Into the Megalopolis 18 (your helpful guide to local action) by The Emperor

Hopefully this issue we can avoid the plague of club trauma that followed the last version of this column within weeks of the last issue's arrival, half the clubs I mentioned had closed or changed in the months that followed, even more followed suit. I know clubs are transient by nature, but that's just ridiculous. Things seem to have stabilized a little bit, but the lesson of last column is: always double-check with a club to make sure a night is going on, rather than trusting someone like me to have gotten it right for you.

Clubs
New York City remains in a state of turmoil: MI7 is gone (for now DJ Krieg promises it will be back). Contempt has moved from Mother (which is now completely closed, putting several industrial/goth/fetish nights out of a home) to Twirl (208 W. 23rd St, bet, 7th & 8th), one Tuesday a month, and still dedicated to playing mostly requests (21+ only; more info at www.contemptny.org). Recently the Contempt dj staff has been augmented to include dj Cypher, of the Bound Organization. Bound NYC is long gone, but Cypher is still active in Bound Hartford, the first Saturday of every month at Webster Underground, 31 Webster Street, Hartford CT (more info at www.hartford.bound.org). Malfunction, after a brief move to Wednesday nights has morphed into Addiction, now every Friday at 113 Ludlow St (bet. Delancey and Rivington). Addiction is now a BYOB event, 18+ to be admitted but no alcohol sold at all. Addiction otherwise retains Malfunction's trademarks, from a wide variety of djs and music styles to showcasing small, up and coming bands that never seem to make it into those big(ger) Batcave shows. The Batcave remains the only stable NYC industrial night, with seemingly undiminishing crowds and a stream of high-profile shows. The most "industrial" of the DJs, Bent and Ian Ford, are perfectly suited to today's industrial/ebm crowd, and it's definitely the highest-octane dancefloor action.
With the reopening of the Limelight has come a steady stream of attempts to recapture the glory of the early-90s industrial nights there many failures and short-lived gigs, but hopefully I'll have more to report on this next issue. The Limelight certainly is the venue best suited to these styles of music, and I would welcome the club's return to favor. Who doesn't enjoy dancing to industrial and goth music in a big old cathedral? Speaking of well-suited venues, the Korova Milkbar (named and decorated after the bar in A Clockwork Orange) had a night going on Wednesdays, couldn't tell you much about the dj and there was no dancefloor, but it was a great bar with excellent music and a fairly casual atmosphere. The difference between a bar and a club, I suppose. The décor clearly lends itself to the music and I hope the night still exists. NJ is the same as it's been for years, really, with the exception of the increasing success of OXTs in Newark (somewhere on Broad St., 21+). The successful Saturday night has just given birth to a new Thursday night event in Clifton NJ which unfortunately I have no further info on (except that it involves dj Dysfunction of QXT's and an otherwise rotating dj cast). Friday night, QXT's "80's night" now features dj Skellington (formerly (?) of Dark Carnival in Ct. and a few other smaller NJ nights), so I hope that will lead to a greater prominence of industrial and gothic music at the night. DJ Markus (no realtion to the Croc Shop keymonger) returns to his old Wednesday night haunt at the Melody in New Brunswick, after being temporarily sidelined for a gutter-rock night. Mark plays a variety of "alternative dance music," so don't go expecting a completely industrial night, but he is easily swayed by the crowd (of which there has been a dearth so far); so if you are vocal or bring enough friends, you're sure to influence the music.
Philadelphia is also fairly status quo, with Circuitry, Nocturne, and the bi-monthly Dracula's Ball at varying locations (August at the Trocadero). Unfortunately I haven't been to any of these clubs for some considerable time so I can't say much else about them. Bound Philly is long gone, and Vesago still happens but with increasingly less regularity. For more information, I appealed to Philly resident :
<theBinary@aol.com>: Philly has been going through a lot of changes lately. From the promoters to the clubs Philadelphia has been seeing things in a state of growth. Of course they have the Dracula's Ball events (dancing Ferret prod.) which are always packed, but have now moved to a larger more accomodating venue, the Trocadero Theater. The Troc' is a Victorian style theater which sets the "gothic" mood a little better than the event's previous home, Evolution Nightclub. Circuitry (Evolution on Sundays) has seen a change in hands with promotions (Julliette Productions) and maintains a good dancefloor, with a little more attention paid to the electro-industrial side of the spectrum. Rivet heads should feel at home here. Nocturne (Wednesdays at Shampoo, Willow St. bet. 7th and 8th) is going strong with three dance floors and a fountain room (bathroom?), all equipped with different DJs . The main floor is DJ Knobhead, the "80's Room" lives up to its name with synthpop and new wave ruling supreme, and the bar area has a revolving cast of DJs. Thursdays ROCK at Transit; the club formerly known as the Bank has had a major facelift and is now under that name. It is the most beautiful club the city has ever had that caters to the industrial/gothic genres. Scott LaRoque has the bar and Knobhead has the main floor. If you like the old Bank you will love the new Transit! On the whole, the DJ line-up hasn't changed very much except for a few new faces such as Schmitty and Scott LaRoque. Knobhead still reigns supreme as he does Nocturne, Transit and Circuitry, and he remains a crowd-pleaser. Philly's DJs do an excellent job in promoting every aspect of the "industrial-goth" subculture except they get a big fat "F'' on the report card in the noise division. It is a rarity when such pioneers in the field as Winterkalte and PAL get any time on the dancefloor for more than a token two song "noise set." On the concert tip Philly has been hitting a dry spell, even though a lot of great electro acts are touring the east coast. Philly is being passed over for industrial shows and has seen too many goth shows. One out of five people at a NY or NJ show are usually Philadelphians it see <theBinary@aol.com>:

