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April 1, 2013

IAMX – The Unified Field: Viva Music Album Review

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iamx_the_unified_field_2013_cover

Oana Dorobantu for VIVA MUSIC 

Tracklist:  “I Come With Knives” * “Sorrow” * “The Unified Field” * “The Adrenalin Room” * “Quiet the Mind” * “Under Atomic Skies” * “Screams” * “Come Home” * “Animal Impulses” * “Walk With The Noise” * “Land of Broken Promises” * “Trials” *

Release Date: PledgeMusic – International 22-Mar.

About IAMX: IAMX  is Sneaker Pimps’ frontman Chris Corner’s multimedia project, a melting pot of music and visual art experiments. Bordering somewhere between dark and sensual electro with an agressive or nostalgic beat, IAMX has been the talk of the town since its debut in 2004. Come 2013, the project has more unified aural and visual roots which stand up to the test with this new album based on the scientific theory of a universal consciousness that binds all people together. Chris Corner has stated that in this body of work he is attempting to “accept human nature for what it is and learn to love it”. Not an easy task, but when creative juices are pumping and flowing, the end result is both mesmerizing and challenging.

IAMX: “THE UNIFIED FIELD” – VIVA MUSIC REVIEW:

Right off the bat one of our most contemplated upon releases in 2013 was the new IAMX album. With every release, this band raises the bar higher and higher for their scene and it never stays in the studio. The creative force behind IAMX is one encompassing music production, visual aesthetics, and powerful performances that make you yearn for more. After 2011’s “Volatile Times“, both the album and the associated tour left audiences everywhere with a sugar tooth that wouldn’t stop aching. With “The Unified Field“, Chris Corner delivered big time on a promise he silently made to his fans everywhere – a promise to never be forgotten.  (more…)

February 23, 2012

Noisenautics News from Romania: Nava Spatiala Release Noisenautics Vol. I (@Asiluum.com)

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A duo specialized in noisenautics, Nava Spatiala creates sounds which are based on noise/drone/ambient atmospheres, relying on apparently chaotic, unintentional and improvisational use of the spectrum. Carefully keeping you alert along their journeys by the dadaist and deconstructivist approach, they invite you to a continuous exorcism of the present – the soundscapes Nava Spatiala creates also work as a pretext for meditation. Nava Spatiala started in 2010 and their musical approach is based on field-recordings, as well as on sound synthesis.

Inspired by different techniques of altering and randomizing digital information, Nava Spatiala is a continuous critical (anarchist) exploration of the present, in a world dependent on electricity. Building experimental drone/noise/ambient soundscapes, the duo’s 2012 debut EP, “Noisenautics Vol. I” (@Asiluum.com) is an unconventional exploration of the sound spectrum, haunted by sounds of nature and sinthetic vibrations. In order to confine their space, which they overfly extra and intra-dimensionally, Claudiu Chihaescu and Miron Ghiu make use of cricket sounds, traditional instruments and recordings of various religious ceremonies. The two challenge elements of sacred geometry, binaural frequencies that address both brain hemispheres, Alpha waves, as well as strictly subjective sound vibrations. Their journeys invite to meditation and make use of the waking state that is typical for the shamanic trance, in order to transcend the traditional communication boarders and the barriers between the mind, always open for mundane stimuli, and the “motherboard” of the collective subconscious. (source: press release)

Nava Spatiala on Soundcloud

October 12, 2011

Shiv-r “This World Erase” – Viva Music Album Review

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Tracklist: “Entree” * “Pharmaceutical Grade” * “God Is Art” * “Incision” * “Hollow Mask” * “This World Erase” * “Blind Mice” * “Deafening” * “This Fix” * “Stripped” * “Alpha Omega” * “Lingerie” * “Arise”

About Shiv-r:

Shiv-r are: Virul3nt (Pete Crane), and Kong (Lee Bulig).

After hitting the scene with their innovative debut album “Hold My Hand” and the hard-hitting follow up EP “Incision“, Shiv-r are back in 2011 with “This World Erase“, a new full-length album to awaken the dark side lying dormant beneath our skin. No stranger to club hits, Shiv-r tread this ground stronger and heavier than ever with plenty of harsh club annihilators destined for the dancefloor. Haunting, neoclassical tendrils also encompass the brutal club sounds while a more evolved lyrical and vocal approach attacks themes such as nihilism, the romantic rendering of abuse and above all waging a war on apathy. From the grindingly slow vampiric dirge of “This Fix“, to the psy-infused energetic explosion of “Alpha Omega” and the overly emotive title track, “This World Erase” is a varied and evolved follow-up album that further establishes Shiv-r‘s gossamer stranglehold and strives to make us feel alive in a dying, apathetic world. (source: press release)

