The legendary duo Mentallo & The Fixer have officially reunited. Brothers Gary and Dwayne Dassing, the masterminds behind the project, have returned to the studio.

Mentallo & The Fixer literally dominated the 90’s industrial landscape with their meticulous industrial patchwork blending exquisite programming, samples, and a mix of sci-fi and societal commentary.

2025 marks their first full-length album as a duo since 1997’s “Burnt Beyond Recognition”. And that is not all, the band will embark on their first US tour since 2006, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of their classic album, “Where Angels Fear to Tread”. Tickets are available here.

About Mentallo & The Fixer

Mentallo & The Fixer is an electro-industrial project formed by Texan brothers Gary (Mentallo) and Dwayne (The Fixer) Dassing in 1988. Initially experimenting with traditional rock instruments, they shifted focus to synthesizers and samplers, leading to the creation of their first band, Benestrophe, with vocalist Richard Mendez. After Benestrophe disbanded, the Dassings established Mentallo & The Fixer, deriving the name from two Marvel Comics characters.

Their debut album, “No Rest for the Wicked” (1992), released on the Portuguese label Simbiose Records, garnered quite some attention in the electro-industrial scene. This success led to a partnership with Metropolis Records, through which they released “Revelations 23” (1993).

In 1994, the brothers collaborated with vocalist Michael Greene on a side project named “Mainesthai“, resulting in two albums: “Out to Lunch” and “Mentallo & The Fixer Meets Mainesthai”. Continuing as Mentallo & The Fixer, they released “Where Angels Fear to Tread” (1994) and “Burnt Beyond Recognition” (1997).

Following Dwayne’s departure in 1999, Gary continued the project solo, producing albums such as “Algorythum” (1999), “Love Is the Law” (2000), and “Enlightenment Through a Chemical Catalyst” (2007).

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Out via Re:Mission Entertainment is the brand new album by Reign Of Roses. Reign Of Rose is the dark synth side project of Mentallo & The Fixer. The album was originally set for release in 2006 on Rav Dva but due to the passing of Ric Laciak in 2014 it never materialised. The album has now been remastered by Dwayne Dassing in 2024 and is officially out now.

You can order the album here on Bandcamp.

Dwayne Dassing embarked on a new musical journey after parting ways with his brother, Gary. The split marked a departure from the abrasive electro-industrial sound that characterized Mentallo’s music as Dassing sought to create a more organic and elemental sound.

In 2000, Dwayne met singer Scott Berens, who had recently relocated from Reno, Nevada. Their first collaboration led to the creation of the track “Blind”, marking the birth of their new project, Reign of Roses. The duo’s sound combines medieval and ethereal tones with gothic and darkwave influences, integrating Berens’ introspective lyrics with Dassing’s broad range of analog and digital synths.

Reign of Roses debuted with the EP “In Bourbon and in Blood”, featuring tracks like “Blood”, “Reflection” and “Tears of God”. The band later followed up with their debut album, “Reign of Roses”, offering a blend of gothic and darkwave sounds, reflecting themes of rebirth and personal tribulation drawn from Berens’ experiences.

Note that Gary Dassing is mentioned in the credits as drum programmer. The album is dedicated to Ric Laciak.

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

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Rina Pavar is a female solo-project based in Leipzig (Germany). This album released by Cold Transmission Music features the self-released debut-album “Vivid Night” (2021) and the self-released EP “Things We Hide” (2022) as a little bonus. Notice by the way the vinyl edition only features the “Vivid Night”-album.

Content: Rina Pavar is one of those artists inspired by the icy, electronic, music from the 80s Cold-Wave movement which has been adapted into a deeply, minimal, composition. It sounds dark and even ominous with sterile, female, vocals on top.

+ + + : I never heard of this artist before but Rina Pavar is for sure a name I’ll keep in mind. I like the minimalism of the composition which doesn’t need that many sound layers to get a great, irresistible sound. It’s all about coldness and the mood matching with it; crystalline sound treatments and poignant retro-strings. I also have to say a word about the low, grunting, linear bass lines which are sometimes reminding me of early Mentallo & The Fixer. On top there’s this typical emotionless singing which is also very 80s driven. This project will appeal to lovers of Paradox Obscur, Rue Oberkampf and related artists.

– – – : I’ve been never that fond of songs ending with fade outs.

Conclusion: Rina Pavar took me by surprise unleashing a brilliant album of cold Electronics. This work sounds like an impressive debut.

Best songs: “The Things We Hide”, “Vivid Night”, “Nervous World”, “Lake Of Ice”, “Eternal You”, “Like Wolves”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082538510549

Label: www.coldtransmission.com / www.facebook.com/coldtransmissionmusic

About Rina Pavar

Rina Pavar is a solo project the artist launched in 2019, working from Leipzig, Germany, and preferring to remain anonymous behind the artist name. Before starting the project, the musician worked as a lyricist for other acts, took on live sound engineering work, and wrote and produced songs for the Synth-Pop project Butcher Lane. Musically Rina Pavar mixes Cold-Wave and Minimal-Electro with 80s Post-Punk and Wave influences. The self-released debut album “Vivid Night” appeared in 2021, followed by the self-released EP “Things We Hide” in 2022. Cold Transmission Music combined both releases as “Vivid Night / Special Edition” in 2023.

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

Oklahoma City based fine darkwave label Re:Mission Entertainment has released a name-your-price label compilation with all proceeds from this release going back into the label to fund future releases.

On the compilation we find 18 bands including Bara Hari, Shhadows (feat. Reiya), A Perfect Error, Dedalos (feat. May Rei), Fact Pattern, Dead Voices On Air, Dread Risks, Black Agent, Mentallo & The Fixer, :Waijdan:, Sidewalks And Skeletons (with Cashforgold), Snowbeasts, SET, Reign Of Roses, The Mystic Underground, Suffer Ring, Dracula Party and SØLVE.

Included are previously unreleased tracks by Reign Of Roses, The Mystic Underground and Snowbeasts along with remixes by ESA: Electronic Substance Abuse, Grendel, Blak Emoji and more.

Next to the download compilation you also have the option to get 1 of 100 copies of the compilation on CD and 1 of 50 Silver Logo t-shirts.

Check the compilation out below.

And below are the previous compilations launched since 2019 when the label started.

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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“No Rest for the Wicked” is the debut studio album of Mentallo & The Fixer, released in 1992 by Simbiose Records. It now gets a 30th anniversary release via Mentallo Big Cartel and Re:Mission Entertainment in various limited formats holding 4 bonus tracks.

This reissue contains the original seven tracks remastered by JM Mastering.

1992’s “No Rest for the Wicked” was the band first major underground release and while the recording was low-budget it introduced their audience to the band’s dynamic energy and sense of melody. The recording sessions were completed during 1990 and 1991 but the album’s release was stalled for personal reasons by the band, with founding member Gary Dassing discussing the lyrics as being about his sister’s placement in an asylum.

The digital version will contain all twelve tracks from the original CD plus four additional songs from the 1991 “Wreckage + Ruin + & + Regrests + [Redemption]” GPC cassette tape.

Available are also two vinyls, a limited edition in black vinyl and one in silver vinyl, the latter is already completely sold out. The vinyl versions hold the restored original artwork, but also a folded poster autographed by Gary and Dwayne Dassing.

You can order these releases via Mentallo Big Cartel or via the Re:Mission Bandcamp page.

About the album

Mentallo And The Fixer was born from the minds of brothers Gary and Dwayne Dassing in 1988.
The duo began their career earlier by experimenting with traditional rock instruments such as
guitar and drums, but made their focus synthesizers and samplers with their first band
Benestrophe with vocalist Richard Mendez. From that project spouted two tapes worth of
material released via Ras Dva Records as “Sensory Deprivation” and “Auric Fires”. Mentallo And
The Fixer soon formed after Benestrophe went dormant.

Their debut album “No Rest For The Wicked” saw released on Portuguese label Simbiose
Records, whilst also gaining the attention of Zoth Ommog records.

Gary Dassing recalls: “Thirty years have passed since our first release, “No Rest For The Wicked”. Dwayne and I have been fortunate to have kept this band going in some capacity after all these years. Mentallo And The Fixer came about after our first band Benestrophe disbanded due to a number of reasons. Dwayne moved from San Antonio to Austin for better job prospects in the electronics industry. Rich Mendez had other priorities being school and computer programming. I was left to my own devices and began recording tracks on my own, continuing to work on music in the privacy of my home studio, which I dubbed The Churchyard. I had no interest in being a vocalist much less a front man. I decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a shot. I had nothing to lose and figured the only ones hearing my music, and having to put up with my nonsensical garbling gibberish at the time would be my close friends and parents.

Back in the day, technology was a far cry from what it is today. Our recording methods were quite archaic. Everything was recorded on a standard Teac tape deck. I was monitoring the mix using a Panasonic jambox, and Commodore 64 as our sequencer, taking 15 to 20 minutes to load the program off a floppy disk, a 12 channel Ross mixer which was intended for live sound, load in a 90-minute cassette and hit record.

For these tracks, nothing was structured and everything was recorded on the fly, even the vocals. I would randomly change drum patterns, effects, muting and unmuting synth sounds and levels, etc. The sequencing program would run on a loop, repeating, until I hit the spacebar to stop the song. It was a bit of unwavering controlled chaos. Half of what I was recording vocally was completely improvised. I was trying to capture a feeling, filling up one side of the cassette and selecting the best version.”

