MIN2MAX is the new compilation from Minus label. After the previous "Minimum to maximum" compilation this time the label subtracted some letters to bring us exclusive tracks of their usual roster artists (Heartthrob, Marc Houle, Gaiser, Troy Pierce & Magda) adding also some new projects Tractile (Sarnia, Ontario), JPLS (Indiana) and producers such as Loco Dice (Germany), Konrad Black (Canada) and Noarch. Most of the tracks are a good example of how experimental/minimal techno sounds nowadays, focusing the sound mainly on rhythm structures, dilated moments and repetitive/obsessive melody-less solutions. Presenting ambient atmospheres with glitch sounds and syncopated rhythms the tracks lack of melody. The only one that use it is Baby Kate’s "Heartthrob", a cool track with minimal changes of melodies, pumping rhythms and a certain dance flavour. If you are a lover of minimal structures based on rhythmic layers, try this one.

This is a new debut of this Spanish one-man project released on the rising US label DSBP. ASSEPTIC ROOM consists of Carlos Ruiz, who was up to 2004 one half of the Spanish project DIOXYDE, from which we also lately have discovered a new full length release. While DIOXYDE is the more and better known act, ASSEPTIC ROOM can be called as the evil little brother, because musically it surely allowed – surprise, surprise – to compare both acts. To live in Spain must be a real torture and Carlos has a lot to tell us from the dark sites of live, death, hell, religion and also politics ("Brutal IRA"). Genre-typical he uses rough distorted vocals to spread his slogan-like hateful messages using both languages, English and Spanish. It is one of these harsh EBM/Electro/Industrial acts often sorted under the ridiculous moniker Hellektro, not weaker, but also not better than the huge average mass. I would tend to qualify ASSEPTIC ROOM as being a bit more minimal constructed, maybe with a stronger dedication to some old KLINIK/SUICIDE COMMANDO productions, while still using up-to-date sounds and penetrating effected percussion. Also worth to mention is the linearity up to monotony featured in Carlos’ compositions, which helps this act to build a depressive and cold mood. Some good tunes are up here like "Faith Without You" or "Crazy" which both should appeal all dedicated maniacs. But there’s generally to say that the tracks of ASSEPTIC ROOM are mostly lesser danceable and Techno-like constructed than to other related bands – which is also a proof for the musically relationship to DIOXYDE. Excellent done and worth to mention is the great cover artwork featuring a nun-dressed female Hannibal Lector. Fans of the mentioned acts, as well as fans of the NoiTekk roster should pick up this release. It is definitively not da greatest killer around, but satisfying enough to grab some attention.

WELLE:ERDBALL – for some enjoyment, for others grief. I was mostly parted with their works inspired by a strong dedication between C64 sounds, German lyrics and a strong influence out of the Eighties and the NDW times. Oldest KRAFTWERK or TANGARINE DREAM also have had some musically influence on the band and there’s for sure to say that their kind is somehow unique. With "Chaos Total" they offer here a new full length CD featuring 20 tracks, a playing of more than 70 minutes and so the whole space a CD can offer. Here are to find some real pearls like the melodious track ""Pouppée de Cire" featuring the French female one-hit-wonder France Gall on the vocals. Both dancefloor hits are also available here named "Nur tote Frauen sind schön" and more especially "Alpha-Tier (C=64)", which is a hardcoristic EBM piece at its best! Check also out the funny "Das Souvenir" where WELLE:ERDBALL move back on their time journey into the earlier tries of electronic-based music to the good old 60ties. WELLE:ERDBALL somehow play with all time eras of electronic music, but rather from the first beginnings than to the newest high-end plug-in synthesizers. Music, message and kind transmit well the feeling of the young 80ties with almost facets of Pop/Wave music up to minimal old-school EBM. For some greenhorns they may offer a nice retro view of some past days, the elders against to this see their glorious days alive.

I should admit that this "release" is a digital-only download item available on iTunes or related. But the label Artoffact from Canada made themselves the effort to send it out as a promotional copy, so there’s no real reason, not to review it. As usual, you have to take a MASSIV IN MENSCH release with a sense of humor. This 6-track EP is a teaser to the upcoming full length CD "Clubber Lang" of this German act, also out soon on Artoffact. And of course – like expected – this release features almost straight produced stuff somewhere between EBM and Futurepop with both lyrics in German and English to storm the dancefloors of the clubs. But it’s doubtful if this "sound of immortality" deserves its name – if so, I wanna die immediately! It’s a dance track available in two versions, yes, but reduced to the message itself and so not a compositional highlight. The second version, a remix work done by THE PROMISE, concentrates a bit more on the music part which is a wise decision. We have then a cover of the female German Pop music icon Sandra and her big media Control hit "Around My Heart", which I would review funny but irrelevant. Same I would say about the featured live version on another classic hit "You’re The Greatest Lover." These both pieces would work well at a drunken beach party. Finally there two more tracks, which can satisfy, a Re-Edit of the track "Morsch" and a B-side named "Secret Side", which features some well done tempo changes. To poke fun on scene to which this act of course counts is not always the fine kind and does not always earn respect. MASSIV IN MENSCH will for sure go on in their style, so lets look forward to the upcoming boxer story of "Clubber Lang".

Started in 2004, Fire In The Head is the personal project of Michael Paige which has already released twelve CDs, counting this new one titled MEDITATE/MUTILATE. Focusing his sound mostly on industrial/power noise, Michael sees his project as a "cathartic outlet to explore and ratify the delusions and social perversions resultant of psychosis and the darker side of man's conflicted dual nature", as he says on his website. The ten tracks of the album fortunately don’t present a tedious wall of sound only but they merge elements of noise, death industrial, drone, dark ambient and power electronics without sticking only on one of these. So, if "True believer" or "Complete the obsession" remember early Whitehouse (see tracks like "My cock's on fire" or the "Peter Kurtin" album), "Kriegskunst" is more de-structured (like digital noises on the wild), "Psychotic underground" sounds like a noise version of Foetus and the closing "Meditate/Mutilate" remember me the dark ambient tracks on Non mixed with feedback noises. For sure this kind of sounds don’t require to be a trained musician but Fire In The Head succeeds into creating a certain tense atmosphere that you’ll dig for sure if you are into this kind of sonority.