News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

The Cure headlines Zillo Festival

• Zillo has announced early Zillo Festival 2002 details. The Cure will headline the event on July 13 and 14. The other 28 live acts have not been named. The festival site is Flughafen Hahn just outside of Frankfurt, Germany. The old Zillo Festival was held at another air field outside Hildesheim, near Hannover, where the festival M'era Luna takes place nowadays.
On-line ticket advance booking is to start shortly and further details are to be announced. The Cure have confirmed no other live dates for 2002 yet.
Tip: check The Cure's mini site for rare audio demo clips and video from last years DVD/CD "Greatest Hits" release. The DVD features hidden extras. /Alex Veronac

Female fronted future pop duo signs contract

• Alfa-Matrix has signed Toronto-based Epsilon Minus. Bogart Schwadchuck programs and Jennifer Parkin does the vocal duties for this, the world's first "female fronted future pop" band. The label describes their music as "edgy yet original". An album is planned for May of this year and of course, there will be a limited edition with a bonus disc containing one non-album track and a slew of remixes. /Peter Marks

New DAF project?
• Gabi Delgado from DAF is in his studio at the moment, working on new material for his project Delgado. The sound is a mixture of techno and the good old DAF sound. /Jens Krause

KMFDM have ripped the system
• The KMFDM web site has been improved and redesigned. /Peter Takizawa

H3llb3nt's Jared hosts Internet radio show



• Jared Louche is fresh from the US Pigface tour in December and now he is doing an Internet radio show from the UK. "The Glamdustrial Rock Machine" airs on the web at 03:00 GMT Saturday each week at www.totalrock.com. Jared was once a part of Chemlab and now his main project is H3llb3nt, that is a force on the Sick City label and site. For more info see our old news on this.
Mute's legendary boss Daniel Miller has a show on Berlin's Radio Eins most Wednesdays at 23:00 CET and there are surprise guests. Check out Miller's "Happy-Hour" webcast and some archived shows at the site. See Release's previous Miller radio show news here. /Alex Veronac

Goth rockers on the way up

• The Swedish goth rock band Deonda was formed in 1997 by five different gents, but split up in 1999. However, the band reformed and now consists of four people. The name was recently changed to Deonda Ltd, and they have put out a promo called "Demonstration 2001". At this point in time they are working on new material, as well as searching for a record label. /Johan Carlsson

Vernon Baur release new music without Talla 2XLC
• The ex-Talla 2XLC producer Vernon Baur has now issued some new material after the split with Talla: the 12" vinyl "Cut Off" via Everlasting Records, and another 12" vinyl on the big German trance label Overdose with the title "The Trip". He goes under the name Phasendreher. /Jens Krause

In Strict Confidence release new album on their own

• The mastermind and head of In Strict Confidence Dennis Ostermann has, after the split with the old label Bloodline, a new label on his own under the name Minuswelt Records. The first release is the new ISC album "Herzattacke" (heart attack). Minuswelt Records has exclusive distribution through Sony in Germany. /Jens Krause

KMFDM to Europe
• After releasing "Attak", KMFDM are going ahead with plans for shows in the UK. The dates are Glasgow (May 14), London (May 16) and Manchester (May 17) together with Rammstein, before the Wave Gothik Treffen gig. Rehearsals are said to have started but no bassist is confirmed as Tim Skold is likely to stay in LA working on Marilyn Manson's new material. More live dates in Europe are to be announced. The KMFDM web site is mentioning a possible Arvika Festival gig.
KMFDM's "Opium" CD release should be ready for pre-ordering soon. Skold will also be missing from Ohgr's live band at the Arvika Festival. Catch earlier KMFDM News here. /Alex Veronac

Another festival in Polish castle

While more and more events are organised in Eastern Europe, bands like Project Pitchfork face new live opportunities close to home.

• Fading Colours, Project Pitchfork, Dance or Die, God's Bow and many others are slated to play the famous Polish Castle Party event on July 27 and 28. The location is Bolkow Castle, Poland and further details can be found on the Castle Party web site. /Peter Marks

Alan Wilder takes a break
• It's quiet from Recoil at the moment, so we tried to find out why. Alan Wilder is taking a musical break in the moment.
- It's a quiet time for me musically, to be honest. Don't expect too much for a while. I'm just taking a long break from it all. I have been offered a few film projects but nothing so far that I'm inclined to really get involved in. /Jens Krause

Second DKay.com album in April


Jürgen Engler is determined to succeed with his new album.

