In 1979, Warner Bros. Records planned to release the debut album by Public Image Ltd. (PiL), “First Issue” (1978), in the United States. However, the label deemed the album’s sound way too uncommercial for the American market. In response, the band re-recorded and remixed several tracks during sessions for their subsequent album, “Metal Box”, aiming to create a version more suitable for U.S. audiences. Despite this Warner Bros. ultimately canceled the release, and the alternative U.S. mix remained unreleased for decades.

Even worse, the alternative U.S. mix was believed lost until a misfiled tape was accidentally discovered in the Warner Bros. vaults. This version features different mixes and re-recordings of tracks from the original debut, including “Swan Lake” (also known as “Death Disco”).

In 2013, the original “First Issue” album received its first official U.S. release through Light in the Attic Records. However, the alternative U.S. mix remained unreleased until now.

The alternative U.S. mix of “First Issue” is set for an exclusive release on Record Store Day 2025 (April 12th), limited to 5,500 copies. This edition also features different sleeve artwork (see above) compared to the original version.

Tracklist:

1. Theme
2. Annalisa
3. Public Image
4. Low Life
5. Attack
6. Swan Lake

To compare, the debut album by Public Image Ltd., “First Issue”, released in Europe in December 1978, featured the following tracklist:

1. Fodderstompf – 7:47
2. Theme – 9:10
3. Religion I – 1:26
4. Religion II – 5:51
5. Annalisa – 6:04
6. Public Image – 3:01
7. Low Life – 3:37
8. Attack – 2:55

About Public Image Ltd.

Public Image Ltd. (PiL) formed in 1978, and was founded by John Lydon after his tenure with the Sex Pistols. The original lineup featured guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and drummer Jim Walker. Their debut single, “Public Image”, released in October 1978, reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart.

The debut album, “First Issue”, released in December 1978, offered an abrasive, bass-heavy sound that drew on dub, noise, progressive rock, and disco. The follow-up, “Metal Box” (1979), pushed their sound further into the avant-garde and is often regarded as one of the most important albums of the post-punk era.

Over time, PiL’s lineup evolved, with Lydon remaining the consistent member. The band’s discography includes albums such as “The Flowers of Romance” (1981), “Album” (1986), and “Happy?” (1987). After a hiatus in the 1990s, PiL reformed in 2009 and released “This Is PiL” (2012), “What the World Needs Now…” (2015) and “End of World” (2023).

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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The Russian White joins Distortion Productions for their new album “Funeral Art” that has just been released, featuring mixing and production work by Tim Heireth of silver walks.

The Russian White vocalist Tom Rhymer says, “I feel like this is our most pure TRW album where Mike and I didn’t have to make any compromises. We have a good mix of club bangers and cinematic and emotional tracks here.”

The Russian White is a dark electronic and deathwave band based in Pennsylvania, USA, formed in 2011. Known for blending genres such as post-punk, synthwave, and witch house, the band has a distinct, haunting sound reminiscent of 80s horror film soundtracks. Their music often features electronic beats, eerie atmospheres, and lush vocals, telling stories of obsession, beauty, and the unknown.

The band gained recognition with their debut self-titled album in 2015, followed by their sophomore release “The Haunted Beach” in 2019. They have also contributed to various compilations and performed alongside acts like Aesthetic Perfection and Thrill Kill Kult.

Look for The Russian White on tour with Solemn Shapes.

The Russian White – Art of Darkness Tour 2024 (w/Solemn Shapes)

• 10/10 Rochester, NY – Bar Bad Ending
• 10/11 Pittsburgh, PA – Cattivo
• 10/12 Youngstown, OH – Westside Bowl
• 10/13 Chicago, IL – Fallen Log
• 10/15 Iowa City, IA – Gabes
• 10/16 Madison, WI – Crucible
• 10/17 St. Louis, MO – – Mosh Mellow
• 10/18 Cincinnati, OH – Oddfellows (No Shapes)
• 1018 Bloomington, IN – Gallow Dance (No TRW)
• 10/19 Indianapolis, IN – Longshot (No TRW)
• 10/20 Memphis, TN – Growlers
• 10/22 Dallas, TX – Renos
• 10/23 San Antonio, TX – The Mix
• 10/24 Houston, TX – Black Magic Social Club
• 10/25 New Orleans, LA – Dark City Fest
• 10/26 New Orleans, LA – Dark City Fest
• 10/27 Atlanta, GA – Boggs
• 10/28 Charlotte, NC – Milestone
• 10/30 Lancaster, PA – Little Mutants (No Shapes)
• 11/10 Millersville, PA – Phantom Power (No Shapes)

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 Marta Ruly) Sunroof (Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones) have announced details of a new album, “Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 3”, set for release on vinyl, CD and digitally via the Parallel Series of Mute on 29 November 2024.

“Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 3” holds nine improvised tracks, recorded using the duo’s Eurorack modular systems, and builds upon the self-imposed parameters laid out on their 2021 debut. With nothing pre-planned or rehearsed, each of the nine tracks were recorded using four channels (two each) with no overdubs.

Note that “Splendid” was recorded using the original 4-track TEAC that Miller picked up second hand in the late 70s and used to record The Normal’s “Warm Leatherette” 7”.

Out now are two remixes of the track “Ensnare” by Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones. You can check out the original and the two remixes below.

This is the original version of “Ensnare”.

This is the Daniel Miller remix of “Ensnare”.

And here is the ElectroGenetic remix by Gareth Jones of “Ensnare”.

Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones have been collaborating for four decades. Their collaboration began in 1982 when Miller asked Jones to work with him on what became Depeche Mode’s “Construction Time Again”. After Depeche Mode had gone home for the day, the two would stay on to work on their own sessions, a practise that continues to this day. By the mid-nineties Sunroof had become a remix project, reworking the likes of Can, MGMT, To Rococo Rot, Kreidler and Goldfrapp, amongst others, and their first recordings appeared on a compilation paying tribute to Neu!

Sunroof album discography

• Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 1 (2021)
• Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 2 (2023)
• Electronic Music Improvisations Live in London and Frankfurt (2023)
• Electronic Music Improvisations Volume 3 (2024)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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The electro industrial band Freakangel is gearing up for their upcoming October tour across Mexico, with an exclusive performance in the USA. In celebration of this event, the Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix has released a special compilation exclusively via Bandcamp and for free featuring tracks from their first three albums, which form a completed ‘Trilogy’.

Initially, the band focused on pure electronic sound, heavily influenced by the industrial and electro scenes. As their career advanced, Freakangel started incorporating rock and metal elements, blending these genres to create a hybrid sound. Later in their journey, the band shifted back towards their electronic origins, reconnecting with the style that defined their early work.

The compilation also features an exclusive remix of “My Darling Bullet” by Antibody, created specifically for this release. In addition, the release includes three remixes of “Crawling In The Dark”, selected from the winners of a 2024 remix contest. Participants used the original remix kit released by Freakangel in 2010, giving these versions a special connection to the band’s early work.

This compilation has been crafted specifically for the upcoming tour, where many of the featured tracks will be performed live during an old-school electro set.

Freakangel October Tourdates

02/10 Guadalajara (Anestesia Bar)
03/10 Morelia (Sala 322)
04/10 CDMX (Gato Calavera)
05/10 Tijuana (Evolution Club)
06/10 Downey California (Stardust Club)

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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Deep Red releases a brand new single, “Atom Rot”. The track is the first song the band releases with lyrics in German. This track is their first all German track with guest vocals from Hoffa of the band Faustan. The single acts as a sneak peak of what’s to come when their new EP comes out. The new EP will be thematically centered around a world of double-crossing agents during the cold war.

