Catching up on latest EBM releases

EBM has had a boom in quality and original releases lately. Due to label-activity (look to the banner to the right..), it has been difficult to cover each release in its own post, so this time a post covering many of the newest releases at the same time will have to do. (it will still be the same, except the pictures will be smaller).

Let's go! First up is Angst! 

Some of you music nerds already know that there has been an EBM band (or project) called Angst, old school style. This new Angst is something else and actually is a side project from Henrik Nordvargr (known from ..I don't know.... Pouppée Fabrikk maybe!?). Their release on Progress Productions is called "Tar Ner Skylten" and is entirely in Swedish. You can hear the old school sound right away, and the first track even reminds of "Bring Back The Ways of Old" by Pouppée Fabrikk, but that is the only similarity you will find between the two bands. This new album from Angst is different: slower, calmer, and to some extent even more old school. Some of the tracks go really far back in time and reach the electropunk quality that DAF had: somewhat laid back compositions with experimental sounds filling out the monotonic bass and rhythms. The drums on this release are especially nice, as they are live drums. Even though this has happened on several EBM releases the past years, it still puts a unique touch on "Tar Ner Skylten". The album has professional quality written all over it, and is a very interesting release musically: it's well produced, experimental, and fresh. Not the first thing you would dance to, but who ever said that EBM was only about dancing? This CD can be purchased at Progress Productions. And if you do, you also will get a small promo CD with 3 tracks form Wulf Band, which is the new hit on the street of electropunk and EBM.

Sort of hidden and underground, there has been a release by a band that many have been waiting for, but didn't notice. Hell yeah, it's KROPP, but it is not entirely a new CD. Taken over by Frankahdafi Recods, this is a double CD, where the first one is a re-release of the old debut CD from 2008, which showed the world of EBM how to professionally mix punk and EBM, and which actually is considered a classic by now. The 2nd CD consists of one track that has appeared on a compilation (Swedish EBM - The Collection), and the rest are 3 new tracks. The new ones are the same good old KROPP, energetic, lyrics are about love, and they still kick so much ass. The CD can only be ordered through direct contact, so send an e-mail to info@frankahdafi-records.de or see the release info here.

Next up is Invasion of Female Logic. Now, let's try to figure out the band name first: it has been bothering me for a while. Is it an invasion where female logic takes over the world? Or is it an invasion where something else invades female logic itself? Maybe it's a riddle and the answer lies within the CD. In that case, I think it is the former solution: entirely based on the track "Frontfrau" on the CD: it is strong, pretty bad ass and uncompromizing. Maybe that is what female logic is in this case. Anyway... "Alternativlos" is the name of the album and it is a mix of many things: some old school electro, some Depeche Mode, some And One, and some anhalt EBM. Most of the tracks are on the more melodic and synth-pop side. Frontfrau is the one track that stood out for me, as it is purely heavy EBM, and done really well, and to be honest I miss that sort of punch in the rest of the tracks, but I understand that creating only old school/anhalt EBM was never the intention of this artist. I still wish there were more tracks like these, and they do exist on certain compilations from Electro Arc: look them up on Spotify! (Net.Ware Etronics and Net Ware Delight). They include remixes and collaborations with Invasion of Female Logic. As far as I know the physical CD was promotional only, and the CD should be available in places like Itunes. 

And that leads us to D-F-O-W. This project has existed for ages, but always stayed self-released. The new EP is no exception. It's called "Die Freundschaft" and is good standard old school German EBM. As far as I can tell, this is also the first release featuring another vocalist, and I think he does well. The music is fun and catchy, especially the track "EBM Kaffee" (watch the charming super-serious video). D-F-O-W here presents four new tracks, and four remixes of some of them, by bands like Muscles on The Move, Akalotz, and some others. This release is also sort of underground, as you have to get in touch with someone to get it. I think a good idea would be to use Facebook, unless you know how to go back in time and buy at the Tremor stand during Familientreffen in July. If you do that, please find me and remind me to drink more beer and less of that weird green stuff. 

