SYBREED + SAMAEL UPDATE: THOMAS 'DROP' BETRISEY LET'S IT ALL OUT

IS A SYBREED REUNION ON THE CARDS?

If you’ve taken more than a cursory glance at this blog’s Top Ten List lately (bottom of page), it's not unreasonable to assume that the Swiss Industrial Metal outfit SYBREED is effectively Future-Rocker’s ‘house band’. Indeed, despite having disbanded in 2013 when singer Benjamin Nominet departed, thanks to their contemporary sound and ever-growing legion of fans on social media, Future-Rocker’s various Sybreed articles have continued to accrue by far the highest number of page-clicks. In response to this and the recent re-release of Sybreed’s impressive back catalogue, we got in touch with guitarist and production mastermind Thomas ‘Drop’ Betrisey to find out if there was a chance this much-loved band was finally getting back together. What was his answer? Read on…

Future-Rocker: Drop, we’ve heard your crushing cover of Tears For Fears’ classic anthem Shout. Is it a brand-new recording, or has it been sitting around in your vaults for a while? Benjamin sounds incredible on that single.

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Drop: When we started planning the reissues in 2022, we immediately thought about finally recording our cover of Shout. The version you hear today was recorded and mixed in 2022, but the cover itself isn’t new, we played it live a few times back in 2005-2006 (there’s even an old video on our YouTube). We just felt it deserved a proper studio treatment at last. And yes, this is exactly Benjamin’s alley: those new-wave vocals mixed with melodic yet aggressive screams. He really does sound fantastic on that single!

Future-Rocker: On a video-clip you mentioned that you are working on some Sybreed singles but are not in a position to tour yet. I take it that's because of your current duties? ( Indeed, both Drop and Ales - Sybreed’s bassist - are now full-time members of Samael ).

Drop: Yeah, with Sybreed we do have a handful of new demos. Some have been around for quite a while, others are more recent. The good thing is that we write very fast, usually a song comes together in a day or two, music and vocals included. The real issue is simply time: we just can’t dedicate the proper focus to them right now. And as for shows, we’re really not in a position to play live at the moment. Personally, I don’t want to juggle two touring bands at the same time, it’s too much stress, and sooner or later you end up disappointing one of them. It’s not about choosing between Samael or Sybreed; it’s about doing things the right way. Realistically, Sybreed won’t be able to perform live anytime soon. Meanwhile, Samael’s new album cycle is going to run much longer than people might expect.

Future-Rocker: I love the new Samael track, too, and the video is beautiful.

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Drop: Thanks a lot!

Future-Rocker: It has that classic 'Late 90's Black Metal' sound, which, to me, was my favourite era of that genre. Literally everybody was putting out classic albums back then, including Samael. Would you say the song Black Matter Manifesto is a good indicator of the rest of the album?

Drop: Sound-wise, yes, it’s a good indicator. The album has that powerful, modern, wide production. Musically, Black Matter Manifesto is actually one of the faster tracks, but there’s a lot of variety on the record. I can’t say much more for now, though.  

Future-Rocker: What’s it like playing that style of music? Difficult? Or fun?! (As yet, there is still no firm release date for the album.)

'when I was 12, Samael was my favourite band'

Drop: For me, Samael has never fit entirely into the “Black Metal” box, their sound has always carried a strong industrial pulse and a more intricate musical identity than the label suggests. The riffs are actually quite technical, even if they don’t always present themselves that way on the surface. What’s funny is that when I was 12, Samael was my favourite band. They shaped a huge part of my musical DNA. So having the chance to play in Samael today genuinely feels like fulfilling a childhood dream. And yes, it’s absolutely fun.

Future-Rocker: So, given these constraints, when might there be a new Sybreed single?

Drop: Honestly, we have no idea yet. I’m hoping maybe late 2026, but it could definitely be later. We just don’t know at this point, what’s certain is that it won’t be anytime soon.

Future-Rocker: Regarding the re-release of albums, ( including the all-time classic Antares ) and the others, can you confirm whether they are remixed or remastered?

Drop: It’s the exact same audio as the original release. We didn’t remaster it because I no longer have the original mixes for those albums ( The Pulse of Awakening and God Is an Automaton). They’re simply being reissued on vinyl and digipak CD, with bonus tracks added. Speaking of which, the bonus tracks for all three albums will be available digitally from December 11th, 2025.

 So there you have it - new Sybreed material is in the pipeline, but only when a band as busy as Samael pauses their album and tour cycle. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait until 2027 and beyond.

