A stunning discography which brought them diversified comparisons to bands like LAIBACH, DAS ICH, BLUTENGEL, SKINNY PUPPY, NACHTMAHR or yet QNTAL. 

In 2018, the Dutch combo unleash their 4th studio album “Idisi”, named after a divine female being in Germanic mythology. A tree with deep roots, inspired by lore and legacy. An album that makes you travel in time but also and more than ever before across the world! Still deeply rooted in Germanic and Franconian ancestry, this new opus launches an eastwards exploration into new lyrical and musical territories, rich with sounds and languages from the Old World. 

SCHWARZBLUT are so unique in their way of connecting time, geographical orientation and texts with their avant-garde and electronic music arrangements, that it clearly attests the band’s outstanding historical awareness and creativity. The new album features this time texts in a variety of historical European languages such as Middle High German, Lower Franconian, Old Lower Saxon and Old Dutch. 

Freedom, identity and the celebration of diversity have always been recurring topics in literature. But what is freedom? The exploration of this question gets translated here into a personal, atmospheric and strong musical statement. Including an adaptation of the classical piece Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736), a tribute to Vlad III (c. 1428-c.1476) based on a text written during his time of life, and a song in Middle Dutch from the 1540 book ‘Souterliedekens’. 

From the opening track ‘Eiris sâzun idisi’, with its powerful First Merseburg Incantation (Old High German, 9th/10th century) giving the song a great rhythmical drive. All the way up to the album’s closing hymn ‘Ghaselen des Dschelal-eddin Rumi’, with its mystique atmosphere set by the 1819 German translation of works by the 13th-century Persian poet Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207-1273), this new “Idisi” album reveals a band who took the luxury of giving time to time… It actually took them some 4 years to complete it, besides the splendid intermezzo collaboration release with SAELDES SANC on last year’s “Wildes Herz” split-album. They took the time to truly connect to each other and the material and concept they were working on: studying the language, life and customs of their ancestors gave the SCHWARZBLUT members valuable insights in their own habits, beliefs and traditions. And by putting all this into music, the band once again hands out a more than valuable testimony. 

This limited 2CD box edition comes with an 8-track bonus disc offering 3 bonus remixes and above all a series of 5 exclusive ‘meditation’ soundtracks made of environmental recordings, audio experiments and vocal intensity carrying the listener inside the Hagia Sophia, at a western European harbor or yet in a morning forest… 

The post Schwarzblut – Idisi 2CD appeared first on Alfa Matrix Store.

A stunning discography which brought them diversified comparisons to bands like LAIBACH, DAS ICH, BLUTENGEL, SKINNY PUPPY, NACHTMAHR or yet QNTAL. 

In 2018, the Dutch combo unleash their 4th studio album “Idisi”, named after a divine female being in Germanic mythology. A tree with deep roots, inspired by lore and legacy. An album that makes you travel in time but also and more than ever before across the world! Still deeply rooted in Germanic and Franconian ancestry, this new opus launches an eastwards exploration into new lyrical and musical territories, rich with sounds and languages from the Old World. 

SCHWARZBLUT are so unique in their way of connecting time, geographical orientation and texts with their avant-garde and electronic music arrangements, that it clearly attests the band’s outstanding historical awareness and creativity. The new album features this time texts in a variety of historical European languages such as Middle High German, Lower Franconian, Old Lower Saxon and Old Dutch. 

Freedom, identity and the celebration of diversity have always been recurring topics in literature. But what is freedom? The exploration of this question gets translated here into a personal, atmospheric and strong musical statement. Including an adaptation of the classical piece Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736), a tribute to Vlad III (c. 1428-c.1476) based on a text written during his time of life, and a song in Middle Dutch from the 1540 book ‘Souterliedekens’. 

From the opening track ‘Eiris sâzun idisi’, with its powerful First Merseburg Incantation (Old High German, 9th/10th century) giving the song a great rhythmical drive. All the way up to the album’s closing hymn ‘Ghaselen des Dschelal-eddin Rumi’, with its mystique atmosphere set by the 1819 German translation of works by the 13th-century Persian poet Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207-1273), this new “Idisi” album reveals a band who took the luxury of giving time to time… It actually took them some 4 years to complete it, besides the splendid intermezzo collaboration release with SAELDES SANC on last year’s “Wildes Herz” split-album. They took the time to truly connect to each other and the material and concept they were working on: studying the language, life and customs of their ancestors gave the SCHWARZBLUT members valuable insights in their own habits, beliefs and traditions. And by putting all this into music, the band once again hands out a more than valuable testimony. 

The new SCHWARZBLUT album also gets released as a limited 2CD box edition with an 8-track bonus disc offering 3 bonus remixes and above all a series of 5 exclusive ‘meditation’ soundtracks made of environmental recordings, audio experiments and vocal intensity carrying the listener inside the Hagia Sophia, at a western European harbor or yet in a morning forest… 

The post Schwarzblut – Idisi CD appeared first on Alfa Matrix Store.

