AMK "Imbricate" cs

AMK

Imbricate

Nostilevo

(4)

Nostilevo is a brand new label for me to check out and I am very excited to get into this little stack I have here on my desk. AMK stands for Anthony Michael King and this tape is made up of his field recordings. Originally two hours of field recordings that label then went ahead and mixed them. It's pretty excellent use of fucked up loops and pummeling noise. Real good stuff. The packaging is very simple and a little extra DIY. It's been awhile since I have come across spray painted cassettes and simple xeroxed j cards. In the past I may have hoped for more effort but with the audio and the style of the artwork and layout I think it's just perfect. I am definitely excited to dig into this stack if this is the level of work that Nostilevo is putting out. 

Widow's Bath "a Love in the Shadow of that Which Constitutes Love" cs

Widow's Bath

A Love in the Shadow of that Which Constitutes Love

Rainbow Bridge Recordings

(4)

This has the intensity and immediacy of a piece performed live. It's a interesting interplay on HNW vs. pure feedback annihilation. Like a balancing act of sorts. It's quite a ride, it takes many turns along the way and you are not sure of where it lets you off but it's totally worth it. Audio destruction in it's purest sense. You would almost swear that a Transformer was being tortured to death on the second side. It's a little on the long side but you won't notice. Limited to 40 copies.

Robert Ridley-Shackleton "Shut Up Egg" cs

Robert Ridley-Shackleton

Shut Up Egg

Eggy Records

(3)

Weird. Super fucking weird. This is a little different from the last release by Robert that I reviewed as this has Robert a little more in the front of the music. It's almost like he turned up the insanity and down the musicality. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it sounds like if you explained Ariel Pink's first album to an Alien in the 1970s and asked him to do an interpretation of that explaination. Robert is a massive personality and I think the idea of trying to keep him contained on cassette is almost impossible. There are some weird toy pianos and some probably not entirely improvised vocals on the opening and title track. Then you get some interesting noise that sounds as if it comes from circuit bent toys or speak-n-spells. Vocally Robert is still furious at the Egg and how it is speaking to him. The whole thing just goes off it's rocker constantly and it's a joy to hear. I am not as into the artwork this time around. I think some of his other cassettes are just beautiful but this one just hits me a little flat. It's fine though, like everything Robert does I think it's worth checking out. 

Raven "the Earth Dies Screaming" cs

Raven

the Earth Dies Screaming

Worthless Recordings

(3)

I wasn't sure what I was going to think about this one but I pleasantly surprised by what I encountered. Haunting drone with subtly mixed tape manipulations and synths create some eerie atmospheres in a similar vein as Oakeater and maybe a little Hair Police. This is right up my alley as it is lo fi enough to sound faded and sad but sophisticated enough in it's composition to sound interesting. I recommend this little gem from Worthless Recordings. The packaging is very much trying to get you to do something to stop vivisection and go vegetarian. I sympathize but it seems almost pointless to advertise these ideals to the noise/drone scene in an edition of 50 copies. It sorta takes away from the excellent music and you could make a much bigger impact with 50 flyers in a high trafficked downtown area of your local city. I don't mind the effort though. 

Body Collector "New Eden" cs

Body Collector

New Eden

Brave Mysteries

(4)

I was ready to not be that into this based purely on the cover artwork and design. I hate doing that but I admit that I totally judge things at first on their appearances. It of course cuts both ways though; I have bought a few releases thinking they were going to be scary, blackened, awesome doom/noise whatever and I was let down by some seriously uninspired SUNN0))) worship. I guess Body Collector is someone I have missed out on. This was supposed to be his final release. It's a fucking doozy. So much grime and texture is crammed onto this cassette that you may feel bad for your speakers after having heard this. It starts with just a few sounds, maybe old tools scraping the insides of a steel drum, maybe gravel rolling down a broken playground slide. Whatever it is Khristoper Reinshagen (awesome name) is using it seems pretty grim. You almost get the feeling that this is what it must sound like to be transported somewhere horrible. It crescendos into a avalanche of horrendous sounds before a grim, droning denouement. Crucial. Limited to 100 copies and probably almost gone. 

The Loathsome Couple cs

The Loathsome Couple

s/t

Orobas Records

(4)

\

So I received the first Loathsome Couple cassette about a year ago and I was very excited to hear it. I had been a huge fan of Tobias Burch's one man project Amort for awhile and I was dying to hear what else he had been working on. I ended up being a little underwhelmed honestly. It wasn't the doom/noise/drone I was used to. It was more straight forward punk/metal type stuff. Fortunately it was still a little disjointed and not bad at all but it didn't really leave an impression. Then this release came along. I am now very impressed. This is heavy, blackened, hardcore, metal, etc…  and it's good. The Loathsome Couple are a three piece (and an Edward Gorey reference, which is awesome for me. Edward Gorey is the only artist I have ever flown to see one of their art shows when he was alive. So I am a bit of a fan). Tobias sings and there is a very talented drummer and guitar player. The songs are varied and interesting but still have a singular focus that is often important in the cohesion of metal. I also got a chance to see them live. Also worth checking out but I would recommend that they add a bass to the mix. The cassette has bass playing on it and it really adds a lot to the maelstrom. I think live it would lend a heaviness that the riffs demand. 

