Search Results

It is bittersweet that Elektro Vox was lucky enough to have Jay Ruin create a custom track for all future E.V video intros and background music. Sweet in that it was under his artist name of Ruinizer, being one of the most recognizable names in industrial music and bitter that he has chosen to lay Ruinizer to rest and carry on with his other projects including 'Jay Android', 'CeDigest', and most recently 'Studio Ruin.' Here is the new E.V track and possibly the last Ruinizer track. You can hire Jay right now over at Studio Ruin here, where he is available to make custom music and work on remixes, production, educational workshops and the like for both artist and businesses alike. Needless to say he has worked with some of the most famous artists in industrial music and is exceptionally talented. Tomorrow (Sep 13th 2019) also marks the release of 'From Exhumation to Decimation a 3cd album collection of his music and 12 tracks never previously available on CD, including 2 unreleased tracks! Strictly limited to 100 hand-numbered copies worldwide. This is also his half of the summer of swaggrotech collection which is mirrored by a 3cd release from Seraphim System. Link to the DWA website to purchase is here. Finally there is a new Patreon for his music and artistry to be found here. Including: ARMY OF RUIN $5 or more per monthAccess to a folder packed with music. Access to any song media posted on Patreon. A shout out in his live stream 10% discount on all production work through Studio Ruin Thank you! 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! You can also support E.V by buying products through my page, including cruelty free and award winning makeup, plant based nutrition supplements, and other home and living items! Everything will help E.V to continue to afford to keep the site running and the news, interviews, and reviews flowing! https://www.amway.co.uk/user/canislewis #ElektroVox #Ruinizer #DWA #DigitalWorldAudio #Swaggrotech #SeraphimSystem #Industrial #IndustrialMusic #Goth #Powernoise #StudioRuin

We spoke to Leighton, the well known organiser of the world famous Resistanz festival at Corporation Sheffield, often shortened to 'Tanz', the German word for dance. The overwhelming support and excitement for the return of the festival has already played evident on social media and with tickets going on sale today, who knows how fast they will sell out! Q. Leighton thank you for taking some time to answer some questions about Resistanz festival. The emotions have been so very low since the last Tanz in 2016. However the excitement has been building higher and higher with your teasers and hints at the 2020 reunion over the last year or so. Now finally, at infest festival, you dropped the news (Some were lucky to stumble across the flyers) that Tanz is confirmed! What with 2019 a horror year for awful news everyday can you just once again clarify that we are not dreaming and Tanz 2020 is happening and not a cruel joke? A. So yeah, Resistanz Festival or “Tanz” as it is known by a lot of our supporters will be back for a special event in 2020. The venue was actually booked some time ago but I wanted to make 100% sure I had everything needed (including finances) before an official announcement was made. Q. What have you been up to the last few years and how often do you get bombarded with love and support messages asking for Tanz to come back and was there a final turning point that made you think, ‘that’s it, let’s do it!’ ? A. Keeping busy really - working, some traveling, spending time with family, that kinda thing. For the last few years I’ve still been putting on club nights and DJing in my spare time. The festival organising takes up a lot of free time though and doing it 6 years in a row without a break was hard work, so it was nice to have a break from that and enjoy having time to concentrate on other things. People kept asking about Resistanz coming back, literally every time I was out clubbing or at an event. Q. You booked some of the most incredible acts from across the world of Industrial music even from the very first festival. Obviously with each passing year the sheer success and LOVE for your festival grew exponentially and therefore it must have become easier with each passing festival but how did you manage to pull it all off, get the first festival off the ground and continue to book the superstars that you did? A. A lot of effort and thoughtful planning went into the first event. A good year and a half before Resistanz 2011 was even announced there were plans being drawn up behind the scenes. That careful planning and hard work did pay off though. The feedback from the crowd, the crew, the bands/DJ’s that performed that first year surpassed expectations and word soon spread about the UK’s latest industrial based music festival. The hype was so great that following on from a break even after the first year, Resistanz 2012 was to be a completely sold out event. I wouldn’t say every year following became easier, as we were determined to make sure every following event would be bigger and better than the last. So with that in mind (although booking acts became easier due to the festivals reputation) we were putting more pressure on ourselves to find ways to better the experience for the fans. Q. I remember a crowd, myself included who had just moments before been on cloud 9 after Modulate sound system brought a close to Tanz 2016, to being very tearful as you made the announcement that it really was going to be the last Resistanz festival as you needed to rest; especially as for most of the crowd it had been their yearly tradition and for others it was their first and last experience of what is now considered to have been the ultimate pilgrimage for Goths of the UK. So how stressful is it to put on a festival like this and how much harder will it be now that Brexit causes a lot of uncertainty in regards to band’s travel abilities? A. Resistanz 2016 was a mixed bag of emotions for me. I was so proud to have been involved in such a special event and although I was looking forward to having more free time I would of course miss not only the three days of escapism but all the wonderful people involved. Yes I did shed a tear or two myself on the last night. The work load can be stressful. There is so much to consider putting on an event of this size. I think the only people that would truly understand or get a general idea of what that is like is other promoters. It genuinely took a year to organise each one. At one point we were actually booking bands for the following year while at the festival itself. With Brexit so much is uncertain that it’s hard to plan for it’s impact when nobody knows what is actually going to happen. We do expect the value of the pound to drop but that has already been taken into consideration. I don’t see any major issues with so much planning on our part being done in advance. Q. I would imagine you can’t yet tell us any of the bands you have booked, if any so far but can you give us any hints or clues as to how the musical line-up is looking? I for one would love to see Massive Ego, Biomechanimal, Modulate, and Karkasaurus on the line up! A. You don’t know me very well if you think I’m going to drop any major hints about the line up before anyone has been announced. (E.V was worth a try lol) There will of course be international and domestic acts playing over the course of the three days at Resistanz 2020. There will be some UK debuts and exclusives, the return of some fan favourites, known acts and less familiar acts. Overall a nice eclectic mix of styles. Q. Do you have any plans in the works to make Resistanz 2020 even more special than before? A. I wouldn’t say there are plans to make Resistanz 2020 even more special than before. And in all honesty 2016 would be a hard one to top. However every effort will be made to ensure that this is a very special event that lives up to the reputation that we built up over the previous 6 events. I certainly wouldn’t want to miss it. Q. There was a lot of talk about non festival goers being allowed in to the venue after a certain time that may have been one