Single/Video Review: The Viennagram "Monsters Rule OK!" (Independent) by Dave Wolff

Band: The Viennagram

Location: Providence, Rhode Island

Country: USA

Genre: Experimental, avant garde, punk, post punk

Single/video: Monsters Rule OK!

Format: Digital, streaming

Label: Independent

From the full length ViennaVault (Vol.1), released October 31, 2020

In 1981, a horror anthology produced in Britain, “The Monster Club”, was made featurjng Vincent Price and John Carradine. It was directed by Roy Ward Baker and drew inspiration from the writings of British author R. Chetwynd-Hayes. It was intentionally campy, providing an entertaining perspective on British horror both in print and on screen, featuring subtle inside jokes and creative investigations into the lineage of monsters.

“The Monster Club” failed to resonate with both audiences and critics aboveground, yet since its release it’s had what can loosely be described as a cult audience. A graphic novel adaptation was released in The Monster Club magazine, and two issues of Halls of Horror in 1983. The soundtrack prominently included a track by The Viewers titled “Monsters Rule OK!”. As the movie was released in the early eighties, the song was greatly influenced by punk, with noticeable ska elements introduced through the use of saxophones.

The Viennagram remembers and pays homage to Roy Ward Baker’s film and its accompanying soundtrack by transforming The Viewers’ vision into a blend of ambient, progressive rock, horror punk, psychedelic rock, gothic rock, and new wave, all while maintaining a commercially appealing edge. It's not that easy to classify the approach taken with this cover, but it does expose its commercial aspect to the chilling originality that Bauhaus and Samhain introduced to punk, goth, and horror punk long ago.

The revival of those moods is paired with entertaining, campy vocals that remind you to have a good time at this monster club. By substituting the saxophone with various keyboard sounds, incorporating a robust heavy drum presence, adding choir-like vocals in the chorus, and including background screams during the keyboard solo, they create a theme both dark and uplifting, inviting listeners to join the fun. If “The Monster Club” is ever remade, this cover should be included in the soundtrack. –Dave Wolff

Full Length Review: Today is the Day "Never Give In" (SuperNova Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Today is the Day

Location: Orland, Maine

Country: USA

Genre: Psychedelic metal, noise rock

Full length: Never Give In

Format: Digital, CD

Label: SuperNova Records

Release date: October 3, 2025

"Never Give In" may not be the first to capture the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic or the frustration with the current political climate in the U.S., but it stands out for its ambition. It embodies the resilient spirit that metal has always represented and continues to represent. It showcases a commitment to not be silenced and to carve out one’s own journey despite adversity, particularly now when this message is more relevant than ever.

Today is the Day’s fourteenth album is a two-part conceptual project created by founding member Steve Austin. He initiated this endeavor after establishing his own label SuperNova Records as a means to cope with the significant impact Covid had on him. This label also includes the re-release of his band's back catalogue in partnership with The Orchard/Sony.

Prior to engaging with this recording, the song titles themselves imply a bleak view of dystopian societies and oppressed populations, further detailed in the lyrics Austin crafted for each track. Rather than merely listing society's woes, this serves as a representation of what those in authority are constructing for us, with the aspiration that we can extricate ourselves from this morass and eventually improve our circumstances, as we’ve managed to do on a few occasions.

"Never Give In" serves as the initial segment of this narrative; the follow-up segment is scheduled for release next year. If you immerse yourself in these nine tracks, they’ll be more than enough to generate anticipation for the next chapter. But be forewarned: this is not a hopeful portrayal of the current state of the world. It contains vivid depictions of spiraling staircases of animosity, solitude, self-loathing, and mental conflict.

The repetitive nature of the vocals and verses, with elements of thrash, goth rock, grunge, electronica, industrial, jazz and doom rock, combined with mesmerizing ambient tones, contribute to the bleak subject matter. Additional vocal effects, including whispers, agonized cries of anguish, harsh electronic backing vocals, and monotone speeches, contribute a range of tormented thoughts and emotions as impactful as the diverse musical influences.

The distinctions among the tracks create a disjointed album characterized by unpredictability, which piqued my curiosity about how they intend to advance this narrative on their next album. What will the extent of their musical range be, and will the tone of the lyrics maintain the same level of angst and nihilism as it does here? I’m eager to see the extent to which they’ll exercise this much creative license with the resources they possess, or compound on it. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Steve Austin: Guitar, vocals, electronics, Moog Sub37

Colin Frecknall: Drums and percussion

Tom Jack: Bass

Guest muscians:

Dave Brenner of Gridfailure: Vocals and keys on “Secret Police”

Mac Gollehon: Horns on “Secret Police”

Aaron Polk - Drums on “Psychic Woun

Track list:

1. Divide and Conquer

2. I Got Nothin'

3. Intentional Psychological Warfare

4. Never Give In

5. Secret Police

6. Psychic Wound

7. The Choice Is Yours

8. Pain and Frustration

9. The Cleansing

Full Length Review: Wode "Uncrossing the Keys" (20 Buck Spin) by Dave Wolff

Band: Wode

Location: Manchester

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Black metal

Full length: Uncrossing the Keys

Format: Digital, vinyl, CD, cassette

Label: 20 Buck Spin

Release date: October 3, 2025

I’ve heard of numerous bands with foundations steeped in black metal and classic heavy metal. That Wode is one of those bands doesn’t give me apprehension about exploring "Uncrossing the Keys", especially since I read they’re striving to incorporate more melody and complexity.

