Blood Pack Vol. 6.66 released!

It's that time of the year once again! A new year and a new compilation album celebrating our 6th birthday as a webzine.

Review: Various Artists – 'We're In This Together: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails'

VARIOUS ARTISTS 'We're In This Together: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails' TRIBULATIONS

Review: Various Artists – 'We Reject: A Tribute To Bile'

VARIOUS ARTISTS 'We Reject: A Tribute To Bile' TRIBULATIONS

Review: Ritual Aesthetic – 'Wound Garden'

RITUAL AESTHETIC 'Wound Garden' CLEOPATRA RECORDS

Review: Axegrinder – 'Satori'

AXEGRINDER 'Satori' RISE ABOVE RECORDS

Friday 27 September 2013

The weekly compendium 27/09/2013



Oh its another week over! But fear not as it is finally time for the 'BEST OF BRITISH' event at Slimelight. Yours ghouly will be there with camera in hand and I'll be able to tell you all about it next week. If you're in London and haven't got tickets yet, make sure you grab some from the Static Distortion webshop or else its £10 on the door (that's still a bargin but £7 in advance is still better for these penny-pinching times!). Anyway, here's what we had on the website this week...

It has been yet another heavy news week with announcements from Hanzel Und Gretyl, Rummelsnuff, Alfa Matrix and Ohm. We also had reviews from Aeon Sable and Exponentia our first video from the Sheffield Alternative And Burlesque Fair, PLUS and interview with Pride And Fall.

While over on Facebook we got multiple blogs from Matt Fanale of Caustic, new music from Godflesh, VNV Nation, Frozen Plasma and Gary Numan, as well as a new music video from Plastic Noise Experience.

We've also got a page with links to the podcasts from a few of our writers for you to enjoy. So make sure you keep checking those!


Right, in anticipation of the weekend trip to the capital to get my electro on, here’s a video courtesy of tomorrows headliners XP8.


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Thursday 26 September 2013

Ohm to release début album



Canadian duo Ohm have announced the release of their self-titled début album via Artoffact records on 1st October 2013.

The duo comprises Chris Peterson, famous for his work with Delerium, Frontline Assembly, Noise Unit, and Decree, and Craig Joseph Huxtable, notable for Landscape Body Machine.

The album has already been preceded by a single for 'Car Crash' and the band are putting the final touches on a new video, directed by CG artist and director Geoff Mark , that will also début in October.

For more information please visit the band's official website.


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New digital EPs from Alfa Matrix



Seminal electronic label Alfa Matrix has announced the release of three brand new digital EPs through its bandcamp page.

Brazilian duo Aesthetische release their new four-track EP 'Statement / Amplitude Zero', which features two new remixes from Edo Eldar EdoBot and Halo In Reverse.

Track list:
  1. Statement
  2. Amplitude Zero
  3. Statement (Edobot Remix)
  4. Amplitude Zero (Halo In Reverse Remix)



The second EP comes courtesy of Plastic Noise Experience, AKA Claus Kruse. The 'Control' EP is a precursor to the eighth PNE album, and features four new vocal tracks, two instrumentals and remixes from Vomito Negro, Armageddon Dildos and Ad:Keys.

Track list:
  1. CONTROL (12” extended mix)
  2. THERAPY (12” extended mix)
  3. ELECTRONIC BODIES (12” extended mix)
  4. MERCY (12” extended mix)
  5. CHAPTER ONE (12” extended mix)
  6. CHAPTER TWO (12” extended mix)
  7. CONTROL (7” mix)
  8. ELECTRONIC BODIES (remixed by ARMAGEDDON DILDOS)
  9. CONTROL (remixed by AD:KEY)
  10. THERAPY (remixed by NO MORE)
  11. MERCY (remixed by VOMITO NEGRO)



Diskonnekted provide the third release 'Yesteryears'. Cut from the band's sophomore album, 'Hotel Existence' the EP features the original tracks plus different versions and remixes from the likes of Neuroticfish, Halo In Reverse, Edge Of Dawn and Liquid Newt.

Track list:
  1. Yesteryears (Radio Existence)
  2. Yesteryears (Neuroticfish mix)
  3. Personal Demon (Radio Existence)
  4. Empty (Radio Existence)
  5. Neverland (Halo In Reverse Mix)
  6. Justify (VIP)
  7. Yesteryears (Edge Of Dawn mix)
  8. Yesteryears (Liquid Newt mix)
  9. Tunnel Vision (This Morn' Omina mix)
  10. Yesteryears (Ambient)


The EPs are available to purchase through the Alfa Matrix bandcamp page and iTunes. For more information on the bands please visit their official websites; HERE, HERE and HERE.

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Rummelsnuff announce 'Kraftgerwinn'



Eclectic German artist Rummelsuff has announced the release of his fourth full-length album 'Kraftgerwinn' on 25th October 2013 via Out Of Line records as a deluxe double-CD and vinyl.

As always he is joined by Christian Asbach and Gohlke and also features an illustrious assortment of guests: King Khan with Bela B. of Die Ärzte, Japanische Kampfhörspiele, and Häusi Eisenkumpel.

The album features a bonus remix disc with contributions from the likes of Luci van Org, Jeans Team, Pankow and Leaether Strip among others.

