Those of you who receive the Deka-Update outside of the U.S. may know it by its other name, Thursday.  I have arranged a nice set of Deka-Features to aid you in your post-Thanksgiving meal digestion. or indigestion, as the case may be. Lots of new stuff by bands you know and love, with none of the "freaky stuff" that might cause you unnecessary acid accumulation in your tummies....

(Bad Lieutenant - Good Logo)

 

BAD LIEUTENANT - "Never Cry Another Tear" (new debut release): I first heard about former New Order/Electronic main man Bernard Sumner's new musical project only recently. Since I have most everything else "Barney" has done, I figured I had to get my hands on the debut by Bad Lieutenant as soon as it was out. Glad I did too, cuz I really like this CD! The sound of BL is a natural extension of his former project Electronic's last album, 1999's "Twisted Tenderness." That album, which looks like it will be Electronic's swan song, was more guitar-oriented than the previous two Electronic releases. BL's debut is pretty much in the same musical vein. So, if you liked "Twisted Tenderness," you'll definitely dig "Never Cry Another Tear." There are synths to be had and heard on the BL album, but the sound has more of an Alternative/Indie Rock vibe to it. So, those of you New Order fans out there who were expecting "Blue Monday 2009" are gonna be a bit disappointed. The songwriting is great on the new CD, and I must say that anytime I hear something new by Barney, I always find myself struck by how he continues to improve as a vocalist. Remember the early New Order days when he had trouble singing in key? Those days are long behind Barney now, as his vocals are one of the highlights here, along with new vocalist Jake Evans, who is quite good as well. Here is a short bio on BL courtesy of Wikipedia:

 

(A Bad Lieutenant never smiles...) 

 

Bad Lieutenant are an English alternative rock band formed in 2007. The band consists of former New Order lead singer and guitarist, Bernard Sumner and Phil Cunningham along with Jake Evans of Rambo and Leroy. Stephen Morris, New Order's former drummer, guests on a number of tracks, as does Blur bassist, Alex James.

Biography

 

Albums

Never Cry Another Tear (2009)

(Electronic - The superb Sumner and the mighty Marr)

 

ELECTRONIC - "Twisted Tenderness" (w/ bonus tracks - 2000 release)/"Raise The Pressure'"(1996)/"Electronic" (1991 debut):  Well, I can't really play Barney's new band, without giving you some of his last one now, can I? I loved Electronic, and thought all three of their releases were great. A lot of people in the musical press have bagged on the second release, 1996's "Raise The Pressure," as being substandard. To that I would say, to borrow an English phrase, "bullocks." Electronic found a great balance between synth and guitar, with Barney's distinctive vocals topping it all off. Plus, Johnny freakin' Marr was in the band, what more could you want?!! To me, Electronic picked up right where New Order left off, just like Bad Lieutenant is picking up right where Electronic left all. It's all been a natural progression, musically speaking, As they say, it's all about the journey. So, enjoy this bio on Electronic courtesy of Wikipedia:

 

 

(Bernard Sumner - just pluckin' & singin') 

 

Electronic were an alternative dance group formed by New Order singer and guitarist Bernard Sumner and ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. They co-wrote the majority of their output between 1989 and 1998, collaborating with Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe on three tracks in their early years, and former Kraftwerk member Karl Bartos on nine songs in 1995.

History

The two first met in 1984 when the Smiths guitarist contributed to a Quando Quango track that Sumner was producing. Later in 1988, Sumner was frustrated because his New Order bandmates were not receptive to his desire to add synth programming to their music. He decided to produce a solo album but found that he did not enjoy working alone, so he called Marr for help.

Inspired by contemporary dance music like Italo house and acts such as Technotronic (Sumner even did a remix of Rockin' Over the Beat in 1990), their initial concept was to release white label records on Factory and remain an anonymous entity, in contrast to their considerable reputations with The Smiths and New Order. The track "Lucky Bag" and the name Electronic itself are two of the vestiges of this initial approach. In 1989, Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant suggested a collaboration when he heard of the budding partnership through sleeve designer Mark Farrow .

The fruits of this union became "Getting Away with It", Electronic's debut single which was released in December 1989 and sold around a quarter of a million copies. It was a Top 40 hit in America the following spring and they toured in support for Depeche Mode in August, 1990. After this success, Sumner and Marr took a more commercial direction, blending synthesizers, guitars and analogue technology whilst retaining the template of contemporary alternative rock.

