German Trisol departees Sero.Overdose emerged from Alfa Matrix, with the teaser release "No Time For [Club] Silence". Now it's time for more silence, and silence can be a good thing. But when sporting synthpop at the level of Melotron ("Never"), Wolfsheim ("Hoffnung") and Apoptygma Berzerk ("Rain") why should one keep silent? A valid argument might be that there are a lot of modern influences here, but they do add their own touch to it all and in full, this album could not have been made by any of the above mentioned artists and offers something they don't.
The most appealing aspect of "No time for silence" is its soft-spoken, filled to the brink with emotion uncomplicated approach towards expression. This could have ended up a very shallow or pretentious album but a strong vocal performance and a very solid composition makes this an album that is enjoyable almost throughout. And for once, and this seems to become more and more rare, we're talking about a full album, 14 songs that lasts for more than an hour, quality and quantity. There are some lesser songs that actually bother me and make me think twice about this album that at its peaks is way up there. It could have been nice to see another instrumental track besides "Harmony", or some more songs in the vein of "Spirits", songs seem to separate themselves from the rest of the album a bit more. Summing up; this album, like most of the songs, grows. And by the looks of it, so will Sero.Overdose.

Shadows In the Dark have been lurking for quite a while, ever since the "Snuff Machinery" EP (or even the compilation Septic II) there's been a buzz, a lot of anticipation and eagerness to hear exactly what this Pride and Fall/Suicide Commando/Dioxyde-like outfit could do. "Stronghold" can do a lot of thing. Such as provide lots of listening pleasure, fill the dance floor and provide some basis for contemplation. Something that was quite nice to find was that all songs with vocals are commented upon in the booklet, some more explanatorily than others but it's nice to come across a booklet with at least some thought put into it.
Back to how it sounds. There's some Suicide Commando, some VNV Nation, at least in the instrumentals, and I hint some Dioxyde. Though they might not have listened to that during the writing process... I for one like [:SITD:] better than the latter works of previously mentioned artists as "Stronghold" show cases a much wider range of emotions and approaches to modern ebm and the concept of dance music than I think Suicide Commando for example has done in the past years. There's a complexity of subjects, intertwined, separate and diverse that's often lacking elsewhere.
It's a bit of a shame to pick favourites 'cause that implies leaving some out. I think the songs released as EPs are perhaps not the most noteworthy although, quite some time after hearing it for the first time, "Snuff Machinery" still throws sparks around it. "Lebensborn" is another fantastic song, as is the melodic "Rose-Coloured Skies" and the instrumental "2nd Death" that's built around a few samples and a rough distorted beat. [:SITD:] just might one of last year's most promising new-comers to the electro-industrial scene.

ANTICHRIST: These are great albuns. Have heard some samplers from both and ordered right away... Great stuff...

This might be a debut, but the members of Rotersand, Rasc, Gun and Krischan, all have a past in different projects. Rasc is a member of The Fair Sex, a band Gun have worked with, and they have both worked with 1am and Warm. Krischan has worked as a producer for different techno and electro constellations. With that given it should come as no surprise that this is a well produced and well sounding album. What surprises me however is how well the album blends together, not in a bad way, on the contrary, this is a varied album, not a collection of songs. From the first track to the last it has a certain flow, whereas the songs blend into the next one. And I have to admit, the first thing that struck me was how well produced it is, I guess you could say I couldn’t see the trees because of the forest the first time around.
However, now that I have been listening to the album a lot there are certain trees that stick out, for instance “The Fire” with its driving monotone bass line, as well as the cool anthem “Social Distortion”, where Sina of Psychobitch does a guest performance, which has been getting a lot of airtime at my place. There are a few more upbeat tracks worth mentioning here, but I’ll skip on to the slower “One Level Down”, which is a ballad complete with acoustic guitars and strings, it might sound a bit according to the manual, but I think it is a really nice track.
Finally, if you’re looking for an electronic dance album with good vocals, catchy choruses I truly, madly, deeply recommend you to get this one. And if you get intimidated by that description, thinking “this is another one of those boring futurepop albums” think again, it is not. It is so much more than that, but still there are some points at which it is just that.

ANTICHRIST: Bought this one too, but I was a little bit disappointed with it... They could have done better...

