Henrik Nordvargr Björkk already boasts an impressive and extensive discography. His latest album, released at the end of last year, serves as a kind of addendum to the existing “Resignation”-trilogy, which was reissued in a deluxe box set in 2022. The Swedish maestro delivers nine new tracks that stylistically sail in the wake of the trilogy. This is a carefully constructed and remarkably varied work, beginning with Dark-Ambient pieces steeped in ominous atmospheres. Gradually, slow rhythms emerge, interwoven with raw Industrial textures. The most surprising twist, however -and one that seamlessly fits the album’s overarching concept, is the incorporation of Techno-driven beats in the final tracks. Nordvargr experiments with a bold ‘free-style’ approach, demonstrating that no challenge is too great for this genius artist. The closing songs stand out for their brilliance and unpredictability, blending styles into a visionary sound that has become Nordvargr’s unmistakable hallmark. (Rating:8½).

Listen to “Our Lord Of The Abyss – Part Two”:

About Nordvargr

Henrik Nordvargr Björkk is a Swedish artist active across numerous projects, including the 1990s EBM act Pouppée Fabrikk, the ritual industrial project MZ.412, and Folkstorm, alongside his solo work as Nordvargr. His solo catalog includes “Metempsychosis” (2018, CD/LP/cassette) and “The Secret Barbarous Names” on Malignant Records. His “Resignation” trilogy was reissued in a deluxe box set in 2022 on Cyclic Law. “Resignation IV,” also released via Cyclic Law, extends that catalog with nine new tracks.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Cyclic Law celebrates its 20th anniversary with a label sampler, “Cyclic Law’s 20th Anniversary Label Sampler”, featuring exclusive material from 22 artists on 20 tracks.

On the release you’ll find material from Ajna, Ascending Divers, Ashtoreth, Beckahesten, Curse All Kings, Desiderii Marginis, Funerary Call, Kammarheit, Leila Abdul-Rauf, Neraterræ & Dødsmaskin, New Risen Throne & Corona Barathri, Nordvargr, Øjerum, Shedir, Shrine, Sophia, Sutek Hexen, Taphephobia, Visions and Vortex.

The release will be out on December 21st as a double CD Edition of 500 copies in gatefold digisleeve with a 180x120mm poster.

You can pre-order the release right here.

Since its inception in 2002, Cyclic Law has been active in the fields of ambient, experimental and industrial soundscapes. Next to the label there is also Cyclic Press, a publishing house releasing high quality art books by international visual artists and on top it’s distributing various occult and esoterica publishing houses. The third panel of Cyclic Law is Cyclic Law Mastering which offers audio mastering services open to any style of music, but with a wider knowledge of all styles of electronic music, from ambient to techno.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Black-Industrial, Death-Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Originally released in 1988 by Mechanik Cassettes, “Macht Durch Stimme” was the debut work of Swedish Maschinenzimmer 412. Driven by  Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, Juni Ulvtharm Ollila and Leif Holm this trio got international fame by their hard EBM project Pouppée Fabrikk. Mz.412 became a true reference in a different scene and brings their early work back alive while a bonus cut has been added.

Content: This work brings us back to a very own interpretation of Industrial and Dark-Ambient. The tormented atmospheres have been accentuated by Industrial noises while now driven by slow rhythms, and then by a Martial-like rhythmic. You’ll also notice hard screams, saturated noise waves and field recordings mixed together in repetitive loops.

+ + + : This work hasn’t lost its initial magic and remains a true reference in a style Mz.412 has invented. I enjoyed the tormented sonic voyage, which also sounds sophisticated. I still find back the true, Industrial, spirit form the early years which has been masterly adapted into something new. This was the debut of a successful career.

– – – : The bonus track which is an alternative ‘tape’ edit to the “Rood”-track is a cool extra for the fans but nothing more.

Conclusion: “Macht Durch Stimme” sounds as a true sonic Poltergeist and will occur you a cold sweet sensation.

Best songs: “Aptionstheorie”, “Sequela”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/MZ412official

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

About Mz.412

Mz.412 was formed in Sweden in 1988 as Maschinenzimmer 412 by Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, Jouni “Ulvtharm” Ollila and Leif Holm, and is credited as an originator of “black industrial,” combining industrial noise, ritual ambient and black-metal atmospheres. Jonas “Drakhon” Aneheim joined in 1995, replacing Holm, around the time the name was shortened to MZ.412. Björkk, also active as Nordvargr, has additionally recorded in Deutsch Nepal, In Slaughter Natives and Sällskapet, alongside Thomas Ekelund, and has collaborated live with Trepaneringsritualen. “Macht Durch Stimme” was the band’s 1988 debut on Mechanik Cassettes, reissued here by Cold Spring with a bonus track.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient, Techno, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, 3CD, 3Vinyl.

Background/Info: Henrik Nordvargr Björkk strikes back with a new and massive production under his own name. This album features twenty seven songs. The album- and vinyl mixes seem to be different, which makes it even more interesting.

Content: Nordvargr is an artist I’ve always linked with Ultra-Dark-Ambient and Experimental stuff. This work features typical tracks in this genre, but also takes the listener by surprise. Nordvargr mixed his obscure sound atmospheres with Techno kicks. The result is surprising and definitely injecting something new to Techno- and Dark-Ambient genres.

+ + + : The mix of opposite influences -at least 2 styles you don’t really imagine to be complementary, is definitely one of the biggest challenges in the career of Nordvargr. But the Swedish giant is also a genius. He merges both influences with a surprising harmony. You need a few tracks to get used to it, but once you’re in it you’ll realize the originality and efficiency of this sonic osmosis. Some passages are even ending into Trance while the electronic layers remains obscure and creating a tormented atmosphere.

– – – : Three albums is a lot and even if the work is varied, it remains a particular experience in sound, which I’m sure will be not praised by Dark-Ambient ‘purists’.

Conclusion: This album by Nordvargr sounds like dance music for ghosts.

Best songs: “4IV – Rmx”, “3III”, “1I”, “4IV”, “Totem Visitations”, “Evil Eyes Impaled”, “When Serpents Appear – BURG Rmx”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.nordvargr.com / www.facebook.com/hnordvargr

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

About Nordvargr

Behind Nordvargr is Swedish musician Henrik Nordvargr Björkk. At sixteen he bought a Roland SH-101 synthesizer and started recording music inspired by DAF and Front 242, work that led to the band Pouppée Fabrikk. In 1988 Björkk became part of the black industrial group Maschinenzimmer 412, later Mz.412, whose first album “Malfeitor” was released on Cold Meat Industry in 1989.

Björkk has since recorded under his own name, as Nordvargr and as Folkstorm, and in collaborations with Trepaneringsritualen and Thomas Ekelund. Cold Spring first issued the album “Pyrrhula” in 2008 and released a vinyl edition of that album in a limited run of 500 copies in 2021.

“Resignation I-II-III” was released by Cyclic Law on digital, 3CD and 3LP, with twenty seven tracks and different album and vinyl mixes.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

“Macht Durch Stimme”, the debut release of Maschinenzimmer 412 (a.k.a. MZ. 412) is a true milestone in the history of Swedish black industrial music.

In 1987 Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, Jouni Ulvtharm Ollila, and Leif Holm formed Maschinenzimmer 412, next to their other project Pouppée Fabrikk. Jonas Drakhon Aneheim joined in 1995, replacing Holm and the bands anew got abbreviated to MZ. 412.

