Last year, Matt Hart brought out the concept album Terra 3808, based on a post apocalyptic Earth where humanity scratches away, trying to just survive.
So in March, came the release of his new EP, Tales Of Terra: Triolith, which is a continuation of this storyline, as the last stragglers called The Outlaws in their struggle with the Machines, find a large three tower structure coined Triolith.
“Chaos Rising” throught to “Mechanical Dominion” are off previous releases, most now remixed by various artists and given a new lease of life.
The first number is the title track, “Triolith” and an alien voice rumbles forth to be accompanied by a beat as it rolls across the futuristic landscape. This is the single off the EP and it instantly gets your attention.
The song, “Requiem” has a wonderfully off kilter sense to it. Though not an overly fast number, it gives the impression of being relentless and constant. Xavier Swafford from 3Teeth is no stranger to the remix and you can tell.
“Chaos Rising” is the Nitronoiseremix which is about the survivors of apocalypse. Gritty and angry with power guitars in the chorus that builds this up. This isn’t a new remix but what the hell… it’s still bloody good and fits in well.
The dub of a club DJ is strong in “MechanicalDominion” (MXD_BLD remix). This power noise inspired piece just oozes with static as the machine rule and destroy all that does not fit the new world order.
There is a spooky remix of “Mercury Flow” by Witch Of The Vale and it’s low and smooth like quick silver and similar to the poison, it’s going to get under your skin.
MATT HART
Unlock the level “Chaos Achieved” (metalogueremix). Like repetitive fire comes the rhythm, thick and fast as if a massive metal colossus is whirring away with purpose and intent.
The remix by monomorte, is a lovely drone sludge in the second retelling of “Mechanical Dominion” and it sounds so completely different yet so perfect, finishes off this EP.
I am starting to wonder if Matt is, or ever has been a player of Warhammer 40K. It’s that style of enthusiastically enjoying putting together a story of light versus dark and humanity hanging on by a thread, becoming less human due to circumstance.
So far, it seems to be that the machines are going to extinguish the light of man and if a collapsing futuristic world of trauma with fabulous remixes is your bag, then you need to listen to Tales of Terra: Triolith and support Matt Hart so we can see how this all ends.
From the darkest rescesses of San Antonio, Texas, there was a predatory beat out on the street, as goth rockers, Saturday Nite Shockers in March, let loose the single, “Blessed Be” (which is not to be confused with The 69 Eyes, “Blessed Be“).
The very first cords take me back instantly to a guilty pleasure and remind me of that slightly goth and all glam Finnish band, Negative. This is an ode to darklings of the night and the brotherhood of being a part of a culture that isn’t always understood and often looked down on.
The vocals are clear and clean, the guitars sing and wail and the rhythm section throttles it forward.
This is the first song I have ever heard from Saturday Nite Shockers and it was far more melodic and not completely full on as I thought it was going to be which isn’t a bad thing as it shows depth. With a band name like that, I’m fairly sure they also like to melt your ear holes when in full swing.
SATURDAY NITE SHOCKERS
These guys aren’t on bandcamp, however you can find them on Spotify, iTunes etcetera or if you check out the YouTube link that will help you find out more information.
Not sure if they realize it but I think they might be channeling the Finnish goth rock scene because they have the more suave punchiness punk of The69 Eyes, who were influenced greatly by TheMisfits, with those wonderful guitar riffs so reminiscent of Negative plus the dark romanticism of HIM.
Check out Saturday Nite Shockers and their single, “Blessed Be” all you ghouls, lost boys, witches and rock’n’roll bitches.
Biomechanimal are a EDM/aggrotech/industrial group from London who released in February a new single, along side fellow London drum & bass musicians, Mechanical Vein, called “Waves“.
There are three versions of this song, so hold onto your hats because this is not a carousel ride.
The original single version is fabulously raw and angry. The bass line is turned right up and it’s an instant assault on your hearing. You can almost feel the hardstyle techno within.
Second version has been remixed by the Netherlands drum & bass duo, SinisterSouls. This is hard and fast aggrotech pure and simple with a mad EDM beat ripping it up. This is a great remix to hear on a dance floor and never lets up for a second until the fading end.
