Genre/Influences: Industrial, Industrial-Rock, Metal-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD & 2CD.

Background/Info: TheItalian act Helalyn Flowers duo strikes back with their sixth full length to date, which comes three years after the astonishing “Nyctophilia” (2018). This album wants to be a reflection about our lives and habits or as the work has been introduced as ‘the antidote against sterile chatting, obsessive mechanization and the excessive culture of hype’.

Content: One of the first aspects that caught my attention is that Helalyn Flowers don’t repeat themselves, but try to explore new paths with each new album although their sound remains easily recognizable. First of all there’s the great, sensual and passionate way of singing of Noemi Aurora who literally injects a soul into the music. And next there’s the music itself composed by Maxx Maryan and Noemi. It’s hard to define the sound, which clearly appears as the offspring between different- and sometimes opposite genres. The result is a hard piece of music mixing elements of Rock-, Industrial- and Metal music, which are polished with an unexpected –but already familiar, Pop touch.

The bonus disc features remixes by Jean-Marc Lederman,  Mario Rühlicke, Junksista, Implant, Alien_Nation, ImJudas, Planet Pop, ExoPhantom feat. Xyren Version, Digital shadows and DJ Und3rmin3r. There also is an interesting “2015 Version” of the song “Skyland”.

+ + + : Helalyn Flowers is a band you can’t really compare to others; they have something very personal in the global sound production being a true sonic osmosis between styles, but also –and mainly, driven by one of the best female singers from this alternative scene. Noemi Aurora not only has a great timbre of voice, but she injects different emotions to her voice. She can be sweet and passionate and even enraged. There’s a great balance between her vocals and the music. But the music itself resulted from a perfect harmony between guitar and electronics; guitars to inject rage and electronics to bring some extra melody and even elevating moments.

Among the remixes I salute the work of Jean-Marc Lederman, the punching remix by Mario Rühlicke, the more electro-driven remix by Implant and the club-friendly remix by Planet Pop.

– – – : It’s sometimes pretty hard to catch Helalyn Flowers; that’s what makes them original, but at the other side the songs aren’t always the most accessible. They this way create a perfect symbiosis with the concept of the album -an antidote against the excessive culture of hype. I already heard better works from the Italian duo.

Conclusion: Helalyn Flowers became a true antidote to established music genres, mixing all these genres together in a very own sound.

Best songs: “Metropolis Necropolis”, “Cosmic Ants”, “Halos” + “Suicidal Birds – Trensity Remix by Mario Rühlicke”, “Suicidal Birds – Waves, Trash And Garlic Mix by Implant” and “Before The Sunshine – Planet Pop Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/helalynflowers

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

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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Out today is “Àiresis”, the brand new 6th studio album by the Italian female fronted electro-rock act Helalyn Flowers. The release is available in 3 formats, a normal 10-track CD (available here), a 21-track double CD (available here) and a download via Bandcamp (available here) and on all other download and streaming platforms.

The double CD includes a 11-track “Skepsis” bonus disc featuring remix collaborations with Jean-Marc Lederman, Implant, Imjudas, Junksista, Alien_Nation, Planet Pop, Exophantom, Digital Shadows, Mario Rühlicke and DJ Und3Rmin3R.

The limited deluxe edition of the new album features exclusive artwork design by Noemi Aurora herself (www.toxic-visions.com).

Videos

Featured on this new album are also the 2 tracks “Metropolis Necropolis” and “Suicidal Birds” which both got the video treatment.

Official video clip for “Metropolis Necropolis”

Official video clip for “Suicidal Birds”

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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Genre/Influences: Electro-pop, indie-pop.

Background/Info: Swedish duo Anders Hagström – Tea F. Thimé are back on track unleashing the fourth full length album from their sonic brainchild Ashbury Heights. They got a helping hand in the production process by Mario Rühlicke (Blutengel).

Content: Ashbury Heights remains inspired by electro-pop music although I experienced this opus as touching ground with indie-pop. The songs are pretty dance-like, mainly characterized by happy-pop tunes and carrying –and sometimes techno-driven, choruses. The female vocals remain a quite noticeable element, but there still is a sweet harmony with the male backings.

+ + + : Tea F. Thimé remains one of the main strengths from this band. She has a powerful and alluring timbre of voice, which really put her stamp on this band. Sound-wise I experienced this work as the most ‘happy’-sounding ones in the band’s discography. But the main- and most noticeable evolution is the global sound production. Ashbury Heights has reached an ultra professional level.

