Reviews Fall and Winter 2013 / 2014

Before I throw you sons of bitches head first into more reviews let me first state what's up with Gene Symptoms these days.  I had good intentions of relaunching the zine when I sent word out in the Summer.  However, I opted to change my mind, so instead of wasting a bunch of money on a zine that I cannot afford to make enough copies of to meet the periodic spikes of demand that come my way; I will post all reviews here.  This next batch of reviews were intended for issue 8 and here is a small fraction of those.  I still have more material to review and it will all get posted within the next few weeks.  After this, if you send stuff I will review it and post it immediately.  That way the reviews will be current and up to date.  At this point I'm still reviewing stuff I received over 2 years ago.  But even though some stuff may be old news I am pretty sure a lot of this stuff has not been reviewed by anyone; at least in the United States so there is that.  As this blog grows in size and scope, I hope to start posting images, sounds, and other things of interest to you sound consumers out there.  I appreciate all the support I have gotten over the years and I intend to keep flying the flag for extreme music despite not doing it in the form of a physical zine.  Again, if you have material that needs to have a non-biased, nonjudgmental, even handed review please feel free to get in contact with me at witchkunt@gmail.com and lets hook it up.  As stated previously, after this and the next round of stuff, I will review things only as they come in so that everything you read is timely and current.  Send me stuff because I love packages.  Also…..feedback is greatly appreciated as well. Enjoy and Cheers. Gene Symptoms.
SPECIAL NOTE: I just noticed that there are some typos here and there. Future reviews will not have any of that. I got in a hurry so fuck you.

Loopool. ‘Navigator's Spicetrance.’ 3inch. Ad Nauseam Records.

some definitive deep trancelike stuff to be had here. immediately i was transported to the deepest regions of space and left to contemplate nothing. loopool's delivery is one that is ever shifting, albeit very slowly, yet maintains even tones and thematic texture. very dead and empty sounding but still rich in haunting ambient power and a very dense mournful mood. while far from a reinvention of the wheel, loopool has demonstrated great skill and care with his art. this 3inch is a quality listen and should warrant further investigation into loopool's work.

Resin Cum. 'act V: Arbeitsschew.' CDR. Gay Noise.

this 6 track disc goes in several different directions and each of them is fantastic. resin cum manages to straddle genre barriers and cross pollinate to give your ears a real goddamned treat. this can only be described as bleak lo-fi ambient soundscapes with songs creeping in and out of crispy layers. hot crumbly breathing gives way to in the red piano and guitar treatments. while things shift rather rapidly from track to track and within, resin cum seems to be able to move about freely into different areas without coming off as a forced production. to my eyes and ears this is what DIY is all about: a thorough ear scrubbing jaunt through the backside of the night packaged ever so nicely in a handmade package. this is a shoe in for top release of this here issue of witch kunt. seek this out and get inspired. act fast though as there are only 50 physical copies otherwise go support resin cum's facebook and bandcamp pages. seriously excellent stuff that is well worth your while to check out.

Junko and Kylie Minoise. 'Nature.' CD. Dirter.

I think you motherfuckers know what you are in for here. a single 39 minute holocaust for your auditory system. what you get is a three pronged attack of brittle static, degenerative feedback, and bowel curdling screams. there is no subtlety, no relief, and no hope to be had here. you will feel the pain and you are going to like it. this one is definitely one for the serious devotees of damaged speakers and domestic violence. cruel and barbaric hatred for the harsh heads. cheers fuckers.

Zalhietzli. Self titled. CDR. Zugzwang productions.

This CDR is a compilation which includes 2 releases and is a great overview of what Zalhietzli brings to the noise table. The five tracks on this disc are in the 5 to 12 minute range and run an interesting gamut of styles.  On the one hand, with the opening track “Juvenile” you the listener are thrown head first into a frosty bleak soundscape that exhibits no changes or variations. The dramatic emptiness continues into the second track but with the additional introduction of some primitive electronic beats. This particular addition is a non intrusive one and rather compliments the ambience quite nicely. The disc continues onward in this particular manner and closes as it begins with a deadened morose drone on the track “Chemtrails Over the Rainforest”.  So again, Zalhietzli brings together the heavy droney ambience with some proto electronic rhythms and loops to create a very interesting listen.  The one knock against this disc is the sampled vocals which take away from the power of the sounds on display.  A great release nonetheless that retains a powerful simplicity that could warrant repeat listens on your hi-fi set up.  