Introducing White Trash Wankers - Electrobilly Horrorshow and Eine Tasse Jäger Records

Eine Tasse Jäger was born as a humble blog, trying to promote old school and anhalt EBM. Most of the scene and community in this music was either Swedish or German, so Eine Tasse Jäger took on the task of becoming an international source. Closely following all releases and demo bands for years, it was obvious that too much good and unique music was never seeing the daylight. And hence Eine Tasse Jäger Records took shape: to support original, attitude-filled music, with punk attitude: because punk energy has always been a part of bands from the old times. Now we want to hear more of it!

With this Eine Tasse Jäger presents the first release: White Trash Wankers - Electrobilly Horrorshow. As you can interpret from the title, the debut release for both the new born label and the entirely new band (which otherwise consists of forces met fom A.D.A.C 8286 and Stechschritt) is going beyond boundaries of typical EBM. You will hear a heavy dose of psychobilly and some rockabilly mixed with raw sound of Electronic Body Music. White Trash Wankers call it No School EBM. The album is filled with energetic craziness and bad-ass attitude, and there is a whole lot of wanking-related material in the lyrics. And it's all catchy as hell! Check out the teaser for the album above!

Electrobilly Horrorshow receives special artwork from horror-art master Rainer F. Engel, putting the final mark on the well-thought out album. It is unjust for me to make reviews of releases from my own label, but let this be said: Electrobilly Horrorshow is one of the most thought out and composed albums of professional quality in the recent years. Obviously that is what happens when you put together masterminds from Stechschritt and A.D.A.C 8286. For a new-born label, a better first release couldn't be dreamt of!

Among the 13 tracks there are a few tributes or interpretations of old musical legends like Demented Are Go! and Reverend Beat Man. Additionally there is a hard hitting cover of "Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen. 

The album (limited edition) will be available for sale during Familientreffen festival from 2. July, where White Trash Wankers will officially perform live for the first time on Thursday. Save your wank for that day! Simultaneously Electrobilly Horrorshow will be available on Eine Tasse Jägers web-shop, which will see day of light during the same time.

Tracklist of Electrobilly Horrorshow:

1. Introduction

2. T.R.A.S.H.13 (Killbot Blues)

3. Sick Summertime

4. Return of Stuntman Mike

5. The Hate Train

6. Don't Stop to Wank

7. Red Light Queen

8. Rock Around My Cock

9. Shizophren

10. Straight to Hell

11. Ballad of The Ripper

12. Another One Bites The Dust

13. The Maniac

And, finally some words about Eine Tasse Jäger Records.

After the release of White Trash Wankers' debut album there will be two more releases in 2014. The bands will be announced after Familientreffen, so you guys have something to look forward to.. The releases will follow in the same direction: new, original, bad-ass material with attitude, leaning towards the punk-style of EBM. 

The final version of etj-records.com is being worked on and will go live around the 1. July. The new label web-page will feature a web-shop for Eine Tasse Jäger releases, a history about EBM, artist pages, and eventually if time allows it, a mail-order for old school and anhalt EBM releases, plus more.

See you all on Familientreffen!

NEW EBM! Fleisch&Waffeln - Sej Ebm review

Sometimes an artist or a band comes along with a new release, where you realize that they kind of got fed-up with standard and typical generic lyrical themes in their music genre. You think, maybe they were sitting and thinking "man, i am so tired of war, tanks, homoeroticism, slightly politically charged music themes, that also almost always are about muscles. Let's make something different this time". And so they did.

Fleisch&Waffeln's debut album release entitled "Sej Ebm" is almost exclusively about food. (notice how I said "fed up" earlier?)

Fleisch&Waffeln has been around since at least 2009, and now is here officially with a self-released debut album called Sej Ebm. The old school oriented band is from Denmark (which is kind of exclusive for this style of music). This release is first and foremost meant for the most serious of EBM fans, because there is nothing serious about it: it is an EBM parody. There is lots of fun involved in lyrics (I think I heard something about leather pants, waffles, broccoli, and a highway)

Sej Ebm was released yesterday, June 13th, on bandcamp. (Bandcamp is great for releasing both self-financed and label-related stuff), and is available in insanely limited batch of 50 CDs (now 49, because I just bought one), in addition to insanely unlimited digital files download in format of your choice. Go clicky here.