The spy thriller-themed track draws inspiration from the film “Atomic Blonde”, whose plot centers around a sensual yet savage spy on the verge of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Faustan is a new electro pop act based out of Miami and formed by Harry V. previously of Universal Latino signed act Formula Redux and Hoffa from underground Berlin band Flying 55.

“Atom Rot” is available on Spotify and all major digital platforms including Bandcamp.

About Deep Red

Deep Red was formed in 1996 by Martha A. Hoffmann also of Distorted Reality and DC Astro of Element 104. Shortly after, their song “Holy You” would be included in Cleopatra Records’ “The Goth Box”. That paved the way to appearances in a slew of other compilations in the US and abroad and eventually, being signed to Project Pitchfork’s label Candyland and a European tour with them.

The band released three albums and now after a long hiatus they are back to reclaim their place in the Darkwave musical realm.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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The Midgardsblot festival, held at Borrehaugene (old viking grave mounds), outside the city of Horten, Norway, is mostly known for hosting acts within the metal genre in addition to some folk and viking inspired music.

This year, the festival first caught our attention with the announcement of Bel Canto as one of the headliners, followed by Gåte, Seigmen, Karin Park, Ledfoot, and others—definitely worth reporting on for Side-Line Magazine. And who knows, we might even discover some new bands. We headed there in mid-August to check it out!

(By our Norwegian correspondent, Jan Ronald Stange. Photos by Einar Låker and Jan Ronald Stange. Additional Dwaal photos by Jon Julius Sandal @ helvetesindrekretser and Birgit Fostervold @ knipselyst)

Side-Line’s chief editor, Bernard Van Isacker, was supposed to join me for the festival, but couldn’t make it due to a family emergency. His replacement, Einar Låker, brought his cameras and joined me instead. Since we had to attend meetings and handle some work during the day, we skipped the tenting area and set up base at a nearby campsite in a mobile home borrowed from my parents (thanks, Sigrid and Carl Edvard!).

After settling in, it was time to head to the festival grounds, which required a short hike through historic Viking graves. We collected our passes and entered the blót, an ancient Norwegian/Norse sacrificial feast.

The first act we saw was Kalandra, a UK/Norwegian band blending Celtic and Norse folk with modern arrangements. They’ve been around for over a decade, gaining recognition with their cover of Wardruna’s “Helvegen”. Since then, they’ve released several albums and composed scores for TV shows and video games.

After Kalandra, we explored the rest of the area, visiting the trade section Kaupanger, the Viking tent area Folkvangr, and the indoor stage Gildehallen (the “Feast Hall”). It was a sight to see people fully embracing the chance to step back in time.

We wrapped up the first day by watching the Swedish Viking rockers Amon Amarth, who had their fans completely enthralled—even getting hundreds to sit down and row in the middle of a song! 😊

Thursday was a rainy day, so boots and jackets were a must. We caught a bit of the Norwegian thrash band Inculter and the Polish death metal band Vader before heading inside Gildehallen for something entirely different: Trio Oro, a Norwegian world-folk fusion group featuring flutes, guitars, and percussion. They delivered a diverse set with tunes from Irish, Bulgarian, Norwegian, and other traditions. It was original and unexpectedly entertaining!

One of the main attractions, Gåte, had to cancel due to a band member’s illness and was quickly replaced by Hindarfjäll & Peter Franzen, a Swedish project that uses modern instruments to recreate the ancient sounds and atmospheres of Scandinavian/Nordic folk music.

Next, we escaped the rain by heading back into Gildehallen, catching the last few songs from local thrash band Mortal Fear—three teenagers with the drummer’s father on vocals. It was very entertaining!

The day ended with thrash metal titans Testament from California, USA, closing out the main stage at Heiheim.

Day 3 was special, with two bands from my hometown, Tønsberg, performing. Seigmen headlined the Helheim stage, while newcomers Fabbrica 82 were about to play their first-ever show in Gildehallen. We spent an hour there beforehand, chatting with the band members, Knut Ove Hansen and Lars Anders Berg, before their soundcheck and concert.

S-L: How did you come up with the band name?

Knut Ove Hansen: We started high school in 1982, and we chose Fabbrica because we wanted a name that could be associated with new wave. We went with the Italian version because “factory” was already overused in English, and I have a personal connection to Italy.

S-L: What were your first attempts at releasing music?

KOH: One of my early bands made our first demo tape at the local radio station in Tønsberg in 1985—it was actually the first synth-related demo recorded in Tønsberg! We played three gigs the following year as the band Some Bizzare, named after the famous compilation album where Depeche Mode, among others, had their first track on vinyl. We also had a third member, Bjørn Arnesen, who now lives in Peru. Lars reached out to me several times, in 2020 and again in 2023, asking if we should give it another try. I was hesitant at first, but then we made “Darkness,” and we were back at it.

Lars Anders Berg: Over the years, I’ve composed hundreds of songs, and I always wanted someone to sing to my tunes. After years of talking about it, we finally made it happen. It’s been a lot of fun, and we’ve quickly released several singles!

S-L: Any album in the making?

KOH: Yes, it’s what we’re working on. We also got another gig in October in Tønsberg. This is not where we thought we would be just six months after our first release – feels quite surreal! All because of the word of mouth in Tønsberg’s small “synth underground”, and it also spread to Oslo where we’ve gotten good feedback.

S-L: What’s your inspiration?

Lars Anders Berg: I listen to a lot of music, not just old synth, but many electronic genres. So, the process of creating themes, melodies, and tweaking knobs is an inspiration in itself.

As the hall filled with people, we noticed at least a dozen audience members already wearing fan T-shirts, and the band was thrilled after their first show.

As we left Gildehallen, we caught a few songs from Nytt Land on the Valhalla stage—a Siberian shamanic act that blends the vocal traditions of Northern Europe with traditional Siberian throat singing. It was a stark contrast after a synth gig and truly highlighted the diversity of the festival!

The last show we attended on Thursday was Seigmen at the Helheim stage. It was a fantastic performance, featuring a new song with guest Espen Winther from the medieval/folk band Eldrim, playing his harp. It was magical—a gig that later received well-deserved praise in reviews!

The last day of the festival started off relaxed, with a stroll around, soaking in the sights and atmosphere under the sun. Then Ledfoot (Tim Scott McConnell) took the Valhalla stage. This goth-blues phenomenon was someone I’d been wanting to see live for a while, and he didn’t disappoint. He delivered a set full of raw emotion—soreness, anger, longing—and impressive guitar playing.

I had been in touch with him before the festival, and we agreed to try for an interview. However, due to his soundman’s tight schedule, they had to leave the area minutes after the show, so we exchanged a few words via Messenger a few days later instead.

S-L: How was your gig at Midgardsblot?

Ledfoot: The audience was great, and there was such a good vibe there 🙏

S-L: Did the show or audience differ much from your solo gigs?

Ledfoot: No, it’s the same everywhere—I do my best and hope the audience appreciates it.

S-L: More music in the works?

Ledfoot: I’ve started on my new record, and hopefully it’ll be out by the end of the year.
And I’d like to say a big thank you to the audience and all the people working behind the scenes.
Hugs!

Next, we went to see Bel Canto, the pioneering Norwegian electronica band, performing a set that spanned their entire career, including a few new tracks from their latest album Radiant Green. As always, they delivered a top-notch performance, and Anneli’s voice remains as impressive as ever!

Making Bernard envious by sending him live photos was an obligatory part of attending Bel Canto 😉

I also managed to spend a few minutes in Gildehallen to check out another band with a Tønsberg connection, though mostly from Oslo—the doom-sludge-ultra-heavy Dwaal. The hall was packed, with a queue outside, clearly hitting their target audience perfectly. I later caught up with lead singer Bjørnar Kristansen to ask about their experience.

