The hybrid fusion of aggressive electronic music with orchestral and rock influences now get to the next level of destruction by bringing in the big guns of dubstep, wobbling bass and frequency oscillations, deadly drops and explosive noises combined with orchestral and rock flows makes this new instrumental collection murderous. “ShutEmDown” is one of the most killer tracks I heard lately and it was used in the Ghost Rider 2 movie trailer. The Latin-spiced electro “Senorita Bonita” it’s also a favorite.
“The Wings of Icarus” was used in the Real Steel movie trailer, while “Earth Scraper” was used in the Assassin’s Creed: Revelations “Combat Trailer”.
Scott Albert, known as Klayton, multi-instrumentalist and the sole member of Celldweller was a former frontman and songwriter for the bands Circle of Dust, Argyle Park and Angeldust gained a devoted cult following in the mid 90s through his industrial metal band Circle of Dust. Read more Celldweller – Soundtrack For The Voices In My Head Vol 2, Chapter 02 (2012)
electro
Tom Block – Initiation (2012)
Blending electronica with psychedelic spices of the 60’s, trip hop and breakbeat elements with alternative rock and protopunk sequels, Tom Block’s debut album, “Initiation” seems to be a comfortable trip, a borderless experiment of smooth collisions of sounds and vibes. “Playa Nueva” reminded me of Fischer-Z – and The Clash – and that reggae-influenced pop (rock) vibe merged into the pulse of the lo-fi bedroom feeling gives the album’s special taste. If the 80’s were under the sign of “cock-rock”, this is the age of “coach-rock”. It’s time to light up and lay back, eventually dive down.
In a world of constant conflicts, struggles and turbulence, this might be the perfect shelter, an island of break. Chill and relax, Tom Block delivers the soundscape of this imaginary getaway. Read more Tom Block – Initiation (2012)
Dan McKie – In The Stream Volume 1 (2012)
Two words: boom boom! Raving and raging, pounding and pulsing disco of the 80’s and 90’s are merged here to set the fire on at the dancefloor. Dan McKie has selected the best and hottest tracks from his own productions and his label 1980 Recordings to deliver the perfect soundtrack for your lost night down in the club. This definitively have that bright, careless vibe of the 80’s and 90’s, but also confirms my theory: a good song can be remixed greatly, but not the most genius remix can save a mediocre song. Although, this 80’s spirit is absolutely great, sometimes this mixture of techno and house doesn’t work always unconditionally nowadays. But McKie seems to be a wizard and knows all the tricks and have all the aces in his sleeves to make your feet moving. Read more Dan McKie – In The Stream Volume 1 (2012)
Apollo 440 – The Future’s What It Used to Be (2012)
I was waiting this one for quite a while. Their previous album, “Dude Descending a Staircase” was released in 2003, nine f*cking years is over an eternity in music industry nowadays. Kids of today probably have not even the memories of “Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Dub” as probably they don’t have a clue who the fuck is Eddie Van Halen! Still and unsurprisingly, Apollo 440 (alternately known as Apollo Four Forty or @440) came back with a powerful and fresh album, the trendy dubstep frequency oscilation and bass wobblings are incorporated into their noisy electronics and rocking construction, and definitively they delivered – once again – a mandatory killer album. Read more Apollo 440 – The Future’s What It Used to Be (2012)
Remix Let Me Go the new single by Young London
Matt and Sarah began writing music together last year (’11) and pretty soon they started working on their debut album under the direction of producer Mark Maxwell (Blake Lewis, Boys Like Girls). Some describe the result as 90’s throwback – something like Danny Tanner invited Daft Punk over for dinner. The duo embarked on their first US tour this summer, and their spark ignited a buzz that reaches from coast to coast. Part of this conquer, they deliver their new single to Indaba for a remix contest.
The Grand Prize Winner, as chosen by the Judges from all of the submissions, will: receive $1,000; Have their remix included on an official Young London release by Fugitive Recordings; Receive a signed copy of Young London’s self titled album; and Receive a 1-year Pro Membership to Indaba Music.
Also, 5 Honorable Mentions, as chosen by the Judges from the 10 most popular remixes, will each receive a signed copy of Young London’s self titled album and a 1-year Pro Membership to Indaba Music.
