Around 1984, the brothers began acquiring synthesizers, discovering the inherent sonic possibilities that these instruments allowed. They began to experiment with these instruments, with recording techniques, and even rudimentary sampling with taped based equipment.

In 1988, the brothers added vocalist Rich Mendez to their roster, and adopted the name Benestrophe. They made two tapes as Benestrophe using only a 12-channel mixer and a $100 stereo TEAC tape deck (incidentally the same equipment used for the first Mentallo release), and surprised even themselves with its sound quality. Much of these tapes are now available on Benestrophe’s “Sensory Deprivation” CD and “Auric Fires” (RAS DVA). Benestrophe ended in 1990 when the Dassings moved to another part of the state, and then began their work as Mentallo and the Fixer. A DAT tape of “No Rest for the Wicked” was sent to Portugal’s Simbiose Records, and was released on vinyl in a limited edition of 500. (It was re-issued on CD by Metropolis in 1998 as a double CD with additional unreleased tracks and remixes.) A subsequent tape was sent to Talla 2XLC of Zoth Ommog fame, who signed the band to a three-record deal within two weeks.

Though actually their second album, “Revelations 23″ was their first proper release, and gained the attention of Metropolis Records, who began their long association with Mentallo and the Fixer with this masterpiece. Like its predecessor, “Revelations 23″ was filled with anger: snarling distorted vocals, hard cutting sequencer rhythms, and a thunderous beat. Their next CD, “Where Angels Fear to Tread”, displayed considerably less rage than their previous work. The CD showed tremendous musical growth and artistic maturity, being very complex and emotional, with dark Gothic overtones. The CD was met with almost universal acclaim.

In 1994, the Dassings joined forces with vocalist Michael Greene to create the trio Mainesthai, releasing “Out to Lunch” and “Mentallo Meets Mainesthai”, which was more melodic and humanistic than Mentallo. Both were released in 1998. 1996 saw Mentallo’s first national tour, which was met with rave reviews by both critics and audiences alike. Following this tour, Mentallo and the Fixer began on their next album, “Burnt Beyond Recognition”, which was released in 1997. In addition to the album, Gary and Dwayne put together two singles for “Burnt Beyond Recognition”, called “Centuries” and “False Prophets”.

1999 saw the departure of Dwayne from Mentallo and the Fixer. Gary continued on his own, with the release of the “Systematik Ruin” single and the “Algorythum” full length CD. Gary’s vision for this release was different from his previous work, with the incorporation of live drumming, a more experimental approach to electronics, and a more positive outlook on the state of things. Gary quickly returned in 2000 with another Mentallo and the Fixer album, called “Love is the Law” Following in the same vein as the previous release, “Love is the Law” was yet another endeavor into the more experimental and avant-garde style of electronic music. In 2001, Mentallo release “Return To Grimpen Ward”, an anthology which featured fourteen re-mixed and re-recorded tracks that spanned over the first ten years of the band’s career. That same year, M&TF returned with yet another new studio album, the ominious “Vengeance Is Mine”. Heralded as a return to form for Gary Dassing, it fused several elements from all of the previous releases, while at the same time showcasing an artist who was sticking to his guns during a time when dance-oriented club music was all the rave. Shortly after “Vengeance Is Mine” was released, Gary fell just below the radar…but he was not sitting silent. This industrial icon has been slaving away at new Mentallo & The Fixer tracks for the past four years to prepare for his newest sonic achievement: “Enlightenment through a Chemical Catalyst”. Teaming up with the up-and-coming Static Sky Records in 2004 (and at last being united on a label with his longtime friends Fektion Fekler!), Gary Dassing would finally return to his long-waiting fans. Expect the unexpected. This is Mentallo & The Fixer…phase two.

Also see The Mentallo & The Fixer Website
and
http://www.myspace.com/mentalloandthefixer

Edge of Dawn’s humble beginnings started off in 1998 as Mario Schumacher’s solo project. Influenced by Nine Inch Nails, Covenant, Front Line Assembly, Skinny Puppy, Front 242, Depeche Mode, and Mentallo & The Fixer, Mario released two web only demo albums in 1999, Sleep and Fear of the Unknown, through mp3.com. After working on his skills as a songwriter and sound designer for several years afterwards, Mario decided to join forces with a vocalist and found the right person in Seabound front man Frank Spinath. What started out as a temporary guest vocalist position became, on account of the chemistry between the music and vocals, Schumacher and Spinath became band mates. Since then, Edge of Dawn has become one of Germany’s hottest underground tips for intelligent electro.

