What's new in our world of EBM

This is going to be an informative post. Eine Tasse Jäger (1TJ) doesn't get much time to write, because of enormous amount of push-ups and pull-ups that must be done everyday, lifting bricks and pipes, and free-climbing industrial factories during weekends. Set aside a cup of Jägerrrrrr and get reading.

March 25: Update regarding Apocalypse Don't Come....We Are Still Stomping Vol. III - get the free versions in every possible quality format from bandcamp: here (remaining volumes to the right side)

The Juggernauts have released their first official release! It's Belgian EBM at its finest. The EP is called Phoenix and has three tracks, plus several additional remixes of them. The quality of Phoenix is so good, that it keeps us salivating Jäger waiting for a full-length album.

Electric Tremor has relaunched their working class store, which now has several bad-ass items like the new Pouppée Fabrikk t-shirt, and of even more legendary quality: tickets to Familientreffen, the festival where all you need and will get is beer, boots, and EBM. This year the festival runs for four total days, Wednesday-Saturday (03.07-07.07). Make sure to book your holiday from the coal mine now. The highlights of the festival this year are Dupont featuring Johan Damn (arrrrrrrr!) on vocals, Sturm Café with their additional side-project Working Puppets (which is disco-EBM). Also Jäger 90 (fingers crossed for new album as soon as possible!), and Nexus Kenosis, which is a side project from Pouppée Fabrikk. For full line-up see the link, don't be lazy.

Spetsnaz have released another hard-beating anhalt EBM album, still following in the steps of old school Nitzer Ebb. It has some more melody and is less angry than earlier releases, but still has a great punch. The album is called For Generations To Come.

Radio EBM Unidos Y Fuertes! has done a magnificent amount of work on the newest free anhalt EBM compilation. It is called Apocalypse Don't Come....We Are Still Stomping Vol. III, and has an outstanding amount of artists. There has been a small delay in the release of this collection, but the first volume is out and ready for download: here.

Container 90 have announced their newest full-length album which will be called "Working Class League". It's out on 24th of April this year, naturally. But wait, there is more! It can be purchased in limited Partykit edition. 1TJ usually doesn't like special editions, because they tend to be boring. But when it offers a bottle opener, beer coaster, 1 condom, 1 aspirin, and 1 actual Working Class Beer bottle with Working Class Beer inside (all with related Container 90 art and taste), it's something else. Note that the beer can only be claimed during wave gotic treffen (whatever that is, 1TJ had no idea there were other festivals than Familientreffen in this otherwise music-starved world).

Combat Company has released a single called Monochromaniac and an LP full-length The Minimal Us. Both are out on BRANDSATZ records, which apparently is home of electropunk (and that is a home that we like and would love to visit for bisquits and Jäger). See the link for Combat Company sounds on soundcloud!

EkoBrottsMyndigheten has a new T-shirt, and its entirely white! 1TJ found a picture of it, among other visual input of Jäger and cuttting sausages with scissors (never change!) on their facebook page. You can order this lovely t-shirt here.

Also some rumours that 1TJ has managed to fish up on facebook: Pouppée Fabrikk are often mentioning more or less finnished recording of new album with confirmed remixes from several other noteworthy band-names from anhalt EBM scene. A.D.A.C. 8286 are also offering rumours about something new coming soon (and haven't we waited long enough for more music from them??). Stechschritt is a new promising German anhalt EBM project with a release "An Die Front" coming up on Electric Tremor.

New Releases

Since Myspace turned to mock, it has been harder to follow up all the newer anhalt EBM projects and bands. But here are the newer releases.

Rebel Empire - Imperialismo. This album features newly recorded older tracks like Machinery and Action To, plus others that haven't been released anywhere yet. Rebel Empire stays as one of more unique EBM bands with a direction and forceful vocals. Auw! For the record, I can't find any info about this album online, so go to soulseek to pick it up for free..

aD:keY - Five Years of aD:keY (2007-2012). Already anhalt EBM veterans, the German duo releases a best-off album with a few to me previously unheard songs (Die Wellen Ersticken Den Wind is special!), some remixes and live versions. This is self-released, so contact the band to acquire a copy. Or do some soulseeking.

