infinity_machine

The new Mesh album, "We Collide", is THE perfect electronic pop CD. This one really impressed me. They've finally strayed away from all of the "industrial" roots and experimental meanderings of their 90's material (which was their biggest weakness on "In This Place Forever" and "The Point At Which It Falls Apart"), and have, surprisingly, even improved upon their fantastic 2002 release, "Who Watches Over Me?". These guys are already huge in Europe, I wish the USA would follow suit...

Here's a link to buy the new album (and hear sound clips from all the songs): http://www.musicnonstop.co.uk . It's worth the import price. Easily.

And yes, as much as I love DM's "Playing The Angel" (which was my favorite CD of 2005), "We Collide" is better :)

So I just got a promotion on Friday and learned that I have to move downstate...starting on Monday. I'll be back and forth for the first few weeks, and I'll be in Albany for a couple days next week, so if anyone wants to hang out before I get settled into my new area, let me know :)

Colorado-based MACHINEGUN SYMPHONY have just signed to Static Sky Records, who will be releasing their debut album, "The Technology of Tears", on April 25.
The album was produced by Rick Joyce (THE LAST DANCE) and features a stunning blend of darkwave and industrial rock comparable to acts such as BELLA MORTE, THE CRUXSHADOWS, and RAZED IN BLACK.
MACHINEGUN SYMPHONY will be embarking on a North American tour in 2006 to support this release. Check them out now, because these guys are going to be huge!!

As a special gift from Static Sky and Machinegun Symphony, you can download a free track ("Cold") off the upcoming album by going here (right click to "save as").

Many of you have heard about this already, but it just made the headline news on Side-Line (head there and you can see the "offensive" picture, too...). Here is the article:

Static Sky/Crunch Pod industrial artist CAUSTIC's debut CD "Unicorns, Kittens, & Shit" is currently in limbo as the pressing plant working on the disc refuses to print the CD because of the "graphic nature of the artwork on the traycard inside" (i.e., under the CD itself). Caustic, aka Matt Fanale, and layout artist Dan Lavalley submitted a pixellated, non-graphic version of the photo in question which was also rejected by the company. "Why a company cares about a photo that is humorous and not, in our minds, graphically explicit is anyone's guess," stated Fanale, "we tried to compromise and resubmitted a self-censored version of the photo, but the plant refused that too and asked for something completely different or it wouldn't be printed. Now we've got to figure out what to do. We will only compromise as long as I don't feel compromised in the process, and now we do so new steps must be taken. Changing the art past what we did would simply ruin the product, and that's something we refuse to do." Static Sky, Crunch Pod, and Caustic are discussing possible options. In the meantime Side-Line can present you exclusively the artwork that has been refused. Judge for yourself.

IKON - Destroying the World to Save it

What differentiates gothic rock from hard rock? In Ikon's case, let's say
that first it's in the vocals: deep, clear, and dramatically expressive.
It could also be in the music, which here is led by heavy, complicated
guitar textures, a strong bassline, and insistent beats designed for
dancing. An essential ingredient for Ikon, though, might be their
integrity, when our faith in everything else has fallen apart. Though Ikon
takes a different musical path, their vocal delivery and lyrics are at
times like, dare we say it, a Backworld that rocks. And Ikon does rock,
especially in "Rome," a rousing standout that hearkens back to gothic
rock's past and is still confidently, eloquently new. Guest vocalist
Louisa John-Krol also appears on two tracks, departing from her usual
sound for "Slaughter's" tribal pulse. (Carolee)

Taken from Issue 19 of Gothic Beauty Magazine


You can purchase this album at Static Sky Records, Metropolis Mailorder, andCDBaby, or via digital distribution at Apple iTunes.

