It all started in 1998 as Morbid Mind. They had less money and equipment, but a great motivation. Later on they changed the name of the band, moving on as LARVA. Driven by the creative impulses of Marco aka ‘InqUesT’ and assisted by ‘Anoxia’ the Spanish project from Barcelona (Spain) slowly conquered the dark-electro scene. Their newest full length “Desolation Road” has been already released on Advoxya and is for sure their most accomplished album to date. There’s still the initial power of the band, but the overwhelming atmospheres became more important and even an essential aspect of their work. Unfortunately 2020 hasn’t been the most happy year for the band’s front man…

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Spain has been seriously impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. How do you as Spanish citizens and artists experience(d) this drama?

Marco: Well, I suffered this pandemic in a different ways. I lost my mother because of a Covid-19 infection in May, and I got infected too.

And of course, all the shows, the tourism, the travels, etc were and are completely stopped. We had to postpone our tour through Mexico, USA and Perú for 2021. So, no shows from February on… In fact, 2020 is being a shitty year in a lot of ways.

Q: The good news is you this year released your newest album “Desolation Road”. Tell us a bit more about the way this album was conceived and what does the title stands for? 

Marco: This album is some kind of monographic. It’s about the feelings you experience when you take some decisions in your life. Sometimes these decisions make your way more lonely. But you can’t do another thing, because it’s your only way.

Q: I experienced the new songs as more ‘atmospheric’-like; it all feels like the songs are less aggressive, but more poignant and even emotional. Is it an aspect of the production you recognize and eventually work on? What do you perceive as the biggest changes/evolutions compared to previous albums? 

Marco: I think it’s evolution. I try to not over think things too much; I only do what I want to do in that specific moment. My tastes evolve, and that is reflected in production, composition, etc…

At the beginning we were really raw, we were younger and without that much experience, but we really wanted to shout, to experiment with everything, to be really direct. All these things are here today, but with another point of view. Maybe more refined.

Q: I noticed –like many other bands, you did some live streams. How does it feel playing without audience and what have been the reactions so far?

Marco: At the beginning it was really weird! To have only my two Chihuahuas as a crowd, hahaha. Streaming live shows is the only thing that we had until now from the beginning of the pandemic. That’s not so bad, but to me, a live show means LIVE, not only the band, but also the crowd. It’s another experience.

It’s not only about listening music, or watching a show; it’s about feelings, it’s a complete experience.

And I think you can only feel that if you are there. And of course, another important aspect is that in our live shows we need that feedback from the crowd, that you only can get when you are there, seeing them, feeling them and sharing that magic moment with them.

Q: Covid-19 and the lockdown inspired numerous artists to compose new songs or working on remixes and release new clips. What have you been doing and was the lockdown a creative period?

Marco: A lot of things! We have finished an EP that we plan to release before the end of 2020; working on two music videos, and of course lot of new songs (including remixes). What can you do when you live in a really small town, and lockdown in your studio all the day? 

Q: Larva seems to have a serious fan basis in Russia –next to other countries. How do you explain this success in Russia and in, which way is it related to your label Advoxya Records having a connection with Russia?

Marco: I don’t know really… I mean, in Mexico it’s easy for us to have a lot of followers because of the language, so the people can understand our lyrics easily. And because we share some kind of ‘social reality’ and ‘day by day base’.

But Russia was a surprise from the first day we played there. I don’t know, maybe because we understand the live performances the same way. They enjoy very powerful, visceral and raw performances. And that is what we do and what makes us happy.

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-wave, cold-wave, minimal-electro, post-punk.

Format: 2CD.

Background/Info: In a rather short lapse of time Cold Transmission Music has released an impressive number of qualitative bands and productions. The German label based near Frankfurt am Main released this label compilation as a double album featuring a total of twenty seven bands. The label is devoted to post-punk, cold-wave, shoegaze, new-wave and dark-wave.

Artists: SYZYGYX, ELZ And The Cult, Kiss Of The Whip, Hallows, Bedless Bones, La Mécanique, Dilk, Iamnoone, Icy Men, White Mansion, Iamtheshadow, Clone Culture, Control Room, The Gathering, Palais Ideal, Mark E Moon, Mary, The Bluebeard’s Castle, The Secret French Postcards, Vastron Vulture, Silent Runners, Pusu Button Press, Carlo Onda, Rosi, Monographic, Paradise Cove, Reconverb.

Content: “Spotlight” covers a rather diversified-, but related number of music styles. The main source of inspiration brings us the dark hours of the 80s music. This is an opportunity to discover young and upcoming talents in the genre while some other artists are composing a more contemporary- and personal sound, but still connected with new-wave music.

The album has a lot to offer and will therefore appeal to a wider audience; from minimal-electronics to pure post-punk and dark/cold-wave, “Spotlight” will for sure ravish all 80s lovers.

