Elektrikill invites listeners into a celebration where the witching hour never ends, transforming Halloween horror into a relentless collision of industrial rhythms, dark electronics, monsters, and macabre humor.

The Macabre Masquerade Begins at Midnight

New Jersey industrial project Elektrikill, led by musician and producer Steve Vil, has officially released Macabre Masquerade through Evol Music Group. Released September 1, 2026, the 13-track Halloween album is constructed as a continuous celebration of everything lurking in the dark.

The album combines brand-new material with reworked Elektrikill songs, terrifying interludes, and remixes from Kill Vector, Kontrol Phreak, and SPKTR. Rather than simply assembling a collection of horror-themed tracks, Elektrikill sequences the album like one long infernal party—complete with vampires, demons, werewolves, parasites, restless ghosts, and enough industrial machinery to wake the dead.

Throughout Macabre Masquerade, Elektrikill moves between pounding EBM, darkwave atmosphere, industrial-rock aggression, electronic dance rhythms, and cinematic horror. The result is sinister without becoming joyless, balancing menace with enough twisted humor and dancefloor energy to keep the party moving long after the cemetery gates have closed.

Purchase CD/Download here: Macabre Masquerade | Elektrikill

Purchase Vinyl LP here: Macabre Masquerade – elasticStage

Reviews For “Macabre Masquerade”:

Chain D.L.K.:

Halloween is generally the one night of the year when people willingly dress as monsters, although the rest of the calendar offers ample evidence that the distinction between costume and character is becoming increasingly academic. Elektrikill’s “Macabre Masquerade” takes this observation rather seriously, then proceeds to have a thoroughly unhealthy amount of fun with it. The second full-length album released by Steve Vil’s New Jersey project in 2026 is a thirteen-track gathering of vampires, parasites, demons, digital phantoms and assorted human malfunctions, held together by pounding electronic rhythms, industrial abrasion and a decidedly crooked sense of humour. It is a record that knows its horror references, enjoys its own theatrical excesses, and occasionally seems to suspect that the most frightening creature in the room might be the person holding the smartphone.

The album is conceived as a continuous Halloween celebration, but its construction is more interesting than a simple parade of seasonal curiosities. Alongside new material, Vil revisits earlier Elektrikill compositions, gives them new treatments and invites Kill Vector, Kontrol Phreak and SPKTR to contribute remixes. DarkHeart Syndicate also joins the project on “Digital Ghosts”. The result is a mixture of original tracks, alternate versions, collaborations and short interludes, arranged to maintain the impression of one extended nocturnal event. The approach has its risks: thirteen tracks built around a common horror aesthetic could easily become a rather exhausting exercise in graveyard decoration. Yet the changes in rhythm, texture and attitude give the album enough variation to keep its monsters from looking like identical extras in a low-budget zombie film.

The opening title track is a short spoken introduction to the proceedings, establishing the album’s deliberately exaggerated atmosphere. Its references to supernatural creatures, corrupted machines and questionable refreshments set the tone, while the closing suggestion that eternity is a very long time provides a useful reminder that even the undead might eventually become bored. “Vampire Blond (Revamped)” follows with a more recognisable song structure, combining dark electronic propulsion with a camp horror narrative. The Russian setting, sinister seductress and undead witch are handled with a knowing theatricality that owes as much to the tradition of gothic pulp as to industrial music. The track’s revised treatment also makes sense within the album’s broader logic: Vil is not merely recycling older material, but dressing it for a different occasion.

The first substantial shift arrives with “Digital Ghosts”, a collaboration with DarkHeart Syndicate. Here the monsters are no longer supernatural, but technological and social. The lyrics address surveillance, data extraction, manufactured outrage, algorithmic distraction and the gradual surrender of individual agency to digital systems. It is the album’s most overtly contemporary subject, and arguably its most convincing conceptual moment. The idea of electronic ghosts haunting the machinery of everyday life is hardly new, but it acquires a suitably uncomfortable dimension when placed alongside the record’s more traditional horror imagery. The track suggests that the supernatural has been made almost redundant by systems capable of recording, measuring and monetising practically every human impulse. Dracula wanted your blood; the modern vampire prefers your behavioural data, and has a much better customer-retention strategy.

