LA BREICHE 'Le Mal Des Ardents'
COLD SPRING RECORDS La Breiche (The Witch), AKA Arexis and Lafforgue
of Stille Volk, mark their first full-length studio offering under
the moniker with 'Le Mal Des Ardents' (Holy Fire). The album takes the duo's now
familiar obsession with paganism and the occult and marries it with
traditional and self-made instruments to a minimalist dark ambient
construction. The end result is a dark and contemplative album full
of ominous atmospheres.
Tracks such as 'Le Mal Des Ardents',
'La Nef Des Fous', 'Enfers', and 'L’Antre Du Pesteux' are dark
winding sonic journeys that move through tribal rhythms, droning
chants, and ancient instrumentation to evoke concepts of fear and
reason, mythology, and light and dark. The album is a richly layered
and expansive piece that evokes images of sprawling wilderness
humming with ceremonial processions under cold unforgiving stars.
Production-wise the album walks a fine line between expansive
open atmospheres and cold claustrophobic ones as if moving through a
landscape of forest, caves and rolling hills. It is dark, but
incredibly cinematic in its scope that it begs for intimate and
contemplative listening.
This is a very strong album blending
a lot of different elements by two already very accomplished
musicians. The end result is a breathtakingly haunting picture
painted with music. Fans of neofolk, dark ambient, traditional music
and even the progressive end of the black metal spectrum should find
enjoyment in this album. Hopefully there will be a lot more to come
from this project in the future.
Horror-obsessed
edm / ebm outfit Sex Death Religion return with their latest EP on
Two Gods Records. Continuing to hone their psychedelic dance music
influenced by the likes of Lords Of Acid, My Life With The Thrill
Kill Kult, and EMF, 'This House Is Haunted' sees the Canadian act
take things up a notch with six new tracks of demented dance fodder.
The 'Intro' that kicks the EP off is a great blend of near
witch house electronics framing a sinister vocal sample that gets
things off to an ominous start. The main body of tracks though do a
180 turn instantaneously with the bouncy wubbing style of edm
creating a fun counterpoint to the continued use of horror samples.
Tracks such as 'Terror In The House', 'Cannibals', and 'Hell Bound'
in particular really exemplify the continuing development of the SDR
style balancing out sheer craziness with actual dance credibility.
The only real low point is in the somewhat lacklustre cover
of 'Sweet Dreams'. While technically a different take on the
oft-covered original, it doesn't have the hooks of the previous songs
and the vocal delivery sounds unsure.
This is a nice
development from the 'Murder Motel' single last year, and while there
are some genuinely fun tracks, there is still some work to be done.
However, SDR's own unique style is definitely taking on it's own
shape and it would be interesting to see where a full-length album
would take them musically and conceptually as well.
Formed by John Gosling (Mekon), John Balance
(Coil) and Min – with guest Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson
(Throbbing Gristle) – Zos Kia may have been somewhat overshadowed
by the later projects of it's chief creators but it remains an
important stop on the road of industrial music's development. The
sole album produced by the group, and credited with Coil,
'Transparent' has been a rarity since it's original release on the
now defunct Nekrophile label. It saw a brief return as a limited
edition through Threshold House, but is now finally getting a proper
remastered release thanks to Cold Spring.
The music on
'Transparent' is ugly, confrontational and dark industrial.
Performance orientated and primal it shows a bridging of the gap
between the the example set by Throbbing Gristle and the later
polished experimentation of Coil. Rhythmic mechanical noises, tape
manipulation, and subdued spoken word leading into haunting shrieks.
Tracks such as 'Sicktone', 'Baptism Of Fire', 'Poisons',
'Sewn Open', 'On Balance', and the live version of 'Rape' in
particular show the early processes of these artists who would become
legends of electronic and avant garde music in the next couple of
decades.
This is a very welcome reissue and despite the rouhg
and very low-fi nature of the original recordings they have been
given a loving overhaul ready for this release. They are still harsh
and gritty as that is their nature, but they are certainly
listenable.
This may not be many people's cup of tea, but for
fans of Coil, Psychic TV and Throbbing Gristle – in particular in
all of their early forms – or just a general appreciation of the
early years of industrial music, then this release will be a fine
addition to any collection.
Already a highly regarded song within
the Attrition back catalogue, 'A Girl Called Harmony', which was
originally part of 1991'a 'Tricky Business' album sees a release in
it's own right on this EP. Although it saw inclusion on a lot of
compilations at the time it never made it to a single release but 25
years later Martine Bowes' own Two Gods Records label finally
addresses this oversight.
The resulting EP see's the original
baroque-infused darkwave meets industrial track joined by the
four-track demo track from the previous year. In addition are two
remixes of 'I Am Eternity' (one classical and one electronica) from a
promotional giveaway on Projekt records in 1997 which compliment the
title track very nicely with their respective use of warm strings and
trip-hop flavours. The EP is rounded out with a 1986 demo of 'I Am'
which adds a nice ambient atmosphere to close with.
The
tracks have been remastered with the care and precision that you
would come to expect from Bowes. His stock as a producer and engineer
is without question especially when taking tracks from across a ten
year period and bringing them up to scratch for release in 2017 and
have them still sound as strong as they do.
