Front 242 released the album “05:22:09:12 Off” on 23 August 1993 through Red Rhino Europe, with Epic issuing the record in the United States that November. The seventh studio album by the Belgian industrial/EBM group turns 33 this year. Its title is a substitution cipher spelling out the word “evil,” each letter replaced by its position in the alphabet.

“05:22:09:12 Off” was produced and mixed by Daniel Bressanutti and Patrick Codenys alongside John Dubs and Eran Westwood, with Bob Ludwig mastering. The album marks the only Front 242 studio release built primarily around a guest vocalist: Kristin “99” Kowalski of the New York band Spill sings lead on most tracks, with Jean-Luc De Meyer appearing only on the remix “Melt (Again).” The CD edition runs 16 tracks, including “Animal (Cage),” “Modern Angel,” “Junkdrome,” “Serial Killers Don’t Kill Their Girlfriend,” “GenEcide” and “Crushed.” The album reached number 27 on the CMJ Radio Top 150.

About Front 242

Front 242 formed in 1981 in Aarschot, near Leuven, Belgium, founded by Daniel Bressanutti (electronics, production) and Dirk Bergen (graphic design). Patrick Codenys (keyboards, programming) and vocalist Jean-Luc De Meyer joined in 1982, and Richard “23” Jonckheere (electronic percussion, backing vocals) joined in 1983 as Bergen moved into design and management. The band’s 1984 album “No Comment” was among the first releases to use the term “electronic body music” in its liner notes. Front 242 signed to Wax Trax! in the US in 1984, then released “Official Version” (1987) and “Front by Front” (1988) via Red Rhino Europe/PIAS, and “Tyranny (For You)” (1991) via Epic, its highest-charting album in the US.

“05:22:09:12 Off” followed in 1993, released in Europe by Red Rhino Europe on 23 August and in the US by Epic that November. Drummer Tim Kroker joined for live performances in 2008. The band’s most recent studio album, “Pulse,” followed via XIII Bis/Metropolis in 2003. In 2023, Front 242 co-headlined the “Join The Forces” tour of Europe with Nitzer Ebb, alternating headline sets across dates including Berlin, Amsterdam, Oslo and Munich. Front 242 announced its farewell “Black Out” tour in March 2024 and played its final three shows at Ancienne Belgique in Brussels on 23-25 January 2025, retiring from live performance with a lineup of Bressanutti, De Meyer, Codenys, Richard 23 and Kroker. The live album “Black Out”, drawn from more than forty farewell-tour shows, followed via Alfa Matrix on 19 June 2026. “05:22:09:12 Off” now marks 33 years since its original release.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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On Saturday, February 1, 2025, from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM, the Maison poème in Saint-Gilles will host “C’est Belge Ce Que Tu Écoutes ?!”, a talk-show celebrating Belgian music. This event is part of the Semaine de la Musique Belge, running from January 25 to February 2, 2025. One of the four artists present will be Patrick Codenys from Front 242.

Apart from Patrick Codenys there will be 3 other artists, Julie Rains (Juicy) who is a Brussels-based singer and composer known for blending jazz, soul, and electro influences; Carl Roosens (Les Hommes-boîtes, Peritelle) who is illustrator, musician, and filmmaker active in various musical projects; and Alice Khol who is a Brussels-based photographer and director with a diverse portfolio in film and music videos.

All 4 guests will be sharing their favorite Belgian albums, discussing the records that have inspired, moved, or influenced them. They will delve into how they discovered these albums and the personal anecdotes or memories associated with them.

The discussion will be moderated by Chloé Payen from Radio Campus. Following the talk, the Discothèque Nationale de Belgique, a project by Médiathèque Nouvelle, will present a DJ set to conclude the evening.

Admission operates on a “Pay What You Can” model, with suggested contributions of €6, €11, or €16. Doors open at 7:00 PM, with the talk-show commencing at 8:00 PM. The venue is located at Rue d’Écosse 30, 1060 Saint-Gilles.

About Patrick Codenys

Patrick Codenys, born on November 16, 1958, in Brussels, Belgium, is one of the absolute pioneers in (Belgian) electronic music.

Before co-founding Front 242, Patrick Codenys collaborated with Jean-Luc De Meyer in a project called Underviewer, active from 1978 to 1981 and reactivated in 2016 for releases on Alfa Matrix.

As a founding member of Front 242, he co-engineered the emergence of Electronic Body Music (EBM), a genre that seamlessly fuses industrial rhythms with synthesized melodies.

In the early 1980s, Codenys, alongside Daniel Bressanutti, Jean-Luc De Meyer, and Richard Jonckheere, formed Front 242. The band’s innovative approach to electronic music, characterized by its aggressive beats and provocative imagery, quickly garnered attention. Their 1988 track “Headhunter” became an anthem of the EBM movement up until now.

In the early 2000s, alongside Daniel Bressanutti and vocalist Elko Blijweert, Codenys formed Male or Female. The group released multiple works, including an album, an EP, a double album, and a DVD/CD combo.

Partnering with Richard 23, Codenys also launched Coder23, a live DJ set project. And collaborating with South African artist Kendell Geers, Codenys co-founded Red Sniper, an interdisciplinary group based in Brussels.

Next to this he has also collaborated on sound installations and multimedia projects.

In 2024 Front 242 announced their “Black Out” tour. The tour included performances across Europe and North America, offering fans a final opportunity to experience their influential sound live.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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(Photo by Erik Jarrigeon) Out now on the VUZ label is an extended reissue of the debut album from Dark Minimal Project, “Cold Black Room”. The release comes out in a deluxe edition digipak with additional tracks and artwork.

Dark Minimal Project was formed in 2022 by the Lille (France) based duo Guillaume Vanderosieren and Ange Vesper. Their first material was produced by the French producer and musician Peter Rainman (People Theatre) and released as a collection which soon sold out.

Their music is influenced by Depeche Mode, Psyche and other darker synth bands. The band recently released a 10-track strong remix album featuring tracks from their 2023 album “Ghost Of Modern Times”. This remix album features remixes by People Theatre, Krieg-B, Front 242 / Patrick Codenys, Ruined Conflict, Dominatrix, XMS, Fatherless Child, Dark State, Ethan Wood and Résilience.

Check out the tracklist of this deluxe edition of their debut album below on Bandcamp where you can download the album or buy the CD version.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Belgian studio project Aiboforcen has been a fixture in the music scene for over 30 years. However, its operator, Benoit Blanchart, has taken a more relaxed approach to releasing new albums. Their latest, the 7th studio album, arrives after a six-year hiatus and features an impressive 22 tracks. Longtime collaborator Patrice Synthea (Regenerator) continues to contribute as a vocalist, appearing on several tracks. Blanchart also enlisted a wide array of guest artists, including Jan Dieckmann (Norderney), who shines on multiple tracks, Mari Kattman (Helix), Noemi Aurora (Helalyn Flowers), Emke (Black Nail Cabaret), Sorrow Stories, and even Patrick Codenys (Front 242), Implant & Pouppéé Fabrikk (singing together), and Numb.

The album primarily consists of original compositions, but it also features a few alternative versions, a remix by Patrick Codenys, and a cover of a Death In June-song. The sound remains unmistakably Aiboforcen—a blend of Electro influences that lies somewhere between EBM, Future-Pop, and their unique, freeform style. The music is intricate and sophisticated, offering a compelling mix of tracks that are both listenable and danceable.

Jan Dieckmann’s vocal performance left a lasting impression, his voice evoking shades of Ronan Harris but with a subtler, more sensual delivery. His duet with Noemi Aurora—unquestionably one of the finest vocalists in the scene—creates a truly euphoric moment. While I’m unsure if this is my all-time favorite Aiboforcen album, it certainly showcases some of the project’s best work to date. (Rating: 8½).

Listen to “Heaven Knows”:

About Aiboforcen

Aiboforcen is a Belgian electronic band founded in 1993 in Charleroi by Benoit Blanchart and Séba Dolimont. The project blends elements of electronic body music (EBM), industrial, and synthpop. Blanchart handled music, synths, and sampling, while Dolimont provided vocals, lyrics, and additional sampling. Their earliest work, the demo “Black Slang”, appeared in 1993 in fewer than 100 copies, released via Side-Line’s former tape label.

In 1995, Aiboforcen released their debut album “Elixir Lytique” through Khazad-Dûm, a sublabel of Celtic Circle Productions. Their second album, “Face (of) Death”, followed in 1996. After a period of inactivity, both members co-founded the Belgian label Alfa Matrix in 2001, the same year Aiboforcen returned with “Sons Palliatifs”, concluding the trilogy begun with “Elixir Lytique” and “Face (of) Death”. “Kafarnaüm” followed in 2004, then “Dédale” in 2011 and “Sense & Nonsense” in 2018.

“Between Noise & Silence” is Aiboforcen’s seventh studio album, arriving in 2024 to mark the project’s 25th anniversary. It features collaborations with Patrick Codenys (Front 242), Henrik Bjørkk (Pouppée Fabrikk), and Don Gordon (Numb), alongside vocal appearances from Mari Kattman, Noemi Aurora, Emke, and Sorrow Stories.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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The iconic Belgian dark electro/future pop act Aiboforcen recently returned with their 7th studio album, “Between Noise & Silence”. Led by Benoit Blanchart and featuring the enigmatic Patrice Synthea (REGENERATOR), this album merges melancholic dark synth/EBM anthems with thrilling collaborations! Notable appearances include EBM/industrial legends like Patrick Codenys of FRONT 242, POUPPEE FABRIKK & IMPLANT (in a duet), and NUMB. The album also features outstanding female vocalists from the pop wave scene, such as Mari Kattman (HELIX), Noemi Aurora (HELALYN FLOWERS), Emke (BLACK NAIL CABARET), and SORROW STORIES… Without forgetting the splendid collaboration with Jan Dieckmann of NORDERNEY who sings on several songs and strongly contributes to crafting the album’s magic through moving lyrics, catchy dark pop melodies, and upbeat EBM sequences that often evoke the melodic and emotional depth of VNV NATION!  Benoit gave us more insights on his new album… 

You can order the new album now on Bandcamp as download and on 2CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore. Note that the 3CD version was sold out immediately.

