[February 2003]
AFTERLIFE
Demo-a9 (9-track cd)
-Origin: USA -Style/Influences: Dark EBM which may remind to Feindflug and
Reversal Penetration. -Comment: The main songs are totally instrumental… except
numerous sampled dialogues (several French samples). That brings them close to
the style of Feindflug, but they don’t have the industrial aspect of this German
dino. The “Fragment decompression”-song will undoubtedly reminds you to
Feindflug. For all the dark body-lovers. -Contact: sylentdream@yahoo.com -Rate:
(DP:6/7)DP
ARTHUR LOVES PLASTIC
Fixed star (12-track cd Machine Heart Productions)
-Origin: USA -Style/Influences: Groovy danceable electro, which sounds like the
alternative version of some Everything But The Girl songs. -Comment: This duo
composes elaborated and refined groovy electronics that find its place on the
dancefloors. A few other pieces are closer to a kind of chill out stuff. I like
the sensual female vocals. A name to keep in mind! -Contact: machineheart@mindspring.com
/ www.machineheart.com -Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
ASTYPLAZ
Demo (4-track cd)
-Origin: Greece -Style/Influences: Very diversified electronic compositions,
which can be now danceable and atmospheric and than cold. -Comment: I like the
diversity of their compositions, which is undoubtedly their main force! The
atmospheric side, which goes into danceable structures is quite fascinating. The
darker and icy parts show another approach of their work. Nothing groundbreaking
for so far, but it’s a beginning! -Contact: astyplaz@yahoo.gr / www.babylon.gr
-Rate: (DP:6)DP.
AVATAR 07
Tales from the underground (7-track cd)
-Origin: Spain –Style/Influences: Dark ambient electronics. –Comment: First demo
for this Spanish solo-project. The sound quality suffers from the usual lack of
experience and maturity. The content joins the usual dark ambient electronics
and can’t really surprise! It comes close to a kind of soundtrack try-out.
Here’s much to work on! –Contact: avatarzerosiete@yahoo.es or
www.avatar07.1444.net–Rate: (DP:5)DP.
BLANK SYSTEM
The theory of hope (9-track cd)
-Origin: France -Style/Influences: Instrumental EBM in the vein of Noise Unit
and other project of the duo B. Leeb – Rh. Fülber. -Comment: I’ve already heard
better material of the French Blank System. The compositions remain well done
and rather intelligent, but it’s less powerful than their previous work. I still
do believe that the incorporation of a vocalist would reinforce the credibility
of their sound! -Contact: gensystem@free.fr -Rate: (DP:6)DP.
CARROÑA
Demo (6-track cd)
-Origin: Spain –Style/Influences: Experimental. –Comment: This project creates
experimental soundscapes full of diversified noise vibes and sources. It all
sounds pretty improvised! The main force is that it doesn’t sound repetitive,
but you’ve to be a real addict to enjoy it! –Contact: carrona01@yahoo.es –Rate:
(DP:5)DP.
CRYOGENETIC
Demo (10-track cd)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: a mix of industrial and dance-trance.
-Comment: Some parts are maybe a little bit too repetitive, but Cryogenetic
delivers excellent, highly danceable tracks. The mix of industrial bombast and
devastating danceable parts is really exciting. The whole composition remains
instrumental, but that’s not a problem! I’m not going to compare this project
with Pierrepoint, but the ideas are rather similar. -Contact: CryoGenetic@gmx.net
-Rate: (DP:7)DP.
DEIN SCHATTEN
Ewiges Eis (14-track cd)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: A mixture between pop and metal-gothic.
There’s a little trace of Rammstein power! –Comment: Bornzero is an experienced
musician who has been already involved in different projects. The mix of
electronic treatments and metal guitar riffs isn’t totally innovative, but he
realizes it with certain knowledge! It sounds definitely German! –Contact:
www.dein-schatten.de –Rate: (DP:6)DP.
DEMBAHL
Peaceconference (11-track cd)
-Origin: Switzerland -Style/Influences: Synth-pop with some early 80ies
influences. -Comment: An interesting discovery made in Switzerland! The clean
pop-style of this project finds its inspiration in the 80ies with a band like
Simple Minds. That’s just a reference because their sound is much more into
modernism than a simple cloning of an old glory. The female vocal parts add a
sensual breeze to the mature production (while the singer looks really good… I’m
afraid I love all the Swiss girls…). Anyway, I’m missing some real master-hit,
but this band sounds on the good way! -Contact: dembahl@gmx.ch / www.dembahl.com
-Rate: (DP:7)DP.
DIGITALIA
Demo (8-track cd)
-Style/Influences: Ambient and danceable electronics, reminding to Clock DVA and
one of their best copies, cf. Neuro D. –Comment: 8 songs for more than 70
minutes of music… I was a bit afraid to experience the work of Digitalia! Well,
even if it should have been better to reduce the during time, this is a
significant demo-production! It reminds me to the cold 80ies electronics while
creating a fascinating danceable trip. A few vocals (samplings) have been added
here and than. Definitely a project to keep in mind! –Contact: safkos@hotmail.com
–Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
THE DREAMFORECAST
Demo (7-track cd)
-Origin: Sweden –Style/Influences: Kind of 80ies electronics nostalgia!
–Comment: Easy listening electronics, moving on the border of wafting
synthesizer soundtrack music. It sounds perfect as background music, but can’t
get me wild while playing it at maximum volume! –
Contact: disc_persson@hotmail.com –Rate: (DP:5)DP.
EX NIHILO
Lie (10-track cd Third Brass Collective)
-Origin: Switzerland –Style/Influences: Dark electronic atmospheres. –Comment:
This is a collection of songs from the early period of this band. The sound
production is rather poor while the content needs some elaboration. There’s
nothing groundbreaking for so far! –Contact: johncult@hotmail.com /
www.x-nihilo.org –Rate: (DP:6)DP.
EYE
European propaganda Vol. 1 (11-track cd Third Brass Collective)
-Origin: Australia –Style/Influences: A poppy approach of electronic and guitar
structures. –Comment: We already got the opportunity to enter and visit the
universe of this Australian solo-project. This album is a compilation of older
songs, which lead us to a pop-inspired music. The main point that hurts is the
lack of elaboration in the melody lines and the absence of real hits. The kind
of parody (cover) of “Ice ice baby” called “Kadoish” is rather funny! Anyway,
this band doesn’t really seduce me! –Contact: johncult@hotmail.com / www.on.to/propaganda
–Rate: (DP:5/6)DP.
GRAFFITTI 61
Demo (8-track cd Ambidelic Records)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Moving into ambient, dub and psychedelic
electro-acoustic styles. –Comment: The opening cut “An honest answer is like a
kiss on the lips” is a great dubby-ambient song. I regret that the other
compositions are less dub-minded and more into floating trips. It’s not bad at
all, but it doesn’t set the world alight! –Contact: dominic@graffitti61.com /
www.graffitti61.com –Rate: (DP:6)DP.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Ancient thrones (6-track cd)
-Style/Influences: Dark electronics with some experimental parts. It sounds here
and than like Yendri meeting M. Manson. -Comment: the production is quite well
done while the idea is interesting! I’m just missing some explicit and worked
out melody lines, which would give them a bonus! -Contact: stacia@angeldustrial.com
/ www.infrastructure.angeldustrial.com -Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
INTELLIGENTSIA
Coming to a planet near you (21-track cd)
-Origin: Japan -Style/Influences: Wafting danceable electronics. -Comment: It’s
not easy to qualify the style of this artist as an established electronic style.
Mirai is already busy with his projects for more than 10 years, creating
numerous video games and composing numerous releases. He even played in Belgium
and the Netherlands… and I don’t know him yet! I discover some very cool
danceable wafting pieces while other tracks are less inspired and sound like
composed with preset sounds. This demo is a kind of compilation featuring some
short extracts of radio interviews. -Contact: mirai@arkaos.net /
www.wisdomcore.com -Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
INTERVOX
One is… (5-track cd mp3.com)
-Origin: USA -Style/Influences: Catchy synth-pop. -Comment: This is traditional
e-pop music that doesn’t bring anything new. It’s pleasant to listen, but
doesn’t bring real high lights while I personally prefer it a little bit more
into dance! -Contact: ivox@ivox.org / www.ivox.org -Rate: (DP:6)DP.
I.W.R.
Demo (4-track cd)
-Origin: Israel -Style/Influences: Dark electronic with a touch of modernism
like break-beats. -Comment: This is the real first time that I get a bit
fascinated through the work of IWR. They move into more classical dark
electronic body fields while adding some personal touch like break-beat parts.
The “Access denied”-song is a very good surprise on which heavenly female
backings are adding a touch of mystery! The sound and production of IWR evolve
into a more refined and elaborated composition! -Contact: iwr@ureach.com -Rate:
(DP:7)DP.
JOSHUA
Elektronik Murder Comes (6-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium -Style/Influences: Dark Electro VS Industrial VS Pure Noise
with a slight touch of Sielwolf (noise period) if you want a concrete reference.
-Comment: I've just discovered this new project from one of the member of the
famous metal hardcore band Negate. It's very interresting to discover that
some people has a real open-minded attitude for other musical horizons.
Even if this is a first attempt with all the negative of... a first attempt (the
production could be better). The Juoshua project is real fresh injection
in our scene; there is no cliché here, no carbon copy. If you are into this kind
of music... -Contact: http://negate.free.fr/josuah.htm -Rate:
(DP6/:7)CX.
JU JU BABIES
Demo (9-track cd)
-Origin: UK –Style/Influences: A mixture between poppy danceable electronics and
80ies pop-rock music. –Comment: The Ju Ju Babies have this typical great British
sound, combining different influences. They’ve a great female vocalist. I
discover some real cool cuts, the “Sirius”-song being the absolute masterpiece!
This band has a very clean and professional sound! A band to keep on eye on!
–Contact: info@jujubabies.co.uk / www.jujubabies.co.uk –Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
KNEKT
Demo (6-track cd)
-Origin: Sweden –Style/Influences: Crossover! –Comment: This is a harsh and
aggressive mixture between hardcore rhythms and industrial-noise bombast! An
anarchistic sound, which needs serious elaboration! –Contact: peteroberg@home.se
/ www.rest.gabber.org/knekt/ -Rate: (DP:4)DP.
KONTINUUM
Studio & demo tracks (9-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Future-pop is probably the most approximate
definition and Apoptygma Berzerk an important source of inspiration! –Comment:
You maybe discover this young and promising band on the 2nd volume of “Cryonica”.
With the “I believe”-song, they hold on a potential club-track. One version has
been even remixed by Icon Of Coil (waw)! While the mix needs to be more
professional and powerful (except the title-song, which has been recorded in a
more professional studio), their mixture of techno ingredients and body lines
sounds really cool. They’ve to improve some of the vocal lines, but this band
sounds like being ready to get signed! –Contact: schmittydj@aol.com /
www.KontinuumMusic.com –Rate: (DP: 7/8)DP.
KUROSHIO CURRENT
The crash (7-track cd)
-Origin: Finland -Style/Influences: EBM with VNV Nation and even Suicide
Commando as main sources of inspiration. -Comment: This project is already busy
for several years now, but seems to have some difficulties to emerge from the
depths… I notice a few good electronic ideas, but the male vocal parts are now
and than like out of tune! Nothing devastating for so far… and that sounds
pretty hard after already several years of involvement! -Contact: aqi@surfeu.fi
/ www.kuroshiocurrent.fingoth.net/ -Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
LOK-8
Soulless (9-track cd)
-Origin: France -Style/Influences: Dark EBM. -Comment: This is the 2nd demo for
this French solo-project. The content reminds to old dark EBM with a few
melodious parts. The production needs some elaboration, suffering from a lack of
complexity! The last songs like “Stop watching tv” and “Get away” are a little
bit more elaborated. -Contact: garley@wanadoo.fr -Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
MIND CONFUSION
Lost within the decaying fragments of chaos (10-track cd)
-Origin: Canada -Style/Influences: Dark electronics with vague techno
ingredients. They remind me to Mentallo & The Fixer! -Comment: Mind Confusion
composes acceptable dark EBM with some cool melodies. They use some techno
elements like pumping bass drums. I just regret the saturated distortion on the
vocals, but it’s for sure an old cliché for this kind of stuff. -Contact:
gennydesaulniers@hotmail.com or mind2069@hotmail.com -Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
MONO CHROME
Demo (7-track cd)
-Origin: USA -Style/Influences: EBM that moves from poppy influences to cold
sequences. -Comment: This is a brand-new American project, but not that new…
Discovering the presence of Victoria Lloyd (Claire Voyant), we for sure realize
that this is much more than an ordinary new comer… Mono Chrome shows elaborated
and powerful EBM like on “Riveted” while moving into darker and Klinik-al
influences on “Fall in to you”. This is a promising debut, which will
undoubtedly catch the attention of several companies… -Contact: contact@mono-chrome.net
/ www.mono-chrome.net -Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
NOVA
Re-designing the future (5-track cd)
-Origin: UK -Style/Influences: Between pop and EBM. -Comment: This duo consists
out of Sarahjane (Faithful Dawn & Hexedene) and Jonathan Sharp (New Mind,
Hexedene, Bio-Tek, Cyber-Tec…)! Waw… it sounds better than Faithful Dawn, but
didn’t reach the level of the best work of J. Sharp. But let’s face the truth,
this is a debut and it sounds already catchy and danceable. You can for sure
perceive all the experience and knowledge of the duo, but they need some more
time to work out their ideas! -Contact: kaq97@dial.pipex.com -Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
OBSZÖN GESCHÖPF
Yell of fright (13-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: Dark electronics à la Suicide Commando.
–Comment: The inspiration comes directly from the dark electronic graves…
Suicide Commando being the supreme idol! This is a 1st demo and you can hear it.
The sound is poorly produced while the style is too close to a pure copy! This
band can only move into improvement and I hope them to create a more personal
sound! –Contact: obszon.geschopf@caramail.com –Rate: (DP:5/6)DP.
THE PAIN MACHINERY
Chaos in expansion (11-track cd)
-Origin: Sweden –Style/Influences: Pure heavy crossover between electronic and
guitar parts. –Comment: This is for sure a Swedish band, which avoids following
the synth-pop and pure EBM trend. The good-old crossover style isn’t innovative
at all, but it sounds definitely more exciting than a new cloning of a synth-pop
master or an EBM combo! I like the electronic bleeps in their work and the
powerful industrial guitar riffs. A few songs have been leaded through a beating
cadence. I just regret the absence of real vocal lines. –Contact: anders@funplanet.com
/ www.thepainmachinery.com –Rate: (DP:6)DP.
PIA FRAUS
The esthetics of the spot (11-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium -Influences: A kind of ambient symphonic electronics. -Comment:
The sound of this Belgium project is for sure different, delivering some
originality in the writing process. Dark electronic influences and a few rhythms
join the symphonic soundscapes. Some distant vocals are joining in now and than.
It’s really hard to compare this band to any other one… which is rather
positive! -Contact: bartderuyter@hotmail.com -Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
PISTRIX
Ambiancandemonium (14-track cd)
-Origin: France -Style/Influences: A mixture of influences and styles, but
mainly electronics! -Comment: It sounds like an electronic chameleon! Pistrix
moves from wafting trance inspired electronics into kind of less inspired
ambient fields into industrial areas to finally end in cold experimental
atmospheres. I personally prefer their trance-style, they show on the cool
“Multi ethnic”-track. I’m missing certain cohesion between the influences!
-Contact: jeremy.velasco@wanadoo.fr / www.pstrix.biz -Rate: (DP:6)DP.
PHRAZE
Demo 2002 (4-track cd)
-Origin: Germany -Style/Influences: A cocktail of synth-pop and EBM. -Comment:
This German band comes for sure in the neighborhood of future-pop. They’ve a
powerful sound while the way of composing is more than acceptable! The “Cycle of
time”-song is an excellent way to get introduced into their body-style!
-Contact: info@phraze.de / www.phraze.de -Rate: (DP:7)DP.
PROJECT TRIO
Demo (4-track cd)
-Origin: Ukraine –Style/Influences: A kind of soundscape production. –Comment:
Entering the universe of this project is like visiting wide and experimental
soundscapes. Definitely experimental, it all sounds a bit too heavy! Just one
more project walking on the monotonous experimental path! –Contact: kali-yuga@narod.ru
/ www.zh-z.sumy.ua –Rate: (DP:3)DP.
SENSORY MINDFIELDS
Demo (6-track cd)
-Origin: France -Style/Influences: Industrial beating chaos! -Comment: This is a
new project of P. P. Robles aka HIV+! Sensory Mindfields consists out of 2
members. The style is a fusion between industrial sounds and different
influences like big beats, furious triphop cadences and heavy screaming parts.
The result sounds pretty chaotic. I didn’t really get under the influence of
this heavy sound blast! -Contact: dj.pedro@ifrance.com -Rate: (DP:5/6)DP.
SHAMBELLE
Intimate alien (11-track cd)
-Origin: Germany -Style/Influences: From pop to trip-pop… sounding like the
offspring between Everything But The Girl, Tori Amos and even Björk. -Comment:
This is definitely a very good pop surprise. Well Shambelle doesn’t exactly
compose the stereotypical electro-pop style, but strives for modernism. That’s
why they remind me to legendary icons like Everything But The Girl and Björk.
Just pay some attention for songs like “My ocean”, “Help myself” and “Into the
unknown”. Their mix of electronic treatments and guitar plus bass has been
perfectly executed. I think there’s a future for this band… -Contact: klaus.weis@shambelle.de
/ www.shambelle.de -Rate: (DP:8)DP.
SOBRIA EBRIETAS
De bene arte moriendi (9-track cd Third Brass Collective)
-Style/Influences: Moving from dark experimental soundscapes to heavier
cyber-core pieces. -Comment: Noisy bombardments diving into chaotic and heavy
endurable parts. This is the 3rd demo of this project that will maybe please
some extreme noise-freaks! -Contact: sobriaebrietas@hotmail.com / johncult@hotmail.com
/ www.mp3.com/sobriaebrietas -Rate: (DP:3)DP.
SPETSNAZ
Demo (4-track cd)
-Origin: Sweden -Style/Influences: Old-school EBM with Nitzer Ebb as only
comparison! -Comment: Forget about Pouppée Fabrikk, Capp, Dupont, Ionic Vision…
If you want the old and pure EBM, Spetsnaz is the only qualitative reference!
They for sure mean to Nitzer Ebb what Mastertune meant to Front 242. It’s much
more than a cloning, but it has been done with perfection. Even the vocal parts
are reminding to Douglas in person! Amazing, but very old minded… Notice by the
way that they’ve been active in this other cloning band of Sweden called Volvo
242! -Contact: lazerstefan@spetsnaz.tk -Rate: (DP:7)DP.
SYNTAX ORION
Demonstration (5-track cd)
-Origin: Portugal -Style/Influences: They’re composing on the edge of EBM and
future-pop. -Comment: This is a good surprise from Portugal. I’m not used to
hear Portuguese projects moving into EBM and pop styles. Syntax Orion does it
quite well, showing a modern approach of electronics. It’s just a pity that the
vocals aren’t a little bit more powerful. Anyway, enjoyable electronic stuff.
