It's not only the first compilation release for Rexx Arkana's newly established label Haus Arkana, it's also kind of a heart-melting project which at least has some historically meaningful content to offer. There's a sentimental storyboard behind this 4CD-set. Let's turn back an imaginary wheel of time into the years 1994 -1996. The Milwaukee-based radio-DJ and writer for the legendary Industrial Nation-magazine, Ric Laciak, has founded his own label RAS DVA out of the Leaether Strip US-fan base GAWMUS. First releases have been such notable outputs of Benestrophe (a Mentallo & The Fixer-side project), “Sensory Deprivation”, or the well recognized Kevorkian Death Cycle debut “Collection For Injection”.

Since I was personally involved as being a writer for the German glossy print-magazine Vertigo to that time, I still remember our days of pride, to have had contact with this fine, eloquent person and the inspiring conversations with him just from the beginning and for the most time without e-mail – fax messages or written letters did the job. It resulted in a license deal of a Kevorkian Death Cycle-track to be switched on one of our Vertigo-compilations accompanying the print-magazine (“Faithless (Club Edit)” - Vertigo Compilation 03/1996). However, the biggest impact this small label has left for the posterity was without doubt the legendary 4-CD / quadruple compilation “There Is No Time” with its innovative cardboard slipcase packaging. This opulent compilation still stands for being one of the few groundbreaking, must-have-items in anyone's collection. It has presented the state-of-art of underground Industrial music and included dozens of music projects licensed from various labels world-wide.

Again, and just check out the terrific track list via Discogs with well-known artists side by side with promising newcomer acts, this hallmark of a compilation can't be missed at all. The activities around the label RAS DVA then ended in 1998, shortly after the release of Jihad's “A Prayer In The Night” debut album. In 2006 the label made some online activities with future music plans but finally it hasn't worked out. Founder Ric Laciak unfortunately passed away in November 2014 from complications with cancer.

To conclude this and the tragic loss of Ric, here finally comes a fact I had to learn out of this history. It was Rexx Arkana being pretty much involved, doing promotion works for RAS DVA and collaborated with Ric in those days. It was all about to share their love and dedication for Industrial and, unfortunately but necessary, a history of cancer. Both have seemingly had their ideas for a second edition of the “quadruple monster” before Ric passed away. So this is all about it, “Passing Strangers” is the quadruple release, that kind of dedication to RAS DVA and to Ric Laciak – maybe that imaginary second edition already considered. Actually I feel myself pretty much thrown into a similar feeling of curiosity to listen CD after CD and to discover the pearls which also “Passing Strangers” has to offer. Just check the track list below and with respect to the meaning behind this compilation, it is almost impossible to give out a track-by-track review. I rather like to pick out a few of the most valuable contributions.

Disc One impresses with the highest amount of popular global-players compared to the all other discs on this quadruple set and with Orange Sector, Kevorkian Death Cycle, Lights Of Euphoria or Leaether Strip (here available as guest vocalist for Blind Vision), there are a few participants which have been already guests on “There Is No Time”, 27 years before. On the other hand, since there are so many familiar names on Disc One here, the amount of exclusive tracks only available on “Passing Strangers” here is reduced to zero. Nevertheless I like the float on it thanks to cleverly chosen apposition, this whole CD1 impresses on almost all tracks. Worth to point out are a few of the lesser discovered projects so far. Texas-based Curse Mackey, founding member of Evil Mothers and collaborator for My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, offers us with “Lacerations” a solid, stomping Industrial-tune with subtle, accompanying guitar riffs. The icy, deep and dense synth-layer- programmings of Daniel Myer (haujobb.), here active under his pseudonym DSTR, are definitely ear-catching resulting into another fine tune. “Man Made” by Kevorkian Death Cycle can be found originally on their 1996-debut “Collection For Injection”, but lately the band around Roger Jarvis and Ryan Gribbin made a few re-recordings from a few tracks out of this phase and this is one of them.

