Category Archives: Review

:Music Review: Skinner Box – Life is Chemistry (EP)

  By Justine | May 20, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Skinner Box – Life Is Chemistry (EP)
Release Date: March 1, 2013
Label: afmusic
Website: http://skinnerbox.webs.com

Review by: Mitchell Doucette

skinner box  While searching the great World Wide Web for information on the band Skinner Box, I learned what a skinner box actually is. It is a device used in behavioral psychology to record the actions of an animal within. Why am I saying this? Why should you care? Well, you should care because the concept of psychology and our screwed-up human minds is a big part of the lyrical content on Skinner Box’s new EP, Life is Chemistry. The album is short but what else would you expect from an EP? Is it worth twenty minutes of your time? Yes. (more…)

:Music Review: Skinny Puppy – Weapon

  By William | May 17, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Skinny Puppy – Weapon
Release Date: May 28, 2013
Label: Metropolis Records
Website: skinnypuppy.com

Review by: William Dashiell Hammett

510RbJelPQL._SY300_Skinny Puppy.

There, done.

It’s not like I really need to write anything else is it? If you’re reading this article and don’t know who Skinny Puppy is then you probably clicked the wrong link somewhere (in which case, be afraid, be very afraid). However, since you’re here I’ll assume you want to read something about the seminal Canadian electro-industrial progenitors and I guess it is sort of my job to provide that to justify my continued employment. (more…)

:Music Review: Depeche Mode – Delta Machine

  By Justine | May 16, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Depeche Mode – Delta Machine
Release Date: March 22, 2013
Label: Columbia
Website: www.depechemode.com

Review by: Zander Buel

DepecheModeDeltaMachine Artwork  It can’t be easy being Dave Gahan or Martin Gore. Even if you can ignore the history of drug use, the stigma of electronic music from the 80’s, or the general animosity Depeche Mode faces in both the U.S. and the U.K., you still have to deal with the fact that every album since 1993 has inevitably been placed under the same microscope that once examined the 1990 leviathan Violator, that landmark of dark alternative Euro-Dance Pop which featured classics such as “Enjoy the Silence” and “Personal Jesus.” Add to that the rabid bemoaning after Alan Wilder’s departure from the band in the mid-90’s, and it might seem from the outside looking in that any and all future endeavors are doomed. (more…)

:Music Review: Panic Lift – Is This Goodbye?

  By Justine | May 14, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Panic Lift – Is This Goodbye?
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Label: Metropolis Records
Website: paniclift.tumblr.com

Review by: Jaymie Burzette

Panic-Lift-Is-This-Goodbye-2012  Panic Lift, founded in 2006, is an Industrial band from Newark, New Jersey. Is This Goodbye? is their fourth release, and it is very different from what you would expect to hear from them. The vocals are no longer heavily distorted and their sound has changed from Harsh EBM/Electro-Industrial to Synthpop/EBM with elements of Industrial Metal and Trip-Hop. At first I was rather taken aback by this new sound and it took me about a week of listening to this album to warm up to it. After listening to the album multiple times, I began to appreciate the new sound and I found little details that I quite enjoyed, but there are still a few aspects of this album that bother me. (more…)

:Music Review: Army of the Universe – The Hipster Sacrifice

  By William | May 10, 2013 - 10:41 am | CD, Review
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Army of the Universe – The Hipster Sacrifice
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Label: Metropolis Records
Website: armyoftheuniverse.com

Review by: William Dashiell Hammett

tumblr_mjk331ksRl1rqvp5lo1_500I first encountered Army of the Universe in 2010 when their debut full-length album, Mother Ignorance, hit my in box. Of course I looked them up on the repository of all human knowledge-the internet-and found the video for their single Lovedead. To say I instantly fell in love would be a bit of an overstatement; however, I was decidedly intrigued. Enough so that I was gave their debut a good listen and was greatly impressed. Originally a trio composed of Trebla (a.k.a. DJ Albert Candiani), vocalist Lord K, and guitarist Davide Tavecchia, the Italian industrial rock group scored a coup with getting Chris Vrenna to produce their debut. Vrenna is now considered a full time member with their release of the group’s second album The Hipster Sacrifice. (more…)

:Music Review: Bella Lune – Secrets

  By Justine | May 9, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Bella Lune – Secrets
Release date: April 6, 2013
Label: Aetheria Music
Website: www.bellalune.net

