On this new album by Thorofon, Dan Courtman explores the idea that we are born guilty. This concept serves as the foundation for the latest release from the German project, which first emerged in 1995, remained active for a decade, and was revived in 2010.

Across thirteen tracks, the album captivates with Courtman’s highly specific and idiosyncratic approach. Built as a form of sound collage, it fuses multiple influences into a coherent whole. The result is unmistakably Experimental, yet firmly rooted in Minimal-Electro, driven by Industrial rhythms, heavy and overwhelming Power-Electronics, and occasional Death-Industrial fragments. Although the album consists exclusively of short tracks, each one leaves a strong impact through its intensity and variety. Thorofon embodies a form of ‘Industrial anarchy’ — a freestyle aesthetic that is instantly recognizable while remaining entirely unique. The rhythms can be fiercely hypnotic, giving way at times to magical, analog textures that feel minimalist and subtle. Vocals are used sparingly but effectively, often erupting into screams that add an extra layer of emphasis.

“Guilty” will not leave Industrial freaks unmoved; its diversity ensures it will resonate with a broad audience within the Industrial underground. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Born Guilty”:

About Thorofon

Thorofon is the German post-industrial and power-electronics project of Dan Courtman, founded in 1995. Its first album, “Maximum Punishment Solutions”, appeared on Ant-Zen in 1997, followed by further albums and EPs across CD, vinyl, and cassette.

The project wound down after roughly a decade before Courtman revived it in 2010. “Guilty”, released on Ant-Zen as a digital and cassette album, continues Thorofon’s sound-collage approach across thirteen short tracks.

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, Minimal-Electro.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: “Angor” was released at the end of 2023 and is ‘the second part of the sinister world of Gladio Angor – a sonic descent into the abyss, that is simultaneously captivating and disconcerting.’ This new work features ten new songs by Dan Courtman.

Content: The approach and global sound influences are quite comparable to the “Gladio”-album. This is a sonic fusion between Minimal-Electronics close to 80s influences and a harder Industrial sound appealing for Dive-fans. You’ll notice songs featuring vocals and/or spoken samplings.

+ + + : Thorofon remains faithful to its 80s sound mixing different- but related styles together. I still like the minimalism emerging at “Fools Cage” feat. Te/DIS. This is a true masterpiece with danceable vibes. But I also recommend “Take Reality” for its early Industrial/Experimental spirit and the somewhat harder “Perfection” reminding me of Dive’s Electro-Industrial style.

– – – : A few parts feature more chaotic structures but you don’t hear me complaining.

Conclusion: “Gladio” and “Angor” both are great pieces of retro- and yet modern Minimal-Electro/Industrial music.

Best songs: “Fools Cage”, “Take Reality”, “Perfection”, “Shrouts Of Cries”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: http://web.archive.org/web/20070313082511/http://www.umbkollektif.com/thorofon/thorofon.html

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

About Thorofon

Thorofon is a German industrial/power-electronics project founded by Anton Knilpert in 1995. After a decade and a triptych of albums, the project transformed into The Musick Wreckers at the end of 2005, with Knilpert changing his artist name to Dan Courtman. Core members are Dan Courtman (Anton Knilpert) and Geneviève Pasquier, working regularly with guest musicians. Thorofon reformed in late 2010.

The project releases through Ant-Zen. “Angor,” reviewed here, arrived at the end of 2023 as the second part of the “Gladio Angor” cycle, following the “Gladio” album.

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, Minimal-Electronics.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Thorofon duo strikes back with a new album which seems to be inspired and driven by the darkest thoughts and pain of the inner self.

Content: Thorofon remains faithful to their vintage sound treatments. It creates the feeling of awakening somewhere in the 80s. The analogue sounds are now and then reminding me of Suicide but in a more ‘industrialized’ version.

+ + + : Thorofon has released a new significant and representative work for lovers of good-old analogue Electronics. It sounds pure retro- and minimal-driven although with heavy Industrial sound sculptures on top. The somewhat ghost-like vocals create the right match with the music.

– – – : I can’t understand why this experienced duo never got a wider recognition which is maybe due to their minimalism.

Conclusion: Dark Electronic dance music for dungeons.

Best songs: “Too Bright”, “Hate Is Normal”, “Hammer And Stone”, “Hand And Knife”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: http://web.archive.org/web/20070313082511/http://www.umbkollektif.com/thorofon/thorofon.html

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

About Thorofon

Thorofon is a German industrial/power-electronics project founded by Anton Knilpert in 1995. After a decade and a triptych of albums, the project transformed into The Musick Wreckers at the end of 2005, with Knilpert changing his artist name to Dan Courtman. Core members are Dan Courtman (Anton Knilpert) and Geneviève Pasquier, working regularly with guest musicians. Thorofon reformed in late 2010.

The project releases through Ant-Zen. “Gladio,” reviewed here, was released in November 2022 as the first part of the “Gladio Angor” cycle, which Thorofon completed the following year with “Angor”.

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, Power-Electronics, Death-Industrial.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: Dan Courtman (Thorofon) strikes back with five new songs of his Kommando sound/noise-project.

Content: “Brutal Cell” sounds as brutal as its sound. We get a harsh melting pot of Power-Electronics/Noise and Death-Industrial. Heavy Noise blasts and harsh vocals are coming together in an unpolished and tormenting work.

