Review: Clan of Xymox - In Love We Trust

It's been quite long since I've listened to something new and really good in the whole gothic/darkwave field and I was really hoping that "In We Love We Trust", the latest release by the Dutch Clan of Xymox would break the ice. My hopes were too high, unfortunately.

Not that "In Love We Trust" has poor content or is of low quality, it's just that it offers absolutely nothing new or remotely intriguing. The new material is somehow lighter, easier to listen and less satisfying in comparison to previous albums. There are a few highs, but in no way can they compensate for the rest. Furthermore, "In Love We Trust" is also less club orientated with predominant slow tracks. Probably it will be a wonderful surprise for every fan who is more into dreamy ballads about love and despair.

Apart from the opening track "Emily" the rest of "In Love We Trust" takes another direction exploring the gloomy corners of life, although not as goth sounding as some might be expecting. Sadly "In Love We Trust" has no real potential hits from the rang of "Jasmine and Rose" or "A Day" and could easily pass your ears by, but after a few more listens the good stuff starts popping out. Nevertheless, in love we may trust, but they just had to be a bit more convincing.

Tracks to hear: "Emily", "On A Mission", "Desdemona" and "Love Got Lost"
Personal rating: 6/10

Discoveries: Aural Vampire

Not much could be said about today's choice: the Japanese dark-electro duo Aural Vampire. The band, which is pronounced as Oraru Vanpaia in their native country, consists of Exo-Chika (vocals/lyrics) and Raveman (music), who while being together in school decided to start their very own music project. In 2004 they independently released the album "Vampire Ecstasy", which in no time gained popularity in both Japan and Europe, allowing them to numerously tour the Old continent. In 2008 Aural Vampire signed with Avex Trax, one of the major record labels in Japan. They are expected to release a long awaited sophomore effort this year.

My concert experience: Combichrist

Combichrist is among the most prominent names in the aggrotech/EBM scene and on 29th March they showed the Bulgarian audience that their crown is coveted with real diamonds. It took me a whole day to come back to this world after the explosive gig that Andy LaPlegua and company had for everyone who attended the Electro Mini Fest at BluBox in Sofia. It's been a while since I've been to a concert, but I have never felt that exhausted and this is the very first time I didn't take even a single photo: sorry, friends, I was busy dancing to the hell beats!

Anyways, I should start from the very beginning. As I've already mentioned this was not just a Combichrist concert, but more of a little fest with predominantly EBM music, although I am not sure what kind of a fest has only four bands, but let's not fall into details. Probably 98% of the people at the fest were there for Combichrist, and I leave 2% for some loyal fans of the others. Despite the whole fest thingy every took the rest of the participants as nothing more than a support, which is quite a pity, but they should have seen it coming. The bands as in order of appearance were: Shemale Zero, Virgins O.R Pigeons, Aesthetic Perfection and Combichrist.

Shemale Zero
I have only two words for this Bulgarian act: Please, quit! It is obvious they are trying to be original, to be provocative and etc., but they just cannot impress the audience. No wonder Mr. Zero said that we hated him...I don't hate him, but either they need to improve their stage performances or really find a new hobby.

Virgins O.R Pigeons
Obviously Greece has never been good at providing much of quality electronic music and Virgins O.R Pigeons are another fine example. The guys (despite their appearance) seem to be inspired from the Japanese visual kei movement and from the contemporary German industrial scene and they would have done it well if it wasn't for the uncertain sound they provided and the rather too growl vocalist they have. Nothing impressive as a whole and still they managed to sound quite rhythmic.

Aesthetic Perfection
I've found about this music project just a few weeks ago and I was quite pleased with their music and I was looking forward to seeing them live. Well, let's say that they were not as good as expected, but probably they were the only ones who actually managed to cheer up the crowd. Daniel Graves, the sole actual member of Aesthetic Perfection, was jumping around the scene and preparing us for Combichrist with some heavy upbeats, going from harsh growling to melodic singing back and forth. I had done my homework and musically knew what to expect, which actually made the whole experience even more satisfying.

Combichrist
The cherry of the harsh electro cream and the headliners of the evening. They came, they played and they made a mash out of us. Honestly I have never been that wasted after a concert and I can assure you that I have had only one beer. Music is my drug and Combichrist were my dealers for the night! Their drug caused heavy breathing, non stop dancing, harsh upbeats, everyone in sweet ecstasy and the last but not least Andy LaPlegua himself. Actually this is the very first concert that I spent entirely at the back, but I really wasn't up for being squeezed out by the dancing mob, plus I had plenty of space of my own just for my wacky dances (lol). Just a month ago Combichrist released their newest album "Today We Are All Demons" and most of us expected this concert to be mostly in support of their new stuff. Well, not really. LaPlegua sang just two songs (if I am not mistaking) from "TWAAD" and the rest was a compilation of their best known tracks, among which:
This Shit Will Fuck You Up
Electrohead
Sent to Destroy
This Is My Rifle
Shut Up and Swallow
Blut Royale
Today I Woke Up to the Rain of Blood
Get Your Body Beat
What The Fuck Is Wrong With You?

My personal favourite is "Get Your Body Beat", which was so mind-blowing and body-grooving and after it I was feeling like a slug! Their whole performance took my last breath, but I was ready for more and after just an hour and ten minutes they were done, this includes the encore as well! Is it because of the fest or had they really such a short setlist? We were all there and ready for more, but obviously Combichrist were not and the show was over to our dismay. However, most of us were so wasted that we should have been grateful that it wasn't a 2-hour expedition in the realms of EBM as many would have left the club in ambulances...if they were not already taken by the members of the band. Apart from Andy LaPlegua the rest of Combichrist seemed either drugged or drunk...or both. The fest ended with Combichrist breaking their instruments and with a tipsy pace leaving the scene. Oh, well, they are forgiven only on condition: if they comeback! SOON!