MENTALLO & THE FIXER
-with special guests REIGN OF ROSES-
CRITICAL MASS OF ENLIGHTENMENT - SOUTHWEST U.S. TOUR
TURN ON- TUNE IN- AND DROP OUT

04/21/2006 - San Antonio, TX @ SANCTUARY
04/28/2006 - Dallas, TX @ DARKSIDE LOUNGE
04/29/2006 - Oklahoma City, OK @ THE CONSERVATORY
05/05/2006 - Denver, CO @ ROCK ISLAND DENVER
05/06/2006 - Salt Lake City, UT @ CLUB VEGAS
05/10/2006 - San Francisco, CA @ DNA LOUNGE
05/12/2006 - Los Angeles, CA @ DAS BUNKER
05/13/2006 - Phoenix, AZ (venue t.b.a.)
05/14/2006 - Tuscon, AZ @ THE ASYLUM

MORE TOUR DATES WILL BE ANNOUNCED!!

After a catharsis of almost 4 years of silence, US act Mentallo & The Fixer is back with new material. Preceded by the EP-CD "Commandments For The Molecular Age", the new "Enlightenment through a Chemical Catalyst" album will open the band’s new conceptual trilogy to be released in Europe by Alfa Matrix under exclusive license from the growing Static Sky Records label. Brainchild of the two Texan brothers Gary and Dwayne Dassing, Mentallo and the Fixer is one of the most influential American electro/industrial bands of the last 15 years. Highly emotional and complex, their music is characterized by snarling distorted vocals, hard cutting sequencer rhythms and a thunderous beat. Gary Dassing has throughout his career, constantly been reinventing his sound offering an impressive list of avant-garde electronic music releases on renowned labels like Zoth Ommog and Metropolis Records.

Static Sky Records, in association with Crunch Pod, kicks off it's first release of 2006, the debut CAUSTIC album, Unicorns, Kittens, and Shit. The release date is March 21st, and the album is now available for preorder at Metropolis Mailorder.

CAUSTIC is the bastard child of powernoise and old-school industrial - raw, hard beats and minimalist melodies, one dancefloor stompfest after the next. It ain't interested in technology taking over the planet. It ain't interested in WWII, acting like a cyborg, or yelling about religion.

Nope...buy that shit elsewhere.

CAUSTIC is ghetto, short-bus industrial -- angrier than a sexually-frustrated fat kid with bad skin and louder than the voices in his head telling him to kill. It's 40 oz. of industrial fury, a racecar crash that you can't stop watching. In other words: CAUSTIC is just what you need. So suck it. This release will surely appeal to fans of COMBICHRIST, MANUFACTURA, NOISEX, etc. A special code in the CD booklet allows free online access to even more CAUSTIC music!!!

TRACKLIST:>
1. This Track Will Get Skipped A Lot
2. Love That Taint
3. Give Me Damage
4. Emmanuel Lewis Handjob
5. Drag Show Gone Wrong
6. Innate (featuring Severina X Sol of Cylab)
7. I Gave The Blind Boy My Eyes (But Stole His Tongue) (Empusae vs. Caustic)
8. Burn (Manufactura vs. Caustic)
9. You Fuck Us We Fuck You
10. MMM Papscraper I Love You
11. Grind (featuring Severina X Sol of Cylab)
12. Hitler Ruined That Moustache For Everyone
13. Unicorns, Kittens, and Shit
14. MMM Papscraper I Love You (Cenotype Mix)
15. Mimeticaustic (Mimetic Mix)
16. Unicorns, Kittens, and Shit (Korn Mix by Keef Baker)

I actually went out last night for the first time in a few months.

Apparently I've forgotten how much fun it is to just relax, have a good time, and not be so self-absorbed. I definitely needed that. :)

Saturday, April 29th
@ALBION
251 West 30th Street, New York City

HELLRAVER PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS
CAUSTIC (Static Sky/Crunchpod, Madison)
CERVELLO ELETTRONICO (NYC)
and possibly one more act TBA

Tickets $10

DJ IZ included 2 Static Sky Releases on his "Top Albums of 2005 List". Check out his awesome website at http://www.djizmusic.com for all kinds of music info.