“I See Demons (Michael Myers Murder Mix)” turns the focus inward. Its horror is psychological, built around the disturbing possibility that evil is not always something encountered in another person. The repeated uncertainty between what is perceived and what is desired gives the track a more paranoid character, while the references to a smiling public face concealing something murderous play effectively with the album’s interest in masks and deception. The Michael Myers designation places it firmly within the slasher-film universe, but the underlying subject is less about a masked killer than about the capacity for self-deception. The monster, as usual, has an inconvenient habit of looking familiar.

Kontrol Phreak’s “Parasite (Darkest Fear Mix)” brings a more direct club-oriented energy. Its repetitive vocal structure reinforces the idea of an intrusive presence taking up residence in somebody else’s mind, turning psychological dependency into something almost physically invasive. The remix treatment gives the track a more pronounced electronic insistence, and its relatively straightforward construction makes it one of the album’s more immediate moments. “I Used To Be Human (Body Horror Mix)” is considerably less playful in its implications. The repeated loss of empathy, innocence and conscience is framed as a transformation into something monstrous, with the body-horror reference extending beyond physical mutation towards a more disturbing alteration of character. It is one of the record’s bleakest ideas: the creature is not born evil, but manufactured through damage, exploitation and betrayal. The distinction is important, even if the resulting monster is unlikely to receive an invitation to the neighbourhood barbecue.

Kill Vector’s contribution to “Ravenous (Rave Noose Mix)” shifts the emphasis towards appetite, instinct and predation. The title is a particularly effective piece of wordplay, suggesting both the compulsive energy of rave culture and the more sinister implications of being caught in an endless cycle of desire. The remix gives the track a strong rhythmic identity, while the lyrics abandon the comforting fiction that humanity has somehow escaped its animal origins. The distinction between survival and cruelty becomes increasingly difficult to maintain. It is a suitably carnivorous moment, although one suspects that the refreshments at this particular party should be inspected rather carefully.

“The Scream (Screamix)” returns to the album’s technological unease, with the hum of electrical systems, photographic records and the unreliability of perception providing the basis for another confrontation with the self. Its central image is that of an internal voice that remains unheard until it becomes impossible to ignore. The track’s expanded treatment gives the material room to develop beyond a simple horror reference, while the title also nods towards the cinematic language that informs much of the record. The subsequent “Drugs & Candy (Trick Mixxx by SPKTR)” is almost absurdly concise, reducing its subject to a deliberately provocative collision between childhood treats and chemical temptation. It is the kind of joke that might make a health-and-safety officer reach for the emergency exit, but its brevity works in its favour.

“You Are The Love Of My Death” brings a more explicitly romantic form of morbidity into the picture. Its imagery of lovers bound together beyond the grave is melodramatic by design, but there is something rather appealing about the album’s refusal to separate affection from danger. Here love is not a reassuring antidote to darkness; it is another pact whose consequences may be difficult to escape. “Monster” then returns to the central question of responsibility, suggesting that the creature’s violence may be a response to the cruelty of the world that created it. The narrative moves from persecution to revenge, raising the familiar horror-film question of who, exactly, deserves to be called monstrous. The answer is not particularly comforting.

The two closing pieces, “Drugs & Candy (Treat Mix)” and “Hellhole (Unending Torment Mix)”, function as brief, deliberately exaggerated codas. The former uses fragments of spoken material to push its dark joke into more uncomfortable territory, while the latter reduces the finale to a handful of apocalyptic declarations. Neither is intended as a fully developed composition; they are closer to the last scraps of noise and conversation after the main event has become thoroughly unmanageable. Ending with a short descent into infernal absurdity feels entirely appropriate. There is no attempt to restore order, and frankly, after this many monsters, a tidy conclusion would have seemed suspicious.

The record’s principal limitation is also connected to its greatest strength. Its imagery is deliberately unsubtle, and the lyrics sometimes favour blunt declarations over ambiguity. The monsters are named, the villains are identified, and the moral conclusions are rarely left entirely unresolved. Listeners looking for the psychological complexity of David Lynch or the restrained dread of a genuinely unsettling horror soundtrack may find the album rather too eager to explain its own nightmares. But subtlety is not the only available artistic virtue, and there is a certain pleasure in an album that understands the value of theatrical excess. Its humour is often broad, its references unmistakable, and its appetite for grotesque imagery seemingly limitless. Not every Halloween party needs to be an exercise in existential refinement.