 

(Johnny Marr - he just plucks...) 

Albums

Electronic

After a year of intensive recording (and eighteen months after "Getting Away with It"), the debut album Electronic was released to critical acclaim and domestic commercial success, featuring the Top 10 single "Get the Message" and another Top 40 single, "Feel Every Beat". The album sold over a million copies worldwide.

As well as its fusion with rock and pop, Electronic continued their interest in dance music by inviting DJs to remix their singles and album tracks; this was a trend that continued throughout their career. Prominent acts that worked on Electronic songs around this period include Danny Rampling, DNA, Dave Shaw and Quando Quango founder and Haçienda DJ Mike Pickering.

After the first album was released and promoted, Marr and Sumner recorded albums with The The and New Order respectively, regrouping with Neil Tennant in 1992 to record their fourth and highest-charting single "Disappointed", which had been played live on a short tour of Europe the previous December.

Raise the Pressure

Electronic was resumed when these activities ended, and work began on the second album in late 1994. The core duo was joined by Karl Bartos, ex-percussionist and songwriter with Kraftwerk (of whom both Sumner and fellow Joy Division member Ian Curtis were fans), who commuted to Manchester for the writing sessions.

After a long period of mixing, Raise the Pressure was eventually released in July 1996 on the Parlophone label in the UK and Warner Bros. in the US, as Factory Records had gone bankrupt in 1992. Like its predecessor it fused dance music with a guitar-led approach, but some reviewers felt its production was too rich and distracted from the songs. Two guitar oriented tracks, "Forbidden City" and "For You", were released as singles and made the UK Top 20, with the dancier "Second Nature" issued in February 1997 and reaching the Top 40.

Twisted Tenderness

Electronic did not promote Raise the Pressure with a tour, although they performed its singles live on television shows like Top of the Pops and TFI Friday. Instead, they chose to swiftly record their third album. This was to be a reaction to the lengthy processes behind Raise the Pressure, with an emphasis on writing and demoing songs quickly before recording them. Marr and Sumner were joined by Doves bassist Jimi Goodwin and Black Grape drummer Jed Lynch, and together they made the album Twisted Tenderness as a more conventional four-piece group. The album did not return the group to their early nineties levels of popularity but was well received by the critics.

Current Status

Neither Sumner nor Marr have gone on record with any formal dissolution of the band despite both having moved onto other projects. However, in 2003 Marr did agree that the band had reached "its natural conclusion" and was happy with the way it ended on a positive note. Sumner recorded with New Order again and in 2009 formed a new band - Bad Lieutenant. Marr has since worked with many acts, including The Healers, Pet Shop Boys, The Cribs and Modest Mouse. Marr and Sumner played with the Doves for the Manchester v Cancer charity concert of January 2006 and the compilation album Get the Message - The Best of was released that September to mild promotion and sales.  www.myspace.com/electronicuk

(Snow Patrol - "Up To Now" cover) 

SNOW PATROL - "Up To Now" (new Best Of 2 CD set): I've enjoyed the music of this Northern Irish/Scottish band for some time now, but this will be the first time I have featured the band on Dekadance. I felt it would be a good time now to do a feature on SP due to the release of the band's new 2 CD "Best Of," entitled simply "Up To Now." This new set also feature several brand new tracks, which are also quite good. In fact, the new single "Just Say Yes" even features some cool synth sounds, and is definitely worth checking out. For those who may be unfamiliar, or hibernating in a musical cave, SP kind of alternate their sound between anthemic, rousing upbeat tunes, and very melodic slower ballads, all of which is topped off by vocalist Gary Lightbody's emotive and evocative voice. Here's some info on "Up To Now" courtesy of Wikipedia:

 

(Snow Patrol say "cheeeze")

Up to Now is the first compilation album of original songs (and third overall) by alternative rock band Snow Patrol. The album features tracks spanning Snow Patrol's fifteen year music career, including tracks from The Reindeer Section, a side-project/supergroup involving musicians from all over Scotland. The album was released primarily as a two-disc set and a three-disc digipak format containing one DVD of bonus material, a limited edition heavyweight box was also sold. Three new songs were released on the album. One of these was "Just Say Yes", the lead single taken from the compilation.