Originally released in 1988 by the Swedish tape label Mechanik Cassettes (run by Memorandum’s Petter Marklund), “Macht Durch Stimme” came in a tiny edition of just 50 copies. For this reissue out via the fine label Cold Spring all of the material was remastered from the original 4-track tapes and a previously unreleased, exclusive track that was rediscovered when listening through the old master tapes was added as well.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Here’s something you should check out asap. Two Swedish industrial artists have united as Det Kätterska Förbund (The Heretical Association) for the release of the album “Lidaverken Del I: Att i Vådeld Förgås”, namely Nordvargr and ᚦᛟᚦ ᚷᛁᚷ aka Thomas Ekelund (Trepaneringsritualen and Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words).

Ekelund, who also runs the label When Skies Are Grey besides, and Henrik Nordvargr Björkk (MZ.412, Pouppée Fabrikk, Folkstorm etc) have both been slowly and methodically working for almost 5 years to finish the first album of this project. The result, 7 strong industrial rhythm tracks, is rather excellent as you can hear below. Out via UK’s finest industrial label Cold Spring.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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The black ambient / drone / doom project Nordvargr (MZ.412) is releasing a vinyl version of the “Pyrrhula” album in a limited edition of 500 copies and this on pale amber coloured vinyl via Cold Spring Records.

“Pyrrhula” was originally released on Cold Spring in 2008 and was one of the label’s most popular albums. This 2021 edition has been restored from the original masters, and further refined for the vinyl format.

Partly based on an old Swedish folktale, “Pyrrhula” (“Doomlord”) is a pitch black journey into utter darkness. You get the previously released eight black ambient / doom / droneworks on this vinyl.

About Nordvargr

Behind the project we find Swedish musician Henrik Nordvargr Björkk. When he was 16 he bought a Roland SH-101 synthesiser and began working on music inspired by bands such as DAF and Front 242. This led to Björkk recording with friends producing what would later be the band Pouppée Fabrikk.

In 1988 Nordvargr became part of the influential black industrial combo Maschinenzimmer 412 (later Mz.412). The first album, “Malfeitor”, was released in 1989 on the Cold Meat Industry label. Since then, he has systematically explored the broad field of post-industrial music, releasing solo records covering noise, power electronics, militant, dark ambient, drone, blackened noise, experimental and avant garde. In parallel to his band activities, he has pursued a solo career with a vast amount of record releases.

Nordvargr’s early work was characterized by The Wire as “cultish Dark Ambient”, but became more experimental. He has made industrial music (Mz.412), and ambient black metal (Vargr). Other projects include Folkstorm, Econocon, Toroidh, Hydra Head Nine, Nordvargr / Drakh, Thee Maldoror Kollective, Muskel, Naer Mataron, Incinerator International, L/A/B, Goatvargr, Marvargr, Körperwelten, All Hail the Transcending Ghost, Resignation, Nexus Kenosis, Angst and Kongo and maybe we have forgotten one or two.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, Electro-Metal.

Format: Digital, 6 CD Box.

Background/Info: Swedish cult EBM formation Pouppée Fabrikk struck back earlier this year by the phenomenal and dynamic EBM album “Airmen”. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic the band couldn’t play live again and released this massive Box instead. EKM stands for ‘Electronics Kroppsmusik’, which is the name they used to define their music. Anthology refers to thirty years of Pouppée Fabrikk; songs that were originally composed in between 1989 and 2019. This impressive anthology features 94 songs; taken from their albums, EP’s, but still some exclusive remixes, live tracks, rehearsal edits and demo cuts. The fans get 42 exclusive songs!

Content: Pouppée Fabrikk can be easily defined as an EBM master; a band that left a trademark in EBM history. Often compared with bands like Nitzer Ebb and DAF for the straight forward and merciless EBM they later on injected guitar playing and Metal influences getting them closer to Die Krupps. But this anthology first of all reveals that Pouppée Fabrikk still has a very own sound DNA, the kind of band that you instantly recognize for their solid bass lines, dark and disturbing sphere, heavy rhythmic and deep growls. But Pouppée Fabrikk also had something pretty Punk-like.

This Box is a way to get back to early and essential albums “Rage” and “Portent” plus the first EP’s “Summoning” and “Betrayal”, pure and unpolished, raw EBM with a Punk attitude. The next releases “We Have Come To Drop Bombs”, “Djävulen” and “Your Pain – Our Gain” revealed a sound in evolution; EBM getting mixed with furious guitar riffs becoming more Metal-like. The album “The Dirt” released in 2013 was a kind of move back to the roots.

Songs from later EP’s like “I Want Candy”, “Elite Electronics”, “Bring Back The Ways Of Old” and “H8 U” have been featured as well. Most of the exclusive songs are demo edits from some of their most famous tracks, but also exclusive remixes by Plastic Noise Experience, Nexus Kenosis and Angst, next to other remixes by Spetsnaz, Blush Response, Kant Kino, Aesthetische, Autodafeh and Polyfuse. And you’ll discover some live recordings from the early years; from 1989, 1991 and 1994.

+ + + : No need to say this Box is an absolute must have for the Pouppée Fabrikk fans. It’s a complete anthology getting us back to the band’s greatest hits, but still an opportunity to discover numerous exclusive songs. This legendary band deserves such an artistic box. The work also is an opportunity to see how the band evolved throughout the years; from the brute and unpolished “Rage” to the more accomplished “Portent” to the Punkish “We Have Come to Drop Bombs” to the Metal-orientated “Djavülen” and “Your Pain Our Gain” to the move back to EBM “The Dirt” while reminding us of essential EP’s like “Summoning”, “Betrayal” and “I Want Candy”. Pouppée Fabrikk is not just EBM, it’s a band with a very own and easy recognizable sound. Probably one of the darkest and hardest retro-EBM bands. 2020 has been the year of Pouppée Fabrikk! We first get this great new album “Armén” featuring core members Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, Leif Holm and Jouni Ollila working back together, but now there’s this great retrospective. It’s also interesting to know your favorite Pouppée Fabrikk song; mine will always be “Die Jugend” from the EP “Summoning”. Among the multiple remixes, I’ll mention the great job done by Autodafeh remixing “Bring Back The Ways Of Old”, originally released on the same-titled EP. 

– – – : The less convincing part of the work is the live recordings; the songs were previously unreleased, but unfortunately suffering from a poor sound quality.

Conclusion: There’s no better way resuming this album –and the entire work of Pouppée Fabrikk, than the title of their debut album: Rage!

Best songs: “Die Jugend”, “Retrospect”, “T.O.D.N.”, “Keine Zukunft”, “Summon The Spirits”, “Where Are You?”, “Bring Back The Ways Of Old – Autodafeh Remix”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Pouppée-Fabrikk-100329766260

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

About Pouppée Fabrikk

Pouppée Fabrikk is a Swedish electronic body music act formed in 1987, describing its sound as EKM (Elektronisk Kroppsmusik). Core members Henrik “Nordvargr” Björkk, Leif Holm and Jouni Ollila built a catalogue moving from the raw, DAF- and Nitzer Ebb-indebted EBM of the early albums “Rage” and “Portent” towards guitar-driven, Die Krupps-adjacent material on releases such as “We Have Come To Drop Bombs” and “Your Pain – Our Gain”, before returning to EBM roots on “The Dirt” and the 2020 album “Armén”.

