The Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix releases the twelfth volume in its “Matrix+ Downloaded” series to coincide with the label’s 24th anniversary. The digital-only set collects 69 tracks across the label’s current spectrum – EBM, dark elektro/industrial, synth pop – and newer Spleen+ additions spanning post-punk, goth rock and coldwave. The compilation is offered as a free/pay-what-you-want download via the label’s Bandcamp page and also includes a PDF booklet.

On the cover you will recognize Erica Dunham from Unter Null.

Artists included on this free download compilation include: Studio-X (feat. Kyoko Baertsoen), Rector Scanner, Aesthetische, Cut.Rate.Box, Kant Kino, Frontal Boundary, C-Lekktor, Acylum, Diffuzion, Implant, Neikka RPM, First Aid 4 Souls (feat. Aux Animaux), Noemi Aurora, Suicidal Romance, Llumen, Hanging Freud, Lederman/De Meyer, The Ultimate Dreamers, Aiboforcen, Digital Factor, Armageddon Dildos, Helalyn Flowers, Krystal System, The True Union, Freakangel, Totem Obscura, Lovelorn Dolls (feat. Dero Goi), The Breath of Life, The Names, ImJudas, Synapsyche, Miseria Ultima, Unter Null, Alien Vampires (feat. Dani Divine), Venal Flesh, Helle9, To Avoid, Pouppée Fabrikk, Stahlgeist, Nigra Nebula, Aengeldust, Circuito Cerrado, Matthew Creed, Cubic, Metroland, The Psychic Force, Komor Kommando, First Aid Tech, Die Robo Sapiens, ELM, Plastic Noise Experience, AD:Key, Elektroklänge, 808 Dot Pop, Avarice in Audio, Elektrostaub (feat. Echo Image), Cryogenic Echelon, Entrzelle, Neuroactive, Technoir, Mondträume, Star Industry, Stray, Psy’Aviah (feat. Sorrow Stories), Zombie Girl, Darkness on Demand, Circumpolar, Dunkelwerk, and Lights A.M.

A&R manager, Sebastien Dolimont says: “In 2025, Alfa Matrix proudly celebrates 24 years of existence. Nearly a quarter of a century fighting for dark alternative music, discovering new talents, and keeping the underground alive. This anniversary is not just about us and our artists – it’s about you, our fans. Because without your constant support, there would be no label, no releases, no future for the scene we all love.”

And he add: “In a world where indie labels are disappearing, streaming revenues collapse, and risks of signing new talents are higher than ever, we are proud to still stand strong — but we can only do it with you by our side. By downloading this compilation, you are not just enjoying music — you are actively supporting 69 artists and helping keep our scene alive, fresh, and forward-looking. From all of us at Alfa Matrix and Spleen+, and on behalf of all our artists: thank you for 24 years of loyalty, passion, and support. Together, we’ll keep writing the future of the dark underground.”

About Alfa Matrix

Alfa Matrix is a Brussels-based independent label founded in 2001. The catalogue focuses on electronic subgenres including industrial, EBM, dark elektro, and synth pop, later expanding into post-punk/coldwave via the Spleen+ division. The label’s team includes label & artists manager Seba Dolimont, promo manager Bernard Van Isacker, and head of design Benoît Blanchart.

From the early 2000s, Alfa Matrix used series-based releases to build international reach. Notable strands include “Sounds From The Matrix” (label samplers), “Re:Connected” (digital label overview), and the club-oriented “Endzeit Bunkertracks” multi-CD anthologies (first “Act” released 21 March 2005, featuring 60 tracks with 50 exclusives).

In 2023, Alfa Matrix inaugurated Spleen+, a division centred on post-punk and adjacent styles, and followed with multi-artist projects and catalogue building, including the “Resurgence” 7-CD box that assembled 133 contemporary bands from the post-punk family.

The label has since the very start focused on a direct contact with its fans and customers via their online webstore and Bandcamp.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

The Los Angeles-based dark electronic duo, Die Sexual (aka Rosselinni and Anton Floriano), have released a new EP, “Inservio”. The EP is available on all major digital platforms including Bandcamp and Spotify.

“The EP handles themes such as submission, devotion and slavery to the dark nights, strobing lights and the pulsating beat of the music,” so the band says. Founding member, Anton Floriano adds: “We wanted to capture that feeling in these songs, the surrendering of your body and soul to the night, the music, your desires, letting go of all cares and just being ‘slaves to the tempo’.”

You can check the 3 tracks below. The band debuted in September 2023 with the EP, “Bound” of which our reviewer said this in his review: “I think there’s no better description of Die Sexual’s sound then referring to Zombie Girl and that’s more than simply a reference! This band took me by surprise and especially both debut cuts are pure sonic dynamite. This is modern and powerful underground Electro which is going to  make you dance.”

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro, Industrial, Technoid.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Rosselinni and Anton Floriano is a Los Angeles (USA) based-duo which last year released their debut-EP “Bound” featuring three songs.

Content: I never heard of the band before, although the name sounds familiar… The sound is a hard, danceable, mix of Dark-Electro, EBM, Industrial and some Technoid sound treatments. The songs are carried by menacing bass lines and sexy, female, vocals.

+ + + : I think there’s no better description of Die Sexual’s sound then referring to Zombie Girl and that’s more than simply a reference! This band took me by surprise and especially both debut cuts are pure sonic dynamite. This is modern and powerful underground Electro which is going to  make you dance.

– – – : The last song sounds softer and rather a B-side cut.

Conclusion: Die Sexual is a name you’ll easily keep in mind; great Electro stuff for the dancefloor.

Best songs: “Bound, I Rise”, “On this Night”.

Rate: 8½.

Artist: www.facebook.com/diesex

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

Nine years after the release of their first tribute to The Cure, titled “A Strange Play – Tribute to The Cure“, Alfa Matrix and Spleen+ have joined forces to create a follow-up tribute album. The second volume in the series, “A Strange Play (Vol. 2) – Tribute to The Cure“, features 27 tracks, including electro, synth pop, EBM acts from Alfa Matrix and cold wave, post-punk, and gothic rock bands from their Spleen+ division and is out now via Bandcamp, the label’s webstore and all other platforms.

The album includes reinterpretations of classic hits and lesser-known B-sides, shedding new light on the original tracks or giving them an entirely different sonic perspective. The tribute album itself this time is a collaborative effort between both established and emerging artists from the Alfa Matrix and Spleen+ rosters.

Compiled by and for The Cure fans, this new tribute adventure brings together a growing roster of Spleen+ artists, including Noemi Aurora, Star Industry, Imjudas, The Ultimate Dreamers, The Breath of Life, and Lovelorn Dolls. Additionally, the album features synth and electro cult acts, as well as upcoming Alfa Matrix artists, such as Neuroactive, Armageddon Dildos, Implant, Darkness on Demand (formerly Dance or Die), Helle9 (an Alien Vampires side-project), Metroland, Aesthetische featuring Zombie Girl, Aiboforcen, Technoir, Kant Kino, Digital Factor, Regenerator, Lights A.M (an Essence of Mind solo project), Neikka RPM, First Aid 4 Souls, Diffuzion, Avarice in Audio, Elektroklänge, Circumpolar, and Cosmic Armchair.

