I’ve been wanting for a while to write some sort of piece on the subject of irony, both about what irony actually is and how the concept gets thrown around at will in everyday discourse both in life and over the internet.

The word has taken on a distorted meaning of late. The term ‘irony’ has become a free pass to be childishly sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise offend people for the hell of it. People throw around disturbing jokes that make you feel outright endangered and then excuse them with ‘It’s ok, I was being ironic’. I remember posting on a metal forum where sexism and racism ricocheted through the air like shrapnel about once per second, and was treated as harmless humor. But if I did it back, even in obviously joking form, or complained, I was told to ‘grow up and learn to recognize irony’ or asked if I was autistic.

That’s not what actual irony is. Dictionary definition: ‘the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning’. That’s what it’s all about – saying one thing FOR EFFECT when you are in fact stating the opposite. A perfect example of genuine irony: I was discussing abortion on a message board and one poster complained that women in general were ’selfish’. Another poster countered with: ‘Yes…women are so selfish. That’s why most carers of the sick are women.’ Remember…irony is when you say one thing for effect when you obviously mean another…right? It is not a free pass to be gratuitously bigoted and then take it back whenever someone calls you on it.

Here is a piece of poetry I wrote on the subject:

Did I cut, with my words, a compound wound
Severing, wildly and at will
Fine knots and webs of your visceral nerves
That nature carefully wound and laid in place
One at a time, under a microscope
With her own fingers?
I’m sorry, not that I pierced you, but that you fail
To understand me.
Don’t you know the blood isn’t real?
Don’t you know the shock is just a word
Just ones and zeros spilling from my brain
Leaving my mouth like butterflies.
I didn’t even mean it anyway.
You hurt my eyes with the hyperworld red of your blood.
I think you should apologize.
And don’t tell me I punctured, by mistake
Your wing membranes.
You chose to spread the long bones of your arms
Expose that fragile leather of your wings
Please don’t play the victim. Seal your wounds shut.
You chose, after all, to bleed –
The blade was not real metal – it was only words…

Context: I wrote this poem after reading about yet another rape case where the victim took a fusillade of criticism for not being a good enough ‘nice girl’ archetype. I actually saw this comment on a message board:

Yes, in the twenty-first century, we still single out rape as a ‘non-crime’ where it’s only wrong if you were wearing muted colors and never swore, hung out with shady people, or had consensual sex. This is my comment on the ‘you asked for it’ culture in poetic form.

It’s not rape, they said, because your heart was beating.
You asked for it a hundred times
with the crude dance of that muscle
One-twenty over eighty, all alive
It’s not rape, they said, because your lungs were working
caressing the air, in and out
It’s not rape they said
because your eyes are neon blue
and just a minute ago
and in the grey fields of neurons
dopamine and adrenaline were dancing
whirling around the mind-grid in reckless exuberance
heating up the wires
they cut off the line and left thought and reason hanging
It’s not rape because you were watching the lights
Sweep, whirl, ricochet, and divide
Into seven, red, blue and their sisters
It’s not rape because you said yes
When the strobelights hit your retinas
It’s not rape because you kissed back
When the pounding bass made its way to your ears
It’s not rape because you wear your skin
where a wire matrix would do
because you spread your wings, when feet would be enough
Because you bleed when cut. The red is ours.

Blacklist 23 was originally released in the middle of a move. Rachel went through a giant whirlwind of chaos and decided to quit Experiment Haywire. Yet with so many people asking her what happened to Blacklist 23 she decided to put the album back up. Rachel states that she is 100% about the music and that it would be silly not to release the album due to pressure from situations she can’t control.

“Experiment Haywire is over but I want you guys to enjoy the music and share it with as many people as possible.”

Blacklist 23 features remixes from Annihilation Chic and my never-was-to-be studio album Grrl Interrupted. This is the final Experiment Haywire release.