SYBREED OFFICIAL PAGE

SAMAEL OFFICIAL PAGE

NEW!! CIRCLE OF DUST [...AND CELLDWELLER..!!]

KLAYTON IS BACK!

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SYBREED RE-RELEASE IMMINENT!

DOES THIS MEAN A FULL-ON REUNION? STAY TUNED WHILE WE FIND OUT MORE..!

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From the press release: System Debaser, among the earliest tracks Sybreed composed in 2003, was initially shelved during the Slave Design pre-production and remained a demo. Finally recorded in 2023, this version reveals the track's true brilliance, encapsulating Sybreed's signature style. With groovy riffs, industrial keyboards, a catchy chorus, and an emotional core, System Debaser captures the essence of Sybreed.

This track is set to thrill both longtime fans and new listeners alike. Featured on Slave Design (20th Anniversary Edition) to be released on October 4th 2024 on Aggregate Media.

GLYTSH ME QUICK!

FUTURE-ROCKER PRESENTS:

FRANCO-SWISS ELECTRONIC ROCK DUO GLYTSH have got everything - Classic Rock, Hip-Hop and Nu Metal influences, lead guitar shredding, glitchy electronica, and above all, great song-writing. Here's three of the best and a bonus NIN cover!

GLYTSH - DISSOCIA

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GLYTSH - HOAX

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GLYTSH - SAV@GE

  

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GLYTSH - CLOSER (NIN COVER)

 

THEY'RE A NEW BAND AND WE THINK THEY'RE FANTASTIC

GIVE THEM A FOLLOW

ON X

AND ON INSTA

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AND IF YOU LIKE THAT, TRY THIS:

COLLIDE - FREAK ME OUT, REMIXED BY BRET AUTRY (BLUE STAHLI)

EISBRECHER - FAKK - OFFICIAL VIDEO

CRUSHING LATEST SINGLE FROM

EISBRECHER'S NEW ALBUM

LIEBE MACHT MONSTER

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AND OF COURSE, ONE FROM FUTURE-ROCKER'S

HALL OF FAME:

BLACK OPS : BLUE STAHLI RETURNS WITH FACE-MELTING NEW SINGLE 'OBSIDIAN'

Seemingly gone AWOL from his home label of several years (Fixtmusic),

Blue Stahli's Bret Autry delivers a super-dense slab of Electronic Krunk Rock.

Obsidian is the title of the third album in the deadchannel_Trilogy

( see link below )*

BUY BLUE STAHLI HERE

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LIKE THAT? TRY THESE

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This week's video blog episode from Blue Stahli

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*EDITOR'S NOTE:

Not to be confused with the separate musical project 'Obsydians'

by Future-Rocker regular, Thomas 'Drop' Betrisey,

see our Top Ten Posts, below

NEW BLUE STAHLI !!

Crushingly introspective? Explosively meditative? Bret Autry's latest sonic blasts appear to occupy two states at the same time, and, surprisingly, are not being released by his long-time career label Fixt Music.

An intriguing mixture of electronica, Arty European-style Black Metal and his instrumental 'AntiSleep' series of albums, there is definitely something for everyone on the new album, entitled Quartz.

Unless you want a quiet night's sleep - in which case, continue to look elsewhere!

CLICK HERE FOR BLUE STAHLI ON SPOTIFY

(BLAST) FROM THE PAST - SHOTGUN MESSIAH

LIKE BLUE STAHLI? - TRY THIS!

At the end of the Eighties, Swedish Glam Metal band Kingpin relocated to LA and changed their name to SHOTGUN MESSIAH upon signing to premiere guitar shredder label Relativity ( Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, etc. ).

After several lineup changes the band was reduced to singer / bassist Tim Skold and guitarist Harry Cody... and a drum machine.

Whatever happened in LA must have pissed them off mightily, because their third and final album was the apocalyptic industrial guitar blitzkrieg of 1993's VIOLENT NEW BREED. Produced by Ulf Sandqvist ( EMF, Machines of Loving Grace, Killing Joke ), and maintaining and even building on the catchiness of previous albums, VNB was more consistent and way heavier than its two predecessors.

Despite staying on-point with prevailing trends, the album was released during a difficult time for former 80's bands: The release was largely ignored and the band quit, to little fanfare. It was one of many anticlimactic endings from that era.

Skold went on to a successful career notably as sideman to Sascha Konietzko in industrial rockers KMFDM and then bassist for Marilyn Manson. Harry Cody completely disappeared from the industry, and producer Ulf Sandqvist went on to become Managing Director of BMG Scandinavia.

