Mika Goedrijk is an eclectic Belgian artist who founded his main project, This Morn’ Omina, exactly 30 years ago. I have followed This Morn’ Omina almost from the beginning, though it took several years before a breakthrough led to a successful career. His strength lies in a distinctive blend of Tribal, Ritual, Industrial, Trance, and Electro, combined with a powerful live presence that sets him apart within the scene. Above all, he is a meticulous and passionate producer with a keen ear for detail.

Beyond This Morn’ Omina, he has been involved in several other projects, including Sygo Cries, Nebula-H, Pow[D]Er Pussy, Les Nuits Blanches, Project Arctic, Andraculoid, and more recently, Plan C. This year marks the return of This Morn’ Omina with its first album in five years. What once seemed like an ending has become a rebirth, as Goedrijk resumed the project with new musicians and a new label, Cyclic Law, releasing the album “Insha”.

More subdued yet perhaps more profound, it is his twelfth studio album and the reason for this interview. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

This Morn’ Omina interview

Q: This Morn’ Omina is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year, and admittedly, a lot has happened during this long journey. How do you remember the beginnings of This Morn’ Omina, especially the concept behind it back then, and what remains of that today?

Mika: The original energy, focus has never left. It is in the name itself, ‘this morning of omens/portents’. Every day this happens. A renewed sense of being connected to the universe and channeling the stories.

Q: With This Morn’ Omina, you have undoubtedly established one of the few projects with a very distinctive sound and style. Where did you draw your inspiration from back then and where do you find it today?

Mika: Any sound, rhythm that invokes saccadic movement was what propelled TMO to create its own moment. Perpetuating that feeling. The ‘sources’ in and of itself are not important to that effect. Whatever makes you move physically or spiritually.

Q: I get the impression that the past few years have also been the most difficult period for This Morn’ Omina. What exactly happened, and to what extent did this influence your decision to stop and then start again?

Mika: You are the company you keep, as the proverb says. That company did not have the best intentions. Self-serving people, contributing nothing. This Morn’ Omina went through a needed tabula rasa. And hence This Morn’ Omina can exist again of fertile ground.

Q: Your new album “Insha” deals with creation so to what extent can it also be seen as a form of rebirth after everything that happened—perhaps even as a response to it?

Mika:After the tabula rasa, there was only one thing left to do: create. Going back to the roots. Just create with the basic tenets in mind and as a driving force.

Q: You worked with ‘Konchong-Gyaltsen’ from Nam-Khar. How did this collaboration come about, and what was his contribution to “Insha”?

Mika: Without direct knowledge we were fans of each other. Our early releases are in our respective CD libraries. At Oberhausen, Deluidspreker Festival 2024 we connected through our mutual live performances and it went on from there. Kindred spirits coming together.

Q: “Insha” sounds somewhat more subdued and restrained than what we are used to from This Morn’ Omina. Is this a natural evolution, or did the theme and concept shape this more subtle approach? What were the main musical pillars used to build the album?

Mika: After all the turmoil, this release needed to be grounded in truth and beauty. You call it restrained. We call it reflective. Provide a basis of stability from which we can jump again. The pillars are those who were there from the beginning. The track “7sekhem” is a good representation of that.

Q: In recent years, you have also been surrounded by a brand-new live band. Could you tell us more about these musicians and your connection with Olivier Moulin, with whom you also collaborate on side projects such as Plan C and Sygo Cries?

Mika: It was a breath of fresh air to work with real musicians again, not some wannabees. People who love to create music and overcome any hurdles that may exist along the road.

Olivier plays keys in multiple bands, Pierre is renowned DJ in France, Sam is half of DeadAstro Pilots, Maël has his own projects and releases 3 albums a year. All of them live and breathe music in their own way but find a similar path within TMO.

Plan C is Olivier’s baby. And it is a lot of fun to be in that atmosphere. Sygo Cries is centered around Syd Phoenix, an up and coming vocalist, singer, song-writer.

Q: Live, This Morn’ Omina has always been quite an experience—almost an antithesis to many Industrial acts where performers simply stand behind a laptop. How do you view the live experience, and how important is it to the artistic expression of This Morn’ Omina?

Mika: The energy within TMO cannot be expressed through a single person on stage. Multiple people have to channel that. Connecting with people does not work by hiding behind any kind of gear. These ‘Industrial’ bands might reflect on the matter if they are a DJ or just another fake. SPK, Clock DVA,…they were/are bands. TMO was and is always a band. Not an Industrial ‘push play and act like a monkey project’.

Q: You’ve mentioned your involvement in various side projects, and there have been quite a few over the years. Honestly, few musicians seem as eclectic as you. Where does this eclecticism come from, and do you set any boundaries when it comes to genres, particularly in terms of mixing and production?

Mika: Some frequencies touch me to the core, others do not. It is not related to any genre. Same for visual impressions. I tend not to search for an explanation of what you call ‘eclecticism’. I listen to the world and the universe, but I answer only when shaking to the core. Those are my decisions and boundaries.

Q: Concepts have always played a crucial role in your work, perhaps even shaping the music itself. Is that a fair statement? And to what extent do these concepts reveal something about the person behind the artist?

Mika: That is a fair statement. Within TMO, stories are told. Stories that matter in the past, present and future. Stories that come from a multitude of sources with a universal arc which ties it all the together. Many rivers flow to that sea. It might not make sense in physics, but it does on a spiritual level.

Q: Over the years, you have made numerous changes and additions to your studio. What does your setup look like today, and what advice would you give to young musicians who are just starting out?

Mika: We all suffer from GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) whether we admit it or not. But at the base, TMO equipment is based around the same principles… create and record. How exactly, does not matter. On “Insha”, “Heralds” was recorded on a 30 year old 4-track Tascam Portastudio. Just because that was the sound this opening track needed.

To create that statement for the album. Advice? For me it is very simple, have an idea/ a story you feel passionate about. Get the gear that you think will facilitate it and not give you sleepless nights or broken bank accounts. Create your idea. Connect with people through your music, only the music. Be true and honest to yourself and others.

Q: You mentioned that there is still a lot to come for This Morn’ Omina. Can you already reveal anything about what lies ahead in the coming months or year?

