ZTT were making records I could only dream of creating…

So rethink time, 9 months of thinking, writing; rave music came in 86/87, early parties hanging out with KLF in their squat. Sometimes engineering their remixes, or going on the highland adventures with the KLF, making a copy of “The Wicker Man” for all KLF’s licencees, flown onto a small island on the Western Isles (the same place they burnt a million pounds in the name of art and cocaine), so like a twat, as again I was skint I did the opposite of good, and tried and succeed in going and signing with another major label, this time Polydor Records and with my Flowerpot partner, I started Sunsonic. Part of the deal was they build us a studio to save on costs, so what seemed a cool idea -and was in some ways -was us investing into learning how (and not) to become an engineer, an album that should have taken a few months turned into two years and sounded like it: over thought under inspired.

I worked with Alex Paterson (The Orb) again and formed a short-lived band called Peace In The Middle East, same name as the track we created, a sort of goodwill floppy dance sounding workout, nothing special.

When there was so much great quick music being made we were in creative limbo. So the impact changed. Find a new way to present a band, no longer did I want the ego of one partner, I wanted a collective or collaborators and keep the vibe and atmosphere good and exciting.

Adam left for the USA, I stayed and started Juno Reactor.

‘Juno Reactor Was Set Up As An Art Collective’

Q: I think Juno Reactor was originally set up as an art collective/gallery, right? Who was involved? What was it all about and how did it finally become a music collective centred around you?

Ben: Juno Reactor was set up as an art collective, with writers, installation artists, filmmakers, etc. Norma Fetcher, my girlfriend, took a surface to air missile and we drove it around London down past Parliament Square, Big Ben, Whitehall on a flatbed truck, with armoured personal carriers front and back whilst dressed as Arabs -an anti Gulf War protest, and installed it into an art Gallery, the Diorama, that was owned by the Queen and had a perfect silo shape in the middle where the rocket was newly erected. For this, I wrote “Luciana” -really Juno Reactor’s first album, which was also a suggestion of Jimmy Cauty (KLF) that I should do an hour mix as he had just done, as an experiment. The trouble with art was funding and much easier for me to get musical backing so it folded as soon as it began. Although R&S Records did sponsor that show as I had released a track called “I Love You” under the name of Electrotete with future JR musician Stephan Holweck (who later became Total Eclipse), a crazy French guy and brilliant bass player who also lived in the Benio squat with Jimmy.

The main people in the first two Juno Reactor albums were: Mike Maquire, a great guy I met at the distribution company Greyhound, when releasing a self-released title “Pycho SlapHead”, a brutal rave track with a sense of murderous humour. Mike was great, he had been in India many times and loved the early scene where DJ’s were already playing my tracks. I had to find out more, so we went into my studio in Bowl Court and Mike turned me on to the current sound of India. As it was so close to my Electronic sound it was an easy hop onto a train – Sci-Fi Landscapes, my 202 still purring like a train, we made the track “High Energy Protons”. Mike took it to India and immediately it became a big track there and abroad: Japan, Greece, France, Germany and UK. Tracks kept on hoping out in two or three days, with Stephan Holweck and Mike and soon we had about nine or ten tracks, so I took them up to Mute Records, intending to only perhaps sell one track. They loved it and wanted the album!

No one knew what this music was, so they called it intelligent Techno, albums were selling, gigs were happening, I was feeling more comfortable about the debts of Sunsonic being paid off.

‘For Me It Was A Sci-Fi Scene For Acid Party People’

Q: The singles “Laughing Gas” and “High Energy Protons” plus the debut album “Transmissions” (1993) were into Goa-Trance. Back in time this genre was something totally new and often introduced as ‘Electronics for hippies’. What did you keep in mind from this album and how did you see the Goa-Trance movement evolving?

Ben: Well, I never saw it as music for hippies -for me it was a Sci-fi scene for acid party people, hippies were still listening to Dylan in my mind. I had come from the Industrial-Rock routes, with heavy sense or brutal Electronica, which was also being played out in India, so for me, it was not much of a diversion, more like an extension of what I had already been doing. So I hooked up with Mike and Johann Bley, a great writer and drummer, who lived in Goa for 6 months of the year whilst I stayed in the UK and carried on writing tracks. Youth by this time was also indulging in holidays out there. It was a great way to write with no commercial interest, and just get what was great feedback from India and the parties. Essentially it was a very positive way of producing after what was a rather grim time whilst with Sunsonic.

“Transmissions” was the first real beginning of something special, Mike Maguire – Stephan Holweck – Johann Bley even Turnip the Swede Jens Walderbeck, had an important part to play in the new playground. Mike and Johann would go to Goa and live there for 6 months of the year, send feedback on tracks, that even in these days of fire hilltop communication, managed to pass on the vibe of the parties, as I worked on new tracks to send out, or wait for their return. I had no idea of the lazy days on the beaches, rented houses year round, with cleaners and cooks, small or large jungle parties where monkeys would be interactive with the monkeys our tracks (“Jungle High”) -I have sampled a lot of monkey sounds.

These new Cyber-Punks would network in the blessed out Goa sun, to return to their homelands, far away from paradise and the free love of this un-celebrated underground unknown music, their generation accepting of all ages, colours race. Would telegraph their passion, create parties in on hidden mountains in Japan, sex clubs in L.A, warehouse London, gymnasiums in Paris, disused airports in Germany, Outback volcanos in Australia. We were invisible to the industry of wannabe stars and bankrupt music.

This kinetic energy of knowing you were onto something new was the drug, like a secret society that anyone could join, if you had digested the shared psychedelic values.

Our new world was fresh, driven, invited around the world, “Transmissions” was transmitting on a global level, that music magazines and house DJs couldn’t fathom.

The studio building was from the time of Jack the Ripper, a 3 story warehouse used for god knows what, the atmosphere had not left it, along with some of the rather back street people you might expect in that area of London. Prostitutes would use the car park at the back, working their trade. Sometime city guys in suits would be aggressive and attack the women, so we kept a baseball bat by the door and if we heard their screams we would run out in the name of protection.

