JOHN 3:16: I regularly come across animal remains at various stages of decomposition. That started to affect me, and that's where the concept of the record was born.

Music from the depths of hell, slowly rising in a lava flow with the intoxicating scent of steaming sulfur exuding from the cracks, gradually engulfing the earth, sowing death and destruction, leaving only jet-black cold ashes behind it ...' This is the way we started our review of 'Tempus Edax Rerum', the new record from JOHN 3:16. Since we were overwhelmed and intrigued by this rare knot of sounds, we decided to send some questions to mastermind Philippe Gerber.

Hello Philippe. We are very impressed with your new record 'Tempus Edax Rerum'. Are you satisfied with this new work?

Hi Xavier. Thank you for your kind words. I am  aware that it is a record that is difficult to approach. The songs are long and contain lots of unique sounds, which correspond to different music styles at the same time. I believe I'm satisfied, and that with some distance this will prove to be a sustainable work, because it is very personal.

We can see a connection between 'Visions of the Hereafter' in 2012 and 'Tempus Edax Rerum' in 2020, but we also see differences. How has your sound evolved since 2012?

'Visions of the Hereafter' was also a very personal album. For this record, I started from a very specific theme - the concepts of Paradise, Hell and Purgatory in the monotheistic religions and their representation in the arts, especially in painting - and I had the global dynamics of the record already in my head. The titles of the opus and of the songs were also already fixed before I started working on the music. I have used the same approach for 'Tempus Edax Rerum'. I had the title in mind and the notion of a collection of movements that follow each other long before I recorded the very first note.

What is different, however, is the production. I do believe I have progressed in eight years, especially with regard to the sound of the drums. I have been working for Ruben Nava / Music Junkies in Los Angeles for three years as a composer of music for trailers, films, TV series, et cetera. Ruben is a music director with an incredible musical culture. He has helped me to get out of my comfort zone, especially with regard to anything rhythmic. Of course, that has reflected on my production work with JOHN 3:16. 'Visions of the Hereafter' presented very different rhythmic productions. There is more cohesion on 'Tempus Edax Rerum': the soundscapes of the keys merge with the sound of the guitars. It is sometimes impossible for the listener to perceive all the sounds. I've been lucky enough to work with Carolyn O'Neill, who put her voice and a number of instruments on a song. She also participated in the composing of 'Visions of the Hereafter'.

You present 'Tempus Edax Rerum' as the sequel to 'Visions of the Hereafter'. However, you have published a lot of work in the last eight years, between the two albums. Why is it a sequel to this 2012 record?

'Tempus Edax Rerum' is officially the second album from JOHN 3:16. It is the coherent sequel to 'Visions of the Hereafter'. It is true that I have released a significant number of records: records in collaboration with Mark Harris and Anthony Donovan, a compilation of b-sides, EPs and singles (including '200 Million Horsemen' and 'Sodom & Gomorrah'), a live bootleg and I even had the chance to re-release 'Visions of the Hereafter' on cassette (with the first EP 'John 3:16' as a bonus) via Cruel Nature Recordings from England. I recently made a remix of NIN ('In This Twilight') together with the Belgian group Be The Hammer, with whom another collaboration project is ongoing. All these releases between 'Visions of the Hereafter' and 'Tempus Edax Rerum' helped me to forge the sound you hear now. I've taken the time to edit the sound of the guitars in the studio, I've gone to the trouble of playing some drum parts live, and I've even dusted off some of my analog keyboards. These eight years were essential to find a new direction and a fresh identity.

You made a special and limited version of the record in which you transformed your songs - five tracks on the digital release - into two pieces on cassette. What important decisions did you have to make to make that happen?

I composed a set of 30 songs for 'Tempus Edax Rerum', resulting in over 10 hours of recordings. For the cassette version, I wanted to do something unique by adding two unreleased tracks hidden in two long tracks: 'Mors omnibus' and 'Mors vincit omnia'. It was not that difficult to do as 'Tempus Edax Rerum' is a set of coherent movements which production is homogeneous from the first to the last note.

The songs on your cassette are called 'Mors omnibus' (death to everything) and 'Mors vincit omnia' (death will overcome everything). Death seems to be a prominent theme on your new record. Why?

I've lived in Pennsylvania since 2013. I'm close to Philadelphia, but I'm in a part of Pennsylvania that's still pretty wild. This contact with nature - in a quiet place, in a sense - is necessary for me to compose. Part of where I live is lost in a forest where deer, fox, vultures, eagles and others apprehend each other on a daily basis. I regularly come across animal remains at various stages of decomposition. In a way, that started to touch me, and it is there that the concept of the record was born. The art used for the digital version and for the cassette is composed of photos I have taken over the years, which is a means for me to pay tribute to these graceful creatures.

The religious references seem to have disappeared. In a previous interview, you told us that religion is the main theme of JOHN 3:16. Is this still the case?

'Tempus Edax Rerum' deals with a universal notion - that of a beginning and an end to everything - that is linked in a way to 'Visions of the Hereafter'. In Christianity, for example, the notion of immortality is not natural to humans. Even if one wants to believe in an afterlife, death is an indispensable step that one must accept in a serene way. In Hinduism, death is only suffering, and that justifies the various rebirths until one has reached one's true Self. So, to answer your question: yes, JOHN 3:16 is mainly inspired by religion in the broadest sense of the word. It is mainly occultism in religions that is the focus of attention.

