Laibach: Laibach Revisited

It is finally here. The box that I already ordered in 2018 took almost two years to arrive. It was also pricey - 150 euros - so I'm glad I can hold it in my hands. But the band has been working on it for more than two years. The idea originated almost 10 years ago and was supposed to be released in 2012. Later, that became 2015, then 2018, 2019 and finally 2020.

‘Laibach Revisited’ is an elaborate addition to the first Laibach record from 1985, and consists of 3 CDs, two booklets and a pin in a box, all beautifully designed in a memorable Laibach style. In the early years of the group, Laibach was an absolute sensation in Slovenia, then still a republic of Yugoslavia. The name referred to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, but in German.

‘To call a group Laibach Art in a nation that arose exclusively out of struggle - ultimately war - against German political and cultural expansionism (not just the Nazis) is, to say the least, scandalous. No greater Dadaist twist could be possible. The name of the group is it's most successful poetic idea,’ said Slovenian writer and philosopher Taras Kermauner, as the name was reminiscent of the Austrian occupation and - even worse - the Nazi occupation of Slovenia during World War II, and all it’s horrors.

Laibach’s first performance - along with an exhibition, a film screening, and three other bands - in their hometown of Trbolvje was banned as soon as the group posted gloomy posters in the city. The application for the concert was not formulated correctly, the authorities argued. The group would later claim that the performance was a test of the Slovenes’ positive awareness - as there had been a few government tests before - and that the performance was intended to be banned.

After their military service, Laibach returned to the front, but their first performance in Ljubljana in 1982 immediately provoked reaction. ‘Is it possible that someone permitted, here in Ljubljana, the first hero city of Yugoslavia, a youth group to take a name that forcefully unearths bitter memories of… Laibach,’ said a protest letter. A letter that the group then conveniently played out. Because negative publicity is also publicity, isn't it?

More publicity followed. Laibach went even further at a performance in Zagreb. They managed to mix propaganda films with speeches by Tito - the former president of Yugoslavia, who died a month before the band was formed - with porn images. The organizers promptly stopped the performance and distanced themselves from the band without hesitations.

Some say that a trap was set for Laibach afterwards. But even if it was a trap, the band fell into it consciously and with open eyes. Laibach was invited to an interview on TV Tednik, where they simply continued their totalitarian image and absurd statements. The interviewer concluded with a call: ‘maybe someone will finally act and stop these dangers, these terrible ideas and statements here in Ljubljana.’

Thus, the city of Ljubljana brought up an old decree stating that it was forbidden to use the name of the city - even in its German variant - without permission. The name Laibach was banned from now on. However, the group managed to perform in 1984 without mentioning its name. On the cover of the group's debut, also, we can only see the black cross - within which a tormented individual was wallowing - the symbol of the group, without the mention of the name.

It is this record that we commemorate with this edition. Most of the material was recorded in 1983. Some songs had already been released abroad. Even though the name was banned in Yugoslavia, the group could safely tour Europe under its own name. Given the difficulties, the vinyl debut in Yugoslavia was released only in 1985.

The new box contains this record, but ... actually the content corresponds more to ‘Rekapitulacija 1980-84’, which was released at about the same time in Germany on Walter Ulbricht Schallfolien as a double LP and thus contained much more material than the original record, with songs that were recorded in 1984 and 1985. So you get the maximum content. (And even if you search and think you're missing some song or bonus, those are included in the digital downloads included with this release.)

The first CD from this box contains the reissue. It opens - like both records on which it is based - with ‘Cari amici’, a recording from the aforementioned performance in Ljublijana in 1982 on which the then singer of Laibach - Tomaž Hostnik, who committed suicide in 1982 – gave an imitation of Mussolini. The photo showing Hostnik with a bleeding chin - after he had a bottle thrown at his head, and just continued the show - is very famous.

The record also contains very sophisticated noise, which sounds surprisingly good for the time and circumstances in which it was recorded. We hear all kinds of percussion, guitars, but especially a lot of sound manipulation and synths that make the whole sound absolutely ominous. Rhythms are slow, the music atonal and saturated with effects. In short, the oppressive noise of industrial alienation and totalitarian terror.

The lyrics - completely in Slovenian at that time - also sound dark. They expose the contradictions of communism, for example through quotes from Tito (in ‘Država’, a song that lists positive state responsibilities, in stark contrast to the chilling music) and ‘Jaruzelski’ (the Polish general who declared a state of emergency and was responsible for strong repression in 1981). They speak of the bright future they face (‘Sila’, ‘Brat moj’), or of courage and self-sacrifice (until death, as in ‘Ti, Ki Izzivaš’).

The second CD from the box is called ‘Revisited’. It contains renewed versions of the old songs, which were recorded between 2009 and 2012. In the meantime, I have heard these versions live several times, and I was always very impressed. I am therefore happy to finally have it on CD. The songs have obviously been played by musicians who are much better than the ones on the original recordings, and the recordings themselves are excellent.

The new recordings are very different from the originals. The voice of Milan Fras sounds much heavier, the avant-garde piano by Sašo Vollmaier makes it even more ominous, the electronic programming of Luka Jamnik is fuller, the screams of Mina Špiler go through the bone, the drums of Janez Gabrič are more varied… The album also contains some songs that would not appear on the debut album, but only on 'Nova Akropola' in 1986, such as ‘Vier Personen’ and ‘Nova Akropola’. Additionally, you get some more recent live versions with orchestra, including one from the performance of Laibach in the Bozar in 2016 that we could attend.

