The Canadian band The Birthday Massacre has been active for more than a year now. Fans had to wait three years for this latest release, which was preceded by two singles—both of which are included on the album.

Pathways consists of only eight tracks, featuring familiar singles. From the very beginning, the musical direction of the album becomes clear: industrial guitar riffs are softened in the choruses by melodious, compelling, and dark melodies. Floating above the music is the charismatic, angelic, and somewhat fragile voice of Chibi. Once again, it’s clear—without their singer, The Birthday Massacre would be an entirely different band and vice versa. Music and vocals form a unity of contrasts here, shaping both the style and character of the album and the band. There’s a fusion of raw, powerful guitar work on one hand, and dreamy, almost pop-like synth melodies on the other, with Chibi’s vocals acting as the perfect glue binding it all together. The choruses, at times, have an uplifting, almost euphoric quality, creating several standout moments.

On “Pathways”, nearly everything sounds refined and purposeful. It’s a pity that the album contains only eight songs—but they are undeniably great songs. The Birthday Massacre continues to surprise, delivering a sound they have mastered like no one else. (Rating:9).

Listen to “Sleep Tonight”:

Read the news on ‘Pathways’.

About The Birthday Massacre

The Birthday Massacre is a Canadian Goth/rock/pop band formed in 2002 by Sara Elaine Taylor, known as Chibi, alongside members going by Rainbow and Mike. The band released the album “Diamonds” in 2020, followed in 2022 by “Fascination”, recorded with new bass player Brett after the members wrote separately during lockdown and reconvened in the studio. “Pathways”, the band’s 2025 album on Metropolis Records, follows singles including “Dreams Of You” and “Precious Hearts” from the “Fascination” era and continues the pairing of Chibi’s vocals with the band’s guitar-and-synth sound.

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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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Out now via Metropolis Records is the brand new single from The Birthday Massacre, “All Of You“. It coincides with the opening night of a North American tour to promote “Pathways”, the forthcoming new album by The Birthday Massacre that will be released on 11th April via Metropolis Records.

Thematically “All Of You” “explores the emotional weight of death and the profound sense of being lost in its shadow,” the band explains. “It speaks to the hopelessness of trying to find peace when the heart is still caught in the echoes of absence.”

“All Of You” is the second single to be lifted from “Pathways”, following the release of “Sleep Tonight” earlier last month.

The Birthday Massacre – North American Tour 2025

• 28th March – NEW YORK CITY, NY – (le) Poisson Rouge
• 29th March – PITTSBURGH, PA – Crafthouse
• 30th March – DETROIT, MI – Small’s
• 31st March – CHICAGO, IL – Reggies
• 2nd April – MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Fine Line Music Hall
• 3rd April – KANSAS CITY, MO – RecordBar
• 4th April – DENVER, CO – The Oriental Theater
• 5th April – SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Metro Music Hall
• 7th April – SEATTLE, WA – El Corazon
• 8th April – PORTLAND, OR – Dante’s
• 10th April – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Bottom Of The Hill
• 11th April – LOS ANGELES, CA – EchoPlex
• 12th April – LAS VEGAS, NV – Backstage Bar
• 14th April – SAN DIEGO, CA – Brick By Brick
• 15th April – MESA, AZ – Nile Theater
• 17th April – HOUSTON, TX – Warehouse Live
• 18th April – DALLAS, TX – Granada Theater
• 19th April – AUSTIN, TX – Come And Take It Live
• 21st April – TAMPA, FL – Orpheum
• 22nd April – ATLANTA, GA – Masquerade
• 23rd April – ASHEVILLE, NC – The Orange Peel
• 25th April – VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Elevation 27
• 26th April – BALTIMORE, MD – Soundstage
• 28th April – WASHINGTON, DC – Union Stage
• 29th April – MECHANICSBURG, PA – Lovedrafts Brewing
• 1st May – BOSTON, MA – Paradise Rock Club
• 2nd May – PARSIPPANY, NJ – Dark Force Fest
• 3rd May – TORONTO, ON – Velvet Underground
• 4th May – MONTREAL, QC – Foufounes

A 13 date autumn UK tour commencing on 24th October has also been confirmed.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Out on Metropolis Records on 11 April is the brand new The Birthday Massacre album “Pathways”, the follow-up to their 2022 album “Fascination”.

A first single from it entitled “Sleep Tonight” is already available since last month. “It is a song about being haunted by our own ghosts,” the band explained upon its release. “Memories and regrets follow us as we try to find comfort. Even the most familiar and safe places can feel sinister as we wrestle with these feelings that we often bury deep within ourselves.”

The “Pathways” album can already be pre-ordered on Bandcamp.

The group will commence a 29 date North American tour on 28th March, with a further 13 shows already confirmed in the UK from 24th October.

The Birthday Massacre 2025 tour dates

North America – Spring 2025

March

• Mar 28 – Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY
• Mar 29 – Crafthouse Stage & Grill, Pittsburgh, PA
• Mar 30 – Small’s, Detroit, MI
• Mar 31 – Reggies Rock Club, Chicago, IL

April

• Apr 02 – Fine Line, Minneapolis, MN
• Apr 03 – recordBar, Kansas City, MO
• Apr 04 – The Oriental Theater, Denver, CO
• Apr 05 – Metro Music Hall, Salt Lake City, UT
• Apr 07 – El Corazon, Seattle, WA
• Apr 08 – Dante’s, Portland, OR
• Apr 10 – Bottom Of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
• Apr 11 – Echoplex, Los Angeles, CA
• Apr 12 – Backstage Bar & Billiards, Las Vegas, NV
• Apr 14 – Brick By Brick, San Diego, CA
• Apr 15 – The Nile Theater, Mesa, AZ
• Apr 17 – Warehouse Live Midtown, Houston, TX
• Apr 18 – Granada Theater, Dallas, TX
• Apr 19 – Come and Take It Live, Austin, TX
• Apr 21 – The Orpheum, Tampa, FL
• Apr 22 – Hell at The Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
• Apr 23 – The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
• Apr 25 – Elevation 27, Virginia Beach, VA
• Apr 26 – Baltimore Soundstage, Baltimore, MD
• Apr 28 – Union Stage, Washington, DC
• Apr 29 – XL Live, Harrisburg, PA

