Salvatore Marascia's gentle prog-ambient on "Interstellar Soundwaves" is a fine example of space music with classical influences. Marascia has married quiet classical stylings with the subtle vastness of space music in what makes me think of Jean Michele Jarre if he pursued ambient and sometimes pseudo-experimental stylings rather than his driven synth tunes. Marascia moves the listener from one element to another, making his transitions with kid gloves that help make the experience smooth in its transitions, to the point that a solid, whole sound is produced. In no time I found myself lost in "Interstellar Soundwaves". This disc is truly a fine accomplishment, using synthesized sound to craft music that is trippy but has just the right amount of organic elements. Completing the flavor are some groovy jazz side trips and minimal vocal pieces that don't interfere with the escapist taste of the music.

Hocico's long, gothy intro builds into an explosion of heavy beats that made me think momentarily of gabber at half-speed. Edgy electronic melodies creep in and entwine with the beats. Finishing the sound is the threatening hiss of the vocals. Ultimately what is crafted is a dangerous, cutting bloody blade of electro steel cutting into the center of your brain. Hocico is certainly one of the darker acts on Metropolis Records (and that really is saying something), yet there's an uncanny ability exhibited on "Wrack and Ruin" (the new release) to bring to bear new wave influences that somehow enhance the overall dark intent of the music. Well-crafted and cynical aggro-industrial.

Cesium 137's release "Luminous" boasts tightly constructed songwriting, heightened sleekness and greater hook for the listener. There's plenty of synth pop melody here, as you'd expect from C137, but there's a dash of goa sensibility, high energy propulsion, plaintive vocals that rise above the dullness exhibited by many electro acts whose brains are electro-constructionists more than singers and an injection of appealing tranceyness. Increasing the interest of this CD are a handful of remixes by such artists as Imperative Reaction and Haujobb. Those who like energetic spears of electro-industrial dance with tons of melody but also tons of acid energy should check this out.

Angels and Agony - an aggressive artist name, to be sure - actually conceals quite melodic synth-pop. Highly danceable beats and ethereal songwriting point to the new wave origins of Angels and Agony's new disc "Avatar". Now, beneath all the melody is a gothic sadness more in line with the style of the band's name. But you know what? It's a cool band name and it's cool music. Mid-tempo range dance hooks, trance-style melodies, a gothic vocal approach and, behold, it's Angels and Agony.

Horror movie atmospheres seem to undergird the dark synth-pop sounds emblazoning across the soundscapeof Flesh Field's new Metropolis Records release "Strain". There's also a certain soundtrackiness of another sort in that the compositional structure in places remind one of the orchestral stylings washed across movies sometimes. These are, you understand, mere whiffs, not outright styles, employed by the artists. The music calls these to mind. The core of the sound is sort of an aggro-synth pop. See, on one hand it's dark, acid-tinged aggression (sometimes with guitars) spearing you electro-industrial style. But there's a melodic consciousness, etc., that makes you feel like you're listening to really aggressive synth pop. What it all comes down to is that this is a multi-faceted and original dose of industrial electronica.