X-Fusion &#8211; SIDE-LINE

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.

Portland, Oregon based electro act nolongerhuman to release all new album, ‘Marionette’, on May 5th

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 13:14:42 +0000

Portland, Oregon based electro act nolongerhuman is back with an all new album, “Marionette”, on May 5th via COP International.

Produced by Jan Loamfield / X-fusion “Marionette” is as an album whose concept first came to mind almost a decade ago so Clint Robertson says: “I set out to make a collection of songs that try to define the things that quietly control us in the background. Songs about our addictions, our compulsions, and the needs and struggles of the human condition. All of the factors that pull our strings behind the scenes. Over time as the world changed, the idea became more focused and the message more direct and urgent. We live in an era that too often moves too fast to reflect on our inner feelings, let alone allows us to stop and look in the mirror to see ourselves as we truly are. Not as statistics on some social feed, not as commodities, but as humans.”

nolongerhuman has produced three full-length albums to date. Recently the dark electro act renewed its contract with COP International and released “Dead Inside”, the first full-length single and video from “Marionette”.

The album can already pre-order it on Bandcamp.

Marionette by nolongerhuman

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!

Dark techno project Matthew Creed launches full album ‘The Chapel of Lines’ on Bandcamp today and reveals 2 videoclips

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 11:13:09 +0000

Matthew Creed is the dark techno alter-ego of Estonian artist Dmitry Darling (Freakangel, Suicidal Romance). Out now for immediate download via Bandcamp is his debut album “The Chapel of Lines”.

Dmitry: “This my personal catharsis, my way to turn the page on three long years of “non-life” during which I literally hit the rock bottom, my way to say farewell to his demons hovering above my head.” And he adds: “You go down riding deeper into nothingness knocking on hell’s doors enjoying all the sins that this world has to offer with no thoughts of surrendering, only keeping calm by repeating the same words all over again like a fucking mantra “I know when to stop, I know when to stop” just to find yourself laying naked and shivering from the last night in the cold bed all alone promising yourself to wake the fuck up, become a better man just to realize that it is Tuesday… and I bet that most of you know what Tuesday means to us… the ones that tend to fall fast.”

Mastered by Jan. L at X-Fusion Music Production, this 13-tracker also features Matthew Creed’s recent singles “Hidden” and the underground club hit “Love Is Just Another Stab In The Back”.

Excellent release that shows how dark electro can progress in time. Check out the tracks below.

The Chapel of Lines by MATTHEW CREED

Here are the previous singles.

Hidden EP by MATTHEW CREED Love Is Just Another Stab In The Back EP by MATTHEW CREED

For the occasion the band also released 2 videoclips.

’30 Years Of Journalism – Celebration Interview’ with Johan Van Roy (Suicide Commando): ‘I Probably Will Continue Writing Music Till I Drop Dead’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sun, 02 May 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Back in 1991 I started writing my first reviews for Side-Line magazine. I would have never thought to go on writing reviews and making interviews non-stop for 30 years. So 2021 is a special year to me, a kind of ‘celebration year’. I got the idea to celebrate this special event by interviewing people from the scene who all have a special meaning to me. I met Johan Van Roy even before I wrote my first review. He was busy composing music under the SUICIDE COMMANDO moniker. I liked the dark and tormented atmosphere of his early demos, which were reminding me of THE KLINIK. I got the chance singing on one of his early songs and we even set up together a music project. SUICIDE COMMANDO became one of the absolute leading formations from the Dark-Electro scene, playing as headliner at big festivals, selling thousands of albums and having an impressive word-wide fan base. Beyond the successful career hides an humble person. No star attitude, but an accessible and kind man who simply remains himself.

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Q: Thirty five years ago now you started experimenting with Electronic music while setting up SUICIDE COMMANDO. What incited you back in 1986 to experiment with electro sounds and noises? How did that happened and what equipment did you use?

Johan: I grew up in the early 80s with the in that time booming New-Wave scene, listening to bands like THE CURE, SISTERS OF MERCY, but also more Electronic sounding bands like DEPECHE MODE or FAD GADGET … It was because of these bands that my love for Electronic music started. Not much later I discovered bands like THE NEON JUDGEMENT, FRONT 242 and THE KLINIK (in those days these bands even got airplay on national radio stations like BRT…).

These bands had such a big impact on me that I also wanted to start making Electronic music. And so I bought my first keyboard back in summer 1986, the now legendary Roland SH101, not much later added with 2 drum machines, the Boss DR110 Dr. Rhythm and the Boss DR220E.

Very limited gear, but in those days very expensive equipment, so it wasn’t that obvious to buy more equipment. For example samplers were extremely expensive and even with a sampler you only could record a few seconds of sound…

Q: People maybe don’t realize it took you years and a lot of patience plus perseverance to get some recognition. I get the impression you couldn’t maybe directly break through because of a lack of equipment. As you said, electronic equipment was very expensive and there weren’t the same facilities as today. How do you look back at this period regarding equipment, the multiple cassettes you released, the first compilation features etc?

Johan: It obviously were totally different times, not just only because of the cost and the lack of equipment, as I already mentioned before. But there also wasn’t any social media, so that means it took way longer to get your music spread around. Everything still had to be done by post, so things took much longer then nowadays.
Today’s possibilities are unlimited, but nonetheless I don’t regret I had to start this way. It gave you much more freedom and time to work on music. You also had to be way more innovative and inventive to create and write music. Today almost everything is already canned, get yourself a PC and some music software and in one day you can write yourself a complete album …

Many bands had to start like I did, writing music with very limited gear and releasing it on tape… bands like FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, NITZER EBB… all started this way.
It also gave me time to improve and create my own style, something I do lack in today’s music scene.
So I definitely look back at it with pleasure.

Q: You became involved with LESCURE 13, which in a way -and right in the beginning became more recognized than SUICIDE COMMANDO. I was even sure LESCURE 13 would even become the Belgian ‘next big thing’, but it finally didn’t happen that way. How comes and what do you keep in mind from the LESCURE 13 experience?

Johan:I don’t think that SUICIDE COMMANDO was less recognized, but it was much harder to get the same recognition if you don’t do live shows, and I think that was the main reason why LESCURE 13 got picked up faster. Initially I never really planned on doing live shows with SUICIDE COMMANDO, but as our first live show with LESCURE 13 at the legendary Side-Line festival at ‘VK’ in Brussels became such a success, it convinced me to start doing live shows with SUICIDE COMMANDO as well. So in a way Side-Line is to blame for that 🙂

It was fun doing LESCURE 13 with Stefan Bens (STIN SCATZOR), but since SUICIDE COMMANDO got more and more successful in the years after, I got less and less time to focus on LESCURE 13, so on the long run the combination became too difficult and stressful for me. I’ll never forget our very first live show with LESCURE 13 in Brussels.

Q: I got the privilege to start another project with you, which was TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME. How do you look back at this experience and a few other side-projects like DB.F and KOMBAT UNIT?

Johan:I enjoyed doing them all, but just like with LESCURE 13, time became the biggest problem. The combination of doing music with SUICIDE COMMANDO + work + family just became too time consuming and stressful.

But like I said, I enjoyed doing all these side projects. As SUICIDE COMMANDO was my solo-project I enjoyed working together with others from time to time, even though it requires a different approach.

With LESCURE 13 we still do some live shows now and then, and also KOMBAT UNIT with Jan (NOISUF-X, X-FUSION) never really stopped, but it’s all just a matter of time.

Doing TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME was fun too, but in the end you have to make choices and set priorities, but I look back at it with lots of pleasure.

