Frank Mokros a.k.a Totakeke is probably more known for his project called Synth-Etik that has released a few CDs on the famous German label Hands Productions. Elekatota is Totateke’s second album, the first one being on the quite new label Tympanik Audio which are going to release some remarkable CDs this spring.

I remember when the first album came out from Totakeke in 2005 called “At The Train Station On A Saturday Evening”. It was a good album, but not as good as “Elekatota” where the sound have developed a lot. From just being an ordinary IDM project, Totakeke have managed to create a sound that goes much further.

“Elekakota” starts with the typical IDM tracks with a bit of breakcore influences. Already on the 3rd track “Pull The Plug” we get a pure electro tune and the album continues with a lot of great tracks like “Millenia”, “Strangle”, “Elekatota Two” - some of the songs are even club friendly.

Totakeke have created a great album with a lot of variation with both IDM and Electro tracks. Some of the Electro songs resemble some of the latest material from the English band Portion Control. Elekakota is one if the best IDM/Electro albums I have heard in a long time. Highly recommended.

The first Seabound album called “No Sleep Demon” came out in 2001, since then they have released 2 albums “Beyond Flatline” and “Double Crosser” and Seabound has been on tour with Covenant and played at several festivals such as WGT and Mera Luna. All 3 albums are of highest quality, however Seabound is still an overlooked band.
Come Forward gives us songs from all their 3 albums so it’s almost a “best off” album with a live audience in the background. I would have preferred a “best off” album even though the sound quality on “Come Forward” is as good as it is, however it could have been a bit better. That aside, here we get 12 of their best songs from one of the best Future Pop bands around; we get the club hits “Exorcise”, “Contact”, ”Poisonous Friend”, “The Promise”, “Hooked”, and “Torn”. The highlight of the album is without a doubt the song “Watching Over You” which is around 8 minutes long; it’s a great song that comes directly from the heart with a lot of personal lyrics and is probably the best song Seabound have ever made. All in all “Come Forward – Live In Berlin” is a great album, filled with all the songs I like from Seabound, a band that deserves more attention in the future.

The American band Imperative Reaction is finally back with a new following-up to the highly acclaimed album “Redemption”, released in 2003. Since then a lot has happened, Imperative Reaction have been on tour with VNV Nation, Covenant, and Rotersand in the US, and played last year their first European gig at Wave Gothic Treffen in Leipzig. Imperative Reaction still consists of the singer Ted Phelps, Clint Carney System Syn), Sam P. (Pulse Legion), and Gabriel Opruta.
On the album ”As We Fall” we get 10 strong and danceable songs, here are no fillers, just high quality songs that will keep the listener’s attention with nicely made melodic songs, good choruses that are easy to remember, the same with the lyrics. That doesn’t mean “As We Fall” is a weak album, more the opposite: that the album easily can reach a wider audience outside the Industrial/EBM scene, as Imperative Reaction also have some rock influences, for instance from bands like Nine Inch Nails and KMFDM, even when Imperative Reaction don’t use guitars in their music.
I have been listening to Imperative Reaction since they released their debut album “Eulogy For The Sick Child” in 1999, and it’s great to see how a band can develop, even Ted’s vocal is much better on “As We Fall” than the previous material. It sounds like Ted has taken some singing lessons (he he) and his vocal is one of the best we have in the Industrial/EBM scene without any use of distortion. I don’t know what it is, but it’s like he is singing with his heart, and that he lives for his music. Anyway, “As We Fall” is great stuff and it’s an album I really can recommend. Some of my favorite songs are “Judas”, “Never Ending”, “As We Fall”, “Closed In”. Imperative Reaction will be on tour with VNV Nation in Europe this spring, you should go and see them if you have the chance, they are a great live band.

It’s always interesting when the German label Hymen Records release an album with a new project. Nebulo is a new project from France, which consist of the member Thomas P., who started Nebulo as a visual project where he sees himself more as a graphic illustrator. Thomas P. started working as a musician when he was 19 years old, recording with a 4 track recorder, and later with a computer.
”Kolia” contains 13 slow IDM tracks including 2 remixes by Alix and Ginormous, who are label mates with Nebulo. The production and the mastering are superb as we are used to get from the Hymen label, the same with the cover of the CD, a cool digi pack with artwork by Salt. ”Kolia” offers a lot of tracks and a lot of weird scratchy sounds, but the CD is still full of melodic tracks as there aren’t many harsh tracks on the CD. I think the 2nd track, “Automnal”, is a pure masterpiece and is without a doubt the highlight of the CD, but there are also a few other really good tracks like “Dr-Ill”, “Mecaniduction”, and “Siapese”.
Nebulo has created a nice debut CD with some good tracks, but in my opinion there should be some more variation on the CD, a few faster tracks with more rhythm like we know from projects like Somatic Responses and Displacer. The CD “Kolia” will without a doubt please the audience who likes bands like Autechre, Gridlock, Somatic Responses, and Ab Ovo.

