Noisuf-X &#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 celebrates 20 years of dark elektro with ‘2.0’ 2CD – Out now

Eldrina Mich — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:15:03 +0000

C-Lekktor, a leading name in the dark elektro scene alongside Hocico, Rabia Sorda, and Amduscia, celebrates its 20 years anniversary. Markko B. has now released a special “2.0” double-CD deluxe digipak on Alfa Matrix. This release includes fan-favorite club hits and revamped versions of 12 classic tracks.

This 2CD version is available now via the Alfa Matrix website, the download version via Bandcamp. The album is also available in a special combi pack along the new releases from AD:keY and Miseria Ultima.

On this new album Markko B. has breathed new life into frequently requested songs performed at concerts. Updated tracks such as “An Empty Soul”, “Infected”, “Paralisis”, “See My Hate”, “El Comienzo De La Muerte”, and “Our Dark Side” are reimagined and rearranged, while classics like “World Of Fantasy”, “Juicio Final”, “Hellektro Convulsion Therapy”, “Solo En La Oscuridad”, and “Silence Remains” have received powerful makeovers.

The release also features harsh elektro tracks in their original form from recent albums, including fresh tracks like “God Killer” and “Are You Ready For The Bass?” alongside dancefloor cuts “Out Of My Way”, “Cyborgs”, and the track “Animals”.

Additionally, the double-CD set includes the exclusive unreleased track “I Don’t”, originally written during “The Silence Procession” era, and a cover of Depeche Mode’s “Always You”.

You can listen to all of the tracks below.

2.0 (Bonus Version) by C-LEKKTOR

Fans of dark hellektro music, especially those who enjoy Suicide Commando, Hocico, Alien Vampires, or Noisuf-X, will find this double-CD essential.

About C-Lekktor

C-Lekktor, spearheaded by Marco Antonio Barrientos (Markko B.), has been an important force in the dark elektro scene for over two decades. Emerging from the vibrant Mexican electro scene of the 1990s, C-Lekktor made its first appearance with the demo CD “Re-a-Gression”.

Known for its aggressive and energetic sound, characterized by harsh vocals, pounding beats, and dark, atmospheric melodies, the project gained widespread recognition with performances across Mexico and internationally.

In 2005, the project released the maxi-CD “Words of Evil” and participated in the “Electro Map-Latam Compilation”. The following years saw C-Lekktor performing extensively, including concerts in Peru and Chile, and performances on major events like the “Necropolis Fest”.

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.

nolongerhuman – Marionette (Album – COP International)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Clint Robertson has reactivated nolongerhuman unleashing the first new album since “Withdrawal” (2014). This is the fourth full length of this American project which is meant as a conceptual release dealing and directly inspired by different aspects of the human mind. The work has been mixed and mastered by Jan L. (Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Stoppenberg).

Content: “Marionette” is a pure Dark-Electro production that holds on to the basis of previous nolongerhuman releases. It sounds harsh, merciless and danceable but still revealing melodic string parts and well-crafted songs. On top you’ll notice the harsh and possessed vocals. I noticed a few ‘softer’ parts at the end of the work.

+ + + : nolongerhuman doesn’t bring anything new although this project remains a warrant for elaborated and punching Dark-Electro. I especially like the way power has been connected with good-old melodic strings. The first part of “Marionette” especially reveals great songs. “Harden Your Heart” is my absolute favorite one; it’s one of the coldest cuts from the album.

– – – : Quite curiously the title song -which also is the softest cut of the album, is the single piece that couldn’t convince me.

Conclusion: nolongerhuman strikes back with a totally accomplished and banging piece of Dark-Electronics. I belief this work will be for sure one of the best productions from 2023 in its genre.

Best songs: “Harden Your Heart”, “Insects Not Gods”, “Shattered”, “How This Felt”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.nolongerhuman.net / www.facebook.com/nolongerhuman.official

Label: www.facebook.com/copint

Neuroklast – Streetkid (album – ProNoize / Dark Dimensions)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

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

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: One year after the promising debut album “Beyond The Blackwall” German Neuroklast duo released their new album by the end of 2022. This project is driven by Kay S. (previously involved in Chainreactor) and Markus H. (previously involved in Readjust and Fractal Age).

Content: “Streetkid” is the continuation to “Beyond The Blackwall”. The production is a heavy, danceable, melting pot featuring industrialized sound treatments on top of dark Techno/Trance influences. There are no real vocals but only sampled passages. I also noticed a harder Industrial-Tribal cut reminding to iVardensphere because it’s featuring iVardensphere. Another song is featuring Razorchild. Globally speaking this work will appeal for lovers of Noisuf-X, Chainreactor and related bands.

+ + + : I liked the debut album but I prefer the new work which sounds more constant. This is a powerful production carried by solid bass lines, terrific kicks and irresistible Industrial-like sound manipulations. There are numerous irresistible cuts featured but “Netrun”, “Streetkid” and “Synthesize” are my personal favorites for their blasting effect.

– – – : Neuroklast brings nothing new although a new sonic jewel in the world of Terror-Techno-Industrial music.

Conclusion: Neuroklast confirms their potential and has accomplished a true masterpiece to bring Industrial dancefloors on fire.

Best songs: “Netrun”, “Synthesize”, “Streetkid”, “Forlorn”, “Urban Tribes feat. iVardensphere”, “Never Sleep”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/Neuroklast

Label: www.darkdimensions.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Dimensions-Label-Group/486014725206

Seraphim System – Mutant MTHRFKR V (EP – Seraphim System)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 20 May 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-Techno.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: John Stancil strikes back with the fifth installment of his “Mutant MTHRFKR”-series featuring five new cuts.

Content: This is a new hard-danceable production where Seraphim System brings Industrial sound treatments and Dark-Techno/Trance influences together. There’s fragmented, pitched vocals running through a few cuts but the essence of the work remains instrumental. The tracks are characterized by a constant danceable tempo and have been mixed into a long cut for the dancefloor.

+ + + : I don’t want to compare Seraphim System with any other band/artist but I’m sure this stuff will appeal to lovers of Noisuf-X and related projects. I like the hard and raw fusion between Electro/Industrial sounds and Techno/Trance music. Seraphim System has found the right formula to create an irresistible sonic elixir. My personal favorite cut is “The Chosen” although there’s something to say about all cuts.

– – – : The sound formula is somewhat repetitive but it’s not a point if you like this stuff. And I like it so I just regret the tracks aren’t a bit more extended.

Conclusion: Seraphim System moves on to compose music to conquer dancefloors.

Best songs: “The Chosen”, “Life Is Too Short”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/seraphimsystem

Neuroklast – Beyond The Blackwall (Album – Pro Noize / Dark Dimensions)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Industrial-Trance, Techno-Body Music.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Neuroklast is a new German project set up by Kay S. (previously involved in Chainreactor) and Markus H. (previously involved in Readjust and Fractal Age). Their debut full length was released in December 2021.

Content: Neuroklast brings different, but related music influences together. It’s a solid sonic cocktail mixing Industrial-, Techno-Body- and Trance music together. The songs are dark and whipping up featuring robotic/pitched vocal samples. The songs are carried by heavy electronic blasts, driven by aggressive sequences and featuring melodic passages. A few tracks are also featured (sampled?) guitar riffs.

+ + + : Neuroklast isn’t innovating, but will appeal for lovers of Chainreactor, early Combichrist, Noisuf-X and related bands. The debut part of the album sounds powerful and ultra-danceable, but still reveals great songwriting. The last part is also fascinating for its empowered Trance influence and harsh sequences. We can’t speak about true vocal parts, but I like the robotic- fragmented- and pitched samplings -at least it all sounds like samplings.

– – – : Neuroklast doesn’t bring anything new and sounds a bit like a melting pot between different more famous projects, but it doesn’t take away it’s an interesting piece of music. It’s a pity the album isn’t available in physical format.

Conclusion: Pro Noize is the right and only home for Neuroklast revealing a true Electro osmosis between Industrial, EBM, Trance and Dark-Techno.

Best songs: “No Future”, “Corporations (Intro)”, “Chrome Monk”, “Beyond The Blackwall”, “Totentanz Pt 2”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/Neuroklast

Label: www.darkdimensions.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Dimensions-Label-Group/486014725206

Mordacious – Crossroads (Album – Mordacious)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 04 May 2021 19:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM, Industrial.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: The latest Mordacious-album “Crossroads” has been released by the end of 2020. The album comes one year after the cool “It’s Not Over”-opus, which sounded like a new direction for Mordacious, which has been active since 2004.

Content: “Crossroads” already deals with new ideas. This project often repeated itself for years, but “It’s Not Over” appeared to be a kind of sonic ‘make-over’. The new work is exploring a dark side of EBM mixed with Industrial elements. The production of the vocals has never been that ‘clear’. Some cuts are a little harder and even reminding me of some Noisuf-X elements –without the Trance-Industrial approach.

+ + + : Mordacious is clearly exploring new sonic paths and I must say it rather sounds exciting. The songs became more EBM-driven with a melodic aspect on top, which remains one of the artist’s main sound characteristics. My favorite cut is the instrumental “As You Bleed”, which is a hard-pumping cut with irresistible, filtered sound sequences and a little Trance effect in the end. Other attention grabbers can be heard right in the beginning; so there’s the cool opening cut “Dim Your Light” and the pretty comparable “Fall From Grace”, both illustrating the new influences of this work.

– – – : The last track “We Will Rise” sounds like a true challenge for its somewhat cheap dance tune. It’s a rather poorly inspired final for an album, which definitely has more potential.

Conclusion: Mordacious sounds more like Mordacious V.2 and even if I still prefer the previous work “It’s Not Over”, this album is worthy of examination.

Best songs: “As You Bleed”, “Dim Your Light”, “Fall From Grace”, “Harder”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.mordacious.com

’30 Years Of Journalism – Celebration Interview’ with Johan Van Roy (Suicide Commando): ‘I Probably Will Continue Writing Music Till I Drop Dead’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 02 May 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Back in 1991 I started writing my first reviews for Side-Line magazine. I would have never thought to go on writing reviews and making interviews non-stop for 30 years. So 2021 is a special year to me, a kind of ‘celebration year’. I got the idea to celebrate this special event by interviewing people from the scene who all have a special meaning to me. I met Johan Van Roy even before I wrote my first review. He was busy composing music under the SUICIDE COMMANDO moniker. I liked the dark and tormented atmosphere of his early demos, which were reminding me of THE KLINIK. I got the chance singing on one of his early songs and we even set up together a music project. SUICIDE COMMANDO became one of the absolute leading formations from the Dark-Electro scene, playing as headliner at big festivals, selling thousands of albums and having an impressive word-wide fan base. Beyond the successful career hides an humble person. No star attitude, but an accessible and kind man who simply remains himself.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Thirty five years ago now you started experimenting with Electronic music while setting up SUICIDE COMMANDO. What incited you back in 1986 to experiment with electro sounds and noises? How did that happened and what equipment did you use?

Johan: I grew up in the early 80s with the in that time booming New-Wave scene, listening to bands like THE CURE, SISTERS OF MERCY, but also more Electronic sounding bands like DEPECHE MODE or FAD GADGET … It was because of these bands that my love for Electronic music started. Not much later I discovered bands like THE NEON JUDGEMENT, FRONT 242 and THE KLINIK (in those days these bands even got airplay on national radio stations like BRT…).

These bands had such a big impact on me that I also wanted to start making Electronic music. And so I bought my first keyboard back in summer 1986, the now legendary Roland SH101, not much later added with 2 drum machines, the Boss DR110 Dr. Rhythm and the Boss DR220E.

Very limited gear, but in those days very expensive equipment, so it wasn’t that obvious to buy more equipment. For example samplers were extremely expensive and even with a sampler you only could record a few seconds of sound…

Q: People maybe don’t realize it took you years and a lot of patience plus perseverance to get some recognition. I get the impression you couldn’t maybe directly break through because of a lack of equipment. As you said, electronic equipment was very expensive and there weren’t the same facilities as today. How do you look back at this period regarding equipment, the multiple cassettes you released, the first compilation features etc?

Johan: It obviously were totally different times, not just only because of the cost and the lack of equipment, as I already mentioned before. But there also wasn’t any social media, so that means it took way longer to get your music spread around. Everything still had to be done by post, so things took much longer then nowadays.
Today’s possibilities are unlimited, but nonetheless I don’t regret I had to start this way. It gave you much more freedom and time to work on music. You also had to be way more innovative and inventive to create and write music. Today almost everything is already canned, get yourself a PC and some music software and in one day you can write yourself a complete album …

Many bands had to start like I did, writing music with very limited gear and releasing it on tape… bands like FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, NITZER EBB… all started this way.
It also gave me time to improve and create my own style, something I do lack in today’s music scene.
So I definitely look back at it with pleasure.

Q: You became involved with LESCURE 13, which in a way -and right in the beginning became more recognized than SUICIDE COMMANDO. I was even sure LESCURE 13 would even become the Belgian ‘next big thing’, but it finally didn’t happen that way. How comes and what do you keep in mind from the LESCURE 13 experience?

Johan:I don’t think that SUICIDE COMMANDO was less recognized, but it was much harder to get the same recognition if you don’t do live shows, and I think that was the main reason why LESCURE 13 got picked up faster. Initially I never really planned on doing live shows with SUICIDE COMMANDO, but as our first live show with LESCURE 13 at the legendary Side-Line festival at ‘VK’ in Brussels became such a success, it convinced me to start doing live shows with SUICIDE COMMANDO as well. So in a way Side-Line is to blame for that 🙂

It was fun doing LESCURE 13 with Stefan Bens (STIN SCATZOR), but since SUICIDE COMMANDO got more and more successful in the years after, I got less and less time to focus on LESCURE 13, so on the long run the combination became too difficult and stressful for me. I’ll never forget our very first live show with LESCURE 13 in Brussels.