It took you eight years to make a sequel to 'Visions of the Hereafter'. When will the sequel come?

I am working on the next full-length, called 'The Pact'. The theme is fixed. It will be based on the Faust myth, mainly influenced by Goethe's written tragedy. The record should be released in 2022 or 2023. The label has yet to be confirmed. The artwork is already finished. The Mexican artist Nestor Avalos has been responsible for that. He has worked with such bands as Moonspell, Mercyless, Iscariot and others. One song is already in the final mix phase. I will put an extract on my page in 2021.

JOHN 3:16

JOHN 3:16: Assez fréquemment, je tombe à la rencontre de cadavres d’animaux à différents stades de putréfaction. Cela a commencé à m’affecter, et c’est là qu’est né le concept de l’album.

"De la musique venue des profondeurs de l'enfer, montant lentement dans une coulée de lave avec l'odeur enivrante du soufre fumant qui s'échappe des fissures, engloutissant progressivement la terre, semant la mort et la destruction, ne laissant derrière elle que des cendres froides d'un noir profond ... '' C’est comme ça que nous avons commencé notre critique de «Tempus Edax Rerum», le nouveau disque de JOHN 3:16. Et parce que nous étions étonnés - le tonnerre est l'un des sons qui semblent sortir de vos enceintes en écoutant le disque - et intrigués par ce broui de sons rare, nous avons décidé d'envoyer quelques questions à Philippe Gerber, l’auteur de l’œuvre. 

Bonjour Philippe. Nous sommes très impressionnés par ton nouveau disque 'Tempus Edax Rerum'. Es-tu satisfait par ta nouvelle œuvre ? 

Bonjour Xavier, merci pour tes mots. Je me rends surtout compte que c’est un album qui n’est pas facile à approcher. Les titres sont longs et plein de sonorités particulières, et qui correspondent à plusieurs styles en même temps. Je pense que je suis satisfait, et qu’avec le recul, c'est une œuvre qui va durer, car elle est très personnelle. 

Nous voyons une continuation entre 'Visions of the Hereafter' en 2012 et 'Tempus Edax Rerum' en 2020. Mais nous voyons aussi des différences. Comment ton son a-t-il évolué depuis 2012 ? 

‘Visions of The Hereafter’ est aussi un album très personnel. Pour ce dernier, je suis parti d’une thématique spécifique - les concepts de Paradis, Enfer et Purgatoire dans les religions monothéistes, la représentation de ces concepts dans l’art et en particulier la peinture - et j’avais déjà en tête la dynamique globale de l'album. Le nom de l’opus et les titres étaient également quelque chose qui avaient été définis avant même que je ne commence à travailler sur la musique. J’ai eu la même approche pour ‘Tempus Edax Rerum’. J’ai eu d’abord en tête le titre et la notion d’ensemble de mouvements qui se succèdent bien avant d’avoir enregistré la toute première note. 

Ce qui diffère par contre, c’est la production. Je pense avoir progressé en huit ans, surtout au niveau des sons de batterie. Depuis trois ans, je travaille pour Ruben Nava / Music Junkies basé à Los Angeles, en tant que compositeur pour musique de trailers, films, séries TV, etc. Ruben est un directeur musical qui a une culture musicale incroyable. Il m’a aidé à sortir de ma zone de confort, en particulier pour tout ce qui est rythmique. Ça a naturellement déteint sur mon travail de production dans le cadre de JOHN 3:16. ‘Visions of The Hereafter’ présentaient des morceaux aux productions rythmiques bien différentes. Il y a plus de cohésion sur ‘Tempus Edax Rerum’ : les nappes de claviers se mélangent aux sons de guitares. Il est parfois même impossible pour l’auditeur de discerner ces sons. J’ai eu la chance de pouvoir travailler avec Carolyn O’Neill (Rasplyn, Chicago) qui a posé sa voix et quelques instruments sur un titre. Elle avait également participé à la composition de ‘Visions of The Hereafter’. 

Tu présentes 'Tempus Edax Rerum' comme la suite de 'Visions of the Hereafter'. Pourtant, tu as beaucoup sorti en ces huit années. Pourquoi est-ce une continuation du disque de 2012 ? 

'Tempus Edax Rerum' est officiellement le second album de JOHN 3:16. C’est la suite cohérente de ‘Visions of The Hereafter. Il est vrai que j’ai sorti un nombre important d’albums (en collaboration avec Mark Harris et Anthony Donovan), un disque de B-sides, de EPs et singles (‘200 Million Horsemen’, ‘Sodom & Gomorrah’ entre autres), un bootleg live et j’ai même eu la chance de rééditer ‘Visions of The Hereafter’ (avec la premier EP ‘John 3:16’ en bonus) en version cassette via Cruel Nature Recordings (Angleterre). Récemment, j’ai produit un remix de NIN (In This Twilight) avec le groupe Belge Be The Hammer, avec lequel j’ai un projet de collaboration en cours. 

Toutes ces sorties entre ‘Visions of The Hereafter’ et ‘Tempus Edax Rerum’ m’ont aidé à forger le son que tu peux entendre. J’ai pris le temps de travailler les sons de guitares en studio, j’ai fait l’effort de de jouer certaines parties de batterie en temps réel et j’ai même pris le temps de dépoussiérer certains de mes claviers analogues. Ces huit années ont été essentielles pour trouver une nouvelle direction et une identité neuve. 

