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News
editors: Mikael
Kahrle & Johan
Carlsson |
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En Esch and Mona Mur interview February 27, 2009 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon USA)
- Well, it has always been the direction, Mona Mur says. I think it really nails the feel and atmosphere of the songs. We both stand for music that is intense, hard and sophisticated. Playfulness and rigour at the same time. Beautiful melodies, harsh guitars and rhythm elements like moving steel sculptures. Lyrics in black and white... nothing between. We like hard contrasts. - The songs are chansons about love as an edgy experience... brutal and aggressive yet tender and broken. That’s it. Esch, as Release readers well know parted ways with the KMFDM in 1999 and obligingly shed some light on a rather touchy topic: - I didn’t actually quit, I rather didn't rejoin. There was a lot of negative energy between Sascha, Günter and myself around 1999 and we decided on the phone to call it quits. Only two days later I heard that Skold and Sascha started a new project called MDFMK, he says. - I wonder to this day what was up with that? Two years later, Sascha and I had a meeting in New York and he tried to convince me to rejoin his idea of a new KMFDM. I had been happy about my new creative freedom at that time and so I refused the concept of a fast reunion of KMFDM. Sascha couldn't wait and went ahead without me, but I'm proud that I'm a very important part of the golden years of such an influential band. X Marks the Pedwalk writing music again February 26, 2009 | By: Tobias Eliasson (Gothenburg, Sweden)
According to Infacted Recordings, Sevren Ni-Arb, founder of the X Marks the Pedwalk, have started up production again. During the 90:s these Germans were one of the first from the legendary but since long gone electronic music label Zoth Ommog and they were influenced by the Canadian EBM sound from bands like Skinny Puppy. Their whole back-catalogue has recently been re-released digitally by Infacted. Their latest studio album is “Drawback” from 1996. Ritz reunion, Tech Noir farewell February 25, 2009 | By: Tobias Eliasson (Gothenburg, Sweden)
The classic club Ritz will host a reunion party at Debaser Medis in Stockholm, Sweden on March 21. Back in the eighties, Swedish bands like Lustans Lakejer, Reeperbahn and Ratata all played, and partied, at the club that simply was “the place to be”. During the years foreign bands like Depeche Mode, Duran Duran and Nick Cave also visited Ritz. Now the club will reform for one night, with some of DJ:s from back in the days; also Nevermindtheorchestra will play together with a lot of secret guest artists. On a related note, this Saturday Tech Noir will leave the classic venue Kolingsborg in Stockholm. They are currently looking for a new venue. Four live bands will perform during the evening; Necro Facility, Red Cell and Kopfer Kat have been announced so far. A fully loaded spring from Mordant Music February 25, 2009 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon USA) Now a solo artist, Baron Mordant has informed us of massive release plans from the hive. A one-sided etched 10" single entitled "The Hauntological Song" is out in early March and will be followed by an entire album's worth of collaborations called "Picking O'er the Bones" later in the same month. The travelogues saga continues with installment the seventh, "The End of the Pier" being issued sooner than later. A remix EP named "The Tower - reMMixes" is planned and in between May and June, Mordant Music will issue their second full-length album "SyMptoMs". Mr. Maxted are also rumoured to have a new 12" single out in the summer although to quote the good gentleman: "Updates remain fallow". We reviewed Maxted's debut "Lives and Privacy" last year and to date it remains a vinyl only commodity. All of this work will be made available via the band's web site and many digital vendors now carry the Baron's wares. Leeb joins Fulber in LA for new FLA album February 23, 2009 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden) Today is a day to rejoice for all Front Line Assembly fans. A new album was just announced on the band's official MySpace page, where it also said that Bill Leeb will join Rhys Fulber in his Los Angeles studio this time. It's going to be old school aggressive electro in the FLA style, and we are also told to expect some special guests. That's all we know at this point, we'll keep you updated. Sturm Café closed February 23, 2009 | By: Mikael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden) EBM-duo Sturm Café from Gävle, Sweden, is no more. Gustav from Sturm Café released an album with his other project Kommando XY late last year, and says he is open for new constellations. IAMX enters the "Kingdom of Welcome Addiction" February 23, 2009 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden)