Q: The split-album/compilation “Induktion, Varianz Und Deren Folgen” released by Stefan Herwig on his early label Kugelblitz in 1993 made things change! Suddenly more people were discovering SUICIDE COMMANDO! How important was this compilation in the career and development of SUICIDE COMMANDO? And how important was Stefan Herwig who finally brought you to join his Off Beat label?

Johan: Oh, for sure this was a career changer and I’m sure that without Stefan Herwig, SUICIDE COMMANDO never would have become as big as today. I already knew Stefan Herwig for a few years after he discovered SUICIDE COMMANDO through my tapes released on the German ZNS tapes label, so when Stefan started his own label with Kugelblitz Records he soon invited me to join on his “Induktion, Varianz Und Deren Folgen” split-CD.

Not much later Stefan started working for the rising Off Beat label and so he was able to get me in there as well… and the rest is history I guess.

I’m aware I was pretty lucky, being at the right place at the right time I guess… so yes, without Stefan my career would have looked totally different I guess.

Q: SUICIDE COMMANDO was often compared to THE KLINIK, which has been one of your main sources of inspiration. What has been the real impact of THE KLINIK and eventually other bands –and maybe music genres, in the development and evolution of SUICIDE COMMANDO till today?

Johan:Well, no need to deny that bands like KLINIK or yet FRONT 242 (and others like THE NEON JUDGEMENT, FAD GADGET, SKINNY PUPPY, NITZER EBB…) had a major impact on me and my music throughout the years. They not only were a major source of inspiration, these bands also were THE main reason why I started doing ‘Electronic’ music in the first place. My older brother was playing guitar so my first steps into the music scene were as a bass player, but when I discovered bands like KLINIK, FRONT 242… a whole new world opened before my eyes (and ears).
Still in 2021 a band like KLINIK remains probably my biggest influence.

Q: You last year celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the “Mindstrip”-album. This production probably became the most successful one in the band’s history, but how do you look back at this album and did it make specific things/aspects changing?

Johan: Not sure if it was my most successful album, but it sure had the biggest impact on my career. We already gained some recognition with the huge success of “See You In Hell” and to a lesser extent “Desire” and “Better Off Dead”, but the release of the “Mindstrip”-album and the “Hellraiser”-single taken from this album certainly brought us to the top of the scene. Again I think Stefan Herwig had a big part in this success as he just started his own division with Dependent Records, gathering bands like COVENANT or VNV NATION… I think SUICIDE COMMANDO certainly benefitted from their success as well.

On top of that I think “Mindstrip” filled a gap between the at that time trending Future- and Synth-Pop acts and the more harder side of the Electro scene which was at a decline at that moment, and therefore “Mindstrip” marked an important milestone in the entire scene. All of a sudden bands started to copy SUICIDE COMMANDO and harsh electro was born. In the next years many bands would jump onto the harsh ‘Electro/Endzeit’ train.

So it not only marked the start of a new subgenre in the Electro scene, it also changed the expectations of the media and the crowd.

My follow up album “Axis Of Evil” was 8 weeks at the top of the at that time highly acclaimed German Alternative Charts (DAC).

Q: You’re organizing an interesting annual ‘SUICIDE COMMANDO poll’ where the fans can choose their favorite songs. In which way is it representative for your personal favorites and what are your favorite songs? And do you’ve some songs, which remained underrated?

Johan: It’s a good representation of what the fans consider the best SUICIDE COMMANDO songs, but that’s about all. It surely doesn’t reflect my personal favorites, even though a few of my personal faves are also in the top 10 of this list.

I’ve always enjoyed doing the more slower and atmospheric songs. A few of them like “God Is In The Rain” or “The Devil” also gained club success, but personal favorites like “Euthanasia” (1998), “Body Count proceed” (2000), “Until We Die” (2010), “Severed Head” (2010), “Repent Or Perish” (2013)… remained under the radar.

Q: SUICIDE COMMANDO became the absolute leading formation from the Dark-Electro scene! I can imagine it’s a deserved recognition for hard work, but what does this ‘status’ really mean to you? What has been the impact of this success on the person hiding behind the artist? In which way did it change your life?

Johan: I don’t think it had that much impact on me personally. I always remained (probably too) humble and down to earth. Of course I’m flattered by this recognition, but compared to some others in this scene, I always kept both feet on the ground. And let’s face it, compared with the mainstream Beyoncé’s and Madonna’s of this world we’re just tiny little dwarfs…lol

Q: Do you know how much SUICIDE COMMANDO-albums have been sold today? What have been the best-sellers?

Johan: With the rise of digital downloads and sales I have no idea anymore of actual physical sales. The market completely changed in the last 2 decades. Physical sales of CD’s completely collapsed and the digital market is so diverse that it’s hard to give any concrete numbers.

On platforms like Spotify… people don’t listen to complete albums anymore, they just pick their favorite songs. Not even sure if complete albums still will be released in 10 years from now…

So it’s hard to compare, I know an album like “Mindstrip” sold over 25.000 physical copies, but it never even reached the official album charts, while my latest 2 albums even made it to a position in the top 20 of the official German album charts, even though their physical sales are way less than the original “Mindstrip”-album for example, simply because digital sales totally took over the market.

Q: Is it possible for an underground artist to earn a living with music? How important is money when you’re a renowned artist?

Johan: Yes, (in non-Covid times!) I think it’s possible for the bigger acts in the underground scene, if you do it properly, which means doing regular live touring + releasing music on a regular base.

But it takes a lot of work, time and devotion. I’m still one of the lucky few who can live from music, but since I have a responsibility towards my wife and kid, I deliberately choose to keep doing a half time job to remain financially safe.

Q: SUICIDE COMMANDO is also a live band with a solid reputation. How important is it for you to play live shows and feel the interaction with the fans?

Johan: I find it very important and I realize it even more at times like these today with the pandemic. I do miss this interaction with the fans and the crowd. It gives so much satisfaction and energy to be on stage and interact with your fans.

Q: Torben Schmidt and Mario Vaerewijck are your long-time live mates. How does it happen when you guys are on tour and what makes the chemistry between you all (and the entire crew)?

Johan: I think we all enjoy it very much to be on the road, in a way it’s also our escape from boring daily work ‘eat-sleep’ routine. A big advantage also is that we’re not a conventional band, I mean, basically SUICIDE COMMANDO is just me doing all the music, so Torben and Mario only join in on stage, so we don’t have to sleep with each other (which does happen sometimes being on tour haha…).

Usually it’s all very easy going when we’re on the road and that keeps things pleasant.

Q: You played at numerous festivals and in very different countries all over the world. Do you see noticeable differences between countries and continents and are there some specific places/venues you would ever like to play?

Johan: There certainly are differences. Not specifically because of the crowd, although we do notice a difference between playing in countries where people hardly ever get to see live bands from other continents (like Mexico or Brazil…) or countries where you can watch the same band every 2 weeks (like Germany …).

The gratitude is bigger in countries where you don’t get to play every month or year. I do notice more differences on the technical level. Clubs and venues usually are much better equipped in Europe then across the ocean. It’s a much bigger challenge to do shows in the US for example, but what counts in the end is the response from the crowd. I can be more satisfied playing in front of 100 people in a dirty basement with a crappy sound system then playing in front of 5000 people, as long as the people had fun I’m happy.

Q: What has been your biggest satisfaction and deception so far?

Johan: I’m overall happy that I could make my biggest passion a big part of my job and life. Music has always been my passion, so I feel privileged that I could make my music my (part time) job and life. I feel privileged that I can share my music and my passion with my fans, that’s probably my biggest satisfaction.