Q: I got the privilege to start another project with you, which was TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME. How do you look back at this experience and a few other side-projects like DB.F and KOMBAT UNIT?

Johan:I enjoyed doing them all, but just like with LESCURE 13, time became the biggest problem. The combination of doing music with SUICIDE COMMANDO + work + family just became too time consuming and stressful.

But like I said, I enjoyed doing all these side projects. As SUICIDE COMMANDO was my solo-project I enjoyed working together with others from time to time, even though it requires a different approach.

With LESCURE 13 we still do some live shows now and then, and also KOMBAT UNIT with Jan (NOISUF-X, X-FUSION) never really stopped, but it’s all just a matter of time.

Doing TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME was fun too, but in the end you have to make choices and set priorities, but I look back at it with lots of pleasure.

Q: The split-album/compilation “Induktion, Varianz Und Deren Folgen” released by Stefan Herwig on his early label Kugelblitz in 1993 made things change! Suddenly more people were discovering SUICIDE COMMANDO! How important was this compilation in the career and development of SUICIDE COMMANDO? And how important was Stefan Herwig who finally brought you to join his Off Beat label?

Johan: Oh, for sure this was a career changer and I’m sure that without Stefan Herwig, SUICIDE COMMANDO never would have become as big as today. I already knew Stefan Herwig for a few years after he discovered SUICIDE COMMANDO through my tapes released on the German ZNS tapes label, so when Stefan started his own label with Kugelblitz Records he soon invited me to join on his “Induktion, Varianz Und Deren Folgen” split-CD.

Not much later Stefan started working for the rising Off Beat label and so he was able to get me in there as well… and the rest is history I guess.

I’m aware I was pretty lucky, being at the right place at the right time I guess… so yes, without Stefan my career would have looked totally different I guess.

Q: SUICIDE COMMANDO was often compared to THE KLINIK, which has been one of your main sources of inspiration. What has been the real impact of THE KLINIK and eventually other bands –and maybe music genres, in the development and evolution of SUICIDE COMMANDO till today?

Johan:Well, no need to deny that bands like KLINIK or yet FRONT 242 (and others like THE NEON JUDGEMENT, FAD GADGET, SKINNY PUPPY, NITZER EBB…) had a major impact on me and my music throughout the years. They not only were a major source of inspiration, these bands also were THE main reason why I started doing ‘Electronic’ music in the first place. My older brother was playing guitar so my first steps into the music scene were as a bass player, but when I discovered bands like KLINIK, FRONT 242… a whole new world opened before my eyes (and ears).
Still in 2021 a band like KLINIK remains probably my biggest influence.

Q: You last year celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the “Mindstrip”-album. This production probably became the most successful one in the band’s history, but how do you look back at this album and did it make specific things/aspects changing?

Johan: Not sure if it was my most successful album, but it sure had the biggest impact on my career. We already gained some recognition with the huge success of “See You In Hell” and to a lesser extent “Desire” and “Better Off Dead”, but the release of the “Mindstrip”-album and the “Hellraiser”-single taken from this album certainly brought us to the top of the scene. Again I think Stefan Herwig had a big part in this success as he just started his own division with Dependent Records, gathering bands like COVENANT or VNV NATION… I think SUICIDE COMMANDO certainly benefitted from their success as well.

On top of that I think “Mindstrip” filled a gap between the at that time trending Future- and Synth-Pop acts and the more harder side of the Electro scene which was at a decline at that moment, and therefore “Mindstrip” marked an important milestone in the entire scene. All of a sudden bands started to copy SUICIDE COMMANDO and harsh electro was born. In the next years many bands would jump onto the harsh ‘Electro/Endzeit’ train.

So it not only marked the start of a new subgenre in the Electro scene, it also changed the expectations of the media and the crowd.

My follow up album “Axis Of Evil” was 8 weeks at the top of the at that time highly acclaimed German Alternative Charts (DAC).

Q: You’re organizing an interesting annual ‘SUICIDE COMMANDO poll’ where the fans can choose their favorite songs. In which way is it representative for your personal favorites and what are your favorite songs? And do you’ve some songs, which remained underrated?

Johan: It’s a good representation of what the fans consider the best SUICIDE COMMANDO songs, but that’s about all. It surely doesn’t reflect my personal favorites, even though a few of my personal faves are also in the top 10 of this list.

I’ve always enjoyed doing the more slower and atmospheric songs. A few of them like “God Is In The Rain” or “The Devil” also gained club success, but personal favorites like “Euthanasia” (1998), “Body Count proceed” (2000), “Until We Die” (2010), “Severed Head” (2010), “Repent Or Perish” (2013)… remained under the radar.

Q: SUICIDE COMMANDO became the absolute leading formation from the Dark-Electro scene! I can imagine it’s a deserved recognition for hard work, but what does this ‘status’ really mean to you? What has been the impact of this success on the person hiding behind the artist? In which way did it change your life?

Johan: I don’t think it had that much impact on me personally. I always remained (probably too) humble and down to earth. Of course I’m flattered by this recognition, but compared to some others in this scene, I always kept both feet on the ground. And let’s face it, compared with the mainstream Beyoncé’s and Madonna’s of this world we’re just tiny little dwarfs…lol

Q: Do you know how much SUICIDE COMMANDO-albums have been sold today? What have been the best-sellers?

Johan: With the rise of digital downloads and sales I have no idea anymore of actual physical sales. The market completely changed in the last 2 decades. Physical sales of CD’s completely collapsed and the digital market is so diverse that it’s hard to give any concrete numbers.

On platforms like Spotify… people don’t listen to complete albums anymore, they just pick their favorite songs. Not even sure if complete albums still will be released in 10 years from now…

So it’s hard to compare, I know an album like “Mindstrip” sold over 25.000 physical copies, but it never even reached the official album charts, while my latest 2 albums even made it to a position in the top 20 of the official German album charts, even though their physical sales are way less than the original “Mindstrip”-album for example, simply because digital sales totally took over the market.

Q: Is it possible for an underground artist to earn a living with music? How important is money when you’re a renowned artist?

Johan: Yes, (in non-Covid times!) I think it’s possible for the bigger acts in the underground scene, if you do it properly, which means doing regular live touring + releasing music on a regular base.

But it takes a lot of work, time and devotion. I’m still one of the lucky few who can live from music, but since I have a responsibility towards my wife and kid, I deliberately choose to keep doing a half time job to remain financially safe.

Q: SUICIDE COMMANDO is also a live band with a solid reputation. How important is it for you to play live shows and feel the interaction with the fans?

Johan: I find it very important and I realize it even more at times like these today with the pandemic. I do miss this interaction with the fans and the crowd. It gives so much satisfaction and energy to be on stage and interact with your fans.

Q: Torben Schmidt and Mario Vaerewijck are your long-time live mates. How does it happen when you guys are on tour and what makes the chemistry between you all (and the entire crew)?

Johan: I think we all enjoy it very much to be on the road, in a way it’s also our escape from boring daily work ‘eat-sleep’ routine. A big advantage also is that we’re not a conventional band, I mean, basically SUICIDE COMMANDO is just me doing all the music, so Torben and Mario only join in on stage, so we don’t have to sleep with each other (which does happen sometimes being on tour haha…).

Usually it’s all very easy going when we’re on the road and that keeps things pleasant.

Q: You played at numerous festivals and in very different countries all over the world. Do you see noticeable differences between countries and continents and are there some specific places/venues you would ever like to play?

Johan: There certainly are differences. Not specifically because of the crowd, although we do notice a difference between playing in countries where people hardly ever get to see live bands from other continents (like Mexico or Brazil…) or countries where you can watch the same band every 2 weeks (like Germany …).

The gratitude is bigger in countries where you don’t get to play every month or year. I do notice more differences on the technical level. Clubs and venues usually are much better equipped in Europe then across the ocean. It’s a much bigger challenge to do shows in the US for example, but what counts in the end is the response from the crowd. I can be more satisfied playing in front of 100 people in a dirty basement with a crappy sound system then playing in front of 5000 people, as long as the people had fun I’m happy.

Q: What has been your biggest satisfaction and deception so far?

Johan: I’m overall happy that I could make my biggest passion a big part of my job and life. Music has always been my passion, so I feel privileged that I could make my music my (part time) job and life. I feel privileged that I can share my music and my passion with my fans, that’s probably my biggest satisfaction.

My biggest deception? Hard to say, maybe the fact that it also takes a lot of sacrifices to combine all these things (my daily part time job + music + family + …), it already got me into a severe burn-out few years ago, my knee is fucked up after the accident on stage in the US, my ears are fucked up because of the often too loud music on stages …

Q: A lot of things have changed/evolved since you set up SUICIDE COMMANDO in 1985! What’s your perception about it all and how did you see the scene and entire music business evolving throughout the years?

Johan: Oh for sure many things have changed throughout the years, it’s really been a technological revolution… The technological possibilities became endless, maybe not all for the best though.

We’re living in an ever faster society and that’s even reflected in our music. In 1985 a song had to be 120 bpm maximum, today we’re living at a speed of 135 bpm or more… lol

The rise of the digital media totally killed the CD and vinyl market, but also brought new possibilities, so I also try to see the positive effects of it.
Social media became the new normal and brought music & bands closer to their fans, but also gave us a shallow and resentful society.

So it all has it’s pro and cons… and there’s no way back.

Q: Do you sometimes imagine the end of SUICIDE COMMANDO and are there other things in life you would like to accomplish?

Johan: I don’t think SUICIDE COMMANDO will ever stop. I tried to split several times, but it’s so hard being a one man project…lol. No seriously, I can’t imagine my life without music, so I probably will continue writing music till I drop dead.

Q: What might we expect from SUICIDE COMMANDO for the next few months?

Johan: I’m currently working on a new album, but I don’t want to rush things, so no idea when it will be finished.

I certainly do hope we can start doing live shows again sometime this Summer, so I’m really looking forward to that.
And there might be some more surprises coming up, but wait and see…

Swedish American dark electro / industrial act Normoria releases new video from ‘Voyage’ EP

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 15:45:50 +0000

Since the Swedish American dark electro act Normoria were featured with the song “Who The Hell Are You” on the Side-Line compilation “Face The Beat 6” they released a brand new music video “The Judases”, taken from their latest EP “Voyage”, which you can watch below.

At this moment the band are in the process of finishing up two more music videos, and these will be out over the coming months. Also the band just announced that they opened their Bandcamp merch store.

Here’s the EP “Voyage” which you can download on Bandcamp.

VOYAGE by NORMORIA

Here’s the track “Who The Hell Are You” which you can download for free from Side-Line.

Face The Beat: Session 6 by Normoria

About Normoria

Normoria is an American/Swedish band located in Sweden whose unique sound is a fusion of many elements: primarily dark electro and rock-Industrial. The music is a big blend of dark styles, characterized by Johan’s bass and Gustav’s guitar, as well as their singer Angel Moonshine’s versatile vocals. The band will be back in the studio this Spring to start putting together material for their new EP. No date on when it will be released yet.

The band was founded in 2016 by American lead vocalist and songwriter, Angel Moonshine. But it wasn’t until 2017 that all the members came together as a band. After having played several festivals in Sweden along with artist like Suicide Commando, Noisuf-X, and Freakangel, in mid 2020 the band released their 2nd EP titled, “Voyage”. The music featured a heavier sound.

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.

‘Click Interview’ with Suppressor: ‘Psy-Trance Is A Music Genre That Attracts Me By Its Message And Connection With Nature’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 18:00:00 +0000

SUPPRESSOR is a solo-project hailing from Chile. You might have discovered this hard- and dark minded Electro-Trance project on one of the famous “Endzeit Bunkertracks”-compilation series or by a remix for SynthAttack. Suppressor already released a few EP’s, but has now released the debut full length “Into A Deep Void” on darkTunes Music Group. The work is an astonishing sonic fusion between Psy-Trance and Dark-Electronics.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You are already active under the Suppressor moniker for several years now, but can you briefly tell us who you are, where do you come from and how did you get contaminated by the electronic-music virus? What have been your sources of inspiration?

Bergen: My name is Bergen Schlitzie, I am from Santiago, Chile. Since I was a child I started listening to Techno and growing up I got interested in Electronic music. In my adolescence I got interested in Gothic- and Industrial music plus hard Electronic beats.

It was in 2004 when together with Ignacio J. Vera (Traumatic Injection, Don Baphomet) we set up our first project called NEUTRAL KONNTROL and so, our way in the music production. I always quote Noisuf-X, Xotox, as a source of inspiration, as well as more neural rhythms such as Psy-Trance and Goa

Q: You this year released your new album “Into A Deep Void” revealing a true sonic fusion between Industrial- and Psy-Trance music. How do you perceive your own evolution from the previous releases till “Into A Deep Void”?

Bergen: Since I started as a SUPPRESSOR, I wanted to have a different and danceable sound. I progressed and got more interested in creating something more ‘personal’.

Then I decided to try the mixture of Industrial and Psy-Trance for the “Shaman”-EP, which generated what I was looking for to obtain that sound; that mixture that was different from the previous one that I already had published and that pleased the public in general.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the writing, recording and production work of the album?

Bergen: “Into A Deep Void” is a very personal process. The title and the album itself are inspired by the film “Enter The Void” by Gaspar Noé. In this album I reflect my desires for an introspective journey. The album itself is a process of ending and beginning, a new beginning both personally and artistically. It was a process of trial and error, but with a result that I love.