BIOMECHANIMAL
Third remix had been done by industrial master, Grendel. This is slower and starts off more like a rap number then the growled vocals, heavy guitars and almost metal blast beats kick it hard in the balls. And so, in an almost bipolar fashion, this track goes from one to the other but the industrial synths always remain true.
So three versions of “Waves” with the imput of four different artists definitely shows in how influences can vary the sound of each track. When all is said and done, it’s a banging number. “Waves” is about the ebb and flow of creativity but this song is a force of nature.
Norway…. land of Vikings, long dark days, extreme cold and musicians that wear hats, i.e. TommyOlssen. However we have other hat wearing musicians to talk about in the order of a band called, MayflowerMadame.
On the 27th of March, they released their follow-up album, PreparedForANightmare, released on OnlyLoversRecords. MayflowerMadame are a three piece, made up of TrondFagernes – vocals, guitars, bass, HÃ¥vardHaga– guitars and OlaJ. Kyrkjeeide – drums.
A kicking this whole album off is the title track, “PreparedFor A Nightmare“. What strikes me first off with laconic guitars that jangle away and I am transported to another time of bands such as Wall Of Voodoo and Concrete Blonde.
There are tinges of Fields of the Nephilim in “Vultures” which also happens to be the first single. The lead drawls like some dark, laid back, hellion cowboy, riding the wave of guitars chiming in over each other and a good beat which promises getting darklings on the floor.
A nice big bass line with psychedelic intonation brings you “Swallow“. No we ain’t talking about the birds here here either of you get what I’m putting down. Lovely vocals and this isn’t crass but rather artfully done.
“Ludwig Meidner” was a German artist, most memorable for his apocalyptic landscapes which were created before the devastation of the First World War, in which he served. Later he became a writer of unnatural stories and maybe this is the vibe of this number… that darkness that lurks within. Such a great chorus with lyrics like, ‘I wanna go, I wanna stay, I want desire, And I’ll be dancing on your grave…”.
A little dramatic and expressive with “NeverTurning(InTime)” as the lads give us the last thoughts before the ultimate journey which you can never come back from.
Moody, almost Cramps inspired guitar work with drumming that beautifully fits in throughout the sixth track. . “SacredCore” vocally also makes me think of WayneHussey and TheMission.
“TheNightBefore” is a tale of maybe not only having a partner die but the loss of an unborn child. This number is shorter but seems to meander with quieter harmonic vocals.
A slightly synth start to “Goldmine” although it doesn’t take much for the stringed instruments to come back with shoegaze swirls and that underlying guitar noise.
MAYFLOWER MADAME
Once, even fallen stars had “AFuturePromise” but can’t always live up to those expectations. This is dreamy and I love how it harkens back to a sound that reminds me of old guitar based ClanOfXymox.
The last track is “EndlessShimmer” and I can’t decide if this is a love song or a lament for what the vocalist can’t reach or have because of some inner flaw. A slow start that graduates with each word.
You can hear a multitude of influences though the biggest for me is that twangy insistent guitar led music of FieldsOfTheNephilim. Fagernes does not growl like McCoy but similarly, sinfully singing doomed nothings.
There are so many layers to this music and every time you listen, you will hear something you didn’t hear before within the swirling psychedelic eddies. MayflowerMadame has based itself on shoulders of wonderful past bands and then taken it to the next level, making this uniquely theirs.
PreparedForANightmare is going to appeal greatly to those who love guitar based music that is an inspired piece of gothic rock. An illuminated piece of beautiful darkness.
Previously we heard recently remixes from Australian and Russian duo of SiK aka CraigSaunders and Dima Ilyin, who make up Nova State Machine. We just had to let you know that on March the 24th, there was a third EP released called TCM RMXS-003 Drugs and Drums.
If you weren’t awake before you started listening you soon will be as SiK(Saunders) growls into your ear with a barrage of rhythm with “War Is A Drug– Ephedrine mix” by SEXGUN. This definitely reminds me of Ministry/RevoltingCocks both vocally and the melody syncopation.
For the rest of this EP you will be graced with the scintelating deep vocals of Dima. “Do or Die– BZP remix” by SEXGUN has a techno vibe and this feels like old style Front242/Nitzer Ebb, which is never a bad thing with that fast feverish pace.
Back to a previously remixed number, however it’s easy to see why someone would want to do another version of “Harsh Reality” as it is such a strong song. SiK brings RxSingular Obsession remix to bear down on your ears. He had made “HarshReality” sleek and clean while Dima’s distorted vocals rip through.
