Pussy Riot and FEMEN staged a joint protest at the Russian Pavilion during the Venice Biennale preview on May 6, 2026, in Venice, Italy. The action, titled “Storm of Venice,” took place during the preview days of the 61st International Art Exhibition, “In Minor Keys,” which runs from May 9 to November 22, 2026.

More than 50 Pussy Riot members entered the pavilion area wearing pink ski masks and carrying pink smoke. The group chanted “Russia’s art is blood” and “Disobey” during the protest. FEMEN activists then joined the action with blue and yellow smoke, Ukrainian flags, and chants.

Italian police blocked access to the pavilion, and the protest interrupted access for about 30 minutes.

‘Every Russian artwork shown this year stands on an invisible pedestal: Ukrainian blood’

In a reaction Pussy Riot creator Nadya Tolokonnikova says: “Russia’s best citizens are either imprisoned for anti-regime and pro-Ukraine actions or killed in jail, while Europe opens its doors to Putin’s officials and propagandists.”

She adds: “If art is meant to represent a country at the Venice Biennale – something like the Olympics of the art world – then artists imprisoned for their anti-war, pro-Ukraine stance are the real face of modern Russia.”

Tolokonnikova also said they want imprisoned and formerly imprisoned Russian artists to represent Russia at the Venice Biennale in 2028. She called on Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, Veneto president Luca Zaia, and Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro to meet with the group.

FEMEN’s Inna Shevchenko commented: “We say it clearly: RUSSIA KILLS — BIENNALE EXHIBITS. BLOOD IS RUSSIA’S ART. Every Russian artwork shown this year stands on an invisible pedestal: Ukrainian blood. You won’t find it in the catalogue. But it is the only material that truly holds this pavilion together.”

Below are pictures from the protest (Photos courtesy Pussy Riot / Nikita Teryoshin).

Background to Russia’s return at the Venice Biennale

The protest took place during renewed controversy over Russia’s return to the Biennale. Russia’s Pavilion reopened for the first time since the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. A Biennale representative said Russia had not been invited, but had the right to participate because it owns the pavilion.

The 61st International Art Exhibition is titled “In Minor Keys” and was developed from the curatorial concept of Koyo Kouoh. The official Biennale programme lists the preview days as May 6, 7, and 8, with the public opening on May 9.

The European Commission has already threatened to withdraw €2 million in funding over Russia’s participation, while the Italian government sent inspectors to Venice. The Russian Pavilion was expected to remain open only during the preview week before the public opening.

Pussy Riot and FEMEN add that Russia’s participation violates European sanctions.

About Pussy Riot

Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist protest art collective formed in Moscow in 2011. The group was founded by Nadya Tolokonnikova and developed from earlier links to the Russian street-art group Voina. Its early actions used punk, performance, video, and public intervention to criticise Vladimir Putin, state power, and the Russian Orthodox Church.

The collective became internationally known in 2012 after a performance inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Maria Alyokhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were later convicted in Russia. In December 2025 a Moscow court declared the art collective an “extremist organization,” effectively banning its activity in Russia and exposing associates to possible criminal charges.

About FEMEN

FEMEN is an international feminist activist group founded in Ukraine in 2008. The group became known for topless protest actions against sex tourism, religious institutions, sexism, homophobia, authoritarianism, and other political issues. Well known members include Anna Hutsol, Oksana Shachko, Alexandra Shevchenko, Inna Shevchenko, and Yana Zhdanova.

Inna Shevchenko joined the organisation in 2009 and later became one of its main public figures. She was granted asylum in France in 2013 and continued her activity from Paris. FEMEN’s recent actions have also focused on Russia’s war against Ukraine, including a December 2024 protest at the “Broken Chair” monument outside the United Nations in Geneva.

New Jersey instrumental shoegaze and post-punk band Deardarkhead have released “Letting Go”, the first single (and video) from their new, 2nd, album “The Pendulum Swings“. The track is available now on Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, with the album announced for July 10 on CD, digital and 180-gram vinyl via the band’s own Fertile Crescent Records.

“Letting Go” is an instrumental track built around guitar leads, bass lines and keyboard layers. Joe McGinty plays keyboards on the song. McGinty is known for his work with The Psychedelic Furs and has also performed or recorded with Deborah Harry, Nada Surf and Ryan Adams.

Kevin Harrington says: “This first single ‘Letting Go’ is a song about growth. It’s a song about change. Letting go of old ways. It’s about taking a new direction and knowing that it’s going to be right.”

Robert Weiss adds: “This started out as a piano piece by guitarist Kevin Harrington and quickly grew into a full blown anthem with soaring guitar leads and melodic bass hooks. In demand keyboardist Joe McGinty and fellow South New Jerseyan provided backing keyboard tracks for the song.”

“The Pendulum Swings” contains ten tracks: “Flamethrower”, “Coming Undone”, “Tomorrowland”, “Tears”, “Sad Songs (and Better Days)”, “Letting Go”, “A Thanksgiving”, “Black Pearls”, “In Another Life” and “The Pendulum Swings”. The album has Kevin Harrington on guitars, bass VI, ebow and bass on track 10; Robert Weiss on drums and percussion; Brandon Howard on bass for tracks 1-9; and Joe McGinty on keyboards for track 6.

The album was recorded at Miner Street Recordings in Philadelphia. Brian McTear and Amy Morrissey produced, engineered and mixed the record. Joe Lambert mastered it.

About Deardarkhead

Deardarkhead formed in 1988 in the Atlantic City, New Jersey area. The name Deardarkhead comes from “Cean Dubh Dilis”, an 1867 poem by Irish poet Sir Samuel Ferguson.

The current lineup consists of Kevin Harrington on guitar, Robert Weiss on drums and James Malizia on bass. Malizia joined in August 2024. The band has worked as an instrumental unit since vocalist and bassist Michael Amper left in 2009.

The band’s early lineup included Blakely Parent, Kurt Douglass, Josh Minor and Robert Weiss. Deardarkhead released “Greetings from the Infernal Village” as a tape-only release on Fertile Crescent Records in 1988. “Spiral down and Vibrate” followed in 1991 as a cassette-only release. “Melt Away Too Soon” was released on CD in 1992, followed by “Ultraviolet” in 1993 and “Unlock the Valves of Feeling” in 1998.

Captured Tracks released “Oceanside: 1991-1993” in 2011 as part of its “Shoegaze Archives” series. The release collected early Deardarkhead material and appeared on CD, LP and limited cassette. The band joined Saint Marie Records in 2015 which released the “Strange Weather” EP on March 25, 2016 on CD, LP and digital formats.

Deardarkhead’s music has aalso ppeared on US and Japanese independent compilations, including “Static Waves 4”, “Popular World”, “Dream POP” and “Splashed With Many A Speck”.

And now there is “The Pendulum Swings”, the band’s sixth recording and second full-length album, preceded by “Letting Go”.

Chris Corner of IAMX on UNMASK, IAMIXED, imperfection, and learning how to frame the future

When Chris Corner speaks, the old binary oppositions that still shape too much music journalism, authenticity versus performance, intimacy versus theatre, vulnerability versus control, begin to look embarrassingly simplistic. Across IAMX, he has spent years proving that a mask can reveal as much as it conceals, that dressing up can be a form of truth, and that unfinishedness is not necessarily failure, but a deeply human condition. That tension felt especially palpable at the Leipzig date of The Artificial Innocence Tour, the opening night of a new chapter and the first live appearance with Gözde in the line up. From the audience, the show felt raw and exacting at once, instinctive but tightly held together, as if volatility itself had been rehearsed into form. Corner, as it turned out, experienced it rather differently: less as a triumphant unveiling than as a highly charged exercise in concentration, adjustment, and trust.

That divergence says a great deal about IAMX. What often reaches the audience as intensity, elegance, and emotional coherence is, on the inside, bound up with doubt, pressure, revision, and a refusal to accept the idea of the fixed work. With UNMASK and IAMIXED, Corner returns to the world orbiting Fault Lines, not to close it down neatly, but to test what survives when songs are reopened, displaced, and handed to other instincts. Our conversation moved from the discomfort of festivals to the cultural fragmentation artists now face, from perfectionism and neurodiversity to the peculiar freedom of theatrical self construction, from remixing as creative release to the question of how an artist survives, aesthetically and materially, in an age of acceleration, categorisation, and artificial intelligence. What emerged was not a promotional conversation around two releases, but something more revealing: a portrait of an artist who is still suspicious of completion, still wary of his own past, and still trying, in his own words, to learn “how to frame the future.”

IAMX interview

Karo: Hi Chris, thank you for taking the time. I saw you at the Leipzig show at E Only Festival, the opening of The Artificial Innocence Tour, and it felt like a very particular moment. There was something raw, but also very controlled about it, and seeing you perform with Gözde for the first time added a different kind of tension and elegance. Before we go deeper into discussing your new work, how did that night feel from your side, as the starting point of this chapter?

Chris: It was interesting because I’m known for hating festivals. It’s always very uncomfortable for me in that situation. I was very preoccupied with making it work. It was the first time I performed with Gözde too, so I think my mind wasn’t really with the audience, which is rare, because I’m usually very connected. I was very much concerned that everything was working. Mentally, I was kind of somewhere else, which is rare because I’m usually quite present. Saying that, I was very relieved and happy to have her integrated in such a cool way, because it was a super cool thing, and I love the space. The sound was great. It was a little stressful setting up and things like that, but what a way to introduce her. Overall, I’d say it was a very special moment, as you’ve said. I’ll probably look back at that at some point and enjoy it more, but at that point I was kind of stressed, to tell you the truth.

Karo: These two releases, UNMASK and IAMIXED, both seem to resist the idea that a body of work ever really ends. One gathers material still emotionally adjacent to Fault Lines, while the other allows that same world to be reinterpreted, even dismantled. Do you experience this moment as a form of closure, or as proof that your work continues to evolve beyond your control?

Chris: That’s a brilliant question. It’s an interesting moment. Privately, culturally, there’s so much going on for artists, and I digest that stuff. It can be quite confusing sometimes. As an artist, you’re constantly not just questioning your own work, but your place in the world. Culture is so fragmented and wild. It’s like a Wild West out there. What do you do? Do you make an album? Do you release a song? Do you release a video? Do you not do a video? Do you do an Instagram post? What do you do? What’s going to help you survive? A lot of the time we’re preoccupied with that more and more these days, as opposed to just having a lot of focus on creation. And in a way, it’s interesting because you take something like IAMIXED and UNMASK, and they are musical orphans. They don’t really exist as part of a bigger piece. I kind of like that, because it reflects what’s happening culturally anyway, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to try something like that that doesn’t necessarily have to be part of an album. To me, it feels okay. It’s like the starting point: do I lean into that? Do I do little fragments of art now? Is that how the world is? Or do I always fall back into this larger piece, the album, the traditional? Is that old fashioned? I don’t know. Or is that just a format that describes a certain time in your life perfectly? Does it have to be like that? Is that just a proven thing? So I guess I’m just trying things out, and IAMX has always been quite a multidimensional project anyway. I’ve never felt that my art is ever complete. I’m always interested in revisiting and trying to improve, and it’s never really done. I’m never fully happy. I know how to complete, and I know how to accept the defeat of that kind of completion and just go with it. This is what I can do at this time. I know there’s something in me that tells me this could be much better, but I cannot achieve that right now. That’s not who I am, or maybe I’ll never be that person. But I can accept it for its flaws and its beauty at the same time. So it’s quite nice for me to come back to things and correct what I felt was missing, or add what I felt was missing. I grew up in the culture of remixing and sampling and all of those things, and it’s just part of the way that I do things. I like to throw things around.

Karo: You’ve often pushed back against the idea of a final version. Listening to these releases, it feels less like a production choice and more like a philosophical stance. Do you resist completion because identity itself remains unstable, or because the finished work risks fixing something that is still in motion?

Chris: Fascinating. There are so many layers there. There’s this idea of perfection in creating something that I’d like to say was a philosophical choice, because that would make me sound like it was intentional. But I don’t think it is. If I’m truly honest, I feel like there are certain things I just can’t achieve, and it’ll never be good enough. That’s just my place in the world. I hear things that I don’t particularly like, but I’m impressed that people can make it so complete. I think it’s just a reflection of my nature. It’s not an intentional philosophy. I think I’m going to be less harsh on myself maybe. I’m aware that that’s okay. And then I’m a bit of both. I do lean in and say, in this world of perfection, and now artificial intelligence and all of these things, where human incompleteness is going to be an attractive thing, maybe that is now what makes it interesting, as opposed to trying to achieve something that is beyond you. I think I’m just starting to accept that there are certain things I’ll never be able to do, and that’s just my place. And that’s okay.

Karo: You mentioned perfectionism, and almost instantly this quotation from your lyrics came to mind: “and I was carrying the weight of the universe, the typical brittle perfectionist.” I think you are kind of accepting that now.

Chris: Yeah, I do. I think I used to place myself in that. What’s ironic about perfectionism is you can’t achieve it. You may perceive yourself to be a perfectionist, but it’s nonsense. You can never perfect anything. But you do hold on to this idea that you can be better, and it’s self flagellation. It’s very much a self destructive attitude. I used to hold on to that a lot. There’s a certain drive, or a certain engine, in that that does keep you going, but with a bit of distance now, and seeing how burnt out that would make me, often I see how, if I look at my body of work and the things that I’ve done, it didn’t help. It didn’t change that much. It was an inner feeling that now that I have much less of, it doesn’t really change my work. It just changed the stress feeling.

Karo: The word UNMASK feels especially loaded in the context of IAMX because your work has never treated masks as simple concealment. They’ve been tools for transformation, survival, seduction. When you use that word now, does it feel like exposure, or more like a shift in how consciously you construct what is seen?

Chris: The unmasking thing is loaded. It’s full of levels. You’ve got the theatrical performance level, the inner authentic, the yearning for authenticity level, and they all play off each other. The odd thing about IAMX, or me, I guess, but let’s say IAMX because I’m a little bit more than IAMX, is that it likes to play with that stuff. Depending on its mood, it can flip between playful theatrical stage performance and very serious mental health issues. What’s so interesting to me is how fluid that is. I feel very comfortable going between those two worlds. If you look at what could appear to be a very false, constructed thing like a stage performance, I don’t see it like that at all. I see it almost like a tribal moment. There’s something very liberating and beautiful about dressing up and escaping the self. I always yearned for that. It confused me why people would think putting on makeup and dressing up is not authentic. You have to be very serious, you have to wear a T shirt, these cultural things that are impressed upon us. I always felt this drive to fight against that and to dress up and to say, I don’t give a fuck, I’m going to look like a girl, I’m going to do these things. I’m not sure why, but I know I’m fighting against something that culturally says that I’m not an authentic artist. So it’s definitely been a battle, but it always felt right, and it always felt like there is nothing saying to me why these things can’t coexist and be completely meaningful at the same time. So the idea of unmasking, it’s not that it feels like ripping the mask off and saying, that was wrong and now this is right. It’s not that at all. It’s a symbolic reference to the idea of just being an authentic thing, whatever. That freedom of expression, of thought, whatever that is, however you want to express yourself, is what’s important, and pressure will come and go and say this is right and that’s wrong. But if the inner feeling is always there, and if the inner feeling is unmasked, I feel like the outer can be anything. It can be dressed up, whatever.

Karo: IAMIXED also suggests a kind of surrender of authorship, not polite remixing, but real reinterpretation. When you hear your songs filtered through somebody else’s instincts, do you recognise yourself in them, or do they reveal something you didn’t know was already there?

Chris: I don’t know. Because I’m a producer too, I kind of start as a producer. I recognise decision making in them. There are things that I hear and I think, oh yeah, I get that, I see why they’ve done that. So it’s not like I’m coming from an unknowing, raw point of view. I’m aware. But it’s still a nice moment. I wouldn’t say I’m massively surprised by things, but I still love it. If somebody does some kind of nasty, weird, distorted techno version of an IAMX song, I love that. I like anything that’s good.

IAMX’s genre bending has always been like that. I don’t really care where it fits. If it fits there today, great. If it’s there tomorrow. That’s gotten me into trouble because people like to label things. The world likes to put things in boxes. It makes things easier for people. It probably would have had a lot more commercial success had I done certain things, but it’s not interesting to me. It’s not a choice anyway. It’s just what I am. So this idea that all of those things can coexist, again, a little bit like the theatrical and the serious, different kinds of genres, different musical interpretations, are very natural to me. So I do like it. It’s the kind of thing I would do myself. I wouldn’t do exactly what they do because that’s them and I want them. But it is really nice. I’ve always liked it. I do like to hear myself mixed up, mashed up. And I do like it when I can hand things to somebody else because it can be quite isolating and exhausting, constantly doing you again and again in one room by yourself. So it is nice to hand it away.

Karo: Were you searching for artists who would understand the songs, or rather disturb them in an interesting way, challenge you in a way?

Chris: I prefer that. I prefer when it’s very, very different to what I would do. I do like that. That’s often what I’ve chosen if I’ve done collaborations or things in the past. I’ve had managers who say, well, you’ve got to do this with this artist and you’ve got to go on support with that artist because we can get their crowd. Every time somebody tells me that, it just makes me want to do the opposite. Maybe that hasn’t helped, but it’s definitely interesting when unexpected things happen. It brings me joy, I guess, when it’s outside of what I would do myself.

Karo: Your work often moves through intense psychological states like compulsion, shame, fragmentation, at least this is how I understand it, but it rarely feels like raw confession just for confession’s sake. It feels processed and shaped. How do you recognise the moment when personal experience becomes something that you can communicate rather than simply expose? For me, you have always been a translator of emotions into words. States like these are very difficult to communicate, and you have always done that perfectly. How do you do that?

Chris: Thank you. That’s very kind. It’s an interesting thing because there is this feeling where it’s almost like trying to tame this wildness, this overwhelm. I think a lot of it comes down to trying to understand myself. I’m pretty neurodiverse. I’m pretty on the spectrum of autism. I deal with a lot of overwhelming emotions, with lots of ups and downs in terms of my reaction to the external world and people. I’m constantly trying to figure out what’s right and wrong, how do I need to edit myself to make things right, or why did that happen. Trying to form a theory of mind of others is often like a life goal, and through the work I feel like I’ve been able to process certain things and to understand people, or at least to describe them fully to myself. It becomes a real challenge because it takes a lot of time, the lyrical content takes time to process, to be able to start with something, to understand what it is I want to be talking about, then to understand how to correctly talk about it without sounding too intellectual. It’s an interesting form, a song, particularly for me, because I do feel like I want to go very deep, but I also need to keep it at a certain level that’s understandable for people to consume as a song. So there is a certain framework in songwriting that is quite nice for me, because I need to simplify it to a certain degree, but also have a little bit of depth. So it’s a challenge. Emotions are so much a part of our daily lives, and we have so much reactivity to things, that when I nail something with a few words, it elevates me, and I think it allows me to understand the world. It brings me peace, I guess, and to be able to offer that doorway into something to others feels like it gives me purpose too. That’s the meaning of my life, in a way, to give people access and understanding through my words, through my music. It’s not always necessarily about the words too, and trying to put that into music is a challenge. But I think you’re right. There’s something about the lyrical side of things that I often forget that I’m doing. I don’t think about it until I’m in it, and then I realise how much work it is. Because I can’t just do that “hey baby” thing. It’s not an option for me unless that’s relevant to a certain emotion in the track.

Karo: For me, this music helps to understand human behavior, but you also give it a language. I think it’s both. And I think one reason your music stays with people is because it avoids the simple narrative. Desire, cruelty, tenderness, self destruction, they coexist without resolution. When you write now, are you still trying to understand those contradictions, or have you accepted them as something that can’t be resolved?

Chris: I think if I get to that level of acceptance, I don’t know if I’ll feel like writing so much. That’s a bit of a cynical view of myself. I’m being hard on myself there, which is a natural place for me to go. But I feel like the overwhelming feeling of depth comes to me often just in daily life. It’s not when I’m writing necessarily. It can be amplified when I’m writing and it can be resolved. This emotion can be resolved when I’m doing something and I don’t need to intellectualise it. It just comes out and permeates my being, and then it feels like it’s resolved a little bit, like sex with stress or something. Without words it can be resolved. There’s a lot of that going on. But when I’m out in the world doing life, there’s a lot of things that, if I’m not careful, I can often just be overwhelmed by the depth of things, or the seeming depth of things. That could be anything. I can be caught by a cactus or a little animal or something. It can drag me in very quickly if I’m not careful. So I don’t think I’ll have a problem with material. I think that feeling isn’t going to go away. It changes. I think it transforms. Maybe what I direct it on might be different. I don’t know if it’ll always be directed at other people, but I think that’s the duty of an artist, to access that depth in whatever it is. I feel like it’s everywhere. I don’t feel like it’s just in other humans. It’s a special kind of depth in humans, but I think it’s everywhere.

