(Photo by Nicole Imhof) The new Susurration album “Hate Is My Love Language” is out now. “Hate Is My Love Language” is the follow-up to “Make Love Like War” (September 2022).

The Zurich based industrial metal project around songwriter Jessy Bäsecke-Beltrametti recorded the new 11-track album with a new formation consisting of Jessy Bäsecke-Beltrametti on vocals, Dave Wieser on drums, Hannes Bachofner on keyboard and Michael Hirst on studio-guitars.

Susurration brings a cross between industrial and metal and on this new album repeatedly incorporates influences from various corners of dark music into the arrangements.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

After more than 30 years and countless released productions, the magical Italian Ataraxia is far from over. Under the masterful leadership of Francesca Nicoli who makes the emotions flare up with her fragile voice, her companions Vittoria Vandelli and Giovanni Pagliari accompany her on a new, dreamy and Ethereal sounding trip. The work exudes simplicity combined with grace leading to an artistic masterpiece. Everything feels like a caress although some passages sound somewhat darker and into melancholia. Poetry and especially guitar shine like the reflection of water in the moonlight. On several numbers Francesca is accompanied by the male voices which ultimately results in a sacred experience. Refined arrangements make way for a more bombastic finish here and there but everything remains dreamy and full of emotions. (Rate:8).

Listen to “Ignis Pater”:

https://ataraxiathecircle.bandcamp.com/track/ignis-pater

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

Eighteen years after their last album, singer Sina Hübner and Stefan Böhm (aka Nullvektor) make a long-awaited and unexpected return with this new release. Both artists were also part of the legendary Pzychobitch, but S.I.N.A. has always leaned more towards the Experimental side, particularly within the Industrial genre. This latest work feels more like a mini-album, featuring 5 new tracks and 3 remixes. The influences are diverse, blending hard-hitting Industrial elements with touches of EBM and even venturing into idiosyncratic Ambient territory. Both Sina and Stefan share vocal duties, adding extra layers of diversity and emotion. The remixes, contributed by Monolith (my personal favorite), Ah Cama-Sotz, and Cervello Elettronico, bring additional depth to the album. While not everything sounds as it once did, S.I.N.A.’s return is reassuring in itself. (Rate:7).

Listen to “Nicht Ich”:

https://handsofficial.bandcamp.com/track/nicht-ich

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

The Dortmund-based post-punk / darkwave act Days of Sorrow has a new single and video out for “Tears”. It is the first release of the forthcoming two vinyl EPs out later this year. The video was filmed and directed by luigsfilms.de.

The release comes after their comeback three years ago. This new single also means the introduction of a new member, Kati von Schlotterstein on bass and keyboards. “Tears” is now available on all major streaming platforms.

The band says this about the new single: “We wanted to create a song that speaks to the enduring human experience of heartache and hope. “Tears” is a testament to our journey as a band and our connection with our audience. It’s about finding beauty in the midst of pain and using music as a means to heal.”

In addition to the single, Days of Sorrow are working on two vinyl EPs, set to be released later this year. The two EPs will hold a collection of new material.

About Days of Sorrow

Days of Sorrow is a post-punk and dark wave band originating from Dortmund, Germany. Formed in 1981 by William Lennox (vocals, keyboards) and André Schreiber (bass), the band quickly became a notable name in the German post-punk scene during the 1980s. They were heavily influenced by the burgeoning post-punk and new wave movements, which were at their peak during that time.

The band’s first lineup was rounded out by Wolfram Hubert on guitar and Nicolai Sabotka on drums. Their break came in 1984 when they were discovered by John Tollhaus, who overheard them playing their song “Wild World” and decided to produce and release it as a full 12″ EP titled “Remembering the Days” under Tollhaus Records. This release featured tracks like “Wild World” and “War” and saw the band performing extensively across Germany.

In 1985, the band underwent lineup changes with the addition of Claudio Stöber on keyboards and Kurt Voigt on drums, which allowed Lennox to focus more on vocals. They signed with Rough Trade Records and recorded new material, including a reworked version of “Wild World”. This led to the release of their second EP, “A Thousand Faces”, in 1987. However, the band split shortly thereafter, just before a planned tour in Spain.

After a long hiatus, Lennox and Schreiber reunited in recent years, joined by Frank Junge, and began working on new music. In 2023, they released the album “Soulmate Sister”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Eight years after their first collaboration that resulted in the album “Proslambanomenos”, Empusae and Peter Bjärgö (Arcana, Sophia, Karjalan sissit ao) released a new work entitled “Onus”. The four songs are worked out and compelling. It sounds dark and somewhere between Dark-Ambient and pure Cinematic music featuring carrying, slow, rhythms. Peter’s voice brings a magical touch to the melancholic sound composed mainly by Nicolas. It’s a subtle album that culminates in a tormented conclusion. (Rate: 7½).

Listen to “Overwhelming Cruelty”:

https://empusae.bandcamp.com/track/overwhelming-cruelty

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

Out soon is “Körperkommando”, the newest single from the German Augsburg-based EBM duo Bagger 258. The single is set to be released on June 28 and includes three remixes by Kreign, Tension Control, and Gamma Vortex.

This release will be available only in digital format through Bandcamp and on all major streaming platforms. The single was mixed by Daniel Hallhuber (Young & Cold Studio, Augsburg) and mastered by Stefan Poiss (Nicelabs, Vienna).

Nico von der Eisenmühle and Tim Schmelzer released their debut album “Ode an die Arbeit” on November 24, 2023. You can check that one out below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Out today is “B.P.D.”, the latest single from the Naples-based Italian darkwave act Neila Invo. You can get the single from Bandcamp and other platforms.

Neila Invo, an all-female group, consists of Elettra Seguro, Claudia Nottebella (also a member of Ash Code), and Valeria Formisano. Their music blends modern darkwave with elements of 1980s goth sound and punk influences. Their debut album, “Alienation”, was released by the German label Young and Cold Records in 2022.

“B.P.D.” stands for ‘Borderline Personality Disorder’. The band portrays it as a demon influencing life’s moments and interactions. Nico Giordano mixed the song, and Daniel Hallhuber mastered it.

The band is currently working on a new album, which will be released on Young and Cold Records.

Ema Kaiser, a photographer who has previously collaborated with Ash Code on their musical tour’s photo shoots, shot the music video for “B.P.D.”

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

By the end of 2023 I discovered the album “Ode An Die Arbeit” by German duo Bagger 258. This is a pure old-school EBM project driven by Nico von der Eisenmühle and Tim Schmelzer. Their self-released debut-album stands for a mature, well-crafted and professional EBM sound. “Ode An Die Arbeit” reached the first place from the famous DAC (Deutsche Alternative Charts) which for a self-released production is quite exceptional. But their work is exceptional and is for sure one of the best retro-EBM projects in quite a long time. I got in touch with Nico and Tim to introduce you to the sound universe of Bagger 258.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: How did you come to set up Bagger 258? And what can you say about your music background and connection with Projekt 26? Is Projekt 26 still active by the way?