Track list

CD 1:
1. Gerüstbauer
2. Bratwurstzange
3. Armdrücker
4. Yokozuna
5. Der Käpt'n nimmt dich mit
6. Salutare
7. Minderleister
8. Hundmann
9. Schiffbruch (Bela KingKhan)
10. Poi Soldat
11. Rummelkäpt'n 2013


CD2:
1. Pumper (Tua Remix)
2. Salutare (Pankow XIII-G-XXII FM Remix)
3. Der Heizer (Leaether Strip Remix)
4. Die Arbeit (WassBass Remix)
5. Hundmann (Steve Van Velvet Remix)
6. Kumpel, Glück auf! (Monostabil Remix)
7. La Rochelle (Maeckes Remix)
8. Bratwurstzange (Jeansteam Remix)
9. Winterlied (Leaether Strip Remix)
10. Gerüstbauer (Luci Van Org Remix)
11. Halt durch! (WassBass Remix)
12. Wenn du aus dem Leben schwindest (Tomas Tulpe Remix)


LP:
Seite A:
01. Gerüstbauer
02. Bratwurstzange
03. Armdrücker
04. Yokozuna
05. Der Käpt'n nimmt dich mit
06. Salutare
Seite B:
01. Minderleister
02. Hundmann
03. Schiffbruch (Bela KingKhan)
04. Poi Soldat
05. Rummelkäpt'n

'Kraftgerwinn' is available to pre-order now via the Out Of Line webshop. For more information on the band, please visit the official website.


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Wednesday 25 September 2013

Review: Exponentia – 'Sadness'



'Sadness' 
NERIS RECORDS 

The sophomore outing for Ludovic Dhenry, AKA Exponentia, is a blend of gothic and classical music. It's something that is often attempted but very rarely achieved, especially on shoestring budgets. The lack of classically trained session musicians mean that many artists opt for the synthesized sounds, and lets face it, if you're not using top end hardware or software it never sounds as good as it would with the real instruments. And yes, this is a reoccurring problem with Exponentia as well. But there are some interesting and redeeming factors to the album.

Firstly, Dhenry is a pretty good composer. Despite the fact that many tracks sound as though they've been pulled from a 90s Playstation RPG soundtrack, they are actually very atmospheric and evocative. Secondly, when the formula is a little more striped back and minimal in its approach it is incredibly haunting, especially when coupled with Dehenry's Gregorian chant style vocals.

Tracks such as 'The Wind Takes Its Life', 'The River Of Your Soul', 'Sadness – Part 2', 'A Shadow Smooths' and 'Finale' are all based around warm, hanging strings with notes flowing into each other smoothly. Sometimes there is a minimal beat, or a strange vocal section or even a juxtaposition of more modern electronic sounds. But they all work really well.

What lets the album down is the use of the wind and choir sounds, which just make the whole album sound dated and low-fi. It's a shame though, because if you listen past these things, the actual compositions are good.


'Sadness' is a very “bare-bones” affair, sounding more like a composer's private demo tape rather than a finished piece. But the fundamentals are undeniably present, and even in this form there are some strong tracks that still work. If you were to let Dhenry into a studio with half a dozen classically trained musicians, the end result would no-doubt be stunning.

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Review: Aeon Sable – 'Aequinoctium'



'Aequinoctium' 

Nino and Din-Tah Aeon are a duo with a prolific workload. Less than a year after the band's second full-length album under the Aeon Sable moniker – and only a couple of months since the release of their latest Deied album 'Pulsetron' – and they're back with a new mini album. The latest release, 'Aequinoctium' , aims to continue the big leap forward they duo took with 'Saturn Return' last year and re-draw the gothic rock blueprint.

Kicking off with the middle-eastern rhythms of the intro, 'Aequinoctium', the band immediately throw something a bit different into the mix straight away to compliment their darker, Fields Of The Nephilim inspired leanings. Whereas the following track 'Tenfifteen' is a lighter offering that recalls the post-punk of Joy Division and the morose pop of 'First And Last And Always' era Sisters Of Mercy. 'Secret Flower' is a slow and rhythmic tracks that is more striped back and as such allows the unmistakable Aeon Sable vocal style to stand out at the front of the mix. 'Long Road Out Of Hell (Stormed)' then juxtaposes acoustic guitar with the light electric guitars and deep, grooving bass for a particularly lush sound that plays up the band's progressive edge. The final track 'Drawing Circles Square' continues the formula of the previous song, though the first half of the song is more of a straightforward airy gothic rock track, whereas the second makes good use of distortion to counterbalance the lightness of the rest of the song.

This is another fundamentally solid outing for Aeon Sable. One that sees their sound firmly established, but still shows they can play around with it. The production feels dark and cavernous, but not in a way that detracts from any of the instruments. It just has a natural sense of space, as though it was recorded in a dilapidated cathedral.


Even though this is a mini album, it does feel very well-rounded and a complete entity in it's own right. The band show a glimpse of what they're capable of here. It's just enough to hint at future directions while keeping long-time fans happy.  

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Tuesday 24 September 2013

The Alternative & Burlesque Fair – The Corporation, Sheffield



Just to change things up a bit and to officially put some content on our YouTube page, we went down to The Alternative & Burlesque Fair as it stopped off in Sheffield at the Corporation on Saturday 21st September 2013. The travelling fair put on by the excellent Heresy 'n' Heelz team takes visits selected cities around the UK and features stalls, food, hairdressing and of course, first class burlesque entertainment.

We managed to stop rummaging through the stalls just log enough to snap a few pictures and get a little video for you to have a look at.




You can catch the fair on the following dates:

2013
Manchester 12th October @ Sound Control
Birmingham 23rd Nov @ Rainbow Warehouse
Manchester 7th December @ Sound Control
2014
Sheffield 1st February @ Corporation
Manchester 15th February @ Sound Control
Birmingham 1st March @ Rainbow Warehouse
Bristol 29th March @ Bristol Bierkellar
Glasgow 12th April To be confirmed
Sheffield 10th May @ Corporation
Manchester 24th May @ Sound Control
Birmingham 7th June @ Rainbow Warehouse

For more information on The Alternative & Burlesque Fair, please visit their official website.