“EKM – Anthology 1989-2019” was released on Alfa Matrix on 4 December 2020 as a 6 CD box limited to 500 copies, gathering 94 tracks and over six hours of music spanning the band’s first three decades, including remastered pre-Alfa Matrix material, 42 exclusive tracks, three new remixes and a live bootleg recorded between 1989 and 1994. No further Side-Line coverage of Pouppée Fabrikk beyond the label’s own 2025 anniversary sampler has been found.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Set up in 1987 by Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, Leif Holm and Jouni Ollila, Pouppée Fabrikk rapidly became a new EBM giant. The Swedish band’s early albums “Rage” (1990) and “Portent” (1991) became an instant success. They moved on with the albums “We Have Come To Drop Bombs” (1993), “Djävulen” (1998) and “Your Pain – Our Gain” (1999), which were driven by furious industrial guitar riffs. All productions were released by the legendary Swedish label Energy Rekords. We had to wait till 2013 to see Pouppée Fabrikk releasing the album “The Dirt” on the Belgian label Alfa Matrix. This work featured reworked songs from the early years. Pouppée Fabrikk is now finally back on track with a totally new studio album featuring ten songs, which possibly are the darkest and most aggressive ones they ever composed. “Armén” has been again released on Alfa Matrix and is for sure one of the EBM highlights from 2020. Front man and singer Henrik Nordvargrg Björkk kindly answered a few questions about the new work.

And whilst reading this interview, press the play below to enjoy the band’s newest work. Besides the download version, there is also a vinyl version and fan version on CD.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: The album “The Dirt” featured reworked ‘old’ songs so “Armén” is your first totally ‘new’ studio album in more than twenty years! Did you ever expect to release new Pouppée Fabrikk songs and what made this comeback come true?

Henrik: Yes, we totally did expect to do a new album, but it just took a lot of time to get in the right mode for it I guess. Even though we have been a bit inactive over the years we are still good friends and hang out, so the spirit of the band is always present in our interactions.

Q: How did it feel to work back together on totally new stuff? What has been the input off each member and what have been the different stages in the writing and recording of “Armén?

Henrik: “Armén” was mainly composed and recorded by me, so it was a different approach. I used to only be the singer and occasional ‘noisemaker’ in Pouppée Fabrikk, but this time I also did the musical parts of the album. Of course we bounced my demos back and forth a bit, but the writing and recordings all took place at my studio in Nora. This does not mean that Pouppée Fabrikk is my solo-project now, just that this specific release was mine to make. Over the years some of us, including me, have been inactive on some releases and shows, and it is just the way life plays out -as long as the spirit of the band is present we are a functioning project regardless of the participants at a given time.

Q: “Armén” sounds to me as a move back to the early years of the band. Sound-wise it could have been the last chapter of a trilogy, which started with “Rage” (1990) and moved on with “Portent” (1991). Do you recognize this link with the early stuff? And how do you see this album in the Pouppée Fabrikk discography and history?

Henrik: If you only count our ‘pure electronic’ albums you could call it a trilogy, but I still think that the rest of the albums are important too, but they are different in sound.

The idea with ‘Armén’ was to make the hardest goddamn EBM album ever, using our roots and old ‘rage’ as the foundation, but combine it with all the years of experience and accumulated anger inside… 

Q: Are you guys perfectionists? When do you consider a song/album as finished? Do you handle specific criteria when it comes to equipment, recording, mixing, mastering etc?   

Henrik: No, I think we have a very relaxed attitude towards our music, focusing more on the feeling of it rather than the production values. But over the years we have become a bit more critical and more careful of how we finalize the product, putting more hours into making the mastering sounding ‘in your face’ and powerful. When it comes to equipment we are still sticking to hardware; trying to avoid softsynths and such weak stuff. 

Q: The lyrics of the album have something like a kick in the ass! Is this an album with a message? What did you try to express and what’s your perception of the ‘classical’ EBM productions without real lyrical substance?

Henrik: I just write down what flows out of me; this time it was a bit more personal maybe, and I had a lot of things on my mind at the time I wrote the lyrics. The message is quite clear I think. “Armén” is a very pissed off album, pissed off at the world, the polarized worldviews, the rich getting richer, the control that is forced upon us everywhere, the slow removal of privacy etc etc etc… I could go on for days. The ‘inversion’ of the Swedish state symbol should say it all.  

Q: I can imagine it must be frustrating when you’ve a new album out to see you shows cancelled/postponed because of the Corona pandemic. How do you experience the whole thing and what are the further plans for Pouppée Fabrikk? 

Henrik: We are all staying home and trying to keep safe, so we are all doing good up to this point. But we are mighty disappointed that we had to cancel all the shows that we planned -I mean, we release an album for the first time in forever, and when we want to go on the road again to promote it this shit storm hits… arrghhh.

But we are not slowing down now; we have plans to all get together in June to start recording new material, so it won’t take another six years for the follow up to “Armén”.  

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Pouppée Fabrikk are the Swedish Godfathers of EBM! Set up in 1987 they released noticeable albums and songs until they disappeared from the sonic radar. We all know Henrik Nordvargr Björkk was involved with numerous industrial/ambient projects, but “Armén” is the first new Pouppée Fabrikk album in more than twenty years. Henrik Nordvargr Björkk joined arms again with Leif Holm and Jouni Ollila.

Content: The album takes off with the previously released single title-song “Only Control”. The song feels like a hard punch to your face, which remains the trademark of the Swedish giants. The compositions are pretty simple like good-old electro-punk has to sound; solid and dark bass lines, a heavy, linear tempo and the growls of Henrik on top. The songs are short, but always powerful. This album sounds like the band should have never stopped. It also remains one of the darkest and I even dare to say most tormented sound experiences in EBM. One song was sung in their Mother tongue while other tracks were sung in English. The last song of the album “Kick It” sounds a bit more ‘modern’.

+ + + : Pouppée Fabrikk is back and that’s for sure an event we no longer expected. “Armén” also stands for a stunning return. Time had no weight on Pouppée Fabrikk and the songs are all in the vein of their most successful early albums (cf. “Rage” and “Portent”). Being a bass line freak, this album gives me a true sonic orgasm, but I also enjoy the dark sphere supporting the work. The songs have something menacing. Some aggressive, metallic noises accentuate the cold sound experience. “Only Control” remains a great song, but I also have to mention “Burn Forever”, “I Am Here To Stay” and “Kom Ta Min Smärta”. Last, but not least I also have to say efficient EBM is also about a great sound production and that’s precisely what “Armén” stands for!

– – – : “Blessings” is the only single song, which sounds a little less unaccomplished to me. No reason to complain!

Conclusion: I’m always a bit skeptical and hesitant when legendary bands are striking back after such a long lapse of time, but Pouppée Fabrikk remains true masters of EBM. If this band will go live again, it will be damned crazy!

Best songs: “Burn Forever”, “I Am Here To Stay”,  “Only Control”, “Kom Ta Min Smärta”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Pouppée–Fabrikk-100329766260

Label: www.alfa–matrix.com / www.facebook.com/Alfa.Matrix Read the news on ‘Armén’.

About Pouppée Fabrikk

Pouppée Fabrikk was set up in 1987 by Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, Leif Holm and Jouni Ollila and became an EBM name in Sweden. The band’s early albums “Rage” (1990) and “Portent” (1991) were followed by “We Have Come To Drop Bombs” (1993), “Djävulen” (1998) and “Your Pain – Our Gain” (1999), all released by the Swedish label Energy Rekords. Pouppée Fabrikk returned in 2013 with “The Dirt” on Alfa Matrix, an album of reworked songs from the band’s early years. The single “Only Control” preceded “Armén”, the band’s first new studio album in over two decades, released on Alfa Matrix in 2020.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, industrial.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl, Cassette.