Q: Your next album “Luciana” (1994) was something totally different and not exactly the most familiar album from your discography. But I think there’re a few interesting things to say about this work; it revealed your interest in Soundtracks while it got released on Alex Paterson’s (The Orb) own label Inter-Modo. What brought you to write this album and how did you get in touch with Alex Paterson?

Ben: This goes back to the Missile Project and the involvement in installation art. Alex (THE ORB) heard the album and loved it, he said ‘Can I release it?’, why not I thought, so I spent an afternoon with Alex in the studio, he added some elements over the stereo track and that became the album. I met Alex in 1986, as he is Youth oldest and best friend, an ex roadie of Killing Joke with an amazing record collection, a massive ability to smoke more than London can produce and speak in a way you need a hearing aid to listen.

Q: I’ve always linked Juno Reactor with solid bass lines and transcendental drums. “Beyond The Infinite” (1995) perfectly symbolizes these elements, but also your interest to explore new ideas like Tribal drums. What did this work say about your perception of ‘sound’ and eventually your passion for drums?

Picture by Sanja Karin Music

Ben: “Beyond The Infinite”, by this time Mute and cool London were not fans of Goa or Trance anymore, and decided to call it ‘Tarquin Techno’ in the media, because of the image that rich kids were behind the scene, which -looking at myself, was obviously bollocks, but in Goa there certainly were a few, and maybe the other scenes sensing danger, ridiculed it. They were about to steal the name of trance. Paul Oakenfold(like ‘Sique Sique Sputnick’) was hanging out at parties, listening, collecting ideas and tracks, the house was moving to Trance. Clever, to take this and add all the crap vocals and sell it off to the sheep… Their power and media savvy then became ‘Trance’. Not sure what our scene was, Psychedelic-Trance? Along come all these pigeon holes. Name it, sell it. We didn’t give a shit and stayed as far away from the cliché as possible. Mike was so great at this time, he had the best tunes of anyone, and was in great demand as an international DJ, from the USA to Japan and sometimes we would join him as a live three-piece. Brilliant days, we were a family.

Q: I think you’re an artist with a very unique sound DNA! What I’m trying to say is that I instantly can recognize your work by the bass lines, the orchestral arrangements, the hypnotic drum sections… What makes this DNA and where does it come from?

Ben: I have no idea. Like all musicians, I have collected and been inspired by what I needed and wanted. I love all types of music, still do, these DNA strands are unique, the hard part is how to lay them out for others to share and enjoy. I wanted to be a photographer when very young, my dad said it was too expensive, so film, TV, pictures, music all collided and formed whatever I am in my tastes for music.

‘I Decided To Become More Grounded In Earthly Sounds From The Percussion’

Q: It’s impossible not evoking “Bible Of Dreams” (1997), which revealed new ideas and collaborations. I consider this work as your magnum opus, which even today hasn’t lost its original magic. How do you look back at this work 24 years later and are there some aspects of the production you would do differently?

Ben: So the time of “Bible Of Dreams” came along. Robert Trunz, CEO of MELT2000 -the umbrella company which ran Blue Room, and Simon Ghahary, the managing director of Blue Room -a sub-label based in the UK specialising in Electronic music, had signed Juno Reactor to Blue Room/Melt 2000 for “Beyond The Infinite”, as Mute didn’t want it. Robert was a jazz freak, and he got me involved in his great love for African music. Robert and Simon were different, business was easy, as Robert was pretty loaded and loved to invest in his artists. He took over my shabby warehouse studio, put in a massive Raindurk Symphony Desk, massive monitors that would be anyone’s wet dream, 9 bass drivers aside, they blew the roof off. He took over landlord costs, God I was free of all these costs, and could make music without the fear of losing it all.

I had been introduced to the African musicians on Melt 2000. All the scene was doing was still making chemical noises, and stick in an alien landscape for the acid heads. Although this is enjoyable, it became very repetitive. So I decided to become more grounded in earthly sounds from the percussion. The only percussionists I had been introduced to before Amampondo were generally white guys, flipping away on drums in a sloppy-sloppy fashion, or German-style timpani military way which I had found pretty useless and saw no advantage in it on a track. So my mind was blown away by Mabi -power, rhythmic complexity, fun, tradition, amazing rhythms that propelled the track! My eyes were opened and I felt stupid I had not seen what so many others had -say for example my favourite drummer Ginger Baker -why hadn’t I noticed African drumming that years before? Anyway, I was now awake to its potential in my world of cross over, not interested in world music in its pure form and wanted to create a fusion with electronic music and see what comes out.

Working with Mabi was so instinctive, we both saw tracks in the same way as pictures and thoughts, I literally fell over him in a music studio corridor where he was asleep on the floor when I was producing a Zulu Band for Melt 2000 in South Africa. We got talking and I invited him and Amampondo to play all the percussion, so in a way, our future was laid out there.

I felt I knew what I was doing, none of my UK band wanted to tour the USA with Moby for just 30 minutes a night, so I called Mabi and Amampondo , did a few rehearsals and off on tour! This moment diverted the future of the project for the next 12 years where I would tour with Amampondo.

“God Is God” could finally be added to a Juno Reactor album, as now JUNO RREACTOR was more interested in the earth sounds, leaving sci-fi behind. “God Is God” was written around the end of “Transmissions”, needed a better mix, but was ready. The album fell into place so easily.

I wouldn’t touch “Bible Of Dreams” as it is a record of where I was musically at the time. I firmly believe people walk on our path for a reason, be it for a short or long period. How we interact with them is up to us. Some people unexpectedly turn out to be far more important than you could ever have imagined. Some you will love until you die, while other return to the mist of being.

Q: I read somewhere that after “Bible Of Dreams” you got the feeling to be done with Electronic music. What was it all about? Was it a kind of exhaustion or blank page syndrome?

Picture by Sanja Karin Music

Ben: It happens a lot to me, especially with Electronic music. Far too many people seem to be happy to create a platform. Be it Trance, Techno, Ambient, Drum’n’Bass, Bass music, whatever. It gets like an L.A motorway full of polluting gases all sounding the same. So I go left, maybe my mistake there, but as I am totally useless at being commercial, I prefer my way. And hope others enjoy it.

