News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

New Psyche single on June 13
• Synthpop duo Psyche return with the poppy eleven track single "The Quickening" on June 13. This single is taken from the forthcoming album "Babylon Deluxe" (September). /Mikael Kahrle

Hocico reversed
• Wave Gotik Treffen will host the world premier of Dulce Liquido, which is Mexican EBM duo Hocico reversed. The singer will play keyboards and the keyboard player will sing. /Mikael Kahrle

Scandinavia's largest and oldest synth club seven years
• Tonight, Gothenburg's big Romo Night club celebrates seven years of retro party euphoria. Boytronic will appear on stage for the first time ever in Sweden and Romo Night also host an official release party for Dave Gahan's solo album. The next Romo Night is a six band mini festival called One Night in Gothenburg. /Mikael Kahrle

Killing Joke back with album and concerts

• Back from New Zealand at Big Day Out festival tour in January, legendary alternative band Killing Joke have been recording with longtime fan Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana). Grohl was guest drummer for sessions in March taking the place one time held by Martin Atkins (PiL, Pigface). This next CD will be the latest since 1996's "Democracy" and is to be self-titled. It will be out on the Zuma Recordings (UK) label July 28. The lead single "Loose Cannon"' set for release on July 14 was premiered on BBC Radio1's "Rock Show" on May 27. The album was produced by Gang of Four's Andy Gill.
Killing Joke are confirmed for M'era Luna (Germany) and V2003 (UK) festivals in August with a possible warm-up gig in Berlin. Members Jaz Coleman, Geordie Walker and Paul Raven are yet to confirm a live drummer but the Foos coincidentally are slotted in for V2003 and have no live commitments yet for the weekend of M'era Luna.
Last month, a collection of unreleased and rare recordings titled "Unperverted Pantomime" came out on Burning Airlines (UK) label. It's a re-release from a limited edition only KJ Fan Club release of a live 1980 show with the original band line-up. /Alex Veronac

New album with goth act Funhouse
• Swedish gothic darkwave band Funhouse is working on their new album, called “Flames of Love”. The band has also been joined by "Dee", which we noticed is Dennis Berggren, formerly of small pop act Laura Effect and driving force behind the synthpop label October. The album has no date yet, but you can listen to it on their website. /Johan Carlsson

Good news for Kent fans
• Since the Swedish strike is over, the huge Kent concert in Stockholm on June 6 is no longer in danger of cancellation. /Mikael Kahrle

Graveworm covers Pet Shop Boys
• Metal act Graveworm has made a version of Pet Shop Boys' "It's a Sin" on their new album "Engraved in Black" (June 23). Graveworm has also recorded a cover of REM's "Losing My Religion" - but are not allowed to release it. /Mikael Kahrle

Gothminister attacked with knife

• The Norwegian goth/industrial newcomer Gothminister was attacked by a schizophrenic man recently. Gothminister has received a lot of media coverage in his home country lately and has made the goth scene more visible, which is not seen with kind eyes from everybody. A man attacked the minister with a knife, when he was on his way home from a TV-show. Apparently the man hated the “new gothscene” that Gothminister stands for, and wanted to kill him. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the attacker was soon apprehended. /Johan Carlsson

Debut of electronic supergroupraws closer
• Time for an update about Bruderschaft, the electronic supergroup consisting of DJ Rexx Arkana, Sebastian Komor (Icon of Coil), Joakim Montelius (Covenant), Ronan Harris (VNV Nation) and Stephan Groth (Apoptygma Berzerk). Together they have recorded a track called “Forever”, and an 80 minute charity EP is coming out on August 15, with a whole bunch of remixes on it. Melotron, God Module, Negative Format and many more are taking care of the remix duties, with some as yet unrevealed names to come. /Johan Carlsson

