VNV Nation is back on track

Tweet

Looks like several of the big bands within synth music are following in the footsteps of Covenant with new releases during 2011, in a previous post we saw the teaser from And One and now it is VNV Nations’ turn

It seems 2011 will be a very busy year for Ronan Harris and Mark Jackson.

The band recently revealed at their Facebook page that a new album is in the works and scheduled to be released later this year. A World Tour is also to expect along with lots of Festival appearences.

Covenant inspired by the Road (Modern Ruin)

Tweet

David Bowie did it, the Nine Inch Nails did it and now Covenant has done it. The Swedish EBM act has made a song inspired by a Hollywood movie. The genesis of their track “The Road”, which appears on their new album “Modern Ruin”, was the Viggo Mortensen movie of the same name.

For those who don’t know, “The Road” stars Mortensen (pictured) as a father who struggles with his son to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. The 2009 film was adapted from the award-winning novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy, whose other book “No Country For Old Men” later became an Oscar-winning movie starring Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem. The film is an interesting choice of inspiration for Covenant’s music, who follow in the footsteps of NIN, whose 2005 song “Only” was inspired by “Fight Club”, and Bowie, who penned his classic hit “Space Oddity” after watching “2001: A Space Odyssey”.

“Modern Ruin” was slated for a 2010 release, but was delayed until this year. They released the “Lightbringer” EP – itself a track on the new LP – last October (you can order it below) to give fans a taste of what “Modern Ruin” will sound like. Released via Synthetic Symphony/SPV, the record will hit shops in Germany on Friday, the rest of Europe on Monday and the US (via Metropolis Records) on 8 February. Nice stuff. It’s just a pity that SPV, for some obscure reason, never sent a review copy to Side-Line. Crisis? We asked, but never got any reply. If that’s the new way of doing promo, it will be a great year!

You can order the album right here on iTunes and don’t forget to get hold of the “Lightbringer” EP (direct link on iTunes). In Germany, the album is already available here on Amazon.

Tracklist:

1. Modern Ruin 01:28
2. Lightbringer (feat. Necro Facility) 05:41
3. Judge Of My Domain 06:05
4. Dynamo Clock 05:32
5. Kairos 01:11
6. The Beauty And The Grace 04:52
7. Get On 04:40
8. Worlds Collide 04:16
9. In The Night 03:20
10. Beat The Noise 06:00
11. The Road 05:23

Tracklist Bonus-CD: *

1. Wir Sind Die Nacht
2. Wir Sind Die Nacht (Oscar Holter Remix)
3. Wir Sind Die Nacht (Full Instrumental)
4. Wir Sind Die Nacht (Henrik Bäckström Remix)
5. Wir Sind Die Nacht (Sample)
6. Ich War Nichts (Sample)
7. Wunder (Sample)

Full speed ahead in the new synth year

Tweet

Swedish Progress Productions are preparing for a  flying start in 2011!

In addition to previously announced full length album from System and Covenant, also new material from Mr. Jones Machine and Necro Facility are on its way. Titans are also expected to come with full-length album later this year. Progress Productions made a very strong 2010, including Code 64, Spark!, Kopf Kat and Kite.

Here are the releases:

• PROCD028 System “Circle Of Infinite Radius” CD/2CD – january
• PROCD029 Covenant “Modern Ruin” 2CD LIMITED EDITION – january
• PRO702 Mr Jones Machine “Månbleka Tingen/Elektricitet”
  
• Necro Facility “Wintermute” CD/2CD
• Mr Jones Machine “Monokrom” CD/2CD
  

Side-Line Music Awards – the results

Tweet

Side-Line Music Awards are now ready, each year Side-Line nominates the best songs, bands and acts in the electro, synth, EBM etc space and now the final results are here, as voted by the Side-Line readers. And it seems Recoil got a fair share of the prices

The results of the Side-Line Music Awards 2010 are in. Yes, it did take us a few days more than we had originally planned. But then again, we never imagined getting stuck in London and Brussels the past week due to the unexpected harsh winter conditions circling over Europe. We spent the last two days counting the votes and deleting the invalid ones. But before we give the results, we really want to thank all those readers who have cast their votes in the past two election rounds. You were among the 39,203 people (!!) to have cast a valid vote. That is an all-time record for Side-Line.