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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Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro, IDM, Ambient, EBM.  

Format: Digital, 2 CD.

Background/Info: Two years after the promising EP’s “Until The End Of Time” and “We Will Remain” Swedish duo Jonas Mattson and Patrik Wallin strike back with their long awaited debut album. The work features ten songs while the bonus CD brings previously released EP’s for the first time on CD.

Content: If you don’t know Circumpolar, I invite you to start with the second album featuring the integrality of both EP’s. You’ll notice sophisticated songwriting, which is clearly reminding me of bands like Mentallo & The Fixer and Skinny Puppy, but also with some Haujobb elements. The songs are elaborated, mixing danceable elements and pure atmospheric Electro.

“Awaiting The Dawn” sounds like a step forward although holding on to the influences of the band. The album takes off with a rather intro-like track moving on with the title song, which reminds us of the inspiration of Skinny Puppy. The work is diversified, sometimes driven by EBM elements while often accomplished with bombastic drum sections. Mentallo & The Fixer is a band that comes often in mind while the most Ambient-driven cuts remind me of Benestrophe (a side-project of Mentallo & The Fixer). I also noticed a more Cold-Wave inspired song reminding me of The Danse Society, but with an Industrial sound production on top. The vocals have something spooky, which is perfectly matching with the music.

+ + + : After their astonishing EP “We Will Remain” I was eagerly awaiting the debut album of Circumpolar. All I can say is the album simply confirms the genius of this duo. This is intelligent and well-crafted music; Electro from the highest level! Even if the comparisons with Mentallo & The Fixer, Benestrophe, Skinny Puppy and even Haujobb are easy to make, Circumpolar also reveals a very unique sound identity. They match bombastic drum parts together with subtle bleeping sequences. They don’t hesitate to push the boundaries of established Electro standards into another dimension by adding EBM elements and pure ambient passages. The progression from both EP’s towards this album is impressive. The title song is a masterpiece, but I also have to mention “Let The Light Come In” for its harder EBM bass line and great bleeps plus “A Celestial Ocean”, which is more into an instrumental Ambient approach full of delicacy. I think it was a great idea to add a bonus disc with the previous EP’s of the band.

– – – : I don’t have true minor points, but the last part of the main album is a little less interesting than the main part.

Conclusion: Circumpolar doesn’t compose the most accessible Electro format, but it’s without a shadow of a doubt one of the most talented formations from the Alfa Matrix roster. This band has the stuff of genius!

Best songs: “Awaiting The Dawn”, “Let The Light Come In”, “A Celestial Ocean”, “Illusions Of Reality”, “Immortal Souls” + “Into The Heart Of The Sun”, “In A Distant Sky”, “Lost In Time”, “The Rain Will Burn”.

Rate: 9½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/Circumpolar1

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Awaiting The Dawn’.

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

Re:Mission Entertainment has launched the official merch store for Mentallo And The Fixer.

The Big Cartel site contains such items as autographed box sets from their Alfa Matrix catalog, t-shirt designs; including a double sided silk screen print featuring the original “Where Angels Fear To Tread” album art, a classic red logo t-shirt and the brand new “Judgment” t-shirt. The site also includes limited edition merch for such side projects as Benestrophe and Kitty Kosmonaut.

You can access the official merch store right here.

And here’s a teaser of what to expect.

About Mentallo and the Fixer

Mentallo and the Fixer (sometimes written as Mentallo & the Fixer) is the project name used by Texan electro-industrial musicians Gary Dassing (Mentallo) and Dwayne Dassing (The Fixer) from 1988 to 1999, and by Gary Dassing alone from 1999 to the present day. The band has several releases on the American record label, Metropolis Records, and also on the Belgian label Alfa Matrix (including side-projects).

The band is named after two Marvel Comics characters.

The Dassing brothers first began experimenting with music by the means of more traditional rock music instruments, such as guitar and drums. However, by the time the two formed their first band Benestrophe with vocalist Richard Mendez, the instruments of choice became synthesizers and samplers.

After parting ways with Mendez, the two brothers began work as Mentallo & The Fixer. Their first album release “No Rest for the Wicked” saw a limited 500-copy run on vinyl and a CD by the Portuguese label Simbiose records, and also gained the attention of Talla 2XLC from Zoth Ommog records. Zoth Ommog released their next two major albums, “Revelations 23” and “Where Angels Fear to Tread”.

Mentallo & The Fixer soon after signed with Metropolis Records with a domestic re-release of their second and third albums as well as a CD of unreleased back catalog material, “Continuum”.

By 1999, Dwayne and Gary agreed to split in order to pursue their own musical directions. Gary continued to use the Mentallo & The Fixer name and released several albums including “Algorythum”, “Love Is the Law”, “Return to Grimpen Ward”, and “Vengeance is Mine”. After “Grimpen”, Mentallo’s album output slowed somewhat, resulting in two albums: “Enlightenment Through a Chemical Catalyst” in 2007 and “Music From the Eather” in 2012, both released by Alfa Matrix.

In September 2014, Mentallo & the Fixer released a 3 CD box titled “Zothera” on Alfa Matrix. It contained two remastered albums from their Zoth Ommog era, namely “Revelations 23” and “Where Angels Fear to Tread”, and a third bonus CD “Apocrypha” with unreleased material including remixes.

After a several year break a new album was recorded, “Arrange The Molecule”, released by Alfa Matrix in 2017.

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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There’s a hiatus of twenty four years between Seven Trees’ debut album “Embracing The Unknown” (1997, Zoth Ommog) and their new opus “Dead/End” released on Progress Productions. Johan Kronberg and Henrik Karlsson both remain the single members on board. It’s not an easy thing to label their music, but it sounds to me as the offspring between The Klinik, Project Pitchfork and Front Line Assembly. You never got the feeling this band has stopped composing music for such a long time; “Dead/End” has something retro-like, but still personal and featuring multiple great songs. I talked about it all with Henrik Karlsson.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: When evoking SEVEN TREES people are always getting back to your debut album “Embracing The Unknown” released in 1997 by Zoth Ommog. What did this album and the fact it was released by Zoth Ommog mean to you and what has been its further impact on your career?

Henrik: It meant a lot to us; it was the perfect label to be on at the time, and we got a lot of exposure. People seem to really like that album, which is equally important for a career in music; it acts as a mental booster for future compositions. Also, our tour with MENTALLO & THE FIXER most likely had an impact.

As for today… I think signing with a prominent label like Progress Productions most likely strengthened the interest in the first ‘come back’ release, the “Trauma Toxicity”-EP. Finally, the expanded re-release of “Embracing The Unknown” in Infacted’s “Classixx”-series was definitely very important too.

Q: There’s a hiatus of 24 (!) years between the debut album and your new opus “Dead/End”. Do you feel it’s still the same band with a similar approach and perception about music or is this something totally different? What are the most noticeable changes & evolutions?

Henrik: We have put a lot of effort into developing our sound to a more modern soundscape, while at the same time leaning towards the more old-school Dark-Electro. We still have the same visions for SEVEN TREES, while at the same time trying to break patterns and challenge ourselves. I think this is quite evident if comparing the EP and the new album, which has a more carefully considered neater production.

Q: Over now to “Dead/End”. What kind of album is it all about and did you’d specific ideas in mind about sound and production? In which way is there a connection between “Dead/End” and the “Trauma Toxicity”-EP from 2017?

Henrik: There is quite a strong connection, despite the differences in production. They both deal a lot with for example the consequences of being subjected to extensive and prolonged trauma. With the EP we were trying out our grounds, see how we wanted the ‘new’ SEVEN TREES to sound. It’s a very dark EP. When working on the new album we felt like we wanted to do something even darker, especially when it came to the lyrics, all the while making that work with our ‘new’ sound. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. We did not plan for a specific production, it came naturally as we were working on the album.

Q: I was just asking you about the ‘sound’ of SEVEN TREES, which according to me is hard to label, being more a kind of sonic osmosis between different music genres. What does it say about your potential sources of inspiration and do you handle specific criteria and/or references when it comes to writing and production?

Henrik: We don’t have much of criteria at all, except for that we will stay in the Dark-Electro realm. Also, we don’t really like doing club tracks or similar, it’s just not our thing. Honestly as for genre, we don’t really know where to place us either, but people say Dark-Electro so I guess that’s what we do.

We’re both very broad in our taste in music; my favorite band is PLACEBO, and Johan listens quite a bit to Black-Metal. We grew up on Electronic music of various kinds, but eventually broadened our horizons. We both listen to a lot of Electronic stuff nowadays too though, but varying it with other genres.

As for lyrics I draw inspiration from for example Brian Molko and Robert Smith, while incorporating my own style of writing.

Q: “Dead/End” is an intriguing title for lyrical themes, which are clearly evoking despair, disillusion… which can be summarized with one of your songs: dystopic illusions! What did you try to express and what does it reveal about your perception of life and society?

Henrik: Funny you should ask, because this particular song is something we’ve never done before, it’s very different from the other tracks on the album (the lyrics). It is very political, something I never thought we’d do, but with everything that was going on last year over here I guess I felt like trying it out. I wanted to do it in a rather cryptic way though, so it might not be very obvious. There’s quite the pitch black worldview in that song, and I guess in most of the other tracks too.

Q: What are the further plans and especially considering we’re actually going through this ongoing pandemic? Dystopia became reality don’t you think?