Musically Sej Ebm is heavy, bass-filled, hard hitting with growly vocals. It can sometimes remind of Lokomotiv for those of you who remember this band, and other times it made me think of EkoBrottsMyndigheten (which is probably most related to the parody and funny attitude).

Fleisch&Waffeln particularly shines in tracks like Kaelderdrengen and Laderbukserne where the growly vocals aren't distored and appear closer to grindcore/death metal style. I actually wish the remaining tracks were done in the same style, as this kind of vocal gives the music a unique and more raw touch, and which is very rare in EBM.

Oh, and this is also the only EBM band I can think of that has a track with church organs in it.

So yeah, go to their bandcamp to have a ...eh.. a taste.

Stechschritt - Die Neue Jugend review

What is Stechschritt? Stechschritt is one of the more recent anhalt EBM bands/projects, and one that everyone who has a taste for something different and with a touch of its own originality, should pay some attention to! March(!) in here, and give it a listen through the links below!

The second album from one-man-band, ran and maintained by Peter,  is called Die Neue Jugend and was released for the masses in March by Electric Tremor.

It is not what one would call typical anhalt ebm, but at the same time seems to be as anhalt as ebm can get. The sound is straight forward, aggressive and loud. The music is raw and reminds of early Pouppée Fabrikk releases, particularly because of the vocals, which could as well work in a old school death metal band. The voice on the album is strong, growly, and with a personal identity, which is another quality mark of Stechschritt. Also, the Pouppée Fabrikk association gets even stronger once one learns that the album was mastered by Henrik Nordvargr Björkk himself.

Stechschritt uses sounds never heard in EBM before, which is exactly why it becomes original. By this, I mean, in addition to standard EBM bass and synth lines as well as drumming. There is another layer of music here, which will surprise you when you least expect it. It may be a tinier sound hidden somewhere in the background among percussion, or a straight forward industrial synth that defines the melody of a track. Simply put: Die Neue Jugend is refreshing to listen to. It is not just very good quality anhalt EBM, it is very good quality NEW anhalt EBM.

Stechschritt also got help from Christoph from A.D.A.C. 8286 on this album for drumming, and also some contribution on vocals on a certain track. Maybe for this reason, Die Neue Jugend may remind of A.D.A.C. 8286 in its raw sound of bad-assery, and should also appeal to all fans of this band. There is additionally a contribution from Rummelsnuff on vocals on one of the tracks.

In addition to some old school german punk covers (Schleim-Keim and Ton Steine Scherben), there is also a tribute cover to ELITE!'s "Harte Liebe" track. Here it is interesting to note that Stechschritt is more or less the only EBM band that has tried and succeeded in making covers of old energy-filled punk tracks, and which have worked out insanely well.

Stechschritt may seem very militaristic at a first glance, not the least because of the band name. However, despite various shouts like "marschieren!!!" in some of the tracks, the lyric themes are what identifies the standard of anhalt EBM where militarism meets dancing, drinking, love (hard or not), and even a general sense of some irony.

The CD comes packed in a standard jewel case, but the layout and graphic content here is superb. The CD looks like an LP, and it is clear that Peter has some serious skill in graphic presentation here.

Last year Pouppée Fabrikk asked for EBM that doesn't sound like a copy of everything else with generic programming and vocals that might as well be recorded while sitting on a toilet after having way too much Jäger and white loaf bread with some gone bad sausage the day before. Well, Pouppée Fabrikk, Die Neue Jugend is what you asked for, but I guess you already know since you mastered the CD!

Here is to hoping that Stechschritt will continue making more music in this fashion and style, as it indeed is a fresh breath of old school EBM!

Here is a taste for your ears from youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vel__vhLmRQ

And the album can be purchased from Electric Tremor Working Class Store: http://shop.electric-tremor.de/new/stechschritt-die-neue-jugend.html

Gabi Delgado - Eins review

..need some lipstick? Yeah? Come'n'git it.

Anyway, Gabi Delgado is an old EBM legend gone in a different electronic direction. As most into this kind of music know, Gabi Delgado was (and still is) a part of Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF), a band that has given us the roots of what we nowadays call EBM, but with a healthy punk attitude.

