That European band you haven't heard of - Dope Stars Inc.

Italian industrial techno-rockers Dope Stars Inc. have been around since 2003, but few outside the European club scene know of the group's existence. In fact, in the US, the band might as well be a non-entity, even though Dope Stars Inc. has received some notable press in industry magazines for their earlier releases, including 10,000 Watts of Artificial Pleasure, Neuromance and Gigahearts.

It has often been said by some folks in the world of music that an artist like Marilyn Manson -- controversial as he may be -- stands alone as the scene's last "true" rock star, willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of pure created art. Dope Stars Inc., one might be sure, wishes to be seen in a similar light. Melding a unique combination of industrial, aggro-tech, techno, synth-pop and rock, the band (from Rome) claims to have been influenced by everything from David Bowie to the Sex Pistols to Nine Inch Nails to the Ramones to the aforementioned Manson. Their style is a veritable mash-up of glam and glitter distilled through a kaleidoscope of hard-core drugs, sonic walls of industrial noise and late-night vampire lust. Basically, this is the type of band conservative forces of the world -- the Church, your parents, the government, MAAD, etc. -- love to hate. They're unashamed of their behavior, too -- and that's precisely why it all works.

Dope Stars Inc. doesn't show any signs of letting up or becoming more "mature" or "restrained," either. The band's forthcoming EP, Criminal Intents / Morning Star features four new songs and a host of previously unavailable remixes from bands like KMFDM, Gothminister, Spiritual Front and Crossbreed. Release date? April 24 on US label Metropolis, with a new full length album coming in June. In the meantime, check out the group's Myspace page and listen to the EP's namesake songs. Absolutely evil.