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Monday 23 September 2013

Interview: Pride And Fall

Reborn... 



“We actually got together in the end of 2011 to take the decision to end the band, but instead we came up with the idea to make one more song as sort of a gratitude to the fans who had supported us.”

Norway's Pride And Fall were certainly one of the more interesting bands that emerged at the turn of the Millennium to be tagged with the term “Futurepop”. With three well-received albums to their credit and their gloomy but dance-friendly musical formula established, the band inexplicably faded from view. Then late in 2012 the trio showed signs of life once more and in 2013 released arguably their strongest offering to date in the form of 'Of Lust And Desire'.
Intravenous Magazine caught up with the band to discuss what led to the band's hiatus, their subsequent reactivation, and making their live return at one of the UK's premier events, Infest Festival.


Intravenous Magazine: You've recently released your new album 'Of Lust And Desire', what has the reaction to it been like so far?

Per: It has really been a long time since we released anything, so first of all we are happy with the amount of attention there has been. The reactions we have received so far have been good, and we are very pleased with the fact that many seem to recognize 'Of Lust and Desire' as a natural continuation from where we left after our last album 'In my time of dying'. A few people have also noticed that the new album sounds a little different than the first three albums. As we had to update both the software and some of the hardware in our studio, we lost some of our old favourite components and plugins, and we had to make some compromises because of that, and I guess that is what some people have noticed. What’s most important for us is that people seems to agree with us that we have the ability to make good music.


IVM: How do you feel the album measures up against your previous releases?

Svein: When we started making 'Of Lust And Desire' we really wanted to continue the process from our previous albums, and in our opinion all our albums represent a natural continuation from where the band started out from the beginning. Even though it’s been a while since our last album it really didn’t take long to get back in the right mood when we started recording again. We feel that we have keep on developing as musicians and as a band, and we think our latest album also reflect that. I dare to say that we really are quite happy about the way the album has turned out, but we are also aware of the fact that we have taken some of the concepts in our music a little longer than before. Some of our new songs, for instance 'Epilogue', Sculptor Of Lust And Desire' and 'A River Runs Through It' are maybe a little off what would be expected, and in overall the result is an album that might be a little demanding to the listener, but hopefully in a good way. As a band we have a certain weakness for those huge, melodic string arrangements that could really set you into that nice and mellow mood, and we have kept on developing those ideas and writing songs that we think have a potential to grow when you start to learn them to know.


IVM: Previously there has always been a deeply philosophical slant to the Pride And Fall sound. What would you say are the themes and inspirations on 'Of Lust And Desire'?

Sigve: We have called the album 'Of Lust and Desire', and this title relates to the ever on-going internal conflict we face every day when we make decisions, often choosing between what could be seen as “right and wrong”, which often reflect the decision between doing what is expected and what you really want to do. On the other hand, I always try to write as ambiguous as I can, because I don't really want there to sort of one “truth” in our songs. What I really do like the best, is the thought of people reading different stories and creating their own different scenes out of my writing. I think that there has been some development in my writing during the last years, and I seem to have the impression that I tend to be a little more direct on the two latest albums than I used to be. Still, I always try to leave room and space for some interpretations in my lyrics.




IVM: It's been six years between albums. How has that changed the dynamic of the band?

Svein: There was a long period where Pride and Fall as far as we were concerned, almost ceased to exist. We kept out hanging out during that period, but it was really not an issue to start production of a new album or discussion about playing live at all during this period. Then things started getting back on track, and when we finally got back in the studio, most of the dynamics of the band returned immediately. Issues related to the internal dynamics within a band are in my opinion always very interesting, and there exist a lot of bands biographies demonstrating this. When we make our music we have normally have a good creative process, with the certain amount of friction and conflicts needed to really improve the ideas and structures of our songs. The magic of our music happens in the zone where we disagree and keep on improving each other’s ideas, and fortunately the dynamic of this process have remained the same even after the long break we had.


IVM: What was the catalyst for bringing back the band?

Per: At a certain time in 2009 the band just lost all of its momentum, and everything just stopped. I actually think that all of our equipment were stacked away for quite some time due to moving, construction works in the homes of all of us, and maybe a lot of other reasons. Then things started to return to normal, but at that time everything had been left hanging for so long that it actually felt like the band had stopped existing. We actually got together in the end of 2011 to take the decision to end the band, but instead we came up with the idea to make one more song as sort of a gratitude to the fans who had supported us. The composing and production of new material on the other hand went very well, and it didn’t take long to realize that Pride and Fall as a band was not dead after all. The main catalyst though, was that we really had a good time when we starting producing new music, and I think we all agree that making music is something that we have to do.


IVM: Did the period of time between albums lead you to second guess whether the time was right for a new album, or if your fanbase was still going to be there?

Sigve: The period of time since our third album and the period of time since our last gig (which was 2009) was of course major concerns during all of this process. In addition, at the time we started up again, we were quite out of date in relation to what was going on in the whole electro-scene. Nor did we have any clue whether to expect any fans to be out there waiting for us. We were therefore very happy to see that there has been both a lot of attention to the new album, and also that we have reconnected to old friends that we haven’t talked to in years.


IVM: Initially Pride And Fall were tagged by the media as “Futurepop”. How do you feel about that and what are your thoughts on the futurepop genre today?