My biggest deception? Hard to say, maybe the fact that it also takes a lot of sacrifices to combine all these things (my daily part time job + music + family + …), it already got me into a severe burn-out few years ago, my knee is fucked up after the accident on stage in the US, my ears are fucked up because of the often too loud music on stages …

Q: A lot of things have changed/evolved since you set up SUICIDE COMMANDO in 1985! What’s your perception about it all and how did you see the scene and entire music business evolving throughout the years?

Johan: Oh for sure many things have changed throughout the years, it’s really been a technological revolution… The technological possibilities became endless, maybe not all for the best though.

We’re living in an ever faster society and that’s even reflected in our music. In 1985 a song had to be 120 bpm maximum, today we’re living at a speed of 135 bpm or more… lol

The rise of the digital media totally killed the CD and vinyl market, but also brought new possibilities, so I also try to see the positive effects of it.
Social media became the new normal and brought music & bands closer to their fans, but also gave us a shallow and resentful society.

So it all has it’s pro and cons… and there’s no way back.

Q: Do you sometimes imagine the end of SUICIDE COMMANDO and are there other things in life you would like to accomplish?

Johan: I don’t think SUICIDE COMMANDO will ever stop. I tried to split several times, but it’s so hard being a one man project…lol. No seriously, I can’t imagine my life without music, so I probably will continue writing music till I drop dead.

Q: What might we expect from SUICIDE COMMANDO for the next few months?

Johan: I’m currently working on a new album, but I don’t want to rush things, so no idea when it will be finished.

I certainly do hope we can start doing live shows again sometime this Summer, so I’m really looking forward to that.
And there might be some more surprises coming up, but wait and see…

V/A A Human Scan(ner) – The 20th Anniversary Compilation (Album – Scanner / Dark Dimensions)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 20:30:00 +0000

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

Format: Digital, 2 CD.

Background/Info: Scanner is a subdivision of Dark Dimensions, which this year celebrates its twentieth anniversary. Set up by Francesco D’Angelo, Scanner has been always and mainly devoted to Electronic genres like EBM, Dark-Electro and Electro-Pop. The compilation features twenty six artists and songs reminding us of the great artists from this label.

Artists: Gin Devo, BhamBhamHara, Autodafeh, Kreign, DSTR, Fractal Age, Destin Fragile, Blue Images, Twins In Fear, Cyan Inc, Vomito Negro, [:SITD:], Eden Synthetic Corps, Mechanical Moth, Centhron, Intent:Outtake, Disorder:Mankind, Das Werk, X-Fusion, Spetsnaz, Grausame Töchter, Epinephrin, Black Heaven, A Spell Inside, Absurd Minds, Straftanz.

Content: This sampler is a perfect way to (re)discover the Scanner label roaster, which features some great EBM names such as Autodafeh and Spetsnaz while other names such as [:SITD:], Vomito Negro + Gin Devo, Eden Synthetic Corps and Absurd Minds were more active in a darker EBM format, getting pretty close with pure Dark-Electro. Centhron and X-Fusion are for sure Dark-Electro! Other bands like BhamBhamHara and Straftanz are more representative of the progressive (Techno)-EBM format. A Spell Inside remains one of the ‘oldest’ bands from the roster and still one of the few to deal with Electro-Pop. And then there’s Grausame Töchter, which remains a very unique experience in sound. The compilation also features a few bands we’ve a bit forgotten like Fractal Age, Destin Fragile, Epinephrin. It’s also a while ago we’ve heard something from Cyan Inc. And there’re new signatures like the promising EBM formation Kreign and the Experimental-Electro Twins In Fear plus a few totally unknown names like Das Werk and Disorder:Mankind.

+ + + : When you take a brief look at the names featured at this compilation you can only, but agree Scanner has been for numerous years one of the leading labels from the Dark-Electro scene. But this compilation becomes really interesting when you’ll know that nearly all of the tracks are exclusive ones and/or rare edits. Frank D’Angelo always has had a nose to sign great artists, Kreign being the new sensation! My favorite cuts from the album are the ones by X-Fusion and Grausame Töchter remixed by And One.

– – – : This compilation doesn’t cover the entire Scanner roster, which says something about the Electronic welfare from the label. Some artists that haven’t been featured (because they’re no longer part of the label) are Amnistia, Stromkern, Distorted Reality, Sleepwalk, Page 12, The Eternal Afflict, Cycloon, Sara Noxx, Re:Work, Spiritual Reality, Inside, Das Präparat.. More than enough to fill an extra disc and they all are still part of this great label’s history.

Conclusion: This compilation is a part of history; 20 years of great underground music by Scanner!

Best bands: X-Fusion, Grausame Töchter, Autodafeh, Straftanz, BhamBhamHara, [:SITD:].

Rate: (8½).

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

Mordacious – It’s Not Over (Album – Mordacious)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 18:30:29 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, industrial-rave.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: After self-released productions, American artist ‘Mordacious Mortem’ released his work on Hypervoxx Recordings/Telegrammetry Recordings and Infacted Recordings. The previous album (cf. “Bloodletting”) was again a self-released work mastered by Jan Loamfield (Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Stoppenberg). “It’s not Over” got released at the end of 2019 and has been mastered again by Jan Loamfield.

Content: I’ve never been a huge fan of Mordacious, but “It’s Not Over” is something totally different. The artist reinvented the sound of his sonic brainchild transforming the dark-electronic basis driven by repetitive melody lines into an industrial-rave style. I don’t want to compare it with Noisuf-X, but the German project can be for sure a source of inspiration.

This album even sounds like it was composed by another artist or a side-project of Mordacious. The tracks are danceable while the hypnotic breaks are only empowering the trance sensation. There are vocals in a true dark-electro vein, but the vocals don’t sound like it was the main focus from the global production work.

+ + + : “It’s Not Over” stands for a total ‘sonic make over’! Mordacious is clearly experimenting with new ideas. I must say the songs have something ‘sexy’; this is cool dark-industrial rave music. It has something trendy, but the songs are accomplished. I noticed several great songs such as “Vampyre”, “Bleed”, “It’s Not Over”, “Beg And Plead” and “Nothing”. Respect to this artist who finally dared to walk on ‘new’ sonic paths and the result is worthy of examination.

– – – : I can imagine some fans of the ‘classical’ Mordacious sound and releases will maybe be shocked discovering this album. This is just another band… but who cares? I don’t!

Conclusion: I realize I’ve been often pretty hard on previous Mordacious reviews, but what I’ve heard now is something different and from a higher level!

Best songs: “Vampyre”, “Bleed”, “It’s Not Over”, “Beg And Plead”, “Nothing”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .facebook .com /mordaciousmusic

Stoppenberg – Frontschlag (CD Album – X-Beats)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 20:00:45 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-body, dark-EBM.

Background/Info: Jan Loamfield will always be linked to his most successful project Noisuf-X and of course the dark-electro project X-Fusion. But the German sound guru is also active under the Stoppenberg moniker and is releasing a new album a year. His newest opus is “Frontschlag” featuring thirteen new songs.

Content: There where Noisuf-X mixes industrial together with rave, Stoppenberg is mixing EBM with raw, technoid sound treatments. The work is also driven by impressive bass lines, which became Jan’s trademark, furious dance beats, spoken samplings and for the very first time predominant vocals. Jan invited Centhron singer Elmar Schmidt to sing on different tracks while the last song features Daniel Graves (Aesthetic Perfection).