Background/Info: Henrik Nordvargr Björkk released this Nordvargr-opus by the end of 2019. The title refers ‘to the false sephira which also can be interpreted as the great abyss that needs to be crossed in order to attain higher knowledge’. “Daath” features eight tracks. Notice by the way the cassette format has been released on Cloister Recordings.

Content: The previous full length “Metempsychosis” –which was also released by Cyclic Law, was according to me one of the best works in the impressive Nordvargr discography. The artist moves on the same path, mixing dark-ambient, cinematic and industrial influences together. The vocals –which are more a kind of low resonating growls, are once again very present at this new opus. Sound-wise the tracks are filled with a powerful sound arsenal featuring metallic percussion sounds and other industrial rhythmics, overwhelming sound waves and also dark, dreamy passages.

+ + + : “Daath” sounds in the prolongation of the previous album, but it maybe moves a step further. The tracks have something heavy and overwhelming while the disturbing vocals accentuate the nightmarish sensation when listening to this work. Nordvargr leads the listener into torment and this by the creation of monstrous sounds and heavy industrial noises.

– – – : Norvargr can’t take me by surprise, but I don’t care as the albums are getting better and better.

Conclusion: This is one more brilliant exposure of this artist’s taste for dark music. Nordvargr is not only a prolific project, but it also remains a true reference in its style. 

Best songs: “The Horsemen Ride Out On Foaming Steeds”, “Inner Monarch Awakened”, “Invocation Of The Unseen”, “As King, As Queen – When Kingdom Collide”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.nordvargr.com / www.facebook.com/hnordvarg

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

About Nordvargr

Henrik Nordvargr Björkk is a Swedish artist active since the early 1990s under multiple monikers, most notably the EBM act Pouppée Fabrikk, the ritual-industrial group MZ.412 and the solo dark-ambient/industrial project Nordvargr. Side-Line reviewed his “The Secret Barbarous Names” album and interviewed him in 2017 under the title ‘My Brain Is Wired’. His prior Nordvargr full-length, “Metempsychosis”, was reviewed in 2018 as one of the best entries in his catalogue, and the project continued on the same label with “Resignation IV” in 2025. “Daath” sits between those two releases in the Nordvargr/Cyclic Law chronology.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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Out via the Italian label Old Europa Café is the newest 9-track album by Folkstorm. “Nihil Total” comes in a limited edition of only 300 copies and again offers classic orthodox Swedish industrial made without computers or modern tricks. The album also is the third chapter in the Folkstormish trilogy together with “Information Blitzkrieg” and “Ortodox”.

Folkstorm was originally founded under the name Volkssturm and was considered to be a more direct continuation of MZ. 412. Behind the buttons we of course find Henrik Björkk (Pouppée Fabrikk): “I started Folkstorm because I wanted to do something similar, but unlike MZ.412. I experimented with different recording techniques and sound sources to get a raw, dirty sound.” Folkstorm is actually a one-man band, but sometimes Ulvtharm and Mrs. Nordvargr helped out.

Here’s a teaser for the new album.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Death-industrial, dark-ambient, doom.

Background/Info: The idea of this single is pretty simple; you take two Swedish ‘giants’ dealing with obscure dark-ambient/industrial music and you ask each of them to rework/remix a song from the other.

Content: We first get the song “Konung Krönt I Blod” originally released on the Trepaneringsritualen album “Perfection & Permanence” (Cold Spring, 2014) and next “Salve Teragmon” originally released on “Metapsychosis’ (Cyclic Law, 2018). The remixes or reworked cuts are somewhere holding on the original spirit of each artist.It all remains ultra-dark and oppressive compositions.  

+ + + : I like the concept from this single, which will for sure catch the attention of both artists numerous fans. It also brings 2 great artists together who have been very inspired (re)working a song from the other. It’s hard to give you my favorite, but both artists clearly are experts in dark, tormented and oppressive music spheres.

– – – : I regret there are only 2 songs featured, but that’s the good-old single format.

Conclusion: This single is a kind of sonic intercourse between two major artists from the Swedish ambient/industrial scene.

Best songs: “Konung Krönt I Blod – Nordvargr Rework”, “Salve Teragmon – Trepaneringsritualen Rework”.

Rate: (7).

Artists: www.de–za–kh–a–da–sh–ba–a–ha–v.se /  www.facebook.com/Trepaneringsritualen /  www.facebook.com/hnordvargr

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

About Trepaneringsritualen & Nordvargr

Trepaneringsritualen is an industrial ritual project founded in 2008 by Swedish artist Thomas Ekelund, based in Göteborg. Nordvargr is the recording name of Swedish musician Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, born in 1971, also known for his work as Mz.412. For this single, each artist reworked a song by the other: “Konung Krönt I Blod”, from Trepaneringsritualen’s album “Ritualer, Blot Och Botgöring”, and “Salve Teragmon”, from Nordvargr’s “Metempsychosis” (Cyclic Law, 2018).

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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Genre/Influences: death-industrial, dark-ambient, drone, industrial, EBM.

Background/Info: Henrik Nordvargr Björkk last year released the album “Psychosis”. Seven songs from this album has been taken and exposed to the remix skills of nine artists, considered as ‘friends’ of the Swedish master.

Content: The remixes have been made by MZ.412, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Vasafor, Visions, Kristoffer Oustad, Spetsnaz, Michael Idehall, Thorofon and The Benjolin Codex. It creates a quite diversified opus, where you can easily recognize most of the original songs, but also the input from each remixer.

+ + + : Remix-albums aren’t exactly a very common practice in this kind of music. So the result is rather original and definitely diversified. If you would like to know how Nordvargr-stuff sounds in an EBM approach I can only, but recommend the Spetsnaz remix. But my personal favorite one is the dark and delicate accomplishment by Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio remixing “Sweet Death Triumphant”. In fact it’s much more than simply a remix, but a totally reworked edit featuring the vocals of Tomas Pettersson. Another essential piece is the remix of this same song by Thorofon. I like the electronic sequences mixed with spoken-like growls.

– – – : Even if this album has something ‘fun’-like I would have preferred discovering a new work from Nordvargr himself.

Conclusion: I’m not sure if the fans will be totally satisfied with this album, but it clearly is a kind of collector’s item and an ode to this genius artist.

Best songs: “Sweet Death Triumphant – Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio Rework”, “Sweet Death Triumphant – Thorofon Rework”, “Salve Teragmon – Spetsnaz Rework”, “Sweet Death Triumphant – Kristoffer Oustad Rework”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/hnordvargr

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

About Nordvargr

Nordvargr is the recording name of Swedish industrial and dark ambient musician Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, born in 1971 in Västerås and based in Nora. “Tantum Melior” gathers remixes from artists including Mz.412, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Spetsnaz, Thorofon, Kristoffer Oustad and Michael Idehall.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Background/Info:

About Horologium

Horologium is a project of Polish musician Grzegorz Siedlecki, formed in 2004 after he stopped his previous project Totenhaus. Siedlecki told Side-Line in a 2019 Click Interview that the change came naturally: “When I noticed my music was shifting towards more complex structures, it felt natural to set up a new entity that would allow me to delve into more adventurous territories.”