Arvo Zylo / Dental Work. 'Velcro Bismol.' CD. no label listed.

Here you have a killer disc full of stuff to crush your delicate eardrums for certain. According to the inside credits, this release consists of source material provided by dental work which was then reassembled and very handily mutilated by arvo zylo. Some brutality, mixed with some quiet loops, violent stop start harshness, and some low key moments where you can catch your wits. What I found was that the quiet bits were often so long that I sort of tuned out but then would get jarred back to attention when the heat got turned up.  When this disc gets harsh it goes straight for the balls with a nice loud swift kick.  Again, when I say this fucker gets loud, it gets very loud, which is exactly how I like noise releases to be.  The loops which I would attribute to dental work’s source material are often quite rhythmic and hypnotic and get buried when arvo zylo turns on the power. In some spots I really felt like I did not want to hear the source material but that is just a personal preference of mine. For me this disc succeeds when it is crushingly loud and violent as it feeds my need for harsh noise. This disc falls short in some of the quieter bits as they sometimes seem too long.  However, this should not deter you from at least giving this release a spin and judge for yourself. A very solid outing this one.

Richard Ramirez / Crucifix Eye. Split. C32. Forever Escaping Boredom Records.

Well gang I think you know the goddamned drill here.  Anytime a Richard Ramirez release shows up at my house I always know I’m gonna get buttfucked out of my panties with some of that evil Texas brutality. This cassette is no exception as it is crammed full of trashy hatred on both sides.  Crucifix Eye dedicates their 16 minute side to dishing out a simple yet heavy duty wall that never wavers and never relents.  No Earth shattering noise revelations to be had, just a brain scorching wall of hatred. Richard Ramirez dishes up some nasty grit and grind with plenty of screaming feedback, skin peeling static, and plenty of stop/starts to keep you guessing where you’re going to get stabbed next. Throw your ears in a deep fryer and think it over. A solid split to be certain.

Zone Tripper / False Flag. Split. C18. Forever Escaping Boredom Records.

Holy shit, this split cassette is a ghastly reminder of what noise can be when people quit with the trends and get down to the business of making some noise. Both sides are densely layered with pure audio terrorism and harassing PE styled vocals. I am calling this one right down the middle as both sides absolutely slay. I cannot recommend this one enough. Get the fuck with it and seek this one out at all costs and come on in for the big win. Stellar work.

Su Sous Toulousse en Rouge / Roro Perrot. Split. Forever Escaping Boredom Records.

This split here is a true mixed bag and in my opinion is actually only a one sided cassette.  First off, Su Sous Toulousse en Rouge deliver a nicely formulated howling spectral blast with intermittent pulses and scratchiness.  Its variations are slight and hardly noticeable yet just engaging enough to hold your attention.  For me it is these sorts of pieces which I enjoy the most as it takes great restraint to not go all over the place and the restraint is what makes this one work. A real loud and dead wail of lost souls coming for you.  However, as is often the case with split releases, where one project makes the most of their respective side, the flip side can sometimes be incredibly difficult to make it through.  Here we get Roro Perrot, bumbling and fumbling his way through a broken mess of damaged folk noise.  Out of tune acoustic guitar, tons of reverb, garbled singing and tons of weird out of place stops and starts. This is just simply terrible stuff.  If Roro Perrot is in fact HNW master Vomir, then he really needs to stick with his main project and not fuck around with this goddawful bullshit. Maybe I’m not hip enough or I just fail to get the joke but I find this sort of stuff tiresome and without merit whatsoever. This split gets the nod only for Su Sous Toulousse en Rouge who pull all the weight with their capable and powerful work.

Emil Beaulieau and Raven. ‘s/t’. tape. Forever Escaping Boredom Records.

It has been a long time since I have heard anything from Emil Beaulieau and it is nice to see he has not lost any of his penchant for the loud and harsh.  On this collaboration project, Emil Beaulieau and Raven get down to doing some serious HNW action. There’s no real reason to describe to you what you should already know.  This tape is total fucking burial.  Crank it up and go to hell motherfucker. 

Zalhietzli. ‘Chiral Tape.’ Cassette. Zugzwang Productions.