S-L: How did Midgardsblot treat you?

Bjørnar Kristansen: Midgardsblot was amazing. Right after the show, we said it was one of our favorite gigs, if not our favorite. The crowd’s energy from the first riff to the last deeply affected us. I asked for a ritual, and we got a ritual for sure. A true catharsis, both on and off stage.

S-L: How does playing at a festival like this compare to club gigs?

BK: Festivals are different from club gigs because the crowd is a more varied mix of people—those who already know Dwaal and those giving us a chance for the first time. Not to say anything bad about the Norwegian audience, but it seems like international music lovers are more open to discovering new music. They come from far away and want to engage with as much as they can, even if they’ve never heard us before. It makes for an intense experience in the best way.

S-L: Did you explore the festival area, try the Viking activities or food?

BK: Our drummer Anders went on Friday and had a great time at the Blot. The rest of Dwaal arrived on Saturday, and we had some time to explore the festival. It’s an incredible event. Everyone makes you feel so welcome and included. A huge recommendation from Dwaal!

S-L: Any upcoming releases, albums, gigs, or other news?

BK: As 2024 winds down, we’re hard at work on new music, with some exciting projects that push us out of our comfort zone, which we love. Our last regular concert of the year will be at Apollon Tønsberg on October 11th, with Uaar as support. On December 14th, we’re playing the Caliban Sessions, a yearly mini-festival hosted by Ole Petter Andreassen of Black Debbath, Thulsa Doom, and Cumshots fame. It will be a fantastic end to a great year for Dwaal, marking our tenth year as a band. There are plans for a gig in Oslo in 2025, so stay tuned for that announcement.

We’re also in talks for more live shows in Europe, though nothing we can confirm just yet. And of course, if Midgardsblot invites us back, we’d love to play again!

The last show in Gildehallen this time around was the one that probably impressed me the most—Karin Park from Sweden. Alone on stage, standing between two tables covered with synths, computers, and modular gear, she sounded and performed like a full band, delivering an incredibly energetic set. Crown her the Queen of Synth already! (go to https://www.facebook.com/748210539/videos/1540166493571503/ for videos, several in the comments!)

The Norwegian band Emperor, regarded as pioneers of extreme black metal, closed the festival on the main stage, Helheim, in front of a devoted audience.

To sum it all up: a festival well worth visiting! As they’ve expanded the musical genres in their lineup, there’s now something for everyone without losing their core purpose or audience. This approach also increases the chance to discover something new, which is always a plus!

A big shoutout to Runa Strindin, the driving force behind the festival, and her entire crew for making it such a success! Hopefully, they’ll continue for years to come, and perhaps the 10th anniversary next year will be even more special?!

PS: As a food enthusiast, I must mention the excellent variety of food, ranging from handmade hot dogs to Thai, Mexican, elk burgers, and elk kebabs! Most impressive was the food from the Norwegian Chefs National Association, Vestfold branch (Norske kokkers Landsforening, avdeling Vestfold)—their hot-smoked halibut dish was to die for! 😊

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

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C-Lekktor, a leading name in the dark elektro scene alongside Hocico, Rabia Sorda, and Amduscia, celebrates its 20 years anniversary. Markko B. has now released a special “2.0” double-CD deluxe digipak on Alfa Matrix. This release includes fan-favorite club hits and revamped versions of 12 classic tracks.

This 2CD version is available now via the Alfa Matrix website, the download version via Bandcamp. The album is also available in a special combi pack along the new releases from AD:keY and Miseria Ultima.

On this new album Markko B. has breathed new life into frequently requested songs performed at concerts. Updated tracks such as “An Empty Soul”, “Infected”, “Paralisis”, “See My Hate”, “El Comienzo De La Muerte”, and “Our Dark Side” are reimagined and rearranged, while classics like “World Of Fantasy”, “Juicio Final”, “Hellektro Convulsion Therapy”, “Solo En La Oscuridad”, and “Silence Remains” have received powerful makeovers.

The release also features harsh elektro tracks in their original form from recent albums, including fresh tracks like “God Killer” and “Are You Ready For The Bass?” alongside dancefloor cuts “Out Of My Way”, “Cyborgs”, and the track “Animals”.

Additionally, the double-CD set includes the exclusive unreleased track “I Don’t”, originally written during “The Silence Procession” era, and a cover of Depeche Mode’s “Always You”.

You can listen to all of the tracks below.

Fans of dark hellektro music, especially those who enjoy Suicide Commando, Hocico, Alien Vampires, or Noisuf-X, will find this double-CD essential.

About C-Lekktor

C-Lekktor, spearheaded by Marco Antonio Barrientos (Markko B.), has been an important force in the dark elektro scene for over two decades. Emerging from the vibrant Mexican electro scene of the 1990s, C-Lekktor made its first appearance with the demo CD “Re-a-Gression”.

Known for its aggressive and energetic sound, characterized by harsh vocals, pounding beats, and dark, atmospheric melodies, the project gained widespread recognition with performances across Mexico and internationally.

In 2005, the project released the maxi-CD “Words of Evil” and participated in the “Electro Map-Latam Compilation”. The following years saw C-Lekktor performing extensively, including concerts in Peru and Chile, and performances on major events like the “Necropolis Fest”.

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 via Lucie Cries) After over a decade of silence, the iconic French goth-rock band Lucie Cries now reissues their comprehensive double-CD collection, “Non Nova & Sed Nove Vol. 1 & 2” via Infrastition on September 6. Originally released in March 2008, these compilations have been out of print for more than 10 years.

The reissued collection comes in a sleek 6-panel digifile format and holds four CDs and 70 tracks, including 16 that have never been available on CD before. The albums hold material from their earliest recording, “The Muse’s Calling” from 1989, to their final tracks recorded in 1996, some of which were never released due to the collapse of their distribution.

“Non Nova & Sed Nove Vol. 1” includes the band’s albums “Red Non Verba” (1993) and “Semper ad Alta” (1994), as well as previously unreleased material and rare compilation tracks. “Non Nova & Sed Nove Vol. 2” continues this deep dive into Lucie Cries’ discography, featuring albums such as “Nihil ex Nihilo” (1995) and “La Loi d’avril” (1993), along with even more unreleased tracks and live versions.

Frontman Olivier Paccaud has also contributed an in-depth biography in both English and French, offering fans an intimate look at the band’s history and the making of their music.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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The latest Seigmen single “(Dyret) 23 bud” was released August 9^th, a week before the band attended the festival Midgardsblot, and had its premiere live performance there on Friday 16th as Seigmen was the final band on the main stage Helheim.

(By our Norwegian correspondent Jan Ronald Stange / Indie Recordings pressrelease. Photos by Einar Låker, Jan Ronald Stange)

“(Dyret) 23 bud» song’s lyrics consist of twenty-three “rules” from Seigmen of 2024, projected back through time towards the young band that just released their debut album «Pluto» in 1992. And to everybody else who needs to hear that you must have faith in yourself, you must believe to make your dreams come true.

With a steady pace of one album each decade since the turn of the millennium, Seigmen released their latest album «Resonans» in May 2024. Then they took us all by surprise by suddenly releasing brand-new single AND announcing a new album to be released next year! And another one in two years!

With this single release they also make a connection back to their first release “Pluto” in April 1992. The band’s symbol and logo, “Dyret” (eng. “The Beast”) among friends, was introduced to the world as it was radiating from the center of the deep, maroon cover. Fast forward to the summer of 2024 where the vibrations from «Resonans» still lingers, the single are the first taste from the bands next album; «Dissonans».