Tu as fait une version spéciale et limitée sur cassette ou tu as reconstruit tes morceaux - cinq morceaux sur la version digitale - en deux morceaux sur la cassette. Quelles décisions importantes as-tu dû prendre pour rendre ça possible ? 

J’ai composé un ensemble de 30 titres pour ‘Tempus Edax Rerum’ - plus de 10 heures d’enregistrement. Pour la version cassette, je voulais présenter quelque chose d’unique en ajoutant deux titres inédits dissimulés dans deux longs titres 'Mors omnibus' et 'Mors vincit omnia'. Il m’a été facile de le faire, puisque ‘Tempus Edax Rerum’ est un ensemble de mouvements cohérents dont la production est homogène de la première à la dernière note. 

Les morceaux sur la cassette s'appellent 'Mors omnibus' (mors à tout) et 'Mors vincit omnia' (la mort vainc tout le monde). La mort est un sujet prédominant sur ton nouveau disque, non. Pourquoi ? 

Je vis en Pennsylvanie depuis 2013. Je suis proche de Philadelphia, mais je suis dans une partie de la Pennsylvanie qui reste assez sauvage. Ce contact avec la nature - au calme en quelque sorte - m’est nécessaire pour composer. Une partie dans laquelle je vis est perdue dans une forêt ou cerfs, renards, vautours, aigles, etc. se côtoient au quotidien. Assez fréquemment, je tombe à la rencontre de cadavres d’animaux à différents stades de putréfaction. Cela a commencé à m’affecter en un sens, et c’est là qu’est né le concept de l’album. L’art utilisé pour la version digitale et pour la cassette est composé de photos que j’ai prises au cours des années, une manière pour moi de rendre hommage à ces gracieuses créatures. 

Par contre, les références religieuses ont semblé disparaître. Tu nous avais dit dans une interview précédente que la religion était un thème principal dans JOHN 3:16. Est-ce encore le cas ? 

‘Tempus Edax Rerum’ traite d’une notion universelle (celle d’un commencement et d’une fin à tout), qui est connectée en un sens à ‘Visions of The Hereafter’. En Christianisme par exemple, la notion d’immortalité n’est pas naturelle à l’Homme. Même s’il l'on veut croire à un après, la mort est une étape inéluctable qu’il faut accepter de manière sereine. En Hindouisme, la mort n’est que souffrance, et c’est ce qui justifie les renaissances multiples jusqu’à atteindre le Soi véritable. Donc pour répondre à ta question, oui, JOHN 3:16 est primordialement inspiré par la religion au sens large. C’est l’occultisme dans les religions qui est surtout le centre d’attention. 

Tu as mis 8 ans à produire une suite à 'Visions of the Hereafter'. A quand la suite ? 

Je suis en train de travailler sur le prochain long intitulé ‘The Pact’. La thématique est définie, ce sera basé sur le mythe de Faust, majoritairement sur la tragédie écrite par Goethe. L’album devrait sortir en 2022 ou en 2023, le label est encore à confirmer. L’artwork est déjà prêt, c’est l’artiste Mexican Nestor Avalos qui s’en est chargé. Il a travaillé avec des groupes tels que Moonspell, Mercyless, Iscariot, etc. Un titre est en cours de mixage final. Je posterai un extrait sur mes pages en 2021.

JOHN 3:16

The Breath Of Life: No, I never considered quitting making music. Nor to taste good special beers.

This year, The Breath Of Life is blowing out 35 candles. And they are releasing a new CD. 'Sparks Around Us' already contains 11 gems, and we can say that this tenth CD is a continuation of the previous albums, under which we do not count any slips or weaker albums. The album comes out at a surprising moment, in full lockdown. It didn't stop us from talking to The Breath Of Life about their career and their latest offspring. 

The Breath Of Life has been around for 35 years now. What made that longevity possible? 

Phil (guitar): We've been meeting weekly at rehearsals for so many years that it's an integral part of our lives. Everything is of course a bit confused at the moment, but we hope to get back to it soon. And as long as the public seems to like our records, it is a sign that we are not finished yet. I also believe that the fact that we don't try to repeat ourselves from record to record gives us the opportunity to keep the fire and motivation to make new songs. 

During those long years, have you never thought of quitting? 

Phil: I personally did take a few years' hiatus and came back for the previous record 'Under The Falling Stars'. I did not participate in two of the ten records. After 15 years in the band, I had the opportunity to take on nice challenges abroad with my work on the one hand and on the other hand a feeling of not knowing anymore in which direction the band should go at that moment, in 2000. But when I heard that Isabelle was starting to love nice beers, I couldn't resist returning to share them with her. My return was quite a challenge for both myself and the band, and I dare to think that it finally gave us a new impetus. We still play today with three of the four original members. 

Isabelle (vocals): For me, rehearsing every week is a bit of a flight, a break that gives me energy and gives me the opportunity to connect with different emotions. I don't feel like I have reached the end of the journey, and as long as I continue to enjoy singing and composing, I will keep on enjoying these happy moments. No, I never considered quitting making music. Nor to taste good special beers. 

The Breath Of Life is one of those bands with a consistent quality. You have never made a bad CD. Are you very aware of the need for quality when working on a new record? 