Mika: TMO is on-going. At moment, a compilation is ready for release on Dark Dimenions’s sublabel ProNoize. Two new albums are in the making, and should be ready end of this year. One called “Triptych” with Oksana Krasanova as visual artist, and one called “Rivers Of The Sea” continuing with Konchong-Gyaltsen wrapping up the ‘kundalini’ trilogy.

And a side-project MZN (Meandering Zombie Noise) will be released in december on LBRF. Releases on Electric Eden, continue as well.

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

Mika Goedrijk first emerged with his project This Morn’Omina in the late ’90s. Since then, he has built an impressive discography and been involved in numerous other projects, but This Morn’Omina has always remained his most personal artistic outlet. A few years ago, he announced the end of the project—yet now, at the age of 50, with a surprising new line-up and a new label, he returns with a four-track EP.

True to form, the Belgian project revolves around a strong conceptual core—this time exploring a specific, saccadic motion that ultimately transitions into a meditative state.

Musically, TMO’s signature sound is instantly recognizable: precise, layered compositions driven by exhilarating percussion, meticulously crafted Industrial and Tribal textures, and—more than ever—warm string elements that add a softer, more emotional dimension. This new work feels somewhat more restrained, yet it exudes a heightened sense of mysticism, thanks to an atmosphere that asserts itself more directly. Tribal vocal fragments enrich the sonic landscape, drawing the listener into an almost Trance-like state.

This Morn’Omina is back—and that’s undeniably a good thing. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Omm Of Life”:

About This Morn’ Omina

This Morn’ Omina is the main project of Belgian artist Mika Goedrijk, founded in 1996. Beyond This Morn’ Omina, Goedrijk has recorded as Sygo Cries, Nebula-H, Pow[D]Er Pussy, Les Nuits Blanches, Project Arctic, Andraculoid, and, more recently, Plan C.

“Omm Of Life” followed This Morn’ Omina’s 2021 album “The Roots Of Saraswati” on Dependent. This Morn’ Omina went on to release its twelfth studio album, “Insha”, in 2026 on Cyclic Law and Zazen Sounds, with material developed alongside Konchong-Gyaltsen of Nam-Khar.

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: Rhythmic-Noise, Industrial, Tribal.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: “H.A.C.E.” is the second full length by French producer Thomas Chalandon as Templer. The work comes two years after the astonishing debut album “Myths And Consequences”.

Content: “H.A.C.E.” sounds a bit different than its predecessor although moves further exploring ‘hard’ fields of Industrial music. The work remains driven by a kind of Rhythmic-Industrial-legacy which has been mixed with Tribal elements. Some passages are resulting in a transcendental effect which might remind you of  This Morn’Omina. There’re parts with chants accentuating the Tribal side of the work but also creating a Ritual touch.

+ + + : This album sounds as a work in progress; an artist moving on to explore new sonic paths by injecting Ritual and Tribal influences to the work. “Galaxy Of Nowhere” is a true masterpiece illustrating the composing skills of the artist. The last track of the album “Kageguchi” is another brilliant cut which sounds however more explicit in Trance. I also enjoy the tracks with chants creating an extra, elevating, dimension. Templer excels in bringing different influences together with a real cohesion.

– – – : I’m not as convinced by the very few Rhythmic-Noise passages which sound less elaborated and achieved then the rest.

Conclusion: Templer confirms the potential illustrated at its debut album but still moves on walking on new sonic paths. This is great and uplifting Industrial music.

Best songs: “Galaxy Of Nowhere”, “Kageguchi”, “Global Interference System”, “Near Distant Future”, “Athos”, “Man Behind The Sun”.

Rate: 8½. 

Artist: www.templernoise.com / www.facebook.com/templernoise

Label: www.handsproductions.com / www.facebook.com/hands.official

About Templer

Templer is the solo project of Thomas Chalandon, a Berlin-based French producer also known as one half of Imperial Black Unit and founder of the AreaZ/AREA-Z collective of DJs, producers and promoters. Templer’s debut album, “Myths And Consequences”, was released on Hands in 2021, a fourteen-track work mixing industrial, techno and rhythm’n’noise across nine original tracks and five remixes. “H.A.C.E.” followed on Hands in 2023, Chalandon’s second full-length as Templer.

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: Cold-Wave, Wave-Pop.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Belgian formation Sygo Cries is driven by Mika Goedrijk (This Morn’Omina, Nebula-H, Powder Pussy), Wim Guillemyn, Olivier Moulin and Brooklyn Machet. The band was active in the 90s and reactivated a few years ago now.

Content: This new work features 3 songs, which are mainly driven by good-old Cold-Wave guitar playing and deep, vibrating bass lines. One of the tracks features female vocals while Mika Goedrijk remains the lead singer.

+ + + : Last year Sygo Cries released the excellent “Talking About Walls”-EP and holds on the spirit of this production. The main strength of this band and production is in the guitar playing. There also is a cool swing in the production.

– – – : Compared to “Talking About Walls” this EP sounds as B-sides. I’m missing a climax in the songs.

Conclusion: This is not the record I would recommend to discover Sygo Cries. This band has more potential than what they showed here.

Best songs: “Surrender – Blended Mix”.

Rate: 6.

Artist: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065145997634

Listen to “In Outside Places”:

About Sygo Cries

Sygo Cries is a Belgian cold wave band built around Mika Goedrijk, who also works in This Morn’Omina, Nebula-H and Powder Pussy. The current line-up adds Wim Guillemyn, Olivier Moulin and Brooklyn Machet.

The band ran through the 1990s on the Afterfurcht label, releasing the cassettes “The Softer Sides / Romanik” in 1996 and “Some Thoughts In Twofold / Ambivalenz” in 1997. After a long gap the name returned with the “Split” CDr in 2016 and the 12″ “Talking About Walls” in 2021.

Afterfurcht issued “In Outside Places” as a CD EP on 20 May 2022, credited to Goedrijk, Guillemyn, Moulin and Machet.

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

It was worth waiting for the new iVardensphere-album. “Ragemaker” is the first album in five years on which Scott Fox accentuated the Cinematic influence of his work. The Canadian artist still deals with strong Tribal rhythms and Electronic sound treatments but the global atmosphere hanging over “Ragemaker” is pure Cinematic like. “Ragemaker” has been released by Metropolis Records and is a true reference in its genre;; a fully accomplished and ultra-professional production. I asked a few questions to Scott Fox.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: What have been the sources of inspiration, triggers and challenges to compose “Ragemaker”?

