reviewed by : Aaron Andrews

genre : EBM, industrial
released by : Metropolis Records on 20 January 2009
data : 4th full length album . 13 tracks . 57:08 run time . www.combichrist.com

packaging : The signature Combichrist winking skull and cross bones makes its appearance on the cover.  In this instance, with muted grays and hot-rod flames.  Inside, the muted monotone theme continues, offering lyrics and band shots.

The newest full length from Andy LaPlegua (Icon of Coil, Panzer AG) continues to put their noise-heavy first release The Joy of Gunz behind them.  The new album gives fans more of the same EBM/industrial flavor of Everybody Hates You and What the Fuck Is Wrong With You People. The start of the album is well put together and gives the listener an onslaught of well written, in your face tracks until reaching “Can’t Change the Beat”.  With this track you get to take a Nitzer Ebb inspired breather only to be slammed again as the album builds back up.  The end of the album tapers off again with the slower album titled track “Today We Are All Demons” and the epic “At the End of It All”. (more…)

Cheap Girls – Find Me a Drink Home

reviewed by : Jason Draper

Jason Draper is the bass player for the indie bands Lemuria and The Failures’ Union. He also Djs under the name Jason Kyle and is half of the DJ/promotion team which throws the very popular Transmission dance parties in Buffalo, New York.

released by Paper + Plastick on March 2009
data : 1st full length album . 11 tracks . 32:48 run time . www.vivacheapgirls.com
free download available at www.quoteunquoterecords.com

genre : 90s indie rock/alt-rock

It’s been years since I’ve gone to a show and been completely blown away by a band I have never heard before. This was the case this past summer when I saw Lansing, the Michigan based band, Cheap Girls.  Citing influences such as The Lemonheads and Buffalo Tom, this trio brings back a time when “alt-rock” wasn’t a dirty word. After being a band for just over a year, they released their first full length Find Me a Drink Home on local Lansing labels Bermuda Mohawk and Los Diaper (CD and LP respectively). In March, a few short months after its initial release, Paper and Plastick will be re-releasing the album on a larger scale. The opening track, “Kind of on Purpose”, sets the mood for the album with lines such as, “I’m taking notes from those with it together.”, “Where did you go wrong?”, and “How did you make it right?” (more…)

Ties the most boring gift to give or receive? Maybe not… Cyberoptix TieLab designer, Bethany Shorb reviles how and why she went from designing costumes for Skinny Puppy to designing men’s ties.

by Elizabeth Schumer
Photographer : Luke Copping
Model : Guy William Gane III

When most people think of ties, they see wallpaper-like snooze strips or a garish Holiday atrocity. Well, think again. Cyberoptix TieLab designs by Bethany Shorb feature intricate nature prints, ironic nooses, vintage industrial designs, and even concealed weapons. Be warned, this is not your grandfather’s neck wear.

to read the rest download the February Issue of Auxiliary Magazine

Dear Chrissie,
My boyfriend and I have been together for the past four years.  We constantly declare our love for each other and while he does occasionally compliment me, he’s got the worst case of the wandering eye ever.  Whenever we go out, he ogles these cheap looking Paris Hilton look alikes.  I try not to let it bother me, but I can’t help it.  When he looks at girls that look so different from me, I secretly freak out that given the chance he’d dump me for a bleach-blonde tanned bimbo.  How do I deal?  Is it him or me?  Help!

Sincerely, Dakota [Pittsburgh, PA]

Dear Dakota,
While this behavior from your boyfriend might be annoying, you have to realize that he isn’t blind, or dead (yet), and he will notice other girls.  But it is one thing to look and another thing to actually go about trying to get with them.  From what you tell me, you both seem very committed to one another and truly love each other.  So I would guess he isn’t about to go after these girls instead of being with you.  If he were that type of guy then he probably would have done that a long time ago.  I wouldn’t look at it as being a problem so don’t make it a problem.

Luv, Chrissie

(more…)

reviewed by : Aaron Andrews

released by : Alfa Matrix on 14 November 2008
data : 4th album . 10 tracks . 47:58 run time . www.starindustry.be
genre : goth rock, darkwave

packaging : A classy look with a blue toned, black and a white letterbox band picture from a live performance on a black background. A simple classic serif font is used to announce artist and album title.  Overall, it is a simple and pretty cover.

This is a live album to follow up Last Crusades, from which a number of songs are taken.  It was recorded in Madrid, Spain and offers a good snapshot of the bands catalog of songs.  The music is technically sound and the band is good at what they do.  The problem for me is that it often seems to be a rehash of The Sisters of Mercy.  The similarity between the two bands is especially evident in the vocals of Peter Beckers, who only seems to forget sounding like Andy Eldritch when covering Depeche Mode. The fact that this live album is little more than tracks played with the crowd’s applause at the end is really disappointing.  (more…)