Read about Shiv-r’s performance at Nocturnal Culture Night 2011 here| See the photo gallery for Shiv-r’s performance at Nocturnal Culture Night 2011 here

Shiv-r “This World Erase”: Viva Music Album Review:

Can a music album be an exercise in eloquence? After listening to Shiv-r’s “This World Erase”, released this week (and already a top seller with Metropolis Records and a point of pride for Infacted Records) and giving it a serious thought, the answer is definitely yes. The purity of the sound, the shrewdness, and, audacity of the lyrics, and their fortifying combination really bring on a special effect. Listening to this album is like listening to a good friend, who, no matter what the two of you are talking about, brings you reason and clarity. Nothing stands out in an obtrusive manner, and nothing provokes havoc. And all songs included in “This World Erase” are like pieces in a puzzle: they mix, they match, and fall in the right pattern before your eyes. (more…)

October 11, 2011

Binary Park “The Deviated” Out Today Oct-11! Viva Music Album Review

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Tracklist: “The Hidden Room” * “Into the Deep” * “She’s Insane” * “The Deviated” * “Not in Love” * “Lick the Blade” * “Keep on Falling Down” * Worlds Collide (Impact Mix)” * “Into the Deep (Liquid Divine Remix)” * “Into the Deep (Architect Remix)”

About Binary Park:

Binary Park is the new project of Infacted Recordings label manager Torben Schmidt, together with UK based singer Huw Jones and musician Alfred Gregl (Aqualite, Noise Control, Xylon). The sound of Binary Park is an intriguing blend of different electronic styles from darkstep to industrial and from electro to deep, noisy, ambient Glitchy, intelligent electropop. Elements of early Haujobb, Front Line Assembly, Lights Of Euphoria, and Neuroactive intermingle with a sound that is compelling and sure to garner attention worldwide. With their second release to date the band offers a 10 track mini-album including seven new songs as well as a breathtaking remix of the album hit “Worlds Collide” followed by remixes from Liquid Divine and Architect! A must have for all fans of intelligent electro, deep beats and mindblowing melodies! Get infected! (source: press release)

Order Binary Park’s “Deviated” from here | Name your price (or download for free!) for Binary Park’s remix of Haujobb’s “Little World” from album “New World March – The Remixes” from here.

Binary Park “Deviated” Viva Music Album Review:

Out on Oct-11 with Metropolis Records, the new release from Binary Park is just months younger than its predecessor, “Worlds Collide”, out in March this year. Summing up the good job Binary Park were up to performing in their first album, and compiling next to new material grand remixes of the star of the album (“Into the Deep”) and of “Worlds Collide” from Liquid Divine and Architect, the new album is set out right to catch your attention, tease you, and promote an overall positive feeling of being in the process of listening to quality electro and industrial music. (more…)

October 6, 2011

Kirlian Camera “Nightglory” Out on Oct-28! Viva Music Album Review

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Tracklist CD1: “I’m not Sorry” * “Nightglory” * “Hymn” * “Save Me Lord (from Killing Them All) ” * “Winged Child Sitting on a Bench Watching Obscure Clouds While People Look for Shelter ” * “I Killed Judas” * “Immortal” * “I Gave You Wings – I Gave You Death” * “Black Tiger Rising” * “Gethsemane” CD2: “Winged Child – Camera Version” * “Immortal – Camera Version” * “A Shark’s Tale” * “Nightglory – Camera Version” * “Quicksand City” * “Save Me Lord – Camera Version”

About Kirlian Camera “Nightglory”:

“Nightglory”, the eagerly awaited new album from Italian cult sound-wizards Kirlian Camera is a mesmerizing experience of epic proportions. Angelo Bergamini and Elena Alice Fossi have fused soundtrack-like, symphonic pomp with electronic arrangements, beats and experiments in ten anthemic compositions. Charismatic singer Fossi intonates the pieces with just the right balance between fragility and powerful pathos to drive the group’s magnum opus to maximum impact. “Nightglory” is released as a regular album CD as well as a classy limited edition with a bonus disc which contains dramatic and inspired ‘chamber music versions’ of album tracks, as well as two new songs. (source: Out of Line site)

Read about Kirlian Camera’s concert in Bucharest, promoter: Viva Music here. | Watch the video for “Nightglory” after the jump.

