Nano Infect &#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.

C-Lekktor adds new member to line-up: DJ & producer Dimitri Berzerk

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 11:39:27 +0000

C-Lekktor expands, the duo consisting of Markko and Jamie, welcome a 3rd member to their line-up: Dj/Producer Dimitri Berzerk aka d·b. The news was announced on Facebook last night as you can see below.

C-Lekktor has a new album out since last week, the 2CD “New World Disorder” which is also available as download via Bandcamp and all other services. With “New World Disorder”, the band breaks 5 years of extended silence. The release offers a fusion of classic dark hellektro with upbeat industrial EBM.

Note that this 2CD is a limited edition first pressing including a 16-track bonus disc featuring remixes by ESA, Centhron, Xperiment, The Psychic Force, Fabrikc, Aesthetische, Neikka RPM, Venal Flesh, Nano Infect, Circuito Cerrado, Llumen, Nevel, Synthattack, Chamaeleon, Miseria Ultima and Third Realm.

Below is the Facebook announcement.

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.

C-Lekktor signs to Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix and announces brand new album for October – in pre-order now

Eldrina Mich — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 16:14:46 +0000

One of the leading bands from the Mexican dark elektro scene, C-Lekktor, has landed a record deal with the Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix. After having been focused on some side-project activities (for instance the excellent Circuito Cerrado) and other collaborations over the last years, Markko B. has concentrated his attention back on C-Lekktor.

Alfa Matrix announced today that they will release the new C-Lekktor album “New World Disorder” later in October. With this new release C-Lekktor breaks 5 years of extended silence (and pandemic struggle).

The first pressing of this “New World Disorder” album comes out as double-CD digipak limited edition with extended artwork and a 16-track bonus disc featuring remixes by Esa, Centhron, Xperiment, The Psychic Force, Fabrikc, Aesthetische, Neikka Rpm, Venal Flesh, Nano Infect, Circuito Cerrado, Llumen, Nevel, Synthattack, Chamaeleon, Miseria Ultima and Third Realm.

You can already check two tracks on Bandcamp (they are yours for immediate download if you pre-order the download release). The 2CD limited edition can be pre-ordered now from the Alfa Matrix webshop.

New World Disorder (Bonus Tracks Edition) by C-LEKKTOR

The project debuted in 2004 with the self-released album “Re-A-Gression”. It was followed by “Cloned And Mutated” in 2007, again self-released. The same year the project offered “Refusing The Paradise” after which they got picked up by COP International. On that label they released 3 albums, “The Silence Procession” (2008), “X-Tension In Progress” (2012) and “Final Alternativo” (2014). The band’s last album was the 2017 release “Out Of My Way” re-released in an anniversary edition in 2019.

Eldrina Mich

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

Asseptic Room – Extinction Or Reawaken (Album – Advoxya Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro, Cinematographic.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Ten years after the band’s last album, Asseptic Room strikes back with their third full length. Carlos Ruiz –previously involved with Dioxyde, has been joined now by Mario González.

Content: This double album clearly has two sides. The main album features 15 songs, which are clearly driven by good-old Electronic standards. Several songs will definitely appeal for fans of :Wumpscut:. There’s a similar tormented sphere mixed with powerful sequences and overwhelming strings. The enraged vocals –mainly sung in Spanish, only accentuate the aggressive approach of Asseptic Room. The last 3 songs are remixes by Acylum, Hiotcan and Nano Infect.

The second album is something totally different. The atmosphere remains pretty dark and you easily recognize the Dark-Electro influence in the song writing, but this album is clearly meant as an imaginary Soundtrack. Most of the songs are instrumental edits –although you’ll notice spoken samplings and a few vocal lines. The songs are sometimes achieved with epic arrangements and constantly driven by rhythms.

+ + + : This work stands for the comeback of Asseptic Room. The first new full length in ten years sounds a bit like a new start and I can assure you the Spanish duo didn’t miss a step. I especially like the darkest and most tormented cuts of the work, which are easily reminding me of the glorious days of :Wumpscut:, but also of Acylum. It’s not of a coincidence Acylum has been asked for a remix and it definitely is one of the best songs of the album. I like the icy sound treatments this album has been made by.