Review by: Zander Buel

bella lune secrets  It would be easy to recycle the same old adjectives that fill the various coverage of Bella Lune—Phoenix’s renowned dreamy Darkwave act—over the years. With two albums full of synth-laced Goth and Darkwave, glittering with vocalist Fuchsia Angel’s airy falsettos and an electronic ambiance that echoes back to Clan of Xymox and Depeche Mode, waxing lyrical about their sound seems like it should be an easy accomplishment. (more…)

:Music Review: Mindless Self Indulgence – How I Learned to Stop Giving a Shit and Love Mindless Self Indulgence

  By Justine | May 7, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Mindless Self Indulgence – How I Learned to Stop Giving a Shit and Love Mindless Self Indulgence
Release Date: March 13, 2013
Label: Uppity Cracker
Website: www.MindlessSelfIndulgence.com

Review by Grant V. Ziegler

MSI.HowILearned  The musically unclassifiable hellraisers known as Mindless Self Indulgence have returned with another amped-up, genre-bending and hilarious album: How I Learned to Stop Giving a Shit and Love Mindless Self Indulgence. It has been a few years since their last release, but after a successful Kickstarter that raised the funds to release this new album, MSI embarked on a tour playing a slew of old and new material. Presently, the album is only available on tour or if you ordered it from the Kickstarter. But soon the public will be able to mindlessly indulge and stop giving a shit, too. (more…)

:Music Review: Say Just Words – Screams in the Darkness: A Collection

  By Justine | May 3, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Say Just Words – Screams in the Darkness: A Collection
Release Date: December 21, 2012
Label: Engraved Ritual
Website: www.facebook.com/sayjustwords

Review by: Jaymie Burzette

Say Just Words - Screams in the Darkness  Say Just Words is the Harsh EBM/Dark Electro project of Jose Brantes and Eduardo Espinosa from Santiago, Chile. Screams in the Darkness: A Collection is a selection of their early and new tracks, along with some remixes by such artists as Fredrik Croona and Reaxion Guerrilla, that showcases the band’s talent over the years. Personally, I’ve loved these guys for a while and have always wanted to see more of their work released, so I was very excited when I came across this album collection. This collection holds everything that Say Just Words brings to the table: beautifully dark, melodic, harshly scraping at times yet still highly danceable. They will sing a sweet song in your ears while simultaneously melting your face off. (more…)

:Rivet: God Module – Psychic Surgery: The Victims Among Friends & Perception EPs

  By Justine | May 1, 2013 - 10:30 am | Review, Rivet
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God Module – Psychic Surgery: The Victims Among Friends & Perception EPs
Release Date: February 26, 2013
Label: Metropolis Records
Website: www.godmodule.org

Review by: Stephen Beck Fey

god module psychic surgery  This one’s pretty much exactly what it says on the tin, a reissue of God Module’s two early EPs that were previously really hard to come by without having to try your luck at eBay or piracy. (more…)

:Concert Review: Inertia (Pittsburgh)

  By Justine | April 29, 2013 - 10:30 am | Concert, Review
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Inertia
April 16, 2013
Pittsburgh, PA @ 31st Street Pub

Review by: Maresa Whitehead

inertia  Despite the torrential downpour and flash floods, a handful of dedicated supporters emerged from their Tuesday evening routines to attend Distortion Productions’ first show of the year, featuring locals Patricia Wake and Boxed Warning opening for Inertia (Metropolis Records). The crowd, consisting mainly of old friends, congregated on Pittsburgh’s Penn Avenue at the 31st Street Pub, an intimate space with a long bar and tiny stage but large sound. Its walls and ceiling are covered with autographed posters, cymbals, and stickers from the myriad of live acts that have graced the Pub with their sounds. Look long enough and you’ll even see familiar names such as MyParasites and Dismantled. (more…)

:Music Review: [product] – I, Omega

  By Justine | April 26, 2013 - 1:00 pm | CD, Review
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[product] – I, Omega
Release Date: October 19, 2012
Label: COP International
Website: copint.com/cop_active_bands.asp?cbandid=75

