Monolith &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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.

Sonar – Future Cries (Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 08:00:00 +0000

#post_seo_title

Genre/Influences: Rhythmic-Noise, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Dirk Ivens (Klinik, Dive, Absolute Body Control, Mororik ao) and Eric Van Wonterghem (Monolith, Absolute Body Control, Klinik, Insekt ao) are back on track unleashing the ninth Sonar-album in history. “Future Cries” comes twenty seven years after the self-titled debut-album (when Patrick Stevens of Hypnoskull was involved and later on replaced by Eric Van Wonterghem) and nine years after their previous full length (cf. “Shadow Dancers”). It also is the first album released by Hands.

Content: It all feels like years have no impact on the sonic ogre called Sonar. The Belgian duo bring us back to the essence of heavy, merciless, Rhythmic-Noise. Hypnotic noise sequences and distorted rhythms are leading listeners into a frenetic dance although the work also features ‘softer’ and rather Minimal driven cuts. “Future Cries” features 12 short but raw, brutal, cuts.

+ + + : Definitely the most ‘extreme’ common project of Ivens – Van Wonterghem but also with a similar chemistry as for Absolute Body Control. This album will appeal to the early lovers of the project and also for a wider Industrial audience preferring a ‘softer’ and more minimalistic approach. I like the ‘no compromises’ attitude of Sonar; you’re either going to like it or not. There’s no way in between but I experienced this album as more diversified. It’s not just brutal Noise power but still more ‘controlled’ tracks like the great “You Get Yours” and “Turn You On”. “Elevator” sounds more into the ‘early’ style and will just blow you away.

– – – : Sonar has always composed short cuts and that’s sometimes a pity when listening to a great track. It however remains a ‘heavy’ sound format reminding Industrial music from the 90s.

Conclusion: “Future Cries” stands for a heavy and murderous come-back of Sonar.

Best songs: “Turn You On”, “You Get Yours”, “Elevator”, “Modern Touch”, “Hold On”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/TheKlinikDiveSonarAbsoluteBodyControl

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

Monolith – Concrete Playground (Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Industrial-Techno, Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Eric van Wonterghem (Absolute Body Control, Sonar, The Klinik, Insekt, Detune-X ao) doesn’t need any further introduction. The Belgian veteran strikes back with the twelfth full length album of his Monolith solo-project.

Content: The work takes off with a Cinematic-Industrial piece which sounds like an intro. We next embark on a dark sonic journey made of Industrial sound treatments, obscure and sometimes mystic atmospheres, menacing, low, bass lines and danceable rhythms.

+ + + : The album features 17 tracks so no need to say Monolith remains creative and prolific after more than 20 years of involvement. The tracks have been slowly built up and feature ‘Industrial intelligence’. “Concrete Playground” is a diversified opus like illustrated by the clubby track “Push”, the heavy “Gallium Element” which sounds like Thomas P. Heckmann on an Industrial journey, the mystic-like “Take Me High”, the haunting “The Hunter” and “The Sky Turns Red” for its irresistible, low, sound treatments. The album illustrates the endless creative mind of this Belgian sound guru but also his open-minded spirit to compose Industrial music.

– – – : I regret some of the tracks aren’t a bit more extended. I’m also missing the Tribal influences from earlier releases.

Conclusion: Monolith took out a patent on Industrial music like no other artist can make. “Concrete Playground” is a new must have!

Best songs: “Push”, “Gallium Element”, “Take Me High”, “The Hunter”, “The Sky Turns Red”, “Concrete Playground”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/monolithrecords

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

Funker Vogt – Blutzoll / Collector’s Edition (Album – Repo Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM, Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Together with Repo Records Funker Vogt moved on revisiting the band’s back catalogue. “Blutzoll” was originally released in 2010 by Synthetic Symphony and Metropolis records (for the USA). The “Collector’s Edition” features all original songs plus bonus disc with remixes and the EP “Arising Hero”. Three previously unreleased remixes have been featured as well. Back in time master mind and ‘machine man’ Gerrit Thomas was still accompanied by Jens Kästel on vocals -and the band’s original singer.

Content: No true surprises for the fans of the band but a remastered edition getting us back to this album. “Blutzoll” was the tenth studio album by Funker Vogt revealing a band in good shape, mixing EBM and Dark-Electro with the easy-recognizable bass lines, sequences, rhythms and arrangements of Gerrit Thomas and the harsh vocals of Jens Kästel. The first disc features next to the original “Blutzoll”-album the EP “Arising Hero”. The bonus disc brings us back to an impressive list of remixes and extra songs. Remixes were accomplished by FGFC820, Rotersand, Dopestars Inc, Vigilante, Eric Van Wonterghem (Monolith), Faderhead, Die Krupps, Punto Omega, Noblesse Oblige, Komor Kommando and Mortiis. One of the previously unreleased songs is a “2021”-version of “Terroristen”.

+ + + : Thirteen years after the original release this album still kicks ass. It sounds in the purest power tradition of Funker Vogt and featured great songs like “Arising Hero”, “Genozid”, “Terroristen” and “Bloodthirst”. Among the remixes I especially want to mention the diversity of the versions but as main attention grabbers the Komor Commando-remix of “Arising Hero” and the totally EBM adapted “Fire And Forget” by Die Krupps. The song “Urban War” was a cool bonus at this bonus disc and the song still kicks today.

– – – : From a very personal view I would say “Blutzoll” wasn’t exactly the best Funker Vogt-album in history and probably one with the least ‘hits’.

Conclusion: This is a great work for the world wide fan basis of this legendary formation.

Best songs: “Genozid”, “Arising Hero – Club Mix”, “Terroristen”, “Ariusing Hero” + “Arising Hero – Factory Mix by Komor Kommando”, “Fire And Forget – Die Krupps Remix”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.funkervogt.de / www.facebook.com/officialfunkervogt

Label: www.reporecords.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Repo-Records/119590774857404

V/A Forms Of Hands 21 (Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Rhythmic-Noise, Industrial-Techno, Industrial, IDM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This is already the 21^st edit of the famous label sampler “Forms Of Hands”. The yearly compilation features fourteen artists from the label roster.

Artists: Sans-Fin, Phasenmensch, Templer, Supersimmetria, Hysteresis, S.K.E.T., Monolith, Trackologists, Talvekoidik, Sylvgheist Maëlström, 13^TH Monkey, Last Days Of S.E.X., Proyecto Mirage, Winterkälte.

Content: This new edit brings us hard and brain-damaging Industrial sounds plus noises; now carried by Dark-Techno influences and next overloaded by harsh Rhythmic-Noise loops.

+ + + : The main strength of the compilation -next to the impressive selection of artists, is the feature of exclusive tracks. This is also one of the hardest edits in years. I’ve been mainly impressed by the pumping Industrial sound treatments and Rhythmic-Noise from Templer, the deep, resonating, dark, loops from Monolith with a great and mysterious piano-like tune on top, the Industrial-Techno revolution made by 13^TH Monkey and the heavy Electro-Industrial cut by Proyecto Mirage -the single cut with vocal lines. I also have to mention the resurrection of Trackologists and label flag holder Winterkälte to close this compilation.

– – – : Be careful of brain damage if you’re not familiar with heavy Industrial & Noise sounds.

Conclusion: Hands has collected a fine selection of true sonic sound terrorists once more confirming the leading status of the label.

Best bands: Templer, Monolith, Proyecto Mirage, 13^TH Monkey, Winterkälte, Supersimmetria, Sylvgheist Maëlström.

Rate: 8½.

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

Voith – Alien In Obscura (Album – Voith)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-Pop, Cinematic-Pop.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Lars Voith has been active for more than twenty years. The Swedish solo-artist is back on track unleashing an album with twelve songs.

Content: The songs are clearly into good-old Electro-Pop music. The main evolution probably is the Cinematic effect emerging from the production while the retro-synth melodies remain one of the project’s main characteristics. You’ll notice male- and female vocals.

+ + + : I like the vintage approach of the album which remains one of Voith’s main strengths and characteristics. The string parts are great once again. I also like the female singing injecting a sensual touch to the work. The album indeed has a Cinematic feeling but there are still cool, danceable, cuts featured like “Craftmode (Spaceship Commando)” and “Dee Dee Answers In Extraterrestrial Waves”.

– – – : The strings and melody lines became a bit similar after a while.

Conclusion: This is a pretty cool work with a great retro-feeling.

Best songs: “Craftmode (Spaceship Commando)”, “Dee Dee Answers In Extraterrestrial Waves”, “A Cosmic Funeral Up Higher”, “Feel The Music (The Monolith Portal)”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/voithmusicofficial

V/A Forms Of Hands 20 (Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Rhythmic-Noise, Power-Noise, Industrial-Techno, Electro-Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The legendary “Forms Of Hands” festival got cancelled in 2020 because of the ongoing pandemic. So the 20^th edition took place in 2021 and was accompanied by the good-old compilation. We got fourteen projects and tracks.

Artists: <1979>, ICD-10, Hysteresis, Maschinenkrieger KR52, Heimstatt Yipotash, Mono No Aware, Monolith, Strobo.Lolita, 16Pad Noise Terrorist, Cervello Elettronico, MS Gentur, Greyhound, Nullvektor, Winterkälte.