Scott: The principal source of inspiration for “Ragemaker” is cinema. I wanted “Ragemaker” to have a well-defined Cinematic quality. It was important to separate this release from standard club/electronic releases so, to that end, there are only 2 tracks on this album that have any sort of club beat or indulge in the use of synthesizers beyond a textural capacity. “Ragemaker” is all about orchestration and percussion. A good portion of the release is meant to capture some of the vibe as seen in Tom Holdenborg’s score for “Mad Max Fury Road”. Being free of conventional songwriting restrictions had the benefit of allowing me to truly explore the directions of the music wherever I wanted without concern for the usual build/verse/chorus/breakdown/chorus architecture of contemporary music. Building “Ragemaker” was freeing.

Q: “Ragemaker” is an impressive and overwhelming production which I guess must have taken time to achieve. What kind of album did you’ve in mind? What have been the different stages you’d to go through and what has been the input of all members and guest singers?

Scott: The timeline for building “Ragemaker” was a new one for me. I built the entire album on camera, in real time, for patron supporters. Building the album this way presented a few interesting challenges. As people were more/less paying for time, I had to be very decisive with my production. There was no time for tinkering with a bassline for 3 hours to get it ‘just right’. Every action from dialing in a compressor to doing the final mix was recorded for consumption and this made the time in the studio incredibly efficient. I found I was able to punch out a lot of material in a very short amount of time and then harvest my favorite parts… but the dedication to fast decision making meant the songs sometimes took unexpected directions and that was amazing.

So much of this album was built as though it had a mind of its own. Had I had an unlimited amount of time to do everything, it wouldn’t have been built this way. “Ragemaker” is raw in many ways in terms of songwriting and that is perfect for what I wanted.

The singers, for the most part, were brought in towards the end of production. Jesse, Brittany, Andy, Alex and Cosette were all amazing on so many levels. They bring so much to the table and the songs they worked on are made so much better by their efforts. I can’t thank them enough.

Q: The orchestral/epic arrangements have never been that present and explicit in your work. How did you prepare this album (and especially the drum sections) and did you handle specific criteria about instruments and production work?

Scott: The preparation rested primarily in making sure I had all the tools I needed to make this happen. I have lots of synthesizers but, as I mentioned, synths really took a back seat on this album. I spent a lot of time curating and organizing orchestral and percussion sound libraries. I drew heavily upon those while I worked. Beyond that it was all about developing a new workflow to accomodate a more orchestrated vibe.

After listening to the album (and the drums in particular) it’s easy to guess that, without mindful attention, everything could end up sounding like drum soup. I organized drums by ethnicity, frequency, tonal characteristics, reverb tails, dynamics, ring out time and so on so that I would always be able to create a separation in the sounds. Separation of the sounds, especially if they are layered or in quick succession, is critical. All these arrangements ahead of time meant I had the right tools on hand when needed and the understanding of what I needed from them.

Q: When listening to this album I can’t get away from the idea you must be a true perfectionist taking care of every single detail. How do you see yourself as musician/producer and when do you know a song/album is finished?

Scott: Thank you so very much for the kind words! I think you said it best with the term ‘every single detail’. Every single sound on this album has a strong handed EQ attached to it. A good EQ is the best tool in the toolbox and I love to abuse mine.

How do I know a song is finished? When I’m not sick of listening to it anymore. haha. Honestly, this is something every producer struggles with. You write something and then listen so that you can hear what you don’t like or want to change so you go back and change it. Rinse. Repeat.

The objective on this album was to not stop when I thought it was good enough but to stop when I was horrified at how much what going on. There are a couple songs on “Ragemaker” that have nearly 100 channels of just drums/percussion. The idea of mixing all that is quite daunting but I knew I wanted something utterly over the top so I went with a more is more approach this time out. It was a hell of a lot of fun.

Q: The ‘cinematic’ side of the album has been illustrated by the clip “The Shattering Queen”, which according to me is one of the most professional and accomplished clips ever produced in this music scene. Tell us a bit more about the realization, concept, director and actors behind the clip? And what’s the importance and impact of a clip today?

Scott: Oh wow… that really hits deep. Again, thank you. Filming “The Shattering Queen” was an experiment of me moving into uncharted territory. I had never done a proper iVardensphere video and, to be honest, the process of doing one was equally mysterious and intimidating. BUT… I had decided it was something I wanted to do so I started watching all sorts of media on how to film things. After I had done enough research, I bought a camera and supplies for it. Then came the idea of the shoot.

I assembled a wonderful group of close friends to which I am incredibly indebted to for all the hell we went through. After going through everyone’s schedules, I developed a shooting schedule which took place over two weekends in some wonderfully remote locations. Filming the video was the very first time I had anyone in front of the camera. Up until that point, I had only done research on how I ‘should’ be doing it and now it was the trial by fire. Some aspects of the shoot were a complete failure but some worked out so much better than I had anticipated. Everyone put a lot of effort into their costumes which really sells it. I learned a LOT on that shoot.

Once the shoot was done, I had to research a video editing program to use and then learn how to edit and treat a video. As you can see… It was very much a ‘learn while doing’ experience. After getting all that under my belt, I’m really looking forward to the next video shoot we will do. The team is ready and so am I!

Q: How will you bring “Ragemaker” to the stage? What are your further plans for iVardensphere and what about This Morn’Omina?

Scott: “Ragemaker” to the stage…. I have absolutely NO IDEA but I better figure it out quickly as we have a number of shows lining up for this summer. I’m sure my live crew is up to the task. They’re all amazing musicians and have historically handled whatever I’ve thrown at them with zeal. Expect…. drum soup. 😉

Regarding This Morn’Omina, this year we have a few shows lined up between Europe and North America. It’s going to be a lot of fun cutting loose with Mika, Jelle and Peter on stage 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: Tribal, Industrial, Trance, Cinematographic.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info:  Four years after the “Kundalini Rising”-album, This Morn’Omina strikes back with a new opus and a new line-up. Karolus Leroq left the band he was involved with since the album “L’Unification Des Forces Opposantes” (2011). Core member Mika Goedrijk welcomed Scott Fox (Ivardensphere) to complete the quartet. Mika Goedrijk and Scott Fox last year already worked together unleashing the self-titled debut album of And Void.