The release has been described by the band as a collection of the band's best loved songs, and not a greatest hits. It was received positively by music critics for not being a typical hits record. The album performed well commercially, reaching the top 5 in three countries and the top 40 in another. It also sold quite well on the iTunes Store.

Background

The album marks the band's 15 year music career. Band members chose songs they like from all five studio releases, and added a few b-sides, rarities and three new recordings to compile the track list. The band's label was originally going to call the album a Greatest hits, however, the band noted that they hadn't had that many hits. They went on to suggest a Best of, before realizing it was along the same lines. Singer Gary Lightbody has made it clear that the album wasn't a greatest hits record, and has expressed his dislike for such. He further explained that the band couldn't have had such an album anyway, as they hadn't had enough hits yet. According to him, the compilation is a way to leave the last 15 years behind, and it looks forward to 15 years in the future. The album's title, "Up to Now" was specifically chosen as to indicate the band has more to offer in the future, and that it wasn't a way of saying goodbye. The band believes that the album signifies a portrait of the band, who they are, "warts and all". Lightbody said it represents the band making a statement, explaining: "We've climbed a hill and now we're looking back and taking in the view for a bit. It's nice to show people that we didn't just arrive overnight". The artwork for the album was revealed on 25 September 2009. The song "Make This Go on Forever" was left off the album. The band found it a tough choice, but they did it as to evenly represent all their albums. They also felt the selections should draw all sorts of fans: those who've supported from the start and those who might be hearing the band for the first time.  www.myspace.com/snowpatrol

(The Killers - "Live From The Royal Albert Hall" cover)

THE KILLERS - "Live From The Royal Albert Hall" (new live DVD + CD set): I've kind of had a love/hate thing going with Las Vegas, Nevada's The Killers for some time now. I loved their first album, kinda hated the second, and then kinda loved the third one again. I also think vocalist Brandon Flowers is sometimes a little too into himself and the whole "Rock Star Fame" crap. But, there is no denying that the band write very catchy, melodic tunes. I like The Killers best when they embrace their love of 80's synthpop bands, and like them the least when Flowers indulges his obsession with Bruce Springsteen. I'm not going to go all into the sound of The Killers, cuz you should all be aware of what these guys sound like. If you aren't, I'm very worried about you, and you definitely need to get out more. This is the band's new live concert DVD + CD, recorded this past summer at the world famous Royal Albert Hall in jolly old London, England. Here's some info on it courtesy of Wikipedia;

 

(The Killers need a ride to the next town...)

Live from the Royal Albert Hall is a live album and DVD by American rock band The Killers. It was released on November 10, 2009 in the UK, Canada and the US. The album is pulled from two nights the band performed at the Royal Albert Hall in July 2009, and also includes footage from festival dates the band headlined during the middle months of 2009  A CD of live material accompanies the DVD as part of the package.

The artwork resembles the artwork for the band's third studio album, Day & Age, and was designed by artist Paul Normansell.  www.myspace.com/thekillers

--------------------------------------

DEKADANCE w/ E.O.

Fri: 9pm - Sat: 1am  PST

KSCU 103.3 FM / Santa Clara CA. USA

www.myspace.com/dekadude

www.facebook.com/eric.l.olsen

DEKADANCE is in its 25th year on KSCU!

The holidays are fast approaching, Xmas ads are constantly on TV, and here in N. Cali, the temperature has already fallen to a chilly 60 degrees!  So, I have some Deka-Features for you this week that will have you shakin' your booty on the dancefloor and getting that blood pumping through you. Think of it as the E.O. energy saving plan, cuz if you're dancing, you don't need to turn on a heater! But first, this info for ya....

