Matthew Simpson- Musings on a Scene

So, I’ve just returned from the UK-based Resistanz Industrial festival, and thought I’d share some musings on some eye-opening moments I experienced up in the frozen wastes of Sheffield. Firstly, I must say that everything I write is my own opinion; I speak freely and uninfluenced (something of a blessing in this scene, or so I’m led to believe).

There were two shows that people talked about the most this weekend. The first was iVardensphere, a ‘tribal industrial’ band I’d heard of, but never listened to. Their show was an absolutely primal experience, speaking to the crowd on a level that music is truly meant to do. There wasn’t so much fist pumping as there was shining eyes and deep expressions.

The second was the popular artist, Celldweller. I don’t really need to write much about Klayton and his work, as it’s widely listened to. What is of most interest to me, and hopefully my reader, is that that, to me, these two acts were the least ‘industrial’ of the weekend. This got me thinking; what are we looking for in a scene when an idea from outside the scene is seemingly more popular? Why do we go to the same clubs and the same shows if what we are looking for is lying outside of these places?

It’s a bit of an odd question, really. On the one hand, I’d say because it’s where we are all most comfortable; all the people we know like to hang out in the same clubs, like similar bands, and so it’s easier. Conversely, I get the feeling that many feel that they are not especially welcome outside of our little stompy bubble, and this leads me to share another experience I had in Sheffield. On the Friday night, the venue holds a mainstream night, with slight alt influences. Speaking to some of the regulars, many of whom had never heard of industrial, they all agreed that we added a real atmosphere, and that ‘this was the best night they’d had there’. This got me thinking; are we really unwelcome at all? No, I don’t think we are. I think we’re strange and quirky, but ultimately we do all have a lot of fun and we know how to enjoy ourselves. I think that if our little bubble (to use my past analogy) opened up a bit, or we dared to go outside of it for a while, we’d find that both us and the people we’d never normally get a chance to meet would find it an enjoyable experience. It’d do leaps and bounds for our closed-up stereotype, and give us a chance to experience what we crave but cannot have inside the scene.

So next time you want to go out, maybe try a different club with your friends. Roll the dice. Go and watch that band you want to see, regardless of what ‘scene’ they’re a part of. Roll the dice. Wear those clothes, regardless of if they’re ‘gothy’ or not. Roll the dice.

~Bio

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Live: Resistanz Festival 2013, Sheffield Corporation 30th - 31st March

Resistanz Festival 2013

Sheffield Corporation

Day 1 : Saturday 30^th March 2013

The third annual Resistanz festival is also the second to sell out. Lures include a reformed Neuroticfish, the increasingly popular Celldweller and a European debut for iVardensphere.

The event was preceded by the Escalation night on Friday, which had its highs and lows.

Highs being Surgyn, looking and sounding slicker than ever, moving away from the medical elements to become a 21^st Century Industrial Soft Cell, with plenty of new songs about wanting fame alongside previous favourites like ‘Sharp as Stars’ and ‘Aesthetics’.

Lows from Friday would be Alien Vampires, when your music is too bland to sell, get some ‘Satan’s Slut’ to get their tits out. Yay, sexism and awful stereotypes that are best forgotten.

Thankfully, Alien Vampires also provided the point where no matter what else happened that weekend, it would still be better than them.

So, then day one.  

Despite the early stage time, there’s still a modest crowd here to hear the oontz, oontz, oontz of husband and wife combo Phosgore. It’s often difficult to bring, what is effectively, a DJ set to life – but with interesting costumes and a commanding stage presence from Flo D, they give a good effort in warming up the crowd.

Cease2xist bring the swag!

Cease2xist really give it a bit of a kick though, with musicians with different background influences, they’re probably the most ‘punk’ of the acts this weekend. A guitarist who leaps around on stage like his pants are on fire, vocalist Dayve Yates climbing on and over everything and poor Seamus limited in his running around due to being on keys.  Together they spit out 45 minutes of anti-establishment spite, backed with a hard industrial spine. Exhausting.

Still, you can sleep during Chainreactor who don’t really know how to bring their show to life and just kinda stand their lifeless pressing buttons.  Their tracks have some interesting melodies if you can find these below the chunky drum track.