-Contact: info@syntaxorion.cjb.net / www.syntaxorion.pt.vu -Rate: (DP:7)DP.
UKIO BIONIC
Download your heart (5-track cd)
-Origin: France -Style/Influences: Directly inspired from the good-old eighties
analog electronics. -Comment: This is a cool production full of analog bleeps
that have been transposed into the modernism of the current influences. This
project is a side-project of Blank System and to be totally honest, I definitely
prefer this one! I like the distant vocoder vocals that I perceive on one of the
songs, but the main compositions remain entirely instrumental! A very good
surprise! -Contact: gensystem@free.fr / www.gensystem.free/ukio.htm -Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[October 2002]
[ACTION DIRECTE]
Bloc rocking beats(8-track cd)
-Origin: UK –Style/Influences: Electronic influences that have been reinforced
by heavy guitar riffs and straightforward drums. –Comment: I’ve been never that
much into the powerful sound of AD, but I know there’s an audience for their
“Bloc rocking beats”. The cover of Sting’s “Russians” is a little bit wondering,
but not bad at all! I would like to hear the electronic arrangements a bit more
on the forefront to get some more cohesion and harmony between the songs… but
I’m afraid it would be no longer AD! –Contact:
adirecte@hotmail.com (Rate: (DP:5/6)DP.
[ANTISISTERS]
Spiders kisses lies (9-track cd)
-Origin: Russia –Style/Influences: Powerful EBM! –Comment: A surprising
production from Russia! Antisisters are into pure and enjoyable body power!
Although some of their songs (like the remarkable “Lord of lies”) may remind to
Front 242, they built up an own sound! I sometimes get the impression that
they’re like make a parody of bands like Sisters Of Mercy (cf “Body and soul”)
or Das Ich (cf “Zotenhaft Einsamkeit”). Anyway, good work here! –Contact:
antisisters@mailru.com /
www.mp3.com/antisisters –Rate: (DP:7)DP.
[BREATHFORM]
Dreamstation (4-track cd)
-Origin: Canada –Style/Influences: Dark EBM –Comment: I like the diversity of
fast and slower pieces… even if it’s hard to get an objective view with only 4
songs! The male and female vocal parts inject some more diversity. Anyway, I’m
faraway from being convinced! –Contact:
www.lowlevelprotocol.com/breathform –Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[CABARET]
Check point Charlie (9-track cd)
-Origin: Poland –Style/Influences: Guitar-synth-pop music. –Comment: The main
song of this demo “Check point Charlie” has been delivered in 6 different
versions! The same song appeared in their homeland on a tribute to Depeche Mode!
This song has some real potential, revealing certain melodious side. It’s just a
pity that we didn’t get more different songs, but let’s keep an eye on Cabaret!
–Contact: cabaret@terramail.pl /
www.cabaret.terramail.pl –Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[CABARET]
Nicole ep (12-track cd)
-Origin: Poland –Style/Influences: synth- & guitar pop –Comment: We here get a
bit more stuff from the promising Cabaret! The less I can say is that a few
songs like “Impuls” and “Dawn mist glowing” are really cool! These songs have
been sung in a very sensual way! The work of Cabaret moves on the edge of
electronic modernism. They’re able to compose very slow and quiet pieces with
piano sounds while moving on danceable structures with the next piece! Promising
and original. –Contact:
cabaret@terramail.pl /
www.cabaret.terramail.pl –Rate: (DP:7)DP.
[CABLE BANDS STEEL/X TRACKT]
Demo (split-demo) (13-track cd)
-Origin: Croatia –Style/Influences: CBS sounds dark EBM while XT comes closer to
dark-wafting electronics. –Comment: you maybe know CBS from a remix they did for
Injury while they also appeared on the “Decoder”-sampler on Code. This project
delivers an interesting blend of dark electronic elements, showing certain
maturity in the song writing! The live version of Skinny Puppy’s “Smothered hope”
is despite of it all too bad! X Trackt is a side-project of the same artist,
guiding us into more ambient electronic arrangements and rhythms! It probably
means to CBS what Noise Unit and early Delerium meant to FLA. There’re some cool
pieces on this demo! –Contact:
erehwon_cbsxt@yahoo.com –Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[CHAMELEON TEMPER]
Soundcarpet (5-track cd)
-Origin: Sweden –Style/Influences: Electronic music recovered with guitar parts.
–Comment: Finally a Swedish band, which doesn’t follow the synth-pop trend! I
like their mix of male and female vocals. The electronic arrangements need some
elaboration, but the guitar parts perfectly fill this gap! There’s nothing
groundbreaking here, but it remains an acceptable debut demo! –Contact:
chameleontemper@home.se –Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[CHAOSPHERE]
Demo (3-track cd)
-Origin: UK –Style/Influences: the mix between good-old goa-trance and EBM vibes!
–Comment: I didn’t exactly expect to hear a pure goa-trance production like in
the good days of the style… some years ago now! Chaosphere aren’t setting the
world alight, just emulating what has been done years ago through several of
their compatriots, but this totally devastating and chilling genre still
fascinates me! You feel like being surrounded through astral bleeps and hard EBM
bass lines. The tempo leads you in a total state of trance… being addicted to
the sound! I love it! –Contact:
chris@chaosphere.plus.com /
www.cosmiccabbage.co.uk/chaosphere –Rate: (DP:8/9)DP.
[THE DAWN OF SAMHEIN
Early embrace (9-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: Back to the 80ies new wave productions à la
Cure, Sisters Of Mercy… -Comment: After a previous and unsuccessful contribution
inside Ad Nutum, Frédéric Padilla decided to set up his very own project. His
opus smells like pure 80ies nostalgia, but I’ve to admit that his
guitar-wave style is quite well done! Just pay attention for the excellent “Cry
for me”-track! Nothing original neither innovative, but an honest emulation of
the glorious new-wave productions! –Contact:
dawnofsamhein@hotmail.com –Rate:
(DP:7)DP.
[THE DAWN VISITORS]
Ordäl (11-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: Dark gothic with distant refreshing
textures! The female vocals remind to Siouxsie Sioux! –Comment: Unbelievable!
This experienced gothic formation, which already appeared on numerous samplers
and played at some very important festivals is still in search to find a label!
I can imagine it’s not easy under such circumstances to hold on your enthusiasm
and motivation! “Ordäl” will be maybe the ultimate assault to obtain the favors
of a company! The dark gothic moods are full of elaborated melodious parts and
background electro arrangements! The “Temptation” song is a real cool cut while
the “the calling” cover of Death In June isn’t bad at all! They for sure deserve
much more! –Contact: dv.roxane@integral.be
/ www.geocities.com/dawnvisitors
–Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[DEVOTED SYMBOLS]
Extra vendata (4-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: An interesting move into more achieved
modern techno-EBM fields! –Comment: The opening piece “Damn these drugz” is
really surprising! DS gains in maturity and the techno-dance approach sounds
like the early years of Underworld! There’s not the same elaboration and
knowledge, but the ideas that have been worked out here are simply great! The
other songs are moving into more classical electronic forms, but I’ve to
mention that for the very first time this band adds some vocal parts! A good
step in the right direction! –Contact:
info@devotedsymbols.be /
www.devotedsymbols.be –Rate: (DP:7)DP.
[DISTORTED MEMORY]
Left alone to die (7-track cd)
-Origin: -Style/Influences: Old dark EBM, which reminds me to K.I.F.O.T.E.
–Comment: It speaks for itself that if you’re fond of the dark and cold EBM
stuff, you gone appreciate the work of this formation! They’ve to improve their
production, but a few of their songs are still credible! –Contact:
sheerhorror@emote.org /
www.devoured.org/distortedmemory –Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[EARTO]
III (10-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/influences: Pure traditional guitar wave with the
Sisters Of Mercy as main source of inspiration! –Comment: Erato is undoubtedly
one of the last unsigned talented gothic formations! Their work evolved into
very mature, dark and gloomy guitar-wave compositions. The point is that this
classical form of gothic music lost a great part of its credibility and
enthusiasm… which probably explains why this formation is still in search of a
deal! Anyway, if you’re an addict of the good-old new-wave school, Erato will
give you 100% satisfaction! –Contact:
info@erato.cc –Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[EMERGENZ]
Demo 2001/02 (5-track cd)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: Typical Teutonic synth-pop that sounds like
the offspring between Melotron and Technoir! –Comment: They’ve been inspired
through a bunch of their compatriots, avoiding any originality, butcomposing a
more than acceptable synth-pop music. The best exponent of this demo remains the
“Vergessebn ist Sühne”-song, which has been sung by guest-singer, Andy Krüger
(of… Melotron!). Emergenz did the support of Melotron, which probably explains
this collaboration! This formation still needs some time to grow up, but they
already show a strong potential! –Contact:
mailto@emergenz.de / www.emergenz.de
–Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[THE GHOST ORCHESTRA]
Music for dreams (8-track cd Les Disques de la Crypte)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: Electronic ambient with vocals that may
remind some 80ies atmospheres. –Comment: After the split of Taedium Vitaë,
Jérôme G. concentrated on his solo work, achieving the 1st part of a trilogy.
His symphonic electronic compositions are leading the listener into certain
ambient impressions, but the entire work suffers from a lack of elaboration!
This isn’t terribly inspired for the moment! –Contact: Les disques de la Crypte,
19 Bd. Victor Hugo, 44000 Nantes, France. –Rate:(DP:4)DP.
[GRIMBERGEN]
Shame and regret (5-track cd)
-Origin: Scotland –Style/Influences: Dark ambient electronics, which will maybe
remind some CMI-productions! –Comment: The band name is rather funny… as
Grimbergen is a small place in Belgium, which inspired this artist when he was
driving through our country to join the Eurock festival! Well, I’ve to admit
that the name perfectly fits into his dark ambient style. It all sounds like
somber soundscapes, evoking the nearby end of times. This is a very significant
debut… while Grimbergen will be never the same to me! –Contact:
n.c.clemence@sms.ed.ac.uk –Rate:
(DP:7)DP.
[KINDERLIEBEKAOS]
Technique is nothing but lack of style (4-track cd)
-Origin: Sweden –Style/Influences: A mixture of 80ies influences together with
industrial components. –Comment: It’s a rather unusual mixture between pure
electro 80ies influences and harder industrial soundsculptures! It
comes now and than close to chaos. The last song “Media?” is something
completely different, leading the listener into a crystal-clear and quiet piece
of music! –Contact: lamebeat@enigma.se
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[JOHN VON NEUMANN]
Demo (5-track cd)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: dance-pop and old school electro! –Comment:
This German Dj active in the Berliner area composes a mix of pure cloning
Kraftwerk-music and other pop-electronic influences. You feel that this artist
is used to visit clubs because of the constant danceable aspect of his
compositions… but don’t expect something hard beating and devastating! It sounds
closer to a parody for instance! –Contact:
von_neumann@berlinpetroleum.de
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[KOUNTERAKT]
All that’s left is nothing (8-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: dark EBM. –Comment: The simplistic and basic
structures of this dark electronic solo-project suffer from knowledge and
maturity! It all sounds like a beginning (and it’s a debut demo!), but there ’s
much to improve here! –Contact: xhavok@mail.com
/ www.kounterakt.cjb.net –Rate: (DP:3)DP.
[LUX VOLTAIRE]
Insane mental chore (4-track cd)
-Origin: Australia –Style/Influences: Pop-EBM. –Comment: you maybe know them
from their remix on the latest Tankt-release! The Australians deliver a rather
mature sound, combining EBM elements with catchier pop tunes. I’m just missing a
real attention grabber to speak about a successful composition! –Contact:
luxvoltaire@hotmail.com –Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[MATIERES & MEMOIRE]
Funeral light (14-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: Moving from electro-industrial to noise.
–Comment: The new demo of M&M holds on the same line and style and their
previous work. The industrial style still needs some more elaboration
and variation in the structures and the soundsculptures to become really
credible, but I’ve already heard worst indus projects that find a deal!
–Contact: matieres.et.memoire@skynet.be
-Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[PLANKTON]
Voytech (10-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Electronic-house! –Comment: This solo-project
hides an experienced artist. Among all his involvement and activities, he did
some remixes for Red Flag while MTV Networks used his music in their “Making the
video”-show. “Voytech” is a voyage through pure trance-house fields! Now and
than we can perceive some of his influences like Kraftwerk, but the compositions
are one after one in the pure trance-house style! It’s just a pity that the
quality of the sound recording remains too compressed! Anyway, food for the
lovers of techno stuff! –Contact:
mike@nvsproductions.com /
www.nvsproductions.com –Rate: (DP:7)DP.
[PLEASURE AND PAIN]
Indelible (5-track cd)
-Origin: Italy –Style/Influences: A wide spectrum of electronic and pop styles,
moving from 80ies influences to contemporary house tunes. –Comment: An
interesting mixture of diversified sources of inspiration, which reminds me to
the pop-wave side of Simple Minds on “The light” and moves into more melodious
house tunes on “A voice”. Let’s keep this name in mind! –Contact:
p_pain@hotmail.com –Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[PROPULSION]
Flesh & blood (12-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: A mixture between EBM, synth-pop and vague
techno influences. Apoptygma Berzerk comes into mind when listening to some of
the songs! –Comment: the 3rd demo of this Belgian duo shows an amazing progress
into maturity! They’ve a good feeling for carrying melody lines and don’t
hesitate to go in search of a mix between good old EBM and techno-trance
influences! Just pay some attention for the “Omar Cantar”-song, which is pure
bleeping sensory joy! It’s just a pity that a few songs have been a little bit
ruined through the poorly inspired way of singing. Anyway, “Flesh & blood”
sounds as a revelation into demo-land and it’s not a coincidence if this band
already get a considerable response in our homeland! Keep on the good work guys!
–Contact: mail@propulsion.org /
www.propulsion.org –Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[E_ORG]
Demo (11-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: In between gothic and rock! –Comment: While
this duo seems to be inspired through several industrial bands and styles, the
compositions are closer to a melting of gothic moods and rock expression. The
electronic structures bring a little bit refinement. They also deliver a
surprising and funny cover of a Boney M-song! I know it’s a demo, but the
quality of the sound could have been better! –Contact:
dom_gaudeaux@hotmail.com –Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[SEALED IN SILENCE]
Das Schlachten der Unschuld (12-track
cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: The perfect mix between dark ambient and
industrial or when some of the Cold Meat Industry flag holders are meeting bands
of Hands and Ant-zen! –Comment: The dark and oppressive moods sound like the
pictures of a devastated landscape without a single sign of life! The industrial
components give an extra dimension to the compositions, avoiding any further
comparison with pure ambient projects! This band is ready to get signed!
Congratulations! –Contact:
sealed-in-silence@angelfire.com /
www.angelfire.com/nd/sealedinsilence –Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[SEALED IN SILENCE]
Todes!Strom (6-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Influences/Styles: Moving into more pronounced industrial areas!
–Comment: This is a more recent demo of SIS. They sound has evolved into more
bombastic industrial drum patterns, but the global atmosphere remains pretty
cold! Definitely a band to discover if you like strong industrial moods!
–Contact:
sealed-in-silence@angelfire.com /
www.angelfire.com/nd/sealedinsilence –Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[SINKING WITH LOVE]
Demo (4-track cd)
-Origin: Italy –Style/Influences: Dark and melancholic guitar wave. –Comment:
This new ode to the dark 80ies decade suffers from real substance. The kind of
melancholic ballads feel extremely sad and depressed, but the musical content
needs to be seriously improved! There’s a lot to do here! –Contact:
sinkingwithlove@yahoo.com /
www.geocities.com/illudranmax
–Rate: (DP:3)DP.
[SOMNA M BULIST]
Valentine stigmata (8-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Gothic, neo-classical. –Comment: This is the
project of a female harpist, which tries to combine the authentically classical
sound of this magic instrument with the somber mood of gothic music. It now and
than comes close to reverie, but I’m missing some refinement in the global
writing process! I like the idea of combining both elements, but it can’t
totally convince me for so far. Maria Kern (another harpist) precisely reached
this refinement and fascination on her “The sound of glass and light”-album.
–Contact: info@somna.net /
www.somna.net –Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[THE SONIC COMPANY]
Demo (10-track cd Creativa)
-Origin: Italy –Style/Influences: Lounge electro-jazz. –Comment: A very mature
and worked out electronic composition that moves on the edge of
free-electro-jazz stuff. The main tracks remain instrumental ones, leading the
listener in an imaginary voyage full of prosperity and tranquility! If you’re
fond of lounge, taste the Sonic Company! –Contact:
creamusic@libero.it /
www.creativamusic.com –Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[SOUL CIRCUIT]
Demo (8-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/influences: Melodious EBM, which sounds like the symbiosis
of Mentallo & the Fixer and Benestrophe! –Comment: This solo-artists tries to
explore the wide fields of EBM, adding some harpsichord parts to the dark
melodious body writing! It’s not the kind of record you will feel the need to
start dancing, but it’s more into moody electronics! Nothing revolutionary, but
easy listening songs. –Contact:
brett@soul-circuit.com /
www.soul-circuit.com (DP:6/7)DP.
[TONIK]
The demo (7-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Groovy d&b with Autechre influences! –Comment:
This is without a shadow of a doubt, a brand-new project with a huge potential!
I really love the groovy side of this band while the d&b cadence recovered with
a bunch of other influences are leading the listener in a stream of fascination!
The few female vocal parts are adding an essential bonus to the structures! This
is a band to watch out for! –Contact:
teufel@ix.netcom.com /
www.angeldustrial.com/rocktard/tonic/open.html –Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[TRAGIC SENSE]
Insides out (5-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Sensual pop rock! –Comment: The debut of this
American duo sounds pretty promising. Without being a real must, I heard enough
potential and ideas, which make me think that they’re able to grown and become a
real interesting project. The sensual female vocals are living in harmony with
the quiet pop-rock arrangements. A very pleasant discovery! –Contact:
info@tragicsense.com /
www.tragicsense.com –Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[VULTURES]
Demo 4-track cd)
-Origin: Israel –Style/Influences: Pure crossover between electronic structures
and guitar parts! –Comment: Some 10 years ago now, we would have call it
cyber-punk! The sound of Vultures is extremely powerful and aggressive, but
sometimes bordering on the edge of complete chaos! It comes close to hard core
underground and therefor not suited for weak hearts! If you like the
noise-terror of electronic music, you’ll maybe love it… -Contact:
info@vulturesculture.com /
www.vulturesculture.com –Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[June 2002]
[DARK TERRITORY]
Creator (3-track cd)
-Origin: The Netherlands –Style/Influences: From dark electro to gothic.
–Comment: 2 tracks in a pure electronic way, which without being innovative at
all, contain some cool bleeps. The last piece comes closer to a kind of ballad
in the gothic vein. –Contact: jamez@wish.nl
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[EARTHSHOCK]
A la sauvegarde de l’innocents (5-track cd Hellbound Records)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Modern EBM. –Comment: 5 tracks with numerous
influences, moving from FLA to more ambient stuff and as top of the bill, the
excellent “Fallen angel”-song featuring guest singer Athan Maroulis (Spahn
Ranch). The band is actively involved in the animal rights. –Contact: hellraver@aol.com
–Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[EUFORIC EXISTENCE]
Vacuum 6 (11-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: Dark EBM in the purest Belgian tradition!