What gives “Macabre Masquerade” a little more substance than its seasonal premise might suggest is the continuity between its supernatural and contemporary subjects. Vampires, demons and parasites are not merely decorative characters; they become metaphors for exploitation, addiction, surveillance and the corruption of human relationships. The album’s most effective moments occur when the distinction between these categories begins to disappear. Its monsters may have fangs, claws and supernatural appetites, but the most recognisable horrors are often those that require no special effects at all.

In the end, “Macabre Masquerade” is a lively, unapologetically theatrical industrial album that understands the value of a good fright and an even better punchline. It does not attempt to reinvent dark electronic music, nor does it need to. Instead, Steve Vil assembles a suitably unruly celebration from his own catalogue, new material and outside contributions, giving familiar themes a fresh set of masks. The party may be eternal, but at least the soundtrack knows when to change the record. And if something starts scratching at the door after the final track, it is probably best not to check whether it has brought candy.

Bog Stenchmare:

The first thing we need to say is that ELEKTRIKILL experiments with and utilizes many approaches in a wide-ranging musical palette. Bog has tried to share this and what he heard, which made for an interesting breakdown. There are high-energy stomps and booms; mid-paced tracks where you need to pull your boots up a little so you can check they are still attached to your feet for bass-dancing; and slow, dark, sinister, horror-fueled tracks that carry an energy about them. But also, for those who appreciate slow, moody, ballad-oriented goth feels, those elements are there, too.

In Track 10, “You Are The Love of My Death,” Bog could even hear the swampy, death-blues vibe shine through. So, although the album is horror-themed, it has drawn from multiple backgrounds.

Hard labor has gone into this album, and it is not just a casual, “Okay, that will do, yep, okay, next”. No, there is much more care and time invested here.

Bog enjoyed Macabre Masquerade. Okay, there were a few tracks he didn’t quite vibe with, but there weren’t many, nor did he hate them.

This is a fun, thrilling ride of stomps, bass, sinister lines, memorable choruses, and just solid music with different elements to present dark beats within a gritty, industrial world.

Elektrikill’s newest album tears through industrial boundaries with a hostile fusion of aggression, paranoia, and dystopian electronic chaos.

Dark electronic force Elektrikill have officially released their new album, Küntzpiracy, delivering another punishing descent into distorted electronics, confrontational themes, and industrial-fueled rebellion. Released through Evol Music Group, the album pushes deeper into themes of corruption, manipulation, societal collapse, and psychological warfare, wrapped inside layers of crushing synths, mechanical percussion, and relentless sonic pressure.

Built with a balance of raw aggression and calculated atmosphere, Küntzpiracy expands upon the sound that first established Elektrikill within the underground industrial scene. The release thrives inside tension — fusing cybernetic textures, metallic rhythm structures, and emotionally volatile energy into something that feels equally destructive and immersive. Rather than offering escape, the album forces confrontation, dragging listeners directly into its hostile dystopian landscape.

The foundation for Küntzpiracy was forged through the underground acclaim surrounding Elektrikill’s debut album Monsters, which received recognition from outlets including NOTTHEAMP, Darker Side Of Music, The Noise Beneath The Snow, and Side-Line Magazine. With this newest release, Elektrikill continue evolving their sound into something darker, sharper, and more uncompromising than ever before.

Purchase CDs here: www.elektrikill.bandcamp.com

Purchase vinyl here: elasticstage.com/elektrikill

Reviews For “Küntzpiracy”:

The Noise Beneath The Snow:

It’s been a little while since we’ve done a review. What better way to correct that with an album that starts off with what is perhaps one of the sickest grooves and analog synth sounds that I’ve heard in a while. Today we bring you New Jersey’s Elektrikill with their unique brand of genre-bending electronic music and the new album, ‘Kuntzpiracy’.

What a rock-solid start – the first two tracks… club bangers for certain. Elektrikill is, one of those projects that I find it hard to pinpoint the likely artists or eras that influenced the tracks. There’s frequently (as is the case throughout this album) a mixture of modern and older (80s/90s) dark electro, gothic/industrial.