The second disc is different, but Asseptic Room also reveals to have great skills to compose a Dark-Electronic soundtrack. Especially “Syndrome Of Decay” is an impressive piece of music for its epic arrangements; kind of In Slaughter Natives in a more Electronic way.

– – – : The tracklist of both albums could have been a bit shorter; all songs can’t convince me in the same way.

Conclusion: Asseptic Room strikes back with its best album to date: freaky Dark-Electronics for the dancefloors, but still to freak out alone at home.

Best songs: “Extinction Or Reawaken – Redemption”, “Insomnia – Acylum Remix”, “The Rise Of Doom”, “Extinction Or Reawaken” + “Syndrome Of Decay”, “The Destroyer Of Worlds”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/assepticroom.official

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

Reagent – Reagent (Album – Advoxya Records)

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

Genre/Influences: Metal & Electro, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Filipp Makarenko is hailing from Ukraine and last year released the official debut album of Reagent. The album features ten songs plus five remixes.

Content: The self-titled debut album of this project is for sure one of the hardest –or should I say most Metal-driven productions I’ve ever heard on Advoxya Records. The sound is a perfect fusion between harsh Metal guitar play and Electronics. Some songs are clearly reminding me of Rammstein. Remixes have been accomplished by Code: Red Core, Nano Infect, CL-20 and Outpost11 while there’s one remix by Reagent as well.

+ + + : Reagent enlarges the sonic horizon of Advoxya Records and that’s a rather good thing. The record will also appeal for all lovers of Electro-Metal and Industrial music. The Russian vocals are somewhat particular, but it works. I like the powerful production and especially the songs where there’s a good balance between guitar and electronics. Among the remixes I heard a great contribution by Nano Infect.

– – – : The global approach of Reagent isn’t new at all and there are numerous bands dealing with this kind of Electro-Industrial/Metal sound. The Russian vocals make the songs less accessible than when sung in German, but if it works for bands like Rammstein and Oomph why not for Reagent?

Conclusion: We’re often used to hearing these kinds of bands in Germany and the USA so it’s cool to discover some underground music from Ukraine.

Best songs: “Чужой”, “Одержимость”, “Чужой – Nano Infect Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Fil1810

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

‘Click Interview’ with Acylum: ‘Critics Have Never Interested Me’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Pedro Engel setup Acylum in 2004. A few years later he got joined by his wife Nadine ‘Cooraz’ Engel. From the very early productions the German project revealed an extremely dark and tormented Electro style. Acylum released some very successful albums, “Pest” released in 2015 being becoming an essential opus for Dark-Electro lovers. Six years later, “Kampf Dem Verderb” released on Alfa Matrix, appears to be even darker than ever before. A work filled with terror, provocation, controversy, but still with great and accomplished Dark-Electro. I talked about different topics with Pedro Engel.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Kampf Dem Verderb (Bonus Tracks Version) by ACYLUM

Q: After the “Pest”-album released in 2015 you seem to have focalized on different side-projects. What do these side-projects mean? How do you make the difference between all projects? And when did you finally start writing new songs for Acylum?

Pedro: The “Pest”-album was the fifth Acylum-album and after that we just wanted something different.

With Aengeldust you don’t need to think much about content or lyrics. You just have to produce hard and raw Industrial, it’s just a lot of fun. All you need is a cool topic, some great samples and let’s go!!

Things look different with Totem Obscura. This is more about darker and more mystical topics. The music also sounds in the direction of Dark-Electro, but also with many other influences; here we also use Medieval sounds or even go more in the direction of Gothic-Electro.

The work on “Kampf Dem Verderb” began more than two years ago. Problems with the software and the fucking Corona virus cost a lot of time so it took more than 5 years until we finally had a new Acylum album! It will be faster until the next one .. I promise :-)))

Q: “Kampf Der Verderb” sounds to me as your darkest and most tormented work ever, but what kind of album did you want to accomplish; sound- and lyrical wise?

Pedro: This was actually not an intention; maybe it was because of the long time between the albums. A lot has changed; we changed and the world changed as well… Acylum should always reflect current events, and what are they like at the moment? Terror, the Covid-19 virus, corrupt politicians and sometimes freedom of speech is not advisable in these times. I think that’s the reason!