It would be interesting to see where you can take it. Are we all just so preoccupied with relationships and emotional interaction that anything else might not be that interesting in pop music? I probably will always settle on the idea of interpersonal relationships. It’s such a concern for the human condition that I don’t think that will ever go away. But I do feel a little bit, I’m coming out of quite a turbulent private time in terms of relationships. I’m going through a divorce, all these kinds of things. I feel like an era is coming where my focus is going to be a bit different. I can’t fully promise that, but I’m interested to know because I’m not fully in control of myself. I’ll be interested to know where I’m going with all this on the next round.

Karo: Looking back at earlier phases, like The Unified Field or Metanoia, identity always felt fluid, unstable, but urgent. Does that fluidity feel different to you now? More grounded, or more deliberate?

Chris: No. It doesn’t. I’d like to say that there’s a certain sort of wisdom that’s come with getting older, and I think it just changes. There are certain things that get in the way more. Priorities change a little bit. Life stuff happens, and you get a bit distracted by that. But I think the essence is the same, definitely. You mentioned the word urgency. Fluidity and urgency. Urgency has been a thing from as long as I can remember, and that need to express how short life is to the world, and how we need to grasp the beauty of things all the time, and not necessarily try and hold on to things, but at least recognise those things, and even recognise the impermanence of things. Even if you have access to that way of thinking, which I do constantly, I don’t think that’s going to change. I still feel as urgent about life as ever, maybe more. With age, you start to understand you’re getting on the other side, so maybe the priorities might change a little bit. Do I want to keep doing this thing specifically, or would I like to tweak it? For years I’ve been interested in mental health gatherings and expanding IAMX into different ways of doing things, possibly because there’s lots of different layers to IAMX, and maybe going into installation art. I would like to experiment a bit more with the format. But time, it’s all about time. Where is the time gonna come from?

Karo: Last question. We’ll be wrapping up, although I would probably like to keep you a bit longer. But we’ve got a scheduled time, so my last question will be kind of rounding up. If UNMASK and IAMIXED both deal, in a way, with reframing of material, of authorship, of perspective, what are you currently reframing within yourself? Not what you are releasing, but how you think, create, how you relate to your own work.

Chris: I’ve always had a slightly schizophrenic relationship to my work. I’m scared of it in a way. I don’t listen to old stuff very often unless I have to focus on it, like live music or remix or rework or whatever. I’m a bit scared of the past. I don’t like nostalgia. I don’t really focus on it because I feel like I’m going to criticise myself. It’s my go to feeling, and I don’t like that, so I do avoid my work. But then again, sometimes, as I said, it’s a bit of a schizophrenic feeling, because sometimes I’ll hear something accidentally and I’ll be really pleasantly surprised that I was able to do that thing. And it’s like, oh my God, that’s me. That thing’s actually quite good. How did I do that? It’s an odd feeling. So it’s a bit of an engine. This engine is to correct, to be better, to think I can do this better, and I don’t want to hear that shit because if I hear it, I’ll just be like, oh fuck, I fucked that up. But I’m okay with it. I don’t feel like I’m suffering necessarily from that. I just have to be careful how I filter my world and how I view myself. I’m always more preoccupied with doing something new because I think there’s a comfort in that, there’s a joy in that, there’s a sort of safety in being able to put something in the world as opposed to analyse what’s already there. So it’s not a healthy relationship that I have with my work. I’d like it to be healthier, but we’d like all sorts of things, right? We just have to make peace with a certain way of being. And that’s just how I am.

I do think a lot about how to go forward. I’ve always been like that. What is my place? How do I survive as an independent artist? It’s not easy necessarily, trying to find income and ways to survive and balance life with work. There’s a lot of that going on. There’s a lot of thinking about the future of what format music is going to be. Artificial intelligence, what do we do with that? Can it help? Is it going to take things away? There’s a lot of turbulence going on. It’s not much different. But I think if you bring something like that culturally into the mix, where it’s actually quite a big, obviously toxic subject for many people, for me it’s more like, what does that really mean to me? Is it something I want to get involved in or have to get involved in? Am I going to be forced into this, to use this? Or do I fight against it? Do I make the human frailty attractive? Do I lean into that? Or do I say, well, everybody else is making their lives easier, why do I have to suffer and watch all these people do this thing and nobody cares anyway? What do people care about? How do I fit in that?

A lot of the time I’m thinking about those things because I want to be efficient, I want to be effective, I still want to get to people and I want to produce things that people can connect with and all of those things. So I guess I’m working on how to frame the future right now.

Italian neoclassical darkwave and dark folk band Ataraxia release “Alabaster” on 6 May 2026. The “Alabaster” single and video precede the band’s 30th studio album, “Sylfaera the Fair”, out 21 May 2026 via The Circle Music in Digi CD, marbled transparent turquoise and black LP, and deluxe black box formats. The deluxe black box is limited to 100 copies.

“Alabaster” follows the earlier “Sylfaera” and “Llawarra” singles from the same album. “Sylfaera the Fair” closes the trilogy that began with “Pomegranate (The Chant of the Elementals)” in 2022 and continued with “Centaurea” in 2024.

“Alabaster” is a warrior-shaman linked to wolves and the snow-covered mountains of the North. The band explains: “Alabaster acts as a bridge between the physical and the spiritual. On the night in Loona, he longs to reunite with his group soul, moving not as an individual, but as a single spiritual entity guided by powerful instinct. He knows the shadows, the tracks, and the smells of the wild. He represents that primal, intuitive force that exists within the sacred masculine.”

The track features Francesca Nicoli on vocals, Vittorio Vandelli on bouzouki, electric guitar, and programming, and Giovanni Pagliari on keyboards. Guest musician Gregorio Bellodi adds uilleann pipes.

The official video for “Alabaster”, directed by Wampyrion, is available below; on YouTube. The single smartlink currently opens pre-save and pre-add options for Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Deezer, and Tidal.

About Ataraxia

Ataraxia are an Italian neoclassical darkwave and dark folk ensemble from Modena in Emilia-Romagna. The band was formed in November 1985 by vocalist Francesca Nicoli and bassist Michele Urbano. Guitarist Vittorio Vandelli joined in December 1986 and keyboardist Giovanni Pagliari in January 1990; from the early 1990s onward, Nicoli, Vandelli, and Pagliari became the group’s enduring creative core.

Ataraxia is more a multidisciplinary project working across music, poetry, and visual art. In their work they merge acoustic and contemporary instrumentation and uses texts in both ancient and modern languages, with recurring references to Mediterranean and Celtic cultures, mythology, ritual, and nature.

Ataraxia first built an underground following through self-produced cassette releases: “Prophetia” in 1990, “Nosce te Ipsum” in 1991, and “Arazzi” plus “Sub ignissima luna” in 1993. Their first full release followed in 1994 with “Simphonia sine Nomine” on Energeia/Apollyon and “Ad perpetuam rei memoriam” on Apollyon. Those release were followed by “La Malédiction d’Ondine” and “The Moon Sang on the April Chair” in 1995, the split 10-inch “In Amoris Mortisque” with Engelsstaub, then “Il fantasma dell’Opera” and “Concerto N. 6” in 1996.

In 1998 Ataraxia released “Historiae” through Cold Meat Industry, “Orlando” through Prikosnovénie, and the live album “Os cavaleiros do templo – Live in Portugal” through Symbiose. These were followed by “Lost Atlantis” in 1999, “Sueños” and the retrospective “A Calliope” in 2001, “Mon Seul Désir” in 2002, “Des Paroles Blanches” in 2003, “Saphir” in 2004, the acoustic double set “Odos eis Ouranon” and the book-plus-CD project “Arcana Eco” in 2005, then “Paris Spleen” in 2006 and “Kremasta Nera” in 2007. In 2004 Vittorio Vandelli released the solo album “A Day of Warm Rain in Heaven” with Nicoli participating on vocals. Francesca Nicoli from here side did guest work on Monumentum’s “In Absentia Christi” back in 1995. “Llyr” was released in 2010 and was the launch for several more albums: “Spasms” in 2013, “Wind at Mount Elo” in 2014, “Ena” in 2015, “Deep Blue Firmament” in 2016, “Synchronicity Embraced” in 2018, and “Quasar” in 2020.

Ataraxia is now signed to The Circle Music, which has handled the recent releases beginning with the 2021 vinyl reissue of “Sueños” and the studio trilogy “Pomegranate (The Chant of the Elementals)” in 2022, “Centaurea” in 2024, and “Sylfaera the Fair” in 2026. Between those albums, the band issued a sequence of singles and videos including “Hlara Aralh,” “Aura Magi,” “The Source,” “Galen,” “Viriditas,” “Coelestis,” and “Sylfaera,” while 2025 also brought the standalone track “Breath of Soundrops” for “The Five Senses” compilation.

And now there is “Sylfaera the Fair,” Ataraxia’s 30th studio album.

“Past Perfect” and “Euphoria” can hardly be considered new work, but rather somewhat forgotten and lesser-known—unless to the fans—tracks by Solitary Experiments. Both EPs were originally released as bonus tracks on the limited albums “Future Tense” (2018) and “Phenomena” (2013).

Solitary Experiments ventures into covering fairly well-known songs by even more well-known bands such as Tears For Fears, Yazoo, Propaganda, Heaven 17, Wolfsheim, and others. In my opinion, they do this in a quite convincing way by retaining the recognizability of the original songs while simultaneously transforming them into a more Electro/Future-Pop approach. Not always obvious when you look at the choice of songs, but overall this is certainly a successful operation with, in my opinion, very successful interpretations of Yazoo’s “Nobody’s Diary” and Doro Pesch’s “Für Immer”.

As far as I am concerned, this kind of work is intended first and foremost for the group’s die-hard fans, but it still allows us to admire the group’s talent in the role of a cover band. (Rating:7½).

Listen to “Nobody’s Diary”:

Italian dark-goth / new wave band Newdress have released the single “Shelter (The Night For Us)” via the Vrec Music Label. The track is the third advance single from the upcoming album “ADE (A Dance Eternal),” scheduled for autumn 2026.

The official video was directed by Riccardo Scalvenzi / Manifesto Collective.”Shelter (The Night For Us)” follows “Here We Are,” released on June 7, 2024, and “The Voices (Can Kill Me),” released on September 16, 2024.

The band describes “Shelter (The Night For Us)” as a track about nightclubs as spaces of refuge. Newdress explains: “There are places where you feel you find your true essence.” The lyrics combine Italian-language verses with the English refrain.

The line-up for the recording consists of Stefano Marzoli on vocals and synthesizers, Jordan Vianello on drums, and Andrea Zagna on bass and electric guitar. Mixing was handled by Max Lotti, with mastering by Giovanni “Meniak” Nebbia at Ithil World Studio.

About Newdress

Newdress are a Brescia, Italy-based dark-goth, new wave, electronic band. The band debuted in 2008 with the self-produced “Alibi”, followed by “MODErne Tessiture Sonore” on Kandinsky Records in 2010. The band then released “Legàmi Di Luce” featuring Lele Battista and Andy Fluon in 2012, followed by “Sister Europe” and “Vernale” with Kovre in 2013.

In 2015, Newdress released the EP “Novanta” through Vrec. The EP included four covers and one original track, with collaborations involving Omar Pedrini of Timoria, Garbo, Lele Battista of LaSintesi and Luca Urbani of Soerba.

The band continued with “Silent Age” for “The Sound Italian Tribute” in 2016, then released “Falso Negativo” through Vrec in 2017 including tracks such as “Daylight,” “Hedone” and “Attico Narcotico.”

Newdress later released “Behind The Wheel” through Vrec in 2018, followed by “Pallida,” “Il Rumore Di Te,” “Joyce” and “LEIcontroLEI” in 2019 and 2020. In 2024 they launched the singles “Here We Are” and “The Voices (Can Kill Me)”, and now, 2 years later, “Shelter (The Night For Us).”

The full album “ADE (A Dance Eternal)” is scheduled for Autumn 2026.

Bent is the project of Niko, based in Aschheim near Munich. Deeply connected to the scene throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, he was also a co-founder of tear!down, though he left the band at an early stage and was not involved in its official releases. After moving to Berlin, music gradually receded behind studies and other priorities, and for years he had almost no real connection to the scene.

That changed in 2021, when renewed contact with old friends, especially James Mendez, slowly pulled him back in. The result was not a calculated comeback, but the eventual shaping of long-existing material into the Bent album Renascence.

What gives Renascence its particular gravity is not age alone, but the way time has been allowed to remain audible inside it. These songs were not freshly designed to imitate an earlier era, nor were they aggressively updated to prove their relevance. They were written between 2000 and 2010, carried privately through years of distance, and finished only once Niko found a way to return to them without falsifying their original charge. That makes Bent an unusual proposition: a project born from delay, memory, and renewed proximity to a scene that had once defined him. In this conversation, Niko speaks about old demos, the Texas electro imprint, artistic absence, and the strange feeling of moving closer again to an earlier self.

Bent interview

Karo: The Bent album Renascencefeels like a debut, but also like the result of a very long private conversation with your past. Did working on these songs feel more like creating something new, or like finally understanding material that had been waiting for its proper form?

Niko: Neither. Renascence is not really a debut in the traditional sense. All of the songs on the album were originally created in their essential form between 2000 and 2010, tracks I had at times completely forgotten about, but kept returning to over the years, in all kinds of life situations. They are pieces I have developed a deep connection with over time. I originally started Bent simply as a project to release these older songs, not to write new material. When finalizing the tracks, it was important to me to change as little as possible and preserve their character, only doing what was absolutely necessary. For example, adding real lyrics, since some of the old demos only had placeholder vocals. I only went through with it because I happened to discover a way to convert the old project files into Ableton format. Otherwise, I probably would not have put in the effort to rebuild everything from scratch, and it would not have felt authentic anyway.

Karo: You describe some of these tracks as carrying more than twenty years of history. What does time do to a song? Does it deepen its meaning, or does it force you to strip away earlier versions of yourself before the piece can become honest?

Niko: The songs were created at a time when I felt deeply connected to, and rooted in, the scene. It was also a critical period in my life, when I found myself at many crossroads and had to make fundamental decisions. The feeling at that time could not have been captured any better. It was never up for debate to bring the songs into the here and now.In that sense, your description is quite accurate: they are like excavations, carefully uncovered with a brush so as not to damage anything.

Karo: Your return to music seems tied not to strategy, but to reconnection: with old friendships, old sounds, and an older version of your own listening. Did coming back from outside the scene change the way you hear dark electro itself?

Niko: All of this more or less unfolded on its own, old and, above all, new friendships, for example with the guys from Amnistia, Tino did the amazing artwork, Michael from StateMent, or Andreas from Object. In recent times I almost never listen to dark electro.

Karo: This Bent album draws strongly from the Texas electro tradition, which has always had a very distinct emotional temperature: cold, expansive, but also strangely spiritual. What is it about that sound that still feels alive to you today?

Niko: Back when these songs were originally created, I found myself strongly drawn to the Texas sound, this kind of music with its organic warmth and cosmic spiritual beauty, in contrast to a more genuine rawness. There was also always a bit of punk irony and madness in it, nothing flat or artificially “evil.” I could never really relate to that. That is also why my older tracks lean heavily in that direction. I still like it today, but I have not listened to a Mentallo & The Fixer album in probably twenty years. There was a phase in my life when I had to sell all my CDs just to afford basic necessities. Now, after rediscovering this music following a long break, I have started rebuilding my collection, Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Cabaret Voltaire, Clock DVA, even Skinny Puppy.I have actually always felt more connected to the avant-garde or Wax Trax sound, which is also more clearly reflected in the songs I have genuinely written anew.

Karo: There is an intriguing contrast in Renascence between choral warmth and futuristic hardness, between something almost sacred and something rigorously mechanical. Is that duality central to how you think about your music, or did it emerge instinctively?

Niko: That emerged more instinctively. It was an expression of how I felt and perceived the music I wanted to make at that time. The songs I’m working on now carry much more energy, grit, and punk attitude, or are more overtly avant-garde. At the moment I’m very fascinated by technology, gear, and sound design, and I enjoy making modern and unconventional things.

Karo: Because you stepped away from the scene for so many years, you were spared the pressure to constantly produce or remain visible. Do you think that absence ultimately protected your artistic voice in some way?

Niko: I was probably never perceived as an artist, and I never really saw myself that way either. Of course, I was sporadically involved with tear!down in the past. So there was never any expectation, or any sense that anyone was waiting for a release from me. Things really started with Bent. Right now I am actually always somehow involved with music, even if I do not release anything significant for a year or two. Over the last four years since Bent began, I have written so many songs that I have imposed a kind of self-restraint, I have forbidden myself from writing any new material until the existing demos are fully finished and ready for release. Which is, in a way, quite frustrating at the moment. Over the past months, I have felt more like a producer.

Karo: Renascence is an album built from persistence rather than immediacy. After finally completing a work shaped across decades, do you now feel more connected to the person you were when those early ideas first appeared, or more aware of how far you have travelled from him?

Niko: I’m aware of my path; that awareness is ever-present. But there were also times when I did not like being confronted with my past. Most likely, this is simply the right moment for this album, I’m at peace with it.To answer your question: I definitely feel closer to my earlier self again. That is also reflected in my newly reignited passion for the scene.

Miami alternative rock, post-punk and darkwave band Astari Nite have released the six-track “Medications In Bloom” EP on May 1, 2026 through Astari Nite TV 1993. The release is accompanied by the official video for “Dry Shampoo X“, which you can view below.

The 6-track EP “Medications In Bloom” is available on limited edition compact disc, and on all streaming services.

Commenting on the title of the EP, Mychael Ghost says: “My mother has not been doing well for quite some time. My life for the past four and a half years consists of doctor visits, chatting with nurses, buying her flowers that make me sneeze, my mind wandering about childhood memories while holding her hand. Nevertheless, whenever her prescription is re-filled, I’m quickly notified. One day I received that reassuring alert and thought to myself, YAY, “Medications In Bloom” again.”

The EP’s tackles such themes as validation, self-preservation, romance, glamour and decay.

Astari Nite 2026 live dates

• May 09 – New York, NY – The Red Party presents Astari Nite
• May 23 – Leipzig, Germany – Wave-Gotik-Treffen
• June 13 – Miami, FL – Las Rosas
• June 20 – Orlando, FL – Will’s Pub
• June 27 – Tampa, FL – New World
• July 16 – Charlotte, NC – The Milestone
• July 17 – Knoxville, TN – Pilot Light
• July 18 – Nashville, TN – Fascination Street
• August 7–8 – Indianapolis, IN – Dead Souls: Bats over Indy Festival
• October 1–3 – Tampa, FL – Communion After Dark: Absolution Fest

About Astari Nite

Astari Nite formed in Miami in 2013 around vocalist Mychael Ghost and drummer Illia Tulloch. The current line-up consists of Mychael Ghost on vocals, Illia Tulloch on drums and electronics, Howard Melnick on guitar, and Danny Ae on synthesizer and bass. Musically they offer a mix of alternative rock and darkwave.

The group debuted with “Stereo Waltz” in 2014, followed by “Anonymous” in 2015 and “Until the End of the Moon” in 2016. The latter was released by Danse Macabre Records and was produced and recorded by Howard Melnick, mixed by Melnick and Illia Tulloch, and mastered by Thomas Penton. That album was followed by “Midnight Conversations“. The album included material produced and mixed by Tom Shear of Assemblage 23, alongside earlier “Dreams Of Majesty” EP tracks mixed by Rees Bridges.

“Here Lies” and “Resolution of Happiness” followed and in 2019, the band released “Dearly Beloved” and signed to Negative Gain Productions.

In 2024 Astari Nite returned with the new singles “Necessity Meal”, “Tongue Tied Galore” and the album “Resolution Of Happiness“.

The band was also included in the Spleen+ / Alfa Matrix post-punk box set “Resurgence”, a massive 7CD post-punk boxset released in 2025. Also in 2025, “Unisex Games” and “Miss Rain On My Parade” led into the 2026 “Medications In Bloom” EP. And now there is “Medications In Bloom”, issued as a limited CD and digital release with the video for “Dry Shampoo X”.

Makes My Blood Dance, the Brooklyn electro-goth/pop-metal act, has released “Lately (feat. Macy Gray)” through Metropolis Records. The single is a cover of Macy Gray’s “Lately”, originally released in 2010 from her album “The Sellout”. Gray also appears on the new version as co-vocalist.

