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At first glance, it may seem odd for a Gothic music site to review Die Antwoord but attend one of their shows and the similarities in music and aesthetics quickly become apparent. Ninja and Yolandi have drawn in fans from all walks of life with their rap rave artistry. Almost every alternative girl I know adores Yolandi for one reason or another; be it her cute baby-girl charms, to her often bizarre fashion and makeup, to her 'I will fu*k you up if you mess with me attitude.' Yolandi could be seen as one of the most influential figures in modern times towards women's' liberation and freedom to both be who ever the hell they want and more importantly have the freedom to do so as barriers of ignorance are taken down with the music Die Antwoord produce. Traditionally Rap has always been at odds with the alternative world causing a normalized ignorance and sometimes aggressive attitude towards Gothic culture. The interesting thing here is though, that no matter how much Ninja and Yolandi sing about not caring what people think, they are having a rather positive and opposite effect. Ninja plays the hardcore gangster that respects no rules and yet, respect toward others and ourselves seems to be the unwritten rule behind the madness. I approached the band for an interview and mentioned whether they knew that they had such a huge fan base in the UK from all of the different sub-genres of alternative culture here, unfortunately the band has remained rather quiet recently over several pieces of drama and I hope the band pulls through stronger for it. I wish them the best in coping with any backlashes they are dealing with at present. Never before have I seen such a mixed crowd to prove my above point. I saw dozens of individuals representing yet dozens more types of cultures and music tastes. The band truly has an incredible way of bringing people together and I hope it is a gift that they are aware of. In the city of tolerance, I saw just that, tolerance and love toward all peoples. Die Antwoord means 'The answer' and when it comes to peace, love, and a damn good time, they are just that. The atmosphere before the band came on was absolutely electric having been warmed up by the rather risque' Moonchild Sanelly. The UV reflective stage gave way to constant audience collective screams from the tiniest sound or movement backstage showing just how anticipated this sold out show had been. When the show started, it started in true over the top style. The light bloomed to blinding white, followed shortly by the screen being filled with mushroom clouds, and finally DJ Hi Tek annihilating the stage as he spun the music up on a now dazed and confused, yet ecstatic crowd. The three up-close images are by Natasha Hababou Ninja and Yolandi blew the crowd away time after time with each song, seeming never to stop with their incredibly intense, high energy show. The band were joined not only by DJ Hi tek but by the singer of moonchild, and several dancers who helped sing during super fast costume changes. The visuals were a well thought out and wonderfully artistic expression of the bands personas and sense of humour. Ninja Jumped head first in to the crowd many a time much to the dismay of stage security! So this really was a crowd pleasing show where the rave beats were strong, heavy, and constant. In return for this amazing show, the crowd reciprocated with an energy I have rarely seen before. Almost every word was sung at the top of the audiences' lungs. They didn't even need to encourage the crowd to participate, if they threw the mike towards the audience to sing a word or line, believe me it was already being sung at peak volume and I can't begin to describe the wave of bodies at the foot of the stage I saw from my front row balcony seat swell like a freak ocean wave when the song 'I fink u freaky' broke down in to 'jump motherfu*ker jump!' When Yolandi, Ninja, and Hi tek all took a spotlight and a knee, the applause and calls of the crowd were unceasing. It felt like they stayed in that respectful bow for a long time and yet the intensity of the love being showed for them only grew louder. All in all this was an incredible performance well worth the time and money taken to see it. I only wish I was able to have see them play Download festival just before this show as well. In fact it is again testament to the band that even though it is understandable for goths who are in to their synthetic beats and rave style music to like them, that even the metal heads of the UK welcome what many would have considered anathema to metal music before Die Antwoord turned the tables. (Bad pun) If you ever have a chance to see them then do so, they are bucket list material. For those of you unfamiliar with their music, go change that right now and listen to songs like... I fink u freaky, happy go sucky fu*ky, and daddy. In fact they have such an influence that for the first time in my life I bought something that wasn't black, white, or camo... Finally. A huge, huge thank you to the band for performing in the UK again! Thank you for viewing and please feel free to share on social media and like us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook @ElektroVox Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you! #ElektroVox #DieAntwoord #Ninja #Yolandi #Zef #BrixtonAcademy #London #RapRave #Industrial #Goth

Elektro vox spoke to Daniel Graves and Joey of Aesthetic Perfection during the 'Into the Black' world tour. Another interview with Daniel Graves can be found here VIP package trailer Ever the man of mystery, we spoke to the singer of PRIEST for the band's first ever video interview. On stage he is known as Mercury 1.2 and is known for his Hellraiser inspired spiked Gimp mask. Behind the scenes he wears a fellow band member's plague mask and is referred to only as Puppet master. (Mentioned E-tropolis festival review can be found here.) The wonderful Amelia speaks to us about her music and fashion line, as well as her musical past, and the pros and cons of being on tour. A big thank you to Aesthetic Perfection, PRIEST, and Amelia, flag productions, and the 02 Islington. Thank you for viewing and please feel free to share on social media and like us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook @ElektroVox Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you!

Church for the Malfunctioned is one of those albums that grabs a hold of you and throws your heart down a whole new path of Gothic sub genre music to fall in love with whilst also digging deep at that nostalgia factor from similar music. Half of the music in my upbringing was that of Human League, Eurythmics, and Kraftwerk which is where that nostalgia factor takes root when I listen to the wonderful synth sound of Massive Ego’s music. Not only that but it also has the edge of more traditional industrial bands such as VNV Nation, Blutengel, and Gary Numan’s more recent works. Hailing from the UK, Massive Ego are experienced performers who find a lot of love in Germany. Marc Massive’s voice is wonderfully soothing to listen to in it’s ideal balance between depth and that of someone compassionate. He is therefore suited well to the slightly different style that flow in and out of one another with each song; from the very emotionally heavy and meaningful ‘The Wolf’ to the energetic power singing of ‘Malfunctioning Me.’ There is a lot of talent in this album and the talent of Oliver Frost and Scott Collins is just as evident throughout each song just as much as Marc’s vocals. It feels like this is Massive Ego’s true form and I hope this Is the album that makes them huge headway this year. This is a 2 CD album with the second CD being home to remixes by other industrial acts. Some are remixed by giants of the scene also on the same music label of ‘Out of line music' such as Solar Fake and Blutengel; Some are from closer to home and well loved bands such as DKAG who have turned the track ‘Digital Heroin’ in to one hell of a bass heavy track. To simply call this album industrial pop would be wrong. It is both Gothic and full of synths, yet it is full of life and meaning too. If you have not heard of Massive Ego before or have not heard their works in a while, then I urge you to discover/re-discover them now in what is a testament to the two decades of music they have been around. It is a masterpiece of an album and one that I have not been able to stop listening too since it’s release. Their previous albums are also well worth a listen having many great tracks such as ‘Let go.’ So I think it up to the listener to decide which sub genre they would try to pigeon-hole it in to but to do so would be unjust with the amount of magic this band presents. An in depth interview with all of Massive Ego about the album, who they are, and their past can be found here. Top 5 tracks on Church for the Malfunctioned: 1. Malfunctioning me This is an ideal dance tracks with a foot stomping beat that is also soothing on the soul to listen to as you dance; rising up with synths and guitar that stir a range of emotions throughout the track accompanied by a very catchy chorus to sing along to. 2. The Wolf This is a track that hits very, very hard on the emotional level. You could interpret the lyrics to reference depression as the ‘the wolf,’ a controlling abuser, or something else, I suppose it would be very subjective to the listener’s life experiences. It is both incredibly harrowing in the sad piano and lyrical way and yet also uplifting with the sound of strings backing the track. A very powerful track that brought shivers to my spine. 3. Digital Heroin This was the first single release and video for the album and a good choice too. It is meaningful but also incredibly catchy and a great track to sing along to. It sums up the band quite well in their style approach throughout the album and also in regards to the bands aesthetic. I often find myself constantly signing the chorus quietly to myself at work! 4. My religion is dark This is possibly the most beat and dance heavy track on the album. It is a track that would do well in any alternative nightclub and I would absolutely love to blare this track out on a DJ set and see how people would dance along to it. Another meaningful song that has gravity in both lyrics and in it’s uplifting sounds. 5. Military fashion show This cover of ‘And One’s’ classic track is a fitting tribute which is a bit more lively, a little faster, and a little bit more energetic. The love and respect Massive Ego have shown this song is apparent. If this wasn’t a cover, it would be my no.1 track on the album. A truly brilliant tribute and one I recommend you all listen to asap. Overall this album is a testament to the incredible skill and showmanship this band are all about. They are a band full of meaning and magic and that shows in this album from start to finish. With 14 tracks on the first CD and 10 remixes on the second, I truly believe this is going to be one of the very best albums of 2019 and I can’t wait to see them play in the UK again soon because this band deserve so much more exposure in the UK than they currently have. The band have just released a short documentary on the making of the album, found in the video below. My thanks once again to the band for speaking to Elektro Vox previously which can be found here. Thank you for viewing and please feel free to share on social media and like us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook @ElektroVox Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you! #MassiveEgo #Industrialmusic #EBM #IndustrialPop #ElektroVox #ChurchForTheMalfunctioned