“The Roots Of Saraswati” is –once again, inspired from Hinduism and has different meanings; it’s a Goddess, but also the name of a River with some mysterious power, but also a term used for scholars and seekers of truth. The common thread between it all is an element of flowing and profound transcendence, which has been transposed into this work. Notice by the way the album is also available as a double disc –limited edition, featuring extra tracks.

Content: The sound of the Belgian Tribal formation –now reinforced by a Canadian member, is quite easy to recognize because there’s not many projects composing this kind of music. It sounds more Tribal than ever before, this essential aspect of the production being reinforced by the power and magic of different real percussions. This element never has been that explicit. The main difference and I dare to say innovation is the impressive orchestral arrangements revealing a Cinematographic style, which comes pretty through in different tracks. While This Morn’Omina added vocals on its previous work, they now got back to spoken samplings adding an extra mysterious touch to the work. If you’re familiar with the band’s work, you for sure will recognize the Trance, rousing passages, blasting sound treatments and boosting kicks.

+ + + : This Morn’Omina has already released an impressive discography, but it’s unbelievable to realize this project can still take me by surprise. From a pure technical point of view this album deserves more than simply a mention; the production excels in perfection while I can imagine it’s not that easy when recording real percussion. But This Morn’Omina –probably because of Scott Fow’ addition, also renewed some elements of its sound, the heavy orchestral arrangements being very present and revealing a new path to explore. I’m also impressed by some blasting sound treatments, remaining the band’s trademark.

– – – : I don’t see major minus points about such a ‘tour de force’ although I can’t say it’s the album featuring the most potential hits.

Conclusion: This work stands for a top notch production; an absolute must have for lovers of Tribal-Trance-Industrial music.

Best songs: “People Of The Serpent”, “Nadisti Sukta”, “The Nothing Space”, “The Mangoose King”, “Naous”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.facebook.com/thismornomina

Label: www.dependent.de / www.facebook.com/dependent.records

About This Morn’Omina

This Morn’Omina is a Belgian tribal industrial project built around Mika Goedrijk. Side-Line covered the album “Kundalini Rising” in 2017, released while Karolus Leroq was still part of the line-up; Leroq had joined for “L’Unification Des Forces Opposantes” (2011) and left before this album. For “The Roots Of Saraswati”, Goedrijk brought in Canadian drummer and electro-musician Scott Fox of Ivardensphere, whose album “Exile” Side-Line reviewed in 2017 and whose solo album “The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner” followed in 2019. Goedrijk and Fox had already worked together in 2020 on the self-titled debut of And Void. Side-Line later spoke to Fox for a 2022 Click Interview about iVardensphere.

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: Industrial, Trance, Tribal.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: LivingTotem is back on track unleashing its fourth full length album; the second released on Ant-Zen, this time in collaboration with Raumklang Music. LivingTotem is the sonic brainchild of Hungarian artist András Gulyás. 

Content: “Surreal Existence” moves on there where the previous work (cf. “Raw Effort”) stopped. The work is a new symbiosis between different influences, which are mainly driven by Industrial music, but achieved with Trance passages and Tribal percussion patterns. It’s an exciting production featuring songs that have been progressively built up, coming pretty close to a total climax. Some passages are more cinematographic, but globally speaking the Industrial-Trance & Tribal approach is ruling over this work. The last track features guest vocals (and also is the single cut with vocals) by Metal singer Attila Csihar.

+ + + : LivingTotem remains a great experience in sound, a project dealing with related music influences, but featuring less influences than other names in the genre. I’m not comparing this project to This Morn’Omina, but there are similar influences. Especially the Trance and Tribal parts make sense and create the project’s originality. The songs have been progressively built up and joined by overwhelming rhythmic. The last song featuring Attila Scihar is a great experiment and the single song that really ends in a total apotheosis. The album is however diversified, but definitely a total ravishment from start till finish. LivingTotem moves on composing music from a real high qualitative level!

– – – : I think a few songs are missing a total climax, which is maybe the difference with the previous work. It however is a great album I can only, but highly recommend.

Conclusion: If you’re in search of Industrial music with something extra and different from the mass, LivingTotem definitely sounds as one of the very few alternatives! This is a project definitely deserving more recognition!

Best songs: “Cyclone Of Haarp”, “Underwater Bonefires”, “Corruption-Friendly Comrade”, “Macrocosm Of Corpse Candidates”, “Yoshino Mausoleum”.

Rate: (9).

Artist: www.facebook.com/LivingTotem-1444034325824760

Label: www.ant-zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

About LivingTotem

LivingTotem is the solo project of Hungarian artist András Gulyás, based in Budapest, mixing EBM, industrial and tribal influences.

“Surreal Existence” is Gulyás’s fourth full length album and second release on Ant-Zen, made in collaboration with Raumklang Music and released in September 2020. The closing track, “Cyclone Of Haarp”, features guest vocals from Attila Csihar of Mayhem. Side-Line later spoke with LivingTotem in a 2021 Click Interview.

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-ambient, IDM, industrial, cinematographic.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: If you’re familiar with Von Magnet, the name DEF will definitely ring a bell.  This French artist is more than only a musician, but also a composer, sound director and live sound engineer. He worked with an impressive number of famous artists and projects and now strikes back with a new album of eleven tracks.

Content: The sound universe of DEF sounds like a true exorcism of ideas. It’s nearly impossible to label this album as one explicit music genre. It feels a bit like it has been composed as a soundtrack or the music for a performance. The songs are moving from industrial hip-hop to industrial/tribal music while other cuts are definitely into dark-ambient and cinematic experiences. The rhythm is quite important, but alternating hard tribal rhythms and slower passages carrying cinematic songs.

+ + + : The main thing with this album is that you for sure will find a few cool tracks. But DEF is not there to please the masses; it first of all remains a deeply minimal and artistic creation. I prefer the harder, rhythm cuts mixing industrial- and tribal exponents. “Vanished, Re Appear Demagnetised, MK III.” Is one of these tracks, which even reminds me a bit of This Morn’Omina. But I also have to mention “Float Like A Bee, Sting Like A Butterfly, Electro Angel Bite.” revealing a kind of ritual approach. In the dark-ambient & cinematic style I highly recommend “Sweet Marie” and “Emptied Spaces”. The sound intelligence of DEF finally emerges on one of the last cuts (cf. “Skin Flowered”), which also confirms this artist feels comfortable experimenting with different –although related genres.

