Today the German EBM pop duo AD:keY releases a new double-CD album, “0609”, on Alfa Matrix. The duo, recently married Andrea and Rene Nowotny, matched the album’s title with the release date of the album: “0609” aka September 6th.

You can order the album now on Bandcamp as download and on 2CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore.

This is AD:keY’s seventh album. In “0609”, the duo reflects their deep bond as a married couple and as bandmates. Expect strong old-school EBM basslines, catchy synth melodies, and addictive choruses.

As a special treat, the album includes an 11-track bonus CD featuring alternative versions and remixes by friends such as Martin Bodewell (Orange Sector), To Avoid, Digital Factor, Miseria Ultima, Zweite Jugend, TC 75, Aktion:Fiasko, and their side-project Rector Scanner. Additionally, enjoy a special guest vocal contribution from Uwe Kanka, frontman of the cult act and label mates Armageddon Dildos.

About AD:keY

AD:keY, the German EBM pop duo, consists of Andrea and Rene Nowotny, who formed the band in 2006 as a side project.

Their first album, “Thema Nummer Eins”, was released on November 21, 2008, under the Electric Tremor Dessau label. This album featured tracks like “Alkohol” and “Hass Mich”, which helped establish their presence in the EBM scene. Following this, they released “A Deutschmaschine” on April 30, 2010, which included hits like “Deutschmaschine” and “Hölle”. Their third album, “Sharp Cuts”, came out on November 2, 2012, and included tracks such as “Haut” and “Prolet”.

In 2014, AD:keY released “Reanimator” on May 9, featuring songs like “Mein Weg” and “Maschinen”. Two years later, on June 10, 2016, they released “D’Accord”, with tracks like “D’Accord” and “Der Letzte Tanz”. Their sixth album, “Herz und Verstand”, was released on April 20, 2018, and included songs like “Herz und Verstand” and “In Mein Herz”. Most recently, on September 18, 2020, they released “Resonanz”, featuring tracks such as “Maschinenliebe” and “Revolte”.

The band is signed to the Belgian label Alfa Matrix.

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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The EBM pop duo AD:keY are back with a fresh EP, “Nackt”, following their previous single, “Two Souls”. With this new release the Berlin-based duo, Andrea and Rene Nowotny, offers a glimpse of what you can expect on their forthcoming album, “0609”.

“Nackt” holds 4 tracks, 3 remixes (including a single mix) of the title track plus a mix of the track “Deine Augen”. As usual the tracks come with the band’s signature blend of male and female vocals.

As usual with Alfa Matrix the release is first out on Bandcamp with other platforms to follow in the next weeks.

About AD:keY

AD:keY was formed in 2006 as a side project by the keyboardist from the band Armageddon Dildos. The band’s sound is rooted in pure old school EBM blending what we then described “the synths and beats of DAF and Nitzer Ebb with the vocal style and slight spaciness of Welle:Erdball”.

Their music is characterized by stomping beats, muscled bass lines, addictive melodic electro sequences, and powerful male and female vocals. Over the years, AD:keY has carved out its own identity within the Electronic Body Music scene releasing material via the Belgian based electro label Alfa Matrix.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

Out now on Bandcamp is the extremely attractive 8-track EP “Fluormenschen ” by the Berlin-based vintage electronic project Rector Scanner. The EP follows the release of their comeback album “Radioteleskop” and its various related EP releases.

The band offers vintage electronic music with vocoders and German-sung synth music, which is basically a very well-made mixture of Kraftwerk’s robotic electronics, And One’s danceable techno pop and Welle:Erdball’s 80’s melodic mechanical synthpop touch.

Rector Scanner is – for those who didn’t know – the retro science-fiction pop side-project of the EBM duo AD:keY consisting of Andrea and Rene Nowotny.

The 8-track new EP reveals 3 new songs plus a couple of self-made remixes, including more dancefloor EBM-pop oriented versions by their alter-ego project AD:keY, while Belgian label mates 808 DOT POP also contribute with a vintage-synth-pop remix of the title song.

A must have in your collection!

