The Cherry Point "Black Witchery" cd

The Cherry Point 

Black Witchery

PacRec

Did you ever see “Season of the Witch”? I did, it was fucking terrible. Because it’s such a piece of shit movie, it felt long, and tortuous, and the entire film left you with that sinking feeling in your gut that there’s really no escaping what’s about to happen next.

     This "The Cherry Point" thing is a lot like Season of the Witch. Sure, it’s got a track actually titled “Season of the witch” but that’s too easy. Like the 95 minutes I wasted watching a rotted pile of Nicolas Cage’s smeg, This record feels long, and torturous, and there’s actually no way of escaping. I tried to pause it at one point and it didn’t work. This is most likely related to the fact that this computer is shit and can’t handle the size of my outlook penis, but I’m just gonna blame it on impressive Cherry Point witchery.

Unlike the film, this thing is fucking rad. HNW tearing at your eardrums like a horde of hungry earwigs. I’m never going to listen to it again because I like not having that feeling of being strangled by an oscillator, but you should totally check it out.

     The cover art is of a pretty lady, she looks classy. I dunno if she’s a witch or what, maybe she’s tied to a stake or something, I can’t tell. I’m pretty sure she’s not black though. The back looks like utter shit, but that’s probably the point. 

     Oh, you can visit them at www.bloodmania.com,
Awesome name noise bros. (RS)

Crown of Cerebus "Her Strength" cs

Crown of Cerebus

Her Strength

Cult of Craft

Another killer release from Cult of Craft. This time it is a selection of the most melancholy drone and soundscape work I have heard in a long time. Sigur Ros would love to put out a record that sounds like this. There are some samples (I think from What Dreams May Come) at the beginning and that usually bums me out but this time around I think it's perfect. It still bums me out but in the way the artist intended. I really like this album, it feels like it really was written for someone. Someone who needed a little strength. 

     This is going in the Dead Formats book. The oversized plastic bag is kinda crappy but I think I will just regard that as protection and not packaging. Like a mylar sleeve around Action Comics #1. A screen printed* wrap around sleeve with a purple ribbon holding the whole thing together. It somehow makes this whole cassette seem that much more personal. 

     I would recommend this.

*turns out this is a block cut which is 400% cooler than a screen print. I am very impressed. 

Æther & Trepaneringsritualen "Edifice of Nine Sauvastikas" cs

Æther & Trepaneringsritualen

Edifice of Nine Sauvastikas

Belaten

This is so well done that I feel like I need to be very respectful in my review. Both acts do an all encompassing drone made up of instruments and voices doing something I don't think I have ever heard before. This is so alien and strange that I almost felt high listening to it. I think the only thing I would say against it is that I wish it were about two hours longer. Really, really good. Both artists fit perfectly together and compliment each other in a completely awe inspiring way. 

     Everything from this label–and I have about three more to review–looks amazing and cohesive. Beautiful Tibetian artwork on the cover with swastikas floating around the artwork. Very nice design. Reminds me a lot of European design from the mid 60's. 

     Find this and buy this. 

Deism cs

Deism 

Self Titled

Spring Street Records

Wow! Holy shit. I wasn't expecting this at all. This reminds me of Warsaw meets Born Against. Deism is an intense noisy punk-noise-hardcore-rock explosion with just the tiniest touch of krautrock. It was not what I was expecting but it's real good. I am actually a little bummed this is so short. I think this is a c10. Fuck it. It's rad. 

     It looks great. Includes a sticker and full lyrics along with some grim images. The type is handled very well so you know I am happy. It's really the full package. 

     I would buy this, thinking I was getting some Sunn0))) inspired drone, but I would be very happy to own this.

Worn Vessel "Creatures of Decadence" cs

Worn Vessel

Creatures of Decadence

Worthless Recordings

Well done. This is an epic piece of noise. It has this beautiful lo-fi sound that brings to mind nights when I was a child trying desperately to find music buried below the white noise. This is more of a swirling, twitching drone with moments of electrocution speckling the waves. It's ominous. That's the word I wanted to write. Ominous. 