Horologium’s music spans dark ambient, neo-classical and martial styles, released over the years through labels including Divine Comedy Records, Old Europa Cafe, Neuropa Records and La Esencia. “Atavistic Americana”, issued on vinyl by Sky Burial Productions and limited to 150 hand-numbered copies, was recorded in 2016 and 2017.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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Background/Info:

Best songs: “She Who Offers Sorrow”, “Ulvens Broder” “Oppna Helgrind”, “We Are Eternal”, “Lokastafr Ablaze With The Thorns Of Death”.

About MZ.412

MZ.412 formed in Sweden in 1987 as Maschinenzimmer 412, built around Henrik Nordvargr Bjorkk, Jouni Ollila and Leif Holm, the same trio also active as Pouppee Fabrikk. Jonas Aneheim replaced Holm in 1995, the year the group shortened its name to MZ.412 and released “In Nomine Dei Nostri Satanas Luciferi Excelsi”, the album later credited with shaping the “black industrial” style the band helped originate; it was reissued on double vinyl in 2018, as reported by Side-Line at the time.

MZ.412 has worked repeatedly with Trepaneringsritualen, including the live album “Post Industriale / Rituals 2015 E.V.”, released on vinyl in 2017. “Svartmyrkr” continued the group’s ongoing relationship with Cold Spring, the label that has also reissued several of its earlier albums on vinyl.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient.

Background/Info: “Disease” was originally released in 1996 on Art Konkret. Driven by Peter Nyström (also involved with other projects such as Negru Pvlse, Kristoffer Nyströms Orkester ao) Megaptera became a reference in dark-ambient, obscure cinematographic and death-industrial music. This new edition has been remastered by Henrik Nordvargr Björkk and features one extra song.

Content: “Disease” brings us back to Megaptera at its best! It remains pure dark-ambient music accomplished with bombast sound, epic arrangements à la In slaughter Natives, bouncing drones and tormented atmospheres. The extra cut perfectly fits to the work and is an extra part from the track “The Squire Goes Insane”.

+ + + : The artwork has been completely changed and looks really artistic; this is a great digipak featuring artistic pictures. Sound-wise Megaptera invites the listener to join an imaginary universe of darkness and stupor. It indeed is a work with a strong visual appeal, which is instigated by the perfect mix between all elements of the production. The epic arrangements are adding some drama, the drones create a delicious vibrating sensation and the chilling atmospheres are very efficient.

– – – : “Disease” is an absolute great piece of music, but maybe missing the absolute climax to speak about a referential opus.

Conclusion: This is a noticeable album in the dark-ambient genre, which will please all of those who maybe missed “Disease”, but still a nice gift for the biggest fans because of the new package and artwork plus the extra cut.

Best songs: “Disoriented”, “The Passage To Your Evil Dreams”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Megaptera–Åfficial-294144157411675

Label: http://ur–muzik.blogspot.be / www.facebook.com/urmuzik.rec 

About Megaptera

Megaptera was the project of Swedish musician Peter Nyström, who also recorded as Negru Pvlse and as Kristoffer Nyströms Orkester. Megaptera was one of the first acts associated with Sweden’s Cold Meat Industry label, with a sound compared to In Slaughter Natives and Brighter Death Now.

“Disease” was originally released in 1996 on Art Konkret. This Ur-Muzik reissue was remastered by Henrik Nordvargr Björkk and added one extra track to the original album.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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“In Nomine Dei Nostri Satanas Luciferi Excelsi”, the 1995 album by MZ.412, will see a re-release in a deluxe double-vinyl format. Originally released in 1995 by Cold Meat Industry on CD format only, this is the first time the album will be available on vinyl.

It was this album where this Swedish collective shifted their aesthetic toward what would eventually shape the “black industrial” subgenre. You an pre-order this re-release on vinyl right now.

In 1988 Swedish musician Henrik Nordvargr Björkk (frontman of Pouppée Fabrikk) became part of the influential black industrial combo Maschinenzimmer 412 (later Mz.412). The first album, “Malfeitor”, was released in 1989 on the Cold Meat Industry label. This first album was limited to seven hundred copies. Since then, Henrik has systematically explored the broad field of post-industrial music, releasing solo records covering noise, power electronics, militant, dark ambient, drone, blackened noise, experimental and avant garde. In parallel to his band activities, he has pursued a solo career with a vast amount of record releases.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Ulvens Broder’.

About MZ.412

MZ.412 began life as Maschinenzimmer 412, formed in Stockholm in 1987 by Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, Jouni “Ulvtharm” Ollila and Leif Holm, alongside the trio’s other project Pouppée Fabrikk. Jonas “Drakhon” Aneheim replaced Holm in 1995, when the name was shortened to MZ.412. The project’s 1988 debut, “Macht Durch Stimme”, was reissued by Cold Spring in 2022 with a previously unreleased track; Björkk continues to record as Nordvargr.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Metempsychosis’.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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“Alpha Ænigma” is a one-off session recorded nighttime during the winter of 2018 by Henrik Nordvargr Björkk (MZ.412 / Folkstorm…) and the Göteborg based artist Thomas Ekelund (Trepaneringsritualen).

Good to know, the project should not be confused with their other project “Det Kätterska Förbund”.

The album offers ritual sounds and is available on CD (you can place your orders here).

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, industrial.

Background/Info: Italian artist Francesco Gemelli gained some recognition as visual artist, but he also composed music under the Eidulon moniker. Back in 2007 he released the full length “Idolatriae” and now strikes back –again on Malignant Records, with the “Combustioni”-opus on, which he got the help of numerous guests.

Content: An impressive number of guest artists have been invited to achieve “Combustioni”. Nordvargr, Luca Soi (Void Of Silence), Kammarheit, Naxal Protocol and Caul contributed to this work, which is mixing dark-ambient influences together with heavier epic and industrial parts. The vocals of Luca Soi even inject a pure ethereal touch to the industrial heaviness. The tracks have been accomplished with obscure, anguished atmospheres and electronic treatments.

+ + + : This album stands for diversity and certain ambient/industrial eclecticism, which is due to the different guest artists. The compositions reveal a sophisticated writing, which mainly comes through at “Averni Flammas Transivi” featuring Kammarheit. In a different style there’s the graceful “Immanence” featuring the heavenly vocals of Luca Soi while Caul has been featured as well.

– – – : Diversity can be still considered as the main point of discussion. There’s a kind of hiatus between the most noticeable cuts and a few other tracks, which are less accomplished.

Conclusion: The main characteristic of “Combustioni” is the dark sphere recovering the compositions; it feels like a sonic voyage throughout an imaginary inferno.

Best songs: “Averni Flammas Transivi”,  “Immanence”, “A Shimmer In The Void”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.eidulon.net / www.facebook.com/eidulon.music

Label: www.malingnantrecords.com / www.facebook.com/malignantrecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Read the review of ‘Metempsychosis’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Old Europa Cafe has announced a brand new vinyl by MZ.412 and Trepaneringsritualen. Out by early 2018 (you can order this very limited item right here) the release offers a live recording of the show the duo performed on October 31 2015 at Old Europa Cafe’s label festival “X Congresso Post Industriale” at the Club Kindergarten in Bologna, Italy.

The recordings are being released on solid and heavy vinyl in a gatefold-cover plus poster artwork packaging by Thomas Eklund / TxRxP. The mastering was executed by Henrik Nordvargr Björkk/ Nordvargr. Each vinyl side includes one long and exclusive “Akt” (Ritual) by the 2 projects.