3D-pop on Sham Recordings is a LP compilation (so no downloads for you!), and features four bands: Johannes und der Täufer, Monotone DC, Soundburger and what's most interesting to followers of this blog: Sturm Café. As the compilation's title implies, this is Swedish synthpop, but our beloved Sturm Café enters with two EBM tracks: Meistermann and a new version of Voodoo Sex, which is harsher and darker than what you usually expect from the coffee-makers, but in all ways very good.

No Sleep By The Machine - Quadrilateral. This is a collection of earlier releases entitled 1, 2 and 3, but also features five new tracks. Can be digitally purchased at their homepage. No Sleep By The Machine continues into its own special road of oldschool EBM and industries, and should make all Klinik fans extremely happy.

Let's see if we can fish up more releases soon. In the mean-while there will be coming a surprise from Eine Tasse Jäger itself in nearest future! Remember to keep warm with jäger and crazy stomp-dance this cold December.

Equitant - Body Vehement

Equitant returns 3 years later since the last release Dynamism (not counting any remixes inbetween 2009 and 2012) with a new one: Body Vehement.

Not only is Equitant the only (to my knowledge) old school EBM/anhalt EBM directed artist from the good old West, the music stands out on its own across all of the industrial and electro body music scene. Monotonic, as always very hard-beating, minimalist and yet often with floating and atmospheric soundscapes on top (which may make one think of newest Signal Aout 42 albums), Equitant stays as unique and great as always has been.

Body Vehement album presents 7 new tracks, and can be purchased here.


1. Body Vehement (Original Mix) - is a hard hitting, yet floating (as mentioned above, ala SA42) experience
2. Body Vehement (Equitant Remix) - is a more monotonic and minimalist version.
3. Let Me Be On feat. Yasmin Gate (Original Mix) - presents magnificent vocals from Yasmin Gate that have always gone so well along Equitant's music. Hard hitting and tough track!
4. Dynamique feat. Lea X (Original Mix) - a slightly softer, more melodic and dreamy through female vocals track, (although it never leaves the basic ground of EBM)
5. Dynamique feat. Bastian (Equitant Remix) - the favorite for Eine Tasse Jäger, this one is again very floating, presenting a male version of vocals. A fantastic experience.
6. Das Menschliche Rennen feat. Illumine Concrete (Original Mix) and
7. Das Menschliche Rennen feat. Illumine Concrete (Equitant Remix) both are more monotonic typical Equitant tracks that fit in nicely with the rest of the album.

Equitant's Body Vehement shows off his expertise: taking electronic music to it's raw basics, adding a personal touch of hard beats and bass, creating unique melodies and synth tracks with a strong punch, and then either letting them stay monotonic and hard, or adding a layer of atmosphere that not only makes you want to stomp around and dance, but also may let you dream away. This is what Equitant does best and what makes him stand out in industrial/techno/EBM/Oldschool-EBM scene.

Now someone, please, arrange for Equitant to finally come and play in Europe!

Familientreffen 8 Videos and Review

Familientreffen 8 was the ultimate highlight of EBM this year. Featuring the old school EBM legends Pouppée Fabrikk as headliner, that alone was reason enough to go. But the whole line-up was particularly strong and more old school than previous few years. Here is a quick sum-up of the festival, and scroll below for videos and pictures!

Festival opened in the DJ tent on Thursday. Human Steel unfortunately never made it to open the event, due to car problems, as the rumour had it. Instead Schramm delivered a strong and professional opening. That was also the only day with lots of rain, the rest of the weekend had perfect weather for dancing and stomping around while drinking beer. A little bit disappointing though: nobody was doing push-ups anywhere!

Friday started with French Karbu 38: a very worthy opener for this day. Only wish is that they could have played longer than 20 minutes. Following AD:Key and Restricted Area with neo-old school EBM, the latter was a hard-hitting surprise, not much unlike Spetsnaz - which also was present that night in the form of Volvo 242. Lots of Ebb and 242 hits were played, upping the intensity and the joy of old school. The three other bands represented true old school EBM classics: The Invincible Spirit, Brigade Werther, and Psyche (awesome dance moves!!).