May

• May 01 – Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
• May 02 – Dark Force Fest 2025, Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ
• May 03 – Velvet Underground, Toronto, ON
• May 04 – Foufounes Électriques, Montreal, QC

United Kingdom – Autumn 2025

October

• Oct 24 – Ivory Blacks, Glasgow
• Oct 25 – Krakatoa, Aberdeen
• Oct 26 – La Belle, Edinburgh
• Oct 29 – The Crescent Community Venue, York
• Oct 30 – Cluny, Newcastle Upon Tyne
• Oct 31 – Corporation, Sheffield

November

• Nov 01 – Rebellion, Manchester
• Nov 02 – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
• Nov 04 – [Venue TBA], Bristol
• Nov 05 – Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff
• Nov 06 – NAC, Wolverhampton
• Nov 07 – Esquires, Bedford
• Nov 08 – The Garage, London

About The Birthday Massacre

The Canadian goth rock metal act The Birthday Massacre (TBM) formed in 1999 in London, Ontario, now based in Toronto. The current lineup includes lead vocalist Sara ‘Chibi’ Taylor, rhythm guitarist Michael Rainbow, lead guitarist Michael Falcore, keyboardist Owen Mackinder, drummer Philip Elliott, and bassist Brett Carruthers. ​

Originally named ‘Imagica’ – inspired by Clive Barker’s 1991 fantasy novel “Imajica” – they changed their name to The Birthday Massacre in 2002 to avoid confusion with another group. Musically the band blends elements of dark wave, electronic rock, new wave, and alternative rock.

“Walking with Strangers” (2007) shot the band to a more mainstream public. In February 2022, The Birthday Massacre released their latest album, “Fascination”. Read the review of ‘Pathways’.

The Birthday Massacre discography

• Nothing and Nowhere (2002)​
• Violet (2005)​
• Walking with Strangers (2007)​
• Pins and Needles (2010)​
• Hide and Seek (2012)​
• Superstition (2014)​
• Under Your Spell (2017)​
• Diamonds (2020)​
• Fascination (2022)
• Pathways (2025)

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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VampireFreaks have announce the line-up for the 3-day music festival Dark Force Fest which takes place in Parsippany, NJ (one hour from NYC) on May 2nd to 4th, 2025.

The festival features 35 bands performing across two stages: including ORGY, The Birthday Massacre, Covenant, Suicide Commando, Aesthetic Perfection, Genitorturers, Funker Vogt, Razed In Black, Calabrese, SITD, Haujobb, Klutæ, TRAITRS, Beborn Beton, God Module, Flesh Field, Dead On A Sunday, Rosegarden Funeral Party, Amelia Arsenic, NYXX, Panic Priest, 2 Shadows, Seraphim Shock, Dancing Plague, genCAB, Occults, SINE, Circuit Preacher, Corbeau Hangs, Die Sexual, Frenchy and the Punk, Everything Goes Cold, Contracult, Project .44, and Whorticulture.

You can order your tickets here.

Dark Force Fest takes place at the Sheraton Parsippany, a castle-style hotel that features 44,000 square feet of event space and 370 hotel rooms. While the hotel rooms in the main venue sold out within days of announcing the festival, there are still overflow hotels in the surrounding area.

In addition to 35 bands, Dark Force Fest activities include:

• Over 100 Vendors
• Sideshow Performances
• Drag Queens
• DJ Club Events (Playing Goth-Industrial Music)
• Classes & Activities
• Panels and Presentations
• Food Trucks

Below is a preview of what to expect.

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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It took nearly six years for Brussels-based Lovelorn Dolls to release their latest album, “Deadtime Stories.” Similar to their previous work, “Darker Ages,” the production was entrusted to Maxx Maryan (HELALYN FLOWERS, IMJUDAS). The duo’s style remains rooted in Gothic elements, now infused with a heavier, more Metal-like sound. Comparisons with The Birthday Massacre are still relevant, but the overall production has significantly matured. The guitar riffs are sharper, providing a well-balanced contrast to the melodic Electro arrangements. Kristell Lowagie’s vocals, both fragile and passionate, imbue the album with a distinctive sensibility. Noteworthy are her duets with Dero Goi (former Oomph! singer) and American rapper Vvitchboy. “Deadtime Stories” marks a successful evolution for Lovelorn Dolls. (Rate:8).

Listen to “A Heart Cries”:

Read the news on ‘Deadtime Stories’.

About Lovelorn Dolls

Lovelorn Dolls is a gothic and electro-metal duo from Brussels, Belgium, fronted by vocalist Kristell Lowagie and co-founded with the late Bernard Daubresse. The band released “Darker Ages,” produced by Maxx Maryan of Helalyn Flowers and Imjudas, before returning with “Deadtime Stories” in 2024, again produced by Maryan and featuring duets with Dero Goi and rapper Vvitchboy. Bernard Daubresse died in November 2025; the following EP, “True Crimes,” released in October 2025, was the last Lovelorn Dolls material shaped by him, and the band went on to welcome new bassist Fabien for the 2026 single “Call Me Your Ghost.”

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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“Deadtime Stories” is the come-back release of Lovelorn Dolls.  A wonderful surprise for me since I no longer expected any new music after such a long break. I therefore rushed talking with Kristell, the frontwoman of this unique goth metal pop act we often call the Belgian Birthday Massacre, who shared with us some artistic moments from behind the scene…

The new album is out as download (via Bandcamp), streaming and on CD (via the Spleen+ / Alfa Matrix webstore or straight from the band).

SL: After a 5-year break, you’re back with your 4th album, “Deadtime Stories”. Kristell, how did your experiences as Kristell In Wonderland influence the music and themes of this new album?

K: “Kristell in Wonderland” is my photographic and visual artist name. For 6 years, I dedicated myself to creating cinematographic images that tell a story. It all started with the solo album that I released on Alfa Matrix in 2017 “SIN.SIN”. I needed a cover and artwork for the album and I decided to do everything by myself and I loved it so much that “Kristell In Wonderland” was born! This influenced the new album in a very simple way: we no longer call on anyone from outside to create our visuals. We loved the graphic designers we worked with, but this freedom of being able to create what we want… it’s unparalleled. This also creates a sort of bubble but above all an even stronger identity.

