PORTION CONTROL are violently alive!

Portion Control is a British electronic and industrial band formed in London in 1980. The band calls its music style electropunk or hard rhythmic electronics. They are one of the most famous obscure electronic music acts in the world and have been honoured and name checked by the likes of Depeche Mode, Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, NiN & Orbital.


Portion Control is now highly active and creating innovative, uncompromising electronic audio.
After their return in 2004 they have self-released a steady stream of critically acclaimed CDs and EPs, as well as actively presenting their live transmissions at festivals such as the Tinnitus Festival (UK), Reverse Forward festival (Germany), Wave Gothic Treffen (Germany) and the BodyBeats Festival (Belgium), just to name a few.

After the successful release of CROP in 2009, the men return this year with all new material and shows that Portion Control is still breaking new ground and opening new doors in electronic music.

Violently Alive blends some of the more traditional sounds with the new more aggressive dance style.




Bandmembers:
Dean Piavani –voice, electronics, visuals
John Whybrew–electronics, visuals

Discography:
http://www.portion-control.net/discography.html

Genre:
Industrial/EBM/Elektro



Tracklisting:
01. Icon
02. Relapse
03. Skull Kid
04. Amnesia
05. Blood Loss
06. Addiction Rising
07. Rise
08. Waste
09. Guided By My Fear
10. Extraction
11. Stealth
12. Swollen
13. You Hold Me Down

Release-Date:
March 12th, 2010

Year of foundation:
1980

Videolink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVoZWCNcWEs&feature=player_embedded

Order world:

https://www.paypal.com

Order G/A/S:

http://www.poponaut.de

Portion Control @ Myspace:

http://www.myspace.com/porcon

Portion Control @ www:

http://www.portion-control.net

Portion Control Microsite:

http://www.portion-control.net/VAmicrosite/VAmicrosite.html

Labelwebsite:

http://www.sigmedia.us

MERGEL KRATZER debut with Isotop

The overhyped golden age of Neo-EBM is long gone, presently consisting of a handful of exceptions among a flock of hopelessly outdated projects. Innovation? Negative. FRONT 242’s “Geography” and NITZER EBB’s “That Total Age” clearly belong to another age – a fact that is widely ignored in spite of the cult surrounding these works.


But salvation is at hand: As was the case with SPETSNAZ at the beginning of the new millennium, the dearly needed new impulse for a weakening scene again comes from Sweden. Equipped with power, attitude and character, MERGEL KRATZER enter the hard-fought arena – determined to awake the stagnating genre from its slumber. And they are dead serious: Replacing combat boots, camouflage trousers and bald heads with two fistfuls of style, this project is here to stay. To the left and right of music addict and mastermind Joel Nygren, the two alluring damsels Thistel and Julia care for a musical as well as an optical treatment. EBM was never sexier – that’s a promise!


Bearing in mind three decades of a stomping musical category, the Gothenburg-based three-piece storms through its debut “Isotop” and unleashes a highly addictive energy seldom found in today's scene. Bone-dry beats directly from the EBM manual and the fusion of Joels direct vocals and Thistels seductive orders form the outline of a sound which is fascinatingly armed by the modern weaponry of electronic dance music. No doubt: MERGEL KRATZER pay adequate tribute to a classic genre. With smashers like the marching “Prisoner” or “Iso”, the legitimate EBM anthem of the new decade, banging through the strobe light-riven fog, one thing becomes crystal clear: This is Neo-EBM in its purest form: Stylish, sizzling, full of cool energy… and at any time as irresistible as only Swedish girls can be.


“Isotop” will be released as a limited double digipack with three sold-out and Sweden-only EP’s accompanying the revolutionary debut on a bonus disc, tracing the Swede’s development back to 2004.

Forget meaty paroles and goose-steps: MERGEL KRATZER is the new contemporary face of Electronic Body Music. And it is devilishly handsome.

