This one is fresh from the Audioglobe news alert line. Japanese noise icon Merzbow will release a brand-new album titled “Sporangium” and reissue the long out-of-print 10CD box “Merzphysics” on August 1, 2025. Both releases are limited to 300 copies and come via Old Europa Cafe.

“Sporangium” features three long-form tracks recorded and mixed by Masami Akita at Munemihouse, Tokyo in March 2025. Described as new “MERZSONIKS”, the release includes Akita’s signature harsh noise approach using handmade instruments, contact microphones, distortion and glitch pedals, synthesizers, and both software and hardware setups.

The album comes as a limited digipak CD. The track titles include:

1. Sporangium [18:00]
2. Zeolite [26:31]
3. Sheep Teeth [13:23]

The second release is a remastered edition of the expansive 10CD box set “Merzphysics”, originally issued in 2012 by the Japanese label Youth Inc. (株式会社ユース), it has long since been sold out. This 2025 version preserves the original cassette-based recordings from 1993–1995, remixed in 2012 and now newly remastered. All material was recorded live to cassette at ZSF Produkt Studio and reflects a pre-synthesizer era of the project’s work, characterized by high-speed, grindcore-inflected pure noise.

Track titles reference vintage cassette brands such as AXIA PS, GPX, UX, and CDix. The full set includes 20 tracks across 10 CDs housed in individually printed sleeves, with an estimated box weight of 400 grams.

About Merzbow

Merzbow is the primary project of Japanese noise artist Masami Akita, founded in Tokyo in 1979.

Initially focused on tape experiments and harsh electronics, Merzbow became synonymous with the Japanoise genre by the mid-1990s. Early cassettes and LPs on ZSF Produkt established Akita’s signature style, which evolved over decades through hundreds of releases and collaborations.

The 1990s saw international recognition through albums on labels such as Relapse, Extreme, and Tzadik.

While often exploring environmental and animal rights themes, Merzbow’s sound remains rooted in analog feedback, distortion, and non-traditional instrumentation. Akita continues to record and tour globally, with recent projects including archival box sets and immersive noise compositions.

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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(Photo by Emilie Elizabeth) Italian musician Alessandro Cortini has released his latest work, “Nati Infiniti”. This 40-minute piece, divided into five movements, is based on an immersive audio installation that took place across four floors of the Museu de Lisboa’s Fábrica da Moagem, a disused flour mill.

Commissioned by Sónar Lisboa 2022, “Nati Infiniti” captures the ambiance of the original installation. Each floor of the mill evoked different states through Cortini’s sound design, creating a different experience as listeners moved through the building. The album tries to reflects this movement.

Using the Strega instrument, co-designed by Cortini with Make Noise, the piece evolves across 40 minutes. Marta Salogni, known for her work with Björk and Depeche Mode, mixed and mastered the album into five movements. “Nati Infiniti” is available now, in various formats including vinyl, CD, and digital.

Cortini debuted the live audio-visual performance of “Nati Infiniti” at Berlin’s Atonal Festival. After a series of sold-out shows, he will tour North America and Europe throughout 2024 and 2025, with additional dates to be announced.

Cortini, a longstanding member of Nine Inch Nails, has released a steady stream of his own music on labels such as Mute, Hospital, and Important Records. His collaborations include work with Lawrence English, Daniel Avery, and Merzbow. He is also the only Italian musician inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His creations, like the Strega and the forthcoming Bruxa module, kinda show his innovative approach to music. He has composed for fashion shows by Alexander McQueen, Dior, and Fendi, and soundtracked Disney/Hulu’s hit show “The Bear”. His remixes include tracks for Depeche Mode, Mogwai, Death Cab for Cutie, Yann Tiersen, and Vatican Shadow.

Here’s a live impression of Cortini.

Alessandro Cortini tour dates

• 10/11/2024 – Seattle, WA, Age Of Reflections at Seattle First Baptist, US
• 10/12/2024 – Portland, OR, Age Of Reflections at Trinity Cathedral, US
• 10/13/2024 – Los Angeles, CA, Teragram Ballroom, US
• 11/20/2024 – Brussels, Bozar, BE
• 12/6/2024 – Berlin, Silent Green, DE
• 1/17/2025 – Paris, Trabendo, FR

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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(Photo by Emilie Elizabeth) Out 4 October on Mute, followed by UK, European and American tour dates, is the brand new album from Nine Inch Nails member Alessandro Cortini, “Nati Infiniti”. Today the Italian musician releases a first track, “IV”.

Watch the video for “‘”IV” with imagery by Marco Ciceri.

The 40-minutes album “Nati Infiniti” is composed of five movements and debuted as an audio installation commissioned by Sónar Lisboa 2022 that ran across four floors of the Museu de Lisboa’s Fábrica da Moagem, a disused flour mill.