If you are looking for pure EBM or anhalt EBM, you won't get it from Gabi Delgado's new album "Eins". What you will get, however, is house music and techno. And yes, there is feeling of DAF there.

When listening to this ultra long album (20 tracks! and no, they are not fast quick tracks!), the first thing one notices is the especially good vocals by Gabi. The master of underground electro has a superb voice, deep and dark, yet melodic and clean. This is professional stuff. And this is what makes the album "Eins" good. Musically it ranges from heavy to light, always charming and sometimes pretty bad-ass. The tracks are filled with interesting rhythms and monotonic tempos, but the sounds chosen by Gabi are unique and sometimes weird, making this alternative and special electronic music.

So back to the lipstick. Lippenstift is one of the heaviest songs on this album, and also includes an even more bouncy and heavy bass-filled remix by Eisbrecher. This one is without a doubt a dance floor hit, and closest to straigth forward heavy EBM. Similarly heavier tracks are Laut and Langweilig.

A special notice goes to Sciene Fiction Liebe, which uses strange weird sounds that one wouldn't expect in either techno, house, or EBM, but rather atmospheric material(maybe dark ambient or witch house styles?). These blend in with the beats and add a personal unexpected touch, and this can also be heard in several other tracks on the album.

It is a very strong album, especially if you are into these styles of music, but generally should be appreciated by anyone into electronic (dance) music and EBM, mainly for what it is: unique, personal and simply quality filled ultra long album release.

EBM releases in 2014 (so far)

Watch out! Beware! EBM is stomping to a town near you. Concrete will be drank and asphalt will be eaten. In a good way.

There is some good music coming in 2014. Some of it is already released, and some is coming your way soon. So let's get on with it.

No Sleep By The Machine releases a new album called Splice. This band has always been sort of like a secret, a new track surfaces here, another surfaces there, and suddenly there is a new album out of nowhere. NSBTM is constantly growing new fans, and it is a very well deserved attention. This new album sounds like it always does: harsh, sharp, intelligent and slightly weird-in-a-good-way old school ebm. Not all tracks are 100% new, as some older versions of some can be heard on their earlier released album last autumn. However with this release No Sleep By The Machine mark their spot across all industrial and EBM genres as something special and unique.



White Trash Wankers are also finally put on a release map. In fact, their debut album is coming on Eine Tasse Jäger Records which this blog has grown to transform into. More on this in a later post. White Trash Wankers will release their debut album during this summer, featuring a heavy and fun mix of EBM and psychobilly. They are also lined up among one of the openers of Familientreffen festival this summer, and we have no doubts that it will be a bad ass fun experience. Save your wank for that day..

Invasion of Female Logic is another project that stands out, as it mixes its way through a ton of electronic and industrial subgenres, but luckily for us ends up mixing it into old school EBM. What Eine Tasse Jäger likes about it specifically, is that it sounds so uncompromising: bass filled and very defined, with strict yet very masculine female vocals. Some of the tracks deliver a proper punch (not the drink). It seems the first album from this artist will be released by Electro Arc and will be a mix of EBM, synthpop and elctro. No specific date for that yet.

Then there is DAF. Or more correctly, mister Gabi, and he releases a new album called "1". There is techno there, as well as house music, pluss hard EBM beats and bass in addition to a dosage of DAF-atmosphere. There is also sex. In any case, this album should satisfy the needs of most people into alternative electronica and its many subgenres.

Stockholm Wrecking Crew are finally ready with their first official release, which is an EP with four new tracks and a remix, which is a truly bad-ass piece done by Nordarr. No date for release yet, but it seems everything is ready, so it should be any day now. Rumour has it Stockholm Wrecking Crew will release a full length album during autumn this year. And it's about time!

And this leads us to NZ, which appears to be a somewhat anonymous act from Austria. Mastered by singer from Spetsnaz, it in every possible way screams That Total Age and Isn't It Funny How Your Body Works eras by Nitzer Ebb. In fact, this can be seen and heard as a true old school Nitzer Ebb tribute. So far Eine Tasse Jäger has only heard KROPP pull of a proper old school Nitzer Ebb style, but NZ goes even farther. Sound, vocals, lyrics, even the layout for the EP CD cover is strictly true to that style. It isn't always very interesting to hear a copy of another band, but NZ does it so well that Eine Tasse Jäger was immediately convinced. NZ debut EP "Raw and Pure" is released 15. March.