You can now download the album for free but fans have the option of paying what they would like. Download Disc 1 and Disc 2 here at Bandcamp or simply click on the picture of the album below. Do enjoy!

Mastering by Johan Ess.

Tracklisting

Disc 1:

1. Fuck You Haywire
2. Mean Enough Hot Enough (Mind:State mix)
3. Blacklist (Freakangel mix)
4. New World Order Show (Fernthal Highway mix)
5. Will to Glamour (Lucidstatic Facelift mix)
6. Blacklist (amGod Deathlist Scatter mix)
7. Mean Enough Hot Enough (DJ T-1000 mix)
8. New World Order Show (Skerror CEOcto mix)
9. Occult Casualty (Ego Likeness Do As Thou Wilt mix)
10. Blacklist (Daniel Cox mix)
11. Autist (Ninja Spice mix)
12. Will To Glamour (Reverend Havoc Stockings in Solidarity mix)

Disc 2:

1. Blitzkrieg the Scene
2. Insane Membrane (VS. Daniel Cox)
3. Butterfly (Ninja Spice Flutterby mix)
4. Will To Glamour (Vicious Alliance Triumph of the Ill mix)
5. Blacklist (TERRORFAKT !Blackpower! mix)
6. Mean Enough Hot Enough (Studio-X mix)
7. Blacklist (UCNX Defecation of Character mix)
8. Autist (Dream into Dust mix)
9. Butterfly (Daniel Cox mix)
10. Blacklist (Vigilante mix)
11. New World Order Show (Punish Yourself VS. Sonic Area mix)
12. Blacklist (PRODUKT Middle School mix)

There was an account in there by an incest survivor describing how she rebuilt her sexuality as well as some disturbing accounts of sexual assault. There was also a very good piece by Heather Corinna describing how even the most caring and respectful sexual relationships often involve the man being the ‘active’ one and the woman acting as ‘gatekeeper’, and how a healthier mode of relating would be for both people to assume the position of equal participants, rather than a ‘man wants something, woman gives it to him’ model.

After I’d finished reading I felt a veritable moshpit going on in my amygdala. I couldn’t really say why. It took me a minute to realize I was feeling gratitude. I had the realization that I am intact and powerful, and that not all girls and women are that lucky. I was grateful that no one had ever managed to take my sexuality and define it as a form of passivity or victimhood and use it as a weapon against me. I was grateful that no one had ever convinced me that I was just a gatekeeper, someone whose only part in sexuality was to lie down and not seize shut. I was grateful that I didn’t grow up internalizing the idea that I should be sexy but not sexual, that males should expect physical pleasure and heightened emotion but I should simply hope that it didn’t hurt. I’ve never felt like a ‘vessel’ with my boyfriend and never have with any guy. I’ve always felt more like a dancer creating beauty with another dancer. We were two powerful angels erupting our wings and whirling close to the sun together.

That should be everyone’s experience. But apparently not. The idea that men/boys are sexual beings and that women/girls are merely security guards at a metaphorical door is still alive. He should expect beautiful convulsions, storms and supernovae, fires and methedrine. You should expect that he’ll be gentle and it won’t hurt. And if you’re not heterosexual? We’ll just ignore your reality and forget about it.

Why was I immune? Why didn’t I take one iota of this poison in? Partly, for sure, due to having a mother who took care since I was little to teach me to be ‘human being’ rather than ‘female’ and taught me to behave as an informed, considerate and autonomous adult, rather than as a receptable whose only real job was to look nice and make myself available. My mild ASD traits probably played a part, too. I have mild Asperger’s symptoms along with giftedness, and one consequence was that I never tended to learn social values and behaviours by ‘osmosis’ the way regular young people did. Women want love, men want sex? Really? Whatever. Back to obsessing about rare feline species or learning about the endocrine system for fun. Such arbitrary social norms were just part of my surroundings, rather than important components I needed to take in and live by.