Best Band:

1. Combichrist (5,391)
2. Unter Null (4,985)
3. Front Line Assembly (3,818)
4. Front 242 (3,803)
5. Mesh (2,756)
6. Recoil (2,542)
7. Suicide Commando (2,459)
8. Hocico (2,327)
9. Depeche Mode (2,314)
10. Leaether Strip (2,201)
11. A-ha (2,227)
12. Kant Kino (1,837)
13. De/Vision (1,571)
14. Edge Of Dawn (589)
15. Diorama (383)

Best Album:

1. Recoil – “Selected” (10,442)
2. Front Line Assembly – “IED” (8,252)
3. Unter Null – “Moving On” (7,898)
4. OMD – “History Of Modern” (6,908)
5. Angelspit – “Larva Pupa Tank Coffin” (5,811)

Best Single:

1. Covenant – “Lightbringer” (10,330)
2. Combichrist – “Scarred” (8,983)
3. Rotersand – “Waiting To Be Born” (7,038)
4. In Strict Confidence – “Silver Bullets” (6,825)
5. I:Scintilla – “Prey On You” (6,027)

Best Label:

1. Mute (13,072)
2. Alfa Matrix (10,736)
3. Metropolis/Dependent (10,479)
4. Trisol (4,916)

Best Live Band:

1. Recoil (14,545)
2. Combichrist (9,107)
3. Depeche Mode (6,032)
4. Front Line Assembly (4,851)
5. Leaether Strip (4,668)

Stereoklang talks to synthmaster Daniel Myer, with Covenant and Recoil

Tweet

Covenant performed at this year’s ElectriXmas and we had a quick talk with Daniel Myer about music, gear and iPads. Watch the video below

More stuff on Daniel below:

Architect is joining Recoil for the US tour after some shows together in Europe.

Architect is the creation of German mastermind Daniel Myer. In 1993 he founded the legendary electro-industrial/EBM project Haujobb. Since then he has made a name for himself within the electronic scene and initiated many other projects such as HMB, Newt and Destroid.

Since 2007, he has been a permanent member of the renowned Swedish EBM band Covenant. Created in 1998, Architect and can be easily described as the most fascinating of Daniel’s projects. Focusing primarily on minimal techno, powerfully distorted sequences and razor-sharp breakbeats, he manages to create a unique hybrid of electronica with smooth ambient soundscapes, rendering the results suitable for both listening and dancing.

Who’s who in EBM – Alfa Matrix shows us the way

Tweet

The Belgian label Alfa Matrix has announced what seems to be a real “who is who in the current EBM scene” boxset uniting no less than 112 artists bringing rare are exclusive tracks. The full tracklist can be viewed at www.alfa-matrix.com/ebm1 . Expect material Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, portion Control, Covenant, Pouppee Fabrikk, Funker Vogt and so on and so on.

Titled “Electronic Body Matrix 1” this new compilation series runs across 4 CD’s plus an exclusive download card giving you access to another 40 additional bands for a total music play more than 500 minutes. Promised are over 70% rare or previously unreleased tracks.

“Electronic Body Matrix 1” also marks Alfa Matrix’s 10 years of existence. Says Seba Dolimont: “Through this set we are revisiting the roots of the old school ‘Electronic Body Music’ movement and bridging them together with the current electronic sound. The sampler pays homage to the various branches of the electronic music genre throughout the last decades, gathering pioneers, leading figures of today’s scene, rising new talents and artists who deserve to be discovered. This is NOT simply a re-release of new wave EBM classics, but fresh new music!”

Via SL

All facts on the new Covenant album

Tweet

Last week we announced the official release date for Covenant’s “Modern Ruin”. Here are the full details on the two versions that will be released on January 17, 2011.

The band’s 7th studio album will hold 11 tracks with another 7 to be added on the bonus disc included on the limited 2CD version of “Modern Ruin”. Notice the presence of “Wir sind die Nacht” which is featured in the German movie with the same name playing in the cinemas right now.

The Limited edition comes with slightly different front cover artwork (see the right cover above), presented in a digipack.

Release date for the new Covenant album finally revealed

Tweet

On January 17th the new Covenant album “Modern Ruin” will be released via SPV and Progress productions.

