A pair of heavy hitting body music tours set to make their way across North America this fall ended up booking shows in Vancouver on the same day, and thankfully have been folded into one supercard, meaning that in a couple of months we’ll be getting to see Spike Hellis, Normal Bias, Buzz Kull, and Kontravoid all on the same night. A complete murderer’s row of modern EBM to be sure, but if you’re in NA you’ll likely have a chance to check out one if not both component parts as they’re extensive tours covering most of the continent. Hell, Spike Hellis is already on the road in support of the killer LP which finally dropped last week. Check the dates and grab tickets while listening to this week’s tracks.
Are you Knormalled enough?
Soft Vein, “Another Summer”
Did you listen to our interview with Soft Vein on the podcast last week? If not, you should go do that right now, then come back here and listen to the exceptional “Another Summer”, yet another absolute stunner from the forthcoming All We’ve Known of Heaven. Justin Chamberlain’s songwriting, intimate style of performance and instrumentation keeps getting more undeniable with each release, and given the massive leaps he’s made in a mere three years, the overcast but beautiful skies are the limit for this melancholic LA based artist. One of our most hotly anticipated albums this year.
Patriarchy, “Bite Marks”
Patriarchy are the enfants terrible of modern American darkwave, an act that provokes on stage and on record with each release. The thing is, the material backs it up, with last year’s excellent Manual For Dying showing off just how good the LA trio fronted by Actually Huizenga has gotten at bringing their gnarly stage show to their records. New EP Appendices is no different, featuring five tracks of mechanized shock rock and electro, expect to hear “Bite Marks” on your stompier dancefloors soonish.
Caustic, “Not Going Anywhere (Klack mix)”
North American cult industrial impresario Matt Fanale follows up his last double LP Fiend with a remix album Unfiended, featuring a diverse roster of collaborators including Male Tears, Petrol Bastard, Alien Faktor, and Mark Pistel (!!!) amongst others. Of course Matt’s other project Klack dips in, bringing some of that new beat NRG to “Not Going Anywhere”, resolutely funky and full of more orch hits than a synclavier sample library. Giddy up!
ner.ogris, “A View”
German acts ner.ogris (or ner\ogris) have won us over via one LP and one EP of rock-solid electro-industrial which opts for considered grooves and sculpted sound design rather than shock or excess. This brooding taster from forthcoming LP Femme Fatale gets their strengths over quickly and artfully and bodes well for another course of proper home cooking from the pair.
Knormalled, “The Servitor”
The second EP from Indianapolis producer Knormalled shows a canny knack for a moody hybrid of dark electro and EBM which puts a premium on mood and slowly sliding timbral colour. Thru might best be appreciated as a full EP listen, but you can get a decent sense of the vibes from this shuddering slice. Should likely appeal if you’ve dug recent records by Kurs, or are still burning a candle for Distorted Memory.
Ikon, “The Witness Tree”
Some nice and easy summer goth rock from the always understated Aussie masters Ikon. Somewhat confusingly previewed then withdrawn, “The Witness Tree” is the first new material from Chris McCarter & co. in a few years and is setting up a forthcoming singles collection covering the entirety of the McCarter helmed era of the band. B-side’s got some dreamy pep, too.