– – – : I always have liked Ashbury Heights because they bring a more personal electro-pop style. But this new opus sounds now and then a bit too ‘commercial’ or ‘dance’-like. The choruses are cool, but on a few tracks it clearly sounds a bit ‘teenager’-like.

Conclusion: I’m missing the magic from previous releases. Ashbury Heights remain to me a great and talented band, but this new opus can’t fully satisfy me.

Best songs: “Headlights”, “Waiting For The Fall”, “Firebird”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/ashbury.heights

Label: www.outofline.de  / www.facebook.com/outoflinelabel

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

Three years after “The Looking Glass Society”, the Swedish electro-pop duo Ashbury Heights returns with “The Victorian Wallflowers”. The band nowadays consists of Anders Hagström and Tea F. Thimé.

The album itself was produced by Mario Rühlicke (Blutengel) and will be out on CD for which pre-orders are available now. Musically the band continues their electropop line as we are used from them.

Ashbury Heights formed in 2005 and consisted originally of Anders Hagström and Yasmine Uhlin on vocals. Uhlin left the band after the release of their EP “Morning Star in a Black Car”, and was replaced by Kari Berg (vocals) as the lead female vocalist. Berg was a member of Ashbury Heights until 2010 and was featured on one album, “Take Cair Paramour”.

In 2010, following a long-running dispute between Hagström and the Out of Line label, the band disbanded. The dispute was settled in 2011, whereupon Hagström and Out of Line renewed their collaboration. In 2013, Tea F. Thimé (vocals and lyrics) joined the band as the new vocalist, coming from a background of alternative modelling and burlesque performance (going by the stage name Tea Time).

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: Electro-pop, wave-pop.

Background/Info: Set up during the 90s, “Beautiful Suicide” stands for the return of Massive Ego. It’s not that really about a come-back although they didn’t release any new album since 2008. But during the past few years Massive Ego stroke back with noticeable EP’s “I Idolize You” and “Noise In The Machine”. They joined hands with Out Of Line, which will for sure give them a wider exposure.

Content: “Beautiful Suicide” is an album that moves towards electro-wave-pop music. The work has been mixed by Mixed by Chris Pohl and Mario Rühlicke (Blutengel), which for sure got an impact on the sound. Massive Ego composes a naughty electro-pop sound, which is carried by solid bass lines and great leads. The sound however is pretty diversified and still pretty sexy through the vocals of Marc Massive. Diversity comes from different influences and featured guest singers. There also is a funny sampling featuring Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran).

The bonus disc features remixes by noticeable names like Blutengel, Ashbury Heights, Chrom, Ludovico Technique, Nature Of Wires, Ash Code and NeroArgento. But you also get a few exclusive songs.

+ + + : Massive Ego has a very own sound DNA. It’s a rough and raw electro-pop style, which sounds a bit retro-like, but still exciting and sexy through its charismatic vocalist. “I Idolize You” remains an absolute hit, but I have to mention other noticeable tracks such as “She Uses Sex”, “Kate’s In A State” and “Haters Gonna Hate”. This band mixes efficiency, originality and image!

The list of remixes is quite impressive and I here especially want to mention the retro-like approach of Ash Code. The best cuts from the bonus CD are the extra songs from Massive Ego.

– – – : I’m a bit disappointed about the extra disc. I like the extra songs, but I expected much more from the remixes.

Conclusion: Massive Ego confirms the potential revealed at previous EP’s. This is a great album with multiple potential hits. This is electro-pop with attitude!

Best songs: “I Idolize You”, “She Uses Sex”, “Kate’s In A State”, “Haters Gonna Hate”, “Drag Me In, Drag Me Under”, + “Public Disorder”, “Dead Silence Rising”

Rate: (8½).

Band: www.massiveego.co.uk / www.facebook.com/massiveego

Label: www.outofline.de  / www.facebook.com/outoflinelabel

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 British act Massive Ego returns with the electro pop album “Beautiful Suicide” out in 2 weeks from now. The material was mixed by Chris Pohl and Mario Rühlicke, the team behind the Berlin-based act Blutengel, and contains the Boy-George-penned hit “Let Go” and their club-smasher “I Idolize You”.

The new album is released as a deluxe double disc (you can order it right here) with an exclusive bonus album containing 5 more new songs, plus remixes from Blutengel, Ashbury Heights, CHROM, Ludovico Technique, Nature Of Wires, Ash Code and Neroargento.

The material on the album was inspired by the personal battles against depression and anxiety, as well as by the suicide of a close friend and ex-bandmate. The album features collaborations with Chris Pohl, Gene Serene, Maggie K DeMonde (Scarlet Fantastic) and rapper Belzebub.

Here’s the promo video for the 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