Saturday was the big day. Opener The Juggernauts was particularly great with their unique old school attitude and helmets that might have fooled some people into thinking that Jäger 90 had turned up under a different name. That the festival area was filled this early during the day is enough to prove that The Juggernauts is something special. Look for the video below.. Muscles on The Move followed with strong and hard-hitting anhalt EBM (and would have been a perfect band to do pushups to!!). Nuekampf vs Amnsitia was a double band performance, thus also quite longer, then followed by Darkmen with straight forward anhalt EBM. After this, Spark! as always drew an enormous crowd and tried to teach everyone Swedish with their mix of anhalt EBM and more melody. Gaytron was next with professional performance and a surprisingly powerful cover of Klinik in the end! Obligatory Rummelsnuff was next with as always fun stage-show and a particularly good additional singer.

..Then things grew quiet. The lamp-post on the left side kept going black and blinking dimly a few times. There was wind, and a storm was brewing. A synth appeared on a tower of red beer boxes on stage. The storm broke loose with one of the most powerful voices in EBM and the most raw and old school EBM sounds. Pouppée Fabrikk was there and they immediately filled the whole festival area, there never was enough room in front. Advising people to be kind to each-other in the moshpit and greeting the family of EBM'ers, all hell broke loose when Pouppée Fabrikk started their show. The concert was set-up chronologically, following all the albums from start to finnish with several songs from each. This is particularly unique, because more modern live-mix of these has a different sound than 20-25 year old album releases. Pouppée Fabrikk is a truly professional live-band, making an effort to include the whole public and kindly giving away their boots twice (the crowd misunderstood the first time they came off stage, and returned them). Pouppée Fabrikk was the most powerful, fun and awesome live experience that Eine Tasse Jäger has seen.

Here is a collection of videos from this year (come back a few days later, this will be updated with new ones if they appear on youtube).

Pouppée Fabrikk - Incinerage
Pouppée Fabrikk - Destruktor
Pouppée Fabrikk - Circumcision
The Invincible Spirit - Push!
The Juggernauts - Phoenix
Gaytron - Männerliebe
Spark! - Glassbilen
Spark! - Frihet
Restricted Area - Slacker
Schramm - Yokozuna
AD:Key - Hoch Die Hämmer
Darkmen - Stop the machine + Legs like gold
Darkmen
AD:Key - Elitär

And for a collection of pictures, go to aussagen[b]logik.

UH! (Familientreffen 8)

It's time for the family meeting again. Have you done all the neccessary work-out for Pouppée Fabrikk moshpit? If so, remember to warm up. We suggest a healthy dose of beer and Jäger while doing push-ups.

For those who are taking the train to Sandersleben, here is an extra challenge. Only tools required for it is beer. Everytime the train passes an abandoned industrial building, you drink beer. You can consider it as a warm-up too. Apparently the weather is going to be very warm, and everybody knows it's important to drink liquids, so here you go.

Apparently that green stuff is pretty good. 

Enjoy the world's most awesome festival and see you there! Come back here for videos of hard beats, bad-ass moshpits, and fat bass-lines next week. SKÅL! (cheers!)

Stomping Before Apocalypse: Underground anhalt EBM compilation

Stomping stomping! And it's released for free, and both volumes can be downloaded here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?gz96iz8xzau7918 (that's volume one)
http://www.mediafire.com/?3tbfp58y8d91a2b (and that's volume two)

Stomping Before Apocalypse Vol I. and Vol II. are a great follow-up for last year's Old School Electrology: a variety of bands, both new and old, with exclusive previously unreleased tracks.


Released on 24/2 (crack the date code!). The track list is huge, with total 31 bands from across the world, all representing good old raw and hard hitting EBM. Radio EBM Unidos Y Fuertes! did a great job gathering so many bands to represent the undeadlyness of good old EBM, and we hope there will for example be 242 more volumes to come. The track list is as follows:

Vol I.