Disc Two kicks off with a stomping Suicide Commando-track (also a contributor to “There Is No Time”) and presents with Point5 a new project by Ole Anders Olsen (alias Andy LaPlegua –> Combichrist, Icon Of Coil, Scandy, Panzer AG, and, and, and...) until Rexx Arkana himself participates under his famous FGFC820 with a new, unreleased remix of “Crush”, a track originally taken from their album “Homeland Insecurity” (2012). After some closer to guitar-driven Industrial sounds by UK's Inertia or Stoneburner, the tone of this disc changes more and more into TBM / EDM styles (Stoppenberg, ESA, Cenotype). Pretty Retro-EBM-like bass lines and a straight drum pattern programming – so sounds the contribution of the UK-based talent Discipline & Control, while the dramatic, out-of-range-like vocal performance is somewhat of getting used to it. Venal Flesh and their unreleased track “Calcination” could be a well-working addition in the row of some Dark Electro-projects with a modern twist in vain of VAC for example, while the rhythmic Powernoise-specialist Endif unites with Retcon to present us an unreleased re-recording of the Endif-track “Ashes”, originally released on the debut “Meta” (2006 – Crunch Pod).

The third disc pushes further the already discovered hard-edged TBM / EDM sound with Soman or the second appearance of ESA, while mastermind Jamie Blacker this times joins the ranks of Mika Groedrijk's rhythmic Powernoise-project This Morn' Omina. Although signed to the German ProNoize label, Neuroklast is a newcomer to me, founded by the both German producers Kay SchÄfer (ex-Chainreactor) and Markus Horschig (former ReAdjust). A bit more compositorial creativity can be discovered by the UK-based musician and DJ, Matt Hart, who isn't afraid to reanimate some classic Coldwave-like guitar-driven structures on his exclusive remix of “To The Core”. Civil War on the other hand would musically fit well to the row of prominent old-school EBM veterans like Orange Sector or Pouppée Fabrikk – but they are a promising newcomer out of Argentina. Back to Europe to Manchester, UK, with another newcomer, Red-Meat providing us “angry queer body music and sex positive energy”. Also worth a mention and relatively comparable to the both predecessors is the Denver-based electronic musician Fernando Altonaga and his EBM-outfit eHpH. More and more the music turns into Dark Synthpop with classic New Wave-undertones with the contributions of Coldkill (a mutual project by Rexx Arkana with Eric Eldredge of the NYC-based Futurepop-project Interface) with their interpretation of Minitry's “We Believe”, and Dead Lights.

Disc Four starts with the Munich-based Rue Oberkampf and their 80s-inspired minimal Synthpop outfit, while the Italian-based Unconscious aka Andrea Riberti impresses with a hammering, classic EBM-inspired tune entitled “You Belong To Me Now (Re-Edit)” - another one of the previously unreleased tracks. Florida's Aeon Rings, recording for Negative Gain Productions, offer a quite different sounding tune turning towards into Synth- / Electropop-regions with natural sounding male vocals. A pretty much Dive-/The Klinik-inspired tune with its typically distorted rhythm- and percussion work can be discovered by E.L.I., a project by Mike Smith, who is a modular producer and DJ from Scotland.

To conclude this review it should be mentioned, that Rexx Arkana did an amazing job to collect as much as possible diversity in Electronic music styles for this quadruple release. Additionally I tend to say that the times, evolution and development of this music has continued into stylistically wider and more complex forms and in uncountable variations, than it has been during the days when”There Is No Time” came out.

Finally – maybe the most important reason to purchase this fine compiled quadruple set - $5 from the direct sale of each CD compilation will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, https://www.stjude.org/

Also: no download available – you have to purchase the physical product.

Track list:

CD 1:
1. A Split – Second – Rigor Mortis 2.Covenant – Judge Of My Domain 3.Absolute Body Control – So Obvious (Live At E-Only Festival) 4.Curse Mackey – Lacerations 5.DSTR – Disappear (1st Draft) 6.Blind Vision ft. Leaether Strip – DDF 2 (Album Version) 7.Lights Of Euphoria –Access Denied 8.Armageddon Dildos – Colder 9.Orange Sector – Blood Brothers 10.Pouppée Fabrikk – Burn Forever 11.Noisuf-X – Finish Him! 12.Fusspils 11 – Fleischfresser (PS Edit) 13.Kevorkian Death Cycle – Man Made 14.Fektion Fekler – Let's Jump (Yes You Will Mix) 15.Rohn - Lederman ft. Jean-Luc De Meyer – Where The Wild Roses Grow