“Lately (feat. Macy Gray)” is available via all streaming platforms. The single precedes the debut Makes My Blood Dance album “Z3r0 2 LGHT $p33d!”, due on June 5, 2026 as a digital album and CD. A vinyl edition is scheduled for August, with a limited LP edition available on tour.

Makes My Blood Dance tour dates with Powerman 5000 and 12 Stones

Makes My Blood Dance are touring the US with Powerman 5000 and 12 Stones from late April through May.

• May 5 – The Sovereign – St. Louis, MO
• May 7 – Six String Grill – Foxborough, MA
• May 8 – Phantom Power – Millersville, PA
• May 9 – Artie’s – Frenchtown, NJ
• May 10 – Halftime – Newark, DE
• May 11 – The Meadows – Brooklyn, NY
• May 12 – Mercury Music Lounge – Lakewood, OH
• May 13 – Machine Shop – Flint, MI
• May 16 – Apollo Theater – Belvidere, IL
• May 17 – Blue Note – Harrison, OH
• May 20 – Venue Event Center – Cadillac, MI
• May 21 – The Forge – Joliet, IL
• May 22 – Catfish Bend Casino – Burlington, IA
• May 23 – Q Casino – Dubuque, IA
• May 25 – Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO
• May 26 – Federal Theatre – Denver, CO
• May 28 – The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA *
• May 30 – Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA *

• Select dates with Adema.

About Makes My Blood Dance

Makes My Blood Dance is a Brooklyn, New York-based project that merges disco-inflected electronics, metal guitars, and dark pop songwriting. The band began taking shape in late 2017, when vocalist EV0 and guitarist/programmer Jon Kristian started writing together after earlier work in Fixer, ERS, and Proxima Control. They were soon joined by bassist Alex “Mother Russia” Nikitin and drummer Carlos “CK1” Gordillo.

Their official debut single, “Beaming Right Up”, arrived in 2019, followed later that year by “Sick As Our Secrets”, with both tracks supported by videos and early US club touring. Early physical distribution included limited USB dog tags containing songs, lyrics, and artwork. In December 2020, the band released the six-track “Disco Metal” EP via Alpha Centauri Records, consolidating material from the early singles alongside additional tracks. In 2021, they followed with the live EP “LIVE at Smash Sound Stage (New York City)”, then issued further standalone singles including “Power Of The Lightside” and “Communion (Radio Edit)”.

From 2022 onward, Makes My Blood Dance expanded their touring radius and video output with the single “Together Apart” (2022), and the singles “Heaven Collides” and “Knowin’ It Without Knowin’ Why” (2023), each released with an official video. By 2024, the lineup had evolved around core songwriters EV0 and Jon Kristian, with “I Love” Lucy on bass and G Rex on drums.

In late 2025, Makes My Blood Dance signed to Metropolis Records and released “Your Little Hand In Mine”, “Heavy Metal Armour”, and “Time And A Place” as their first wave of label singles, produced by Bret “Epic” Mazur and Mikal Blue. As of March 2026, “Heavy Metal Armour” has passed 680,000 Spotify streams, while “Time and a Place” has earned 642,000+ organic YouTube views and “Your Little Hand In Mine” has crossed 348,000 YouTube views. Touring remains central to the project, with the band averaging 70+ shows annually and listing 78 tour dates confirmed for 2026.

“Lately (feat. Macy Gray)” now leads into the June 2026 debut album “Z3r0 2 LGHT $p33d!”.

Foule is a French duo driven by Zoé Boutin (vocals and lyrics) and Olly (guitar and machinery). Since 2023, they have released several singles, almost all of which appear on this debut album, “Porcelaine”.

The album features nine tracks that embody a dark, enchanting blend of Dark-Wave, alongside elements they describe as ‘dark trap’, ‘industrial’, and ‘witch house’. The lyrics, delivered in an intensely poetic manner, are both dark and devilish in content, yet retain a playful edge that perfectly complements their vocal delivery. The vocals often feel whispered, possessed, and captivating all at once. Foule creates a distinctive atmosphere—at times raw and brutal, yet consistently compelling from start to finish. On several tracks, the guitar takes on a heavier tone, venturing into Post-Punk territory. One track even features sections of sung/spoken text played in reverse, enhancing the eerie, devilish mood while also highlighting the duo’s creativity and boldness.

I have nothing but praise for “Porcelaine”, which, in terms of music, lyrics, and visual presentation, showcases a band with a strong identit y and unique artistic vision. This duo clearly has everything it takes to break through to a wider audience. (Rating:8½).

Listen to “Brûler”:

https://foule-music.bandcamp.com/track/br-ler-2

Castle Party has revealed the full timetable for its 2026 edition, set to take place from 16 to 19 July at Bolków Castle, Poland, and the shape of this year’s festival already looks both broad and unusually coherent. Founded in 1994, Castle Party has long held a singular place within the Central European dark alternative landscape: not simply as a festival, but as a seasonal meeting point for gothic rock, darkwave, EBM, industrial, ritual, post-punk, and more esoteric edges of the scene. The new schedule confirms a weekend built with real internal rhythm rather than random accumulation.

Castle Party 2026 line-up

Thursday functions as a proper opening descent on the Park Stage, with Merciful Nuns, A Projection, Denuit, Mayflower Madame, After The Sin, and Meluzyna setting the tone. It is a strong first night: gothic gravity, post-punk tension, and nocturnal atmosphere without unnecessary overstatement.

Friday splits its force between the Castle Stage and Park Stage in a way that feels especially dynamic. On the main stage, VNV Nation, Diary of Dreams, Hocico, Empathy Test, Rotersand, She Pleasures Herself, and The Last Digital Angel create a line running from established electronic headliners through darker emotional textures into sharper club-oriented energy. Over on the Park Stage, the afterparty sequence pushes into heavier and more ceremonial terrain with Sierra Veins for the night show, alongside Wolvennest, Wyatt E, The Devil’s Trade, On All Fours, Thy Worshiper, and Wolfpack Heading Nowhere. There is also a fire show at 22:00.

Saturday may be the most dramatically curved day of the festival. Moonspell headline the Castle Stage, joined by Tribulation, The 3rd and the Mortal, Dawn of Ashes, Long Night, The Silverblack, and Her Own World. It is a bill that leans into gothic metal, dark theatricality, and emotional density without becoming monotonous. The Park Stage follows with Hybryds, This Morn’ Omina, Xotox, In Slaughter Natives, The Allegorist, and Infamis Tenebre, giving the night a more ritual, industrial, and experimental body. Again, the fire show is scheduled for 22:00.

Sunday closes with a different kind of momentum. On the Castle Stage, SKÁLD, Cold Cave, Traitrs, Rue Oberkampf, Horskh, White Ritual, and Agonised Too offer one of the most interesting stylistic arcs of the weekend, moving from ritual and mythic grandeur through cold modern darkwave and post-punk into sharper electronic and industrial edges. The Park Stage afterparty continues with Extize as the night show, plus Rein, Unter Null, Mortes, Autoscopy, and Death by Love, giving the final stretch a more volatile, club-driven pulse.

What the timetable makes clear is that Castle Party 2026 is not relying on one dominant aesthetic. Instead, it is building contrast intelligently: grandeur and abrasion, scene legends and newer names, body music and ritual ambient, dark rock atmosphere and electronic velocity. That balance has always been one of Castle Party’s deeper strengths, and this year’s running order seems keenly aware of it.

Official timetable and festival information: https://castleparty.com

Combichrist will release the new industrial metal album “The Venom In The Mouth Of God” on July 24, 2026 via Out Of Line Music. The 13-track album includes the previously released tracks “Desolation”, “RISE” and “Feraline”. Note that the track “Demons Wanna Be Summoned” features King 810 frontman David Gunn.

“The Venom In The Mouth Of God” will be available as digipak CD, Yolk Splatter Vinyl 2LP and Picture Vinyl 2LP. The album can be pre-ordered right here.

Below are the videos for “Desolation”, “RISE”, “Feraline” and “Demons Wanna Be Summoned“.

About Combichrist

Combichrist is an aggrotech and industrial metal project formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2003 by Norwegian vocalist Andy LaPlegua. LaPlegua had already worked with Icon of Coil, Panzer AG, Scandy and Scandinavian Cock. The studio project is centered on LaPlegua, with a changing live lineup. Current listed members are Andy LaPlegua, Eric13, Elliott Berlin and Jamie Cronander.

The project’s first material developed from the track “Thanx to my Buddies”, originally written under the name D.r.i.v.E. The name later changed to Hudlager and then Combichrist before the debut album “The Joy of Gunz” appeared on Out Of Line in 2003. It was followed by “Kiss The Blade”, also in 2003, “Blut Royale” and “Sex, Drogen Und Industrial” in 2004, and “Get Your Body Beat” in 2006.

The next studio albums included “Everybody Hates You” in 2005, “What the Fuck Is Wrong with You People?” in 2007, “Today We Are All Demons” in 2009, “Making Monsters” in 2010, “No Redemption” in 2013, “We Love You” in 2014, “This Is Where Death Begins” in 2016, “One Fire” in 2019 and “CMBCRST” in 2024. Note that “No Redemption” was released as the official “DmC: Devil May Cry” soundtrack.

In 2016, “This Is Where Death Begins” was announced in CD, deluxe 2CD digipak and colored gatefold double vinyl editions. The album was produced by Oumi Kapila of Filter and Andy LaPlegua, with guest vocals from Chris Motionless of Motionless In White and Ariel Levitan of MXMS, and mastering by Vlado Meller. A separate limited 3CD+DVD edition added the Summer Breeze Festival 2015 live recording on CD and DVD.

In 2019, “One Fire” was announced in 3CD boxset, 2CD and 2LP picture vinyl formats. The album included Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory on “Guns At Last Dawn”. Our “One Fire” review said that “Combichrist remains a very unique experience, mixing different genres and songs all together on one album.” We rated the album 8.

Later archive coverage included vinyl back catalogue reissues, the single “Compliance” in 2021 and “Modern Demon” in 2022. In 2024, Combichrist released the double album “CMBCRST”.

Combichrist’s 2026 schedule includes Dark Force Fest in Parsippany, Reborn Festival in Zwickau, Alcatraz Open Air in Kortrijk, M’era Luna in Hildesheim and Vagos Metal Fest in Portugal.

I have been involved in this scene for quite some time, and there are only a handful of artists I witnessed from their very beginnings and have continued to follow ever since. The Belgian project Liquid G. is certainly one of them. When I listened to the new, self-released album “Distortion Of Reality” earlier this year, I was struck by the realization that Peter Van Bogaert has now been active with Liquid G. for no less than 40 years.

This solitary artist has spent decades navigating the space between Electronic experimentation and dark, atmospheric soundscapes. Somewhere at the crossroads of EBM and atmospheric Dark-Electro, what started as a personal quest for sound and emotion gradually evolved into a project where introspection and sonic layering take center stage. Over the years, Liquid G. has carved out a distinctive place within the alternative Electronic landscape, while remaining firmly rooted in the underground.

The new Liquid G. album emerges from a critical reflection on the world and its often disturbing leadership, but perhaps even more so as a means to channel feelings of frustration and powerlessness into a compelling dark opus. More than enough reason to get in touch with Peter and reflect on both the past and the present. (Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Liquid G. interview

Q: I noted that it has now been 40 years since you started experimenting with Liquid G. back in 1986. How do you remember that period, and what preceded your first musical experiments? How did you come into contact with Electro and the bands of that era, and what do you consider the highlights and best moments of your long career?

Peter: In the beginning, it was mainly about experimenting with sounds; I only had one synth, and that was the Korg Poly 800. I was primarily working with effect pedals to create Industrial sounds (flanger, delay, pitch shifters, overdrives). I had these lying around because, before my Electro period, I was a bassist in a New-Wave group (Narrow Intellect). Since our group had performed on stage a few times with A Split Second during a competition at the Rofo’s dance club in Melsele, and later also with Vomito Negro and The Klinik, I came into contact with the Electro scene.

For instance, the first tape release, “The Art Of Garbage”, was without a drum machine, but it did feature a rhythm box and some borrowed equipment from Dirk Ivens. When this tape came out, I received a proposal from Dirk to release the track “1.30AM” on the compilation LP “Expo 87” (Body Records). And that is how we started in the Electro world.

I therefore regularly went along to performances by The Klinik and Vomito Negro, and in doing so, I got to know more and more people in this scene.

Some highlights of Liquid G., the performance at the small festival celebrating 10 years of Suicide Commando in Sint Niklaas in 1997, and of course all our performances with LIQUID G. ft. Kim; that was a busy and fun period (2008 – 2012).

Q: In fact, you almost belong entirely to the first generation of Belgian Electro artists experimenting with the genre. Yet, for some obscure reason, you (and Liquid G.) never received the same attention and recognition as contemporaries like Front 242, The Klinik, A Split-Second and others. How do you explain that, and did the fact that you mainly released everything independently (D.I.Y.) have an influence on this?

Peter: At that time, I had to make choices: work or fully immerse myself in the music world. Since my knowledge of Electro music wasn’t strong enough, I decided to stay more in the background, not perform, and gain more knowledge by making home recordings. These recordings were also quite simple—no high-tech equipment, just a cassette deck, single track, that was all. Of course, if you don’t release your music, you won’t gain the fame of the groups described above. But that wasn’t my intention either. I am satisfied with how everything turned out. The fun part was that, in the meantime, I had joined the home taping network, and my tapes were going around the world.

Q: In my opinion, one of your most noticeable releases was the album you recorded in collaboration with Vomito Negro, “Musical Art Conjunct Of Sound”, released on cassette in 1989. How do you look back on that collaboration, and how did it unfold with the original lineup of Vomito Negro at the time? Also, which albums have stayed with you the most over the years?

Peter: Actually, this was more of an experiment of mine with digital files of unused Vomito Negro songs. At that time, we both made our songs using the MACS program on Atari. That is why I also used the title “M.A.C.S.”, but changed it to “Musical Art Conjunct Of Sound”. During that period, I also met Vomito Negro regularly in the studio, doing some jam sessions together, and that is where the song “Return Of The Cicade” came from. The song “Why” (instrumental on the tape) was a track on which I played bass live as a special guest at a few Vomito Negro performances, including at Fabrik ‘88 (Antwerp): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcOBsFp6i1M.

Later, I played along with Vomito Negro on synthesizer a few more times (BIM Fest and Gothic Festival). After that, our paths diverged, but we still have sporadic contact. The Vomito Negro album that has stuck with me the most is “Skull & Bones”, certainly with the songs “Blood, Sweat And Tears”, “Mongoloid”, and the remakes.

Q: You have always continued with Liquid G., and—much like on your most recent work—it often seems to function as a reaction to the world and society we live in. Could you elaborate on that? To what extent does music and the act of creation serve as an outlet, or is it more a way of conveying a message—or even venting frustration and anger?

Peter: Some releases or songs (“Fukushima Nuclear Disaster”, “1:30 AM Chernobyl”, “Nagasaki” & “Hiroshima”, “Atomic Bomb”,…) are indeed about frustrations I am dealing with, including my health problems (“Overdose”) and political situations both in Belgium and around the world (“Distortion Of Reality”). Especially when one considers how many capable people are currently in power? You would think you have to be a psychopath to be allowed to govern a country. So this is once again my Punk past reflected in my thought pattern.

Q: Over the past 40 years, a lot has changed in the world, especially in terms of technology. To what extent has this influenced your way of working and the sound of Liquid G.? Are there aspects from the past that you still miss today?

Peter: Over the years, of course, new synthesizers have been released, old-school synths re-released, and more and more powerful computer software, but naturally, in between, I sometimes still work the old way, like I used to. Real-time recordings, not track by track. This is obviously not conducive to getting a good final mix, but it is very enjoyable to do. Usually with a simple drum machine, one or two small synths, and some effect pedals, for 10 to 15 minutes of recording. Like the track “After The War” (shortened version) on the latest release. For the rest, I now have the equipment I prefer to work with, partly analogue, partly digital. Each instrument has its own sound that I find fantastic, so very few new synths are being purchased anymore; actually, I don’t have any more space.

Q: As mentioned earlier, you mostly released your work independently through your own label, Liquid Produkts. However, there were a couple of exceptions when you worked with the Italian label EK Product. What drew you to that collaboration, and how was the experience of not being in full control for once? Did you have any other serious contacts with labels?

Peter: It was a nice collaboration with EK Product Label for the 2 albums (“Biohazard & Medical Waste” and “Overdose”), but for the third album (“Area 12.7”), the communication went a bit wrong. The intention was to release this on LP, but that never happened. After that, I got in touch with Josh Cheon from Dark Entries Records USA. He was keen to release an LP with tracks from the first tapes; everything was handled in America, including the mastering and the cover design, and I am quite satisfied with the result. Distribution in Belgium was also handled via Wool E Shop which was another pleasant surprise. Apart from that, there are no labels waiting for releases from Liquid G., which I understand, as I don’t perform anymore and therefore don’t promote new material.

Q: Your new album “Distortion Of Reality” is clearly inspired by some of the troubling world leaders we are confronted with today, yet in terms of sound and technique it also brings me back to the early days of LIQUID G. Can you tell us more about the album—both what drove you conceptually and how you approached it musically?

Peter: As I mentioned above, this album is primarily about certain things that irritate me and have stuck with me from past disasters caused by humanity. When making the songs, I am usually solely focused on composing something musically using specific synthesizers and sounds that I have in my head at that moment. The samples only come at the end, when something pops into my head that day that I need to respond to. Then I start searching the net in archives of statements made by certain high-ranking individuals in the past. In fact, I have been working this way from the very beginning. Since my voice hasn’t been cooperating as well lately, I sometimes also use text-to-speech sites on the net to create samples. Some are in favor, others against, but we must help ourselves with the resources we have.

Q: What is your view on today’s Electro scene, and to what extent does the concept of  ‘underground’ music still exist for you when it comes to Electro?

Peter: To be honest, I don’t follow much of the Electro scene anymore, as in recent years I’ve mainly been going to Punk festivals (and even that isn’t much anymore) and I also occupy myself with designing festival posters and merchandising for Punk festivals (Once A Punk, Hertals Rock City, Funeral Dress…). It is also true that I mostly listen to old-school Electro at home or in the car; I’m actually not up to date with the newer bands, I think old age has something to do with that. I’ve always loved festivals like BIM Fest, but due to health problems and old age, I can’t stand for long anymore, so standing in a venue for about two hours is more than enough for me, which is a shame.

Q: After 40 years of Liquid G., what are you most proud of, and what—if anything—do you regret? And what does the future hold?

Peter: The release that has stuck with me the most over the years has to be “The Art Of Garbage”; it was fun working on those songs with simple and minimal material. And actually, I also consider the latest release (“Distortion Of Reality”) to be one of my better works; I am actually quite satisfied with all the songs on it, especially because I have emerged from a deep, dark period involving many health problems, surgeries, depression…. (2018-2025). What I do regret are several tape releases that I released too quickly and too often in succession in the past (e.g., “Killing Gaze” is one of them), but well, you are in a flow and at that moment you don’t stop to think about it.

For the rest, I am now mainly going to focus on making new songs for Liquid Trauma, together with Peter De Koning (Traumasutra). We have worked well together from the start and understand each other quickly while making a song when we get together in the studio. Since we only get together a few times a year, it always takes a few years (about eight) for an album to be ready. Currently, the 2nd album (“Ego Death”) is ready, but we are still waiting to see if there is a label interested in releasing these songs; if not, it will also be on the Liquid Produkts label.

I would also like to mention Wool E Shop here again, as we owe a lot to Dimitri regarding the release of Liquid Trauma’s albums – “Distorted Memories” and “Hydrom Line” – and the great collaboration while I was creating designs for some tape, CD, and LP releases for Wool E Shop. This is also something I occupy myself with whenever I have some time left: digital artwork (Chaotic Artwork).

Little is known about Cold Sector. Shrouded in mystery, this is the debut album of the project, presented as a side project of Entangled System—another act about which very little is known. However, unknown does not mean unloved, and with this release, the artist draws inspiration from the increasing dependence on digital systems and the potentially catastrophic consequences of their failure for military and defense infrastructure.

A total of eight tracks have been composed around this theme. The music itself is equally enigmatic, bringing together a wide range of influences. A dominant, obscure Dark-Ambient atmosphere is present, but Industrial textures and Noise-like passages of heavily distorted sound also play a significant role. At the same time, a rhythmic kick drum appears regularly, providing structure, while layers of strings, electronic sequences, and even spoken-word fragments resembling official announcements add further depth. Cold Sector is an extremely varied work that feels unconventional, yet remains carefully constructed and remarkably cohesive. Its hostile atmosphere enhances the intriguing nature of the production, which, partly through the use of recognizable Giger-like textures and Morse code–inspired elements, builds toward a compelling climax.

