This two track 7" translucent vinyl release features songs from the one man project Pan. This project started in 2001 since his break with Dead State 81. The two tracks featured here are a bit slow going but the vocals strike a serious similarity to Nivek Ogre of Skinny Puppy when he's doing that sort of squeeling, whispery angst-ridden yell and in-your-face speech style. Fans will know what I mean especially when they hear this. The backing keyboard work also sounds like it could've been done in part by cEvin Key himself with some parts obviously purposely slowed down on "Grey". "Sewer" is a bit more up-beat with a sort of driving rhythm and vocal style like Skinny Puppy styled-rap (don't get confused here) you've heard Ogre do it before and it's not rap in the typical sense - it's more like rhythmic talking. This track also has some ambient backing which gives it a bit more body. I love the metallic-grind bass beat that comes in later.

Now, with Mindwerk Records this is the band that always gets me every time. Dead State 81 sounds like Skinny Puppy perpetually caught in the Remission time period. This is a sound that personally I could 'never' get enough of, not even from Puppy themselves as they quickly moved on to different things leaving this unique sound they created behind. Though many will rant about copy-cats there is much more to this project as they delve into realms untouched by the industrial music scene or any music scene for that matter. The style itself is experimental and lends easily to greater creative experimentation with a sound that is darker than most goth music, harder than most rock, and holds the beginnings of EBM while at the same time influenced by such things as horror film and the atmosphere that surrounds them. Sound-alike or no you can't help but be pulled in by the audio structure this band creates. I'm always left with a desire for more when I hear it!

Six-year transplants to LA from Buenos Aires, the Languis duo merge a sixties aura with a nineties experimental voyeurism made of abstract loops, improvisation, caressing lines and raw distortions, all in a wash of reverb. There is not much of a definite rhythmical idea, which is kind of a shame, but it is interesting to see how what is usually the floor of beat-focused releases is brought out in the open and enlightened by discording harmonies and solid balances. The presence of guitar (which is not necessarily the source of the distortion mentioned above) and vocals makes it a record that zooms in on the electronic music conceptualism with a different approach and an eclecticism that draws from various assorted places and genres. Contrary to many other bands similar in line up, these guys perform live a lot too, so why not challenge yourself with some genre-bending stereotype-untied new vintage electro'n'roll music?

The story of Penitent started in 1994 when Karsten Hamre decided to give shape to his poems which dealt with pain, sorrow and depression. With this aim in his heart he produced six albums for different labels, such as Cold Meat Industry, ("Melancholia"), Draenor Productions ("The Beauty Of Pain" and "As Life Fades Away"), Memento Mori ("Roses By Chaos Spawned" and "Maestro Beethoven") and for Counter Attack (Reflections Of Past Memories"). After a couple of years of hiatus Karsten decided to team up with Bernt Sunde and then he started to produce this SONGS OF DESPAIR. THe music of all the songs this time has been written by the newcomer and they are totally different from what the fans were used to listen to. The eight new songs include harsh black metal, dark metal, dark wave and industrial influences (guitar and drums included) and represent a new step of the Penitent course. The tracks are always melancholic and dark as usual ("A Gate To Past Times" and "Ancient Wisdom Of The Forest" are the ones which remember mostly the old ones) but the vocals are influenced by black metal and are highly theatrical. If you loved only the orchestral tracks you were used to listen to, be aware of this because you may not like this CD. Check some mp3s at the band's website first. In any case the next album, which will be released always by Beyond Prod, may take a different direction as it seems that Karsten's and Bernt's cooperation ended at the end of the last year and a new member will join the band. Let's wait and we'll see...

Mutantum is a musical project by Mikko Muranen which in the past has been active also as Dogmeat (with a 7''ep Bite on Suggestion records and a mini-cd Beautiful on Purity records) and Dab.Ay.Ah (with Jussi Saivo he had a 7''ep on Suggestion records). For those that aren't aware of how Dogmeat's music sounds maybe it's enough to tell you that I was used to call it: "Godflesh meet Black Sabbath". The following project, Dab.Ay.Ah, instead was focused on rock experimentation but since he realised only one 7" I can't give my impressions about it. This new one sees Mikko dealing with many kind of musical genres: from progressive rock to Frank Zappa passing through Godflesh and of the Dogmeat's sound only some guitar riffs and distorted drum sounds are present. The ten tracks of SONIC SIDESHOW are instrumental experiments with sounds, atmosphere and rock structures. While listening to this album I have to admit that sometimes I was missing the vocal parts because the lenght of the tracks made me lose my concentration. This isn't meaning that I didn't like what I heard but for sure this is an album that needs your attention. "Smells Like Heaven" or "Hands As A Hammer" are almost ambient tracks based on guitar sounds and rhythms while "Light While Load" is more industrial based: you can understand that with so many influences Mikko's music is asking for something more than you whistling while taking a shower. Even if I prefer Dogmeat's energy, Mutantum is worth your attention so check out his website and listen to his mp3s.