Henrik: Yeah, it certainly did. It’s been a crazy year, and it’s been tough for us all, especially being isolated, and to exercise every precaution to not get Covid. May this nightmare end soon! As for further plans, we do have a release coming up, but I can’t say anything about it yet.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD + lmtd. 2CD.

Background/Info: Martin Sane strikes back with the third official album of his sonic brainchild fïx8:sëd8. The album has been achieved during the pandemic, the title of the album referring to the situation. Notice by the way there also is a limited format featuring an extra CD featuring ten remixes by other artists.

Content: fïx8:sëd8 moves on there where the previous –brilliant, album “Warning Signs” stopped. We get an even more elaborated, and especially even more efficient complex Electronic composition. The influences are always getting back to early Skinny Puppy and Mentallo & The Fixer, but this German project clearly has developed its own sound. The songs feature multiple spoken samplings, which are mixed with the harsh, ghost-like vocals of Martin Sane. The songs are driven by bombastic, danceable rhythms. The dense Electronic layers are featuring subtle bleeps and good-old synth parts. The tracks are elaborated and often long-duration pieces. There’s a noticeable and more explicit ‘club-song’ entitled “Unknow To Virtue” plus a surprising and more Dark Electro-Pop cut (cf. “Tremors”) featuring guest vocals by Emke (Black Nail Cabaret).

+ + + : I already considered the previous work of fïx8:sëd8 as an magnum opus, but I rapidly realized “The Inevitable Relapse” is again moving a step further. I think it makes no longer sense comparing this project to Skinny Puppy; fïx8:sëd8 simply went on where early Skinny Puppy left off! This artist excels in the writing of intelligent Electronic music; somewhere in between early EBM, Dark-electro and Industrial. There’s not one single track to throw away. The songs have been progressively built up and even if the writing is sophisticated it always remains accessible, efficient and exciting! There are not many bands –and especially talented ones, dealing with this kind of approach. It reflects a true genius in the global production. There’s something to say about every single track, but “Unknown To Virtue” has an extra clubby touch. Another absolute highlight is the last song “Metabolite”, but I also recommend “Meltdown” and “Pale Light Shadow”.

– – – : I don’t see any single minus point; not even “Tremors” featuring Emke. The songs sound pretty different from the rest, but it also is a great song; it’s just different.

Conclusion: fïx8:sëd8 never stops improving little details from the global production work. This is probably not the ‘easiest’ underground Electro, but it’s touched by the hand of Apollo… the God of music!

Best songs: “Unknown To Virtue”, “Metabolite”, “Pale Light Shadow”, “Meltdown”, “Chlorine Clean Tears”, “The Inevitable Relapse”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Fix8Sed8

Label: www.dependent.de / www.facebook.com/dependent.records Read the news on ‘The Inevitable Relapse’.

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

It has been a hectic year, also for Alfa Matrix, but luckily their bands took the time to work in their studio to record new material. Out now via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page is the label’s 10th edition in the “Matrix Downloaded” compilation series, again offering you a – free – insight in what the Belgian label is all about. You can discover 64 tracks right here on Bandcamp.

The download holds tracks from Cubic, Psy’Aviah, Aesthetische, Digital Factor, Reichsfeind, Llumen, Zombie Girl, Diffuzion, Matthew Creed, Circuito Cerrado, Circumpolar, Venal Flesh, Mentallo & The Fixer, Freakangel, Alien Vampires, I:Scintilla, Schwarzblut, Totem Obscura, Reactor7X, First Aid 4 Souls, Lederman / De Meyer, Implant, AD:keY, Kant Kino, Die Robo Sapiens, ELM, Pouppee Fabrikk, Armageddon Dildos, Plastic Noise Experience, Synapsyche, Avarice In Audio, Elektrostaub, Junksista, First Aid 4 Souls, Benestrophe, Mental Exile, Star Industry, Halo In Reverse, Lovelorn Dolls, Helalyn Flowers, Essence Of Mind, Rector Scanner, Elektroklänge, Metroland, Lights A.M, Cosmic Armchair, Aiboforcen, H.O.W., 808 DOT POP, Suicidal Romance, Entrzelle, Technoir, Neuroactive, Mondträume, The Psychic Force, Studio-X, Studio-X Vs Simon Carter, Neikka RPM, Komor Kommando, Siva Six, Aengeldust, Acylum, Dunkelwerk and Növö.

Exclusive face masks

Next to that you can also get the download together with a face mask, out in a very limited series. You can either buy them separately or get all 3 in one. Check the set of 3 Face Masks (Blue Matrix + Endzeit + Red EBM Alert) or the separate masks.

Note that EVERY face mask order comes with a free compilation CD on top: “Sounds from the matrix 022” with 20 extra tracks.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Circumpolar is a Swedish duo driven by Jonas Mattson and Patrik Wallin. They last year self-released their debut-EP “Until The End Of Time” and next got signed on Alfa Matrix, which re-released this work. The second EP “We Will Remain” was released nearly at the same time and revealed a more sophisticated sound approach. The intelligent sound treatments remind me a bit of bands such as Clock DVA, Haujobb and related formations. Circumpolar might be the next new sensation for all of those who like intelligent electronics!

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Circumpolar is a rather unknown name at the wider fields of electro-underground music so can you briefly introduce the band, the way you get contaminated by the ‘electronic virus’ and what were the original purposes when setting up Circumpolar?

Circumpolar: Circumpolar is a new Swedish dark-electro/wave act that consists of Jonas Mattsson and Patrik Wallin. We are old friends since way back in time. We started to make music together when we were about 18 years old, and then played in different bands for some years in the Northern part of Sweden. However, we never released any of that material on record. For years now we have been talking about getting back together again, and about two years ago we decided trying to make electronic music together again.

The purpose behind Circumpolar is to create interesting electronic music within our own conceptual format and sound, which hopefully will be enjoyed by people all over the world.

Q: The name of your band refers to astrology, but can you tell us a bit more about this name and the possible links with lyrical content and music style?

Patrik: The stars that circle around the celestial pole and never set below the horizon are called ‘circumpolarstars’. In ancient Egypt, the circumpolar stars in the Northern sky were called ‘jhmw-sk’, ‘the ones not knowing destruction’. The astronomical characteristics of these specific stars were used in numerous religious texts to express immortality and eternity, for example:

‘O uplifted one (i.e. the Pharaoh), being great among the circumpolar stars. You have not perished, you star of eternity’ (a citation from the so-called Pyramid Texts, 2300 BC)

I studied a lot of ancient history at university, and I have a PhD degree in Egyptology. Sometimes I use the imagery and concepts of life/death and space/time from ancient Egyptian religion in my lyrics.   

Q: Referring to the music style and/or the ‘sound’ properly speaking, I experienced your work as a fusion between different genres and influences; EBM, IDM, ambient, dark-electro… How do you perceive your own sound? Can you tell us a bit more about potential sources of inspiration? References? And how did the song writing happened?

Circumpolar: Bands like Skinny Puppy, Front 242, The Klinik, Twice A Man, Kraftwerk, The Neon Judgement and Portion Control have always been sources of inspiration to us. Further, The Fields Of The Nephilim, The Sisters Of Mercy, Swans, The Cure, Joy Division, Rome and Dead Can Dance are bands that we both like a lot.

Both of us are still buying lots of records and we constantly discover new electronic and dark-electro artists. There is so much great new music within our genre yet to discover.

We like to think that we somehow have created mix between EBM, dark-electro and dark wave/goth. However, this was not the intention when we started the band, it just happened.

The process of creating new songs usually starts with an instrumental loop or just single sample, which we successively develop into a song.

Q: You last year self-released the debut EP “Until The End Of Times” -which got next re-released on Alfa Matrix, plus another EP “We Will Remain”. Can you briefly analyze both EP’s? Was there a particular focus in writing and production? And how did you get the deal with Alfa Matrix?

Circumpolar: The first song we recorded as Circumpolar was “The Rain Will Burn” from the first EP, and then we realized that we had created a musical concept and sound that we really liked. After that moment, it was very easy to continuing writing new songs. 

On the “Until The End Of Time”-EP the foundation of our sound was built, whereas on the “We Will Remain”-EP the sound and concept evolved into something that will be even more present on our future releases.

We sent the songs from our first EP along with the songs to the “We Will Remain”-EP to about 15 different record labels. We got some offers, but when we got a positive response from Alfa Matrix we were overwhelmed.  

Q: I think there’s an interesting evolution in writing and production between both EP’s; “We Will Remain” being definitely more elaborated and subtle, reminding me to bands such as Haujobb, Mentallo & The Fixer and Clock DVA. What does it say about your approach, studio equipment and your own evolution as musicians?

Circumpolar: On the second EP we have worked more with the vocals, and experimented a bit more with reverb, delay and other effects, trying to create a more dynamic and atmospheric experience. The structures of the songs are also a bit different compared to the first EP. Further, we spent much more time on mixing and mastering.

We have bought a lot of new gear since we recorded the first EP, for example a Korg Minilouge XD, the fantastic Strymon Big Sky Reverb, and some Roland drum machines.

Q: I think you’re back again in studio, so I can imagine there’s an album in the pipeline? What brings the future and what might we expect regarding topics such as image, social media activity and live performances?

Circumpolar: For the moment, we are recording new songs for a forthcoming album release. We are constantly producing loads of loops and outtakes, but now we have selected about nine songs out of that material to be finalized for an album.  

