CEVIN KEY - "Anger Is an Acid" (ft. IAMX)

CEVIN KEY: Skinny Puppy founder teams with IAMX on new single "Anger Is an Acid" from upcoming solo album "Xwayxway"

cEvin Key (Skinny Puppy) has released "Anger Is An Acid," the new single from his upcoming solo album, Xwayxway.

Xwayxway, Key's fifth solo album, will be released February 19th on Artoffact Records. "This album may be my most personal," says Key.

On "Anger Is an Acid," Sneaker Pimps founder Chris Corner, also known as IAMX, lends his stunning vocals. Key states: "I wrote the basis of the song about 2 years ago and sent it to Chris on a whim. He held onto it for about 18 months and then one day surprised me with it. When I listened I was really blown away."

Stream "Anger Is an Acid," here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/3zhhlp6RiiBzaliHAgXXKw

Pre-order the album, here: 

https://brap.bandcamp.com/album/x-w-x-way

As co-founder of Skinny Puppy, cEvin Key is renowned worldwide for his contributions to industrial music. Through Skinny Puppy, solo work, and numerous other projects, Key has dozens of releases to his name, spanning almost 40 years, and bears a reputation as one of the leaders who has shaped the genre.

A 2019 Pitchfork article on industrial music states: "Vancouver’s Skinny Puppy are the germinal group of 1980s industrial music, a revolutionary band that pushed the limits of their voices, bodies, and instruments in ways that are still fruitful 40 years later. Their sound came from two gems of 1970s UK underground, new wave synth pop and industrial experimentalism, and offered forth a string of jagged, lo-fi groovy singles that dominated alternative ’80s dance floors. Skinny Puppy also delivered to the masses two iconic musician/performers, cEvin Key and Nivek Ogre, whose powerful, shocking stage shows would define industrial of the decade."

The upcoming new album is named for Xwayxway (anglicized as "Whoi Whoi"), an indigenous village located in what is now Stanley Park in Key's hometown of Vancouver. Key discusses the meaning: "Growing up in Vancouver, Canada, we were many times in our lives taken to Stanley Park... I was surprised to hear only recently of a 3,000 year old village which stood on the spot of Lumbermen’s Arch, its history erased. This instantly explained the many enigmatic sensations, profound feelings, and visions I've had in the park. I truly believe this is something we should have been taught in schools so people would recognize the park sits on Salish land which to this day has never been ceded... I dedicate this album to the spirits of Xwayxway."

In addition to IAMX, the album includes guests such as Edward KaSpel (The Legendary Pink Dots), Otto von Schirach, and Tuvan throat singer Soriah. With such voices adding color, the album cruises through cinematic, industrial-techno soundscapes of Key's creation, ranging from the cold and ominous, to the soaring and ecstatic.

PLOHO - "Танцы в темноте" (Dancing in the Dark)

PLOHO: Russian post-punks release new single "Dancing in the Dark" from upcoming Artoffact Records full-length

From the frozen realm of Siberia, Russian post-punks Ploho have released new single "Танцы в темноте" (translated to English as "Dancing in the Dark)," from their upcoming new album, Phantom Feelings.

Phantom Feelings will see a February 5th release via Artoffact Records, home to Bootblacks, ACTORS, Kælan Mikla, and more of today's most vital post-punk bands from around the world.

Stream the new single, and pre-order the album, here:

https://plohoband.bandcamp.com/album/--8

Ploho frontman Victor Uzhakov describes "Dancing in the Dark": "A song about the last party, where in the dance you forgot everything you should have forgotten long ago. But you were afraid, you didn't want to do it, still keeping your feelings. You probably realized by now that the mood of the album is an attempt to start a new life, to part with the boring past."

Based in Novosibirsk, Siberia, Russia, where the average temperature in January clocks in at two degrees Fahrenheit, Ploho is one of the most prominent purveyors of a “new wave of Russian music,” reflecting its homeland by way of a cold, wistful style of rock. Wielding melancholy guitars, minimalist beats, and deadpan Russian vocals, Ploho draws inspiration from the aesthetic and sounds of the late Soviet era of the 1980s, just before the collapse. The band's bleak rock references Russian bands of that time period, such as Kino, as well as post-punk royalty like Joy Division.

