Crunch Pod did it again! To bring out a new release of your favorite rhythmical Powernoise-artist Karloz M is always a welcomed present. And to talk about a gift fits in case of this "In The Company Of Wolves" EP very well, since this EP is "Dedicated to the fans, DJ’s & supporters throughout the world". Whatever else this EP has to do with wolves still remains unsolved – it may shall document the acts signed to Crunch Pod as being a pack of wolves. This makes sense if you can accept Karloz as being the old leader wolf.. . So this EP isn’t a real new studio album, but a sort of collection of several unreleased remix works and collaborations, which have been happened through the past years of this highly anticipated artist. The "Knife" (Karloz’ trademark) is alive and kicking – extremely kicking I tend to say, because several international renowned acts have done their best to work out their very own form of Electro/Industrial/Powernoise efforts. You’ll get collaborations with names and genre-related acts like COMBICHRIST, DISPLACER, BROKEN FABIOLA, CONVERTER ("Die For Me" – what an exceptional piece of noise terror in its purest form!!!), C/A/T, THE OPERATIVE, CAUSTIC ("Control.Domination.Response" – what a great work, Mr. Fanale.), or VICTO ERRECT. Also t rather Electro/EBM-minded audience will be serviced extremely well with "A Killer" featuring the HOCICO side-project RABIA SORDA, or "Deep Waters", which got manipulated by I:SCINTILLA and DESTROID in a mutual collaborative work. 13 tracks at all rather look like a full-length release than an EP, which once again documents and intense and top-notch effort for this fine US-label. A must-have item for all lovers of this genre.

Another new signing for the rising Alfa Matrix label, this time hailing out of Illinois/USA. I:SCINTILLA could already earn some recognition thanks to their musically style, combining Electro-Goth, Industrial-Metal, some Trip-Hop beats mixed with a seductive and crystal-clear female vocal performance done by the over-radiating front woman, Brittany Bindrim. Her voice is indeed that dominant and outstanding that some courageous voice already compare her with a chart breaker like EVANESCENCE – well, a bit exaggerated but surely an allowed comparison. It should be mentioned that I:SCINTILLA consist of four members, two men/two women. I dig a lot the fact that this EP features at first four original compositions of this quartet named "Havestar", "Skin", "The Bell" and their own remix of "Capsella (Toxin remix)". The first both mentioned tracks are the main tracks, but luckily the other two tracks can’t really be called b-sides fodder, because they aren’t any weaker. Add to this five remix works mainly hailing from the Alfa Matrix roster with the one exception, COMBICHRIST. Andy LaPlegua offers a dancefloor stomper remix of "Havestar" as it’s best! Also nice and ear-catching (as usual) is the work of DISKONNEKTED putting "Havestar" in a pure electronic-minded dress, while the IMPLANT remix offers a wanted/unwanted reduction to some simplicity which can’t satisfy this time. NEIKKA RPM transforms "Skin" into a more dancefloor compatible attitude, while KLUTAE has with "Capsella" a difficult remix work which can’t pick up the different mood of the remix work of I:SCINTILLA themselves. With I:SCINTILLA Alfa Matrix has definitively picked up one of their best – if not the best – act leaded by a female singer and the course and direction show clear to enter sales in not discovered dimensions. Lets hope the best that the upcoming album will prove this.