Don’t let the slightly unimpressive yet mercifully short beat excursion deter you in any way. Once this tape gets cooking it gets crispy as fuck and stays there. Helicopter flying through dirt. Face melting off slowly. Skin turning to syrup. Totally dead frequency action. The B side is a continuation of the dour scrubbing your brain gets on side A.  By the conclusion; everything is lurching forward and backward in frustrated stops and starts; until the entire thing dies a quick and restless death at the end. Again, the beginning moments of this tape are off putting and this piece would have been served better had this portion simply been excised from the final product. A short listen but one that could provide you with some good listens while trying to figure out what to do with the corpse on your living room floor. 

Emotion of Loss / Zmajevdah. ‘split.’ Cassette. Zugzwang Productions.

Intriguing excursion into multiple genres all wrapped in sickening buzz and haze. Croatian artist Zmajevdah combines black metal elements with some droney shoegazer haunts to create a fantastic listen that cradles you gently and then drops you head first on the linoleum. There is plenty of desperation, urgency, and anguish to urge you on to slam dope and seek oblivion. With Emotion of Loss, you get dispatched to the other side and treated to a bleak and blackened dronescape that evolves with the speed of molasses into a doomy meditation. The beat is methodical and plodding, the bass is totally bowel rattling, and the vocals are hateful. This split is a killer reminder that heavy music does not have to follow the trends, but rather, it can serve as a way forward to future musical agonies. Essential listening for you as you pop pills and write suicide / love notes.

Pusdrainer. ‘Sperm Bank Horror.’ C32. Jungle Crunk.

This fucking tape is making the palms of my hands sweat in a not so good way. Porno sounds interlaced with a percolating rattle painting one of the ugliest pictures my ears have ever heard. My mouth is dry, my palms are soaked, and my ears keep picking up on a not so pleasant fuck scene. By the end of the A side I have the urge to piss and I am unsure about flipping this tape over. This may or may not be a good thing I must add. But of course I flip it over and get treated to more sweaty perversion. Heavy breathing ushers in a severely broken siren like call that buries the jack off / rape / fuck session in a hearty damaged grime. Someone is getting fucked up the ass and it sounds incredibly unpleasant. What you get here is one of the gnarliest releases that I have ever heard, absolutely fucking creepy and traumatizing.  

En Perro. ‘Cementerio de Ideas.’ 3inch. Buh Records.

Here we have some old school primitive noise from Peru that will most assuredly incinerate your hearing. Totally loud and delightfully obnoxious in approach and texture. While there are no new revelations, the old school approach will appeal to old timers such as myself. Again, this release is loud as fuck and delivers at a level appropriate for the style it dwells in. Rusty nails fired out of an assault rifle aimed at your head all while the gulag around you burns. You collection won’t suffer without this 3inch but the fact that it’s from Peru should be enough for you to dive in and get a taste of what sort of damage comes from our southern brethren. 

Overdose the Katatonic. ‘Self Titled.’ CDR. Ka Records.

Seattle noise maniac Overdose the Katatonic delivered a set at this year’s Eugene Noise Fest that knocked my dick in the dirt.  Not only did he dish out noise like a deranged tank but his recordings also beat your ass too.  Harshness all over the goddamned place accompanied by sporadic vocal venom is how he likes to get the job done.  This disc is a deliciously damaged mess that will have you reaching for the psych meds in no time. The destruction goes on and on all while incinerating your eardrums in the finest traditions of old. True hardcore hate from one of the Northwest’s finest noise heads.

Holy Filament. ‘Year One.’ CDR. Den of Dead Trees Recordings.

When it comes to noise, I always get this weird notion in my head that Seattle seems like a million miles away.  Holy Filament confirms this notion of mine with a long form ode to loneliness and desperation.  ‘Year One’ runs a familiar gamut not entirely unlike fellow Seattle noisers Blue Sabbath Black Cheer as the listener is treated to a radio that has no stations.  Holy Filament issues forth a long drawn out nightmarish search through the frequencies in order to find a friendly voice.  Deep fried highs and painfully dead lows abound on this one.  Out of the six tracks; all of which are superb in execution; this disc really starts scaling some big time heights on the third track ‘Cave Dweller.’ After that, the dark ambience strikes a killer counterpoint to the damaging frequency strangulations.  This one is a super long dose of listening fun for nights alone when depression needs to feel like a security blanket. 