Nico: Starting from the ground up –Projekt 26 is still alive and kicking, but our singer Timo had to relocate, making it a bit tricky to keep the groove going. The good news? We’re sitting on lots of unreleased stuff, so let’s keep our eyes on the horizon and see where the road takes us.

Tim: We’ve always vibed with the whole harsh and hard EBM scene, but Projekt 26 was more than just that. We were on a mission to resurrect something no one seemed to be messing with anymore –that punchy, in-your-face Anhalt EBM. We spent a good chunk of the last decade trying to cook up tunes together, but nothing really clicked. Then, like magic, Bagger 258 waltzed in, felt damn good, and the songs practically wrote themselves.

Q: Bagger 258 is clearly dealing with old-school EBM. What means EBM to you and what do you try to achieve in your very own song writing and sound production?

Nico: Just like Tim mentioned, we wanted to make music that’s totally us and kinda missing from the scene. Bagger 258 nails it with simple, old-school bass lines but a killer, in-your-face sound. Getting that unmistakable ‘Bagger-sound’ is the key for us. We’ve got some song ideas that just didn’t click, so we ditched them. Bottom line: we’re after basslines that make you stomp, a brutal vibe, and tunes that stick with you.

Q: You last year (self)-released the debut album “Ode An Die Arbeit”. Can you share with us the highlights and main things you kept in mind from the writing and recording of the album?

Tim: We messed around quite a bit, experimenting until we stumbled upon something we liked. There were moments when new samples or playful lyrics had us cracking up, but for the most part, our gut feeling steered us in the right direction, shaping the final drafts of the album. Surprisingly, we drew inspiration from genres way beyond EBM; things like Rock, Metal, or Indie music sparked our creativity.

Q: You asked Daniel Hallhuber (founder of Young & Cold Records) for the mixing and Stefan Poiss (Mind.In.A.Box) for the mastering of the album. What has been their true input and impact on the final result of “Ode An Die Arbeit”? And would you also consider working with a producer?

Nico: Let’s clear the air on this one: we had Gustav and Jonatan from Sturm Café, as our production advisors. And big shoutout to Daniel for weaving his magic in the mixing department. He sculpted the sounds and ideas just the way we wanted them. Major gratitude to him, and you bet we’re teaming up again.

Tim: Agreed. For mastering we were set on having Stefan as our engineer right from the get-go. His own projects are top-notch, and no matter the music vibes, his final mastering is always on point. The awesome back-and-forth communication, with him sending us options, helped us nail down the best results. Stefan, you’re stuck with us –round two is definitely happening!

Q: Did you get the opportunity to get signed to a label to release “Ode An Die Arbeit” or is it a deliberate choice to get active as D.I.Y. (do it yourself) project? Do you’ve further plans/perspectives about working with labels?

Nico: Honestly, starting from scratch was crucial for us. We craved the freedom to shape everything from the ground up, from the tunes to the artwork. The whole album, except for the mix and master, is our baby. We took things to the next level, turning our ideas into reality. Sure, it got challenging, like when we were in the trenches producing and cutting the music video for “Muskeln Und Maschinen”, but the whole experience was a wild ride, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

As for labels, we’ve kept it indie for now. We wanted our debut album to be a solo flight without any external pressure. Who knows what the future holds? Maybe down the road, Bagger 258 will be ready to team up with a label and start something epic. Let’s keep the door open for that possibility.

Q: I noticed “Ode An Die Arbeit” reached the first place of the famous D.A.C. right? This is quite unusual for self-released albums so what does it mean to you and what’s the impact of the D.A.C.? Can you also tell us what you’ve to do and manage (think about promotion, contacts etc…) to get selected for the D.A.C.?

Tim: This question hits the sweet spot. Landing in first place with our album is beyond thrilling, and we’re genuinely honored. Once the creative dust settled, Nico and I brainstormed how to unleash our music on the world. The immediate answer? A legit music video, of course. Surprisingly, it’s not a common move in the scene, probably because it’s a ton of work. But we were up for the challenge.

Nico: Absolutely. The video was a beast to tackle, but we knew it wasn’t the only card up our sleeve. Our solid connections in the music world, thanks to DJ gigs at ‘Melodrom’ and rubbing shoulders with awesome DJs like Clemens and Ric, played a crucial role. They, along with many others, helped us spread the Bagger 258 vibes far and wide.

Oh and not to forget: we do have quite a fanbase in Sweden, thanks to Gustav and Jonatan (Sturm Café) & Ronny (Radio Virus / Container 90).

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

Costa Rica’s goth / darkwave outfit Ariel Maniki and the Black Halos today announce vinyl LP pre-orders for their new live album: “Communion”. The live album will be released through Tumbas Eternas Records. The release comes ten years after their formation.

The vinyl LP comes in a limited edition of 300 copies: 150 copies are on black vinyl, and 150 on translucid blue vinyl. All are packaged in a gatefold sleeve, featuring a photo album from the concert, inner sleeve with lyrics, and a poster included.

Bandleader Ariel Maniki explains: “We’ve known for some time that we were unable to do a vinyl release with our previous label. On the side, however, we’ve been good friends with Peruvian label Tumbas Eternas for many years, and they have always manifested their intention to do a vinyl record with us, if the project is the right one. They originated the idea of doing a “best of” album, and we introduced the “live” aspect to it. The idea of the “live” format is just much more appealing to me than a regular “singles” collection. We all agreed this release had to be something that’s truly special and worthy of people’s vinyl collection.”

Communion was recorded live on 15 July 2023, at El Nico Baker, a small theatre in the trio’s hometown of San José.

Ariel adds: “The show took place just 5 minutes away from where we live near downtown San José. We booked this little theatre with capacity for 100 people: way over the expected attendance for local underground acts here in Costa Rica. We thought 40 to 50 people coming to see us would be just good enough to build up the right energy exchange between the audience and the band, and pull out a good live recording. When we climbed the stairs from backstage, we found the theatre cheering at us at full capacity. For us, it was a very emotional and magical evening. We are just so happy that we preserved it on this recording.”

The Communion LP can be preordered now from Tumbas Eternas Records via Bandcamp. Note that this is a physical vinyl release only. The band and their label have no intention of selling digital presales right now, but are obliged to provide this option for Bandcamp, so they added the digital download at a intentionally prohibitive price.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

The Caramel Klang label is set to release the debut album “Ghost Kitchen” by Two Words In Japanese & Bianca Stücker on October 26. The album will be available in a 6-page digipakCD case, accompanied by a booklet containing lyrics and artwork.

For “Ghost Kitchen”, Elane producer Nico Steckelberg collaborates with German artist Bianca Stücker, known for her work with The Violet Tribe and formerly with House of Usher.