Track list:

1. MZ.412 Side A
2. MZ.412 Side B
3. TxRxP Side C
4. TxRxP Side D

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Death-industrial, ritual, experimental, dark-ambient.

Background/Info: “Anima Nostra” was originally released as an album featuring a collaboration between Henrik Nordvarggr Björkk and Margaux Renaudin. This successful album seems to have incited both protagonists to move on under the band name Anima Nostra.

Content: “Atraments” is an invitation to travel throughout the darkest corners of extreme music. It definitely sounds into death-industrial, but there are many influences making this opus varied. I noticed a kind of transcendental ritual piece, and also short experimental cuts. Harsh drones can be heard on another track. The work sounds rough, unpolished and tormented because of the overwhelming ambient passages.

+ + + : Anima Nostra (the band) confirms the chemistry that happened on “Anima Nostra” (the album). It’s a rather diversified opus, which is carried by a solid death-industrial and totally doom-like basis while joined by ritual-, experimental-, ambient music and drones. Some of the cuts have a real transcendental appeal and I here especially refer to “Blameless”, which is a little pearl in the genre. I also want to mention “Anima Nostra” (the song) for its harshness reinforced by drones. The harsh vocal parts running through the work only accentuate the disturbing sensation this album might occur.

– – – : I noticed a few shorter cuts, which are more a kind of intermezzo instead of real achieved tracks. It also is one more new project featuring Henrik Nordvargr Björkk who must be one of the most prolific artists from the scene. It sometimes become difficult to distinguish the different projects he’s active in.

Conclusion: Death-industrial music has never been that open-minded and mixed with other influences. It remains a somewhat perverted music format, but definitely one you are going to like if you’re into this sound.

Best songs: “Blameless”, “Anima Nostra”, “Composition For The Shadow Self”.

Rate: (7½).

Label: www.malingnantrecords.com / www.facebook.com/malignantrecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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16 years after its first release on vinyl only on the US label L.S.D. Oganisation, “Northern Dark Supremacy”, a cult release by the fathers of Mz.412 and many other great projects, is being made available for the first time ever on CD in a limited edition of 400 copies.

“Northern Dark Supremacy” was the first collaboration between Henrik Bjorkk and Jonas Aneheim in the framework of Nordvargr / Drakh. The duo would only release 5 albums, the last one in 2008 (Old Europa Café). This re-issue is the first activity of the duo for almost 10 years and it resulted in extra exclusive material to be included on the re-issue.

The extra tracks are taken from the same sessions that simply did not fit onto the vinyl. You can now order this augmented CD via this fine mailorder.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Henrik Nordvargr Björkk is an artist that has been involved in numerous, successful projects. But I know less artists dealing with different projects and becoming that recognized and famous in different music genres. Henrik Nordvargr Björkk not only is one of the 90s EBM legends (Pouppée Fabrikk), but he also –and mainly, is a kind of living legend in the dark-ambient/industrial scene. When you think about MZ.412, Nordvargr and Folkstorm (just to mention the most famous ones) you can only but agree this man is transforming every single project into sonic gold. One of his newest releases “The Secret Barbarous Names” (released on Malignant Records) is one more masterpiece and a very good reason to get in touch with this genius artist.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I’ve been always impressed by the number of music projects you’ve been involved with and the number of productions you released. How do you explain this endless creativity and productivity?

Henrik: It is just the ‘flow’ I have… I constantly get ideas and concepts in my head, and I need to get them ‘out’ or they will drive me mad. I can’t explain it, it is just the way my brain is wired I guess. There are some years that I am not that creative though, and I think I have been slowing down a bit the last years.

Q: But I can easily imagine ‘music’ takes a real special place in your existence, but what does it mean to you in terms of creative expression and what are your main sources of motivation/inspiration?

Henrik: Again, I have this flow of ideas and emotions that just comes to me -sometimes triggered by things you can’t explain or see in this dimension of existence, sometimes by input from my surroundings. Of course there are more concrete things that can motivate and inspire me, like people I collaborate with.

Q: I’m wondering about the differences and nuances you make between all of the projects and are there some specificities (like instruments, gear, modus operandi) according to the project you’re working on?

Henrik: All my projects have had some specific traits that made them unique; for example MZ. 412 -always working as a team/band.

Folkstorm -ignoring all rational thought and just go with instinct etc etc… but mostly I just start working on a piece and after a few minutes I usually hear where it belongs.

Q: One of your most recent works “The Secret Barbarous Names” reveals a great match between mystic/ritual atmospheres and dark-ambient/industrial elements. Tell us a bit more about the concept, writing and production of the work?

Henrik: The decision to work with vocals and to focus on channeling the material rather than ‘classic composing’ just came to me naturally as a product of my spiritual work. I have also been reading a lot of interesting books which have inspired the process, mainly old Gnostic texts and Kenneth Grant’s Typhonian Trilogies. Texts that contain what can be called secret barbarous names have been around much longer than the old grimoires and appear in most ancient cultures, albeit called by other names. These common traits in spiritual practice fascinates me and served as the inspiration when working with this recording.

Q: What are your personal criteria to consider if an album is accomplished or not and do you sometimes change your mind when listening back to a production years later?  

Henrik: Usually I just feel that ‘OK, done’ when working with a song/album, and after that I leave it be for a few weeks before listening to it again -then I always go back and polish the last few flaws I find. If you go back and rethink stuff you made years ago you would go mad, so I avoid that and think of my music as being done despite things that pop up in my head years later.

Q: You’ve worked with an impressive number of musicians/artists so what do you like in this artistic interaction and exchange plus what have been the most enlightening collaborations?

Henrik: You always get fresh input and help to see/hear things you did not know where there, and (most of the time) that can be a lot of fun. But then there are times when it does not work out so good also, so you never know; that is what is part of the charm.

I have been collaborating a lot during 2016/2017 and I have things coming out together with Romain Perrot, Thomas Ekelund and Eidulon just to name a few -all of those have been extremely satisfying and the results most awesome…

When it comes to the most enlightening collaboration I must choose Anima Nostra. Me and Margaux have truly created something special here, and I hope that people will realize this when listening to our album(s).

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Norwegian duo Dødsmaskin saw the daylight at the end of 2014. Peter Vindel and Kjetil Ottersen started composing ‘noise orientated drone’ music. They recently released their official debut album “Fullstendig Brent” on Malignant Records. This opus took me by surprise for its accessibility and originality. There’s a real creative mix featuring dark-ambient atmospheres, industrial elements, drones and even a kind of neo-classic flavor recovering the tracks. “Fullstendig Brent” is one of the best productions in the genre I’ve heard during the past months so I wanted to know a bit more about Dødsmaskin.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Dødsmaskin is a rather ‘new’ name active at the wider fields of noise/ambient/drone music. How did you get contaminated by this dark music virus and what kind of music project did you’d in mind when setting up Dødsmaskin?

Peter: Kjetil and I met 16 years ago and at the time we had just discovered artists like Converter and Mz.412. We started experimenting with noise and drone and our music became more and more eccentric. After a while, we had travelled so deep down the rabbit hole that we basically had no choice but to form Dødsmaskin.

To me it just feels natural when I write for Dødsmaskin. It’s liberating in a way that we don’t have to worry about trends, radio airplay or what people think of our music. Don’t get me wrong, I am very happy about the reception of our album, but if no one liked it we would still make the same sounds as we do today.