Cedric’s Lettuce / Eat Your Pets. ‘split.’ CDR. Medical Malfunctions Records

Alex of Cedric’s Lettuce sent me a sick package of some true down and dirty d.i.y. noise action a few months back and now I consider it a sacred duty to get down and dig in.  What should first be noted about Medical Malfunctions Records is that the product is as low budget as it gets. I’m talking covers photocopied at the local minit mart, sharpie labeling on the disc, along with raw as fuck noise piss takes.  This disc kicks off with Cedric’s Lettuce who subscribes to the theory of ‘throw it all against the wall and see what sticks.’ His seven tracks stand solidly in the harsh schizo territory with lots of pedal damaging attack and pummel.  However, there is also a minimal amount of dabbling with traditional instruments; albeit in an impure way.  Track five ‘The Minimalist Track’ is a bass solo of sorts that comes straight from the bowels of Cliff Burton’s rotting fucking corpse, which changes up the game plan all while staying crumbly and heinous. His final track entitled ‘The Same Old Shit’ is by far strongest track as it exhibits the most focus and care in construction.  Eat Your Pets is a one man project that blisters your sorry ass with some caustic noisy blast beats, searing feedback, and hateful vocals.  Not much to say here other than get ready for an aural beatdown as both projects make you poop your goddamned pants.  Eat Your Pets gets the nod here for having the most potent singular focus; no fucking around; no oddball out of place bits; just blasting insanity from one track to the next. However, do not discount Cedric’s Lettuce as his sound experiments will make for good time joint tokin’ pleasure while getting a handjob from some fucking pig. This here is quality junk straight from the dark side motherfucker.

Deep Fried Embryo / Cedric’s Lettuce. ‘Split.’ CDR. Medical Malfunctions Records.

Alright let’s get down to business here. Deep Fried Embryo serves up fifteen violent outbursts of grind disgrace. There is no finesse, no class, no deep thinking here as this three piece grind combo shits out clods and chunks of pure blasting action. With such heartwarming tracks as ‘Maggot Infested Asshole’ and ‘Eating Out the Prostitute After a Hard Days Work’ you get the immediate sense that Deep Fried Embryo is definitely not looking to make any friends.  Cedric’s Lettuce gets down to some crispy business with that sweet one man harsh noise defecation. His grating attacks are crushing as all get out and none of his ten tracks overstays its welcome as he keeps his assaults efficient and deadly. This is the definition of true underground music; brutal / reckless / with fucking around kept to a strict minimum. Take some knifers, break out the jo jos and pizza sticks, and get your face kicked in asshole.   

  

Cumshovel / Scatacratia. ‘Split.’ CDR. Medical Malfunctions Records.

Another lo budget split from the MMR team. Cumshovel buries you in a heaving and throbbing load of harsh noise gravy that exhibits a disturbing lack of variation in the entire nine minute duration of the track. Scatacratia pumps out five messy wads of harsh wall cums and shits. There is no need to explain this split to you; it is a mess of noisy shit. Those who dig that sort of thing will give this at least one spin in your car stereo to scare the sluts down on the strip. Fuck off and get shit on.

Anal Cake / Cedric’s Lettuce. ‘Mecomium Stain. CDR. Medical Malfunctions Records.

Let’s just get down to business here. First off, it’s a safe bet to assume that Medical Malfunctions Records is the home of ugly music; the haven of brain frying stupidity; the den of sonic iniquity. This CDR like all the other ones in the MMR canon are rife with scorching retardation that will fuck you up and may even deduct I.Q. points.  First, fresh off the turd with a justifiably unintelligible logo, Anal Cake pukes forth ten tracks of electronic jackhammer grind. Jarring, brutal, and bordering on stupid; if it weren’t for the brutality I’d be laughing my ass off.  Savage cyber grind with the requisite toilet flushing vokillz all framed within short blasts of hatred.  If you are a fan of stuff like Libido Airbag or Cock and Ball Torture then you will be in for a fine time here.  Cedric’s Lettuce gets it on with some harsh noise fun that never stays still for very long. Some harsh blasts of deadly heat along with some skit scat pedal abuse. Much like the glory days of the early 2000s when dudes just got down to business and stopped getting all hung up on trends, manifestos, and all that non-essential bullshit that noise never needed in the first fucking place. No deep thinking here, nothing to ponder, just something to crank up good and loud while you stare at a Hustler. 

Flabby Rabies Flap. ‘Session one + three. CDR. Medical Malfunctions Records.