The third CD contains live recordings, recorded underground in an old mine that was converted into a museum, at a depth of 200 meters. What makes it exceptional are the three founding members of Laibach who participate: Ivan Novak - who rarely plays live despite his important role - and Dejan Knez - a long-time core member who is no longer active in the group, but is responsible of vocals and bass on this record - and finally Srečko Bajda, who played with Laibach in the early 1980s. The record is dedicated to Boško Bursać, who made the recordings and died in 2016. It includes a flaming version of ‘Siemens-Rdeči molk’, a mix of ancient songs played during their first performances, but never recorded in studio. You will also hear drawn-out and psychedelic versions of the songs you already heard on the other two CDs.

And it is not done yet. The edition also contains a book with various texts about Laibach. To begin with, the already known ‘10 items of the covenant,’ which is the manifesto Laibach published in 1983 to outline it's strategy. It contains quotes such as ‘Laibach analyzes the relationship between ideology and culture in a late phase, as proposed in art’, ‘art and totalitarianism are not mutually exclusive’ and ‘all art can become the object of political manipulation, except art that speaks the same language as the manipulation’. Laibach claims to have always adhered to the principles of the manifesto, for which they kept finding new applications.

The second text is the central and longest from the edition. It is called ‘The Terror Of History. How Laibach Shook the State, the Party and Philosophy at the Beginning of the Eighties’ by Marcel Štefančič Jr. It is quite a heavy text, full of quotes and enumerations that are not always explained in detail. It contains more considerations than facts, and may be inaccessible to those who do not already have a certain level of knowledge, including about thinkers such as Slavoj Žižek and Jacques Lacan.

The early 1980s were a time of high inflation and high unemployment in Yugoslavia. Punk and Laibach were excellent lightning rods for the economic crisis. The Slovenian republic was strict on punk (albeit less strict than other communist countries). In 1983, Laibach promoter Igor Vidmar - the man who also writes a preface here for the record he first released in 1985 - was held in custody for a month for wearing suspicious badges (a Dead Kennedy's badge with a swastika crossed out was mistaken as a pro-nazi sign).

However, Laibach confused everyone. Punk could be criticized as a foreign influence, but what should critics think of Laibach? Dissidents could be branded as dangerous to the state, but what to do with a group that proclaimed they wanted to strengthen the state? And were especially secretive about their true ideas? ‘Laibach does not work as an answer, but as a question,’ said Žižek. And those questions kept piling up, while Laibach's true nature remained a mystery.

The last text from the book is by Milan Kučan. He is the man who led Slovenia to independence in 1991, when reform of Yugoslavia seemed impossible, and was president of the new republic from 1992 to 2002. It is a speech given by Kučan at the opening of an exhibition by Laibach in Trbovlje in 2010, exactly 30 years after the group's very first prohibited exhibition in the same place. He also emphasizes that Laibach provoked negative reactions because the work of the group was so difficult to understand. That he gave the speech shows that, today, Laibach is recognized in the highest circles in Slovenia.

So much for the content. The box and booklets are beautifully designed, with numerous works of art displayed in a unified style. The box shows once again that Laibach is one of the most intellectually challenging bands on the planet, and that the group's musical oeuvre may be difficult to fathom, but is definitely worth it.

Order the Laibach box here

Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio: It's necessary to have events such as Porta Nigra!

With Let's Play (Two Girls & A Goat) Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio delivered again a real masterpiece. Singer and mastermind Tomas Petterson even described it as "the final version" of his project.

In a few months they will return to Aarschot, to headline the Porta Nigra festival.

DE: Tomas, it took you six years to write the songs of Let’s Play, in the meantime you’ve released the double album Vision:Libertine. How come the proces took so long? Was it a just a case of perfection?

TP: The process of Let’s Play started immediately after I finished Song 4 Hate & Devotion in 2010, this is how I normally do things. I find myself inside a state of creative high and things just flow, and this time too. Two years after S4H&D we release 4Play to serve as the appetizer for the Let’s Play, we record the video in Russia and the process is moving according to plan. At this point OOL have been informed, the video has been recorded, there are plans for photos, the EP out, and then suddenly, we are pregnant with our second child. So we come to the conclusion that we have two options, either we release the album as planned but without the promotional photos we had in mind at the time, and without supporting concerts, and simply hope that the album doesn’t disappear into a medial and social void. Or we decide that this album is good enough to put on hold and we simply wait and hope its actually good enough to release at another time when the time is right and the stars are aligned. Evidently we decided on option number two. But in the aftermath of this decision I felt frustrated. We no longer had an estimate on when we would release a new album and when people would have a chance to hear some of the best songs we had ever created, so in frustration and delusion I sat down and created Vision:Libertine. But the most unexpected outcome of Vision:Libertine however was that I evolved and improved as producer, as a singer and a as a musician, so the material that I once felt was the best I ever did, didn’t sound as good as I remembered when I finally returned to it, so instead of embracing Let’s Play and unconditionally releasing it a year or two after Vision:Libertine, I decided to deconstruct the album, remix it, re-sing it, and perfect it to the point that it was a worthy successor and as good as always thought it was. And this is why things took more time than expected.

DE: About Let’s Play you’ve said you see it as the final version of ORE, which also sounds a bit alarming as in: I’ve got nothing more to say. Something the fans don’t want to hear, so we hope this is just a wrong interpretation of your words?