This is a striking debut from a project that I highly recommend and which, in my view, is clearly destined for a label release. (Rating:8½).

Listen to “Contact Gained”:

https://coldsector.bandcamp.com/track/contact-gained

Belgian electro-industrial project Suicide Commando released “Come Down With Me (V2025)“. The track previews “Collective Suicide Vol. 1+2”, an anniversary release scheduled for June 5, 2026, which also includes “Jesus Freak (Die In Agony)”, “Death Lies Waiting (Death Will Find You Remix)” and the new track “Control & Consent”.

Suicide Commando will mark the 40th anniversary live during 2026. Confirmed dates include Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig on May 22, 2026, and a São Paulo show at VIP Station on August 22, 2026.

“Come Down With Me” was originally released on “Implements Of Hell” in 2010.

“Collective Suicide Vol. 2” will be out as digital, CD, double vinyl and as part of the limited “Collective Suicide Vol.1-2” wooden fan box set (limited to 200 copies). The box includes the “Collective Suicide Vol. 2” digipak CD, yellow 2LP, red 2LP of “Collective Suicide Vol. 1”, a 36-page photo book and a hand-numbered certificate.

“Collective Suicide Vol. 1” was first issued for the project’s 30th anniversary in 2016 and now receives a vinyl edition for the 40th anniversary. The collection covers recordings from 1987 through 2016, while “Collective Suicide Vol. 2” focuses on later material, rare tracks and reworked versions.

Below is the vinyl tracklist.

“Collective Suicide Vol. 1” tracklist

• Side A: “Suicide”, “Industrial Underground”, “Incinerate”.
• Side B: “T.V. Obsession”, “Come To Me”, “Kevorkian”.
• Side C: “Disposable Paradise”, “Body Count Proceed (2007 Re_Count)”, “Hate Me”.
• Side D: “Until We Die (Single Edit)”, “Body Machine Body (Demo Version)”, “My New Christ”.

“Collective Suicide Vol. 2” tracklist

• Side A: “Infliction Of Pain”, “Severed Head”, “Come Down With Me (2025 Version)”.
• Side B: “Kill All Humanity (Short And Painless)”, “Evacuate”, “Unterwelt (Apocalypse)”.
• Side C: “Control & Consent”, “Fate (Death is coming…again!)”, “Face Of Death (2023 Mix)”.
• Side D: “Death Lies Waiting (Death Will Find You Remix)”, “Jesus Freak (Die In Agony)”, “Better Off Dead”.

About Suicide Commando

Suicide Commando is the electro-industrial project of Belgian musician Johan Van Roy. The project started in Leopoldsburg, Belgium, in 1986.

Van Roy began experimenting with electronic music in 1986 and released his first tape under the Suicide Commando name two years later. He bought a Roland SH-101 in summer 1986 and then added Boss DR-110 and Boss DR-220E drum machines. He also named The Cure, Sisters Of Mercy, Depeche Mode, Fad Gadget, The Neon Judgement, Front 242 and The Klinik as early influences.

Before the 1994 debut album “Critical Stage”, Suicide Commando released a run of cassette material, including “Suicide Commando”, “This Is Hate”, “Industrial Rape I”, “Crap”, “Go to Hell”, “Into the Grave”, “Industrial Rape II”, “Black Flowers” and “Electro Convulsion Therapy”. “Critical Stage” was released on Off Beat and was followed by “Stored Images” in 1995 and “Construct-Destruct” in 1998.

The later releases includes “Mindstrip” in 2000, “Axis of Evil” in 2003, “Bind, Torture, Kill” in 2006, “Implements Of Hell” in 2010, “When Evil Speaks” in 2013, “Forest of the Impaled” in 2017 and “Goddestruktor” in 2022.

Slovenian collective Laibach have released their new studio album “Musick“, today 1 May 2026 via Mute Records on a neon pink vinyl, CD and digital formats. The record is the bands’s “most pop-oriented work to date” and is their first original studio album since 2014’s “Spectre.”

Thematically “Musick” tackles an era of constant audio oversaturation and AI-generated content while also reflecting what the band call a “pathological devotion” to music itself. The title plays on being “sick of music” in a world where more than 100,000 new tracks appear online daily, including large amounts of AI-generated music, while simultaneously pointing to music as “an obsession, a kind of drug” that continues to drive the project.

The album was recorded in the group’s Ljubljana studio, using a deliberately maximalist setup that ranged from analogue synths and toys to computers loaded with sound apps. Collaborators include long-time vocalist Donna Marina Mårtensson and producer Richard X (known for his work with Sugababes, Goldfrapp, New Order and Kelis).

A first teaser of this new direction was the single “Allgorhythm,” featuring Ghanaian singer Wiyaala on vocals. Apparently Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTV flagged “Allgorhythm” as a potential candidate for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 before later withdrawing from the competition. Below you will also find the videos for “Fluid Emancipation”, “Allgorhythm (feat. Wiyaala)”, and “Musick (feat. Wiyaala)”.

Laibach ‘Musick’ tour dates 2026

Laibach will support “Musick” with an extensive European tour running from May through October 2026. The tour opens on 18 May at Orpheum in Graz and continues through club, theatre and festival venues across Europe.

Confirmed dates currently include:

• 18 May – Graz (AT), Orpheum
• 19 May – Schorndorf (DE), Manufaktur
• 20 May – Cologne (DE), Essigfabrik
• 22 May – Aarhus (DK), VoxHall
• 23 May – Gothenburg (SE), Filmstudion
• 24 May – Stockholm (SE), Nya Cirkus
• 26 May – Helsinki (FI), Savoy Theatre
• 27 May – Tallinn (EE), Kultuurikeskus
• 28 May – Riga (LV), Spelet Concert Hall
• 29 May – Vilnius (LT), Loftas
• 30 May – Warsaw (PL), Progresja
• 31 May – Prague (CZ), Palac Akropolis
• 2 June – Leipzig (DE), Täubchenthal
• 3 June – Munich (DE), Muffathalle
• 4 June – Klagenfurt (AT), Burghof
• 27 June – Maribor (SI), Festival Lent
• 24 July – Castle (SI), Kolpa Music Festival
• 25 September – Ljubljana (SI), Kino Šiška
• 26 September – Ljubljana (SI), Kino Šiška
• 29 September – London (UK), Islington Assembly Hall
• 30 September – Manchester (UK), Ritz
• 1 October – Southampton (UK), 1865
• 2 October – Canterbury (UK), The Gulbenkian
• 4 October – Gent (BE), Democrazy
• 6 October – Bochum (DE), Zeche
• 7 October – Nijmegen (NL), Doornroosje
• 8 October – Hamburg (DE), Große Freiheit 36
• 9 October – Oslo (NO), Rockefeller Music Hall
• 11 October – Copenhagen (DK), Bremen Teater
• 13 October – Berlin (DE), Huxleys Neue Welt
• 14 October – Dresden (DE), Reithalle
• 15 October – Brno (CZ), Fleda
• 16 October – Zagreb (HR), Boogaloo

About Laibach

Laibach originated in 1980 in the industrial town of Trbovlje (then part of Yugoslavia) and later became closely associated with the broader Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) collective. The name itself uses the historical German term for Ljubljana.

The band’s early work in the 1980s combined industrial sonics, martial rhythms and appropriated iconography. Albums such as “Laibach” (1985), “Nova Akropola” (1986) and “Opus Dei” (1987) established a trademark sound that mixed original compositions with heavily reworked versions of existing songs, including “Live Is Life” and Queen’s “One Vision,” which became “Leben heißt Leben” and “Geburt einer Nation.”

Through the 1990s and 2000s, Laibach extended this approach across releases including “Let It Be” (a full-album rework of The Beatles), “NATO,” “Jesus Christ Superstars,” “WAT” and “Volk.”

From the 2010s onward, they released “Spectre” (2014), the theatre-derived “Also Sprach Zarathustra” (2017), the North Korea-related project “The Sound of Music” (2018), “Wir sind das Volk (Ein Musical aus Deutschland)” (2022), “Sketches of the Red Districts” (2023), the country-inflected EP “Love Is Still Alive” (2023), the rework set “Opus Dei Revisited” (2024) and the symphonic work “Alamut” (2025).

Laibach have also pursued large-scale collaborations and performances, including becoming the first Western rock group to stage a full concert in North Korea in 2015 and working with orchestras and visual artists on projects that connect music with broader political and historical narratives.

American ambient and electronic musician Steve Roach will release “La Rosa – Live in Tucson, 2025” via Projekt on June 5, 2026. The release will be out as a 2CD set in a 6-panel Digipak, limited to 500 copies.

The 120-minute set is a live document of Roach’s December 6, 2025 performance at La Rosa in Tucson, Arizona. “La Rosa – Live in Tucson, 2025” was performed, created and mixed from the stage with no later overdubs or edits.

The Steve Roach ‘La Rosa – Live in Tucson, 2025’ tracklist

The album has 9 tracks spread over the 2 CDs.

CD1
01. “Spirals of Yearning”
02. “Born of Darkness”
03. “Desert Solitude”

CD2
01. “Prometheus Returns / The Continent”
02. “Songlines / Otherworld”
03. “Magnificent Gallery / Circular Ceremony”
04. “Bliss Currents”
05. “This Moment of Today”
06. “Structures From Silence”

About Steve Roach

Steve Roach is an American ambient and electronic musician born in La Mesa, California, in 1955. He began creating electronic music in the late 1970s, after earlier activity in motocross, and released his first solo album, “Now”, in 1982. His early work developed around synthesizers, extended sound forms and live performance methods.

Roach released “Structures from Silence” in 1984. A cassette run of the album reached Stephen Hill, who played it on the Hearts of Space radio programme on KCRW. In 1986, Roach released the “Quiet Music” series. In 1988, he released the double album “Dreamtime Return”. His work also moved into tribal-ambient forms, including didgeridoo use after travels in Australia and experimentations with Prehispanic musical elements through Jorge Reyes.

Roach moved to the Sonoran Desert near Tucson in the early 1990s. In 1995, he signed with Projekt Records, which later became his primary label. His releases includes “The Magnificent Void”, “Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces”, “Spiral Revelation”, “Molecules of Motion”, “Bloom Ascension”, “Rest of Life”, and multiple live recordings. Roach so far released over 150 albums.

“La Rosa – Live in Tucson, 2025” is his latest release with a two-hour performance recorded in Tucson.

Warsaw-based audio-visual project Miss Configure has released “Confidence Score” via None Other Records. The digital single continues the concept album “The Ten Configurations”, following “Spoiler Alert” and “HUMAN_RESOURCES”.

“Confidence Score” moves the project’s narrative from AI ghost work to algorithmic evaluation. The track presents a system that reduces human behaviour, ambition and error to calculated metrics. The central image is the “One-Way Glass”, a surveillance apparatus that observes and judges while remaining unseen.

An official visualizer is now online, while the single “Confidence Score” is available through all streaming services.

About Miss Configure

Miss Configure is a Warsaw-based industrial pop and dark electro audio-visual project created and directed by producer Jacek Fiszer. The project is built around a digital persona described as an “AI Diva” and “Digital Aristocrat”. Musically the project mixes dark electro-pop, industrial and glitch, all this with an objective of analysing human-AI relations.

The project uses generative artificial intelligence as a synthetic co-creator and uses pop structures as a vehicle for social commentary on automation, digital optimisation and AI systems.

Miss Configure’s first release was “Spoiler Alert”, issued on January 9, 2026 as the opening chapter of “The Ten Configurations”. “HUMAN_RESOURCES” followed on February 13, 2026 via None Other Records.

“Confidence Score” is the third single from the album. The new single focuses on algorithmic judgement, biometric profiling and the idea of an opaque system that evaluates people without being evaluated itself.

Speaking from the road while crossing from Denmark into Germany, Tristan Shone sounded exactly like Author & Punisher does on record: blunt, alert, and impatient with simulation. Released via Relapse, Nocturnal Birding pushed the project into a more physical and collaborative phase, with guitarist Doug Sabolick becoming the first real bandmate in Author & Punisher. That shift is all over this conversation: live risk over trigger-safe performance, machines as instruments rather than props, and industrial music as something that should still demand a body.

We spoke with Author & Punisher about border work, improvisation, touring realities, and why too much electronic performance still mistakes playback for presence. 

Author & Punisher interview

Karo: When I listen to the Author & Punisher album Nocturnal Birding, the machine seems to do something unexpected. It listens outward. Instead of beginning from industry, weight, or force alone, the album begins with birdsong and migration. Did that change the role of the machine for you, from something like a weapon or an amplifier into something closer to a translator?

Tristan: Yeah, I definitely think the stuff I make is not related to weapons or aggression in any way, but yeah, I would say more of an amplifier for social justice in some way. I mean, that’s a bit of a paradox for me. My connection to machines and then my connection to immigration and border issues, that’s a strange one, because working in industry and working on science and technology sort of contribute negatively to the environment. That’s a paradox that I haven’t really worked out in my work.

Karo: Do you think your volunteer work at the border changed not just the album’s subject matter, but also its moral temperature? This doesn’t feel like industrial music speaking in abstraction anymore. It feels like it has been forced into contact with real bodies, real routes, real laws. Did this record make it harder to hide inside metaphor?

Tristan: I mean, listen, I think it sort of made me realize that when you’re working in tech and you’re working in industry, you’re very lucky. My salary as a mechanical engineer, and my whole life up until being 44 years old, I’d never volunteered my time in the way I have now, and it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. It’s really made me rethink my life and purpose and what I want to work on, and it really has forced me to, yeah, like you said, amplify my voice within music because it’s more powerful than the sounds for me. And that says a lot, because I like to play loud music.

Karo: Was there a moment when the older language of Author & Punisher suddenly felt insufficient for what you had seen?

Tristan: Yeah. I mean, I’ve always written political lyrics, and your voice as a public figure, if you have followers on Instagram, that is important. That means a lot, and I think people will listen. But actions, you know, just getting up on stage and preaching something is one thing, but getting out there and volunteering and interacting with people that aren’t sitting in a music venue or at an interview. When I’m out there hiking with some people whose parents crossed the border when they were younger and hearing those stories, it’s very humbling. I’m a musician who people listen to, and I’m on a stage, but when I’m out there, you are one of 30 people hiking in a line, and you’re not a leader. You’re just a hiker that’s carrying water. And it was really humbling for me.

Karo: You said KRÜLLER was more of a studio construction, while Nocturnal Birding was built much more with live performance in mind. When you compose for the stage rather than the studio, what changes first: the riff, the arrangement, the machine, or your whole sense of what the music has to do physically?

Tristan: Between KRÜLLER and Nocturnal Birding? Yeah. I mean, the major difference for me was I had so much time. I was on tour with TOOL in 2020. It was the biggest tour I’d ever done in my life. And then the pandemic hit, and I had to drive home 20 hours by myself with gas masks, trying to find food, worried I was gonna die. I just got home, and that was a very traumatizing six months for everyone. I started writing music on my laptop, and then I translated it into machines and studio, and it was a very long process with no end in sight, so you could just write whatever you wanted. Then when we went out and performed it, it was nice, it was more mellow, but it wasn’t that fun to play. It was easy, but it wasn’t something that was written on machines with a guitar player in the room and like, hey, we’re gonna riff off each other like a live band. So once we toured a bunch on KRÜLLER, we really knew we had to make stuff that was like a live industrial hardcore grindcore band. And that’s exactly what Doug and I did. We made stuff that was meant to be just live punishing. And you hear the mistakes that I play, because we’re not triggering the drums in a sequence. It’s all played live. And that feels really good.

Karo: Does this live-first writing also force you to simplify, or does it actually push you toward more demanding performance?

Tristan: Well, it’s demanding, but it’s simplified. And I really feel strongly about this. I can go on and on about it, but the whole reason I made drone machines and do it this way is so that you can play stuff live. The thing about it is, when you sit in a room and you start writing an album, you put the guitars, the bass, the drums, okay, you have those players, but then you start layering additional things. Keyboards, more guitar tracks, more vocals. Then you get to a position where you can’t play that song live anymore. And with these two-person industrial bands, you see people trying to find ways to play that live after they’ve already written it in a non-live way in the studio. So you have the thing where the guy sits with his drumstick and plays the snare pad in the industrial band, and it’s not an intriguing performance, nor is it really live. So I find that you have to simplify. You have to play the song in with the actual sounds and devices you’re going to use when you play live. When you write it, you don’t want to add more than you can actually play, because then you don’t have an intriguing live performance. And I feel very strongly about that. But everybody’s got a laptop with Ableton or whatever, so they just layer stuff and layer stuff, and that’s the problem. That’s right there. How do you make industrial music to play live? Play it in the recording studio how you’re going to play it live.

Karo: Doug becoming the first real creative bandmate in Author & Punisher feels like a deeper shift than just adding guitar. What did bringing in another authorial force unlock that the machines alone could not?

Tristan: Well, I mean, there’s only so much organic stuff I can do on my machines. I’ve always sort of missed the organic intricacies of the guitar or a real cymbal or stuff like that. So just being able to chug in an industrial way, like the old Godflesh albums that I love so much from the ’90s, and add that sort of imperfection makes it even more organic, and we weave in and out of each other. Sometimes Doug is, you know, like, for example, on the last album, I didn’t put Doug in my ears when I play. I didn’t want to hear him because I had to really focus on what I was playing. This album, I have to have him in my ears. So we play off each other like we’re just two band members. And he’s messy too. He’s not one of these, I don’t know, like Fear Factory or Meshuggah. Doug is a noise guitarist, so he likes to change it up every night. And I love that. Every night we have a different thing going on. The tour has been sort of like every show we grow in a different way.

Karo: So do you feel that this collaboration made the Author & Punisher music less controlled, or just more alive in a different way?

Tristan: Yeah, I would say it’s less controlled. I’m getting better at playing my stuff. I can play faster beats now, and every time I play a show, I get better at controlling the machines and it becomes more of an extension of my body, like a real drummer would be. So yeah, I’m getting better, but we’re able to improvise more. And improvisation in industrial music is not something that you hear a lot. If you see a band, that guy or girl with the electronic setup with buttons and knobs, then there’s someone singing dressed up and whatever the fuck, that performance is the same every night because those tracks that they’re playing do not change. When Charli XCX goes out and performs in stadiums, that is the exact same performance every night, literally the same exact audio. There’s no growth. Maybe her voice and her performance, but. And I don’t mean to shit on Charli XCX. I actually like her quite a bit. But mostly I’m shitting on industrial music because it’s really disappointing. And part of that is financial, because bands can’t have six members flying to wherever. But I challenge people to try to make their music more live so that the audience gets to see something special every night.

Karo: One of the things that makes Author & Punisher so singular is that you do not just play instruments, you design and build the machines that make the music possible. When you construct a new controller or device, what usually comes first: the sound you want, the gesture you want to perform, or the limitations you want to force on yourself?

Tristan: Well, I just know from my interactions with mechanical devices, like machining devices, like mills, lathes. I work in a microscopy lab which has these big electron microscopes. That’s my day job. There’s a lot of machinery and knobs and buttons and controllers that I’m interacting with. So I know the textures that I want to feel, and I just want them to control music rather than, you know, an aperture or astigmatism on a microscope. So I just know what I want to make. I make doom metal and I make things that sound like broken lawnmowers, so I know what it’s going to sound like already because I control synthesizers. I don’t have things inside of my machines that make sound already. I’m not an analog music synthesizer designer. I control whatever hardware synth and software synth. So yeah, I sit on my CAD machine, I design the thing based on components I know, I send that out now because I don’t do any of the machining really myself anymore. We send it out to machine shops, I get it back, I put it together, I take the circuit board, I put it in, I wire it up, I program the circuit board, which is a Teensy-based custom system that I’ve designed, and then I put it into my system and we start. I’ve been doing this long enough that I know how these things work now.

Karo: Is there a point where instrument design becomes composition for you?

Tristan: Yeah. Well, I mean, I’m more like a hardcore band in the studio or in the practice room. I go down to my practice room, I have a couple of beers, my right hand plays the drums, my left hand controls one of my things, and I sing through a big custom sound system that I built, and I write songs just like anybody else. The songs that I write on my laptop, like there was a song on KRÜLLER called “Centurion,” and I wrote that song with Justin from TOOL. That was completely written with me sitting at a laptop on my couch. That was not played on my machines. And sometimes I do that, but I never play that song live. It’ll just be a studio song.