This is a nice
addition for any long-time Attrition fan with a strong song leading
the charge as well as four enjoyable rarities to boot. It might not
be a good starting point for newer fans, but for anyone that has
previously thought “He should have released that as a single” now
would be the perfect time to grab yourself a copy.
Members: Arlene
Sparacia, John Ferrante, Justin Verted
Year formed:
2015
Location: Nashville,
USA
HR_Lexy is a female
fronted, electronic trio based in Nashville, TN. The group's sound
has been described as haunting electronic pop, with synth
soundscapes, driving drum beats, and ethereal, dream-like vocals.
HR_Lexy lyrically explores the pull between dark and light,
humanity's relationship with nature, and spiritual awareness. Their
live show includes symbolism and theatrical elements that further
emphasize these themes. HR_Lexy recently released their second EP
entitled Slaves to the Light in Oct 2016. The band's debut EP Nature
Vs Neon was released in 2015.
Intravenous
Magazine: Who are you and how did the band come to be formed?
Arlene and John met
through Craigslist ad. We played shows as a duo and released our
first EP, Nature Vs. Neon. Justin and Arlene met at a mutual job at
Whole Foods. Justin came to our shows and expressed interest in
being a part of the group. We are happy to have him onboard.
IVM: How would you
describe your sound/style, and how did you arrive at it?
Our sound has and
continues to develop over time. We actually began with guitars as
our main instruments. That quickly morphed into simple synth based
music, which then led us to our more complex soundscape sound now.
And we are still evolving, with the additional of Justin. The
constant is Arlene’s ethereal vocal style and a strong musical
platform to support that.
IVM: Who and what
are your primary influences both musical and non-musical?
Arlene: Kate Bush, Kim
Gordon(sonic youth), Frida Kahlo, Patti Smith, Austra, Angel Olsen,
Future Islands, The Jag
John: Being outside
in nature, a good synth sound, Sinead O’Conner, Depeche Mode, The
Cure, stocism, minimalism.
Justin: Pattern
recognition, fractal geometry, Sigur Ros, food forestry, the
expansive state of being.
IVM: Do you perform
live, and if so, when can we see you perform in the near future?
Yes we perform often.
Our show dates can be seen at our website.
IVM: What is your
current release, and where is it available?
Our current EP is
titled Slaves to the Light. That and our first release are available
as digital downloads from hrlexy.com, iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon MP3
and other digital music stores. We are also on Spotify and Youtube.
IVM: What have been
the highlights of your career so far?
It really all has been
a highlight. We have had such great experiences, releasing two EPs,
several videos, performing at all the great clubs in Nashville, radio
interviews, interviews such as this. All highlights. We really enjoy
performing live, seeing our stage show develop has been much fun.
IVM: What are your
plans for the future?
We are currently
writing and rehearsing new material, which we plan to release soon.
Expect new videos to as well. More live shows and touring.
IVM: Finally, is
there anything that you would like to add?
Utah's
Contaminated Intelligence revisit their 2014 EP 'Mental Fractures'
and augment the original record with five new bonus tracks,
stretching it into a full-length album in it's own right. The
original was self-released by the band in 2014 after main man Jourdan
Turner suffered a snowboarding accident. The release in it's current
form now follows his recovery from that time until now, and in the
process pushes their experiments with Drum n Bass, Down-tempo Break
Beats, and Ambient atmospheres to the fore.
The result is a
very experimental but danceable album which while not wholly at odds
with the industrial-punk flavour of their last release, 'Status
Control', is certainly less vitriolic and more introspective in it's
instrumental wanderings. Yet songs such as 'CRUNCH!', 'Recovery', and
'Recovery Pt 2.' from the original tracklist maintain a decisive
dancefloor appeal. While the newer contributions such as 'Unscrewed
(Removed)', 'Coming Back', and 'Anesthetic Dreams' reflect the band's
newer style while maintaining the elements of the original that made
it an interesting listening experience.
Production-wise it
definitely sounds like a record of two halves. The more crisp modern
flavour of the original five versus the grimier sounds of the newest
contributions. But it strangely works well when you think of it as
side a and side b.
This was an interesting move to revisit an
earlier work in this kind of way. But the original EP was worth
re-highlighting and the new songs are just as valid as anything
included on last year's full-length album release, so why not? The
result is a very interesting album that cover's the entirety of the
band's sonic experimentation over the past few years. A risky idea
but incredibly well-executed and will certainly be on that pays off
for them.
Florida-based
industrial musician returns with his third full-length album under
the Fearpassage moniker in the form of 'Love, Hate & Devotion'
five years after the last LP 'Our Children'. The time has been used
wisely though with the new album seeing a significant step forward in
terms of the quality of the songwriting and performances.
The
album doesn't deviate too much from the classic electro industrial
formula of steady dance beats meets melodic synths and harsh vocals.
But it is a formula that serves them well and arguably has finally
coalesced into what can be described as their own sound. Where their
first album was somewhat half-realised, and their sophomore effort
was more about finding their feet, album number three definitley
feels like the project has come into it's own.
Songs such as
'Love, Hate & Devotion', 'Vicious Sin', 'Between Us', and
'Feelings You Hide' have great classic ebm elements that give them
strong dancefloor potential, while the likes of 'Drowning', 'Left
Behind', and 'Venom' get nice and dark to really draw the listener
in.