It is quite possible that there will be some social media activities prior to our next releases, perhaps some live performances from the studio…

Yes, we will definitely play live in the future.  

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: IDM, industrial, electronic, ambient.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Circulpolar recently joined the Belgian ‘matrix’ re-releasing their debut-EP “Until The End Of Time”. “We Will Remain” has been released the same day (on the 5^th of December) and features five new songs.

Content: Compared to “Until The End Of Time”, this EP sounds even more elaborate, and also more rhythmic. The Swedish duo has accomplished a compact fusion between intelligent sound treatments, dark atmospheres and slow rhythms. The songs have been achieved with fine, tickling bleeps reminding me of Benestrophe and Mentallo & The Fixer. The sterile atmospheres and cadence comes closer to the genius of bands such as Clock DVA and Haujobb. The songs have been progressively built up, slowly reaching a true sound orgasm.

+ + + : This second EP sounds more mature and accessible although it remains a sophisticated work, which is hard to define. But it first of all is the result of a creative process and intelligent writing revealing a promising, genius formation. The sources of inspiration have something retro-like, but clearly adapted into a modern and even avant-garde, icy perception. This work has been composed with an impressive sound canvas of endless little noises and effects. Bombast and refinement both come together in a poignant sonic manifesto, which I hope will be the start of a successful career.

– – – : Complexity might be Circumpolar’s enemy as most of the electro heads still seem to enjoy easy, repetitive standards. This work is a challenge!

Conclusion: Circumpolar was maybe the missing link at Alpha Matrix. This band brings something the label hasn’t been used to releasing over the years. Circumpolar is the talented sonic child from renowned parents like Clock DVA, Haujobb and Mentallo & The Fixer!

Best Songs: “In A Distant Sky” , “Lost In Time” .

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Circumpolar1

Label: www.alfa-matrix-store.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.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: IDM, industrial, electronic, ambient, experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Circumpolar is the Swedish duo Jonas Mattson – Patrik Wallin.They last year self-released their debut-EP “Until The End Of Time” and next got signed on Alfa Matrix, which re-released this work.

Content: It’s not an easy thing defining the sound of Circumpolar. Their composition rapidly appears to be a juxtaposition between related electronic music styles. The opening song reminds me a bit of the complexity of Mentallo & The Fixer; a sophisticated composition driven by deep, resonating bass lines and dark sequences. The track progressively builds up. “The Rain Will Burn” in a way symbolizes the rest of the EP. I also discovered a more explicit ambient creation, which has something atypical and therefor experimental. The vocals have something spooky and inhibited, which fits the music. 

+ + + : Circumpolar brings a complex, and intelligent electronic format. The sound stands for a fusion between IDM, industrial and electro-ambient music so in the end it’s somewhat experimental and maybe a little visionary-like. I enjoy the dark sphere hanging over the songs while the ghost-like vocals reinforce this darkness. This is great music to listen to.

– – – : “Until The End Of Time” is not exactly the most accessible genre of electronics; it’s not made to set dancefloors on fire, but is a type of music that is part of a wider artistic performance including visuals.

Conclusion: Circumpolar definitely enlarges the sonic horizon of Alfa Matrix; the music appears to be a truly challenge, which will appeal to lovers of intelligent electronics.

Best songs: “The Rain Will Burn”, “I Can See The Dawn (The End Of The World)”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Circumpolar1

Label: www.alfa–matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Until The End Of Time’.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Background/Info: German solo-project Fix8:Sëd8 is driven by Martin Sane. After a debut period during the early millennium years Fix8:Sëd8 struck back in 2017, getting signed to Dependent and releasing the “Foren6”-album. Two years have passed and  here’s the successor “Warning Signs” revealing twelve songs.

Content: DFix8:Sëd8 always has been inspired by sophisticated EBM reminding me of Skinny Puppy, Mentallo & The Fixer and related formations. It’s not that different for the new stuff, which has a strong retro-feeling and something pretty 90s-like. The songs are dark, elaborated, carried by solid bass lines and refined with meticulous arrangements. One of the most ‘atypical’ songs is probably “Tunnel Vision” for being less dark.

+ + + : Fix8:Sëd8 belongs to this number of intelligent EBM composers. The work is styled bringing industrial bombast together with delicate bleeps and arrangements. The songs are extremely dark, sometimes feeling a bit tormented and accentuated by the growls of Martin Sane. There are multiple great songs featured, but I’ve a preference for “Within Cells Interlinked”.

– – – : If you’re not into old-school EBM this album will definitely not be your cup of tea. I haven’t been disappointed although both last songs are a little less convincing.

Conclusion: Fix8:Sëd8 moves on there where “Foren6” stopped and I think we might easily consider “Warning Signs” as the project’s opus magnum. If you’re old-school minded this album will probably become one of 2019’s favorites. 

Best songs: “Within Cells Interlinked”, “Depression Deity”, “Parasite Paradise”, “Tunnel Vision”, “Embolism”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Fix8Sed8

Label: www.dependent.de / www.facebook.com/dependent.records

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

Fade Kainer (Batillus, Tombs, Jarboe) set up Statiqbloom in 2013 as a solo-project. He got joined in 2016 by NY, Denman C. Anderson. Based in Brooklyn, NY (USA) they recently released their new full length “Asphyxia”, which is their fourth full length to date, but the first one released by Metropolis Records. The album reveals a post-industrial sound which might appeal for lovers of Mentallo & The Fixer, early Revolting Cocks, but especially Yelworc for the dark and tormented atmosphere recovering the songs.

(Picture credits: Katrin Albert / Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: How did Statiqbloom saw the daylight and what were the initial music purposes?

Fade: I initially started Statiqbloom to write music for myself after the band I was in at the time called Batillus had dissolved. Then close friends encouraged me to share the music I was writing.

Q: Considering aspects such as influences, the composition process & production skills how would you analyze the evolution from the early work till “Asphyxia”?

Fade: I’m always trying to progress and evolve and try to create what I envision in my mind, a lot of it has to do with the feeling, the atmosphere I’m trying to capture. My intention is the evolution gets more focused and more provoking.

Q: “Asphyxia” has something retro-like, but still pretty contemporary with a very dark and sometimes tormented atmosphere on top! Tell us a bit more about this opus?

Fade: I’m proud of the lyrics on “Asphyxia”, and being able to capture a bit of claustrophobia with staying more minimal that previous releases. Every day is a struggle and a challenge when trying to create.

Q: The cover of “Asphyxia” has something pretty symbolic so what’s the link with the title and the global lyrical content?

Fade: Tthe Statiqbloom logo has an ouroboros around it, so the cover of Asphyxia has the serpent in motion it’s a visual play on the album title.

Q: I noticed you already released several official videos, which I think perfectly represent the dark and disturbing atmosphere of the Statiqbloom-sound. Tell us a bit more about these experiences?

Fade: The majority of the videos I worked with Katrin Albert and Gretchen Heinel. They are photographers & film makers. A lot of the video concepts we’re their interpretation of the music. There’re videos in the works for “Asphyxia”.

Q: For your newest album you’ve joined hands together with Metropolis Records. You also played several dates here in Europe including the famous WGT in Leipzig (Germany). What do you expect from a ‘bigger’ label and how did the European concerts happened, which have been for sure an opportunity to gain a wider recognition on the old continent?

Fade: Being on a bigger label helps with reaching more people and better distribution. WGT reaches out to us to play and we were excited to do so, and I reached out to Aufnahme + Weidergabe to do the Berlin show, and then were able to do more Euro dates with Spit Mask. Overall It was a great tour and the shows were amazing. A lot of people in Europe are familiar with the older content, but I’ll keep playing Europe & The States. I am grateful to have an audience and being able to watch this grow.

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: Industrial, EBM.

Background/Info: Honestly, I can’t remember to have ever heard of Statiqbloom before. They released a few albums before on Translation Loss , but “Asphyxia” will probably become the real start for Statiqbloom. 

Content: “Asphyxia” definitely deals with a post-industrial sound, getting us back to the 90s and reminding me of bands such as Mentallo & The Fixer, Revolting Cocks, but especially Yelworc for the haunting atmospheres. The songs are recovered with a dense and hostile dark layer. It all feels like danger coming really close. 

+ + + : I’ve been deeply impressed by “Asphyxia”. The compositions aren’t innovative, but the writing is intelligent and sophisticated. There’s a great mix between 80s and especially 90s electronics at one side and a personal and more contemporary approach at the other side. The industrial sound treatments create a perfect match with hostile electro atmospheres. This reminds me to Yelworc, which I’m still considering as one of the absolute ‘masters’ when it comes to create a tormenting dark-electro/EBM sphere. Just pay attention for excelling cuts such as “Eight Hearts Eight Spikes” and “Figure Behind The Door”, but also for the more EBM driven “Painted Red”.

– – – : The album features 9 songs and that’s a pity because the final track is a rather disappointing song… Serious now, I would have preferred to get a few extra songs, but you don’t hear me complaining. 

Conclusion: Statiqbloom definitely sounds as the latest promising formation from the Metropolis stable! “Asphyxia” left me rather breathless…

Best songs: “Eight Hearts Eight Spikes”, “Figure Behind The Door”, “Painted Red”, “Possession”, “Until Oblivion”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/statiqbloom

Label: www.metropolis–records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords Read the news on ‘Asphyxia’.

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.

