Issue 1 - Matrix Revelations

ISSUE#01-Q3.2011 the official alfa-matrix magazine

SIVA SIX MALAKWA KRYSTAL SYSTEM ALIEN VAMPIRES ARMAGEDDON DILDOS I:SCINTILLA KOMOR KOMMANDO reviews interviews

alfa matrix electronic music with attitude...

KRYSTAL SYSTEM nuclear [2CD box]

SIVA SIX the twin moons [2CD box]

Re:covered tribute to DEPECHE MODE vol.2 [2CD]

V/A electronic body matrix 1 [4CD box]

ARMAGEDDON DILDOS untergrund [2CD box]

KOMOR KOMMANDO oil, steel & rhythm [2CD box]

PSY'AVIAH feat. AYRIA into the game [EP box]

MALAKWA street preacher [2CD box]

STUDIO-X neo-futurism + Studio matri-X [2CD]

amGod Dreamcatcher [3CDbox]

ALIEN VAMPIRES Harshlizer [2CDbox]

Dark Passages + Seasons Change I Don't

I:SCINTILLA Dying & Falling [2CDbox]

HAUSHETAERE Syndicate [2CDbox]

HALO IN REVERSE Trials and Tribulations [2CDbox]

RAZORFADE This Clear Shining [2CDbox]

Order on-line at www.alfa-matrix.com

LEÆTHER STRIP [2CDbox]

editrix The 1st issue of the official Alfa Matrix magazine is now set to be launched celebrating 10 years of label activity!

Looking back over the course of these 10 rich and productive years, we feel privileged to have worked together with all of the artists who have contributed to our expanding repertoire. We are also very proud to count so many fans and scene activists who have followed and supported Alfa Matrix and our artists throughout the years.

Since day 1, we have always placed our customers in the centre of our activities and it is this communication that has allowed us and all of our friends to grow together. And it's again by discussing with some of our fans that we developed this new idea of publishing the Matrix Revelations magazine. Responding to a demand of having a structured place where all the freshest official news around the Alfa Matrix family could be gathered and distributed. The new magazine will add even more to the interactive and social dimensions of communication modes we have been using... thus bringing a more tangible reality to a more and more growing virtual world around us.

On a regular basis, we will be using these pages to bring our Alfa Matrix artists into the spotlight, letting them share news and facts... and to make revelations about our musical present and future. Matrix Revelations will be for us the medium to share information, sounds and images with our privileged fans.

This is only the beginning... There is much more to come. We now just let you take the "right" pill and greet you: "welcome to the real world... welcome to the Matrix".

Your Alfa Matrix Team benoĂŽt blanchart . bernard van isacker . seba dolimont code: alfa matrix genesis: august 2001 target: connecting hearts & brains trademark: electronic music with attitude credo: together we are stronger operational HQ: brussels . belgium www.alfa-matrix.com www.facebook.com/alfa.matrix www.twitter.com/alfamatrix

alfa matrix electronic music with attitude

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KRYSTAL SYSTEM You just released your new album "Nuclear" in June... How does it feel? I think you have grown a lot as a band since the release of the debut album "Underground"?

B. Thank you! I don't know if we've grown but the fact is we really tried to do something different with this new one.

S. After "Underground", we stopped playing music for a while. We wanted to take a break not to fall into a routine of composing so, to make an album that wouldn't sound the same, we had to re-think the way we see our band. We sort of had to try to reach a next step.

B. Yes and it's always a thrill when you launch a new album and hear the 1st reactions from the listeners!

[

Combative multi-layered electro-metal...

KRYSTAL SYSTEM always made it quite difficult for journalists to accurately define your music. How do you yourselves describe your music to people you meet and who are not familiar with your work?

S. I think the best way to label this music is "electro-metal-indus-cold-rock-with-animportant-part-allocated-to-the-lyrics" but that sounds pretty long so we usually shrink it to electro-metal (laughs).

B. Yes, it's always difficult to label your own music. When we make a song we don't think about that, we just take our instruments and try to find something new. The most important thing for us is finding the musical feeling that fits the best with our lyrics.

S. Right. And when we make a song, we focus on the main riff of course, but we also try to add details that won't be heard at the first pass, tiny things that can be heard only with headphones after a few listenings like there were multiple layers.

B. We have the chance of walking on the same path. For us, making music is just a way of talking about a spiritual aspect that is very close to us... All that to say I'd prefer to label our music as "combative" more than anything else. For me living is a fight and there's no difference between the way we live and the music we make...

This new album has a very strong cohesion in the songs, it makes a whole on itself and the bonus disc of the album's ltd edition also gives the same feel, so much it could live on its own, in a way...?

B. Thank you, it's exactly what we tried to do! As we're making a crossover music,

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electronic music with attitude

interview keeping a good cohesion over the songs is something we're paying great attention to. We tried to do something different for this album by sort of splitting it in two parts : CD1 sounds more electro-metal-indusrock while CD2 is electronic-only. But the two albums stand for themselves... Uh...well I hope so. We asked a few bands we like a lot to do remixes for us as we knew they had that fighting spirit. And we loved their work! We also made five remixes ourselves (and 1 unreleased track) because we wanted to explore the electro side of some tracks.

S. And we recorded vocals and keyboards parts for the CD1 but we ultimately didn't use them because there would have been too many themes in a single track, so we put them in CD 2 instead. A sort of 2nd version of a track, more than a "remix".

The title of the new album "Nuclear" could be seen as a link of what happened recently in Japan or the anniversary of the Tchernobyl tragedy. But I think it has nothing to do with this directly? Has it?

B. You're right, it hasn't. More than 3 months before the disaster, we launched a "behind the scenes" footage in which we announced the upcoming album would be named, "Nuclear". And in the album there's this track, "Iron Song" which is about a town raised by a nuclear disaster while "Nuclear Winter" tells about the quest for an ultimate power that destroys all that we know.

S. It's also about a girl who's willing to commit suicide.

B. Yes. And all the booklet and video clip artwork are designed in a postnuclear way. It's a coincidence.

Maybe something in the air? I don't know.

Although you are an electronic band, I have the impression that you are making new songs like a real "rock" band. I mean, with rehearsal sessions, etc. Where bass and guitars are played live until you get the right vibe? Tell us more about your studio sessions

electronic music with attitude

to get this album prepared?

B. The tracks' backbones are often found during rehearsal sessions although we have no real reoccurring pattern for writing songs. Sometimes we jam together and keep the best part to make a song out of it. The end of "Fiction" for instance, was made like that, as it ends with a 1minute bass solo followed by a guitar improv.

On the contrary, music of "World is calling" was all written before we ever recorded anything. The main guitar riff on “Sanctuary” was recorded during a rehearsal session but was then put into a sampler so that it doesn't sound like a real guitar, and so on... It depends on our mood…

You also work in different studios, for writing, recording, mastering, etc.?

S. The vocal and guitars takes were made at Studios d'Or in Paris while the mastering was made in London

by Swift. Having this external point of view was a great help and we learnt a lot of things about the sound...

B. I was surprised how great my Dean sounded with the Marshall amps, I'm more used to my good old 30 watts Peavy (laughs).

I heard that you will now focus on live performances?

B. When playing live, we have an important VJ background made by Seven. Actually it's more like movie clips telling stories rather than just entertainment images. Else, sincerity is what we're trying to show in a gig and we keep that in mind.

As I'm a shy person, it's always a challenge for me to perform concerts (laughs).

S. And in live, the tracks' versions are different from the studio versions. Our next gig will be in Kortrkijk at the Shadowplay festival with great acts like Suicide Commando, Fields of the Nephilim, Hocico, Diskonnekted... I can't mention everyone there are too many. Anyway I can't wait !

KRYSTAL SYSTEM nuclear [CD / 2CD box] Sirens are resounding! The alert signal is now at maximum level. Paris is burning… Paris is boiling…

Paris is preparing itself for KRYSTAL SYSTEM's new assault! The French duo took the underground music scene by storm with their exploding debut album and the following groovy floor-breaker EP extension "Underground: VooDoo Night Sessions". Bonnie (female vox, guitars) and Seven's (male vox, synths & bass) sonic alchemy received a resonating echo from music journalists and DJ's worldwide who had only enthusiastic and positive words about their eclectic combination of music genres ranging from dark elektro, cold wave, industrial rock and metal. Two years later, the Paris-based combo offers us their new CD: "Nuclear". An album of extreme music strength, atomizing everything on its way in the quest for the ultimate light, for that burning unreachable point at the end of the infinite horizon. Thirteen powerful new tracks, each standing alone on itself and bringing its very own contribution to the album's sound depth and concept theme. Revolting metal guitar riffs, raging industrial beats, fast catchy synth sequences and Bonnie's provocative juvenile filtered female vocals (both in English and French) backed by Seven's harsher voice make the eclectic universe of KRYSTAL SYSTEM. "Nuclear" is an album full to the brim with dynamics, grooves, anger and melodies which breathes and transpires a forceful creativity and astounding songwriting maturity; the whole collection of songs benefits from top-notch production work in the prestigious Parisian "Studios d'Or" and is crowned by the sharp mastering work by Swift in London. Fresh, brilliant, dark, upbeat and heavy, "Nuclear" is a splendid album performed with no compromise but in all simplicity at the crossroad of industrial metal and electro rock.

