Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave, Neo-Classic, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, 3CD.

Background/Info: “In Tiefem Fall” is the first new album in four years by the Austrian duo Thomas Rainer – Sonja Kraushofer aka L’âme Immortelle. The new work has been produced by Jan-Krischan Wesenberg (Rotersand). The work is also available as a hardcover book 3CD edition featuring two additional full-length discs.  

Content: L’Âme Immortelle remains faithful to their familiar sound formula; a melodic composition with a melancholic mood on top mixed with the heavenly and passionate vocals of Sonja Kraushofer at one side and the harsher singing of Thomas Rainer at the other side. I also noticed a surprising Dance-driven song (cf. “Catch My Fall”).

The ‘Book Edition’ presents the band’s entire visual and musical world in relation to their album. It has been adapted into sound by a Soundtrack (cf. “Portrait Of A Shattered Mind”) released on the second disc and written by Clemens Wijers (Carach Angren) and Patrick Damiani (Sopor Aeternus). The third disc features the audiobook “Das Königreich Der Schwarzen Farbe”, which is written and read by Lukas Materzok-Lavishly.

+ + + : The fans of L’Âme Immortelle will not be disappointed, their favorites having released a new work in the sound tradition of the band. The Austrian formation remains inspired by melancholia, which Rainer masterly adapted into melodic passages. The passionate, heavenly vocals of Sonja Kraushofer create an elevating effect during the choruses while Thomas Rainer injects a darker touch to his vocals. “Everything Just Falls Apart” is my favorite track for its deeply melancholic mood, but it still is an elaborated piece of music.

If you like Cinematic music I recommend listening to the second disc “Portrait Of A Shattered Mind”. It’s surprising and has less in common with the ‘familiar’ sound of the band, but it’s a poignant and achieved composition for Cinematic lovers. The songs are instrumental edits, which are created by violin sounds. I like the few epic arrangements running through some of the songs. It’s a great and refined composition inspired by movies.

– – – : I can’t get away from the feeling that L’Âme Immortelle is a bit stagnating in their own sound formula. There’s nothing wrong with that, but using this formula I’ve already better work from this band. The more commercially driven “Catch My Fall” might become a true successful piece, but it sounds a bit ‘cheap’ to me. The audiobook featured on the last disc is mainly suited for the die-hard fans of the band, but without a true interest for non-German speaking people.

Conclusion: I have some mixed feelings with this new work of L’Âme Immortelle; they hold on to their initial spirit, but the accomplishment left me more unmoved.

Best songs: “Everything Just Falls Apart”, “Der Fluch”, “Still” + “La Folie Des Grandeur”, “Locked In”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/LAI.official

Label: www.trisol.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Trisol-Music-Group/104166526285471

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange) June 25^th saw the release of ‘Terminal Love’, the third EP this year from the Norwegian industrial synth rockers Zeromancer, a worthy follow up to their previous releases ‘Damned le Monde‘ and ‘Mourners‘. In addition to interviewing the band about the EP, we also got hold of the guys behind the L’âme Immortelle and Architect remixes to get their thoughts on the song and the remix process.

Side-Line: ‘Terminal Love’ – feels like it’s a continuation of ‘Mourners’, like the next chapter or a different view of a similar story – an ongoing theme there? Or coincidence?

Alex Møklebust: Some of the continuation feeling you also get is probably how the song opens. Like ‘Mourners’ it starts with only synths and vocals, before the chorus hits. The chorus melody line on ‘Terminal Love’ is taken from a unreleased ZMR song during the making of ‘Sinners International’. Kim gave it another chance on ‘Terminal Love’ and the chorus finally made sense. Felt so good singing that melody line 12 years later. Never throw away ideas!