Stupid band name….let me just get that out of the way right now. However, the 57 tracks that they kick down on this disc more than make up for their silly name. Absolute mind dissolving PE / grind hatred that never slows down.  Short blasts of static laden grind with some seriously pissed off vocals; irritated to the fucking core.  No pussyfooting around here gang; just an unheralded classic awaiting your brittle eardrums.

Noise Nazi / Cedric’s Lettuce. ‘The Rohm Party. CDR. Medical Malfunctions Records.

Another fine piece of audio sewage courtesy of Medical Malfunctions Records sure to ruin your hi-fi set up. First off, Wisconsin’s Noise Nazi gets down to some pretty guttural harsh noise that is rife with a real sense of dread. The six N.N. tracks are carefully constructed in order to present the top shelf crispy evil that you require; from searing highs to crumbly lows; it’s all in there. Noise Nazi really gets cooking on tracks 4-6 which really gets into some gloomy territory; and are by far the best tracks of his respective portion of the split.  Then there’s Cedric’s Lettuce who proceeds to fire off 26 blasts of smelly sonic diarrhea. If you are looking for care, caution, or skill forget it because Cedric’s Lettuce doesn’t roll like that. C.L. likes to dance on his pedals and make a real nasty mess of things; that much is certain. If you are an artsy fartsy piece of shit looking for some sort of revelation you can go fuck yourself. No art whatsoever. 

Various Artists. ‘Strength Through Joy To The Noisy Party For Christmas. CDR. Medical Malfunctions Records.

Okay…..first off, let’s just start with the lineup on this here 32 track comp / car wreck; which should more than easily give you a hint as to what lies within: FxPxNxWxFxOxSx, Anal Sadness, Dededesprintere, Deep Fried Embryo, LEMP, Parapalegic Punchbag, Sarin Diarrohea, Fuck Your Life, Video Nasty, VRV, Zeron Unit, Krokodil, Eat Pussy, RedSK, Menso Noise, Barulho Ensurdecedor, Vomiting Shit, Arseterror, Leptospirosis, Cio-Cio Sangre, and Bucket of Piss. Personally speaking I think that pretty much sums up this review and I haven’t even listened yet. But being the daring risk taker that I am I will spin this fucker and tell you what’s what….so here goes. This comp runs the gamut of extreme sounds with hatred coming in from all precincts, and since this is a Christmas themed compilation good ol’ Santa Claus gets a searing hot branding iron of noisy violence straight up his shit chimney. If you like harsh noise, grind, PE, and other way out sounds then this would be a great way to sample the wares so to speak.  A filthy smorgasbord of hot noise and cheese crackers that you can eat, chew, vomit and shit back out. This is a goddamned race for your life here. Medical Malfunctions Records serves up the essential and non-essential all at the same time if you can believe that. Go for it pussy.

Various Artists. ‘Four Way Split.’ CDR. Medical Malfunctions Records.

Noise Nazi, Fascist Razorback, Septic Incubation, and Vomiting Shit team up to kick your stereo in the balls.  Noise Nazi starts things off here will some quality harsh PE action that is tightly layered and constructed. Fascist Razorback throws down 3 tracks of some non-descript noise that goes nowhere and fails in doing so. Septic Incubation which is an alter ego of noise monger Cedric’s Lettuce really takes shit to the next level with 14 machine gun blasts of retardo gore grind with such delightful track titles as ‘Infant Jerky’ and ‘Mongloid Weightlifter.’ This 4 way fuck session concludes with Iowa grinder Vomiting Shit who pummels and pulverizes his merry way through 12 tracks of ghastly blasts and sizzling noise. Who survives this one? For me, Vomiting Shit and Septic Incubation get the edge since it seems I’m in the mood to grind tonight.  If you want a taste of some underground hatred then this could be a winner for you if you aren’t an uptight music snob. 

Cedric’s Lettuce. ‘In the Name of Failure. CDR. Shit Noise Records.

What you get here is more of that good timin’ free wheelin’ schizo pedal abuse from Cedric’s Lettuce; that runs the standard gauntlet of mind scorching noise and guttural electronic scrape. 19 tracks of Neanderthal driven racket that will make your next knife hit session a real gas. Nothing completely mind blowing but still of the old school if that sort of thing jacks you off.  The kind of noise that Merzbow would make if he liked to fuck meth’d out bitches in a station wagon parked in the far corner of the parking lot at the shopping mall. 

Cedric’s Lettuce / To-Bo. ‘Split.’ CDR. Shit Noise Records.

