The newest and seventh album by the German duo AD:Key, comprised of Andrea and René Nowotny, stands out as a particularly special release. Titled “06.09”, it references the couple’s wedding date, celebrating their bond through music. This album stays true to the energetic, intelligent, and old-school EBM style that has become AD:Key’s signature, delivering a powerful sound. Both members contribute vocals throughout, and they also invited long-time friend Uwe Kanka (Armageddon Dildos) to collaborate on one track. Interestingly, the album’s strongest tracks are positioned toward its conclusion. Compared to previous works, “06.09” has a slightly ‘softer’ or more Body-Pop sound, though it remains a refined and well-balanced production, merging strength and sophistication. An additional album complements the release with numerous remixes and alternative versions. Label mates Miseria Ultima and Digital Factor, as well as Martin Bodewell of Orange Sector, contribute compelling remixes, alongside AD:Key’s own reworks and another one from their side project, Rector Scanner. (Rating:8).

AD:keY commented on the album in an AD:keY interview published on Side-Line.

Listen to “By Your Side”:

About AD:keY

AD:keY is a Berlin-based German EBM duo formed by Andrea Nowotny and René Nowotny, a husband-and-wife team. The project grew out of René’s earlier act Rector Scanner, founded in 1997 as his very first music project, before he redirected his energy toward the more EBM-oriented AD:keY together with Andrea.

Formed around 2006-2007, the duo released classic, club-driven EBM early on. The debut album “Thema Nummer Eins” arrived on December 5, 2008, followed in 2015 by “Anthropozän”. After signing to Alfa Matrix in 2017, AD:keY released the digital EP “Shameless” and a steady run of releases on the label, including “Reanimator”, “10th Anniversary” and “Resonanz”, plus EPs and singles such as “Never Enough”, “Herz Lass Los”, “Alles Was Ich Will”, “Nackt” and “Deine Augen”, and a Depeche Mode tribute cover of “Master and Servant”.

“06.09”, the duo’s seventh album and a reference to the couple’s wedding date, was released in 2024 as a digital and CD album with an additional remix companion. It is the release reviewed here.

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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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Last September, Alfa Matrix released the 7th studio album from AD:KEY, “0609” (available via Bandcamp): a release full of energy, strong old-school EBM basslines, catchy synth melodies, and addictive choruses, all highlighted by their unique male/female vocal interplay. NITZER EBB’s power meets KRAFTWERK’s melody for a smashing album evoking AND ONE or FRONT 242!

S. First of all, congratulations on the release of “0609” and your wedding anniversary! September 6th must hold a lot of personal significance for you both. Can you share how you spent your anniversary this year and what this date means to you in both your personal and professional lives? 

R. Thank you for your kind wishes. September 6th has a very big meaning for us indeed. We wanted to show the whole world that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. This year we spent our 16th wedding anniversary at the NCN Festival. The night before I performed at the NCN with Orange Sector. Andrea and I met at a festival 17 years ago, married 16 years ago and gave our first AD:keY concert in Kassel on that very day. So a wedding concert!

S. “0609” is described as your most personal album to date, reflecting your deep bond as a couple and bandmates. How did your relationship influence the creative process behind this release? Were there any moments that felt especially emotional or cathartic during the making of the album?

R. We are married, but at the same time we are best friends. We can tell each other anything and don’t shy away from criticizing each other. Because we have set up our studio at home, we can work on music at any time. Alone or together, whatever suits us. Of course there are emotional moments. Especially when a track gives us goosebumps at the same time. I think especially with the songs “Your Eyes” and “Two Souls” we felt a sense of deep connection…

S. The male/female vocal interplay is a core element of your sound. How do you approach balancing your voices and perspectives in the music? Are there specific tracks on “0609” where you feel this dynamic really shines?

R. That’s a tough question! My favorite on the album is “Your Eyes.” The song is based on Andrea’s voice. My voice can only be heard in the background during the chorus. Where a female voice is needed or rather a male voice, we also use it. Andrea finds the outro of the album, the song “0609”, particularly successful. Here both voices appear in a balanced ratio…

S. This album celebrates not only your relationship but also your dedication to the EBM genre. How do you see your sound evolving on “0609,” and what were your main influences or inspirations while working on this album?

R. I think we have undergone a lot of development in the last few years. Our songs seem (at least we think so) more grown-up, more mature than on the first albums. They are more classic, melodic old school EBM songs with a somewhat rough instrumentalization. We only use hardware synthesizers, many of which are analog devices. This makes the sound warm and rich – and somehow everything sounds a little like electronics from the end of the 80s. I think this is a new quality feature of “0609”. We like that sound because we grew up with it. These are our sources of inspiration. Our song “The Evil God,” for example, makes me think a little of Bigod 20 with its sounds and samples, for example the tracks “Kreusch” and “The Big Bang.” I’m a big Bigod 20 fan. Or the sequencer runs on the songs “Heartbeat” and “By Your Side” could perhaps have come from Nitzer Ebb. Andrea has been a Nitzer Ebb fan since she was a child. Some of the sounds on “0609” sound a bit like Armageddon Dildos, which I was a keyboard player for on stage for years. Uwe Kanka, the mastermind of Armageddon Dildos, finally insisted on contributing the vocals for our song “Feel the Beat” in the chorus. We have been friends with Uwe for years; after all, Uwe is originally from Kassel, just like Andrea. They even attended the same school, except that Uwe learned there a bunch of years before Andrea (laugh).  I would perhaps mention Terence Fixmer and Miss Kittin as further influences – and of course Front 242 and Kraftwerk.

S. The album comes with a bonus CD featuring remixes by artists like ORANGE SECTOR, ZWEITE JUGEND, and even your side project RECTOR SCANNER. How did you decide which artists to collaborate with for these remixes, and how does it feel to have your music reinterpreted by others?

R. First of all, thank you again to all the remixers. Almost all of us know each others personally and are mostly friends with each other. Whenever we hear a remix for the first time, we are amazed at how different such new recordings are from the original and what new ideas the remixers have contributed. Since we know what our friends’ music sounds like with their own projects, we could already guess in advance which direction the mixes could go. With the Bodewell (Orange Sector) remix we knew it was going to be a club number that was going to be a blast. The TC 75 mix would be more ambient – and “Zweite Jugend” will sound like “Zweite Jugend”. “Aktion:Fiasko” definitely had to be there because the project is new, crisp and fresh. Franzi (the front woman) lives a few doors down from us. But we didn’t know that we would be presented with such a bright mix of “The Evil God” that will certainly attract attention in the club. The Miseria Ultima remix was also a big surprise because we had only known this band for a short time.

S. Considering the intimate nature of “0609” and your long-standing relationship as both partners and bandmates, how do you manage to maintain that balance between personal life and the creative energy needed for your music? 

R. For us, making music is part of our private lives. It mainly takes place on the weekends, after dinner on Friday or Saturday evening. If the creative energy isn’t there, we do something different: we meet up with friends, go to concerts, or go to readings in my favorite bookstore “Otherland” in Berlin Kreuzberg where we gather strength and find new ideas.

S. As you celebrate this milestone with “0609,” what does the future hold for AD:KEY? Are there any upcoming projects, collaborations, or special plans that fans can look forward to?

R. Of course we pause for a moment when a project like a new album that we have been working on for almost 4 years is finished. It’s like closing a book you’ve read. And then you look around for something new, you look around and start the next project. We will definitely play some concerts, for example in March 2025 at the E-Only Festival in Leipzig. We have some remixes in the pipeline for other bands. There are already a few song ideas for our Rector Scanner project. In the future there will be a new Rector Scanner album. At the moment we are planning another AD:keY single from the current album, which should be released in the next months.  Another AD:keY song is also finished, which was originally supposed to be on the album “0609”, but ultimately didn’t fit thematically. This song was sung by Martin Bodewell (Orange Sector). We also want to release this song somewhere!  Andrea has also been active as a guest singer with VillaBorghese (side project of Ex Trial / Trilogy) in recent months and will certainly be heard there more often. In addition, Andrea is planning a project that she would like to launch together with exclusively female musicians, including Franzi from Aktion:Fiasko and Lily from MDS 51. Female Electronic Music – “FEM”.

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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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.

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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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After debuting with an album released by Danse Macabre, followed by three more under Infacted Recordings, the German duo The Saint Paul returns with their fifth opus, marking their first release on Scanner. Their signature style continues to blend clear, explicit Electro-Pop elements with harder, more menacing EBM influences, creating a dynamic interplay between the two genres. While I personally gravitate toward the edgier, more danceable tracks, the softer side of the album doesn’t resonate as strongly with me. Overall, the album is an enjoyable listen, featuring some standout tracks, but I can’t shake the feeling that they have even more to offer. (Rate:7).

Listen to “DNA”:

About The Saint Paul

The Saint Paul is a German act built around vocalist Paul, blending EBM and electro-pop. The project debuted on Danse Macabre before releasing three further albums through Infacted Recordings. “Interference” is the group’s fifth album and first release for Scanner.

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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Colombian EBM act Resistor returns with a powerful third album, marking their debut release under the Scanner label. Four years after their “Driving Force”-album, which was released on EK Product, Resistor delivers another solid entry rooted in classic EBM elements. The heavier tracks, driven by pure, old-school EBM basslines, are especially impactful and are sure to resonate with fans. While many of the songs feature Spanish lyrics, the title track stands out with its commanding German vocals, and other tracks are sung in English. Resistor doesn’t aim to reinvent the genre -something not typically expected in EBM, but with “Lieber Über Alles,” they’ve succeeded in refining their production, elevating the overall quality of their work. (Rate:8).

Listen to “Minimos Y Maximos”:

About Resistor

Resistor is a Colombian EBM project founded in Bogotá by Leonardo Jaime in 2011, joined later by Bryan Duarte on live sequencing and drums. The project debuted with the “Breathe” EP on Black Leather Records in 2015, before continuing on EK Product with the album “Driving Force”. “Lieber Über Alles” is Resistor’s first release for Scanner.

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 German duo Akalotz doesn’t frequently release new albums, but when they do, it’s worth the wait. Active since 2007, their third album, “Angry Body Machine,” marks their first new release since 2017 and their debut on the Scanner label. Akalotz stays true to their EBM roots, but they skillfully elevate the genre by infusing a darker, more sophisticated edge. While the sound is familiar, this is far from a typical EBM record. The album feels like a fusion of old-school EBM with bombastic arrangements reminiscent of Vomito Negro. It’s brutal, raw, yet incredibly effective—a gastronome’s choice in EBM. (Rate:8½).

Listen to “Aktivate You”:

About Akalotz

Akalotz is a German EBM duo founded by Thorsten Haury in 2007, later joined by drummer Nico Klenner. The project released its debut album “Shift To Evil” in 2014, followed by “Confront” in 2017, which Akalotz discussed in a Side-Line interview around its release. “Angry Body Machine” is the group’s third album and first release for Scanner.

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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This is the debut album by the German band Audiocall. “Know Your Murderer” brings a familiar Electronic sound that fluctuates between Electro-Wave and Wave-Pop with a Gothic touch on top. The choruses have an uplifting effect that is reinforced here and there with guitar. This is a very successful debut from a band with obvious potential. (Rate:8).

Listen to “Supreme World”:

About Audiocall

Audiocall is a German band working in Electro-Wave and Wave-Pop with a Gothic edge, blending synthesizers with guitar. “Know Your Murderer” is the band’s debut album, released via Scanner / Dark Dimensions.

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 via Frigio Records on May 24 is the Clock DVA vinyl “Re​-​Konstructed”, which comes in a limited and numbered edition of strictly 350 copies on heavy 180g vinyl. We already reported about it, but this is a release that will be very rare, so get your hands on it as soon as you can.

The vinyl comes as a single-sided (music) vinyl, while the B-side contains an etching. It contains two remixes of tracks, originally released on a limited memory stick under the name ‘Clock 2’ in 2014.

The remixes were executed by Atom™ (aka Uwe Schmidt aka Atomheart aka Lassigue Bendthaus) and Scanner aka Robin Rimbaud.

About Clock DVA

Clock DVA was formed in 1978 by Adi Newton (born Gary Coates) and Steven “Judd” Turner. Nowadays the band consists of Adi Newton and Maurizio Martinucci. The early years of Clock DVA (1978–1981) were marked by the release of “White Souls in Black Suits” and “Thirst”, projects that saw the band dabbling in experimental electronic music. Utilizing treated tape loops and synthesizers, their sound was a novel contribution to the industrial music landscape.

The tragic death of Turner in 1981 due to an accidental drug overdose led to a brief dissolution of the band, highlighting a tumultuous period in their journey. The era between 1982 and 1984 saw Newton reforming Clock DVA with new members, including John Valentine Carruthers. During this period the band created a fusion of intense dance rhythms with experimental sounds.

However, internal conflicts led to another split, with Newton subsequently founding The Anti-Group to continue his experimental endeavors.

Resurgence came in 1987 as Newton reformed Clock DVA, leading to the release of “Buried Dreams” and “Man-Amplified”, albums that delved deeper into cybernetic themes and sampling techniques. Despite facing challenges with record labels and a hiatus that lasted until the late 2000s, Newton’s disruptive vision for Clock DVA actually never changed.

The reactivation of Clock DVA in 2008 alongside creative partner Jane Radion Newton marked a new chapter for the band with a lineup that included Maurizio “TeZ” Martinucci and Shara Vasilenko.

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 Sheffield based industrial cult act Clock DVA is back with a new EP on April 30 via the Spanish label Frigio Records: “Re-Konstructed (Atom & Scanner remixes)”. The release comes as a 180g heavy black vinyl with an etched side with DVA’s logo. Atom™ delivers his re-imagining of “De-Konstructor” while Scanner took care of “Rayonist Refraction #1”.

Clock DVA was formed in 1978 by Adi Newton (born Gary Coates) and Steven “Judd” Turner. Nowadays the band consists of Adi Newton and Maurizio Martinucci.

The early years of Clock DVA (1978–1981) were marked by the release of “White Souls in Black Suits” and “Thirst”, projects that saw the band dabbling in experimental electronic music. Utilizing treated tape loops and synthesizers, their sound was a novel contribution to the industrial music landscape. The tragic death of Turner in 1981 due to an accidental drug overdose led to a brief dissolution of the band, highlighting a tumultuous period in their journey.

The era between 1982 and 1984 saw Newton reforming Clock DVA with new members, including John Valentine Carruthers. During this period the band created a fusion of intense dance rhythms with experimental sounds. However, internal conflicts led to another split, with Newton subsequently founding The Anti-Group to continue his experimental endeavors.

Resurgence came in 1987 as Newton reformed Clock DVA, leading to the release of “Buried Dreams” and “Man-Amplified”, albums that delved deeper into cybernetic themes and sampling techniques. Despite facing challenges with record labels and a hiatus that lasted until the late 2000s, Newton’s disruptive vision for Clock DVA actually never changed.

The reactivation of Clock DVA in 2008 alongside creative partner Jane Radion Newton marked a new chapter for the band with a lineup that included Maurizio “TeZ” Martinucci and Shara Vasilenko.

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: EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: POC is a Swedish duo driven by Mika Rossi (Autodafeh, Endless Shame, Agrezzior ao) and his son Sebastian. “It’s No Fun” features five songs.

Content: POC stands for old-school EBM driven by menacing bass lines, simple, but efficient tunes and a few more elaborated passages with bleeps and extra noises. The vocals are rather simple and easy to keep in mind.

