Here is the year's newcomer Dismantled. There's been a lot of talking about American immigrated Russian Gary Zon, and after I first heard of him from TG Mondalf at RhythmUS Network, I interviewed him (please read interview in the appropriate section for more info and background). He's only been doing electronic music for a little over a year and yet after an mp3 demo and a couple of compilations, his powerful blend of electro-industrial music has convinced even the talent scouts at Metropolis. Nine blasting songs where strong bombastic industrial beats are the common ground for atmospheric long-chord layers and jumpy ebm textures and an intricate web of sounds, media samples and bass lines. Filtered and vocoded vocals singing lyrics about life, annihilation, extermination and so forth (including a 9/11 tribute). An outstanding balance between robust rawness and melody. Perfect for all lovers of FLA (primary influence), but also :W: (who he remixed), Velvet Acid Christ, Haujobb, F242. Album will hit the streets on June 4th in US and June 17th in Europe. Look out for his first single "Dystopia" also!

Dave Dando Moore is a guy coming from Whitehill, UK and he's also the founder of a new label called Fleshmadeword. Detritus is his musical project and SENSE/MARTYR gathers his first two MCDs. Musically the eight tracks of the CD deal with industrial, noise treatments, various electronic sounds, orchestral arrangements and rhythmical extravaganzas. The first thing that catched me has been the way Dave treats samples, because there's always something that change into the track's structure, just like as the sound is evolving while the tracks is played and this is very useful to focus listeners' attention. Also the upbeat tempos used are very energetic and along with the use of sounds coming from different sources give to tracks like "Sense" or "Detritus" a dramatic sense, as it was an industrial soundtrack. Visit his website and give Detritus a try, it's worth it!

Ever wondered to listen something like Lidia Lunch singing in a jam session which sees Korn and Brutal Truth involved? Nope? Well, if you listen to Otep's first album SEVAS TRA this could be the impression. I don't know why Capitol sent me an advance copy of their first album which contains seven out of twelve tracks but since it could be enjoyed also by industrial/gothic listeners, here I am reviewing it... Well, the particularity of a lot of songs is the experimental spoken pauses which serve to give a major dramatic sense to the following explosion of agony, where the distorted vocals sounds really wild, even if the singer is a girl. The band earned a spot on Ozzfest 2001 without a record deal and that live show allowed them to sign to a major label without a demo thanks to the power and the brutality of their live show. All the seven tracks of the CD are extreme and sound desperate and I think that you'll see them on MTV and similar channels really soon.

First full-length cd by this German trio, after a self-released mcd and a few compilation appearances on Black Rain and Nightingale samplers. Cyborg Attack cross electro with low-pitched, quasi black/death metal vocals. My main problem with this kind of crossover is that, besides being not that attractive per se, it seems very, very hard to do it well without being kitsch (while there are examples of good taste and sobriety both in electro and metal, of course). And, moreover, I think this cd gets really repetitive after a couple of tracks, which is not a good sign. Ok, electro is almost always like that, tun-tun-tun etc., but maybe coupling monotonous gruffy vocals is not the best way to make it more varied. Sorry, this was really not my thing.

Yo, watch out, the god of new italian industrial music with italian lyrics is back (I know he is laughing now): my young pal Daniele B. (sounds like a cheap rapper's name) is back with "Bluviola", follow up to the CD "Mamma Fottimi" and first release on a label other than his own one (ZZZ Prod.). Colorado's label Rodon Studio has apparently understood that this guy's up to something more that just screaming at people that they are shit (remember "sei una merda"? - by the way there's a new song now called "I love you all"), and thought well of putting out his new raging 9 tracks of material ranging from still moments of claustrophobic calm after (or before) the storm to violent and raw bursts of negative power, spoken by mean of distorted guitars, industrial sounds and other awful noises... I would say there is a more persistent use of guitars now, in their various forms and shapes, as a primary tool and instrument of atmosphere creation (harmonics, open chords, arpeggios, power chords, Whammy-pitched single notes, muted chords, you name it, he's got it...), and his very recognizable voice marks the path from disillusioning single-tone recital-like signing to screams of anger and love (check out how a bunch of overdubbed layers of his non-boring-bored singing-talk sound, even when he goes to some melodic back-lines). Also this record has drums, which definitely helps make everything even more powerful, dragging, chaotic and slamming. I dig his music a lot and I'm positive that if you give it a chance you'll be surprised. Don't be shy just 'cause he's Italian, this is good spent money and I admire Radon Studio's determination and attitude. Marco Milanesio (long-time electronic/industrial engineer from Northern Italy) was behind the console for this record and did a great job (I always thought that mixing and fucking with one of Daniele's records 's got to be a fun job ;-). As tense as it can go, he's got the gift and he's got it down all the way. The dude's freaking dope. Yes, I admit he's a good buddy, but he didn't pay for my good words, so get your ass off the chair and do what you are supposed to in the damn first place: catch him live (he plays all over the world) and buy his record before he's after you in your worst nightmares! He's out there! Watch your back (and protect your ears)!