A CERTAIN RATIO NEXT PHASE OF REISSUES ANNOUNCED FOR SPRING 2018

A Certain Ratio announce details of the next phase of reissues on Mute, acr:mcr and I’d Like To See You Again will be released on 23 March with Good Together and Up In Downsville following on 27 April 2018.

The reissues are part of the ongoing collaboration with Mute that started with The Graveyard And The Ballroom, To Each and Force. The forthcoming releases, including the long out of print albums acr:mcr and Good Together will be followed by Sextet, Mind Made Up, Change The Station and a new compilation with recently recorded tracks plus various box sets that will include rare and previously unreleased material, in a campaign that is set to run over the next three years.

Listen to 'Be What You Wanna Be' from acr:mcr here: https://youtu.be/GPTwX_FMwG8

A Certain Ratio (Jez Kerr, Donald Johnson, Martin Moscrop, Denise Johnson, Tony Quigley and Liam Mullan) will embark on a UK tour in the spring, following last year’s incredible sold out hometown performance in Manchester. The tour kicks off on 16 March in Newcastle and includes a date in London on 21 April and at Atmosphere Festival at Seel Park in Mossley, full details below.

A CERTAIN RATIO UK TOUR

16 March - Newcastle, Hoochie Coochie

17 March - Glasgow, Stereo

24 March - Bristol, Fiddlers Club w/ Sink Ya Teeth

25 March - Brighton, The Haunt w/ Sink Ya Teeth

21 April - London, Garage w/ Sink Ya Teeth

18 May - Hebden Bridge, Trades Club w/ Andrew Weatherall – SOLD OUT

25 May – Leeds, Belgrave Music Hall – NEW DATE

26 May - Tameside, Atmosphere Festival 

A Certain Ratio are supporters of Artists Against Hunger and will donate £1 for each ticket sold in 2018. For further details, please go to: http://againsthunger.uk/acr

A Certain Ratio embraced the ethic and culture of the late seventies post-punk explosion, but sounded like nothing else around them and refused to fit in. Formed in 1978, the band had various members throughout their career, and a core line-up of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop and Donald Johnson.

Hailed universally as pioneers of what became known as “punk funk” thanks to the success of ‘Shack Up’ on both sides of the Atlantic, their sound is not easily pigeon holed and their influence can never be understated. The band introduced the avant-garde elements of funk, jazz, electronics, tape loops and technology to the pop song, wrapping it in a post punk aesthetic, adding great clothes and the coolest haircuts.

They have gone on to influence generations of musicians - from LCD Soundsystem, Happy Mondays, Franz Ferdinand, ESG, Factory Floor and Andrew Weatherall, who will appear at the band’s sold out Hebden Bridge performance in May. 

The Guardian’s Dave Simpson paid tribute to the band, once described as “James Brown on acid” in a recent Cult Heroes piece: “Once you start listening to A Certain Ratio, it’s difficult to stop”.

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Tributes paid to the late Jeremy Inkel 08.02.83 - 13.01.18

Jeremy Inkel on-stage with Front Line Assembly  

The world of electronic industrial music has been saddened to learn of the sudden recent death of 

Canadian keyboard player and programmer Jeremy Inkel due to complications arising from an asthma condition. He was only 34 years old. Best known for his involvement in the most recent albums by the veteran act Front Line Assembly, he was also the co-founder of Left Spine Down (LSD) and produced tracks for various other well known musicians.

Based in Vancouver, he was welcomed into Front Line Assembly in 2005, co-writing and producing

the album ‘Artificial Soldier’ that was released the following year. He also toured with the band, 

including festival appearances at the likes of Mera Luna, Summer Darkness and Amphi Festival

and the band’s first ever appearances in Russia. He continued working with FLA on their ensuing 

albums ‘Improvised Electronic Device’, ‘Airmech’ (a video game soundtrack) and ‘Echogenetic’. 

Jeremy’s involvement with FLA (plus their frontman Bill Leeb's side-project Noise Unit) provided him with the opportunity to present his ‘other’ band to a wider public, with the result that Left Spine Down toured with the likes of Revolting Cocks, The Birthday Massacre, Genitorturers and oHGr, plus a large scale North American trek with 16volt and Chemlab in 2010. Blending elements of industrial,punk and alternative rock into a sound that was catchy yet abrasive, melodic yet fist-pumping, with detailed electronica-style programming and a ‘fuck you’ punk attitude, Jeremy had formed LSD with frontman Kaine Delay. The duo’s final album, ‘Caution’, was released soon after the group had signed with Metropolis Records.

