The release of the "Suicide Bombers" EP marks the official and strong return of the cult Danish electronic industrial artist Claus Larsen. It was in the early 90's when Leaether Strip rapidly established his position on the music map, reaching an unprecedented popularity in both the European and American electro scenes. While drawing on the powerful angst seen in other electro acts such as Front 242, Skinny Puppy and even Nine Inch Nails, Leaether Strip rapidly earned the reputation to carry a deeper message and meaning in his work through his very personal intense music and the often emotional, sometimes political dimension of his lyrics. On January 13th 2006, Leaether Strip celebrate its 18 years of existence and Claus Larsen has chosen that very special day to unleash his much anticipated new album aptly titled "After The Devastation". Although 5 years of silence almost killed him, it is by putting his pain into music, again, that Claus Larsen has managed to resurface from a deep depression to feel today stronger and more confident than ever before. Once mentally blocked, his inspiration flow was so intense over the last months that the new Leaether Strip album could be nothing else but a Double CD set. By far his most personal and open-hearted album ever, "After The Devastation" alternates from the very intimate to more political oriented songs. Both musically and vocally, Leaether Strip simply continues his unique sound tradition while expanding in more diverse ways than anything he's done before. The harsh aggressive EBM tone given by the "Suicide Bombers" EP finds new inspiration in punishing tracks such as the autobiographical "Back In Control", the adrenaline-pumping "Slam" and the corrosive "One Man's Gain - Another Man's Pain". Of course, Claus Larsen delivers the typical Leaether Strip anthems constructed around upbeat electronics, dark symphonic melodies and distorted vox on songs like the straight and engaged "Homophobia", "Give Us Some Shelter ( Katrina )" and "Gaza Strip - The March Of The Innocent". Claus Larsen also explores more melodic realms with very catchy dark themed tunes such as the emotional pearl "Dying Is Easy - Life Is Harder", "What If", a totally rewritten version of "Carry Me - 2006" and the challenging "A Boy". Being a Double-CD album also of course leaves enough space for more surprising experiments such as on the bombastic and splendid "The Shame Of A Nation", the electro-punk of "Happy Pills ( Gimme Gimme )", the symphonic "Inner Exploration", the electro-clash swagger of "Junkie Do" and the excellent "Smerte" which with its Danish lyrics and intricate arrangements evokes the ghost of bands such as Das Ich...

Through his career Leaether Strip has explored various music styles within the electronic genre and this is what he continues to do at his very best, offering what will rapidly be referred to as his most outstanding effort to date with enough force, anger and emotion to please all fans of edgy-soulful, dark and uplifting electronic music. Ultimately with "After The Devastation" Leaether Strip keeps his promise to his fans and returns for more electronic mayhem - proving once more that even though he has been copied by many over the years, he always remains the real deal - and a true leader when it comes to dark electro industrial music.