Although my affection for Industrial music started in the beginning of the 90s with several American bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Ministry and Malhavoc, I can trace the roots of my affection and affiliation back to bands such as Einstürzende Neubauten and Laibach. Even further, in my humble opinion the whole Neue Deutsche Härte (“New German Hardness”) movement it’s build upon not a German, but on the edge cutter and envelop pusher work of a Slovenian avant-garde music group formed on June 1, 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia, at the time SFR Yugoslavia: Laibach (the German name for Slovenia’s capital city, Ljubljana).
After the breath taker “Monumental Retro-Avant-Garde, Live at Tate Modern”, Laibach now are back with another history lesson, a retrospective of the band’s history, the compilation released by Mute on September 3rd. Back then (July 21st) I wrote a quite exhaustive history of the band.
The rumors were that the band re-recorded these songs for the compilation, now that thing was not mentioned and the songs sound exactly as the original releases, so at most, they were re-mastered. Still, Laibach sounds massive and irresistible. Read more Laibach – An Introduction To… Reproduction Prohibited (2012)
Author: brushvox
The Locomotive Sound Corporation – We Surely End Somewhere (rough session, 2012)
As the title pointed out pretty clearly, this is a rough session of Summer 2012, five song recorded – as they say “with a donkey, an old man and a church as a neighborhood.” Available now on Noomiz and Bandcamp, The Locomotive Sound Corporation, one of my favorite bands and albums of 2011 are back with this tasty release, and even further, the “name your price” approach is very fan-friendly.
The Locomotive Sound Corporation is the French answer for the American “new Blues”, they are soul related to bands such as The White Stripes, PJ Harvey, 12 Rounds, The Dead Weather, PJ Harvey, The Raconteurs, Sonic Youth, and The Black Keys, have that raw power and healthy garage taste which brings new life in this mainstreamly-boring and burnt-out Indie/Alternative genre. This Parisian band proves once again, there are still spaces and sounds to explore, feelings to express in this area and this 5 new tracks are also a great promise for their largely expected new album. Read more The Locomotive Sound Corporation – We Surely End Somewhere (rough session, 2012)
SLIVER – Disobey Giants (2012)
The mainstream success of some new wave American Punk bands such as Green Day and The Offspring bring the genre back in focus and Punk, once again, eventually even further, became trendy. The downside of this global success was the loosing of the essence, the spirit, the edge of the Punk movement and from its rebellious vein it was twisted into soap box packed and bubble gum flavored “something” – anything, but not protestant, message carrying music. On the other hand, bands such as Propagandhi, Anti-Flag, and not at least SLIVER, proves that… PUNKS NOT DEAD!
SLIVER declared their solidarity and support with the global Occupy movement and the leading single and video, “Dead President$”, of their new album, “Disobey Giants”, consist of footage s taken from Grounded TV’s coverage of the Occupy Wall Street movement in NYC and Vancouver.
With more than 200 shows in 11 countries (France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Czech Republic, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, the United Kingdom), SLIVER is a rocking hardcore band from Belgium/France/Luxembourg. Formed in 1999, they recorded a bunch of demos, released 2 EPs, a split-single with French author Alain Damasion, and on 28 September 2012 released their second album, “Disobey Giants”. Read more SLIVER – Disobey Giants (2012)
Byzant At Sunset – No Reason To Remix This, EP (2012)
Although, officially this is considered only an EP, featuring two originals and 13 plus one bonus remixes of “No Reson”, a total of 16 tracks is still a considerable quantity of music to go through. But this is a FREE RELEASE, so, this is one more reason to get “No Reason”! – the official debut of Byzant At Sunset.
“No Reason” have a strong The Clash kind of vibe, but the sound it’s smoothly adjusted to the nowadays expectations, wobbling basses, ska fueled guitars and the tasty saxophone gives a genuine Byzant At Sunset taste to the song. This is a manifest, a statement against modern days consumerism: “No reason is a reason good enough” express both anger and disappointment.
“Wildfire” is more like an improvisation, an eruption, a race through the fire of inspiration and creation. Although Byzant At Sunset it’s exclusively an on-line, world wide collaboration creative collective, some of their members not sharing not the same room, but not even the same continent in their lives, “Wildfire” have the nerve, vibe and wilderness of a genuine rehearsal recording. It’s like someone light up a cigarette but that unleash an unstoppable… wildfire.
And then we have 14 remixes from 13 outstanding producers from the Indaba community: ALBM, @ssic@, Bluetrax, Brushvox, Carda, DaveDaG, JohnnySix, Manu, mSelv, Richard Walker, Richinmusic, The ?uestion Mark, and, last but not least, Ultraglow featuring with two tracks. Read more Byzant At Sunset – No Reason To Remix This, EP (2012)
Kiss – Monster (2012)
If I say this is the best Kiss album in decades, nobody will believe me, but folks, this is the naked, monstrous, true. And what it’s even more monstrous it’s the fact that Kiss are still more ferocious then 99.9% of the self proclaimed Metal-whatever, mainly “core”, bands nowadays. And dudes, we’re talking about a band active since 1973 and this is their 20th studio album so far. And honestly, their previous “Sonic Boom”, released 3 years ago, was also an absolutely fair and classy Kiss material, an ass-kicker mixture of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. “Monster” sounds even better, sounds as a perfect mix between two of their classic albums, the 1976’s “Destroyer”, respectively the 1992’s “Revenge”.
