Not much information was given to us about this CD so I initially I was stumbling in the dark until I checked out the website. This fourth self released edition of "Skleros" by Kevin Schlueter (aka Vehemence 6.2) contains 83 tracks (65 are obviously silence) of really good experimental industrial music and is freely distributed as a simple CD-R in a paper pouch. Mostly industrial music with a dark edge and a power electronics approach that would fit on Cold Meat Industries or Ant Zen catalogues but with a deep intimate beauty that graces the music with this ancient and quasi mystical aura. Maybe it is the recurring first world war iconography, but even without gun shots, explosions or other military samples, it really sounds like the perfect soundtrack for distant scenarios of war in the cold European fields. The melancholic intermezzos of largely reverberated pianos with noisy backgrounds (#3); or the grand and deep moments of ambience scanned by pads and hints of rhythmical patterns (#4); the industrious factory machinery sounds disturbing the peace of sombre atmospheres like approaching troops would (#5 & #9); or even the detuned and ancient orchestral samples (#6 & #13); and of course the vocal samples of those who speak to large masses of gathered and cheering people (#9); it all really evokes the sadness, despair and sorrow of those who survived and crawled out of their bunkers to find nothing but a sea of dead bodies laying in the dust and covered by the clouds... but maybe I am letting it go to far, maybe I am on the wrong path here... I never really liked all those fancy and pretentious interpretative music reviews anyway. Music is subjective and everybody will interpret it differently. I was influenced by the colors and the style of the art work of the website and the sticker on the paper sleeve of this CD and thought of what I wrote, but after all, like Kevin points out in his website: "a man is but the sum of his memories". Anyway, it's a really nice CD and there should be nothing stopping you from requesting your very own copy of it, especially since it is absolutely free. I also got a preview release of what I think is or will be "Recollection, vol 1", Kevin's next release, which is kinda more rhythmical and electronic (like the super pounding and ripping Dive-like power industrial track #17 on this "Skleros"). Maybe next time he'll also send us a press kit or something...

The always active Canadian ex-Phycus Brian "Mr. Zero" Damage has a new moniker to release records under. Together with two other Canadian fellows (members of Kubelka and Daydream Square and Beautifuzz) and with no use of sequencers the "Katron" 12" EP came to life. Sort of a psychedelic krautrock moog-based experimental music project with an outer space soul: they call it post-retro-futurism! As The Unireverse (what a cool name!) they've already released two CD-R's with cover versions of Giorgio Moroder, NY Dj and musician Donna Summer, JJ Cale and Human League songs. Their space-electronic mixture with comics-like title will be heaven (or should I say space?) for the lovers of vintage synth sounds such as Moog MG1, Univox Minikorg, the legendary Casio SK1 and other gadgets such as Roland MC202, Acetone Rhythm Ace, Theremin etc. Both sides are pretty up-tempo and rhythmical nonetheless, so they manage to be entertaining and interesting all the way through, which is always a plus! Side B is the one with the fastest beats (can you imagine an attempt of vintage-space-psyche-moog-drum'n'bass??) and it sure is a bonus that it's all played live too, like back in the days! Total Zero also has a large selection of unusual sounds on a number of different formats so drop them a line for a free catalogue. I've also got a chance to check them out live and they are a real trip! Speaking of checking out, Brian sent me a couple of tracks he put together with his girlfriend under the name of Deep Lounge and you should check that out as well!

After not having heard from him in years, our old buddy and noise contributor Arnaldo Pontis has come back with his project TH26 (together with Corrado Altieri) and appearances by Simon Balestrazzi, who also produced the record (it is not a coincidence that the booklet also thanks Angelo Bergamini, Gianluca Beccuzzi, T.A.C., Elena Fossi and other folks from that circle of artists). These fine noisy Italian islanders have chosen a small new indie label called Small Voices based in Andria (Southern Italy) to release their comeback entitled "La Haine", an eleven track cybernetic industrial-electro record that sounds sort of old-time Germaniac, in a good and quasi Cat Rapes Dog or Klinik kind of way and at the same time injects a bid dose of industrial music the way :W: or Mimetic fans would like it... The eclectic and multi-lingual singing goes from deep spoken dark passages that combined with a piano sounds like, say, My Dying Bride (in the long obscure intimate title track, sometimes orchestral always on the edge of electrolysis, or in the less melancholic but equally noir "Impossible Mantra"), to heavily treated and distorted short-sentenced evilish lyrics ("Protection" and basically most of the more Deutsch-style ebm pieces). In the same way the vocals touch a number of shores, the highly inductive and electrified sample-based music also follows its own visionary path of lines connecting dots of pounding industrial ("Hypnotized Dog"), electro-dark ("Subzone"), industrial-ebm ("The Enemy Inside", "Third Destination") and great sounding noisy artifacts the way only these guys know how to. A handful of good instrumental sombre industrial pieces suitable for audio-to-video applications is available as well. it's more than just another ebm clone. It's basically a complete album that puts a lot on the table and has a lot to offer to a number of different audiences gravitating around whatever noise, electro, power electronics, experimental, industrial, dark, ebm etc have in common. I liked this album very much and I recommend it, especially if you are based in Italy, not so much because of the lyrics (Italian words are the minority anyway) but because you wouln't wanna miss the chance to support a group of team-players like these, all based in the most remote and Southern areas of a nation that knows very few exceptions in a poor market for poor electronic music. They certainly are one of those exceptions.

Reading like one slab slab of rhythmic noise, yet not danceable of course, this CD is one of the better noise comps I have heard in a while. Where most noise CDs I hear are of course just exercises in absurdity over doing anything truly creative, this has a sense of rhythm and time on it, as well as the use of my fun musical hobby: sample and sound linking. Track 3,by Destructive Genius, is a great example, with its’ minimal, pattering drum line over a monster roar and a distorted cat moan (which sounds more hellish than aforementioned) all in a kind of trance repetition, all of a sudden with a gun shot to destroy that mood when you least expect it. Rating: 8. Fans of drone and sound linking take note.

I received this CD few months ago and I've got to apologize with Bruno for my delay in reviewing it. The reason it isn't because I'm not digging it, actually I like it a lot! Anyway... Bruno De Angelis for composing the six tracks of BORDERLINERS has been influenced by all the good music producend in the '80s, starting from 4AD's bands arriving to Gary Numan, experimental music (Coil, etc) and Depeche Mode. This could sound strange but listening to "Rain Forever" and "Alicante" I was hearing echoes of Killing Joke and Tones On Tail mixed with Bruno's distinctive way of composing which is always intriguing and dark. During the twenty six minutes of the CD you'll be projected into a different place where dead bodies talk to you ("My Only Witness"), familiar tragedies take place ("Where's Tomorrow") or mental indecision is the only way to survive ("Remember"). This has been quite a surprise and if you love new wave, early electronica and interesting twisted songs this is what you're looking for!