Production-wise there are still some parts that feel a
little more low-fi than they need to be, especially on the vocals
that do seem to become a little swamped now and then. But on the
whole it balances the aggressive, dark electronics with more melodic
and progressive elements really well.
'Love, Hate &
Devotion' is a big step forward for Fearpassage. The album has plenty
of depth while keeping it's sonic pallet relatively straightforward.
The result is the strongest album Fear has released thus far and one
that continues to show off the potential of the project moving
forward. Hopefully we won't have to wait as long next time for a
follow-up.
"In our first project we definitely want to shed blood, as an emblematic oath. The other reason, the project requires it. If we create the device, it has to work, and we have to prove it. Our credibility can't be questionable."
The dark, gothic scene seems to have a surprise
coming for all of us, in more than just one sense. There’s a group preparing a
promising first performance as a debut, surrounded by mystery, art, darkness
and a more than original proposal. Acid Death Cult of Vampires is the name they have chosen, and
if it doesn’t make any of us wonder what they will be about by itself, the
answers they gave on this interview will do it then.
Intravenous Magazine: How did you get started, individually and as a group, in the scene?
Acid Death Cult of Vampires: First of all, I'd like to thank
you for the opportunity. My individual encounter with the scene was quite
ordinary. Since I was young, the darker side of the world attracted me, I was
always trying to act like an outcast, you could say antisocial, which only got
"worse" with rebellious teenage years. Obviously there was more to
it, but I'd rather not talk about those. Basically, it wasn't the dark scene
that found me, but I found it. While others were listening to radio pop hits, I
searched for melodies close to my heart in Skinny Puppy, Foetus or even Bauhaus
songs.
With the team, we met already
being in the dark scene, however this would be a slightly longer story, which
would be more about how our organisation works.
IVM: What was that element or moment when you thought about this project?
ADCoV: For the organisation, we wanted a
really imposing debut, which we shared in our continously published prospectus.
The goal would be to reinterpret the dark culture and the associated pictorial,
musical world, mood which we will perform seasoned with extremities, sometimes
along raw undeniable reality, sometimes brought forth with abstract,
metaphorical surreality.
IVM: What does the name mean for you? Are you going to work with those
concepts in your debut?
ADCoV: Acid Death Cult of Vampires. On
first look the name of our organisation won't seem as short, however in deeper
interpretation it tells a lot. I want people to judge us from the first impulse
of the name, so I won't comment it too much, as this will reveal whether we are
creating for them. For this very reason I think that it contains our
organisations complete definition, as well as our future works' subjects, like
hemophilia, mortuary cult, sexuality and of course, all the subjects inseperably
linked to the dark culture. Naturally, on all of our projects one
interpretation of the name will be perceptible, after all we are Acid Death
Cult of Vampires.
IVM: If you were to chose a single word to describe this performance,
which would it be and why?
ADCoV: Passion. Our story is about
passion induced by misery. And under misery, we don't just mean directly
inflicted, but a more diverse empathic emotion. As a part of this wonderful
negative affective domain, we will include expectation, dread, horror, disgust
and empathic pain, all interpreted by the audience's own soul.
IVM: Why did you choose Mudford's The Iron Shroud as the base?
ADCoV: This story goes best with the
mentioned emotional background in my previous answer, but regarding our
performance, we chose Mudford's novel because we don't want his work to be
forgotten, even though regarding the subject Edgar Allan Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum" would've
been more obvious. From a visual aspect the press chamber is a better choice,
which we will alloy with the standing chamber and the Iron Maiden by our own
concept. The torture device will have it's see-through walls covered with glass
shards.
IVM: Will you use more gothic classics for the next performances?
ADCoV: Naturally. We don't want our
cultural inheritance to be forgotten, so even if only mentioned, but we pledge
ourselves to protect our cultural values. After newly revealing them from the
depths of ignorance, we will put them in a new, broader perspective to be
passed down.
IVM: You told me this first performance will include cuts and blood, why
not to use make-up instead?
ADCoV: Blood Sacrifice! In our first
project we definitely want to shed blood, as an emblematic oath. The other
reason, the project requires it. If we create the device, it has to work, and
we have to prove it. Our credibility can't be questionable. The chamber will
have transparent walls, so during the live broadcast everyone will feel the carnage!
IVM: When and where will it take place? Do you plan to record it so
others can see it?
ADCoV: Given that we play with
"lives" we wouldn't want to blindly fire our weapon. The performance
will be broadcasted for the biggest audience possible, it will be recorded
which will be available in the future through our organisation. The place is
not yet set, as it is dependant on the budget. We wouldn't border ourselves,
that if we meet the need, we would take it out in front of a live audience
somewhere in Europe.
IVM: Any plans one the future? Ideas you may be working on already?
ADCoV: Just today (February
11th), we had the meeting where we took out this
question. As of now, we are working on four different projects other than the
Iron Shroud, which are not yet public, however out of the four I'd like to
reveal a few things on two. One of them would be a musical play (dark-electro/electro-industrial
based), which we plan a tour to some bigger European cities. The other has only
it's name public so far, and I hope it's revealing enough: Bloodshed.
IVM: Thank you so much for your time,
many of us will be waiting to see what you come up with. I'm sure you
won't disappoint!
ADCoV: We would like to thank you for
the opportunity! We promise people will definitely hear about us!
To keep an eye on this
original project, make sure to follow them on Facebook, Instagram and visit their website.