This album presents an entirely new level of freshness, genre wise. The addition of post-punk, gothic music, goth metal, dark wave and science fiction metal in the vein of Voivod and Vektor gives their sound depth, infusing it with melancholy, pensiveness, mournfulness, menace, dynamism and majesty, broadening their range greatly. The work by James Atkinson and Magnus Lindberg recording, mixing, and mastering, and their experience with noted metal bands, should resonate with listeners of Paradise Lost, The Crown, classic Marduk, Amorphis, Absu, Limbonic Art, Agathodaimon, Samael, Usurper and Rotting Christ; even Mercyful Fate and Iron Maiden.

These influences would normally seem to be distinct from each other; while each song on "Uncrossing the Keys" draws inspiration from various sources, they’re more cohesively intertwined with the darker aspects of Wode's sound. Listening doesn’t only make me feel I’m being taken back to my discovery of second wave black metal; I feel I’m there discovering it all over again.

The ambient qualities of "Uncrossing the Keys" arises from said musicianship, transforming it into something that envelops you without overwhelming or unnecessary embellishments. This significantly adds to the weightiness of the tracks rather than merely augmenting it. It makes listening like touring a haunted attraction complete with performers, props, dark corridors, and unexpected frights; something like the cover art designed by Set33. Or one specific attraction where a woman undergoes a magical transformation into an ape and escapes from the cage confining her.

It's rather fitting to include song titles like "Saturn Shadow", "Phantom" and "Transmutation" as Wode's diversity reflects the concept that all opposites converge, allowing the physical realm to be infused with the phantom world the band creates. The process of mixing and mastering ensures that everything flows seamlessly together, making it sound epic and infinite, particularly where the vocals and keyboards are concerned. If you reside in Europe and wish to experience this live, Wode is presently on tour, with scheduled performances in England, Ireland, and Germany. –Dave Wolff

Lineup: M. Czerwoni

uk: Vocals, guitar, keyboards, organ

T. Horrocks: Drums, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer

D. Shaw: Guitar, backing vocals

E. Troup: Bass guitar

Track list:

1. Two Crossed Keys

2. Under Lanternlight

3. Saturn Shadow

4. Transmutation

5. Prisoner of the Moon

6. Fiery End

7. Lash of the Tyrant

8. Phantom

9. Dashed on the Rocks

Full Length Review: Moja "I'm Hungry!!" (Overdrive Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Moja

Location: Tokyo

Country: Japan

Genre: Noise rock

Full length: I'm Hungry!!

Format: Vinyl, double vinyl versions bundle, splatter deluxe vinyl, coloured vinyl edition, digifile CD, digital album

Label: Overdrive Records

Release date: September 26, 2025

As demonstrated further on Moja’s "I'm Hungry!!", Japanese bands have consistently had a unique method of storytelling through their musicianship, eliciting profound emotions. From EZO to Sigh, from traditional heavy metal to avant-garde black metal, a purist mentality is embedded in every note, progression, and verse, allowing its authenticity and committed emotion to resonate.

As a drum and bass group that incorporates elements reminiscent of punk, techno, and industrial music, Moja exemplifies this by converting rhythm and distortion into an engaging yet abrasive experience. The greater the length of the songs, the more peculiar and varied they come across; however, each song contains a sufficient amount of peculiarity and variety to share.

Their DIY philosophy has allowed them to maintain complete creative autonomy over their work, free from limitations of time, distilled to its essence, crafted to fully represent the energy they project on stage. The music here is raw, fundamental, and unrefined, lacking adornments that could diminish the impact like gentle, romantic lyrics written to soothe the listener. Otherwise, it would fail to ignite your blood and make your mind feel as though it’s melting within your skull.

Again, the outcome is a multitude of unmitigated emotions that can only be fully comprehended by those who composed and performed these songs. Bound by a punk edge and the comedic flair of certain grindcore and goregrind bands, the tracks on this album navigate through the most unusual genre shifts, depending on what proves to be most impactful at any particular moment.

The tracks may exhibit resemblances to punk and grunge, followed by punk and industrial, then punk and R&B, and finally progressions that are uniquely strange in and of themselves. Among the most unconventional are songs like "Alien" which mixes techno, industrial and electronica, "Making Noise" which includes drum solos at inopportune moments, and "Oh My God!!" which at one point evoke Marilyn Manson and then transition into a form of jazz fusion in the next.

The bio of "I'm Hungry!!" doesn’t provide extensive information about conceptual themes However, in punk fashion (MDC, old Napalm Death), some of them suggest a connection to consumerism and the fast food industry, as well as the public's relentless desire for instant gratification. I wish I had more information to work with, as all the lyrics sound delivered in a fun and entertaining manner, contrasting with the rough edged production and the harsher sounding songwriting.