Struma! (no excalamtion mark in band's actual name, I am just excited. About the band, not the desease..). Struma is a project from Sweden that is a fresh breath of old school/anhalt EBM. We got a great track from one of Electro Ark's compilations in autumn 2013, which reminded us of the already legendary KROPP in its energy. But Struma doesn't stop there, Struma delivers varying music with lots of energy. On its newly released EP "Septic Rust" on bandcamp you can hear for yourself: there is a mix of typical anhalt EBM, with some more atmospheric "lighter" tracks.

Aditionally, as mentioned in a post below, Stechschritt is out with a new album "Die Neue Jugend" on 22. March. Expect a full anhalt EBM spirit, a cover of ELITE!'s "Harte Liebe", and an input from Rummelsnuff on guest vocals.

There is also a new album from Frontal coming 15. March, but we haven't heard any sounds from it anywhere yet. Thus it is hard to say before its release.

Word on the street is also that A.D.A.C. 8286 are finally giving us what we have been waiting for five long years: a new album later in 2014..

New music from Stechschritt

Among all the strong EBM releases last year, there was a new band that showed truly energetic and insane attitude both on stage and on album: Stechschritt.

Now Stechschritt returns with both on 22. March. An appearance on stage at "12 Jahre Electric Tremor" event. The album is called Die Neue Jugend and is released by Electric Tremor. It is mastered by Pouppée Fabrikk themselves.

See the track list:

1. Seid Bereit
2. Die neue Jugend
3. Auf dem ersten Blick
4. Die Arbeit
5. Macht kaputt (featuring Rummelsnuff)
6. Ein letztes Mal
7. Wir Sind Die Elite
8. Meine Jugend
9. Harte Liebe
10. Soldaten von morgen

It will probably appear on Electric Tremor shop soon. Stechschritt will no doubt feature some of the most raw and hardcore anhalt EBM that we have been exposed to. Let's at the same time cross fingers that Stechschritt will appear live on Familientreffen this year (in addition to White Trash Wankers).

The artwork for CD below is not yet official and may change before release. 

(and you thought Eine Tasse Jäger didn't know how to make a text post with different italic font! HA!! It's not all just muscles and jäger..or is it?)

Two new releases from Sham Recordings!

Sham Recordings go straight old school this time, and even more so than one would expect. First and foremost, the two releases are 7 inch LP only. Second, the music goes beyond what we are used in hearing when it comes to anhalt EBM. In what way, you ask? The OLD school way! Read on for details..

Swedish Old School EBM 7” ep features four previously unreleased tracks from Sturm Café, Turnbull A.C’s, Container 90, and The Pain Machinery. Sturm Café’s Koka Kola Freiheit is here mixed back to old school monotony and hardness. Turnbull A.C’s came as a big surprise with a track called Boy’s. It sounds like something taken from a later Nitzer Ebb album, but recorded with old school sound and energy, that Spetsnaz (and Turnbull A.C’s) are so good at. Previously Turnbull A.C’s sounded very close to Spetsnaz, but this track shows a direction that is fresher and different, and which I hope they will continue in!

Container 90 continue in their punk styled ebm fashion with a new track De-Evolution. It is not as fast as we got used to from their latest album, but the punk attitude is more present than ever, especially through the backing vocals. The Pain Machinery contribute with a more straight forward old school ebm track Surface.

Next up is Presto Fervant 7”, that returns after many years of silence. Did you know that this band existed late in 1980s, thus qualifying as one of the real veterans of old school EBM? This can also be confirmed by their two remastered tracks Banzai and Zymotic, which have never been released, but have existed for many years. The two tracks belong to a different time in history of EBM, but still emerge as a fresh breath of air, for those of us who keep looking for variety in the gerne. Musically Presto Fervant is closer to the 80s EBM in sound and composition, but as mentioned is is very refreshing to hear: both tracks have tons of energy and drive, and simply kick ass. Maybe this is a sign that Presto Fervant should do more digging in their archives and release more music for the old school thirsty?