Per: I guess that it is important to put a tag on a band, and Pride and Fall has certainly always had some of the futurepop-spirit at least. Still, we have a lot of different influences than futurepop, and our influences ranges from synth to metal of various sorts. Our goal has always been to make dark and mellow music, but at the same time we enjoy the beats and the feel that the Futurepop genre are so well known for. It doesn’t really matter so much for us what Pride and Fall are tagged with, but as far as the Futurepop-scene concerns it seems like there is a lot of the “old” bands in the scene that are releasing new material in 2013. Our impression is that most of the scene has been a little quiet for some time, and hopefully this will have a positive effect on the interest for this kind of electro music. At the same time, we also recognize that there will always be a need for new bands and development within a music scene, and as we played Infest we got the chance to catch at least two promising new acts that definitely will add something new to this scene.


IVM: How did the writing process work on the new album. Were the songs a gradual accumulation or did you write them at once?

Per: We started out with the idea of making one song, and then a lot of good ideas came up. The first song we started with was actually never finished, because it didn’t have the qualities we aimed for. When we started up again, we also went back and found some old ideas in the 'In my time of dying' catalogue that passed our quality control, and an example of a song that were pre-written already in 2008 but were finished for the new album is 'The Void'. When we make an album, we work continuously with all the songs and keep adding new ideas and new songs until we are happy with the result. During the production of 'Of Lust and Desire' we also tried out something we have never done before, we brought the whole studio out to a cabin far out in the woods and spent the weekend focusing intensely on writing, mixing and of course drinking some good ale, something that turned out to be a very good combination.




IVM: You returned to the UK at Infest Festival last month, how was that for you as a band?

Svein: This was the first gig since 2009, and we really looked forward to do this show at the same time it felt a little scary. I don’t think we quite knew what response we could expect, but we planned a set that included new and old and upbeat and slow tracks. We also spent a lot of time preparing visual imaging for some of the songs, and we added a digital backdrop and changed the whole setup for the playback and the guitar sound, and it was therefore very exciting to see how that came out. We also added some instrumental details, including me playing the violin bow on the guitar. We did actually spent a lot of time in the rehearsal room before this gig, and that is of course a good thing for a band. The venue in Bradford was great, including the sound and lightening. The crowd in Infest were great, and as the first gig in many years, I think it worked out quite well.


IVM: How were the new songs in the set list received by the audience?

Sigve: Playing new songs that are not yet released could very easily turn out a bit boring I dare say. There might be some people in an audience who appreciate new songs, but I think that most people come to a concert to hear the songs they know. We included two of the calm songs in the set, 'Sculptor Of Lust And Desire' as an intro and 'Epilogue' as a slow mid part. We brought these songs in because we wanted to break up the set a little from the continuous beats that characterize many of our songs, and we hope that people appreciate that. In addition we played one of the more upbeat songs, namely 'Hollow', and from what I have heard people really enjoyed that. A remix of this song from SITD has in fact just been released, and we encourage everyone to check this out!


IVM: You've previously released a music video for 'The Violence In Me' from 2007's 'In My Time Of Dying'. Can we expect another video in support of 'Of Lust And Desire'?

Per: Funny you ask about that, because we just started a discussion concerning this yesterday. We would like to make a video, and we have some ideas about which song and how to do it. The only challenge is to find the right people for the job, but we are working with that right now. The video for 'The Violence In Me' was made on a really tight time schedule and even tighter budget, but we were quite pleased with both the result and the many cool details in it. We hope to bring more news about this as soon as possible.


IVM: Finally, what are your plans for the rest of 2013 going into 2014?

Svein: We are currently working with some remixes of our own material, and we hope to put out some club-versions as soon as possible. In addition we continue the production of new material for what would hopefully be another album. We are also working put together some more live shows or a tour to present the new album for people, but things have been really busy so these things are not settled unfortunately. Then finally, we would really like to play some festivals the next summer. Updates will be posted on the Pride and Fall page on facebook, check it out!




'Of Lust And Desire' is available now via Dependent Records and Metropolis Records. For more information on Pride And Fall, please visit their official website.

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Hanzel Und Gretyl to storm the UK



The US industrial metal duo Hanzel und Gretyl  have announced the release of a remix companion album to the band's 2012 outing 'Born To Be Heiled' entitled 'Hanzel und Gretyl Fur Immer', which will be released via Metropolis Records on 7th October 2013.

In support of the album, the band will precede its release with a five-date UK tour starting on 25th September in Edinburgh, and finishing in London on the 29th.

Tour Dates:

25.09.13    EDINBURGH  Bannerman
26.09.13    BIRMINGHAM  Eddies
27.09.13    SHEFFIELD  Corporation
28.09.13    CARDIFF  Bogiez
29.09.13    LONDON  Underworld


'Hanzel und Gretyl Fur Immer' is availble to pre-order now via Metropolis Records. For more information on the band, please visit their official website.

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Sunday 22 September 2013

Intravenous Magazine Podcasts



In addition to providing you with plenty of reviews and articles to read, a few of our staff also present their own shows over on Mixcloud and other stations. Why not have a listen?


Industrial Club Sessions
 
New World Darkness (Also on www.1radio.org)
Mr. Palfrey's Bootleg Basement:
Necrofuturist Transmissions / M▲ĿΞ‡IC▲ ΞX M▲CHIN▲
(Also on www.nightbreedradio.com)


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Friday 20 September 2013

The weekly compendium 20/09/2013



Hello one and all. It's nearly weekend time again!
But before we run head-long into indolence for a couple of days, here is what the IVM team got up to this week.

Once again this week we got a tonne of news stories (are people saving all their new releases for the end of the year or something?) including; Album news from TheMediaeval Baebes, Trance To The Sun, Juggernaut Services, Beastmilk, Merciful Nuns, and Alfa Matrix. As well as tour details courtesy of From The Bogs Of Aughiska.