"I'm Hungry!!" is both self-recorded and self-produced as well as independently written and composed. Therefore, fans of their music can be confident it represents a vision entirely their own. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Haru: Bass, vocals

Masumi: Drums

Track list:

1. Excuse Me

2. Food

3. No Thank You

4. Oh My God!!

5. Alien

6. Making Noise

7. Zero

Single/Video Review: Corrosion of Conformity "Fire and Water" (Nuclear Blast Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Corrosion of Conformity

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina

Country: USA

Genre: Doom rock, southern rock

Single/video: Fire and Water

Format: Digital, streaming

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Release date: September 22, 2025

This may sound extravagant, but Corrosion of Conformity is the stuff of legend. Since 1982, the band has produced socially aware, politically charged, chaotic hardcore, playing a crucial role in the crossover between hardcore and thrash metal.

Their early demos, split and compilation contributions, their albums "Eye For An Eye" and "Animosity" from 1984 and '85, and their EPs "Technocracy" and "Six Songs with Mike Singing" from 1987 and '88, established the groundwork for their distinctive sound which grew into their 1991 single "Dance of the Dead" that marked a significant shift in their sound.

Since the nineties, Corrosion of Conformity gained international recognition for their blend of Black Sabbath-influenced doom rock, blues, southern rock and southern metal. While it may have been commercially viable, I perceive it not as a transformation but as a morphing, with remnants of their original crossover vigor still evident beneath the surface. By implementing nuanced modifications in their songwriting with each album, they successfully avoided becoming monotonous throughout their long career, achieved high chart rankings with their 2018 full length "No Cross No Crown". 

For their most recent single, a rendition of Free's "Fire and Water", the band utilized a relaxed recording environment that allowed them to experiment with various tunes while working on their forthcoming album. They discovered this possible cover serendipitously; initially, guitarist and vocalist Pepper Keenan hesitated to record it, considering the original song to be "sacred ground that should not be tampered with." However, drummer Stanton Moore eventually convinced him to reconsider after he interpreted the song's essence with his unique drumming.

The song was covered to take a break from recording their upcoming album. It was not intended to be overly serious, as the band elaborates, but rather just them playing a classic rock song they like. The cover exudes a sense of casual ease that resonates through the musicianship, resembling a young band in the early stages of their career, green but enthusiastic to get their work out there, deciding on which cover songs they most want to incorporate into their shows.

It appears that if a band, which has been around for an extended period and whose members are in their 50s and 60s, can maintain such an attitude towards listening to and performing music, regardless of whether it’s hardcore punk, thrash metal, or classic rock, that music can fulfill its role no matter how much you age, and you never have to entirely outgrow it. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Pepper Keenan: Guitar, vocals

Woody Weatherman: Guitar

Bobby Landgraf: Bass

Stanton Moore: Drums

Interview with Paul Van Richter of Van Richter Records by Dave Wolff

Interview with Paul Van Richter of Van Richter Records by Dave Wolff

Discuss the beginnings of Van Richter Records, established in 1993, its intended audience, and how you have sustained your activity as a label for over thirty years.

I founded Van Richter Records as I was a huge fan of the industrial music genre and there was a void in the industrial music scene for bands from outside of the USA. Van Richter filled that void with signing and releasing some great bands that were coming out of Germany and Canada that were not getting their music promoted or their music being sold here. At the time the pioneering label in the genre was Wax Trax Records which was on the demise. Ironically the biggest name that was breaking out to the main stream at the time was Nine Inch Nails which Wax Trax had passed on signing. The rest of the bands in the genre never obtained that kind of commercial success as NIN has but have survived with a very small fan base that still carries the flame as we do for the industrial music genre.

Napster was a game changer for all music in every genre as now the fans of music believed music should be free or close to it. It has been a real challenge to stay alive as all the major record stores chains and destination indie stores have shuttered. We saw this coming and therefore went all digital in the early 2000's and have not manufactured any physical goods since that time. We are running lean and mean since then and our partnership with Apple has enabled our label to sustain itself as they actually pay the labels and artists unlike the other streaming retailers out there. Being a digital label also allows us to release music we had in the vault and distribute other artists and labels without the costs, burdens and complications of dealing with physical goods anymore.

What initially struck a chord with you regarding industrial music? Was it the auditory experience and the quality of the musicianship, or was it something more personal to you?

I think it was not only the quality of musicianship but also the angst the spoke to me on a personal level.

Do you recall any of the industrial bands who emerged from Germany and Canada at the time you started?

KMFDM and Skinny Puppy.

Name some physical record and CD outlets that used to operate in your area but have since closed. Are there new stores opening that you’re aware of?

The best friend of the independents artists and labels was Tower Records. Back at their peak Tower had over 100 stores nationwide. Tower Records prided themselves in carrying one of every release and was one of the first stores in the US to have listening stations. It was a game changer when they went under in the early 2000's. I am not aware of any new record stores opening up as it doesn't make economic sense.

I know of local record stores such as Mr. Cheapo, Utopia, and Newbury Comics that continue doing good business. If you’ve seen Tower Records' official site, do you see it still contributing to the industry in any capacity?

I know the owner of Newbury Comics. They have changed their business model a while back to mostly clothing. I don't know much about the other two stores you mentioned as we did very little business with them back in the day when physical sales were booming. As to the Tower Records website someone just bought the name and they are not relevant anymore, just solely an online service.

The spinoff Tower Records online store is owned by a new CEO; I hear the pandemic and new interest in physical media accounts for online shopping. I read a Japanese branch retained the name and is expanding their sales. On this last, does Japan still maintain a market for industrial music?

