(By Stéphane Froidcoeur for Inferno Sound Diaries/Side-Line Reviews) 2022 has been once again a sad, bloody and terrible year. Living in a mad world music once more remains a true therapy to appease pain and frustration. Concerts and festivals came back; the perfect place to meet friends again. Artists remain prolific releasing great studio work. So I’m once more closing the year by a personal selection of my very own ‘best of’-albums of the year.

Over 700 productions have been selected while 540  reviews have been made all over the year. Some productions have been refused because the style of music didn’t fit, while other reviews will be postponed to 2023. I’m really grateful to all labels, bands and promoters considering my work and efforts and I hope you’ll go on providing me new promos next year.

I one again have to express my deepest gratitude to Rich Bova (NEIKKA RPM) who for years and years now is reading, correcting and improving my reviews. Without Rich there would be no reviews. I also want to thank Bernard Van Isacker – chief redactor Side-Line Music Magazine – for the successful collaboration. 

Up now to 2023. I already reduced my activities this year and will move on reducing it in 2023. I made my first reviews and interviews back in 1991 (!). Some of the readers and artists weren’t even born when I wrote my first review for Side-Line. So after more than 30 years non-stop activities I think it’s not that strange to move on slowly.

I also want to express a big ‘F*** you’ to so-called ‘artists’ and label owners who don’t realise and appreciate the work I’m doing by making reviews and preparing interviews to get them in the spotlights. The attitude and less of respect shown by those people – luckily a very few number – is just unacceptable… but I’m afraid it reflects the world we’re living in… Behind a genius artist is not always hiding a great person… It’s quite strange to realise the ’biggest’- and long-time established artists from this scene often are the most accessible ones.

Writing reviews remains very ‘subjective’ and always a source of discussion, but keep in mind it will be always the perception of the reviewer. I can assure you I’m always trying to argue my reviews the best as possible. A review will be never objective, but has to be honest!

Like every year I’ve made a selection from the best albums of the year. This ‘TOP 25’ covers different styles like EBM, Dark-Electro, IDM, Synth-Pop, Ethereal, Dark-Ambient, Industrial, Cinematographic, Gothic, Post-Punk, Cold/Dark-Wave, Dark-Techno and a few related genres. It remains an exciting but tough exercise.

This ‘TOP 25’ is taken from the promotional material I got while compilations, ‘best of’-productions, EP’s and singles were not considered.

So, here’s my ‘TOP 25’ from 2022 and don’t forget to share it with your friends….

Top 25 albums 2022

1. IVARDENSPHERE: “Ragemaker” – Metropolis Records
2. DIE ROBO SAPIENS : “Robo Sapien Race” – Alfa Matrix
3. EBE04 : “Inrush – Give/Take
4. CALDON GLOVER: “Labyrintia” – Cyclic Law
5. ROME: “Hegemonikon” – Trisol
6. NEIKKA RPM: “Scorpio In The Hourglass – Alfa Matrix
7. VANGUARD: “Spectrum” – Infacted Recordings
8. SUICIDE COMMANDO: “Goddestructor” – Out Of Line
9. ELM: “Penetrator” – Alfa Matrix
10. OBERER TOTPUNKT: “Totentanz” – Danse Macabre Records
11. THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE: “Fascination” – Metropolis Records
12. BLACKBOOK: “Confessions Of The Innocent” – DarkTunes Music Group
13. BEYOND THE GHOST: “Sundown” – Cryo Chamber
14. THEN COMES SILENCE: “Hunger” – Metropolis Records
15. PRINCIPE VALLIENTE: “Barricades” – Metropolis Records
16. DAWN OF ASHES: “Scars Of The Broken” – Artoffact Records
17. MONSTERGOD: “Ozymandias” – Space Race Records
18. STATIQBLOOM: “Threat” – Sonic Groove Records
19. AXIOME: “Field Guide To Alien Planets And Other Disco Balls – Audiophob
20. REICHSFEIND: “Darken” – Alfa Matrix
21. FIRST AID 4 SOULS: “I Am The Night” – Alfa Matrix
22. ORDO ROSARIUS EQUILIBRIO: “Nihilist Notes And The Perputual Quest 4 Meaning In Nothing” – Out Of Line
23. KILL SHELTER: “Asylum” – Manic Depression Records / Metropolis Records
24. JAGATH: “Svapna” – Cold Spring Records
25. KILL YOUR BOYFRIEND: “Voodoo” – Shyrec

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

Polish Monstergod-duo this year released their third official full length album “Ozymandias” by Space Race Records.  Miłosz and Marek don’t exactly release new work at regular basis, which probably explains the sound is in constant progress. “Ozymandias” is mixing an impressive number of influences resulting in a kind of ‘Epic-Industrial-Pop-Metal’-work. It’s a major production mixing sensuality and bombast. I talked about this masterpiece with Marek.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Let’s get back to the origins of Monstergod. How did it all started and what was the main purpose when it comes to composition and production? And how did you see the project evolving?

Marek: Me and Miłosz have met about 2000, we became friends, talked about music, books, life etc and in 2003 or 2004 we decided to try making music together. We didn’t have any particular purposes, just wanted to make some music for fun and maybe play a few gigs around. So, it’s going. As well, we usually work on albums together. This time, during recording “Ozymandias”, I was more involved than before. For example I’ve recorded as a few of vocals.

Q: Let’s talk about your sources of inspiration, which are going further than only music. Literature and poetry seem to be very important for Monstergod. Tell us a bit more about these influences and the way you transpose literature and poetry into sound?

Marek: At the beginning of our music journey, we just wanted to make some music inspired by The Sisters Of Mercy, Suicide Commando and Laibach with great poetry of William Blake and Charles Baudelaire.

