Kant Kino will release the new album “Echoes of The End” on June 12, 2026 via Alfa Matrix. The Oslo duo’s new record is up for pre-order as the digital “Echoes of The End (Deluxe Edition)” on Bandcamp and as a physical 2CD from the Alfa Matrix store. The double albums features no less then 24 tracks, with four advance cuts already unlocked: “Rodney”, “Defeat”, “The End”, and “Lie”.

The new album comes 9 years after the band’s previous full album, “Kopfkino“, which was released in 2017.

The album follows the February 2026 comeback EP “Rodney: End-State Variations“, which introduced the track “Rodney” in an EP edit alongside six remixes. When that EP appeared, the band described the song as dealing with “personal relationships and social structures” that drift toward “emotional and structural end-states.”

You can check the 7-track EP out below on Bandcamp and all other download and streaming platforms.

About Kant Kino

Kant Kino is a Norwegian electronic duo from Oslo, namely Lars Henrik Madsen and Kenneth Fredstie. The project formed after they wrote a tribute track for the ElektroStat festival, after which a Bunkertracks compilation appearance led to their Alfa Matrix signing.

The duo’s debut album, “We Are Kant Kino – You Are Not”, appeared in 2010. It was followed by the “LRSBSS EP” on April 15, 2012, then the second full-length “Father Worked In Industry” on February 22, 2013. “Father Worked In Industry” was mixed and mastered by Claus Larsen of Leaether Strip. That release also produced the download singles “Just For The Comfort Of Sleep EP” on March 26, 2013 and “Ich Liebe Katarina Witt EP” on November 22, 2013.

While working toward the third album, the band previewed new material with the teaser “Life” in February 2016. While working on a new album, they self-released the Motörhead/Kraftwerk hybrid “We Are The Roadcrew (Robots)” on December 16, 2016, ahead of “Kopfkino”, which was released on Alfa Matrix on January 13, 2017.

In May 2017, Alfa Matrix built the first “Matrix:Reb00ted” volume around Kant Kino remixes. The duo later appeared on the Coldkill vs Kant Kino EP “Silent Morning” in 2018, released the Depeche Mode cover single “Pimpf and Touch Faith” in September 2019, and self-released “Enough! (Demo)” on June 30, 2022.

Kenneth Fredstie in the meantime mastered “Face The Beat: Session 3” and Kant Kino contributed “Ich Liebe Katarina Witt (Video Edit)” and “Life (No Fucking Guitars Edit)” to the Face The Beat series. They also contributed a remix for Modulo One’s “No Way to Win”, and remixed the Side-Line charity single “Ukraina” in December 2022. In February 2026, Kant Kino returned with “Rodney: End-State Variations”. Now the next full-length is “Echoes of The End”.

Jarboe’s UK and European tour 2026 will now go ahead as a duo. The avant-garde artist will perform the 19-date May run with Joy Von Spain of Eye of Nix after Thor Harris stepped down for personal reasons. Earlier announcements had presented the shows as a trio.

Jarboe says: “Joy Von Spain and I are interpreting songs from my catalogue alongside new material from ‘Sightings’ as a duo. Due to unforeseen personal circumstances, Thor Harris won’t be able to join our upcoming UK and European tour. While his presence and unique contribution will be missed, the tour will proceed with full energy. With an intimate experience in sound and feeling, unique to this tour, Joy and I look forward to seeing you in May.”

The tour supports “Sightings”, Jarboe’s current album for Consouling Sounds.

Jarboe UK and European tour dates 2026

• 04/05/2026 (DK): Copenhagen – Rust
• 05/05/2026 (SE): Göteborg – Oceanen
• 07/05/2026 (EE): Tallinn – Hungr
• 08/05/2026 (LV): Riga – 1983
• 09/05/2026 (LT): Vilnius – SODAS 2123
• 10/05/2026 (PL): Warsaw – Niebo
• 12/05/2026 (PL): Poznań – Blue Note
• 13/05/2026 (CZ): Prague – MeetFactory
• 14/05/2026 (DE): Berlin – Genezarethkirche
• 15/05/2026 (NL): Tilburg – Hall of Fame
• 16/05/2026 (BE): Brussels – Obsidian Dust Festival
• 17/05/2026 (UK): Folkestone – 20th Century Speedway
• 19/05/2026 (UK): Bristol – Strange Brew
• 20/05/2026 (UK): London – Café OTO
• 21/05/2026 (UK): Coventry – Just Dropped In
• 22/05/2026 (UK): Newcastle – The Star and Shadow
• 23/05/2026 (UK): Liverpool – Outer Waves Festival
• 25/05/2026 (BG): Sofia – Mixtape 5
• 27/05/2026 (GR): Athens – Temple

Tickets are available now.

About Jarboe

Jarboe Devereaux is an American singer, musician and multidisciplinary artist born in Mississippi and raised mainly in New Orleans and Atlanta. She joined Swans in 1985 after contacting Michael Gira and auditioning for the band. Between 1985 and 1997 she became one of Swans’ central members, handling vocals and keyboards across releases including “Children of God”, “The Burning World” and “Soundtracks for the Blind”. During that period she also formed World of Skin with Gira.

Her solo catalogue began with “Thirteen Masks” in 1991. It continued through releases including “Sacrificial Cake” in 1995 and “Disburden Disciple” in 2000, alongside a large number of collaborations. Jarboe later contributed guest vocals and voice collage to Swans’ 2012 album “The Seer”.

And now there is “Sightings”, accompanied by a revised May 2026 tour that will now be presented as a Jarboe and Joy Von Spain duo.

German medieval rock / Neue Deutsche Härte band Tanzwut have released the single “Herz aus Stein” and set their new album of the same name for September 4, 2026 via NoCut / SPV. The official video for the title track is already online.

The title track draws on Wilhelm Hauff’s “Das kalte Herz” and brings that story in a present-day setting shaped by pressure, optimisation, and emotional distance. Musically the album offers heavier rock material such as “Rosenkrieg” and “Keine Band für eine Nacht,” punk-leaning material including “No Future,” and quieter songs such as “Ewig wie das Eis.”

Frontman Teufel said, “We wanted to make an album that feels like a night of dancing in an old tavern: Wild, loud, and damn alive.”

Tanzwut ‘Herz aus Stein’ tracklist and formats

NoCut’s standard album listing currently shows 13 tracks:

1. Rosenkrieg
2. Keine Band für eine Nacht
3. Herz aus Stein
4. Zeitgeist
5. Die Sänger singen noch
6. Der König ist pleite
7. Ich bin kein Engel
8. Sag niemals nie
9. Wir habens übertrieben
10. No Future
11. Wenn alle Stricke reißen
12. Ewig wie das Eis
13. Kein Abschied für immer

Besides the CD digipak, there will be a grey black dust vinyl, red marbled vinyl, liquid vinyl, and a fan box. The fan box is limited to 666 copies and includes the digipak, a signed card, a heart pendant, eight coasters, a cosmetic bag, and a patchouli-scented soap.

Tanzwut ‘Herz aus Stein’ tour dates 2026

Special guest: Sagenbringer

• October 16, 2026 — Frankfurt, Das Bett
• October 17, 2026 — Köln, Club Volta
• October 23, 2026 — München, Backstage Halle
• October 24, 2026 — Stuttgart, Im Wizemann
• October 29, 2026 — Hamburg, Bahnhof Pauli
• October 30, 2026 — Leipzig, Hellraiser
• October 31, 2026 — Rostock, M.A.U. Club
• November 5, 2026 — Nürnberg, Hirsch
• November 6, 2026 — Zwickau, Alter Gasometer
• November 7, 2026 — Forst, Manitu
• November 13, 2026 — Oberhausen, Kulttempel
• November 14, 2026 — Hannover, Musikzentrum
• November 20, 2026 — Dresden, Reithalle
• November 21, 2026 — Berlin, hole44

About Tanzwut

Tanzwut were founded in Berlin in 1997. The band emerged partly from the medieval music scene around Corvus Corax, with the original lineup being Teufel, Castus, Wim Dobbrisch, Der heilige St. Brandanarius, Koll. A., and Tec. The project pushed medieval instrumentation into a heavier amplified setting.

The first attempt to merge medieval music with punk was made with Feeling B, the pre-Rammstein band that included Paul Landers. Landers gave Brandan (Der heilige St. Brandanarius) a guitar for those earliest experiments in combining rock guitar with bagpipes. Teufel then introduced this approach in Corvus Corax, before he and Brandan began writing the first Tanzwut songs.

The self-titled debut album, produced by Jon Caffery, arrived in March 1999 through EMI Electrola.

From then on, Tanzwut released several studio albums that offered their crossover of bagpipes, rock, electronics, and Neue Deutsche Härte: “Tanzwut” in 1999, “Labyrinth der Sinne” in 2000, “Ihr wolltet Spaß” in 2003, and “Schattenreiter” in 2006.

Next came “Morus et diabolus” and “Weiße Nächte” in 2011, “Höllenfahrt” in 2013, “Eselsmesse” in 2014, “Freitag der 13.” in 2015, “Schreib es mit Blut” in 2016, and “Seemannsgarn” in 2019. The band in the meantime moved from AFM in the mid-2010s, to NoCut / SPV in the most recent years.

Recent releases include “Die Tanzwut kehrt zurück” released on May 28, 2021, the retrospective “Silberne Hochzeit” in 2023, and “Achtung Mensch!” on August 30, 2024 after a delay announced by the band. And now there is “Herz aus Stein,” due on September 4, 2026.

The band anno 2026 consists of Teufel, Robin Hund, Der Zwilling, Shumon, Pyro, Manu, and Alexius.

Deadly Sins is a recent name to emerge in the Belgian Dark Electro scene. This solo project was set up by CyrbVII, whom some will immediately associate with the EBM duo Wülf7. Following several earlier EPs, the debut album was released earlier this year, featuring 13 tracks, including four remixes.

Deadly Sins leans more toward Dark-Electro, where atmosphere takes precedence over aggressive basslines or pounding beats. Instead, we are drawn into a nightmarish journey, masterfully accompanied by beautiful string arrangements. With a title like “Mad Mind Of This World”, a menacing atmosphere is only to be expected—and CyrbVII delivers exactly that. The tracks are well-developed, and the overall mood is further enhanced by vocals that fit perfectly within the compositions. The album also includes a fairly heavy, club-oriented track that evokes memories of Yelworc. Remixes are provided by Causanation, Gettner, Diverje, and Ner.ogris, adding extra depth to the release.

All in all, this is a promising debut for Deadly Sins and a solid foundation on which to build. (Rating:7½).

Listen to: “Bunker (PartII – Distress)”:

https://deadlysins.bandcamp.com/track/bunker-partii-distress

New York gothic rock band Requiem in White have released the title track and video for “The Visible Heaven“, the second advance single from the album of the same name. The full-length arrives on May 21, 2026 via The Circle Music. The label lists three confirmed formats: a digipak CD with a 16-page booklet, a limited red vinyl edition, and a limited transparent yellow vinyl edition, with both LP variants capped at 500 copies.

The album is the band’s first set of original recordings since the group’s 1994 split.

Doc Hammer, says the song was the last one written for the record and describes it as “a gratifying, heavy song” built to put Lisa Stockton-Wilson’s voice over “a powerful band that typifies the Requiem in White sound.” Stockton-Wilson calls the new material “haunting and powerful, symphonic and driving.”

“The Visible Heaven” follows “Reckless in Misery“, which The Circle Music introduced on March 1 as the first single and video from the album.

About Requiem in White

Requiem in White are a US gothic rock band originating from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1985 by core members guitarist Eric “Doc” Hammer, vocalist Lisa Houle (later Stockton-Wilson/Hammer) and bassist Christopher David Walsh. The group later relocated to New York City, becoming part of the late-80s and early-90s underground scene centered on venues such as CBGB and The Limelight.

In 1987 they recorded two cassettes, “World Of Promise/Prodigal Son” and “Everlasting Piece”. These demos and later studio work were characterised by heavily layered guitars, programmed drums in the early phase, and Stockton-Wilson’s soprano vocals.

Requiem in White’s first full-length release, the self-titled album “Requiem in White”, appeared in 1990 on the US imprint First Communion Music as a vinyl LP. The 1991 tape and EP “Pride’s Unhappy End” further developed the group’s material, with songs such as “A Fixed Place Of Heaven”. Their second album, “Of The Want Infinite”, was recorded with an expanded production set-up and released in 1994. Drummer Javier Madariaga and keyboard player Cathy Carney were involved across this period, complementing the core trio with live and studio contributions.

After the release of “Of The Want Infinite” in the mid-1990s, Requiem in White disbanded. Hammer and Stockton-Wilson formed Mors Syphilitica, which continued their interest in gothic and neo-medieval music, while Walsh founded the project Judith. From 2008 onwards, Hammer also fronted the New York rock band Weep, having in parallel built a career as co-creator and writer on the animated series The Venture Bros..

In 2025, The Circle Music compiled the band’s second album and early demos as “Hymnal of Remembrance” on CD and double LP, bringing much of their 1987–1994 catalogue back into circulation and introducing it to a new audience. The label had previously worked with Lisa Hammer on the expanded vinyl reissue of her solo album “Dakini“.

Out soon now is the reunion album “The Visible Heaven”.

New Yorker Reza Seirafi returns with a new album, drawing inspiration from themes of spiritual recursion, emotional circuits, and machine worship. These concepts are distilled into a nine-track release.

Seirafi continues to blend a wide range of influences; he throws everything into the mix, yet the individual elements remain clearly recognizable, spanning Techno, Electro-Pop, Trance, Ethereal, and a darker touch of EBM. With Vexillary, genre boundaries and trends seem largely irrelevant—his work appears driven instead by spontaneity and an abundance of ideas. The result is highly danceable, propelled by solid beats, while also embracing a sensual, ethereal quality when the enchanting female vocals come to the fore.

There is much to appreciate on this record, though my personal preference leans toward its darker moments. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Riptide”:

https://vexillary.bandcamp.com/track/riptide

Few projects have to negotiate legacy as openly as Trilogy. Emerging directly from the aftermath of Trial, Erick Miotke’s long-running dark electro vision was never simply about preserving the past, nor about cutting ties with it for the sake of reinvention. With “Forced Perspective” and its companion release “Alternative Perspective”, Trilogy finally steps forward with a statement that feels both conclusive and newly charged: rooted in decades of experience, yet still pushing for movement, tension, and transformation. In this interview, Miotke reflects on continuity, identity, remix culture, live energy, and the long road from unfinished chapters to a fully realized double-album arrival.

Trilogy interview

Q: Trilogy emerged in the shadows of TRIAL, yet it clearly was never meant to be a mere continuation project. Looking at it now, after years of development, what do you feel is the essential artistic difference between honouring a legacy and being trapped by it?

A: Oh, TRILOGY is definitely meant as a direct continuation of TRIAL, just with a new vocalist and a new name. I own all the TRIAL songwriting and lyric rights except for very few lyrics written by Schröder, which sadly will not be used in the coming future anymore.Promoters told me often that choosing a new name was a mistake, because TRIAL is a kind of trademark. Probably they are right, but I thought that, for instance, Depeche Mode wouldn’t be Depeche Mode anymore without Dave Gahan, or U2 without Bono. That much respect for Schröder’s oeuvre has to be acknowledged in my eyes. Even if it made things tougher to get started, as we had to experience.Jens transported the kind of devilish and “kinski-esque” presentation of Schröder’s live presence into a new and slightly different form. It is now a more positive-aggressive style, just as powerful, but not as harsh and disturbing anymore.On behalf of the music and lyrics there is now a different approach from my side. I work basically the same way as I did in the past, only with other gear. I reduced working with my beloved hardware synths and samplers, especially from Ensoniq, and now mainly use Logic with all its possibilities and further sound files I buy in different stores.The tracks arise just the same way and in the end they always sound typically like a “Miotke-style” track, as I am getting told over and over again by different people. This fact is very good and makes me proud.Of course there are some parameters I follow to get the feeling of TRILOGY tracks to sound like the continuation of the TRIAL legacy. Very important to me beside this is that I can work absolutely free, without any kind of boundaries from the past, with Friedhelm Kranz on VILLABORGHESE, my other project. So I am not trapped in any way with these two projects and could now go all-in with the TRILOGY album “Forced Perspective”. A conclusion that gives us the freedom to move on, unchained from now on.

Q: The title “Forced Perspective” is fascinating because it suggests distortion, adaptation, and the instability of what we think we see clearly. At what point did that idea become more than just an album title and start functioning as a broader metaphor for the way this project understands change, identity, and survival?

A: The idea for the album title and concept lies back in the days around 2009. It should have been the next TRIAL album after “No Fate”, which never happened after Schröder left the project in early 2011. So I worked on with basic demos I already had back from that time before, and upcoming new tracks. I could identify very well with it because through the new situation I was forced into a new perspective on getting the project running.

There are lots of possible views to the phenomenon, big vs. small, visions, illusions, delusions, different angles in looking at things, and so on. An undefined way, but with a slight regulation by the main topic title. We had to pick up the loose threads left behind by TRIAL ending and carry them on in a way that old and new songs can stand side by side without a feeling of two totally different worlds, especially at live performances. This worked out perfectly well and makes me very glad, giving me some kind of internal mental peace.

Q: You began laying the foundations of Trilogy back in 2012, but the debut album only fully materialised much later. Did that long gestation strengthen the material by allowing it to absorb more time, experience, and tension, or did it sometimes feel like carrying an unfinished chapter for too many years?

A: Yes, it absolutely was a positive evolution in which Jens could grow thoroughly up to this point. He now has found his own unique vocal style. Especially after I recently heard his vocals for an upcoming cover version of a very well-known industrial band that is hopefully set for release this autumn. Performing live was thankfully never a problem for him after his first steps with his former project “Human Resource”. He is a true stage hog, haha. But it was a long and tough way for both of us. We had to go through it and now are fine with the current situation. We don’t do this for a living, so we move on relaxed into the future of our collaboration.

Q: What is especially interesting about this release is that “Forced Perspective” and “Alternative Perspective” arrive almost as a pair of mirrors: one presenting the core statement, the other exposing its refractions. Did you always imagine the remix album as a companion piece with its own conceptual value, or did it gradually reveal itself as a necessary second angle on the same emotional world?

A: The remix album with all tracks of the main album in the same order was the idea of EAR’s label boss Nader Moumneh. It was defined this way from the beginning on. The running time of the album, with the technically maximal possible playing time of approximately 74 minutes of a CD format, culminated in the delivered 18 tracks. This was quite a treat. Not quite understandable for everyone, but now after it is finished it is a clear statement of our standing and also shows that we have the potential of delivering a double-time journey for the listener with a lot of different approaches without any “filling” material in my eyes. But if there may be another TRILOGY album, we will go back to a standard length.