+ + + : When it comes to sound and influences I can’t say that Stoppenberg really innovates, but the production process is once again high-tech. I however like the raw sound treatments, the terrific bass lines (Jan Lehmkämper being one of the most talented artists when it comes to create solid bass lines) and the furious power emerging from the songs. The addition of vocals injects some diversity, but clearly sounds as a bonus to the music. There are numerous noticeable songs featured, but I have a preference for “Shake Your Booty”. Especially the chorus of this song makes the magic!

– – – : Sound-wise Stoppenberg doesn’t innovate and even becomes a bit predictable, but in the end no one will complain when getting such a huge amount of dance stuff. A few songs could have been a little bit longer and that’s maybe a little regret.

Conclusion: Jan Lehmkämper is clearly putting more and more efforts in this project, which album after album is becoming more performing and convincing! This is the sound of raw techno-body music.

Best songs: “Shake Your Booty”, “Frontschlag”, “Krieg”, “Bewegt Euch, Pussies”, “Anyone Else”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www.stoppenberg.net / www.facebook.com/stoppenbergmusic

Label: www.facebook.com/xbeatspromotion

Children Of Tomorrow by Gamma10

Gamma10’s new song is out now: ‘Children Of Tomorrow’ – listen to it here and download it for free

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 19:33:15 +0000

“Children Of Tomorrow” is the newest offering from the Budapest, Hungary based one-man electro project Gamma10. The track is taken from the upcoming Gamma10 album “Outsider” and can be downloaded for free till Feb-8th when the album will be released. You can expect melancholic melodies and energetic beats. You can check out the track right below.

Gamma10 combines dark-electro, EBM, electro-industrial and some other genres. Gamma10 has already released 3 albums, 2 EPs and one compilation, which are available via the band’s Bandcamp page. The first EP was released in 2011, in 2015 the song “Present (Mindful Mix)” was selected by Side-Line Music Magazine to be featured on the compilation “Face The Beat: Session 3“. The tracks on the later EP “Wish” were mixed and mastered by X-Fusion Music Production. A first video was created in 2016 for the song “Forever” from the album “Listen to me” (watch the video below).

C-Lekktor – Animals (CD EP – Digital World Audio)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 18:30:58 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: Mexican dark-electro sensation C-Lekktor delivers a new EP featuring the title-song taken from the last album “Out Of My Way” plus 2 remixes of this song and 1 previously unreleased B-side song. The CD-format is limited to 200 copies.

Content: “Animals” wasn’t my personal favorite track from the last album although it’s a solid piece of music and totally appropriated to get released as EP title song. It’s a powerful dark-electronic piece with some rave-industrial flavor reminding Noisuf-X on top. We next get a “Club Version” of the song and a remix by Stoppenberg (aka Jan Loamfield from Noisuf-X, X-Fusion).

The other song left (cf. “Cyborgs”) is much more than simply a B-side cut, but a real(8). hard and hitting rave-industrial cut, which here again reminds to Noisuf-X.

+ + + : What I like in the C-Lekktor sound is the powerful sound! It’s a dark-electronic format mixing certain ‘Mexican sound’ together with refreshing and technoid elements. “Cyborgs” stands for raw industrial-rave music while “Animals” is mixing similar elements with a more classical dark-electro sound. The Stoppenberg remix is a cool little bonus for the DJ’s.

– – – : Speaking for myself I prefer the B-side cut instead of the title-track, but I think that’s not really a minus point.

Conclusion: “Animals” reveals C-Lekktor at its best and simply confirms this band surely became one of the best exponents in its music genre.

Best songs: “Cyborgs”, “Animals – Stoppenberg Remix”, “Stoppenberg”.

Rate: (8).

Artist: www .clekktor .com / www .facebook .com /Clekktor

Label: www .digitalworld .audio / www .facebook .com /DigitalWorldAudio

‘Click Interview’ with Stoppenberg: ‘I’m Not Familiar With Contemporary EBM’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 17:00:40 +0000

We all know Jan Loamfield from his involvement with X-Fusion and Noisuf-X. But a few years ago now he set up a new project called Stoppenberg. The music is more focalized upon EBM, but with a very own sound approach. Jan Loamfield is according to me one of the most visionary and talented electro-underground musicians from his time. Just like Noisuf-X, Stoppenberg has something ‘different’, call it a very own sound-DNA. The newest album entitled “Ultimate Power” (released on his own label X-Beats) speaks for itself: sonic violence or ultimate power!

(Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries / Picture by Kathy Auer)

Q: The new album “Ultimate Power” sounds as the right description for the sound of Stoppenberg, but what is it all about and what means ‘ultimate power’ to you as musician?

Jan: I´m very focused on sound quality and punch in my tracks -they should really kick ass without the need to work with fast rhythms. My aim with STOPPENBERG is, to keep the BPM lower on most tracks and create the speed and flow with more groovy arrangements and sound design.

Q: How did the writing and production of this new album happened and what have been the new ideas you wanted to exorcise on “Ultimate Power”?

Jan: The main idea was to create a mixture between EDM and EBM -that means clean, but punchy drums combined with heavy, dirty and gritty basslines. I like to combine the feeling of older EBM tracks with a modern sound and production.

Q: I remember you once said Stoppenberg is made of ‘clean’ sounds compared to your other projects. I can imagine it’s another approach in sound production, but how does it really happen and are you using different equipment and/or tricks for this project?

Jan: Yes, like I said, I want to keep the drums clean and undistorted while focalizing more on the basslines, while NOISUF-X is the project that needs these dirty drum sounds and has higher BPM’s in general. It´s not that I use very different equipment, I just use it in a different way. If we talk about the production it´s really the opposite way of working. When I use distorted kick drums for NOISUF-X there´s not much space left for interesting or heavy basslines, because the distorted kicks play at the foreground. The production of a STOPPENBERG track is exactly the opposite, because I mostly use a very clean kick drum to have enough space for complex basslines build from serveral layers and sounds. I don´t know if the listener will notice such a huge difference between the projects, but from the perception as musician it´s something totally different. Sure, if it´s NOISUF-X, X-FUSION or STOPPENBERG -it´s all written by me, and you can hear my ‘handwriting..’ which means.. you can hear that it´s ME. Some NOISUF-X tracks could sound a bit like STOPPENBERG, and some STOPPENBERG tracks could sound a bit like NOISUF-X. I guess I could even produce hip-hop beats, and you could still hear my ‘handwriting’”, if you are familiar with my music.

Q: Stoppenberg is your EBM project although it still sounds pretty technoid and rave-like. What’s your perception of contemporary EBM?

Jan: To be honest, I’m not familiar with contemporary EBM. I get the impression most of the ‘newer’ EBM sounds like people who want to produce tracks that sound exactly the same as older EBM songs. I guess they want to create the same atmosphere and just want to add new songs to the existing concept.. like bands who try to recreate the mood of the 80th (retro-wave). There’s nothing wrong with that.. but I prefer the concept of mixing it with a more modern style of music and mainly without vocals.

Q: Is there any particular meaning –maybe concept, behind the song titles and the samplings you’re using and would you ever considering to add real vocals on Stoppenberg songs?

Jan: I prefer samples that are somehow war-inspired, just to create a powerful atmosphere that fits to the sound of the basslines which sometimes sound like a rolling tank.

Sure, I´m always open minded -so using guest vocals in STOPPENBERG tracks could happen. One of the first tracks “This Is For Your Body” featured at the first STOPPENBERG-EP has guest vocals and that was a lot of fun.

