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

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

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

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

About Days of Sorrow

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

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

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

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

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil.

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Sweet Ermengarde, a German Gothic/Dark-Wave group, has been active for quite some time. Following the release of several albums on Equinoxe Records, they return after an eight-year hiatus with “Sacrifice” on Solar Lodge. The production is polished, paying homage to 80s Dark-Wave masters while infusing a personal touch with a more melodic and Dark-Rock approach. Personally, I favor the harder tracks. (Rate:7½).

Listen to “Viscera”:

https://sweetermengarde.bandcamp.com/track/viscera

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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(Photo by Bobby Talamine) Metropolis Records announces the signing of industrial-electronic Vancouver-based music legend Bill Leeb for his debut solo effort “Model Kollapse”, out September 13.

“The album explores the intricacies of artificial intelligence and the survival of humanity itself,” says Bill Leeb.

The first single “Terror Forms” features Shannon Hemmett of Actors and Leathers and will be out on July 9. This album also involves Front Line Assembly / Delerium cohort Rhys Fulber, mixing engineer Greg Reely, Actors’ frontman Jason Corbett, and LA artist Mimi Page.

“We are proud to announce that Metropolis Records has signed Bill Leeb for his first solo project. Bill Leeb has had a prolific career as a founding member of Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly and Delerium. His music has been highly influential, and we are excited to see what this new chapter in his career will bring for him and his listeners,” says Nina Heckman of Metropolis Records. “I’m honored to fulfill my father’s (Dave Heckman who died in the summer of 2022) lifelong vision and to be doing this project with a lifelong family friend I can honestly call family (Bill Leeb). This project is near and dear to all of our hearts here at Metropolis and I know it would make my father proud.”

“Model Kollapse” marks Leeb’s very first solo venture since the mid-80s days of Front Line Assembly, when he used to make recordings in his bedroom and released them on limited edition cassette format. Almost four decades on, his new album was recorded and produced in Vancouver, Toronto and Los Angeles with assistance from Vancouver/Toronto-based production duo Dream Bullet.

The “Terror Forms” single will be unleashed digitally everywhere on July 9. The full “Model Kollapse” album will be released on vinyl and CD, as well as digitally, on September 13.

About Bill Leeb

Bill Leeb, born Wilhelm Anton Leeb on September 21, 1966, in Vienna, Austria, is best known as the founder and lead member of the industrial music group Front Line Assembly (FLA). Leeb moved to Canada in the 1980s, where he began his music career.

Before forming Front Line Assembly in 1986, Leeb was a member of the influential industrial group Skinny Puppy, where he performed under the pseudonym Wilhelm Schroeder. His departure from Skinny Puppy marked the beginning of his prolific career with Front Line Assembly.

In addition to Front Line Assembly, Leeb has been involved in several other music projects, including Delerium, which achieved commercial success with its fusion of ambient and pop music elements. Leeb’s other projects include Noise Unit, Intermix, and Conjure One, each exploring different facets of electronic music.

Bill Leeb discography

Bill Leeb has had a diverse range of musical projects, each with its own unique style and sound. Here’s an easy-to-read breakdown of the differences between his major projects:

Front Line Assembly (FLA) is characterized by a dark and aggressive style, blending industrial, Electronic Body Music (EBM), and electro-industrial sounds. The music features heavy use of synthesizers and electronic beats, often exploring dystopian and sci-fi themes.

Delerium, on the other hand, focuses on ambient, ethereal, and electronic music with a new age twist. Its sound is soothing and atmospheric, emphasizing melodies and textures. Delerium often incorporates world music elements and features various guest vocalists, achieving mainstream success with tracks like “Silence” featuring Sarah McLachlan.

Noise Unit showcases a mix of industrial, EBM, and techno influences. Over time, the project’s sound has varied, combining harsh industrial elements with more danceable EBM and techno beats. Collaborations with artists like Marc Verhaeghen of Klinik add to its diverse range of styles.

Intermix leans more towards techno, ambient, and electronic music. This project focuses on instrumental tracks, blending electronic and ambient music with techno rhythms. It is generally less aggressive than Front Line Assembly.

Conjure One presents a melodic and ethereal sound, incorporating ambient, electronic, world music, and pop influences. It features prominent guest vocalists and offers polished production with a radio-friendly appeal, blending electronic beats with organic instruments.

Cyberaktif, a collaboration with cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy, delivers a dark and experimental sound. Combining the signature styles of Front Line Assembly and Skinny Puppy, Cyberaktif features heavy use of samples and aggressive beats, resulting in a dense, experimental industrial sound.

Equinox focuses on ambient and atmospheric soundscapes, similar to early Delerium works but more abstract and experimental. It emphasizes creating immersive sound environments with a minimalistic approach.