Whether the band's reputation has grown in the intervening decades remains to be seen... although last year Skold and Cody were reportedly planning a reunion.

Future-Rocker has always cited Shotgun Messiah's Violent New Breed as a incendiary one-off that was almost three decades before its time, predicting bands like Filter, Stabbing Westward and Blue Stahli. 

A crushing comeback album in the Post-Trump / Post-Covid world would definitely be a mouth-watering prospect.

WANT TO SEE MORE TIM SKOLD? CLICK HERE!

SKYND feat. BILL SABER : COLUMBINE

SKYND is a Scandinavian singer who researches true crime and then uses it as inspiration for her music.

Musical influences include Die Antwoord, Korn and Rob Zombie.

ADVISORY: This brilliant video is not an easy watch... if 2020 has already pissed you off, skip this and come back in 2021..!

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LIFE IN LOCKDOWN - ZARDONIC INTERVIEW

''THE QUESTION IS, WHEN WILL THIS REALLY BE OVER?''

Here at Future-Rocker, we thought we'd do what everyone else is doing: reach out to friends and checking they're okay. Covid-19 lockdown is the first global shared experience since the World Wars, so it'll be fascinating to see how everyone handles the sudden change of lifestyle.

First up, is Venezuelan Metal Drum n Bass overlord, ZARDONIC. We caught up with the hyperactive artiste to find out how he's occupying his time.

It's an obvious question, but...what are you doing during lockdown? 

I definitely can get no chill, so I am always working or finding a way to put my time to good use. Even at home with nothing to do, you can only play video games and watch Netflix for so long. So I have done everything in my power to expand my network of contacts and at the moment enjoy working with several new clients in need of soundtracks, mixing, mastering and remixing services. One of the highlights of my career is being able to create the soundtrack for the sequel to the topseller hit Superhot VR. The new game will be called Superhot: Mind Control Delete, and it is now available on Early Access via Steam. No idea on soundtrack release dates yet, but being involved with such a powerful, fun, caring team has been a very enriching experience for me. They definitely don't work like most other people do, and that's the key to their success!

Besides that, I have done remixes for Lisa Miskovsky (Mirror's Edge), Liv Sin, Satan Takes A Holiday, Skarlett Riot, Smash Into Pieces ( see above ), Shining, and I am currently working on the mix and master as well as guest music for the soundtrack of the new indie game Hellbound, produced by Argentinian developers Saibot Studios. This game is EVERYTHING I wanted in a game. Fast paced first-person-shooter, blood, gore, magic, it's literally a 90's kid's wet dream. Imagine Hexen, Duke Nukem 3D, Serious Sam, Doom and Quake mashed together with modern visuals. No story. No objectives. No bullshit. Just good ol' shooting through hordes of respawning demons to get the yellow, blue and red keys all the way to the next level. There's a free-to-play survival mode available right now and a demo of the first level. Mind you, it's not easy and quicksaves are out of the question. That's something you get with the full version only. But it will be frustrating unless you know what you're getting yourself into. You should check it out!

Also, since the last Friday of March I had two new remix singles released which are leading up to the release of The Become Remix Album. It comes with 10 new remixes of the tracks from the 2018 album Become, including my own VIP version of Takeover together with Fickle6 of The Qemists adding new verses to it, as well as remixes by Code: Pandorum, Sadhu, Vigilante, Pythius, Voicians, Merikan, Enduser, Sinister Souls, Shadow Sect and Hocico. Four of those remixes will also come with their own instrumental version, so that's fourteen tracks total.

You escaped your troubled homeland Venezuela - where does Zardonic choose to set up his Base of Operations, and are they strict or loose with the lockdown there?

I'm in Burscheid which is a small town in the province of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. That's where Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Münster and Wuppertal are, so even while I am in the suburbs, I am very close to a lot of major cities and that makes movement super easy for me. Things here are done a little differently because of the culture. So while some activities have come to a halt, people are simply keeping their distance and wearing masks and gloves everywhere. Supposedly everything should be over in a couple weeks, but we will be required by law to wear protective masks. Air travel is obviously out of the question, which is driving me crazy. If I didn't have the blessing of working in the studio with such amazing people, I don't really know what would become of me. I am extremely thankful for this because I didn't know I was preparing for such a situation.

When lockdown is over, what do you want to do first?