Q: The Psy-Trance influences are very present in the album, but still in the clip of “ Śūnyatā”. Tell us a bit more about the clip and the way you get in touch with Psy-Trance music? What does this genre of music mean to you?

Bergen: “Śūnyatā” or “Void” is a Buddhist concept that opens the inner being, empty of feelings and memories, to return as you wish.

Psy-Trance is a music genre that attracts me by its message and connection with nature, it transports me to another place within the subconscious, it creates my “Void” and restart as many times as necessary.

Q: I think it’s not an easy thing to release a new album during the Covid-19 pandemic. How do you experience this situation and does it have a real impact on your activities?

Bergen: This pandemic has been quite difficult to live, both creatively and personally. I should mention that this record was an escape valve. I was able to concentrate on writing it, arranging it, mixing it, and thus freeing myself from many burdens. Enjoy the process, that’s all.

Q: You are hailing from Chile so what can you tell us about the scene (bands, labels, clubs, promoters, organizations etc) in your country? What do you expect to be signed on an European label?

Bergen: There are good bands and musical projects like Say Just Words, Die Braut, Traumatic Injection, as well as good places to play and show your art… but there is a lack of support from the public.

The Chilean scene is many years away from what has been achieved in Europe or Mexico where bands are getting a bigger support. I hope to have more opportunities of diffusion together with other European labels (apart from DarkTunes) to show my art to many more people and to get far with my project.

Suppressor – Into A Deep Void (Album – darkTunes Music Group)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 13 Sep 2020 19:30:41 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-trance, psychedelic-industrial.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Bergen Schlitzie set up Suppressor in 2012. Hailing from Chile this artist already released a few albums and EP’s. “Into A Deep Void” is his first full length album released by darkTunes and features fifteen songs –including multiple remixes.

Content: “Into A Deep Void” takes off with a pure hardcore intro, which is not exactly representative for the rest of the tracklist although an indication about some potential sources of inspiration. The majority of the tracks are a true crossover between psy-trance and industrial music with some extra dark-electro touches on top. It’s not a coincidence Suppressor claims to be inspired by artists such as Noisuf-X and Xotox, some songs reminding me of Noisuf-X, but it all sounds more psy-trance driven. “Shaman (v.2)” and “Ritual” both clearly reveal this psy-trance element while “Śūnyatā” sounds darker and more into the Noisuf-X sound formula.

The final part of the work features a few collaborative songs and remixes by Viscera Drip, Traumatic Injection, Asinaptico and Bergen Schlitzie in person.

+ + + : I’m aware this kind of productions is a truly challenge, but I simply love this fusion between industrial sound treatments and psy-trance. “Shaman (v.2)” reminds me of the great “The Prophecy”-track from Meller while other tracks are getting closer to Noisuf-X with some extra goa-influences on top. The tracks aren’t only powerful and transcendental, but still well-crafted and carried by a great production work. The tracklist presents a succession of mind-blowing tracks. I already mentioned “Shaman (v.2)”, “Ritual” and “Śūnyatā”, but still have to tip “A Través De Una Profunda Conciencia” and “A Man Called Rorschach”. Among the remixes, Suppressor also delivers a brilliant edit of “Alarma”.

– – – : A few remixes aren’t adding a real bonus, but just some diversity. I regret there’s no physical copy available of this great album.

Conclusion: Suppressor is not reinventing any kind of music genre, but has accomplished a nuclear sonic fusion between different genres! This album is absolutely phenomenal!

Best songs: “Shaman (v.2)”, “Ritual”, “Śūnyatā”, “A Través De Una Profunda Conciencia”, “A Man Called Rorschach”, “Alarma – Suppressor Remix”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.facebook.com/SuppressorDvx

Label: www.darktunes.com / www.facebook.com/darkTunesMusic

Chainreactor – Interlinked (Album – ProNoize / Dark Dimensions)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 27 May 2020 19:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, industrial-rave.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “Interlinked” is already the seventh full length album for Chainreactor. Set up in 2009 by Jens Minor, Chainreactor started as a hard mix of industrial-rave/trance and dark-electro. Throughout the years the songs evolved and especially the addition of singer Kay Schäfer got more impact on the last productions. “Interlinked” features twelve new songs.

Content: I can’t say “Interlinked” is a move back to the early years of Chainreactor, but the vocals have been replaced by spoken samplings. It reinforces the hard industrial-trance and rave feeling of the work, which was that characteristic for Chainreactor’s debut. Driven by hard-pumping beats and solid bass lines, this work reveals a huge amount of heavy dancefloor killers. Together with Noisuf-X this project remains a reference in their personal interpretation of ‘industrial’ music.

+ + + : I secretly wished Chainreactor would move back to their early work. I didn’t have anything against real vocals, but it made the global production more typical-like. “Interlinked” sounds hard and rough. The menacing bass lines together with the furious kicks and dark tunes on top can’t leave club visitors unmoved. The work features many potential ‘hits’. “Backslider”, “Dirty Jobs”, “The Wicked” and “Grey” will for sure stimulate your deepest dance senses. The samplings sound great and are definitely adding that little extra to the music.

– – – : This industrial format isn’t new, but it’s hard to innovate even for a talented project as Chainreactor. I can’t say this album has any real minor points. I’m not a huge fan of “Riot”, which is the only, forgettable piece from the album.

Conclusion: Chainreactor strikes back with a heavy, styled sonic bomb for industrial ravers!

Best songs: “Dirty Jobs”, “Grey”, “Backslider”, “The Wicked”, “Prey”, “A Bad Mistake”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www .facebook .com /Chainreactor

Label: www .darkdimensions .de / www .facebook .com /pages /Dark –Dimensions –Label –Group /486014725206

Mordacious – It’s Not Over (Album – Mordacious)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 18:30:29 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, industrial-rave.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: After self-released productions, American artist ‘Mordacious Mortem’ released his work on Hypervoxx Recordings/Telegrammetry Recordings and Infacted Recordings. The previous album (cf. “Bloodletting”) was again a self-released work mastered by Jan Loamfield (Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Stoppenberg). “It’s not Over” got released at the end of 2019 and has been mastered again by Jan Loamfield.

Content: I’ve never been a huge fan of Mordacious, but “It’s Not Over” is something totally different. The artist reinvented the sound of his sonic brainchild transforming the dark-electronic basis driven by repetitive melody lines into an industrial-rave style. I don’t want to compare it with Noisuf-X, but the German project can be for sure a source of inspiration.

This album even sounds like it was composed by another artist or a side-project of Mordacious. The tracks are danceable while the hypnotic breaks are only empowering the trance sensation. There are vocals in a true dark-electro vein, but the vocals don’t sound like it was the main focus from the global production work.

+ + + : “It’s Not Over” stands for a total ‘sonic make over’! Mordacious is clearly experimenting with new ideas. I must say the songs have something ‘sexy’; this is cool dark-industrial rave music. It has something trendy, but the songs are accomplished. I noticed several great songs such as “Vampyre”, “Bleed”, “It’s Not Over”, “Beg And Plead” and “Nothing”. Respect to this artist who finally dared to walk on ‘new’ sonic paths and the result is worthy of examination.

– – – : I can imagine some fans of the ‘classical’ Mordacious sound and releases will maybe be shocked discovering this album. This is just another band… but who cares? I don’t!

Conclusion: I realize I’ve been often pretty hard on previous Mordacious reviews, but what I’ve heard now is something different and from a higher level!

Best songs: “Vampyre”, “Bleed”, “It’s Not Over”, “Beg And Plead”, “Nothing”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .facebook .com /mordaciousmusic

Offerings To Odin – Hoc Voluerunt (Digital Album – Offerings To Odin)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 20:00:57 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: Stephen Bailey and Joel Walker aka ‘Svipal’ are back on track unleashing the second album from their Offerings To Odin project. I discovered the band a few years ago by their debut work “Ravenous”, which revealed some cool ideas although the global production suffered from a lack of professionalism.

Content: “Hoc Voluerent” features 10 songs plus 2 remixes. The sound is clearly influenced by dark-electro although the leads also have something cold-techno like. The global production process became more professional and also the songwriting has improved. Offerings To Odin doesn’t deal with the ‘classical’ harsh and merciless dark-electronics; the sound and especially the rhythmic is more controlled. The vocals remain however harsh and extremely distorted.

The tenth song is a cover version of the famous “Goodbye Horses” (originally performed by Q Lazzarus) followed by two remixes by Alien Vampires and Hocico.

+ + + : I noticed a serious improvement compared to the debut album, which might explain why this work has been promoted by X-Beats (Jan Loamfield from Noisuf-X). This album is totally devoted to dark-electronics and yet there’s something unique running through it. I think it’s maybe of the cadence, which is never exaggerated and the leads having something technoid on top. Both remixes are cool, but especially the one by Hocico, which also is the best song from the album.

– – – : There is still too much linearity in this work. The sound formula is repetitive, the songs becoming a bit predictable after a while.

Conclusion: I can’t say this album is a major success, but it clearly features a band that has made a serious step forward.

Best songs: “Death Throes – Hocico Deathfloor Remix”, “A Delicate Balance”, “Death Throes”, “Mad As Hell – Alien Vampires Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www .offeringstoodin .com / www .facebook .com /offeringstoodin

Promoter: www .facebook .com /xbeatspromotion

Stoppenberg – Frontschlag (CD Album – X-Beats)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 20:00:45 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-body, dark-EBM.

Background/Info: Jan Loamfield will always be linked to his most successful project Noisuf-X and of course the dark-electro project X-Fusion. But the German sound guru is also active under the Stoppenberg moniker and is releasing a new album a year. His newest opus is “Frontschlag” featuring thirteen new songs.

Content: There where Noisuf-X mixes industrial together with rave, Stoppenberg is mixing EBM with raw, technoid sound treatments. The work is also driven by impressive bass lines, which became Jan’s trademark, furious dance beats, spoken samplings and for the very first time predominant vocals. Jan invited Centhron singer Elmar Schmidt to sing on different tracks while the last song features Daniel Graves (Aesthetic Perfection).

+ + + : When it comes to sound and influences I can’t say that Stoppenberg really innovates, but the production process is once again high-tech. I however like the raw sound treatments, the terrific bass lines (Jan Lehmkämper being one of the most talented artists when it comes to create solid bass lines) and the furious power emerging from the songs. The addition of vocals injects some diversity, but clearly sounds as a bonus to the music. There are numerous noticeable songs featured, but I have a preference for “Shake Your Booty”. Especially the chorus of this song makes the magic!

– – – : Sound-wise Stoppenberg doesn’t innovate and even becomes a bit predictable, but in the end no one will complain when getting such a huge amount of dance stuff. A few songs could have been a little bit longer and that’s maybe a little regret.

Conclusion: Jan Lehmkämper is clearly putting more and more efforts in this project, which album after album is becoming more performing and convincing! This is the sound of raw techno-body music.

Best songs: “Shake Your Booty”, “Frontschlag”, “Krieg”, “Bewegt Euch, Pussies”, “Anyone Else”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.stoppenberg.net / www.facebook.com/stoppenbergmusic

Label: www.facebook.com/xbeatspromotion

Noisuf-X – Invader (CD Album – Dark Dimensions / ProNoize)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 18:30:21 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-rave, dark-electro-trance.

Background/Info: “Invader” is the tenth full length album by Jan Loamfield under the Noisuf-X moniker. The album got released at the end of 2018 featuring 13 new songs.

Content: When listening to Noisuf-X you clearly know what you get! The German industrial-rave guru remains faithful to his successful sound formula made of hard, pumping kicks, solid bass lines, terrific leads and sampled vocals. “Invader” stands for power and multiple moments of sonic ecstasy. Each album always has a few tracks with that little bit ‘more’. It’s not different on the new work. Songs such as “Who Am I?” for the yiddish-like lead and “Fake” for the samplings and global power both attention grabbers. The most surprising song however is “Killer” featuring guest vocalist Mark Benecke. It must be one of the first times Noisuf-X has used real vocals on a song.

+ + + : The previous album “Banzai” wasn’t my favorite one, but “Invader” is once again a shot on target! The songs reveal Jan Loamfield on his best. There’re numerous terrific pieces featured here and even if the sound formula is known by all fans of Noisuf-X it remains a surprising experience. “Who Am I?” is characterized by a terrific lead, but there’re much more songs to mention. “Runter In Den Bunker” is one among the list and definitely a hard and merciless last track of the album. Noisuf-X once again excels in sound treatments, terrific bass lines and icy leads!

– – – : I remain totally devoted to the sound of Noisuf-X, but some of the songs are a bit too similar. I sometimes feels a bit like Noisuf-X is repeating himself so new elements will be necessary and that’s maybe what Jan feels himself featuring a guest vocalist on one of his songs.

Conclusion: The world is hardly caught by terrorism, but there also is positive terrorism; a sonic terrorism that will feel like an uppercut right in your face and, which is commonly known as Noisuf-X!

Best songs: “Fake”, “Who Am I?”, “Runter In Den Bunker”, “Finish Him!”, “Get Out Of My Sight”, “The Search”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www .noisuf –x .com / www .facebook .com /NOISUFXofficial

Label: www .darkdimensions .de / www .facebook .com /pages /Dark –Dimensions –Label –Group /486014725206

V/A Endzeit Bunkertracks Act VIII (4CD Album + 40 Downloadable Bonus Songs – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 18:30:41 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, EBM, electro-industrial, techno-body, power-noise, IDM.

Background/Info: The first ‘act’ from this now legendary compilation was released in 2005. Fourteen years later Alfa Matrix released the eight edition of this series devoted to dark-electronics. The massive work features 72 songs on 4 discs and 40 extra songs available as download.