Labels, Bands, Stores
Local label action sees Interbeat Records of Kearny NJ expand from a store to a distributor to a label, licensing quality European industrial like Inertia, E-Craft, Terminal Choice, Neuroticfish and more. NJ's Tinman have released their first non-Megalopolis area band, Dubok, out of Columbus Ohio, and the second cd from NYC's I, Parasite. Philadelphia soon sees the birth of a new label, Tone Deaf, with the upcoming release of Cesium 137's debut album (a demo was reviewed last issue, accidentally mislabeled as Cesium 138) and an accompanying single. How is it that I've made it through so many issues without mentioning Assemblage 23? Maybe because they don't really have a "local" presence despite mainman Tom Shear being a Philadelphia native, A23 doesn't play in Philadelphia more to do with the "cosmopolitan" group of people he brings into his live band, I expect. But A23's debut cd, "Contempt,' is out on Gashed Records. When I first heard A23 I wrote them off as a VNV/Covenant clone band, but the album proves me only part right. Despite a strong similarity to those bands (hardly a bad thing in this market) the album proves much more diverse, and holds its own against claims of copycat techniques. Tom Shear is also producing an album from fellow Philadelphian project Lost Signal. Lost Signal shares a similarity to VNV/Covenant/A23, but it's well done and there's definitely a catchy industrial-pop sensibility that lurks in there hopefully it will be enough to distinguish Lost Signal from their contemporaries. Look for their debut sometime later in 2000 from Inception Records. NJ's Crocodile Shop release a promotional single, "Wrong," in conjunction with Metropolis, featuring remixes of tracks from their latest album "Order + Joy" by Croc Shop related projects Division #9, Subliminal Gravity and mortmain() as well as from Dessau and Dubok look for giveaways at your local club. You know enough about Metropolis, Philadelphia's giant who continues to dominate the genre (soon to expand into techno with Juno Reactor and cement their gothic standing with a new Fields of the Nephilim album). Of course, with the transfer of Digital Underground the label has less to do with Philadephia than ever before, especially now that the label's top brass is headquartered in San Francisco (although the rest of the organization is still in PA). Philadelphia's Dancing Ferret Discs continues on with licenses from Germany's Endanger, Behind the Scenes and Paralysed Age, and the growing success of their flagship band Cruxshadows. I still haven't been to the Digital Ferret store (formerly Digital Underground, at 525 S. 5th St, right off of South St.) but I am told they carry a similar range of electro and industrial, with a new focus on metal and goth and apparently abandoning DU's beloved trance section. The only real stores to shop at for industrial music in NJ remain Café Soundz in Montclair, St. Marks' in Kearny, Princeton Record Exchange in Princeton, and Vintage Vinyl in Fords. Other stores may dabble, but you'll find the best selection in these places. NYC remains a mystery to me only Generation comes to mind, sadly. Surely the biggest city in the country deserves a store that specializes (or sub-specializes, even) in industrial music! Ah well. tinmanaux@aol.com

DAMN: I have heard some rumors about S.P.O.C.K joining Bloodline, are you thinking about moving to Bloodline sometime this year?
A: Well, it's not like we're changing label or anything. The deal is that our current German licensee, & in a sense also our main label, will start something like a cooperation with Bloodline. It's not that we're starting a new label but more like joining forces. So, we'll be able to have Bloodline working for us but our main label is SSC (& will always be as I'm part owner of the label ;) Anyway, one of many benefits for S.P.O.C.K is that we hopefully will have a better way into the States where we haven't had any success this far.

DAMN: Does SPOCK have any new material coming out sometime in the year 2000?
A: We sure do! In October we're releasing our fifth studio album "2001: A S.P.O.C.K Odyssey"!! It was actually meant for 2001, as we've released an album every second year since 1993, but we are so eager to go on that we can't wait! Hence the title, by the way... Doesn't matter really, the title is great & for once we can say that we're ahead of time!

DAMN: Have you seen any new musical technologies that you have picked up on for SPOCK?
A: In the studio, yes. Well, it's actually not any "new" stuff, rather updated software but we're using it, pushing it to the limit. Last year we also acquired some new keyboards to our collection of old analogue machines but I guess that's it. Okay, I could mention a fully functional food replicator but it's not really something we use real stuff is always better!

DAMN: What kind of formula is used in the making of a SPOCK song?
A: Musically we grew up to old 80:ies electropop & I guess it's still around somewhere. Of course we're inspired by whatever we hear (and we listen to quite a wide range of music) but synthpop is our thing. I mean, we should we do something that we don't master? We do it the electronic way because that's what we do best! Anyway, so a typical S.P.O.C.K song starts with a melody written by CrullE &/or YoHaan while I've been watching & reading SciFi stuff. The song gives a certain feeling or picture in my mind & I try to put words to that. It's a puzzle, as I really want to have words that are easy to remember. Then we all team up & put it all together, making a few changes here & there & viola it's a hit!

DAMN: What do you think about bands like Apop Berzerk & Drunkness & their approach of alien concepts?
A: I haven't got a clue! Even though the scene is small, there are still a few bands that I've never heard! The Norwegians is such an example (& I'll probably never listen to them). As for Drunkness, I find there way quite interesting. Their theories are okay but it's only S.P.O.C.K who knows thetruth out there!

DAMN: What inspires your space age lyrics & how can they be contrasted & compared to other bands working with such lyrics?
A: Are there any other bands? Anyway... inspiration comes from all kinds SciFi, mainly TV & movies, such as, X Files, Babylon 5, Star Trek (!), Star Wars, Alien(s) etc, but also life in general. It's all ingredients that my imagination puts together to a short S.P.O.C.K story. Space is a great source for influence as it's so big & unknown & full of possible scenarios! I can actually write any Earthlike lyrics & then add a little "space" or "universe" & then it's a SciFi text ;) The song "Astrogirl" is such an example.

DAMN: On the last tour you went out on, what were some of the audience reactions? What was your most memorable moment of your European Tour?
A: Actually, the reaction is always the same: wild & crazy! Every show ends in almost an orgy of happiness! We're having a great time, the feeling spreads to the people who react in the same way, thereby making us even happier & that's the way the loop goes. It's amazing, the best times of my life are on stage! So, to pick one particular show ain't easy as there are so many great moments. But, okay, we did a show at Sweden's biggest rock festival last summer & the area was packed! I could never imagine such an interest for space dudes & the people stayed!! I mean, normally at a festival with 10 stages people walk around, catch a little here, a little there but the ones who showed up for us, they stayed! Incredible, makes me wonder "What have I done?"...

