TEST DEPT // XOTOX // CHOKE CHAIN // JE T’AIME // GOTEKI // CAPITAL X // VENTENNER // INTSEC // RED MEAT …and MORE!
TEST DEPT
Industrial agitators Test Dept are currently preparing new live work incorporating noise, rhythm, voice, electronics, bass, custom instrumentation and visuals, for their shows in autumn 2022. These will be their first live performances since the pandemic began. The new material will also inform the development of a new album to be released next year. The group had previously been touring the Disturbance live show in Europe and the USA until all live performances were stopped in 2020. They now look to present an updated show with new perspectives in a very different world.
Over recent years, the group had re-emerged to engage in the cultural and political climate, utilising their extensive archive and exploring new ways of expression in a strategic programme of actions including performance, installation and the publication of their book Total State Machine. Their last album, Disturbance came with much critical acclaim and their new work will continue this process of exploration, discovery and invention. Prior to the new album, TD are looking to re-release a series of remastered albums from their back catalogue.
About Disturbance: Test Dept have looked at the through-lines in the themes of their early works, which expressed an opposition to the expansion of the neoliberal consensus; and now, in these politically turbulent times, have produced a work from within the maelstrom of its demise. A document of creative resistance and a radical response of social solidarity against the straight-jacket of mediocrity.
Program for Progress: Shockwork (1982)
XOTOX
CHOKE CHAIN
“With equal parts metallic cacophonous industrial dance music and a fiery, almost combustible, delivery of vocals, Choke Chain is currently one of EBM’s most interesting acts”
-Post-Punk.com
Choke Chain is the solo project of Mark Trueman, taking influence from Industrial, EBM, Dark Electro, Goth and Punk. The project creates sinister and punishing soundscapes that never let up the intensity and aggression.
https://youtu.be/JXfHhKW1gtU
JE T’AIME
dBoy, Tall Bastard and Crazy Z. are “partners in crime”. New Post-Punk and Coldwave danceable hybrid, they founded JE T’AIME in 2018 and released a first eponymous album coming out from the misty and sinnest dark catacombs of Paris. The music of the trio, signed to both Icy Cold Records and Manic Depression Records, is reminiscent of the great era of the Mancunian Factory. From its first year, the band took part in some major events such as W-Fest and Owls & Bats Festival, while performing all over Europe. A live album called « Live At Gibus » recorded in Paris, followed immediately as a marker of this spectacular start. In 2021, the band was silently focusing on a more important work. They’d secluded themselves on the Brittany coast recording « PASSIVE/AGGRESSIVE », an ambitious double-album. The first part ‘PASSIVE’ was unveiled on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2022. The second part, ‘AGRESSIVE’, will be released on November 1st, the Day of the Dead. Since then, the trio has been on the road again to defend this double album, with notable appearances at European festivals such as the Castle Party Festival in Poland, the NCN Festival in Germany, and the Extramuralhas Festival in Portugal.
GOTEKI
Goteki are a Nottingham & Bristol UK based industrial duo, with a style they describe as ‘Death Electro’, fusing elements of industrial, synth pop, new romantic and occasional epic scoring components (largely influenced by Singer/Songwriter Tregenza’s work as a video game composer).
Studio music is composed and performed by Tregenza, who is joined live by Ali Star on Bass & Synths.
CAPITAL X
Capital X’s hard electronics weave barbed vocal hooks and grinding leads through twisting bass and punchy drum loops, delivering a straight-from-the-shoulder eclectic collection for dark dancefloors everywhere.
Blending inspirations from their strobe-laden stage shows with Atari Teenage Riot, Curses, Gary Numan and Zanias, and range of collaborations with Maethelvin (Valerie Collective), Chikinki and Dame Bonnet, Capital X’s heavy-hitting live offering powers through alternative and experimental electronica, dance, darkwave, synthwave, hiphop, and techno.
VENTENNER
“Ventenner’s album has brought back to metal and alternative music something it’s been missing for the best part of a decade.” – 11 is louder than 10
“ Haunting, menacing and explosive” – Metal Hammer
“ Ventenner are stepping up to reclaim industrial rock for the UK.” – IVM
“This British band could quite easily give Trent Reznor a run for his money” – Retrograde Inversion
For fans of Nine Inch Nails, Deftones, Failure, Tool, Filter, Alice In Chains and Massive Attack.