On the 27/4/19 GRENDEL, Biomechanimal, Matt Hart and Die Kur played at Slimelight Elektrowerkz, the longest running and most loved goth club in the UK. Followed straight away by Cosmic fest with multiple DJ's playing throughout the night. Matt Hart always puts on a visceral performance that is slowly but steadily growing the fan base he well deserves. It is a heavy, gritty, and powerful performance to see which resonates well in the chest of many fans in regards to different industrial genres. Part of the show is the aesthetic with the post apocalyptic look of both Matt and his Guitarist Jerome, the skull stand, and the glowing red of the microphones cable and the stage lighting. This sound and set is power and a true love for all things industrial personified in to the incredible sound Matt has made for himself. Having played in Concrete Lung previously, Matt is no stranger to the stage and the skills required to make his music sound great. The band did a fantastic job of opening the night and is one I suggest you all see in future. An interview with Matt and Jerome after their performance can be found here. On the DJ decks between bands was the wonderful DJ Kark, who is the founder of Beat:Cancer charity and festivals, and DJ PEEWEE who is one half of Cosmic. Cosmic being the trance, dance, and hardstyle festival nights including the one starting straight after GRENDEL finished playing. They dropped hit after hit, keeping the energy high and the mood ecstatic. A big thank you to them for doing such a great and often underappreciated job. Both of them together being known as DJ Karkasaurus who brought a wonderful feel to Cosmic dressed in dinosaur onesies as some of the crowd dance with or even wore inflatable T-Rex’s. DIE KUR were up second and although I was busy most of their set interviewing other bands, from what I saw, I was thoroughly impressed. They incorporate multiple instruments in to their music including a violin and sounded at home in the halls of Slimelight with their industrial metal style and feel. A great addition to the line up and I hope to see more of them in future. Biomechanimal.. What can I say? I first saw Biomechanimal support Aesthetic Perfection several years ago and was blown away by the track Granfaloon in which a conversation between Abathur and Kerrigan in the game Starcraft 2 is sampled and in this, their best set yet, the message of this particular sample is perfect. Credit to Blizzard games A.. “...Make it great.” K..“Not perfect?” A..”Never perfect. Perfection goal that changes. Never stops moving. Can chase, cannot catch." And so it is that Biomechanimal have always evolved and got closer and closer to perfection, although impossible, that does not stop them from making each set sound more incredible than the last. I spoke to Matt and Keith and about this ever improving sound in our interview which can be found here. Truly Biomechanimal are one of the rising stars of the industrial music scene. I always ask them to play Granfaloon for me, being the song that made me instantly run over to the merch stand and buy a copy of their now extremely rare debut album, and soon after, their first band shirt release. When they played it again on the night, the crowd, already whipped into a frenzy by Matt and the pulse tearing sound of the band, absolutely raised the roof with sheer rave joy and love for the band. There was not one quiet voice or motionless person in the room. The people around me were going absolutely mental, swallowed up in the waves of rave or heavy riffs pouring off of the stage. The showmanship of Matt is undeniable, alongside the supreme talent of Keith behind the musical fine tuning, rocking out on his Electro Axe midi player, and finally the cool as hell calm of Lex on guitar presents a magical trio that deserve international fame. I can honestly say I always enjoy their shows more than the sets of the bands they support. I hope with the release of their next album and through their growing fan base brought about by their truly artistic and powerful stage shows, they will soon receive the recognition they deserve headlining their own concerts. Hands down one of the most talented bands around and I can’t wait to see them perform again. Thank you to DJ Pee Wee for the shots from the DJ booth. GRENDEL have ever been one of the biggest names that come to mind when anyone talks about industrial. So many of their songs such as Chemicals and Circuitry, and Soilbleed have long been regular tracks played at goth nights worldwide. So when I heard that GRENDEL would be playing at Elektrowerkz Slimelight for the first time in years, excitement was unavoidable. Having seen them at their last Slimelight show and soon after at the final Resistanz in 2016 (Please let there be Tanz 2020) I was interested to see what direction their live performance would take. Years ago at Slimelight, they were that techno rave industrial they were known and loved for, at Tanz16 they had gone heavy on the guitars and metal sound instead. In fact, in my interview with JD of GRENDEL before he went on stage, we spoke about these changes to his music which can be found here. In keeping with their evolution GRENDEL came out as a four piece finding a great balance between the traditional synth sound and the heavy metal aspects creating a style that easily flowed in and out of the songs both old and new. JD was on form with his crowd pleasing abilities, packing out the entire room from front to back. The energy was fluid and high, never slowing for a moment and building in intensity with each address of the crowd, be it a political shout or a hint towards the encore. It was fantastic to see GRENDEL play London once more with a crisp and clear sound regardless of how heavy the style flowed in and out of as the crowd sang along to the classics with joy to the point of hearing several people losing their voices whilst they did so. I look forward to seeing how GRENDEL continues in future, their headline show at E-tropolis 2020, and to hear their new album releasing soon. Overall they did not disappoint in any way, one of the greats, smashing it out of the park as always. A huge, huge thank you to the staff at #Elektrowerkz #Slimelight #FlagPromotions #GRENDEL #Biomechanimal #MattHart #DieKur #DJKark #DJPeeWee and to #COSMIC for putting on a fantastic night. Thank you for viewing and please feel free to share on social media and like us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook @ElektroVox Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you!

GRENDEL Biomechanimal Matt Hart Thank you for viewing and please feel free to share on social media and like us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook @ElektroVox Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you!

Massive Ego’s members Marc Massive (vocals, lyrics) Scot Collins (synth, production) Oliver Frost (percussion) join Elektro Vox to speak about their new album released on the 26th of this month titled Church for the Malfunctioned. Having listened to several of the songs on offer I can tell you this already, this album is going to be one of the 'must listen' albums of 2019. It really is a credit to the scene. Album teaser trailer: Official video of the brand new single 'Digital Heroin': Q. Thank you for speaking to Elektro Vox. I must admit I only recently discovered yourselves about a month a go via Spotify when it suggested the track ‘Let go’ on the ‘Beautiful Suicide’ album and it went straight to my driving playlist. How would you describe your sound to people who have never heard your music before and how would you say the new album continues or differentiates in that sound? Marc: Glad you found us, what took you so long? lol I understand that though as we’re like a band with a history in two parts, the cover version, 80’s NRG pop band version from the 90s early naughties to the band you find yourself coming across now. I guess with twenty years history we’ve gone through some musical transitions and line-up changes over those years. I very rarely reference or perform any of the old material pre-2014 now as we are a completely different sounding band now from the early days and the line-up we formed in 2015 is the band that has started doing well. Since discovering the dark scene and it’s industrial, goth, EBM elements I completely changed the direction of the music I wanted to make and found like-minded spirits in the form of Scot and Olly and together we took the tentative steps into that scene by signing with German label Out Of Line. Overnight we literally lost the majority of our ‘gay scene’ following we’d had before that and had to start again, but it was very much a conscious decision to leave the past behind. Luckily we had a song called ‘I Idolize You’ which got us signed to the German label in the first place and seemed to prove popular within the dark scene, so we owe that track a lot. We came back after that EP release with a full album ‘Beautiful Suicide’ that shocked a lot of people, I don’t think they were expecting such an eclectic mix of songs. The influences we’re quite identifiable, in that my love of the 80s were there, Scot had a stronger understanding of Industrial which he brought to the table, Olly has a more eclectic taste with the likes of Dead Can Dance and Underworld featuring heavily. There was also Lloyd in the band then who brought a similar 80s synth knowledge as mine to the equation. Lloyd quit before we started writing the new album to concentrate on his own music so we had a little regrouping of ideas and hopes for the album and it was decided we wanted to go harder with the sound, more underground Berlin club, and even darker than the first album, which is no mean feat considering that was called ‘Beautiful Suicide’. Olly: Although we’ve been welcomed on to the goth scene as a band, I don’t personally feel that goth music as a genre is the main vein running throughout our work. It’s in there, but I wouldn’t say it's the lifeline. Having socialised on the scene a fair bit now in recent years I’ve come to realise that it’s a much more varied scene than what I and others may think of or associate when the term ‘goth scene’ especially that of the past, which is why our music fits in so perfectly. I think the music we discovered as teenagers, listened to in clubs and at home are so far apart that we’ve all had a very different musical education, and I feel that's what shines through in our music. The genres we grew up with cross over of course but ultimately our love and influences are so far apart that we all bring different things to the drawing board and therefore the finished product is hard to categorize in one word. Scot: Welcome to the purple side! This is definitely one of the hardest questions we get asked because we have never 100% agreed on the style of our music. Personally, I would say “Industrial Goth Euphoria”. We wanted to create something heavier, more euphoric dance influenced and more exciting than the last album while retaining the same distinctive and clean Massive Ego sound. The feedback so far has been amazing! There are influences in the new album from Gary Numan to Iron Maiden and even Scooter. A personal favourite of mine is “My Religion Is Dark” as I tried experimenting with a melodic kick drum usually used in Hardstyle music but instead mixed that up with the Massive Ego sound. Mix that up with Marc and Olly’s love of 80’s music and you have a really cool sound we are very proud of. Q. Your band has a very unique and refreshing look even in the Goth scene. Is there a recurring theme and message throughout all of Massive Ego’s works and the way you portray yourselves? Also, what points are you trying to get across in the new album with such incredible tracks as ‘Malfunctioning me’? Marc: For me I always like to present a vulnerability, a juxtaposition to actually being in a band called Massive Ego. A name that we’re stuck with, that I think initially gets naturally misunderstood by the public until they listen to our songs lyrics and realise that actually we’re all inadequate and suffer from personality disorders such as panic and anxiety issues and issues with self-worth. This a very common theme that runs through the songs, as does the feeling of not fitting in or belonging. This is what the title of the new album Church Of The Malfunctioned eludes to. An alternative to organised religion and it’s archaic preachings, a church where all the misfits, non-accepted, or those that just don’t follow what society expects of them can fit in…the malfunctioned as we’re often seen as in their eyes. I got the idea whilst performing at the Amphi Festival last year, where there was a genuine love amongst all those attending. Their love of the dark scene, music, and fashion felt like a proper family under one roof. A sense of belonging I’ve not felt in any other scene I’ve been involved with over the years. The fact that the band has been welcomed with open arms is a testament to that feeling of being inclusive, and it just felt like we had our own church, and the outsiders who’d not appreciated us could take a running jump.  