News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

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Orgy speaks about the new album

Older and wiser?
Photo by: Kevin Winter

• Orgy, the Los Angeles based gothic-electro-punk band, had announced the release of the third album no one knew would come. Today "Punk Statik Paranoia" hits the shelves marking not only their first LP release since their 2000 "Vapor Transmission" album, but the date also marks the unveiling of Orgy front man Jay Gordon’s new recording label D1 which the album will call home. The label is managed by his father and industry veteran Lou Gordon.
"Punk Statik Paranoia", while maintaining the quality of the hard hitting melodies of Orgy's past, will bring about a new side of the band, audiences have never been privilege to.
- I think we are going to expand our band’s fan base a lot by going the route we went with this record. It’s a lot heavier, but it’s a lot more real. I wanted to show them that the band can play, Gordon told Release the other day.
In support of the new album, Orgy is making plans to launch an American tour early this spring. With dates and venues to be announced, preparation is being concentrated on the performance rather than the theatrics.
- We’ll probably start off doing low scale… just not bringing a lot of production with us. We just want to get out and play!, Gordon says. /Josh Gloer

Skinny Puppy recordings complete - CD in May
• The next step in Skinny Puppy's return is being prepared as the new recording sessions are complete. Since their last live date in 2000, one could expect at least another special live gig, but a new record planned left many skeptical especially with the Ohgr project finally taking shape at the time. The twelve or so new songs are being mastered now that Ogre's vocals have been added. A tentative release timeframe has been set for May 2004 on SPV.
The rebirth theme in the latest Skinny Puppy promo photos now circulating seem most appropriate. The two planned additional on stage musicians have not been announced yet as all efforts have been to completing the LP. Drummer Danny Carey (Tool) and Omar Torres (Hologram) have been ruled out at this point, due to commitments. A prepared tour backing video by director William Morrison (Ohgr) is to be expected by the time the band plays the Zillo festival.
See our last Skinny Puppy news below and here. /Alex Veronac

Another Swedish pop band calls for help

• Wendy from Sweden's Mjölby is the latest addition in a seemingly endless row of Swedish frustrated bands from grey small towns. Suburbs will do too. These bands always dream of a life improved somewhere else and hope their music career can carry them into the great unknown.
It remains to be seen if Wendy can succeed but their debut single "Champagne Love" (March 10 on new label Monarch) is a catchy tune where tight guitar pop meets electronics in the style of Weeping Willows last two albums. An EP is scheduled for late spring or summer. /Mikael Kahrle

Bartos and Wire to Roskilde
• The Danish Roskilde Festival has released few names of interest to Release readers, so far for the 2004 fest. Now, however, they have invited Karl Bartos, Wire and Pixies. It has been known for some time now that David Bowie will return to the festival. But Roskilde still have a lot of work to do if they intend to attract a substantial crowd from our genres. /Mikael Kahrle

"Veni Veni" from Ernst Horn's Helium Vola
• Ernst Horn from Deine Lakaien has another project called Helium Vola, and they released their debut album not so long ago. He has now concocted a new single taken from the upcoming follow-up album. The single which is called “Veni Veni” is out since February 17 and also includes three other new songs. /Johan Carlsson

The latest from Sophie Rimheden

• Sophie Rimheden became the Swedish queen of glitch disco pop when she relased her album “Hi-fi” last year (Manifest award for best Swedish electronica album 2003). Now she’s got a new single out through new label Racewillbegin.com. The label, based in Malmö, Sweden, dedicate themselves to releasing virtual 7” singles (!). Rimheden’s single, “Wanting”/”Hold Me”, is their first release and available to download for free from the site. It’s also out as a CD single with a bonus track, but strictly limited to just 25 copies!
In March, Sophie Rimheden will be opening for electroclash trio Chicks on Speed on their live dates in Scandinavia. A live performance at SAMA follows on April 2, and Rimheden is also scheduled to perform at Arvikafestivalen. /Kristoffer Noheden

Re-release for Wolfgang Flür book

• The controversial book "Ich war ein Roboter" by ex-Kraftwerk member Wolfgang Flür will be reissued in March. The new edition has a new design compared to the 1998 version. /Jens Krause

Launch for Stephan Groth's Fairlight Children



• The synthpop project of Apoptygma Berzerk main man Stephan Groth – Fairlight Children – will present their debut album “808 Bit” on March 15 via SPV. In addition to Stephan, the electroclash-synthpop-whatever trio also consists of the two women Tiff and Marianne B.
The first single has just been released, and is titled “Before You Came Along”, featuring mixes by Echo Image and Pleasure amongst others. /Johan Carlsson

Oomph! no 1 in the German charts
• The latest single from the German electro rock band Oomph! is called “Augen auf“ and has recently landed firmly on the number one spot, both on the DAC and the German media control singles chart (the real deal). The accompanying album “Wahrheit oder Pflicht” just hit the streets, and features twelve tracks, plus the video for “Augen auf”. /Johan Carlsson, Jens Krause

