ADULT - Gimmie Trouble
(Thrilljockey / www.thrilljockey.com / www.adultperiod.com)
ADULT's latest is again one of those hard to define albums which has the prime quality of uniqueness, from Nicola Kuperus' undeniably different voice, to the twitching beats underlying each softly writhing song, to the song itself, rubbing shoulders with the "dance friendly" crowd, jumping playfully over the line, but mostly only toying with the idea. The album opens with a bang, and thought the energy is built and released throughout the songs, the entire thing is undeniably ADULT.(.) Everything from the bleak wood-panneling of the album cover, the lyrics, and again, the music, create somewhat of an aquired taste, but one that is very enjoyable. Check out this album.

CaffeineHead

AUTO-AUTO - Sounds of a New Generator
(DSBP / www.dsbp.cx / www.auto-auto.se)
Auto-Auto is ostensibly a synthpop band; it'd be hard to argue otherwise, given the Swedish duo's penchant for upbeat rhythms and analog keyboards. "Dog" is unabashed club candy, "Decamerone" brings in the latest progressive techno elements for that irresistibly thumping beat, and "Magnesium" injects things with just a hint of experimental house minimalism without sacrificing any of its dance appeal. Still, to dismiss the band as mere synthpop is perhaps to do them a disservice, for the easy appeal of their music masks the intelligence behind it. Musically, this intelligence manifests itself through an unorthodox approach to arrangements that sees an almost bluesy guitar line become the centerpiece to "Tile," while violins dance between layers of spaced out keyboards on "An Argument." The intriguingly-titled "Killing Killing Evelyn" is an unexpected treat for EBM fans, turning the band's usually jaunty approach on its ear in favor of a dark, industrial-tinged bass line. Auto-Auto also manage to deliver some impressively thought-provoking lyrics; "Harmageddon," despite its catchy hooks, is infected with a a self-aware cynicism emphasized by Erik Frankel's deadpan vocal style, and "Switchblade" is sure to appeal to all but the most jaded goths with such dryly comedic lines as "She says there's mice in the drywall / She says there's rats in her bed / She says Neubauten gives her headaches / So she's listening to radio instead." It's easy to find synthpop that's amusing in a campy way, but what Auto-Auto offers isn't camp; it's actual smarts. And you can dance to it.

Matthew Johnson
Denis "Shadow" Brunelle

AYRIA - Flicker
(Alfa Matrix Records / www.ayria.com)
Welp, it doesn't seem like Jennifer Parkin misses Epsilon Minus too much because she's doing quite well on her own! She wrote and programmed all the material on this album and starts it off with "It's Been Fun". It's a great song for the dance floor. She has a sweet voice, but it sounds like it could be really harsh too. I was dancing along to this song in my chair so I know if it's got me moving...it's good. I really liked the intro to the second song called "Counterblow". It sounds like it could come off of Pretty Hate Machine. It's mellower than its predecessor, but it's got some really good beats and the piano adds a dark and hallow feeling. "Selling Rebellion" starts out a bit slow, but then pushes through the first verse with a hard-hitting punch and hooks you. It's really catchy and is my favorite song off the album. The cool thing about "My Revenge on the World" is that the verses are whispered. It's an almost nasty, but aggressive song...and that being in a good way. What a great song...quite sexy. "Pink Dress" sounds like a cross between Zombie Girl, The Missing and Switchblade Symphony. That's an interesting combination so I'll let you figure that one out. "St. Edith" sounds like the former, but with a little Rasputina thrown in there as well. It's those cellos. They make the song sound so elegant. You know what? Fuck trying to go through all the songs one by one. I'm just gonna say that the whole album kicks ass because it just does! There...I said it. So, to make a long story short, "Selling Rebellion" and "Infiltrating My Way Through the System" are my favorite songs off the album, followed closely by "St. Edith" and "Be Me". This is a great album and it's well worth every penny it's labeled at.