I believe that Tower Japan was a franchise store that was not affected by the corporate closing of all 100 plus stores everywhere else. We never did any business with that store nor much if any fan base to speak of for the genre in Japan.

Were you in favor of or opposed to Napster when it made news alongside Metallica in the late 1990s? How much more beneficial is it for bands and record labels to operate their own streaming platforms? How much has Apple helped you sustain your label?

I was firmly opposed to Napster who was allowing fans to basically steal music. When they were sued by the Majors and all the indie labels they were supposed to settle with all of us and go legitimate. Instead they filed for bankruptcy and screwed us all. Ironically in the early 2000's some of their staff went to Apple to help launch Itunes. It does not make sense for most bands and record labels to operate their streaming platform as they would have to compete with Apple and Spotify which pretty much own the market. Apple has been a great partner as unlike many other distributors they always pay and their hardware helps drive sales.

To your knowledge, was Metallica the sole band to experience issues with them, or were there other occurrences?

Every band and label had issues with Napster as they were advocating piracy. There is an excellent Documentary entitled "Downloaded" that is spot on as to the long term negative effect Napster has had on the music industry which thanks to Napster is a shadow of its former self,

Streaming services in general assist bands in distributing their music, but would you prefer to see streaming sites provide greater financial benefits to bands?

The streaming business model is designed to only make big payouts to mega artists as the monthly subscription fee is based on pro rata split as to who gets the most streams. There are many articles regarding this issue with Spotify. The subscription model only benefits the streaming company and major artists, not the indie artists and labels.

How much did Wax Trax help industrial bands up until the time it folded?

Wax Trax certainly helped bring Industrial music to more of a main stream audience. They were a victim of their own success as once some of those bands broke out they moved over to the majors. That and trying to expand too big and fast was their downfall.

Trying to expand too rapidly often backfires, while labels that built from the grassroots in the 1980s and 1990s remain active. What do you think accounts for Van Richter's longevity?

There are many labels from our era that went under including TVT Records who had the NIN masters auctioned off for failure to pay back a $30 million loan to the bank. The reason we have lasted is because we adapted to the digital only world and also running lean and mean with minimal staff and interns who work from home.

Which industrial bands have maintained the most longevity with smaller grassroots fan bases?

After NIN there’s a huge drop off in fan base size. The middle tier bands include Ministry and Skinny Puppy then there is drop off to bands like Leaether Strip, Thrill Kill Kult, Oomph and One. There still are plenty of small pioneer bands in the genre with a cult following including Coil, Clock DVA and Swamp Terrorists.

How long have Coil, Clock DVA and Swamp Terrorists been around to date?

These bands were formed in the 1980s.

Which bands have you recently signed that you think more fans of industrial music should be aware of?

Right now we are mainly focused on releasing our back catalog since developing new artists is not cost effective for the reasons discussed in this article as well as the shrinking talent pool. Recent releases include Girls Under Glass’ "Seven", Nice Gods Bleed’s "Nagel Themes" and "The Invincible Sex". We are still open to signing new bands as we curate / influence for Groover.co.

Tell the readers about Girls Under Glass and Nice Gods; their origins, their level of recognition, and your promotional efforts for them. What would make them appealing to industrial music enthusiasts today? In what ways will re-releasing your back catalogue help you financially?

Girls Under Glass has been a pioneering dark wave band since the 1980's. We wanted to honor them with a best of collection plus an unreleased instrumental track after such a meaningful and lengthy body of work. There are fans of the genre that are not familiar with GUG so that release was not only for them but long time fans of the band. Nice Gods Bleed was a one off side project of Myk Jung lead singer of The Fair Sex and Testify. Again that release was intended to fans of those bands. As to releasing back catalog the cost is minimal so there is only upside financially to put it out for us.

What did you mean when you mentioned a diminishing talent pool in industrial music? What do you believe is contributing to this issue?

The problem is most indie bands cannot make a living anymore because of the perception by the public that music itself has minimum or no value because they can get it for free or by an all you can subscription. That is why there are very limited bands coming up.

Being that you’re receptive to signing new bands if it would be cost effective, what unique, innovative qualities would they need to present?

We would be move receptive to signing new bands that have an already developed fan base as well as music we feel is compelling. So far no one out there has fit the bill.

Describe the nature of your working relationship with Groover.co.

We were contacted by that artist platform to curate and act as an influencer for the bands and artists that submit music to them. Our role is to review music that they send us. So far we have reviewed over 1600 songs to date.

Which bands that you have reviewed for Groover.co do you find most promising? Given the current landscape of industrial music, what do you think would define compelling music?

To be honest none really come to mind as we have listened and reviewed over 1600 tracks for Groover. Most bands who come through this platform are doing it themselves and not really looking to get signed.

Would it be financially viable for Van Richter to organize festival shows to help industrial music and promote bands on your label?

The only place that would be viable is in Europe because those countries and fan bases are much more open to counter culture festivals in the genre unlike the US. Also there are huge costs and risks to bring in our bands as they are all from Europe with the exception of DHI who reside in Canada. Tour support for a label is risky enough yet alone putting on an entire festival.

Do you have any other plans for the future of your label you want to tell the readers about?

We are working on a PC video game that we hope to make available in the Steam store in the near future which will showcase our label music image and vision. Stay tuned!

