“Autobahn” was released to an unsuspecting public in November 1974, it is day zero of electro, minimalist, ambient and synth-pop, the very moment which inspired the synthesizer-experimentations of the late-1970s and the new-wave sound which dominated the 1980s.

Not the first ambient-electronic style release, not even by Kraftwerk but it was the first successful one. The album even contained a surprise hit, an edited down version of the title track broke the top-twenty in the U.S and U.K in May 1975, this release marked the arrival of the most influential musical-force since The Beatles.

An album based on the concrete infrastructure of Germany, the Autobahn, Kraftwerk take us on a journey, from entering the automobile to speeding through the landscape to tuning the radio and all the time the monotonous electronic-beats mirror the repetition of the journey.
With treatments of vocoder-sounds and organic voices the only natural comparison to vocals appears here as the remainder of tracks are entirely instrumental, however, do not be mistaken for thinking this is a completely electronic affair as instruments such as flutes, violins and guitar appear throughout mainly contributed by Klaus Röder, where as Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider structured the electronic development of the album.

This album is anything but aged, there is no deterioration in quality or style unlike some of the bands which gained inspiration from “Autobahn” and Kraftwerk as a unit.

From Bowie to Blondie, through to New Order and Siouxsie And The Banshees they all took direction from this point and into the future released by Kraftwerk.


Ralf Hütter – vocals, electronics
Florian Schneider – vocals, electronics
Klaus Röder – violin, guitar
Wolfgang Flür – percussion


Original 1974 Track Listing;

1.Autobahn
2.Kometenmelodie 1 ('Comet Melody 1')
3.Kometenmelodie 2('Comet Melody 2') 4.Mitternacht ('Midnight')

5.Morgenspaziergang ('Morning Walk')

This month it's 33 years since Canadian industrial band Front Line Assembly released their first official album The Initial Command (December 1987) on the since discontinued Belgian cult label KK Records. In fact it was also the first KK record release bearing the catalogue number KK001.
Before this album the band released only two demo tapes called Nerve War and Total Terror. The music on this release was mainly composed by Bill Leeb, but also with help from his future partners in crime Rhys Fulber and Michael Balch on some tracks.

On The Initial Command we can hear a very dark and deep EBM sounding Front Line Assembly which may remind you of the sound of Cabaret Voltaire during their Crackdown era but even more deep and dark. The tracks Black March and No Control are certainly a sort of forecast of the harder tracks they were about to release in the following decades.

Since the 1987 release of The Initial Command, the album has been re-issued twice. The first re-release, in 1992 by Third Mind Records, contained no changes. The second re-release, in 1997 by Cleopatra Records, contained two new tracks and new cover art.

The Initial Command (1987)

The Initial Command (1997)

DISCOGS

Today it’s Halloween so it’s the perfect day to remind you of Ministry’s release of the single '(Every Day Is) Halloween'. Originally released by Wax Trax! Records as an non-album b-side for the Ministry “comeback” single 'All Day' after they left Arista Records. The remixed version of 'All Day', titled 'All Day Remix', was featured on Ministry's 1986 album Twitch. '(Every Day is) Halloween' did not make it on this album but was included one year later (1987) on Ministry's compilation album Twelve Inch Singles (1981-1984).
In 2010 '(Every Day Is) Halloween' was re-released as an 6-track digital EP by Cleopatra Records. Besides the original version this EP features also four remixes and one cover version.

Ever since it’s first release (Every Day Is) Halloween has been adopted as one of the anthems of the (American) Industrial and Gothic community.

(Every Day Is) Halloween (Lyrics)
Well I live with snakes and lizards
And other things that go bump in the night
'Cause to me everyday is Halloween
I have given up hiding and started to fight
I have started to fight
Well any time, any place, anywhere that I go
All the people seem to stop and stare
They say "why are you dressed like it's Halloween?
You look so absurd, you look so obscene"
Oh, why can't I live a life for me?
Why should I take the abuse that's served?
Why can't they see they're just like me
It's the same, it's the same in the whole wide world
Well I let their teeny minds think
That they're dealing with someone who is over the brink
And I dress this way just to keep them at bay
'Cause Halloween is everyday
It's everyday
Oh, why can't I live a life for me?
Why should I take the abuse that's served?
Why can't they see they're just like me
It's the same, it's the same in the whole wide world
Oh, why can't I live a life for me?
Why should I take the abuse that's served?
Why can't they see they're just like me
I'm not the one that's so absurd
Why hide it why fight it?
Hurt feelings best to stop feeling hurt
Denials, reprisals
It's the same it's the same in the whole wide world
It's the same it's the same in the whole wide
It's the same it's the same in the whole wide
It's the same it's the same in the whole wide world