In conjunction with the release of “A Strange Play (Vol. 2),” goth-metal/darkwave act Lovelorn Dolls has released a single and accompanying video clip for their cover of “Lullaby.” The music video, created entirely using artificial intelligence, tells the story of a girl pursued by a mysterious, threatening, yet alluring man. The video’s creator, Kristell, was inspired by her own childhood experience of being both fascinated and frightened by The Cure’s original “Lullaby” music video.

Here’s the track list for the new volume which is available now on 2CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore and as download via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page and the Spleen+ Bandcamp page.

Here’s the first volume.

Eldrina Mich

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

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Early December 2022, Komor Kommando, the industrial/EBM solo-project of Sebastian Komor (Icon Of Coil, Zombie Girl, Bruderschaft), released an all new 8-track EP. The EP came 9 years after his last release, the “Hail the rhythm” EP. This new EP, “One By One”, blends old and new, incorporating classic EBM vibes with a modern EDM inspired production.

The title song “One By One” features guest female vocals by Azul Far from The True UnioN. The song also comes in a remix by Brute Opposition and by Sebastian Komor himself who gave it a retro synth twist in its “xenomorph remix” version. Next to “One By One” the EP holds 2 other brand new tracks: “Get Off The X” and the instrumental “Brahmua”. “Get Off The X” was remixed as well, by C-Lekktor, Anthony (H) And Clockwork Echo.

One of the best modern EBM acts is back alive and kicking! So, I took my mobile and videocalled Sebastian.

SL: It’s good to have you back again with Komor Kommando. How does it feel after such a long break?

Seb: Thank you. It honestly doesn’t feel like a break as I have constantly been writing and producing music. Upon the release of One By One, it dawned on me it has been 9 years. Crazy how time flies.

SL: How different is it for you from producing other artists or making remixes for other bands?

Seb: It’s more personal. I get to do what I want and how I want it and explore the moment. It’s a great release of creativity, unbound by any set of ideas or “rules”. When I produce or remix for others, I have a different approach. One of course is giving the client the best I can with what I have to work with. I see it as an honor people come to me to help them out, no matter the level of involvement. Music unites.

SL: How much did your Komor Kommando sound evolve since the previous EP?

Seb: The same approach really. With new tools and skills to play with. My musical taste is all over the place. I like to not be bound by a genre or what a genre is supposed to sound like. Attitude and grit are always present.

SL: Is there any specific message you want to give behind this new EP release and these new songs?

Seb: There is definitely a theme hiding in there. Universal and personal at the same time.

SL: You also took us by surprise with these female guest vocals on “One By One”. Tell us more about this collaboration with The True Union?

Seb: I wanted more vocals on the new KK material. As Azul reached out to me regarding doing some mixing and co-production on some of her new material, I was exposed to her voice. Instantly I had to ask Azul if she was into doing vocals on this at the time, instrumental song. With the intent of having vocals in the song. Thankfully she was into it and the vocals you hear on the release are the original take I was sent. Needless to say, I was blown out of the chair. Her voice is ridiculously good.

SL: Can we expect more from you later this year? An album maybe? More collabs? Anything you want to reveal yet?

Seb: A new EP is being worked on as we speak. I was hoping to be done with it by March, however, due to some other projects needing my attention it has been pushed back a bit. However, it’s coming. Stand by!

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

The American (Denver-Colorado) female fronted industrial metal act The True Union, aka Azul Far, released the “Love Me Now” mini-album/EP in December last year. The new EP, released on the Belgian label Alfa Matrix , sees front woman Azul Far joined by producer Sebastian Komor and German metal producer Siggi Bemm and Travis Bacon who produced “Love Me Now”.

On the EP we also find a guest appearance of Jamie Cronander’s (Combichrist live guitarist) who appears on the track “Karma”. The EP also features a unique collaboration between The True Union (as guest vocalist) and her producer Sebastian Komor under the Komor Kommando moniker for the track “One By One”, which equally appeared on the Komor Kommando EP “One By One”. The EP also furthermore holds reworks by Alfa Matrix label mates Alien Vampires, Aesthetische and Acylum.

Time to sit around the table with Azul Far…

SL: Your “Love me now (not)” is surprising in, many ways I find! First of all by that intense diversity of sound displayed across these 9 tracks?

AF: I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying the EP! I like to create the music organically. The songs on this EP have been created across the last few years while I was going through different life cycles and experiences. I think those life experiences reflected in the music and made the EP sound more dynamic. But although the songs might seem to be different genre or somewhat different from one another, they all have an order amongst the chaos. The music is just me. I let the music speak for itself. I don’t have categories. I just do what I do because I enjoy doing it and sharing it with the world.

SL: But also surprising for the multiple collaborations featured!? Tell us more about these?

AF: I have met a lot of great people in the last few years. It came down to networking and making new friendships during our shows and through the internet, especially from 2018-2020. People that heard the demos or saw us live really believed in the band. I am forever thankful for their support. For example, Attila (Mayhem) recommended me to producer/musician Travis Bacon. He polished the sound of the band, producing several tracks that ended at the ears of a few record labels. Shortly after, I got signed with Alfa Matrix. Once signed, I started talking with Sebastian Komor who’s also signed with the label. I have always enjoyed his work and really like the music he’s done (Komor Kommando, Zombie Girl, Icon of Coil +). He also produced a few tracks and we even did the “One By One” collab which has been one of the favorites for sure. I also had the opportunity to work with legendary Siggi Bemm. I had him on my radar ever since the release of “Animatronic” from The Kovenant. I recall being a very young teenager back then and thought to myself “one day I’m going to work with him!”. Years later…it happened. Crazy how life works! Siggi produced and recorded the drums for “Blinded”.These are the only live drums recorded in the EP. But I am happy to announce that i’ll have another special guest record the drums for an upcoming release. A very special guest and a friend for years. This guy’s name is Jan Axel Blomberg (AKA Hellhammer). Have you heard about this guy? 😉 hehe.

I also had the pleasure to have Jamie Cronander record the guitars for a few tracks. I met Jamie when we joined a regional tour with Psyclon Nine. Jamie’s band, Striplicker touring along as well. I had a blast watching his band perform live every night and we became really good friends. He was always very supportive and when the time came, he recorded some sick guitars for me. He’s a coveted motherf*cker who is now playing with Combichrist. I am very fortunate to have him as a special guest.

SL: You also shot a stunning video clip for “love me now”? I have the impression you are a multi-talented artist? How important is it for you to do all this on your own?