S. “Between Noise & Silence” is your 7th studio album and features an impressive 22 tracks. Can you share the journey of creating such a substantial body of work, and what inspired the album’s title?

B. I started working slowly on what would become this new album during the covid period.  Like many bands, those very special times allowed me to concentrate and spend much mor time in the studio creating new sequences and sounds.  After a few months, what was started with no clear objective became to take shape and I started gathering several demo tracks thinking I could use them for an EP or album.  It was a very creative period and also (hopefully for me) the opportunity to learn/improve a bit more the mixing and production side of the aïboforcen sound…  I thus also started thinking about the right vocalist for each track.  The title track “between noise & silence” is actually a sentence coming from a demo track that Tina from SORROW STORIES was working on for me…  it became the title for the track but also for the album.  It’s a bit of a special track (a bit more complex) that I really wanted to be on the album but couldn’t find the right vocalist for it…   Then Tina did a test and she nailed it down!! 😊  It also has a double meaning because since I’m not considering myself as a musician what I create in a studio probably lies in the grey area between noise and silence! 😉

S. On this album it seems that Patrice Synthea and Jan D. play a key role as vocalists? Tell us more about these collaborations?

B. Well, Patrice (REGENERATOR) has been the main vocalist with aïboforcen for quite a long time now and she helped creating some kind of a trademark for us.  But I’m always interested in working for certain tracks with other vocalists, either male or female.  Of course it can break a bit the cohesion of the album but for me it’s more like trying to avoid the monotony of the album. I see/hear the different voices as new instruments I can play with, and it can totally change the result of the tracks.  I also appreciate the fact that I can offer a broader pallet of sounds and emotions. I was introduced to Jan while working on a remix for our label mates of ELEKTROSTAUB.  I knew a bit of his project NORDERNEY that I also appreciated a lot and I thought he would be the right vocalist for a track I was working on at the time.  I sent him a demo and after a few days he came up with something really brilliant for me. I was so pleased with the result that I asked him to do a second track and the result turned out to be even better…  He has such an emotional voice that it really adds another dimension to the song and brings them to a next level.  After a while we started swapping ideas but also sequences and sounds and he eventually became more and more involved in the whole process.  He helped me a lot giving advises and also programmed several synth lines, what was totally new and unusual for me… it was surprising, challenging and it contributed in creating a more mature and developed sound.  In the end he helped for a great bunch of the album in various forms…  Therefore the album is also much more balanced between male and female vocals.  He also made a duet with Patrice on the track “everything” and I’m pretty sure that it’s something we should try again in the future…

S. The album indeed boasts collaborations with a variety of other artists too, from EBM/industrial legends to outstanding female vocalists. How did these collaborations come about, and what unique contributions did each guest artist bring to the album specifically?  

B. As I said, when a demo is finished I try to think about what would be the right vocalist and what it would add to the sound of it.  Of course there are some people/singer I would dream of having on the album but sometimes I have to stick to reality.  My choice is influenced by the music I listen to, people I met through remixing, bands I know and so on… I’ve been blessed in the past working with great artists such as Jean-Luc from FRONT 242 and this album also gathers some legend from the scene such as Henrikk from POUPPEE FABRIKK or yet Don Gordon from NUMB who both helped me deliver the most aggressive cuts from the album.  Tina from SORROW STORIES was also really involved in the process, contributing to several tracks that we can find both on the EP and the album but also on the special 8cm cd available with the limited edition.  I had met her through a remix I had done for PSY’AVIAH actually and I had been mesmerized by her rather delicate and otherworldly vocals. She is also a very passionate and nice person, and meeting and exchanging  with people is another aspect of collaborating on tracks.  Then there is also Noemi Aurora who helped us with her very characteristic and powerful voice and it helped adding the extra touch to “cycle of life” and “heaven knows” you can find on the album.  It was a pleasure working with her and she’s a professional and also involved and more than passionate with music…  Also doing a track with Emese from BLACK NAIL CABARET was really an honor for me.  She has one of the most distinctive voice from the scene at the moment and the result is a very captivating cut with upbeat sequences.  I really hope listeners will like this track as much as I do…

Mari Kattman also lends her voice on the opening track as well as on a remix of “In My Arms” (a track from the previous album) and she also has a very distinctive and beautiful voice. Last but not least I also worked with Len from Implant since he is a long time friend of us and I was glad to have him back in one form or another.  With the lyrics of the track he did evoke, it’s like a celebration of a long-time relationship between us (including also Seba, Bernard, Stephan) and how it was when we started this all as students (the magazine, the label, the bands, the gigs).

S. Your sound is often compared to iconic acts like VNV NATION, FRONT 242 or yet COVENANT. How do you approach honoring these influences while still maintaining your own distinct identity as AIBOFORCEN? “Between Noise & Silence” seamlessly weaves between oppressive industrial assaults and catchy synth-pop tunes. Can you discuss the creative process behind balancing these contrasting elements to create a cohesive listening experience?

B. Well, it’s sure that I’ve been listening to those bands a lot (one of my first vinyl was 242’s politics of pressure, along with Kraftwerk radioactivity’s 7”) but I am also influenced by other acts from inside and outside the scene.  I listen to a lot of music from the EBM but also to darkwave, gothic, experimental, industrial or yet metal…  All this is ingested and some parts/influences appear here and there in my music.  Also I hope that with time I manage to create a bit of my own distinctive sound and style. 

As far as VNV NATION is concerned, I have to admit that Ronan has a deep sense for great melodies and a very emotional voice and is an example of what soulful music is. So if we sound a bit like this it’s a good point for us! 😊  Remember he remixed one of our track at our respective very beginning!  But I always try to balance catchier tracks/tunes with a rougher sound and more complex structures or experimentations.  For me it’s kind of logical and it can create a cohesion because some sounds, fx, way of treating things are the same and reflects the different side of one same “machine”.  Also  I tend to focus on recording an album with highs and lows rather than a succession of single tracks…  so this new album (especially the first disc) needs to be explored and listened as a whole, with the tracks kind of merging one into another.  I spent hours / days / months working on sometimes very little details of mixing, samples, eq’s to find the best result I could.  I like it when it takes several listening to really get all the details included in the tracks and hopefully surprise the listeners…

S. One of the tracks on the album is a cover of DEATH IN JUNE’s “Break The Black Ice.” What drew you to reinterpret this particular song, and how did you make it your own while staying true to the original?

B. We’ve always tried to include at least one cover song on any of our releases, either for fun or to show where our roots are…  I was introduced to DEATH IN JUNE’s music more than thirty years ago and the album “The World That Summer” from 1986 has always been a favorite of mine.  “Break the black ice” was an obvious choice because it is a rather simple, dark but catchy song, kind of desperate also and I really liked the version sung by Rose McDowall which is a fragile and delicate dark cut.  I thought that Patrice could do it as well and recorded a demo.  The first version was really slower and darker than the one on the album. We will feature it on a compilation from our label later this year actually.  The final version has a stronger beat and an aggressive lead sound while the original one is softer.  Both Patrice and I liked the version very much and what was a the beginning more like a “b-side” became one of the main important track from the album…  I hope fans of DEATH IN JUNE and AIBOFORCEN will be pleased by this tribute…  the structure is rather close to the original version from DEATH IN JUNE but of course it’s 100% electronics and there are some distortions here and there… 😊

S. The album is described as a high-tension dark elektro masterpiece. How did you approach crafting the sound production to achieve this level of intensity and maturity?

B. I always spend a long time editing, changing, mixing, adding details and I hope it can be reflected in the overall sound of the album.  I never intend to choose the easiest way while producing the music and I hope I raised the level a bit more on this new release.  I spent much more time on the vocals (cutting, eq’s , volumes, …) than on any other previous releases; there are lot of movie samples (hidden or not), lots of different synths and fx…  I can sometimes leave a track for one month and then come back with new ideas and Jan also helped me developing as much as possible this new sound which is probably more focused than before.  It still goes into any directions but with a common thread and overall atmosphere throughout the numerous tracks.  It was exhausting (especially at the end) but it was worth (at least personally) and I really hope our fans will like it… 

S. How important is the visual aspect of your music, and what role does it play in enhancing the overall experience for listeners?

B. It is important, not as much as the music, but it sets the tone for the whole album.  We always tried to have eye-catching sleeve or at least mysterious ones that will give the envy to enter into the universe of aïboforcen…  When I was a kid, I used to go to a place where you could rent vinyls and I would sometimes rent releases just because the sleeve would attract me in a way or another.  On this release we obviously used AI to create the graphics but it was intended and assumed. It was our easiest way to express and get the closest to the images we had in mind while creating the music.  And since our music relies on techniques, processors, synthetic soundscapes, it makes sense…

S. Lastly, the first 50 orders from the official Alfa Matrix e-shop received a signed version with an exclusive bonus mini-CD. Can you tell us more about the significance of this bonus content and what fans can expect from these exclusive tracks?