Then when you expect another “banger”, Elektrikill surprises us with a track that starts off with a piano-based intro – still intense with emotion and an awesome build up until the end of the song full of percussion strikes in the right place and the mindfulness of where not to place certain instruments so as to increase the sonic and emotional effect.

Speaking of the emotional side of Elektrikill, I think that’s where the effectiveness of the clean vocals come in. They come across (at least to this reviewer) as someone pulling emotion out of their gut – behind an emotional wall but screaming to get out.

Back to the bangers we go with “Monoshift”. Sort of a mix of NIN and mid 90s electro. This is perhaps the best example of the sonic depth that Elektrikill is skilled as presenting.. The rhythmic beat in the foreground and layers beneath it. I enjoy the purity of the “industrial” element in this one… the transitions from the lighter to the heavier moments and the mixture of what sounds like analog and digital synths.

“Museum of Atrocity” – two words. Holy shit.. goosebumps at the thick, crushing, deep synth hits in the beginning and the ripping beat after that… Elektrikill takes us on a track that would be good to blast on a level in the car speaker system that might threaten to blow the speakers.

Dynamic sonically and emotionally. This is a project with influences from current artists and those many of us love from the past; Ministry, NIN, Skrew and so many others. I’d be willing to bet the artists undergoes a self-imposed emotional exorcism during the recording. This is a one-man project from Steven Vil? Wow. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. Because he knocked it out of the proverbial “park” with this one. Pay attention to this and go support him…especially if you like artists who honor the sub-genres, shreds them up and creates his own document from the bits and pieces.

Luminous Dash:

The electro-industrial band Elektrikill pushes the beats up a bit in an industrial atmosphere, although their sound is much more classic. But there’s nothing wrong with that, because on their new album, Küntzpiracy, we get ten songs that explore the industrial boundaries with a mix of aggression, paranoia and dystopian, electronic chaos.

With ten tracks, the band lets us take a relentless dive into distorted electronics, confrontational themes and industrial rebellion around themes such as corruption, manipulation, social collapse and psychological warfare, layers of crushing synths and mechanical percussion provide a relentless sonic pressure in the songs and Elektrikill sounds darker, sharper and more uncompromising than ever before.

Elektrikill founder Steve Vil says the following about his new record: “It is in fact my most political album to date, with themes such as corruption within the government and the loss of humanity in much of this country, while claiming that all this is happening in the name of Jesus. That makes me furious. I also speak to government officials who are in the closet. Look, guys, just be gay instead of using Grindr as soon as you meet in big groups. I also want the listener to take a break from political matters. Vampire Blond, for example, is about a vampire drag queen.” But certain government officials may also have strong opinions about this. We remain politically neutral, but how strong is it that musicians occasionally knock on the table with striking words in equally striking tracks!

Darker Side Of Music:

Elektrikill have released their new album titled “Küntzpiracy.” This is a very heavy hitter in the music world with a lot of political statements behind it.

Steve Vil has a very powerful and aggressive-sounding voice on all tracks, as is to be expected. The beats feature powerful drum synths that rage throughout, contrasted by softer melodies that draw you in.

As far as industrial goes, this is a great testament to Elektrikill’s quality and creativity.

Every song has clear lyrics that are understandable without having to have a trained ear. The quality of music on this album is superb and of the highest standard. This is not an industrial album of just very loud aggression; this is melodic, danceable, powerful, and energetic. So if you are into your industrial dance, this is such a great album.

All tracks on the album—of which there are 13 of them—are fantastic. They do vary in style but all have that heartbeat.

One outstanding moment for me is track 8, ‘Museum Of Atrocity.’ I love this piece; it’s powerful from start to finish and is just a perfect song.

It then leads to “This Song Is Killing You,” which is an awesome track by its combination of a slow melodic main leading to its powerhouse chorus.

This is a fantastic album that I’m sure will grace industrial fans’ collections, but even if you are not usually a fan of the genre, give it a go. You may find you are pleasantly surprised by its appeal that is not just stuck to one style.

I know Steve Vil, and he has put his soul into this work—and it shines through. Be warned: you will be hooked on this album.