–Comment: This project remains faithful to their dark and cold body-forms.
They still need some more maturity in the achievement of the songs, but their
work will please to lovers of traditional electro! –Contact: euforic_existence@hotmail.com
/ www.all.at/euforicexistence
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[MICHEL ANGELA]
Safe inside (5-track cd)
-Origin: Australia –Style/Influences: A very own approach of pop music!
–Comment: Undoubtedly one of the most atypical pop styles I’ve ever heard.
It sounds like the blend of pop and “cabaret”-music. –Contact: societysleepingsophia@yahoo.com
–Rate: (DP:4)DP.
[MICHEL ANGELA]
Under glass (6-track cd)
-Origin: Australia –Style/Influences: A very own approach of pop music!
–Comment: This demo sounds a little bit more accessible that “Safe
inside”, but it remains a very minimalist pop style, spiced with rock and old
wave influences. –Contact: societysleepingsophia@yahoo.com
–Rate: (DP:5/6)DP.
[SATELLITE DUB]
Sessions #1: volume is necessary (3-track cd)
-Origin: UK –Style/Influences: Modern electronics, which reminds me here and
there to Chemical Brothers. –Comment: A refreshing piece of electro that is
hard to precisely define. The 2nd song “Jesusfreak part 1” reminds me to the
style of Chemical Brothers and that sounds as a real reference! Keep an eye on
them! –Contact: info@satellitedub.com
/ www.satellitedub.com –Rate:
(DP:7)DP.
[SUONO ELETTRICO]
Eclipsing Binary (8-track cd)
-Origin: USA - Style/Influences: Instrumental space electro is maybe a good definition. - Comment: It is, if I'm not wrong, the second review for this band in our demo section. I'm still surprised that this one man project has not been signed yet. We are far from big cliché here, the guy tries to create his own architecural spacy sound not too far sometimes from bands like... Architect, and some big moments of Autechre with a very personal touch. worth a listen! - Contact: smal5319@bellsouth.net - RATE: (CX:8)CX
[THANACID]
Morphine soda (7-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/influences: Dark electro with industrial influences.
–Comment: An omnipresent dark, frightening mood with some electro parts
reminding to Die Form. Thanacid has to gain in maturity, but their work is
interesting for so far! –Contact: k.merat@libertysurf.fr
–Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[May 2002]
[ABSTRACT TORTURE METHOD]
Demo – Collection 1997-2202 (8-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: An experimental approach of electronic music.
–Comment: It becomes rapidly clear that this project wants to be different. I
think they didn’t manage any effort and the spooky treatment of the vocals is
one of the best examples of this will to be innovative! Despite of their work
and concept, the result isn’t the most satisfying! –Contact: cellocaust@fn.net
–Rate: (DP:5/6)DP.
[ANGRY ROSE 2000]
Demo (11-track cd)
-Origin: Belarus –Style/influences: A mixture between dark electronics and
industrial. –Comment: This is a selection of songs from their 3rd album and a
few ones from the upcoming release. It’s not pure industrial neither pure dark
electro, so the crossover between these genres is quite interesting without
being groundbreaking! There’s still much to improve and ideas to work out!
–Contact: ar2000@tut.by & ar2000@yandex.ru
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
{CEOXIME]
Vibrant grey (13-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/influences: A very own type of pop. –Comment: I’ve
already reviewed a previous demo of this duo and to be honest, it didn’t
really catch my attention. The new work sounds different, moving into a personal
interpretation of modern synth-pop combined with d&b aspects and guitar
intrusions. It sounds pretty minimal, but easy listening. I just regret that the
best pieces are the ones that have been remixed through other names like Avatar,
Esion and Function 13. –Contact: headaque@yahoo.com
/ www.ceoxime.com –Rate: (DP:7)DP.
[DIGITAL GEIST]
Zero/One (9-trackcs cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: A wide range of electronic underground styles
moving from EBM to pop to techno to d&b. –Comment: This guy seems to be a
chameleon of the electronic music. Every song sounds like opening a door to
another electro field. I personally really like the kind of achieved
electro-techno work (cf.“Chasm”). He also made a kind of cover-sampling of
Depeche Mode’s “I feel loved”, which is rather bizarre. –Contact: adrivingforce@hotmail.com
/ www.mp3.com/digitalgeist
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[DING AN SICH]
We are involved in a war (9-track cd)
-Origin: Greece –Style/influences: Wave built up with a mix of guitar and
electronic gear. –Comment: This project affirms to be not a band, but a sort
of theatrical group. Whatever it may be, the music doesn’t really reveal any
surprise neither get me wild! It’s not terribly inspired! –Contact: nick.sales@v2records.gr
(DP:5/6)DP.
[ETAT DES STOCKS]
The best of (1-track cd Red Neon Tapes)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/influences: Ambient soundscapes. –Comment: This
album sounds like a long mix, which consists out of 11 tracks. It’s a very
diversified entity of ambient and dark soundscapes, which also move into
experimental fields. You can easily perceive that the project doesn’t spare
any effort to create a descent sound. It’s just that I can’t really get into
it! –Contact: redneon@skynet.be
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[FAINTING IN COILS]
The absolution (9-track cd Wrecked angel Promotions)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Synth-pop with a singer reminding to Thomas
Dolby. –Comment: This is a cool surprise in pop-land! This band takes care to
work out their songs, accentuating the rhythmic and increasing the bleeps and
sweeps. This is definitely not the kind of “conform” synth-pop production
like we’ve been used to hear! The singer’s voice is very atypical too and
some of you might not totally convinced about it! The voice timbre personally
reminds me to the charismatic Th. Dolby. This band has the potential to get
signed! Contact: wreckedangels@hotmail.com
/ www.warden.gdn.net/~ruinnation/fainting/index.php3
–Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[GREAT DEAL OF NOISE]
Demo (5-track cd Geska Records)
-Origin: Canada –Style/Influences: Wave. –Comment: This is easy listening
music that I like to have as background sound… but that must be rather
offending for this duo! The point is that I’ve a constant impression of déjà-vu,
like a sound I’ve already heard thousand times before! Guitar and electro are
melting together in a typical wave-minded sound! –Contact: gdofn@videotron.ca
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[HOP FROG (‘s FATWA)]
The silk road (9-track cd URCKram Recordings)
-Origin: USA –Style/influences: Experimental. –Comment: Strange, this
collective says to be intended as a guerilla action against the upbeat, positive
and highly overproduced world music! Their work dives into minimalist
experimental compositions with a few “world-music”-elements. It starts to
bore after a while for stagnating in long during and monotonous soundfields.
–Contact: www.hop-frog.com –Rate:
(DP:3)DP.
[IMMUNOLOGY]
demo (13-track cd)
-Origin: Czech Republic –Style/Influences: EBM reminding to early Project
Pitchfork for the way of singing. –Comment: This is definitely less elaborated
and badly produced! The music remains a pure total cliché from start till the
end… even containing a cover of Funker Vogt’s “Tragic hero”. Let’s
consider it as a try-out from a band in search of experience and an own
identity! This is definitely inconsistent for so far! –Contact: krystof@immunology.cz
–Rate: (DP:4)DP.
[MANA ERG]
A Mana Erg collection (1992-1999) (13-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: Wave-rock. –Comment: I’m always a bit
afraid to discover older work coming from a demo-band! The musical content
sounds poorly inspired and rapidly border on the edge of boredom! The different
languages they use to sing (English, French, German) aren’t really refreshing!
Nothing exceptional at all! –Contact: bruno.deangelis@virgin.net
/ www.manaerg.1me.net –Rate:
(DP:3)DP.
[ROBOTHEART]
Postboiler (8-track cd)
-Style/Influences: Old EBM. –Comment: Some bands would better wait and improve
their compositions before trying to conquer the world. This demo seriously
suffers from a lack of originality and simply a lack of talent. I can’t find
anything positive here! Sorry guys. –Contact: eddiejeckle@nineinchnails.zzn.com
–Rate: (DP:2/3)DP.
{SELF-DELUSION]
Happiness hurts me (12-track cd)
-Origin: Spain –Style/influences: Pure synth-pop mainly inspired through the
German pop-masters. –Comment: This demo has been produced by Frans Beltran of
Iberian Spleen and that’s probably one of the reasons why the sound is pure
and clear. This band already did the support in Barcelona of big names like
Apoptygma Berzerk, VNV Nation and De/Vision. But I’m not surprised that
they’re still in search of a deal because it’s all too similar and less
personal. The vocal parts are a little bit too soft to my taste. Maybe something
for the heaviest pop-collectors! –Contact: self2000@terra.es
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[SEVENTH IMAGE]
Spinal agnostic (5-track cd Syncromesh Audio)
-Origin: Canada –Style/Influences: Dark EBM, for the lovers of Mentallo &
the Fixer and Funker Vogt. –Comment: They’ve been already compared to
numerous formations and that maybe says something about their difficulty to
create a personal EBM-approach. They too often fall into old EBM-clichés. It’s
not bad at all, but it’s far away from being essential. There’s still much
to improve here! –Contact: badger@badger.cx
/ ww.syncromesh.net –Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[SKELETAL MELTDOWN]
Excessive brutality (8-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Dark EBM à la Hocico! –Comment: This is the
1st demo and you can directly perceive the traditional errors: trying to get so
close as possible to their personal favorite band (cf. Hocico) while
unconsciously avoiding the elaboration of an own sound! Too much precipitation
in the composing and recording process… to finally send us a non-produced
result! I hope this band will learn out of their faults, trying to reach an own
sound… and than we’ll see! –Contact: djdesensitize@aol.com
–Rate: (DP:5/6)DP.
(STILL WARM]
The sound of burden (4-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Close to crossover between rock and electro.
–Comment: from a pure musical point of view, this band doesn’t sound bad at
all! I really like their cool electro bleeps while the rock influence is rather
strange… and from a personal point of view, regretting! The point that hurts
is the poorly, less captivating and screaming vocals. –Contact: st1||warm@aol.com
/ www.stillwarm.iuma.com –Rate:
(DP:6)DP.
[SUONO ELETTRICO]
Abertension (3-track cd)
-Origin: A Canadian living in the USA –Style/Influences: Modern and
intelligent electronic music bordering on the edge of techno and ambient.
–Comment: Among the tons of demos I’ve listened to, this is definitely one
I’ll remember. It’s an achieved piece of music that may remind to great
electro-scientists like Clock DVA, Haujobb and Trauma. The sound is still on the
edge of techno while some sequences remind to Klinik. I hope to hear more songs
from this talented project! –Contact: patricksmall@bellsouth.net
/ www.patricksmall.com –Rate:
(DP:8/9)DP.
[THE THREE COLD MEN]
Demo (4-track cd Enjoy This! Music & Management)
-Origin: French band on a Brazilian label –Style/Influences: Back to new-wave
and eighties pop. –Comment: This trio consists out of 3 experienced musicians,
F. Lopez from Opera Multi Steel being probably the most recognized one. Their
common efforts sounds like synth-wave-pop with potential, but that never excels
in real fascinating songs! Rather disappointing for so far! –Contact: enjoyt@ruralsp.ciom.br
–Rate: (DP:5/6)DP.
[April 2002]
[BLANK SYSTEM]
Civilization of computer war (14-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: Instrumental EBM reminding to several
projects of B. Leeb & Rh. Fülber. –Comment: I personally prefer the
previous demo, which was still in the same vein, but the sound was more brute
and aggressive. This is well-done electro in the line of Noise Unit and FLA. The
main point that hurts is the absence of vocal parts, which would inject some
more life in this remarkable work! –Contact: gensystem@free.fr
/ www.gensystem.free.fr –Rate:
(DP:7)DP.
[THE BLESSED VIRGIN LARRY]
The blessed virgin Larry (11-track cd MP3.com)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Wave-rock. –Comment: They look more
eccentrics than their music is original! We get a tepid cocktail of old guitar
wave and rock music. A few songs are a little bit into innovation for their kind
of triphop cadence! Nothing to keep in mind! –Contact: www.mp3.com
/ mavjb@aol.com –Rate: (DP:4)DP.
[BODY ARMOUR]
[No more lies] (8-track cd)
-Origin: UK –Style/Influences: Moving influences from EBM to electro-pop.
–Comment: This is an excellent try-out, especially for a 1st demo! I perceive
a considerable elaboration in the writing process, resulting in cool pieces like
the outstanding “Not forever a dream” and “Drama Queen”. The female
vocalist reminds me a little bit to Dust Of Basement. This is a promising debut!
–Contact: info@bodyarmour.uk.com /
www.bodyarmour.uk.com –Rate:
(DP:7)DP.
[BOOLE]
Demo (3-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Catchy body style. –Comment: The tragically
events in the USA last year, seems to have inspired this band. This can be
considered as a funny wink, but still as a form of patriotism. Whatever it may
be the song (that has been remixed) is a great and catchy danceable piece of
electronic music. The chorus is pretty cool and easy reminding. I hope to hear
more from Boole! –Contact: brad@boole.org
/ www.boole.org –Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[CORROSION]
The surgical suite (13-track cd)
-Origin: Australia –Style/Influences: This must be the Australian Hocico!
–Comment: Big names and successful bands always have an important influence on
beginning projects, trying to emulate their favorites. Listening and enjoying
Corrosion, I can’t get away from the certitude that they’re strongly and
mainly inspired through Hocico. This demo is well done and I even dare to say
that this band is ready to get signed. This is pure cold-body-aggression
containing devastating chilling sequences, harsh distorted vocals and a
merciless tempo! I like it! –Contact: bbul5257@mail.usyd.edu.au
–Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[DRAWBACK]
Demos (4-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: EBM. –Comment: This is body stuff without
real surprises except… the female way of singing, which sounds a little bit
childish… the kind of sweet and sensitive vocals à la Regenerator and Hungry
Lucy, but less talented! The 4th piece “Karma” is the best cut. This demo
serves as a good basis to move on! –Contact: sterkro@aol.com
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[EARTHSHOCK]
Under darker skies (15-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/influences: While there’re several pure EBM influences,
the sound moves to the edge of techno and goa. –Comment: the demo is too long,
but I heard a few extremely danceable and devastating pieces. This is the most
trance-techno minded side of Earthshock, which reminds to the goa scene. “Into
the eye” is one of these remarkable tracks! I would advise them to follow this
way! –Contact: hellraver@aol.com / www.geocities.com/hellraverproductions
–Rate: (DP:6/7)DP/
[E.R.R.A.]
Light of love (8-track cd)
-Origin: Mexico –Style/Influences: EBM with poppy elements. –Comment: This
is undoubtedly a new discovery on planet EBM! The music is extremely worked out,
showing certain knowledge and talent in the writing process. They here and than
remind me to the Spanish Culture Kultür, probably for the Spanish language! It
proves that Mexico is much more than the dark-doom-EBM of Hocico. This style is
much more refined and I can assure you it’s a remarkable and essential piece!
They deserve to be signed! –Contact: errarick@hotmail.com
–Rate: (DP:8/9)DP.
[E-VOID]
Act 1: Connection (4-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Influences/Style: EBM with some vague influences à la front
242. –Comment: This new band raised up from the ashes of Escape Industry, a
band that released a demo in 1997! I’m afraid the music of E-Void sounds
a little bit more up to date, but there’s still a lot to improve! I don’t
find a real cohesion in the song writing while the vocals sound like have been
recorded in a few takes. This is insufficient for so far! –Contact: evoid@multimania.com
–Rate: (DP:4/5)DP.
[EXHIBITION]
Obscene dream (7-track cd Oracular Music)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: A mixture between good-old synth-pop and
modern ideas. –Comment: This is meant to be a single containing 6 different
versions of the title-song and a kind of bonus track. “Obscene dream” is an
amazing piece of danceable electro-pop. I’m totally addicted to the carrying
chorus line and the easy reminding lyrics. A great piece of music with excellent
remixes like the “Decoding Jesus remix” built up with cool acid bleeps.
They’ll for sure find a label! –Contact: david@xhibition.net
/ www.xhibition.net –Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[EXIST]
The tension and the darkness (9-track cd Dtrash Records)
-Style/Influences: A mixture between industrial and d&b. –Comment: It all
sounds close to pure cacophony and improvisation. The result is definitely
inconsistent! –Contact: exist_dtrash@hotmail.com
/ www.warp9.to/exist (DP:2)DP.
{GALUSHA]
Demo (5-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Dark ambient. –Comment: The opening track
“Spoils of war” shows a rather rhythmic approach, which goes over into a
kind of pure dark ambient work with vocal lines although it’s not the kind of
haunting ambient. Nothing very groundbreaking! –Contact: cdenbaars@yahoo.com
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[HIGH LEVEL STATIC]
Promo 2001 (10-track cd)
-Origin: Greece –Style/Influences: Electro-dance-trance. –Comment: Is this
the brother of Ivory Frequency? This is an attractive duo combining the
body style with a remarkable dance-trance effect! The elaboration is very mature
and perfectly built up with cool bleeps. The “Possible c.o.d.”-cut is a real
high light! This could be the next electro signing from Greece! Keep on the good
work guys, you’re doing great! –Contact: eko1515@yahoo.com
–Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[INJURY]
Demo (13-track cd)
-Origin: Croatia –Style/Influences: Pure EBM. –Comment: It’s clear that
this band has a serious chance to get signed very soon! This is a remix-release
with the contribution of bands like Flesh Field, Funker Vogt, Decoded Feedback,
Aghast View, Pulse Legion, Dead Jump and Strategy! It’s just amazing,
especially for a band on demo format! The remixes are quite worked out while the
new songs perfectly hold on the road! This isn’t the most innovative body
stuff I’ve heard, but it will please to several addicts! –Contact: info@injury.online.com
/ www.injury-online.com –Rate:
(DP:7)DP.
[INHALANT]
Kill yourself (c-60)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Experimental, noise. –Comment: It’s very
surprising to see that a few projects are still using the good-old tape to
promote their work. There’s nothing wrong with that, but when I discover the
content of this noise-dealer, I got really bored. There’re probably a few
people who still enjoy this kind of stuff, but they must be hard to find…
-Contact: chadwicked@webtv.net
–Rate: (DP:2/3)DP.
[LEECH WOMAN]
Three zero (10-track cd Quai Loh Records)
-Origin: UK –Style/Influences: A powerful interpretation of industrial!
–Comment: It’s not the usual kind of industrial, but the kind of terror and
power emerging from their sound can be only linked to industrial! They remind me
to Einstürzende Neubauten for the power of their work next to the ferocity and
passion they thrive to extract. A noticeable evolution in comparison with the
earlier work! –Contact: alex.leechwoman@ntlworld.com
/ www.leechwoman.com –Rate:
(DP:6/7)DP.
