Orphx &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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

Bestial Mouths exclusively stream new ‘Backbone’ album ahead of release

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:18:29 +0000

(Photo by Elemental Eyes Photography) Negative Gain Productions recording artists Bestial Mouths have an all new remix album, “Backbone”, out tomorrow. But you can already stream it exclusively via Side-Line today.

The release is the follow-up (or rather companion) to their latest LP, “R.O.T.T.(inmyskin)” and offers reworks mixing darkwave-industrial with synthpop elements. The remixes were executed by Broken English Club, Actors, Rebeka Warrior, Curses, XTR Human, Modern Men, Lana Del Rabies, IV Horsemen, Crune, Orphx, GenCAB, Trace Amount, Carrellee, Daniel Myer, Maduro, Snowbeasts and Bedless Bones.

“Backbone” will be available tomorrow on all major digital platforms including Spotify and Bandcamp. Stream the full release below.

BACKBONE by Bestial Mouths

Fronted by Lynette Cerezo the band formed in 2009 and has mixed a number of elements in their work, from goth, industrial, post-punk, New Wave, noise, metal, to other underground sounds using live acoustic and electronic drums and analog synthesizers.

In their decade-plus existence, the band has worked with myriad of producers and artists including Zola Jesus, Mick Harvey, Rhys Fulber, Egyptrixx, Boy Harsher, Die Krupps, Mater Suspiria Vision, Zanias, The Horrorist, and Ludovico Technique to name but a few.

Here’s the video for the genCAB remix of “iNNARDS”.

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!

V/A Forms Of Hands 22 (Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Industrial-Techno, Rhythmic-Noise, IDM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “Forms Of Hands” became a familiar compilation from the Dortmunder (Germany) based label Hands. Every year the label organizes a ‘family-festival’ featuring a list of bands from their roster. After the festival we always get a fine selection of bands which played at the festival featuring exclusive tracks for the compilation. Fourteen projects have been selected for 22-edition.

Artists: Strobo Lolita, Shrouds, Cervello Elettronico, MS Gentur, Greyhound, Nullvektor, Orphx, Sans-Fin, Phasenmensch + Antoine Saint-Martin, Monya, 16Pad Noise Terrorist, Maschinenkrieger KR52, Mono No Aware, Ah Cama-Sotz.

Content: The compilation reveals familiar names featuring renowned projects from the ‘wider Industrial fields’ next to upcoming talents. But the sampler is also an opportunity to discover the sound of Hands; from good-old Rhythmic-Noise and harsh Industrial music mixed with extra influences like D’N’B and techno to more sophisticated compositions touching ground with IDM.

+ + + : Hands remains one of the ‘oldest’ and still leading labels from the Industrial fields. Old servants like Ah Cama-Sotz, Greyhound and Mono No Aware but also Maschinenkrieger KR52, MS Gentur, Nullvektor, 16Pad Noise Terrorist and the intelligent Industrial sound of Cervelllo Elettronico and Orphx will bring you power and joy. My personal favorites are Ah Cama-Sotz for its Technoid orientation revealing an artist who remains in constant progress and Maschinekrieger KR52 for its surprising Minimal/Techno-Industrial cut. Orphx remains another great and visionary formation revealing a Techno/EBM cut with Industrial elements on top. Other attention grabbers are Sans-Fin with a Technoid approach as well but also harsher cuts from Shrouds, Greyhound and the more Techno-Industrial MS Gentur. This compilation remains a must-have for all the exclusive cuts.

– – – : Still a great compilation, but from a very personal point of view not my favorite one from the impressive list which started in 2001.

Conclusion: This label compilation remains a great addition and souvenir to the festival night. Industrial rules!

Best bands: Maschinekrieger KR52, Ah-Cama-Sotz, Orphx, Sans-Fin, Nullvektor, MS Gentur, Greyhound, Cervello Elettronico, Strobo Lolita

Rate: 8.

Label: www.handsproductions.com / www.facebook.com/hands.official

Orphx – The Way Through All Things (EP – Sonic Groove)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Canadian Orphx-duo strikes back with a new EP featuring four new cuts.

Content: Rich Oddie and Christina Sealey are back with a hard-banging production whereon they’re mixing Dark-Techno with Industrial components and ominous atmospheres empowered with tormented, ghost-like vocal effects.

+ + + : This work moves much further than simply techno and Industrial music. It’s an intelligent fusion of underground styles Orphx transposed into a visionary sound dimension. The dark, tormented, atmosphere they created has something very unique; like dance stuff for dungeons. There’s something to say about each track but I especially recommend listening to “Gateway” and “In The Presence”.

– – – : It’s a pity this is just an EP and not a full length album; I want more from this!

Conclusion: Orphx remain driven through a great and Avant-Garde creative mind.

Best songs: “Gateway”, “In The Presence”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.orphx.com / www.facebook.com/orphx

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

Axkan – Nightmares (Album – Sonic Groove)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 07:00:00 +0000

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

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Based in Los Angeles (USA) Mexican native Federico Sánchez released his first full length as Axkan. The work features twelve tracks.

Content: Axkan stands for the darkest Techno format which has been infused with Industrial noises. The main part of the album is characterized by powerful, linear, sequences and structures which are sometimes into Experimentalism. Orphx, Ayarcana and UVB have been each featured on one cut.

+ + + : Both debut tracks are really impressive for their dark side and Industrial sound treatments on top of Techno power. Another cool cut is “Decadence” featuring Orphx.

– – – : Despite of the highly recommended great cuts I mentioned most of the tracks remain pretty similar, linear, and without a true apotheosis. So it all becomes predictable after a while.

Conclusion: Sonic Groove remains to me a label with a great taste and multiple outstanding productions but Axkan is one which can’t totally convince me.

Best Songs: “Hell”, “Decadence”, “Death Of A Physician”.

Rate: 6½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/axkan.techno

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

P.H.O.B.O.S. – Bleaker Beater (Album – Megaton Mass Products)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/influences: Industrial, Experimental, Electronic.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/info: Parisian (France) duo Frederic Sacri – Mani Ann-Sitar are active under the P.H.O.B.O.S. moniker for more than twenty years now. They by the end of 2021 released their newest opus “Bleaker Beater”.

Content: The main disc reveals an Industrial sound, which sometimes reminds me of the 80s Industrial years. Percussion passages together with the global, hostile atmosphere evoke to me the magic universe of SPK. It’s an Electronic composition featuring heavy, blasting sound treatments with vocals on top. Other songs are more Experimental-sounding and into Noise, which might appeal for early Orphx lovers.

The second disc reveals the same tracks, but without vocals. There’s just a few seconds of difference in the duration of the cuts.

+ + + : “Bleaker Beater” is a great Industrial driven composition. It reminds me of legendary Industrial projects, but with an extra contemporary touch on top. This is a judicious mix between retro-Industrial elements, Power-Noise and Experimental music. The beginning of the work is mind-blowing. I also want to say a word about the great digipak artwork.

– – – : The second disc doesn’t really bring a bonus. I think there could be better things to do than simply releasing instrumental edits.

Conclusion: “Bleaker Beater” sounds in the good-old tradition of Industrial music and is an album I recommend to all fans of the genre.

Best songs: “Haemophiliac Stomp”, “Pyrocene Antibodies”, “Basalt Ganglia”, “Granulahar Toxin”

Rate: 8.

Artist & label: www.phobosdrone.org / www.facebook.com/phobosindustrial

Orphx – Primordial State 1994-1995 (album – Ekstasis)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Experimental, Noise, Industrial.

Format: Digital, Cassette.

Background/Info: Orphx moves back in time unleashing a live recording from tracks recorded in 1994 and 1995. These songs were released right before the official debut album “Fragmentation” (1996). The work was released on Rich Oddie’s own label Ekstasis.

Content: Orphx became renowned for their Industrial-Techno approach mixed with some Minimal-electro and even IDM, but this work reminds us of the way it all started. The sound is more improvised, but into experimentation. It sounds a bit like a Post-Industrial composition, a follow-up to early SPK. The songs are mixing Industrial- and Noise elements, now and then carried by rhythms and sometimes featuring vocal effects.

+ + + : This is a cool production for the early Orphx lovers, but it also reminds us where this Canadian project comes from. It’s interesting to realize the way Orphx has evolved towards a more sophisticated and Technoid driven composition. But this work sounds like the ‘roots’ and even the basis of their sound, which they’ve always held on, but just elaborated and infused with different new elements throughout the years.

– – – : Speaking for myself, I’ve always been more convinced by their compositions from the past few years instead of the early years, which were sometimes too Experimental to my taste.

Conclusion: Back to the roots of Orphx, but still a cool Experimental/Noise live experience.

Best songs: “Ekstasis”, “Excruciate”, “Samsara”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.orphx.com / www.facebook.com/orphx

Templər – Myths And Consequences (Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 06:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Rhythmic-Noise.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Thomas Chalandon is a French musician based in Berlin and still involved with Imperial Black Unit while running the label AreaZ. After a few EP’s under the Templər moniker, he now joined with the label, Hands to unleash the debut album of his solo-project.

Content: Listening to this album sounds a bit like the sound of a true sonic earthquake. The sound is driven by heavy, furious Industrial & Rhythmic-Noise drum patterns. It has something old-school like and yet perfectly adapted into a modern and even refreshing edit. This heavy and bombast rhythmic has been mixed with monstrous sound blasts and dark atmospheres, which are fitting with the obscure themes Chalandon deals with. Two songs feature vocals by guests Incendie and Lapse Of Reason (side-project from the other half of Imperial Black Unit). The last part of the work features 5 remixes of “A True Terror Corporation” (the song featuring Incendie) by Esplendor Geométrico, Test Dept, Orphx, Geistform and Harsh Mentor.