Top 11 Albums of 2005:

Accessory - "Forever & Beyond" (Out Of Line)
An amazing accomplishment in hard EBM music. Pure quality from start to finish.

Aesthetic Perfection - "Close To Human" (Bractune Records)
Another amazing accomplishment for the hard EBM genre. It's hard to believe this is the first album from this act - it's amazingly done and manages a good diversity in sound.

Combichrist - "Everybody Hates You" (Out Of Line / Metropolis Records)
Ummm, I think this is pretty obvious. An amazing album full of floor-filling anthems. A little silly, but all in good taste.

Diverje - "The Distortion Chamber" (DSBP Records)
Another great release from Diverje, with a bit more diversity in sound from previously releases. You have to love that this is an album that SAYS something, and can do it with a little humor.

Genetic Selection - "Darwin's Voyage" (Ant Zen)
Awesome concept album with a great power electronics base and some glitchy elements mixed in. I think this one may get overlooked by those who stick to the stuff Metropolis puts out, but is masterfully done.

Headscan - "Pattern Recognition" (Artoffact Records)
I've been hungering for this release for some time now! EBM/futurepop/techno/trance/industrial - all mixed up with some dark ambient roots. Simply amazing from beginning to end.

Les Anges de la Nuit - "Ruins of Victory" (Static Sky Records)
Some have critiqued this as being a "VNV Nation clone". Although I can hear some similarities, I think LADLN has come up with a very mature sound and is poised to make a large name for themselves in the future. This album is masterfully done, and this is one band to watch in the future.

PAIL - "Towards Nowhere" (Caustic Records / Negative Gain Productions)
A nice blend of danceable hard EBM and electro-industrial. Beautiful orchestral intros as well on a lot of these tracks as well.

Siva Six - "Rise New Flesh" (Decadance Records)
Super-fast industrial dance music! Siva Six sounds just amazing and this album is terriffic.

Stromkern - "Light It Up" (WTII Records)
Definitely a progression in sound compared to "Armageddon", but this album is nothing short of brilliance and is a view at perfection. Stromkern has carved out a name for themselves already, and hopefully this release can gain them some new fans.

VNV Nation - "Matter + Form" (Metropolis Records)
A nice mix on this release with a few more slower and melodic tracks. VNV has done another great job, and although some critique them, I think their praises are well-deserved.


Top 3 EPs:

Unavox - "Angels Dance Upwards EP" (New Army Studios)
Superb gothic music from California. This is a great EP from them, and I'm excited to hear what they do next.

Sensuous Enemy - "From Red II Blue II Black" (Self-Released)
Another great EP of amazing gothic music. Another new act to keep a close eye on.

PTI - "Exhaust EP" (WTII Records)
Although not a new band, this EP is full of some amazing remixes for an amazing album.


Top 3 Compilations:

"Awake The Machines Vol. 5" (Out Of Line)
A huge comp for DJs and music afficionados alike. Hard EBM, futurepop and more. Simply amazing! Great picks.

"Electro/R/evolution Vol. 1" (Static Sky Records)
This is one comp that will blow you out of the water. Quite a few bands that you likely haven't heard before, as well as some bigger names. Great tracks all around, and a good intro to the artists on the Static Sky Records label.

"State of Synthpop 2005" (A Different Drum)
At the risk of sounding corny, this comp proves that synthpop is in a good state indeed. I really like how once again they encompass all the different sub-genres that make up the synthpop sound.

As mentioned in the News section of the official band website (http://www.fektionfekler.net), Fektion Fekler is proud to announce the birth of Synthcere Records, the band's own vanity label. This label was created as a subsidiery of Static Sky Records, who will be working closely with Synthcere Records, as well as the band themselves. Synthcere is scheduled to release a a trio of Fektion Fekler albums, starting in January with "Immersed Heroics", a collection of previously unreleased rarities and early demos. A "Best Of" anthology will follow in May, as well as a brand-new studio album, "Tinge", later in the year. In addition, the label is also releasing the side-project of Fektion Fekler vocalist, John Bustamante (Womb Dabbler), called "The Boy Who Saved Yesterday."