+ + + : This is an interesting and satisfying debut by father and son Rossi. It’s cool to discover an EP featuring 5 different songs. Pay attention for “Tick Tock” and “Work My Body” which according to me both have a true potential for EBM dancefloors. The last mentioned song is also more elaborated although still into old-school EBM.

– – – : I think the vocals could be a bit more passionate and harsher. The lyrics are really simple but that’s not really a point.

Conclusion: This EP smells like more!

Best songs: “Tick Tock”, “Work My Body”, “A Shot Of Jäger”.

Rate: 8.

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

Listen to “It’s No Fun”:

About POC

POC is a Swedish EBM duo from Blekinge, formed by Mika Rossi, also known for his work in Autodafeh and Agrezzior, and his son Sebastian Rossi. The duo released its debut EP, “It’s No Fun”, on November 24, 2023, through Scanner, part of the Dark Dimensions Label Group. The EP contains five tracks: “A Shot Of Jäger”, “Tick Tock”, “It’s No Fun”, “My Panzer Wagon” and “Work My Body”.

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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Genre/Influences: EBM, Wave-Pop, Electro-Punk.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: After the compilation album “Werkschau” (2022) German, eccentric, formation around front woman Aranea Peel strikes back with the band’s seventh full length released at the end of 2023.

Content: The album reveals 15 songs featuring several cuts you might have discovered as single. Grausame Töchter remains driven by provocation and an explicit image but still by this eclectic Electro format whereon you’ll notice pure, hard, EBM, Electro-Wave empowered by guitar play, Industrial passages and the good-old Cabaret-like approach.

+ + + : Grausame Töcheter is a band which has considerably evolved throughout the years. Image and lyrics both remain provocative defying censorship but the music has really evolved towards a professional and alluring production. This new work moves on there where previous albums stopped; kind of Electronic perversity with Aranea Peel’s vocals on top. She still reminds me of Nina Hagen and even if all songs are still sung in her Mother tongue you’ll rapidly understand the sexual themes and winks she’s dealing with. I like the EBM side of the work but also the songs empowered by guitar riffs.

– – – : The last part of the album isn’t the best one; kind of total free-style where the artist is experimenting with a true Electronic, chaotic, style.

Conclusion: Grausame Töchter remains a band with a true DNA; for image and sound!

Best songs: “BDSM For Satisfaction”, “Annika Wird Filmstar”, “Folterkeller”, “Meine Droge hei​ß​t Sex”, “Schnabel Zu”, “Schmertz”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/GrausameToechter

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

About Grausame Töchter

Grausame Töchter formed in Hamburg, Germany, in 2009, built around vocalist Aranea Peel and drummer and studio mixer Gregor Hennig. The band mixes EBM, industrial, punk, film-score elements and techno, with German-language lyrics that center on sadomasochism and relationship conflict. Live shows add guest musicians, dancers and film projections, and carry an 18+ age restriction tied to the BDSM content of the performance.

Grausame Töchter released the debut album “Mein eigentliches Element” in 2011 through Scanner / Dark Dimensions, followed by “Alles für Dich” (2012), “Glaube, Liebe, Hoffnung” (2014) and “Vagina Dentata” (2016) on the same label. “Engel im Rausch” followed in 2018 through Scanner / Broken Silence and included cover versions of Joachim Witt’s “Goldener Reiter” and Hubert Kah’s “Rosemarie”. The band returned to Scanner / Dark Dimensions for “Zyklus” in 2021, issued with a limited bonus disc of Aranea Peel performing classic German chansons, and the compilation “Werkschau” in 2022. The seventh studio album, “BDSM For Satisfaction”, followed on Scanner / Dark Dimensions at the end of 2023.

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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Genre/Influences: Wave-Pop, Dark-Pop, Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: By the end of 2023 German formation Absurd Minds unleashed their eighth opus which came three years after “Sapta” and twenty three years after their official debut album “Deception” -which by the way was already released by Scanner.

Content: This is an album without surprises and which will be liked by the growing fanbase of the band. The songs are driven by this unique Absurd Minds Electro/Wave/Pop touch mixing harder, dancefloor-orientated songs and softer, melancholic; Ballad-like cuts. I once more experienced Absurd Minds as the sonic hybrid between Project Pitchfork and The Sisters Of Mercy.

+ + + : The band doesn’t try new tricks or innovation but simply achieved a professional and alluring production. I prefer the ‘harder’ cuts whereon the band excels in great crafted songs carried by strong melody lines. I also like the symphonic, electronic, arrangements the songs have been made of while Stefan Grossmann remains a great, and charismatic, singer.

– – – : I never have been a huge fan of the band’s softer side and these cuts aren’t still my favorites after having heard the new work.

Conclusion: Absurd Minds strikes back in style once more confirming they’re a band with a very own and recognizable sound.

Best songs: “A Million Miles”, “No restraint”, “Silicon dreams”, “Gravitas”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.absurdminds.de / www.facebook.com/AbsurdMinds

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

About Absurd Minds

Absurd Minds formed in Dresden, Germany, in 1995 around Tilo Ladwig and Stefan Grossmann, working with producer Francesco D’Angelo of Scanner / Dark Dimensions. The band released its debut album, “Deception”, on Scanner in 2000.

After “Serve Or Suffer” in 2010, Absurd Minds returned in 2017 with “Tempus Fugit”, followed by “Sapta”. The eighth album, “Gravitas”, followed on Scanner / Dark Dimensions at the end of 2023, with Stefan Grossmann remaining the band’s vocalist.

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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Referring to the events that unfolded globally, 2023 has again been a bloody, terrible year. Music continues to be a true therapy for soothing pain and suffering, though it seems to have a diminishing impact on the ongoing horror. Therefore, I’m once again wrapping up the year with a personal selection of my very own ‘best of’ albums.

Throughout the year, over 700 productions were selected, and 450 reviews were conducted. Some productions were declined because the style of music didn’t fit, others weren’t reviewed for not being ‘good enough’, while a final portion of reviews will be postponed to early 2024. I am immensely grateful to all the labels, bands, and promoters for considering my work, and I look forward to collaborating again in 2024.

I extend my deepest gratitude and thanks to Rich Bova (NEIKKA RPM), who has been reading, correcting, and improving the reviews for many years. Without Rich, these reviews would not exist. I also want to thank Bernard Van Isacker, chief editor of Side-Line Music Magazine, for our ongoing, successful collaboration. Last but not least, I thank my lovely wife, Katja, for giving me the time and freedom to pursue my passion.

However…

Looking ahead to 2024, I’ve been scaling back my activities for a few years and plan to reduce them further. Having started with my first reviews and interviews back in 1991, I feel the end drawing near. My aim is to reach 2025, but nothing is certain. I’ve grown a bit tired and disillusioned with how things are evolving.

That’s why I want to express a big ‘F*** you’ to so-called ‘artists’ and label owners who fail to realize or appreciate the work I do in creating reviews and preparing interviews to spotlight them. Guys, I do this for free and in my free time! The attitude and lack of respect shown by some – fortunately a very few – is very, very sad. But, I’m afraid it reflects the world we live in. Behind a genius artist doesn’t always stand a great person. It’s odd realizing that the ‘biggest’ and long-established artists in this scene are often the most accessible.

Writing reviews remains highly subjective and a source of discussion. Remember, it’s always the reviewer’s perception. I assure you, I always strive to substantiate my reviews as best as possible. A review is subjective but must be honest!

Like every year, I’ve selected the best albums of the year 2023. This ‘TOP 25’ encompasses various styles like EBM, Dark-Electro, IDM, Synth-Pop, Ethereal, Dark-Ambient, Industrial, Ritual, Cinematic, Gothic, Post-Punk, Cold/Dark-Wave, Dark-Techno, and a few related genres. It’s always an exciting yet challenging task.

This ‘TOP 25’ is based on the promotional material I received, excluding compilations, ‘best of’ productions, EPs, and singles. So, here’s my ‘TOP 25’ from 2023, and don’t forget to share it with your friends…

Stéphane Froidcoeur (for Inferno Sound Diaries/Side-Line Reviews)

Top 25 albums of the year 2023

1. CERULEAN VEINS “Black” Cold Transmission Music
2. LIEBKNECHT “Fabrikat” Ant-Zen
3. FRONTIER GUARDS “Colony” Aliens Production
4. SOPOR AETERNUS & THE ENSEMBLE OF SHADOWS “Alone At Sam’s – An Evening With…” Apocalyptic Vision / Trisol
5. WAVESHARD “Waveshard” Corvus Records
6. THE EMPATH “Black Hole” Audiophob
7. VNV NATION “Electric Sun” Metropolis Records
8. EFF DST “Incarnate” Ant-Zen
9. ENZO KREFT “XL” Enzo Kreft
10. DELEYAMAN “The Sudbury Inn” TTO Records
11. GIRLS UNDER GLASS “Backdraft” Dependent Records
12. ALIEN VAMPIRES “Return Me To Hell” Alfa Matrix
13. SUN’S SPECTRUM “The Silence After The Fall” Cold Transmission Music
14. DANIEL MYER “Hingab” Sonic Groove
15. SHROUDS “Shrouds” Hands
16. DIARY OF DREAMS “Melancholin” Accession Records
17. MONO INC “Ravenblack” NoCut / SPV
18. ROME “Gates Of Europe” Trisol
19. OHNE NOMEN “The S-Witch” Cold Transmission Music
20. THE SEVEN WHORES OF THE APOCALYPSE “All Through The Waste” Scanner / Dark Dimensions
21. SPANKTHENUN “The Bunker Tapes Vol.3” SpankTheNun
22. BLACKCARBURNING “Watching Sleepers” COP International
23. GOD BODY DISCONNECT “The Weight Of Regression” Cryo Chamber
24. MILDREDA “Blue-Devilled” Dependent Records
25. PASCAL SAVY “Simulacra” Cyclic Law

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse is an American music band operating from the Twin Cities, Minnesota. Chris (samples, sounds, cover art, video art), Tom (vocals, sounds, songwriting), and Jason (vocals, sounds, songwriting, production) last year signed to European label Scanner / Dark Dimensions. After the promising EP “Wicked Hands” released in 2022 they this year unleashed the official debut album “All Through The Waste”. It’s a powerful piece of EBM; a bit  atypical and characterized by accomplished, dynamic, and elaborated songs. This is a surprising production for demanding EBM lovers. I asked a few questions to Jason and Tom.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: I noticed you guys have been all involved -and still are, with other projects before setting up The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse. What brought you together to set up an EBM-driven band and where does the band name -which doesn’t sound that Electronic, come from? 

Jason: We found each other on Bandcamp in 2019. We all have a background in Experimental Noise and Dark-Ambient, and right away we decided to work together on a project in that vein. We released an album in early 2020 under the name Thrill Behind Barks (with another to follow in 2024). We each have our own individual projects as well. Chris has The Creeping Man (Dark-Ambient), Tom has The Angler King (Experimental Ambient-Noise), and I record under the names Timewitch (Experimental Occult-Synth) and Perfect Female Type (Synth-Wave Pop).

The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse was born of our shared love of 80s Electro-Industrial music, particularly bands like Clock DVA and Skinny Puppy, but also certainly more mainstream artists like Depeche Mode and New Order. I laid down a quick idea for a song that paid homage to the songs of that era and asked the guys if they’d be interested in doing something a little more structured. Tom offered to do the vocals and our first single “Parasite” was born. We were all like, oh damn, this could be a thing!

The name is a nod to all the faux religious trappings of 80s Goth bands like Sisters Of Mercy and Depeche Mode. Plus it sounds badass and it’s hard to forget once you hear it!

Tom: Jason came up with the name. I remember him telling me where exactly it came from, but that story escapes me. I do however have a very solid memory of me reciting my interpretation of its origins, and the meaning that it has to us. I got very complex with all of these biblical and religious allusions, and how they relate to the name ultimately making fun of misogynists, and it’s connection to feminist lyrics in some of our songs.

I got done telling Jason and Chris my moderately pretentious analysis, only to have Jason say something along the lines of ‘Wow, that’s a really interesting take. I just thought it was a cool name though.’

I got a pretty hefty laugh out of that. Sometimes things are the way they are just because they sound cool. I tend to write lyrics like a James Joyce-wannabe experimenting with refrigerator poetry, so it was nice to be brought back down to earth with a jolt that “not everything is drowning in symbolism”.

Q: Do you have specific sources of inspiration and/or references when it comes to composition? 

Jason: I think the biggest inspiration for us when we started the project was a 1989 album called “Buried Dreams” by Clock DVA. Something about it just captured our imagination, and we wanted to do something super dark and hushed and almost Coil-like at the beginning. As we moved through a number of singles it became clear that we were moving in a more aggressive direction. Our songs got more and more up-front and assertive while still maintaining elements of hushed experimental electronica.

A big source of inspiration for us now is the kind of music we hear at local Industrial clubs. It’s a mix of Dark-Techno, Industrial, and EBM. There’s so many artists out there, and we try to learn as much as we can from these other acts. Recent influences include Black Nail Cabaret, Gesaffelstein, and Ultra Sunn. There’s a list of artists we love —both in and out of the music world — on our website sevenwhoresoftheapocalypse.com.

Tom: Clock DVA was the big one that we were inspired by with at first. We heard “Buried Dreams” and it was like turning on a light switch. However, we all have some pretty big influences in Experimental, Industrial, Dance music, and Rock, so it was only a matter of time before it changed into something like our other influences. Our more recent tracks have been more along the lines of Skinny Puppy, Thrill Kill, Nitzer Ebb, Lords Of Acid, Alien Sex Fiend, and similar groups.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the content and concept of the debut album “All through The Waste”? How did the album saw the daylight and what did you experience as the main challenges, difficulties and points of satisfaction? 

Jason: The songs are presented pretty much in the order that we recorded them. We wanted to maintain similar themes as before but also broaden our perspective to include more cosmic themes of the afterlife and alien civilizations. We started recording in the summer of 2022. The first track, “The Gods Are Angry”, took almost two months to produce, which is way too long! The second track, “Slow Riot”, was kicked out in just a few days. The rest of the songs were recorded into the fall and early winter, and actually moved fairly quickly once we got past that first nightmare song.

One of my favorite things about “All Through The Waste” is how collaborative it was. Each of us contributed foundational sounds and textures to the album which I think gives it a cohesive, holistic sound. For me the biggest feeling of satisfaction came when we finished the last track! I’m incredibly happy to be working with such talented bandmates.

Tom: The content has a pretty hefty range. I like to think of the album as a string of connected concepts concerning our worldview at the time, as opposed to being a solid concept album with a primary jumping off point or narrative. Just on my part, the lyrics I contributed had to do with mental illness, physical isolation, surreal nightmares, mysticism, and other topics.

Q: What’s the input of each member in the writing/production process and what makes the chemistry of the band? 

Jason: Tom and I both do vocals, although Tom does the lion’s share of the lyrical and vocal work. All three of us contribute various sounds and samples from our own respective studios. Chris handles the cover art and music videos and I do the composition and production.

The chemistry has been an interesting evolution because we all met right before the Covid lockdowns started, so all of our early collaborations had to be virtual. Now we hang out a few times a year to have a meal and catch up, but almost all of our collaborative work is done online. We send files back and forth and chat and send funny pictures around. So there’s a bit of distance there, but somehow it all works.