Jeremy Inkel (centre) on the FLA tour bus with Bill Leeb (l) and Rhys Fulber (r)  

Bill Leeb of Front Line Assembly has this to say of Jeremy :

“I am truly shocked, heartbroken and saddened beyond belief. Jeremy’s animated larger than life personality will be truly missed. Everyone who met him walked away saying that he was one of the nicest people they had ever met. His creativity will also be sorely missed. He had a huge passion for for music, film and a love of performing. We had recently started creating ideas for a new FLA album,while he also participated on our upcoming ‘Airmech 2’ release, which we are dedicating to hismemory. Rest easy….there will always be a place for you with us.” 

Metropolis Records have stated that :

“We are stunned and saddened to learn of Jeremy's sudden death. We wish to extend our deepest condolences to his family, bandmates and friends. His family requests that anyone wishing to make a gesture in his memory to please make a cash donation at your local food bank. They also request that we all please remember Jeremy for the kind, funny, soulful and talented person that he was." 

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Circle of Dust release 'Contagion (Sebastian Komor Remix)' single

Industrial-metal project Circle of Dust kicks off 2018 with a brand new remix of 'Contagion' from the project's 5th full-length album, 'Machines of Our Disgrace'. Bridging the gap between thrash metal and heavy electronic bass, this wicked remix of 'Contagion' by Sebastian Komor gives the track new life. Experience glitchy vocals and revamped guitars, while still head banging to the industrial overtones.  

You can get 'Contagion HERE. 

Circle of Dust, the 90s industrial / electronic-rock project created by visionary artist/producer Klayton, marked the beginning of the musical career of the man who later went on to create independent success as Celldweller, as well as forming his own label – FIXT. Along with four full-length Circle of Dust albums in the 90s (Circle of Dust, Brainchild, Metamorphosis, Disengage), Klayton created a side-project under the name Argyle Park, which featured a vast collection of guest collaborators, including Tommy Victor of Prong, J.G. Thirlwell of Foetus and Mark Salomon (Stavesacre/Crucified).

Locked away collecting “dust” for 20+ years, the rights to the Circle of Dust & Argyle Park albums were unavailable to Klayton as the original labels they were signed to shut down in the mid-90s. After 2 decades of pursuing a deal to re-gain ownership of the albums, Klayton was finally able to reclaim the rights in 2015.

As Klayton began planning the remastering and re-release of the original albums, a new idea began to grow. He decided to not only re-release each album, but to fully resurrect the project and create a new full-length Circle of Dust album, released December 2016. 'Machines of Our Disgrace' marks the 5th full-length studio album for industrial music pioneer Circle of Dust, after a near 20 year hiatus. Created by artist/producer Klayton, best known for his multi-genre project Celldweller, Circle of Dust returns to Klayton’s industrial roots with metal riffs, pulsing electronics and catchy songwriting.

https://www.facebook.com/circleofdustofficialtofficial

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Review: Psy'Aviah – 'Lightflare'

PSY'AVIAH
'Lightflare'
ALFA MATRIX

Belgian electronic producer Yves Schelpe has steered Psy'Aviah into genuinely interesting directions since 2014's 'The Xenogamous Endeavour'. Encompassing dance-friendly electronic dance music, yet constantly pushing toward progressive and cinematic ambitions with the seamless the blending of genres such as synthpop, ebm, triphop, electroclash, techno, edm, and eurodance to create an instantly accessible yet deep sound. Psy'Aviah's last outing on 'Seven Sorrows, Seven Stars' was easily the best album too date and certainly set the bar high for everything to follow. Luckily the latest offering 'Lightflare' is ready to meet the challenge.

Once again featuring a range of guest vocalists, 'Lightflare' takes the listener on a sonic journey of vulnerability and ultimately salvation at the hands of the music. The emotional side to the Psy'Aviah sound has become more and more palpable with every release, and this is at its most evident here with it's combination of soulful vocal performances and the prominence of the lyrics within the construction of the songs.

Tracks such as 'Lost At Sea', 'Aftermath', 'The Great Disconnect', 'Heavy Heart', 'Lonely Soul', 'Plan B', and 'Under The Rain' sweep the listener along with their combination of emotive vocals, subtle dance-friendly beats and euphoric synths that not only entice you to move your body but also listen closer. Even the harder dance offerings such as 'Sound Of New', 'In The Sound', 'For Myself', 'Reboot Reset Relay', 'Ghost', 'Game Changer', and 'Mr Vanity' with their more prominent ebm elements, harder synths and even guitars have an undeniable sing-a-long appeal that overtakes you.