Kim Ljung: Alex has a memory like no other. All the time he surprises me with stories I have forgotten a long time ago. Though in this particular case I believe he’s a couple of years off 😉
The chorus of ‘Terminal Love’ is taken from a demo originally named ‘Collider’, which then again was a spin-off of an old Red 7 track (Lorry and Dan played in this band). Quite sure it was written in the aftermath of the ‘Death of Romance’ album. The pre-chorus of ‘Terminal Love’ I found on my phone where I always tape simple ideas with acoustic stuff, me singing on top. The date was June 26, 2014. One day later than the official release date which was about a week ago. Not so strange maybe, that musicians lose their minds carrying all this stuff around for years and years.
Regarding the connection with ‘Mourners’, I’m blind to those aspects. Just another Zeromancer song written in a fashion that suits that particular track.  What we always do. People has a tendency to ask what song or album we prefer ourselves. That’s irrelevant. I never set them up against each other. Not my job 🙂

S-L: When hearing the main synth melody line my first thought was “this is something Vince Clarke would’ve wished he made himself for a Yazoo song!”

AM: Thanks! I’ll take that as a huge compliment. The synth needed lots of movement to carry the first verse by itself. The modular setup works well for that and blends in with all the other instruments in a good way. The analogue imperfection is key.

KL: Word, Alex!
We had a lot of sessions at Room 13, Alex’s studio, where Alex sat and tweaked those knobs on the modulars. The idea was to create a signature sound for the intro of the song. Something significant that opens a track, and when you hear it, you instantly know which song it is.

S-L: The external remixes were both quite down-tempo and atmospheric, which also suits this track very well. Surprising that both chose this direction?

AM: It was a very pleasant surprise. Love the way it turned out. Both Thomas and Daniel had a short deadline, but managed to make two beautiful remixes. Thomas made it so personal that you immediately hear it’s a L’âme Immortelle remix. Respect.
Daniel also made ‘Terminal Love’ his own. The deep sub version takes you on this beautiful ride into Daniels universe. Love it. So talented musicians. We are so grateful for having friends all over the world collaborating with us. Musically, but also on a personal level.

KL: Both versions blew me away. I didn’t expect it at all. Pure genius. You can hear in an instant how much love and passion they put into this track. Fold my hands for those guys.

S-L: Alex, your alter ego SnifferGod ends the EP with an up-tempo remix, a good contrast to the other remixes, with great beats and rhythms! Some elements here puts me back to the end of the 80’s/early 90’s, like Nitzer Ebb doing a 90’s rave with S’Express and a touch of acid house, but layered in a 2020’s updated soundscape. Tell us what you did here!

AM: I had to work on this one in-between mixing the Zeromancer album. Mixing daytime and remixing nighttime.
You are absolutely spot on. Because of the high tempo, I wanted to get that 90’s techno feel combined with some 80’s EBM. Nearly all synths are from my modular and semi-modular setup. No samples, except sampling ourselves. It’s an up-tempo remix, maybe close to stress-techno, but the «party boy» Alex kicked in. Blame the late night sessions.

KL: Stress-techno or stress-synth. Hahaha….it’s an internal wordplay on a comment by the Foo Fighters-drummer in a recording session with good,  old Rick Springfield. He calls Springfield’s style stress-rock. And he does so as a kind of a compliment. However, who wants that type of label 🙂

Yeah, SnifferGod is Alex going back in time. A real killer version. Lots of raving flashbacks, with the God himself on the dancefloor.

S-L: Kim, where’s your mother this time on the cover photo? Vacation in the fjords, or where she’s originally from?

KL: This time the photo is taken on the roadside near Odda in Hardanger. The roads were obviously a lot more curvy back in 1957. Though they still are…
The family took these endless road trips from Sauda all around Norway every summer holiday. My mom is on the left, my uncle at the right of the photo. They are facing the glacier, Buerbreen. Both of them are carsick as hell. My grandfather took the shot, as he did with the previous singles.

I think the distance and the vibe of the photo suits perfectly with title of the song.

Check out this playlist of Zeromancer and SnifferGod remixes!

As with all three EPs this year, this one also features brilliant remixes, which made an easy decision to repeat the remixers part from the ‘Mournes’ article. Both Thomas Rainer (L’âme Imortelle/Nachtmar) and Daniel Myer (Architect/Liebknecht/Haujobb/Covenant etc.) had some to say about their contributions.

First off is Thomas Rainer from Vienna, Austria:

S-L: What’s your relation to Zeromancer before this remix?