Artists: Suicide Commando, Blutengel, Zombie Girl, Funker Vogt, Komor Kommando, [SITD], Angelspit, Noisuf-X, Solitary Experiments, Ad:Key, Acylum, Phillip Münch ao.

Content: It’s impossible to go in detail when you’ve to review such a compilation featuring 112 songs! But “Endzeit Bunkertracks” remains faithful to a mix of music genres dealing with electronics and a fusion between great and established artists plus discoveries. No doubt about it, the some upcoming talents have been featured here. Next to a bunch of Alfa Matrix bands the compilation also features big names from other labels such as Out Of Line, Dark Dimensions, Infacted Recordings, Repo Records ao.

There’re a lot of exclusive cuts features and/or remixes while the best bands aren’t always featured on the discs.

+ + + : A great sampler and a hard copy means so much more than the digital version. The artwork by Japanse artist Tomoki Hayasaka is absolutely great and matching with the concept. Song-wise you’ll discover interesting young talents such as H.O.W., Complex Mind, Eexee, Suppressor, Playngrain, Pax Sono, Nitek, Fabrikmutter and C-Phalea. The diversity of the songs made this ‘sonic orgy’ more accessible then releasing such a box format with only dark-electronic bands.

– – – : Even if this compilation remains a great and successful work, 112 songs is definitely too much so this is a compilation you’ve to listen spread over several days.

Conclusion: It has been my pleasure tipping some ‘unknown’ talents, which have been selected for the compilation while “Endzeit Bunkertracks” remains a sonic bible for all dark electronic souls!

Best bands: Komor Kommando, Implant, Noisuf-X, Electronic Frequency, Funker Vogt, [X]-Rx, Suppressor, Nitek, Ice Ages, Larva.

Rate: (8½).

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

Project Pitchfork to release limited 2LP+2CD collector set of ‘Continuum Ride’ album – get yours here (including bonus tracks)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 18:51:47 +0000

In 2010 Project Pitchfork released the album “Continuum Ride”, the follow-up to “Dream, Tiresias!” which was released just a year before.

The re-release comes as a collector box (strictly limited to 500 copies) holding 2LP+2CD (and 3 bonus tracks) and is available right here. There is also a 2LP+CD version, with 6 different bonus tracks, this version is available here.

The 3 bonus tracks in the collector set are the following ones: “Beholder (Puppet Master Mix)”, “Endless Infinity (God of Doom Mix)”, “Supersonic Snakebite (Iron Fist Mix)”. The 6 bonus tracks in the 2LP+CD set are: “Feel! – [:SITD:] Remix”, “Feel! – Remixed by NOISUF-X”, “Feel! – DIE KRUPPS Remix”, “Despise”, “One Million Faces (RMX)”, “Last Dream”.

Circuito Cerrado – Furious Basslines (DCD Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 27 Jan 2019 20:00:47 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-electro, industrial-rave, dark-electro.

Background/Info: Marrko B. (mainly known from C-Lekktor) and ‘Psyklon’ are back on track unleashing the third full length album from their common project Circuito Cerrado.

Content: “Furious Basslines” is characterized by a harsh industrial sound mixed with technoid/rave-like influences. The songs feature tons of spoken samplings while one song features real vocals by Rexx Arkana (on the bonus disc). The songs are rough and ultra-danceable. It’s not the first time I got the impression Marrko B. has been seriously infected by the work of Noisuf-X although “Furious Basslines” sounds more industrial-like. You’ll recognize songs, which were originally featured at the EP “Revolution”.

The limited edition featuring an extra disc is an opportunity to discover extra songs, collaborations with Rexx Arkana, Noiz+Zilenth and Tanzkrieg plus a remix Circuito Cerado made of an Iszolscope-song.

+ + + : Marrko B. is one of those Mexican talents who never stop to take me by surprise. This work isn’t maybe the most original one in sound, but the tracks are powerful and simply efficient. The sound treatments are raw and the songs are accomplished. There are a few cool samplings running through the tracklist. This album is food for the DJ’s and dynamite for the dancefloors!

– – – : I was less convinced by the bonus disc; the sound formula becomes a little bit repetitive while the true pearls of the album have been featured at the main disc.

Conclusion: I should ask the same question as for the last C-Lekktor album; where will Marrko B. stop? This work is a great accomplishment.

Best songs: “As Loud As Possible”, “Revolution feat. Odissi”, “Technoizer feat. Sfx DJ”, “Mode Of Death”, “Shut That Shit Down” + “Noize In The Sky feat. Rex Arkana”, “Relevance Outside Logic – Circuito Cerrado Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/circuitocerradoband

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

C-Lekktor – Animals (CD EP – Digital World Audio)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 18:30:58 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: Mexican dark-electro sensation C-Lekktor delivers a new EP featuring the title-song taken from the last album “Out Of My Way” plus 2 remixes of this song and 1 previously unreleased B-side song. The CD-format is limited to 200 copies.

Content: “Animals” wasn’t my personal favorite track from the last album although it’s a solid piece of music and totally appropriated to get released as EP title song. It’s a powerful dark-electronic piece with some rave-industrial flavor reminding Noisuf-X on top. We next get a “Club Version” of the song and a remix by Stoppenberg (aka Jan Loamfield from Noisuf-X, X-Fusion).

The other song left (cf. “Cyborgs”) is much more than simply a B-side cut, but a real(8). hard and hitting rave-industrial cut, which here again reminds to Noisuf-X.

+ + + : What I like in the C-Lekktor sound is the powerful sound! It’s a dark-electronic format mixing certain ‘Mexican sound’ together with refreshing and technoid elements. “Cyborgs” stands for raw industrial-rave music while “Animals” is mixing similar elements with a more classical dark-electro sound. The Stoppenberg remix is a cool little bonus for the DJ’s.

– – – : Speaking for myself I prefer the B-side cut instead of the title-track, but I think that’s not really a minus point.

Conclusion: “Animals” reveals C-Lekktor at its best and simply confirms this band surely became one of the best exponents in its music genre.

Best songs: “Cyborgs”, “Animals – Stoppenberg Remix”, “Stoppenberg”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .clekktor .com / www .facebook .com /Clekktor

Label: www .digitalworld .audio / www .facebook .com /DigitalWorldAudio

‘Click Interview’ with Stoppenberg: ‘I’m Not Familiar With Contemporary EBM’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 17:00:40 +0000

We all know Jan Loamfield from his involvement with X-Fusion and Noisuf-X. But a few years ago now he set up a new project called Stoppenberg. The music is more focalized upon EBM, but with a very own sound approach. Jan Loamfield is according to me one of the most visionary and talented electro-underground musicians from his time. Just like Noisuf-X, Stoppenberg has something ‘different’, call it a very own sound-DNA. The newest album entitled “Ultimate Power” (released on his own label X-Beats) speaks for itself: sonic violence or ultimate power!

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries / Picture by Kathy Auer)

Q: The new album “Ultimate Power” sounds as the right description for the sound of Stoppenberg, but what is it all about and what means ‘ultimate power’ to you as musician?

Jan: I´m very focused on sound quality and punch in my tracks -they should really kick ass without the need to work with fast rhythms. My aim with STOPPENBERG is, to keep the BPM lower on most tracks and create the speed and flow with more groovy arrangements and sound design.

Q: How did the writing and production of this new album happened and what have been the new ideas you wanted to exorcise on “Ultimate Power”?

Jan: The main idea was to create a mixture between EDM and EBM -that means clean, but punchy drums combined with heavy, dirty and gritty basslines. I like to combine the feeling of older EBM tracks with a modern sound and production.

Q: I remember you once said Stoppenberg is made of ‘clean’ sounds compared to your other projects. I can imagine it’s another approach in sound production, but how does it really happen and are you using different equipment and/or tricks for this project?

Jan: Yes, like I said, I want to keep the drums clean and undistorted while focalizing more on the basslines, while NOISUF-X is the project that needs these dirty drum sounds and has higher BPM’s in general. It´s not that I use very different equipment, I just use it in a different way. If we talk about the production it´s really the opposite way of working. When I use distorted kick drums for NOISUF-X there´s not much space left for interesting or heavy basslines, because the distorted kicks play at the foreground. The production of a STOPPENBERG track is exactly the opposite, because I mostly use a very clean kick drum to have enough space for complex basslines build from serveral layers and sounds. I don´t know if the listener will notice such a huge difference between the projects, but from the perception as musician it´s something totally different. Sure, if it´s NOISUF-X, X-FUSION or STOPPENBERG -it´s all written by me, and you can hear my ‘handwriting..’ which means.. you can hear that it´s ME. Some NOISUF-X tracks could sound a bit like STOPPENBERG, and some STOPPENBERG tracks could sound a bit like NOISUF-X. I guess I could even produce hip-hop beats, and you could still hear my ‘handwriting’”, if you are familiar with my music.

Q: Stoppenberg is your EBM project although it still sounds pretty technoid and rave-like. What’s your perception of contemporary EBM?

Jan: To be honest, I’m not familiar with contemporary EBM. I get the impression most of the ‘newer’ EBM sounds like people who want to produce tracks that sound exactly the same as older EBM songs. I guess they want to create the same atmosphere and just want to add new songs to the existing concept.. like bands who try to recreate the mood of the 80th (retro-wave). There’s nothing wrong with that.. but I prefer the concept of mixing it with a more modern style of music and mainly without vocals.

Q: Is there any particular meaning –maybe concept, behind the song titles and the samplings you’re using and would you ever considering to add real vocals on Stoppenberg songs?

Jan: I prefer samples that are somehow war-inspired, just to create a powerful atmosphere that fits to the sound of the basslines which sometimes sound like a rolling tank.

Sure, I´m always open minded -so using guest vocals in STOPPENBERG tracks could happen. One of the first tracks “This Is For Your Body” featured at the first STOPPENBERG-EP has guest vocals and that was a lot of fun.

Q: Stoppenberg productions have been released on your own label X-Beats, which is also a promo agency for other –and mainly less familiar, bands. Tell us a bit more about this concept and do you’ve specific criteria (regarding sound, production, influences…) to promote these bands?

Jan: Yeah, I just noticed that it´s complicated or expensive for bands to promote their music, and I want to help doing promotion with a low-priced solution that reaches a lot of DJs / radio stations. Many DJs are interested to get promo tracks from my own projects (NOISUF-X/STOPPENBERG) and some other renowned bands like C-Lekktor or Mordacious. On the same way they will receive tracks from newer bands they maybe don´t know. And when they download all the tracks, they will also listen and explore bands they don´t know.. I think it´s not a bad concept (lol).

Mordacious – Bloodletting (Digital Album – Mordacious)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 21 May 2018 19:30:18 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: American artist ‘Mordacious Mortem’ has already been active for numerous years and can look back an impressive discography. After a few early releases on the defunct Hypervoxx Recordings/Telegrammetry Recordings and multiple self-releases Mordacious finally signed to Infacted Recordings releasing 5 full lengths. “Bloodletting” seems to announce a new era as it again is a self-released production although promoted by X-Beats (promotion company of Jan Loamfield from Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Stoppenberg) who did the mastering as well.

Content: The sound formula of Mordacious has never really changed. This is pure dark-electronic music carried by stumping rhythms, haunting vocals and constant horror-like melodies. The songs are quite recognizable, sometimes inspired by Suicide Commando, but in the end clearly revealing a very own sonic identity.

+ + + : If you’re into dark-electronics and you like dancing in clubs, Mordacious will be good company. The album is punchy and characterized by endless melodic sequences. Even if I’ve never been a huge fan of this band I have to admit the sound is quite recognizable. Mordacious clearly sounds inspired by some dark-electronic legends, but injected a very personal melodic touch, which always reminds me of the famous tune of “The Addams Family”.

– – – : The sound formula of Mordacious has never really changed. The album becomes rapidly predictable and the songs repetitive. I however have to admit that the global production (writing, mixing, mastering) has been seriously improved throughout the years.

Conclusion: Mordacious invites you to dance and go wild on dark-electronics. There’s no real challenge and not a lot of surprises, but it can works if you already enjoyed previous releases.

Best songs: “God Of War”, “Awakening”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www .mordacious .com / www .facebook .com /mordaciousmusic

Stoppenberg – Ultimate Power (CD Album – X-Beats)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 19:30:20 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-body, EBM.

Background/Info: We all Jan Loamfield for his involvement with Noisuf-X and X-Fusion, which both are real successful- and major contemporary formations. But Jan is also involved with Stoppenberg and he now has unleashed the third album from this project inspired by EBM.

Content: Stoppenberg is based upon hard bass sounds, which are mainly EBM-like. But the difference with the familiar EBM standards is that Stoppenberg accomplishes its work by hard techno treatments. I sometimes think that there where Noisuf-X is mixing trance/rave music with industrial elements, Stoppenberg is mixing it with EBM. And just like Noisuf-X there are no real vocals here, but just a few and noticeable sampled parts.

+ + + : This artist confirms to be one of the ‘major’ artists from his generation. Jan Loamfield transformed each of his projects into gold and even if Stoppenberg still sounds as the ‘little brother’ the potential emerging from “Ultimate Power” is simply impressive. The tracks are carried by powerful and overwhelming bass lines while stumping kicks can only, but set dancefloors on fire. And Jan Loamfield has maybe never excels that much into the writing of genius bass lines as on this work. I think we no longer can say this artist is surpassing himself; no he simply is one of the absolute references in contemporary electro-underground music. I consider him together with Seb Komor as the truly geniuses of their time. The sound formula is intelligent and sophisticated while creating a sonic bridge between EBM and dark-techno. This album also features 14 tracks so you really get something back for your money.

– – – : The main challenge when composing this kind of music and using no real vocals is that it sometimes becomes a little bit repetitive and predictable. Don’t get me wrong, this album is definitely the best Stoppenberg release to date, but the magic is a bit gone on the final cuts.