Phil: Thank you, thank you. This should be communicated to the whole world! The most important thing for us is to make records that are not a copy / paste of the previous record or records. Apart from that, everything happens quite naturally and we have followed the same approach since the early days. One of the musicians comes up with a basic idea that we all work on together during our rehearsals. In this way we make a rough structure of the songs. If it works out, I make arrangements at home with the computer, and we test it out in the next rehearsal. We may make changes from rehearsal to rehearsal. For the final recording we will record everything ourselves and Gilles Martin will contribute with the mixing and mastering. That then gives what you eventually hear. 

'Sparks Around Us' does indeed contain some blinding sparkles. The title is well chosen. How did you come to this title? 

Isabelle: 'Sparks Around Us' represents a multitude of sparkles that I believe can heal us from our afflictions, bring well-being, energy, change… Little things that allow us to move on. 

Isabelle, I have noticed that the characters in your lyrics are always feminine. Is that a premeditated choice, a conscious statement in a rock world that is still predominantly male, or is it more of a coincidence? 

Isabelle: The heroines in my lyrics are mainly feminine because that's how I know them best. It's more natural and easier for me to talk about women's feelings and the world in which they live. 

During our last interview, you told us that the song 'Black Out' on your previous CD 'Under The Falling Stars' referred to Malala Yousufzai, the Afghan girl who survived an attack by the Taliban. Are there any such references on the new record? 

Isabelle: For the song 'My Run Away Call' I was inspired by the touching story of Sheikha Latifa, the princess from the United Arab Emirates who has been untraceable since she tried to flee her country from abuse and was deprived of her freedom. I wrote the song after seeing her video announcing her flight. 

The CD will be released in full corona lockdown. There are no concerts planned, and that also means that fewer records will be sold… Why have you decided to release the record now? 

Phil: It is indeed not such an easy period, but you can also imagine that when everything goes back to normal, there will be lots of records coming out and you will drown in the mass. The songs were ready and we decided that not even covid would stop us. Of course we will feel this in the sales figures, because we sell a lot during concerts. And now we have nothing on our agenda until the Gibus in Paris in July 2021. We hope that the public will understand and will order the record through Wool-E Discs for the physical version, and through bandcamp for the digital version. I'd rather not talk about Spotify, which is important to be listened to, but which makes things very difficult financially for independent bands because they don't help them out of the costs. I think I can put it that way. 

 the other hand, you have used the lockdown to release some remarkable covers from the likes of David Bowie and The Sound. And you also gave an online concert in the lockdown. How do you evaluate these experiences? 

Phil: It was very special because, for the covers, we had to do everything without meeting each other. It was done by communication between us via email and digital transfers. We are very happy with the result. The concert was proposed to us by a local DJ. We were a bit hesitant at first because playing without an audience seemed rather strange to us, but we still agreed. There were some difficulties with the organization, but we enjoyed playing together in person. 

I am a huge fan of Lacrimosa. You released your records on their Hall Of Sermon label for a few years. How have contacts been with Tilo Wolff and Anne Nurmi from Lacrimosa? 

Phil: I believe that, as far as I know, the label is not that active anymore. I have not had contact with them for years. 

Isabelle: I think it has been a big boost in visibility for the band, because we got the chance to play first and foremost in beautiful halls and at big festivals in Germany, and then also in Europe. In general, the collaboration went well. But it was and is always important for us to keep control over our music and our image. 

The goth scene in Belgium has failed to rejuvenate. She still produces a lot of good music, but for the audience, you have to look in the higher age categories. Is this a problem for you? 

Phil: I totally agree. For example, I went to see Whispering Sons in Charleroi before the whole covid thing. And although this band is quite young, there were only people of our age in the audience. It is indeed a small problem because if older people still buy records, they don't go to concerts that much, especially in clubs or smaller venues. I can't blame them. I go out less than when I was 25 myself. Fortunately for my physical health.

The Breath Of Life: website / bandcamp

Pictures: Luc 'Who Cares' Luyten @ W-fest

The Breath Of Life: Non, je n’ai jamais pensé à arrêter de faire de la musique. Ni de boire de bonnes bières spéciales.

Cette année, The Breath Of Life souffle 35 bougies. Et ils sortent un nouveau CD. ‘Sparks Around Us’ contient 11 perles, et on peut dire que ce dixième CD est dans la continuité des albums précédents, dans lesquels on ne compte pas d’album mauvais ou plus faible. Il sort à un moment surprenant, à savoir en plein confinement. Cela ne nous a pas empêché de parler à The Breath Of Life de leur carrière et de leur dernier bijou. 

The Breath Of Life existe depuis 35 ans déjà. Qu'est-ce qui fait la longévité du groupe ? 

PHIL : Nous nous retrouvons en répète toutes les semaines depuis tellement d'années que ça fait partie intégrante de notre vie. Tout s’est actuellement un peu perturbé mais nous espérons qu'on y retourne bientôt. Et tant que le publique semble apprécier nos albums c'est que nous ne sommes pas encore hors-jeux. Je pense aussi que fait que nous essayons de ne pas trop nous répéter d'albums en albums nous permet de garder la flamme et une motivation à faire de nouveaux morceaux. 

Vous n'avez jamais pensé à arrêter pendant ces longues années ? 