Q: Electro Aggression Records describe “Forced Perspective” as connecting past and present, and that feels very true to the music. How consciously did you try to balance the DNA of classic dark electro and old school EBM with the need to sound like a project speaking in the present tense rather than recreating a past language?

A: As said above, the tracks evolve just the same way they did from the beginning on in 1991. I start totally free with a melody, bassline, loop or sample and follow that path until we are happy with the result. Then the vocals follow to finalize it. “Forced Perspective” is to be seen as the keystone to my way since then. Besides the 4-disc TRIAL box “Für Zwei” from 2022 that finalized the TRIAL experience, this 36-track double album concludes the way of TRILOGY after almost 14 years until now, followed shortly by the final single “Forced Perspective” with remixes by well-known acts that will complete this album cycle. At last… The “balancing” comes automatically by the experience of now 35 years working on tracks in this segment of electronic music. It doesn’t follow strict measures, as said above. You know when a track is done after listening to it so long until you don’t find anything even slightly disturbing in it. This takes some time, almost always. And it can be truly nerve-wracking sometimes. But: No pain, no gain… haha.

Q: Jens’ vocal presence and Erick’s sound architecture seem to operate in a very particular tension: one side visceral, aggressive, and exposed, the other highly structured, atmospheric, and controlled. How do you negotiate that balance creatively so that the songs feel alive rather than merely well constructed?

A: As said above, this evolves in the process through different stages in the production. Over the years Jens and I developed a tight connection. We can rely on one another’s sight on things by getting through all this and hanging on to the project’s soul. It is important to me that the tracks are compact songs in the end, besides the intro track “Come to Me” and the outro track “Turmoil Over”, of course, with a verse, a hook melody and a chorus. I for instance don’t aim for a “safe” club track. I believe this guarantees an honest approach to each song. I suppose it can be heard that every track is genuine. They all may sound like the same basic TRILOGY style, but not like the same formula, in terms of sound and mood. Individually grown and not constructed to serve a certain purpose.

Q: The remix cast on “Alternative Perspective” is remarkable, from Project Pitchfork and Mildreda to AD:Key, Bent, Synaptic Defect, and others. When you invited these artists into the material, were you hoping they would illuminate hidden aspects of the original songs, or were you more interested in seeing them challenge and even destabilise the emotional identity of the album?

A:I am very happy with all the remixers who did an absolutely great job with their specific interpretations. What a rush! I always loved remixes by other acts. It is astounding what comes around. The original track is known by heart, so it is no surprise to us. It is like hearing a totally new track, just as a fan can when listening to new material. This is always very exciting to me.

I always loved remixes as being a true kid of the ’80s with the privilege of experiencing the start of this phenomenon with my first maxi-single of the extended remix of Duran Duran’s “Wild Boys”, followed by intense Depeche Mode years, who defined the world of great remixes remarkably until today, or special pearls like for instance Grace Jones’ “Slave to the Rhythm” and the Frankie Goes to Hollywood experience by Trevor Horn.It is a true pleasure, especially such a seldom privilege, of being remixed by Peter Spilles, who I know since the beginning of my musical way in 1991, besides the acts mentioned by you and all the others contributing to this release. It simply makes me very happy that they feel in the mood of giving their DNA to our journey in their own explicit way, with truly fascinating new perspectives. The squad of remixers came together by acts called up by Nader and acts I know personally for some time now. This feels like a great family event to me. And not to forget the collaborators of my long-time friends Gunnar Duvenhorst, Andy Bolleshon, Chris Weiland, Jan-Heie Erchinger and last but not least the master of the legendary “Grenzwellen” independent radio format Ecki Stieg, with whom I first had contact for a “Grenzwellen” special about TRIAL’s album “Secret Pain” back in the days and at his production of his first “Accessories” album in 1994. I wanted to have some special appearances on the album by these to me very special people staying at my side for all these years in one way or another. A simply wonderful experience to me with some stunning outcome…

Q: After so many singles, EPs, live shows, and years of expectation, these two releases feel less like a simple debut and more like a statement of arrival. Once listeners have heard both “Forced Perspective” and “Alternative Perspective”, what do you hope they understand about Trilogy that they could not have fully grasped before?

A: Very right! I believe this double album allows one to delve into the world of TRILOGY if someone is open for it. It is a broad range of 18 pictures in two perspectives via the original tracks and the remixes offered. This overall statement stands clear and gives a lot of possibilities to connect with the project. If someone is interested there are loads of new special aspects to be found and experienced. In current times a lot of people want “fast” access. This may be easier through the broad range presented with this release. I see it as a big chunk of stuff you can move into, while others may just pick one or another track in the digital realm via Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube and all other platforms served. But the album is thought to be listened to in order for the total experience. Time will tell if this may work out…

Q: I recently saw you live at the E-Only Festival, and it was a genuinely powerful concert experience. Trilogy seem to carry a very particular tension on stage, something precise and controlled on one level, but also forceful, physical, and emotionally immediate. What does the live setting allow you to express about these songs that the studio versions cannot fully contain, and are there any further live dates or shows already planned around the release of “Forced Perspective” and “Alternative Perspective”?

A: The basics for the live experience are the music and the additional video backdrops for each track. With this stage presence Jens can unfold his energetic vocals and performance in his own unique way. He impersonates in the flesh the music and lyrics. He observes and interacts with the audience and his band members to celebrate the event and the opportunity of playing the songs live. This combination is topped by Leo’s live drumming, or at the E-Only Festival show by guest drummer Eli van Vegas, who gratefully stepped in for Leo, who was not available that night playing a show with Project Pitchfork. It was quite something for me to have the possibility to perform with the live drummer of my all-time heroes Front Line Assembly on this special occasion, and to share Leo as a band mate since 2016, who kicks it live with Project Pitchfork. Sometimes dreams come true in the most unexpected ways. You just have to hang on and never give up.The next live dates are at the “Familientreffen” in Sandersleben on Friday, 10th of July, at the “Dunkle Gezeiten” special session with Mildreda on September 5th in Cuxhaven, and at the end of the year at some VERY special event still to be announced.

Norway’s Apoptygma Berzerk will reissue “Kathy’s Song (Come Lie Next To Me)” on 12-inch vinyl via emmobiz Records on July 10, 2026. emmobiz lists two numbered editions: a white vinyl version limited to 222 copies with a poster and signed card, and a black vinyl version limited to 777 copies worldwide.

The release – released as “Kathy’s Song XXV” – is a physical follow-up to the song’s digital 25th-anniversary single which arrived in December 2025.

Tracklist for ‘Kathy’s Song XXV‘

• A1. “Kathy’s Song (Come Lie Next To Me)” Zone Tripper Remix (12″ Edit) – 4:36
• A2. “Kathy’s Song (Come Lie Next To Me)” 2000 Original Version – 3:46
• B1. “Kathy’s Song (Come Lie Next To Me)” Mental Overdrive Remix (12″ Version) – 3:53
• B2. “Kathy’s Song (Come Lie Next To Me)” Frak Remix – 4:54

The vinyl differs from the December 2025 digital “Kathy’s Song XXV” release. That digital edition paired mixes by Ferry Corsten, Zone Tripper, and Mental Overdrive with the single version, while the July 2026 vinyl replaces the Ferry Corsten track with a Frak remix and uses the 2000 original plus 12-inch/edit versions.

About ‘Kathy’s Song (Come Lie Next To Me)’

“Kathy’s Song (Come Lie Next To Me)” is a track on Apoptygma Berzerk’s third studio album, “Welcome to Earth” (2000). On that album it appears as track 5. Stephan Groth worked on the song in the studio with Fredrik Darum and Vegard Blomberg. The decisive idea was to have a computer/robot voice sing the chorus with Stephan presenting it as “a duet with his computer.”

The song was issued as a separate single on December 11, 2000 via Tatra Records. The tracklist of the 6-track CD-Maxi was: “Kathy’s Song (Ferry Corsten RMX)”, “Kathy’s Song (Single Version)”, “Kathy’s Song (Victoria Mix by VNV Nation)”, “Kathy’s Song (Beborn Beton Remix)”, “Kathy’s Song (Ferry Corsten’s 12″ Remix)”, and “Kathy’s Song (C-64 Version)”.

At roughly the same time, the song also appeared on Aqualoop Records as a German 12-inch vinyl in 2000, with the Ferry Corsten Remix and Green Court Remix. A later German CD maxi-single on Zeitgeist followed on August 7, 2001.

About Apoptygma Berzerk

Apoptygma Berzerk is a Norwegian electronic act from Sarpsborg, founded in 1989 by Stephan Groth and Jon Erik Martinsen. Martinsen left early, while Groth remained the project’s central writer and public face. Over time, Apoptygma Berzerk moved across EBM, electropop, futurepop, synth-pop, and electronic rock, often working with a changing cast. Current members are Stephan Groth, Audun Stengel, Ted Skogmann, and Jonas Groth.

The project’s earliest release was the 1990 demo “Victims of Mutilation”, followed by the EP “The 2nd Manifesto” in 1992. The debut album “Soli Deo Gloria” followed on November 11, 1993 via Tatra. Apoptygma Berzerk then released “7” on May 1, 1996, the “Mourn EP” in 1997, the retrospective compilation “The Apopcalyptic Manifesto” in 1998, and the live album “APBL98” in 1999.

The real breakthrough was the commercially succesful “Welcome to Earth” album, released on February 22, 2000. The album brought a broader and less aggressive sound than the earlier material, and it produced “Kathy’s Song (Come Lie Next to Me)”, which became one of the most popular Apoptygma Berzerk tracks. The live release “APBL2000” followed in 2001, with “Harmonizer” dropping on February 19, 2002. “Harmonizer” offered a softer and more synth-pop oriented approach than the earlier albums.

The intense touring around that album was followed by the creation of the side project Fairlight Children with Marianne B. and Tiff, which led to the “808bit” album. Back under the Apoptygma Berzerk name, Groth then released “You and Me Against the World” on September 12, 2005, followed by the compilation “Sonic Diary” in 2006, “Rocket Science” on January 23, 2009, and the live release “Imagine There’s No Lennon” in 2010. “You and Me Against the World” again showed another stylistic shift, pushing the project further toward a rock-oriented format.

“Major Tom EP” was released in 2013, “Stop Feeding the Beast EP” in 2014, “Videodrome” in 2015, and the full-length “Exit Popularity Contest” on October 7, 2016. In 2018 and 2019, Apoptygma Berzerk revisited the debut period through “SDGXXV”, a reworked version of “Soli Deo Gloria”. In 2020, the project started a rarities series with “Faceless Fear” and “Disarm”, both B-sides and rarities collections, and in 2022 that series continued with “Black Pawn”.

A digital “Kathy’s Song XXV” release arrived in December 2025, followed now by a four-track 12-inch vinyl edition in 2026 with remixes by Mental Overdrive, Zone Tripper, and Frak, plus the original 2000 version.

Engelsstaub returns with four stylized tracks, crafted with a precision that seems uniquely their own. “Ubi Luna Fabulas Somniat” transports us to an imaginary, remote, and serene place—where even the moon finds room to dream.

Let’s face it: this EP sounds to me like a message of peace in a grim world. But first and foremost, there is the music, through which the German group, led by Mark Hofmann and Waldemar Zaremba, invites us on an almost ritualistic journey. Each track opens with a few spoken words before unfolding into an ethereal experience, carried by a heavenly female voice. The compositions are quite diverse, yet they form a cohesive and beautiful whole. At times, the music recalls pure troubadour-like elements; elsewhere, it becomes rousing, even epic, driven by more forceful and overwhelming arrangements. Occasionally, it feels as though you are on the verge of a pure trance experience. What continues to stand out about Engelsstaub is the authenticity of their work. This quality emerges not only from the instrumentation and vocals, but also from the refined finishing of every detail.

For me, Engelsstaub remains a reliable choice—a guarantee of creativity, marked by consistently high-quality execution. (Rating:8½).

Listen to: “Eagle Woman”:

https://engelsstaub.bandcamp.com/track/eagle-woman

The German EBM / electro-pop act Digital Factor has released the digital EP “They Will Forget You (When You Die)” via Alfa Matrix. The five-track release is the first preview of the forthcoming album “0.8”.

The EP contains “They Will Forget You”, “They Will Forget You (Gwen Gaffa remix)”, “They Will Forget You (feat. Kalle Vogel – Logic & Olivia)”, “They Will Forget You (king size remix)”, and “You’re Going Down (live)”. The “king size remix” was executed by Carsten Canay. The closing live version of “You’re Going Down” points back to the 2011 album “Trialog”.

The new EP also means a new line-up as Gwendolyn Gaffa has now now joined Mike Langer as a permanent studio and live member.

An official video for the title track is available as well, you can view it below.

About Digital Factor

Digital Factor started in Altenburg, Germany, in 1993. Formed by Mike Langer, Torsten Heise, and Tino Schmidt the later line-up phases included Guido Litke and Leo von Leibnitz. Musically the project brings a mix of EBM and electro with later on also synth-pop, techno, and crossover elements.

The first release was the 1994 Hard Records released EP “F.A.L.L.I.N.G.- Down”. A move to Hyperium / Hypnobeat followed, bringing “Relationchips” in 1995, “On Demand” in 1996, “De Facto” and “Countercheck” in 1997, and “Over One Million Times” in 1999. After a quieter period, the band returned with “One More Piece” in 2006, “Look Back To Go Forward” in 2009, and “Trialog” in 2011.

Alfa Matrix signed the band in 2020 and released the band’s “Come With Me“. That release was followed by “A Chemical Process” in 2021, a few back-catalogue reissues, the EP “What?” in 2022, and in 2023 the singles “I Am What I Am”, “Ouvre”, and the charity album “G.B.A.-General Behavior Abrogate“.

The new EP is a first teaser for the new album “0.8”.

On April 21, 2026, ant-zen will release act482, ‘The Shadow of the Torturer’, a collaborative work by Flint Glass and Ah Cama-Sotz inspired by Gene Wolfe’s monumental ‘The Book of the New Sun’. But this is no simple adaptation, nor a decorative literary exercise. What emerges instead is a three-act sonic structure shaped by decay, ritual, memory, moral ambiguity, and the strange afterlife of technology in a world where the future has aged into myth. Bringing together two artists whose vocabularies have long moved through industrial ritualism, dark ambient gravity, cinematic composition, and ceremonial atmosphere, the album feels less like a compromise than the birth of a third language. We spoke with Gwenn Trémorin and Herman Klapholz about Gene Wolfe’s influence, the paradox of archaic futurism, collaboration as transformation, and what it means to build not just an album, but a world.

Flint Glass & Ah Cama-Sotz interview

Q: ‘The Shadow of the Torturer’ is rooted in Gene Wolfe’s universe, which is famously dense, elusive, and morally ambiguous. What drew you both to this particular work, and what did it offer sonically that a more straightforward narrative world would not?

GWENN TRÉMORIN / FLINT GLASS: I first read The Shadow of the Torturer as a teenager, and it hit me in a way very few books have since. At the time I didn’t fully understand everything Gene Wolfe was doing, the unreliable narrator, the deliberate anachronisms, the way ancient and futuristic elements blur into something unclassifiable, but I felt it viscerally. That sense of a world on the edge of extinction, heavy with ceremony and forgotten meaning, stayed with me for decades. When I finally proposed this project to Herman, it wasn’t really a calculated artistic decision. It was more like finally giving voice to something that had been waiting inside me for thirty years.

HERMAN KLAPHOLZ / AH CAMA-SOTZ: Gwenn came up with a great idea, a story that perfectly fits our musical context. The ambience and atmosphere act like a soundtrack, guiding the listener to create their own film in their imagination. What Wolfe’s world offers sonically is precisely its density and ambiguity. There is no clean narrative to illustrate. That forces us to work in textures, in suggestion, in emotional architecture rather than story illustration, and that is exactly where our music lives.

Q: This album feels less like a simple adaptation than like a full atmospheric translation, almost a parallel architecture built in sound. When working with such a layered literary source, were you more interested in illustrating its world, or in reimagining its deeper emotional and philosophical texture?

GWENN TRÉMORIN / FLINT GLASS: Illustration was never the goal. We are not composers for cinema, painting scenes for an audience that needs visual cues. What interested me was the feeling of being inside that world, the moral unease of Severian’s position, the strange beauty of ruins, the weight of ritual detached from its original meaning. These are emotional and philosophical states, not images. I wanted the listener to inhabit something, not to be shown something. The album is less a soundtrack and more what I would call a parallel architecture, a structure built from the same emotional material as the book, but that stands on its own terms. Someone who has never read Gene Wolfe should be able to enter it fully and find their own truth in it.

HERMAN KLAPHOLZ / AH CAMA-SOTZ: For decades, as both an artist and an ambient music enthusiast, I’ve always aimed to tell a personal musical story. I don’t rely on templates like many film composers do. An idea can emerge from something as simple as a sound, a musical structure, or a spoken sample. When shaping the foundations of a piece, the structure needs to generate a positive musical energy, one where the mood tells me, “Yes, this is exactly what I want it to be.” In short, our collaboration led to something truly great.

Q: Both of you come from distinct but equally uncompromising artistic backgrounds, with very different shades of ritual, darkness, rhythm, and cinematic tension. What made this collaboration feel necessary, or at least irresistible, at this point in time?

GWENN TRÉMORIN / FLINT GLASS: I had been carrying the idea of this project for years, but I think I knew instinctively that it required a collaborator. Not because I couldn’t do it alone, but because the world of The Book of the New Sun is too vast and too contradictory for a single voice. Wolfe’s Urth needs tension, between the cold and the warm, the mechanical and the organic, the martial and the ceremonial. Herman and I have very different aesthetics, and those differences were not an obstacle. They were the point.

HERMAN KLAPHOLZ / AH CAMA-SOTZ: There was also something about the timing. I think both of us had reached a place in our respective careers where we wanted to push beyond what we could each do individually. This project was a way to go somewhere neither of us could reach alone.

Q: Your inspirations clearly extend far beyond one narrow industrial vocabulary. There are traces here of cinematic composition, ritual music, dark ambient, electronic body architecture, and something almost liturgical in the pacing. How do your individual inspirations differ, and where did they unexpectedly converge on this record?

GWENN TRÉMORIN / FLINT GLASS: My references have always been rooted in cinematic composition, Morricone, Herrmann, Zimmer, Vangelis, the weight of silence in film scoring, as well as electronic body music and the harder, more architectural end of industrial. I tend to think in terms of space and tension, of how sound occupies a room and what it does to the body. Herman’s world is more ritualistic, more ancient in its textures, with that very particular ceremonial darkness that Ah Cama-Sotz has always carried. Where we converged unexpectedly was in the pacing, both of us instinctively understood that this material demanded slowness, gravity, breath.