of the prime reasons Tanz needed to take a break due to festival goers becoming uncomfortable around regular night out people. Are you able to talk about that at all? A. Sure. You have to remember that the Corporation is a popular city center based venue that is open 4 days a week and has a regular crowd. The venue cannot afford to close it’s doors even for 1 weekend and loose a big part of it’s income. The point you make was raised after 2015 and that is why in 2016 we opened up the warehouse exclusively for the festival after parties. Once again in 2020 Resistanz will take over that space. To gain entry to the main Friday and Saturday night after parties you will need a festival wristband. No wristband = no entry. Should any of our festival attendees wish to explore the rest of the club (that many of us regular Sheffield folk enjoy week in week out) after the bands have finished they may do so at their own leisure and at no extra cost. Sunday will see us take over the whole venue. Q. Your work is responsible for countless new friendships, stronger bonds of friendship, new relationships, and new found success for several bands. In essence the Goth family owes you a hell of a lot and I’m sure there will be even more love and positivity now that Tanz 2020 is returning. As head of the goth family then, should we start calling you ‘Daddy’ or ‘Pappa Leighton’? Haha In essence.. The goth family has always been good to each other in the UK, especially the Industrial fellowship. Has it ever hit home just how much you brought people together with your festival and gave us all a ‘true home’ each year? A. Haha. In all seriousness I’m just a guy that loves music and loves sharing my passion for music with other people. Resistanz is a way for me to do this but on a much bigger sale than just DJ'ing or running club nights. It’s nice when people throw compliments my way but they don’t need to. I consider myself very lucky to be in the position to help put on an event like Resistanz. Having that opportunity and seeing people having a great time and forming bonds with other fellow beings, that really is enough. I’m not looking for any recognition. Q. Anything else you’d like to add about what we can look forward to in future and will this be a one off reunion or will Tanz continue once more, and is there anything the community can do to help make 2020 run more smoothly? A. For me, this will be my last Resistanz Festival. I have no intention of reviving it as a regular or semi-regular event. The demand for one more event has been overwhelming these last few years and so it’s a real pleasure to bring it back once more. As for what the community can do to make ‘Tanz 2020 as successful as possible...Buying a ticket would be a good start (haha). I have the budget for the full Resistanz experience but there are still some things I would like to add. The more tickets we sell and the quicker we sell them would give me that opportunity to include these add-ons. Other than that, please spread the word. And remember this is only going to happen once. The last 6 have all sold out so if you truly wish to attend please don’t leave it too late to grab a ticket. Thank you and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible April 2020. Thank you for joining E.V Leighton! Tickets on sale today at http://www.corporation.org.uk/gig/2392/Resistanz+Festival+2020 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! #Resistanz #Resistanz2020 #Tanz #Tanz2020 #corporation #elektrovox #ebm #industrial #industrialmusic #aggrotech #festival #goth #gothuk #cybergoth

On the 20th July 2019 God Module, ESA, Matt Hart, and Flesh Tetris rocked the stage of Slimelight London. Below are video interviews with ESA, and God module; along with a gallery of pictures from the night. Be sure to check out our competition to win signed God Module merchandise including the new album 'The Unsound' on our facebook or instagram. (Closing date 31st July 2019) God Module ESA Gallery is: 1. God Module 2. ESA 3. 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! #GodModule #Industrial #EBM #Goth #Helllektro #Aggrotech #TerrorEBM #Slimelight #Elektrowerkz #TheUnsound #ElectronicSubstanceAbuse #ESA #MattHart #unconscious #unsound #crossmyheart #FleshTetris #IndustrialMusic #IndustrialGoth #ThatBeast #ElektroVox

If you've attended a Gothic music event that is even vaguely electronic then there's no doubt you would have seen Mark (DJ Kark) announcing bands, charity collecting for Beat:Cancer festival which he runs in often very entertaining ways, or spinning at the DJ decks (Once even alongside Memmaker!) Then there's Peter (DJ PeeWee) who is one half of what makes up Cosmic hard dance, again often found at many a music event filling the DJ set between bands. Both of these wonderful guys have been a real integral part of keeping alternative music and fun nights out alive. So when the two of them decided to join forces, even the titanic impact of a meteor couldn't keep these two down! Q. So just what on Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous period Earth is Karkasaurus and how did it come about? Did the idea start when you were dressed as a nurse leading a T-rex around at Infest Kark? [Peewee] If you give Mark a Chance to dress a nurse, he will take it!! That ‘stunt’ was actually to help promote Beat:Cancer and Infest’s own Charity. [Kark] And the dinosaur first came about at one of Petrol Bastards many Last Ever Gigs with Beat:Cancer in 2017 - Ben’s face presented with a dinosaur bearing a “F*ck Off” cake was priceless! [Peewee] Karkasaurus actually predates that - our first gig together was headlining at Khronology in Bristol back in January 2018. Before that we had been DJing at the same gigs often taking over from each other. I practically lived around Kark and his better half’s house for the end of 2017 when we were playing most weekends. It just seemed natural that we went B2B, it meant between us we could co-promote and bring new even crazier ideas to the table. It’s also more challenging up on stage. We honestly don’t know what the other is about to play and we feel this unplanned and unpredictable nature of our sets can be felt on the dancefloor. We live near enough 3 hours away from each other - so we don’t really get many ‘practice sessions’. Combining our two DJ names wasn’t really going to work (KarkWee has an awful ring to it). So Kark kept his and I donated my love of dinosaurs instead. The costumes followed straight after and have been there since our first gig. Q. Last I saw you both play Cosmic at Slimelight, you had your Dino onesies on and our good friend Ryan donning the inflatable T-rex in the crowd. Can we expect a larger herd of dino’s at each show, should we be worried, should we take precautions?? [Peewee] Ryan has been brilliant. Every show we’ve played in the last year he has been at and terrorised the local club goers. The best thing is we never once asked him to - he just started doing it and we love him for it. Our next show is at Infest 2019 (The UKs largest Goth festival) and we have been given the task of closing the festival in the main room. Chris and the team at Infest have been great - all our ideas have been approved in advance and they are giving us four decks to mix on instead of the normal two for an extra amount of creativity on stage. Should you be worried? Nah, our fans haven’t eaten anyone yet* *correct at the time of print [Kark] Mainly correct.. I have seen some bite marks… But just to be safe I’d advise camouflage: if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em in your finest dino-themed regalia! (Elektro Vox- It's true, Ryan has been known to bite..) Q. Are you guys working on some original music to bring out a Karkasaurus album in future perhaps? [Kark] Funnily enough we are! Whereas it’s bad form as an Industrial DJ to play your own music (not to mention the fact that BeinE and D.E.P isn’t particularly danceable material), with hard dance it’s a great way to progress your sets; writing tunes specifically for our own DJing to bring the audience something new. We’ve got a few things lined up for Infest specifically - namely the first two