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Gothminister - "Anima Inferna"
Release date: 25th March 2011 / Label: Danse Macabre Records

Since the release of his debut 'Gothic Electronic Anthems’ in 2003 Gothminister Björn Alexander Brem has captured the listeners with his hymns of pitch-black magic. Dark shudders, deepest leadvocals and thrilling craft of composing within the marrow of Gothic, Industrial-Metal and Electro have become his trademarks ever since. Driving sequences lead into compelling verses which are soon countered by harsh metal-riffs. Finally the listener gets subdued by an overwhelming combination of catchiness, denseness and heavenly choirs.Rendered with astounding sovereignty, this combination found its next manifestation in the second album “Empire Of Dark Salvation”, which moreover presented an improved production. Songs as „Angel“, „Wish“, „Dark Salvation“ or „Monsters“ remain jewels despite fleeting time.

Damnation, salvation by darkness, burning passions, the cruel fascination with death, luring sin. Armoured with black humour Gothminister’s lyrics constantly swirl around these dark poles. Musical art and striking visual appearance of Gothminister have resulted in long lasting success on European stages and dancefloors. The third album „Happiness In Darkness“, released in 2008 presented a slight drift to the regions of Rock, Alternative and Metal. Improved artistry made the darkness within captivating and even more lively and energetic. Björn himself was considering quitting Gothminister after this trilogy. “All that you do is based on your craving inside. If you don’t feel the urge to go on, then you should end it all.” Luckily these words, spoken in late 2008, turned out to be an empty prophecy.

This spring (2011) Gothminister returns! His new album „Anima Inferna“, produced by US-soundwizard Neil Kernon, exceedes even the highest expectations. Powerful metal riffs march relentlessly arm in arm with juicy Electro-sequences. The Master himself reveals an astonishing range of vocal-art: from the deepest Gothic-dungeons up to the higher spheres of steaming Rock. Verses of viciously growled rhythm-figures are followed by overwhelming refrains, sometimes followed by yet another exciting chorus. Impossible? Then listen to such killer tracks as “Stonehenge“, “Liar“ or “Juggernaut“.

The atmospheric parts of tricky break-down-art may surprise you in between, but be prepared to get smashed by yet another part of brutal power! The new songs’ aesthetic ranges from gloomy and threatening heaviness to the regions of Black Metal. Dynamic, energetic, dramatic – and beware of those divine, crying and weeping choirs! 'Anima Inferna’, that is a soul born in hell. Ultimate darkness. Gothminister is no less relentless: he damns us to fall for him. He may command: ‘Fight! Resist!’ There’s no use. We won’t fight, we can’t resist him.” The limited Version comes with a 32+1 Poker Cardgame and a limited T-shirt in a special box.

  www.myspace.com/gothminister


The Pain Machinery - "Auto Surveillance"
Release date: 17th March 2011 / Label: Complete Control Productions

Since their last album "Urban Survival", TPM have decided to embrace a more structured electronic sound with fewer building blocks but more punchiness: a compelling hybrid of early Electronic Body Music, New Beat and Acid House dragged kicking and screaming into the future. This change of approach ...is already reflected in "Auto Surveillance", a collection of remixes from the forthcoming album "Surveillance Culture" due later in 2011. A diverse selection of artists (Necro Facility, The Weathermen, Severe Illusion and Jouni Ollila to name a few) have been given free rein to reshape three album tracks into everything from dark electro house to twisted rockabilly with amazing results. The first release on new label Complete Control Productions, "Auto Surveillance" also features two tracks ("Twilight" and "Exit Strategy") which will not be included on the album. For all intents and purposes, this is three singles in one with a total playing time of almost 70 minutes. An extended burst of punishing beats and basslines, ready to rip the darkest of dancefloors to shreds.

  www.myspace.com/thepainmachinery


South Central - "The Day I Die"
Release date: 14th March 2011 / Label: Egregore Records

THE NEW SINGLE 'THE DAY I DIE' - Out in March with remixes/rework from The Prodigy, The Rhythm Masters, The Qemists, Toxic Avenger & Baxen.

  www.myspace.com/southcentralmusic


X-FUSION - "THORN IN MY FLESH"
Release date: 4th March 2011 / Label: Dark Dimensions