Sebastian Bach’s – former Skid Row vocalist – reaction regarding one of the new Kiss songs, “The Devil Is Me”, saying “it kicks TOTAL ASS!!” it’s not surprising and not exaggerated. Kiss gonna kick your ass off, or eat your heart out if you’re a girl. 😀 Read more Kiss – Monster (2012)
Byzant At Sunset – Wildfire [Original Mix, B Side]
New track and upcoming remix EP (actually a hell of an LP!!) – coming up on 9th October 2012, featuring outstanding contributions from: ALBM, @ssic@, Bluetrax, Carda, DaveDaG, JohnnySix, Manu, mSelv, Richard Walker, The ?uestion Mark, and Ultraglow.
Read more Byzant At Sunset – Wildfire [Original Mix, B Side]
Enslaved – RIITIIR (2012)
The twelve studio album by Enslaved was declared both by most of the fans and critics “a classic” and a “masterpiece” even before some of them had the chance to listen it. It’s kind of comfortable and alarming simultaneously, on the other hand, yes, Enslaved is one of those bands you always can relay on, they are constantly there “to pushing the envelope” and “cutting the edge”, breaking down walls and wider the horizon. And yes, “RIITIIR” picking up from where they left off with “Axioma Ethica Odini” in 2010 and pushing things further. Some things are stay the same, this is Enslaved 100%, as well as they are still capable to generate new ideas and explore new possibilities, but staying in their own backyard, giving their fans the comfort of the modern Enslaved sounds and trademarks.
Between ferocious growls, deadly screams and cleanly sung choruses Grutle Kjellson find the perfect proportions and balance; Black and Death metal fueled riffs are switched to smooth acoustic moments; Enslaved seems to be still on a perpetual journey and not getting yet to destination and this make this journey exciting, fresh and surprising. Read more Enslaved – RIITIIR (2012)
Ribozyme – Presenting The Problem (2012)
Ribozyme means ribonucleic acid enzyme. A ribozyme is an RNA molecule with a well defined tertiary structure that enables it to perform a chemical reaction. Many ribozymes are catalytic, but some such as self-cleaving ribozymes are consumed by their reactions. It may also be called an RNA enzyme or catalytic RNA. Investigators studying the origin of life have produced ribozymes in the laboratory that are capable of catalyzing their own synthesis under very specific conditions, such as an RNA polymerase ribozyme. Ribozymes may play an important role as therapeutic agents, as enzymes which tailor defined RNA sequences, as biosensors, and for applications in functional genomics and gene discovery.
Since forming in Bergen, Norway, in June 1998, Ribozyme have toured extensively in Norway and throughout Europe, while producing a total of four full length albums. They has signed to Indie Recordings for their new album which was released in Europe on the 10th of February 2012, and in North America on the 14th of February 2012. Moving step by step away from their Hard Rock roots and incorporating modern Rock and Metal influences, but also electronics and Industrial elements, their 5th album, “Presenting The Problem” it’s a colorful, intense and exciting trip to the outer limits of modern/post Rock and Metal boundaries merging genres, styles and influences. Think of something between Tool, Prong and Alice In Chains.
If you enjoyed the Brit Slunq a few weeks back, this new Ribozyme will definitively hit you. Their “Spoiled Portion” and Ribozyme’s “Presenting The Problem” are pushing the Post-Rock envelope at the same spot with pretty same results. Read more Ribozyme – Presenting The Problem (2012)
DaCast – Dedale (2012)
Free stuffs are good stuffs? Not always, trust me, but this one is one of those really murderous shits you must definitively grab it and share it! DaCast coming on the wave of bands such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Between the Buried and Me, Meshuggah, The Shining, Tomahawk, and they are contemporaries to other edge-cutter French bands such as The Phantom Carriage, merging Extreme Metal with Post-Rock rawness, Jazz aromas and Industrial fueled Hardcore contortions. Where “no boundaries” are the limit, generally there are good chances for creativity and the unique results. And DaCast will satisfy any high demands and expectations. And well, once again, can grab for free “Dédale”, their latest album from their Bandcamp page.
This 35 minutes album split into two sides are the result of almost 2 years of work and recordings, merging improvised and written passages/moments. The material was recorded live them mixed by Francis Caste at The Sainte-Marthe Studio. Read more DaCast – Dedale (2012)
Yoko Ono, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore – Yokokimthurston (2012)
Bored of predictable, tasteless, prefabricated products of the music industry? You are one of those people who swear that the music was last time alive in the 70s? Well, this is definitively for you!! The Witch (Yoko) is back ( 😆 ) and she’s diving into the wildness of experimental avant-gardism along with Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth. Some will consider this the highest manifestation of Art Rock, some will call it a Mother’s play with her progenies, or this might be just a simple session of couple and/or group therapy revealed in public now – considering this is the first Moore and Gordon’s musical release together since announcing their separation after 27 years of marriage. Any of this actually do not really matter, Yoko was always a case of love or hate, Sonic Youth probably as well, everybody have a different and pregnant opinion about all of them and that impression will definitively not gonna change after listening “Yokokimthurston”.
The record starts with “I Missed You Listening”, an almost 10 minute of “100% Yoko” and Yoko throw her everything in from baby-cute cooing through demon-possessed laughter through hysterical yelling to orgasmic ecstasy and mystic whispers and it’s also a clear and loud statement of who’s the leader, the driving force of this project. This is not “Double Fantasy”, but more like Diamanda Galás’ “The Litanies of Satan”. Read more Yoko Ono, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore – Yokokimthurston (2012)