Formed in 2013, the trio has emerged as a household name in its native Russia, and has slowly built up a dedicated fanbase in Europe and abroad. To date, Ploho has recorded four albums and several EPs, as well as more than 10 singles, which they supported by touring more than 40 cities in Europe, several times. The band has appeared at prominent festivals including Боль in Russia, Kalabalik in Sweden, and Platforma in Lithuania. In 2019, they teamed up with Belarusian band Molchat Doma (Sacred Bones Records) to collaborate on a song titled "Along the Edge of the Island."

Photo by Artur Mamleev

DEAF CLUB - "The Wait" Killing Joke Cover/Benefit

As described by BrooklynVegan, "Deaf Club -- aka Justin Pearson (The Locust, Retox, Head Wound City, etc), Brian Amalfitano (ACxDC), Scott Osment (Weak Flesh), Jason Klein (Run With The Hunted), and Tommy Meehan (The Manx, Chum Out!) -- have followed their debut EP and remix EP with a cover of Killing Joke's 1980 post-punk/industrial classic 'The Wait' to help raise money for Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight initiative, who are working to help flip Georgia blue in the runoff Senate election on January 5, which would enable the Democrats to gain back control of the Senate."

Read more, including a statement from Justin Pearson, and check out the accompanying music video at BrooklynVegan, here.

Purchase the track, here: https://deafclub31g.bandcamp.com/album/the-wait-killing-joke-cover

Accompanying video for “The Wait” by Displaced/Replaced.

Deaf Club is a savage sound bath dripping with sardonicism: a blastbeat-centric hardcore punk assault channeling crust, thrash, and grind (un)sensibilities. Succinct  pauses, surreal frequencies and effects, breakneck pace and sharply hurled vocals characterize the band’s aesthetic, which  seems as though it is rooted in a sort of nasty-sound-meets-highbrow-message ethos. Fueled by the onslaught of society’s insanity and driven mad by tinnitus, the band approaches music as an opportunity to confront our collective sicknesses. Last October, the band released their debut EP, Contemporary Sickness, as well as a Remix cassette EP of bonus remixes. A new, full-length album is in the works with an intended release in 2021.

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CEVIN KEY - Xwayxway

CEVIN KEY: Skinny Puppy founder to release fifth solo album via Artoffact Records; new track streaming, featuring Edward KaSpel (The Legendary Pink Dots)

As co-founder of Skinny Puppy, cEvin Key is renowned worldwide for his contributions to industrial music. Through Skinny Puppy, solo work, and numerous other projects, Key has dozens of releases to his name, spanning almost 40 years, and bears a reputation as one of the leaders who has shaped the genre.

A 2019 Pitchfork article on industrial music states: 

"Vancouver’s Skinny Puppy are the germinal group of 1980s industrial music, a revolutionary band that pushed the limits of their voices, bodies, and instruments in ways that are still fruitful 40 years later. Their sound came from two gems of 1970s UK underground, new wave synth pop and industrial experimentalism, and offered forth a string of jagged, lo-fi groovy singles that dominated alternative ’80s dance floors. Skinny Puppy also delivered to the masses two iconic musician/performers, cEvin Key and Nivek Ogre, whose powerful, shocking stage shows would define industrial of the decade."

Xwayxway, to be released February 19th on Artoffact Records, is Key's fifth solo album. Key explains the album's significance amidst his massive body of work: 

"It's a statement based on many life experiences. It's probably the closest I've felt to making an 'old school'-style album, as far as just working alone and zeroing in on what means something to me. I guess they say you make music for yourself first. So in some ways this album may be my most personal."

Stream new single "Night Flower" from Xwayxway, featuring haunting guest vocals by Edward KaSpel of avant-rock heroes The Legendary Pink Dots (and a longtime collaborator of Key's in the band The Tear Garden): 

Bandcamp: https://brap.bandcamp.com/track/night-flower-with-edward-kaspel

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0wjIqbIB5du9aiZplektOU

KaSpel is one of a handful of highly notable guests to appear on Xwayxway, including IAMX, Otto von Schirach, and Tuvan throat singer Soriah. With such voices adding color, the album cruises through cinematic, industrial-techno soundscapes of Key's creation, ranging from the cold and ominous, to the soaring and ecstatic.

The album is named for Xwayxway (anglicized as "Whoi Whoi"), an indigenous village located in what is now Stanley Park in Key's hometwon of Vancouver. Key discusses the meaning in detail:

"Growing up in Vancouver, Canada, we were many times in our lives taken to Stanley Park. Situated in the city’s west end, it’s a 10,000 acre forest with a lake in the center. I remember being in diapers at the beach with my mom, or riding the mini train that went through the forest or perhaps a day at Lumbermen's Arch after the the ritual activities of zoo and ice cream.