SCOOTER - "Under The Radar Over The Top" (new import release)/"Jumping All Over The World" (2008 import)/"The Ultimate Aural Orgasm" (2007 import)/"Excess All Areas' (2006 import live release): When it comes to Techno music, my extensive CD collection begins and ends with the German Techno/Rave band Scooter. One reason is the fact that Scooter has an excellent vocalist and MC in H.P. Baxxter. You see, I generally find instrumental Techno music to be very repetitive and boring, which is one of the reasons I don't have any Techno in my collection. Scooter have but one musical mission - and that is to get your ass movin' and shakin' on the dancefloor. The vocals of H.P. add a lot to Scooter's music, as the guy has a killer voice, even when he shouts instead of sings (H.P. is also a GREAT singer - and I wish he would sing more in Scooter). Scooter's music also has lots of tempo changes and various samples and effects that keep it all interesting. The song length is also worth mentioning here, as Scooter rarely have a track that is much longer than six minutes max, while most Techno acts regularly have tracks that last an hour or more, or at least they seem that long to me.  On the new album, Scooter's track time is the shortest yet, with many tracks barely hitting the four minute mark. That makes each track on the new album practically explode with sonic energy, as Scooter pack A LOT of stuff into each track. Here's a bio on Scooter courtesy of Wikipedia:

("Are you ready for the sound of Scootah!")

Career

Celebrate the Nun and The Loop

Beginning

1998–2002

2002–2006

 

2006–2008

2009 Onwards

Rick J. Jordan and Michael Simon together while promoting Under The Radar Over The Top.

 

Lineup

Current

Former

Sören Bühler (Ferris Bueller, born: 29 September 1971) – 1993–1998, keyboards
Axel Broszeit (Axel Coon, born: 23 March 1975) – 1998–2002, keyboards
Jürgen Frosch (Jay Frog, born: 7 May 1976) – 2002–2006, keyboards

(Mesh - It's like they're playing in your living room!)

 

MESH - "A Perfect Solution" (new release on Metropolis Records www.metropolis-records.com) /"We Collide" (2006 import)/'Who Watches Over Me?" (2002 import)/"The Point At Which It Falls Apart" (1999 import - 2000 domestic)/"In This Place Forever" (1996 import - 1999 domestic)/"Fragile" (1995 import - 1996 domestic debut): Any time the English band Mesh put out a new release, it's an event, as they tend to go several years between albums. Another reason it's an event is because you know that when Mesh put out a new album, it's gonna be a great one. Mesh continue their long streak of musical brilliance with the new album, "A Perfect Solution," which is their first domestic release since 2000. I often compare Mesh to Depeche Mode, in that they both ride the Synth/Rock road musically. However, while Depeche Mode have kind of missed the mark, in my opinion, with their latest album "Sounds Of The Universe," - Mesh just keep refining and honing their sound. They sound stronger than ever on the new album, with an aggression and intensity that D-Mode has sorely lacked recently. Mesh would and should be huge in America, if they would just tour over here. They are a big live draw over in Europe, where they often play in front of large crowds. Of course, if they tour here they would probably have to play small clubs and "holes in the wall." Yet another reason I wish I lived in Europe, so I could see the majority of the bands I like actually play live. For many European bands, playing live here just isn't in their economic interest. That's why I salute they few who do, like Seabound, De/Vision, Covenant, etc. Needless to say, I have never seen Mesh play live, though I have met their live keyboardist and live backing vocalist Geoff Pinckney. I met Geoff at SynthCon 2001 in L.A. when he played with his excellent former group The Nine, who put out two great records on the A Different Drum label at www.adifferentdrum.com. Here is a bio on Mesh courtesy of Wikipedia:

(Mesh - "You cannot pass through this tunnel until you answer three riddles"....)

 

From Wikipedia:

Discography

Albums

Fragile - (1994, Tolerance Records, (TOLCD001)
Fragile - (1995, Memento Materia, MEMO 020) - Reissue
Fragile - (1996, Jarrett Records, CDWERK05) - U.S. reissue with additional tracks
In This Place Forever - (1996, Memento Materia, MEMO 021)
Fragmente - (1998, Memento Materia, MEMO 027) - Compilation album. Featuring singles, b-sides and album tracks
The Point At Which It Falls Apart - (1999, Memento Materia, MEMO 032)
On This Tour Forever - (2001, Synthetic Product Records, SPR 012) - Live album recorded at various venues during 1999 and 2000
Original 91-93 - (2001, Tolerance Records, TOLCD002) - Compilation album. Featuring early tracks recorded during 1991-93 and previously unreleased on CD
Fragmente 2 - (2002, Synthetic Product Records, SPR 029) - Compilation album. Featuring remixes and b-sides
Who Watches Over Me? - (2002, Home Records, 506167 2)
We Collide - (2006, SPV, 82552) - Also released as a Ltd edition with bonus DVD (SPV 82550)
A Perfect Solution (2009)