The last couple of years a few bands from Greece have arrived at the Industrial/EBM Scene, like Iambia, PreEmptive Strike 0.1, and Siva Six. It’s not so often we hear about bands from Greece here in Denmark, but it looks like the scene is growing in Greece as I have never heard Greek projects until 2-3 years ago.
Siva Six have just released their 2nd CD, “Black Will” on the Italian label Decadance Records, which also released Siva Six’ debut album “Rise New Flesh” that included the club hit “Streetcleaner”. Siva Six consists of Noid (keyboards) and Z (vocals), and the CD was produced by Dimitri N. Douvras (the singer of Iambia).
The music we get from Siva Six is traditional Industrial/EBM with slightly distorted vocals, an angry and harsh vocal as we know it if from bands like Tactical Sekt, Grendel, Painbastard, Iambia, etc. Siva Six have also got a lot inspiration from the Mexican terrorists Hocico, actually Siva Six sounds a lot like Hocico. There’s nothing wrong with that so long as Siva Six can create some powerful songs that work for the listeners and at the Industrial/EBM clubs. I presume that most of the music Siva Six make is made for the clubs, which is fine, as I can hear in their music that they are honest about that. I don’t need have to think a lot when I’m listen to Siva Six’ music - it appeals a lot to drinking beers and having fun.
On “Black Will” Siva Six have a created some nice melodic and danceable songs, where all the songs have the potential to become club hits. I really recommend songs like “See The Six”, ”Heart Of The Master”, “Opponent The Seal”, and “Line In…. Line Down”. Dimitri from the band Iambia shows again that he is a good producer and “Black Will” is nicely made. Siva Six is a band that will grow in the future if they get more airplay and some concerts around in Europe.

It´s very seldom we hear about bands from the old East Europe here in Denmark even
When the scene is growing in countries like Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. The scene is also bigger in the old East Germany than in “West” Germany.
Rosewater is a band hailing from Latvia and the CD “Bloodcount” is the 3rd CD from the band on the Latvian record label “Sturmmandat” though were the first 2 CD´s released as the CDR´s, so “Bloodcount” is their firt “real” CD. Rosewater consists of 3 guys Oskars, Dmitrijs, and Kaspars.
Bloodcount is released in very smooth digi pack with a nice layout. The music produced by Rosewater is very danceable, melodic, harsh, and instrumental Industrial with some EBM influences, actually I will compare Rosewater´s sound to something between Feindflug, Converter, Soman, and Reaper a very varied sound that could please a lot of different listeners. “Bloodcount” is well produced and mastered, and contains a lot of tracks that could burn the dance floors. Tracks like “N.M.E”, “Nakts Und Näve” are really floorfillers, but there are also other great tracks like “Unbroken” and a few others. If you´re into bands like Feindflug, Reaper, and Soman with some Power Noise elements you should give Rosewater a chance as they really deserve more attention.

Dirk Ivens and Eric Van Wonterghem aka Sonar have for me always been icons in the power-noise scene, ever since I heard 'Main Frame' for the first time.
Eventhough they both have various side-projects (Dive, Klinik, Insekt,...) the music and live shows Sonar creates are simply unique. Two men working their gear as if they were fighting eachother with distorted drums and hypnotic loops, your body just gets thrown into an uncontrollable frenzy. Electronic Body Movement, this is it!
The summer of 2006 brought their new album 'Alien Overdrive' which is probably their best album to date, mainly because it is more accessible then previous releases. Ofcourse the well-known hypnotic rythmics are still there, it just has a little more punch to it this time around. Tracks such as Consume, Vanished and Bad Man just get you moving wether you want it or not.
Following the 10 Sonar tracks, which honoustly can bring any trained power-noise fan to the knees begging for more, the discs offers a few remixes (featuring Morgenstern and Ambassador 21) that extend the listening pleasure.
This truly is a disc you can't just walk by, this is a disc you need, your body will definitally appreciate the beating.