Y.C. Locus

BLACK TAPE FOR A BLUE GIRL - Remnants of a Deeper Purity (reissued & remixed)
First, to comment on the original album: Regal. Funereal. Romantic. The soundtrack to lost loves. Listening to the mournful cellos and rumbling keyboards (guided only occasionally by the thumping of a drum deep inside the mix) it's hard to believe that most of these songs are about loneliness and lost girlfriends. Surely they're about Sarajevo, global warming, or the fall of humanity from grace. Can anyone feel this blue from a break-up? Obviously, the answer is yes, we all do feel this way some days. Black Tape doesn't hesitate to cut to the heart of how our mundane griefs often transcend their causes. This reissue of their greatest opus, "Remnants...", brings with it the usual suspicions. Does the new material merit re-purchasing the album, or are we just being had? Consider the furor among Cure fans with the allegedly inauthentic extra tracks to The Glove's "Blue Sunshine" album, and you see the fine line being trod by labels when they try the reissuing gambit. After all, "Remnants of a Deeper Purity" is arguably the finest album BTfaBG has released to date. Will an assortment of techno remixes, live extracts, and b-sides really enhance the experience? Thankfully, there are no cheap tricks in the additional material, and many of the tracks are deeper explorations (rather than exploitations) of the original album. We are spared any flimsy "club mix" with a 6-month shelf life. "With My Sorrows Parts 2 and 3" reimagine the stately original with stripped-down instrumentals and additional vocals. "I Have No More Answers," already sublime on the original album, is treated to even more lush and ethereal strings, if you can imagine it. Unfortunately, the three live tracks serve only to remind us that Black Tape is made up of mortals, after all--hearing them tell the audience in frank, American accents that "This is the hit single off our last album" brings the alien splendor of Black Tape somehow back into the quotidian world of rock 'n' roll music. For die-hard fans, and for anyone who failed to pick this up the first time around, the reissue set is well worth the price and does serve the majestic "Remnants..." well. A casual fan who already has the album is encouraged to explore some of Black Tape's other albums.

Paul Thomas

COLLAPSING NEW PEOPLE   - Collapsing New World
(www.collapsingnewpeople.eu)
You can tell just from the album cover that many of Collapsing New People's influences come from the early New Wave and electro scenes; the fact that they took their band name from a Fad Gadget song just confirms it. Indeed, plenty of the songs on their debut full-length draw on the minimalist programming and disaffected vocals that typified early synthpop pioneers like the Tubeway Army; "Burning Flags" and "Blank Generation" in particular are fine examples of good old-fashioned art punk. Shared male and female vocal duties add to the band's appeal; and the shrieking climax of "Song Without Words" is grating in all the right ways. While clearly inspired by the music of two decades ago, the Viennese trio brings in contemporary elements, as well; while the production on many of these tracks is deliberately raw and gritty, the modernized techno beats of "Collapse Collide Capitulate" and melodic approach of "Meat Machine (Paid Advertising)" throws a bone to folks who just want to get on the dance floor without being shouted at. Appealing to old school New Wave fans as well as today's electroclash devotees, Collapsing New World brilliantly combines vintage sounds with modern attitude.

Matthew Johnson

COLLIDE - Some Kind of Strange
(Noiseplus Music / www.collide.net)
The first song off the album is "Crushed". I like it because it evokes a bit of Portishead, 12 Rounds and Switchblade Symphony. "Euphoria" recognizes the same elements, but also has the feel of NIN's "The Fragile". It also has that harsh noise that would be attributed to The Broken EP. A lot of their songs sound the same; euphoric, calming yet somehow haunting and disturbing. "Inside" is a bit of a "yawner" to me, but it has a sweet quality to it. As I said before, this would be for fans of 12 Rounds, Portishead and Switchblade Symphony. I think Massive Attack fans might appreciate it too.

Y.C. Locust

COLONY 5 - Fixed
Colony 5 is a Swedish act founded in 1999 when P-O Svensson started the band as a hobby with Magnus Löfdahl. Touring all over Europe and getting name recognition, this electronic band came in second at the "Quest for Fame," and was nominated as "Best Newcomer" at the Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards in 2005. Colony 5 won Best Band and Best Song (Plastic World) at the Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards 2006.  The hit first single, "Plastic World" can also be found in their latest album released in April 2005 called Fixed.  Some of my favorite tunes for the dance floor in this album are "Fix," "Like Leaves," and "Psycho Blonde."  No doubt this band will continue to entice and collect fans all over the world with their catchy synth-driven beats and lyrical melodies. 