Pro>Tech is a dance-oriented project with techno and trance influences. It features high-energy beats and repetitive, hypnotic structures, offering a clear departure from the darker styles of Leeb’s other projects, aiming for a more mainstream dance music appeal.

Below are the releases.

Front Line Assembly

• The Initial Command (1987)
• State of Mind (1988)
• Gashed Senses & Crossfire (1989)
• Caustic Grip (1990)
• Tactical Neural Implant (1992)
• Millennium (1994)
• Hard Wired (1995)
• FLAvour of the Weak (1997)
• Implode (1999)
• Epitaph (2001)
• Civilization (2004)
• Artificial Soldier (2006)
• Improvised. Electronic. Device. (2010)
• Echogenetic (2013)
• Wake Up the Coma (2019)
• Mechanical Soul (2021)

Delerium

• Faces, Forms & Illusions (1989)
• Morpheus (1989)
• Syrophenikan (1990)
• Spiritual Archives (1991)
• Stone Tower (1991)
• Spheres (1994)
• Spheres 2 (1994)
• Semantic Spaces (1994)
• Karma (1997)
• Poem (2000)
• Chimera (2003)
• Nuages du Monde (2006)
• Music Box Opera (2012)
• Mythologie (2016)

Noise Unit

• Grinding into Emptiness (1989)
• Response Frequency (1990)
• Strategy of Violence (1992)
• Decoder (1995)
• Drill (1996)
• Voyeur (1998)
• Dead Sector (1999)
• Deviator (2021)

Intermix

• Intermix (1992)
• Phaze Two (1993)
• Future Primitives (1995)

Conjure One

• Conjure One (2002)
• Extraordinary Ways (2005)
• Exilarch (2010)
• Holoscenic (2015)
• Innovation Zero (2023)

Cyberaktif

• Tenebrae Vision (1991)
• Temper (EP) (1990)

Equinox

• Holon (1998)

Pro>Tech

• Orbiting Cathedrals (1997)

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.

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Swans have shared a new track from their sixteenth studio album, “The Beggar”, due for release on Mute / Young God Records (N America) on 23 June 2023. “The Beggar” will be released on double vinyl in a brown chipboard sleeve (with a download card for accessing an additional 44 minutes of music, also included on the album’s CD version), as a double CD in a brown chipboard digi-pack, and digitally.

Listen to “Los Angeles: City of Death” below.

The band’s extensive touring for 2023 started last week and continues through spring and summer with UK dates in August, and North American dates in September. In addition, Swans have confirmed a string of new dates across Europe in October and November – full details below.

“The Beggar” was recorded and mixed at Candy Bomber Studio, Berlin, engineered by Ingo Krauss and mastered by Doug Henderson at Micro-Moose, Berlin. The album was written and produced by Michael Gira and features contributions from recent and former Swans, members of Angels of Light, as well as guest Swan Ben Frost.

Michael Gira adds: “After numerous pandemic-induced cancellations of tours for the previous Swans album leaving meaning, and an apparent bottomless pit of waiting, waiting, waiting, and the strange disorientation that came with this sudden but interminable forced isolation I decided it was time to write songs for a new Swans album and forget about everything else. They came relatively easily, always informed by the suspicion that these could be my last. When I finally was able to travel, songs in hand, to Berlin to work with my friends recording this record, the feeling was akin to the moment in The Wizard of Oz when the film changes from Black and White to Color. Now I’m feeling quite optimistic. My favourite color is pink. I hope you enjoy the album.”

Primary contributors to “The Beggar” were Michael Gita, Kristof Hahn, Larry Mullins, Dana Schechter, Christopher Pravdica, Phil Puleo and Ben Frost. Backing vocals are provided by Jennifer Gira, Lucy Kruger and Laura Carbone.

Swans, an experimental rock band from America, was established in 1982 by Michael Gira, a multi-talented artist serving as singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. This band is one of the rare survivors from the no wave scene of New York City, successfully transitioning into the subsequent decade. They are renowned for their dynamic musical style, shifting and exploring across various genres including noise rock, post-punk, industrial, and post-rock.