– – – : The diversity of the work creates the illusion listening to a compilation.

Conclusion: This work is truly a sonic exorcism of music influences related to the wider fields of industrial- and ambient music.

Best songs: “Vanished, Re Appear Demagnetised, MK III.”, “Float Like A Bee, Sting Like A Butterfly, Electro Angel Bite.”, “Sweet Marie”, “Emptied Spaces”.

Rate: (7½). 

Artist:

Label: www.ant–zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

About DEF

DEF is the alias of a Paris-based musician, composer, sound director and live sound engineer, long associated with the Von Magnet collective. His credits include mixing and production work for 2Kilos &More’s 2019 album “Exempt”, reviewed by Side-Line the same week as “Re-Cover (Sybaritic & Militant Songs)”. A further album, “Cinematic Twists”, followed on M-Tronic 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-wave, wave-pop, minimal-electro.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Black Snow In Summer is a Belgian project that has been active for several years. Driven by Kurt Vanhollebeke and joined since early 2019 by the new female singer Corina Baekeland, “Shadows At Night ” appears to be the debut work of this band. “Shadows At Night” has been mastered by Mika Goedrijk (This Morn’Omina).  

Content: The work is clearly driven by the spirit of 80s electro and new-wave music. It creates a minimal sound effect reminding me of the good-old magic of analogue gear. The female vocals have this sterile expression reminding the true spirit of early new/cold-wave music. Some passages are more into half-spoken format. The work features 7 songs, which remain pretty short. The opening- and last cut are instrumental versions.

+ + + : I’ve always loved the minimalism of the 80s electro-wave movement and especially this unique, analogue sound. That’s what this work is all about; the cadence of a good-old rhythm box merged with icy tunes and sweeping effects. On top of it all you’ll hear a rather emotionless vocal production.

– – – : I get the feeling the writing of the songs can be still a bit more elaborated, but without losing the great minimal feeling.

Conclusion: There’re not enough Belgian formations dealing with this kind of music so Dark Snow In Summer is an interesting newcomer, which will appeal to fans of Absolute Body Control, Enzo Kreft and co.

Best songs: “Leaving Me”, “Run”, “Power And Corruption”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/Black–Snow–In–Summer-388543957916596

About Black Snow In Summer

Black Snow In Summer is a Belgian electro-wave duo formed by Kurt Vanhollebeke and singer Corina Baekeland. Joyce Huvaere was an early member of the group and left in February 2019. The project released its debut work, “Shadows At Night”, in 2019, recorded at the studio of Mika Goedrijk (This Morn’ Omina), followed by the “Lost Feelings” EP in 2021 and the single “Help Me” 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: Experimental, industrial, ambient.

Background/Info: We all know Scott Fox for his involvement with iVardensphere and more recently This Morn’Omina. Last year he released this solo-work, which is a kind of adaptation from a poem of the British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. “The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner” has been written in the end of the 18^th Century and deals about the adventures of a mariner on his way back to home.

Content: Forget iVardensphere, this work is totally different. It has something pretty experimental-like and can be the best described as watching a film without images… The work is made of one long duration track going over the 43 minutes, but features 7 distinguishable parts. While the poem of Coleridge has been narrated, Scott Fox composed a sort of soundscape made of industrial sounds, multiple effects and noises, guitar play, drones and ambient atmospheres.

+ + + : I think it’s an original idea to bring a classical poem to life or to make it discoverable to others by putting it on music. The sound is pretty cinematographic, which is a perfect poem to bring the poem in the spotlights. Both, poem and music, can stand on their own, but their fusion has something deeply artistic. Sound-wise I like the darkest passages from the work and the kind of drones. The best part of the poem remains: ‘Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink’.

– – – : This work remains a pretty experimental try-out so I can imagine it will be not accessible for a wider audience.

Conclusion: Scott Fox took me by surprise as this is the kind of work you don’t exactly expect from this artist. I can’t say it’s a ‘must have’-album although an interesting listening featuring a genius poem.

Best songs: “The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/scott.foxivardensphere

Label: www.ant–zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

About Scott Fox

Scott Fox is a Canadian musician from Edmonton, Alberta, best known as the founder of the tribal industrial band iVardensphere, which he formed after DJing the club nights SICK and Das OOntz; the project’s debut album “Scatterface” was released on Synthetic Sounds in 2009. Fox also records with This Morn’Omina. “The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner”, reviewed here, is a solo work released on Ant-Zen in 2018, setting a narration of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 18th-century poem of the same name to a long-form soundscape.

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 Greek artist Angelos Liaros got previously involved with Mobthrow, which he defines as a dubstep project. Especially the second and last album of Mobthrow (cf. “Unfolded”) released in 2014 on Ad Noiseam was nothing less, but a masterpiece. Blakk Harbor is the newest sonic brainchild of this artist. The debut album “Madares” released on Ant-Zen is a new masterpiece revealing different influences, but confirming the genius of the artist. No doubt about it, “Madares” is one of the best albums I’ve heard in 2018!

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: What has been your initial goals to set up Blakk Harbor and are you still involved with Mobthrow?

Angelos: Blakk Harbor is a fresh project and personal vinyl imprint focusing more into drone, industrial and experimental techno territories. I wanted to have a new fresh start with this project, explore new territories and have a different approach in my sound. Mobthrow has been a dubstep-era project strongly related with Ad-Noiseam label and all of that three ceased together.

Q: The Blakk Harbor sound clearly reveals a truly passion for good-old analogue gear, but still for authentic instruments (from your native country I think). How did you come to mix it all and how do you look back at the writing- and recording process of the album?

Angelos: True, “Madares” is made of sampled folk Cretan instruments granulized to death via analogue synths and hardware. All these years listening to folk musicians in Crete I was remixing these tracks in my head. There is a pagan, ceremonial and darker sound lying beneath these old folk tracks and I wanted to bring that at the surface with a modern electronic twist.

Q: I noticed you’re based in Berlin, which is a kind of ‘sonic epicenter’ when it comes to visionary artists and new music trends etc. Did you feel any impact of what you’ve heard and seen in Berlin on your music and what kind of work did you want to accomplish?