PHIL : Personnellement j'ai quand même fait une pause de quelques années et je suis revenu pour l'album précédent ‘Under The Falling Stars’. Je n 'ai pas participé à 2 albums sur les 10. Après 15 ans dans le groupe j'avais d'un côté mon travail qui pouvait m'emmener à l'étranger pour de beaux défis et une impression de ne plus trop savoir où aller avec le groupe à ce moment-là en 2000. Puis quand j'ai appris qu'Isabelle s'était mise à apprécier les bonnes bières je n'ai pas pu résister à revenir pour en partager avec elle. Mon retour était pour le groupe et moi un challenge et au final cela nous a, je pense, donné un nouvel élan. Aujourd'hui nous sommes toujours trois sur les quatre de la formation originel du groupe.

 

ISABELLE : Répéter chaque semaine est comme un moment d’évasion, une parenthèse hebdomadaire qui donne de l’énergie et qui me permet de me reconnecter à des émotions diverses. Je n’ai pas l’impression d’être arrivée au bout du voyage et, tant que je prends du plaisir à chanter et composer, je profite de ces bons moments. Non, je n’ai jamais pensé à arrêter de faire de la musique. Ni de boire de bonnes bières spéciales. 

The Breath Of Life est l'un des groupes avec une qualité constante. Vous n'avez jamais produit de mauvais CD. Êtes-vous très conscient de cette nécessité de qualité quand vous travaillez à un nouvel album ? 

PHIL : Merci, merci. Faudrait le faire savoir à la terre entière. Le plus important est de ne pas faire des albums qui soient des copier/coller du ou des précédents. Pour le reste nous faisons les choses assez naturellement et travaillons de la même façon depuis les débuts. Un des musiciens apporte une idée de base sur laquelle nous travaillons tous ensemble en répétitions et nous structurons grossièrement les morceaux. Quand la mayonnaise semble prendre je fais les arrangements avec l’ordinateur chez moi et à la répète suivante on teste et on modifie si nécessaire de répétitions en répétitions. Pour l'enregistrement final nous faisons les prises de son nous-mêmes puis Gilles Martin apporte sa touche au mixage et au mastering. Et ça donne ce que vous pouvez entendre. 

'Sparks Around Us' contient en effet quelques étincelles éblouissantes. Le titre est donc bien choisi. Comment êtes-vous arrivés à ce titre ? 

ISABELLE : « Sparks around us » représente une multitude d’étincelles qui, selon moi, peuvent parfois, nous guérir de nos tourments, apporter du bien-être, de l’énergie, du changement. De petites choses qui nous permettent d’avancer. 

Isabelle, j'ai remarqué que les personnages dans tes textes sont toujours féminins. Est-ce un choix prémédité, une prise de position dans un monde rock encore très masculin, ou tout juste une coïncidence ? 

ISABELLE : Les héroïnes de mes textes sont principalement féminines car ce sont elles que je connais le mieux. Il est plus naturel et facile pour moi de parler des émotions de femmes et du monde dans lequel elles vivent. 

Lors de notre dernier entretien, tu nous disais que le morceaux 'Black Out' sur votre dernier CD, 'Under the Falling Stars' référait à Malala Yousufzai, la fille Afghane qui a survécu à un attentat des Talibans. Y-a-t’il des références pareilles sur le nouvel album ? 

ISABELLE : Pour le morceau « My run away call », j’ai été inspirée par l’histoire troublante de Cheikha Latifa, la princesse émiratie introuvable après avoir tenté de fuir son pays pour maltraitance et au prix de la Liberté. J’ai écrit le morceau après avoir visionné sa vidéo annonçant son évasion. 

Le CD sort en plein confinement corona. Pas de concerts prévus, ça signifie aussi moins de ventes d'albums... Pourquoi quand-même sortir le disque en cette période ? 

PHIL : Ce n'est effectivement pas une période facile mais on peut aussi penser que lorsque la situation va revenir à la normale, plein de disques vont sortir et on pouvait alors être noyé dans la masse. Les morceaux étaient prêts et nous avons décidés que même le covid19 ne nous arrêterait pas. Bien sûr les ventes vont s'en ressentir car nous vendons aussi pas mal lors des concerts. Et là nous n'avons rien avant le Gibus à Paris en juillet 2021. Nous espérons que le public sera compréhensif et achètera l'album via Wool-E discs pour les commandes physiques ou via Bandcamp pour le digital. Je ne parle pas de Spotify qui est nécessaire pour être écouté mais qui, financièrement, rend les choses très très difficiles pour les groupes indés étant donné qu'ils ne rétribuent pas les groupes. Je pense qu'on peut le dire ainsi. 

Par contre, vous avez bien réussi à utiliser le confinement pour sortir quelques reprises remarquables de David Bowie ou de The Sound. Et puis vous avez fait un concert en ligne en plein confinement. Quelle évaluation faites-vous de ces expériences ? 

PHIL : C'était assez particulier car pour les reprises nous avons dû tout faire sans nous voir. Par e-mail et transferts interposés. Mais nous sommes très contents du résultat. Nous avons volontairement gardé un côté assez intimiste et pratiquement sans overdub. Le concert nous a été proposé par un dj local. Nous étions un peu hésitants au début car jouer sans public nous semblait plutôt étrange, mais nous avons finalement accepté. L'organisation a eu quelques ratés mais ça nous a fait plaisir de nous retrouver et de jouer ensemble pour du vrai. 