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ALIEN VAMPIRES I have the impression you live your music 100% of the time and that ALIEN VAMPIRES is an extension of your selves? Is ALIEN VAMPIRES your lifestyle?

ALIEN VAMPIRES Harshlizer (CD / 2CD box) If there is one band who knows no single compromise in their work and attitude, it is the rebellious Italian/British combo ALIEN VAMPIRES! BEWARE: Nysrok Infernalien (Voice, Guitars, Keys) and Nightstalker (Drums, Keys, Production) are fucking alive and strike back with their 4th release entitled "Harshlizer". This is an album that is bound to atomize dancefloors across the universe and it will accelerate your descent to hell in no time... The raging revolted cyber punks of ALIEN VAMPIRES live every day like as if it were their last day on Earth.

With more than explicit and perverted lyrics, provocative bloody and sexual images, and extreme live shows, the band never cared about who they might offend! An attitude that definitely carried over into their music, an outrageous blend of harsh elektro, goth metal and obscene industrial dance.

This new studio album will once again offer you an exploding palette of sound ranging from the devastating beats of their new club hits "Harshlizer", "Control The Universe" or yet the hypnotic "She's In Drugs (more than me)" to the more noisy-guitar dark industrial pieces like "Dearth March" or "Her Blood Into My Veins"! Their trademark sound is also stalking, "evil bloody" tunes breathe disillusion, deceit, pessimism and ultimate darkness. Our heavily drugged cyberspace vampires also did not hesitate to make a blasphemous cover version of "See You In Hell" by their good old friend from SUICIDE COMMANDO (featuring Johan Van Roy himself on vocals)!! The one and only ALIEN VAMPIRES gang are back in town for your ultimate sonic pleasure: please hide the kids from your monitors: loud and explicit music is coming your way!

NY. Correct! The two things coincide.

We are Alien Vampires on and off the stage so we can talk about a representation of what we are in real life everyday. For instance the place we live, in London (Hackney), influences our perception in many ways and affects our being AV (drugs, squat parties...).

Image has always been a very important factor in your work, playing with provocation, sex, obscenity, etc. Is it all part of a marketing plan or is there more to it all?

NI. It's more than that. Do you known what we did in Tijuana the first time we performed there? Is sex on stage something that can give you an idea?

We are gonna post the pix soon so you know what we are talking about.

We are influenced by things which turns AV exactly into what you are pointing out about the band, so we cannot really talk about any kind of marketing plan. Also, I guess we should have more positive responses if we behave like many other bands do and talk and mention something they don't even live for real!

Vampire Guitars built a "Harshlizer" custom guitar the first time they did this for an electronic based band... How did it all happen and how does it feel to get such respect?

NY. Vampire Guitars is a young company that contacted us and we were very impressed with their work and stuff. Once again, we are glad to get respect from every kind of scene and for sure, we don't betray other people's trust with that.

Since the release of "Harshlizer" in December, ALIEN VAMPIRES has been touring a lot... Do you have some exciting anecdotes to share with us from these recent concerts?

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NI. Actually we are currently touring the USA and Mexico right now and we just came back from Las Vegas and San Francisco and you can tell we harshilized them! Tonight it s gonna be LA's turn and it's amazing to see how people share with us their energy and take part to our performance becoming a one thing within the show.

Who's next? Australia!!

Why should we absolutely attend an ALIEN VAMPIRES show if you happen to play in town? What makes it so special?

NY. Because you are gonna move your fucking ass and you are gonna go back home feeling dazed and confused like after 10 grams of speed, ahahah!

I heard rumours that you are working on a special release at the moment... Anything you guys can reveal at this point?

NI. Correct! We are currently working on a new EP which will be released shortly and which is gonna contain some amazing remixes. I can't tell more right now, it is still a 'secret'.

Since we are constantly receiving requests from our fans who are searching in vain for our previous releases, we came to the conclusion that it would be a good idea to rerelease our previous works too with new graphics, unreleased pictures (Tijuana fucking session on stage) and remixed and remastered tracks.

We will reveal all details soon... Watch out!!!

Anything special to add?

Yes!!!!!!!! Fuck off and die!

Fuck O electronic music with attitude

interview

Off and Die! electronic music with attitude

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ARMAGEDDON DILDOS

[ Come EBM Come!

There has been a long silence on the Dildos front until the release of your new album?

It was definitely a long time between the last release "Sangreal" and "Untergrund" but for me it wasn´t a break because I already started to work on new songs in 2005. My old label and I initially planned to release the next album in 2006/2007. But life has not been so nice for me the last few years. My father died after a period of primary disease in 2007. His death was very hard for me and made it impossible for me to work on my music for

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nearly one year. Also my old label and I had a break up and I was constrained to look for a new label which took me another few months...

«Untergrund» can be seen as a kind of mix of all your different styles. It seems to embrace the more typical EBM roots but also the darker, guitar-driven fields. It is maybe your most varied album to date?

It was intentional for me. I always loved to mix typical EBM styles with for example rock/new wave or even pop elements. We did this already

on albums like Homicidal Dolls, Unite and Speed.

Together with bands such as X-MARKS THE PEDWALK, LEAETHER STRIP, etc. there was a kind of family spirit at Zoth Ommog. Do you still feel connected with those bands?

Absolutely, there was that kind of family spirit on Zoth Ommog because all of us had the same intention. But there is no connection left after all these years where I haven´t met with any of them. To work with Alfa Matrix is very similar, I feel the

electronic music with attitude

interview same energy, enthusiasm and passion for electronic music.

We notice some kind of an «old-school EBM» revival these days. Did it help putting ARMAGEDDON DILDOS back on the map?

I am not sure if this "old school EBM revival" helped us or not because "Untergrund" is not a typical old school EBM album.

There are influences from that period as well as from others. I think you have to listen a couple of times to Untergrund to understand my intentions to make an album like this. The reactions from the audience are quite different but mostly positive. Some negative reactions did come from hardcore old-school ebm fans: they just don´t like the rocky tracks with guitars (laugh).

Your daughter is contributing some backing vocals on some songs, but today ARMAGEDDON DILDOS is mostly a one-man project right?

Yes, Denise is again singing backing vocals on the new album on songs like "Baby Snake" and "Hedonic". In studio, Yes, I`m doing the songwriting, the lyrics, the programming and some vocal sessions at home. The guitars and some vocals were recorded at Ulfs studio in the valley of oblivion. The final production and the final mixing was done in Mathias "Killing Sound Research" studio. He also did some additional programming and sound design.

electronic music with attitude

How did your studio evolve throughout the years?

I work with my software environment for years and I love it. The only synth that I use at home is my virus indigo.

There are some older machines in the studio but we don´t use them that often any more.

Maybe I will go back to vintage machines somewhere down the road but until then my favourite instrument of all is my Mac!!

ARMAGEDDON DILDOS has always been appreciated for strong live performances…

What can we expect from you on stage today?

The Armageddon Dildos on stage means high energized power EBM with guitars.

Sometimes old-school sometimes new-school but always like a force from above.

We won´t change this because that´s the main part of the show. We are also working on new aspects of the show, but it´s too early to speak about this right now. We are playing a mix of old and new tracks that hopefully everybody will have a good time. The best response live always come on songs like East West, In My Mind, Furios, Hedonic and The Innocence.

What's next for you Uwe? I already started to work on new tracks for the forthcoming AD album and on our new live performance concept. Also I want to finish the tracks which I did together with Malin in the last few years. I'll be back soon!

ARMAGEDDON DILDOS untergrund [CD / 2CD box] The return of this living legend has been one of the most anticipated events on the EBM scene! Today, ARMAGEDDON DILDOS delivers to you their new studio assault entitled “Untergrund”. Hold your breath: the album is packed with songs in both the German and English languages and offers a boiling cocktail of frontal minimal EBM, muscled melodic hooks, strong carrying vocals and a gritty touch of power. Reminiscent of RAMMSTEIN in the force of their powerful German vocals, ARMAGEDDON DILDOS have musically been declared the German counterpart to FRONT 242. With his new album, Uwe Kanka proves to us once again that less can be much more, and that he has that impressive talent to mix upbeat sequences, with dark synths while perfectly balancing them with catchy sing-along melodies, choruses and dynamic guitar intrusions. This is another big and promising return...

Come! ARMAGEDDON Come! Kick us in the face! Knock us out with one punch!!

Created back in 1989 by Uwe Kanka and Dirk Krause, ARMAGEDDON DILDOS rapidly caught the ear of Talla 2XLC who signed them to his Zoth Ommog label. With EBM club hits like “Never Mind” and “East West”, the duo instantly acquired a very strong live reputation through their explosive and high-energy performances which brought them all over the world. Album after album, the German boys progressively mixed their pure technoid EBM sequences with more industrial tones, and later also started fusing guitars and even pop elements into their fast sequenced electronic sounds. Their ascension also brought them collaborating with various renown producers including Keith "Fluffy" Auerbach (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Pigface, Skinny Puppy, etc.), Bob Kraushaar (Pet Shop Boys, David Bowie, etc.), Andy Gill (Gang of Four, Michael Hutchence, etc.) or yet Mathias Black (Tommy Stumpf, The Fair Sex, Karl Bartos).

