Templər – Myths And Consequences (Album – Hands)
Genre/Influences: Industrial, Rhythmic-Noise.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Thomas Chalandon is a French musician based in Berlin and still involved with Imperial Black Unit while running the label AreaZ. After a few EP’s under the Templər moniker, he now joined with the label, Hands to unleash the debut album of his solo-project.
Content: Listening to this album sounds a bit like the sound of a true sonic earthquake. The sound is driven by heavy, furious Industrial & Rhythmic-Noise drum patterns. It has something old-school like and yet perfectly adapted into a modern and even refreshing edit. This heavy and bombast rhythmic has been mixed with monstrous sound blasts and dark atmospheres, which are fitting with the obscure themes Chalandon deals with. Two songs feature vocals by guests Incendie and Lapse Of Reason (side-project from the other half of Imperial Black Unit). The last part of the work features 5 remixes of “A True Terror Corporation” (the song featuring Incendie) by Esplendor Geométrico, Test Dept, Orphx, Geistform and Harsh Mentor.
+ + + : Templər’s debut album sounds as a real tour de force! This artist fully succeeded in adapting retro-Industrial elements into a modern version. It somewhere reminds me of the Esplendor Geometrico so it’s not a coincidence this band has created a remix. But the difference with the Spanish duo is that this production sounds more high-tech. There’s a kind of unpolished approach and yet it’s a powerful, top-notch production. I enjoyed the constant power of the tracks, excelling at “I Shared A Whiskey With A Ghost”, “The Inner Flame” and “Under Pressure”. Among the remixes I’ve to mention great jobs done by Esplendor Geometrico and Orphx, but still Test Dept injecting some of their own old-school Industrial elements in the remix.
– – – : “A True Terror Corporation” is not exactly my favorite song from the album so I was a bit wondered this song has been exposed to remixers. And I honestly prefer most of the remixes instead of the original edit.
Conclusion: Templər has accomplished a true masterpiece, which will appeal for lovers of heavy Industrial music driven by infernal rhythms.
Best songs: “I Shared A Whiskey With A Ghost”, “The Inner Flame”, “Under Pressure”, “Camera Silens”, “Road To Jouniek”, “A True Corporation feat. Incendie – Esplendor Geometrico Remix”, “A True Corporation feat. Incendie – Orphx Remix”.
Rate: 8½.
Artist: www.facebook.com/templernoise
Label: www.handsproductions.com / www.facebook.com/hands.official
About Templər
Templər is the solo project of Thomas Chalandon, a French producer based in Berlin. He is one half of the EBM-oriented duo Imperial Black Unit and the founder of the AreaZ label. Before the album he issued a number of EPs under the Templər name, including one with Monya, according to the Hands release notes.
“Myths And Consequences” was released on 4 June 2021 by Hands on CD and as a download. It is the first Templər album. The nine original tracks are “Road To Jounieh”, “Let The Soul Chase The Sorrows”, “A True Terror Corporation”, “Le Crime Par La Pensée”, “Under Pressure”, “Camera Silens”, “Myths And Consequences”, “I Shared A Whiskey With A Ghost” and “The Inner Flame”, followed by five remixes of “A True Terror Corporation” by Esplendor Geométrico, Test Dept, Orphx, Geistform and Harsh Mentor. Chalandon wrote and produced the album, Eric Van Wonterghem mastered it and Nicola Bork made the artwork and photography.
The second album H.A.C.E. followed on Hands in 2023 and was reviewed on Side-Line in September of that year. Chalandon also works with Incendie as the duo ATT Corp and appears on the label compilations Forms Of Hands 21 and Forms Of Hands 24. Templər played the sold-out HANDS Label Night at Urban Spree in Berlin on 4 January 2025. “Myths And Consequences” is the album that started his run on the label.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
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.