SL: “Deadtime Stories” features a blend of goth metal, dark melodies, and industrial tones with a “creepy cute” ambiance. Can you talk about how you developed this unique sound and what inspired the Tim Burton-esque scenes?

K: As this is our 4th album, we can say that we have already established this atmosphere for almost 15 years. This sound developed through all our influences, whether musical, cinematographic, literary, … I’m a fan of goth culture, I love characters like Wednesday Addams, Emily The Strange, Edward Scissorhands, so that is inevitably felt in our musical and visual atmosphere. Bernard is more of a fan of hard and industrial so he brings this more martial touch.

SL: The album’s title is a play on children’s rhymes with dark themes. How did you come up with this concept, and how does it reflect the overall message of the album?

K: We first worked on the songs, then I started writing lyrics, they all revolved around stories of death, suicide, murder. I knew I wanted a little girl on the album cover (as usual, let’s say), and the image of a little girl reading in a cemetery came quite quickly. Then I thought about parents who tell stories to their children at night before going to sleep, and the pun “Deadtime Stories” came to me. I found it funny and we kept it. This title totally sums up the concept of the album.

SL: Each song on the album indeed delves into heavy themes such as death, endings, and broken dreams. Can you share the inspiration behind some of these themes and how you approached writing about such intense subjects?

K: In general, inspiration comes from within (personal events) or from outside (not always happy news). “A Heart Cries” is about suicide and a day when I wanted to end it. I was in a very bad psychological state. On the contrary, “Dancing at your funeral” is about a French man, Stéphane Voirin, who lost his partner. She was a teacher and she was killed by one of her students. During his funeral he danced in front of his coffin as he left the church. The video created a buzz, but above all it was extremely moving. I absolutely had to tell this story.

SL: “Dancing at Your Funeral” actually features a duet with DERO GOI and is co-produced and co-written by him. How did this collaboration come about, and what was it like working with him on this track?

K: We wanted to have fun in every way on this album, and why not do a duet with a prestigious artist? We made a list of singers whose voices we love. I still have it: it says Moonspell, Lacuna Coil, … and Oomph!. We contacted them, and it’s all a question of timing: Dero had the time and the desire at that time, while the others were touring and had other things to do. At first, we simply asked him to lay down his voice, but ultimately he did a lot more and he actually co-produced the song and rewrote certain passages. It was surreal to work with such an artist, and we are very proud of this collaboration with him.

SL: VVITCHBOY features on the track “Death & Glory.” What was the creative process behind this energetic and enchanting track, and what do you feel VVITCHBOY brought to the song?

K: VVitchboy is a gothic rapper straight from the USA. He brought everything I don’t know how to do in terms of vocal flow and energy. As said previously, for this album, we didn’t put any barriers in place. VVitchboy asked us to collaborate and as we are very open-minded, we said “why not?” and it gives this crazy song that makes you want to move and shake!

SL: The cover artwork, depicting a lonely girl reading in a cemetery fog, perfectly encapsulates the album’s themes. Can you discuss the artistic vision behind this imagery and how it ties into the music?

K: I was a teacher in another life, and in my class I had a little girl who loved gory and scary stories. I thought of her a lot when I imagined this album. We thought it would be even cooler if the introduction was spoken by the mysterious voice of Vincent Price. We managed to do this thanks to the development of artificial intelligence.

SL: Fans of bands like THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE, JACK OFF JILL, and THEATRE OF TRAGEDY are likely to enjoy “Deadtime Stories.” How do you feel your music has evolved since your previous releases, and what can fans expect from this new album?

K: Fans can expect pure “Lovelorn Dolls” but with an even stronger and more assertive identity than previous albums. we pushed ourselves to the limits, without barriers, without limits, and there is a very strong storytelling side, you can even buy the book that goes with it! Treat yourself !

Eldrina Mich

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

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The dark rock ensemble from Canada, A Primitive Evolution, featuring Brett Carruthers, Steph Misayo Seki, and Stu Dead, has unveiled their latest video, “Ace of Spades.” This leading track is from their new EP, now available through Metropolis Records. Mareks directed and filmed the music video.

Regarding the song’s origin, Carruthers shared, “We began performing it live just for fun a few years back while working on ‘Becoming,’ as we were listening to several Motörhead classics. We wondered what it would sound like if we slowed it down to resemble one of our grungy rock jams. We became enamored with the outcome, toyed with it, and eventually decided to record it. We only wish Lemmy could have heard it, but we hope the metal gods accept our grim tribute!”

This single comes as an unexpected delight since the band has been quiet for some time. In their latest album “Becoming,” released in late 2018, they blended industrial, metal, and electronic elements. The album was recorded at Desolation Studios in their hometown of Toronto, with contributions from writer/producer Ian D’Sa (Billy Talent) and engineer Kenny Luong (Metric). Following that release, the band’s lead singer and guitarist, Brett Carruthers, joined The Birthday Massacre as their new bassist, leading to A Primitive Evolution taking a temporary hiatus.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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(Photo by Andrea Hunter) Canadian act The Birthday Massacre have just issued a video for “Precious Hearts”, a song included on their current album “Fascination”. An album which Side-Line described as “alluring and powerful” with “songs (that) remain driven by powerful guitar, electronics that inject a melodic and elevating touch, on top of which the charismatic vocals of Chibi bring passion, fragility and grace.” In short, an excellent album.”

The clip itself features footage filmed at a show in their home city of Toronto in October 2022 during a North American tour to promote the album, shortly before they arrived in the UK to play a ten date UK tour.

The Birthday Massacre will be on tour in the US again from late April, with nine headlining shows bookending eleven further guest slots with Lacuna Coil. Their full itinerary can be seen below.

Formed in 2000, The Birthday Massacre incorporate elements of electronica, goth and new wave into sound. They have issued 9 full-length studio records to date and had originally planned to tour their eighth album, “Diamonds” (2020). However, the pandemic intervened and eventually led the band to make “Fascination”, which was released in February 2022.