[NAPALMED]
Never mind the MSBR, here’s the Napalmed (c-90)
-Origin: Czech Republic –Style/Influences: From noise to experimental.
–Comment: You’ve to be a hard one to endure these 90 minutes of mental
torture! It’s a kind of soundscape full of noises and experimental
arrangements. It all sounds like pure improvisation. –Contact: napalmed@volny.cz
–Rate: (DP:2)DP.
[NETHERFABRIK]
The liminal void ep (5-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/influences: a melting pot of electronic influences.
–Comment: A very interesting demo from Milwaukee that moves from EBM to more
complex song writing evoking Clock DVA to vague go vibes. I don’ t have a
preference for any or other song, but “Mortal vessel” sounds like the way to
follow! –Contact: contact@netherfabrik.com
–Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[NULL DEVICE]
Subliminal (MCD self released)
Hailing from Middleton, USA, are the duo Null Device that brings synthpop with
EBM touches. The result? Catchy synthpop tunes with vocals that remind me of the
excellent though never published material from the Belgian synthpop hope Da
Vinci Principle (Da Vinci Principle tracks such as “Pain” were even sold as
genuine Depeche Mode demos). Harsh sounds are nicely incorporated into the
electro pop world of Null Device. Tracks that keep on being played at home are
opener “Blindsighted” and closer “Word and deed” for being hard driven
synthpop tunes that stand comparisons with other ‘major’ acts in the
synthpop scene. A band that every synthpop follower should have checked out! It
wouldn’t surprise me to see these two boys end up on Todd’s famous A
Different Drum label. Contact: www.nulldevice.com
(bvi: 7/8) bvi.
[PANDIQUE]
With pride (4-track cd)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: A trendy mixture of synth-pop and EBM with
VNV Nation and Apoptygma Berzerk as main sources of inspiration! –Comment:
I’ve already said the principal, mentioning their influences. The band has to
take the time to improve the whole writing process and production, but there’s
still some light in the mist for this band. They just have to know that
there’re still numerous other formations trying to follow the footsteps of the
2 giants… -Contact: info@pandique.com /
www.pandique.com –Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
PROJECT MERCURY
Forbidden city ep (11-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Pure electro in search of an own identity!
–Comment: Is it due to the fact that this demo is full of remixes made through
other formations that it sounds that diversified? Probably, but the point is
that it doesn’t really convince me of any credibility! Maybe they didn’t
choose the right remixers, maybe their original versions are suffering from any
personal style. Nothing exceptional here! –Contact: badger@badger.cx
/ www.syncromesh.net –Rate: (DP:4)DP.
{PUPPETMAN]
The search for something sacred (7-track cd)
-Origin: Australia –Style/Influences: They’ve been already described as a
grunge formation and that could be the right description! –Comment: A personal
style, but which never attempt to get me wild. The whole compositions remain
rather slow with spooky vocals and the guitar as main instrument. Nothing
noticeable for so far. –Contact: puppetman99@hotmail.com
/ www.puppetman.com.au –Rate:
(DP:4)DP.
[PURE DRAMA]
Music sampler (7-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: A mixture between synth-pop and triphop
cadences. –Comment: Their sound is less underground than closer to mainstream.
The female vocals are rather cold, but efficient while the compositions are
quite achieved and already mature. I’m missing a pure hit, but there’re
enough arguments here to keep an eye on them. –Contact: ryan@puredrama.com
/ www.puredrama.com –Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[THE SEPIA]
Demo (5-track cd)
-Origin: UK –Style/Influences: A wide spectrum of influences; a sea of
electro, techno and industrial-guitar ingredients. –Comment: This demo
contains 5 remixes. While I didn’t get seduced through their previous work,
they here realized an acceptable job. The numerous spoken samplings form a
surrogate to the absence of a singer. The opening song “Stutter” is a hard
punching piece with vague techno arrangements! –Contact: sepia-news-subscribe@egroups.com
/ www.the-sepia.co.uk –Rate:
(DP:6/7)DP.
[SILENT
WATCHER OF DARK MATTER]
Installation
(cd Hempmachine / mp3.com)
Origin:
Sweden - Style/Influences: Dark Ambient - Comment: Stay in your bed, light a
candle, SWODM will take you on an endless trip, in their secret land for the
mind, following Lustmord and other Raison d'être. Even if it's not so
elaborate than his famous predecessor and that he has a dangerous obsession to stretch
a song unnecessarily with not enough diversities. This debut shows the
potential of this one man project. - Contact: http://www.silentwatcher.com/
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/141/silent_watcher_of_dark_mat.html - myt@silentwatcher.com
- Rate: (CX:6/7)
[SILENT
WATCHER OF DARK MATTER]
Quiet
Garden (cd Hempmachine / mp3.com)
Origin:
Sweden - Style/Influences: Dark Ambient - Comment: I received the full
discography of this young Swedish project, and that's very interesting to see
an evolution of three years. “Quiet
Garden” is the second album and even if he still has difficulty to record an
effective long ambient track, « This Quiet Garden 1», we can see a small
evolution in the diversity of the used sounds. - Contact: http://www.silentwatcher.com/
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/141/silent_watcher_of_dark_mat.html - myt@silentwatcher.com
- Rate: (CX:7)
[SILENT
WATCHER OF DARK MATTER]
Deep
Space I and II (cd Hempmachine / mp3.com)
Origin: Sweden - Style/Influences: Dark Ambient - Comment: This is the third release of SWODM, originally divided in two albums, Hempmachine has recently released it on one cd. The endless tracks are more than present in this opus and Myt manages to create a more complex wall of sound, however, without the saving help of some interesting satellite sounds…. The problem is that it becomes difficult to abandon yourself completely because of this. Anyway, we have here a quiet suitable atmospheric simple sounds composition, a kind of back… background music - Contact: http://www.silentwatcher.com/ http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/141/silent_watcher_of_dark_mat.html - myt@silentwatcher.com - Rate: (CX:7) CX.
[TERRORFAKT]
Special weapons and tactics (13-track cd Hellraver Production Artists)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Crossover between electro and techno.
–Comment: The name and the cover made me expect a new noise-assault, but I get
positively surprised through a sound that comes very close to pure techno music.
This band is probably even too techno-club minded for body-heads, but I
personally enjoy it! –Contact: hellraver@aol.com
/ www.geocities.com/hellraverproductions
–Rate: (DP:7)DP.
[VOLVO 242]
Live demo (12-track cd)
-Origin: Sweden –Style/Influences: Covers of Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb
–Comment: Is this meant to be a joke? I think it’s very funny… and
listening to this tape on the 1st of April… it could have been a joke for the
circumstance! Let’s get serious now, this band seems to be very popular in
their homeland where they entertain the audience with covers of Front 242 and
Nitzer Ebb. The result is very good when diving back into time with the early
work of both EBM-giants. This band is an excellent warm-up for a good night out!
–Contact: ???? –Rate: (DP:7)DP.
[XANTHIPPE]
Demo (10-track cd)
-Origin: Israel –Style/Influences: Claimed to be influenced by bands like
Apoptygma Berzerk, VNV Nation, Assemblage 23. –Comment: The sound of Xanthippe
isn’t bad at all. I like the faster and more danceable songs. This is EBM that
sill appeals for more complexity, but they’re several good ideas running
through the compositions. –Contact: xanthippe@bigfoot.com
/ www.xanthippe.dot.nu –Rate:
(DP:6/7)DP.
[ZEITGEIST]
Neurotic & latonic (6-track cd Third Brass Collective)
-Origin: Australia –Style/Influences: Gothic. -Comment: This is pure and
alluring gothic stuff coming from a band, which already gained some experience
throughout the years! One of their main forces is the alluring female vocalist.
Nothing new, but quite well done! –Contact: info@zeitgeistaustralia.com
/ www.zeitgeistaustralia.com
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[March 2002]
[ANOMALIE]
Anoil sides (5-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: Pure and traditional guitar wave reminding
the coldness of Joy Division! –Comment: This is food for the nostalgias, but first of all for the lovers of deep, dark
and suicidal bass lines. –Contact: yves.Bily@wanadoo.fr
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[COM-PULSION]
Nothing like this (5-track cd)
-Origin: Spain –Style/Influences: Pure synth-pop that reminds to De/Vision.
–Comment: You can hear that those 3 guys are already busy for a couple of
years. Their work isn’t the most original one, but it’s already very worked
out. The way of singing reminds to De/Vision! The “Skin on skin” track is a
very good one for the excellent danceable part at the end! Let’s keep an eye
on them! –Contact: pulsion02@hotmail.com
–Rate: (DP:7)DP.
[DEE JAY 23]
I’ll give you cyber… punk!!! (13-track cd)
-Origin: USA -Style/Influences: It moves from dark EBM to cyber-core.
–Comment: The body side of the project is the most acceptable one, but the
less present! The cyber-tracks are less inspired and suffering from a lack of
elaboration! The main characteristic is the use of spoken samplings coming from
diverse sources. There’s also a cover of Dead Kennedys, but it’s one of the
poorest songs of the demo! –Contact: DEE23JAY23@aol.com
–Rate: (DP:4)DP.
[KONTINUUM]
Demos (3-track cd)
-Origin: German-American trio based in Philadelphia PA –Style/Influences: A
mixture between synth-pop, EBM and techno or the techno meeting between Depeche
Mode and Apoptygma Berzerk. –Comment: An excellent debut that starts
in a rather poppy way to evolve in harder an EBM style (cf. “I believe”) to
finally end in the great club-track “In my dreams”, which is more into
house! I just regret the length of the songs that is maybe a little bit to long!
–Contact: www.mp3.com/kontinuum / schmittydj@aol.com
–Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[PLASTIKSTROM]
Nichts ist Heilig (7-track cd)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: Teutonic EBM in the pure, old tradition
that can be described as the hybrid between DAF and Der Prager Handgriff.
–Comment: It could have worked more or less 10 years ago! We’re actually in
2002 guys and even if there’re a few survivors and adherents of the good-old
EBM, you better march on with new and modern ideas, which isn’t the same as
jumping on the fashion train! –Contact: Matthias Günzler, Burgstr. 45/1,
D-72764 Reutlingen, Germany. –Rate: (DP:4)DP.
[RHEGED]
Demo (2-track cd)
-Origin: UK –Style/Influences: A mixture between d&b and ambient.
–Comment: It’s pretty hard to get an objective point of view after only 2
songs, but both tracks have a kind of soporific influence in the meaning of
diving into wafting ambient! “Deep substance” is a remarkable piece of
music. I hope to hear more from this project! –Contact: carlM@rhegeds.freeserve.co.uk
–Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[TABLOID]
Starry blue (4-track cd)
-Origin: Sweden –Style/Influences: Synth-pop evoking the eighties. –Comment:
There’re a lot of bands, which don’t reach the same level, but who already
found a label. The delicate compositions are achieved and contain a very good
balance between the male vocalist and the female backings. The 4th hidden song
is a cover of Cindy Lauper’s “Time after time”. They maybe need one big
hit to get the deserved deal! –Contact: www.hem.passagen.se/tabloid
/ tabloid_information@yahoo.com
–Rate: (DP:7)DP.
[February 2002]
[BLANK SYSTEM]
Le voyage intérieur (9-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: After a few notes it becomes clear that
this French composer is a big fan of FLA, early Delerium, Noise Unit and other
B. Leeb productions. –Comment: Excellent instrumental ambient-EBM. The
production is close to perfection, diversified, fresh and… less original!
Anyway, originality isn’t the main item to enjoy music and this demo is fully
enjoyable! A great and elaborated composition! –Contact: gensystem@free.fr
/ gensystem.free.fr –Rate:
(DP:8)DP.
[CONSPIRACY]
Digital dawn
(4-track cd)
-Origin: UK –Style/Influences: A danceable mixture of early electro-wave
influences together with millennium electro tendencies. –Comment: You can hear
that this duo comes from the UK. They’ve this typical British legacy and
expression in their composition. They remind me to a mix between Fad Gadget and
current danceable underground electro styles. This is definitely a band to keep
an eye on! –Contact: info@conspiracy.uk.co
/ www.conspiracy.uk.co –Rate:
(DP:8)DP.
[CYSONIC]
Impulse (12-track demo)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: In between groovy dance music and certain
underground electro tendencies. It’s probably too dance for the underground
and not dance enough for the clubs. –Comment: From the ashes of Cyber emerged
Cysonic. The band has been in touch with Serpents (which explains the
Serpents’ reprise of “The 2nd life”) and Claus Kruse of PNE. This demo is
totally great, but hard to define as music entity! The multiple influences move
from groovy dance to certain pop to drum’n’bass to a totally amazing track
entitled “Push it in” on which they simply sampled the voice of Bjork! I
guess Bjork doesn’t know anything about it, but I would be not surprised if
she would like it! Excellent stuff! –Contact: cysonic@neunvolt.de
–Rate: (DP:9)DP.
[DEVIL MACHINE]
Wheel of time (15-track cd)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: Electro-pop with vague old wave
influences. –Comment: You can hear that this band is already active for a
couple of years. I appreciate the diversity in the songs and the vocal parts.
The male vocalist reminds me a bit to I. Curtis while the music is first of all
electronic. This is a pleasant demo, but nothing more (…for the moment).
–Contact: www.devilmachine.de / email@devilmachine.de
–Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[DIE PERLEN]
Grauer stern (6-track cd)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: Synth-pop with techno influences
–Comment: The sound of Die Perlen evolved from less commercial house style
into pure synth-pop fields. Ferdinand Steinbart who’s the main force behind
the project is still member of Drunkness (which partly explains the poppy
style). Hearing all the electro-pop releases of the year, Die Perlen deserves to
get a deal! –Contact: die.perlen@t-online.de
/ www.drunkness.com –Rate: (DP:7)DP.
[EBOLAH]
Demo (6-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: A surprising mixture of pure goa
structures and sensual jazzy ingredients –Comment: No doubt about it, this is
a project that dares to innovate, combining distant styles with each other! It
needs some time to get used to the mix of trance and saxophone, but it works
pretty well! Totally original! –Contact: Ebolah, Wespstraat 45a, 9000 Gent,
Belgium –Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[EIGENSPACE]
Space:traveller (6-track cd)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: It could have been the instrumental side
of Plastic Noise Experience –Comment: Both guys hiding behind this project are
nobody else than Your Schizophrenic Pal (PNE) and Steffen Gehring (Technoir).
Their work sounds like a kind of dark and dreamy EBM-soundtrack. You rapidly
perceive all the maturity of both musicians, but you’ll wait in vain for the
vocal parts. It definitely sounds like PNE without its charismatic singer. The
3rd track “Spacetraveller 402” is a real great cut! –Contact: eigenspace@usa.net
–Rate: (DP:7/8 CX: 7/8)DP.
[IDLO]
Trans level (8-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: A strangeness of electronic music without
any reference neither comparison! –Comment: Ivanovitch Dans L’Ombre is still
alive! My God, this is years ago that I heard about one of the craziest
electro-demo bands of our country! Their music is bit more elaborated than
before, but it remains a bizarre entity of experimental electro constructions!
The originality is there, but the efficiency has never been their main
characteristic! –Contact: idlo@excite.com
–Rate: (DP:3)DP.
[LIGHTPHASER]
Demo (3-track cd)
-Origin: Hungarian artist living in Slovakia –Style/Influences: 3 tracks
aren’t enough to put a label on the style, but it makes me think to a kind of
soundtrack music. –Comment: It sounds poorly worked out and just one among the
numerous projects trying this kind of experiment. The 3rd track seems to be an
older one. It contains female vocal parts and is a little bit pop orientated.
Nothing exceptional at all! –Contact: josephg@nextra.sk
–Rate: (DP:3)DP.
[MASTER JP]
Descent (4-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Diversified electro ideas, but the main
influence is undoubtedly a harsh mixture of d&b and industrial –Comment:
After a 1st esoterically minded track, the style evolves into very energetic
d&b recovered with a sort of industrial atmosphere! It’s well done and the
last piece “Assisted release” is totally great! –Contact: jpeck@oswego.edu
/ www.mp3.com/masterjp –Rate:
(DP:7)DP.
[MEDIUM TEST]
Demo (3-track cd Keremos)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: Soft rock –Comment: Those guys seems to
be lost in our electro, gothic, industrial, techno… universe. Anyway, I don’
t think their rock style will get very successful at the moment. –Contact: tom@keremos.be
–Rate: (DP:3)DP.
[MORTICIANS]
Private void (13-track cd Rimedia)
-Origin: Sweden –Style/Influences: Cold electro pop. –Comment: We know
Morticians for quite a long time. Andreas Rimheden started in a certain
Klinikal-way and progressively evolved into poppy arrangements. His latest demo
is undoubtedly the most melodious minded and the more you walked into it,
the more you feel growing a sort of cold and Klinikal-touch. The compositions
are quite professional and I regret that this band didn’t find any label for
so far! –Contact: www.morticiansmusic.com
/ rimheden@epapper.net –Rate:
(DP:7)DP.
[MUNDO NUEVO]
SUENO DE LA LUNA/LUMEN (13-track cd)
-Origin: Mexico –Style/Influences: The 1st band is more into easy listening
electronic ambiences while the 2nd band is a mixture of industrial noises and
experimental stuff. –Comment: The concept of this demo is rather bizarre. You
get a 1st part, which is rather restful followed by a heavier and
noise-industrial 2nd part. The link between both bands and parts is the poorly
inspired content! It’s too bad to be true and I can’t understand why bands
are spreading this around?! –Contact: www.mundonuevo.com.mx
/ info@mundonuevo.com.mx –Rate:
(DP:2)DP.
[NG-PRO]
Burn (6-track cd)
-Origin: The Netherlands –Style/Influences: A strong cocktail of body-techno
and gothic. –Comment: I was already very positive about their “The only
things that count”-demo and “Burn” only reinforce my conviction that this
will be the next new signature from The Netherlands. The sound is good enough to
get signed, but they’ve to take care to hold some melody lines more
simplistic! The gothic-way of singing sounds a bit British and you’ve to get
used to it, but I heard several good tracks here! Definitely a band to keep an
eye on! –Contact: www.ng-pro.com / ng-pro@reborn.com
–Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[OBVERSE REALITY]
Emotions (5-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: A mix between traditional body electro
and synth-pop –Comment: I notice a good progression into a more mature and
elaborated composition, which sounds promising for the future. –Contact: Günther
Haegeman, Kaprijkestraat 22a, 9971 Lembeke, Belgium –Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[OMEN FAUSTUM]
Circusses (11-track cd Eldritch Music)
-Origin: Belarus –Style/Influences: Experimental and soundtrack minded.
–Comment: It must be the 1st time I heard something from Belarus. Omen Faustum
conceived a dark experimental soundtrack full of sound waves and signals from
unknown planets. A humming atmosphere dominates this very minimal release that
will please a few people. –Contact: buben@tut.by
–Rate: (DP:4)DP.
[PASSAGE 29]
Process and productivity (11-track dcd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: This sounds like a pure electronic mix of
techno elements and contemporary EBM-forms. –Comment: A very good evolution
for this solo-project that already caught my attention through previous demos.
