Nitzer Ebb new album

Initially formed in Chelmsford, Essex in the mid 1980's and centred around school friends Douglas McCarthy [vocals & lyrics] and Vaughn 'Bon' Harris [synthesizers & electronics], Nitzer Ebb were influenced by the harder sounds of the early electro pop scene, but also distilled elements from several other genres until they had created their own identifiable sound. Soon regarded in mainland Europe as leading exponents of the new Hard Beat or Electronic Body Music (EBM) scene, they signed to Mute Records and released a debut album [That Total Age (1987)] that neatly encapsulated the essence of the band, combining irresistible rhythms with controlled anger and energy to create a classic slice of hard-edged proto-Balearic techno. For many fans it became the definitive example of the Nitzer Ebb sound.

Four more albums followed, each one showcasing a fine tuning of the group's distinctive style and benefitting from the studio assistance of Flood, their long term producer.

Each was promoted with extensive worldwide tours, either in their own right or as the special guest of other acts such as label mates Depeche Mode. However, the group seemed to have ceased operating shortly after the release of Big Hit (1995), McCarthy becoming a regular collaborator of both Alan Wilder (formerly of Depeche Mode) on his Recoil project and French electronic producer Terence Fixmer as Fixmer/McCarthy, while Harris relocated to Los Angeles and worked with artists such as Billy Corgan and Marilyn Manson, plus as 13mg and as a member of Maven.

The turn of the millennium saw the likes of respected DJ/musicians such as Richie Hawtin, Derrick May and LFO's Mark Bell pay tribute to Nitzer Ebb by remixing some of their classic tracks for a series of 12" releases on NovaMute, while 2006 saw Mute honour their enduring influence with a CD/DVD retrospective entitled Body of Work. This coincided with the group starting to play live again, since when they have graced many festival stages, toured in their own right and recorded new songs.

Finally, almost 15 years after their last release, Nitzer Ebb are releasing a brand new album, Industrial Complex, on the German label Major Records. Expertly mastering the challenge of delivering a piece of work that sounds fresh and modern but without denying their past, the album features several songs that have become staples of the band's live set since its reformation, including the irresistibly energetic Once You Say (which features Depeche Mode songwriter Martin Gore on backing vocals) and marching rhythms of Payroll, while the dark, brooding Never Known has already featured in the soundtrack to Saw IV. A bonus disc includes 9 remixes of various album songs by luminaries such as Alan Wilder, Terence Fixmer and many more.

An extensive period of touring to promote Industrial Complex commenced in the US prior to Xmas and continues in Europe for the early months of 2010, where Nitzer Ebb will once again be the special guests of Depeche Mode on a European tour as well as playing live dates in their own right.

UK dates as follows:

17.02.10 GLASGOW Classic Grand
18.02.10 YORK The Duchess
19.02.10 NOTTINGHAM Rock City
20.02.10 LONDON O2 Arena (supporting Depeche Mode)
11.03.10 LONDON Electric Ballroom


The full list of remixes on the bonus disc is as follows:

1. I Am Undone (Alan Wilder Remix)
2. I Am Undone (Christopher Kah Remix)
3. My Door Is Open (Terence Fixmer Remix)
4. Once You Say (Tom Furse Remix)
5. Once You Say (Celluloide Mix)
6. Once You Say (Orphee -Eeproh Remix)
7. Once You Say (People Theatre Remix)
8. Once You Say (Collapsed System Mix)
9. Once You Say (Suessenborn Sinessence Mix)