The album was originally a bunch of songs we’d planned to be an EP. I have a particular loathing of organised religion and it’s destructive ways. The way animals are used and abused in their antiquated traditions. The way sexuality is demonised if it’s anything other than a man sleeps with a woman and all that rubbish. The calls to arms in the name of religious beliefs and land distribution. Many of the songs have a religious title and theme and these formed the first set of tracks until we decided we might as well carry on the workflow and make an album instead. The rest of the songs came pretty quickly, I’d just lost my mum to dementia prior to starting the writing process so this shaped the direction of a couple of the songs. In the days leading up to her passing, after spending a few weeks bedside vigil and watching her get weaker and weaker I made the decision to record her faltering breathing. It’s these final breaths that start the album and end the album, her presence seemed so strong throughout the writing and recording over the year after her death that it seemed fitting she be featured in such a way especially as there are three songs on there about her. Olly: Our name, image and music refuse's to fit into a box, which is fine as we hate labels. Fuck conforming, and adhering to rules of the system, life is for experimenting with, mixing things up is far more interesting than being pigeonholed. Our determination to not be categorised by the way we look also extends into the music we make as well, and as you’ve probably realised, a lot of the songs are about what's wrong with the world and mess humans have made of this planet. As a vegan band, we’re obviously influenced by the injustices across the globe as far as animals are concerned, some of which religion is to blame. Tradition is a very useful thing for those causing the damage to throw up when change is needed. However, Tradition is no excuse for animal abuse. I feel very grateful for the years before the internet. Like so many I’m sure, I often find the pace of modern existence challenging and the way technology controls our everyday life can be exhausting. Everything is initiated online these days. From picking up casual sex partners on your phone whilst walking down the street, to how we present ourselves to the world with beautifying phone apps, and how we orchestrate and design our visual representation online. And when so many of our friends online are miles away, we’re able to live this faux life online as chances are we’ll never even meet half of who are ‘friends’ on Facebook. Which is why the industrial music scene out of the UK is so refreshing because you get to meet so many of the people that befriend you on social media and that feels good. It feels real and reminds me of the social circles that once existed in the underground club scene growing up. (Elektro vox: Truer words never spoken! That really does pinpoint why our community is so unique and wonderful.) Scot: We are storytellers. Each song has a strong story and personal meaning to us which we have combined together throughout the whole album to create an even bigger story. We feel such a personal connection to our music and lyrics that we hope is reflected in the final product. Our looks are an extension of our artistic storytelling side which we try to show in a really interesting way that looks great on stage and gives us a boost of confidence. When you look great, you feel great. When you feel great, you perform great! When you perform great, the fans have a great time and finally, when the fans have a great time, the reward to us is unmatched. Q. Massive Ego has been around over 20 years and seen success in Germany with shows at the industrial pilgrimage festivals of Amphi, WGT, and Mera Luna. Have you played in the UK recently and any plans for future shows or tours now the album is out? (I’d love to see you guys play something as intimate as Elektrowerkz or much bigger such as the 02 soon etc). Marc: We have played Electrowerkz many times, in fact, our first gig as the new line-up and sound was in those hallowed walls. Last time was supporting our fellow label mates Solar Fake. I believe there’s something being lined up for that venue again later in the year, a festival I’m not allowed to discuss yet. We supported Covenant last year at the O2 Islington which had long been a venue I’d wanted to play so that was a tick for my bucket list. The UK is a funny one for us, due to the dwindling dark scene over here we don’t get offered the gigs half as much as we do in Germany now. I don’t know whether our look just doesn’t resonate with people over here, or we’ve been put into some weird bracket because of the look or what they think we’re going to be like, it often seems an uphill struggle to be accepted or written about or booked, the politics involved are draining, and some of the promoters seem determined to kill the scene even more over here with their bickering and infighting. The venues and attendance are never going to match that of Germany as it ends up being cheaper to fly to one of those big festivals, see a load of the bands all under one roof then it is to attend a couple of gigs over here.  (Elektro Vox: I really hope to change that and get you guys a much bigger fan base and interest which is very much deserved in my opinion!) Olly: The UK industrial scene isn’t as vibrant as it once was. Event promoters barely exist anymore. Artists aren’t treated as well in the UK on this scene as they are abroad. Physical numbers through the venue door aren’t what they could be, partly due to bad promotion and partly due to certain promoters taking advantage of artists. Like Marc mentions, people can travel abroad in Europe from the UK and see multiple bands at a festival for the same cost of visiting London for a single show, so why wouldn’t you. Also, people still purchase actual hard copies of albums in countries like Germany, which says a lot about how different things are overseas. Physical giant music stores like Saturn in Germany simply don’t exist in the UK anymore. HMV, Tower Records etc are a thing of the past. Everything is online now, and free streaming means that bands don’t really make any money from tracks listened to in this way, which means bands really rely on gigs to fund their practice and in the UK there are very few promoters willing to pay a fair price for booking so sadly performing in the UK is limited. Q. Were there any difficulties in making the new album and were there any golden moments that made you grow as a band? Marc: The new album seemed to come together so much more quickly this time, written and recorded in just over a year isn’t bad going I think. We had a lot to prove I guess this time, what with it being the follow-up album to what had been a critically well-received first album on Out Of line, and the fact that we’d lost a member, I think people really wanted to see if we could do it again. Fewer cooks involved I think meant compromises could be achieved easier. Lyrically there was a lot I wanted to write about and that seemed to flow pretty well, although it was daunting having a blank lyric book coming straight on the heels of the last album. Olly: I think we're all big characters in our own way. Generally, we're all pretty laid back, If I'm honest though we can all be very stubborn and determined when we want to be, so things are definitely a lot easier with fewer egos to juggle. 3 is the perfect number :) We love traveling as well so it's great that we get to see some of what the world has to offer whilst on the road performing. Although often it's pretty limited when you're in the cycle of traveling, performing, flying and repeat. Scot: The new album was much easier to make than the last one since only 3 of us to bounce ideas over to each other. A great moment for us was when we had a great time together at M’era Luna dancing to The Prodigy. Q. Is there any artists you would love to collaborate or tour with and who has been your favourite thus far? Marc: I’ve loved getting to know the Blutengel family and Chris Pohl has been a great voice to learn about the industry from, he’s been very obliging from the start of our journey with our German label and being part of two Blutengel tours has been a revelation and huge learning curve. A Nick Rhodes production or remix collaboration would be the ultimate for me. A Marilyn Manson support slot would be nice as well. Olly: I’d like to with other artists that are not part of this scene, who’d you’d not expect to see collaborating. I think working on the odd track that's unexpected is what makes a band/artist exciting and fresh. Time will tell. Scot: I'd love to collaborate with artists like Cradle Of Filth or Angerfist who are very extreme in their genres. We would even be open to visual artists collaborating with us to enhance our live show. Q. What life lessons has creating and being a part of Massive Ego brought you all? Marc: If at first, you don’t succeed, try, try and try again till you get to where you want to be. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, advice and favours and believe in yourself. Olly: Think before you act. Keep it real. Don’t take it all too seriously. What will be will be, the world owes you nothing. Keep doing other things that you love. And as hard as it can be at times, appreciate that fact that with that comes the ability to control what you do and put out. So many artists end up being controlled and end up making material for the fat cat and not themselves. Be thankful that you’ve lived and therefore have your own visual and artistic ideas, and don’t have to rely on others to handle your visual persona. And lastly to be open and friendly, but also to know where the line is otherwise others will step over it at high speed. Scot: Sometimes you can’t trust even the people closest to you. People usually only do things for others when they want to gain something themselves and rarely act out of kindness, all though there are a few good people. We live in a very selfish world. Sometimes we face either real or perceived threats which we have tried to reflect in the album story. Q. How did you all first get in to electronic goth styles of music, has any of that influenced Massive Ego? Marc: I’ve always had an electro edge going on with the music, goth not so much in the past. I was very much surrounded by the synth sounds of the 80s growing up so the whole pop edge has always been a big part of me. That said the darker sounds of that decade didn’t escape me and I was a huge fan of Dalis Car which I’d been led to via a love of the band Japan, and equally the bone structure of Mr Murphy. Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus both were on my radar as a youth but visually the style aesthetic of Duran Duran and Depeche Mode was a stronger bond for me. Since discovering the German darkwave scene 5 years ago I’ve become immersed in the sound, culture and look a great deal. A wardrobe full of black is a testament to that, although my make-up draw has always had a leaning to kohl eyeliners from the days of trying on my mum’s make-up aged 12. Olly: I’ve always listened to music born of electronica, from underground ’80s to early 90’s dance music and experimental avant-garde. The goth side of things are a pretty recent development in the grand scheme of things for me. Before we went on tour with Blutengel for example, I wasn’t even aware of the band a few months prior. As far as the industrial side of things is concerned, it’s not that dissimilar to the music I used to listen to in clubs in the early to late ’90s in London. Hard house, nose bleed techno and hardcore was my soundtrack for many years so I feel at home on the scene. Scot: I first started listening to Blutengel a very long time ago before I was in Massive Ego. I never imagined going on tour with my favourite band though! Q. Finally is there anything you would like to say to your fans or potential new fans? (I’m sure you will have many new UK based ones with your newest album!) Marc: Let’s hope the new album does bring some homegrown attention for us, it’s all about the album being heard by as bigger an audience as possible, and the hope that my lyrics resonate with people and they can relate to my thoughts and opinions. Ultimately life is about enjoyment and being kind to animals and if we can pick up some new fans along the way then they’re more than welcome to join our congregation. Olly: Don’t judge a book by its cover. Approach all new things with an open mind and you may be surprised, haha! Scot: Play our music everywhere and play it loud. If you see us at a concert, come and say hello, we are not scary and absolutely love your stories about discovering our music and we love seeing and talking to regular faces. Thank you for your time! Below in the press release you can find all of the bands links, more questions and a biography. (PC only) Massive Ego booking / press: For English speaking requests please email us at contact@massiveego.co.uk For German speaking requests please contact felix@outofline.de For Live Bookings Worldwide please contact aileen@outofline.de Thank you for reading and please feel free to share on social media and like us on Instagram and Facebook @ElektroVox Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you!