Swans live dates

• 25 May – Zilina SK, New Synagogue
• 26 May – Ljubljana SL, Kino Siska
• 27 May – Innsbruck, AT, Heart of Noise Festival, Treibhaus
• 29 May – Bologna IT, Teatro Duse
• 31 May – Lyon FR, Transbordeur
• 2 June – Barcelona ES, Primavera Sound Festival
• 4 June – Lisbon PT, Culturgest – SOLD OUT
• 5 June – Lisbon PT, Culturgest
• 6 June – Faro PT, Teatro Das Figuras
• 9 June – Madrid ES, Primavera Sound Festival
• 11 June – Athens GR, Vraxon Theatre
• 13 June – Thessaloniki GR, Moni Lazariston
• 15 June – Antwerp BE, Bourlaschouwburg – SOLD OUT
• 16 June – Utrecht NL, Hertz Theatre – SOLD OUT
• 11 Aug – Brighton UK, St George’s
• 12 Aug – Manchester UK, Albert Hall
• 15 Aug – Newcastle UK, Boiler Shop
• 16 Aug – Glasgow UK, St Luke’s
• 18 Aug – Bristol UK, Arc Tangent Festival
• 19 Aug – Leeds UK, Belgrave Music Hall – SOLD OUT
• 21 Aug – Dublin IE, The Academy
• 23 Aug – Norwich UK, Waterfront
• 24 Aug – London UK, Troxy
• 26 Aug – La Tour-De-Peilz CH, Nox Orae Festival
• 2 Sep – Dallas TX, Granada Theater
• 3 Sep – Austin TX, Paramount Theatre
• 7 Sep – Phoenix AZ, Crescent Ballroom
• 8 Sep – Los Angeles CA, Lodge Room
• 9 Sep – Los Angeles CA, Lodge Room
• 12 Sep – San Francisco CA, Great American Music Hall
• 13 Sep – San Francisco CA, Great American Music Hall
• 15 Sep – Portland OR, Revolution Hall
• 16 Sep – Seattle WA, The Crocodile Showroom
• 19 Sep – Omaha NE, Waiting Room Showroom
• 20 Sep – Minneapolis MN, Fine Line Music Cafe
• 21 Sep – Chicago IL, Cabaret Metro
• 23 Sep – Detroit MI, Magic Bag
• 24 Sep – Cleveland OH, Beachland Ballroom
• 26 Sep – Toronto ON, Phoenix Concert Theater
• 27 Sep – Montreal QC, Theatre National
• 29 Sep – Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg
• 30 Sep – Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg
• 16 Oct – Hamburg DE, Kampnagel – NEW DATE
• 17 Oct – Copenhagen DK, Vega Store – NEW DATE
• 19 Oct – Oslo NO, Blå Residency – NEW DATE
• 20 Oct – Oslo NO, Blå Residency – NEW DATE
• 22 Oct – Stockholm SE, Slaktkyrkan – NEW DATE
• 24 Oct – Helsinki FI, Tavastia – NEW DATE
• 25 Oct – Tallinn EE, HALL – NEW DATE
• 27 Oct – Riga LV, Mežaparks Great Bandstand – NEW DATE
• 28 Oct – Vilnius LI, St John’s Church – NEW DATE
• 31 Oct – Warsaw PL, Progresja – NEW DATE
• 1 Nov – Praha CZ, Divadlo Hybernia – NEW DATE
• 3 Nov – Wien AT, Arena Wien – NEW DATE
• 4 Nov – Budapest HU, Akvarium – NEW DATE
• 7 Nov – Belgrade RS, Dom Omladine – NEW DATE
• 8 Nov – Zagreb HR, Kino Sc – NEW DATE
• 10 Nov – Foligno IT, Auditorium San Domenico – NEW DATE
• 11 Nov – Milano IT, Conservatorio di Milano – NEW DATE
• 13 Nov – Paris FR, Élysée Montmartre – NEW DATE
• 14 Nov – Metz FR, Les Trinitaires – NEW DATE
• 16 Nov – Brussels BE, Botanique – NEW DATE
• 18 Nov – Bochum DE, Christuskirche – NEW DATE
• 19 Nov – Den Haag NL, Amare – NEW DATE
• 21 Nov – Berlin DE, Admiralspalast – NEW DATE

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.

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “Abyssal Codex” is the second full length album by Croatian artist Jurica Santek under the Nox moniker. We also know him for his involvement with Aegri Somnia.

Content: I get the feeling this new work moves there where the previous album “Opus Unending” stopped. The ingredients are nearly the same; extremely dark and tormented atmospheres created by low sound vibrations and explicit field recordings reinforcing the global atmosphere.

+ + + : Even if the work sounds similar to its predecessor, it becomes more poignant and overwhelming. The debut cut will give you goosebumps by its heavy, thundering, sound waves while the next cut is a pure ghost-like track. The work sounds ominous, anguishing, but still reflecting feelings of solitude. Nox creates a visual horror vision where little, subtle, noises are accentuating the visual strength.

– – – : The work is neither innovative nor surprising, but it’s an alluring production in its genre.

Conclusion: “Abyssal Codex” sounds like a sonic intercourse with evil forces.

Best songs: “Indoctrinate”, “All That Awaits”, “Tribulation”, “Intercourse”.

Rate: 8.