‘The Track Was Built Around My Love For Tarantino And Westerns, Clint Eastwood And “Once Upon A Time In The West”’

Q: The opening song “Pistolero” from the “Shango”-album (2000) probably became your biggest hit ever. It sounds differently because of this guitar play and yet it remains 100% Juno Reactor! I remember my reaction when I heard it for the very first time: ‘this guy is crazy’! Was this song a kind of antithesis to all what you’ve done before? And how did you imagine the future of the project right at the new millennium?

Ben: On tour I met up with Steve Stevens. After speaking with him on the phone about the recent Traci Lords album that I produced, I invited him to play on a show in L.A, a great venue, like an old-fashioned sports hall with a running track above. Now, I think how freaked out he must have been, as I patched him into my desk, he would play, and I would cut him off at random, he kept on looking over as if to say ‘WHAT THE FUCK?!’, he must have thought I was crazy, he didn’t complain but you don’t do this to a Rock Legend. Anyway, we got on, he asked me to produce a track for his album – yep, “Pistolero”.

Steve wasn’t used to my regime of endless hours in the studio and I think after six days his eyes were somewhere down near his guitar swaying hips, exhausted he returned to the USA. He wasn’t that impressed, so I agreed to pay his costs, and I would release it. I worked on it a ton more, and out popped the track we know.

The track was built around my love for Tarantino and Westerns, Clint Eastwood and “Once Upon A Time In The West”. When it was released I named it the “Tarantino Radio Edit”. Quentin loved it and Robert Rodriguez and Tarantino then wrote “Once Upon A Time In Mexico” after being inspired by my “Pistolero” track, which they credited in the CD booklet.

Currently, I’m working on the new album, Steve Stevens, Sugizo and Amir Haddad will hopefully all on the same track.

Working with Amampondo was a dream, we never argued, just laughed a lot, after having lived in each other’s pockets on tour we got on well. I learnt more from them than they did of me. Their sense of rhythm, spontaneity, improvisation, the humour of dance, the humour of anything. We would do shows, stop the machines and go into full-on Tribal rhythms, songs of the Pondo’s. Every night was different. Mandla and Simpewe would perform acrobatics when we played “Feel The Universe”, crowds loved this, even though injuries happened, the next night they would do it again. I carried on working with them for 12 years until it became impossible to bring them from South Africa due to rising costs and falling promoters budgets.

I should add that Traci Lords was also very cool to work with, and had several enjoyable sessions with her, which led to a top 5 USA billboard track titled “Control” and a number of movie syncs from these sessions.

‘“Matrix” Was Like Being Shot And Landing In Heaven With A Ticket Back To Earth’

Q: Your songs got more and more featured in movies and you wrote different songs for Soundtracks. I can imagine the “Matrix”-experiences must have been a kind of ultimate dream and accomplishment? But what has been the impact of all these experiences –and more especially “The Matrix”, on your career?

Ben: I love films, first of all, so for it to combine with my music is a dream job no matter what the film is. I will score a bug on a wall, and still enjoy it. “Matrix” was like being shot and landing in heaven with a ticket back to earth. After the initial meeting with the Wachowski’s I had to smash nails into my boots to keep me from flying off to the stars. Reality hit in a good way and was the toughest discipline mixed with the excitement of being able to please the directors and myself. What do I take away from it? A sense of achievement that I did something very special. I still get composers coming up to me and saying it is a landmark film for integration of Electronics and orchestra which is what the Wachowski’s wanted. It helped me believe in my writing al lot more, although confidence is like the wind, some days you have it others not.

The daily routine of waking up in heaven is not always as easy as it sounds, as even in my camp I would experience jealousy, I had brought with me a programmer (Stephan Holweck) an engineer (Greg Hunter) Singer (Taz) Stephan more turned into a cook and this frustrated his, as he wanted to be more involved, but the way out worked out there was no real room for him. Greg brought in his friend, which added to the annoyance of Greg; Greg would come in and say as I was working on “The Burly Brawl”, ‘that is a load of crap’ in-front of his friend as a light heated joke, which they all found very funny, I took Greg outside and suggested he return back to London as he wasn’t on my team, either buck up or go home. I should have sacked Greg as he would do things like after a mix was finished, he wanted to polish it more, so first time I agreed and I went back to the Paramore to sleep. I got a call from the dub stage early in the morning saying ‘what is this mix, it is horrible!!!’ I asked what time it was made they said 8 am, I replied please listen to mix from 1:00 am . They did and said thank you this is great.

Greg Hunter had in the hours between, added noises, effects I knew would be unwanted, and a rebalance uncalled for. He had become a liability to me, as now Warner were clocking his over times. I could not get rid of him as I didn’t know another great engineer in L.A. I would never use him again. These unexpected invasions add a colour I would have preferred had not happened, as these were not the only times he tried to unravel the job.

Zig Gron (my Music Editor) on the other hand, a man I did not know previously was my guardian angel. He walked me through all of the landmines, I asked him to teach me all he could, and I was in a 100 milesper hour world on information upload. Zig was funny, informative and such a bloody relief to have near me. God save Zig Gron and all who sail around him.

Q: The Soundtrack you composed for the “Brave Story”-animation film (2006) must have been something really special. For the very first time you composed the entire Soundtrack and here again I discovered some new aspects like the song “Juno Waltz”. How did you prepare and finally composed this work?

Ben: This was composed under my name Ben Watkins rather than Juno Reactor. I had done another one, like “Beowulf”. I asked them why they wanted me to write for mainly orchestra, and they said we would like to hear how it sounds. So I sort of did my impression of ‘a man who knew what he was doing and what they were talking about’. There were a few production problems re-budget, as it wasn’t cheap for an Anime film. Once that was over, it was surprisingly easy, maybe a lot easier than writing for pure Electronics as the orchestra tone is defined by what you want, and once set, you have your pallet of sounds more or less. “Juno Waltz”, funny you mention that one, as it was the one I most feared to write, as again it has been so defined by other writers. I wrote it last, and it just popped out, it was also the one I felt the orchestra liked the most as they would tap their music stands like clapping.

Picture by Sanja Karin Music

We recorded the Orchestra and choir in Bratislava, The Bratislavian Symphony Orchestra and a Vienna choir. I remember on the way to the massive radio sound stage all the older ladies at the bus stops had bright blue/purple hair. A hangover from communist times maybe, thought it looked great and definitely a way I wouldn’t mind my hair, like Quintan Crisp on acid.