Content: If you’re familiar with Hands you for sure recognize most of the bands. This new sampler is dominated by merciless Rhythmic/Power-Noise assaults from projects like Winterkälte, MS Gentur, Greyhound, Maschinenkrieger KR52, Mono No Aware and Strobo.Lolita. The Industrial-Techno format has been featured by ICD-10, HysteresisMonolith and Nullvektor. Other formations like <1979>, Heimstatt Yipotash and of course Cervello Elettronico bring a more sophisticated, minimal and intelligent sound. 16 Pad Noise Terrorist stands for the most Experimental touch of the compilation.

+ + + : Hands is a label I deeply respect for numerous reasons; first of all as leading label of qualitative ‘Industrial’ music, next for its longevity, but also for the will to innovate and give a chance to artists with a new and sometimes visionary approach of Industrial music. It has been perfectly represented by this new compilation. It’s interesting getting back to the first issues of this series and comparing it with this 20^th edition. It’s an amazing evolution in sound although the label always remained driven by Industrial music. The evolution of a band like Heimstatt Yipotash perfectly symbolizes the evolution of the label.

– – – : If you’re not into the harder Rhythmic-Noise side of the label, there are for sure better compilations in this series.

Conclusion: A hard, powerful and ultra-danceable vintage of Industrial music and who says Industrial, thinks Hands!

Best bands: Heimstatt Yipotash, Cervello elettronico, ICD-10, Nullvektor, Monolith, Hysteresis, >1979<.

Rate: 8.

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

Gunmaker – The Third (Album – Advoxya Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 18:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Metal-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The Hungarian band Gunmaker has been active for a few years and released their third opus at the end of 2020. This new work features eight songs plus nine remixes. The album has been again produced by Rob Dust.

Content: The least I can say is that Gunmaker never repeats itself. From a rather Metal-driven debut album towards a more Electro/Indie-Pop next album they now strike back with a kind of Metal-Pop offspring. The songs have something Electro-Pop/Wave driven while being empowered by guitar riffs. Some of the most refined cuts remind me a bit of Apoptygma Berzerk.

Remixes have been made by Numb Haze, Rob Dust, Monolith, Human Vault, Dark Control Operation, Implant, Southern Pines, Cyberbob, Jihad, Angst Pop & Technomancer and Linda Daemon. The last song is an alternative mix of an album song by the band themselves.

+ + + : I can’t say that Gunmaker is constantly reinventing their sound, but at least they don’t get stuck in one specific sound formula. The mix of Metal driven riffs and Electro-Pop works pretty well, but I have a preference for one of the most Pop-driven cuts (cf. “Dreams And Desires”). Among the remixes I noticed a brilliant remix of “Wherever You Go” by French formation Dark Control Operation. I especially like the Gary Numan spirit emerging from the strings. Another cool remix is the one by Monolith.

– – – : I still think the production of the vocals could be better. It remains the main point of the band to improve.

Conclusion: Gunmaker moves on composing a very personal interpretation of different, but related music genres.

Best songs: “Dreams And Desires”, “Wherever You Go”, “Wherever You Go – Dark Control Operation Remix”, “Wherever You Go – Monolith Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Gunmaker-474227946012195

Label: www.advoxya-records.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Advoxya-Records/265765706059

Absolute Body Control – A New Dawn (EP – Wool-E Tapes, Mecanica, Noise Democracy)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 12 Jun 2021 18:00:00 +0000

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

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Cassette.

Background/Info: Dirk Ivens (Dive, Klinik, Sonar, Motor!k ao) and Eric Van Wonterghem (Monolith, Sonar, Insekt ao) have known each other for quite a long time and began making music together in 1980 as Absolute Body Control. The Belgian band hasn’t released that much new stuff in quite a long time, but are now back on track unleashing six new tracks, which have been released in different formats by different labels.

Content: “Waving Goodbye” is the opening track, which reminds me of the early years and probably the biggest hit of the duo, “Is There An Exit?”. There’s a similar icy sphere and vintage sound treatments with Ivens’ very own timbre of voice on top. This is Electro-Wave from the good-old days and both artists perfectly know how to bring this unique atmosphere alive. The songs are short, dark and evasive, but sometimes also pretty Experimental. There also is a short instrumental cut.

+ + + : Absolute Body Control takes us back in time, like bringing the 80s back to life and no one else but Absolute Body Control knows how to emulate this unique sphere. The typical sound of the good-old rhythm box and cold strings are pure 80s like. The main strength of the production hides in its simplicity. “Waving Goodbye” is a really great song, but I also have to mention “Earth Takes A Break”.

– – – : Some of the tracks are more Experimental and aren’t exactly my favorites. If you buy the vinyl you’ll hear a great A side and 3 less convincing cuts on the B side.

Conclusion: It’s good to see Absolute Body Control striking back with their pure retro driven Minimal-Electro-Wave style.

Best songs: “Waving Goodbye”, “Earth Takes A Break”, “Empty Cities”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/AbsoluteBodyControl

Labels: www.facebook.com/Wool.E.Tapes / www.mecanica-records.com / www.facebook.com/mecanicarecords / www.noisedemocracyrecords.com / www.facebook.com/NoiseDemocracyRecords

Dive – Where Do We Go From Here? (Album – Out Of Line)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 19:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Electro-Industrial, Industrial-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD, Box (CD, Vinyl, Vinyl 7”)

Background/Info: Dirk Ivens (The Klinik, Absolute Body Control, Sonar, Motor!k) is back on track unleashing a new album of his sonic alter-ego Dive! Throughout the years he collaborated with soul mates Eric Van Wonterghem (The Klinik, Absolute Body Control, Sonar, Monolith, Detune-X) and Ivan Iusco (Nightmare Lodge). There also was an album in collaboration with Sigillum S while the previous full length (cf. “Underneath”) also featured Rafael M. Espinosa (Geistform). Dirk this time joined hands together with Jan Dewulf (Your Life On Hold, Diskonnekted, Mildreda). It’s not their first collaboration as Diskonnekted in 2006 released the “Frozen”-EP featuring Dirk Ivens.

Content: It doesn’t really matter with who Dive collaborates with; Dive remains Dive! Driven by an Electro-Industrial sound and the spooky vocals of the artist, this new work is directly linked to the particular ‘dark’ and ‘industrial’ sound of the Belgian sound terrorist. I however have to say that this work is probably the darkest Dive-album ever; you simply can hear it the tormented atmospheres, which became pretty explicit at some more Ambient-driven songs in the midst of the work.

“Underneath” was the most sophisticated Dive work so far, but some tracks from this opus are even moving a step further. The drum patterns from some tracks have never been that complex; even featuring a kind of slow Industrial breakbeats at “Black Star”. This work is filled with anguishing spheres, little sonar bleeps and ‘Klinik’-al’ sequences. Notice by the way, the title song is also an early Suicide Commando track on, which Dirk sung while “Inside Your Head” is an original Monolith-song featuring Dirk as guest singer.

The EP featured at the ‘Box’-edition reveals “EP Versions” of the songs “Inside Your Head” and “Black Star” plus remixes by Numb and Suicide Commando.

+ + + : The “Frozen”-EP from Diskonnekted already was a song that could have been released as Dive, but “Where Do We Go From Here?” confirms there’s a real connection and chemistry between both artists. Jan Dewulf injected a refreshing –although tormented, touch to the Dive sound. It’s the darkest and most disturbing work to date, which is accentuated by 3 more ‘ambient’-driven pieces on, which some background drones are empowering the darkness mixed with Ivens’ spooky vocals. But the best passages clearly are the most danceable cuts like the brilliant opening song “Inside Your Head”, but also “Black Star” driven by an Industrial –although breakbeat inspired, cadence. The minimalism running through “Invisible” is another remarkable cut while the title-song –as the last track, reminds me of good-old Klinik. On top of the production you still will notice the charismatic vocal performance of Dirk Ivens. From the EP-tracks I especially recommend the elaborated remix of “Death Machine” (one of the so-called ‘Ambient’-cuts) by Don Gordon (Numb).

– – – : I’m not as convinced by the softer, Ambient-driven songs. The production of Ivens’ vocals remains absolutely great, but I now and then miss the more enraged, shouting way of singing from the early years. The Suicide Commando–remix from “Leave Me Be” couldn’t convince me; the tune being a bit simplistic and not adding a bonus to the song.

Conclusion: The first self-named Dive album was released in 1990 (!), but 30 years later the Belgian Industrial ‘dino’ is still kicking ass. The collaboration between Ivens and Dewulf opens perspectives for the future!

Best songs: “Inside Your Head”, “Black Star”, “Where Do We Go From Here”, “Invisible”, “Leave Me Be”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.dirkivens.com / www.facebook.com/TheKlinikDiveSonarAbsoluteBodyControl

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

V/A Sonic Groove: 25 Years / 1995 – 2020 (Album – Sonic Groove)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 19:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-Body, Industrial-Techno, Dark-Techno.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Sonic Groove is celebrating its 25^th anniversary with a compilation featuring 12 tracks. Set up by Adam Mitchell –better known under the Adam X moniker, the American label –now based in Berlin (Germany) became a visionary company mixing Techno music with darker/underground genres like EBM and Industrial music.

Artists: The Source Experience, Max Durante, Orphx, Diagenetic Origin, Panacea, Meadon, Rhys Fulber & Portion Control, Crystal Geometry, Monolith, Adam X, Dasha Rush, Realmz.