The work – which utilises the Strega instrument that Cortini co-designed with Make Noise – was mixed and mastered by Marta Salogni (Björk, Depeche Mode, Lucrecia Dalt). The album will be out on vinyl (featuring an embossed silver mirror board sleeve), CD (with a clear varnished gatefold mirror board sleeve), and digitally.

About Alessandro Cortini

Alessandro Cortini is best known as a longstanding member of Nine Inch Nails (from 2005 to the present day), He has been releasing a steady stream of his own music on labels including Mute, Hospital, and Important Records for the past decade.

Throughout his career he has collaborated with the likes of Lawrence English, Daniel Avery, and Merzbow and found time to create the Strega (used on his previous album, “Scuro Chiaro”) and the forthcoming module, Bruxa, with Make Noise.

Additionally, he has remixed tracks for Depeche Mode, Mogwai, Death Cab For Cutie, Yann Tiersen, and Vatican Shadow.

Alessandro Cortini on tour

Cortini will embark on a tour of North America and Europe throughout ’24 and into ‘25 – with more dates to be added.

• 5 Sept 2024 – Reykjavik, Extreme Chill IS
• 19 Sept 2024 – Glasgow, Sonica Festival UK
• 3 Oct 2024 – Albany, NY, Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center, “The Egg” US
• 4 Oct 2024 – Queens, NY, Knockdown Center US
• 6 Oct 2024 – Boston, MA, Sonia US
• 7 Oct 2024 – Minneapolis, MN, The Cedar US
• 9 Oct 2024 – Chicago, IL, Empty Bottle US
• 10 Oct 2024 – Austin, TX, Central Presbyterian Church US
• 11 Oct 2024 – Seattle, WA, Age of Reflections at Seattle First Baptist US
• 12 Oct 2024 – Portland, OR, Age of Reflections at Trinity Cathedral US
• 13 Oct 2024 – Los Angeles, CA, Teragram Ballroom US
• 20 Nov 2024 – Brussels, Bozar BE
• 6 Dec 2024 – Berlin, Silent Green DE
• 17 Jan 2025 – Paris, Trabendo FR

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

Here’s quite a surprise that was offered us today! In collaboration with Cold Spring we at Side-Line present you “Extinct “, a unique collaboration between the industrial breakbeat pioneers of Meat Beat Manifesto (Jack Dangers) and the king of Japanese noise, Merzbow (Masami Akita).

On “Extinct” the duo takes listeners on a journey, focusing on the dismantling of beat and structure and recycling the result through layers of beautifully crafted noise and feedback loops. The release will be out on CD (pre-order here) and on LP (pre-order the black LP here / pre-order the ltd. red LP here) next to download via Bandcamp and streaming on other platforms.

You can now exclusively stream the full release on Side-Line.

The 20 minute opener “Flakka” takes constantly evolving breakbeats (which are gradually broken down over time) and drives it through a filter of harsh noise, “destroying the old to give birth to the new”, as Todd Robinson (Subunit) puts it. On side two we find “Burner” of which the initial drum beat is broken down so that it is barely recognisable.

The duo’s collaboration is actually best described by Jack Dangers who says: “We may not speak the same language, but in the vortex of sound there is a raw, primal understanding that transcends words. Noise can be art – a visual representation could perhaps be Jackson Pollock’s ‘No. 5, 1948’ – a plexus of chaos redefining what music can and could be. Pushing boundaries with Masami wasn’t just a musical adventure, it was a masterclass in sonic anarchy.”

About Meat Beat Manifesto

Meat Beat Manifesto is an industrial, electronic, experimental group originally consisting of Jack Dangers and Jonny Stephens that was formed in 1987 in Swindon. Fronted by Dangers (the only permanent member), MBM have proven versatile, experimenting with techno, breakbeat, industrial, dub and jazz fusion while touring the world and influencing major acts such as Nine Inch Nails, Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy. Some of the band’s earlier work has been credited with influencing the rise of the trip hop, big beat and drum & bass genres.

About Merzbow

Merzbow is Masami Akita, ‘the King of Japanese Noise’. Born in 1956 in Tokyo, he formed the premier Japanoise group Merzbow in 1979, and has released over 400 albums to date. Akita has worked with many different media, both in a directorial and soundtrack role. He has also developed performance works and art installations involving Butoh dance and other Japanese cultural forms. Merzbow has collaborated with many of today’s most important recording artists and continues to be one of the most prolific musicians alive. The name is derived from Kurt Schwitters’s artwork ‘Merzbau’, and is pronounced the same way.

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 on September 8th is a brand new label sampler from the fine Cold Spring label. “Arise – A Cold Spring Sampler” is being released as a 2CD in gatefold ecopak and holds 33 tracks.