Here’s the video for “Precious Hearts”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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Out now via Metropolis is the all new single from the Canadian industrial rock act A Primitive Evolution: “Ace Of Spades”. “Ace Of Spades” is included on a three track EP that is set for release on 3rd March via Metropolis Records.

The single is a welcome surprise as the band has been silent for a while. In their most recent album “Becoming”, released in late 2018, the band fused industrial, metal and electronic sounds. Recorded at their Desolation Studios set-up in their home city of Toronto, it included input from writer/producer Ian D’Sa (Billy Talent) and engineer Kenny Luong (Metric). After that release the band’s frontman and guitarist Brett Carruthers joined The Birthday Massacre as their new bassist necessitating that A Primitive Evolution be temporarily placed on the backburner.

Carruthers explains the new single: “We actually started playing it live for fun years ago while writing ‘Becoming’ and were listening to a lot Motörhead classic. We thought, what if we slowed it way down to sound like one of our dirty rock jams? We fell in love with the result and played around with it, and finally decided to record and release it. We’re just sad Lemmy will never get to hear it, but hopefully the metal gods may accept our filthy offering!”

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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(By Stéphane Froidcoeur for Inferno Sound Diaries/Side-Line Reviews) 2022 has been once again a sad, bloody and terrible year. Living in a mad world music once more remains a true therapy to appease pain and frustration. Concerts and festivals came back; the perfect place to meet friends again. Artists remain prolific releasing great studio work. So I’m once more closing the year by a personal selection of my very own ‘best of’-albums of the year.

Over 700 productions have been selected while 540  reviews have been made all over the year. Some productions have been refused because the style of music didn’t fit, while other reviews will be postponed to 2023. I’m really grateful to all labels, bands and promoters considering my work and efforts and I hope you’ll go on providing me new promos next year.

I one again have to express my deepest gratitude to Rich Bova (NEIKKA RPM) who for years and years now is reading, correcting and improving my reviews. Without Rich there would be no reviews. I also want to thank Bernard Van Isacker – chief redactor Side-Line Music Magazine – for the successful collaboration. 

Up now to 2023. I already reduced my activities this year and will move on reducing it in 2023. I made my first reviews and interviews back in 1991 (!). Some of the readers and artists weren’t even born when I wrote my first review for Side-Line. So after more than 30 years non-stop activities I think it’s not that strange to move on slowly.

I also want to express a big ‘F*** you’ to so-called ‘artists’ and label owners who don’t realise and appreciate the work I’m doing by making reviews and preparing interviews to get them in the spotlights. The attitude and less of respect shown by those people – luckily a very few number – is just unacceptable… but I’m afraid it reflects the world we’re living in… Behind a genius artist is not always hiding a great person… It’s quite strange to realise the ’biggest’- and long-time established artists from this scene often are the most accessible ones.

Writing reviews remains very ‘subjective’ and always a source of discussion, but keep in mind it will be always the perception of the reviewer. I can assure you I’m always trying to argue my reviews the best as possible. A review will be never objective, but has to be honest!

Like every year I’ve made a selection from the best albums of the year. This ‘TOP 25’ covers different styles like EBM, Dark-Electro, IDM, Synth-Pop, Ethereal, Dark-Ambient, Industrial, Cinematographic, Gothic, Post-Punk, Cold/Dark-Wave, Dark-Techno and a few related genres. It remains an exciting but tough exercise.

This ‘TOP 25’ is taken from the promotional material I got while compilations, ‘best of’-productions, EP’s and singles were not considered.

So, here’s my ‘TOP 25’ from 2022 and don’t forget to share it with your friends….

Top 25 albums 2022

1. IVARDENSPHERE: “Ragemaker” – Metropolis Records
2. DIE ROBO SAPIENS : “Robo Sapien Race” – Alfa Matrix
3. EBE04 : “Inrush – Give/Take
4. CALDON GLOVER: “Labyrintia” – Cyclic Law
5. ROME: “Hegemonikon” – Trisol
6. NEIKKA RPM: “Scorpio In The Hourglass – Alfa Matrix
7. VANGUARD: “Spectrum” – Infacted Recordings
8. SUICIDE COMMANDO: “Goddestructor” – Out Of Line
9. ELM: “Penetrator” – Alfa Matrix
10. OBERER TOTPUNKT: “Totentanz” – Danse Macabre Records
11. THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE: “Fascination” – Metropolis Records
12. BLACKBOOK: “Confessions Of The Innocent” – DarkTunes Music Group
13. BEYOND THE GHOST: “Sundown” – Cryo Chamber
14. THEN COMES SILENCE: “Hunger” – Metropolis Records
15. PRINCIPE VALLIENTE: “Barricades” – Metropolis Records
16. DAWN OF ASHES: “Scars Of The Broken” – Artoffact Records
17. MONSTERGOD: “Ozymandias” – Space Race Records
18. STATIQBLOOM: “Threat” – Sonic Groove Records
19. AXIOME: “Field Guide To Alien Planets And Other Disco Balls – Audiophob
20. REICHSFEIND: “Darken” – Alfa Matrix
21. FIRST AID 4 SOULS: “I Am The Night” – Alfa Matrix
22. ORDO ROSARIUS EQUILIBRIO: “Nihilist Notes And The Perputual Quest 4 Meaning In Nothing” – Out Of Line
23. KILL SHELTER: “Asylum” – Manic Depression Records / Metropolis Records
24. JAGATH: “Svapna” – Cold Spring Records
25. KILL YOUR BOYFRIEND: “Voodoo” – Shyrec

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: Wave-Pop, Dream-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: This is the sixth full length album by the Spanish duo Alex Brujas – Sasana Egea aka Stereoskop. It also is their first work released by Reptile Music. The album was preceded by two singles.

Content: I remember this formation as being totally devoted to Electronic music while “Silk” sounds like exploring new paths. It’s not that totally different but definitely more into Dream-Pop. The guitar playing injects a true spirit to the composition. The music is delicate, sometimes dark, and always into reverie.