Q: Stoppenberg productions have been released on your own label X-Beats, which is also a promo agency for other –and mainly less familiar, bands. Tell us a bit more about this concept and do you’ve specific criteria (regarding sound, production, influences…) to promote these bands?

Jan: Yeah, I just noticed that it´s complicated or expensive for bands to promote their music, and I want to help doing promotion with a low-priced solution that reaches a lot of DJs / radio stations. Many DJs are interested to get promo tracks from my own projects (NOISUF-X/STOPPENBERG) and some other renowned bands like C-Lekktor or Mordacious. On the same way they will receive tracks from newer bands they maybe don´t know. And when they download all the tracks, they will also listen and explore bands they don´t know.. I think it´s not a bad concept (lol).

Mordacious – Bloodletting (Digital Album – Mordacious)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 21 May 2018 19:30:18 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: American artist ‘Mordacious Mortem’ has already been active for numerous years and can look back an impressive discography. After a few early releases on the defunct Hypervoxx Recordings/Telegrammetry Recordings and multiple self-releases Mordacious finally signed to Infacted Recordings releasing 5 full lengths. “Bloodletting” seems to announce a new era as it again is a self-released production although promoted by X-Beats (promotion company of Jan Loamfield from Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Stoppenberg) who did the mastering as well.

Content: The sound formula of Mordacious has never really changed. This is pure dark-electronic music carried by stumping rhythms, haunting vocals and constant horror-like melodies. The songs are quite recognizable, sometimes inspired by Suicide Commando, but in the end clearly revealing a very own sonic identity.

+ + + : If you’re into dark-electronics and you like dancing in clubs, Mordacious will be good company. The album is punchy and characterized by endless melodic sequences. Even if I’ve never been a huge fan of this band I have to admit the sound is quite recognizable. Mordacious clearly sounds inspired by some dark-electronic legends, but injected a very personal melodic touch, which always reminds me of the famous tune of “The Addams Family”.

– – – : The sound formula of Mordacious has never really changed. The album becomes rapidly predictable and the songs repetitive. I however have to admit that the global production (writing, mixing, mastering) has been seriously improved throughout the years.

Conclusion: Mordacious invites you to dance and go wild on dark-electronics. There’s no real challenge and not a lot of surprises, but it can works if you already enjoyed previous releases.

Best songs: “God Of War”, “Awakening”.

Rate: (6½).

Artist: www .mordacious .com / www .facebook .com /mordaciousmusic

Stoppenberg – Ultimate Power (CD Album – X-Beats)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 19:30:20 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-body, EBM.

Background/Info: We all Jan Loamfield for his involvement with Noisuf-X and X-Fusion, which both are real successful- and major contemporary formations. But Jan is also involved with Stoppenberg and he now has unleashed the third album from this project inspired by EBM.

Content: Stoppenberg is based upon hard bass sounds, which are mainly EBM-like. But the difference with the familiar EBM standards is that Stoppenberg accomplishes its work by hard techno treatments. I sometimes think that there where Noisuf-X is mixing trance/rave music with industrial elements, Stoppenberg is mixing it with EBM. And just like Noisuf-X there are no real vocals here, but just a few and noticeable sampled parts.

+ + + : This artist confirms to be one of the ‘major’ artists from his generation. Jan Loamfield transformed each of his projects into gold and even if Stoppenberg still sounds as the ‘little brother’ the potential emerging from “Ultimate Power” is simply impressive. The tracks are carried by powerful and overwhelming bass lines while stumping kicks can only, but set dancefloors on fire. And Jan Loamfield has maybe never excels that much into the writing of genius bass lines as on this work. I think we no longer can say this artist is surpassing himself; no he simply is one of the absolute references in contemporary electro-underground music. I consider him together with Seb Komor as the truly geniuses of their time. The sound formula is intelligent and sophisticated while creating a sonic bridge between EBM and dark-techno. This album also features 14 tracks so you really get something back for your money.

– – – : The main challenge when composing this kind of music and using no real vocals is that it sometimes becomes a little bit repetitive and predictable. Don’t get me wrong, this album is definitely the best Stoppenberg release to date, but the magic is a bit gone on the final cuts.

Conclusion: Soldiers aren’t anything without great Generals and music genres are nothing without master artists. Jan Loamfield is already a sonic General for years while Stoppenberg is slowly, but surely becoming his latest secret weapon!

Best songs: “Ultimate Power”, “The Truth”, “It’s Alright”, “I’m On Fire”, “Let’em Taste Death”.

Rate: (8½).

Artist: www .stoppenberg .net / www .facebook .com /stoppenbergmusic

Label: www .facebook .com /xbeatspromotion

C-Lekktor sees ‘Animals’ single released on vinyl (sold out!) and CD (+ download)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 16:46:35 +0000

A new C-Lekktor single has just been released via the DWA label: “Animals”. The clear vinyl 7″ version sold out completely on pre-order so you’ll have to make sure to get the CD which is pressed on semi-transparent clear substrate CD which you can order right here.

The new single by the Mexican outfitis taken from the album “Out Of My Way”, which just spent 7 weeks in the Top 10 of the Deutsche Alternative Charts. “Animals” comes in a Club Version exclusively for this single. Plus you get the brand new and previously unreleased track ”Cyborgs” as an extra.

“Animals” also gets a slamming makeover for this single by Stoppenberg a.k.a. Jan L (X-Fusion/Noisuf-X).

The Faceless Aberration by RUINIZER

The new Ruinizer album (and single) are out now… and already half sold-out!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 16:57:16 +0000

Just released via the Japanese DWA label is the 3rd album from UK act Ruinizer, “The Faceless Aberration”. “The Faceless Aberration” was mastered by Jan L of NOISUF-X at his X-Fusion Music Production facility in Germany. The album is by far the hardest thing the project has released so far and returns almost full circle to the industrial black metal roots of Ruinizer’s original project Cedigest.

The first 100 copies of the physical edition of “The Faceless Aberration” come in a spot-gloss varnished double-disc digifile with integral bound-in lyric booklet and 5-track bonus disc as you can see below.

The bonus disc, “The Voiceless Augmentation”, is pressed on a semi-transparent clear substrate CD and comprises 3 non-album tracks sandwiched between 2 alternate orchestral arrangements of tracks from the album itself.

This ultra-collectible 2CD is already over half sold out on pre-order, with remaining copies available online on the DWA Bandcamp page.

Check the tracks out below:

Tyler McDevgon – Violent Heart (Digital EP – Tyler McDevgon)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 19:30:05 +0000

Genre/Influences: Techno-body music.

Background/Info: Behind Tyler McDevgon is hiding Hand In Waves member Felix F. Both projects have been promoted by X-Beats (label of Jan L aka Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Stoppenberg). “Violent Heart” is the debut EP by Tyler McDevgon, which was already released a few months ago.

Content: I quickly understood why X-Beats is promoting this new band. The influences running through “Violent Heart” are pretty similar to Noisuf-X. Carrying EBM bass lines and techno-rave sound waves have been mixed together with pitched vocals on top. This EP sounds a bit as the offspring between Noisuf-X and Brooklyn Bounce.

+ + + : Even if the sound clearly reminds Noisuf-X is also sounds different and more personal by the addition of the pitched vocals. This project clearly builds a sonic bridge between solid EBM bass lines and typical rave music. There’re a few great leads running through this production, but especially the one from “Sikkk” is really phenomenal.

– – – : “Violent Heart” appears to be a solid basis revealing a new and promising name (just as Wave In head), but some elements of the production clearly has to be elaborated while an extra little boost of power would be great as well.