AF: Doing everything myself has been out of necessity and not by choice. I have adapted to my environment and have learned a lot of magic tricks along the way. Is it ideal? No, but sometimes it is. Working on everything by yourself gives you full control but it can also slow down the creative process. It can be very fulfilling but it can also be aggravating and you can end up feeling like you’ve “hit a wall”. The quote “If you want something done, do it yourself” comes to mind. But as time goes by I have tried to have more people involved in the music process and listen to their input. In particular for the video, I had my best friend invest a lot of her time and energy into this project. This took months of work, practice and lots of trial and error. If it wasn’t because of her, I would have not been able to make this happen. Doing things alone can be fun, but as you grow, I think it’s best to ask for as much input as possible from people that you trust.

SL: Can we expect The True Union on stage soon with these new songs?

AF: Live shows are on my radar but nothing set in stone yet. I think there will be a right time and place to do this. At the moment, I am focusing on new music and my personal life. Believe it or not playing live shows are mostly terrifying for me. They can also be fun sometimes and of course you get the exposure and ability to network.

But you have to consider there is a lot of planning and financial investment involved. I’m sure l’ll know if/when the time is right. For now it’s free time in the studio…

SL: What else can we still expect from you this year?

AF: A full album! I will get into details about the upcoming release with the label soon. We don’t have a set date yet but I’m sure we’ll let you know when this happens. We are also working on the last few details to release a couple of collaboration tracks I did for other artists. Be sure to check us out periodically because you never know ;).

Here’s the excellent video clip for “Love Me Now”.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, Electro-Industrial.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: Norwegian sound guru Seb Komor (Icon Of Coil, Zombie Girl ao) is back on track. This is the first new Komor Kommando release since “Hail The Rhythm” (2013). “One By One” features three new songs plus five remixes.

Content: The title song features female guest vocals by Azul from The True Union (one of Alfa Matrix’ latest signings). The sound approach hasn’t changed over the years; solid, menacing, EBM driven bass lines mixed with danceable beats and industrialized sound treatments. Next to the title song there’s one track on which Seb Komor is singing himself while the other track left is a hard, instrumental, piece.

Remixes were provided by Xenomorph, C-Lekktor, Anthony H, Clockwork Echo and Brute Opposition.

+ + + : I’ve missed new stuff from Komor Kommando so it’s a damned good thing he’s back in business. The production remains powerful revealing the familiar sound treatments of the artist. The title song is a great piece of music. There’s a terrific twist between sound and the enraged female vocals. But I also discovered great remixes. I even prefer the Xenomorph remix to the original edit of “One By One” while Clockwork Echo empowered “Get Off The X” a considerable way.

– – – : For the very first time I heard a Komor Kommando release where some of the remixes -by other artists, are even better than the original versions. But believe me the original edits are great as well!

Conclusion: Komor Kommando is back with a bang and dancefloors gone know it.

Best songs: “One By One – Xenomorph Remix”, “Get Off The X – Xenomorph Remix”, “One By One”, “Get Off The X”, “Brahmua”.

Rate: 8.

Artist: www.facebook.com/komorkommando

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

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 female fronted industrial metal act The True Union is back with an all new video, “Love Me Now”, and a mini-album, released as an EP: “Love Me Now (Not)”.

The new EP is out on Alfa Matrix , the Belgian label that already nurtured other female talents as Zombie Girl, Under Null, Helalyn Flowers or Ayria to name just a few.

For this new release front woman Azul Far was joined by producer Sebastian Komor and German metal producer Siggi Bemm and Travis Bacon who produced “Love Me Now”. On the EP we also find a guest appearance of Jamie Cronander’s (Combichrist live guitarist) who appears on the track “Karma”.

Note that the “Love Me Now (not)” EP also features the unique collaboration between The True Union (as guest vocalist) and her producer Sebastian Komor for the release of his new EP under the Komor Kommando moniker.

The EP also furthermore holds reworks by Alfa Matrix label mates Alien Vampires, Aesthetische and Acylum.

Here’s the excellent video clip for “Love Me Now”.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

Komor Kommando, the industrial/EBM solo-project of Sebastian Komor (Icon Of Coil, Zombie Girl, Bruderschaft), finally strikes back with an all new 8-track EP, 9 years after his last release, the “Hail the rhythm” EP. This new EP, “One By One”, blends old and new, incorporating classic EBM vibes with a modern EDM inspired production and is available now from Bandcamp.

The title song “One By One” features guest female vocals by Azul Far from The True UnioN. Sebastian explains: “I was doing the mixing and production for her new release and after hearing her vocals I just had to ask her to sing on one of my new tracks. I was simply blown away! Her vocals took the song to places I could not even imagine at the time…” The song also comes in a remix by Brute Opposition and by Sebastian Komor himself who gave it a retro synth twist in its “xenomorph remix” version.

Next to “One By One” the EP holds 2 other brand new tracks: “Get Off The X” and the instrumental “Brahmua”. “Get Off The X” was remixed as well, by C-Lekktor, Anthony (H) And Clockwork Echo.

One of the best modern EBM acts is back alive and kicking! You can check out and download the full EP below on Bandcamp before it hits the other platforms two weeks from now.

Eldrina Mich

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

www.side-line.com

Alfa Matrix has been set up in 2001 by three friends. Séba Dolimont, Benoît Blanchart and Bernard Van Isacker were all involved with Side-Line magazine, but decided to start an Electronic label. The label became a home for artists dealing with EBM, Dark-Electro and Electro-Pop, but throughout the years the label welcomed other genres like Gothic, Ambient and Industrial. Front 242, Ayria, Pouppée Fabrikk, Plastic Noise Experience, Armageddon Dildos, Unter Null, Acylum, Implant, Metroland,  Zombie Girl, Helalyn Flowers, I:Scintilla, Mentallo And The Fixer, Leather Strip, Star Industry, Alien Vampires and many others joined the ‘matrix’. And I nearly forget to mention Aiboforcen which was set up by Benoît Blanchart and Séba Dolimont.

(Stéphane Froidcoeur / Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

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

Seba. Alfa Matrix was created in 2001 with 2 key values: running the label from an artist perspective in our collaboration approach, and focusing on a direct servicing of our customers. All this with the aim to support and market underground Electronic music with attitude with an eclectic approach. Twenty years later, and although the music market situation has drastically changed, we are still active on the same Indie music scene, we still dare signing newcomers and our repertoire confirms our quite open-minded sound range of interest. We do run the label in mutual respect and care with our roster of artists and developed a quite strong direct sales approach for both digital and physical releases.

So we quite sticked to our original mission and simply adapted our operational mode to the constantly evolving music consumption habits and we keep anticipating new trends in order to stay relevant and future proof.

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

Seba: Through the years, it has become harder and harder to open the gate of the ‘matrix’ simply because we want to stick to a certain maximum number of bands, but also because any new signing to the label should bring something new to the label family, add a new color to our sound/artistic palette. Also important for us is that any new addition to the label must get the green light form the 3 members of the label management team.