HERMAN KLAPHOLZ / AH CAMA-SOTZ: There are no shortcuts in Wolfe’s universe, and we agreed from the start that there would be none in ours either. I couldn’t put it better than Gwenn does, the timing was right for us to join forces and bring this project to life.

Q: The world of The Book of the New Sun is built on paradox: a future so distant it feels ancient, advanced technology mistaken for relic, cruelty existing beside beauty. Did that tension between the archaic and the futuristic resonate with your own musical languages from the beginning?

GWENN TRÉMORIN / FLINT GLASS: Completely and immediately. That paradox is almost a definition of what both Flint Glass and Ah Cama-Sotz do: we work with electronic tools in ways that carry the memory of something much older. There is always, in our music, a sense that the machine is haunted. The Book of the New Sun gave us the most perfect literary metaphor for that, a civilization where advanced technology has become indistinguishable from ritual, where no one remembers what things were originally built for. That is the relationship many of us have with electronic music itself.

HERMAN KLAPHOLZ / AH CAMA-SOTZ: Indeed, the collaboration between Flint Glass and Ah Cama-Sotz opens up new ways of interacting, a meeting of two musicians that might seem like a clash, but one that ultimately leads to a positive evolution. I’ve known Flint Glass for many years, and I’ve always been intrigued by his ritualistic approach. We’ve shared a long history, and with Wakan Tanka album, the moment finally felt right.

Q: The album is described as unfolding in three acts, which immediately suggests dramaturgy rather than just sequencing. Did you approach this release almost as a theatrical work, with its own internal staging, progression, and psychological lighting, rather than as a conventional album?

GWENN TRÉMORIN / FLINT GLASS: Yes, from the very first conversations. The three-act structure was not imposed retrospectively to make the track list look organized, it came from the nature of Severian’s journey itself. Act I is institutional, martial, oppressive, the Guild, the ceremony, the weight of a system. Act II opens out into desolation and solitude, the exile across a dying landscape. Act III moves into mystery and revelation, the Cyber-Khanate, the meeting with destiny. These are not just moods; they are psychological stages. We thought about each track as a scene, and about the transitions between acts as genuine dramaturgical events.

HERMAN KLAPHOLZ / AH CAMA-SOTZ: It’s an intriguing concept, shaping tracks into acts, like chapters in a book. For me, it was the first time working within such a structure, and I found the idea fascinating. It felt like writing a book, but expressed through music.

Q: Both Flint Glass and Ah Cama-Sotz have always carried a strong sense of presence, not only musically but almost ceremonially. How important is this idea of presence to you, and does it change when you create music intended primarily for listening versus music that you imagine in a live setting?

GWENN TRÉMORIN / FLINT GLASS: Presence is everything. A record without presence is just content, and I have no interest in making content. For me, presence means that the music demands something from the listener, attention, stillness, a willingness to enter a space that does not accommodate distraction. Whether I am working on a studio album or preparing a live set, I am always asking the same question: does this command the room? The difference with a live context is that presence becomes physical and shared, it is a contract between performer and audience. On record, the listener has to be willing to meet the music halfway. With this album in particular, I wanted to create something immersive enough that halfway would feel insufficient. I wanted the listener to go all the way in.

HERMAN KLAPHOLZ / AH CAMA-SOTZ: My first live performances in the nineties were very different from what I do today. It took time to translate my music into a live format. I don’t create music with the question, “How will this sound live?” in mind, some tracks naturally work in that setting, while others don’t. Certain pieces can elevate the listener to another level, but it ultimately depends on the live context.

Q: Your work has often been powerful on stage precisely because it does not reduce darkness to posture; there is gravity, immersion, and a real command of atmosphere. When you think about performing this material live, do you imagine it as a concert, a ritual, a narrative journey, or something closer to a piece of sonic theatre?

GWENN TRÉMORIN / FLINT GLASS: Sonic theatre is the closest term, though even that doesn’t fully capture it. What I imagine is something where the three-act structure becomes physically present, where the audience feels the shift between acts not just aurally but atmospherically, almost architecturally. I am thinking about lighting design, about staging, about what it means to enter the world of Urth in a live space. It should feel like a ceremony, but not a static one. There should be movement, transformation, a sense that something has happened by the end that could not have been undone. Whether or not we can realize that fully depends on the context we are offered. But the vision is there.

HERMAN KLAPHOLZ / AH CAMA-SOTZ: You can check out our very first concert together at Wroclaw Industrial Fest in November, a special moment for us, marking the beginning of this project in a live setting. It’s an important experience where the music truly came to life on stage and connected with the audience in a unique way.

Q: A collaboration like this can easily become a matter of compromise, but the most compelling ones create a third identity that belongs fully to neither side. Did this album feel like a meeting point between Flint Glass and Ah Cama-Sotz, or did it become something stranger and more autonomous than either of your solo languages?

GWENN TRÉMORIN / FLINT GLASS: Honestly, yes, and that was both the most surprising and the most satisfying thing about the process. There are moments on this record that I could not have made alone, and I am certain the same is true for Herman. The album has its own identity, its own logic, its own emotional center of gravity. It is recognizably rooted in both of our worlds, but it does not belong to either of us exclusively. I think that is the test of a real collaboration, not whether the seams are invisible, but whether something genuinely new has emerged that neither party could have built alone. The Shadow of the Torturer passed that test.

HERMAN KLAPHOLZ / AH CAMA-SOTZ: I would say our first collaboration was a truly pleasant surprise. I’ve worked on many collaborations before, but this one felt particularly intense and deeply engaging. We took the time to carefully shape both the sound and the structure, allowing everything to evolve naturally. It became a process of exploring musical emotions and inner feelings, rather than rushing toward a result. Naturally, it took us more than a year to fully develop what became our shared “new” sound.

Q: At its core, ‘The Shadow of the Torturer’ seems fascinated by transformation: of power into ritual, of memory into ruin, of technology into myth. When listeners enter this album, what kind of transformation do you hope they undergo by the time they reach the epilogue?

GWENN TRÉMORIN / FLINT GLASS: When I read the book as a teenager, I came out of it feeling that something had shifted in how I understood time, memory, and mortality. Not in an abstract intellectual way, in a felt, almost physical way. I would like this album to do something analogous. Not to deliver a message or resolve into comfort, but to leave the listener in a different place than where they entered. A little older, perhaps. A little more aware of the weight of things. Severian carries the memory of everything he has witnessed, without the mercy of forgetting. I want the listener, by the epilogue, to feel something of that, the beauty and the burden of a world that refuses to disappear quietly.

HERMAN KLAPHOLZ / AH CAMA-SOTZ: Well, in the end, it’s all about a personal approach. I believe this album truly reveals itself over time, the more you listen to it, the more layers you begin to uncover. The blend of sounds and emotions runs quite deep, inviting a more immersive and reflective experience with each play. It’s something I’ve often felt with much of my earlier Ah Cama-Sotz work as well. When I revisit those pieces after some time, I sometimes find myself wondering how I actually arrived at the final result, as the creative process becomes almost impossible to retrace. That sense of mystery is part of what makes the journey so special, it’s not always about remembering the path, but about feeling the outcome.

After seven years away from the stage, Klangstabil returned not with nostalgia or spectacle, but with something rarer: clarity, presence, and the kind of emotional precision that has always set the project apart. Since 1994, Boris May and Maurizio Blanco have built a body of work in which structural discipline and human vulnerability do not cancel each other out, but deepen one another. Songs like “Shadowboy,” “Push Yourself,” or “You May Start” have long ceased to function as mere catalogue highlights; they have become part of the emotional architecture of dark electronic music itself.

What makes Klangstabil still feel so singular is not only the weight of their discography, but the way their work continues to speak to rupture, recovery, inner pressure, and connection without ever lapsing into theatrical excess. Their recent live return made that especially clear: stripped-back, intense, and quietly overwhelming. We spoke with Klangstabil about silence, friendship, control and vulnerability, live performance as release, and the strange, enduring way songs keep changing while remaining entirely their own.

Klangstabil interview

Q: After a seven-year silence, returning to the stage seems like not just a logistical decision, but also an emotional and artistic one. What had to shift internally for Klangstabil to become live again, and what did you feel this return could now express that perhaps it could not have expressed before?

A: Everything has its moment in life. The pause felt right when it happened, for both of us. From my side, I needed the space to clear my mind, to not think about anything for a while. That worked, and it was genuinely beneficial. I believe Maurizio experienced something similar in his own way Klangstabil has always been a channel for processing thoughts and emotions, turning them into something tangible and understandable. Naturally, during the break, things came up that needed to be dealt with, otherwise you carry them with you indefinitely, and without an outlet, that can become a weight. That’s why it felt right to bring Klangstabil back. What this return can express now that maybe wasn’t possible before, I can’t really say. That’s something each listener has to decide for themselves. For us, it remains what it always was: communication and an exchange of energy.

Q: When you look back at the project that began in 1994 and compare it with what Klangstabil is now, what has remained fundamentally intact, and what had to be transformed in order for the project to stay truthful to itself? And when you return to songs such as “Shadowboy,” “Push Yourself,” or “You May Start” now, do they still belong primarily to the selves who once wrote them, or have they also become something new through time, distance, and the lives of those who have carried them?

A: I think in both cases the answer is friendship. Friendship has always remained, but it is also constantly nurtured, like a tree that always receives enough water and light. All the songs you mentioned are part of the DNA of Klangstabil. They will always accompany us and will always be a mirror for us. The songs are us.

Q: Your music has always carried a rare tension between emotional exposure and structural precision, almost as if mathematics and vulnerability were not opposites, but two necessary languages describing the same inner state. How consciously do you work with that balance between control and rupture?

A: You use beautiful imagery and describe it quite accurately, like a yin-yang symbol. We like simple structures, a clear beat that gives the emotions a framework. We enjoy build-ups and breakdowns, and a phase at the end that brings everything back to calm. Essentially, it’s a classic arc of tension.

Q: What moved me so strongly in the live setting was the radical economy of it: darkness, light, voice, presence, and almost nothing that could distract from the human core of the songs. It felt less like spectacle than like concentration, almost like theatre reduced to breath and exposure. Boris, when you stand inside that stripped-back space, does it feel to you like interpretation, release, confrontation, or something closer to witnessing yourself in real time?

A: Another great question, thank you. Before every concert, I ask myself what I want to convey that night. What have I experienced recently that I want to process? Which tracks should carry a calmer energy, and which ones are there to break out? And ultimately, what do I want to leave with the audience afterward? If I feel that I’ve shaped the concert the way I intended, I’m happy. Then I know I’ve truly processed something, that I don’t have to carry it around with me anymore. Whether it’s frustration from the days before, moments where I felt hurt, or even happiness that I want to share, because in truth, I’m doing well, and performing is part of that.When both of us on stage walk off feeling satisfied, it means a lot. And the exchange with people after the concert is just as meaningful, it stays with me.

Q: There was a strong sense that the music was not simply being performed, it was rather as though the songs were creating a space in which people could encounter parts of themselves they might not otherwise touch. Do you think music can sometimes recognise something in a listener before the listener has language for it, and is that one of the deeper possibilities you still trust in?

A: Absolutely. A sound, a voice, or a melody can act as a key that opens something within you in a way nothing else can.

Q: Klangstabil lyrics often feel as though private wounds, social disillusionment, and existential unease have long since stopped belonging to separate territories, and part of their force comes from the sense that they are not merely observed, but metabolised. When a song begins for you, does it tend to emerge from lived experience, from watching the world, or from an emotional pressure that only later finds language? And when you write, are you trying to understand pain, survive it, transform it, or simply prevent it from remaining mute?

A: If you remove the question marks, you have the answers. In a way, all of that is part of it. Songs usually don’t come from just one place, it’s a mix of lived experience, observation, and emotional pressure that eventually finds its way into language. Writing helps to understand things, but also to process them so they don’t stay inside.

Q: You mentioned health issues on stage, and that gave the evening a particular human gravity. Without asking you to go anywhere you would rather not, were there challenges along the way, physical, emotional, or otherwise, that altered your relationship to performing, and has returning to the stage changed your sense of fragility, endurance, or presence?

A: I’ve been a bit under the weather lately, like many others. Unfortunately, a cold hadn’t fully cleared up in time for the last show, but I still managed to get through it. We’ve never cancelled a confirmed gig from our side. We only do about one show per month anyway, because anything more would get too exhausting. Two gigs back-to-back are quite rare for us. We’re not trained singers, nor are we really physically prepared for life on tour. I keep telling myself I should do more for my body, but in the end it’s mostly just a lot of walking and cycling. It would probably help with stamina and appearance, but I’ve never really been focused on looking better or more “fit.”I also don’t like conversations about appearance, “oh, have you lost weight… gained weight… lost weight again.” It gets tiring. We go on stage as we are.

Q:  klangstabil feel to you like something reopening, something continuing, or something becoming possible for the first time? And now that the live current is moving again, has it also shifted your sense of what still wants to be written, performed, or brought into the world?

A: It’s definitely another step forward that we’re taking together. The urge to express didn’t just come with the live shows, it was already there before. There are a few themes connected to a new artwork that’s in the pipeline. Certain perspectives, or an inner attitude, are already flowing into the current performances and are also reshaping the existing set. I think we’ve become a bit more resigned toward the outside world, but that’s also part of the spirit of the times. Still, we try to bring in positive approaches, which is important for us as well, in order to stay stable.

Moya Brennan, the singer, harpist and founding member of Clannad, died yesterday on April 13, 2026, aged 73. Irish media reported the news, citing a family statement that said she died peacefully in Donegal, surrounded by loved ones.

Tributes have already followed from Irish political leaders. Taoiseach Micheál Martin called Brennan “an iconic Irish voice,” while Tánaiste Simon Harris said she went from Gweedore to international recognition with Clannad.

Tributes from fellow Irish musicians quickly followed. Donegal singer Daniel O’Donnell said he and his wife were “deeply saddened” by the death of their “dear friend” and called her “a beautiful lady who will be greatly missed.” Gaoth Dobhair singer and fiddler Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, who co-founded Altan and also performed with Brennan in T with the Maggies, said Brennan “paved the way for people like myself to come along” and called her “my hero growing up.”

Fiachna Ó Braonáin, guitarist and vocalist with Hothouse Flowers, said it was “an absolute privilege to be in her world,” adding that “She always made you feel you were part of the family.” Frances Black, the Dublin singer who first came to prominence with The Black Family and later became an independent senator, described Brennan as “one of the most beautiful people I know in the music industry.”

In a comment Chicane (real name Nick Bracegirdle, the British electronic/dance producer known for hits like “Saltwater,” which featured Moya Brennan and Clannad) posted a personal tribute: “I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of Moya Brennan, she & her Clannad bandmates were responsible for some the most emotive music I have ever been privileged to hear & am eternally grateful for her letting me create Saltwater & get involved in the project RIP”

I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of Moya Brennan, she & her Clannad bandmates were responsible for some the most emotive music I have ever been privileged to hear & am eternally grateful for her letting me create Saltwater & get involved in the project RIP 🙏

— Chicane // Nick B (@NickChicane) April 14, 2026

Her most widely known crossover collaboration came in 1986 with Bono of U2 on “In a Lifetime”. The duet appeared on Clannad’s “Macalla” album and was recorded at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin. It became one of the band’s defining international songs and remained important enough in Clannad’s catalogue that the group later used its title for the 2019 retrospective “In a Lifetime” and the farewell tour that followed.

About Moya Brennan

Born Máire Ní Bhraonáin in 1952, Brennan was the eldest of nine children in the Brennan family from Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. She became the lead voice of Clannad and remained central to the group’s identity across its original run, reunion years and farewell period.

Clannad was formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal, by siblings Pól, Ciarán and Máire (Moya) Brennan with their twin uncles Pádraig and Noel Duggan. The group first performed at the family-run Leo’s Tavern and broke through internationally with “Harry’s Game” in 1982. Clannad later won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for “Landmarks”.

Brennan also maintained a solo career outside the band. We last covered her in January 2021, when she teamed up with Trance Wax on “Rivers”, which marked a return to trance after her earlier appearance on Chicane’s “Saltwater”.

Clannad completed its “In a Lifetime Farewell Tour” in October 2024 with a final show at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Scott Sturgis is a household name in the world of Power-Noise. Between the late 1990s and the early years of the new millennium, he terrorized the underground scene with his ruthless and, above all, uncompromising sound. During that time, he was also involved in various other projects, but Converter remained a defining name within the scene.

After 2005, however, things suddenly went quiet—until now. More than 20 years later, the American artist has reactivated Converter with this five-track EP, produced by Daniel Myer. The influences of the past now linger more subtly in the background, as if this EP reveals a different side of Converter. While there is still experimentation with distorted sounds, everything feels more controlled and restrained. The music remains dark, yet also incorporates a touch of Minimal-Electro. At times, the atmosphere turns distinctly ominous. Overall, Converter diverges from earlier work to deliver a more accessible record. On one track, a sequence even emerges that is somewhat reminiscent of Front 242. The EP concludes with overwhelming arrangements that, in a sense, form a bridge to the past.

One can only hope that Sturgis has truly reinvented his project. Based on what is presented here, it is fair to say that Converter has a promising future ahead. (Rating:8).

Listen to: “Garden Of Earthly Delights”:

https://ant-zen.bandcamp.com/track/garden-of-earthly-delights

BlakLight is an American Synth-Pop project I first discovered in 2020 with their debut album, “Music In A Time Of Uncertainty”. Founded by the duo Adam Collier and Brian Belknap, BlakLightnot only delivered a brilliant debut, but with each subsequent release they have continued to confirm their talent for crafting stylish, polished Electro-Pop. Late last year, they returned with their fifth full-length album, “The Haunting Of Us”, which also marks the official arrival of live member Omar Quiñones as a full-fledged part of BlakLight.

Once again self-released, BlakLight’s “The Haunting Of Us” is a meticulously crafted production, polished down to the finest detail. Brian Belknap proves once more to be a gifted vocalist for this genre, his voice shining even brighter thanks to the high-caliber musical backing surrounding it. BlakLight may not be reinventing the wheel, but they never pretend to: this is elegant, sophisticated Electro-Pop with all the ingredients the genre demands. Time for a chat with the entire band. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

BlakLight interview

Q: “The Haunting Of Us” is already the fifth studio album for BlakLight – along with alternative edits and numerous singles and EPs all released since 2020. How do you look back on this rapid development and remarkable productivity by BlakLight? And how did the transition from a duo to a trio for this new opus come about? Has this change had an impact on the roles and input of each member?

Adam: Looking back, the pace probably seems intense from the outside, but for me it’s always felt very natural. I tend to get deeply locked into ideas and sounds, and once I’m in that space, I don’t really switch it off. I’m constantly writing, refining, and building. We have  just followed that momentum wherever it goes. The transition from a duo to a trio came together pretty organically. Omar really understood the atmosphere and emotional tone we were aiming for. There’s more space now—more perspectives, more ways to approach a track. Everyone brings something distinct without losing our core identity.