Signing with Dependent Records in Europe, and Metropolis Records for North America, the duo is ready to release their debut EP, The Flight [Lux] for the end of 2005. Comprised of five original tracks and four remixes, the dichotomy between the songs, the lyrics, and the backgrounds encompass the central motives of the band. Seldom does a band achieve such contrariness in such a short amount of time, and even more seldom does the musical quality stay so high. Although their music sounds like it was created by a veteran of the dark electronic scene, this debut release is sure to garner much praise as the prelude to their upcoming debut album in 2006.

“Losing ground is what it takes—if you really want to fly…” that’s the first line of the chorus of “Losing Ground”—slightly poppy, if not downright optimistic. The encouragement to leave the ground beneath one’s feet and take off to the skies in flight, garnished with the optimism of traditional, positive synthpop would seem to set an unthreatening tone. But the next track delivers quite the opposite: “The Flight [Lux]” tells the story of the Russian Witali Kalojew, who loses his wife and two children in an air traffic control-related plane crash. Kalojew flies immediately to the scene and is taken to the crash site, where he finds the body of his own daughter. One and a half year later, the air traffic control operator responsible for the accident is found murdered in his house in Switzerland, the victim of multiple stab wounds. Witali Kalojew is arrested in a hotel just blocks away, having just recently checked in. “Losing Ground is what it takes—if you really want to fly.”

Edge of Dawn Official Web Site

As the solo project GothiCello, Gerald Nicks is striving for a unique fusion of styles from Ethno Gothic and Industrial to Dark Jazz and Heavy Classical. GothiCello is creating music to raise the dead and calm the lost souls. Besides his primary instrument, a Ned Steinberger 5 string electric cello, Gerald plays piano, Native American flute, electronic and acoustic percussion, and sings.

Why this name?
Basically from “Gothic” and “Cello”, since no one snagged it. I’ve wanted to play electric cello for the longest time, so I am finally doing it and having a blast!

Do you play live?
GothiCello is primarily a home-studio project, although I’ve been known to haunt local art & music free-for-alls.

How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?
Access to great music any time anywhere by anyone. No longer must you be a superstar for your unique music to be heard.

Would you still sign a record contract with a major label?
I like total control over my artistic expression. I can still produce my own CDs and sell them on a label like Projekt.

Band History:
It started out as just dinkin around placing snippets on the ZeD site. Then I found MySpace and started getting more serious, producing a full-length song. So many song ideas, so little time.

Your influences?
Basically most bands on the Projekt and early 4ad labels. Dead Can Dance, Lycia, Fields of the Nephilim, The Cult, Cruxshadows, Arcana, Apocalyptica, Jill Tracy, Jami Sieber, Marston Smith, Johnny Cash, Unto Ashes, Rajna, Legion Within, Rob Zombie, Midnight Syndicate. I am inspired by graveyards, their smell, the wonderful grave angels, the untold stories from really old grave markers, and mausoleums to drool over. I am inspired by the depth of emotions that I can express from my personal experience. Other wonderful mutli-talented artists inpire me to go beyond and really stretch myself.

Favorite spot?
Colma, CA. The city of the dead!

Equipment used:
A GNX3 guitar effects board to record 5 string e-cello, guitar, vocals, Roland Handsonic, and voice. Guitar Tracks Pro to mix down. I have been dinkin around with Propellerhead’s Reason too.

Anything else…?
Sounds Like: Contemplative, expressive, and eclectic, the sound can remind one of soulful New Orleans dark-jazz and blues, bombastic classical musings, or peacefully hypnotic grooves to meditate by.

http://www.myspace.com/gothicello

Front Line Assembly

Front Line Assembly is the primary focus of Vancouver-based
musician Bill Leeb. A founding member of Skinny Puppy, Leeb moved on
to form FLA in 1986 with Michael Balch, releasing some cassettes
(since released as Total Terror I & II) which paved the way
for their 1987 releases: The Initial Command, State of Mind,
and Corrosion. In late 1988, they recorded the mini-LP
Disorder, since combined with Corrosion and released as
Corroded Disorder. Their 1989 release, Gashed Senses and
Crossfire, further cemented their popularity in the industrial
scene, and prompted their first world tour. By 1990, Balch had
departed and Rhys Fulber rounded out the duo, releasing Caustic
Grip. But it was two years later when the duo released what for
many has become the genre’s crowning moment, the classic album
Tactical Neural Implant, which to this day still defines the
best of industrial music.