+ + + : Stereoskop has seriously improved their global writing and production. This work is a great sonic fusion between Wave-Pop and Dream-Pop. It will definitely appeal to 80s lovers although Stereoskop has something of their own. The song “My Side” is an absolute masterpiece, reminding me of the legendary French formation Indochine for its elevating effect during the chorus. I also like previous singles “The Mist” and “Hazel Eyes” but also want to mention the delicate “Sun Is Bright”, “Under” reminding me of a ‘soft’ version of The Birthday Massacre and “Out Of Control” driven by a menacing bass line.

– – – : My only minus point is the rather disappointing final part featuring 2 songs which are less inspired. 

Conclusion: Stereoskop is a great new signing to Reptile Music which has a nose for talented bands.

Best songs: “My Side”, “Out Of Control”, “The Mist”, “Hazel Eyes”, “Sun Is Bright”, “Saw The Light”

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.stereoskop.net /  www.facebook.com/stereoskop.skop 

Label: www.reptile-music.net / www.facebook.com/reptile.music

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

Canadian Goth/Rock/Pop formation The Birthday Massacre is now active for twenty years. I think we might speak about a true phenomenon; a band with an own sound DNA which is also reflected in the artwork. There’s only one band like The Birthday Massacre and every new album confirms their leading status. They this year unleashed the new opus “Fascination” which has been introduced as their most intimate work.  The songs are driven by powerful and merciless guitar play while the electronics inject a melodic and elevating touch to the work. On top of this sonic fusion the charismatic vocals of Chibi bring passion, fragility, and grace. I talked about “Fascination” with front woman Sara Elaine Taylor aka ‘Chibi’. The interview took place before the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

(Picture credits by Andrea Hunter / Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: 2022 must be a special year to you as The Birthday Massacre was set up twenty years ago. I think we might speak about a true accomplishment so how do you look back at this success? What have been the main facts in the band’s history? And how did you see the band evolving from the early work towards “Fascination”?

Chibi: It really doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. I think we’re really lucky to have the relationships with each other that we do. We’ve had such incredible experiences and gone through so much good stuff and bad stuff together, written a lot of music together, travelled… we’re a family.

When myself, Rainbow and Mike started this band there’s no way we could have known we would still be at it 20 years later –let alone still write music that excites us and people are interested in. It’s been such a journey. And with the music, I mean, we have always written music that we would want to hear. I’m happy that it seems other people want to hear it as well.

Q: I noticed a few months ago now your manager Terry McManus passed away. How important was he to The Birthday Massacre?

Chibi: We adored Terry. Losing him is one of the worst things that has happened to us. I said before that we are a family, and Terry was part of our family. I really can’t even put into words how important he was to us, and how much we loved him. And he really loved our music and believed in us. Honestly I still have trouble believing he is gone. He played such a massive role in our day-to-day lives. He was our friend. It’s a little difficult for me to talk about this in any practical sense. I’m so sorry.

Q: Over now to your new album “Fascination”, which has been introduced as your most intimate work to date. What is “Fascination” all about and how did the songs take shape? 

Chibi: Well, immediately as we released our last album, “Diamonds”, we all went into lockdown. We didn’t see each other, or anyone else, for a long time, just like everyone around the world. So Rainbow and Mike started writing music as they were isolating, sending things along to me here and there, and after a year or whatever it was, we were all really excited to get back together in the studio and get to writing and recording. I almost had a frantic energy, I was just so happy to be getting back to ‘normal’.

Q: Was there any particular focus in the song writing and production of “Fascination”? Do you handle specific references and/or criteria to know a song/album is finished? And what’s the input of each member in this specific process?

Chibi: We work extremely collaboratively as the songs come together. And I’m pretty sure we don’t really ever think a song is truly complete. If it weren’t for deadlines and due dates we would keep working on all of them endlessly, I’m sure. We always record the vocals last, that’s the final step, once the music ‘feels’ right. It’s hard to really explain that. Mike and Rainbow work on music independently, then bring the songs to each other, and I listen to them as they’re in progress and start thinking about lyrics.

This time, the three of us went into the studio with Brett, who is our new bass player, and he worked with us. We’ve known Brett since college, and we’re happy he has joined us. He’s a great musician.

Q: You’re actually preparing a big live tour. What does it mean in times of the ongoing pandemic to be on stage again? How do you prepare such a big tour and what might we expect?

Chibi: To be perfectly honest with you, I’m really nervous. We haven’t toured in a long time, and despite having done it for so long, the entire concept feels really alien to me, haha. Like…. ‘I’m going to live on a bus? I don’t remember how to do that!’

We also now have two albums that we haven’t toured behind, so choosing songs for the set list has been a bit of a process. Obviously we want to be safe and take care of ourselves and the audiences, but that’s always something we consider. I guess we’ll see how it goes.

Q: I think you guys are also quite successful in Russia. Considering the political situation between Russia and Ukraine, would you still take the risk playing in this country? Did you ever refuse to play somewhere because of specific reasons?

Chibi: I don’t think we have ever refused to play anywhere. We have really enjoyed the times we’ve been to Russia, and if travelling there isn’t a possibility, we’d be really disappointed. But we’ll see how things progress.

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: Goth-Rock, Goth-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: The Birthday Massacre was originally created in 2002. Twenty years later the Canadian formation is unleashing their newest work featuring nine songs. This album has been introduced as being their most intimate work to date.

Content: The Birthday Massacre hasn’t really changed or evolved in style. They just move on composing their very personal interpretation of Goth-Rock, Goth-Pop, Metal-Pop or however you want to call it. The songs remain driven by powerful and merciless guitar play while the electronics inject a melodic and elevating touch to the work. On top of this sonic fusion the charismatic vocals of Chibi bring passion, fragility, and grace.

+ + + : The Birthday Massacre is a band you can’t really compare to others. That’s what makes the band’s strength and power of attraction, but it first of all remains a great composition. It’s a well-crafted and mature production with a judicious balance between mind-blowing guitars and carrying electronics. “Fascination” sounds dark and yet enlightening, menacing and still dreamy! It resulted from a passionate writing process recovered by the natural talent of their vocalist.  Everything sounds right and the work features multiple new ‘hits’.

– – – : It’s not the first time the last song of the album can’t fully convince me, but do we have reasons to complain?