Brian: It’s funny, but I think we’ve slowed down too much! We released the first two albums within the space of a year, and we had hoped to keep up that pace, but life got in the way. We’re not overly precious about the songs, there will always be another. Omar joined us as a ‘live member’ a few years back, as we needed more support in the live setting, and things evolved from there. He’s a fantastic musician and brings some great musical ideas and tight harmonies to the table.

Omar: I think the way BlakLight works as a band really comes down to trust. Each of us has a defined role, and that balance just clicks naturally. As for the frequency of releases, the process was already well established when I joined—Adam and Brian had a strong foundation and a deep catalog of material, which keeps the momentum going. My own process tends to be a bit more deliberate, but everything is now very structured. We have a clear release schedule this year, with a lot in the pipeline. It’s both exciting and creatively demanding. Honestly, it feels like a dream team.

Q: Tell us a bit about the new BlakLight album. Did the theme or the music come first, and how did both aspects evolve during the composition process? What stages did you go through to reach the final result?

Adam: The process starts by me writing a song or group of songs. The title tends to surface early, almost instinctively.  From there, I send the demos to Brian and Omar, and the songs start to shape. When their vocals and additional music come back, I move into production and mixing.  I will strip parts away, introduce new elements, or reshape entire sections. I hear changes constantly, and it’s difficult to leave anything untouched. We usually work right up until the deadline. The title track, “The Haunting Of Us” itself went through three distinct revisions. 

Brian: Adam brought the title “The Haunting Of Us” to the table a few years back, and we stuck with it. For nearly all of the lyrics I’ve written for BlakLight, I use Adam’s musical demo titles as the jumping off point for my lyrical ideas and song titles. I typically don’t have anything in mind when I start writing, I just begin riffing and singing nonsense over the track until some words eventually shoot out, then I refine them and define what the song will be about. However, there are two tracks on the album, “The Haunting Of Us” and “Judas Kiss”, that I went into with a spark of idea about what I wanted to convey.

Omar: It’s always fascinating to hear how a track evolves from demo to final version. The core elements are usually already there—it’s about expanding on that foundation and bringing it to life. I remember suggesting early on that we lean into a darker sonic direction, especially given the album title. It felt appropriate, considering the current climate. More than anything, what matters is that the music remains relatable while continuing to evolve. You can really hear that progression across each release.

Q: Speaking of the final result, how critical are you of yourselves and the production as a whole? Are there any external voices you consult, or specific references or criteria you use? And to what extent do these influence the overall outcome of BlakLight’s work?

Adam: ‘Critical’ feels too light—it’s more like something that never switches off. I’m always hearing what could shift, what needs to be removed or reworked. It’s less about perfection and more about whether it feels aligned with what we’re trying to capture. I don’t rely much on external references. The only real measure is whether the track feels complete within its own world. 

Brian: I’m probably the least critical of the three of us, not being a technical musician. Adam and Omar always deliver, and if I can listen to my voice on the track without cringing, I’ve succeeded.

Omar: I’d say I fall somewhere in the middle when it comes to being critical. When I’m adding parts to a song, my focus is on whether it truly fits the atmosphere and intent. The most critical aspect for me is sound design. I work with a range of hardware and modular gear, moving between them to shape textures and tones. It can be a time-intensive process, but it’s essential to achieving the right sound.

Q: Could you elaborate on the deeper meaning behind the title of the new BlakLight album? To what extent is it a metaphor for themes such as loss, memory, and emotional erosion? And how much do these themes reflect the introspective and uncertain world we live in today?

Adam:  The music came first, and as I was shaping the demos, certain moods kept emerging,  memory, loss, and things that linger longer than they should. The title, “The Haunting Of Us,” came afterward, almost as a way of naming what the music had already begun to express. For me, this album reflects more on an internal world than an external one, about the spaces we carry inside ourselves. The album translates that introspection into sound.

Brian: It’s all of those things. My original intention was to write ten songs about all types of loss, but the songs took me in different directions as I worked on them. I try to keep the lyrics vague enough so that I’m not spelling out the meaning, and each listener can find themselves in the songs.

Omar: To me, the title reflects something very real and personal. As a band, we’ve all experienced loss, illness, anxiety, and concern for the people we care about. Those experiences inevitably shape the music of BlakLight. At the same time, the title also serves as a reminder of resilience—despite everything we face, we find ways to move forward and overcome.

Q: Up until now, as BlakLight you have always released your music independently. To what extent is this a conscious decision to operate BlakLight as a DIY band? I can imagine there are labels that would be interested in releasing your work. On the other hand, a ‘good’ label could potentially give you broader recognition—unless that is not a priority for you at all?

Adam: I’ll let Brian and Omar speak to that. My focus is more on shaping the music that gives our albums their foundation. 

Brian: It’s a fairly conscious decision to remain DIY as BlakLight. My day job has kept me behind the scenes of the music business for over two decades, so I’m well versed on how things work. That being said, we’ve only ever been approached by one label. If someone wants to talk to us, we’re open ears.

Omar: We’re always having conversations about our long-term goals, including the possibility of working with a label. For now, keeping things in-house feels right. We have the ability to manage a lot on our own, and that independence has been important to us. That said, when the right opportunity comes along, we’ll be ready for it. At this stage, our biggest needs would likely be strong management and tour support.

Q: How does the energy of the studio recordings translate to the stage for BlakLight, and how is that divided between the three of you? And finally, what does the rest of the year have in store for Blaklight in terms of live performances and other plans?

Adam: For live performances, we enhance certain elements to give the songs more immediate energy, and they translate naturally to the stage. We have a great light show that shapes the atmosphere. Brian is one of the most commanding frontmen I’ve ever seen, he radiates energy that’s almost explosive. Omar and I anchor  the sound, shaping the textures and layers that give the performance its depth. Together, the three of us create a live version that feels like the music has grown larger and more alive than in the studio. We have a 4th member for live shows, our friend Suede, he fills in when I cannot make it. 

Brian: We turn the energy up for our live shows. I actually think that fans are surprised the first time they see us live, I’m not standing in the corner sulking in the fog. We’ve got a few festival dates (Dark Force Fest & Wave-Gotik-Treffen), UK and Mexico tours and hopefully some west coast shows before the year is up. There’s two more maxi-singles in the pipeline, an EP of covers, an EP of ‘re-imagined’ tracks, the follow-up to our ’nstrumental-ish’ album “tHE pADDED rOOM” and likely a new proper single and/or EP.

Omar: Performing live is incredibly important to me. One of the most exciting things has been watching Brian grow into such a powerful frontman of BlakLight—his energy is genuinely infectious. A lot of people don’t expect the intensity we bring, and the response has been amazing. On stage, everything is raw and immediate—all the emotion comes through at once, and that rush is addictive.

There’s also a real sense of connection with the audience. Brian has a way of making everyone in the room feel part of the experience. What we do has a certain elegance—it’s not overproduced, and it aligns naturally with our aesthetic. We all draw inspiration from the artists who shaped us, and those influences come through in subtle ways.

Performing alongside Adam is especially meaningful to me. There’s a strong emotional exchange between us, and it translates directly into the music. When all of us are on stage together, it feels like unveiling a painting for the first time—layered, expressive, and full of both precision and imperfection.

Sister May is a Belgian band that has been active for several years now. After releasing various singles and EPs, their first self-released album appeared in 2023. They returned early this year with a new opus. “VII” is presented as a conceptual work exploring different types of collapse and the impact they entail.

Musically, Sister May blends many influences into their compositions. Powerful guitar work is complemented by electronic arrangements, creating a fusion of Rock, Industrial, and Metal. Some passages are quieter and even somewhat ethereal, but that calm is soon disrupted by brutal sounds and menacing guitars. Over this sonic maelstrom rises the singer’s extremely passionate—at times almost possessed—voice.

“VII” sounds dark and aggressive, but above all, it stands as a truly cohesive blend of tightly woven influences. (Rating:7).

Listen to “We Care”:

https://sistermay.bandcamp.com/track/we-care

Lina Filipovich is a Belarusian artist based in Paris who has released a considerable body of work over the past five years. “Flowers Of Evil II”, released earlier this year, features eight tracks.

From the very beginning, Lina Filipovich makes it clear that Techno is not necessarily what many expect it to be. For her, it serves more as an element or influence within a broader sonic framework, into which she weaves Ambient textures in a striking and unexpected way. The result is an ethereal atmosphere that adds a distinctive creative twist to her productions. She pays remarkable attention to subtle details—delicate sounds and effects that truly reveal themselves when listened to on headphones. At the same time, her use of Techno structures, driven by a restrained and cool kick, gives the music a sense of movement and makes it surprisingly danceable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this record, which has the potential to resonate with listeners across a wide range of genres. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Obsession”:

https://linafilipovich.bandcamp.com/track/obsession

Freakangel have released the digital “Control” EP today, April 10, 2026, via Alfa Matrix. The Estonian electro-industrial act here unites together the new song “Control” with the earlier singles “Death Bloom” and “Suicidal (Break The Cycle)”.

Below are the official videos for “Death Bloom” and “Suicidal (Break The Cycle)”.

About Freakangel

Freakangel emerged in Tallinn around 2009-2010 under Dmitry Darling. The band debuted on Alfa Matrix with the album “The Faults Of Humanity”, followed by “Let It All End” and “The Ones To Fall”, alongside the EPs “Porcelain Doll”, “The Book Of Violence” and “Into The Fire”, plus the live releases “The Faults Of Humanity: Live” and “The Show Of Violence”.

Note that the 2017 album “How The Ghost Became” and the EP “In The Witch House” were released through DWA.

In 2021 Alfa Matrix released “The Faults Of Humanity (X Anniversary Edition)”, followed by the 2022 EP “The Last White Dance”, the 2023 single “Suicidal (Break The Cycle)” and its extended follow-up, then the 2024 single “Death Bloom”, the “Death Bloom (Extended Version)” EP, and the compilation “Serenity To The Stars, Beauty To The Broken”.

The “Control” is the latest on the band’s releases.

Lords Of Acid have released the new single “Karaoke Superstar” via Metropolis Records. The track features guest vocals by Princess Superstar and is out now with an official video also online.

“Karaoke Superstar” is the first new Lords Of Acid music in eight years, following the band’s most recent studio album “Pretty in Kink” from 2018. We previously reported that the band’s next full-length album is expected later in 2026 and will be the seventh Lords Of Acid studio album, which originally has as working title “Acid Reign“, but since then it has been changed to a yet unknown title.

For many this new single will a big surprise because musically it’s über-commercial.

The new single arrives ahead of the group’s 2026 “Cheeky Freaky” US tour. The tour starts on April 25, 2026 in Las Vegas and continues across the United States through May 31, 2026, with Princess Superstar listed among the tour’s featured acts.

About Lords Of Acid

Lords Of Acid were formed in Antwerp in 1988 by Praga Khan, Olivier Adams and Jade 4U. Musically the project emerged from Belgium’s late-1980s new beat and acid-house scene. Their breakthrough came with the single “I Sit on Acid” in 1988, followed by the debut album “Lust” in 1991.

“Voodoo-U” followed in 1994, “Our Little Secret” in 1997, “Farstucker” in 2000, “Deep Chills” in 2012 and “Pretty in Kink” in 2018. The new yet untitled album follows in late 2026.

Lords Of Acid built their name on a hybrid of acid house, industrial dance, techno and new beat. Lords Of Acid anno 2026 consists of Praga Khan and Olivier Adams, with Carla Harvey active as the present frontwoman on the band’s current cycle.

About Princess Superstar

Princess Superstar is the stage name of Concetta Suzanne Kirschner, a New York-born American rapper, singer, songwriter and DJ active since the early 1990s. Musically she moves between hip hop, house, dance-pop, electro house and electroclash. Before launching her solo career, she played in the all-female group Gamma Rays and began recording under the Princess Superstar name in the mid-1990s.

Her first album, “Strictly Platinum,” was released in 1996. It was followed by “CEO” in 1997, “Last of the Great 20th Century Composers” in 2000, “Princess Superstar Is” in 2001 and “My Machine” in 2005. “Bad Babysitter” became a UK hit in 2002, while “Perfect (Exceeder),” built from her track “Perfect” and Mason’s “Exceeder,” reached No. 3 in the UK in 2007.

Later on Princess Superstar released “The New Evolution” in 2013 and continued with singles and collaborations across pop, dance and electronic music including work with Moby, The Prodigy, Arthur Baker, Prince Paul and Grandmaster Flash. In 2023 she released “Who Am I Now.”

In 2026 she appeared on Lords Of Acid’s “Karaoke Superstar”.

PIG have released the new single “Sex & Suicide” today, April 10, 2026, via Metropolis Records. The track is the second preview of the 10-track album “Hurt People Hurt”, which is scheduled for May 22, 2026. The single follows “Tosca’s Kiss”, which we covered on March 6 as the first track lifted from the same album.

Raymond Watts says this about the new single: “This is a song of pain, pleasure, obsession and possession, written for the departed, the broken-hearted and the newly started. It’s a walk on the high-wire blade of want for something so bad you beg for release.”

A lyric video for “Sex & Suicide”, directed by Grete Stitch Laus, is out now.

“Hurt People Hurt” will be released in LP, CD, and digital formats. The vinyl edition comes as a limited deluxe pressing.

PIG are also listed for Dark Force Fest 2026 at the Sheraton Parsippany in New Jersey, running from May 1 to May 3.

About PIG

PIG is the long-running industrial rock project of English musician Raymond Watts. Watts launched the project in the late 1980s after earlier work with KMFDM, Einstürzende Neubauten, Psychic TV, Foetus, Schaft, and Schwein.

The first PIG release was “A Poke in the Eye… with a Sharp Stick” in 1988. It was followed by “Praise the Lard” in 1991, “A Stroll in the Pork” in 1992, “The Swining” in 1993, “Sinsation” in 1995, “Wrecked” in 1996, and “Genuine American Monster” in 1999. After “Pigmartyr” in 2004, released under Watts name and later reissued as “Pigmata”, the project returned with “The Gospel” in 2016, “Risen” in 2018, “Candy” in 2019, “Pain Is God” in 2020, “The Merciless Light” in 2022, and “Red Room” in 2024. The “Feast of Agony” EP followed in 2024, the remastered “Wrecked” in 2025, the remix set “The Merciful Night” in 2025, and now “Hurt People Hurt” in 2026.

Current members are Raymond Watts, En Esch, Steve White, and Bradley Bills. Watts remains the core figure, while Jim Davies continues as a key writing collaborator.

Nine Inch Nails and Boys Noize have announced a collaborative full-length release titled “Nine Inch Noize“, due out on April 17 as HALO 38 in the band’s long-running Halo series. The project was confirmed through Nine Inch Nails’ official website after a teaser billboard appeared near Indio ahead of the duo’s Coachella appearance.

The release arrives just before Nine Inch Noize’s billed Coachella set on the Sahara stage. The collaboration extends a working relationship that already included Boys Noize’s rework of the Reznor/Ross “Challengers” material, contributions around “Tron Ares: Divergence“, and in 2025 Boys Noize went on tour with Nine Inch Nails for the ‘Peel It Back World Tour 2025’.

About Nine Inch Nails, Boys Noize and Nine Inch Noize

Nine Inch Nails was formed in Cleveland in 1988 by Trent Reznor. Atticus Ross became an official member in 2016. The band’s first release was “Pretty Hate Machine” in 1989 followed by “The Downward Spiral”, “The Fragile”, “Hesitation Marks”, “Bad Witch”, and the 2020 pair “Ghosts V: Together” and “Ghosts VI: Locusts”. In 2025 and 2026, the soundtrack-era releases “Tron: Ares”, “Tron Ares: Divergence” followed, and now “Nine Inch Noize”, a collaboration project with Boys Noize.

Boys Noize is the project of Alexander Ridha, a German producer and DJ from Hamburg who later based himself in Berlin. He founded Boysnoize Records in 2005. His official releases includes “Oi Oi Oi”, “Power”, “Out of the Black”, “Mayday”, and “+/-“, alongside a long run of remixes and collaborations.

Before “Nine Inch Noize”, Ridha’s recent overlap with Nine Inch Nails already covered studio and live work. He remixed material linked to Reznor and Ross’ “Challengers” score, appeared on “Tron Ares: Divergence”, and toured with Nine Inch Nails on the Peel It Back run.

With LARMO, Mirosław Matyasik distills more than two decades of movement through Poland’s independent underground into something at once heavier, broader, and more self-defined. Known from earlier projects such as C.H. District and Godzilla, the Upper Silesian artist has long explored the space where industrial discipline, mechanical repetition, and electronic physicality meet. But LARMO feels like a particularly direct statement: rooted in the sounds, atmosphere, and industrial memory of Upper Silesia, yet open to techno, rhythmic noise, bass music, and other forms that stretch beyond narrow genre borders. Following the strong reception of the debut full-length ‘Alarm’ and a powerful live appearance at Elektroanschlag, LARMO is clearly gaining momentum. We spoke with Mirosław about regional identity, noise as language, collaboration, rhythmic obsession, and what may be coming next.

LARMO interview

Karo: You have been active on the Polish independent scene for more than two decades through projects such as C.H. District and Godzilla. Looking at LARMO today, what does this project allow you to express that perhaps needed exactly this moment in your artistic life to fully emerge?

LARMO: A lot of time has passed, that’s true. I started in the mid-1990s, and back then it was classic industrial-adjacent activity, drawing heavily from the foundations of the genre: electro-acoustic recordings, manipulated tape, analogue synthesizers. I have always been fascinated by rhythm and by the possibilities offered by technology, so later I moved further in that direction and spent the following years exploring mechanical music in a somewhat milder and more dance-oriented form with C.H. District. LARMO is a relatively new matter, I have been working under this name for only a few years. To answer your question directly, it is the result of everything that has accumulated in me musically over all those years. It is a kind of tribute to what gave me the foundations for my work, but above all it is an attempt to move beyond the stylistic limits I used to impose on myself. I think I simply matured into communicating with the world as LARMO.

Karo: LARMO is described as “rhythms and noises from Upper Silesia,” which gives the project a very strong sense of place. How deeply is Upper Silesia present in your music, not just as scenery or biography, but as a real structural force behind the sound?

LARMO: I was born, raised, and still live and create in Upper Silesia. I grew up surrounded by mines and heavy industry, so I absorbed what is unique to this region almost unconsciously. I also became deeply shaped by Silesian tradition, which I value a lot, and I clearly see its diversity and uniqueness. Of course all of this has left its mark on my music, although it does not determine it one hundred percent. The industrial aesthetic, the sounds of this specific environment, are definitely something I want people to hear in my productions.