The art must touch us for sure, but personally, in my role of artists manager, I pay a lot of attention to the personalities of the artists, probably more today than 20 years ago! Simply because we believe in long term collaborations and to achieve such goal we better construct our relationship on solid foundations and values. So that personal click is also something I need to give my vote…

Bernard: Nowadays it takes time to launch a new unknown artist, and we work slowly, but steadily to get their music heard to the public. There is no magic formula to create instant success, it’s continuous work both by the label and the band. The first has to use the best channels to create the best value for the band while the bands have to work on social presence, and the interaction with fans on several platforms. It’s also why we have started releasing lots of singles, so bit by bit we reach a bigger audience this way via all platforms.

When we started the music market was already in decline so we had to start early on with a new model to get the word out. Know that there are many bands out there and if you actually look at it, too few labels to manage all those great talents.

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

Seba: As owners of a company several dozens of artists gave their trust to, the least we can do is running this company professionally through a strong overall financial management and anticipating business and market evolutions to remain future proof. This is why Alfa Matrix was one of the first labels from our scene to be on digital platforms, and I even remember some were laughing about us, especially when we decided to invest a lot in streaming that is still seen as a danger by some today. Like other labels we also went through some tough economic challenges when we faced several bankruptcies from big CD distributors in Germany or in America. But with our strategy of focusing on an international market rather than putting all eggs in one or two baskets, it was easier for us going through all this, and especially with the unmatchable force of having a strong fanbase buying in direct from our e-shops and giving us more financial independence.  So the decisions we make are more guided to the way we adapt our ‘go to market’ strategy: changing distribution channels, deciding how we spread our budgets and investments, etc…

Bernard: In respect to that, we have been continuously checking out new platforms to vet if they were adding value to our media mix or not. For instance Facebook was quickly used by us, but we also knew that this free ride would not continue and that at some point Facebook would close the open gates and restrict the organic reach from their pages. That happened, a bit later than we anticipated, but it did happen. The same for Instagram for example. The free rides are over and done and you can no longer count on getting free unpaid reach for every communication you do. During that process we continued to work on a direct relation with customers. So while some bands and labels have gone that far to only have Facebook as their window we never neglected the own properties we can manage for the full 100%: an own e-shop, a very active Bandcamp page which both have given that what we are looking for, namely a direct link with the fans. So, suppose that Facebook or any other social media platforms stops their activities, we won’t feel any impact as we have a direct link with customers. This under the hood approach has been working very well for us and is something we will continue to do. Social media for us are a nice extra, but nothing more than that, the real value lays elsewhere for us.

I also strongly believe in the streaming market for the future, it’s how most of the music will be digested by music fans alongside HQ audio which people will find on Bandcamp and via physical products. As far as YouTube is concerned, I share the same comment and idea which Dave Heckman made earlier this week to you. This Google moloch pays really peanuts, 10 times less than Spotify, it also offers poor audio, but surprise surprise… everybody wants to be on it. It’s maybe good for the image but not so good for your wallet in the end if you consider the production cost of a video versus the extremely low return you get from it. It doesn’t mean we don’t have to be present there, but I seriously doubt that a lot of money should be thrown at it, it’s not our preferred medium.

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

Seba: First of all the pandemic affected every person behind our Alfa Matrix bands and the label staff itself, most probably first on a personal level, cos they themselves struggled against Covid-19 or lost loved ones around them. What obviously hurts the most is the recurrent cancellation of tours, festivals, shows… this is hard for all bands. The stage remains the ultimate place of communion between artist and fans. The duration of the pandemic crisis also makes it more and more complex for artists releasing new albums and not being able to perform the new songs live.

Economically, so far we have been working hard and increased our promotional efforts to support the bands. As a result we actually managed increasing our label turnover between 2019 and 2020 with over 15% although the lockdown hit us all heavily. It was a combination of efforts: we continued to deliver CD’s to shops in direct -when some of our distributors were obliged to keep doors closed for example, but also from our bands who released more digital music to also bring some nice entertaining moments to their fans in these difficult moments, but also from our fans who continued supporting us massively.

Now unfortunately we all know that the economic crisis that will follow will hurt at all levels, but we will only start experiencing the real impacts in the second half of this year. It’s then that more and more people will continue loosing their jobs, loosing a portion of budgets they usually put into art and leisure. I also hope that this sanitary crisis will lead more people to pay more attention to their health in general. So yes, the world will change for sure, and we will all need to adopt and adapt at some point.

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

Seba: Media changed a lot in 20 years indeed! Print magazines have been going through tough times. The major challenge is remaining relevant as a print magazine coming out monthly while online news get published instantly and spread a few clicks further. Combining digital with print is not easy. Integrating social medias, streaming platforms, etc… in the overall journalistic equation is tricky.

It’s just like for music, the new generations tend to consider that art and information should be free of access. As a label, of course journalists still play an important role for a certain portion of music fans who still enjoy turning pages while reading and enjoying the pleasure of holding a magazine or a book in your hands. They then also reach out to the digital audience via their blogs and other websites. But the readers tend to identify themselves less than before to some specialized journalists, but will rather trust and follow the advise of some friends posting on social medias, other buyers leaving comments on webstores or other influencers. They also tend to trust themselves more and more and believe in algorithms recommending them the next music to play on their own music radar.

Bernard: Many online magazines do not publish news daily or even regularly which makes it difficult for them to stay relevant in these days of social media. In the past we were able to work with a lot of great web magazines, but these days we have to work with hundreds and most really have a very very small readership, while others have been smart enough to evolve, develop, stay relevant. Those online magazines from the past who did not evolve have seen their visitors go to Facebook and never have seen them back. Most also ceased all activity. It shows clearly that Facebook for instance is not the booster that most had hoped, on the contrary, and it also explains why many magazines are increasingly negative towards Facebook because they have now largely decided what you get to see, what you discuss about etc..  

As a label we must combine all these elements to reach out to our customers/fans and make choices based on gathered experience and acquired know-how, while exploring new grounds… 

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

Seba: I think our biggest accomplishment is to be talking with you today and celebrating 20 years of Alfa Matrix, each release from our music repertoire between 2001 and now each contributed to this success, from newcomer acts to living legends from our beloved music scene.

The only regrets I might have are first of all not to have 10 days in a week to do all I’d like to do, and maybe having put a couple of friendships in danger by starting a label collaboration with friends without having been enough aligned and synched together on strategic elements. As far as the future, I hope we will still be able supporting talents as long as possible and having the chance to release the great work from our artists, and working with experienced music supporters like you…

Bernard: I personally never expected that this story that started as an idea amongst friends would turn out to be that successful and long-lasting. Seba had the basic idea and then pitched it to Benoit and me. Since I knew Seba as a very trustworthy guy (you introduced him to me remember!) it didn’t take long for me to decide to get on board and invest in it.

As far as the future for the label, or any label, I guess that the love for what we and the bands do will be the biggest power behind it all. I still discover great music in this scene so we are not in desert modus. The biggest challenge will be to keep on making new people warm for this scene’s music. Not a simple task, but we’ll manage alright I think.