Content: The compilation brings familiar projects from the label together; from ‘earlier’ artists such as Max Durante, Orphx, Diagenetic Origin, Dasha Rush and Realmz… to artists who joined Sonic Groove during the past few years like Rhys Fulber, Crystal Geometry, Maedon… The common thread between all artists is Techno music, which they each mixed with a darker influence. The most surprising track is a collaboration between Rhys Fulber (Frontline Assembly, Delerium, Conjure One ao) and Portion Control.

+ + + : This compilation first of all is a way to discover the great label roster of Sonic Groove while it remains one of the very few labels, which welcomed artists mixing Techno music with darker genres. Sonic Groove has been a pioneer and still remains a reference today. When you hear Rhys Fulber together with Portion Control composing a true Techno-Body-Music song with harsh vocals on top, you get an idea what this label stands for. So far I can see the featured artists have composed an exclusive song for this sampler, which makes it only more interesting. I have a preference for the Industrial-Techno style of Crystal Geometry (one of the newest projects on Sonic Groove), but I also have to mention the rough exposure by Diagenetic Origin, the Dark-Techno approach from Panacea and a more explicit track by Dasha Rush. Adam X remains another attention grabber and who better than the label owner he stands for the sound of his label: Industrial-Techno!

– – – : I don’t have real regrets, but some extra artists and tracks would have been cool.

Conclusion: This sampler serves as a perfect shop window to give you an idea about the sonic strength and visionary style of the label. I can only express respect for what this label has accomplished so far.

Best bands: Crystal Geometry, Rhys Fulber & Portion Control, Diagenetic Origin, Panacea.

Rate: (8½).

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

‘Click Interview’ with Monolith: ‘Art Without Rules’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 18:00:00 +0000

Set up as a solo-project in 1997 by Eric Van Wonterghem MONOLITH became a true reference in the Industrial music genre. This dinosaur from the Belgian and international Electro-underground scene has been involved with numerous projects such as ABSOLUTE BODY CONTROL, THE KLINIK, INSEKT, SONAR, DETUNE-X while contributing to the writing of DIVE-albums. He this year strikes back with the eleventh (!) full length album of MONOLITH. “Unnatural Bodies” has been released on Hands and sounds like symbolizing the fusion between Techno- and Industrial music. I talked about it with Eric Van Wonterghem.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Unnatural Bodies” seems to be inspired by the work of Jim Whiting, which I remember from the great “Rockit”-clip by Herbie Hancock. What caught your attention by the work of Whiting and how do you transpose this inspiration into music?

Eric: Yes he did the “Rockit”-clip and the “Frankenstein”-movie effects I think. I liked his exhibition work in the 80s, the weirdness behind, and how he created ‘human – machines’,

different from robots programmed to do certain things. The “Unnatural Bodies” like Jim Whiting called it first were combined mechanical elements with air-pressure connected with parts of ‘dummy’ bodies. His ‘moving art’ seemed suddenly to be organic and alive.

I somehow liked to achieve something similar with my music, art without rules! When you follow the book how to make art or music, that will mostly never bring something interesting.

Q: What can you tell us about the different stages you’d to go through to release “Unnatural Bodies”? What have been the main difficulties and eventually challenges in the writing and production of the album?

Eric: To produce a MONOLITH album, I know the creation of sounds is a progress that will take me the most of time. It also is the most difficult part for me, but also the most interesting one. There got always to be some excitement in hearing a melody or sound, if not I start the next day from scratch. After several albums, it can become sometimes more complex as the listeners often like to hear what they know you for, and as a artist I like to evolve, I take my time until I’m satisfied with the creative part making sounds and feeling all fits into that album.

After that follows the editing, mixing and producing part, that goes fast. After all this year of studio work for my projects and other bands it became something natural… almost immediately I create what I’ve in mind.

Q: I think it’s really interesting to see the evolution in sound and influences of early MONOLITH releases versus the productions from the past few years. Is that like you said because you like to evolve? And what has been the impact of the Berliner Techno scene on your music?

Eric: I was always interested in a wide spectrum of electronic sounds and music. I liked making the first albums with MONOLITH, back then I searched something new in sound, the ‘Tribal-Industrial’-sound was the result and it was not really fitting in any style, it got the attention by a certain audience, and that’s what you need as artist to keep on releasing albums.

But after years of performing, underground parties and realizing by my own the evolution and concerts everywhere, Berlin was kind of heavier than most parts in the world, as the weekend counts 7 days there… There it was very nice to discover that the techno scene start liking harder beats and harsher sounds, less melodic music was played, Ambient drone-sound mixed with loud reverbed kicks became a way to escape from reality and in the Industrial scene there was also a search for a more open sound… less distorted!

Both scenes crossed borders and started to experiment with their sound. Like many other Industrial artists I liked this evolution, it’s inspiring and so you can reach a new audience and more events. The music played in both scenes was pretty similar, only the mixing was done a different way.

Q: It’s an evolution you can also hear on the HANDS productions, which became more Techno-driven. How do you explain this phenomenon and what’s the connection between both genres?

Eric: Like I said, both scenes are crossing their borders. Adam X’ label Sonic Groove created back then a good name for a party; it was called ”Crossing the Parallels”; different scenes that fit together, but have another audience. So that phenomenon was a normal thing to happen, people going out, meeting people and discovering that there’s more…

Q: You earlier this year also (self)released a digital productions entitled “The Disco Buddha Variations”, “Disco Buddha” being probably one of the biggest MONOLITH hits. What makes the magic of the original edit and tell us a bit more about the different variations/edits of the song?

Eric: The magic in that track was the never ending kick drum. The end of the sound was connected to the start, in that time a not so often heard, with a simple Noise hi-hat making the mechanical rhythm and when I created a singing Buddha on this beat, the track became very recognizable and hypnotic…

The “Disco Buddha”-variations were made 20 years later, although there were in already made some different versions in the years on request for compilations. I performed all these versions as a special on Udo Wiesmann’s birthday event from the famous industrial HANDS label. To keep this memory I released it also on my SoundOfMonolith Label found on Bandcamp.

Q: The Covid-19 pandemic has seriously affected all artistic life –especially live performances for musicians, so what’s the impact on your own activities? How do you try to manage and face this fact and what are your plans for the coming months?

Eric: It’s heavy for all of us. I’m lucky to get my music, listening records, playing synths, creating sounds… The live action is gone for now and that’s very, very sad; unbelievable when thinking to all events and festivals that have been cancelled. I keep to be creative during- and after lockdown, but I’m patiently waiting with all of you together until this is over; till that moment that we can get back to concerts and festivals in the same way as in the past. We will enjoy that so much and even more than ever before!

V/A Forms Of Hands 20 (Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 18 Oct 2020 18:30:36 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Industrial-Techno, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The German Hands label is without a shadow of a doubt one of the Industrial leading companies of this scene. Hands this year celebrates its 30^th anniversary while the legendary label compilation “Forms Of Hands” celebrates its 20^th anniversary. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the annual festival was postponed to 2020, but the compilation is still there to please the fans of Industrial music. Fourteen bands have been selected!

Artists: >1979<, Last Days Of S.E.X., Maschinenkrieger KR52, MS Gentur, Mono No Aware, Ah Cama-Sotz, Orphx, Strobo.Lolita, MDD, Proyecto Mirage, Greyhound, Nullvektor, Monolith, Winterkälte.

Content: This sampler gives the listeners a perfect summary and taste of the Hands roster. There’s a mix of ‘traditional’ Industrial and Rhythmic-Noise bands (Greyhound, Last Days Of S.E.X…) and more contemporary Industrial terrorists, mixing Industrial- and Techno music (Ah Cama-Sotz, Orphx, Strobo.Lolita, Monolith…). Somewhere in between you’ve the minimalism of projects such as Nullvektor and Proyecto Mirage. This compilation is hard and danceable, but still diversified.

+ + + : When you just have a look at the tracklist, you know why Hands is one of the leading labels of Industrial music –and probably ‘the’ leading one… the number of big names is impressive. Artists such as Orphx, Monolith, Winterkälte, Ah Cama-Sotz and Greyhound don’t need any further introduction, but can even after years of involvement still take me by surprise. I also have to mention one of the new signed bands, Strobo.Lolita also took me by surprise and has recently released a great debut opus. The comeback of Proyecto Mirage is another major thing.

– – – : Each compilation has its favorites and others that can’t totally convince me; luckily there’s nothing to throw away here.

Conclusion: No festival this year; but F*** the pandemic! Here’s the twentieth chapter of “Forms Of Hands” and I can tell you, it’s a great vintage!

Best bands: Strobo.Lolita, Proyecto Mirage, Monolith, Ah Cama-Sotz, MS Gentur, Orphx.

Rate: (8).

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

Monolith – Unnatural Bodies (Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 17 Oct 2020 18:30:51 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-Techno, Industrial-Techno.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Do I really have to introduce Eric Van Wonterghem? I just prefer to remind you that this Belgian veteran of Electronic music has been involved in some of the most successful and visionary bands from the Belgian- and international underground scene; The Klinik, Absolute Body Control, Insekt, Sonar, Detune-X… and of course Monolith. “Unnatural Bodies” is the eleventh full length since 1997!

Content: It’s fascinating to see how Monolith has evolved in style and influences since the earliest works. The sound has always been dominated and carried by as strong rhythmic, being mainly driven by tribal rhythms. But quite progressively and probably because Van Wonterghem relocated to Berlin (Germany) the music got contaminated by what I should call ‘the Berliner Techno School’. That’s precisely what this album stands for; a constant energetic fusion of Techno kicks and dark sound treatments. There are no real moments of relief or yet, maybe one (cf. “Already There”). I also noticed a more minimal-driven cut (cf. “Crawl Back”), which reminds us of the Klinik-al period of the artist; icy sequences and a tormented sphere.