Tom: I don’t think that it’s ever been the same on a single track. The amount of contribution changes gradually with each release. However, the primary roles that have stayed consistent is usually Chris handling samples, production, and videos, Jason handling primary production duties as well as vocals and lyrics, and me almost exclusively doing vocals and lyrics.

Q: I noticed an impressive evolution in production and power from your self-released (debut) singles towards the songs featured at “All Through The Waste”. How do you perceive the evolution of the band? What has changed? What’s new? And what do want to achieve on further songs?

Jason: Oh thanks, that’s really nice to hear! I think the biggest contributor to the evolution of our sound and production quality is practice and experience. There’s really no better teacher. In 2020 I returned to DAW-based music after a long break, so I had to re-learn everything over from scratch. No matter the medium, all three of us are prolific artists in our own right, and that experience makes us stronger.

I’m very happy with and excited about the evolution of our band. I think the biggest change we’ve experienced is moving from moody, Ambient Electronica to a more aggressive Techno-Industrial stance. I think that stems from the influences we expose ourselves to as well as just being a little more aggressively experimental in the studio.

Having said all that, I think there’s a very good chance we could return to that hushed, dark sound of late-80s Clock DVA in a future release.

Tom: I honestly wish that I had an answer for you, but I’m not really sure. Whatever the progression has been, it feels organic, like we’re just working out the kinks and moving closer to a more solid image of what we want to do, like any group continually honing their process in whatever medium they choose. I don’t really know what’s next, and what’s after that, but I do know that I’m excited for the journey.

Q: Do you’ve new things -like live shows, tours, remixes, clips etc.. in the pipeline?

Jason: Yes, in fact we’re featured on a new remix-EP called “Pretty In Pink (Isn’t He)” by PROBE 7. One of the DJs at a local Industrial club turned us on to their work and mentioned they were looking for artists to remix their re-imagining of the classic Psychedelic Furs-song. Plus we won a remix competition last year for the Feardemic horror gaming platform, which was a huge boost.

We’d love to start doing live shows at some point, but there’s nothing on the calendar yet. Otherwise we’re back in the studio working on new material, and excited to collaborate with other artists whenever we can!

Speaking of which, I’d like to give a quick shout out to a band that caught our attention recently, one we’d love to work with soon, a band is called Thy Seven Synth. I came across their new single “A Ring To Behold” while scrolling through Reddit, and I literally had to stop what I was doing. I listen to a lot of new music this way, usually on Reddit and various Facebook groups, and most of the songs are very amateurish and unrefined. Not these guys. I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about an up-and-coming band. I reached and they were very sweet and engaged, so hopefully there’s some future collaborations there. Our names even match!

Tom: Live shows have been the most recent thing that’s coming up more often in conversations. There’s a pretty decent Industrial/EBM scene near us, so I think it would be feasible to book a show of some type.

Whether we’re playing to four waiters and a guy passed out at the bar, or opening for NIN, that remains to be seen. I think that we’ll be much closer to the former, but who cares? I’m here to have fun with my friends, and if people happen to enjoy the music along the way, then I’m ecstatic. I can only hope that we do this well into our 90s. This is by far the most fun creative project I’ve ever been involved with, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: American formation The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse last year signed to Scanner unleashing the promising EP “Wicked Hands”. They this year strike back releasing their official debut album featuring nine songs.

Content: The band moves on where the previous EP stopped; EBM driven songs driven by solid bass lines and a powerful sound production. The vocals have been produced in a similar, powerful way. I noticed a song with explicit guitar riffs and surprising Acid-sequences in the background. There’re a few instrumental cuts featured as well.

+ + + : I don’t want to compare The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse to any other band but I’m sure this is the kind of sound appealing for Dance Or Die (now Darkness On Demand)-lovers. There’s this similar power emerging from the sound production. But the power is also hiding in some of the impressive bass lines and fast sequences. I sometimes get the feeling some of the sequences have been composed by a rifle. And when you hear guitar sounds on top like at “Holy Roller” you’ll experience the power at the highest degree. This band first of all has a very proper and own sound. They bring an alternative to ‘classical’ EBM formats; elaborated and sometimes sophisticated EBM injected by a power boost.

– – – : I don’t know if this production will be accessible for the average EBM lover but I’m sure they’ll also catch the attention of a wider audience.

Conclusion: The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse is an interesting and solid addition to the wide Scanner label roster.

Best songs: “Skinned Alive”, “Holy Roller”, “The Gods Are Angry”, “Defiant Angels”, “Slow Riot”.

Rate: 8½. 

Artist: https://sevenwhoresoftheapocalypse.com

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

About The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse

The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse is an American band operating out of the Twin Cities, Minnesota, made up of Chris, who handles samples, cover art and video art, Tom, who contributes vocals, sounds and songwriting, and Jason, who handles vocals, sounds, songwriting and production. The three met through Bandcamp in 2019 and initially collaborated as Thrill Behind Barks before Jason wrote a song paying homage to 80s electro-industrial acts such as Clock DVA and Skinny Puppy, leading to the project’s first single, “Parasite”. Each member also records under separate names: Chris as The Creeping Man, Tom as The Angler King, and Jason as Timewitch and Perfect Female Type.

The band signed to Scanner / Dark Dimensions and released the EP “Wicked Hands” in 2022, before recording sessions for the debut album “All Through The Waste” began that same summer.

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, Future-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “Faded Blossom” is the third full length album in less than four years released by the German trio Fractal Age. This band is now active for a few years and is now driven by Jens Minor (Chainreactor) and Sascha Tümmler.

Content: The debut work of Fractal Age was clearly devoted to Electro/Wave-Pop while the second one saw an evolution towards a harder Future/Body-Pop sound. These influences remain noticeable at “Faded Blossom”  which is also revealing EBM elements. The debut part is driven by pumping kicks and carrying leads but quite progressively the band moves into softer fields. The last cuts are moving back to ‘harder’ cuts supported with an extra dark layer.

+ + + : The debut- and last songs definitely are the most noticeable ones. These tracks stand for what this formation does the best; a powerful Electro/Body-Pop sound driven by danceable kicks and solid, melodic, leads. I also like the few passages featuring robotic vocals.

– – – : I between the strong debut- and final part I discovered less inspired, softer, cuts featuring simplistic melody lines. It’s a kind of Dance-Pop sound for teenagers.

Conclusion: I have mixed feelings listening to this album which is switching between really great songs on one side and poorly, inspired and less mature songs on the other side.

Best songs: “Angel Or Bitch”, “Thunderstorm”, “Nicht Mehr Hier”, “We Have Arrived”, “Decisions”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/FractalAge

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

About Fractal Age

Fractal Age is a German Electro-Pop and Body-Pop trio made up of Jens Minor, also known for his work with Chainreactor, together with Markus Horschig and Sascha Tümmler. The project released its debut album in an Electro/Wave-Pop style, followed by a second album that moved toward a harder Future/Body-Pop sound. “Faded Blossom”, released via Dark Dimensions, is the band’s third full-length in under four years and continues that progression while adding EBM elements to the sound.

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: Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: German Centhron strikes back with a very special work. The tenth studio album of the German Dark-Electro project comes twenty years after their official debut album “Lichtsucher”. Elmar Schmidt and his gang has reworked eleven songs from their impressive discography this way delivering updated versions.

Content: The work brings multiple essential songs and hits from Centhron back to life. The songs have been seriously boosted while the sound production has been improved as well. This is a way to re-discover famous songs such as “Dreckstück”, “Cunt”, “Einheit C”, “666”, “Dominator” ao in a different, and sometimes noticeable, reworked version; kind of ‘V.02’ edits. Powerful kicks and hard, melodic, leads with harsh, enraged, vocals on top became the trademark of the German group. The work comes to an end with the “Krampus”-song originally released in 2018. We next get remixes of this song by SynthAttack and Intent:Outtake.

+ + + : Centhron became a famous and recognized Dark-Electro formation with an easy recognizable sound. I’ve always respected bands with a very own, distinguishable sound which I often label as ‘sound DNA’ and Centhron belongs to this list. The songs are extremely powerful, driven by hard-core beats and transcendental melody lines. This work is not a ‘best of’ although featuring some of the band’s most essential pieces but reworked versions from songs released over the years. This is pure club-music for dark souls. 

– – – : The sound formula and spirit haven’t really changed over the years; you exactly know what to expect from Centhron although they boosted the songs with extra power on this album.

Conclusion: Centhron has dropped a new sonic bomb over the Dark-Electro universe. Alarm! “Einheit C” will surely cause numerous victims! 

Best songs: “Krampus”, “Dreckstück”, “666”, “Cunt”, “Dominator”, “Einheit C”, “Eisenfresse” + “Krampus – Intent:Outtake Remix”.

Rate: 8½. 

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

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

About Centhron

Centhron formed in Germany in 2001 around vocalist, synth player and programmer Elmar Schmidt and programmer Jörg Herrmann. The pair released the demo “Melek Taus” in 2002, followed by the debut album “Lichtsucher” on Starfish Music in 2003 and the second album “Gottwerk” on Final Dusk Records in 2006. The band then signed to Scanner / Dark Dimensions, releasing “Roter Stern” in 2009 and “Dominator” in 2011, the latter tour adding bassist Markus Vogler to the line-up.

“Asgard” followed in 2013, turning the band’s lyrics toward Nordic mythology, a theme continued on “Biest” (2014) and “Allvater” (2017). Elmar Schmidt’s wife Sandra Schmidt joined on synthesizers in 2016. In 2018, Centhron reissued remastered versions of “Lichtsucher” and “Gottwerk”, and released the standalone single “Krampus”, which went on to receive remixes from SynthAttack, Intent:Outtake, Rotersand and Reaper in the following years. The albums “Dystopia” (2019) and “Fylgja” (2022) followed. “Einheit C”, released in 2023 on Scanner / Dark Dimensions with Elmar Schmidt, Markus Vogler and Sandra Schmidt, gathers eleven re-recorded songs from across the band’s catalog alongside “Krampus” and its remixes.

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

Set up in 2014 by Leipziger (Germany) duo Andreas Engleitner (vocals) and  Bastian Polak (machines) Intent:Outtake this year released their fifth full length album. It’s their second opus released by Scanner / Dark Dimensions. “Der Stille Tod” is mixing Dark-Electronics and EBM but it first of all is an intelligent album composed by a band with an own sound and approach while they’re dealing with serious, social, topics. I’d a chat with both members.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: “Der Stille Tod” is your fifth album to date. What have been the triggers and sources of inspiration to compose this album? And in which way did you’d to adapt yourself in the production of the work because of Covid-19?

Bastian: As with our previous albums, we were again inspired by what is happening in the world. Every day we see how mankind abolishes itself piece by piece, oppresses itself and annihilates itself. Be it the stupidity of the media, or the power of our elites. We want to push our listeners to think and open their eyes. This is our contribution to making the world a little better. Covid-19 really slowed us down, because we felt we could not perform for 2 years and couldn’t carry our message to the world. But it also gave us time to think and be creative.

Andreas: There is little to add to this, apart from the fact that, in my opinion, social problems have increased quite sharply during and after Covid-19. Other opinions are no longer tolerated. The division of society is advancing. In the meantime you actually have to analyze every word carefully before you pronounce it, so that you don’t get put in a drawer that you don’t want to get into.

Q: Can you give us more details about the writing- and the sound creation of the album? Was there something like a plan and/or specific aspects you wanted to achieve?

Bastian: There’s never a plan, but the themes usually revolve around society and the system that tries to shape us. I usually get the demo songs from Andreas and let the mood of the songs guide me. We always try to take the listener on a journey to our worries and fears. But we also talk a lot about solidarity and courage.

Andreas: As Bastian has already said, I compose the songs and send him the demos for which he writes the lyrics. For some songs the lyrics are also written by me. On the last album there were three songs I wrote the lyrics for. With these songs I usually already have a singing melody in my mind.

Q: The title of the album but also its front cover are quite explicit. What did you try to express and what does it reveal about your perception of the world and times we’re living in?

Bastian: I think we live in a world where the poor get poorer and the rich keep getting richer. Where great powers get more and more powerful and we are exploiting our planet more and more. I’m afraid of all these changes and I’m afraid of the future and a third world war. That’s the reason for the album title “Der Stille Tod” (German for “The Silent Death“). It has two meanings: 1. That death comes quietly to us bit by bit. 2. That it is the death of silence and nothing remains when you pass away (except the sound).

Andreas: Mankind is not created for peace or for harmonious coexistence. We encounter this gloomy realization every day when we look at world events, and often even in our immediate surroundings. The computation and the supposed intelligence make humans a very dangerous species. Mostly for themselves. It sounds bitter, but a walk through the world with open eyes shows very quickly that there isn’t much hope.

Q: The song “Tic Toc Tod” must be your biggest hit so far but also a track revealing interesting lyrics dealing about social media. Considering social media often are artist’s ‘best friends’, how do you experience the evolution of social media and its users?

Bastian: I think we live in a time of self-actors. Everyone wants to be the most beautiful and the best. But we forget the one essential thing in the world. Love. It scares me how we’re silently staring at our displays like zombies and how the world around us is lost. But maybe it’s just what’s wanted.

Andreas: “Tic Toc Tod” is one of the songs that I wrote including the lyrics. Social media is both a curse and a blessing. For artists and many other professions, it has never been easier to reach people, which in my opinion is a great advantage. However, it has never been so easy for level-headed people to spread their stupidity and earn money. Uninhibited and unashamed, these influencers drop their mental and sometimes also physical shells. In addition, there are the people who look at this dirt and with their clicks provide ample supply in this area. Anyone can get rich, the message is that simple. It becomes dangerous because it is human nature to be more successful and better than others. You want to outdo others. So the content of many influencers will not gain in quality, but will plunge into the bottomless.

Q: You recently achieved a small tour in Germany so how did the audience react to the new songs? And tell us a bit more about the preparation of live shows and how do you transpose the songs from the studio to the stage?

Bastian: Yes, our little tour was a complete success. You just notice that people have missed going to concerts again and our new songs were very well received. Playing live is of course always something special, especially if you had to pause for 2 years. We always try to offer our fans something visual. That’s why there’s always something for the eye at our concerts. Light and video shows, fog cannons and stage decorations tailored to our lyrics.

Q: Are you already working on new songs and what brings the nearly future considering remixes, singles/EP’s, eventually new clips and live performances?

Bastian: Personally, I am always working on some lyrics and soon we will work on new things for Intent:Outtake. After such an album production and tour, I always have to gather myself a bit and recharge my batteries. We played a big festival in Germany (Mera Luna) and in November we’re going to Finland. We really hope to be able to play in the U.S., but there are plans already. So stay tuned!

Andreas: I almost always have ideas for songs or melodies. I get these ideas in my everyday life and I have to capture them. I then pick them up in a production. Yes, of course it will continue. Precise information on releases is not available yet, but we keep working. As Bastian says, we will be playing at three festivals this year, the Mera Luna, the Hellsinki Industrial Festival and the Dark Storm in Chemnitz for Christmas. Next year we want to play a few shows abroad

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

Alfa Matrix, the renowned Belgian label, commemorates its 22nd anniversary with yet another mastodont compilation on Bandcamp. The latest installment in the acclaimed “Matrix Downloaded” series, titled “Matrix+ Downloaded 011”, is now available as a free download on their Bandcamp page. Packed with 60 tracks, including new signings and a preview of the upcoming Spleen+ label releases, this compilation showcases Alfa Matrix’s diverse music repertoire.