I get images of Judge Dredd, listening to “Total Control – MKUltra Mix” by FILTHmachine. It screams science fiction war games to me. Brutal vocals bellowing ‘total control, total control‘ and bouncy synths chirping in.
No Pain – Codeine Mix by nOvAsLuG who are the artists ToMsLuG from Vancouver and CraigSaunders, starts like a sound scape as it builds and swells. This becomes an industrial cacophony of noise. Dima sounds like he’s trying to convince himself he’s alright and yet it all reflects body or mind wounds.
Electronic burbles bring in “Destroy All Hope – krocodil mix” by Evil Against Evil. This starts off slow and dirty whilst it creaks and groans along. The minimalistic nature conveys the drudgery of a world bereft of all love, hope or joy.. just grey.
Most of this is not so much danceable but definitely more experimenting with the music at hand to see where it can be taken. Which is exactly what you need from a third part of a trilogy.
When all is said and done, this is another solid remix and there is everything to gain as this is pay what you want on Bandcamp. So be where the cool kids are before Nova State Machine unleash the next new album but for now lock and load some TCM RMXS-003 Drugs and Drums.
In 1999, Slovakia saw the birth of electro-industrial group, LastInfluenceOfBrain. This year has started off with the release of a new album, Insomnicons after a silence of almost ten years.
L.I.O.B. (LastInfluenceOfBrain) is made up of three members who are mysteriously only known as Blazena, Solo and…..Bob. Not much else is known about them other than they are in other projects. Their previous album was TwoFaces before their hiatus and they are featured on the Slovakian record label AlienProductions.
Last Influence Of Brain
“Twone” might be something you need. This goes from grinding vocals to bright and light synths which are a almost a contrast of dark and light. The beat continues to build and swell. This is just the beginning and it’s started well. In the Urban Dictionary, Twone is described as ‘a phrase that silences participants‘.
The second track, “Invasion/Introverted” just smacks of all the things that are best about LeætherStrip, punched out lyrics and a beat you can bounce to.
Demo version of Idolatry
This is a great song with its intensity and wonderful synth cascade that crashes down on you with “Idolatry“. It rivals the sound of FrontlineAssembly with the finesse of LeætherStrip.
“Binarea” is heavy and wanting to force the rhythm straight down your throat at the start. The beat at times almost resembles a machine gun going off. It’s like a lethal game show and where they are taking us no one knows.
Khonsu was the Egyptian god of the Moon, who was especially worshipped at the holy city of Thebes. “Khonsu Again On His Eternal Path” is about the journey this deity takes across the sky, bringing the tides, marking the seasons and future telling with foreboding signs. To reflect this the music does feel otherworldly, space like, consistently traveling.
As we discuss the Moon, we have the track “Sedimental (In The Mare Nubium)“. The Mare is within the Nubium crater which is on the visible side of the Moon. The staccato, grained vocals punctuate through the electronic noise. The Moon will reek it’s toll on the mental faculties.
Dark and forbidding is “Hypnosphere” made all the more so with a small child crying for mummy and then sounding like a demon from the darkest recesses of hell. This is reminiscent of SkinnyPuppy both vocally and musically.
There is a slightly experiemental to “Duality“. Purposeful and almost ambient as it winds itself into your brain. It is angst and beautiful all at the same time. This is emotional and poignant with so much depth.
Not sure what a moonster is but this is a “BrokenMoonster” and the dynamics between those heavy vocals and light synths make this very listenable. Possibly it’s due to the weaving harmonies you perceive, as delicate as spider webs.
Almost a busy hip hop feel to the beginning of “Necrotopia“. This loops back with an almost delicate rhythm that harkens back to SkinnyPuppy’s “Protest” . For a song about a nirvana for death, this is very much alive.
With that understated slower pace that L.I.O.B seem to be masters of, they are taking you away to the “E-Sylum“. They growl about pressure and progress as the music backs this up with it’s own version of expanding noise. Yet it is almost cool and distant.
“Twone” gets a remix by award winning industrial composer and producer Ken ‘Hiwatt’ Marshall which at the start is a tad creepy before finding a techno style beat. This is a great remix to tie up the album.