I must say that out of all the C.L. material I have reviewed, none of them have reached the bowel rattling heights that this split has achieved. His 27 tracks on this split are simply over the top with serious speaker frying electronic blast beats and furious throat ripping screams. The whole thing is tied together with a cruddy mess of busted frequencies which gives his material the singular focus that his other releases seem to lack. To-Bo unloads a severely damaged 10 minute buzzing mess of pointless noise; and I say that in the nicest way possible.  To-Bo manages to straddle the line between harsh and wall noise as the layers shift and change over time; rarely staying in one place for too long.  This is a solid outing from both artists and would definitely make for a perfect soundtrack for shoplifting cheap booze while high on even cheaper speed.

Cedric’s Lettuce. ‘Tumor With Teeth.’ CDR. Shit Noise Records.

I’ll keep this short and sweet. Based on the other reviews of Cedric’s Lettuce that I have written here, you should be well aware of what is taking place.  C.L. delivers competent harsh, scathing, sometimes erratic, power electronics that will torture your speakers for a nice long while.  No high art to be had here, just some good old fashioned circuit driven asshole stomping. 

Don Haugen. ‘Angels With Black Wings.’ CD. Obfuscated Records.

Eugene Oregon’s king of noise has always possessed the ability to continuously change without coming off as indecisive about the sounds he makes. This release consisting of 4 tracks recorded live is proof of Haugen’s skill in crafting some of the northwest’s most expansive and stunning work. The first track ‘Steel Eagles of the Black Dawn’ starts off the disc with a strange jaunty intro which degenerates into a barely audible buzz.  However, by the ten minute mark the listener is submerged in a deep drone which swirls, whirlpools, and eddies around; going from molasses to gravel at the drop of a hat. By the track’s conclusion you have been taken to 4 or 5 different gloomy zones.  The second track ‘Gripper’ is a tone heavy, patience trying, piece that makes its pilled out way into a grumpy drone before returning to its syrupy origins.  By the time track three stumbles out of the speakers it becomes clear that while Haugen loves to weave in and out of the tone / drone dynamic, he has introduced broken radio sounds into the mix. The matter of fact weather man makes for a non-distracting compliment to the proceedings before once again surrendering to a doomy buzz. Haugen’s transistor frying magic moves in its own way under his careful guidance; making for an amazing 32 minute sonic experience. The final piece ‘Test Pilot’ slowly wakes up, staggers around and then settles into a drawn out drizzling groan; only getting interrupted by heaping helpings of dirt being thrown in your face. While this CD is quite good, it pales in comparison to catching Don performing live.  Whether as Don Haugen or Warning Broken Machine, his skill and care are always on display which makes for a beautiful live ritual. Seek this disc out to get just a small taste of one of the Northwest’s greatest.

Various Artists. ‘Small Doses.’ CD. Mortville, No Fucking Labels, Saors, Death Agony and Screams, and Discos Al Pacino.

Holy fucking shit. This here is a momentous labor of love which apparently marks the end of Mortville Records is a monstrous way to close up shop.  Assembled here are 100 bands covering the entire spectrum of noise / grind / H.C./ and other grimy sub-genres. To accurately describe the experience of listening through this compilation cannot be done with any degree of justice. Total audio violence that will take you old school motherfuckers back to the glory days of Slap-A-Ham records and other 90s extreme music labels.  You know the deal, tons of short blasts in rapid succession which will have you struggling to keep up with the track listing. With 100 acts on this bitch you are guaranteed a sweet mix of familiar names along with a whole gang of new surprises to shove in your ears.  A few of the more notable names on this thing include: Facialmess, Violent Headache, Sete Star Sept, Godstomper, 7 Minutes of Nausea, and Vomir.  Like I mentioned before, the sheer variety featured on this comp will please anyone who likes their music crude, brutal, messy, and underground.  The liner notes are top shelf and serve as a great companion piece to the disc itself; the icing on the goddamned cake if you will. There’s much to love about this one gangstas so seek it out and make it a part of your collection immediately.    