The 2nd disc contains live-tracks, showing very good dance vibes and certain
complexity in the song writing. This band doesn’t sound as a new emulation of
old Belgian pioneers, but has a very own modern approach. If they take care to
go on elaborating the sound, they’ll be ready to get a deal. –Contact: psgxxix@theglobe.com
–Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[PSEUDOCIPHER]
Crank (5-track cd mp3.com)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: A mix between synth-pop and vague triphop
elements. –Comment: The main point that hurts are the total absence of real
melody lines. It sounds flat, while the great female vocal parts have been used
as backings. It sounds like this band is able to do much better! –Contact: www.mp3.com/pseudocipher
–Rate: (DP:3/4)DP.
[RED ZONE]
Incarnate/Subcode (3-track demo)
-Origin: UK –Style/Influences: Dark d&b with distant ambient atmospheres.
–Comment: This is just an advanced copy of their forthcoming release and
it’s not that easy to get a total view after only 3 tracks. I personally
appreciate the cold d&b “Subcode” tracks while the last cut is more into
endless and less original ambient fields. –Contact: www.redzone.co.uk
–Rate: (DP:6 CX: 6/7 )DP.
[SUENO DE LUNA]
La Esencia de la inocencia (15-track cd)
-Origin: Mexico –Style/Influences: Old EBM school. –Comment: I already heard
this band on the “Mundo Nuevo”-demo. There’s some evolvement here, moving
into an explicit EBM genre although less inspired and poorly arranged. It’s
miles away from other Mexican bands like Hocico, Dulce Liquido and Cenobita.
–Contact: www.mundonuevo.com.mx / info@mundonuevo.com.mx
–Rate: (DP:4)DP.
[THORN APPLE]
Crystalline (14-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Some will call it heavenly voices, others will
dig a bit deeper in the analysis of the music discovering a kind of dreamy,
poppy d&b. –Comment: It’s a very original and achieved concept featuring
10 artists from different bands. The duo of Hungry Lucy is the most familiar one
to the Side-Line staff. The work is (of course) comparable to Hungry Lucy, but
in a less dance and poppy way. A very diversified content for a maximum
pleasure! –Contact: contact@hungrylucy.com
–Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[TWINS]
First visions (10-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: Dark and melodious electro. –Comment: Sébastien
Ficagna who’s sheltering behind this solo-project is nobody else than the
mastermind of Dead Souls Rising. While this great band seems to have
disappeared, S. Ficagna presents his debut-demo. You can easily perceive that
this artist has a serious background and experience, but there ’s something
wrong with the vocals. The timbre of his voice can’t really seduce me. The
music is pure electronic and already achieved! It’s nothing really new, but it
holds on the road for a demo! –Contact: twins2sf@yahoo.fr
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[V/A - Suicide Machines V1.0]
(cd Revelry Records)
The concept of this French label is quite interesting for presenting us a
maximum of less known and familiar names from the French-speaking
“demo-world”. You maybe already crossed a few names among the list of 15
like Wired Brain, Almazor, Void Kampf, Jailbird, Ex Nihilo or Pro Patria (from
Belgium) and Muckrackers (from Switzerland). The point is that most of these
bands don’t sound like they’ll get soon a big deal! Their electronic and/or
industrial compositions suffer from a lack of professionalism, originality and
talent! I just want to mention the opening body danceable instrumental piece by
Virtual Reality next to the achieved FLA-minded Wired Brain and our own Belgian
242-clones of Pro Patria with a very old song from1997! This is definitely an
experience strictly reserved to the demo-lovers! Contact: Revelry Records, Olivier-Camus@Wanadoo.fr
(DP:3)DP.
[January 2002]
[DISTANT
SUN]
Distant Sun
(CD self released)
Canada sends out its prodigal sons. The Toronto based Distant Sun that formed
mid 2001 are for sure one of those bands that have ‘it’. The core of Distant
Sun's music is and we quote, based on the pursuit of precision rock/metal guitar
riffs suspended on relentless repetitive industrial rythmns. I couldn’t
describe it better than that. The diversity in the material is clearly the
synergy of the two bandmembers, the 80’s kid Keenan Sun (Guitars, synths and
sequencers) and the multi talented George Masswohl (vocals and lyrics). In a way
they remind me of Kong, the Dutch band that incorporated all kind of influences,
from metal to techno into their material. Distant Sun is perhaps less
‘confusing’ and follows a lined out path that is less distractive than
Kong’s. But when it comes to energy, both acts have a lot in common. Distant
Sun is currently busy recording a new album to be titled “Blood Stone”.
Should you be interested in acquiring a demo CD just send an email to distantsun2019@hotmail.com.
(bvi:6/7) bvi.
[December 2001]
[80TH DISORDER]
Les précieuses ridicules (3-track cd)
-Origin: Finland –Style/Influences: Definitely eighties minded synth-pop
–Comment: It’s less catchy, but the last song “The prompter” brings a
little improvement; one more synth-pop band that tries to emulate
the old masters –Contact: thedisordered@hotmail.com
/ www.listen.to/80thdisorder/
-Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[ABSTRACT
Q]
Stains and Scribbles (CD-R Bake)
This is Valerio Zucca Paul’s second attempt after the first album
”Selected Frequencies For Unrepressed Neural Events” which I liked quite a
bit withits modernized Old School ala Clock DVA and Lagowski. The development
continued and this time his digital electronic groove has gotten more complex
and varied. The EBM/Industrial influences are replaced by accelerated ambient
rhythm and playful style experiments, pulsing beats, organic sound sources, and
bubbling analog and digital electronics. The playful Warp approach gained more
depth, the driving rhythms more embellishments and warmth. The stylistic
uniformity of the predecessor is sacrificed in place of a kaleidoscope of styles
which however does not sound random, but rather hints at the sound density and
complexity of Meat Beat Manifesto. To the contrary, the synthesis is fun
and the simple melodies are shared by more sounds and more varied rhythms.
Aimless electro ticking and stretched, atmospheric knits captivate. It sounds
instantly familiar, yet remains fresh with each listen. The quality of the debut
has been surpassed and Abstract Q are once again high on my list of quarterly
favorites. (TTM:8) TTM
[ACCLIMATE]
Miscreant (13-track cd)
No doubt about it, Acclimate is one of the most inventive and professional
sounding industrial projects I’ve heard for quite a long time. It’s not that
the sound of this American project is really innovative, but the composition is
perfectly conceived. We’re facing an artist who doesn’t spare himself from
any effort in the research and creation of sounds. Most of the tracks are into
pure soundscapes with an omnipresent frightening atmosphere that serves as basis
of the concept. I like the way he tries to differentiate the work to avoid a
state of boredom… the point that hurts with numerous bands. It’s a bit
in the line of some productions on C.M.I., but with a very own identity. It
sometimes moves on the edge of pure noise like the “Automatonically
korrect”-track and even becomes danceable with the distorted drums of the
Dive-sounding “Black atom”. Notice by the way that a full-length album has
been released on Xerxes Records. If you’re into industrial spheres, this is
the perfect entertainment! Contact:Acclimate6@webtv.net
(DP:7)DP.
[A.C.DRYK}
Demo (8-track demo)
It was hard to find new Belgian projects some years ago, but these days are
really different. There’s an impressive increasing quantity, but that goes
hand in hand with a decreasing quality! This new project from the French part of
the country is one of the illustrations of poorly inspired industrial stuff,
which now and than moves on the border of repetitive electro-industrial.
There’s nothing more to add, except to encourage the band to improve their
composition! This one makes no sense! Contact: nihilum1348@wanadoo.be
(DP:3)DP.
[ACTION DIRECTE]
Cognitive dissidents (12-track cd)
We already reviewed a previous demo of the U.K formation Action Directe. A
controversial band name that reminds to a French left wing terrorist group that
has been active in the eighties. It gives you any idea about the political and
social themes of their lyrics. Musically speaking AD still goes on to combine
cyber- and punk elements together. It’s a particular style of cross over that
seems to get an honest recognition in their homeland. So far so good, but I miss
a certain cohesion and accomplishment in their composition process, which
remains too simplistic. Anyway, if you like less complex structures, preferring
heavy guitar riffs in conjunction with fast rhythms and EBM sequences, taste
this! Contact: joel@a.d hq /www.actiondirecte.co.uk
(DP:4)DP.
[ATIV/RADIAL]
Split CD (3”CD-R Ad Noiseam)
Two up and coming talents from the New York Technoise Underground around Joe
Abrescia’s (Aural Blasphemy) Frozen Empire Media label are duking it out.
Ativ, a side project of Synth-Etik which just debuted impressively on Hands,
starts off interpreting two Radial tracks who returns the favor right away.
The final result is surprisingly symbiotic. The different styles of both
collaborators remain in the background in favor of a common sound. Very fresh
sounding electronics, crunchy beats and moody melodies weave into one picture.
Ativ’s drive for fast and elastic rhythms welds together with radial’s
darkly creeping and delicate atmospheres and in the end sounds like the two
sides one and the same project. Carries you away and promises nice things for
their coming releases on Hands and Triumvirate. If you are looking for exciting
new stuff, check www.adnoiseam.net
(TTM:8) TTM
[ATOMZERO]
Demo (3-track cd)
-Origin: UK -Style/Influences: A mixture of electro and techno elements
-Comment: Modern and elaborated electro textures recovered with incisive techno
tones. A cool effect on the vocals. This is a band to
follow! ex-Electro Assassin member!! -Contact: atom.zero@virgin.net
/ www.atomzero.com -Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[BALLISTIC
TEST PRODUCTIONS]
(13-track cd MP3.com, Inc.)
13 projects and to be honest Joshua Bourke is the single one that sounds a
little bit familiar to me! It’s an opportunity to discover new formations from
the U.S. and Canada. The instrumental song “It is” by Permanent Solution is
my favorite one. It’s a danceable bouncing pop cut. Other names to mention are
Non Revanche combining electro and guitar arrangements, Brain:Blood:Volum
delivering an approaching beat-cut, Anaphylaxis that opens a window on ambient
fields and Substructure that also deals with a kind of ambient. There’s
unfortunately nothing essential here, but it’s a good way to get a bit more
familiar with young bands! Contact:www.mp3.com/ballistictest
(DP:6)DP.
BLACKSUN
Shred it! (9-track cd)
-Origin: Italy –Style/Influences: Dark electro to gothic –Comment: It sounds
like a 1st try-out; a bad production and musically too simple and inconsistent.
Too bad! Contact: sunblack@treemail.it
/ www.members.xoom.it/sunblack
(DP:2)DP.
[BUROPOLITIK]
Fall and forget (14-track cd Propaganda)
The Belgian Buropolitik strikes back with 14 new songs for a total running time
of more than 70 minutes and that’s definitely too long! The duo from Mechelen
digs a bit deeper in their dark electronic fields, pleasing the lovers of
Suicide Commando and other Terminal Choice. They belong to the same style, but
avoid becoming too close to the sound of these 2 giants! Pretty good, but at the
other hand, I search in vein for a certain refinement. Most of their songs
remain too stereotypical while the melody lines haven’t been enough
elaborated. A few songs at the end of the demo are a bit more convincing for
being more worked out. I’m thinking to songs like “Heavy water”,
especially “Forget” and “Liberate me”. The switch between male and
female vocals remains the best element of Buropolitik! While they’ ll
certainly convince numerous dark body lovers, I’m still convinced that
there’s a lot to improve! Contact: Buropolitik@hotmail.com
/ www.geocities.com/buropolitik
(DP:6/7)DP.
[CIRCLE SQUARE]
Demo (15-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Experimental and
noise recovered with a few techno beats and bleeps –Comment: It sounds less
cohesive and less elaborated. This is poorly inspired and irrelevant as music entity!
–Contact: www.geocities.com/nnythm/3
/ tleilaxu_@hotmailcom
–Rate:(DP:3/4)DP.
[CROSSVAULTS]
Galactical guards (10-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: It’s hard to describe, but it sounds
like a metal legacy transposed into something more gothic with electro traces
–Comment: 1st demo for a band that seems to be in search of real style and
personality! The mix of different ideas is interesting, but the way it has been
worked out sounds less inspired. –Contact: www.users.pandora.be/crossvaults
–Rate: (DP:5/6)DP.
[CYNTHIA LEECH]
Demo (4-track demo)
This is the debut-demo of the Swedish Cynthia Leech. The main structures are
electro minded, but there’re other traces like wave and pop running through
the songs. The 2nd cut “In danger” has a little Project Pitchfork flavor.
The next piece “Contamination” has a kind of bewitching, carrying mood and
is the best cut for so far. With “Hurts” they’re moving on poppier fields
without finding the right tune. A first try-out and nothing more! Contact: cynthialeech@yahoo.se
/ http://go.to/cynthialeech/ (DP:6)DP.
[THE DAWN VISITORS]
The ashes will never be cold… (4-track cd Third Brass Collective)
-Origin: Belgium –Style/Influences: Pure gothic in the good old guitar-wave
style –Comment: The opening cut “1989” sounds pretty Nightbreed-orientated
through the kind of beat recovering the stereotypical guitar wave basis. The
songs evolve into a kind of esoterically approach. You can perceive that this
band is already busy for numerous years! –Contact: johncult@hotmail.com/
www.socolog.be/projects/dawnvisitors/index.html
–Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[(THE CURSE OF) DEPRIVATION]
Abattoir (2-track cd)
-Origin: Germany –Style/Influences: Rather EBM with metallic sounds
–Comment: Poorly elaborated and less original –Contact: deprivation2001@yehoo.de
/ gothdock@aol.com –Rate: (DP:3)DP.
[EITERHERD]
Demo (10-track cd Riposte Rec.)
This French industrial combo offers you an entrance to noise and experimental
fields. They build up some heavy wall of sounds and try to move to more
experimental areas like “Orgy”. Another track entitled “Powerful banking
mit uns” comes closer to some noise-terrorists on Antzen, but on the whole run
this is hard to endure for being too chaotic noise-minded! Contact: eiterherd@widerstand.org
/www.angelfire.com/electronic/bucketovissors
(DP:2)DP.
[EMERGENCE]
Blue muse (4-track cd Chantry Records)
Emergence sounds like a melting pot of EBM, pop and vague cross over. The last
song “The creeping hours” is probably the most electronic minded while
driven through nervous heavy beats. The title-song is a cool cut containing
powerful clear vocal parts and revealing a certain potential. It’s now the
question if Emergence will be able to work out this basis!? Contact:www.emergenceband.com
(DP:6/7)DP.
[ENDICHE VIS.SAT]
The best of (8-track cd)
We know that there’s a small, but devoted underground scene in Lithuania. It
’s just that we didn’t hear that much about local bands… till a demo of
Endiche Vis.Sat reached our office. They claimed to be experimental and sure
they are! They combine a kind of ambient style with neo-classical influences,
recovered with some folk traces. It’s really bizarre and sometimes ending in a
real cacophony. I’ve already heard better experiments, but don’t hesitate to
contact them if you’re in search of projects fromdistant territories! Contact:
r@delfi.LT / http://endiche.i.am/
(DP:2)DP.
[ERATO]
The irreplaceable one (8-track cd)
-Origin: Belgium -Style/Influences: Pure gothic built up with guitar and an
electronic background -Comment: After several years and changes in the line up,
an achieved work with excellent dark melodies. The vocals could have been a bit
harder. Ready to get signed! -Contact: Frank.Mahieu@rega.kuleuven.ac.be
/ www.erato.cc -Rate: (DP:7/8)DP.
[GEORGE SARAH]
Demo 2001 (7-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Electronic soundtrack music –Comment: We
already knew that ex Stereo Taxic Device G. Sarrah went on to something totally
different. This is pure ambient work that has been conceived as soundtrack. The
piano is the main instrument –Contact: georgesarah@earthlink.net
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[GRIM FEAST]
Diva (3-track cd)
-Origin: Poland –Style/Influences: Wide range of electronic styles like cold
pop, EBM, vague d&b traces –Comment: A step in the right direction; rather
complex electro structures with an excellent debut-song reminding to the late
XMTP style with a female vocalist –Contact: reelcash@techno.lublin.pl
/ http://grimfeast.techno.lublin.pl
–Rate: (DP :8)DP.
[INTERVOX]
Home from exile (8-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Close to pop with distant Depeche Mode
influences –Comment: A weak production; less catchy and vocals that don’t
totally fit for being too tough. It sounds like an early
beginning. –Contact: www.mp3.com/intervox
–Rate: (DP:2)DP.
[JAILBIRD]
Inside nonsense (11-track cd)
While this French band was busy recording this album some 3 years ago, the label
that was supposed to release it went bankrupt. I can easily imagine a lot of
frustration and deception… especially because of the cool content.
Jailbird sounds pretty close to Young Gods and that says enough about their
style of music. Especially the vocals are like a cloning of the Swiss band.
Let’s say that it’s a little bit more guitars minded and therefor gothic
inspired, but the spirit of Young Gods recovers the whole work. I also notice a
few techno bleeps like on “End connection”. The best exponents are entitled
“N.W.O.” and “Mach. Syst. Ctrl.”. They announce a new album for the end
of next year! Contact: jailbird@free.fr / studios.design@wanadoo.fr
(DP:7)DP.
[KUNST MORK]
Atropa (5-track cd VDC)
-Origin: Italy –Style/Influences: A kind of heavy electro-gothic music on
speed that may reminds to Swamp Terrorists in a brute way –Comment: I miss a
certain refinement in the whole production, but the ideas aren’t bad at all
Contact: kunstmork@hotmail.com
–Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[LE DEUX DE NOUS]
Demo (7-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Gothic –Comment: A quite traditional and
less original gothic receipt moving from slow and melancholic pieces to more
dynamic and electro songs. It doesn’t sound terribly inspired! –Contact: ciao2bella@hotmail.com
/ Justa-Quid@webtv.net –Rate:
(DP:6)DP.
[MASTERTRAX SEQUENCE]
Demo (5-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Atmospheric synth-pop –Comment: It all
sounds like an artist with a classical background composing on a synthesizer. It
gives the impression listening to the demo-song of your
brand-new synth. Absolutely not into underground! –Contact: KeitPt@aol.com
–Rate: (DP:5)DP.
[MICHROCHASM]
Age of auto (11-track cd)
Another demo from Michrochasm, which take you by the hand and guide us in the
dark electro-industrial universe of the composer’s imagination. The opening
piece contains some vague resemblance with the distorted electro tones and drums
of Dive, but the global mood of this album is rather soundtrack minded! When
industrial and noise are melting together to get transposed into obscure
soundscapes you hear the “Age of auto”. I think that this work is really
captivating to please minimalist labels and auditors! (DP:6/7)DP.
[MICHROCHASM]
Structures against time unfolding (8-track cd)
Michrochasm aka Meurig Jones is involved in the industrial area for numerous
years now. With “Structures against time unfolding” he realized an
exceptional industrial-minded release! A few artists seem to have understood
that this style is much more than pure noises and improvisations! He
particularly takes care to give a real substance to the whole productions moving
from pure dark industrial-ambient to the absolute masterpiece of his demo
entitled “Greyland”. This song is more into loops and danceable elements,
without loosing the industrial atmosphere! It’s a real great cut! I still like
the way he literally plays with the vocals (sampled parts?) on “Voice
carrier”. It’s just a pity that some pieces like “Voicanix” are a bit
too long during! Anyway, a cool surprises! Contact: meurig4aolmember1@aol.com
/www.peoplesound.com/artist/michrochasm
(DP:7)DP.