Review by: Jaymie Burzette

product i omega  [product] is a Dark Electro/Harsh EBM project based in Portland, Oregon. I, Omega is their first full-length album, following the digital I Hope You Choke EP. This album features hard stomping beats, a tight galloping pace, and multi-layered synthesizer rhythms and melodies. Nearly every track on this album is dance-worthy; the tracks are fast-paced and the beats unrelenting. In my opinion, this album is best listened to through headphones so you can hear all the subtle layers of music and effects which I couldn’t hear when I listened to it through speakers. (more…)

:Music Review: Blutengel – Monument

  By Justine | April 24, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Blutengel – Monument
Released: February 15, 2013
Label: Out of Line Music
Website: blutengel.de

Review by: Zander Buel

blutengel monument  The bloodletting continues. Bombastic? Over the top? Melodramatic? Blutengel is guilty as charged, touting elaborate vampire mysticism equipped with baroque-flavored Synthpop, bridging the gap between classical and electronic. That is exactly what has kept Chris Pohl’s career fueling. True, their niche sound and relentless theatrics formulate cheese so over the top that many critics turn their noses up at them, but Blutengel has nonetheless managed to win over legions of fans who revel in their unapologetic Gothic crusades. Blutengel fans (and critics) know exactly what to expect from a forthcoming album. (more…)

:Music Review: Davey Suicide – Davey Suicide

  By Justine | April 22, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Davey Suicide – Davey Suicide
Release Date: March 12, 2013
Label: Standby Records
Website: http://daveysuicide.tumblr.com

Review by Grant V. Ziegler

davey suicide  With a successful EP (Put Our Trust in Suicide) and two tours opening for Orgy on his resume, it would appear that Davey Suicide had already made a name for himself in the music industry. But in fact, Davey Suicide has barely started unleashing his fury on to the world. In early March, Davey released his first full-length album, simply called Davey Suicide. Although there was a bit of a delay between the EP and the album, it was well worth the wait. (more…)

:Music Review: Ayria – Plastic Makes Perfect

  By William | April 19, 2013 - 11:20 am | CD, Review
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Ayria – Plastic Makes Perfect
Release Date: May 24 2013
Label: Alfa Matrix
Website: ayria.com

Review by: William Dashiell Hammett

PMP_cover_500pxI’ve written quite a bit about Ayria. The Canadian Electro-Industrial Razor sharp plastic queen has always been a favorite of mine and, for that matter, all of us here at COMA—our first (and so far only) artist-dedicated week was in Jennifer Parkin’s honor. I personally have been waiting for Plastic Makes Perfect for a very long time. It’s been almost two years since Jennifer first told me about it. So when I finally got it into my greedy ears, I had certain, pretty lofty, expectations. It was with some trepidation that I pressed play on my computer as I have been disappointed by other highly anticipated albums recently. With Plastic Makes Perfect, however, what I heard is easily Jennifer’s best work yet. (more…)

:Music Review: Cryogenic Echelon – Pandora & Persephone

  By Justine | April 17, 2013 - 10:30 am | CD, Review
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Cryogenic Echelon – Pandora & Persephone
Release Date: January 25 2013
Label: Vera Records
Website: http://cryogenicechelon.bandcamp.com

Review by: Jaymie Burzette

cryogenic echelon pandp  Cryogenic Echelon, formed in 2009 by Gerry Hawkins, hails from Launceston, Australia. Their music, which the band itself describes as “Operatic Dark Electronica,” is a combination of Industrial, Hard Dance, Ambient, and EBM. This latest album, Pandora & Persephone, draws from many different styles, ranging from Eurodance to Dubstep and Electro-Pop. Many tracks seem like they could be played at European dance clubs or even more mainstream Pop-music venues. Additionally, quite a few tracks on this album are instrumental, with vocals merely accenting the music. (more…)

:Music Review: White Shadow – Zugzwang (Single)

  By 5arah | April 15, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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White Shadow – Zugzwang (Single)
Release date: October 11, 2012
Label: White Shadow Music
Website: www.WhiteShadowMusic.com

Review by: Grant V. Ziegler

WhiteShadow_Zugzwang  Maryland hasn’t always been a hotbed of good, new or up-and-coming music, but White Shadow wants to prove that Maryland is very much on the map of good taste. In the past, they’ve done so with a few respectable Industrial Metal albums and singles. And now they’re back to assault eardrums once more with their new single, Zugzwang, which features an interesting blend of remixes and exclusive content. (more…)