Wormsblood "Black & White Art for Man and Beast" cs

Wormsblood

Black & White Art for Man and Beast

Brave Mysteries

(4)

Wow. Holy shit. Wow. This is a full on album. I guess this is also a few years in the making and it shows. Drums, bass, guitar, keyboards and the most twisted vocals I have heard all day. I want to say it's prog/black metal but there are just as many genre changes as there are tempo changes on this one. It's really, really out there and I guess that is why I am giving it as high a rating as I am. I was gearing up to give this a 3. Solid and good but not mind blowing but as the record goes on it really opens up into brand new worlds of pure fucked. I also have to say that whomever is playing bass on this is a fucking master. Remember back in 1990 when you first heard Neurosis' World as Law? Remember how killer Dave Ed's bass playing was? Well, this is right up there. Crazy. The vocals need another mention here. They are awesome. Gargled craziness that moves up and down the dog/cat scale pretty often. The vocalist also can really sing as well which is used in just the right amounts. I don't really know what else to say except there is an orchestra at the end. Seriously. I think you should pick this up if prog laced black metal is your jam. Fans of mid-era Deathspell Omega, War & Pain/Nothingface Voivod and a little Pink Floyd's the Wall may want to take note although even those don't examples don't quite give you the right idea about what you are about to hear. Simple black and white J cards. Limited to 100 copies, which seems crazy. 

Rose Croix cs

Rose Croix

s/t

Brave Mysteries

(4)

I had seen this compared to Dead Can Dance but from a more experimental perspective and I was intrigued. It's not bad. It definitely sounds a lot like Dead Can Dance but a lot darker and heavier in it's compositions. The vocals are excellent and the drums will make you think of Death in June or Laibach a bit as well. All in all this is a fine release. If that sounds like something you would be into I recommend it. Brave Mysteries has been pretty solid with it's releases and I think you can trust their taste level. Limited to 100 copies. 

V/A "Days Without End" compilation cs

V/A

Days Without End

Clocktower

(2)

Let me start by saying that there is a lot to like about this cassette. The music is varied. There are some tracks that sound very psychedelic, some folk, some have a nice slowcore/shoegaze feel. There is a band that sounds like the Pixies. Musically the label has done a nice job of compiling some really interesting artists. I usually don't get to hear many bands like this so I was very satisfied with the music. In fact, if I were judging this cassette on the music alone I would probably give this tape a 4. It's well done in the facet and before I go on I should say that you should seek this out for the music alone (It includes a digital download of everything too). Unfortunately the cassette itself has some issues. First of all the dubbing job. It just doesn't sound as good as it could. I think it was dubbed at home on a not very good machine. Besides that all the tracks could use some mastering overall. That all aside though, the layout is just sad. It's handmade but not in a way that looks as if any time or real effort was taken. I love hand lettered/drawn text with photocopied images but this just misses the mark. I think with a little more care in the actual product this could be a stellar release. 

Deprivation cs

Deprivation

s/t

Diazepam

(3)

Deprivation create a haunting and brutal soundtrack across the five tracks on this cassette. Lots of rhythmic noise in the style of early Wolf Eyes or maybe Brighter Death Now but mixed with some more lo fi drone moments. The second side adds a little more fear with their filth in the form of what sounds like manipulated screams punctuated with loops of harsh noise that hits you in waves. Good work. 

Sky Thing "Cooler Heads Prevail" cs+ a zine by John Collins McCormick

Sky Thing

Cooler Heads Prevail

Eggy Records

(5)

This is phenomenal. Electric Acoustical layers of percussion and tape manipulations that make up a beautiful and perfectly constructed tape. I don't want to compare it to anything as I really think you should just pick this up right away. Small drums married with warped and broken vocals, maybe? Slowed down cymbals and fire? It's hard to say what I am exactly listening to but almost all of it sounds familiar. This tape sounds almost like it could be the start of something new. I can't really say much more. I wish I could just buy every copy and give them to all of you. I am really pleased to have received this. The art, by Josh Kermiet, is gorgeous. the layout is beautiful. I have to ask Eggy where they get their covers made. It's a nice full color newsprint type paper that reminds me of what comics are supposed to feel like. 