Angelos: There is for sure some impact in the direction of what’s going on in electronic music, new music trends and current status that help me to be updated with the scene. But creatively I would say Berlin is a stagnant place for me. I get all creativity from landscapes, sea, mountains, ancient monuments and the impact of previous civilizations. The monoliths that withstand time forever. In that sense Berlin is a very flat place for me in many ways.

Q: Sound-wise “Madares” is hard to label as a music genre and rather sounds as a truly fusion between different styles; from tribal to techno to IDM to industrial; a bit like the imaginary hybrid between Muslimgauze, M², This Morn’Omina… and Mobthrow. How would you analyze “Madares”?

Angelos: “Madares” is a very atmospheric album. It is dark, drony, experimental and industrial. I always had a lot of influences; as a musician I started as a death-metal guitarist and gradually moved towards electronic music. Even if sometimes it’s risky I choose to carve my own, unique music path and not to attach to certain subgenre labels.

Q: Next to the CD-format released by Ant-Zen you self-released “Madares” as double vinyl, right? What makes this growing interest for vinyl and don’t you think it’s not just more than stuff for collectors?

Angelos: Vinyl is just a collectable item nowadays for most people indeed. They put it aside, get the download code and listen to your music digitally. But it’s still very prestigious, the ultimate physical format with its huge artwork, a perfect memento from the artist you love. It needs a lot of time, efforts and money to make a vinyl record come true. I think people in the end maybe recognize this and support it, but yes it’s not for everybody I guess.

Q: Music seems to have a real predominant place in your life; next to composing music you’re also working as sound designer for ‘Native Instruments’. What is this job all about and in, which way has it an impact on your work as musician?   

Angelos: It’s mostly creating sample packs, synth presets and giving a direction to software instruments along with the team of course. It’s very funny when I hear well-known artists out there making a career with my presets and beats. Personally in a technical level it made me better and far more skilful, but it also pushed me back to hardware equipment and analogue synths cause I don’t want to see another software synth in the PC screen in my life hehe.

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:

About Blakk Harbor

Blakk Harbor is the Berlin-based solo project of Greek artist Angelos Liaros, previously known for the dubstep-era project Mobthrow, whose 2014 album “Unfolded” appeared on Ad Noiseam. “Madares,” reviewed here, is Blakk Harbor’s debut album, released in 2018 on Ant-Zen and built from granulized samples of Cretan folk instruments, as Liaros explained shortly after its release. He followed it with the 2019 EP “Krude” and the 2020 album “A Modern Dialect.”

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-tribal, trance, rhythmic-ambient, cinematographic.

Background/Info: Steven Archer (Ego Likeness) strikes back with the fifth full length of his electro-tribal side-project Stoneburner. This album also is the first one released on Negative Gain Productions while previous productions were released on Distortion Productions.

Content: “The Agony Box” moves on there where previous album stopped. It’s a new exploration of electro-tribal music fields featuring bombastic drum sections, mystic chants and Eastern sound atmospheres. The work –and especially the final part, sounds more cinematographic. It’s not really a new aspect in the sound of Stoneburner although this element is more accentuated than before.

+ + + : Stoneburner deals with a music genre we all know, but where only a few numbers of artists are involved with. You can hear the tribal and especially dark side of the work, which might remind This Morn’Omina and the cinematographic plus Eastern mystic sound approach reminding me of Juno Reactor. Stoneburner is somewhere in between and has never disappointed. The songs are well-crafted revealing great sound treatments and a hypnotic trance feeling. The cinematographic approach is also worthy of examination and is carried by some overwhelming epic arrangements (which might also remind you of Juno Reactor).

– – – : I prefer the tribal-trance approach instead of the soundtrack cuts, but that’s just a personal point of view. The only single aspect I’m missing in the global production is the use of authentic instruments (like conga’s ao), which would inject a more authentic touch.

Conclusion: “The Agony Box” is the perfect album moving in between film music and tribal-trance electronics. Stoneburner became a reference in this music genre although this project is mainly known in the USA and rather unknown in Europe.

Best songs: “Tales Of The Great Cryptogram”, “Osafa Charm”, “Saint Alia Of The Knife”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www.stoneburnerband.com / www.facebook.com/stoneburnerofficial

Label: www.negativegain.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Negative–Gain/212061438836984

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: Industrial, tribal, trance.

Background/Info: Marc Fischer aka Siamgda strikes back with a new album, which remains inspired by his fascination for Eastern music genres (and especially the Indian table drums) mixed with more familiar industrial fields.

Content: “Noise Yoga” sounds like it’s going a step further than previous work. The influences and sound formula remain pretty similar, but “Noise Yoga” sounds more powerful and especially into trance and dance music. This German artist has found the perfect balance between Eastern mysticism transposed into fascinating atmospheres and tribal drums at one side and harder, industrial and even techno-orientated elements at the other side.

+ + + : “Noise Yoga” sounds to me as the most accomplished work of Siamgda. Marc Fischer has created the ultimate match between Eastern- and Western influences. Both elements create a compact and elaborated album, which grows quite progressively till reaching a total climax. The mixture between electronic gear and authentic drums creates an authentic feeling. The mystic element is also accentuated by Eastern samplings of chants while you’ll also hear real vocal parts, which are more like an extra effect. “Noise Yoga” is the kind of work appealing for fans of This Morn’Omina and other trance-tribal or industrial-techno freaks.

– – – : “Noise Yoga” is one of my favorite industrial/tribal albums of 2017 so I don’t have real minus points. I was just a little less convinced by the more groovy passages running through a few cuts.

Conclusion: “Noise Yoga” rather appears to be a frenetic dance opus, which will drive you mad. Get ready for a wonderful and shamanic sound trip.

Best songs: “Yoga”, “First”, “Noise Shifting”, “Sangha”, “Drumosphere”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: http://siamgda.info / www.facebook.com/Siamgda

Label: www.ant–zen.com / www.facebook.com/antzen.official

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: Industrial, tribal, trance.

Background/Info: Canadian iVardensphere is one of those ‘phenomenon’ active at the underground scene. The band became a kind of collective featuring Scott Fox, Jamie Blacker,
Yann Faussurier, Sean Malley and Chuck Murphy. They’ve already released a huge number of productions and are now back on track with this new opus featuring 9 songs.

