Tension Control – Ton Aus Strom (Album – Tension Control)
Genre/Influences: EBM.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: “Ton Aus Strom” is the third album by German project Tension Control which is driven by Michael Schrader. This is also the first self-released opus.
Content: If you’re familiar with the band you exactly know what to expect. This is pure old-school EBM. No tricks nor complexity but just straight forwarded EBM with DAF as their ultimate reference and source of inspiration. Most of the songs are sung in German but you’ll also find a few sung in English. You’ll also find cover versions from Der Plan and Michael Matters.
+ + + : Tension Control stands for pure 100% old-school EBM. The songs are moving on where the previous album stopped, same sources of inspiration, same fascination for DAF. This is an album appealing for fans of Orange Sector, AD:Key, Armageddon Dildos ao. It’s not hard-core but simply powerful music featuring carrying choruses. The title song is a great piece of music but my personal favorite one is “kRaNK KrANk” driven by a great bass line.
– – – : Tension Control avoids any innovation but simply keeps the true EBM spirit alive. I was less convinced by the few English sung tracks but you don’t hear me complaining. I can’t understand why this band hasn’t been signed to a ‘big’ label.
Conclusion: Tension Control stands for pure EBM and is a band deserving more recognition.
Best songs: “kRaNK KrANk”, “Ton Aus Strom”, “Kraftwport”, “DAF Im Plattenbau”, “Deutschland, Bleiche Mutter”.
Rate: 8½.
Artist: www.facebook.com/tension.control.ebm
Listen to “Ton Aus Strom”:
About Tension Control
Tension Control is a German old-school EBM project founded in 2016 and run single-handedly by Michael Schrader, who writes all music, sounds and lyrics and sings. Schrader has been based in Hamburg since 2018 and works with analogue synthesizers. He set out his approach in a 2020 Side-Line interview, ‘Click Interview’ with Tension Control.
The first album, “Im Rhythmus der Maschinen”, came out in 2017 on Brandsatz Records, followed by “Fortschritt durch Technik” in 2019. “Industrielle Revolution” arrived in 2023 and “Freiheit” in 2025.
Tension Control self-released “Ton Aus Strom” on 26 November 2021 on CD and digital. The thirteen tracks include the Der Plan cover “Deutschland, bleiche Mutter” and the Michael Matters cover “Der Panther”, alongside “kRaNK, KrANk”, “Kraftsport”, “DAF im Plattenbau” and the title track. A “Kurzschluss Mix” of the title song followed as a single in 2024.
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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.