-Dave Wolff

Full Length Review: Demon Christ "Self-titled" (Ragebreed Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Demon Christ

Location: New Jersey

Country: USA

Genre: Brutal death metal

Full length: Self-titled

Label: Ragebreed Records

Release date: January 31, 2026

The hype surrounding Demon Christ suggests something significant on the horizon, something that’s been developing for quite some time yet remains cloaked in secrecy. Described as a charismatic and relentless reckoning, its music serves as a conduit for the raw, unfiltered, and merciless love of a genre that accepts the darkness within as a pathway to liberation from the weaponization of the sacred, from institutions that offer salvation but only bring suffering.

Another description for their debut album is "empowerment through obliteration", as their music and imagery serve as pathways to rebirth amidst the surrounding chaos, blasphemy, and destruction. The band seems to reflect the notion that metal classics thought to promote violent or self-destructive behavior actually serve to deter such conduct in listeners. Only here, they’re confronting the hypocrisy present in organized religion instead of inciting blasphemy.

What gave me this idea was the listening experience of album being compared to a rebirth of a kind. I gather this rebirth arises from the process of confronting, acknowledging, and embracing one's inner darkness, while discovering opportunities for both internal and external transformation. Additionally, it involves recognizing the darkness associated with religious intolerance that may go unacknowledged by those who believe they do right.

The album begins abruptly, instantly poised to crush you with heavy, crunching guitar riffs and profoundly deep guttural vocals. Each drum hit resonates like a rusted nail piercing your flesh, bone and sinew with every strike. The rich production envelops you in inescapable darkness, leaving you little choice but to anticipate your fate. It strikes as a tribute to crucifixion and agony, revealing the profound suffering doled out during the time of the Roman Empire.

These sensations seem to intensify with each successive song, akin to heavy stone weights being placed upon suspected witches during the inquisition. The riffs, vocal arrangements and tempos are meticulously crafted to express anguish born of fury that can be transformed through a slow burn of malice and wrathfulness. This slow burn is depicted as a painfully gradual erosion, involving a process of dismantling followed by eventual reconstruction.

The clean production of the instruments is significantly sharpened by a gritty vocal tone. This juxtaposition appears to amplify the weight of the tracks, frequently merging the slow, mid-tempo and fast-paced segments into a brutal linear blur. Interestingly, this enables the lyrics to be easily understood and permits the accompanying music to share similarities with Mortician, Devourment and Internal Bleeding, with a notable addition of groove death metal.

I couldn't imagine a more fitting release date than Halloween this year, as it is believed that the boundary between our world and the next is at its most fragile. Who knows what might emerge upon listening to this album? Only time will reveal. -Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Dave “The Demon Christ” Incognito: Vocals, lyrics

Marc Petricl: Guitars

Mike Le Pond: Bass

Joe D'Aqui. Drums

Track list:

1. Crush The Swarm

2. Braced For The Nails

3. You Suffer As I Smile

4. The Undying Light

5. Intro

6. Clown Behind The Mask

7. Burn It Down

8. Bow Before My Throne

9. Stalk the Dead

10. Thorns of Sadistic Intent

Single/Video Review: Evoken "None" (Profound Lore Records) by Dave Wolff

Band: Evoken

Location: New Jersey

Country: USA

Genre: Death/funeral doom metal

Single/video: None

Format: Digital, promotional video

Label: Profound Lore Records

Release date: September 15, 2025

Evoken has been causing a stir in the funeral death doom world since their official formation in 1994 (they were active under other names for two years prior). While their core sound has remained relatively unchanged, they continue to adhere to a successful formula while seeking to enrich the atmosphere of their music, always aiming for a heavier, more immersive and deeper experience.

After all these years, they’re adding further depth to their work with a promotional video made in collaboration with director and producer Eva Tusquets to publicize the upcoming release of their album "Mendacium" in October. Evoken's video for "None" stands out as among the most expertly crafted for an underground metal band.

When they succeeded in creating a melancholic yet approachable sound on albums like 2018’s "Hypnagogia", their upcoming release indicates them refining the heavy, disharmonious dirges for which theyr’e best recognized, amplifying the intensity and enhancing the feeling of dread when necessary. This video serves as further proof that bands can maximize their resources and deliver breathtaking visuals reflecting their mindset.

Evoken selected a setting thoughtfully chosen to reflect its theme and collaborated with an extensive professional team, complete with actors, photography directors, lighting and grip operators, set designers, special effects and makeup artists, among others. The professionals they worked with achieved significant progress in bringing their unwavering vision to film, showcasing deep and unsettling imagery that reflects the moods embodied by them and other death/funeral doom bands since the 1990s.

The single and the video are part of a narrative where a fourteenth century aged Benedictine monk undergoes a profound crisis of faith after being afflicted by illness, which confines him to his monastery cell. In the depths of his isolation, he is plagued by an entity that slips into his reality through a rift connecting his realm to the next. Could it be a demon of sorts, a reflection of his fears, or perhaps something symbolizing his yearning to escape from his confinement?

The backdrop of this narrative said to take place during the papacy of Pope Clement VI, who served as pope during the initial outbreak of the Black Death. The atmosphere, settings, lighting, and production quality of "None" all express an aspect of the afterlife where light and darkness converge, resulting in a different realm. A realm akin to purgatory.