We also had reviews of the latest releases from Wicked King Wicker, Skullflower / Mastery, Eibon La Furies and Ludovico Technique.

While over on facebook we were treated to a new demo from Luxury Stranger, as well as a new music video from Architect and another insightful blog courtesy of Caustic's Matt Fanale.

Right, I'm going to rest up and put my dandiest threads on ready for tomorrow's Alternative & Burlesque fair in Sheffield so I'll leave you with this...


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Thursday 19 September 2013

Review: Ludovico Technique – 'We Came To Wreck Everything'



'We Came To Wreck Everything'

Hot on the heels of the band's impressive full-length début 'Some Things Are Beyond Therapy' comes the now standard practice of releasing a companion remix album. This can sometimes be a pretty run-of-the-mill affair in which mutual friends basically promote each other. Other times though it can prove to be an eye opening experience which yields a treasure of interesting re-imaginings of the originals. Just take Nine Inch Nails' 'Fixed' and 'Further Down The Spiral' EPs for example.

With the band's club-friendly aggrotech firmly established on 'Some Things...' its hard to imagine how another artist would squeeze any more dance floor potential out of the songs. But there are plenty of successful attempts on 'We Came To Wreck Everything'... Shiv-r's effects-heavy version of 'Then I Found You'. Cryogen Second's frantic and Rodney Anonymous' stripped-back takes on 'Wired For Destruction'. The bouncy ebm of Aesthetic Perfections 'Dead Inside'. The hard and fast style of The Anger Machine's remix of 'Memory'. And E-Crafts version of 'Heal My Scars'. All of these are great examples of of remixes that re-interpret the originals perfectly while carrying on their spirit.

You can be cynical and say remix albums are a cash-in or only really fit for DJs. However the different takes and interpretations contributed to 'We Came To Wreck Everything' by some of the most interesting names in the genre today are well worth the price tag. The whole album builds from a collection of remixes into something more resembling and original album in itself.


Sure it's a top-gap between albums. And yes it is aimed at hardcore fans and DJs rather than at entrancing casual listeners. However, 'We Came To Wreck Everything', is one of those releases that is impossible not to like just because there is something on here that will definitely strike a chord with most listeners.

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Review: Eibon La Furies – 'The Immoral Compass'



'The Immoral Compass' 

Avant garde black metalers Eibon La Furies made a name for themselves swiftly with two independently released EPs and by the time of their full-length début 'The Blood Of The Realm' (2010) on Code666, their combination of Victorian and occult themes filtered through a gothic-tinged black metal framework was garnering them with critical praise. 2013 sees the band return with their sophomore effort 'The Immoral Compass', an album that conceptually borders on Steampunk and fuses a myriad of styles including, black metal, gothic rock, prog and traditional metal. The result isn't a ferocious barrage that one would expect from a band with the old black metal tag. Instead the furies give the listener something a little more refined, eccentric and unequivocally English.

Kicking off with 'The Compass Awakes (Intro) ' before descending headlong into 'Immoral Compass to the World' the band fuse ambient keyboards with some exquisitely fanciful guitar work that cushions the rasping vocals of Lord Eibon. While 'Astronomy in Absences ' makes excellent use of some wonderful prog-rock style breakdowns and guitar interludes. The undoubted highlight of the album comes courtesy of 'Flames 1918 (A Song for the Silence) ', an ultra-gothic piano ballad driven by martial beats and deep Carl McCoy style vocals that show off the true strength of Lord Eibon's range. 'Who Watches the Watchers? ' delves into more recognisably black metal territory musically, however the pace and delivery of the vocals coupled with the mid-tempo guitar soloing gives it a near-psychedelic slant. 'Ascending Through Darkness ' recaptures that Fields Of The Nephilim quality once again before getting a little more bombastic and theatrical. The theatrical style then continues into the spoken word of 'The Vanguard ', which shows of some haunting acoustic guitar before briefly unleashing the heavier styles of the band's formula. While the penultimate track 'The End of Everything (Or the beginning of it all) ' makes good use of a slower, doomier approach that shows of another seriously strong weapon hiding in the band's arsenal.


The various styles and elements could be in danger of fracturing the overall atmosphere of the album. But it doesn't, instead the variety becomes the glue of the album. Eibon La Furies can turn their hands to a lot of styles very easily. But their strengths are definitely within the avant garde, gothic and outright theatrical elements that have served to set them apart from the rest of the UKBM scene so well.  

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Alfa Matrix release two new digital EPs



Legendary electronic label Alfa Matrix has released two new EPs from Aengeldust and Totem Obscure/Acylum. The EPs are available now via the label's Bandcamppage.

The first release sees Nadine "Cooraz" Engel of Acylum go it alone under the Aengeldust moniker with 'Dancefloorkiller EP', which features a remix courtesy of ::Wumpscut::.

Tracklist:
  1. DanceFloor Killer (vs. SVE)
  2. Bloodsport (Short Cut)
  3. Bloodsport (:WUMPSCUT: Remix)
  4. Timewarp




The second release sees the Acylum crew return with a new project under the name of Totem Obscura Vs Acylum and their first EP 'Waldgeist', which features remixes from Aengeldust and Bleeding Corp.

Tracklist:
  1. Waldgeist
  2. Waldgeist (ACYLUM Club Mix)
  3. Dead Snow
  4. Waldgeist (AENGELDUST Remix)
  5. Dead Snow (BLEEDING CORP. Remix)



Both EPs are available to order now from iTunes and from Bandcamp as an immediate download in your choice of high-quality MP3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire. For more information on the bands please visit their official websites HERE and HERE.