DAMN: A few years ago, you toured on the Star Trek Convention, I think? Did that help gain interest of SPOCK in America?
A: You're quite right, but it was actually in 1999! But unfortunately we haven't seen any change of interest for our activities in the US. Neither the con, nor the nationwide coasttocoast tour we did (18 shows in 25 days, crossing 19 states, all over US). But what the heck, it was a fabulous experience that I definitely don't want to have undone! I really hope we can get some proper work done in North America, as it's such a big market & I wanna do another US tour!
DAMN: What is the most fun you have had with your music & as a band?
A: Holy smoke, that's impossible to say! There are thousands & thousands of things that have happened, small stuff & huge adventures, & they all mean something & we learn something. & if I learn something, I think it's great! So, it's impossible to say. Meeting William Shatner? Holding a new finished product in my hand? Every situation is great as they happen, big things 10 years ago are nothing compared with today but at the time they were great. So, I guess the proper answer would be the lot!

DAMN: How do you think songs like "Space Walking", "They are here" & "Dr.McCoy" have shaped SPOCK 1999?
A: Well, they are all part of an album that we're pretty proud of. But we don't think like one song is more important than any other is. We never have a special concept or so when we start writing material for a new album. We're doing individual tracks that can live their own lives what keeps them all together on an album is the production. Of course, putting the tracks in a specific order is trickier than one can imagine...

DAMN: If you were not in S.P.O.C.K, what other profession would most likely be doing right now?
A: Wow, good question! I haven't got a clue, really! I've been doing S.P.O.C.K fulltime for so long now that I can't imagine what I would do else. Whatever I tend to learn throughout the years, are things that I in one way or another can use in the S.P.O.C.K process. Whether it's graphic design, homepage, mixing, promotion, music business or whatever, doesn't matter. But if I think it over again, I'd say that I'd probably be into to computerdesigned artwork. I used to do that a lot a couple of years ago but now I'm "only" using it for the band, e.g. I do the record covers, merchandize, etc. Or maybe I'd be in the music business doing... well, I don't know something. Actually, I've started w/ a couple of friends the label, Subspace Communications, in '96. We've grown & are now working with a couple of bands (e.g. Covenant), we're into concert agency, we're doing publishing things, we're importing & distributing other acts etc, Maybe that's is where I'll continue when I've sung my last "Klingon"?!

DAMN: With S.P.O.C.K: 1999, how did to stretch the sounds on the album that have not been done in the past with SPOCK?
A: One main difference was the fact that two crewmembers where new in band compared to the lineup at the previous album. CrullE & YoHaan are great guys & we worked a LOT with the album, in a way that never has been done before in the S.P.O.C.K world! So, more or less, everything changed! We worked much more with details, we tried different ideas & approaches & worked a lot more thorough. There's a single sound or details on S.P.O.C.K: 1999 that we haven't thought of, everything is elaborately done. I could go forever explaining the differences but that's not interesting & for the listener it shouldn't matter. It's only the result that counts nothing else matters! So we try to make a "product" that's so well done that nobody even reflects on the work they just listen and enjoy!

DAMN: What do you think you have achieved with this album, besides great reviews and press?
A: Hmm, I don't know. New experience, perhaps? I mean, the creation of the album was something new and new experiences make life worthwhile. Two new crewmembers that are the best of friends? A fabulous trip to and across the US? Captain Kirk? Done bigger festivals? More respect? We've achieved all that but still I can't say if that's a proper answer I've never thought of it that way. We just keep on doing happy music and take it as it comes...

DAMN: What term do you like to classify your music as? Industrial, synthpop etc?
A: Well, it ain't industrial, that's for sure! Synthpop might be a goodword, at least within the scene. People outside have a tendency not to be familiar with the word. To them I'd describe our music as pop done with keyboards. Actually, I think our music is more pop than synthpop as the songs often follows the basic pop structure: versechorusversechorusbreak2x chorusfadeout. Our songs can be performed with a "normal" lineup guitar, bass, drums but we've chosen the hard way: keyboards! (A Swedish reporter put it that way in a review once). So, it's more pop than most of the other synthpop acts in my opinion.

DAMN: Any final words you would like to share?
A: Live long and prosper!

HEY! check out Goth Girl's E-zine at: GRAVE CONCERNS

An Interview with Lemony Snicket BySupervixen

Recently, while perving around the children's book section of my local mega bookstore/café conglomerate (And I do recommend this for an occasional cheap thrill-make sure you bejewel every visible piercing you accumulated in the 90s, and attire yourself in your clunkiest tanker boots while purposefully revealing your every tattoo. An ancient Chemlab "Fuck Art! Let's Kill!" t-shirt will do the trick nicely, too.), mothers clutched their sweet-smelling, lithe offspring closer while I perused the aisles nearby. Oblivious to the conspicuous deployment of store security, I turned over a quite elegantly bound, beautifully illustrated tome that reads:
"Dear Reader, I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe... It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket."
Still mourning the untimely passing of our beloved Edward Gorey, and coming to the realization that I will never be able to afford the Mark Twain translation of Struwwelpeter, and further kicking myself for missing the British stage adaptation, Shockheaded Peter, I went home with the book hoping to fill a large, cantankerous void.
This was Book the First in "A Series of Unfortunate Events," and by page 8 the protagonist children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, lose their parents in a terrible fire. I was hooked. And better still, the writing has a certain perverse, mature erudition, and dark-cold-black sense of humor. So began my current obsession.
There are now five volumes in the series, and in each these pitiable children find themselves in some sort of Dickensian peril, such toiling in a lumber mill only to be paid in coupons, or attending a cruel boarding school where they must sleep on bales of hay in a fungus-encrusted, crab-ridden, tin shack. Meanwhile, the orphans' arch villain uncle, Count Olaf, incessantly plots to steal their sizeable fortune before Violet, the eldest, comes of age to inherit it. I am not making this up.
The series is presented as the result of years of research by the mysterious and wonderfully named author, Lemony Snicket, who claims to be merely chronicling the lives of the Baudelaire orphans as cautionary tales. Mr. Snicket, who one would think lives in a Victorian mansion teetering on a high hill (insert a crash of thunder and flicker of lightning here), instead provides tantalizing, and ever-changing bio information in every volume. He is awaiting trial, pining for lost love, socializing with socialists, and on the run, most notably. Each book contains a dedication to the same dead spectre: Beatrice (a love also common to Dante and Borges, coincidentally).
Mr. Snicket holds none of his seemingly superior education back when penning these tales. He is prone to defining academic vocabulary contextually, and carefully explaining literary devices and historical metaphors. Keep in mind that these are real books intended for children and actually selling quite well. I could take it no longer. I had to contact Lemony Snicket. The results are published here.
DAMn!: Do you use a MAC or PC platform computer?
Lemony Snicket: I use a Mac which was built in approximately 1853.