     It looks pretty cool. Normally I yawn at the dead girls-sexy violence noise thing but this is done in a very cool handmade way and it looks legit. Nice. 

     Yeah, buy this. 

Fur of Heaven cs

Fur of Heaven

Self Titled

Worthless Recordings

Hmmm. This is the last thing I expected it to be. This sounds an awful lot like stuff I was way into in the early to mid 90's. Quicksand and Handsome but mix in a touch of Tragedy and some pretty killer vocals. Strange. I really am not feeling it though. It rocks very fucking hard and gets better and better as it goes but it is ultimately not my thing. The band is good though and I have to give it up for that. I usually find everything Worthless Recordings does pretty bullet proof so I may have to give this another listen but right now I am pretty lukewarm.

     The look of it throws me off too. The logo on the front of the cassette looks like something you might see on the bottom of a snowboard. Aside from that there isn't much else to mention. 

     I don't think I would buy this one. 

The Salts 3" cdr

The Salts

Fedora Corpse Records

So this beautiful little 3" starts out in a very singular noisy drone type of direction. I was pretty settled thinking that this was what I was getting. IT's awesome but then it moves into this strange almost krautrock type track then within a few minutes this crazy psychedelic stuff that was totally hypnotic. It's a huge range of sounds in just 3" of cd. I dig it. 

     The packaging is great. Lots of stamps (which is a Fedora Corpse standard) and this interesting textured paper. Only 20 were made but it's worth tracking down. 

Deadmoths "Asylum Dreams" cs

Deadmoths

Asylum Dreams

Crippled Sound Records

Fuck. Fuck. This is some grim shit. Totally insane vocals over this almost brand new kind of noise. It sputters and swings across your speakers with lots of feedback, ring modulators and static. I think listening to this in headphones would make you vomit. I almost don't want to say anymore after that. 

     I will say that although the cover and inside photos are great, and totally go with it, the type on the inside and back are pretty forgettable. Nothing horrible but it seems a little bit of a throw away. 

     I would still buy it though. It sounds like you are being consumed by bees. You can't put a price tag on that. 

Temple of Set cs

Temple of Set

S/T

Cult of Craft

A harrowing nightmare of feedback being blasted through an air vent from miles away. This sounds like horror. A distant howling horror that will make it's way to you. I like it. It's heavy on the delay and fuzz in a way that reminds me of some early heavy noise doom stuff. Maybe a little BSBC (arguably the best thing in doom/noise in the past decade) and maybe a little Deaththroes. It's killer. 

     It looks pretty cool. The tape is actually tied into it's j card by these black ribbons and the j card goes all the way around. It doesn't have a case but instead has this weird mismatched plastic bag. That is my only real issue with this one. Still it's a good one. 

     If I saw this, with it's weird plastic bag that is too big, on a merch table I would pass it by but I would be missing out. 

The Rainbow Body "Return Unto Void" cs

The Rainbow Body

Return Unto Void

Self Released

This is the second cassette I have heard from The Rainbow Body and I am very impressed. Fans of Imaginary Hardwoods, Mark McGuire and Fennez will be totally into this. I am in love with the looping, swirling, guitar and keyboard drones. It's amazingly restrained with just the right amount of dirt. This also sounds across the board amazing. It's nice to see a band that cares enough to pay for James Plotkin to master their cassette. 

     It looks good. Nice, clean, modern typography and lust full color cover make this a damn attractive piece of work. 

     Buy this right away. This one is going on a "best of" list. 