The first question is, when will this really be over? You know? We have no idea what the hell is really happening. I personally don't even know what to believe anymore, but I guess I hope to be able to get my tour back on track. I had a whole tour planned for this year to promote the Remix record with a lot of dates cancelled / postponed, and it was planned to be done together with Fickle6 who has been doing a wonderful job. He knows how to keep people excited and I love hanging out with him. So hopefully we'll get to that. But I can't think about what I'll do until I know when. If I think too much about what I want to do after the lockdown, it'll be like a daily reminder of the things that I can't do right now. And that drives me insane. Better focus on what I can do now, because there's not much else we can do, can we?

 You can pre-order the BECOME REMIX ALBUM here.


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ZARDONIC EXTRA!

THE ANIX & I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME

TWO EAGERLY-AWAITED ACTS ON THE FIXT ROSTER

While we wait for the follow-up to The Anix's epic stadium-chewer 'Shadow Movement' ( 2018 ), let's have a blast of one of the cuts from the album. Specializing in dark, sci-fi themed anthems - without falling into the annoying synthwave trap - The Anix definitely keep it dark - no neon pinks here.

This video was released a year after the album, so don't blame Future-Rocker for being out of sync..!

Buy SHADOW MOVEMENT here.

LIKE THAT? TRY THIS:

I Will Never Be The Same is another one-man band ( namely, maestro Josh Atchley ) that specializes in expansive and melancholic anthem-rock. There's been nothing new from him for a while, but he was seen with label boss Klayton on Twitter, shortly after the label's relocation to LA, so hopefully that means we will hear something soon!

Buy the superb 2-album pack featuring the full-length IWNBTS albums

STANDBY & TORNADOES here.

THE YOUNG GODS - NEW VIDEOS

SWITZERLAND'S CYBERNETIC ANSWER TO THE DOORS RETURN..!

Back in the late eighties and early nineties, The Young Gods were at the vanguard of industrial bands assimilating rock and metal into their sound, with genre-busting albums such as TV Sky and Only Heaven taking sonic innovation to new levels. Now they are back with these hypnotic new tracks..!

NEW TRACK FROM SHADOW DOMAIN : MAGNITIZDAT

BENJAMIN NOMINET ( 'THE VOICE OF SYBREED' ) RETURNS WITH THE ANTHEMIC OPENING TRACK FROM SHADOW DOMAIN'S DEBUT ALBUM.

NEW ZARDONIC!! - 'REVELATION'

VENEZUELA'S FINEST RETURNS WITH ANOTHER ANTI-AUTHORITARIAN STOMPER

CLICK BELOW FOR:

THE NEW ALBUM BECOME

See our past FUTURE-ROCKER interview with Zardonic

Future-Rocker's DJ chat with Zardonic

BENJAMIN NOMINET - THE VOICE OF SYBREED - RETURNS!

Finally the awesome pipes of Benjamin Nominet can be heard again, now in SHADOW DOMAIN! Alongside noted metalcore guitarist Kris Norris ( Darkest Hour ), and Static-X drummer Nick Oshiro, it's clear that the band has an impeccable pedigree. We at FUTURE-ROCKER can't wait to hear the new album, entitled DIGITAL DIVIDE out on December 21st, 2018.

BRAND NEW VIDEO FROM OBSYDIANS - 'ASCENSION' ( feat. Steve Fari )

A more downtempo and contemplative - but still heavy - track from cyber-metal mastermind Thomas 'Drop' Betrisey. It showcases Steve Fari, the third and final of his three vocalists for the studio-only project known as OBSYDIANS.

Click here to check out our interview with Thomas from earlier this year.

THE ANIX - LATEST VIDEOS FROM FIXT'S NEWEST ELECTRONIC ROCKER!

...and for those 90s goths who want to experience real chills, check out this eerie Cure cover-teaser, complete with its corresponding scene from the classic comicbook movie The Crow!

NEW OBSYDIANS! - AXIOM FALLACY ( feat. Guillaume Bideau )

The latest single definitely has echoes of the classic SYBREED album Antares. Check it out!

OBSYDIANS DEBUT SINGLE FINALLY ARRIVES - MUSIC AND INTERVIEW

SYBREED'S THOMAS 'DROP' BETRISEY RETURNS WITH HIS NEW PROJECT!

Above: Obsydians art by Erik Kirchner

Since Future-Rocker discovered Sybreed, we've been a fan of everything former bandleader Thomas 'Drop' Betrisey puts his hand to. Whether it's his production side-projects, or his crushing Celldweller remixes, or appearing onstage with veteran cyber-black metallers Samael, everything he touches is notable for its mark of quality.