Kirlian Camera “Nightglory” – Viva Music Album Review:

To be released on Oct-28 with Out of Line Records, the much awaited new album from Kirlian Camera “Nightglory” comes just months after the single release “Ghloir Ar An Oiche” which we reviewed here. The album comes as a confirmation of the band’s invincibility and never-ending charisma and qualifies as a top discovery for 2011. Available for pre-order in various formats and packages from here, the album is one, we have to confess, that we approached both fearfully and fearlessly. Fearfully because like any album that you simply know it is going to touch a chord, you are in awe before the fact, even, and fearlessly because the music of Kirlian Camera has always had a vanquishing effect, a sense of magnificent continuance that could have not gone away. And indeed it did not. “Nightglory” is glorious, natural, and convincing. It is always relieving to see a band of historical dimensions not taking their guard down and doing the same quality material they accustomed us with, and Kirlian Camera know more than one or two things about this. And to tell the truth, not all tracks are first listens per se: “Nightglory” and “I Gave You Wings – I Gave You Death” were previewed on the “Ghloir Ar An Oiche” single; while “I’m not Sorry”, “Nightglory”, “Hymn”, “Save Me Lord (from Killing Them All)”,  “Winged Child Sitting on a Bench Watching Obscure Clouds While People Look for Shelter ”, “I Gave You Wings – I Gave You Death” and “Black Tiger Rising”, so basically 70% of the album was played live at NCN Festival (read our review of Kirlian Camera’s show at NCN Festival 2011 here). (more…)

September 30, 2011

Tenek – “EP2” Out on Oct-10! Viva Music Album Review

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Tracklist: “What Do You Want? (Full Length Version)” * “Elusive (Full Length Version)” * “The Art of Evasion (Alternate Version)” * “Higher Ground (Alternate Version)” * “Elusive (Radio Edit)” * “What Do You Want? (Radio Edit)“

Other Tenek news by Viva Music: Tenek at Darkwave.ro Fest 2011 (review) | Tenek at Darkwave.ro Fest 2011 (photo gallery) | Tenek, “On the Wire” Viva Music Album Review

About Tenek – “EP2”:

Available from Monday 10th October on CD & mp3 “EP2” features brand new material from Tenek for 2011. The romantic “What Do You Want?” features none other than Chris Payne on violin. Chris played with Gary Numan from 1979 to 1989 and contributed the awesome violin solos for such tracks as “Complex“, “The Joy Circuit” and “Cold Warning“. Also included on the EP is another brand new song “Elusive” and alternate versions of two of the most popular tracks from their current album “On The Wire“. These serve to remind us of how great Tenek‘s song writing can be and add yet another perspective to some of their best work to date. (source: press release)  (more…)

September 27, 2011

Severe Illusion “No More Alive than You Deserve”: Viva Music Album Review

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Tracklist: “Mockingbird” * “Try Harder” * “Clear Head” * “To the Wall” * “Nar helvetet kom till byn” * “Inside Your Narrow Little World” * “Them Unwitting” * “Rotating Knives, Yes” * “Cultural Identity +” * “And Them We Kill” * “Dirt”

Prior to “No More Alive than You Deserve” Severe Illusion released two digital singles, “Clear Head (Single Version)” (+) and “The End of Flowers” (+). | Other Severe Illusion news on darkwave.ro: Severe Illusion joins forces with CCP

Severe Illusion – “No More Alive than This”: Viva Music Review:

The very atmospheric album from Severe Illusion, “No More Alive than You Deserve” with Complete Control Productions astonishes in many ways, not unlike their previous discography. It is a very dense album, and very intuitively invested in by the two musicians who take part in the project. Unlike their previous releases, which are chronological, this release comprises material produced and performed between 2004 and 2011, that is more than half through the artists’ career.  (more…)

September 26, 2011

Autodafeh – “Act of Faith”: Viva Music Album Review

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Tracklist: “Heaven Screams” * “Killer” * “Land of Nothing” * “Reality Shock” * “Make Us Believe” * “Watch Out” * “Treasure Hunt” * “Wheel of Faith” * “Promises” * “Camp Intel” * “Fuel of Fire (2011)” * “Divided We Fall (2011)”

Other Autodafeh news on darkwave.ro: Autodafeh to Release “Act of Faith” on September-16!