“Matrix+ Downloaded 011” soared to the top of the industrial Bandcamp charts within hours of its release, claiming the coveted number 1 position.

The collection holds 60 tracks in total including several new signings. These are the bands present on this brand new free download compilation: Hanging Freud, The Ultimate Dreamers, The Breath Of Life, Psy’Aviah Feat. Sorrow Stories, ImJudas, Star Industry, Halo In Reverse, Lovelorn Dolls, The True Union, Freakangel, Avarice In Audio, Siva Six, Alien Vampires, Synapsyche, Helalyn Flowers, Neuroactive, Elektrostaub Feat. Stefan Netschio, Technoir, Entrzelle, Llumen, Noemi Aurora, Aiboforcen Feat. Jan D., Reichsfeind, Mondträume Feat. N-Frequency, The Psychic Force, Digital Factor, Implant, Darkness On Demand, Aesthetische, Komor Kommando Vs. The True Union, Matthew Creed, C-Lekktor, First Aid Tech, Pouppee Fabrikk, ELM, Die Robo Sapiens, Plastic Noise Experience, Armageddon Dildos, Stahlgeist, AD:keY, Kant Kino, Suicidal Romance, Miseria Ultima, First Aid 4 Souls, Neikka RPM, Circumpolar, Venal Flesh, Helle9, Diffuzion, Acylum, Circuito Cerrado, Aengeldust, Studio-X, 808 Dot Pop, Cubic, Metroland, Rector Scanner, Elektroklänge, Cosmic Armchair, Lights A.M.

You can download “Matrix+ Downloaded 011” for free via Bandcamp.

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

Genre/Influences: Dark-Electro, EBM.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: This is the fifth full length album by Leipziger (Germany) formation Intent:Outtake. The work comes four years after the previous album and is their second opus released by Scanner.

Content: Intent:Outtake remains faithful to their powerful Electro sound which lays somewhere in between sophisticated EBM and intelligent Dark-Electro. The songs have been sung in German and English but whatever the language the sound remains dark and furious. This music is pure club-food and the previously released EP-title song “Tic Toc Tod” remains a true earworm.

The bonus disc features 3 extra songs plus 3 remixes by Centhron, The Saint Paul and Vdoc.

+ + + : Intent:Outtake don’t reinvent any Electro underground genre but are talented artists elevating familiar Dark-Electro and EBM standards to a higher level. The songs are well-crafted and achieved with cool, overwhelming, strings. The most noticeable cuts reach a climax by carrying choruses and easy, but cool, vocals like on the unavoidable “Tic Toc Tod” (probably the biggest hits of the band so far). But Intent:Outtake is much more than a powerful production as the work also reveals poppy elements. The bonus disc features cool extra songs as well. This band is once more reminding me of In Strict Confidence which I think is much more than simply a reference.

– – – : I don’t see real minus points although the remixes -which are okay, aren’t the best exponents from the album.

Conclusion: I’ve never been disappointed by Intent:Outtake and this new album only confirms the talent and strong potential of a band which, according to me, deserves much more recognition.

Best songs: “Toc Toc Tod – Album Edit”, “Panopticon”, “We are Stars”, “No regrets”, “Time Is Running Out” + “Gib Nicht Auf”, “Wttna”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/INTENTOUTTAKE

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

Andreas Engleitner and Bastian Polak discussed the making of “Der Stille Tod” in a Side-Line interview.

About Intent:Outtake

Intent:Outtake is a duo from Leipzig, Germany, set up in 2014 by Andreas Engleitner (vocals) and Bastian Polak (machines). The project mixes Dark-Electro and EBM, sung in German and English, with lyrics addressing social and political themes. “Der Stille Tod” is the band’s fifth full length album and their second released through Scanner / Dark Dimensions, following singles including “Tic Toc Tod”.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: German based Intent:Outtake released this new EP three years after their last full length album “Days Of Doom” (2019). The EP reveals three new songs plus seven remixes.

Content: Intent:Outtake moves on mixing powerful and well-crafted Electronics mixing influences of EBM and dark-Electro together. The title song was sung in German while both other songs feature English vocals. And here again the band stands for power but also for more moody passages. You next will discover alternative edits and remixes by Eisfabrik, Diverje, Chainreactor, Damascus Knives and Fractal Age.

+ + + : Intent:Outtake is a band I’ve always supported. I like the powerful sound which is often reminding me of In Strict Confidence. It stands for power and intelligence plus charismatic vocals. The title song is a great piece of music but the “Club Edit” sounds even better. I also recommend the heavy, pumping, dancefloor driven remix of “Tabula Rasa” -a song I don’t know, by Chainreactor.

– – – : There clearly is a gap between the title song and the other two new songs which clearly seem to be B-sides -but cool ones!

Conclusion: “Tic Toc Tod” is a punching title song to announce a new album.

Best songs: “Tic Toc Tod – Club Edit”, “Tic Toc Tod – Single Edit”, “Tabula Rasa – Chainreactor Remix”, “Immoral Traitors – Eisfabrik Remix”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: https://linktr.ee/intentouttakeofficial /  www.facebook.com/INTENTOUTTAKE

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

About Intent:Outtake

Intent:Outtake is a German EBM and dark-electro duo formed in 2014 in Leipzig by Andreas Engleitner (vocals) and Bastian Polak (music, production). The band builds its releases on Dark Dimensions / Scanner, and its discography includes the full-length album “Days Of Doom” (2019) and “Der Stille Tod” (2023), the band’s second album for the label. “Tic Toc Tod” served as the title-track EP previewing “Der Stille Tod”, pairing the German-language lead song with two additional tracks and remixes from Eisfabrik, Diverje, Chainreactor, Damascus Knives and Fractal Age.

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

Dark-Electro heads know Gino Devos aka ‘Gin Devo’ as core member of Vomito Negro. The Belgian musician also started to compose music under his own name and released a few noticeable productions. Gin Devo sounds more ‘free-styled’ and as Gino explains in the interview this project gives him more ‘freedom’. The newest album “The Garden Of Evil” released last year on Scanner / Dark Dimensions features extremely dark and tormented atmospheres with great Minimal-Electro compositions.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: You don’t exactly release new work at regular basis as Gin Devo but what means this solo-project to you and especially in comparison with Vomito Negro?

Gin: The musical direction from Vomito Negro over the years almost never changed. Vomito Negro’s style  is still the same as in the 80s; it is impossible to change a musical direction from a band who is busy so long time.

Vomito Negro took another approach in the past with “Fireball” and this turned out very bad for the band.

With Gin Devo I have more freedom, every solo album takes a different starting point or style, for me this is very important because I like to experiment and start again where other bands stopped in the 80s or 90s.

Q: What are the main differences between both projects when it comes to influences, sound approach & -research, production, concept?

Gin: With Gin Devo and “The Garden of Evil” I started to work the way we did in the early 90s. The early 90s where very bad for our style of Electronic music because House music started to dominate the scene, so lots of Electro bands quit or started to make Dance music, what sounded pathetic.

So for me the 90s are musically incomplete, and this is a gift for me because I own the know-how and instruments to complete that decade.

Q: Tell us a bit more about “The Garden Of Evil”? What have been the triggers and influences to compose this work and what does the title refer to?

Gin: Years ago I was listening to Clock DVA’s “Buried Dreams”, and asked myself why isn’t there a successor for that album or musical style, and I came with the same answer… the scene was dying.

So this triggered me to start with “The Garden Of Evil”.

No musician is working in that 90s style anymore, so I’m the only one who dares to pick up the thread again.

So I produced this album completely in the way we did in the early 90s.

Q: Listening to productions of Vomito Negro and Gin Devo I’m always fascinated by the overwhelming darkness running through your work. Where does this dark side comes from and in which way is it a mirror to your soul?

Gin: I grew up in the 80s, that was not a very happy period, we listened a lot to dark music styles and started to compose music ourselves. The 80s were very grey, buildings where dirty from exhaust gasses, there was a lot of un-employment.

There are people who fight against darkness, and there are others who use the darkness to create stuff… music, art etc… that’s me.

Q: You’re definitely fascinated by good-old analogue and modular equipment which is a totally different way of working than composing music with digital- and software synths. Tell us a bit more about your studio equipment, favorite tools and your perception of ‘artists’ working with software synths?

Gin: I bought lots of vintage analog gear 20 years ago, nobody wanted those dinosaurs anymore, so they were very cheap. The same with the early 90s digital synths, they collected dust and people sold them for peanuts. So I own lots of them, my studio is packed with gear from the 70s 80s 90s. Those old instruments have a distinctive sound and beautiful control boards, they invite you to explore them and create sounds and music.

Maybe plug-ins work good too, but who wants to create music in front of a computer screen? It’s boring and contra-artistic, you have to touch your instruments, feel them… not only hear them.

Q: You’ve been involved with music since the early 80s so how do you see the evolution of Electronic music generally speaking and how do you expect things evolving the next years? And how would be your life without music?

Gin: With modern Electro I think they sometimes  make it too complex or too distorted. So I’m very selective in the albums I listen to. I think small electro bands are always better to innovate, and larger bands steal from them.

I couldn’t imagine a life without music, I hope my ears, brain and hands keep working for a long time.

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: Dark-Electro, Minimal-Electro, Experimental.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Vomito Negro core member Gino De Vos aka ‘Gin Devo’ started releasing solo-production in 2012 (cf. “Errata” and “Surface”). His new work (cf. “Electroteque”) was released in 2017. This new opus is the fourth full length by the Belgian legend of underground Electronics.

Content: Gin Devo remains faithful to his ultra-dark sound treatments and -atmospheres. The work sounds pretty retro-like, the global atmosphere emerging of the tracks being more important than power. The songs are carried by repetitive loops and accentuated by obscure bass lines, strings, spoken samplings and Gino’s ghost-like vocals on top.

+ + + : I’ve always liked the sound universe of Gin Devo. You really get the illusion entering into an evil, dark, cave so the title of the work totally fits with the sound atmosphere. This is an extreme format of darkness but it also is a captivating production for its minimalism. The songs have been composed with vintage gear injecting an ‘authentic’ touch to the production while Gin Devo remains for sure a little genius when it comes to icy sound treatments. The work features multiple cool songs but I want to mention “Bitter Tears” for its sound intelligence reminding me of the Clock DVA universe. The opening piece “Dark Frequencies” is another essential track.

– – – : The very last song “Son Of Sam” sounds like pure Experimentalism and a rather anticlimax compared to the rest of the tracklist.

Conclusion: The work reflects an endless state of darkness which could be a perfect sonic metaphor to the work we’re living in.

Best songs: “Bitter Tears”, “Dark Frequencies”, “Amend”, “Only For Moments”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/Gindevo

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

About Gin Devo

Gin Devo is the solo project of Belgian musician Gino De Vos, also known as a member of Vomito Negro, the EBM and electro-industrial band formed in Belgium in 1983. De Vos began releasing solo material as Gin Devo in 2012 with “Errata” and “Surface”, followed by “Electrotheque” in 2017. “The Garden Of Evil”, his fourth full-length album, followed via Scanner/Dark Dimensions in 2022.

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, Electro-Punk-Pop, Trip-Pop, EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Driven by Maria and Lena, theUkrainian-Swiss duo this summer struck back with their second full length album, which comes two years after “Unification”.

Content: The work remains a true sonic mishmash or just a collage of multiple influences. It’s a diversified piece of music, which also comes back in the production of the vocals, alternating German- and English language. Some parts remind me of Björk while others might appeal to fans of Grausame Töchter. The songs have been boosted by surprising Metal guitar riffs, but globally speaking the work is, in my opinion pretty Pop-driven.

+ + + : The least I can say is that Twins In Fear have seriously improved their production while seriously empowered by guitar riffs. The album stands for a creative- and original sound mixing passion, fun, rage, and power. But the main strength of this work is that it’s all remains compact, which is not an easy thing considering the multiple influences running through this work. There are several great songs, but I recommend listening to “Disappearance” for its styled composition and ‘hot-pop’ style. Another noticeable cut is “Illusion” for its harder, Industrial touch on top of the Pop basis.

– – – : There are a few passages leading you into reverie, which is not my favorite side of the work.

Conclusion: After an hesitant debut album Twins In Fear strikes back with a true sonic smasher; girls with testosterone!

Best songs: “Disappearance”, “Illusion”, “Stoff Für Meine Seele”, “Nothing But A Dream”, “Creep-Py”, “Nothing Be Like Twins In Fear”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063560821950

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

About Twins In Fear

Twins In Fear is the electro project of Ukrainian-Swiss singers Maria and Lena, based in Hamburg, Germany. Both had worked as backing singers and dancers for other bands before starting the project in spring 2019, focused on dark electro pop. Their debut album, “Unification”, was released on Scanner in November 2020 with 13 tracks and lyrics in German, English and Russian. “Nothing But A Dream” is Twins In Fear’s second full-length, released on Scanner / Dark Dimensions two years after the debut.

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: Dark-Electro, Experimental, Industrial, Punk.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Grausame Töchter has released six albums between 2011 and 2021. “Werkschau” is a look back at ten years of music, but also at one of the most unique bands from the ‘Industrial/Electro’ scene. We get seventeen songs taken from the discography featuring multiple reworked and remixed edits.

Content: Defining Grausame Töchter has never been an easy thing. I always got the impression Aranea Peel and her gang have been active at the side line, mixing different influences together and creating a provocative and uncensored Electro format. Electro, Punk, Industrial and Pop have been masterly mixed together reaching a point of total artistic freedom where music, imagery and show come together in a total concept.

+ + + : This work is not a ‘best of’, but definitely an extra to the familiar edits originally released at the different albums. I like the danceable vibes emerging at the surface of the composition. It sounds now enraged and next into styled, anarchistic theatral expression. Titles like “Ich Lieve Meine Vagina” and “Fickmaschine” don’t need any translation. Grausame Töchter breaks all barriers and has no taboos. Perverted themes have been transposed into an approach of ‘total art’. Art is expression and Grausame Töchter better than any other knows how to expose its art. There are several reat songs featured, but I have a preference for the danceable Techno-Industrial remake of “Fickmaschine”. Other essential songs are the “Tanz Für Dich”-remixed version, the Minimal-Electro driven “Angst Entstellt Den Menschen”, the uplifted, Punk-Techno, version of  “Mein Messer” -which brings us back to the debut album, “Wie Eine Spinne” and “Ich Darf Das” which sounds as a great final song.

– – – : There are a very few softer, and especially slower songs, which have been never my favorites. 

Conclusion: If provocation wouldn’t exist, Graumsame Töchter would be its inventor, but the German formation first of all remains a great artist who never stopped to grow.

Best songs: “Fickmaschine- GetOffOnMyOwn Mix”,  “Tanz Für Dich – 2022 Remix”, “Angst Entstellt Den Menschen – Werkschau Mix”, “Mein Messer – Werkscha Version”, “Wie Eine Spinne”, “Ich Darf Das”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/GrausameToechter

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

About Grausame Töchter

Grausame Töchter is a German electronic band led by Aranea Peel, mixing EBM, electropop and aggrotech with dark, theatrical live shows. Core members are Aranea Peel on vocals and Gregor Hennig on drums and mixing, with a live band that has included Era Kreuz on bass, Bojana Tadic on cello, Neila Fynn on keyboards, and Charona and Harpyiena on backing vocals and dancing. The band released six studio albums between 2011 and 2021, moving from EBM and aggrotech roots toward the more sombre, darkwave-leaning songwriting of the album “Glaube Liebe Hoffnung”. “Werkschau” compiles seventeen reworked and remixed tracks from across that decade of releases.