Q: What have been the different stages you had to go through to achieve the album? What have been the main difficulties and maybe challenges you encountered and what makes this work maybe different from previous Acylum productions?

Pedro: For me it is important that I don’t copy myself. I don’t want a new album to sound like another one I’ve already released. And of course it shouldn’t lose our typical style. In addition, finding the right choice of content is not always easy. Ten years ago it was somehow a lot easier… maybe that’s because you thought less about what you’re doing ;-))

Q: One of the most surprising songs is the reworked version of “The Enemy” (originally released in 2009 at the same-titled album) featuring Nano Infect, Viscera Drip, Wolfchild, Xentrifuge, Technogenetika and your own side-project Totem Obscura. How did you get the idea of this reworked versions with different artists and how did it happen? What has been the input of each artist?

Pedro: Ohhh yes I love this song!! The beat is probably one of the darkest I’ve ever made. That’s why I really wanted to record it again. I always try to do something that nobody (in our scene) has done before. Hence the idea to put many different artists on the track. There was only the requirement that it should be aggressive and provocative… otherwise the artists had a free hand with the lyrics. I just love to hear the different styles, voices and languages on a track. We will definitely repeat that!!

Q: How do you see the evolution in sound and composing process from the early Acylum songs till today? What do you consider as the major changes and evolutions?

Pedro: It’s not that easy to answer. The biggest change is of course myself. The quality and the production both have evolved, of course, but the attitude and the approach has always remained the same. I have never paid attention to what is currently in vogue… the critics have never interested me… So I would say we have been walking our way for 6 albums and it will stay that way for the next.

Q: I noticed there have been people on social media denouncing Acylum for being ‘politically incorrect’. Do you feel affected by these accusations and do you have something to say to the critics?

Pedro: Oh yes we have had this problem for a long time… I am aware that our music is very provocative and many topics are very sensitive and in today’s social media time it happens very quickly that people write bullshit about you and others believe it too. But that doesn’t bother me.

I can only say that I am neither a political person nor a racist. We work with so many international artists that it’s just ridiculous. But I don’t think the critics even want to hear that. It has just become trendy to denounce people who have their own opinion that does not correspond to the mainstream.

Acylum – Kampf Dem Verderb (Album – Alfa Matrix)

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

Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD & 2CD.

Background/Info: The German band Acylum driven by Pedro ‘Acylum’ Engel and his partner in crime Nadine ‘Cooraz’ Engel strike back with the first Acylum album in nearly six years! “Kampf Dem Verderb” was introduced last year introduced by the EP “Sieg Oder Walhalla”. The work wants to be a reflection upon the ‘overall bloody atmosphere of hatred, violence, terror and war’.

Content: The return of Acylum is characterized by an extremely dark and tormented sound perception, which totally matches with the ‘concept’ of the album. The songs are constantly driven by harsh, Industrial kicks while similar desolate tunes are supporting the work with darkness. The use of mainly German samplings accentuates the horror of the war vision, but still appears to be provocative. The harsh vocals by Pedro Engel only accentuate the nightmarish atmosphere emerging at the surface of this opus. The main difference with the brilliant and previous album (cf. “Pest”) is that this work sounds less powerful, but more into an atmospheric approach. A few tracks are even harder! One of the most surprising cuts is a new version of “The Enemy” (originally released in 2009 at the same-titled album) and now reworked with the contribution of Nano Infect, Totem Obscura, Viscera Drip, Wolfchild, Xentrifuge and Technogenetika.

The bonus disc from the limited edition is featuring remixes by Suicide Commando, Armageddon Dildos, David Blackstar, Asseptic Room, Ice Ages, Larva, Advent Resilience, Schwarzstern, Project Eratic, Dirty K, Implant, Nano Infect, Aesthetische and Mental Exile.