My biggest regret… we all know it’s very time consuming and it’s not always easy to find a good balance between family life and work. As far as my two colleagues is concerned, I know how to separate my private life from work, so even if we have some catfights about certain things (we have to agree all 3 on something or it doesn’t happen), we remain loyal friends above all. And as far as how we function together, you can say that the structured thinking of Seba combined with the fuzzy logic style of thinking of Benoit and myself is an ideal breeding platform for great adventures!

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

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

Exclusive face masks

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

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

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Alfa Matrix continues the ‘Matrix:Reb00ted’ series, this time with 2 remix albums by Belgian artist Psy’Aviah displaying his electro dance trip pop remixes cruising through the Alfa Matrix band catalogue. The releases are first released via Bandcamp and will follow on all other platforms in the next weeks.

Here’s what is available on both volumes plus also a preview of what to expect.

Matrix:Reb00ted – The Psy’Aviah Guerrilla – Zion [Electro Dance] Warfare [07]

This volume holds 15 songs from Alfa Matrix’s massive music repertoire remixed by Psy’Aviah. Offering the electro dance side of the Belgian band you can expect a harder selection of modern dancefloor assaults with these bands: Ayria, Suicidal Romance, Zombie Girl, Junksista, Leaether Strip, Essence Of Mind, Nebula-H, Diffuzion, Schwarzblut, Diskonnekted, Krystal System and Psy’Aviah. You can check all the songs below and download it from Bandcamp directly.

Matrix:Reb00ted – The Psy’Aviah Guerrilla – Zion [Trip Pop Electro] Warfare [06]

This volume also holds 15 songs from Alfa Matrix’s massive music repertoire remixed by Psy’Aviah. The “trip pop electro” edition reveals a selection of more moody and catchy synth electro songs thanks to bands like Mondträume, Metroland, Aiboforcen, Helalyn Flowers, Acylum, Junksista, Entrzelle, Llumen, Virgins O.R Pigeons, Halo In Reverse, Schwarzblut, Mildreda, Totem Obscura and Psy’Aviah, also including guest vocals by Kyoko Baertsoen, Mari Kattman and Fallon Nieves. You can check all the songs below and download it from Bandcamp directly.

Previous volumes

Here’s a list of the 5 previous volumes which Alfa Matrix released in the past with remixes executed by Kant Kino, Simon Carter, Acylum and Aesthetische !

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Dark-electro, EBM, electro-industrial, techno-body, power-noise, IDM.

Background/Info: The first ‘act’ from this now legendary compilation was released in 2005. Fourteen years later Alfa Matrix released the eight edition of this series devoted to dark-electronics. The massive work features 72 songs on 4 discs and 40 extra songs available as download.

Artists: Suicide Commando, Blutengel, Zombie Girl, Funker Vogt, Komor Kommando, [SITD], Angelspit, Noisuf-X, Solitary Experiments, Ad:Key, Acylum, Phillip Münch ao.

Content: It’s impossible to go in detail when you’ve to review such a compilation featuring 112 songs! But “Endzeit Bunkertracks” remains faithful to a mix of music genres dealing with electronics and a fusion between great and established artists plus discoveries. No doubt about it, the some upcoming talents have been featured here. Next to a bunch of Alfa Matrix bands the compilation also features big names from other labels such as Out Of Line, Dark Dimensions, Infacted Recordings, Repo Records ao.

There’re a lot of exclusive cuts features and/or remixes while the best bands aren’t always featured on the discs.

+ + + : A great sampler and a hard copy means so much more than the digital version. The artwork by Japanse artist Tomoki Hayasaka is absolutely great and matching with the concept. Song-wise you’ll discover interesting young talents such as H.O.W., Complex Mind, Eexee, Suppressor, Playngrain, Pax Sono, Nitek, Fabrikmutter and C-Phalea. The diversity of the songs made this ‘sonic orgy’ more accessible then releasing such a box format with only dark-electronic bands.  

– – – : Even if this compilation remains a great and successful work, 112 songs is definitely too much so this is a compilation you’ve to listen spread over several days.

Conclusion: It has been my pleasure tipping some ‘unknown’ talents, which have been selected for the compilation while “Endzeit Bunkertracks” remains a sonic bible for all dark electronic souls!

Best bands: Komor Kommando, Implant, Noisuf-X, Electronic Frequency, Funker Vogt, [X]-Rx, Suppressor, Nitek, Ice Ages, Larva.

Rate: (8½).

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

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 Belgian label Alfa Matrix has launched 2 brand download releases in the low-priced ‘Matrix:Rebooted’ series containing no less than 30 remixes by the Brazilian dance electro act Aesthetische. If you know Aesthetische, you know you can expect highly danceable clubfood which would do well in NJ Online Casinos as well.

The releases are now available via Bandcamp.

The two releases include remixes of tracks originally recorded by Diffuzion, Ayria, Junksista, SD:KRTR, Aiboforcen, Halo In Reverse, Aline Vampires, Virgins O.R Pigeons, Bruderschaft, Mondträume, Studio-X, Implant, Helalyn Flowers, Llumen, Schwarzblut, Pouppée Fabrikk, Star Industry, Kant Kino, Zombie Girl, Lovelorn Dolls and Aesthetische themselves.

The 2 previous editions included remixes by Kant Kino and Acylum. You can check them out below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

The 66th track on our free download compilation “Face The Beat: Session 4” (featuring 92 tracks) is by the Helsinki, Finland based dark electro act Shades​:​Of​:​Hell.

Behind Shades​:​Of​:​Hell is DJ Shades FIN, co-organizer and resident DJ of Hellfire Club, Dead Souls Gathering and Goths On the Rocks. Remixer and producer of Electro-Industrial music you will probably know him from the remixes he has done for C-Lekktor (Castle Party 2014 compilation), Totem Obscura vs. Acylum, Cynical Existence, Siva Six, Kuroshio, Zombie Girl and from his high quality appearances on Endzeit Bunkertracks VII. New songs are being prepared, but for now enjoy this great dark tune!

Listen to “Bastards Screaming​​” 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.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

It was Record Store Day this past weekend and for the occasion the Belgian label launched a special 30% discount code ( RSD2017 ) which is available to use until the end of this week. You can apply the code in the label’s webshop or on the label’s Bandcamp page. You will get 30% off on everything that is added in your basket (except on the forthcoming Metroland and Alien Vampires box sets).

Happy hunting!