Reviews From Issue #7

warmth / medroxy progesterone acetate. 'split'. 7inch + 3inch. phage tapes / small doses.

what a fantastic package this is. 7inch in sleeve with 3inch attached to the back flap. fuckin beautiful. on the 7 you get a track from each artist. warmth unloads a fairly heavy drone that just builds and builds in intensity and volume the further along you go. it starts off really light but definitely gets thicker and meatier as it goes. the medroxy progesterone acetate side is a bit more on the experimental side than warmth who maintain a more controlled nature over their work. m.p.a. plays with tapes and manipulates them to alter their meaning and intent all while emitting an undercurrent of high frequency whistles and a deeper more breathy cloud of sound in the distance. this is the kind of stuff you hear when they are gassing you up for an operation. both projects manage to create very special works on their respective sides. 

teeth collection. 'oddities'. c-60. factotum tapes.

a collection of presumably unreleased works from ohio noiser teeth collection. recorded over a 2 year period so one could presume that there will probably be some changes in style and approach. kicks off with some very breathy and trance inducing ambient movements that are steady and free to roam in a very large space. definitely nightmare sounding for certain.

migrations in rust 'seasons cast in pearl'. c-20. ekhein.

desolate yet similarly beautiful soundscapes and acoustic drones. this to me is when experimental music ceases to dwell within the confines of noise and becomes something new and engaging in its own right. this exudes power and emotional impact. if you enjoy the sounds of such drone specialists as concern then this will make a perfect companion piece. a genre defying work of incredible depth and care.

sean mccann. 'lower decks'. c-29. ekhein.

hypnotic atmospheric and constructed much like a cathedral: with time and and an eye for the majestic. this was recorded in 05-06 but finally seeing the light of day in 2010 and what im wondering is what took so long? not that im complaining because this tape is a true work of sheer emotional glory. lonely tones and whisperings that really put you in the mood to take pills. the 5 tracks on here really go in alot of interesting directions all while staying tethered to the faceless monolithic power drones. incredible dreamlike soundtracks that are perfect for long drives to nowhere. ekhein continues to deliver and this one is a must hear.

earn. 'away'. c-20. ekhein.

earn is an intriguing and unique project in experimental music circles and this cassette will bear that out. centered around the more musical aspects rather than straight ahead drones and atmospheric tonality although this sort of sonic play is in abundance. it is earn's use of instruments that seems to be a bit more pronounced in comparison to other artists who dwell in the same genre. earn uses instruments to craft mournful pieces that speak to you directly rather than behind a thick veil of fog. piano and guitar are the ones used in their most literal and intended sense. still it is done in such a manner as to set a mood. definitely one of the leaders of what i percieve to be a new and ever growing movement of artists who are now seeking to blur the lines of song craft and audio sorcery.

infinite body. 'from now on we're weightless here'. c-14. ekhein.

kicks off with a very heavy droner that seems broken and much more crackly and dense than the usual slow jam specialists who deliver very even tones. sounds like it's from hundreds of years ago. i am completely in awe of the perfect mix of filth and beauty. side a keeps things crumbly while side b settles into a very emotional let the credits roll sort of thing. to me it is this sort of artistry that deserves to accompany a film or movie. this takes things to a whole other level that i dont think many artists can attain. 

work / death. 'go and be gone'. c-35. ekhein.

a blizzard of depression that never lets up and simply continues to bury whatever lingering hints of beauty may happen to lie beneath. brutal and cold hearted. if you enjoy getting drug through the dirt like a piece of garbage then this will do the trick for you. a very deliberate piece of hatred.

cloaked light. 'a passing through'. c-30. ekhein.

this one starts off with a drone that is so low in tone that it makes the back of my skull tingle. total plumeting gloom and density that you can feel. cloaked light seems to take the approach of keeping things down in the doldrums and giving the listener a slow build. you are in limbo and it's exactly what you deserve. blessed intoxication via opiates.

1958-2009. 'II'. c-32. ekhein.

a tribute to the king of pop. this cassette is the finest example of ambient drone that i have yet to hear. stunning in its simplicity and its sublimity. the tracks contained within are all laid out with perfect care in terms of striking the perfect balance between songwriting and mood setting. patient drones that float like air over each other creating a vast panorama that will take you on a lengthy trip. this would definitely be a perfect soundtrack for when you are abusing anesthetics. ethereal and mind altering. put on your headphones and let doctor murray dose you up proper.

endless time. 'coasting'. c-20. monorail trespassing.

very ominous ocean themed tape that really reinforces my belief that people who go to the beach alone during seasons other than spring or summer are going there to die. the sky is dark. the air is damp. the waves keep coming in ever closer. the some dense drones that are seriously heavy in mood accompany the sounds of a very lonely beach at dusk or early dawn. really bad trip this one. get droned out to sea. great stuff.

