The former OOMPH! frontman Dero Goi delivers the double album “1984” on 29 November via Dependent Records. “1984” offers a fusion of retro-synth sounds, synth-wave, and EBM with contemporary electronic elements, and a dose of his former life as a rock and metal musician.

His coming out as a Born Again Christian who is still critical towards organised religion and his declared libertarian political leaning have provoked a wide range of reactions. Those resulted in obstacles to overcome in finding a label, a booking agent, and he even had to go through already confirmed shows being cancelled.

In its press text Dependent Records adds: “This poses the question: how tolerant is a scene that prides itself of greatest openness to any social class and lifestyle when those values are being put to the test? Are freedom of the arts and freedom of thought only for those, who conform to currently popular ideals? Of course, even words have consequences and there are limits to any freedom, but should those apply to an artist who stands firmly on the ground of his country’s constitution and is not breaking any laws? What is freedom worth, if it does not entail the right to dissent? DERO GOI begs to differ and that is not a crime.”

Not that Dero Goi’s intensive preoccupation with religion nor social commentary are new elements in his work as an artist. As the vocalist and drummer of ‘Neue Deutsche Härte’ pioneers OOMPH!, his lyrics have dealt with the global economic crisis on “Zwei Schritte vor” from the album “Des Wahnsinns fette Beute”, and the track “Sandmann” with child poverty in Germany.

Before Dero Goi, who was born as Stephan Musiol on April 16, 1970 in the German city of Wolfsburg, founded OOMPH! in 1989, he already played in a band with his friend Thomas Döppner at the age of 15 while both were still attending high school. When Dero Goi left OOMPH! at the end of September 2021, all kinds of speculations followed, “while the explanation is rather simple. Both sides had developed into different directions in musical as well as lyrical aspects, and it was just the right choice to take, instead of ploughing ahead into endless arguments and never ending conflicts” so the label adds.

The first excerpts from “1984” have already shown a move into a more electronic direction than most of the songs that have previously come from him.

The album also features Walter S. Riffschmied on guitar solos.

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

Former OOMPH! frontman Dero Goi has released the video single for his latest track “Whistleblower”, a tribute to whistleblowers who risk their lives and freedom to expose serious crimes. This track is from his forthcoming debut double album, “1984”, scheduled for release on November 29, 2024.

“The lyrics of ‘Whistleblower’ and the theme of the video are directly related to the title of the track,” Dero Goi explains. “Julian Assange’s release was a surprise and a relief, but there are still many whistleblowers who continue to suffer in silence. It’s shameful that the German government remains indifferent to Edward Snowden’s situation, a critical voice in our fight for truth and transparency.”

“1984” marks GOI’s first major project since his departure from OOMPH! in 2021. Known for pioneering the Neue Deutsche Härte genre with his former band, GOI has since taken a different creative path, embracing electronic influences. His vast array of inspirations, ranging from industrial legends like Front 242 to icons like Depeche Mode and ABBA.

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

It took nearly six years for Brussels-based Lovelorn Dolls to release their latest album, “Deadtime Stories.” Similar to their previous work, “Darker Ages,” the production was entrusted to Maxx Maryan (HELALYN FLOWERS, IMJUDAS). The duo’s style remains rooted in Gothic elements, now infused with a heavier, more Metal-like sound. Comparisons with The Birthday Massacre are still relevant, but the overall production has significantly matured. The guitar riffs are sharper, providing a well-balanced contrast to the melodic Electro arrangements. Kristell Lowagie’s vocals, both fragile and passionate, imbue the album with a distinctive sensibility. Noteworthy are her duets with Dero Goi (former Oomph! singer) and American rapper Vvitchboy. “Deadtime Stories” marks a successful evolution for Lovelorn Dolls. (Rate:8).

Listen to “A Heart Cries”:

Read the news on ‘Deadtime Stories’.

About Lovelorn Dolls

Lovelorn Dolls is a gothic and electro-metal duo from Brussels, Belgium, fronted by vocalist Kristell Lowagie and co-founded with the late Bernard Daubresse. The band released “Darker Ages,” produced by Maxx Maryan of Helalyn Flowers and Imjudas, before returning with “Deadtime Stories” in 2024, again produced by Maryan and featuring duets with Dero Goi and rapper Vvitchboy. Bernard Daubresse died in November 2025; the following EP, “True Crimes,” released in October 2025, was the last Lovelorn Dolls material shaped by him, and the band went on to welcome new bassist Fabien for the 2026 single “Call Me Your Ghost.”

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

“Deadtime Stories” is the come-back release of Lovelorn Dolls.  A wonderful surprise for me since I no longer expected any new music after such a long break. I therefore rushed talking with Kristell, the frontwoman of this unique goth metal pop act we often call the Belgian Birthday Massacre, who shared with us some artistic moments from behind the scene…

The new album is out as download (via Bandcamp), streaming and on CD (via the Spleen+ / Alfa Matrix webstore or straight from the band).

SL: After a 5-year break, you’re back with your 4th album, “Deadtime Stories”. Kristell, how did your experiences as Kristell In Wonderland influence the music and themes of this new album?

K: “Kristell in Wonderland” is my photographic and visual artist name. For 6 years, I dedicated myself to creating cinematographic images that tell a story. It all started with the solo album that I released on Alfa Matrix in 2017 “SIN.SIN”. I needed a cover and artwork for the album and I decided to do everything by myself and I loved it so much that “Kristell In Wonderland” was born! This influenced the new album in a very simple way: we no longer call on anyone from outside to create our visuals. We loved the graphic designers we worked with, but this freedom of being able to create what we want… it’s unparalleled. This also creates a sort of bubble but above all an even stronger identity.

SL: “Deadtime Stories” features a blend of goth metal, dark melodies, and industrial tones with a “creepy cute” ambiance. Can you talk about how you developed this unique sound and what inspired the Tim Burton-esque scenes?

K: As this is our 4th album, we can say that we have already established this atmosphere for almost 15 years. This sound developed through all our influences, whether musical, cinematographic, literary, … I’m a fan of goth culture, I love characters like Wednesday Addams, Emily The Strange, Edward Scissorhands, so that is inevitably felt in our musical and visual atmosphere. Bernard is more of a fan of hard and industrial so he brings this more martial touch.

SL: The album’s title is a play on children’s rhymes with dark themes. How did you come up with this concept, and how does it reflect the overall message of the album?

K: We first worked on the songs, then I started writing lyrics, they all revolved around stories of death, suicide, murder. I knew I wanted a little girl on the album cover (as usual, let’s say), and the image of a little girl reading in a cemetery came quite quickly. Then I thought about parents who tell stories to their children at night before going to sleep, and the pun “Deadtime Stories” came to me. I found it funny and we kept it. This title totally sums up the concept of the album.