 

TP: Whether or not “Let’s Play” will be our final album or not remains to be seen, but I doubt it. I have felt hesitant on more than a few occasions, about whether or not I see the end of Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio. But every time I do, I successively come to the conclusion that it would be absurd to MAKE such a decision. It would be like consciously deciding to cut of both my hands because I don’t want to cook anymore, or both my feet because I’m tired of walking. I can’t deliberately make that decision. ORE is who I am; it’s who Rose and I are. Without it I would become half a person. But at the same time I must consider the possibility. Everything ends, everything more or less, has an expiration date. So what I was trying to say in the press-release is that with Let’s Play, I think I have taken the idea of Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio and the notion apocalyptic pop as far as I can. From here I find it hard to advance further on that particular path without imitating myself, and at length becoming a caricature of ourselves. So what I’m trying to say is that maybe it’s time to reinvent ORE and possibly commence a new journey on a new path where rules can be entirely abolished? To advance into regression and pursue the darkness of the past, as the choice would be deliberate and not a result of not knowing any better? Time will tell, it always does….

DE: It was quite a surprise two years ago when CMI organised the 30th anniversary festival. But even more surprising was the Waves of Darkness on the Baltic Sea event that was happening this year. Although they’ve said the anniversary was a one-time only event, it looks like the legend is coming back to life. Do you think this will go further than just a nostalgic look back in time?

TP: The CMI festival in 2017 was as far as we can tell, a once in a lifetime event. It was a genuine 30-year anniversary. (But on the other hand, CMI turns 3, 40, 45, 50….) And what Death Disco created on the Baltic sea in September was something completely different. It was more willingly a unique opportunity to see all your favorite bands on a cruise to Riga. An up close and personal experience at sea. The first festival was indeed a once in lifetime experience, this will not happen again, but who knows what the Baltic Sea has in store for us?

DE: The concert on the boat must have been a very special experience. How did you experienced it?

TP: To say that the experience onboard M/S Necromantica was special is an understatement. Maybe the experience would have been more normalized if the conditions on Sunday would have been more “normal”, but with the storm that suddenly emerged in time for Of the Wand and the Moon, and which climaxed just in time for ORE and TriORE, and then withstood for most of In Slaughter Natives, I would more willingly like to describe the experience as absurd. It was an altogether fantastic experience in many many ways. Artists and fans coexisting together onboard a ship, one really great stage for everyone, one concert at a time, two days of fun at sea, 1000 people stuck together onboard, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. This was amazing, so thank so Vlad, and thank you Death Disco for making it happen.

 

From an ORE concert point of view however, it was definitely not perfect; quite the contrary. But from what I’ve heard I gather the impression that most people really loved it. They were able to see and understand the absurdity of it all while 6 meter waves hit the body of the boat and caused both equipment, artists, audience and the entre stage to move from side to side. My impressions are therefore somewhat schizophrenic, but it was a very unique and altogether successful experience.

DE: When I combine the aesthetics of ORE and a cruise ship, my thoughts bring me automatically to the Roman Polanski movie Bitter Moon. Do you think this match fit?

TP: Sounds tempting.

DE: The ORE videoclips are always very high profile. Beside Bitter Moon, are there other movies that share your point of view?

TP: The Secretary.

DE: In times were censorship reigns supreme, it’s very surprising the Menage à Trois videoclip is still online. Did you get shocking comments after releasing this clip?

TP: I don’t read the comment sections, just as I try to stay clear of reading too many reviews of our albums. It’s ultimately counter productive. And with 1.4M views (which nobody expected, especially not OOL) there must be quite a lot of people who genuinely hate both the song and the video. But as we sent the video to a handful of friends and family before the release, we did get our share of shocking comments before the video went public.

DE: I’ve also asked this question to Coph Nia’s Mikael Alden: how do you look back at the CMI years? Mikael especially remembers the specific familiar feeling. It’s also a fact nowadays we still see CMI acts together sharing one bill, looking back could you say that lifelasting friendship bonds were made in that period?

TP: Of course, in retrospective it was a very special time in our lives that founded many life lasting friendships. Many of us (Mikael, Jouni, Roger and Lina excluded of course) were quite young when it all happened. I was 20 when I started working with CMI for the first Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio contributions, 22 when I recorded Reaping the Fallen. And I was only 18 when we recorded the Archon Satani contributions for Dimensions of a Coffin. So it’s been a while since it all began and even as much as 9 years since it ended. But I still have contact with friends from the CMI days, and as Mikael says, it had a very familiar feeling, like the Manson family.

DE: ORE is one of the few acts in the neofolk genre who made the step to a “big” label, I can only think of Rome who did the same thing (Trisol). Rome made a complete change of style during the years and can’t be hardly called neofolk anymore. ORE instead remains true to their wellknown sound. Not saying that Rome had to change but believing this was a natural proces, was this artistic issue a condition before signing at Out Of Line?

TP: I have had a very open and honest dialogue with Out of Line ever since day one. Maybe it hasn’t been easy all the time with an industrial / apocalyptic folk band becoming part of an electronic mainstream label, and trying to make room for us in an already existing habitat in which we don’t belong, but the dialogue has always been good. OOL has never made any demands on anything. ORE has been allowed to operate freely, do what we desire, sound as we want to, and be ORE in every way without restrictions. The only thing Andre said that we needed to consider; was German law. I’ve been able to say what I want and Andre (Out of Line CEO) has told me what he thinks and so on. I haven’t always been pleased, as for the work that OOL did for Vision:Libertine, but we talked about it and we both decided to do our best with Let’s Play and see where it takes us. And so far so good I’d say. So I see no reason not to keep on working with OOL for a foreseeable future.