After over 10 years of intensive collaboration, Dirk and Uwe parted ways leaving Mister Kanka alone at the helm of the ARMAGEDDON DILDOS ship. Captain Uwe took the challenge and continued to carry the DILDOS flagship even further on his strong shoulders.

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[Asserting my own reality…

BB = Brittany Bindrim (vocals/lyrics) JC = Jim Cookas (guitar/programming) Out now is your newest music video for the song “Swimmers Can Drown”, shot in Chicago and directed by Chris Folkens. Why Chris and how did you get in touch with him?

JC: We worked with Chris on this video because he is wildly talented beyond his years. It's that simple. He directed our first music video for “Capsella (Toxin Mix)” back in 2005 as a college project.

Since then he has directed several famous television ads and a few indie films. His talent has absolutely exploded and we're so lucky to be friends with him. He happened to have time in his schedule for our latest music video…

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Not everyone knows, but the artwork for the disc versions of "Dying & Falling" is composed of twelve paintings that were created by vocalist/lyricist Brittany Bindrim. So Brittany, let's head for some art talk.

Have you always been painting?

BB: I have been drawing and painting ever since I can remember. Art and music are in my blood. My father is a painter/illustrator as well as a musician, so both surrounded me when I was a little girl. As a toddler I began mimicking him by creating my own paintings of dragons and eight-legged unicorns.

This hobby quickly became a fullfledged passion. I have always been an artist at heart and work in many different mediums such as oils, acrylics, pencil, pen, poetry, music, graphic design, video, etc. It is my goal to live

my art and music and assert my own reality.

Your color use reminded me of some of the better known Munch paintings, which I saw in an Oslo museum a few months ago. So what painters have you been influenced by?

BB: Thank you, I take that as quite the compliment because I really do love Munch's use of color. The theme for “Dying & Falling” artwork was influenced by medieval paintings of purgatory including works by Luca Signorelli, Michelangelo, and Gustave Doré. I used my own style, a more intense color pallet, and contemporary spin on the medieval theme to depict modern societal and self-inflicted punishments many often endure for their beliefs in the present times. In contrast to medieval depictions of hell, the paintings for “Dying & Falling” are metaphorical and are aimed at deconstructing the myths of eternal damnation and hell by contrasting

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interview images of reality, “hell” on earth, or satire. A few other artists that greatly inspire me are Albrecht Durer and his detailed etchings; Gustav Klimt and his lush depictions of the human form; and modern painter Shawn Barber's realism.

Though I don't pretend to even think I come close to their talent. I hope to one day create a painting that is 1/80th as beautiful as any one of their creations.

I noticed you have been selling a few paintings but is there a site where our readers can check out your other work?

BB: The artwork for “Dying & Falling” was created for the album specifically.

In fact each song inspired a separate painting. In general, I go through creative phases and tend to rotate between painting, illustration, and digital artwork. I am always involved in some sort of project. I sell my paintings and illustrations locally here in Chicago and also do commissioned work. My art website is currently under construction, so stay tuned. But I am selling prints through Imagekind at: www.iscintilla.imagekind.com.

You guys are very active on Facebook and Twitter, do you still count on MySpace, or is your account just dormant and kept alive just in case Justin Timberlake succeeds in revamping the site and its purposes?

BB: Did the Myspace exec's watch the movie “The Social Network” and get Timberlake's character confused with the owner of Napster? We definitely keep our MS account on life support as it still serves as a place for people to go and check out artists' songs and see what shows are on the horizon,. I don't think that there will be much of a success in its revamp. I think there are too many alternatives on the horizon such as bandcamp that serve much more of a purpose these days.

If you were to revamp MySpace, what would you change?

BB: I'd just take it out back and shoot it.

JC: At this point, I don't think anything can be done to revamp it. The branding will forever be linked to a horribly designed and extremely clunky website.

At this point there is no better social networking resource for musicians than electronic music with attitude

a solid Facebook page (with RootMusic's BandPage) and a busy Twitter account. Google+ may have a big impact on this in 2012 or so.

You released your discography as a 1GB Custom USB Drive via your merchandise shop. How has that experience been for you guys?

JC: It could be the next generation of merchandise for bands once CDs become extinct. It has worked out quite well for us so far, especially at live shows. The biggest obstacle so far is convincing fans that there is $80 worth of music on this $30 USB drive. Once they understand that, they find it's a great way to get all of our music at a great price. Plus it's much easier to transfer to an audio device than ripping from CDs and afterwards they have a 1GB drive for personal use.

As a band what kind of mobile apps can't you live without? Please name them and explain why you use them.

BB: A couple apps that the band can't live without: Around me: This app has helped us numerous times on the road.

Almost out of gas and need to find a gas station fast? Starving for anything but a chemical sandwich from Subway?

Need an alternative to the roach motel?

Around Me will help you out. Words with Friends: The iphone version of scrabble, or “scrabs” as we call it. The whole band has become addicted and we are becoming quite the experts. A great distraction for long drives stuck in the van on tour.

JC: Stitcher: For tons of streaming radio and podcasts Pandora: Duh Wikipedia: To prove that I'm right. iTrip: Charges your device while transmitting to your FM radio.

Foursquare: To see what Bernard is up to.

I:SCINTILLA Dying & Falling [CD / 2CD box] Chicago's female-fronted act I:SCINTILLA (pronounced "eye-sin-til-uh") returns with their much anticipated new album "Dying & Falling".

This new CD marks the band's fourth straight collaboration with the studio genius Wade Alin (The Atomica Project, Christ Analogue) and his slick production style. This 11-track collection finds I:SCINTILLA redefining their sound once again and pushing genre rules by the wayside.

In addition to their metal-infused electronica signature, the quartet still finds room for synthpop, trip-hop, and indie electro explorations! Frontwoman Brittany Bindrim's distinct and seductive voice once again leads the way through this beautiful album alternating infectious anger moments (from the club stomper "Swimmers can drown" to the explosive rapid-fire industrial-metal angst of "Ammunition" or yet the club hit "Prey on you") with more catchy and intimate songs (the catchy and addictive "Worth the wait", the precious little trip-hop pearl "Dying & falling" or the grandiose orchestral piece "The shake").

I:SCINTILLA have always found their force with their unique ability to seamlessly jump genres, from fast paced furious tracks to electro songs with a lighter synth-pop feel, all with ever present thread of charisma and alluring attitude.

What are you guys up to right now music-wise? Anything new busy cooking in the oven? New material, tour dates?

BB: We are working on an upcoming EP and a brand new album. We are hoping to do a European tour as well as US dates and are looking for bands to join forces with this fall.

JC: What she said.

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KOMOR KOMMANDO

[ In your fucking face!

Sebastian, how would you define KOMOR KOMMANDO compared to the various other music projects you have been involved with?

Think of it as Monty Python runs into Clive Barker and Clint Eastwood. It's dark, humorous, in your fucking face. Much like an Eastwood punchline, or the tearing of flesh in Hellraiser, but with sound. It's Industrial by birth but its roots finds its way into the world of techno, D'n'B, and of course EBM. Even rock at times.

I listen to anything but Industrial these days, rarely Industrial.

Which definitely widens my horizon in the studio. Define it, mmm. It is classic Industrial how it used to be performed with modern sound and production.

"Oil, Steel & Rhythm"... again a 3 word album title? Are you setting here a new trend?

I love those words. And they represent the sound and vision of the album. Which is bringing back what Industrial once was right? Factory sounds, hammers, metal percussion, steel, and rhythm based. Not what it is now, techno with more distortion. Then again there are some KK tracks that have a heavy techno influence, but I dunno maybe me in my steel cabin feeling what I do is a bit different Humour (or sarcasm?) seems to have an important part in your work with the choice of some tongue-in-cheek samples and other track titles.

Is this specific to the KOMOR KOMMANDO project or rather to your personality?

A mix of both. I mean I amuse

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myself with some of these sooo serious bands out there you know, becomes a parody of the Industrial Scene. So this is my way of just having fun with it all.

And I mean with a band name like Komor Kommando you gotta be able to laugh at yourself. I'm of course 100% serious about the music, as I would never release anything I am not 100% behind as a musician and person. Sarcasm? you bet lol.

People need to take themselves a lot less too serious you know. I can only take that much of the military and uber-goth personas.

At the end of the day it's about the music, not how you dress.

However, that's my personal opinion. Komor Kommando to me personally is also something I have lot of fun with, creative freedom, which can be heard on the album.

You also seem to have a very clear "image" vision for this project. What are your artistic influences for this project actually?

Musically KK is about bringing back what Industrial used to be.

Not this fashion show it has become. Bring back the oil and the steel! Non-music influences, hmm, not sure really. Anything that makes a good beat. I often pick up loops or patterns just walking around or in a movie, just a sound or a combination of sounds that gets under my skin you know. The world is full of sounds, one just has to listen.

KOMMANDO? What kind of special experience are you offering us?