Je suis un grand fan de Lacrimosa. Vous avez, pendant quelques années, sortis vos disques sur leur label Hall of Sermon. Comment se sont passés les contacts avec Tilo Wolff et Anne Nurmi de Lacrimosa ? 

PHIL : Je pense que, pour ce que j'en sait, le label n'est plus très actif. Personnellement je n'ai plus eu de contact depuis des années. 

ISABELLE : Je pense que ça a été un grand boost en termes de visibilité pour le groupe car nous avons eu l’occasion, dans un premier temps, de tourner en Allemagne dans de belles salles et festivals et, ensuite, en Europe. L’entente s’est globalement bien déroulée. Ce qui était et qui reste important pour nous est de garder le contrôle artistique sur notre musique et image. 

La scène goth en Belgique n'a pas réussi à se rajeunir. Elle produit encore toujours plein de bonne musique, mais le public est généralement à chercher dans les tranches d'âge supérieures. Est-ce un problème pour vous ? 

PHIL : Je suis bien d'accord. Par exemple, pré-covid, je suis allé voir Whispering Sons en concert à Charleroi et, alors que le groupe est, lui, très jeune, il n'y avait que des personnes de notre âge dans le public. C'est effectivement un petit souci car si certaines personnes plus âgées achètent des albums, beaucoup moins vont encore à des concerts en tout cas dans des clubs ou des petites salles. Je ne peux pas les blâmer, je sors aussi moins que quand j'avais 25 ans. Heureusement pour ma santé physique.

The Breath Of Life: site / bandcamp

Photos: Luc 'Who Cares' Luyten @ W-fest

Placebo Effect - Shattered Souls (CD review)

 

Genre: dark electro

Label: none (self-released)

Rating: 9/10

26 years. That is how long we had to wait for new work from Placebo Effect, the legendary German dark electro band which was introduced in 1990 by the equally legendary Danse Macabre label. There were only a few people who thought it would still happen and after band member Achim Windel passed away in 2016, hardly anyone still believed in it. But here we are. It is 2020, a disastrous year beyond imagination and Placebo Effect (the original line-up, but now a duo) has returned with a brand-new album.

Anyone who is passionate about old-school electro and regularly attends gigs abroad knew that Axel Machens and Christoph Kunze were preparing their comeback. I myself have seen Placebo Effect live 4 times since 2014 and I have also often encountered Axel as a visitor at gigs of other dark electro artists. The PE shows are always a bit theatrical and creepy. The stage is filled with props, which are handled quite roughly (the giant teddy bear is notorious) and usually partly end up in the crowd. Depending on the venue, Axel himself also regularly jumps into the crowd. The last time I saw the band (Madrid, 2019), the show was so wild he scared the shit out of the locals. In short, the PE shows are always quite the experience.

The new tracks that have been presented live in the past few years are finally available in a studio version. It concerns 'Crystal White Snow', 'Slave' and 'Nothing To Cry'. In my opinion, these are the most atypical tracks on the new album, since strictly speaking, they are not dark electro. Granted, Placebo Effect has always flirted with other influences in their music, but I think these tracks are fundamentally different from the rest of the album. 'Crystal White Snow' sounds more "gothic" than electro in the absence of a real (electro) beat, whereas 'Slave' and 'Nothing To Cry' incorporate drums and guitars respectively. Personally, these tracks do not really appeal to me, or better say: not as much as the others. However, from an objective point of view, they are definitely well-made, so I can see why they are almost always included in the band's set list.

The real dark electro tracks - if I may call them that - are however in the majority, so the old-school rivetheads do not need to worry. I expect that in particular 'Pain', 'Down On Your Knees' and 'Hard Work' will be appreciated by the fans because of their energetic and rather aggressive electro style (on a side note: 'Hard Work' is an old song that got an update; the original was released on the cassette 'Gargoyles' in 1990). 'Feed Your Creatures' is most likely a fan favorite as well, as it is reminiscent of Skinny Puppy. In my opinion, 'Shattered Souls' and 'Evil Dead Trap' are the best dark electro tracks, with 'Shattered Souls' being my personal favorite. In spite of the minimal lyrics, it is a highly atmospheric song with hypnotic synths and creepy vocal effects (the intro alone is breathtaking and will haunt you).

Finally, a few words about the (short) instrumentals on this album. 'Shattered Souls' may be my favorite dark electro track, but I am just as impressed by the rather "gothic" sounding instrumental 'D.E.S.T.R.U.C.T.I.O.N'. It is in compositions like these that the horror, which is inherent to the music of Placebo Effect (just think of the intro of their hit 'Galleries Of Pain'), is being highlighted. If you ask me, this is the perfect soundtrack for the ongoing apocalypse. If you are looking for even more creepy stuff, I can recommend the instrumental 'V.O.I.C.E.S'. It does not get any scarier than this.

These guys were phenomenal in the early 90s; 30 years later, they still are. Spend lockdown 2.0 in a meaningful manner and buy the new Placebo Effect. You will be blown away.

CD review: Marjolein Laenen

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Amorphous - Moth Metaphor (CD review)

Genre: dark electro
Label: Razgrom Music
Rating: 8,5/10

After almost 3 months without any "offline" social music interaction, you would almost forget: there is still such a thing as a dark electro scene. Small and mostly centered in a handful of European countries, but it does exist. I cannot put in words how much I miss traveling to Germany in particular to meet my foreign friends and attend small-scale underground club shows with them. Sure, you keep in touch through social media and some artists engage in live streams, but it is not the same thing. Dark electro is so much more than just a music style: it is a source of friendship across borders.