Included in this massive discount action are releases by 32CRASH, Acylum, Aengeldust, Aesthetische, Agonised By Love, Aiboforcen, Alien Vampires, Ambassador21, amGod, Armageddon Dildos, Avarice In Audio, Ayria, Bruderschaft, Cosmic Armchair, Crisk, Cynical Existence, Depeche Mode (the tribute releases), Diffuzion, Diskonnekted, Dive, Dream Recall, Dunkelwerk, Elektroklänge, ELM, Entrzelle, Epsilon Minus, Essence Of Mind, Freakangel, Front 242, Gaytron, Glis, Halo In Reverse, HausHetaere, Headscan, Helalyn Flowers, Hungry Lucy, I:scintilla, Implant, Internal, Inure, Junksista, Kant Kino, Klutæ, Komor Kommando, Krystal System, Leaether Strip, Lovelorn Dolls, Malakwa, Male Or Female, Mari Chrome, Mentallo and the Fixer, Metroland, Mind:State, Mnemonic, Mondträume, Monolith, Nebula-H, Neikka RPM, Nitzer Ebb, Növö, O.V.N.I., Plastic Noise Experience, Pouppee Fabrikk, Prozium, Psy’Aviah, Razorfade, Recoil, Regenerator, Saeldes Sanc, Schwarzblut, Sebastian Komor, Seize, Sero.Overdose, Shaun F, Simon Carter, Siva Six, Star Industry, Stray, Studio-X, Suicide Inside, Tamtrum, Technoir, The Cure (tribute), The Psychic Force, Totem Obscura, Trisomie 21, Unter Null, Venal Flesh, Virgins O.R Pigeons, Virtual Embrace, XMH, Zombie Girl, … plus a long list of compilations.

And in order to save on shipping costs, it’s recommended to combine this with the label’s 2 newest releases although they are not discounted.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

“Today he has no means He’s alone and anonymous, but written in his cells he’s got the marks of a genius”, with these Front 242 lyrics (“Headhunter”) the Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix has launched quite an impressive EBM day action offering no less than a 30% discount on all of it’s physical (and download releases) including the much wanted Front 242 vinyls sets.

All you need to do is use the code ebmday242 to get 30% off on all of the labels releases (ltd editions, boxsets, t-shirts, vinyls, …) purchased via the Alfa Matrix webstore and the official Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page.

The code ebmday242 is only valid today and this weekend and will be applied on all products you have added in your basket.

And that’s not all! the label has also added a huge list of VERY low priced compilations right here.

Included in this massive discount action are all physical and download releases by 32CRASH, Acylum, Aengeldust, Aesthetische, Agonised By Love, Aiboforcen, Alien Vampires, Ambassador21, amGod, Armageddon Dildos, Avarice In Audio, Ayria, Bruderschaft, Cosmic Armchair, Crisk, Cynical Existence, Depeche Mode (the tribute releases), Diffuzion, Diskonnekted, Dive, Dream Recall, Dunkelwerk, Elektroklänge, ELM, Entrzelle, Epsilon Minus, Essence Of Mind, Freakangel, Front 242, Gaytron, Glis, Halo In Reverse, HausHetaere, Headscan, Helalyn Flowers, Hungry Lucy, I:scintilla, Implant, Internal, Inure, Junksista, Kant Kino, Klutæ, Komor Kommando, Krystal System, Leaether Strip, Lovelorn Dolls, Malakwa, Male Or Female, Mari Chrome, Mentallo and the Fixer, Metroland, Mind:State, Mnemonic, Mondträume, Monolith, Nebula-H, Neikka RPM, Nitzer Ebb, Növö, O.V.N.I., Plastic Noise Experience, Pouppee Fabrikk, Prozium, Psy’Aviah, Razorfade, Recoil, Regenerator, Saeldes Sanc, Schwarzblut, Sebastian Komor, Seize, Sero.Overdose, Shaun F, Simon Carter, Siva Six, Star Industry, Stray, Studio-X, Suicide Inside, Tamtrum, Technoir, The Cure (tribute), The Psychic Force, Totem Obscura, Trisomie 21, Unter Null, Venal Flesh, Virgins O.R Pigeons, Virtual Embrace, XMH, Zombie Girl, … plus a long list of compilations.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

We enter the final few hours to enjoy a 50% reduction on all of your purchases via the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page. You get a discount of 50% when using the discount code january50432. Just enter it when checking out. The code is valid on ALL of the releases on the label’s Bandcamp page.

Included in this massive discount action are releases by 32CRASH, Acylum, Aengeldust, Aesthetische, Agonised By Love, Aiboforcen, Alien Vampires, Ambassador21, amGod, Armageddon Dildos, Avarice In Audio, Ayria, Bruderschaft, Cosmic Armchair, Crisk, Cynical Existence, Depeche Mode (the tribute releases), Diffuzion, Diskonnekted, Dive, Dream Recall, Dunkelwerk, Elektroklänge, ELM, Entrzelle, Epsilon Minus, Essence Of Mind, Freakangel, Front 242, Gaytron, Glis, Halo In Reverse, HausHetaere, Headscan, Helalyn Flowers, Hungry Lucy, I:scintilla, Implant, Internal, Inure, Junksista, Kant Kino, Klutæ, Komor Kommando, Krystal System, Leaether Strip, Lovelorn Dolls, Malakwa, Male Or Female, Mari Chrome, Mentallo and the Fixer, Metroland, Mind:State, Mnemonic, Mondträume, Monolith, Nebula-H, Neikka RPM, Nitzer Ebb, Növö, O.V.N.I., Plastic Noise Experience, Pouppee Fabrikk, Prozium, Psy’Aviah, Razorfade, Regenerator, Saeldes Sanc, Schwarzblut, Sebastian Komor, Seize, Sero.Overdose, Shaun F, Simon Carter, Siva Six, Star Industry, Stray, Studio-X, Suicide Inside, Tamtrum, Technoir, The Cure (tribute), The Psychic Force, Totem Obscura, Trisomie 21, Unter Null, Venal Flesh, Virgins O.R Pigeons, Virtual Embrace, XMH, Zombie Girl, … plus a long list of compilations.

The discount code only lasts till January 31st midnight, so make sure to use it asap!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

All new orders going via the Alfa Matrix webstore will be including volume 17 of the label’s popular free Sounds Of The Matrix compilation series. It’s again an excellent way to discover what this Belgian label and more precisely its bands are up to. The compilation will be added to all orders including physical products.

This time you’ll find 20 tracks from the following bands, including the label’s latest new addition, the Swedish act Elektroklänge. Here’s the complete list of bands on the compilation presenting their newest work: Junksista, Diffuzion, The Psychic Force, Psy’Aviah, Ayria, Zombie Girl, Kant Kino, Avarice In Audio Feat. Mondträume, Entrzelle, Sin.Sin, Studio-X Vs. Simon Carter, Elektroklänge, Metroland, ELM, Neikka RPM, Schwarzblut, Venal Flesh, Helalyn Flowers, Pouppee Fabrikk, Alien Vampires.

You can also get the compilation separately from Bandcamp as a low-priced 20-track standalone download compilation. Listen below.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Out 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.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, dark body-pop.

Content: Eight years after the successful debut album “Blood, Brain & Rock’N’Roll” the Canadian Zombie Girl strikes back. We already got a teaser earlier this year by the EP “Panic Attack” revealing vocalist -and now composer, Renee Cooper as the single member on board.

I was really wondering how this new opus would sound-like. Renee Cooper asked Kurt Maas and Dave Rave Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy) to join in for the production and mixing while Lawrie Bayldon (Studio X) took care for the mastering. Cooper has been in a real good company to accomplish this return of Zombie Girl.