Q: Getting signed on Tumor/Malignant Records must be for sure a consecration. How does it feel and what does it mean for your artistic evolution?

Peter: Malignant Records are excellent to work with. To have a professional partner to promote and distribute our music means that we can focus more on the music part.

Q: How would you introduce your official debut album “Fullstendig Brent” to readers who never heard of Dødsmaskin before?

Peter: We describe ourselves as a noise-oriented drone act. We are often labeled as death-industrial as well.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the writing process properly speaking and especially about the mix of harsh noise/industrial elements together with somewhat neo-classic inspired passages?

Peter: It usually begins with a conceptual layout and sound design to create a basis to work from. How the mix of different elements will turn out depends a lot on the concept.

Q: How do you transpose the theme hiding behind this work dealing with witch trials in Norway during the 17th Century into music?

Peter: The witch trials represent one of the darkest chapters in Norwegian history, so the interpretation into music came along quite naturally once we started. I feel the sound on our album is a proper illustration of what occurred back then.

Q: I noticed you were really honored to compose a track together with Nordvargr for the “Recrudescence”-compilation. How did it happened and what did you keep in mind from this collaboration?

Peter: As mentioned, Mz.412 as well as Nordvargr (in addition to several other old-school Nordic noise and drone acts) have been influential on our musical life. I have personally been following Nordvargr on Instagram for a while and we have communicated on a few occasions there. When both Nordvargr and Dødsmaskin happened to be on Malignant Records at the same time, it felt right to approach him about a possible collab on this compilation.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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Swedish artist Fredrik Djurfeldt often reminds me to Henrik Nordvargr Björkk. He’s one of those few artists who feels comfortable composing now EBM and then dark-ambient stuff. One of his most renowned bands remains the body-music inspired Severe Illusion, but he also got recognition as ambient artist involved in Knös, Analfabetism. He now strikes back with a new Instans full length, which is not exactly a forgotten project, but definitely one band electronic lovers has to rediscover. The new opus “Derailed” released on Advoxya Records is a cool and somewhat vintage (90s)-like work, which I’m sure will increase the popularity of Instans.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Fredrik, you’re involved in multiple bands dealing with different styles so what does Instans stand for and what’s the specific sound DNA of this band?

Fredrik: For a long time, we have told people that Instans is just another name for the same thing we do under the Severe Illusion flag, so to speak, and very metaphorically. That, however, is a lie. So in that sense, Instans is a very dishonest band. Another interesting fact is that I have made the last two albums all on my own, so Instans is not even a band. It is just one, confused, middle aged Scandinavian lunatic and his pile of old machines these days.

Q: It might explain why Instans doesn’t release new work at regular basis, but what inspired you to start composing new material?

Fredrik: Just squeezing out a new album every six months is of course a possibility, but it would be as boring for me as for the listeners. I like to give it a few years, so the ideas behind the next album can grow for a while in my head. I tend to do this for all of my projects, and now it was finally time for a new Instans album. I had some ideas worked out just when Dima from Advoxya emailed me and suggested we’d work together on a new release. Sometimes someone has to kick me in the butt, pull my arm, or whatever. Now Dima did.

Q: So how did the writing of “Derailed” happened and what have been the main difficulties you encountered?

Fredrik: “Derailed” is a double CD, and the first one just came out of the plan I had in my head. You could say, this is what my brain looked like on the inside some time late 2015. Then I went over to Vancouver, BC, for a while and played a couple of shows with Analfabetism in the United States. Disc number two is really from there. Also all the photos in the booklet are from the beautiful city of Seattle. So the other CD is what my brain looked like, from time to time, while in North America, and the artwork represents the surroundings of my brain at the same time.

Q: Sound-wise I experienced “Derailed” as an interesting mix of EBM with a typical dark 90s flavor on top plus some minimal sound treatments. Does this description fit with your own perception and can you tell us a bit more about the different ingredients running through this work?  

Fredrik: The previous two albums have been made with some very basic synthesizers, and fairly mainstream software. With “Derailed” I wanted to recreate that sound with modular synths. The idea was to get the sound of the future, as I would have imagined the future back in the cold war days. Anyone old enough to remember the 80’s should know, that by 2016 we were all going to be dead. Either from Soviet hydrogen bombs, or a new, man made ice age. Or both. I wanted the album to sound like that, and I think I did quite well.

Q: I’m fascinated by your remix of “Metastatic Driveway”, which was done under the Severe Illusion flag. How is it remixing one of your bands by another one you’re involved with?

Fredrik: Technically, neither Instans, nor Severe Illusion is a band. It is really just me these days. Live shows are a very different thing, then we’re a whole bunch of people. But when I do a remix as Severe Illusion, I just use a different set of instruments and work with Severe Illusion recording techniques and so forth. I drink far too much coffee, regardless if I work on a piece for Severe Illusion or Instans.

Q: How do you see Instans evolving during the next few years and what might the fans expect regarding concerts, remixes ao?

Fredrik: I am very happy with how the new album turned out, and with the resposne I’ve had so far. I hope sometime early next year I can start working on a follow up. I have received a few offers from clubs and festivals, and I hope around October or November there will be new live shows from Instans again.

Fact is, Instans has been only a studio project for a long time. I played a few shows in Russia and Sweden with Ulf Lundblad when we were still a proper band, and then me and a certain Janina Danes had the opportunity to play a show in Santiago de Chile three years ago. I am currently putting together a new live show, possibly together with Ulf again. Instans is certainly on it’s way back.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, ritual.

Background/Info: Henrik Nordvargr Björkk is one of those musicians who doesn’t need any further introduction. From his EBM work under the Pouppée Fabrikk moniker towards his multiple dark-ambient, industrial and neo-folk projects, he now strikes back as ‘Nordvargr’ releasing a very poignant and frightening work.

Content: The album found its inspiration in ‘the hidden meanings of the countless manuscripts that have been kept secret for millennia’. The vocals have been inspired by Draconian and Typhonian traditions and that’s an important aspect of the work, which will carry you away on sonic trip of angst and hidden mysteries. Nordvargr has accomplished an extremely dark work, which is characterized by deep, vibrating sounds and voices.

You get the impression of hearing mantras performed by evil forces. The resonating sounds sometimes joined by a few drones are hard-hitting and appealing the listener to face his darkest demons. This work is pure ‘cellar’-music, which because of the particular vocals are moving on the edge of dangerous ritual music.

+ + + : I mostly like the work of this great artist, and this album is something different. I consider “The Secret Barberous Names” as a truly master piece revealing overwhelming, deep vibrating sound waves and vocal parts, which can’t leave you unmoved. The vocals are creating a dark and frightening atmosphere, revealing this ritual aspect. The visual strength of this record is amazing and will not leave you unaffected.

– – – : When you’re facing a masterpiece you don’t really imagine any single negative point. Skeptical minds will maybe complain about any possible similarity between all cuts, but you don’t hear me complain.

Conclusion: When you consider Nordvargr is an artist already active since the late 80s it simply is impressive to see he can still compose such a masterpiece! Respect Mr. Henrik Nordvargr Björkk! This work is poignant testimony of your creative genius and definitely a legacy for further generations of dark-ambient musicians!

Best songs: “Lunar Kala Soma”, “Mantra For Ur-Hekau”, “Chandrakala”, “Closing Of The Gates”.

Rate: (9).