Jason Pearson AKA Dr. Magic joins us to speak about the new album due out in June 2019. I was privileged enough to see you play Resistanz 2016 as well as a show at the UK home of all things industrial music ‘Elektrowerkz’ Slimelight shortly after. Q. Has the band been active in the last two years, and now you’re back where can we expect the direction of this new album to take us, what kind or ride should we expect? A. Two years, jeez, has it been that long? Yeah, I’ve been gigging and doing a lot of stuff. I’ve been incredibly busy. I’ve written two Kara and The Wolves EPs with the second one to be released soon.  I’ve finished this current album and I’m also nearly finished the follow-up album too, currently named ‘Machine Ready’. For some reason I can’t stop writing music. I just need to have more self-discipline and get out there and gig more, but now the new album is finished I hope to give people one hell of a ride… This new album is probably the finest music I’ve written and mashes up all my favourite influences, from hardcore punk, tribal metal and those banging nights in sweaty dance clubs. I guess I wanted it to feel like a discovered flip book survivors in the future would find, capturing all the things we used to do… before the apocalypse happened, before we fell. Q. Listening to this album, I feel it would be a great soundtrack to a Mad Max universe film set in Britain, a lot of the riffs remind me of the Doof Warrior in Fury road. The Mad Max universe is an ever growing influence in the industrial music world that we have all come to love. Would you say this was an inspiration for the album, and what is your take on the post apocalyptic undertones that flow so well from songs you’ve made for it? A. Hah, that’s a brilliant compliment, thank you. I feel very much like Doof. Sometimes I’m surprised at the pics I see of myself at gigs. I look like a LARP Mad Max super-villain. But I’m one of the good guys, honest! Mad Max has a special place in my heart, since watching Mad Max 2 when I was about 13 years old in Zimbabwe. Growing up there was bleak; Lowest life expectancy on the planet, everyone prematurely aged, ruined and abandoned cars, and buildings everywhere, and a sense of society slowly rotting, political debate replaced by mobs with machetes. It was surreal. I guess in the West, we can safely fetishise collapse like this as something cool, but for many its not. The Lords Resistance Army in Uganda was very post-modern and looked ‘cool’ but it was terrifying. Even ISIS made their own Mad Max style gun trucks and improved weapons that would be straight out of a film. Its frightening as hell. I guess the biggest apocalyptic influence on me is an article called ‘The Coming Anarchy’ by respected journalist Robert Kaplan and published in 1994. He had traveled to many places in Sub Sahara Africa, Turkey and the Middle East. He utterly nailed the predictions for the collapse of many nations such as in Syria, Libya etc.  He warns that all this chaos would spread. In the West, we can just see the first stages of our own collapse as we trust politicians less and less and are keener to rely on rumour and manufactured loathing of others. Our society is incredibly fractured and becoming split into emotive tribal factions, far more willing to cause violence to others for the sake of our own side. That’s how it always starts. In that regard, my Mad Max influence is more of a warning of the future to come unless we fight for a better world.  I guess I’m saying that although the cars and clothing etc in Mad Max are super cool, I’m deadly serious in my message. Q. I’ve noticed your album ‘Start a war’ is not on Spotify, can we expect streaming releases such as Spotify when the album arrives in June? A. Ah, cheers for noticing. Its proper nice to know its missed. I took all my stuff offline as I asked for a Consent Order to be agreed with the former label, whereby I retain copyright of all my back catalogue. Its such a relief to be able to do that.  I was also looking for the right digital distributor and was in two minds about signing with a new label or not. I ended up not approaching anyone and decided to self-release as I can outspend any smaller label, hire my own PR guys, fund my own merch, music videos etc so whats the point of  letting anyone else have a final say In my music unless they can bring something unique to the table that I cant provide myself. All my music will be back online again soon, ready for the release of the current album as I found a good digital distributor run by A.I. programming. Now there is nothing more cyberpunk than that! Thank you for you time Dr. Magic. Elektro Vox looks forward to a more in depth interview in future for the official release. First impressions: This album feels full of meaning from the second it starts to the moment it fades out. In the world of industrial music it is always a pleasure when bands experiment or accidentally set their own niche sub genre. There are countless variations to our world of music and this is what I can only describe as Neo Speed Punk Industrial, do with that what you will; yet this album incorporates many style and its hard to pin down specifically which only adds to the richness and satisfaction I have found in listening to it. There is the constant feeling of rage against the system that is destroying our world. An outcry of anger at the politicians and greedy 1% snuffing the world in to extinction, it is albums like this that spread the necessary anarchistic outcry for change. Many of the tracks put me somewhere between the punk aggression era of the ‘Sex Pistols’ and the Drum and Bass illegal raves of the 90’s, and early 2000’s. Yet with the modern sounds of heavy metal bass and industrial synths thrown in to the entire album, it could not only be the backing track to a new Mad Max universe film as I have mentioned in the interview, but it could also be an ideal backing to a cyberpunk future based film where collapse was always inevitable. I even get a slight hint of that crazy Japanese band ‘Guitar Wolf’ coming through. All I can say is, this isn’t the future, this album is a call to wake up NOW, we already live in the Neo dark ages... 1. Being Human An almost emotionless female synthetic voice narrates ironically on what it is to be human over a steady beat, building up the tension and expectation. The voice telling us that "To be alive is to feel loss, that our own apocalypse is what defines us." It sets the album up for the dissociation between humans who suffer and the uncaring machine of the world that does not, and nor does it care. Such is the world of cyberpunk. You are stepping in to an album of Orwellian nature, or are you? This is going to be a very powerful track to warm the audience up before the Doctor rips them a new one. 2. Walk amongst rebels Drum and bass in the style of ‘The Prodigy’ comes at you for the title track of the album. It feels like a remix of the generation we have experience this past thirty or so years and it sounds brilliant. This is a deep bass acid trip with the riffs to back it up. “We are fallen angels who walk amongst rebels.” 3. Hate is a goldmine If the political nature inherent in this album was not already apparent, it is now. With powerful lyrics playing on the UK parliament such as.. “The lies to the left, the lies to the right.” ..A wonderful hint towards the house voting on the ayes to the left and the noes to the right possibly? This being followed by the chorus which is going to be a great sing along piece live.. "We will not quit, when the world turns to shit!" This is a pulse pounding track to get you moving and worth spilling your drink over. 4. Unrepentant anger It is in this track that the Doof Warrior first came to mind. The guitar, although not powerful throughout the entire song, makes a huge impact that comes in to focus occasionally for even better effect. It’s hard, it’s fast, it’s dirty, it’s industrial and it’s one to lose your mind to as it fades out to contrasting Victorian fanfare music. 5. Angel 41 In a change from the rest of the album we find the perfect midway rest. It’s a beautifully melodic track with vocals that underlie a deep sense of emotion for the story it is trying to put across. It makes a lot of use of the more synthetic sound of industrial music and it does it well, putting you in a peaceful mindset. It’s a great piece to reflect on not only the album so far, but what might be going on in your own world at the time. This once again feels like the mixing of genres and experimentation that add to the cyberpunk feel. Even if the rest of the album isn’t for some, this track will probably be loved by most, if not all electro-heads. 6. Fight for the future Electronic synths throw down in the mosh pit with punk in this aggression filled piece and if Dr. Magic doesn’t get a mosh pit going to this track then I will be surprised! “I don’t want to, but I’m gonna, fighting for our future!” sums up the attitude of the entire world right now. We never wanted to get to the point of violence, but what else can we do to save the planet and our species? In this gut ripping track the true spirit of Anarchy shines. 7. Scavenging our ruins Another great song for a crowd to sing along to no doubt. At this stage in the album you get the sense the world is too far gone, what hope left is there? But of course, the spirit of carrying on and fighting still prevails in the music, ending in a cacophony of musical chaos in correlation with the state of the story so far. 8. Bulldoze Everything Have you ever played a Devil May Cry game? The second the demons show up, the heavy guitar riffs build and send sheer excitement through your veins. Hell, even Combichrist ended up doing a whole album for one of the Devil May Cry games so the link to the industrial is there regardless. The opening to this track is that same kick ass sound and feeling, only it’s not time to kick demon ass, it’s time to tear down the elite who caused all the world's problems. The true evil. A very powerful track that is more punk metal than industrial but it fits perfectly with the ebb and flow of the album’s experimentation. I have to say this song is brilliant and a must listen. The official music video for this BEAST of a track is already on YouTube via the link below! 9. Before we fell The electronic female voice returns to narrate how mankind was before it collapsed, sounding almost remorseful this time. This is the warning from the future that we seemingly will never listen to. The tragedy starts to creep in. This mix up of Drum and bass, industrial, and even hard style dance influence will be enough to put crowds in dance frenzies and I see this being a floor filler for many DJ’s in the future. 