1 Grosstracktor – Realidad
2 Gulga – Klausztrofóbiás Dal (Claustrophobic Song)
3 Human Steel – Das Minimal Signal
4 La Santé – Zlote I Szare
5 Larva – Fuck The Poor
6 Lomvi – Line Of Defense
7 MuEziN – Smród I Cham
8 PS-Girl – RV-41 (Tech Nomader Remix)
9 Rebel Empire – Resistencia
10 Red Narwhal Crew – Proletariado (V.01 Instrumental)
11 Steve Steel Feat. Sequenz-E – Zukunft (2nd Steve Steel Mix) 
12 T.W.A.T. – Hell Will Provide (Version 1.0)
13 W.A.B. – Sekuestrado
14 Aguilatron Project – Machinery
15 Digitizen – Night And Fire (Against Death Penalty Mix)
16 Frontrot – TDO`SN (Apokalypse Mix)

Vol II.

1 Alt-G – Conspiracy
2 Artilleria – Be The Best
3 BÄR – Duality
4 Blood Shot Eyes – E.B.M. Machine
5 Dr.Body – S.O.P.A. Fuck Off!!
6 EBM Stompers – Run With Wolves
7 ECM – Contra Todo
8 EkoBrottsMyndigheten – INTE ok (Neschmix)
9 Electrophobia – Cerdos Adinerados
10 Groupe.T – Close Combat (Tactical Reorganisation Mix)
11 Karbu38 – Ready Steady Go!
12 TÖT – Aftertaste
13 New Fabrik – Toxico Mundo
14 747 Federales – Habla La Policia
15 Aghast View – Torrent Haze (Rapic Torture Rmx)

Oi!, lazy fuckers! T.W.A.T. - Blood, Sweat, and Teargas is out - the review

OI!,

T.W.A.T. is finally out with their debut album, as of 26. August. Here comes probably the most unique t.w.i.s.t. of anhalt EBM: oi punk with electro and EBM mixture. We have been following this band ever since the release of the first demo track Battleground in 2008, and it is particularly great to see this band officially alive with an album! Album snippets to be found here, while you read on: http://soundcloud.com/twatoibm/sets/album-snippets/. Or you can just go ahead and buy the album right away here, because it is bloody worth it!

Blood, Sweat, and Teargas (probably one of the most magnificent titles ever) gives a mix of raw and aggressive energy mixed with (at times playful) melody and both male and female vocals. You will only need one listen to realize that this differs a lot from the standard anhalt EBM scene, but the hard beats and raw bass are always there. The melody part comes from the oi punk influence - although 1TJ is not familiar enough with this genre to draw any similarities to specific oi punk bands. Almost every track follows this receipt: straight forward and tight anhalt EBM sounds, but sooner or later the track breaks into a melodic and usually aggressive energy, which is where the unique punk influence breaks through. Some tracks are particularly melodic: for example Born and Raised with a slower pace, fantastic melody, and particularly NOT positive lyrics. Other songs are straight forward and energetic as hell, (Too Rude for Radio (punked up)). Others again are closer to typical anhalt EBM sound (The Barricades). The intro and outro instrumental songs are fantastically catchy and their sounds may make you think of old minimal 80's electro songs.

It is in order to compliment T.W.A.T. for not being afraid to do something entirely unique. The usage of unusual synth sounds in each track has never been heard of in EBM before. Both vocals are energetic, angry, and "punky", but it is particularly unique to hear female vocals in anhalt EBM used like this: tough and very fitting for this kind of music. Some may recognize the male vocals from EkoBrottsMyndigheten, as Martin is a part of that as well.

T.W.A.T. runs up to you in boots, shouts OI! straight into your face, and leaves no doubt that the punk influence that in the early 80s helped shape the pioneering bands of EBM (DAF and Nitzer Ebb), is forever a part of this genre, and that an even stronger mix of these styles works bloody sweaty well!




If you are looking for something unique, if you like oi punk, or old school EBM, or both, you will not be disappointed! If we were to rate album reviews on this blog, Blood, Sweat and Teargas would receive top rating. OI!!!!!

Jäger 90 - Fleisch Macht Böse

Achtung! Ein jäger! Über uns!

Jäger never sleeps. New album to be dropped on us by the two oldschool pilots carying the flag of DAF on 12. August this year.