“Arise” is the first sampler in this 20+ years old label sampler series since the “Earthen”, which was released in November 2018. Included is material from Cold Spring’s current and forthcoming releases covering industrial, esoteric, dark ambient, noise, ritual, drone, doom metal, experimental, electronica, or yet dark soundtracks.

Included is work from Kollaps, Llyn Y Cwn, Khost, Jagath, Trepaneringsritualen, Coil, Merzbow, She Spread Sorrow, Frank Hall, Dead Voices On Air feat. Cevin Key, Lull, Mz.412 , The Circular Ruins And Mystified, Common Eider, King Eider, Colossloth, We Be Echo, George Fenton, Kristian Eidnes Andersen / Lars Von Trier, , Himukalt, Sonologyst, Satøri , 400 Lonely Things, Tunnels Of Ah, Sleep Research Facility, Burial Hex, Tenhornedbeast, Fm Einheit / Lee Ranaldo, Spk, Oleg Karpachov, Drew Daniel / John Wiese, La Breiche,
Neil Chaney, Gp-Orridge & Dave Ball.

Check out the tracks below. Warmly recommended!

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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(Photo via Merzbow) Out via Old Europa Café in early September is the CD re-edition of an ultra-rare Merzbow tape, “Flesh Metal Orgasm”, which was originally released in 1989 on Nihilistic Recordings and then re-released in 2010 by Blossoming Noise. Both editions are long time sold out and this is the first time this album is released on CD format.

Recorded live at the ZSF Studio in September 1988, the tapes and CD hold 2 tracks, “No-1” (21:50) and “No-2” (24:14). The material for the CD release has now been re-mastered by Masami Akita.

Below are the the visuals for the original tape releases. And below that the new CD artwork.

About Merzbow

Merzbow is an extreme experimental music project created in Tokyo in 1979 under the direction of musician Masami Akita and is recognized as being one of the earliest projects in what has become known as Japanese noise. Highly prolific, Merzbow has released hundreds of recordings since 1979.

Originally Merzbow was formed in 1979 as a duo of Masami Akita and Kiyoshi Mizutani. In 1989 Kiyoshi Mizutani left and Merzbow became a solo project of Masami Akita. Since 1991 Merzbow became a trio of Masami Akita with Reiko Azuma (electronics and voice) and Tetsuo Sakaibara (aka Bara) (voice and dance). Since 1999 Merzbow became a solo project of Masami Akita again.

Akita’s early work consisted of industrial noise music made from tape loops and conventional instruments. Similar to his present albums, he produced lengthy, disorienting pieces.

During the 1990s Akita’s work became much harsher and was generally mastered at a louder volume than usual. These were heavily influenced by death metal and grindcore bands of the time (a prime example is the “Venereology” album). The mid-1990s saw Akita being heavily influenced by psychedelic bands and this was reflected in various albums.

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 on September 17th is the re-release for the first time ever on (double)CD of two legendary, historical Merzbow tapes, documenting the first Japanoise era.

Special guest on “Solonoise 1” was Kiyoshi Mizutani. This albums offers pure analog noise with varied timbre and string, keyboard, percussion additions. These early tracks are not the overwhelming electronic noise which dominated the project’s late 1980s & 1990s work.

All the material from the tapes was remasteredd by Masami Akita in 2021 for this 2CD re-edition.

Here’s what you can expect.

About Merzbow

Merzbow is the main recording name of Japanese noise rock artist Masami Akita. The pseudonym is derived from an artwork by the German Dadaist Kurt Schwitters, de Merzbau.

He mainly uses this name for his experimental noise albums. His huge catalog of CDs, LPs and cassettes makes him one of the most important figures in today’s noise scene. He got his greatest inspiration from the band Les Rallizes Denudes, which also came from Japan.

Akita has also collaborated with other artists, such as Otomo Yoshihide and Mike Patton, but most of the albums under his Merzbow pseudonym were made by him alone.

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: Industrial, dark-ambient, death-industrial, ritual, experimental, drone.

Background/Info: Cold Spring Records is one of the ‘oldest’ and most recognized labels from the dark-underground scene. Dealing with styles such as industrial-, experimental, dark-ambient, ritual music and a few other related genres, the British label celebrates its 250^th release by a massive compilation featuring 29 bands and tracks.

Artists: Merzbow / Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Penny Rimbaud, Nytt Land, Psychic TV, Coil, MZ.412, Zeni Geva & Steve Albini, C.3.3., Coil + Zos Kia + Marc Almond, Tunnels Of Ah ao.

Content: This is the perfect compilation to get familiarized with the sound Cold Spring is dealing with. A sound that has been always extreme and this for being miles away from commercial standards and fashion trends. Cold Spring Records is a label with a truly spirit and that’s probably the reason why such an important number of talented-, visionary- and recognized artists have signed to Justin Mitchell’s record company.