10. The Leviathan And just like that I was blown away. I thought I had this album figured out, that the messages of concept were already strong and there were no surprises coming now. How wrong was I? This track opens up to several quotes of Thomas Hobbes, from the book Leviathan. Hobbes was a 17th century English philosopher who questioned to what extent should people be patient in obeying corrupt rulers, and what point and extent should we stand up in revolution to form a better world? In Jason’s own word’s: Looking at what he wrote, its depressingly relevant for these current times with Trump and Brexit. I used a selection of his phrases for the verses of each track: “Hell is truth seen too late. Fact are good or vicious as fortune sees them. Where we build on false grounds, The more we build The greater the ruin. The passions of men are stronger than their reason. A man is a wolf to another man. A world that cannot be divided must be shared. Desire of praise brings terrible deeds. Forsake the end if you abandon the means.” For the vocal styles I wanted to do two personalities – a sort of Emanuel Goldstein (1984), older man who has seen it all and will be ignored despite carrying warnings for humanity. The second persona is a shouty one again. I wanted to channel a classic cinematic bad guy – the one that used to be good, but has seen too much shit and has been driven insane by it all. In my mind, he is burned, scarred and a shadow of the person he once was. Almost like if Mad Max went all Gollum. I was so nervous about doing vox on that track as I kept getting emotional but I decided to keep the rawness in, even if my voice kept breaking. My own lyrics for the chorus were improvised in the studio by just channeling what I see is going on in the world – ignoring the lessons of The Leviathan will be the end of us all. “I’ve seen it all In The Leviathan Man’s Inhumanity to man. A silent dying world. Sounds decay like fading embers” ........ The more game orientated among us will remember when Thane in Mass effect 2 also quoted Leviathan when talking about his own dying planet and people.. "When all the world is overcharged with inhabitants, then the last remedy of all is war, which provideth for every man, by victory or death." The wonderful thing about this track however is not just this wonderful remembrance of history repeating itself but the sheer anger and subsequent tragedy of the the state of the world that we all know in our hearts. This track mixes piano, spoken word, screamed lyrics, guitar riffs, synthetics, and even breaks down slightly for a much more traditional cyber / industrial goth sound. There is no way I can further describe it to you but this is my favourite of the album, wrapping everything up perfectly in a bitter sweet come down. If you only listen to one track by SYD.31 in the future, let it be this. This is a great comeback from SYD.31 and much more refined and perfected than before. It may not be to everyone's taste as punk is not a genre that often mixes with industrial, and the more traditional dance or rave expectations of industrial music don't stand out. However this album is a fine example of the unity that industrial music can bring to all walks of life and ideas. I highly recommend it to everyone in our community.  'Specially Da WARBOYS! Thank you for reading and please feel free to share on social media and like us on Instagram and Facebook @ElektroVox Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you!

Aesthetic Perfection's fifth major album 'Into the black' launched today. Elektro Vox was lucky enough to grab an interview from the legend of industrial himself about the album and the world tour. Daniel, thank you ever so much for agreeing to speak to our new site. You have a wonderful fan base in the U.K full of extraordinary individuals that unite all forms of alternative culture. I’m sure they will be thrilled to read what you have to say. Q. First of all, I had the pleasure of seeing you play the headline slot of Infest festival in the U.K last year as well as several other shows here in the past. How do you find performing in the U.K, have you had any culture shocks on your visits over here? A. I used to get culture shock back in the day, but the more I travel and the more I age, I recognize people are the same pretty much everywhere. Beneath different customs and different foods, we all just want and need the same things. People enjoy music because it transcends any of those cultural barriers and speaks to the core of human experience. Performing for people just makes that all the more apparent, because it's exactly the same no matter where you are. Q. Even before release 'Into the black' was number1in the German alternative charts. That must be quite a compliment from the ‘homeland’ of industrial music, do you feel as well known in America and other countries as well as you are known in Germany? A. I've been touring in Germany ever since 2005, and I continue to be amazed and humbled by their generosity there. As an outsider doing something different, it's quite the compliment to continue to be welcomed back. America is still my biggest market, but America is also a million times larger than Germany, so that's to be expected! Q. For the European leg of the tour you are joined by Amelia Arsenic (formerly of Angel Spit) and Priest. What made you chose these great acts to support you? A. When I choose support bands, I try to think about who's got the most buzz in which market, and how often they play there. I always want to bring something fresh on the road with me. For example, Empathy Test will be our support on the North American tour precisely because they've never toured there before. Obviously, it's also important that the musical and personal vibes match, which they do on all counts here. I'm beyond excited for all our upcoming tours! (You can read a short Elektro Vox review of Priest’s performance in our E-Tropolis review) Q. The opening lyrics to the first track ‘Gods & Gold’ are.. “There is a darkness, it breeds just hate and war, our inner conflict, the seeds of vitriol.” This already sounds like a mature and meaningful album. What can you tell us about the concept of this album and the kind of ride it will take us on? A. I don't like to reveal too much about the specific meaning behind my songs. Of course I have my own thoughts and intentions, but really, what makes art so special is the fact that it's subjective. What my work means to me isn't what it will mean to you, and that's how it should be! What I will say, is that over the last few years I've struggled a lot to come to terms with my own mortality, my strict religious upbringing (which I finally recognize as abuse) and the mistakes of past versions of myself. Music is my way of working through my own issues, it's my hope that it will help others work through their own. Q. What inspirations helped you to put this album together and will those inspirations show through in the tour’s stage show? A. I'm always trying to find a balance between the future and the past. As I get older, it becomes even more difficult to do. As we age, we tend to return to the things that are familiar, the things we already know we like, so you need to actively look for new ideas and sounds to be influenced by. I've always modeled my performances after my heroes... Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury and Marilyn Manson... how much of that gets across to the audience is anyone's guess! Q. Is there a particularly meaningful track in this album that is very personal to you? A. Every song is very personal, so it's hard to choose just one. But I feel like Supernatural and Mourning Doves perfectly articulated certain demons I've been facing over the years. Q. What artist have you found the most enjoyment working with in collaborations, performing alongside, or just hanging out back stage? A. First and foremost: My band. Elliott and Joe are true musicians, performers and all-around great people. I'm honored to share the stage (and backstage) with them. Jinxx is another person who I clicked instantly with on both a musical and personal level. Krischan Wesenberg as well. For me, it's about putting all the bullshit aside, the ego, the competition, the insecurity, and just enjoying the fact that we're privileged enough to live a life where we spend it making art. You'd be surprised how difficult that is. But I'm very thankful to have those people as friends and collaborators. The next two questions are from a huge fan of yours: Krieger. Q. 1 Your music is always full of atmosphere and presence, as well as having such eloquent yet juxtaposed lyrics to industrial music. How do you manage to keep this unique and incredible balance so consistently through all of you music? A. From the beginning, I promised myself I would always be honest. I said I would always try to remain genuine and passionate. I've done my best not to stray from that philosophy, and I think as time rolls on and I continue to progress as an artist, those values get reinforced. I feel like that's kind of the core of who I am, and it's great to know that people see that. Makes me feel like it's all worthwhile! Q. 2 Where do you see industrial pop going, and do you see the industrial pop revolution breaking in to the mainstream in future? A. For me, Industrial Pop is about finding harmony in disharmony. Taking two seemingly incompatible artistic philosophies and melding them into one. I see it as being less about a sound, and more about an intention. I intend to shock you. I intend to create something unexpected. I don't know how long this era will last for Aesthetic Perfection, or whether or not it will be picked up by other artists and taken in its own direction, but I definitely feel like something is brewing. Q. Is there anything you would like to say to your fans, and about any plans for Aesthetic Perfections direction in future? A. I have some of the most wonderful and dedicated fans any artist could ask for. Let's not forget, that in the grand scheme of things, Aesthetic Perfection is a tiny niche artist in a tiny niche scene. But think about it: These days, music can be had for free. Yet I have a large percentage of my fanbase who are willing to pay for it! I am very aware of this fact, and very grateful for those who make it possible. Big shoutout to my Patreon supporters! Q. Finally, what is the most important life lesson you have learnt from Aesthetic Perfection, and do you have any advice for future artists? A. Life is short. Life is precious. Don't get lost in the details. Enjoy the big picture. Do your best. Know your limits. Drink wine. Daniel, thank you ever so much for your time! I look forward to seeing your show in London on April 14th and hopefully o speaking to you there for the review I will be posting of the show. 'In to the black' Is out now and you can find our album review here To book tickets for a show / country near you this year, visit the official Aesthetic Perfection website https://aesthetic-perfection.net Thank you for joining us and remember to like Elektro Vox and Aesthetic Perfection on Instagram and Facebook. Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you!