Read our huge Andrew Fletcher and Client interview

• We have been producing more in-depth articles lately where you get to meet, hopefully, interesting artists. In our latest Spotlight, Kalle Malmstedt has a long talk with Andrew Fletcher and the two Client girls about Fletcher's new label, Client's background in Dubstar and Technique and their newly born career, the future of Depeche Mode of course, and more. It's back to basics now for Mr Fletcher:
- We’re just trying to do things in an old-fashioned way - pre punk. Trying to make it fun, exciting. And for me it’s exciting, because I’m working with a band on this level. Everything I do with Depeche is always very big. It's wonderful, it's a great experience being in Depeche Mode, but it's lovely, this reminds me of Depeche in the early days, you know, going to that venue there, doing that sound check and sharing rooms and economy.
After the debut single "Price of Love", a new single, "Rock and Roll Machine" is now scheduled for for June 30.
- It is basically our anthem, our rock anthem. It’s very much about Client: B, it’s about finding herself, breaking free and being a rock’n’roll animal, basically, says Client: A, Kate Holmes.
- It’s probably my favourite track actually…, Client: A, Sarah Blackwood says.
The single offers four versions of the title song and the tracks "Daredevil" and "Pills" spread out on a CD and a 12". We are working on a review of the forthcoming album, but the release date is still pending.
Client has also put together a little tour, with gigs (some of them with Ladytron) so far in the UK, Germany, Greece, Belgium, Spain and Turkey. /Mikael Kahrle

Cevin Key solo trilogy ends with the "Dragon Experience"

Exclusive first look at the cover.

• The third installment in the trilogy started with "Music for Cats" is now complete with "The Dragon Experience" on Metropolis Records set for a July 8 release (USA). The title refers to a dream Cevin Key had in his youth and the cover art was meant to express. The eleven songs cover archived solo material originally recorded around the time of Skinny Puppy's "Bites" (1985). Ken "Hiwatt" Marshall helped complete the project and is listed as co-artist. Expect some moody analogue sounds as this sample of "Repent" is evidence. Key notes that it will be similar to the "Brap 3" era material. On the cover is a young Spencer Elden who some might recognize from his earlier appearance in Nirvana's "Nevermind" in-pool photo. The last track, "Ambient Fruit (Chapter 2)" features a young Nivek Ogre on keyboards!
See earlier Cevin Key news. /Alex Veronac

Huge Kent gig in Stockholm might be cancelled
• Kent are supposed to perform their only Swedish concert this year at Stockholm Stadion on June 6, in front of 30 000 fans. Because of the current strike in Sweden, there is now an imminent risk of cancellation. /Mikael Kahrle

Release caught Covenant and Melotron live in Canada

Covenant & Melotron live in Toronto last week.
Photo by: Alex Veronac (Release)

• "The Northern Light Tour" continues on in North America this month. Covenant is supporting their new CD with full lightshow. Support from Germany's Melotron covers all the dates in USA and Canada as an excellent double bill. When visiting Toronto, both bands told Release they are quite happy with the tour so far after completing the first leg. It's Melotron's first ever US appearances. Both bands played exclusively at last year's Synthpop goes the World Festival in Toronto last summer.
Next week, their first album "Mörderwerk" from 1999 will be re-released through new label Plattenkombinat.
Catch earlier Covenant news here. /Alex Veronac

First release in nine years from Canada's Images in Vogue

• For the first time in nine years some Images in Vogue material will be released. To accompany the earlier hits based "Collection", "Collection Version 2.0: Chronology" focuses on the earlier rarities and many band favourites from 1981 to 1988, never released. This release includes very early recordings like "Travel" and "Quiet Room" up to latter sessions of "Look Me in the Eye" and "Someday". Original tape masters, badly aged, proved problematic in getting the release together as it will be the first time many songs will appear on CD. The 19 songs will be released on the Divine Industries label (Vancouver, Canada) by late July.
Speaking to us from Regina, Saskatchewan, member Gary B Smith also mentioned plans for a single live concert in late August set in hometown Vancouver.
See earlier Images in Vogue report from Release here. /Alex Veronac

Statemachine album release: this time it's for real

• We know have Statemachine's album "Short and Explosive" in our hands and the release date is set to June 13. The album features ten songs including the old singles "Battered and Bruised", "Less Than Perfect" and of course the new "I'm Love". Statemachine plan to play festival gigs this summer and clubs in autumn. /Mikael Kahrle