DE: A remarkable quality of the albums that were released at Out Of Line is the warmth that goes out of them. It goes also beyond the dark folk genre. ORE shows that this stoic genre, unless what some people think, can be enriched with various elements and even deliver real “hits”. When it comes to recording, what’s the main difference nowadays?

TP: I think this question depends on how far back in time we go when we compare it to nowadays. When I started in 1993 I had a Roland Workstation W30, no real microphones and I did my final recordings in Jouni’s studio on an 8 track. Nowadays I have full home studio, high quality microphones, unlimited recording possibilities and a brand new iMac. So the technical differences are vast. But on a more personal level I think it is also fair to say that today, I know what I’m doing, I create this sort of music because I want to and the results are deliberate. In the beginning it was more an art project where the results were the product of my limitations.

DE: ORE is one of the leading names in the dark folk genre, and is named together with other spearheads as C93 en DI6. When I made my entrance in the so called dark music scene, it was quickly clear that this will be my kind of music. Almost twenty years later it’s sad to see that new acts in the genre are rather exceptional. When I talk to other bands, organisers and label managers they all share the same sad thought: this scene is dying. Happily there are some sparkles to enlighten us every now and then, but this verdict seems inevitable.

The fact that the musical landscape is changing very fast is of course a very important reason, but there will always be some fanatics who keep on supporting the scene. What’s your look at the neofolk scene nowadays?

TP: I never thought I’d live to see the day when Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio was mentioned next to Current 93 and Death in June. I wish I could go back in time and tell 15 year old me that this day would come.

As you say, the scene is dying unless it’s already dead. It’s hard, not to say impossible, to attract people to individual concerts and therefore it necessary to have events such as “Waves of Darkness” or “Porta Nigra” when you invite enough interesting acts to attract a larger number of people who feel they MUST attend. But these are sad times for the scene. I suppose I will know for sure just how sad they actually are in February when we have a German weekend tour together with Triarii. Hopefully not as sad as I think.

DE: Together with Christian Erdmann (Triarii) you formed TriORE 10 years ago. I just saw ORE and Triarii will perform live in Leipzig in the beginning of 2020, are there future plans to also continue with the TriORE collaboration?

TP: We have a second album ready, a truly great album; we are just waiting for the opportunity to release it under the right circumstances.

DE: From the beginning sexuality was a huge angle of approach in your music. All kinds of human fantasies are covered, especially those who are disapproved by the so called “average person”. You also combine this with the typical mark of shame that religion puts on all of this, which in my opinion makes it even more powerful. The question that many people will ask is in which way these fantasies are entwined with your daily life?

TP: The fantasies are always there, but of course it’s a lot easier to have a more active and extrovert lifestyle before you become parents, than it is today. Before parenthood you could decide to go to clubs in the weekend, act out and bring someone with you back home, or simply do whatever you desired whenever you desired. But nowadays everything is more based on tact and seizing the moments. Things are still possible but they are only available in moderation. But on the other hand, it makes it all the more precious and pleasurable when these opportunities do occur.

DE: The song A World Not So Beautiful sadly enough had proved to have profetic visions. Do you think there is a future for Europe as we know it?

TP: I suppose everything depends on which Europe you know.

Constituted borders and countries are illusive and ever changing. What we consider as true today was unimaginable 50 years ago, and will most likely be considered entirely insignificant in 100 years from now. We move in cycles. Kingdoms come and go. So the Europa we know will die like everything else, what we say is “our” culture will become intertwined with new expressions and what we consider progressive today will be conservative and regressive tomorrow. We will naturally feel rootless and disillusioned as our culture crumbles before our eyes, but our children will never understand our grief and our separation.

DE: The first album ORE made for Out Of Line, Songs 4 Hate & Devotion, which also features some of your keytracks is not for sale anymore for a longtime. Did you already get the question considering a reissue of this masterpiece?

TP: People are asking about this album quite regularly, and I did in fact speak to OOL about the possibility to rerelease it in combination with Let’s Play in September. But even though I see the potential of rereleasing it, I also understand the record label perspective on reissues, quantities and the record selling climate 2019/20, and I understand their skepticism of bringing the dead back to life. The album however, will be rereleased in 2020, maybe not by OOL, but there will be physical “Songs 4 Hate & Devotion” album for sale again.

DE: Nicolas van Meirhaeghe (Empusae) who also works with Triarii seems to be a full time member since 2014. Are you familiar with other Belgian artists?

TP: Belgium for me is Electronic & EBM, that’s your legacy. Front 242, The Klinik, Dive, Split Second, Vomito Negro; Play it Again Sam Records.

I’m a long time fan of The Klinik. Dirk still does great things with Dive, but none of them quite as great as he and Marc Verhagen did with Klinik. I still have a special place for that 3 LP Box in my record collection.

DE: In the special edition of Let’s Play you’ll find a toy and a pair of stockings. The nylon fetish is a recurrent theme, so maybe it’s time to tell us which is the best hosery to fullfill your desires?

TP: Rose and I have the same preference when it comes to this topic, so we are both wholehearted admirers of the hold up stocking; it’s genuinely hard to compete with that particular item. But a classical seamed stocking attached to a 10-strap garter-belt is also a real turn on. And lately both of us have come to relish overt pantyhose, fishnet in particular. So there’s a selection to choose from.

DE: ORE will play the Porta Nigra festival again, and as I am playing the afterparty, do you have a request to hear?

TP: No matter how much we’d like to, I’m not really sure how much time we will have to attend that afterparty on March 6^th, considering that we will perform in Mannheim the night after, but here are my requests, take your pick.