Karkasaurus tracks and a new hilariously ill advised mashup by Kark (Peewee refuses to be associated with it!). There’s hopefully more in the pipeline with a few awesome vocalists lined up! Q. What are the origins behind you DJ names of Kark and Peewee? [Kark] I’m Mark. With a K… Kark. It came about when we had two Marks (Mark and Marc) in a group of friends. We tried to differentiate with “Mark with K” and “Mark with a C”... someone blurted out “oh Kark and Carc - that makes it easier!” it’s become my nickname and the rest is murky and ill advised history.. [Peewee] is my nickname from primary school. Everyone I know calls me Peewee whether that's at work, at home or out with my friends. It seemed silly to try and brand myself as anything different. Q. What bands and artists got you in to doing this type of music yourselves? Who are your inspirations? [Peewee] I wasn’t that big into music for a long time. My parents took me to see AC/DC when I was around 14 and it changed from there, where like a lot of teenagers I got into the metal scene. I’d never heard much Industrial music till my friend asked me to go with her to a small festival called Resistanz in 2012. I got hooked and I’ve been a part of the scene ever since. Bands like Memmaker, Phosgore, Noisuf-x etc with hard hitting bass are the ones that attract my attention though. My true passion is Hardstyle and Hardcore. Da Tweekaz, Kutski, Darren Styles, Zatox, Sefa, Headhunterz, Dr Peacock, N-Vitral etc are a handful of names that I can think of that of that inspire. DJ wise I’ve just hit four years since I bought a small controller for my bedroom. This year I supported Headhunterz (Ranked the 17th best DJ in the world) at Ministry of Sound and I’m grateful to all those promoters and friends who have helped support the journey so far. [Kark] I’ve always had an Industrial background, and have been DJing Metal and Industrial since I was 18. My very first Industrial gig (and first festival full stop) was Infest 2007, with Gothsicles opening. To be playing the closing set there 12 years later is amazing! Since then it’s been a community more than a scene for me and I’ve been privileged enough to work and collaborate with some truly amazing people: from getting my solo work (D.E.P) on the old Static Distortion Records label and later partnering with AnalogueTrash for Beat:Cancer, to getting the opportunity to remix artists like ESA, Global Citizen and The Gothsicles. That’s always inspired and pushed me to be involved as an artist, a DJ and a promoter. The harder side of things is thanks to Sarah and Peewee inviting me to guest at Cosmic. I started off opening with trance and futurepop and was told if I played hardstyle I could get later slots - so I whored myself out, and realised I really enjoyed DJing hardstyle. Then Xtreme London asked me to do a hardcore set, which I’d never really gotten into… I left the booth in love with hardcore, now I’m a true slut for hardcore! Q. Which venues would you love to play at and which artists would you love to share the stage with one day? [Peewee] 2020 we are aiming for an international gig of any sort. Got tunes will travel!!! More local I would love to be able to play either Fabric, Egg or Printworks. We would also love to play Resistanz 2020 should it go ahead. Club Antichrist would also be pretty good fun - but unless people ask for us it’s hard to get the chance. Artists I would love to play alongside? Da Tweekaz, Kutski, Vengaboys or Scooter :p [Kark] Venue wise: Resistanz. That is all. I actually did it once - I was a last minute emergency stand-in with 5 minutes warning, a copy of the Beat:Cancer v3 CDs and some borrowed headphones… but I’d kill for a chance to do it properly as Karkasaurus (Leighton.. If you’re reading this... ). Artist wise: likewise Da Tweakaz, but also I’d say Gammer and Dr Peacock! Q. Kark, how is Beat:Cancer festival fairing? You have two incredible B:C festivals lined up with Manchester soon and London Elektrowerkz in November which I’m sure we are all looking forward to! I have also heard that you may take a break from B:C for a while now though is that right? [Kark] We’re really excited for this one - we’ve actually still got one artist to announce (at Infest!) but to be the only event in Europe to be getting a full band performance of iVardensphere is mind blowing. It’s going to be a brilliant end to 7 years of work, something I still can’t believe I get to do it. Then though we are taking an indefinite break; it’s time to spend some time catching our breath and refining how we work, but we’ll not be totally silent - we’re looking to help club nights run “In Aid of Beat:Cancer” events such as we’ve done with Cosmic and Khronology before now! Q. Peewee, being one of the two organisers of Cosmic hard dance, tell us about how Cosmic has been doing and what we can expect to see in future? [Peewee] Cosmic was set up as a one off to celebrate Sarah’s birthday as we thought it would be fun to host a clubnight. Since then we’ve had Organ Donors, Dark by Design, Amber D, Phil Mackintosh, Reklus, Halestone, Cut-Up, Matt D, Bitman and a whole range of talent play for us. We couldn’t have done it without the help of the local talent in the form of our friends though. Sy Soundwave, Digital Chaos, Jester N’ Kohl and Problem Frequency all come to mind. 2020 is going to be an odd year as Sarah is off to live in South America for a year and I’m looking to buy a house. Let’s see what happens. Q. How did you get so many great bands to play Beat:Cancer and Cosmic shows? Is it all just down to the power of networking over social media as I have found with Elektro Vox, or has there been a lot more to it? [Peewee] Cosmic like most things is sadly simply down to the money and how many people we can get through the door. All the artists we’ve approached have always worked hard to help our budgets and we respect everyone for helping us out - especially the local talent. That being said we’ve spent thousands on lineups. Top of the game DJs and venues don’t come cheap with hotel costs, travel etc etc. Then on top of that you have costs such as wristbands, fuel, insurance, glitter, facebook ads, drinks rider etc all add up fast that people don’t really think about. However, the support has been amazing and we couldn’t have done it without everyone coming each time. We’ve spent every single penny in putting those shows on and are happy to keep doing that if people appreciate it. [Kark] As Peewee says the support has been amazing: B:C started off with a Halloween club night with Club Recall to help build up to releasing the first CD back in 2012 and on the back of that I contacted Jamie Blacker (ESA) to see if he’d headline our first gig at the end of 2013. From that point we’ve had so many band contact us and word has spread: we’ve been overwhelmed at times by the giving nature of artists, promoters and always fans in the Industrial scene. What I love as well is that Jamie has been back pretty much every year in one form or other as ESA comes gets better and better in leaps and bounds! Q. Who have been your favourite artists to work alongside or play at your shows? [Peewee] Keltek (ex Psyko Punkz) was one of the nicest guys I’ve ever DJed alongside. I picked him up from the airport and got to hang around with for a few days. Even though he plays to crowds of 30,000+ over in Holland he was very down to earth. We also went on tour with our friends Sirus when they were over from Australia and they are great fun to be around. Shout out to them! Obviously there are so many more to mention but I would be here all day. [Kark] *COUGH* Memmaker… My highlight has got to be joining Memmaker for their Beat:Cancer Festival set, closely followed by DJing alongside Organ Donors at Cosmic. It’s also honestly always an honour to be a regular fixture alongside Jester & Kohl - they’re a real influence for our b2b performance, are great guys to work with and an honour to share residency at Xtreme. ..