:Music Review: True Fallacy – Making the Noise All Go Away

  By 5arah | April 12, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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True Fallacy – Making the Noise All Go Away
Release Date: March 25, 2013
Label: Self-Released
Website: http://truefallacy.co

Review by: Grant V. Ziegler

true fallacy making the noise  With a plethora of Industrial and Rock bands coming from Texas, it’s not always easy to spot the ones with true potential. However, a newer gem from Dallas may be right on the horizon of catching ears not just locally, but globally. That gem is True Fallacy. The two-man band consists of Ben Gorena (founder, writer and vocalist) and Ryan Main (keyboards, synths) who have been playing shows together since 2009. True Fallacy has shared the stage with Slick Idiot, but Gorena may be best known for writing the score for the Nine Inch Nails live DVD Another Version of the Truth. (more…)

:Concert Review: KMFDM (Pittsburgh)

  By admin2 | April 8, 2013 - 10:00 am | Concert, Review
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KMFDM
March 22, 2013
Pittsburgh @ Mr. Small’s Theatre
Review by: Maresa Whitehead

Ester Segarra  It’s been years since KMFDM has visited the City of Bridges, traversed the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, or been captivated by the gothic glass towers at PPG Place. And their fans knew it—they showed up in droves with their black clothing, stompy boots, crazy hair, and intoxication, overrunning Mr. Small’s Theatre (capacity: 650 people), a renovated church-turned-bar-and-show-venue. (more…)

:Music Review: IAMX – The Unified Field

  By admin2 | April 5, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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IAMX – The Unified Field
Release Date: March 22, 2013
Label: 61Seconds
Website: www.iamx.eu

Review by: Grant V. Ziegler

iamx unified field  From “Kiss and Swallow,” to “President,” and “My Secret Friend,” IAMX has been creating countless Electro masterpieces. But IAMX isn’t just music. It’s art. I know that may sound redundant since music is a form of art, but lately music has been lacking that artsy vibe. Thankfully, IAMX frontman Chris Corner is bringing it back. (more…)

:Music Review: V/A – Foundations: Calming Cyclones / Moving Mountains

  By admin2 | April 3, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Various Artists – Foundations: Calming Cyclones / Moving Mountains
Label: Juggernaut Services
Release Date: March 29, 2013
Website: www.juggernautservices.com

Reviewed by: Gabe Wilkinson

juggernaut foundations  With 30 tracks spanning two CDs this is quite a hefty haul of music to sit down and digest in one sitting. It took me quite a few spins to fully absorb it all. And now that I have I can honestly say that I’m very impressed not only by the label, Juggernaut Services, for the diversity and quality of this release, but also by the bands featured on this release, for the quality and attention to detail paid to each track. What we have here is an uncompromising look at the future and very impressive list of artists that Juggernaut has amassed. (more…)

:Music Review: DYM – The Technocratic Deception (The Oontzcast Album of the Month January 2013)

  By admin2 | April 1, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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DYM – The Technocratic Deception
Release date: December 7, 2012
Label: Vendetta Music (North America), Deathwatch Asia (International)
Website: www.enterdym.com

Review by: Stephen Beck Fey

dym technocratic deception  This review honestly feels kind of redundant. I mean, The Technocratic Deception was already the OontzCast album of the month for January 2013. If that’s not recommendation enough for you, you may very well be beyond help. That said, I think it bears repeating that this album is pretty wonderful. DYM’s signature Aggrotech/Breakcore turducken has never sounded better than it does here. (more…)

:Music Review: X Marks the Pedwalk – The Sun, the Cold and My Underwater Fear

  By admin2 | March 29, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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X Marks the Pedwalk – The Sun, the Cold and My Underwater Fear
Release date: September 14, 2012
Label: Metropolis Records / Infacted Recordings
Website: www.x-mtp.com

Review by: Jaymie Burzette

XMARKS  Stylistically, there have been three distinct phases in the existence of the German band X Marks the Pedwalk (XMTP). Their sound began as more Electro-Industrial, then moved more towards Techno. And then, after a ten-year hiatus, the band returned with a synthier, Dark Electronica/EBM sound with Synthpop and Ambient elements and a slight Asian influence in the background at times. Listening to their different musical styles discretely, they each sound like they could have been produced by completely different bands. It should come as no surprise, then, that The Sun, the Cold and My Underwater Fear is a very different album from what XMTP has put out so far. (more…)