B. When the album was completed and sent to the mastering, I noticed that there were a few tracks left without vocals that couldn’t make it on the album but were a good insight of what it’s like being in the studio and working on new tracks.  It is more like demo’s but also I had the feeling that they could stand on their own and give another view on our music.  The first of those 4 tracks is called “eliza effect” and is a brand new one that maybe will give some infos of how the future sound of aïboforcen will be (or not).  The track “pulsions” (with vocals by Tina from SORROW STORIES) arrived too late in the process of the album but was good enough as well. In the end it gives the opportunity to the die-hard fans to have some extra tracks (unreleased) and have a bit more “intimacy” with the band…

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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(Photo by Erik Jarrigeon) Dark Minimal Project is a French electro cold wave act consisting of Ange Vesper and Guillaume VDR, augmented with producer Peter Rainman. They formed in 2022 in Lille (France) and is currently signed to Infacted Recordings.

The band recently released a 10-track strong remix album featuring remixes by People Theatre, Krieg-B, Front 242 / Patrick Codenys, Ruined Conflict, Dominatrix, XMS, Fatherless Child, Dark State, Ethan Wood and Résilience. You can still get the vinyl version on Bandcamp too.

The tracks are taken from the band’s 2nd LP “Ghost Of Modern Times” released in May 2023.

A new video clip was also launched for the track “Ordinary Man” remixed by Ruined Conflict.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

The Belgian cult dark electro/future pop act Aiboforcen has announced its 7th studio album, titled “Between Noise & Silence”. The new release will be out via the Belgian label Alfa Matrix at the end of May, but can already be pre-ordered.

The 22-track album again shows a blend of electro pop, future pop and dark pop but also includes a cover of Death in June’s “Break The Black Ice”. The album is available as a double-CD digipak with a 16-page booklet and as a download via Bandcamp.

ATTENTION: The first 50 orders (!!) from the Alfa Matrix e-shop include a signed version with a bonus mini-CD “Eliza Effect” featuring four exclusive tracks.

Benoit Blanchart this time worked with Patrice Synthea from Regenerator, Patrick Codenys of Front 242, Poupee Fabrikk, Implant, Numb, and female vocalists Mari Kattman, Noemi Aurora, Emke, and Sorrow Stories. Also Jan Dieckmann of Norderney joined in.

This new album was teased earlier with the 7-track EP “Cycle Of Life” featuring collaborations with artists such as Jan of Norderney and Noemi Aurora. The EP included a mix of new songs and exclusive non-album tracks, and it’s still available on Bandcamp with a digital booklet containing lyrics and artwork.

Eldrina Mich

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

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(Photo by Mothmeister) In a message posted on their Facebook yesterday evening at 7 PM, the Belgian cult EBM act Front 242 have announced that they will hold their last concerts ever.

Here’s the statement which is being announced as a ‘Black Out’: “Today, we reach out to you, our fans, with a heavy yet hopeful heart to share the news of our final concerts. Now, we are preparing to bring down the curtain on our live performances as FRONT 242, we find ourselves navigating a sea of emotions.

For nearly four decades, we’ve journeyed together, creating unforgettable moments and sharing the profound joy of music. You’ve been more than an audience; you’ve been a part of our extended family, witnessing our evolution and sharing in our highs and lows.

The decision to step back from performing live has not been easy, but we believe it’s important to end this chapter on a high note, preserving the essence of Front 242 that you’ve grown to love. We want to leave you with memories of our band at its peak, full of energy and passion.

So, we are extending our invitation to you: join us for one last adventure. Let’s make these final shows a celebration of the incredible journey we’ve shared. We promise to deliver performances that capture the heart and soul of Front 242, a fitting farewell to a story we’ve written together.”

The band has announced a string of concerts, which will serve as the band’s live farewell.

EU24

• 04 Aug LOKEREN, Lokerse Feesten, B
• 10 Aug HILDESHEIM, M’Era Luna, DE

US24

• 06 Sept TAMPA, Jannus Landing, US
• 07 Sept PHILADELPHIA, Union Transfer, US
• 08 Sept CLEVELAND, Agora Theater, US
• 13 Sept LOS ANGELES, Mayan Theater, US
• 14 Sept PORTLAND, Roseland Ballroom, US
• 15 Sept SAN FRANCISCO, Great American Music Hall, US

EU24

• 12 Oct HAMBURG, Markthalle, DE
• 17 Oct UTRECHT, Tivoli Ronda, NL
• 18 Oct BERLIN, Huxley’s Neue Welt, DE
• 19 Oct OBERHAUSEN, Turbinnenhalle, DE
• 25 Oct MÜNCHEN, Backstage Werk, DE
• 26 Oct LANGEN, Neue Stadthalle, DE

US24

• 08 Nov HOUSTON, Rise Rooftop, US
• 09 Nov DALLAS, Granada Theater, US
• 10 Nov DENVER, Reelworks, US
• 15 Nov CHICAGO, Metro, US
• 16 Nov CHICAGO, Metro, US

EU24

• 29 Nov GOTHENBURG, Film Studios, SE (FutureRetro)
• 30 Nov STOCKHOLM, Berns, SE (FutureRetro)
• 06 Dec LILLE, Black Lab, FR
• 07 Dec PARIS, Le Trianon, FR
• 08 Dec LONDON – UK
• 13 Dec BARCELONA, Sala Apolo, SP
• 14 Dec MADRID, Sala La Paqui, SP
• 25 Dec CHEMNITZ, Dark Storm Festival, DE

EU25

• 10 Jan COPENHAGEN, Pumpehuset, DK
• 24 Jan BRUSSELS, Ancienne Belgique, B
• 25 Jan BRUSSELS, Ancienne Belgique, B

About Front 242

Front 242, a vanguard Belgian electronic music group, emerged in the 1980s, pioneering a genre they dubbed “electronic body music” (EBM). Their innovative approach not only defined a new sound but also left a lasting impact on electronic and industrial music genres worldwide.

Founded in 1981 in Aarschot, near Leuven, Belgium, by Daniel Bressanutti and Dirk Bergen, Front 242 set out to explore music and graphic design with emerging electronic tools. Bressanutti’s prior engagement with Prothese laid a foundational stone for what was to become a monumental journey in electronic music. The duo named the project Front 242, embedding a vision of organized popular uprising within their name, which resonates universally across languages.

Their debut single, “Principles”, released in 1981, marked the inception of their distinctive sound. The addition of Patrick Codenys and Jean-Luc De Meyer in 1982, from the group Underviewer, enriched the band’s sonic and creative depth. This formation solidified Front 242’s lineup and set the stage for what followed.

Front 242’s first album, “Geography”, released in 1982, showcased their unique blend of sound, which was further developed in their subsequent releases. Their pioneering sound was characterized by the innovative use of synthesizers, samplers, and sequencers, creating a powerful, danceable, and at times, confrontational sound that became synonymous with EBM.

The release of “No Comment” in 1984 was a critical moment, with the album’s liner notes introducing the term electronic body music for the first time. This period also saw the band’s expansion into international markets, signing with American label Wax Trax! and embarking on tours that included supporting Ministry, marking their rising global influence.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Front 242 continued to innovate and evolve. Albums like “Tyranny (For You)” reached new heights, charting in the United States. The band’s willingness to reinvent themselves was evident in their shift towards a more techno-oriented sound with the “Re:Boot” tour, acknowledging influences like The Prodigy.

Side projects and collaborations flourished during this time, with members engaging in diverse musical endeavors that included forming bands like Revolting Cocks, C-Tec, and Cobalt 60.

The band’s last studio album was “Pulse”, released in 2003 and re-released by Alfa Matrix in an extended version. Also check the various extended reissues and Front 242 live releases.

Front 242 studio albums

• Geography (1982)
• No Comment (1984)
• Official Version (1987)
• Front by Front (1988)
• Tyranny (For You) (1991)
• 06:21:03:11 Up Evil (1993)
• 05:22:09:12 Off (1993)
• Pulse (2003)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Who says Dirk Da Davo thinks The Neon Judgement! Even if this band remains one of the pioneers and true references in the Electro-Underground scene, Dirk has been involved with numerous other projects. The recently released album “Retrospective 1987-2023” is an opportunity to discover those projects; a fine selection from Dirk Timmermans’ (he’s real name) work over the thirty six past years aside from The Neon Judgement. The album has been released on vinyl format by Je M’En Fish and features ten songs. Each title of the work inspired me to ask a questions to Dirk. This is a short story of this Belgian living legend of Electronic music… and more…

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: The album takes off with “King Of Fools” which is probably the most surprising song from the album. It sounds sexy while the slide guitar has something pretty American-like. What is this song all about and what does it say about the music you’re listening to?  

DDD: The song is about the feeling that got created during the lockdown and the absurdity of certain measures taken which oppressed the people like never before. And I am questioning that in the song. ‘Will you obey the king of fools? Is there a way to neglect his rules? In a way he seems modified… Do you think he is justified?’ It is about this new created normality which I can’t get used to.

Musicaly it is not that far away for me. As a young kid I grew up with my father’s western music compilation records. And the music you listen to when you are a kid, stays forever in the back of your head… It’s a bit American/Western. It’s not the first time that it shows up. With The Neon Judgement we did the albums “Blood And Thunder” (1989) and “The Insult” (1991)who also have a American Tex Mex vibe in some album tracks. 

Q: “Ozz” is a track you composed together with Jean-Marie Aerts. I didn’t exactly expect you both composing music together. How did you get in touch and how was it working together? 