I have seen Gil Oliveira Santos 3 times in person so far. On 2 of these occasions, he was on stage himself; the last time we were watching a Placebo Effect show together at a club in Madrid. Actually, I had hoped to see him on stage on the third occasion as well, because Amorphous is great live. One could witness that at his performances at Lauscher vs Oldschool (Erfurt) in 2018 and Dark EBM Souls (Bratislava) in 2019. In the 90s, Gil was a member of the Brazilian dark electro band Morgue / Morgue Mechanism, so he is definitely not a newcomer. No, he is someone who has heard the call of dark electro after more than 15 years of absence and has returned as a solo artist.

'Moth Metaphor' is the long-awaited fifth Amorphous album and the latest addition to a discography that further consists of 'Behaviourism', 'Shapeshifting', 'Shapeless' and the live recording of the Dark EBM Souls show. It is also the most distinct "old-school" Amorphous release to date. Whereas 'Shapeshifting' still contained a mix of dark electro, EBM, minimal synth and even techno, Gil goes full-on dark electro this time. It is also striking that there is only 1 remix on 'Moth Metaphor' (and only as a bonus track), knowing that 'Behaviourism' and especially 'Shapeless' were mainly remix albums. This time, the emphasis is completely on new work, which is something I can only applaud.

It took me a while before I could really appreciate the new album. 'Kingdom Of Darkness' and 'Unknown Things' immediately stood out for me and I still consider them to be the best tracks. The catchy 'Unknown Things' is also one of my most favourite Amorphous songs of all time. But I struggled a bit more with the rest of the album, especially with the more minimalistic tracks 'Blackout' and 'Episode' and also to a lesser extent 'Wasteland' and 'How It All Goes Down'. In the meantime, I have changed my mind and I do think that 'Moth Metaphor' is generally good, although I am still not a fan of 'Episode', which, with its guitar sound, is too alternative to my liking. 'Secret Place', on the other hand, really appeals to me, especially because of the piano and the compelling singing style, which is something I also noticed in 'Kingdom Of Darkness'. 'Nonlinear Future' is probably the most "trademark" Amorphous track and leans more towards the style on 'Shapeshifting'. Finally, there are 2 tracks without Gil's vocals, more specifically the instrumental 'The Mystery Man' (in which only samples can be heard) and the bilingual spoken word track 'Our Deepest Fear'. The latter is special, as the text is a poem by our very own Jacques Brel, which is read in both its original French-language version and an English translation by the Canadian actor Dennis O'Connor. I had to inquire about it, but Gil has found this rendition on YouTube. So it is not his voice that you hear, although it could have been. As far as I know, he speaks at least 3 languages (English, Portuguese and Spanish).

As the physical release had been delayed due to the corona crisis and the fans had to wait a little longer, Gil has decided to add 3 bonus tracks to the CD. 'Confinamiento' is a Spanish-language song that I would describe as contemporary electro with techno influences. No dark electro, but good nonetheless. 'Kingdom Of Darkness (Empire Version)' is the only remix on this album and is not inferior to the original. Both versions are great, with the remix sounding even darker and more ominous. Finally, 'A New Morning' is a pure instrumental in the ambient style. Personally, I do not like instrumentals and certainly not ambient, but that does not mean it is not well-made.

'Moth Metaphor' is released on a Russian label, but you can also order the CD directly from the artist (Gil lives in England). As always, it is recommended to check out Bandcamp and Facebook.

CD review: Marjolein Laenen

Laibach: When they banned Laibach, we said 'great, let's move further'!

Laibach recently released an extended box: ‘Laibach Revisited’. It is a reissue of their anonymous first album of 1985, augmented with new recordings of the songs and a number of essays about the role of Laibach in Yugoslavia and the Slovenian Republic in the eighties. We were able to interview Laibach several times in the past, but we thought it would be interesting to concentrate solely on their work of the eighties in this interview. Head ideologue Ivan Novak was so friendly to answer our questions.

When you started the band in 1980, did you already have an elaborate idea of the concept of the band? What were your aims back then?

Laibach: We actually did have a general idea that we calibrated between the years 1980 - 1982, when we finally conceptualise it with the 10 Items of the Convent (sometimes also translated as the 10 Items of the Covenant).  Our aims were to create a group that would be more than just a plain rock band, a group, bigger and independent from any genre, a group that would learn from history and define the future. On the side we also wanted to create a movement and a country, our own state - which we partially did.   

Your first show in 1980 in Trbovlje was prohibited, and for a while nothing was heard of Laibach. In 1982, Laibach returned to the forefront with several concerts. What made it possible that Laibach survived in these first years?

The Yugoslav army. All of us went to the - then still compulsory - army service between 1980 and 1981. As soon as the first members returned from it, the band started with shows. Others joined as soon as they finished their service. The Yugoslav Army gave us food, gave us boots and uniforms, some sense of resistance, and plenty of ideas.

The ‘Ten Items Of The Convent’ were published in Nova revija in 1983. Nova revija was known as a dissident cultural journal and later played a role in the rising national sentiment in Slovenia. Was the text intended to be published by Nova revija? What attracted you to this magazine?