(Elektro Vox- Honestly Mark threw himself around so hard at Memmaker in what was possibly the best showmanship I've ever seen on stage and that gig (alongside ESA) is still the one I raved and danced the hardest at to the point of near collapse!).. Q. What’s next for Karkasaurus, do you have shows lined up and what direction can we expect you both to take in the future? [Peewee] After Infest 2019 we’ve are both playing Rave Logic in Nottingham, we are doing a solo set each - Kark playing Industrial into Hardstyle and I’m dropping a 200bpm cheesy frenchcore set before passing over the decks to one of the most famous pioneers of the hardcore scene - Scott Brown. We are then also playing a second B2B2B set with our good friend Problem Frequency who runs the Harder Side of Hardcore London. [Kark] In keeping with the Dino theme that b2b2b will be the start of “Terrordactyl”, a gloriously stupid way to follow Scott! [Peewee] We’ve also got another big gig coming up supporting one of the world's best DJs. But that’s about as much as I dare say right now. [Kark] mmm, Juicy sekrits! 2020 we hope will bring more craziness. A big thank you to Karkasaurus for speaking to ELektro Vox! .... Thank you for viewing and please feel free to share on social media and like us on Instagram, YouTube (Where we have video interviews with amazing industrial bands), 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 #Goth #Industrial #IndustrialMusic #Karkasaurus #DJKark #DJPeeWee #cosmicharddance #cosmic #Beat:cancer #beatcancer #Memmaker #ESA #Keltek #Infest #Resistanz #AnalougueTrash

Seraphim System explodes back on to the dance floor with one hell of a noise heavy STOMP album that is full of dark twisted energy fit for a revolution. Seraphim System is the solo work of John Stancil, a supremely talented musical machine who has put out multiple albums of various styles and sounds within the world of industrial; as Digital World Audio put it.. "From the dance floor friendly 'Deadly Force' through the hip-hop heavy 'Automaton Assisted Annihilation' to the industrial-metal of 'Luciferium' and 'Pandaemonium.." John's work has been an impressive amalgamation of genre melding that you can never quite put your finger on, and you're never quite sure which sound tangent each new album will take. Which is why the term Swaggrotech has become the self described term for his style which now also has Ruinizer and Sirus in on the 'style' that is swaggrotech; fully solidifying what was just a fun phrase in to a new and very much valid path of industrial. Interview: Q. The album is clearly a concept piece, from the track names, to the promotional teaser vids saying about taking down the rich, and the political aspect of it being released on the 4th of July, so tell me about the story of this album? I wanted the album to be the soundtrack to an armed revolution with parallels drawn between robo-warfare and real life human insurrection. The rich should fear the common people, and the common people at some point should just hunt them and execute them. Your voice, your vote, your livelihood; none of this matters to the wealthy elite. Action alone moves the world. Some people love to share memes about eating the rich but have no idea what kind of sacrifice an armed revolution would cost. The promotional teaser sets the album's atmosphere up nicely with samples from Bill Williamson. Q. The tracks on it need to be played loud in order to be properly appreciated. Was this another ‘Homemade’ album and if so, is it difficult trying to make such a noise heavy album in that environment? Yeah, the entire album was written over the course of a month. I write all my music on my laptop with a pair of cheap but extremely efficient headphones I got at a discount store for less than ten dollars. There’s always a difficulty with sound design and trying to make something that knocks with my current setup. That’s the beauty of mastering and pre-production. The louder the better is the end goal. It’s meant to be felt in your chest with club speakers. Q. What were you up to when you had the inspiration to do this album and what did you want to create with it? I was working at a new tattoo shop and the shop didn’t get much business. Most of my work days were me coming into the shop, sitting at a desk, and producing until it was time to close. I had all the time in the world to write the album and like most other albums of mine, it just all hit in a singular creative burst. I work fast when I know what I want and there’s little trouble translating what I have in my head into something I can hear. I’ve been using this program since I was about 15 so if I can think it, I can make it happen. Q. This album was almost lost when Cleopatra took interest in Xibalba is that right, And are you now back with DWA fully with your next releases of 'Force Fed Annihilation' and 'Now that’s what I call Swaggrotech?' I’ll always have a home at DWA. They were my first baby steps into the scene and our relationship is and always has been good. Obsidian Frontline was set to be released before Xibalba but DWA let Cleopatra put out Xibalba first. It gathered some good attention and then kinda fell off, so DWA released Obsidian Frontline after the initial bubble for Xibalba had burst. Pretty much any and every bit of electro-industrial I write in the future will likely go through DWA. It’s got a home there. Q. Speaking of those other two releases lined up, tell us about how you got working with Ruinizer and ended making Swaggrotech a multiple band powerhouse, not just Seraphim System, and what are going to be the differences between those two ‘compilation’ albums you have out next? Jay Ruin is a great friend of mine who has a similar history in music production... eerily similar. We have a similar taste in influences and a broad spectrum of electronic styles we are capable of making. My guy Josh Rombout is also into the whole market with his band Sirus and they’ve made some Swaggrotech style stuff as well. It’s just something different and fun that people either hate, don’t get, or just don’t care about, so it’s all just for creativity and laughs. As far as the compilation albums, that’s all controlled through the label. I really don’t have much say or direction as far as making the music and just giving it to them. I cook the food and put it on the table. The labels cut it up and serve it, so to speak. Q. Have you got any live shows lined up in the U.S this year? Negative. Maybe in the fall I will tour or get on the road with someone last minute, but I rarely ever seek out shows to play. They can be costly to the venue if people don’t show up and it’s not promoted. Also most places won’t even let you book a show unless you’ve got a metric shit ton of social media followers or at least one act that does. I half-ass my social media and don’t even use instagram and twitter... which I need to be better about. Q. For those who snag one of the 100 physical copies, they also get the unreleased Kelevra album, what kind of tracks and direction does that take and what's the story behind that part of this release. Kelevra was initially going to be a Drum n Bass / Hardcore album but I ended up drastically changing every one of the songs to make them powernoise. It was the label’s idea to drop Kelevra onto Obsidian Frontline since, like you said, there was never a “real” release for Kelevra. (If you want to listen to Kelevra and aren't lucky enough to be one of the 100 physical copy owners, then it can be found on You Tube on Seraphim Systems channel) Many thanks John! ... A previous interview with John about his last album Xibalba, his show at the last Resistanz festival UK, and where exactly Swaggrotech comes from can be found here; also a review of Xibalba can be found here. Review: It is hard to review a concept album such as this as the entire album sounds like a science fiction battlefield with the samples that make up the percussion and general tune of each track sound like explosions, volleys of laser fire, cacophonies of machine-gun fire, and the overwhelming miasma of war throughout with the context of each being fairly simple within the titles but none the less effective in their explanation of what the tracks bring to the overall story you are listening to; especially when there is no singing and the only vocals are that of the weaponized