Karo: As you could probably notice, I’m a bit obsessed with the machines. Do you feel the machines themselves have evolved with the music – less pure drone, more motion, more rhythm, more precision? Has the engineering philosophy changed from building something punishing to building something responsive enough to groove?

Tristan: Well, it has to be light enough to travel. That’s one thing. When I first made these, ideally I was just playing in a gallery in my hometown, so it could be 300 pounds, whatever, 150 kilos. But I can’t take that to Europe. So a lot of the big stuff that I built in the early days, I don’t travel with because it’s too expensive. So I had to make them fit into a Pelican case and be able to fly to a festival. That was a challenge. If I was just performing in the art world, then I could make giant things, but I prefer the metal world because I find some of that other stuff to be pretentious. I don’t want to make ambient drone music. I want to make the music I like. But as far as the way that the instruments work, yeah, I’ve certainly honed the design a little bit more, especially connectors so that you can plug stuff in really fast, like really expensive hardcore connectors for USB and for my encoders and for the electronics, and thinking about putting things in and out of a case every night, getting smashed on an airplane, that all contributes to the design so that when you have a stage tech grabbing your thing, they can’t break it. That is huge. That is honestly most of what I spend my time on, just making everything robust.

Karo: I wanted to come back to what you said before about industrial acts being disappointing. A lot of them today are technically “live”, but not really at risk. Your work still insists on consequence. If you are not moving, the music is not happening. In 2026, do you feel even more committed to that principle, especially now that so much electronic performance has become simulation?

Tristan: Yeah, absolutely. I don’t want to sound like the grumpy uncle who thinks DJ culture sucks, but in some ways DJ culture sucks. You don’t have to even do anything to get those songs to combine anymore. I’ve really moved on to. I really love doom and dub. Like, people like this new performer, KAVARI. I really love the sounds that she’s making. It’s incredible. I don’t know how it happens live, and in some ways I don’t care. But if I’m going to go out and see somebody live and they’re just over-exaggerating the motion of one knob on a CDJ deck to show me how amazing what they’re doing is, I’m not impressed. It’s disappointing. It’s embarrassing to have them twiddle that knob. I’d much rather see a live band get up there than see some jackass spin a tiny knob using their whole body. It’s embarrassing for everyone. And I think in 30 years they’re going to look back and be embarrassed by themselves.

Karo: Do you think audiences can actually tell the difference? Your audience for sure, but in general, do people still recognize the difference between execution and triggering, or has that distinction become blurred?

Tristan: Yeah, I mean, I try to put that stuff in videos and I try to explain it, and I think there are a fair amount of people that enjoy learning about it and maybe someday more people will do it. With the whole revolution that happened with synthesizers, where all that modular synth stuff came back and people have all this different gear and they want to have analog sounds, that’s really cool and it’s exciting. I know that for me it was exciting to see that happen because it was a move away from just push-button DJ culture. But where it goes next, we’ll see. And I’m going to try to start selling some of the instruments and maybe that will help, to try to help people be a little bit more expressive with some of the gestures. But it’s going to have to happen in a broad way, throughout the world, throughout DJ culture.

Karo: Looking ahead, what still feels unresolved in Author & Punisher, not commercially or logistically, but artistically? What have you still not managed to make the machines, the body, or the songs do?

Tristan: Yeah, I mean, I think there are still some updates to gear that I haven’t really had the chance to do. Musically, I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to say I’ve done everything I want to do, because that’s just what you chase your whole life. As a performer, or as a musician, you always think your newest album is your best work. It’s just the way it goes because it’s fresh for you. But yeah, from a machines perspective, there are limitations to what I can afford financially to do or what I have time for, because I have an engineering job, family, other responsibilities, volunteering. So yeah, there are a lot of improvements I would like to make to the setup so that I can tour and maybe have machines controlling lights. And I have a lot of new ideas that will be brought to life soon. I’m also trying to launch this company where we sell some of these instruments to people, and that might be interesting to see where that goes.

The Italian group Christine Plays Viola was formed in 2008 and returns this year with its fifth album, following a six-year hiatus. Still operating as a four-piece, the band now releases “F.I.V.E. – Fear Increases Violent Emotions” on Cleopatra Records. The album explores a dark descent into identity, tension, and redemption, conceived, written, and recorded in a period marked by both isolation and confrontation.

Those already familiar with the band will recognize the characteristic 1980s influences, best described as a cross between Post-Punk and Dark-Wave. The guitar plays a central role, shaping the atmosphere and serving as the driving force behind this opus. At times, it even takes on a surprisingly psychedelic edge, though the band never loses sight of its darker core.

The heavier tracks stand out the most, occasionally evoking echoes of Bauhaus. Alongside these, the band also delivers more subdued songs, where the somber mood remains intact, though the overall impact is slightly less convincing. A notable and successful addition is the use of saxophone, bringing an unexpected twist—at moments even hinting at a subtle ska influence in combination with the guitar work.

What may be missing is a truly standout hit, although the album offers several very strong tracks, alongside a few—albeit rare—weaker moments. Christine Plays Viola prove themselves once again as seasoned veterans who have firmly earned their place within the broader Dark Wave landscape. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Confession”:

https://christineplaysviola.bandcamp.com/track/confession

German dark rock act Nachtfalter have released the new download single “Als du gingst” via Echozone. The track is taken from the band’s upcoming third album, “Still(Leben)”. The official video is out now as well.

Musically the song unites hymnic black metal and somber dark rock, with the voice of vocalist Tobias Serfling placed at the centre of the track.

The video for “Als du gingst” was produced in-house just like the video for “Bodenlos“.

About Nachtfalter

Nachtfalter are a German dark rock and gothic metal formation from Altenburg. The band was originally formed as a gothic metal duo in 2017 by Tobias Serfling and Tom Günzig.

The project released “was bleibt” as its debut album through Echozone/Soulfood in 2019. “Maschinenklang” was the first single from the album, followed by “Anderes Leben”.

The second album, “Abschied”, followed on March 1, 2024 as a digital release with a CD edition including a 12-page booklet. In 2026, The band announced the third album “Still(Leben)”. “Bodenlos” appeared as an earlier single and video from the album, followed by “Als du gingst” on April 30, 2026.

Trianglecuts, the Manchester post-punk and dark-wave electronic duo, released the “When Death Leaves” single today April 30, 2026 via Ghost Replica Media. The track is the title track from the project’s album “When Death Leaves”.

The single has Gwen Osmond on vocals and lyrics, with Doug Gordon handling synths, beats and music production. The track is accompanied by an official video.

“When Death Leaves” can be streamed and bought via Bandcamp. The official video is available on YouTube.

The new track follows the previous album singles “A Way to Escape”, released on December 5, 2025, and “Traces of Blood”, released on January 30, 2026. Both were also released via Ghost Replica Media.

About Trianglecuts

Trianglecuts are a post-punk and dark-wave electronic duo from Manchester, UK and consists of Gwen Osmond on vocals and visuals, and Doug Gordon on synths, beats and music production. The duo’s sound is built “around hypnotic vocal loops, synth-driven textures, and analogue grit” so the band describes it

The earliest release is “I Rupture”, issued on October 2, 2018. The two-track release contained “I Rupture” and “Come to the river”. The release was produced by Doug Gordon and mastered by John Tatlock at The Box Mobile Recording Studio.

Trianglecuts followed with “Centuries of violence” on April 30, 2020. “Forest Danse” followed on August 14, 2021 as a three-track release with “Follow the Echoes” and “Danse de la Rêve Sombre” as additional tracks. That release was also issued as a limited handmade CD edition of 50 copies, with artwork by Lucy Warr.

The duo returned in 2025 with “A Way to Escape”, followed by “Traces of Blood” in January 2026. “When Death Leaves” continues that release series and is the latest confirmed single from the album of the same name.

Trianglecuts have shared stages with NNHMN, Föllakzoid, Damo Suzuki, Dead Space Chamber Music, Vanishing and She the Throne.

Black Tape for a Blue Girl will release the 30th anniversary edition of “Remnants of a deeper purity” on May 8, 2026 via Projekt Records. The darkwave, goth and ambient album returns as a limited 4-panel digipak CD with a 16-page lyric booklet and sticker. The edition is limited to just 300 copies – in other words be fast to order it.

The 1996 neo-classical album was recorded between January 1995 and April 1996 at The Lush Garden in Los Angeles and Chicago, with Sam Rosenthal as producer. It was musically heavily influenced by Dead Can Dance, This Mortal Coil and Lisa Gerrard. Since its release the album has sold more than 16,000 copies.

Besides Sam Rosenthal on electronics and harmonium, “Remnants of a deeper purity” features Oscar Herrera on vocals, guitar and tambourine, Lucian Casselman on vocals, Vicki Richards on violin, and Mera Roberts on cello.

About Black Tape for a Blue Girl

Black Tape for a Blue Girl is an American neoclassical darkwave project formed in 1986 by keyboardist, songwriter and Projekt Records founder Sam Rosenthal. The original line-up included Rosenthal, multi-instrumentalist Allan Kraut and vocalist/guitarist Oscar Herrera, with early guest contributions from Kim Prior, Adam Buhler, Candy Sherlock and Lara Radford. The project was established in California as a vehicle for Rosenthal’s electronic compositions, offering a mix of darkwave, ethereal, ambient, neoclassical and dark cabaret.

The project’s early catalogue was issued through Projekt, beginning with “The Rope” in 1986. “Mesmerized by the Sirens” followed in 1987, “Ashes in the Brittle Air” in 1989, “A Chaos of Desire” in 1991 and “This Lush Garden Within” in 1993. The 1997 “With My Sorrows” release appeared through Italy’s Amplexus label, while “As One Aflame Laid Bare by Desire” later appeared through Projekt in the United States and Trisol in Europe.

Recording for “Remnants of a deeper purity” began in Los Angeles in 1995 and finished in 1996 after Rosenthal moved to Chicago. The album featured Lucian Casselman on vocals, Vicki Richards on violin and Mera Roberts on cello. It became the project’s best-selling release and formed the basis for Black Tape for a Blue Girl’s first live performance at Projektfest’96 in Chicago on June 25, 1996.

“Bike Shop” appeared as a limited 4-track vinyl EP in 2016, followed by the 30th anniversary-era album “These Fleeting Moments”. Around the same time the vinyl edition of “This Fleeting Moments” was released and Oscar Herrera returned after a 17-year absence.

“The Cleft Serpent”, released on October 1, 2021, was the project’s 13th album and the first Black Tape for a Blue Girl album with DeRosa and Meierkord alongside Rosenthal.

The current line-up is Sam Rosenthal, vocalist Jon DeRosa and cellist Henrik Meierkord.

Some encounters stay with you. When I briefly met Robert Görl backstage at the Elevate Festival in Graz in 2019, it was just a fleeting moment – yet a special one. It was one of the last opportunities to experience him live together with Gabi Delgado-López as Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft.

A year earlier, Robert had sent me a signed drumstick – used on stage at Berlin’s Waldbühne, where DAF performed as support for Depeche Mode. A beautiful, almost symbolic connection – not least because Martin Gore has long been one of DAF’s greatest admirers.

Today, Robert Görl begins a new chapter. Together with producer and DJ icon Sylvie Marks, he launches a project under the name GÖRL – one that does not copy the past, but transforms it: uncompromising, reduced, yet full of emotion.

Their debut album Dark Silver Moon Light will be released on May 29, 2026 via Grönland Records.

GÖRL interview

Reflection & New Beginning

SL: Robert, when you look back on that time today – especially the last concerts with Gabi – what has stayed with you the most? And what has changed for you personally and artistically since the posthumously released album Nur Noch Einer?

Robert: The last concerts with Gabi were a very beautiful time. We celebrated our DAF hits together with the audience – and our 40-year musical career. Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft was our life’s work, incomparable to anything else.

Since Gabi’s death, I’ve been working with Sylvie Marks. She also helped me produce the album NUR NOCH EINER. From that point on, a new energy came into play – also because Sylvie, as a woman, brought something new into it. I think Gabi would have liked that, because in a certain way it is also provocative. The band with Gabi was very male-dominated.

GÖRL – How it all began

SL: Robert, how did the name GÖRL come about, and what led to the decision not to continue under the name DAF?

Robert: The name GÖRL emerged after the farewell album Nur noch einer – and there was a reason for that. We originally wanted to continue under the name DAF.

But then Gabi Delgado’s widow told us that she is now also DAF. Although she is not a musician and had never been to a DAF concert, she wanted – through legal means – to have a say in our new work and to profit from it, even though she had nothing to do with it.

That was a no-go for us, and it was time for a new band name so we could continue working independently and freely.

Finding each other

SL: Sylvie & Robert, how did you two find each other (again)? Was this project conceived as an equal collaboration from the beginning, or did it develop organically?

GÖRL: We first met in 2019 on the subway in Berlin. A friendship developed quite quickly from that. Sylvie then organized a studio for DAF with the artist HAL9000 – that’s where they wanted to record their new album.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen because Gabi passed away in March 2020.

After that, we sat down together and produced the farewell song Ich denk an dich from Robert’s sequences and his drumming. During that process, we realized that we work very well together – it immediately clicked, both musically and personally.

Our collaboration still brings us a lot of joy today. Equality is something we take for granted.

Creative dynamics

SL: Who brings in which impulses? And how would you describe your shared language – more intuitive, conceptual, or experimental?

GÖRL: We are intuitive, conceptual and experimental – and honestly, much more than that. There are no fixed roles between us. Impulses come from both sides: sometimes it’s a rhythm, sometimes a sound, sometimes just a feeling.

Our lyrics emerge from our reality – from what we encounter in our lives, or from images that we translate into music.

Our shared language is open and flexible. We like the unconventional, the edgy, the nonconformist. We’re not interested in fulfilling expectations, but in opening spaces where something unique can emerge.

“Irgendwann ist jetzt” – Time & urgency

SL: In the song you sing: “Now is someday, and someday is now… please stay with me.” Is this more of a personal moment between two people – or does it also carry a universal idea about time, transience and postponing life?

GÖRL: “Now is someday, and someday is now” means that we often believe we still have time. That we postpone things – feelings, decisions, closeness.

And at some point, we realize that this very moment is exactly what we meant.

The phrase “please stay with me” gains a different weight. It’s not just about one person, but also about holding on to the present. About understanding that time is not infinite – and that life happens right now.

“So wie du bist” – Intimacy & vulnerability

SL: “I want to see everything, just the way you are.” The song feels both direct and fragile at the same time. How important was this balance between physical closeness and emotional openness to you?

GÖRL: This balance is very important to us. Closeness is not only physical for us, but always emotional as well.

“To see you as you are” means truly seeing someone – without masks, without protection.

The song is very strong and intense, one of our favorite tracks. It powerfully expresses that you should be who you are – without adapting or holding back.

The directness in the song is almost physical, but there is also vulnerability within it. Showing yourself as you are requires courage. And that’s exactly where the song exists.

“Falscher Ton” – Attitude

SL: “The wrong note is the right note.” Is this something like an artistic manifesto for you? And how much does this idea still connect to the early concepts of DAF?

Sylvie: The “wrong note” is for us the moment where something breaks open – where it becomes interesting, where it comes alive.

We deliberately work with friction, with things that may not be “correct” in the classical sense. But that’s exactly where truth and expression lie for us.

Through Robert’s electronic signature, this also connects to DAF. Our attitude remains the same: going against conventions, leaving things raw, not smoothing them out.

“Don’t Stay At Home” – Reduction

SL: The song feels almost like a mantra: “Come with me, don’t stay alone at home.”
Was this reduction intentional – as an invitation, an escape, or both?

GÖRL: For us, it’s an invitation, but also an impulse from the moment. It can be an escape, yes – but also a movement forward, out of stagnation, out of your head.

We like this clarity. Sometimes you don’t need big explanations – just one sentence that sets something in motion.

Title track – longing & projection

SL: “I want to go to her… is it possible for me to reach her?” Is this figure real, symbolic – or exactly that: something you can never fully reach?

GÖRL: This figure is intentionally left open. It is neither purely real nor purely symbolic – rather something in between.

It works strongly with longing. The desire for closeness, for connection – but also for something that might remain out of reach.

It never resolves completely. It can be a person, a feeling, a memory – or something unattainable. Maybe that’s exactly why it is so powerful.

“Der Fluss” – Nature & movement

SL: “You are the river… nothing can stop you.” Robert, your connection to nature is well known – Sylvie, does that apply to you as well? And is this song more a metaphor for freedom or for one’s life path?

Robert: Yes, absolutely. Nature is something that always accompanies me. I perceive it very directly – as rhythm, as energy, as movement. It always gives me strength.

“The river” is for us an image of constant movement. Nothing stands still, nothing can truly be held onto – everything is in flux.

Water is one of the most important elements on Earth, and we ourselves consist largely of it. It cannot be stopped.

“You are the river… nothing can stop you” describes exactly that state: a force that keeps moving forward, even when facing resistance. For us, it’s a symbol of life.

“Wir brechen aus” – Breaking cycles

SL: “Trapped in a cycle… and breaking out.” Is this a theme that has always accompanied you – or does it gain new meaning in today’s world?

GÖRL: It’s about feeling trapped in patterns, expectations or social structures – and at the same time having the urge to break out.

Today, this feeling becomes even sharper. Everything is faster, tighter, more visible. That makes the desire for freedom and independence even stronger.

“Bänder im Haar” – Small images

SL: The song feels like a snapshot. What fascinates you about these small, fleeting images – and why can they say so much?

GÖRL: These small images often carry great power because they don’t explain – they suggest.

They are like snapshots that open something instead of defining it.

“Bänder im Haar” works exactly like that – it creates space for interpretation.

“Spiel mit mir” – Reduction & instinct

SL: “Play with me… fight with me… sleep with me.” The song is raw, direct and almost childlike in structure. Was this a playful approach – or a deliberate reduction?

GÖRL: There is something cheeky and punk-like in its attitude. It’s not about explaining anything – it simply exists as energy, as an offer, as friction. Completely unfiltered.

“Es ist nie zu spät” – Ending or beginning?

SL: “Take my hand… it’s never too late.” Is this a reconciliatory ending – or perhaps a new beginning?

GÖRL: It’s both. It’s about trust – about breaking out of loneliness, about not staying alone.

About reaching out to each other – in harmony, balance and peace.

For us, it creates something very concrete: the possibility to start anew, to become stronger together.

Sound aesthetics & references

SL: Some moments atmospherically recall artists like David Bowie. Are such references intentional – or do they arise intuitively?

Sylvie: It has been noted before that Robert Görl’s voice sometimes has a certain closeness to David Bowie.

At the same time, it is clearly his own voice – with its own unique character.

If it occasionally reminds people of Bowie, we take it as a compliment.

GÖRL vs. DAF

SL: Robert, how does GÖRL differ from your work with DAF – emotionally and artistically? And what do you carry forward from that time, including Gabi’s legacy?

Robert: GÖRL is a new space for me – emotionally and artistically. It’s less about looking back, more about what is happening now.

Of course, there are connections to DAF: the energy, the directness, the reduction. But GÖRL is more open, perhaps more personal in a different way.

It allows for development, new influences, and for what happens between us.

What I carry forward is an attitude: to be uncompromising, to get to the point, and not to conform.

And of course, the memory of Gabi remains.

Looking ahead

SL: Is GÖRL intended as a long-term project? And will we be able to experience these songs live?

GÖRL: Yes, GÖRL is definitely a long-term project. It’s not a one-time moment, but something that can grow and evolve.

And yes, these songs are meant for the stage. They live through energy, directness and the special tension of the live moment.

We can absolutely imagine bringing this music to the stage – perhaps even in a different form than expected.

With GÖRL, Robert Görl and Sylvie Marks open a new chapter – one that carries the essence of past decades without standing still. It is music that appears minimal, yet speaks volumes. And perhaps, in the end, it is exactly that “wrong note” that turns out to be the only right one.

© JJanurik

“The Race” is the third album by the Italian trio Grigio Scarlatto. Across its nine tracks, the band raises questions about life, the boredom that can emerge in various aspects of it, and expectations that cannot always be fulfilled.

Musically, these themes are translated into a mature composition in which Shoegaze and Dream-Pop merge. The result is a dreamy experience with distinct, powerful peaks where guitars surge to the surface and the rhythm sets the pace. The vocalist delivers a sensual performance that fits perfectly within the ethereal atmosphere of “The Race”. Here and there, the songs are complemented by precise electronic arrangements, adding extra depth and impact.

“The Race” is an effective work—music that reflects maturity and caresses the ear like a sea breeze. (Rating:7½).