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

Back in 1991 I started writing my first reviews for Side-Line magazine. I would have never thought to go on writing reviews and making interviews non-stop for 30 years. So 2021 is a special year to me, a kind of ‘celebration year’. I got the idea to celebrate this special event by interviewing people from the scene who all have a special meaning to me. EBM formation Armageddon Dildos  definitely is a band I had to interview. The German band, which started as a duo, composed a very dynamic EBM sound and got rapidly famous for their impressive live shows. The band never stopped to evolve and rapidly started experimenting with harder Industrial elements to finally move towards a more ‘Poppy’ production. Uwe Kanka kindly accepted to look back at the impressive career of ‘the dildos’.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Armageddon Dildos  was originally set up in 1990 (!) by you and Dirk Krause. How did you guys meet and what was your music background? 

Uwe: Dirk and I met us in 1986 in the same rehearsal room in Kassel. I played guitar/vocals in a classic three-man band (Beat The Beat) and Dirk  keyboards/synths in a Synth-Pop group.

We liked each other immediately and very quickly it became clear to us that we wanted to explore new musical ways. Harder and more aggressive Electronic sounds and harder beats, that was the plan. After a few jam sessions, we knew that it worked great!

Q: Armageddon Dildos became an instant successful EBM band; you got directly signed to Zoth Ommog, releasing the EP’s “Never Mind / Pressure”, “East West”, “Resist” and of course the debut album “That’s Armageddon”. According to you what made the success formula of the early productions and what has been the impact of Talla 2XLC who produced your first works? 

Uwe: I am still firmly convinced that it was largely due to the symbiosis between Dirk and me – added to that the incredible energy of that time.

Actually, something new was always happening; musical as well as social (fall of the Berlin Wall) changes certainly played a part in it. It was an unbelievable dynamic, open and wild time. Being signed to Talla 2XLC and Musik Research/Zoth Ommog was a blessing for us. It was the perfect timing for Armageddon Dildos. Talla and its staff convinced us with their high level of competence and passion for music. Frankfurt and the Techno Club, for example, was, along with Berlin, the measure of all things in Germany for us at that time. Looking back, I am sure that the success of Armageddon Dildos was largely due to Talla 2XLC and his team. We were in the right place at the right time!

Q: Zoth Ommog was one of the absolute leading labels from the 90s Electro underground scene. How do you look back at this period, the 90s, Talla 2XLC,  the label and label mates? 

Uwe: Zoth Ommog was very important for the development and spread of Electronic music at that time worldwide. Label bands like Leather Strip, X Marks The Pedwalk, Bigod 20, Orange Sector, Consolidated, Psychopomps, The Armageddon Dildos to name a few, played an important role in the scene in the late 80s to the mid 90s. Those were very exciting times.

Through Talla’s contacts and our gigs at the New Music Seminar 1991 and 1993 in New-York, Howie Klein became aware of us and we got a contract with Sire Records in the U.S.A. Rüdiger Ladwig took over our management and booked our concerts. “Homicidal Dolls” was released by Sire Records in 1993 in The States and “Lost” followed in 1994. After the release of “Lost” we went on tour and played among others at the Zillo Festival in December 1994 at the Zeche Karl. We were accompanied at the Zillo gigs by Markus Hartmann, who would play an important role for us in the next few years.

Q: Quite progressively the band evolved towards harder music, still EBM driven, but with an Industrial input with guitar play and samplings. What made this evolution towards a more ‘Industrial’ sound? 

Uwe: We have always worked with samples. That was our usual way of working. Sampled speech, noises but also instruments like guitars were part of almost every production.

On some tracks I  played the guitars later myself. In 1994, for the production of “Lost”, we went to Chicago to Wax Trax Studio to work with Keith ‘Fluffy’ Auerbach (producer/sound engineer of Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pigface, Skinny Puppy etc.). During this time we recorded guitars and drum sequences instead of sampling them. To bring the production to the stage, Vom, who now drums for The Toten Hosen, and Uwe Osterlehner, played guitars, joined the band.

Q: You also started working with another producer; Sevren Ni-Arb produced several productions and I remember a lot of bands wanted to record in his studio. What made him that special and what has been his true impact on the final production? Are you still in touch with him?