This week finally saw the release of the first song from Thomas's oft-talked about new project, OBSYDIANS. As he mentioned in Future-Rocker last year, where we revealed the three vocalists that will be featured on the project ( click on this link ), the Obsydians sound will be closer in spirit to Sybreed's great masterpiece 'Antares', and is therefore ideal for easing his die-hard fans through this transition period. However, Obsydians must currently defer to the main priority in Thomas' life, namely his job as bassist for veteran Swiss band Samael.

Luckily, Drop made time in his busy schedule to chat with Future-Rocker about how this all fits together, so let's start with Samael...

Future-Rocker: Hegemony was your first album with Samael. A while back you told Future-Rocker that they were a big influence on you as a young metal-head. Describe entering the studio with the band for the first time.

Thomas: Yeah, Samael has been a huge influence for me in my teenage years, and I still think there is no other band out there that sound similar to them. In the case of "Hegemony" the album was already recorded when I joined the band, so I just basically learned the songs for the live shows.

The album reminds me of Samael from the late 90s, only heavier. Do you know if this evolved spontaneously in the studio, and as a fan, what’s your opinion of what came out of the recording sessions?

I know they wanted a more "live" approach of the songs, with a bit of experimenting too. I think almost all the songs on the album are shaped for live shows, we are already playing three new songs, and they work perfectly.

How do they craft the songs? Does Vorph ( Samael's vocalist and leader ) do all the song-writing, or do the other members contribute too?

It's Xy, Vorph's brother who takes care of all the music, Vorph writes the lyrics. As I said before, the album was already recorded when I came in, so I didn't add anything. I do play bass during the live shows with some of my grooves, but I don't think this changes much for the listener, hehe.

Is there a difference between how Samael records an album, and how you would approach the process with your own band?

Actually not that much. Xy is writing all the music so he basically records the demos using DI's that he can reamp afterwards during the mixing process. DI means "direct injection" - you record it in parallel of your amp signal, but it’s only the sound of the instrument coming straight from it. With it you just route this clean signal into the amp, as if the dude was in the studio. It’s easier to work through the internet like this.

I know he records some of the music during the last step before the mix, but I also know that he uses a lot of these demo DI's. Samael has a drum machine so all the fills and stuff don't change much.

For my projects, for example, I record demos with a drum-machine, and after the demo is finished, Kevin ( Obsydians’ drummer ) records it with his own style. So I can't re-use my demos, I need to record again following his new fills and grooves. Nevertheless, I do reamp the DI's of the "lead" guitars, and all the melodies behind, etc, which are often coming from the demos.

It looks like Samael will shortly be busy doing the summer festival circuit.

Yeah, the album was released in October, and got a pretty good response. We are touring for it at the moment, only shows here and there. We also have this project called W.A.R. in which Samael’s members plays the first two albums, and Xy is back on drums for this. It’s very old school, very true, hahaha.

So where will Obsydians fit in?

Obsydians is a studio project that is not making any live appearances for the moment. I want to focus on single songs at first. Everything sounds very promising. 

We've just seen the lyric video for Obsydians' debut single False Light Constructs...it's  very much like classic Sybreed, but with something new added. Have you completed working with all three vocalists now, or just Jon Howard so far?

All of the three songs are fully recorded, the vocals are done, and I just need to make some more arrangements and mix and send these to ( much sought-after metal producer ) Jens Bogren for the mastering.

So they'll be released as three singles over time, or will there be a completed EP or album when all the tracks are finished?

We’ll release them one after another with a lyric video, as well as on our Bandcamp page. The other streaming platform such as Spotify, Apple, Deezer etc will come shortly after the lyric video. There is absolutely no album, nor EP planned. We are currently working on a 4th song with a cool guest..!

I would think Klayton's label, ( electronic rock label FIXT ), would be a good home for these songs. Or maybe something more traditional, like Nuclear Blast? Have you got a label yet? 

We’d like to stay on our own, social media, streaming platform, Bandcamp. We don’t want to be affiliated to a label for now.

Seeing as how good the new Obsydians track is, we can’t wait to hear the others!

Thanks ! Glad you like it :)

//// BUY IT FROM BANDCAMP - CLICK HERE! ////

NEW FIXT SIGNING - THE ANIX !

Augmenting an already strong list of Electronic Rock acts such as The Qemists, I Will Never Be The Same, and The Algorithm, Fixtmusic starts their newest round of signings with LA's THE ANIX. Sounding like a stadium-chewing cyber-U2, this epic track already has us massively looking forward to the forthcoming album ( to be released in the fall ). Check it out!

PRE-ORDER THE SINGLE HERE, FOR AN APRIL 20th RELEASE!