SL: Each song on the album indeed delves into heavy themes such as death, endings, and broken dreams. Can you share the inspiration behind some of these themes and how you approached writing about such intense subjects?

K: In general, inspiration comes from within (personal events) or from outside (not always happy news). “A Heart Cries” is about suicide and a day when I wanted to end it. I was in a very bad psychological state. On the contrary, “Dancing at your funeral” is about a French man, Stéphane Voirin, who lost his partner. She was a teacher and she was killed by one of her students. During his funeral he danced in front of his coffin as he left the church. The video created a buzz, but above all it was extremely moving. I absolutely had to tell this story.

SL: “Dancing at Your Funeral” actually features a duet with DERO GOI and is co-produced and co-written by him. How did this collaboration come about, and what was it like working with him on this track?

K: We wanted to have fun in every way on this album, and why not do a duet with a prestigious artist? We made a list of singers whose voices we love. I still have it: it says Moonspell, Lacuna Coil, … and Oomph!. We contacted them, and it’s all a question of timing: Dero had the time and the desire at that time, while the others were touring and had other things to do. At first, we simply asked him to lay down his voice, but ultimately he did a lot more and he actually co-produced the song and rewrote certain passages. It was surreal to work with such an artist, and we are very proud of this collaboration with him.

SL: VVITCHBOY features on the track “Death & Glory.” What was the creative process behind this energetic and enchanting track, and what do you feel VVITCHBOY brought to the song?

K: VVitchboy is a gothic rapper straight from the USA. He brought everything I don’t know how to do in terms of vocal flow and energy. As said previously, for this album, we didn’t put any barriers in place. VVitchboy asked us to collaborate and as we are very open-minded, we said “why not?” and it gives this crazy song that makes you want to move and shake!

SL: The cover artwork, depicting a lonely girl reading in a cemetery fog, perfectly encapsulates the album’s themes. Can you discuss the artistic vision behind this imagery and how it ties into the music?

K: I was a teacher in another life, and in my class I had a little girl who loved gory and scary stories. I thought of her a lot when I imagined this album. We thought it would be even cooler if the introduction was spoken by the mysterious voice of Vincent Price. We managed to do this thanks to the development of artificial intelligence.

SL: Fans of bands like THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE, JACK OFF JILL, and THEATRE OF TRAGEDY are likely to enjoy “Deadtime Stories.” How do you feel your music has evolved since your previous releases, and what can fans expect from this new album?

K: Fans can expect pure “Lovelorn Dolls” but with an even stronger and more assertive identity than previous albums. we pushed ourselves to the limits, without barriers, without limits, and there is a very strong storytelling side, you can even buy the book that goes with it! Treat yourself !

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

(Photo by Moritz Lessing and Tom Zumbraegel) Dero Goi, the former frontman of the industrial / Neue Deutsche Härte band Oomph!, has just released “Resurrected” as the second video single of his new career as a solo-artist. Dero Goi’s forthcoming debut solo album will be released via Dependent Records.

The single was released during the Easter weekend and more precisely on Good Friday for a very good reason. Dero has openly embraced his Christian faith – which apparently is not well received everywhere – and that is also clear in the opening sequence of the song where he quotes Isaiah 53:5 which refers to the passion of Christ.

“Resurrected” also contemplates what it means to face one’s own dark side. Below is the video. Dero Goi also appears on the forthcoming Lovelorn Dolls album “Deadtime Stories”, namely on the track “Dancing At Your Funeral”.

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

Lovelorn Dolls, the Belgian goth metal pop band, is making a comeback with their fourth album, “Deadtime Stories”, after a five-year hiatus. During this period, the band’s frontwoman, Kristell, expanded her artistic horizons under the alias Kristell In Wonderland as a photographer and visual artist, an experience that has heavily influenced the band’s latest work.

The new album comes after the teaser EP “Beautiful Chaos” which was released earlier this year.

The album will be out on Alfa Matrix / Spleen+ on CD and as download (and streaming). The new album was produced by Maxx Maryan, known for his work with Helalyn Flowers and ImJudas. “Deadtime Stories” also features a guest appearance by Dero Goi, the former singer of OOMPH!.

Lovelorn Dolls Discography

Albums:

• “The House Of Wonders” (Alfa Matrix, 2013)
• “Japanese Robot Invasion” (Alfa Matrix, 2014)
• “Darker Ages” (Alfa Matrix, 2018)

Singles & EPs: Read the review of ‘Deadtime Stories’.

• “An Intense Feeling Of Affection” (Alfa Matrix, 2011)
• “After Dark” (Alfa Matrix, 2013)
• “The Thrill” (Alfa Matrix, 2014)
• “Happy Valentine” (Alfa Matrix, 2015)
• “Lament” (Alfa Matrix, 2017)
• “Dreamworld” (Spleen+, 2023)
• “Beautiful Chaos” (Spleen+, 2024)

Lovelorn Dolls videos

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

(Photo by Heilemania) The German Neue Deutsche Härte pioneers of OOMPH! have just revealed a first single and video with their new singer Der Schulz: “Wem Die Stunde Schlägt”.

“Wem Die Stunde Schlägt” is taken from the band’s new forthcoming album, “Richter und Henker”, which will be out on September 8, 2023. This new album will mark the band’s 14th studio effort. Oomph! has handled the album’s production and recording themselves promising “a mix of their signature sound with innovative elements”.

Here’s what the band says about the single: “The song is about recognizing what hour has struck and becoming aware of the situation you are in. It’s about not giving up. Even in hard times, you always have to get back up and try to come back stronger than before, instead of listening to those who would like to see you fail and only want to make you small. The title is borrowed from the bestseller by Ernest Hemingway, whose great writing style we adore.”

A video has also been released. The band adds: “The video is a symbolic representation of the song’s lyrics – stating that we always have a choice in which directions we go. In a flashback daydream of sorts, we’re told the story of a young woman at the turn of the century, who is condemned by mythical masked figures and led to the gallows because she apparently murdered her husband. The band is both the witness and the storyteller. The plot is not given away. In addition, there are energetic and powerful band performance scenes. The video was shot in the impressive baroque setting of Bückeburg Castle and its mausoleum.”

About OOMPH!

OOMPH! is a German rock band that originated in Wolfsburg, Germany, and was formed in 1989. They are known for pioneering the Neue Deutsche Härte movement. The band’s music incorporates various styles including metal, industrial, alternative rock, electronica, and gothic. They initially produced music with lyrics in both English and German, but in recent albums, they have shifted towards exclusively German lyrics.