“Earthen” brings you an impressive canvas of artists and styles, but is mainly a way to get familiar –or simply rediscovering, tracks taken from the latest releases on the label. There’s just one previously unreleased song and that’s one from Coil.

+ + + : When you simply have a look at the tracklist you can only, but admit Cold Spring feels like the sonic cave of Ali Baba. We all will have our favorites, but I recommend the dark-ambient format made by Mz.412, the industrial-ambient of She Spread Sorrow, the industrial/noise experiments of Merzbow / Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, the pagan-ritual style of Nytt Land, the apocalyptic rock of Jotunspor, the industrial work of C.3.3. and even the kind of heavenly final track by Barry Adamson + Pan Sonic + The Hafler Trio. And of course there’s this exclusive song (cf. “Spastische (Trumpo)” by Coil, which sounds as industrial-jazz.

– – – : You really have to be an ‘experienced’ listener of extreme music genres to like this kind of compilation. Speaking for myself I think it’s a great sampler, but I regret –and especially for a celebration release, it has been not something more special; like bands featuring exclusive tracks.

Conclusion: Cold Spring feels like a relief for music lovers who’re listening to music others have never heard of. “Earthen” sounds as sweet noise for extreme music lovers!

Best bands: Mz.412, Nytt Land, She Spread Sorrow, Tunnels Of Ah, Common Eider King Eider, C.3.3., Penny Rimbaud, Merzbow / Genesis Breyer P-Orridge.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Experimental, noise.

Background/Info: Originally released in 1999, “A Perfect Pain” has been now remastered and re-released. The work features two major artists from the industrial/noise fields. At one side there’s Genesis Breyer P-Orridge who’s one of the pioneers of industrial/experimental music. As member of Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV he became a world-wide recognized artist for his ‘art’. At the other side there’s Masami Akita, the Japanese ‘king’ of noise.

Content: The procedure both artists have used to make this work come through is quite simple. Genesis Breyer P-Orridge wrote the texts while Masami Akita added his familiar noise work. The fusion between both artist is really interesting as it creates a good-old, early experimental/industrial format. This is the kind of production that could have been released during the 80s. The texts of Orridge are worthy of examination; there’s something very critical, but also philosophical.

+ + + : When two ‘giant’ artists work together you only, but can obtain something special. And that’s what this album stands for. The lyrics were performed in a narrating style, but it also sounds a bit ghost-like while the ‘music’ reveals a subtle noise approach. I know it sounds a bit weird to speak about noise and subtlety, but there really is something ‘refined’ in the work of Merzbow. This is the kind of work I like for reminding me to early 80s productions.

– – – : While this work will be adored by lovers of extreme sounds it will be hardly accessible for the others.

Conclusion: Cold Spring once again recovered a great album from dust. It’s an opportunity to (re)discover this interesting and successful collaboration.

Best songs: “Flowering Pain Give Space”, “A Perfect Restraint”.

Rate: (8).

Artists: http://merzbow.net / www.facebook.com/OfficialMerzbow /
www.facebook.com/Genesis-BREYER-P-ORRIDGE-171735929627691

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

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 biggest distributor for the industrial electro scene, Audioglobe, has announced its Top 10 in best selling industrial music labels. The numbers were already out there for the labels to look at it, but here they are also for the regular fans. Note that with 2018, Audioglobe also enters it’s 25th year of existance as the distributor set up shop on 6 December 1993. We will of course have a big extended interview and more with Sebastian Koch regarding this great achievement in a very tough market.

But now the numbers many of you have been waiting for!

The Top 3

First the Top 3. The number 1 label in sales is Trisol which has bands such as Clan of Xymox, Rome, Project Pitchfork, Sopor Aeternus, Nachtmahr, Rotersand, Asp, Mantus etc. under contract. The second label in the list is the Belgian based Alfa Matrix which nurtures the talent of Front 242, Underviewer, Daniel B Prothèse, Metroland, Alien Vampires, Ayria, Leatherstrip, Psy’Aviah, Kant Kino and so many other acts. Note that this label also has a very strong e-shop presence (direct sales are not included in this Top 10 list). The 3rd label is Out Of Line with Blutengel, Combichrist, Hocico, Solar Fake, Heimataerde, Unzucht, Solitary Experiments. Also this label has an own e-shop.

The rest of the Top 10

The 4th label is Fabrika/Dead Scarlet (She Past Away, Lebanon Hanover, Selofan, Kaelan Mikla, M!R!M, Doric…) followed by ArtOfFact (Legend, Frontline Assembly, Haujobb, Psyche, Noise Unit, Dead When I found her, Pankow…) and Metropolis (Birthday Massacre, Aesthetic Perfection, God Module, Lords of Acid, Skinny Puppy, Delerium…). The 7th place is occupied by Rustblade (Morricone, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, Leaether Strip, Lydia Lunch, Legendary Pink Dots, Merzbow…). Also Dependent is still in the Top 10, namely on spot 8 with their label roster (Covenant, Mesh, Pride & Fall, Beborn Beton, Seabound, Encephalon, Frontline Assembly, Clicks..). Place 9 and 10 finally are for Manic Depression (Winter Severity Index, Ash Code, Schonwald, Box and the Twins, Sjoblom, Dear Deer…) and Undo (Marsheaux, Girl One and the Grease Guns, Mesh, Fotonovela, OMD, Nikonn, Mikro, Vienna, Liebe…).