D!: Have you ever been involved in the gothic/industrial subculture? Even peripherally?
LS: A deep love of the histrionics of Robert Smith shadowed my adolescence, if that counts.

D!: Yes, I'd say that counts. It counts doubly if photos exist of you with giant 80s hair and smudgy lipstick.
LS: If any such photos exist, I will take this opportunity to state in public that Mr. Snicket will pay top dollar for the negatives and any known copies. Repeat, top dollar. Otherwise I can only offer a deep appreciation of the novels of Wilkie Collins, ownership of the music of Autchre, a one-time meeting with Anne Rice and marriage to a woman with a closetful of black clothes as evidence of subculturedom.

D!: Marriage? Didn't your book flap bio paint you as a forlorn bachelor? Do you mean marriage to Beatrice?
LS: I am, indeed, a full-time forlorn bachelor.

D!: Does an audience here surprise you?
LS: It delights me.

D!: How did you first hear of the Baudelaire children?
LS: Accidentally.

D!: Everyone knows that the entertainers of children are a bad lot: the super-pervy Lewis Carroll and Shel Silverstein; the nasty Roald Dahl; et al. Given your own criminal history, fondness for brandy, and curious associations, I am suspicious of the reliability of your narration. What exactly is your interest in orphans?
LS: My interest in orphans is purely aesthetic, although as the audience grows for the novels published by, shall we say, a close associate of mine named Daniel Handler--THE BASIC EIGHT, in which high school students take absinthe and kill one another, and WATCH YOUR MOUTH, in which an oversexed family constructs a monster in the basement--I suspect that this question will pop up more and more often.

D!: Oh yes! I am familiar with the sanguine, criminal oriented writings of Mr. Handler and it does not astonish me that he would fraternize with you, a person whom the authorities are still seeking, last I knew. Is there anything you can disclose about your criminal case file?
LS: As my case file is pure lies, I will disclose nothing. My loyal associates--Mr. Handler included--have stood by me, occasionally too closely, despite such slanderous accusations.

D!: Have you and Count Olaf ever occupied the same room at the same time?
LS: Only once that I know of, but undoubtedly he's passed in unnoticed disguise more times than I care to think about, particularly when I'm alone.

D!: Not many books intended for children involve devourment by leeches, or May-December marriages to legal guardians. Do you get much editorial hassle regarding basic plot points?
LS: Actually, horrific violence and inappropriate affection are more or less the cornerstones of children's literature--a fact known by anyone who has read the story of a young blonde girl sleeping in a bear's bed only to be, er, eaten. Luckily for me, my editor has never hassled me on those points.

D!: Did you have to query and/or pitch these stories? What was that like?
LS: I blurted out the idea for these books to an editor I knew, after many sidecars in a very dark bar. The good news was that she liked the idea, but the bad news was that we then had to do it officially, with a proper proposal written while sober in a well-lit room. In such circumstances, my literary agent found the idea horrifying, and there were some murmurs at the publishing house, but we ended up winning.

D!: Did you get a say in the gorgeous illustration, paper, or binding of your books?
LS: Publishing houses ask authors about the covers of their books in the same way you might ask a child if she wants to take out the garbage; it's only technically a question. In my case this is a good thing, as my clumsy eye could never have concocted as gorgeous a design as Mr. Helquist ['s illustration] and Ms. Donalty's [cover design] work.

D!: How do you feel about the Harry Potter books? Or what about the New York Times inventing a "Children's Bestseller List" in response to those books-just so writers for grown-ups have increased odds at landing a coveted slot?
LS: I have only read the first Harry Potter book, which I thought was quite good although I find the sheer volume of the books' success to be a bit inexplicable, an opinion shared, I hasten to add, by [their author,] Ms. Rowling. Naturally, my opinion of the Harry Potter phenom is bound to be tainted by self-interest. Ditto my opinion as to the New York Times children's bestseller list. I'm on it, so I can't help but like it.

D!: Do you use pretentious vocabulary, alliteration, frequent asides, and literary references in daily life? Do your associates mind?
LS: If there is a social gathering at which the word "tryst" must be explained, mentions of Haruki Murakami banned or wordplay frowned upon, you may tear up my invitation. My close associates agree with me that life is too short to attend such things.

D!: I have read about Nickelodeon acquiring the rights for a feature film. Have they acquired the rights to the first book, the series, or the characters? Do you know if there has been a decision on live-action or animation? Are you to be involved in any way?
LS: The plan is for a live-action film, based on the first book, with me writing the script. I am pushing for them to hire my friend Stephin Merritt, of the Magnetic Fields and (perhaps more interestingly for you) the Gothic Archies, to write some songs for it.

D!: If my research is correct, there are to be a total of 13 books in "A Series of Unfortunate Events." May I presume that your own research of the Baudelaire children has finally reached an end, ominous or otherwise?
LS: Thirteen volumes is correct, although I regret to say that it is not my research that has reached an ominous end.

Afterward: As of this writing The Bad Beginning and The Austere Academy are both on the New York Times Children's Bestseller List.