Background/Info: Matt Slagle is an American artist who has been involved with numerous- and very different music projects. I personally remember Theologian, Side3 and Navicon Torture Technologies, but he has also been active in Negativehate, Diathoron, Sullen Rail, Thevetat and Dracaris. M Slagle was mainly active in between 2000 and 2011 and is now back on track unleashing a new album.

Content: It’s not an easy thing to define the sound of M Slagle, but there are explicit dark-electronic influences running through the production. It’s a raw and unpolished production, which seems to have found its main inspiration in the 90s electro scene. The complexity reminds me a bit of Mentallo & The Fixer. The harsh vocals create a perfect match with the music. One of the most surprising cuts is the cover version of Marianne Faithfull’s “Love Hates”, which also appears to be one of the most accessible cuts.

+ + + : I like the darkness hanging over this production, which is mainly characterized by a hostile atmosphere. Sound-wise M Slagle clearly avoids all kinds of cheap clichés, but tries to create a personal sound. It’s more the kind of album you’re going like for its dark mood instead of hard-danceable hard-electronic music. The cover version of Marianne Faithfull is quite successful, but I also have to mention “Moving Without”, the instrumental “Drained” and “Everything Else”.

– – – : It all sounds like the raw and unpolished production was intentional and in a way reinforce the retro-feeling of the work, but I think the mix could have been a little bit more professional.

Conclusion: M Slagle is a discovery for me. I can’t remember to have heard this project before, but I’m sure I now will keep it in mind.

Best songs: “Moving Without”, “Drained”, “Love Hates”, “Everything Else”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.mslagle.com / www.facebook.com/M–Slagle-212379318840422

Label: www.spentdecibel.com

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, industrial-body-music.

Background/Info: I got the opportunity to discover the L.A (California, USA) based Agitprop 666 by its debut work “Mind Control” (2002). The solo-project revealed an interesting old-school EBM sound. Because of an incarceration –which clearly inspired the title of this work, it took years to achieve “Penitentiary”. The album features 11 songs and is available as a free-download on Agitprop 666’s site.

Content: The main influences running throughout “Penitentiary” are once again taking us back to the great 90s decade of EBM. The multiple samplings featuring samplings from Nazi-propaganda, movie & documentary extracts and also a speech of Obama are classical elements from the 90s. The EBM style has something sophisticated, which might evoke early Mentallo & The Fixer, and also industrial sound treatments.

+ + + : Agitprop 666 is pure 90s nostalgia, but the album is not a cheap emulation. The songs are well-crafted, complex and reflecting certain intelligence. It makes this album different from the rest although supported by the spirit of 90s EBM. I like the complementarity between fine, bleeping sequences and pure bombast.

– – – : Complex music is not always the most accessible format and especially when it concerns EBM. You don’t hear me to complain, but there’s just one single cut (cf. “Peak Oil”) featuring guitar sounds, which sounds too different and less accomplished.

Conclusion: You’ve 80s and 90s nostalgics, but in the end this album brings an interesting retro-EBM format.

Best songs: “Firestorm”,  “Freedom To Fascism”, “Wall St.”, “Penitentiary”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.agitprop666.com / https://myspace.com/agitprop666

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

Cult industrial music pioneers Mentallo & The Fixer are now reissuing their back-catalogue, fully remastered by Gary Dassing himself, on all digital platforms with Bandcamp being serviced first (and other platforms following in the next weeks).

The reissue series happens via their Alfa Matrix label and includes the releases by their several other electronic-based projects. For the occasion, a new cover artwork has also been designed for each new re-release.

“Return To Grimpen Ward” was released back in 2001 as a remix best-of retrospective spanning the group’s first decade of electro industrial warfare. You can listen to all the tracks below.

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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For those who don’t know, Benestrophe is the first electronic music project that the Dassing brothers created together with vocalist Richard Mendez. They later created Mentallo & The Fixer and worked as a duo. The brand new digital only release “Turner’s All Night Drugstore (rare & unreleased 1987​-​1997)” features Benestrophe material Gary Dassing found in a box full of old cassettes and DATs tapes while working on the remastering of the complete back-catalogue by Mentallo & The Fixer.

After compiling the mostly unreleased material off these good old master tape treasures he approached Alfa Matrix to release the material which spans the periode between 1987 and 1997.

The release holds 13 tracks, which can now be downloaded via Bandcamp with other digital platforms following in the next weeks. Included are also live tracks, next to demos and other rare material.

You can preview the release below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Out of the blue Alfa Matrix has started a reissue series of the back-catalogue of the cult industrial music pioneers Mentallo & The Fixer and the band’s side-projects Benestrophe and Mainesthai.

The 5 reissues have been fully remastered by Gary Dassing himself and are available now via Bandcamp. In the next weeks all 5 releases will also be available on all other digital platforms. For the occasion, a new artwork cover artwork has also been designed for every new rerelease.

So let’s see what you can expect. Included are the Mentallo & The Fixer albums “Continuum” and “No Rest For The Wicked”. “Continuum” is an album that the Texas-based electro act released as a kind of collection of unreleased material left from the wreckage of the earlier days as Mentallo & The Fixer. “No Rest For The Wicked” is the act’s cult debut album which was later reissued with bonus tracks.

From the side-project Mainesthai you get “Out To Lunch”, the first album released under this moniker. Mainesthai is the project that the Dassing brothers created in 1994 together with vocalist Michael Greene. Although embracing the same harsh complexities as the mother project, Mainesthai was intended to be more melodic and humanistic than Mentallo & The Fixer.

From the side-project Benestrophe we get 2 albums. “Sensory Deprivation” and “Auric Fires” are the first 2 releases of Benestrophe with remastered material taken from the original tapes recorded from early 1989 to 1990. Benestrophe is the first electronic music project that the Dassing brothers created together with vocalist Richard Mendez. They later created Mentallo & The Fixer and worked as a duo.

Below are the releases as they are now available on Bandcamp. Side-Line readers, be aware that you can get a 25% reduction if you use the code sideline2518 .

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Cowards’.

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

Speaking of a big promotion campaign, the Belgian electrolabel Alfa Matrix has handed out over 4000 copies of the CD-sampler “Sounds From The Matrix 019” at the double concert of Front 242 this past weekend in Brussels. Also playing as support act were the electropop label mates of Front 242, Metroland.

On the CD sampler you find no less than 20 bands from the label’s roster with mostly new and/or exclusive material.

For those who missed the event, the compilation also comes as a free CD which each order that is placed on the label’s CD/DVD/vinyl webstore or as a download compilation at album price on Bandcamp. Each volume of the compilation series is a much sought after item as it regularly pops up on online auction sites reaching ridiculously high prices, especially when no longer available.

On this new volume you’ll find material from Elektroklänge, Metroland, Ad:Key, ELM, Mildreda, The Psychic Force, Star Industry, Crytek, Mondtraüme, Kant Kino, Junksista, Psy’aviah, Helalyn Flowers, Lovelorn Dolls, Sin.Sin, Imjudas, Komor Kommando, Mentallo & The Fixer, Implant and Schwarzblut. A very diverse compilation which showcasts very well the current line-up of the label.

You can stream the release below, or get it right here on Bandcamp. But if you place an order for a physical product, you’ll of course get it for free on CD!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

With his new studio album “Arrange The Molecule”, Gary Dassing confirms the undisputed Mentallo & The Fixer’s sound singularity. With its title taken from the line ‘Blessed Art Thou Who Arrange the Molecule’, this album, released on Alfa Matrix, is an open piece of art built on spiritual / scientific analogies, leaving the listener to choose how to perceive it. We had an interesting chat with this extraordinary sound research alchemist, Gary Dassing in person.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Hi Gary. Here comes a new M&TF studio album since “Music From The Eather” that was released back in 2012. Although I’m aware you released some other stuff including that amazing “Zothera”-Box, 5 years is kind of looooong for the fans?  What have you been up to the last time?

Gary: Wow, I didn’t realize it was that long ago. There are a whole slew of reasons of why it has taken so long to get things out. Come to think of it, if I recall correctly, I was working on music when the computer I used solely for music finally crashed. Dwayne built it for me ages ago, it was running Windows 98. Yeah I was keeping it old-school. I’m not a techie. That was Dwayne’s job. So when that happened I just sort of saw it as a sign to give it a break. In that time period life seemed to get in the way and I was just procrastinating, also I was waiting for that drive or motivation to come back. I didn’t want it to feel like work, I was not going to force a release just for the sake of it.

Q: Musically, we can clearly hear that this new album is quite close to “Music From The Eather” actually?  Is “Arrange The Molecule” closing some kind of trilogy in a way through the last 3 studio albums?

Gary: I feel for the time being, with “Arrange The Molecule”, I’ve sort a topped out with the crazy ear candy. I consider it the most complex and structured of the 3. Funny to think I was using such archaic software and gear.  But yeah it’s the closing release in this series of pieces.  I’m ready for a new challenge or direction to move into.

Q: I’m quite surprised to hear that this new album is sound-wise so close to its predecessor while you have always enjoyed challenging yourself album after album and exploring totally new soundscapes, daring reinventing yourself again and again instead of simply repeating a recipe of success like too many artists sadly tend to do nowadays?

Gary: Well I tend to get bored quite easily, and when I work on music nowadays I do it to amuse myself. Like I previously mentioned it’s stereo sonic ear candy, hell I mixed “Music From The Eather” and “Arrange The Molecule’ through a pair of old Sony headphones. Hell why not, Dwayne and I recorded “Where Angels Fear To Tread” on a cassette deck! Laughs.