And on spot 11 and 12…

2 labels didn’t make the Top 10, namely Hall Of Sermon (Lacrimosa, Snakeskin, Black Moon Secret, Eyes Shut Tight) and Infacted (NamNamBulu, Grendel, Torul, Reaper, Frozen Plasma, Ruined Conflict, Orange Sector, Syntec…). Both labels ended on place 11 and 12.

Here’s the complete list again. The bands next to the label are listed in order of sales results/total turnover per band in 2017 via Audioglobe.

01 TRISOL (Clan of Xymox, Rome, Project Pitchfork, Sopor Aeternus, Nachtmahr, Rotersand, Asp, Mantus…)
02 ALFA MATRIX (Front 242, Underviewer, Daniel B Prothèse, Metroland, Alien Vampires, Ayria, Leatherstrip…)
03 OUT OF LINE (Blutengel, Combichrist, Hocico, Solar Fake, Heimataerde, Unzucht, Solitary Experiments …)
04 FABRIKA/DEAD SCARLET (She Past Away, Lebanon Hanover, Selofan, Kaelan Mikla, M!R!M, Doric…)
05 ARTOFFACT (Legend, Frontline Assembly, Haujobb, Psyche, Noise Unit, Dead When I found her, Pankow…)
06 METROPOLIS (Birthday Massacre, Aesthetic Perfection, God Module, Lords of Acid, Skinny Puppy, Delerium…)
07 RUSTBLADE (Morricone, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, Leaether Strip, Lydia Lunch, Legendary Pink Dots, Merzbow…)
08 DEPENDENT (Covenant, Mesh, Pride & Fall, Beborn Beton, Seabound, Encephalon, Frontline Assembly, Clicks..)
09 MANIC DEPRESSION (Winter Severity Index, Ash Code, Schonwald, Box and the Twins, Sjoblom, Dear Deer…)
10 UNDO (Marsheaux, Girl One and the Grease Guns, Mesh, Fotonovela, OMD, Nikonn, Mikro, Vienna, Liebe…)
11 HALL OF SERMON (Lacrimosa, Snakeskin, Black Moon Secret, Eyes Shut Tight)
12 INFACTED (NamNamBulu, Grendel, Torul, Reaper, Frozen Plasma, Ruined Conflict, Orange Sector, Syntec…)

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 industrial mailorder Storming The Base has launched its Boxing Week sale. The sale holds a choice between hundreds of vinyls, CD sets all at heavily reduced prices.

Included are releases from hundreds of bands such as Depeche Mode, ∆aimon, Front Line Assembly, Tehom, Blutengel,[:SITD:], iEuropean feat. Wolfgang Flur, Merzbow, Dave Ball & Jon Savage, Orphx, Cevin Key & Ken Hiwatt Marshall, Mueran Humanos, Yoko Ono, 3Teeth, Prong and many many more! You can find the complete list right here.

Good to know for our US-readers, you get the shipping for free when you order for 100 US$ or more. EU-readers, group your orders and you’ll see the shipping costs decrease a lot!

Happy hunting!

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: Industrial, drone, experimental.

Background/Info: Phallus Dei is not exactly a band releasing new albums on regular basis although they remain a recognized and praised formation active in the wider fields of industrial and experimental music. “Black Dawn” is their first album since 2010 (cf. “A Day In The Life Of Brian Wilson”). Oliver St. Lingam, Mk. E and Richard Van Kruysdijk invited a few guest musicians to join in for this new work. The most familiar names are Merzbow and Legendary Pink Dots saxophonist Niels Van Hoorn, but they also invited a renowned jazz saxophonist and cello player Jacqueline Hamelink.

Content: The sonic universe of Phallus Dei remains a real unique experience mixing different influences with each other. This work takes off with some noise-like industrial sphere creating a sensation of terror while we progressively move through experimental fields revealing repetitive electronic sequences and cinematographic passages. The album mixes authentic instruments together with different kind of electronic sources. Sometimes accentuated by drones and next leading the listener into astral spaces, this work definitely covers a wide arsenal of styles and emotions.

+ + + : I like the visual strength emerging from multiple tracks. The dark and obscure ambient side is sometimes pretty close to soundtrack music and reaches the top on the final song “Stigmata”. Phallus Dei also confirms their open-minded sound approach, mixing genres and instruments together. I fully enjoyed this merge and especially the sound of cello. Last, but not least “Black Dawn” also stands for an overwhelming sound production. The heavy sounds resonate like a big bomber.