Label: www.winter-light.nl / www.facebook.com/winter.light.1

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

Behind Maedon is hiding American female artist Maeghan Donovan. Now based in Berlin (Germany) her sound can be defined as hard, merciless, Techno-Body Music. She got in touch with Sonic Groove owner Adam-X who released her debut EP “Against His Will” in 2019. She next released the EP “Escape To Berlin”. Earlier this year Maedon unleashed her debut full length “Now I Am Become Death” which only confirmed the powerful sound of this artist. This interview is a way to introduce you to the muscled Techno universe of Maedon. Maeghan Donovan is not only a great producer but also an interesting person.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: How did you get contaminated by Electronic music? And tell us a bit more about your music background and former experiences like Pulsewidthmod?

Maeghan: I became hooked to Electronic music at a very young age, my oldest brother who was a Senior in Highschool when I was in Kindergarten gave me my first tapes. The first two were typical Girl-Pop music. The third tape he gave me was the hook, line, and sinker for me; Depeche Mode “People Are People”. From there on my musical journeys were very diverse over the years,  but I always returned to Electronic-Dance music. 

As for my musical background, I started playing the piano when I was 5 years old and sang in choirs. I went to college for Classical Piano Performance but decided to drop out to pursue building a studio of my own and producing. 

From 2005 to 2014 I spent time learning the ins and outs of synthesis and recording. My first show as my former moniker, Pulsewidthmod, was in 2014. At that point, all my productions were focused more on Pop music but my first shows were playing for Dance parties. I became hooked after my first real rave that I played.

In 2016 I went on my first tour that coincided with my first visit to Namm in Anaheim, California. A few months later, I released my first physical album on cassette tape, “Entelechy”, and booked a 2.5 month coast to coast tour. The music was vocal-centric, Minimal/Dark-Wave. While I was on tour I realized I didn’t really enjoy playing shows where I was performing structured songs and singing. At the end of each set, I would play a more Live PA style. It wasn’t quite Techno, but it was definitely Dance-worthy and that was the time that I focused all my energy on producing music for clubs.

In April of 2018 I released my first 12” on Detroit Underground. In September of that year I moved to Brooklyn, NY. In December of 2018 I played Synthicide and when I was finished with my set I walked from the dance room to the bar and low and behold, who was standing there? Adam-X! We spoke for over two hours that night. He had given me really good feedback on the promo for my Detroit Underground release, “Serpentine Servitude”. It was really cool because he was unaware that I was a female. That’s how I wanted it a the time, I didn’t want my music to be marketed or pushed because I was a woman. I wanted the music to stand on its own. I wore a hood for most of my press shots so it wasn’t obvious that Pulsewidthmod was a woman.

That night at Synthicide, Bossa Nova Civic Club, Adam expressed to me to send him tracks. It took me till the end of April the following year to send him my new productions. He heard my tracks and immediately signed me. As many people know, we are now a couple. This happened after the release of my first Sonic Groove release, “Against His Will”. 

Q: I’m always wondering why there’re less female- than male artists active in the music scene, but especially in Electronic/Industrial music. Do you’ve an explanation and how does it feel to be active in this ‘men world’? 

Maeghan: We live in a world ruled by men, not women. This mentality trickles down into every aspect of society. The entertainment industry is ruled by men and the world of technology has always been a male driven vocation.

I grew up in a world where girls played with Barbies and wore pink and boys grew up with Transformers, and GI Joe and wore blue. (I could care less about barbies, I much preferred transformers and Casio synthesizers.) Because of technology, the world has changed exponentially. Being an Electronic musician means not only being a musician, but being an engineer and a producer. 

Synthesizers are in many ways a very nerdy thing to get into. To the unacclimated musician, they can be somewhat difficult even to get your head around. As a synthesist, you almost have to have an interest in both physics and electronic engineering. As a girl growing up in the 90s, these sorts of things were not marketed to girls. Being a woman, it took breaking the usual societal norms to break into being interested in things that weren’t meant or marketed towards women. 

I felt very alienated to a degree and singled out. Promoters were almost always men. They don’t expect for a girl to make music that appeals to them. They don’t expect that a girl even knows what she’s doing. I would play many opening slots. All this gave me fuel to push myself harder, make my music harder, make it darker, to always strive to outdo myself with each passing show. To sum it up, being a woman making music that was almost entirely a male-centric genre, it pushed me to make music that was harder and darker than all the boys.

The best feeling in the world in a way is the reactions I would get from male promoters. At one party I clearly remember the promoter coming up to me halfway through my set saying to me, next time you play for us, we will give you a prime spot. The funny thing about this story, the same promoter booked me for another party; when it came time to make the poster I asked what my time slot was just to make sure. It’s not worth my time or effort to take my gear out to a show where I’m getting paid the equivalent amount as someone doing door. They didn’t keep their promise so I backed out.

I value what I do and I deserve to get treated with respect.