The somber mood that "None" opens with, featuring the imagery of an abandoned church and vacant pews, along with the band enveloped in mist, gentle illumination, and shadows... these elements serve as an appropriate introduction. The atmosphere created by the candles and the gentle background lighting brought back memories of the times I attended live performances by bands of this genre.

The monk's solitude in this environment is depicted in a deep manner, yet the imagery slowly shifts to a more surreal and nightmarish quality as his internal conflicts become more evident, ultimately consuming his entire existence. All through this the video leaves the origin of the entity ambiguous, leaving it to you to decide where it came from. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

John Paradiso: Vocals, guitars

Chris Molinari: Guitars

David Wagner: Bass

Guitars Don Zaros: Keyboards

Vince Verkay: Drums

Full Length Review: Mac Gollehon & The Hispanic Mechanics "Pistoleros" (World Funk Orchestra) by Dave Wolff

Band: Mac Gollehon & The Hispanic Mechanics

Location: New York City, New York

Country: USA

Genre: Progressive rock, world music

Full length: Pistoleros

Format: Digital

Label: World Funk Orchestra

Release date: September 12, 2025

Mac Gollehon, a multi-instrumentalist from Manhattan, New York, is recognized for expanding traditional genres with a style known as "modern world fusion." This seems broader than many prior efforts to mix music from different lifestyles and cultures, but does it encompass everything it implies?

With his constantly evolving band, The Hispanic Mechanics, "Pistoleros" seeks to capture a wide range of feelings, from love and beauty to horror and insanity, to immerse you in its complex details. Progressive Caribbean jazz-electronica presents a unique way to transform music into a modern cinematic experience, blending traditional and modern musical styles. What kind of effort is needed to accomplish this, and how successful is the result?

From the outset, it’s obvious that while his music is structured and follows a clear path from start to finish, Gollehon makes use of each part equally, not sticking to any specific method or rule. What comes from his creativity is incredibly unique and innovative, making it hard to fully understand. When you think you can grasp the developing song, something shows up that is completely different from the last one you heard.

The band expertly combines Latin horns and jazzy rhythms with samples, programmed beats, and complex electronic sounds, and mixes tribal percussion with jazz horns and atmospheric keyboards, allowing their creativity to flourish. With extensive experience in rock, reggae, jazz, and Latin music, Gollehon carefully chooses the elements that fit each song's theme and decides how much passion to infuse into the performance.

Gollehon has recently worked with experimental extreme bands such as Today Is The Day, Chrome Waves, and Altars Of The Moon, and he collaborates regularly with Gridfailure. These partnerships seem to have rubbed off on him, as seen in the album's seamless blend of its rough elements and lush atmosphere, leading to a broader cultural and avant-garde exploration of rhythm-and-blues and country-and-western.

The sum of its parts is sometimes filled with existential energy, other times with primal energy, to evoke profound animation, ardor, perplexity and dread. Gollehon had a knack for resonating through the tracks he recorded to bring out those emotions effectively. Moreover, he has a gift for engaging the audience with sections that stray even further from the usual, reminiscent of the Italian progressive rockers Goblin and the score of "Rosemary's Baby."

Mac Gollehon & The Hispanic Mechanics have produced a theatrical trailer to advertise the album, featuring an appearance by Vincent Pastore from the well-known TV series The Sopranos. The theatrical trailer can be viewed at Vimeo. –Dave Wolff

Track list:

1. Pistoleros

2. Stud Poker

3. Sign It

4. Mac Attack

5. Vinny “Bay Parkway Snake”

6. Killer Joe “Zillionario”

7. Atiba “SideEye” Powers

8. Stacked Deck

Interview with Mach FoX of Zwaremachine and Mach FoX by Dave Wolff (third interview)

Mach FoX: vocals
Dbot: bass
Paul K: guitar
Marshal B: drums

Interview with Mach FoX of Zwaremachine and Mach FoX by Dave Wolff

What new developments are happening with Zwaremachine and Mach Fox since our interview in September 2024? You referenced a new lineup, a new release, and an upcoming tour. What about all this do you want to share with the readers?

First of all thank you for your continued support for Zwaremachine and our independent music releases! It's always great to talk with you and we appreciate you sharing our news. As mentioned before the band has added two new members both from the Netherlands, Paul K on guitar and Marshal B on electronic drums. They will both be joining bassist Dbot and I for the EU tour dates this fall and we have also added K-Flesh on electronic drums and guitar for our USA tour dates as we are not able to schedule and predict international travel safely at this time for our Dutch band mates. We hope it will be possible for them to join us next year for some dates in the USA.

The new album which we discussed before has been abandoned as a Zwaremachine release and will now be released as a Mach FoX band album by Phage Tapes in October 2025. The songs all have the classic Zwaremachine trio of Dbot on bass guitar, Dein Offizier on surdo drum and myself on vocals, guitar and synth but as those songs slowly progressed and evolved in the recording and mixing process it became evident that these new songs did not fit the bands live sound. There were long periods of time when I just did not have the motivation to work in the studio after the passing of Dein Offizier and I also took this opportunity to experiment more and add guitars as a main instrument. Zwaremachine bassist Dbot and I decided it was best to release this as a Mach FoX band album and start over on the songs that will become the third full length Zwaremachine release. Many other Mach FoX releases have featured the Zwaremachine band members also as they were outtakes that were not included on Zwaremachine albums but we were still proud of the work and felt they should be heard.