DDD: I know Jean-Marie already for a long time. He produced some album tracks for The Neon Judgement’s “Blood And Thunder”-album in 1989. He played the bass on The Neon Judgement’s “Jazzbox”-single in 1998 and we even did some experimental dub vinyl releases together in the 90s. And in a way we stayed connected. I live in Spain and Jean-Marie and his wife decided to come over for a vacation. I have a recording studio in the place where I live. It took exactly 2 days after his arrival and we started recording jam sessions. We finalized an EP and we decided to call our project DDDJMX. We released the digital EP in 2017 by the same title: “DDDJMX”. At the end he visited me 3 times which resulted in 10 recordings we digitally released in 2020 as the “Oceaned”-album. It was interesting. Jean–Marie left me completely free in production , arrangements and all regarding the tracks. An honor for me that he gave me his confidence! I feel flattered.

Q: “The Unreal” sounds to me as ‘modern’ The Neon Judgement. Are you sometimes nostalgic when evoking The Neon Judgement and do you think it’s really over now -especially because you went back on stage again since the so-called farewell concert in the A.B.? 

DDD: Oh really? It was not intended like that. No, I am not a nostalgic person at all or it must be about my childhood. I always prefer to look ahead and try to find new challenges. That is where the oxygen is! We had a fantastic trip with The Neon Judgement; I’m grateful to the fans but one day you have to call it a day. But never say never, I like to keep these things open… What I enjoy now is recording new music and develop myself further as a musician, not to play the same tracks over and over again. 

Q: “Where Even Angels Fall” sounds definitely 80s like. How much of the young Dirk Da Davo from the 80s do you still recognize in your music and approach today?  

DDD: That is a difficult question. I think through all my career I kept my personal touch, but it might have been influenced with the musical surroundings at certain periods… But I still carry the DDD label over all I think. No compromises for better business.

Q: “Sexhead” definitely is my favorite song from the album which reminds me of Cabaret Voltaire. I think to know Cabaret Voltaire have been one of your influences. What did you like in their sound and did you ever got the chance to get in touch with Richard H. Kirk -who passed away in 2021?  

DDD: An influence is perhaps a big word. We felt more like-minded. I liked the way they approached music from their first album on. The sound –experiments, the search for something new and with that sound they represented the times in which we lived. I met Richard once yes; I think that was during the first half of the 80s. We shared a venue in our hometown, Leuven, a venue named Lido with as line-up: The Neon Judgement, Cabaret Voltaire and 23 Skidoo. Oh what a night full of impressive music! ! 😉 

Q: “Meat Cathedral” is another 80s song which was released by your side-project If It Moves. It’s a project you set up with Glenn Frank -who also contributed to songs of The Neon Judgement right? What was this project all about?  

DDD: The project happened by coincidence. I joined Glenn’s band Street Ducks at the time as an extra guitar player. We shared a rehearsal room and one evening I was there alone with him. We started to program some industrial beats, I took a guitar and Glenn a microphone and what you hear happened on the spot. A week later we were recording the track together with Ludo Camberlin in his studio and it got released on vinyl. Glenn was part of The Neon Judgement for a short period as a bass player, but not as a song writer.  

Q: “157” reminds me of the early minimalism from Front 242. I can’t remember you ever did something together with the guys of ‘242’. Was there a connection or friendship? Rivalry? Just respect? 

DDD: There was an undercooled friendship, for sure no rivalry no. I remember a big party we had together in the 80s in Sweden, were we shared the stage in a double bill. We ended up throwing tables to each other during the after party, but it was just for fun! 🙂 Tour stress that is! 😉

Patrick Codenys also helped me out preparing the recordings of The Neon Judgement’s “Mafu Cage”-album. We were getting into sampling, but we didn’t have a sampler ourselves. That is when Patrick proposed that I could come over to his house to prepare samples for the “Mafu Cage”-sessions because they had a sampling machine.

“157”is one of my favorite Neon Electronics recordings produced by Glenn Keteleer (Radical G) who is my partner in the project now since 10 years. 

Q: “Strive” is one of your ‘new’ songs but what are you actually busy doing? And who are you working with? And is there an artist you really would like to work with?  

DDD: I am busy doing what a musician does: making music and enjoying it. And I try to run my digital label as good as I can. 

I am all the time working on songs and demos with Sanchez (the Mexican) under DD Sanchez, solo etc… Hopefully after summer we can produce new Neon Electronics music.. After summer I will release a digi-EP with new DDDJMX music. There is always something going! There’s not really a musician that I can directly think of , but for sure I would like to deliver music for a Quentin Tarantino movie if that counts also!  

Q: Talking about Sanchez, “Cities In Dust” is a song from your project together with him. The project DD Sanchez remains one of the most surprising ones and I dare to say a kind of antidote to your involvement with The Neon Judgement. What’s the ‘bonus’ in your career of DD Sanchez?  

DDD: It’s a challenge for myself. From the beginning of the project (first release 2019 “Z”-EP) I had the intention with DD Sanchez to write and create a less dark kind of music. A real challenge when you are mostly known in a darker scene and maybe not so wise but a musician should always follow his instinct and his heart . We released a full digi-album October 2022 and it got titled “HappyGrey” The title carries the load: it not really happy Pop music and neither very dark music. So it is “HappyGrey” music. 

Q: “In Dreams” was originally written in the early 90s and sounds to me as The Neon Judgement injected with Techno. What did you keep in mind from this (r)evolution in sound called Techno?  

DDD: “In Dreams” was recorded and released on vinyl format under DDD Program in 1992. During those times I was into club music and Techno. I think the Techno scene took over the thing that we started as the next generation. They distilled it down to its essence. Nowadays I still enjoy quality Techno music. I am a secret fan of Amelie Lens, also a Belgian DJ artist, but don’t tell anyone !

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital, CD + 3CD.

Background/Info: Based in Brussel, Swedish EBM freak Peter Elm strikes back with his third full length album. The album was preceded by the “Steel Hope”-EP.

Content: ELM stands for pure, raw and merciless EBM. A retro, hardcore, sound which can be placed somewhere in between Nitzer Ebb and Pouppée Fabrikk (for the darker side). Short tracks filled with adrenaline and with a critical view upon the world we’re living in.

The first bonus disc features 8 tracks. You’ll notice 4 extra cuts and 4 remixes. Among the remixes there’s the remix of “Sex Junkie” by Patrick Codenys (Front 242) which was originally released on “Steel Hope”.

And there’s also a third disc featuring -mainly, Electro-Pop songs. It’s another side of the artist which in a way reminds us of his involvement with Restricted Area.  

+ + + : The main disc of the album stands for good-old EBM at its best. The songs are well-crafted into power and darkness while professionally mixed and produced. Where EBM bands are often suffering from poorly produced work, ELM has achieved a top notch production in sound quality. The album brings a succession of great pieces driven by alluring vocals. The bonus cuts are quite interesting as well; again pure power and a great remix by Patrick Codenys transposing “Sex Junkie” into the ‘242’ dimension.

– – – : I don’t see the true interest of adding an Electro-Pop disc. Why not try to bring Restricted Area alive or simply release it under another name?

Conclusion: “Penetrator” stands for hard and merciless old-school EBM and is without a shadow of a doubt the best album in the genre of 2022.

Best songs: “Vessel Of Violence”, “Rejuvenation”, “Steel Hope”, “NOW”, “Outcast” + “Sex Junkie – Edit”, “Sex Junkie – Abuser Mix by Patrick Codenys”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.facebook.com/elmelectro

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

About ELM

ELM is the solo project of Swedish EBM musician Peter Elm, based in Brussels, Belgium. His discography includes the albums “Hardline” (2016) and “Extreme Unspoken Tension”, both released through Alfa-Matrix. Elm produces and mixes his own material at Studio Akropolis in Brussels and has also recorded as Restricted Area, a more Electro-Pop-oriented outlet referenced within “Penetrator” itself. “Penetrator” is his third full-length album, released digitally and on CD and 3CD through Alfa-Matrix, following the “Steel Hope” EP.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

The Swedish EBM act ELM is back with an all new album via Alfa Matrix later in October. “Penetrator” is the project’s third one and the release comes right after the release of the EP “Steel Hope” out since May. The first pressing of “Penetrator” comes out as a limited deluxe 3CD digipak edition.

The album handles mass manipulation, social media insanity, violence, propaganda, pandemic and war and thus really captures the atmosphere of the past years’ chaos in an absurd world along with personal hardships and battles. Musically, this is definitely a must-have for fans of Nitzer Ebb, Front 242 and related acts.

This first edition of “Penetrator’ holds 2 exclusive bonus discs. The first bonus CD is an extra 8-track CD with 4 additional songs plus 4 remixes including one by Patrick Codenys of Front 242. The 3rd CD is the “Fragments Of Longing” album which comes under the moniker of Peter Elm. The album is a mostly instrumental synthpop album which offers an extra dimension of Peter Elm.

You can order the 3CD set right here via the Alfa Matrix webshop while the download is available in two parts via Bandcamp as you can see below.

And here is the release available on Bandcamp, split up between the “Penetrator” album in a bonus tracks edition plus the extra Peter Elm album “Fragments Of Longing”.

Here is the EP “Steel Hope”.

Videos

Two videos were already released a while back; “Steel Hope” and “Sex Junkie (Abuser Mix by Patrick Codenys of Front 242)”. Read the review of ‘Penetrator’.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

The Franco-Swedish EBM act ELM is back with an all new EP, ”Steel Hope”. In addition to the title track, the EP features the ”Sex Junkie” plus 4 remixes, 2 of each track.

While ELM delivered 2 own remixes, Patrick Codenys of Front 242 mixed ”Sex Junkie” and the American EBM band Kreign took care of “Steel Hope”.

The EP is out now on Bandcamp for immediate download and will hit all other platforms in the next weeks.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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In 2007 Parade Ground released the “Rosary” album which was the band’s first new studio material in years. After being sold out it is now available again as download on Bandcamp.