After a 20 year
hiatus Klayton, better known as Celldweller, has resurrected his 90s
industrial metal band Circle Of Dust. While these days Klayton is
inexorably linked to his work as Celldweller, which has led to an
impressive back catalogue of releases over the years, there was
always something unfinished about Circle Of Dust that led to him
acquiring the rights to the previous releases and breathing new life
into the old machine.
The result is the fifth Circle Of Dust
album, 'Machines Of Our Disgrace', and it was worth the wait. With a
further two decades of production experience siphoned through an
unexpectedly heavy approach this is a very welcome move from Klayton.
Evoking the likes of Static-X, gODHEAD, Fear Factory, and Love And
Death in its execution it's heavy on the guitar riffs, thick with
electronics and incredibly catchy.
Songs such as 'Maqchines
Of Our Disgrace', 'Contagion', 'Embracing Entropy', 'Humanarchy', and
'Neophyte' provide a solid backbone of heavy cybernetic metal that is
some of the strongest music that Klayton has produced in the past two
decades.
There are the odd tracks that fall a little flatter
with the likes of 'Hive-Mind' and 'K_OS' in particular coming off as
the most filler-like of the cuts. Also the second half of the album
does tend to run out of steam to a degree before being pulled back up
by the stunning closer 'Malacandra'.
With those few issues
aside it is a genuinely enjoyable album that will please both
long-time fans and should also grab the attention of younger fans of
industrial metal that would have missed Circle Of Dust first time
round. Hopefullt COD will remain a going concern for Klayton, not at
the expense of Celldweller, but it would be great to see COD do at
least one more album and a touring stint on the back of this
unexpected but gratefully received album.
Inhabiting a netherworld between proto-ebm, early
synthpop, drone and dreamy ambient electronics Vlimmer (AKA;
Alexander Leonard Donat, from Berlin, Germany) is an unusual and yet
strangely satisfying artist. His latest release 'IIIIII/IIIIIII'
(6/7) marks the sixth and seventh EP releases in a series of eighteen
combined into one. It's a hard sound to pin-down, one certainly
rooted in both ambient electronics and shoegaze, and always leaning
towards existential atmospheres. But the methods always vary.
Songs
such as 'Flutbahrn', 'Rotflimmern', 'Freiwärts',
and 'Sonneschwarz' have a more up-beat and joyful core to their sound
as they flirt with traditional dance elements and beats. While the
likes of 'Fensterlosigkeit', 'Möwenmeer',
'Grundbuch', and 'Veerläufer'
are deeper, introspective journeys that build into cinemeatic
atmospheres. But it is the interplay of dark ambiance and ethnic
instrumentation on 'Veräuβerung'
and it's hypnotic vocal delivery that really stands out.
In
terms of it's production, it is distinctly low-fi but in a kind of
old-school way rather than a low-budget way. It feels warm and
analogue which amplifies the haunting melancholy of the tracks even
more.
'IIIIII/IIIIIII' are really nice releases that show of
an artist with a rich and diverse style that he can call on to paint
an interesting picture. These EP's only represent a small snapshot of
a conceptual whole, but based on these it will certainly be something
for fans of ambient music to check out and get their teeth into.
Cease2xist's last outing 'WIYGN?' showed a
significant leap forward in the band's sound channeling their live
energy and honing their songwriting into a sharper and more focused
attack marking them as one act to watch. Three years down the line
they're back with 'Zero Future', and album that moves into a darker
and heavier direction than before. The band's aggrotech core is still
there, but there is a considerable boost of confidence. Dayve Yates'
vocal performance is the strongest so far. The synths are scathing,
bordering or metal in execution, and the beats are bludgeoning yet
groovy.
It's a short, sharp attack. The album instead
choosing to make a complete statement and as a result loosing the
remixes suffixed to the end of the track list. The end product is a
fantastically compelling dark, pissed-off middle finger in the
face.
Songs such as 'Make The World A Bitter Place',
'Mechanical Medicine', and 'Bosozuku Nights' lead the charge with
full-on aggression powered by hard distorted synths and Yate's
punk-metal growl. While the likes of 'Augury And Innocence', 'Dirty
World', and 'Take Comfort In The Void' take on a more methodical and
mechanical approach for some classic dystopian atmospheric
industrial. But the album's shining achievement has to be the ominous
closer in the form of the title track which borders on cinematic
atmospheres while retaining a compelling dance beat.
Production-wise this is the strongest album yet by
Cease2xist. One past criticism has been that the vocals often sat too
low in the mix which robbed them of their power. But here they are
right where they need to be rallying the rest of the instruments for
the attack.
'Zero Future' may only weigh in at 34 minutes in
length. But in that time it packs a big punch. If Cease2Xist were a
band to watch, they are now surely on their way to the top of the UK
industrial pile. Despite the dark connotations of this album's title,
Cease2Xist definitely has a future, and its looking pretty bright
from here.
“It’s funny, having
worked so hard to make a living out of music I found once I’d got
there that I’d broken myself in the process. I needed a break to do
some, uh, emotional housekeeping.”