Eskil says to his fans:

We have just sent away all the files for our long anticipated album “Modern Ruin”. It have fared well and looks and sounds the world. It’s time to lock up our hearts and ammo for now and go home.

Modern Ruin will also be sold in a limited edition featuring an extra bonus CD and a special intro text by Joakim Montelius.

If you have missed Stereoklang’s interview with Covenant some weeks back in time, make sure to check it out below:

http://stereoklang.se/blog/?page_id=2723

Want and the german mastermind Daniel Myer

Tweet

In connection to Alan Wilder’s US Recoil tour a new product is out now. “Want – The Architect Mixes” is a digital package, available for free from Mute Records. We are served with three new versions of “Want”, put together by Daniel Myer, the man behind Architect, together with another remix, a digital book and a movie.

Architect is joining Recoil for the US tour after some shows together in Europe.

Architect is the creation of German mastermind Daniel Myer. In 1993 he founded the legendary electro-industrial/EBM project Haujobb. Since then he has made a name for himself within the electronic scene and initiated many other projects such as HMB, Newt and Destroid.

Since 2007, he has been a permanent member of the renowned Swedish EBM band Covenant. Created in 1998, Architect and can be easily described as the most fascinating of Daniel’s projects. Focusing primarily on minimal techno, powerfully distorted sequences and razor-sharp breakbeats, he manages to create a unique hybrid of electronica with smooth ambient soundscapes, rendering the results suitable for both listening and dancing.

Go here to download : http://www.mute.com/recoil_want

Exclusive interview with the Lightbringers – Covenant in the Studio

Tweet

Last week I had the opportunity to spend some time with Eskil and Joakim from Covenant in their new refurbished studio. Covenant is definitely Sweden’s number one export in the electronic music scene, with numerous ground breaking synth/EBM albums behind them, i.e. Sequencer, Shyshaper, Northern Light to name but a few. However, although I was curious on their new EP coming out in a couple of weeks, titled Lightbringer, my main purpose were to explore their working methods and their gear.

My first impression when I entered the studio was overwhelming. The first thing that came to my mind is the old saying – “the one who has the most gear when you die, wins”. Look like the Covenant boys is aspiring for the final. Korgs, Prophets, Moogs, Viruses, Emus you name it, it´s all there stacked neatly on racks across the studio. Check out the pictures below to delve in to some pure synth porn.

The new album and the state of the Synth scene

Even before Lightbringer is released we know it will be something different, since collaborations with other artists is not something that we are not used to. Lightbringer actually came as an idea from Necro Facility, rather then from Covenant, with the intention to have Eskil to sing on it. However it turned out to be something more. Eskil tells me that we will experience a different melody build up, then we are used to and that it’s all about fear and loathing in Helsingborg, Sweden. I guess you cannot be more cryptic then that!

As Lightbringer will be released as a limited edition we came to discuss how vibrant the Synth scene is today and happily enough I can conclude that, although still a niche scene, Covenant has not slowed down on touring (note: Eskil just came back from a Gothic Cruise in the Caribbean). They say that the globalization that has come as a result from a better infrastructure (read Internet) in markets like South America and Eastern Europe really has resulted in that bands like Covenant continuously finds a new audience, and adds that they really find it exotic with synth music, creating a foundation for new sub cultures in those countries.

Speaking of sub cultures it was logical for me to ask about their various side projects like Cement (Eskil’s noise project) and Joakim’s joint venture with Ronan Harris (VNV Nation) exploring classical music from an electronic perspective. Eskil tells me that Cement actually came about, apart from the fact that he really enjoys noise music, as a wish of entering (and travel to) the Japanese music scene, where noise is big. But also to somewhat alter the common public image of himself, showing that there are more sides then just Covenant. Although Joakim’s classical endeavor didn’t continue I am pleased to inform you that Cement is alive and kicking. Major noise inspirations are Brighter than death, White house and Geometric, of course.

Read the full story here >>

« Previous Page — Next Page »

• DATAMASKIN

  
  

• THE CAVE : Playlist

• INSTAGRAM – ANALOG INDUSTRIAL ARTS

  No images found!
  Try some other hashtag or username