Listen to “Hold Me Tight”:

https://grigioscarlatto.bandcamp.com/track/hold-me-tight

American industrial metal and dark electro project The True Union has released “Sleepwalk” via Alfa Matrix. The 11-track digital album is the project’s first Alfa Matrix full-length under the The True Union name, following the 2022 EP “Love Me Now (Not)“, and was produced by Sebastian Komor.

The album includes known tracks like “Love Me Now”, “Karma”, “Burn In Hell”, “Blinded” and “One By One”, alongside new album material.

Note that “Internal War” features Hellhammer of Mayhem and the late Tony “IT” Särkkä, the Swedish multi-instrumentalist we know from Abruptum, Ophthalamia and Vondur and who died in 2017. An in memoriam video posted by The True Union shows the material as raw vocal tracks recorded by Särkkä for “Internal War”.

“One By One” features Komor Kommando, and “Karma” and “Trvst” feature Jamie Cronander. Cronander is an American guitarist and live musician, best known as a Combichrist live member and as guitarist for Striplicker.

The release is available through Bandcamp, Juno Download, Audiomack, Spotify and all other platforms.

About The True Union

The True Union is an American one-woman industrial project founded in 2009 by Azul Far. Far first released material independently under The Union moniker between 2009 and 2015, including multiple singles, one album and one EP. In 2017, she recruited musicians and began performing regional live dates.

It was Attila from Mayhem who recommended producer and musician Travis Bacon, who worked on tracks that later reached record labels.

The project then appeared on the Alfa Matrix compilation “Sounds From The Matrix 023” with the track “Purousthai”. That compilation placement preceded the project’s Alfa Matrix debut EP “Love Me Now (Not)”, released in December 2022. The EP arrived with the official video for “Love Me Now” and included work with Sebastian Komor, Siggi Bemm, Travis Bacon and guitarist Jamie Cronander. It also featured “One By One” with Komor Kommando and remixes by Alien Vampires, Aesthetische and Acylum.

“One By One” was actually written for a Komor Kommando EP. Azul Far contributed guest vocals to that track after Sebastian Komor worked on production and mixing for The True Union. Komor then said, “I was doing the mixing and production for her new release and after hearing her vocals I just had to ask her to sing on one of my new tracks.”

While Far began working with Sebastian Komor, Siggi Bemm produced and recorded the live drums for “Blinded”. Jamie Cronander recorded guitars after Far met him during a regional tour with Psyclon Nine, where Striplicker also performed.

“Sleepwalk”, her first full album for Alfa Matrix is out now. The 11-track digital album includes “One By One” with Komor Kommando, “Internal War” with Hellhammer of Mayhem and Tony “IT” Särkkä of Abruptum/Ophthalamia, and “Karma” and “Trvst” with Jamie Cronander.

Make sure to read our interview with The True Union.

Los Angeles shoegaze and dream-pop duo Tangients have released “Void,” the second single from their debut album “Embers,” due May 1, 2026. The track follows “The Ether” and continues the band’s mix of ethereal wave, dream pop, shoegaze, and 1980s post-punk references. The song combines Chelsea Ray’s vocals with guitar, synth, bass, drums, and programming by herself and Be Hussey.

Personally, I would say this is one of the first bands in years to take me back to the period when the best heavenly voices bands at 4AD were releasing what has since become cult material.

Chelsea Ray says, “”Void” is a song for all you feelers, dreamers, and overthinkers. It’s about how the face we put on to show the world can be so drastically different from the way we truly feel inside.” And she adds: “It’s okay to cry; it’s okay to feel. Sometimes life sucks; we don’t have to appear fine all the time. Having a chameleon soul and not the best memory impels me to live in the moment. But, why waste time dwelling on a memory that’s not there, when I can create new ones by smiling in the now?”

“Void” is available on Bandcamp and Spotify. You can view the official video below.

The video stars Chelsea Ray and uses natural locations, mirrored images, and semi-translucent visual effects.

About Tangients

Tangients are a Los Angeles-based duo formed by multi-instrumentalists Chelsea Ray and Be Hussey. The project combines dream pop, shoegaze, post-punk, and ethereal wave. The band’s early material includes the 2018 single “White Foam” and the 2019 single “Hazel.”

“White Foam” introduced Tangients’ recorded work with Chelsea Ray on vocals and synth, Be Hussey on bass, synth, and programming, and Stephen Becker on guitar. “Hazel” followed in 2019 and continued the duo’s use of guitar-driven dream-pop and shoegaze structures.

Tangients returned in 2026 with “The Ether,” the first single from “Embers.” “Void” followed as the second single ahead of the album’s May 1, 2026 release date. The current lineup remains Chelsea Ray and Be Hussey.

Audioglobe informs us that French coldwave and darkwave act Opera Multi Steel will reissue “Les Douleurs de l’Ennui” as a gold LP, silver LP and digiCD edition through Wave Records as a 35th anniversary remaster. The album was first released in 1990 and was the band’s third full-length release.

The gold LP edition is limited to 100 copies and the silver LP edition is also limited to 100 copies. The digiCD edition adds four bonus tracks to the 11-track album. The 2026 reissue was remastered by Martin Bowes at The Cage Studio.

Watch the official video for “Les Douleurs de l’Ennui”.

About Opera Multi Steel

Opera Multi Steel were formed in Bourges, France, during the winter of 1982-1983 by Franck Lopez, Patrick L. Robin and Catherine Marie. Musically the project brings a mix of coldwave, minimal wave and synthpop combined with medieval and Renaissance references in music, lyrics and visual design. The current lineup consists of Franck Lopez, Patrick L. Robin, Catherine Marie and Eric Milhiet. Former members include Xavier Martin and Jean-Marc Bougain.

The band’s first studio recording was a four-track EP in 1984. “Cathédrale” followed in 1985 on Orcadia Machina, and the group also contributed to K7 and vinyl compilations on French and European independent labels. Xavier Martin joined in 1987 for “Personne ne Dort”. Eric Milhiet joined in 1988 for the recording of “A Contresens”.

“Les Douleurs de l’Ennui” was released in 1990 as an 11-track album. Jean-Marc Bougain first appeared with the band on this record as a digital percussionist and also joined for live performances. “Stella Obscura” followed in 1992. The Brazilian label Museum Obscuro later issued the compilation “Days of Creation” in 1995 and the album “Histoires de France” in 1997. “Eternelle Tourmente” was recorded in 1998 and released by Triton in May 1999.

In the 2000s, Opera Multi Steel released “Une Idylle en péril” through Triton and returned in 2010 with “La Légende dorée” on Wave Records. Later releases include “Mélancolie en prose”, “Apparences de l’Invisible”, “Au Fief des Rémanences”, “D’une Pierre Deux Tombes” and “Les Passions Tristes”. “D’une Pierre Deux Tombes” followed in 2021, “Les Passions Tristes” in 2023, “A Contresens (35th Anniversary)” in 2024 and now “Les Douleurs de l’Ennui (35th Anniversary)” in 2026.

Belgian coldwave and EBM duo Parade Ground have released “Remixes” via VUZ Records. The release is part two of the band’s 45th anniversary series which started with “Strange World’ 3“.

“Remixes” contains eight tracks from Parade Ground’s early catalogue, reworked by French producer Peter Rainman of People Theatre. The whole was mastered by Per-Anders Kurenbach at House Of Wax NRW.

The eight remixes run from “I Shut My Eyes”, first issued on the “Nationale Rockmeeting” LP, to material from “Moan On The Sly”, “Man In A Trance”, “Took Advantage”, “Dual Perspective”, “The 15th Floor” and “Strange World”.

• “Moan On The Sly” opens the remix album in People Theatre’s Catch Mix. The original version appeared on Parade Ground’s 1983 “Moan On The Sly” 7-inch, released on New Dance, and later appeared on the “Parade Ground” single collection.
• “The Net” and “Retired” both come from the “Man In A Trance” 12-inch. That 1984 EP was released on Mask Music, the label connected to Front 242 members Daniel B. and Patrick Codenys. The remix album includes “The Net” as People Theatre’s Vault Mix and “Retired” as People Theatre’s Laugh Mix.
• “I Shut My Eyes” is the oldest song represented here. It first appeared on the 1982 “Nationale Rockmeeting” LP and later appeared on “Handle With Care”. The new version is titled People Theatre’s Optic Mix and runs 3:05 on the remix album.
• “Took Advantage” comes from the 1985 “Took Advantage” 12-inch. The original release used modular synthesizers programmed by Daniel B. and backing vocals by Flo Sullivan. The remix album presents it as People Theatre’s Favour Mix, the longest track on “Remixes” at 6:36.
• “Gold Rush” originally appeared on the 1987 “Dual Perspective” 12-inch and later on the “Parade Ground” single collection. “Gold Rush” was the flipside produced by Daniel B. on the “Dual Perspective” EP, while Colin Newman of Wire contributed to the other two tracks on that release, “Moans” and “Action Replay”.
• “A Day At The Park” comes from “The 15th Floor”, the band’s unreleased 1989 album, later issued on CD in 2021, with Pierre Pauly credited for bass, keyboards and percussion, and Jean-Marc Pauly for vocals, guitar and keyboards. The remix album includes the song as People Theatre’s Footsteps Mix.
• “Strange World” closes the remix album in People Theatre’s Airplane And Crash Mix. The original version appeared on the “Strange World” 12-inch and on the “Parade Ground” single collection. VUZ Records had already revisited the song earlier in 2026 with a separate “Strange World” release, which included a People Theatre radio edit, a 2011 Patrick Codenys version, the original version and a 1986 demo.

Check out the remix album below.

About Parade Ground

Parade Ground is a Brussels-based electronic duo formed in 1981 by brothers Jean-Marc Pauly and Pierre Pauly, regarded as pioneers of Belgian cold wave and Electronic Body Music. The pair initially developed a stark, guitar-tinged cold wave sound before moving towards more rhythmic, synth-driven material during the second half of the 1980s.

Their early discography began with the single “Moan on the Sly” in 1983 and continued with 12″ releases such as “Man in a Trance”, “Took Advantage”, “Dual Perspective” and the 1988 singles “Hollywood” and “Strange World”, many of them produced in collaboration with Daniel B. and Patrick Codenys from Front 242 and Colin Newman of Wire. This period culminated in the 1988 album “Cut Up”, released on Play It Again Sam and later reissued several times on CD and digital platforms.

After a long studio hiatus between 1988 and 2007, during which the Pauly brothers pursued other artistic projects, Parade Ground returned with the album “Rosary” in 2007 and its companion release “Sanctuary”, both showing a denser and more atmospheric extension of their “emotional body music” approach. In the following years they issued live and archival works including “Live Collection”, the live album “Life (Live in Frankfurt)” on VUZ Records, the late-1980s studio set “A Room With A View” and the album “The 15th Floor”, which bundled material originally recorded around 1989.

From the late 2010s onwards, Parade Ground’s catalogue has been systematically revisited through collaborations with VUZ Records and other labels. This includes the best-of collection CD “Parade Ground”, which compiles single A- and B-sides produced with Daniel B., Patrick Codenys, Colin Newman and Bruno Donini; the studio album “Life”; the expanded CD edition of “The 15th Floor”; the download reissue of “Rosary”; and the biography project “Words Sword Words” with an accompanying CD.

Kraftwerk, the Düsseldorf electronic music group, have received a legal setback in the long-running “Metall auf Metall” sampling dispute after the Court of Justice of the European Union delivered its judgment in Case C-590/23, “Pelham (Concept of ‘pastiche’)”, on 14 April 2026. The ruling clarifies how the EU copyright exception for pastiche can apply to sampling.

However unlike what other reports say, this does not close the German proceedings. The Federal Court of Justice in Germany must now apply the CJEU’s interpretation to the case.

The dispute concerns an approximately two-second rhythm sequence from Kraftwerk’s 1977 track “Metall auf Metall”. “Metall auf Metall” originally appeared on the 1977 release “Trans-Europe Express”. The sequence was electronically copied and used as a continuous loop in “Nur mir“, a 1997 song by German rapper Sabrina Setlur produced by Pelham GmbH. The recording also appeared again in 2004.

Below is a German documentary on the issue.

What the Kraftwerk copyright case ruling says

The CJEU ruled that the pastiche exception can cover creations that evoke existing works while remaining noticeably different from them. The court said this can include sampling when the new work enters an “artistic or creative dialogue” with the earlier work. It also said that the user’s subjective intention is not required; the pastiche character must be recognisable to someone familiar with the source work.

The court also set limits. The exception is not a general permission for any creative use of protected material, and it does not cover concealed imitation or plagiarism. The EU IP Helpdesk however notes that a reproduction which merely repeats an element without evident creative interaction does not meet the pastiche test.

We previously covered the earlier 2019 EU ruling in Kraftwerk wins sampling case in EU top court: permission needs to be obtained to sample another musician’s song. That ruling stated that unauthorised sampling could infringe phonogram producer rights unless the sample was modified into a form unrecognisable to the ear.

The latest ruling changes the legal route for the post-7 June 2021 part of the dispute, when Germany introduced a copyright exception covering caricature, parody and pastiche. The CJEU noted that the German court had described “Nur mir” as engaging artistically with the rhythm sequence from “Metall auf Metall” while using it in another genre and at a reduced tempo. The German court still has to decide the pending dispute.

About Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 around Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. The project grew out of the West German experimental scene after Hütter and Schneider’s earlier work in Organisation, whose album “Tone Float” was issued in 1970. Early Kraftwerk lineups changed often, with later members including Wolfgang Flür and Karl Bartos before the group settled into the better-known 1970s formation.

The band’s release history moved from the early albums “Kraftwerk” and “Kraftwerk 2” to “Ralf & Florian”, before “Autobahn” in 1974 marked a wider shift toward electronic instrumentation. Kraftwerk followed with “Radio-Activity”, “Trans-Europe Express”, “The Man-Machine”, “Computer World”, “Electric Café” and “Tour de France Soundtracks”.

Schneider left Kraftwerk in 2008 and died in 2020. Hütter continued the group, with Henning Schmitz, Falk Grieffenhagen and Georg Bongartz as live members.

This is the third album for Patrick Knoch’s German solo project Elektrostaub. It is not a project that releases new material on a regular basis, which may well be due to the fact that the musician continues to work with a variety of guest vocalists. The new album had already been introduced by several promising singles and now arrives with 12 tracks in total.

The guest vocalists on this release include Richard Bjørklund (Spektralized), Salva Maine (Culture Kultür), Lis van den Akker, Echo Image, J:Dead, Alex Braun, Lilli K. Engelhardt, René Anke (Logic & Olivia), Beyond Border, and Mel Gúntzelsson (Future Trail, davaNtage). What stands out in this lineup is the complete absence of label mates, although that is of course not a requirement. Overall, these are all strong vocal performances, and Patrick Knoch has clearly succeeded in finding fitting collaborations. Musically, the compositions remain rooted in pronounced Future-Pop influences. At times, the music evokes a slightly nostalgic, almost retro feeling, yet the tracks fit together seamlessly, combining danceable rhythms with strong melodic structures. Above all, this is an album made for the dancefloor, where fans of classic Future-Pop will feel right at home. Several collaborations stand out in particular—most notably the tracks featuring Echo Image (already a known quantity), Lilli K. Engelhardt, and Beyond Border.

If you believe that Future-Pop is definitively a thing of the past, you may want to skip this release. For everyone else, however, this is a polished and highly successful production. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Too Far From The Pack – Female Edit feat. Lilli K. Engelhardt”:

https://alfamatrix.bandcamp.com/track/too-far-from-the-pack-female-edit-feat-lilli-k-engelhardt

Greek heavy gothic rock band Blossom Death have released “Morning After”, the next single from their debut album “Spirit“. The album will be released on May 21, 2026 via The Circle Music as a limited digi CD with a 12-page booklet, limited to 500 copies.

“Morning After” follows “Stone Kiss“. The song centres on the idea that “when your soul hits its lowest point, then and only then, your real core can be exposed”. The track addresses addiction, deception and the reality that follows a personal collapse.

Musically the track uses heavy guitar riffs and alternating vocals by Kostas “Corax” Katoikos and Marita Makaronidi.

About Blossom Death

Blossom Death was formed in late 2018 in Varkiza, Greece, by Kostas “Corax” Katoikos, Marita Makaronidi and drummer Argy Deligianopoulos. Musically they offer doom/gothic metal/rock. Katoikos had previously been active with Sorrowful Angels, the Greek gothic metal band where he was a vocalist from 2008 to 2010.

The band’s first release was “Mistaken”, a three-track EP with “Mistaken”, “All That I Want” and “Pad Out”. It appeared digitally on December 13, 2019 and later as a mini-CD through Sleaszy Rider in 2020.

Blossom Death returned on March 10, 2023 with “Eon Must Fail”, a split CD with In Burial released by Sleaszy Rider. The release included the Blossom Death tracks “Beyond Time”, “Along with the Tide” and “Naphtalene”, plus two In Burial tracks, “Sycophant” and “The Man Who Falls”.

For “Spirit”, Blossom Death moved to The Circle Music. The album is the band’s first full-length release and their first album for the label.

Alfa Matrix will release the 32-track Front 242 tribute “Recovery >For You< 2” on June 19, 2026. The Front 242 tribute compilation appears as a digital album and 2CD edition, with artists from Alfa Matrix and its Spleen+ division reworking material from the Belgian cult EBM act.

Four tracks are available now: Kant Kino’s “Operating Tracks”, Krystal System’s “Headhunter”, The Breath Of Life’s “No Shuffle”, and AD:keY’s “Never Stop”.

About this new Front 242 tribute

The album follows the first Alfa Matrix Front 242 tribute “Recovery >for you<“. This time we find renditions by Implant, Aesthetische, Kant Kino, Krystal System, Nigra Nebula, Neikka RPM, Cubic, Frontal Boundary, To Avoid, Diffuzion, Aiboforcen, Llumen, Lovelorn Dolls, Cut.Rate.Box, Circumpolar, Armageddon Dildos, The Breath Of Life, The Names, Komor Kommando, Acylum, Star Industry, The Psychic Force, Alien Vampires, Darkness On Demand, C-Lekktor, First Aid Tech, AD:keY, Technoir, Digital Factor, and Elektroklänge.

The digital pre-order is available via Bandcamp and the Alfa Matrix webstore.

About Front 242

Front 242 started in Aarschot, Belgium in 1981. Daniel Bressanutti and Dirk Bergen launched the project first. Patrick Codenys and Jean-Luc De Meyer joined in time for “Geography” in 1982, and Richard Jonckheere, better known as Richard 23, followed in 1983.

The band’s first single was “Body to Body” in 1981. By 1984 Front 242 had signed to Wax Trax! in Chicago, and “Take One” became their first U.S. release. “No Comment” followed in 1984, “Official Version” in 1987 and “Front by Front” in 1988.

Front 242 continued with “Tyranny >For You<” in 1991, then “06:21:03:11 Up Evil” and “05:22:09:12 Off” in 1993. A hiatus followed, before the four core members reunited in 1997 with Tim Kroker on drums for the live setup. “Pulse” arrived in 2003.

Alfa Matrix, which had in the meantime release the band’s side-projects then started to release anniversary editions and vinyl reissues.

The band’s live career ended with the “Black Out” farewell run with the gig on January 25, 2025 at Ancienne Belgique in Brussels being the band’s final show.

With the previous album “Infecting The Scars”, frontman Kristof Bathory returned to his musical roots with his Dawn Of Ashes project: hard and merciless Electro. “Anatomy Of Suffering” is the latest album from this American project, which embarked on its musical crusade more than twenty years ago.

The opus contains ten tracks, including notable—and some already well-known—collaborations with guest vocalists Johan Van Roy (Suicide Commando), Erica Dunham (Unter Null), and Void Stasis alongside BlakMoth. The album represents a new Electro experience that once again sounds raw, tormented, brutal, and merciless. Kristof Bathory, who has also explored Dark-Ambient territories under his own name in recent years, demonstrates a strong ability to craft an obscure atmosphere. The result is an overwhelming production, meticulously crafted and drenched in sublime string arrangements, to which his terrifying, almost possessed vocal delivery adds extra intensity. Here and there, touches of guitar further enhance the overall impact. The tracks featuring Johan Van Roy and Erica Dunham are solid, though not my personal highlights. Nevertheless, they add an interesting dynamic to the record. There are plenty of other standout moments that showcase Dawn Of Ashes at its darkest and most compelling.

This album is far more than just Dark-Electro featuring Industrial elements; it is, above all, a true experience and sounds devilishly good. (Rating:8½).

Listen to “Viral Decay”:

https://dawnofashesofficial.bandcamp.com/track/viral-decay

German dark wave and electro-industrial act Project Pitchfork will re-release “Entities” as a limited 2LP Deluxe Edition – aka the “Entities (35th Anniversary Edition)” – via Trisol on June 26, 2026.