Conclusion: Soldiers aren’t anything without great Generals and music genres are nothing without master artists. Jan Loamfield is already a sonic General for years while Stoppenberg is slowly, but surely becoming his latest secret weapon!

Best songs: “Ultimate Power”, “The Truth”, “It’s Alright”, “I’m On Fire”, “Let’em Taste Death”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www .stoppenberg .net / www .facebook .com /stoppenbergmusic

Label: www .facebook .com /xbeatspromotion

C-Lekktor sees ‘Animals’ single released on vinyl (sold out!) and CD (+ download)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 16:46:35 +0000

A new C-Lekktor single has just been released via the DWA label: “Animals”. The clear vinyl 7″ version sold out completely on pre-order so you’ll have to make sure to get the CD which is pressed on semi-transparent clear substrate CD which you can order right here.

The new single by the Mexican outfitis taken from the album “Out Of My Way”, which just spent 7 weeks in the Top 10 of the Deutsche Alternative Charts. “Animals” comes in a Club Version exclusively for this single. Plus you get the brand new and previously unreleased track ”Cyborgs” as an extra.

“Animals” also gets a slamming makeover for this single by Stoppenberg a.k.a. Jan L (X-Fusion/Noisuf-X).

The Faceless Aberration by RUINIZER

The new Ruinizer album (and single) are out now… and already half sold-out!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 16:57:16 +0000

Just released via the Japanese DWA label is the 3rd album from UK act Ruinizer, “The Faceless Aberration”. “The Faceless Aberration” was mastered by Jan L of NOISUF-X at his X-Fusion Music Production facility in Germany. The album is by far the hardest thing the project has released so far and returns almost full circle to the industrial black metal roots of Ruinizer’s original project Cedigest.

The first 100 copies of the physical edition of “The Faceless Aberration” come in a spot-gloss varnished double-disc digifile with integral bound-in lyric booklet and 5-track bonus disc as you can see below.

The bonus disc, “The Voiceless Augmentation”, is pressed on a semi-transparent clear substrate CD and comprises 3 non-album tracks sandwiched between 2 alternate orchestral arrangements of tracks from the album itself.

This ultra-collectible 2CD is already over half sold out on pre-order, with remaining copies available online on the DWA Bandcamp page.

Check the tracks out below:

Tyler McDevgon – Violent Heart (Digital EP – Tyler McDevgon)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 19:30:05 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-body music.

Background/Info: Behind Tyler McDevgon is hiding Hand In Waves member Felix F. Both projects have been promoted by X-Beats (label of Jan L aka Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Stoppenberg). “Violent Heart” is the debut EP by Tyler McDevgon, which was already released a few months ago.

Content: I quickly understood why X-Beats is promoting this new band. The influences running through “Violent Heart” are pretty similar to Noisuf-X. Carrying EBM bass lines and techno-rave sound waves have been mixed together with pitched vocals on top. This EP sounds a bit as the offspring between Noisuf-X and Brooklyn Bounce.

+ + + : Even if the sound clearly reminds Noisuf-X is also sounds different and more personal by the addition of the pitched vocals. This project clearly builds a sonic bridge between solid EBM bass lines and typical rave music. There’re a few great leads running through this production, but especially the one from “Sikkk” is really phenomenal.

– – – : “Violent Heart” appears to be a solid basis revealing a new and promising name (just as Wave In head), but some elements of the production clearly has to be elaborated while an extra little boost of power would be great as well.

Conclusion: Tyler McDevgon has been promoted by one of the greatest sound-guru’s of contemporary electro-industrial music (Jan L) and that’s a damned good reason to keep an eye on this new project, which clearly reveals to have a strong potential.

Best songs: “Sikkk”, “Violent Hearts”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: http ://tyler –mcdevgon .com / www .facebook .com /tylermcdevgon

Finnish based dark electro / aggrotech band Miseria Ultima begins training for shows in Spring 2018

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 10:23:28 +0000

Good news for those who want to see the Finnish based dark electro / aggrotech band Miseria Ultima live at work. The band has just confirmed that they have started rehearsing for shows in Spring 2018 and so far 4 shows have been officially announced (with at least 1 tbc).

The confirmed gigs include shows in Spain, Estonia and Finland – including some with acts like Larva and Noisuf-X. The first liveshow of 2018 for Miseria Ultima will be in the Tallinn Music Week 2018, Estonia on April 6.

The band is in the meantime working on new material.

Miseria Ultima was formed in Finland in 2016 by Aleksi Martikainen and Kimmo Huhtala. You can describe the band’s music as a combination of EBM and dark electro mixed with other electronic music genres. After forming Miseria Ultima, the band made a first demo, ”Unfocus”, which they released digitally in the beginning of 2017. As a result the band got signed on Advoxya Records and released their debut album “Phosphor” in October 2017.

You can check out the band’s official website or join them on Facebook. Downloads can be obtained via the band’s Bandcamp page.

We also just added them on our playlist on Spotify as opening act:

C-Lekktor – Out Of My Way (DCD Album – Digital World Audio)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 13 Jan 2018 20:00:43 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, EBM.

Background/Info: Marco Barientos is a busy artist. After releases with his side-projects (Circuido Cerrato and Kromak) he now strikes back with a new opus of his master project C-Lekktor. It’s the first album since “Final Alternativo” (2014) and the first album released on Digital World Audio. The ‘limited’ edition has been released as a so-called digi-book and features an extra disc of 4 tracks.

Content: “Out Of My Way” is an album that first of all moves on there where previous C-Lekktor work stopped. It remains a powerful and dark/hard-electro inspired work joined by the harsh screaming vocals of Marco Barientos. But the album also moves into other ‘dark’ directions, carried by EBM bass lines reminding me of a more dark-electro/techno style, which is more comparable to Noisuf-X. The work also reveals a few more evasive cuts.

The bonus disc brings us back to the ‘classical’ C-Lekktor format, which stands for sonic violence and pure dark club music.

+ + + : C-Lekktor confirms their leading status of Mexican dark-electro bands, but the band already reached a word-wide recognition in their music genre. This is the kind of work that will appeal for fans of Suicide Commando and Hocico (for the ‘classical’ pieces), but still for more electro-industrial & rave freaks à la Noisuf-X. “Out Of My Way” appears to be the most versatile album of the band, but that’s an evolution I like as it opens new horizons. The music is not only powerful, but accomplished with great sound treatments, icy sequences and pumping bass drums. The harsh and distorted vocals totally match with this haunting atmosphere and sonic violence. I also enjoyed the more evasive cut (cf. “Mundo Adverso”) featuring delicious female backing vocals. It’s a mature and professional production.

– – – : The versatile aspect of the work maybe makes this album a little less unique. I expected more (h)el(l)ectronics, but C-Lekktor took my by surprise by experimenting more technoid and industrial-rave paths.

Conclusion: This is without a shadow of a doubt an album numerous dark-electro lovers were waiting for and I think they’ll not be disappointed discovering the violence of the sound and the efficiency of the songs!

Best songs: “Tonight You’re Mine”, “Don’t Mess With Me”, “Move On”, “King Of The Underworld”, “Mundo Adverso” + “Answers”, “Ser Interior”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .facebook .com /Clekktor

Label: www .digitalworld .audio / www .facebook .com /DigitalWorldAudio

Chainreactor – Decayed Values (CD Album – ProNoize/Dark Dimensions)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 19:15:53 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, industrial-trance, power-noise.

Background/Info: Jens Minor and singer Kay Schäfer (who now became a full time member) are back on track unleashing a new opus of Chainreactor. The project became a kind of ProNoize flag holder and definitely a noticeable project if you like dark-electronics and industrial-techno/rave music.

Content: “Decayed Values” moves on where previous releases “Dirt” and “Mass Driver” stopped. The songs remain inspired by dark-electronics and industrial-rave music, but quite progressively you can hear this band evolving from the ‘rave’ input towards more ‘classical’ dark-electronic music. They in a way bring elements of Noisuf-X and Combichrist together. The vocals, which become more present on each new album are sung a raw and enraged way reinforcing the element of ‘violence’ running through the music.

+ + + : I still consider Chainreactor as one of the most talented artists belonging to this ‘new’ generation of dark-electronics. “Decayed Values” once again reveal the genius of Jens Minor who has a nose to create alluring sound sculptures mixing icy and raving sounds together with hard-pumping kicks. Some of the tracks are resulting in a trance atmosphere, but other cuts are touching ground with power-noise. There’s a lot to discover on “Decayed Values” and that’s why this album will appeal for a wider range of electronic lovers.

– – – : This is without a shadow of a doubt the most diversified Chainreactor work and I have to admit I’m a bit missing the pure trance/rave-industrial format from the early years.

Conclusion: Chainreactor is a project that has progressively evolved throughout the years. There’s not a big difference between this album and the previous one, but if you go back to the first work you’ll realize the evolution. It’s a great album I can fully recommend, but not my favorite one in the Chainreactor discography.

Best songs: “Legendary Suffering”, “The Devil’s Trick”, “Impact Drill”, “The Powers”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .facebook .com /Chainreactor

Label: www .darkdimensions .de / www .facebook .com /pages /Dark –Dimensions –Label –Group /486014725206

V/A Electronic Body Matrix II (4 CD Box + Download Card + Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 25 Nov 2017 19:30:14 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM, dark-electro, techno-body, electro-pop, industrial-rave, minimal-electro, future-pop, electro-industrial.

Background/Info: One of the leading labels of the electronic underground scene is back on track with the second edition of the “Electronic Body Matrix”-series. Six years after the first volume we already get a sonic orgy featuring 4 discs (76 songs) plus a download card featuring 40 extra bands and songs. I also want to express my gratitude to label owner Séba Dolimont for having asked me to make some prospection and tipping bands that finally got a place on this sampler.

Bands: Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, Rhys Fulber, Fixmer/McCarthy, Pouppée Fabrikk, Funker Vogt, Dive, NZ, Orange Sector, Noisuf-X, Komor Kommando, Daniel B, Spetsnaz, Autodafeh, Neurotic Fish, Plastic Noise Experience.

Content: What can I say about a massive compilation featuring 116 songs. The list of bands is too long, but “Electronic Body Matrix” first of all is an impressive cocktail of electronic underground mix. Most of the bands are EBM-inspired, but you also will discover related genres such as future-pop, dark-electro, minimal-electro, industrial-rave and co.

+ + + : The compilation brings some bands back a alive or at least formations we haven’t heard for quite a long time. It also is an opportunity to discover exclusive (re)mixes and I here for example want to mention the remix of Front 242’s “Take One”. It also is an opportunity to discover less familiar names dealing with electronics, which are here in good company. The 4 discs are really great and according to me even the best compilation ever released by the Belgian label!

– – – : I expected a bit more from the download card. The selection of bands is not bad at all, but a level under the CDs. From a very personal point of view, I was not that convinced by the few electro-pop songs, but that’s maybe because there’s no real link with EBM here.

Conclusion: This compilation is an absolute must have or the right gift for a friend who’s discovering this kind of music. A real great compilation from the ‘matrix’ headquarters of electronic music.

Best bands: Fixmer McCarthy, Autodafeh, Dive, Elektroklänge, Pouppée Fabrikk, Neon Electronics.

Rate: (9).

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

Studio-X vs. Technoid – Neural Torment (CD Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 19:30:05 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-body, industrial-rave, techno.

Background/Info: “Neural Torment” resulted from the common efforts between Australian sound guru and producer Lawrie Bayldon and Italian musician Roberto Ricci aka Technoid. Studio-X became a quite familiar name and a prolific artist active on the Alfa-Matrix roster. Next to his collaboration with Simon Carter, he also joined hands with Avarice In Audio.

Content: The main basis of this work clearly sounds inspired by techno music. But there are more influences running through this work. The debut cuts reveal impressive and hard noise treatments reminding me of the magic of Seb Komor. It sounds dark, furious and especially constructed with impressive sound manipulations plus enraged vocals.

We’re next moving throughout more ‘classical’ techno fields revealing passages with pitched vocals. And quite progressively we’re moving back to harder fields driven by stomping rhythms. The work becomes a bit more trance-like and industrial-minded, which might remind to Noisuf-X.

+ + + : I’m not that familiar with Technoid, but Studio-X ones more deals with a furious and merciless techno-genre mixed with dark and industrial elements. Both debut cuts are absolutely amazing for their writing and sound treatments. The final cuts are getting back to great electronic music merging techno together with industrial-rave. The work is quite diversified, but clearly revealing a few club stompers!

– – – : I’m missing somewhat cohesion between the songs. It feels a bit like both artists simply tried to achieve varied music ideas inspired by hard-techno fields, but maybe missing a guiding line.

Conclusion: “Neural Torment” appears to be a real great match between 2 artists sharing a similar passion for techno music mixed with darker underground influences.

Best songs: “Down On Your Kness”, “Cybergoth”, “Leave Us Alone”, “Soul Reaper”, “Where Is Your License”.

Rate: (8).

Bands: www .facebook .com /officialstudiox / www .facebook .com /TechnoidDJ

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

Noisuf-X – Banzai (CD Album – ProNoize)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 19:45:51 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-body music, industrial-rave.

Background/Info: Jan Loamfield is back on track, unleashing the ninth full length album of his Noisuf-X project. This name for sure became one of the absolute leading formations in its genre, having composed numerous hits.

Content: The secret sound formula of Noisuf-X is simple to describe, but hard to reproduce! Jan in a way exposed the main ingredients of his creation on his previous work entitled “#Kicksome(b)ass”; you need solid bass lines carried by pumping kicks. That’s precisely what “Banzai” is all about. One more thing, which remains a real trademark of Noisuf-X are the samplings.