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
The Bad Beginning: Book the First
The Reptile Room: Book the Second
The Wide Window: Book the Third
The Miserable Mill: Book the Forth
The Austere Academy: Book the Fifth
Coming soon The Ersatz Elevator: Book the Sixth
Published by HarperCollins www.harperchildrens.com www.lemonysnicket.com

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REVIEWS
cd of the issue: NASA Remembering the Future 9th wave
WOW! What a release... It's not hard to see why "Back to Square One" went top 5 on MTV Scandinavia, since it is so easy to think that this sunny, refreshing synth pop recalls the heyday of 80's synth muzik ala Human League, Heaven 17 & early Info Society yet with a new, innovative dNb twist. This cd has been in constant rotation is all 3 of my players [work, home,car!] it's THAT good. The kind of album you can listen to over & over in a row & not grow tired of at all. NASA lay down a solid 7ts pop-song groove, then proceed to layer on the mid-range vocoded melodic vocals, with solid bazz lines & keys that follow. It's an approach that works VERY well. As stated, however: this is POP first, electro 2ND, so if you're more inclined to noisy & or hard stuff you'll most-likely hate this; an open mind is needed to enjoy the NASA sound, it seems. Either way I highly recommend this release ­ if you buy one more release this year make it NASA's Remembering the Future ! (Shred)

ATTRITION The Hand That Feeds [Remixes] invisible records
After many years & releases on Projekt records, Attrition returnes here with remixes from the likes of Dance or Die (although short & disappointing), Chris & Cosey, New Mind In the Nursery and Attrition themselves, so you know this is overall a fine release. 13 trax in all with the standout cuts being: "Cold Genius", "Waste Not" & "Cosmic Citizen." All with strong electro & break-beats looped in, here & there. Quite great, overall. (Shred)

Avant Garde Certified & Tested synthphony records
Avant Gardes long awaited release is finally here and it is pure intelligent synthpop melodic sounds. This is a very easy CD to get into because they have great catchy beats that pick you up and bounce you all around. Avant Garde is fresh and smooth. The vocals are clear, romantic and truly compelling. "Won't Come Around" is a dance friendly song and the vocals seem to come very natural. This could be considered a synthpop love song with lyrics such as, " My heart belongs to You". "Watch your Back" is a stand out song and really has opened doors for this artist. This is a pure synthpop song with many catchy grooves that swing you around. This is a song that will drive everyone out to the dancefloor. "So Close" could be a synthpop ballad and will stop you in your tacks and will make you think of someone special. "Her Pleasure" seems to have a little darker tone, but still remains strong and upbeat and a little hint of effects on the vocals at certain parts of this song. So, if your looking for upbeat, sexiness and happy synthpop songs done the right way, I have tested Avant Garde and certified that this band will be the new leader in the synthpop. (Julie Johnson)

BACKSPACE Clockwork Pathogen systematik
If you were to take a vague Infomatik or Din_5 influence & to that added some Croc Shop RolandTM minor chord song structures, you'd start to get a feel for this Detroit-based act's dark mellow ebm debut. "Why Me" even has an almost Garbage intro to it; giving this release a shot at an alternative audience as well as it's previously mentioned industrial aspects. (Shred)

BANCO de GAIA Igizeh six degrees records
Adventurous, world-friendly dub, here. Electronica for pygmies, perhaps. As if Deep Forest or Enigma were a bit harder & more "electro." The strangely named Igizeh turns out to be a really well produced, varied listen throughout; with many dub-bass undertones admist the world chants & samples. Definitly too short at 9 trax, still this is a must own for all those awaiting the new Deliurm album. (Shred)

CLEOPATRA 2000 Millennium Sampler cleopatra
Imagine if you will, an Americanized Siouxie fronting Portishead... the opening track provided here from CA's Switchblade Symphony shows they've added trip-hop stylings to their backing tracks while keeping their goth-influenced lead vocals way [too] upfront to make this very "Wicked" track a bit hard to swallow... I'll just skip right over Electric Hellfire Club's crap version of INXS "Devil Inside" - somebody steal this bands equipment already!... Put us all out of their misery! The Missing Persons ummm "remix" up next is just awful! Simplistic sequences with completely out of time "live" vocals jerking in & out of the mix [complete with gated "live sound board bleed" into the vocal mic - makes me wonder if this remix is even authorized!] Wow! Do Things look BLEAK for Cleopatra! But wait here's SPAHN RANCH to save the day [almost!] While Athan's vocals still give off the deep New Romantic 'chill' he's incredibly good at; the backing tracks are just seemingly 'at odds' with the voice, a techno-trance dubby backing w/ ragga samples and all... not bad, but a bit mis-matched sounding at times. BIG names [from the 80's] clog up the remainder of this sampler with the only one worth hearing being the Mission UK's aptly titled: "Wasteland". (Tank)

CREAM OF THE DROP Seattle Downbeat V/A zero bpm
Kicking off VERY strong with EVP's "StasisII" the loopy bass heavy backing track is really what makes this, although the Burroughsesq spoken word is mildy amusing [for the first 2 minutes, anyway.] EMORY LIU's "Grey" is just that - down-tempo hip-hop w/ layres galore... This comp is a great one to have on in the background, an audio wall paper enviornment with a hip hop groove to it. (Shred)

CROCODILE SHOP Order + Joy metropolis
Croc Shop's sixth album, and fourth for Metropolis, marks a return sort of to the basics of the industrial dance music. Meant to be a commentary on the retro nature of the current scene (which tends to favor bands that sound like hits from ten years ago over newer or stranger sounds), it also serves to strip down the traditionally complicated Croc Shop sound to better suit it. "Order and Joy" is less concerned with the breakbeats and odd tempos that have influenced their past few albums, and more focused on a streamlined uptempo industrial stomp, replete with broken english, cries to battle and rages against injustice. Singer/lyricist Mick Hale even enters into a brief critical discourse/ nostalgia about the genre unresolved, of course and his usually introspective lyrics take on an entire subculture (and his role in it). References abound, among them Nitzer Ebb, Depeche Mode, Joy Division/New Order (from whom the title is derived), and Croc Shop's own past. The idea works Croc Shop deliver some of their best dance material in years. Most of the album is very club friendly with driving, catchy beats behind the intricately woven sounds and samples. "New Ideal" and the title track in particular call out for frantic dancefloor action. "Wahrheit" features a Numanesque riff and a vaguely new-wave sensibility; "Blinding" and "Was Ist" have a very Ebb flavor that asks "Why can't we learn from what was?" Of course, the irony is that the band has learned very well from what was, and brought it fully to bear on this album. Well worth the time and effort of any fan (past or present) of electro-industrial music. (Wicked Pete)