Formed in London, Ventenner is an alternative rock hybrid blending metal, atmospheric electronics and doomy riffs. Although starting as a solo project in the industrial scene, Ventenner has grown and evolved to occupy a genre all of its own.
Their debut album ‘This Is The Reason’ was released in 2012. A blend of industrial rock and electronica, it paved the way for Ventenner’s entry into the London scene, gaining a following and opening for industrial bands from around the world. 2014’s ‘Distorture’ showed Ventenner exploring a much darker sound. A sprawling, immersive and much darker album, it was the foot in the door to the industry that Ventenner aimed for, landing larger shows, label interest and raising their profile in the scene.
‘Invidia’, released in 2017, presented a much heavier and more visceral guitar focussed sound, influenced by their time spent on the live scene and touring. ‘Invidia’ was critically acclaimed across the board, but followed up almost immediately with their 2018 releases of a B-sides compilation ‘Fragments’, two singles ‘Ataxia’ and ‘Killing Jar’ and an EP, touring extensively promoting the material throughout the following year. Ventenner have been praised in the press as reclaiming industrial rock for the UK and a serious contender for breaking into the mainstream scene.
Their later releases, ‘Hollow Storm’ and ‘Parasight’ again pushed them even further into their own realm, fusing metal, alternative rock, grunge and doom, all underpinned with atmospheric textures. Showcasing a more restrained sound and a vastly different structural approach to songwriting. Their latest releases ‘Signal Collapse’ and ‘Alchemy’ are their first with a more efficient stripped back line up. Sonically, it is paving the way for a more direct and mature sound and a sense of things to come. As a band, Ventenner covers a broad spectrum, both in their sound and their work. A solid and varied discography, intense live shows and a collection of work including remixes, tv and film and collaborations. Ventenner have toured and played with: KMFDM, Skinny Puppy, 3TEETH, The Young Gods, White Ring, Revolting Cocks, Author & Punisher, Mortiis, Orgy and more.
https://youtu.be/1SIGPb5geBU
https://youtu.be/y6mh5LkMSCE
INTSEC
Based in Leeds, UK, where there is a well established history with dark and aggressive electronic music, INTSEC is one of many carrying the torch for the next generation. Influenced by early Industrial pioneers and modern dance music, INTSEC takes inspiration from everything between Einsturzende Neubauten and Throbbing Gristle, to modern Berlin Techno and Dutch Hardcore.
Starting out as a project adhering to the lo-fi traditions of Industrial music, INTSEC’s early work was restricted to as few layered tracks as possible. Creating a dark simplicity in what sounds like they could have been recorded on a 4-track cassette recorder. His sound has evolved over time to become the aggressive wall-of-sound dance floor fillers they are today.
INTSEC has released 4 albums to date with the latest being LIBERATE MAE, released on 4th November 2022.
INTSEC Instagram Page // INTSEC Facebook Page // INTSEC Bandcamp Page
RED MEAT
LET THERE BE MEAT…..
RED MEAT is the solo Industrial infused techno project of Rhys Hughes ded.pixel, and former Modulate Live Member). Taking influence from Wax Trax! pioneers like Revolting Cocks, Meat Beat Manifesto and Sister Machine Gun, and adding a healthy slab of unrestrained queer rage to mix along with punishing techno beats and a dominating physical presence on stage. RED MEAT is a sound entirely out, proud and beating it’s own drum. Angry, sweaty, queer noise from a council estate in the North of England. Hard, dirty, and in your face!
OPENING SALVO
The debut release for RED MEAT – entitled “Homo Vulgaris” was released on Manchester Techno
Label Drone Records in the summer of 2021. In its first week it hit Number One on multiple charts, including EBM, Industrial, and Industrial techno
MY MISSION
Having already played shows around the UK, including Infest’s 2021 “stay-infest” event. I’m looking to expand bookings to include European and Scandinavian events. The second EP – “Hell hath no fury like…” Is currently in production.