When an artist from a popular group comes out with a solo album, it always seem to fuel rumors of the band’s demise. Reports of the Sugarcube’s breaking up started spreading even before Bjork released her aptly (though incorrectly) titled “Debut”, but according to the singer, that’s not the case. Although they were the darlings … Read more
With a growing number of American industrial bands making guitars figure prominently in their music, Xorcist’s sound comes as a nice change. The solo project of Bat, who also runs the CyberDen BBS, Xorcist creates highly structured, entirely electronic, “cyberindustrial” dance music. The songs are highly aggressive and manage to avoid repetition without adopting traditional … Read more
To fans of electronic and experimental music, Cabaret Voltaire are truly legends. Since 1978, the Sheffield-based group has been using technology to push the boundries of music to the absolute limits. Originally a trio of Richard H. Kirk, Stephen Mallinder and Christopher Watkins, Cabaret Voltaire are right up there with Throbbing Gristle as the pioneers … Read more
With virtually every major industrial band somehow interconnected with one another through side projects, it was only natural for the burgeoning electronic scene in Boston to also take on this incestuous nature. In Boston, Elaine Walker has proven to be one of those highly prolific individuals involved in several projects at the same time. In … Read more
Techno music, with its emphasis on intense beats and weird electronic noises over traditional song structure, creates a slight problem for its followers. Just how do you describe that great new track you heard at a club when there is no melody or chorus? Oddly enough, people tend to identify the songs by what they … Read more
Although they weren’t the first band to create dark, robotic sounding electronic music, Front 242 are probably the most influential group on today’s scene. Beginning in the mid to late ’80s, an onslaught of new bands have emerged that play aggressive electronic music with often distorted vocals and pounding dance beats. But Front 242 were … Read more
It’s fairly common for electronic musicians to be involved with several projects at the same time, but few have been as prolific as Front Line Assembly’s Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber. In addition to working under the FLA banner, the duo has recorded as Intermix and Delerium and been part of Cyberaktif (with Skinny Puppy’s … Read more
Of the current crop of techno/rave bands, Britain’s Orbital are by far one of the most unique sounding. The group creates a slowed down, often ambient dance sound that comes as a welcome change from all the hardcore that has dominated the rave scene. Orbital also have a unique approach to live performances. Rather than … Read more
By taking chances and pushing the existing technology to the limits, New Order proved to be pioneers of combining rock and electronic music. And unlike many bands of that era, New Order have been able to progress rather than burn out. The group has always managed to stay in touch with the dance music scene … Read more
In 1992, as I was starting up Chaos Control as a hypercard-based zine, I met Trent Reznor over the Prodigy online service. The Nine Inch Nails “Broken” EP had recently come out, and he was in the studio working on “The Downward Spiral.” Naturally, I asked him if I could interview him for my new … Read more