Spetsnaz are one of the bands that’s been on almost everybody’s lips for the last six months. All people knew of them was that they played old school EBM in the veins of Nitzer Ebb and DAF. When I first got it I played it a couple of times and the first thing that caught me was that vocalist Pontus Ståhlberg is a cloned Douglas McCarthy and the drummer Stefan Nilsson is the ditto of Bon Harris. In other words – it sounds almost identical to what Nitzer Ebb did on “That Total Age” back in 1987, and I am saying this in a very positive way! The members of Spetsnaz have been involved in other bands before and I know that they can make real music and not only the usual stomping machine-body that is represented on “Grand Design” and I believe that “Grand Design” is their tribute to the 80’s EBM-wave.
The first song, “Grand Design”, starts with a really hard and typical bass line and I really like what I hear. The thing is that I love it even more when Pontus opens his mouth and as I wrote earlier he sounds like Douglas McCarthy. What I really like about that kind of vocals is that it’s almost free from effects, and you hear no over distorted parts that can make your ear bleed at times because everybody uses them. Another song that I fell for is “Femme Fatale”. It’s got the typical, but speedy bass line and great lyrics about betrayal from the female ones. The worst song on the album, in that matter that it’s a straight copy of “Let Beauty Loose”, is “Outskirts of Eden”. I’m not saying that it’s a bad song, because it’s a killer live! But on the other hand I didn’t see any problems with them sounding like Nitzer Ebb earlier so maybe I should let it go.
If you’re new to EBM and would like to hear how EBM was made 15 years ago you should definitely get this album and I also think that you should support these guys. Another thing worth mentioning are Spetsnaz’s lyrics! It’s not the typical “[edited] electronic future, cyber, cold steel” etc, they range from love to hate, in a serious matter. “Foul Play” is a song that really got on my mind with the chorus “How can you smile at people you just cant stand”. The album is filled with these punch lines that normally never get out in daylight from bands like these.
This album shows that it’s still possible to make music with just drums, bass lines, some regular keyboard samples and a good vocalist.

The brand new eagerly expected third regular album from synth / electro-pop super-stars Colony 5 ! Including several of their soon-to-be dancefloor hits, ''Fixed'' delivers the solid C5 infectious sound of uptempo dancefloor beats, ultra-melodic catchy refrains and warm synth lines. Augmented by a polished and even more professional sound ''Fixed'' is sure to deliver one of the synthpop highlights of 2005 - includes the hit single ''Plastic World'', plus two accompanying videos.

http://www.contactmusic.com/new/home.nsf/webpages/goldfrappx01x04x03


follow the link at the bottom to:
http://mcms-delivery.virtuebroadcasting.com/deliverMedia.asp?id=9D747E88-7398-4931-AD0E-ADFE92C189BB

Out on April 4 is the Front Line Assembly rarities set "The Best of Cryogenic Studio". This 2CD includes electronic tracks by industrial legends Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber (aka Front Line Assembly) in their many incarnations. Included are archived recordings by FLA, Delerium, Synaesthesia, Noise Unit and more. Tracklist CD1: 1. Equilibrium 2. Tranmutation 3. Amorphous 4. Turmoil 5. Desert 6. Amnesia 7. Ambience 8. Paradise 9. The Drain 10. Alle Gegen Alles 11. Penance. Tracklist CD2: 1. Contact 2. Nova Man 3. Phenomena 4. Electronic Dream 5. Thread Dead 6. Erotic Anthology 7. The Flood 8. Floatation.

Andre Faria: sounds good

nobleheart: Thanx :)

I JUST WANT TO SAY I HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM SEVERAL DISCUSSION BOARDS,I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS HAPPENING...I THINK I AM BEING DISCRIMINATED BY SEVERAL MODERATORS AND BY FENCER HIMSELF,I DON'T KNOW WHO TO TALK TO ABOUT THIS,I KNOW THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS BOARD BUT I JUST WANT TO INFORM YOU PEOPLE ABOUT THIS PROCEDURE...ONE DAY IT MIGHT HAPPEN TO YOU!
THANKS...

ANTICHRIST: Not for nothing, but I think your name offends a lot of folks.