+ + + : A label compilation always is a kind of sonic window to discover the real potential and scope of a record company. I already discovered some talented artists on the German label (SYZYGYX, Mark E Moon, Bedless Bones ao), but this compilation also is an opportunity to discover some bands you maybe didn’t get the chance to hear before. The album’s diversity also is one of the main strengths. I especially want to mention the great opening, minimal-electro/wave cut by SYZYGYX and the more EBM-wave work of Bedless Bones –both confirming their potential. From the first disc I also recommend the powerful song by Elz And The Cult and the guitar-wave by Dilk. At the second disc I discovered great songs by Mark E Moon (also confirming to be one of the newest dark-wave sensations), the speed of Mary, the melancholia exposed by Push button Press and the brilliant cold-wave from Paradise Cove. Notice by the way that several songs are previously unreleased.

– – – : I don’t have any real minus points about this compilation, which perfectly illustrates the welfare of talented bands of this label.

Conclusion: I can only, but highly recommend buying this compilation, which will not disappoint you giving you the chance to discover a very international label roster!

Best bands: Paradise Cove, SYZYGYX, Mark E Moon, Bedless Bones, Mary, Dilk.

Rate: (8).

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

About Cold Transmission Music

Cold Transmission Music is an international record label and music promotion service based near Frankfurt am Main, Germany, focused on post-punk, cold-wave, shoegaze, new-wave and dark-wave. “Spotlight” is a double-album label compilation bringing together twenty-seven acts from its roster on one release.

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: Cold-wave, dark-rock.

Background/Info: Set up in 2014 the Hamburger (Germany) based Monographic joined hands together with Cold Transmission Music to unleash their second opus.

Content: There clearly is a strong 80s flavor hanging over this work. Some of the guitar parts might remember The Sisters Of Mercy, but Monographic is much more than simply a cold-wave formation. You also will notice dark-rock elements and also dreamy passages. The songs are mainly driven by guitar, bass and drums, but have been accomplished with electronic arrangements. You might also notice tracks featuring violin, viola and cello played by guest musicians.

+ + + : When songs are mainly composed by guitar you also need a talented guitarist and that’s exactly what Monographic features. The guitar playing is one of the album’s main strengths. I personally prefer the more into 80s songs like “Done It Again”, the somewhat harder “Addicted”, the more dreamy-like “High Walks” and the great apotheosis on the last song “Endless”. Next to the guitar I also like some of the electronic arrangements –mainly on “Circle” and “Listen”.

– – – : The more rock-accentuated cuts aren’t my favorite ones. These cuts feel more ‘average’-like and I here refer to a song like “Fade Away”.

Conclusion: Monographic is not exactly what I would call a classical cold-wave formation, but they built a kind of sonic bridge between the 80s and more contemporary elements in rock music.

Best songs: “Endless”, “High Walks”, “Addicted”, “Circle”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/MonographicBand

Label: www.facebook.com/coldtransmissionmusic

About Monographic

Monographic formed in Hamburg, Germany, in 2014. “Structures” is the band’s second album and its first release through Cold Transmission Music, the German label that also featured Monographic on its “Zeitgeist Vol. 8” compilation the same year.

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: Cold-wave, dark-rock, post-punk, gothic.

Background/Info: This is volume number eight from the “Zeitgeist”-compilation series set up by German label Cold Transmission Music. It’s an opportunity to (re)discover 30 bands mainly dealing with cold-wave, dark-rock, post-punk and related music genres. 

Artists: Visions In Clouds, Your Life On Hold, Ist Ist, Monographic, European Ghost, Angel’s Arcana, The Bluebeard’s Castle, Icy Men,

Content: This compilation is a perfect summary of contemporary dark-wave and related music genres. Next to several label bands you’ll also discover bands active at other labels and an important number of unsigned and upcoming formations. This sampler is an interesting canvas from dark-cold-wave music. Most of the bands are clearly inspired by the 80s while adding their personal touch on top.

+ + + : I like discovering compilations with an important amount of young and unknown formations. That’s precisely what this sampler stands for and I can assure you the cold-wave/post-punk fans will be delighted. This is modern cold-wave music. The compilation brings an interesting amount of formations and I was especially seduced by Cruel Reflections and Mark E Moon. Both projects aren’t exactly the most familiar names from the list and that’s precisely what I like.

– – – : 30 (!) bands is a serious number of bands and songs so you definitely have to love this kind of music otherwise you’ll be rapidly saturated.

Conclusion: This is a highly recommended compilation for cold-wave music freaks and especially for those in search of new talents. This is the kind of compilation I highly respect!

Best bands: Cruel Reflections, Mark E Moon, The Bluebeard’s Castle, Monographic, A Transition, The Ghost Of Bela Lugosi, ROSI.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.facebook.com/coldtransmissionmusic

About Zeitgeist Vol. 8

“Zeitgeist Vol. 8” is the eighth instalment in Cold Transmission Music’s ongoing compilation series, drawing on the label’s cold-wave, dark-rock, post-punk and gothic roster. Two of the featured acts, Monographic and The Bluebeard’s Castle, released their own albums on the label within days of each other, both covered separately on Side-Line. The label’s “Zeitgeist Vol. 9” followed one day later.

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