However, there are other and more tangible links to the past. When Seigmen played their first ever concert in their hometown of Tønsberg, they shared the stage with a local band called Floodland. The guitarist and vocalist in Floodland, Espen Winther, would later become a skilled instrument maker and a member of the medieval/folk band Eldrim. Going even further back to Winther’s teenage years we find him playing in a band with Seigmen drummer Noralf Ronthi and his brother younger Dag Reidar. Winther is the one that opens “(Dyret) 23 bud» in a majestic way with his home-made wooden harp called “Gnaal”.

The album trilogy has been the plan all along. Seigmen have made the most out of the last four years, during lockdown and health challenges, resulting in a long and involuntary hiatus from concerts and touring. «Resonans» was the first part of what in time will become a trilogy, consisting of «Resonans», «Dissonans» and «Substans». Three albums in three years, it seems almost surreal when you take the bands last 25 years of release history into account.

«Dissonans» will be the second part of the trilogy and is scheduled to be released on October 23rd 2025 on the 30th anniversary of the major breakthrough album “Metropolis”. The third and last part of the trilogy called “Substans” will follow in 2026 if all goes to plan. Three albums with a common thread running through them, but still three very diverse and different releases.

We managed to have a chat with guitarist Sverre Økshoff when he had a break after the band’s sound check.

Side-Line: What’s the story behind this surprising single release and albums announcement?

Sverre Økshoff: It’s been many simultaneous thoughts and actions these last 7-8 years, wondering if we’re still a band, then came corona and cancellations of shows, Alex’ health issues, so it piled up to a lot of reason for us being somewhat inactive outwards. But, in the meantime we’ve been working, started off with a weekend at an abandoned house on the beach, doing demos, me and Alex sleeping there so we could look after our equipment. First score was for “Arcadia Ego”, worked a lot on that, and got a good feeling that this was something we could have ownership and pride in.

The last years songs and texts keeps pouring out from Kim, and we started discussing if we should release single tracks like so many others, or if we should do something else with 30-something tracks. Or EPs? Or whole albums?  

S-L: A trilogy of albums, was that the idea from the start?

SØ: We had a long time quietly working without involving others, makings songs and having ideas how it should be presented, and it grew upon us that it should end up in a trilogy.

S-L: Must say it’s a clever naming of the albums! And now you have lots to do the next years?

SØ: Yes, Kim’s lyrics give clear lines for the naming of the albums. But if I am to say something about this with my perception and interpretation, it will be that “Resonans” (as already mentioned) resonates a long friendship and brotherhood between us guys. A bit pompous, but it’s a musical pact between us where either everyone is in or no one plays. So if one quits, Seigmen also disbands. “Dissonance” and “Substance” I haven’t quite got into yet. Something happens when the songs are released and played. Content and meaning are also processed. So, feel free to ask me again later.

Now we have a lot to do, we’re playing gigs again and will complete Dissonance in the next few months.

We do small sessions in the studio, during a weekend with a couple of songs at a time. It is new compared to before where we practiced for a long period and went into the studio and made the whole record in 3-4 weeks. Short cuts give the whole thing a slightly more spontaneous feel. Delicious actually.

S-L: Was it because of Midgardsblot you timed the release of the “(Dyret) 23 bud” single to just a week before?

SØ: Well, when seeing forward in time and having an idea about which instruments to use, it all came together as a good fit. And when involving Espen Winther we connected with pre-Seigmen history, Espen playing with Noralf and winning the Norwegian Rock Championship as the band Twilight Zone. Espen have been around the whole time, and now it was a good time for a collaboration with his harp and this festival.

S-L: With one single out there, a couple more are to be released before the next album – any info on them yet?

SØ: No, not decided which ones yet, so they’ll come as more surprises. I also think we’ve taken another steps backwards regarding the next album, and what I can disclose now is that it’ll be insanely fun to play!

S-L: How was this performance for Seigmen?

SØ: It was awesome to see the Vikings rocking in front of us! Very strange that so many people hang in there and were on fire at “Dyret”, a song that few had heard in its entirety! We are also really at home when we play in these areas. We had a fantastic night – thank you from the whole band!

Jan Ronald Stange

Sometimes – when I’m not cooking, biking, listening to music or attending concerts, I write stuff for Side-Line.com. Mostly about Norwegian bands, but it’s been some Swedish, English, American, Danish, German and others too… 😉

www.facebook.com/jrstange

Emmo.biz Records is releasing a special 10″ red/transparent vinyl edition of the “V.A. 16. Elektrisch Festival” compilation on October 19th. The festival compilation is part of a series of releases celebrating the Elektrisch Festival, which focuses on electronic body music (EBM) and industrial music.

This limited release – available for ordering right here – features exclusive re-recordings from Cat Rapes Dog and Digital Factor, special edits by Accessory and Calva Y Nada, and two exclusive cover versions of Calva Y Nada classics by Supreme Court. Only 222 copies will be available.

Additionally, there’s a special festival package that includes a T-shirt, bag, and sticker which you can order here.

Here’s the tracklist of the compilation.

Side A:

1. Calva Y Nada – “Aufprall” Vinyl Edit (4:06)
2. Digital Factor – “Sexmachine” Freier24Mix (3:40)
3. Accessory – “Braindead” Vinyl Edit (5:57)

Side B:

1. Cat Rapes Dog – “American Dream 2024” (4:40)
2. Calva Y Nada – “Los Santos Inocentes” Elektrisch Version by Supreme Court (4:28)
3. Calva Y Nada – “Schlaf” Elektrisch Version by Supreme Court (4:28)

About Emmo.biz Records

Emmo.biz Records is a German label established in 2012, specializing in electronic body music (EBM), industrial, and synth-pop genres. Founded and managed by Jörg Freier, the label quickly gained recognition.

Despite its success, Emmo.biz Records ceased operations at the end of 2017. Jörg Freier decided to close the label due to time constraints from his other business, a butcher shop, which required his full attention. The label’s closure was marked by a huge sale to clear out remaining stock.

After years of silence, emmo.biz Records returned in 2024 and started reissuing Calva Y Nada. Regarding the label’s resurrection, Jörg Freier stated, “If you love and live music, there are always incentives to re-release things. I was always in constant contact with various bands… When Calva Y Nada finally agreed to play the sold-out 16th Elektrisch Festival, the decision was made to resurrect the label.”

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 EBM act CauseNation is set to release “The Remix Collection” on September 6th, 2024. This new compilation, out via the Antwerp based DressCode Black label, features a lineup of remixes that re-imagine some of CauseNation’s tracks.

On remix duty we find Vomito Negro, Novakill, Darkvolt, First Aid 4 Souls, Nova State Machine, Enzo Kreft, Cirque d’Ess and VV303.

“The Remix Collection” is already available on Bandcamp and will be available on all major platforms, including Spotify, starting September 6th, 2024.

Tracklist:

1. Mark of Cain (Vomito Negro remix)
2. Hearts Beat Strong (Novakill remix)
3. Demons of the Night (Darkvolt remix)
4. Mark of Cain (First Aid 4 Souls remix)
5. The Things You Promise (Nova State Machine remix)
6. Hearts Beat Strong (Enzo Kreft remix)
7. Mark of Cain (Cirque d’Ess remix)
8. Hearts Beat Strong (Darkvolt remix)
9. Divided We Fall (First Aid 4 Souls remix)
10. The Things You Promise (VV303 remix)
11. Demons of the Night (First Aid 4 Souls remix)

CauseNation is based in Antwerp and was formed in 2015 by Vain Sacrosanct, Dries De Vreeze, and Jonas Herrnia. The band made its debut with the single “The Things You Promise” which was mixed and mastered by Claus Larsen.