It would be great if everyone, both men and women, felt that way when intimate with someone – like you are immortal, like you have wings that erupt thirty feet wide, like nothing could hurt you, not bullets or napalm or ultraviolet radiation, like you are dancing or flying close to the sun with another immortal just like you. Another immortal who actively chose to dance with you because you’re that fucking beautiful, not because you are ‘giving it up’. May Friedman and Valenti’s ideas reach all those still guarding the doors.

It has been a long wait over here but this is a wait we consider worth it. We are happy to announce that the Belgium duo Trimetrick has released their first album on machineKUNT Records. Forms of Blasphemy is already being defined as an essential dark electronic album for the revolutionary underground. Featuring classics like Bitch From Hell, Beware!, and Black Elektro there is no area of sound or thought that Trimetrick is afraid to explore.

It was once said that Trimetrick would bomb the bunkers of boredom and expose your ears to the sickest sensations. “Put your boots on, it’s gonna get rough!”

Trimetrick was not kidding. After their independent release of “Utopia Deleted” and several appearances on infamous compilations such as Extreme Sündenfall and Endzeit Bunkertracks they decided to record a full length studio album. With intricate stompy beats, unforgettable synth lines, and screaming female vocals (about the upcoming apocalypse) it is clear that dark electro has reached the next step of evolution. Get ready for the few to turn into the many. Get ready for Forms of Blasphemy.

Pre-orders start now at the machineKUNT Store where the digital version is also available.

Tracklisting:

1. The Rage
2. Black Elektro
3. Underground Hit
4. Perverted Intrusion
5. Beware!
6. Generation X
7. Forms of Blasphemy
8. Take Your God
9. Confess
10. BAW
11. Bitch From Hell
12. Minute Murder
13. The Dead
14. Nemesis Unleashed
15. Moldavia
16. Exodus 2012

Hello all,

Recently we had a major change here at MK Records and decided to expand from a record label/modeling agency to an alternative fashion distributor. We found some amazing independent designers to carry clothing from in addition to forming our very own clothing line. Right now we are in the beginning stages of MK Fashion and would like to offer our loyal customers free shipping and a 20% off discount as we get things off the ground.

Check out these awesome outfits we are currently offering. They are both available at the MK Fashion Store right now.

Black and Purple Dieselpunk Top

Black and Purple Double Cross Pants

In case there was any question machineKUNT will continue to exist as both a record label and modeling agency. Be sure to check back here for the new Trimetrick album soon. We are expanding. Let’s keep the KUNT power alive!

If you’ve been keeping up you’ve heard the good news. Thanks to freethinkers across the globe we were able to meet our Kickstarter goal for the 3 CD charity compilation Sanity is Slavery which aims to fight against psychiatric abuse through music. We are now taking pre-orders for the physical digipack at the special rate of $10.

Anybody who makes a pre-order for this compilation will receive the digital version at absolutely no extra charge. (within several days of placing their order) The cover art is designed by the multi-talented Amelia Arsenic of the band Angelspit. Going outside the standard club routine we bring you everything from complex dark electro to straight up rock to IDM to black metal to avant-garde to lolita cabaret.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of the mental revolution. The lunatics have taken over the asylum and stand united for one cause: the freedom to think outside the box without oppression.

Tracklisting

DISC 1:

1. Leæther Strip – Happy Pills (Gimmie Gimmie) [CD only]
2. Pzychobitch – Insane
3. Trimetrick – Beware!
4. Hanin Elias – Do You Know
5. Empusa ft. Miss FD – Therapy III
6. Experiment Haywire – Reality is Dead
7. Necrotek – Supernatural Breakdown
8. Attrition – Predicament
9. Verbalizer – Angels Dwell
10. ICI – Master Slave
11. Society Burning – One Foot Nailed to the Floor
12. UCNX – Burning Slowly Down
13. Azida – Mister Die
14. Psyche Corp. – Wonderland
15. Angel of Violence – Mr. Sleep
16. Psy’Aviah – Demons In Mind [CD only]