When Nova revija was established in 1982, the editorial board wrote a program, a manifest, in which they stated that they would not act as an ‘action in the name of an Idea’.  We have therefore immediately titled our contribution exactly as an ‘Action in the name of an Idea’. The Nova revija editorial board hesitated to publish our contribution, but philosopher Taras Kermauner insisted that the article should be published no matter what and he proposed to write a kind of editorial essay on Laibach along with our contribution. Which he did, and to this day his text is still one of the most lucid interpretations of Laibach. Soon after our manifest was released in Nova revija, the authorities banned Laibach for several years, but Nova revija was able to publish a more radical content from then on.

In the text ‘The Terror Of History’, that is included in the ‘Laibach Revisited’-box, we learn about the Nazi-punk scandal in Slovenia at the beginning of the 80s. What was the scandal about? In what ways did the scandal and the repression surrounding it affect Laibach?

In short Nazi-punk scandal was an on-going series of events, connected to the Slovenian punk and alternative or sub-cultural movement, of which Laibach was important part of in the first half of the 80s.  The authorities were trying to suppress the whole scene, presenting and accusing it as a movement propagating Nazi ideas. Some bands were dismantled, some people were jailed and Laibach was banned.

The TV Tednik interview – at the end of which the interviewer called for action against Laibach – is very famous. Some say it was a trap, and I believe you went into that trap well aware of the danger. Why did you agree to do the interview?

We were offered the prime time on one of the two most watched TV programmes in that time, so we decided to do it. We knew it was a trap. We wanted to create a kind of ‘living theatre performance’ and at the same time ‘trapped the trapper’.  Which we did. The interview was then very important for the general development of the critical scene in the whole country. People like Slavoj Žižek and many other young intellectuals appeared on the scene after this interview and started to roll the ball of social, cultural and political changes. The interview was like a kind of ignition coil for artistic and political ideas in the 80s.

When the city of Ljubljana banned the name Laibach, how did you react?

We said ‘great, let’s move further’. We immediately decided to get out of Slovenia and start organising the ‘Occupied Europe Tour’. 

Was it easy to continue touring Europe during the ban on the name Laibach? Did this have repercussions at home?

It was difficult to tour Europe, because we had no experience at all and also hardly any money. And Europe then was still deeply in the Cold War, divided by the wall. Plus it was very much a shitty place.  Back at home they were happy just to get rid of us and they didn’t care what we were doing elsewhere.

Was the creation of Neue Slowensische Kunst in 1984 a reaction to the ban on the name Laibach? How was it possible to make such a move while you could not use your name?

Yes, it was greatly the result of the ban of Laibach. Neue Slowenische Kunst was a movement of a several groups from different media that were inspired by Laibach and when we decided to start working together, Laibach was the central inspiration for the whole movement. The name was based on the historical Slovenian avant-garde movement from the 1920s, presented in the German magazine Der Sturm in 1929 under the name ‘Junge slowenische Kunst’.

Although the name was forbidden, Laibach played a concert in Ljubljana in 1984 and released the first LP in 1985, only by advertising the famous black cross that was your symbol. I guess this meant that Laibach was sufficiently known within the public and the population to make it a success. How were the reactions?

Yes, we did the anonymous concert, announced only with our symbol - the black cross -, which was not forbidden. Therefore everything was basically legal. And also our first album was released without our name, again only with the black cross as the central image.  This was a nice prove about the power that the symbol can represent.  The concert was totally sold out and reactions were, of course, also very enthusiastic and positive.

In 1987, you asked for a removal of the ban on the name Laibach. Was it easy to achieve?

We didn’t ask for removal of the ban ourselves; it was a public demand, spread from the alternative circles. In fact the demand was in the end concretised by the Union of Socialist Youth of Slovenia (abbreviated ZSMS) that was a legal (pro-communist) political organization of young people in Slovenia that operated from the post-war years until the 1990s.

Also in 1987, there was the poster scandal. A poster made by Novi kolektivizem – a design studio connected to NSK – for the Youth Day and the birthday celebrations of Tito turned out to be a reworking of an old Nazi poster. At first, the authorities thought of suing Novi kolektivizem, but they later dropped the charges. What happened?

Novi kolektivizem (New Collectivism) is an NSK design group, created by Laibach, Irwin and additional collaborators, practicing in their work a Laibachian method, motives and aesthetics.  The whole Youth Day poster scandal was described many times and you can read it here.  There’s more to it of course but it’s a long story. It is impossible to make it much shorter.  The whole scandal rapidly turned the course of political events in 2^nd half of the 80s in Yugoslavia.   

‘Opus Dei’, your record from 1987, had a big international impact. But it also had its controversies. If I’m not mistaken, there was court action in Germany because of suspicions of Nazi sympathies. Can you tell us what happened?

When Opus Dei was released, the German wing of Opus Dei, a controversial militant catholic organisation, asked for the album to be forbidden and also wanted to sue Laibach for using the name of their organisation as the title of the album. They had several problems with the album, including the four axes swastika, which we used on the inner sleeve. But this swastika was nothing else than a quote from one of the biggest anti-Nazi artist and activist John Heartfield, so they had to drop the charges on Nazism. And the name ‘Opus Dei’ we also used because the leading song on the album was a remake of a famous ‘Live is Life’ song, written by Austrian group Opus. In the end album was still sold in Germany, but under the counter.        

Laibach: website / order the 'Laibach Revisited' box