Nocturna

CORDE OBLIQUE   - Respiri
(Ark Records / www.arkrecords.net / www.cordeoblique.com)
Riccardo Prencipe, founder of Italian gothic Medieval act Lupercalia, showcases his gentler side on this project, emphasizing the delicate intricacies of his guitar-playing rather than the theatrical spookiness that typified his previous releases. Joining him on violin is Alfredo Notarloberti, who also worked with him in Lupercalia and who broadens his approach here, shifting between raucous gypsy-tinged dance numbers and stately classical interludes, at times all within a single track. While Prencipe's penchant for Mediterranean exoticism still comes through on songs like "Eventi" and "Winds of Fortune," it's the softer side of this album that best highlights his talent. If Prencipe gives up a little of Lupercalia's mystique with his understated finger-picking on "A Guitar Sounded Like a Lute" or the all-piano arrangement of "Fantasia Sui Tasti Bianchi," the sacrifice is well worth the emotional returns, and such guest singers as Caterina Pontrandolfo and Dwelling's Caterina Raposo highlight the instrumentation with their dulcet sopranos. In many ways a more mature project than Lupercalia, Corde Oblique is sure to broaden Prencipe's audience beyond the small but devoted Medieval goth scene.

Matthew Johnson

CRYONICA TANZ V.4 – Various Artists
(Cryonica Music/ www.cryonica.com)
The comp opener, “Sick Fuck (remix)” by Unter Null, has one hell of a cool introduction, but the song itself doesn't really get started until the 2-minute marker. Long intros are forgiven when it suits the song and it pretty much does…in the latter part of the song. Inure's “ Subversive” has some good synths and a catchy beat so I like it a lot. Thee Hyphen's “My Only Obsession (remix)” is pretty awesome. It blends some old-school goth with electro, synths and sampling. Sort of like if Die Form went more techno. I really enjoyed Octolab's “TV Spell” even though it sounds a bit like something they would sell on one of those deep-house cd commercials. You know which ones I'm talking about, right? It sounds a little “poppy”, but it's kind of catchy. Grendel does an awesome job with “Soilbleed”. It's one of my favorites. The next CD, this being a 2-cd comp, starts out with Spiritual Reality's “The System” remix. I enjoyed this song because it made me think of Atari Teenage Riot and I love that band. I also liked the remix to Ureceus Exit's “Metro”, though the effects during the first verse were kind of annoying. I didn't like the piano much either. Mind:State's “Shift” made me think of Mindless Faith, who I'm a fan of. There was the right blend of echo in the vocals, nice synth effects and it sort of put my in a dream-like state. Good show. Schattenschlag's “Perverted Dreams” had a creepy intro with some children singing in the background. The thing I liked most about the song was the thumping bass beat. I own the EP that “Suicide Bombers” by Leaether Strip is on so needless to say I love the song. A big HELL YEAH to X-Fusion's “Defiled and Raped”. What a title yes, but the beats are reminiscent of Klutae and Leaether Strip. There also seems to be a bit of a Testify influence in there too. I have to say that the last half of second CD is the best. If they put those few key tracks that I mentioned from the first CD and the last half of the second CD, it would be one of the best comps I've heard, but there are too many gaps of “blah” songs. Good effort on Cryonica's part though.

Y.C. Locus

DARKWELL - Metatron
(Napalm Records / www.napalmrecords.com / www.darkwell.org)
Even if gothic metal isn't my field nowdays I must say I do admire bands such as Dreadful Shadows (for their fantastic releases) and Gothminister or even the godfathers Type O Negative. Darkwell's Metatron their latest release (3rd if I recon correctly) was something new to me since I wasn;t aware   of their previous work or sound. As I was informed in this release they present a brand new singer and since I am unaware no comparisons will be made as far as this field is concerned.   Their music is all about Gothic Metal with heavy guitars, gothic vocals , basses in other words the usual elements one will find in such releases. Though there is some potential in their sound still this album do not manage to seperate itself from the massive production the scene is offering us nowdays plus they could add a bit more keyboards to save the day and turn their sound more atmospheric than metal. Although some people will buy this release since it brings napalm record's signature Darkwell should improve a lot in the near future if they wish to survive in this very competitive scene.