+ + + : Templər’s debut album sounds as a real tour de force! This artist fully succeeded in adapting retro-Industrial elements into a modern version. It somewhere reminds me of the Esplendor Geometrico so it’s not a coincidence this band has created a remix. But the difference with the Spanish duo is that this production sounds more high-tech. There’s a kind of unpolished approach and yet it’s a powerful, top-notch production. I enjoyed the constant power of the tracks, excelling at “I Shared A Whiskey With A Ghost”, “The Inner Flame” and “Under Pressure”. Among the remixes I’ve to mention great jobs done by Esplendor Geometrico and Orphx, but still Test Dept injecting some of their own old-school Industrial elements in the remix.

– – – : “A True Terror Corporation” is not exactly my favorite song from the album so I was a bit wondered this song has been exposed to remixers. And I honestly prefer most of the remixes instead of the original edit.

Conclusion: Templər has accomplished a true masterpiece, which will appeal for lovers of heavy Industrial music driven by infernal rhythms.

Best songs: “I Shared A Whiskey With A Ghost”, “The Inner Flame”, “Under Pressure”, “Camera Silens”, “Road To Jouniek”, “A True Corporation feat. Incendie – Esplendor Geometrico Remix”, “A True Corporation feat. Incendie – Orphx Remix”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/templernoise

Label: www.handsproductions.com / www.facebook.com/hands.official

Ontario Hospital – No Contact / Live Archives 2011-2019 (Album – Ekstasis)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 25 May 2021 19:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Experimental, Industrial-Trance.

Format: Digital, Cassette.

Background/Info: We all know Richard Oddie for his involvement with Orphx, but he’s also busy with other projects. He together with Dave Foster (Huren, Teste ao) set up Ontario Hospital (O/H). They did some live performances and released a few EP’s. This album features live tracks recorded between 2011 and 2019 in Japan, Russia, Holland and Canada. Notice by the way Richard Oddie released this work on his own label, which is meant for his different projects and friends.

Content: O/H is clearly driven by good-old Industrial music and retro Electro experiments. There’s an 80s touch running through the work, but still a more contemporary Trance/Techno aspect emerging during the last part of the album. The tracks have been progressively built up and are often ending into a sonic climax of Electro-Noise. The songs are mixed with harsh, disturbing vocals injecting an extra dose of terror to the composition.

+ + + : This project stands for intelligent Industrial music. It feels like O/H creates a sonic bridge between the past –sometimes reminiscent of SPK, and more contemporary Industrial sounds. A few songs are musically pretty Dive-like, but globally speaking this project has a very own sound and approach. I like the progression in the tracklist, which is definitely important when playing live. The songs progressively evolve until reaching hard Industrial dance passages with some extra Trance structures on top. O/H sounds like controlled chaos or simply transposing a sonic mayhem into dark, danceable stuff. The vocals are adding a little extra on top.

– – – : I don’t see any minus point, but simply regret I wasn’t that familiar with O/H before.

Conclusion: This project is meticulously mixing old- and modern Industrial influences together creating a rough although intelligent Industrial sound dimension. It’s a true masterpiece!

Best songs: “Supply / Demand”, “Generic Expectations”, “Worthless Scam”, “Safety Net”, “Power Starved / Human Waste”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.facebook.com/ontariohospital

Synapscape – A Journey Through Concern (Album – Ant-Zen)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 20:00:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Minimal-Electronics, EBM, Technoid.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Philipp Münch and Tim Kniep are back on track unleashing a new album. The German duo is now active for more than twenty five years and became a true reference at the wider fields of Industrial music.

Content: Synapscape has already experimented with multiple influences. Therefore you can’t say they belong to one specific genre rather than being a sonic hybrid. This new work is the ultimate confirmation; taking off with pure Acid sequences to move on with harsh Electro-Industrial sound treatments to next walk at Experimental paths to some EBM to Techno-driven passages to pure Electronic minimalism and finally getting back to Acid.

The album features 9 songs plus 4 remixes by Cervello Elettronico, Imperial Black Unit, Hypnoskull and Orphx.

+ + + : The previous album “Still” on, which Synapscape reworked earlier songs into a refreshing and modern approach already was a great surprise, revealing the band’s diversity and eclecticism. This totally new work moves a step further, the influences becoming hard to tell, but the result left me breathless. There’s no stop on this project’s creativity. They’re mixing influences together like a master cook preparing a meal with the finest spices. There’s not one single song to throw away, but I’ve a preference for the minimal-sounding “Uprise” and the somewhat EBM-driven “It Ain’t Right”. The songs stand for a great sound production. A great band can be only remixed by great names and the list is impressive! My favorite remix is the one by Cervello Elettronico, which sounds like a sonic climax between Minimalism and Techno.

– – – : I can’t say there’s a true minus with this work, but I just will mention the more experimental driven “Confessions”, which is the single track that left me unmoved.

Conclusion: Synapscape moves on exploring new sonic grounds and mixing genres together. This band is constantly reinventing its sound and yet holding on a very proper and easily recognizable sound DNA.

Best songs: “Uprise”, “It Ain’t Right”, “A Crack”, “Dirty Deal”, “Triturate”, “The Claw – Cervello Elettronico Remix”, “Uprising Confessions – Orphx Remix”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.synapscape.org / www.facebook.com/synapscape

Label: www.ant-zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

V/A Sonic Groove: 25 Years / 1995 – 2020 (Album – Sonic Groove)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 19:30:00 +0000

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

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Sonic Groove is celebrating its 25^th anniversary with a compilation featuring 12 tracks. Set up by Adam Mitchell –better known under the Adam X moniker, the American label –now based in Berlin (Germany) became a visionary company mixing Techno music with darker/underground genres like EBM and Industrial music.

Artists: The Source Experience, Max Durante, Orphx, Diagenetic Origin, Panacea, Meadon, Rhys Fulber & Portion Control, Crystal Geometry, Monolith, Adam X, Dasha Rush, Realmz.

Content: The compilation brings familiar projects from the label together; from ‘earlier’ artists such as Max Durante, Orphx, Diagenetic Origin, Dasha Rush and Realmz… to artists who joined Sonic Groove during the past few years like Rhys Fulber, Crystal Geometry, Maedon… The common thread between all artists is Techno music, which they each mixed with a darker influence. The most surprising track is a collaboration between Rhys Fulber (Frontline Assembly, Delerium, Conjure One ao) and Portion Control.

+ + + : This compilation first of all is a way to discover the great label roster of Sonic Groove while it remains one of the very few labels, which welcomed artists mixing Techno music with darker genres. Sonic Groove has been a pioneer and still remains a reference today. When you hear Rhys Fulber together with Portion Control composing a true Techno-Body-Music song with harsh vocals on top, you get an idea what this label stands for. So far I can see the featured artists have composed an exclusive song for this sampler, which makes it only more interesting. I have a preference for the Industrial-Techno style of Crystal Geometry (one of the newest projects on Sonic Groove), but I also have to mention the rough exposure by Diagenetic Origin, the Dark-Techno approach from Panacea and a more explicit track by Dasha Rush. Adam X remains another attention grabber and who better than the label owner he stands for the sound of his label: Industrial-Techno!

– – – : I don’t have real regrets, but some extra artists and tracks would have been cool.

Conclusion: This sampler serves as a perfect shop window to give you an idea about the sonic strength and visionary style of the label. I can only express respect for what this label has accomplished so far.

Best bands: Crystal Geometry, Rhys Fulber & Portion Control, Diagenetic Origin, Panacea.

Rate: (8½).

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

V/A Forms Of Hands 20 (Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 18 Oct 2020 18:30:36 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Industrial-Techno, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: The German Hands label is without a shadow of a doubt one of the Industrial leading companies of this scene. Hands this year celebrates its 30^th anniversary while the legendary label compilation “Forms Of Hands” celebrates its 20^th anniversary. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the annual festival was postponed to 2020, but the compilation is still there to please the fans of Industrial music. Fourteen bands have been selected!

Artists: >1979<, Last Days Of S.E.X., Maschinenkrieger KR52, MS Gentur, Mono No Aware, Ah Cama-Sotz, Orphx, Strobo.Lolita, MDD, Proyecto Mirage, Greyhound, Nullvektor, Monolith, Winterkälte.

Content: This sampler gives the listeners a perfect summary and taste of the Hands roster. There’s a mix of ‘traditional’ Industrial and Rhythmic-Noise bands (Greyhound, Last Days Of S.E.X…) and more contemporary Industrial terrorists, mixing Industrial- and Techno music (Ah Cama-Sotz, Orphx, Strobo.Lolita, Monolith…). Somewhere in between you’ve the minimalism of projects such as Nullvektor and Proyecto Mirage. This compilation is hard and danceable, but still diversified.

+ + + : When you just have a look at the tracklist, you know why Hands is one of the leading labels of Industrial music –and probably ‘the’ leading one… the number of big names is impressive. Artists such as Orphx, Monolith, Winterkälte, Ah Cama-Sotz and Greyhound don’t need any further introduction, but can even after years of involvement still take me by surprise. I also have to mention one of the new signed bands, Strobo.Lolita also took me by surprise and has recently released a great debut opus. The comeback of Proyecto Mirage is another major thing.

– – – : Each compilation has its favorites and others that can’t totally convince me; luckily there’s nothing to throw away here.

Conclusion: No festival this year; but F*** the pandemic! Here’s the twentieth chapter of “Forms Of Hands” and I can tell you, it’s a great vintage!

Best bands: Strobo.Lolita, Proyecto Mirage, Monolith, Ah Cama-Sotz, MS Gentur, Orphx.

