By: Darklight 1997 wasn't the best year for me considering that I lost my job and moved three times due to financial problems. I personally buy almost all of the CD's reviewed in Wrapped In Wire, and not working throughout 1997 prevented me from being able to buy nearly as many as I would have liked. Due to this I was not able to include as many reviews as I had initially planned for the year. Thankfully, there were several labels (you know who you are) that helped us out by providing promo CD's to review. We are still a new webzine and do greatly appreciate the help that we have been given. Please keep in mind that Wrapped In Wire is still very young and has a long way to go. The overall look and style is still not done, but for now we do feel that content is more important. We would appreciate any feedback that you might have regarding Wrapped In Wire. Thank you.

What did 1997 bring us as far as the industrial/EBM/goth music scene is concerned? Well, the whole dark gothic image seemed to have gained more popularity due to Marilyn Manson bringing it to the mainstream so to speak. I now notice that bands such as Christ Analogue, Covenant, Leaether Strip, Razed In Black, Switchblade Symphony and :wumpscut: are fairly well know amongst many of the kids that would usually only follow what MTV had to feed them. But is this to say that the industrial/EBM/goth scene will ever become mainstream? It's hard to say for sure. I personally don't want to see it get exposed like that. I would like to see these bands get recognition for their skill and talent, and not for being the flavor of the week.

What was 1997 like for the various record labels that specialize in industrial/EBM/goth music? Well, it almost seems as if Cleopatra Records has just stopped putting out new music. I remember back in 1996 buying at least two new CD's by them each week. I could never keep up with everything that they released. But now I can't remember the last thing that I bought by them. The strongest label now seems to be Metropolis Records. They continue to keep the quality music coming. 21st Circuitry Records has also released some kick ass music and has proven that they are much more than a Coldwave label. Re- Constriction Records has slowed down a bit, but the few CD's that they have brought out are very cool. Cop International released some good stuff in 1997, but it's kind of hard to get. Fifth Column Records I believe went under. This caught me by surprise because in 1996 they seemed to be growing even larger. The bottom line is that there are still labels out there providing us with CD's, but 1997 did seem like a slower year for new music when compared to 1996. I hope that this is not the case for 1998.

A year in review would not be complete without a couple of awards now would it? Wrapped In Wire is proud to present the 1997 industrial/EBM/goth music awards. 1997 BEST RECORD LABEL: Metropolis Records 1997 BEST ALBUM: Funker Vogt "We Came To Kill" 1997 BEST NEW BAND: Dark Illumination 1997 TOP TEN ALBUMS (in alphabetical order): 1) Christ Analogue "In Radiant Decay" (Re-Constriction Records) 2) Covenant "Sequencer" (21st Circuitry records) 3) E-Craft "Forge The Steel" (Maschinenwelt Records) 4) Funker Vogt "We Came To Kill" (Metropolis Records) 5) Hocico "Odio Bajo El Alma" (Opcion Sonica) 6) Index "Faith In Motion" (Cop International) 7) Leaether Strip "Self-Inflicted" (Zoth Ommog) 8) Society Burning "Tactiq" (Re-Constriction Records) 9) Trylok "Contrast" (Zoth Ommog) 10) :wumpscut: "Dried Blood Of Gomorrha" (Metropolis Records)

-Darklight

Back to the Music Exile