I haven’t listened to what’s going on in the scene in years, but yeah I don’t pander to anyone except myself. So with that in mind, yeah I use to hear quite frequently, why don’t you do another…. “No Rest…” or “Rev 23” or “Angels”… And I’m like, sheesh, because when I do music I’m honest with myself, there is no set template to follow, but at the same time, a good portion of those songs are quite personal to me. The problem came when I had to perform them night after night on tours. But honestly this is a passion, not a career, I would hate to be in that position, besides, this is the underground we are talking about. I plan to remain there, incognito.

Q: What is sonically different for you actually with this new album?  Where is it supposed leading us to?

Gary: It’s my approach to try and ping as many frequencies across the spectrum as possible, and get this dense full sound, with a lot of movement in the stereo field. Where is it supposed to lead you? Hmmm well, I like to cruise around and listen to music, long country drives with the windows down, blasting… so… Jokingly I would like to say I hope u reach Singularity. (laugh)  I just want people to trip out on it, I don’t expect fans to like every piece I do, u love some of it and u don’t, it’s just music, fuck it’s not going to change the world in any major capacity, play it to freak your friends out, get a laugh out of it. Use the music as your drug,

Q: Here again, vocals samples take the lead and replace vocals. Aren’t you sometimes missing taking the mic again and working on more ‘song oriented’ music with stricter song structures with chorus & verses?

Gary: Sure I do! That’s the next phase, I’m telling myself I’m going to pull a complete 180 degree turn and do the exact opposite of what I’m doing now. Strip it down to the bare minimum. Work with real vocalists/singers.  3 to 4 minute songs. Verse chorus songs. I’m at the point where I would like to work with other people again. I would like to record with a female vocalist. Someone within the region. Not necessarily someone familiar with this scene or genera of music. I want to be out of my comfort zone to some capacity.

Q: How would you describe this new album to somebody who had not the chance playing it yet?

Gary: Industrial Fusion. I believe this release has more melody and structure, but nonetheless, it’s just as rhythmic and crazy as ever. If anything it’s the production that blows me away.

Q: The limited edition also holds a bonus disc. What can we expect discovering on there?

Gary: Remixes, medleys, unreleased/B- side material, radio edits, ‘laughs’. Another journey into the unknown.

Q: The artwork design feel of the album is quite late 70’s / early 80’s retro oriented, with these retro coloring styles. It gives a kind of psychedelic touch to it all, but also some kind of sexual touch with stylised naked girls shapes colorized in neon lights some kind of? Tell me more?

Gary: I wanted a retro look. I have childhood memories of blacklight posters and early videogames like Tempest from 1981. I like the vibrance of  the colors. But yeah I definitely agree it has psychedelic written all over it in its own unique way. Well hmmm after all, I think the old adage applies here… ‘Sex, drugs and rock n roll’…

Q: I noticed that the title uses the word ‘molecule’ in singular. Which molecule would you like to arrange after all?   That molecule which allowed you experiencing that unique introspective journey?

Gary: Hmmm good question… the album title comes from the line ‘Blessed Art Thou Who Arrange the Molecule’. It’s all up to the listener and how they choose to perceive it. So it can be referencing either…. God, a shamen, or research chemist. Then again, I just like the way it sounds. I like the spiritual/scientific analogies.  My molecule? Hmmm well let(s just say it(s something particular to a small area in south Texas. And the deserts of northern Mexico.

Q: Are you kind of losing touch with reality when you are writing such ‘crazy” music? How can we imagine you in the studio writing such kind of music?

Gary: I get very lost in the process, it’s a way of escape, a way to pass time, to amuse myself, have fun. But it most definitely is thought out, it isn’t all random, there is structure to it, but I’ve heard it so much, I know what to expect even in all the subtle nuances. But I rarely work on music in THOSE instances, or states of mind, I like to listen to it or gather inspiration from the experience.

Q: What’s next now for you after this new album? 

Gary: Good question, well Dwayne bought me an Apple computer so I’m learning new platforms and software, but with the next releases, whatever moniker that comes under, I want to work with other people, like I did when I was much younger, I need to feel that comradeship, like I’m a part of a real band. Not taking on all the responsibilities, not always getting my say. Having to compromise. Making a group effort by bouncing off ideas. Having a good time in the process. In fact I’ve been talking with Rich Mendez of Benestrophe. And he’s game for working on new material with me for another Benestrophe release. I’ve always loved Richards vocal style and naturally deep voice, as well, he is a fantastic lyricist. I know I could get Dwayne in it on some capacity wether it be mixing and production. Dwayne goes for a more polished, professional sound.

Q: I have the impression that this new album is much harder in rhythm than its predecessor. More percussive and hard-hitting in a way. Is this part of the fact that you say the new songs are more ‘structured’?

Gary: Hmm good question, well, I knew this much going into it, I wanted shorter pieces of music, I told myself, ‘let’s just get to the point and not draw it out’. Not sure if any of you know this but I use to be a drummer and percussionist, so to me, when programming drums and rhythmical patterns, I like to mix it up, I can make it sound like a machine, or a human. With Mentallo I tend to use this approach a great deal, mixing electronic and acoustic sound. I want Mentallo to be open for the listeners’ own interpretation. I don’t want to corner myself and say I only do a certain type of style of music. I need to keep on being creative so I don’t lose interest. That’s why I spend so much time on the pre-production of the song. I like to add depth and dimension to the skeleton of the song, which usually starts off with me programming melodic percussion. I like to tune all my vocal samples, drums and percussion to the key or scale the song will be in.

Actually all the pieces off of “Arrange The Molecule”, were completed 3 years ago. I was procratinating because I didn’t have a computer, luckily, every time I worked on music I would back things up on disk. So even though my old computer died I still had all the audio information. When Dwayne bought me this Apple computer I had it for 6 months before I even booted it up, the older I get it seems, my approach to music is different. Don’t get me wrong I’m proud of all my releases in one form or another. I rarely if ever listen to my music once it’s completed. Only for nostalgia purposes, much like a photo album of my life.

Q: I always wondered. What are your main sources for all these weird vocal samples you are using across the album?  Some in French too I think?

Gary: Yeah you’re right, nothings off limits, when it comes to all the sampling, which I’m quite proud of may I add. But you’re right there is French in there, I know one of them is a speech engine, speaking the all the forms of dejavu terminology. Hell during the Alfa Matrix releases, I would spend weeks on end getting sample material and editing it down and EQ’ing and adding effects, that was part of the fun of it. All the random sound sculptures.

Q: Do you imagine yourself singing again in the future? Cos this was also kind of a part of the success of M&TF in the early days?  Do you still have challenges to take on that field?

Gary Well, never say never is my motto, It’s just vocalling and writing lyrics was a position I was sorta thrown into. I took on the endeavour with the idea we would just be a studio act, never thinking I would end up being a frontman for live shows. I just don’t want to write about the same negative subjects over and over, like beating a dead horse. It gets old. I’m not saying it’s not relative. But eventually… Don’t get me wrong, when you’re young, you throw caution to the wind, you’re influenced, and you’re finding your way. But I didn’t want to wear my favourite electronic acts like a badge of honour and just be a replica. I didn’t want to be lead, for the most part, I wanted to forge my own path at any expense, because at the end of the day I’m my own worst critic!

Nowadays I just know that I want to make something outside of my comfort zone. Also the vocals/lyrics  back in the day off the first releases were channelling real personal stuff, things involving close family and friends, and it was a great way to express myself with a vocal effects mask. I believe it touched fans because for the most part it was genuine. I wasn’t trying to be some cool industrial god frontman. Only sticking to the same old shit as what happened to the scene. I remember when I was a kid, a teenager, the plethora of bands I listened to. Hell back then, I don’t think any electronic or industrial band sounded alIke, there was a lot of diversity. And  what I’ve learned is …. hmmm absolutely nothing, laughs , just kidding. I’m not a purist in any form, I take and give what I can, from life, Ya know, I very well may vocal again… but I need to have that passion again. I’m more critical of my vocals and lyrics than I am of my music. I would like to get a super group together with all the friends I piddled around with in the late 80’s where I grew up in San Antonio, there is a lot of unique talent there. But that’s just me being nostalgic. (laugh)

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

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 Belgian electrolabel Alfa Matrix has launched it’s 19th (!) volume in their popular ‘Sounds From The Matrix’ series. On “Sounds From The Matrix 019” you find no less than 20 bands from the label’s roster with mostly new and/or exclusive material. The compilation comes as a free CD which each order that is placed on the label’s CD/DVD/vinyl webstore or as a download compilation at album price on Bandcamp (and if you use the code november84546 you’ll instantly get 30% off on top).

Each volume of the compilation series is a much sought after item as it regularly pops up on online auction sites reaching ridiculously high prices, especially when no longer available.

On this new volume you’ll find material from Elektroklänge, Metroland, Ad:Key, ELM, Mildreda, The Psychic Force, Star Industry, Crytek, Mondtraüme, Kant Kino, Junksista, Psy’aviah, Helalyn Flowers, Lovelorn Dolls, Sin.Sin, Imjudas, Komor Kommando, Mentallo & The Fixer, Implant and Schwarzblut. A very diverse compilation which showcasts very well the current line-up of the label.

You can stream the release below, or get it right here on Bandcamp. But if you place an order for a physical product, you’ll of course get it for free on CD!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Arrange The Molecule’.