Where to order you ask? Here!: http://www.lillasensveterinarpraktik.se/con90/

Did you know.. (A quick catch up on new releases)

Did you know..

..that No Sleep By The Machine just (on Bodyfest) released their newest album MMXIII? It has a mix of various tracks that have been created several years ago, as well as newer ones. With this release No Sleep By The Machine continue in their own unique musical style, but as always keeping some of that their own adapted The Klinik magic. Seems so far this album is only being sold whenever they play live, which luckily for you happens pretty often!

..that Sturm Café in all secrecy has made 242 copies of a double CD, called Rarities? This one has many of their old tracks released from 2002 and onwards, many of which so far had only been floating in the underground file sharing services. Some newer tracks like for example Beatclub Lied or Fegefeuer are included as well. You will also find older version of tracks that were later on Sturm Café’s debut album So Seelisch So Schön. The second CD is a live recording of a concert they held in 2005. You can order this CD by sending an e-mail to frankahdafi@netcologne.de

..that Pouppée Fabrikk have remastered and digitally released their three old albums Portent, Rage, and We Have Come To Drop Bombs? The remaster is extremely well done and breathes live and punch (as in with a FIST, not the drink) in older recordings. These are only digitally available (at least so far) and each album includes some extra rarities, like different versions of Summon The Spirits. On the same note, Pouppée Fabrikk are working on EP releases featuring some of the tracks that appeared on The Dirt album earlier this year. Next up is H8 U, and will include various remixes by other bands, much like the EP Bring Back The Ways of Old. http://pouppeefabrikk.bandcamp.com/

..That EkoBrottsMyndigheten have made a new bouncy track about something called Bockwurst? Sounds like a food. This is their newest track and follows in the same hooligan-party EBM style that they are known for. Additionally, you can get their Alla Tiders Bodykallas album for free on bandcamp, but here you can also chose to give them some hard-earned monetary units, which hopefully will be spent on beer and making of new tracks that make fun of Norway! http://ekobrottsmyndigheten.bandcamp.com/

..That Equitant is working on a remastered collection of his truly hard-hitting EBM classics? This time not coming out on his own label Black Montanas, but EK Product.

..That White Trash Wankers is a project made by Stechschritt and A.D.A.C. 8286? As the name implies, there is lots of humour and wanking included in their tracks, which so far have only been released online. EineTasseJäger has asked if there will be an album release (which definitely should happen: White Trash Wankers is a very unique and refreshing sound with some psychobilly included, in our world of EBM), and is awaiting reply. https://soundcloud.com/white-trash-wankers

New Old School EBM compilation: Net Ware Delight

Electro Arc never sleeps! Electro Arc looks for old school beats!

And Electro Arc has found them!

Net Ware Delight, coming September, 20th, 2013. Unsure if it will be online or CD release, so a question about this has been sent to mr. Electro Arc. EDIT: Mr. Electro Arc says that this will be a digital release online only.

The tracks list is below, and this time it is entirely old school/anhalt EBM. Among others it is especially good to see a new track from A.D.A.C. 8286 (we have been waiting for a new album for many years now!), as well as Pact of Warsaw (which is coming next year with a new album through EAR). We also have White Trash Wankers which is the new crazily awesome project from members from Stechschritt and A.D.A.C. 8286.


01 Jäger 90 - Ich Komm zu Dir (Wbzt Version) 2:26
02 Muscles On The Move - Es Wird Vorüber Gehen (Demo) 4:14
03 Invasion Of Female Logic - Essen is Bad (Oldschool EBM Version) 4:52
04 Struma - Dina Ord (Extended Klang Mix) 3:11
05 The Pain Machinery - Weekend Warrior (EBM Mix) 4:40
06 V.e.N. - Last Seconds (Cyberpsiichosis EBM Version) 3:37
07 Carlos Chaos - Hardline 1.0 ... 3:30
08 EBM Junior - Jetzt Kommen Wir 2:42
09 Analogo EBM - Leave Go 2:40
10 Toxic Green - EBM (Oldschool) 3:08
11 White Trash Wankers - T.R.A.S.H. 13 (Original) 3:38
12 A.D.A.C. 8286 - Down On My Knees  4:01
13 Pact Of Warsaw - Mental Injection 4:53
14 Akalotz - Trust (Raw Version) 3:06
15 Volkszorn - Bastard Society 4:04
16 Stechschritt - KPD - Sektion 3:43
17 Lobotomik - I'll Finish You Off 5:07