The title song is the perfect song to fully understand what Noisuf-X is all about while he also added a funny Japanese tune during the song. Jan Loamfield is once more manipulating his sounds and noises like a real sonic alchemist. The album comes to an end with a 2017-version of the “Jezebel”-hit (originally released on the “Tinnitus”-EP released in 2006).

+ + + : Noisuf-X remains the reference in a music style he definitely is one of the pioneers. This industrial-rave style is made for the dancefloors and will again drive you crazy. The solid, pumping kicks sounds like a command to get you in a dance while the dark and vibrating bass lines will get you by your throat. The samplings are once again an essential item of the work while the title song is the absolute new hit! This is raw and industrial, pure rave and dance ecstasy! It also confirms the endless creativity of this artist simply confirming his status of industrial dance guru!

– – – : While I’m still totally addicted to the sound of Noisuf-X I can’t get away from the idea that there’s no real innovation. Jan Loamfield sounds a bit in an automatic pilot status, his work becoming a little less predictable. So it’s maybe time to inject new explicit elements in the work.

Conclusion: The master of industrial rave has created new stuff to get you into dance: ‘Banzai’!!!

Best songs: “Banzai”, “Satisfaction”, “Robots, Destroy Him!”, “Jezebel – 2017 Mix”, “Nutcutter”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .noisuf –x .com / www .facebook .com /NOISUFXofficial

Label: www .darkdimensions .de / www .facebook .com /pages /Dark –Dimensions –Label –Group /486014725206

Hand In Waves – Hover In Remedy (Digital EP – Hands In Waves)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 18:30:47 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Hand In Waves is a German electronic music project mainly inspired and driven through electro-pop music. A few number of EP’s have been released thus far. “Hover In Remedy” was released earlier this year while there also is a brand-new EP. Notice by the way that the EP has been mastered by Jan L (Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Stoppenberg)

Content: “Hover In Remedy” creates some distance with the classical electro-pop standards. The sound is inspired by more intelligent and sophisticated productions, which sometimes remind me a bit to the astral dimension of Mind.In.A.Box. There also is a kind of space-effect on top of the vocals, reinforcing this galactic dimension.

+ + + : What I especially like in the sound of this band is the creative spirit to compose a ‘different’ kind of electro-pop music. Even if some passages make me think of Mind.In.A.Box, Hand In Waves is not a copyist, but a project exploring refreshing electronic fields in pop music. The space atmosphere supporting the entire EP is quite exciting, but I also enjoyed the global sound treatments and the effect on top of the vocals. You here and there will notice a few more influences such as an EBM bass line and technoid arrangements, which is reinforcing the creative approach of the sound.

– – – : The single reproach I can make is a lack of diversity between the 4 songs. It all sounds cool, but without a real climax!

Conclusion: Hand In Waves is an interesting formation for their more personal electro-pop sound. It sounds a bit like an electro-pop alien surrounded by Depeche Mode clones. This is a band to keep an eye on!

Best songs: “Embraced By The Machines”, “Freethinker”.

Rate: (7).

Band: http ://handinwaves .com / www .facebook .com /handinwaves

Antibody – Opera Of Death (Digital Album – Antibody)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 19:30:28 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-body music, industrial-techno.

Background/Info: Jan Laustroer has now been active for a couple of years under the Antibody moniker. This German artist self-released the debut EP “Schrimps” (2015) and made some noticeable remixes, plus got featured on the famous “Endzeit Bunkertracks”-series (Alfa Matrix). “Opera Of Death” is the debut album of Antibody and features 13 songs plus 6 remixes.

Content: The techno-body style rapidly emerges at the surface of the work. It sometimes sounds a bit like the offspring between Seb Komor and Noisuf-X. You feel there’s a similar taste for hard-kicking kicks and bass drums joined by a few sampled words. One of the songs features SynthAttack resulting in hard, distorted, but cool vocal parts.

The remixes have been done by Binary Division, Forgotten Sunrise, Studio-X, Detuned Destruction, The Gothsicles and Cold Therapy.

+ + + : The sound approach of Antibody is not that new, but clearly dealing with a modern techno-industrial approach, which might remind you of Noisuf-X for the global sound formula and Seb Komor for the sound treatments and manipulations. “Opera Of Death” is music to make you dance and reveals an interesting potential. The song together with SynthAttack sounds more accomplished –maybe because of the vocals, but I also have to mention the title song, which will appeal to the fans of Noisuf-X.

I noticed a few cool remixes and especially want to mention the great job by Studio-X and The Gothsicles.

– – – : I sometimes miss a little bit more elaboration in the global songwriting while a few more spoken samplings and/or real vocals would for sure add something extra. From a pure technical point of view the global production of the album has to be seriously improved in sound and mixing. Put this work in the hands of Seb Komor and I’m sure you really will get a sonic bomb!

Conclusion: Antibody confirms to be a project with an interesting potential, but it still sounds like a ‘young’ project that has to grown and getting more experience to ‘kick a***’ the way Noisuf-X and Seb Komor are doing! This is however a band to keep an eye on!

Best songs: “Into The Night feat. SynthAttack”, “Opera Of Death”, “Nothing To Fear – Studio-X Remix”.

Rate: (6½).

Band: www .facebook .com /musicantibody

Alfa Matrix to launch 2nd volume of massive 116-track strong EBM compilation: ‘Electronic Body Matrix 2’ 4CD Boxset (+ bonus downloads)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 16:00:20 +0000

Out of the blue the belgian Alfa Matrix label releases the 2nd volume in their massive ‘Electronic Body Matrix‘ series. The first volume of this compilation series (check the release here) got qualified by many as the ultimate anthology of the EBM / electro-industrial scene. The 2nd edition of the “Electronic Body Matrix” compilation box once again manages featuring a real “who is who” artist selection bringing all new, exclusive or rare tracks.

This 2nd edition presents some 76 bands across 4 CD’s plus an exclusive download link giving you access to another 40 additional bands for a total music play of 116 songs (over 70% rare or previously unreleased tracks), an astounding 10 hour sonic journey! Marketed as a deluxe carton box with an extensive 28-page booklet with band pictures and credits.

All together on one same compilation, the leaders of the electronic scene of yesterday and tomorrow come together and include: FRONT 242 (exclusive mix), NITZER EBB (exclusive mix), FIXMER/MC CARTHY, RHYS FULBER, DANIEL B. PROTHESE, DIVE, BRUDERSCHAFT, POUPPEE FABRIKK, ARMAGEDDON DILDOS, KOMOR KOMMANDO, ELEGANT MACHINERY, AYRIA, FUNKER VOGT, PLASTIC NOISE EXPERIENCE, NOISUF-X, NEUROTICFISH, AESTHETISCHE, THE PSYCHIC FORCE, IMPLANT, [SITD], ALIEN VAMPIRES, HOCICO, ORPHX, NÖVÖ, METROLAND, PITCH YAR OF MATTER, MONDTRÄUME, CULTURE KÜLTUR, TOLCHOK, DEUTSCHE BANK, AVARICE IN AUDIO, THE SEXORCIST, PSY’AVIAH, AIBOFORCEN, ELEKTROKLÄNGE, R.I.P. (ROPPONGI INC PROJECT), ENTRZELLE, and many more, without forgetting the impressive remix work contributions of bands like EISFABRIK, FADERHEAD, ORANGE SECTOR, NZ, ELM, etc.

Add to this all hardcore ambassadors of today’s pure EBM league in the likes of SPETSNAZ, ELM, NZ, AD:KEY, AUTODAFEH, AGREZZIOR, ORANGE SECTOR,KANT KINO, CELLULOIDE, LIGHTS OF EUPHORIA, DIFFUZION, PATENBRIGADE: WOLFF, ACCESSORY, CEPHALGY, AMORPHOUS, VENAL FLESH, PROTECTORATE, STOPPENBERG, CENTHRON, LLUMEN, CARDINAL NOIRE, MILDREDA, CRYTEK, KONER, etc.

The exclusive bonus download link included in this 4CD box also gives you access to some 40 additional songs from artists like MENTALLO & THE FIXER, ACYLUM, SERPENTS, ZOMBIE GIRL, AENGELDUST, EQUITANT, NETZ, STUDIO-X, SIVA SIX, NEIKKA RPM, ESSENCE OF MIND, DEKAD, INTERFACE, NEUTRAL LIES, CIRCUITO CERRADO, TRAGIC IMPULSE, WANT/ED, HELALYN FLOWERS, DIVERJE, SCHWARZBLUT, TOTEM OBSCURA, DIGITAL GEIST, KILMARTH, SIGNAL OPERATOR, ELECTRO SYNTHETIC REBELLION, DIGITAL GEIST, TECHNOID, DEN C.T. BUG, and many more!

The full track listing can be checked right here.

‘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

‘Click Interview’ with [:SITD:]: ‘We Want To Be A Voice, A Scream Against Injustice’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:00:09 +0000

[:SITD:] aka Shadows In The Dark has been set up in 1996 by German duo Carsten Jacek and Tom Lecszenski. They started to release their work on Accession Records and moved to Scanner/Dark Dimensions since the “Dunkleziffer”-album (2014). Scanner owner Frank D’Angelo joined the band on stage. [:SITD:] this year released their newest work “Trauma: Ritual”, which is an elaborated, powerful and melodic piece of modern electronics mixing elements of EBM, dark-electro and future-pop. Time for a chat with two kind members dealing with interesting topics!

You can order all [:SITD:] releases right here from this excellent mailorder.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: What kind of album did you had in mind when starting the writing of “Trauma: Ritual” and what does the title stands for?

Tom: We have tried to create an album which works in the clubs and also at home. “TRAUMA: RITUAL” has become a very compact character. The sound is very intensive and has got a significant strength. We are very satisfied with the result.

Carsten: On “TRAUMA: RITUAL” we reflect on the most critical issues of our times: fanaticism, irrationality and protectionism. In times of general political disaffection it seems very important to us to strengthen democracy and make a clear statement. We should all be aware of how important democracy is. You can’t take things like being able to speak freely, to vote or have the right to demonstrate for granted. Let me explain this more fully: Many people see the world through very simplistic eyes, because that is what allows them to life this normal, like a so-called normal existence. This existence of congeniality, where there are no threats to life, everything is safe, everything’s nice, you’ve got the house, you’ve got the wife, you’ve got the car. It’s a blood façade. In actual fact we’re living in a nightmare world! Traumatic events happen every single day. But who cares? The world is in agony and we should ask ourselves: Is this the world we want to live in? This is what about “TRAUMA: RITUAL” is dealing with. We want to make people think, expose grievances and develop a sensibility for problems. We don’t have to understand why we are fighting a war in the year 2017, why humans commit the most atrocious crimes in the name of religion or profitability, and why the divide between rich and poor is getting wider and wider. We want to be a voice, a scream against injustice. This is our claim.

Q: Are there some specific elements in the composition- and production process you wanted to accentuate, maybe improve when compared to previous releases?

Tom: We wanted to make an album, sounding much harder and more direct compared to its predecessor. To achieve this specific, genuine immediacy and authenticity we focused on the bare essentials and removed needless dead freight. Furthermore, we upped the BPM count significantly. “CICATRIX” is a good example. It’s like a kick in the gut. But it was also important to us to create an album which is rich in variety. Songs like the catchy tune “PULS:SCHLAG” or the experimental techno track “POST-FACTUAL AGE” represent a different side of [:SITD:]. “TRAUMA: RITUAL” is our most sophisticated work to date and the next logical step in our evolution. Our current video single “GENESIS” provides a short insight into the album.

Q: After the “Dunkelziffer”-album you again released your new work “Trauma: Ritual” as a limited vinyl release as well. What means the vinyl format to you as artists?

Tom: We are children of the 80’s. We grew up with records and turntables. Therefore it’s a wonderful experience for us to release “TRAUMA: RITUAL” on vinyl again. We got approached by a lot of people that wanted a vinyl release. It is very limited edition so you will have to be quick to get one. Fundamentally it’s a question of faith. Some people prefer CD’s, others like vinyl-records or MP3’s. For us as artists it’s important to offer all these different formats. Really one is spoilt for choice, and that’s a good thing.

Q: How was the experience working with Dennis Schober (Solitary Experiments) on the opening song “Puls:Schlag” and what do you like in his work?

Tom: Dennis is a good-old friend of us. It was obvious to ask him, if he would join us. “PULS:SCHLAG” has an extraordinarily personal character. We were sure, that Dennis warm emotional voice is the additional component that we need for such a song. Everything fits together perfectly. It’s the first duet with a companioned artist on an official [:SITD:] release ever! And we are very happy with the final result.

Q: [:SITD:] is a band with a strong live reputation. What’s the importance of doing live performances and are you planning to bring new elements in the upcoming shows?

Carsten: We really love to play live! It’s incomparable to stand on stage and look how the audience reacts to our music. This always gives us the creeps, no matter if we play a big festival or in a small club. We guess that energy and spirit is the most important thing on an electro concert. It’s a wonderful feeling to share your emotions with the crowd, to give something and get something back. The “TRAUMA: RITUAL” tour with ES23 is finished and it was simply fantastic! We are planning to bring new elements in the upcoming shows, but it’s too early to talk about details. On December 23rd, 2017, we will perform our annual closure concert at the “Kulttempel” in Oberhausen / Germany. NOISUF-X and ES23 will join us as our special guests. We are really looking forward to present “TRAUMA: RITUAL” for the first time at home, the Ruhr-Area. That’s the reason why we call it “HEIMAT: RITUAL”. “Heimat” is the German expression for “home”.

Q: You last year celebrated the 20^th anniversary of [:SITD:]. What have been the main facts in the band’s history and are there some items (like albums, songs…) you would have done a different way?