Conclusion: Tyler McDevgon has been promoted by one of the greatest sound-guru’s of contemporary electro-industrial music (Jan L) and that’s a damned good reason to keep an eye on this new project, which clearly reveals to have a strong potential.

Best songs: “Sikkk”, “Violent Hearts”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: http ://tyler –mcdevgon .com / www .facebook .com /tylermcdevgon

Blood ⛧ Flow by Succubist

Japanese electronic project Succubist debuts with ‘Blood Flow’ album – preview it here

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 19:00:30 +0000

The name Sara Tsukiyama might ring a bell with some of our readers as her old band Liiaiira was featured on our free download compilation “Face The Beat : Session 3” with her project Liiaiira and the track “You Make Me Hollow”. Sara has a new project now, Succubist, which has launched its debut album “Blood Flow”.

You can expect a mix of catchy beats, haunting choirs and dark humor on the album by this Tokyo based project.

Sara Tsukiyama is an electronic music producer for 8 years living in Tokyo Japan and his been active on various music scenes, from IDM over industrial to deathmetal. She was also a member of the band As my Flesh Burns, an industrial powernoise group based in Japan. With Succubist she aims to merge retrowave / slasherwave with industrial, incorporating ideas from bands like X-Fusion, Perturbator, and Aborted.

You can checkout the project’s debut below.

Hand In Waves – Hover In Remedy (Digital EP – Hands In Waves)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 18:30:47 +0000

Genre/Influences: Electro-pop.

Background/Info: Hand In Waves is a German electronic music project mainly inspired and driven through electro-pop music. A few number of EP’s have been released thus far. “Hover In Remedy” was released earlier this year while there also is a brand-new EP. Notice by the way that the EP has been mastered by Jan L (Noisuf-X, X-Fusion, Stoppenberg)

Content: “Hover In Remedy” creates some distance with the classical electro-pop standards. The sound is inspired by more intelligent and sophisticated productions, which sometimes remind me a bit to the astral dimension of Mind.In.A.Box. There also is a kind of space-effect on top of the vocals, reinforcing this galactic dimension.

+ + + : What I especially like in the sound of this band is the creative spirit to compose a ‘different’ kind of electro-pop music. Even if some passages make me think of Mind.In.A.Box, Hand In Waves is not a copyist, but a project exploring refreshing electronic fields in pop music. The space atmosphere supporting the entire EP is quite exciting, but I also enjoyed the global sound treatments and the effect on top of the vocals. You here and there will notice a few more influences such as an EBM bass line and technoid arrangements, which is reinforcing the creative approach of the sound.

– – – : The single reproach I can make is a lack of diversity between the 4 songs. It all sounds cool, but without a real climax!

Conclusion: Hand In Waves is an interesting formation for their more personal electro-pop sound. It sounds a bit like an electro-pop alien surrounded by Depeche Mode clones. This is a band to keep an eye on!

Best songs: “Embraced By The Machines”, “Freethinker”.

Rate: (7).

Band: http ://handinwaves .com / www .facebook .com /handinwaves

‘Click Interview’ with Other Artists About Suicide Commando: ‘Without Him Our Scene Would Be Very Different’

Inferno Sound Diaries — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 17:00:02 +0000

Suicide Commando is a long-time leading formation from the dark-electronic scene. The band is an important source of inspiration for numerous new bands. So I got the idea asking a question to artists who are or have been related to Johan Van Roy. What do they think about his music, about the man hiding behind the artist…

I got in touch with Torben Schmidt, Dirk Ivens, Jean-Luc De Meyer, Jan L., Nero Bellum, Markko Barientos and Sakis (aka SynthetiC).

Speaking for myself I got the opportunity to work with Johan on a common project called Toxic Shock Syndrome. That was quite a long time ago now, but all over the years Johan remained the same kind and accessible guy for which I can only express my admiration for the talented artist he is and my respect for the great person hiding behind the artist. There where some artists are ‘struggling’ with their egos, he simply remains himself…

(by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Torben Schmidt is the owner of Infacted Recordings, member of Lights Of Euphoria and Binnary Park plus long-time live member of Suicide Commando.

Q: We all know Johan Van Roy as an ‘artist’ and ‘performer’, but what kind of man is he behind the scenes?

Torben: I know Johan since more then 20 years now and I have to say that he is one of the most loyal and kind guys I ever met. In fact he turned from an artist I respect into a real friend. We experienced so many cool things in the last 17 years being a part of his band which really made us friends. I’m really happy that I got to know him and that we had the chance to expand our friendship.

Dirk Ivens is a living legend of the electronic underground scene, front man of The Klinik, but still involved with Dive, Sonar, Absolute Body Control… he also was a source of inspiration for Suicide Commando.

Q: The Klinik definitely was one of the main sources of inspiration for Suicide Commando. How much of The Klinik do you recognize in Suicide Commando?

Dirk: It looks like more than 30 years after the release of the first album of The Klinik that these songs are still very much alive and were a big inspiration for a lot of bands during the years.. including Suicide Commando. Johan was one of them and especially his early work before he developed and finally found his own musical touch.

Jean-Luc De Meyer is the singer of the pioneers of EBM, the one and only Front 242! He’s also involved with 32 Crash, Underviewer and Modern Cubism. Jean-Luc De Meyer did some guest vocals on the song “The Pain That You Liked”, which was originally released as EP and featured on the newest Suicide Commando album as well.

Q: Jean-Luc, you already sung in multiple projects and did multiple guest vocals, but I never expected you singing on a song of Suicide Commando. What kind of experience was it for you and what’s your perception of the Suicide Commando sound?

Jean-Luc: I’m not that sociable you know so I lately met Johan, maybe 3 or 4 years ago now. But I’d seen numerous concerts of Suicide Commando before. Singing on “The Pain That You Like” was a rather easy job because music and lyrics both were already written and I only had to interpret the song. It was quite simple and a bit of an evidence for me as I felt like a fish in the water singing on this kind of music…

Jan L is for sure another leading artist from the electronic underground scene. From Noisuf-X to X-Fusion to Stoppenberg he ever ever set up Kombat Unit together with Johan Van Roy.

Q: You ever set up Kombat Unit together with Johan Van Roy. What did you keep in mind from this experience and what’s your perception of Johan Van Roy as an artist/performer?

Jan L: Yes, we started Kombat Unit some time ago.. and we had a lot of fun making music together. We both have very different ways of working.. but it worked very well in the end, even if we only finished 2 songs. Our problem was only our lack of time. That´s why we stopped with Kombat Unit.

You maybe know that we both know each other since a very long time and we are close friends. I respect Johan as a very nice person and as a great artist. I also love to work with him, when it comes to mixing/mastering his Suicide Commando stuff. His music inspired countless bands since a very long time and he is a very important person in our scene. Without him our scene would be very different.

Nero Bellum is the front man of Psyclon Nine and get featured on the opening song of the new album.

Q: How did you get in touch with Johan Van Roy and what kind of experience was it for you contributing to the opening song (cf. “The Gates Of Oblivion”) of the new album?

Nero: I believe that my first correspondence with Johan took place just as “Mindstrip” was being released. I had just formed my band Psyclon Nine and had just begun work on our first album. Suicide Commando was one of my biggest influences at the time and Johan was happy to give me advice.

“The Gates Of Oblivion” gave us an opportunity to collaborate in a much deeper way. While Johan had most of the music written when he approached me, I was able to bring live, modular synthesis into the picture as well as my lyrical contributions. Performing the track at ‘Wave Gotik Treffen’ 10 minutes before my shuttle arrived was something that I won’t soon forget.