After a brief interlude Funker Vogt are there as a late replacement for Seabound.  This has brought disappointment to some people, but they step into the slot comfortably.   Of course, they’re a known act with a good collection of club hits; tracks like ‘Subspace’ have good depths and get the crowd fired up nicely. As a minor grumble, it is sometimes a little disappointing to see a drummer as the only live musician on stage, particularly when there are drums in the backing track, but still not shabby for a late replacement.

Here come the drums!  Scott from iVardensphere

With a set-up which appears to be drums, drums and more drums it’s clear that rhythm is important to iVardensphere  who proceed to drum the shit out of everything, organic kits, electronic kits and toms – whilst also providing layers of electronics. They toured with Combichrist in the US and their heavy sound would fit in quite well there but they also have tribal elements which helps them stand out in a scene with a lot of similar bands. They are simply awe-inspiring.   The crowd is shoulder to shoulder lapping every moment of their intense set. Despite most members having to remain static your eyes still flit from member to member as you don’t want to miss what is going on.   A lot of people were looking forward to them, but many surprised at just how well they nailed it.

Have an (Uber)byte of this!

This type of band is near impossible to follow, so that Uberbyte do so very well is an achievement within itself.  Their key message for tonight is “let’s have some fun” and so we’ve got everything from Cthulu masks to blow up dolls to glitter cannons to Harlem Shake with Nicholas Cage masks.  OK...  but, no, again taking most of their set from the newest album, 'Five Year Plan', there’s plenty of breaks and beats as they show off their hardstyle and drum n bass influences.  There are also some very personal messages in some of the tracks – including songs Richard wrote about his wife [‘The Serpent and the Dove’] and family [‘Archetype’] and this shines as brightly as some of the dafter tracks are fun.

Daniel Graves brings the light

Tonight’s headliners Aesthetic Perfection pretty much come, deliver, leave. Thankfully in that order.  They open with a melody of the two recent singles, giving a calm intro in the form of ‘All Beauty Destroyed’, the set kicks into life as they turn it into ‘A Nice Place To Visit’ – as Tim Van Horn beats all life out of the drum kit like he’s three members of iVardensphere while Elliott Berlin dances round the stage with keyboard in tow. Maybe keyboardists don’t need to be still. Of course, AP are fronted by the charismatic Daniel Graves, as charming as he is lethal with a mic in hand.  

Aside from the opening bars of the set, it’s an otherwise heavy set, the Manson-cum-Goldfrapp stylings of ‘Hit the Streets’, the ferocity of ‘Spit it Out’, the bile of ‘The Great Depression’ and the sleaze of ‘Filthy Design’ are part of the hard hitting set that barely stops for breathe.  It’s pretty much job done.

Day 2 : Saturday 31^st May 2013

An insanely early start (it’s not even 4pm!) for Vostor means sadly we did not catch their performance.  Others missed them for the same reason.  Maybe a little too early for a band, especially one many who did catch them raved about.

BlackOpz - Oontz with intelligence

Like Phosgore yesterday, the role of BlackOpz (and presumably Vostor) is to warm people up with a bit oontz.  There is, however, certain intelligence in the tunes of BlackOpz – there’s a developed sound that makes them a little *more* than just another dun-dun-dun act. They’ll be a lot higher billed in future… ones to watch.

Don’t think many saw what was coming from Terrolokaust – a bit industrial-metal for a Sunday afternoon, mosh-pits, Jonathon Davies-esque vocals (and no surprises at a Korn cover!) and influences from Ministry and the heavier end of Nine Inch Nails.  The beef in the set lifts an enthusiastic crowd as a metal boot is stamped down.

Terrolokaust - Sheffield likes metal, right?

After two harder bands, Method Cell stick out a touch for their more synthy set. Tracks from the début album ‘Curse of a Modern Age’ have been spiced up and remixed a bit, whilst new material sounds like it’d fit in with the old album. Which seems a bit backwards, but then it is a cracking album. A new track with much promise is ‘The Fallacy’, which Apollo jokes is the “most manly song they’ve ever written”, it’s got a lot more lift and boot to it. Impressive. They probably take the award for jolliest band on stage, despite having songs about what bitches some ex’s can be and how much they hate day jobs.  Always charming, always enjoyable.