The album’s central theme revolves around fears, compensation, and addictive behavior. To emphasize the psychoanalytic motif of the album, the voice of Prof. Sigmund Freud is incorporated into two tracks.

The single “Mind Set Gap” is also available from the album.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Wave, Post-Punk, Minimal-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Legendary French 80s formation Norma Loy are back on track. Seven years have passed since the previous album “Baphomet” which already was a come-back album. Core members ‘Usher’ and ‘Chelsea’ joined hands together with a few guests to bring us twelve cover versions.

Content: You’ll discover cover versions of very famous artists like the unavoidable Suicide but also Minimal Compact, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Nico, The Velvet Underground, Tuxedomoon, Throbbing Gristle, Factrix, David Lynch, Coil and… Norma Loy. The songs have been meticulously transposed into the dark, haunting, and sometimes minimal style of Norma Loy. You easily recognize most of the songs and their original sound but they’ve been recovered with a darker touch mixing guitar and electronics.

+ + + : I mostly have reservations about cover albums but the way this opus has been accomplished is absolutely great and magical. You easily recognize songs from artists like Suicide, Throbbing Gristle and even Leonard Cohen but Norma Loy adapted the songs in their own, obscure, interpretation. From pure Post-Punk and Dark-Wave to Minimal-Wave the work is versatile and yet compact. Most of the songs are fully accomplished featuring porcelain sound treatments on top but I especially recommend listening to the subdued “Saeta” (Nico), the rough and minimal driven “Touch Me” (Suicide), the harder, Dark-Wave sounding “Romance” (which is a 2022 version from an older Norma Loy song), the good-old Dark/Cold-Wave like “A Night To Forget” (Factrix) and the somewhat Ritual-orientated “Ritual Of The Mind” (Coil).

– – – : The single cut which couldn’t convince me is the Bowie-cover “Some Are”.

Conclusion: Cover albums always are a bit of a challenge but “Ouroboros” sounds as a refreshing Dark-Wave / Post-Punk piece of music.

Best songs: “A Night To Forget”, “Touch Me”, “Ritual Of The Mind”, “Saeta”, “Romance”, “Venus In Furs”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/NormaLoyOfficiel

Label: www.manicdepressionrecords.com / www.facebook.com/manicdepressionrecords

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

(Photo by Shayna Connelly) Tomorrow, November 11th Scottish musician Chris Connelly (Revolting Cocks and Ministry) will present his new album “Eulogy to Christa: A Tribute to the Music & Mystique of Nico”, a 24-track offering released by Shipwrecked Industries in the USA and Easy Action in the UK, paying tribute to Nico – the iconic muse of The Velvet Underground. The release coincides with Connelly’s birthday.

Out today is a new video for “Femme Fatale”; the video was created by Iain W. Mutch / Walkerandwilliam in Scotland. Originally performed by Nico with The Velvet Underground, the song was originally written by Lou Reed.

Initially planned as an album of 10 Nico covers, Connelly ultimately decided to write some additional compositions, spanning her life. The Nico material spans from her first Jimmy Page-composed single and her time with The Velvet Underground to her solo recordings up until her death. Connelly musically follows her from Berlin to New York via Paris, Ibiza, and Rome, then back through Paris, London, Edinburgh, Manchester and up to her tragic death in Ibiza on 17 July 1988.

The album opens with “Ripcord, Ripcord”, which Connelly wrote surrounding a little known detail about Nico’s life – her rape by a military officer while she was a teenager holding an administrative position for the US Army.

For this album, Connelly worked with producer and long-time collaborator Chris Bruce, who is a band member of Meshell Ndegeocello and also worked with Seal, Aaron Neville, Bob Dylan, The Waterboys, My Brightest Diamond, Cheryl Crow and Sam Phillips. The album was, in part, inspired by the book “You Are Beautiful and You Are Alone” by Jennifer Otter Bickerdicke, who contributed to album liner notes, noting “This is a record to be played at full blast, all the way through, as a commemoration not just to Nico the person, the musician, but to art for art’s sake, for making something because it is important and needs to be done – an idea that is as rare and precious as Nico herself.”

You can check the tracklisting right below.

There are a few video available as well, for “Femme Fatale”, “Ripcord, Ripcord” and “Eulogy to Lenny Bruce”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Yesterday Side-Line released session 6 in the by now famous free ‘Face The Beat’ compilation series focussing on the darker side of the music world. The compilation is available on Bandcamp for immediate download. For free or as a pay-what-you-want. This time our magazine’s chief editor Bernard Van Isacker selected 139 bands to participate after a submission round was launched in Summer of 2020.

Just like last time, we took the time to sit down with our chief editor to talk about the compilation but of course also about other things including the unavoidable corona pandemic. Instead of traveling to far away Ypres in Belgium, we set up a Zoom conference call and fired some questions at him while we hear his 3-year old son Magnus shouting ‘Dinosaurs!’.

SL: Dinos?

BVI: Ha yes, he is besotted with dinosaurs and just two days ago we went to see Dinopolis, which was the most exciting event for him this year! I literally had to drag him out of the park after we had done the tour 7 times in a row, which was more than enough for us but Magnus stayed excited until the very last second!

It was the first time out for us to be honest, since we have been in and out quarantine for the past couple of months.

SL: Speaking of which, has the current corona pandemic affected you in any way?

BVI: Besides from contracting the virus and being miserably ill just like some relatives, friends and acquaintances? It has damaged a lot of people and families I notice and some close friends have been hit particularly hard… It’s something that will pass once we all get vaccinated, but it is leaving lots of scars which often go unnoticed these days. The press prefers to focus on TV-stars who get depressed, stars who get caught in sex scandals, etc. but they pay a lot less attention to those who are going bankrupt and see their livelihoods go up in thin corona air.

If you ask me what preoccupied me the most, it was keeping my mum safe at any cost. We phone a lot and zoom every week, luckily enough she has a very strong personality which prevented her from breaking so to speak. I often wondered how my late father would have reacted if he were still alive today, I don’t think it would have been a pleasant trip for him at all.

A lot of people have difficulties coping with the stress of this and they develop psychological problems, including several friends of mine… I would guess that we as a society really have to work on getting people more resilient when we get confronted with stress situations. I’m not sure how to do this, but governments should really look into this.

So on the whole, yes, it has affected me directly, but I’m quite a positive person so I’m pretty sure we’ll survive it despite the hardships endured the past few months. I’m also very fortunate to have a couple of excellent friends with whom I often talk about life in general. I guess it’s key to keep you in good spirits and motivate each other. One of them, Nico, is also part of my ‘unique social bubble’ as we call it so I was able going to exhibitions – such as the Will Eisner one in Brussels – and comic fairs with him when it was allowed.

SL: What is the first thing you will do when you are vaccinated?