• Mr Die Krupps, Jürgen Engler, will release the second album from Dkay.com in April. The title is "Deeper into the Heart of Dysfunction". The first Dkay.com album was a hard pop album with some female vocals, but the new one is more for the old Die Krupps fans. Jürgen produced the material in a half year alone in Austin, Texas. The political album offers 16 electronic-crossover tunes.
Dkay.com will go on a small festival tour after the release date April 22. The first gig is in Leipzig (Wave-Gotik Treffen) and Jürgen has also told us that after the summer a European tour will start with both Ohgr and DKay.com in one package. /Jens Krause

"The Soul Is in the Software"
• Norwegian techno EBM band Icon of Coil will soon be back with a follow-up to the successful debut album "Serenity Is the Devil". The new album is called "The Soul Is in the Software" and will see the light of day on May 7 (Metropolis). /Johan Carlsson

Skinny Puppy DVD ships late


Skinny Puppy live at Doomsday.
Photo by: Alex Veronac (Release)

• SPV Germany has now shipped the Skinny Puppy reissue on DVD of their previous VHS release "Ain't It Dead Yet", a 70 minute live concert from 1987. No DVD extras were added to the disc but it finally has a corrected track listing. SPV previously shipped Skinny Puppy's "Video Collection (1984-1992)" reissue on DVD last November. These two DVD:s have been available in North America on Nettwerk since August 2001.
Last minute legalities prevented the Sony owned "Process" track "Hardset Head" from appearing on all copies of the "Doomsday: Back + Forth Vol 5 Live in Dresden" CD, it can be found at Nettwerk's Doomsday mini site for MP3 download. Their elaborate Doomsday Festival reunion show from August 2000 has not been compiled onto DVD at this point. See Lotta Kahrle's previous Doomsday review. /Alex Veronac

Fear Factory call it quits
• Cyber metal band Fear Factory has decided to part ways after working twelve years together. Although no official statement has been given, it seems like the reason is that two of the members really do not get along. Two more tracks will be recorded before the split, for an upcoming "Terminator" computer game. No word is said about the different members' future plans, but all involvement in other projects and groups is of course likely to continue. /Johan Carlsson

De/Vision play exclusive gig at Depeche Mode party
• One of the biggest Depeche Mode parties in Germany hosted by Andy Krüger (Melotron) will have an exclusive performance by De/Vision. They will play at the event this Easter, on March 31 to be precise. The location is Alter Schlachthof in Neubrandenburg, and Andy will also be DJ-ing. /Jens Krause, Johan Carlsson

Former DAF/DOS member movie star

DAF/DOS' Gabi Delgado and Wotan Wilke backstage in Stockholm.

• The former live member of DAF/DOS, Wotan Wilke Möhring, has become one of the most popular actors and photo models in Germany. One of his movies, "Das Experiment", was Germany's choice for the Academy Award category best foreign language film.
Wotan is now working on a new German movie called "Anatomie 2". Here some of his other films: "Hat er Arbeit", "St Pauli Nacht" and "Liebe & Verrat". He worked as photo model for the American life-style company Dakota. /Jens Krause

Catching up with Yazoo, Clarke and Moyet
• Short lived but important UK synthpop-wave sensation Yazoo has been the subject of a new tribute CD called "Nobody's Diary". The collection has 19 tracks in total with a couple songs doubled up originally by the melodic early 80's duo. The tribute is being sold through Ninthwave Media (USA), hopefully available on June 25. Preorder by May 28 will get an introductory price and the first 1 000 CD:s will be a limited edition shipping with deluxe booklet.
Ninthwave Records is closely affiliated with nostalgic US Euro 80's chronicle Lexicon Magazine. Yazoo is known to North American audiences under the moniker Yaz due to name licensing issues after their first LP was released in the UK. Yazoo expired in 1983 as songwriter Vince Clarke went on to form Erasure. Erasure is about to release a cover album soon of 60's and 70's standards. Does this sound familiar? Vince's teen bandmate Martin Gore is currently planning a solo effort of cover songs as well, at his home studio.
Clarke is one of many male subjects to edgy UK photographer Rankin in his new publication "Male Nudes" published by Vision On (UK).
Former Yazoo singer Alison Moyet has a new DVD out titled "The Essential Alison Moyet", a collection of 15 solo videos. This is a companion video to last year's audio CD which contains additional Yazoo tracks. /Alex Veronac

Veterans The Damned on Zombie tour

Patricia Morrison. Once Sister of Mercy, now Damned.