Markko Barientos is without a shadow of a doubt one of the leading artists from the Mexican dark-electro scene, but he in the meantime became a word-wide recognized artist involved with C-Lekktor, Circuito Cerrado and Kromak.

Q: Do you remember the first time you’ve heard Suicide Commando and what did you think? What means this band to you?

Markko: Yeah I still remember that day, the first time I heard Suicide Commando here in Mexico city we have a ‘Music Market’ named “El Chopo” and I got the “Critical Stage” CD by luck. At that time there wasn’t internet and to find original CDs was something that became a real pain in the ass, but fortunately I found it and it was so blasting that it changed my own panorama from what I was listening to those days. ‘COLD-VIOLENT AND CATCHY’ are my favorite 3 words when it comes to dark electronic music. I just wanted to get more and more from Suicide Commando.

Suicide Commando had already released the “Stored Images”-album around that time I found the “Critical Stage”-album (so you can see how hard it was to find music in Mexico during that time?) From that day I always knew that I was so engaged with his sound and after all these years I still consider it as one of my biggest pleasures and influences in my music. For me “Construct-Destruct” is and will be always one of the best albums. To keep it short, ‘I’M A SUICIDE COMMANDO ADDICT, aren’t you?

Sakis aka SynthetiC from Nano Infect is a Greek artist who definitely found his inspiration in the cold electro sound of Suicide Commando. Johan Van Roy was guest singer on the Nano Infect’s song “Lifeless”.

Q: Suicide Commando clearly sounds like a source of inspiration for numerous dark-electronic bands. What makes the sound of Suicide Commando that special and what specific elements in this sound do you like?

Sakis: What makes Suicide Commando so special to a point that, at least to me, literally everybody is inspired, is the man behind the project; Johan Van Roy himself. He’s a loyal and simple guy while his sound features a straight forward structure plus a melody that gets stuck in your head from the very first moment. Needless to mention the groovy bass lines and that super fat sounding signature snare!
As for the lyrics, you get to see that Johan Van Roy is an everyday normal guy with thoughts like yours and mine… Songs about depression, death, the way the mind works… simple thoughts of a man who feels he has to express them…

It has been an honor to know him and I would like to thank him in public again for everything.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries

Face The Beat: Session 4 by Synapsyche

Side-Line introduces Synapsyche – listen now to ‘We All Suck’ (Face The Beat profile series)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 18:00:20 +0000

The 75th track on our free download compilation “Face The Beat: Session 4” (featuring 92 tracks) is by the Italian hard electro duo Synapsyche.

The italian duo Synapsyche was formed in the late 2008 by Stefano Mannequinetik, soon joined by singer Marco Katatronik Mantovani (formerly in Zona Traffico Libero and Ultima Necat). Their first release is the self-produced 4-track EP “Wait/Hate” released in 2013. In 2014 Synapsyche releases its self-produced full-length debut album “Crashdown Connected”.

In march 2015, the brand new track “Breath Control” is included in the Alfa Matrix compilation “Endzeit Bunkertracks VII – The Bonus Tracks” and becomes a hit in the industrial clubs. That same year a new self-produced/self-mixed/self-mastered EP “Meds” comes out. The Russian label SkyQode picks up the band and issues the EP “Hate And Psyche” in December 2015. In 2016 SkyQode releases “The Abyss Effect” mastered by Jan L. at X-Fusion Music Production. In 2017 they produce the EP “This Is Gonna Hurt”.

You can find the project back on Facebook, make sure to check it out.

Listen to “We All Suck” below and download it right here.

Check our “Face The Beat: Session 4” page on Bandcamp to discover the other 91 bands. All donations will go to charity.

In The Voice Of Others by Kromak

Kromak releases new 5-track EP including a cover of Depeche Mode’s ‘Sister Of Night’ in 2 different versions

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 18:40:31 +0000

Out now via SkyQode (Bandcamp, iTunes, Spotify) is the 5-track EP “In the Voice of Others” by Kromak, a side-project of Markko B., who is better known as the mastermind behind C-Lekktor and Circuito Cerrado.

With Kromak, Marrko explores the vast territories of trance music. The EP follows up Kromak’s excellent debut album “Trance It” which was released in October 2015. For the occasion Markko has teamed up with several vocalists. If you missed this album, you can get it via Bandcamp, iTunes or Spotify.

The EP contains an extra surprise for all Depeche Mode fans as Kromak offers a rendition of “Sister Of Night” in two different versions, one featuring Xavier Morales (Ruined Conflict) and the other a duo of Alexander Gladky (Unity One) and Suede Flores (Carved Souls).

Apart from that, there are two original tracks with the voices of Pao Manriquez (Dying 4 U) and Alla Reizenfeldt (Spread your wings) and a remix done by the Mexican DJ / producer DMT Berzerk. Like the debut album, “In the Voice of Others” was mastered by Jan L of X-Fusion Music Production.

The tracklist:

Sister Of Night (Feat. Ruined Conflict)
Dying 4 U (Feat. Pao Manriquez)
Spread Your Wings (Feat. Alla Reizenfeldt)
Sister Of Night (Feat. Unity One & Carved Souls) (Uplifting Version)
Dying 4 U (Feat. Pao Manriquez) (DMT Berzerk Remix)

Here is another preview:

Stoppenberg – I Am The Danger (Digital EP – X-Beats)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Sat, 30 Jul 2016 20:15:37 +0000

Genre/Influences: Hard techno-body-music.

Background/Info: Stoppenberg is Jan Loamfield who we all know as one of the most famous and renowned contemporary trance-noise architect of the electro-industrial scene. Noisuf-X and X-Fusion both are his major projects, but he also started producing music under the Stoppenberg moniker. Earlier this year he released the kicking “Assault”-album. Stoppenberg is already striking back with this EP revealing 3 new cuts plus 13 remixes.

Content: The title song “I Am The Danger” clearly reveals the essence of this project. It sounds pretty similar to Noisuf-X, but in a more body-techno orientated style. There where Noisuf-X experiments with pure industrial-rave, Stoppenberg comes closer to a mix of EBM and hard-techno music. The songs are carried by a pumping kick and aggressive sequences confirming the production skills of this German genius.

Both other new cuts are quite similar in style and approach, but not as hard. It however remains a well-crafted and total party-music format made of great sound blasts and cool samplings.

We next get an impressive chapter featuring 13 remixes. Three songs of the album have been exposed to remix skills of bands like Destillat, Poltergeist, Benjamin’s Plague, Viscera Drip, Maschinengeits, Worsaw ao. Jan Loamfield clearly didn’t choose for the most famous and familiar names in the scene. He gave the opportunity to several promising bands to show their creativity in remixing the songs “Radioactive”, “Liberty” and “Unite!”. The main part of the remixes hold on to the Stoppenberg power while adding a personal touch to the original songs.

+ + + : “I Am The Danger” is for sure a potential hit featuring some elements of the Noisuf-X success formula, but transposed into a techno-body vein. I’m not comparing Stoppenberg with the sound of Komor Kommando, but there are some similarities in the global approach and production. I also noticed several cool remixes with a special mention for the work of Benjamin’s Plague and DJ Malkavian. It also is an opportunity to discover a nice selection of upcoming artists.

– – – : I think it’s a pity there’s not one single remix of the title song, which is one of the best Stoppenberg cuts so far. I also would have liked to hear a few remixes made by Jan Loamfield himself and it would have been cool to hear Stoppenberg remixes by Noisuf-X.