DAMAGE MANUAL One invisible
Was I ever looking forward to this project. Featuring x-members of Killing Joke, PIL, Ministry et al., it seemed like a "second coming" was eminent. And while One got off to a decent start [the programming, sample usage, & guitar drones that made KJ so great all here in tact,] then it happened, oh well... Chris Conelly, responsible for some of Ministry's worst 'moments' starts singing... ahh crap! It ruins "Sunset Gun" for sure, however on "Damage Addict" where he goes back for more of the hi-chanted 'RevCo approach' it's much more bearable; but where KJ had GREAT & Amazing vocals it's a sham to hear such tight musicians cranking away behind a vocalist who's 'bearable' at best, & downright annoying at worst. (Shred)

DIARY OF DREAMS 1 of 18 Angles metropolis
Opening up with "Babylon" a epic gotik piece, this is my first [& favorable] introduction to Diary of Dreams, who's name I'd heard for quite some time now...mostly in European Magazine ads... On 1 of 18, DoD bear a striking resemblance to Beborn Benton, albeit a little more 'goth' & a little less 'synth pop'...If you dig the sung German accented vocals with dark clean electronics, this is a perfect release for you. (Tank)

DJ WALLY The Stoned Ranger liquid sky
As the title might suggest, The Stoned Ranger Rides Again is a twisted blurry trip into the druggie danse sound of DJ Wally & friends. The 1st couple of trax blur by like a psychodellik mess; yet eerie & entertaining all the while. "Until Its Gone" with xcellent vocals by Trixi, gives a whole new flavour to the mix...like when Crystal Method add the female vocals to their electro-assualt, but Wally does it with a groovy & slo-trip-hop bent. Scratchy samples throughout the release give it a old skool & jazzy feel at times,& make it an especially good recording to just have on in the background. (Shred)
ELECTRONIC WATUSI BOOGALLO V/A kindercore
A Comp of 3 groups: Mains Ignition, Babalu & oh polo ­ all 3 groovin' acoustical & lounge infected, yet interesting as funk to hear! Oh Polo are the highlight, as they even add some LIVE drums & stand-up bass doing the "dNb" thing. you gotta hear this to believe it! (Shred)

FAYMAN & FRIPP Temple In the Clouds projekt
Sorry guys, I dig Frippertronics as much as the next guy, [heck, I even have the Leauge of Gentelmen disc] but this is a new release which just doesn't ever seem to get going or lead anywhere for the ususally interesting Robert Fripp. Maybe it's the Jeff Fayman [who I've never heard of] contribution that makes this release drag so? It sounds like B Horror-movie soundtrack/filler. Oh well. (Shred)

FOCKEWOLF Die Toten Weg adsr
Yet another winner of a release on Seattle's fast growing ADSR label. With well recorded & mixed heavy electronics behind Severina Sol's Lene Lovich-meets-Siouxie vocals; Fockewolf sure make an interesting mix of things. Where many female-fronted electro acts tend too far to the "goth", this is defenitly electro to it's core. The album also has plenty of variety, with some cuts that drive while there are ominous & slower cuts too, all making it a well-rounded product! (Shred)

GANYMEDE After The Fall 9th wave
Decent music & production that gets all but ruined with weak lyrics & fair vocals ­ too bad. (Tank)

HEDNOIZE Searching For The End waxtrax/tvt
If Hednoize is "Searching for the End" it seems they've found it,... rumor has it that this is one of [if not THE] last ever release for the once-great & godlike WAX TRAX! records... Such a shame it is....agh! Anyway, onto the record: PSYCHOSONIC was one of WaxTrax!'s last 'signings' while still in their heyday [& based in Chicago] & PSYko was a definite good move in the "techno" direction so popular at that time... so it's of little surprise that the musical side of this new duo is top-rate [1/2 of HedNoize was 1/2 of PsyKoSonik, or didn't I mention that?] It's no good that the other 1/2 of Hednoise spends most of "Searching..." trying too hard to walk in Dave Gahan's shoes. Sure, a little bit of NINny's Trent creeps in now & then, giving this an almost Stabbing Westward feel at times... If you're into that sort of thing. (Shred)

IONIC VISION Homo Sovieticus dsbp
15 trax released in '99 for fans of the pure EBM ala Nitzer Ebb, early 242 old-school styles. Some clunky lyrics, over excellent electro backings, which we'll attribute to their "foreigness" [i forget if they're from Brazil or Spain...] All this with cool Russian artwork to boot. Yea! (Shred)

KISMET Balkan Express tone casualties
If there is such a thing as "Electronica World Music" then this is it... Such a WIDE variety of 'foreign sounds' I have never heard in a single breath! Middle Eastern, Chromatic, Pop, Industrial, New Age, all rolled into one product... A bit hair raising at times, but done well. The cover of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" features a Dead Can Dancesq instrumentation, with a more Swans-like vocal delivery than Ian ... interesting. (Shred)

KRISTEEN YOUNG Enemy test tube baby
Definitely a gem of an album that came from out of left field. Although Kristeen Young has a strong appeal towards the goth audience, it would be unfair to blindly slap the goth label on her own unique style of piano-based music. Having studied music in college and graduate school where she composed and performed opera, her classical background is evident in the composition of the music, where it's fused with her own unique touch, to her fluid and powerfulmusicianship evident from the energetic "Year Of The Woman" to the ballad "Laurel". The music is further enhanced by her classically trained vocals and further driven by drummer Jeff White, who until recently was the rest of the "band" (they just recently added a bassist). Actually released in late '99, although I haven't noticed it until this year, I'll go as far to say this was, in my opinion, the best album of that year. (BryanW)

Love Spirals Downward - Temporal projekt
Temporal is a retrospective album of the band's past from 1992 to the present. One of the most noticable things about the album is the transition of Love Spiral Downward's sound, from the more atmospheric style of their first two releases Idylls and Ardor, to the predominantly drum n' bass latest release Flux, and the release prior to that, Ever, which contains both types of styles. Temporal also features two well done remixes from Flux, in addition to three tracks
previously released only on compilations and singles, and a live performance of "Subsequently" from Ardor. Temporal is a release that can be enjoyed by those already familiar with the band and a good recommendation for the uninitiated who want to "catch up". (Bryan W)

MDFMK mdfmk universal
Finally KMFDM gets some decent artwork! Boy was I sick of those 2 color 'wood cuts.' But it's weird, you have to hold the cd case up to the mirror to read their name! Which is to say that it's a total SHAM that this release isn't out under the KMFDM moniker! It sounds exactly like the previous incarnation, which may be why the name isn't all that different...[maybe it was a contractual thing?] Well Sasha & co. do wind up on a new label thru the use of this smokescreen. "Gasoline" is a standout with dNb beets & that 'heavy' KMFDM sound their known for. The first single "Witch Hunt" sounds even more like the electro-ZZtop that KMFDM was doing at their best. I guess this proves the old saying "The More things Change,...."