For more information (as well as some audio previews for "Immersed Heroics"), please visit:
http://www.fektionfekler.net
http://www.staticskyrecords.net

This might be (slightly) old news for some of you, but if anyone missed it...

Toronto-based industrialists Decoded Feedback have covered the Mentallo & the Fixer track "Sacrilege" for their latest album on Metropolis Records, Combustion.


System Syn has also recently released their version of the classic M&TF song "Ruthless" for the just-released Static Sky Records compilation Electro/r/evolution Volume I.

Want to check out the originals, too? Both of these songs are from Mentallo's influential 1995 masterpiece, Where Angels Fear To Tread


All of these releases can be found on Metropolis Mailorder


Does anyone else know of any other M&TF covers that are out there? Post them here...

Taken from a bulletin by Mentallo & the Fixer If you think you can help out, please send an email to info@staticskyrecords.net and let me know:

looking for promoters & venues for a MENTALLO & THE FIXER/REIGN OF ROSES springtime 2006 tour throughout the southwest/ west coast - namely the cities listed-
HOUSTON
SAN ANTONIO
AUSTIN
DALLAS
OKLAHOMA CITY
EL PASO
ALBEQUERQUE
DENVER
PHOENIX
LOS ANGELES
SAN FRANCISCO
PORTLAND
SEATTLE
SALT LAKE CITY
please respond if you have any contacts or can put me in touch one with an email or phone number- thank you
gary dassing
MENTALLO
_____________________________

Mentallo & the Fixer will be touring to promote their 2006 album, Enlightenment Through A Chemical Catalyst, which will be released this spring on Static Sky Records. The opening band, Reign of Roses, is a darkwave project featuring Dwayne Dassing (who is "the Fixer" part of "Mentallo & the Fixer").

Just heard the demo/rough version of the upcoming Caustic album. This disc is going to fucking rock.

The brutality begins in February...

Are you currently rocking out to the new system syn album, "Postscript"? Can't get enough of the talented Clint Carney?

In that case, you need to check out Clint's sideproject, Fake.

The first Fake album, "Los Angeles Synthetic", was released in late 2004. You can hear a full-length track, "To This Land", on the Static Sky Records MySpace page.

There's also a great new Fake song, "I Voted and it Didn't Count", on the new "Electro/r/evolution Volume I" compilation...you can hear a two-minute soundclip of this track by heading over to this page. This track acts as a special teaser for the 2nd Fake album, due out in the summer of 2006.

"Los Angeles Synthetic" and "Electro/r/evolution Volume I can both be purchased at Static Sky Records.

Congratulations to morgain13 and Rene on the birth of their first child!!!

...and you live in the USA, send an email over to smphq@yahoo.com. Jason will send you a 3" promo CD which features the following tracks (taken from the latest SMP release, "Crimes of the Future"):

1. This Perfect Day
2. Beautiful
3. Three O'Clock
4. Exit Wound

"Club Life" is the fourth studio release by this talented Melbourne duo which consists of David Foreman and Roberto Massaglia. They are perhaps best known for their song "Elite", which was featured on the popular Dependent Records "SEPTIC II" compilation, and is still played in clubs worldwide. On "Club Life" (subtitled "Life According to the 21st Century"), TANKT offers a blend of dance tracks, atmospheric instrumentals, and emotional ballads, and it achieves the feat of being a truly creative and unique album in the oft-copycat EBM genre. In their lyrical delivery, TANKT offers scathing socio-political commentary which may remind fans of another Australian export, SNOG. Fans looking for something accessible-yet-original should look no further than TANKT.

This album will be released this Tuesday, the 18th. You can currently purchase it at http://www.industrial-music.com or http://www.staticskyrecords.net .

For soundclips, check out http://www.tankt.com.au and http://www.myspace.com/staticsky