Slavestate:

Much in the same way as the Swedish band ARMOURS on their recently released debut album “Body” (Independent) freely and shamelessly mix treats from a plethora of the darker, well-known electronic domains (read my review in Eclectron Magazine), Elektrikill offers nostalgia-inducing twitches on their latest record, ranging from the rebellious attitude of Nitzer Ebb to the grinding style of Frontline Assembly. Musically, this lies closer to those older colleagues than the previously mentioned Swedish allies. By way of a dose of Killing Joke’s more drawn-out doomsday ballads in, for example, “A chill in the air,” we then suddenly walk down the darker parts of memory lane on Sunset Boulevard arm-in-arm with Jane’s Addiction and Warrior Soul in “Monoshift.” This is, however, set to a considerably more updated and contemporary EBM pump.

Bog Stenchmare:

Elektrikill’s ‘Küntzpiracy’ is a super mega sick album with a mood-setting opening from the first two tracks that take us into some absolute bangers, which Bog has quickly outlined below.

03. Vampire Blond feels like a cyberpunk tone with dark electro fused with a little industrial.

It made Bog think of vampires and neo-industrial punks dancing to this in the future in a city at night. Or are the vamps watching the punks? Or vice versa? Nicely mixed, mastered, synced, and timed well, making it visually stimulating.

04. The Scream – Bog banged his head instantly, and the track has a  sinister high-frequency drop. There is also another solid drop around halfway with an excellent beat, making it a #peakstomp track for a set. 

Bog liked the vocals on The Scream because they flow nicely and add to the infectious vibe of the track. The fade-out was nice.

06. Monoshift has a very dark EBM sound, and the intro is an instant hook. 

The vocals flow nicely again, and it’s a good blend of dark atmospheres. 

It is slower-paced but still eerie. There are cinematic vibes halfway through with a nice instrumental drop that made Bog think some people were chasing him down a dimly lit tunnel at night. It also features some metal-ish electro coming in. The outro builds nicely to hold the listener’s attention until the end.

07. My Salvation is a good industrial track blended with EBM/Goth. 

It is another one Bog liked because of how the beats are structured and layered, and the vocals are strong again. The pacing is mid-tempo, and the vocal isolation is a nice touch on the outro.

08. Museum of Atrocity is a higher-paced, stompy track, and Bog appreciated the transitions with the beat drops. It has a high hook factor. This is pure energy for moving those feet, whether you are a Bog creature, human, or a sentient grocery bag.  

The extended and remix versions are just as fire (tracks 11-13).

Bog’s Thoughts: Küntzpiracy is a very well-composed album with precision drops and balanced frequencies, providing truly stompy tracks full of dark feels and energy for the floor.

The instrumentation arrangement is noticeable, and Elektrikill showcase a wide display of different tracks. The dark, stompier feels are definitely what Bog enjoys, but the intro tracks do set up the mood for the listening experience.

Considering there are only those three tracks Bog didn’t enjoy—which is just personal taste—then that is not bad at all. 

Küntzpiracy is atmospheric, sinister, and full of memorable stompy vibes with fierce beat drops and mega vocals. An enjoyable album and listen!

AURAL AGGRAVATION

‘Thrum’ makes for a dark, dense start to the album, throbbing bass dominating, the distorted monotone vocals low in the mix as extraneous squalls of electronic noise burst all around, and ‘S(t)imulation’ keeps things dark with some hefty tribal percussion battering away through a murky wall of sound – although the choruses break out with a genuine hook driven by a pumping beat and punchy snare. It’s like leaping from Coil to late 80s Ministry, but it works, and the aforementioned ‘Vampire Blond’ swings into classic electrogoth / technoindustrial territory, and I could chuck a raft of touchstones in here – and that’s no bad thing. they clearly know what they’re doing, and where they’re positioning themselves, and do it well.

‘The Scream’ is again a bit Ministry circa The Land of Rape and Honey, and perhaps a bit KMFDM, and more broadly, a bit Wax Trax! Hardly innovative, but the delivery is top-notch. The beats slam hard.

Landing at the album’s midpoint the piano-led ‘A Chill in the Air’ is both expansive and claustrophobic, and slowing the tempo to explore a more brooding atmospheric, it’s well placed, ahead of full-throttle rager ‘Monoshift’ which brings the industrial aggression pumped to the max. Indeed, the second half of the album is harder, faster, and the altogether synthier ‘My Salvation’ rhymes ‘my salvation’ with ‘masturbation’ in a style reminiscent of early Revolting Cocks.