Throughout their career, OOMPH! has undergone several changes in their musical style. They started with a dance-laden industrial sound and later moved towards a guitar-driven metal sound while still incorporating electronic elements. This unique blend of guitar-driven metal and electronic music has been influential, inspiring other bands like Rammstein, Megaherz, and Eisbrecher.

OOMPH! has released several albums and has had a number of successful singles. One of their most notable singles is “Augen auf!” (“Open your eyes!”), which was part of their eighth album “Wahrheit oder Pflicht”. This single became their first number one hit in Germany and marked a major commercial breakthrough for the band. Their album “Ritual”, released in 2019, became their first album to debut at No. 1 on the German charts.

As of September 2021, the band’s longtime frontman Dero Goi is no longer part of the band. The current members include Crap (Thomas Döppner) on lead guitar and keyboards, and Robert Flux (Rene Bachmann) on rhythm guitar, samples, and bass.

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

(Photo by Heilemania ) German industrial rock band Oomph! has announced the arrival of a new vocalist, Der Schulz, who will be collaborating with existing members Cr4p and Flux after the departure of Dero Go.

The band’s upcoming album, titled “Richter und Henker” (Judge & Executioner) is slated for release on 8th September 2023. This new album will mark the band’s 14th studio effort. The first single from the album, featuring Der Schulz, is set to drop on 11th July 2023.

Oomph! has handled the album’s production and recording themselves promising “a mix of their signature sound with innovative elements”.

Cr4p and Flux say this regarding their new frontman: “Der Schulz was always our first choice. Since we have known and appreciated each other for a long time, he was the first singer we approached. Of course, we also met with many other promising applicants in our studio and tried out the collaboration. In the end, Der Schulz convinced us because he manages to revive the feeling of the old OOMPH! songs and we harmonize extremely well on a human and creative level. He is a strong songwriter and lyricist and has the exact charisma, presence and character we were looking for. We had the right feeling all the way from the start!”

About OOMPH!

OOMPH! is a German rock band that originated in Wolfsburg, Germany, and was formed in 1989. They are known for pioneering the Neue Deutsche Härte movement. The band’s music incorporates various styles including metal, industrial, alternative rock, electronica, and gothic. They initially produced music with lyrics in both English and German, but in recent albums, they have shifted towards exclusively German lyrics.

Throughout their career, OOMPH! has undergone several changes in their musical style. They started with a dance-laden industrial sound and later moved towards a guitar-driven metal sound while still incorporating electronic elements. This unique blend of guitar-driven metal and electronic music has been influential, inspiring other bands like Rammstein, Megaherz, and Eisbrecher.

OOMPH! has released several albums and has had a number of successful singles. One of their most notable singles is “Augen auf!” (“Open your eyes!”), which was part of their eighth album “Wahrheit oder Pflicht”. This single became their first number one hit in Germany and marked a major commercial breakthrough for the band. Their album “Ritual”, released in 2019, became their first album to debut at No. 1 on the German charts.

As of September 2021, the band’s longtime frontman Dero Goi is no longer part of the band. The current members include Crap (Thomas Döppner) on lead guitar and keyboards, and Robert Flux (Rene Bachmann) on rhythm guitar, samples, and bass.

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

Side-Line already mentioned before that OOMPH! will continue to exist under the same bandname with composers Crap and Flux and a new singer, who hasn’t been announced yet. Today the German industrial-metal band announced 18 tourdates for next year via their social media channels.

Tickets can be ordered here.

OOMPH! European Tour 2023

• 16.03.2023 DE Hamburg – Fabrik
• 17.03.2023 DE Osnabrück – Hyde Park
• 18.03.2023 NL Arnhem – Luxor
• 19.03.2023 DE Bochum – Zeche
• 21.03.2023 DE Frankfurt – Batschkapp
• 22.03.2023 DE Köln – Live Music Hall
• 23.03.2023 DE Ludwigsburg – Scala
• 25.03.2023 FR Strasbourg – La Laiterie
• 26.03.2023 FR Paris – Le Trabendo
• 27.03.2023 FR Lyon – CCO
• 28.03.2023 CH Solothurn – Kofmehl
• 30.03.2023 DE München – Backstage Werk
• 31.03.2023 AT Wien – SimmCity
• 01.04.2023 CZ Praha – MeetFactory
• 02.04.2023 PL Poznań – Tama
• 04.04.2023 DE Berlin – Huxleys Neue Welt
• 05.04.2023 DE Leipzig – Täubchenthal
• 06.04.2023 DE Hannover – Capitol

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: Industrial, Metal, EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Spanish formation Hasswut has already been active for a couple of years now. Earlier stuff was released on Mutant-E Records while they later on joined hands with Art Gates Records. “Mund Zu” is their newest work featuring five songs plus one remix.

Content: “Mund Zu!” seems like a mini-album. The sound remains driven by Neue Deutsche Härte. Bands like Rammstein and Oomph! will quickly come to mind but there’s a more explicit electronic touch emerging at the surface. One of the songs even sounds like the offspring between Tyske Ludder and Rammstein; EBM meets metal. The last song is a remix by Miseria Ultima.

+ + + : Hasswut is a formation I haven’t heard in years but they clearly reveal an impressive evolution in sound and songwriting. This is a powerful production carried by solid guitar playing and mixed with pumping kicks and Electro arrangements and bass lines. “Zünder” is an absolute masterpiece for the EBM-Metal fusion. The opening cut “F.F.F.” and the title song both are other noticeable cuts.

– – – : There’s nothing original in the band’s sound but as I often said I prefer a less original- and kicking work instead of an original recording without highlights.

Conclusion: Hasswut remains a somewhat unknown formation which I can highly recommend to lovers of Neue Deutsche Härte.

Best songs: “Zünder”, “F.F.F.”, “Mund Zu!”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/hasswut

Label:  https://artgatesrecords.com / www.facebook.com/ArtGatesRecords

Art Gates Records issued “Mund Zu!” on 26 February 2022 on CD and digitally. The six tracks are “F.F.F.”, “Mund Zu!”, “Haters”, “Säure”, “Zünder” and “Haters (Remixed by Miseria Ultima)”. The release reached Bandcamp on 13 March 2022.

Listen to “Mund Zu!”:

About Hasswut

Hasswut is a Spanish band working in industrial metal, EBM and Neue Deutsche Härte, singing in German. Their first album, “Wir Sind…”, came out on Mutant-E Records in 2014, followed by “Falsch!” and its rework “Re-Falsch!” in 2017, and the tour edition compilation “Wir Sind… / Falsch! / Die Macht” on Mutant-E Records and No Devotion Records in 2019.