(Collide - kaRIN searches in vain for the earring she lost)

 

COLLIDE - "These Eyes Before" (new compilation of cover songs): Now, unlike Mesh, I HAVE seen Collide play live a few years ago in San Francisco. In fact, vocalist kaRIN was close enough to me where I could almost reach out to the stage and touch her, though since she was wearing a dress made of razor blades, I might have regretted it had I tried to. It takes a very special kind of woman to pull off a razor-blade dress like that, and kaRIN is definitely that kind of woman. I have had a major crush on her for many years now, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I mean, look at her picture below, which is the cover of their new album of cover tunes - what straight man in his right mind wouldn't have a crush on her?!!! kaRIN has a very sexy and sultry voice that fits her lovely visage perfectly. When she sings, I get goose bumps and start feeling all warm and fussy inside. Her musical partner in crime is the electro-wizard Statik, who creates mysterious electronic soundscapes that fit kaRIN's vocals seamlessly. Statik is himself as mysterious as the sounds he creates, and I have a feeling that if I was standing in front of him, he could read my mind like Spock from planet Vulcan, or something. I can't prove that empirically, so let's just say it's a hunch. . Either way, If I was in a rumble in a dark alley, I'd want Statik on my side, know what I mean? Collide's new album,"These Eyes Before," is an eclectic collection of covers from a wide variety of bands. Not only does the band cover songs from the Alternative music realm, like "I Feel You" by Depeche Mode and "Creep" by Radiohead, but also songs like "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd and "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac. Now, many bands might not be able to pull off covers by such a wide range of bands, but Collide have the musical skill to not only pull it off, but to actually make each song their own. I suspect that has a lot to do with the fact that Collide are fine songwriters in their own right, as anyone can hear by just taking a listen to any of the band's back catalog. Here's a bio on Collide courtesy of Wikipedia;

     

From Wikipedia:  

Full time members

kaRIN – vocals, lyrics
Statik – music, production

Live members

Scott Landes – guitar
Rogerio Silva – guitar
Chaz Pease – drums
Kai Kurosawa – Warr Guitar/bass

 

DEAD BY SUNRISE - "Out Of Ashes" (new debut release): I literally just read about this new band yesterday in the latest issue of the Metal mag Revolver. Yeah, I'm a regular reader of Revolver, you got a problem with that? . While I wouldn't play on my show many of the bands I read about in Revolver, I have actually found out about quite a few of the heavier bands I play in that magazine. Though I have to admit, I actually picked up this latest issue because it was the "Hottest Chicks In Metal Of All Time" issue. OK, I'm a dude, you got a problem with that?  Once I read the interview with Dead By Sunrise, I knew I had to pick this CD up. I have always been a fan of the vocals of Chester Bennington, yes, THAT Chester Bennington from the band Linkin Park. I actually like some of Linkin Park's stuff, in particular, the songs without the damn rapping on them. So, now that Chester has his own band, I think it's time to give him his Deka-Debut. I have only given this album a brief listen so far, as I just got it yesterday, but I like what I hear. Chester is joined in the band by several members of the band Julien-K and Orgy, which are two other bands I like as well. The sound of the band is kind of like a heavier, more Rock version of Linkin Park, mixed with some Depeche Mode-type elements, all topped of with Chester's kick-ass vocals. It's very kool stuff that I think you will enjoy. Here is a bio on Dead By Sunrise courtesy of Wikipedia:

History

Chester Bennington - lead vocals, guitar, keyboard
Ryan Shuck - guitar, backing vocals
Amir Derakh - guitar, synth
Brandon Belsky - bass guitar
Elias Andra - drums
Anthony "Fu" Valcic - keyboards

Discography

Studio albums

Out of Ashes (October 13, 2009) #29 US Billboard 200

(Yet another great concert that the complexities of modern life kept me from attending...)