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: Experimental, Ambient-Electro, IDM, Cinematic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: I realized Robin Rimbaud released his first album thirty years ago now. What followed was an awesome career wherein his sonic alter-ego Scanner became a true reference when it come to experimental with electronic sounds resulting in Ambient/Experimental music, but still more danceable productions. About this new opus and ‘rather prophetically Rimbaud states that this album was indebted to the work of the Ukranian film maker Laris Shepitko.’

Content: Scanner moves on experimenting with sounds and noises, covering different influences, which are constantly coming back track after track. Taking off a pure Ambient way he progressively moves towards dreamy, evasive, passages accomplished with refined, crystalline, sound treatments, but also injects deep, groovy, bass lines to the work. At the last part of the work you’ll even notice a Technoid sequence mixed with astral noises.

+ + + : The work is diversified although characterized by its constant, Ambient- & Experimental approach. The work has a strong space-like dimension leading the listener into an imaginary-, and abyssal world. The work sounds pretty accessible through the addition of slow rhythms. The British artist confirms to be a true sound architect and therefor he remains a reference in modern Ambient/Experimental music.

– – – : From a very personal point of view I sometimes miss a melodic touch.

Conclusion: Scanner is an invitation to visit imaginary places created by a sonic canvas of the artist.

Best songs: “Beginning Of An Unknown Century”, “Acentria”, “Another Aircraft”, “Artemovsk”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.scannerdot.com / www.facebook.com/scannerdot

Label: https://din.org.uk / www.facebook.com/theianboddy

About Scanner

Scanner is the recording name of British electronic musician Robin Rimbaud, born 6 May 1964 in Southfields, London. Rimbaud took the name from his early use of cell phone and police scanners as sound sources, picking up radio and mobile phone signals as raw material for his compositions. Early albums include “Scanner 1” (1992), “Scanner 2” (1993), and “Mass Observation” (1994), followed later by “Delivery” (1997) and “An Ascent” (2020).

Rimbaud is also a member of the band Githead alongside Wire’s Colin Newman and Malka Spigel, and works as a music and art critic and record producer. “The Homeland Of Electricity”, reviewed here, was released on DiN, the label run by Ian Boddy.

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-Wave, EBM, Industrial.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: “Wicked Hands” is the official debut EP from the American trio The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse. They previously self-released a few productions and now signed to Scanner.

Content: It’s not an easy thing defining the sound of this band. The 4 songs are clearly mixing different influences like electro-Wave, Industrial and EBM. The result is a danceable production driven by carrying sequences and charismatic vocals on top.

+ + + : I’m always in for a band you don’t directly link with another formation. The influences are familiar, but the result is a personal sound approach revealing 2 promising songs. I refer to the great opener “Enter Delirium” and the darker “Feed Me To The Void”. I like the haunted atmosphere hanging over the songs.

– – – : The EP is maybe not featuring an absolute hit song although revealing a band with a true potential.

Conclusion: The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse is a band dealing with an original sound mixing great atmospheres and danceable vibes.

Best songs: “Enter Delirium”, “Feed Me To The Void”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: https://sevenwhoresoftheapocalypse.com

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

About The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse

The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse is an American band operating from the Twin Cities, Minnesota. The line-up is Chris (samples, sounds, cover art, video art), Tom (vocals, sounds, songwriting) and Jason (vocals, sounds, songwriting, production). The three met on Bandcamp in 2019, coming from a shared background in experimental noise and dark ambient, and first worked together as Thrill Behind Barks, releasing an album under that name in early 2020.

Each member also runs a separate project: The Creeping Man for Chris and The Angler King for Tom. The band signed to Scanner, part of the Dark Dimensions label group, and issued the digital EP “Wicked Hands” in 2022. The debut album “All Through The Waste” followed in 2023. Jason and Tom discussed the band name and their EBM approach in the ‘Click Interview’ with The Seven Whores Of The Apocalypse, published by Side-Line on 23 September 2023.

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: Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: It took three years for master mind Elmar Schmidt to achieve the ninth album of Centhron. The album was written during dark times and has been introduced as a soundtrack for a burning world.

Content: The main characteristic and strength of Centhron is the easy recognizable sound, which remains driven by furious, pumping, kicks and melodic leads with harsh, enraged, vocals on top. There’s no real break, but only full speed tracks. Centhron is a bit hardcore and yet refined with a catchy touch on top.

+ + + : The main strength of Centhron is the sound DNA, which you rapidly recognize among others. They never innovate, but aren’t a new copy of a copy. Both debut songs of the work are pure rage. Violent and merciless Dark-Electro assaults. The world is maybe burning, but dancefloors will be reduced to ashes when discovering the debut of this album. “Divide Et Impera” is another great cut in the end of the album.

– – – : Centhron is easily recognizable, but unfortunately also rapidly predictable. There’s no real variation, but only a sonic bulldozer annihilating all on its way.

Conclusion: Melodic harshness and danceable rage perfectly descrives the sonic experience called Centhron.

Best songs: “Bizarr & Sexy”, “Ajna Chakra”, “Divide Et Impera”, “Volksfeind”.

Rate: 8.

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

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

About Centhron

Centhron is a German dark electro project driven by Elmar Schmidt, credited on Discogs with vocals, synthesizers, programming and samples. The same source lists Markus Vogler on bass.

The project self-released “Melek Taus” in 2002 and followed it with “Lichtsucher” on Starfish Music in 2003 and “Gottwerk” on Final Dusk Records in 2006. From “Roter Stern” in 2009 onwards Centhron has recorded for Scanner, part of the Dark Dimensions label group, with “Dominator” (2011), “Asgard” (2013), “Biest” (2014), “Allvater” (2017), “Dystopia” (2019) and “Fylgja” (2022). The seasonal release “Krampus” appeared in 2018.

“Einheit C” followed in 2023 and “Liebe Ist Krieg” in 2025, both on Scanner, with the single “Göttin” also issued in 2025.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

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

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: The last year released third album “Teleskop” brought German duo Rector Scanner back on the map. Andrea and René Nowotny -still involved with AD:Key strike back again with three new songs.

Content: The new stuff sounds in the prolongation of “Teleskop”; pure Minimal-Electro-Pop which I often define as ‘Kraftwerk-Pop’. The songs are made of retro elements with a very personal touch on top while driven by robotic vocals. We next get 5 remixes which by the exception of the 808 Dot.Pop-remix have been all accomplished by the duo -featuring 2 remixes of their other alter-ego AD:Key.

+ + + : “Teleskop” was a great album and “Fluormenschen” holds on to the same qualitative level. Rector Scanner isn’t exactly an innovative band and yet they have something refreshing and very personal. All new songs are sonic jewels, which could be all title tracks. I’ve a preference for “Technosignaturen” which sounds more into Minimalism. I also notice great remixes, but here again it’s the “Extended Mix” of “Technosignaturen” which gets my preference.

– – – : No real minus points to mention, but quite curiously the title track isn’t my favorite one.

Conclusion: Rector Scanner stands for efficient, sexy and retro-futuristic Electro-Pop music!

Best songs: “Technosignaturen”, “Wand Aus Glas”, “Fluormenschen – Single Edit”, “Technosignaturen – Extended Mix”, “Fluormenschen – Remix by AD:Key”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/rectorscanner

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

About Rector Scanner

Rene Nowotny founded Rector Scanner in Berlin in 1997 as his first electropop project, alongside the more EBM-oriented AD:Key, which he runs with his wife Andrea Nowotny. After 15 years of studio silence, the duo returned in 2021 with the EP “Der Dichter Und Die Frau”, followed by the twin EPs “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All” and the third studio album “Radioteleskop”. The “Fluormenschen” EP follows on Alfa Matrix with three new songs and five remixes, including two by AD:Key.

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

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! Read the review of ‘Fluormenschen’.

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

Genre/Influences: Industrial, Dark-Electro, Crossover.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Portuguese formation Eden Synthetic Corps (ESC) strikes back with their seventh album in history. A few changes happened in the line-up like the return of their previous drummer plus a new member playing synths.

Content: ESC is a band I watched evolving throughout the years. The opening piece of the album clearly confirms this evolution towards a more Industrial/Crossover sound. Sometimes touching ground with Metal influences the sound becomes more Industrial like when driven by menacing guitar playing. But there still is a strong Electronic component which is more coming through during the last part of the work.

+ + + : This new work sounds a bit like ESC.v2. It reveals a different band when reminding their early stuff. The Metal & Industrial influences never have been that strong and at the forefront. The guitar playing injects aggression and stands for a true evil presence. I however prefer the more Electro-driven tracks emerging at the end of the album. These songs have this little extra coming through at the elevating choruses but also on heavy, epic-like arrangements. “Claustra” is an overwhelming and powerful piece illustrating this Electronic side.

– – – : Dark-Electro lovers who supported ESC right at the band’s debut will be probably have some difficulties to recognize the band listening to this album.

Conclusion: “The Encyclopaedia Of Black” took me by surprise revealing a band in evolution and exploring different paths.

Best songs: “Claustra”, “Sleeplessness”, “Homem”, “Parasomnia”, “Macula”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.edensyntheticcorps.pt / www.facebook.com/edensyntheticcorps

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

The album arrived on 28 January 2022 through Scanner, part of the Dark Dimensions Label Group, on CD and digitally. The eleven tracks are “Narcissus”, “Itch”, “Macula”, “Phantom”, “Yearn”, “Mismatched”, “Parasomnia”, “Homem”, “Sleeplessness”, “Claustra” and “Tar”.

Discogs lists the release as “The Encyclopaedia Of Black Sleep”, while the Bandcamp release page and this review use “The Encyclopaedia Of Black”. The line-up on the record is Marco P. on all vocals, Ricardo R. on guitars, João V. and new member Walter T. on synths, and returning drummer Daniel R.

Listen to “The Encyclopaedia Of Black”:

About Eden Synthetic Corps

Eden Synthetic Corps is a Portuguese band active since 2005 and signed to Scanner, one of the labels in the German Dark Dimensions group. The band opened with the dark electro of “Matte” in 2006, “Enhancer” in 2008 and “Eight Thousand Square Feet” in 2010, then moved into more experimental territory with “Breathing Salt” in 2013.

Side-Line reviewed Eden Synthetic Corps – Sandwalkers in November 2015, the album that started the band’s shift towards a more organic sound. “Gold” followed in 2019, and the band also appeared on the label retrospective V/A A Human Scan(ner) – The 20th Anniversary Compilation in 2021. Along the way the group played shows in Russia, Ukraine, Austria and Germany and placed songs in the Deutsche Alternative Charts.

Four years after this album the band revisited its back catalogue on “Away From Human Standards”, released through Scanner in 2026.

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: Future-Pop, Electro-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: German trio Fractal Age strikes back with their second opus. Markus Horschig (Neuroklast, ex-ReAdjust), Jens Minor (Chainreactor) and singer Sascha Tümmler released the debut album “Modern World” in 2019.

Content: Even if this album is driven by Electro-Pop influences, the sound became harder and more future-Pop driven than its predecessor. It’s a catchy production carried by bouncing kicks and revealing a few harder elements like EBM bass lines. There are a few ‘softer’ pieces featured but the main part of the work stands for powerful Electro/Future-Pop music which sometimes reminds me of Neuroticfish. The 3 last songs are remixes by Intent:Outtake, Absurd Minds and Blue Images.

+ + + : There’s an evolution from the debut album towards the new one; it’s more into Future-Pop and I experienced this evolution has ‘harder’ which I prefer. The songs are well-crafted and there are a few noticeable songs featured like “The Beauty Of Truth” and “Sign”. “Another Way” reveals EBM influences and is another attention grabber.

– – – : Fractal Age isn’t exactly setting the world of Electro/Future-Pop music alight. The work even has something predictable but globally speaking it’s a fully enjoyable work. I’ve been less convinced by the softer parts like “Spiegelbild”.

Conclusion: If you like Electro-Pop with a heavier touch and a darker side “Another Way” is an album to discover.

Best songs: “The Beauty Of Truth”, “Sign”, “Another Way”, “Questions”.

Rate: 7½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/FractalAge

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

Scanner released “Another Way” on 28 January 2022 on CD and digitally. The fourteen tracks are “Run”, “Another Way”, “Der Wind”, “Home”, “Questions”, “No Response”, “Spiegelbild”, “Sign”, “Away”, “The Beauty Of Truth”, “Featureless People”, “Another Way (Intent:Outtake Remix)”, “Sign (Absurd Minds Remix)” and “Home (Blue Images Remix)”.

Listen to “Another Way”:

About Fractal Age

Fractal Age was founded in 2017 in Germany and works in synthpop, electro-pop and future-pop. Markus Horschig, also active as Neuroklast and formerly in ReAdjust, and Jens Minor of Chainreactor handle the music, with Sascha Tümmler on vocals.

The debut album Fractal Age – Modern World appeared on Scanner in 2019 and was reviewed by Side-Line in January 2020. The band also features on the label retrospective V/A A Human Scan(ner) – The 20th Anniversary Compilation, released in 2020.

Two further albums followed on the same label: “Faded Blossom” in 2023 and “Energy & Entropy” in 2025.

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Today Belgium’s electronica pop act 808 DOT POP launched their newest single “Suncatcher” in no less than four 3-track EP versions via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page. For the single Passenger S worked together with Lis van den Akker.

“Catching The Sun” as well as “Looking For The Sun” are songs originally from the hand of label mate Psy’Aviah. They were re-arranged by 808 DOT POP during the summer of 2021 to coincide with “Bittersweet”, the celebration album for the 20 years of Psy’Aviah.

As explained, this 3-track EP is part of a series of 4 different releases revealing the same songs each time from an all-new sonic perspective and offering them a different shed of light.

Next to the normal version you also get the “(Extended)” version of the EP bringing 3 extended versions clocking up to 8 minutes. The “(Remixed)” version of the EP will please DJ’s by letting 3 other artists remixing one EP song: label mates Rector Scanner and Elektrostaub, plus a trance remix by Tom Bro. Finally, the 4th version is the “(Lectreau)” version and features a unique set of ‘Lectreau’ versions (the side project of Passenger S his Metroland partner in crime Passenger A).

You can check out all 4 singles right below on Bandcamp.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “Alles Wird Gold” must be the thirteenth full length album by German EBM formation Orange Sector. Lars Felker and Martin Bodewell have been joined by René Nowotny (AD:KeY, Rector scanner) since the previous album “Alarm” (2019).

Content: The sound of Orange Sector brings us back to the early hours of EBM; short and aggressive songs carried by solid bass lines and linear, danceable kicks. The alluring vocals sound like commanding people to dance.

+ + + : Orange Sector has been often linked to DAF, but more than ever before this opus sounds like being touched by the legacy of DAF. I heard the work as an ode to Gabi Delgado and I think wherever he is, he must be reassured EBM will never die. This work sounds like a great vintage production driven by short, but powerful songs. Next to the already familiar “Angstmann”, “Gold” is another terrific piece of EBM. 