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

Canadian electropop musician and visual artist Shannon Hemmett aka Leathers has released her debut album “Ultraviolet”. Hemmett is best known as member of the Vancouver-based post-punk band Actors. The album is available across all major music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.

In addition to the album, Hemmett has created a limited-edition art book that complements the music. The book features over 60 pages of original photos, song lyrics, and designs. Hemmett explains, “I wanted the relationship between our songs and the visuals to feel vivid to the listener. Along with the album, I put together an art book containing over 60 full-colour pages of original photos, lyrics, and design. It’s the perfect companion piece to the album.”

Before the album’s release, Hemmett launched a series of singles compiled in the “Reckless” EP.

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 Stockholm-based synthpop duo Covered in Snow – who participated on our Face The Beat 6 compilation – will release a second single, “Cemetery Club”, from their upcoming full-length album on Friday, August 23.

Cemetery Club was mixed by Aryan Marzban at Soundtrade Studios, who previously mixed Seinabo Sey, Mapei, Hov1, Benjamin Ingrosso, Jireel, Newkid to name a few.

Here’s what you can expect:

Covered in Snow consist of the Swedish synthpop duo Mikael Engström and Tom Hedlund. Formed in 2017, their music often blends elements of indie, pop, and electronic influences. The duo debuted with the conceptual EP “Collateral Damage” in 2019, and continued to release other singles like “Hurry Up to Love Here” and “Glasgow Smile”.

Covered in Snow previously also collaborated with the synthpop act Uncreated on the track “Rush”.

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 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!

side-line.com

“Artifacts” EP by Divider is out now via Re:Mission Entertainment. Vocals on “Artifacts” are by Peter Beal with synths, programming, and mixing by Bryon Wilson.

The EP holds 4 remixes of the title track plus the original version. The ‘Primitive Remix’ was executed by Peter Beal while the ‘DvDSX remix’ includes additional arrangement by Bryon Wilson and Dejan Samardzic. Also included on the 5-track EP are remixes of the title track by Hex Wolves and Snowbeasts.

You can expect hard-hitting rhythmic EBM. The EP is available on Bandcamp, all major digital platforms, and as a limited edition t-shirt as you can see below.

About Divider

Divider is an electronic music project formed by Bryon Wilson and Peter Beal. The project began in the summer of 1995 when Wilson, then 17 years old, started experimenting with electronic music. Divider’s sound encompasses elements of EBM (Electronic Body Music), industrial, and experimental minimal-electro.

Bryon Wilson and Peter Beal have been the primary creative forces behind Divider, with Wilson handling synths, programming, and mixing, and Beal contributing vocals and remixes.

Divider’s work has been featured on various label compilations and has seen them remix tracks for other artists.

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 new Maduro album, “End in Noise”, recorded between 2023 and 2024, is now available via Re:Mission Entertainment. Maduro, aka Dave Buracker, describes the album as a reflection of the overwhelming visual and auditory static of a world in perpetual conflict. He explains, “Everything is full of noise – the internet, media, propaganda, warfare, consumerism, data, consumption, entertainment. The Modernist poet T.S. Eliot wrote in his 1925 poem ‘The Hollow Men’ that the world would end ‘Not with a bang but a whimper’ – I disagree. We are saturated with noise.”

The album cover is inspired by the early Dadaists, who embraced the absurd and asymmetric elements of terror and apathy during World War I.

Maduro is the alias of Washington D.C.-based dark electronic musician Dave Buracker, who has been creating music under various names for over two decades. In recent years, he has fused genres such as EBM, industrial, techno, and darkwave with new beat and breaks. Maduro gained popularity in the mid-2000s by producing tribal fusion electronic music. Buracker’s work has been featured on numerous label compilations, from Alfa Matrix to Universal Music Group, and he has collaborated with artists like Miss Kitten, the Horrorist, Wumpscut, Jean-Luc De Meyer, Amon Tobin, Venetian Snares, and Muslimgauze. Additionally, he has remixed tracks for Dean Garcia, HEALTH, Violent Vickie, and others.

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

Dark-Electro band Funker Vogt was born almost 30 years ago. Core member and operator Gerrit Thomas has already worked with several singers, but for some reason the group always continues with a new singer. The newest album “Final Construct” released by Repo Records saw Bastian Polak (Intent:Outtake) joining the German formation. The album sounds in the fullest Funker Vogt-tradition; somewhere between Dark-Electro and EBM with a slightly more melodic touch on top. In my opinion, a strong production that shows that this legendary group is far from exhausted. I talked about the latest work with Gerrit and Bastian. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: The new album “Final Construct” seems to be another turning point in the long career of Funker Vogt. After three albums singer Chris L. was replaced by Bastian Polak so how did this change come about and how did Bastian’s presence change and/or influenced the overall approach and production of “Final Construct”?

Gerrit: We produced three great albums with Chris, but as he started again with Agonoize we reached to a point where working together was no longer possible. I don’t want to go into that in more detail. In any case, we knew that we weren’t finished yet, we just needed a new singer. I already knew Bastian from vocal recordings with Intent:Outtake and the two Fusspils-11-songs, so it made sense to get him on board with Funker Vogt. He’s just a perfect fit. Because I knew what he was capable of, I was able to compose a little more boldly, because you simply don’t have to make any compromises with him.

In this respect, he helped to make the album more extensive and melodic than usual. I also wanted the sound to be very original to Funker Vogt, because in my opinion a new singer brings enough innovations with him.

Q: I personally experienced “Final Construct” as one of the hardest albums in years; a bit like featuring the brutal energy of the early years with the experience and knowledge you gained over the years on top of it. What is your own perception of this work?

Gerrit: Hm, I personally don’t think it’s that hard. On the contrary -there’s still a lot that can be done in that way! As I said, the album should sound as close to Funker Vogt as possible so that our fans aren’t confused when everything is suddenly completely different. I think that you’ll hear a few experiments and unusual things on the next album. But for this album, a new voice is enough of a change.

Bastian: As the new singer of Funker Vogt, I have of course made it my mission to do everyone justice and I think we have found a good way, on the one hand sounding more modern, but also like the old albums. I think “Final Construct” has everything the listener could have hoped for. Hardness, melody, profundity, but also time to take a deep breath 😉

Q: That brings me to ask you how much of the ‘young’ Gerrit Thomas do you still recognize in the approach, writing and production of “Final Construct”? And what are the biggest differences/evolutions compared to this new work?

Gerrit: Well, I would say that I still like the same kind of atmosphere in my music as I did 25 years ago. Only today the technical possibilities are much bigger and I know what I’m doing now…;-)

Q: Lyrical wise I think “Final Construct” seems a bit like a reflection of our contemporary world and all its misery. Can you be a little more specific about the content and how do you face it as human being?

Bastian: The world currently provides us with enough fuel for our music and our socially critical lyrics. However, many people keep thinking that we’re in favor of war, but that’s not the case and we’ve made that clear again on this album. We hold up a mirror to humanity, appeal to their reason, but also sing about solidarity and confidence.

Q: I think you always must have favorite songs and others where you might feel like everything was left out. What about “Final Construct” and can you make a kind of final balance sheet about this production? And do you think the latest album is always the best one?

Gerrit: Yes, we also have our favorites on every album. For me this time it’s “Rain Of Ashes”, “Tiefer”, and the club mix of “The Signaller”. In my opinion, all the others turned out great too, so I can’t say there’s a single one that doesn’t fit or should have better be left.

For me personally, the latest album is always the best one immediately after its release. Of course, I know that this is not always the case. To be able to judge this neutrally, you need to have a few months’ distance from the latest production, sometimes even years!

Bastian: I have already written the lyrics of many albums in my music career and I have to say that “Final Construct” is one of the best. For me, each of the 19 songs has something special, but my personal favorites are “Death Seed”, “Zinnsoldat”, “Die Leinen Los” and definitely “Im Auge Des Orkans” because it stands out a bit from all the other songs.