John Gedeon "Vassago"

DELEYAMAN   - Second
(Nech Records / www.deleyaman.com)
Weaving together a musical tapestry that includes threads from both Europe and the Near East traditions of Turkey and Armenia, Deleyaman's second album is sparse, haunting, and gorgeous. Much like Dead Can Dance and even Loreena McKennitt, Deleyaman borrows poetic and musical influences going back as far as Medieval times and blends them together into something that's wholly original, yet somehow timeless. While such instruments as the duduk and the saz give songs like "The Door" and "Yana" a distinctly Caucasian flavor that pays homage to band founder Aret Madil's background--he is of Armenian descent and grew up in Turkey--there's a sort of liturgical feel here that hints at early Christendom as much as Sufi chanting. Deep church organs on "Lei Lei" conjure up images of gothic cathedrals, and the whistling flutes and pounding drums of "Dice" even reveal a hint of Celtic wildness. Madil is brilliant at bringing these often diverse elements together, as on the haunting "Battlefield," which seamlessly combines deep church bells, haunting and otherworldly woodwinds, and dreamy guitar ambience to create a desolately beautiful sonic landscape. This is music steeped in tradition, to be sure, but Madil's own artistic vision is by no means bound in the past.  

Matthew Johnson

DELEYAMAN   - Three
(Nech Records / www.deleyaman.com)
Normandy-based band Deleyaman is perhaps the best contender to fill the hole left by Dead Can Dance's dissolution. Deleyaman not only shares that legendary duo's ability to combine traditional instruments like the saz (a type of Turkish lute) and the duduk (Armenian woodwind instrument), but also a musical eclecticism. Singers Aret Madil and Beatrice Valantin seem equally comfortable singing in Swedish, as on the haunting love song "Dejlig Rosa," Turkish, as on the mournful lament "Home," and English, as on the stirring "Raven Days." Band founder Madil's background no doubt contributes to the ease with which Deleyman traverses the musical landscapes of multiple cultures; an American of Armenian descent, he was raised in Turkey, played punk music in Los Angeles, and now lives in France. Madil's Armenian heritage and Turkish upbringing play a huge part in his musical perspective, and nowhere is that more evident than on "Cilicia," an Armenian song of longing for a distant homeland. Still, though the songs might be traditional, the arrangements are thoroughly modernized; rich synthesizers add depth and dreaminess to "Antsrev," and blurry electric guitar adds a hint of shoegazer psychedelia to "Kalisse" and "Sister." In the end, it hardly matters what the influences are; not many bands could pull together such disparate elements without veering off into pointless eclecticism, but Madil and company manage to create a timeless, exotic feeling that seems effortlessly beautiful.

Matthew Johnson

DHM   - Dehumanizacja?
(Noise Annoys / www.noiseannoys.com.pl / www.dhm.com.pl)
This is some furious death rock, with touches of Bauhaus to Christian Death blended into a unique Eastern European style. Admittedly, the fact that all the lyrics are in Polish might make DHM a touch less accessible than British or North American acts, but the band's brand of hard-hitting post-punk madness is more dependent on rhythm than lyricism anyway. Lead singer Radovan Neuro Sanchez's vocals are buried in reverb more often than not, and it's easy to stop paying attention to the melodies and just sink into the pounding tribal groove of bass, drums, and effects-drenched guitar on songs like "Senny" and "Wybuch." This isn't to say that DHM are devoid of melody, of course; "Jestem Gdzie Jestem" has a sing-along quality that's a bit like an Eastern Bloc Joy Division, and the guitar harmonics on "Nie Jestem Kontrolowany" will appeal to Chameleons fans. It's the mood, though, that is the real highlight here, with crashing cymbals and Sanchez's bleak shouting creating a perfect sense of oppression that filters the rebellion of '80s British goth through post-communist urban blight. With such an evocative collection of sounds, you don't need to understand a word to get a punk rocker's view of Poland.