+ + + : This album is a threshold to move from Industrial music towards Techno. But this is not simple and cheap Techno music; Monolith has been infected by a subtle ‘bacteria’ called Dark-Techno music! Music with bollocks to make you dance! Music for dark cellar clubs, techno that will give you an electroshock! The sound formula might sound easy, but has been carefully adapted to fill the hiatus between Industrial- and Techno music. “Melting Mountains” will bring you a total climax; being driven by great sound treatments and supported with a mysterious sphere. I also have to mention “Crawl Back” for its minimalism and tracks like “Unnatural Bodies” and “Stop The World”. One thing is for sure, I won’t stop Monolith from composing this kind of Dark-Techno food!

– – – : If there’s one single minus point I can imagine, it’s for sure the rather repetitive sound formula. There’s not enough diversity between the tracks and that’s what makes “Melting Mountains” that special!

Conclusion: This work sounds as a sonic rotor that has been engaged!

Best songs: “Melting Mountains”, “Unnatural Bodies”, “Crawl Back”, “Stop The World”, “God Is Your Shield”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/monolithrecords

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

New Risen Throne – The Outside (Album – Cyclic Law)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 16 May 2020 19:30:22 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, dark-cinematographic.

Format: Digital, Double CD.

Background/Info: The album marks the return of Italian composer Gabriele Panci aka ‘Stielh’. “The Outside” is the first album since 2011 and the fourth chapter in a conceptual soundtrack, which took off in 2007 with the album “Whispers Of The Approaching Wastefulness”. “Crossing The Withered Regions” (2009) and “Loneliness Of Hidden Structures” (2011) both were the next albums in the series. The main idea is that ‘after centuries of isolation the human race begins a journey in search of the causes that led to the end of its world, and for the first time it approaches the Structures, new life forms that have developed and evolved in the emptiness of “The Outside”. The second disc features older tracks that have been remixed by other artists.

Content: The main disc is a true fusion between dark-ambient music and pure cinematographic music. It feels like music for ghosts who are haunting lost places. The composer creates a dark sonic universe leaving the listener into suffocation. Whispering vocal effects and multiple little noises are awakening our darkest fantasies of angst. The tracks have been meticulously conceived and each single noise has been accentuated to empower the atmosphere the listener will have to get through.

The second disc features 8 remixes by Sysselmann, Visions, Taphephobia, Phantom Ship, Vestigial, Apocryphos, TeHôM and New Risen Throne himself.

+ + + : It all depends what you like to hear when listening to this kind of work, but the visual strength of the production is definitely an element making me say it’s a successful work. The power of the composition lays in little details, the author mixing an impressive arsenal of noises together. It feels a bit like ambient music that has been composed with a scalpel. The sphere hanging over the album has something ominous. Both last cuts from the album create the ultimate climax of fright.

Among the remixes I especially recommend the remixes of Vestigial and Visions. Globally speaking this second disc is an interesting way to rediscover older cuts, which have been accentuated by different elements from the remixers.

– – – : I’m not a huge fan of albums filled with remixes and it’s even something rare for this music style. So I have some reservations about it, but I have to admit there are a few noticeable cuts on it. Let’s consider it as a nice bonus to the main disc.

Conclusion: “The Outside” is a cool resurrection from a talented dark-ambient musician.

Best songs: “The Outside IV”, “Birth Of A New Disciple II”, “What We Have Seen” + “Echoes From The Loss – Visions Remix”, “Sad Silent Prostrations Before The Monolith – Vestigial Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .stielh .com / www .facebook .com /NewRisenThrone

Label: www .cycliclaw .com / www .facebook .com /cycliclaw

‘Click Interview’ with Traversable Wormhole: ‘I Love Music That Creates Thought Provocative Images’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 07 Mar 2020 18:00:40 +0000

Originally from New-York (USA), but living in Berlin (Germany), Adam Mitchell is known in the industrial- and EBM scene for his minimal-electro driven projects Adam-X and ADMX-71. Adam is also running Sonic Groove, which is a visionary dark-techno/body label releasing productions from artists such as Orphx, Rhys Fulber, Fixmer / McCarthy, Monolith, The Panacea, Blush Response ao. He is a renowned DJ, producer and event organizer (Tresor Club). For more than 10 years now he’s also releasing music under the Traversable Wormhole moniker. This project is definitely more techno-driven, but always featuring a dark touch on top. After numerous EP’s, Traversable Wormhole is now back with its first self-released full length album “Regions Of Time”. The album is available on digital platforms and as a double vinyl edition. The work stands for the obscure side of techno music and is for sure worthy of examination.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You set up Traversable Wormhole already a while ago, but you didn’t really release new stuff under this moniker for a few years while you were more prolific with your other projects Adam-X & ADMX-71. Where was this break good for and what brought you back to Traversable Wormhole and this new production?

Adam: Traversable Wormhole is a very specific conceptual sound for me. I’m very much into creating soundtracks for space travel themes. For a while I felt I pushed the boundaries as far as I could go with the sound. So I needed to take time and space from the project until I could come up with new ideas. I was also busy with another formerly anonymous side-project titled The Secret Initiative, which ran consecutively at the same time as the Traversable Wormhole releases. This project was a bit more loose feeling and fun for me to make from Traversable Wormhole as it’s taking old techno and EBM ideas and transforming them into the present day. I had way less restrictions recording this project and recorded 20 songs over the course of the last decade. So I had my hands full with other projects and lost focus on recording new Traversable Wormhole material.

Q: “Regions Of Time” is the first full length album so what incited you to achieve an album instead of new EP’s and what is the album all about?

Adam: I created it more on instinctual feeling then anything else. I made two songs for a single, but then the ideas just kept flowing. I thought why not just go all the way on it as I know the fans of the project would love hearing a full length album way more then a single. It is also way more gratifying as an artist to record an album then a single. I wanted a new challenge and so I took it on.

Q: You always claimed this projects stands for the sci/fi side of techno music, but what do you really understand with this ‘quote’ and what does it reveal about your personal interest for science fiction, space and wormholes?

Adam: I love astronomy, star gazing and all things related to outer space. I also love science fiction movies & comics and that has a big influence on me too. I love the segment entitled “Jupiter & Beyond The Infinite” in the movie “Space Odyssey : 2001” where Dave is traveling through space and then entering into the rings of Jupiter. Traversable Wormhole songs can easily be my rendition of a soundtrack to that particular scene in the movie. Also I’ve always had a huge passion for techno that has a sci-fi futurism feeling to it. It invokes thoughts in me of outer worldly subjects and fantasies and I love music that creates thought provocative images.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the writing of this album? What have been the different stages you’d to go through? The equipment you used? And do you notice main differences in the composing process between Traversable Wormhole and your other projects?

Adam: I have been making music solely with Ableton and plug in synth’s since 2005. I’ve done the hardware thing for the 15 years prior to this of releasing music. For me it’s not about the tools you use it’s how far you can expand your mind to create. I also love total control in every event happening in my songs. I’m a total perfectionist. I go deep into automation with several events often happening at once on a note with effects, filters etc. You cannot do with two hands and hardware. I’m limitless now where as when I worked with hardware I felt more constricted. With that being said when I tell other producers that I don’t use any hardware many are quite in shock stating my music sounds like it’s done on hardware. What I really love about using Ableton is I usually will create several different song sketches at first. Then I will bounce back and forth between the sketches so as I don’t get bored of working on the same song for hours on end. It also helps me keep the flow of the album this way as I’m hearing several different songs in a day. I’m more in tune with the overall feel this way. This process of writing and recording is the same for all the projects I do.

Q: Whatever you want to call it, I experienced “Regions Of Time” as the dark side of techno music! It’s filled with icy sound treatments and hostile atmospheres, but it all remains definitely techno- and danceable like. There clearly is a scene in Berlin for this kind of techno music. Tell us a bit more about it? Is it an important scene (clubs, artists, promoters etc)? Why is it that specific for Berlin?

Adam: What you experienced is my actual intention for the listener to feel. I want the listener to feel very heavy low, deep bass, the sonic boom per se in space travel. In technical terminology the sound of Traversable Wormhole is often 10-15 hertz lower in frequency then most other techno music. Most low bass in techno music is recorded in the 50 and higher Hertz range of low frequency. Traversable Wormhole is hitting much lower in the 38-45 Herz range. This creates a huge feeling on a sound system with great sub bass cabinets/speakers.

There is a scene globally for this kind of music. I’ve played many countries under this project. The Japanese especially love deeper, dark music as such. So I wouldn’t say the sound is more enjoyed in Berlin then other places. It’s quite universal in techno.

Q: How do you see this scene evolving and how do you see yourself evolving towards your next productions? What brings the future for Traversable Wormhole?

Adam: I’ve entered into 30 years in 2020 since my first record came out in 1990. One thing I’ve learned in this time is it’s awfully hard to predict what comes next. I really have no idea what the next changes are to come in the music scene itself. Early in the 1990’s when I began music styles were changing rapidly year to year. Changes are super slow in modern day times. There really hasn’t been any significant changes in techno since the early part of the last decade with exception of some artists speeding the BPM’s up plus 10.