We have all done it, that moment we sing to ourselves and use that growl like voice most industrial music is known for in an attempt to get whatever song it is out of our heads and often we fail miserably. No one has mastered THAT type of growl singing the way Daniel Graves has. It has become his signature sound and it’s the voice of industrial for many of us regardless of how heavy or soft you like your musical extremes; We wish we could all sing so well. So it is that ‘Into the Black’ solidifies the mastery of his voice and the evolution of his signature sound in to it’s most powerful form yet. All of Aesthetic Perfection’s previous work will come to mind as you listen through the songs on offer, that is however, not to say it sounds the same as the previous four major albums; more so that it is now the true destination reached and the album could not be more masterfully performed. The pure artistry and alternative soft ‘screams’ mix so well in to a voice that always comes across with perfect clarity. Never let it be said again by mainstream taste people that.. “You can’t understand what they're saying.” Daniel has collaborated with Jinxx on several tracks and Wesenberg on another. Most noticeably however you may know that Richard Z. Kruspe is the lead guitarist and founder of Rammstein. What you may not know is that Richard worked alongside AP for the opening track 'Gods & Gold.' (See our Facebook for a link to Richard’s industrial remix of the new track DEUTSCHLAND) The entire album feels like it has incorporated many genres in to one, even retro / synth wave and most of the songs would be well suited to a new cyber punk film, especially as there seems to be that 80’s theme coming from the synth-wave familiarity occasionally. It is also an album full of emotion and Daniel is sharing a lot of his personal story and depth throughout (See our interview with Daniel here) Gods and gold I’ve never quite come across a track like this and I am in awe of what has been achieved. It’s gritty industrial metal riffs brought home by the influence of Richard Z. Krusp of Rammstein bring across that familiar sound undeniably and yet the emotionally packed rap sends shivers down the spine. Then there's the voice we all know and love Aesthetic Perfection for and the industrial pop and techno mix we expect. There is metal, there is techno, there are the screams which are in perfect opposition to the synthetic melody, voice, and pop influence. I even felt like it was IAMX singing to me at one point. To quote a recent film it’s ‘Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.’ I also get the sense that this is a mash up of all his previous works as fans will recognize the similarities of the previous albums blended together. For the new listeners it is the ideal introduction to Daniel’s voice and style, an album version of a ‘Previously on..’ TV intro. Towards the end it also paints the difference between what religious gods and material gold promise but then perfectly twists it to express the anger we all come to feel at the reality and harsh truth of them both corrupted by the dogma and greed of man. I'm not quite sure how this track has blended so many of our beloved styles in to one track but it is has done so masterfully and hits home that Daniel has surely found himself with this album even before the first track finishes. Wickedness This is by far my favourite track on the album. It’s floor filling energy and pulse fastening beat never fail to make my leg bounce up and down constantly at the very least. This is going to be an incredible track to listen to live as it reverberates in the chest. It feels like the golden days of dancing music again so much so that I feel like wearing a hat just like Daniel’s and tipping it, raise one leg up poised to dance Michael Jackson style to the beat. The catchy chorus of "I want it, I need it" is broken down expertly by the voice of "I like the wickedness" causing a beautiful techno dance macabre that brings a snarl to your lips in an expression of dangerous confidence. "You fell in love with wickedness" starts to build the end up in to a rave sensation that could make mosh pits spontaneously break out. No boys allowed The beats are stompy and constant, perfect for those wearing the big boots. Bounce along to a techno trip through the jungle with an underlying hint of Halloween. The entire song reverberates with the countdown to destruction especially towards the end as the beat hits hard again. No doubt a future floor filler as I see this track appealing to everyone’s dance styles. Supernatural Such a powerful track to get a crowd going and involved, the harmonious singing will reel the crowds in for the angst aggression of the chorus and sing alongs of ‘oooh wooo oh’ as it uplifts and unites them. “We’re just human after all, we’re not supernatural.” The robotic synthesis of his voice powers home the intensity of the track, after all there a lot of emotion and history here (see our interview with Daniel Graves here) It feels like his soul is being poured out in this song and it will be interesting to see how it comes across when sung live. This is a message of love to connect with the audience and put aside all of the bullshit we have come to know. Echoes Here’s where the Retro/synth-wave sound appears the most noticeable to me in the synthetic beat that sets the foundation for the whole track and in so doing feels like the evolution of modern tastes being picked up by Daniel’s ever present dive in to all things popular yet individual or unique. Lyrically the relatable sense here is that it’s picking apart the social anxiety echoes that we all suffer from. Of course the song is more of a call to hope urging us to.. “Never give up, get up.” Our mind can be our worst enemy and the foreboding music before one breakdown puts across that malicious feeling that musically metaphors a mental health spiral. Echoes is a body popping relaxation for the mind that sets the more self reflective aspect of the second half of the album to come. We wake up Sticking with the relatable theme of the song I’m sure it wouldn't be out of place in a teen romance drama with the effortless flowing of the female vocal sample mixed with the angst lyrics. This however is a good thing, being packed with the emotion that it is, it would mean industrial pop would find more ground in the minds of the newer generations and wouldn't Aesthetic Perfection be a far better ‘pop’ band to get younger generations in to and idolizing than the next boy band rejects? You might even say this would be a great soundtrack to someone’s life. If I die The guitar twangs throughout put you in the sense of an 80’s cyberpunk power track, that could be described as a subtle mix of retro feel good and sci-fi films such as Back to the future and Johnny 5. The crowds at A.P’s shows will no doubt be chanting.. “If I die, If I die today!” For me ‘If I die’ portrays the build up and acceptance of our own mortality to face life with courage but also humility. Will we be remembered? Let’s make sure we are and power through the life we have. It’s an upbeat track in contrast to the somewhat morbid lyrics however. Definitely one I can see being played on the radio, if radio ever drops it’s prejudice against alternative music. Saint Peter Techno heavy and a further call to get your body moving, it’s fast paced and it’s a step towards the more traditional club music sound we love. This track is like a joy ride through Tron, the neon colours flying all around you and destined to end in death with a smile on your face. This will be one for the dancers in the crowd to show off. YOLO If you weren't carried away to a setting like Tron with the previous track, then the cyberpunk feel is definitely felt here with the intense techno sounds, Cylon like robotic voice, and thought provoking quote samples. Keeping up with the great dance appeal this album has, YOLO is uplifting with its rising synths and blissful rhythm causing a feel good reflection of one’s self. Be grateful for what’s around you. I bet you’ll see the ‘rolling’ members of the crowd closing their eyes and drifting in to their own worlds, arms raised with huge smiles on their faces to this piece. Mourning Doves This track is hauntingly beautiful, a meditation upon the beauty of life and the tragedy of death. Put together as what might be considered a perfect epitaph to the end of the album that puts you at peace and leaves you glowing with contentment as it wraps up and finishes so gloriously. The guitars playing out as if Brian May himself were playing for coffin bearers marching down the aisle. It is a song for peace in the face of heartache as the clever title implies. ... Overall this album is easily defined as the signature sound of Aesthetic Perfection and I hope this masterpiece of an album finally kicks off the industrial pop revolution in to the realms of every day music. 'In to the black' Is out now. To book tickets for a show / country near you this year, visit the official Aesthetic Perfection website https://aesthetic-perfection.net Thank you for joining us and remember to like Elektro Vox and Aesthetic Perfection on Instagram and Facebook. Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you!