I'm not one to be on a pedestal saying my music is the shit, and most definitely don't force it on anyone. But if you want music with balls and pure attitude, no fake plastic vampire wannabe poser bullshit then Komor Kommando is for you.

Concert-wise, the good news is that KOMOR KOMMANDO will finally invade Europe for a punishing assault. Good to be back in Europe?

Hells yeah. I'm definitely overdue for a visit to Europe. See some old friends, family and rock the shit out of Europe with KK. I'm definitely stoked to do this. KK on stage is me and a good friend from Florida named Casey who is also the live keyboardist for MELT. It's going to be a blast.

Mostly a jam on stage. KK was never intended to be a full blown band right. When we have a great budget we shall have an army of robots and machines on stage! lol.

What's next for the KK oneman army?

Finishing up some remixes under the KK name, wrapping up some productions, then hoping to get this KK 12" released soon, some great remixes on that one. As well as talk about doing a follow up EP from the album, with some new tracks. Beyond that, we'll see, 2012 is getting close after all :).

There are so many industrial noise dance acts around these days... Why should we decide to listen to KOMOR

electronic music with attitude

KOMOR KOMMANDO Oil, Steel & Rhythm [CD / 2CD box] His "Das EP" assault is still resounding high and loud on the dancefloors...yet Sebastian R. Komor knows no rest. With this new full length album from his solo-project KOMOR KOMMANDO, he goes back in time, plunging us into the rusty decaying factories around the world, utilizing machine sounds and metal percussion. Throughout these 15 tracks, you can feel the oil dripping through the sounds and hammers slamming out the beats. It is dark, cold, melodic and unforgiving. It is hard-hitting, heavy, sarcastic and loud. "Oil, Steel & Rhythm" offers you another power surge of 100% club hits including the unavoidable "Triggerfinger", "Das Oontz", the floor-packing "Rhythm Machine", the angry "Predator" featuring guest vocals by Sascha of KMFDM or yet the boiling "Slaves of Machines"...

This is KOMOR KOMMANDO taking Industrial to 11.

Play at maximum volume!

Based in Edmonton - Canada, Norwegian Sebastian R. Komor is also renown for his successful activities under the ZOMBIE GIRL, ICON OF COIL, SQUAREHEAD and BRUDERSCHAFT monikers. He also revealed his talent as a studio engineer/music producer for bands like ALPHAVILLE and AYRIA...

electronic music with attitude

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MALAKWA

What did MALAKWA sound like in the first months of its existence?

We started the band round 2006. In the very beginning we were playing some kind of music close to punk, with a real drummer and a bass player. We used to play in caves, garages with bad-sounding PA's. Our music had already a wet and dirty taste. We never claimed to belong to any particular style though we evolved in the punk, red skin or even hardcore spheres, including metal of course.

Later we discovered electro and dark music. You can feel this musical background in our sound, can't you?

Your music style is indeed at the crossroad between punk and electro. How would you define your sound?

It's always tough to put a label on your own production. We never managed to define our music. As I said earlier,

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[

Make up your rules!

we always evolved into different musical styles and scenes but one thing is certain: we always hated stuff like communitarianism and small partitioned worlds. Bands who inspired us the most musically are Atari Teenage Riot, Ministry, Prodigy and Iggy Pop (for the attitude) just to name the most famous ones.

On Street Preacher, your second album, you seem to be a bit more in control of your sound?

This new album was a natural evolution for us, we worked a lot on our sound and we enjoyed it. Of course there will still be people complaining that they preferred our earlier sound but that's not the case

for us! We avoid as much as possible to be going backwards. We do what we love and we don't care if people like it or not!

Why did you choose to work with an ex-TAMTRUM guy to produce this record?

Because we're friends above all and we're one the same musical wavelength. We wanted to share a musical experience together as if he was a new full member of the band.

Working with us in studio involves lots of alcohol, drugs, and tension‌ it turned out rather cool in the end!

You guys played China‌ How was that exotic experience?

electronic music with attitude

interview We're always on the road you know!

We have a real passion for traveling and especially in Asia. By chance we had the opportunity to play our first concert in China in 2008. Everything was going very fast there so that we managed to set up a tour in a very easy and fast way. And the tour being a success we returned there the following 2 years. What attracted us there was the young people's enthusiasm and their need to have fun, to discover but also to escape (at least mentally) their very authoritarian regime. There is a freshness, a thirst for new music that we'll never find back here in Western Europe.

How does MALAKWA sounds live?

Do you manage to keep a balance between the rock and electro sides?

Actually it depends of the atmosphere of the evening as well as our personal moods. We like that our concerts each time have a different flavor and that our tracks are linked to the present vibe. Currently our live sets are slightly more electronic orientated because that's what we're listening the most to at the moment. We always discover new tricks and we also like to change our way of working and playing.

Could you give us some insight on the shooting of the “Make Up Your Rules” video clip?

It was a very pleasant experience and we benefited from a very devoted team following us until the end. We spent all night shooting in the icy cold, trying to avoid cops because we did not have permission to film: I especially think of a frantic motorbike race with more than twenty riders (at more than 140 rph) on a country road.

That night when we shot the scene in which the guy wearing a suit was being hit by whores we got people from outside believing it was for real.

Some stopped their cars to have a close look but no one really tried to save this poor guy! We told them we were organizing some kind of “fight club” and we even got some followers!

electronic music with attitude

In studio how do you share the work between the both of you?

Even though we always appreciated the fact of being joined by other people, we nevertheless prefer to create our music on our own.

MALAKWA is just the two of us. We listen to each other, we give advice, we make proposals, share ideas and that's the way we can go forward.

There is no real sharing of the tasks, it's much more instinctive.

What are projects are in your future?

We have some concerts coming up here and there in Hungary, Czech Republic, Switzerland and most of all we're back at work on our next album.

But we won't tell much more about it now! (laugh)

MALAKWA street preacher [CD / 2CD box] "Street Preacher" is arriving at full speed for a ultimate sound-crash experience straight to your face! "Street Preacher" is the new studio album from MALAKWA, a revolting crossover-combo hailing from Marseille South of France who fuse electro machine sounds with relenting assaults and distorted vocals. With over 150 live shows under their belt and after the astounding stage success they achieved with their "Feed The Machine" debut which brought them on tour to all corners of the world, not only France but also several times to China, Germany, Switzerland, etc. MALAKWA are now ready to challenge the world. A very promising new addition to the Alfa Matrix family perfectly fitting their band roster in between TAMTRUM, ALIEN VAMPIRES, KRYSTAL SYSTEM and FRONT 242.

Our digital punk wild children hit you with a heavy infectious cocktail of elektro, industrial synths, noisy breakcore and provocative punk rock. Powerful, dirty, energetic and futuristic, the MALAKWA beasts bring chaos to the modern electro rock scene with an upbeat tortured mixture of CUBANATE, ATARI TEENAGE RIOT or yet PUNISH YOURSELF… The future is now, the future is you, the future is MLK! Ride fast and check out this Monster album right now! It's time to break the silence!

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SIVA SIX [ Life is not what is seems!

Your new album is very focused on the failure of humanity and has a strong feeling of apocalypse?

The failure is by now a fact, no doubt… man has fallen into oblivion, the story... the truth...the myths and the apocalyptic words behind our new album "The Twin Moons" started thousands of years ago when Armageddon kissed planet Earth. The "people of the skies" saved as many humans as possible, gathered them on arks like animals, travelled through the oceans of time, moved from the constellation of Orion to planet Zera the Great White… Humans fought for a piece of land, victory was by their side!! As years went by, they progressed. Man turned into God. Meanwhile life bloomed once more on planet Earth, civilization grew the way we know it today, the way we see it… Space signals were the medium between the 2 planets, the contact was made... the rest of the story can be found in the 16 page booklet of our new album!

How does it all fit with the visual theme of the alfa & omega moons on your album and all the esoteric allusions in the texts?

The planet humans moved to have 2 moons (Alfa & Omega) instead of one like we have here on planet Earth. The concept story behind this album is not so easy to explain since it's a work of a lifetime through knowledge, myths, occult and a certain point of view. All I can say is that humans have gotten everything wrong... Man instead of turning into God, turned into a slave...

It's how we see things! Surrealism, metaphors and occult are each really strong behind this album…0=2! And life is not what it seems... So doing the visual part of the album was a very difficult task that the very talented artwork designer Jerome Cross managed to do thanks to his love for sci-fi themes!

Musically, SIVA SIX is often described as part of the dark elektro movement… which artists do you feel yourselves close to and tell us what special do you guys have to offer us compared to others?

Well, people call us special, or weird… We are just ourselves, that's the key! No copies, no clones, we have the guts to be ourselves. That's why after all we still do albums and our die hard fanbase gets bigger and stronger. I personally feel closer to bands like MINISTRY or 16 HORSE POWER or even DAF rather than to other so called ebm/electro/dark bands. But i do respect the work of some genre/scene mates.

ALIEN VAMPIRES for example have guts!

SOMAN is cool. HOCICO still kicks ass at their live shows. NOISUF-X is a dance floor killer and the story goes on…

16 alfa matrix

fell so calm now . Not scared anymore . All is silent . I hear my heart beat . What's out there? . Out there . Was I dreaming? . Was I really there? . Did I see it? . Did I understand?