machine calling out its target identifications and resolutions. However Seraphim System have returned in top form, this entire album is full of tracks that would fill the floor of any industrial DJ set bringing out all manners of dance with the energy and irresistible need to move to it, once again making the term Electronic Body Movement so spot on. Somewhere between the harsh noise of E.S.A (Electronic Substance Abuse) and the rave bliss of Memmaker this album is a glorious return to the underlying swaggrotech sounds we fell in love with on 'Deadly Force,' 'Automaton Assisted Annihilation,' and 'Friendly Fire' which may also add to the reason the AK47 Dog logo is once again on the cover; it's heavy on the 'aggro' and the 'tech,' once again prevalent throughout. Needles to say, I am thoroughly enjoying this beast of an album. Track list: Systems Reengaged Continuing Patrol Targets Acquired Exterminated Enemy Contact Termination Imminent Threat Level Nominal Cannons Primed Rupture Hostile Destroyed (As you can see these leave some room for your own interpretations as you listen) Top tracks on the album: For me the top tracks are.. 1. Cannons Primed 2. Hostile Destroyed 3. Targets acquired 4. Exterminated. As I said previously it is difficult to review each track though. Each track flows so well into another that you're unaware the track has changed; the mastering and mixing blend the whole album perfectly and seamlessly. That's not to say each track sounds the same, far from it as each one touches on a slightly different approach to the style of stomp heavy audio they represent and therefore at least one track will appeal to even the fussiest of Electroheads. This album is solid work and really worth a listen if you want some music to power through your day at work, the gym, or even tidying up. It will have you moving and swaggrotech groovin.' The physical album is also a beauty to behold with its imprinted and flash design. Get yourself a copy here: https://seraphimsystem.bandcamp.com/album/obsidian-frontline Seraphim System's next two releases are in combination with Ruinizer as they release the 'Summer of swaggrotech' versus singles and their triple CD's 'Force Fed Annihilation and 'From Exhumation To Decimation' respectively featuring their finest works and some new content not found anywhere else. Check them out on band camp, links below: https://seraphimsystem.bandcamp.com/album/force-fed-annihilation https://ruinizer.bandcamp.com/album/from-exhumation-to-decimation The singles can be found in these links: https://seraphimsystem.bandcamp.com/album/now-thats-what-i-call-swaggrotech https://ruinizer.bandcamp.com/album/gatekeeper 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 #Swaggrotech #DigitalWorldAudio #DWA #SeraphimSystem #Xibalba #ObsidianFrontline #Sirus #Ruinizer #SummerOfSwaggrotech #Goth #Industrial #EBM

Here is our interview with Doctor Magic and Kara wolf about how the band is doing and what's next. A big thank you to the band, The Fiddler's Elbow Camden, and Off Beat Promotions. 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 #goth #industrial #punk #metal #madmax #syd31 #syd.31 #dr magic #walkamongstrebels #TheFiddlersElbow #Joffbeatproductions #camden #camdentown

It was set to be a jammed pack weekend for the alternative scene with bands like Rammstein, 3Teeth, and Ministry drawing in the crowds as well as people saving energy for London Pride the next day. Even so the bands that played at the Fiddler's elbow did so with pure passion and determination in the face of such competition for audience numbers. Arriving at the historic and beautiful Fiddler's elbow which is decorated in hundreds of vinyl records, hundreds more posters, and thousands of stickers top to toe, I kicked myself that I had not visited this bar before. It really is one of gems that should adorn the crown of alternative royalty in London and I would suggest you drop in just to view the aesthetic over a pint next time you pass Camden's way. I also was not sure what to expect of the bands either. I knew SYD.31 well already and had set up an interview with the band which can be found here. I had also heard of AlterRed but couldn't remember much, the other two were a mystery to me but I was in high hopes for the evening and without a doubt, those hopes were fulfilled! Let me put this out there now. If I don't know a band, I am highly critical when it comes to seeing anyone play live, especially in a bar having seen far too many amateur as hell bands cover one too many Wonderwall and Sex is on fire tracks if you know what I mean? However each and every band was highly entertaining and has changed that perception for me almost over night. Down From Above This duet of a guitarist and a female singer with backing music to support was an absolute delight! Have you ever watched Supernatural or True Blood on TV? Well this band's music wouldn't go amiss playing over an important scene, be it emotional, or fast paced. Their music is powerful with some intense melodies both vocally and shredded from the guitar. Even with this powerful sound, the vocals were pitch perfect and clear enough to make out the lyrics over the top of what was a very well balanced overall sound; partly due to the high quality equipment of the venue as well as the band's talent. I had to tell the band after their performance how much I enjoyed it and was lucky enough to be handed an EP by the lovely singer Anastasia. They have a couple of tracks on Spotify at the moment called 'Where angels fall', and 'Give it up.' Which I have listened to quite a few times already whilst writing this. Go check them out! Jan Doyle Band This is a true art piece to watch. A band half way to old school goth Sister's of Mercy but got snagged on David Bowie, and slipped in a puddle of glam; in a sense... The Clash on acid. There's PVC galore, glam metal hair, and retro aesthetic makeup for days. Even through all that, the industrial sound still underlines everything perfectly. Jan Doyle Band present themselves as an 'Insurrectionary Neo Futurism' experience which also happens to be the name of their album which is also an EXTREMELY good listen for anyone goth looking for something new to listen to, especially if you really like some of the traditional stuff. The lead singer Derek throws himself around the stage, in to the audience, wraps a microphone cord around his neck, and covers himself in 'blood' all the whilst stumbling about in an ecstatic stupor that in no way interrupts his flow of singing. Yet with all this frivolity there were a few technical issues, wardrobe malfunctions, and forgotten backup vocals yes this only added to the brilliant nonchalant spectacle. "He is honestly one of my favourite artists because no matter what, he doesn't care about f**k ups and just keeps going hard." - Doctor Magic of SYD.31 on the bands performance And the delights continued with the band doing a fantastic cover of Skinny Puppy's 'Assimilate' followed straight away by Baccara's 'We can boogie.' Truly it was one of the more interesting and bizarre yet satisfying sets I have ever had the privileged of witnessing and I want to see it all over again! AlterRed Dressed in black and wearing red ties, the band came out sounding like a heavy Nine Inch Nails and looking like a top class William control group. To their credit I saw several of the younger goth ladies in the audience leave after AlterRed's set, presumably having been there to see them. I therefore jokingly referred to them as 'The Daddy kink' band when I noticed that. All of that is a compliment to what was a fine band playing some pure industrial rock/metal fueled with aggression and passion for what they were playing. The guitars were heavy and the drumming was on point to make the audience step and stomp in time to the beats of the former Command and Control drummer. I can see why I had heard of this band before, and enjoyed their set being the industrial lover that I am. During the track 'Breaking news,' the energy was intense and the crowd were as warmed up as they were gonna be even as the crows asked for one more to be played, sadly they could not however as time