Q: Funker Vogt is now active for nearly thirty years! What were the biggest challenges you faced during this impressive career?  And do you sometimes feel like you have gotten the most out of it or do you still face new challenges and dreams? And if so, which ones?

Gerrit: Well, there were some setbacks due to the changes of singers that we had to deal with -and obviously we did so! Even though there are always a few people who recommend that we should better stop or rename the band when a new singer comes along, we stay true to our line and keep going on! That’s the ideology behind Funker Vogt. We would be questioning everything we have practiced for 28 years if we gave up. Following the well-known 242 motif: ‘Never Stop’!

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

Industrial bass artist Sinthetik Messiah has just announced the release of a new album and novel, “Lies, Secrets And Death”.

The story goes something like this: In a galaxy torn by strife, a hero rises but falls to tyranny, sparking rebellion. Amid chaos, a journalist’s death fuels uprising while another leader seeks peace. War looms between factions as a loyalist questions his cause amidst shadowy manipulation, setting the stage for a power struggle.

Musically Sinthetik Messiah here fuses industrial and drum and bass, hence ‘industrial bass’. “Lies, Secrets And Death” is available on all major streaming platforms. The companion book is available on Amazon.com.

Below is the video for “When The World Is On Fire“.

Behind Sinthetik Messiah we find Cajun songwriter and sound designer Bug Gigabyte. The project has had music released in collaboration with several labels such as Darktunes (compilations), Metropolis Records, Plasmapool Records, Side-Line Magazine (compilations). DSBP Records (compilations), Crl Studios, and Wicked Wonderland Records.

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 on Metropolis Records on 19 July 2024 is the brand new album by the post-punk/goth legends The March Violets. The band signed to Metropolis Records in early 2024 and will release a brand new studio album entitled “Crocodile Promises” on 19th July. A single and video is available now, “Hammer The Last Nail”.

Describing the track’s lyrical content, singer Rosie Garland states: “There’s no time like now to break free of gaslighting; no time like now to untangle from toxic people. The March Violets are set to Hammer the Last Nail into damaging relationships that keep us in prison.”

The band will play seven UK dates in late July and early August prior to a US tour. Their schedule includes shows in London and Glasgow, the latter immediately preceded by a slot at Rebellion Festival in Blackpool (2nd August).

Regarding the band’s current line-up, Mat Thorpe (bass, vocals) joined band founders Rosie Garland (vocals) and Tom Ashton (guitar) as a permanent member of The March Violets in early 2024.

About The March Violets

The March Violets are a British post-punk band that emerged from the Leeds music scene in the early 1980s. They are often associated with the gothic rock movement and were contemporaries of bands like The Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus.

The March Violets were formed in 1981 by Tom Ashton (guitar), Laurence “Loz” Elliott (bass), Simon “Si” Denbigh (vocals), and Rosie Garland (vocals). The band quickly gained a following with their unique sound characterized by a dual vocal approach and a blend of post-punk and gothic rock elements.

Their early singles, released on the independent label Merciful Release, which was also associated with The Sisters of Mercy, included tracks like “Religious as Hell” (1982) and “Grooving in Green” (1983). These releases helped establish the band’s dark and atmospheric style, marked by prominent bass lines, guitar riffs, and haunting vocals.

In 1984, The March Violets signed with a major label, London Records, and released the “Natural History” compilation, which included a mix of their earlier singles and new material.

Despite their early success, The March Violets faced numerous lineup changes and internal conflicts, which affected their stability and output. They released their only full-length album of the original era, “Electric Shades,” in 1985. The band disbanded in the mid-1980s but left a lasting impact on the gothic rock and post-punk scenes.

The March Violets reformed in 2007 and have since performed at various festivals and released new music. They released the album “Made Glorious” in 2013, which was funded through a successful crowdfunding campaign. The band’s recent work has continued to blend their signature gothic rock sound with modern influences.

The March Violets Discography

• Religious as Hell (1982)
• Grooving in Green (1983)
• Natural History (1984)
• Electric Shades (1985)
• Made Glorious (2013)
• Crocodile Promises (2024)

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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After a hiatus of 13 years, the Greek dark electro act Inline Sex Terror is making a comeback with a new album and a European tour scheduled for this winter. These upcoming shows will mark the band’s first performances in 15 years.

The band was formed in 2002 under the name Zerstörwut as a solo project of DV/H alias George.H, who was a resident DJ and promoter in Athens, Greece, at the time. After 5 years, DV/H decided to make fewer appearances in the club scene and focus on creating and producing music for Zerstörwut.

In 2008, the project changed its name to Inline Sex Terror. The band signed to the German label Danse Macabre Records to release their debut album in August of the same year: “11:11”. Two years later, the project returned with the “Distorted Life” EP holding three new tracks and ten remixes from bands such as Leaether Strip, FabrikC, Supreme Court, Beati Mortui, Implant, C-Lekktor, Kadaver Acht, V2A, Without Recognition, and Concrete Rage.

Shortly after releasing the EP, DV/H returned to his own studio to begin working on the next album. In 2011, the project released the album “The Architecture of Madness” under a new label (DSBP/Minusbeat). Over the following years, Inline Sex Terror became dormant due to personal problems of DV/H. Only two new songs were created and released on compilations, and in 2017, DV/H declared Inline Sex Terror inactive.

Fast forward to 2024, DV/H has brought Inline Sex Terror out of its coma and is working on a new album. After the album is released, a European tour will follow, marking IST’s return to the stage after 15 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!

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Several years since their latest release, Philadelphia art-rock duo Tulipomania presents their fifth album “Dreaming of Sleep”, released via Sursumcorda Records.

With cover artwork by Michael Speed, senior designer at Beggars Group London, this record involves executive producer Howard Thompson (Elektra, Island, Almo Sounds), having discovered and/or worked with Adam and the Ants, Billy Bragg, MC5, Mötorhead, PiL, Psychedelic Furs, Robyn Hitchcock, The Sugarcubes, Suicide, among others.

As of November 17, the “Dream of Sleep” album is available digitally from fine music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where it can also be obtained on CD and vinyl.

“Musically, the album feels like an interpretive dance to me. A reaction to overwhelming anxiety and frustration – while also mirroring and grappling with this ridiculous anxious age we are living in. Lyrically, consciously, and subconsciously, the themes of loss, frustration and fear are I think clearly on display – with anger, disbelief and a realization of a total lack of control or even influence beyond what we could exert on the instrumentation, the songs and the animations themselves,” says Tom Murray.

“We tried to use only the first takes of any performances or musical ideas as much as possible. Vocals were recorded in one or two takes in almost every case. We wanted to make everything about the groove and the song. We wanted to not be tempted to use instrumentation we are already comfortable with. I think this lack of control and slight on-edge process pairs well with the music and lyrics. I hope the results speak for themselves.”

In the lead-up to the album, Tulipomania released the lead track “You Had to Be There” and a remix created by UK music legend Martyn Ware (Heaven 17, The Human League) and Charles Stooke, which was featured on WIRE Magazine’s cover-mounted Wiretapper CD compilation for October.

Below are the two videos.

The latest animated video for “Then and Only Then” features lip sync, original and vintage footage shot frame by frame, collaged on sheets of black paper – is an official selection at the CutOut Fest International festival of animation and digital art this November in Mexico. “The music and the animations that support it explore outrage, powerlessness – and the knowing kind of sorrow that emerges from those states of mind – often in bursts of absurdity. Being aware of the ridiculous often feels like salvation,” says Cheryl Gelover, who first met Tom Murray, the other half of Tulipomania, through experimental film and animation classes.