Haus Arafna – No Right to Live - 7” version

The Klinik – Black Leather

Skinny Puppy – Tin Omen

Christian Death –Romeo’s Distress

Lee Hazelwood – Summer Wine

DE: Than can be arranged! See you there!

Pictures: 1, 2, 4 & 5: Marquis(pi)X, 3. Benny Serneels

Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio

Syrenomelia: The drunk rural constable at the local pub.

Recently we got acquainted with Syrenomelia, the project of the Brussels-based Wim Lankriet, via the single A Rose Shattered. Since promoting local talent remains the main objective of Dark Entries, we immediately contacted him for a more extensive introduction.

DE: Before Syrenomelia you were musically active under the name Magdalena Solis, which was introduced to me by my colleague Peter De Koning, who described this as sublime. Is Syrenomelia a continuation of this, or do both projects continue to exist independently?

WL: Magdalena Solis came to a definite termination in 2013. At that time I needed something different, and started experimenting with piano and soundscapes. But I remained nostalgic for the guitar sound of Magdalena Solis. So, for some time the embryonic Syrenomelia had two faces: ambient piano vs alternative rock. But in the end I always enjoy myself the most doing loud guitar music. That’s what I prefer to listen to, so that is ultimately always the best choice for me. So in certain aspects Syrenomelia is indeed a continuation of Magdalena Solis.

DE: A Rose Shattered is your second single after Weight Of A Beautiful Mind, are there already solid plans for a first full-length album?

WL: The next step is a 4-track EP. I actually find it quite interesting and exciting for now to just release singles and EPs. My creative phases usually consist of 4-5 songs in which I see true potential. Currently I’m doing auto release so I put my own money in production, promotion etc... A full-length... to do this professionally and get the most out of it, I don't know if I could handle this financially and logistically. I would need a label for that.

DE: There is a common thread in the songs on your new single, the title track is based on the English Mary Bell, the other track "Like The World Outside" is more generally about the atrocities that children are capable of. Purely out of sociological interest, or can we state that a child trauma is at the root of this?

WL: The title track was only inspired by Mary Bell in the beginning, and rather briefly: about an aging prostitute with perverse specialisations, in which she is surpassed by her daughter. When I spoke to a friend about these lyrics, she started to talk about her mother, and about her own psychological problems and self-harm, due to abuse during her childhood. Then I largely rewrote the text, based on what she told me, and also on the relationship with my own mother.

The background of Like the World Outside is the rural village where I spent most of my childhood. Lots of wanton children and violence, air guns, home-made weapons, torture of animals, all sorts of abuses... There was no police, only a rural constable who was drunk at the local pub all day. So young people just did as they pleased, with all kinds of sad and tragic consequences.

DE: Hailing from Menen in West Flanders, you settled in Brussels. Did you experience the move from the provincial area to the anonymity of the big city as a cultural shock?

WL: No not at all. The area between Menen and Poperinge is quite heavy and violent. Studying and going out in Ghent and Brussels felt much more "civilised". And also, since my childhood I have been fascinated by androgyny, bisexuality, crossdressing, the sort of things you better keep to yourself in rural and provincial environments. So my student life in the city was a huge liberation, an environment where I could be more myself and where I met more like-minded souls. It gave me the feeling: now my life can finally begin.

DE: How long have you been living in Brussels, and how do you like it there? It is a city that is often portrayed in a very negative way, especially by people who do not live there themselves. Are they right or not?

WL: I have been living in Brussels for twenty years and I quite like it. Of course it largely depends on the neighbourhood you live in. I live in Sint-Gillis, on the border with Ixelles, and there it’s quite cool and nice. But half a kilometre down to the Gare du Midi it’s a completely different world. I love Brussels but I don't really benefit from the city. I prefer to be at home to (obsessively) work on my project :) I feel best in my own creative universe and in general avoid contact with the outside world.

DE: Musically you tap from different kegs: you know how to merge indie, gothic and metal into a unique sound. I suppose your influences are very diverse, which artists have left a mark on you as a musician?

WL: I have always been eclectic and curious, pop, rock, world music, experimental etc ... I can find interesting and qualitative elements in various styles. The last two years I listened a lot to music from the 80s and 90s. Alice In Chains was the main influence ... their guitar sound, dark atmosphere and lyrics, the unique polyphonic vocals. The Smiths always remain a major influence, the brilliant songwriting and lyrics. I love the candidness of that period, how songwriters exposed their souls. And how compelling this was for the fans. For me this is something that was lost too much in the last 10-15 years. And I definitely wanted that in in my project, lyrics that touch people’s hearts. Little by little I found this in more recent projects such as Darkher, Emma Ruth Rundle, Chelsea Wolfe ... and this greatly inspired and motivated me.

DE: Psychological turmoil and subversive sexuality form the common thread in the music of Syrenomelia, we read in the press bio. Okay, time to confess and share your secrets!

WL: Most of my lyrics are based on a long period of a promiscuous bisexual life, seeking various experiments, with a preference for unusual and sadomasochistic experiences, and frequent drug use. Due to naivety and poverty this increasingly led to shameful and traumatic experiences. I still struggle with painful memories and feel I need to write about it in my lyrics, to somehow turn it into something beautiful and valuable, so that I feel that it was worth the pain, even the most terrible experiences. But I always add a good deal of irony and sarcasm to it, I don’t want it getting too melodramatic.

DE: Syrenomelia refers to the rare condition where the legs of a child are fused together, like a mermaid in other words. Why did you just choose this name?