was over running and SYD.31 needed to start their headline set. Syd.31 When SYD.31 was doing sound check the question 'How loud is too loud?' was asked by Jason (Dr.Magic) to the sound engineer and I can tell you this, It was exceptionally loud but it was perfect. The last punks on Earth tore up the stage and the dance floor with many of the audience, myself included finally giving in to the need to STOMP, rave, and rock the hell out. Shavor Joined the band as the guitarist for his first show with the band and he is a truly talented musician who played heavier than heavy which easily covered up any mistakes or timing issues that arose because the noise, power, and energy coming off the band was pure and it sounded exactly how the apocalypse should. Kara destroyed it on the drums playing with the ferocity she is well known for making the ideal back up to the heavy guitar riffs, and of course Doctor Magic as ever roared himself hoarse for that hardcore growl we all know and love. Even pressed for time, the band had grace and calm amongst the chaos that is their music. With messages in the music ranging from F**K Theresa May, to F**k Greedy landlords, to helping those in need to prevent suicide, the band has a lot of story in their performance and meaning to their lyrics. It was hotter than hot by this time, so much so that the electrical equipment started to fail and the bad were on the verge of passing out from dehydration, yet still they powered through their amazing tracks like 'Bulldoze everything' and 'Start a war.' There was also that cheeky cover of 'Mr vain' by Culture beat which always goes down superbly. An interview before and after, with clips of 'Start a war' and 'Mr Vain' can be found here The set list: 01) Beware of The Gods 02) Unrepentant Anger 03) Last Punks On Earth 04) Walk Amongst Rebels 05) Bulldoze Everything 06) Fighting For The Future 07) Start A War 08) No Fear 09) Hate 10) Mr Vain As ever SYD.31 put on a passionate performance and rounded the evening off perfectly. If you have a chance to see them, make sure you go and pick up their new album 'Walk amongst rebels' here! A big thank you to the bands, The Fiddler's Elbow Camden, and Off Beat Promotions. 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 #goth #industrial #punk #metal #madmax #syd31 #syd.31 #drmagic #walkamongstrebels #TheFiddlersElbow #offbeatproductions #camden #camdentown #downfromabove #alterred #jandoyleband

Xibalba is another fantastic entry from the ever creative mind of Seraphim system, mixing up his previous heavy album styles with the synth master-work of his earlier albums. Elektro Vox interviewed John Stancil of Seraphim System about the album’s release which can be found here. Here is an extraction of that interview in regards to the album.. “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.” Seraphim System songs have been added to one of the most famous you tube influences, DJ Wintermute’s Industrial compilations in the past and I’ve no doubt Xibalba tracks will be added to those in future considering the great sounds on offer. Singularity John has a way with punishing his vocals in a way others could only dream of and even so doing, each word is crystal clear no matter which way he pushes his voice. This opening track starts off like the guitar and noise heavy grind-core band ‘The Berzerker’ but quickly becomes much more as it sets the scene for an album that draws from the previous albums of Pandaemonium and Luciferium but transitions back in to the more familiar grounds of industrial music as a whole. Mark of the void The seconds track wastes no time in keeping up the aggression and raw power that Seraphim System has proven time and again is a perfect direction for industrial music to flow when the right artist does it. It’s a difficult sub genre to attempt and even harder to make sound amazing. The break down of somewhat more melodic lyrics adds that sugar coated topping to sweeten the track before it grabs you, and shakes you until you start screaming along with the words. This track is a virtual kick in the teeth and never before has that felt so damn good. Witch (Featuring Ritual Aesthetic) If Post-Hardcore bands like ‘Bring me the Horizon’ ever ventured in to the world of Drum and Bass like ‘Korn’ mastered Dub-step, then it may very well sound somewhat like this. The percussion sounds like a wasteland savage smashing away at metal barrels in a frenzy of emotion. The break down of the slower verses makes it appeal to a wider, potentially younger market even as it builds back up to heavier heights once more. It will no doubt be heard in clubs in future. Remove your mask This is one of those tracks that should be added to your gym playlist for the sheer brutality to keep you going and the momentum the beat is full of. It definitely has the feel of calling people out for their crap. The rhythm is fast and almost trap like making this more of a rave mosh pit piece. There is anger in this song directed at not only the world but the self and internal reflection also. You want a theme tune to fight to? This one is for you You know where to find me A hauntingly Halloween style piano/keyboard introduces what is possibly the best track on the album. There's a lot more of the industrial synthetic samples and sounds to be found here and it flows well between heavy stomping and a sing along chorus of post hardcore style goodness. This track once again shows that Seraphim System is able to combined any style of music with industrial, be it metal, punk, hardcore, or rap Etc. I want this played in clubs far and wide to break up the sometimes monotonous stream tracks coming out of a DJ’s set. There are many parts to this album that make me think of ‘Cradle of Filth’ and the keyboard in this song made me realize that all the more. This track is fast yet well paced and going to go down so well in live shows. Tasting Cyanide Atmospheric in the sense that I felt dragged in to a terminator film, or at least a future set sci-fi film full of murderous cyborgs. Perhaps to say it in another way ‘Robocop on Cocaine.’ The beat and grind of music is constant and intense. Turned up loud enough in headphones, it will rip you from your feet or make you dance to a punishing beat. Your choice. Saviour Kicking off in keeping with the theme of the album thus far, the aggressive vocals and ear pounding beats are suddenly given way to a harmonious break down that takes you a few moments to realize your jaw has tried to leave your face. It’s a beautiful breakdown that I’ve not expected of Seraphim System before once again mixing up boundaries of genres that are rarely amalgamated together. You can feel that there is a lot of meaning and emotion being conveyed in this rare offering. It drifts out to the sounds of a heart being poured out and leads beautifully in to the feel of the final track. Jameson I asked John about the emotion in this track, and the pain evident throughout in our interview. I was right in that assessment when he addressed this song and it’s meaning towards him which you can read here. The sound of Jameson puts me in mind of a movie trailer for a gritty and emotional roller-coaster ride of a new TV show or action movie with the deep lyrics put over an angelic sound of an almost electric orchestra. Even so there is still that heavy doom and metal aspect to the track throughout. If you listen to any song on this album let it be this, for it is a very different sound than anything Seraphim System has offered before and it is gloriously profound. .... Knowing the circumstances on which this album was created I am in awe of how such an album could have been put together without all the bells and whistles of a top of the range recording studio. What John has achieved here is an intriguing look at his creative nature and paints a great picture for the future of Seraphim. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with in future. Xibalba was released recently on Cleopatra records. Please support Seraphim System by grabbing a copy of the album on Bandcamp https://seraphimsystem.bandcamp.com/album/xibalba 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!