There’s a mid-afternoon interlude, for band signings, eating, drinking and being merry – and after that is the not-quite-so-merry Noisuf-X who come with banging rhythms and harder instrumental techno. Not the most visual of bands as you’ve a guy pressing buttons (may or may not be switched on) and a guy hitting a drum pad.  Musically, enjoyable enough to thud about to, but barely memorable.

ADR - at a rare calm moment

Although, Alter Der Ruine couldn’t be much less memorable…!  Surreal industrial, frontman bordering on the nuts and the plain crazy – oh – and a stage invasion with many other bands who showed off the moustaches on their bums… OK… probably some songs in there somewhere. That you don’t know what’s coming next keeps them just about interesting as their set is otherwise Marmite. Some seem to lap up the madness and others seem genuinely disappointed.

Resistanz was a total Cell' out.  Geddit?

It’s been clear for a while there’s a demand for Celldweller in the UK, but it wasn’t until fifteen minutes before they went on stage just how clear this was.  As soon as ADR left the stage, the crowd that had painfully (in some cases) put up with them started screaming for Klayton!  The room was shoulder to shoulder and person to person and the response was phenomenal!   Even before he pressed play on the DJ gear… So, on stage you have one guy (this is billed as a ‘DJ Set’ rather than the full band) with a couple of laptops and a mixer – plus a guitar. Yet he still manages to blow away the majority.  Most probably just never thought they’d see any incarnation of the band, so are glad to see Klayton there, on stage. The set is a mixture of his own stuff, remixes he’s done and a couple of mash-ups. That he manages to get a sell-out industrial crowd singing along to Black Sabbath is probably an achievement within itself.    Influences of dubstep, metal, drum n bass and rock all go into his set – he occasionally pops out from behind the booth to play some guitar and sing one of his tracks.  Although… whilst it’s understanding that he cannot come out and sing the likes of ‘Tough Guy’ whilst live mixing, to dance around the stage with guitar to ‘Switchback’ and NOT sing his most famous track live was understandably disappointing to many people and boggling to others. Whilst that was part-way redeemed for a triumphant rendition of ‘The Lucky One’, it seemed a very strange decision to make.

Sascha does his best Jesus impression.
It is Easter Sunday....

And so… it’s time to go back to the futurepop with the newly reformed Neuroticfish.  Given that they were at their peak about ten years ago and were one of the bands deemed ‘the future of music’, you’d think now that we’re in the future that they wouldn’t sound so dated. They are working on a new album, but they’ve got some catching up to do…. But still, Sascha is an easy going guy describing his band as “silly German Techno” and arguing with the crowd about Doctor Who and playing their cover of ‘They’re Coming To Take Me Away’. It’s daft, it’s fun. It’s a last chance to be a bit jovial over the weekend (well, not counting aftershow DJs…) and if you like the band it’s full of their better known tracks, ‘The Bomb’, ‘Velocity’ and ‘Why Don’t You Hate Me?’ amongst the mix.  Whilst it doesn’t really hit a peak, after all that’s happened over the weekend – it’s still a soothing way to bow out.

That’s that really. A phenomenal Saturday and an enjoyable Sunday leaving people gasping for next year’s event. The success of Resistanz is a true beacon in the UK at the minute for industrial/electronic music and doesn’t look set to dim just yet.

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The weekly compendium 05/04/2013

Hello one and all. This week has been another somewhat shorter one than usual but we've still managed to bring you plenty of articles to keep your minds stimulated. The first being a cracking interview from Kevin Morris with Mexican aggrotech duo Hocico that was conducted just before their brilliant show at the Electrowerks a couple of weeks ago. We've also had reviews of the new Attrition and Mesh albums as well as news from Suicide Commando, Wave Gotik Treffan, Alfa Matrix, The Mission and Projekt Records.

Over on the social media pages we've seen a brilliant new videos from Inertia and Black Tape For A Blue Girl as well as previews of a new track from Psy'Aviah and a board-game from Abney Park.
There has been a new crowd-sourcing campaign from Matt 'The King Of Kickstarter' Fanale for his new Caustic EP, as well as a thank you from Alt-Fest. We had the news that DEVO will be re-releasing some of their earlier work and that the Sophie Lancaster Foundation have finally convinced Greater Manchester Police to treat attacks on members of subcultures as hate crimes. And if that wasn't enough there have also been tour announcements from Wednesday 13 and seminal author Neil Gaiman. AND some promising new sounds from a new project called Hope Estheim.

