By MATT HANSEN // German EBM industrial artist returns to The Coffin on The Sledgehammer Tour
Much like the namesake of his upcoming tour, a sledgehammer, XTR Human (Johannes Stabel) brought down a forceful impact on electro-industrial music last year. 2024’s SCHRANK and the remix album that followed 6 months later were two precision strikes of dark, high energy industrial music. XTR Human’s first single from SCHRANK, “Neid” which in German translates to “envy” is a hard-edged bounce of basslines and his bellowing shouts with percussive hammer blows. „Neid“ would later go on to be remixed by MVTANT, Liza Aikin, AXGGAA, and Bestial Mouths on the SCHRANK remix album, expanding on the driving sound and social commentary of the track.
XTR Human’s set last November at The Coffin showed us exactly why his sound and message are right at home in your local goth club. Darkly Handsome and imposing, Stabel’s conviction to his stage presence had him owning the stage with booming vocals and a ferocity of black rebellion. But this isn’t just for show, as he explained his distaste for the current rise in right-wing politics in Germany before the song “Frust.” And before “Lezte Chance” or “Last Chance” he spoke with genuine passion for curbing the drug addictions in the dance scene that too often result in fentanyl overdoses. Although, it’s not all doom and gloom as Stabel’s live shows aren’t without him showing his humorous side as well. He later educated the crowd on why dance clubs on trains should be darker and more musically inclusive before he performed “EBM Train,” his response to a viral video of a German „Techno Train“ rave.
XTR Human will be returning to The Coffin on May 8th along with Phoenix’s darwave duo Meldamor. Known for their female fronted vocals and black metal imagery, Meldamor will bring atmospheric synths and spiked attitude before the night closes with ‚SHADOWPLAY‚ a dance party with DJ Crankenstein. As always at The Coffin, dark hearts are very welcomed.
ON TOUR: XTR HUMAN / MELDAMOR / Static Ghost / LLora at The Coffin on Thursday, May 8th, 2025. Doors 7:30PM / Show 8:30PM / (Tickets) 21+ Show 
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Apr 22, 2025
By TOM D’ANTONI // Molly Tentarelli is with Paul K Ward at his studio, I’m at my desk in NW Portland. Molly is as versatile an artist as it gets. Find out how and why. Listen to her sing at the end of our conversation.
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