The album will feature in simple words this: DAF-tradition, bass, social criticism, fetish, love, combat boots & pilot helmets, stomp-dance and champagne.

"Fleisch Macht Böse" to be released on Out Of Line, and can already be pre-ordered here. Hopefully someone will also release a t-shirt with the same awesome artwork of the album cover. The track list follows below, and while we wait another month for this album, make sure to catch Jäger 90 at Familientreffen in less than two weeks! UH! *Muscle and kisses*


1. Stärker als du meinst
2. Beim ersten Mal tat`s nicht weh
3. Ich schwitze
4. Meine Seele voller Lust
5. Wenn es euch nicht passt dann lasst
6. Immer dümmer
7. Ein Sägefisch
8. An manchen Tagen
9. Ein neuer Tanz
10. Häuser abgebrannt
11. Wir gehen unseren Weg

OI mates! T.W.A.T. news!

T.W.A.T., the unique anhalt EBM project mixing the style of oi punk and oldschool EBM is finally getting the deserved release. In fact, two releases: the band has been working on lots of new material and the result is two releases on Machineries of Joy label. As the the band's webpage states, it is up to the label when these will be released, and it should be very soon, although the initial information stated the release on April, 2010. Here is a toast of eine tasse jäger that the label will hurry and release this fantastic band as soon as possible. Read on for more info on the oi! filled music coming your way!

Working Class Love is a digital EP, which will be available for download. This one has a strict Pouppée Fabrikk influence, as the band itself describes it: 3 exclusive massive electronic tracks. These are Working Class, Lovesong, and United. It also includes 3 remixes, by Darkmen and Ionic Vision.

Working Class Love is a warm-up to T.W.A.T.'s first full-length album, which will be released in the standard CD format. The title is Blood, Sweat and Teargas. The track list is not for IKEA people, but for rude boys and girls, and looks just like this:

01. func.
02. too rude for radio (punked up)
03. lazy fuckers
04. conformity
05. the barricades
06. choke
07. run the cameras
08. battleground
09. my skin
10. working class
11. born and raised
12. bow and obey
13. sverige
14. off
15. sverige (hasse code 64)

Oi! We can't wait!

http://www.twatoibm.tk/

Familientreffen VII (7) line-up is ready

..almost 100%. But seriously, who can't guess the mysterious Swedish headliner?? (apparently it is not Pouppée Fabrikk - it's Portion Control!)

Continuing last year's tradition, Familientreffen VII goes on for three days - 28. July till 30. July. The festival webpage includes all infos regarding hotels, tents, tickets, prices, food, and fun stuff for EBMer's.

If you haven't attended this festival before and wondering why you should, the answer is very simple: Familientreffen is simply the best festival around for anhalt and old school EBM. Located in the countryside of East Germany (Sandersleben) it is a magnificent event with cheap German beer, cheap German food, and a hole ton of stomping activity.

Starting Thursday as a warm-up day with only two bands and DJ activity later into the night, and continuing with bigger line-ups for Friday and Saturday:

Thursday:
Human R3source (raw anhalt EBM with Pouppée Fabrikk influence)
The Love Dictators 

Friday:
Blood Shot Eyes (hard and angry Italian anhalt EBM)
Stockholm Wrecking Crew (Swedish hardcore electropunks with their own unique anhalt EBM style!)
Jäger 90 (probably playing early to bring a bigger public earlier, this band can be more DAF-like than DAF themselves)
Ionic Vision (old school legends with insane energy on stage!)
Plastic Noise Experience (old school EBM)
Page 12 

Saturday:
Bodystyler (melodic, yet energy filled anhalt EBM)
Tech Nomader (masters of Spanish EBM with probably the most raw anhalt EBM new release "Domótica" up to date)
Nordarr (tight and straight forward anhalt EBM)
Sequenz-E (anhalt ebm with raw and angry vocals!)
Prager Handgriff (varying industrial and old school EBM)
Coinside (martial industrial meets old school EBM)
Rummelsnuff (muscles and a mix of everything alternative)
Spetsnaz (tough and hard beating swedish hardcore hooligans!)
The Eternal Afflict 
????? (242 Tassen Jäger for those who can guess this Swedish band..but then we might run out of Jäger!)