+ + + : I was eagerly awaiting the sixth album of Acylum and especially after the brilliant “Pest”, which I consider as one of the best Dark-Electro productions from the past ten years. This new work sounds different, which in a way is a good thing, revealing a band which doesn’t want to repeat itself. But the good thing is you rapidly recognize the unique and extremely tormented horror vision emerging from the tracks. Acylum has its own sound DNA, which you’ll instantly recognize. The best cuts however are the hardest ones; “What Do You See?” is my favorite and for sure a song reminiscent of the glorious days of :Wumpscut:. I also have to mention “Violin Of Death” and the already known “Sieg Oder Walhalla”. The idea of reworking “The Enemy” by inviting multiple bands from the darkest Electro scene is a great idea.

Among the remixes I heard different inspired versions, but especially want to pick up Suicide Commando with the very ‘Klinik-al’ remix of “Masquerade”, some club-driven remixes by Armadeggon Dildos and Schwarzstern, the Industrial and instrumental transformation of “Venom” by Dirty K and the phenomenal EBM transposition of “Sieg Oder Walhalla” by Aesthetische. The last remix by Mental Exile is also worthy of examination as they remixed “Sieg Oder Walhalla” into an Electro/Disco-Pop edit.

– – – : I’m missing the power and rage of “Pest” while the melody sounds/tunes are pretty similar to each other. Acylum remains a particular experience, but this not my favorite album!

Conclusion: No doubt about it this harsh and provocative album will catch a wider attention, but I was less impressed. It however remains a particular experience in (h)el(l)ectro music!

Best songs: “What Do You See”, “Violin Of Death”, “Sieg Oder Walhalla”, “Venom – Album Version” + “Sieg Oder Walhalla – Aesthetische Remix”, “Hunter – Armageddon Dildos Remix”, “Schwarzer Adler – Schwarzstern Remix”, “Masquerade – Suicide Commando Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Acylum.Music

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

Out now! German harsh electro act Acylum offers brand new ‘Kampf Dem Verderb’ album as a limited 2CD first edition release

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 09:36:00 +0000

After some releases with their side-projects Totem Obscura and Aengeldust, plus the publication of rare early demo material through the “Filthy Memories 2” release, the Acylum duo (Pedro and Nadine Engel) are back with the successor of “Pest”. “Kampf Dem Verderb” is out now via Alfa Matrix.

The first edition of this 12-track album is released as a deluxe double-CD digipak edition offering some 14 exclusive bonus remixes by Suicide Commando, Armageddon Dildos, Implant, Aesthetische, Mental Exile, Nano Infect, Asseptic Room, Ice Ages, Larva, Advent Resilience, Project Erratic, Dirty K, Schwarzstern and David Blackstar.

Note that no less than 6 bands collaborated on the remake of the band’s classic song “The Enemy”, namely Nano Infect, Xentrifuge, Totem Obscura, Техногенетика (Technogenetica), Wolfchild and Viscera Drip.

You can check out the release below via Bandcamp or as a 2CD set via the Alfa Matrix web store.

Kampf Dem Verderb (Bonus Tracks Version) by ACYLUM

For those who missed out on the digital only “Filthy Memories 2” release, you can grab it below.

Filthy Memories – Part 2 by ACYLUM

Alien Vampires – Destrudo (EP – Alfa Matrix)

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

Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro, Industrial.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: “Destrudo” and “World In Denial” are twin productions. They both have been released the same day and are also announcing the return of the infernal, Italian duo –now living in the UK, ‘Nysrok Infernalien’ (vocals, guitar) and ‘NightStalker’ (keys, percussion and backing vocals). The EP also features four songs plus five remixes.

Content: Among the 4 ‘new’ songs we get the already familiar “Destrudo” and “World In Denial”. The difference is that “Destrudo” is opening this EP. Both songs remind us the violent sound of Alien Vampires, mixing Industrial guitar play together with harsh Dark-Electro with enraged vocals on top plus clearer backing vocals. We next get 2 ‘new’ songs revealing an overwhelming, Industrial-Techno driven “10 Bags 10 Lines” and the haunting “London Paranormal”.

We now get 2 remixes of the title song plus 2 remixes of “Wolrd In Denial” by God Destruction, In3briant, Cyberlich, Freaky Mind and Nano Infect.