The 15 tracks are interwoven with 15 rosaries. Not all that surprising as it was recorded in a monastery. The album was produced (and spiced with additional sounds) by Patrick Codenys (Front 242).

Parade Ground is composed of the two brothers Pierre and Jean-Marc Pauly who started performing live in 1981. They were among the pioneers of the cold wave and electronic body music scene in Belgium.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Future-Pop, Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Twenty years ago Assemblage 23 released the successful opus “Failure”. Today this legendary album by Tom Shear got a new mix and mastering plus an extra disc featuring remixes.

Content: “Failure” has to be considered as an album that was originally released in the early years of Future-Pop. I know Tom Shear doesn’t care that much attention about the label of his music, but he was often linked with VNV Nation, Neuroticfish and co. With some recoil this album was a hard-banging Pop format, a kind of evil Electro-Pop sound infused with Industrial components, but still melodic and ultra danceable.

The second disc features exactly the same tracklist, but all of the tracks have been remixed in chronological order by DTSR, Interface, Antiscion, Mari Kattman, Rotersand, Clan Of Xymox, The Gentry, Suicide Commando, patrick codenys and Assemblage 23.

+ + + : “Failure” remains a ‘great’ piece of music. The original magic of songs like “Naked”, “House On Fire”, “Disappoint”, “Divide” and “Awake” hasn’t really changed. It’s even a wonder to see how songs of twenty years old still have this effect. It simply reveals the talent and genius of Tom Shear who’s not only a great musician, but also an artist who is writing intelligent and touching lyrics. I think a band like Assemblage 23 brought us a different kind of Electro-Pop, miles away from the established standards and Depeche Mode-clones. “Failure” can be easily seen as a true reference in this genre.

Among the remixes there’re not only great names, but also a very diversified number of artists. It’s also cool to see Tom’s wife (cf. Mari Kattman) remixing one of the songs. My personal favorite is the most unknown project from the list; UK project Antiscion boosting “House On Fire”. Tom Shear did also a great job remixing “King Of Insects”, which sounds definitely better than the original version.

– – – : I’m not sure this remixed and remastered edition will have a similar effect and impact than 20 years ago, but it’s a homage to a great artist and an essential work in his career.

Conclusion: “Failure” has been brought back to life and it still sounds up to date!

Best songs: “House On Fire”, “Naked”, “Disappoint”, “Awake” + “House On Fire – Antiscion Remix”, “King Of Insects – Assemblage 23 Remix”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.assemblage23.com / www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044546464584

Label: www.accession-records.de / www.facebook.com/accessionrecords

About Assemblage 23

Assemblage 23 is the electronic project of Tom Shear, who began writing under the name in 1988 in Exton, Pennsylvania. The project mixes futurepop, electro-industrial, synth-pop and EBM. Early demos and compilation tracks were later gathered on “Early, Rare, and Unreleased 1988-1998”, and the debut album “Contempt” appeared in 1999 on the Canadian label Gashed!.

“Failure” followed in 2001 and opened a long partnership with Metropolis Records in North America and Accession Records in Europe. “Defiance” came in 2002 and “Storm” in 2004, followed by “Meta” in 2007, “Compass” in 2009 and “Bruise” in 2012. “Endure” was released on 28 August 2016 and “Mourn” on 11 September 2020.

Shear also records as Nerve Filter and Surveillance, and since 2017 as Helix with vocalist Mari Kattman. Side-Line reported in August 2021 that Assemblage 23 sees ‘Failure’ released as a 20th anniversary edition on 2LP and 2CD. The next full-length, “Null” on Metropolis Records, arrived on 7 November 2025.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

The French label Unknown Pleasures Records, run by Pedro Peñas y Roble aka HIV+, stops its activities this summer. They are currently emptying their last stocks before closing for good. The label which started in 2013 was based in the south of France was dedicated to the production of material from the post-punk, minimal wave and EBM scene. Their final release is a Tribute to Death In June.

In the past the label has released albums of bands like Norma Loy, David Carretta, Blind Delon, Adan & Ilse, Hausfrau, Black Egg, European Ghost, Ono Scream, Antipole, Kill Shelter, Vogue Noir, Ohota, Wendy Bevan, Alek Drive, Art Kinder Industrie, Baroque, Maman Küsters, Japan Suicide, Follow Me Not, Der Himmel über Berlin, Dave Inox, Mr Nô, None, Velvet Kills, Selfishadows, Container 47, The Shyness Of Strangers, Secret Sight, La Main, Fluxus, Grand((Ø))Signal, Neon Electronics, Hardlab, Judith Juillerat, Monolog and Love In Prague.

The label has also worked and collaborated with several musicians such as Alan Vega, Gabi Delgado, Dirk Da Davo, Eric Van Wonterghem, Jurgen Engler, Richard 23, Patrick Codenys, Marc Hurtado, Arturo Lanz, The Hacker, Dirk Ivens, The Horrorist, Haujobb, Position Parallèle, John Lord Fonda, Dominique Nicolas, Marc Collin, Michaël Theis, Radical G, Növö, Millimetric, In Death It Ends, In Aeternam Vale, Sonic Area, Adriano Canzian, Alice Botte, Versari and many more.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Industrial-metal, industrial-rock, EBM

Background/Info: The famous Wax Trax! Records label was originally much into new wave and punk music and was founded by Jim Nash and his partner Dannie Flesher in Denver in 1975. In 1978 the independent label moved to Chicago and became the most important record label and store/boutique for industrial music in the US that served as the headquarters of underground electronic and industrial bands in the eighties and nineties. The strong brand Wax Trax! offered record deals to the artists they liked (as fans) and also licensed European artists in America. The very impressive Wax Trax! catalogue featured well-known bands like Ministry, Front 242, Revolting Cocks, KMFDM, Front Line Assembly, Coil, Chris & Cosey and more!

Content: Industrial Accident has contributions of Al Jourgensen (Ministry/Revolting Cocks), Paul Barker (Ministry/Revolting Cocks), Chris Connelly (Ministry/Revolting Cocks), Luc Van Acker (Ministry/Revolting Cocks), Richard23 (Front 242/Revolting Cocks), Patrick Codenys (Front 242), Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Bill Leeb (Front Line Assembly), Groovie Mann (Thrill Kill Kult), David J. Haskins (Bauhaus), Sascha Konietzko (KMFDM), En Esch (KMFDM), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Steve Albini (Big Black), Cosey Fanni Tutti (Throbbing Gristle), Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi) and more. It explains the rise and fall of an important musical movement as well as the details and artifacts of this entire Wax Trax! Records history that was nearly lost forever.

A lot of hilarious anecdotes are explained by the contributing artists which makes it fun to watch! Al Jourgensen: “I played in Divine’s band by the way, playing guitar for Divine was … bizarre!”. Luc Van Acker, when speaking about Laibach: “How provocative can you be? It takes intelligent people to understand that! Wax Trax! created a space where we could do whatever we wanted!”. Unfortunately the label without business model (operating on trust, without contracts with their artists) declared bankruptcy in 1992 and Jim and Danny sold it to TVT Records. Jim Nash passed away on October 10, 1995 and Dannie Flesher deceased on January 10th, 2010.

+ + + : This 94 minutes (+ 75 extra minutes bonus material) documentary was directed by Julia Nash (daughter of Jim Nash) and won awards on the Santa Cruz Film Festival and Chicago Underground Film Festival. It is also available on Blu-Ray and as download on AppleTV, Amazon Prime and Google Play/YouTube Streaming.

– – – : Just one minor point: to make the circle complete, maybe an interview with some licensed European bands that were released by Wax Trax! (The Neon Judgement, The Young Gods, A Split Second, Laibach and more) would have been interesting, to hear their point of view.

Conclusion: Although it’s a huge story to tell the complete Wax Trax! history, this documentary gives a pretty good overview of what happened in the old days. Jim and Dannie “accidentally” built up the industrial scene in the US due to their passion and love for this music and bands and will never be forgotten!

Label: www.waxtraxchicago.com / www.facebook.com/WaxTraxRecords.Chicago/

About Wax Trax! Records

Wax Trax! Records was founded by Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher, first in Denver in 1975 as an outlet for new wave and punk records. The label moved to Chicago in 1978 and grew into the main hub for industrial music in the United States through the 1980s and 1990s, signing and licensing acts on both sides of the Atlantic.

The label ran without contracts, on trust between Nash, Flesher and their artists. It filed for bankruptcy in 1992 and was sold to TVT Records. Nash died on October 10, 1995, and Flesher died on January 10, 2010.

“Industrial Accident: The Story Of Wax Trax! Records” is directed by Julia Nash, Jim Nash’s daughter, and gathers the artists who built the label’s catalogue to tell that history on screen.

Genre/Influences: EBM, techno-body, experimental.

Background/Info: “Minor” resulted from the meeting between Alex Kourelis (Digital Geist) and Patrick Codenys (Front 242). The second protagonist needs no further introduction while American project Digital Geist can be described as inspired by ‘242’ and dealing with a techno/body and even cinematic approach.

Content: This 12” features 4 cuts. “Minor V1” and “Minor V2”  both stand for danceable, instrumental cuts inspired by EBM. You’ll easily recognize some typical Front 242 arrangements (especially in the drum patterns and bass line). There also is a more experimental edit plus a remix by Marcos Cabral, which is extremely danceable and suited for the dancefloor.

+ + + : This vinyl will catch the attention of the Front 242 fans as it becomes rather rare today to see Patrick Codenys getting involved in new stuff and who knows, a new project. The “Minor”-songs are well-crafted, reflecting intelligence and danceable vibes. I especially like the carrying bass lines and crescendo drum patterns. The remix by Marcos Cabral sounds pretty cool as well.

