Industrial Plight and Magic: New Material from System Syn, IAMX and Velvet Acid Christ

Industrial artists often pride themselves on being outside the mainstream. Who can blame them? These days, the music industry is changing rapidly, and many artists are turning to either producing their own work, or using independent record labels.

System Syn

If the name System Syn doesn't ring a bell, then it may help to give a brief history. The "group" is actually a solo undertaking from Clint Carney, of the band Imperative Reaction (formed 1996 in L.A.) In keeping with the "underground" nature of their music, Reaction's albums explored such dark themes as the waste created by human imperialism, and apocalyptic visions of the years to come.

Some fans have wondered whether the group is "going pop" (at least in terms of industrial standards), because of the softer, more accessible melodies on their previous release, Mourning Ritual. Such expectations have placed higher demands on the band and its future work.

System Syn is scheduled to release an album entitled Postscript on August 23. Their label Metropolis Records, for a teaser, is releasing the single "Like Every Insect" on May 27, as a digital-only promo. The single is a return to the heavier sound of their earlier albums, with hard beats not unlike predecessors Coil and Front Line Assembly. In addition to the title track, it will contain six remixes of the song, including one by contemporaries God Module.

Though they have announced the release of the single, it is not yet available from such online stores as iTunes; the promo can be pre-ordered from the site now for $4.99. The appropriately disturbing cover art features an insect (possibly a cockroach) preserved in amber; oddly, it seems to have some human qualities as well.

Promotions Director Shannon Ludwig has explained that due to the trend of heavy illegal downloading, anyone who uploads an MP3 of Metropolis' onto a file-sharing site (such as LimeWire) will be electronically tracked down and removed from their system. It is perfectly understandable in this day and age, as very little seems to stop hackers (and casual listeners) from getting their hands on free music.

Metropolis is also home to major artists Velvet Acid Christ, IAMX, and The Birthday Massacre, some of whom will be releasing new material shortly.

IAMX

IAMX is the current project of former Sneaker Pimps mastermind Chris Corner. Metropolis Records describes it as "an electro-glam soundtrack to a Svankmajer film." (Svankmajer is a Czech experimental filmmaker.)

In 2007, IAMX was playing sold-out tours in the U.S. and U.K., reviving Corner's career in full force. His renewed creative projects attracted the interest of record labels, and he was eventually signed to Metropolis in 2008.

May 27, Metropolis will release IAMX's digital-only single "Kiss and Swallow." Rabid fans are lying in wait. As with System Syn, the songs are being kept secure from download until their official release.

Velvet Acid Christ

One of the most critically-acclaimed and widely recognized industrial groups outside of Germany, VAC has gone through several incarnations during its career. Its prime member is Bryan Erickson, who has remained with the band throughout all of its lineup changes. And the name? Allegedly, it was inspired by a bad acid trip.

The band explores grim themes such as serial killers, drugs, child molestation, and the destructive advancement of technology. They released their EP Fun With Drugs the year after signing with Metropolis (1999.) The title track features samples from, appropriately, Terry Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas ("This was not a good town for psychedelic drugs...extremely menacing vibrations were all around us.")

More recently, VAC released a vamped-up remix of Nine Inch Nails' "Survivalism." Though the group has not released a full-length album in the past couple of years, they are still in the process of creating new work, so it may be reasonable to expect something soon!

For More Information

There is a dark underbelly to the world of popular music...this record label has access to it. To discover more of Metropolis' talented roster of artists, visit http://www.metropolis-records.com.