+ + + : Kommando reminds me the ‘earlier’ years of Ant-Zen; call it the golden years of Power-Noise and related music styles. Dan Courtman sounds like claiming there’s still a place for this kind of music today. The sound makes me think of a bulldozer destroying everything in its way. I have a preference for “Evil Ota” which also is one of the heaviest cuts.  

– – – : Kommando stands for brutal energy and is not accessible for a wider audience.

Conclusion: Does Kommando be in charge of the machines or did the machines get full control over the operator? “Brutal Cell” must be an indication to find the answer…

Best songs: “Evil Ota”, “Sequester”.

Rate: 7.

Artist: www.facebook.com/dan.courtman.7

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

About Kommando

Kommando is the noise and power electronics project of German musician Dan Courtman, who also records as Thorofon. Discogs describes Kommando as Courtman’s pre-Thorofon incarnation, reanimated in 2007.

Early cassette material was reissued in 1999 through We Don’t Need Distributors as “Funky Spasm” and “Electronic Fear”. “Necroinvasiv” appeared on L. White Records in 2007 and “Crimefactory” on UMB in 2009. Ant-Zen then released “Kranial Klash” in 2014, “Skull Snake” in 2015, the three-way split “Cold War, Hot Love” with Control and Geneviéve Pasquier in 2018, and the one-sided 7″ “The Golden Cage” in 2019.

Ant-Zen issued “Brutal Cell” as a 7″ EP on April 19, 2022, in a heavy grey cardboard sleeve with hand-printed artwork by Stefan Alt, alongside a concrete box edition and digital formats. Courtman has since returned with “Wage Of Wrath” on Ant-Zen in 2024 and “Bloodpinner” on Crimefactory 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: Electro-Wave, EBM, Electro-Ambient, Experimental.

Format: Digital, Vinyl.

Background/Info: This single is a split release between German project Thorofon and Eva|3 from the UK. Thorofon is a more familiar name and has already released an impressive discography.

Content: Thorofon has written a retro-EBM/Wave like track, which reminds me of Portion Control. The song by Eva|3 is an instrumental edit, which is mixing Ambient elements with Industrial sound treatments.

+ + + : I was impressed by the good-old Electro-Wave and EBM like “Devil’s Share” by Thorofon. It’s a well-crafted song with a great retro-like spirit and cool vocals on top. The vintage approach comes back on Eva|3 “Théorie: Redux”, which is mainly due to the magic of analogue gear.

– – – : Both songs are totally different from each other so it all depends of your personal taste, but I personally thing the Thorofon song is  a few levels higher than the one by Eva|3.

Conclusion: A good-old split 7”, which might become a kind of collector’s item within a few years!

Best songs: Thorofon: “Devil’s Share”.

Rate: (6).

Artists: www.facebook.com/Thorofon-125914984206296 / www.eva3.co.uk / www.facebook.com/eva3official

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

About Thorofon and Eva|3

Thorofon is a German post-industrial project with an extensive discography, while Eva|3 is a project from the UK. “La Théorie Du Diable” was released on 5 February 2021 through Ant-Zen (catalog act406), pairing Thorofon’s “Devil’s Share” with Eva|3’s “Théorie: Redux”. The single was pressed as a square 7″ lathe-cut clear vinyl limited to 50 copies, each with an individually printed acrylic-glass cover.

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: death-industrial, dark-ambient, drone, industrial, EBM.

Background/Info: Henrik Nordvargr Björkk last year released the album “Psychosis”. Seven songs from this album has been taken and exposed to the remix skills of nine artists, considered as ‘friends’ of the Swedish master.

Content: The remixes have been made by MZ.412, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Vasafor, Visions, Kristoffer Oustad, Spetsnaz, Michael Idehall, Thorofon and The Benjolin Codex. It creates a quite diversified opus, where you can easily recognize most of the original songs, but also the input from each remixer.

+ + + : Remix-albums aren’t exactly a very common practice in this kind of music. So the result is rather original and definitely diversified. If you would like to know how Nordvargr-stuff sounds in an EBM approach I can only, but recommend the Spetsnaz remix. But my personal favorite one is the dark and delicate accomplishment by Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio remixing “Sweet Death Triumphant”. In fact it’s much more than simply a remix, but a totally reworked edit featuring the vocals of Tomas Pettersson. Another essential piece is the remix of this same song by Thorofon. I like the electronic sequences mixed with spoken-like growls.

– – – : Even if this album has something ‘fun’-like I would have preferred discovering a new work from Nordvargr himself.

Conclusion: I’m not sure if the fans will be totally satisfied with this album, but it clearly is a kind of collector’s item and an ode to this genius artist.

Best songs: “Sweet Death Triumphant – Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio Rework”, “Sweet Death Triumphant – Thorofon Rework”, “Salve Teragmon – Spetsnaz Rework”, “Sweet Death Triumphant – Kristoffer Oustad Rework”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.facebook.com/hnordvargr

Label: www.cycliclaw.com / www.facebook.com/cycliclaw

About Nordvargr

Nordvargr is the recording name of Swedish industrial and dark ambient musician Henrik Nordvargr Björkk, born in 1971 in Västerås and based in Nora. “Tantum Melior” gathers remixes from artists including Mz.412, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Spetsnaz, Thorofon, Kristoffer Oustad and Michael Idehall.

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