Carsten: Yes, the band was founded in 1996. Seriously time flies and it seems like yesterday as we’ve played in small youth-clubs. The main fact is that we are still alive. Now our fondest wish came true and we have the possibility to perform before a full audience and bring the most important thing into their focus: Our music. It’s a gift to have the possibility to visit a lot of countries, to see different cultures and to share our innermost hopes and dreams and even our deepest fears with the audience. We don’t have the intention to write the history of electronic music again, but we guess that [:SITD:] has built up an own identity and over the years we have created our own style.

[:SITD:] is 100% authentic! The music comes directly from the bottom of our hearts. We really love what we do! We always look ahead, we never look back. We can’t change the past, but we can shape the future. We are full of ideas and we will see what the future has in store for us. Thanks a lot for the interesting interview and of course many thanks to all readers and friends.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Alphane Reality Generator – Music For The Robot Revolution (CD album – Alphane Reality Generator)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 20 May 2017 19:00:09 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, cyber-punk, technoid.

Background/Info: Alphane Reality Generator (ARG) is an American formation unleashing their self-released debut opus. They deal with a sci/fi concept about robots ruling the world in 2040 and who have send a message as a warning to all human living in 2017.

Content: The sound is driven by hard kicks and technoid arrangements. ARG deals with a futuristic vision, but the sound takes me somewhat back to the early 90s and the industrial rave style from the Frankfurt scene. The songs have been filled with numerous little bleeps. The work sounds raw while progressively evolving towards more familiar dark-electro standards, which might remind me of an offspring between Noisuf-X and Stahlnebel vs. Black Selket.

Some cuts feature EBM-elements (like the bass lines) and strings support the composition. Most of the vocals are robotic-like, but you’ll also notice more familiar harsh and powerful vocal parts.

+ + + : The work is diversified, covering multiple influences referring to the past and to contemporary standards. I like the progression from more technoid sounding songs towards a rather classical dark-electro format. Some cuts might appeal to lovers of Noisuf-X although it’s not as hard and more technoid.

– – – : ARG still has to find its own sound. This album rather sounds as an elaborated (and promising) try-out, which now has to be improved. I don’t have anything against robotic vocals, but there’s some abuse here.

Conclusion: Alphane Reality Generator is an interesting newcomer, which however has to grow and improve some elements of the production. I however would recommend keeping an eye on this band because it’s a successful debut!

Best songs: “Wrong Machines”, “Processing Bypassing”, “Two Point Three Percent”, “Abdicated Responsibilities”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: http ://alphanerealitygenerator .com / www .facebook .com /AlphaneRealityGenerator

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.

Nachtmahr – Unbeugsam (DCD Album – Trisol)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 18:10:21 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: Nachtmahr was set up in 2007 by Thomas Rainer. The Austrian musician was the creative spirit behind the successful L’Âme Immortelle while he also was the instigator of the electro-industrial Siechtum. Nachtmahr was a kind of get back to harsh dark-electronics and became in no time a new dance sensation. “Unbeugsam” is a kind of 10 year anniversary release celebrating one decade of dance terror, one decade of Nachtmahr.

This double disc features 34 tracks featuring the most essential hits, but also a few rarities and even 2 new cuts. Nachtmahr has also been a band with a strong and controversial image, somewhere at the edge of controversy, but here again Thomas Rainer fully succeeded in his goal.

Content: “Unbeugsam” goes back to the early work of Nachtmahr reminding us of the original sound of the band, which back in time was somewhere linked with other ‘new’ projects in the genre like Noisuf-X and Reaper. The music was made of harshness and pumping kicks. Somewhere inspired by industrial treatments and carried by melodic strings, the songs always have been driven by the merciless and harsh –mainly in German sung, vocals of ‘Tanzdiktator’ Thomas Rainer.

This is a way to get back to mega-hits like “Katharsis, “Feuer Frei”, “Can You Feel Beat?”, Strenge Liebe”, “Mein Name” and the already evoked “Tanzdiktator”. Seven albums have been released and “Unbeugsam” is an opportunity to rediscover the hardest cuts of this band’s career.

The 2^nd disc lets us discover 2 new cuts, which are in the same, hard and merciless dance style as all the previous hits. The rarities are mainly getting back to the numerous EP songs of Nachtmahr and here again you’ll (re)discover essential pieces.

+ + + : This is a great ‘best of’ perfectly summarizing the impressive discography accomplished in 10 years. The hardest cuts have been taken, which also remain the best exponents of this Austrian formation. It also confirms the great composing skills of Thomas Rainer, which perfectly mixed rough and blasting kicks with constant, carrying melody lines. Thomas Rainer remains a great melody maker. The album also features 2 impressive booklets with familiar illustration material, sometimes provocative, often sexy and definitely controversial.

– – – : All songs are pretty blasting and in the long run creating a little less saturation although I guess the fans will not complain about it.

Conclusion: Some Nachtmahr releases sometimes made me think that the image became more important than the music, but this ‘best of’ gave me hard smack in the face confirming the amazing writing skills of this project.

Best songs: “Can You Feel The Beat”, “Tanzdiktator”, “Mein Name”, “Katharsis”, “Strenge Liebe”, “Tradition”, “Ich Bin” + “I Believe In Blood”, “El Chupacabra”, “Boom Boom Boom”, “Feuer Frei!”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .nachtmahr .at / www .facebook .com /nachtmahr .band

Label: www .trisol .de / www .facebook .com /pages /Trisol –Music –Group /104166526285471

Side-Line presents: Wave-Gotik-Treffen 26th edition – Leipzig (DE)

Filip Wildhoney — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 23:13:03 +0000

picture by dark.edge photography

From 2nd-5th June 2017 the annual Wave-Gotik-Treffen takes place in the area of Leipzig, Germany. WGT focuses especially on the gothic, (steam)punk, new wave, electro, EBM, industrial and medieval music and (sub)culture. It is a total-concept world festival including exclusive concerts, renaissance fairs, viking and pagan markets, exhibitions, CD/DVD and film premieres, lectures, artist signing events, fetish events, and (late-night) parties.

Approximately 200 artists are on the list, spread over 52 locations and the festival has about 20.000 visitors. At this moment the program is not complete yet, but as usual some great names in the black scene are already confirmed, like: Cabaret Voltaire, Skinny Puppy, Revolting Cocks, The Mission, VNV Nation, Noisuf-X, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Peter Heppner, Pouppée Fabrikk, Amorphis, Rotersand, Sex Gang Children, Suicide Commando, The 69 Eyes, …

A lot of pre- and after-parties are organised as well on different locations with DJ’s from all over the world! On 1st June for example there is the “Elektro All Stars meets Schwarzes Leipzig Tanzt! – WGT PreOpening Party” in Moritzbastei featuring Adrian Hates (Diary of Dreams), Daniel Myer (Covenant, Haujobb, Architect, DSTR) and more. The next day (2nd June) our own Side-Line collaborator DJ Wildhoney will play at the same location in the Veranstaltungstonne as well!

Info and tickets for WGT can be found here.

Circuito Cerrado – Arrhytmia (DCD Album – Alfa Matrix)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 18:15:15 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-industrial, industrial-rave.

Background/Info: Markko B(arrientos) is a renowned artist as leader of the Mexican dark-electro project C-Lekktor. Two years ago now he took his fans by surprise launching a new project dealing with a hard electro-industrial sound. The album “Distortment” got released on Infacted Recordings. Later on Markko B set up another project called Kromak, which is more into techno-trance. He’s now already back on track unleashing the second full length of Circuito Cerrado, which has been released on Alfa Matrix.

Content: Circuito Cerrado is not the typical type of electro-industrial music. You can easily notice Markko is still inspired by hard techno formats and dark-electronics. “Arrhythmia” is driven by hard and impressive industrial treatments, which you’ll easily notice when discovering the distorted drum sections and the tortured electro sounds. The work has been accomplished by an impressive arsenal of noises and manipulations.

Next to the industrial content the work also reveals technoid elements, spoken samplings (which sometimes might remind you of Noisuf-X), dark-electronic leads and even a few acid treatments. Some passages on the debut album were clearly inspired by the industrial-rave sound of Noisuf-X. This input is less present now although it clearly remains a sonic reference in the work of Circuito Cerrado. Notice by the way that Jan L did the mastering of this album.

The regular album features 17 songs of power and sonic torture. The extra disc features 13 remixes by an impressive list of bands featuring Noisuf-X, Chainreactor, Iszoloscope, FabrikC, Xotox, Acylum, Alien Vampires, Noisex, Alien Vampires, Noiz-Zilenth, Antythesys, Avarice In Audio, Aengeldust, Chaotic Rave System and SFX DJ.

+ + + : Circuito Cerrado deals with an elaborate industrial composition, which is more sophisticated than the average power-noise formation. This industrial sound is more accessible through the input of different extra elements while the technoid elements get it more danceable. The song “Training Day” featuring “Full Metal Jacket”-samplings is not the most original song yet a real potential hit. Noisuf-X fans will be pleased by “Stress Generator”, which is a damned pumping song in the industrial-rave style.

Among the remixes I highly recommend Chainreactor and Antythesys. Both remixing a song that was originally released on the debut album of the band.

– – – : I personally have a little preference for the previous album, which was closer to Noisuf-X. It just proves that an album doesn’t always have to be original in sound to be successful. Don’t get me wrong, this new opus is a remarkable composition, but maybe with not as many potential hits.

Conclusion: Circuito Cerrado probably is one of the hardest and most industrial bands signed at Alfa Matrix. This formation might open a door for more talented industrial-minded formations on the Belgian label. “Arrhythmia” also confirms the extraordinary talent of Markko B who’s definitely becoming one of the hottest artists of his generation.

Best songs: “Training Day”, “Stress Generator”, “Macabre Dance”, “Blastyle”, “Let The Bass Fuck You Up” + Liebe Macht Blind – Chainreactor Remix”, “Liebe Macht Blind – Antythesys Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .facebook .com /Circuito –Cerrado -241195842721352

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

Stoppenberg – I Am The Danger (Digital EP – X-Beats)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 30 Jul 2016 20:15:37 +0000

Genre/Influences: Hard techno-body-music.

Background/Info: Stoppenberg is Jan Loamfield who we all know as one of the most famous and renowned contemporary trance-noise architect of the electro-industrial scene. Noisuf-X and X-Fusion both are his major projects, but he also started producing music under the Stoppenberg moniker. Earlier this year he released the kicking “Assault”-album. Stoppenberg is already striking back with this EP revealing 3 new cuts plus 13 remixes.

Content: The title song “I Am The Danger” clearly reveals the essence of this project. It sounds pretty similar to Noisuf-X, but in a more body-techno orientated style. There where Noisuf-X experiments with pure industrial-rave, Stoppenberg comes closer to a mix of EBM and hard-techno music. The songs are carried by a pumping kick and aggressive sequences confirming the production skills of this German genius.

Both other new cuts are quite similar in style and approach, but not as hard. It however remains a well-crafted and total party-music format made of great sound blasts and cool samplings.

We next get an impressive chapter featuring 13 remixes. Three songs of the album have been exposed to remix skills of bands like Destillat, Poltergeist, Benjamin’s Plague, Viscera Drip, Maschinengeits, Worsaw ao. Jan Loamfield clearly didn’t choose for the most famous and familiar names in the scene. He gave the opportunity to several promising bands to show their creativity in remixing the songs “Radioactive”, “Liberty” and “Unite!”. The main part of the remixes hold on to the Stoppenberg power while adding a personal touch to the original songs.

+ + + : “I Am The Danger” is for sure a potential hit featuring some elements of the Noisuf-X success formula, but transposed into a techno-body vein. I’m not comparing Stoppenberg with the sound of Komor Kommando, but there are some similarities in the global approach and production. I also noticed several cool remixes with a special mention for the work of Benjamin’s Plague and DJ Malkavian. It also is an opportunity to discover a nice selection of upcoming artists.

– – – : I think it’s a pity there’s not one single remix of the title song, which is one of the best Stoppenberg cuts so far. I also would have liked to hear a few remixes made by Jan Loamfield himself and it would have been cool to hear Stoppenberg remixes by Noisuf-X.

Conclusion: Stoppenberg is a strong sonic elixir that will bring you instantly in a frenetic dance mood!

Best songs: “I Am The Danger”, “Enemies” + “Radioactive – Remixed By Benjamin’sPlague”, “Unite! – Remixed By DJ Malkavian”, “Liberty – Remixed By Destillat”, “Radioactive – Remixed By Project Poltergeist”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .facebook .com /stoppenbergmusic

Label: www .x –beats .de

Plastic Planets EP by PROZIUM

Prozium launches debut single, the electro infested dubstep ‘Plastic Planets’ 7-tracker – listen here

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 18:40:10 +0000

Available exclusively on Bandcamp for now, with a release on all other platforms scheduled in the next few weeks, is the debut EP by Prozium, bring an electro infested dubstep 7-track single (or EP as you like it).

Prozium already launched a first track “Lay My Vengeance” last year which brought them comparisons with Noisuf-X, Nachtmahr or yet Soman. And you will be able to hear below who that is so. Fans of a more eclectic Deadmau5 or Skrillex will dig this one for sure while the more electro minded fans will find loads of scene references. Speaking of a crossover release, this really is one appealing to both the industrial and the dubstep scenes.

Prozium isn’t exactly a new act, as far as its personal is concerned. The duo consists of the duo Gerry (Avarice In Audio / Dream Recall) and Lawrie (Studio-X / Avarice In Audio) which explains a lot of course. Available here!

Advance – A Sign Of Things To Come (Digital EP – AnalogueTrash Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 20:54:27 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dance-pop, power-pop, future-pop.