Thomas Rainer: They already made 2 remixes for my band L’âme Imortelle and are also label mates, so it was kind of obvious that we would also collaborate the other way around one day. It also didn’t hurt that I have also always really liked the music of the band.

S-L: How did you like the new song ‘Terminal Love’?

TR: I really liked the song from the very beginning. The vocals immediately caught my ear, but after further listening I really enjoyed listening to all the small details in the very sophisticated production.

S-L: The other ZMR releases in 2021 – what’s your opinion so far?

TR: I enjoyed all of the new material so far especially since it shows an even more mature form of the band. Something I greatly appreciate.

S-L: What was your main idea with your remix?

TR: I usually approach all remixes by listening to the vocals alone first, and Alex’ stellar performance made it clear that it needs to be given as much space as possible with the music just being a supporting element. 

Check Thomas’ playlist of his remixes!

Next remixer were Daniel Myer from Leipzig, Germany:

S-L: What’s your relation to Zeromancer before this remix?

Daniel Myer: I’ve known Zeromancer since they came to the scene. It’s a fairly small scene, so of course you know every new act that comes out, especially back in the day;)

We also share the same booking agency, so I went to see them live quite often when they were in town or at festivals. I always liked their style and I really like the songs and Alex’ voice.

S-L: How did you like the new song ‘Terminal Love’?

DM: Terminal Love had a real anthem feel to me. That’s why I approached a friend of mine to do this remix with me. I wanted to make it really big, like a “Pop Hymn” in the style of Imagine Dragons. But my friends was busy with her release, so I did the remix by myself.

S-L: The other ZMR releases in 2021 – what’s your opinion so far?

DM: I haven’t heard it all, only the last single, and I love Krischan Wesenbergs remix. He is one of my favourite producers at the moment.

S-L: What was your main idea with your remix?

DM: For the remix, like I mentioned above, I had something big in mind, but I only had a very limited amount of time.
I was on vacation with my girlfriend and we had very specific plans for this time. I started the remix with this Imagine Dragons idea in mind and then send it off to my friend in NYC. She came back to me after a few days, telling me that she couldn´t work on it, so I had to finish it by myself. By that time I was in a very strange headspace, a lot of things went wrong on our vacation trip, so I was stressed out and I had to go see my mother.

So I actually finished the remix on the train to Bielefeld one morning, on the day of the deadline. Overall I had only 12 days to do the mix, Alex came basically in the last minute to ask me for it 😉 And my mother lives in the woods, so there was no good internet connections. I actually used the hotspot from my phone to deliver the remix to Norway! 😀

Check Daniel’s playlist of his remixes!

Listen to and buy the ‘Teminal Love’ EP from Spotify, Apple music and other services – click here!

jrstange

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

www.facebook.com/jrstange

German label Trisol has been set up in 1997 by Alex Storm. He’s also running Apocalyptic Vision, which was his first label. Trisol is characterized by a true eclectic taste of music; from EBM to Dark-Electro to Industrial to Dark-Wave, Neo-Folk and related genres. Trisol is the home of artists such as Rome, Project Pitchfork, Die Form, Clan Of Xymox, Nachtmahr, Asp, L’âme Immortelle, Samsas Traum, Mantus, Scheuber, Persephone ao. Apocalyptic Vision is still active today releasing the work of Sopor Aeternus.

(Stéphane Froidcoeur / Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

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

Alex: To answer this question properly, I need to go back in time a little and begin before I founded Trisol. The first label I founded was Apocalyptic Vision, which I (unofficially) started in 1992, so five years before starting Trisol. In the early 90s, when lots of vinyl albums were being released on CD for the first time, I was waiting in vain for CD reissues of many of my favorite albums –albums by Clair Obscur, Esplendor Geométrico, Memorandum and others. And even back then, I was also a big Sopor Aeternus fan. So I contacted quite a number of labels to suggest they reissue various albums on CD, or that they sign Sopor Aeternus –but not a single label was interested. Completely unfathomable!