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Merciful Nuns announce 'Exosphere VI'



Artaud Seth and his Merciful Nuns continue to tread their path of progressively and arcane orientated gothic rock with their sixth full-length album 'Exosphere VI'. The album will be released as a deluxe digipak as well as in two limited edition Master and Minor fan packs featuring a bonus EP 'Supernovae'. 'Exosphere VI' will be released on 15th November 2013 via Solar Lodge.

Track List:
(Deluxe digipak edition)
1. EXOSPHERE
2. BLACKBODY
3. SUPERNOVAE
4. ASTRAL PLANE
5. ULTRAVIOLET
6. THE CORE
7. VIMANA MACHINE
8. THE PASSING BELL

(“Minor/Master Pack” bonus CD)
'SUPERNOVAE'
1. SUPERNOVAE (cassiopoeia mass 40 mix)
2. ANTIMATTER
3. THE COLONY
4. DEMIGODS

MINOR pack: contains 'EXOSPHERE VI' (Delux Digi Pack Edition), 'SUPERNOVAE' (strictly lim. 1000 copies, hand numbered and signed by Artaud) as well as an exclusive men or girl shirt (100% cotton) of your choice.

MASTER pack: contains 'EXOSPHERE VI' (Delux Digi Pack Edition), 'SUPERNOVAE' (strictly lim. 1000 copies, hand numbered and signed by Artaud), a wonderful MERCIFUL NUNS bag with band logo (35x28x12cm), an exclusive men or girl shirt (100% cotton) of your choice as well as a lyric sheet including 'ANTIMATTER', 'THE COLONY', 'DEMIGODS' with a personal note from Artaud.




The album is available to pre-order now via the Solar Lodge webshop. For more information, please visit the band's official website.

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Wednesday 18 September 2013

Review: Skullflower / Mastery – 'Skullflower' / 'Mastery'


SKULLFLOWER / MASTERY 
'Skullflower' / 'Mastery'
COLD SPRING RECORDS

Cold Spring bring us a very interesting pairing on Skullflower / Mastery. Both halves leading tours through lysergic levels of hell. Or perhaps each their own alternate cosmos. The Skullflower tracks on this split release have a vastly monumental feel to them. The approach is centered very much around the guitars, which are low, slow and the distortion is distorted. Skullflower has played in many fields of sonic carnage, from power electronics to industrial, psychedelic to an idiosyncratic and twisted form of black metal.

'Wolf Age' would go down well with fans of doom metal. Over the central mighty riffs layers of guitars add harmonies and atmosphere, the result as symphonic as it is battle-worn. 'Red Crystal Serpent' has a martial feel to it, percussion and feedback flowing around a structure sketched out by a lone guitar. Layers of high tremolo picked guitar notes coupled with a subtle synth line combine to almost manifest electronic voice phenomena around the central ostinato on 'Black Sunshine', creating a sorrowful atmosphere.

And Mastery's lone track... Well, damn! 'Blood Electric' is a veritable rifferama with a necro sensibility delivered with a staggering guitar skill. Black metal rarely works when a shredder puts arpeggios all over it, but Mastery manages to make it seem primitive even while pulling off the impossible on the fret board. Don't let the mention of arpeggios cause anxiety, this is speed as texture. To find the closest equivalent to the evocative atonality of Mastery, one would have to look to 20th century classical. Riffs with how they charge in, twisting and contorting and leading to the next have something in common with the frenetic glitchiness of the most out there breakcore. This track in its snaking, shifting 17:40 long shape never lets up in ferocity, and hangs together for the entire hellish ride. The information sheet says the music of Mastery is improvised, which really makes the track that much more impressive.

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Tuesday 17 September 2013

Beastmilk announce 'Climax'



Apocalyptic death rockers Beastmilk have announced their début album 'Climax' will be released through Svart Records on 29th November 2013 in Europe and on 2nd December 2013 in the UK.

The band's first full-length outing was recorded at Godcity Studios and produced by Kurt Ballou and will be released as on vinyl, CD, and digital formats.

The band, which features renowned vocalist Kvohst (DHG, Code, Hexvessel), have released a trailer for he album on You Tube and a full preview of the track 'Love In A Cold World' is available on Pitchfork.com.


For more information on the band, please visit their official website.

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Juggernaut Services unveil new signings

The newly created record label arm of Juggernaut services has unveiled it's first signings as Tactical Module and Iioioioii.

Juggernaut music group will release the second full-length album from Tactical Module – the industrial metal/ebm solo project of the Mass drummer Michael Davis – 'Into Exile' as both a CD digipak and digital release.

Iioioioii (pronounced I.O.) Is the solo project of Charlotte, NC native Christopher Gurney and will release his second full-length album through the label soon.

Pre-orders for Tactical Module's 'Into Exile' and Iioioioii's forthcoming album will be available soon via the Juggernaut Music Group website.


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Trance To The Sun launch Kickstarter for new album


Dark psychedelic duo Trance To The Sun have launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the release of their long-awaited seventh studio album. The band are offering pledgers such downloads, CDs, demos and more.

The band hit their $3,500 goal in just three days, but the campaign will run until 10th October 2013, giving fans the opportunity to still bag a range of rewards.

Composer Ashkelon Sain and vocalist Ingrid Luna Blue produced the following video which also features a brand new song.


To pledge to the new album, please visit the band's Kickstarter page.  

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From The Bogs Of Aughiska announce European Tour


Irish dark-ambient duo From The Bogs Of Aughiska have announced a string of tour dates across Europe this October. The band will embark on the tour with Zatrokrev and Galvano, in support of their sophomore album 'Roots Of This Earth Within My Blood' on Human Jigsaw Records.