Virtual Server get upgraded
• DJ Ram's project Virtual Server has released a reworked version of his debut album "Installed" and has titled it "Installed-Upgraded" (SPR). This album contains remixes by Beborn Beton, B!Machine, Carpe Diem, Neuropa, Cosmonautica as well as a slew of others. In the meantime, Virtual Server are working dilligently on their next album which will feature vocals by Darrin Huss of Psyche fame. /Peter Marks

Alice in Videoland debut soon



• A Swedish band that calls themselves Alice in Videoland and describes their style as “electro, punk, EBM and rock” will release their debut single soon. A quick listen confirms that the above description is not far from the truth. This female fronted four man band has recently signed on to the label National, and they will play live at the Arvika Festival this summer. To get a feel for the band, go here. /Johan Carlsson

Swedish music in London
• The classic London club The Underworld in Camden has joined forces with the Swedish student association Bilda, and will arrange Swedish Breed once a month. The event is meant to take Swedish bands and get them played in London. First up on May 23 are industrial band Spyke as well as The Facer, The Mainliners and Amical. /Johan Carlsson

Catching up with Delerium



• Bill Leeb has once again teamed up with Rhys Fulber for the new Delerium album "Chimera", as we have told you before. Not all tracks are made with Rhys, only six. Other collaborators are DJ K-Rec and Carmen Rizzo.
As usual there will be a limited edition of the album, featuring a bonus disc. This will contain three remixes - including a remix contest winner - plus the videos for “Aria”, “Silence” and “Flowers Become Screens”. The regular album hold 13 tracks, with previously hired guest vocalists like Leigh Nash and Kristy Thirsk as well as Julee Cruise (has worked with Angelo Badalamenti). "Chimera" should be out on June 24.
A joint Delerium/Conjure One (Fulber's Delerium-like solo project) tour is shaping up, and will probably take place this autumn, but only in North America. There are rumours about a Delerium live DVD as well, but nothing is confirmed. /Johan Carlsson

Two new albums coming from Allied Vision
• Spanish electro mainstays Allied Vision will release their new album "O.S. Bandwidth" and an additional remix longplayer "Remix Bandwidth" on September 3 (Hardbeat). Frontman and sole member Oscar Storm describes his new work:
- It's the most futuristic output from Allied Vision ever.
Allied Vision last graced our ears with the phenomenal "MMBO" back in 2001. /Peter Marks

Nick Cave: "He Wants You"
• The second single to be lifted from Nick Cave's "Nocturama" is a double A-side for the song "He Wants You" (June 2, Mute). As well as an edited version of "Babe, I'm on Fire", this single has the added excellence of two unreleased tracks: "Everything Must Converge" and "Little Ghost Song". /Peter Marks

21 North American live dates for Dave Gahan
• Dave Gahan embarks on a North American tour on July 18 in Atlanta. (So far) 21 dates follow and the last one is in Los Angeles on August 25. /Mikael Kahrle, Alex Veronac

New York synthpop festival
• American synthpop company A Different Drum organises a festival in New York on June 27 and 28. Wave in Head and Leiahdorus are two of the invited bands. /Mikael Kahrle

Ogre live with Ministry
• At Ministry's show in Philadelphia on May 6, Nivek Ogre and Anthrax' Scott Ian joined the band on stage in "Stigmata". /Mikael Kahrle

Fans pay tribute Front Line Assembly
• Front Line Assembly will be celebrated this summer (in June or July) when some of their fans release the tribute album ”Replicate 01”. It’s the gang from the forum at www.mindphaser.com that has come through, and they have made their own versions of tracks like ”Fatalist”, ”Outcast”, ”Mental Distortion” and many more. Among the mostly unknown fans contributing, we also see the somewhat established acts Scribe Machine, The Pain Machinery and K-Nitrate.
The newly founded label MOMT Records are behind the CD and their web site hosts short soundclips. /Mikael Kahrle

Human League to tour US

• A Human League club tour is to start in August in North America. So far, only one date has been confirmed in Anaheim, CA on August 24 with UK 80's revival band General Public. The band were across the Atlantic last October for a short media stint mostly on US and Canadian morning TV shows (!). /Alex Veronac