Content: iVardensphere moves on experimenting with harsh industrial bombast, tribal percussion and dark electronic sound sculptures. The opening cut features ethereal-like vocals by Mari Kattman. Quite progressively iVardensphere moves towards their familiar sound, which is also carried by a mind-blowing production. They here and then experiments with some funny ideas such as “Kagu-Tsuchi” featuring a kind of Asian-like tune. But the best part of the work comes at the end with astonishing cuts where the industrial-tribal element of the band comes really through.

+ + + : The main strength of this band is their sound, which is rather unique. iVardensphere has been linked with This Morn’Omina, which is a link I totally understand for their originality and industrial-tribal approach although they’re numerous differences as well between both bands. It just illustrates their creative approach and all the work they put in the percussions, and also in the global writing.

The experiment with Mari Kattman also is a real interesting and successful song. But the best cuts are at the end. I refer to the blasting “War Dirge” and “Seven Gates”.

– – – : “Exile” is quite diversified and that’s maybe why a few cuts are less convincing. I especially think to the previously mentioned “Kagu-Tsuchi”, which is maybe original, but still missing an apotheosis. “Thin Veil” is another cut, which can’t fully convince me. I’m not a huge fan of the furious and somewhat metal-sounding vocals running through this song. I definitely prefer the instrumental tracks of  iVardensphere.

Conclusion: iVardensphere became a recognized and praised name belonging to the wider fields of industrial music, but less related with most of the projects active in this scene. This new opus confirms their efficiency to compose something unique, which first of all remains a creative sonic osmosis between multiple influences.

Best songs: “War Dirge”, “Seven Gates”, “Grounder”, “Icarus feat. Mari Kattman”, “Thin Veil”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www.ivardensphere.com / www.facebook.com/ivardensphere

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

Nicolas Van Meirhaeghe aka ‘Sal-Ocin’ and instigator of the dark-ambient/ritual/cinematographic project Empusae is a Belgian artist I discovered since his early years. He also played live percussions and got involved in very diversified bands (Implant, Ah Cama-Sotz, This Morn’Omina, In Slaughter Natives, Sophia, Triarii, Tzol’kin, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio ao.). With his newest opus (cf. “Lueur”) released on the Belgian label Consouling Sounds, Empusae took me by surprise achieving a poignant and transcendental work.

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Nicolas, you’re an artist I’m following since your very first official releases (on Divine Comedy Records) and I’m really impressed about the evolution in the global production process between the early work and what you’re composing today. How much of early Empusae do you recognize in your latest work?

Sal-Ocin: Thank you for your kind words. Since the beginning of Empusae, it was always about creating soundtracks for the imaginary. Certain elements in sounds and compositions you might recognise through my work such as being atmospheric, dark, melancholic melodies, ritual rhythms and a mixture of unearthly sounds and sounds and scenes from our lives (I used to sample a lot from movies, which I changed now to field recordings and recordings in my studio). In all my albums you will find out there is something beautiful within the darkness. Which is exactly the theme of my last album, literary.

Q: I experienced your newest work “Lueur” as an album with a diversified and dark sonic canvas. What kind of work did you’d in mind and how did you came to work together with Chve?

Sal-Ocin: I started to write “Lueur” as a therapeutic exorcism against a recent demon I encountered 3 years ago (genetic eye disease). I had no idea of any particular style or sonic result, it was more about transcribing emotions, fear, pain and anger into music. The result is indeed very dark but you might recognise there also is some light within. When I was at a certain point of composition, I felt something was missing. Since I didn’t know what, I experimented several ways to fill it in, but without results. After a few days it hit me like thunder: It was Colin’s voice who was needed at that passage of the song.

After he said yes to try some things out, I (re-)composed the two songs with his voice in mind. He perfectly did (even more) what I had in mind and I think the end result speaks for itself; an enhancement of the emotions I needed to express with the album. He instantly grasped the concept and it all happened very fast and naturally.

Q: I especially like the balance between music and vocals, but still the progression running through both songs, which are reaching a kind of transcendental final. How did you get such an apotheosis and do you’ve references in the genre?

Sal-Ocin: To be honest I have no idea what to compare it with. I really just did what come out during the writing of it, without thinking how I would do it and especially without any particular result. It’s the first time I used my own voice and someone else’s (except Tom De Doncker’s Vox Demonii). But it felt very natural and I need also to mention the work of  Tim De Gieter (Much Luv Studios) who did an astonishing craftsmanship in mixing the whole album into a perfect result!

Q: You’ve worked with numerous guest artists while you’ve been –and still are involved in numerous other (and sometimes famous) bands. What do you like in the work and exchange with other artists and what’s the impact on your own work and evolution as musician?

Sal-Ocin: Working as percussionist (live) with Triarii definitely helped me finding the way to compose orchestral passages within ‘Sphere From The Woods’, ‘Split’ and ‘Lueur’. Those are elements which were also present in previous albums, but not as well orchestrated and integrated in the dark ambiences and electronics.

This aspect I actually put in “Vision:Libertine” from Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio. I think Tomas (Pettersson) recognised that as well and asked me to integrate that into his songs, together with the tribal rhythms.

What I do as Tzolk’in (with Gwenn from Flint Glass) is something similar as with Empusae in the sense that we create a soundtrack to the pre-Colombian civilisations.

With Onus (with Peter Bjärgö from Arcana and Sophia) it is for me the same principle: creating atmospheric music based on the burden of life.

Q: What means this artistic involvement and creation to you?

Sal-Ocin: Some people have kids, Christel and I have art. It is more than just a passion, it’s our drive of life, our therapy, our essence of life and our catharsis. It’s an obsession, an endless source of pleasure, commitment, self-development, symbiotic interactions.. In other words, hard to describe, but it means the world to me.

Q You’re right back from WGT 2017. How did it happen for you and what’s the importance of playing live plus did you see other interesting bands on stage?

Sal-Ocin: WGT was very intense this year. The Empusae gig was in a full house ‘Volkspalast Kantine’. The sound was amazing, so was the audience, they were very silent (which is not always the case and can be a huge pain in the ass during ambient parts of a concert) and attentive with a huge feedback from then at the end. It’s one of the concerts where myself as well as several people in the audience started crying.