The move to Art Gates Records began with the single “Die Macht” in 2019, continued with “Atomkrieg” in 2020 and led to the “Mund Zu!” mini-album in 2022. The band also turns up on compilations from the wider scene, among them “Endzeit Bunkertracks [Act VII]” in 2015 and the “Face The Beat” sessions in 2015 and 2019, and remixed a track for A7ie on “Narcissick Volume II” in 2016.

Three years after “Mund Zu!” the band moved to Negative Gain Productions. Side-Line reported the single when ‘Sauerstoff’ arrived in March 2025, ran an album premiere in April, and reviewed “Sauerstoff” in August 2025.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

The last year it has been very calm in the OOMPH!-camp. No online concerts during corona, no rescheduled festival-dates, no new album news at all. The sudden announcement that OOMPH!’s lead singer Dero Goi has left the band, after 32 years being the frontman, reached us today via the official facebook-page of the band. At this moment it is unclear if Dero will start a new project or stops with singing completely. OOMPH! however continues to exist under the same name with composers Crap and Flux and a new singer, who hasn’t been announced yet.

Some time ago Dero posted on social media that he got baptised and also announced that he’s against Covid-vaccinations. His last side-project DIE KREATUR also suddenly stopped after disagreements with Chris Harms (Lord Of The Lost) who wrote on 31st December 2020 on facebook: “Not to forget, I have released an album with a side project called Die Kreatur, which I was looking forward to so much, which I have been proud about big time, but sadly short after its release, some circumstances have rendered a continuation of the project impossible. This year I have made new friends. This year I have lost friends – some to death, some to a world of insanity, where I can’t possibly follow them to. Once more I have learned that prejudices are so damn misleading and I still can’t entirely free myself from them. Some people that I liked in the beginning turned out to be real jerks, and some others that really made me shake my head in the beginning became brothers.”

OOMPH! was originally founded in 1989 in Wolfsburg (Germany) by Crap, Dero Goi and Robert Flux. They released their first single “Ich Bin Du” in 1991, followed by the single “Der Neue Gott” and their first (self-titled) album in 1992. The band played in 1993 in the legendary Limelight club in New-York and became “crossover”-pioneers in mixing elements of EBM with groovy metal guitar-riffs, or as Billboard magazine said “Sepultura meets DAF”. Unwillingly they created the “Tanz-Metal” (Dance-Metal) or “Neue Deutsche Haerte” (New German Hardness) genre, which was the German answer on American Industrial-Metal bands as Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Prong, etc. There is no doubt that OOMPH! has paved the way for many later bands as Rammstein, Eisbrecher and many others.

In 2004 the band received a platinum award for the single “Augen Auf!”, in 2015 a golden award for the album “GlaubeLiebeTod” and in 2018 a platinum award for the album “Wahrheit Oder Pflicht”. The last album “Ritual” reached in 2019, for the first time ever in the history of the band, the number 1 position in the German album charts. OOMPH! (featuring Marta Jandova) won the German “Bundesvision”-contest in 2007 and their music was also used in games (“FIFA”), movies (“Alien vs. Predator”) and tv-trailers (“The Walking Dead”). The band did remixes for bands as Korn, And One, Joachim Witt, De/Vision and others and worked together with artists as Nina Hagen and Apocalyptica. OOMPH! released 13 studio-albums in total and also played as support-act for Metallica, Marilyn Manson, HIM, Skunk Anansie, …

The last years the band was especially very popular in Russia although it’s not sure if the live-dvd with symphonic orchestra, recorded in 2018, will ever see the daylight.

Genre/Influences: Metal & Electro, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Fil1810

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

About Reagent

Reagent is the electro-industrial project of Filipp Makarenko from Ukraine, credited as the sole member on the Advoxya Bandcamp page; Discogs describes the act as an industrial metal duo but lists no members. In his Bandcamp statement Makarenko wrote that the project differed completely from what he had done in the previous twelve years and took about six years to realise. The lyrics are sung in Russian.

The self-titled debut was released by Advoxya Records on 20 July 2020 on CD in a digiwallet and as a download. The fifteen tracks are ten songs, “Лишь Твоя Кровь”, “Разрушь Свой Страх”, “Чужой”, “Тотем”, “Новое Время”, “Отшельник”, “Одержимость”, “Алхимия Войны”, “От Имени Бога” and “Искра”, followed by remixes of “Тотем” by Code: Red Core, “Чужой” by Nano Infect and “Лишь Твоя Кровь” by CL-20, Chem and Outpost11. The Bandcamp and Discogs tracklists credit the fourteenth track to Chem rather than to Reagent. The Bandcamp page prints Latin transliterations next to the Cyrillic titles.

Discogs also lists a self-released digital EP “Remixed” (2020), the four-track EP “Monolith” (2023), Reagent appearances on ElektroTerapi singles in 2024 and a remix on the ElektroTerapi compilation “Dialogue (Remixes)” (ScentAir Records, 2025). The debut album is the project’s only Side-Line review to date.

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-metal, Neue Deutsche Haerte, Industrial-metal

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Dero Goi (singer/drummer of OOMPH!) and Chris Harms (singer/guitarist of Lord of the Lost) are two well-known names in German rock music. Both artists met each other in Leipzig in 2015 during a common dj-set and worked already previously together on the songs “Europa” of OOMPH! and “Abracadabra” of Lord of the Lost.

Content: This debut-album contains 15 songs and opens with “Die Kreatur”, an uptempo song that unleashes hell and hits you straight in the face! “Kälter Als Der Tod” was released as the second single and sounds more like a romantic rock-ballad followed by the third track “Unzertrennlich”, a dark song in the more general rock-genre. The dreamy tunes of “Durch Die Nacht” are luckily quickly alternated with “Zwei 100%”, a song that has some typical staccato-riffs and electronic tunes reminding me on older work of Rammstein. “Schlafes Braut” sounds like some kind of dark atmospheric sad waltz. “Untergang” is the highlight of “Panoptikum”, very nice guitar-riffs combined with deep dark voices and a very explosive harsh chorus to bang your head on! The very danceable electronic “Mensch/Maschine” could be a song from an old OOMPH!-album and the piano-parts on “Was Mir Am Wichtigsten Ist” reminded me a bit on Nine Inch Nails. Track 10 “Benutz Mich” is another cool uptempo song with an explosive chorus and tight drums! The calm folky miner-song “Glück Auf!” is undoubtedly one of the better songs because of the nice combination of the deep voices of Dero and Chris, the deep backing vocals and the catchy accordeon-melody. “Gott Verdammt” is one of the lesser songs while the first bonus-track, the very danceable Joachim Witt-cover “Goldener Reiter”, reminded me somehow a bit on And One and on “Algorithmus” of D.A.F. This limited digipak edition contains also two more remix bonus-tracks by Solar Fake and Faderhead.