The new edition comes on black 2x180g 12-inch vinyl. The audio has been newly remastered for vinyl by Robin Schmidt at 24-96 Mastering. The set is pressed in Germany and comes in a sturdy cardboard sleeve with two separate printed full-colour inner sleeves containing the lyrics. The edition is limited to only 500 copies. Note that the “Dhyani” 2LP and “Lam-‘Bras” 2LP sold out in record time, so make sure to order your copy on time.

Here is the tracklist for the vinyl:

Side A

• “Mirror Part I”
• “Song of the Winds”
• “Mirror Part II”
• “Pan”

Side B

• “Mirror Part III”
• “Entity”
• “Mirror Part IV”
• “Ocean of Whispers”

Side C

• “Mirror Part V”
• “The Refuge”
• “The Abeyance”
• “Hell”

Side D

• “Mirror Part VI”
• “Souls”
• “Mirror Part VII”
• “A Few Years Later”

“Entities” was originally released in October 1992 on Hypnobeat as Project Pitchfork’s third studio album, following “Dhyani” in 1991 and “Lam-‘Bras” earlier in 1992. The album marked a key point in the Hamburg band’s early releases, with Peter Spilles and Dirk Scheuber expanding their darkwave and electro-industrial sound through longer structures, repeated “Mirror” interludes and a continuous track flow.

The original CD edition contained 16 tracks, including “Song of the Winds”, “Entity”, “Ocean of Whispers”, “The Refuge”, “The Abeyance”, “Hell”, “Souls” and “A Few Years Later”. The “Mirror Part I” to “Mirror Part VII” pieces linked the album into one uninterrupted sequence, which also explains why the 2026 2LP edition required careful remastering and vinyl-side planning to preserve the original flow.

About Project Pitchfork

Project Pitchfork are a German dark wave and electronic music group from Hamburg. Peter Spilles and Dirk Scheuber formed the project in 1989. The band played its first concert in Hamburg in February 1990 and released the “K.N.K.A.” demo in August 1990. “Dhyani” followed in May 1991 on Hypnobeat, then “Lam-‘Bras” in February 1992 and “Entities” later that year.

The early Project Pitchfork catalogue moved through Hypnobeat and then Off Beat. “Io” arrived in 1994 and brought the band into the German charts with the singles “Renascence” and “Carrion”. In 1995, the group established Candyland Entertainment and released “Alpha Omega” alongside the EPs “CH’I” and “Corps D’Amour”. Jürgen Jansen became a permanent member during the period leading to “¡Chakra:Red!” in 1997. The band then released “Eon:Eon” through EastWest, an imprint of Warner Music, in 1998.

The 2000s catalogue includes “Daimonion”, the “NUN” trilogy around “Inferno”, “Kaskade”, “Dream, Tiresias!”, “Continuum Ride”, “Quantum Mechanics”, “Black”, “Blood” and “Look Up, I’m Down There”. Later releases on Trisol include “Akkretion” and “Fragment” in 2018, followed by “Elysium” in 2024.

Los Angeles industrial / EBM trio Frontal Boundary have released the 7-track “Burn” EP via Alfa Matrix. “The digital release arrived on April 24, 2026 and returns to “Burn” as a standalone release after the track”Burns” first appeared on the band’s recent full-length “Failure” (released as a 2CD set via Alfa Matrix).

The EP includes the original “Burn”, a cover of Filter’s “Hey Man Nice Shot”, two alternate versions featuring S. L. on guitar, and remixes by Contracult, Livernois, and label mates Miseria Ultima. The EP is what the band calls “the final strike” and it reflects the urge to “rebuild from the ashes.”

About Frontal Boundary

Frontal Boundary is an American project based in Los Angeles consisting of Brendin Ross, Krz Souls, and Jaysen Craves. Brendin Ros formed the project in 2008, and started releasing material in 2010. He restarted it as a studio act with Krz Souls before bringing Jaysen Craves in as a full creative member after the band’s 2023 return to the stage.

“Electronic Warfare” as the first Frontal Boundary album, released on January 6, 2012, followed by “The Fall” on March 19, 2021. First Signed to Re:Mission Entertainment they continued to release the singles “Shutting Down” and “Without a Chance”, and the “Shutting Down” album (September 27, 2024). That album was followed by the 11-track “Shutting Down Remixed” in April 2025.

The band then released “Hollow” with Unter Null in March 2025. That same year Frontal Boundary moved to Alfa Matrix and released the “Hate” single, followed by the 8-track “Faith” EP in September 2025. The full length album “Failure” was released on December 12, 2025 as a digital release and as a 2CD set. “Burn” is the closing EP built around one of the album’s central tracks.

With Alive, Meta Meat do more than release a live album, they preserve a charged state of encounter. Built on percussion, body, voice, repetition, and tension, Meta Meat has always felt too physical, too unstable, and too ritualistic to be fully contained by studio recordings alone. This document, captured at Turbinenhalle and later shaped into an official release, reveals a side of Meta Meat that is rawer, more vulnerable, and more incarnated than any controlled studio environment could offer. In this conversation, the duo reflect on live risk, embodiment, trance, theatricality, repetition, and the strange art of fixing something ephemeral without killing its force.

Meta Meat interview

Q: Unlike a studio album, Alive documents a moment already charged with risk, space, and audience energy. What made this particular performance at Turbinenhalle the right one to preserve, and what does it reveal about Meta Meat that a studio recording never fully could?

Hugues: Strangely enough, we very rarely record our shows. It’s not a lack of curiosity, it’s just that we trust our own feelings during and after a concert to judge it.

As for the Turbinenhalle, it was really the venue itself, along with the technical and material conditions, that made us consider filming the show in advance. It gave us the opportunity to finally produce a self-funded video recording and share an “official” live performance with a wider audience, instead of relying on older recordings that were starting to feel outdated.

I asked my friend, filmmaker Roger Hoffmann, to take care of organizing the shoot, and he also handled the final editing. Since our sound engineer, Sylvain Livache, was touring with us at the time, he decided to professionally record the show as well and later mixed everything.

At first, there was no plan to release this performance as an audio record. In the end, if the concert hadn’t been satisfying, either performance-wise or technically, there simply wouldn’t be an Alive release.

What this live performance reveals compared to a studio album is actually twofold: it’s both audio and visual. It allows the audience to better grasp the physical dimension of the band, to feel different things, especially since the live versions differ greatly from the studio recordings, and to experience our universe in a more direct and intimate way.

Q: There is something almost paradoxical in fixing a ritual into an album format, turning an ephemeral act into an object one can return to. Did Alive feel more like documentation, interpretation, or a new work in its own right?

Hugues: To be honest, at first my goal was simply to visually document our stage universe. Of course, we’re very happy that it eventually became a work in its own right when Ant-Zen decided it should be released as an album.

You’re right in saying that it can feel a bit strange to capture something as ephemeral as a live performance and fix it as an album. But I think this performance is a good representation of what we can offer, especially since it’s important for a band like ours to be seen, not just heard.

Q: Alive is not just a live document, it also feels like a statement about what this project becomes in front of people: more exposed, more physical, perhaps even more dangerous. Did working on this release change the way you think about Meta Meat’s discography, not as a series of recordings, but as traces of transformation?

Phil: Each time we encounter a different stage, a different audience, and a different “here and now,” we reshuffle the cards. We do not try to pretend; we embrace the moment fully and welcome any incidents which might occur, hoping to be true to both our common and intimate experience with each other and with the public.

This recording is a mirror of one of those moments that we shared. In our discography, it has the merit of showing more of our human side. One can witness that our interpretation is not perfect. We are more vulnerable, as we are taking more risks, then again much more adventurous and incarnated than on our studio album production.

Q: The name itself, Meta Meat, is striking because it suggests both the body and an attempt to go beyond it. How do you understand that relationship today: is transcendence something that begins in the flesh, or something that must first pass through it?

Phil: We rediscover often how the association of these antonyms can influence our work, conceptually as well as intuitively. On stage we can always rely on our capacity to inhabit our music with our physical energy. The state of effort can lead us to “travel” beyond ourselves, then we might reach a moment of abandonment when we are not conscious of our technical musical input but just in phase with all the elements in presence. Maybe that is when the “Meta” side appears.

During our concerts, unlike on our recordings, we also use live vocal expression, with singing or spoken words, which can convey intellectual or poetical imagery. These words addressed to the mind counterbalance the power of the raw physical energy.

Q: Meta Meat seems to exist precisely in the tension between instinct and construction, between something ancient and something hyper-designed. When you began this project, did you already know that this opposition would become its core language, or did it emerge gradually through working together?

Hugues: “The tension between instinct and structure,” “between something ancient and something highly elaborate” — I think that describes us very well.

When we started Meta Meat, the Von Magnet adventure had just come to an end, more than 30 years of Phil’s life, and I played drums with them for the last seven or eight years. Once again, it all happened very spontaneously, almost without overthinking it.

We simply wanted to try building a musical and stage formula that would be more stripped-down, more direct, and less theatrical than Von Magnet, but still deeply tribal, something that hits you in the gut and carries you away.

Q: The collaboration between you feels unusually organic, as if two very different energies are not merely combined, but transformed by contact. What does each of you bring into Meta Meat that the other could not invent alone, and where does the real friction, or real magic, happen between you?

Phil: We are always curious about each other’s input. Although, knowing our skills and tastes, we kind of suspect what our partner will be proposing, but as our own personal cultural and artistic endeavours lead us to evolve in each of our parallel worlds, some new unexpected ideas from each side might always fuse inside the duet’s creativity.

When we work on a new composition, sending sketches back and forth, we are often surprised by the new parts that are offered. For instance, when I present a simple basic musical idea that could seem rather poor, the piece can suddenly come to life and be transcended by the next step, the next layer which is added by Hugues.

Q: Phil’s flamenco-inflected footwork and Hugues’ standing drum configurations give the project a very embodied pulse, while the virtual synth architecture introduces distance, coldness, and abstraction. Do you see Meta Meat as a reconciliation of those forces, or as a way of keeping them in permanent conflict?

Hugues: I don’t draw a line between so-called “organic” music and electronic music, even when I listen to other bands. We express ourselves this way instinctively, based on what we can do and what we’ve naturally developed over the years with our instruments, whether they’re acoustic, electric, or virtual.

That said, it’s true that this contrast between different musical worlds, which people often like to oppose, is very much part of who we are.

Q: Your performances are often described less as concerts than as ritual experiences. At what point does a live set become theatrical for you, and how consciously do you think in terms of dramaturgy, gesture, tension, and release when building a performance?

Phil: I guess the music shows us the way. Each composition guides us towards specific atmospheres, moods, intentions that can potentially become an “augmented” version of our stage interpretation. Sometimes it feels right to be experimenting with a certain type of gestures because the music inspires this kind of choreographic extension, and every new show gives us a chance to develop or test these movements further.

Then again, aside from the stamping strict discipline, which will be associated with Hugues’ drumming, I do not like to write fixed choreographies. I’d rather leave room for improvisation around a theme, a character, or an image that feels in phase with the piece and see where the flow of the performance will take us.

Q: A great deal of electronic and industrial music still relies on a relatively static stage presence, but Meta Meat is built around physical intensity, movement, and exhaustion. Was this a deliberate reaction against that tradition, or simply the only honest way this music could exist in front of an audience?

Phil: Just the honest way of how our music should be shared with an audience. Our music calls for energy and might even offer a moment of freedom. We wish that the audience can feel that this time and space together can be special and that there is room to deshinibate, without drugs and alcohol, just with being one with our own deep and true expressions.

Q: The visual and ceremonial side of the project is so strong that one could imagine Meta Meat functioning almost as a form of total art, somewhere between concert, performance art, and invocation. Have you ever been tempted to expand it further into film, installation, or a more explicitly staged theatrical form?

Meta Meat: That would be a perfectly natural evolution for us, and of course something we would really enjoy. We’ve actually already worked with dancers a few years ago, both in Mexico and in France.

However, the geographical distance between Phil and me, along with side projects, family life, and other commitments, doesn’t currently allow us to consider anything beyond more “traditional” concert performances.

There’s also a very important element we’re missing at the moment: proper management and a booking agency. Without them, it’s really difficult to grow further and to develop more ambitious projects.

Q: There is something fascinating in the way Meta Meat uses repetition: it can feel hypnotic, violent, erotic, meditative, and destabilising all at once. What interests you most about repetition, as a musical device, as a physical act, and perhaps even as a psychological tool?

Phil: If a rhythmical phrase is being played repetitively like a mantra, it can lead towards a sense of “letting go.” This is the principle modus operandi at the core of any ethnic trance rituals, the stubborn pulse can help open doors towards inner freedom and hopefully heal.

In our case, our goal is to weave together a challenging polyrhythm, fighting our way along the beats generated by the machine. Although each rhythmic bar will be inevitably different, with various intonations, sudden accents, or offbeats, we aim for a concordance of elements in motion, so as to reach a rhythmical edgy balance.

Nevertheless we have a tendency to introduce a lot of breaks inside our compositions, like a game of hide and seek, trying to retain our breath or regather our forces before a new “attack.”

Q: Alive is a title that sounds simple, but in the context of Meta Meat it becomes almost philosophical. What does it mean for this project to be alive: to be physically present, to be unstable, to be dangerous, to be transformative, or to remain impossible to fully contain?

Phil: When we perform we give a hundred per cent of who we are at this given moment. We try to give and share all the energy that we have. It is the only way to feel honest and alive, and to make the public feel alive as well.

Also both of us are now more conscious of our fragility, in terms of health, but also of the uncertainty of the world, of the chance we have to still be together. So feeling “alive” is somehow precious, we cherish it and do not take it for granted.

Q: Looking ahead, where do you feel Meta Meat can still go next? Do you see the project moving further into performance, deeper into ritual, or perhaps into forms that would surprise even you?

Meta Meat: That’s a big question.

Quite simply, we just let things happen. We follow our ideas and impulses as they come, develop them, present them, and experience them.

In November, we’ll be performing with N.U. Unruh from Einstürzende Neubauten at the Wrocław Industrial Festival. It will be a completely new performance, created exclusively for the occasion. It’s a real challenge for us. As I’m answering you now, we don’t yet have a clear direction or specific ideas about what we’re going to create with him.

With “Searching Hell”, Sarin returns after a relatively long silence—and does so with a statement that feels both familiar and renewed. The Sarin project succeeds in building a bridge between the raw energy of classic ’90s EBM and a contemporary, razor-sharp production style, where analog textures, pulsating beats, and a dark atmosphere converge into an intense and cohesive whole.

Behind Sarin stands Berlin-based artist Emad Dabiri, who in recent years has not only shaped this project but has also been active through numerous collaborations and side projects, as well as through his own label X-IMG. This broad artistic activity has gradually refined his sound: what once started as a more raw and direct approach to industrial and EBM has evolved into a layered and carefully crafted sonic identity, where club-driven power and atmospheric depth reinforce one another.

Sarin’s “Searching Hell” not only marks a new full-length release after years of EPs and collaborations, but also feels like a point of culmination. The album sounds uncompromising, tightly produced, and infused with a dark, almost Cinematic intensity. At the same time, it remains true to the core of Sarin: physical, rhythm-driven music that resonates as much with the body as it does with the imagination. (Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)

Sarin interview

Q: Emad, you’re involved in quite a few different projects, many of which are released on your own X-IMG label. Can you tell us a bit about your musical background and what differentiates these projects from one another? Do you consider one project to be the ‘most important’, and what does Sarin stand for musically?

Emad: I got into Electronic music naturally as a child of the 90s. Later in high school I came to discover heavier, more experimental genres from Industrial, EBM, Proto-Munk, Musique Concrete and so on – through online research and digging at record stores in Toronto, where I mostly grew up. Around that time I also began experimenting with sounds & production. During university I got into experimenting with audio / video techniques, sampling, cut-ups and live processes under the moniker Infinity Dose. 2014 was when I put out my first proper release as Sarin.

My collaborative projects are differentiated depending on who I’m working with. Each project has its own dynamic, with some projects having been deleted and others continuing to live on. My active collaborative projects include General Dynamics, Human Performance Lab, Devikorps and a couple yet to be released collaborations. I learn a lot from each collaboration.

Sarin stands for a sonic & visual expression of my thoughts & reflections on history, society and my experiences. Societal & political norms, values and lies re/deflected & re-contextualized thru the lens of Electronic music and video art.

Q: Most of your projects and productions are inspired by EBM in some way, but Techno and Industrial elements also stand out. What do these musical genres mean to you personally, and how did you come up with the idea of mixing them?

Emad:I was attracted to the confrontational, conceptual & sonic rawness of Industrial and EBM – as well as the futurist and forward looking elements of Techno. They work well together sonically as well as conceptually. I’m draw from ideas and concepts such as from Dada, Futurism, Musique Concrete, the Cut-Up technique and how they can be combined together within audio/visual electronic processes.

Q: You’re based in Berlin, Germany, which is undoubtedly a perfect location for your kind of music. I imagine it must have had some influence on your musical development and growth. Could you tell us more about that influence and how you would describe the contemporary Berlin underground scene?

Emad: When I moved to Berlin the whole EBM/Techno/Industrial/Post-punk crossover thing was blowing up and it felt like an exciting thing to be a part for a while. That brief explosive feeling in the scene has felt a bit diminished since covid. I definitely became more influenced by the Techno aspect of things here, as it’s a very Techno rooted city obviously. I’ve since pulled back from that Techno world and tried to return to the core elements that originally excited me.

Q: Earlier this year, you released the Sarin album “Searching Hell”, which was also the first new Sarin album in a while. How did this opus come about, and what do you see as the main developments or changes compared to previous SARIN productions?

Emad: After being disillusioned by the vapid & superficial nature of the Berlin Techno scene I decided to pull back from that world and look internally – that is how the Sarin album “Searching Hell” came about. It felt like a return to my roots in classic and old school EBM & Industrial, which is really where my heart is and where my passion for music originally stems from. I had a lot of time to sharpen my production skills since the last album from having worked on so many collaborations and remixes during that gap. I am pretty happy about the results. It was a deeply personal and therapeutic album for me where I tried to condense and channel all the feelings of the last few years.

Q: Do you have a specific modus operandi when creating your songs? And could you tell us a bit about your studio and how it has evolved over the years?

Emad: This is always changing. Sometimes I get a spark of an idea from watching or reading something and I put it down as haphazard notes then revisit those notes to start a sketch for a track. Sometimes things come to me in dreams, images, sounds or situations which I try to write down in a dream journal before they vanish.

My studio is in my apartment and consists of a few synths & samplers, and a computer. I use both hardware and software tools. Sometimes I begin a track from the computer then add recorded synth elements or vice versa. For the last album I sketched out half the tracks as sequences and patterns on the Octatrack with synths, recording them into the computer for further arrangement, processing and mix down. I like both software & hardware approaches and use them interchangeably in the studio.

Q: Tell us more about Sarin’s live performances, where visuals also seem to play a significant role. What is a typical Sarin performance like, and how do you translate the songs from the studio to the stage? To what extent does improvisation play a role?

Erad: A typical Sarin performance consists of a live hardware set of around 45-50 minutes, accompanied by visuals, with vocals now, and sometimes other elements like metal percussion or a metal grinder. The visuals add a bit of a synaesthetic vibe to the performance. Half of the live songs were the original components of the last album, and the other half are either exclusive live songs or reworks of old tracks. To rework an old release track for live I disassemble the pieces in Ableton as one shot samples or very short loops then rebuild the tracks in the Octatrack, including re-building the MIDI. Through the rebuilding process of old songs, the tracks end up being refreshed and unique to the live set, sometimes more interesting to me than the original released versions.

Improvisation plays a big part. This keep the live sets fun and engaging for myself and I think it also translates to the audience’s appreciation as well. Originally I played with a laptop and midi controller live but that felt boring and rigid so I switched to build up a full live setup with sequencers, samplers and analog synths. With my setup I can add/remove notes, switch up the arrangement, break down & rebuild drum sequences, modulate/mangle synths and trigger weird one shot samples on top, all on the fly. That being said I do have a pre-programmed basic setup of the live tracks from which I can manipulate all elements live. I would say it’s about 50/50 for per-programmed parts and improvisation. In between shows I’m always tweaking this, adding new elements for new live tracks or removing ones I find less exciting.

Q: You were born in Iran, and the situation in your country—as well as recent developments—must understandably have a profound impact on you. What has been going through your mind lately, and how do you cope with it personally? On the other hand, music can also be a way to process or channel emotions and feelings. How does that apply to you?