[MUCKRACKERS]
#1 (5-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: Somewhere between cyber-core and industrial
that can remind to Swamp Terrorists –Comment: Powerful assaults of merciless
cybernetic guitar-noises. Heavy distorted vocals in English and German
language. The lovers of this style gone like it! –Contact: www.muckrackers.multimania.com
/ muckrackers@yahoo.fr
-Rate: (DP:6/7)DP.
[NEON RAIN]
Aesthetic death Design (8-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: Industrial recovered with somber ambient
moods –Comment: It sounds too anarchistic and improvised while several songs
are definitely too long; the 8th hidden track reveals something more into loops
and dance and is much more captivating Contact: sealsapart@free.fr
(DP:5/6)DP.
[NULL DEVICE]
Subliminal (4-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Contemporary synth-pop with triphop and acid
–Comment: This band is already active for several years and you can hear a
worked out result! They perfectly melt a solid synth-pop basis together with
triphop rhythms and a few acid bleeps –Contact: www.nulldevice.com
/ wonko@nulldevice.com –Rate:
(DP:7)DP.
[PROVIDENSE]
High, Straight, Low (4-track cd)
It all happened in Sweden… a musician with metal roots met another musician
with synth-pop roots and decided to start a project with a 3rd member who should
has to take care of the vocals. I can’t speak about a total success! Slow and
quiet rock minded songs reinforced with electronic structures never attempt to
get me wild. It’s a 1st demo, so there’s still real hope for Providense!
Contact: providense@spray.se (DP:3)DP.
[THE QUESTION]
Demo (6-track cd)
-Origin: Colombia, but actually based in U.K
–Style/Influences: It’s hard to describe, but it sounds like a mixture of
gothic, electro and vague ambient –Comment: Easy listening music covering
different ideas. It sounds like ballads. Contact: el_laberinto@yahoo.com
/ thequestion@iu.zzn.com
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[REND]
The lesson (4-track cd)
This young Canadian duo seeks to create innovative electronic music and that
’s already a positive approach. It’s just a pity that the content is less
innovative than the purpose. It sounds rather pop minded, evoking the
unavoidable eighties spirits of the electro-pop. The 2nd song “Focus”
perfectly accentuates the pop orientation, while another song entitled
“Desperation” sounds much more refreshing. They experience with drum loops
and add some unusual tones and bleeps. Anyway, nothing groundbreaking for the
moment! Contact: L_1800@hotmaail.com
(DP:5)DP.
[SCHRANKWERK/EURON]
Split-cd (3-track Eurocore)
-Origin: South-London, UK -Style/Influences: A mixture of experimental and
industrial ingredients that has been set up as a kind of concept among the
united Europe –Comment: Chaotic sound collages moving on the edge of soft
noise -Contact: eurocore@europe.com
–Rate: (DP:3)DP.
[SINO]
Re-build projects (4-track cd)
I’m always a bit afraid when listening to Japanese noise &
industrial projects. I know a lot of industrial fans consider the Japanese scene
as one of the most prolific and extreme one, but I’ve been never a fan! Sino
sounds really different, trying to humanize the industrial style by making it
more complex in the way of using sounds. Except the debut-song, which doesn’t
catch my attention, the other pieces are remarkable. Songs like “M(a)d” and
especially “Sadistic Hyper Love” are intelligent and elaborated pieces a
kind of industrial complexity in front of pure improvisation! This is really
attractive! Contact: re-build@par.odn.ne.jp
/ http://www2.odn.ne.jp/re-build/
(DP:6/7)DP.
[SONICJOY]
Sanctuary (4-track cd)
This Canadian project is a worthwhile listening for several reasons! First of
all there’s this impressive list of guest musicians playing numerous acoustic
instruments like guitar, djembe, tabla… Next there’s the totally artistic
way to intermix these instruments together with electronic equipment and
facilities. Last, but not least there’s the incredible result of the sound!
The style is fusion between soft synth-pop and slow triphop rhythms. The
charismatic female singer reminds to a colder version of Everything But The
Girl. Her voice is literally floating through the music. The 3rd song
“Ferku” becomes a little bit more sensual through the intrusion of saxophone
parts. It’s a little bit bizarre, unusual, but definitely personal! Sonicjoy
realized an excellent debut! Contact: joyellebrandt@home.com
/ www.mp3.com/sonicjoy (DP:7/8)DP.
[STELLARSCOPE]
Dream & Drift (12-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: It sounds pretty wave minded with a kind of
floating atmosphere –Comment: Pleasant music to listen to and relax! It evokes
the sound of some late-eighties bands. Contact: www.stellarscope.net
/ panaphonic@yahoo.com
–Rate: (DP:6)DP.
[Str8Line]
(18-track cd Str8Line Records)
9 bands from France delivering each 2 songs in very diversified styles moving
from wave to electro to rock to gothic and even punk. The concept sounds
interesting because it reveals 9 unknown formations! The result is nothing more
than simply avoidable! This is too bad and not one single band is able to create
something decent and interesting! Vernix Caseosa is the only one to deliver a
little light in a never ending and boring darkness. The song “Too
fast” is an instrumental jungle-orientated cut… without being a masterpiece!
I prefer to keep the names of the actors secret because it’s really too silly!
Contact:str8line@ifrance.com / http://str8line.free.fr/
(DP:2)DP.
[TARMVRED]
Onomatopoesi (3”CD-R Ad Noiseam)
The smoke around the killer album ”Subfusc” has hardly cleared and the
Swedish machinery rolls on and churns out another hot item, a limited remix
3”CD-R. The first, exclusive track is the stylistic continuation of the album
which means 10 minutes of infectious rhythm between noise industrial and hard
techno. This typical, epic-melodic Tarmvred feeling. This time with even more
female vocals, already unexpectedly present on the album. The tracks afterwards
are stylistically more diverse with two remixes by the dark noisebient of New
York’s Aural Blasphemy and the tamer ambient approach of Any Future. Both very
dark and heavy pieces noisily offering glimpses into an abyss. The closing track
is a retro attack. Digidroid from Sweden mutate Tarmvred into 80s electro pop,
and a damn catchy one at that with its vocals. As if New Wave never ended. Broad
in approach and topnotch in quality, I am more than ever convinced by
Tarmvred. (TTM:8) TTM
[THE TLEILAXU MUSIC MACHINE]
Mechanical body parts (6-track cd)
-Origin: USA –Style/Influences: Punk minded noises and other experiments
–Comment: You’ve to be a big fan of these kind of improvised experiments. There’s
no coherence and no structure, like the will to avoid any artistic form! Contact:
www.geocities.com/nnythm/3
/tleilaxu_@hotmailcom
–Rate: (DP:2)DP.
[VX
Incantation (9-track cd)
The American VX-duo isn’t for sure stereotypical! They compose powerful
electro driven by furious beating bass drums. The female vocalist who triesto
find a place in this tough urban universe reminds me therefor to the Australian
Ragewar (but they were more into techno-elements). I regret that several of
their songs remain that short! “Mindkiller” for example is a heavy danceable
cut, but with an abrupt end! It’s definitely their best song, which has been
remixed in another version with acid and jungle influences. It’s a real cool
mix and a potential hit for VX. Let’s now await their next demo they’re
actually working on! I can only encourage them to elaborate the writing process
and warn them to avoid any hurry! Contact: Kaoss101@hotmail.com
/ www.vxmusic.com (DP:7/8)DP.
[WIRED BRAIN]
[RE]:Wired (12-track cd)
-Origin: France –Style/Influences: Dark electro, industrial and techno-acid
bleeps; FLA seems to be the main source of inspiration (name of the project,
title of the demo and even artwork…), which is cool at one side, but a little
bit too exaggerated at the other side! –Comment: An excellent demo that
features a cocktail of complex electro structures, acid treatments, a few guitar
riffs and industrial atmospheres. They used an arsenal of samplings. They made a
remix for the French industrial HIV+ project! This is one of the revelations of
the past months in demo-world –Contact: 333astolfi@wanadoo.fr
–Rate: (DP:8)DP.
[YURI ZVERETT]
Dreaming on the wind (8-track cd)
Healing from Moscow, Y. Zverett introduces us to his particular experimental
universe. “Dreaming on the wind” is a free expression of a wide spectrum of
ideas and styles. It moves from symphonic neo-classical elements to
Nintendo-minded analogue bleeps to noises and other manipulations. This guy is
living on the edge of minimalism and will only catch a few numbers of people!
Contact: zver777@mail.ru (DP:3)DP.
[July 2001]
[AMEBA]
Extremely rare (10-track cd)
Ameba
is hailing from Italy. Their music is a mixture of different styles moving from
punk-rock to triphop to a kind of folk. There’s no sort of compromise, but a
very diversified input of ideas that are running through this album. They’ve
many faces so everybody will find some songs to his taste, but on the other
side it’s a bit regrettable they don’t really focus on one style. Last, but not
least, I would like to mention the quite
artistic artwork! Contact: ameba@ameba.it (DP:5)DP.
[ALIEN PRODUKT]
Ascension (5-track cd)
Alien
Produkt claimed to be the leading EBM-band of Argentina. That could be true
because I don't know any other band from this country involved in the same
style! More than once I heard influences coming from VNV Nation for the
melodious side and Hocico for the dark atmospheric side. The first songs
"Berserkers" and "Espacio Exterior" are the right examples
to illustrate the style of the band and their inspiration. It's a pity that the
songs don’t have the gift of reat vocal
parts. I noticed the presence of a few, heavy distorted vocals on
"Awakening". I don't know if it's a deliberate choice to sound more
like an instrumental EBM-combo à la Feindflug (but who use numerous vocal
samplings) han adding vocals. Just
keep this band in mind! Contact: alienprodukt@hotmail.com (DP:7)DP.
[DEONDA]
Demonstration 2001 (3-track cd)
After
2 demos and several changes in the line-up, Deonda send us their newest
material. The songs are new, but the style doesn’t sound innovative at all! The
melancholic gothic compositions recovered with tiny metal guitar parts are less refreshing. I feel a déjà-vu
effect, which unfortunately can’t convince me. If you’re in search of
melancholia, “Mary Jane Doe” will rock you into your darkest thoughts… Contact:
deonda@fade.to
/ http://fade.to/deonda
(DP:5)DP.
[DESCENDANTS
OF CAIN]
Atziluth
(10-track cd)
Cain
and Abel remain a very important source of inspiration for the gothic scene...
This is the debut-album of a British band who seems to represent the old side
of gothic... Descendants of Cain are closer to the eighties style and their
dark, melancholic wave-ballads seems to be like the resurrection of this style.
I'm definitely missing any trace of innovation! www.descendantsofcain.co.uk (DP:6)DP.
[DEVOTED SYMBOLS]
Vendata
Populi (7-track cd)
You
maybe remember the positive review I made about Passage 29, a new Belgian formation,
which tried to intermix EBM together with techno. Passage 29 got a very short
life and from the ashes raised up Devoted Symbols There’s no main change concerning the style, which remains
an excellent fusion between EBM and techno. The innovative element concerns the
input of a few vocal parts (which are more than acceptable!)… while Udo Van
Roosbroeck is still in search of a vocalist! There’s for sure a strong
potential in Devoted Symbols! Contact: psgxxix@theglobe.com (DP:7)DP.
[DIAGNOSTIC
ERROR]
Are
you ready for the fun-fun?? (16-track cd)
I’ve
some problems with this Belgian project and more especially with the guy(s)
sheltering behind! Some of you maybe know that I was personally involved in
FuzeBoxMachine (let us say in a previous life) and when the band
split up, some 3 years ago now, there were enough achieved songs to release our
next full length! You’ll understand my stupor when now I discover a brand new
formation, which picked up one of these songs (“Don’t go”, a cover of Yazoo,
which had been realised in collaboration with my all time old friend, Sven
Lauwers of Ionic Vision), without changing any single note… but just change the
vocalist. According to the booklet, it seems that FuzeBoxMachine and Ionic
Vision give their permission to release it, but it’ s the entire contrary!
There has been always a strong support and respect between most of the Belgian
bands, but we here have a band that don’t give a fuck about it! Sorry guy(s),
but that’s the reason why Side-Line will never support your work! I’m not gone
give you any rate, but just ask our faithfull readers to boycott and forget
your work! I don’t want to use Side-Line to settle personal accounts with anybody else, but just to keep
people inform that if you’re able to do it with me, you’ll be also able to find
other victims!!! (DP).
[DIE
PERLEN]
Wirf
mich bitte weg! (11-track cd)
Die
Perlen is a side-project from Drunkness-member Ferdinand Steinbart and Katja
Heller (who’s also involved in Drunkness). They compose an easy listening
electonic music, which sounds like a marriage between catchy synth-pop and
house music. Songs like “Toys” and “Ordinary techno song” are funny, danceable
house pieces. Other cuts like “Frank” and “Frank in trance” are more into the
electro-pop style with female vocal parts that remind to Anne Clark. I
personally prefer the songs with K. Heller as vocalist, but that’s a question
of taste. Nothing groundbreaking, but enjoyable music! Contact: die.perlen@t-online.de
/ www.drunkness.com
(DP:7)DP.
[DISTEX]
Promorph(CD-R self-release)
That’s
some clanky, funky shit. Head-on collisions of beats and distortion,shattered shards
of frequency modulations and loads of bass either club you over the head or
creep more subduedly into your cranium. Technoid excursions into industrial
mine fields. Distex is the Technoise side-project of the German percussion and
guitar industrialists Beinhaus and, as has already been the case with Beinhaus,
packaging, music, presentation and concept are professionally top notch. The
only catch is that they are still undeservedly unknown. They easily hold their
own and can compete with anybody else out there. Ant-zen-cionados and
Hands-ciples will eat this right up, and have to gargle with nuts and bolts to
clear their palates. Repetitive assaults that range from overly noisy to
straight and funky heaviness. So, who is going to sign them first? These boys
need some good production budget and great
things will result. I’ll guarantee it. www.beinhaus.de (TTM:7) TTM
[ECLYPSE CLOSE]
Tout brulait... (12-track
cd Dormellia)
The
French trio of Eclypse Close has been busy for several years, having released a
bunch of demos and getting a considerable live-experience. They even have their
fan-club. I've to admit that they've a strong potential thanks to experienced
musicians, but it's just a pity that time seems to have stopped at the end of
the eighties... Their main source of inspiration is dark-wave from the
eighties. The French language may remind of bands like Indochine or Opera Multi
Steel. This is music for nostalgic, but living in the now... which means 2001,
it sounds a bit old-fashioned to me! Eclypse Close, 14 Bis de la Mairie, 77130
Dormelles, France. (DP:6)DP.
[EUFORIC
EXISTENCE]
Mindless
fearless (6-track cd)
Euforic
Existence is a Belgian project I’ve never heard of before! The style is quite
recognisable as they deal with powerful EBM. It doesn’t cover any ground, but
just try to fill the gap between early EBM and more contemporary electro. It’s
not bad at all, but there’s still a lot to do… and gaining maturity will be for
sure the first essential step in the right direction! A next demo is already
announced and that will give us an idea about the
evolution! Contact: euforic-existence@hotmail.com / http://all.at/euforicexistence
(DP:6)DP.
[IWR]
DEMO
(2-track cd)
In
times of war and political pressure, there’s still some time for Israeli
musicians to be musically active. IWR is dark-EBM solo-project that composes a
hard and danceable form of body stuff. The Electro basis has been
scattered with gothic atmospheres,
reinforcing the dark colour of the songs. “Dreamers delight” is a real cool cut
containing distorted, whispering male vocals and female backings. I want to
hear more stuff from IWR. Contact:
iwr-music@hotmail.com (DP:7)DP.
[KANEDA]
Live
at FNAC (1-track cd)
Kaneda
send us a demo from one of their live-performances. It's a long mix of more
than 30 minutes which lead us into a sombre ambient universe. It sounds close
to a kind of theme for an imaginary movie... an apocalyptic world full of
danger and fright... a world where the sun went down forever! They used a lot
of spoken samplings from the tv-news while other parts are more electronic
minded with a good rhythmic. It seems to illustrate their wide spectrum of
influences and who knows, that will maybe a good chance to get a deal? Kaneda, apt. 304, 121-123
Rue Colbert, 59800 Lille, France. (DP:6/7)DP.
[LUPINARIA]
Demo (15-track cd)
This
Italian project claimed to be influenced by Laibach and Discharge. The work
becomes a hard electro-industrial entity like we're used to hearing the last
years. Contemporary industrial music has nothing in common with the good-old
industrial compositions of a band like Laibach! It's now much more easier and
simple to create a brute and noisy texture thanks to the modern technology.
Lupinaria seems to be not the worst project in the style, but I'm missing the
original and creative touch! Anyway, if you like harsh-crunching percussions
and noisy treatments, you will appreciate this! Vanni Fabbri, Via Portonueva
10, 62019 Recanati mc, Italy. (DP:6)DP.
[MASSAKER
STACCATO]
Fear
– Truth – Pain (9-track cd)
After
their debut demo “Images of a self destructing era”, the Massaker
Staccato-brothers are back. “Fear – truth – Pain” gained in maturity while the
main source of inspiration (cf. Apoptygma Berzerk) remains the same. This
Belgian project claimed to be influenced by several other formations, but their
sound is the closest to the catchy synthie-pop EBM of the Norwegian master!
Another important evolution is the production of the vocals, which are much more captivating than before. A
natural and logical evolution… I heard several cool songs with “Waiting for
relief” as absolute favourite one! Contact: david.delesie@pandora.be / www.centipede.yucom.be (DP:7)DP.
[MATIERES & MEMOIRE]
L’âme
perfide (chapitre final)
(12-track
cd Black Sun Rising)
We
already got this demo some months ago, but this one seems to be the final
result, containing 12 tracks! M&M is digging deeper and deeper into the
fields of heavy distorted industrial music. I already compared their sound with
the early and brute terror of Imminent Starvation. It sounds a bit cliché, but
it’s not bad at all and especially if you’re fond of mind-blowing and
destructive treatments. Black Sun Rising (France) is now distributing this
Belgian project. contact: Scal, Rue du
Grenadier 1, 7080 Eugies, Belgium or kgbsr@caramail.com (DP:7)DP.
[MUCKRACKERS]
Demo
(4-track cd Negative Records)
First
demo for a French duo that choose the German language to inject more power and
violence into the music which already sounds heavy and noisy. The influences
are coming from Skinny Puppy, Ministry and pure noise. You’re facing a wall of
sound elevated by heavy guitar noises, tape recordings and other sampling
manipulations. Hard and damaging! Contact: Muckrackers, 13 Route d’Anderny, 54640
Tucquegnieux, France. (DP:6)DP.