• UK punk veteran quartet The Damned are embarking on a US/Canada tour supporting Rob Zombie and their latest studio CD "Grave Disorder". On April 29 their 1988 reunion concert will be released on video/DVD.
After a ten year hiatus, the original line-up of London punk band The Damned reformed to perform a sell-out show in London (UK). "Final Damnation" includes full live footage of the 71-minute long concert, and is complemented by an additional 30 minutes of bonus material. These DVD extras include 1988 band interviews and a brand new Brian James interview, filmed in 2001. The Damned's biggest paycheck probably came from California pop-punk outfit Offspring covering their classic "Smash It up". Now we find originals Captain Sensible and David Vanian with new bandmates Patricia Morrison (ex-Sisters of Mercy, Gun Club), Monty Oxy Moron and Pinch. Morrison has decided not to tour North America with the band this time for personal reasons as Warren Renfrow will fill in for the 38 dates. Incidentally, Morrison is married to frontman Vanian. Their live "Final Damnation" audio CD came out in 1989.
Release will visit and photograph Rob Zombie's New York show. /Alex Veronac

Soft Cell and Das Ich to M'era Luna

Das Ich.

• The German festival M'era Luna in August has just released a bunch of names for this year's festival, among them Soft Cell, Him, Das Ich, Ikon, Suicide Commando, The Gathering and Funker Vogt. /Mikael Kahrle

High German chart entry for Apoptygma Berzerk
• "Harmonizer" from Apoptygma Berzerk has entered the German sales charts at no 21, which is unusually high for a band like that. /Mikael Kahrle

Mortiis on Europe tour
• After the success of dark electronic CD "The Smell of Rain", the one and only troll-rocker Mortiis embarks on a European tour supported by The Crest. Kick off in Hamburg on April 9 and final show in Sweden on April 28 (tbc).
We have a Spotlight standing by. /Mikael Kahrle, Jens Krause

Known from TV

• Release has previously reported on the May release of a new Moby album named “18”, to follow up the immense success of previous album “Play” with over ten million copies sold. We don't know how many million viewers saw Moby on the Olympic Games final. We now have some information on the guest artists said to be featured on the upcoming album. Irish singer Sinead O’Connor will be assisting with vocals on one track and MC Lyte and Angie Stone will contribute to one track together. Female rapper MC Lyte has a catalogue of five albums and Angie Stone comes from the soul and r&b camp.
A video to the upcoming single "We Are All Made of Stars" has been shot and will start airing in April.
Moby has also been given his own TV show on MTV in USA. The program had it’s premiere on February 23. As of yet, there seem to be no plans to bring this program to other regions in the MTV network. Moby has previously been seen with a similar concept on MTV:s M2. On Moby.com, Moby had the following to say about the new show:
- I'll be playing new and old videos and having access to MTV's archives is pretty remarkable. The show is called "Senor Moby’s House of Music", which should convince everyone that I should never be allowed to name things. /Peter Takizawa

In the Nursery show the causes and effects
• April 26 will see In the Nursery's newest addition "Cause and Effect". This album will contain remixes of ITN tracks by Chandeen, Haujobb, And Also the Trees, Attrition and others. The band will include their own special interpretation of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" as well. /Peter Marks

Breaking News: former Bauhaus star in California car crash

• Daniel Ash's bassist Patina Creme is seriously injured from being thrown from the SUV that she shared with Ash's manager, tour manager and Ash himself on March 1. Another vehicle caused a pileup on California Interstate 405 and fled the scene. The offending vehicle was later stopped and the driver has been apprehended. Patina wasn't wearing a seatbelt at the time and is in critical but stable condition in the hospital. The others were not injured.
The incident happened just prior to the first gig as they were enroute to the venue. The first eight shows have been postponed as a result. Ash's spokesman says Ash considered cancelling the tour entirely, but did not want to disappoint fans who have waited nearly nine years to see him perform in the States solo live.
Ash has urged fans to keep their thoughts with Patina. Ash's website will announce information about how to send well wishes to Patina at a later date.
Ash has tempted fans earlier by announcing the live set will include many "treats" from his Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets' days. The tour will now begin on March 12 in Salt Lake City, Utah in support of his self-titled February 5 release on Psychobaby Records. Release will visit the sixth scheduled show in Toronto, Canada. /Alex Veronac