Uwe: Most of our albums/EP/singles from ’89 to ’99 were produced by different producers. However, Dirk and I were always significantly involved.

We met Andre Schmechta (Sevren Ni-Arb) through Talla in Frankfurt. We immediately got along really well, had a very consistent understanding of music and, not to be underestimated, a very similar sense of humor.  Therefore we decided to produce “Homicidal Dolls” with Andre. Working on the album was a lot of fun, full of energy and musical creativity. Later on we worked again with him on “Fear” and “Homicidal Maniac”. Besides, it always smelled wonderfully of freshly baked goods in the studio because there was a bakery in the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, we lost track of each other over the years and are no longer in contact.

Q: I got the impression the “Speed”-album (my favorite by the way) released in 1997 was a kind of turning point in the band’s early years. You signed to a major company (BMG), got produced by Bob Kraushaar and Andy Gill (Gang Of Four). The sound became ultra-professional, but how did you experience the “Speed”-album and the move to a major company? 

Uwe: Through Markus Hartmann (see above) we got the contract with Metronome and later also with BMG Ariola in Hamburg. The move from Zoth Ommog to a major label changed a lot for us: first of all, of course, the financial means for production, marketing etc.. We travelled to London in search of the right producer and met Bob Kraushaar (Pet Shop Boys, Paul McCartney, ABC etc.) among others. Bob had very concrete ideas about the production of the new Armageddon Dildos album and suggested to have one half of the CD produced by himself and the other half by Andy Gill, the legendary guitarist of Gang Of Four. We agreed immediately and went to London in the Summer of 1996 to produce “Speed”. But some tracks on the album were also produced at Skyline Studio in Düsseldorf. “Speed” is, and I agree with you 100%, a very professional production and an excellent album.

Q: Do you remember how much albums you were selling at that time and was it possible to earn a living from your music? 

Uwe: We had very good sales at times and could also live on it during such periods. However, the consistency was missing. I think many artists are in the same situation. You should always have a plan B in mind. But let’s be honest: there were never enough albums sold to be able to make a living from it in the long run.

Q: BMG became a one-shot experience, you get back to Zoth Ommog, revisiting some of your early songs by the album “Re:Match”. It also was the last work together with Dirk Krause. How do you explain the split of the band and are you still in touch with Dirk today? 

Uwe: In hindsight, I think the events following the completion of “Speed” were key to the band’s development. We had a fantastic team behind us at the Metronome, a killer production and a very good video for “Open Up Your Eyes” recorded in Kenya. Everything was great and then we got the devastating news: Metronome was dissolved!

What a bummer. We got the rights for “Speed” and ended up with BMG Ariola, but that didn’t work out. The label split up with us and we had to look for a new label. All that was hard stuff and the band didn’t take it too well.

Dirk decided to leave the Dildos to start a new project. I wanted to continue. We decided to do one last release together and that became “Re.Match” on Zoth Ommog in 1999. Dirk and I have hardly any contact today.

Q: “Morgengrauen” released in 2003 on Electric Blue was the first album you were totally involved in the song writing. That was something new and without offending you Uwe, I think the only Armageddon Dildos-album that couldn’t convince me. What’s your personal analysis about this work? 

Uwe: I underestimated, as I see it not only now, that this kind of music definitely does not fit to an EBM/Industrial band like The Armageddon Dildos.

I like “Morgengrauen”. It’s an Electro album with good songs, artwork and photos. However, I should have released it as a new project with a different name. But as we all know, hindsight is always the wiser!

Q: “Sangreal” got released in 2005 on Ausfahrt, but it finally was the “Untergrund”-album released in 2011 on Alfa Matrix that put you back on the map. You joined back hands with a leading label from the scene and for the very first time you also produced the album. What does this album mean to you and where do you place this work in the band’s discography? 

Uwe: “Untergrund” is a very important album for me. It combines interesting Electro sounds and beats with hard guitars without slipping too much into pure Industrial. Unfortunately, I could not convince Ausfahrt/Electric Blue with this production. I asked for a termination contract, got it and signed with Alfa Matrix a short time later. 