Q: You also composed music for animation games. Does it need a different approach than for soundtracks? Any preference and/or favorite?

Ben: “The Mark Of Kri” was a sort of nightmare, in as far as I had to create on each level two hours of non repeating music, on 0.5 MB, which now sounds insane huh. So you have an excitement engine, 0 – 100, fight mode is 50 plus. I had to build the macros to enable this. So deep learning curve, endless nights on the phone to Scott in San Francisco. This is a bit like the early beginning maybe of programs like WWise.com -which is a sampler on Crack, and hold so many possibilities for AI and VR, which makes me really excited for the future of music and sonic displacement for composers. My preference for games is really to write and hand over in stereo or 5.1.

“PS4 Gran Turismo” -I made special mixes of tracks from the not so soon to be released album “The Mutant Theatre”, I didn’t have much involvement on this as they loved the tracks I presented and it was done.

Thanks of the Galaxy was a scored mobile game. Despite it being for mobile-only, I really enjoyed working with the team in Finland, in which I presented a Sci-fi industrial orchestral score made from orchestra libraries by George Strezov well worth checking out.

www.strezov.net www.strezov-sampling.com

‘“Navras” Is The Biggest Track I Have Written’

Q: “Labyrinth” (2004), “Gods & Monsters” (2008), “Inside The Reactor” (2011), “The Golden Sun Of The Great East” (2013) and “The Mutant Theatre” (2018) are the studio-albums released after 2000. How would you analyze the evolution of these productions considering items like influences, technology vs. production and new collaborations?

Ben: “Labyrinth” is “The Matrix”-album, and after the experience of the last track for “The Matrix Revolutions”, “Navras”, I couldn’t write a thing. “Navras” is the biggest track I have written, or been involved in with 120-piece orchestra, 80-piece choir, soloists, percussionists… So for three months after that I was bashing my head against a wall back in the UK. I think mainly as I was still missing the vibe of L.A, the people always around, the buzz. Until “Conquistador” Parts 1 & 2 came to save me along with guitarist Eduardo Niebla. I was mainly working very analogue, real drums, humans playing, and I still do, but now I am 75% out of the box and 25% in the box. Loads of new software have enabled me to make it more expansive.

“Gods & Monsters”-I wanted it less epic than “Labyrinth”, write some songs that spoke to me at the time, and try a sort of Jazzy feel to some of it. Not very popular with the Juno Reactor dance crowd at the time, I still love certain tracks. A lot of artists musicians feel constrained by the genre they are in, main thing to me is to stand by what you write, and try it, it ain’t going to kill you.

One track for example, “Tanta Pena” from “Gods & Monsters” -I was driving to the studio at Ridge Farm when a voice came on the BBC world music show, I had to stop and listen. A cross between a butterfly and a thunderstorm, it took the wind out of my lungs. As soon as the song was over I rang the station and asked who it was. Yasmin Levy! I contacted her husband who was also her agent/manager and asked if she would be interested in recording with me.

Yasmin and the manager arrived on a beautiful Summer’s day. Ridge Farm is in the Surrey countryside, an Elizabethan Estate with grounds, a swimming pool, beautifully landscaped gardens, all made possible by Frank Andrews never-ending building work on his estate.

I had moved into Ridge Farm after “The Matrix” films when I heard the studio on the estate was laying bare. I was able to bring my equipment and use one of Englands classic studio’s. Muse, Queen, Ozzie Osbourne and so many more had recorded here…

Yasmin was shy, and maybe only 20yrs old when she visited the farm. I played her my idea’s, talked a little, not much really and went into record! With one take it was done on both tracks, no need to do any more, she had nailed it! It is quite amazing when this happens, like Lakshmi Shankar on “Navras”.

I carried on working the track to bring it to her level, with an amazing Zook player from Arminia, Tigran Aleksanyan with the merciless drumming of Greg Ellis, who, when I started working with him in the studio, sounded a bit like a session player. His appearance was that of a typical tattoed L.A drummer, calm, spiritually balanced in appearance -and a very amiable personality.

I asked Greg to let his rage out for this track, really hit those fuckers! I unleashed a beast, a monster, his whole countenance changed, Fire and brimstone drumming, an apocalypse of anger and frustration came out! Drum skins didn’t last long, an inverted blister would appear on the snare within one take! Greg loved this approach, which you can also hear on “The Immaculate Crucifixion”. After this, “Tanta Pena” was complete.

The original song dates back to the time when the Spanish ejected the Jewish population or made them convert to Christianity around 1492. It is sung in Ladino by Yasmin Levy whose father was a famous archivist of Ladino music, “No More Blood” –“Tanta Pena”.

“Golden Sun Of The Great East” -I went to India to record a lot of the soloists, and this opened up my world to new horizons, as I found Bombay very “Blade Runner”-ish, ancient and modern all running parallel, crazy, mad, tragic and beautiful.

Magical things happen, even when you are not looking, I was on a day trip around the studio’s of Mumbai with a potential agent for me in India. We entered a black and gold studio, very camp, I would expect Freddie Mercury of Queen to pop out and say ‘Hello darlings, welcome to my fuck fest!’ instead it was a wonderful Panjabi singer being recorded for a film. Our next appointment was with the Mozart of Indian film music, A R Rahmen. Excited I jumped in the taxi, horns blaring, rain falling, a bright night journey. Next to me in the taxi was the Panjabi singer, ‘Hey can you sing me a song into my zoom recorder, as we wait for my agent to say his goodbyes’. 4 minutes later, a song that never varied off its pitch, was in my data control. Leaving out the A R Rahmen meeting as it was nice, but nothing special, I returned to the hotel where eagles would fly high above in the morning light, I listened back, to the Mumbai traffic and the voice of a celestial being. I started writing “Invisible”, the second track on the album.

“The Mutant Theatre” was written for the show -a Sci-Fi extravaganza where choreographed performance really took over the direction.

For me, the last two albums speak to me how I want to hear them, and possibly my favourite albums.

