It has surely taken far too long until this Slovakian Electro/Industrial project has finally released its second full-length after an international rather poor discovered debut entitled 'Unline Codes' on the long defunct Broken Seal label back in 1998. Those days have been fabulous for Slovakian bands with the first releases of KIFOTH and/or Disharmony. And so also Terminal State have been mostly euphoric welcomed with their dedication to follow musically one or another idea of some Canadian idols (FLA, Numb, lesser Puppy). 'Illegal Space Activity', and not to forget the companion second disc 'Trespassed Area 53', which offers much more than a dull collected remix contender, can be hardly compared with their early debut release. Since their debut has been released 15 years before, it was finally time to return and to invade the hearts of the interested listeners by storm. Whatever they've done through all the years, one thing is quite sure: Terminal State don't have an interest to mess up with the latest FLA works in vein of 'Artificial Soldier' or 'I. E. D.' - this album also is not at all a 'Caustic Grip'- clone. They surely have studied and at least inhaled a lot of the talent of the gentlemen Leeb / Fulber, which can be especially discovered in such breathtaking bass-line sequencing work, they are capable to provide. Straight, forward-marching tracks like 'Fatalist' (...what a well-fitting track-name...), 'Andromeda', 'Outbreak' or the last, but not least placed killer track 'Natural City' are brilliant examples of their high-skilled programming abilities. And - surprise, surprise - haven't I heard same guitar samples well installed in a track like 'Devastating Toxicity'? And it isn't only this component: also the rhythm and percussion section offers a lot of variety. Here and there it swings pretty often between Breakbeat and the expected 4-on-floor formula and this all fits so perfectly with the overall futuristic, on science fiction themes based foundation. The old school sounds futuristic? If this statement sounds paradox initially, it only proofs, that the musically efforts of the mentioned Canadian giants FLA and/or Numb are timeless. Terminal State do not rely to warm-up the ideas masters here, they rather add a constant good and very refreshing produced alternative recording, which can be placed side by side to the top-notch releases. 'Illegal Space Activity' is throughout a satisfying and respectable return for this Slovakian duo. As for me it leaves a smile when I listen to the last whispered lines of 'Natural State' and it pushes me often to press the 'repeat' button on my home entertainment - but wait: the reward named 'Trespassed Area 53' in form of full-length second CD still needs to be discovered. As already described above, this one offers much more than a usual collection of foreign remix works, it also features 6 unreleased tracks quite worth to discover. Be assured: there is no filler stuff at all! Remix works got provided by two times Brain Leisure, by Jihad, the German duo Pyrolline, and the new label colleagues of tEaR!doWn. They all are standing for an awesome line-up to guarantee quality remix impressions. The winner - to me - is nevertheless the alternative version of 'Andromeda' by Terminal State themselves: This is purest Blade-Runner-Entertainment as its best! 'Luc Cipher' is an opulent layered instrumental tune giving you another decent example of the richly depth in their programming skills. Maybe to discover 2 detailed and lasting produced full-length albums gets a bit time-consuming, it is nevertheless a masterpiece quite worth to invest the time. The whole album in its lasting effect will leave you deeply impressed. Double CD full-length releases have been seldom caused so much impression during this year so far.

Prominent in their home-based Metal scene since longer than 15 years by having played various styles (Black Metal, Death Metal, Nu Metal), now this Russian 4-men outfit hailing out of Rybinsk tries to transform this fame to an international audience. It surely won't fail if it comes to count the promotional efforts and activities of their new label Artificial Sun, but what finally counts is their music and here it gets a bit problematic. Quite too often I get the impression that they are definitely more inspired by Metal-styles than that there could be figured out a real Industrial- or Electro-vibe behind them. Compared to their Kaliningrad-based countrymen of Type V Blood I miss a bit that raw and uncontrollable drive provided by their Punk elements. A good example for this is the title track. Raw and energetic in its original version and the clear male vocals of band-leader Ilya 'Morok' Corzo celebrating the Moshpit pretty much, but the remix contributions of the already mentioned Type V Blood and moreover Reactor are able to kick the original out of the field. It looks pretty much that their new 'Industrial' identity got later added to get a bit more compatible to the label roster ' and this works only so and so. I like those tracks which tend to vary a bit with the drum programming, those Break-Beat inspired works ('T.M.O. (Burning Toxins Mix)', 'Take Me Away (Burning All Mix)'). Also worth to mention is their cover on Michael Jackson's 'Scream': I couldn't recognize the original. All in all not a bad effort, but if they seriously intent to storm the violent Industrial playground, it still needs a bit more blood and sweat by programming better synths- / fx-efforts in their studio rooms.