+ + + : Both title songs from these EP’s are strong and powerful, but just as on the other EP I prefer one of the exclusive cuts. “10 Bags 10 Lines” has something transcendental, but also injecting some diversity to the work while exploring new paths for the band. More than ever before, this EP reveals the unique style and brutal approach of Alien Vampires. They don’t exactly repeat themselves although holding on their heavy sound production. Among the remixes I recommend the one of “Destrudo” by God Destruction. There’s a better balance between electronics and guitar than on the original edit.

– – – : I’m not convinced from all the new cuts I heard both title songs are the best ones. “Darkweb” featured on the EP “World In Denial” and “10 Bags 10 Lines” from this EP are my personal favorites. I also expected more out of the remixes by Nano Infect and Freaky Mind.

Conclusion: Alien Vampires is back driven by rage and fury! Both EP’s are for sure their most diversified work to date.

Best songs: “10 Bags 10 Lines”, “Destrudo – Unholy Mix by god Destruction”, “Destrudo”, “World In Denial”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.alienvampires.eu / www.facebook.com/AlienVampires

Label: www.alfa-matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix

Alien Vampires return with 2 EPs: ‘Destrudo’ and ‘World In Denial’ – uncensored covers added as bonus on Bandcamp

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 15:36:38 +0000

The harsh electro act Alien Vampires seized the opportunity of the COVID-19 pandemic confinement to spend more time recording and experimenting in their home-studio in Bricklane (London, UK) than being on the road and playing live shows. The duo of Nysrok Infernalien and Nightstalker have now released two coupled and fully complementary 9-track EP’s respectively titled “Destrudo” and “World In Denial”.

As an extra with the Bandcamp versions you also get a few band pics and… the uncensored super erotic frontcovers which were refused by the digital platforms and taken down by Facebook (that’s no surprise these days).

Each of the 2 EPs start with the tracks “Destrudo” and “World In Denial” followed by 7 more tracks each time.

On the “Destrudo” EP (available here on Bandcamp) the first tracks are followed by 2 additional exclusive songs: “10 Bags 10 Lines” and “London Paranormal”. This EP ends with 3 remixes of “Destrudo” and 2 remixes of “World In Denial” by the dark elektro acts God Destruction, In3briant, Cyberlich, Freaky Mind and Nano Infect.

Destrudo EP by ALIEN VAMPIRES

On the “World In Denial” EP (available here on Bandcamp) the first 2 tracks are followed by 2 more exclusive songs: “Darkweb” and “AV Forever E9”. This EP ends with 3 remixes of “World In Denial” and 2 remixes of “Destrudo” by dark elektro partners in crimes from across the globe: Chamaeleon, Viscera Drip, Distoxia, Reaxion Guerilla and Adeonesis.

World In Denial EP by ALIEN VAMPIRES

Synapsyche signs to Alfa Matrix and announces 3rd album ‘In praise of folly’ – pre-orders available for CD and 2CD (ltd edition)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 06 May 2019 17:15:05 +0000

Italian duo Synapsyche has signed with the Belgian electronic label Alfa Matrix. And the label immediately also announced the release of the band’s 3rd full length studio album: “In Praise Of Folly”, for which pre-orders are accepted now.

The new album will hold 13 new songs and a special 2CD limited edition (which is available here) will come with a bonus disc featuring a diverse selection of some 13 remixes by bands in the likes of Aiboforcen, Tolchock, Avarice In Audio, Venal Flesh, H.O.W., Neikka RPM, UCNX, Nano Infect and many more.

Here’s what the label says about the concept album “It brings us on a freaky journey through the somber corridors of a psychiatric hospital, allowing us room after room to penetrate into the weirdest corners of the human sick minds of the psychiatric patients. Each track brings us step by step to the alarming but obvious conclusion that we are all a bit mad in some way or another…”

You can already listen to 2 tracks below!

In praise of folly (Bonus Tracks Version) by SYNAPSYCHE

Check also the following videos on YouTube:

‘Click Interview’ with Other Artists About Suicide Commando: ‘Without Him Our Scene Would Be Very Different’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 17:00:02 +0000

Suicide Commando is a long-time leading formation from the dark-electronic scene. The band is an important source of inspiration for numerous new bands. So I got the idea asking a question to artists who are or have been related to Johan Van Roy. What do they think about his music, about the man hiding behind the artist…

I got in touch with Torben Schmidt, Dirk Ivens, Jean-Luc De Meyer, Jan L., Nero Bellum, Markko Barientos and Sakis (aka SynthetiC).