After months of investing my time and money into these activities, I thought: ‘Just do it yourself!’ In other words, Apocalyptic Vision was intended as being purely a label for reissuing some of my favorite albums by my favorite bands, as well as for Sopor Aeternus. That was of course naive, but luckily, I was able to pull it off.

It seemed I developed a good reputation with this label, and as a result I received more and more interesting enquiries from bands that I treasured, both personally and artistically (such as DIE FORM). Bands that unfortunately didn’t fit into the Apocalyptic Vision re-release concept. I therefore decided to set up a second label, which enabled me to sign precisely these types of bands.

Apart from those specific re-release intentions for Apocalyptic Vision, the philosophy behind both labels is to work with artists who pursue the ‘total work of art’ approach, and who literally live their art. Good music alone was never enough for me, even just as a fan of bands. What excites me is when artists strive for a synthesis of the arts, in order to then transcend art’s boundaries. This idea of striving for a total work of art still applies today. So nothing in my basic philosophy has changed over the last nearly 30 years.

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

Alex: As explained above, the important thing for me is the ‘total work of art’ approach. I therefore look for artists in whom I see this potential. What’s more, I’m not interested in copies of copies. Back in 1992, when I founded the label, there were countless Sisters Of Mercy clones about. Some of these were really good, but of course, some of them were really terrible. But even the very best of the clones didn’t interest me. I’m interested in artists who want to create something new, and who have this irrepressible drive; this special ‘spark’. And last but not least, the chemistry must also be right. I’m proud to run an independent label, and for me that means first and foremost that the human element must first be established before a contract is concluded, because goals and visions can only be achieved by working together.

Two examples of this ‘total work of art – individuality – partnership’ trinity are Asp Spreng (ASP) and Alexander Kaschte (Samsas Traum). At the time, I was ripped to pieces for these signings. Lots of colleagues, and above all the press, shook their heads. Today, these are two of my most successful artists, and without them ever having had to compromise their principles in any way. As well as their musical projects, both of them are meanwhile active as authors, owners of their own publishing imprints, A&R people and consultants. In short: they’re indefatigable all-rounders.

But because of digitalization, I also have bands on my roster for whom I only release a digital single here and there. In these cases, I don’t apply the above-mentioned selection criteria quite so strictly. Because of the nature of purely digital releases, this is OK, and things work on this premise.

When all’s said and done, working together should be enjoyable. But even though it’s not really the primary consideration for me: I also need to see a certain amount of commercial success. It may not fit in with romanticised conceptions, but even independent labels and their artists need to earn money. As a result of the major –or more precisely, dramatic –developments of recent years, labels need to unfortunately keep a closer eye on this aspect. If you don’t, you’re out of the picture more quickly than you think. There’s a fitting German saying that says you can’t just live on fresh air. Unfortunately, this is true!

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

Alex: Digitalization was and is the most radical upheaval of all. People even speak of it as being a new industrial revolution. The positive aspect of digitalization is the accompanying democratization of the music industry.

Today, we can no longer imagine how difficult –rather, hopeless –it was as a newly founded label back then to get a distribution deal. Especially with a distributor who was actually capable of being able to get CDs into the shops. The difficulties we faced back then, just to get an album reviewed in a music magazine, are barely imaginable! In those days, music magazines were the only medium in, which indies could make their releases known. And if that wasn’t enough: all these problems described here didn’t just apply to Germany, but to every country in the world. As a German label without the internet, and armed only with a telephone connection, how could you find out whether there were relevant magazines –and what they were called –in for example France? I can still vividly recall how, for my very first release, “In Out” (cat no AV 001 CD) by the French band Clair Obscur, how difficult it was to send the CDs over the border into this neighbor country (!) and to market it there. It was as easy as it would presumably be today to export Trisol albums to North Korea, hahahaaa!

Today, the entire world is only a mouse click away. Being able to distribute and market music no longer depends on the benevolence of just a few quasi-monopolists.