Conclusion: The Birthday Massacre moves on composing alluring and powerful music.

Best songs: “Like Fear, Like Love”, “Precious Hearts”, “Stars And Satellites”, “Dreams Of You”, “Fascination”.

Rate: 9.

Artist: www.facebook.com/TheBirthdayMassacre

Label: www.metropolis-records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords

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 Canadian goth metal act The Birthday Massacre will release their ninth album “Fascination” on February 18th through Metropolis Records. But first there is the new single “Dreams Of You” which you can check out below.

The new single is part of the new 9-song album “Fascination” which was produced by band members Michael Rainbow, M. Falcore, and Brett ‘Bat’ Carruthers and recorded at Desolation Studios, Dire Studios and The Altar Studios all in Toronto. Note that it was mixed by legendary former Skinny Puppy member Dave ‘Rave’ Ogilvie along with Rainbow, Falcore and Carruthers at Hipposonic Studios in Vancouver.

Here is the radio version of the new single “Dreams Of You”.

Upcoming tour

The Birthday Massacre will embark on a long-delayed U.S. tour with friends Julien-K in support which kicks off in New York City on February 24th. The band then follows with extensive international touring including treks across South America, The United Kingdom and Continental Europe.

• February 24 — New York, NY – (Le) Poisson Rouge
• February 25 — Pittsburgh, PA – The Crafthouse
• February 26 — Hamtramck, MI – Small’s
• February 27 — Chicago, IL – Reggie’s Rock Club
• March 1 — Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line Music Cafe
• March 3 — Indianapolis, IN – Emerson Theatre
• March 4 — Kansas City, MO @ BLV
• March 5 — Denver, CO – The Oriental Theater
• March 6 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell
• March 8 — Seattle, WA – El Corazon
• March 9 — Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
• March 11 — San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of The Hill
• March 12 — West Hollywood, CA – The Whisky a Go Go
• March 13 — San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick
• March 15 — Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater
• March 17 — Dallas, TX – Amplified Live
• March 18 — Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live
• March 19 — Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
• March 22 — West Palm Beach, FL – Respectables
• March 23 — Tampa, FL – The Orpheum
• March 25 — Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
• March 26 — Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Hell)
• March 27 — Nashville, TN – The Basement East
• March 29 — Virginia Beach, VA @ Elevation 27
• March 30 — Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Sound Stage
• March 31 — Cambridge, MA – The Middle East
• April 1 — Parsippany, NJ – Dark Side Of The Con
• April 2 — Mechanicsburg, PA – Lovedraft’s Brewing

About The Birthday Massacre

The Birthday Massacre formed in 2000 in Ontario and were originally known as Imagica, their name taken from the title of a novel by Clive Barker. Having relocated to Toronto, they renamed themselves The Birthday Massacre just before the release of their debut album, “Nothing & Nowhere”, in the summer of 2002. The “Violet” EP was issued in 2004 and then made available in expanded form as a full album via Metropolis Records, a label with whom the group have remained ever since.

The next two TBM albums, “Walking with Strangers” (2007) and “Pins and Needles” (2010), plus the EP “Imaginary Monsters” EP (2011), were followed by 2012’s “Hide and Seek”.

The group turned to their fans to help crowdfund their sixth album, “Superstition”, which appeared in late 2014 and was supported by major tours in North America, the UK, mainland Europe and Brazil.

A compilation of early four-track demos entitled “Imagica” (2016) preceded “Under Your Spell”, released in 2017. Three years later, the band celebrated their 20th anniversary with “Diamonds”, its release seeing new drummer Phillip Elliot and bassist Brett ‘Bat’ Carruthers join the band’s ranks. The latter is also the frontman of alternative rock band A Primitive Evolution.

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

Metropolis Records was set up in 1994 by Dave Heckman. In no time the American label became a truly reference when it comes to Electronic and Industrial music. The label licensed –and still does, European productions, but also signed new artists. Among the Metropolis roster you’ll find bands as VNV Nation, Front 242, Front Line Assembly, Wumpsuct, Project Pitchfork, Juno Reactor, Assemblage 23, The Birthday Massacre, KMFDM, Numb, Haujobb, Leather Strip, Apoptygma Berzerk, Velvet Acid Christ, God Module, Covenant, Informatik and many, many more

(Stéphane Froidcoeur / Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Was there a kind of ‘philosophy’ when you set up your label and did it evolve over the years? How would you define your label activities today?

Dave: No philosophy per se. It was just something I wanted to do for a living, so I needed to go about things in a very professional manner and always stay focused on that goal.

I am going to presume you mean label activities as compared to my activities at the label, although I will go into both.

The first step is to find the talent and that has always been my job. I am the owner and the A&R guy. Then, of course, a deal needs to be worked out and again that has always been my job too.

After a deal is done, we have to assemble the assets for the release such as artwork, photos, masters, videos, and publishing information. This is all needed to setup the releases with our worldwide distributors and to manufacture the albums themselves.

Then comes promotion. Retail, club, radio, video, press, touring, social media, etc. A lot of this is done internally, but sometimes we hire outside companies, particularly for video, radio, press, and booking tours.

Finally, the royalty statements need to be processed and payments made. A tedious and important part of the business.

So, believe it or not, as much as the industry has changed, the setup and promotion is really quite similar to what it was years ago. The revenue just comes from different sources.

Q: I can imagine you must have specific and explicit criteria to sign an artist/band. Can you give us more details about this aspect and how important is it for you to know the person(s) hiding behind the ‘artist(s)’?

Dave: Not really. In general, I sign bands I like and there is no particular sound I am looking for. I cannot really tell you why I liked Numb or Project Pitchfork, I just did. When it comes to art, whether music, film, or paintings I cannot tell you why I like what I do. In some way it has to move me.

That said, I do have a tendency to like or lean towards things dark, edgy, and innovative. Some of the bands that I was interested in were never signed, because we could not come to an agreement. Sometimes the bands had higher expectations than I did and the advance they wanted was too large or we had different ideas on promotional aspects of a campaign.