I also received a zine along with this tape by the artist behind Sky Thing, John Collins McCormick. It's a beautiful printed/hand lettered sine of asymmetrical drawings. Mostly in black and white but with a couple hand colored pages to set it off. It's a nice accompaniment to go with the cassette. His lines have the character of some of Jim Woodring's lines but totally abstract. This is something I would like to see more of. If you are interested you can email John here.

Pigtail Perverts "After School Special" cs

Pigtail Perverts

After School Special

Self Released

(3)

This is the kind of thing you would think I would be sick of by now; the whole sex and violence and perversion imagery mixed with HNW. Strangely enough, I am not. I still get a kick out of this stuff. I think having a daughter is taking the joy out of this a bit for me as now and I constantly think about how in a more than a few years I am going to beat the shit out of half the planet but I bought a juicer so pummeling all of you shouldn't be too much of an issue. Anyhow, this is pretty good. Just straight up HNW that sits in the mid range area. Not super piercing with its high end, not totally pummeling with its bass.  Its just direct and unrelenting. Imagine running through the stations on a car radio after dark and pausing on the static between two stations and just letting it sit there as you drive into the night. It's like that. I suppose you are also suppose to think about rape and black eyes too but that's really just silly packaging on what is a fine piece of HNW. Limited to 13 copies and impossible to find…  good luck. 

Fear Konstruktor "Nonexistence" 7"

Fear Konstruktor

Nonexistence

Peripheral Records

(4)

This is a gorgeous piece of drone. Two tracks on a 7" from Russia's Fear Konstruktor that combine the right amount of beauty and anxiety to keep the listener completely enveloped. This is apparently Fear Konstruktor's first vinyl release but surely not their last. I have reviewed some other tapes of FK before and I was always impressed with the attention to detail in not just the music but the artwork. No exception on this record. There is more of the Mucha-esque artwork by Artaksiniya on both the sleeve and the insert. Limited to 300 copies.

Black Cum "the Second Cumming" cs

Black Cum

the Second Cumming

self released

(3)

I am so glad I am on Black Cum's list now. This is another total gem of fucked craziness. You know how when it's just you and the cat in the house and you get excited about something, like the mail showed up or your inlaws canceled, so you start singing a weird song to the cat about how she belongs in a zoo and you hope the zoo catches on fire and the fire burns up all the bad kitties? Or something like that? Well, that weird enthusiasm is what makes up most of Black Cum's song writing. This cassette, unlike the previous one, is mostly all electric guitars, drums and vocals. There is plenty of crazy things yelled into the boombox or two track or whatever they record on. It's actually pretty well done, in a crazy person sort of way. There are 24 tracks on this cassette that have some killer titles. Bomb America!, Kill All Americans, Tellin' Everyone I Know to Burn Down America, Skull-Fuck the Military, Curb Stomp Cops, I Want to Hang Myself and Fucking Die, and of course, Untitled. Everything about the art is hand done (although, I think they got the illustration of the partial birth abortion from somewhere else) but I have to say that the song title list is really well written out. Clear, straight and easy to read. Like they give a shit. It's awesome. Email here to get a copy of this cassette and maybe the last one as well.

Marax "Lazy" 3" cdr

Marax

Lazy

Muchausen Sound

(3)

Similar to the previous Marax I reviewed but definitely has a different vibe. This one has a lot more glitchy, high pitched sounds that start it off right away. It also has more tracks that go beyond the :05 mark but they are still relatively short. The thing that really stands out to me on this one is this right near the end there is a track that sounds exactly like how my alarm clock sounds in my dreams when I am trying to wake up. It's got the constant harsh beep but it is constantly changed in a subtle way that gives it this surreal and disorienting vibe that is wonderful. The layout on this one is a little heavy on the photoshop filters but this is definitely worth checking out. 

Marax "Still at War with Emo" 3"cdr

Marax

Still at War with Emo

Muchausen Sound

(4)

Right off the bat my favorite part of this 3" is that the songs are short.  Like seconds long. They actually range from :05 to about 4:30 but it's all varied. It's awesome and the exact opposite of what you usually get from a noise record. This is short blasts of harsh fury mixed with short focused drone pieces over 11 tracks.  Really wonderful work. The layout looks a little 90's but still professional and tight. There is actually a lot of text to fit on such a small surface. 

Shiver "They Will Feed on Us" cs

Shiver

They Will Feed on Us

Diazepam

(4)

Pretty creepy stuff. Starts out very minimal with a sparse, lo fi loop. It then builds up with the sounds of crashing and possibly human wails. It has this vintage sound i have been loving that is similar to Pregnant Spore. Where the sound almost feels like it was created in the 1960s but this was recorded this year. The tape continues with grinding concrete, tuned down guitars and short burst of feedback. It's pretty awesome and very hypnotic. I am already impressed with this Italian label, Diazepam. I believe they are related to the great Ur from Italy. They have just started releasing tapes so I would recommend picking these up right away. This cassette comes in a burlap pouch with some actual bones inside. Eerie. 