Rate: (8).

Label: www.handsproductions.com / www.facebook.com/hands.official

I Murdered – Blood In Blood Out (EP – Reclaim Your City)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 18:30:00 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM, experimental, industrial.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: “Blood In Blood Out” is the second EP by the Berlin based duo Janice and Luis Flores. This work features two songs and two remixes.

Content: The sonic universe of I Murdered is clearly inspired by elements of industrial- and experimental music. All influences together create an IDM style, which is dark and danceable. The sensual rhythm running through the title song has been mixed with dark, deep sounds. This track has been remixed by Orphx in an even darker way.

The other song left (cf. “Insomnia”) is a bit comparable to “Blood In blood Out”, but it‘s even more industrial-driven. The remix of this song has been done by JK Flesh.

+ + + : I especially like the fusion between dark tones, industrial scratching noises and the sensual cadence running through the title song. Both producers are definitely operating like pure sound alchemists. I can’t say this EP is featuring a real title song and B-side cuts, both tracks being from a similar, qualitative level. Among the remixes I especially recommend the work by Orphx, which brings the listener into the darkest realms of industrial-techno music.

– – – : As I already mentioned, there’s no explicit title song when listening to this EP, but that’s not necessarily a minus point!

Conclusion: I Murdered clearly sounds as an interesting project, which I hope will move on their dark techno-industrial investigation!

Best songs: “Blood In Blood Out – Orphx Remix”, “Blood In Blood Out”, “Insomnia”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www .facebook .com /butididnt

Label: www .facebook .com /reclaimyourcityofficial

‘Click Interview’ with Traversable Wormhole: ‘I Love Music That Creates Thought Provocative Images’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 07 Mar 2020 18:00:40 +0000

Originally from New-York (USA), but living in Berlin (Germany), Adam Mitchell is known in the industrial- and EBM scene for his minimal-electro driven projects Adam-X and ADMX-71. Adam is also running Sonic Groove, which is a visionary dark-techno/body label releasing productions from artists such as Orphx, Rhys Fulber, Fixmer / McCarthy, Monolith, The Panacea, Blush Response ao. He is a renowned DJ, producer and event organizer (Tresor Club). For more than 10 years now he’s also releasing music under the Traversable Wormhole moniker. This project is definitely more techno-driven, but always featuring a dark touch on top. After numerous EP’s, Traversable Wormhole is now back with its first self-released full length album “Regions Of Time”. The album is available on digital platforms and as a double vinyl edition. The work stands for the obscure side of techno music and is for sure worthy of examination.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You set up Traversable Wormhole already a while ago, but you didn’t really release new stuff under this moniker for a few years while you were more prolific with your other projects Adam-X & ADMX-71. Where was this break good for and what brought you back to Traversable Wormhole and this new production?

Adam: Traversable Wormhole is a very specific conceptual sound for me. I’m very much into creating soundtracks for space travel themes. For a while I felt I pushed the boundaries as far as I could go with the sound. So I needed to take time and space from the project until I could come up with new ideas. I was also busy with another formerly anonymous side-project titled The Secret Initiative, which ran consecutively at the same time as the Traversable Wormhole releases. This project was a bit more loose feeling and fun for me to make from Traversable Wormhole as it’s taking old techno and EBM ideas and transforming them into the present day. I had way less restrictions recording this project and recorded 20 songs over the course of the last decade. So I had my hands full with other projects and lost focus on recording new Traversable Wormhole material.

Q: “Regions Of Time” is the first full length album so what incited you to achieve an album instead of new EP’s and what is the album all about?

Adam: I created it more on instinctual feeling then anything else. I made two songs for a single, but then the ideas just kept flowing. I thought why not just go all the way on it as I know the fans of the project would love hearing a full length album way more then a single. It is also way more gratifying as an artist to record an album then a single. I wanted a new challenge and so I took it on.

Q: You always claimed this projects stands for the sci/fi side of techno music, but what do you really understand with this ‘quote’ and what does it reveal about your personal interest for science fiction, space and wormholes?

Adam: I love astronomy, star gazing and all things related to outer space. I also love science fiction movies & comics and that has a big influence on me too. I love the segment entitled “Jupiter & Beyond The Infinite” in the movie “Space Odyssey : 2001” where Dave is traveling through space and then entering into the rings of Jupiter. Traversable Wormhole songs can easily be my rendition of a soundtrack to that particular scene in the movie. Also I’ve always had a huge passion for techno that has a sci-fi futurism feeling to it. It invokes thoughts in me of outer worldly subjects and fantasies and I love music that creates thought provocative images.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the writing of this album? What have been the different stages you’d to go through? The equipment you used? And do you notice main differences in the composing process between Traversable Wormhole and your other projects?

Adam: I have been making music solely with Ableton and plug in synth’s since 2005. I’ve done the hardware thing for the 15 years prior to this of releasing music. For me it’s not about the tools you use it’s how far you can expand your mind to create. I also love total control in every event happening in my songs. I’m a total perfectionist. I go deep into automation with several events often happening at once on a note with effects, filters etc. You cannot do with two hands and hardware. I’m limitless now where as when I worked with hardware I felt more constricted. With that being said when I tell other producers that I don’t use any hardware many are quite in shock stating my music sounds like it’s done on hardware. What I really love about using Ableton is I usually will create several different song sketches at first. Then I will bounce back and forth between the sketches so as I don’t get bored of working on the same song for hours on end. It also helps me keep the flow of the album this way as I’m hearing several different songs in a day. I’m more in tune with the overall feel this way. This process of writing and recording is the same for all the projects I do.

Q: Whatever you want to call it, I experienced “Regions Of Time” as the dark side of techno music! It’s filled with icy sound treatments and hostile atmospheres, but it all remains definitely techno- and danceable like. There clearly is a scene in Berlin for this kind of techno music. Tell us a bit more about it? Is it an important scene (clubs, artists, promoters etc)? Why is it that specific for Berlin?

Adam: What you experienced is my actual intention for the listener to feel. I want the listener to feel very heavy low, deep bass, the sonic boom per se in space travel. In technical terminology the sound of Traversable Wormhole is often 10-15 hertz lower in frequency then most other techno music. Most low bass in techno music is recorded in the 50 and higher Hertz range of low frequency. Traversable Wormhole is hitting much lower in the 38-45 Herz range. This creates a huge feeling on a sound system with great sub bass cabinets/speakers.

There is a scene globally for this kind of music. I’ve played many countries under this project. The Japanese especially love deeper, dark music as such. So I wouldn’t say the sound is more enjoyed in Berlin then other places. It’s quite universal in techno.

Q: How do you see this scene evolving and how do you see yourself evolving towards your next productions? What brings the future for Traversable Wormhole?

Adam: I’ve entered into 30 years in 2020 since my first record came out in 1990. One thing I’ve learned in this time is it’s awfully hard to predict what comes next. I really have no idea what the next changes are to come in the music scene itself. Early in the 1990’s when I began music styles were changing rapidly year to year. Changes are super slow in modern day times. There really hasn’t been any significant changes in techno since the early part of the last decade with exception of some artists speeding the BPM’s up plus 10.

As for my own productions it’s also hard to say. I try not to think too far in the future because I’m already nearing 50 years old and have lived more then half a life. I prefer to live day to day and let my music take me instinctually to wherever it can without over thinking how I can evolve with it. I will always have an urge to push boundaries as long as I’m creating music. So you can expect more futurism forthcoming in the industrialized techno bubble I live in.

‘Click Interview’ with Adam X: ‘I’ve Always Been Into The Cerebral/Out Of Worldly Side Of Electronic Music’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 18:00:09 +0000

Born in New York (USA), but now based in Berlin (Germany) for years Adam Mitchell aka Adam X is a renowned and talented producer/DJ/label owner. He’s one of those visionary artists who in my eyes always has symbolized the electronic sound of tomorrow. His music always has been a mix between EBM and techno, which sometimes has been defined as industrial-techno. Adam is involved in multiple projects like Traversable Wormhole, ADMX-71, Mass-X-Odus ao, but Adam X remains the main project. Late 2018 Adam-X released his sixth full length album “Recon Mission” on his own label Sonic Groove. The work is a new masterpiece and one of the best electro productions from 2018; a good reason for an interview.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You’ve released tons of EP’s, but “Recon Mission” also is your seventh full length album as Adam X. What means this new work in your personal discography and what inspired you (sound-wise) to compose this album?

Adam: The album inspiration comes from a few unrelated & related topics. The album titled track “Recon Mission” is about a reconnaissance mission against government authorities. The official video on Youtube goes deeper into the topic and what the lyrics are about. Several songs on the album are inspired by the mysteries of planet Earth, such as hypothetical theories about Earth Base One, the Bimini Wall and the Bermuda Triangle. I’ve gotten heavily into collecting the 50’s-70’s sci-fiction/mythological illustrative work of Jack Kirby in the past 1.5 years. I find his artwork & story scripts very inspiring. I’ve always been into the cerebral/out of worldly side of electronic music and his artwork provides a visual inspiration for such thoughts. These are the main inspirations on the album.

Q: The album has been introduced as a dystopic vision featuring ‘conjuring visions of New York City’s past’ and ‘CIA shadow government experiments’. What fascinates you in these dark themes and what’s your perception of the current political situation in your homeland?

Adam: As a teenager growing up in NYC in the 80’s I was surrounded by a mass amount of urban decay. The city was a mess back then with several area’s throughout the city looking like Berlin after the Russians entered in 1945. On top of growing up in a very decay city, criminal activity was very high. Unfortunately I was deeply affected from this activity when my father was murdered in a gun robbery when I was 13 back in 1985. So to put it bluntly, NYC was very dystopic for me back then.