Band: http://www.nordvargr.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Nordvargr/107816625907877

Label: www.malingnantrecords.com / www.facebook.com/malignantrecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Experimental, electronics, glitch, industrial.

Background/Info: Kongo is a new project featuring Henrik Nordvargr Björkk (Pouppée Fabrikk, Nordvargr, MZ.412, Folkstrom ao) and Peter Nyström (Negru Voda, Obscene Noise Korporation ao). “Blubber” is meant as a homage to bands such as Severed Heads and Cabaret Voltaire.

Content: Kongo rapidly appears to be an elaborated fusion between different influences. Electronic sequences have been merged with industrial noises plus pure experimental treatments. It’s hard to define the style of “Blubber”, but it definitely sounds like pure experimentalism.

The tracks are carried by mainly slow rhythms. The work has been accomplished by a few more influences and samplings. One of the songs sounds like an offspring between industrial music and dub.

+ + + : Both dark-ambient and industrial veterans have accomplished a surprising work. It is not the typical work of Henrik Nordvargr Björkk and Peter Nyström. I don’t exactly hear a possible homage to Severed Heads and Cabaret Voltaire except in the experimental way of composing the tracks. The least I can say is that Kongo is a creative process bringing different genres together. It’s an elaborated composition revealing interesting cuts such as “Lower Than Batra” revealing a great progression and “Landet Runt” for its deep, minimal approach or “Al Gadaffi Bike Gang (Giganten Ganja Smoke)” for the surprising osmosis between industrial noises and dub elements. Kongo also is one more sonic project featuring Henrik Nordvargr Björkk who clearly seems to have endless inspiration.

– – – : The diversity of the work is sometimes missing some cohesion. “Blubber” is not exactly the kind of composition, which is instantly accessible. There are many more fascinating projects where both protagonists have been involved in.

Conclusion: “Blubber” is a sophisticated experimental work composed by experienced musicians although an album you have to listen a few times before you can get into it.

Best songs: “Landet Runt”, “Lower Than Batra”, “Al Gadaffi Bike Gang (Giganten Ganja Smoke)”.

Rate: (7).

Bands: www.facebook.com/pages/Nordvargr/107816625907877 / www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004044051125

Label: http://ur–muzik.blogspot.be / www.facebook.com/urmuzik.rec

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-ambient, industrial, power-noise, experimental, noise, ritual, cinematographic.

Background/Info: A label sampler always offers an opportunity to familiarize with the different bands from the roster. I noticed that Cold Spring is celebrating its 30^th anniversary this year so you can imagine this British label and distributor has a great history. “Pyre” got released end 2016 and features a sonic spectrum from the latest- and forthcoming release on the label.

Bands: Troum, Khost, La Breiche, Skullflower, Penny Rimbaud’s L’Académie Des Vanités, Tunnels Of Ah, Sutcliffe Jugend, Tenhornedbeast, Sun Ra/Merzbow, She Spread Sorrow, Coil, Common Eader King Eider, Trepaneringsritualen, Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, Dave Ball + Jon Savage.

Content: This sampler featuring 15 bands confirms the fine nose of label owner Justin Mitchell to sign original- although often ‘extreme’ artists. Cold Spring is a label for experienced fans of experimental-, noise-, power-noise-, drone-, dark-ambient- and other related genres. This sampler is an exciting mix of different genres, but still a mix between long-time established and recognized artists on one side and a few new, upcoming talents on the other.

+ + + : It all depends of your personal taste and favorite music styles, but globally speaking I like the great diversity on “Pyre”. The tracklist has been progressively built up and finally moving into a brilliant final part with tracks from Troum, She Spread Sorrow, Common Eider King Eider, Henrik Nordvargr Björkk and Dave Ball + Jon Savage. It also remains a particular and I dare to say emotional experience to re-discover the genius of Coil.

– – – : There’s no real minus on “Pyre”, but it for sure remains the kind of music you can’t share with everybody.

Conclusion: Cold Spring is a label that has no longer real surprises for all music lovers familiarized with the label roster, but “Pyre” clearly proves 2016-2017 will be remembered as being a great vintage!

Best bands: Troum, She Spread Sorrow, Common Eider King Eider, Henrik Nordvargrg Björkk, Coil, Dave Ball + Jon Savage.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Industrial, experimental, glitch, abstract, IDM.

Background/Info: Surachai Sutthisasanakul aka Surachai is a Chicago based artist who collaborated with many artists like Alessandro Cortini, Richard Devine, Nordvargr and Otto von Schirach. He’s fascinated by good-old modular synthesizer, which for sure is a trademark of his sound. Surachai became a prolific artist always in search of new experiments and electronic paths.

Content: You’ll rapidly notice an omnipresent industrial influence, which has been mixed with electronic treatments and multiple sound manipulations. Surachai is not what I can call a typical musician. He’s more into sound research and creation, which moves the album to explore a kind of modern glitch work. I however think it’s nearly impossible to define this work as one precise and explicit genre.

“Instinct And Memory” is an impressive sound platform reassembling influences from very different sources. The industrial element is really important, but I can also mention a kind of electro-industrial approach reminding me of Dive, but in a more sophisticated format with a high-tech production.

+ + + : The global production of this album is ultra professional and impressive. The sounds literally blow you away. From a pure musical point of view, I was mainly impressed by the electro-industrial cuts and the IDM inspiration. I also have to mention the great and sexy and ritual-like front cover.

– – – : I was never a fan of glitch and that’s one of the few elements, which can’t totally convince me.

Conclusion: There are musicians and sound alchemists. Surachai definitely belongs to the second category, but still confirms to have great composing skills as well.

Best songs: “Hollow Books”, “Exhale Death”, “Form Forty (Density Imaged)”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.facebook.com/SurachaiMusic

Label: http://blknoise.com / www.facebook.com/blknoise

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Read the review of ‘Anima Nostra’.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Industrial-ambient, ambient-noise, death-industrial.

Background/Info: Behind Analfabetism is hiding Fredrik Djurfeldt, who’s an artist who gained a reputation in the Swedish and international EBM scene. Djurfeldt got involved in bands like Severe Illusion and Instans.

I like such an eclectic artist switching from EBM into dark-ambient and who reminds me a bit of his famous compatriot of Henrik Nordvargr Björkk. After a self-released debut album Analfabetism now joined the established Tumor (Malignant Records) label to unleash its official debut album.

Content: Analfabetism invites the listeners to join deep vibrating sound waves empowered by industrial scratches and boiling noises.

Some overwhelming and heavy sonic waves are literally coming down like a merciless torrent. The work progressively becomes darker and intriguing till reaching a kind of ritual apotheosis (cf. “I Vredens Tid”).

The album has been remarkably built up with a perfect balance between oppressive, dark atmospheres and industrial sound components. There also is an interesting turmoil of noises and samples fully accomplishing the composition.

↑↑↑: “Av Hjord Är Du Kommen” is a heavy sound production mixing impressive ambient passages and pure industrial sound treatments.

↓↓↓: I’m not always convinced with the multiple noise treatments, but it here concerns only a few passages.

Conclusion: “Analfabetism” is clearly not into sonic poetry, but exposes the listener to the most terrible and yet irrational degree of angst. This is the point where dark-ambient music turns into art.

Best songs: “I Vredens Tid”, “Träldom”, “Hundar”.

Rate: (DP:8)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/ProApocalypseAmbient

Label: www.malingnantrecords.com / www.facebook.com/malignantrecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com