However, this is not the first independently produced album. I have been working with sound engineer and producer Mathias Black since 1997, who mixed and co-produced all Armageddon Dildos albums from “Re:Match” onwards.

Q:  After “Untergrund” it took your nine years to strike back with the “Dystopia”-album, which became one of the most achieved, diversified and professional albums. Do you feel this album as different from the others? And tell us a bit more about the ‘teamwork’ to achieve “Dystopia”? 

Uwe: “Dystopia” is the first Armageddon Dildos album where I did everything on my own until the mixing phase. From the composition/lyrics to the recording and programming of the instruments to the recording of the vocals including Malin’s vocals for “Neon”. I had quite clear ideas in which direction “Dystopia” should move. Mathias changed or added vocals and some sounds later while mixing the tracks. We had a very good division of labor. I am really satisfied with the result of this production!

Q: Armageddon Dildos always had a strong live reputation. How did you see the shows evolving throughout the years and what’s your connection with the fans?

Uwe: What has changed over the last thirty years is the number of musicians on stage: Dirk and I started in ’89 as a duo. In the mid-90s, there were four of us for a while with Vom and Uwe Osterlehner. After that with Vom it was three.

At the first gig without Dirk at the beginning of 2000, Malin and Dave Anderson were there with me. Then Ulf Häusgen joined on guitar/vocals. A short time later Rene Nowotny took over the keyboards. On our five-week U.S. tour with Inertia in 2007, Gabriel Shaw joined me and Ulf Häusgen.

And for almost ten years now, it’s been just the two of us on stage again: Uwe Kanka and Sven Mouhcine. Last but not least, it is very important to say that Mathias Black has been responsible for the sound of the Dildos as a member of the band for 99% of the gigs since 1996.

What has not changed at all during this time, thank God, is the energy and power of every Armageddon Dildos show, which also includes the very close contact to the audience and the fans.

Q: I remember there was an Armageddon Dildos fan-club. How important is it for a band to have a fan club? 

Uwe: I think that a fan club is very important for artists. In our case it was phenomenal. The Armageddon Dildos Fan Club was founded in Aachen after our gig in Übach-Palenberg on 24.06.1991. After that, regular meetings took place in Düsseldorf or Aachen. The fan club did unbelievably good public relations work, e.g. published an info letter. Members of the fan club were at almost all the band’s concerts until the middle of the ’90s. Due to personal changes and also due to the musical development of the band from the middle of 90s onwards, the interest of the members of the Fan Club in the band waned.

Q: If you had to introduce Armageddon Dildos  to people who never heard of the band before, what song and album would you choose first? 

Uwe: It depends on the people. I have friends who can’t do anything with our older songs; I would play “Stay” or similar tracks for them. People from the scene who don’t know us, mmhm, that’s not so easy. Maybe “I Can’t Remember” or “White Room”. But I could also think of pieces by “Speed” and “Homicidal Dolls”. I personally like “Gottland” very much.

Q: Do you’ve other passions in life next to music? 

Uwe: Ride a motorbike, skiing and enjoy the tranquility of nature.

Q: Did the success of the band had an impact on you as human being? 

Uwe: I don’t think so. Rather the failures. Because those were the ones that kept me going.

Q: What’s your best- and worst memory after more than thirty years Armageddon Dildos? And do you still have secret wishes and dreams? 

Uwe: I would like to mention two of the many wonderful memories: the fantastic concert in Übach-Palenberg together with And One, when we met the people from the later Fan Club, and our performance at the Roskilde Festival at midnight in front of about 10,000 spectators. That was gigantic.

The worst was definitely the moment when we were informed about the closure of Metronome. 

Secret wishes and dreams? Yes, I do. And they should be kept secret.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

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

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Set up in 1997 by Rene Nowotny –who’s actually more known from his involvement with the EBM project AD:Key, Rector Scanner doesn’t release new material on a regular basis. “Radioteleskop” is the third album by the German artist, which is inspired by sci/fi and the origins of mankind and outer space life forms. The album features eleven songs plus eleven extra songs/remixes on the extra disc. 