L.I.O.B are an anomaly. They sound traditional harsh industrial and yet they, in many ways are not. They obviously like to create atmosphere and this comes off as being almost dark ambient in its style.
This is a great come back album and if you are a fan of 90’s SkinnyPuppy and other older acts such as LeætherStrip and especially FrontlineAssembly then I can highly recommend Last Influence Of Brain and their newest creation, Insomnicons.
Adriana Martinez and Miguel Bastida are the Mexican duo that make up Deer Mx. The band met, formed in 2013 and reside in Hong Kong of all places and released the beginning of the year, the single, “There’sNoFuture” with a video clip.
The video itself is made up of news disaster and war footage, conveniently called the WWIII Version.
This song seems to deceive you into thinking it is a slow number and for the most part it does start out that way. Though slow to start off, it is persistent even with Martinez’s dulcet tones.
This reminds me of 4AD’s time with the CocteauTwins that offered dreamy vocals to get lost in. Add in a small dose of P.J.Harvey with SlowDive and that’s a pretty close estimation.
The music starts to crescendo and crashes inwards with synths and a guitar blazing away.
DEER MX
Every time I hear this piece, it grows more and more on me. Pop savvy with industrial rawness. Enjoy Deer Mx and ‘There’sNoFuture”
Konqistador released at the end of last year, the album Nafada. The band started back in 2005 and is a collaboration of Detroit musicians, ReginaldTiessen and ElizabethGraham as well as Sydney artist INfest8.
This latest album has a theme, in which Konqistador invited female hip hop artists to perform on their tracks, although they are more known for their industrial, gothic and electronic music. These women are as diverse in nationalities as they are in sound.
Kicking off is MedusaTn also known as Boutheina El Alouadi, from Tunisia with the single “Eden,Woman’sWar“, a powerful start. Not only does MedusaTn rap but her singing voice is beautiful and provocative, woven with the middle eastern traditional music and an industrial beat.
“Adrestia” by Moroccan artist, Soultana starts as a staccato monologue with backing synths that you feel building up and then the beats kick in and it becomes a whirlwind of sound. This is a great mixture of electro and vocals. A Greek warrior goddess, Adrestia punishes those who cause injustice.
Solemn beats bring in “Hamazam” and if I didn’t know any better, I would say MeryemSaci has a cheeky little smile on her face. Meryem is from Algeria singing in French and English. She is bold and sexy and makes the intricacy of this song work for her. It is about strong women that use their power, not for war but rather strengthening bonds of love and peace.
Fourth track is “Karitha” by Iranian, SalomeMC and featuring from Detroit, DJLos, a heavy weight in the hip hop/rap/beatboxing world, who does all the scratching on this song. Salome’s voice soars to the heights and yet will hold your attention even when at a whisper. This is why SalomeMC has been recognized not only as the first Iranian female rapper but perhaps one of the best in the world. For a song about the evil residing even in the best of intentions, it is such a gorgeous blend of industrial background with female sass.
Traditions can be safe and easy to follow but sometimes they are also meant to be broken and this is “Safiyya” by Moroccan songstress Soultana aka YoussraOukaf, who has been rapping since she was thirteen and a strong voice in advocating women’s rights. The music with her voice at the beginning reminds me of vast deserts and then unleashes the storm.
“Nafada” is the title track and the call rise up and rebel. Nafada means in Arabic tremor. MeryemSaci returns and is accompanied by Sultana who hails from Turkey and is yet another progressive female that championed hip hop in her country. It begins low and dark and the ladies voices are like a light, drawing you up. It feels ancient and yet it most definitely isn’t. Saci and Sultana compliment each other so well, whether they are rapping or singing.
“Sahar” literally means awakening in Arabic. This piece is based on an Iranian folk tune, Morq-e sahar and performed by MissUndastood of New York aka TavashaShannon. ‘My talent a gift and a curse’, when the eyes are opened to all possibility there is the realization of the double knife edge of going two ways… rising above or falling down. You can hear the influence of being brought up in America in Shannon’s style of rapping but this just brings a new facet to this story of traditional verses modern.
“Kahina” by MedusaTn is just epic. Such a big voice. Passionate hip hop bringing to life Kahlina, a queen and warrior of the Berber people. She is remembered with great fondness and kept alive in spirit as the invocation of the power women hold and that females should never be kept down or silenced because of their gender.