Marc Heal's
contributions to Industrial Rock cannot be understated. In the 90's
behind the helm of Cubanate, and as a producer as well as hired gun
for some of the biggestbeing an elder statesment of industrial music.
names in the scene he has done more than enough to ensure his place
in musical history. After the dissolution of Cubanate, Heal took
a long hiatus from making music until hooking up with Raymond Watts
for the Pig Vs MC Lord Of The Flies release 'Compound Eye Sessions'
EP in 2015. Since then there has been no stopping Heal. First came
the release of the 'Adult Fiction' single, followed by his first solo
full-length studio release 'The Hum', and then the very unexpected
live reformation of Cubanate. We caught up with Heal to talk
about his latest album, breaking free of the past and being an elder
statesman of industrial music.
Intravenous
Magazine: The Hum was released last year – how do you feel it has
been received so far?
Marc Heal: It
seems to have gone down very well. There have been many kind reviews.
Mind you, the age of the bad review has gone, hasn’t it? I haven’t
seen one of those old-school, bilious, scathing reviews in a long
time. Every writer is a “scene” writer, which is good in one way,
they know what they’re talking about, but it makes them nervous
about being properly critical.
Now that the album been
out two or three months my excitement has faded. I’m in a kind of
post partum depression. You think, “Is that it?” I’m wondering
what comes next. I make difficult music, I know it’s hard to
pigeonhole. I wish I could be more commercially minded.
IVM: After such
a long time away from making music was there any trepidation about
releasing this as solo material rather than under a moniker?
MH: Yes, I was
nervous. You’re supposed to think of a cool handle in this scene
aren’t you? But I didn’t think it was appropriate. 'The Hum' is
personal and it’s different from the usual fodder so it seemed a
bit stupid to give it a “cool” project name. There’s something
healthy about exposing yourself like that. Does you good.
Actually I have a side
project that I’ve been thinking about for years, it’s an album
called “Falz Kompilation”. Each “act” on the compilation is
me in the guise of a different fantasy industrial band. So there’s
my German hard EBM project, Fritzl. There’s the US hardcore outfit,
Hurtymen (probably from the east coast, channelling angry Jared
Louche-esque beat poet vocals). There’s a sort of early Throbbing
Gristle project called Porridge Gun. Plus the Industrial Riot Grrrl
three piece, Cameltoe Rust. Oh, and a Slovenian primal scream thing
with the working title of Melania.
IVM: You're
reputation with acts such as Cubanate obviously precedes you but what
led to you taking your hiatus from music and what led to the decision
to start making music again?
MH: By the end
of the 90’s I was in a rut and I lacked confidence. No, not
confidence, interest. I wasn’t interested in what I was making
anymore. Also I was drinking a lot. That numbs the nerves. At that
time I had a lot of money from Gran Turismo royalties. I mean really
quite a lot. It’s funny, having worked so hard to make a living out
of music I found once I’d got there that I’d broken myself in the
process. I needed a break to do some, uh, emotional housekeeping.
I also realised that
things were moving against me. That was around the start of that
synthy-poppy thing with VNV and all those bands. I never got that.
More than anything, I
wanted to do something else. There’s something moronic about
touring. I couldn’t bear the prospect of just being in a band all
my life. I needed to be grounded. To work. Unlike a lot of artists
I’m interested in business. So, I set up some studios. I tried my
hand at a few things – managing band, licensing. I had a couple of
kids. Eventually I ended up in TV production.
After I worked with
Raymond on 'Compound Eye' I became more interested in music again.
Then I wrote The Sussex Devils. That was the best way to break a
creative logjam.
IVM: Stylistically
and thematically what were your inspirations when making 'The Hum'?
MH: It was
around the time of Bowies’s death. It wasn’t that I was listening
to Bowie. I couldn’t actually, for quite some time. But 'Blackstar'
did make me think about being energetic and brave enough to do things
your way. If you can’t do that, you can’t call yourself any kind
of artist, however minor.
The sessions felt
dreamlike. I sealed myself off from the outside world. I was all
alone in a massive studio. Nothing penetrated. It was like I was the
last person on earth.
IVM: How did you
find the process of writing a solo album differed from your past
work?
MH: I had to
learn a lot of things I might have delegated before. I had to play a
lot of parts, in every sense of the word. I had to sing, then judge
and edit my vocals on the fly. That’s tough.
I also had to learn to
mix properly. Normally I’d let someone else lead that process. I
got a lot better through necessity.
I like collaboration.
But the interesting thing about your own work is that it’s a
mirror. You get to see yourself, warts and all.
IVM: The video
for 'Adult Fiction' was stunning. How did that come about and can we
expect any other videos to accompany the album?
MH: The 'Adult
Fiction' video director was Gabriel Edvy. She was working with
Cubanate on our live visuals. She nagged me to do a video, and I was
liking what she was doing for Cubanate so I let her loose on 'Adult
Fiction'. We haggled around a few ideas at the start but after that I
just let Gabby do her thing. I was delighted with the end result.
I do think that the
songs on 'The Hum' are very visual though. Each lyric reads like a
mini-film. They are mostly stories. So I do like to think I give a
filmmaker something to get their choppers into.
IVM: Your last
release was the 'Compound Eye Sessions' EP with Raymond Watts – how
did that come about and are there any more plans for similar
releases?
MH: 'Compound
Eye' was recorded well before 'The Gospel'. I like chucking Raymond
ideas. I’d worked on 'Pigmata', a decade previously. But that had
been the last PIG album at that point. So I hadn’t seen Raymond in
a dog’s age and then I ran into him in a bar. He said he wanted to
try making a 'Pigmata' follow up.