"When no longer a child, Stanley Park became a place where I would still go, for many years, to hang out with friends. Though we viewed it as a place to take mushrooms and get stoned, I have a memory of time together in the park for every friend I’ve had.

"While riding my bike for miles, I'd often come across strange places in the woods which struck me as quite magical. I had no idea what they were, because no school ever taught the history of the land we only knew as Stanley Park. I was surprised to hear only recently of a 3,000 year old village which stood on the spot of Lumbermen’s Arch, its history erased. This instantly explained the many enigmatic sensations, profound feelings, and visions I've had in the park.

I am saddened by the story of Xwayxway. I truly believe this is something we should have been taught in schools so people would recognize the park sits on Salish land which to this day has never been ceded. Perhaps that is why no one mentions it, or its secret mysteries contained within. [Skinny Puppy's 1990 album] 'Too Dark Park' refers to this park, and I feel that title to now be an only more appropriate reference, given its dark history. I have an immense love for the forest in the park. It can speak. I could feel this inspiration deeply. I dedicate this album to the spirits of Xwayxway."

Pre-order the album, here: https://orcd.co/xwayxway

• All tracks written and produced by cEvin Key
• Recorded at Subconscious Studios, Vancouver, Canada
• Mixed by Greg Reely (tracks 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10), Omar Torres (track 4), cEvin Key (tracks 5, 8, 11, 12)
• Mastered by Greg Reely

Tracklist:
1) Thirteen
2) Night Flower (ft. Edward KaSpel)
3) Anger Is an Acid (ft. IAMX)
4) Orange Dragonfly
5) Thunderbird
6) Dark Trail (ft. IAMX)
7) Tomahawk (ft. Traz Damji)
8) Kullakan (ft. Soriah)
9) Watching You (ft. Edward KaSpel)
10) Sorry, I'm Going to Think Positive
11) Third Eye (ft. Otto von Schirach)
12) Resonance

Musical guests (a.k.a. The Electronic Subconscious Orchestra):
Edward KaSpel - vocals (tracks 2, 9)
IAMX - vocals, electronics (tracks 3, 6)

Traz Damji - electronics (track 7)
Soriah - vocals (track 8)
Otto von Schirach - vocals (track 11)
Dre Robinson - drum machine (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11)
Guilherme Pires - electronics (tracks 1, 5)

Omar Torres - electronics (track 4)

Eric In Quantum - electronics (track 1)

cEvin Key solo discography:
Music for Cats (1998)
The Ghost of Each Room (2001)
The Dragon Experience (2003)
Brap and Forth Vol. 8 (2018)
Xwayxway (2021)

Skinny Puppy discography:
Remission (1984)
Bites (1985)
Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse (1986)
Cleanse Fold and Manipulate (1987)
VIVIsectVI (1988)
Rabies (1989)
Too Dark Park (1990)
Last Rights (1992)
The Process (1996)
The Greater Wrong of the Right (2004)
Mythmaker (2007)
HanDover (2011)
Weapon (2013)

KANGA - "Godless" video

KANGA: Treble premieres industrial-pop songstress' "Godless" music video; livestream performance announced

Los Angeles-based artist/producer KANGA has teamed with Treble to premiere the music video for her new single, "Godless."

Stream the music video, here:
https://www.treblezine.com/kanga-godless-video/

"Godless" is the first single from KANGA's forthcoming sophomore album, You and I Will Never Die. The album will be released March 26th on Artoffact Records. Written and performed entirely by KANGA, the album was mixed by Justin McGrath (Nine Inch Nails) and Brett Romnes (Brand New), and mastered by Nick Townsend (Dr. Dre, Garbage).

KANGA gives this statement about the new video: "Venturing out to the unforgiving desert to film this continuous shot in the heart of darkness was an adventure greater than anything I could have dreamed of. Thank you to our brilliant director MJ Bernier (One of Many documentary, Boy Harsher's "Motion" music video) who brought this to life and thank you to our cinematographer Gemma Doll-Grossman and assistant camera Kendall Edwards for executing the shot. Special thanks to Kris Esfandiari for being an integral set of eyes, hands, and brains, Michael Mendoza for the on set photography, and our grip Jonathan Velazquez. This project is very special to me and I couldn’t have done it without you all. And thank you to everyone at home, I hope you like the video."

