Agent Side Grinder – Agent Side Grinder (LP, 525 copies) SOLD OUT
I want to be your rage…
We do not exagerate when we say that this record by Swedish band Agent Side Grinder has been awaited for. The response to their debut single, and their contribution to the Hoera! Een Hex voor thuis! compilation LP, has been overwhelmingly positive. There has been written and said that a full lenght album is eagerly awaited. Enfant Terrible is very happy to pressent this debut album.
The band plays real industrial music in the style of Cabaret Voltaire, mix it with some proto-punk in the Suicide way, fuse this with the energy of early EBM reminiscent of The Klinik and top this with psychedelic touches that can be traced back to The Doors. The result is an unique, contemporary and fresh sound that will appeal to fans of industrial, elektro, old style EBM and krautrock alike. Also Agent Side Grinde has already proven to be a great live band, with only analogue equipement on stage.
Enfant Terrible also produced a music video for Agent Side Grinder. This is the first video produced by Enfant Terrible. For this we have invited Dutch artist Edwin Stoutjesdijk to realize this short film. You can find it here…
Tracklisting:
A1 Me, Me and Me (album version)
A2 Ricochetting Memories (album version)
A3 Voice Of Your Noise
A4 Lashes Of Flashes
A5 The Leading Role
B1 Brave New Age
B2 String Strikes
B3 Container Baby Traffic Blues
B4 Remnants Of My Sight
Selected press quotes:
“Synths, pedals, drum machines, tape loops & weird effects help shape the overall electronic sound but Agent Side Grinder also seems to tap into a throbbing energy too. Their influence stems out of early industrial, no wave & post punk scenes. Joy Division, Alu, Throbbing Gristle, Primitive Calculators, Suicide, Alexander Hacke, Front 242, Tass 2 all plays their part but Stockholm, SWEDEN’s electronic trio does flaunt their own style. It’s relentless but never overly aggressive. Still it has some bite as well as infectious groove appeal. The vocals can be almost deadpan but also sound periodically incensed & desperate. It sounds fairly simple & repetitive yet doesn’t grow redundant. Its spooky malevolence is compelling & vibrant, growing in intensity & tempered volatility. Killer presence without going overkill.” (KFJC – radio station USA)
“..Gut, dass man hier nicht auf glatte Kommerzialität spekuliert, was mit dem Material auch möglich gewesen wäre, sondern der Musik ihre Ecken und Kanten gelassen hat, so dass die Platte Anfang der 80er auch auf Labels wie Factory Records oder Torso hätte erscheinen können.”
(Backagain)
“…Opening Track: “me, me and me” is a great opening track that reminds me of Kraut mixed with DAF-esque hard EBM. But as the album evolves I realise that ASG is not really interested in making an album full of harsh EBM-industrial dance tracks. I sometimes expect pure Nitzer Ebb explosions where they don’t come. I guess that would be a disturbance when I’m on X, but I’m not, so it’s a surprising challenge. On the contrary, in an age where people want you to have a harsh pounding beat under each electronic song pissed me off so much that this actually sounds refreshing. So all in all I must say that the better thoughts about this band got the overhand and this debut of Agent Side Grinder is definately worth checking out.” (Mashnote)
“…Alles deutet daraufhin, dass Agent Side Grinder sich mit Vorliebe an altem Archivmaterial berauschen – und bei dieser Gelegenheit nicht die Bohne angestaubt klingen, sondern jung, dreckig, verrückt! Experimentelle, von stoischen Wiederholungen durchzogene Songstrukturen, die das Gerüst Strophe/Refrain gerne unberücksichtigt lassen. Zwischendurch überraschen sie mit einer ‘Analog-Synthie-Ballade’ von ziemlich angeknackster Tonalität oder mit einem komischen Orgel-Solo, das klingt, als hätten sie es dem Jahre 1976 entrissen! Ein eigenartiges, eigenwilliges Gebilde, diese Schallplatte!” (Sonic Seducer)
“..Mit ihrem nun veröffentlichten Vinyl-Longplayer können die Schweden nicht nur alle Erwartungen erfüllen, nein, sie werden sogar übertroffen. Jeder Plattensammler sollte hier sowieso zugreifen, da auch dieses Stück Vinyl in kurzer Zeit vergriffen sein dürfte. Das Debut der Schweden ist ein abwechslungsreiches, modernes Old-School-Album, dass sich mal wieder erfreulich von dem derzeit aktuellen Einheitsbrei abhebt.” (Terrorverlag)
“…these Agent Side Grinder chaps are Swedish & have a rather unflattering picture of Berwaldhallen, a legendary symphony hall in their country on the sleeve of their self titled vinyl only LP. They make it look sinister, like a forboding police station or even a public lavvy. It’s a fine juxtaposition to the music which is fairly industrial & repetitive with pure jackboot beats, grinding bass & angsty, dark vocals. This will surely appeal to the electro-noir crowd & fans of mid 80s doom rock…” (Norman Records)
“D.A.F., Cabaret Voltaire en Suicide stutten de muren van het huis waar het Zweedse trio Agent Side Grinder graag vertoeft. Door hun retrosound (want alleen analoge apparatuur is toegestaan) op een natuurlijke en geloofwaardige te pimpen met repetitieve, pulserende Electronic Body Music baslijnen, krautrockritmes, tinten psychedelica, cold wave, industriële pop, een punkattitude en een branieachtige manier van zingen, vermijden ze de valkuil van zovele bands in dit opgedroogde genre, namelijk de torenhoge clichés.” (Gonzo Circus)
“I’m glad to notice that the band didn’t stick on their initial Cabaret Voltaire approach and proposed on this album a wider collection of songs which explore electronic experimentation as well as something more melodic.” (Chain DLK)