Someone told me they were going to have a rest from creating music. They so lied!!! STAHLSCHLAG released in February, the EP Avalanche. German, Sebastian Sünkler has been busy, tinkering up a storm and he even brought along some friends for the ride.
“Mental Machines” is a bit of a treat because you get to hear the man himself, Sünkler, providing the vocals in this track of amalgamated power noise and techno. The machine, through Sünkler, speaks to you in its metal voice about loss of control, slamming against the electronic cage.
Non-Bio’sHoward Gardner is the guest vocalist/lyricist on ” Do You Think?“. Grand internal reverberations punch around Gardner’s monologue, threatening to overwhelm and consume.
There is yet another guest vocalist/lyricist on the track, “Before I Was Broken” in the form of Kimberley of Bow Ever Down. With a slower and more synth lead sound, Kimberley’s singing flows above the spike barbed beats that attempt to puncture the sincerity of the vocals, telling of a time of happiness that no longer exists.
The final track is the instrumental “Burn“. The glitching and crunchy rhythm is over laid with an eerily tinkling keyboard, like the embers starting to ignite, fuelled by the music and taking hold. It can’t be stopped as it hungrily bursts forth, those synth lines feeding into the blaze.
Honestly, I don’t think Sebastian can help himself, and the winner is us, the listeners. Each time he puts out new music, you hear him changing things up or reinventing his sound, plus having great vocalists is just the cherry on top. Maybe Avalanche refers to the onslaught of rhythmic noise, but I like to think it’s because STAHLSCHLAG is just like a force of nature.
Ner/Ogris is a fairly new project from Germany, but you have more than likely heard of the two guys involved. There is vocalist tinoC from Amnistia and kaiN of Les Berrtas, who is the keyboard player and composer. Their first album, I Am The Shadow, I Am The Light, is full of electronic beats, deep and powerful synths, and raw vocals, released at the end of February on the label Dependant. The guys were gracious enough to talk to us about the album, how it came together, their influences and their shared admiration of Anthony Rother (you lucky lucky man).
Welcome kaiN and tinoC of Ner\Ogris, to Onyx where everything is in balance, which is why we co-ordinate in black.
Neither of you are new to the electronic scene, so what inspired you to create this new project Ner\Ogris?
Ner\Ogris: kaiN had the plan to release a instrumental album under the name NER\OGRIS and sent almost all the to the guys behind AMNISTIA to get some feedback. tinoC had the idea to add vocals to one of the tracks. When kaiN heard the demo he was like “maybe you can give this treatment to some more tracks?”. After about two or three weeks we had 6 tracks ready and it was obvious that we can not name this child a “featuring”… the rest is history.
How do you feel the German dark alternative scene has impacted on how you create music now and what style of music feeds your creative juices?
tinoC: I am in the scene for a long time and I am happy that I can call a some great musicians my friends. I really like the dark music scene and I listen to a lot of old and new music. I don’t like every release of course – that would be crazy, but I know what is going on in the scene and I have my influences there. I try to use my voice in different styles and very likely you can hear this in some of the songs.
kaiN: I was lucky enough to have grown up in this scene. With my other band (Les Berrtas) we had a great time in the early 90s with bands like CalvaYNada or Liederkranz with whom we played some concerts. I can still remember the first EBM nights in Frankfurt. Of course, that left its mark and has continued to this day. Today I think it’s great that younger bands like 2nd Face are taking up this niche again. Even if there are still only a few and the rest are getting older…
Your debut album is titled “I Am The Shadow – I Am The Light” which speaks of duality, for there is no light without darkness. Can you tell us a bit more about the album?
Ner\Ogris: It’s all about contrasts – noise and silence, harsh and soft, instrumental- and vocal tracks. We think the most interesting fact about the album is, that it was not planed. It “appeared” out of the nothing in a very spontaneous way. The music is still like it was before there were words or vocals. We did not change anything on it. It felt right to add the vocals to the tracks. kaiN said on day that the tracks finally made sense with vocals on it.
There are some big beats on the album and contrasts between the synths and vocals in line with the title. Was this conscientious at the time or it was just the way it all came together?
Ner\Ogris: As we mentioned… the music was there and is still like it was. The words and vocals followed the music and they came together very fast.
Do you have any tracks off the album that are particularly your favourites and why?
tinoC: My favourite instrumental tracks are “Pájaro” and “Fiebre Oscura”. “Deepest Fear” and “Reality & Fiction” are my favorites among the vocal tracks.
kaiN: Hard to say … All the songs have somehow been around for so long … Maybe “deepest Fear”, because Vincent from 2nd Face gave the song a phenomenal climax with his co-production. Or Reality & Fiction because of its danceability. But definitely “Faith” from the bonus CD – because TinoC performs awesome vocals to the song.