Somehow despite the dark, bleak times I managed to have a great, very rebellious adolescent life exploring my city and painting graffiti art on many subway trains thru out the city. Then some years later my brother and I began organizing illegal techno rave parties in abandon warehouses and other industrial locations. Those rebellious moments I had growing up will always have everlasting effect on my artistic vision.

The current political situation in the USA is a mess like always. I don’t have any trust in the American government no matter the political side. I feel neither party are for the people. Each party loves to blame one another, but nothing really ever changes despite who is in power. The amount of poor and homeless people in America is staggering and it’s on the rise for years now. The infrastructure is old and rotting in many places across the country. Unlike Europe we have a horrible antiquated train system. The inner cities have ghettos worse then most 3^rd world nations. Imagine small cities like Flint, Michigan having a poisoned water system for decades. Guns need to be controlled, but this seemingly will never happen. The amount of heinous crimes committed with guns is staggering. I am a strong advocate for gun control especially as my family is a victim of a gun murder. I’m tired of seeing mass murders every few weeks. I live in Germany 12 years and gun deaths are not so much an issue here. I won’t even get started into the current president’s handling of world affairs other then to say ‘not good’!

Q: Sound-wise “Recon Mission” remains totally vintage-like. Tell us a bit more about your way of working, the sound treatments and equipment you’re using?

Adam: Believe it or not my music is done all in software, my DAW is Ableton and I use a lot of synth plugins. My productions in my first 14 years of making music were strictly done with analog/hardware. So I have a very good ear in making virtual synths sounds like the original keyboards they are designed to emulate.

For sound production most of the songs are first tested before release when I DJ out at gigs. For this particular album I was able to test the final mastered versions in one of the major nightclubs here while the club was closed. This was crucial as I noticed a few flaws in sound that needed to be adjusted before sending out for production. With that being said I’m 101% happy with the finished product.

Q: You’re based in Berlin where you’re very active. What makes Berlin that attractive and special for artists and do you feel some impact from this artistic life and music trends on your work as musician/producer?

Adam: The nightlife here is amazing. So playing gigs or going out to event’s here is a constant source of inspiration. Berlin is also very communal with other artists and music industry people. So my meet-ups with many people in the business here is also always source for inspiration. Outside of the music industry I enjoy the pace of life here. It’s much more relaxed then the time I spend in NYC during the year.

Q: You’re still running Sonic Groove so I would like to know your personal criteria and eventually references when you’re signing new artists? And how do you see the music business evolving as label owner?

Adam: I’m normally releasing music from artists who I have a personal friendship with. I prefer this to releasing music from artists I have no personal connection with. It’s much nicer to run the label as a family affair.

The music business is constantly changing and being able to adapt to the changes is very important in the survival of running the label. At the moment vinyl sales in the industry are down for dance floor related music, but digital downloads and streaming are rising. The techno scene especially is completely saturated with music releases. There are over 400 new titles on vinyl a month in techno. It’s a limited buying market, but still a very important necessity for artists to get noticed by press and promoters in the scene.

It can be quite nerve wracking with vinyl sales when releasing music from lesser known artists. It’s not an issue when dealing with the core bigger artists on the label like Orphx, Rhys Fulber, Dasha Rush, Blush Response and myself.

Architect – Deconvolution (Digital EP – Hymen Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:30:36 +0000

Genre/Influences: IDM.

Background/Info: Architect (Daniel Myer) has already released an impressive discography since the very first productions in 1998(!). Daniel Myer is back again unleashing this new EP, which appears one year after his previous EP “Deconfiguration”.

Content: “Deconvolution” reveals 2 new tracks, which once again deliver the intelligent sound format of this artist. Heavy-banging beats mixed with overwhelming astral atmospheres and this very particular approach in sound treatments are here again characterizing the work of Architect.

Among the 3 remixes of the title song you’ll notice a real special one by Canadian sound-architects Orphx. There also is a remix of the previous EP title-track “Deconfiguration”, which once again reveals a technoid input mixed with the other influences of Architect.

+ + + : “Deconvolution” is an absolute smasher as the new title-song. It reveals Daniel Myer in good shape, once again mixing irresistible sound treatments and hard-bouncing kicks. Both new cuts stand for an impressive sound production. Among the remixes I have to tip the “Doggystyle”-edit of the title track. It’s a fascinating fusion between anguishing sound atmospheres and terrific beats. The “R Version” is another interesting remix for its acid sound treatments. Orphx did a great job as well transposing “Deconvolution” into a darker- and minimal approach.

– – – : This EP shows Daniel Myer at his best so no real reasons to complain here. This is a new masterpiece from Architect!

Conclusion: Architect never seizes to evolve and refresh its sound. This is a great and intelligent production, which will also get you into dance!

Best songs: “Deconvolution”, “Deconvolution – Doggystyle”, “Deconvolution – Orphx Remix”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.architect-music.com / www.facebook.com/Architectband

Label: www.hymen-records.com / www.facebook.com/hymenrecords

Orphx – Learn To Suffer (Vinyl 12” – Sonic Groove)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 19:30:07 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-techno, IDM.

Background/Info: “Learn To suffer” is the first real new work since the last Orphx-album “Pitch Black Mirror” (2016, Hands). Canadian duo Rich Oddie – Christina Sealey moved back to Sonic Groove (label of Adam X) to unleash four new cuts.

Content: “Learn To Suffer” is clearly inspired –and taken, by the live performances of Orphx. This is music for the dancefloors! But it once more reveals the sound intelligence of this duo. Sophisticated songs revealing elements of IDM, industrial music and even EBM are carried by solid dance beats. Orphx reveals their most danceable ‘techno’ side while the last song sounds more ‘classical’ although very dark and bouncing.

+ + + : Orphx is not reinventing their sound, but they seem to be in a constant progress. The songs are elaborated and achieved with great sound intelligence. The opening cut “Solipsist” is a perfect example showing this sound approach and which even reminds me a bit of Frontline Assembly (which they recently remixed). On “Bare Life” they’re injecting something EBM to their work while “Pain Is A Teacher” sounds rougher and even a bit Esplendor Geometrico-like. You get 4 brilliant songs without a single remix!

– – – : I don’t have any minus point about this genius EP, but I just can imagine early Orphx fans would not be that enthusiast about this kind of productions.

Conclusion: Orphx is one of those bands, which even throughout the years never stops to improve their sound. They’re truly sound wizards reflecting an avant-garde vision of industrial-techno music.

Best songs: “Tröma Nakmo”, “Bare Life”, “Solipsist”, “Pain Is A Teacher”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.orphx.com / www.facebook.com/orphx

Label: www.sonicgroove.com / www.facebook.com/Sonicgrooverecords

Frontline Assembly – Eye On You (Digital EP – Metropolis Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 23 Dec 2018 19:00:26 +0000

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Background/Info: While the Canadian EBM veterans have announced their upcoming album “Wake Up The Coma” for early 2019 they here and now strike back with this particular EP/single. “Eye On You”’ is featuring Robert Görl (DAF).

Content: The title song reveals the usual FLA-complexity. It also sounds a bit bombastic, but remains very EBM-minded with Bill Leeb’s vocals on top.

Remixes have been made by Orphx and Terence Fixmer.

+ + + : FLA meeting Robert Görl is something unique and “Eye On You” also is a cool new song (that will be featured on the upcoming album). When EBM masters are working together you can only, but expect a great song. But I also have to say that the best surprise maybe comes from Orphx. They remixed the song into their own style resulting in an intelligent and still sophisticated piece of music, which is mainly instrumental (except during the last part of the song). This is pure industrial-dance music, which will ravish the DJ’s.

– – – : This song is not exactly my favorite FLA-composition, but if you’re familiar with their impressive discography you for sure will get my point. I also expected a bit more from the Terence Fixmer-remix, which is pretty unusual for the Frenchman.

Conclusion: This single is first of all a great collaboration between EBM legends so in the end there’s no better way to announce the new full length.

Best songs: “Eye On You – Orphx Remix”, “Eye On You – Album Mix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/frontlineassembly

Label: www.metropolis-records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords

Ancient Methods – The Jericho Methods (Digital Album – Ancient Methods)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 20:03:41 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial-techno.

Background/Info:

Originally set up as a duo, Michael Wollenhaupt remained the single member on board. After numerous EP’s Ancient Methods has now released its debut full length -available as 3-vinyl format, featuring 14 tracks.

Content: The sound of Ancient Methods is clearly driven by industrial-techno vibes. From heavy, bouncing cuts carried by a big kick to frenetic-trance passages to somewhat mysterious and Eastern-like atmospheres this work is quite diversified. You’ll also notice multiple sound effects, exciting electronic signals and even a few passages with vocals.

“The Jericho Methods” also reveals the contribution of some famous guest artists such as Orphx, Prurient, Cindytalk, Regis and a few more vocalists.

+ + + : I like the sonic fusion between techno- and industrial music and especially when it has been accomplished with passion and knowledge. The sound production reveals multiple great aspects and I especially enjoyed the heavy blasting sounds running through the album. The contribution of some talented guest artists also adds a little extra to the work. “The Jericho Methods” is an accomplished and diversified piece of music featuring multiple noticeable cuts.

– – – : I can’t get away that this kind of music is a bit too dark for techno heads and maybe too techno-driven for industrial lovers, but one thing is for sure, there’s a growing audience for this kind of music. Back to the album now, I personally expected a bit more from the songs that featured guest artists.

Conclusion: Welcome to the world of Ancient Methods, revealing a successful work filled with styled industrial-techno.