Emad: It’s been difficult to see what’s been happening there. My parents had the strength and ability to get our family out of Iran when I was 6, but my core memories, identity & roots are still from there. The massacre of protesters by the theocratic dictatorship on January 8th & 9th affected me heavily. No one knows the exact death toll from that massacre, because that information is suppressed by the regime that carried it out, but the estimates I read range from at least 30,000 to 40,000 and possibly more killed. On top of all this there is now the added threat of the war. From the few messages that get out of Iran by ordinary people, they say that the only thing worse than the bombs falling around them is if the regime is allowed to survive. They are more afraid of the regime staying in power than they are afraid of the war.

So yes it affects me a lot. Those are my compatriots, that’s the country that gave me life & where all my early core memories are from. My parents took us out of this country because of the corrupt and twisted nature of the regime – the regime inherited a nation and turned it into hell for their own people. I’m not saying that life was perfect under the Shah but I believe my parents when they tell me it was much, much, better than life under the current religious dictatorship. I always appreciated the great sacrifice my parents made to bring me to Canada, to give me a chance so I wouldn’t end up in one of those body bags in the morgues after a protest. My parents suffered a lot of hardship and stress to get us to Canada. As a child I could adapt easier to my new home than they could. I’m happy they were not around to see the massacres in January but sad that they could not live to see their country becoming free. The only future for Iran is democracy, and that does not include the current regime.

It has been hard to focus on music & my label activities since January but I’m working on how to reconcile these feelings productively together with music.

It struck me that this new work by Hybryds appears 40 years after their first release. Sandy Nys has remained the helmsman throughout the years, while in recent times strengthening the band with the addition of Peter De Koning. On this new, expanded work, Hybryds draw inspiration from an imaginary Viking story. And whoever says Vikings immediately thinks of rituals—and when it comes to Ritual music, one quickly ends up with Hybryds.

Nothing new, some might think, but musically this record managed to surprise me completely. You will find familiar ingredients, such as a distinct Ritual and Tribal atmosphere that can at times lead you into a trance-like state. There is also, of course, the phenomenal voice of Madeline Arndt, which has never sounded so ethereal, passionate, sensual, bewitching, and above all, enchanting. Yet this album—particularly its first part—is characterized by unexpected, heavy Metal-Industrial guitar riffs. This creates an unprecedented effect that Hybryds masterfully blends with their other influences. The atmosphere that resonates throughout remains mysterious, at times slightly Eastern in feel, but above all rooted in the Belgian band’s Ritual approach.

The second part of the record is once again extensive, yet stylistically different. Here, guitar playing is used only sporadically, as the music leans more toward Techno-Trance. The Tribal and Ritual elements remain present, but are generally fused into a surprising and highly danceable whole that occasionally comes very close to dance music. The heavenly vocals here even remind me somewhat of certain moments from Delerium. Throughout the album, male backing vocals can also be heard—harsh and passionate—forming a compelling contrast with the female voice.

Hybryds deliver a remarkably surprising record featuring 36 tracks in which they retain their core sound while allowing it to evolve through unexpected influences. It is difficult to say whether this ranks among their very best albums, as it does not always sound entirely like Hybryds. Nevertheless, it is undoubtedly a successful artistic challenge—one that I can thoroughly enjoy. (Rating:9).

Listen to “Iron Axe”:

https://hybrydsmusic.bandcamp.com/track/iron-axe

Polish artist Daniel Szwed originally released “Standard Cap” in 2024 as a cassette on Hiss Collective. The work remained under the radar for many listeners but is now being given a new opportunity through this CD format, marking the artist’s second opus to be released by Rope Worm.

Daniel Szwed takes us into a sonic universe where he freely experiments with repetitive noise loops and a wide range of distorted sounds. It often feels like improvisation, yet the overall result remains coherent. What I find particularly compelling about this work is that the Noise elements never descend into a mere wall of sound. This is not chaos, but a carefully constructed composition in which the different elements can be clearly distinguished. For instance, distant screaming voices echo through the mix, enhancing a sense of terror, while other passages are built around explicit Industrial influences.

Reissuing this album on CD is, in my view, a very successful decision, and I am convinced that “Standard Cap” will now reach new listeners in search of something truly unconventional. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Standard Cap 5”:

https://ropeworm.bandcamp.com/track/standard-cap-5

Belgian EBM act Front 242 will release “Black Out” on June 19, 2026 via Alfa Matrix. The live album was recorded at AB Brussels (Ancienne Belgique) in January 2025 and documents the band’s farewell run, with more than 40 performances across six months in Europe and the US.

For “Black Out,” Patrick Codenys, Jean-Luc De Meyer, and Richard23 are joined on stage by Tim Kroker, while David Baboulis of Soldout handled the studio mixing and production.

Across Bandcamp and the Alfa Matrix store, “Black Out” is available as a digital edition, a 23-track 2CD digipak, a crystal clear 2LP, a limited clear purple 2LP fanpack, a Core Selected Pack, and a Total Access Pack. The 2CD adds three exclusive tracks: “MasterHit,” “Soul Manager,” and “No Shuffle.” The limited purple-vinyl fanpack includes a tote bag, armband, 20x30cm art print, two glass coasters, and the label compilations “Sounds From The Matrix 026 & 027,” this edition is limited to 1,000 copies worldwide. The Core Selected Pack combines the 2CD, the purple-vinyl fanpack, and the 2CD tribute “Recovery 2 For You,” while the Total Access Pack adds the crystal clear 2LP to that bundle.

UPDATE: A new fan pack for “Black Out” is now available, as the purple clear vinyl edition has sold out. This updated ‘Essential Pack‘ includes the crystal clear double vinyl along with a selection of additional items.

• Front 242 – Black Out (incl. 3 bonus tracks) 2CD
• Front 242 – Black Out (incl. 3 bonus tracks) download
• Front 242 – Black Out (Core Selected Pack) SOLD OUT
• Front 242 – Black Out (Total Access Pack) SOLD OUT
• Front 242 – Black Out 2LP (limited fanpack edition clear purple vinyl) SOLD OUT
• Front 242 – Black Out 2LP (crystal clear vinyl)
• Front 242 – Black Out (Essential Pack)
  

Note that the special packs also include the new “Recovery 2 For You (Tribute to Front 242)” 2CD.

Where to watch and stream Front 242’s ‘Black Out’

The full live recording from Ancienne Belgique is available via YouTube.

About Front 242

Front 242 started in Aarschot, Belgium in 1981. Daniel Bressanutti and Dirk Bergen launched the project first. Patrick Codenys and Jean-Luc De Meyer joined in time for “Geography” in 1982, and Richard Jonckheere, better known as Richard 23, followed in 1983.

The band’s first single was “Body to Body” in 1981. By 1984 Front 242 had signed to Wax Trax! in Chicago, and “Take One” became their first U.S. release. “No Comment” followed in 1984, “Official Version” in 1987 and “Front by Front” in 1988.

Front 242 continued with “Tyranny >For You<” in 1991, then “06:21:03:11 Up Evil” and “05:22:09:12 Off” in 1993. A hiatus followed, before the four core members reunited in 1997 with Tim Kroker on drums for the live setup. “Pulse” arrived in 2003.

Alfa Matrix, which had in the meantime release the band’s side-projects then started to release anniversary editions and vinyl reissues.

The band’s live career ended with the “Black Out” farewell run with the gig on January 25, 2025 at Ancienne Belgique in Brussels being the band’s final show.

New York dark electronic duo A Place Both Wonderful And Strange have released the video for “It’s Not That Bad, Muffin,” taken from their album “Matter and Desire,” out today via Re:Mission Entertainment.

“Matter and Desire” (catalog number RE091) is released as a limited CD and digital format. The album was developed over an extended period. The band began working on material approximately eight years before completion, with early tracks such as “A Map for Birds” performed live long before recording.

The final recording sessions took place in 2025, when the duo completed the material in the studio.

As for “It’s Not That Bad, Muffin” the track addresses a repeating cycle of a worsening day, described as a loop influenced by external forces or persistent habits. The narrative also includes a recurring visual motif of “a car that feels wrong the second it shows up,” forming part of the video’s structure.

The video was directed by Sean Dack and Lucy Swope, who developed its concept. Production was handled by Observed Phenomena Studio, with cinematography by Sean Dack and editing and color also completed by Dack. The cast includes Russ Marshalek and Laura Hajek, with filming support credited to Avalon Lounge in Catskill, New York.

“‘It’s Not That Bad, Muffin’ is a song about a very bad day that just won’t quit […] offering a glimpse into the larger world the album lives in,” the band states.

About A Place Both Wonderful And Strange

A Place Both Wonderful And Strange is a New York-based dark electronic project formed by Russ Marshalek and Laura Hajek, active as a duo since 2016. The project name references a line from Twin Peaks.

The duo developed a live performance concept alongside their music output, including the audiovisual project “Keys Open Doors: The Hidden Life of Laura Palmer,” which was performed for nearly a decade and concluded in April at The Bell House in Brooklyn following the death of David Lynch.

Their earlier material includes the 2018 covers album “Coverups” and the collection “The City Smells Like Cat Spit.” These releases preceded a multi-year gap during which material for “Matter and Desire” was developed but not finalized.

Outside A Place Both Wonderful And Strange, Russ Marshalek works as a writer and DJ and is part of the ADVENTURE[s] collective, while Laura Hajek maintains solo work under Edith Pop and other aliases, alongside visual and performance art practices.

The duo returned to studio production in 2025 to complete “Matter and Desire,” marking A Place Both Wonderful And Strange’s first full-length release in several years.

The French duo Maninkari, consisting of brothers Frédéric and Olivier Charlot, have been active under the name Maninkari for quite a few years, alongside various other projects. Their first work dates back to 2007. With this latest opus—their first on Rope Worm—they deliver the fourth installment in the series “L’Océan Rêve Dans Sa Loisiveté”.

The nine tracks are untitled, which, in a sense, creates a fairly compact whole. Each part feels like a puzzle piece that ultimately merges into a cohesive entity. Maninkari’s style remains something of an enigma—above all, a blend of influences shaped through improvisation. Atmosphere—often infused with Eastern elements—plays a central role in the compositions. This is constructed from minimalist electronic fragments, sometimes combined with subtle rhythms, but also enriched with acoustic instruments. As is their custom, the album unfolds gradually, with many of the stronger pieces revealing themselves toward the end. The atmosphere grows increasingly dark and even grim, resulting in a strong visual quality. The only element I find missing is any form of vocal contribution—be it spoken, sung, or even sampled.

This duo continues to fascinate me with their form of experimental and ambient music, which, for me, remains remarkably accessible. (Rating:7½).

Listen to “Untitled 3”:

https://ropeworm.bandcamp.com/track/untitled-3

Flesh Field has revealed the bonus track “Hegemony”, a new collaboration with Tom Shear of Assemblage 23, on April 23, 2026. The track is tied to the physical edition of “On Enmity”, the new album by Ian Ross’ US orchestral industrial project, and is included on the bonus CD of the limited deluxe 2CD artbook edition due on May 22, 2026 via Dependent Records.

According to Ian Ross, “I wanted to have some cool remixes but also exclusive tracks for the deluxe edition of ‘On Enmity’.” He added that Tom Shear “did not ‘only’ come up with excellent lyrics but he also contributed his awesome voice to our track.” The standard digital edition of “On Enmity” was released on February 20, 2026, while the physical deluxe version is being issued as a limited 48-page hardcover artbook with two CDs and seven exclusive bonus tracks. This deluxe edition is limited to 500 copies.

Ian Ross handled all instruments and production. Colin Ross appears on backing vocals on “Indestructible” and “A Boy Named Resurrection”. The album was recorded and mixed by Ian Ross at Deadwyre Studios in Northern Virginia, mastered by Da5id Din at Corrosive Audio in San Francisco, with artwork by Nico Janse van Rensburg and layout by Clint Carney and Nico Janse van Rensburg.

About Flesh Field

Flesh Field was formed by Ian Ross in Columbus, Ohio, in 1996, with Ross as the current member and Rian Miller and Wendy Yanko as past members. The band name refers to a term Ross coined to describe the psychological defence mechanisms of rape victims.

The debut album “Viral Extinction” was released in 1999, followed by “Redemption EP” in 2000 and “Belief Control” in 2001. “Strain” followed in 2004.

Ross ended the project in 2011 after the self-released “Tyranny Of The Majority”. Later, Flesh Field tracks surfaced in other media: “Beneath Contempt” appeared in HBO’s “True Blood”, while “Uprising” was used in the end credits of the 2023 film “The Mill”.

Flesh Field returned with “Voice of the Echo Chamber” on November 3, 2023, then followed it with “Voice of Reason” on April 26, 2024.

Combichrist have released “Demons Wanna Be Summoned“, a new single featuring King 810 frontman David Gunn. The single is out via Out Of Line Music. The band is currently completing its forthcoming studio album.

The release is Combichrist’s most recent single after the 2024 album “CMBCRST” following “Desolation”, “RISE”, and “Feraline” which respectively arrived on June 5, August 28, and November 25, 2025.

The track is also out on YouTube in a special lyrics video.

The band is confirmed to headline Dark Force Fest 2026 (01.05.2026, Parsippany, NJ, USA) and will appear at several major European festivals throughout the summer, including Alcatraz Metal Festival (06.–09.08.2026, Kortrijk, Belgium) and M’era Luna (08.08.2026, Hildesheim, Germany).

About Combichrist

Combichrist was formed in Atlanta in 2003 by Norwegian musician Andy LaPlegua. The debut album “The Joy of Gunz” arrived in 2003 on Out Of Line. That release was followed by “Everybody Hates You” on March 8, 2005, “Today We Are All Demons” on January 20, 2009, and “Making Monsters” on September 28, 2010.

Later albums included “This Is Where Death Begins” on June 3, 2016, “One Fire” on June 7, 2019, and “CMBCRST” on May 17, 2024.While the band is a studio project centered on LaPlegua, he has been working with a changing live lineup, and currently lists Eric13, Elliott Berlin, and Jamie Cronander alongside him.

American artist Antoni Maiovvi has been active for quite some time and can look back on an impressive body of work. At the beginning of this year, he teamed up with Sonic Groove for the first time to release “Subsonic Schizophrenia”, an EP consisting of four tracks.

This release feels like a fusion of Dark-Techno with elements of Acid music, alongside deeper, darker, and more atmospheric textures. Antoni Maiovvi compels listeners to move to his brooding tones, reinforced by hostile atmospheres and, at times, sharper, icy sequences. Personally, I prefer the two tracks where he leans more into Acid, as they evoke to me the American Acid scene of the early ’90s.

Overall, this EP is a strong addition to Sonic Groove’s already rich and high-quality roster. (Rating:8).

Listen to “Face Dancer”:

https://maiovvi.bandcamp.com/track/face-dancer

Alfa Matrix will release Unter Null’s “The Rise From Ruin (and the Ritual of Becoming)” on June 26, 2026 as a limited double-CD digipak with an extended booklet, and as a download via Bandcamp. The set revisits the early Erica Dunham period of the project and is available now as a digital pre-order on Bandcamp and as a physical pre-order through the Alfa Matrix Store.

At the centre of the release is “The Failure Epiphany”, the Alfa Matrix album that helped launch Unter Null’s early dark electro and industrial profile. The second disc expands that period with material from the EPs “Sick Fuck”, “Sacrament”, and “Absolution”, plus remixes by Noisuf-X vs. X-Fusion, Manufactura, T3chnophobia, Aslan Faction, Grendel, KiEw, Terrorfakt, and C-Drone-Defect.

The release holds 34 tracks in total.

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.

French electro-metal trio Krystal System will release “Da Punch” on June 26, 2026 via Spleen+. The 13-track digital edition is available via Bandcamp, while the Alfa Matrix Store has the CD up for pre-order . Note that the “Da Punch” CD version includes two bonus tracks (“Newclear Winter” and the 2025 version of the track). The line-up for the album recording was Bonnie, N°7, and bassist φ (Phi).

“Da Punch” follows the June 2025 EP “Éclats Rouges”, which marked the band’s first studio release since “Rage” in 2013 and the first with Phi in the line-up. The new album also includes a cover of Front 242’s “Headhunter.”

About Krystal System

Krystal System started in Paris in April 2006 under the name Krystal. The band offers a blend of alternative rock, metal, electronic music, and cyberpunk. The original duo consisted of Bonnie on vocals and guitar and N°7 on vocals, synths, and machines. A first demo, “Demain n’existe pas,” came before the project gained early exposure through the 2007 International Cravefest Video Awards and concerts in France and Switzerland.

Around 2007 the duo signed with Alfa Matrix and adopted the name Krystal System. Their debut album, “Underground,” was released on November 14, 2008. It was followed by the seven-track EP “Underground: VooDoo Night Sessions” on November 27, 2009, then by “Nuclear” on June 17, 2011 and “Rage” on March 15, 2013.

The current line-up adds Phi on bass. That three-piece formation was already in place for “Éclats Rouges”, and it remains the line-up for “Da Punch.”

Holy Death Temple have released “Someone To Blame“, a new self-released single from the Seattle goth dance punk trio of Bryan Edward, Amy Tung-Barrysmith, and Jon Barrysmith. The one-song release is the follow-up to earlier singles including “Algo-Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and “Survey Says.”

The new track is presented as the band’s most explicitly political statement so far and tackles power, submission, and fascist imagery. Edward adds: “If you want an S&M-fueled goth club banger, we got you. If you want an intellectual parallel between S&M and the descent into fascism, we also got you.” He also describes the song as “coming from a place of disgust with people that get off on watching ‘less thans’ suffer.”

The cover art reworks the Uncle Sam image with body armor, an ICE-style badge, and a bondage mask.

About Holy Death Temple

Holy Death Temple are a goth dance punk band from Seattle, Washington. The band was formed in 2024 as a side project built around Bryan Edward together with Amy Tung and Jon Barrysmith.

Amy Tung Barrysmith and Jon Barrysmith are also the core members of the Seattle doom duo Year of the Cobra signed to STB Records. Amy Tung Barrysmith also joined Amenra as bassist in 2025.

In 2025 Holy Death Temple launched the singles “Algo-Rhythm Is Gonna Get You”, “Survey Says”, and “Demos”. In 2026 the single “Someone To Blame” was released.

Jarboe has released a new video for “Francesca Sun”, taken from her latest album “Sightings”, which was released via Consouling Sounds on April 3, 2026. The American artist, whose work spans experimental rock, ambient, spoken word, and avant-garde composition, premieres the clip exclusively via Side-Line Magazine.

The video arrives a few weeks after the release of “Sightings”, her 36th solo album and 55th overall release. The record is built around electronic and organic instrumentation and a recurring natural-world motif centered on the vireo. Jarboe says of the album’s starting point: “The vireo is heard yet not easy to be seen as he blends into the green leaves. This is the heart of this project.” The release also features Thor Harris, Andrea Calderon, Brett Robinson, Chiara Lee, and Freddie Murphy, while Phil Puleo created the artwork.

“Sightings” is released as a black LP (200 copies), moss green LP (300 copies) and digipack CD (300 copies). Note that the moss green LP will be available at Jarboe’s live shows – but is sold out from the Consouling Sounds store.

Below are the CD and black vinyl versions.

Jarboe and Joy Von Spain UK/EU tour dates 2026

Jarboe will also head out on a May 2026 UK and European tour as a duo with Joy Von Spain of Eye of Nix after Thor Harris stepped down as we reported before. That format change was confirmed on April 17, after Thor Harris stepped down for personal reasons.

• 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
• 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

About Jarboe

Jarboe Devereaux is an American singer, composer, and visual artist. She was born in Mississippi and raised mainly in the American South. She debuted in the 1980s cassette underground with “Walls” in 1984. An excerpt later appeared on the “Dry Lungs” compilation in 1985.

She joined Swans in 1985 and remained one of the group’s central members until its first breakup in 1997. Across that period she contributed vocals and keyboards to releases including “Children of God”, “White Light from the Mouth of Infinity”, and “Soundtracks for the Blind”, while also working with Michael Gira in the parallel project World of Skin.

Her solo discography began with “Thirteen Masks” in 1991 and later expanded through releases such as “Sacrificial Cake”, “Anhedoniac”, and “Disburden Disciple”. Outside her solo catalog, she collaborated with Neurosis on the 2003 album “Neurosis & Jarboe”, and with Kris Force on “The Path” soundtrack in 2010.

In later years, Jarboe continued to self-produce work while also releasing material through labels including The Circle Music, Translation Loss Records, and Consouling Sounds. She also returned to the Swans orbit with guest contributions to “The Seer” in 2012. In 2026 she returned with “Sightings”, her 36th solo album and 55th overall release.