Fist Fight Night in Stockholm with Pouppée Fabrikk and EkoBrottsMyndigheten

Announcing Fist Fight Night in Stockholm, on behalf of Fist Fight Records!

Do you like Fight Club? That is not what this is about. 26th March, in Stockholm, Fabriken, EkoBrottsMyndigheten and Pouppée Fabrikk bring down the fist of solid rock and steel, the boot of leather, with maximum stomp intention. View all the details such as the address, ticket cost, and information for visitors from abroad, at the official event page.

Pouppée Fabrikk resurrected last year, and with a new album coming up and fantastic performance at Body Fest last year, their fans will no doubt be treated well during this night. The band will play a few songs from their upcoming album as well. All you have to do is watch videos from Body Fest (powerful EBM link, another powerful EBM link) to see that Pouppée Fabrikk is one of the most powerful and energy filled old school EBM bands to ever exist!

EkoBrottsMyndigheten naturally will bring the party attitude. Their half a year old album Alla Tiders Bodykallas was a superb anhalt EBM release, filled with songs about Jäger and beer. Expect maximum alcohol-energy, buy Jäger shots, and do push-ups! (Jäger-filled EBM link)

As Fight Night Records say themselves, it is uncertain if the venue where this event is taking place, Fabriken, will stand after these two powerful EBM bands.

Additionally, take notice of another Scandinavian event, in Norway Trondheim 19th March: Sturm Café ist zurück in Norwegen!

Anhalt EBM on the rise: Interview with Nader, the man behind Old School Electrology Vol. 1

Oldschool Electrology Vol. 1 has been a massive anhalt and oldschool EBM project, building up slowly and moving towards the release date, step by step. As Nader, the man behind the project has been calling it: it slowly takes dinosaur steps (huuuuge strong dinosaur legs with BOOTS on, that is). At the time that this post is being made, 11 copies remain to be pre-ordered (in the beginning there were 100) and once it reaches 0 it will fund the final releaze. Information about the pre-ordering and the massive track list of the 4 CDs can be found on EAR page, which is the label behind it. In case you are wondering why OSE Vol. 1 is so special, all of its tracks are exclusive and specifically prepared by the bands for this release. That means new, unheard material from more than 70 bands from the anhalt EBM elite and dark electro.

Therefore it is perfectly fitting to ask Nader a few questions about his work on OSE Vol. 1

1TJ: How did you come up with the idea to create such a big collection of Oldschool and anhalt EBM/dark electro? What motivated you?

Nader: Hello Ramunas, thanks for the cool interview! You’re a staunch supporter of the old school scene and I’d like to commend you for your unwavering commitment to promoting Anhalt EBM. My first compilation Grandchaos “In Sedens” DCD was a precursor to OSE. The XXL Remix EP got overwhelmingly positive reviews and many electroheads encouraged me to take my old school mission to the next level & assemble a 4-cd box featuring all exclusive tracks & exclusive remixes by classic electro acts and mega-talented neo-old school bands. It took me 4 years to wrap up OSE

1TJ: One doesn't only get 4-CD's worth of exclusive and never before released tracks, you put alot of effort into the physical appearance of it as well?

Nader: It’s my undivided devotion to old school electro that kept me going. I’m very fortunate to have an amazing team and I’d like to extend a big thank you to Chris Lewis (frontman of the amazing dark electro act Red+Test) for his magnificent illustrations, Michael Renfield (aka Soillodge) for his awesome formatting and design, and last but not least, Brian Hazard (Resonance Mastering) for his top notch mastering. OSE has turned into a concept project and customers will capture the full essence of old school electro once they grab their copy.

1TJ: The whole process wasn't easy. What difficulties did you meet?

Nader: It was a very time consuming & frustrating project. I had to follow-up with each and every band and make sure that Brian is fully satisfied with the wav files. As the old saying goes, no pain, no gain

1TJ: How did you pick the bands for such a huge collection?

Nader: I’ve drawn upon my extensive knowledge of the old school/neo-old school scene to assemble this monumental project.