As displayed on "Godless," KANGA's dark, danceable pop is marked by her commanding, ethereal vocals, and an undercurrent of industrial elements. An article at The Brvtalist humorously described the style as "Elvira meets Robyn." In KANGA's own words: "Nine Inch Nails and Skinny Puppy are probably my biggest influences and in terms of artistry I am a huge Fiona Apple, Cyndi Lauper, and Kylie Minogue fan. I like to exist somewhere between a dance floor and a brooding cityscape."

You and I Will Never Die follows KANGA's much acclaimed, self-titled, debut album, released in 2016. She states that the new album's lyrics illustrate "the emotional journey through a toxic relationship."

KANGA has toured the US, UK and Europe with Gary Numan, The Black Queen (Greg Puciato of Dillinger Escape Plan) and more. In addition to making her own music, KANGA is a producer and remixer whose credits include mixing the new Dalmation single (Kristina Esfandiari of King Woman) and creating remixes for 3TEETH, clipping., Danny Blu and more. She also composes for film, notably assisting horror composer Joseph Bishara on scores for the Insidious and Conjuring films.

Stream "Godless" via Spotify, here:
https://open.spotify.com/album/0fUkgjSKEzNdWE7tQzBdLG

Stream "Godless" via Bandcamp and pre-order the new album, here:
https://kanga.bandcamp.com/album/you-and-i-will-never-die

KANGA will be performing "Godless" live for the first time during a special livestream performance on Thursday, December 10th at 5 pm Eastern Time. The cost is "pay what you can." Link to attend: https://www.stageit.com/KANGA/92020

Photo of KANGA, by Michael Mendoza

SPIRITWORLD - Pagan Rhythms vinyl + Godlessness book

SPIRITWORLD: Las Vegas crushers announce "Pagan Rhythms" vinyl and "Godlessness" book

Las Vegas-based metallic hardcore act SpiritWorld turned many heads this summer with the release of debut album Pagan Rhythms –– a feast of Slayer and Sepultura-inspired thrash, hardcore swagger, occult imagery and Western themes reflecting the upbringing of SpiritWorld mastermind Stu Folsom and his Nevada home. Folsom enlisted an ace team of collaborators to help realize his infernal visions, including drummer extraordinaire Thomas Pridgen (The Mars Volta, Trash Talk) and producer Sam Pura (Self Defense Family).

Stereogum's review of Pagan Rhythms declared: "SpiritWorld... rips so hard. Folsom delivers all of his lyrics in a vast demonic bellow, and the music is a fast pummel that occasionally takes on the grisly grandeur of death metal. There’s also any old-timey country song in there."

Folsom described his unique set of influences with this statement: "My great grandmother was Cherokee... My grandfather was a rodeo cowboy and ranch hand... There was a mix of George Jones, Slayer and 7 Seconds constantly blasting in the family car and I fell in love with all of it... I am making the records that I long to hear and I know they will land somehow in the arms of loners, outcasts and working-class folks like me who need them."

Now, at long last, the first vinyl pressing of Pagan Rhythms is available, via Safe Inside Records – a limited pressing of 500, consisting of four color variants.

Also now available: the first edition of Godlessness, a collection of Western/horror short stories penned by Folsom, set in the universe of Pagan Rhythms. "Think equal parts classic Western pulp like Louis L'Amour and the twisted genius of Clive Barker and you are in the ball park," he says. The book was edited in part by the late Riley Gale, vocalist of Power Trip, and Folsom and dedicates the book to his memory.

Pre-order Pagan Rhythms vinyl and the Godlessness paperback, along with SpiritWorld merch (including new shirt designs and limited edition toys), here:

https://spiritworldprophet.com/

Pre-order two exclusive vinyl variants and an exclusive shirt design from Safe Inside Records, here:
https://deathwishinc.com/collections/safe-inside

"SpiritWorld has been my own DIY effort from the start and I am really excited to partner up now with the great folks at Safe Inside and Deathwish," states Folsom. "Great to have an awesome team to help collaborate and get this record done the right way."

"SpiritWorld is really just one person, the Vegas doomsayer Stu Folsom, though other musicians, like the former Mars Volta drummer Thomas Pridgen, also play on 'Pagan Rhythms'... It rips so hard. Folsom delivers all of his lyrics in a vast demonic bellow, and the music is a fast pummel that occasionally takes on the grisly grandeur of death metal. There’s also any old-timey country song in there. 'Pagan Rhythms' is one more extremely good reason to bang your head today."