CD 2:
1. Suicide Commando –Kill All Humanity (Short & Painless) 2. Point5 – The Kid Is A G 3.FGFC820 – Crush (Letting Go - Mix) 4.Inertia ft. Steve White (KMFDM) – Scowl 5.Stoneburner –Excrementorium 6.Stoppenberg –Soldat 7.Electronic Substance Abuse – BBWO (Expel Mix 2022) 8.Cenotype – Hour 10 (Live Action) 9.Discipline & Control – Burning Up 10.Reichsfeind – Wish There Was A Drug (Exclusive Mix) 11.Marred – The Fragrance Of Blood 12.The Gothsicles – INFL8-R (Resurexxion Mix) 13.Venal Flesh – Calcination 14.Endif Vs. Retcon – Ashes 15.Kounter Mezhure – Golden God

CD 3:
1. Soman – Divine (2022 Short Remix) 2.Moris Blak – Umbra 3.ESA vs. This Morn' Omina –Consumption (Compounded) 4.Neuroklast – Scavengers 5.Her Noise Is Violence – Djinn (Original Mix) 6.Matt Hart – To The Core (Further Down Mix) 7.Civil Hate – Honor & Dignidad 8.Red-Meat – Vore (Gordon Young Mix) 9.eHpH – Rust 10.INVA//ID – The Sinner 11.Spankthenun – Crushing Blow (Mirland Remix) 12.Coldkill – We Believe 13.Dead Lights –Ice Queen (Club Mix) 14.Lola Kumtus – Wasted Years 15.Hem Netjer – Connect

CD 4:
1.Rue Oberkampf – Never Stop To Dance 2.Unconscious – You Belong To Me Now (Re-edit) 3.Visitor – What World Is This 4.Hammershøi – Hélas (Remix By Coldkill) 5.One Flesh.Infektion.–Martial Doom 6.XTR Human–City Hai 7.Aeon Rings –Lover 8.Dry_feel – Repellent Machine 9.Soj – Pensamientos Impuros 10.Black Light Odyssey – Under Your Spell (Hexmaschine Vs. Blo Edit) 11.Sanderson & Esterhaus – Composition 080621 12.E.L.I. – The Antagonist 13.Crying Skies – Around The Walls Of Horror 14.Sigsaly – L'avenir 15.L – Discipline

Holy Crap! Here is yet another long-time indusrtrial artist I've never heard of until now- German artist Mona Mur from Berlin, who has been on (an off and on again) the electronic music scene since the early '80s. (Earlier stuff along the synthpop lines, later morphing into EMB and Industrial.) There probably isn't a native German Industrial music enthusiast who hasn't heard of her, with lots of releases since the beginning on various labels and I haven't heard any of them previously, although her voice definitely sounds familiar. Must have been the distribution, or lack of it. She's done several collaborations with En Esch (KMFDM, Pigface, and Slick Idiot) and I've certainly heard of him. I checked out some of Mona's earlier videos and I have to say she is one strange bird. She has the look of a dire Deutsche expressionist diva and it's absolutely fascinating. But all that was then and this is now.

If you're unfamiliar Mona Mur, you should know that she sings in a melodic voice, not in a harsh, electronically treated one so prevalent in today's Industrial music. A positive thing in my opinion (Mona's older material was even more melodic.) There are 10 track in 38 minutes here, which may seem short, but absolutely nothing is wasted. As for the inspiration of this album, Mona says “I came across a story about a small island off the Brazilian shores, where 20,000 snakes’ dwell, deadly poisonous vipers,” she explains about the album’s title, “They sleep nine months, then awake – only when a certain species of birds of passage stop by to breed their children – so, the snakes can eat them and survive. The snakes are everywhere. They’ve killed three lighthouse keepers, so that the lighthouse is abandoned now.”
"Dream Rider" is a great intro into this solid industrial venture with Mona's soaring vocals leading the way backed by all the right instrumental aspects. "Manipulator" is a bit of a slow slog musically, and Mona sounds as if she's conjuring something rather nefarious in the vocal department. "Shades" picks up the pace skipping along merrily in the dark. Next may be the strangest cover of Motorhead's "Ace Of Spades" you've ever heard. I didn't like it at first, but I have to say it grew on me. (That's Gary Schmalzl with a credible metal guitar solo on that track.) The title of "Schieldwall" might make you think of Vikings, but it's really a solid and noisy balls-to-the-wall industrial number.