Wailing of the Winds cs

Wailing of the Winds

s/t

Diazepam

(3)

This starts out beautifully. Almost has that Iranian classical music meets Tibetian sound that Master Musicians of Bukkake and Phurpa do so well. Musical saws, tubular bells, strange sounding horns all create a swirling maelstrom of sound that is both abstract and focused at the same time. When the second track comes it becomes much more structured. Still has the qualities of of the first track but you get an acoustic guitar playing a repetitive structure with a simple accompaniment from a violin and some small drums. It's a little too loose for me at times as if the people playing were in a such a trance that they forgot they were playing but it still sounds pretty good. Reminds me a bit of Tony Wakeford's solo work or maybe a bit of Death in June. After that they get down to more of the drone type stuff that is just brilliant. I should mention that the tape ends with a Thergothon cover that is one of the most beautiful pieces of neo-folk I have heard in a long time. Its a bit of a mix of style throughout but it's well worth checking out. Simple J cards and blank cassettes. 

Fantasy Island/Hadals split cs

Fantasy Island/Hadals split

Tapes of a Neon God

(5)

I don't go higher than 5 but I really wish I could. This is the best thing I have had the chance to review in a very long time. First of all let's just jump right to the names. Fantasy Island with the song "Steve Albini". Yes. Amazing. Fuck. It is fucking intense noise that just obliterates. Total junked, harsh, insanity. Completely left me hoping it would never stop and be over at the same time. Fucking perfect. Then we have Hadals with their song, "Cupcaking". Arms to the sky, happy with this. Another track of trashed out psychedelic noise. This is less scattered and twisted then Fantasy Island but it's much more ominous and horrifying. Noise lets up to reveal a huge dark cloud of synths and whispered vocals (maybe, it's hard to tell. You almost don't want to find out what those sounds below the din are). At times I wish TOANG would put out more tapes because everything they do is so good but other times I am glad they take this so seriously and do such excellent work. Beautiful double sided color j cards. 

More info here.

Burial Ground "Night of the Living Dead" cs

Burial Ground

Night of the Living Dead

Worthless Recordings

(4)

Fuck. This is a perfect use of samples right off the bat. To begin the final cassette in a trilogy dedicated to George Romero, Burial Ground starts off with a sample from the movie before a total Harsh Noise Wall destroys everything…  and keeps destroying. It's unrelenting and awesome! I never heard the first part of this trilogy but I would bet that it's pretty fucking great as this and the Dawn of the Dead cs were. It's a little backward that Day of the Dead would be first and Night of the Living Dead be last but I guess that keeps Burial Ground from doing any of those later Romero movies. If the level of brutality in the sound coincides with the quality of the film than maybe he can do a Land of the Dead cassette that sounds like Coldplay. Anyhow, this is awesome and I totally recommend clicking on Worthless Recordings and buying a bit of everything on there. Great noise that often has a connection to film in one refreshing way or another. 

Worn Vessel "the Refuse of Nature" cs

Worn Vessel

the Refuse of Nature

Worthless Recordings

(4)

The second this started I loved it. Huge swelling synths pushed to it's limits and breaking into millions of pieces all over your eardrums. It's wave after wave of crashing electric heaven. This is the kind of disgusting industrial dirge that I wish i could knit into a sweater. I find this so comforting. A few of the tracks feel like they are less than a minute long while others take you on quite a ride. Nice mix. Excellent work from what I guess is a project that has been around for awhile. This is the first I have heard of it but I am going to keep my eye peeled for more. Limited to 50 copies in simple single sided j cards. 

Circle of Eyes cs

Circle of Eyes

untitled cs

the Flenser

(4)

Kevin Yuen has been spending a lot of time with Sutekh Hexen lately and no one is complaining but his other project, Circle of Eyes, does such excellent work that I hope he has no abandoned this entirely. Circle of Eyes is actually made up of three people; Kevin, Anthony from Black Fucking Cancer and James from Swamp Witch and Your Enemy. The music is massive, black, occasionally ethereal and often crushing drone. Saying it is unlike SUNN0))) would be a bit disingenuous. It sounds a bit like Flight of the Behemoth era SUNN0))) mixed with their better recent live performances. This is not a bad thing. 0))) gets referenced a lot in many works these days from many different groups. I know they weren't the creators of this music but they certainly have driven their flag deep into the psyche of pretty much all of us. Where Circle of Eyes takes their own path on this is a sense of anxiety and urgency that I think can sometimes be lacking in other metallic drone projects. They seem to move quicker and more belligerently through their cycles than other bands. They seem almost a little drunk and dangerous in a way. You can almost picture this working on a bill with Nick Cave in a crazy mixed up world where I book every show. I think it may be the vocals and piano work that gives this a dionysian flair. Lovely. The tape itself has that little problem that sorta bugs me where there is a bunch of space at the end of the first side, but that is barely an issue anymore. Sometimes you are just limited with the physical qualities of magnetic tape. Beautiful artwork. Kudos to the label for doing such excellent work on this one. Edition of 100 copies. 