[NG-PRO]
The
only thing that counts(7-track cd)
I
discovered this project from The Netherlands on the excellent sampler from The Noise Dept. They compose a mix of
elaborated electro structures and gothic moods, which serve as basis of the
work. You can also perceive some vague techno traces and ambient atmospheres in
the background. The last pieces, which are more into pure electronic style,
sound really great “Decadent” is a masterpiece and maybe the song that will
open new horizons for this talented formation! Contact: ng-pro@reborn.com
/ www.ng-pro.com
(DP:8)DP.
[OBSERVE
REALITY]
Electronique
(7-track cd)
I
remember this Belgian project from an early demo, which was rather poorly
inspired in the EBM-style. “Electronique” sounds more attractive through an
improved elaboration in the way of composing. The style evolved into more wave
and pop influences. The first songs are quite promising and especially the
melodious “Punish me, lover”. It seems to reveal another cliché… the passion
for S&M and fetishism. I can only encourage Observe Reality to take their
time and work out their ideas, but this is definitely a step in the good
direction! Contact: Gunther Haegeman, Kaprijkestr. 22A, 9971 Lembeke, Belgium. (DP:7)DP.
[ONE
FOR JUDE]
Figures
(9-track cd)
Hailing
from France One For Jude compose a very particular style of music. It sounds
pretty different than the usual gothic and ambient releases. It may be an
advantage, but still a hard challenge to find an audience for this kind of
stuff! Anyway, the contribution of Eric Roger (involved into Sol Invictus) and
a few other guest-musicians add an extra dimension and at the same time, a
minimal touch. One For Jude come to combine a gothic basis together with some
minimal elements like accordion and trumpet which result in acceptable
back-ground music. We can maybe call it modern-experimental wave music, but
once again I'm not sure there's a real audience for it! Billy Amzal, 47 chemin du
Clocher d'Aulney, 93320 Pavillons-sous-bois, France. (DP:6)DP.
[PROCEED]
Demo
(8-track cd)
If
you like the old-styled EBM à la Pouppée Fabrikk, Orange Sector, Ionic Vision
etc you have to take a listen to this German band. I’m missing some certain
details in the writing process and a lack of dynamism in the global power of
the production. There’s much to improve, but Proceed will already please the
traditional and conservative EBM-freaks! Daniel Pfennigsdorf,
Gardelegener Str. 11, 39638 Schwiesau, Germany. (DP:6)DP.
[SLEEPLESS]
Demo
(8-track cd)
I
personally missed their previous demo which got a good review in our pages and
in several other magazines all over the world. It's not very often that we get
the opportunity to discover a band from Israel and especially one who's more
into gothic! They aren't into pure gothic because it's combined with a few
other influences like free-jazz and vague psychedelic traces... The result
sounds a bit ambient and ballad-minded too. It's not bad at all, but I miss a
few details that would incite me to belief in their work! Maor
Appelbaum, 42 David El-azzar, Ra'annana 43205, Israel. (DP:6)DP.
[STALE
BREAD]
Cold
hearts (12-track demo)
The
Brazilian Stale Bread has already released several demos, but I can’t remember
to have ever heard of them before! It’s clear for everyone that those 5 guys
are more than inspired by the good-old new wave and especially through The
Cure. I don’t like to call them as the latest Cure-clones, but I ’m afraid
there’s no other description! You don’t hear me say that it’s bad, but I’ve
already listened to this kind of bands for thousand and thousand
times before! Contact: stale@zipmail.com.br / http://www.gothic.art.br/stale
(DP:5/6)DP.
[STORE
ABOUT LIES]
Music
for tifty bars (8-track cd)
This
American formation is now busy for a few years, trying to combine hard guitar
riffs together with electronic structures. More than once they remind me of Cat
Rapes Dog in a less melodious and funny day and more hard-core minded. I've to
admit that it's a weird comparison, but that's the way it sounds! I think
the band would gain a bit more refinement, adding detail to the electronic
parts while it's now too rough and anarchistic to my taste. Nothing
groundbreaking for the moment! Christopher Poole, PO Box 5850, Brevard College,
400 N Broad St, Brevard NC, USA. (DP:6)DP.
[STILLIFE]
Raining December
(8-track
cd)
More
and more Russian projects are sending us their demos and the less I can say is
that most of them sounding really acceptable. Stillife is one of these
formations, which try to intermix several styles together. It moves from
electro-ambient to gothic to neo-classical styles. There’s a kind of
apocalyptic atmosphere running through their work. The more you enter the “Raining
december”-universe, the more it comes close to a certain artistic approach.
I’m thinking on songs like “Stay”
and “Outside”. Nothing essential, but maybe interesting if you want to discover
new horizons! Contact: stiv@don.sitek.net (DP:7/8)DP.
[TABLOID]
Starry
blue (3-track cd)
The
new demo of the Swedish Tabloid only confirms their strong potential! Their
music is still very catchy, but evolves into a rather Euro-pop sound. It’s less
underground than most of the Swedish synth-pop formations, but first of all
less cliché! This is a trio that perfectly work out their ideas. I’m not
surprised that several record companies has showed some interest and I now do
hope that the next release will be on one of these labels! Contact: tabloid-informartion@yahoo.com
/http://hem.passagen.se/tabloid
(DP:8)DP.
[UNDERCOVER
SLUT]
Sadistic
sampler (9-track cd Hateful Society Prod.)
It's
not very often that I am deeply impressed by the press-book of a demo band!
Undercover Slut aren't amateurs at all. This Parisian combo has considerable
recognition in their homeland, and in some parts of the USA... That's not
really surprising because they music sounds perfectly appropriated for the
American market. Moving on the edge of metal-punk and rock they're not without
reminding me of bands like Christian Death, M. Manson, NIN... I didn't feel the
same refinement as the aforementioned bands, but Undercover Slut show
throughout this "best of" that they already gained enough maturity to
get a serious deal... maybe in The States... where they're announced to play
during summer! Undercover Slut, 29 Rue Boussingault, Suite C5, 75013 Paris,
France. (DP;6)DP.
[VA
- Dark Sampler for Dark Souls – Transmission 1]
Compilation
(14-track cd 3th Brass Recordings)
The
Belgian and French-speaking E-zine L’Ame Electrique compiled this sampler. They
propose several less familiar names from the demo-format and that’s a good
opportunity to discover new talents. The point is that I don’t find real
attention grabbers. Electronic and gothic bands from very different countries
are trying to escape from the anonymity, but only 1 single name remains in my
mind: the Australian Zeitgeist and their body-techno “Tormendum”-song. Next to
this you’ll find bands like God’s Bow (not with their best cut), Eye, K-Oz
Office, Absynthe, Ex Nihilio, A Scapegoat’s Life… A poorly inspired sampler!
Contact: johncult@hotmail.com
/http://geocities.com/ameelectrique
(DP:3)DP.
[WOMB]
Spiteful extractions (10-track cd)
Womb
is a noticeable English underground goth-band. The spirit of the eighties is
alive more than ever... characterised by the dark moods à la Killing Joke,
Siouxsie & The Banshees...I'm not surprised to hear that the band has a
considerable recognition and especially in the U.K where the good old wave
music is still very popular! I'm not very fond of this old-fashioned artists,
but I have to admit here that it sounds rather pleasant... without being
absolutely essential! Anyway, this is for sure oneof these bands who deserve to
get a deal! Greg Ferrari, 11 Pine Crescent, Brentwood, Essex CM13 1JE, UK.
(DP:7)DP.
[YIPOTASH]
Siamesic death (13-track cd)
Hailing
from Dresden, Yipotash just released their 3rd demo. It's a worthwhile
discovery if you're into electro-industrial stuff. The music is much more than
usual noise manipulations and distorted drums. Yipotash seem
to be in search of a fusion between dark-electro and electro-industrial sounds.
The leastI can say is that the experience is quite satisfying! The compositions
are mainly industrial minded, but the electronic arrangements
lets it sound more worked out, revealing an intelligent way of
proceeding. It's not very often than we're facing a band who wants to avoid the
trendy noise-cliché of heavy distorted improvisations. This is the progressive
side
of industrial music and I'm sure those that are in the more electro-industrial
fraternity would favour the tragic "Siamesic death"! Contact: Andre
Matthes, Hans-Sachs-Str. 11, 01129 Dresden, Germany.(DP:7/8)DP.
[YRRWE
ZSUZYRRWE]
Demo
(6-track cd The Noise Department)
Don’t
pay too much attention to the poor artwork of this demo, but concentrate on the
outstanding content! Y.Z. is hailing from The Netherlands and combines dark
electro-industrial structures with techno ideas. The 6
tracks are terrific masterpieces, which left me breathless! It’s meticulously
conceived and totally amazing to hear the way opposite styles can be united in
such a harmonious sound. The basic idea is built up around primitive cadences
while the repetitive sequences are approaching a certain trance sensation! The
more you enter the trip, the more you feel the skill of the duo. It’s a
worthwhile experience and I can only encourage the
project to go in search of a real deal… it would be a shame if they don’t find
one! Industrial-techno that means much more that a whole army of established
formations in the same style! Brilliant! Contact: The Noise
Dept., Crabethstr. 15, 2801 AL Gouda, The Netherlands. (DP:9)DP.
[June 2001]
[ACTION DIRECTE]
Legitimate military targets
(5-track cd A Riot Squad Production)
The band-name evokes the left-wing
Frenchterrorist group which was active in the eighties... and therefore a
certain political involvement. The music is a mix between punk, industrial and electronic
structures. It sounds heavy and aggressive! Call it simply cross-over, but it
didn't really impress me that much! Action Directe, 7 Moorland
Road, Hyde Park, Leeds LS6 1AL, UK.
(DP:5/6)DP.
[AMBER SPYGLASS]
Demo
(3-track cd Kreep Productions)
Amber Spyglass is an American trio
from Boston who just seems to avoid any form of current influences. It's
liketime stopped for them in the midst of the eighties. The comparison with the
new wave style is a matter of fact. There's nothing wrong with that, but when
it's composed with that less creativity, I prefer to pass... Kelly Godshall, PO
Box 2123, Boston, MA02106, USA. (DP:3)DP.
[ARTHUR LOVES PLASTIC]
Demo
(5-track cd)
Bev Stanton already received a
considerable recognition for her modern approach of electronic music. It's not
that easy to describe the music as any particular style, but the composition
finds definitely a place in the wide layer of triphop. She worked together with
guest vocalist Lisa Moscatiello (who's a Celtic folk singer) and that creates a
certain contrast. I personally like the triphop cadence and the pop structures,
but the expressive vocal parts sound like being lost in an unknown territory...
There's no real harmony and that's rather disappointing. Nothing exceptional
here... for an artist who seems to be that famous! Machine Heart Prod., 6618
Cockerille Ave., Takoma Pk, MD 20912, USA. (DP:4)DP.
[BANG ELEKTRONIKA]
Isolation
(10-track cd)
I couldn't really believe that this
Canadian formation is still alive. I'm sure most of our young readers have
never heard of them before! Quite understandable if you consider that their
album "Aktievierung" released on Hypnobeat is dated from 1995! After
some internal troubles and the acquisition of a new vocalist (aka Monique
Albert who was the lead vocalist of Voice Industrie) the duo Andreas Gregor -
Kris Helstrom (also members of the more popular Digital Poodle) hold their
trust and went on with Bang Elektronika... in search of a new deal! I remember
their debut album which was a real great piece of cold EBM and in the same line
as Digital Poodle. "Isolation" has the same spirit and that's
actually more a disadvantage! Their compositions suffer from a little weight of
time, but as their music was quite advanced in time, I'm sure that a few details
could bring them back on the good way. They're still holding on a strong EBM
basis, but it now sounds morepoppy than before! T!!hey sing in German and
English language, but if I'm not wrong, that's what they already did in '95!
The best cut is "TV set" which sounds like Inertia without the techno
ingredients! You can easily hear that this band is very mature, but they now
have to remove the dust of their work to get more chances to make a deal! Bang
Elektronika, 58 Ziraldo Road, St Catharines, Ontario L2N 6TI, Canada. (DP:7)DP.
[BLANK]
42 4c 41 4e 4b
(6-track cd)
The Italian Blank rose up from the
ashes of the gothic formation Headrops. It's quite surprising to see a band
moving from gothic to... EBM! That's the style the duo is now dealing with!
This debut-demo stands for well-done, powerful body stuff with acid and techno
traces and some bouncing bass drums. "Sleepless" and "Mutant
engine" bring to mind the old Evils Toy-period. There's still a funny, but
hard danceable cover of P. Lion's "Happy children". It's just a pity
they close this very acceptable debut by a noisy-screaming piece entitled
"Methanoid torp". It's not very common to hear pure EBM coming from
the Italian scene, but Blank is one of the exceptions to the rule! Riccardo Mattioli,
Via d. Orsi 25, 43013 Langhirano PR, Italy. (DP:7/8)DP
[CALL ME ALICE]
Call me alice 2000
(4-track EP)
The band’s 4-track EP comes in a case report kit that wanders
through all the actions of this San Diego based band, intriguing... Musicwhise
it’s more than obvious that their roots are very much in oldschool gothic.
Bassguitars are mixed with dry drums, some minimal electronics and dito guitar
riffs. However, my attention was immediately drawn by the band’s female
vocalist Crosby. Apart from being rather attractive to look at, her voice is
very much appealing as well. And that is the band’s biggest advantage.
Musicwhise I like the second track the most for having some really nice hooks.
What I hear here can already stand the comparison with bands such as Clan of
Xymox. The melodies are there, without wanting to copy anyother band. If only
they’d had some good production... because this is the weakest point about this
EP. It all sounds really ‘packed’, imo the material should be opened up, and
the band should seriously think about replacing the drums by a good
drummingmachine, which would give the songs a lot more power, but that’s
perhaps a matter of taste as I never liked the organic sound ‘real’ drums have.
And for those looking for a guestvocalist, don’t hesitate to contact Crosby,
she’d nicely fit material such as Delerium’s “Silence”, so you have an idea
what to expect! (bvi6/7) bvi.
[EOXIME]
Demo
(13-track demo)
Ceoxime already appeared on a few
samplers in their homeland (USA), but I think they're less familiar to most of
you. Their style has been built up with a strong wave basis, but the more I
walked through their demo, the more I perceive pure electronic structures which
even move on the border of modern electronic. There's also a vague, but
irresistible mystical element by the way of singing. The female vocal parts are
like emerging from the depths, like a magical elixir... Notice by the way that
next to some remixes, this demo also contains work from other bandsthat has
been remixed by Ceoxime. The first pieces aren't fully worthwhile, but the
second part (simply entitled bonus tracks) sounds pretty cool! You can here
listen to the remixes the band realised for other formations like Diverje,
Noxious Emotion, Function 13 and a few other ones. Ceoxime,
PO Box 2541, Dearborn MI 48123, USA. (DP:6)DP.
[CHILDREN IN WAR]
Demo
(2-track cd)
A demo that only contains 2 songs
and 2 different faces! The first one is very fast EBM-minded, but unfortunately
less artistic, too cliché and therefor unexceptional! The second one is totally
different, more into quiet electro-fields with a whispering-distorted male
vocalist. It's definitely more original and credible! Anyway, 2 songs are not
enough to get an objective point of view! C.I.W c/o N. Ramirez, 4507 Parkview
Dr. #2, Cheyenne, WY 82009, USA. (DP:6)DP.
[THE CHURCH OF GARY NUMAN]
A dark celebration
(12-track demo)
The adoration for Gary Numan has no
limits... that's what happened to Jim Collins! This guy decided to compose a
tribute to his hero... his only God: G. Numan! I've a lot of respect for such a
hard concept, but at the other side, still some reservations because I
personally think there are some sacred icons you better not tread on! Gary
Numan is probably one of them! Anyway, the devotion of Jim is easily excusable!
The guy totally surpasses himself, working for eight months, day after day to
produce his heaviest dream! Well, the result is quite honest and much more than
a cheap emulation. J. Collins who played all the instruments, has composed a
personal and more rock orientated version of the synth-pop grandfather! He took
some very old and popular songs like the unavoidable "Cars", but also
give some space for the contemporary Numan-music like "Dominion day".
The guy did it very well, but it's definitely too rock minded for me. I'm sure
a lot of Numan fans will purchase thi!!s very professional recording, but I'm
wondering if the grandfather in person will become a fan of his fan... Jim
Collins, PO Box 5158, Poland, Ohio 44514, USA. (DP:7)DP.
[COMPOSITE[
Composite
(6-track cd)
This
French solo-project is a worthwhile to listen. The complexity of the structures
left me breathless. I can't simply understand why such a talented young
composer is loosing his time making demos. Well, I suppose every big name
started that way... It's not that easy to define the music of François
Virgilio, but he first of all started from a force electro-basis. The bass
lines are more than once reminding to FLA, but they've been recovered with
high-tech contemporary influences moving from ambient to techno. The whole
production remains instrumental, but that's not a problem. There's nothing
wrong with this demo because everything is absolutely prefect. Each tone seems
like a part of a puzzle and when all the pieces are intermixed to each other
you get a real revelation: techno-ambient music for the further generations!
Last, but not least I want to add that the global mixing is simply
unbelievable. There's no possible comparison, but Composite brings to the
electro-scene what bands like Haujobb, Substanz T, Autechre etc brought some
years ago... intelligent and refreshing musical artwork! R. Virgilio, 9 Rue
Larigaldie, 91260 Juvisy, France. (DP:9/10)DP.
[CRUSHING STATE]
Skalka
(10-track cd)
Crushing State is a very nice
surprise that combines punching EBM-tones together with heavy guitar riffs. More
than once I had the impression of hearing a hybrid between the cold, whispering
vocals à la Brain Leisure together with the musical power of Razed In Black.
Crushing State also experiments with a few jungle loops and a vague dub mood. I
personally like the deep body bass lines and the way all the ideas have been
pieced together. Crushing State sounds very talented and mature. This is an
achieved demo that deserves recognition from a label... info@crushingstate.de
(DP:8)DP.
[CRYOGENE]
Final horizon
(4-track cd)
Cryogene are from Canada and you can
hear it... the shadow of FLA hangs over their composition, but it doesn't mean
that you will get another clone. The basis stays in EBM à la FLA, but composed
with some other ideas like heavy bass drums and vague techno tones. The first
cuts "Final horizon" and "Bloodstains" are pretty cool.I've
listened to worst things before! J.P. Perreault, 65 Apple Hill Rd, Winnipeg,
MB, R3Y 1A8 Canada. (DP:6/7)DP.
[CYME IN BLOOM]
Rebirth ep
(10-track cd)
The demo ofCyme In Bloom sounds like
an auspicious start to a career. This German synth-pop formation doesn't tread
on new ground, but they deserve a special mention for their highly mature
production. The compositions are quite elaborate and catchy as well. The lyrics
are dealing about depressed feelings, but the musical expression is to the
contrary (which doesn't mean that it's happy synth-pop à la Erasure!). There're
a lot of signed bands who haven’t done what Cyme In Bloom do on
"Rebirth". An excellent new band! Ingo
Hannen, Seffenter Weg 18, 52074 Aachen, Germany. (DP:7/8)DP.