With all this said, things have changed a lot now. Women along with Transgender, and non-binary artists are being heavily pushed. Because of this, I now feel comfortable letting my personality shine through publicly. I don’t hide behind a hood anymore because I don’t need to, my music stands on its own. My music got me to where I am today, not being the ‘token’ female on the all male line-up.

Q: I can easily imagine your move to Berlin, meeting other artists and visiting clubs must have had a serious impact on your artistic activities. What makes Berlin that different from the rest and can you tell us a bit more about the spirit of this town? 

Maeghan: I moved to Berlin on March 15th, 2020  two weeks ahead of schedule and only two weeks after returning from playing Tresor for the first time. The Berlin that I know is the locked-down Berlin. That being said, Berlin has had a very positive and dramatic influence on my music and music production. 

What makes this city different is the fact that this city not only respects artists but much of the economy has been built around the club culture. Last year Berlin clubs were declared to be a cultural institution to safeguard their future in the time of lockdown. As an artist, this mentality serves as a huge sense of security. Where I come from, being an artist was a constant struggle. I would live day by day, week by week, doing my best to make my rent. Many times I had to sell gear to make up for the difference to pay my rent. 

I refused to let my art suffer for the security of a paycheck. I would live off of bagels or spaghetti so I could spend time working on my craft. This was difficult in itself because those around you, including roommates, would look down on me thinking I was being irresponsible. For me, being irresponsible would be denying myself of pursuing my craft.

Here in Berlin, the cost of living is not nearly as high as it was in Brooklyn. This is another aspect of this city that really helps artists thrive. I am here because I am an artist. If I want to stay here, all I need to do is to continue doing what I always have minus the worries and guilty feelings of being a ‘responsible citizen’. This is something artists around the world should feel everywhere. 

Meeting other artists is the cherry on top with Berlin. I’ve made many friends and for the first time in my life, I feel like a member of an amazing community. Living in Berlin truly is, living the dream.

Q: Adam Mitchell introduced Mædon as one of the hardest projects signed to Sonic Groove. I think you just are the ‘hardest’ one but what do you try to express by your music and especially the debut album “Now I Am Become Death”? 

Maeghan: My music being hard is a result of two things: first, my life experiences, second, we live in a world that’s severely fucked up. “Now I Am Become Death” continues on with the same theme as “Against His Will” and “Escape To Berlin”. I express the atrocities of those who hold the power and rule the world. The title track of the album, “Now I Am Become Death” was started as a more Techno-Body Music track where I sampled Oppenheimer. The quality of the recording from his speech wasn’t sitting well so I decided to say it myself. This is how it morphed into being a more straight up, hard Techno track. My vocals became the lead.

We live in a world where we are ruled by madmen. People follow orders by those in command, and it causes death, repression, pain, suffering … so my sound and this album is me literally saying “Everything is Not O.K.”. That was another track that I originally had a vocal sample of Dave Chappele saying ‘The worst thing to call someone is crazy … maybe the environment is a little sick’. My sound has always been a musical expression of me screaming ‘I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!’ As time goes by, I’m just getting louder expressing this sentiment.

Q: How do you look back at this album? What have been the main difficulties and eventually challenges in the writing- and production process? And what are you personal criteria to say a track/album is finished? 

Maeghan: This album was written and recorded during the thick of the pandemic when lockdown was in full effect. It was very difficult to complete because there were no shows to play. Playing shows is a vital part of not only the production but the source of inspiration. 

 As I look back on it, I see it as an album created in the darkest and hardest of times as an artist. There was an overwhelming fear that club culture might not return. It’s also an album that’s a demonstration of my transition from being known as an EBM artist to being more versatile with making Techno in general. There’s some Hard-Techno in there, some Rave, and some Acid.

Outside of producing dance music when no one is dancing, the hardest challenge to a degree was making the music in a small space entirely in headphones. When I moved here, I came with only the essentials. My monitors and sub were sold because they weighed too much to bring with me from Brooklyn. I also ended up living with Adam in his studio flat because finding a flat during the pandemic was not an option.

So, I made do setting up in Adam X’s kitchen, mixing and cooking up beats, listening through cans. I really look forward to the future where Adam and I can find a suitable flat here where I can rebuild a studio. 

Q: A last question about your live sets. Do you’ve specific/favorite tracks/artists you’re always playing? How do you prepare a live set and do you notice significant differences between the places and clubs you’re playing? 

Maeghan: I am mostly booked as a live artist so my preparation for gigs is literally making new tracks. The more shows I play, the more new material I get to choose from. The main difference between the places and clubs I’m playing now is this, I’m playing and being booked to play in amazing clubs and parties. Last fall I got to play in Basement and this was such an amazing experience. I also got to play in LA for the first time ever in a proper underground warehouse. This year I look forward to playing in many world renown clubs and parties.