Burn down the disco! Volume 1 - alternative dance

I like dance music! Indeed, and I have nothing against it. I am just annoyed by all the crap that is played in discos, especially those relying on mindless house and distasteful techno and I am so eager for a place where you can listen to alternative dance music without the whole Rihanna - Ciara bullshit on the list. That is why I decided to create my own dance compilations, containing different aspects of the enormous dance genre.

My first choice is alternative dance, which includes mainly EBM, industrial, dark electro and futurepop. Of course, it is impossible to include everything I want, plus this is supposed to be a compilation, not a party set, which has to satisfy the whole evening. I tend to avoid remixes as I have never been a big fan, but from time to time they turn out to be much better than the original version itself.
Click to listen or Click here

1. Laibach - Achtung!
2. KMFDM -Megalomaniac
3. Apoptygma Berzerk - Soultaker
4. Blutengel - Bloody Pleasures
5. Panzer AG - Battlefield
6. Grendel - Harsh Generation
7. Combichrist - Happy Fcuking Birthday
8. Das Ich - Destilat (Club Version)
9. Funker Vogt - City of Darkness (Downtown Mix)
10. Icon of Coil - Remove / Replace
11. Helalyn Flowers - E-race Generation
12. Jesus on Extasy - Assassinate Me
13. Machinae Supremacy - Gimme More
14. Marilyn Manson - Posthuman
15. Rammstein - Moskau
16. Skinny Puppy - Ugli
17. Deine Lakaien - Lass Mich
18. Clan of Xymox - It's Not Enough
19. The Crüxshadows - Birthday
20. The Sisters of Mercy - Temple of Love
21. Diary of Dreams - The Curse (Freak Edit)

Do not forget to hear the compilation and delete the tracks afterwards! Support your favourite music by going to concerts or buying their releases!

Review: Diary of Dreams - (if)

I will skip all the praise about Diary of Dreams and their importance for the dark wave/gothic electro scene and I shall move to the album itself, which if I have to be honest they could perfectly do without. Sometimes performers and bands are so tired of touring, making music or other professional enterprises. However, Adrian Hates released (if) to all the high expectations of their fan base. I am far from being a die hard fan, but I am not impressed at all.

First of all, (if) has nothing new to offer, it contains everything that we have already heard and has absolutely no Easter eggs throughout the record. You should definitely get the special edition, which contains four extra tracks, which happen to be a bit better than most of the original content. Actually two of my favourite (quite a strong word, btw) happen to be bonus, but who knows could be a little act of greediness to make you buy the more expensive edition (I am joking...or not?).

Another thing is that most of the tracks are like material from early releases left for the generations. Perhaps (if) is somehow a return to the roots, but not quite impressive, by the way. It is more like a patch quilt made out of leftovers, although I am pretty sure Hates has put quite an effort...we are talking about sixteen songs. Still, he has quite the experience with extensive tracks, especially when you have the key to creating a dark ballad album, filled with despair and grief.

Even the pilot single "The Wedding" is nothing special...nothing to hold on while listening, neither the singing nor the music. Actually most of the album just goes into thin air no matter how much I am listening to it, which is quite a pity having in mind their previous three efforts. Of course (if) has a few good tracks, far from being excellent, but are easily spotted and memorized. Hopefully, you can find a gem or two, despite my harsh attitude towards the album. Actually I like all of their songs in German, which is another reason not to leave (if) as a blind spot in my mind. When it comes to singing Hates is the last one to let us down, which actually could go without saying, but I should say a few positive things...shouldn't I?

Tracks to hear: "Requiem", "Wahn!sinn?", "Choir Hotel", "Momentum" and "The Saint"

Personal rating: 5 out of 10

Review: Combichrist - Today We Are All Demons

For the last few years Combichrist have established themselves as one of the biggest names in the aggrotech/dark electro music scene and all of their albums have reached a cult status among fans. It is no wonder Andy LaPlegua has been named one of the alternative electro geniuses of the decade as he has three quite very successful projects, managing to keep them stylistically separate without conflict of ideas.

Just a month ago Combichrist released their fourth studio album names "Today We Are All Demons", a follow-up to their aggressive electro album "What the Fuck Is Wrong with You People?", which to many is their best release up to date. When you reach a certain level of quality it is always difficult to top it and perhaps "WtFISWwYP" turned out to be a real challenge. "Today We Are All Demons" may be an adequate opponent, but definitely cannot win the fight. Although it carries the original spirit of Combichrist this album has a poppier sound and at some moments it just fails to be relevant to the whole aggresive electro concept of the band. I do not mean that Andy is on his way to a crucial stylistic change, more likely he is giving some more space to experimenting.

This album, of course, is anything but radio friendly, despite being more melodic and softer than their previous two releases. I have to admit that this release is more appealing to me than "The Joy of Gunz" and to some extent it more diverse than any of their previous albums. You can be sure that it will smack you up and it's gonna burn down the clubs with some excellent tracks. There is a hidden part in track 13, but don't get your hopes too high.

"Today We Are All Demons" contains excellent tracks to be added to any electro set and despite the overwhelming comments it received it still lacks to be on the Combichrist top. Nevertheless it is a must for every fan of the group and of alternative dance music.

Songs to hear: "All Pain is Gone", "Kickstart the Fight", "Spit (Happy Pig Whore)", "Get Out of My Head"

Personal rating: 7 out of 10