:Music Review: Diorama – Even the Devil Doesn’t Care

  By admin2 | March 28, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Diorama – Even the Devil Doesn’t Care
Release Date: January 25, 2013
Label: Accession Records
Website: www.diorama-music.com

Review by: Zander Buel

diorama even the devil  Because their sound is a prime sampling of German Darkwave with gloomy Synthpop elements thrown in, Diorama will likely always be associated with fellow Germans Diary of Dreams (understandably so, since Adrian Hates discovered the band). But Diorama deserves accolades of their own, and their latest release, Even the Devil Doesn’t Care, shows the band in top form, brimming to the surface with vitality and exciting musical developments. (more…)

:Music Review: The Razor Skyline – Dark Water Oasis

  By admin2 | March 26, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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The Razor Skyline – Dark Water Oasis
Released: August 14, 2012
Label: COP International
Website: facebook.com/TheRaZorSkyline

razor skyline cover  The RaZor Skyline formed in 1994 and I’ve been a big fan since 1999, when I heard their second release, Fade and Sustain. Unfortunately, after the release of their third album, The Bitter Well, in 2003, they just kind of fell off the map. This made me sad. Now that we have that little story out of the way, I can tell you about their first release since The Bitter Well and just how spectacular it is! (more…)

:Music Review: Dead When I Found Her – Rag Doll Blues

  By admin2 | March 22, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Dead When I Found Her – Rag Doll Blues
Released: Oct. 9, 2012
Label: ArtofFact Records
Website: http://dwifh.com

Review by: Grant V. Ziegler

dead when i found her_rag doll blues  I try not to personalize my reviews, choosing instead to keep them strictly about the music I’m reviewing, but this new album from Portland’s Dead When I Found Her led me in a different direction. When I put on my headphones and delved into Rag Doll Blues, it took me back to a place in my mind I never thought to revisit. I was transported back to when I was about six or seven years old, and having a difficult time sleeping because my brother would blare his usually awful music from the room next to me. But one night, he brought home something different. He came home with Skinny Puppy and some other Industrial bands that I still don’t recognize even now. I was mesmerized by the synths and the dark content, and I found myself lost in this world I had never encountered before. This is the beautiful flashback that Rag Doll Blues conjured up for me. (more…)

:Concert Review: KMFDM (Santa Ana)

  By admin2 | March 20, 2013 - 10:00 am | Concert, Review
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KMFDM
March 11, 2013
Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory

Review by Jaymie Burzette

kmfdm santa ana  It is surprising to me, as someone who has loved industrial music since they were 13 years old, that I had never seen KMFDM perform live before. KMFDM was one of the first Industrial groups I was exposed to back in the mid-90’s, along with Skinny Puppy, Einstürzende Neubauten, Gravity Kills, etc. Needless to say, I was quite excited when I found out about this show. (more…)

:Music Review: New Order – Lost Sirens

  By William | March 15, 2013 - 10:39 am | CD, Review
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New Order – Lost Sirens
Release Date: January 14, 2013
Label: Rhino
Website: newordernow.net

Review by: William Dashiell Hammett

The_Lost_Sirens_(2013)_-_New_Order_album_coverNew Order, for me, is one of the bands that I consider having induced my musical maturity. I first heard them back in 1985. There was just something about the opening bass beat of “Blue Monday” that I could feel inside myself and when the synth line fades in and evolves, I was grabbed. The teenage version of myself ascribed some deep meaning, a meaning that was most assuredly not Sumner and crew’s intent, to the almost nonsensical lyrics (but then how can a thirteen year old not do that). When Substance was released in 1987, I wore out four or five cassette copies in less than six months. And then one of the darkest moments of my musical loving life was when I heard the band had broken up in 2007. When the announcement that they had reformed, sans Hook on bass, I was torn between elation and concern. Would New Order be the same without Hook’s signature style supporting the rhythm section? Would his loss reduce the quality of song writing? Would Gillian Gilbert’s return as a full time member lead the group back to the more pre-Get Ready synth dominated sound? (more…)

:Music Review: Faderhead – FH4

  By admin2 | March 13, 2013 - 11:30 am | CD, Review
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Faderhead – FH4
Release Date: March 1, 2013
Label: L-Tracks
Website: www.Faderhead.com