Karo: The name itself is very direct, almost programmatic: “LARMO means noise.” What does noise mean to you in this context, as pure intensity, as resistance, as communication, or as a way of telling truths that more conventional musical language cannot carry?

LARMO: In the regional dialect, larmo simply means “noise,” and that is where this, as you called it, “programmatic manifesto” comes from. At the same time, it is not just a catchy slogan, but a kind of motto that has accompanied me for as long as I can remember. This form of expression through loud, non-obvious, or unwanted sounds is something that has always been with me, and I feel that this is the way in which I have the most to say.

Karo: Your music clearly draws from the classic industrial tradition, but ‘Alarm’ also absorbs elements of rhythmic noise, techno, illbient, and bass music. How do you keep this wide range of influences focused, so that the result sounds unified rather than merely eclectic?

LARMO: I’m glad you see Alarm as a unified work. That was exactly my intention while I was working on the album. I wanted to move beyond my own limitations and “glue together” ideas that might seem distant from one another into something coherent, but also into something I would genuinely enjoy listening to myself. I’m fascinated by very different kinds of music, film, literature, and art, and none of that is neutral in relation to what I create. Earlier, though, I was afraid of too much variety in my music. Today I’m no longer afraid of that, and LARMO allows me to release it.

Karo: The album title ‘Alarm’ immediately suggests warning, urgency, disturbance, but also alertness and awakening. What kind of alarm did you want this record to sound, and what exactly was demanding to be heard so loudly?

LARMO: Alarm is not a random title. It is my way of telling everyone that I am stepping beyond fixed frames, reaching for different styles, mixing genres, and wanting to connect different scenes. Maybe that sounds a little banal, but I hope readers will understand my intentions very well. We have reached a time in which, especially younger listeners, though not only them, no longer care much about conventions or genre boundaries. That makes me very happy, and I wanted that to happen for a long time. I want to be part of that, and I believe that I am.

Karo: One of the strengths of ‘Alarm’ is that it feels heavy and mechanical, but never static. There is movement, rupture, and a real sense of internal tension. When you build a track, what usually comes first, rhythm, texture, concept, or the physical sensation you want the listener to experience?

LARMO: The rhythmic layer is usually the part I start with when working on a new track. Even when it is a composition without a clearly defined beat, I usually look for some point of reference, some form of repetition. Repetition in music is the key for me. Around rhythm I build everything else. For me it is the element that pulls the whole thing forward, builds the dramaturgy, and carries the track.

Karo: The album features several guests, including Gosia, IHS, Paula, Pachu, and MONYA. What drew you toward these particular collaborations, and how did these outside voices expand or challenge the sonic identity of LARMO?

LARMO: Collaborations on the independent scene are something very natural. It is a relatively small environment of people connected by similar ideas, tastes, worldviews, and approaches to creativity. Usually we know each other, we are colleagues, friends, and that was also the case here.At the same time, I wanted to follow what has already appeared in my previous answers: to move in a less obvious direction. So I invited, among others, vocalists connected to the HC/punk scene, the frontman of the  metal and broadly understood electronics, namely IHS. One of the tracks was remixed by MONYA, and for me that was a natural choice, because I wanted to close the album with something more technoid, maybe even dancefloor-oriented. Monika did that perfectly. I should also add that I really enjoy working with someone else’s sounds or voice and building a composition around them, so these kinds of collaborations will definitely remain an inseparable part of LARMO.

Karo: After several smaller releases, splits, and enthusiastically received concerts, ‘Alarm’ arrived as the first full-length LARMO statement. Did working on a longer format change your understanding of the project itself, perhaps showing you its scope more clearly?

LARMO: A full-length album is a kind of closure to a certain period in my work. Like probably most people dealing with this kind of material, I have dozens of unfinished ideas or loose compositions resting in the proverbial drawer. It is very important to keep moving forward, to close a given stage, and continue working. Releasing Alarm was a very important moment for me. It fully justified the existence of this project and gave it a solid foundation from which I can continue my search.

Karo: Your performance at Elektroanschlag placed LARMO in front of an audience particularly sensitive to sonic intensity, authenticity, and physical impact. How did that show feel from your perspective, and what does the live setting reveal about LARMO that the studio versions cannot fully contain?

LARMO: I am lucky enough to play live relatively often, and because of that I can honestly say that the audience I had the pleasure of meeting at Elektroanschlag was one of the best. I agree with you, they are definitely people who are aware of what they want, sensitive, and authentic. For me it is extremely important when I meet an audience that, through the interaction created between them and the artist, actually drives the performer forward and creates a mutual exchange. My performances are improvised to a large extent. They are based on a general framework, but their final shape comes precisely from that interaction with the audience. At Elektroanschlag, playing felt fantastic, and I had the impression that people were enjoying themselves as well. I had some concerns, because I was opening the second day of the festival at a rather early hour, but after a few seconds that feeling gave way to pure joy from performing. I felt that magical thread of understanding.

Karo: With ‘Alarm’ having been so well received in Poland and abroad, and with LARMO clearly gaining momentum, what is currently waiting in the shadows? Are there new releases, new collaborations, or new directions already taking shape behind the scenes?

LARMO: It’s nice to hear that. Alarm really did receive quite a lot of positive reviews. At the moment I’m working on new material in parallel. One of those things should appear in the near future, while the other belongs more to the slightly more distant future. There are also some concert plans, although that side of things is always very dynamic. I have no intention of resting on my laurels. I still want to do as much as possible, and where that leads me, we will see.

Austin electro-industrial duo Dread Risks just released the digital single “Invertebrate” via the Oklahoma-based label Re:Mission Entertainment. The single comes accompanied by the “Invertebrate video” and the B-side “Where You Left (Snowbeasts Remix)”.

The new track is moving into new territories with the band adopting a melodic and strained, electro-industrial formula. On mixing and mastering duties we find Illuminox on track one, while Snowbeasts mixed the remix and Illuminox mastered it.

The single follows “Where You Left”, which we covered on March 6, 2026 as Dread Risks’ first new release since “hellhymn”, issued on August 1, 2025.

About Dread Risks

Dread Risks formed in Austin in 2018 as a two-piece, Kris O. on vocals and Eric R. on live audio/visual work, with both members sharing production duties. The band debuted with the track “Voidhost”, followed by “errorcode (adoration destroyed remix)” on February 14, 2020.

After signing to Re:Mission Entertainment in 2021, the duo released the six-track “Trauma Ties” on September 17, 2021. That release was followed by “Obliteration Complex” in October 2021 and the full-length “Automated Disappointment” on March 25, 2022 in digital, CD, and vinyl formats.

Later releases included “Bound Limbs (ESA Remix)” in September 2022, “Machine Identity (in the walls mix by God Module)” in March 2023, “Comadose (Moaan Exis Remix)” in July 2023, “Extinction Form” in September 2023, “hellhymn” in August 2025, and “Where You Left” in March 2026.

The Polish project Undertheskin returned in December 2025 with their third album. This is their first new opus since “Negative” (2019) and also their debut album on Young And Cold Records.

“Negative” was a true gem in the Dark-Wave genre, an influence that is retained on this new full-length release. The music remains steeped in a pitch-black atmosphere, yet “Never / Return” also sounds slightly more melodic and—one might even say—a bit more ‘Pop’-oriented. This is particularly evident in some of the choruses, where they occasionally evoke an imaginary hybrid of Mesh (for the Pop sensibility) and The Cure (for the dark atmosphere). The final section, however, turns darker and somewhat more melancholic, achieving a perfect balance between guitars and synths. Add to that the passionate vocals of frontman and founder Mariusz Łuniewski, and Undertheskin has once again delivered a highly accomplished effort.

In my opinion, this is a band that deserves wider recognition, although any true Post-Punk enthusiast has likely already discovered both the group and this excellent new release. (Rating:8½).

Listen to “End This / Winter”:

https://underskin.bandcamp.com/track/end-this-winter

New York electro-industrial duo Fermion return with the five-track EP “Four Dimensions”, out today via Re:Mission Entertainment. The digital release follows the duo’s album “Conflicted“, which arrived in July 2025.

The EP runs through “Call To Arms”, “Myriad Complex”, “Four Dimensions”, “Luminous Screens”, and a closing version of Simple Minds’ “Theme For Great Cities”. While “Call To Arms” draws on classic EBM, “Myriad Complex” pushes that rhythmic approach further, the title track then again adds goa trance elements, and “Luminous Screens” moves into a warmer synthpop register. The closing cover stays quite faithful to the original, albeit in the Fermion’s trademark sound.

“Four Dimensions” was mixed, produced, and mastered by Justin Singer at 10×13 Studio in Media, Pennsylvania.

About Fermion

Fermion is the New York project of Eric Shans and Augustine Backer. Shans is handling programming, songwriting, engineering, and vocals, while Backer takes care of the sound design, songwriting, additional production, and engineering. The project began after they met at a producers’ meet-up in New York City, with the collaboration formally taking shape in 2019.

Their first release was the EP “We Are Nowhere” on October 18, 2019. That was followed by the New Order cover “Vanishing Point” in December 2019, the album “Elegiac” on June 19, 2020, the OMD cover “Messages” on August 31, 2020, and the album “Hysteresis” on October 21, 2021.

Fermion returned in 2023 with the singles “Surveillance” and “Relapsed”, both leading into the album “Infinity Terminal”, released on October 27, 2023. The duo then joined Re:Mission Entertainment and released “Conflicted” on July 25, 2025.

German synth-pop/dark wave project Meersein has released the single “Ariel“. The track follows “Tide Myself” and is the second single from the new five-track EP “Ocean”, which will be out tomorrow.

“Ariel” reworks the familiar mermaid figure around sacrifice, identity, and transformation. The single keeps Meersein’s synth-pop core in place while inserting post-punk and dark wave elements. An official video is available as well.

Here is the single on Spotify. as well as the previous 2-track single “Tide Myself”.

About Meersein

Meersein is the German synth-pop/dark wave project of Jan Schütz from Oldenburg. The project has Jan Schütz on vocals and guitar and Renee Brandt on keyboards and synthesizers.

Schütz launched his own radio show in October 2021 and began releasing Meersein material in 2022. The debut single “Speechless” came out in June 2022, followed by an acoustic version later that year.

In 2023 the project released “Faded Eyes”, “Her Slave” featuring Corlyx, and “Haunting”.

“Mavrula” followed in January 2024, “Stripped” in May 2024, “Forbidden Love” in February 2025, and “Bloody Gloria” in October 2025. In January 2026, we already announced “Tide Myself” as the first preview of “Ocean”. “Ariel” now follows as the second single from that EP.

Clock DVA, the Sheffield post-punk / industrial group, have shared both the DVATION 2026 version and the remastered version of “Sensorium” ahead of the 45th anniversary reissue of “Thirst“, due on June 5, 2026 via The Grey Area of Mute. The reissue is set for limited double thirst-red vinyl, CD and digital release.

Adi Newton says the move from “White Souls in Black Suits” to “Thirst” also coincided with a line-up change: “Between White Souls and Thirst, the guitarist changed from David Hammond to Paul Widger.” And he adds that the material had become “more structured and exact than the improvised works on White Souls.”

The “Thirst” line-up featured Adi Newton, Steven James Turner, Roger Quail, Paul Widger and Charlie Collins. The album was recorded at Jacobs Studios in Surrey and produced by Newton and Ken Thomas, while Neville Brody handled the sleeve design.

Originally released through Fetish on January 24, 1981, “Thirst” was Clock DVA’s second studio album. The 2026 edition expands the original nine-track album with two live recordings from The Lyceum, the single mixes of “4 Hours” and “Sensorium”, and new 2026 versions of both tracks. The reissue was expanded and remastered from the original tapes with input from the surviving Clock DVA members.

Below are the two videos for the previous double tracker “4 Hours”.

‘Thirst’ tracklist

1. “Uncertain”
2. “Sensorium”
3. “White Cell”
4. “Piano Pain”
5. “Blue Tone”
6. “North Loop”
7. “4 Hours”
8. “Moments”
9. “Impressions of African Winter”
10. “The Opening (Live At The Lyceum)”
11. “Remain Remain (Live At The Lyceum)”
12. “4 Hours (Single Mix)”
13. “Sensorium (Single Mix)”
14. “4 Hours (DVATION 2026 version)”
15. “Sensorium (DVATION 2026 version)”

About Clock DVA

Clock DVA formed in Sheffield in 1978. Adi Newton and bassist Steven “Judd” Turner put together the first line-up with David J. Hammond, Roger Quail and Charlie Collins after Newton’s earlier involvement with The Studs and The Future. The group first issued “White Souls in Black Suits” in 1980 on Industrial Records, then followed it with “Thirst” in 1981.

The 1981 album “Thirst” ran to nine tracks, including “Sensorium” and “4 Hours”. After this album, the band split, while Quail, Collins and Widger later went on to form The Box. Turner died in September 1981.

Newton revived Clock DVA in 1982 with a new line-up that included John Valentine Carruthers, leading to “Advantage” in 1983. He reactivated the project again in 1987, after work with The Anti-Group, and that resulted in “Buried Dreams” (1989), “Man-Amplified” and “Digital Soundtracks” in 1992, and “Sign” in 1993. A further reactivation took place in 2008. In 2024, we covered the “Re-Konstructed (Atom & Scanner remixes)” and the limited vinyl issue of “Re-Konstructed“. We later also covered the T.A.G.C. reissue “Iso-Erotic Calibration” in December 2024, and the 2025 Grey Area of Mute reissue of “White Souls in Black Suits“.

With Hoy and the debut album “Getting Closer”, we welcome a new project from Carl Sjöström. The name Scapa Flow will likely ring a bell for many EBM fans from the late ’80s and early ’90s, as Sjöström was a member of that group. He has been active with Hoy for about two years now and has already released several singles and EPs.

“Getting Closer” features ten tracks that genuinely surprised me with their originality. It proves that there are still true musicians and creatives who dare to pursue a sound with real individuality. As a result, it is not easy to pin down Hoy’s genre. There is certainly an Electro-Pop foundation, but it feels highly atypical and often leans toward minimalism and soft EBM elements. The overall sound is somewhat subdued—at times mysterious, yet also floating and atmospheric. Carl Sjöström’s voice is particularly convincing and, above all, a perfect match for the music. Subtle female backing vocals appear here and there, adding further depth. One notable track is the very restrained “Why”, a cover of Annie Lennox. In my opinion, however, it is one of the weaker moments on the album.

To me, this album feels like a genuine revelation: intelligent music that offers something truly fresh within a scene often driven by imitation. (Rating:8½).

Listen to “Confident Smile”:

https://hoymusic1.bandcamp.com/track/confident-smile

Toronto electro-industrial duo Kill Instinct (Phil Gonzo and Lea Ashley) have announced their second LP, “Kill Two: Behavioral Sink”, for release through their own Freak Power label. The rollout starts with lead single “Ignore the Static” on May 1, 2026, followed by a five-single campaign ahead of the full album.

Across the 12 tracks the band tackles identity, social collapse, and the idea of the behavioral sink. The project draws a direct line to John B. Calhoun’s “behavioral sink” concept and the broader “Universe 25” experiments, which examined the social breakdown that emerged in overcrowded rodent colonies.

Kill Instinct describe the album as heavier, faster, and more aggressive than their debut. The release schedule lists “People You Love” for May 29, “Control” for June 26, “Bury It Deep” for July 24, and “Rat Utopia” for August 21, before the album arrives on September 18, 2026. Lea Ashley says: “Our upcoming record is an uncompromising body of work that we have spent the last 12 months refining.” She also described it as “an album that stands for today-one that is raw, honest, and broken, but somehow finds enough optimism by the end to keep us going.”

Kill Instinct’s current catalogue is available through Bandcamp.

About Kill Instinct

Kill Instinct is a Toronto electro-industrial duo which anno 2026 consists of Phil Gonzo and Lea Ashley.

The project’s debut full-length, the eight-track digital album “Kill.One”, was released on February 27, 2025. Its tracklist includes “Funerals”, “Parasocial”, “Grip (Tighter)”, “BIG”, “King of Kings”, “Lovers”, “False Deities”, and “Paradise”.

A steady run of releases arrived after that album, including “Parasocial (Svjet Zéro Remix)” in May 2025, “Paradise (Vakhtang Remix)” in July 2025, “Funerals (Svjet Zéro Remix)” and “Grip (Tighter) [Forged Reigns Remix]” in August 2025, “BIG (Jalex Remix)” and “Funeral Stripper” in October 2025, “Parasocial (Trakt Null Remix)” in December 2025, and “Funeral Stripper (Night Version)” in January 2026.

In between they also released he standalone single “BIG (VIP)” on November 7, 2025.

Outside Kill Instinct, Phil Gonzo has done remix work cfor Matte Blvck’s “Vows” release. which supports the duo’s stated ties to the current dark electronic scene. And now there is “Kill Two: Behavioral Sink”, the second Kill Instinct LP, led by the forthcoming single “Ignore the Static”.

The Lille, France-based alternative pop and dark electronic rock act The Noise Who Runs has released the new single “Commercial Road” . The track previews the 10-track album “RE: GEN X”, which is due on May 8 via TNWR Records. The project is led by Ian Pickering, known for his writing work with Sneaker Pimps and work with Front Line Assembly.

“Commercial Road” is presented as a study of moral paralysis, transactional culture, and public complicity. Pickering says the song “asks what we tolerate, what we ignore, and what we quietly become as a result.” The single was written by Pickering, performed and produced by The Noise Who Runs, with additional production, mixing, and mastering by Colin C at The Cell Studios. The “Commercial Road” video was created by Pickering as well.

The album continues the line opened by the earlier preview tracks “The Bodies Are Under The Bus Again” and “Bang Bang”. Pickering describes the forthcoming album “RE: GEN X” as “a reply to my own generation,” reckoning with passivity, fatigue, and the collapse of public responsibility.

The full tracklist is: “The Summer Talking”, “Bang Bang”, “Trust Me I’m a Psychopath”, “This Song Sucks (Mind the Gap)”, “Just The English Way”, “The Bodies Are Under The Bus Again”, “Home Front Truths”, “We Are Breach”, “Commercial Road”, and “All Assuming You”.

About The Noise Who Runs

The Noise Who Runs started in Lille, France in 2019 as an Anglo-French project formed by Ian Pickering and guitarist Felipe Goes. The project formed after Pickering moved from Hartlepool in north-east England to France in 2016. The project name came from Pickering’s association with the French phrase “O bruit qui cour”.

Before launching The Noise Who Runs, Pickering had already built a long writing history around British electronic music including Sneaker Pimps (“Becoming X”, “Splinter”, and “Bloodsport”). He further worked with Front Line Assembly, Transporter, Valerie Renay, Horrorfall. In 2014 he released the solo album “Left Handed Tendencies”.