 

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN - "The Fountain" (import - new release)/"Siberia" (2005)/"Flowers" (2001)/"What Are You Going To do With Your Life?" (1999)/"Evergreen' (1997)/"Very Best of: More Songs To Learn and Sing" (2006 - 1 CD + 1 DVD)/"Ocean Rain" (Original: 1984 / deluxe anniversary edition: 2003): As you read this, some of you may be all, like, "What's E.O., the Lord of Darkwave & Synth, doin' spinning Echo & The freakin' Bunnymen?!!" Hey, lemme give ya the 411 - I was playing what was then New Wave, and what is now often called "Alternative," when many of you reading this were just a twinkle in your daddy's eye! In fact, I'm so old that I recall when Echo & The Bunnymen were a brand new band, and songs like "The Killing Moon" and "The Cutter" were some of the newest, most cutting-edge songs coming out of England. What I admire most about EATB is that they aren't just resting on their 80's laurels, but continue to write great music. I'd even say that the band is writing some of their best songs now, at this point in their career. If you listen to "Siberia" from 2005, I would match that to anything the band wrote in the 80's. While I think the new album "The Fountain" just  barely misses the mark in being as good as "Siberia" was, it's still a really good album. Ian McCulloch still has that one-of-a-kind, instantly recognizable voice, albeit sounding a bit worn lately. Fortunately, that only adds to that pathos in a lot of the songs. Will Sergeant is still one hell of a guitar player, and always comes up with memorable riffs and interesting lines. McCulloch and Sergeant are now the only two original members of EATB left, but they wrote all the songs anyway, so the songwriting core of the band is still intact. I don't know how much more I can tell you about EATB that you don't already know, but here is a bio on the band courtesy of Wikipedia. Oh, by the way, I'll also be featuring EATB's fantastic side-project Elektrafixion, which released their one and only album, the excellent CD "Burned," in 1995. More about that below:

 

 (OK Bunnymen, up against the wall, arms at your side, and don't move!)

 

From Wikipedia:

 

Early years

We had this mate who kept suggesting all these names like The Daz Men or Glisserol and the Fan Extractors. Echo and the Bunnymen was one of them. I thought it was just as stupid as the rest.

Mainstream success

1988 split

Reformation

Echo and the Bunnymen at Paradiso, Amsterdam, in 2005.

(Ian can and will poke your eyes out with his hair...)

Discography

Studio albums

(1980) Crocodiles - UK #17
(1981) Heaven Up Here - UK #10, U.S. #184
(1983) Porcupine - UK #2, U.S. #137
(1984) Ocean Rain - UK #4, U.S. #87
(1987) Echo & the Bunnymen - UK #4, U.S. #51
(1990) Reverberation - UK #19
(1997) Evergreen - UK #8
(1999) What Are You Going to Do with Your Life? - UK #21
(2001) Flowers - UK #56
(2005) Siberia - UK #83
(2009) The Fountain

("Burned" promo front cover - I have a sealed copy that looks just like this)  

 

Discography

Albums

Burned (1995, WEA/Warners, CD/C, 0630 11248-2/-4) UK #38 (2 weeks)

 

COVENANT - "Skyshaper" (2006 - latest studio release)/"Northern Light' (2002)/"United States Of Mind" (2000)/"Europa" (1998)/"Sequencer" (original: 1996 / reissued: 1997, 1999)/"Dreams Of A Cryotank" (debut - original: 1994 / reissued 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999): I just read online at Side-Line Magazine that the long-awaited new Covenant album, entitled "Modern Ruin," has been delayed until Spring 2010. I've included the article below. While that is a for sure a bummer, you might be cheered up by the flyer above, as Covenant will be in concert here in San Francisco this Sat, night, October 17th! So, expect some new songs to be played from the upcoming album, as well as the Covenant classics you know and love. In honor of their appearance here in the Bay Area, I'll be featuring the entire Covenant catalog on Dekadance this week! How kool is that?!! I'll say it for you right now, you're welcome!!!  If you are unfamiliar with the sound of Covenant, they sound like...wait, these guys have been around a long time...if you are unfamiliar with the sound of Covenant, exit the musical cave you've been dwelling in, and go buy one or all of their albums! There, I just saved myself some typing!  Here's some bio info on Covenant courtesy of Wikipeda, and that Side-Line article I mentioned:

 

 

History

Personnel

Current members

Eskil Simonsson – lead vocals, lead composition, engineering, lyrics, production, synths
Joakim Montelius – lead lyrics, composition, production, synths, additional vocals
Daniel Myer – engineering, production, synths, additional vocals (began touring in 2007, now writing and working in the studio)