And as for the negative aspects –everybody knows what they are, so I don’t know if I still need to list them? Today it’s all about Individual songs and playlists. Whoever succeeds in getting onto popular playlists is guaranteed substantial listener figures. For example, most playlists are orientated towards the course of the day, spanning ‘Good morning!’ to ‘Beating afternoon fatigue’ and up to ‘Gently fall asleep’. The artist is no longer important. Everything is based on users’ habits instead. So it’s no longer surprising that the people listening to music are no longer called ‘fans’, but rather really are called ‘users’. But music is also a haptic experience. Apart from the cover artwork and booklet, this also includes the signs of wear that a record or CD in a fan’s possession for a long time displays. Streaming and downloads are soulless! This soulless consumption also has some quite different ramifications. In the past, you could offer a contract to ten bands that you believed in. Nine of these bands would however never make it, but there was always one band who would make a breakthrough. Earnings from this one band could then subsidize the others, which was vitally important for promoting newcomers and keeping the market dynamic. Today, this is no longer possible. Or on a related topic: protest culture and protest songs. Has anyone ever encountered Fridays for Future protest songs?

Of course, strategies need to be adapted. To explain all that, I’d need to write a reference book. I’ll try to illustrate this by means of an example: When I started, it was all about releasing albums on CD, because vinyl was dead. Furthermore, when realizing album projects, we had to take into consideration that the playing time was way over 60 minutes, because the capacity of a CD is greater than that of a vinyl record. And then, when I occasionally did release a vinyl edition, I usually received the pressing, including test pressings, within three weeks, because the vinyl presses were otherwise at a standstill. Today, when releasing albums, you predominantly have to think about the vinyl edition, and therefore a playing time of 45 minutes maximum. Ideally, this must also be easy to split across two sides of a record. But nowadays, a vinyl pressing means having to plan ahead for nearly six months. In short, virtually everything is diametrically opposed to how things were when I started.

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

Alex: The pandemic’s effects on the work of the label can be split into two groups: bands that play live lots or tour, and bands who only occasionally play live, or not at all. For more popular bands, it’s vitally important that album releases are accompanied by a tour. This means that, without a tour, the releases planned for these bands also have to be postponed. But for bands whose releases aren’t supported by tours, the pandemic doesn’t affect release strategies in any way at all. However, some of my colleagues see this aspect differently.

But the effects on physical sales are downright epochal. Because bricks and mortar shops were closed –and to an extent still are –the pandemic’s effect on the decline of traditional offline shopping has been like that of an accelerant on a forest fire. Records and CDs are hardly ever bought in local shops, but rather sold via mail order.

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

Alex: Ah, the good old days of print media… those days are long gone. Personally, I miss those times enormously, because back then I virtually devoured all the magazines: Glasnost, Zillo, Elegy, D-Side, Side-Line, New Life, Ritual, Black, Ghastly Magazine, Propaganda Magazine and Music From The Empty Quarter. The latter in particular made a lasting impression on my musical taste. In those days, if you read a good review by Zillo journalists Joe Asmodo or Dirk Hoffmann, you knew that you could buy the album in question. And you weren’t disappointed. Those were still the days of quality journalism.

Today, a lot of it is just meaningless crap. After you’ve read the reviews, you often still don’t even know what sort of music they’re writing about, and how the album might sound. The press hasn’t done itself any favors there. To an extent, they have themselves to blame for this irrelevance. Luckily, there are exceptions, and I’m glad that in Germany, we still have Orkus! as a print magazine.

So of course, I’m pleased to cooperate with journalists who turn out really great work, and I can still see a clear relevance, irrespective of whether in print or online media.

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

Alex: My biggest achievement is that, after nearly 30 years, I’m still running my two labels. My greatest dream is that I’ll be able to pursue this path for many more years to come. Ideally, literally until the end of my life. There are no special preparations in place for this –only my passion for music and a willingness to always be open to new developments, even if I may not always personally approve of them.

My greatest regret is probably the virtually archetypal A&R error: that artists sometimes slip through the net, and that you then regret this for the rest of your life.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

The newest Nachtmahr album “Flamme”, the follow-up to this year’s release “Antithese”, will be out on January 31st 2020.