Official promotional pictures – Katrin Kirojood





Bandmembers:
Joel Nygren (Vocals, music, lyrics, production)
Angelica Klüft (Vocals, drums, visuals, design)
Julia Meller (Synthesizer, Russian interpreter)
Isotop (Gas-mask kitten)


Release-Date:
February 26th, 2010

Genre:
Electronica / Industrial

Year of foundation:
2004



Tracklisting:
CD1:
01. Iso
02. Get A Taste
03. Prisoner
04. Serve The World
05. Fuglesang
06. Satisfy
07. Xina
08. Abducted
09. Iso (Syndrome X/209 Mix)

CD2:
01. Virus
02. Satisfy (Rub My Ducky Remix)
03. Deathgame
04. Iso (Minimale Mix by MK)
05. My Freezer
06. The Phuckomat
07. Iso (Project Rotten Remix)
08. Sniper
09. Virus (Kadaver Mix)

Discography:
Virus [CDM] - 2006 via CBR&p [sold out]
the Phuckomat - 2007 [sold out]
Isotop [CD] – 2009 via RecDep
Isotop [2CD Limited Edition] - 2010 via Trisol

Videolink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0udBL-pIKY

Order:

www.poponaut.de

Mergel Kratzer @ MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/mergelkratzer

Mergel Kratzer @ www:

http://www.mergelkratzer.de

Label:

www.trisol.de

ABSURD MINDS celebrate 10th anniversary with new album

For 10 years East German Dark-Wave-Electro-project Absurd Minds of singer Stefan Grossman have played on national and international stages.

Started as a home studio project by Tilo Ladwig and Stefan Grossman, the way of the band rapidly changed in 1999 with their first gig at the scene club "Bunker" in Dresden: They ended up with a label contract on "Scanner" by Frank d'Angelo.

Even the first release, the 2000's album "Deception", struck with great force into the heart of the dark scene. Several albums and singles have been released in the following years. Based on their initial success and the progress they had made, they were given a permanent place in the alternative music scene.

Stylistically inspired by the electro of the early 90’s Absurd Minds are a successful synthesis of melodic pop, powerful EBM and profound lyrics, that forms a coherent unit unparalleled so far.

Owed to that style Absurd Minds now have a very large and enthusiastic global fan base. The album ‚Serve Or Suffer’ – to be released on March 5th – will be the figurehead of the decennial work of Absurd Minds.

The success story of the boys from Dresden will continue and a new chapter be opened on March 5th with the new album ‚Serve Or Suffer’. Ten years after Brainwash they did not lose any of their energy or independence. ‚Serve Or Suffer’ surprises with a well-done fusion of melodies, emotional diversity and memorable compositions. Unmistakably Absurd Minds!

The highlight of the early year 2010.

‚Serve Or Suffer’ will be released on March 5th and comes in a limited first edition as Digipak in a lavish Absurd Minds Design.




Discography (Scanner Releases):
„Brainwash“-Maxi 2000
„Deception“ 2000
„Come Alive“-Maxi 2000
„Damn the Lie“ 2001
„Masterbuilder“-Maxi 2003
„Focus“ 2003
„Herzlos“-Single 2004
„Noumenon“ 2005
„The Cycle“-EP 2006
„Serve or Suffer“ 2010

Bandmembers:
Stefan Grossmann (songwriting, arranging, programming, vocals)
Tilo Ladwig (programming, arranging keyboards)
Timo Fischer (arranging, drums)

Genre:
Alternative / Industrial / Electro



Tracklisting:
01. THE KING
02. HUMAN BOMB
03. INTERCONNECTEDNESS
04. DEFICIT MINDSET
05. PENDULUM SWING
06. ETERNAL WITNESS
07. SERVE OR SUFFER
08. S[HELL]S
09. COUNTDOWN
10. TEAR IT DOWN
11. I ENTER YOU
12. SOMEBODY
13. HOLIER THAN THOU

Release-Date:
March 5th, 2010

Year of foundation:
1995

Videolink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IEbWga5UhU

Order:

www.poponaut.de

Absurd Minds @ www:

www.absurdminds.de

Absurd Minds @ Myspace:

www.myspace.com/absurdminds

Label:

www.darkdimensions.de

ZEROMANCER talk about "The Death of Romance"

Who would have dared to hope that there would ever again be an album which unites melancholy sadness and rock sounds in such an absolutely perfect and catchy fashion?

Many years after the legendary album ‘Razorblade Romance’ from HIM, now ZEROMANCER put out an album which simply takes one’s breath away. So full of beauty, so full of melancholy and yet so full of unbridled rock power. With ‘Sinners International’, the lads from the north proved that they had once more recaptured the essence of their own debut. Radiant, vibrant and beguiling. Shimmering, fascinating and mysterious. ‘The Death of Romance’ rises out of the darkness like the aurora borealis. Back to the beginning and yet at the same time forward-looking. Dark romantic ballads with stunning hooklines in the form of driving, modern industrial rock.

ZEROMANCER are a new and perfect unity of sex, emotion and energy. Rock music is finally once again that which it always should have been. Unaffected and impressive, for girls and boys. The one, with a tear in the eye, is full of yearning; the other goes crazy for the pounding drums and loud electric guitars. Never has one needed to be so little embarrassed about his/her feelings as with this powerful-romantic rock album.