"Warriors" has a bit of a Native American feel to it. At this point I should mention Mona's main collaborator on this album, Ralf Goldkind, who is responsible for a goodly portion of the sound of this album. Mona describes him as "an eccentric shaman" and "her brother in doom." Goldkind really plumbs the darkness for the sound on this album. "Venus and Mars" is sort of an industrial love song ballad, but Paul McCartney it certainly ain't. "Tiny House" was reminiscent of Laurie Anderson to me where lyrics are more talked than sung, with a short, repetitive guitar/bass loop throughout. The second cover on the album, Townes Van Zandt's "Rake" (with En Esch guesting) is great remake, barely sounding like the original but wonderful in its own right. It all ends with "Your Eyes" which is almost a throwback to Mona's earlier days as a chanteuse (check out her "Illusions" and/or "That Night at the Ritz" video). This album is so well done, it just cannot be overlooked. Not only that, you should seek out ANY release by Mona Mur, if you can find them. Me- Anxiously anticipating the next one.

hackedepicciotto is of course Alexander Hacke from Einsturzende Neubauten and Danielle de Picciotto (Space Cowboys, Love Parade, Crime & The City Solution) and 'The Silver Threshold' is the pair's fifth album, now on the Mute label in the U.S. I positively reviewed their previous album, 'The Current,' so why not give this new one a shot, eh?

'The Silver Threshold' consists of ten tracks and is said to be hackedepicciotto's most symphonic work yet. While "Overture" serves as a symphonic instrumental intro, it's the brief vocal chorale heading into the title track ("The Silver Threshold”) that really heralds the eclecticism of this album, and there are plenty of similar vocal passages in that song. Musically, this is one crazy number, spinning round like Dorothy's tornadoed house on its way to Oz. Then the big drums come in for "Meteor's Reign." It's a weird juxtaposition of heavy (percussion) and light (bellish melody) that sets up this strange dichotomy that just keeps building and building into an unstoppable juggernaut...that eventually has to stop.

I was wondering whether this was going to be an all-instrumental album, but then "Evermore" dispelled that notion in a lyrical song that has a simple, child-like melody. hackedepicciotto moves into more hair-raging terrain though with "Babel," a vocal retelling of the biblical language origin myth over trepidatious music. Then there is the heavily industrial instrumental "Trebbus," full of Middle Eastern overtones and undetones. (Or, it could be Slavic, I suppose.) "Journey East" is like one big psychedelic musical mandala with a very hypnotic quality, interwoven with chants and chance...with perfect percussive accompaniment. "Meeres Stille" which follows, is nothing like the previous track; mysterious and more than a little ominous, and maybe that’s what it's like, standing at the Silver Threshold.

The main thing you may notice about "Kirchhain" is the abrasive didgeridoo drone among the struck metallic percussion and violin/viola string drones. A bit Tibetan in its way. Danielle begins a little recitation on "The Watered Garden" - "Between the past and the future we now stand on the threshold; the cusp of what once was and what shall be in perfect symmetry..." following with something lifted out of the annals of early '70s progressive rock. WOW! Wasn't expecting that! My main complaint about 'The Silver Threshold' is that it seemed to be too damn short. That last track could have gone on for another five minutes and I'd be happy. Oh well, always leave 'em wanting more. I think I enjoyed 'The Silver Threshold' just as much as 'The Current' and this new album has some interesting videos of a couple songs as well. That this album is available on vinyl (as well as CD and download) should make some people very happy.