As for my own productions it’s also hard to say. I try not to think too far in the future because I’m already nearing 50 years old and have lived more then half a life. I prefer to live day to day and let my music take me instinctually to wherever it can without over thinking how I can evolve with it. I will always have an urge to push boundaries as long as I’m creating music. So you can expect more futurism forthcoming in the industrialized techno bubble I live in.

1999 album ‘True Lies’ by Dive reissued as double vinyl – get your copy now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 11:25:59 +0000

Dive’s “True Lies” 1999 album gets a re-release on 2LP vinyl. The reissue comes as a limited edition of 550 copies on double blue vinyl with gatefold sleeve, printed inner sleeves and numbered card.

“True Lies” was originally released in 1999 on Daft Records and was produced by Ivan Iusco (Minus Habens Records, Nightmare Lodge) and Eric Van Wonterghem Insekt, Monolith).

“True Lies” is available here for the first time on vinyl with all original songs plus extra tracks from the singles “Two Faced Man” and “Broken Meat”, some old compilations and a bunch of cover versions to classics by Suicide, The Normal and The Klinik. You can order this set right here from Bandcamp!

Tracklist:

A1. True Lies One
A2. Sidewalk Sinner
A3. Breathing
A4. Give It To Me
A5. Two Faced Man

B1. Be Yourself
B2. Dreamhunter
B3. Voodoo Child
B4. Are You Awake
B5. True Lies Two

C1. Waiting And Burning
C2. Blindness
C3. In The Glasshouse
C4. The Human Race
C5. Skullscraper

D1. Obsession
D2. Cheree
D3. Warm Leatherette
D4. Moving Hands
D5. Ghostrider

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.

Mortaja – Combined Minds (CD Album – Audiophob)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 19:00:40 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-techno, minimal-EBM.

Background/Info: German artist Bert Lehmann is the creative spirit behind Mortaja while he’s also involved with Torn From Beyond. Mortaja strikes back with its third opus, which saw the light of day four years after “Bone Chamber”.

Content: “Combined Minds” is a solid and ultra-danceable fusion between minimal-EBM (especially for the bass lines) and industrial-techno music. It sounds a bit as the sonic hybrid between Terence Fixmer, Nitzer Ebb and Monolith. The tracks are instrumentals although you’ll hear male growls running through a very few tracks.

Both last cuts are remixes by Greyhound and Suki.

+ + + : This new opus by Mortaya is a pure masterpiece! The EBM minimalism emerging from the terrific bass lines is the work of a genius. Lehmann’s bass lines can be linked to some masters in the genre like Nitzer Ebb, Terence Fixmer, Juno Reactor, Thomas P. Heckmann. And when you think you’ve heard the best bass line and the best song you’ll have to admit that the next cut blows everything away. This work moves to a crescendo reaching unique highlights. But the global sound treatments reflect intelligence and knowledge. It features great vintage sounds and icy sweeps.

– – – : Both remixes are the only cuts, which can’t totally convince me.

Conclusion: “Combined Minds” is one of the major albums from 2018! It’s a genius composition, which clearly creates a sonic bridge between EBM, techno- and industrial music. Absolutely recommended!

Best songs: “Strong Conviction”, “Underground Movements”, “Paint My Face – Body Paint Mix”, “Non-Compliance”, “Combined Minds”, “Haunted”, “Banquet House”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Mortaja.de

Label: www.audiophob.de / www.facebook.com/audiophob

V/A Forms Of Hands 18 (CD Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 18 Aug 2018 18:30:07 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, industrial-techno, tribal, rhythmic-noise, tribal, IDM.

Background/Info: The fans and followers of Hands label are used to getting a compilation-CD next to the annual festival featuring some of the finest bands from the label roster. This 18^th chapter features 14 bands with exclusive cuts.

Artists: Dirty K, Phasenmensch+ICD-10, Cervello Elettronico, Blac Kolor, Maschinenkrieger KR52 vs. Disraptor, End.user, Monolith, Hydrone, Cacophoneuses, Sylvgheist Maëlström, Shorai, Ontal, Nullvektor, Ah Cama-Sotz.

Content: Hands once started as a modern and typical industrial/power-noise label, but progressively evolved towards a more open-minded sonic horizon. The label became a famous and world-wide recognized host for newer industrial formats. That’s precisely what this new “Form Of Hands” reveal while we only get exclusive tracks.

+ + + : From the heaviest and old-styled industrial/rhythm-noise projects Dirty K and Maschinenkrieger KR52 vs. Disraptor to the somewhat softer although still extreme sounding Cacophoneuses to the d’n’b/breakcore driven End.user to a wide range of ‘modern’ industrial acts mixing their stuff together with trance, tribal, techno and a few more influences for the ride, this sampler is a great window of the label’s music taste. I especially like the minimalism and intelligence of bands such as Phasenmensch+ICD-10, Cervello Elettronico, Hydrone, Monolith, Sylvgheist Maëlström, Ontal, Blac Kolor, Nullvektor and even Ah Cama-Sotz. But the real bonus of this sampler remains for sure that all tracks are exclusive.

– – – : I think the only point of discussion might be the choice of some tracks and why some other projects haven’t been featured.

Conclusion: Hands is once more sending out its finest elite troops to get industrial dancefloors on fire! This newest chapter is a great vintage.

Best bands: Cervello Elettronico, Hydrone, Nullvektor, Ah Cama-Sotz, Phasenmensch+ICD-10.

Rate: (8).

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

Monolith – Falling Dreams (CD Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 17 Aug 2018 18:30:29 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-techno, IDM, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Eric van Wonterghem will be always linked to The Klinik, Insekt, Sonar, Absolute Body Control and of course Monolith. “Falling Dreams” is the 10^th full length release under the Monolith moniker.

Content: I personally consider Monolith as one of the pioneer-projects from the industrial scene, which injected new ideas in the music genre. Throughout the years these influences became more explicit and finally resulted in a fusion between industrial, tribal and dark-techno. The new opus doesn’t sound that different and again reveals several noticeable tracks carried by shamanic rhythms.

But Eric van Wonterghem also dares to explore new paths, which appears to be somewhat ambient-like. These tracks come closer to soundtrack music.

+ + + : Monolith remains a reference in the industrial-techno genre. The ritual element has been a bit lost throughout the years while the dark-techno injection is now explicit. I can imagine Eric got influenced by the Berliner techno scene where he’s living. But it’s not just techno music! It’s an intelligent sound format, which sounds ultra dark, ultra danceable and sometimes pretty minimal-like. The composition is made of endless little sonic details, manipulations and low sound vibrations. The CD-format features 14 cuts, which is a warrant for maximum pleasure!

– – – : Monolith also explores new ideas on this album. The ambient influences aren’t totally know, but the way they’ve been worked out stands for a little style break. I’m not entirely convinced by this approach.

Conclusion: The 10^th Monolith opus will maybe not become the most successful one although it remains a fascinating experience in modern industrial music.

Best songs: “Sleeping Sun”, “Driving Blind”, “The Attack”, “Far away”, “Too Late”, “2750 Degrees Fahrenheit”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .facebook .com /monolithrecords

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

Matter – Primitive Forms (CD Album – Ant-Zen)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 12 Aug 2018 18:00:15 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-techno, dark-rave, IDM.

Background/Info: Italian artist Fabrizio Matrone set up Matter in 2001 and has released an impressive number of productions. This new opus is also his first work released on Ant-Zen and definitely an opportunity to gain a wider recognition. “Primitive Forms” is an appropriate title for a work inspired by an atlas about fossils and primitive life forms.

Content: This album is a remarkable illustration of ‘progressive’ industrial music. It has less in common with the origins of industrial music while it also takes distance with the power-noise trend. Matter creates an offspring between industrial and techno music. It sounds dark and transcendental. It might appeal for lovers of Monolith and related bands, but I think “Primitive Forms” goes further than those other bands. The songs also reveal a sophisticated writing process resulting in 10 great songs.

+ + + : I just mentioned the album features 10 songs and 10 is often symbolizing the number of the ultimate perfection. I don’t belief in perfection, but this album comes damn close! This is the most progressive side of industrial music or should I say the darkest side of techno?! Whatever you want to call it, the music is simply great and features multiple attention grabbers. But the writing and global sound production both are still amazing.

– – – : There’s one single cut (cf. “Trace”), which sounds more experimental-like and couldn’t totally convince me. That’s what I already said: perfection is pure utopia!

Conclusion: This is the sound of an industrial shaman who’ll bring you into trance quite instantly after the first tones. It’s not revolutionary, but definitely hot industrial music! This album could become my favorite one from 2018!

Best songs: “Extinction”, “Order”, “Hierarchy”, “Range”, “Taxonomy”, “Biozone”.

Rate: (9½).

Artist: www .matters .it / www .facebook .com /matter .it

Label: www .ant –zen .com / www .facebook .com /antzen .official

Maschinenfest 2017 compiled and available in a few weeks from now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 18:00:17 +0000

Out in a few weeks is “Maschinenfest 2017”, a compilation including all artists who have performed at Maschinenfest 2017. You can order this set right here. This year’s event will take place from Friday 27 October 2017 until Sunday 29 October 2017 at the Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen, Germany

On the compilation you’ll find material from the following bands: Ah Cama-Sotz, Alarmen, Aphexia, Dive, Empusae, Esplendor Geometrico, Gatto Nero, Geneviéve Pasquier, Gold, Goreshit, Greyhound, Haus Am Rand, Horskh, Imminent/Synapscape, In Slaughter Natives, Lustmord, Meta Meat, Mono No Aware, Monolith, Nur Zwei Linien, S.K.E.T., Siamgda, Somatic Responses, Suicide Inside, Sutcliffe Jügend, Yura Yura and more.