Finally, that infamous Nine Inch Nails April Fools joke also made a reappearance on the band's Tumblr page and we just had to re-post it!

So that was our week and we have a lot more in store for you after the weekend. But for now I'll leave you with the answer to that question you are all asking yourselves: What does an Abney Park themed board-game actually involve???

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Projekt Records releases free Convergence XiX sampler

Seminal US darkwave label Projekt Records has released a free download sampler featuring four of their artists who will be playing this years Convergence festival in Austin Texas.

The sampler features Mirabilis, Unto Ashes, Adrian H And The Wounds, and Soriah and contains two previously unreleased songs.

The album is available to download from the Projekt Records Bandcamp page for free or whatever you would like to donate.

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Review: Mesh - 'Automation Baby'

MESH 

'Automation Baby' 

DEPENDENT 

The duo of Mark Hockings and Richard Silverthorn have created a legacy in Mesh that is truly enviable. Their back catalogue of electro/synthpop albums has been of a consistently high quality for over twenty years now, which has sometimes seen them become victims of their own success. And it is this that their fifth full-length studio album, 'Automation Baby', must measure up against. A daunting task by anyone's estimation, yet Hockings and Silverthorn still manage to breathe new life into their sound.

It is apparent from the the first bars of 'Just Leave Us Alone' that they are on top form as they demonstrate that the past three years since 'A Perfect Solution' has been time well spent. Playing-off the bands penchant for anthemic choruses and memorable melodies, the up-tempo, energetic style propelled by Hockings' strong vocal delivery is both infectious and emotive giving 'Automation Baby' both universal club appeal as well as a lot of live potential.

Songs like the lead single 'Born To Lie' as well as 'Automation Baby', 'This Is The Time', 'Flawless' and 'When The City Breathes' are instant hits that draw from the band's classic sound and will no doubt become integral to the band's live show. While the likes of the two 'AB Incidental' tracks, 'The Way I Feel' and 'You Couldn't See This Coming' simply display the skilful and emotionally evocative writing and execution befitting of two veterans of this calibre.

The album, as you'd come to expect is flawlessly mixed and produced. But best of all, it highlights that Mesh are not afraid to mix more complex arrangements with commercial viability. As a result the album feels a lot more mature and works on a lot of levels so that across the fourteen tracks (clocking up over an hour in total length) the band constantly hold the listener's interest.

Mesh have always been ambitious and on 'Automation Baby' they fully realise their goals in creating not only one of the strongest albums in their own discography, but in the electro-pop genre as a whole.

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The Mission sign with The End Records

British gothic rock legends The Mission have announced the inking of a new deal with US-based label The End Records for the release of their as yet unnamed twelfth album.

Vocalist/guitarist Wayne Hussey stated:

“Well, who would’ve thought it 12 years ago when we were touring Europe with my mate, Ville Valo and HIM, that we’d end up on The End Records with them in the good ol’ USA somewhere further down the track.
“Very nice to share a label with the legends that are Anvil too and looking forward to blagging some new Dandy Warhols CD’s…If we ask for drugs just laugh and say you can’t get any. It’s healthier for us and for you. See you soon.”

The band will set about recording the album on the 18^th of April, the process of which will be recorded for their forthcoming documentary.

The album will be produced by David M. Allen (Depeche Mode, The Cure) who comments:

“It is a privilege and an honor to be working with the Mission on their new album for The End Records, I’ve had many dealings with the band over the last 30 years that I have known them, and this chance to record with the original members is very special”

The band will also be playing the following US dates:

September 3 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
September 4 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
September 5 – New York, NY @  Irving Plaza
September 6 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
September 7 – Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues
September 10 – Los Angeles @ Club Nokia
September 11 – Las Vegas, NV @ LVCS
September 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
September 14 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
September 15 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox Theater

For more information on the band and to keep-up-to-date with news on their forthcoming album, please visit their official website.

