Welcome in the 13th episode of RAVING FOXES - an exclusive Steemit-only series serving biographies and selected records of the most important names in techno. It's been a while since the number twelve was published and for this time, we would like to represent you a truly one men machine. During the day seems to be a typical attorney at law - beside the possibilities of flexibility at work always busy and in rush. Perhaps it is partly forced by his own nature and perhaps partly by the speed of Berlin, the city where he lives. As the sun pass the horizon line and darkness slowly wins the night, person known as Michael Wollenhaupt becomes

One of the most distinctive representative of the industrial sounds, recognizable for the medieval inspirations, pure power and colossal sense of the records' scale. As a child Michael enjoyed to listen a lot of deep and emotional songs, from time to time described as "sad" by the people from his environment. On the other hand, music that some people would consider as ‘happy music’, wasn't really touching him, leaving him completely cold and empty without any reaction. Certainly, habits for listening to these darker and melancholic sounds in the childhood influenced his current multilayered musical style. Style where medieval's dungeons and monasteries themes, spooky and eerie sounds are tangled together with oppressive techno strongly influenced by unnatural forces and devastating industrial sounds.

Initially project started by Michael Wollenhaupt & Conrad Protzmann, in the mid-2000s, since the beginning strongly focused on the vision of building their own mark. To assure the quality of the imprints, independence and devotion for the idea, duo has launched a self-titled label in 2007. Their debut called First Method EP, which featured four untitled tracks, became the blueprint for the duo's burgeoning art. Unique combination of EBM, industrial, techno and neo-folk and including interesting biblical concept : First Method EP was the introduction into the series of seven publications that formed the musical equivalent of the biblical story about the destruction of the walls of Jericho by The People Of Israel. Over the next three years Ancient Methods released on their label more EPs following the same titling system, up to the Fifth Method EP. For the Sixth Method EP guys teamed up with Regis under the alias Ugandan Methods introducing him as one and only guess into the whole saga. Unlike to many other labels, releases tend to get better as the catalogue number increased but unfortunately nothing can last forever. In May 2013, with the final chapter of the whole story, the last release titled Seventh Seal EP, story was told and closed and since that moment Ancient Methods has became the solo project of Michael Wollenhaupt.

Beside building the solid and independent vision of his own apocalyptic techno in the Methods Series on his own label called Ancient Methods, Michael had an opportunity to have a huge impact on the scene in every possible way. Loud collaboration between him and Kareen or the real industrial legend Adam X, active promotion of the dirty spine-twisting sounds and playing in the venues all around the world as well as recording studio mixes for magazines like Brvtalist, FACT, Resident Advisor gained a lot of ears and eyes pointed at his direction. Thanks to the devotion of the artist and evergrowing attention of the community, we can find his remixes and features on many recording labels such as RSB, Sonic Groove, Fondation Sonore, Hands Productions, Metaphysik, Hospital Productions, Candela Rising well known and globally respected aufnahme + wiedergabe or his newest label Persephonic Sirens.

In 2017 Michael Wollenhaupt has launched mentioned Persephonic Sirens with the first vinyl holding the very suggestive title The First Siren EP. Beside of managing the new label, it seems that the story told on previous one was left unfinished. After five quiet years, on the 1st of October 2018, with the debut 3x12" LP album called The Jericho Records, resurrection of the Ancient Methods label became a fact. Three vinyls of the debut LP catalogued as [AM00] represents three chapters of the prequel of Methods Series - The City Of Jericho, The Battle and The Aftermath, depicts liturgical stories in the sophisticated and mystical electronic madness which explains us brutally that Music Will Definitely Tear Down The Walls. Collecting together all the influences and experiences from more than ten years, the album brought a fresh breath for his industrial sounds and open for the guests such as Cindytalk, Orphx, Purient and Regis, already known from the past and also recently resurrected project called Ugandan Methods. Album will drives the listener through the different styles of the obscure electronique representing the huge diversity of spooky ambients, mystical vocals, drone sounds, industrial drillers, techno stompers and many dirty brain-smashers.

Ancient Methods' solid position on the stage as of one of the meanest in techno is an undeniable fact, but Michael Wollenhaupt isn't recognizable only thanks to the main project, but also known from many side projects, aliases and older groups, even concepts from the previous century. Somewhere on the end of the Internet we have found a Michael Wollenhaupt's track released in 1997 under alias Midnight Madness. Click to listen Midnight Madness feat. Madison - I'm Gonna Make It [PR2 3209]. In the next year, with the next alias we could listen to completely changed artist with a track Backseat Driver - Barkin Speaker [BACKSEAT DRIVER 000]. Together with Regis as a group Ugandan Methods they dropped 4 vinyls and many memorable live shows, today describing as legendary. Together with Orphx Michael participated in the trio called Eschaton and electronic duo The Mouth Of The Wolf with Gordon Sharp known from Cindytalk. But in my opinion, the most unique Michael's alias, which definitely deserves for the apart episode is called Room 506. Distorted and doomed vocals are the trademark, quality assurance. Personally I consider everything signed by Room 506 as a true gems and higher level stuff. Preview below

After finishing his promotional tour, Ancient Methods didn't slow down with the playing live so in the upcoming weeks you can easily catch him in Spain, Greece, Germany, UK and Netherlands. I had an opportunity and pleasure to listen to his DJ set during the Amsterdam Dance Event 2018 on the party Intercell x Perc Trax where he literally smashed the dancefloor, so I cannot wait until his upcoming gigs in Netherlands, especially in the Rotterdam ! Its a must be for RAVING FOXES ! Below you can watch the quick footage from his show at ADE 2018