Ask someone to explain what the genre definition of Hellektro or terror and how it fits in to industrial music and for sure God Module would be the first two syllables on practically everyone's lips. In 2017 'Does this stuff freak you out? A retrospective' was released; a greatest hits if you will with some brilliant remixes thrown in too that is a throw back to the sample in the song 'Victims among friends.' God Module was solidified early in the pantheon of Industrial Gods with their albums 'Viscera' in 2005 and 'Let's go dark' in 2007. With this latest offering, that signature sound of dark tech and synthesized growls returns in top form for what could be another album that proves once again that God Module more than deserves that pantheon seat. 'The Unsound' will be released on July 12th. As is to be expected, the lyrical content is very deep and emotional, often directed at those who have hurt, betrayed, or abused another. I feel that a lot of people are going to relate to the pain in those words and connect with the album as an experience that ties in with the life experiences of the listener as is often the case with music; few however touch quite the same deep nerves as God Module does. This brings a cathartic healing factor to the music which is in direct contrast to the initial sound of harsh hellektro and Aggrotech and yet there you are, Jasyn has ever worked wonders balancing the visceral noise of his music with the powerful message and deep seated emotion hidden just beneath the surface. As is well known, the best art comes from an artist who has known, or is, suffering. Top 3 favourite tracks from 'The Unsound'.... Number 1: Cross my heart. Already three singles have their own music videos and 'Cross my heart' is the opening track to the new album and I can say this for sure, on every God Module album, there is at least one track that will be played regularly in industrial night clubs for many, many years to come and this track is for sure going to be this album's contribution to that classic dance floor filling list. The track is fairly true to the more rave style of industrial music with one hell of a catchy beat that is at a perfect tempo to dance to. It is classic God module.. Harsh vocals with a beat that is damn good fun. "God Module, please check your brakes. This track is comin' in too hot." -Fishfins in the video comments. Number 2: Grey Forces This is the signature sound personified. Reminiscent of many of their classic tracks and samples style. I love how upbeat and vocal this track is. It has that nostalgia factor whilst still being brand new and I hope to see this one played live in future. Number 3: Deja Vu Another track with a good dance vibe that keeps with the more horror-like feel God Mod is known for with a dark sample thrown in which this album seems to lack in comparison to previous offerings. As previous mentioned there are two more videos from the album already, both found below... 'Unconscious' 'Unsound' Unsound has an ESA (Electronic Substance Abuse) and Finite Automata remix to be released which can be found here Overall the album puts me in the mind of H.P. Lovecraft or perhaps Edgar Alan Poe. I say that because this album could be a good soundtrack to a steampunk horror with its touch of classic madness in the midst of high tech industrial. It is an album that verges on a descent in to despair which is pulled off in a superb story novel fashion, to myself at least. It will be one of the most interesting and definitive industrial releases this year to be sure and I look forward to seeing where God Module go from here. Pre order the new album on their bandcamp here Elektro Vox will be interviewing Jasyn of God Module on July 20th at Slimelight Elektrowerkz London where I shall ask Jasyn about the album and its meaning in person. Find all of God Module's tour dates and venues here 18th - Glasgow Scotland – Ivory Blacks 19th - Manchester England – Night People https://www.godmodule.org/ God Module is Jasyn Bangert, assisted by Andrew Pearson. 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! #GodModule #Industrial #EBM #Goth #Helllektro #Aggrotech #TerrorEBM #Slimelight #Elektrowerkz #TheUnsound #E.S.A #ESA #FiniteAutomata #unconscious #unsound #crossmyheart ​

Pretty Addicted were the headline act for Club Antichrist's 15th birthday anniversary back at the wonderful Elektrowerkz which was absolutely packed! I see two reasons for the huge crowd that night, one was that Elektrowerkz feels like the true home to club AC since it's departure from coliseum with many people not quite feeling the kinky vibe when it's set at Vauxhall's Fire club; Elektrowerkz is indeed the venue loved by all Gothic and kinky people. Secondly of course was the chance to see Vicious Precious tear up the stage once again as she always puts on a wonderfully energetic and unique show. Vicious threw herself around that stage and put on quite the risque' show well suited to the uninhibited Club Antichrist spirit. For those of you near the front I think you know what I mean, for those who don't, you'll just have to go see her shows in future! It was after these parts in the performance that Vicious would shout that she 'Doesn't care what you think' (of her, what she does, or her music) and the like; and fair play to her. However you can really tell that she really does care for her fans and the show she is putting on for them, she goes that extra mile to make sure that what's being presented is enjoyable. When she finished with the ever incredible track 'Mania' the crowd really felt the rave vibe and sang along hard. Truly Vicious puts on one of the most in you face, artistic, and bizarre shows around. It's chaotically wonderful. How did you find playing Club Antichrist, you seemed very much in your element and gave the audience quite the show so it must have felt like a great set and audience? Oh definitely in my element! We have played Club Antichrist quite a few times and both AC & Electrowerkz always feel like home! It was important to me to put on a good show because the very first Pretty Addicted gig ever was on that very stage so it meant a lot to me. I am proud of the show we did and everyone was dancing from beginning to end so I like to think they were loving it! Near the end of your set you told the crowd about how you first played at slimelight several years ago. Can you elaborate on that a bit more and Give is an insight in to the journey it has been for Pretty Addicted from then, to now? Haha so weird I just mentioned this in the last question ;) It was 27th November 2012 my very first Pretty Addicted gig, on that Electrowerkz/Slimelight stage, and it has been a crazy journey so far! I've chopped and changed band members like Destiny's Child but it was all about finding people who I felt belonged on that stage with me. I have come on leaps and bounds since that first show; firstly my vocals have insanely improved. Vocal practice, sure, but there's something actually performing does to make you better at vocals. Just the finality of it; that you have to nail the songs there and then. It kicks you up the ass to improve yourself all the time and I constantly improve all the time. I look back and see how our live show game has been upped and upped and I am so fucking proud of where i am right now. I will continue to be proud of myself year in, year out, because my live show really does get better every year because of that progression and confidence too. For those who are new to pretty addicted, tell us a bit about yourselves, your music, and who are the people that join you on stage? Pretty Addicted is musically a solo project. I make what I like to call "Dance Punk" (even though I'm not mad on labels) because it has the raw energy of Punk and the sounds of Dance. the PA message is that I don't give a FUCK! I stand for being your most authentic self in spite of anybody who opposes you and my music reflects that. It's very in your face; full of angst, attitude and harshness. I take a lot of inspiration from the early 90s and somewhere between