Review by: Grant V. Ziegler

faderhead  Cue the hate mail – Faderhead is back with another album. Love him or hate him, he’s back to drop some fat, sexy, and hardcore beats on your head. In FH4, as in previous Faderhead albums, there are many dance-happy, slamming tracks with a few “huh?” songs mixed in. On this particular album, however, even the generally out-of-place tracks that can sometimes lose the industrial purists are actually quite satisfying. (more…)

:Music Review: Front Line Assembly – AirMech

  By admin2 | March 11, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Front Line Assembly – AirMech
Release Date: November 21, 2012
Label: Metropolis Records
Website: www.mindphaser.com

Review by: Jaymie Burzette

FLA_AirMech  Front Line Assembly (FLA) is a Canadian Electro-Industrial band that was formed in 1986 by Bill Leeb (after he left Skinny Puppy). Throughout the years, the band’s lineup has featured several other members, including Michael Balch (Blackland, Ministry) and Rhys Fulber (Delerium). Front Line Assembly has produced an extensive collection of albums, beginning with The Initial Command and State of Mind, through Artificial Soldier and Improvised Electronic Device, and now their latest release, AirMech. Developed as the soundtrack for a game made by the company Carbon Games, AirMech is very different from normal Front Line Assembly fare. Instead of their usual Electro-Industrial sound, this album contains all instrumental tracks and bears a heavy Dubstep influence. (more…)

:Music Review: Deuxvolt – Union of Opposites

  By admin2 | March 8, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Deuxvolt – Union of Opposites
Release date: February 2012
Label: Self-released
Website: www.deuxvolt.com

Review by: Jaymie Burzette

deuxvolt_unionofopposites  Deuxvolt is an “Industrial Gothic Dance” band from Tuscany, Italy that formed in 2011. The idea behind the band was to merge various influences—Goth Rock, Industrial, Techno, Dance and Classical—using instruments ranging from synthesizers and electric guitars to violins and harpsichords. Their other material includes The Dance Machine (released under the name Just Deux) and the Horrormx compilation. (more…)

:Music Review: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Push the Sky Away

  By admin2 | March 6, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Push the Sky Away
Release date: Feburary 18, 2013
Label: Bad Seed Ltd.
Website: www.nickcave.com

Review by: Zander Buel

nick cave push the sky  A 30-year career in music comes equipped with a heavy burden: the need to constantly push the creative process to new heights with more experimentation, all while satisfying fans and striving to be a relevant and exciting force in the entertainment world. Nick Cave has been rumbling like an explosive storm cloud through the darker realms of creativity since the late 70s with The Birthday Party and the 80s with the beginning of his solo career, constantly juxtaposing the conflicting emotions of rioting anger and contained melancholy. And now here he is in 2013 with yet another reinvention of himself: Push the Sky Away, from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. (more…)

:Concert Review: Velvet Acid Christ (San Diego)

  By admin2 | March 4, 2013 - 10:30 am | Concert, Review
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Velvet Acid Christ
February 19, 2012
San Diego, CA @ Brick by Brick

Review by Jaymie Burzette

VAC San Diego flyer  It was a dark and stormy night here in the city of San Diego, perfect for an evening of extremely loud Industrial music, beer, and BBQ. The last time Velvet Acid Christ (VAC) toured in the United States was twelve years ago. I was eighteen, and unfortunately for me their shows always seemed to be at 21+ venues. So when I heard that VAC was going on tour, I was as giddy as a schoolgirl. Upon arrival at the venue, I was a little surprised to see such a small turnout for the evening. Perhaps it was because the show was during a weekday, and I know some people who unfortunately had to miss the show due to having to work the next day. Since COMA is my only job currently, I was golden. (more…)

:Music Review: Robotiko Rejekto – Corporate Power

  By admin2 | March 1, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Robotiko Rejekto – Corporate Power
Release date: November 13, 2012
Label: Metropolis Records
Website: www.robotiko-rejekto.com

Review by Jeremy Davey

robotiko-rejekto-corporate-power  Robotiko Rejekto has been involved in the Electro/Industrial scene since the 1980s, but Corporate Power is only their second full-length release since 1990′s The Cyber Space. That’s quite a long time between albums, and if the quality of Corporate Power is any indication of their potential on future albums, I really hope the wait isn’t nearly as long for a third release! (more…)