The 11-track counting album is the band’s 8th studio album to date and will hold the following tracks: “Feindbild”, “Kampfbereit”, “Liebst du mich”, “Krieg und Frieden”, “Alpha Omega”, “Wo ist dein Gott”, “The Torch”, “Ich bin”, “Rise and Fall”, “Mein Name” and “Die letzten Dämme”.

Nachtmahr is the solo project of Thomas Rainer (also known for his other projects: L’Âme Immortelle and the now defunct Siechtum). Nachtmahr’s musical style is best characterized as techno industrial.

Here’s “Antithese” while you await the new album…

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Gothic-pop, electro-wave.

Background/Info: One year after their latest successful album “Hinter Dem Horizont” the Austrian duo Sonja Kraushofer – Thomas Rainer strike  back unleashing this ‘extended’ EP.

Content: The title song was not my favorite from the album. We here get a “Classic Version” next to the “Album Version”. There also is a remix made by Blue May Rose. We also get 2 exclusive songs with a dreamy atmosphere. The song “Fear” originally released in 2004 has been reworked while we also get a few more older songs, which have been remixed by Soman and 18 Summers. Last, but not least 3 songs from the band have been covered by Collection D’Arnell-Andréa, Dunkelsucht feat. Chelsey Schill and My Equinox Divine.

+ + + : I like the global concept of this EP, which next to a title track featuring a few different edits reveals exclusive songs, remixes and especially cover versions. L’Âme Immortelle remains faithful to their sound featuring the graceful vocals of Sonja Kraushofer, but there also is some diversity injected by the other artists. That’s precisely what I expect from an EP. I recommend the cover version of “Fallen angel” by the French formation Collection D’Arnell-Andréa (now signed on Trisol).

– – – : I’m still not a huge fan of the title song. I think there are much better songs featured at the last full length, but it also is a matter of taste. I also expected a bit more from the remixes.

Conclusion: The concept of this EP is absolutely great! This is so much more than releasing a title song and asking for an endless list of bands to make a remix.

Best songs: “Fear – Re-Recorded 2018”, “Fallen angel – Cover by Collection D’Arnell-Andréa”, “Demon be Gone – Cover by Dunkelsucht feat. Chelsey Schill”, “Lake Of Tears – Cover by My Equinox Divine”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/LAI.official

Label: www.trisol.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Trisol–Music–Group/104166526285471

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Available now for ordering is a strictly limited collector’s picture-LP edition of Nachtmahr’s long deleted and sought after cult mini-album “Mädchen in Uniform” (which was originally released in 2010). This re-release is limited to only 500 copies and can be ordered right here.

Nachtmahr is the solo project of Thomas Rainer (also known for his other projects: L’Âme Immortelle and the now defunct Siechtum). Nachtmahr’s musical style is best characterized as techno industrial with a strong focus on what some colleagues call ‘sexist and fascist imagery’ (something which Rainer rejects). In September 2007, Nachtmahr had its first release, “Kunst ist Krieg”.

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.

side-line.com

Solitary Experiments is a band I’m following from their very early debut. The German formation was set up in 1994 releasing their debut work on Maschinewelt Records. They later on joined hands together with the major company Out Of Line. Solitary Experiments never stopped increasing recognition and popularity. All over the years their music has evolved from dark EBM to future-pop and electro-pop. They last year released new opus “Future Tense” reveals a new vintage of great, danceable and melodic songs. I asked a few questions to singer and head of the band Dennis Schober.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Solitary Experiments will celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2019! What have been the most important facts, songs & records, events ao you kept in mind and how do you see the future of the band?

Dennis: None of us would have believed that we would even get as far as the 25th anniversary. So many things have happened and it is hard to focus on one thing. I can definitely say that it wasn’t an easy path. We will always remember the foreign shows, beginning with Arnhem in Holland in 1999. Then our record deal with Out Of Line was the next milestone and then it went steadily uphill. The resulting album “Advance Into Unknown” which is still praised by critics must be mentioned, but it was the next one which included some of our biggest hits like “Delight” or “Pale Candle Light” that really brought us forward.