WL: I found this on a Polish blog with photos that instantly fascinated me. Something rare and strange, and therefore a perfect match for my lyrics and visual interests. On this page "syrenomelia" was spelled with "y". I thought this was the Polish spelling, found it beautiful and decided to keep it that way. However recently I discovered that in Polish it is also simply "sirenomelia", so in the end the name is derived from the erroneous spelling on that blog. Incidentally, I pronounce the "y" like "i" in the English "in".

DE: You do everything yourself at Syrenomelia, is it the intention to play live, or do you consider it purely as a studio project.

WL: I played live with Magdalena Solis. Only the first time it was a truly gratifying experience. After 2-3 times it was already less fun, and I started to feel it was messing up my creative routines. Syrenomelia on stage would require a full band line-up, and even then I would not exactly be stoked about it. I sometimes do things live via Instagram, just spontaneously, and that’s more fun.

DE: How exactly does a Syrenomelia track come about?

WL: It takes quite a long time, many months. I like to fine-tune and try out various arrangements. It’s not unusual that at one point I have 10 versions of a song. And then suddenly I am tired of searching, and then allow myself 7-10 days to record a final version. I love to pretend that I have limited studio time, as if I have to pay per day. That helps, because in a home studio environment you can endlessly keep shaping, which is not always a good thing.

DE: Not only in music, but also in visuals you have a keen eye for details. As we can see in the pretty awesome video that you made together with a few befriended artist for the title track of your new single. With whom did you work with for this?

WL: At first I had something in mind like Suede's Animal Nitrate video, and for this the dark erotic photography of Lilith Room Noir seemed perfect. Then the other two befriended photographers joined in. I like to work with Instagram contacts. I quite easily find people there who are on the same wavelength. Working via chat has its pros and cons. But I like to give people freedom, just chat and exchange ideas, and let them improvise. And then cut and assemble from it. My girlfriend helps me a lot with the edits and design, she does this as a job so I like to leave most of the magic to her.




DE: My first introduction to Syrenomelia happened thanks to the remix CD from the Ashtoreth album Pilgrim. A one-off thing or are there plans to work together in the future?

WL: Rather one-off, because I am not exactly the collab type. I enjoy working with other people for videos, but for music I feel best working alone and on my own compositions.

DE: As it is the end of the year: what was the musical discovery of 2019 for you?

WL: I always live a bit in a cave :) But I still occasionally discover stuff. Newly discovered projects I enjoyed in 2019 were She Made Me Do It, Paradise Lost, Me And My Two Horses and Blurred Twin.

Syrenomelia

Object - Borderlands (CD review)

Genre: Dark Electro
Label: none (self-released)
Rating: 8,5/10

2019 has been a good year for the fans of old-school electro. A few months ago, I reviewed the new albums of Amnistia and Fïx8:Sëd8, 2 German artists that I cherish and that acquired a well-deserved spot on the Bimfest bill (Amnistia last year; Fïx8:Sëd8 this year). Perhaps a little less known is Object, a dark electro project that also originates from Germany. Then again, it has been 7 years since Andreas Malik released truly new work. In fact, it looked like he had buried Object for good. But as the insiders know too well, artists in this genre often change their minds. In most cases, they also decide to perform again. Object could recently be seen at the Lauscher vs Oldschool festival in Erfurt and it is there where I bought the new album 'Borderlands' even before the official release date.

Even though the new album is strictly speaking the amalgamation of 2 of Andy’s projects (that is, Object and Borderlands), it bears the typical Object signature. With other words: raw and complex sound tapestries, interwoven with samples and Andy’s heavily distorted, mostly unintelligible vocals. Compared with the tracks of other dark electro artists, those of Object are less clearly defined in general. You can perceive the Object albums as one protracted composition, which is divided into several pieces with certain variations. This has the consequence that they are usually not easy to memorise. 'Borderlands' is not different in this respect.

The previous album 'Mechanisms Of Faith', which is considered a masterpiece in its genre by many and which also received a very high rating from me, contains a few tracks that really stand out (in particular, 'Neural Explosions', 'State Of Reality' and my personal favourite, 'Under Zero Halo'). 'Borderlands' is in my opinion less refined, "heavier" and somewhat less digestible as a result. It is absolutely a nice and enjoyable album, but it cannot equal the (top) level of 'Mechanisms Of Faith'. There are 2 songs that I think are memorable: the title track 'Borderlands' and 'Beyond Belief (Vocaliz-ed)'. Honourable mentions go to 'Heaven Sent Salvation' and 'Nitrogen Skies'. The latter is a more classic dark electro track with guest vocals of Martin Sane (Fïx8:Sëd8). As usual, there are also a couple of purely instrumental compositions on this album ('Parhelion Descend' and 'Vortex Of Entropy'). All in all, it is a relatively short record with a playing time of just over 50 minutes. And this time, there are no remixes nor other bonus tracks to be found.

Dark electro in general and Object in particular is music that is especially fit for the cold winter months. 'Borderlands' is no exception in this respect. I have not reviewed many releases this year, but I am sure that I am not the only rivethead who thinks this is one of the best albums of 2019. Highly recommended!

CD review: Marjolein Laenen

Bandcamp

Stalingrad Valkyrie: The old world will be collapsing pretty soon.

Many will agree: every opportunity is a good one to have a chat with Elena Alice Fossi. Not so long ago we've talked about the resurrection of Spectra*Paris, and again had a very good reason: the release of Martyrdom Europae, with which after a 17 years break side project Stalingrad , nowadays renamed Stalingrad Valkyrie, comes back to life. Angelo Bergamini also joined in the conversation that also was about the 40th birthday of Kirlian Camera, which makes 2019 an even more special year for both Italian legends.