Do you find working together has brought out relationship that pushes you both to go further?
tinoC: That’s a good question. We will see what happens in the future. At the moment we only know what can happen when I add vocals to finished tracks that were not planned to release with vocals on it. I’m really looking forward to new tracks because I’m sure KaiN’s compositional habits will change a bit when he knows he’s working on a track that will have vocals finally. I really hope he will not lose his craziness for the music because there are parts in the tracks that are crazy and I think that’s great.
kaiN: Yes, we will see what the future brings. TinoC can also write good songs, as he has already proven with TC75 and Amnistia. It’s exciting for me in any case and I’m looking forward to no longer being solely responsible for the music.
How does it feel to be compared musically to fellow Germans, X MARKS THE PEDWALK, circa early 90s?
tinoC: To be honest… I am a big fan of XMTP. I personally think that tracks like “Cenothaph” or “Never Dare To Ask” are some of the greatest tunes of the scene. But I do not see any similarities between NER\ORGIS and XMTP beside the fact that we both are electronic bands. But it’s nice and an honor to know that other people feel that way.
kaiN: I agree with tinoC. I’ve known XMTP since the 90s and they have had a strong influence on the German dark electro scene. It is not the worst thing to be compared with XMTP!
If you could pick any electronic artists (alive or dead) to do guest remixes of the album, who would you pick?
tinoC: Good question! Thinking big is good 😉 I would like to hear Anthony Rother and Trent Reznor remixes from our tracks 😉
kaiN: Anthony Rother is a good choice 🙂 But I would actually be interested to hear what the album would sound like if it had been produced by Rick Rubin.9.
What is in the future for Ner\Ogris?
Ner\Ogris: The album has only been out since February 24th, so there is no new release in the near future but we have some confirmed live dates. We will share them when they are ready for the public. We want to see you all at one of the events and maybe have a chat there.
Infacted Recordings released on the 24th of March, the new single “Already Dead“, a combined effort from TEKNOVORE (Greece) & J:dead (UK).
The beats when they kick in are like a heart in the midst of going into tachycardia, racing it feels at a hundred miles an hour. Psytrance bombastic swirling synths combine with J:dead’s vocals going from sweet to ramping up the fucking gravity with his trademark growling.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any bigger, they smack you up the side of the head with the FabrikC remix that literally stomps. Jay Taylor is definitely not dead, with the screams being ripped from his body as the music slams into the realm of harder industrial.
And for good measure, they have The SaintPaul remix, heavy techno with scintillating synths, that lifts the track into a futuristic realm, spinning you until you are dizzy.
Wow. Just wow. If you tell me you are bored listening to “Already Dead” three times in a row, I think we might have to pronounce you, dear listener, as D.O.A…. an ex parrot pining for the fjords. It’s bloody amazing. The guys, TEKNOVORE and J: Dead, have smashed this and kudos to the remixers for their superb skills. It kicks arse and like a drug, you’ll be coming back for more.
What or who is Devil Machine? Apparently, from California, with key members who are heavily influenced by black metal over all, incorporating it with industrial electronic and smashing it with gabber…….which brings us to the debut album, also named Devil Machine. So now you know as much as I do.
Just reaching into this album’s first track “Pandemonia Promenade“, there is this huge whirlwind of massive thumping gabber beats and industrial synths, fused with something that sounds a lot like that huge Dimmu Borgir black metal verbosity.
“Sneering Glitch” is like a dark runaway train crashing through at times, never stopping its starlit flight, and I can say that this instrumental album is very much like this on every track….though this is no way means every track sounds the same. Each instrumental piece has its own voice in a way, like “Insurgent Void” and the screaming guitar solo that begins it, balancing between space odyssey and metal anthem. You can go into dance overdrive with “Babylonian Whores” or enjoy the grandiose dirge of the title track, “Devil Machine“.
If you like black metal, gabber dance music or industrial, Devil Machine is going to have tracks you really like or you are going to adore the whole thing. The devil is in the detail and the Devil Machine is pumping out Satan’s futuristic chamber music.
Mmmmm, from somewhere in New South Wales, there is a man called Dan, though he might be an alien, however, still Australian (actually he’s from West Wyalong, which I had to look up to see where is was). Now Dan has a noise project called DEATHCOMET,and the most current release is DEATHCOMET 14…. yarp, so there is a lot more of where that comes from.
Like all noise music, a lot of this is going to feel like it’s shredding your ears off and brutalising all your senses all at the same time. It tastes of metal, prickles the skin, and smells of sulphur as we journey with the DEATHCOMET, while he decimates pedals “and flangers to kill“.
Even in these buzzing, throbbing, and most possibly sanguinary soundscapes, you can hear bleeding through vignettes of tunes in the miasma if you listen carefully. The final track, “in the lair of the satanic worms” brings the album full circle.
Honestly, who does not love satanic worms, skulls, and aliens?! To quote the man himself….
‘DEATHCOMET plays unholy space metal exclusively – cosmic sonic terror via electric guitar and fx pedals – “it’s like being probed in both ears by aliens with power drills!“‘
Really could say much better myself other than saying death by pedal… wwwoooaaahh! DEATHCOMET 14 is here, and your ears are not safe, but then that’s half the fun and amazing industrial noise all done on guitar.
Seems those guys from The Drood have a new single with video called “Hallow” out on the label eMERGENCY heARTS. Join me in listening to the experimental, dulcet and alternative tones on offer with the extra joy of a video!!