BVI: Visit my mum and brothers the moment I can. And when the restaurants open, to go out to dinner with Stephane from Side-Line and Seba and Benoit from Alfa Matrix. They have been very close friends for over 20 years with whom I’ve shared quite a lot of history, the good and the bad as it should be. Next to that I’ll start planning trips to Bulgaria, Norway, Mexico, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, Turkey to visit my friends and family over there in case they haven’t been here first.

SL: Was there any fun for you in 2020?

BVI: Sure! Seeing how my two sons are growing up was pure joy. Magnus is 3 years old now and is very much into dinosaurs… I’d even say kinda obsessed (laughs)! He is being raised in Spanish and Dutch so I hear him speaking both languages which is kinda cool. My oldest son Sebastian is 15 now, and the perfect company to spend time with. We enjoy the same morbid humor and love Southpark. You get the idea I think!

Musically speaking I was very much positively surprised of how so many bands took the opportunity to reinvent themselves as far as studio work or in communication forced by the situation. I have seen lots of great experiments taking place, and I’m sure that those bands learned a lot along the way. In a way this pandemic forced many to think out of the box, so let’s hope this trend remains alive!

SL: Let’s talk about the new volume of “Face The Beat”. There were a lot more tracks included in this 6th volume I see? Over 130!

BVI: ‘Blame’ that on the bands who have been hyperactive being confined at home! I actually never put any limit on the number of tracks that are featured on the compilation. If a track is good it will get on there. If they deliver their wav-files on time that is which is not always the case unfortunately, but that’s part of the compiling process. But the corona pandemic definitely did have a huge influence on the number of submissions, there is no doubt about that. Several bands also tackle 2020 in their songs, which makes it even more visible and audible.

Time-wise my agenda was fully packed, as I work in an essential sector so I really had my hands full with work in order to redirect all marketing efforts from the company I work for towards digital communication in the broad sense of it. So when I realized that this new compilation was becoming bigger and bigger I spent most of my day offs to complete it. It had to be ready by the end of this year as was promised to our readers and to the bands that participated and who also spent lots of time on their tracks. Respect goes both ways, and all the bands and labels that helped out of course deserved that respect!

SL: How is the compilation doing?

BVI: I must say that our readers again did an excellent job in pushing the compilation forward in record time. Number 1 in the industrial charts on Bandcamp, number 2 in the alternative charts on Bandcamp and number 7 in the overal charts on Bandcamp and this just a couple of hours after it was released. Pretty good in other words! So thank you very much all of you for supporting this release!

It shows that the ‘Face The Beat’ crowd really is a true powerhouse and unique in its sort because we keep on focusing on young bands. I guess being genuine does work, I also see it in the reactions from the participating bands and labels, they do appreciate the work we put into it.

SL: The series is often being labeled as ‘cult’ or ‘legendary’, surprised?

BVI: I’m kinda modest in these things. But it’s undeniable that what once started in an obscure corner of the internet quickly has evolved into a musical mastodon with a real traction connecting ten thousands of people worldwide. It’s starting to become a very important legacy indeed if you look at it this way. Despite Facebook I must say.

SL: What do you mean ‘despite Facebook’?

BVI: Well, it all started 10 years ago as a download on Facebook, hence the title of the series. Since then the platform has only become a real money grabbing machine – no problem for me, but it has lost 99% of its original attraction. Facebook is no longer the friend of bands as the organic reach is abysmal nowadays. We do indeed promote posts on Facebook, but it’s the only way to get a decent reach there unless you get a viral post, but for that we don’t add enough kittens in the pictures. So, the data is there, you just don’t get access to it without paying. For me they have exaggerated the business model behind it, and I guess I can talk for the bands as well. Especially bands who don’t tour (2020 anyone?) find it financially unsustainable to promote their posts on the platform. The ROI is close to zero unless you can sell merchandise or tickets.

SL: So what platform should bands and labels use in order to keep in touch with their fanbase?

BVI: Facebook remains part of a band’s or label’s communication plan of course, but I would really recommend bands start getting a presence on Bandcamp as well if only to sell downloads, merchandise or offer videos for instance. The interesting thing about it is that it works particularly well for those bands and labels who have been smart enough to invest in and keep data in-house instead of focussing on an external platforms like Facebook for instance. On Facebook you do NOT posses the data at all, and that’s to be taken literally. On Bandcamp you have direct access to the data.

As far as Facebook is concerned, unless you pay you can not contact the major part of your followers. You can still count the number of bands who have worked on a good mailinglist on both your hands so to speak. I keep on recommending it to bands when they ask me what they should do first. It’s the data. No doubt about it.

Side-Line has been very data driven since the start, so we were able to drive loads of traffic to Bandcamp once we started there. As a result the number of people connected to the Side-Line Bandcamp page and getting our notifications is just enormous. Add to that that they offer a very good targeting tool within their internal messaging and you have a very good combination to get things rolling pretty fast.

Bandcamp is also a platform that keeps on developing, just look at the features they have launched the past few years like subscriptions, live streaming, merchandise etc.. It’s an allround music service platform with an own community if you want. You could argue that it’s rather weird that mainstream labels still haven’t fully embraced it, then again there are (too?) many ties between those labels and other ‘competing’ services which blocks them I guess.

It’s not the only platform, but if you want to stay in control of your data and have a direct impact on the moment you want to communicate it’s a must have. Add to this that the people behind Bandcamp are very band centered, I have had the occasion to speak with them on various occasion regarding new features and it’s quite delightful to see how they think and work. Bandcamp Fridays for example are something a ‘normal’ company would never do, but Bandcamp did. So yes, highly and warmly recommended.

SL: What is the last track you played if I may ask?

BVI: Apart from the current compilation I’m addicted to “Summer 2” from the album “Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons”. Just wonderful. I have it on repeat since last week when I heard it in the “L’Amica Geniale”, an Italian- and Neapolitan-language coming-of-age drama television series created by Saverio Costanzo. Alan Wilder should do a rendition of it, that could be truly epic… I think I’ll text him later today about that (smiles). Time we get a new Recoil album too, no?

SL: Any wishes for 2021?

BVI: A good health to everyone, lots of love and understanding (people shouldn’t always attack one another just because they have different opinions) and let’s hope we can hug each other pretty soon again. I think that is the most important stuff today. The rest we can manage with hard work!

I invite you all to check out the new compilation of course. Enjoy!

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.

www.side-line.com

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange. Interview photos by Sigrid E. Ø. Reinertsen)
Apoptygma Berzerk, the first leading exporter of electronic music in the synth/EBM genre from Norway, are still celebrating their 25th anniversary for their debut album ‘Soli Deo Gloria’.