Conclusion: Stoppenberg is a strong sonic elixir that will bring you instantly in a frenetic dance mood!

Best songs: “I Am The Danger”, “Enemies” + “Radioactive – Remixed By Benjamin’sPlague”, “Unite! – Remixed By DJ Malkavian”, “Liberty – Remixed By Destillat”, “Radioactive – Remixed By Project Poltergeist”.

Rate: (8).

Band: www .facebook .com /stoppenbergmusic

Label: www .x –beats .de

Advance – A Sign Of Things To Come (Digital EP – AnalogueTrash Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 20:54:27 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dance-pop, power-pop, future-pop.

Background/Info: Based in Glasgow (Scotland) Tom Perrett and Kimberly Copland took us by surprise with their debut album “Deus Ex Machina” originally released in 2014. The band is now back on track unleashing new songs and 2 remixes on this EP.

Content: This EP sounds a bit like picking up where “Deus Ex Machina” left off. The duo reveals a real powerful and masterly produced kind of dance-pop music. It sounds pretty dance and techno minded while the leads are pure dance-trance. The heavy, danceable kick will drive numerous club visitors into wild and insane moves. The work remains however spiced with (future)-pop influences. It’s not only about the passionate and pop-like vocal parts, but still some of the arrangements and beautiful synth-line reveals their poppy influence.

The final chapter of the EP features great remixes by Biomechanical and Nature Of Wires. Notice by the way this EP has been mixed by Andy McBain (Cyferdyne) and mastered by the great Jan Loamfield (Noisuf-X, X-Fusion).

+ + + : The global production work is absolutely phenomenal! There’s an impressive and powerful sound coming through, which reveals a great balance between all the influences. The passionate and somewhat enraged vocals are excellent. Both remixes are absolutely essential and injecting some diversity to the original version of the song.

– – – : I can easily imagine Advance is going too far in the exploration of dance and trance music for some ‘classical’ pop lovers.

Conclusion: If you’re a club visitor and you like to dance, you’re going to like this EP by Advance revealing a dynamic offspring between dance/trance music and electro-pop.

Best songs: “Trying To Live”, “Calm Before The Storm – Biomechanical Remix”, “Grey Dawn – Nature Of Wires Remix”.

Rate: (8).

Band: http ://advanceaudio .co .uk / www .facebook .com /Advanceaudio

Label: www .analoguetrash .co .uk / www .facebook .com /analoguetrashofficial

Synapsyche releases 2nd full length ‘The Abyss Effect’ via SkyQode

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 30 May 2016 18:39:51 +0000

More good news from the final label SkyQode. Italian harsh EBM act Synapsyche has now released their second full-length album “The Abyss Effect”.

Described by the band as “a descent to the modern Inferno”, “The Abyss Effect” invites the listener to a journey ‘through the 9 circles of Hell’. You can expect a mix of stomping beats, heavy grooves and melodic synth lines blended with clean and harsh vocals. The mastering was done by the X-Fusion Music Production.

The digital version of the album consists of 11 original tracks, while the CD version of “The Abyss Effect” (in a limited digipak) features a special bonus track – the cover version of Moby’s hit “Lift Me Up”. Both versions can be ordered straight from the label.

The album should especially please all fans of Grendel, Amduscia, Eden Synthetic Corps, and the like.

Below is a preview:

Synapsyche was started in 2008 by Stefano ‘Mannequinetik’ and Marco ‘Katatronik’. After they put out a couple of self-releases (including the debut full-length album “Crashdown Connected”) in 2014, in 2015 the band got signed to SkyQode and released the EP “Hate And Psyche”.

Viscera Drip – Perpetual Adversity (CD Album – Advoxya Records)

Inferno Sound Diaries — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 21:36:53 +0000

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro.

Background/Info: Viscera Drip has been set up by American artist Justin Thiele. After a real promising and accomplished official debut-album “Abattoir” (2014) the band stroke back during late 2015 by this new full length featuring a few, great surprises.

Content: From the very first notes Viscera Drip unleashes a hard and enraged electro composition revealing explicit samplings and ultra melodic passages. Some of the melodies remind me to Morticians for the kind of ‘funny-spooky’ line comparable to the tune of “The Addams Family”. This is not exactly the kind of lead I expect for a hard electro act. Quite progressively it all moves back to more familiar and efficient arrangements.

The work sometimes appears to be simple, but efficient. There’s no particular trick and no innovation, but the songs are well-crafted and into powerful, haunting electronics. Some songs make me think to a hybrid between Grendel and Suicide Commando. One of the main –and single, atypical songs is “Don’t Pray For Me”, which reveals great filtered sequences adding some diversity to the work.

The few surprises I was talking about consist of guest vocals by Jan L (X-Fusion, Noisuf-X) and Claus Larsen (Læther Strip). Both songs featuring those living legends of dark-electronics are quite successful.

Last, but not least the work features remixes by Ruinizer and X-Fusion. Jan L did an amazing job remixing “Fuck This Life” into a great and freaky piece of music.

+ + + : The pumping kick and hopping sequences inject a great danceable element to the work. Thiele made an excellent choice asking 2 great guest artists (singers).

– – – : Some of the melody lines during the opening cuts are not convincing at all, but it luckily concerns a few cuts.

Conclusion: Viscera Drip is an interesting band dealing with a familiar format of dark-electronic music. There’s less originality, but simply efficiency! I however belief that there’s much more creativity inside Viscera Drip than show at “Perpetual Adversity”.

Best songs: “Slaves Of No Hope feat. L Læther Strip ther Strip”, “A Stranger To Myself feat. X-Fusion”, “Don’t Pray For Me”, “Dear Enemy”, “Fuck This Life – X-Fusion Remix”.

Rate: (7½).

Band: www.facebook.com/VisceraDrip

Label: www.advoxya-records.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Advoxya-Records/265765706059

Outcasts and Freaks by Parasite Of God

Dark electro act Parasite of God is prepping March release for new ‘Outcasts and Freaks’ album – pre-orders + preview stream available from the label

Bernard - Side-Line Staff — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 12:50:10 +0000

Out by March 30 via the Xperiment XIII label is the newest 2CD album by Parasite of God, “Outcasts and Freaks”. The limited 2CD deluxe gatefold edition package can be ordered right now from Bandcamp (as well as the digital album, which only has the tracks from CD1). The complete trackless for the 2CD can be found here.

The package also includes this:

1x Band Autographed A6 Postcard
5x POG A6 Fridge Magnets with Artwork [High-quality | Vinyl material]
2x POG Stickers [Different Artwork on each]
1x POG Keyring Torch for First 30 orders ONLY

The material was mastered by X-Fusion Music Production with artwork by Tomoki Hayasaka of Sheerheart, who also made some lovely designs for recent releases by bands such as Acylum, Suicidal Romance, Avarice In Audio, Ayria, the Endzeit Bunkertracks series, Zombie Girl etc..

You can already listen to 5 tracks from this album below:

We quickly spoke to Parasite of God who have this to say about the album: “This album was made over a longer time. Our goal has always been to make music we enjoy ourselves. We have a wide range of musical influences and the result is here. We don’t make music to fit in a genre or to tie us down to certain rules, we simply do what we want. The lyrics on this album mainly follow the same spirit! Stand up proud never bow, follow your own heart and be yourself, leave the judging to the weak ones. If u enjoy this album it makes us proud; if u don’t just Keep searching for the things that makes your life richer!”

The band clearly is getting its momentum as both the videos for “Outcast” and “Through Sorrows” are getting thousands of view on YouTube. You can watch them below.