– – – : I noticed a few monotonous passages, which is due to the rather long duration tracks. “Black Dawn” only features 5 songs so I would have preferred a few more, but shorter cuts.

Conclusion: “Black Dawn” is not simply a comeback, but the continuation of sound exploration by one of the most atypical dark bands from this underground scene.

Best songs: “Zauberwald”, “Stigmata”, Slewed”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www.phallusdei.net / www.facebook.com/phallusdei

Label: www.darkvinyl.de / www.facebook.com/darkvinylrecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Experimental, industrial, ambient.

Background/Info: Behind Rasalasad is hiding Thisco label owner Fernando Cerqueira, a Portuguese artist who been into music for a long time. Next to his work under Rasalasad he also got involved in other music projects like Walt Thisney, Croniamental and Ras.Al.Ghul. “Thismorphia” is the third full length album by Rasalasad and the first one in 13 years.

Content: This work mixes dark-ambient influences characterized by dark, humming sound waves, industrial noises and minimal electronic treatments. The work is pretty experimental, but also diversified because of the great sonic arsenal that has been used.

But it also is an interesting work because of the involvement of multiple guests. Artists like Jarboe, Von Magnet and Merzbow contributed to this work by some spoken words or noise sources. You’ll discover other involved artists as well plus a remix by Shhh…

+ + + : Diversity definitely is the key and main element of this work. It rapidly becomes clear that Rasalasad likes to experiment with different sources of inspiration, but he also likes to work with guests. “Thismorphia” became an open-minded work, like a fusion between different genres and the symbiosis between rough sound treatments and artistic arrangements. I like the industrial element running through the work and whispering vocals emerging on different cuts. It creates a somewhat ghost-like effect, which accentuates the mystery of the ambient side.

– – – : “Thismorphia” is an album, which despite of its diversity, needs several listening before you really can get into it. The experimental side is not the most accessible one.

Conclusion: If you don’t know this band yet, or you simply have forgotten what the sound is all about, “Thismorphia” is an interesting although complex experimental work to get more familiar with the sound.

Best songs: “Night Walk”, “Deriva”, “This”, “Astellar”.

Rate: (7).

Band: http://rasalasad.tumblr.com

Label: www.thisco.net / www.facebook.com/thiscorecords

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

Following 2016’s “Larva Lumps & Baby Bumps”, Controlled Bleeding returns with “Carving Songs”, a remix album totalling 20 tracks, including a 21st track, “TROD”, a brand new Controlled Bleeding composition by founder Paul Lemos.

The hand-picked cast of remixers includes Japanese noise-guru Merzbow, Justin K. Broadrick from industrial-metal act Godflesh (not to mention Jesu), as well as Monolake, Crowhurst, Ramleh, Child Bite, and many others. Even notorious experimental guitarist (and current Lydia Lunch Retrovirus member) Weasel Walter makes an appearance.

The remixes range from straight up power noise, to post-black metal, to industrial-influenced beats, and are as varied as Controlled Bleeding itself, a project known for being impossible to classify.

The album comes in a limited edition dark green double LP vinyl with insert, next to a normal dark vinyl version and a 2CD version which can all be ordered right here straight from the label itself.

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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A few days ago we announced that you could listen to a superb free remix by Apoptygma Berzerk of the Mortiis track “Sins of Mine”.

Good news, that remix is now available as a free download from the Mortiss Bandcamp page. It furthermore includes a remix of “Demons are Back” by Technomancer/Angst Pop. For those familiar with Apoptygma Berzerk, Per Aksel Lundgreen who is behind the projects Technomancer/Angst Pop used to be in Apoptygma Berzerk when the band started out.

It’s not the first time that Mortiis is offering free downloads, here are the previous free download singles which can still be downloaded here:

– “Bleed Like You” – Merzbow & Prurient Remixes
– “The Great Leap” – Godflesh & Chris Vrenna Remixes
– “The Die Krupps & Leather Strip Remixes”

The remix by Apoptygma Berzerk is part a collection of “corrupted” tracks released as “The Great Corrupter”. That album also includes remixes by Chris Vrenna, Rhys Fulber, Die Krupps, John Fryer, GODFLESH, In Slaughter Natives, Raison D´Etre, Je$us Loves Amerika, PIG, and many more, as well as unreleased material from the original “The Great Deceiver” recording sessions.

“The Great Corrupter” is available on vinyl which will be limited to 500 copies in five different vinyl colors (all versions are available via Mortiis’ very own webstore), limited to 100 copies each, with a unique center-opening gatefold. Four vinyl colors will come with its own exclusive poster, only available with that specific color, and one with a large woven patch.