From the blaring siren and repetitive piano & drum based instrumental of "Todesmarsch" you can virtually smell the disaster in the air and it stinks of a burning world. Since 2017's 'Lord of the Flies' (which I really liked) this Finnish industrial band has gotten meaner and noisier, but definitely not better. All of the synth sequencing previously employed is gone for the most part, except on one track. Instead, what we get is alotta noise. Sometimes it just drones on, and on, and on, and on. When you finally get to something musical, it's like Nine Inch Nails having a really bad day; "Fuck Your Sacrifice" being a perfect example of wasting time with noise over musical content. With some artfulness and thought instead of just pure rage, that song could have been pretty good. Instead, it is just a mess.

What happened, guys? I know these are pretty shitty times but I don't think throwing it all away on mediocre noise rock is going to help any. The shoulda woulda coulda been a decent song ("Postum," named after a caffeine-free powdered roasted coffee substitute grain beverage ??) has pretty decent verses but dies with no hook, chorus, or anything close to memorable. The most vocally abundant track has the unfortunate title of "Shit That Floats," if that's any clue to where these guys are at now. It’s the best song on the album, and the only one with any synth sequencing, but in the larger scheme of things, not all that great. It ends with the fittingly titled "Stairway to Disappointment," and I can't think of anything to dispute that.

Although this is a brief album at about 31 minutes, it seems twice as long as 'Lord of the Flies' which was longer by a minute at 32. It plods and lurches like a critically wounded animal in the wilderness, where the survival instinct may be strong, but the lifeforce is bleeding out. And Then You Die around since 1990 and are described as "one of Finland's best-kept secrets." If this album is any indication, they're going to stay that way.

Westwind is a musical project from the French post-industrial scene, created by Kris G. since 1999. Over the years it has mixed influences such as Martial industrial, Post-industrial, Dark ambient, Neofolk and Neoclassical music. Westwind's 9th album, 'Despair' is more atmospheric martial industrial than anything else, although it does have its digressions. Hard to believe that in over 20 years I've never heard, nor heard of Westwind, but there's so many artists out there not getting a lot of publicity and attention that it really shouldn’t be a surprise.

In order to really get an idea of the project's progress and evolution I listened to the last couple of releases - 'Survivalism' (2014) and 'Ravage' (2010) which are both multi-disc albums, so there was a lot of material to consume. In comparison to these earlier releases, 'Despair' is definitely a step up in composition, recording and execution. Although there were some interesting tracks on the earlier albums, the sound was primitive and often didn't sound fully fleshed out. Right from the get-go on 'Despair' the music comes on strong with a good martial beat, distinct heavy chords, voices and a simple but effective theme. Westwind doesn't name any tracks on 'Despair,' just like on 'Survivalism' so I won't be doing a track-by-track analysis, however the album is 8 tracks in about 58 minutes. Although the track following the opener starts out kind of martial-electro with a prominent synth riff, it leans more towards the martial than anything else; instrumental and drum heavy, but yet with a simple melodic theme.

There is a definite sense of unease and prelude to war throughout much of the material on 'Despair,' but because (most of) the compositions aren't more specifically themed, there is a generic quality about it too. Beats and ambiences are varied from track to track and some are more complex than others but the majority of this could easily be used as the saber-rattling soundtrack to some militant video game. Then there is the noise issue, which doesn't emerge often, but when it does, you'll know it. The only song with vocals (track 6) has lyrics courtesy of Death in June's Douglas P., but I'm not familiar enough with DIJ's repertoire to know if there is any musical similarity. The final anomaly (on this album) and only other track with voice(s) on it has (sampled & echoed) ranting phrases such as "You say the sexual deviant is the problem...you say the man that hates his fellow man is the problem...you're the problem...tropical rain forest...the murderer...the taker of human life..." and so forth. I know Westwind is trying to make a socio-political statement here as all these voices are drowning in a miasma of noise, but I wouldn't ever want to hear this more than once.

Once again, compared to Westwind's earlier material, 'Despair' is streamlined and mostly on-target, a cool professional product for those who like martial-industrial. The last track was a bit off-putting though. This release is primarily on vinyl and you have to buy the record to get the CD, which has a couple of tracks that the LP doesn't. Cheapest option is digital with all 8 tracks.