Best songs: “The House Of Rahab”, “Treason Creeps In”, “I Am Your New King feat. King Dude”, “Twelve Stones To Divide Jordan’s Sand”, “Crack And Collapse In The Storm Of Lights”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .ancientmethods .com / www .facebook .com /ancientmethods 1

Denise Rabe – The Frogs Pick A King (Vinyl 12” – Rabe)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 20:30:55 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno, IDM.

Background/Info: Berlin based Denise Rabe has already released a few EP’s and DJ-mixes. This 12” features 2 new tracks plus 2 remixes.

Content: Welcome in the Berlin techno scene, which remains one of the most fascinating- and innovative underground scenes from avant-garde music. Denise Rabe stands for techno music with attitude and mixed with IDM-elements. Remixes have been made by Orphx and Nur Jaber (a Lebanese producer & DJ).

+ + + : I call this music ‘techno with attitude’ because of the intelligent and elaborated writing. It’s somewhat dark, bouncing and supported with a mysterious atmosphere. The remix of Lucy’s Dream” by Nur Jaber features some shimmering voices, only accentuating the mystery around the work.

– – – : This is cool music although I can’t say that there’s a ‘hit’ featured. I expected a bit more from the Orphx remix (probably because Orphx always releases exceptional work).

Conclusion: I for sure have heard more exciting techno productions from the Berlin school, but I’m sure Denise Rabe can improve her own level.

Best songs: “Lucy’s Dream – Nur Jaber Remix”, “Lucy’s Dream”.

Rate: (7).

Artist & Label: www .facebook .com /DeniseRabeMusic

Front Line Assembly to release new single featuring Robert Görl of D.A.F. – here’s a preview

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 12:30:19 +0000

Front Line Assembly returns with the release of their new single “Eye On You”, taken from the forthcoming album “Wake Up The Coma” coming in early 2019. The single will feature Robert Görl of the pioneering German band D.A.F. along with remixes from Terence Fixmer and Orphx. The single will be released by Metropolis on November 16th.

Here’s how the song sounds like. The video below was filmed in Gothenburg on August 24 at Sticky Fingers.

‘Click’ Interview with Sylvgheist Maëlström: ‘Music Is A Feeling And The Right Emanation From Experienced Feelings’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 27 Oct 2018 17:00:43 +0000

French solo-project Sylvgheist Maëlström this year released its fourth full length album in history. Driven by Julien Sylvgheist the sound can be the best defined as a sonic osmosis between different genres such as industrial-, experimental-, rave- and intelligent dance music. The new work entitled “Norillag” and released on Hands again reveals a fascinating, visionary approach of industrial music.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: There’s a hiatus of 4 years between your previous album “Pripyat” and “Norillag”. The least I can say is that you weren’t in a rush to achieve this new work. So when did you start the writing of “Norillag” and what kind of album did you want to accomplish?

Julien: The process of composition has started slowly in 2015 with the first sounds. I played a new track at each live performance. There was not conceptual idea. Music is a feeling and the right emanation from experienced feelings. It is a direct and raw reaction, out of control, without premeditation. A new part of life started with the work around mental confrontation, mental alienation by work oppression and so you can find a new context in life getting you to compose music.

Q: Most titles of your albums refer to very explicit places on earth so what inspired you for “Norillag” and the titles of the tracks?

Julien: “Norillag” stands for alienation by labor, dehumanization by accepting the inacceptable, a bleak subject matter, an inspiring moment of music. For the fourth time, I take on a tour of the world, way off the beaten tourist track, but to a location that bears witness to man’s propensity for self-destruction like no other: Norillag, which is a former Soviet gulag and nowadays the (arguably) most polluted city in the world, where people work in conditions that are inhumane beyond comprehension. Acid rain and smog -by some estimations, one per cent of global sulphur dioxide emission comes from Norilsk’s nickel mines. And yet, local authorities and the Norilsk Nickel complex directions attract people with large sums of money -to suffer the most horrendous work conditions. The workers accept the pollution and the severe health hazards as a condition for profit, effectively turning todays Norilsk into a revenant of the Soviet gulag and its dark history of forced labor –and death.

Q: Sound-wise ‘industrial’ music remains the guideline of your music, but it has been mixed with diversified influences such as techno-, experimental- and trance music. Where does this eclectic approach comes from and what’s your personal vision about ‘music’ and ‘sound’?

Julien: Industrial, techno, experimental, trance music, ambient, drum&bass, dubstep, jazz, new wave, metal… they represent all my music influences and background. I’m listening to these different kinds of music for 30 years now and with a real appetite to discover new universes and new ways of expressions.

I (Sylvgheist Maelstrom) began to play electronic music between 1995 and 1999. In addition to the universe of scholarly music (contemporary, in particular) in which I bathe since childhood, the musical influences are clearly identified: Einstürzende Neubauten, first, Orphx then. From this noise influence is born Sylvgheist Maëlström. In 1999, I went to Sweden for my architectural studies. It is there, in a country where the natural immensity is everywhere – colossal, dominant -that the concept Sylvgheist Maëlström really took shape. Sylvgheist Maëlström -literally ‘ghostly spirit of nature’ -is indeed the sonic translation of the uncontrollable movement of the environment taking back its rights over civilization. Nature regulating itself, without regard to the human traveling through its lands. Thus, at the heart of the Sylvgheist Maëlström project, a question emerges as to the cyclical nature of catastrophic phenomena but also, more fundamentally, to the inevitability of destruction, the inexorable nature of deaths and disintegrations.

Q: Do you’ve personal criteria and/or references when you’re composing music and do you’ve a kind of procedure when writing your songs?

Julien: If I’m a musician, I’m also architect and painter: so three media and three ways of exploring the same themes -nature, death, destiny -which allow me to express and transcend my feelings and obsessions. I’m collecting images (films and photos) of various destructive climatic phenomena for years now. This approach, started following the loss of loved ones, comes first from an ‘unidentified’ need; which becomes conscious around 2008, date on which it becomes systematically. These annihilations at the scale of the climate and the world (floods, storms, cyclones, lahars …) -founders of the artistic process of Sylvgheist Maëlström -are the thousand times magnified image, planetary, destructions of the intimate. This reflection reflects the insurmountable shock faced with the disappearance, the absolute idleness experienced in the face of what can not to be mastered. My musical work is therefore the result of an extremely intellectual and artistic constructed process (begun almost twenty years ago) as the fruit of a sensitive personal journey. It is also an affirmation and the possibility of fighting through creation the inevitability of annihilation. Creation as an antidote to loss, as ‘anti-fate’. An anti-destiny all the more powerful as creation is collective.

The composition process takes place at the very first beginning and takes shape as a sound collage, with a ‘color palette’ created for each track. The track construction starts with sound confrontation.

Q: I think you’re one of those ‘visionary’ artists composing the ‘industrial music from the future’. What means industrial music to you and especially when you’re looking back to the real pioneers in the genre such as Test Department, Throbbing gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten ?

Julien: If I look back to the pioneers, ‘Industrial’ means to me performing art with our video musical media, but especially noise experimental, based on recorded sounds (percussion and urban sounds) or sampled sounds (synthesizers, sequencers); originally my project was aimed to become the fusion of electronic music and death metal.

Q: How do you see yourself as live performer and what’s the importance of playing live for Sylvgheist Maëlström?

Julien: Since 2011, as part of the festival “FDLMEI” in Paris, the concept of Sylvgheist Maëlström is based upon video art. Indeed, thanks to my brother lighting creator Sebastien Michaud, the project takes on an unexpected scale. The music and the themes literally take shape with the images manipulated live. The work of my brother, totally connected to the rhythmic (via MIDI), marries the sounds, the nuances as well as the movements of the pieces. The result is breathtaking: the listener is then plunged, as penetrated by this universe; the scenic device leaving room for images (“Maschinenfest Festival” in 2014, “Transient Festival” in 2016, “WGT” in 2017, “Forms Of Hands 2018”.

Sébastien Michaud brings the themes of Sylvgheist Maëlström, he makes my reflections live, but also deploys a clear visual universe, to really enter in his deep music production, to feel my chaotic mental seasons, as a life variation.

For live performances, Sylvgheist Maëlström focuses on video to hypnotize the audience. Raw nature expressive images have been transposed into sounds revealing an hypnotic and mesmerizing power. As an actual mental control by images, the process of this combination loses the audience in a duality of sensations and meditations. My current set is also turned to narcosis, the dream, the memory and the reminiscence.

‘Click Interview’ with Matter: ‘Repetitive Rhythms And Abrasive Sounds Supported By Deep Bass Immersed Into A Sea Of Noise’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 16 Sep 2018 17:00:47 +0000

Matter is an Italian solo-project set up and driven by Fabrizio Matrone. The project is already active for a couple of years now and has released different albums on labels such as Le Petit Machine, Soviet Media Kontrol and Kvitnu. The new opus “Primitive Forms” has been released on Ant-Zen revealing a magic sound fusion between industrial-techno, IDM and dark-rave music. The work belongs to the best progressive industrial releases from the past few years or to the darkest techno/trance productions.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: How would you introduce yourself as musician and the different projects you’re involved with?

Fabrizio: My name is Fabrizio Matrone and I’m an electronic music producer better known under the moniker of Matter and Heidseck. Matter is a project exploring the territories of industrial, rhythmic noise and experimental music. The main peculiarities of this project are repetitive rhythms and abrasive sounds supported by deep bass immersed into a sea of noise. Heidseck is a project drone/ambient with an isolationist touch. Since a few years I manage the label Subsidence with the film maker Pier Paolo Patti and other collaborators like Lino Monaco of Retina.it and Pier Giuseppe Mariconda, known under the moniker of Prg/M.