Fans have been clamoring for any info about the upcoming new album from IAMX. It was first said to be out last fall, but without a word it just simply vanished from the radar. Now we have info that tells us that it's coming out on May 19. It's called "Kingdom of Welcome Addiction", and features the first duet under the IAMX moniker, together with electro goddess Imogen Heap on the track "My Secret Friend". Rumours say his live band is featured on the album as well, and that he's moving into a more indie-like sound territory. Clips on YouTube from recent live shows do sound promising though. VNV Nation finally release "Reformation 1" February 23, 2009 | By: Johan Carlsson (Stockholm, Sweden) After some delay, the retrospective album "Reformation 1" is out on April 24 in Europe, and a few weeks later in the US. It features three discs worth of content: one live disc, one with remixes and rare tracks, and a DVD with live videos. There will "only" be 18 000 copies made; 9000 for Europe, 9000 for US. The "1" in the title suggests that we have more of these special collectors releases coming. Interestingly, the box will be the first release on VNV's own label for America, namely Anachron America. Tinitus hosts contest for live slot February 20, 2009 | By: Mkael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden) The Stockholm Tinitus festival invites artists to compete for a 20 minute stage slot, as second band on the main stage where stars like The Klinik and And One also will perform, on April 10. Check out the Tinitus web site for contest info. Castle Party invites scene artists from around the world February 20, 2009 | By: Mkael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden)
Front 242, Covenant, KMFDM and Diary of Dreams of four of the headliners on this year's Castle Party in Bolkow, Poland, on July 24-26. The line-up also includes, for example, Crematory, Psyche, Spectra Paris, Madre del Vizio, Dreadful Shadows and of course Poland's own Fading Colours. Nine Inch Nails wave goodbye February 19, 2009 | By: Mkael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden) In a statement, Trent Reznor says he is "waving goodbye" and that: "In NIN world, 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of our first releases. I've been thinking for some time now it's time to make NIN disappear for a while." Nine Inch Nails is currently on (their last) tour. Cuts like a Knife February 18, 2009 | By: Mkael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden)
The video for the song "When I Grow up" from The Knife's Karin Dreijer Andersson's solo project Fever Ray is here. Speaking about the conception of the video, director Martin de Thurah says: - The initial idea was about something coming out of water - something which was about to take form - a state turning into something new. And a double headed creature not deciding which way to turn. But the idea had to take a simpler form, to let the song grow by itself. I remembered a photo I took in Croatia two years ago, a swimming pool with its shining blue color in a grey foggy autumn landscape. Debut album "Fever Ray" is out now as a download album. The physical copy shows up on March 18 in Sweden (Rabid), 23 in the rest of Europe (Coop), USA (Mute) and Australia/New Zealand (etcetc). Karin is featured on some excellent tracks on forthcoming Röyksopp album "Junior". Banner Days Ahead for The Church February 16, 2009 | By: Peter Marks (Portland, Oregon USA) Australia's veteran purveyors of all things strange and cryptic, The Church, will release their new album "Untitled #23" (Unorthodox/MGM) sometime in the spring. It will be preceded by EP "The Coffee Hounds" in February which will showcase the band's take on the Kate Bush classic "Hounds of Love" and then followed by another EP, "Pangea", afterwords. In addition, The Church have also just put out a soundtrack for the movie "Shriek" which is to say the least a most engaging listen. We covered this band in 2006 for their "Uninvited, Like the Clouds" album and this particular writer has had the honour of seeing them live four times over the years. The Church formed in 1980 and have a discography which would make most turn tail and run. Their members currently are: Steve Kilbey, Marty Willson-Piper, Peter Koppes and Tim Powles. Frontman and bassist Steve Kilbey has also just recently issued a new solo record entitled "Painkiller". Guitarist Willson-Piper released his latest solo effort "Nightjar" last year and toured extensively to support it. Willson-Piper may be somewhat familiar to Release readers due to his stint in the English formation All About Eve. Tour dates thus far appear to be shaping up for Australia although other countries may yet be in the offing, here's hoping. Fingers crossed.
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