ABUSIVE Accusations are screamed into my face . Where did I go and who did I see . Checking my every move . Questioning my words . Why can't you see that your jealousy kills? . Expectations are unrealistic . I am not perfect and I am no prisoner . Why do you try to push me away from you? . Why can't see the warning signs . You are abusive . You cannot see it . The hate you hold is pushing me away . You are abusive . You never listen . You're not the friend I used to know . Emotional violence . Is draining my selfrespect . I am not in this to hurt myself . All this evil will be the end of us . Is this the point of no return? . I can't live with abusive behavior . Let me leave you now and set me free . I can't live electronic music with attitude

interview I FEEL HUMAN I'm calling out your name . anger is repressed .

Listen to my words . Listen to the sound .

Necessary pain . Unavoidable . Ordinary days .

I feel human . I'm watching the accused . Can I throw the first stone? . Listen to their cries .

Turning into screams . Momentary rush . As I throw the stone . The Punishment is mine . I feel human . A perfect world - a life in ruins . A perfect world - a perfect end . I'm trying not to run . But I'm still running . I'm trying not to look . But I'm still watching . I'm trying not to hurt .

But I hurt everyone . They tell me I'm an animal . But I feel human STATE OF MIND CONTROL State of mind control . Once in a life time . You won't be safe here . Until you get a hold on yourself . She gave us a pure heart . But you rejected it and chose another path in your life .

Hey you will be sorry . You walked away and we can't force you to return . Hey you will be sorry .

You walked away and we can't force you to come back . It's a state of mind . It's a state of mind control . I've seen every side of you . It wasn't easy to walk around on eggshells for you I FEEL HUMAN I'm calling out your name . anger is repressed .

Listen to my words . Listen to the sound .

Necessary pain . Unavoidable . Ordinary days .

I feel human . I'm watching the accused . Can I throw the first stone? . Listen to their cries .

Turning into screams . Momentary rush . As I throw the stone . The Punishment is mine . I feel human . A perfect world - a life in ruins . A perfect world - a perfect end . I'm trying not to run . But I'm still running . I'm trying not to look . But I'm still watching . I'm trying not to hurt .

But I hurt everyone . They tell me I'm an animal . But I feel human STATE OF MIND CONTROL State of mind control . Once in a life time . You won't be safe here . Until you get a hold on yourself . She gave us a pure heart . But you rejected it and chose another path in your life .

Hey you will be sorry . You walked away and we can't force you to return . Hey you will be sorry .

You walked away and we can't force you to come back . It's a state of mind . It's a state of mind control . I've seen every side of you . It wasn't easy to walk around on eggshells for you I FEEL HUMAN I'm calling out your name . anger is repressed .

Listen to my words . Listen to the sound .

Necessary pain . Unavoidable . Ordinary days .

I feel human . I'm watching the accused . Can I throw the first stone? . Listen to their cries .

Turning into . Momentary rush . As I electronic musicscreams with attitude

You have also worked on some new songs with real orchestras from Chris Antoniou (famous for his work with CHAOSTAR, SEPTIC FLESH…)?

We have been working with Chris since our debut album "rise new flesh". We are linked by a deep friendship and true mutual respect.

Chris is maestro of classical orchestras His obscure music background and his huge abilities give to each of our albums a very special touch. But true, this time we gave a bigger space in the mix for his stuff.

We consider him as part of our gang!

All I can promise is that his sounds will guide you easier in our universal truth that is depicted in our new album "The Twin Moons"…

You also decided to do a very own interpretation of Vangelis Papathanasiou's "Blade Runner"?

Blade Runner was one of the movies that influenced me the most. So I chose to tell that story my own way, adding lyrics that could fit the story of the twin moons while also paying a huge homage to this great man and musician, respect to this Greek composer Vangelis Papathanasiou. It is also our very first cover ever, and once we had completed it, it brought a smile on our face… in an evil way ;)) You have never been a very productive band, taking always several years to write a new album… What can we expect next from you?

Well, you are wrong! SIVA SIX made 3 albums in 6 years of existence, plus 1 remix album. That's quite hard & productive! Of course we are not the kind of band doing a new album every year, 'cause at such a tempo you have nothing special to give any more. And this scene is in some kind of free fall. Quantity will never compensate quality. We will continue down our personal hell road! The trip goes on: live shows, roads, hotels, sex, violence… all this is on the menu. The magick of our next musick step should be initiated this summer when we will enter once again the Lunatech Sounds Studio to start writing the first notes of a mighty future… "Master Set(h), the chosen free…!!! "…

SIVA SIX The Twin Moons [CD / 2CD box] Following their successful dark "Black Will" album and its club-invader remix extension "Flesh And Will Resurrected", the apocalyptic Greek duo SIVA SIX opens today a new mysterious sonic gate with their much anticipated new studio album, "The Twin Moons". The fruit of two intense and laborious years of studio work, "The Twin Moons" album unlocks new mysteries from the history of mankind and fulfills SIVA SIX's compelling Hell-prophecy. Combining Protools HD technology and the bombastic recordings of the real orchestras of maestro Chris Antoniou (famous for his work with CHAOSTAR, SEPTIC FLESH…), SIVA SIX offers to us a very strong duality album concept constructed around contrasts and opposites. Dark elektro and IDM soundscapes embrace EBM and harsh industrial for the ultimate sound of the apocalypse where Earth and Stars become one, where Hell blows up Paradise and men and angels start falling down like flames from the sky in front of the bewitching rise of the Serpent Whore. Failure, vengeance and victory… "The Twin Moons" is the powerful soundtrack of humanity's apocalyptic descent in the shimmering light of the twin moons reaching its acme on the unexpected cover of Vangelis Papathanasiou's epic 'Blade Runner"… The angel brothers of the night, Z and Herr Khaos, deliver their best album ever and prove that the dark elektro genre still has much to offer when it is taken by the horns.

Bringing the sonic experience to an all new level where orchestral arrangements enter in symbiosis with powerful elektro machine sounds led by harsh vocals plunging us in the unique mystic atmosphere of a theatrical setting where both Armageddon and Arthemis hold the strings of the plot. The visual aspect of this conceptual album is splendidly rendered by the infamous designer Jerome Cross (ARCTURUS, MAYHEM, ROTTING CHRIST, etc.).

alfa matrix 17

10 years of alfa A week ago we sent out a tweet asking our Twitter account followers at @alfamatrix to drop us some questions. Here's the batch we got plus also the answers. During a working breakfast in a small brasserie near the Grand Place in Brussels Belgium, Seba Dolimont (SD), Benoit Blanchart (BB) and Bernard Van Isacker (BVI) answered all the questions.

T:Alfa Matrix is a label run by people who have their own daytime jobs as well. It's a relief for the bands on the label probably that the label doesn't have to pay its personnel I think, but for the owners I imagine it's not always that fun?

SD: It's a remark we often get. Since day 1 our business model offers to us the luxury to be able to sign a band because we love what they do and believe in their work without having to pay too much attention to profitability release per release, artists per artist. This situation allows us to play the role of a record label: daring signing new young unknown talents. Today the market dictates the music industry to be careful, sign only sure values and this way leaves less & less open spots for new blood… This does not mean we do not run Alfa Matrix with a strict budget management policy, but we have a structure allowing us to better face harder events like bankruptcies, market collapse, etc. because all three of us 3 have another guaranteed main source of income. Alfa Matrix remains this way a passion we share together and with and for our artists. Now of course running a family plus 2 jobs at the same time generates its daily dose of stress and frustration. It means lots of sacrifices on a personal and social level and many, many sleepless nights… (laugh) BVI: Having a daytime job permits the three of us to see things from a different perspective. When you only run a label, you tend to think too much from your label's point of view and as far as I know, it would keep things quite limited as far as new influences and experiences. For instance, I work in the web traffic building sector which is something that most labels never have understood very well, for some obscure reason. What I know from my business goes back into the label and opens new perspectives. It's a plus for sure.

BB: We're indeed stronger like this but it demands a good organization. We must devote our evening and weekends to this hobby and we cannot afford losing time! Fortunately the internet allows us to work from different places and share all we do in an easy and fast way. This wouldn't have been possible some 20 years ago.

T:According to you guys, what is the future for the music industry? How will music be consumed in the next years to come?

SD: This is not an easy one since we could talk about this for hours. All I want to say is that we have seen the traditional music market model radically evolve during the last decade. The fast growth of new technologies, the success of Internet as a communication channel and the appearance of MP3s as music support all contributed to this evolution. It is amazing to see how behaviors have changed. The new generation has today different needs placing art in general and music in particular (but also videos & games) on a lower importance level. Fashion is the number one priority, and technology has now entered the realm of fashion. It is much more important today to show your friends you have the last version of this smartphone or that touchpad than having the brand new record of a cool underground artist. Interests are shifting and consumption modes are changing accordingly. Add to this the rampant economic crisis, and we have a music industry model that is no longer holding the road in its original form. Print media has suffered from the internet's supremacy, record stores are closing one after another, leaving less and less space for underground music and placing CDs more and more on the side of a pure commercial product. The "art" side of it all is progressively vanishing on the market. We therefore see more and more majors focusing on live shows rather than on cd sales. The digital sale format is bound to progressively overshadow the physical sales. The illegal or free downloads will continue to expand until authorities finally take action, but this might be a bit too late by then. Social media will incorporate the music dimension to their expanding model and streaming is

18 alfa matrix

also bound to develop in the next months and years.