Featuring Priest, X-RX, Velvet Acid Christ, Solar Fake, Suicide Commando, Welle: Erdball, and Apoptygma Berzerk. Well, this was my first experience of a music event in Germany and I was certainly not disappointed! The people are friendly, (after you have got past the initial social shell) The music is fantastic, and the atmosphere is electric. So it was that my best friend Mary and I traveled to Oberhausen for the festival via London Heathrow and Dusseldorf airport. Two very lit up cyber goths (blue lights and green lights respectively) attending what is essentially the warm up show for Amphi festival, the number one destination for all industrial, EBM, and cyber lovers. The venue Turbinehalle is a very large converted warehouse and sets the scene perfectly for this type of music. It has two large stage halls, plentiful bars, two smoking areas, a more than adequate personal locker room, and a large food hall with multiple food and goth shopping stalls. I myself couldn't resist buying an EBM T-shirt from one of the more military clothing stands. The money system there was also appealing. All food and drink, even the lockers were paid for in green ticket stubs called bons, at a cost of 1 Euro per bon. Drink were between 3-5 bons, and food was no more than 5 bon per person. Very reasonable prices for someone used to the horrific prices of drinks and food in London night clubs. The only downside to Oberhausen is that it is more rural and therefore a little harder for tourist who don't speak the language as speaking English isn't as common. Thankfully we knew more than enough to communicate with everyone fairly well. The opening Friday night is a pre party in one of the halls with DJ's playing from 10pm until 4am. Overall this was a nice easing in to the festival with some great music. Cyber dancing or any dancing for that matter however, isn't as common as I thought. My friend and I are used to cyber dancing / raving away at our UK goth nights out. It felt a little out of place to be one of the very few people dancing but that just made it more fun after the initial adjustment to that. The venue opened at 1pm on Friday with bands from 2pm until 1pm and DJ's until 4am for the after party. The sounds system is top notch and when the Vicious Alliance remix of Aesthetic Perfection's Schadenfreude came on, I was hit with a huge wave of dopamine. That's how good the acoustics are at this venue. Overall I would say the staff, the venue, and the organization of the event was spot on, Sound checks were done fast and efficiently, and security were relaxed but still aware. It was a comfortable experience with very little time to find yourself bored. To the staff of E-tropolis.. Thank you for such a fantastic event this year. On to the bands (That I saw, in order) Priest This was a good opening to the festival for myself and we were so glad to have seen Vaudeville played live. Another member of our group was ecstatic to see the lead singer wearing a pinhead style gimp mask and the other two member to be wearing leather plague doctor masks. It certainly set the scene that we were in a place of accepting, wonderful, and possibly fellow kinky people! The sound system really did their synthetic sounds a lot of justice and they presented such a great energy and love for what they were performing. 'The cross' and 'The pit' sounded beautiful and reverberated very well around the audience. Definitely one I would recommend seeing in future if this somewhat niche take on industrial synth is your style. 7/10 X-RX Although I knew and loved several of the bands on the line up, it was X-RX playing that sold it to me. They rarely ever play in the UK and so it was a band I had yet to see. If it wasn't for me discovering Combichrist and subsequently X-RX then I may not have got in to this scene of music. When I first saw Combichrist, I raved until my body almost collapsed. I was hoping to feel that same raw energy, passion, and love during X-RX. Sadly It was not to be... The band spent most of their time facing each others laptops and left several large sections of the set without attention to the crowd. They did try to be good showmen but there's only so many times you can ask the crown to clap along or make noise before it become a chore that brings on the cringing. There was a lack of energy and care for the crowd that seemed to be noticeable in the way they portrayed themselves. Perhaps they were hungover, or having a bad day, we can't be perfect every day and I don't want to criticize them, I really don't but after they seemed to use up all their energy during 'Kein Herz', it just seemed to die off from there. Very few of their hits were played and when 'Stage 2' came on, the crowd howled even as the band seemed to extrude a 'Here we go again' fed up attitude. Even during stage 2 the music kept dropping or changing at the wrong points as some sort of poorly thought out remix. It made it very hard to dance to. That's not to say they were bad. I would love to see them play again but I will reign my expectations in. Who knows maybe in future they will be on better form and blow me away making everything I just said ridiculous. 4.5/10 Velvet Acid Christ I have always loved how atmospheric and different the work of V.A.C is but I was unsure how an atmospheric band was going to translate in a rather up beat festival. Such atmospheric songs like 'There is no God' and 'Ghost in the circuit' send shivers down my spine every time. It was an 'interesting' set shall we say. It started off well, little more upbeat than I expected with fantastic male and female vocals in their respective songs. And 'Fun with drugs' is always a great song to listen to. Can't beat a good sample from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The video art on the stage was engrossing and went very well with the music. Until it didn't... At some point a compilation of gruesome murders were played from an old 80s film and although bands like ESA and Suicide commando play some gruesome stuff sometimes, it always goes well with the set and doesn't push things in to the realms of discomfort. V.A.C did with this murder video. I noticed the crowd around me become more and more still and from then on the music got more experimental and dare I say it, boring; all the while watching this really unnecessary gore porn. Unfortunately for me, and not to pun here, but that killed it for me. They started off amazingly and then fizzled out to the point when they were finished with their set, the audience didn't actually realize. Still though, a good show and we all love the experimental stuff as a nice cool down between the heavier, aggressive stuff. 6/10 Solar Fake When I think of other bands I saw at the festival I feel joy, or excitement even though it's now passed, or gratitude. When I think of Solar Fake, I am FILLED with love. I had heard of them only sparingly through a very close member of what I would call my 'blood of the covenant family' and was sad that we didn't get to see them in the UK last year. So I spent some time listening to their music on the E-Tropolis 2019 Spotify playlist with my companion Mary and I really liked it. None of that prepared me for the experience though. I don't say this lightly but Solar fake are 'possibly' the best act I've ever seen live, only just behind Mememaker (When Mark of Beat:cancer filled in for one of the guys), and Modulate. Sven Friedrich (vocalist) André Feller (Keyboard) and Jeans(?) (Drummer) are all natural born showmen who shine charisma like a beacon. Sven's vocals are absolutely gorgeous and sound just as good live as he does on the albums. He is very humble and seemed surprised at how much the crowd applauded (and would not stop applauding!) between each song. His smile was that of genuine shock and blushing. That alone was enough to fall in love with this band and their masterpiece songs. But then there is André! He was referred to by my companions as 'a real queen and a diva' and he truly was in such a beautiful way. His smile and sassy energy was infectious, he needed only look at the audience and we would all start whooping and clapping in the air without him even needing to ask, we already knew. He is a fantastic yin of showmanship to the yang of Sven's humility. At one point he got so excitable that he threw his keyboard to the floor causing a huge cheer, even the stage hands found it a good laugh rather than an annoyance. I won't pick out individual songs to comment on because I can't they were all masterfully performed and filled me with so much love for this band that I hardly knew until this set. They now have a very strong fan for life and I will try my best to see them perform at every opportunity. Go listen to their spotify tracks and prepare to fall in love and soothe any mental health pains you might be having today. 10/10 (Turn it up to eleven!) Suicide Commando To say Suicide Commando were good, would be heresy. They were sheer power and joy. Their dark rhythms and pounding beats rocked through us all. Johan Van Roy is a natural entertainer whose visceral singing style has been perfected for many years. This was the turning point for me at E-Tropolis, this is when I knew I was at home away from home. Solar Fake almost had me thinking that but that pure industrial feeling hadn't struck quite yet, S.C hit me and hit me hard. I danced like mad and I took a few videos feeling the energy of the room wash over me. The crowd went crazy for 'Bind. Torture. Kill'. and 'Cause of Death', in fact they went crazy for all of it. This is an industrial scene God still rocking on no matter what. This was the second most important band when I decided to go to E-Tropolis and I am so very glad I had the chance to see them finally having listened to them for years and dare I say it, they were far better live than I could have imagined. Their video art was on point at one stage an image collection of suicides and an almost augmented reality hanged man silhouette were played in what some might say was romanticizing suicide but no, even through the heavy beats and terror EBM lyrics, there was still very much the message of trying to prevent it, to support those around you and help them. During 'Cause of death' the video counted down 40 seconds repeatedly to go in line with the voice sample of 'every 40 seconds another person dies from suicide' finishing finally with the songs end saying 'during this song, 6 people have taken their life' It is a powerful message and delivered so well. Between songs he also spoke a tribute to the late Keith Flint of the Prodigy. There was a lot of love coming off that stage for a hellektro band. Are they playing near you soon? Go buy a ticket.. Now.. Seriously.. DO IT! 9.5/10 Welle: Erdball (2nd stage headline) Again, this is a band I knew very little of until I was stood at the barrier in sheer excitement to see something so different; having heard at least a few of their songs multiple times thanks to the E-tropolis 2019 Spotify playlist and seeing some Youtube music videos. Their set felt like something out of a new Austin Powers movie. They dress as spies, they are wacky, they make you laugh, half the time they robot dance or do incredible things you don't expect. Lollipops, paper airplanes, huge balloons, and shortly after sparklers were thrown out in to the crowd. Because health and safety is boring and these guys disprove the myth that Germans don't know how to have fun! This band is a joy to watch, you're not at a concert any more, you're at a party and it's time to throw down. I have never experience a mosh pit to such upbeat electronics before whilst all the burly men in the pit sing along to the keyboard notes 'du du du du do do!!' etc bouncing around like mad. The song Deine Augen was when we were given sparklers, presumably to get rid of some of the now swarming balloons. This set and their music was nothing short of a beautiful psychedelic trip that would appeal to anyone, no matter what genre they like. I love, love, love this band and their songs. This set, will stay with me for a very long time as they made me ecstatic with their energy. See them if you ever get the chance! 10/10 Apoptygma Berzerk (Main stage headline act) In keeping in line with some of the other bands, again, I knew of them, and liked some songs but that was the extent of it and having just come out of Welle: Erdball, I was stood quite far back. I didn't quite know what to make at first, the songs were okay and they sounded very American (even though they are Norwegian) and I couldn't quite understand why they were the headline act. That soon changed however as the music became more familiar to me and their rock star persona drove the crowd on well. At one point the front man began talking about heir new album and their 25th year anniversary. Okay, great, but he went on and on, in one of the least charismatic voices I have ever experienced. I think he almost lost the crowd at that point. Thankfully rescued in perfect time by the two tracks any Apop fan will know 'Until the end of the world' and 'In this together.' Now these, these are incredible songs that sound beautiful live, full of passion, energy, and just enough synths and beats to make it a dance dream. Having heard these two tracks live. I was sold and I haven't been able to stop listening to them since. I must look quite strange driving along blasting out 'end of the world' and singing at the top of my lungs as I drive past strangers. 8/10 In conclusion E-Tropolis was a fantastic experience. I wish I had managed to see Centhron and all the other bands that overlapped however but you can't have everything. I did just about catch [:SITD:] play 'Snuff machinery' which sounded rich and fulfilling on that wonderful second stage sound system. For only a one day festival, you cant really get much better than that. 10/10 Below is the line up so far for next year which links to their website. #Etrop19 #Etropolisfestival Thanks for reading, share away, and like Elektro Vox on Facebook. Want Elektro Vox to come and review your event? Get in touch. Thank you for reading and please feel free to share on social media and like us on Instagram and Facebook @ElektroVox Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you!