“The Mutant Theatre” was designed as a show album. In 2015 I was asked by the Ozora Festival to come back the next year with a new show, I had thought of a show to be called “The Mutant Theatre” 5 years before when in Russia and working with two amazing Performance groups, Agnivo, from Moscow, and Stigma Show from St.Petersburg. I presented this idea in pictures to Ozora, which they loved. It was expensive as it involved around 18 people.

Eyal Yankovich had been my agent for 5 years or so, also the head of Hommega Records. He was an OK agent, getting me the occasional gig or tour, what he was really good at was igniting my imagination with tunes, and suggest I listen to many great tracks, ‘How about a new “Pistolero” Ben?’

Eyal Hung himself before he could listen to the final “Return Of The Pistolero”-version or the album, which still a saddens me.

Sanja Music, our tour manager, started to really help me, not only from a business perspective, but also from a listening view point. Despite being unable to discuss in a musical language, she would always hit it on the head, find a way to describe the best versions, enthusiasm, insights, referenced insights how fans can view it, how it might work on stage. Spend hours discussing and evolving ideas. I met Sanja many years before in Slovenia when we were playing with Laibach. A tall shiny girl in Japanese fashion appeared solo waiting for the doors to open, a Sugizo fan I believed. We stayed in contact through Myspace and later meeting up in Japan when I was having tours there. She came to the 2015 Ozora Festival and I’ve asked her to photograph Juno Reactor. After we went to Budapest to sight see the city, when I realised what a great addition she would me to Juno Reactor, little did I know how central to my thinking and the project she would become.

‘I Want To Give Something To The Audience That They Might Not Have Seen Before’

Q: You’ve always worked and composed your albums with guest musicians and –singers while going on tour with dance companies, drummers ao. It all feels a bit like the initial goal of creating a ‘collective’ has never changed. What did you learn from all these meetings, collaborations and exchanges?

Ben: I want to give something to the audience that they might not have seen before. Maybe this goes back to my days of loving David Bowie, and his great performances, always looking for a new way. I feel a sense of family when we are on the road, not always possible with some people, but when it is good it is great. I am still learning how best to be, and how to navigate the waters of human interaction. I feel most comfortable in my studio along with all the other me’s talking.

Picture by Sanja Karin Music

Q: Your brother Simon Watkins has been often involved in the artwork of Juno Reactor. It all looks like arts is a family thing. Where does it come from and is there a next Watkins generation to hold on this artistic fire?

Ben: Simon, my brother, helped me focus on art and how to look at it. He always had an unusual taste, a black comedy in his work that I loved. My parents were actors, and despite we were a family of 5 kids, and totally squint, I have no clue why our blood directs us to the arts, as it would be much simpler if we had just wanted a normal life. My parents gave up on their careers too early I always felt, and so I have to live with the musical sword in my hand.

Django, my younger son, is at film university learning the art of script writing and direction, Tim, my older son, is a great musician and records tracks I love. Scarlet and her friend wrote a track for a Japanese singer that was pretty successful. Scarlet at one time wanted to take over Juno Reactor, maybe she still does who knows, but she has chose marine photography for now.

‘AI, VR & AR Have So Much Potential For Young Musicians To Escape The Old Models Of Creation And Start A New Chapter In Music’

Q: A lot of things have changed/evolved since the early Juno Reactor years; think about technology, new equipment & music programs, streaming, social media etc… What have been the pros and cons?

Ben: I started out on an MC 202 and now I have a museum, a laboratory, loads of instruments that I play. I miss the hangouts in the studio, as everyone has a studio, so we became moles. I love the independence of starting a Juno Reactor label, which I and Sanja Karin Music, who is my manager and for a number of years has also collaborated on artwork, future NFTs on knownorigin.io and other platforms, and a variety of creative projects and activities, which we will be rolling out in the coming year.

The new possibilities of NFT’s and blockchain, which might well help the independent musician into a new economic model. AI, VR & AR have so much potential for young musicians to escape the old models of creation and start a new chapter in music, independent from middlemen and greedy manipulators from the dark alleys of the old music industry. A new world awaits in the decade to come, and I am excited by it, and what it will become. This doesn’t in any way exclude the old ways, or purity of the orchestra, classical musicians, just a new voice in the galaxy.

Q: Covid-19 has seriously affected artistic activities all over the world. How did you keep yourself busy and what are you actually working on?

Ben: I am learning the Viola, this has kept me in focus at times, writing new tracks with this has been very enjoyable, as well as testing, as I am still learning, and it will take me a long time to play the way I would like. I swim in the sea, this I love when I can afford the time -a sea swim now takes me about 2:30 hours compared to the pool of 1 hour. It blows all the cobwebs and bad thoughts away -of which there have been many through the past year, no question. I think a lot of artists had a very hard time, a lot of artists might have been forced to stop doing what they love, which is very sad. Like many others as well, I have been forced to look into the paperwork side of the project and face all the different misdemeanours and manipulations from a number of people I preferred not to face while gigs were still bringing in enough money to keep going.

‘Sooner Or Later An Autobiography Could Certainly Happen’

Q: I read in a post you got the idea to write an autobiography, which I think is a real interesting idea. Is it something concrete and are there some next ‘big’ dreams you want to accomplish?

Ben: Well, it is odd, as I have lived long enough to tell stories other people find interesting, or so they say. Sometimes I get caught up in them, and it reminds me of talking to family members before they died. As you can ask them a historic question of how life was, and you can see their eyes glaze over as they reminisce as if they are walking the streets and cafes they used to. It is beautiful to see and hear. I don’t want to become a broken record and recite story after story, so maybe one time if I can write it OK, it might be interesting. My manager Sanja has been pushing me to write down or talk about times in my life and slowly collect all these to be turned into an entity at some point, so sooner or later an autobiography could certainly happen. It might have been silly of me to suggest I’m writing it on a simple social media travel picture that looked to me like a book cover, but perhaps having the public know and expect it will give me an extra boost to keep working on it, with my managers help, as an dyslexic person I was surprised to find that I’m really enjoying this process.

‘The Older I Get The More I Want To Do Music, Scuba, Swim, And Exploring New Horizons’

Q: An interesting item for the autobiography could be to know what you would have done in life without music? And do you have specific hobbies/passions next to music?