FLA enraged many of their fans in 1994 when they began to
experiment with their established electronic-only sound.
Millenium, with its heavy doses of live and sampled metal
guitars, dared its audience to grow and expand with the band beyond
industrial’s perceived barriers. Front Line stepped to the firing
line again in 1995 with Hard Wired, which reflected both a
return to form and a continued embracing of the guitar. Hard
Wired not only picked up where Implant left off, it
improved on the sound by adding in elements of all of their side
projects. A fall European tour was recorded for the 1996 release
Live Wired, their first concert CD ever. Also in 1996, Front
Line Assembly followed up Hard Wired with two CD singles,
“Circuitry” and “Plasticity”, and toured North America with Numb and
Die Krupps.

Also see

www.mindphaser.com

1997 saw the first realignment of Front Line Assembly since 1990,
with the departure of Rhys Fulber and the addition of Chris Peterson
to the ranks. Front Line’s 1998 album, FLAvor of the Weak,
featured the band’s first flirtation with electronica. Re-Wind,
a twin CD of remixes, followed later that year. The duo then
released Implode in 1999, and Epitaph in 2001.
Epitaph exhibited building intros, trancy synth lines, pulsing
beats, and solid melodies, which proved to be contagious anthems for
a new future of industrial music.

After the 2001 release of Epitaph, another changing of the
FLA “guard” occurred: Chris Peterson left, and original member, Rhys
Fulber (Fear Factory, Conjour One) returned. The newly charged Front
Line Assembly returned in late 2003 after a two year hiatus to
deliver the highly anticipated Maniacal single. With Rhys
Fulber joining forces once again with Bill Leeb Front Line Assembly
is set to deliver a straight up industrial rebellion to the
future-pop ruled world of electronic music. The successful single
laid the ground work for a brand new FLA album and era in industrial
music. Following up on Civilization, the duo released the
Vanished EP which features three unreleased tracks. They say
time can weather all things, but it has left FLA unscathed. They
have remained an influential force in music, and continue to put
excitement and adrenaline into industrial music.

Bill’s work can also be heard on a wide number of side projects,
including Noise Unit, Delerium, InterMix, Cyberaktif, Equinox, and
Synaesthesia. Bill has also contributed music to the popular video
game, Quake 3 - The Arena.

Also see
www.mindphaser.com

Lujhboia was born back in 2004. His creator and leader Rodrigo Demencia
Santamaria wanted to get out his dark feelings from his mind and make
them music.
In depth, every song is nourished by aggressive tunes, distorted, torn
voices, furious sounds and piano and keyboards extremely dark. The
variety of shades, changes and structures of the tunes led the project
into a series of good reviews from Dark and Electronic music specialized
media, among others.

WHERE WERE YOU FROM?

Argentina.

WHERE HAVE YOU PERFORMED? (IF APPLICABLE)
Buenos Aires, Argentina

HOW DID YOU GET INTO MUSIC? (WHERE WERE YOU? )

Since i was a kid, i have passion for music, it´s the only way i have
to express my anger and my weakness, although in real life i´m a very
calm person hehe.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING? HOW OLD WERE YOU?)
I started at 15 in different gothic and classic metal bands, then I
realized the potential that electronic music has. I found in it an
interesting way to continue expressing myself.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS DISTINCT ABOUT YOUR STYLE?
Extreme aggression and the constant changes of climax.

IF YOU HAD ONE THING TO SAY ABOUT MUSIC, FOR LOVE OR PHILOSOPHY OR
LEARNING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? NO PRESSURE.
Music is a wonderful therapy…. Not only for the composers, also for
the people who can feel it.

I hope you enjoy them,
Thanks for your support!
-Lujhboia-

http://www.lujhboia.com.ar/

http://www.myspace.com/lujhboia