Tulipomania’s animated music videos have been featured in film festivals worldwide, with several already showcasing their latest few videos as an official selection, including the Leeds International Film Festival (UK), StopTrik (Croatia, Poland), AniFilm (Czech Republic), Malatesta (Italy) and CutOut animation festival (Mexico).

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 Tulipomania) Out via Sursumcorda Records is the all new single and video from the Philadelphia-based post-punk act Tulipomania: “You Had To Be There”. “You Had to Be There” is the first single from their new album “Dreaming of Sleep” slated for release on November 17.

Tulipomania is made up of Tom Murray (lead vocals, synthesizer, electronic percussion) and Cheryl Gelover (synthesizer, background vocals), who first began their collaboration through projects for experimental film and animation classes.

The video that accompanies the new single was created frame by frame. The animation includes animated lip sync and vintage found footage in an exploration of varied states of disintegration and recombination, created on thousands of individual sheets of black or white paper.

Regarding this technique, the pair also recently created two animated music videos – “Hush” and “Shock To The Body” – for Cabaret Voltaire co-founder and frontman Stephen Mallinder in support of his solo album “Tick, Tick, Tick”, released last year on Dais Records.

“Dreaming of Sleep” is Tulipomania’s fifth album, featuring cover artwork by Michael Speed, senior designer at Beggars Group London and involving Executive Producer Howard Thompson, renowned for his contributions as a record industry executive (Elektra, Island, Almo Sounds), having discovered and/or worked with such artists as Adam and the Ants, Billy Bragg, MC5, Mötorhead, PiL, Psychedelic Furs, Robyn Hitchcock, The Sugarcubes, Suicide, and many others.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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The New York City based duo R. Missing have released a cover version of Siouxsie And The Banshees’ hit single “Spellbound”. R. Missing’s version is what they call “a downtempo, darkwave answer to the frenetic, post-punk pace of the original”.

“Spellbound” is the follow-up single to July’s “My Time as a Ghostly Someone Else” and serves as the titular track from the upcoming full-length “Spellbound – A Tribute To Siouxsie & The Banshees”, available worldwide on August 25th. This compilation showcases contributions from bands such as Kap Bambino, The KVB, and Night Beats, alongside music veterans, including former Banshee, Jon Klein, who joins forces with PiL bassist, Jah Wobble, plus Xiu Xiu, Skold, and many more.

R. Missing is comprised of vocalist/bassist, Sharon Shy, and multi-instrumentalist Toppy Frost. R. Missing is the duo’s latest creative innovation, emerging from the Morrissey-influenced, indie rock shadows of their previous project, The Ropes.

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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Nothingheads, a post-punk band from London, have announced the release of their debut EP, “Sunlit Uplands”, scheduled for early June via Just Step Sideways Records. Ahead of the EP, the group will unveil their first single, “Rat,” on 21st April. This single follows last year’s release, “3000 Years in Showbusiness”.

Comprised of Rob Fairey (guitar, vocals), Matt Holt (bass), and Ed Simpson (guitar), Nothingheads formed in 2020. The trio recorded their EP under the production of Wayne Adams at Bear Bites Horse studios. Just Step Sideways Records will make the full EP available on a 10-inch format.

If you listen well, you can definitely hear a big PiL influence.

The band shared their thoughts on the accompanying music video: “The video delves into the life of a character consumed by conspiracy and paranoia, making frantic movements at every turn and attempting to connect non-existent dots, yet unable to piece everything together.”

You can watch the video here:

And this was the band’s debut single “3000 Years in Showbusiness”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Genre/Influences: Post-Punk, Dark-Wave, Death-Rock.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “Fade To Glitter” stands for the return of German formation Bloody Dead And Sexy. The new work comes nearly nine years after their previous work “Bad Ambient” and it’s the band’s fifth album to date.

Content: The sound of the band is clearly driven by British Post-Punk and Dark-Wave formations. The songs are carried by heavy guitar playing -which sometimes remind me of The Skeletal Family while the nasal timbre of voice might remind to singers of Johnny Rotten (PIL, The Sex Pistols) and Jello Biafra (The Dead Kennedys).

+ + + : Bloody Dead And Sexy is back on track and that’s a damned good thing. This band evokes the 80s without being a copycat. They have a very unique approach which I personally prefer on the harder cuts like “Ghost Perfume” and “Room 666”.

– – – : I regret the album only counts 10 songs while there’s no absolute hit featured.

Conclusion: This work sounds like a free interpretation of the 80s by Bloody Dead And Sexy.

Best songs: “Ghost Perfume”, “Room 666”, “Their House”, “Little Maniac”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.bloodydeadandsexy.de /  www.facebook.com/bloodydeadandsexy

Label: www.darkdimensions.de /  www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Dimensions-Label-Group/486014725206

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

(Photo by Mike Maloney – CC BY-SA 4.0) Sad news, Keith Levene, full name Julian Keith Levene, the English musician who was a founding member of both The Clash and Public Image Ltd (PiL) died on November 11 aged 65. Levene died at his home in Norfolk after battling liver cancer.

At the age of fifteen Levene worked as a roadie for Yes on their ‘Close to the Edge’ tour. In 1976, he became a founding member of The Clash and The Flowers of Romance. Levene was responsible for helping to persuade Joe Strummer to leave the 101ers and join the Clash. Although he left The Clash before they began recording, he co-wrote “What’s My Name”, featured on their first album.

After the late 1970s British punk band the Sex Pistols disintegrated, Levene and that band’s lead singer John Lydon co-founded Public Image Ltd (PiL). He was involved in the writing, performing and producing of PiL’s early albums: “First Issue”, “Metal Box” and “Flowers of Romance”.

Levene left PiL in 1983 over creative differences concerning what would eventually become the band’s fourth album, “This Is What You Want… This Is What You Get”. In 1984, he released the original versions of the songs on his own label under the title “Commercial Zone” which was the original working title of the album.

After moving to Los Angeles the year before, Levene was asked in mid-1986 to produce demos for the album “The Uplift Mofo Party Plan” by Red Hot Chili Peppers at Master Control in Burbank with engineers Steve Catania and Dan Nebenzal. Also in 1986, Levene worked together with DJ Matt Dike, experimenting with sampling techniques and hip-hop for Ice T and Tone Loc on their early recordings for “Delicious”. In 1989, he released his first solo release, “Violent Opposition”, on which members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed.

In 2003, Levene contributed to Pigface’s album “Easy Listening” and since then has released several solo records.

In 2011 Levene contributed to three tracks on the album “Psychic Life”, a collaboration between former PiL bassist Jah Wobble and Lonelady. In spring 2014, Levene went to Prague to record “Commercial Zone 2014”, an album backed via a crowdsourcing campaign funding website at Indiegogo.

In later years, he invested heavily in Bitcoin and other forms of cryptocurrency.

Below is an interview with Keith Levene and John Lydon on The Tom Snyder Show in 1980.

And here is an interview called “Bitcoin is Punk Rock with Keith Levene” from 2 years ago.

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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Boxes of Blow were founded in the Summer of 2016 when Thodoris Koutsogiannis and Alexios Othon Theodoridis met at a festival playing with different projects each other. What followed was a brand new project melting post-punk, darkwave and noise sounds.

A self-released EP followed but the evolution of the band was interrupted by the pandemic. Until now that is as. “Dystopia”, out now via the Brazilian label Wave Records, contains all the work they recorded between 2016 and 2021 plus a cover of the PIL track “This is not a Love Song”.

Check out the videoclip for “Wall of Dreams”.