Music will be more and more part of our virtual world and we will all have to adapt ourselves to it or quit.

BVI: The future is digital for sure, and despite disastrous sales, people will not stop listening to music. It will be in a different format than 'our generation' has known it though. Heck, even I'm buying lots on iTunes over the past few years, because it's easy, instant and with the good bit-rate they have now, only very good installations will be able to show the difference - and I know many don't agree with me on this. We will get more and more 'music à la carte' services where monthly micro payments will prevail on irregular purchases. One perfect example is Spotify which small as it is has succeeded in convincing me big time of its potential on a large scale. And with the upcoming Facebook deal and US launch of this excellent Swedish service, it will just be a matter of weeks or months before we see the service take off big time. The future is streaming, not just for music, also for films and games. I also foresee that music will get more and more mobile. It will become a commodity to have access to music everywhere, anytime via your mobile. So people still nagging about the quality of MP3s are already years behind because it's the quality of streaming they should be talking about! (laughs) It explains why we were one of the first labels from this scene and other scenes to sign a distribution deal with Spotify - we did the same for the upcoming US launch - because we believe in the model and most of all, we believe that if our customers and fans consume their music this way that we should be there as well. The revenue is not enormous so far, but it's way better than what other download services have been able to do in the countries where Spotify is available. It's also a perfect buffer to put a stop to illegal download sites. It's a domain where the European Union failed big time, and all this is because the political representatives were afraid of getting a knock during the next elections.

Shame on Europe.

BB: There is less and less place and exposure for compact discs in stores. The same counts for movie videos. The older generation can sometimes be seen as alien when they want to buy a record. It is a vicious circle because less exposure means less potential customers who in turn won't go to record shop since they'll only find some selected “big” artists. Nowadays it is thus even more challenging to release a record (whether it is a compact disc or vinyl) and you have to focus on the visual aspect of the product. Sometimes the sleeve and packaging tend to be more important than the music (and also the only reason to buy it).

Another fact is that the younger generation is not that used to the album format and rather listens to music as a collection of single tracks and EPs. This counts for bigger artists as well who focus on expensive videos just to promote that single track. In the end the listeners only want the big hits and don't even care listening to the whole album. This is reinforced by the fact that there is much more music available these days and this especially in the electronic spheres (synthpop, ebm, industrial). In the past you had to invest a lot of money before ever thinking of recording a track. Now anyone having a computer (and even an iPad) can have access to rather professional ways of making music. Of course the more talented ones always emerge, but it's sometimes difficult for the younger audience to find its way through the jungle. It's the work of the label and it's a very tough one. If you want to earn money from music you clearly have to play live as much as you can, be (hyper) active on the internet and interact with fans (more and more people/fans want this kind of relationship) and concentrate on a few (club) hits rather than an album if you want to get noticed.

T: What band has caught your attention lately that you though, damn, we should have signed this band!

SD: Any band I discovered and found great was contacted for a potential collaboration with us. Some joined us, some were already signed elsewhere… it is impossible to take under contract all the great bands that we hear. So yes, there are some great bands out there signed to other labels for sure. I prefer not starting naming any cos I'm sure I'll be forgetting some of them…

BVI: You'd hang me if I told you what I bought lately!

Let's just say I'm a very versatile listener and I enjoy bands that are special like many on our label.

BB: There are indeed plenty of good bands and of course a lot of them would deserve to release a CD. When we decide to work with a new band, it is most of the time a balance between our personal taste and what we think could please our fanbase.

T: Benoit, you are responsible for the art department. What kind of shifts do you see in your field of the business? Is there anything revolutionary coming up that we'll say, “Waaaaaw?”

What are the new possibilities?

BB: As I said earlier you really have to invest a lot on packaging and sleeves to offer a bit more than music.

The packaging needs to be a piece of art in itself. And it's even more challenging because people already have access to plenty of info and photographs about the bands... So you always need to offer them a bit more: special size packages with some extra bonuses like signed cards or stickers or special link to an internet website where you can download some extra material.

Graphically most everything has been done and seen from fluo-colored to embossed paper, including a more recent need for more ecological packaging of course.

There are plenty of good designers and it's important to find the right sleeve that goes well with the band and the music on the disc. It's the first thing you see and it must give you a global view on the atmosphere of the music.

For me the best sleeves and booklet are the one you like to hold in your hands while listening to the music. It needs to be complementary. And fortunately some hardcore fans from our scene still want to feel the warmth of paper in their hands and most of them like to collect CDs even if they still also convert them into files.

T: Seba, as an A&R, today's market is not the easiest one. Getting unknown bands “big” is becoming a very difficult task. What are the things you check before talking to a band besides that the music has to be good. Would you sign a band with good music but no online presence?

SD: First thing for sure is that something must catch my attention. That little special thing… This is indeed very personal and a question of personal taste. Then second and very important element for me is that I need to feel that click with the artist(s). A collaboration can only be fruitful when the teamwork is efficient, smooth and natural. Being on the same wavelength counts a lot for me. Mutual respect and care. Last but not least, besides the music itself, I will pay attention to the overall image of the project. The concept in itself, the visual aspect of the work and the band. And the activities of the band: live shows, internet activities, fanbase… There must be an overall vision and concept on top of the art itself in order to share it all with fans. Many aspects which all influence our decision to welcome a new member to the Alfa Matrix family. Important point as well: we have always signed ALL artists to the unanimity because all 3 in the label have to work hard for each release, so we want to make sure we are all 3 at 300% behind any release and artist.

T: Do you still believe in the magazine market of today? I mean, online versus printed, what is it all worth today?

SD: It is close to impossible today for print magazines to bring us fresh news: internet and social media sites are the places where people fish for the freshest news. I personally expect print magazines to be more of a complementary information source by offering the readers deeper going articles, essays, etc. They need to be the guide, the advisor, the talent-spotter… more than ever before. I expect a journalist to challenge my music tastes and trigger my interest, draw my attention on something special. Not many print mags are offering this today on the music market. It has all become more of a pay for play adventure to the detriment of quality. I am aware they need funds to survive, but a certain balanced can be found when we try to find it. Also… not many music magazines have been able to find the correct balance between internet activity/presence and their printed version. Pix, videos, sound… all this I find them all on internet so I no longer need to buy a mag for this! I expect that little more from a print mag. While for an online mag, I expect from them the freshest news

electronic music with attitude

fa matrix and very regular updates. It's a bit in reaction to all this and after having talked with many of our label fans that we decided to issue our own label magazine in which all the freshest news are collected and organized from the sole official source. "Matrix Revelations" will be the central place of communication for fans seeking info about our label artists present and future plans…

BVI: Like Seba pointed out: daily updates are a must.

Side-Line .com for instance has, since the 12 years it is online, been updated daily (with a few exceptions).

Compare that to sites that only get updated every now and then and you'll see why some sites get big and others stay small. The scarce updates by online zines is their main pain point nowadays. There are plenty of online blogs around, but only a few of them have been able to put a professional touch to it by pushing out daily updates, getting articles online that make their readers reflect etc.

T: What is your social media footprint so far?

BVI: Alfa Matrix is very much present on Twitter and Facebook and will soon be present on Google+. We also offer separate content per channel because the demands of these channels are different. In the future we will increase this even more. Our MySpace page is laid to a rest because the platform is dead. As far as YouTube is concerned we push our bands to be present on there as much as possible because they need the feedback on the videos. I believe in social media as a way to communicate with your fanbase, not to sell as such. It's also why we have sent Google+ invites to ALL of our customers. It's a give and take I'd say. I hate it when a shop is only there when they need your money but don't offer anything else in the meantime. We want to be more than just that label, so that's why we offer free compilations, downloads, and the odd thing in between like this Google+ invite.

T: Bernard, you have been testing out all kind of social media in the past, dumped some, revisited others and made shreds of MySpace in your tweets, Facebook posts and general comments. So, what is now hot?

BVI: My stance on MySpace has indeed been fairly well documented online and in interviews indeed. To me the platform has actually never worked properly except for the music player. I remember when we first did some tests on Facebook and MySpace. MySpace despite having a tenfold of 'friends' compared to Facebook barely saw reactions as far as comments and click throughs while Facebook was buzzing big time on what we posted with our servers going in overdrive. So, I guess that you want to know about Google+, right?

Well, so far the test-driving in the past weeks has taught me that it kinda works like Facebook, with the big difference that I was able filtering out the 'who I shared what with' very easily. And that's where the strength is for Google+. Add to that the very slick integration with existing Google properties and you know that this is a keeper for sure. If you wanted to know if Google+ will beat Facebook to death like Facebook did to MySpace?