Former members

Clas Nachmanson – engineering, production, synths, additional vocals (left in 2007)

Discography

Full-length albums

Dreams of a Cryotank (December 1994)
Sequencer (May 1996; March 1997 - 2nd ed.; July 1999 - US version)
Europa (April 1998)
United States of Mind (February 2000)
Synergy (November 2000) : Live Album
Northern Light (October 2002)
Skyshaper (March 2006)
In Transit (October 2007) : Live Album
Modern Ruin (2009 - no specific release date set) 

(Ladies & Gentlemen - I present the great Jarkko Tuohimaa of Neuroactive)

 

NEUROACTIVE - The A Different Drum Singles: Finland's Neuroactive has been a musical staple on Dekadance for many years now. Neuroactive is really the musical alter ego of Jarkko Tuohimaa, who is the handsome lad pictured above and below. Jarkko knows his way around a synthesizer, that's for damn sure! He has written some of the most memorable Synthpop of the last ten years, and beyond. For two albums, 1999's "Fiber-Optic Rhythm," and 2001's "Transients," Jarkko worked with a man who I think has one of the finest voices in Synthpop, a kool kat named Kimmo Karjalainen. Kimmo's vocals were, in a word, awesome. I still listen to those two albums all the time. The earlier Neuroactive stuff had a darker, EBM vibe to them, thanks to the fine other vocalist that Jarkko worked with, a man named Vesa Rainne. Unfortunately, both Vesa and Kimmo left Neuroactive, so for the last two albums, 2005's "N-Gin"and the new CD "Antidote," Jarkko has worked with a variety of the best vocalists in the world of Synthpop. To me, Neuroactive has been up there among the best bands in Synthpop for many years now, and I HIGHLY recommend you check out/pick up their releases. Besides being a master musician, Jarkko is also a nice guy. While I haven't met him face to face, as he lives in Finland and I live in California, I have communicated with him several times via email. Plus, we are both Scandinavian, so that automatically makes us Scanda-homie blood bros!  Many of these Neuroactive singles from the A Different Drum label are out of print, but some may still be available - all the albums can be found at A Different Drum. Here's a bio on Neuroactive courtesy of the band website, listed below:

 

(Jarkko of Neuroactive - watch out! he's using ultrasonics!)

 

From www.elisanet.fi/neuroactive:

Morphology (1994)
Phonic Trace (1997)
Fiber-Optic Rhythm (1999)
Neurology 1994-2000 (2000)
Transients (2001)
N-gin (2005)
Antidote (2009)

(Active Media Disease - "Organic" - back cover) 

A NAME & A NUMBER FEATURE!!! (Band's with a number in their name - get it?!!)

 

 

Isaac Glendening and Matthew Cargil formed Cesium_137 in 1998. Experimenting with various forms of dance music and making an effort to generate new tones within their compositions, the duo began performing at various underground nightspots in their native Philadelphia area. They were uninterested in becoming grouped into the emerging "rhythmic noise" scene, and sought inspiration in classical forms of song structure while maintaining their passion for original sounds. Finding a common interest in progressive electronic music, and pop song structures, Cesium_137 put together a cassette demo for Tom Shear of Assemblage 23, and later recorded a demo Shear produced. This demo, The Art of Controlling and Composing, brought Cesium_137 much success. Their hit song, "Language Without Lies," played on underground radio stations and at night clubs all over the world.

Soon afterwards Vincent Guzzardo joined the duo as a live drummer, bringing a raw enthusiasm for synthpop and EBM, as well as an intimate knowledge of chord progression to their music. They began recording a full-length album with a self-release in mind at West Orange Laboratories and began working with Producer Daniel Kesserich. While recording the album, they caught the attention of Tonedeaf Records, who signed them to release the debut, Advanced/Decay. Their first single, "The Fall," became a dance floor hit. Comprised of remixes by several underground artists, this single took them back to Tom Shear with his remix of "Language without Lies." That song, and "The Fall (edit)" made Side-Line magazine dub their music "a revelation" in the field of EBM.

Advanced/Decay took various elements of the old school EBM and synthpop masters and fused it with projections of the future of electro pop. The disc was Cesium_137's first step into the professional arena and was incredibly popular in the underground Electro/Goth scene. Following that release and many compilation appearances, Tonedeaf Records released their second single, "Regrets." Unfortunately, following that single was the attack on September 11th which led Matt Cargil to join the U.S. Navy.