Next to seven studio albums, we also released some collaborative compilations, a retrospective box set and a live DVD for our 20th anniversary, plus the symphonic CD to the “Gothic Meets Klassik” event, which we are all very proud of. I also need to mention the jubilee shows (which started with our 10th anniversary celebration) and for which we always release a free compilation featuring all collaborating artists and friends. As you can see, there have been quite a lot of releases and we are planning to continue down this path.

Q: When I go back to the early work released on Maschinenwelt Records I first of all remember a band, which was more involved into EBM-influences although there was already an electro-pop touch on top. The style became more future-pop like throughout the years, but how do you perceive the evolution in sound and as musicians over the years?

Dennis: In the beginning we tried to sound like our idols. But we soon found our own stylistic path and through the growing experience we have learned to concentrate on what suits us best. This best explains the logical development of our music. We always put a focus on melodies and I have always tried to improve and develop my vocal skills. Throughout the years, we have noticed that the style that has changed has become increasingly popular with audiences.

Q: Your new album “Future Tense” took me by surprise; the sound and influences aren’t that new, but especially the global production process sounds to me as one of your most accomplished works in history. What can you say about the writing of this work and what has been the main focus in the production process?

Dennis: I take this as a compliment. What I can say is that we have been mastering the CDs in the same studio since “Phenomena”. With that album, we were overlooking the entire process and have been working with the producer to give it just the right sound. We have learned a lot from this, also in regard to pre-production. Michael has put all this collected knowledge into the production of the new album. It is good to hear that it was worth it.

Q: The title of the album “Future Tense” has something intriguing, even a bit symbolic and in a way related to the main source of inspiration, which remains future-pop music. What is it really all about and what did you try to accomplish releasing this album?

Dennis: We only tried to keep the standard of the last release, as we knew that it would be hard to top. We didn’t want to create a masterpiece, but just another waypoint on our journey. The main topic was clear from start on with the title and lyrics deliberately chosen to make you think about them. Basically, it’s about life and its transience. There is also an in-depth description to find in the booklet of the CD.

Q: The second disc reveals an impressive list of remixers. Did you have personal criteria to ask and/or choose bands to get remixed by and what have been the most surprising remixes from the album (which according to me are Empirion and Mono Inc.)?

Dennis: We always choose remixers with care. A lot of them have been on our wish list for a long while, like British act Empirion. I have to like the remixer’s style… like with Rob Dust or Raul Parra. Other mixes were part of an exchange with the artist. We wanted to give some newcomers a chance, as well, like German band ES23. Their track was a pleasant surprise, but I also have to mentions the versions of L’Âme Immortelle and the superb interpretation of Mono Inc.

Q: Solitary Experiments also became an experienced- and popular live band in the electro-pop scene. What makes the magic of playing live and what do you need, to speak about a successful concert?

Dennis: Being on stage is most important thing to us, as we have a direct feedback from the audience and are able to interact with them. A good show must include a solid stage performance, next to professional lights and sound. That is why we are using live drums, for instant. But one of the most important things is that we are all having fun. The feedback from the audience is the biggest thank you we can think of. The next big party is already booked – we will celebrating on November 8th and 9th in Berlin… with anybody who wants to attend.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Gothic-pop, electro-wave.

Background/Info: The Nachtmahr commander and the Persephone nymph are joining hands again for their Mothership project; the band with which Thomas Rainer and Sonja Sonja Kraushofer got successful and word-wide recognized. “Hinter Dem Horizont” is the first new studio album in four years for L’Âme Immortelle. Next to the ‘standard’ edition there also is a limited edition featuring an extra disc.

Content: If my info is right, this must be the 13^th studio album from the Austrian duo. They hold on the basic elements, which made their sound easily recognizable. There’s the impact of Sonja’s charismatic vocals, but still the melodic aspect of the work. The songs are moving in between gothic atmospheres and dark-pop arrangements. Thomas Rainer is singing as well, creating this complementary sensation between both members.