MORTICIA came to life in 1985. The band was conceived by founder keyboards/vocalist Jodie Tanaka and drummer/vocalist Matt Bachelor. The duo would set out to create dark, moody and romantic music combined with their sense of camp and tongue-in-cheek humour. The band would be the premier goth/deathrock band in the Twin Cities and be able to walk the realms of punk, alternative and heavy metal being, embraced by a variety of scenes. Sharing the stage with local heavy metal heroes such as Impaler and Slave Raider, opening for punk icons like Wendy O Williams or sharing bills with deathrock giants as Alien Sex Fiend and Sex Gang Children, MORTICIA proved they could hold their own in any arena.

The two would recruit bassist Chrystopher Winter to create a solid trio foundation that would last throughout most of the band's existence. Along with the addition of guitarist Therese Rita Langevin, the first line-up of MORTICIA would record and self-release a 5-song EP containing covers of The Doors 'Crystal Ship' and Lou Reed's 'Walk on the Wildside'. The humble release would prove to be a small sample of what was yet to come. In 1986 MORTICIA would record a 2-song 7" single with the song 'Zombie Love' and 'Scare Me to Death'.
In the wake of the departure of Langevin MORTICIA would recruit new guitarist Carmilla Casquette and the following year would release their full-length debut "Mortal Fear" with guest musicians Ross Willmert, and Brian Bart from the melodic metal band DARE FORCE, providing additional guitar. Additional backing vocals provided by Betsy McComber. Recorded at Logic Studios in Minneapolis and produced by Bart, Tanaka, Batchelor and engineered by Bart. Released by Channel 83 Records on both vinyl and cassette, the 9-song album would come to life as a monster of deathrock that evoked the spirits of the genre's heavyweights such as 45 Grave, Skeletal Family and Christian Death.

In 1988 MORTICIA would release their follow-up LP "D.O.A" that's title track would be an unlikely cover of '70 psychedelic/progressive rock band Bloodrock. The cover-song choice would be a testament to the various influences in the band that would contribute to their unique brand of goth and deathrock.
The 8-song album released on Channel 83 Records on vinyl would see the band's sound evolving even further branching into several directions creating their style and approach to the deathrock subgenre. To accompany the progressively theatrical sound and direction MORTICIA would begin to focus more than ever before on the visual aspect of the band's performance by using props and parlour tricks to enhance the experience of their live shows.
A line-up change would occur once again seeing the departure of bassist Winter. With only the original founding duo of Tanaka and Bachelor remaining, bassist Timm Farrlor and guitarists Marko Nostrada and Dave Majerus, and later, Tim Kletti would join the band.

In 1991 MORTICIA would release their final album to date "13 Nightmares". Released on Channel 83 Records on both CD and cassette containing 13-tracks, one of which a cover of 'Bela Lugosi's Dead' by gothic rock legends BAUHAUS. The album would show the band bringing in more commercial heavy metal influence while holding on to the dark gothy ascetic that the band had created that would only add to the band's distinct identity of one of the most interesting bands of the scene.
In the sub-genres of deathrock, goth rock, horror rock or whatever one chooses to refer to it as there has never been a band like MORTICIA. As difficult as it is to imagine influences of deathrock, goth, glam, heavy metal, psychedelic, prog with some campy poppiness can all be found within. This is MORTICIA, there is only one.
Scheduled for release on Hallow's Eve (October 30th) Heaven and Hell Records will be releasing all three MORTICIA albums each remastered. These will be limited to 500 copies each.