Metropolis has released over 1200 albums with over 200 different artists, so I did not get to meet and know everyone. In the beginning I just licensed from a few European labels like Zoth Ommog, KK Records and Hyperium. So, my relationships were with my licensing partners. However, as things progressed and we brought the bands over to tour and I went overseas to festivals and conferences and finally met these artists, my relationships with them developed. Always liked to travel and visit the artists where they lived and liked hanging out with them during and after shows. As we got to know each other better it just made everything smoother.

Q: You are already active for numerous years now so you must have seen a lot of things changing and evolving; think about social media, streaming platforms, Youtube channels… but also economic crisis etc. What are the pros and cons of these changes/evolutions and in, which way did you had to adapt/change your strategy and activities?

Dave: The biggest change was the death of retail record stores. That was how I started consuming music as a 10 year old kid. I mean I just did not go there to buy music, but to discover it. The cool stores played cool music and I also would just go through the record bins to find something new that caught my eye. Retail was still a force in music in the 90’s, but went really downhill after 2002 or so. As I mentioned above, retail promotion was important, but now it is almost gone.

So, of course digital comes along and I knew tons of artists and labels that were vehemently opposed to the format. Don’t get me wrong I thought 128 bit rate MP3 played on a computer sucked compared to a Compact Disc on a good stereo system. However, that is the way people wanted to consume, so we sold digital downloads.

At present, hardly anyone buys downloads and streaming revenue is going through the roof. Of course, I have artists complaining about this. More arguments / discussions with artists about streaming than any other industry issue, but it has saved the industry not destroyed it. Illegal downloads and CD burning where the real culprits.

Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Prime, Deezer, Pandora are great platforms. However, YouTube sucks. They pay a fraction of what everyone else does, but people are complaining about Spotify instead of them. That I do not understand.

The bottom line is to adapt fast to a changing industry.

The benefit of the digital world is the massive savings on manufacturing, storage, and shipping, which of course is also good for the environment.

As far as the economic downturn, we go through these all the time and readjust.

Q: The ongoing pandemic has affected all artistic life and activities so what’s the true impact on your label activities and do you think it will also affect your long term objectives?

Dave: The pandemic has hurt the industry considerably. We had a dozen tours lined up for last spring including Lords Of Acid, Clan Of Xymox, KMFDM, Front Line Assembly, The Birthday Massacre, and many more. All cancelled and the bands lost money to varying degrees. However, the recorded music industry saw their revenue grow since almost everything is digital or online even including physical sales. In the long run and this intermediate period, nothing will change much, people will go back to their old habits for the most part.

Q: Do you think media (magazines, online platforms etc…) still have an impact and a role to play today? What’s your relationship with ‘journalists’ and how important is their work?

Dave: Yes, that medium is still important. All promotional activity counts. You have to spread the word around wherever you can. However, I really cannot comment on my relationship with the journalists as I never really had one. I am talking about me, not the label. Publicity and press is one of the few things I have always delegated to someone else.

Q: What do you consider as your biggest accomplishment(s)? Do you have specific goals/dreams you want to achieve and how do you prepare and see the future of the label(s)? And what are your biggest regret(s)?

Dave: Even though I eventually worked with some big names in the industry what I liked most was taking bands that were once small and introduce them to the scene, promoting them and then selling reasonable amounts of records for them. Covenant, Haujobb, Velvet Acid Christ, Wumpscut, Combichrist, Apoptygma Berzerk, And One, Assemblage 23 were all selling just a couple thousand copies and eventually sold 20,000 to 50,000 albums in North America alone. These are good numbers for alternative music. VNV Nation sold even much more than that. Just to put it in perspective only one in a hundred artists sold over 10,000 copies back then no matter what the genre.

I have met my goals. As I mentioned I wanted to do this for a living and I did. Also, Metropolis has a good brand name and I got to meet a lot of great artists who are now my friends. I wish I could have pushed the boundaries more and could have done more outside the Goth / Industrial genre. However, that did not work out that well except with the a few bands like Mindless Self Indulgence and Electric Six.

I am content with the label’s accomplishments. The label is 27 years old and I was well into my thirties when I started in the music business. So, we will continue to do what we do and improve where we can, remembering that adopting to change is important.

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: Goth-Rock, Goth-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD, Vinyl.

Background/Info: “Diamonds” is the ninth studio album from Canadian formation The Birthday Massacre. The work has been introduced as ‘an exploration of darkness as well as light, poison as well as its antidote’, which has been exposed in nine songs.

Content: “Diamonds” sounds like a ‘classic’ The Birthday Massacre album. The songs are driven by the fragile and yet passionate, charismatic vocals of Chibi. Sound-wise the songs are empowered by carrying guitar lines and elevating synth arrangements and melodies. There’s a perfect harmony between all different instruments and sound layers, which became the trademark of the band. The songs sound gothic and Rock-like, but also Electronic and Pop inspired. I however noticed one song (cf. “Mirrors”), which sounds more Metal-minded in the guitar playing.

+ + + : The Birthday Massacre doesn’t innovate, but simply moves on doing what they’ve always done with brilliance; creating a true symbiotic play between guitar and synths! The power of the guitar is attenuated by the elevating effects of the melody lines and the beautiful vocals of Chibi. This album is a new exploration between power and reverie magically illustrated by songs such as “Diamonds” and “Crush”. And if you prefer some melancholic moments you’ll be pleased by “The Last Goodbye”.

– – – : The tracklist only features 9 songs, but it’s a succession of great compositions and potential hits… maybe by the exception of the last song (cf. “Parallel World”), which is my only disappointment.

Conclusion: when you’re listening to “Diamonds” you simply understand the successful career of this unique formation!

Best songs: “Crush”, “Diamonds”, “Flashback”, “The Last Goodbye”, “Enter”, “The Sky Will Turn”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.facebook.com/TheBirthdayMassacre

Label: www.metropolis-records.com / www.facebook.com/MetropolisRecords Read the news on ‘Diamonds’.

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

Released originally In September last year, industrial bass upstart Moris Blak delivers a dance floor remix of the Danny Blu track here.

