| |
|
News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson |
 |
AD
Further label woes for Fields of the Nephilim Oct 12 2006 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon, USA) "Some of you may be aware of the insidious release of a new "box set" of Fields of the Nephilim works entitled "Genesis and Revelation". Camden-based record company Jungle Records are yet again attempting to deceive our famously loyal followers into parting with their cash. Please be aware that this "product", which claims to include previously unreleased audio tracks and audio-visual live footage from the band, is no more than a shoddy concoction of generally low quality recordings and bootlegs, much of which have been freely available on the internet for years. This release contains no new or official material and is not sanctioned, sponsored or condoned in any way by Fields of the Nephilim." Stateside roll call Oct 11 2006 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon, USA) "Assumed Outrivaling" (Radio Valkyrie), the new album from Massachusetts's Out Out is nearly finished and is described as being a slower, darker and more sountrack-like work than the previous "Virtual Sound Images". Mark Alan Miller also states it to be a more "late night" release that hopefully will be out in the spring of 2007. On a related note, an entirely unreleased "lost" album from another band Miller was in briefly, Vein Cage, is being compiled as this is written. It will be composed of music the band wrote between the years 1993 and 1995 and is entitled "Killing days...The Lost Years". "Halotecture" (AuralSX), Index AI's current new project is well under way with three to four new songs being worked on currently. Eric Chamberlain's long-standing musical endeavour released its first new work in over five years earlier in the year which was titled "World Blade Center". Expect more odd sounds from the New Mexico desert later in 2006. Still no word about the previously mentioned resurrection of the "Skylash" side-project, however. Finishing it all off, a newcomer from Vicksburg, Mississippi called Asthenia have plans to debut with an EP entitled "Zero Hour" (AVI) in December of this year. For those who have not heard of Asthenia before, they can be previewed at their (where else?) MySpace. For fans of dark electronic yet complex music, this may be right up your street. The Sisters of Mercy to release three new albums Oct 9 2006 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon, USA) | Thanks to: Johan Åman | Andrew Eldritch Toronto photo by: Alex Veronac Bonus tracks abound all across these three releases, although most Sisters fans already have them. Worth noting is that these works have been given a much needed re-mastering although the sleeve notes will be the true star of the show, worth their weight in comedy gold. These three albums, originally released in 1985, 1987 and 1990 respectively charted a bold and uncompromising path throughout the musical world, allowing the sole remaining member to linger on, infusing his undead body with the blood of the living IE: the tour-going public and their ever-alluring lucre. Jimmy Sommerville and Andy Bell join benefit concert Oct 9 2006 | By: Mike Whyte (Tokyo, Japan) The Food Chain are throwing their first benefit concert, "It Takes Two", at The Mermaid Theatre in Puddle Dock, London. The night promises to be an interesting spectacle, featuring a series of duets between UK stars from both the music and TV worlds. The bill is set to include such stars as ex-Communards singer Jimmy Somerville, as well as Andy Bell, of Erasure fame. The Food Chain is an organization dedicated to providing nutrition and nutritional information to those suffering from HIV related illnesses, and is funded through public donations. Tickets range between 20 to 50 pounds and the event will take place from 8pm on December 2. Tickets are available now via the Barbican website. Also, for those interested in going, there are even rumours of a special after-show party – so keep the whole night free for this worthwhile cause! AD