Morticia - Mortal Fear HHR106
1. Mortal Fear
2. Tell Tale Heart
3. The Devil's Road
4. I'm Your Trash (Throw Me Away)
5. Darksider
6. Deadlier Than The Male
7. And Now The Screaming Starts
8. Christian Vices
9. Graverocker
Bonus Tracks
10. Zombie Love
11. You Scare Me to Death

Morticia - D.O.A HHR107
1. Cabaret Of Death
2. Voyeur
3. Lovely Shadows
4. Pennies Upon My Eyes
5. Rotting Corpse
6.Black Market Body Parts
7. Burn Witch Burn
8. D.O.A.
Morticia - 13 Nightmares HHR108
1. Mausoleum/Toccata And Fugue
2. Fatal Attraction
3. The Black Carriage
4. Darksider
5. Chemical Cocktail
6. Crimson Tears
7. 86 For Life
8. Bela Lugosi's Dead
9. Lady Nightmare
10. Exposure To Sunlight
11. The Blood Club
12. Victims
13. Bloody Gore Baby
Bonus Track
14. Lady Nightmare (Paisley Park version)

www.heavenandhellrecords.com

Legendary producer John Fryer presents his latest album 'These Mortal Covers' under his Black Needle Noise moniker. This is a covers-based album, involving collaborations with a handful of varied vocalists, including Anjela Piccard, Pinky Turzo, Beca, Tom Berger, Magic Rebecca Coseboom, and Betty X.
This album follows BNN's most recent single - 'What a Wonderful World' featuring Tom Berger on vocals, a beautiful and dramatically dark redux far from the original recorded by Louis Armstrong. The accompanying video was directed by Christoph Vitt and Alex Makarovand starring model Dori Darkmoon with Tom Berger.
The album's first single 'She Talks To Angels' features vocalist Anjela Piccard, whose powerful rendition of this Black Crowes track brings their own unique twist and stylistic trademark. Earlier, Black Needle Noise released 'Seed of Evil' with PIG, an unholy collaboration between Fryer and industrial music legend Raymond Watts (KMFDM).
As one of the most innovative sonic architects in our age, "John Fryer has practically soundtracked your entire life" (Impose Magazine). His musical imprint is massive, having shaped the sound of bands from Nine Inch Nails and Cocteau Twins to HIM and Depeche Mode. He is also one of just two masterminds behind This Mortal Coil (along with Ivo Watts-Russell – not only producing, but also keyboards, strings and synthesizer sequencing).
"The whole idea of doing cover versions started back with DarkDriveClinic. We were backstage for one of our live shows and the floor was gruby and Rebecca asked if she could put on my shoes to get something from the other side of the room and then I said, hey, let's do a cover of "Walking In My Shoes" and so then the covers album was born
back in 2011," says John Fryer.
"The 1st BNN track to be released was 'Bang Bang' and other covers I have been
asked to do for movies. Benny from Cleopatra heard 'What A Wonderful World' and a couple of others and said these are amazing and really wanted to put them out as an album.
The rest is history/herstory as they say."
John Fryer started his career in 1979 at London's Blackwing Studios (London) and soon began working with seminal bands on 4AD, Mute, Rough Trade and Beggars Banquet, including Depeche Mode, The Wolfgang Press and Cocteau Twins. His achievement in helping develop the latter's pioneering ethereal and ambient sound ultimately led Watts-Russell to recruit Fryer as his partner for This Mortal Coil.
A sense of expectation about his music has never left him – expectations he often exceeds from release to release, having produced many iconic artists, including Love and Rockets, Swans, HIM, Cradle of Filth, Clan of Xymox, Nitzer Ebb, Dead Can Dance, Yaz (Yazoo), Xmal Deutschland, Fields of the Nephilim, De/Vision, Stabbing Westward and many others. Fryer has also produced many film soundtracks, such as Seven, Clerks, Johnny Mnemonic, Mortal Kombat, Faust and Resident Evil: Apocalypse.
As of October 27th, the full 'These Mortal Covers' album will be released digitally via Cleopatra Records via Bandcamp. Several weeks later, the good folks at Los Angeles' 33.3 Music Collective will also be offering CDs, obtainable exclusively as a gift when you purchase something via the Black Needle Noise website.
TRACK LIST
1. Bang Bang feat. Dr Strangefryer
2. Wonderful World feat. Tom Berger
3. Magic feat. Beca
4. Black Magic feat. Anjela Piccard
5. Walking In My Shoes feat. Rebecca Coseboom
6. Love Don't Live Here Anymore feat. Anjela Piccard
7. Changes feat. Pinky Turzo
8. She Talks To Angels feat. Anjela Piccard
9. Let This Be The Night feat. Pinky Turzo
10. Losing My Religion feat Rebecca Coseboom
11. I Know What Boys Like feat. Betty X

www.blackneedlenoise.com