On the fourteenth-of-December 1979 The Clash reached the pinnacle of their creativity with a release which still echoes not only in music but in society, a sprawling double-album which is still relevant as the band crossover the divide between Rock and Punk.
Joe Strummer channels the chaos of the apocalypse directly into the snarling opener, his venomous-vocal line, with a solid belief in every phrase he spits out;
“London calling, now don't look to us
Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust”.
This is the perfect opener, the mindset and mood is laid out from the start, Strummer uses an almost clairvoyant warning to us of the decay that is coming;
“The ice age is coming, the sun is zooming in,
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growin' thin”.
Following this with the psycho-billy rampage of “Brand New Cadillac”, a cover of the Vince Taylor classic and used here as a two-minute bolt of energy.
The new-found reggae and dub sound The Clash started to experiment with found its way onto the album in “Rudie Can’t Fail”, whereas “Spanish Bombs” takes the bombing of hotels in the Costa Brava combined with echoes of the Spanish Civil War and in Strummers hands it becomes the setting for an all out rocker.
A very varying scope on society appears throughout the record, themes of consumerism and over-commercialism is attached on “Lost In The Supermarket”, the divide in social standings all come under appraisal, alienation and the effect on the human psyche. Similar to this is “Clampdown”, the effects of economic-capitalist ideas on the youth, The Clash never lost their punk-spirit, their ideals, all was very much intact even if the music became more refined:
“We will teach our twisted speech
To the young believers
We will train our blue-eyed men
To be young believers”.
Even the Paul Simonon composed and sung “The Guns Of Brixton” is a classic, the reggae-fused song pre-dated the Brixton Riots but already took its story from the movie ‘The Harder They Come’ which dealt with the Brixton-born son of Jamaican immigrants who gets gunned down by police.
There is a cut at the older generation of rock-stars in the incendiary “Death Or Glory”, those rockers who swore they’d rather die than get old, whereas the rock-steady based “Revolution Rock”, which was originally the albums closer is an exuberant number of pure adrenaline;
“Everybody smash up your seats
And rock to this brand new beat
This here music mash up the nation
This here music cause a sensation”.
The closing album-track “Train In Vain” after release as a single became the first Clsh song to break the U.S top-thirty, the Mick Jones sung track with a title which is slightly obscure, more to do with the rhythm sounding like a train, although it got the added on (Stand by me) title on that American single.
Across the ‘London Calling’ album there are nineteen-tracks of killer without filler, an accomplishment for an album of its length, with the instantly recognizable cover it became an instant success which still reverberates thirty-nine years later.
Tracklist
London Calling
Brand New Cadillac
Jimmy Jazz
Hateful
Rudie Can't Fail
Spanish Bombs
The Right Profile
Lost In The Supermarket
Clampdown
The Guns Of Brixton
Wrong 'Em Boyo
Death Or Glory
Koka Kola
The Card Cheat
Lover's Rock
Four Horsemen
I'm Not Down
Revolution Rock
Train In Vain
DISCOGS
As is tradition every year, Bimfest takes place at the end of the year. This year as well, on December 19 and 20 in the De Casino venue in Sint-Niklaas, the beats and bleeps will once again hit you from all sides. It will be here sooner than you think!
Nordarr, founded in 2008 by André Schitteck and Christoph Lemke (also known as Chris Dupont), has carved out its own place in the German EBM underground. Their sound is raw, analog, and bass-driven, combining relentless rhythms with loud vocals that radiate anger, protest, and rebellion. Deeply inspired by the old-school tradition but sharpened with a modern twist, Nordarr delivers music that is both uncompromising and confrontational.
On stage, the collective is known for an energy that sparks the tension of the band and turns every performance into an intense experience that embodies the true spirit of classic body music.
Nordarr can be seen and heard on Friday, December 19 at 9:00 PM!
Kurt Ingels (Dark Entries Magazine)
Bimfest 2025, the bands one by one: CryptoChroma (Dark Demo(n)s winner!)
As is tradition every year, Bimfest takes place at the end of the year. This year as well, on December 19 and 20 in the De Casino venue in Sint-Niklaas, the beats and bleeps will once again hit you from all sides. It will be here sooner than you think!
CryptoChroma is a Belgian electronic music project known for its cold, analog soundscapes built from synthesizers, vintage equipment, and atmospheric textures. The project, founded in the mid-80s (!), has remained active through various musical collaborations and has steadily developed a style that emphasizes mood, introspection, and the darker sides of electronic music.
CryptoChroma’s debut album NUMB (2020) explores themes such as fear, post-apocalypse, alienation, and greed, all wrapped in an ’80s aesthetic. Their latest album Ominous Clouds was released exclusively on vinyl in 2023 by Red Maze Records / Strange Arts.
CryptoChroma maintains a solitary, exploratory spirit but always keeps a personal, deeply atmospheric approach to sound. CryptoChroma was chosen by the audience of the 2025 Dark Demo(n) event as the best live act of the night! They will appear at Bimfest and will open the festivities on Friday, December 19 at 8:00 PM!
Kurt Ingels (Dark Entries Magazine)
As is tradition every year, Bimfest takes place at the end of the year. This year as well, on December 19 and 20 in the De Casino venue in Sint-Niklaas, the beats and bleeps will once again hit you from all sides. It will be here sooner than you think.
Akalotz, originating from Kaiserslautern and active since 2007, is a German electro/EBM/industrial duo known for their pounding rhythms, dark atmospheres, and aggressive shouts. Founded by Thorsten Haury (vocals & production) and later joined by Nico Klenner on drums, the group combines classic old-school EBM energy with melodic, dark electro elements.
Their albums Shift to Evil (Electro Arc, 2014), Confront (Electro Aggression Records, 2017), and Angry Body Machine(Scanner, 2024) show a steady evolution: heavier, more refined production and stronger songwriting, while maintaining the raw, dance-floor-ready core that characterizes them so strongly.
Their live shows deliver powerful energy, driven by machine-like beats, commanding vocals, and strong visual performance. Akalotz is EBM with conviction, depth, and pure force.
Akalotz will play on Saturday, December 20 at 5:30 PM on the Bimfest stage!
TICKETS
Kurt Ingels (Dark Entries Magazine)
On this day, 46 years ago John Peel broadcasted Joy Division's 2nd Peel Sessions!
Today it’s been 46 years since Joy Division’s second Peel Session was broadcasted for the first time by John Peel on BBC radio (December 10th, 1979).
All tracks, previously unreleased at that time, were recorded in the London BBC studios on November 26th, 1979.
The EP of this recording was released in 1986 by Strange Fruit records and spent seventeen weeks in the UK Indie Chart, peaking at number 3!
Joy Division - The Peel Sessions (II)
A1. Love Will Tear Us Apart 3:20
A2. 24 Hours 4:05
B1. Colony 4:08
B2. Sound of Music 4:20