German festival with exclusive Front 242 gig
• The German open-air music festival Woodstage is celebrating it ten-year anniversary this year. It’s on June 26 and legendary Belgian electro-pioneers Front 242 is playing their only European summer festival show of 2004 at the festival. Other acts playing include VNV Nation, DAF, In Extremo and Corvus Corax. /Johan Carlsson

Portion Control album closer to completion
• After a period of calling themselves Solar Enemy, the punk-electro pioneers Portion Control are, since long, currently still working on a new possible double album which will be called "Wellcome" (influenced by scientist Henry Wellcome). No word yet on when it’s going to be out. They also plan to re-issue their back catalogue soon. /Johan Carlsson, Marcus Carlsson

Reworked Wolfsheim single in German movie


Say hello to Wolfsheim.
Photo by: James Pfaff

• The ever productive German synthpop band Wolfsheim have a new single out on March 1. The title track “Blind” is actually from their last album “Spectators”, and the aim of the single is for it to coincide with the German movie “Erbsen auf halb 6” – because it is on the soundtrack. The track has been remastered and re-recorded, and also comes in various remixes. /Johan Carlsson

Debut album from techno metal act Bent U.S.A.
• London lunatics Bent U.S.A. released their debut album "As You Like" on Armalyte Industries on February 16. The label describes the band as "art rock", but their sound is actually closer to techno metal of the kind that was big in the mid-90's. /Kristoffer Noheden

Breaking News: first new Skinny Puppy live date announced

A new Skinny Puppy, a new picture.
Photo by: Austin Young

• As Skinny Puppy ends their recording sessions in Los Angeles, an exclusive live date is announced for Germany, at dark mag Zillo's 10th anniversary annual festival at St Goarshausen am Rhein's Loreley Freilichtbühne. Nivek Ogre and Cevin Key will perform with at least two other musicians on stage.
Other major acts confirmed are Within Temptation, Blutengel, Das Ich, Laibach, Suicide Commando and Sitd for the three day festival over July 16-18.
Canadian band Skinny Puppy's last live performance was at Doomsday Festival in 2000. This year's planned festival tour should include much of the new material from Skinny Puppy's new CD release on SPV. /Alex Veronac

Human League to Sweden

• Human League plan to perform at the largest synthpop club in Scandinavia, Romo Night, at the largest nigth club venue in Gothenburg, Trädgår'n, on April 30. The booking was just confirmed and this is a dream come true for the club. /Mikael Kahrle

Covenant's future plans
• Covenant are working on their new album, to be released later this year. As many other hot electro artists have done in recent days, among them Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, Melotron and the Apoptygma Berzerk side project Fairlight Children, Covenant have signed a deal with SPV sub label Synthetic Symphony. Now, Covenant also announce a three date mini tour of southern Sweden in mid-May, where they most likely will premiere new material. Previously, Covenant have announced concerts in Italy, Turkey, Belgium and Germany (WGT and M'era Luna) during 2004. See On Stage. /Mikael Kahrle

808 State cover "Blue Monday" on new LP
• Manchester's 808 State are to release a new "Prebuild" LP late this spring. The band named after their equipment have signed to Rephlex (UK), and will have a single come out preceding titled "So Hot" featuring a cover version of "Blue Monday" by New Order. /Alex Veronac

In Strict Confidence re-release album
• After entering the official German charts with their latest album “Holy”, In Strict Confidence will now re-release their early album “Face the Fear”. It’s going to be a double disc affair, with lots of unreleased material, new remixes by VNV Nation and Melotron and rare songs from deleted releases. Out next week, on February 24. /Johan Carlsson

Swedish synthpop veterans Vision System return

• After five years of silence, Swedish duo Vision System return with the indie/synthpop album "Monochrome", fuelled by new label Petrol. Vision System list The Cure, Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Kraftwerk and The Smiths among their influences. The cover is made by friend Jakob Westman, a designer and illustrator who has previously worked with Hyundai, Swedish TV3, Halebop, Vodafone and many more.
The former October Records band Vision System released their debut single "Olympus Mons" as far back as 1994 and was interviewed in the printed Release edition the year after, but they never made it big.
Review in progress. The band web site features MP3 clips of all album songs. /Mikael Kahrle

Velvet Acid Christ compilation



• “Between the Eyes Volume 1” is the title of a new compilation with industrial act Velvet Acid Christ’s singles and B-sides. It features lots of remixes and comes out on Metropolis on March 15. /Johan Carlsson

New project from former Haujobb man
• Standeg is the name of Bjorn Junemann's (ex-Haujobb) new band. Currently, they have one track out on Dependent's "Septic IV" compilation entitled "Rushing Pictures". For those whose memory has lapsed, Junemann has not been heard from since his rather unceremonious exit from Haujobb in 1994. A web site is also up and features snippets of four other tracks. About their sound, Junemann comments:
- From deep, atmospheric electronics to common pop song structures... everything is possible. /Peter Marks

Dave Gahan release digital single
• In preparation of the live DVD “Live Monsters”, Dave Gahan has just released the digital single “A Little Piece”. It’s available online via his website www.davegahan.com where you can also get high resolution artwork images. /Johan Carlsson