We speak with Seraphim system about the new album release ‘Xibalba’ on Cleopatra records, released 22nd of March 2019. John Stancil’s project Seraphim system has been one of the most underappreciated industrial artists in recent times and one of the most enjoyable listens for myself on Spotify over the years. John started in 2013 with the release of the album Deadly force but wasn’t realised in the UK until 2016 where he played the same stage with bands such as Grendel, Modulate (sound system), Ivardensphere, Organ Donors, and many other fantastic acts at what was once the holy pilgrimage for Goths and electroheads every Easter in the UK.. Resistanz fest. Which would unfortunate be the last Resistanz festival but would go down in history as possibly the most amazing industrial event the UK has ever or will ever see. I was introduced to John by my friend James and was told to expect good things during his set. What an understatement that was! I had enjoyed a lot of conversation with John before his set and so made a point to be at the front to support this as of yet unknown artist to me. The set blew everyone away. On stage John’s persona of BL4KJ4K came out strong after having electrified the crowd with an amazing remix of the Terminator 2 theme tune, wearing body Armour and joined on stage by an automaton wearing a British cyborg mask. The atmosphere was already intense. Lyrics were spat down the microphone to instant hits like ‘Firebomb’ and ‘This is invasion’ in a mash up of industrial and rap very rarely seen in the industry. Further pushing those boundaries when joined on stage by Syrus for the track ‘Assault Protocol’. Needless to say the UK goth scene fell in love with his work and I have often had many conversations with people wondering if we will see him play over here again. I certainly hope so! Q. John thank you for doing this interview with Elektro Vox, I’m honoured to have you be the first real content to my site. I’ll start off by asking what was your inspiration for Xibalba and is there an overlying theme and meaning to this album for you, especially as I believe you have moved recently away from Raleigh North Carolina and seem to be a lot happier for it? The track Jameson seems to be filled with a lot of emotion and I sense a slight warhammer influence in this album. A. Thanks for having me, dude! I always love these chats and helping out my friends who keep the scene alive and kicking. Xibalba was written over the process of a two month period. I had no money, lived on the couch in a shop I worked at, and was just a miserable fucking piece of shit. I produced the entire album from my laptop and had a vocal condenser mic to record my voice with so it allows me to write and produce anywhere I am. I'd record at night while I was alone and could scream and shout and not bother anyone. I remember during this time I had a lot of nightmares. I think they came about because of being totally unsecure with finances and the extreme uncertainty of life at that point. None of the nightmares I actually remember, they don't stand out, but I remember I would wake up terrified and forget what it was about the next day. It's funny you mention the Jameson track because that's the only nightmare I actually remember. Jameson was a best friend of mine who was killed in a motorcycle accident and in one dream I was in a house and he was at the top of the staircase and walking down towards me. I was terrified because I knew he wasn't supposed to be there and I woke up in a panic. I just remember the nightmares were pretty common and it put me in a weird funk for the first half of the day. The theme to the album is introspective. Almost all of the songs except "Witch" are from me looking at myself and trying to pick apart how and why I am the way that I am. It's my own assessment to my self destructive and self ruinous tendencies. I chose the name "Xibalba" because initially I was going to call it "From a Place of Fear". I watched a documentary on the Mayan culture and they had a segment about Xibalba - their afterlife - which roughly translates to "place of fear" and I just saw it as a "sign", not to be too hokey. Q. You describe yourself as Industrial Metal // EBM // Deathcore but honestly there is so much more to it than that with your well versed and delivered raps, and incredible riffs, and now with some brilliant harmonious lyrics from Ritual Aesthetic on the track Witch. The albums Luciferium and Pandaemonium were very heavy on the metal, even straying in to a little cradle of filth territory in some parts. On Xibalba the opening track Singularity reminds me of heavy grind-core like The Berzerker, other tracks remind me of more harmonious metal bands such as bring me the horizon and yet all together the albums stays truthful to industrial and synth sounds. A. Oh yeah. That makes me so goddamn happy that you said it strayed into Cradle of Filth territory because that's one of the most influential METAL bands that I've ever liked. Probably my favourite all time metal band. On Xibalba I wanted a heavier punk edge. Less shrieks and guttural growls from deathcore and black metal and more of the shouting and mid-range yells associated with post-hardcore and punk. Q. Are they also the extra voice on You know where to find me, Saviour, and Jameson? I wasn’t sure if that was just you or them as well for the more harmonious parts. A. Sean is an awesome friend of mine from Ritual Aesthetic and delivered killer backup vocals on Witch. Everything else is my regular singing voice. I grew up listening to emo bands like Senses Fail and The Used so I think I try to emulate that in my clean singing tones. Q. You used coined the term Swagrotech for your music, is that still the case? Could you tell me more about Swagrotech and your constant mixing of genres and the directions you would like to keep producing in future? A. Hahahaha, Swaggrotech was coined by my boy Jay over at Ruinizer. We had a lot of production similarities with him coming from Hip Hop and Rap and incorporating that 808 / Dirty South trap vibe into industrial. At the time it was fun and fresh, but not super popular with the scene. I think it was more of a big joke between all of us because it was so outlandish and we just stuck with it. It became its own thing, but in reality it was all one large parody of talking about robots and having big dicks. In a more serious Swaggrotech instance, I collaborated with Sirus on their track "Deep State" on their Apocrypha album which is incredibly politically charged. That would be the only real and honest form of Swaggrotech I'd say I've ever made and the track is absolutely monstrous. Big shout out to Josh Rombout for having me throw down on that track. Swaggrotech was just fun and heavily experimental for us, but never meant to be a SERIOUS movement... just speaking in my own case. Q. On the remix album Friendly Fire, you collaborated with a lot of fantastic bands, who were your favourite to work with, and who would you like to work with again? Also what bands would you like to be on stage with in future? A. Jay Ruin from ruinizer, Filip from Rave The Reqviem, and Josh Rombout from Sirus are all best friends in the industry. I'll never pass up a chance to work with any of them. I've rolled with them since day one in DWA and they are all amazing artists. Sean from Ritual Aesthetic has also been an incredibly awesome person to work with and I'm looking forward to doing more material with all of them in the future. Q. What band or artist has been the best to chill out with back stage? A. I met JD from Grendel at Resistanz. I heard "Oh hey what's up dude??" and looked over and it was him. I was zoning out and looking at a plate of sandwiches and lost in a train of thought. Ended up being a super chill and down to earth dude. Funny thing is at shows I typically don't hang out in the back. I love socializing and drinking with people. I love meeting people who come to the shows. I don't ever spend a lot of time in the green room unless I'm right about to go on. (Elektro Vox: That’s true, I got to know you by hanging out a lot with him at Resistanz at the bars and chill out areas. You’re definitely a guy who does what he does for the joy of the crowd.) Q. The track ‘You know where to find me’ seems like it could be a massive club hit and I will ask all the DJ’s I know in the UK to make it part of their set, any chance of a more ‘cyber’ club mix of this track in future? A. I think eventually I'll go back and make club remixes for some of the tracks. I have done that with Luciferium and Pandaemonium and will work to get those out in the future. I love making VIP mixes of already existing tracks and seeing how I can spin it. Q. A short while back you called out 3-TEETH for their attitude toward the industrial scene and I believe they even responded to the criticisms. What started that and have you guys been able to patch it up? Has it caused tension with fans as far as you know? A. Honestly, that came from a night I was on a ton of drugs and don't even remember doing it until when I woke up in the morning and thought - ‘what the fuck?’ / I don't know what sparked it. It's very likely I was just being depressed, on a fuck ton of chemicals, and resentful of their success. I've gone sober and haven't touched hard drugs since that time period but it wasn't just them I found something to be angry at. I was angry at the rest of the world and myself. I haven't said any apologies because I'd rather do it in person. There will come a time where I physically offer the olive branch, it just won't be via a tweet. Sending out a text message has little gravity and is just informal as hell. Life's too short to walk around on drugs and be pissed off at the world and yourself all the time. Q. Will you ever be coming to play in the UK again? Possibly Infest festival or Resistanz 2020 reunion (Please Gods let that really happen!) A. I have my passport ready and waiting, dude. There's a really, really good chance I'll be in the UK again a couple years down the line. These things are booked 6 months to a year in advance so nothing in the immediate future. The UK is a different vibe and I love playing it. American shows are great but the numbers in Europe seem to be a bit higher as it's more popular over there from what I've seen. America has a great scene as well and good show turnouts when I go to them. The UK just has a different vibe. Q. Have you played in Germany and would you again, would you in future? A. Germany has been on my bucket list since I started making industrial music. When I think of Germany I think of beer and techno - two of my most favourite things. I'm sure the vibe there is totally pure. I've seen so many great acts play at awesome clubs in Germany and would love playing in Berlin. I have a habit of going on google earth and looking up goth clubs in different countries and being like "man, how can I play here??" Q. I was lucky enough to purchase the first vinyl in a set for the release of Luciferum, will you be offering any similar collectible in future? A. Sure. The record labels decide all that though. I make the music and they deal with the physical and digital mediums. They've got the money and the connections and I just have the creativity and software to create the music. Q. Is there anything you would like to say to your fans and any possible future plans for the direction of Seraphim System? A. I've hopped around musical styles and directions as a means of experimenting since I've had this project. I appreciate whole heartedly the fans who have remained faithful during the whole ordeal and different styles I've created. Some people didn't care for the metal direction I took and might not enjoy this punk / electro sound I've got going now but it's my nature to try and experiment. Q. What is the most important life lesson you have learned from Seraphim System and the reaction you've had, and any advice for future artists? A. "Do as thou wilt." Make what you want to make. If you want to make stuff you know will be successful and sounds like what's popular, do it. If you want to try and be different and experimental, do it. That's okay too. If you make what you actually want to make people will want to listen because they will be able to see your heart in it. Don't feel obligated to follow the norm. It's okay to attempt and be unsure. Just make something you enjoy and others will enjoy it. Thank you ever so much for your time John. Seraphim System’s new album Xibalba can be found on Spotify or to purchase via Amazon for a bargain of £6.49 and on Cleopatra records All his previous work can also be found on Spotify, Amazon, and at the DWA store where you will also find awesome compilation albums from our associates Beat:Cancer http://dwa.store To book Seraphim system at your event contact johnwstancil@gmail.com (I’M LOOKING AT YOUR RESISTANZ AND INFEST!) Thank you for reading and please feel free to share on social media and like us on Instagram and Facebook @ElektroVox Like Elektro Vox's content? Please help keep us running as it is a very costly and time consuming process. Thank you!