Hheva // Shiver split cs

Hheva // Shiver

Troubled Sleep

DZPM 

Two dark and sorrowful tracks haunt this cassette. Hheva play a track that honestly sound like ghosts of ancient aliens whispering warnings to you in a language you cannot comprehend. It scary and beautiful at the same time. Shiver do another anxiety ridden synth heavy track that fells like you are waiting for torture. It's kinda freaky. There are some samples that I kinda hate but most of the samples are in a foreign language so it doesn't totally pull me out of the music. Shiver's last release I reviewed was so good that I forgive a sample here and there but I am still not a fan.

     It looks pretty simple. Kinda forgettable but i really appreciate the brittle, rough paper DZPM likes to use. It feels and looks so old that you almost feel like you are discovering this tape under the floorboards of a condemned house.

     I would probably pick this up based on the label's track record alone, but it's not a grand slam. 

Kleptocracy Pyre "Into the Marrow of Humanity" cs

Kleptocracy Pyre

Into the Marrow of Humanity

Waterpower

This is pretty fucking unrelenting and hateful industrial noise from Waterpower. I have never heard of Kleptocracy Pyre but I think my love of Throbbing Gristle, Deutsch Nepal and Self Communion is making me love this project. LIke I said hateful. Heavy rhythms that just pound at you as some almost neo fascist sounding vocals scream commands you dare not disobey. Fuck. 

The layout is killer. Black and white photography with excellent typography. Much appreciated. 

I would buy it. 

Nagual "Clear One: Ether(s) " cs

Nagual

Clear One: Ether(s)

Pidgin Records

Breaking format. This is a beautiful, beautiful design. I am so excited to keep this tape safe so I can have it looking nice for the book. It's so simple, minimal and perfect that I am totally blown away. I absolutely respect the restraint that made something this handsome exist. Excellent work Ohio. Oh yeah, Nagual is a duo from Oberlin, Ohio and they play some excellent subtle yet complex drone. Tiny bits of percussion dot a landscape made up of two beautiful droning guitars. It's a little like Barn Owl if you took away the "parts". If that makes sense… This is a group to pay attention to. 

Seriously. This tape is gorgeous.

Divine Shell // False Flag split cs

Divine Shell // False Flag

Split cs

Rainbow Bridge

I had to borrow this image because I can't find this awesome tape in this  pile. Thanks Justin.

Rainbow Bridge is one of those awesome labels that has a constant output of excellent cassettes and cdrs. Less cdrs though these days. I don't know why people aren't that into them anymore. I think they are such a dead format that they kinda rule more now. Up there with 3.5" diskettes really… Anyhow, This split from Divine Shell and False Flag is a excellent example of Rainbow Bridges work. Simple packaging and stamped tapes always look great. Divine Shell starts with a huge noisy drone that sounds like a million broken Baldwin Fun Machines being played by a million Brian Enos with one distortion pedal connecting them all. It's great! False Flag (a term I just learned) does this excellent drone with lots of vocals and static smeared over the top. This is a killer split from a killer label.

     It looks cool. Overly simple and slightly naive in a 1980's educational sort of way. I really like the looks of this. Limited to only 20 copies. Damn.

     Yeah, I would. 

Gnawed // RXAXPXE cs

Gnawed // RXAXPXE

Industrial Culture

I have been getting a lot of tapes lately that are really full of fucked hate. This is no exception. The tracks on the first side of this cassette–by Gnawed–are a touch industrial but with some much noise and vocal destruction that it obscures any rhythm you may here and turns the whole track into a drone of pure static and rage. The RxAxPxE tracks are a bit more on the thin harsh noise side of things but totally brutal. Excellent work by both artists.

     It looks solid. Big creepy photos matched with big creepy type. It's pretty well done.

     If you like hate and hate like. LIke this. 