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

Tomorrow the Belgian based record label Alfa Matrix will officially release the brand new studio album by the industrial cult act Mentallo & The Fixer titled “Arrange The Molecule”. The release is available for ordering via the label’s website, in a normal CD and 2CD boxset version.

With the new album Gary Dassing continues the search for maximum synth layered industrial – which you could already hear on the much applauded “Music From The Eather” album – but this time more structured.

Here’s what Dassing says about his new record: “I feel for the time being, with “Arrange The Molecule”, I’ve sorta topped out with the crazy ear candy. It’s my approach to try and ping as many frequencies across the spectrum as possible, and get this dense full sound, with a lot of movement in the stereo field. … I just want people to trip out on it, I don’t expect fans to like every piece I do, u love some of it and u don’t, it’s just music, fxxk it’s not going to change the world in any major capacity, play it to freak your friends out, get a laugh out of it. Use the music as your drug!”

The limited edition comes in a hand-made arty carton packaging with a bonus disc full of remixes, medleys and unreleased/b side material. Highly recommended!

Available formats: Mentallo & The Fixer – Arrange The Molecule 2CD / Mentallo & The Fixer – Arrange The Molecule CD / Mentallo & The Fixer – Arrange The Molecule (download only via Bandcamp)

You can listen to the complete album below!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark EBM.

Background/Info: Pyrroline has released their second official album. Four years after “Ruins Outlast”, Arnte & Schmoun are back on track with a kind of conceptual album dealing about the war in Croatia during the 90s.

Content: “In The Dawn Of Freedom” is a kind of sophisticated EBM sound. The main focus clearly is not to composer hard and powerful songs, but a more elaborated and complex writing, which might remind you of Mentallo & The Fixer and even Skinny Puppy. The songs have been constructed with multiple bleeps and crystalline sequences mixed with harsher and somewhat bombastic rhythms. The vocals are quite spooky, which fits with the atmospheric side of the work.

Some (instrumental) cuts are even moving on the edge of cinematographic music and I here would make a comparison with Benestrophe. But Pyrroline is a band with many ‘faces’ and also deals with a few more ‘traditional’ EBM cuts.

Both last cuts are remixes by One Eye Wanders and kFactor.

+ + + : The diversity of the songs definitely is one of the main characteristics of the album, but it also reveals that Pyrroline is open to different influences. I personally prefer the main part of the album revealing sophisticated and elaborated cuts. The ambient side hanging over the songs is more important than power. You should (re)listen to these songs with headphones to fully distinguish the little bleeps and icy sequences. I also discovered another side of Pyrroline, which sounds somewhat harder and into ‘classical’ EBM fields. “Succeed” is a great piece in the genre, reminding me of Plastic Noise Experience.

– – – : Despite of the diversity and the well-crafted songs, Pyrroline doesn’t really add anything new in the wider fields of EBM. I rapidly got a ‘déjà-vu’ effect although you don’t hear me complaining. Both remixes aren’t exactly adding a bonus to the album!

Conclusion: Pyrroline transforms EBM into a moody, ghost-like creation. It’s an intelligent composition although I’m missing some innovative elements.

Best songs: “Succeed”, “Nothing To Lose”, “Fellow Passenger”, “Vukovar”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www.facebook.com/Pyrroline-168370663180474

Label: www.electroaggressionrecords.com /  www.facebook.com/ElectroAggressionRecords

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

Read the review of ‘Arrange The Molecule’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: Belgian proud and master of dark-(h)el(l)ectronics is back on track with the first new album in 4 years. Johan Van Roy has often took the time to accomplish new studio work, but this production also is something special as it was a way to chase personal demons… Notice by the way this album is also available as double ‘deluxe’ disc, as double vinyl together with a CD and last, but not least as a special ‘fan edition’ 4-CD box.

Content: “Forest Of The Impaled” has been introduced as being the darkest and most intimate work of Suicide Commando to date. The opening cut featuring Nero Bellum (Psyclon Nine) definitely sounds as one of the most tormented songs in the band’s history. But if you think that all the upcoming songs are sounding similar, you’ll be surprised to discover slower compositions.

Johan Van Roy also experimented with new ideas, revealing a more sophisticated and intelligent writing process. I noticed songs with refreshing bleeps and even some minimalism. There also is one of the most EBM-minded songs ever written by Johan Van Roy. This is the already familiar “The Pain That You Like” featuring Jean-Luc Demeyer (Front 242, Under Viewer, 32 Crash) on vocals.

“Forest Of The Impaled” reveals a mix between some classic Suicide Commando songs carried by icy sequences, bombast-industrial rhythms and the harsh vocals of Johan at one side and some refreshing pieces at the other side.

+ + + : “Forest Of The Impaled” probably is the most diversified work of Suicide Commando ever. Another obscure and tormented cut is “The Devil” on, which you get the impression that a demon is singing. The album is merging the unavoidable ‘classical’ dark-electro cuts with a few more ‘minimal’-driven cuts revealing a different approach in the sound treatments plus an EBM-inspired song featuring Jean-Luc Demeyer.

This is probably not the album that will enter into history as the ‘best’ album of the artist and yet there are a few outstanding pieces featured. The opening track “The Gates Of Oblivion” featuring Nero Bellum truly is a real masterpiece. The song together with Jean-Luc Demeyer is another essential cut, but I also enjoyed the ‘modernism’ running through “Chasm Of Emptiness” and “Crack Up”. One more interesting cut is the sophisticated “Schiz[o]topia”, which comes closer to the style of Mentallo & The Fixer.

– – – : I just noticed a few single cuts, which left me rather unmoved. “Too Far Gone” and “Poison Tree” aren’t exactly the songs that will enter into Suicide Commando ‘classic’ hits.

Conclusion: Every single new Suicide Commando album always is an event. I don’t know if it’s the artist’s darkest album ever, but it clearly and once again deals with pain and torture. Suicide Commando has chased its demons on “Forest Of The Impaled” with music that sounds even more evil than the most dangerous demon!

Best songs: “Chasm Of Emptiness”, “Gates Of Oblivion feat. Nero Bellum”, “Death Lies Waiting”, “The Pain That You Like feat. Jean-Luc Demeyer”, “The Devil”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.suicidecommando.be / www.facebook.com/IIXIII

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 67th track on our free download compilation “Face The Beat: Session 4” (featuring 92 tracks) is by the Brasilian old school electro act Signal Operator.

Signal Operator was founded in 2009 in Sorocaba,Brasil. The Band is actually a one-man by Emerson Felix, heavily influenced by old school bands such Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, Mentallo & The Fixer, Leaether Strip or yet Front 242. The sound consists of pulsating bass lines and analogue synths, heavy drums and distorted vocals. Emerson Felix is planning to self release in 2017 an independent LP, he also has another solo project Êlémentaire which offers minimal wave. Check the band on Facebook!

Listen to “The Black Field (Psychological Version)” below and download it right here.

Check our “Face The Beat: Session 4” page on Bandcamp to discover the other 91 bands. All donations will go to charity.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, electro-ambient, industrial.

Background/Info: Sect 37 or Section 37 is an English music project that was set up in 1999. The band has always been driven by Stuart J. Harris and with the help of some contributors. Harris is now working with John Frost. “Ausländer” is the fourth full length album of Sect 37.

Content: It’s not that easy to precisely define the sound of this work. Sect 37 mixes multiple influences with each other. It all starts a rather electro-ritual & trance way while the next cut reveals industrial elements. Quite progressively you’ll notice pop elements, ambient-electronics and even EBM. A few passages are more into a cinematographic sound composition.

Sect 37 seems like exorcizing multiple sound ideas. The vocals are quite diversified as well and sometimes joined by spoken samplings and extracts from speeches.

+ + + : “Ausländer” definitely is an original work, which is hard to grasp. So it’s neither a cliché nor emulation and that’s what I particularly like when listening to the music. There are several cool cuts on this album. I like the offspring between ambient and electro-pop featured on “Behind Your Eyes” or the more complex and somewhat Mentallo & The Fixer reminding “Connected… But Alone”. “S.N.A.F.U.” is more for the EBM-minded lovers and already something different, but interesting.

– – – : Even if diversity is one of the main strengths of this album it also is a bit confusing. I sometimes got the impression that I was listening to a compilation instead of a band.

Conclusion: “Ausländer” is a sonic enigma, which is hard to label, but globally speaking rather enjoyable. Sect 37 is a kind of sonic chameleon.

Best songs: “Behind Your Eyes”, “Connected… But Alone”, “Hate”, “S.N.A.F.U.”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.facebook.com/Section-37-Band-468142086614819

Label: www.aestheticdeath.com / www.facebook.com/aestheticdeath.uk

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Background/Info: Kneel In Front Of The Executioner, better known as KIFOTH is back on track with their seventh official full length album to date. After having worked together with Out Of Line and Vendetta Music they now joined hands together with EK Product to release this new opus, which also is the first one in seven years. The Slovakian duo K-head – Mir Colon sometimes take a break, but always fight back with power and efficiency.

Content: KIFOTH has considerably evolved in sounds throughout the years. They started as a promising EBM band, but “Extensive Report” reveals a mature and more elaborated songwriting plus efficient production. This is an intelligent EBM format, which might appeal to lovers of bands such as Frontline Assembly, Mentallo & The Fixer and Leather Strip.