–Stereogum

“Slayer-esque riffs are spat out by razor-sharp guitars that wrap around the listener and constrict like barbed wire; the drums, half of which are by Thomas Pridgen (ex-The Mars Volta), half of which are by Adam Elliott (ex-Apiary), hammer the ears with enough force to destroy solid concrete; Folsom’s vocals sound like they’re the product of a child created by a Max Cavalera/Jamey Jasta hate fuck. There’s also some country-western flavoring, a product of Folsom’s admiration for country singers like George Jones, country-punks like John Doe, and bleak Western storytellers like Cormac McCarthy..."
–MetalSucks

"The ability to dodge spinkicks and backfists in venue-encompassing mosh pits will continue to be vital when SpiritWorld begins playing live more regularly, but that’s only the start of the checklist. Revelers will also require loose neck muscles to headbang freely to the black-metal blast beats and death-metal riffs, air guitars for the cocksure classic-rock swagger and, perhaps most importantly, Stetson hats and boots to match the lyrical content... SpiritWorld takes its name from a line of dialogue in 1988 Billy the Kid-based blockbuster film 'Young Guns,' and the Western influence pervades the material."
–Las Vegas Weekly

Out today: CITY OF INDUSTRY - False Flowers

City of Industry's new album, False Flowers, is out today on Amerikan Aesthetics.

Listen and buy, here:

https://cityofindustry.bandcamp.com/album/false-flowers

Stream the music video for the title track, here:

https://cvltnation.com/sweet-poison-revenge-city-of-industry-false-flowers/

From Seattle, WA, City of Industry mix earnest melody, crusty annihilation, and Seattle gloom –– for fans of Ceremony, Dystopia, His Hero Is Gone, Converge, and Pixies. The trio expands its sound into new realms of musicality on False Flowers –– anthemic hardcore is peppered with piano, viola, radio transmissions, and at least one majestic David Gilmour-esque guitar solo. Vocalist Ossa Humiliata pens remarkably poetic lyrics; he names Rainer Maria Rilke and W.H. Auden as inspirations. The album was recorded by Nich Wilbur at The Unknown in Anacortes, WA (Mt. Eerie, Sumac, Angel Olsen); mixed and mastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Gouge Away).

"City Of Industry’s sound is a wracked, intense take on metallic hardcore; they’re the kind of band that would’ve fit just fine alongside Converge or Integrity on a late-’90s bill. But they’re not fundamentalists, and they also take inspiration from a few generations of scuzzy noise-rock."
–Stereogum

"A Seattle area power trio, City of Industry is as prolific as it is multifaceted. Guitarist and singer Ossa Humiliata pens tunes with a firm foundation of emotional and metallic hardcore, then bends those songs into other related-but-unexpected shapes: cherubic rock akin to early Smashing Pumpkins as well as hyper-melodic squatter anthems as distressed as Dystopia."
–Decibel

"Seductive metallic hardcore... City of Industry’s rage and despair-filled songs feel like they’re opening something in me so that I can see who’s really there and what I’m capable of. This is music that ceases all distractions and demands you feel something."
–CVLT Nation

"City Of Industry... rock your face off."
–Metal Injection

"City of Industry keeps up their furious pace with False Flowers... With a sound that has drawn comparisons to Ceremony, Dystopia, and His Hero is Gone..."

– No Echo

"False Flowers is a multi-faceted release, full of dynamic interplay, varying moods and judicious use of samples to create a deeper listening experience. Yet City of Industry does it all within the framework of punk and hardcore. Heaviness and cathartic emotion abound, and despite the surprising number of elements they incorporate, none of the songs exceed four minutes, and most of them are less than two. It’s a tightrope walk but one the group performs effortlessly. This album expands upon hardcore, without ever leaving it behind."

–Burning Ambulance

"Next to their dynamic and often brutal metallic hardcore, Seattle's City Of Industry have shown their partiality for other genres and aspects of indie rock... Broken Cisterns Hold No Water shows that exact tendency for expansion, and the trio's ability to blend inherent brutality with more emotive ways."
–Destroy//Exist

"The record twists and shakes with fist-pumping fury, and the rich dynamics that City of Industry have incorporated into their work give the album an off-kilter and somewhat demented feeling. City of Industry sound like they’d be exhilarating to see at a live performance, with an avalanche of hoarse emotional energy..."

–Captured Howls

"#27 Best Album of 2020."
–Heaviest of Art