Q: Matter clearly appears to be your ‘main’ project and also the most prolific one. What have been the biggest satisfactions so far and might we consider your newest work released on Ant-Zen as the ultimate consecration?

Fabrizio: Of course it has been a great satisfaction for me to be published by a label like Kvitnu, and it has been such an honor to be remixed by Orphx (the 12” will be released the 14^th of September by Concrete Records). The new album released on Ant-Zen represents a big goal. I’m not sure if I can define it a consecration, but it is an important event for my music career. A label like Ant-Zen and some of the bands were formative and deeply influenced my sound.

Q: What are the most essential elements –referring to concept, influences, sound… we’ve to know about “Primitive Forms”?

Fabrizio: The concepts of my albums are frequently inspired by geology, especially events or a specific process that sometimes assume a metaphoric role. “Primitive Forms” is inspired by the reading of an illustrated atlas of fossil distribution in Southern Tethys ocean. It describes the classification and evolution of fossil during the past geological ages when the Earth was an entirely different place to live compared with modern age, and different weather conditions, morphology and the atmosphere were absolutely hostile to the human race. These primitive lifeforms existed until the environmental conditions changed, and now there remain impressions, or traces are preserved in all their essential, but complex functional primitive forms. Probably in a distant future a lot of highly developed objects, buildings or organisms will be considered as ‘primitive forms’. Even the sound and the titles of the tracks reflects this concept.

Q: Sound-wise and in my opinion, the album belongs to the most progressive side of industrial music, but still to the darkest side of techno music with as main particularity real sophisticated sound treatments. Does this description fits with your own perception and what’s your personal perception of the “Primitive Forms”-sound?

Fabrizio: I agree with your description, the link with the industrial music has always been present, but now the rhythms are faster than in the past, orientated to techno and to the dancefloor. From a certain point of view, they’re closer to the first productions.

Q: How do you explain more and more ‘industrial’ artists (where you belong to) are progressively experimenting with different kinds of ‘techno’ music?

Fabrizio: I ignore the reasons why even more industrial artists experiment with techno, but I think that this interaction and contamination between industrial music and techno is very interesting. Personally I’ve always been interested in a certain kind of techno, so for me it has been natural to deal with it. In the past albums there were good tracks for the dancefloor, but I played they in a slow way, for example around the 60-80 bmp.

Q: What means playing live to you and how do you transpose your music from a studio recording towards a live recording?

Fabrizio: The live dimension is a gratifying experience for me; this allows me to interact directly with the audience and I can look the reactions of the people when I play this or that track. During the live shows there is a good margin to the improvisation and good ideas for new tracks can raise, of course! Also, the occasion of a live recording is strictly linked to the possibility to make new friends, old friends and to live interesting situations like festivals or other. For the live shows I use a daw helpfully configured where I upload some samples that I can manipulate, some synths and few outboard effects.

Icelandic electronic pioneer Reptilicus to release a collaboration album with Raster-Noton

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 14:38:30 +0000

Icelandic electronic pioneer Reptilicus are to release a collaboration with Raster-Noton favourite Senking this Fall on Artoffact Records. The record deal is for an unspecified number of releases. The first album, a collaboration with Raster-Noton favourite Senking, will be released in October. The collaboration was recorded in Hamilton, Ontario’s famous Grant Avenue Studio and mixed by Bob Doidge (Crash Test Dummies, Cowboy Junkies).

In late November 2011, Reptilicus, Senking (Raster-Noton), Rúnar Magnússon, and Orphx shared the bill at a concert in Toronto organised by Praveer Baijal founder of Toronto label Yatra-Arts. The occasion was to celebrate the release of Reptilicus’ first output in years: “Initial Conditions”, a blue vinyl 7″ that included a remix by Senking on the B-side.

At the time, production for modular-synthesizer documentary I Dream of Wires was under way. Reptilicus, Senking and Rúnar Magnússon were among the first wave of artists featured for the project. Praveer Baijal of Yatra-Arts introduced the bands to William Blakeney, executive producer of the film, and a session was organized at Grant Avenue Studio in Hamilton, Ontario. The legendary studio was founded by the Lanois brothers and the site of numerous classic recordings, among them many of Brian Eno’s and Daniel Lanois’ ambient series in the 1980s.

A collection of vintage modular synthesizers was made available for recording the album while Reptilicus also brought their P-synth. Also included are a drone machine built by Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson (Godkrist). The bands had Bob Doidge (Crash Test Dummies, Cowboy Junkies) at the mixing desk assisted by Dean Batute.

Afterwards, Senking and Reptilicus, with Rúnar Magnússon as a third member, worked on the raw material in a truly trans-European fashion from their respective locations in Cologne, Reykjavík and Copenhagen. The result of their collaboration is the album “Unison”.

Boxing Week sale at Storming The Base – here’s the link

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 17:00:54 +0000

The industrial mailorder Storming The Base has launched its Boxing Week sale. The sale holds a choice between hundreds of vinyls, CD sets all at heavily reduced prices.

Included are releases from hundreds of bands such as Depeche Mode, ∆aimon, Front Line Assembly, Tehom, Blutengel,[:SITD:], iEuropean feat. Wolfgang Flur, Merzbow, Dave Ball & Jon Savage, Orphx, Cevin Key & Ken Hiwatt Marshall, Mueran Humanos, Yoko Ono, 3Teeth, Prong and many many more! You can find the complete list right here.

Good to know for our US-readers, you get the shipping for free when you order for 100 US$ or more. EU-readers, group your orders and you’ll see the shipping costs decrease a lot!

Happy hunting!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The full track listing can be checked right here.

V/A Forms Of Hands 17 (CD Album – Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 05 Aug 2017 19:00:35 +0000

Genre/Influences: Industrial, powernoise, IDM, industrial-trance, industrial-techno.

Background/Info: “Forms Of Hands” became a recognized and successful label festival, which each year again reveals some of the hottest industrial formations from the Hands roster plus a few ‘new’ projects. The festival took place in April and was spread over two days reassembling 14 bands. The “Forms Of Hands” compilation series is a way to get back to this great happening revealing the 14 bands from the festival.

Bands: Winterkälte, Orphx, Geistform, Greyhound, MS Gentur, SKET, New frames, Heimstatt Yipotash, Hysteresis, Last Days Of S.E.X., Tomohiko Sagae, Saturmzlide, Dirty K, Kaibun.

Content: Hands is one of the absolute leading labels from the industrial music. The label also became a host for innovating bands, which are very appealing to an industrial audience. This sampler perfectly represents the sonic horizon of the German label.

This is not just ‘industrial’, but often a mix with techno or trance for some of the most ‘progressive’ bands, a move back to industrial roots revealing heavy power-noise driven bands, or some projects mixing industrial with noise and experimental treatments. From rough and unpolished tracks to more sophisticated and high-tech pieces this new series again has a lot to offer.

+ + + : We all will have our favorite industrial styles and bands, but this great selection of bands only confirms the leading status of the label from Dortmund. From the transcendental power-noise Dirty K to the newest signing Tomohiko Sagae who clearly reveals to be a merciless industrial-trance & noise freak to the d’n’b core experiment by Hysteresis to the technoid experiments by intelligent artists such as Geistform, Kaibun and of course Orphx to the industrial-trance of Heimstatt Yipotash and Greyhound to the more classical power-noise sounds of Winterkälte and MS Gentur there definitely is a lot to experience and to get wild of. Tomohiko Sagae and New Frames (new project by Mathis Mootz aka Panacea) both are the ‘new comers’ and in a way discoveries from the sampler.

– – – : I can imagine some early Hands-addicts will maybe regret the some of the technoid influences on several bands, but I’m afraid this is a natural and probably logical evolution industrial music has to go through.

Conclusion: This sampler once again reveals a great sonic cocktail from some of the finest Hands bands.

Best bands: Orphx, Greyhound, Geistform, Kaibun, Saturmzlide.

Rate: (8).

Label: www .handsproductions .com / www .facebook .com /hands .official

Rhys Fulber – Realism (Vinyl 12” – Sonic Groove)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 18:30:27 +0000

Genre/Influences: Minimal-electro, industrial-techno.

Background/Info: Rhys Fulber doesn’t need that much of an introduction. Long-time member of Frontline Assembly, involved over the years into bands like Delerium, Noise Unit, Will, Synaesthesia, Conjure One, Intermix ao, the Canadian sound guru has now achieved a new EP under his own name.

Content: If you’re a bit familiar with the Adam-X label Sonic Groove, you for sure get an idea what to expect. Rhys Fulber has composed 4 industrial dance-cuts. The opening track is quite FLA-like, but with this little techno-groovy touch on top.

Quite progressively the tracks become more technoid, but still minimal and always dark. “Realism” sounds like industrial-techno with some groovy dance kicks and several spoken samplings.

+ + + : After great names and sound architects such as Orphx, Monolith, Fixmer/McCarthy it’s now time for another famous artist from the dark-electronic scene to join hands together with Sonic Groove. Rhys Fulber remains a real genius when it comes to transposing sounds into a very own styled dimension. But I especially like the way he mixes electronic-minimalism and other EBM influences together with a dark, danceable technoid style. It’s a fascinating experiment resulting in four brilliant songs.

– – – : I didn’t hear any minus point on this release and I just hope that Rhys Fulber will go on with this intelligent industrial-techno format!

Conclusion: If you think that Rhys Fulber is just an electronic veteran without new ideas, you’re at damned fault! “Realism” is an intelligent and contemporary format mixing underground elements together with techno influences. Brilliant!

Best songs: “Abstraction”, “Reload”, “Effigy”, “Minsk Maschinen”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www .facebook .com /rhys .fulber

Label: www .sonicgroove .com / www .facebook .com /Sonicgrooverecords

Orphx – Archive 1993-1994 (CD Album – Hospital Productions)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 12 May 2017 18:30:11 +0000

Genre/Influences: Noise, industrial, experimental.