“Should I Stay or Should I Go”? 🙂 Read more Remix Let Me Go the new single by Young London
Eisbrecher – Die Holle Muss Warten (2012)
The fifth studio album by the German Neue Deutsche Härte band takes down on a quite gothic/romantic side of the industrial metal, and from my point of view more than one ballad on a this kind of album it’s already too much. And – unfortunately – “Die Hölle muss warten” have several ballads, slow and pretty boring bitter-sweet songs, all of them filled with cliches, rather then with feeling. The faster, darker, pulsing songs of Eisbrecher sounds like a collision of The Sisters of Mercy with Rammstein and some of them are quite anthematics as the leading single: “Verrückt”.
No more “This is Deutsch”, but still, Eisbrecher rocks hard as they always should with tracks like “Herz aus Eis” where they managed to merged the slow and gothic mood with dark and heavy contortions. Love that track! And few others as “Abgrund”. Read more Eisbrecher – Die Holle Muss Warten (2012)
Hakan Ludvigson – Soulroom (2011)
I’m not an expert in deep house, tech-house and in techno generally speaking, not a dancing type of guy and far not a clubber, but “Soulroom” have a warm, kind of intimate vibe, something charming and friendly, it just feels good and its pulse takes you away smoothly, almost stealthily. “The Soft Starlight” introduce the listener in that particular vibe and the album grows smoothly, pulsate and radiate through different rooms of that same kind of bitter-sweet feeling, an universe where cold and harness sounds are melting into strange, but humanly warm feelings and expressions.
This music is just as perfect and appropriate for sex as for relax or dance. Read more Hakan Ludvigson – Soulroom (2011)
Attack Attack! – This Means War (2012)
Except the geographical location, an exclamation mark less, the approach and sound makes the difference between the Welsh (UK) located Attack! Attack! and the Westerville, Ohio (USA) located, metalcore/electronicore band Attack Attack!. Hate to say this over and over, but a little more inventiveness and inspiration would be just great when people are about to choose their band name. It’s kind of starting with the wrong foot your career guys if there’s another band with the same or almost similar name in the business.
Formed in 2005 (while the band from Welsh seems to formed one year later…), some of their songs seems to contain Christian-based lyrics, but not all members of Attack Attack! are Christian, and do not consider themselves a Christian band. Musically, Attack Attack! merged the groove and aggression of Pantera with post-emo feeling and electronic sounds, features a djent sound to its guitar riffs played primarily in drop-G, and delivering a quite intense and disturbing mixture of melody and brutality. This third studio album by the band seems to be a concept album. Read more Attack Attack! – This Means War (2012)
Mindless Faith – Just Defy (2012)
Although, as I just find out, this is their fifth album, “Just Defy” is the first album by Mindless Faith I ever listening to. I crashed into Mindless Faith at Indaba Music through the Jane’s Addiction remix competition , competition won by them which actually makes me hate them – although my remix is even darker – 😀 – but, I’m not gonna deny my subjectivity on this issue! 😆
Anyway, it seems they have a solid and substantial fan-base and experience in remixing “business”, delivering several tracks, including remixes for Nine Inch Nails and Front Line Assembly, and they delivering solid, balanced remixes incorporating their dark, deep and pulsing marks on these works. They remixed two Nine Inch Nails songs: “Only” and “The Hand That Feeds” and won a number of radio remix contests, met Trent Reznor as part of one of the prize, who said their remix was “better than some I’ve paid for”.
Mindless Faith find their path of merging industrial rock and EBM, their dark and contorted music honor predecessors such as Ministry, Pigface, KMFDM, Front242, Funker Vogt, Skinny Puppy, Combichrist, Nitzer Ebb, Schnitt Acht – just to name few.
“Just Defy” it’s another trip into the dark side and Mindless Faith is an exelent combo delivering soundtracks for this strange times of global turmoil. Read more Mindless Faith – Just Defy (2012)
Blue Stahli – Blue Stahli (2011)
Although I have a whole lot of new releases waiting there to be listen and eventually to get a review at the bottom line, still, there are many treasures left undiscovered from the previous year. Blue Stahli are definitively one of them and released on March 2, 2011, this self-titled album it’s the first not only instrumental album by the artist, but the second under the Blue Stahli moniker.
We’ve got 10 tracks, 43 minutes of ravishing fury and sensual emotions. Blue Stahli managed to merged anthematic rock hooks with smoothly cinematic sensitivity and epic electronic sound. Aggressive riffing, melodic hooks, bloody screams and contorted electronic layers are working in perfect harmony here to create the most efficient construction of gothic punk with industrial metal outfit. Probably most of the people will think of Nine Inch Nails and well, there are some obvious similarities, but still, this is something quite different. And highly addictive. Read more Blue Stahli – Blue Stahli (2011)