The Noise Who Runs’ first releases arrived during the pandemic period, when live plans were interrupted and the focus shifted to recording. “The First of Two Sides of a Double-Headed Coin” and “The Other Side of the Same Double-Headed Coin” were released in 2020, followed by “High Time in Lo-Fi” on March 6, 2022, then “These Will Be Your Gods” in January 2023. That was followed by “Beautiful Perhaps” in February 2023, “Takes A Long Cold Look And Then The Kitchen Sink” in March 2023, and the 14-track debut album “Preteretrospective” in April 2023.

The release flow continued through “New York To L.A. In 2-And-A-Half Minutes” in May 2023, “Tune Out, Turn Off, Drop In” in November 2023, “Mars Attached” in December 2023, and the EP “Come and Join the Beautiful Army” on January 12, 2024.

The first “RE: GEN X” tracks to be released were “The Bodies Are Under The Bus Again” on December 19, 2025, then “Bang Bang” on March 10, 2026, and now “Commercial Road”.

Ashen Sun, the Stockholm project led by Johnny Hagel (ex-Tiamat), will release “Worlock” on April 17, 2026. The single reworks Skinny Puppy’s “Worlock”, originally issued from the 1989 album “Rabies”, and features Lucifer’s Aid. It follows Ashen Sun’s six-track EP “Velarium”, which arrived on March 27, 2026.

The new version is a gothic reinterpretation rather than a direct cover. The cover offers a slower and more atmospheric approach built around layered textures, restrained dynamics and a darker cinematic approach. The band says they wanted to reinterpret the song “through our own lens”.

The single is scheduled for major streaming platforms on April 17, but a trailer is already online.

About Ashen Sun

Ashen Sun emerged in 2024 as Johnny Hagel’s own project. Based in Stockholm the project mixes dark gothic rock, cold-wave synths and cinematic electronics.

Hagel is best known from earlier work in Tiamat and Sundown, a band he co-founded Sundown. Besides this he was involved with Sorcerer as well.

The first Ashen Sun release was the standalone single “Whisper to the Skull”, issued on October 20, 2025. “Faith’s Funeral” followed in December 2025 and “Black Thoughts” in February 2026, before the March 2026 release of “Ashes of the World” and the full “Velarium” EP on Desert Plain Records.

More material is expected to lead toward a full-length album later in 2026.

Electronic progressive pop veterans Biomekkanik have signed a multi-album deal with Dependent Records. The Swedes’ forthcoming new album will be released in 2026 and their previous full-length, “Violently Beautiful”, will also be taken over by the label.

The band’s founder Christer Hermodsson says: “Although Biomekkanik have been silent for a decade, the songwriting never stopped,” adding that the signing means “this beast is finally coming back to life again.” Dependent founder Stefan Herwig from his side described the band as “one of those hidden gems.”

The catalogue shift is already visible on streaming platforms. Current platform listings show a 2026 Dependent edition of “Violently Beautiful”. That digital version runs to 11 tracks and includes the David Bowie cover “Life On Mars”, while the original Danse Macabre edition was released on January 16, 2015 as a 10-track album.

Wave-Gotik-Treffen have also listed Biomekkanik among its confirmed artists for 2026, while the band has announced a June 26 appearance at Subkult Festival in Trollhättan.

About Biomekkanik

Biomekkanik is a Swedish band formed in 2007 with two albums to its name. The project was started by Christer Hermodsson and later expanded from a solo vehicle into a band format. Hermodsson is also known as frontman of S.P.O.C.K and SPARK!, and he did production work for Page, Sista Mannen På Jorden And One, Cat Rapes Dog and Mr Kite.

In 2007 the promo/demo “State Of Perfection” was distributed followed by the 2008 single “Enemy”, and the debut album “State of Perfection”. That album was released via SubSpace Communications on June 17, 2009.

By the time of “Violently Beautiful”, Biomekkanik had become a trio with Mattias Johansson and Andreas Ingefjord alongside Hermodsson. Danse Macabre released the album on January 16, 2015. Danse Macabre later announced a rerelease of “Violently Beautiful” in October 2021.

The current return marks another line-up change as Sandra Mattsson (Morlocks) joined the band.

Stuttgart dark rock band Astraya has released “A Theory of Time”, the second single and video from their upcoming second album “Atropine”. The song follows the earlier single “A Spark Within”.

This is what the band says about the new single “A Theory of Time”: “It is about reflecting on time, the universe, and what happens after death. Inspired by a scientific article, it blends science with personal emotions, especially the loss of a loved one, and expresses a deep desire to escape time and find a place where it no longer exists.”

Below is the video for the previous single “A Spark Within”.

“Atropine” thematically handles human fragility, addiction, fate and time. Production and mixing was done by guitarist Tim Suske, and mastering was done by Roland Böffgen at Hard Drive Sound Studio. You will also hear experimental flute by Yael Su on the title track.

“Atropine” is scheduled for April 24, 2026 via These Hands Melt on vinyl, CD and in digital formats. The LP is limited to 200 copies and the CD to 300 copies.

About Astraya

Astraya was formed in Stuttgart in 2018 by vocalist Melina Abele and guitarist Benny Gölz. Guitarist Tim Suske joined soon after, and bassist Tobias Hänsel and drummer Klaus Wintermayr completed the lineup after early personnel changes. Musically the band brings dark rock, with elements of post-rock, metal, doom and post-metal.

The band self-released the EP “Black Awakening” on September 14, 2019. It was followed by the standalone tracks “The Moribund” in November 2021, “Epiphany Pt. 1” in early 2022, and “The Fountain” on May 9, 2022. Those releases led towards the debut full-length “Myth Of Dike”, issued on June 5, 2023.

In 2023 the band also recorded a cover of Failure’s “Heliotropic” for Bitume Prods. Astraya joined the Rome-based label These Hands Melt in 2024. Their second album “Atropine” follows on April 24, 2026.

Ancient Methods originally started as a duo but has, for some time now, been driven by its sole remaining member, Michael Wollenhaupt. With this new work—explicitly presented as an EP, but which, with its seven tracks, feels more like a mini-album or even a full-length—Wollenhaupt draws inspiration from the book of the same name by Guy Debord. In “La Société Du Spectacle”, Debord offers a critical perspective on the consumer society of the previous century.

Musically, this concept is translated into a blend of influences that, once unraveled, reveal elements of Techno, Trance, and Industrial. From the outset, it becomes clear that this is best approached as an EP: three short tracks function more as conceptual fragments, contributing to the overarching narrative rather than standing on their own. The opening track is a true sonic bomb, driven by rousing rhythms and a near-perfect fusion of Industrial and Techno. The atmosphere is cold, even somewhat grim. Elsewhere, a passage is propelled by an exhilarating, heavy kick, accompanied by a compelling female voice courtesy of Night In Athens. Similar elements can be found throughout the other tracks, although Ancient Methods occasionally leans into a more Ethereal direction, while primarily showcasing a veritable arsenal of sounds.

There is certainly much to appreciate in this release, with the immensely powerful opening track standing out in particular. (Rating:8½).

Listen to “Image Is My Commodity”:

https://ancientmethods.bandcamp.com/track/image-is-my-commodity

Unter Null has marked one year since the release of “Coming Up To Breathe”, the dark electro comeback single Erica Dunham released on April 4, 2025 via Alfa Matrix as a pay-what-you-want Bandcamp download, with streaming on Spotify and other major platforms. The track ended more than a decade of release silence under the Unter Null name.

In a new anniversary statement on her Facebook page, Dunham says the song was “the first crack in the realization I could actually write again and let the floodgates open fully,” adding that the lyrics “ended up saying everything I couldn’t articulate at the time.” She also described the track as something she wrote out of necessity to process her return.

Alfa Matrix followed that comeback single with the “You Made A Monster” EP, which included the original “Coming Up To Breathe” and remixes by C-Lekktor, Frontal Boundary, and Leaether Strip.

And that we can expect more material is pretty sure: “I’m still here and still breathing. And oh do I have some surprises up my rolled-up and tired sleeves for you all.”

The official video for the single, directed by Christopher Lee Trueman. is available on YouTube.

About Unter Null

Unter Null is the solo project of American musician Erica Dunham, founded in 1998 in Seattle, Washington. Initially rooted in power noise and harsh electronics, the project evolved into aggrotech/dark elektro through early self-released material and live dates in the early 2000s. Unter Null’s first full-length album, “The Failure Epiphany”, arrived in 2005 via Alfa Matrix (later re-issued with bonus material), following club traction around “Your Nightmare” and “Sick Fuck”. Touring in the U.S. and Europe followed in 2005–2006.

On December 25, 2008, a house/studio fire destroyed Dunham’s recording equipment and jeopardized work then in progress. Despite the loss, files were recovered and Unter Null released “Moving On” in 2010 (Alfa Matrix), including expanded editions and international versions. Dunham later relocated for a period to Hamburg, Germany, before activity shifted again to the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The project continued sporadic releases and remixes through the 2010s. She also worked on her more atmospheric side project Stray in that period.

In 2025, Unter Null returned with new studio material through Alfa Matrix, including the single “Coming Up To Breathe” (April 4, 2025) and the EP “You Made A Monster” (July 25, 2025). The EP features remixes by C-Lekktor, Leaether Strip, and Frontal Boundary and is distributed digitally via Bandcamp and other platforms. Unter Null also contributed remixes and collaborations in 2025, including featured work connected to Frontal Boundary.

En Esch has announced his En Esch 2026 tour, a nine-date US run scheduled for April and May.

The Berlin-based musician and former KMFDM, Pigface, and PIG member will perform material from across his catalogue, including songs from the 2024 album “Dance Hall Putsch”. “Dance Hall Putsch” was released on September 27, 2024 via GIVE/TAKE. The record is available in vinyl, CD, and digital formats.

En Esch 2026 tour dates

• 4.23 Detroit, MI – Smalls
• 4.24 Milwaukee, WI – Da Bar
• 4.25 Chicago, IL – Live Wire Lounge w/project .44
• 4.27 Davenport, IA – Racoon Motel
• 4.28 Minneapolis, MN – Uptown VFW w/Dissociate
• 5.01 Parsippany, NJ – Dark Force Fest
• 5.06 Richmond, VA – Fallout
• 5.08 Tampa, FL – New World Music Hall
• 5.09 Jacksonville, FL – The Albatross

About En Esch

En Esch is the stage name of Berlin-based Nicklaus Schandelmaier, a musician born on March 23, 1968. He was a member of KMFDM from 1985 to 1999 and later worked with Pigface, PIG, Slick Idiot, and Mona Mur.

His solo discography began with “Cheesy” in 1993 followed by later solo releases including “Spänk”, “Trash Chic”, “Et Nos Unum Sumus”, and more recently “Dance Hall Putsch”. After KMFDM’s split in 1999, he formed Slick Idiot with Günter Schulz, then later collaborated with Mona Mur on “120 Tage” in 2009 and a second album in 2011.

Belgian post-punk band The Names have released the remix and companion album “Balancing Chaos (RMXing The Names)” via Spleen+, the post-punk division of Brussels label Alfa Matrix. The 17-track release appears as a CD digipack and as a digital album through the band’s official Bandcamp page.

“Balancing Chaos” expands on the 2025 studio album “Encore!” with 13 remixes and 4 original album versions of “Far From The Factories”, “Watching For The New World”, “Last Train From Nowhere” and “Apophenia”. Digital pre-orders are available now with the two advance tracks: “Last Train From Nowhere (Gil Robert retrofuturistic remix)” and “Procrastination (Hard Facts remix)”.

The release follows a run of Spleen+ titles that reintroduced the band through the 2-track single “Far From The Factories“, the four-track “Volume” EP, the full-length “Encore!“, the “Swimming With Brian Jones” EP, and the digital “Procrastination” EP centred on the track of the same name.

Remixers include Jean-Marc Lederman, Kyiv-based producer Hard Facts, Gil Robert, Nevel (featuring Reverend Basstorius), Eden, Mike Theis, Halcyon Loop, Rob G. Nichols, Diskodiktator and Error Fate.

Jean-Marc Lederman contributes a rework of “Watching For The New World” dedicated to the late Annik Honoré, while Hard Facts delivers a club-oriented version of “Procrastination”, following earlier work on the “Procrastination” EP. Multiple mixes by Gil Robert are also included, ranging from a retro-futuristic take on “Last Train From Nowhere” to an extended dark electro pop version of “Apophenia” and an ambient electro-focused treatment of “Swimming With Brian Jones”.

Mike Theis, known for work with artists including Tricky and Massive Attack, appears here with the “morecowbell” remix of “Last Train From Nowhere”. Additional interpretations by Eden, Nevel, Halcyon Loop, Rob G. Nichols, Diskodiktator and Error Fate complete the set before the album versions return the material to its original band arrangements.

The new version of “Procrastination (Hard Facts remix)” is accompanied by a video as well.

Also the single “Far From The Factories”, which closes “Balancing Chaos” in its album version, received the video treatment.

About The Names

The Names formed in Brussels, Belgium, in 1978, emerging from an earlier local group called The Passengers. The original core featured bassist, vocalist and songwriter Michel Sordinia together with guitarist Marc Deprez and drummer/keyboard player Christophe Den Tandt, with Robert Frankson and Isabelle Hanrez passing through the line-up in the early years.

Their debut single “Spectators of Life” appeared in 1979 on WEA as part of a push for locally produced new wave. After a concert by Joy Division in Brussels, the band signed to Factory Records and, with new drummer Luc Capelle, recorded the single “Nightshift” in Manchester with producer Martin Hannett in 1980. Further singles “Calcutta” (on Factory Benelux) and “The Astronaut” (on Les Disques du Crépuscule) led into their first album “Swimming” in 1982. A BBC session for John Peel’s Radio 1 show that same year was later issued as the digital EP “Radio Session 1982”.

The band split in the mid-1980s as the initial post-punk wave receded, but Sordinia and Deprez continued together in the project Jazz, releasing the album “Nightvision”. Archival releases such as “Postcard Views”, the expanded “Swimming + Singles” editions and the compilation “Spectators of Life” kept the early catalogue in circulation through labels including LTM and Factory Benelux.

The Names reunited for the “A Factory Night (and then again)” event at Plan K in Brussels in 2007 and moved back into the studio. They released “Monsters Next Door” in 2009 via Str8line and “Stranger Than You” in 2015 on Factory Benelux, followed by the live album “German Nights” in 2018 and the archival set “Hidden Tracks” in 2021.

From 2024 onward, the band became part of the Spleen+ roster within the Alfa Matrix group, issuing the single “Far From The Factories”, the “Volume” EP, the studio album “Encore!”, the “Swimming With Brian Jones” EP and the digital “Procrastination” EP. The latter centred on multiple versions of “Procrastination”, including the Hard Facts remix that now reappears on “Balancing Chaos”.

German electro/future pop project Elektrostaub has just released a third studio album, “Humility” via the Belgian label Alfa Matrix as a CD and digital edition. The 12-track studio album again centres mastermind Patrick Knoch’s songwriting and production, built entirely around guest vocal performances. Musically the album offers a mix between future pop, synth pop and electro wave.

Guest contributions include Richard Bjørklund of Spektralized, Salva Maine from Spanish act Culture Kultür, vocalist Lis van den Akker, Norwegian synth project Echo Image, British artist J:Dead, singer and producer Alex Braun, Lilli K. Engelhardt, René Anke of Logic & Olivia, German duo Beyond Border and Mel Gúntzelsson of Future Trail / davaNtage.

Two tracks from the album have already appeared as singles and EPs. “Falling” features Pal Magnus Rybom of Echo Image and originally appeared on both the “Too Far From The Pack EP” and the “Falling EP“, which were released digitally in 2025 via Alfa Matrix.

The title track “Too far from the pack”, featuring Salva Maine, also forms part of that 2nd EP and returns here in its main album version and a separate female vocal edit with Lilli K. Engelhardt.

About Elektrostaub

German solo project Elektrostaub operates from the northern Ruhr area of Germany and focuses on electro-pop and future pop. Programmer and composer behind the 2007 formed project is Patrick Knoch, who is each time joined by a rotating line-up of guest vocalists.

The early Elektrostaub catalogue initially appeared via the German label Echozone and featured several collaborative singles. The debut album “Birthday And Death” followed on November 17, 2017 on Echozone, after the singles “Unforgotten” (with Henrik Iversen), “Also Without You” (with Anne Goldacker) and “Funeral Of Love”, which combined harsher EBM-leaning production with guest vocals from Ruined Conflict and Nordika. This material was later reissued when Elektrostaub joined Alfa Matrix, making the full back catalogue available again through the Belgian label.

The second studio album “Reliance” arrived in December 2021 on Alfa Matrix as a CD and digital release, again built around a long list of guest singers, including Patrik Hansson (Vanguard, Uncreated), Henrik Iversen, !Distain, René Anke, Stefan Netschio (Beborn Beton), Jan Dieckmann (Norderney), Alex Rush (Unity One), Claudia Uhle (X-Perience), Damasius Venys (Mondträume / Mental Exile), Alex Nórdika and Darrin Huss (Psyche).

Between and around the two albums, Elektrostaub built a catalogue of EPs and singles. The 2020 “Wake Up” EP marked the project’s first Alfa Matrix release. It was followed by the 2021 single “We Are Dreamers” with Patrik Hansson of Vanguard / Uncreated.

Recent years saw further EPs on Alfa Matrix, including reworked material from the debut, standalone singles and collaborations. In 2025, the label released the “Too Far From The Pack EP”, followed by the “Falling” remix EP later that year which centered around the track holding guest vocals by Pal Magnus Rybom of Echo Image.

Make sure to read our interview with Elektrostaub to know more about the project.

Greek goth rock/metal band Blossom Death will release their debut album “Spirit” on May 21, 2026 via The Circle Music. The release follows the band’s earlier “Mistaken” record and the split EP “Eon Must Fail” with In Burial.

“Spirit” comes as a limited digicd with a 12-page booklet, limited to 500 copies. You can pre-order the album right now from The Circle Music. The six-track album includes “Stone Kiss”, “Fallen”, “Morning After”, “Solitude”, “Spirit of Life”, and “Before I Can See”.

The album was already teased with “Stone Kiss” as the lead single with an official video.

About Blossom Death

Blossom Death was formed in late 2018 in Varkiza, Greece, by Kostas “Corax” Katoikos, Marita Makaronidi, and drummer Argy Deligianopoulos. The project is in fact Katoikos’s post-Sorrowful Angels band.

The band’s first release was the three-track “Mistaken”, holding the tracks “Mistaken”, “All That I Want”, and “Pad Out”. It appeared digitally on December 13, 2019 and then as a mini-CD via Sleaszy Rider in March 2020.