Maschinenfest is a yearly, 3-day underground music festival in Germany, featuring industrial, power electronics, noise and other alternative electronic performers.

Ajna & Dronny Darko – Black Monolith (DCD Album – Reverse Alignment)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 18:30:58 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, soundscape.

Background/Info: “Black Monolith” resulted from the common efforts between American artist Ajna (Chris F) and Ukrainian dark-ambient musician Dronny Darko (Oleg Puzan). They already released two productions together (cf. “Facing The Void” and “1000 Years Of Cryosleep”). These four cuts have been remastered for “Black Monolith” while the second disc features 7 new compositions.

Content: “Black Monolith” sounds like cellar music. Long, buzzing vibes are crescendo wafting throughout a dark imaginary space. It’s interesting using headphones to fully distinguish the multiple, little noises in the background of the work. It sounds like pure ghost-music.

The new tracks are moving on there where the first disc stopped. There’s a slow progression towards an imaginary sonic inferno accentuated by diversified noises and field recordings. The dark atmosphere running through the final cuts becomes denser and you get the impression diving into an endless abyss habited by evil creatures.

+ + + : “Black Monolith” is frightening experience, kind of horror music for an imaginary movie or simply accompanying pictures of horror. The work has been meticulously built up and you especially feel the complementarily between both artists. I prefer the new compositions, which are more elaborated and diversified. The final pieces create a truly sound apotheosis and I especially want to mention “Amongst Unknown Species” and “Approaching The Unrevealed”. This album for sure has a strong visual appeal.

– – – : You really have to like this kind of music genre, which takes you away for an endless trip. Especially “1000 Years Of Cryosleep” which moves over the 40 minutes sounds a bit endless. “Black Monolith” is maybe a bit too long, but I guess the fans will not complain.

Conclusion: “Black Monolith” is the kind of work that will rapidly bring you into a dark and frightening imaginary world facing visions of terror. Both artists have created a sonic symbiosis and I can only encourage them to renew their common artistic creativity.

Best songs: “Amongst Unknown Species”, “Approaching The Unrevealed”, “Orbiting Probes”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www .facebook .com /dronnydarko / https ://petroglyphajna .wordpress .com

Label: http ://ralignment .tictail .com / www .facebook .com /reversealignment

Rhys Fulber – Realism (Vinyl 12” – Sonic Groove)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 18:30:27 +0000

Genre/Influences: Minimal-electro, industrial-techno.

Background/Info: Rhys Fulber doesn’t need that much of an introduction. Long-time member of Frontline Assembly, involved over the years into bands like Delerium, Noise Unit, Will, Synaesthesia, Conjure One, Intermix ao, the Canadian sound guru has now achieved a new EP under his own name.

Content: If you’re a bit familiar with the Adam-X label Sonic Groove, you for sure get an idea what to expect. Rhys Fulber has composed 4 industrial dance-cuts. The opening track is quite FLA-like, but with this little techno-groovy touch on top.

Quite progressively the tracks become more technoid, but still minimal and always dark. “Realism” sounds like industrial-techno with some groovy dance kicks and several spoken samplings.

+ + + : After great names and sound architects such as Orphx, Monolith, Fixmer/McCarthy it’s now time for another famous artist from the dark-electronic scene to join hands together with Sonic Groove. Rhys Fulber remains a real genius when it comes to transposing sounds into a very own styled dimension. But I especially like the way he mixes electronic-minimalism and other EBM influences together with a dark, danceable technoid style. It’s a fascinating experiment resulting in four brilliant songs.

– – – : I didn’t hear any minus point on this release and I just hope that Rhys Fulber will go on with this intelligent industrial-techno format!

Conclusion: If you think that Rhys Fulber is just an electronic veteran without new ideas, you’re at damned fault! “Realism” is an intelligent and contemporary format mixing underground elements together with techno influences. Brilliant!

Best songs: “Abstraction”, “Reload”, “Effigy”, “Minsk Maschinen”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .facebook .com /rhys .fulber

Label: www .sonicgroove .com / www .facebook .com /Sonicgrooverecords

T_error 404 – Vajrabhairava GO (Digital Album – Cyberbuddhism.com)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 18 May 2017 18:30:47 +0000

Genre/Influences: Tribal-techno, industrial-trance, IDM.

Background/Info: Vladimir Cherepanov aka ‘Denoizer’ is back on track with a new album featuring 18 (!) new cuts. “Vajrabhairava GO” celebrates the 10^th anniversary of T_error 404 and also is the seventh opus from this project.

Content: If you’re already familiar with the work of T_error 404 you for sure know this band progressively evolved from harder industrial fields towards tribal-techno work reaching its apotheosis on the previous work “Buddha 2.0”. This new work has been announced as going back to the roots, but I experienced “Vajrabhairava GO” as a more sophisticated- and further experience in tribal-industrial music. Several cuts even remind me of Monolith for its dark-industrial tribal-techno format. T_error 404 mixes different influences together, which even touches elements of ritual music.

+ + + : I’m still convinced that T_error 404 is a band deserving a wider recognition. This artist composes a creative industrial approach mixed with tribal influences and hard, danceable vibes. It’s a diversified opus, which is totally accomplished and revealing multiple moments of pure sonic ecstasy! The tribal element is one of the most fundamental pieces of the work. There are not many artists exploring this sonic path and that’s what makes this opus refreshing and original.

– – – : It’s probably intentional, but I regret the unpolished aspect running through a few cuts. That’s for sure accentuating the industrial side of the work although creating a less high tech format. But my main regret is that this album is only available as digital format.

Conclusion: I’ve never been disappointed by T_error 404. He’s a talented artist creating something apart from the industrial scene and which isn’t repeating himself on every new work.

Best songs: “Virtual Chod”, “Middle Way Complex”, “Dakini Code”, “Doi Suthep”, “Vidjnyana Update”, “Dark Retreat”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .facebook .com /ter 404

Label: http ://cyberbuddhism .com /music

Alfa Matrix launches Record Store Day 30% discount on webstore and Bandcamp – get your code here

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 18:00:14 +0000

It was Record Store Day this past weekend and for the occasion the Belgian label launched a special 30% discount code ( RSD2017 ) which is available to use until the end of this week. You can apply the code in the label’s webshop or on the label’s Bandcamp page. You will get 30% off on everything that is added in your basket (except on the forthcoming Metroland and Alien Vampires box sets).

Happy hunting!

Included in this massive discount action are releases by 32CRASH, Acylum, Aengeldust, Aesthetische, Agonised By Love, Aiboforcen, Alien Vampires, Ambassador21, amGod, Armageddon Dildos, Avarice In Audio, Ayria, Bruderschaft, Cosmic Armchair, Crisk, Cynical Existence, Depeche Mode (the tribute releases), Diffuzion, Diskonnekted, Dive, Dream Recall, Dunkelwerk, Elektroklänge, ELM, Entrzelle, Epsilon Minus, Essence Of Mind, Freakangel, Front 242, Gaytron, Glis, Halo In Reverse, HausHetaere, Headscan, Helalyn Flowers, Hungry Lucy, I:scintilla, Implant, Internal, Inure, Junksista, Kant Kino, Klutæ, Komor Kommando, Krystal System, Leaether Strip, Lovelorn Dolls, Malakwa, Male Or Female, Mari Chrome, Mentallo and the Fixer, Metroland, Mind:State, Mnemonic, Mondträume, Monolith, Nebula-H, Neikka RPM, Nitzer Ebb, Növö, O.V.N.I., Plastic Noise Experience, Pouppee Fabrikk, Prozium, Psy’Aviah, Razorfade, Recoil, Regenerator, Saeldes Sanc, Schwarzblut, Sebastian Komor, Seize, Sero.Overdose, Shaun F, Simon Carter, Siva Six, Star Industry, Stray, Studio-X, Suicide Inside, Tamtrum, Technoir, The Cure (tribute), The Psychic Force, Totem Obscura, Trisomie 21, Unter Null, Venal Flesh, Virgins O.R Pigeons, Virtual Embrace, XMH, Zombie Girl, … plus a long list of compilations.

And in order to save on shipping costs, it’s recommended to combine this with the label’s 2 newest releases although they are not discounted.

It’s EBM day at Alfa Matrix! Use code ebmday242 and get 30% of on all releases (incl. Front 242 vinyls)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 10:20:47 +0000

“Today he has no means He’s alone and anonymous, but written in his cells he’s got the marks of a genius”, with these Front 242 lyrics (“Headhunter”) the Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix has launched quite an impressive EBM day action offering no less than a 30% discount on all of it’s physical (and download releases) including the much wanted Front 242 vinyls sets.

All you need to do is use the code ebmday242 to get 30% off on all of the labels releases (ltd editions, boxsets, t-shirts, vinyls, …) purchased via the Alfa Matrix webstore and the official Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page.

The code ebmday242 is only valid today and this weekend and will be applied on all products you have added in your basket.

And that’s not all! the label has also added a huge list of VERY low priced compilations right here.

