Let's kick off my Infest coverage now. Every year, on the Sunday of Infest, many, many attendees fill in the feedback form, with the second page of it dedicated to providing feedback on the bands that you would like to see at the next year's Infest. Often, it is little more than a wishlist - after all, not everyone will be able to play or won't play for various reasons, but it at least gives an idea. So, here is what I'll be putting on my form this year. Well, most of it. The last is just me complaining that I never got to see them...
Cyanotic
Well, duh. The obvious place I was always going to start. For the third, maybe fourth year running they will be added to my list. A band that have still not made it out of North America to play live, despite the fact that as noted in my recent interview with them they have a whole legion of fans in the UK. The campaign to finally get them to the UK soon starts here, right?
Imperative Reaction
I have to say, I was very surprised indeed not to see them join
VNV Nation on the bill last year after touring Europe with them for a fair proportion of the year - in fact, it seemed that the UK was the only place that IR didn't play during 2007. Shame - their last album
As We Fall was fantastic, and there are high hopes for the forthcoming album due in October.
Modulate
Modulate have steadily grown in stature over the past couple of years, proving time and again that the success of
Skullfuck was not a one-off. With new album
Detonation due next month, which I have no doubt will result in them becoming even more of a live draw than they already are, I find it inconceivable that they haven't played Infest yet, and something is kinda wrong if they don't play next year at least. After all - wouldn't it be nice to see a UK band other than
VNV Nation further up the bill for a change?
Terrorfakt
Another act I have always found it a little surprising that they have never appeared at Infest are these guys. One of the most prominent of the current wave of US "industrial noise", their heavy, beat-driven sound would surely go down pretty well at Infest, particularly as I understand their live show is actually worth watching.
W.A.S.T.E.
Another US act, W.A.S.T.E's brutal sound probably puts them at a level of extremity I've only seen at Infest before in the shape of
Greyhound. Obviously this probably means that they wouldn't be the most popular of acts for some, but hey, Infest covers as many bases as possible, right?
Synapscape
Not the best known of the
Ant-Zen acts, perhaps, but I'd love to see Synapscape live. And with the fact that they rarely play in the UK (unless I'm missing something, folks?) Infest might just be my best chance...except for the fact that I've since been reminded that I missed them when at Infest in 2000. Bugger.
Collide
A very different band, who despite having been around for over ten years, are only now preparing to release their fourth studio album - and, indeed, have only in the past couple of years taken the band from the studio out into the live arena. Somewhat slower paced, and with a sweeping Gothic take on industrial rock, they would certainly be a striking addition to an Infest lineup. And, they'd make a change from yet another "hellelektro" band.
Skinny Puppy/
ohGr
Yeah, ok, perhaps I'm being a bit hopeful here. Skinny Puppy (along with
KMFDM, thinking about it) are, I would think, the last of the "big name" Industrial bands not to have played Infest. Skinny Puppy are unbelievably good live, but interest in the band appears to be waning again after the lacklustre
Mythmaker. So with, reputedly, a third ohGr album finally due soon, perhaps requesting ohGr for next year might be a better idea?
In Strict Confidence
The only band on this list that I have seen before at Infest, and I would love to see back. I saw them at my first Infest, back in 2000, and they were brilliant (and on the other occasions I've seen them they were equally good). Since that appearance, the band have only got better, with three extraordinary albums, and with all these great songs now seeing them again in the Infest environment would be awesome.
Spahn Ranch
Finally, here's the one that will never happen. The only band I really wanted to see from the first two Infests - the only two I haven't attended - and of course they split shortly afterwards so I never got the chance. A damned shame, too - a unique band who never appeared to get the coverage that they deserved.
Other suggestions from the nice folk on my
Livejournal:
Sam
catholic boys in heavy leather
Memmaker,
Tactical Sekt,
Manufactura
C/A/T,
Manufactura
Nitzer Ebb,
Icon of Coil,
C/A/T,
Imperative Reaction
Cyanotic,
Rabbit Junk,
Left Spine Down,
Imperative Reaction,
Modulate,
Edgey,
Bong-Ra,
W.A.S.T.E.,
Terrorfakt
Icon of Coil
DJ? Acucrack,
KLOQ,
C/A/T,
Terrorfakt,
De/Vision,
Cyanotic,
Modulate,
Seabound,
Delerium
Modulate,
Sam,
Hocico,
This Morn' Omina,
xotox,
Snarph,
Feindflug
Modulate
Iszoloscope
Iris,
The Cassandra Complex
Wai Pi Wai,
IAMX
Collide
Oh, and a few suggestions for who people
don't want at Infest next year, from the same source:
Scooter
"Comedychrist"
VNV Nation (not that i don't like them, just time for a change)
Generic futurepop bands.
VNV Nation,
Combichrist and always always
Blutengel
Anyone who's played recently:
VNV Nation,
Combichrist,
Apoptygma Berzerk,
Deviant UK,
Combichrist,
Grendel or anyone who sounds like them
VNV Nation
VNV Nation. I like them more than you do, but they've been on too often.
So, over to the readers of this - and see many of you
over the weekend...
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