:Music Review: People’s Republic of Europe – The Wall of Fire

  By admin2 | February 27, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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People’s Republic of Europe – The Wall of Fire
Release Date: July 24 2012
Label: New Darkness Recordings
Website: www.tproe.com

Review by Jaymie Burzette

peoples republic of europe_wall of fire  The People’s Republic of Europe is a Rhythmic Noise / Progressive Doomcore band from the Netherlands. They have been releasing albums for more than decade, and their newest offering, The Wall of Fire, combines elements of Dubstep with Harsh Rhythmic Noise, Hard Trance, and Drum and Bass to produce a heavily distorted, grindy, abrasive album that is still quite danceable. This description may sound negative, but I can assure you that it should not be taken that way. The elements I described are all positive aspects of a good Rhythmic Noise album. I have a friend who once told me that a good Noise album should sound like it’s being played through blown-out speakers. (more…)

:Music Review: Suicidal Romance – Burning Love / Remember Me (EP)

  By admin2 | February 25, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Suicidal Romance – Burning Love / Remember Me (EP)
Release date: November 10, 2012
Label: Creeping13 Records
Website: www.suicidal-romance.com

Review by Ashley Fantastic

suicidal_romance-burning-love-remember-me  Suicidal Romance is back with a follow-up to last year’s Memories Behind Closed Curtains. Their Burning Love / Remember Me EP, released last November, features two new tracks, along with ten remixes of those tracks. (more…)

:Music Review: Cruise [Ctrl] – … Are Not What They Seem

  By admin2 | February 22, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Cruise [Ctrl] – …Are Not What They Seem
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Label: Signifier
Website: www.cruisectrl.be

Review by Maresa Whitehead

cruise ctrl  Only through research did I ascertain that this third full-length album from Belgium’s Cruise [Ctrl] was named for its dominant influence—David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Having never seen the show myself (I know, I know), I could be missing out on some deeper resonance in … Are Not What They Seem. But the danceable industrial ambiance of the album speaks for itself, and I’m confident there’s no need to make the connections to Twin Peaks to fully appreciate the dark atmosphere John C. and Gore strove to create. (more…)

:Music Review: – [A]Brilliant Massacr[e] – Science Fiction

  By admin2 | February 20, 2013 - 10:30 am | CD, Review
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[A]Brilliant Massacr[e] – Science Fiction
Release date: August 23, 2012
Label: Negative Gain Productions
Website: www.facebook.com/pages/A-Brilliant-Massacre/109992179105370

Review by Jaymie Burzette

brilliant massacre science fiction  [A]Brilliant Massacr[e] is a Seattle-based Synthpop/Industrial band founded in 2011 by Sean Whitman (Kevorkian Death Cycle) and Roger Jarvis (HexRx, Kevorkian Death Cycle). Whereas HexRx is electro-industrial and KCD is more purely industrial, [A]Brilliant Massacr[e] is far more dance-like and pop-sounding; quite different, but still good. (more…)

:Music Review: Project Pitchfork – Black

  By admin2 | February 18, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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Project Pitchfork – Black
Release date: January 25, 2013
Label: Trisol Records
Website: www.project-pitchfork.eu

Review by: Zander Buel

project pitchfork black  German pioneers Project Pitchfork need no introduction—they have been recording since 1991, have toured all over the word, and have hit songs like “Timekiller” and “Carnival.” They are an indisputable icon of the EBM/Industrial genre, and have garnered a very devoted following over the past two decades. With their music ranging from Darkwave to EBM to experimental Electro-Rock, Project Pitchfork has never been content with predictability or formulas. Their sound is unmistakable: enormous synth textures and punishing beats, with a dramatic monotone in the vocals. (more…)

:Music Review: KMFDM – Kunst

  By William | February 15, 2013 - 10:00 am | CD, Review
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KMFDM – Kunst
Release Date: February 26, 2013
Label: Metropolis Records
Website: kmfdm.net

Review by: William Dashiell Hammett

KunstIn the press released I received along with KMFDM’s latest album, Kunst (feel free to have fun with the pronunciation), I expected the standard dribble that all PR reps have been writing for decades. But the opening sentence “With three decades of historic, groundbreaking musical mayhem behind them…” made me sit back for a moment and think. Thirty years is a hell of a long time for any artist to maintain relevance. (more…)