Former Clan of Xymox members release new CD:s Oct 6 2006 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon, USA) "Ourspace" (on newly founded label I-Rain) is the first new album from Pieter Nooten (ex-Cyberia) since his 1987 classic with Michael Brook "Sleeps With the Fishes" and continues on with his nuanced, delicate experiments with atmospherics. Nooten has no plans to tour this release. "Cocoon Time" (I-Rain) sees the return of enigmatic voice Anka Wolbert (picture). Primarily an acoustic, somewhat trip hop-styled album, it retains all the dynamics and raw emotion she is known for. A timely Underworld update Oct 5 2006 | By: Mike Whyte (Tokyo, Japan) There has been a lot of activity recently coming forth from Underworld; here's the news in brief: First, there is a free to download mix available for purchasers of the first three downloads in the Riverrun Project, Underworld's internet-only release series. The Mysteron Mix is basically a special mix of the tracks so far in the series. They have also been active in the soundtrack department, composing the soundtracks to two upcoming films. “Breaking and Entering”, is the new film from the director Anthony Mingella and stars Jude Law. The soundtrack is available since October 1 on V2 Records, and is a collaboration with Gabriel Yared. They are also rumoured to be working on the music for the new Danny Boyle film "Sunshine", set for release in 2007. Finally, fans of the live aspect will be happy to know that there will be a live relay of Underworld along with Sven Väth, live from the Cocoon Club in Frankfurt. This special event is due to happen from 10:30pm CET on October 14, and scheduled to be a three hour broadcast. More information can be found on all these events and more from www.dirty.org and www.underworldlive.com. Out of the mist Oct 5 2006 | By: Mattias Huss (Uppsala, Sweden)
Don't take my word for it though, hear it for yourself in Uppsala in October 14 (see On Stage). AD
Belgian Independent Music Festival aproaching Oct 4 2006 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon, USA) The 2006 version, while not containing anything approaching that scale does, however, hold one live appearance which fans who remember have been dying for, it is the first concert in over 20 years to be performed by Absolute Body Control (picture). This band, primarily consisting of Dirk Ivens and Eric van Wonterghem, were one of the forerunners in Belgian electronic music and existed from 1980-1984 before both members jumped ship to become part of The Klinik. No word yet as to what the setlist looks like but classics such as "Is There an Exit?" and "A Broken Dream" are sure to feature. Whether or not original members Mark De Jonghe and Veerle De Schepper will be accompanying the band is unknown at this time. Other participants: Sheep on Drugs, Spetsnaz, Ringel-S, Proceed, Echo West and RevCo Sound-system. To top it all off, venerable analogue wizard Karl Bartos also will be performing at the festival, no doubt wowing the crowd with tracks from his amazing 2003 album "Communication". Surely several Kraftwerk "covers" will feature also. Disobedient Songs from O Yuki Conjugate Oct 1 2006 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon, USA) Originally formed in 1982 and hailing from Nottingham, England, O Yuki Conjugate have just released their first new album in nearly twelve years with the title "The Euphoria of Disobdience". The band describe their new work's sound as "dirty ambient". The album is limited to just 1000 copies and can be ordered directly from their website. Versions of all their works are also being offered in MP3 format and in addition, new material is being worked on with a target release time of autumn/winter of this year. Although the artists in question state "don't hold your breath". With one of the more sporadic discographies out there, O Yuki Conjugate have often been lumped into the "tribal" genre due to their 1991 album "Peyote". Their last album "Equator" was released in 1994 and featured floating ambient washes with more focus on acoustical dynamics. |
Hot on the heels of another hugely
successful cancelled tour, England's
Fields of the Nephilim are once
more embroiled with their former
label Jungle Records. From the
official website: 
OK,
so we're kidding. Partially. It's
the classics "First
and Last and Always",
Floodland" and "Vision
Thing" that are due
to be re-released in deluxe
double disc format as Andrew
Eldritch obviously cannot
be bothered to put an
actual new album out. 
Long-time
fans of Dutch darkwave
band Clan of Xymox will
no doubt be pleased to
know that two past members
have
some new work available. 
The Mist of Avalon, the
longest running goth band
from this writer's home
town, is emerging again
after another bout of silence.
They are putting the finishing
touches to their third
album and preparing to
hit the road. Although
spiced up by two other
profiles of Uppsala's musical
scene, renowned metal producers
Daniel Bergstrand and Örjan Örnklo,
the sound is the same reliable,
somewhat pedestrian goth
we have come to expect
from this band. 
This year's edition of
the Belgian Independent
Music Festival will once
again take place in Hof
Ter Lo, Antwerp and happens
on December 12. The BIM
fest has acquired a reputation
for putting together some
excellent line-ups which
have included a re-formed
Klinik, Insekt and even
Parade Ground.