DISC 2:

1. amGod – Like a Prayer (Insanity mix) [CD only]
2. Cindergarden – Medicine
3. Syrenn – These Skeletons
4. Lucidstatic – Fistula
5. Johan Ess – A Treatise On Dionysian Oligarchy
6. EAT BABIES? – The Tender Surrender
7. Curiosity – Tarpit
8. Nurvuss – Tomorrow
9. Lady Parasyte – Sirens
10. De-Tached – Twitch
11. AfterChain – You Broke It
12. Zen Debris – Lucid
13. Lady Mystery – Breaking
14. Choronzon – Disdain Transcends
15. Darklilly – Happiness Can Be Small
16. Studio-X – Axis Temple [CD only]

DISC 3: (digital bonus disc)

1. Hate in the Box – Bloody Ballerina
2. Lip Service – Model Actress Whatever (Nerwrak mix)
3. Produkt – Decay
4. Malfaktor – The Seed
5. Autoclav1.1 – Walk On Empty (Rydal mix)
6. Vernian Process – Unhallowed Metropolis
7. Daniel Cox ft. Wei – Lost in Translation
8. The Tleilaxu Music Machine – Bizzy
9. Amber Codon – Violet (Hole cover)
10. Protea – Anansi
11. Cyranoid – The Polygon
12. Apocalypse Vacant – Behind Fiction
13. Sabotage – God is Dead
14. Catherine Elms – Not Sorry
15. JuL!e D:stroy – Ladie’s Night
16. Strangelette – Send in the Klowns

Price: $10 (up until Halloween!) [ pre-order at our new and improved store ]

“I just want people to enjoy our music. I’m not out for world domination or to be a rockstar or anything like that. I just hope it brings others some kind of enjoyment in their lives.” -Kimberly K.

The female-fronted Chicago rock trio Lady Parasyte need no introduction. After collaborating with the likes of Die Warzau and Detroit techno legend DJ T-1000 they have now released their first full length album Abandoned Places on machineKUNT Records. Recently they have been creating a lot of buzz in the alternative rock world as they mark their departure from their early ebm-industrial sound toward entirely new territory. Abandoned Places is being compared to early The Birthday Massacre. Fans of Duran Duran are declaring Lady Parasyte to be their latest obsession.

Lady Parasyte recently spoke to FK Digital about life, the universe, and everything. You can find the interview over here which is very detailed and personalized. We got to hear from adorable backup vocalist Miss Angela S., their new programmer Mark Black, and the one and only Kimberly K.

Best of all this album is finally available in hard copy. At the machineKUNT headquarters we are getting our new and improved webstore set up (keep checking in… soon we will be carrying clothing!) and until this is actualized we are offering you the Abandoned Places digipack at the special price of $7. This is 3 bucks cheaper than both iTunes and Amazon and since you will be getting the beautiful physical copy you can’t go wrong. This is a must-have exclusive album for fans of electronic and rock music alike.

Tracklisting:

1. Playing Parasite
2. Satisfied
3. Prick
4. Trapdoor
5. Abandoned Places
6. Flaunt
7. Shut Up
8. Handful of Locusts
9. Drown Me Out
10. Bliss

Price: $7 (limited time only)

Is this reality or are we somewhere else entirely? We reached our Kickstarter goal! We rocked it! Now at machineKUNT Records we finally have enough money to release Sanity is Slavery. Not only did we do we reach the goal of 3K but we went above and beyond. $3305 was pledged in total.

Sanity is Slavery is a 6 panel digipack with a 24 page booklet and will be released in November of 2010. Through this release we will be raising awareness on psychiatric abuse, forced institutionalization, overmedication, a status quo definition of reality, and the stigma of being “crazy.” The booklet will contain contributing artist bios, pictures, and statements on the cause. We can’t wait to start donating proceeds to MindFreedom International.

