Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Shattered Hymen/Hate Basement/Hadals/Fantasy Island 4 way split cs


Shattered Hymen/Hate Basement/Hadals/Fantasy Island
4 way split cassette
Tapes of a Neon God



Tapes of a Neon God is pretty much like that label Handmade Birds in that way that way need to buy every single thing that they put out because even if you haven't ever heard of it, it's amazing. This four way cassette has been played about 27 times in my house since I received it. I had never heard of the first two acts on this cassette and to be honest, with names like those I wasn't expecting much. Serves me right that these are fucking brutal and intimidating. Let's start with Shattered Hymen, possibly the worst name but the most surprisingly amazing bit of work. Harsh noise and smashing glass make up most of what you hear. There seems to be some really fucked up vocals buried, possibly literally, beneath what sounds like a constant waterfall of glass and static. It's awesome. Hate Basement deliver a huge hit of HNW that starts with some almost minimal hits of guitars being destroyed or maybe bed frames being dropped off a roof. Hard to tell but it's killer. Fantasy Islane and Hadals I knew were already going to be great from the last tape of theirs that I reviewed. These tracks are no exception. Hadals starts off the most restrained of all four. Some quiet building drones with subtle accompaniment from a quiet chorus of voices. This quiet is then disturbed by high pitched noise and some of the saddest and scariest distant vocals I have heard in a long time. It's heartbreaking. Finally Fantasy Island gives a horrendous dose of harsh noise. With a name like Chris Brown you know this track it will be unnecessarily brutal and not give a shit about your well being. It's insane and glorious.
Visually this is wonderful again. Tapes of a Neon God always understand how to design and use type in ways that are both beautiful and legible while still being fucked up and dark. Disturbing cover photo of some self mutilation and clean san serif fonts. Gorgeous. 
Would I buy this? I would. You should. 

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