– – – : The “Ambient”-edit of “Minor” is not exactly the most successful one although injecting diversity.

Conclusion: This 12” is an exciting experiment, but we need more songs to get an idea about the potential of this project. I hope it’s not a ‘one shot’ project!

Best songs: “Minor V1”, “Minor V2”, “Minor – Marcos Cabral Remix”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/digitalgeist

About Geist + Codenys

Alex Kourelis records as Digital Geist, an American project active since 1999 across techno, EBM, acid and industrial styles. Codenys co-founded Front 242 in Aarschot, Belgium, joining Daniel Bressanutti and Dirk Bergen shortly after the band’s 1981 formation; Front 242’s debut album, “Geography,” followed in December 1982. “Minor” is the pair’s only release together to date.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, wave-pop.

Background/Info: Belgian brothers Jean-Marc and Pierre Pauly are back on track releasing their first live album ever. The tracklist features a fine selection of some ‘classical’ songs plus 5 new songs taken from their upcoming new album. The songs have been reworked with the help of good-old mate Patrick Codenys (Front 242, Under Viewer, Male Or Female) and were recorded during a gig in Frankfurt (Germany).

Content: “Life” is exactly what you might expect from a live performance; a mix of hits and new material. You don’t really feel there’s an important hiatus of time between some classical songs and the new ones. Parade Ground still has this good-old EBM and wave-pop influence, which together with the timbre of voice, make the particularity of the band.

+ + + : A live album remains an item for the die-hard fans, but it also is an opportunity to get an idea about the spirit a band can create on stage. That’s an aspect that comes through at this work where you’ll notice the interaction between the band and the audience. It also is an opportunity to (re)discover the retro style of Parade Ground characterized by the typical string parts and the EBM touch. Classical songs/hits such as “Gold Rush” and “Strange World”. Among the new songs I especially recommend “Stand”, which appears to be one of the band’s hardest songs ever.

– – – : I’m still convinced there could be more passion in the vocals.

Conclusion: Parade Ground is part of the early EBM story, but the band is still active, creative and successful today.

Best songs: “Stand”, “Gold Rush”, “Strange World”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.parade–ground.net / www.facebook.com/Parade–Ground-128962277159973

Labels: http://vuzrecords.de / www.facebook.com/VuzRecords / www.othervoicesrecords.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Other–Voices–Records/196767663702999 Read the news on ‘Life’.

About Parade Ground

Parade Ground was founded in 1981 by Belgian brothers Jean-Marc and Pierre Pauly. Their first single, “Moan On The Sly,” appeared in 1983, during an early run of releases that moved from icy coldwave toward a harder EBM sound. Debut album “Cut Up” followed in 1988 on Play It Again Sam; a second album, “Rosary,” did not arrive until 2007, on Sleep Walking Records. Front 242’s Daniel B. and Patrick Codenys, alongside Wire’s Colin Newman, produced and added instruments to the band’s archival single collection. “Life,” the live album reviewed here, reworks the catalogue with Codenys’s help and was recorded during a Frankfurt show; weeks later the Pauly brothers discussed their plans in a Side-Line Click Interview.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

After the 2017 release of “Sanctuary”, Parade Ground returns with their first full-concert live album. This 11 track recording collects some of their fan-favourites as well as 5 unreleased cuts from their forthcoming new album in live versions.

All tracks have been reworked for the live presentation with the help of Patrick Codenys (Front 242). Besides tracks like “Strange World”, “Gold Rush” and “Moans”, you can already taste the future with “Lady’s Head” and “Tears”.

Tracks: Read the review of ‘Life’.

1. Gold Rush
2. Action Replay
3. Divine Me
4. Moans
5. Lady’s Head
6. Stand
7. Strange World
8. Tears
9. Hollywood
10. No
11. Gold Rush Trains fall

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Out in a few weeks is the new Parade Ground album “Sanctuary”. Out in a digipak and limited to 300 copies, the album is the follow-up to the Belgian act’s album “Rosary” (2007). You can expect post-punk guitars, repetitive synthetic drums and noises. The material on the album has been partially produced by Daniel B. and Patrick Codenys of Front 242.

You can order this limited edition right here.

Parade Ground is the project of the 2 brothers Jean-Marc and Pierre Pauly and formed in 1981. The duo regularly collaborated with members of Belgian band Front 242 and have written and composed on two Front 242 albums in 1994. Their previous album “Rosary” was equally produced by Patrick Codenys (Front 242).

Below is the album trailer.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Set up in 1992 by Len Lemeire and Geert Machtelinck, Belgian Implant celebrated their 25^th anniversary in 2017 releasing their 10^th official studio album “Oxynoxe-X” on Alfa-Matrix. Geert Machtelinck left the band during the early millennium years and got replaced by Jan D’Hooghe (previously involved with Vive La Fête). The sound and influences of Implant remained pretty similar, always mixing different influences together. From EBM to techno to trance to electro-pop, the new work however appears to be an ode to pioneers of electronic music and is according to me one of the best Implant releases ever. Enough reasons for a chat with Len Lemeire.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I noticed there’s a hiatus of four years between the past Implant albums. Len, you were definitely more prolific during the early  years so did you become a bit lazy or do you simply need more time and reflection after having released a new work?

Len: I think it’s a combination of things. Life has a way of interfering with the things you love. Over the past 4 years we bought a new house and totally innovated it. A lot has changed in my professional life, giving me way less time for music. The kids are getting older, and that is not making things simpler and I find it harder to come home and spend hours in a studio after a day of work. And I know that goes for Jan too.

One could say that music is a bit like sex in a long-term relationship. It’s still there; it’s most of the times even better then before. But there is no more sex on a daily basis (laugh).

All this also forces you to rethink things more. In a way we have become our own worst critics. Since we’re not releasing at the same tempo, we want these releases to be worth it. And that takes more time.

Q:  “Oxynoxe-X” is Implant’s 10^th official studio album, which is a real milestone in an artist’s career. Does it get you nostalgic or simply inspired to move on? Are there albums you would have accomplished another way today?

Len: Never look back in regret. 10 albums becomes a legacy. I was forced to change my car (after an accident) and the new one only has USB. So I filled a USB stick with a lot of music including all releases of Implant. At one point I played all, in one long go (over several drives). A lot of that time the kids were in the car, and discovered a big part of my releases (‘forced to listen to’ is a more accurate way of describing it). My son is 17 and very open minded in music. He was kind of impressed with the variety of things I did. I take that as a big compliment. Seems like Implant is accessible in a very alternative way (that were his words).

Would I have done things different? Sure, who wouldn’t? Music is a process of learning. It is the sum of your influences at that time. Struggling with your technological limitations and funds for instruments. That is how I see those 10 albums. One big process. And it was fun all the way.

And milestones. For me these are the people I met thanks to the music. Jan, Jean-Luc, Anne … etc. Those are the milestones for me. Sitting in a backstage with Claus Larsen and finding out he is a fan. Having Patrick Codenys come over to your studio to help you configure your new computer, while talking on how to make a baseline. But it’s also the friendship with people that started out being fans and ended up being friends. Those 10 albums enriched my life. And I have to thank music for that.

Q: “Oxynoxe-X” has been introduced as ‘a wink to one of the pioneers of electronica dance’. I think we all have understood who you’re referring about, but you also told me there’re more winks hidden behind the new work. What is it all about and why this ‘ode’?

Len: The concept of an ode came during the process of writing this album. Several times we asked ourselves, what made those classic ‘80’s albums so different?! And tried to take that legacy as part of composing a song. Resulting in some hidden winks to bands we both love. In the end, when we assembled an album out of the different studio sessions we both understood that this album reflected part of our love to electronic music.

This scene has changed dramatically over the years. Let’s face it, the cool kids are no longer attracted to this music. There is no real reason left to make this except for the love of this kind of music. This album is more of an album that will grow on you (or at least that is what we hope). Give it time to ripe. It became a passion thing. And I hope we figured a way to capture that feeling and share it.

And it’s a fun game too; you can try and find references some are obvious, others are more hidden. But admit, the lead on “Le Pouvoir” made you think of A Split Second.

Q: It might also explain the more experimental bonus disc, which sounds as Implant exploring the magic of analogue equipment, but it also became the most atypical Implant work ever. What can you reveal about the bonus disc “Oxynoxe-X²”?

Len: We are a bit fed up with releasing bonus disks filled with remixes. It’s a very simple way to release that little extra to have fans pay that little more for something they don’t really want. And it has become something nobody even questions. And as an artist it’s kind of a trap. You need 10 remixers, who will eventually ask for a remix for their own release. So you might as well write it yourself. On top I have to admit, I almost never play any of these 2^nd disk more then once.

Jan introduced me to the modular world. I was very reluctant in the beginning. Because this is a total different way of composing. The creation of sound with modular systems are endless. But there is a lot of room for error. Actually this modular world is all about sweet spots. If you find a sweet spot, things become real interesting. On disc one we tried a lot of stuff that resulted in very strange sounds and structures, but it was all a prolonging of the way we always composed. The difference was that we didn’t have to run through the sounds of synth for a new sound, but had to create the sounds themselves. We quickly understood that you could create sounds that had a life of their own. Adding layers of randomness. Resulting in very experimental stuff.

At that point the concept of this album being an ode to electronic music was a fact, and we realized that we didn’t ‘yet’ express our love to some of the real experimental music that was part of our youth. Bands like Coil, Throbbing Gristle, Klaus Schulze… ao.

A combination of these ideas led to composing disc 2. And I still think it’s way more interesting then yet another disc full of remixes. It was very time-consuming compared to sending out 10 mails to remixers. I hope people at least appreciate the idea.