Like many electro fans I was deeply impressed by the early releases of this band. There was a perfect balance between Seb Komor’s writing and production skills at one side and Renee Cooper’s talented singing at the other. Replacing Seb Komor is not an easy thing and that’s precisely what rapidly comes through. Komor has this unique and genius touches to create and manipulate sounds. He’s one of the greatest sound architects of his time while Renee Cooper sounds like making her first steps in the writing process. She for sure got the help of experienced producers, but there’s no real comparison between both albums.

“Killer Queen” stands for a new beginning and I would dare to say a new band. The songs are based upon simplistic dark body structures, sometimes with elements of pop on top. The structures are pretty linear and without the terrific filtered sequences of the debut work. The songs are carried by a pumping kick, which is one of the main danceable elements of the work, but I’m afraid that’s not enough.

I’m sorry to say, but Zombie Girl will not ‘make you bleed some more’. It sounds like a zombie, which is no longer blood thirsty and mainly in search of inspiration. A few guitar sounds try to bring some diversity, which appears to be a rather cool idea that would have been explored a bit more.

We also get 2 cover versions, one from Berlin (cf. “Pleasure Victim”) and one from The Cure (cf. “Fascination Street”). The cover version of The Cure is one of the most noticeable tracks for its somewhat retro – 80s feeling on top. But both songs are quite different as well.

We hear for the very first time on this album can hear the beautiful and clear voice of Renee Cooper. She’s a really talented singer and it’s a pity most of the songs have been sung by a kind of spooky, whispering and sometimes childish timbre of voice. Her voice is her main strength so I’m wondering why it hasn’t been produced a bit more that way.

So where’s the common link with the earlier stuff? There still is a kind of funny, conceptual theme around dead and zombies although the global image (and artwork) has considerable evolved as well. While the early stuff was more into blood, punk and provocation, we now get a more styled, but less explicit format.

The best cuts of this disc are some of the remixes at the end. I’m mainly referring to the more elaborated and powerful version of “Rave Of The Dead” remixed by Pre.Emptive Strike 0.1 and a kind of technoid-sounding remix of Dead Inside” by Aesthetische. Hell:Sector did a noticeable job as well, empowering “Killer Queen” with furious guitar riffs.

The 2nd disc featured at the limited edition will bring you 14 remixes by an interesting mix of bands. Bands like Llumen and Eexee bring a minimal touch to this disc while other formations like Psy’Aviah and Avarice In Audio transposed the original songs into a club approach.

The best remixes were accomplished by Helalyn Flowers (featuring vocals by n0emi) injecting great electronic elements and guitar adrenaline into “Killer Queen” while the other great remix is the one of “Thorazine” by Shades Of Hell. This is a pumping version where the lead comes really through a great way.

Another remarkable remix is the one of “Pleasure Games” by Complex Mind. It’s more sophisticated and artistically reworked. This is according to me the most creative song of the work. Two more noticeable remixes are the ones by label mates Diffuzion and Acylum.

Conclusion: This album sounds like a new beginning for Zombie Girl, which in my humble opinion first of all have to elaborate and diversify the global writing of her songs and I here especially expected a bit more from Ogilvie’s input. The limited edition reveals multiple cool remixes.

Best songs: “Rave Of The Dead”, “Rave Of The Dead – Pre.Emptive Strike 0.1 Mix”, “Dead Inside – Aesthetische Mix” + “Thorazine – Shades Of Hell Mix”, “Pleasure Games – Complex Mind Mix”, “Killer Queen – Helalyn Flowers Mix”.

Rate: (DP:6½)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/ZombieGirlOfficialMusicPage

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

Inferno Sound Diaries

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

www.side-line.com

Alfa Matrix has launched massive Black Friday sales for its releases available on Bandcamp and via its CD/DVD/vinyl webstore. Use the code blackfrid during checkout on Bandcamp and in the online webstore of Alfa Matrix and you’ll get an immediate discount of 50% for your Bandcamp orders (including lots of download only EPs) + you’ll benefit of a 25% discount (minimum order of 20 Euro) for your Alfa Matrix CD/DVD/vinyl webstore orders.

The code is valid until December 6th, so act fast!

Included in this discount action are also all of the label’s newest releases by such artists as Alien Vampires, Zombie Girl, Studio-X vs. Simon Carter, Ayria, Entrzelle, Metroland, etc.. Hundreds and hundreds of releases that is.

Go to the Alfa Matrix Bandcamp page or the Alfa Matrix CD/DVD/vinyl webstore now, and use the 50% discount / 25% discount code blackfrid during checkout.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

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We noticed a few weeks ago that links to products in the iTunes store no longer worked, instead you were forced to take a streaming subscription (or use Apple Music if you had already subscribed). Initially we thought it was just a test, but no, it seems Apple is determined to go streaming only. A bit odd as a tactic because many magazines, bands, etc. use the links to drive downloads, not streams. Surprisingly no single tech magazine has published a news story on this.

You can still access products in the iTunes store though, but the links to these products just no longer work as they should (see for instance this link which should lead you to the iTunes store, but which instead leads you – via a page in-between – to the above Apple Music screen in iTunes). As a result Side-Line (just like many other magazines) will completely stop referring to products in the Apple store since they are now very user-unfriendly. As a reader you expect to be able to download something in the iTunes store, not being forced into a streaming subscription for Apple Music.

The only work around is to add “&app=itunes” to the url when you have it copied from the iTunes store (thanks to Cyber Noise for the tip).

The way Apple handles this makes you believe that the adoption of Apple Music (and its bugs) is probably very slow and largely underperforming. At the moment Apple Music has over 15 million users, with 6.5 million of those paying $9.99 a month and 8.5 million still on the three-month free trial. Spotify has at the moment more than 20 million paying customers.

Apple has had quite some difficulties finding a place for Apple Music in the streaming market. The product itself received mixed reviews at launch for its unintuitive interface, a lacking Chromecast support, the amount of bugs and battery life problems and its offline services being contingent on using the iCloud Music Library feature.

There is no information available as to how much traffic iTunes used to get from outside sources, so it’s rather unknown what the impact of this unannounced move will be.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Zombie Girl is back for good. We already got served a first teaser with the “Panic Attack” download EP (download it here), and this week the new full length album “Killer Queen” was released (and immediately shot to the number 1 place in the label’s digital sales on Bandcamp).

The new album was produced & engineered by the renowned duo team of Kurt Maas & Dave Rave Ogilvie and boosted by the mastering by Lawrie Bayldon (Studio-X). Besides her own material, Zombie Girl also brings cover versions of Berlin’s classic “Pleasure Victim” and The Cure’s “Fascination Street”.

Next to the regular album, there is also a deluxe 2CD carton box edition with a bonus disc including an exclusive collaboration with Helalyn Flowers (and guest backing vocals by n0emi) and remix work by such different sounding artists as Psy’Aviah, Acylum, Simon Carter, Venal Flesh, Llumen, Pax Sono, Avarice In Audio, Eexxee, Cardinal Noire, Black Nail Cabaret, Shades:Of:Hell, Complex Mind, Diffuzion and so on.