A new label we like to welcome in front of the international dark scene, which actually tries hard to survive on the hard fought and rotten conceptual field of physically releases. This Artificial Sun shines bright in these days and it is a conspicuous fact that they are hailing out of Russia. With the noble mission to lead mainly Russian Industrial-/Metal-/Crossover-projects into a sonic war to reach attention internationally, they have indeed some nice horses added to their stable, like this Kaliningrad-based duo for example. Type V Blood aren't at all bloody newcomers and can already look back on a handful releases on different underground labels, but also the legendary Russian Metal-institution Irond. 'Penta' could be indeed a kind of break-through for them, because they balance pretty well Nu-Metal with Electro/Industrial plus a constant portion of angry Punk-like influences. Think of rawest Angelspit meets Biopsy meets Acumen Nation, and you'll get a hint, how their pounding onslaught may sounds. The good and remarkable content of their music is surely the fact, that the electronic ingredients are playing an important role of their whole aural concept. Tracks like the raw, fast forward marching 'Wild & Dirty' will surely leave you breathless in front of your home entertainment. Diversity can be also discovered in their kind to install their male vocals. Be it that Death-Metal-like growling, that angry screaming, or a calm, natural sounding, unprocessed kind ' they are capable to present all thinkable styles. And even if some of their compositions take a stumbling, at times chaotic sounding path ('Black Metal Cenotaph', 'Christorium'), they contrary are also able to provide more calm elements and linearity, sometimes with an easy-minded 'singing-along-the-lyric-line' factor ('All My Girls (feat. Andrey Zodchly)', 'Go-Go-Gothic (feat. Nataly Protasova)'). 'Penta' stands globally for entertainment in a musically relative raw environment ' not the easiest cake to bite for sure, but with a respectable content of authenticity. With 19 tracks, among others also including a cover version of the Metal-veterans Accept ('Fast As A Shark'), this album is opulently filled, although I have some doubts in the quality and seriousness of their chosen remix contributors. Some of them alter a bit the overall positive impression, while others can take this opportunity for well-working self-promotion (Bleak Freak's remix of 'Hi Tech / Low Life' RAWKS!). Artificial Sun couldn't find any better kick-starter for their label debut, so let's hope to be able to check out more quality Russian Hybrid-Metal-stuff.