Blossom Death returned on March 10, 2023 with the split CD “Eon Must Fail”, released by Sleaszy Rider. That record paired three Blossom Death tracks – “Beyond Time”, “Along with the Tide”, and “Naphtalene” – with two tracks by In Burial.

For “Spirit”, the band signed with The Circle Music. The current line-up consists of Kostas “Corax” Katoikos on guitar and vocals, Marita Makaronidi on vocals and lyrics, Johny Litinakis on bass guitar, Vasilis Koronas on lead guitar, Evmara Katoikou on additional vocals, and Argy Deligianopoulos on drums.

“Spirit” is the band’s first full-length album.

Guillaume Sonne Ombrée is a French multi-instrumentalist who releases his debut album “Calvaire” under the name Ombrée. The background and immediate impetus for this work carry deep emotional weight, as the album was directly inspired by the passing of the artist’s father. It stands as a form of mourning, giving rise to six intense and personal compositions.

Musically, the album often recalls the experimental edge of the 1980s Industrial scene. A dark, raw atmosphere permeates the work, framed by the tolling of a church bell that serves as both its opening and closing motif. In between, a dense collage of sounds and textures unfolds, including field recordings that are tightly compressed into the mix. Guitar and bass lines are heavily distorted, twisted into tormented shapes and submerged in layers of electronic effects. At times, I find myself missing a voice—some kind of rough, almost archaic outcry—yet the absence never detracts too much from the overall impact.

What Ombrée delivers remains compelling and immersive. The production will undoubtedly resonate with listeners drawn to Industrial, Experimental, and Drone music, and Last Few Days in particular feels like a subtle bridge back to the spirit of the 1980s. (Rating:7½).

Listen to “Foie”:

https://ishallsinguntilmylandisfree.bandcamp.com/track/foie

The Italian darkwave / post-punk quartet Christine Plays Viola have released “Desolate Moments“, the third video-single taken from “F.I.V.E. – Fear Increases Violent Emotions”, their fifth studio album, released on January 19, 2026 via Cleopatra Records.

“Desolate Moments is about that fragile space where you realize you’ve lost yourself, but you’re still conscious enough to feel it,” guitarist and songwriter Fabrizio Giampietro says. He adds that the line “you exist nowhere” sums up the song’s central idea of losing your place in reality. Discussing the clip, he says the band chose silhouettes instead of faces to reflect “that dissolution of identity.”

The “F.I.V.E. – Fear Increases Violent Emotions” album is available from Bandcamp.

The line-up for the album consisted of Massimo Ciampani, Fabrizio Giampietro, Marco Di Ianni, and Gianluca Orsini, with production by the band and recording, mixing, and mastering by Salvatore Carducci.

About Christine Plays Viola

The Italian dark / new wave band Christine Plays Viola formed in Pratola Peligna, in Italy’s Abruzzo region, in 2008. The earliest release was “Promo 2010”, followed by a deal with the German label afmusic for the debut full-length “Innocent Awareness”, released on May 13, 2011. That same period also produced the band’s first video, “Witch of Silence”, directed by Loreto Valente.

“Promo 2012” was followed by the EP “Leocadia” on May 31, 2013. “Vacua” followed in 2014 on Cold Insanity Music. On February 27, 2015, the band released the 7-inch EP “The Stars Can’t Frighten” which included covers of Joy Division’s “Atmosphere” and Talk Talk’s “Such A Shame.”

Their third album, “Spooky Obsessions“, arrived on September 30, 2016 through Manic Depression Records. In a review we described it as “an interesting production for adapting good-old new-wave standards into a very own and contemporary format.” The band then self-released “The bonds should be only silver threads” on May 14, 2018 and returned with “Fading” on May 18, 2020 through Manic Depression and Icy Cold Records.

Later singles included “Blood Calls Blood” on March 17, 2023 and “Jackie’s Curse” on January 5, 2024. Earlier this year they released the album “F.I.V.E.”.

When I discovered Blac Kolor’s debut album “Wide Noise” in 2014, I immediately knew that this project, driven by Hendrick Grothe, carried something special. Over the years, this German sound architect has built a reputation within a select circle of Electro enthusiasts in search of innovation and, above all, originality. Blac Kolor has always blended a wide range of influences. Whether you call it IDM, Industrial-Techno, EBM, or even Trance, this artist moves fluidly between styles, reshaping them into something uniquely his own.

At the end of 2025, Ant-Zen released the sixth Blac Kolor studio album – excluding remix albums – “Arca”. Once again, it hits the mark: an intelligent Electro production with a menacing atmosphere, driven by magical analog textures and powerful bass lines. It was the direct inspiration for this interview with someone I consider to be one of the greatest geniuses of his genre and his generation. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Blac Kolor interview

Q: What was the basis for the new Blac Kolor album “Arca”? Did the music come first, or were you influenced by a specific theme or concept that you then built upon?

Hendrick: “Arca” can be understood more or less as a successor to my penultimate album “Weltenbrand”. For me, the two albums are closely intertwined thematically. “Arca” continues the fundamental critique of human behavior that was already at the heart of “Weltenbrand,” but adds the element of hope.

“Weltenbrand” concludes with the statement that it’s all too late, nothing can be saved, everything has been said… and that’s exactly how I felt back then. However, I didn’t want to simply accept that and wanted to add something positive to the story –the element of hope. Tracks like “Lake Of Sunken Worries” and “Fragile Moments” were already written during the “Weltenbrand” period and then laid the foundation for “Arca.”

Q: Would it be fair to describe “Arca” as a conceptual Blac Kolor album, using the so-called biblical plagues as a metaphor for contemporary society? Can you explain what the album is about in more detail, how this idea came about, and what it reflects about your personal view of the world today?

Hendrick: Absolutely. “Arca” is a concept album through and through. As I mentioned before, I wanted to give the whole thing a hopeful feel. The ark as a symbol of hope and salvation was relatively easy to find, and from the image of an ark, it wasn’t a big leap to the Ten Biblical Plagues, which I’d always wanted to use as a concept container.

Each of the original plagues was intended to serve as a kind of template for a characteristic or a dark side of human existence. Themes like Fear, Violence, Hate, but also Greed and Technology were processed and squeezed into the concept of the Ten Plagues. However, the intro track, “Lake Of Sunken Worries,” deliberately breaks with this idea. The piece symbolically represents hope and is meant to reflect the positive overall tone.

The message is, ‘We may have destroyed everything, but we also have it in our own hands to make sure everything turns out alright in the end’. WE ARE THE ARK.

The blood-red cover artwork (red in reference to the first biblical plague, ‘blood’) is by no means destructive or negative, but rather intended to convey peace and hope, encouraging us to always live self-reflectively and responsibly. All in all, yet another great contradiction in terms. As is so often the case with Blac Kolor.

Q: What triggered or influenced you musically during the making of “Arca”, and how do you feel this Blac Kolor album compares to your previous work?

Hendrick: The goal is clear: each new release should be better than the previous one. Whether that’s the case or not is up to each listener and fan to decide. I think “Arca” is perhaps a bit more mature or grown-up than its predecessors. But the comparison is really, really difficult. I definitely didn’t want to repeat myself, yet still remain true to the typical Blac Kolor sound. Musically speaking, I was clearly guided by the happy accidents I encountered while working with my modular systems. That’s for sure.

The challenge was finding sounds that were unconventional, fresh, and bold on the one hand, and yet still had a certain catchiness on the other. But it’s also a fact that “Arca” is the album with the most EBM of them all. I personally think that the EBM genre never really fit the description of the Blac Kolor world, but there are a suspiciously large number of EBM basslines on it. Not very fresh and not very bold, you might think. But maybe I also wanted to appeal to some extent. To myself, for example.

Q: Looking back, what will you remember most about the composition and production process of “Arca”? What were the most difficult moments or challenges along the way? And eventually the innovations?

Hendrick: The most difficult part of the production was deciding how wild and unhinged certain elements could be. When does a track still work, and when does the perception become jarring because the elements are too wild? Evaluating the aforementioned random results from the modular synths and integrating them sensibly into the production from a mixing perspective was the most complicated part.

Furthermore, this time it was really difficult to decide which tracks would make it onto the album and which wouldn’t. Ten was the conceptual limit, but I had at least three times that many to choose from. Creating a cohesive listening experience and a cohesive sonic journey from that was also very challenging.

But I would never call myself ‘innovative’. If that’s the case, let others do it. I have only one simple rule: if it sounds like something that’s already been done somewhere before, by me or anyone else, then it gets deleted immediately. I think this filtering process works very well because Blac Kolor songs are many things, but certainly not ordinary or familiar.

Q: It’s safe to say you have a strong passion for vintage analog synths and machines. Where did this fascination originate, which machines are your favorites, and are there any others you’re still hoping to add to your collection?

Hendrick:Oh, this topic is very, very tedious. I somehow stepped down the ‘Eurorack rabbit hole’ and I’ll never find my way out. It’s both a blessing and a curse. There’s little rational explanation for it. Modular synthesizers are simply my path. But I try to keep my production methods open to all kinds of sources. I also use quite a lot of software in parallel. But the most fun is always the search for the next crazy sample.

I spend a lot of time in front of the modular system, running all sorts of things through the patch paths and waiting for the unexpected. My favorite machines change very frequently and quite quickly, though. If I were to name-drop something right now, I’d mention the Antilope from Manifold Research Centre or the Steampipe from Erica Synths. Crazy pieces of equipment with a lot of unpredictability.

I’ve stopped putting specific instruments on a wishlist, following the ‘must-have’ pattern. I see gear collecting as a kind of addiction, and desire and addiction satisfaction are two different things. Unfortunately, I think I’ll buy my future favorite in the next few weeks.

Q: Artificial intelligence is increasingly entering the world of music, which—at least on the surface—seems at odds with artists like you who are deeply involved in sound design and hands-on creation. What is your perspective on this development, and how do you see it evolving in the future?

Hendrick:I think we should take a closer look at the intended use of AI before making any distinctions. AI as support software in production processes will definitely prevail, as it saves time and money in achieving the desired result. No one will be able to escape these efficiency tools. And no one will later ask, ‘Did AI mix and master this’? No one will care anymore. For manufacturers, this means that the market is in flux. Customers will expect to benefit from the potential savings and demand more performance for less money. The pressure will increase on those who accept contract work.

From an artistic perspective, I don’t think AI will play a role anytime soon. An artist is so much more than just their musical output. People are interested in people, in stories, and the emotions behind them. Machines will have a very hard time here, even in the future. I find it difficult to imagine us eagerly awaiting the new album from AI XYZ, ordering a signed vinyl, and securing tickets for their upcoming show. And I’m sure you’re not exactly thrilled about conducting an interview with an AI tomorrow.

Generated music will continue to exist and will certainly increase significantly. Sooner or later, marketing platforms will have to take a clear stance on this. Bandcamp has already banned AI-generated content, which can be seen as a clear position. But if there are still enough listeners who are satisfied with generated rubbish, AI profiles will also emerge. However, I can’t take any of this seriously, and it doesn’t worry me. With increasing storage capacity, the amount of data clutter also increases. That has always been the case and will remain so. It’s simply a shame about all the energy wasted on such AI.

Q: How important is live performance within the overall Blac Kolor project? How do you prepare for live shows, and what are the biggest challenges when performing on stage?

Hendrick: Live performances are very, very important. I love watching the audience when they’re watching me. I’d love to play much more often. So, all you promoters out there –get in touch!

I also try to give each show its own unique touch. I always prepare new parts for each show and leave plenty of room for improvisation. That’s the only way I can keep it fun for myself. It’s supposed to be fun, not work;-)

The biggest challenges are always technical. Some piece of equipment is always breaking down, or Ableton Live is acting up. Things like that. The search for the optimal setup is ongoing and not yet complete.

Q: Finally, are you currently working on any new Blac Kolor material, and what are your plans for 2026?

Hendrick: My problem is that I currently have too much new material. Enough for three albums, probably. I’m currently giving it a bit of structure, organizing it, planning releases and finding a home for the material. Everything’s still pretty vague.

But what I can reveal is that there will be at least two more Blac Kolor music videos. I’m really looking forward to that right now. Whether all of this will happen in 2026 or maybe not until 2027, I can’t say yet. I’m definitely not stressing about it. I just let myself drift a bit.

Giorgio Ricci remains a busy bee. Known for his past in Templebeat, he is currently also involved with the successful Post-Punk group They Die and released a brilliant minimalist album with Monosonik last year. Toward the end of that same year, he returned with a new self-released album from Templezone, a project that has already spawned three great albums in the past.

Templezone sounds completely different from his other projects and is often described as a kind of sequel to Templebeat. Apart from a striking similarity in the name, however, the music diverges significantly. Ricci builds on a solid Techno foundation, reinforced with elements of EBM and touches of Trance. The album is an explosive, club-oriented work that is impossible to remain indifferent to. The dark atmosphere he injects throughout makes it both accessible and engaging for a wider audience. The tracks are carefully crafted and occasionally enhanced with distorted spoken samples. Some passages take on a rhythmic Cinematic quality, while others lean more toward Psy-Trance.

Productions like this inevitably attract the comment that they are too Techno for an EBM audience and too dark—or too EBM—for a Techno audience. For me, however, it’s purely about the music and its impact, and in that respect, this record is nothing short of a sonic orgasm. Giorgio Ricci is above all a true musical genius in everything he gets involved in.  (Rating:9).

Listen to “Extreme”:

https://templezone.bandcamp.com/track/deadline

With Years Of Shame, the established Icy Cold Records welcomes a new French duo.

The debut album features eight tracks that immediately lead us down a familiar Dark-Wave path. There is a well-balanced interplay between the guitar, which provides the necessary sense of sorrow and melancholy, and the keyboards, which add an extra, layer of atmosphere—sometimes icy—while also reinforcing the melodic structure. The vocals can sound somewhat sterile at times, yet they also carry a certain sensuality, forming a fitting complement to the music.

Years Of Shame may not bring anything radically new to the genre, but they will undoubtedly resonate with Post-Punk fans thanks to a number of particularly strong tracks. (Rating:7½).

Listen to “Heat”:

https://icycoldrecords.bandcamp.com/track/heat-3

(By Janos Janurik) Following recent misleading reports suggesting the end of Erasure, it has been officially clarified that Vince Clarke and Andy Bell continue to work together on new material. The duo is currently in the studio and already discussing possible touring scenarios for the upcoming release. While concrete details are still under wraps, one thing is certain: Erasure are far from finished. In the meantime, the spotlight shifts to Vince Clarke himself – with a comprehensive remix collection highlighting a different side of his work.

About ‘Remix/Remodel – The Vince Clarke Remixes’

If there is one name synonymous with the history of synth-pop, it is Vince Clarke. As a founding member of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and Erasure, he has shaped generations of electronic music fans.

With “Remix/Remodel – The Vince Clarke Remixes”, he now turns the focus to a facet of his career that often remains in the background: his work as a remixer.

This double CD collection brings together 26 remixes Clarke has created over the years for a wide range of artists – all personally selected for this official release. Rather than a simple retrospective, the compilation offers a deeper look into his production style beyond his own projects.

The album will be released on June 26, 2026 via Cherry Red Records.

Among the highlights:

• many of these remixes are available on physical format for the first time 
• the cover features Clarke’s cat Smudge, photographed by the artist himself 
• liner notes are provided by music writer Richard Evans 

The collection spans an impressive range of collaborators, including Depeche Mode, OMD, Johnny Marr, Saint Etienne, Soft Cell, and Happy Mondays.

A particularly notable inclusion is the previously unreleased “Isolation (Vince Clarke Remix)” by Abazaba feat. Gogol Bordello, a reinterpretation of the classic by Joy Division.

Of course, with a catalogue as extensive as Clarke’s, fans may find themselves wishing for additional selections – such as remixes for Nitzer Ebb or Polly Scattergood. Still, the final tracklist presents a compelling and well-balanced overview of his remix work.

‘Remix/Remodel – The Vince Clarke Remixes’ tracklist:

Disc One

1. Happy Mondays – W.F.L. (Vince Clarke Remix)
2. Chad Valley – Up & Down (Vince Clarke Remix)
3. The Saturdays – Issues (Vince Clarke Club Mix)
4. Blossoms – To Do List (After The Breakup) feat. Findlay (Vince Clarke Remix)
5. Johnny Marr – Spirit Power And Soul (Vince Clarke Remix)
6. James Yorkston – A Moment Longer feat. Nina Persson (Vince Clarke Remix)
7. YOVA – Rain (Vince Clarke Remix)
8. Soft Cell – Bedsitter (Erasure Remix)
9. A Place To Bury Strangers – In Your Heart (Vince Clarke Remix)
10. Bleachers – I Wanna Get Better (Vince Clarke Remix)
11. Andy Bell – Dance For Mercy (Vince Clarke Remix)
12. Hifi Sean & David McAlmont – Real Thoughts In Real Time (Vince Clarke Remix)
13. Dido – End of Night – (Vince Clarke Remix)

Disc Two

1. Depeche Mode – Behind The Wheel (Vince Clarke Remix)
2. Fujiya & Miyagi – Fear Of Missing Out (Vince Clarke Remix)
3. Franz Ferdinand – No You Girls (Vince Clarke Remix)
4. Abazaba feat. Gogol Bordello – Isolation (Vince Clarke Remix)
5. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Almost (Vince Clarke Remix)
6. James Yorkston – Shallow (Vince Clarke Remix)
7. Saint Etienne – Blue Kite (Vince Clarke Remix)
8. Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development – A Shared Sense Of Purpose (Vince Clarke Remix)
9. Future Islands – Doves (Vince Clarke Remix)
10. Reed & Caroline – Electrons (Vince Clarke Remix)
11. Dubfire & Miss Kittin – Ride (Vince Clarke Remix)
12. Alka – Faito (Vince Clarke Remix)
13. VCMG – Aftermaths (Vince Clarke Remix)

With “Remix/Remodel – The Vince Clarke Remixes”, attention turns once again to a sometimes overlooked yet essential aspect of Vince Clarke’s work: his role as a remixer. The collection demonstrates just how timeless and adaptable his sound remains across different artists and eras – and why his influence on electronic pop music continues to resonate today.

“Remix/Remodel – The Vince Clarke Remixes” will be released on June 26, 2026 as a special 2-CD set via Cherry Red Records and is available for pre-order now at Lexer Music. Additional retailers, including Cherry Red, will follow in the coming days.

(Interview by Janos Janurik) After seven years, The Twilight Sad return with their most personal album to date – shaped by loss, resilience, and a deep creative bond with Robert Smith.

After a seven-year absence, The Twilight Sad return with It’s The Long Goodbye – an album born out of personal loss, mental health struggles, and the quiet strength it takes to carry on when life becomes overwhelming.