This could be a song SkinnyPuppy created when you hear the start. HanHan brings her native Filipino languages to “Visaya“. This is fresh and dynamic with synths chiming in. The Visaya are a people in a region of the Philippines but more so the song is about how we are far more similar than we are different.
I have to use the word powerful again because that is what this album is. I’m not in any way into hip hop and yet these women are inspirational in every way. They bring a beauty to the art of rapping and yet they are so much more than that.
They are mostly the voices of a female minority of the countries they represent and this makes them pioneers and bravely throwing light on the music they love. They are most worthy of being looked up to with much respect. Not just because they are originators of an art form in their homelands but rather for their conviction to never give up or give in.
INfest8, ReginaldTiessen and ElizabethGraham are the trio of writers that carefully crafted all the songs presented and you can hear the devotion to this project through the beautiful lyrics, as well as the fact each hip hop artist was able to inject their own influence into their track/s.
It’s an amazing cross cultural exploration and recorded mostly on two different continents, utilizing many different musical genre, mixed by INfest8 in Australia and mastered in the United States.
This is exotic and the Arabic/ middle eastern/ Filipino influences just push this into a different realm of wow. Social order, peace, solidarity and the support of women who can be the centre of change because music is the voice of change. This is Nafada by Konqistador….. hear the call.
PeteCrane might be a familiar name to some, as half of Australian band Shiv-r. March heralds the album that will be the premier solo release for Crane, called ThatAnnihilatedPlace, on German label, InfactedRecordings.
But before that, he has released a taster to tease our palates before the album in the form of (pre) single, “YouAreNotYourBody“.
There is an instantly a bass synth heavy start to “YouAreNotYourBody” and you find yourself starting to move in time to the rhythm… It combines a techno savvy rhythm with precision synth and electronics, that is delivered with industrial sledgehammer.
PETE CRANE
The second track, “Norilsk” is just full on joy. Bouncy and heavy all at the same time. If this doesn’t make you want to dance, then not even the devil could tempt you.
The Xotox remix of “YouAreNotYourBody” is a heavy industrial rhythmic version that starts to drill into your brain almost literally as well as figuratively.
MorisBlak does remixes that smack you up the side of the head and his interpretation is also of title track. It winds up to the spoken word and it is a sexy beast indeed.
Dkag remix off the album a track called “MessedUp” which has an awesome amount of high energy, which you kind of expect from guys who are club DJs, because they just want people to hit the floor.
Crane has on board some impressive talent so far to remix his music and the statement is “ThatAnnihilatedPlace” is a club album. So far this offering doesn’t disappoint and currently the way this music for “YouAreNotYourBody” is definitely having an effect on mine. Get your groove on and wiggle to this in anticipation of more to come.
There are four tracks on the album with the first three composed by Poetry OfThorns using sounds given to them by I, Eternal and vice versa for the last number.
“La Porte de Sortie” translates the The Exit Gate. This short piece is metallic and almost oppressive as it reveberates with its own self made rhythm. It is eerie in the insistence as if the Gate leads to some eternal doom.
“Ces pensÄ—es pyromanes” literally is These Arsonist Pens and again there is that hollow presence of ghostly design. This is delicate and almost other worldy with a french girl speaking a little in the back ground. Maybe the title eludes to how words can inflame hearts and minds.
“Echos intersections et Aubes” or Echoes intersections and Dawns reminds me of a radio trying to find the channel but not quite catching the signal. Dawn with seagulls wheeling in the grey early morning skies as they mournfully cry to each other, dropping from one wind draft only to be lifted by another, in the meeting of stale dark and new light.
This blood-colored desert or “Ce dÄ—sert couleur de sang” is the fourth and final track. This is noise building on noise but slowly and purposely, as you hear from within the distant storm odd snippets and echos. Like a sand filled, unbearably hot desert, it is relentless and has a life of its own and a near audible heartbeat. This experimental piece goes for a whopping twenty five minutes and twenty six seconds and has an almost trance like quality.
PoetryOfThorns‘ last album was produced by none other than goth – industrial legend, MartinBowes of Attrition, which means they have quite a bit street credability. Both these acts really seem to enjoy the collaboration and have a great respect for the other, it shows or rather it can be heard in the care they have taken.
Onyx Music Reviews 