DE: It was a very big and pleasant surprise when we saw the name of Stalingrad (Valkyrie) appearing at the NCN (Leipzig) festival, I think a lot of people didn’t expect to welcome you back. Why did you decide to return with Stalingrad (Valkyrie)?

Elena Alice Fossi - Don't know any reason why. Let's say it was about time. We recently composed many songs showin' that particular romantic and epically symphonic mood, so we opted for calling Stalingrad Valkyrie back to arms! I've been wanting to do that for a long time...

DE: Kirlian Camera is very active nowadays, and two years ago you’ve made a comeback with Spectra*Paris. Now also SVK joins in. I was wondering, if a new song is born when you rehearsal is there some kind of ranking in which project it (eventually reworked) will be released? Or does it happen when you rehearsal with one of the projects a new song arises that later will be released under another project?

Elena Alice Fossi – It's just a question of mood. We know listeners tend to identify a mood with a music genre, so... if it's complicated enough, a certain new song will be probably directed to Kirlian Camera, whereas complexity meets pop, new drama, futuristic visions and so on. SPECTRA*paris will take care of those paillettes Stalingrad Valkyrie couldn't offer due to imaginable reasons (unless the other part, that is Angelo, likes to paint fucsia a funeral statue!!!). But, it must be added that even in our main projects we not that seldom like to add some unexpected variation, sometimes going to put an atmosphere upside down. It happened with the last – and probably final – studio album of SPECTRA*paris, for example...

DE: SVK, KC and SP are musically three complete different projects, in which way are they different to you in ways of working?

Elena Alice Fossi - Kirlian Camera is “odd” enough for the people, so adding any further influence or sub-genres to our main project looks kinda impossible... it'd turn out to be taken as sheer schizophrenia, by today's listeners! So, it comes out natural to direct any “massive mood” (whether it goes to sound glam, naive or either apocalyptic) to other channels, being differently labelled, in order to underline that one finds himself to step on a different territory. All in all, Kirlian Camera is our most complex creature, today. Someone labels it as “Alien Pop”. We like it, it can represent us. Couldn't be otherwise!

DE: Also striking is that nowadays you added Valkyrie to your name. Is it because this is a new chapter in your history, or does it have another meaning?

Elena Alice Fossi – We've been informed that another band had the same name before we came out with our first album, time ago, although they got no huge popularity; so we decided to respect their long-service and went to add Valkyrie to the name of the project. It was not a sad step at all, as Angelo wasn't that sure he absolutely liked the original name, so we looked for a proper additional word, one having some meaning for Angelo too... Now, he looks happier by far, as his love for Wagner is going to definitely put a big stamp on the band identity!!!

DE: ’Heiliger Regen’ is definitely the key track on the Martyrium Europea album. You sing: “Wir kommen wieder, wir wollen gewinnen”, which sounds very victorious and in which you succeed. What’s this holy rain you’re singing about?

Elena Alice Fossi – Many interpretations possible. Let's say SVK owns kinda real disgust for current trends, whether they're musical, artistic, political and social in general. The Holy Rain you ask about might be found in our need to destroy today's rules, where REAL rebels are fighting alone, being stripped of any respect, even by those who claim to drive a rebellion against “new” and old totalitarisms and oligarchies. The old world will be collapsing pretty soon. A new world will rise, after a... holy rain. We wrote a song about such a joyful need to fight against darkness. And if death is a necessary ingredient of such an above mentioned future... then it's welcome!

                               

DE: Kirlian Camera and Stalingrad absolutely have loyal followers in the dark folk and everything related to this scene. I know some of them like more the old stuff, and don’t follow the more recent things anymore. Is the comeback of Stalingrad Valkyrie also an attempt to please those people?

KC/SVK – No, we are not used to pleasing anybody. We several times proved we are not looking for any special followers, but those who are able to being open minded, those who are tuned in to music research essence itself. We are not a “genre band” and that has been undoubtedly proved many times, too. We could not have monocolored fans: it is simply impossible, due to the effective fact we are manycolored. Time ago, composers were used to jumping from an atmosphere to another, from a deep state of mind, say sadness or even despair, to joy and humour. That reflects kind of “being alive”, as for a musician – a real one - goes: it is necessary not to be fixed on any one way sensation, on one flat emotion only. It would be extremely easier, for us, to pack up many “one genre” albums and singles, as many other bands do in the electro/industrial scene (a scene we are not particularly fond of, as you can easily realize..). That would be perfect to exploit certain audience's request and we would lose less time in research and study. Today's music market tends to offer a global melting-pot called “Pop Music” in which several well-sponsored artists are working being tied to majors: from Editors to Madonna, from Imagine Dragons to Bjork. Different music for a wide nation of listeners and, after all, it must be said there is even more freedom than in some particular independent scenes. Then, there are the niches: Experimental, Gothic, Black Metal, Industrial, etc. All in all, we tend to going our own ways, regardless of the world and of those who claim to be alternative – ignoring the fact they are just another face of musical totalitarism. Reading these lines, you will exactly realize how much pleasing one audience or another means absolutely nothing to us. We are not slick and never will be: our sodality (Kirlian Camera + Stalingrad Valkyrie + Spectra*paris) reflects our purity. We do not reject huge success, but we are not willing to make a deal with this world. Music is our own world and it is a bulletproof world, we could not sell it out for whatsoever human reason, after so many efforts and sacrifice.