Even the album's remix disc with it's more esoteric re-workings and amped up club potential maintains that emotional core. Broken up with originals 'Earth, Wind, Fire, Air And Sky (Om Namaha Shivaya)', 'The Rhythm Will Guide You (Chandaas Talaah)', 'Truth Is My Identity (Sam Nam)', and 'Searching Anagata (Om) with their eastern influences evoke the relaxing new age style of Enigma and the dance appeal of Juno Reactor with great effect for a strong blend of the rhythmic and the meditative. Something that definitely needs to be explored further.

Once again the production is as good as you could hope for. Schelpe continues to push his execution as hard as his songwriting and the end results always do justice to his considerable ambitions. There is a huge cinematic atmosphere enveloping this album that gives even the most dance-orientated tracks a huge presence.

'Seven Sorrows, Seven Stars' may have set the bar high but 'Lightflare' continues to ascend higher. The album blends melody, rhythm, emotion and atmosphere with ease. Schelpe not only continues to push his own boundaries, but also the boundaries of alternative electronic music.  

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Review: MGT – 'Gemini Nyte'

MGT

'Gemini Nyte'
CLEOPATRA RECORDS

Birmingham born Mark Gemini Thwaite has some serious gothic rock credentials with a CV that boasts acts such as The Mission, Peter Murphy, Spear of Destiny, Theatre of Hate, Mob Research (with Paul Raven of Killing Joke), and Canadian band National Velvet, as well as many other appearances with international acts. His first solo album on SPV, 'Volumes', produced a lead single in the form of, 'Knowing Me Knowing You', a cover of ABBA hit featuring guest vocalist Ville Valo of HIM, which has gained some good traction.

Thwaite's sophomoric outing under the MGT moniker sees a more stable lineup this time with vocalist Ashton Nyte (The Awakening) taking the helm to add a consistent voice. But there are still some special appearances as the album also features drums by Paul Ferguson (Killing Joke) and appearances by Burton C Bell (Fear Factory), and Lol Tolhurst & Pearl Thompson (The Cure).

Musically the album pretty much pics up from 'Volumes' with a tighter and more focused approach that takes note of the stronger elements of its predecessor and continues with them. The result is a pleasing blend of hard gothic rock. Nyte's vocal performance sits somewhere between Ville Valo and Peter Murphy while musically the album drifts between the melancholic stadium goth of The Mission and the accessible metal of HIM.

Tracks such as 'All The Broken Things', 'Dystopia', 'Trading Faces', 'The Reaping Reprise', 'Armageddon's Sideshow', 'Hide Your Secret', and 'Atlanta' show off the best of this formula with some great riffs, genuinely enchanting vocals, and some delicious grooves. Though it is the cover of Soft Cell's 'Say Hello, Wave Goodbye' is perhaps the album's true standout.

Often solo albums from guitarists descend into ridiculous displays of shredding ability that have only a passing resemblance to songs. Thwaite on the other-hand has crafted a fine collection of legitimately strong songs that straddle both gothic rock and a more accessible mainstream rock. With 'Gemini Nyte' MGT hits its true stride and feels less like a “Here's my solo album, check out my friends” release and more like a fully-fledged band with the means to go far in its own right.  

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Review: Various Artists – 'How To Destroy Coil: A Tribute To Coil'

VARIOUS ARTISTS
'How To Destroy Coil: A Tribute To Coil'
TRIBULATIONS
Coil are easily one of the most influential musical acts of the past thirty years. The avant garde, experimental, often unfriendly and yet utterly compelling works of the late Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson and Johnn Balance straddled industrial, ambient, new age, techno, acid house, noise, drone and just about everything else. Using dissonance as melody their influence can continue to be felt in a myriad of acts today. It only seems fitting that on the back of their Skinny Puppy and Ministry tribute albums that tribulations turn their attention to the esoteric works of Coil.

Acts such as Kanashibari, Construct, Void Prototype, Flesh Eating Foundation, Trust Crusher, Allofher Twitch, The Cryptids and more add their twists to already twisted tracks including 'Fire Of The Mind', 'Love's Secret Domain', 'Cold Cell', 'The Sewage Worker's Birthday Party', 'Restless Day', 'Paranoid Inlay', and 'Solar Lodge'.