I don't think so, I think they will exist next to one another, each trying to beat each other with new tools and applications because Facebook is a company that goes into a 'lockdown' when it sees threats popping up. They pour out new bits and pieces on a daily basis when they feel the pressure. You may expect lots of enhancements soon on Facebook which will blow you away, especially when it is about music. The same will happen on Google+ but they missed the music ship with their crippled Google Music offering which is just a locker and that's it. Also, let's not forget that Apple is a player that you shouldn't underestimate, especially because it's written in the stars that they will start a music streaming service as well next to their upcoming cloud service.

They screwed it up with Ping but they are embracing Twitter now in their new iOS 5 and are by definition a major party in the social network war. So for the next year I only see 3 players that might be the perfect hangout for fans, Twitter, Facebook and Google+ with only Twitter and Facebook having a real music service behind them. Now if Amazon would start talking to Google, we might have something different happening…

I'm most of all interested in what Apple (and Twitter), Google and Facebook (and Spotify) will do on the mobile side, because that's where the future is for me. If

electronic music with attitude

a social network works on mobile, it will be a winner. If it includes a decent music offering, it's a true winner for fans, artists and labels. I hope this answers your question? (smiles) T: I guess you all have a smartphone, what apps do you use to run your business?

BVI: I'm afraid that the only label guy having a smartphone is me! My precious darling is an iPhone 4 and I have around 100 apps running on it for work on the road. The following are apps specifically for music related things: Soundcloud, Recorder, NanoStudio, Shazam, Side-Line and TrakProDJ. Shazam helps me discover new tunes in clubs and bars while Recorder and NanoStudio are handy when you need to record a demo or so. Side-Line being the main source for electro and industrial music just had to be on my iPhone. (smiles) Besides that, I often use the Twitter and the Facebook app to communicate with fans, the Disqus app to monitor our comment platform for our site, WhatsApp to stay in touch with the smartphone users among our bands and the Dropbox app to stream the demos they dropped in there.

BB: No smartphone but just an old mobile phone I use to break and loose quite often. But I'm convinced that smartphones are the place where you find the most technological advancements these days.

The day I can find a smartphone that can replace a big i-pod, a good reflex camera and enables me to phone and e-mail friends correctly at an affordable price I might consider buying one! The same goess for touch pad that are slowly but surely taking market share from laptop and computers in general.

T: Is a CD still a product that will exist in 5 years?

BVI: Yes, but in a different format. Normal CDs will no longer be available because they don't offer enough value, limited editions on the other hand will remain available and in demand for quite a few more years. I for one buy only limited editions because of the added value they offer: a nice design, extra bonus gadgets, etc. The album as we know it now however will be dead within 5 years, if it isn't even sooner. I predict that downloads will have replaced the CD album within the next 2 years. I don't see that as something negative, it just has run its course, let's leave the space to limited editions (including vinyl runs for bigger acts) and downloads instead.

SD: Even more than today, like Bernard says, the CD format will indeed be used only for a very limited run aimed at a core fanbase of collectors. Persons who, like me, still prefer that special physical contact with a printed booklet, a piece of plastic I can insert in my CD player. People who still see an album as a piece of art, not only sound that we play at random or download! I expect CDs to be also more linked to events in the future, like buying the recording of a concert you are attending (the CD being a part of the ticket price), etc.

But I do not expect any boost of sales in the future any longer of that format, on the contrary. It is bound to go progressively down and my fear is more for the smaller unknown underground artists who might be threatened by such evolution; and for the major record labels who will end up being overstaffed…

BVI: If I may add, there is still this perverse thing that makes bands without a CD not taken seriously by the public, magazines and promoters. I don't know why, but it's reality. So small bands without a CD will have more and more problems being taken seriously. Perverse, but the truth. The reason? Many of the peers in the field of promotion and magazines are a generation that is often stuck in the past, but too bad for the bands, they still rule large part of this world and unless you are Depeche Mode, you won't be taken seriously without a CD. Let's start printing them at 50 copies instead, but I don't think any professional pressing plant allows you to do that. (smiles) T: Leaether Strip recently announced he was leaving Alfa Matrix and would self-release his next albums.

What happened?

SD: We are still on very good terms with Claus you know. He has been a friend of mine for many years now and I am very proud I could contribute to his comeback to the scene and in a way get the Leaether Strip music machine on the run again. You know like any

collaboration, at some point sometimes, contracts do not get renewed. Claus had high demands that Alfa Matrix could not meet so it seemed, so in such case it is best to part ways and stay friends. I run Alfa Matrix out of passion above all, not to make trouble with artists in the end and eventually loose friends. We're still there representing a quite huge repertoire from Claus Larsen so we will continue working with him in a way. And we're still in regular contact. We never know what the future brings and the grass is not always greener on the other side of the river…

T: What is the role of a label in today's business?

SD: As a music consumer, I expect from a label to scout new talents. To dare breaking its teeth on a debut album. To bring me music I did not find by myself on the overcrowded internet jungle. I expect from a label to bring me some dream and to challenge my music tastes… I also expect a good quality product in my hands and in my ears… As an artist, I expect from a label to find the right balance between famous bands and newcomers. I expect honesty and communication, respect and care. I count on a label to have its distribution and promotional connections added to mine to get things happening. I count on their experience and knowledge; on their advices and recommendations. I expect to share my passion with the label owners and count on them to give me that unique chance to be heard by their own fanbase and contacts. They have the infrastructure I do not have access to myself. And I will feel more comfortable on a label with a kind of family spirit, and with a vision I share and a red line in its conceptual approach. And having a label behind me also allows me to focus on my own music, my live shows and my communication with the fans. As an artist I am not always that organized and structured in my administration, in my communication, the management of the whole legal side of things, taxes, etc. They offer me the professional surrounding I need to grow together with them as an artist.

BVI: Exactly. Connected to this, this small reflection as far as the need for indie labels. We all know the (mostly urban) stories of major labels sucking all of their bands dry. Truth is that most of the complaining bands just cost the label money that they couldn't recoup. If they had been on an indie label, they might have sold less but earned more, because costs are way more controlled on an indie level. At the same time economics force indie labels to be very creative as far as promotion goes. But if a band thinks that they can do better without a label, why not. Everyone is free to try it out and get his work sold via a whole distribution network, serviced to hundreds of press contacts and DJs, and the list goes on and on. That sounds smirky but it's reality. Marketing and the whole business behind the music market is not something you get thrown at you, you work on it, day in, day out. As a label we can bow over a huge customer and mailing list to reach people easily when a new release is out. That is also the force of a label, access to those databases.

T: What are the next plans for Alfa Matrix?

SD: Summer 2011 marks the label's 10 year anniversary. We therefore plan to issue a free label sampler via the net: "Matrix Downloaded 001" to thank everyone for their strong support throughout the last decade. For the rest, it looks like we gonna have a pretty hot Autumn and Winter season in the Matrix. New albums by 32CRASH (with the unique voice of Jean-Luc De Meyer of FRONT 242 fame with the IMPLANT boys behind the machines), Erica Dunham's side-project STRAY or yet the uncompromising new assaults of ACYLUM; as well as the much awaited comeback of bands like AIBOFORCEN, the cult POUPPEE FABRIKK or yet the mysterious NEIKKA RPM. We really have many bands busy completing their next album including KANT KINO, SCHWARZBLUT, DIFFUZION, VIRGINS O.R PIGEONS, DISKONNEKTED, PSY'AVIAH, IMPLANT, ESSENCE OF MIND, HELALYN FLOWERS, etc. I also expect some great surprise releases from AYRIA , ALIEN VAMPIRES, AMGOD, I:SCINTILLA, BRUDERSCHAFT, etc. More news soon in these pages (laugh!).

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connecting wi 32CRASH . aliens back on Earth?

Jean-Luc De Meyer, Len Lemeire and Jan D'Hooghe recently returned from a parallel universe armed with 32CRASH's highly expected new album "Y2112Y" to be transmitted on Earth this autumn. As always, you can only expect the unexpected! No less than 20 tracks on the regular CD edition: new school retro at its best!!! 72 minutes of future madness. Upgraded in its limited edition version with some 18 additional radical and free reinterpretations by the band themselves. The 32CRASH journey simply continues down the road of all there was and all there is yet to come, the whole beautifully narrated and sung by the unmatchable voice of FRONT 242's frontman.

Definitely a highlight release on Alfa Matrix repertoire for 2011! Beware, these men and sounds come from later and announce a new sound order... 32CRASH will also be on tour in the next months, be sure to be teleported to the right time and place.

ALIEN VAMPIRES . on the road again

DIFFUZION . winter is coming in your city

After touring North America once again in July, and a second leg in September, plus an Australian invasion in October, our crazy boyzz of ALIEN VAMPIRES will be putting the last touch to their next bloody fucking release which is bound to be a mega surprise for every fan of the band! The Pandora 's Box will soon be opened, and there will be no escape from the Alien Vampires global contamination. More details soon.

Countdown.

Our favorite female-fronted Belarus act DIFFUZION is currently completing their new album. "Winter Cities" will show a band that has gained so much in songwriting maturity and will offer us yet another strong cocktail of harder distorted electro and more melodic synth moments, lead by Xev's unmatching voice.

AMGOD . after the apocalypse

ACYLUM . back in studio!