This time by releasing a reworked edition named ‘SDGXXV’ – already out on CD and Bandcamp, and also released on several double vinyl versions and streaming platforms April 18th. We’ve gotten some hints about the process the last year, understanding it’s been a hectic year with a lot of collaborators involved, so an interview about this was overdue. As the Apop guys lives on the opposite side of the Oslo fjord than me, we decided to meet in the middle in the ferry town Horten, where we occupied my mothers dining room for a few hours (thanks Mum!).

The release comes out in various versions which can be ordered here: CD Digipak / Tape / Cassette / MC / Two different DOUBLE-VINYL editions.

Side-Line: Was there a plan behind this rework album, and how did you end up with all these tracks and collaborators?

Stephan Groth: The short version was that the 25th anniversary for the ‘Soli Deo Gloria’ (SDG) album last year triggered it. But there’s no short versions anyway for this story, so…. First we wanted to release a 12″ maxi single with two tracks from SDG involving new, relevant musicians we like, to mark the event. This caught momentum, the list of people we wanted to work with grew and now it would be a four track EP. Everyone we asked in this process said yes and was eagerly exited.

Per Aksel Lundgreen: And when we reached 7 or 8 positive answers we decided to do the whole album – all tracks from SDG! And we still had an abundance of collaborators!

Stp: Some tracks are repeated several times on the CD version, and this led to the somewhat thematically splitting of the album, Part I, II and III, in order to distribute the songs a bit and make each part a sub-album/EP that could be listened to by itself. We also ended up in a curious situation regarding our cover of ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’ – how to make a remix or rework of someone else’s song…?

PA: The funny thing when that situation arose was that we asked Naked Lunch to work on this song – luckily this was a favourite of theirs and the exact song they would have asked for themselves!

Stp: … and it somehow seemed destined to happen. First, we found out a Naked Lunch producer and live member also had a past in the band Sudeten Crèche, which once supported Nico on tour, and she did the vocals in The Velvet Underground’s original version of ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’. Then we found an old flyer stating Naked Lunch also played with Nico. So there’s a connection there, making this full circle for several involved.

Someone else we must mention is Erik Wøllo, who was a very important part of making SDG in 1992-93. He released several electronic albums in the 80s and 90s before we met him.

PA: The ones on Cicada Records triggered our interest as they were on a sub-label of what was to become Tatra Records, so when we found out he had a synth studio in Fredrikstad we were quick to get in contact with him via mutual connections.

Stp: We ended up in the studio, having him helping us with technical issues and teaching us a lot, also lending us synths, drum machines and other equipment. Having access to three times more synths than we started out with helped shape SDG towards the final result, so having Erik back doing a SDGXXV track was great – and he wasn’t hard to ask either!

Erik, like Beranek and Bal Pare, hadn’t done many (or any) remixes/reworks before, so part of the collaboration became sharing my knowledge of that part of making music with them, as I’ve been doing remixes half my life.
Basically, I told them to think about how you would do this track yourself, in your style or fashion, and still keep the gist of the original.

I’d met Beranek on a few occasions, that excellent Geek Night (#1: SYNTH) at Popsenteret and a NOTAM synth meet-up, and we started thinking about doing something together.

PA: As a lead up to Stephans first meeting with Beranek it’s also worth mentioning that when Beranek curated the Norwegian Spotify list ’20+5′, where artists picks 20 favourite Norwegian tracks and 5 of their own, Beranek chose TWO Apoptygma Berzerk tracks. So, we knew already then he was a fan, and he later confirmed that at a record signing session, stating “it was to emphasize the seriousness of the situation – this is some of the best music made in Norway!”.
[Check out the list here!]

Stp: I grew up in Denmark and never got the initial buzz of Beraneks breakthrough single ‘Dra til hælvete’, which cause a lot of fuss and were banished from Norwegian radio in the 80s. Hearing it years later, I was yearning to do a remix for it, but Todd Terje beat me to it. As I considered Beraneks debut album as the first Norwegian synth album, and I’m a fan, it made sense to invite him to collaborate on SDGXXV.
‘Arp’ was one of the tracks not picked yet when Beranek was to be invited, and after I’ve listened to Beraneks album ‘Sound of danger’ on vinyl I accidentally had the record player set to 45 RPM, not 33 RPM, when I wanted to hear ‘Can’t go to sleep’. That gave me some ideas which I pitched to Beranek, and a week later I got his beautiful version in return.

The whole album was made this way, not just as another remix album, but more like reworking the tracks with others, me contributing more than in usual remix settings, so we have deliberately avoided using the work “remix” at all for this project.

PA: And “rework” is definitely fitting, because about 50% of the old tapes and discs were unusable, some even found moldy after being stored in lofts and cellars for years, so a lot had to be re-created.

Stp: The earliest work was made on Atari floppies and cassette tapes, maybe a DAT for the final masters, media not so easy to access in this digital age. Combined with several relocations and storing this in various environments we found a lot had to be made from scratch again, borrowing samplers, trying to read old diskettes and so on. And even the vocals had to be redone, and as I wasn’t an English professor 25 years ago, I also had to recreate grammatical errors, making it as true to the original as possible.

PA: There was lots of feedback going back and forth to the collaborators, something that became a fun part of the project, seeing the music making evolve like this.

Stp: … and that’s also why it took so long to finish! Adding to the process itself, much of the people involved aren’t exactly your average people , so it was sometimes demanding to incorporate everyone’s working methods, available hours etc.

S-L: When and how did this project start?

Stp: I know exactly when: It started in January 2018, when Ole-Espen had booked Ancient Methods to play at The Villa in Oslo. I remembered seeing them streamed live from a Boiler Room event in Berlin, mixing hard techno with old EBM, something that made a lot of sense to me. I wanted to have an Ancient Methods remix, and during an Indian dinner I explained my ideas, something Michael Wollenhaupt really turned on to. That was the first confirmed collaborator for SDGXXV.

PA: Then we thought about asking The Invincible Spirit, I sent an e-mail to Thomas Lüdke, got a positive reply, and from that point on the ball really got rolling.

Stp: After that it’s been a lot of work – music, the cover, everything – more or less a year.

PA: Another special thing for us regarding the 25th anniversary is how some parts around us haven’t changed; Tatra Records are involved again, both with the SDG re-issue and SDGXXV, just as they were with the original 25 years ago. Halvor Bodin, the designer of the original cover, worked with us on the new cover too. Morten Lund from Masterhuset did the mastering yet again, Erik Wællo got involved again, and of course Stephan and I are still here. A reunion bringing us all together again!

Stp: Yes, that really brought forward a kind of trueness that made the whole project feel even more “right” for all of us. As SDG was the first Norwegian EBM record, which opened a lot of doors for other Norwegian bands, doing this now felt important. But it’s also been a tiresome process that I don’t see myself repeating anytime soon, so don’t expect a the same treatment for ‘7’ 😉

PA: We paved way for others with SDG, making Norwegian bands eligible for records companies, distributors, concert promotors and so on, in a time where electronic music wasn’t very appreciated. We had some backing from people in the Norwegian music industry. Worth mentioning among these are Helge Gaarder, a musician who also distributed money from Rikskonsertene, which made it possible for us to have our first concerts.