Background/Info: Based in Glasgow (Scotland) Tom Perrett and Kimberly Copland took us by surprise with their debut album “Deus Ex Machina” originally released in 2014. The band is now back on track unleashing new songs and 2 remixes on this EP.

Content: This EP sounds a bit like picking up where “Deus Ex Machina” left off. The duo reveals a real powerful and masterly produced kind of dance-pop music. It sounds pretty dance and techno minded while the leads are pure dance-trance. The heavy, danceable kick will drive numerous club visitors into wild and insane moves. The work remains however spiced with (future)-pop influences. It’s not only about the passionate and pop-like vocal parts, but still some of the arrangements and beautiful synth-line reveals their poppy influence.

The final chapter of the EP features great remixes by Biomechanical and Nature Of Wires. Notice by the way this EP has been mixed by Andy McBain (Cyferdyne) and mastered by the great Jan Loamfield (Noisuf-X, X-Fusion).

+ + + : The global production work is absolutely phenomenal! There’s an impressive and powerful sound coming through, which reveals a great balance between all the influences. The passionate and somewhat enraged vocals are excellent. Both remixes are absolutely essential and injecting some diversity to the original version of the song.

– – – : I can easily imagine Advance is going too far in the exploration of dance and trance music for some ‘classical’ pop lovers.

Conclusion: If you’re a club visitor and you like to dance, you’re going to like this EP by Advance revealing a dynamic offspring between dance/trance music and electro-pop.

Best songs: “Trying To Live”, “Calm Before The Storm – Biomechanical Remix”, “Grey Dawn – Nature Of Wires Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Band: http ://advanceaudio .co .uk / www .facebook .com /Advanceaudio

Label: www .analoguetrash .co .uk / www .facebook .com /analoguetrashofficial

Ruined Conflict – A Voice For The Voiceless (CD Album – Infacted Recordings)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 21:55:12 +0000

Genre/Influences: Future-pop, industrial-pop-rock.

Background/Info: Xavier Morales is the hidden force behind Ruined Conflict. This American artist has released his 3^rd album since “A.R.M.O.R.” (2013). Ruined Conflict has been often considered as a copy of VNV Nation and other future-pop groups so I was wondering what the new work would sound like.

Content: The future-pop inspiration remains intact, but we no longer can speak about pure future-pop music or a copy of a bigger band in the genre. The melodic and well-crafted ‘pop’ sound has been once more joined by guitar playing, but this time it becomes really hard and industrial-minded.

It sounds a bit like Combichrist and KMFDM have been mixed together with a strong future-pop taste. The guitar riffs are really tough and a bit mad. It creates a strong contrast with the electronic arrangements, which remain pretty pop-minded. Morales’ way of singing still sounds pretty Ronan Harris-like, but the vocals production became more enraged. This is future-pop with a real naughty flavor on top. “A Voice For The Voiceless” is the meeting between power and melody, between rage and sentiment.

+ + + : Not many bands have experimented with the mix of future-pop and furious guitar riffs. It all sounds like a pure sonic challenge, but in the end Ruined Conflict is a band daring to enlarge its musical horizon and the least I can say is that there are a few cool songs featured on this album. The harder body-like “Thumb War” is something special as the vocals have been replaced by great samplings in the genre of Noisuf-X.

– – – : The main force of the album also is its main minus point. Some of the songs are maybe moving a bit too far in the guitar adrenaline creating a severe duality with the electronic layers and the vocals.

Conclusion: “A Voice For The Voiceless” is a creative and I dare to say ambitious piece of work. It’s hard to classify and is clearly no longer belonging to the established future-pop standards. This is pure electro-rock or industrial-pop music.

Best songs: “Prolonged Detention”, “Thumb War”, “Diversify”, “After The Storm”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www .ruinedconflict .com / www .facebook .com /RuinedConflict

Label: www .infacted –recordings .de / www .facebook .com /pages /Infacted –Recordings /124099254321690

‘Click Interview’ with Noisuf-X: ‘I Like To Kick Ass!’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 21:00:13 +0000

Every single generation gets some artists emerging from the mass. You’ve the ones that are composing ‘cool’ music and you’ve a selected number of musicians that will enter into history. Jan L definitely belongs to this restricted number of visionary artists that will be reminded for his great creativity.

Multiple dance floor killers like “Hit Me Hard”, “Warning”, “The Typical Fuck You Song”, “Tinnitus” made the name and reputation of NOISUF-X. The title of the new album “Kicksome(b)ass” features the main ingredients of the NOISUF-X sound, which is driven by hard-banging kicks and devastating bass lines! I get in touch with Jan L for the release of his new album, which is once again revealing new potential hits.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You last year celebrated 10 years of NOISUF-X by the album “10 Years Of Riot”. What are the main elements you’ll keep in mind of these 10 years and do you remember what you expected when setting up Noisuf-X?

Jan L: The very first NOISUF-X track was released on my first official X-FUSION album. It was pretty industrial-sounding and did not fit to the concept of X-FUSION – so I decided to name that track “Noisuf-x” (X-Fusion backwards) to make things clear that this track was different than the others. I had a lot of fun producing this track, so I started producing more tracks and NOISUF-X was born.

When I started, it was ‘just’ a fun-project.. I didn´t expect anything – and I never thought that this project could be successful. I think the combination of Industrial and Techno made the difference with most of the bands – and a new genre was created. During the last 10 years I had many great live shows all over the world and I met a lot of great people. For me NOISUF-X is still a fun project, because I can do whatever I want – but I take my work seriously.

Q: The new album “Kicksome(b)ass” holds on the familiar NOISUF-X elements, but it definitely sounds more ‘industrial’-like as well. Are you aware of this evolution in sound and what kind of album did you want to achieve?

Jan L: Yeah, I have to say that when I started NOISUF-X, I distorted nearly every single element in a song – that´s the reason for the rough sound in my older songs. But I noticed that it just sounds rough – but not very powerful. So I reduced the distortion over the years to bring more punch to the tracks. I think this is the main thing that people recognize when comparing older stuff with the newer stuff. But I also started to experiment with different styles.. Ska+Industrial, Dubstep+Industrial, EBM+Industrial and so on. These experiments also influenced the sound of NOISUF-X over the years – so yes, I am aware of this evolution – and for me this is a good thing. At one side I don´t want to sound like 10 years ago, but I never try to achieve a special sound when writing new tracks. I just produce what I like and what I would like to hear in the clubs.

Q: The title of the album clearly indicates a fascination for solid bass lines, which I think also became one of your trademarks as an artist. What’s the secret behind your taste for these ‘monstrous’ bass lines and heavy kicks?

Jan L: Maybe it´s because of my roots in the techno-scene. I’ve always liked pumping bass-drums and driving bass lines. Most pop-songs have the ‘Kick+Bass’ to support the melodies and vocals – and I prefer it the other way round, when melodies support the ‘Kick+Bass’. These are the elements that kick your ass. And I like to kick ass!

Q: The (spoken) samplings have been often really important in the work of Noisuf-X and are mostly like inspiring you to find the titles of your songs. What are your main sources to find the right samplings and when do you add them to the music?

Jan L: I use all kind of sources to find samples.. movies, TV, radio, Youtube and so on – and I also create some samples by myself. Sometimes I start with a sample and build a song that fits to it, sometimes I start with a song and next I’ve to search for a sample that fits to the song. But yes, these samples are important for NOISUF-X. Samples instead of a vocalist is the concept.

Q: I think you’re one of the few artists active at this scene with a real unique ‘sound DNA’. You directly recognize your sound and arrangements (and also on the numerous remixes you’ve done). According to you, what makes you different from the rest?

Jan L: Yeah, I know what you mean. And for me this is something positive – even if some would maybe say that it could mean that all tracks are sounding the same.

I don’t really know what it is that I´m doing a different way.. but what I know from my own arrangements is, that I don´t like to throw new elements in the mix without a break or an introduction – that´s why most of my songs have real long or short breaks. The other thing is that I noticed that many bands just throw in samples in a song. I prefer to work a lot on my samples. I transpose them, time-stretch them, distort them, cut them sometimes into 100 single syllables just to get them synchronized with the song as good as possible. That´s why the samples in NOISUF-X tracks are flowing with the song and do not sound like a foreign element.

Jan Loamfield [X-FUSION / NOISUF-X / STOPPENBERG / X-FUSION MUSIC PRODUCTION]

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Noisuf-X – Kicksome[b]ass (DCD Album – ProNoize)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 20:10:46 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-rave, industrial-techno.

Background/Info: Jan L last year released the album “10 Years Of Riot”, which was a kind of celebration and a look back at 10 years of hard industrial-rave albums and multiple hits. “#,Kicksome[b]ass” is the 8^th studio album of this sound alchemist.

Content: Noisuf-X doesn’t really change the successful sound formula consisting of hard-banging kicks, aggressive bass lines, rough electronic treatments, pure trance arrangements and multiple samplings. The main evolution with the previous albums is the empowering industrial touch of the work, which has been mixed with the powerful kicks. Jan L hasn’t reinvent Noisuf-X, but he once more takes us by surprise unleashing an explosive sonic cocktail.

The sound is heavy and constantly accomplished with dirty sound treatments. The title of the album clearly indicates what his sound is all about! This is stomping music for dancefloors and maybe the album revealing the biggest number of potential hits. There’s a constant power and a succession of outstanding songs. The samplings are once more very important and an essential element of the album. You clearly hear that the samplings have been threatened with care and that they’ve been added at the right place.

This album is a solid and impressive sonic bridge between techno- and industrial music while a lot of other elements can be noticed in between. I’m referring to the multiple filtered sequences and more psychedelic passages.

The album features 13 songs for a new riot while the 2^nd disc is an EP featuring 7 extra tracks. I can’t say that there’s a difference between both discs. Noisuf-X simply moves on a merciless way and once again excels in sonic manipulations carried by solid beats.

+ + + : The creativity and composing skills of Noisuf-X seems to be endless. “#Kicksome[b]ass” is an album with a perfect balance between danceable, blasting beats, amazing bass lines, raw technoid sequences and brilliant threatened samplings.

– – – : I don’t see any minus point, but the constant beating power will maybe sound repetitive for some sensitive souls.

Conclusion: Noisuf-X brings us industrial-rave music for future generations. This is an album with a strong sound DNA resulting in an orgy of potential hits! This is without a shadow of a doubt the most accomplished- and simply the best album of Noisuf-X to date.

Best songs: “I Kick Your Fucking Teeth In”, “Killer Dub”, “Spieltanz”, “Count To 7”, “Son Of A Bitch” + “Not Human”, “Play It Loud (Final)”, “Be A Doer”.

Rate: (9).

Band: www .noisuf –x .com / www .x –beats .de / www .facebook .com /NOISUFXofficial / www .facebook .com /Jan .Loamfield .official

Label: www .darkdimensions .de / www .facebook .com /pages /Dark –Dimensions –Label –Group /486014725206

Viscera Drip – Perpetual Adversity (CD Album – Advoxya Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 21:36:53 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: Viscera Drip has been set up by American artist Justin Thiele. After a real promising and accomplished official debut-album “Abattoir” (2014) the band stroke back during late 2015 by this new full length featuring a few, great surprises.

Content: From the very first notes Viscera Drip unleashes a hard and enraged electro composition revealing explicit samplings and ultra melodic passages. Some of the melodies remind me to Morticians for the kind of ‘funny-spooky’ line comparable to the tune of “The Addams Family”. This is not exactly the kind of lead I expect for a hard electro act. Quite progressively it all moves back to more familiar and efficient arrangements.

The work sometimes appears to be simple, but efficient. There’s no particular trick and no innovation, but the songs are well-crafted and into powerful, haunting electronics. Some songs make me think to a hybrid between Grendel and Suicide Commando. One of the main –and single, atypical songs is “Don’t Pray For Me”, which reveals great filtered sequences adding some diversity to the work.

The few surprises I was talking about consist of guest vocals by Jan L (X-Fusion, Noisuf-X) and Claus Larsen (Læther Strip). Both songs featuring those living legends of dark-electronics are quite successful.

Last, but not least the work features remixes by Ruinizer and X-Fusion. Jan L did an amazing job remixing “Fuck This Life” into a great and freaky piece of music.

+ + + : The pumping kick and hopping sequences inject a great danceable element to the work. Thiele made an excellent choice asking 2 great guest artists (singers).

– – – : Some of the melody lines during the opening cuts are not convincing at all, but it luckily concerns a few cuts.

Conclusion: Viscera Drip is an interesting band dealing with a familiar format of dark-electronic music. There’s less originality, but simply efficiency! I however belief that there’s much more creativity inside Viscera Drip than show at “Perpetual Adversity”.

Best songs: “Slaves Of No Hope feat. L Læther Strip ther Strip”, “A Stranger To Myself feat. X-Fusion”, “Don’t Pray For Me”, “Dear Enemy”, “Fuck This Life – X-Fusion Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www.facebook.com/VisceraDrip

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

Noisuf-X returns with new album in April: ‘#Kicksome(B)ass’

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 14:01:20 +0000

Out by mid-April is the newest Noisuf-X album “#Kicksome(B)ass” which offers 13 tracks. The album will be strictly released in a limited three-panel digipak that contains a special free bonus-CD with 7 previously unreleased tracks and mixes. You can order this limited set right here.

Listen here to a preview:

German Musician, producer and DJ Jan L. began releasing acid house tracks in 1988, and by 2000, the project had become a pure aggrotech project although infested with lots of dance elements. Noisuf-X is one of the top acts of the dark electro genre at this moment. More recently, he played in front of 3000 fans during a live show in Mexico-City for instance.