1TJ: It says Vol. 1, so will there be more collections in the future?

Nader: I sure hope so!

1TJ: What music do you yourself listen to?

Nader: I’ve a wide taste in music, but I mostly listen to complex, multi-layered dark electro, old school EBM, minimal electro/analog synthpop, italo-disco and techno.

1TJ: Where do you think the anhalt EBM scene is going?

Nader: Anhalt EBM is definitely gathering pace and I hope OSE will reignite interest in old school electro

1TJ: Do you have any new anhalt EBM favorites? I.e. bands you would want to include in a new collection? Perles from the underground?

Nader: I’m a HUGE fan of Astma, Ondska, Pact of Warsaw, Neukampf and Oldschool Union (all featured on OSE Vol. 1). We’ll see what the future holds for volume 2.

1TJ: Only 11 pre-orders remain until you can finance the release, and it seems the wait is almost over. Where does it go from here? Will there be possibilies for digital purchase? Any other plans?

Nader: 11 more steps to reach the 100 pre-orders target and I’m glad that we’re inching closer to the finish line. It was an agonizingly slow process and I’d like to thank each & every OSE customer for their patience and support! The project wouldn’t have been possible without you. As you may already know, OSE is an outrageously expensive project. Right from the very beginning, I was determined to release a luxurious dream box and I was so crushingly disheartened with the astoundingly low pre-orders. I know for a fact that thousands of casual fans want to illegally download the box-set the day it comes out and that’s why I had to set a 100 pre-orders target. The rationale behind this move is to cover part of exorbitant expenses and avoid a hefty loss. Come to think of it, I know it’s insanely crazy to release a hard copy only collector’s box in the age of illegal downloads.

1TJ: Any final words to the anhalt EBM stompers and the whole scene?

Nader: Please support bands and labels. Illegal downloads are really killing the music industry

Exclusive anhalt ebm promotion: Human Steel and Struck 9

The underground is growing, and it is getting difficult to keep track of all new bands that keep coming up, but here are two bands that deserve some extra attention. They are unique, not only because they originate from countries that aren't Germany or Sweden, but because they stand out musically. They are Human Steel (Poland) and Struck 9 (Colombia).

Human Steel is a newer project, making industrial EBM with anhalt ebm sound, although their latest tracks are entirely anhalt ebm both in sound and factory-attitude. Their first release is a promo EP entitled First Contact, with four tracks which all start off with a typical anhalt EBM sound with hard beats, but these tracks explode into a broader style, with more electro and industrial sounds than is usual in this genre. Do not misunderstand though, Human Steel do well in keeping the atmosphere and attitude true to the old school EBM genre. For additional fun, First Contact EP also includes an anhalt ebm tribute to Kraftwerk! Beyond this promo EP, the band has uploaded newer tracks on their myspace, of which particularly Behind The Walls is a hard hitting tough anhalt EBM beast! Human Steel also stands out through very good vocals, which sometimes remind of Armageddon Dildos, and will please those who are tired of growling in EBM, as well as those who prefer more clean ones. Words don't make enough justice, therefore make sure to check out their tracks on their myspace, and look out for a link to their music, which they are planning to upload for free in the future.

Struck 9 is also different from the typical anhalt ebm band in the same fashion - it borrows an influence from other genres, but without losing its anhalt and oldschool EBM sound. It is raw, straight forward and powerful EBM. Their latest release "Democracy" (2010) has 9 varied tracks, which range from minimalist and tough anhalt EBM, to more hard hitting and more sound-filled tracks, with some modern EBM influence, and sometimes a little techno. This release also has a great remix from Spanish anhalt EBM masters Tech Nomader. Less talk, more listening: the band has been so kind to upload "Democracy" for free download. And recently Struck 9 has released a remix album entitled "Default" which includes mixes from various bands, i.e. Equitant. You will find all info about this on Myspace.

For more latest and newest underground anhalt EBM, find "VA - Oldschool Anhalt Underground EBM 2011", that someone unknown has compiled. Soulseek is your friend.