We were both at a loose
end creatively so I dragged him into the studio. We tooled around
with making an album but it didn’t get too far before I left for
Singapore. So I released the scraps as 'Compound Eye', some tracks
with Raymond’s vocals, some with mine. I always like working on
PIG. I’ve already tossed him a tune for the new album.
I’d like to do
similar collaborations with other people but I find that you really
need to be in the same room.
IVM: Many industrial
bands today are still influenced by the work you were doing in the
90s. Is this a position you're comfortable?
MH: Sure thing.
I don’t mind being an elder statesman. Cubanate were ahead of our
time and I’m glad to have sown some seeds. Some of the new bands
that have taken it on board are great.
But I like to keep
moving. I’ve never felt completely comfortable in the “pure”
industrial scene. I find it a bit one-dimensional.
IVM: Are there
any bands around today that have particularly captured your attention
recently?
MH: I don’t
see too many bands live out here. The last live show I saw in
Singapore was Charli XCX at the Asian TV Awards. Dave Bianchi from
Cubanate in the old days is her manager now. It was a weird trip;
backstage with Charli and all these glamorous Korean TV stars in in
Oscar’s style gowns.
In the scene? Well,
Mistress Kanga of course. There’s something deceptive and alluring
about her voice, which I like. She sings in that west coast
prescription med drone and you find yourself drawn in. But don’t
tell her I said that. She’ll only get cocky.
I still can’t gear
that grinning, gurning brand of “emotional” electronic music.
That “boys behind keyboards” thing. It’s so suburban. Who is
that dude who promotes his tours with a cartoon of himself winking in
a pork pie hat and a wine glass? Aesthetic Something. Christ.
IVM: The reformation
of Cubanate as a live act has been music to a lot of people's ears,
first with the appearance at Cold Waves festival and now with UK tour
dates announced – is this a limited engagement or can we expect
more from Cubanate in the future?
MH: I think
more. But we’re both a bit reclusive these days. And we’re on
other sides of the world. It’s hard.
Still, we enjoyed it,
so we’ll play live a few more times I’m sure.
IVM: There was
talk of a Cubanate retrospective album. Is this still the case?
MH: Yes. There’s
a compilation of remastered versions of 15 songs from the first three
albums coming out in May. It’s called 'Brutalism', it’s on
Armalyte Industries.
I was kind of hoping
that we’d discover some “lost gems” but the fact is that we
released almost everything that we recorded. The new masters sound
good though.
IVM: Cubanate
aside, are there any plans to take 'The Hum' on the road?
MH: Love to, if
anyone wants me. Live, it’s a bit overshadowed by Cubanate right
now.
IVM: You've
relocated to Singapore – how has this affected you musically and
culturally?
MH: I like being
here. I look at the west very differently now. The idea of being
somewhere strange, not speaking the language has always fascinated
me. Musically I do feel isolated, but perversely I find that
liberating. I’m not looking over my shoulder at other people.
Mind you, a few years
away gives my view of Europe a rose tint. I do get pangs of
homesickness. Less so in the winter months.
IVM: In addition to
your musical work you've released a book – 'The Sussex Devils' –
can you give us some background into how that came about?
MH: I never
meant to write a book. I found an old clipping about a court case in
the UK. It got me curious about the past and I started making notes,
scribbling things down. I found that I had about 60,000 words and I
sent it the raw idea off to some agents. Several liked it and one
agent, Robert Dinsdale at AM Heath encouraged me to finish it.
The book is about the
hysteria surrounding Satanism in the 1980’s in the UK and also
about Evangelical religion. Actually it’s about more than that.
It’s about the past, youth and friendship at its core. When you
reach a certain age you begin to see your life in a broader
historical perspective. That’s impossible when you’re young,
you’re too close to it, too self-absorbed.
IVM: How do you
feel the book was received and are there plans for more?
MH: It was well
received, but quietly. It sells steadily but slowly. Again, I make no
complaints. It’s a strange, dark book. I wouldn’t expect it to be
everyone’s cup of tequila.
I love writing. But it
takes a huge amount of time to do it well. And like music, I have to
be motivated. I can’t just do it to order. I’m dysfunctional like
that. I wish I could be one of those write-on-command,
please-the-public sorts of artist. But I have too many blanks, blind
spots, dead ends.
IVM: Finally, are
there any plans for a follow-up to 'The Hum' planned or any more
collaborations for 2017?
MH: I’d like
to get a follow up released this year. I’ve just started to write
again. I’m a bit low, it’s not coming easy right now. I wanted to
do something more upbeat after 'The Hum', but everything I’ve
written so far is very bleak and slow. And very left-wing. I try to
write a punchy, club-friendly number and it comes out as an 80bpm
dirge called “Communism In Theory And Practise”. I can hardly see
that one setting the charts afire, can you?
I don’t know. I’m
bipolar. I get into a trough of paranoia. I can never trust myself
not to just throw it all in the bin. But I’ve also learned to
persist.
“The newer material
is very personal in nature as it directly relates to the experiences
and emotions I had been going through and feeling. Those experiences
set the direction for the album title and cover art.”