+ + + : “Panoptikum” brings a variety of different styles including two calm sing-a-long songs, lots of uptempo Neue Deutsche Haerte parts and three danceable electronic songs. The album goes from very explosive to very calm and the lyrics are very well articulated. It also has splendid artwork and was also released as limited edition earbook and deluxe box-set.

– – – : The song “Durch Die Nacht” sounds too much pop/soft-romantic and  is in (too) hard contrast with all the other songs.

Conclusion: A perfect first collaboration in darkness between two very talented frontmen. This stuff will please all fans of OOMPH!, Lord of the Lost, Eisbrecher and Rammstein for sure!

Best songs: “Die Kreatur”, “Kälter Als Der Tod”, “Untergang”, “Benutz Mich”, “Glück Auf!”, “Goldener Reiter”.

Rate: (8½) WH.

Artist: www.diekreaturband.de / www.facebook.com/diekreaturband
Label: label.napalmrecords.com / www.facebook.com/napalmrecords

About Die Kreatur

Die Kreatur is the collaborative project of OOMPH! singer/drummer Dero Goi and Lord of the Lost singer/guitarist Chris Harms, who first worked together on OOMPH!’s “Europa” and Lord of the Lost’s “Abracadabra” before meeting in Leipzig in 2015. Side-Line covered the announcement of the debut album “Panoptikum”, reviewed here, released via Napalm Records as digital, digipak CD, a limited deluxe box featuring the exclusive “Panoptikum 1920” disc, a 3-CD earbook and 2-LP vinyl.

The German band Die Kreatur, a collaboration of OOMPH!-frontman Dero Goi and Lord Of The Lost singer Chris Harms has released its debut album via Napalm Records. ‘Panoptikum’ is the name of this first album. It was released digitally, as digipak-cd, limited edition deluxe box, 3-cd earbook and 2-lp. The limited edition deluxe box contains the exclusive ‘Panoptikum 1920’ cd, featuring recordings of all songs in the style of the swinging 1920’s, recorded on an authentic piano, as well as two vocal microphones.

Both artists met each other in Leipzig (2015) during a common dj-set and worked already previously together on the songs ‘Europa’ of OOMPH! and ‘Abracadabra’ of Lord of the Lost. On ‘Panoptikum’ the Neue Deutsche Härte style is also strongly and clearly present.

Die Kreatur: “Panoptikum comes up with a dark arc of suspense that takes the listener into the gloomy, winding alleys of the 1920s, where they meet freaks and creatures of all kinds. However, true evil awaits them not in the hideous creatures on display at Panoptikum, but behind the stuffy façade of the normal, respectable citizen that delights in their gruesome appearance. Panoptikum is the ruthless reflection of a decadent, self-indulgent and sated society. Will we be able to bear our own cruel face?”

Tracklist:

1. DIE KREATUR
2. Kälter Als Der Tod
3. Unzertrennlich
4. Durch Die Nacht
5. Zwei 100%
6. Schlafes Braut
7. Untergang
8. Mensch/Maschine
9. Was Mir Am Wichtigsten Ist
10. Benutz Mich
11. Glück Auf!
12. Gott Verdammt

Bonustracks:

13. Goldener Reiter
14. DIE KREATUR (Faderhead Remix)
15. Kälter Als Der Tod (Solar Fake Remix)

The third videoclip ‘Untergang’ (‘Downfall’) was also released today and describes the third and last phase of a falling apart interpersonal relationship.

The band can be seen live on following locations, if the corona-virus finally will stop annoying us at least:

• 18.09.20 DE – Köln / Luxor
• 19.09.20 DE – Essen / Turock
• 25.09.20 DE – Hannover / Musikzentrum
• 26.09.20 DE – Hamburg / Gruenspan
• 02.10.20 DE – Berlin / Columbia Theater
• 03.10.20 DE – München / Backstage Halle

Genre/Influences: Industrial-metal, Neue Deutsche Haerte, EBM

Background/Info: DIE KRUPPS are a phenomenon in the German music scene, active since 1980 and based in Duesseldorf. Together with bands as Einstuerzende Neubauten and Kraftwerk they are seen as one of the pioneers of electronic and industrial music. They inspired many famous acts like Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, OOMPH! and Rammstein.

Content: On the first song “Vision 2020 Vision” Juergen is rapping in a smooth way all over the pumping staccato metal-riffs, this is for sure the best song of the album! “Welcome To The Blackout” was released as the first videoclip of the new album and warns us that the end of the world has definitely started. “Trigger Warning” has a deep EBM-bassline while some musical parts reminded me on the sax of Yello’s “The Race”. After the calmer “Wolfen (Her Pack)” it is time for the nice uptempo “Extinction Time”, headbanger’s ball with an electronic sauce over it. The Genesis-cover “The Carpet Crawlers” shows another (softer?) side of singer Juergen Engler. It is definitely a surprise to hear this song in between so much guitar violence although the cover is well done. Time to dance again on the very melodic “Fires” on which Juergen also sings a bit different (read: more Bowie-like) than normal. “Obacht” has german lyrics and is for sure one of the better powerful songs. “DestiNation Doomsday” and the earlier released “F.U.” are 2 more songs dedicated to the “president of darkness” also known as Donald Trump. The anti-politics song “Alllies” has a bit of Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” in the end. “Active Shooter Situation” is driven on a deep bassline followed by the uptempo “Human” to close the album.

+ + + : DIE KRUPPS goes back to their early 90’s crossover period. The artwork of the album is really amazing! The limited edition fanbox contains, besides the digipak cd and live at Wacken Open Air 2016 dvd, also a t-shirt, a pair of sunglasses, a postcard and a sticker.

– – – : Maybe “The Carpet Crawlers” should have been better as last song, because now it disturbs a bit the flow of the album.

Conclusion: Musically, this album takes us back to the “II – The Final Option” period. In this era (1993) DIE KRUPPS defined how crossover should sound. Lyrically, this album warns us that the end is very near and that the future is not looking good at all!

Best songs: “Vision 2020 Vision”, “Welcome To The Blackout”, “Extinction Time”, “Fires”, “Obacht”.

Rate: (9) WH.

Artist: www.diekrupps.com / www.facebook.com/diekruppsofficial
Label: www.spv.de / www.facebook.com/spvhannover Read the news on ‘Vision 2020 Vision’.