I am beginning to Dj now too, I find it to be very fun. I love being able to play tracks of many of my favorite artists a few of which are Perc, Ansome, Joe Far, Mickey Nox,  Sawf, Anfs, Phase Fatale, Dasha Rush… oh yeah, and Adam-X. Every DJ set I play always includes Sheer Insanity or Sensory Overload.

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: Cold-Wave, Post-Punk.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Nox Novacula is a Seattle (USA) based formation, which previously released its official debut album by Bat-Cave Productions (CD) and Manic Depression Records (CD).

Content: The opening song sounds like the offspring between Placebo and Killing Joke with powerful female vocals on top. I can’t say the debut song is totally representative of “Ascension”, which progressively evolves towards Cold-Wave music. The songs are carried by dark bass lines and heavy guitar riffs while accomplished with some Electro arrangements. The female charismatic vocals are somewhere in between Siouxsie & The Banshees and The Skeleton Family.

+ + + : I never heard of the band before, but discovered a true promising formation. Charlotte Blythe is revealed to be a charismatic singer with a bewitching timbre of voice. She also injects a true passion in her vocals, which is perfectly matching with the powerful sound. The heavy guitar play comes through at “Pray For Sleep”, “Last Will And Testament” and “Victim”. These songs also have an elevating effect.

– – – : My single regret is that the work only features 8 songs; obviously pretty retro-like, but when you’re listening to a cool album you always need more.

Conclusion: Nox Novacula is a name to keep in mind; this debut album sounds like great Cold-Wave driven music.

Best songs: “Victim”,“Pray For Sleep”, “Last Will And Testament”, “Drug (Bitter Pill)”, “Against The Wall”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/nox.novacula

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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Genre/Influences: Dark-Ambient.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Croatian artist Jurica Santek has been mainly active with his Aegri Somnia project, releasing different albums on Cryo Chamber. He now unleashes the debut album of his Nox project.

Content: From start on you feel like visiting dark sonic  corridors filled with multiple field recordings and disturbing sound atmospheres. The universe of Nox has something haunting and desolate. Echoing sound waves and crispy noises are leading us towards the end…

+ + + : Nox has realized a real tour de force when it comes to record field recordings. They inject a true spirit to the work, which is accentuated by obscure sound waves and echoing sounds. It creates a strong visual effect, which has something pretty paranoiac. You get the impression there’s an invisible presence walking at your back. It’s a hostile atmosphere like appealing to awake the ghosts… Just pay attention to the titles of the tracks and you’ll directly seize what I mean.

– – – : The album features 10 tracks and I regret there’s not that much diversity between the compositions.

Conclusion: “Opus Unending” sounds more tormented than the Aegri Somnia productions. This work sounds like announcing a nearby disaster.

Best songs: “The Funeral Of Purity”, “Iconoclast”, “The Catacomb”.

Rate: (7½).

Label: www.winter-light.nl / www.facebook.com/winter.light.1

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

A verdict in the EU top court – which lasted for 22 years (!) – is defining the rules of musicsampling. The legal battle involved the German band Kraftwerk versus rap artist Moses Pelham who sampled 2 seconds of Kraftwerk’s “Metall auf Metall” single from 1977. Pelham looped the sample into the hip-hop track “Nur mir” produced for vocalist Sabrina Setlur in 1997.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg ruled in favor of Kraftwerk, stating that a permission needed to be obtained to sample another musician’s song. Even if the clip used is very short, in this case 2 seconds. However, if the sample is modified in “a form unrecognizable to the ear” the music producer’s rights would not be violated.

Moses Pelham’s actions remain peanuts compared to the German rapper Bushido who really hit the jackpot as far as stealing music. He had to pay over €60,000 to the French gothic band Dark Sanctuary for having lifted – and this is not a joke – 16 of their tracks without consent and calling them his own. Bushido also ‘stole’ music from Sopor Aeternus & the Ensemble of Shadows, Dimmu Borgir, Nox Arcana, etc..

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.

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Kolja Trelle is not exactly what I would qualify as a ‘traditional’ electronic artist. His debut album “Sound Pressure” released in 2003 on Out Of Line revealed a real sonic challenge consisting of EBM and industrial music mixed with techno music. The next full lengths “Mask” (2007) and “Noistyle” (2010) both released on Infacted Recordings only confirmed this open-minded approach; dark electronic music without borders, but the most important thing about it all, is that dark-electronic fans liked it. After a hiatus of eight years Kolja Trelle went back into business and started composing new material. The digital EP’s “N”, “O” and “X” served as teasers to the new album “NOX” released on Trisol. This production sounds as the ultimate offspring between different influences and got an instant enthusiastic feedback. SOMAN is back!