Q: I like the sense of the title “I Sometimes Dream Of Imaginary Parties To Meat New People” featured at “Oxynoxe-X²”. What kind of parties and music do you have in mind and who are you dreaming of to meet?

Len: Haha, those titles are meant to be strange. But it has to be a party with long bearded woman and high-heeled men (laugh).

Q: “Oxynoxe-X” in a way clearly got inspired by a look back in the past, but what’s your perception about contemporary electronic music and all aspects related to a band, but maybe not relevant for artists such as social media, streaming platforms, image etc?

Len: It sure has changed a lot over the years. Net-presence seems to be more important then the actual music. Social media is a trap of likes. A study has proven that you judge people ‘more successful’ if they are your Facebook friends, but don’t really know them in real life. It’s fake! We only share what we think will look good on us. I think it has some good sides. Some bands are very creative with trying to get a Youtube presence. DIY clips are sometimes incredibly interesting. But far to often it’s not. And frankly, I hate people who mainly post with 15 hashtags in every sentence or every 2 words an emoji. Maybe I just have to admit I’m bad at this social media. I think it moved far away from the essence of making music.

Streaming platforms is something different. I do see the beauty of the availability of music. It’s an interesting platform to discover music. But as a service, it enhances the idea of music being a free commodity to people. And the business plan is mainly focused on maintaining the service, not the content. (the majority of the money is for an IT-center that makes it possible to actually stream music, only a small part is reserved for those that deliver content). I hear a lot of people comparing it to Netflix, but what people forget is that Netflix is also responsible for creating content. Comparing streaming to Netflix could result in a far more interesting experiment. Where streaming services had to sign artists to get content. I think music has lost a lot of filters these days. Everybody can upload a track and get some streams. I know, one might argue that the public is the ultimate democratic filter. Unfortunately democracy only works if everybody is capable of critical thinking.

But hey, just press ‘like’ on this interview, maybe press ‘play’ on my video or even press ‘like’ on Implant’s Facebook page. But most importantly keep scrolling; you never know what you might miss!

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Good news for the Front 242 fans as the band has announced various new showdates for Front 242 and Underviewer for 2018, the electro project by Patrick Codenys and Jean-Luc De Meyer.

Coïncidently it has been 1 year since the Underviewer duo released the 2-track download “Nobody But You” which was released out of the blue last year via Bandcamp. Included in the single were 2 tracks: “Nobody But You (redux)” (03:12) and “I Remember” (02:41). The single was a first teaser for the band’s forthcoming full length album, “Wonders & Monsters” which is still available in a new 2nd edition of the album.

The gigs announced are:

• 20 Jan Sat – Underviewer Felsenkeller Leipzig (Club) (book your hotel here and get a 10% reduction)
• 23 feb Fri – Front242 – Mon Club – Madrid – Spain (book your hotel here and get a 10% reduction)
• 24 feb Sat – Front242 – Sala Apolo – Barcelona – Spain (book your hotel here and get a 10% reduction)
• 03 Mar Sat – Underviewer – Leopoldsburg YAP – Leopoldsburg – Belgium (book your hotel here and get a 10% reduction)
• 10-29 Apr – Front242 USA tour (ending Mexico) (book your hotel here and get a 10% reduction)
• 11-12 Aug – Front242 – M’era Luna – Hildesheim – Germany (book your hotel here and get a 10% reduction)
• 04 May Fri – Underviewer – Weekender – Berlin. – Germany (book your hotel here and get a 10% reduction)
• 01 Dec – Underviewer at Felsenkeller Leipzig – Germany (book your hotel here and get a 10% reduction)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

When evoking names like Jean-Luc De Meyer and Patrick Codenys everyone should directly think about Front 242. Both artists ever started making music as Underviewer, which is a project that has been featured on several limited editions of Front 242 releases. Nearly 40 (!) years after their set up Underviewer finally released their official debut album “Wonders & Monsters” on Alfa-Matrix. It’s a great piece of vintage electronics, which took me by surprise. This is what singer Jean-Luc De Meyer has to say about his early project and this late album.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I noticed that you both set up Underviewer in 1978 ! What did you keep in mind from the underground scene at that moment and the first songs you wrote together?

Jean-Luc: At that time, there was almost nothing, the scene for that kind of music in Belgium was non-existing, we were working totally secluded from the outside world and nobody, even amongst our friends, understood what we were doing. We felt like being clandestine passengers.

Q: What has been the click to reactivate Underviewer and release a ‘debut’ album so many many years later?

Jean-Luc: We always wanted to release an album, but we never really found the time until a few years ago. Then we started to play a few concerts to check if the songs would really appeal to an audience, and the test was globally positive. Then we decided to proceed to the studio sessions. And we took our time, there no pressure of any kind.

Q: “Wonders & Monsters” smells like good-old vintage electronics? How different would have this album been, had it been released in the early 80’s?

Jean-Luc: Everything would have been more basic, with emphasis on the basses and rougher vocals, I guess. Also, there would have been less of the current rather melodic layers of sounds and noises in the background.

Q: I thought to remember that some early songs of Underviewer were more into sound experimentalism while “Wonders & Monsters” is more ‘danceable’ and into minimal-electronics (even somewhat EBM-like). A deliberate choice?

Jean-Luc: We composed more than one hundred ‘works’ back then, and they went into a lot of different directions. Some were very simple, pop, easily accessible and with vocals, some others were very tortured, instrumental, hermetic and experimental, yes. The possibilities of the new machines back then was gigantic and we did not want to exclude any direction.

Q: What does the title of the album reflect about the lyrical content, which on a few songs sound pretty intimate? And what is the link between the album and the special ‘arty’ packaging of the first edition of this CD?

Jean-Luc: The title “Wonders And Monsters” has for main theme the enormous potential range of human creations (as an echo of the infinite range of sounds we had access to), and the responsibility of each creator for his owns creations, as each creation leads its own life afterwards. So it’s a song – and an album – about conscience and responsibility, which are indeed very intimate and personal concepts. Quite logically in that sense, we spend a lot of time with the printer of the package to develop the artwork, and worked very closely together. We even took part ‘physically’ in the making (cutting, plying, gluing) of the cardboard package.

Q: How difficult is it to play live with Underviewer when all people know you as Front 242 members?

Jean-Luc: There is no particular difficulty for the both of us as Underviewer was our first band, after all. We know how we want to present ourselves on stage, it’s way more calm and appeased than 242, people should not expect a Front 242 substitute, that is absolutely not what we aim.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Minimal-electro, experimental, EBM.

Background/Info: Thirty eight years after their debut Underviewer has finally released their official debut album! Behind this project is hiding the Belgian duo Patrick Codenys – Jean-Luc De Meyer. They got some worldwide fame and recognition, becoming a kind of living legends as members of Front 242. The Belgian pride of EBM was the result of Prothese (Daniel B) joining hands with Underviewer. During the past few years we discovered some old, forgotten and unreleased songs of Underviewer, which got released on limited editions of 242-albums, but the duo is now active again and even did their first live performances again.

Content: I expected pure experimentalism, which was the main influence of early Underviewer. I get a great and totally vintage-like electro-minimalism instead. It sounds a bit like early EBM and carried by the magic of analogue gear. The vocals of Jean-Luc Demeyer have been never that determinant and charismatic.

If you like old-styled electronics driven by deep, dry sounding bass lines and cold synth leads or you simply are into sound experimentalism, this album will for sure fulfill your expectations.

+ + + : There are for sure some arrangements and even a few sounds, but especially the vocals of Jean-Luc Demeyer that will remind you of Front 242, but this is definitely another band. Underviewer takes us back in time and this travel is a great experience made of sound magic. The music has been joined by a great vocals performance while even some of the lyrics are intimate and intelligent. I have a few favorite cuts on this album, but I was fascinated by the somewhat Depeche Mode sounds running through “I Remember”.

– – – : I’m not that fond of the more experimental cuts, which are less convincing although reminding us of the original spirit of the band.

Conclusion: “Wonders & Monsters” is without a shadow of a doubt a great album and not because it here concerns members of Front 242. They simply accomplished a great opus, which is for sure one of the hottest Alfa Matrix releases from the past year.

Best songs: “A Minor Detail”, “Was Soll Ich Tun?”, “I Remember”, “Wonders & Monsters”, “What Do You See?”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.facebook.com/Underviewer-1474737942739600

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

After a first download single, the pre-Front 242 project Underviewer has now released a full album: “Wonders & Monsters”. “Wonders & Monsters” is being released as a standalone CD and on black vinyl (including the CD album) limited to just 300 copies, or you can get your digital download from Bandcamp.

Where to order?

The 2 formats can be ordered right here for the American market (You’ll get FREE Shipping on orders over 0), and right here for the EU market (add several items and pay less on shipping costs). If you want the audio from the 2CD set only, then you can also go to Bandcamp where the material can be ordered.

You can stream the album on Spotify too:

Below are a few details from the CD release.

Before joining Front 242 in 1981 Brussels-based artists Patrick Codenys and Jean-Luc De Meyer used to be working together as a duo since 1978 under the Underviewer moniker, using a bass, synthesizers, rhythm boxes and a tape recorder. Dormant for over 30 years, the duo recently recovered a dozen of tracks from their early 4-track tape recordings or even recreated some of them by meticulously reusing the same vintage machines, only slightly adapting them where needed. These songs have now been gathered together to form the debut album of a band that has been existing for over 38 years.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Yesterday we announced a first download single for the pre-Front 242 project and behold, today the full album “Wonders & Monsters” is being announced. Originally Alfa Matrix planned to announce the album details on Friday but one very quick distributor (hi Seb!) beat them, so the label sped things up and announced the details on its website too. You gotta love the stress that comes with this branch.