About Die Krupps

Die Krupps formed in Düsseldorf, Germany, in October 1980, founded by Jürgen Engler and Bernward Malaka, who had previously played together in Male, an early German punk band. The group’s sound evolved from noise and EBM into industrial and, by the mid-1990s, metal-influenced material, including cover versions of Metallica songs. Die Krupps went on hiatus between 1997 and 2005 before resuming activity. “Vision 2020 Vision”, released in November 2019 via SPV/Oblivion Records, arrived as the band closed out the year ahead of its 40th anniversary in 2020.

On 10th and 11th August 2019 the annual M’era-Luna festival takes place in the area of Hildesheim-Drispenstedt, Germany. M’era Luna exists since 2000 and is one of the biggest Gothic festivals in the European scene. Gothic, new wave, electro, EBM, industrial and medieval bands are featured on 2 stages.

The last years the festival was every time sold out and had about 25.000 visitors. This year some of the confirmed artists are: Fields Of The Nephilim, VNV Nation, Lacrimosa, OOMPH!, Deathstars, DIE KRUPPS, Within Temptation, ASP, Subway To Sally, Combichrist, Diary Of Dreams, Corvus Corax, Suicide Commando, Agonoize, Funker Vogt, Mono Inc., DE/VISION, Empathy Test, Joachim Witt, Spetsnaz, [:SITD:], Zeromancer, Melotron, …

DJ’s at the afterparties are: Der Schulz (Unzucht), Bruno Kramm (Das Ich), Chris L. (Funker Vogt and Agonoize), Andy Krüger (Melotron), Ronan Harris (VNV Nation), Mike Kanetzky (Matrix Bochum).

Besides watching concerts you can also visit markets, artist signing events, gothic fashion shows, readings by Axel Hildebrand, Markus Heitz and Christian von Aster. The Gothic Garden, an oasis of calm right in front of the festival infield, offers demanding festival-goers comfort, space and conveniences to make your stay more exclusive, pleasant and more relaxing. At the M’era Luna Academy you can follow special workshops which will be announced soon on the official renewed website.

The interactive M’era Luna app can be downloaded here and tickets can be ordered here.

Genre/Influences: Industrial-metal, nu-metal.

Background/Info: Nervenbeisser released this EP right before their tour as support for Oomph! They’re now working on their new full length planned for Autumn. The German formation previously released two official albums.

Content: This EP reveals 4 new songs plus 2 remixes. They take off with the heaviest cut of the EP, which will appeal for all Rammstein fans (this band remains an important source of inspiration). The title track is less hard and has something more personal. They here explore gothic-metal fields. Among the 2 tracks left “Märchenland” is another aggressive assault. All songs are still sung in German, which accentuates the link with bands such as Rammstein, Oomph!, Eisbrecher and co.

Das Ich has remixes the title song in a typical bombastic, gothic approach while Andy Haywire remixed a song taken from the band’s last album.

+ + + : I know there’re numerous –and mainly German bands, inspired by Rammstein, but Nervenbeisser is one I’ve always supported and recommended. The songs are just accomplished and revealing a right mix between aggressive guitar play and electronic arrangements. I like this EP because it brings 4 different new songs and only 2 remixes. There’s an interesting diversity between the songs while both remixes, but especially the one by Das Ich, are pretty cool.

– – – : From a very personal point of view, “Alles Gut” is not my favorite cut from this EP. I prefer the powerful “Liebesschmerz”.

Conclusion: Nervenbeisser is one of the most talented German formations dealing with the so-called ‘Neue Deutsche Härte’ (New German Hardness) style. Their next album has to confirm their status of promising band, but this EP sounds already like a new step in the right direction.

Best songs: “Liebesschmerz”, “Alles Gut”, “Probleme”, “Alles Gut – Rmx von Das Ich”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/nervenbeisser

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

About Nervenbeisser

Nervenbeisser is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band whose lineup includes Olaf Seider, Patrik Bishay, Christian Löffel and Walter Stobbe. The band released its first two albums, “Geschlechterschlacht” in 2015 on Danse Macabre and “Zeitenwandel” in 2017 on Echozone, before the “Alles Gut” EP, reviewed here, which includes a remix by Das Ich.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Industrial-Metal, Neue Deutsche Härte

Background/Info: Already the 13th album for OOMPH!, the German band from the area of Wolfsburg that exists of Dero (vocals/drums), Flux (guitars/samples) and Crap (guitars/keyboards), and that inspired bands like Rammstein, Eisbrecher, Megaherz and Unheilig.

Content: 11 tracks about war, politics and abuse are featured in this jewel-case edition that opens with the first released single “Tausend Mann Und Ein Befehl”, an anti-war song with a sing-a-long chorus. Fans of Disturbed will like “Achtung! Achtung!” that contains very nice nu-metal riffs and a dramatic chorus. Second single “Kein Liebeslied” has some riffs that reminded strongly on Rammstein, although no Rammstein without OOMPH!. “Trümmerkinder” starts with the sound of a marching army and is a very uptempo song with strong lyrics. “Europa” is a political song with a guest-appearance of Chris Harms (Lord Of The Lost). “Im Namen Des Vaters” is another uptempo rocking song and has an aggressive chorus. “Das Schweigen Der Lämmer” and “Seine Seele” are the only two calmer ballads. “TRRR – FCKN – HTLR” is an opus about terror, porn and nazis, followed by “Phönix Aus Der Asche” that in the end sounds a bit like System Of A Down. “Lass’ Die Beute Frei” was for me the best song especially because of the very nice melodic voice of Dero and the very catchy guitar-riffs.

+ + + : Singer/frontman Dero knows very well how to use his voice in different ways, high and low, screaming and whispering, harsh and soft. The guitars sound very heavy but melodic and well produced. This album sounds more metal than ever before.

– – – : This album is very guitar-oriented, not much sampling and almost no EBM-style elements were included anymore.

Conclusion: OOMPH! still sounds as fresh as almost 30 years ago, when they started their career, and show once again that they are still the leading founders of this genre. Fans of Marilyn Manson, Fear Factory and Rammstein will surely like this album! “Ritual” is also released on vinyl and the limited edition digipak contains 3 bonus songs.

Best songs: “Kein Liebeslied”, “Achtung! Achtung!”, “Trümmerkinder”, “Im Namen des Vaters”, “Lass’ Die Beute Frei”.

Rate: (9) WH.

Band: www.oomph.de / www.facebook.com/oomphband

Label: label.napalmrecords.com / www.facebook.com/napalmrecords

About OOMPH!

OOMPH! is a Neue Deutsche Härte and alternative rock band formed in 1989 in Wolfsburg, Germany. The group is often cited among the pioneers of the German “Tanzmetal” scene and an early influence on acts such as Rammstein, Eisbrecher, Megaherz and Unheilig.

