Right before Tvmvlvs Seraphim, Genoa's Beyond productions put out this release that could break into the heart of the same kind of listeners (although there're some consistent differences). During the first listening you can have the "itch" to file this cd under "dark ambient", sure, it doesn't go that far from how "L'odore del ramo spezzato" sounds like, but I'm afraid with such a definition you'll end underrating an interesting record. This cd displays a misty landscape in front of your own eyes and it's not the ususal "all black" thing, since there's a full range of colors hidden in between the lines. I'm sure Sostrah Tinnitus will conquer the favor of those into many releases on Hic Sunt Leones, as I've no doubt at times it's even better than some national heroes like Alio Die or Oophoi. This guy is able to lull the listener into a comfortable trip much better than Codeine (the drug not the band), imagine a solitary ride in the the forest shot on the cover. While the canvas it's made out of drones, the use of shells, rainstick, field recordings (together with synths and magnetic tapes) gives a religious atmosphere to the whole thing. For all of you skeptics out there the quality mark of this project could be guaranteed by the fact together with Cria Cuervos this guy it's one of the few italians to put out a cdr on belgian cult label Mystery Sea, but even without you just need to give it you hears. A good release: autumn is at the door but in "L'odore del ramo spezzato" the winter is already there.

I think the fact many "open minded" metal labels started producing bands that are far from being metal overall is a great thing. I knew Beyond productions mainly for its "metal" (the word itself it's a bit generical, forgive me) rooster, but Tvmvlvs Seraphim together with Sostrath Tinnitus it's more post-industrial, dark-ambient. I think "Fortress ermetica" should be addressed to all those glorifying Cold Meat Industry and there's no doubt Tvmvlvs Seraphim sometimes it's right in-between dark-ambient and post-industrial. Some war-movies' samples and classical-lyrical (or gregorian) singing scratch the surface of the synth-magma. "Hidden war behind the door" and the title-track (judging from the song titles and from the artwork war outta be one of the authors' favorite subjects) evoke a dark pool made of drones borne out of synth, in "Fortress ermetica" you can even sense a melody growing underneath, it slowly changes vanishing into a gregorian chant outro. While "Decay of the hierophant" and "Europe after the rain" (the second version) keep on following the same dark ambient-apocalyptic thread, "The Burnt-out spa" refers to a more radical noise (power noisy!?) root or at least that's the impression you get from the mechanical drill that erupts all of a sudden in the middle of the scene. Without any doubt this release its far better than many recent releases on Cold Meat, "gut...gut!".

Long awaited and now available in the stores is Slovakia’s currently best Dark Electro/Industrial act DISHARMONY with their new and already third release. Against to the both predecessors the label Aliens Productions from Slovakia decided no longer to work with the German Broken Seal. Instead now they’ve committed a partnership deal with the Czech Republic rising label Monopolrecords. The Slovakian friends behind DISHAMONY, Ryby and Lord Sauron (what a cool name...) are moving in between towards in their musically development to build the new and authentic sound of DISHARMONY. Often compared to some classic and veteran acts like MORTAL CONSTRAINT or THE KLINIK they reach now their own identity and perfection. Dark and slowly interpreted tracks pending between Ambient and Electro, offering space and room for extremely strange rhythms plus distorted but not obtrusive vocals which are well integrated in the mix. This new "Collapse" offers us a thrilling listen experience from track 1 to 15. Highlights are rich mixed in here, but can mostly found in pieces like the title track, "Disfiguration", "Enemys" or "Flame in my Soul", where they finally add more variations into tempo and arrangement. A good Ambient-like remix work of the track "Zoomer" done by the MORTAL CONSTRAINT solo effort leaded by Ingo Lindmaier, POLYGON, is included as well. I have also noticed a slight growing dedication to some harsher almost Powernoise-like sounds on the latter tracks like "Magnificence". However, it will be almost interesting to see and hear how far the unbreakable sense for experimental song structures of this duo will move. 15 groundbreaking Dark-Electro tracks of the finest kind far away from all nerve-killing sounds of Futurepop or Hellektro. Check this out immediately!

Another german electro-goth product for your ears and this time it's Vaws' turn with a fresh new sampler. A lot of rock-pounding electro-goth tunes german style (mainly for the first half of the cd), read "4/4 dance beat that pump in a lot of tunes", most of the tracks therefore combine melody with a disco beat framework. To be sincere I'm not that acknowledged about this style but everything seems to have the best possible result, I'm sure this could be the best soundtrack if you want to dance to an alternative beat in a really cool goth-disco. A good production add some extra points to the release, it reminds me of some old releases on E.N.D.E.: martial, romantic and fetish. The only possible remarks is that most of the tunes from the first half of the cd are a bit too similar one to each other above, not just for a matter of keyboards or for the beat but also for the whole songs' skeleton. The first big change from introducing the second half of the cd is represented by KCN and PREUSSAK that drives toward a more rave-oriented stuff. VERSTARKER instead using some mechanical loops brings into a noise-electro and "brain devastating" field (remember the review of the sampler came out on Plutonium?). W.O.M.P. could be more old fashioned industrial music, akin to LAIBACH during their disco trips, imagine these germans are more melodical and less pompous and you get the thing. I'd say the end of the compilation is more industrial-rave oriented since the same adjective could be referred also to A INDUSTRYA, 1979 and above all to PANZER DIVISION that maintain the expectations you have by reading such a name, if you know the track is titled "american forces Vietnam network" find your conclusions. The first part of the sample is the most accessible but a bit too generic sometimes, the second part drives to insanity in full effect but I think it's a good fucking blast: destroy!.

"Courtesan" is New York Room 3rd release, a follow up from their second album "A Colour Of Midnight". This is beautiful, dreamy, colourful, and brilliant! Songs about love, love, love, that have an inspirational touch that will warm the soul of a lover. Matthew Ervin, the man who's behind this musical project introduces us four different talented beautiful ladies who can sing like a bird and take you on a journey that's magical telling a story how a woman is feeling. Music is diverse from dream-pop, jazz, new-age, gothic, darkwave, and trip-hop. Matthew's songwriting skills so complex with deep feeling and meaning. "I Wear Your Ring" is a darkwave piece that's emotionally expressed. "Baby Blue" and "Floatful and Remembering (The Scarlet Hours I Was A Rose)" have that Cocteau Twin sound flavor. "The Thistle In The Kiss" brings out the passionate feel about a lover's kiss that succumb a woman and got her head over heels. The softly medley "Breathing Farewell's Sigh" is a jazzy tune that can captivate the lover's heart. As "Frost At Midnight" takes a turn to a broken heart situation where a woman who had a complicated time to break away from her man, but finally found the way to do so. The instrumental "Dies Irae" is a gothic tune that reminds me of the theme from Stanley Kubrick award winning horror 1980 film "The Shining". The New York Room has put alot of hard work in creating this superb album that is classify as challenging, remarkable, seductive, romantic and sentimental. Feel love in the air!