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Nox” is the first new Soman album since “Noistyle” (2010) although you remained active as DJ and did a few remixes, right? I can imagine such a break can be very prolific when it comes to creativity. How do you look back at this ‘break’ as composer and what has been the ‘click’ to compose a new full length?

Kolja: This break was in fact something like a writer´s blockade, due to a lot of changes going on at the same time. What got me back on track was both a call from my now-manager Guenther, and re-discovering the thrills of producing electronic music. Once that was settled, we just needed a plan -and a label;)

Q: Everything moves and evolves very fast in our society today and I think it’s not that different in the music business. What have been according to you and during this ‘break’ the main positive-/negative changes and evolutions?   

Kolja: Hmm, impossible to name everything I can think of, so only in short:

Negative changes : decline of the ‚dark‘ electronic music scene, major improvements / evolutions happened somewhere else.

Positive changes: the impressive ability of the global electronic music scene to re-invent itself every once and a while, even when you think everything has already been said and done.

Q: Today it becomes clear that  industrial, EBM, techno, trance are quite compatible with each other while when you released your debut work it was a challenge. So in a way you were a visionary artist who build a sonic bridge between all these styles! What did it really meant to you and how did it feel today after the release of “Nox”?

Kolja: I always had the feeling that all this separation of styles did not really make sense to me, but marketing-wise, it might be a different question. With ”Nox”, I definitely went into a direction that does not care about artificial borders any more. Might not be quite be what the ‘Zeitgeist’ is at the moment, but well… I am fond of ignoring rules.

Q: Compared to your previous albums, I get the feeling “Nox” even goes a step further; it all seems the DJ inside of you has been more present in the writing process of this album than ever before, but what is it really all about and what kind of album did you wanted to accomplish?

Kolja: Honestly, I had definitely lost touch with what was going on in the ‘dark’ scene at the moment, or I did just not like it. So I decided to take a risk and try out the new stuff, which I liked a lot because of DJ-workshops I held at the time, covering all aspects of electronic music, from dark to dubstep, techno to house… So it was really about trying to find a way out of that ‘dark’ dilemma, plus producing stuff that would make me dance, too 😉

Q: “Nox” is doing great and reached the first place of the famous ‘Deutsche Alternative Charts’. What does that mean for an artist and what’s the real impact of the DAC? 

Kolja: The DAC give a good feedback on what DJs or club-visitors think of your music. It does not tell an awful lot about commercial success, sad enough;) So for me, this excellent feedback keeps pushing me quite a bit, looking at it both as a compliment and commitment.

Q: Soman is again performing and I think you’re again working with dancers. What might we expect from the new live performances and what do you need to speak about a successful show?

Kolja: I´ll try as hard as I can to transfer the positive vibes we have on stage to the audience in front of us. A SOMAN show is not a place to remain calm and looking cool, it´s rather an experience of how much fun you can have if you just let go;) So what do I need for this to happen? Sometimes no more than 5 people in the audience, but more often a decent crowd, a perfect sound system and a bit of a budget to add light and projection. Not too much, I would say…

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-rave, dark-techno.

Background/Info: Kolja Trelle aka Soman is back! After his last album “Noistyle” (2010) we didn’t hear that much from this German visionary artist. But as a phoenix rising from the ashes, Soman struck back in 2018 with the three singles (cf.  “Growler”, “New Lead” and “Blue Flame”) announcing this new opus. “Nox” is the fourth full length in the artist’s discography.

Content: The sound formula of Soman hasn’t really changed and hasn’t been affected by the weight of time. The tracks are all instrumental versions, mixing techno, industrial and EBM. The techno input became more important than ever before and even moves into pure and rather classical dance leads. From raw industrial sound treatments to dance leads, this album is a heavy and danceable melting pot.

+ + + : I especially like the raw, industrial sound treatments and alluring bass lines this album has been made of. It’s pure underground! It sounds aggressive while some of the leads have a real elevating effect. “New Lead” is a phenomenal track illustrating the sound –and genius of Soman. The sound production is just perfect revealing a high tech approach. Soman doesn’t really innovate, but appears to be the ultimate artist for avant-garde techno fests. It also is interesting to observe this artist released his work on 3 leading labels from the German underground scene; the debut album on Out Of Line, two albums on Infacted Recordings and this new opus on Trisol. I think it just confirms the huge respect for this artist and especially when you know it’s a rather unusual artist for the Trisol label.

– – – : I’m not convinced by some of the dance leads, which are sometimes a bit cliché and cheap. It creates a surprising duality with the harder and unpolished industrial sound treatments, but I think Kolja Trelle can do much better.

Conclusion: This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most noticeable comebacks from the past few months. Soman is back and I think the scene needs such an artist. 

Best songs: “New Lead”, “Growler”, “Blue Flame”, “Milda”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/SOMAN.Musik

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

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: Gothic-rock, dark-rock.