Ben: I remember one day my father said ‘If you pass this exam, I will buy you a pony’. I tried my best, but still failed, and thus had to grow up pony-less. I wonder what would have happened had I passed the exam. Would I really have gotten a pony? Would I perhaps be in a completely different profession today? I should ring up my dad and ask if he actually planned to get that pony …

Picture by Sanja Karin Music

A lot of people through-out my life have mistook my dreamy exterior to think I am lazy, when in fact my brain has never stopped talking, the conversations I have in my mind seem to me to be more interesting than the ones outside, so I can be non responsive, come over as aloof. The reality is I have drifted off into my own world again. Where I might think I have answered a question asked by someone, just to realise it was only answered in my head. Dyslexia has strange traits, and for me it is this, I am word blinded sometimes that also raises my pulse to a train, panic. I envy people who can be logical, and competent in social exchanges. Stage is my way out, a sort of nether world between reality and dreams where I feel confident of its power.

Without music, I would be a shadow, maybe worked in a stable or farm all my life, something that didn’t need a searching brain. The older I get the more I want to do music, scuba, swim, and exploring new horizons.

Q: “Pistolero” is the Juno Reactor-song I make people listen to, who aren’t familiar with your work. Which one would you choose?

Ben: At the moment, Ummm my latest one: “Coyote You Me And The Stars”. As it was written for a very special moment and one I will forever remember. I bought an amazing keyboard at the beginning of the crisis, which has been my main frame and primary sound source, the Quantum keyboard by Waldorf, it is such an unusual instrument. It is possible to create sonic textures I haven’t heard before, a 3D motion I have been looking for, this along with the viola.

I am more interested in how I can hold the sound in the stereo field to give depth and spatial pleasures. Political events don’t usually invade my thoughts yet this has been unavoidable.

Witten by: Ben Watkins

Co-editor: Sanja Karin Music (management & shrink services)

Side-Line also covered Juno Reactor’s ‘Let The Flowers Grow’.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Autopsia – Weltuntergang (Album – Other Voices Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 18:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Cinematographic, Experimental.

Format: Digital, Vinyl, Cassette.

Background/Info: Autopsia doesn’t need no further introduction to Industrial music lovers. They can easily be considered as pioneers in the genre and can look back at an impressive career and discography. This album is a fine selection from songs that were originally composed in between 1982 and 1995. The compilation was originally released in 2011 on Illuminating Technologies as digital and CD format and got a re-release on Other Voices Records on vinyl and cassette.

Content: The style of Autopsia remains a true enigma. There are for sure Industrial influences running throughout the songs while some epic/orchestral arrangements are sometimes reminiscent of the Laibach approach. But there’s much more than simply Industrial, some pieces being more into a true Cinematographic style. You’ll also notice songs with other influences like Ritual, dark-Ambient and pure Experimental.

+ + + : Autopsia deals with ominous sound; there’s always something intriguing emerging from the tracks. But this compilation is also an opportunity to revisit some early work of the band, which already featured a kind of ‘total-concept’ approach. You can hear it’s not just meant as music, but moving towards a greater artistic creation and concept. Most of the tracks have a strong visual appeal, moving from a pure Dark-Ambient nihilism to Horror-Soundtrack. The composition is elaborated and diversified. “The Time Of Pain And Time Of Waiting” originally released in 1990 is a brilliant piece of Cinematographic music moving crescendo to a sonic climax. I also want to mention “Monster And Mad Point”, which is characterized by a desolate sphere.

– – – : I can’t say this album is the best Autopsia work I’ve ever heard although it’s a cool way to get back to the early years of the band.

Conclusion: “Weltuntergang” perfectly summarizes the sound and approach of Autopsia; hard to label and always intriguing.

Best songs: “The Time Of Pain And Time Of Waiting”, “Monster And Mad Point”, “Weltuntergang Theme II”, “Lebensherrgabe”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.autopsia.net / www.facebook.com/autopsiaofficial

Label: www.othervoicesrecords.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Other-Voices-Records/196767663702999

“Weltuntergang” by AutopsiA

About Autopsia

Autopsia is a project based in Prague. Discogs lists the project’s chronology from a self-released cassette in 1985, followed by “Oscularum Infame” (1987) and “International Aeterna” (1988) on Produkcija Slovenija, through albums including “The Berlin Requiem” (2006, Old Europa Cafe).

“Weltuntergang” compiles early recordings dating from 1982 to 2010, remixed and mastered at Mustakillah Studio in Prague according to the release’s own Bandcamp credits; it was first released on Illuminating Technologies in 2011 and reissued on vinyl and cassette by Other Voices Records.

Autopsia discussed its recent work in a 2021 Click Interview and went on to release albums including “Werkstatt” (2021, Illuminating Technologies) and “Public Lesson In History” (2023).

Inferno Sound Diaries

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New Croc Shop album ‘Perpetual Sequence’ to be released in early March

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 18:13:48 +0000

“Perpetual Sequence” is the 9th full-length album by Croc Shop, featuring long time members Mick Hale and vMarkus. “Perpetual Sequence” will be released by Metropolis Records on March 5th, 2021 through all digital and streaming formats.

The duo went for a post-electro, pop and synth-rock approach on these 11 tracks with occasional nods to their goth-rock and electro-industrial origins.

Here’s the video for “Silver”.

About Croc Shop

Crocodile Shop (later simply Croc Shop) was originally conceived in a flat above a record shop in Berlin Germany in 1987 by Mick Hale and R. A. Werner after they ended their previous new wave project, Mod Fun. The band, inspired by the “darker” post-punk sounds of Joy Division, New Order, Wire, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and The Jesus and Mary Chain, released their debut album in 1988 which was produced by Dave Fielding of the Chameleons UK.

Eventually, the band would slowly abandon the “guitar goth” sound, first replacing their drummer with a drum machine, releasing the Red Lorry Yellow Lorry influenced “Measure By Measure” EP and then finally with the addition of keyboard player V. Markus, (who was influenced by the likes of Front 242, Laibach and Nitzer Ebb), they turned to an entirely electronic-based outfit which was clearly audible on the fully electro-industrial sounding EP “Technological Optimism”.