X-FUSION - THORN IN MY FLESH is the new masterpiece from X-FUSION. With THORN IN MY FLESH, X-FUSION once again proves their special position in the Harsh Electro sector. On the highest level, regarding to songwriting and production, rounded off by fitting and artistically demanding artwork, the 7th official X-FUSION album also forms a coherent unit and turns it into a piece of art. THORN IN MY FLESH totally convinces all along the line and is even more powerful than its predecessor ULTIMA RATIO and even provides with "Stroke By Stroke", "Holy Grail", "Shadow Of Myself" and "Just A Scar" 4 club hits of the first water. Habitually diversified and of highest standard of quality, X-FUSION easily succeeds in holding the attention of its listeners and taking them into an ominous and dark world. Songs like "Divine Spite", the orchestral "Funeral Cortege" or the German- speaking "Kalt" make THORN IN MY FLESH to another milestone of the Harsh Electro sector. The perfect soundtrack for doom. THORN IN MY FLESH will be released in 2 formats – One Ltd. CD-Digipack Edition in form of a DVD, which will contain 4 Bonus Tracks and one Standard Edition in Jewel Case.

nbsp; www.myspace.com/xfusion


Phillip Boa and the Voodooclub - "HELIOS and BOAPHENIA (Re-Mastered)"
carefully re-mastered from original tapes"
incl. unreleased songs and bonus tracks/b-sides
Release date: 4th March 2011 / Label: Universal Music

Phillip Boa and the Voodooclub, founded in 1985, released their first album on their own label 'Constrictor' and on the English label 'Red Flame'. Up to today the bands albums are internationally released and praised. No other German band has received 6 'Single of the Week' and 3 'Album of the Week' awards from the English press. NME and Melody Maker, over to Spin (USA) and as far as the Japanese media have written about the band that is a mix of indie/pop/rock with a twist of avant-garde. Still today you can not only hear Boa's music in movies and series but also in the background of numerous TV documentaries. The album HELIOS came out in 1991 and reflected an explosive and strange mixture of great pop melodies and an absolute musical original. HELIOS sounds like a beautiful and bizarre soundtrack. It was lead by the single 'And Then She Kissed Her', a song of longing and homesickness, which overtook the popularity of Boa's best known song, 'Container Love', by far. The unreleased song 'Moonlight With Me' was as a demo found, improved and mixed in the same character of HELIOS. On songs like 'Tristane' or the impressively individual Anti-Nazi-Song 'Pfirsicheisen' the Voodooclub sounds very Teutonic; while the finer quieter 'Laughing Moon' is a homage to Kurt Weill.

The album BOAPHENIA (1993) was the first album after Boa's departure to Malta (where still lives partially today). The Mediterranean influence is very apparent on this album. It's lighter than the albums preceding it and stands under the influence of the David Bowie producer Tony Visconti – who, for example, played almost all (not the drums) instruments on Boa's most successful single 'Love On Sale'. Visconti's background vocals have an impact on this album as well. The song 'Johnny The Liar' about a genius Maltese liar (who really does exist) or the song 'Hyperactive Cracker', the crazy weird dance-influenced 'Beat Me Up', the description of crazy 90's Malta- Life of 'Where My Rats Play Snooker' etc. they all express, even when it's here extra self ironic (like Boa always is), his feeling of freedom and his "high" at that period. The timelessness of the two albums is immense: Since1 or 2 years groundbreaking artist are again working with sounds and effects that the Voodooclub used back then. The ideas and the individual sound indicate how much further the Voodooclub was than other bands (especially German bands); that's recognized in the releases in almost 20 countries as well as the exceptionally positive reviews. Boa's habit, since around the end of the 90's, of ignoring the mass media such as TV or the new commercial band marketing-strategies do not really help his career, but his not sell out approach to entirely let the music speak only ideology is outstanding in his home country of Germany. This and the loyalty of his "die hard fans" seem to be enough to inspire him to write his weird and beautiful avant-garde driven pop music.

Shows in London and New York in 2011 are still being planned. Live Phillip Boa and the Voodooclub played for or with David Bowie, P.I.L., Ramones, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, The Residents, The Fall, Sonic Youth, Manic Street Preachers, Gun Club, Björk etc.

  www.phillipboa.com  www.myspace.com/phillipboaandthevoodooclub

*note: these are the original covers, not the ones for the re-release