Here are the specs on this new release. “Wonders & Monsters” is being released as a standalone CD and on black vinyl (including the CD album) limited to just 300 copies, or you can get your digital download from Bandcamp.

Where to order?

The 2 formats can be ordered right here for the American market (You’ll get FREE Shipping on orders over 0), and right here for the EU market (add several items and pay less on shipping costs). If you want the audio from the 2CD set only, then you can also go to Bandcamp where the material can be ordered.

Below are a few details from the CD release.

One of the tracks featured on the download single have in the meantime been made public via Front 242’s newly launched YouTube channel.

Before joining Front 242 in 1981 Brussels-based artists Patrick Codenys and Jean-Luc De Meyer used to be working together as a duo since 1978 under the Underviewer moniker, using a bass, synthesizers, rhythm boxes and a tape recorder.

Dormant for over 30 years, the duo recently recovered a dozen of tracks from their early 4-track tape recordings or even recreated some of them by meticulously reusing the same vintage machines, only slightly adapting them where needed. These songs have now been gathered together to form the debut album of a band that has been existing for over 38 years.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Before joining Front 242 in 1981 the two Brussels-based artists Patrick Codenys and Jean-Luc De Meyer used to be working together as a duo (since 1978) under the Underviewer moniker, using a bass, synthesizers, rhythm boxes and a tape recorder. Some of that older material ended up on the “Geography” remaster released via Alfa Matrix a few years ago. But for the rest the project laid dormant for over 30 years.

The duo however recently recovered tracks from their early 4-track tape recordings and even recreated some of them by meticulously reusing the same vintage machines.

The first result is the 2-track download “Nobody But You” which was released out of the blue on Friday evening via Bandcamp (Side-Line readers following Front 242’s Instagram account got an exclusive preview snippet after which the ball really got rolling). Included in the single are 2 tracks: “Nobody But You (redux)” (03:12) and “I Remember” (02:41). The single is just a first teaser as the band is prepping a forthcoming full length album, “Wonders & Monsters”.

The reaction of those who bought the single instantly (even without pre-listening to the tracks) is more than clear, this release is exactly the good news they wanted. Peter Louies says: “These tracks are good! Love it. Typical Front 242 style was already present in these tracks. Looking forwards to the album.” The same positive sound came from Marcus Krummacher: “Bought it and I am positively surprised, I was expecting stuff like on the 2nd disc of the Geography remaster.” Didrik Peterson describes his surprise in 3 words: “Truly. Splendid. Damn!” Further feedback came from Hampton Mills (“These two tracks are fantastic!”), Mark Bristol (“Purchased. HIGHLY recommend. Great analog sound!”), Hálás Elod Joszef (“Impressive!!!!”), Luc De Schrijder (“Great great great great!!!”) and many many more.

Below is the Instagram post by Front 242, the single can be found right here:

Pre #Front242 material by #Underviewer to be released. First 2-track single now available via alfamatrix.bandcamp.com/music #ebm #jeanlucdemeyer #patrickcodenys

A video posted by Front 242 – Official (@front242official) on Oct 28, 2016 at 6:15am PDT

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Background/Info: If you’re a fan of ‘242’ this special “Deluxe Anniversary”-box strictly limited to 1242 copies definitely is an item you better purchase. For their 35^th anniversary the band together with Alfa Matrix decided to re-release some of their albums plus a lot of extras, which you’ll find in this ‘box’.

The bonus of this box consists of the EP “Politics Of Pressure” (1985), one CD with rare material and one more CD with live material plus some cards and other fan material.

This album also was the first one featuring Richard Jonckheere (aka Richard 23) while Dirk Bergen had left the band. Richard 23 joined Daniel B., Patrick Codenys and singer Jean-Luc De Meyer.

Content: “Geography” definitely remains a real EBM-phenomena, but “No Comment” would definitely place the Belgian ‘body’ masters on the international map of underground electronics. The songs were less experimental and more into danceable vibes. Front 242 also confirmed their fascination for icy sound textures while they created some controversy with their ‘military’ look and enigmatic songs like “S.Fr. Nomenklatura <1&2> and the later on released “Funkahdafi” originally released on “Politics Of Pressure”.

‘242’ never has been into fast rhythms, but into powerful sound treatments accomplished with the genius production skills of Daniel B. “No Comment”. This album revealed several hits and it is still pure magic to discover “Lovely Day” and of course “No Shuffle”.

“Politics Of Pressure” was an essential maxi in history of the band as well. Songs like “Don’t Krash”, the already mentioned and tormenting “Funkahdafi” and the brilliant “Kommando <Remix>” simply became early hits of the band.

The next CD reveals live versions of a few songs and even a demo version of “Special Forces”, an alternative version of “Body To Body” and probably one of the  first remixes, which was one of “S.Fr. Nomenklatura” by Acurack.

The last CD is a live recording from a gig in Hamburg (Germany) in 1987! That’s the year the 3^rd full length “Official Version” has been released. You here will get the opportunity to discover some of the most famous early EBM-hits of the band.

+ + + : “No Comment” is definitely one of the ‘242’-albums that might symbolize their sound the most accurate way. There still is this experimental touch through most of the songs and, which reveal amazing and visionary sound treatments, but it was definitely the album that made the band call their music EBM! The songs reflect such an impressive energy and powerful icy sequences. The vocals of Jean-Luc Demeyer gained in charisma while Richard 23 did great backing vocals –which is especially true for the live performances of the band. The main strength of this early material is that it sounds timeless. The extra fan material featuring old official pictures and other stuff in the genre is really cool. The artistic package of this release is again absolutely outstanding.

– – – : Speaking for myself I regret the band hasn’t considered putting out some articles, reviews and a few words about this record. Front 242 were really shocking for a lot of people and there was a huge controversy about their sound and image. It would have been great to bring it back to life and especially when referring to a song like “Funkahdafi”.

Conclusion: Great songs, great package, great band! “No Comment” and “Politics Of Pressure” both still sound very hot today, which simply proves the avant-garde and visionary composition of this unique band!

Best songs: “No Shuffle”, “S.Fr. Nomenklatura <1&2>, “Lovely Day”, “Special Forces” + “Kommando<Remix>”, “Funkahdafi”, “Don’t Krash”.

Rate: (9).

Band: www.facebook.com/Front.242

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Background/Info: There’re not enough adjectives to qualify Front 242, but let’s simply remind the Belgian veterans of EBM as the most famous and successful band in the genre from the EBM history. Front 242 created EBM in the early 80s and nearly 35 years after their debut they remain subject of devotion and veneration by the worldwide EBM community. It also is a perfect reason to celebrate this anniversary.

The debut full length “Geography” originally released in 1982 has already been re-released and re-mastered multiple times, but now gets a ‘deluxe anniversary’-edition for its 35^th anniversary. There are many editions available, but this special box-edition is the one for the die-hard fans and has been strictly limited to 1242 copies!

Next to the original album on CD- and vinyl format we also get an extra vinyl album with rare material plus an exclusive 7” plus fan material like cards, posters and an extra label sampler featuring Alfa-Matrix bands.

This album has been released together with the re-edition of the albums “No Comment” and “Pulse”, which are all available in a special limited box edition as well. All boxes together create a unique artistic piece.

Content: I’m afraid everything has been said about “Geography”, which remains the debut full length of the band featuring Daniel B., Dirk Bergen, Patrick Codenys and singer Jean Luc De Meyer. The work was pretty minimal and clearly experimental, but several songs were driven by a danceable cadence and icy vocals. Back in time I really had a shocking experience discovering “Geography”, which I still consider as the best work of ‘242’. The Belgian masters showed a new sound made by electronic gear, which sounded frozen and even a bit disturbing.

35 years later songs like “Operating Tracks”, “U-Men”, “Least Inkling” and “Kampfbereit” still have this original piece of magic! I can’t say this album was the real breakthrough of EBM, but definitely an opus that should quickly entered into history.

The next vinyl (album) reveals work from some ‘242’ side-projects that were still active during the 80s. We already got the opportunity (thanks to Alfa Matrix) to (re)discover bands like Prothese (Daniel B.) and Underviewer (Patrick Codenys & Jean-Luc Demeyer), which were bands active before the set-up of Front 242. You’ll recognize the total experimental expression of Prothese and the somewhat more accessible Underviewer. You’ll also (re)discover the rare Front 242-songs that were originally released on the previous Alfa-Matrix re-edition, which is now sold-out. You here will get several instrumental versions of early songs and two so-called “Aerial”-versions.

Last, but not least we get an exclusive single featuring the famous early hit “Take One” and the song “See The Future”.

+ + + : There’s only one Front 242 and that’s what this legendary album once again reveals to the entire EBM community. You can hear that the tracks are from another decade (and Century), but they still have this fascinating analogue elements revealing pure coldness. It also confirms the great skills of producer Daniel B. and the charismatic vocals of JL Demeyer.

The main strength of this new edition for sure is the artwork of this box. This is without a shadow of a doubt the most artistic edition in history!

– – – : I can’t imagine any kind of regret on this album and especially for this unique box-edition, but you for sure might wonder if this new re-edition will be really the last one!? The real last studio-album “Pulse” of Front 242 was released 13 years ago and we haven’t gotten a new song since then.

Conclusion: I thought to have seen it all about “Geography” till the band and their label came up with this amazing box bringing the legendary vibes and tunes of “Geography” alive again.

Best songs: “Operating Tracks”, “U-Men”, “Kampfbereit”, “Least Inkling”, “Kinetics” + “Take One”.

Rate: (9).

Band: www.facebook.com/Front.242

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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