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Review: Attrition – 'The Unraveller Of Angels'

ATTRITION 
'The Unraveller Of Angels'
SELF-RELEASED 

The sound and imagery of Attrition evokes a sense of standing in an abandoned space. A crumbling edifice where the ghosts of those who lived there and events that transpired there linger as palpable presences and a heavy feeling. The beat driven tracks have percussive and sequenced structures characterized by great precision and strategic stabs of distorted guitars. Woven through this precise and cold sonic architecture are layers of more free-flowing, ambient and organic elements, populating the space carved out with haunting spectres. Martin Bowes' vocals move among the spirits. Unlike the way the vocals cut through to the forefront on 1991's A tricky Business they embed themselves at the centre  Interestingly, the vocals are more another instrument in the speakers, but through headphones they it's like they come from within the listener's head, clear and intelligible.

There are may details of the arrangements and production that impress and fascinate throughout. The way the strings are captured, so one can hear the drag of the rosinous bows and the tone of the wood. Many underground releases can work a lo-fi aesthetic to their advantage and an immaculate production can often de-claw and de-fang what would otherwise be a more potent experience, but with Attrition the superior recording and mastering are elements of the overall artistry.

Opening introduction 'The Unraveller' with its layers of inviting spoken voices opens up the door to the world that unfolds on this release, leading into the synthetic and skittering descent of 'Karma Mechanic'. Intriguing and forward lurching in its spare insistence. There's no turning back.

'Narcissist' pounds out an infectious dance groove that swells and opens up in a breathless chorus and pulls back into the hard charging breakdowns. 'Histrionic' comes in with a an up-tempo beat and a keening violin and builds on with layers of piano, strings and electronics to a crescendo. This  peak resolves into the opening string section of 'One Horse Rider', a ritualistic fever dream of a song juxtaposing languid violins with mounting percussion and passionate backing vocals. 'Snakepit' and 'Suicide Engineer' both give the guitar more of a role. The guitar is in the pocket of the grooves, which works best accenting the waltz feel of the latter. 'The Causal Agent' with its atmosphere of encroaching, slow moving menace winds up with a groove like a subtle mental shift, like a decision made that builds with increasingly heavy percussion and ever more rapturous voices.

'Hollow Latitudes' combines the classical and electronic strains in a very hauntingly beautiful way. The track opens with a lone melancholic piano and violins come in one by one interweaving a melody that develops and circles around itself. It builds, pulsing and ritualistic, pulling the listener into its narrative psychogeography. 'The Internal Narrator' – the title for this song would be a good way to describe the feeling Martin's vocals convey here. Plucked piano strings ring dissonant and scratching among the floating voices and feedback guitars. Percussive explosions come like poltergeists slamming doors.

On 'The Unraveller Of Angels' many special guests, including Mona Mur, Matt Howden, Annie Hogan, Erica Mulkey (Unwoman), Ian Arkely and more. The star of this twisted tale is the songs and every contribution, every element supports the songs and with this, the listener is well served.

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New releases from Alfa Matrix

Belgian electro label Alfa Matrix has announced the new albums by Ayria and Helalyn Flowers are available to pre-order now through the Alfa Matrix webstore.

The fourth album from Canada’s Ayria, 'Plastic Makes Perfect', will be released on 24th May and comes out in a deluxe carton box edition with extras including photos, poster, sticker, etc. and a bonus remix disc featuring reworks from bands like Daniel B. (Prothese/Front242), Project Pitchfork, Komor Kommando, Rotersand, Aaimon, Psy'Aviah, and Junksista.
All fans buying the new album's limited edition via the Alfa Matrix e-shop or through Ayria's website will get the Free twelve-track 'Pretty Plastic Mess' CD album with exclusive additional remix work from Rotersand, Armageddon Dildos, Essence Of Mind, Implant, Acylum, AD:KEY, Aesthetische, and Cervello Elettronico.

Track List:

CD1 'PLASTIC MAKES PERFECT'

1. Hunger
2. Big Plans
3. All That Glitters
4. Games
5. Plastic Makes Perfect
6. Missed The Mark
7. The Box Under My Bed
8. Friends And Enemies
9. Three Months
10. Big City Lullaby
11. The New Style Of Riot
12. Letter From An Angel

CD2 'PLASTIC MAKES PERFECT limited' (only available in the 2CD limited carton box)