Background/Info: Orphx was set up in 1993 by Richard Oddie, Christina Sealey and Aron West (Tropism). West was the only member of Orphx during the early years while Oddie and Sealey moved on. This album is a kind of documentary bringing us back to the first experiments and demo tapes of the Canadian formation. You’ll (re)discover tracks from the “01” (1993) and “02” (1994) plus a few previously unreleased cuts.

Content: The early period of Orphx was totally different in sound and influences than today. The band was experimenting with sounds and creating noises. The tracks are dark and tormenting, sometimes joined by ghost-like spoken vocals. It’s a mix of industrial and noise, which has nothing in common with the dark-techno and IDM approach of today.

This album features 20 tracks, which bring us back to the first steps of Orphx, ending by a live fragment recorded in 1994.

+ + + : I’m sure a lot of Orphx-fans will get the opportunity to discover early tracks they never heard before. The composition was not just into industrial- and experimental music, but they also reveal the typical sonic treatments, which have made the band famous. The icy sound atmospheres are still recognizable and another main element in the work of Orphx.

– – – : If you like the current sound of Orphx, which is definitely into a very own, but techno-direction, you will possibly be surprised to discover this debut period dealing with industrial- and experimental music. It’s not exactly the most accessible music Orphx has ever made.

Conclusion: “Archive 1993-1994” doesn’t lie about its content; it’s a look back into the debut-period of those Canadian sound architects. You’ll discover the basis of their music, which however evolved towards a more accessible format, but always, remained obscure and cold.

Best songs: “Excruciate”, “The Sodomite”, “Reservoirs Of Infection”.

Rate: (7).

Band: www .orphx .com / www .facebook .com /orphx

Label: http ://hospitalproductions .net / www .facebook .com /pages /Hospital –Productions /575625922514820

Orphx secures ‘Archive 1993-1994’ as a 2LP vinyl set

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 19:30:42 +0000

Mannequin Records will release an archival collection from Orphx’s 1993-1994 period. Inspired by early industrial music and new waves of noise from Japan and Europe, the compilation gathers together material from the Rich Oddie and Christina Sealey’s first 2 cassette releases (“01” & “02”) originally released by Xcreteria along with previously unreleased tracks recovered from the original 4 track tapes.

The 2 vinyl set is limited to 500 copies and can be ordered right here.

The project was founded in late 1993 by Rich Oddie, Christina Sealey and Aron West. West left in 1994 to create the noise project Tropism.

Tracklist:

A1 Conceptus
A2 Gestation
A3 Miasma (Edit)
A4 Inhumed
A5 The Sodomite

B1 An Initial Process
B2 Excruciate
B3 Monophilia
B4 Juliette
B5 Metaplasmic Disjecta

C1 Veil of Dream
C2 Exposure
C3 Reservoirs of Infection
C4 A la Recherche d’un Corps

D1 A Landscape of Wounds (Edit)
D2 Accuracy Overloads Procedure
D3 Lecture
D4 Serial Deaths
D5 Beautiful Wreckage
D6 Live Fragment 21/10/94

Lucy & Rrose – The Lotus Eaters (Vinyl 12” – Stroboscopic Artefacts)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 20:30:12 +0000

Genre/Influences: Experimental-techno.

Background/Info: “The Lotus Eaters” resulted from the common efforts of Luca Mortellaro aka Lucy (Stroboscopic Artefacts owner) and techno-experimentalist Rrose (who last year also released split EP’s together with artists like Orphx and Kangding Ray). This 12” features 4 different tracks.

Content: This production is an invitation to explore the most unknown and less popular realms of techno music. It for sure is based upon technoid sources of inspiration, but the sound treatments quickly appear to be the main focus. From ambient atmospheres, which are progressively moving into rhythm while repetitive bleeping sequences join in, this work has less in common with the familiar techno music.

The techno format of Lucy & Rrose is not driven by pumping kicks, but is accentuated by impressive sonic manipulations and deep, vibrating sound waves.

+ + + : “The Lotus Eaters” fills the gap between traditional techno music and pure underground electronics. This is a dark and experimental production, which I think will be more praised by underground and especially experimental music lovers instead of teenagers dancing to big beats. This work is sophisticated and complex, but first of all revealing a further dimension of techno. Stroboscopic Artefacts is based in Berlin, which remains the sonic Mecca for this kind of avant-garde experiences.

– – – : The complexity and especially the experimentalism of the record makes it for sure less accessible for a wider audience although I guess that’s not the main purpose of both artists. Speaking for myself I’m not that much into the opening cut, but the other tracks are definitely more exciting.

Conclusion: Lucy & Rrose proves that techno music is still becoming darker, more sophisticated and definitely into underground. That’s why this kind of format becomes more accessible for industrial- and experimental fans as well.

Best songs: “Stained Glass”, “Peeling”.

Rate: (6½).

Bands: www .facebook .com /lucyofficial / www .facebook .com /Rrose 1921

Label: www .stroboscopicartefacts .com / www .facebook .com /StroboscopicArtefacts

‘Click Interview’ with Cervello Elettronico: ‘A World Full Of Combichrist- And Suicide Commando Clones Made Music Very Boring’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 19:30:59 +0000

Cervello Elettronico is the sonic brainchild of David Christian. This solo-project started to get recognized right after the official debut-album “Negate The Instigator” released in 2007 on CrunchPod. This work revealed a fresh and progressive electro-industrial-trance sound, which got progressively improved all over the years. Cervello Elettronico is now mainly active on HANDS, which released the newest opus “Logical Fears”. I asked David a few questions about the past and the present.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You next year will ‘celebrate’ the 10th anniversary of your official debut-album “Negate The Instigator” released on CrunchPod! What did this album evoke to you and what has been the importance of this work on your career?

David: I have not listened to “Negate The Iinstigator” since about 3 or 4 years ago when I got back the licensing and put it up on Bandcamp. I’m proud of the ideas, but not the production on that album. Maybe one day I can go back and rework things, but that won’t be for a while. I prefer to move forward.

It was an important album to me in the learning process of song writing. Before “Negate The Iinstigator” I would just mess around for hours and edited whatever worthwhile material came out of it to make songs. The finished product was nothing like I originally imagined, which can be a good or bad thing.

When I wrote “Negate The Iinstigator” I started to hear music in my head and then try to replicate it with samples and synths. This is mainly how I work today. The end result is usually half way accurate, but It’s gotten more spot on over time. Feedback from the release was also very helpful. It held a mirror up to my project and helped me realize what aspects people liked, where I was, and how to grow and be where I wanted to be. The label had a following so exposure is always good.

Q: So is the production process the main change/evolution from “Negate The Instigator” towards your newest album “Logical Fears”?

David: Recording “Negate The Iinstigator” was like driving with a blindfold on, but now I know exactly where to go with this project. It all had to do with being truthful to myself as an artist and defining my path. There were just so many influences during the first two albums pulling in different directions and you can hear the chaos. Rhythmic-noise, EBM, electro, electronica, trance. It probably had to do with lack of confidence. I’m more confident about writing now.

I think a lot of newer artists in the mid to late 2000’s had this same problem. They tried to mimic successful artists in the scene and don’t have an identity. A world full of Combichrist- and Suicide Commando clones made music very boring. With my last few releases I’ve committed to one direction and it feels comfortable in my skin. I feel like Logical Fears is my best released album to date because of this. The next one will be honest as well and sound even harder.

Q: What kind of album did you had in mind when starting the writing of “Logical Fears”?

David: I wanted to make a political album without pushing an agenda. It’s difficult to avoid the topic of politics this year especially if you live in America. It’s an ultra provocative topic. Tension was high because of the election. Families and friends were torn apart. I just wanted to put up a mirror against all that was going on and show distortion. People are afraid of fear right now and the anxiety is piling up. But I feel it’s out of place for this particular project to take any political stance (with exception against racism or for human rights). Free will and not my songs or words will decide our fate. I am not turning Cervello Elettronico exclusively into a political act. There are enough artists that do that already.

I also wanted the hardest most abrasive sounding album I’ve ever recorded. I started out with the noisy rhythms and distorted percussions and worked my way backwards from there. I’ve also learned that there is gravity and sort of centrifugal force to sounds. That helps keep music balanced. I think it’s a good idea to keep an open mind about the process and not be afraid to try new things. Since joining the HANDS label I have so many impressive peers I feel like I need to push my limits to keep up.

Q: I’ve been always fascinated by your sound creation, which has a kind of very personal sound-DNA. How do you proceed to create your sounds and do you’ve some references?

David: I like to sample sounds that are relevant to the topic of the song and twist them. For “Logical Fears” I lifted sound bites from the media of American presidential candidates and attributed them to certain political issues or publicity tactics. For “Tone Deaf” I heard Ted Cruz (failed presidential nominee) singing really poorly for votes and thought that was a perfect example of shameless publicity. The next best thing to kissing a baby (which you can’t really sample). I had to include that in “Logical Fears”.

I also work at an airport and like to sample my work environment. There’s lots of mechanical inspiration around me there. Then of course if there’s an idea in my head for a sound I just build it from scratch. I think like most designers I make sound in layers. There’s a superficial sound and it’s processed and paired with another meaty sound or eq’d to fit a piece of the puzzle. It’s all boring technical stuff, but fun to certain people like me.

Q: I noticed more and more ‘industrial’ bands are experimenting with ‘techno’ music, the bridge between both styles becoming sometimes pretty close! How do you explain this evolution and what has been the impact of techno music on your sound?

