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dark industrial

Leiche Rustikal * Rudra (12” 2003 steinklang) & Impuls (cd 2004 steinklang)

The Austrian Steinklang label/distro has a sell-out over overstock of their own releases, but also some items in their distribution. “Rudra” was the debut full-lengthof this German industrial act. It contains harsch noise and some industrial and is not too good in my opinion. Things got a lot better with their debut cd though! “Impuls” contains extremely low frequencies, very dark ambient soundscapes, noise, pulsating rhythms and here and there more ‘danceable’ industrial with even technoish beats. “Impuls” is a strong, original and very enjoyable album.

Kriegsfall-U * s/t (cd 2005 cold spring records)

Cold Spring is always on the hunt for new talents and frequently this hunt is succesfull. I didn’t know Kriegsfall-U, even though they seem to have released a split 7” with Wappenbund. This debut cd is announced thus: “Musically, you may compare Kriegsfall-U with Turbund Sturmwerk, Wappenbund, Les Joyaux De La Princesse, Sophia, early Der Blutharsch… “. Well, I don’t agree, fortunately not! Not a new bombastic industrial clone, but nice and martial ambient and industrial more reminding of Sturmovik or Karceral Flesh than the bands in the Cold Spring ad. From nice and dark to pretty heavy industrial with here and there a noisy touch. Better than I expected and different than announced. <24/8/05><3>

Karjalan Sissit * Tanssit On Loppu Nyt (cd 2006 cyclic law)

This is another of these albums that I was in doubt about. Karjalan makes enjoyable music, but not too original. When I heard that the new album also only lasts for half an hour, my doubt became even greater. But in the end I got myself a copy, just out of curiosity. The new album proves to be even louder than the previous ones. More noise, even more agressive vocals, more bombast, so still a bit of a surprise. Of course the loud tracks are alternated with dark ambient tracks, like before. Again not a top-class album, but certainly not a boring one either. Karjalan surely leaves similar projects such as Sophia or Triarii far behind in agressiveness. <4/12/06><3>u

Karjalan Sissit * s/t (cd 2002 cold spring)

I have been looking forward to this cd actually only by hearing about it. When I got it in my hands I already noticed that it would be somewhat different from what I expected. There is a text in the booklet that seems to be Finish and under the bandname on the cover it says: “written by Markus Mikael Pesonen”. The cd is recorded in the Erebus Odora studio and produced by Peter Pettersson who also took part in the performing of the music. So, add to this a rather Sophia-like sound and there you have the explanation for the rumour that this is another Arcana/Sophia sideproject.
Inspite of the photos of soldiers in the artwork, this isn’t really one of these popular martial industrial things. Actually Karjalan Sissit has -as mentioned- a sound more reminding of Sophia than anything else. Slow industrial, quite tranquil, orchestral, but with heavy beats but not as heavy in sound as Sophia itself.
The bandname seems to be some Finish reference to soldiers, but I haven’t been able to find out what exactly. Also I can’t find out what the text in the booklet means, but it is said that this cd is dedicated to Pesonen’s uncle who died in some war, so maybe that is it.
The cd lasts for only 41 minutes and count off some 6 or 7 minutes of Schlager (not too original of course) and you have left a very short cd.
So, about the music. It is a bit too monotous for me and there are some far too obvious samples from popular horrormovies, but it sounds alright. Not too original though. Just a nice cd. <13/4/02><3>

Karceral Flesh * Bienvenue (10″ 2000 athanor)

Totally wrecked I just got my Karceral Flesh 10″ from the postal services’ office. I don’t think I knew this band, but judging the information on the cover they are from France. There has been some cooperation between KF and Les Joyeaux De La Princesse for this 10″.
When I have the correct side as A, Bienvenue opens with a tranquil ambient track and after some air-raid sounds goes over in some pretty harsch rhythmical industrial with here and there some touches of noise. Then we have this style for a few tracks more and at the end again ambient going over in skull-crushing noise (I hate that).
I must say that I had higher expectations of this 10″ even though I didn’t know the band. The industrial tracks are alright, but nowhere this 10″ is very good. <5/12/00><2>

In Slaughter Natives / Voice Of Hate * split ep (7″ 2006 temple of darkness)

ISN made a very ‘Ordo-like’ track for which Tomas Petterson made the lyrics and does the vocals. That may be why I could buy a copy of this 7″ yesterday on the Ordo (and IRM) show in Arnhem (Netherlands). “Consume My Burning Darkness” is a nice, orchestral, repetative track with -like I said- vocals of Tomas Petterson. I didn’t know the band Voice Of Hate from Spain, but the line-up suggests that this is a metal band. Their track is a weird one with accoustic guitars and odd vocals, ending in ‘something metalish’. The label is new, this is their first release. There is no internet address, so I suggest you just contact either band to see if you can get one of the 666 copies. <19/2/06><3>

Hexentanz * Nekrocrafte (cd 2004 fossil dungeon)

“The Soil Bleeds black & Psychonaut 75 present: Hexentanz”. Yes yes, a cd of this coproject of the two named bands. In may 2002 I reviewed their wonderfull 7″ and here we have a fulllength cd. Ehm, fullength? 35 Minutes is a little short. Anyway, back to the times in which dark and occult alternative projects appeared in the black metal scene. Hexentanz makes dark industrial/ritual music, while other tracks are slighly more bombastic or medievalish. Sometimes the music reminds me of Akhkharu who you may know from the same label (“The Fossil Dungeon” compilation), the opening track maybe a bit TMLHBAC? This project is inspired by medieval and modern witchery and the sound is dark, occult and yet there are medieval sounds played on medieval instruments. Really a wonderfull release. Much better than the Equimanthorn cd that was made available several months ago which more or less sounds the same as their 1994 picture lp. Hexentanz sounds more mature and modern than that. Just one thing: too short!

Hexentanz * The Sabbat Comes Softly (7″ 2002 the fossil dungeon)

Well well, the debut of a new American project. “A collaborative project between members of The Soil Bleeds Black and Psychonaut 75” and this is exactly what you get. It seems like they put the sound of the two bands in a mixer and the result is a mix between “dark ambient and medieval sentimentalities”. Ritualistic and dark ambient sounds of Michael Ford, Dana Dark and Davcina and the double flutes of the brothers Riddick. However ‘just’ a rude mix between the styles, the outcome actually sounds very nice! I think this should appeal to both the people who like TSBB and those who enjoy the sounds of Psychonaut.
The 7″ comes on heavy vinyl, with two 33rpm tracks on both sides and is limited to 500 copies. In Europe Fossil Dungeon products are available from Dark Vinyl/Going Underground and in the USA from the label itself of Middle Pilar.

Hecate vs Lustmord * Law Of The The Battle Of Conquest (mcd 2002 hymen records)

Don’t confuse the first band with the German folkband Hekate with a “K”. Folkiness has nothing to do with “Law Of…”. This mcd is a mix between harsch dancable industrial and dark industrial soundscapes resulting two tracks of each. All in all not brilliant, but not really bad either.
The cd is something I never saw before. It is a disc with the size of a normal cd, but only 3″s are in silver (making a 3″ cd) and the rest transparrant plastic! Very strange! This mcd also comes on vinyl by the way.