New Camouflage album finally in preparation
• The album that was thought to be released in connection with German pop act Camouflage's latest single "Thief", is called "Sensor" and may still be released. Camouflage signed a new deal a few weeks ago with Polydor. They presented about twenty new songs, an unknown number of which will be picked for "Sensor". A Summer release is loosely scheduled. /Niklas Forsberg

"Lifelines" from A-ha
• Norwegian trio A-ha made a rather successful comeback with "Minor Earth, Major Sky" two years ago. 2002 marks the release of yet another new studio album, "Lifelines". The album is slated for an April 29 release. It will be preceded by the single "Forever Not Yours" on April 2. For the curious souls out there, the new single can be streamed at A-ha's official site. /Niklas Forsberg

Souvenir Records delivers "Popaganda"
• The American label Souvenir Records collection "Popaganda Vol 1" arrived at the office recently. Noteworthy: it mixes traditional electro/synthpop bands like De/Vision and Anything Box with more experimental and diverse acts. Among the most interesting are Duck, a Portuguese funk band and Lifestyle, an American quartet that carries and develops the New Order/Pet Shop Boys heritage. /Niklas Forsberg

Ministry: new label, releases and tour

• Guitar driven industrialists Ministry signed to Sanctuary Records (UK) last month. They have wasted no time in announcing their new agenda as they will release the "Sphinctour" live CD on March 18. Ministry plans to promote the signing and new release with a major headline tour occurring this summer. This collection starts off where 1990's "In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing up" left us. Tracks included are:
"Psalm 69" (Elysee Monmatre, Paris), "Crumbs" (Congress Centre, Stuttgart), "Reload" (Convention Centre, Albuquerque), "Filth Pig" (Varsity Arena, Toronto), "Just One Fix" (Aragon, Chicago), "NWO" (The Palladium, Los Angeles), "Hero" (Gaswerk, Hamburg), "Thieves" (Mercer Arena, Seattle), "Scarecrow" (Jesolo Beach Festival, Venice), "Lava" (Dour Festival, Brussels) and "The Fall" (Brixton Academy, London). A DVD/VHS is to be released on April 8 with the addition of two tracks not included on the CD version: "So What" and "Stigmata". An audio sample of "Just One Fix" live can be found here.
Ministry are currently recording their upcoming album "Animositisomina". Remarks Jourgensen:
- It's the word "animosity" spelled forwards and backwards, minus the "y". It's double the hatred and double the time on my hands... Ministry's last offering on Warner Bros was a greatest hits collection dubbed "Greatest Fits" from last year and a DVD/VHS entitled "Tapes of Wrath" in 2000. Sound familiar? Sanctuary Group (UK) artists also include Megadeth (who coincidentally have a live CD and video coming) so it will be interesting to see how they are marketed. /Alex Veronac

Fresh synthpop update from Leiahdorus
• The debut album from American one man project Leiahdorus, aka Jason Smith, "Ashes, Ashes", is out now on A Different Drum. It brings a new synthpop sound to the table, with its blend of straight forward pop songs and thoughtful ballads. The uniqueness lies mostly in the ability to mix accessibility with more introverted songs, both lyrically and musically. "Ashes, Ashes" is produced by Joey Belville from The Echoing Green. /Niklas Forsberg

Breaking news on Kent


The album cover published yesterday was picked from BMG:s press site. But manager Martin Roos called us and said BMG Denmark did a mistake in releasing that cover image now. We have replaced the album cover with a band image.

• Details on the new, fifth album from Sweden's leading rock act Kent were released today. "Vapen & ammunition" (weapons & ammunition) is scheduled for a preliminary mid April release by RCA/BMG. It is being completed as we speak and studios in Copenhagen and Stockholm has been used this time.
The first single "Dom andra" (the others) premiered live on the Swedish Grammy awards some time ago and will be heard on radio from Wednesday and on. "Dom andra" will hit shops on March 18.
The mentioned release dates are Swedish and we have no details regarding other territories. The last two albums from Kent sold platina in Sweden, but the band has experienced somewhat limited success outside Scandinavia. /Mikael Kahrle