River's Edge cs

River's Edge cs

Worthless Recordings

(4)

This is awesome. I know I mentioned it before but Worthless recordings has decided to put movies on cassette. I used to do this before my family had a VCR in the 80's so I completely fell in love with this idea. I know I wasn't the only one. I remember visiting my friend at Kinko's late at night to make zines and whatever around 1994 and he would be listening to Reservoir Dogs on cassette. It's a experience that is all but extinct in the world of iPhones and streaming Netflix. I probably hadn't seen River's Edge in over a dozen years as well but listening to this brought it all back. I remembered every scene but doing it this way brought back memories of where I was when I saw it and with who. It came back in a way that was much different than if I had watched it. It was almost like my visual cortex was working to fill in the memory gaps of the movie so it started replaying all the things I had seen that night. I remembered the kind of TV I watched it on and where I was laying down…  Very strange. Well, to end this I offer a short list of movies I would like Worthless Recordings to release on tape before they receive a cease and desist order.

Red Dawn

Enemy Mine

Flash Gordon (those awesome Queen tracks need the sound effects)

Forbidden Zone

Reflecting Skin

Fire Walk with Me

Heilig Tod cs

Heilig Tod

s/t

Wands

(4)

Totally overblown, filthy, destructive, blackened, punk, crust insanity. I almost want to call this black metal but maybe if you throw in some Accused and Infest with that sort of insanity you get after getting hit in the face. Adrenaline and hatred mixed with the metallic taste of your own blood. That's what this sounds like. This tape is a dogsend. I am very thankful. Awesome design by Stephen Wilson on some of the most backwards "j cards" I have ever seen. Very bare bones. I am also pretty sure that out of the four songs on this cassette three are on side a (totally blank cassettes by the way) and the forth is on side b. It's so counterintuitive that it makes sense. Limited to 32 copies and I believe they are all gone but if you go to WANDS page you can download it. I can't recommend this more. 

Cold Comfort "Brief Moments of Clarity" VHS

Cold Comfort

Brief Moments of Clarity

Worthless Recordings

(4)

So this is my first VHS review. I haven't watched a vhs in years so this was kinda awesome. This is HNW both in it's aural and visual impact. For those that love HNW I think this is pretty mandatory. Five tracks that hit hard and never let up until the artist decided it was over. There should be a sample at the bottom of this review to check out for yourself. Limited to 28 copies and includes multiple inserts of artwork. Nicely done.

I removed the video link because it was taking forever to load this page on some machines but this whole run on sentence is a link because I said it would be in my mind while I typed this.

Recluse/Degenerate Slug split cs

Recluse/Degenerate Slug split 

No Visible Scars

(3)

I have to say that I am digging NVS' new packaging. A tall resealable bag with a tape and an insert. I think I like this more than the 7" type packaging. Not really sure why, I just like it more. Hmm.  Anyway, the first side of this tape is by an act called Recluse. It's pretty noisy but it's more in the vein of swans or godflesh.  Not that it really sounds like either but that is the vibe i am getting. Drum machines, super effected vocals and some 80s synth sounds. It actually sounds a lot like an 80s b-movie sci-fi movie soundtrack. It's pretty unique. Degenerate Slug is filthy. Really lo-fi noisy weirdness with a touch of black metal. Interesting to say the least. They say this recording is inspired by dissecting table, sleep disorders, swans, abruptum, cheap wine, goblin, havohe j and drugs. You can hear it. It's pretty awesome. I dig the lo-fi under produced nature of both sides of this one. Pretty solid. 

Ur "Clandestine Meeting Park" cs

Ur

Clandestine Meeting Park

No Visible Scars

(4)

I have been familiar with Ur for awhile. I was attracted to their subtle dark drones and have been hoping to hear something new from them. This release is an excellent example of their work. Fans of Blue Sabbath Black Cheer, Sunn0))), Klaus Schultz, and maybe Nurse with Wound will find something they love hear. Very dark and grim sounds throughout these two tracks. Distant drums and faraway scraping adds texture to some deep horrific drones. Vocals sound like a desperate mob. This is the soundtrack to a hopeless life. Pure emptiness and sorrow await you. Limited to 50 copies and it's a shame. This will go fast. I guess there is a even more limited version of 15 copies you can seek out if you are fast. 