1. Missed the Mark (PROJECT PITCHFORK mix)
2. Plastic Makes Perfect (KOMOR KOMMANDO's imperfection mix)
3. Games (ROTERSAND mix)
4. Three Months (HELL:SECTOR mix)
5. Plastic Makes Perfect (Daniel B. PROTHESE mix)
6. Games (AAIMON mix)
7. Big City Lullaby (PAX SONO mix)
8. Hunger (DIMENSION FLUX mix)
9. Missed The Mark (PSY'AVIAH mix)
10. All That Glitters (GNY mix)
11. Missed The Mark (JUNKSISTA mix)
12. All That Glitters (V01D mix)
13. Big City Lullaby (ENCEPHALON mix)

CD3 'PRETTY PLASTIC MESS' (only available via label & band e-shops)

1. Friends And Enemies (ROTERSAND mix) 
2. Plastic Makes Perfect (ARMAGEDDON DILDOS mix)
3. Big City Lullaby (ESSENCE OF MIND mix)
4. Games (IMPLANT mix)
5. Hunger (DESDEMONA mix)
6. Missed The Mark (INTERFACE mix)
7. Plastic Makes Perfect (AD:KEY mix)
8. Missed The Mark (EVEN MORE mix)
9. Hunger (ACYLUM mix)
10. Missed The Mark (INERTIA mix)
11. Big City Lullaby (AESTHETISCHE mix)
12. All That Glitters (CERVELLO ELETTRONICO mix)

The new album from Helalyn Flowers, 'White Me In / Black Me Out', is scheduled for release on 17th May and will also be available as a limited deluxe carton box with the 'Wireless Survivors' bonus disc featuring the duo performing a cover of 'Satisfaction' by The Rolling Stones, as well as their own versions of The Ramones' 'Pet Sematary' and2 Unlimited's 'No Limits'. The album will also feature exclusive electronic remixes by Studio-X, Aesthetische, Psy'Aviah, Inertia, Junksista, Implant, Neikka RPM, Digitalis Purpurea and Cryogenic.

Track List:

CD1

1. Before The Sunshine
2. Collide
3. White Me In Black Me Out
4. Tribes Of The Future
5. Alkaline Twins
6. Electric Night
7. Rid Of Me
8. Shake
9. Utopia
10. Hi-Tech Medusa
11. Lost In Translation

CD2 Wireless Survivors [only available as bonus disc in the limited deluxe 2CD carton box]

1. White Me In Black Me Out [Club Mix]
2. No Limits
3. Pet Sematary
4. Satisfaction
5. Before The Sunshine [AESTHETISCHE Club Mix]
6. White Me In Black Me Out [INERTIA RMX]
7. Before The Sunshine [STUDIO-X Remix]
8. White Me In Black Me Out [PSY'AVIAH RMX]
9. Before The Sunshine [Before The Sunset 1984 Mix by IMPLANT]
10. White Me In Black Me Out [JUNKSISTA RMX]
11. White Me In Black Me Out [NEIKKA RPM Remix]
12. White Me In Black Me Out [DIGITALIS PURPUREA RMX]
13. Tribes Of The Future [The Future’s Uncertain Mix by CRYOGENICA]

For more information on Helalyn Flowers and Ayria, please visit their official websites.

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Interview: Hocico

Soundtrack To The End Of The World...

"In my opinion you really have to be ready to lose everything including friends and family and you’ve got be really crazy to give up everything for what you love."

With over 20 years in the industry, Hocico are certainly one of the better known and respected acts in the electro/industrial scene.  New album ‘El Ultimo Minuto’ carries on their tradition of harsh beats and abrasive melodies, with a theme of “sound track to the end of time”.

Kevin Morris caught up with them for a brief chat at their recent London show.

It’s a surreal day already. Gig days are usually hectic. Things go wrong, things get delayed and there is this constant fight against the ‘doors opening time’ and any associated curfews. But, the soundchecks are done. For all bands. Everything is calm and relaxed. Surreal.

Erk and Oscar always seem calm and relaxed. If Erk was any more laid back he’d be horizontal! A total different persona from the maniac stomping around on stage! He doesn’t even seem to have let travelling get to him too much.
“We hit traffic from the airport, so it took us about 90 minutes to get here from Gatwick, it was difficult but we made it- and we’re doing good!”

Although tonight’s show in London is well attended and is a great atmosphere, it’s still small fry to what they’ve achieved elsewhere globally. They’ve been creeping up festival bills for years and last year headlined the M’era Luna festival.