Matthew Johnson

ECHO US – Echo Us
This one, the first offering from Ethan Matthews' new project Echo Us, is all over the map. While trusting to his newfound EBM sensibilities (little is left of his background in epic, synth-soaked prog-rock), Matthews displays a virtuosity with his new project that is rarely seen on “genre” albums. Clocking in at a reasonable 49 minutes, Echo Us manages to pack in: Straight-up ambient noise (“My sirens”), Electronic pop (“Dreaming” veers between Duran Duran and Van Halen, both reworked by an early Depeche Mode), angry EBM (the excellent “Her heart's army/White wednesday”), Blondie-esque Euro-reggae (the inexplicable, white-man's-overbite-inspiring “Who loves you”). When Echo Us gets darker, like the processed, tortured bellydance of “Directed study,” Matthews really hits home. The aforementioned “Her heart's army” is perhaps the strongest of the bunch, a bit too electronic for the batcave set and a bit too drama-queen for the rivetheads, but skin-crawlingly angst-ridden. “To save you” brought back memories of the days when Morrisey and Reznor wrote the soundtrack to life--perfect stuff for lonely, lovely nights. Echo Us later manages to ratchet this effect up a notch for the dancefloor, as seen on “I Radiate I.” For most EBM bands, this would have been the one standout track. For Echo Us, it's perhaps the most danceable, but least interesting, of many interesting tracks. With such a breadth on one short CD, it is idiotic to quibble over one or two tracks that are not to one's taste. No one could like this entire album, except perhaps Ethan Matthews. Something will stick in your craw, but my money says several more things on this disc will delight. And how often do you get to complain that someone is too creative and diverse?

Paul Thomas

ELECTRO SYNTHETIC REBELLION - Wounds and Scars
(DSBP / www.dsbp.cx / esyr.free.fr)
Electro Synthetic Rebellion's Vincent Pujol has built a musical career out of building flawless musical landscapes of electronic rhythms, darkly futuristic keyboards, and angst-filled lyrics of mankind's imminent destruction. In short, he does the classic Front Line Assembly routine as good as Front Line Assembly themselves, and all thankfully without any failed forays into rap music or thrash metal. Pujol's latest CD is more of what we've come to expect from Electro Synthetic Rebellion; it doesn't break any genre boundaries, but it's a near-perfect example of carefully crafted EBM. Highlights include "One Last Tear" with its hard trance-inspired synthesizer progressions, the heavier and more overtly industrialized "Introspection" with its pounding clatter of a rhythm, and "Final Dream," which sees Pujol at his darkest and most contemplative before building into bombastic club beats. Occasional guitars by Olivier Fogel add some beefed up aggression to "Blood On the Walls" and "Humanity Collapsing," and instrumental track "Timeless Sensations" shows Pujol's ability to evoke grim cyberpunk atmosphere through synthesized arrangements alone, but any track on this album is sure to have you dancing, and several alternate mixes make this a must-have for DJs as well.

Matthew Johnson

ERINN WILLIAMS -  Digging In The Dirt
(Daphnes Redemption Publishing/myspace.com/erinn)
Seeming to float towards you on the wings of an angel the beautiful voice Erinn Williams is spellbinding. With a background in opera it is no wonder that Erinn Williams has such a commanding vocal style. Her soft tones have the ability to captivate and hypnotize the listener and each song delivers something special from the singer. Digging In The Dirt is the perfect showcase for the enormous talent in both singing and song writing that Erinn Williams possesses. The songstress is undoubtedly in demand and has written and performed the music for television adverts and shows as well as independent films. Digging In The Dirt is Erinn Williams at the top of her game. The ten songs range from beautifully undulating ballads to soft rock beats, and every one of them is perfectly crafted and executed. Erinn Williams is a talented young singer/songwriter who has even more great things ahead of her.