Winners of Jäger 90 CD "Wir Bitten Zum Tanz"

Dance is finished. Let feet rest for a little while.

Today the Jäger 90 "Wir Bitten Zum Tanz" CD is sent to following winners of random draw: Christophe B., András D., and Eric A. S.

Cheers to everyone who sent an e-mail, and don't take of your boots yet. They are, afterall, made for stomping, and more CD give-aways will happen in the future!

CD give away for Jäger 90 fans!

Do you want to dance? Slam dance? Stomp dance? Polka? Walz?

Jäger 90 wants, and they would like to ask you for a dance. Jäger 90 - Wir Bitten Zum Tanz is out, and Eine Tasse Jäger has received three additional copies from Mister Intrendent The Master Of Electro Arc. These 3 copies are for readers of Eine Tasse Jäger!

To not discriminate geographically, we decided to expand beyond this little town in Norway, where 1TJ has headquarters (a bunker deep inside the woods, with an entrance built entirely of cog wheels; and it only opens once you slam a big sledgehammer into a button made of pure steel, located on the side).

So, if you want Jäger 90 - Wir Bitten Zum Tanz CD for free, send an e-mail to Fishermang @ gmail.com (include your address) until next Wednesday.

On Wednesday, 17th July, we will send a CD to three random readers!

Now dance! Drink Jäger! Do push ups! And dance some more!

New Album From Jäger 90 On Familientreffen 9

Limited to 299 copies, there is a new Jäger 90 EP coming.

It's called Wir Bittem zum Tanz.

Available oficially on 8th July, but it will be spreading its Jäger-wings on Familientreffen 9 already (there limited to 100 STÜCKE!).

How does it sound, you ask?

Minimalist. DAF-like. As it always has.

Here is some viewing pleasure:

Track List:

1. Sonntag ist Krieg

2. Ich Komm zu Dir

3. Eure Mütter sind Väter

4. Halt Mich

5. Stiefel bis zum Knie

6. Die Schiessen

7. Komm Zeig's Mir (Roh Variante)

8. Glücklich & Schön (Roh Variante)

It can be purchased from Electro Arc after Familientreffen: http://electro-arc.jimdo.com/releases/j%C3%A4ger-90/wir-bitten-zum-tanz/

Familientreffen 9

See you there!

Pouppée Fabrikk - The Dirt review

I got into old school EBM through Nitzer Ebb's "That Total Age" album. Ever since then I have often wondered why I haven't heard anything similar to this release. BANG! Muscle! BANG! BODY! AUGH!! It came in 1987, how come in 26 years since then no one has succeeded in creating something similar?

Neo-old school EBM, or what we otherwise got used to calling Anhalt EBM that especially woke up around 2003 and on wards, has in most cases been carrying the influence from That Total Age album. Many bands and projects have been delivering strong bass filled tracks with hard drums and energy-filled, sort of punk and militarist attitude, which describes That Total Age pretty well. But none of them have managed to feel so raw and alive as Nitzer Ebb did it. Their compositions were very monotonic, but felt varied at the same time. Part of it has always been McCarthy's voice that is filled with energy and power that can't be replicated unless you are him. Thinking about That Total Age, in the end I understood: it can't be made one more time. There is no point in trying to recreate those legendary sounds, because only Nitzer Ebb could do it.