Pregnant Spore/Actuary split cs

Pregnant Spore/Actuary split cs

s/t

Rainbow Bridge Recordings

(4)

This is an excellent sampling of two of the more interesting noise acts of late, Pregnant Spore and Actuary. Although Actuary is the A side when I received my cassette it was wound to play Pregnant Spore first so here I go: The PS tracks on this cassette have that sound that I totally covet. Justin Marc LLoyd is somehow able to make noise that sounds like it was recorded in the 1960's. It's intense, moving and totally rages but when you listen to it you feel like you have uncovered something. Like a noise loving Indiana Jones. The packaging has the same look. Like a page from that awesome book, "Our Universe" that every kid loved in elementary school. The Actuary side has a similar almost vintage sound as well. A little less harsh and not quite as brutal as their previous releases, but this is not a bad thing. This track is more restrained and tense. It's a new side to what is becoming one of my new favorite noise acts. Both sides of this tape are fantastic and its limited to only 50 so I recommend grabbing this as soon as you are done reading this. 

Actuary/Aderlating split cs

Actuary/Aderlating split cs

Curses and Conspiracies

Love Earth Music

(4)

This split is really a collaboration. Two completely unique yet similar takes on brutality through sound. Actuary's side starts with horror and screaming immediately and then just builds and builds into chaos with the addition of drumming. Like in a Crash Worship sort of sense and the drumming provided by Aderlating. In fact that is how the collaboration works. Actuary has Aderlating provide drumming and Aderlating has Actuary provide theirs. Both sides are totally twisted and amazing but also completely their own. When I mentioned Crash Worship before I should say that this did remind me of them a bit but in the best sense. In the live sense. You know how their records were good but in comparison to their live sets the recordings sort of paled. This cassette is closer to the energy, intensity and derangement of a Crash Worship show from 1995. Terrifying and enthralling all at once. Definitely recommend this cassette. 

Holographic Beast "Glass Tightrope" cs

Holographic Beast

Glass Tightrope

Know/Care Sounds

(4)

The initial mood set up by this release is almost too comforting. You realize in a couple seconds that everything is probably going to be destroyed. Like entering a room full of stacks of fine china. Something permanent is about to happen. It does. Harsh commanding vocals and a wall of harsh and spastic noise tears into the serene yet somehow alien landscape set up in the first few minutes. That is just the first three tracks. The repetition and rhythmic waves of noise that color this release are incredibly hypnotic. I had a hard time remembering that I had to write about this while listening to it. I started out thinking I was going to give this a 3 instead of a 4 because I was pretty underwhelmed by the layout at first but now looking at it in relation to the audio on this release I would say that it is a perfect compliment. Holographic Beast does not release a ton of things but it is nice when they do. Excellent work. Still has a download in it as well. 

Holographic Beast "Perpetual Filth" cs

Holographic Beast

Perpetual Filth

Know/Care Sounds

(4)

The sounds on this cassette are actually more than a couple years old but I find the work to be very fresh sounding. Odd vocal layers, piercing yet controlled feedback, huge buzzing drones and none of it sounds accidental. I don't feel like this was all improvised. This doesn't seem like simple knob turning; this feels intentional. I was surprised at how restrained the pieces on this cassette were. Moments of Throbbing Gristle meets Andrew Chalk. Each track is unique but they all seem totally cohesive with the other tracks. Haunting and sad sounds are all dedicated to someone who had passed. Nice simple j cards and limited to 100 copies. I hope there are more of these. Includes a digital download if you swing that way. 

Pregnant Spore "(ache for)" cs

Pregnant Spore

(ache for)

Rainbow Bridge 

(3)

I'm not sure how I feel about this one. It is epic and the sounds are great but it also feels a little off. You know how John Wiese does that sort of stop and start noise thing, bursts of harsh destruction mixed with absolute silence? You get a lot of that here. It does seem pretty interesting and restrained at times but then again it feels a little lifted as well. Like I said I am a bit confused on how I feel. The first half of the first side is great but it really feels a little familiar but the second half of the first side is the Pregnant Spore I love. Pulsing rhythms of pure noise mixed with broken synths and tortured sounding loops. It all has that lo-fi sound I love from Pregnant Spore's earlier releases. I guess this was recorded mainly by accident while trying out some ideas and the artist fell into a bit of a trance. I can see that. I have done that. You create some very interesting things but sometimes it gets a bit self indulgent. Not that I think in noise that is really a bad thing. At least I hope not. When I said this was epic I should also point out that this cassette is a c92 so you are in for a trip here. The packaging is very thrown together. Folded origami paper for a jcard, completely blank cassettes and tiny computer print out info cards. It is limited to 50 copies and I think you should grab one. Just as the audio on this release keeps changing so does my opinion. It's perplexing. It's a piece that I may have to revisit a few more times. 