You are entering the zone of The Drood, so don’t adjust the horizontal or vertical because this is where sounds of the electronics takes on a life of their own. A psychedelic trip into a world lived, perhaps online, where humans look for attention and adulation, as if their existence depends on it. There are trap like rhythms mixed with a slow burn reverse tape feel. Even more fun with the music video, so check out the trippy “Hallow” from The Drood.
It was announced En Esch (ex-KMFDM, Pigface, Mona Mur/En Esch) has signed to the label GIVE/TAKE and that the first single “Push” which is off the soon to be released solo album, after a seven year break. En Esch (main vocals, programming, piano, acoustic drums) is joined by Gabriel Lennox (male vocals, programming) of Seraph Sin, Erica Dilanjian (female vocals) of Lords OfAcid and Raymond Watts (additional male vocals) of Pig and also ex-KMFDM fame.
The groove is infectious and Esch’s vocals, guttural low bring you into a a track that has all the hallmarks of a old school favourite. The flow is almost funky and yet there is a serious side to “Push” about the people in the background that work tirelessly, never recognized for their contributions and often push further out of view. There is also the “Push (KPT Further Mix)” .with Joshua Lexvold (remixing, additional synth, programming) and JQ Lexvold (guitar). Stripped back, bleaker and more apocalyptic…. but oh my goodness, the end vocals are to die for!
Went you listen to these musicians, that have so much experience under their belts, there is the realization that they gel so well together and this track is full of simmering tension, tempered with beats. En Esch is going to “Push” you to the dance floor.
[gelöscht], more or less means ‘erased‘ in German, and it is also the debut industrial harsh noise album for VERFÜHRERVERGELTER, also known as David Munster. The album has been released digitally on the label Produkt 42 and as a self release on tape.
Now here’s the challenge…. every track on the album is called [gelöscht] except for “Intro“. I’ll let that sink in. It is slightly terrifying territory for a reviewer where the only difference is the timing of each track.
Sooooo, this is a completely instrumental album, and I think it would be an injustice to break it down, so I’m going to give you the overall gist. My thinking is that if all the tracks are called [gelöscht], then this should be listened to in one sitting.
Whoever David Munster of VERFÜHRERVERGELTER is, they have come from the black metal scene it feels like. That aspect is like a morass of inky darkness that swirls under all, constantly threatening to take over and devour all light, yet never succeeds. The electronics are the most vocal, often glitching with static. They can be like starlight one moment and be screaming blue murder the next.
There are huge soundscapes that want to swallow you whole with their vastness as they drone on. Others are claustrophobic, filing every space with noise, a horror movie. The electronics oscillate, quiver, and even sometimes bear down heavy, while the nightmarish beings in the aether converse with you in their own language.
On the Bandcamp page, VERFÜHRERVERGELTER is described as death industrial noise, which I think sums up his style quite well. People who like harsh industrial noise are going to appreciate the effort and mastery that has gone into the creation of this album. Just listening to this makes me think it would be pretty amazing to see live. VERFÜHRERVERGELTER is giving you [gelöscht], and if you don’t get it…. that’s okay as well.
German industrial project, Neon Insect released the album New Moscow Underground in 2019, and now Nils Sinatsch is back after a hiatus with new music in the form of the single “REWIRED“. The single is a continuation of a storyline that Nils has been forming since 2018, about New York, after World War III broke out in the 90s, where Russia now rules, causing human experimentation in cybernetics and subjugation of the people. All this has been further influenced and fuelled by the war in Ukraine.
The rumbling, clattering start up of the mechanisms as it lurches forward, gathering momentum. The rhythmic pounding is the resolve to no longer live as part of a machine that takes away their humanity while the soaring synths on high are almost symbolic of righteous change.
All the while, Nils‘ vocals speak of a crumbling power and that we, in the end, have self-determination and are not programmed robots. The sign of a good track is one that seems to finish all too soon, and “REWIRED” goes for just over three minutes, but you could swear it was a lot less. Neon Insect is bringing the heavy.
Here is an interesting curve ball. UK industrial musician MATT HART has released the single “TO THE CORE” in a remixed version by Daniel Graves of Aesthetic Perfection fame. The original single hails from the BELOW THE TERRA PT. 1 album, which is part of an epic opus about humans forced to flee underground by alien machine foes, intent on their demise.
Graves has a very distinctive voice and you cannot miss his dulcet industrial pop tones. You might think this is an easy breezy, pop til you drop dance number…..but you are only right to a point and have been lulled into a false sense of security, when it all drops the down for a bass beat heavy chorus. So you are on a roller-coaster between succulent sweet crooning and grating chanting as the big push goes on, to dig down to the hot core of the planet, with with a charged up dance track.
Will the humans survive the onslaught? That is for another release but I would be a fairly happy little human bean (being) hearing more collaborations between HART and Graves. The Aesthetic Perfection remix featuring Daniel Graves, has polished MATT HART’s gem, “TO THE CORE“, into a diamond.
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