+ + + : “Hinter Dem Horizont” doesn’t sound as a get back to the roots, but you still can hear the original melodic approach mixed with a mature and contemporary approach. This album moves on there where “Drahtseilakt” stopped. It’s album filled with harmony and an emotive content. Thomas Rainer once more confirms his skills to write great melody lines and elevating choruses. But I think it still is one of the most delicate compositions by L’Âme Immortelle. It’s the kind of composition on, which I can easily imagine both members being joined by authentic, acoustic instruments just to empower the sensitive touch of the work. So I guess it’s not of a coincidence they invited a guest musician to play piano on one of the cuts. Notice by the way the album got mastered and produced by Krischan Wesenberg.

– – – : If there’s one regret I can imagine about this work I should dare to say I’m maybe missing a hit that would enter into the band’s history. What I want to say is that I noticed multiple great songs, but maybe not a new  “Bitterkeit” and “Life Will Be Never The Same Again”.

Conclusion: No doubt about it, L’Âme Immortellle will fully satisfy their fans with their most polished and accomplished work to date… which however doesn’t mean it’s their best record ever.

Best songs: “Schwerkraft”, “Treiben”, “Am Ende Aller Tage”, “Memories”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.facebook.com/LAI.official

Label: www.trisol.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Trisol–Music–Group/104166526285471

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark electro-wave, gothic-pop.

Background/Info: The complete title of this album is “Unsterblich – 20 Jahre L’Âme Immortelle”. The title speaks for itself and is a way to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the now legendary Austrian formation set up by Thomas Rainer and Sonja Kraushofer.

Content: “Unsterblich” is a kind of ‘best of’ album and for this particular event Thomas Rainer asked for the contribution of Gregor Beyerle (Skyla Vertex, Reaper) and Krischan Wesenberg (Rotersand) to rework and co-produce the songs. This way the songs have been revived and adapted into a new and refreshing format.

L’Âme Immortelle is formation that never stopped to fascinate me. They went through different periods, in which they moved from dark-electronics during the early years to heavier goth-metal work. The last productions saw those exploring goth-pop fields and a kind of return of typical electronic compositions.

“Unsterblich” brings us back to some of their early hits like the unavoidable “Bitterkeit” and “Life Will Never Be The Same Again”. However, it is rather surprising not to find songs from their latest albums and  also, it’s not that easy to select an album featuring 13 songs when you consider the impressive discography of the band.

This album however is a way to rediscover some of their most famous songs and especially the proper sound formula, which made this band successful. Music and vocals reflect refinement and beauty at one side and rage and darkness at the other side. Sonja’s timbre of voice remains a deeply artistic and elevating experience while Thomas stands for the evil and obscure force behind the band. But they are pretty complementary and I think they need each other to become this higher goal called L’Âme Immortelle.

The music merges similar influences. There’s the refinement and piano-like arrangements at one side and the epic bombast and obscurity at the other side. It all together creates the secret code symbolized by 13 songs.

+ + + : L’Âme Immortelle celebrates their 20^th anniversary in style. I like the contribution of Gregor Beyerle and Krischan Wesenberg. The artistic touch of the album includes a cool booklet with pictures (featuring some pics from the early years).

– – – : A double disc with extra songs taken from their discography would have been a logic choice. So I regret only 13 songs have been made ‘immortal’.

Conclusion: After such a successful career, this work appears to be a kind of consecration for this great formation.

Best songs: “Bitterkeit”, “Love Is Lost”, “Stumme Schrei”, “Gefallen”, “Life Will Never Be The Same Again”, “Judgement”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.mai–music.com / www.facebook.com/LAI.official

.trisol.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Trisol–Music–Group/104166526285471

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Out by mid-March is the newest L’Âme Immortelle album “Unsterblich”, a best-of which will also see a 2CD boxset version. You can order that special 2CD boxset right now.

The double CD edition comes in a book format with the exclusive bonus CD “Past”, featuring the original versions of the 13 tracks you find on CD1 plus 3 additional bonus tracks. The booklet holds 56 with high-grade art print on high quality art paper and includes an extensive picture gallery from L’Âme Immortelle’s private archive with tons of unreleased photos from the past 20 years.

All songs on CD1 have been re-recorded together with Krischan Jan-Eric Wesenberg (Rotersand) and Gregor Beyerle (Skyla Vertex, Reaper). You can hear preview below and order the set here.

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.

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