A few hours later we performed in ‘Volkspalast Kuppelhalle’ (full house as well) with Orde Rosarius Equilibrio. One of those concerts where I had a big smile on my face at certain moment and where I had so much fun playing my percussions. Unfortunately, I didn’t visit any other band or venue, I decided to spend some feel good quality time with the band and friends.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

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: Tribal, electronics, industrial, ritual.

Background/Info: It took 6 years for This Morn’Omina to strike back with a new album. The band originally set up by Mika Goedrijk became one of the main flag holders of Ant-zen so it was a real big surprise to see this ‘industrial’ formation getting signed to Dependent. Since the previous full length (cf. “L’Unification Des Forces Opposantes”) Mika Goedrijk has been joined by Karolus Lerocq while the live line-up changes as well during the past few years. Bavo Jipla, Jelle Mattez and Peter Morningstar became live members and also contributed to the percussions on this new work.

“Kundalini Rising” is a new conceptual work taken from ‘In Tantric lore, the term Kundalini – meaning serpent power in Sanskrit – describes a spiritual power inherent to each human, symbolized by a coiled snake at the base of your spine which can be awakened and incited to rise by the practice of Yoga. When this process is entirely successful, the serpent unites with the cosmic soul, thus granting man the attainment of highest bliss and enlightenment.’

Content: The Belgian formation composes a sound that will mainly appeal to industrial music lovers, but This Morn’Omina always has been much more than simply an industrial average band. The ritual element empowered by massive percussions and bombastic electro kicks plus a real cascade of ethnic samplings creates this unique sensation. It’s tribal and transcendental, but still more electro-driven while Mika Goedrijk is now singing on a few cuts as well.

The impressive percussions are more than ever before the main element of this album and when it comes to recording and production a real tour de force. On a few cuts the sound has a bit lost of its initial power, but gained in authenticity and maturity to play of real percussions.

The second disc is more into mystical atmospheres. The sound is somewhat different although easily recognizable. You here get the feeling this second disc accentuates the practice of Yoga. The songs are more wafting and with some visual appeal. All together both discs are complementary.

+ + + : This Morn’Omina strikes back with some interesting evolutions in sound while holding on their basis. The percussion play is authentic while reinforced by the electronics and heavy, bombastic kicks. If the band remains linked to the big hit “One Eyed Man”, this album reveals maybe a bigger hit entitled “Garuda Vimana”. It’s definitely more worked out, more trance-like and getting you into a frenetic dance where quite spontaneously you gone shout together with the samplings. This song is an absolute master piece filled with great atmospheres, monstrous horn-like blasts and a transcendental rhythmic.

The songs have been meticulously and progressively built up and even if This Morn’Omina can’t compose original ‘short’ cuts, you never get bored. The ritual and tribal aspect of a few songs reminds me a bit of late Muslimgauze and this is an interesting and mysterious ambient flavor recovering this work.

I also like the diversity between both discs resulting in 16 fascinating cuts.

– – – : The opening song left me rather skeptical. It definitely sounds This Morn’Omina-like, but it’s more electro-like and I was not that convinced by Mika’s vocals being clean and somewhat flat. I’m also missing some power in a few cuts, but at the other side you there can hear a more explicit and elaborated ambient element.

Conclusion: This Morn’Omina remains the absolute leading formation in a very complex, but fascinating style, which is pure crossover between different genres. This is a great and original production and definitely a reference when it comes to industrial music where all bands are mainly hiding behind laptops.

Best songs: “Garuda Vimana”, “Tir Na Nog”, “Earthwalk”, “Yugan (Feat. Catastrophe Noise)” + ” Kachina Red (End Of The World)”, “Kachina Blue (The Watcher)”, “The Apotheosis Of Eckhart”.

Rate: (8½).

Band: www.thismornomina.com / www.facebook.com/thismornomina

Label: www.dependent.de / www.facebook.com/dependent.records

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: Industrial, industrial-trance, rhythmic electro-industrial.

Content: It seems that Jamie Blacker considered this new album as the most accomplished work to date. The least I can say is that the 3rd part of “Themes Of Carnal Empowerment” left me rather breathless. I’ve known of Electronic Substance Abuse since their early work and I remember this band for its solid electro-industrial approach.

“Penance” features 10 songs, which are built up in a real progressive way, but always reaching a kind of sonic climax created by a twist of heavy, trance-industrial rhythms and dark electro-industrial arrangements. ESA has never been that hard-hitting and merciless, however the work is still elaborate and professional when it comes to speaking about the global production process. ESA is not exactly the kind of band you can compare with another, but I’m sure it will appeal to fans of This Morn’Omina and iVardensphere.

Most of the songs are quite elaborate and show a terrific progression in sound and cadence. The opening song is a good representation for the rest of the work. It takes off in a rather mysterious and somewhat ambient way, but slowly reaches a pure sonic outburst where it all becomes quite trance. “Be Still And I Shall Tell You Why” and “Master, No Servant” both are brilliant exposures of the shamanic industrial work of “Penance”. Blacker has accomplished an opus magnum where he excels in intelligent sound treatments and great artistic creation. Right at the point where you think he has reached the ultimate point he simply moves injecting some extra dynamic into his work.

The 2nd part reveals a few ‘softer’ tracks on which he collaborated with a few guest singers. Most of the songs remain instrumentals where you can only hear the addition of a few sampled words. The vocals and samplings are mainly used in a way to create an extra sound effect. It sometimes pretty bewitching (cf. “Threnody For You”). “My Church” features a nice twist between male growling passages and spoken female words.

The title song featuring Magenta S. is different and probably the single cut where we can speak about ‘classical’ vocals. The song however remains pretty industrial, but more into a dark atmospheric creation.

A last element I have to mention about this work, is ESA’s move from Tympanik Audio to WTII Records.

Conclusion: This album definitely is one of the most poignant releases of the year in the wider fields of industrial music. This is a fully accomplished and genius creation.

Best songs: “Master, No Servant”, “Be Still And I Shall Tell You Why”, “My Church”, “Men Will Only Break Themselves”, “Penance”.

Rate: (DP:8½)DP.

Band: www.electronicsubstanceabuse.com / www.facebook.com/ElectronicSubstanceAbuse

Label: www.wtiirecords.com / www.facebook.com/WTIIRecords

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