– – – : Orange Sector doesn’t reinvent EBM, but is it really necessary when you’ve the skills to compose such a great piece of kicking music. It’s just a pity the album is only featuring more or less 30 minutes of music.

Conclusion: “Alles Wird Gold” reminds us of the essence of EBM; no tricks, no complexity, but just hard-hitting songs to make you dance!

Best songs: “Gold”, “Angstmann”, “Fick Dich”, “The Work Is Done”, “Te Amo”.

Rate: 8½ .

Listen to “Alles Wird Gold”:

Artist: www.facebook.com/OrangeSector

Label: www.infacted-recordings.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Infacted-Recordings/124099254321690

About Orange Sector

Orange Sector formed in Hannover, Germany in 1992. The band started with the self-released cassette “The War Comes Home” that same year, then worked with Zoth Ommog Records through the 1990s on releases such as “Faith” (1993), “Kids In America” and “Flashback” (1994), “Love It!” (1997) and “Masquerade” (1998), before pausing in 1998.

The group returned in 2004 and signed with Infacted Recordings, which issued the “Here We Are [Back Again]” EP in 2005. Albums and EPs followed at a steady rate: “Bassprodukt” (2006), “Profound” (2007), “Sweet Isolation” (2008), “Mindfuck” (2009), “Krieg & Frieden” (2010), “Der Maschinist” (2012), “Geile Zeit” and “Vorwärts Nach Weit” (2013), “Glasmensch” (2015), “Endzeit” (2017), “Die Fahne” (2018) and “Alarm” (2019). Side-Line covered the EP trilogy when Orange Sector to release 3rd and final part of their EP trilogy: ‘Farben’ ran in 2016, and spoke to the band in the 2019 ‘Click Interview’ with Orange Sector.

Infacted Recordings released “Alles Wird Gold” on December 3, 2021. The eleven tracks are “Kleingeist”, “Gold”, “Angstmann”, “Der Totmacher”, “Fick Dich”, “Alles Ist Grau”, “Mutation”, “Te Amo”, “The Work Is Done”, “No Justice – No Peace” and “Nuklear”.

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.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: This second EP of “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All” brings eight more songs by Rector Scanner and the recently released album “Radioteleskop”.

Content: Both debut songs are exactly the same as on the first EP. We next get an alternative edit of “Radioteleskop” followed by the exclusive and more EBM-inspired “Sattelit”. Next comes the remix section by 808 Dot Pop, Ma=st+er and 2 remixes by Rector Scanner.

+ + + : If you like the first EP of “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All”, you for sure also gone like this one. The title song followed by “Radioteleskop – Danse Robotique” and the harder exclusive “Sattelit” are well-crafted pieces of vintage Kraftwerk-ian Pop music. The remixes are adding some alternative versions and even extra influences like the minimal edit by 808 Dot Pop and the Dance-Trance remix of “Epsilon Tucanae” by Ma=st+er.

– – – : Both remixes by Rector Scanner aren’t the most convincing ones from the series, but in the end you don’t hear me complaining.

Conclusion: Both EP’s from “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All” are perfectly complementary; like perfect twins for a great Electro-Pop project.

Best songs: “Radioteleskop – Danse Robotique”, “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All – Single Edit”, “Epsilon Tucanae – Single Mix”, “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All – 808 Dot Mix”, “Sattelit”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/rectorscanner

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

About Rector Scanner

Rector Scanner is a German electronic project built around Rene Nowotny, who also records as AD:keY, with Andrea Nowotny credited on vocals. The project self-released CDr titles in 2001 and 2002, returned with “Kontrastprogramm” and “Herzschlag” in 2015, and had its back catalogue digitally reissued by Alfa Matrix in 2018.

The third album “Radioteleskop” was issued in 2021 as a limited 2CD and as a download. The twin-EPs “Das Mädchen aus dem All” followed on 5 November 2021. Side-Line reviewed Das Mädchen Aus Dem All EP I alongside this second volume, which holds eight tracks and runs 39 minutes.

Side-Line published a Click Interview with Rector Scanner on 23 October 2021. The EP “Fluormenschen” followed in June 2022.

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.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Driven by the German EBM veteran René Nowotny (AD:KeY), this year Rector Scanner returned with the excellent album “Radioteleskop”. This EP is part of a ‘twin-EPs’ release getting us back to some of the main songs from the album.

Content: Next to the title song, you’ll also hear a “Single Edit” and/or alternative edits of the songs “Epsilon Tucanae” and “Utopia”. These songs perfectly illustrate the retro-Pop approach, reminding me of the genius of Kraftwerk with an extra, bouncing touch on top. The robotic vocals –also featuring Andrea Nowotny, accentuate the vintage style of the work. We next get an instrumental exclusive song and finally 3 remixes of the title song. Metroland and Datapop have been given the job while René Nowotny accomplished one remix as well.

+ + + : First of all I should say the EP features some of the hottest songs from the album. It also is a perfect way to discover Rector Scanner and its own interpretation of Kraftwerk-ian Pop music. The songs are meticulously composed and I should say it’s an intelligent and ultra catchy retro-sound. René Nowotny is much more than an EBM composer, but also a talented Electro-Pop artist. He also made a great remix of the title song while I also have to mention the darker and more bombastic edit by Metroland.

– – – : The instrumental “Sternenschiffe” is the single new song from the EP, but not exactly the most successful one.

Conclusion: This EP is a great addition to the album “Radioteleskop”.

Best songs: “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All – Single Edit”, “Das Mädchen Aus Dem All – Andromendanebel”, “Epsilon Tucanae – Single Mix”, “Utopia – Part II Tribute to Iwan Jefremow”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/rectorscanner

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

About Rector Scanner

Rector Scanner is a German electronic project built around Rene Nowotny, who also records as AD:keY, with Andrea Nowotny credited on vocals. Discogs lists Nick and Jirka of Legacy Of Music as additional live members.

The project self-released the CDr titles “Digital-Hertz”, “Molekül” and the EP “Eisplanet” in 2001, followed by “Vocoder” in 2002. “Kontrastprogramm” and “Herzschlag” appeared in 2015, and in 2018 Alfa Matrix digitally reissued the back catalogue, including the EPs “World Wide Web” and “Komm Zu Mir”.

New material returned in 2021 with the EP “Der Dichter Und Die Frau” and the third album “Radioteleskop”, issued as a limited 2CD and as a download. The twin-EPs “Das Mädchen aus dem All” followed on 5 November 2021, with EP I holding seven tracks and EP II eight. The EP “Fluormenschen” came in 2022.

Side-Line published a Click Interview with Rector Scanner on 23 October 2021, two weeks before these EPs appeared.

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

Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, … all have released 10 new streaming albums and EPs this morning from the Belgian Alfa Matrix label from artists such as Armageddon Dildos, Circumpolar, Cubic, Elektrostaub, First Aid 4 Souls, Imjudas, Rector Scanner, Siva Six and Suicidal Romance.

All in all a mix of good oldschool darkwave, EBM, synthpop, electropop, industrial and harsh electro.

If your prefer HQ audio downloads, then you can head for the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page where are all available as well since a few days.

Below are the releases in alphabetic band-order. Enjoy!

Armageddon Dildos – Destruction EP

Circumpolar – Awaiting The Dawn

Cubic – Phonic Lessons Part 3 EP

Elektrostaub – Reliance

First Aid 4 Souls – Beyond The Galaxy (Rework)

ImJudas – Ritual EP

Rector Scanner – Das Mädchen Aus Dem All EP I

Rector Scanner – Das Mädchen Aus Dem All EP II

Siva Six – Deathcult

Suicidal Romance – Love Promise 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

Out on December 14th via Re:Mission Entertainment is the album “The Camel Corps and Other Stories” by the experimental / industrial duo Jochen Arbeit and Mark Spybey. You will know Jochen Arbeit from his work with Einstürzende Neubauten and Automat, while Mark Spybey has been active with Dead Voices On Air and Download. Among others that is.

Mark was introduced to Jochen via Robin Rimbaud of Scanner. Mark then invited Jochen to contribute to a collaborative project whereby he teamed with various friends to create a number of 7 inch singles. The single was never released but the pair enjoyed the experience enough to go on to record enough material for a full length album.

That was back in 2011. Ten years elapsed before they talked about releasing it.

Mark explains: “Ten years seems like a lot of time and I guess it is. I can recall that we felt that the best way of finishing the album was for me to either send Jochen the project files so that he might do some of the finished mixes or that, preferably, I go to Berlin to spend time with him finishing up the project. In the end I guess life and experiences just took over and we didn’t manage to get together. Earlier this year I listened to the mixes, which I really liked and sent them to Jochen with a suggestion that we release the album, as is. Thankfully he agreed!”

Most of the material on “The Camel Corps and Other Stories” was assembled from sounds that Jochen sent to Mark: fractured rhythms, and textured processed guitars.

You can pre-order it already on Bandcamp.

About Jochen Arbeit

Jochen Arbeit moved to Berlin in 1980 and became part of the arts collective Geniale Dilettanten. In 1983 he joined the
instrumental band Die Haut, and recorded and toured extensively.

In 1997 he joined Einzturzende Neubaten and is still an integral part of this legendary band. His other projects include Automat, The Jever Mountain Boys, Alert!, Abq, Martin Dean, Richard Ruin, Latin Lovers and the arts project Stupid Green. He has collaborated with people such as Scanner, TM Schneider and members of Larsen.

About Mark Spybey

Mark Spybey started his career briefly working with Zoviet:France, before forming Dead Voices on Air and joining Download with members of Skinny Puppy whilst living in Vancouver. He was a member of Can guitarist Michael Karoli’s band, Sofortkontakt!

Over the years he has collaborated extensively with a wide variety of artists such as Damo Suzuki, Martin Atkins, Jarboe and works with ex-Zoviet:France member Robin Storey, from the band Rapoon in the project Reformed Faction.

He now lives in the north of England.

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 Berlin-based vintage electronic project Rector Scanner (the retro electropop side-project of the EBM duo AD:keY) has released two complementary twin-EP’s today under the title “Das Mädchen aus dem All”.

Both EPs are available now on the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp.

The EP1 edition offers 6 new versions/remixes of tracks taken from the band’s recent comeback album “Radioteleskop” plus the exclusive instrumental “Sternenschiffe”. Besides the single and maxi versions of the title song you also get upbeat remixes by Datapop, Metroland, plus new editions of “Utopia” and “Epsilon Tucanae”.

The EP2 edition offers 7 new versions/remixes of tracks taken from “Radioteleskop” plus the exclusive “Sattelit”. Included are 3 versions of the title song featuring an extended remix by 808 Dot Pop, a Düsseldorf-like mix of “Radioteleskop” next to 3 different takes of the song “Epsilon Tucanae” including a techno dance remix by Berlin electro musician and producer Eric Masch, who operates here under the name “MA = ST + ER”.

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

Rector Scanner  was the first project set up by René Nowotny. Known from his EBM project AD:KeY, Rector Scanner is driven by the sound and influence of Kraftwerk. Active since 1997, René Nowotny this year released the third album of his sonic brainchild on Alfa Matrix. “Radioteleskop” is a great and intelligent work, which became a conceptual opus inspired by René’s fascination for sci/fi literature. There also is a second disc featuring remixes by AD:KeY, Massiv In Mensch, Metroland, Merry Chicklit, Letal 30 and 808 Dot.Pop.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: We all know you from your involvement with AD:KeY although Rector Scanner was your first project ever. You don’t release new work at regular basis with Rector Scanner so what does this project mean to you and how does it feel getting back to your first love?

René: Rector Scanner is my very own ‘baby‘. On one hand, I made my first steps here in the production of Electronic music and, on the other hand, I was able to realize all those ideas that did not fit into any specific box. Here I was and am completely free; I can let off steam and do whatever I want. It’s a great feeling to finally have a new Rector Scanner album in my hands after a long time. 

Q: I’m always fascinated by artists getting involved with different projects/bands. What makes the difference(s) to you between the projects and do you need any kind of preparation and/or mental spirit to work on it?

René: Actually there is not much difference to AD:KeY, only that I can implement my own ideas completely independently at Rector Scanner without having to take Andrea into consideration. Of course, she also influences the songs at Rector Scanner. After all, she contributed to a number of ideas, wrote the lyrics fort wo songs of the new album and is featured on several tracks with her vocals. But she has no right of veto. There are phases when I like to work alone in the studio -and sometimes I find it nice to exchange ideas about what I’m doing and ask for opinions.

Q: Over now to the new album “Radioteleskop”. What has been the ‘click’ to start composing this new album and tell us a bit more about the subjects, which seem getting back to the origins of human mankind? Is it a conceptual work?

René: Yes, “Radioteleskop” is a conceptual album. The idea for it had slumbered in me for years. There are two things that strongly influenced me with “Radioteleskop”: my love for science fiction literature and my admiration for the band Kraftwerk.

I have been reading science fiction novels since I was a child and I have a large collection of books in my private library. And I know that many people will immediately turn up their noses when they read these lines, because they immediately think of “Star Wars“; of lightsabers and spaceship battles and space monsters. But such stories don’t interest me.

Perhaps I should rather say that I like Social Fiction; great world designs that anticipate the future of mankind and deal critically with the present, such as the books by Neil Stephenson, Kim Stanley Robinson, or the great authors of the East: the Strugatzki brothers or Stanislaw Lem.

Above all, my favorite author Ivan Yefremov had a great influence on the Rector Scanner album. In his great novel “Andromedanebel” –in “Das Mädchen aus dem All”, he describes a future communist society that, despite all progress, is not free from problems. This novel was the template for some of the songs that can be heard on “Radioteleskop”.

We are constantly on the lookout; it is curiosity that drives mankind to the stars. In books and novels we long for discovery, for communication with other civilizations. In science we observe the sky with the same longing, hear and see into space with radio telescopes and send probes to distant celestial bodies. I wanted to put this passion into music with the Rector Scanner album.

Q: Tell us a bit more about the writing of the album; the equipment you used, the different stages of song writing, vocals- and global production?

René: A lot of synthesizers have accumulated in our studio over the past few years. I particularly like to use the Waldorf MicroQ and the Waldorf Pulse 2. The Waldorf STVC vocoder and the Arturia MicroFREAK were responsible for the electronic voices. Many analog synthesizers such as Behringer’s ModelD, the Deepmind 6 or the Neutron can be heard very often on “Radioteleskop”. But it would be going too far to name all the devices.

The work on the album was not a continuous process, but dragged on over several years. The oldest song on the album is track number 11, “Stories About A Blue Planet”. He is well over 10 years old. Other songs were created during a recording session for an AD:KeY album. Originally, “Maschinen Sind Treu” was an AD:KeY song. But we then added more and more playful elements, including a Kraftwerk-reminiscent snare drum ‘Tschakkk‘. So we gave the song new lyrics and it became a Rector Scanner song.

During the lockdown in winter 2020/2021, when we were stuck in the studio, we wrote the last 5 songs. I think you can hear that when you look at “The Girl From Space”, “Epsilon Tucanae” and “Utopia”. They belong together both in terms of content and music. I consciously say ‚we‘ because Andrea and I were stuck in the apartment -and we had to keep ourselves busy somehow. We worked on AD:KeY and Rector Scanner songs in parallel.

Q: Compared to previous releases there’s a noticeable evolution in the artwork of the new album -and the EP “Der Dichter Und Die Frau”. What makes this evolution and in, which way is there a connection between the concept and the artwork?