ANTICHRIST: I would also suggest a new keyboard.. due to the fact that you won't be able to explain to everyone that you are not meaning to YELL all the time..

and believe it or not.. your messages do come accross as being over bearing..

ANTICHRIST: I agree with the Mods.
Keep up the good work !!!!

Continuing the phenomenal rise of electro superstars Rotersand ( now signed to the German Dependent label ) brand new single "Exterminate Annihilate Destroy" continues the band's exploration of sophisticated lyrical themes and intelligent electro arrangements. Rotersand illustrate that music and current events can coincide without the results being too coarse or heavy-handed. With new single "Exterminate Annihilate Destroy" they provide an intriguing preview of new album "Welcome To Goodbye", due for release in June 2005.

JamesHird: WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT?YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON!
IF IT WAS YOU,YOU WOULDN'T BE SAYING THAT...

ANTICHRIST: Try softening your approach a bit. Might I suggest a new keyboard?
A lot of what you say makes sense but is lost in presentation, which some people might find a bit over powering. As for your name ~~ I have read worse!

lets get back on topic.

Adrian Hates returns with his best Diary Of Dreams album yet. I didn't really like the previous Diary Of Dreams recording Freak Perfume, but this Nigredo album is great.

While the Diary Of Dreams sound isn't really different here, it's definitely polished and refined taking all of the best elements from the past and putting them on one recording.

The music is created with electronic programming, nicely paced beats, dark dramatic melodies and some guitar. Adrian Hates sings deep and clear with a lot of power and passion. He's an emotional singer that unleashes his lyrics with true feeling.

There's a lot of variety on this album. There's a good mix of energetic songs, mid-tempo songs and dark ballads. Everything is masterfully created and structured with creative elements.

This is a really strong album from German electro-industrial act The Retrosic. While the :wumpscut: influences are still somewhat apparent, the band has definitely come into their own with this release. The only problem is that they forget what type of band they are a few times here.

The majority of music offered here is dark electro-industrial with menacing electronic programming, heavy beats, moody melodies, creepy sampling and angry growling thick German accented male vocals. All of the songs that sound like this are great. It's too bad that they don't make up the entire album.

There are four songs here that are out of place - "Elysium", "Passion (1st Sign)", "Sphere" and "Tears In The Rain". "Elysium" is a Middle Eastern chant song that sounds like something Delerium would create. "Passion (1st Sign)" is dark and somber with female chanting. "Sphere" is a light and upbeat EBM instrumental. And "Tears In The Rain" is a short spoken word track. These four tracks really mess up the album. They ruin the flow and make me want to listen to the album less.

I think bands should stick to a certain style throughout their recordings. If they have a desire to do drastically different sounding music, they should do it on a side project.

PS.THIS REVIEW DOESN'T REPORT MY FEELING ABOUT THIS MASTERPIECE...I THINK THIS RECORD IS ONE OF THE BEST RELEASES OF 2004 IN THE DARK ELECTRO-INDUSTRIAL GENRE,MUCH BETTER THAN WUMPSCUT RECENT ALBUMS!
ANTICRHIST

ANTICHRIST: I´ll see Diary of Dreams live on 9th April. But I suspect is going to be a very boring concert...

Their last albuns were awful...

Andre Faria: I BELIEVE YOU'VE SEEN WORSE!

anyone remember that?

sting "brought to my senses"

nobleheart: why do you ask?

The EP "Psychic Vampire", released in two versions last year, marked the first new output from Australian dark-wave band extraordinaries Ikon since their 2001 album "On The Edge Of Forever". This NEW 11 track version includes all the 8 tracks from the limited and DELETED digipak-EP but also the 3 EXCLUSIVE bonus-tracks "Sinister", "Evil Ways ( Remix )" and a brand new remix of the title track : "Psychic Vampire ( Angelspit Remix )". Allready a very danceable track "Psychic Vampire" is pushed towards even more club compatible realms with this new version from Australian electro band Angelspit. "Psychic Vampire" will be the only track from this EP to be included on brand new Ikon album "Destroying The World To Save It", scheduled for release in May 2005.