The general idea is still evolving by adding new inspirations and new poets. On “Ozymandias” we have added, for example, Friedrich Nietzsche to our lyric sources. 

We usually make music first and after that we try to find lyrics for it. It’s not a sophisticated process. Much more interesting is how to find a unique sound to be not just a copycat of other bands but try to make something fresh. That’s why we try to use different instruments on our albums. Of course, what we do is based on electronic, computer-generated sounds but we’re not afraid to play bass, guitars, harp or even banjo or baglama. If something adds something unusual to the music – we would like to use it.

Q: How did the writing and production of “Ozymandias” happened? And tell us a bit more about the title, which must be inspired by  Percy Bysshe Shelley?

Marek: “Ozymandias” is, in my opinion, the most dark and depressive album we have ever done. I started to work on demos back in 2018 but most of the material was created in Covid pandemic. Title song “Ozymandias” was composed as one of the last songs. I wanted something to open the album, to show how we evolve from electronic to epic choir, bass and guitar sound.

I always liked Shelley’s poem. I had no idea how to use it on music. After watching “Alien Covenant” with so great opening scene and declamation of this poem by one of main characters –David, I knew I have to use it at least as a vocal sample. After recording music I added vocals, choirs and used the whole poem as lyric.

Q: Sound-wise this album is a great mix of influences resulting in a kind of ‘Epic-Industrial-Metal-Pop’-production. What is the sound all about and what have been the input of all members and guests -but especially Dariusz ‘Daray’ Brzozowski in the final production? 

Marek: When we started to mix this album I had all of the songs as open music projects ready to be changed if any ideas come up. Once I asked Cesar Soto from Ministry to help me record guitars for “Austere”. He agreed, but after receiving tracks I decided to change a bit an arrangement. Filip ‘Heinrich’, who mixed the album, added bass, some synths and asked me to record live drums with his friend. A moment later, we called Daray to help us.

Daray is a great drummer, probably the best I’ve ever met. He’s a true professional. I had all the drum parts written in midi, Daray played them all adding his own flavor, music sense and feelings. After recording I was more than surprised how it all sound together.

The real hero in this album production was Filip Heinrich who spent hours on calls with me but was also open to record some additional instruments or even changed some arrangements. Without him the album wouldn’t sound as it is. 

Q: I experienced “Ozymandias” as a noticeable evolution in sound, but where do you place this work in the band’s history? And how did you see Monstergod evolving over the years?

Marek: Creating music for fun as I do means to find new ideas. I don’t want to record another identic album. It’s boring. I’m not focused on selling CDs or counting streaming incomes so I can experiment, I can always try to add something new to the sound or sing in German, hahaha. But, at the moment, I see “Ozymandias” as a final chapter of Monstergod history. I have no idea how to evolve further with this project.

Q: “Ozymandias” has been released in dark- and uncertain times. Do you think music and arts generally speaking can bring relief and maybe a solution by connecting people?

Marek: “Ozymandias” is also a reflection of times we live in and my own personal problems I was struggling with. I make music for myself to deal with my own demons and it’s my way getting a relief. If somebody else could get it in the same way –great, but if you feel it too depressive –sorry, do not blame me. Read the review of ‘Ozymandias’.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

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

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Polish duo Monstergod strikes back with their third official full length album. The title of the album is probably inspired by a sonnet written by English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The duo invited several guest musicians to achieve this work.  

Content: Monstergod strikes back with a heavy and meticulously composed work. The debut cut takes off as an intro and slowly evolves into Electronics to finally end in an apocalyptic Metal-driven song with cavernous vocals on top. The songs reveal different influences and numerous little details. Epic arrangements have been mixed with sensual passages, Electronic sound treatments have been empowered by furious guitar riffs while most of the songs have been driven by real drums. 

+ + + : All I can say is that Monstergod took me by surprise. This album is touched by the hand of God! It’s an overwhelming production, which has been slowly built up and often ending into a sonic climax. The title song opening the work is a perfect exposure to realize the true potential of this work. “In My Dream” is another major song from this work mixing sensuality and total bombast, but I especially enjoyed the final part featuring a children choir. It creates a divine contrast with the irresistible vocals’ production.

– – – : The one song that couldn’t convince me is the last one, which sounds a bit Rammstein driven and which is poorly inspired compared to the rest of the work.

Conclusion: Monstergod had released its magnum opus; a brilliant and overwhelming piece of music appealing to Pop-, Industrial- and Electro lovers.

Best songs: “In My Dream”, “Ozymandias”, “Perpetual”, “Cursed”, “The Grey”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.monstergod.com / www.facebook.com/monstergodmusic

Label: www.facebook.com/SpaceRaceRecords Read the news on ‘Ozymandias’.

Listen to “Ozymandias”:

About Monstergod

Monstergod is a Polish duo built around Milosz Sobiecki, who works as Schnitter on vocals, keyboards and sampling, and Marek Smolski, who works as Smola on keyboards, sampling and programming. The two met around 2000 and started making music together in 2003 or 2004. Their early material drew on The Sisters Of Mercy, Suicide Commando and Laibach alongside the poetry of William Blake and Charles Baudelaire, with Friedrich Nietzsche added as a source on “Ozymandias”.

The project self-released “Reborn Monster” in 2008, then issued “Resurrected” through EK Product in 2012 and “Invictus” on Space Race Records in 2018. “Ozymandias” was released on 20 May 2022, again on Space Race Records. Smolski began the demos in 2018 and wrote most of the material during the pandemic; the title track was composed near the end of the sessions.

Guests on the album include Cesar Soto of Ministry, who recorded guitars for “Austere”, and drummer Dariusz ‘Daray’ Brzozowski, who played the parts Smolski had written in MIDI. Filip ‘Heinrich’ mixed the record and contributed bass and additional synths.

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