Included in this massive discount action are all physical and download releases by 32CRASH, Acylum, Aengeldust, Aesthetische, Agonised By Love, Aiboforcen, Alien Vampires, Ambassador21, amGod, Armageddon Dildos, Avarice In Audio, Ayria, Bruderschaft, Cosmic Armchair, Crisk, Cynical Existence, Depeche Mode (the tribute releases), Diffuzion, Diskonnekted, Dive, Dream Recall, Dunkelwerk, Elektroklänge, ELM, Entrzelle, Epsilon Minus, Essence Of Mind, Freakangel, Front 242, Gaytron, Glis, Halo In Reverse, HausHetaere, Headscan, Helalyn Flowers, Hungry Lucy, I:scintilla, Implant, Internal, Inure, Junksista, Kant Kino, Klutæ, Komor Kommando, Krystal System, Leaether Strip, Lovelorn Dolls, Malakwa, Male Or Female, Mari Chrome, Mentallo and the Fixer, Metroland, Mind:State, Mnemonic, Mondträume, Monolith, Nebula-H, Neikka RPM, Nitzer Ebb, Növö, O.V.N.I., Plastic Noise Experience, Pouppee Fabrikk, Prozium, Psy’Aviah, Razorfade, Recoil, Regenerator, Saeldes Sanc, Schwarzblut, Sebastian Komor, Seize, Sero.Overdose, Shaun F, Simon Carter, Siva Six, Star Industry, Stray, Studio-X, Suicide Inside, Tamtrum, Technoir, The Cure (tribute), The Psychic Force, Totem Obscura, Trisomie 21, Unter Null, Venal Flesh, Virgins O.R Pigeons, Virtual Embrace, XMH, Zombie Girl, … plus a long list of compilations.

Final hours to enjoy 50% off on Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 19:10:19 +0000

We enter the final few hours to enjoy a 50% reduction on all of your purchases via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page. You get a discount of 50% when using the discount code january50432. Just enter it when checking out. The code is valid on ALL of the releases on the label’s Bandcamp page.

Included in this massive discount action are releases by 32CRASH, Acylum, Aengeldust, Aesthetische, Agonised By Love, Aiboforcen, Alien Vampires, Ambassador21, amGod, Armageddon Dildos, Avarice In Audio, Ayria, Bruderschaft, Cosmic Armchair, Crisk, Cynical Existence, Depeche Mode (the tribute releases), Diffuzion, Diskonnekted, Dive, Dream Recall, Dunkelwerk, Elektroklänge, ELM, Entrzelle, Epsilon Minus, Essence Of Mind, Freakangel, Front 242, Gaytron, Glis, Halo In Reverse, HausHetaere, Headscan, Helalyn Flowers, Hungry Lucy, I:scintilla, Implant, Internal, Inure, Junksista, Kant Kino, Klutæ, Komor Kommando, Krystal System, Leaether Strip, Lovelorn Dolls, Malakwa, Male Or Female, Mari Chrome, Mentallo and the Fixer, Metroland, Mind:State, Mnemonic, Mondträume, Monolith, Nebula-H, Neikka RPM, Nitzer Ebb, Növö, O.V.N.I., Plastic Noise Experience, Pouppee Fabrikk, Prozium, Psy’Aviah, Razorfade, Regenerator, Saeldes Sanc, Schwarzblut, Sebastian Komor, Seize, Sero.Overdose, Shaun F, Simon Carter, Siva Six, Star Industry, Stray, Studio-X, Suicide Inside, Tamtrum, Technoir, The Cure (tribute), The Psychic Force, Totem Obscura, Trisomie 21, Unter Null, Venal Flesh, Virgins O.R Pigeons, Virtual Embrace, XMH, Zombie Girl, … plus a long list of compilations.

The discount code only lasts till January 31st midnight, so make sure to use it asap!

Yura Yura – Rumu Namba (CD Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 20:00:27 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, tribal, IDM, power-noise.

Background/Info: Three years after the official debut album (cf. “Be Sexual”) French noise terrorist ‘Grégory Yura’ is back on track with a new opus revealing 15 tracks.

Content: The least I can say is that there’s a serious evolution in sound compared to the previous work. Yura Yura progressively moved towards a more sophisticated sounds incorporating elements like tribal and IDM into the writing. The album however takes off with a rather power-noise orientated format, but quickly evolves into spooky atmospheres and tribal influences. Some Arabian samples inject a touch of mystery, but still a frightening sensation that progressively comes down.

But the main evolution is the growing sound intelligence coming through. From transcendental passages to pure IDM arrangements this album has a lot to offer. When you mix all the influences together I sometimes get the impression of hearing a flavor of Monolith supporting this work. The second part of “Rumu Namba” features several impressive compositions where all the elements are literally emerging at the surface. You now get a terrific piece of IDM and next an irresistible industrial-tribal track while the final piece is more into tormented atmospheres joined by sacred chants.

+ + + : The global sound evolution and production both are the main characteristics of this great work. Yura Yura holds on to some of the ‘early’ influences, but moves on exploring new elements. It all together creates a compact and yet diversified album featuring many outstanding tracks. I was totally flabbergasted by this new album, which will for sure increase the recognition of this artist.

– – – : I don’t really have minus points about this work. I maybe can evoke one of two pieces, which are a little less convincing, but globally speaking this is a brilliant piece of music.

Conclusion: Yura Yura left me breathless. I’m not saying that the previous album was worse, but “Rumu Namba” simply sounds perfect and it’s hard to belief we here speak about the same artist. This is a fully accomplished opus revealing great industrial music.

Best songs: “Morder”, “Asil”, “Cavale”, “Alma”, “Antimon”, “Nigra”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .facebook .com /yuraruy

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

Alfa Matrix launches special discount action – get 30% off with this discount code: DECSALE16

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 19:00:16 +0000

The Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix has launched a mega pre-Christmas sale action via its online CD/vinyl web store. Just use the discount code DECSALE16 when completing your purchase and you will get 30% off on all physical releases (CD, DVD, Vinyl) which came out before mid-June 2016 (so in short you get a discount on most of the label’s huge catalogue).

The label webs tore can be accessed right here.

And in order to save on shipping costs, it’s recommended to combine this with the label’s newest releases although they are not discounted. The newest releases from the label come from the bands Underviewer, Front 242, Mondträume, The Psychic Force, Llumen, Kant Kino, Daniel B. Prothesesèse and many many more!

Monolith – Domination (CD Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 18:52:06 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-industrial, industrial, tribal-industrial.

Background/Info: Eric van Wonterghem is a veteran active in the wider fields of electronic- and industrial music since the 80s. From bands like Absolute Body Control to The Klinik to Insekt to Sonar to Detune-X and of course Monolith, this Belgian icon of electronic music has already gained experience with a lot of sounds and influences. “Domination” is the 9^th full length of his solo-project Monolith that is now active for nearly 20 years.

Content: Is it because Eric is now living in Berlin that his influences became more techno orientated? We have to ask him, but it all becomes clear that the latest Monolith releases are no longer into the heavier industrial debut releases. There of course is a noticeable evolution running through the work of Monolith and earlier this year released 12” (cf. “Time Running Out”) released on Sonic Groove revealed more explicit techno vibes.

“Domination” is the perfect synthesis of techno- and industrial music. The shamanic cadence leads you into a frenetic dance while impressive industrial treatments like crashes remind us of the origin of Monolith.

The work has been diversified with a few more tribal/esoteric-minded influences. This ‘Indian’- flavor is a possible reminiscence from earlier tribal work of Monolith. It now reflects imaginary moments of meditation and relaxation. The work indeed is more than simply danceable moves. There is also a minimal touch supporting the last part of the work. We here get reminded of the talent of this musician, which next to hard industrial treatments can also move into refined, subtle bleeps and treats.

+ + + : “Domination” proves that Monolith is not exactly repeating himself. This is a project with a great sound, which is in constant evolution. I was totally convinced by the mix between techno ‘Berliner’ influences and damaging industrial treatments. There are several cool songs on his album, but I really have a preference for “The Bell Witch” and “Bitter Years”.

– – – : No doubt about it, the techno input will not please all fans of the artist. It also is the most techno-orientated release from the Hands roster so I’m afraid some industrial die-hard fans will be shocked. Some of the songs are a bit too short for my taste.

Conclusion: The new Monolith sounds like an antidote to what Eric van Wonterghem did with Sonar! Monolith moves on with the flow and dares to innovate and that’s why “Domination” is a particular album in the artist’s discography although probably not the work that will enter into history…

Best songs: “The Bell Witch”, “Bitter Years”, “Bridges”, “Angel Of Death”, “Reconstructed”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .facebook .com /technobuddha

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

V/A Forms Of Hands 16 (CD Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 21:45:50 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, power-noise, experimental, IDM.

Background/Info: The compilation series “Forms Of Hands” has been each year again released to celebrate the famous Hands-label festival. This year the festival was organized on the 22^nd and 23^rd of April and already featured a real hot selection of bands. This compilation features 14 bands with exclusive tracks.

Bands: Mono No Aware, Monolith, Proyecto Mirage, 16PadNoise Terrorist, Phasenmensch, Le Moderniste, Talvekoidik, MS Gentur ao.

Content: A label compilation always is an interesting tool to get an idea about the sound and influences of the label and the potential of the bands. Hands is a label, which has nothing to prove as it remains one of the absolute leading record companies specialized in industrial music. It also is quite fascinating to see the evolution of the label from Dortmund, which during the early years was into pure industrial and power-noise while the past few years I noticed several excellent high-tech productions dealing with IDM, industrial-trance, d’n’b and some industrial-techno influences.

