Dark electronic artist SINE addresses alternate reality with new EP, Mantis 2
Austin, Texas artist, SINE, announces the release of their new five-song EP, Mantis 2; the second in a trilogy, “Mantis 1, 2 & 3”. Mantis 2 is released by Austin-based record label eMERGENCY heARTS and is available now!
Mantis 1 and Mantis 2 were produced by SINE founder, Rona Rougeheart in collaboration with esteemed audio engineer Charles Godfrey at Scary American Studio in Austin, TX. Godfrey, in his two decade plus career, has been engineer/producer on over 75 recordings, including the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' It’s Blitz! and Mosquito, The Black Angels' Indigo Meadow and notable work for…Trail of Dead, SWANS, among so many more.
Mantis 2 opens with a circus in the distance, swirling backwards into a blasting march that leads into a cutting, electronic bassline. “Virtual Realitease” is the first track on Mantis 2. It sets the theme of the EP as a study of life going from real to virtually real and the pains of adapting to a life forced apart from one another.
The new EP also has a cover of The Glove’s song, “Sex-Eye-Make Up”. Rona Rougeheart tells us why she chose that song to do a rare SINE cover.
“The Cure is one of my all time favourite bands. When I was growing up, I loved Robert Smith and followed everything he did musically, which led me to Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Glove. When I found out that The Glove was Robert Smith and Steve Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees, I had to get it! It’s still one of my favourite albums - the song “Sex-Eye-Make Up” is one of my favourites on the album, so it was a natural choice. I don’t usually do covers but oddly enough the only other SINE cover is of The Cure song, “Like Cockatoos”. I guess all roads lead to The Cure!”
In discussing the recording process, Rougeheart said, “I worked with producer Mark Pistel (Consolidated, Meat Beat Manifesto). He took my bare demo and added more instrumentation and those super cool, dreamy vibes you hear. When I heard our final mix, I felt like I wanted to cry tears of joy! I’ve imagined doing this cover for years, so it was an absolute thrill to have Mark help me with it.”
Mantis 2 is a ride into a virtual world of satire and dream-state realities that ends with a melancholic, piano and string piece called “Soundtrack of a Wasted Recovery”. The vocals are in a spoken word style with lyrics that evoke the sadness, loneliness and feelings of inadequacy that we often get consumed with. It’s a touching track with hopes for change.
Today it’s been exactly 30 years since Nine Inch Nails released Broken (EP)
Today it’s been exactly 30 years since Nine Inch Nails released its first EP Broken (September 22, 1992). The EP was produced by frontman Trent Reznor and Flood and entirely consists of new material. The synth-pop style from the band's 1989 debut album Pretty Hate Machine was replaced by a heavier sound that would act as a precursor to their second album The Downward Spiral (1994). One of the reasons for this drastic change in sound and style being TVT Records, who had signed the band, pressuring Trent Reznor to record a similar synth-pop album as follow-up after the success of the previous Pretty Hate Machine album. As a reaction to this attempt to interfere with his artistic and creative freedom Reznor secretly started recording with Flood under various monikers to prevent TVT Records from confiscating and releasing their recordings.
In the end, a deal was reached with Interscope Records to release future Nine Inch Nails releases.
The accompanying short movie Broken, filmed and directed by Peter Christopherson (Trobbing Gristle / Coil / …) and based on a scenario by Trent Reznor, was never officially released due to its extreme graphic content but was leaked as a bootleg which became heavily traded amongst fans.
Although the videos were widely censored from television airplay, the song Wish made the band win the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance (1993) while their Woodstock '94 performance of Happiness in Slavery won the same award at the 38th Grammy Awards (1996).
Broken peaked at the seventh rank on the US billboard 200 chart.
The original release of Broken was limited to 250.000 copies and included two bonus tracks on a separate 3" CD including a cover version of Physical, a song originally by Adam Ant, and Suck which Reznor had co-written with all-star industrial band Pigface.
A remix EP titled Fixed (with blue cover) was released late 1992.
Broken (EP)
1. Pionion
2. Wish
3. Last
4. Help me I Am In Hell
5. Happiness In Slavery
6. Gave Up
3" CD tracklist (Bonus)
1. Physical
2. Suck
Earlier this month NIN performed the Broken EP in its entirety on their Cold and Black and Infinite North America 2018 Tour (see video below).
Canadian industrial band, 40 Octaves Below just dropped their new single, "Splintered". The track is the first single to appear on the forthcoming full-length album, MetaVersUs.
The focal point of "Splintered" is retribution. Drake Moore, the mad orchestrator behind 40 Octaves Below says, "The song itself is a casting that calls for the guilty to come to Justice."
The single features four remixes from Matt Hart, Anthony (H), Live Evil Productions & Silence In Machine.
“Splintered” is available on all digital platforms including Bandcamp NOW!
23rd September will be the release date of Tabula Rasa, the new album from the Belgian band, A Slice Of Life. It will be presented live on the 29th of September at music café Djingel Djangel in Antwerp.
The new album will contain 12 songs and a remix of Coraline, a song from the debut album.
A Slice Of Life remains true to its musical roots, which is a mixture of post-punk, alternative (garage) rock and wave. The live reputation is well known and of a very high level. And when we say live, we mean live: every instrument is played live. Singer Dirk Vreys' Robert Smith sound shines through in several songs. When you know him, you will recognize also the timbre of icons like Robert Smith, Ian Curtis, Bowie and others. Add to that a group of great musicians and you know it's going to be fire and sparks!
The first single, Seven Days, is a foretaste of an album that really stands out. I was allowed to listen to it already and believe me: this album is a stunner. Just a little more patience...
Listen to the single to get in the mood.
BIMFEST celebrates 20th edition with smashing line-up featuring Front 242 & Test Department!
This year the Belgian non-profit organisation, BODYBEATS PRODUCTIONS, is celebrating the 20th edition of its world renowned, congenial alternative underground music festival; BIMFEST, or Belgian Independent Music Festival to give its full title. This year they have succeeded once again in putting together a varied and enticing international line-up!
As the BIMFEST tradition dictates, we are served a host of established names including Alvar (SE), Fïx8:Sëd8 (D), The Juggernauts (B), Soft Riot (UK) and Severe Illusion (SE), complemented by somewhat newer, perhaps lesser known, but definitely not to be missed, shooting stars! Such as TC75 (D), Nuclear Sludge (SE), Potochkine (FR), Tilly Electronics (D) and Sierra (FR). As well as the smashing electro they bring, those last three acts have also another thing in common, a strong and mesmerizing front woman!
One of the other infamous BIMFEST traditions is bringing back long inactive bands and artists for an exclusive live show at BIMFEST… and look, this year they managed to awaken the legendary Belgian electro-industrial duo SONAR (B) from over 8 years' hibernation, for an exclusive 2022 show at BIMFEST XX!
Of course, the absolute icing on this 20th BIMFEST edition cake is the appearance of Belgium's pride and THE founders of the EBM (Electronic Body Music) genre, FRONT 242 on Friday 02.12. This legendary combo was already in attendance at the 10 year BIMFEST celebration, so obviously they had to be invited again! Recently these gentlemen had their own 40th anniversary celebration, playing two sold out nights in a row at Ancienne Belgique.
But that is not all! On Saturday 03.12. THE English industrial pioneers TEST DEPT are programmed as headliners! Ten years ago, at the specific request and insistence of BIMFEST, this band was revived after a hiatus of more than 20 years! Their live shows have been known as unmissable spectacles for over 40 years now!
More info & tickets: www.bodybeats.be