Speaking for myself I got the opportunity to work with Johan on a common project called Toxic Shock Syndrome. That was quite a long time ago now, but all over the years Johan remained the same kind and accessible guy for which I can only express my admiration for the talented artist he is and my respect for the great person hiding behind the artist. There where some artists are ‘struggling’ with their egos, he simply remains himself…

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Torben Schmidt is the owner of Infacted Recordings, member of Lights Of Euphoria and Binnary Park plus long-time live member of Suicide Commando.

Q: We all know Johan Van Roy as an ‘artist’ and ‘performer’, but what kind of man is he behind the scenes?

Torben: I know Johan since more then 20 years now and I have to say that he is one of the most loyal and kind guys I ever met. In fact he turned from an artist I respect into a real friend. We experienced so many cool things in the last 17 years being a part of his band which really made us friends. I’m really happy that I got to know him and that we had the chance to expand our friendship.

Dirk Ivens is a living legend of the electronic underground scene, front man of The Klinik, but still involved with Dive, Sonar, Absolute Body Control… he also was a source of inspiration for Suicide Commando.

Q: The Klinik definitely was one of the main sources of inspiration for Suicide Commando. How much of The Klinik do you recognize in Suicide Commando?

Dirk: It looks like more than 30 years after the release of the first album of The Klinik that these songs are still very much alive and were a big inspiration for a lot of bands during the years.. including Suicide Commando. Johan was one of them and especially his early work before he developed and finally found his own musical touch.

Jean-Luc De Meyer is the singer of the pioneers of EBM, the one and only Front 242! He’s also involved with 32 Crash, Underviewer and Modern Cubism. Jean-Luc De Meyer did some guest vocals on the song “The Pain That You Liked”, which was originally released as EP and featured on the newest Suicide Commando album as well.

Q: Jean-Luc, you already sung in multiple projects and did multiple guest vocals, but I never expected you singing on a song of Suicide Commando. What kind of experience was it for you and what’s your perception of the Suicide Commando sound?

Jean-Luc: I’m not that sociable you know so I lately met Johan, maybe 3 or 4 years ago now. But I’d seen numerous concerts of Suicide Commando before. Singing on “The Pain That You Like” was a rather easy job because music and lyrics both were already written and I only had to interpret the song. It was quite simple and a bit of an evidence for me as I felt like a fish in the water singing on this kind of music…

Jan L is for sure another leading artist from the electronic underground scene. From Noisuf-X to X-Fusion to Stoppenberg he ever ever set up Kombat Unit together with Johan Van Roy.

Q: You ever set up Kombat Unit together with Johan Van Roy. What did you keep in mind from this experience and what’s your perception of Johan Van Roy as an artist/performer?

Jan L: Yes, we started Kombat Unit some time ago.. and we had a lot of fun making music together. We both have very different ways of working.. but it worked very well in the end, even if we only finished 2 songs. Our problem was only our lack of time. That´s why we stopped with Kombat Unit.

You maybe know that we both know each other since a very long time and we are close friends. I respect Johan as a very nice person and as a great artist. I also love to work with him, when it comes to mixing/mastering his Suicide Commando stuff. His music inspired countless bands since a very long time and he is a very important person in our scene. Without him our scene would be very different.

Nero Bellum is the front man of Psyclon Nine and get featured on the opening song of the new album.

Q: How did you get in touch with Johan Van Roy and what kind of experience was it for you contributing to the opening song (cf. “The Gates Of Oblivion”) of the new album?

Nero: I believe that my first correspondence with Johan took place just as “Mindstrip” was being released. I had just formed my band Psyclon Nine and had just begun work on our first album. Suicide Commando was one of my biggest influences at the time and Johan was happy to give me advice.

“The Gates Of Oblivion” gave us an opportunity to collaborate in a much deeper way. While Johan had most of the music written when he approached me, I was able to bring live, modular synthesis into the picture as well as my lyrical contributions. Performing the track at ‘Wave Gotik Treffen’ 10 minutes before my shuttle arrived was something that I won’t soon forget.