Stp: Someone else we hold in high regards is Arvid Skancke-Knutsen, a music journalist who’s been writing about us from the very start – and even had an extensive review of our first maxi single!

S-L: Any favorites among the tracks?

Stp: … that’s a hard one -– there are favorites all over the place! The Beranek version of ‘Arp’ is just so beautiful, Ancient Methods’ ‘Burning Heretic’ is outstanding, and Bal Pare’s ‘Ashes To Ashes’ is insane – so far from the original in the minimal wave soundscape. But really, I’m so happy with all the tracks, couldn’t ask for anything better.

PA: What I found exiting is that Alex Dahl from Atropine, when asked which track he’d like to work in, answered ‘Borrowed Time’, which isn’t even on the album, but as the B-side of the ‘Bitch’ single. His version really blew me away!

Stp: Alex is a genius – amazingly good at what he does, and I think he’s not getting the credit he deserves in Norway.

S-L: How has the interest for SDGXXV been so far?

PA: SDG have had several reissues, but always on CD, so having it on vinyl now is long overdue. Pre-sales have been OK, but can’t really tell before after the release April 18th. Check the links below to get your copy!

Stp: Next up is my very delayed “normal” studio album, which has been put on hold for years now. Partly due to personal reasons, but also some musical reasons, which led to the “Exit Popularity Contest” album, something I needed to do to get back to my roots. And finally, this project, which really grew beyond expectations – from a couple of tracks to an four track EP, and finally an extensive album. The songs for the next album are written, some new inputs need to be digested into what kind of music I want to play. Both of my latest releases give hints of my future direction, going back to the more analogue roots of the music I like, using many of the same instruments as my heroes from the 70s. I’m very thankful now that I’ve hoarded synths for the past 30 years!

After hearing Stephans and Per Aksels stories about the making of SDGXXV, inputs from some of the collaborators felt natural to include here.
Say what you want about Facebook, but undeniable a great place to get in touch with people. I sent some messages asking about their relationship or history with Apop, also about the process and collaboration with Stephan on this project, and got great responses in return!

Espen Beranek: ARP (No Sleep Mix by Beranek)

I’ve been a longtime fan of Apop, and was very flattered to be asked for a contribution on SGDXXV.

I got both audio and MIDI stems from Stephan, and he told me I was free to change both pitch and tempo if I wanted to. I (and Stephan too I think) wanted to tint this version with some tonal colours from my early works. I therefore started to experiment with the MIDI stems together with my old non-midi equipment like the Korg KR55 rhythm box and my old trusty PE-1000. It became obvious to me that I needed to slow down the pace in the song in order to make space for my tonal intentions. After hearing my first edit Stephan got inspired and he sent me some fresh vocal tracks with some spacey effects. They fitted in perfectly and from there on it was kind of a simple edit/mix job.

Tony Mayo, Naked Lunch: All Tomorrow`s Parties (Evolve Or Die Mix by Naked Lunch)

We have been FB friends with Stephan for several years and not only have we known Per, (an original Apop member) for years, we have met him in person, and he was our tour manager when we toured with Covenant in 2015. Per is a personal and professional friend.

Per got in touch and asked if we would do a remix for the album and gave us a choice of which track to do. We are massive Velvet Underground fans, loved the Apop cover, and reworking ‘All Tomorrows Parties’ was a work of love for us. Funnily enough, back in the 80’s, within a few days of Naked Lunch headlining the Venue in Victoria, both Nico and John Cale headlined on separate nights too.

Håvard Ellefsen, Mortiis: Walk With Me (FRXTA Skyline Mix by Mortiis)

I´ve had some collaborations with Stephan from time to time since 2003 or so, and it´s always been a pleasure. He´s got this high energy approach to music that I really like.
Of course, since we live on the same street, he knew I´d burn his house down if he didn´t include me on this album. Haha!

Jarle Hansen, Substaat: Bitch (Weil Mix by Substaat)

I didn’t discover Apop until I heard ‘Kathy’s Song’ on Norwegian radio, even though I lived only 30 km away or so. It was a great experience to discover that “this sound” had survived through the harsh conditions of the 90s, when a lot of my favorite bands turned industrial, rock or techno. Apop has been a great influence both for the sound and for the strong melodies since.

I was told that we were asked to do this collaboration with Apop because Stephan liked our version of ‘Circling Overland’. He liked that old school sound in a modern production. We had a close communication and ideas were sent back and forth. Besides vocal, Stephan contributed with the cold industrial choir and the vocoded voice rumbling in the background – and, of course, general “guidance”. Anyone knowing Stephan, knows that nothing is left to chance.

alx, Atropine: Borrowed Time (Sublime Mix by Atropine)

The story behind the remix of ‘Borrowed time’ goes back to 1991 when I was working on various projects and we listened to Stephan’s 1st release ‘Ashes to ashes’. We played that record to dust. Later came the single ‘Bitch’. ‘Borrowed Time’ was my favorite on that release, I was thrilled to be able to remix that particular song since I think it’s one of the best songs from that period, and it only exists on that single. Stephan was for a period having a studio next door in Oslo, and that’s how I got to know him.

When I received the file it was only as a mp3. I wasn’t able to work with that, so in order to make the remix I had to recreate the song again from scratch. I recorded the exact song, and Stephan had to sing on it again and record the vocals. Once the song was recreated in its original form I could finally start to take it apart again and add my personal musical view to it. While Stephan gave some musical input during the process I often decided to do the opposite – and he even liked it much better! We had good communication during the process, and I ended up sending 2 different versions.

Steven R. Sellick: Like Blood From The Beloved (Part 1) (Interpreted by Steven R. Sellick)

I moved to the synth capital of Norway, Fredrikstad, in ’92. Stephan worked at a record store 3 minutes from my flat, and we soon bonded over our mutual love for shoegaze and synth music.
We also shared a fondness for beer and dancing to 2 Unlimited in crappy discos. I remember him working on Soli Deo Gloria, I loved listening to the tracks as they evolved.

Stephan approached me and told about his idea for SDGXXV. I was honored to be asked, and I especially liked the fact that he wasn’t looking for a remix. He gave me a bunch of old midi files and I re-recorded and re-arranged the track using old synths and drum machines. He wanted a certain German vibe and I think we nailed it.

Ole-Espen Kristiansen: Stitch (Patched & Processed by O/E)

I met STP around 12 years ago, we have become very close friends and work partners. We have the exactly same taste and understanding of electronic music and music in general so we work very good together creatively. The story in a whole is way too long…

I chose ‘Stitch’ to remix since I love the bassline and vibe in the original track. I wanted to do a more modern club friendly version, but still keep some of the “old school” Apop vibe to it. A lot of the noisy atmos and effect loops in the track are heavy processed parts from an 128k MP3 file of the original track.
Besides that STP and I had close talks through the whole process with compiling the album, adjusting some mixes, some mastering details etc.