At its core lies a deeply human story. Frontman James Graham processes the illness and passing of his mother, while guitarist and producer Andy MacFarlane crafts a sonic landscape that moves between fragile intimacy and towering emotional intensity. The result is arguably the The Twilight Sad’s most direct and vulnerable work to date – less metaphor, more truth.

The new The Twilight Sad album was written over several years, with ideas exchanged during lockdown and gradually taking shape. A key figure in this process was Robert Smith of The Cure, who contributed not only musically but also creatively from an early stage – offering feedback, encouragement, and ultimately performing on multiple tracks.

It’s The Long Goodbye is also about endurance, connection, and the strange duality of darkness and light that defines both life and music.

We spoke with The Twilight Sadabout influences, grief, collaboration, and the realities of being an independent artist in 2026.

Interview with The Twilight Sad

Q: Listening to the new The Twilight Sad album, I was struck by how strongly it captures the atmosphere of classic dark alternative and post-punk music. At times it reminded me of the spirit of bands such as Joy Division, The Mission, The Sisters of Mercy, and from a later generation groups like Editors or Cold Cave. When you first started making music, which artists had the biggest influence on you?

Andy MacFarlane: When we first started we were mixing a lot of stuff together, like Sonic Youth, The Cure, Wire, The Flaming Lips, Mogwai, Arab Strap, Pavement, Daniel Johnston, Factory Records etc. We weren’t deliberately trying to sound like a particular band or genre, it was more like we were trying to be the thread that joined all our influences together.

Q: To me, Waiting For The Phone Call feels like one of the strongest songs on the album. If I were a radio DJ, it would definitely be in heavy rotation. It is also your first single in six years, and it features Robert Smith from The Cure. If you don’t mind revisiting the story: how did this collaboration come about, especially considering that he ended up contributing to several songs on the album?

Andy MacFarlane: Robert was involved at the early stages of writing the album, we’d send him demos and he’d give us feedback and suggestions. We had a night in a London Studio, with Robert and Mike Hedges, going through the demos. Robert was playing my acoustic guitar, and said he wanted to play guitar on the album, so I kept reminding/annoying him every week until we recorded the album.

Q: The Twilight Sad has previously toured with The Cure, and you will also be performing with them again this year. What was your reaction to their recent Grammy recognition? Do you think darker alternative music like the kind you create receives enough attention in today’s music landscape, or could moments like this help bring more focus to the genre?

James Graham: We’ve never been part of the music world when it comes to Awards or Award Ceremony’s. It’s just not something that’s entered our worlds or is something that we strive for. The biggest award in music is the people who you create a community with and come to the gigs/connect with your music. The Cure’s last album was a masterpiece and so inspirational for anyone like me. I don’t know what awards it received but it deserves all of the awards. When you receive a message or email from someone that says “this album helped me through something or made me see I’m not alone” that is the biggest award in the music industry. Real music will always reach the right people if it wins awards or not.

Q: The press material mentions that the album was deeply influenced by the illness and passing of your mother. In some ways this echoes the personal losses that Robert Smith has also processed through his music. Have you ever spoken with him about dealing with grief through songwriting, or does your relationship mostly stay within the musical sphere?

James Graham: We’ve spoken about all things life & death and everything about our music/how his music has inspired us to do what we do. When we would hang out after the gigs we’d just speak about the gig that night, the crowd, bands we loved, bands we didn’t love. It was just like being backstage with numerous bands over the years, but obviously completely different and completely amazing to be with someone we both love and respect. He’s our friend and then you talk about the important things in life with true friends and he is very much an amazing friend.

Q: One thing that really struck me in an interview was the idea that this new The Twilight Sad album came partly from the need to appear strong in situations where you don’t actually feel strong. While listening to Back To Fourteen, I was reminded of how, as teenagers, darker and melancholic themes in music can feel strangely romantic – but later in life, when personal loss becomes real, those same themes take on a very different meaning. Has your own relationship with darker music changed over the years in a similar way?

James Graham: I still tend to gravitate toward the darker side of art, music, film but since being very ill with my mental health, I have started to lean into things that make me happy. My children are giving me a second childhood in a way, discovering things through their eyes is a beautiful thing. I love dark arty kind of movies but I also love big stupid blockbuster movies. I love escapism, being able to get out of your own head and disappear into different worlds and adventures is something I truly love. I also love good pop music, I think writing a good pop song is probably one of the hardest things to do in music it’s something I haven’t done or attempted yet. I think it’s more of a balance now, I’ve let the dark in for so many years that I think it’s time to let some of the light in.

Q: One of the darkest and most melancholic moments on the album for me is Dead Flowers. Do you see it in any way as a tribute to the masters of melancholic alternative music, perhaps even artists like The Cure?

Andy MacFarlane: There’s definitely a lot of similarities with The Cure on this song, I’ve got their back catalogue imprinted in my brain through all the gigs we’ve played together, so it comes out in our music sometimes. It was all based around the drum pattern, I wanted to give it a lot of space, and once I had the bass line it came together very quickly, the guitar/synth melodies were improvised in a couple of takes when I was demoing it.

Q: If I had to choose another potential single from the album, Inhospitable/Hospital would definitely be one of my picks. Do you have personal favourite tracks from the album yourselves?

James Graham: Get Away From It All is the first song I remember writing for the album. It encapsulates everything that I was feeling at the time of writing it and musically I love what Andy created.

Q: The Twilight Sad will be touring across the UK and Europe this spring, followed by several shows as special guests of The Cure during the summer. Among the upcoming concerts, the three shows at Berlin’s Wuhlheide seem particularly exciting. Are there specific cities or venues on this tour that you are especially looking forward to?

James Graham: I’m really looking forward to all our German dates. Germany has really embraced what we do since our first album. Berlin is a city with such a rich musical history, I can’t wait for our own gig and the 3 nights with The Cure in the summer. There isn’t a gig that I’m not looking forward to, though, I can’t wait to be in a room with like minded emotional people. Our hometown gigs at The Glasgow Barrowlands will be incredibly special. The Barrowlands is the best venue in the world and my mother’s grandfather helped lay the famous wooden dance floor many many years ago so I have some family history inside that building.

Q: The album title It’s The Long Goodbye carries a very strong emotional weight. What does that phrase mean to you personally?

James Graham: Anyone who has experienced dementia in someone they love or any of the other horrific degenerative diseases out there they will know that you say goodbye to the person you love so many times before they leave, hence The Long Goodbye.

Q: This is the first The Twilight Sad album in seven years. What has changed the most for you as musicians during that time?

James Graham: It’s harder to tour, everything is going up in price and the artists are the ones that suffer because the price of things go up but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the artists fees are going up as well, I’m pretty sure across all types of music it’s the same story. Streaming, a great thing for consumers but again artists suffer, people seem to be ok spending £5 on a coffee that lasts for minutes but not £8-10 on an album that will be with you for the rest of your life. Vinyl sales are up because of big pop stars, which is amazing, but that success and momentum isn’t as true in the independent market which desperately needs a boost. I think we’re losing a lot of talented people to other professions because there’s no clear way of making a career out of being an artist. Artists need to be nurtured and given time to develop. Just look at us..6 albums in 20 years and it’s still a daily battle to keep this alive.

Editor’s note: With ‘It’s The Long Goodbye’, The Twilight Sad have created more than just another album, it handles survival, friendship, and emotional honesty. It’s also a reminder that even in the darkest moments, music can still offer connection – and, sometimes, a way forward.

The Twilight Sad – Headline shows

The live lineup shown in 2026 includes Simone Butler on bass and Cat Myers on drums.

• 12.04. IT-Mailand, Legend Club
• 14.04. CH-Zürich, Bogen F15.04. München, Ampere16.04. Berlin, Gretchen, Gretchen18.04. DK-Kopenhagen, Loppen
• 19.04. NO-Oslo, Parkteateret
• 20.04. SE-Stockholm, Slaktkyrkan
• 22.04. Hamburg, Grünspan23.04. NL-Utrecht, Tivolivredenburg Pandora Hall
• 25.04. Köln, Gebäude 926.04. BE-Brüssel, Rotonde – Botanique
• 27.04. FR–Paris, Le Trabendo
• 29.04. UK-Bristol, Electric Bristol
• 30.04. UK-London, Roundhouse
• 02.05. UK-Manchester, New Century Hall
• 03.05. UK-Newcastle upon Tyne, Boiler Shop
• 05.05. UK-Glasgow, Barrowlands
• 06.05. UK-Glasgow, Barrowlands
• 09.05. IE-Dublin, Button Factory
• 24.07. UK-Deer Shed Festival

On tour with The Cure:14.06. IT-Florenz, Visarno Arena

• 24.06. UK-Cardiff, Blackweir Fields
• 26.06. IE-Dublin, Marley Park
• 28.06. NI-Belfast, Belsonic
• 08.07. SK-Pohoda festival
• 10.07. Berlin, Wuhlheide11.07. Berlin, Wuhlheide12.07. Berlin, Wuhlheide

About The Twilight Sad

The Twilight Sad are a Scottish post-punk and indie rock band from Kilsyth, Lanarkshire, formed in 2003. The group was founded by James Graham and Andy MacFarlane and is now centered on that duo, with Graham on vocals and lyrics and MacFarlane on guitar, instrumentation, and songwriting.

They first released the EP “The Twilight Sad” in 2006, then followed with the studio albums “Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters” (2007), “Forget the Night Ahead” (2009), “No One Can Ever Know” (2012), “Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave” (2014), and “It Won/t Be Like This All the Time” (2019). The band released music through Fat Cat Records until 2018, then moved to Rock Action Records.

In 2025, The Twilight Sad became a duo, and in 2026 they returned with their sixth studio album, “It’s the Long Goodbye”, released on March 27 through Rock Action Records.

SINE (aka Rona Rougeheart) released the single “Cruel” today April 3 via Metropolis Records. The track previews “La Mordre“, the first full-length album for the project since signing to Metropolis Records. “La Mordre” will be out on May 22 in digital, CD, and LP formats.

The song follows the earlier album previews “Trauma Bondage”, “Succumb To Me” and “Blood + Wine”, all of which are included on “La Mordre”.

Rougeheart described “Cruel” as a song “about people who purposefully choose to be cruel to others. The words are both sarcastic and serious and I like the contrast of the lyrical content against the upbeat nature of the music, which otherwise makes it a fun dance track.”

The album is up for pre-order on Bandcamp as digital, CD, and vinyl.

About SINE

SINE is the Austin, Texas project created by singer and drummer Rona Rougeheart. Rougeheart started SINE in 2016 as an electronic band.

Rougeheart’s first full-length under the SINE name was “INSOMNIÆ”, released on January 11, 2019. That was followed by “Injected” on November 1, 2019. In 2021 she released “Desire, Denial and Paramania”, an 11-track set that pulled together earlier material and collaborations with Chris Connelly and Curse Mackey, plus remixes by Meat Beat Manifesto and NITE.

In 2022, SINE released “Mantis 1” on May 6, followed by the “Mantis 2” EP on August 26 and “Until (Clan of Xymox Remix)” on October 14. In 2023, Rougeheart issued “Find Me” with Sasha Darko and released “From Beyond” featuring Claus Larsen of Leaether Strip. The 2024 album “Luxuria” was produced by Claus Larsen and released in digital, CD, and vinyl formats before Rougeheart moved on to Metropolis Records and issued “Trauma Bondage” in September 2024.

In 2019, Rougeheart opened for Bauhaus in Orlando, which later led to David J bringing her into Shiva Saves. Over time she has also worked with Adrian Sherwood, Chris Connelly, Mark Pistel, Clan of Xymox, Meat Beat Manifesto, Andee Blacksugar, Xiu Xiu, and Mark Stewart.

After the Metropolis signing in 2024, SINE returned with “Succumb To Me” on September 26, 2025 and “Blood + Wine” on February 27, 2026, leading to “Cruel” and now “La Mordre”.

British alternative electronic duo Mesh opened “The Truth Doesn’t Matter” Tour 2026 on April 2 with a sold-out show at Kulttempel in Oberhausen. The run follows the March 27 release of “The Truth Doesn’t Matter” via Dependent Records, with the next stop scheduled for Berlin’s Huxleys on April 3.

The 16-track release includes the singles “Exile“, “Hey Stranger“, and “This World“, plus “Bury Me Again” featuring Mari Kattman.

“The Truth Doesn’t Matter” is available digitally on Bandcamp and in CD, 48-page artbook 2CD, and gatefold 2LP editions. However the gatefold 2LP and deluxe box/artbook configurations are sold out.

Mesh 2026 ‘The Truth Doesn’t Matter’ tour

Mesh will support the album with an extensive European and UK tour in 2026 under the same title. The first leg in April covers Germany and the Czech Republic, with shows in Oberhausen, Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, Prague, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne and Hannover. The band then move to the UK in May for concerts in Bristol, London and Sheffield, followed by Scandinavian dates in Malmö, Gothenburg and Copenhagen, a summer open-air appearance in Taunton, and an additional date in Liberec in November.

• 03 Apr 2026 – Berlin, Huxleys, Germany
• 04 Apr 2026 – Hamburg, Docks, Germany
• 05 Apr 2026 – Leipzig, Felsenkeller, Germany
• 06 Apr 2026 – Prague, Lucerna Music Bar, Czech Republic
• 08 Apr 2026 – Munich, Backstage, Germany
• 09 Apr 2026 – Frankfurt am Main, Batschkapp, Germany
• 10 Apr 2026 – Cologne, Carlswerk Victoria, Germany
• 11 Apr 2026 – Hanover, Pavillon, Germany
• 01 May 2026 – Bristol, Trinity, UK
• 02 May 2026 – London, 229 Club, UK
• 03 May 2026 – Sheffield, Corporation, UK
• 14 May 2026 – Malmö, Plan B, Sweden
• 15 May 2026 – Gothenburg, Musikens Hus, Sweden
• 16 May 2026 – Copenhagen, Viften, Denmark
• 30 Aug 2026 – Taunton, Electric Summer, UK

About Mesh

Mesh are a British electronic alternative duo from Bristol, England, formed in 1991 by vocalist and guitarist Mark Hockings and keyboardist, guitarist and backing vocalist Richard Silverthorn, with Neil Taylor joining on keyboards in the early years. The creative split developed early: Silverthorn composes most of the music, while Hockings writes the lyrics and handles lead vocals. The trio first signed to Swedish label Memento Materia and issued the EP “Fragile” in 1994, followed by the debut album “In This Place Forever” in 1996 and the compilation “Fragmente” in 1998, which gathered early material.

Their second full-length “The Point at Which It Falls Apart” arrived in 1999 and has recently been revisited as a 25th-anniversary hardcover artbook edition. In 2000, the band worked with German producer Mark ’Oh on the single “Waves”, which entered the German charts, before moving to Sony for “Who Watches Over Me?” in 2002.

A run of albums on Dependent Records followed: “We Collide” in 2006, co-produced with Gareth Jones; “A Perfect Solution” in 2009, later reworked as the 2011 remix album “An Alternative Solution”; “Automation Baby” in 2013; and “Looking Skyward” in 2016.

Mesh have also released live recordings such as “On This Tour Forever”, the orchestral-enhanced “Live at Neues Gewandhaus Leipzig”, and the “Touring Skyward – A Tour Movie” set.

Frontman Mark Hockings would later on launch the Blackcarburning project releasing the debut album “Watching Sleepers“.

Today Mesh operate primarily as the Hockings/Silverthorn duo in the studio while expanding to a four-piece live line-up with drummer Sean Suleman and live keyboardist and backing vocalist Vaughn George for concerts and tours.

The 19th Elektrisch Festival will take place on October 24, 2026 at Club Seilerstraße in Zwickau, Germany. The announced line-up features Portion Control, Escalator, Oszylator, Cyborg Projekt X, and KRIEG-B. Organizers describe it as “another sweaty evening,” and tickets are already on sale via Emmo.biz Records.

The announcement also mentions a new 10-inch vinyl sampler in preparation for the event. That release format has become part of the festival’s recent profile, with earlier Elektrisch editions also tied to limited sampler-style vinyl releases.

About Elektrisch Festival

Elektrisch Festival is an annual event at Club Seilerstraße in Zwickau, Germany, focused on EBM, industrial, and dark electro. Organized by Emmobiz Records, it has built a steady profile through theme-based editions and scene-focused line-ups.

The 16th edition took place on October 19, 2024 as an “Exclusive 90’s Edition.” It featured Calva Y Nada, returning to the stage after a 25-year hiatus, alongside Digital Factor and Accessory, both marking 30 years of activity. Other editions have included acts such as Leaether Strip, Tyske Ludder, and Neotek.

The 17th edition followed on October 25, 2025 with Test Dept, NZ, In Strict Confidence, Supreme Court, and To Avoid. The 18th edition expanded to two days on February 27 and 28, 2026. The Friday program focused on synthpop with Purwien / Kowa and Blind Passenger, while the Saturday bill centered on EBM and electro with Brenal, Tyske Ludder, Prager Handgriff, and The Psychic Force.

The 19th Elektrisch Festival now returns to Club Seilerstraße on October 24, 2026 with a new five-act line-up.

Portland’s (excellent!) dark alternative trio Darkswoon have shared “Antivenom,” the second single and title track from their new album of the same name. “Antivenom” follows the earlier single “Thread.” The 10-song record is out now via Viasonde. The current lineup consists of Jana Cushman, Rachel Ellis, and Norah Lynn.

The album is out as a digital release, a 6-panel digipak CD, and a clear pink-and-white splatter vinyl edition. Both physical formats come in an edition of 250. , and an official video for “Antivenom” is available as well. The band will give an April 4 release show at Mississippi Studios in Portland and an April 18 date at Add-a-ball in Seattle.

The title track is available now as an official video, while the album can be ordered through Bandcamp and Viasonde’s store.

About Darkswoon

Darkswoon began in Portland in 2014 as Jana Cushman’s solo project and later expanded into a trio with Rachel Ellis on synths, keys, and beats and Norah Lynn on bass. The group developed a dark alternative sound rooted in darkwave, post-punk, dream pop, shoegaze, and electronic music, combining layered electronics, atmospheric guitar, drum machines, and Cushman’s vocals.

Thir release run began with “Year One” in 2015 and “Silhouettes” in 2016, before Darkswoon moved into full-length territory with “Bind” in 2019. That release was followed by “Human Faults Remixed” later the same year, then the “Eaten By Wolves” EP and the album “Bloom//Decay” in 2022. In 2025, the band also appeared as remixers on Vague Lanes’ single “Heptahedron.”

“Bind” and “Bloom//Decay” were released via Icy Cold Records, while “Antivenom” was issued by Viasonde in April 2026. Presented as the band’s fourth album, “Antivenom” continues Darkswoon’s hardware-based approach while foregrounding themes of loss, anxiety, fear, and inequality.