“We’ve been around for 20 years now, it’s good but we’re still full of energy to go on, it’s pretty crazy to us that we’re a 20 year old band, it doesn’t feel like it, but we’ve been around for 20 years!”

This is almost criminal. They do not look old enough to have been doing a band for 20 years. Note to self: get Hocico’s diet tips.

“Our souls are young even if we are not so young! It’s good that we can headline festivals, it’s great. It’s great.”

It’s not just M’era Luna either, shows back in Mexico are also big deals.

“We get like a minimum of a thousand people, it’s close enough not underground music any more… but the amount of people who come to hour shows there, it’s just crazy!  It’s like a really giant party”

Away from the excitement of live shows, there is the matter of the new album, 'El Ultimo Minuto'….

“Part of the concept of the album is like a sound track to the end of time, the other is the idea is you gotta live your life to the fullest, you never know when the last day will come.”

Is that an important philosophy of yours?
“Yeah, every day could be the last day so I really enjoy living life to the fullest.”

The album came out at about the same time as the alleged “Mayan’s Predict end of world” saga last December (of course, the reality was it was merely the end of the calendar – but morons do like to blow things out of propotion). Erk admits that this may have a small impact on the songwriting.

“Yeah, the whole concept of the album is influenced by this  misconception of culture and of the Mayan calendar, this panic and paranoia of how the world was going to end got into the music somehow, we used all this paranoia to make some music!”

Just as the media used it to sell a lot of newspapers…

“The media don’t show the whole picture. It’s hard to get through but people should question what they see or hear. The internet should always be free, the internet is powerful, TV is just bullshit, that’s not reality and it’s sad that internet is getting more and more controlled; I think it’s important that people fight for their right to say whatever they want.”

Erk and Oscar are cousins, they spent many of their younger life together, as they had similar musical tastes.   So, for all their history, it’s said with a smile when asked what Hocico feel their biggest achievement has been, “That we don’t hate each other!

“Of course being in a band sometimes it’s too close and unbearable, but we’ve learned to live together and it’s very important to work through our differences, we need to.”

There’s a growing discontent amongst bands who are not happy with their lot, or maybe bands who are happy but still want to build to achieve more, Hocico have simpler ambitions for the future.

“I would like to keep on doing what I do, that’s my biggest wish. As long as I can make or produce music, I don’t have expectations to get into the charts or stuff like that, I mean it would be cool but it’s not like a goal.

“It’s funny, I mean we’re pretty much lucky bastards in that we can make a living on music, I know that not every band has a chance to do it but we feel pretty lucky and we appreciate that, we know lucky we are.”

It’s very apparent that Hocico are very humble – they’re thankful of what they’ve achieved and appreciative of their success. But is it luck? Skill? Or more than that…?

“In my opinion you really have to be ready to lose everything including friends and family and you’ve got be really crazy to give up everything for what you love. If you’re not ready for this it will be pretty hard to change from a hobby at the weekends. People who really make it in music are people who really concentrate. For us we’re too radical to do jobs, so we do this. Is it art or is it death? I can only do what I do or I die.”

Which almost takes us full circle, so… given the theme for the album and interview…what would you do if you were given just one day to live?

“What would I do?  Well I mean as I said I live every day to the fullest I would probably just do the same as what I’m doing now, if I found out I’m dying tomorrow, I’d just play a show you know? Just go to London and play a show, a party for the end of the world!”

And they did…

Hocico's latest album, 'El Ultimo Minuto (Antes De Que Tu Mundo Caiga)' [check out our review HERE - Ed.] is available now via Out Of Line. Kev's review of the Hocico show at Electrowerks is also available to view HERE. For more information on the band please visit their official website.

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New additions to Wave Gotik Treffan

The latest names have been added to the already strong line-up for this year's festival in Leipzig:

Lacrimosa, Hypnoskull, Burn, Future Trail, Tears Of Othila, Wolfchant, Vermaladyt, and The Cassandra Complex.

The number of artists appearing at WGT this year now stands at 96 and includes Abney Park, Suicide Commando, Skeletal Family, Gitane Demone, VNV Nation and KMFDM.

The festival will take place this year from 17th May until 20th May. For more information please visit the official Wave Gotik Treffen website. 

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