Crocodile Shop’s debut on CD came about in 1993 with the release of the album “Celebrate the Enemy” on Tinman Records. In 1995, Crocodile Shop signed to Metropolis Records. The bandname change happend in 2002 when they started operating under the shortened name Croc Shop.

Here’s the band’s album discography:

Head – 12″ (1987) Susstones Records
Lullaby – 12″ LP (1988) Susstones Records
Measure By Measure – 7″ EP Susstones Records
Technological Optimism – 12″ EP DAMn! (crocshop.com)
Celebrate the Enemy – LP (1993) Danse Assembly Productions • CD (1994) Tinman Records
Crush Your Enemies – CD (1995) Tinman Records
Beneath – CD Album (1996) Metropolis • CD Album (1997) Out of Line
Metalwerks – CD EP (1997) Out of Line/Semaphore
Pain – CD Album (1997) Metropolis • CD Album (1997) Out of Line, Sub/Mission Records • 2xCD Ltd. Edition (1997) Out of Line, Sub/Mission Records/SPV
Soviet – CD Ltd. Edition (1998) Tinman Records
Everything is Dead and Gone – CD Album (1999) Metropolis
Order + Joy – CD Album (2000) Metropolis
Wrong – CD Maxi (2000) DAMn! (crocshop.com)
World – CD Album (2002) Metropolis
Translated – CD EP (2003) DAMn! (crocshop.com)
CROC_SHOP.SEA (Self Extracting Archive) – 2xCD (2004) DAMn! (crocshop.com)
“Resist!” – Digital Album (2020) DAMn! (croc shop.com)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Laibach releases ‘Bremenmarsch – Live at Schlachthof 12.10.1987’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 12:45:07 +0000

In 1987 Laibach signed a long-term contract with Daniel Miller’s London Mute Label and had finally found their musical home. Mute released “Opus Dei” which would put the band for good on the musical map. On 12th October 1987 Laibach made a stop at the Bremen Schlachthof where they recorded the live album “Bremermarsch”. It’s that radio broadcast recording which is now released 33 years later. For the occasion Laibach edited the old original recordings and digitally mastered them in their studio.

Bootleg copies of this release have been floating around for years, but nothing beats the sound you’ll be able to hear on this album which will be out in late August.

Laibach was founded on 1st June 1980 in the then heavy industrial Yugoslavian town of Trbovlje (today a city in central Slovenia)and took their name after the German designation of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana which was undesirable in Yugoslavia during the Tito’s and post-Tito era. In 1982 the group played its first concerts in Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade on their “Tour of the Three Capitals”. On 23rd June 1983, Laibach appeared for the first time on Slovenian television in the political program TV Tednik. The band’s provocative performance led to a ban on the name and a ban on performing in Yugoslavia until 1987.

Below is a visual from the 1987 show in Bremen, Germany.

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Ich will ein Deutscher sein’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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Kreda – Crest (EP – Nature Scene Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 06 May 2020 18:30:10 +0000

Genre/Influences: Chanson, leftfield-pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Kreda is an Anglo-Slovenian trio. Two of the members, Mina Spiler (singer) and Matevž Kolenc (composer) have been involved with their legendary compatriots from Laibach for quite some years now. The third member is the British artist Alastair McNeill. “Crest” is the band’s debut work featuring four songs.

Content: Kreda claims to compose leftfield-pop, which is easily recognizable for the down tempo format. But there are multiple influences running through this work. There’s a kind dreamy sensation mixed with experimental elements. Especially both last songs remind me a bit of Björk. But the music also has something mind-boggling, which mainly comes through at “The Overlay”. The songs are characterized by the delicate, sensual and sweet vocals of Mina Spiler.

+ + + : Mina Spiler’s timbre of voice and vocal skills have something bewitching. She injects a real spirit into the work. Sound-wise I like this composition for its minimalism and own approach. It creates a deeply artistic style, which mainly comes through at the aforementioned “The Overlay”.

– – – : The EP is maybe missing a real apex, but I’m really wondering how their further works will sound like.

Conclusion: Kreda is hard to define, but the sound is intriguing and definitely into a real artistic approach.

Best songs: “The Overlay”, “Soft Calls”.

Rate: (7).

Label: www .naturescenerecords .com / www .facebook .com /naturescene

About Kreda

Kreda is an Anglo-Slovenian trio formed by singer Mina Spiler and composer Matevž Kolenc, both credited as collaborating members of Laibach, together with British artist Alastair McNeill. “Crest” is the trio’s debut EP, released on Nature Scene Records.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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Laibach reissue self-titled debut album as ‘Laibach Revisited’ in a deluxe vinyl and CD box set with live extra’s and more

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 15:42:26 +0000

(Promotional picture by Laibach) We have more details of the reissue of Laibach’s debut album “Laibach” originally released in 1985. You can expect a vinyl and CD box set release featuring a remastered and expanded edition of their 1985 debut album.

The deluxe box set presents 3 albums: a newly remastered edition of the debut “Laibach” with bonus tracks; “Revisited” holding new interpretations of songs from the debut and first half of the 80s, with two live tracks, recorded with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and the Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra; and “Underground” which is an unreleased live document of their 2012 concert recorded 200m below the surface of the earth, in the Velenje Coal Mines, Slovenia.

The 3x CD box set and 5x vinyl box also hold “Terror Of History”, a 160-page book with 69 linocuts, an essay on Laibach written by Marcel Štefančič Jr. and additional text by the former President of Slovenia, Milan Kučan, as well as “Booklet” a catalogue with “Laibach Revisited” project information and foreword by Igor Vidmar, who released the original debut on Škuc / R.o.p.o.t..

Watch the video for a live version of “TI, KI IZZIVAŠ”.

Laibach, from dissidents to national icons

Laibach was formed in the mining town of Trbovlje (at the time in Yugoslavia) in 1980 and represents the musical wing of the Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) collective, a group which Laibach helped found in 1984.

Early Laibach albums were pure industrial, with heavy rhythms and roaring vocals. Later in the mid-80s, the sound became more richly layered, featuring samples from classical music. They also recorded several cover versions of popular songs, often turning light melodies into sinister-sounding Gothic tunes.