Los
Angeles' Bestial Mouths are easily one of the most exciting acts of
recent years. Uncompromising in their blend of the avant garde and
inhabiting all the corners of dark alternative music, their latest
album 'Heartless' has been universally praised, and off it's back the
band has made inroads into the European live scene. 2016 may have
been their most successful year to date, but the band keep their eyes
firmly on the horizon with a new remix EP and north American tour
scheduled for this year, they show no signs of stopping any time
soon. We caught up with vocalist Lynette Cerezo reflect on the
band's stellar year and talk about their plans for 2017.
Intravenous Magazine: Your latest album 'Heartless'
was released last March. How has the reaction been to it so far?
Lynette Cerezo:
We have been pleased with the response so far, and from the reviews I
have seen it has been positive. It was quite a feeling to see people
reach out and nominate it for Best Album of 2016 in Auxiliary
Magazine's end of year polls. We haven't seen the results yet, but we
are honored and thrilled
to have made the list
no matter the outcome.
Also, people seemed
excited to do remixes of the songs, so it's always a good indicator
when
fellow artists are
excited to collaborate with you on a project - that's an ultimate
compliment.
IVM: Musically and
thematically what inspired you most in the creation of 'Heartless'?
LC: Heartless is
a unique album, as it contains some older songs as we perform them
now, we had the chance to re-record them, which was cool. So, in a
way, it is also an homage to the past and present.
The newer material is
very personal in nature as it directly relates to the experiences and
emotions I had been going through and feeling. Those experiences set
the direction for the album title and cover art.
Musically, I would say
we just continued on the same path and direction as we always have,
and added some more danceable tracks.
I feel Heartless
musically shows many of our influences across genres and styles, from
some Post-punk type songs to more electronic - maybe more Pop like -
vibe.
IVM: How do you
typically approach the writing and recording process?
LC: We approach
writing in a number of different ways:
It can begin with
lyrics or an idea or interest that guides the lyrics first, then the
music.
It can begin with
music, and then lyrics written to what it evokes, what I hear in it.
It can also begin by
experimentation of feelings, like we want to create a certain type of
song (An example being I might want a slow dirty Swans-type song, or
I am feeling a fast industrial harsh song).
As for recording, I
much prefer when we are recording a song we have played live a bunch,
because then I can focus on the lyrics' and songs' feeling because it
is has become memorized and second nature. However, sometimes we
don't have that luxury.
There have even been
times I've had to record vocals for a song I haven't done the lyrics
to yet, so I am writing them as we record.
IVM: You've worked
with producers such as David Psutka, Danny Saber and Jürgen Engler.
What does a producer need to bring to the table to compliment a band
with such an esoteric sound such as Bestial Mouths?
LC: This is an
interesting question, as my thought would be what does Bestial have
to bring to the table. I think they just over all need an
understanding of our sound and aesthetic and the overall goal we are
trying to achieve.
Recording with Saber
the first time - he was used to guiding vocalists I believe - he
finally just stopped in the middle of our work and let me be free,
and as he said “do my thing”.
I think working with
diverse producers is also a great match for us, each one has his own
ear and specialty to lend to our sound.
IVM: 'Heartless'
marked your first full-length album on Cleopatra Records – how did
that deal come about and how do you feel you fit with the label?
LC: It all
started with an email from Cleopatra to come into their office and
chat. Of course we were all excited and nervous at the same time. I
grew up listening to all the bands on Cleopatra Records. After
meeting with them I felt it was a great fit. I admired a large label
that was still independent, that had survived our economy's
struggles. They were ready to support new artists at that time, and I
sensed it was an exciting time for them and wanted love to be part of
it all.
IVM: A personal
highlight on the album was the cover of The Human League's 'Being
Boiled', what led to the decision to cover it and how do you feel it
compares to the original?
LC: Truthfully I
don't remember exactly how we picked The Human League. Cleopatra
wanted us to do a cover and we threw around a lot of ideas. I liked
the challenge of doing a cover with male vocals, a song that doesn't
normally sound like us, the challenge to see if we can keep the
integrity of the original but still put our mark on it. The original
will always be best, of course, but I do believe we brought a
different style to it!
I also agreed with the
subject matter, its about being against the process of killing of
silk worms for silk, humans' abuse of innocent victims for our own
exploitation.
IVM: You have a new
remix EP scheduled for release in March, what can we expect from
that?
LC: We
are super excited for the EP, '(still) HEARTLESS': It will have a lot
of great remixes, new version of a song off 'Heartless' as we
performed it live on our last EU tour and a new Bestial Mouths song!
It contains an
exclusive mix that Danny Saber (Black Grape) recorded and produced
with us during the Heartless sessions, plus remixes from Jürgen
Engler (Die Krupps), Zanias (Linea Aspera), CX Kidtronik (Stones
Throw / Atari Teenage Riot / Saul Williams), The Horrorist (Out Of
Line Music / Things to Come), The Ludovico Technique (Metropolis
Records) and Forces (Alex Akers, co-producer of Zanias).
Also appearing are
Shredder (Chris Video, who is catching lots of attention for his
DJing &
Tropical Goth parties)
and Todd Gys (Black Circuit / Zero G Sounds, a Boston DJ formerly
from the Midwest techno scene). It represents a wide range of styles
and influences that reinterpret album tracks through very capable and
talented hands.
IVM: You've shred
the stage with some notable acts and toured Europe last year, can we
expect to see Bestial Mouths back in Europe in 2017?