As with previous releases, some stick close to the source material and other's make their mark on it. Considering the huge range of Coil's work it's a shame that there are two versions of Cold Cell and Fire Of The Mind – all of which are great – but there are so many great Coil tracks it still seems like a missed opportunity. Nevertheless this is a strong collection that shifts effortlessly between the particular influences of each band and reforms the original tracks to maintain their original experimental flavours but ultimately make it their own.

As with all compilations the multiple genres and recording styles can be a nightmare for mastering but as with the previous two editions in the series this handles them with ease and manages the flow of the tracks into one satisfying experience.

Once more Tribulations and all the artists involved here deserve praise. The source material of Coil is a daunting task by any standard but the love and passion for the band is evident on every offering and ultimately compliment each other as well. This is another great outing and with the fourth in the series shaping up to be a tribute to Bile, we can expect more great music to come.

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Review: Caustic – 'American Carrion'

CAUSTIC
'American Carrion'
NEGATIVE GAIN PRODUCTIONS

The last few Caustic albums 'The Golden Vagina Of Fame And Profit', 'The Man Who Couldn't Stop', and 'Industrial Music' have proved to be among the highlights of their respective years of release. It's good to see that 2018 is starting the right way with another full-length outing full of piss and vinegar from Matt Fanale.

Fanale has continued to evolve and grow as an artist experimenting on EPs and singles, as well as going outside of his comfort zone on his side projects. And his full-length Caustic albums always have a tendency to to pull the best of these experiences into one mighty manifesto.

Picking up right where the forthright middle-finger that was 'Industrial Music' left off, 'American Carrion' sees Fanale kick things up a notch. Hard, groovy, and dance friendly ebm elements are filtered through classic industrial vitriol before being doused with Fanale's own patented Jizzcore. It's a perfect musical palette for what has to be the most explicitly political Caustic album too date.

Big beats and fist-in-the-air, shout-a-long choruses colour tracks such as 'Purgative', 'Heads Down, Fingers Up', and 'Fuck That Fascist Beat' with relatable anger a solid sequenced grooves. The likes of 'American Carrion', 'Stoma' and 'Angel Grinder' with their distorted lo-fi beats and prominent bass-lines that give the album an addictive backbone.

While the progressive and more experimental flavours 'The Coital Staircase', 'Drugskill', and 'Methmouth' show off the wider and more eclectic scope of his work with a blend of old school minimal techno and ebm, but with a rhythmically pleasing core. It's the album's parting shot, 'One Nation Under Fear', though that successfully encapsulates everything going on here and melds it into an undeniable club banger to rally around with it's incendiary but supportive message.

Production-wise the album, much as 'Industrial Music' did before it, straddles the line between polished and tight techno and ebm and gritty unfriendly industrial. It's always been one of Fanale's strengths that he can flick back-and-forth between styles and genres in both his music and vocal performances and yet remain utterly focused and 'American Carrion' is no exception to this trend.

'American Carrion' holds a mirror up to the world and reflects its bullshit right back at it. But it does so in a rather positive way. There is a message of unity, and ultimately hope within the anger and disillusionment that as a result makes this album a compelling listening experience as well as a cathartic dance/mosh-friendly one. It may only be month one of 2018 but 'American Carrion' has set the bar pretty high right from the off.

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Book Review: Joyce Magnin - 'Snowman'

MARK ANDREW POE, JOYCE MAGNIN, AND REBECCA P. MINOR

'Snowman'

RABBIT PUBLISHERS

Alas, Sleepy Hollow, Headless Horseman, what have they done to you this time? Just when I have begun to fall in love with those two elements and decide to give a chance to a graphic novel aimed for children with a twist, it turns out to be an almost total disaster. Created by Mark Andrew Poe,‎ adapted by Joyce Magnin and with art by‎ Rebecca P. Minor, Snowman is hard to like or even tolerate.

I have no problems with the story, to be honest. It is simple, direct, easy to follow for kids and catches the attention on the reader. It’s an interesting twist to the Headless Horseman that I really enjoyed. In fact, with a little polishing, it could be the kind of content we need to show kids nowadays, even more if we want darker, gothic plots in family friendly TV shows and movies.

The characters were very basic, not that lain as I could see they had some human parts in them, but a little empty nonetheless, and the situations were interesting to see while developing. Maybe some adults could enjoy it as well, maybe those who are parents, as I see some curious scenes that could lead to different discussions and teachings for children.