For the recording of “Wildes Herz”, SAELDES SANC members Hannah Wagner (vocals and piano, also in HELIUM VOLA together with DEINE LAKAIEN’s Ernst Horn) and Georg Börner (violin and nyckelharpa, now in SANGRE DE MUERDAGO) travelled from their hometown Leipzig, Germany to The Netherlands, to join SCHWARZBLUT in a 5-day studio session in their hometown Deventer. 

Being in the same recording room, sharing ideas and energy added immensely to the power of the performances and thus to the quality of the songs. The way how Hannah and Angelika’s voices blend, lifts the dark and thrilling sound of SCHWARZBLUT’s tracks ‘Palästinalied’ (a collaborative version of this true classic in the genre) and ‘Ich minne sinne’ to new heights. Whereas Zeon’s instrumentation on SAELDES SANC’s tracks ‘Lucy Gray’ and ‘Mit manger fröide und liebes vil’ shows how this collaboration brings forth new styles in percussion and atmospheric musical layering. 

With the use of hurdy-gurdy (a splendid job by Fieke van den Hurk), piano, nyckelharpa and violin “Wildes Herz” sounds organic and honest. Filled with strong characters, strong voices and wild hearts. Highly recommended for fans of HELIUM VOLA, ARCANA, DEAD CAN DANCE, QNTAL, SOPOR AETERNUS, GARMARNA, FAUN, etc.

The post Schwarzblut vs Saeldes Sanc – Wildes Herz MCD appeared first on Alfa Matrix Store.

This EP features a fine selection of interpretations of SCHWARZBLUT’s music from all around the globe.
From a geeky Commodore 64 remix, to the metal guitars of HELL:SECTOR. From the prophecy of doom by CARDINALE NOIRE, to the haunted hypnotic chants of PRE:EMPTIVE STRIKE 0.1. The EP also features two loud-and-proud remixes by BINARY DIVISION and NOISE JUNK, that made them the winners of SCHWAZBLUT’s remix contest…

Putting SCHWARZBLUT’s raw recordings in the hands of others resulted in a broad variety of remixes that makes the 10-track “Judas” EP reflect SCHWARZBLUT’s approach to music: wholehearted, unrestricted, tying old words to the current state of affairs.

A full conceptual work again from this unique collective work of art SCHWARZBLUT (full name: Die goetheanistische Tonkunstgesellschaft Schwarzblut) whose work is based on historic German poetry and carried by organic-electronic music and which is constantly outlined by a haunting visual context of imagery in their artwork and live performances…

The post Schwarzblut -Judas EP appeared first on Alfa Matrix Store.

The Medieval-Gothic Folk Ensemble SAELDES SANC is the solo-project of Hannah Wagner who is also known for her enchanting vocal performance with HELIUM VOLA together with Ernst Horn (DEINE LAKAIEN). SCHWARZBLUT (full name: Die goetheanistische Tonkunstgesellschaft Schwarzblut) is a Dutch Gesamstkunstwerk, a collective work of art, based on historic German poetry and carried by organic-electronic music.

Both Hannah (SAELDES SANC) and Zeon (SCHWARZBLUT) share a passion for ancient languages and romantic poetry that they enjoy transforming into genuine melancholic compositions carrying you away into a dreamworld of grandeur…

Captivated by Hannah’s enormous talent both as a composer and performer, Zeon approached her for a possible collaboration. “Before I knew, I found myself working on a remix of ‘Virginis Memoriae’”, says SCHWARZBLUT’s mastermind.  “I picked that song because of its beautiful melodies and emotional vocal performance. (…) My aim was to put Hannah’s voice in a new organic-electronic context, while keeping the atmosphere and drama of her operatic performance.”

“When I first heard the remix, it was quite bombastic for me”; says Hannah Wagner; “SAELDES SANC and electronic sounds? That was something completely new for me! I didn’t know what to expect from the remix before I heard it, but I was really gobsmacked when the deep basses of the SCHWARZBLUT remix provided a rich background to the soft sounds of SAELDES SANC. It’s fascinating for me to listen to the SCHWARZBLUT version of one of my personal oldest songs and to feel invited to dance by the intense rhythms of this remix.”

Next to this splendid collaboration, SCHWARZBLUT also seize the opportunity to present a new song from the recording sessions of their forthcoming 4th studio album, which relates in many points to SAELDES SANC’s universe: “Both ‘Virginis Memoriae’ and ‘Lied der Freiheit’ contain old languages, being Latin and Old Lower Franconian.  Both songs have strong female characters taking the lead vocal parts. Both songs also present themselves as statements of artistic individuality and freedom.”