DE: If I have to summarize Martyrium Europae in one word, I’d chose for combative. Especially in songs as the earlier mentioned ‘Heiliger Regen’ but also ‘War Aurora’. Do you think this adjective is well chosen? And if so, what do we have to fight?

Angelo Bergamini - Combative and romantic, yes, whereas “romantic” shouldn't sound like an ode to broken hearts but as a strong feeling, one that doesn't find any real acceptation nowadays...

DE: The artwork (and format) of the album is also very beautiful! Could you tell us something more about it?

Elena Alice Fossi - Main image is coming from a Maximilian Pirner's painting, titled “Finis (The End of All Things)”, seemingly made early 900's. Pirner ain't that popular, today, so, given that his painting impressed us much, we opted for using it, although the original front cover of the album looked different, in the beginning. He is a painter of from the so-called style being labelled as “Finis Austriae” and I guess the sensation one may feel once taking a look to the image in question is going to perfectly fits in the general mood of our album. There's a deep sense of loss, decadence and sorrow, but some real sense of power keeps on shining kind of glorious over such darkness.

DE: Martyrium Europae contains a nice blend of neoclassical and electronic music, which artists were an influence in making these songs?

In our previous interview you’ve told me about your eclectical musical taste (Britney to SPK and back), which artists were an influence for the songs of SVK?

Angelo Bergamini – neoclassical and electronics are two main ingredients of our projects, whether you go to meet St. Valkyrie or either Kirlian Camera, not forgetting that even SPECTRA*paris got some strange digression on such a field. However, Elena Alice comes from relevant classic studies; she even was a praised singing teacher when she practically was a child, so she sometimes deeply feels an utter need to come back to the field in question. She is massively open to cutting edge electronics too, so it comes out natural she – at a certain point – would like to compose electro-symphonic music, going to sing on it. “The Black Mother” is a great example of her talent in regard to neoclassical attitude being aware of modern rhythms, although... she kind of surprised me when she came out with “Heiliger Regen”! I had no real suspect of such a powerful and genuine rage, or... let's say Elena is a complete creative musician, so... everytime she goes to surprise... although “surprise” isn't the rightest word, if you know what I mean. It'd be surprising if she didn't surprise, hahaha!!!

DE: You also told me you were looking for concerts with SV, are there already plans for shows?

Elena Alice Fossi – No dates, yet, although one is allegedly going to be planned in Sachsen (Saxony). We held two shows, recently; they have been so hugely appreciated that I couldn't understand this silence. It's to be said we aren't that immersed in any promotion, at the moment, but... who knows? Some people fear SVK, but I actually wonder why. That's music. Don't fear the music, come on... people need real music, REAL EMOTIONS, GENUINE FEELINGS!!! They're so thirsty of and... we really understand them...

DE: Meanwhile you’ve also released a new KC EP (Hellfire), and will release a full album last year. It seems there’s a lot of creativity going on at the headquarters these days?

Angelo Bergamini – Yes, a lot of creativity, you're being right! On the other hand, Elena doesn't know any rest... she hardly sleeps at night! She's in love with her gear, so she never likes the idea of having any social life, for example! She's not a bear, but I guess she loves music above all else, then... music is her real communication system: she hates social networks and promotion. She never likes to pose for photos, so I have to spit out blood for having some. Then, I have to make a lot of shots once she is available for cameras! She's a very kind person, so pleasant and genuinely well-mannered, but she couldn't help being immersed in the studio hours and hours a day. I have to do with an erupting volcano of energy and creativity! Fortunately...

DE: When we talked a few years ago about the latest SP album, you’ve told me Angelo decided to take a step back from the spotlight and let you be the spokeswoman for all projects. He even thought about working behind the stage, is he still considering this?

Angelo Bergamini – Well, here I am! You're right, I'd love to work behind the scenes. Spotlight doesn't fit my identity, although so many times I have had to play that role, in the past. And I don't like to speak about our “interests”, exceptions apart. Then, one speaker is enough!!! Elena Alice actually knows my feelings, you know... let's say none of the two is so able with words, but, given she's remarkably younger... then she'll have to take care of that; just a question of “seniority rights”, eheheh!!!

DE: With Kirlian Camera you worked with Covenant on your latest album. Imagine you could work together with an artist of choice for a new SVK track. Who are you thinking of then?

Elena Alice Fossi – Vangelis Papathanassiou or even Klaus Schulze are the names who are immediately coming to my mind, as well as Laibach, for sure.

Angelo Bergamini – I agree with you, but I'd like to add Miley Cyrus, though...

DE: This year KC will celebrate its 40^th birthday, apart from the new cd I’ve mentioned before, how will you celebrate this event?

KC – let's say we are going to release our first live album ever, AT LAST!!! Then, ideas are so many that we'd need 10 years in addition to make 'em all come true! A big compilation and a brand new album are enclosed in the bag, plus some collaborations with artists we feel real and particular respect for. Don't ask for the names, as it's a bit too early, but... hey... they're sooo great!! We couldn't imagine they liked our music, as they come from other areas. However, there's kind of real admiration, among us... It's astonishing!

DE: Let’s close with a kind of tricky question: Elena Alice, You are also almost 20 years in KC, so imagine someone who’s not familiar with KC comes to you and asks for five tracks he should give a try, which ones would you recommend and why?

Elena Alice Fossi – I think “Sky Collapse” may turn outta be the rightest choice, although it's so recent. Then, I'd add “Helden Platz”, “K-Pax”, “Eclipse” and “The Fountain of Clouds”. But, hey... come on... ain't that easy!!!

Stalingrad Valkyrie