Oops!

It looks like you don't have flash player 6 installed. Click here to go to Macromedia download page.

An Interview with Terrorfakt
Posted: Monday, September 18, 2006
By: Matthew Johnson
Assistant Editor

With just five years of history behind him, New York City artist Terrorfakt has ascended to the top of the power noise peak. After releasing an album on the now-defunct Tinman Records label, Terrorfakt signed with Metropolis to release Cold Steel World in 2004, and immediately became one of the most popular noise artists in the USA. Cold World Remixes followed in 2005, and this August the artist released his third album, Teethgrinder, and launched an extensive U.S. tour.

Terrorfakt's influences from the European noise scene are immediately apparent, but unlike such contemporaries as Synapscape and P.A.L., he also draws extensively on homegrown New York City techno and hardcore. Terrorfakt speaks to ReGen about his diverse influences, his favorite techno artists, and his punishing tour schedule.

Since you signed to Metropolis Records, Terrorfakt is probably more responsible than any other band for the recent resurgence in popularity of power noise in North America. What do you think it is about your music that people have responded so positively to?

Terrorfakt: Honestly, I think it was timing, really. When I had started the project, no one else here was doing much of anything other than synthpop and EBM. Apart from Converter or Manufactura, there really wasn't much hard noise industrial.

You describe your music as 'New York City Power Noise.' How do you think your roots as a New Yorker affect your music?

Terrorfakt: Hard to say, really. I guess it adds more of a raw or angry edge to it.

You've mentioned before that the rhythmic noise scene is closely tied with the underground techno scene in New York, not just the industrial or EBM scene. What do you think it is about New York techno fans that makes them more receptive to music as violent as Terrorfakt's?

Terrorfakt: New York is home to some of the greats of hard techno: Lenny Dee and Industrial Strength Records, Rob Gee, etc., so electronic music itself here has always been present. I think that has helped a lot. Those guys were making really hard music long before I was, and they gained a lot of popularity with it.

While we're talking about techno, do you have any favorite producers or DJs at the moment?

Terrorfakt: I'm really digging Hellfish and Producer, Manu le Malin, and a lot of the European stuff on Third Movement Records.

Are you still working as a DJ and promoter in addition to doing Terrorfakt?

Terrorfakt: I'm still doing DJ work and working with Das Bunker NYC.

You've also been very involved in the remix scene. What are some of the favorite remixes you've done, and on a similar note, what are some of your favorite remixes of Terrorfakt tracks? Were there any that took you completely by surprise? Will there be a remix album to follow up Teethgrinder?

Terrorfakt: Tough question. I like all the remixes I've done for people; each one has its own place in my heart as far as why I like it, but I guess my favorites would still be the 'Gelobnis' remix for P.A.L, the remix for Unter Null, and one of the remixes I did for Imperative Reaction.

As far as people who have remixed me, I love them all! Muted Logic did a sweet 'A.L.F.' remix, and Angel Theory added vocals onto their remix of 'No Frequency,' which came out awesome; I was really impressed.

There will be a remix follow-up to Teethgrinder, which I'm going to do as a limited release some time in November.

Your music has occasionally gotten into politics, like with 'A.L.F.' on your first album, but there's an element of black comedy in your work as well. Do you see Terrorfakt more as a fun creative outlet, or as something deadly serious? What topics does your new album deal with on a thematic level?

Terrorfakt: I try to find some humor in everything. You can never take things too seriously, or it can get you stressed out. I enjoy music, so I try to incorporate things that are important to me, like if I'm trying to relay a message or something, but for the most part its about having fun. Teethgrinder deals with life in general, our daily lives and how stressful it can be day to day.

What about on a strictly musical level? Is the new album focused more on brutal beats or creepy atmospheres? What's changed in your music-making process since Cold Steel World?

Terrorfakt: I wanted to go for a more rhythmic approach, less synth work and more drums, but the album as a whole has quite a few styles on it. Clearly tracks like 'Empire' are far different than 'Welcome to Hell' or 'The Unknown.'

You've done a lot of collaborative work with Karloz M. of Manufactura, and you even did a co-headlining tour. Have you ever thought of doing an entire album together?

Terrorfakt: We have toyed with the idea. We should call it like 'Fuck You, Inc.,' or something just brutally rude and harsh like that! I'm thinking we might do a 'noise all-stars' thing with Matt from Caustic, Josh from Scrape.dx, Shane from The Operative, Jason from Endif, Dave from Cervello Elettronico, and a few other people.

You keep a heavy touring schedule, especially for an electronic artist. What's your favorite thing about touring? Do you have a least favorite thing?

Terrorfakt: Well, I guess my favorite thing is traveling, seeing the sights and people, playing the shows, and hanging out with friends I only get to see a few times a year. Least favorite? The shit I hate is...traveling, lack of decent sleep, and that sometimes there's not enough time to do anything cool in these cities. I've toured the USA like five times now and have never seen the Grand Canyon or anything like that.

What's next on the Terrorfakt agenda after the current tour is over? Do you have any secret plans you can let us know about?

Terrorfakt: Sleep, more touring, and a remix album.