Sun Boxes on 7"

Sun Boxes 7"
http://www.sun-boxes.com/





So I don't really review things that I can't hold in my hand but this seemed pretty interesting. Craig Colorusso constructed these solar powered little drone machines and places them out in nature. Like a giant beautiful Buddha Box. I guess he made a couple of field recordings and pressed a 7". The audio I have heard sounds great and I may just order one of these for myself but until I do all I can tell you is that this looks interesting and you may want to check it out. It would actually be ideal to see/hear this in it's intended setting, nature. Check out the blog and look to see where the next installation if going up. It seems like it could really be just about anywhere.

Mawdryn cs

Mawdryn

s/t

Universal Consciousness

(5)

Mawdryn is a one man atmospheric drone/metal project by Roskva (Lightning Swords of Death & Endless Blizzard). It's a really fucking heavy revelation. Giant slow riffs with pummeling drums and synths that makes something absolutely enormous. To borrow an idea from the UC's website, this is pure Satanic Majesty. When people say drone/metal they probably think Sunn 0))), Habsyll, Black Boned Angel or something in that vein but Mawdryn deserves it's own place in the genre. This may be my favorite new release and I will be wearing this one out. Limited to 100 copies so get this. This is going to be huge. Vinyl and cd represses… all that stuff. Hell, I would love to reissue it on my label. Letter pressed jcards as usual. Beautiful (ignore the cracked case). 

Lord Time "Black Hole at the End of the Tunnel" cs

Lord Time

Black Hole at the End of the Tunnel

Universal Conciousness

(5)

I was very stoked to see this arrive as the last Lord Time cassette was amazing. BHATEOTT is no exception. There are 20 short tracks that all sort of swirl and blend together on this cassette. Still excellent and twisted lo-fi black metal but there is a lot more to the overall piece on this one. Moments of noise, psychedelic, drone and neo-folk add some much interesting contrast that you will need to listen to this many times to get it all. Some songs rage with blast beats and super fast discordant guitars while others sound like a funeral dirge at a concentration camp. Bleak. This is totally crucial and I can't recommend this enough. Amazing letterpressed j cards and cassettes covered in real blood as usual. 

Weeping Swords "Death Wins Every War" cs

Weeping Swords

Death Wins Every War

Worthless Recordings

(4)

Again, not at all what I was expecting. Weeping Swords sorta creates their own genre here. It's like blackened Badalamenti or something. Sad swelling synths accompanied by minimal drums and driven by some completely brutal screaming. It's gorgeous and horrific at the same time. I think the Twin Peaks soundtrack is a pretty good comparison to some of the music on here. I think maybe just have that dude from Xasthur sing over it and you have a decent idea of what you might find on this release. There are other tracks that are just solid ambient doom as well but with a different feel than you may be used to. The audio is mastered a bit quiet and that's a tiny bit of a bummer but this release is super fucking solid, just turn it up loud and be prepared to cry yourself into a nightmare. 

Robert Ridley-Shackleton "Super Goaty Mix Tape" cs

Robert Ridley-Shackleton

Super Goaty Mix Tape

Goaty Tapes

(4)

I was fully not expecting this. Not at all. This is awesome lo-fi, no-rock, bedroom trash rock and it's fucking great. Drums machines and lunatic bass playing perfectly accompanies some very strange lyrics. The music kinda sounds like if 1950's rock n roll was the last genre ever explored and it has just evolved and mutated into a weird bastard over the last 60 years. It's subversive and strange. The way the levels are mixed is fucking crazy. It almost sounds like it was recorded into a four track that did not have the option of adjusting input levels so he just said "fuck it" and went with it. "My husband comes home every night wanting food on the table and to beat up my face" Yup, this guy is something special. I had not heard of this label before but their aesthetic is amazing and the tapes are beautiful. I am pleased to have discovered both Robert and Goaty Tapes. Really good work. The tape here includes three full lengths by Robert Ridley-Shackleton: Here Comes Robby, Prick with a Stick and Ugly. It is a bit on the long side and there is very little in the way of information in the actual release but I think you will be happy. 

Deadbeat "Source Tape for Lonely Nights" cs

Deadbeat

Source Tape for Lonely Nights

Worthless Recordings

(4)

Pretty straight forward noise from Deadbeat. Bubbling, crunching type of noise that fills you with just enough comfort and anxiety to keep you engaged. It's weird to compare it like this but it kinda of reminds me of a slowed down Dried Up Corpse. Implying that there is a tempo to either Deadbeat or Dried Up Corpse is ridiculous but when you hear it it might make sense. There is no frills on this one. No samples, no vocals from the abyss just pure churning noise that runs through your room like lava. The packaging is simple and unpretentious. There isn't even any label information. Refreshing. 