No Monster Club "Posthumous Hits" cs

No Monster Club

Posthumous Hits

Already Dead Tapes

Wow. This is maybe the most surprising audio reveal for me. No Monster Club is not the kind of band I thought it would be. From the tape artwork and photo on the back I was thinking either NOFX type thing or maybe at best something akin to Dinosaur Jr. I was pretty wrong. This is way closer to The Kinks, Beach Boys, Captain Beefheart, and more contemporary comparisons like Ariel Pink, (early) Animal Collective and The Fall-outs. I know that is a wide comparison with a lot of disparate bands but this has a lot of interesting garage and psychedelic comparisons. If you have a music snob coming over, play this and they're mind will be blown. It's good. Very good. 

     I was a little thrown off by the cover artwork though. It looks like a 1990's garage band cover that would have been on Esterus Records. Comic Book style drawings and live photos in a tiny box. It is something I would have never bothered with.

     After hearing the first track I would buy one. Absolutely. 

Unexamine // HHL split cs

Unexamine // HHL

Worthless Recordings

I am sure you have heard both of these HNW acts by now and I don't really have to describe them too much. I will say that one is blistering and the other is bludgeoning and I think you can guess which is which. This cassette is pure HNW and needs to be owned by anyone who claims to care about the genre. I love this. 

     The tape looks pretty rad. Black and white photos of models and simple Helvetica in all caps. It's well printed and well designed and I am stoked to own this. You should be too.

     Buy one for your most fucked up friend.

Locrian & Mamiffer "Bless Them That Curse You" cs/cd/lp

Locrian & Mamiffer

Bless Them That Curse You

Siege, Profound Lore, Utech

Normally when I review something for this shit I get the overwhelming feeling that the person who made it is really mad at me. Instead of yelling at me about whatever I did to piss them off, like a fucking adult, ragebeard sends me a really passive aggressive voicemail that sounds suspiciously like two cats raping a toaster. 

     Not so with this one. Locrian and Mamiffer, “Bless Them that Curse You”. This record sounds just sounds like some chill smart dudes who just want to tell me ghost stories. Atmospheric and pretty out the balls, this thing fucking rules. When drums come, and they will come, your shitty work cubicle starts to feel carcinogenic and more like being stoned at an ent’s grave. Seriously, I know you’ve all already bought this, well, I hope so, but even if you have, listen to it again, because you know I’m right.

     Aesthetically I thought this thing was a CD, turns out it’s just a really pretty tape package. Would I buy this? Of fucking course I would, twice. Goddamn I love Locrian. (RS)

Ehnahre "Old Earth" cd

Ehnahre

Old Earth

Crucial Blast

I really miss Mare. They were by far, the best thing that came out of Hydrahead in the last decade or so. Interesting, complex, emotional heaviness that just perplexed me when I tried to reverse engineer their songs. I figured I had that one EP from them and that was it… and it was. THere were other bands that did what they did before and after them but none really hit me in a way that blew me away like that. Then this record comes along. It's not exactly the same and the comparison isn't exactly fair but this band has full control over the amazing music they make in a very similar way and I am totally perplexed in the same way. Doom, jazz, free improvisation blackened vocals, cellos, and seriously heavy riffs that barely exist in this world are completely destroying me right now. There are moments that actually remind me of my favorite band of all time, Craw. This record feels almost like it was made for me. 

      It looks okay. I'm not really into the layout or the dirt photos on the cover. It looks kinda like a "gritty" mood board that they decided to just through some text over. It's fine but it's not really impressing me nearly as much as the music is. 

      I would very much buy this.

Bad Algorithm // Glasgow Smile split cs

Bad Algorithm // Glasgow Smile

Self Released by BA

Two acts delivering blistering HNW for about 45 minutes or so. Bad Algorithm has been putting out some pretty intense harsh noise and this cassette is a prime example. Glasgow Smile is new to me but it's equally brutal with a bit of vocal destruction as well. Straight ahead audio violence.

     It's pretty simple looking as well. Not a bad thing, just simple. Psychedelic cover art and clean text. The color of the text hinders the legibility a bit but it still works okay.

     Would I buy this? Yeah, Probably. For the Bad Algorithm alone.