As music journalist Arvid Skancke-Knutsen also was mentioned as being there from the very start, his input would be a perfect closing to this story.

Arvid:

I was working at the Norwegian music monthly Puls Magazine at the time. I was probably the first mainstream writer to pay them any attention, in connection with the release of the ‘Ashes To Ashes’ twelve inch. I liked their attitude and their enthusiasm, and also truly enjoyed the music itself, which was very original and energetic compared to the music scene in Norway. Since then I have been following them pretty closely, enjoying many records and concerts along the way.

Apop is also very present on the net and digital platforms – choose your poison! 🙂

Homepage / Bandcamp#1 / Bandcamp#2 / European Webstore / US Webstore / Songkick (Tourdates) / Spotify / iTunes / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube

Jan Ronald Stange

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

www.facebook.com/jrstange

Out on the 20th anniversary of Rozz Williams’ death, April 1st, 2018 , are “In the Heart”, recorded during the ‘Dream Home Heartache Tour’, and “On the Altar”, from Williams’ last European tour.

Both will be released on two limited Vinyls and a 2CD Set. All 3 releases features specially designed artwork by Herbert Starek. The limited 2CD comes as digipak with 3 bonus tracks (which are not on the vinyl edition) and a 16-page booklet (with liner notes by Nico B & Gitane Demone + Tour photos). The limited Vinyl comes with one bonus track each (which are not on the 2CD edition).

You can order the 2CD set holding both albums right here, the vinyl “In the Heart” can be ordered here and the “On the Altar” album right here.

The promotional video for the upcoming releases for the 20th anniversary of Rozz Williams legacy can be viewed below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27ppW6bx2HM

Rozz Williams was an American vocalist, musician, artist, and poet most known for his work with the bands Christian Death, Shadow Project (with musician Eva O), and with the industrial project Premature Ejaculation. Williams was also involved with Daucus Karota, Heltir, EXP, Bloodflag, and Christian Death Featuring Rozz Williams, along with recording a handful of solo albums.

Williams committed suicide in his West Hollywood apartment on April 1, 1998. He was only 34 years old.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

side-line.com

Three years after their debut album “Shift To Evil”, the German EBM formation Akalotz strikes back with its new opus “Confront”. Released on Electro Aggression Records, the new songs reveal a solid and well-crafted EBM sound. I asked master mind Thorsten Haury to answer a few questions.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I noticed Akalotz is celebrating its 10th anniversary! How do you look back at 10 years of Akalotz and what have been your greatest accomplishments so far?

Thorsten: When we started with Akalotz 10 years ago it was initially only a side-project in which we wanted to express our affinity to EBM. Later on it became the most important project in our lives. There were several changes during this time, so instruments were often replaced to create the typical Akalotz sound. In addition and in the beginning, there was an important change in the line-up. Alex left the band and was completely replaced by Nico. In 2013 through various Youtube videos and the presence on Facebook, we were able to play at the family meeting in Sandersleben. This was the beginning of our intensive tour and the release of 2 albums plus remixes for friendly bands. The biggest achievement up to now was in our opinion the new album which has 16 tracks.

Q: You’ve just released your second official full length album “Confront”. What kind of album and sound did you’d in mind when starting the composition and how did it finally turned out?

Thorsten:  After the release of our first album “Shift To Evil” in 2014, we had already started working on new songs, which were collected initially and partially tested live. Toward the end of 2015 we had already finished some songs including “No Signal Response”. A new label was also found so we had a road map at the end of 2015. By the end of 2016 the new CD should be finished with a playing length of approx. 75 min, this was our challenge.

However, we quickly realized that the ‘older’ new songs, due to our further development were not able to withstand. This was at the first moment a setback because at the beginning of 2016 only 2 songs remained lingering. A publication in 2016 could no longer be held. So we decided to publish the album in 2017 with Nader from (EAR). In the course of 2016, songs such as “Man On The Run” were created, which was originally intended as a title track for the album. Through the daily work on the machines came something like routine in the production which allowed us to produce faster and above all better songs than ever before.

At the end of 2016, almost the entire album was released and we knew that the CD would be ready by February 2017. Afterwards, the remixes went on the masters by Arnte (Pyrroline) and the artwork. “Confront” was born.

Q: I’ve been mainly impressed by the growing maturity in the global song-writing and production from your debut album “Shift To Evil” to “Confront”. Tell us a bit more about this evolution?

Thorsten:  As previously described by the daily work on the synthesizers and the computer, the experience and understanding of how to best produce this new album increased. Furthermore, it was just the logical consequence of “Shift To Evil”. For a band is a further development after the first album existential. Also, by criticizing the first album from different places we wanted to show Akalotz is more than just another act. In our opinion, “Confront” has become one of the best EBM albums of the modern era. Also thanks to the great work of Arnte who had mastering and mixing.

Q: What’s the importance of the lyrical content and what do you want to express by “Confront”?

Thorsten: Our songs are always about man and his environment. “Confront” is about the aggressive, essentially human being. The 16 tracks show it from a partly personal point of view or about things we see through media. There are religious aspects (cf. “No Signal Response” and “Rapt Tears”). We want to express that man is an unpredictable being that tends to self-destruction.

Q: Your new album has been released on Electro Aggression Records. What do you expect from a music label today and what’s your perception about CD-format, the ‘come back’ of vinyl, streaming platforms etc?

Thorsten: At the beginning of the new songs, we already had some labels that were interested to sing us. Ultimately, we decided to join hands together with EAR. Since we had the best chances to publish our album. A label is important because it also carries the risk of costs and is responsible for the distribution. A band may not have the resources and contacts to publish a release effectively. So we still see a label as very important today.

Unfortunately, the CD market is going downwards and the best example is the end of :Wumpscut:. Whether it is solely the streaming services, we dare to doubt. Therefore, we can’t demonize them. It is rather the listener who finally has the choice as he supports his favorite band. The comeback of the vinyl is super, we would also like to publish a vinyl, however, the production costs are too high for a small edition.

Q: You maybe remember we got in touch for a massive-interview I made about the international EBM-day. There was an interesting quote from you saying that EBM is ‘the rhythm of your soul’! What does that mean?

Thorsten: Music comes from the heart of the soul and we live the EBM totally. That’s what we wanted to say, without this we could not produce an album like “Confront”.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

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: EBM, body-pop.

Background/Info: Nico (drums) and Timo T. (vocals) are brothers based in Augsburg (Germany). Projekt 26 was set up in 2013 and now has signed a deal with the Italian EBM label EK Product to unleash their official debut album.