[DARKSHINESWAR]
Pirates
(3-track cd Vamp Slam)
The Spanish project Darkshinewar
delivers a quite interesting style of music where they marry the electronic
facilities together with traditional instruments like violin and accordion. The
songs are recovered from a vague melancholic expression while the Spanish
language in conjunction with the acoustic instruments injects a kind of folk
touch. It's rather original, but without being absolutelyessential! Vamp Slam,
Av. Rep. Argentina 190 ext. 08023 Barcelona, Spain. (DP:6)DP.
[DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH]
Human touch
(5-track cd)
The duo began back in '98, as a band
of political nihilists big into the art of noise... That sounds promising! The
music they deliver on this demo reminds me of the good old days of Skinny
Puppy. Dark electro structures full of complex patterns and interrupted
cadences. This is heavy urban EBM, quite elaborate, but a little bit cliché.
The last track "Syntheny" sounds less anarchistic and is my personal
favourite one. One more soldier in the Skinny Puppy-army, but it could be an
interesting one! Jim Ingraham, 49 Hammond St. Acton, MA 01720, USA. (DP:7)DP.
[DERMA-TEK]
Origins
(5-track cd)
A brand-new trio from The States who,
only after a few months of existence released a demo. That was quick! The
current facilities of releasing your own cd make that things are too often
going too fast... bands being too often indifferent for the quality level of
their production! That's precisely the point with this EBM-formation! Fast and
linear drum patterns with poor inspired structures and a silly sound! I know
the guys are working with a lack of equipment, but they should be patient,
concentrating on more worked out and consistent stuff! (DP:3)DP.
[DIAGNOSTIC ERROR]
Halloween
(7-track cd)
This Belgian project hailing from
the neighbourhood of Antwerp delivers a E.P including four versions of the
title-song "Halloween". I don't think it's a very good idea to
release a first demo as a kind of Mcd, but at the other side I've to admitthat
Diagnostic Error has the merit to dare something unusual. The title-song is of
course inspired by the "Halloween"-theme, but transposed into a kind
of current EBM. The fifth song is an unusual cover for the electronic scene...
"Rocking in the free world" of Neil Young. It's funny, but I
personally prefer the next track entitled "Military" which is a more
artistic instrumental and personal piece and the highlight. The bonus-track
brings nothing more. It's not bad at all for a debut, but there's still a lot
of to work on! Diagnostic Error, Neptunusstr. 65, 2600
Berchem, Belgium. (DP:6)DP.
[DRONE]
Rebel of love
(3-track cd)
Somewhere moving on the edge of
synth-pop and old wave stuff, the Swedish Drone project doesn't really bring us
a bite to eat! The female vocalist has a quite expressive way of singing, but
the point is that it doesn't really sound very artistic. Add to this a rather
poor, but excusable production and you have already understand that this isn't
terribly inspired! Drone, Sofiechemsv. 2F, 90738 Umea,
Sweden. (DP:4)DP.
[ENDPOINT]
Wound bearer
(5-track cd)
Behind this American solo-project is
Mark Riddick (member of The Soil Bleeds Black). The guy was looking for
something different to express his emotions and therefor he set up the
dark-electro project named Endpoint. The music sounds a bit out of time, but
the main thing I don't like is the heavily distorted vocals. It's not bad, but
there's really nothing enlightening here! Endpoint, 3308 Stone Heather Court,
Herndon, VA 20171, USA. (DP:5)DP.
[EX NIHILO]
Maladie mentale
(13-track demo)
It's not very often that we get the opportunity
to discover bands from Switzerland. Ex Nihilo has been totally unknown for me,
but I think there's a chance that I'm gone keep the name in mind. The first
tracks of this demo really surprised me for the original way floating electro
tones and distant whispering vocals in French language melt together in a very
cohesive composition, which reminds me of the early work of Lassigue Bendthaus.
"Ave Tenebrae" is a masterpiece. It's just a pity that we've already
had the highlight of this demo. The more you enter the universe of
"Maladie mentale",the more the work becomes simple, finally
stagnating in cold ambient electro cuts. It's not that bad, but it means
nothing in comparison with the potential this project illustrates on a few
pieces. Ex
Nihilo/Laine Gebel, Autrichiens 12, 1470 Estavayer-Le-Lac, Suisse. (DP:6)DP.
[FINAL SELECTION]
Antihero
(4-track cd)
The German duo Final Selection has
been busy for some years now, having released several demo's and being support
act of very famous bands like Evils Toy, Das Ich, Fortification 55 etc... Their
new demo shows very promising EBM-basis à la FLA mixed with moody string parts.
The first pieces are quite auspicious, revealing a certain maturity. Anyway,
there's nothing exceptional, but enough reasons to keep an eye on what's coming
next! Ricardo Schulz, Pausaer Str. 123, 08525 Plauen, Germany. (DP:7)DP.
[HALF-LIFE]
Foretaste
(3-track cd)
This young German project tries to
re-explore the electro-industrial fields. It's close to a mixture of early
Lescure 13 together with Stin Scatzor and other bands in the same improvised
distorted style. I'm afraid Half-Life haven’t found holy ground here... just
old-fashioned and less exciting territories! Stefan
Fischer, Winzlerstr. 3, 88527 Unlingen, Germany.
(DP:5)DP.
[HAUT}
Demo VI.O
(5-track cd)
Haut consist of 2 experienced
artists hailing from California. They set up Haut to create a very personal
style of synth-pop. Well, the least I can say is that they sound indeed very
different from the norm. I get the feeling of hearing dark-electro freaks in a
poppy day. There isn't the usual catchy and melodious aspect we're used to
hearing, but a certain dark atmosphere that hangs in the background. The idea
isn't bad at all, but the production needs some more refinement and catchy
ingredients! Tony Williams, 2509 S Str. #1, Sacramento, CA 95816, USA.
(DP:6)DP.
[IMMUNOLOGY]
Demo
(7-track cd)
We already got a few cool bands from
Czech. Immunology would have been a great one some years ago now, but their
old-fashioned EBM suffers form the weight of time. They hold on the good old
basis of EBM, but avoid most refreshing elements. The last track
"Divine" is the exception to the rule for being abit more
poppy-minded and evoking the eighties synth-pop genre. Nothing groundbreaking!
Krystof Peterka, Krakovska 10, 11000 Praha 1, Czech. (DP:5)DP.
[IVORY FREQUENCY]
Demo
(7-track cd)
A new star is maybe born?! Ivory
Frequency deliversan outstanding demo which simply doesn't appear as an
ordinary demo! The electro structures sound like the mixture of pure,
intelligent contemporary body acts like VNVNation and Covenant and the more
intelligent and refined work of Haujobb. The sound is powerful while the
carrying melody lines inject an extra pop element. The first 3 songs have been
recorded as a mix and that's a pretty cool idea, just to quickly present the
content of the demo. It sounds like a long during danceable-EBM cut. The next
piece is a sort of extra song with tones à la Haujobb. Last, but not least, the
last three songs are the complete versions of the opening mix. "Today is
the day" and especially "Strangest callings" are smashing
dancefloor killers. The sound is achieved and composed with an amazing artistic
touch that only very talented formations are able to create! It would be a
shame if this band doesn't get the recognition it deserves! Simply great!
(DP:9)DP.
[KLANG ABSTRAKT]
Memories
(3-track cd)
Hailing from Berlin, Klang Abstrakt deals
with an enlightening amalgam of dark electronics and vague classical
influences. "Memories" is an instrumental piece while the female
vocal parts support their latest work. That for sure brings a bit more life
into the composition, but this still isn't an easy listening piece ofmusic. Ricardo Zimmermann, Thiemannstr. 18, 12055 Berlin, Germany. (DP:6)DP.
[LEDERER]
Against Me
(5-track cd)
Here
is a new name in the synthpop world.
Very concerned about their visual aspect trying to picture models in the
vein of what Silke Bischoff did some years ago. This band also manage to make their contribution to this
style of music using a slightly dance approach with some pumping beats mixed
with the usual eighties synth sounds and a very pleasant male voice sounding
like the soft part of Syntec, “Against Me”, “Waste Me”, without forgetting a
kind romantic minimal but effective territory “Loving Feeling”. One last remark: their good Celebrate
The Nun cover “Will You Be There”.
A promising release. Dirk Kienast, Im Ahlen 1, 56237 Breitenau, Germany. (CX:7/8) CX
{LYRIC]
Parasite
(9-track cd)
This is the third demo for the French
solo-project Lyric. I've discovered an artist who explores the fusion of
electro and heavier guitar parts. The electro side moves from pure electro and
acid bleeps to darker fields in the gothic vein. It's not bad at all, but I've
the impression that I've heard it hundred times before. The last track
"Fou (part 2)" is the only real interesting piece for the triphoplike
cadence. Nothing exceptional at all! Lyric, 8 Quai Jean Moulin, 69001 Lyon, France. (DP:5)DP.
[NOCTURNAL FEARS]
Trax of ninety nine
(7-track cd Association
Inner Quest)
Nocturnal Fears are from the North
part of France and seem to have a good reputation there. They've been busy for
several years now, releasing several demos and getting a solid live-reputation.
The basis of their work is strongly influenced by metal music, but throughout
the years they have experimented with modern technology, creatinga kind of
cross-over between metal, industrial and electro. The result isn't really
comparable, but isn't yet that refreshing. The production is probably too
metal-minded for the electro and industrial adepts, but some of our readers
will be maybe incitedto discover the duo. Association Inner Quest, 4 Rue M. Bastié, 59130
Lambersart, France. (DP:5)DP.
[Om fx Skole]
(5-track demo)
Music
for piercing your genitalia? Shawn Vokal and Akhil Sompura once again drag the
listener through hypnotic shards of downtempo sonic shrapnel on their new demo.
The opening track clocks in at just over ten minutes, and its pulsing,
pitter-patter beat and droning hollow screeches will lock your mind aboard
Willy Wonka’s train ride through hell. The remaining tracks scrape, sweep,
crunch, grind and slide their way through the psyche with relentless fervor. Om
fx Skole boast a computer free approach in recording their soundscapes, which
in itself is quite unique in today’s electronic scene. There are three bonus
tracks, all of which are Devo covers but none of which bear any noticeable
resemblance to the actual Devo recordings. Most likely an acquired taste, Om fx
Skole’s music requires active listening to be appreciated. Be sure and play
this one loud enough to punish the neighbors! (KMR 6/7)KMR.
[PASSAGE 29]
Supply > Demand
(5-track cd)
I'd
never heard of this Belgian solo-project before, but the least I can say is
that I was positively surprised! The influences are coming from the body scene
and have been mixed together with some more danceable aspects. The percussion
is close to some kind of triphop which bring another source of inspiration and
at the same time a fresh and modern approach of electronics. The 3 first
compositions are really cool and seem to be an intelligent form of composing.
The whole demo remains instrumental, but it never sounds as being a problem.
Let's say that some whispering vocals could have been a bonus, but for so far,
Passage 29 sound like one of the most recommended new-coming bands on the
Belgian floor! psgxxix@theglobe.com (DP:7/8)DP.
[REASON COMES RUNNING]
Darkroom Unity
(5-track cd A Voodoo
Manner Product)
This
American duo take us back in time with a strong new-wave basis as a main
influence. The female vocalist reminds me of the cold and depressed expression
of A. Clark. Just pay some attention for "Track 33" and
"Daylight" to get those old phantoms alive... but RCR also tries to
add a more personal touch with a nineties flavour which results in a more poppy
element. First of all it's a well-done fusion between eighties and nineties.
Nothing really new, but interesting enough to check out! (DP:7)DP.
http://geocities.com/darkmage_the_fixer/rcr.html
[REWIRE]
Eclectric
(11-track demo)
Rewire is a brand-new Californian
duo set up by Chad Bishop (lead singer of Idiot Stare and still member of STG).
Rewire has an extremely powerful sound, but the main thing to mention is the
professional sound-production. It's clear that they aren’t amateurs at all, but
professional, experienced and trained musicians. The music is a homogenous
entity between modern electro structures where EBM, techno and acid are
constantly crossing each other and devastating guitar riffs. You may call it
cross-over, but Rewire go a step further than just taking care to marry electro
and guitar together. They dare to innovate by the input of numerous
contemporary and avant-garde ideas. The maturity and knowledge can be heard in
the way they control the whole composition. Rewire never attempts to lose
control and go down in extreme loud and anarchistic structures, but seems to
take a kind of break by a few, intelligent and more softer pieces where an
unexpected melodious side in the wa!!y of singing appears. There's really a
lotto say about this demo and... also a few weaker points like the last tracks
which suffer from a certain lack of inspiration. Anyway, it would be a shame if
this band doesn't find a record-deal! It's been too long since I've heard such
an outstanding demo-work! Congratulations and good luck guys, your sound is
terrific! Rewire, PO Box 800216, Valencia, CA 91355, USA. (DP:9)DP.
[THE SCARLET FIX]
Lust, disdain and
melancholy
(5-track cd)
The Scarlet Fix rose up from the
ashes of Meridian, a British band that has been often compared to the Sisters
Of Mercy. The dark, melodious gothic mood of their demo reminds me of Malaise,
which also has been often compared to the same Sisters... I hear a very mature band
with a strong potential. I refer to the great "Delirium"-song (also
remixed in a more electro-minded direction). I think they're able to make the
big step... getting a deal on a good company! (DP:7/8)DP.
[SECLUDED PLACE]
Trembling with fever
(5-track demo)
There's no surprise here and I'm
afraid less to say. The duo is hailing from Sweden and are involved in
synth-pop. The vocal parts are quite acceptable, reminding me of Depeche Mode.
The music sounds a little bit melancholic, but suffers from a certain lack of
detail. It all sounds abit too predictable! Secluded Place, Vretensvägen 2c,
15257 Södertälje, Sweden. (DP:4)DP.
[SELF DELUSION]
Demo
(6-track cd Vamp Slam)
Hailing from Barcelona, Self
Delusion show us the Spanish interpretation of synth-pop. It's not that
different with the German or Swedish way (just to take both countries as
prime-ambassadors of the style) which means that Self Delusion composes very
respectable music. Indeed, the composition is meant to be a bridge between the
old eighties influences and the current synth-pop and in this way, the
elaboration is quite successful. There's nothing really innovative, but one
major point hurts! The vocalist doesn't sound really captivating and that's an
essential element for this kind of music. That's for sure the point on which
they'll want to work in the future! Vamp Slam, Av. Rep. Argentina 190 ext.
08023 Barcelona, Spain. (DP:6)DP.
[THE SEPIA]
Demo
(5-track demo)
The U.K-based The Sepia have already
completed several notable projects like the mastering and remastering of some
M. Almond albums! Well, with all the respect I should show for such work, I get
more than disappointed about their demo! It's a fusion of classical EBM-bass
lines with ambient melodious parts and vague vocal intrusions. There's
absolutely nothing groundbreaking and I'm afraid this demo will not increase
their popularity! The Sepia, PO Box 4 RX, London W1A 4RX, UK. (DP:5)DP.
[SIDILARSEN]
Emotion numérique
(autoproduction)
These
5 frenchies have grown with Industrial and Metal music. In 99, they have
released 2 self-produced ep’s. Today, these 3 new tracks still mix heavy
guitars with shy electronic elements. And when the band speaks of “neo dance
metal”, we’re allowed to show some scepticism. « Ascendance » opens on very
heavy guitars, reminiscent of Sepultura, which also goes for vocals (sung in
french), when it’s not saturated. With the title track that follows, we think
to the cretinous band Silmarils. Because, if the ideas are meant to be
intelligent, there is no highlight to be found. Musically, the mix is painful.
These guys don’t really lack of talent, but the big Metal influence and the
unoriginal vocals really don’t fit to the term “neo” used to describe their
music. sidilarsen.courrier@freesbee.fr (OM:5) OM.
[SIN-X]
Demo
(4-track
cd C.O.S. Productions)
This demo has been delivered in a
box, and that for sure differentiates Sin-X from other demo bands. The music is
a artistic entity with which different influences are living together in
perfect harmony. The melancholic ballads reflect a certain gothic style, but
there's also a strong symphonic element and a vague poppy influence in the
background. The female vocal parts of Christine Höhn are another essential
aspect of Sin-X. These songs are quite mature, but for some reasons I'm missing
the little detail that makes the band being really essential! Christine Höhn, Giessener Str. 19, 35463 Fernwald, Germany. (DP:7)DP.
[SKIN DISEASE]
Demo
(5-track
cd Angel Productions)
Norway has already delivered some
very famous body formations (Apoptygma Berzerk and Icon Of Coil being the most
famous ones). I'm not sure if Skin Disease will reach the same level of
popularity as their compatriots, but you never know... Their music is
constructed with heavy body-bass lines, blended with synth-pop tones while the
distorted vocal parts are done in a more whispering way. There's nothing
exceptional for the moment! (DP:6)DP.
[SUB-DIVISION]
Possessions
(4-track
cd)
The debut-demo of this brand-new
French duo deserves some recognition for the outstanding quality of the
production! It's not that often that a young band focus on the quality and not
on the quantity... Their style is hard to describe! Cross-over is for sure the
most approximate definition, but there's too much input to hold on that layer!
Sub-Division try to intermix electro structures with guitar parts in the purest
wave style with a kind of industrial atmosphere. The sound is extremely muscled
while the vocal parts are the weakest element for being less powerful. It's not
my cup of tea, but I have to admit that this band will find a listening
audience! Sub-Division,
56 Rue de le Seillonne, 31850 Montrabe, France. (DP:6/7)DP.
[SUENO DE LUNA]
Azul
futuro
(8-track
cd Mundo Nuevo)
This Mexican combo combines very
diversified styles like electro, gothic, ambient and ritual with each other. The
detail of their compositions is remarkable, but it's just a pity that the
female vocalist is really not good! The tracks on which she's active as
lead-vocalist are totally out of tune which seriously discredit the music. I
guess she must have other advantages..., but if Sueno De Luna have some
ambition, they should seriously improve this weak element!
[SYNCRO]
Hole/So
empty (2-track cd)
Syncro is a solo-project that features
a female vocalist. The dark electro music sounds less inspired and suffers from
a lack of complexity. I know, 2 songs is insufficient to get a very objective
point of view, but we're miles away from a very successful release! Syncro,
Avda. Carrero Blanco, 14-b, 5°c, 41011 Sevilla, Spain. (DP:3)DP.
[SYNTHETIC DREAM FOUNDATION]
Translations
from the heart (11-track cd)
This solo-project affirms to have a
large fan base in Florida and that things are moving positively in Oklahoma,
but personally, I've some doubts about the influence on the European market.
I’ll recognise that I like the idea to combine classical influences together
with more pop and gothic styles, but I wasn't fascinated with one single track.
I'm missing a few elements that would convince me to pay a bit more attention
for this demo! Brett Branning, 743 Debarr apt. 5, Norman, OK 73071, USA
(DP:4)DP.