Black Cum cs

Black Cum

s/t

self released

(3)

So yeah…  This is fucking insane. Really terrible and hard to listen to but at the same time kinda awesome. There is little in the way of music or even noise on this cassette. It sounds like ti was recorded on a small radioshack cassette recorder in a wreck room somewhere.There is lots of badly scream/sung lyrics about killing the president, killing cops, drinking, drugs and what have you. I actually love how they refer to themselves from time to time like "this is what happens when Black Cum gets fucked up on drugs and booze". They do that kind of thing a lot. Not sure if there is any real instruments, maybe acoustic guitar, maybe a tambourine but after that I think I am hearing cardboard boxes, and whatever was in the room at the time of recording. The also spend some time discussing "the album" at the end of the cassette and the results are hilarious. Its pretty nuts. I think this is worth hearing once at least for the line "if you're going to kill a cop, it might as well be a pregnant cop." What the fuck? This stream of consciousness, while being both ignorant and precious at the same time, is ultimately a failure. It is a pretty glorious failure though and I think that is what they are going for. When I got this in the mail the note inside said "Hey Demian, Wondering if you could review this. It's self released & it's just terrible. Thanks. -Black Cum" No problem guys. By the way, awesome name. 

Jessika Kenny & Eyvind Kang "Aestuarium" 12"

Jessika Kenny & Eyvind Kang

Aestuarium

Ideological Organ/Editions Mego

(5)

This is truly unbelievable. Listening to this made me realize how small my musical world really is. I want to pretend I know a lot about metal, jazz, folk, noise, whatever… but in reality I inhabit a very small corner of an entire universe of music. The whole of this recording is made up of interplay between the human voice, performed by Jessika Kenny, and viola, performed by Eyvind Kang. I have been a little familiar with some of their collaborative works, most recently they both worked on Monoliths and Dimensions by SUNN0))) on the track "Big Church". The music is so beautiful and flawless on this record. It can sound like it's from Ireland, Isreal and Tibet all at the same time. This is evidence of why the spiritual and the musical are so intwined. This is heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. My eyes have been opened and I want to see more. Apparently this is a vinyl repressing from a cd release in 2005 and Stephen O'Malley has given this a wonderful treatment. His design and care in the production of these records are apparent. Definitely a must for anyone searching for something they haven't found yet.

Fire in the Head/Bereft split 12"

Fire in the Head/Bereft split 12"

MA/PE/FU Vol. 1

Existence Establishment

(3)

This 12" is the first in a series of releases focusing on Massachusetts noise artists. Both acts on this record deliver some intense industrial power electronics and harsh noise. Fire in the Head is Michael Page (also of Sky Burial, which I loved) and he brings some brutal sounds. I thought for a minute there might be a Full Metal Jacket sample within the music but I don't think so. I was about to have to remind everyone of the 20 year moratorium on using any samples from Full Metal Jacket. 20 years. Serious, but I must stress that I am really not a fan of samples. They just take me out of it. I start wondering where that sample was from and I can't get into the otherwise awesome sounds being created. Sometimes it works well but I guess it's all personal preference. Still Fire in the Head is pretty good. Super heavy grinding synths and harsh noise. The vocals are pretty deranged and that adds a nice bit of fury to what is already pissed. Bereft is also very dark. More of a laid back harsh drone meets the Swans type of thing. It's pretty fucking awesome actually. Dark, noisy and with creepy vocals. Reminds me a bit of Drowner from Seattle. Massachusetts has some pretty killer shit happening and I hope this series of 12"s shows that off.  The one negative for me isn't as important as whether or not the music is any good but it's still important. The layout. I rally hate the type treatment for pretty much the whole record. Maybe it was intentional but the type mixed with the photographs makes this look like I was receiving a straight edge hardcore 12" from 1995. I was expecting both bands to sound like Strife and Ten Yard Fight or something. 

Night Heir "Wind in my Dreams, Mist in my House" cs

Night Heir

Wind in my Dreams, Mist in my House

Secret Lexicon
(3)

You really have to hand it to this one for the scale of this record alone. Ten tracks that spread over about 40 minutes of continuous neo-folk, black metal, and prog. There are some very interesting uses of unique percussion and a huge choir of voices. Sometimes the vocals get a little too sing song for me but there is usually a tinge of madness behind those vocals and that really helps carry it. The songs are huge and sprawling and it's really difficult to figure out where one starts and another ends. There are moments, my favorite moments, where things almost start to sound a little like Voivod. You can't go wrong with that. There are other moments of ambient black metal that fades into full on black hatred. Musically it's pretty solid. Besides some of the singing that really isn't my think, my only other issue with this release is the layout. It feels like maybe they weren't exactly sure how the j card would print as there are some blacks that don't match up and look pretty awkward. The text is pretty nice but then there are some punch out letters on the inside that make little sense with the rest of the layout. They could really have edited a bit there. All in all though, this is a solid offering. Limited to 100 numbered copies.