We’ve been sending out paintings, manifestos, rare albums, clothing, remixes, and customized songs to the 53 people who pledged on the compilation. We have hired some new people at machineKUNT to make the gears turn faster.

The digital version of Sanity is Slavery will be available for order on September 1st which is also when we will start taking pre-orders for this exclusive digipack. You can listen to clips of the songs right here on this page.

We couldn’t have done this without you. Please help spread the word!

Tracklisting

DISC 1:

1. Leæther Strip – Happy Pills (Gimmie Gimmie) [CD only]
2. Pzychobitch – Insane
3. Trimetrick – Beware!
4. Hanin Elias – Do You Know
5. Empusa ft. Miss FD – Therapy III
6. Experiment Haywire – Reality is Dead
7. Necrotek – Supernatural Breakdown
8. Attrition – Predicament
9. Verbalizer – Angels Dwell
10. ICI – Master Slave
11. Society Burning – One Foot Nailed to the Floor
12. UCNX – Burning Slowly Down
13. Azida – Mister Die
14. Psyche Corp. – Wonderland
15. Angel of Violence – Mr. Sleep
16. Psy’Aviah – Demons In Mind [CD only]

DISC 2:

1. amGod – Like a Prayer (Insanity mix) [CD only]
2. Cindergarden – Medicine
3. Syrenn – These Skeletons
4. Lucidstatic – Fistula
5. Johan Ess – A Treatise On Dionysian Oligarchy
6. EAT BABIES? – The Tender Surrender
7. Curiosity – Tarpit
8. Nurvuss – Tomorrow
9. Lady Parasyte – Sirens
10. De-Tached – Twitch
11. AfterChain – You Broke It
12. Zen Debris – Lucid
13. Lady Mystery – Breaking
14. Choronzon – Disdain Transcends
15. Darklilly – Happiness Can Be Small
16. Studio-X – Axis Temple [CD only]

DISC 3: (digital bonus disc)

1. Hate in the Box – Bloody Ballerina
2. Lip Service – Model Actress Whatever (Nerwrak mix)
3. Produkt – Decay
4. Malfaktor – The Seed
5. Autoclav1.1 – Walk On Empty (Rydal mix)
6. Vernian Process – Unhallowed Metropolis
7. Daniel Cox ft. Wei – Lost in Translation
8. The Tleilaxu Music Machine – Bizzy
9. Amber Codon – Violet (Hole cover)
10. Protea – Anansi
11. Cyranoid – The Polygon
12. Apocalypse Vacant – Behind Fiction
13. Sabotage – God is Dead
14. Catherine Elms – Not Sorry
15. JuL!e D:stroy – Ladie’s Night
16. Strangelette – Send in the Klowns

“If these walls could talk, they’d scream…” vocalist Kimberly K. sings on the title track of Lady Parasyte’s debut full length digipack Abandoned Places which is now available for pre-order on machineKUNT Records.

The trio, consisting of Kimberly K. (vocals/lyrics), Mark Black (programming and instruments) and additional vocalist Miss Angela S. are excited to release the followup to the Sirens EP. After some creative changes Lady Parasyte now bring you this long awaited 10 track electro-rock romp. Moving away from their previous industrial sound Abandoned Places delves seamlessly into a chaotically catchy electronic-rock style that is sure to keep your mind swimming and your body moving.

For the next two weeks we will be taking pre-orders for Abandoned Places and as a gift to our loyal fans we will be giving away free copies of the first machineKUNT compilation Extreme Women in the Dark Future to anybody who makes this pre-order. You will also receive a digital download of Abandoned Places at no extra cost.

Tracklisting

1. Playing Parasite
2. Satisfied
3. Prick
4. Trapdoor
5. Abandoned Places
6. Flaunt
7. Shut Up
8. Handful of Locusts
9. Drown Me Out
10. Bliss

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Price: $15