Vocalist and drummer Dero Goi fronted OOMPH! from its debut album “Ich Bin Du” (1991) through “Defekt” (1995), “Wunschkind” (1996), “Plastik” (1999) and the single “Augen Auf!” (2004), alongside guitarists Crap and Robert Flux. “Ritual”, reviewed here, arrived on Napalm Records in 2019. Goi left the band in 2021 and was succeeded on vocals by Der Schulz.

Today is the music video premiere of the brand new OOMPH! single “Tausend Mann und ein Befehl” of the upcoming studio album “Ritual” – out on January 18th.

Here’s what the band has to say about the new single: “We are very excited to show you our brandnew video of “Tausend Mann und ein Befehl”! This song is about the tragedy of blindly following orders during warfare. Without a strict hierarchy most wars would certainly not happen.”

You can view the video below:

Here’s the already released lyric video for the first single “Kein Liebeslied”:

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

The German industrial-metal trio around Crap, Dero and Flux is ready to release its 13th longplayer on January 18th 2019, called “Ritual”. According to singer Dero it’s “the most aggressive, heaviest and darkest album in a while”.

The band states further: “We are very happy to introduce you to our new album “Ritual” today! This album contains 100% OOMPH!: We wrote, produced and mixed everything in our own recording studio! We used our time in between two tours to get some fresh and very inspiring impact of the recent live experiences and composed the majority of the songs in jam sessions all together. That probably explains why the songs on Ritual are hard, riff-heavy and dark. The album artwork brilliantly supports the mystical character of our songs and lyrics and leaves plenty of scope for own interpretations.”

Tracklist:
01. Tausend Mann und ein Befehl
02. Achtung! Achtung!
03. Kein Liebeslied
04. Trümmerkinder
05. Europa (feat. Chris Harms / Lord Of The Lost)
06. Im Namen des Vaters
07. Das Schweigen der Lämmer
08. TRRR – FCKN – HTLR
09. Phönix aus der Asche
10. Lass’ die Beute frei
11. Seine Seele
12. In der Stille der Nacht (Bonus Track)
13. Lazarus (Bonus Track)
14. TRRR – FCKN – HTLR (Lord Of The Lost Remix) (Bonus Track)

The album will be available in different formats:
• Jewel case CD incl. 11 tracks
• Limited edition digipak (6 pages) incl. 11 tracks + 3 bonus tracks
• 2LP gatefold (tracklist = digipak)
• Deluxe box incl. limited edition digipak + 7″ vinyl (+ excl. track “Ich bin ein Fels”), Cover flag, Mask pendant
• Digital version (tracklist = limited edition digipak)

The stunning artwork was done by Stefan Heilemann (Heilemania).

The album can be pre-ordered here

On January 18th, 2019 the new album (number 13 already!) of German Industrial-Metal rockers OOMPH! will be released via Napalm Records! According the band it’s going to be as heavy, hard and dark as it has not been for a long time!

The accompanying European tour starts on March 1st, 2019! The band still will perform this year together with a big symphonic orchestra, live on stage, for the very first time in Moscow – Crocus City Hall (September 14th) and St-Petersburg – DK Lensoveta (September 16th). Before the festival season starts OOMPH! will do a show in Halle 02 – Heidelberg (DE) on June 7th and in Posthalle – Würzburg (DE) on June 9th.

European Tourdates 2019:

01.03.2019 DE Hannover / Capitol
02.03.2019 DE Berlin Astra
03.03.2019 DE Hamburg / Markthalle
05.03.2019 DE Bochum / Zeche
06.03.2019 DE Wiesbaden / Schlachthof
08.03.2019 DE Stuttgart / Im Wizemann
09.03.2019 DE München / Backstage Werk
10.03.2019 DE Dresden / Kraftwerk Mitte
12.03.2019 DE Leipzig / Täubchenthal
13.03.2019 DE Nürnberg / Hirsch
15.03.2019 DE Köln / Live Music Hall
16.03.2019 NL Drachten / Iduna
17.03.2019 FR Strasbourg / La Laiterie
19.03.2019 UK London / O2 Academy Islington
20.03.2019 FR Paris / La Machine
22.03.2019 ES Madrid / Sala Mon
23.03.2019 ES Barcelona / Razzmatazz 2
24.03.2019 FR Lyon / Ninkasi Kao
26.03.2019 CH Solothurn / Kofmehl
28.03.2019 AT Dornbirn / Conrad-Sohm
29.03.2019 CZ Praha / Nová Chmelnice
30.03.2019 PL Warszawa / Dark Electro Festival

The German Industrial-Metal band OOMPH! signed a worldwide record deal with Napalm Records (Austria).

The bands explains as follows: “We are happy to announce our signing with Napalm Records. Right between both of our last tours in Russia and Europe, we started to gather new ideas for our upcoming 13th studio album! With these first new songs we contacted various record labels and were able to choose from 8 very promising offers in the end! We are extremely happy to have found in Napalm Records a strong and broad partner worldwide, who has worked extremely successfully in all different areas of Rock and Metal with their artists in recent years. Napalm Records offers exactly the right prerequisites for our next steps and we look forward to a long-term collaboration!”

Thomas Caser, CEO Napalm Records states:
“With OOMPH! we proudly present one of the most exciting and influential German Rock bands as a brand new signing on Napalm Records! We are very much looking forward to a successful future with the band!”

OOMPH! are currently working on a new studio album – scheduled for a 2019 release via Napalm Records!

Genre/Influences: Industrial-metal, gothic-metal, industrial-rock.

Background/Info: Trisol is not often signing new bands, but when a new artist joins the German label you  nearly know for sure it’s worthy to discover. Behind Exfeind is hiding the solo-project from Lian Exfeind. The debut album is logically entitled “Nummer Eins”

Content: If you’re familiar with the Trisol roster and especially with the ‘typical’ German ‘industrial’ bands such as ASP and Samsas Traum, you might have an idea of how Exfeind sounds. I think we can easily speak about a sonic offspring between Oomph!, Rammstein and Eisbrecher. It’s not only about the powerful vocals sung in German, but the influences mixing metal guitar riffs, electronic arrangements à la Rammstein in the choruses and gothic atmospheres are intended to conquer the German scene.

+ + + : The opening song of the album directly reveals the power and knowledge of Exfeind. But there’re more potential hits featured on this album. Exfeind has accomplished a truly ‘tour de force’, which is due to the perfect match between the different influences featured on this work. I’m fond of this metal-gothic power achieved with electronics. It especially during the choruses creates this elevating sensation, which I’m sure is what we expect when listening to music.

