Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Three years after their great debut album “Panacea” the American – Australian duo featuring Rob Early (Retrogramme) and Simeon Fitzpatrick (Project K11) is back on track unleashing the new opus “Humanicide”. The work features nine new songs plus five remixes. The band again worked with some guest singers. Roy Retrofit (Red This Ever), Alicia May, Rebekah Feng and Sarah Myers (Fake Boyfriend) contributed to this work.

Content: “Humanicide” moved on where “Panacea” stopped; an album featuring intelligent and sophisticated EBM. It clearly reminds me of Frontline Assembly and Skinny Puppy, which I think rather sounds as references to be compared to. The different singers inject their proper touch, intonation and passion to the work.

The remixes were accomplished by Psy’Aviah, Sebastian Komor, C1TZN.X, Leather Strip and Red This Ever.

+ + + : 11Grams doesn’t sound as the most accessible EBM format, but they let us discover a different kind of ‘body music’; music that has been composed with technical knowledge and certain passion to create great sound treatments. The album sounds maybe a bit less powerful than its predecessor, but it has been empowered with poignant atmospheres created by cool synth sounds. Some passages are clearly old-school driven and even space-like. There’s a great diversity and yet still a balance between the different singers. The title song for sure is an attention grabber, but I definitely prefer the “Static Noises 2.0” revealing impressive writing skills of 11Grams. Among the remixes I especially recommend listening to “Ice Man” remixed in a powerful way by Sebastian Komor and “Weaponized”, which is another powerful outburst, remixed by Leather Strip.

– – – : I don’t see real minor points about this new work, 11Grams simply confirming their natural talent to compose futuristic EBM, but I just regret this kind of band never gets the deserved recognition.

Conclusion: “Humanicide” confirms the great work revealed at the “Panacea”-album; this is styled EBM!

Best songs: “Satanic Noises”, “Artificial Lifeforms”, “Humanicide”, “Ice Man”, “”Ice Man – Sebastian Komor RMX”, “Weaponized – Leather strip RMX”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: http://11grams.com / www.facebook.com/11grams

Label: www.ekproduct.com / www.facebook.com/EKProduct

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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Out on September 25 is the second album by the collaboration project between the Australian Simeon Fitzpatrick (Project K11) and American ‘Retrogramme’-mastermind Rob Early. The partnership between the two artists – baptized 11Grams – debuted in 2017 with the previous full length “Panacea”.

Here’s what the band says about their new album: “On our new album “Humanicide” the listener will be wrapped by a wide variety of avveniristic modulations, sometimes threatening or full of suggestive mystery and drama. Expect midtempo dancing drumming mechanically squared by the drum-machine, sequenced symmetries, powerful bass lines and solemn synths harmonies spread an alienating musicality, while the chant adds further catchy charm to the structures.”

You’ll have both male (including Roy Retrofit) and female vocals (including Alicia May and Rebekah Feng) on the 14 track album which offers a blend of electro, endustrial, EBM and synthpop. Included as well are remixes by for instance Psy’Aviah, Sebastian Komor, C1TZN.X and Leæther Strip.

Check out the Video for “Ice Man”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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11Grams saw the daylight thanks to the internet. This project is the  meeting between American Rob Early (Retrogramme) and Australian Simeon Fitzpatrick (Project K11). After a few self-released digital EP’s they got in touch with the Italian label EK Product, which appears to be a comfortable home for their sophisticated and intelligent EBM format. I got in touch with Simeon and Rob to get a bit more about their common project.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: How did you guys met and what incited you to set up 11Grams? Does it mean you’re now longer involved with your previous bands/projects?

Simeon: Rob and I met through DJ Wolf, a good mutual friend, He’s an Australian remixer known as Digital Anodyne. Rob and Wolf were chatting on social media about a certain defunct record label and I chimed in with a comment which Wolf replied, then introduced me to Rob. I think we started talking about music software, etc.  About a year later we decided to write a song together through the net, called “Immortal” which evolved into 11grams. We both still write for our own band projects.

Q: What’s the explanation behind the band name and what’s hiding behind the album title “Panacea” expect a link with the Goddess of medicines?

Simeon: Rob actually came up with the acronym combining both our band names Project K11 and Retrogramme making 11Grams. I was writing lyrics for the album, I have a dictionary at hand and just opened it to the word Panacea, the universal remedy. It seemed quite suitable for a futuristic album about transhumanism, Rob loved it.

Q: What kind of album and sound did you’d in mind when starting the writing of “Panacea” and how did the composition finally happen?

Rob: I am a big fan of late 80’s to mid 90’s industrial music and EBM.  In my teens, I always wanted to make this music, but didn’t have the resources. As time went by, I started Retrogramme with my close friend Nikk and I started producing others as well. I decided to go back to my roots and create something from the ideas I originally had. Simeon responded to my Facebook post looking for a like-minded musician and I primarily loved his basslines so we decided to give it a go. We are both easygoing people with a crude sense of humor so we got along great and decided to make a full album.

Q: I experienced “Panacea” as a sophisticated composition, which sounds as an antidote to all ‘average’ electro releases sounding pretty similar and without real sound DNA! Do you recognize 11Grams in this ‘statement’ and what’s your perception on contemporary electronic music?

Rob: As we set off to make an industrial/EBM album, we accepted that we were more diverse than just that style, so we decided to allow some of our other influences in while trying to maintain commonalities (complex and dense sound structures, melodies, powerful drums, etc)

As far as current music, there is so much out there that it can sometimes be hard to sift through it all because there isn’t a lot of free time. I depend on friends to introduce me to new stuff, and I also stumble upon it through Soundcloud or Facebook, so I am sure I don’t know all the different genres out there now. But I know there will always be great music regardless of genre and I am just happy when I can stumble upon something that I love.

Q: You invited multiple guest singers and also musicians to accomplish this album. Why did you ask several guest singers, which according to me is much more difficult to realize and especially if you’ve plans to play live?

Simeon: Rob and I are very pedantic about our music, so after I sang on “Machine Malfunction”, “Feel It Like A Drug”, and others that suited my vocal tone, we needed other singers to complement the diversity of the remaining tracks. Roy, Lisa, Chad, Woj all did amazing vocals. Playing live was always going to be a challenge for us, Rob being in Washington DC and me in Australia, but we figured out a set list and in February 2017 I flew over to DC, we practiced for 4 days and did our first show together. Rob previously played a DJ set on New Years 2015 and in November 2017 Roy Retrofit filled in for me on vocals and they played two more shows for 11Grams. Rob is planning to join me in Australia this year for a couple more shows.

Rob: I always find collaboration fun and inspiring. I will always collaborate. I find that collaboration helps build personal friendships and expand creativity, and that to me is very fulfilling.

Q: Daniel Myer seemed to have been really inspired, realizing a great remix of “The Stalker”. How did you get in touch with him and can you analyze his version of “The Stalker”?

Rob: Through label mate Niko Kötzsch of Leipzig-based electronic band Gimme Shelter, I established contact with Daniel Myer and asked if he’d be interested in remixing a song for our album. We were super happy when he said he liked the original and would love to remix it. I’ve been a fan of his music since the early 90’s so I was thrilled when he said yes.  We have since become friends through the internet and have met in the U.S.

I love his version.  To me, it encapsulates what I love about his music.  Very precise programming, powerful drums, interesting vocal effects, and fluid but dark synth sounds. Pure Daniel Myer.

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