Finally the debut album from the Greek band Iambia was released in January, after a couple of years of delay, because of some label rights issues. Iambia consists of Dimitri (Keyboards, Vocals) and Louperkalleia (Live Keyboards). Dimitri has made all the music, and has a harsh dark vocal which is distorted a bit - a good powerful vocal.
The music on “Anasynthesis” is pure Industrial/EBM with a melodic sound, somehow the CD is full of an atmospheric sound which is difficult to describe, actually it’s that sound that makes Iambia different from other Industrial/EBM bands, somehow it’s really music that comes directly from the heart, and that’s what keeps my attention.
“Anasynthesis” kicks of with 2 strong songs, “Anasynthesis” and “The Enemy Unknown”, followed by the nice instrumental track “Ominous”. The 4th song “Resurrected” is without a doubt the highlight of the CD, a pure club hit, and the best song on the album if I think as a club DJ, but “Sederial Spheres” is my all time favourite song with Iambia. The version here on “Anasynthesis” isn’t as good as the version on the Progress Productions label compilation “Born Evolve Progress” which contains 2 Iambia songs. Other strong tracks are “Chaosmancer”, “Helluci Nation” and “Tyrrania”. Iambia have made a good debut album whit an atmospheric sound that goes directly to the heart and keeps my attention even when through a few instrumental tracks, which still fit the rest of the CD.
Please note you can order “Anasynthesis” here a Braincorp for 120 DKK including shipping.

I bought the CD with the American System Syn a while ago, I don't know what happened since I forgot to unpack it and listen to it ... but after a few listens I really regretted not listening to it earlier! It was released in the autumn last year.
Postscript is produced by Ted Phelps from the American band Imperative Reaction. Ted has made a very smooth production which was missing on System Syn’s previous material. System Syn consists of Clint Carney, who makes all the music and lyrics. Clint has a strong vocal that really fits the music, here isn’t any distortion on the vocal, just a pure vocal from a singer who can actually sing. That doesn’t happen often nowadays. Nearly all the sons on “Postscript” are very melodic and danceable. The only slow song we get on the CD is “The Saddest Sound Was You”, the rest of the song could fit in any Industrial/EBM club with respect for itself. “Postscript” is a very strong album, which delivers the American Industrial/EBM sound I like so much. I can really recommend the following songs: “Burning Out”, “Existence In Neutral”, “Through This”, and “Now”, if I really need to recommend some songs. The whole CD is packed with great songs. Of course System Syn sounds a bit like Imperative Reaction as Ted Phelps is the producer, but who cares so long as we can get such a great album as “Postscript” is. If you like a pure melodic Industrial/EBM sound you won’t regret buying “Postscript”. Please note it’s possible to order “Postscript” here a Braincorp for 120 DKK including shipping.

Wumpscut (Rudy R.) has reached long-player number 8, and long before the release of ‘Cannibal Anthem’ Rudy promised to take a step back to his previous albums such as ‘Bunkertor 7’ and ‘Embryodead’. And it has to be said that after the pretty disappointing ‘Bone Peeler’ (2004) and ‘Evoke’ (2005), this probably is the last chance for the German industrial pioneer.
As the album title implies, the subject this time is Cannibalism, which seems like a step back to ‘Embryodead’. Even the artwork, mostly drawings of people taking bites of faces, arms and legs, reminds of the ‘Embryodead’ artwork. It seems Rudy has kept his word.
Now, to the music. After the intro, the album kicks off with the track ‘Wir Warten’ and immediately it feels like the old :W: is back. This is promising, harsh beats, evil German vocals… can it actually be?
Yes it can, ‘Die Liebe’ and ‘Jesus Antichristus’ are kept in the same dark atmosphere.
The title-track’s (Cannibal Anthem) lyrics are written in a language I really can’t place. It might be the same language Rudy R. made up during the making of Evoke for the track ‘Churist Churist’, I can’t tell.
´Auf der Jagt´ is the only instrumental track on this album, but compared to other instrumental tracks :W: made, this is a bit of a disappointment. Still it feels like the theme of Bunkertor 7 is somehow implemented in this track.
The album also includes, as usual, some tracks with female vocals and as usual, these are not in any way the highlights of the album.
The highlights on this album must be ‘Wir Warten’ and ‘Jesus Antichristus’. Two tracks that I think even the dance floor will love.
If I have to be honest, I had very low expectations for this album, but this album is good, it is as promised a step back. It has the harshness, the darkness that we’ve missed out on with ‘Evoke’. Two steps more, and :W: will be back where we like him. The question is, does he want to go there?
The limited edition and box-version of the album also come with a remix album, containing remixes from Feindflug, Xotox, and many others.