This new edition is a nice cocktail between good-old power-noise standards and more sophisticated and somewhat minimal-like sounding IDM formations. This compilation reveals an impressive arsenal of influences revealing the evolution of industrial music.

+ + + : No doubt about it, Hands remains a visionary label! This compilation reveals an interesting twist between good-old industrial standards, which made the label that famous and the more avant-garde and complex industrial sound of today. There’s a real great diversity in influences and power as well. There are many essential songs featured, but the most noticeable aspect of the sampler for sure consists of all bands that have delivered an exclusive track or remix for this compilation.

– – – : I don’t see any minus point at this annual compilation, but I maybe regret the total absence of inside information about bands and tracks.

Conclusion: 14 bands to give you an idea about the global power and potential of the Hands label. This is a visionary compilation for fine-tasted industrial lovers.

Best bands: MS Gentur, Trackologists, End.User, Nullvektor, Proyecto Mirage, Morbus M, Phasenmensch.

Rate: (8½).

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

Monolith – Time Running Out (Vinyl 12” – Sonic Groove)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 20:15:42 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-techno, IDM.

Background/Info: Eric van Wonterghem is one of those Belgian electro veterans who can look back on a real successful and respectable career. He got involved in bands like The Klinik, Insekt, Absolute Body Control, Sonar… and of course Monolith. For this new 12” he signed to Adam X’s label Sonic Groove Records.

Content: We all know Monolith for its dark and trance-minded industrial grooves. “Time Running Out” is a step forward into dark and tormented techno fields. This vinyl is the fusion between hard-danceable techno loops and noise manipulations.

The work is driven by obscure industrial noise loops while the techno cadence will leading the listener into frenetic dance moves. The work is accomplished by some cool trance vibes while the last cut moves into a more minimal electronic exposure, which comes closer to IDM.

+ + + : The work of Monolith is in constant progression. Eric van Wonterghem remains faithful to his standards and influences, but he dares to explore new ideas creating a dark and noise-minded techno format.

– – – : If you’re not into minimalism and especially obscure technoid loops this is not for you.

Conclusion: “Time Running Out” sounds a bit like the offspring between Sonar and Monolith, but it remains Monolith revealing the most technoid side of the band.

Best songs: “Ghost Cities”, “Deconstruct”, “Time”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .facebook .com /technobuddha

Label: www .sonicgroove .com / www .facebook .com /Sonicgrooverecords

Monolith gets the vinyl treatment for his ‘Time Running Out’ 4-track EP – check out these audio fragments

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 14:31:50 +0000

We are getting a lot of vinyl release news lately. Also the new EP from Monolith aka Eric van Wonterghem has been graced with a vinyl version (available here). “Time Running Out” will be out in early March and holds 4 tracks: “Construct”, “De-construct”, “Ghost cities” and “Time”.

The label describes the new EP as “cutting edge, post contemporary industrial-techno music with highly percussive drum programming and infectious sound design set to overrun dance floors!” We got hold of the previews, so judge for yourself.

https://soundcloud.com/sonic-groove-records/sets/monolith-time-running-out-sg1672

kFactor – Ghastly Monolith (DCD Album – Electro Aggression Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 11:50:29 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM, dark-electro.

Content: kFactor is a Brazilian solo-project inspired by the good-old EBM sound from the late 80s and especially the 90s. This band totally fits to the retro-EBM taste of Electro Aggression Records.

I didn’t know what to expect from kFactor except a pure old-school EBM production. The opening tracks clearly reveal a typical 90s electro format, which is driven by a typical kick and cold synthesizer sounds. The spooky vocals inject a dark and mysterious element to the work. I can’t say that the opening cuts are essential ones, but they give an indication about the dark-atmospheric style of this EBM project. I was a bit afraid to discover an old stereo-type without real creativity, but the album rapidly evolves into more elaborate songs featuring sounds à la Cabaret Voltaire and even more intelligent treatments reminding me of Clock DVA.

The sound is clearly old-styled EBM, but I progressively get into the mysterious and obscure sound creation of Junior kFactor. One of the main sources of inspiration appears to be the good-old Belgian EBM school. That’s for sure an element I recognize in the global sound production, but if I really have to make a link with another formation it would be without a shadow of a doubt early X Marks The Pedwalk and the early EP’s “Arbitrary Execution” and especially “Disease Control”. A few other cuts remind me of early Frontline Assembly as well. It becomes rapidly clear that kFactor is a band taking us back to the sources of EBM. There’s a perfect mix between 80s and 90s body music.

The work is pretty minimal and bringing good-old tricks to life like spoken samplings, icy synth-lines and other choir synth passages, typical spooky vocals and the familiar 4×4 structures. “Ghastly Monolith” avoids any innovation, but brings a well-crafted emulation of retro EBM music. You don’t hear me complaining as the more I got into the work of this artist the more I really started to like it. I also like the global concept featuring 2 discs each with 15 songs. The 2nd disc features a few remixes by bands like Pyrroline, Astma, Serpents and few others.

I have a little preference for the main disc but both CDs reveal a high quality level and several attention grabbers. Some cuts are carried by a somewhat heavier, bombastic rhythm and a few songs are more complex in their global writing. That’s precisely the reason why I like a song like “Lobotomy”, which is one of the cuts reminding me of the more sophisticated work of Clock DVA. The “Jihad Remix” of “Dead Place” is another fascinating cut in the genre. This album is not only revealing intriguing, cool songs, but also accomplished remixes as well.

kFactor is not exactly the kind of furious EBM but rather a slow tempo sound joined by poignant, dark atmospheres and great vocals.

Conclusion: This is a fascinating work bringing elements of 90s EBM to life. kFactor moves back to the sources and can be considered as an accomplished ode to some legendary bands, which helped EBM get a name!

Best songs: “Lobotomy”, “Iron Tree”, “Prototype”, “Chrome”, “Casting Shadows”, “Take A Chance” + “A Dead Place”, “The Right Course”, “Auto-Darwin”, “A Dead Place – Jihad Remix”, “A Blind Spot – Factory Automatic by Soillodge”.

Rate: (DP:8)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/kFactor.ebm

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

Absence of Motion by Alphaxone

Cryo Chamber is running an Alphaxone collection sale – 50% off

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 12:22:44 +0000

The dark ambient label Cryo Chamber has launched a sale on the releases of Alphaxone. Alphaxone is the project by Iranian musician Mehdi Saleh.

Saleh is no stranger to dark ambient with 7 full length albums behind him, of which Cryo Chamber serves the latest 3 endeavours. If you are into dark ambient soundscapes with a futuristic touch, then Alphaxone will be your thing for sure.

Alphaxone is Saleh’s first project, and was founded in the 2009. Since then he has been working on 3 other projects (Spuntic, Inner Place, Monolith Cycle).

You can find the albums which are discounted below or on the Bandcamp page of Cryo Chamber.

Altered Dimensions by Alphaxone

Living in the Grayland by Alphaxone

Karl Hefner & Hugh Lagerfeld – Synthax Error (CD Album – Daft Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 00:34:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro, synth-pop.

Content: Debut album of the Belgian duo Gunther Haegeman (Obverse Reality, Synthetic Dream) and Dries De Vreeze, released on the label of Dirk Ivens (Dive, Absolute Body Control, …) and mastered by Eric Van Wonterghem (Monolith).
A wide sound-spectrum of different styles such as electro, new-beat, minimal, trance, etc. come to mind when listening to this very danceable CD.

Opener “Redhead Sky” throws you right back in the ’80’s and is followed by “Syquest”, a song built up, layer by layer, going from an ambient-like intro towards a full danceable electro-pop song in the style of Goose. “Der Nachtmann” reminded me on “Housewife” of Daan and is a song which could have been part of the repertoire of Vitalic while “Terror Rice” sounds very atmospheric and ‘spacy’, starting from an Antiloop-wise intro.

“Buchstabieren” is for me by far the best (danceable) track and has the potential to become a club-hit and dancefloor-filler! I also recognized the sound of Vitalic in “City Loneliness”, a song where even guitars are used to create the climax.

Another highlight is “Bunkerkopf”, a downtempo song which creates a very dark gloomy atmosphere. Track 8, “Floorlayer” reminded me of Tiga and is for sure very club-minded as well.

“Kontrolieren” I found the least-interesting song while the synths on “Untkalker” (what’s in a name!) also threw me back to the ’80’s. The last piece “Gamebreaker” has a huge new-beat content and is a worthy closing-track of this 57 minute duration album, of which each song has an average playing-time of approximately 5 minutes.
If I have to say one minor point about the music it is that sometimes the drums (roll-overs) sound a bit too simple (basic). But what I like most on this album is the fact that both gentlemen combine different styles which are closely connected to the dark electronic scene although their stuff also fits perfectly in the alternative dance scene.

Also important to keep in mind: the live-sound of this duo is as clear as on CD!

Conclusion: If you are into electro, new-beat, minimal, trance, and fan of Vitalic or Goose, check out this stuff!

Best songs: “Terror Rice”, “Buchstabieren”, “Bunkerkopf”, “Floorlayer”, “Gamebreaker”.

Rate: (WH:8)WH.

Band: www.facebook.com/pages/Karl-Hefner-Hugh-Lagerfeld/128855857266795

Label: www.daft-records.com