Content: Rector Scanner is clearly inspired by vintage Electronics, which might remind bands like Kraftwerk and Welle:Erdball. The songs have been achieved with space-like bleeps and atmospheres –which totally fits the concept, while the harder songs feature an EBM touch on top. The vocals have been produced with a robotic effect while you also will notice female backings.

The second disc reveals a few alternative edits and an important load of remixes from AD:Key, Massiv In Mensch, Metroland, Merry Chicklit, Letal 30 and 808 Dot.Pop.

+ + + : Scanner brings vintage Electro with a refreshing approach. The sound isn’t innovative and yet, this ‘time-travel’ approach has something magic. The songs are well-crafted featuring great sequences and solid sound treatments, and also great atmospheres. The robotic effect on top of the vocals accentuates the retro-approach of the work. The opening part of the album is simply brilliant. You will (re)discover the EP-title song “Der Dichter Und Die Frau”, but also other great songs like the title song plus “Die Eisigen Ufer Des Titan”, “Minus 180 Grad (Celsius)” and “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All”. Among the remixes I noticed great contributions from AD:Key transforming “Radioteleskop” into a solid EBM piece, Massiv In Mensch putting their sonic stamp on the title song and Metroland revisiting “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All” in a minimal format.

– – – : The first part of the album is absolutely phenomenal while the second part is more stagnating and sometimes becoming a bit repetitive.

Conclusion: Rector Scanner is back on track with an intelligent, uplifting and alluring Electro-Pop work.

Best songs: “Radioteleskop”, “Der Dichter Und Die Frau”, “Die Eisigen Ufer Des Titan”, “Minus 180 Grad (Celsius)”, “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All” + “Radioteleskop – AD:keY Wow!-Signal Mix 3”, “Radioteleskop – Remix By Massiv In Mensch”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/rectorscanner

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Founded in 1997, Rector Scanner was actually the very first music project of Berlin-based artist Rene Nowotny who then redirected all his energy over the last years on his more EBM-oriented band AD:keY together with his wife Andrea.

Anno 2021, Rector Scanner returns to reveal their much anticipated 3rd studio album “Radioteleskop”, a 2CD set. The first CD holds 11 new songs that offer vintage electronic music with vocoders and German-sung synth music in line with Welle:Erdball and And One. The songs on this release are strongly influenced by science and social fiction literature from the early 20th century and novelists in the likes of Russian author Ivan Yefremov.

The second CD features another 11 tracks which are exclusive versions and diverse collaborations with Metroland, 808 Dot Pop, Massiv In Mensch, AD:keY, Letal 30 as well as a featuring of the toitronic electropunk diva Merry Chicklit.

Also notice the design work by artist, illustrator and theatre actor Thomas Franke.

You can check out all the new tracks below. The limited edition 2CD (there is no 1CD version) set can be ordered via the Alfa Matrix webstore, and the download version via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page.

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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The Berlin based Record Scanner electropop act is finally back after 15 long years of new studio silence. Founded in 1997, Rector Scanner is the first electropop project of Berlin-based artist Rene Nowotny who focused all his energy over the last years on his more EBM-oriented band AD:keY together with his wife Andrea.

This new EP announces Rector Scanner’s 3rd studio album “Radioteleskop“ and reveals new material for the very first time after some 15 years of dormancy.

This new EP – available now via Bandcamp and other platforms – will please all fans of vintage electronic music with vocoders as well as German-sung synth pop music like Welle:Erdball, And One and more.

The artwork for the EP was made by artist, illustrator and theatre actor Thomas Franke and based on the artwork “Trauer 1: Pieta des Lichtbringers vor seiner telefonischen Chattung mit der Äonenleier…”.

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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Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital, Double CD.

Background/Info: Andrea and Rene Nowotny set up AD:Key in 2007. Thirteen years later they now release their sixth studio album featuring twelve songs. The limited edition features an extra disc with twelve remixes.

Content: I consider AD:Key as one of the absolute old-school EBM masters from the past years. “Resonanz” however appears to be a milestone in the band’s career. The EBM basis remains intact, but this work clearly reveals new elements. They injected other influences –sometimes pretty Electro-Pop driven, to their work while the usual power of the band has been a little bit more under control and replaced by more elaborated songwriting. You still can feel a connection with bands such as DAF at the ‘harder’ cuts, but you also will notice surprising, softer, but sexy songs. The vocals are sung in English and German while alternating male- and female vocals. The album features a few two familiar songs that were previously released on the  “Herz Lass Los”-EP, which served as a strong appetizer to this new opus.

