If you spent any time in a dimly lit German basement club during the late nineties, you know the sound. That specific, crunchy blend of EBM (Electronic Body Music) and darkwave that felt like a digital punch to the gut. At the center of that movement sat a project that would eventually define a very specific era of industrial music. We’re talking about Evil’s Toy - Neverending Story, a track that managed to be both aggressive and strangely melodic at the same time. It’s a weird piece of history.
Honestly, it wasn't just a song. It was a pivot point.
Volker Lutz, the mastermind behind Evil’s Toy, didn't just stumble into this. By the time Illusion—the album featuring the track—dropped in 1997 via the legendary Metropolis Records and Hyperium, the project had already evolved significantly. People usually group them with bands like Leather Strip or Front 242, but there was something sleeker about what Volker was doing here. It felt more like the future than the past.
The Sound of Evil’s Toy - Neverending Story
The production on this track is remarkably clean for the era. Most industrial music from 1997 sounds like it was recorded inside a garbage disposal, but Evil’s Toy - Neverending Story has this polished, almost cinematic sheen. You've got these driving, rhythmic pulses that are textbook EBM, but then the vocals come in, and they aren't just the typical distorted "monster" growls. They have a cadence. They have a hook.
The bassline is what really carries it. It’s relentless. It’s a four-on-the-floor beat that doesn't quit, layered with synth patches that sound like they were pulled directly from an Access Virus or a Roland JP-8000. These were the tools of the trade back then. This wasn't just noise for the sake of noise; it was structured, danceable electronic music that just happened to have a dark soul.
Transitioning from Darkwave to Synthpop
One of the most debated aspects of Evil’s Toy’s career is the "The" shift. Later on, they dropped the "Evil's" and just became T.O.Y. (Trademark Of Youth). This shift toward pure synthpop alienated some of the hardcore rivetheads who wanted more aggression. However, when you listen to Evil’s Toy - Neverending Story, you can hear the seeds of that transition being planted. The melody is front and center. It’s catchy. You can actually hum it, which was almost a sin in some circles of the industrial scene at the time.
Volker Lutz has always been an incredible programmer. If you look at his later work with groups like And One (where he did live support) or his production work at his own studio, it's clear he was always more interested in the "music" part of electronic music than just the "industrial" part.
Why This Track Defined the Metropolis Records Era
Metropolis Records was the gatekeeper for this sound in North America. If you wanted to know what was happening in the German dark electronic scene, you bought whatever had the Metropolis logo on it. Evil’s Toy - Neverending Story was a staple on their compilations. It was the "gateway drug" song. It wasn't too harsh for the Depeche Mode fans, but it was edgy enough for the people wearing gas masks on the dance floor.
The lyrics of the song lean into that classic nineties angst. It deals with cycles, repetition, and the feeling of being trapped in a narrative you didn't write. It’s dramatic. It’s slightly over-the-top. But that was the aesthetic. We weren't looking for subtle minimalism back then; we wanted big sounds and big emotions.
The Technical Backbone
Let’s get nerdy for a second. The mid-to-late 90s saw a massive shift in how electronic music was produced. We were moving away from pure hardware setups and starting to see the early glimmers of software integration. Volker Lutz was an early adopter of high-end synthesis. The "Neverending Story" era sounds wide. The stereo imaging is fantastic. When you play it on a club system today, it still holds up surprisingly well against modern high-bitrate productions.
- Drums: Heavy compression on the kicks, snappy snares with just a hint of gated reverb.
- Synths: Sawtooth leads that are softened by low-pass filters to keep them from being too piercing.
- Vocals: Layered. Often, there's a clean track mixed with a slightly distorted or vocoded track to give it that "cyborg" feel.
The Cultural Impact of the Late 90s Industrial Scene
It’s easy to forget how massive this subculture was before it retreated back into the underground. Band like Evil's Toy were playing festivals to thousands of people. They were the bridge between the grit of 80s industrial and the "futurepop" explosion of the early 2000s led by bands like VNV Nation and Covenant.
Without Evil’s Toy - Neverending Story, that bridge might have been a lot shakier. The track proved that you could keep the dark atmosphere and the aggressive tempo while embracing pop structures. It paved the way for the "EBM-pop" sound that would dominate the next decade of alternative clubs.
People often confuse this track with the 1984 Giorgio Moroder/Limahl song from the movie. Honestly, it’s a hilarious contrast. One is a shimmering piece of 80s fantasy pop, and the other—Volker's version—is like the dark reflection of that fantasy. It’s the story that doesn't end because you're stuck in the machine. It’s cynical where the other is hopeful.
✨ Don't miss: The Lyrics Styx Mr. Roboto Made Famous: Why We Still Can’t Stop Saying Domo Arigato
How to Listen to it Today
If you're trying to track this down, don't just look for "Neverending Story." You need to find the Illusion album. Or, if you can find it, the X-Ray compilation is a goldmine. The song has been remastered a few times, but there’s something about the original 1997 master that feels right. It has that specific dynamic range that hasn't been squashed by the "loudness wars" of the mid-2000s.
The Legacy of Volker Lutz
Volker is still active. He’s a pro. He moved into the T.O.Y. moniker and leaned heavily into the melodic side of things, but he never truly lost that precision that made Evil's Toy great. He’s one of those guys who understands that electronic music is about the tension between the coldness of the machine and the warmth of the human voice.
Evil’s Toy - Neverending Story remains the high-water mark of that tension.
It’s a relic, sure. But it’s a relic that still works. If you put it on a playlist between some modern darksynth like Perturbator and some classic Front 242, it fits perfectly. It bridges the gap. It’s a reminder that "industrial" was never just one thing—it was an evolving, breathing entity that wasn't afraid to be catchy once in a while.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Producers
If you're a fan of this era or a producer looking to capture that specific "German Industrial" vibe, here is how you can actually apply what makes this track work:
💡 You might also like: Why You Can’t Find Where to Watch Spider-Man The Animated Series on Every Platform
- Focus on the Mid-Range: Modern tracks often overemphasize sub-bass. In the 90s EBM style of Evil's Toy, the power is in the 200Hz to 500Hz range. This gives the bassline its "punch" and "growl" without muddying the mix.
- Layer Your Vocals: To get that Volker Lutz vocal sound, record your main take, then record a second take where you almost whisper the lyrics. Mix the whisper track lower with a heavy distortion plugin or a bitcrusher. It adds texture without losing clarity.
- The "Hate" Lead: Use a standard sawtooth wave, but apply a very fast LFO (Low-Frequency Oscillator) to the pitch. Just a tiny bit. This creates a "shiver" in the sound that feels uneasy and aggressive.
- Crate Digging: If you like this sound, look for labels like Zoth Ommog, Off Beat, and early Wax Trax!. These were the contemporaries that shared the DNA of Evil’s Toy.
- Check the Gear: If you're a software user, look for emulations of the Access Virus. That synth is the "sound" of 90s/00s German electronic music.
The story didn't end with this track, but for many of us, it was the best chapter. Whether you call it EBM, industrial, or just "that dark electronic stuff," there's no denying that Volker Lutz caught lightning in a bottle with this one. It's time to go back and give it another spin—loudly.