Markko Barientos is without a shadow of a doubt one of the leading artists from the Mexican dark-electro scene, but he in the meantime became a word-wide recognized artist involved with C-Lekktor, Circuito Cerrado and Kromak.

Q: Do you remember the first time you’ve heard Suicide Commando and what did you think? What means this band to you?

Markko: Yeah I still remember that day, the first time I heard Suicide Commando here in Mexico city we have a ‘Music Market’ named “El Chopo” and I got the “Critical Stage” CD by luck. At that time there wasn’t internet and to find original CDs was something that became a real pain in the ass, but fortunately I found it and it was so blasting that it changed my own panorama from what I was listening to those days. ‘COLD-VIOLENT AND CATCHY’ are my favorite 3 words when it comes to dark electronic music. I just wanted to get more and more from Suicide Commando.

Suicide Commando had already released the “Stored Images”-album around that time I found the “Critical Stage”-album (so you can see how hard it was to find music in Mexico during that time?) From that day I always knew that I was so engaged with his sound and after all these years I still consider it as one of my biggest pleasures and influences in my music. For me “Construct-Destruct” is and will be always one of the best albums. To keep it short, ‘I’M A SUICIDE COMMANDO ADDICT, aren’t you?

Sakis aka SynthetiC from Nano Infect is a Greek artist who definitely found his inspiration in the cold electro sound of Suicide Commando. Johan Van Roy was guest singer on the Nano Infect’s song “Lifeless”.

Q: Suicide Commando clearly sounds like a source of inspiration for numerous dark-electronic bands. What makes the sound of Suicide Commando that special and what specific elements in this sound do you like?

Sakis: What makes Suicide Commando so special to a point that, at least to me, literally everybody is inspired, is the man behind the project; Johan Van Roy himself. He’s a loyal and simple guy while his sound features a straight forward structure plus a melody that gets stuck in your head from the very first moment. Needless to mention the groovy bass lines and that super fat sounding signature snare!
As for the lyrics, you get to see that Johan Van Roy is an everyday normal guy with thoughts like yours and mine… Songs about depression, death, the way the mind works… simple thoughts of a man who feels he has to express them…

It has been an honor to know him and I would like to thank him in public again for everything.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Alien Vampires launch 6CD boxset ‘Evil lasts forever’ in May – pre-orders available now

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 16:33:20 +0000

Surprising news from the Alien Vampires headquarters. The band and its label Alfa Matrix have announced the release of a deluxe 6CD box, not only making their full back-catalogue available again in remastered versions, but also adding a bunch of previously unreleased material on CD plus massive exclusive new remixes, alternative versions and special rare songs. In total more than 450 minutes of dark electro à la Alien Vampires.

This massive 6CD set can be pre-ordered right now from the Alfa Matrix webstore.

The set comes packed in a deluxe 6CD box edition augmented with a 32-page booklet full of band photos, original artworks and liner notes by the band members themselves and 3 posters. This anthology box holds remastered versions of the band’s long time deleted early releases “Evil Generation”, “Fuck Off And Die”, “No One Here Gets Out Alive” and “Nuns Are Pregnant”. Add to this, the release on CD for the first time of their highly successful digital EP’s “Clubbers Die Younger” and “Harsh Drugs & BDSM”. The duo also excavated their very first 4-track demo “I’m Dead Fuck You” (originally released in 2004) plus some 31 (!!) exclusive and previously unreleased songs and newly made remixes all spanning the band’s repertoire before the release of the band’s last 2 studio albums “Harshlizer” and “Drag You To Hell”.

Besides collaborations with bands like Suicide Commando, Theatres Des Vampires or yet Spiritual Front we also get remixes/collaborations with such acts as Helalyn Flowers, C-Lekktor, Noisuf-X, Amduscia, NZ, Venal Flesh, Centhron, Cutoff_Sky, Avarice In Audio, Left Spine Down, Nano Infect, and so on.

You can find the full tracklist for this mega set right here. In short, the ultimate Alien Vampires experience.