Tour Dates:
16 Oct  La Zone, Liege (BE)
17 Oct  Les Pavillons Sauvages Toulouse (FR)
18 Oct  Wurlitzer Ballroom, Madrid (ES)
19 Oct  Amplifest Porto (PT)
22 Oct  La cave aux poetes, Roubaix (FR)
23 Oct  Wheatsheaf Oxford (UK)
24 Oct  The Unicorn London (UK)
25 Oct  The Hatchet Bristol (UK)
26 Oct  Bradleys, Cork (IRL)
27 Oct  Siege Of Limerick Festival (IRL)
28 Oct  The Pint, Dublin (IRL)

For more information on the band, please visit their official website.


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Monday 16 September 2013

Review: Wicked King Wicker – 'Evolving'


WICKED KING WICKER 
'Evolving' 
COLD SPRING RECORDS 

This is doom distended through an evolutionary process of reductio ad ruinam. The characteristics of doom are taken ever further down its blood-soaked path until any recognizable aspect of the origin dissolves into chaos. But, just as we find that in order is the seed of chaos, also in chaos is the seed of order. Sonic forms bloom and explode, germinate and decay. The only constant is the noise, which evolves and shifts, like a kaleidoscope that sticks needles in the eyeballs rotating the eyes instead of the tube.

The titles make a fantastic element of the whole. Together, the sounds and title of 'The Devil Must Learn The Limitations Of The Host' is what the sound of a hellish Hieronymus Bosch triptych made flesh could be. The soft drums and feedback howling like an eviscerated, but still slowly crawling beast that is 'A Prayer For Death' feels less like it is conveying a plea for release from pain but is like a scream begging to be annihilated in a most infernal ecstasy.' Zen And The Art Of Nihilism' would be the perfect soundtrack with a title to match for a time lapse video of a Shingon monk performing the self mummification ritual. 'The High Exalted Nothing' treats its central distorted bass riff as a bridge across the Abyss. The riff is struck and repeated like a distorted mantra, washed with a drizzle of acidic high pitch static while the sound of the damned moaning and exhaling rise from below.

Some moments reminds of Controlled Bleeding's 'Swallowing Scrap Metal' pieces, but with a foundation of rhythm and in fleeting moments even near melodic passages hiding beneath the slow-grinding revolutions of the noise machine. This is the kind of release that hands out its rewards in proportion to how often the listener returns obsessively to its corrosive soundscapes.

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The Mediaeval Baebes announce 'Of Kings And Angels'



Just in time for the Christmas season comes the latest album from all-female madrigal group The Medieval Baebes. The collective have announced the details of their latest album 'Of Kings And Angels', which will be released 18th of November 2013. A selection of seventeen traditional Christmas carols to tie in with their annual Christmas cathedral tour.

The album is available to pre-order now via the group's official website, with all pre-orders signed by the group and guaranteed to be delivered on the day of release. Plus the album will come with a pack of six unique Christmas cards designed by the Baebes.

Track List:

1. I Saw Three Ships
2. We Three Kings
3. The Holly And The Ivy
4. There Is No Rose Of Swych Vertu
5. Ding Dong Merrily On High
6. The Angel Gabriel
7. In The Bleak Midwinter
8. Good King Wenceslas
9. Gaudete
10. Once In A Royal David's City
11. Veni Veni Emmanuel
12. Away In A Manger
13. In Dulci Jubilo
14. The Coventry Carol
15. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
16. Silent Night
17. Corpus Christi Carol 


For more information, please visit The Mediaeval Baebes official website.

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Sunday 15 September 2013

The weekly compendium 13/09/2013



OK, so I'm a little late with the weekly round-up again this week. But I'm sure all the stories and reviews we had for you thus week eclipsed this little omission. Anyway, here's what we had for you this week.

It's been a heavy news week with stories from Garden Of Delight, Bruderschaft, Freakangel, Machine Rox, Thanatos, and Erasure. We also had reviews of the new Kevorkian Death Cycle album and Caustic EP – both of which are excellent! We also had a couple of news features from our Dokka on Cassette Store Day and a little anecdote courtesy of Filter's Richard Patrick. Also we had our monthly column from Joel Heyes looking at Laibach's upcoming performance in China, which has gone somewhat viral since being reposted on the band's social networking sites.

While over on our own social networking sites we've had tour dates from A Pale Horse Named Death, The March Violets will be playing Club Antichrist, New music videos from Legend, Flesh And Fell and Tiamat, a blog by Gavin Baddeley on Dracula's castle, and a Spotify-only EP from Nine Inch Nails.

That was it for this week. I'm going to leave you with a video from one of my favourite authors, Neil Gaiman, outlining his All Hallow's Read – which has been going on for a few years now. It's a movement that Intravenous Magazine endorses, and you can expect book recommendations from us early in October.


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Thursday 12 September 2013

Erasure return with new album 'Snow Globe'



Seminal synth-pop duo Erasure will release their brand new album 'Snow Globe' on 11th November 2013 via Mute Records and will be preceded by a single, 'Gaudete'. The band consisting of Vince Clarke and Andy Bell have revealed the album will be a collection of new compositions and distinctive re-imaginings of seasonal classics.

“I haven’t actually heard him sing better,” says Vince of Andy stepping back into the booth. “I found my inner choirboy again,” says Andy. “I thought I’d lost him but he was there all along.”

Unlike the bells and whistles, glitter and tinsel sets that crowd the market come Christmas-time, 'Snow Globe' is possessed of something more in the wistfully, strangely subdued celebratory mould of recent seasonal albums by Tracey Thorn and Kate Bush. ‘We managed to strip everything back to bare essentials,’ Vince says approvingly of the minimal approach Erasure took for this recording. “‘White Christmas almost has a drone all the way through it. I love that.”