 

(Cesium_137 - live & direct!)   

Following this loss, preparation began for the next album that not only embraced the band's enthusiasm for trance and synthpop but employed unique sound structures to create a more original sound. The band worked only with notable producers and engineers to ensure quality and to give the band access to a larger variety of tone generation source production options. While more than half of 2004's album Elemental was produced by Cesium_137, the remainder was produced in conjunction with Soundwave2000 Studios in Finland, Danse Macabre Studios Germany, and with their favorite new media Composer, Andreas Meyer (aka Forma Tadre). Cesium_137 also worked on a few mixes at the infamous Studio Crash! with dance music guru and friend Dave Falciani. Each member of the associated team has a background in classical music study, and contemporary electronic music production, bringing a true understanding of song structure in each fold of the production process. Simply put, Elemental was the dream Cesium_137 conjured into reality. It is a perfect synthesis of classic pop song structures, emotive vocals, and hard dance music grafted into one form. Several months later, the Luminous EP was released, featuring remixes by such bands as Imperative Reaction, Haujobb, Flesh Field, and Sweep, as well as four brand new tracks and a multi-media mini movie for the song "The Weakener."

The band began working on their next album, Intelligent Design, during the course of 2005. To tide fans over until it was completed, Cesium_137 released the digital only single, Hollow. Since their humble inception, Cesium_137 hasn't been afraid to experiment with different ideas. With the release of their third album in 2006, Intelligent Design, this evolution had never been more apparent.

While still maintaining their electronic body music roots, Cesium_137 has continued to embrace other electronic dance music genres in order to forge a fresh sound and keep the dance-floors busy. For the duo’s 2007 album, Proof Of Life, they enlisted the talents of accomplished electronic musician/producer Paul J. Geissinger (aka Starkey) for the vocal production elements and drastically changed their mix studio to open up fresh and innovative (analog) avenues of aural manipulation. The evolution of this new sound focuses on Cesium_137’s classical music tendencies as well as their rampant technophilia. Proof Of Life gave thirteen reasons why Cesium_137 is one of the front runners in the trance-pop genre. Prior to the release of the album, the duo released a digital only single for Flight.

In February 2009, Metropolis Records released the out of print The Fall (Version 2) EP as a digital only release. Advanced/Decay (Version 2 Extended) was also released digitally on March 31, 2009. For October, the band is set to unleash their newest album, Identity. Never an act to stagnate musically, Identity finds the band once again pushing the boundaries of electronic music. Seamlessly combining EBM, pop, and trance has been Cesium_137’s modus operandi since its inception, and it quickly becomes evident that they have once again hit their mark. From the opening notes of “Embers,” Identity proves to be harder, darker, and more driving than any of C137’s previous works, while still delivering the melodies that have become their signature sound. 

Cesium_137 is named after a radioactive isotope of caesium. It continues a tradition in industrial music of incorporating a number in the band name, which became popular after the example of Front 242. It also continues the narrower tradition in industrial music of adopting the name of an isotope as the band name, as with Carbon 12 and Front 242 offshoot Cobalt 60. www.myspace.com/cesium137

Discography

Studio Albums

Advanced/Decay (2001)
Elemental (2004)
Intelligent Design (2006)
Proof of Life (2007)
Identity (2009)

And a new album was announced despite several rumors of Colony 5 splitting up or not releasing anything else. It was planned for early that year but this fourth album being their uncompromising, fun album they continued working on it until November and set a early 2008 release date instead. The new single “Knives” is being released inside 2007 though. And it's promising an album with heavier sounds, dirtier sound and less commercial melodies, but with the ever present soul of C5 always being there.  Colony 5 also changes their Germany/Austria/Switzerland record company, signing a deal with Infacted Recordings. They also work closely with Epicentre Booking for their shows in mainly Germany.

Members

P-O Svensson (1999 –)
Magnus Löfdahl (1999 – 2001)
Johan Nilsson (2001 – 2003)
Magnus Kalnins (2002 –)

Discography

Albums

Lifeline – 2002
Structures – 2003 
Colonisation – 2004 (Best of)
FIXED – 2005
ReFixed – 2005 (FIXED remixed by Amplifier) 
Buried Again – 2008