Mixing heavy bombast drum sections together with refined bleeps, the work is made of multiple sound layers. That’s precisely what differentiates KIFOTH from the average and stereotypical EBM standards. A few orchestral arrangements accentuate the global power.

+ + + : The sophisticated sound writing is something essential on this album. It reveals a creative spirit and a smart production. I like the heavy drum sections and the judicious bleeps and other electronic noises. There’s an industrial touch supporting most of the songs. There are several attention grabbers on “Extensive Report” and especially 2 songs I want to recommend: “Global Warning” for the early FLA style and “Clandestine And Formidable”, which is an alluring EBM song.

– – – : The only point I’m not entirely convinced consists of the vocals’ production on a few cuts. I’m not that fond of the singers’ timbre of voice although I like the more spooky style of singing on a few cuts.

Conclusion: KIFOTH has found a new and comfortable home by joining the EK Product roster while this new comeback will definitely please the EBM community. This band remains for sure one of the hottest Slovakian EBM bands in history.

Best songs: “Global Warning”, “Clandestine And Formidable”, “Proxy War”, “Air”, “Crude Oil”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www.ttx–net.sk/kifoth / www.facebook.com/KIFOTH.bandprofile

Label: www.ekproduct.com / www.facebook.com/EKProduct

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

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Protectorate’.

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: Electro-industrial, IDM.

Background/Info: No doubt about it, David Christian became one of the most praised sound makers when it came to speak about progressive industrial music. The American artist can look back to numerous great productions, which most of the people discovered on the now gone Crunch Pod label and the album “Negate The Instigator” (2007). This is the 2^nd album of Cervello Elettronico released on Hands and the first one in 3 years.

Content: David Christian moves on mixing intelligent electronic treatments, which we can define as the offspring between industrial music and IDM. You’ll notice a few more elements like technoid influences, haunting ambient atmospheres, trance-minded arrangements and even more electro driven sequences reminding me of Mentallo & The Fixer, but the main sources of inspiration always bring back to an electro-industrial basis.

The second half of the album is definitely more exciting revealing a few outstanding cuts.

+ + + : Cervello Elettronico remains an original sound creation and a guarantee for some new outstanding tracks like “Spacial Differences”, “Stand Your Ground” and “Memory Loss”. There’s a great diversity in the writing and a fascination for raw sound sculptures. I especially like the kind of groovy industrial side accentuated on some cuts. “Logical Fears” is a sophisticated production with a great finale.

– – – : Some of the opening cuts are quite entertaining although missing the familiar magical touch this band has used to demonstrate. It rather sounds as a teaser for the great final section. “Logical Fears” remains a great piece of work, but not the best album of David Christian.

Conclusion: The debut part is just cool, but not that special while the second part reveals the real power and sound elegance of Cervello Elettronico’s new album.

Best songs: “Spacial Differences”, “Stand Your Ground”, “Memory Loss”, “Logical Fears”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.cervelloelettronico.com / www.facebook.com/cervelloelettronicomusic

Label: www.handsproductions.com / www.facebook.com/hands.official

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

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘New To Reality’.

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

Track 54 on our free download compilation “Face The Beat: Session 3” is by the Brazilian act Signal Operator. “Circus Of Lies (Dub Version)” shows what this act – which has not yet released anything official so far – is up to. Old school beats and strong synth layers that remind the golden age of dark electro, the early 90s that is. Right now the band is working on a first EP to be released later this month. Keep an eye on this project!

You can listen to the track below:

Signal Operator (Sorocaba, Brazil), was founded in 2009. The band is actually a one-man project run by Emerson F. Fernandes who in the 1990’s already had some EBM projects such as Anti Airkraft and Organic Insight. These 2 older projects saw 2 self-released cassettes being distributed in Brazil.

Signal Operator is heavily influenced by old school bands such as Front 242, Project Pitchfork, Skinny Puppy, Mentallo & The Fixer, FLA and Leaether Strip. The sound consists of pulsating bass lines and analogue synths, heavy drums and distorted vocals.

Apart from Signal Operator, Emerson also has two other solo projects: Memory Flow (electronic) and Élémentaire (Mininal Wave). And together with his Canadian partner Joel Roderick Bisson he also runs the acts Kapital (old school EBM) and Terrorsekt (dark electro).

You can find Signal Operator on Facebook.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

The last album by the ArtOfFact signed act Dead When I Found Her, “All The Way Down”, was such a great release (and so thought many of you as the 2CD edition of the album sold out in less than a month – that’s 500 units) that we absolutely wanted to know what this musician’s musical Top 5 were.

And although he already cited bands such as Haujobb, Skinny Puppy, Mentallo & The Fixer, Doubting Thomas and Gridlock on his Facebook page, there is way more to discover in this absolute TOP 5 from Dead When I Found Her.

Here’s a Top 5 best of from Dead When I Found Her, the solo project by Portland (Oregon) based musician Michael Arthur Holloway. The 1CD version is still available directly from the band’s label, if you haven’t yet picked this one up, do it now.

1. Haujobb – “Blendwerk”

Michael Arthur Holloway: “Lyrics about Ice Cream, didn’t Skinny Puppy already do that on their last album? There must be some new connection between our venerable industrial elders and every kid’s favorite treat, because this can’t be coincidence…

Ok, it probably is coincidence. Anyway, this album is infectious from start to finish. Slick production, precision-honed analog synths, aggressive yet understated vocals (Daniel Meyer has become a master of this approach), and an overall cohesion from track to track this is enviable. A deeply satisfying Haujobb release, and one of their best.”

A white vinyl 2LP version off this album is available right here.

Eldrina Mich

As Eldrina Mich I work as a go-between and a devil’s advocate when it comes to Side-Line. If our own staff needs to be interviewed then ask the questions no one else dares to ask.

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It’s back catalogue time at Alfa Matrix. The label has announced that they now have added 99,99% of their back catalogue material online in the past few days. Says the label: “Over the past 2 years Alfa Matrix has been releasing all new releases via Bandcamp too. But a lot of our back catalogue material wasn’t on there. Today this has changed, as we have now added 99,99% of our back catalogue material online, straight from the master tapes.”

The latest additions (around 40 in total) include several sold out releases such as (sold out) albums from Implant, Metroland, Kant Kino, Nebula-H, amGod, Mentallo & The Fixer, Regenerator (including a Front 242 remix) and lots more! The complete list can be found below.

DO NOT FORGET: Alfa Matrix has also issued a 25% reduction code for September: september5236584 (use it when checking out on Bandcamp).

The list of releases that have been added:

• AGONISED BY LOVE – Lovesick Society
• AGONISED BY LOVE – All Of White Horizons
• AGONISED BY LOVE – Close Behind You EP
• AMGOD – Dreamcatcher (Bonus Tracks Version)
• CRISK. – Das Erste Mal EP
• CRISK. – Machlaut
• GLIS – Balance (Bonus Tracks Version)
• IMPLANT – Self​-​Inflicted (Bonus Tracks Version)
• IMPLANT – We Are Doing Fine / Too Many Puppies EP
• IMPLANT – Soft Flesh – Hard Steel
• (IN)TERNAL – Dysfunctional Subconscious
• INURE – Subversive (Bonus Tracks Version)
• INURE – Disillusion EP
• KANT KINO – LRSBSS EP
• KANT KINO – We Are Kant Kino – You Are Not (Bonus Tracks Version)
• KLUTAE – Sinner EP
• LEAETHER STRIP – Haervaerk EP
• MALAKWA – Street Preacher (Bonus Tracks Version)
• MARI CHROME – Georgy#11811 (Bonus Tracks Version)
• MENTALLO & THE FIXER – Music From The Eather (Bonus Tracks Version)
• MENTALLO & THE FIXER – Commandments For The Molecular Age (Radio Version) EP
• MENTALLO & THE FIXER – Commandments For The Molecular Age EP
• MENTALLO & THE FIXER – Enlightenment Through A Chemical Catalyst (Bonus Tracks Version)
• MENTALLO & THE FIXER – A Collection of Rare, Unreleased & Remastered (Bonus Tracks Version)
• METROLAND – Mixing The Gap (Extended) EP
• MIND:STATE – Decayed​-​Rebuilt (Bonus Tracks Version)
• MIND:STATE – BBC2X EP
• NEBULA-H – H
• NEBULA-H – H2O
• NEBULA-H – rH (Bonus Track Version)
• NEIKKA RPM – The Gemini Prophecies (Bonus Tracks Version)
• O.V.N.I. – Good For You EP
• O.V.N.I. – Objet Volant Non Identifié (Bonus Tracks Version)
• PSY’AVIAH – Ok / Virtual Gods (DJ Only) EP
• THE PLASTIC NOISE EXPERIENCE – Dead Or Alive + Transmission Completed (Bonus Tracks Version)
• RAZORFADE – This Clear Shining (Bonus Tracks Version)
• REGENERATOR – Disease (Bonus Tracks Version)
• REGENERATOR – War (Bonus Tracks Version)
• REGENERATOR – Regenerated X (Bonus Tracks Version)
• SUICIDE INSIDE – Homicide (Bonus Tracks Version)
• VARIOUS ARTISTS – Square Matrix 001 (Bonus Tracks Version)
• VARIOUS ARTISTS – Square Matrix 002 (Bonus Tracks Version)
• VARIOUS ARTISTS – Square Matrix 003 (Bonus Tracks Version)
• VARIOUS ARTISTS – Square Matrix 004 (Bonus Tracks Version)

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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