Electro - Industrialists Agonoize strike again with their fourth release "Evil Gets An Upgrade" : A pummeling 13 track ( 7 new songs, 5 remixes and 1 Video-Track ) extended maxi EP inferno of crashing, distorted beats, head-thumping sequencers and vocals that seems to have been spawned from the depths of hell...Combining the dark schizophrenia of the early Skinny Puppy releases, merged with the modern bulldozer sound of bands such as Suicide Commando and Hocico, Agonoize deliver an electronic thunderstorm that is sure to catapult them to the top reaches of the industrial scene with each song on "Evil Gets An Upgrade" a potential floor breaker that will control alternative club dance-floors. A fantastic return from this rising power-electro act !

gekrompen hoofd: I agree.

Yep. Police is cool. Sting s***s...

Wasn't Hand-solo in Star Wars?

red dragon: LOL...yup..

When is Dr Dre's 'Detox' album due out? Its listed on HMV as being released this month, but no track listings are there yet.

Die 5-track-maxi EXTERMINATE ANNIHILATE DESTROY
erscheint am 25.04.2005 auf dependent records.

Das komplette tracklisting der EXTERMINATE ANNIHILATE DESTROY maxi single:
1 exterminate annihilate destroy - reclubbed
2 last ship - rearranged
3 exterminate annihilate destroy - album cut
4 caustic greed
5 exterminate annihilate distort - renoized with config.sys.

Andre Faria: Happy little bunch aren't they?

Andre Faria:DIE WEIBCHEN SIND HERAUS AUF DER STRASSE!PASSEN SIE AUS DEN KÜHEN!PASSEN SIE VON DEN HUNDEN UND VON DEN AFFEN AUF !!!

ANTICHRIST: sorry, here is in english, and don´t care about those guys... :)

The 5-track-maxi-single EXTERMINATE
ANNIHILATE DESTROY
will be released in late April (04/25/2005) on dependent records.

The complete tracklisting of the EXTERMINATE ANNIHILATE DESTROY maxi single:

1 exterminate annihilate destroy - reclubbed
2 last ship - rearranged
3 exterminate annihilate destroy - album cut
4 caustic greed
5 exterminate annihilate distort - renoized with config.sys

THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL?GREAT ALBUM FROM NINE INCH NAILS!
RE-RELEASED IN SUPER AUDIO CD RECENTLY!

Duram Duram, play in Portugal, 21 of April

Duran Duran...

24th of May, not 21st of April...

Australian electro duo Novakill deliver the follow-up to their 2002 debut "Hard Tech For A Hard World". "Kill Everyone" builds up on the bands strengths, delivering a stronger, more focussed album : a fine mix of hard, strong dancefloor tracks and slower dark songs. Classic, hard EBM inspired by the halcyon days of the early 90's with hard production values, mixed and mastered especially for the dancefloor ! Bonus data components includes software synthesisers and desktop themes plus an amazing cover of Sisters of Mercy "Alice".

I was sent a free website at where you can hear a great song “Via Dolorosa” plus see a little movie (4 minutes).

I can really recommend it to everyone who loves music!

This is my card for Holy Friday!

I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did!
**Please put your speaker on**

Via Dolorosa

love, ~*Radiant*~

Tone it down please, ANTICHRIST or you'll find yourself out of here.

Quick on the heels of the largely successful Bone Peeler, Wumpscut has released Blondi, a six-track MCD as a pre-release to their forthcoming album Evoke, coming to stores April 4. Tracks include two songs and four remixes for a total of six tracks. Fans of Bone Peeler will find more attention to well-constructed synth patterns, enhanced by Rudy's unique talent for creating a sense of impending doom. “Rush” is well-paced, danceable a beat and engaging lyrics. The version by Dismantled is powerful and unyielding, while listeners will find Naked Beat's version to be slower and more atmospheric. Der Blutharsch finishes trio of “Rush” remixes with a heavy, guitar-laced edit. “Don't Go” is a fast-paced, longing duet with Jane M. The Eighty 64C mix takes a different direction and has the hint of an '80s euro dance mix element to it. Since its formation in 1991 by Rudy Ratzinger, :Wumpscut: has become synonymous with dark, hard-hitting dancefloor hits and this is no exception. Blondi is certain to join the increasing number of instant :Wumpscut: classics.