For more information on the band please visit their official website. 'Snow Globe' and the single 'Gaudete' will be available via the Mute Records webshop soon.

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Wednesday 11 September 2013

Review: Caustic – 'The Coprophagia/Consummatia EP'



'The Coprophagia/Consummatia EP' 

Matt Fanale, (AKA the industrial necrophile) is back with the companion EP to his last full-length outing 'The Man Who Couldn't Stop'. A more complex offering (both musically and conceptually) that fans were used to, which saw Fanale build the album around the novel 'Ulysses' by James Joyce and follow two distinct story lines around a failed relationship and a revolution. It is this kind of ambition and determination that has seen Fanale prove himself time and time again, transforming Caustic from a musical oddity to a serious international name. He's still odd though. But in a good way.

Essentially the final six tracks from 'The Man That Couldn't Stop', 'The Coprophagia/Consummatia EP' harks back to the breakthrough success of 2011's 'The Golden Vagina Of Fame And Profit' in that it is a relentless dance floor assault. Hard beats, aggressive leads and shout-along vocals are on the menu, and despite the unpalatable title, it's a rather tasty sound.

Opening with the, “massive” sounding 'Massiv Aggressiv' (which features j-l from Straftanz), Fanale wastes no time in unleashing this assured dance floor hit. This is quickly followed by the playfully schizophrenic style of 'Hands Up (It's A Raid)', which has the pure fun of KMFDM's 'Me And My Gun'. 'Bring Out Your Dead' is a somewhat darker with its Skinny Puppy-esque steady beat and sinister-half whispered vocal over a catchy synth lead. 'Must Have Pills' again carries on the darker darker vibe with the hanging drone before morphing into a mid-paced dance track, but again retaining the down-beat vocal style. 'Gossamer' follows on down the dark path but this time it recalls the likes of 'White Knuckle Headfuck' with its steady dance pace, and damn addictive lead. The final track 'Eyes Pried Wide' is a wonderfully demented duet with Fanale's coarse whisper over the cavernous beat counterbalanced by airy synths and vocals courtesy of Meghan Rose.

As we've come to expect, the quality of Fanale's song-writing continues to grow and the production always brings out the best in the recordings. So much so, that it's becoming increasingly hard to find fault with his work on any level. This may be an off label EP released but Fanale hasn't scrimped on the quality of the music within. 'Massiv Aggressiv' , 'Hands Up (It's A Raid)' and 'Must Have Pills' are some of the finest dance floor offerings to have been stamped with the Caustic moniker. Fanale continues to aim high and surpass himself.


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Thanatos to mark 20th anniversary of 'This Endless Night Inside'


Thanatos are set to mark the 20th anniversary of the release of their début album 'This Endless Night Inside'. Founder, Patrick Ogle, will play a special show at Spectrum, 121 Ludlow Street, New York City on Friday 27th September. The show will feature songs never played live before and others not played live for years.

Tickets are on sale here.

Thanatos have released a free download of the track 'The Wait Smothers Me (Live)' on Bandcamp with the entire début also available to stream or download, as well, at Bandcamp.

Thanatos' latest album 'The Exterminating Angel' is also available now via Projekt records.
For more information on Thanatos please visit their official website.


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Tuesday 10 September 2013

Laibach in China: Bigger Than Nixon?



The recent news that industrial legends Laibach are to play their first ever dates in China next year raised a few eyebrows. How will the playful post-modernism of the Slovenians go down in the Communist state? Will they escape with their liberty and their reputation intact? 

That is not to say that anyone can expect them to perform protest songs or make a political "statement". For one, they wouldn't do anything that obtuse and obvious. They are not the Rolling Stones or Bob Dylan... they are more relevant than that. We would be doing Laibach a disservice by expecting any standard political response from them, or in fact any political response at all. They have made a career out of prizing ideology, art and politics out of context and juxtaposing them with a deadpan sense of mischief. They are not going to shout "Free Tibet!" in the middle of 'Tanz Mit Laibach', unless they impishly followed it with a cry of "Free Trans-Dniester!". Laibach seem content to leave the politics to the politicians and the gestures to the People's Liberation Army gymnasts.

Laibach always understood the post-ideological world that we now live in better than their contemporaries (with the honourable exception of DAF , and possibly now also KMFDM and Rammstein). While many industrial acts still use political imagery as a symbol of authenticity, be that neo-Nazi insignia, uniforms and other militaria, or Stalinist iconography, they prefer to subvert them and demonstrate how empty and useless these images really are. The era that these symbols belong to is over – like the USSR, Reaganism, and action movies staring Schwarzenegger. Laibach, on the other hand, have been working in the 21st century for some considerable time and have used the ephemera of twentieth century pop culture and political history to troll the world.

So the contrast with China promises to be delicious – the first post-communist band in the world's largest Communist state, but one which is ridden with the kind of contradictions ripe for Laibach's satire; a closed political system ostensibly beholden to a Leninist ideology but in practice working as the largest neo-liberal economy on earth. A developing nation that is now starting to develop the growing pains of the classic post-industrial nations of the West. And Laibach, who probably saw this coming years ago.

So what they will make of the scene in Hong Kong is anyone's guess. It is obvious that behind the hyper-modern façade China seems anachronistic, with their gunships prowling the South China Sea, their regulated search engines and poets under house arrest. Or maybe Laibach might admire the brutal, honest hypocrisy of modern China all the more. 

Either way, it should be the art installation to end all art installations. A film release is a must. Just don't expect them to sing 'Wind Of Change'... although if they did, it would probably be sarcastic.

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