I am excited about the upcoming Zwaremachine 2025 The Machine Comes Alive Tour dates and especially the EU concerts as it will be the first time we will perform as the full four piece band with Dbot and both Dutch members joining myself on stage. The Fall EU concerts start and end in Belgium and although we are performing as a trio for the first two Belgium dates we are very much looking forward to Dbot joining for the remaining shows in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. We then return to the USA for a few select dates in the Midwest and end our 2025 tour on October 25th in Chicago, Illinois.

Did you audition many potential musicians before settling on Paul K and Marshal B? On what basis did you hire them for full-time work?

I had known Paul K through his work with other bands and we became friends on the first European date I played as Zwaremachine in the Netherlands. In some of the more recent songs we had released I was recording myself playing the guitar parts but that didn't seem like the right way to perform live so I wanted to add a guitarist to the band as we were sort of starting over with a live lineup...so I asked Paul K and was lucky that he said yes to joining the band. Marshal B had just joined a friends band called Vuduvox around the same time that we were deciding how best to move forward and with what instruments so I asked figured if he is playing with Vuduvox I would ask him to join us for EU shows and was thrilled that he also said yes. There were no real tryouts for Paul K and Marshal B but we did do a set of Zwaremachine songs at a gig in the Netherlands as Mach FoX to see how it worked and if we all wanted to pursue this lineup going forward.

How effectively are Paul K and Marshal B working into the band for the live European shows? Do you expect they’ll contribute anything new to your performances once the tour commences? Do they have any prior live or studio experience?

They are both working hard to bring the energy up on stage and push the band towards a bit more industrial rock sound especially with the addition of Paul K on guitar. We will still keep the dark electro and ebm elements but can more easily fit onto bills with other rock and goth bands so we are not restricted to only ebm events. Paul K and Marshal B joined me onstage for the first time in February of 2024 in the Netherlands and we played a set of Zwaremachine songs but were billed as Mach FoX since none of us were sure how it would work out. That show went great so I asked them both to join shortly after that and we have done 5 European shows together as Zwaremachine with the most recent being the “Waking The Night” single release show in Belgium in March of 2025. I was also able to record them both on a previous trip and they were included on the “Actions and Forces” song and video we released in August 2024 and will be part of the new album recording.

Both of them play with other bands and Paul K has been in the Dutch music scene for quite some time and is currently a member of La Lune Noire while Marshal B is also a member of Vuduvox which is the band that will be on most of the upcoming EU tour dates with Zwaremachine.

Were there any problems you encountered when it came to organizing travel for Paul K and Marshal B to the United States?

There were no problems but with all going on for travel and visas we decided it was best to postpone and we look at that for 2026 dates in the USA.

Had you known K-Flesh prior to his joining the band for the US tour dates? Who did he work with previously? What do you anticipate he will contribute to your performances when the American tour starts?

K-Flesh joined the band in April 2025 and played with Zwaremachine shortly after that in June for a Minneapolis show which turned out to be his first ever on stage performance! I was impressed and now he is also playing guitar on several songs for the upcoming tour dates. It was important for me to have some sort of consistency for the live sound of the band even though the members can be different for some shows and he has provided that. I had not known him prior to his joining the band and even though he is primarily a guitar player he was able to fit right in and quickly learn the drum parts.

Have you performed in countries like Netherlands, Germany and Belgium before? How wide spread are the audiences for the music your projects play currently?

We have done Zwaremachine concerts in those countries before and the audiences in EU are much more receptive to electronic style music like EBM, dark electro and industrial.

Have you been financing the forthcoming tours independently, or are you looking for support in certain areas?

We receive no tour support, but are able to cover most costs by careful tour management and it also helps to stay in the Netherlands and be close to the borders of several countries so hotels are not needed. We are currently focusing on booking tours around shorter travel distances for now and building up our audience in those areas. Traveling in central Europe is much different than the U.S. Where those distances become much longer.

What methods do you employ to promote your shows and tours and draw substantial audiences? Is it more effective to utilize printed or online advertising?

We use our social media pages and also have an official Zwaremachine (and related projects) Newsletter that we send out a few times a year to select online and print media. We also enjoy having relationships built up over years with publishers like yourself who support the band. That is very much appreciated as we produce and release our music independently.

Do sound files featuring your music, if any, goes out with your newsletters? Or do you include links to your streaming outlets like Youtube and such?

We often do a DJ Promo mailing and an official newsletter mailing and include links in both for music downloads and social media pages for the band.

Which zines and webzines, apart from Asphyxium, have you discussed your future plans with?

We have a promo mailing list that we send our Zwaremachine (and related projects) Newsletter to a few times a year to highlight releases and news so that includes many of our contacts we have built up over the years. There are too many to list!

Are there any tales of traveling through central Europe you want to relate to the readers? How was your experience visiting those locations?

We have been slowly building our following in Central Europe and try to focus on those areas. We are able to stay in a central location that makes it easier to travel and play shows in that region and often can get to concert locations that do not require hotels and long hours of travel which is much different than touring the USA. We will be starting and ending these EU tour dates in Belgium, and one thing I have learned is that they like to party there!