René: For AD:KeY we do the artwork completely ourselves. For the Rector Scanner publications we have given the artwork to an artist, Thomas Franke. Thomas Franke is a graphic artist, book illustrator and theater actor. I met him years ago at a vernissage where his work was exhibited and I was totally enthusiastic about him and his work. Without further ado, I asked him if he would make some of his work for Rector Scanner available to me. After he listened to our music, we agreed. Thomas Franke had already designed the artwork for the second Rector Scanner album “Herzschlag” -and since we had developed a friendship, we just continued our collaboration.

There is always a connection between the concept and the work of art, simply through the fact that one consciously chooses an image or a graphic. Thomas Franke’s work has a high recognition value, which is associated with the music. If you look at the artwork, you link it to the music -and vice versa. I think we made an excellent choice to give our music a fantastic image.

Q: The EP “Der Dichter Und Die Frau” is only available as digital work. What do you think about this ‘digital era’ wherein less physical productions are released? Does it have an influence and/or impact on your artistic work? What do you expect from the future and what are the further plans with Rector Scanner?

René: I am aware that modern times rely on modern technologies. Digital publications are very efficient. You have instant access to music anywhere, anytime, anywhere in the world.

However, I love physical records, which is possibly due to the fact that I am still a ‘Stone Age‘ collector and hunter deep down. We humans want to own something, touch something and show it as a trophy. Actually, this is no longer necessary. We have everything on the smartphone or in the cloud and on the web. But I still feel that way.

However, it is also a fact that music is consumed differently through digital media than it was in the days of CDs or vinyl records. Albums in the classic sense follow a structure and have a dynamic like a play. While listening to the music, you look at the artwork, turn pages through the booklet, read texts.

All of this no longer works like this due to digital consumption. It’s all about clicks and downloads. There is no longer a total work of art.

However, this has hardly any influence on my artistic work. I enjoy producing music -even if I’m my only listener.

This year there will be a double download EP “Das Mädchen aus dem All” with 7 tracks each. We are also working on a new AD:KeY album and you won’t have to wait 7 years for a new Rector Scanner album. (laugh)

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: Dark-Electro.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Vomito Negro stroke back before summer with the new album “Entitled”. The work features older-, but previously unreleased tracks, which were originally written in the 80s and now reworked and re-recorded. Eight pieces have been recovered from dust and resurrected.Notice by the way the vinyl edit was released by Mecanica (Poland).

Content: These songs sound like ‘old’ Vomito Negro; a dark and tormented sound, which made the Belgian band that famous. Coldness sounds like they are emerging from any single note and arrangement while the ghost-like vocals by Gin Devo are only reinforcing the nightmarish approach. “In Strikt Tempo” is a familiar, old track, but this version is totally different from both versions originally released at “Human” (1990).

+ + + : “Entitled” clearly consists of untitled, forgotten and previously unreleased songs by this great Belgian formation. It brings us back to the glorious days of the band although Gin Devo is now the single core member on board. This work has the smell of the late 80s and early 90s. The first half of “Entitled” is absolutely phenomenal; a mysterious, cold track with samples about LSD to take off followed by the elaborated and ghost-like “In Strikt Tempo”. “Something Must Break” coming next creates a transcendental sensation by the repetitive sequences, but it’s another cool cut. Both last tracks are also worthy of examination; a bit harder again and brining us back to dark, terror-like atmospheres.

– – – : I only noticed 2 songs (cf. “Blood Fever” and “Weak”), which can’t totally convince me.

Conclusion: I’m always a bit skeptical when famous bands release old and unreleased material, but this album will ravish the ‘old’ Vomito Negro fans… even if the band’s legendary singer is no longer involved, this album sounds great!

Best songs: “Something Must Break”, “In Strict Tempo”, “Murk”, “Ongoing Patterns”, “23 Days”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.vomitonegro.com / www.facebook.com/vomitonegro

Label: www.darkdimensions.de /  www.facebook.com/pages/Dark-Dimensions-Label-Group/486014725206 Read the news on ‘Entitled’.

About Vomito Negro

Vomito Negro is a Belgian electronic band formed in 1983. The name is Spanish and Portuguese for “black vomit”, a phenomenon that arises in the last stage of yellow fever. The band built its catalogue through the late 1980s and 1990s with albums including “Shock”, “Human” and “The New Drug”.

After the 2002 album “Fireball”, Gin Devo set the band aside and started the project Pressure Control, releasing the album “Vamp”. He revived Vomito Negro in 2008 with “Skull & Bones”, followed by “Fall Of An Empire” in January 2013, “Death Sun” in 2014 and “Black Plague” in 2017.

“Entitled” collects tracks written in the early 1980s that had never been issued. All songs were re-arranged and re-recorded by Gin Devo at his own studio, The Lab, using original vintage hardware synthesizers, sequencers and drum machines. Mecanica pressed the vinyl edition in a run of 500 copies. Gin Devo discussed his working method in the 2023 Click Interview with Gin Devo: ‘Who Wants To Create Music In Front Of A Computer Screen?’.

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 Read the news on ‘Radioteleskop’.

About Rector Scanner

Rector Scanner was founded in 1997 by René Nowotny in Germany and is now based in Berlin. Discogs lists René and Andrea Nowotny as members; the two also form the EBM duo AD:keY, which started around 2007 and signed to Alfa Matrix in 2017.

Rector Scanner self-released the CDrs “Digital-Hertz”, “Molekül” and the EP “Eisplanet” in 2001. The album “Vocoder” was released by Pandailectric in January 2004 and “Herzschlag” by Emmo.biz and Kompuphonik Musik in September 2015. In March 2018 Alfa Matrix reissued the back catalogue digitally, including the EPs “Komm Zu Mir” and “World Wide Web”.

The EP “Der Dichter Und Die Frau”, released on 4 March 2021, was the first new Rector Scanner material in fifteen years. “Radioteleskop” followed on 18 June 2021 as a limited 2CD and download with 22 tracks, the second disc collecting remixes and alternative versions. Later in 2021 the project released the twin EPs Das Mädchen aus dem All and gave Side-Line a ‘Click Interview’. The eight-track EP Fluormenschen came out in June 2022. “Radioteleskop” is the album that reactivated the project.

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: Dark-Electro, Electro-Pop, Wave-Pop.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: “Mirrors” is the seventh full length album by German formation Mechanical Moth. Four years after their previous album, the band became a duo seeing the female singer Ivy joining in again. She previously contributed to the “Rebirth”-album (2009). This album is a double disc featuring the same eleven songs on each disc, but one disc features female vocals and the other disc male ones.

Content: Ladies first so the first disc is featuring female vocals. It feels a bit like a band that has reinvented its own sound. The sound treatments are pretty heavy, some passages being very dark while other ones are carried by bouncing kicks. The female vocals inject a sensual- and a graceful touch on top of the composition.  It’s a diversified composition, which sound-wise also reveals a pure transcendental passage in “Extinction Theory”.

The other disc featuring male vocals sounds clearly different. It’s more into a Dark-Electro approach, the cavernous vocals creating a totally different effect, but Mechanical Moth also brought some little, but essential differences in sound production.

+ + + : The concept is original and it’s just amazing to see how different –male & female, singers can put their stamp on a music composition. But you also can hear the little differences in sound production, which have been clearly made for both singers. I personally prefer the female-edit for the impressive sound treatments, which sound a bit as a contrast to the sensual vocals. Songs like “Stuck”, “La Petite Mort”, “Animals” and “Extinction Theory” reflect some magical moments. But on the other side I also noticed a few songs from the male-edit, which are much better. This disc is harder and darker. I recommend listening to “Pain With No Face”, which is maybe not the most powerful piece, but revealing a great progression.

– – – : The record has something pretty confusing, maybe a bit schizophrenic, but in the end it will catch a wider audience.

Conclusion: “Mirrors” has inspired Mechanical Moth to achieve a great concept, trying to find the ultimate harmony between female- and male fronted songs. It’s without a shadow of a doubt my favorite opus of the band.

Best songs: “La Petite Mort (Female)”, “Extinction Theory (Female)”, “Stuck (Female)”, “Animals (Female)”, “Pain With No Face (Male)”.

Rate: (8).

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

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

About Mechanical Moth

Mechanical Moth is a German dark-electro and darkwave band formed in 2002 around front man Tandrin, according to Side-Line’s earlier coverage; Discogs lists Arne Gutowski, Salacity and singer Ivy as members and Sabrina Hahn as a former member. The band has released all its albums on Scanner / Dark Dimensions: “Fallen Into You” (2004), “Torment” (2005), “The Sad Machina” (2007), “Rebirth” (2009), on which Ivy sang lead vocals, “Unendlichkeit” (2013), the download “Unendlichkeit, Versionen Und Visionen” (2015) and Neverything (2017), the sixth album, reviewed on Side-Line in August 2017. The band also appears on A Human Scan(ner) – The 20th Anniversary Compilation (2021) and has remixed acts including Grausame Töchter, Sonorus7 and Menschdefekt.

“Mirrors” was released by Scanner / Dark Dimensions on 26 March 2021 as a limited double CD and as two downloads, “Mirrors” and “Mirrors (Part 2)”. The label describes it as a conceptual double album on which the band, now a duo, interprets each song in a female darkwave version sung by Ivy and a male electro version. The eleven songs on each disc are “Stuck”, “La Petite Mort”, “Bad Thing”, “Wake Up”, “Animals”, “Pain With No Face”, “Coffin Gossip”, “Icetears”, “Undead On The Dancefloor”, “Extinction Theory” and “Home”. No production credits are listed on the Bandcamp or Discogs pages. “Mirrors” is the band’s seventh album and its second Side-Line review.

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-Punk, Industrial-Pop, Cabaret.

Format: Digital, 2CD.

Background/Info: Grausame Töchter, which means ‘Cruel Daughter’ is back unleashing the sixth album in the band’s history. Driven by the enigmatic and eccentric Aranea Peel, this work has been introduced as ‘a dark, dystopic, sexual, sarcastic and grotty look at humanity.’ A pessimistic vision the band prefer to label as ‘joyful pessimism!’

Content: You don’t necessarily have to speak German to understand the provocative themes of this formation. “Zyklus” is as provocative as it is artistic. The music remains a truly free-style of Electro mixed with Industrial-Pop and a Punkish way of singing reminiscent of Nina Hagen. The songs reflect a mature writing process while the sound became an osmosis between all different sources of inspiration. You now get the feeling of discovering the female alter ego of Dive while you next get a pure reincarnation of Punk music into Electro. Sometimes sensual, but often moving on the edge of censor, “Zyklus” reveals a non-stop amount of sonic surprises.

The bonus disc reveals a kind of ‘cabaret burlesque’ style; a more theatrical approach and personal interpretation of German ‘chanson’. It reveals a minimal style, accomplished with classical instruments and creating the illusion to watch a kinky, forbidden performance in a secret underground bar.

+ + + : Grausame Töchter remains a very unique experience because of the image, but also because of the sound. They elevate the art of provocation to a high artistic degree. It’s never a ‘cheap’ thing, but clearly a creative process where image and sound become fully complementary to catch the attention of the heaviest skeptics. I was a skeptical mind right at the beginning of this band’s career, but became progressively convinced by the talent of Grausame Töchter. I hate when artists just focus on a strong image, but I like artists who behind the image still have the skills to compose great music. “Zyklus” is a genius work –one more,  somewhat versatile, but always easily recognizable because of Aranea Peel’s unique timbre of voice and theatrical way of singing. And behind the voice also hides an accomplished song writing, which mainly comes thorugh at the Industrial sounding “Sarkastische Katzen”, which is a kind of Dive-song on sex! And I also recommend “Laber Laber” for its Industrial-Punk approach carried by a solid lead.

The bonus disc also reveals a great free-styled Cabaret-music style, which I can imagine together with the band’s image would become a true live sensation!

– – – : The Cabaret-style of the bonus disc will probably not ravish all music lovers and rather sounds as a production for the German market.

Conclusion: If provocation wouldn’t exist, Grausame Töchter would invent it! This music would be the right soundtrack for a forbidden version of the successful series “Babylon Berlin”!

Best songs: “Laber Laber”, “Sarkastische Katzen”, “Wilde Wölfe”, “Fickstück” + “Ich Lass Mir Meinen Körper Schwarz Bepinseln”, “Das Lied Von Den Braunen Inseln”.

Rate: (8 ½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/GrausameToechter

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

About Grausame Töchter

Grausame Töchter formed in Hamburg, Germany, in 2009, built around vocalist Aranea Peel and drummer and studio mixer Gregor Hennig. The band mixes EBM, industrial, punk, film-score elements and techno, with German-language lyrics that center on sadomasochism and relationship conflict. Live shows add guest musicians, dancers and film projections, and carry an 18+ age restriction tied to the BDSM content of the performance.

The debut album “Mein Eigentliches Element” appeared in 2011 through Scanner / Dark Dimensions, followed by “Alles Für Dich” (2012), “Glaube, Liebe, Hoffnung” (2014) and Vagina Dentata (2016), reviewed on Side-Line in June 2016. Engel Im Rausch followed in 2018 and was reviewed in December 2018; it included cover versions of Joachim Witt’s “Goldener Reiter” and Hubert Kah’s “Rosemarie”.

“Zyklus”, the sixth album, was released by Scanner / Dark Dimensions on 9 April 2021 on CD, as a download and as a limited double CD in a digipak with a 16-page booklet, limited to 999 copies according to Discogs. The fifteen tracks are “Alpha”, “Wilde Wölfe”, “Alles Kaputt!”, “Annika Nimmt Drogen”, “PENG! PENG! …TOT!”, “Respekt Und Sex”, “Klinik”, “Zyklus”, “Sarkastische Katzen”, “Laber Laber”, “Wie Ein Hamster”, “Messer An Die Kehle”, “Fickstück”, “Süchtig Nach Ewigkeit (Rhumba)” and “Omega”. The bonus disc, “Aranea Peel Singt Klassische Deutsche Chansons”, also issued as a separate download, holds ten German chansons by Friedrich Hollaender, Kurt Weill and Hanns Eisler, among them “Seeräuberjenny”, “Ich Bin Von Kopf Bis Fuß Auf Liebe Eingestellt” and “Das Lied Von Den Braunen Inseln”, with edits and arrangements by Hans-Jürgen Osmers.

The compilation Werkschau followed in 2022 and the seventh studio album BDSM For Satisfaction at the end of 2023; Discogs lists “Get Your Overdose” for 2025 and the limited 7″ “Get Your Kinky Overdose” on Dark Dimensions for 2026. “Zyklus” is the band’s third Side-Line review.

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: Dark-Electro, Electro-Wave.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Das Werk is a German project driven by Elmar Schmidt. The Centhron frontman was already experimenting with Das Werk before Centhron saw the light of day. “Aeshma” is the official debut work featuring a few ‘early’ songs, which have been reworked.

Content: The link with Centhron is unavoidable, but maybe a bit too easy. There clearly is a harsh Dark-Electro influence running through Das Werk, but there also is a more refined Electro-Wave approach, which especially comes through at a few cuts featuring female backing vocals. These tracks are somewhat more Electro-Wave orientated and appealing for Blutengel fans. All songs have been sung in German –which is of course another link with Centhron.

The album features 12 songs plus 4 remixes by [:SITD:], C-Lekktor, Wesenberg and Devil-M. 