Martin Gore goes solo again
• After playing to 1,5 million fans in 24 countries during the latter half of 2001's "Exciter Tour", Depeche Mode has vowed to lay low in 2002. Martin Gore is once again working on covers for a solo release though.
- I thought rather than sit at home doing nothing, I might go make a covers record, so I'm just doing a covers record on my own this year, he says.
While Gore reports it's too early to reveal his intended track listing, he will begin work on the effort in his home recording studio in California this week. Currently, Gore is considering just how much he wants to tinker with the original songs. /Jesper Lakman (Uselink), Mikael Kahrle

Noiseman Watts compiled



• "The Sick City Volume I" is the name of the new package out from The Sick City mostly featuring noiseman Raymond Watts' projects. Other variants included on the nine track CD are Haloblack, Sow, Pig Orchestra and The Sick.
Raymond Watts recently did some work on three tracks for KMFDM's new "Attak" CD. Pig is to prepare a new album in 2002. /Alex Veronac

Intergalactic glam rock stars



• Glam outfit Robin Black and the Intergalactic Rock Stars' "Planet Fame" on Sextant Records come out on February 19. The album was produced by Moe Berg and Garth Richardson (who worked on Rage Against the Machine's first groundbreaking record). Black's band is known for their all out and wild sleazy stage show including lots of pyrotechnics. The band will travel across North America to the west coast touring in support of their release. The new video for "So Sick of You" can be seen on MuchMusic's affiliate video channel Jyrki soon or online here. /Alex Veronac

Office move complete
• We are catching up with some cool News, reviews and so forth after a busy week. We have moved the office (within Gothenburg, Sweden). Our new address can be found in About. /Mikael Kahrle

Marilyn Manson and Tricky on vampire movie soundtrack



• The movie "Queen of the Damned" came out on February 22 in USA and will be released later in May in Europe. It is a recreation of Anne Rice's gothic series "The Vampire Chronicles". Marilyn Manson does the vocal on a new track called "Redeemer", collaborating with Jonathan Davis from Korn. The soundtrack CD came out on February 19.
Early controversy came about regarding "Redeemer" on screen, but the deleted movie scene featuring the song can be seen here. Manson's voice is said to intentionally resemble the fictional character rock star Lestat's for the song. Full length previews of the soundtrack CD are at http://www.wbr.com/queenofthedamned/. Other artists on the soundtrack include Tricky, Static-X, Kidney Theives and many empty MTV video rocker types. /Alex Veronac

Release release News on the Pet Shop Boys release "Release"
• As previously reported, "Release" is the title for the new Pet Shop Boys full-length, out on March 25. A listen tells us that there are a lot of mellow, slower tracks, mostly guitar driven, but still retaining that certain PSB sound. The single "Home and Dry" comes out on March 18, with two new tracks, "Sexy Northener" and "Always", as well as mixes of both the title track and the track "Break 4 Love" the boys have done with Peter Rauhofer. /Johan Carlsson

New and old collaborators confirmed for the new Delerium album

Leigh Nash reinvited.

• As you know, Rhys Fulber is back on the Delerium band wagon again, and together with Bill Leeb he is now working on the new album. Leigh Nash from Sixpence None the Richer is back on this new venture, and also new collaborators Carmen Rizzo and the new Nettwerk signing DJ K-Rec. Delerium have been nominated for the Canadian Juno Awards in the categories "Best Dance Recording" for "Innocente", and "Best Album Design" for "Poem", made by Bill Leeb's wife Carylann Loeppky. /Johan Carlsson

Cashing in on Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt"



• Rock impresario Rick Rubin is at it again with the original "man in black", Johnny Cash. Cash recently celebrated his 70th birthday and is busy recording a new LP tentatively titled "American Four". It is to include many covers, one of which is Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt". The collection is to arrive this summer. Cash signed to Rubin's American Recordings label some ten years ago, just before Skinny Puppy did as well. Country music's Cash previously covered alternative songs like Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" and Nick Cave's "The Mercy Seat". /Alex Veronac

Daniel Meier keeps them coming
• A new maxi by Haujobb has been finished, and will hopefully be out in March. It's called "Penetration" and features a bunch of mixes of the title track by people such as Assemblage 23, Converter and Forma Tadre. There is also a version of "Unseeing" from "Polarity", as well as a cover of the old Haujobb track "Dream Aid", by Assemblage 23. In a post to the Haujobb mailing list, Daniel Meier mentions a new album, called "Vertical Theory", but no further info is known.
Daniel's side project Clear Vision also has a new release, a MCD called "The Call" out soon, taken from the album "Deception". /Johan Carlsson