sort of Marilyn Manson and The Prodigy I like to think we fit nicely in between that. I mean, they're my influences anyway and I take bits from both as well as my own original sound to create the Donktastic PA vibe. I like to mix things up; sometimes it's dancier, sometimes it's heavier but I do think you KNOW it's Pretty Addicted in the first bar or two when it comes on. That's something I pride myself on. I do think I have a sound nobody else has. Whether you hate it or love it, it's definitely its own style. Can you tell us about the ‘Soul for sale’ album you have In the works right now, the campaign you have running to bring it to fruition, and the direction the songs will take? I NEED to write this album. I have been in a dark place and the only way I know how to get out of it is to write music. I have a couple songs already written for this, very dark sounding, and I am basically now continuing that work. The campaign has been up 2 weeks now with 4 weeks left and we're at 25% so far which is great! The sound, like I said, is definitely going to be dark. More on the heavy side. The words are very "existential crisis" and so far everything is very, very raw to the bone. I called it "Soul For Sale" because I feel like I have given out my soul so many times and been constantly rejected so I'm almost at this point where I just want someone to take it from me, if that makes sense. I'm actually an incredibly lonely person and I wanted to talk about that with this album, so expect loads of emotion, even more than normal. Click here to go to the funding page of the campaign with some INCREDIBLE funding rewards that you can choose from! What is the symbolism behind the pig mask and the inspirations behind your unique take on alternative music with what you call rave punk? Originally the pig mask was symbolic of the song "Piggy" and "Piggy" is a term I use for people who take from other people; money, energy etc, for their own superficial needs, and the wearing of the mask was to mock those kind of people. But now I'm attached to the newer half Pig mask because it allows me to be my ugliest self and almost lose myself in the character. So it's all still connected, really. Crackheads is the name given to your fan base, is there an official crackhead fan club other than the Facebook group? I think the group really is the fan club! The group is an incredibly important asset because I feel like it's the only part of the internet that isn't affected by algorithm (knock on wood!) People interact there the most and they see posts way more than on the band Facebook or Instagram. I know Crackheads have made friends with other Crackhead in that group, met up at gigs and outside of gigs, and I really love that. Makes it easier to get close to everyone and have them know and support me on a more personal level, which I think they like too! Facebook Crackhead army link What song of yours means the most to you and which song are you most proud of? ooh! I love that question! The one that means the most is "Mania" which seems like the most obvious answer but it genuinely is. Purely because every time I sing it on stage and I see people sing it back to me with their hands high and their hearts up to me (which is what it feels like), I just feel so lost in those moments. I feel invincible in those moment, just like the song says. I wrote that song in the hardest part of my life and so I'm reminded every time I sing it that I am HERE and I have a purpose. The one I'm most proud of is probably "Choose Your Poison" because that song is about something really hard that I got though and I was able to perfectly articulate my feelings into that song. The song literally IS my feelings about that situation I was in and every time I hear it I go right back to that time and feel the emotions of it just as raw as they were back then. And I think that's the sign of a really good song; something that makes you FEEL and, no matter how many times you hear it, makes you feel something every time. I do think my best work is to come though, because an artist always aims to improve so I like to think my best work is yet to come. Do you have any plans for a new music video in future? I have plans for 3! As long as we reach the target on the crowd-funder the aim is to make 3 and release them all before the new album comes out! I'm definitely all about understanding that visuals are important and we definitely have been slacking on the video front so 3 videos for the new album is a good shout! Always improve and better yourself/progress, is what I say! Finally, anything you would like to say to your fans? THANK YOU for always being with me. You've stuck by me from Day ! I truly have the loyalest fans in the whole world. they have stuck by me through thick and thin and believed in me. On those days I just want to give up and throw in the towel they pull me out of it with that reminder that I am not alone and I matter to at least somebody in this world. They're fucking beautiful. Please continue to stick by me; I'm doing my best to make the next album the BEST ONE YET! Thank you for talking to E.V Vicious! 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!

It's not been long since we spoke to Dr. Magic of SYD.31 about the upcoming album alongside our early review which can be found here Following their explosive single Bulldoze Everything (Video below), a genre-mashing, politically driven electropunk masterpiece, Manchester based SYD.31 are back with the new album ‘Walk Amongst Rebels.’ ‘The perfect soundtrack...to the end of the world...an emotively wrought masterpiece’ //  A&R Factory ‘And just like that I was blown away...this album is a call to wake up NOW!’ //  Elektrovox ‘If this album was a punch, It would break your jaw, then ask for a thank you!’ //  Flick of the Finger Magazine ‘This album is nothing short of a masterpiece ... glorious... jaw-dropping’ // Epitome of Epic Combining raw punk vocals, boot-stomping industrial noise, aggressively downtuned guitars, filthy electro beats and tribal rhythms, Walk Amongst Rebels arrives with serious attitude and packs a punch! "I think I’ve created the nastiest guitar riff since rock 'n roll began."  Dr Magic on Bulldoze Everything The latest offering and lead single for the Album is the vastly different and unique Angel.41 which is an incredibly emotional piece that gives the perfect mid album rest to the chaos pent up within the rest of it. Syd 31 frontman, Dr Magic on the track ‘Angel 41’... ‘Nothing hurts like losing the love of your life, its the end of your entire world. Sitting with my mum through the night when my dad passed was the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced. It's the most haunting song I’ve written and it's dedicated to her’. ‘Angel 41’ is taken from their upcoming album,‘Walk Amongst Rebels’, which is out 24th June. Recorded at Oscillate Recording, Manchester, it features10 new tracks from Dr Magic. The self released and funded record will be his first biographical release to date: ‘Its a whole load of songs based when life goes wrong, you feel you can’t pull through. Its true tales of suicide, depression, break-ups, divorce and loss. Yeah, I cry in takes, I scream and I get fucking angry. But this is raw, honest and I won’t apologise for letting it all out. I’m not sorry for losing control on this album.’ Syd.31 is a project formed by Dr Magic in 2012 and armed with the ability to make strangers dance, SYD.31s live shows can only be described as ‘utter f**king carnage ’. Syd.31 has previously released two EPs and a debut album and this is the first self-release album after buying out the former label contract, such is their confidence in what they do. Syd.31 are: Dr Magic: Lead Vox/Guitar, production, programming, arrangements and song writing Kara Wolf: Live drums, additional vocals and snarls Harry Shavo: Live guitar and sneers 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 #goth #industrial #punk #metal #madmax #syd31 #syd.31 #dr magic #walkamongstrebels

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!