LC: Yes and yes,
we love playing Europe, some of the best times and audiences
we've had! We are currently working on plans for August for
some shows and festivals. I believe we finally get to play Portugal,
for the ENTREMURALHAS festival in Leiria, organized by the promoters
of FADE IN Festival.
Extra special for us
and our supporters is that we may be touring with Zanias, which
includes Zoe Zanias and I sharing the stage and singing in each other
songs.
We still want and need
to play the UK though!
IVM: One stop on the
tour was the 25th Anniversary of Wave Gottik Trefan – how was that
experience for you, and did you get chance to enjoy any of the
festival?
LC: WGT was an
incredible experience. Our sound and performance felt incredible and
to see that many people there, who seemed to know who we were, was so
exciting. I was happy we got to stay an extra day and catch a lot of
amazing performances, too. The best was people watching and feeling
completely at home.
Bummed though, because
my favorite playing tights fell out my hotel window (I was airing
them from smoke smell), they were quickly snatched up as it was a
city filled with “goths” so a perfect find for some one (Well, I
would have been pleasantly happy to have found them!). I was so
hoping to see someone wearing them so I could smile ha ha!
IVM: Last year you
added Brant Showers (∆Aimon / SØLVE) to the touring line-up of the
band. What led to that move and what do you feel he brings to the
live show?
LC: Brant adds
tons to the live show, his take on our sound and energy are perfect.
It happened because we were in need of a touring drummer. Brant had
offered in the past and I had always remembered that. I was so happy
when it all came together.
IVM: Eddie O. is
also a part of the live band on electronics and video. How important
is it to experiment with sound and vision during live shows and are
there any new things you're looking to include in your shows this
year?
LC: Our live
performances have always been a huge focus for Bestial. I think it
should be a full experience: Sight and sound and feeling. I have
always wanted to push it further and add some visual imagery that
enhanced my movement in live shows, to add to the theatrics of my
performance. One of the aspects we are working on is how these
performances translate in the various spaces we play, as we shift
through different song moods and parts of the room.
Eddie and I are
currently working on new footage to add to the live show, really
coordinating the live visuals with each song to create a narrative
atmosphere. We recorded all of the footage ourselves, using
everything from DSLRs to iPhones to capture scenes as we experienced
them on and off tour.
IVM: The band's
visuals are incredibly striking – how important is this element to
the ethos of the band and what inspires you visually?
The visual and the
overall aesthetic has always been super important. I feel it is the
whole package that can really convey who and what the band is about,
to really help express the sound of the music.
Visually, life is what
inspires us, it is all around. I also have a background and degree in
fashion design and art history, so I know that creeps its way into
everything.
IVM: There is a new
video in the works for 'Worn Skin'. What can we expect to see in
that?
LC: A lot of
darkness…. (Literally and figuratively)
Actually it is my
directorial debut. Usually the talented and professional directors we
have worked with have their idea and vision for the song. This time I
wanted to recreate what had been swimming around in my head, and also
experiment with a different “aesthetic” and look, as I always try
to create something new. I purposefully wanted a more lo-fi look, to
lend to the idea of having to go through many levels from my brain to
reach the outside world / public. Kind of like the Telephone game one
plays as a kid: It starts as a clear picture and it gets changed and
affected along the way.
'Heartless' is available to buy
now through Cleopatra Records. For more information on the band,
including forthcoming releases and tour dates, please visit their
official website.
So I dunno about the UK, but over here, in Canada, record stores are closing down.
We're talking major record stores chains that have been around since forever. We're talking the Go-To spots for all your CD needs (and cassettes, once, and vinyls, then and again).
These places are closing, because CDs aren't selling anymore.
The music business, or industry, is changing.
Soon, the only place where you'll be able to find CDs will be at independent record stores.
Now, does the future of music thus lie in indie record stores? Not really. Its past certainly does, and independent retailers will always remain a key outlet for the physical releases of any local indie band. The answer, however, lies in the bigger picture. The reality of our times is indeed that soon, they will stop making devices to play CDs. They already stopped making portable CD players a few years ago.
Soon there will be no more stereo systems.
Furthermore, it's not that great of an idea anymore, especially for independent musicians, to release a CD. It's no longer a sustainable artefact.
The reinvention is us, right here, right Now.
Sure, Bandcamp out there's got our backs for our online platform needs, but when the time comes to think of a physical format for us to put our music on, a product to put in people's hands, a token of ourselves as our art for people to hold, cherish and remember us by, we need to rethink our mediums.
The economy right now is shit, let's face it, and so if you want people to give you their money, it better be worth it, and it better be a sustainable medium for you.
You're investing your own money into this, after all.
Everything is changing.
Everything about the music business as we know it is changing.
Eveyrthing our parents did, the one before us and the ones before them.
Everything is ending, and everything is beginning. And it's up to us -the generation of us, making music in 2017, to figure it out all over again.
Music on USB supports.
Videos on YouTube channels and the like.
And streaming soon will kill the video star.
We are now our own media -power to the people, and our power lies in the art of Sharing, and a good Wifi connection.
There has never been a generation more amidst the Change than ours.
We are the Change. We are the Evolution. We are the ones that are to determine the future of music for the generations to come.
We are the Reinvention.
The truth is we all know where we're going.
We just don't know exactly how to get there, but we sure as hell can figure it out.
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