However, after exploring the last 26 years of EBM scene, I finally heard an album that comes closest to That Total Age. No, not in sound, nor composition, but the feeling. The feeling that this new album has its own power, message, and atmosphere. That it has its own rhythm, bass, and energy that no one else can recreate.  Pouppée Fabrikk - The Dirt completely ignores everything anhalt EBM has been working towards during the last decade, and they do their own thing - which comes naturally, afterall Pouppée Fabrikk have been making music since 1987, and have done their part in influencing modern EBM. In 2013 we finally got to hear the long (too long) awaited full-length album which is now (right now!) being released on Alfa Matrix. The label has been so kind to send out pre-orders up to one month too early, so Eine Tasse Jäger has been blasting this beast of an album for several weeks now, and it never gets old. Only dirtier (not in a naughty way).

The Dirt is varied. After several listens, and despite that I have heard several of the songs before in both old and new versions, I keep finding new sounds in all tracks. The power of the voice that caries all 10 tracks (the 11th doesn't have vocals) is strong, energy-filled, and pissed-off only in a way that EBM can foster. The compositions are varied and every track has its own identity, but generally all of them are very heavy, tough and hard. Pouppée Fabrikk succeed very well in presenting a dirty sound, which has always been one of the their signature qualities. Their first releases back in time far far away carried the underground sound of old school Swedish black and death metal. This now more modern sound is filthy and dirty, just the way the band has been promising it would be.

Eine Tasse Jäger doesn't rate releases, but it suffices to say that The Dirt raises the standard bar for what EBM can be. Pouppée Fabrikk sends a message with this album, directed towards the EBM scene, which according to them is dead. When this message first came with the first single release of Bring Back The Ways of Old, I didn't completely agree. But after listening to the whole album, I was forced to change my mind. With some exceptions, modern EBM scene is monotonic, uninspired and repeats itself constantly (more thoughts about this, visit a friend's article about this topic, as well as an interview with Henrik Björkk: http://invisibleguy.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/article-stop-the-culturcide-w-interview-with-henrik-bjorkk/). This is how I interpreted Pouppée Fabrikk's message: Thoughts keep coming while listening to The Dirt, that the EBM scene needs more inspiration, variety, and experimentation. This is what PF did, and together with their expertise, that is why The Dirt rates among the top EBM releases since 1987. (I put that in bold for the drunk working class, so they can skip the text and stop wasting time on the Internet, get the album and continue the stomping beer fest!)

The Dirt delivers as a double CD, where the first one is the main album itself. It mainly consists of new recording of some old demo tracks (which were so underground, most people didn't even know they existed). These were originally created in the very beginning of Pouppée Fabrikk's spawn. They are completely reworked and rebuilt in every way possible, and sound truly powerful. The second CD consists of old sounds, the mentioned demos, and is interesting to hear especially for those of us who have been following the band's discography.

Bring Back The Ways of Old is a growling beast that overwhelms with energy and power. Bright Light is intense and fast. I am is bouncy and grim, while Invader 39 is more atmospheric and grim, reminding a lot of some of the tracks from their earlier albums. Death is Natural is a magnificent rework of an old classic, that now sounds so much stronger, bass-filled and thus more meaningful, with great lyrics. Satan's Organism is again more atmospheric and floating, but still harsh and hard. H8 U is most straight forward on the album, particularly because of guitars (which never get in the way of synthesizers!). Stahlwerk is an old hit that most have heard several versions of, but let's just conclude that this version makes justice even to Johan Damm's powerful growling vocals. Here it's also in English. The Promulgation is more monotonic and bouncy again, and Symptom is a track that has been released a few years ago on several compilations. Slightly different on The Dirt, it is a ground breaker stomping track. Radio Disturbance is what one can call a meta-track, starting off with a what seemingly is a discussion on the radio about Pouppee Fabrikk and Die Jugend track (makes one very curious on how it ends, as it is cut off in the middle). I don't feel that these descriptions make any justice to the tracks, they must be heard: http://www.alfa-matrix.com/shop_comments.php?id=2353_0_8_0_C

To sum up, The Dirt is a milestone in EBM scene. With it's unique sound, never-ending power and energy, it probably means and provides many different experiences and perceptions to its listeners. But that is also a sign of great music. Eine Tasse Jäger stands by the statement that The Dirt is among the best releases in EBM scene since its beginning, not only because it reflects the influence the band has had on this scene since late 80's, but because of its own unique musical identity and energy.

Bring back the ways of old!