Küntzpiracy is intense, angry, and relentless, the aggro and the tempo picking up noticeably in the second half, with ‘Manifesto’ delivering a power finish. With Küntzpiracy, Elektrikill bring the fury and bring the force – and the political ire. This is very much an album of the now, and it hits hard.

 

Reviews For “Monsters”:

Darker Side Of Music:

TALENT ON A SCALE NOT OFTEN HEARD

ELEKTRIKILL – MONSTERS (ALBUM)

I had not heard of Elektrikill, but I will not forget them after hearing their new album “Monsters”.
This is an album that showcases what a great band they are.
The imaginative use of synths, melodies and deep, heavy beats is fantastic for one album.
The vocals are dark and angry but invoke incredible feelings of power.
The variations of artistic talent on this album are astonishing expect so many different variations of style but all perfectly fit with the institutional umbrella.
I have been so lucky to hear so many great albums this year, and this is definitely on my top ten list.
Track 1 – Ravenous is just fast-paced, deep beats and incredible melodies.
Track 7 – Requiem is a complete contrast, starting as an almost rock symphony with powerful drum beats and symphony accompanying it, then bang enters a beautifully crafted melody to die for.
This album is pure music art crafted with love and talent on a scale not often heard.
This is Industrial that has its own life out of the box.

The Noise Beneath The Snow:

Today we take you to New Jersey, USA for the debut release by Elektrikill, titled, ‘Monsters’. They present their 14 track album which is available on digital and CD platforms.

There’s not really any context about the album on Bandcamp. But we enjoy that. As we’ve said in numerous reviews, the positive of that is that it allows the mind to wander and interpret on its own for the listener.

Right from the beginning, there’s evidence of great mixing and mastering. One of the things we like to listen for is left/right panning and it’s definitely there in this case.

Overall, ‘Monsters’ takes us back to the late 80s/early 90s where there was a sense of purity in electro/industrial music that, for the most part, has since been lost. Think of bands like Skinny Puppy, Mentallo and the Fixer, Kevorkian Death Cycle and others. That’s kind of the feeling we get here.

The whole album is really solid. No frills. No over the top production. No layering simply for the sake of depth. ‘Monsters’ is straight to the point. It’s a pretty long release at 14 tracks and I feel the artist possibly could have told his story in half the amount of tracks and then created another album. But that’s not a bad thing. ‘Monsters’ is a good debut to show Elektrikill‘s offering.

For the most part, ‘Monsters’ remains in the ebm/industrial realm with some exception. But I love the occasional steep diversion like in “Requiem”. This is an amazing track with the string layers ands orchestral hits. This track could easily find itself in the end credits or climactic scene in a sci-fi or horror film. This is probably the perfect example of how Elektrikill can start off with something simple and then build upon that and without going over the top with too many unnecessary layers. I’d love to hear more tracks like this.

Easily the standout track for us is “The Fallen Angel” – a track that fuses darkwave with symphonic elements and sort of a dubstep hit. It’s a little challenging to explain so you’ll have to listen for yourself. But it’s an incredibly creative track. I’d love to hear more like it.

‘Monster’ is definitely a great starting point for this artist. It’s got pretty much everything fans of industrial, EBM, darkwave could want in it. I feel like going forward, Elektrikill could do wonders with a strategic plan for releases; singles, short videos, remixes, videos, lyric videos and the like. I could see them growing significantly with the right planning. They’ve got the music part covered so let’s see where they go from here. We’ll look forward to it.

Available on CD and digital platforms including Bandcamp. Go support!

NOTTHEAMP:

2023 Industrial Album Of The Year

Something wicked this way comes, and I mean that in the best way possible. Elektrikill, the one man project helmed by Steve Vil, takes us on a journey through the darkest side of the human condition. Spanning 14 songs and coming in just under an hour in length, “Monsters” delivers only the best aspects of Goth, Industrial, and Dark Electro, which is quite the feat, given the long play time of the album. Beginning with the opening track “Ravenous”, Elektrikill hits the ground running with this club-night banger. The manic energy continues with “I See Demons”. Steve Vil’s sneering vocals sit perfectly atop the gritty, buzzing electronics, and the pounding rhythms. “Requiem” sees the the beginning of a shift in tone and tempo for the second half of the album, going from energetic anthems to slower paced, dark dirges. Thematically, the lyrics become more introspective.”For example, “Witness To A Murder” delves into duality, with Steve Vil musing “I am Jesus on the cross/ And I’m the Roman pounding in the nails”. ‘Your Browser Is” brings the album to a satisfying close, leaving one wanting more. It is this writers opinion that, as mentioned earlier about the length of the album and the exceptional delivery being a feat, the best part of “Monsters” is that, given its long length, Elektrikill manages to have not a single song sound the same (or even remotely similar) to any other. The fact that so many influences are drawn upon, so many different sounds that are expertly executed, is a sign of deep musical innovation that has not been witnessed for the better part of a decade. “Monsters” is a must-listen, and a should be a strong contender for album of the year across the media that cover this scene.

Standout Tracks: “Ravenous” and “Requiem”. Both songs show each side of the wide spectrum that Elektrikill operates under. But really, the entire album is worth every second of the time spent listening to it.

ReGen Magazine:

Steve Vil is an experienced composer who has worked on several short film and TV soundtracks, including an episode of the recently debuted series Horror Shop Radio. Having formed Elektrikill in 2021, Monsters presents Vil’s commentary on man succumbing to the turning of the gears that drive society through mindlessness, addiction, and identification with obscene aspects of reality – what it means to be human in a numb society, but also, a call to break away from the aimless surrender to its demands. Monsters has a comfortably retro feel that can be compared to quite a range of artists from Gary Numan to Nitzer Ebb. The precise blend of elements is refreshing and unexpected, and Vil sets himself up to be someone you’ll always remember with his ingenious use of rough saw sounds to create energetic, danceable bass lines and choruses catchy enough to appeal to aficionados of genres besides industrial. Among the most remarkable tracks is the closing “Your Browser Is,” which opens with a darkly ambient sequence, his use of warehouse sounds dressing up and compensating for anything about the idea that might have otherwise seemed unoriginal. Other tracks like “Witness to a Murder,” “I Used to Be Human,” and “(This Side of) Parasite” showcase the artist’s ability to create beautiful dancefloor melodies and startling breakaways with little more than the sound of buzzing electricity and darkly volatile synth bass. You can’t listen to Monsters without picturing a scene from a ‘90s sci-fi film, but Vil has etched his own little corner out in that niche world with his careful execution.

Side-Line:

The industrial band Elektrikill, based in New Jersey, has just released their latest album called “Monsters.”

Elektrikill is the musical project of industrial musician Steve Vil, whose music has been featured in various film soundtracks, including “Grace And The Storm”, “Coma”, “The Pizza Man”, “No Clowning Around” and the theme music for the horror anthology series, “Horror Shop Radio”.

On “Monsters”, Vil explores the darker aspects of the human condition. He says, “We’re all monsters, one way or another. The album explores different ways people can hide their inner monsters, focusing on life in the age of the internet and social media. The song ‘Your Browser Is’ specifically comments on targeted information.”

The album “Monsters” is divided into two parts: the first six songs have a club-vibe, while the next eight songs draw inspiration from Vil’s experience as a soundtrack composer. For instance, the track “Requiem” originally started as an instrumental piece used in a pivotal overdose death scene in one of the films Vil worked on. The closing track, “Your Browser Is”, provides a glimpse of Elektrikill’s future sound, with its heavy beat, eerie synths, and powerful bursts of industrial noise.

Steve Vil’s musical influences range from early industrial pioneers like Cabaret Voltaire, Gary Numan, Skinny Puppy, and Ministry, to modern industrial sound-makers like KMFDM, Laibach, and Rammstein. These diverse influences contribute to the unique and captivating sound of Elektrikill’s “Monsters” album.

Redefining Industrial Music

Get ready to experience a new era of industrial music with the rise of Elektrikill. Led by the multi-talented Steve Vil, this cutting-edge project is taking the genre by storm and redefining what it means to create powerful, thought-provoking music.

Unlike many modern industrial acts, Elektrikill embraces a retro edge while incorporating a modern cinematic sound. By using a combination of modern technology and DIY techniques, Vil has managed to capture the raw energy and human essence that made the original industrial innovators so captivating.