“Sanctuary”. You can check out the remix

Hailing from New York City, Danny Blu offers music which is influenced by industrial, goth, dark-wave, and 90’s alternative rock and pop music. Performing as Danny Blu since 2011, by 2015, he formed the glam pop-rock band Echo Black and toured the US and Canada, opening for The Birthday Massacre, Combichrist, Genitorturers, MXMS and Skold. He also independently released the band’s first album, “Dawn”, in 2017 with the help of a successful IndieGogo campaign.

In summer 2019, Danny Blu re-emerged with a new dark pop sound and released his first solo single in over 4 years titled, “Bubble”. Blu later premiered the music video with Billboard Pride.

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 Birthday Massacre have a brand new album coming up on March 27th featuring 9 all new recordings. “Diamonds” will be released as a digipak and as a limited vinyl set.

The album is the follow-up to 2017’s “Under Your Spell”.

The Birthday Massacre is a Canadian rock band and formed in 1999 in London, Ontario, and is currently based in Toronto, Ontario. When the band formed in 1999, they were known as Imagica. In 2002, they changed the name to The Birthday Massacre after one of their earlier songs in order to avoid confusion with another group. The song “The Birthday Massacre” was then renamed to “Happy Birthday”.

The band have released seven studio albums already: “Nothing and Nowhere” (2002), “Violet” (2005), “Walking With Strangers” (2007), “Pins and Needles” (2010), “Hide and Seek” (2012), “Superstition” (2014) and “Under Your Spell” (2017). They also issued the DVD “Blue” (2005), the live album/DVD “Show and Tell” (2009), the demo album “Imagica”, and the EPs “Violet” (2004), “Looking Glass” (2008) and “Imaginary Monsters” (2011). Read the review of ‘Diamonds’.

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

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Swayed’.

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

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Darker Ages’.

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

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘What Is Beautiful Never Dies’.

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

Currently on tour in mainland Europe, as they continue to promote their new album, “Under Your Spell”, The Birthday Massacre have also just issued a promo video for the album song “One”.

You can order the band’s newest album on vinyl and on CD right here. “Under Your Spell” was released on 9th June and is the 7th album by the Birthday Massacre.

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

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Under Your Spell’.

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.

Background/Info: There has been a lot of commotion since Jens Kästel left Funker Vogt. By the end of 2016 the band announced that Chris L. from Agonoize had joined in to become the new singer. While awaiting new work of this leading formation Repo Records released an impressive “Collector’s Item” of the “Navigator”-album. This opus was originally released in 2005 on Synthetic Symphony. Next to the original album this work also features bonus tracks, a bonus CD featuring the EP’s “Fallen Hero” and “Killing Ground”, rare and unreleased songs. Last, but not least there also is a DVD featuring Funker Vogt live in Montreal (Canada) at the famous “Kinetik”-festival of 2008 plus a few clips.

Content: This is an opportunity to rediscover Funker Vogt at its best. The powerful electronics mixing EBM and carrying, dark melody lines plus a constant dance tempo made the fame of Gerrit Thomas and his main formation. This is also an opportunity to rediscover some of the band’s most famous and legendary hits originally featured on “Navigator”. Jens Kästel’s unique enraged and commanding way of singing was another essential element of the German combo. “Navigator” mixes power, rage and melody lines. Both bonus songs were originally featured on the limited edition of “Navigator”.

The 2nd disc brings us back to the aforementioned EP’s and especially to one of the band’s greatest hits in history “Navigator”. You’ll also (re)discover remixes by The Birthday Massacre and Underwater Pilots. The rare and unreleased songs are mainly taken from mixes they made for the German magazines Sonic Seducer and Zillo.

Last, but not least the DVD reveals 13 songs from the “Kinetik Festival” of 2008, which of course was the same period of the “Navigator”-album. Except that the songs from this concert were filmed and recorded in Montreal, the fans will recognize the same show, which was featured on the DVD “Warzone K17 –
Live In Berlin”. You also will (re)discover the clip of “Fallen Hero” and the ‘making of’.

+ + + : This is the right collector’s item, but maybe also an opportunity to rediscover EP’s you didn’t know and Funker Vogt on stage. The extracts from the live show in Canada is the real bonus of this release. Soundwise, “Navigator” confirms that the sound of this band is timeless and especially featuring the very own sound DNA created by Gerrit Thomas. There’s a perfect harmony between the power of bass lines and the hard kicks at one side and the melodic leads at the other. Jens Kästel did the rest and was a great live performer.

– – – : You really have to like Funker Vogt to endure this collector’s item. I maybe expected a bit rarer and especially unreleased material.

Conclusion: This special edition of “Navigator” awakened my curiosity to hear new Funker Vogt stuff. “Navigator” remains a great piece of music!

Best songs: “Navigator”, “Fallen Hero”, “Killing Ground”, “The End” + “The End – Extended”, “Navigator – Zillo Mix”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www.funkervogt.de / www.facebook.com/officialfunkervogt

Label: www.reporecords.de / www.facebook.com/pages/Repo–Records/119590774857404

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

Read the review of ‘Under Your Spell’.

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

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Imagica’.

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

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘Imagica’.

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

Background/Info:

Read the news on ‘An Intense Feeling Of Affection’.

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

Read the reviews of ‘Imagica’ and ‘Imagica’.

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 Birthday Massacre sees various vinyl releases being issued. First of all there’s the new 11-track album “Pins And Needles” on which The Birthday Massacre further refines the sound explored on the band’s previous albums as you can hear on the below video teaser. The vinyl is available for pre-order right here.

But that’s not all, the band’s debut, the 2002 album “Nothing and Nowhere”, will be reissued as a limited edition vinyl featuring early versions of the Birthday Massacre tracks “Happy Birthday”, “Horror Show”, “Video Kid” and “The Dream”. You can get hold of that debut vinyl reissue right here.

Next is the vinyl reissue of the band’s 2007 album “Walking With Strangers” which was produced by Dave ‘Rave’ Ogilvie. You can order that one right here.

The Birthday Massacre is a Canadian band, formed in 1999 in London, Ontario, and currently based in Toronto, Ontario. The current line-up consists of Chibi (vocals), Falcore (guitars), Rainbow (guitars), Owen (synthesizers), Nate Manor (bass guitar) and Rhim (drums).

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