Check out the full album below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Cult musicians Jah Wobble and Bill Laswell have announced the release of a new album on the original Public Image bassist’s own eponymously named label on the 19th of July 2019. “Realm Of Spells” was recorded recently in Laswell’s Orange Studios in New Jersey and sees the two musical pioneers collaborate on a joint long player for the first time since the release of “Radioaxiom: A Dub Transmission” in 2001.

The new album – which is available here – features 8 brand new tracks that captures the sound of the coming together of post punk London and the avant garde of New York’s no wave movement of which the two bass players were very much key.

Wobble explains: “I used a Fender P bass for the first time in years on this new record with Bill and it embodies the basic approach that I had right from the start. All the early PiL stuff plus the ‘Full Circle’ album with Holger and Jaki was played on a Fender P and it took me back to that beautiful naive beginning”.

“Realm Of Spells” also features The Invaders Of The Heart line up of Marc Layton-Bennett (drums & percussion), George King (keyboards) and Martin Chung (guitar) together with Japanese drummer and percussionist Hideo Yamaki and Peter Apfelbaum.

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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To celebrate, in what has already been an amazing tournament of football, Jah Wobble has released a special world cup single “England (Your Time Is Now)”.

Wobble explains: “I wrote ‘England (your time is now)’ a couple of years ago. I felt that one day, our time would come again on the big stage. Gary Lamin of the Bermondsey Joy Riders, a keen Millwall fan, plays guitar on the track. It’s quite a punky anthemic track. I think the punk ethos goes quite nicely with football. Anyway, when it comes to the England Football team hope springs eternal right?”

You can listen to the track below.

https://soundcloud.com/user991093570/jah-wobble-england-your-time-is-now/s-OEGn4

He became known to a wider audience as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd (PiL) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but left the band after two albums. Following his departure from PiL, he went on to a successful solo career, continuing to the present.

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 via Arachnidiscs Recordings next month is the newest album by the post-punk act Gad Whip, “Trapped In A Pin Hole Camera”. The label itself describes the band as being like “Cabaret Voltaire, Sleaford Mods, PiL, Crass if they had been technoheads.”

“Trapped In A Pin Hole Camera” features the core trio of Amos, Bolam and Davies aided by Neil Campbell (Vibracathedral Orchestra, Astral Social Club etc), Paul Walsh (Smell & Quim, Foldhead etc), Jimbo Baxter (Freaks Union, The Fuckin’ Glorious etc), Eva Davies and Ryan Walker (both on extra guitar & bass duties). The album was recorded “in several kitchens throughout the summer of 2017 in West Yorkshire, UK, with one mic and a busking amp” the band claims, “though the recording is by no means the lo-fi shambles that implies”.

You can already check out the video for “Generator Small Ads” below.

Gad Whip formed in the summer of 2014 and have since put out 4 tapes and a couple of EP’s (one of those being a 12” on Ever/Never Records).

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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Jah Wobble & The Invaders Of The Heart are set to release a new album on 3Ms Music on the 30th of June 2017. “The Usual Suspects” features brand new recordings of some of Jah Wobble’s solo, Invaders Of The Heart and Public Image Limited output.

To be released on limited double vinyl, CD and available digitally, the 23 (!) tracks were recorded over the last few months at The Smokehouse studios in East London and include the lead single and album opener “Public Image”, re-worked from Public Image Limited’s ground breaking debut album from 1978.

Other tracks include versions of cinematic scores “Midnight Cowboy” and “Get Carter”, Dawn Penn’s “You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)” that features the vocals of Aurora Dawn and a new take of “Visions Of You” which originally appeared on Wobble’s Invaders of The Heart album “Rising Above Bedlam”. Also included are 2 recent live recordings of “Liquidator” and “Poptones”, which originally appeared on PIL’s “Metal Box” record.

For now enjoy Jah Wobble & The Invaders of the Heart performing live at the KEXP studio on September 28, 2016.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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The individually numbered and hand signed book is published to celebrate 40 years of songwriting across both the Sex Pistols and PiL eras. The book is presented in a large format (37×29 cm) and combines never before seen artwork, handwritten and annotated lyric sheets and features every song that Lydon has ever written.

The book is quite expensive though, the standard edition is 299,99 UK£ while the premium edition is priced at 349,99 UK£ including some extra perks as you can see below.

We also show you some images from the book itself:

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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A video has surfaced from the August 14 attack on Public Image Ltd frontman John Lydon at a concert in Chile.

PiL were playing at the Club Blondie in Santiago (Chile) when a bottle was thrown by someone in the crowd near the front. Fans attacked the culprit after which Lydon had to shout “Leave him” to get the fan from being lynched. The band soon after restarted the show.

Former Sex Pistols vocalist Lydon later on posed for a picture with a plaster on his forehead, a bloodstained towel and a cigarette in his mouth. All well so it seems.

Here’s footage filmed of the glass attack in which you can also see how the audience ‘sorted out’ the guy who almost ruined the gig.

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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Available now is the new video by Jah Wobble And The Invaders Of The Heart for the track “Cosmic Love” taken from the new album “Everything Is No Thing” which will be released July 29th.

“Cosmic Love” features vocals by Aurora Dawn (Alabama 3) and the video was filmed in Salford, Manchester and presents what the band calls “a juxtaposition between the dark gritty streets of Manchester and a psychedelic dream sequence”.

Jah Wobble And Invaders Of The Heart’s new album “Everything Is No Thing” was co-produced by Youth.

You can pre order “Everything Is No Thing” on CD and vinyl right now or right here on iTunes as download.

Here’s the video:

John Joseph Wardle aka Jah Wobble became known to a wider audience as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd (PiL) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but left the band after two albums. Following his departure from PiL, he went on to a successful solo career, continuing to the present.

Here’s the list of collaborators he worked with over the year… impressive, no: Justin Adams, African Head Charge, Afro Celt Sound System, Natacha Atlas, Najma Akhtar, Shahin Badar, Ginger Baker, Harry Beckett, Bel Canto, Clive Bell, Björk, Bomb the Bass, Julie Campbell, Liz Carter, Gary Clail, Chris Cookson, Holger Czukay, The Damage Manual, Chaka Demus, Anneli Drecker, Ronnie Drew, The Edge, Polly Eltes, Brian Eno, Gavin Friday, Paul Gilroy, David Harrow, Graham Haynes, Ozark Henry, Joji Hirota, David Holmes, Joolz, François Kevorkian, Keiko Kitamura, Bill Laswell, Zi Lan Liao, Jaki Liebezeit, Clea Llewellyn, Mark Lusardi, Baaba Maal, Madredeus, Dave (Animal) Maltby, Ben Mandelson, Marconi Union, Ollie Marland, Massive Attack, Nils Petter Molvær, Neville Murray, Shara Nelson, Dolores O’Riordan, Sinéad O’Connor, One Dove, Oui 3, The Orb, Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra, Evan Parker, Primal Scream, Jean Pierre Rasle, Julianne Regan, John Reynolds, Saffron (singer), Mark Sanders, Pharoah Sanders, Michel Schoots (Magic Stick), The Shamen, Adrian Sherwood, Bob Shipton, Abdel Ali Slimani, Suggs, Robin Thompson, Spikey Tee, Winston Tong, Yulduz Usmanova, Holly Valance, Cat von Trapp, Geordie Walker, Andrew Weatherall, Annie Whitehead, Brett Wickens, Leslie Winer, Bernie Worrell.

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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4 September sees the release of the new Public Image Ltd (PiL) album “What The World Needs Now…”. The album is the follow-up to the 2012 album “This is PiL”, which was the band’s first output in 17 years time.

“What The World Needs Now…” was financed and produced by PiL and will be released on PiL’s own label PiL Official via Cargo UK Distribution.

From October on the band will be touring Europe.

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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