– – – : No doubt about it, Exfeind has become an instant success in the German scene so who am I to point out any single negative argument!? I just regret there’s no real originality in the sound writing, which sounds as the perfect symbiosis between all aforementioned bands. Trisol took less risk singing this band!

Conclusion: “Nummer Eins” became a prophetic title as the album gained the podium of the famous ‘Deutsche Alternative Charts’! I definitely can speak about a hot and successful debut for Exfeind!

Best songs: “Göttergatte”, “Brich Das Eis”, “Gefallene Engel”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.facebook.com/Exfeind

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

About Exfeind

Exfeind is the solo project of German musician Lian Exfeind, signed to Trisol for its debut album “Nummer Eins”, which entered the Deutsche Alternative Charts and drew comparisons to Oomph!, Rammstein and Eisbrecher. “Zweipunktnull” followed in 2020, holding on to the same industrial-metal-electronic fusion. Exfeind later contributed a remix to This Eternal Decay’s 2023 single “The Heart of a Lover”.

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: Metal, rock-metal.

Background/Info: The German combo Herzparasit is back on track, unleashing their third full length album. The band has released a new album every three years thus far. “ParaKropolis” wants to be a reflection about our reality and more specifically about what’s going wrong.

Content: The look of Herzparasit is somewhat reminding me of Rammstein while the music is also quite comparable to the German master of metal. And Herzparasit clearly claims to be inspired by bands like Rammstein, Oomph, Eisbrecher and related formations.

The songs move in this truly German metal vein, which is carried by harsh, German vocals, dark and aggressive metal-like riffs and electronic arrangements. Some songs feel a bit like an emulation of Rammstein and I especially refer to “Manege Frei” reminding me of “Die Sonne”.

+ + + : No doubt about it, Herzparasit is a band that will find their success in their homeland. “ParaKropolis” is a credible metal-driven composition accomplished with great electronic treatments. The more they come closer to Rammstein, the more I like the songs. I already mentioned “Manege Frei”, but “Blut Lügt Nicht” is even better as an emulation while featuring an original touch with passages with children singing. This band has the look and an exciting metal sound!

– – – : Rammstein remains a major source of inspiration for many bands, but there’s only one Rammstein! That’s why the album rapidly sounds like a new and sometimes average copy of the Masters! I think the voice could have been a bit more powerful of a few cuts.

Conclusion: It’s when you’re listening to an album such as “ParaKropolis” that you realize the real impact Rammstein has on the German scene. Herzparasit is an honest and passionate clone in the genre, but I’m not sure this will be enough to conquer the international scene.

Best songs: “Blut Lügt Nicht”, “Manege Frei”, “Präparat”.

Rate: (6).

Band: www.herzparasit.de / www.facebook.com/herzparasit

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

The German electronic music act Syntec was one of the first bands to fuse synthpop and electronic body music and together with bands such as Dance or Die or Oomph! they have been part of the famous ‘Machinery’ label.

More recently the band saw the release of their ‘best of’ classics compilation “Puppets & Angels” (you can order it right here) which marked the return of the band after a break of 21 (yes, twenty one) years.

And now the time has come for brand new material as Syntec will release a brand new single, “Catch my fall” (feat. Blind Passenger), later this Fall. The single acts as a pre-release to their upcoming new full-length “The Beginning”. See the album art below.

The single features 4 tracks (the title track and 3 remixes) and can be ordered right 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!

side-line.com

On 13th and 14th August 2016 the annual M’era-Luna festival takes place in the area of Hildesheim, Germany. M’era Luna exists since 2000 and is one of the biggest Gothic festivals in the European scene. Gothic, new wave, electro, EBM, industrial and medieval bands are featured on 2 stages. Besides watching concerts you can also visit markets, artist signing events and parties.

The last 3 years the festival was sold out and had about 25.000 visitors. This year some of the confirmed artists are: The Sisters Of Mercy, Fields Of The Nephilim, Within Temptation, VNV Nation, OOMPH!, Eisbrecher, DIE KRUPPS, In Extremo, Combichrist, Diary Of Dreams, Suicide Commando, IAMX, Diorama, Gothminister, Faun, [:SITD:], Apocalyptica, The Lord Of The Lost Ensemble, …

Tickets for M’era Luna can be ordered here.

The German act OOMPH! has released a live video for “Als wärs das letzte Mal”.

The track can originally be found on “XXV”, the twelfth album from the band (released late 2015) which the band is currently touring.

You can see the video below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

The German act Oomph! is back with a brand new video, “Alles aus Liebe”. The track is taken from the “XXV” album released on July 31, 2015 via Airforce1 Records. It’s the twelfth one so far from the Neue Deutsche Härte act. The track was originally released as a single on 17 July 2015 and now also sees a music video release.

“XXV” is available right now from Amazon.

You can watch the video below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

(via DJ Wildhoney) The German industrial-metal band OOMPH! announces that their new album will be called “XXV”, referring to 25 years performing live on stage. The new cd, already their 12th album so far, will contain 14 tracks and will be released on 31 July 2015 via Airforce1 Records. It has been produced by OOMPH! and co-produced by Subway To Sally drummer Simon Michael.

Some of the new “XXV” songs will be performed live for the very first time at the Wacken Open Air Festival (Germany). The new album can be ordered right here.

Tracklist:

1. Dein Retter
2. Alles Aus Liebe
3. Jetzt Oder Nie
4. Als Waer’s Das Letzte Mal
5. Mary Bell
6. Jede Reise
7. Unter Diesem Mond
8. All Deine Wunden
9. Fleisch Und Fell
10. Tick Tack
11. Nicht Von Dieser Welt
12. Spieler
13. Zielscheibe
14. Leis Ganz Leis

Tourdates (more tbc):

• 26 Jul 2015 – Amphi Festival – Koeln (DE)
• 31 Jul 2015 – Wacken Open Air Festival – Wacken (DE)
• 15 Aug 2015 – Zaxid Festival – Rodatychi (UA)
• 05 Sep 2015 – Nocturnal Culture Night Festival – Deutzen (DE)
• 19 Okt 2015 – Live Music Hall – Koeln (DE)
• 20 Okt 2015 – Markthalle – Hamburg (DE)
• 21 Okt 2015 – Kesselhaus – Berlin (DE)
• 23 Okt 2015 – Theaterfabrik – Muenchen (DE)
• 27 Okt 2015 – re:public Club – Minsk (BY)
• 29 Okt 2015 – Cosmonavt – St-Petersburg (RU)
• 31 Okt 2015 – Tele-Club – Ekaterinburg (RU)
• 02 Nov 2015 – Milo Hall – Nizhny Novgorod (RU)
• 04 Nov 2015 – Ray Just Arena – Moscow (RU)

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