However, my main issue with 'Snowman' is with its graphics, a vital part of comics and graphic novels. The cover is nice, I love it, it caught my attention right away, but the pages I found inside were a totally different thing that I didn’t like at all, starting with the palettes; the very first pages used one and the rest of them used another one.

I’ve read a lot of comic, some with good proportions, others with twisted characters that have nothing to do with human form, but most of them looked pretty good in their respective stories, in their respective universes. That’s not the case for 'Snowman', whose characters I felt were cut from another place and pasted in the panels, whose bodies had something weird in them.

I wouldn’t have any problem if this was an independent project from someone who had just started building a name as an illustrator, but coming from what seems to be a solid series with what I assumed was a solid fan-base, that’s not what I expected; yet, we all know that independents have done and keep doing great work.

It’s a shame that a story with potential has this kind of art, I really expected way much more. I may be picky and know nothing about the standards the industry works with, but there must be something wrong if such art was ever approved. Prepare all your will to finish this book if you start reading it.

I can only hope that it doesn’t happen again.

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Kamelot unveils upcoming album's title

American power metal Kamelot revealed that their upcoming album, set to be released during the Spring season by Napalm Records, is 'The Shadow Theory', and stated that it features all the signature elements of the band.

Following the release of 'The Shadow Theory', Kamelot will embark on a world tour that is scheduled to start in North America during April/May 2018 with Delain and Battle Beast followed by European shows in September/October 2018 for what is being called their biggest headliner tour to date. Also, the band will have a show in Tilburg, Netherlands, and as a way to thank the support of the fans in the city, the show will be shoot as part of Kamelot's long awaited DVD.

It is expected that for 'The Shadow Theory' the band steps out to add new and industrial elements along while combining their earlier days, along with more news and album artwork yet to be revealed.

So far, the confirmed dates are:

• 16 Apr 2018 Louisville (KY), Mercury Ballroom 
• 17 Apr 2018 Charlotte (NC), Fillmore Underground 
• 18 Apr 2018 Silver Spring (MD), The Fillmore 
• 20 Apr 2018 New York (NY), Irving Plaza 
• 22 Apr 2018 Montréal (QC), CA Métropolis 
• 23 Apr 2018 Toronto (ON), CA The Opera House 
• 25 Apr 2018 Albany (NY), Upstate Concert Hall 
• 26 Apr 2018 Pittsburgh (PA), Cargenie Concert Hall 
• 27 Apr 2018 Chicago (IL), Concord Music Hall 
• 28 Apr 2018 Minneapolis (MN), The Cabooze 
• 29 Apr 2018 Des Moines (IA), Wooly's 
• 01 May 2018 Denver (CO), Ogden Theatre 
• 02 May 2018 Salt Lake City (UT), The Complex 
• 04 May 2018 San José (CA), City National Civic 
• 05 May 2018 Anaheim (CA), The Grove 
• 06 May 2018 Phoenix (AZ), Marquee Theatre 
• 08 May 2018 Dallas (TX), House of Blues 
• 09 May 2018 Houston (TX), House of Blues 
• 11 May 2018 Atlanta (GA), Center Stage Theater 
• 12 May 2018 Orlando (FL), House of Blues 
• 13 May 2018 Fort Lauderdale (FL), Revolution Live

Festivals:

• 12 Jul 2018 Vizovice, CZ Masters of Rock
• 08 Aug 2018 Villena, ES Leyendas del Rock Festival 
• 10 Aug 2018 Derbyshire, UK Bloodstock Open Air Festival

The Shadow Tour

• 14.09.18 NL – Tilburg / 013
• 22.09.18 NO – Oslo / Sentrum Scene

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Inkubus Sukkubus reveals next album's snippets

British goth and pagan band Inkubus Sukkubus revealed snippets of their upcoming album, 'Vampire Queen', already available for pre-order on the band's official website and revealing the titles of ten songs.

A message in the website of the band states that those who take a pre-order will get a free badge set, entry into the artwork draw and the album ahead of the release date in March, with also the option to have it signed by vocalist Candia McKormack and guitarist Tony McKormack.

Track List
Bathory
Let the Night Last Forever
Angelus Mortis
Nature Child
Dancing the Night Away
Here Come the Dead
Goddess of Lust
In the Darkness and the Rain
Wolf Boy
Vampire Queen

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