Background/Info: Nox Interna is a Spanish formation, which is busy achieving their fourth album, announced for 2019. “A Minor Road” is a little teaser featuring two new songs plus a cover version.

Content: The title song opening the EP is a powerful outburst of rock/goth guitar refined with some electronic treatments. On top of the song are the charismatic vocals of front man Richy Nox. The other new cut is filled with rage, screaming vocals and a carrying chorus.

Nox Interna also added a cover version, sung in their Mother tongue, of the Spanish formation Heroes Del Silencio.

+ + + : I especially like “Doomed Generation”, which in my opinion sounds better and definitely harder than the title track. But I have to admit both new cuts are pure rage and dark, doom rock-goth music. The guitar parts are really excellent. The sound of Nux Interna is totally appropriated to play live and their cover version as well. I also want to say a word about the cool digipak format of this release.

– – – : Nox Interna will not take their fans by surprise; this is a cool, but rather stereotypical release. The cover version of “Entre Dos Tierras” is not exactly my cup of tea, but I can imagine it was fun to do for the band.

Conclusion: This is a pretty cool appetizer to await the new full length of this tough Spanish formation.

Best songs: “Doomed Generation”, “A Minor Road”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: https://noxinterna.com / www.facebook.com/noxinternaofficial

Label: www.echozone.de / www.facebook.com/EchozoneMusic

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, abstract-music.

Background/Info: German artists Asmus Tietchens is 69 years old and constantly reinventing his own creation, but maybe not his perception of music. This veteran of the ‘experimental’ scene creates what he calls ‘concrete music’. “Parergon” –which is a Greek word for ‘collection of texts’ is totally appropriated to this work. The main idea is  recycling, recycling of recycling and to give listeners ‘simply something to listen to so it’s up to him how to handles this offer.’

Content: I think there’s no better description of this work than a puzzle of sounds and noises. It sounds abstract and a bit surreal. Asmus Tietchens has never been into what we commonly call ‘music’. His work is a collection of ‘recycled’ sounds and noises, which are not exactly creating an entity, which you might call a song, but simply ‘pieces of noises’, which eventually match with each other.

“Parergon” is a new sonic labyrinth, which you have to walk through by using headphones. It’s the perfect condition to notice all little details emerging from this operator’s creative brain.

+ + + : “Parergon” proves that Asmus Tietchens hasn’t lost his original creative mind of experimentalism. This is a fine collection of sounds, which have been annihilated and reconstructed. That’s the true spirit of ‘recycling’ and the main essence of Asmus Tietchens experimental approach.

– – – : You have to be a fan of this artist to fully enjoy his work. “Parergon” is a complex composition without any familiar kind of song structure, which makes it not that accessible for a wider audience… although Asmus Tietchens remains one of the most praised and recognized artists in his genre.

Conclusion: “Parergon” is not the composition of a musician, but the result of a sonic scientist operating in a sound laboratory instead of a studio. Asmus Tietchens created a new antidote to the dangerous virus commonly known as ‘commercial music’.

Best songs: “Nox 2”, “Vektor 4R”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www.tietchens.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Asmus-Tietchens/106156659416187

Label: www.darkvinyl.de / www.facebook.com/darkvinylrecords

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: Goth-rock, electro-rock.

Content: Nox Interna is back on track unleashing their newest opus featuring 13 songs. This German-Spanish formation strikes back 4 years after their previous full length (cf. “Seeds Of Disdain”).

The sound and influences didn’t really change, Nox Interna reveals a solid goth-rock sound alternated with some dark-rock elements. The guitar injects a huge dose of testosterone to the work while the electronic arrangements feel more like the cement that totally accomplishes the work. The guitar parts move in between rock- and metal music, but always remain rude and merciless. “The Rotten Wings Of Truth” stands for the most alluring song in the genre.

The electronics reinforce the dark mood of the compositions, which mainly comes through on songs like “Parasites” and “Ague De Vida”. The last mentioned song is one of the 2 songs sung in the singer’s Mother tongue. I personally prefer the English language instead of Spanish.

There for sure is a song that you’ll recognize. I’m referring to the rather cool cover version of “Rebel Yell” originally written by B. Idol. I’m not saying that Nox Interna sounds like B. Idol, but the influences and mixture in sound is quite recognizable.

Conclusion: “Spiritual Havoc” is not bad at all although not ground breaking. Nox Interna is one of those bands with a real strong (yet classical) image, but with a rather average sound.

Best songs: “The Rotten Wings Of Truth”, “Parasites”.

Rate: (Elise Din:6)Elise Din.

Band: www.noxinterna.com / www.facebook.com/noxinternaofficial

Label: www.echozone.de / www.facebook.com/EchozoneMusic

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