MEPHISTO ODYSSEY Deep Red Connection warner bros.
Still riding the major-label 'electronica' / big beat wave here we have the new M.O. album. The few trax featuring Jamalski are the bomb, with more ragga vocals & dub than the suprisingly digestable trax featuring Static X, which leans towards their thrash+burn electronic style. Decent to say the least! (Shred)

MOKSHA People Undone art of fact
Never a fan of Mentallo's Fixer & nun-too-big on Fekton's Fekler either, I was quite (nicely) suprised by the clean sounds & Xcellent vocals on "God I'm Sick" which opens this new release. From there, however, things sadly take a turn for the 'less-good' with all-too-many instrumentals that just aren't terribly interesting at all. The vocals on the track "You & Me" just flat-out blow and are plain hokey: "Hopefully we'll make it baby, just you and me..." Agh! Is this a Marshall Crenshaw cover, yet? (Tank)

Mother Destruction Chemantra trinity
Chemantra is Mother Destruction's latest release, fueled by energetic beats and delivered by Mother Destruction's own unique sound, making this album atypical in the techno/dub n'bass genre. Chemantra begins with "NYD/The Other Side Of The Equation", where the experimental side of Mother Destruction rears its head and crosses over into dub n'bass as the track proceeds. The next two tracks, "Ride, Rune, Ride..." and "F.B.O." are the dance tracks of the album. Tracks 4 and 5 are rather low key dub n'bass,followed by 3 more tracks that can perhaps be described as "experimental dub n'bass", especially "Shamanka's Recipe" which is complemented by grating samples and "Kinky Dakini" which can be described as having a "lively belly dancing" feel to it. Topping the album is "F.B.-O.D.", a remix of "F.B.O." The album is often laced with an Indian/Middle Eastern flavor, especially highlighted in the tracks "F.B.O." and "Kinky Dakini". Many of the songs run about 8 minutes in length, so listeners with a short attention span may have some trouble digesting this album. Otherwise, Mother Destruction's own unique style should make the album appealing to most listeners who appreciate good electronic music in general. (BryanW)

MR. OIZO Analog Worms Attack mute
Even more "out there" than labelmates Add N To X, this release just shows that if you have no musical ability at all, you too can be hailed as an "innovator" -- to me it just sounds like my little brothers trying to play w/ my sequencers! I just don't get this! On MUTE...Even! How could they! (Tank)

NOXIOUS EMOTION Elements adsr
Another fine showing for Seattle's EBM forefathers... old skool electronic patches & deep yet digestible vocals are NEs strong points for sure."Iodine" has a synth bell sound that's so "I'm Not A Boy" that it gives the synth pop track a solid 80's reference. "Uranium" has a VNV vocal feel, with less overt Covenant sounds, so in this way NE have included some new influence into their overall sound presented here. "Selenium" is however the cd's standout cut, with the reverberated vocals & hard synth sounds that are more abrasive. Do See!

Razed in Black Scarified cleopatra
Razed in Black are a heavy hitter on the industrial scene. Romell Regulacion never stops and works very hard to make the best music he can & gets it out there to the fans. Razed in Black keeps very active. This is a band that gives fans what they want, not one to disappear for a year here and there. Razed in Black's recent CD Scarified, released on Cleopatra records is an amazing CD that has a great rip roaring industrial sound. " Shipped", sends out an atmospheric vibe that gets you all warm and fuzzy with chains and dripping water sounds that blast into "Caught" with drums that flip you around at first and then Romell's vocals with grinding industrial guitars and, more melodic drums that pump up and down. Already, this CD sets you up for a brutal industrial assault. "Master" makes you feel like you are in a bubble, with twitching beats at first, but then hammers out scorching synths blending to thrashing guitars and Romell's aggressive melodic voice with a catchy chorus hook. "I've suffered long Enough" has this funky synth style that you fill trapped in a hollow tunnel and your running though trying to reach the end. This song is a mellower song, but still packs a powerful punch with dark synths that ride thought the distortion, drums and guitars. I love the end with the rhythmic bliss and a his vocals that transcend to a free falling call out. "Solution" and "Never Meant" are also winners on this album, and have a force that just helps make this a great release. The lyrics in Never Meant weight very heavy, the vocals project a chilling feeling. "Are you there" is an interesting track with the use of the phone, and making a phone call and no one is there to end the album. (GothGirl)

RESIST THE COMMAND V/A dystopian
A well-done concept compilation from a new label; with all the contributors also including 'statements' on Politics & the 'state' of the world-state today. Well, onto the music: I gotta be honest here, & say I never really liked din_fiv's material before this - it seems like the vocals are way more up front & less- ":wumppy:" on this great comps' opener "Clear." It's an excellent track featuring strong bass lines, & spoken samples galore. Snog up next, with an older cut "Real Estate Man" keep the quality up with a distorted 909 & Thrusell's nasal snarlly vocoded vocals. Newcomers [to me, anyway] Construggle Test put forth a FrontLine influenced track w/ "Shop" while Pail seem to illustrate a point of view that all Spanish Electro bands want to be :Wumpscut: ! Strategy, Digital Blood, & Battery Cage close off this way above-average selection of tracks. A great showing, especially for a debut comp for a new label. Do get! (Shred)

RHEA'S OBSESSION Btwn Earth & Sky metropolis
Canadian export Rhea's is quite a new catch for the usually electro-industrial label Metropolis. An earthy coherent package, if ever there was one. The cover artwork perfectly matches the professional sounds contained within. and of the sound? Acoustic guitars, sound-scaped synths & fluttering female vocals. Gothic, yet not in a camp or overdone way; this could almost crossover into the Alternative rock arena.