The 2-track single is available for download now from Bandcamp, see player below.

The post Saeldes Sanc vs. Schwarzblut – Virginis Memoriae EP appeared first on Alfa Matrix Store.

2 years after the release of the first “Matrix Downloaded” compilation, Belgium’s ALFA MATRIX label joins hands again with Santa Claus and offers to all alternative music lovers this new label compilation FOR FREE (downloadable in MP3/FLAC quality via the label’s Bandcamp page).

A nice and surprising end-of-year present for all of us with some 47 songs that reflect the ALFA MATRIX music repertoire in the full-force of its diversity.

Just like the new ALFA MATRIX family members who are revealed here for the first time: NÖVÖ, XMH, MONDTRÄUME and STUDIO-X vs. SIMON CARTER, several other label bands also seized the opportunity of this compilation to showcase new unreleased songs including KOMOR KOMMANDO, ARMAGREDDON DILDOS, KRYSTAL SYSTEM, AIBOFORCEN, STAR INDUSTRY, RAZORFADE, etc

Since 2001, ALFA MATRIX has been offering to you electronic music with attitude… EBM, synth pop, industrial, electronic, indie rock, electronic, dark elektro, avant-garde, goth metal, wave: you get it all!

This compilation is only available as a download via Bandcamp (see player below).

The post Various Artists – Matrix downloaded 002 appeared first on Alfa Matrix Store.

“In the sphere of thought, absurdity and perversity remain the masters of the world, and their dominion is suspended only for brief periods.” These words by Arthur Schopenhauer define Schwarzblut’s new EP ‘Bis aufs Blut’ (Eng: Until it bleeds). It is a manifestation of their passion for dramatic German poetry and their lust for haunting sounds. The EP gives a taste of what’s to come on Schwarzblut’s forthcoming album ‘Gebeyn aller Verdammten’, of which both the title track ‘Bis aufs Blut’ and the song ‘Zur Hölle’ are promising omens. Lyrically these songs give profound views on man’s eternal enticement to sin and wickedness. Dealing with the timelessness of ‘Gula’ and ‘Luxuria’, two of the ‘Peccatum mortiferum’ (Eng: cardinal sins). But be not mistaken, for this EP is serious dancefloor material! The percussive grooves and orchestral arrangements display an interesting and powerful evolution in the band’s sound and song writing.

The clubby remixes of ‘Zur Hölle’ by XMH and Psy’Aviah keep that energy flowing. Schwarzblut has been known for their energetic live shows since 2008. Hence ‘Bis aufs Blut’ also features a live session recording of ‘Das Mandat’. Catching the band in full live show line-up at their dirtiest. More drums, more bass, more Schwarzblut…until it bleeds!

This EP is only available as a download via Bandcamp (see player below).

The post Schwarzblut – Bis aufs blut EP appeared first on Alfa Matrix Store.

This FREE (or pay as you wish) compilation is once again downloadable in MP3/FLAC quality via the label’s Bandcamp page (where you can also still find the 2 previous editions if you did not grab these yet!!).

Again a nice and surprising present for all of us with some 54 songs that reflect the ALFA MATRIX music repertoire in the full-force of its diversity.

Just like the recent additions to the ALFA MATRIX family members (COSMIC ARMCHAIR, AVARICE IN AUDIO, PROZIUM, SEBASTIAN KOMOR, GAYTRON, SUICIDAL ROMANCE…), several other label bands also seized the opportunity of this compilation to showcase brand new songs or previously unreleased mixes including ZOMBIE GIRL, BRUDERSCHAFT, AYRIA, KOMOR KOMMANDO, PSY’AVIAH, KANT KINO, PNE, MENTALLO & THE FIXER, METROLAND, GLIS, ESSENCE OF MIND, KRYSTAL SYSTEM, TOTEM OBSCURA vs. ACYLUM, CYNICAL EXISTENCE or yet NEIKKA RPM…

Since 2001, ALFA MATRIX has been offering to you electronic music with attitude… EBM, synth pop, industrial, electronic, indie rock, nu electro, dark elektro, avant-garde, goth metal, wave, techno house: you get it all!

This release is only available as a download via Bandcamp (see player below).

The post Various Artists – Matrix downloaded 003 appeared first on Alfa Matrix Store.

On “Alfa Matrix Re:covered – a tribute to Depeche Mode” the Alfa Matrix label united the electronic sounds from the Alfa Matrix label artists with some of the best songs pop history has ever heard from one single band. All electronic music genres have their very own ambassadors on this double CD compilation including interpretations by Sebastian Komor (Zombie Girl, Komor Kommando, …), Jean-Luc Demeyer (Front 242), Claus larsen (Leaether Strip) and many more. 32 tracks in total !

This 2CD comes with a Free extra EP!

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