The second disc features a bunch of alternative edits by the band itself and remixes by Armageddon Dildos and Steril (2 songs) plus one of the album songs featuring Schramm.

+ + + : I’m not saying that the Nowotny duo has tries to reinvent their sound, but this album is clearly different. The good-old and constant EBM power is now interrupted by some softer cuts even featuring melody lines (cf. “You Can’t Fuck Me”) and sensuality (cf. “I Stay”). But the main evolution is the elaboration of the writing, the songs never have been that worked out and even sophisticated (cf. “Du Und Dich”). That’s maybe because of the use of analogue sound treatments. “Nur Der Mond” is maybe ‘the’ song symbolizing this evolution the best. But AD:Key still stands for great and pure old-school EBM; that’s what they reveal on familiar cuts like “Herz Lass Los” and “Der Letzte Tanz”, but I also have to mention “Electro Musik”. Some lyrical passages are clearly evoking the influence of DAF… maybe meant as homage to Gaby Delgado.

On the second disc I noticed a great collaboration with Schramm (cf. “This Is Not The Time”), a great “Club Mix” of “Alles Was Ich Will” and 2 noticeable remixes by Steril (what a great return of this band!).

– – – : I’m missing the harder AD:Key style from the early days, but on the other side I prefer a band striving for evolution and elaborating new ideas instead of a band repeating itself.

Conclusion: “Resonanz” is maybe the AD:Key work we didn’t expect, but I want to reassure the fans, it still remains great EBM!

Best songs: “Electro Musik”, “Herz Lass los”, “Der Letzte Tanz”, “You Can’t Fuck Me”, “Nur Der Mond” + “Ich Will Dass Du Jetzt Gehst – Evvilking-Mix By Steril”, “Ich Will Dass Du Jetzt Gehst – Axl-Mix By Steril”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/ADkeY-offical-106750002700971

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

“Resonanz” is the title of the newest 6th full length studio album (and the follow-up to the 2017 album “Reanimator”) by the Berlin-based duo AD:keY. Andrea and Rene Nowotny reconnect with their mix of strong EBM/bodypop and powerful male and female vocals using both German and English languages.

The first edition of this album is available now as a very limited double-CD deluxe digipak with 12 bonus tracks including alternative versions made by AD:keY themselves, plus collaborations with Schramm, Steril, Armageddon Dildos and Rossi BM. You can already check 2 tracks below,

The download edition is available via Bandcamp right now while the 2CD set can be ordered via the band’s label, Alfa Matrix.

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.

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Andrea- and Rene Nowotny are now preparing their sixth full length album. While waiting for “Resonanz” we get this EP as a teaser. The German EBM duo is for sure one of the uncontested leaders in their music genre.

Content: “Herz Lass Los” has this typical EBM sound AD:Key has used to familiarize us. But there also is a sound treatment reminding to early And One. It’s pure vintage and totally danceable featuring Rene’s vocals while Andrea is doing the backings. “Herz Lass Los” has been featured as 3 different edits plus 2 remixes by the German body-pop sensation Alphamay and the Peruvian formation Monöchrome.

The B-side song “Der Letzte Tanz” is another EBM cut, this time with Andrea as the main singer. The songs have been presented in 2 different edits.

+ + + : “Herz Lass Los” is a cool retro-EBM like title song. It’s a perfect track to set dancefloors on fire. I especially like the And One analogue sound treatment running through this piece. Rene and Andrea once again confirm to be totally complementary singers. The so-called “Dritter Mix” is another attention grabber while the Alphamay-remix has something minimal. The remaining song, “Der Letzte Tanz” is not exactly a potential hit although more than simply an EP filler.

– – – : The title song is cool, but the different versions and both remixes aren’t exactly adding a real bonus.