‘The Death of Romance’ is a flawless construction of sweat-inducing industrial rock and a large dollop of emotion.




Biography:
10 years ago Zeromancer breathed new life into the alternative dark wave scene in Europe. By releasing “Clone Your Lover” which was written and recorded in Los Angeles they were immediately greeted a much respected place in the scene. A solid proof of this was the GAMA awards they were awarded for best newcomer the same year.

Only one year later they spinned their sex, drugs and technology motto into another success. Fronted by the hit singles “Dr Online” and “Need You Like A Drug” the “Eurotrash” album made Zeromancer a household name in the genre. Their reputation as a very special live act with their intense presence and their possessive energy, grew fast and they soon headlined their own European tours.

In 2003 it was time for the enigma of “ZZYZX”. The title inspired by a mysterious place out in the Californian desert named the last place on earth. Their third album was a cacophony of a more melodic expression. It was packed with energy, whose dark and yet energetic anthems would stir and not just the underground. With this album they built a large fanbase in the alternative scene in America and toured the country coast to coast, moving on to Europe for their biggest tour to date.

Zeromancer remains a radiant, seductive light which powerfully rises from the mush of the musical landscape.

Now with “The Death of Romance”, rock music is finally once again that which it always should have been. Unaffected and impressive, for girls and boys. The one, with a tear in the eye, is full of yearning; the other goes crazy for the pounding drums and loud electric guitars. Never has one needed to be so little embarrassed about his/her feelings as with this powerful-romantic rock album.

Their The Death of Romance European tour kicks off in Bergen, Norway on March 5. Zeromancer will also be supporting Unheilig for their upcoming Grosse Freiheit tour in Germany.


The Death Of Romance Tour 2010

05.03.2010 N- Bergen Hulen
06.03.2010 N- Stavanger Folken
12.03.2010 N- Trondheim Blaest
13.03.2010 N- Oslo Rockefeller
19.03.2010 D- Bochum Ruhrcongress Hallen (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
20.03.2010 D- Erfurt Thüringenhalle (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
27.03.2010 D- Gießen Hessenhallen (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
01.04.2010 D- München Zenith (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
03.04.2010 D- Berlin Columbiahalle (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
04.04.2010 D- Dresden Alter Schlachthof (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
05.04.2010 D- Dresden Alter Schlachthof (SUPPORT UNHEILIG
06.04.2010 B- Antwerp Trix Club
09.04.2010 D Magdeburg AMO (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
10.04.2010 D- Hamburg Docks (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
11.04.2010 D- Hamburg Docks (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
16.04.2010 D- Leipzig AGRA (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
17.04.2010 D- Köln Palladium (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
23.04.2010 N- Tonsberg Haugarock
30.04.2010 N- Drammen Union Scene
07.05.2010 D- Bielefeld Ringlokschuppen (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
21.-24.05.2010 D- Leipzig WAVE GOTHIC TREFFEN 2010
22.05.2010 D- Stuttgart Liederhalle (SUPPORT UNHEILIG)
12.06.2009 D- Gelsenkirchen, Amphitheater, BLACKFIELD FESTIVAL 2010
15.07.2010 N- Tonsberg Slottsfjellfestival

More dates will be announced shortly

Bandmembers:
Alex Møklebust: vocals
Kim Ljung: bass, vocals
Dan Heide: guitar
Noralf Ronthi: drums
Lorry Kristiansen: keyboards

Release-Date:
March 5th, 2010

Genre:
Industrial / Rock / Electro

Year of foundation:
2000



Trackliste:
01. 2.6.25
02. Industrypeople
03. The Hate Alphabet
04. The Death of Romance
05. The Pygmalion Effect
06. Murder Sound
07. Revengefuck
08. Virgin Ring
09. The Plinth
10. Mint
11. V

Discography:
Studio Albums
2000: Clone Your Lover
2001: Eurotrash
2003: Zzyzx
2009: Sinners International
2010: The Death Of Romance

Singles
2000: Clone Your Lover
2001: Doctor Online
2001: Need You Like A Drug
2003: Famous Last Words
2007: Doppelgänger I Love You
2007: I'm Yours To Lose
2009: It Sounds Like (But It Looks Like Sex)


Videolink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6aLR9LB_MM

Order:

www.poponaut.de

Zeromancer @ MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/zeromancerzentral

Zeromancer @ www:

http://www.zeromancer.com/

Label:

www.trisol.de