Listen to the new album on Bandcamp.

Check out the “Panic Attack” download EP.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Bestselling electro artist Zombie Girl returns with a brand new studio album on the Belgian Alfa Matrix label, “Killer Queen”, and this in various formats.

The album was produced & engineered by none other than the team consisting of Kurt Maas & Dave Rave Ogilvie, mastering was done by Lawrie Bayldon from Studio-X fame. You can again expect fat beats, dirty female vocals and also 2 covers, Berlin’s “Pleasure Victim” and The Cure’s “Fascination Street” (which also appeared on the The Cure tribute compilation “A Strange Play”).

The album is also available in a deluxe 2CD carton box edition with a bonus disc including an exclusive collaboration with Helalyn Flowers (and guest backing vocals by n0emi) and other remix work by artists in the like of Psy’aviah, Acylum, Simon Carter, Venal Flesh, Llumen, Pax Sono, Avarice In Audio, Eexxee, Cardinal Noire, Black Nail Cabaret, Shades:Of:Hell, Complex Mind, Diffuzion and so on.

A 28-track counting download is also available from Bandcamp, with an immediate download of 4 tracks.

And there’s more, in a mail to its clients Alfa Matrix offers a coupon code to get 25% discount on the complete Zombie Girl back catalogue in the label’s CD/DVD webstore at www.alfa-matrix-store.com . The coupon code is 41654, just insert it when checking out and you’ll get 25% reduction on the Zombie Girl back catalogue material, both normal and 2CD sets. The offer is only valid until the release date of the album, that is October 31st, so make sure to use it before that!

For those who prefer the digital download, use the discount code september5236584 to get 25% off the normal price on Alfa Matrix’ Bandcamp page. The code can be used on as many items as you want and expires at the end of September.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Genre/Influences: EBM, body-pop.

Content: One of the absolute leading bands of Alfa-Matrix is back on track after a hiatus of 6 years. But the real success story of Zombie Girl is even older when singer Renee Cooper and music genius Seb Komor unleashed their EP “Back From The Dead” (2006) and the album “Blood, Brains & Rock’N’Roll” (2007). Cooper left the band when Komor released “The Halloween EP” (2009) and since then nothing has happened.

The latest volume of “Endzeit Bunkertracks” saw the return of Zombie Girl by the song “Panic Attack” remixed by Acylum. A new album is in the pipeline, but Zombie Girl (cf. Renee) is now the single original member at board. This EP features, next to the title song, 5 extra remixes. Nothing really new –as we already got an idea of “Panic Attack” on the aforementioned “Endzeit Bunkertracks”.

The original mix is an honest and danceable piece of music, which is mainly carried by deep sounding sequences and the somewhat whispering and zombie-like timbre of voice of Renee. “Panic Attack” doesn’t sound like a new hit although it’s a perfectly danceable song.
The remixes feature quite diversified artists. My favorite version is the clubby-accentuated remix by Avarice In Audio (definitely one of the hottest new-coming banda on Alfa-Matrix). Another club-friendly remix is the one made by Simon Carter.

The Acylum remix is already a familiar one and transposes the original mix into a darker approach. Cardinal Noire reveals a dark approach as well while the last remix was accomplished by Aesthetische and deals with a more evasive and intelligent electro format.

Conclusion: “Panic Attack” stands for the comeback of this successful band, but we really have to wait for a few more months to realize what Zombie Girl will sound like without Seb Komor. This is the offspring of a new Zombie Girl-era.

Best songs: “Panic Attack – Avarice In Audio Mix”, “Panic Attack”, “Panic Attack – Simon Carter Clubbed Up Mix”.

Rate: (DP:7)DP.

Band: www.facebook.com/ZombieGirlOfficialMusicPage

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

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

9 years after the band first appeared on the scene with the “Back from the dead” EP, and almost 6 years after their “Halloween” EP, Zombie Girl prepare a full comeback. A first indication of that comeback appeared earlier today when a few new releases appeared on the Bandcamp page and webstore of Alfa Matrix including that of a brand new Zombie Girl Ep called “Panic Attack”.

The EP holds 6 tracks including “Panic Attack” and the B-side “Dead Inside”. The title song got a club remix by famous UK DJ Simon Carter, Australian label mates Avarice In Audio and Acylum while the B-side “Dead Inside” is available in remixed versions by Aesthetische and Cardinal Noire. Presumably the original will be added on the upcoming album. Speaking of which, the upcoming “Killer Queen” album will be released this September.

You can listen to 3 tracks already, and download them instantly when getting the EP from Bandcamp. The official release is set for this Friday!

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

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

side-line.com

Interview of Zombie Girl: The return as a teaser to the upcoming new album!

The new volume of “Endzeit Bunkertracks”  (the 7th already, available right here) will be released once again as a deluxe 4CD carton box featuring 68 songs mixing dark-electronics, EBM, dark-electro-pop and related genres. The box also contains an extended 32 page booklet masterfully designed by Japanese designer Tomoki Hayasaka. Next to the 4CD there also is a bonus download card giving you access to some 50 additional songs! Side-Line once again has been asked by Alfa-Matrix to recommend some interesting artists.  That’s why we decided to power this new volume by featuring 10 short interviews of bands that you’ll discover on this new volume plus an extra interview by the “Endzeit Bunkertracks” instigator Séba Dolimont.

(by Stéphane Froidcoeur aka DP)

SL: Zombie Girl is back so what does it mean to be back on track with this band and especially without Seb Komor?

Renee: it’s great to be doing this without Seb. I can have the music exactly the way I want it to be, write any lyrics I want and I love it.  I’m looking forward to performing again and meeting fans. I’ve worked hard to get this album out and this is only the beginning of a great adventure which was postponed. Now it shall continue, as it was meant to.

I don’t know what everyone out there reading this thinks about dreams, but, and I’m not joking when I say that a great deal of the new lyrics were in my dreams and a lot of the music. They were playing on the radio in my dreams and I was singing them, so I think that they had to be released into our real world. Hey, maybe this is the dream and dreams are actually reality. Not an original thought, but oh well.

Now I’m free and going to spread my arms and kiss the sky!

SL: With a different line-up it all must be like a new start so how do you expect things evolving?

Renee: Well, as far as different producers and their influence and guidance, that is as far as a line up would be. But Zombie Girl is a solo performer.  I am not a band. I’m one woman and I will use various musicians on stage, but no, there is no band. It’s just me. Next album, a different producer.

I see myself evolving. I think only good things will happen.

SL: What are you actually working on and can we expect more new stuff from Zombie Girl during the coming months? 

Renee: Alfa Matrix is releasing my new album. The title is “Killer Queen”. Also lots of shows.

SL: Did you expect the huge success around Zombie Girl and what’s the explanation to this success?

I don’t have an explanation other than I’m a pretty good singer and it’s good music to dance to, sing along or just listen too. People like that.

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