Conclusion: No doubt about it, “Herz Lass Los” is the perfect song to announce a new album, which will be for sure filled with EBM adrenaline! Ad:Key rules!

Best songs: “Herz Lass Los – Single Version”, “Herz Lass Los – Dritter Mix”, “Herz Lass Los – Alphamay Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/ADkeY-offical-106750002700971

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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The 2nd track on our free (or pay-what-you-want to support our charity work) download compilation “Face The Beat: Session 5” is by AD​:​keY, the German EBM project by Andrea Nowotny and Rene Nowotny.

With AD:keY you actually get one of the leaders of the new German EBM generation. Clean beats, fast beats, melodic synth lines and excellent vocal work, that kinda characterizes this band. The duo debuted in 2008 with the album “Thema Nummer Eins” on Electric Tremor Dessau followed by “That’s It!”. Both albums clearly indicated that this was not a one hit wonder.

Album after album you get fresh EBM served in an oldschool sauce. “Astrogator” was the band’s first full length for Emmo.Biz Records which would also release “Anthropozän” in 2015. In 2017 the band joined Alfa Matrix and released “Reanimator”. Last year’s release was the album “10th anniversary AD:keY”, a 16-track collection of their best tracks in an all-new previously unreleased revisited version. They also released the “Never enough” EP and earlier this year the duo hit back with a stunning version of Depeche Mode’s “Master and Servant” which got the EP treatment. Note that the band’s complete backcatalogue was re-released as well via the band’s new label.

“You Can’t Fuck Me” is a perfect example of what the band is about as you will clearly hear below.

Check “Face The Beat: Session 5” on Bandcamp to discover the other bands. All donations will go to charity.

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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Out now is a brand new digital single by the German electropop act AD:keY. The 8-track single (actually more an EP) by this Berlin-based duo (Andrea and Rene Nowotny) stays faithful to the project’s uncompromised old-school dancefloor EBM.

You can check out this fine release (including remixes by Angriffspakt and Massiv In Mensch) right below. This is a must for all those looking for good powerful EBM! There’s also a download available via Bandcamp, iTunes etc..

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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Genre/Influences: EBM.

Background/Info: Ten years after the debut album “Thema Nummer Eins” (2008) the ex Armageddon Dildos live keyboardist Rene Nowotny and his wife Andrea are celebrating the 10^th anniversary of their AD:KeY EBM project with this album. The duo released 5 albums on the defunct labels Electric Tremor Dessau and Emmo.biz while their latest studio opus had been released on Alfa Matrix. This ‘retrospection’ is a selection of (reworked) hits, alternative versions, remixes and 2 new cuts.

Content: I’ve often considered AD:KeY as the only and single formation that moved on there where the original members of Armageddon Dildos decided to split. The songs are pure EBM-like, filled with energy, but still composed with intelligence. The ingredients are pretty familiar, but the result is absolutely great. This work is an invitation to rediscover some of the band’s finest hits, and also the cover version they made of Front 242’s “Kampfbereit”.

Remixes were accomplished by Brigade Werther, Digital Energy and last, but not least Armageddon Dildos.

+ + + : AD:KeY definitely belongs to the best contemporary EBM bands and this anniversary-album simply confirms it. From their very first album on which, they masterly accomplished alluring EBM carried by danceable kicks, elaborated structures characterized by solid bass lines, metallic percussion and cool strings. The vocals always felt like a kind of sonic intercourse between the sterile vocals of Andrea and the more testosterone vocals of Rene. This is powerful EBM, which also reveals a new cool song entitled “Pfeil In Den Hertz”. The cover version of “Kampfbereit” also remains a great piece of music. It sounds as this song was originally written by AD:KeY. They masterly transposed the 242-version into their own sound approach. I also want to say a word about the artwork and especially the funny pictures inside the booklet.

– – – : The sound formula is quite repetitive and after 10 years of involvement it no longer has any secrets. But in the end what we all want is to hear and enjoy good music!

Conclusion: This album is a well-deserved anniversary gift for this great contemporary EBM band.