Germany's Pedro Engel is back in studio preparing ACYLUM's next album entitled "Karzinom". The first recorded songs announce a very aggressive assault of uncompromised dark elektro… ACYLUM is also preparing some nice surprises including the much demanded re-release of his self-released debut album "Your Pain".

AIBOFORCEN . back into the labyrinth

Since the release of his comeback AMGOD album "Dreamcatcher", cult German artist Dominik van Reich has delivered a bunch of exclusive songs/mixes to various compilation projects. He also gave the remix treatment to tracks from bands like ACYLUM, :WUMPSCUT:, ALIEN VAMPIRES, KRYSTAL SYSTEM, etc. At the moment, Dominik has already started working on the next AMGOD album, as well as on a soundtrack for the online browser game 'Equinox - The Apocalypse'. A brand new song teaser shall soon be revealed via Alfa Matrix as soon as the video shoot for this same song is done.

AYRIA . All that glitters

of melodic darkness Following selected compilation appearances, Benoit Blanchart and Patrice Synthea are breaking the worrying silence and announce the imminent release of AIBOFORCEN's new "Dédale" album. Another tortured sonic experience through the darkest labyrinths of melodic dark electronics. The album will feature a bunch of very special guests and an impressive artwork design by Bastart-Worx. Benoit also confirms that a very, very limited edition of the album with an exclusive 3rd mini-disc will be available on the band and label's pages only. Dense atmospheres and strong melodies are once again guaranteed!

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AYRIA fans, we have good news for you! After lots of touring and various other collaborations (including some surprises on AIBOFORCEN's new album), Jennifer Parkin will soon enter the studio for the final mixing and production of the new AYRIA album. We are also currently toying with the idea of releasing a first single first which will be entitled "All That Glitters".

The new photo sessions are also done so the whole design and visual part of the album can already progress alongside the sound production itself.

DISKONNEKTED . reconnected!

Diskonnekted's journey was pretty tough lately. Exploring new territories made them face some difficult times resulting in a changed line up. But it was worth it as new sounds and genres were discovered. As Jan put it in a late interview: "Diskonnekted is about breaking boundaries and creating modern sounds by using new technologies and exploring new genres. Its main concept is to evolve without ignoring my roots of course. I try for example to incorporate the spirit of Fields of the Nephilim, Nine Inch Nail and The Prodigy in one song. It's that kind of intermix that I am looking for." Diskonnekted is currently working on what will become the fourth studio album "Hotel Existence".

While up to 13 new songs are on the shelve right now, Diskonnekted will now team up with some external producers to finalize the sound and mix… More news to be revealed soon!

DUNKELWERK . joining the troops again for some WW2 broadcast recordings…

Dunkelwerk was never the fastest project when it comes to release a new album. Nevertheless (or maybe because of this) Losttrooper always delivered first class endzeit electronics with a strong attitude and a deep love for the endzeit sound of the 90s. At the moment Dunkelwerk is somewhere in the middle of the production of the third album. No one knows when it will see the light of this cruel world but Losttrooper can tell what you can expect: "You will be confronted with some sensational original broadcast recordings from WWII. Yes, Dunkelwerk will join the TROOPS again.

Because of some speech samples I found in some hidden archives there was NO other option. Some will love it, some will call it cliché and I call it endzeit. So everything is in best order. The working title of the new album is DIE UNGLÜCKSHAFTEN. It will feature tracks like Schnuffi!?, Bissige Kröte or Flamingo... Most of the lyrics will be in German. Weil´s einfach passt!". To be continued.

ESSENCE OF MIND . won't leave you "indifferent"…

Erlend and his gang have been very active lately, progressing very well

electronic music with attitude

ith the oracle on ESSENCE OF MIND's forthcoming album, shooting an awesome video clip for the new song "Indifferent", and completing remixes for several artists including one for their neighbors, APOPTYGMA BERZERK for his new "Black EP vol.2" ("Shadow").

FREAKANGEL . studio time after the last Summer shows!

After a more than successful tour in Russia, the gangsters of FREAKANGEL will be taking part in some summer festivals including Lumous Festival in Finland, Castle Party in Poland as well as the Summer Darkness Festival in Utrecht Netherlands. After that, Dmitry and his gang will lock themselves in the studio to complete FREAKANGEL's much anticipated new album…

I:SCINTILLA . on the road again

NEIKKA RPM . her enchantment knows no limits…

Dominique told us that she was both, "pleasantly surprised and shocked" to learn that her music was picked up by 13 TV shows and 3 films in the recent months. Reaching the coasts of the United States, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, Neikka RPM's slithering brand of music has successfully infiltrated and enchanted mass-media productions across the globe.

Fans will also be delighted to hear that NEIKKA RPM's forthcoming 3rd album will still be completed and released in 2011.

PLASTIC NOISE EXPERIENCE . electronic bodies Claus Kruse just returned from Japan and has now started the first recording sessions for PNE's forthcoming new album from which some new songs will soon be released on selected EBM compilations.

PNE is also preparing for his next live shows (Shadowplay Belgium, Familientreffen Germany, Benefitz für kid Germany).

POUPPEE FABRIKK. Summoning the Swedish spirits While their brand new video for "Swimmers Can Drown" keeps receiving astounding feedback, Brittany and her gang just finished several U.S. West Coast dates and are planning another East Coast tour for the fall. Meanwhile, new songs are already in the work and a new EP could be released in the next couple of months.

IMPLANT . the production machine is "on"

Len Lemeire is working on new IMPLANT material and aiming for an early 2012 release. As always, new alliances are being forged…. (more details to be revealed soon) Again Len is focusing on “less is more” subtle rhythms and some of the new tracks will be tested live on the upcoming shows. Besides this, the IMPLANT remixing machine attacked this time MINISTRY (!!!), LEAETHER STRIP, SYSTEM FX, KRYSTAL SYSTEM, etc.

After shaking your ass at WGT in Leipzig recently, our Swedish gang of POUPPEE FABRIKK keeps multiplying their live appearances at various festivals throughout the entire summer. They also just confirmed their participation in some important winter festivals during which they will be exclusively presenting a bunch of new songs taken from their long, long awaited new studio album to be released on Alfa Matrix this winter! Countdown EBMers countdown!! We all summon the great Swedish spirits for more bass sounds…

PSY'AVIAH . work in progress

KANT KINO . they are working and we are not…

After launching the revamped version of their official website, and working hard on remixes for bands like DE/VISION, I:SCINTILLA, AIBOFORCEN, SLEEPWALK, etc., our Norwegian boys of KANT KINO have been preparing their new live set for the forthcoming gigs. After the summer shows Lars and Kenneth will focus on the completion of their muchanticipated new album. The first demo sketches we heard warmed our appetite for more!!

electronic music with attitude

Our rising Belgian act PSY'AVIAH continue working hard on their 4th album that will be entitled "Introspection Extrospection". They also started giving a visual dimension to the new songs by shooting videos for brand new songs like the melancholic "OK" or yet "Song Of Independence". And as if it were not enough, Yves Schelpe also found the time in his many sleepless nights to sign remixes for artists like GHOST & WRITER, SUICIDAL ROMANCE, ESSENCE OF MIND… Join the PSY'AVIAH newsletter to receive their next "work in progress" video communiqué!

SCHWARZBLUT . Schlusspoetik?

The first few songs of SCHWARZBLUT's next CD have a name!!! "Schlußpoetik" and "Der Schwarze Tod" announce a very promising follow-up album confirming their unique blend of upbeat dark elektro and orchestral arrangements. For the artwork of the new album, they teamed up with fashion artist Rosanna Hoogendoorn, the mastermind behind the Post Nuclear Steam show that is part of this year's Summer Darkness Festival.

STAR INDUSTRY . big in China & new studio album in preparation!

After a long period of silence, Belgium's gothic rock stars STAR INDUSTRY will have a busy summer schedule this year. Starting with a 7-date tour in China (!!) from June 27th till July 5th 2011 as well as headlining Finland's prestigious Lumous Gothic Festival on July 8th in Tampere. After this the band will finally start recording new material for their forthcoming album and they hope to be testing some new songs already for their next gigs in the Netherlands (Tuibrock), Belgium and Portugal (Lock The Target Festival in Porto).

STRAY . countdown before letting go…

Busy-bee Erica Dunham has now entered the last production phase for STRAY's new album!! All preproduction work is done and the album is currently being mixed & produced by Len Lemeire of IMPLANT / 32CRASH who also worked on the previous STRAY album and UNTER NULL's cult "The Failure Of Epiphany" album. "Letting Go" will reinforce the STRAY trademark and guarantees some more great sonic surprises!!

VIRGINS O.R PIGEONS . they gonna get ya mad!

After having gone through a line-up change seeing the departure of Sitras and the addition of two new live members, Miyuki (playing drums live and in studio) and Sinner (live guitars); lead-singer Pierrot confirms to us that the much awaited new album of VIRGIND O.R PIGEONS is finally almost ready! After lots of bad luck and personal issues including the total destruction of their studio by a fire, our Greek gang will mesmerize you with their new album, "Gotta get mad"…

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alfa matrix electronic music with attitude...