Content: The work is clearly inspired and devoted to good-old EBM. The retro-style is a quite familiar, but still efficient EBM receipt both brothers are practicing with knowledge and efficiency. But even if the basis of all songs is EBM-minded they also seem to be influenced by electro-pop elements. It comes especially through in some choruses, which have been accomplished by melodic strings. The vocals (mainly in English language) are moving from a rather clear way of singing into harder passages.

Notice by the way Projekt 26 invited Pantser Fabriek (they already released a split album together) and Plastic Noise Experience to each join in on one song. Last, but not least you get remixes by Oldschool Union, SadoSato and Loewenhertz.

+ + + : This is an interesting and successful debut by Projekt 26. The EBM style they’re dealing with is absolutely not innovating, but the mix with carrying strings and body-pop elements is quite efficient. It resulted in a more accomplished and diversified work, which also makes the difference with the typical retro-like EBM formations. The work stands for great, dry bass lines, efficient strings, diversified vocals, danceable kicks and a great remix by Oldschool Union.

– – – : The body-pop element will maybe not convince all EBM die-hard freaks, but I rather see it as a unique touch of sound. I’m maybe missing a real hit although the title song has the potential to become a DJ’s favorite one.

Conclusion: EK Product has a nose to discover new talented formations dealing with EBM and Projekt 26 definitely is a band that will conquer new souls devoted to this genre! This is a successful debut!

Best songs: “Violets And Violence”, “Stars And The Moon”, “Satellite 2017”, “God Dag”, “Blood For Blood – Oldschool Union Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.facebook.com/p26augsburg

Label: www.ekproduct.com / www.facebook.com/EKProduct

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: EBM, electro.

Background/Info: Behind this Swiss solo-project is hiding PJ22 who was previously active in HLM and I Scream (still performing today). PJ22 already released several productions since 1996, but new stuff isn’t released on a regular basis. This single reveals two new songs and is featuring Nicolas Pidoux (ex-Sludge singer).

Content: The opening song is an overwhelming piece of electronics carried by bleeping sequences and a charismatic singer. The electronics sound powerful and into a modern electronic approach. The next cut is a bit less powerful, but still driven by a similar, refreshing electronic power.

+ + + : The main strength from this single is its overwhelming and mature production. The sound feels like it is taking you by your throat. There’s an impressive volume emerging from PJ22 while the vocals by ‘Nico’ are absolutely amazing. I especially like the first cut.

– – – : A single maybe is a tricky business, but maybe a way to reach some DJ’s. I would have preferred to hear a bit more songs!

Conclusion: If you’re in search of professional and modern electronic productions, you better purchase this single from PJ22! This is how modern electronics have to sound!

Best songs: “The End (Losing Your Breath)”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www.pj22.ch

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

2Methyl was previously known as 2methylbulbe1ol. Set up in 2008 by French artist Nicolas Druoton the project developed an intricate, intense and particularly sharp sound, which found its inspiration in the sonic realms of dubstep, d’n’b, IDM, industrial, ambient and even jazz. 2Methyl released multiple EP’s while the debut full length “Layer 8” (2015) released on Ad Noiseam was an intelligent and successful work. 2Methyl is now back on track unleashing the brilliant and visionary “Etched” on Agnost1k Recordings. The CD format is strictly limited, but I can assure you it’s a real artistic piece you simply want to get in addition of your collection. Time to know a bit more about this great project.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I think you’ve been involved into other music genres before you set up 2Methyl, right? Tell us a bit more about your music background and how did you get in touch with electronic music, which finally lead you to found 2Methyl?

Nico: Basically it’s the pretty common ‘rock – metal – electronic music’ trajectory. I took classical guitar lessons during my childhood for about 10 years. I switched to electric guitar and really discovered electronic music when I wanted to program drum patterns. It’s a strange way because it really comes from gears. This piece of equipment can make this kind of sounds, this sampler is handy for jungle… Ok but… what’s jungle music? Interesting! And I started writing tunes, experimenting things and instead of switching my amp on, I pressed the drum-machine button.

Q: It maybe explains why I experience your music as an osmosis between numerous genres such as industrial, electronics, IDM, dubstep, d’n’b and even a flavor of jazz on the new work. How would you analyze your own sound and what are for you the most important aspects of this sound?

Nico: I don’t really listen to electronic music and I’m not stuck in a kind of genre. I’m more into building an atmosphere. Is it slow, is it broken, is it peaceful? And I picked an appropriate style of music.

About my own sound, for me it’s all about density, usually lot of layers and focalizing on low end. I like when the tune is like a mechanical system. Something happens and something else reacts to it. The most important aspect to me is to achieve something immersive, when you can fell you’re in middle of something.

Q: What can you say about the evolution and eventually changes from your early work and the debut album “Layer 8” towards the new album “Etched”?

Nico: The landscape is not the same. For each EP or album I try to describe a distinct environment. “Layer 8” was synthetic and ‘futuristic’. For “Etched” I wanted something more ‘Lo Tech’ and natural. So I cranked up the distortion and lower the tempo. So I don’t know if it’s an evolution. It’s something else.

Q: Tell us a bit more about “Etched” regarding elements such as writing/production/mixing process, equipment you used etc?

Nico: On stage I sometimes perform with my friend Youlé who played the drums. We adapt existing tunes to make it playable and work more as a rock band. This process and sessions of ‘training’ were like a big inspiration to me. So for this album I wrote some drum parts and we recorded it on a real drum-set.

I wanted a more ‘acoustic sound’, a process less ‘in the box’, with just a computer. I used instruments (guitars, custom made instruments by Youlé), field recordings, modular synths and a good amount of distortion and reverb.

Q: The ‘industrial’ package of “Etched” is absolutely artistic and I can imagine a kind of ‘dream’ for an artist. Tell us a bit more about this concept and what does it mean to you?

Nico: Yes it’s awesome! I really like the fact you have to deal with 4 screws before you can finally access to the CD. It’s a massive box with golden metal parts manufactured by regional craftsmen, including a social company who support handicap in Switzerland. The artwork was made by Okiko who put pictures on my music for 10 years now.

it’s Agnost1k Record’s physical response to the digital world. For me it means a lot. As a musician I’m really proud to have my tunes in a gorgeous package like this, and as music lover it’s heartwarming seeing a label putting this amount of work to promote artists work.

Q: You also released a few EP’s on vinyl format. What makes the attraction of a vinyl format in times where people are mainly using streaming platforms?

Nico: According to a study, something like 50% of people who buy vinyls don’t even listen to it. So obviously it’s not really just about listening to the music. It’s collecting nice objects, 12” artworks, colored pieces of plastic, showing some love. Maybe it’s also about the ritual, pick the disk, put it on the turntable.

It’s hard to create a link with a streaming platform. Do you remember when you get this CD/vinyl?  Do you remember when you put on the play button on Spotify?

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

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