DJ Program.01 is a limited edition CDR presentation specifically geared towards club promotion. Primarily marketed towards DJs and radio programs, this release is also available, in very limited quantity, to the public. This CDR features two club edition tracks from The Soil Bleeds Black, "Mirror of the Middle Ages" LP, mixing ancient elements with the modern. The release also features the new Butterfly Messiah club track, "It's Time," as well as the acclaimed track "Serpentine" from their "Priestess" CD. In closing, this CDR also features the remarkable track "Nightingale" from Mephisto Walz, certain to gather 'old schoolers' to the dancefloor. The first track by The Soil Bleeds Black contains digital electronic rhythms and drum machine for percussion combined with ethereal overtones and vocals, medieval flute, and deep bass. Vocally it is female vocals in a classical, nearly madrigal, style. Musically it's very mixed and not easy to pin down but basically it's very danceable with a slight stomp and Delerium-like touches to it. A new form of Darkwave! It combines modern electronic dance textures with medieval instrumentation and vocals. "Palastinalied" follows a similar music structural format except that guitar takes part of the lead with medieveal flute and the percussive beats are a bit heavier. The vocals are male and have more of a bawdy sound. The vocals are in another language but I am unsure which. The drum rhythms have a slight carribean texture to them. The flute takes on a bit more of a Middle-Eastern feel. These two tracks alone are enough to peak interest in The Soil Bleeds Black. Both tracks can be found in their original version on the Mirror of the Middle Ages 12". Butterfly Messiah begins with "Serpentine" which I've heard from their Priestess album except that it has been remixed for this release adding extra effects to the vocals and a bit more body and clamour to the heavy percussive industrial rhythms. Shannon's voice is smooth yet cuts like a knife. The lead vocals are very in-your-face sharp while the backing vocals are very soft and ethereal. A band that has already created a rather intense mixture of Ethereal, Darkwave, and Industrial this track hits harder than anything before. The next track "It's Time" actually picks up the pace even further with it's strong EBM influence. This is the most technological I've heard Butterfly Messiah sound as this new (previously unreleased) track drives home their previously well thought out sound bringing it up several notches to be more befitting for club airplay. The EBM textures and trance-like soundscapes are on the line with many of the bands you've all heard come out of labels like Metropolis Records. With this one track alone Butterfly Messiah have moved themselves to a new level and I think if they continue releasing similar pieces they will see the returns they've already earned and truly deserve from a wider audience. I anxiously look forward to more on this level from them in the future! The last track is by Mephisto Walz, a band already hailed in Gothic/Darkwave circles. This track has a nearly Cocteau Twins gone darker sound to it as well as a bit of shoegazer rock influence. A bit different than what I've previously heard from Mephisto Walz although I'm not quite sure exactly what they are doing on this compilation except for their well-known name as the track is not very 'club oriented' in my mind. However, I do think this will have strong appeal to old Cocteau and maybe even Bauhaus fans more than anything as there is a little bit of Love & Rockets rock style in it too. Overall I was very pleasantly surprised by this release and very excited to hear the new Butterfly Messiah track bumped up into EBM and remixed. The Soil Bleeds Black tracks are strongly appealing as well and will likely confuse many with their unique combination of styles. They are extremely original and enjoyable. The least favorite, by surprise, is the one band I was the most anxious to hear what new items they were producing, Mephisto Walz.