The band has seen numerous line-up changes, with Dejan Knez, Milan Fras, Ervin Markošek and Ivan “Jani” Novak forming the best-known line-up. They have worked with a number of collaborators and guest musicians. Over the years Laibach has also recorded film soundtracks, theatre music, produced works of visual art, and band members have embarked on a number of side projects.

Listen to “SMRT ZA SMRT”, recorded live in Brussels with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra.

Watch “Kohle ist brot”, recorded 200m underground in a coal mine.

Side-Line also covered Laibach’s ‘Bremenmarsch – Live at Schlachthof 12.10.1987’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

side-line.com

Cthulhu Biomechanical – Elon Musk Superstar (Album – Death Knell Productions)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 20:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, martial, experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Russian based Cthulhu Biomechanical was set up by members from the metal formation Blackdeath. This new work has been introduced as the logical continuation of their previous full length “Es Ist Kalt Hier” (2006); it’s a conceptual work about our society and our planet so the title of the work has to be understood in a cynical way.

Content: The opening song has something martial and a bit epic, reminding me of the glorious days of Laibach. Similar influences are running throughout the entire work, but it also reflects experimental passages and sound treatments. From droning percussion to orchestral arrangements and some Russian vocals, this work covers several influences.

+ + + : The debut of the album is really great and I regret that all the songs aren’t comparable to “Elon Musk’s Prayer”. I like this old-school industrial/epic style. The orchestral arrangements and martial touch running through the album are the most noticeable elements. I also have to say a word about the artistic digipak format from this record.

– – – : I think there’s much more potential hiding inside this album than what came out. Some passages are too explicitly experimental, which ruins a bit of their industrial/epic format.

Conclusion: This work might appeal to lovers of old-school industrial music.

Best songs: “Elon Musk’s Prayer”, Donative Chant”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www .cthulhuworld .com / www .facebook .com /cthulhubiomechanical

Label: www .facebook .com /DeathKnellProd

About Cthulhu Biomechanical

Cthulhu Biomechanical is one of three “transmigrations of Cthulhu the Mighty” performed by members of the Russian metal band Blackdeath, alongside the aliases Cthulhu (12) and Nuclear Cthulhu, according to Discogs, which lists its members as Abysslooker, Para Bellum, and Polar Maya.

Before “Elon Musk Superstar,” the project released the remix outing “Apocalyptic Songs” in 2004, the full length “Es Ist Kalt Hier” in 2006, and the live recording “Live In Moscow, October 7, 2006” the following year. Discogs credits “Elon Musk Superstar” to 2019, ahead of its digital and CD release via Death Knell Productions.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT: The Story Of Wax Trax! Records (DVD – Wax Trax! Records)

Filip Wildhoney — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 07:43:23 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-metal, industrial-rock, EBM

Background/Info: The famous Wax Trax! Records label was originally much into new wave and punk music and was founded by Jim Nash and his partner Dannie Flesher in Denver in 1975. In 1978 the independent label moved to Chicago and became the most important record label and store/boutique for industrial music in the US that served as the headquarters of underground electronic and industrial bands in the eighties and nineties. The strong brand Wax Trax! offered record deals to the artists they liked (as fans) and also licensed European artists in America. The very impressive Wax Trax! catalogue featured well-known bands like Ministry, Front 242, Revolting Cocks, KMFDM, Front Line Assembly, Coil, Chris & Cosey and more!

Content: Industrial Accident has contributions of Al Jourgensen (Ministry/Revolting Cocks), Paul Barker (Ministry/Revolting Cocks), Chris Connelly (Ministry/Revolting Cocks), Luc Van Acker (Ministry/Revolting Cocks), Richard23 (Front 242/Revolting Cocks), Patrick Codenys (Front 242), Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Bill Leeb (Front Line Assembly), Groovie Mann (Thrill Kill Kult), David J. Haskins (Bauhaus), Sascha Konietzko (KMFDM), En Esch (KMFDM), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Steve Albini (Big Black), Cosey Fanni Tutti (Throbbing Gristle), Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi) and more. It explains the rise and fall of an important musical movement as well as the details and artifacts of this entire Wax Trax! Records history that was nearly lost forever.

A lot of hilarious anecdotes are explained by the contributing artists which makes it fun to watch! Al Jourgensen: “I played in Divine’s band by the way, playing guitar for Divine was … bizarre!”. Luc Van Acker, when speaking about Laibach: “How provocative can you be? It takes intelligent people to understand that! Wax Trax! created a space where we could do whatever we wanted!”. Unfortunately the label without business model (operating on trust, without contracts with their artists) declared bankruptcy in 1992 and Jim and Danny sold it to TVT Records. Jim Nash passed away on October 10, 1995 and Dannie Flesher deceased on January 10th, 2010.

+ + + : This 94 minutes (+ 75 extra minutes bonus material) documentary was directed by Julia Nash (daughter of Jim Nash) and won awards on the Santa Cruz Film Festival and Chicago Underground Film Festival. It is also available on Blu-Ray and as download on AppleTV, Amazon Prime and Google Play/YouTube Streaming.

– – – : Just one minor point: to make the circle complete, maybe an interview with some licensed European bands that were released by Wax Trax! (The Neon Judgement, The Young Gods, A Split Second, Laibach and more) would have been interesting, to hear their point of view.

Conclusion: Although it’s a huge story to tell the complete Wax Trax! history, this documentary gives a pretty good overview of what happened in the old days. Jim and Dannie “accidentally” built up the industrial scene in the US due to their passion and love for this music and bands and will never be forgotten!

Label: www.waxtraxchicago.com / www.facebook.com/WaxTraxRecords.Chicago/

About Wax Trax! Records

Wax Trax! Records was founded by Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher, first in Denver in 1975 as an outlet for new wave and punk records. The label moved to Chicago in 1978 and grew into the main hub for industrial music in the United States through the 1980s and 1990s, signing and licensing acts on both sides of the Atlantic.

The label ran without contracts, on trust between Nash, Flesher and their artists. It filed for bankruptcy in 1992 and was sold to TVT Records. Nash died on October 10, 1995, and Flesher died on January 10, 2010.

“Industrial Accident: The Story Of Wax Trax! Records” is directed by Julia Nash, Jim Nash’s daughter, and gathers the artists who built the label’s catalogue to tell that history on screen.