The CD version will be made up of eight-panel, DVD sized Digipak, containing a 24-page booklet of exclusive photos. The set (available here) will also include additional remixes exclusive to the deluxe CD package. This package will include download cards for three previously unreleased uncensored videos. This deluxe version will also be limited to 500, after which the CD will be available in a less elaborate standard format. The CD version is also available digitally right here on iTunes.

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 latest single from Mortiis’ “The Great Corrupter” album comes courtesy of the Japanese dark ambient-noise artist Merzbow, who twists “Bleed Like You” into a completely new form. Check out the Merzbow Remix below.

In a reaction Mortiis says: “This is not a remix – it´s abuse, the good kind. If you prefer your music traditional, and your audio all pleasant and polished, you should consider walking away now. It is Merzbow mutilating Mortiis. I never really thought that that was going happen, and I don´t think anyone else did either!”

The radical remix also is visible in the artwork used for the single: “We’ve been trying to think a bit different art-wise for the last few singles,” said Mortiis. “I thought the time was right to try art directions that were not typical of Mortiis to take. The Merzbow remix single art is another idea I’ve had for a long time. As usual, it’s morphed from the original idea, into a different beast almost entirely, in time. But what else is new?”

Mortiis’ “The Great Corrupter” is due for release on April 21, and is a collection of tracks from “The Great Deceiver” album, deconstructed and ‘corrupted’. Other artists who remixed Mortiss for this occasion include Chris Vrenna, Rhys Fulber, Die Krupps, John Fryer, GODFLESH, Apoptygma Berzerk, In Slaughter Natives, Raison D´Etre, Je$us Loves Amerika, PIG, and many more. The record will also contain unreleased material from the original recording sessions.

Each of the record’s formats will be as its own art package with collectible artwork, including limited edition colored vinyl and a limited edition DVD sized double-CD Digipak with additional exclusive remixes and many other extras. “The Great Corrupter” can be preordered on LP and CD directly from Mortiis´ webstore!

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

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange. Band photo by Sebastian Ludvigsen)
As a followup to last year’s long-­awaited ‘The Great Deceiver’ album, the Norwegian alternative rock/industrial/synth act Mortiis will release the remix album ‘The Great Corrupter’ on April 21st. Deconstructed and masterfully “corrupted” by Chris Vrenna, Rhys Fulber, Die Krupps, John Fryer, GODFLESH, Merzbow, Apoptygma Berzerk, In Slaughter Natives, Raison D´Etre, Je$us LovesAmerika, PIG and many more, the record will also contain unreleased material from the original recording sessions.

Mortiis:
“The tracks on this album are very broad. They range from retro sounding, heavy industrial to very deep ambient type music to electronic/industrial club music.”

‘The Great Corrupter’ will be available in CD and vinyl formats, each with its own unique, collectible packaging, with licensed Hieronymus Bosch  artwork, dolls   It will also be available digitally – preorder @ https://mortiiswebstore.com/
True to tradition, Mortiis released not just one, but two free download singles as a taste of things to come. The first single contains a ferocious remix by German industrial legends Die Krupps, and also features a non-­album remix by club heroes Leæther Strip. The second single features remixes by Godflesh and Chris Vrenna – check’em out on the band’s Bandcamp site!

Mortiis will be returning to the UK for a 9 date strong co-headline run with PIG on the ‘Swine & Punishment’ tour.

Mortiis: “Raymond Watts is pretty much a legend in the industrial music world, as is En Esch, who is part of PIG now, and I´ve known Z Marr for years since we toured with Combichrist a couple of times back in 2011, so this tour feels very right to me. PIG has also remixed Mortiis twice, and I just did one for them. In fact I think our records are coming out  only a month apart. The UK is always a good time, and if all else fails, their beer is usually great!”

See them live at these dates and venues March 2017:
10: Nottingham – Rescue Rooms
11: Glasgow – Ivory Blacks
12: Newcastle – Think Tank
13: York – Fibbers
14: Sheffield – Plug
15: Manchester – Ruby Lounge
16: Bristol – Fleece
17: Norwich – Epic Studios
18: London – Garage

Jan Ronald Stange

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

www.facebook.com/jrstange

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, industrial, power-noise, experimental, noise, ritual, cinematographic.

Background/Info: A label sampler always offers an opportunity to familiarize with the different bands from the roster. I noticed that Cold Spring is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year so you can imagine this British label and distributor has a great history. “Pyre” got released end 2016 and features a sonic spectrum from the latest- and forthcoming release on the label.

Bands: Troum, Khost, La Breiche, Skullflower, Penny Rimbaud’s L’Académie Des Vanités, Tunnels Of Ah, Sutcliffe Jugend, Tenhornedbeast, Sun Ra/Merzbow, She Spread Sorrow, Coil, Common Eader King Eider, Trepaneringsritualen, Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, Dave Ball + Jon Savage.