RINGWERM v/a tinman
A compilation released by NJs electro-industrial label Tinman & the Ringworm webring. 18 artists from across the globe who range from the eerie & soundtrack approach of LOT to the electro body pop of NEUROPLAGUE all the way to the sample heavy electro deconstructiv sounds of FEAR vLOATHING & MORTMAIN(). Overall, this is a very varied well produced & thought out package. And if it's on Tinman, well it has to be good!

SANCTUM New York City Bluster cold meat industry
This album is a live recording of Sanctum's performance at CBGB's in July of '99. Lena and Marika of the band were not able to tour with Jan Carleklev and Hakan Paulsson, so in order to compensate they performed material from their different projects and the result is that the material on this disc is not only the work of Sanctum. The album begins with an introductory track highlighted by a "medieval clarinet-like" sound that is present in several of the album's tracks to some degree or another. Following this is the track "Mindtwister", driven by rhythmic beats and accompanied by synths (including that medieval clarinet-like sound) and by hard, harsh vocals, which is expected to be released on Sanctum's next album. The more energetic "Decay" follows accompanied by hard electric guitar. "Parca Pace - Part 1" follows in a "less testosterone" rhythmic manner, leading into "In Two Minds" which is really a ballad in its structure yet contrasted by the hard vocals and the samples used. The more rhythmic, beat-driven instrumental track "Sly Dog" follows, leading into "Gift", which the listener will be able to discern was originally composed for a dance performance, and topped off by the outgoing track "Gifthorse". Long time Sanctum fans may be surprised by the lack of gothic sounding vocals and mood in the album, probably due in part by the absence of two of the band's members. I doubt, however, fans will be displeased by the work and I personally thought the album to be quite ingenuitive. If you're into more experimental types of music and looking for something more original sounding, then you may want to check out this album. (Bryan W.)

SMP Terminal adsr
Seattle 's SMP create a diverse blend of industrial music with a touch of punk aggressiveness topped off with rap styled vocals in many of the songson the new album. With the many backgrounds within this CD, it benefits the band by allowing a wider range of listeners. SMP's new CD is very strong and lively with a full body of electronics. The bands skill and production enhance the music to its fullest. Songs like "Policy with the chant of "SMP" brings out much industrial force with its pulsating electronics. "Pictures of You" is an interesting electronic jingle that has a mysterious quality to it. It makes me think of a spy keeping a look out in a very sneaky way. "Dirt" reminds me of NIN's March of Pigs in the beginning, but kicks into a thick guitars and bass at times that cuts and cuts all the way though the song with more aggressive vocals. "September" and "Fatal" probably have the most standout rap vocals , while others are more harsh and sometimes sung fast. "Mutate is a good song with pounding electronics that should work the club kids. "Megaton" is another, and my favorite on the disc to dance to. "Anthem" grinds and dives with each guitar riff, and has a darker element. The lyrics also get you involved with the catchy chorus of "Power, Power for you, go get your gun." I'd love to see them perform live, I can imagine what energy they would bring on stage. An interesting CD to check out, just think Rage Against the Machine on acid mixed with a little Ministry and KMFDM punk attitude. (GothGirl)

SNOG Lies/Dear Valued Customer metropolis
A double cd reissue of two of SNOG's early works that were originally primarily available as import only on Germany's late-great Machinery records. While time aint so kind to the 1st disc "Lies" it's important to note that this was 1st released in 1992 [!]... HOWEVER, "Born To Be Mild" & "Make My Day" & "Shop" are all worth a listen, as is most of the whole "Dear Valued Customer" cd where the technology seemed to catch up with exactly what D.Thrussel wanted to do w/ it ... anti-capitalist anarchy electro for the kidz!

THE THE Naked Self nothing
Where TheThe used to be one of the initial electro-solo artist pioneers surrounded by a sea of mediocre guitar rock, Matt Johnson sadly has now become just one of "them." I'm hard-pressed to find anything positive to say about this new release, there's even an Eric Clapton styled gee-tar strum on "The Whisperers." Pure - Crap ! "Soul Catcher" is the Doobie Brothers [on a BAD day.!] What a letdown!

THOU SHALT NOT s/t adsr
There's some decent ideas kicking around on the new release by Thou Shalt Not. "Falling Sky" sounds similar to the "new" Information Society sound... a little industrial with pop chord changes & high sung vocals; and the sample heavy "Sand and Wax" back this comparison up, nicely. With some more time & refinement in the studio their next project should be even better for TSN.

TRIPPLE POINT Soul Den meatbelt media
I really didn't know what to expect with this cover art,... [color saturated Polaroid snapshots of A Neglige-clad goth woman - out in the woods - tied to a tree - in the snow, it looked like it was going to be a female fronted cheezy gothic release!] BUT it turns out Tripple Point are a male electro-industrial duo; who sound a bit like a more tame version of Babyland [without the H/C vocals, & speed.] "First & Last" does however feature the female [& gothic] vocals of Razor Skyline's Karen K. Needs some work.

TRS-80 TheManhattanLoveMachine invisible
Nifty electronica. TRS-80's debut for Invisible plays almost like a listenable Mr Ozio or Add-N To X, with it's acoustic/raw elements in there with all the synth blurps, pongs & klings. 11 trax that span over a few genres, to mix it up nicely. Cover art could've been a little better tho! (Tank)

YELLOW NOTE vs DALEKS liquid sky
Kicking off strong w/ "Big Bass Boom" Yellow note is a new entry into the drum N bass genre... a simple yet strong beat w/sci-fi samples & cut up vocal samples all done well. The whole release is spacey & well recorded, there are however more than a fair share of slower more hippy hoppy dNb type of trax than I'd have liked; since the more uptempo trax are way more interesting. Like "Gia" or "Cheep Thrills," where they cut in bitz & pieces ov these TV sounding theme songs. Quite neat!

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