Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot fame has started yet another label, Eat Your Heart Out, to distribute his upcoming album The Golden Foretaste of Heaven, due to drop in Europe next week on January 14th, and will be available via Amazon’s download service on the 18th. From what I’ve heard of the new material it’s a poppier departure from his more recent solo albums which had a noise tech-metal vibe. With heavy danceable beats and biting lyrics Alec is looking to turn the discotheques on their heads.

Check out the video for On Fire, the first single off the new album. It’s a little S&M-ish so if that’s not your bag you might want to skip it, and yes, that is Nic Endo on keys.

Farmers Market will bring their unique blend of jazz and Bulgarian folk music once again when they release Surfin’ USSR on February 19th. If you are scratching your head, wondering who these guys are you wouldn’t be alone. The best clue I can give you is that the band members played the circus band in Neil Gaiman and Dave Mckean’s MirrorMask—a great film. If you saw MirrorMask that will give you a good indication of their style.

Mindless Self Indulgence has just signed on with The End Records to release their new disc IF scheduled to release April 29th.

Regarding the new album Little Jimmy Urine has this to say, “The fact is that we get bored easily and we like to hear many different kinds of music…often at the same time. This record reflects that, and in doing so, this will be our most diverse album to date as well as one of our longest.” Which is pretty much what everyone says when they talk up a new disc, so I’ll just have to keep my ears peeled. They are also lining up a North American tour with pop-gothies The Birthday Massacre in support of this album, which looks to be a bit pricey depending on where you catch them. Sadly, I remember when you see them tear up the Ranch Bowl for ten bucks. The Bowl is now rubble and those days are long gone.

The remnents of Kayo Dot have have joined forces once again to bring us what will surely be another bitter sweet album. Toby Driver and Mia Matsumiya have come together after a brief hiatus—in which Toby’s Tartar Lamb album was released—to create a new Kayo Dot album Blue Lambency Downward. From all appearances this album will drop late winter/early spring as that is when the touring starts. Don’t forget to get out and show some love when they hit your neighborhood, they are good folks making great music.

Local favorite Dapose—of The Faint—has signed his solo act, the electro-grindcore metal Vverevvolf Grehv to Relapse—Genghis Tron and The Dillinger Escape Plan. One can only assume that a new album will follow shortly after. Vverevvolf Grehv will release his debut album Zombie Aesthetics March 4th. According to Relapse:

‘Zombie Aesthetics’ is a 21st century synthesis of IDM, sinister vocals, and visceral metal guitar and unlike anything you have ever heard or experienced.

*Yet another update. As previously mentioned, Genghis Tron is also a Relapse artist. Well, as the fates would have it they too are releasing a new disc next month. Board Up The House will be available February 19th.

On Genghis Tron’s vivid palette of sound and texture, giant riffs and frenetic beats make perfect sense next to haunting vocal melodies and moments of subtle beauty. The bands long-awaited Relapse debut ‘Board Up the House’ spills over with eleven tracks combining the extremes of modern rock music into a totally unique, completely unforgettable album experience unlike any other.