About Autodafeh:

Autodafeh are: Mika Rossi, Jesper Nilsson, Anders Olsson.  The ADF project started in the middle of November 2007, the two lads Rossi and Jesper, friends since childhood, decided to launch a new EBM campaign. They both had been growing up with lots of electronic music in their body and mind. Since November, lots of hard work and lots of sweat has been taken the band where they are today. Hard pumping, aggressive tracks have been constructed, in order to have loads of material to show both listeners and record companies. The third member in the band is Anders, an important person that makes it complete. He too has EBM pulse floating in his veins. (source: band bio)

Autodafeh – “Act of Faith: Viva Music Review:

With their third album, “Act of Faith” released on Sep-16 with Scanner Records (Europe) and Sigsaly Transmissions, Autodafeh prove listening to their music is worthwhile and the progress musicians can make in the shortest of whiles – it’s not unusual for bands who are in their prime to release their third album in their third full year of existence, but it’s only more rarely the case that it also means something. And “Act of Faith” stands out as a very fresh and easily approachable new material this fall. With the year closing soon, it is not risky to claim that it also is one of our favorite materials this year! So the recommendation to buy and listen to the album is inherent to this review. (more…)

September 20, 2011

Apoptygma Berzerk “Black EP vol. 2” – Viva Music Album Review

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Tracklist: “Asleep or Awake (Spektralized RMX)” * “Eclipse (OK Minus RMX)” * “Shadow (People Theatre RMX)” * “Apollo (Flipside & Parsberg RMX)” * “Green Queen (Stanley Cupid RMX)” * “Love Will Tear Us Apart” * “Adrift (C-64 Version)” * “Green Queen (Client RMX)” * “Apollo (Rotersand Rework)” * “Shadow (Essence of Mind RMX)” * “Apollo (Alex O’s Old School RMX)” * “Green Queen (Outer/Innnerpartysystem RMX)”

Order Apoptygma Berzerk’s “Black EP – Volume II” from here | Watch the compilation’s official video after the jump.

Apoptygma Berzerk – “Black EP  vol. 2” – Viva Music Review: 

The first thing you need to know about the new compilation from Apoptygma Berzerk is the fact that it sounds amazing! Actually, that’s the second thing, since everyone knew that much even before buying and listening to it, but the first thing you need to know about “Black EP – vol. 2” is that its cover features a scannable QR code that reads actually the hidden link to a special download package from Metropolis Records’ site. So activate your geeky side and take pleasure into this thing we can do with today’s technology. Yes, we can do it. (more…)

September 14, 2011

Digital Factor – “Trialog” – Viva Music Album Review

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Tracklist: “Prelude” * “Links Rechts Links” * “I Have to Hit You” * “Interlude no. 57” * “You’re Going Down” * “This Is the Deal” * “The Neighbor” * “Interlude no. 58” * “Steam” * “Depression” * “A Force of Unknown People” * “Interlude no. 60” * “Come Push Me Down” * “The Knife” * “The Way You Lie”

Also on darkwave.ro: Digital Factor Release “I Have to Hit You” – Single Preview Before September Album and Tour (+Download) here | Order “Trialog” from here

About Digital Factor:

Digital Factor are: Leo von Leibnitz (voice, programming, synth); Mike Langer (voice, programming, synth); Guido Litke (guitar, percussion).

Founded in 1993, Digital Factor were quickly signed to Danish label Hard Records at the recommendation of Claus Larsen (of Leaetherstrip fame) and toured with Placebo Effect. Numerous productions in their early years gained them support, audience and a local renown. By 1996, this renown was taken further as tours in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium propelled the band in front of a varied and acclaiming audience. This positive trend was maintained up to 2002, when they joined charity events supporting the victims of the German floods. After a seven years hiatus, the band returned with new material a new lineup, and a new record deal with Black Rain Records. “Trialog”, their latest release, on Sep-09 with the latter label, is their 17th release to date.

Digital Factor – “Trialog” – Viva Music Review:

After an alarming “Prelude”, the album motioned in by Digital Factor could not get better! “Links Rechts Links” (“Left Right Left”), one of the rare songs with German lyrics from the album “Trialog” is as expected from the title, a musically plausible and pleasant military drill, with a lot of cadence and spirit. As high-spirited, and not at all austere is “I Have to Hit You”, which we had listened to outside the album release as a single video preview for the album in late July this year. “I Have to Hit You” is a domineering and relentless dance machine song, which makes it set the expectations really high for the danceability of the entire album. With ebullient sound, “Interlude no. 57”, the first of three such interludes that together with the “Prelude” creates the frame of the album, interposes itself between the first two tracks and the ensuing one as a well-deserved breathing space for the listener – or should we say the dancer? of this album. The tongue-in-cheek “You’re Going Down” is clashing EBM sound and a true-to-nature display of vocal resonance. In cahoots with “This Is the Deal”, a song that electrifies and commits to the dance ambient friendly scope of the album just as powerfully as the preceding tracks. (more…)

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