David: It’s less of an evolution and more like a renaissance. I think Industrial music had lost its way becoming what it was meant to counter, but now it’s returning full circle. Besides the techno influence it’s gotten more experimental and provocative again. Techno has been a huge influence on my recent style and I have old friends like Adam X to thank for that. Also living in Los Angeles changed my sound. Just like Berlin, L.A is a hot spot for this kind of music. “Droid Behavior”-parties are where to go if you want to hear Orphx, Perc, or Rrose. This is the real industrial music right now to me.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

ANFS – The Age Of Ephemeral Man (Vinyl 12” – Inner Surface Music)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 19:00:29 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-techno, industrial-techno, IDM.

Background/Info: ANFS is a Greek producer who has already released a few EP’s. This new release has been released on the UK based label Inner Surface Music and features 3 tracks plus 1 remix.

Content: There’s a small sonic bridge between techno and industrial music and that’s what ANFS confirms from start on. The repetitive loops moves towards a crescendo reaching a climax when buzzing horn sounds join in.

Even if the work is somewhat repetitive it also is sophisticated and sometimes reminds me of Orphx. It’s a kind wazoo of dark-techno format accomplished with industrial elements which always moves towards a real apotheosis.

There also is a very noticeable remix by Berliner producer Honzo, which still sounds pretty dark and a bit visionary like when it comes to techno music.

+ + + : More and more producers confirm that the ‘usual’ techno productions are just for fashion trend lovers. ANFS mixes techno- and industrial music, which sounds dark and totally underground-like. “Blood Trophy” and “VPA” both are outstanding pieces of music that will make you dance.

– – – : The A-side sounds absolutely great while the B-side features a cool remix, but the remix between both sides is really noticeable.

Conclusion: “The Age Of Ephemeral Man” features a great sonic intercourse between techno- and industrial music. It’s an open-minded production appealing for a wider audience of dance freaks.

Best songs: “VPA”, “Blood Trophy”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www .facebook .com /anfs .mdl

Label: www .facebook .com /innersurfacemusic

‘Click Interview’ with Orphx: ’Modular Synthesizer Systems Have Become Central To Our Live Sets And Studio Work’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 22:00:41 +0000

It took five years to Richard Oddie and Christina Sealey to unleash a new full length album of their ORPHX sound project. They however remained pretty active and moved on elaborating a solid sound hybrid between industrial- and techno music. Their new opus ”Pitch Black Mirror” has been released on Hands (CD format) and Sonic Groove (vinyl format), which only confirms the small distance between both music styles.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You are no longer releasing full length albums on a regular basis. How come and what have been the triggers to start composing the new opus “Pitch Black Mirror”?

Orphx: During the last few years we’ve been more active than ever, but focusing our energy on our 12” releases with Sonic Groove, live performances, remixes, and a number of side projects. We’ve been working on this new album for the last couple years, but it was only this year that we managed to find the time to bring it all together. We knew we wanted to focus on the modular synthesizer systems that have become central to our live sets and studio work, as well as making vocals more central to a number of the tracks.

Q: I noticed that ORPHX has been set up 23 years ago now! What according to you are the main evolutions and changes since the early years till your newest work?

Orphx: We began in the early 1990s with an improvisational approach that was inspired by early industrial music. At this time we were using quite primitive equipment: a couple of synths, reel to reel tape machines, a sampler, a drum machine, some pedals, and some tools and scrap metal. Rhythms quickly became more prominent in our work, and we gradually started taking a more structured approach to composition, while still retaining improvisational elements.

By the mid 90s we were combining industrial music with elements of techno, electro and dub. By the early 2000s, we began to take more influence from electro-acoustic music, using location recordings to create rhythms and textures. We also began using more computer software at this time.

From the mid 2000s forward, the techno elements in our work became a bit stronger but still with a strong emphasis on industrial themes, tools, and techniques. At this time, we began moving back toward an improvisational approach to live performance using Ableton Live software and modular synthesizers. Our new album combines all of these influences and phases from the last 23 years.

We were very happy to have our friend Aron West contributing to this record, as he was one of the original members of the project and has supported our work all of these years. Aron and Rich also collaborate under the name Oureboros and they’ve just released their second album on Ant Zen.

Q: I experienced “Pitch Black Mirror” as the ultimate sonic bridge between industrial- and techno music. How do you explain the growing fusion between both genres?

Orphx: Techno has always taken some influence from industrial music and this has become more prominent or popular during different periods in the music’s history. Conversely, some artists based in industrial music and noise have been incorporating elements of techno into their work for many years. The current trend of ’industrial-techno’ has become surprisingly popular and long-lasting, and it is interesting to see the extent to which many new artists are now drawing on a wide range of related influences.

This shift towards harder, darker, and more challenging forms of dance music is, in part, a reaction to the present state of the world and perhaps also a reaction to the more ’safe’ and polite forms of techno that reigned in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Q: I noticed that the album concept is inspired by a poem. What is it all about and how do you transpose this concept into music?

Orphx: The concept and title were inspired by a line from a poem called “Dark Pool” by a Canadian poet named P.B. Hunter. The poem expresses the idea of facing and transcending or transforming traumatic experiences, learning from them. We liked this idea and it is a theme that runs through much of our work. The poem and concept inspired some of the lyrics and titles, and we tied this into related imagery from Jean Cocteau’s film “Orpheus”, which inspired the cover photo.

We were also inspired by personal and political events over the last year, including political unrest and protest movements in Canada and the United States, and this is reflected in some of the samples and lyrics.

Q: “Pitch Black Mirror” has been released –and for the very first time, on 2 familiar ORPHX-labels, which are Sonic Groove for the vinyl edition and Hands for the CD format. How did this happened and is it meant to reach both audiences, the techno- and industrial scene?

Orphx: Yes, we wanted to reach both audiences and maintain our relationship with both labels so we were happy to make this happen.

Q: One of the main characteristics and strengths of your work for sure remain the sound treatments and impressive manipulations. Can you reveal the secret formula behind this aspect of your work and do you have some influences and standards for this topic?

Orphx: We’ve always been drawn to quite simple hypnotic patterns that overlap and interact over time. Some of the artists that have really influenced us in this respect include Vromb, Mika Vainio, and Conrad Schnitzler. We spend a lot of time creating sounds and shaping them and the tools available now are really sophisticated, both in terms of software and the modular synthesizer systems that we’ve fallen in love with.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Industrial techno veterans Orphx hit back with ‘Pitch Black Mirror’ – also available here as 2LP vinyl

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 15 Nov 2016 19:30:17 +0000

Coming out in a few weeks from now is a limited deluxe double vinyl edition for the new full length album from the industrial techno duo Orphx (aka Rich Oddie and Christina Sealey). On “Pitch Black Mirror” you’ll find back the band’s distinctive fusion of techno and industrial augmented by electro, post-punk, and EBM elements.

The double vinyl set, a limited edition one, can be purchased right here.

Next to the vocals of Rich Oddie you’ll also discover guest vocalist Marie Davidson. Add to that a detailed sound design thanks to Sealey’s modular synthesizer systems, Oddie’s percussion and synth work, and software mutations from founding Orphx member Aron West.

You can already check out the 2nd track on the album, “Sever The Signal”, right below. Highly, but really HIGHLY, recommended!

Orphx was founded in late 1993 by Rich Oddie, Christina Sealey and Aron West. Their early output was inspired by early industrial music and power electronics but they soon began introducing elements of techno, electro and dub. West left in 1994 to create the noise project Tropism. But he is now back on board!

Orphx – Pitch Black Mirror (CD Album – Sonic Groove & Hands)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 21:00:42 +0000

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

Background/Info: Rich Oddie and Christina Sealey better known as Orphx are back on track. The Canadian duo is already active for 23 years now and has made a noticeable evolution in sound. While the earlier work definitely was into experimental and harder industrial fields they progressively -and especially during the past years, evolved towards a more technoid approach. That’s for sure the reason why this new opus has been released on Hands (CD) and Sonic Groove (vinyl). It also is their first full length in 5 years while they released several EP’s on Sonic Groove.

Content: The duo operates as genius sound architects transforming dark loops into an industrial-techno style with some elevating trance passages. “Pitch Black Mirror” sounds as the ultimate fusion between techno- and industrial music. A few acid manipulations can be noticed as well while a bouncing kick and broken rhythms carry the composition.

The production has been accomplished by a few spoken vocal parts and sampled passages. “Zero Hour” sounds a bit Suicide-like, but in a more industrial-rave style. You’ll also notice great sweep and crescendo sound waves getting you in ecstasy. The last cuts are a bit more evasive and even moving into pure cinematographic style.

+ + + : Orphx is one of those visionary formations that have perfectly filled the gap between ‘traditional’ industrial music and intelligent underground techno music. This album confirms this modern vision of industrial music. Next to this avant-garde writing the duo also confirms their great writing skills to manipulate original sounds into irresistible new tones and harsh noises.

– – – : There are several great songs, but maybe not one absolute ‘hit’. The main difficulty for Orphx will probably to convince conservative industrial freaks hating all kinds of technoid tricks and matters.

Conclusion: Orphx is back with an astonishing piece of progressive industrial music, which can be also labeled as industrial-techno. F*** the stamp you want put on it, “Pitch Black Mirror” simply is one of the best albums of 2016!

Best songs: “Zero hour”, “Molten Heart”, “Blood In The Streets”, “Unknowing”, “Walk In The Broken Night”, Sever The Signal”.

Rate: (9).

Band: www .orphx .com / www .facebook .com /orphx

Labels: www .sonicgroove .com / www .facebook .com /Sonicgrooverecords / www .handsproductions .com / www .facebook .com /hands .official