+ + + : This is a great debut for Das Werk. The songs are accomplished and I was mainly impressed by the solid, carrying leads running through different songs. Das Werk sounds melodic and danceable, finding a balance between refined arrangements and harsh sound treatments. “Rheintöchter” is one of the highlights, but I also have to mention “Wälder In Rot”, “Schneekönigin”, “Todesbraut” and “Schwarzes Horn”. The music also inspired [:SITD:] and C-Lekktor to make great and powerful remixes while Wesenberg transposed the original edit into a minimal-groovy approach.

– – – : I think it’s a pity we never heard anything official of this project before. It however has a typical ‘German’-style, but who cares when the result is worth listening to.

Conclusion: “Aeshma” is a successful debut for Das Werk and I hope Elmar Schmidt will move on with his project. 

Best songs: “Rheintöchter”, “Wälder In Rot”, “Schneekönigin”, “Todesbraut”, “Schwarzes Horn”, “Kleid Aus Schnee – C-Lekktor Remix”, “Schwarzes Horn – [:SITD:] Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001198094782

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

About Das Werk

Das Werk is the side project of Elmar Schmidt, front man of the German dark-electro band Centhron, which has released its albums on Scanner / Dark Dimensions for more than two decades. According to the label’s Bandcamp notes, Schmidt made his first electronic recordings under the Das Werk name in 1999, before Centhron existed, and some of those songs, including “Tanz Im Sternenfeuer” and “Graue Front”, later surfaced on Centhron releases. The project first appeared on a Scanner release with a track on A Human Scan(ner) – The 20th Anniversary Compilation (2021). Discogs has a separate profile for the act but no biography.

“Aeshma”, the first Das Werk album, was released by Scanner / Dark Dimensions on 9 April 2021 on CD and as a download, with the early songs re-arranged, re-recorded and re-mastered. The sixteen tracks are “Intro”, “Schneekönigin”, “Aeshma”, “Rheintöchter”, “Bombenflug”, “Kleid Aus Schnee”, “Feenblut”, “Schwarzes Horn”, “Wälder In Rot”, “Nantosvelta”, “Todesbraut” and “Tanz Im Sternenfeuer”, followed by “Schwarzes Horn (SITD RMX)”, “Kleid Aus Schnee (C-Lekktor RMX)”, “Bombenflug (Wesenberg Deathdub RMX)” and “Feenblut (Drone Session by Devil-M)”. No further production credits are listed on the Bandcamp or Discogs pages.

Centhron continued on the same label with Einheit C (2023) and Liebe Is Krieg (2025), both reviewed on Side-Line. “Aeshma” remains the only Das Werk album listed on Discogs and the project’s only Side-Line review.

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. Read the review of ‘Radioteleskop’.

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

Back in the good old days, Side-Line online had a weekly newsletter that was sent to over 40.000 people. And when we say back in the good old days, we mean 1999. That’s 22 years ago. Time flies… When in 2004 our provider back then stopped, we were unable to continue the service as we found no new provider able to send that newsletter on a weekly basis at a reasonable price.

22 years later Audioglobe’s Sebastian Koch suddenly mentioned that good old newsletter during a quick chat back and forth. He missed that newsletter where he could find some relevant info on the scene. His comment triggered us to look for a good partner in order to relaunch that very service and at the same time also look for a better solution for our daily newsletter which currently services a rather large readership of thousands of people worldwide. We say a ‘better solution’ because let’s be honest, what Feedburner offers currently is extremely poor when it comes to usability, options, etc.. And that for a Google owned company, you would think they’d do a better job, but no.

On a side-note, we ditched Google’s Adsense a few years ago as well, because they started intervening in the content of our site. Although they claim never to intervene in what publishers publish, we were regularly asked to take down articles of Apoptygma Berserk, Front 242, VNV Nation, Rammstein, Acylum, … because they didn’t like the content or images. Censorship at its best, and when we were asked to censor an article on Kant Kino, we called it quits and removed Adsense from our pages, enough was enough.

Now, back to the newsletters solution.

New design and the relaunch of the weekly newsletter as well

With our new partner we are now able to offer you a very slick design, a Facebook follower even called it ‘chic’. We offer you a preview of the new newsletter below (here split up in 3 segments so you see how the whole newsletter looks like).

As you can see the new look is very much in line with our website: simple, clear, clean… and no ads.

The biggest change will however be the relaunch of our weekly newsletter. You can subscribe to either the daily or the weekly newsletter OR you can sign up for both if you want to.

You can sign up below.

You will also have noticed if you visited our website in the past few days that there is a ‘slide in’ sign up form which appears after you have passed 50% of a page, also this one. It features the German EBM band Rector Scanner who was so kind to allow us to use this specific promo picture.

Over time other bands will be invited to offer a picture as well. So look out for some nice cameos.

Good to know, for those who don’t want to subscribe, it won’t be popping up all the time, only every 2 weeks if you didn’t sign up. We might adjust this depending on the feedback we get.

What happens with my old subscription?

Good question. First of all, the older weekly newsletter subscribers will get an email to resubscribe. All 40.000+ emails from our very first weekly newsletter have been checked for their validity and so far a bit more than 24.000 are still valid. If you were part of that newsletter, and your email is still valid, you will receive an email to sign up again in the next week.

As for the daily newsletter, we are currently also testing if the Feedburner emails are still active, something Feedburner never managed properly. Actually, Google never bothered to check it and kept all emails active, even the ones that bounced. This is actually a pure disgrace, but since we are leaving the Google platform for good, let’s look to the bright future ahead instead.

If the test this Monday evening, that’s today, goes well, the daily newsletter subscribers from Feedburner will be transferred automatically to the new service. But if we encounter too many bounces in the testmail that goes out, we will send out an email to the current subscribers here as well to sign up for the new daily newsletter so that we don’t run the risk to get flagged for spam due to too many bounces.

Note that all new signups will again be double opt-in, this to avoid spam and to avoid bounces.

The future is bright, the future is away from Facebook

As said before, we have no reason to believe that Facebook will be getting friendlier for indie (music) publishers. So we continue to work on own channels to get the news out just like we have been doing over the past 22 years.

A few weeks ago we already officially launched the web push notification service which has been rapidly adopted by our readers, and now we launch our newest newsletters in a rebooted version and will continue to develop other platforms such as our Telegram channel to make sure that readers get the news they want.

Our priority will be given to work on the platforms where we really are sure that people get correctly informed without having a sh*t load of ads to wade through so to speak.

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 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. 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

KREIGN is an American set up in 2010 by featuring Ryan Hutman and Xiån Austin. They met thanks to a mutual friend. Ryan was involved with HARDWIRE and in search of a drummer. Xiån was drumming for Sang:Rael and Alter Der Ruine at the time and finally joined HARDWIRE. Some HARDWIRE songs were pretty EBM-driven, which was the reason to start a side-project. KREIGN was born and asked Dave Strand (THE STRAND) to join in as singer. But he finally decided to move on with THE STRAND. Being a side project, KREIGN didn’t really move anywhere for 10 years even though they had quite a few songs started and set aside. But KREIGN finally released their self-titled and self-released debut album in 2020, which got rapidly re-released by Scanner (Dark Dimensions). The work is a powerful mix of good-old EBM with an impressive sophisticated production on top. “Kreign II” is a true masterpiece and one of the best EBM releases from the past years.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: KREIGN has been set up as a tribute to ‘old-school’ EBM. What makes this ‘old-school’ style that special and what do you like in EBM sound? 

Ryan: It evokes aggression from me and I like that. I like the groove. I like that it is simple and minimal. 

Xiån: I grew up a New-Waver… in Utah of all places. My first glimpse of EBM and I’m not sure  if it could be categorized as such, but it was MINISTRY’s “Twitch”-album. I could not stop listening to “We Believe”. It was the driving bassline and simplicity of the beat that gripped me. I wanted to hear more. I was now on the hunt for something similar. Back then there was no Internet. The only way to find new music at the time was via magazines, clubs and/or word of mouth. A friend of mine had a DJ buddy in New York City. He would send him mixtapes of music he was spinning. I discovered bands like FRONT 242, NITZER EBB, DAF, PANKOW, SKINNY PUPPY, FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY and more. I would comb through record stores for hours and I would buy anything with cool cover art that looked Industrial or EBM. That’s how I discovered the now legendary Wax Trax Records. 

In the late 80’s, early 90’s, Salt Lake City spawned a killer Industrial club called ‘The Pompadour’. We would go religiously every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. The DJ was awesome and he knew his shit. Funny thinking about it now, he was probably more annoyed at the fact that, almost every song, we’d go to the booth and ask who he was spinning. Haha! 

Q: You guys got both involved with HARDWIRE while you were still active in other projects as well. What did you learn out of these previous experiences and what makes the difference with KREIGN? 

Ryan: Jonah from HARDWIRE taught me to not always use the ‘easy’ word to make a rhyme and to put more thought into my lyrics. Now, I am proud of my lyrics, even though they are usually simple. I can say more with less words. 

Mike from HARDWIRE and I learned early on that a live drummer can take a show to the next level. Even though I admit I suck at playing drums, I do it for KREIGN when Xiån sings “Disco King” and “In That Frame Of Mind”.

Xiån: I learned that it’s very difficult to manage multiple projects. Haha! All good though, the experience was worth every moment. I enjoyed traveling, playing shows and meeting cool peeps. As far as the difference with KREIGN, I think Ryan and I have very similar mindsets. When we hook up to write, it just flows. It’s a freak of nature I suppose.

Q: Old-school EBM often sounds simple and powerful; solid bass lines mixed with a danceable tempo plus harsh vocals and eventually metallic percussion parts. I consider KREIGN as one of the first bands breaking the codes; your music being definitely old-school like, but much more sophisticated and elaborated. Tell us a bit more about ‘sound’ and writing/production of the songs? 

Ryan: I figured out how to bend notes with soft synths in Cubase and I couldn’t stop doing it. We then translated that forced portamento back into the Nord Lead 2. Then Xiån and I would grab a few knobs on the Nord while the computer played the midi and recorded whatever we thought sounded cool. Fucking with FM, octave selector, pitch, and cutoff was so fun. We couldn’t do it without four hands on it and us laughing at the crazy sounds it made as we pushed the keyboard to it’s limits. It became a signature bass sound in most of the songs. It is rare for us to leave a bass sound without at least messing with the cutoff. Almost every sound is modulated by hand or is programmed to modulate.

Our formula also includes a few other hallmarks like basslines that play for just one verse, break downs that go to ultra minimal and then build up bigger, random sounds that only happen once in the song, ambient creepy background noise, and lead synth lines.

Q: How did the self-titled debut album “Kreign” see the daylight? What have been the influences, triggers, maybe references, lyrical themes and criteria to achieve the album? 

Ryan: I was really influenced by WULFBAND and GESSAFELSTEIN. I went back through a bunch of our songs and randomly detuned them after hearing WULFBAND for the first time. GESSAFELSTEIN influenced me to go back and crank the treble on the synths.

Lyrically, most of the songs have an upbeat message about how to deal with stress, anxiety, and tragedy. “Live Fast” is about my love for my Harley Davidson. “Disco King” is a fun song written with tongue in cheek.

Xiån: The push came from our good  friends in HOCICO. Erk invited us to play a show with them in Mexico City. We couldn’t decline the offer. We only had a couple finished tracks at that time. I think we had three or four months to complete the album, learn the songs, and rehearse them enough to perform a decent show.

It was an amazing experience. To this day I can’t believe we pulled that one off. (Still breathing heavy)…

Q: The limited edition of the album is something really special featuring only great remixes by mainly great names from the EBM scene. How did this bonus disc see the daylight and tell us a bit more about the different artists and the remixes they made?

Ryan: We had previously done a remix CD and an EP with some remixes with HARDWIRE. We met Jürgen Engler first through Facebook when we asked him to remix HARDWIRE. We got to meet him in person on the FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY-tour. When we asked him to take a look at KREIGN, he liked it and wanted to remix “5 Layers Of Chaos”. He also wanted to sing a duet with Xiån on “Disco King”. I thought it would be cool if he would sing it in German and he agreed, even though he was unsure if German lyrics would even fit the song. I think it sounds perfect. 

I had worked with REACHING FOR SHADOWS on some of the songs on her debut album. We met SPANKTHENUN, NZ, and NOVA STATE MACHINE through Facebook and Bandcamp. As much as I hate Facebook, sometimes it comes in real handy. 

Xiån: Peter ELM and I have been friends for many years. He was one of the first people we asked to do a remix. His amazingness never fails. A number of years ago I was invited to play drums for VOLVO:242 (a side-project of SPETSNAZ) at ‘Familientreffen 5’ back in 2009 (there’s a couple of cornball videos on YouTube) and I met the guys in AUTODAFEH who were also on the bill. These guys are top notch! Loved their music and performance. They later asked me to play drums on a couple tracks for their upcoming album, “Identity Unknown”. (“Evil Doll & Love Hate” and “Pain” to be exact). I was honored to do so.

Q: 2020 has been for sure a horrible year to release a debut album. How do you experience the pandemic versus your artistic activities? And what are the plans for post-Covid 19?  

Ryan: We would like to play more shows. We did a livestream show called “Isolation Room” and it was fun, but it was in an empty room. We usually feed off of the energy of the audience. It pushes us further to perform harder. We’d like to eventually play shows in Europe.

Xiån: Luckily we’ve stayed healthy throughout the pandemic and have spent a lot of time in the studio writing for our next album. Hope you will all stay tuned. New ideas and sounds are brewing…

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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It has been a hectic year, also for Alfa Matrix, but luckily their bands took the time to work in their studio to record new material. Out now via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page is the label’s 10th edition in the “Matrix Downloaded” compilation series, again offering you a – free – insight in what the Belgian label is all about. You can discover 64 tracks right here on Bandcamp.

The download holds tracks from Cubic, Psy’Aviah, Aesthetische, Digital Factor, Reichsfeind, Llumen, Zombie Girl, Diffuzion, Matthew Creed, Circuito Cerrado, Circumpolar, Venal Flesh, Mentallo & The Fixer, Freakangel, Alien Vampires, I:Scintilla, Schwarzblut, Totem Obscura, Reactor7X, First Aid 4 Souls, Lederman / De Meyer, Implant, AD:keY, Kant Kino, Die Robo Sapiens, ELM, Pouppee Fabrikk, Armageddon Dildos, Plastic Noise Experience, Synapsyche, Avarice In Audio, Elektrostaub, Junksista, First Aid 4 Souls, Benestrophe, Mental Exile, Star Industry, Halo In Reverse, Lovelorn Dolls, Helalyn Flowers, Essence Of Mind, Rector Scanner, Elektroklänge, Metroland, Lights A.M, Cosmic Armchair, Aiboforcen, H.O.W., 808 DOT POP, Suicidal Romance, Entrzelle, Technoir, Neuroactive, Mondträume, The Psychic Force, Studio-X, Studio-X Vs Simon Carter, Neikka RPM, Komor Kommando, Siva Six, Aengeldust, Acylum, Dunkelwerk and Növö.

Exclusive face masks

Next to that you can also get the download together with a face mask, out in a very limited series. You can either buy them separately or get all 3 in one. Check the set of 3 Face Masks (Blue Matrix + Endzeit + Red EBM Alert) or the separate masks.

Note that EVERY face mask order comes with a free compilation CD on top: “Sounds from the matrix 022” with 20 extra tracks.

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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