Brian Ross

FORGOTTEN SUNRISE -   Ru:mipu:dus
(My Kingdom Music / www.mykingdommusic.net / www.forgottensunrise.com)
With elements ranging from darkwave and industrial to grindcore and black metal, it's not surprising Forgotten Sunrise's new album can be a bit overwhelming at times. It's heavy from the get-go, with raw-throated rasps bellowing over a tribal industrial beat on "Outumnyo:nic," but then reverses itself completely on "Never(k)now" with anthemic keyboards and rich, harmonious female vocals. Things just get crazier from there. "Vhatsoewer" goes from Medieval-styled a capella to gothic rock ballad, complete with Mission-inspired bass line, and "Surroundcosmos" raises the bar for unpredictability by layering moody guitars straight out of an old Cure single over throbbing disco house. Some tracks are more successful than others; while the DJ scratching on ethereal ballad "Into Flesh I Was Born" works surprisingly well, some of the samples throw off the pacing of the song. Still, Forgotten Sunrise attempt so much on this album that even their failures can be more interesting than some bands' successes, and bonus offerings like video clips and an evil drum 'n' bass remix from Oakland industrial act GGFH make this more than worth a listen for fans of progressive heavy music.

Matthew Johnson

FREUDSTEIN – Mondo Freudo
The first track on Freudstein's industrial mishmash of an album, “Mondo Freudo,” seems to be its credo. “Live This Lie,” the title track is named. In the first minute of the track, we are treated to spare, echoing beats, followed by industrial noise, followed by horrorshow synths, followed by creepy whispering, followed by sexy snake-dancing synths, followed by all of it together. “I'll be what you want me to be,” the lyrics offer, and we get the feeling this is not just a reference to slavish, dress-up love. It's form-meets-content, where the song will be everything we want it to be. A nice gambit to open an album with. But apparently also the album's fatal flaw—the second track, the neurotic, screechy-guitared “Punkid,” belongs not just on another CD… it belongs in another store. The trick of including multiple musical styles on one track is repeated here to truly awful effect. Thankfully, we all have a fast-forward button on our remotes, and can leap forward into the arms of “Filthy Little Whore (Part I),” only to find ourselves in background music from a Hammer horror film, narrated proudly by an 8-year-old child. Reach for that button again, it's going to be a long review. Dear Freudstein: please don't torture your listeners. Some of this album shows great promise. Some of it shows diagnosable ADHD. Reign in the urge to display all your talents at once, and do something comprehensible to a listener who doesn't need ridilin. The simple grandeur of “The Only Thing,” the cleverness of “Live This Lie,” the creative blending of world beats and angelic chorales on “Servane Chill”—these things can be ripened into greatness. If consistency is too much, try a side-project. Or an EP. Or medication.

Paul Thomas

INERTIA - Positive Angel
(Cryonica Music / www.inertia.gs)
This is a remix album. Generally, I don't expect much from remix CDs, but this one has so many high-profile names on it (well, what I consider high profile) that I though I'd check it out. That, plus Inertia has been around for more than a decade. I know that's still considered a young band, but whatever! First off, they did their own remix of “Angel”. I didn't quite like the intro, but once the beat gets going, it was pretty damn good. I don't really need to get into detail much because I think everyone knows what a remix album sounds like, right? Funker Vogt did a kick-ass job with “Regime”. Razed In Black's remix of “Angel” was in definite RIB form though the guitars are deeper and heavier than I would imagine. There's not as much gain to them. I would have to say that Psyche's remix of “Harlequin” is one of my favorites if not the favorite. The intro is catchy, there are not too many effects or loops, and the vocal effects are pretty cool. I would do without the female vocals, but I guess it's necessary. I didn't care much for Aghast View's remix of “Angel” nor did I like Project-X's mix of “Autoerotica”. Though Ethos' remix of “Sectional” sounded catchy, the rest of the song ended up sounding redundant. I think I was expecting too much from Girls Under Glass. I thought their remix of “Regime” would pack a bigger punch. I liked it, but it wasn't what I expected. “The Threat” by Noisex was definitely a pleasure. I expected it to sound very futuristic and that's what I got. L'ame Immortale's version of “Sectional” sounded a bit like Noisex's, but not as enjoyable. While I could do without a few tracks, it's a solid album. Inertia kicks off their tour this April to support their latest studio album in 3 years. Look to their website for details.

Y.C. Locust

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