New edition of the mixtape series of the uprising Electro Aggression Records label! Released during the cold winter days, this was an ideal warm-up teaser for the spring activities of this label, which at least brought us 3 new releases so far. And just like the first edition of this mixtape edition, also this second part offers remarkable content which leaves the listener surprised and deeply satisfied in front of his home entertainment. This quality stuff is again freely available via the Bandcamp and Soundcloud pages of the label: 75 minutes of authentic Dark Electro music/old-school EBM, no doubts, this is another must-have download for fans and supporters of finest Electronica music asides the repetitive and still ruling Hellectro-/Terror-EBM formula. Technically again executed by Michael 'Soillodge' Renfield, who proves again his skills to mix every single track perfectly into each other. He actually leaves only the one question open: how long will it take until he himself takes part with an appearance under his R010R project?
This mixtape starts perfectly with the German female/male-duo Pyrolline and their track 'Decision'. This fine and melodic Dark Electro tune picks up the line which Mentallo & the Fixer have left after 'Revelations 23' and/or 'Where Angels Fear To Tread' and the track would ideally fit to find a slot on one of this classic masterpieces. To Avoid are one of those band projects, which are trying to find an ideal balance between old-school EBM and the Dark Electro hype of the early 90ies. With both appearances, one of them is their classic, 8 years old tune 'Last Resort Suicide' (this time remixed by Maschinensturm), they provide a satisfying result and prove activity in the underground. Besides of Pyrolline, also the German/Swiss duo tEaR!doWn is one of the new additions of the EAR label. Their sound outfit differs and rather reflects the Dark Electro movement of the second generation during the mid-90ies, mostly provided by labels like Celtic Circle Productions or Gothic Arts. Red+Test, already the winner of the first mixtape edition, receives another 2-track-appearance: 'Before The End Of Days' pushes the masses on the dancefloors and surprises with VAC-related sequencing works, while the second tune 'Unforgiving Landscapes' reanimates some of the harder moments of the obvious idol Mentallo & The Fixer ('Inhumanities', 'Disrupture', or 'Narcotic Calling' for example...). Object is of course represented too, but stands a bit in the shadow of Pyrolline and/or Red+Test. And if you're longing out for a more futuristic form of your beloved Puppy-an sound-design, you have to check out the appearances of One Eye Wanders. You actually need a lesson in effective insertion of vocal samples? Here you'll get a lecture! What else? Astma (expect a summer release by this Swedish project on E.A.R...) offers the straight, fast and adrenaline-pumping form of old school EBM with angry shouts, quite comparable to acts like Autodafeh or Spetsnaz. DRP, the Japanese EBM heroes of the early 90ies on Dirk Ivens' legendary Body Records label are sending out another kicking sign of life: Could they maybe an option for EAR and start a comeback after their legendary 'Electro Brain 586' in 1990? Instans, the side-project of Sweden's Severe Illusion seems to get a re-animation - both this Swedish projects got featured on here too.
The result of this second edition is nearly the same like after the first one: it's unbelievable that the listener gets rewarded with a free available 75 minutes long download-onslaught filled with so much quality. Again - no matter how often I repeat it - this isn't filler stuff and all projects provide their best abilities with heart and soul presented through their music.

TRACKLISTING:
Pyrroline - Decision
To Avoid - Feel It [radio edit]
tEaR!doWn - Sign from Above [EAR mixtape Version]
Red+Test - Before the End of Days
One Eye Wanders Orchid Hunter
Object - Urban Claustrophobia [original instrumental version]
INSTANS - Carry My Name
B.A.M.N. - apart [edit]
Terminal State - The End
Astma - Dead End [remix 2012]
DRP - Fuck Off
tEaR!doWn - Nerve Conflict [Illness mix by Mc1r]
Severe Illusion - Lobotomobile [early version]
One Eye Wanders - Nervesending [edit]
To Avoid - Last Resort Suicide [RMX by Maschinensturm]
Red+Test - Unforgiving Landscapes

The gracefully statuesque droning ambient of billowing strings on the initial "Rosemerrynwood" introduces this new "enviro-mental" sonic translation of the fey town of Lamorna and its enchanting surroundings, a place on the south-western part of the lovely British region of Cornwall, by Matthew Shaw aka Tex La Homa, one of the most interesting musician of the UK underground ambient scene and founder of Apollolaan Recordings, who's not totally new to both this kind of releases where the musician seems to experience and translate into sounds an enraptured enthrallment by surrounding landscape or a specific location as well as by resulting inner frames of reference and sonic sanctification of Cornish places (he already dedicated a couple of CDrs to Lanreath and Metherell). The embedding of field recordings for such a release was almost compulsary, but Matthew skillfully kneads and amalgamates them with other sonic elements so that he manages to vividly render both the immediately perceivable manifestation of the places he visited (Lamorna valley, the beautiful cove, the peaceful woods and the mysterious historical site of Boleigh Fogou, an underground structure from the Iron Age) and the inner awesomeness they inspire by means of wisely played bowed guitars, acoustic guitars, Moog Prodigy and various effects. I'm pretty sure many listeners will experience synesthetic emotions as if they were surrounded by ferns, bluebeels, foxgloves, woodland, stones and all other elements of that Corbish corner of heaven.I hope there are still some available copies (just 100 numbered ones have been printed) as the package that Fluid Audio reserved for this sonic jewel mirrors its poetic soul by including a natural Larch wood slice, pressed Viola flower, a rare poem by British Surrealist painter and author Ithell Colquhoun, local scent and a download code as well.