Content: This sampler featuring 15 bands confirms the fine nose of label owner Justin Mitchell to sign original- although often ‘extreme’ artists. Cold Spring is a label for experienced fans of experimental-, noise-, power-noise-, drone-, dark-ambient- and other related genres. This sampler is an exciting mix of different genres, but still a mix between long-time established and recognized artists on one side and a few new, upcoming talents on the other.

+ + + : It all depends of your personal taste and favorite music styles, but globally speaking I like the great diversity on “Pyre”. The tracklist has been progressively built up and finally moving into a brilliant final part with tracks from Troum, She Spread Sorrow, Common Eider King Eider, Henrik Nordvargr Björkk and Dave Ball + Jon Savage. It also remains a particular and I dare to say emotional experience to re-discover the genius of Coil.

– – – : There’s no real minus on “Pyre”, but it for sure remains the kind of music you can’t share with everybody.

Conclusion: Cold Spring is a label that has no longer real surprises for all music lovers familiarized with the label roster, but “Pyre” clearly proves 2016-2017 will be remembered as being a great vintage!

Best bands: Troum, She Spread Sorrow, Common Eider King Eider, Henrik Nordvargrg Björkk, Coil, Dave Ball + Jon Savage.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

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: Noise, jazz & noise, experimental.

Background/Info: Merzbow is an artist who doesn’t need any further introduction. Sun Ra definitely is a less familiar name except for jazz lovers and more precisely experimental- & free-jazz freaks. “Strange City” is an interesting and somewhat conceptual release. Cold Spring owner Justin Mitchell got the idea to ask Sun Ra for some rare and unreleased tracks, which would next be reworked and remixed by Merzbow. We get 2 long duration pieces each going over 30 minutes. Notice by the way the album is also available in 2 different vinyl formats.

Content: “Strange City” is an interesting and well-chosen title for this unique sonic experience. The sound properly speaking is not that unique, all Merzbow fans will immediately recognize the typical sound wall created by the Japanese master of noise. But it’s maybe not that typical to notice some jazzy elements in the background. There are many sonic details in the production and you’ll notice screaming parts, elements of percussion and sharp sound treatments.

+ + + : “Strange City” gives me the impression of sonic lava, which is progressively covering your imagination with images of terror. The totally transformed jazz elements are a rather weird, but exciting aspect of the work, which makes me say that there’re much more common points between both styles than what we might imagine. I like the progression of the first track, which is quite elaborated and revealing endless sonic details.

This album is a brilliant concept and we here have to thank Justin Mitchell for his creativity!

– – – : I can imagine noise freaks will fully enjoy this opus while jazz lovers will maybe experience this work as pure blasphemy. One thing is for sure, “Strange City” is not exactly an accessible composition, but an opus you have to discover in the right circumstances.

Conclusion: “Strange City” is an interesting and creative experience in sound. I think it would be really interesting to release the same concept, but the other way round: Sun Ra remixing Merzbow!

Best songs: “Livid Sun Loop”.

Rate: (7).

Bands: www.sunra.com / www.facebook.com/SunRaMusic / http://merzbow.net / www.facebook.com/OfficialMerzbow

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

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: Noise.

Background/Info: Masami Akita is the one and only ‘King’ of Japanese noise. He’s one of those visionary, but also extreme artists who give a new orientation to industrial music by the creation of noises. It’s a kind of anti-music creation or at least an antidote to what we commonly call ‘music’. This album is not a live album as it was recorded in Merzbow’s own studio. It’s a reissue of an extremely rare tape that was released in 1985! The cassette was originally released on ZSF Produkt (label of Merzbow) and in France on Le Syndicat.

Content: The work features 5 tracks, which move in between typical Merzbow-noise and softer compositions with an industrial aspect on touch. You get a mix between heavy noise loops and industrial sequences. It all sounds like an extreme sonic collage with some extra spoken samplings on top.

There’s a familiar kind of noise anarchy and it often sounds like a big improvisation, but Akita always has this feeling to accomplish his work by tormenting sound treatments and dark atmospheres.

+ + + : You really have to be a noise addict to enjoy this kind of work, but one thing is for sure, Merzbow is a real genius in his work. I like the diversity of this album, which more than 30 years after its original composition still sounds like it was composed today.

– – – : Like with most of the releases in the genre I sometimes miss some coherence and structure, but that’s also the essence of noise!

Conclusion: If industrial music can be sometimes extreme, ‘noise’ definitely reveals the perverted side of music where the composer became a kind of sonic porn actor! “Life Performance” is a great re-release, which will appeal for all freaks in the genre.

Best songs: “Nil Vagina Mail Action Pt. 2”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: http://merzbow.net / www.facebook.com/OfficialMerzbow

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

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