SWEDISH EBM - The Collection: a review

Look what the cat brought in! Look what the cat brought in! A mighty pleasant and hard-hitting Christmas present, that's what. Otherwise, those words are a chant in the new ultra fast and extra punk Container 90 song "Copycat" on the great release from Fist Fight Records - a various artists CD with some of the best Swedish anhalt EBM bands.

Fist Fight Records is a new label featuring new Swedish bands, such as No Sleep By The Machine and Stockholm Wrecking Crew, and three other bands which will soon release their debute albums. One of their first releases is Swedish EBM - The Collection featuring known Swedish oldschool EBM bands, as well as some up and runners. Click on their myspace link to see the details as well as the ordering options. The release includes 14 new tracks.

Musically, this collection is a mix of most subgenres oldschool EBM has to offer. The pure elctropunk part is covered by Container 90 with their fastest, most energetic (and thus shortest, in good punk tradition) track so far. The other punky parts which keep appearing in Swedish anhalt EBM are presented by T.W.A.T and their oi-punk influenced style, and Stockholm Wrecking Crew show off their unique and well developed, particularly hardcore and strong style.

The more general anhalt/oldschool EBM style is covered by Turnbull A.C's and Spetsnaz, which continue in their well know musical footsteps. There is also energy-filled as always Kropp and bass-filled Astma. Amongst the most old school sounding tracks is No Sleep By The Machine with its unique and catchy style, and Projekt Tanz which seem to be influenced in part by old school techno, as always presenting extremely catchy beats with a good dose of humour.

Autodafeh follow in their footsteps as well, the new track fitting well into the style of their latest album release. SPARK! present a very anhalt-ebm sounding and hard-beating track at first, which then explodes into more melodic style, what they have increasingly become known for. And in the end there is Dupont with an earlier version of one of their harder songs, Batch ID with a synth-pop track influenced by harder EBM style; and another masterpeice from Sturm Café and their recently developed style that is a mix of everything that is good: anhalt ebm, old school electro, Madonna-bass, italo disco, neue deutsche welle, and their own fresh catchyness.

Swedish EBM - The Collection is not only a very varied and great collection of anhalt and old school EBM, which for that reason will be an album that will be listened to on repeat for a loooong time. But it also does a great job at representing Swedish EBM, what it has done in the past and what it has to offer in the future, across the growing variety of bands and subgenres of anhalt EBM. There is only one thing that it lacks and that is EkoBrottsMyndigheten!

The track list is as follows:
1. Spetsnaz - Satiric Strokes
2. Autodafeh - Camp Intel
3. Kropp - Avreagera
4. Turnbull A.C's - Unique
5. No Sleep By The Machine - Yellow Mica
6. SPARK! - Singelolycka
7. Stockholm Wrecking Crew - Barnsoldat
8. Dupont - Behave (2009)
9. T.W.A.T. - The Barricades
10. Batch ID - Ifred
11. Sturm Café - Scheissnormal
12. Projekt Tanz - Not The King of Body
13. Astma - The Directors Cut
14. Container 90 - Copycat

http://www.myspace.com/fistfightrecordsswe - order the physical copy of it here.

The king of swedish body!

New albums from Escalator and Karbu38

Incoming new production message from Elektro Kommando! E | K Product is the title of the new Italian label, which is also a part of Elektro Kommando, creating live anhalt EBM events (which they have been doing for soon 3 years) and a webshop. They have now signed two new bands and both will release new albums in January 2011: Escalator and Karbu38. View all English information here: http://ekproduct.com/

Escalator is an old legendary Hungarian band, always following in true old school EBM footsteps, and sharing some similarities with Front 242, especially in their old releases. However, Escalator has taken its own personal and independent path within hard beating electronics genre. The new album is called "Out of my Ego".

Karbu38 is a French anhalt EBM newcommer to the scene. Only one song "Ready Steady Go" from this band exists so far (and you can find it as a demo on downloads on the right side here), and it has received many good responses. As a result, Karbu38 will release their debut album in January on Elektro Kommando. The title is "Tour De Chauffe" and will have 12 new tracks, with 4 additional remixes from the elite of anhalt EBM.. - Spark!, Autodafeh, Darkmen and Tech Nomader. Are you ready!? To be STEADY!?

GO!