Best songs: “Autodynamik – Edit”, “Elitär – 10^th Anniversary Version”, “Mein Weg – Extended Space-Version”, “Alte Geister – Vorwärts Mix”, “Mein Weg – Remix by Digital Energy”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/ADkeY–offical-106750002700971

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

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As we previously announced, AD:keY returns with brand new 10th anniversary album, but before that Alfa Matrix has now re-released the full back catalogue of AD:keY and Rector Scanner via Spotify, Itunes, Deezer, Amazon MP3 and other digital platforms.

Rector Scanner was the duo’s pre-AD:keY music project which is revealing a more synthetic atmospheric approach of electronic music offering a sort of encounter between Rene Nowotny’s EBM roots and other Kraftwerk-like minimal electro-synth influences.

You can follow both bands on Spotify as well to stay in the loop about further releases (or listen to their excellent back catalogue work).

If you prefer high quality downloads, then you can get these re-releases via Bandcamp (since a few weeks already).

And here’s the Rector Scanner back catalogue!

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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AD:keY returns with brand new 10th anniversary album + digitally re-releases full back catalogue of AD:keY and Rector Scanner

One of the leaders of the new German EBM generation, AD:keY is celebrating its 10th anniversary. 2017 saw the release of their 5th studio album “Reanimator” but now Andrea and Rene Nowotny offer a birthday present in the form of a 16-track collection of their best tracks in an all-new previously unreleased revisited version.

The 16-track collection will be available on CD (you can place your pre-orders right here) and as a download (you can place your pre-orders right here).

Included are their very first club hits in fully upgraded 2018 versions (“Elitär”, “Körper und Körper”, etc.) next to alternative versions of other successful songs from their discography, plus 2 exclusive new club tracks (“Pfeil Im Deinn Herz” and “Weltenwandler”) and a “Walfdorf Pulse2” version of their classic cover version of Front 242’s “Kampbereit”.

Below are already 2 versions you can check out.

Full AD:keY and Rector Scanner back catalogue re-released via Bandcamp

And that’s not all. Their label Alfa Matrix is also re-releasing the full AD:keY back catalogue and also the full Rector Scanner back catalogue. Rector Scanner was the duo’s pre-AD:keY music project which is revealing a more synthetic atmospheric approach of electronic music offering a sort of encounter between Rene Nowotny’s EBM roots and other Kraftwerk-like minimal electro-synth influences.

And here’s the Rector Scanner back catalogue!

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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The German EBM act AD:keY has released their newest studio album. On the new 13-track album “Reanimator” the Berlin-based duo stays faithful to its characteristic EBM style while broadening its sonic spectrum. You can listen to the album below or order the download. The CD/2CD is now available via the band’s label webstore.

The limited double-CD fan edition comes with 12 bonus remixes featuring the remix work of artists like AD:keY themselves and also, Orange Sector, Agrezzior, Decoded Feedback, Psychic Force, Robotiko Rejekto, Amnistia, etc..

For AD:keY it’s their 5th studio album since forming the project in 2007. Behind the project we find Armageddon Dildos keyboarder Rene Nowotny and Andrea Nowotny, which explains the musical style of course. Earlier this year the band already released the download single “Shameless” which you can check below, right under the 2 preview tracks from the upcoming “Reanimator” album. Highly recommended!

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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In 2007, Rene Nowotny, keyboarder with the EBM-legends Armageddon Dildos, joined up with his wife Andrea to form AD:keY which was the follow-up project to Rector Scanner. The oldschool label Electric Tremor signed the duo and released the debut album “Thema Nummer Eins” in 2008. It featured instant clubhits like “Hoch die Hämmer”, “Elitär” or yet “Tanzflächenhooligan”. 3 more albums followed: “Thats it!” (2010), “Astrogator” (2012) and “Anthropozän” (2015).

Anno 2017 the band is signed with Alfa Matrix and releases the download EP, “Shameless”, featuring 7 tracks including 3 mixes of the title track plus 3 remixes of the track “Ich reanimiere dich” and a remix of “Mein Weg”. Soundwise you can expect EBM with a fresh contemporate touch which should particularly please the Nitzer Ebb fans amongst you all.

The band is currently completing their 5th album for their new label Alfa Matrix

The EP is available for immediate download from Bandcamp, you can preview the tracks 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.

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