Can you share the bands' experiences recording the songs you plan to release? Did you collaborate with any mixers or producers, or did you handle those tasks independently?

On the Zwaremachine album Conquest 3000 I intentionally worked with two producers and a mixing engineer to achieve some goals with that release regarding the sound and overall sonics. I continue to work with mixing and mastering engineer Jason Orris from The Terrarium in Minneapolis to handle those duties but with the new Mach FoX album we decided to use my own studio mixes and he did the final mastering.

How would you describe Jason Orris' role in extracting your material throughout the recording process?

Jason owns and operates The Terrarium Recording Studio in Minneapolis, MN. And the studio is probably best known for work with rock and indie bands. You can check the website for a list of clients here: www.the-terrarium.com. When Jason mixed our Conquest 3000 album my main goal was to have it hit hard for DJs and the dancefloor and he was able to achieve that really well. I really needed his expertise in the low end and for a balanced mix with clarity since when I mix and produce it can be a bit cluttered...I can't really do anything minimally. He also has mixed the 3 most recent Zwaremachine singles we have released and many of the Mach FoX and related projects as well as the mastering. Most of the time I send him the instrument stems with and without my effects and include a reference mix from my studio which he can use to get close to my production. His mixes are always better and rarely need adjustments so I am thankful to have his ears and talent when it comes to my productions.

What can we anticipate from your upcoming collection of recorded works to be released under the Mach FoX name? Does it in any manner expand on Mach Fox’s earlier releases?

There will be a digital single for the song Biteback released on September 5th 2025 for free download on the Mach FoX Bandcamp site and the new Mach FoX album titled Chaos of Man will be released by Phage Tapes in October 2025 on cassette and digital. The seven songs that are on the new Mach Fox album were originally intended for the third full length Zwaremachine album and were written in late 2023 into 2024 and we started recording before our drummer Bas/Dein Offizier passed away. With the addition of new Zwaremachine members I decided to focus on a more guitar driven style of industrial rock music and though I am proud of the songs they just did not feel right to include in our Zwaremachine live set so it made more sense to release as a Mach FoX album and keep our Zwaremachine catalog more industrial/dark electro style. Those seven songs were recorded by myself on vocals, guitar, synth, programming and Zwaremachine members Dbot on bass guitar and Dein Offizier on surdo drum. The new Mach FoX album could be considered outtakes or an abandoned Zwaremachine album project and many times when we do have outtakes from album sessions and songs that do not fit our Zwaremachine style we have released as Mach FoX which is much more open to different genre styles. You can check out the Mach FoX Bandcamp page to get a better idea of those wider genres offered.

What are some of the genres represented at Mach FoX’s Bandcamp profile?

There are Mach FoX band and solo releases going back to 2005...so quite a number of styles are covered. A lot of experiments in song writing and recording end up under the Mach FoX umbrella for releases on that page and genres like electropunk, electro-industrial, noise, ambient, goth rock, experimental and more.

How long did those outtakes remain on hold before being selected for the new Mach FoX album? What prompted you to resurrect those outtakes?

The 7 songs used for the upcoming “Chaos of Man” album were almost finished in the mixing stage before we decided they were not a good fit and would be better suited for a Mach FoX release. I had been leaning that way since earlier in the recording process but wanted to see the songs through to a final mix before I made that final decision.

Where is Phage Tapes located and how prominent are they as a label? Are they effective in promoting and distributing their releases? Have you previously released anything with them?

Phage Tapes is a local Twin Cities based label that is probably known best for cassette releases in the noise/experimental scene. I think Zwaremachine – Be a Light was one of the first industrial/ebm style releases on the label and I have worked with them to release Zwaremachine, Mach FoX and related projects. I look for a label that we can partner with, meaning we would both promote the release. I don't expect a label to do all the work so it's important we both put forward an effort and Phage Tapes is always good to work with.

Are there additional genres you/re thinking about exploring for future releases?

I won't specifically write for a certain genre in general...but when I start writing new Zwaremachine material it will definitely lean towards certain tempos and sounds that fit ebm and industrial with plenty of dark electro. Those songs will be geared towards live performance and the dance floor.

What elements of Zwaremachine's material will be geared to your live performances? The songwriting, the atmosphere, the vibe, or each of these aspects?

For Zwaremachine it will be more about tempos and energy. We try to keep the energy up for live performances.

What ideas and themes do you intend to draw upon when you begin crafting new lyrics for Zwaremachine’s new material?

I think a lot of lyrics come from my subconscious and I tend to understand their meaning more after they are recorded. I am not sure what themes will come out when I start writing so we will see where the songs go.

Anything more you want to say about Zwaremachine and Mach FoX’s plans for the remainder of 2025 and into 2026?

We hope everyone who comes to a show has a good time and will follow the band or Mach FoX for future developments.

-Dave Wolff

Mach FoX at Bandcamp

ZWAREMACHINE Official YouTube Channel

ZWAREMACHINE at Bandcamp

ZWAREMACHINE at Facebook

ZWAREMACHINE at Instagram

ZWAREMACHINE at X

ZWAREMACHINE at Bandsintown

Interview with Mach FoX of Zwaremachine by Dave Wolff, February 1, 2023

Interview with Mach FoX of Zwaremachine (second interview) by Dave Wolff, September 26, 2024