head molt. 'mass mind overscum'. c-10. heavy psych.

this tape is way too quiet. quite frankly that's a huge irritant to me. the sort of primitive throbbing hate that head molt are getting up to would be so brutal if it was gouging out my ear drums rather than gingerly passing by like a stranger in the night. unfortunately it isn't and i wonder if this is the artist's intent. if so then it's a horrible idea because this needs to be loud as fuck. very p/e inspired with the horrendous pounding rudimentary beats and the blackened vokills and crusty noise garbage littered throughout. i would highly recommend seeking out other stuff from head molt but this wouldn't be it. the quietness of the proceedings is making this a huge turn off. again if this could be reissued and remixed to be skull raping volume then this would definitely rank far  higher on my favorites list. 

bruant des marais. 'crippled'. c-60. heavy psych.

what you get here is pure ugly fragmented brutality. sounds as if it was recorded inside a coffin buried 6 feet under while a tornado rages on the cemetary above. some seriously gloomy claustrophobic passages entangled with blown out devastation. this is heartless stuff whether it's creeping around in the quiet and near silent or exploding with bleak agony. you will get smothered and erased. knuckledragging hatred from the bad part of town. your collection won't suffer without this tape but it could sure benefit from bruant des marais's special dose of true kult abuse. 

various artists. 'untitled'. 2 x c30. phage tapes.

4 pulverizing artists 1 hour of fucking full on searing hatred for you harsh noise fiends. paranoid time, human teratogen, baculum, and taskmaster come together to beat the grease out of you. each artist is bringing the brutality. i liken this to being trapped in a carboard box while you get hot coals dumped on you. there are no breaks or breathing room. plus as an added bonus taskmaster brings the rita and rusalka along to make things extra miserable for you. for my money no one is doing it better than phage tapes. if you are familiar with any of these artists [which you fucking should be you idiot] then you know you need this collection. 

lngtche. 'recordings for osip mandelstam I-IX. cdr. phage tapes.

this is my first taste of this project and i am really impressed. very bleak soundscapes and lonely textures. each of the tracks goes somewhere else but still manages to maintain the empty vibes and morose feeling. soundtrack for a spaceship going nowhere with no one at the controls. very cool.

karst. 'no prose'. cdr. phage tapes.

you want total lifeless windswept doomscapes then look no further than karst. an hour of total unfeeling nothingness that is an ideal soundtrack for when you have a need to eat pills. rarely deviating off course and only showing traces of feeling towards the end of the track. however this is not for the weak. true kvlt cemetary breeze blowing through brittle skin. a cold whiff of oblivion awaits.

swamphorse. 'perpetual drip'. 3inch. husk.

an interesting mix of stuff on this 2 track disc. from rusty layered drones to some knuckledragging sludge action this is a sweaty morass of depression. in spite of the musty damp basement vibe this disc gives off there is a very damaged sense of beauty to be had. part of me wants to say this disc may suffer from going in too many directions for such a short format but it is all done so well that it's really hard to complain. swamphorse is always an intriguing listen no matter what direction they go in. 

white torture. 'braindead'. 3inch. phage tapes.

this one really raced by me and im not sure if that's a good thing or not. while this has moments of sheer crumbly arson and overheated rage it has a few spots of dorkiness that i just can't get past. while it is my belief that people should be able to do whatever the fuck they want im also of the opinion that if you are gonna unload the crumble then you should just unload the fucking crumble and forget about the goofiness. i don't think white torture was trying to be goofy but there are some spots on this that seem really out of place. however there are some segments of true damaged hatred that will please the harsh heads out there. not essential but worth a spin while sucking down some knife hits.

foul. 'naturan demanto'. 3inch. phage tapes.

samples are a touchy thing for me. sometimes i hate them but in this instance it's the perfect setup for the ensuing HNW attack that will run over you and keep on going. no frills. no bullshit. just full on wall worship. for serious wall fiends only. brutal.

nocturnal life. 'the ocean'. 3inch. phage tapes.

very low key and non-descript. little to no variation in tonality or mood. there is a picture of the moon on the disc which seems to fit perfectly with the mood of the piece. lonely and darkened. play this one before bedtime.

mattias gustafsson. 'dod metall'. 3inch. husk.

synths and field recordings coming together with an eye for artistic detail and setting a mood. first track takes you out to the foggy coastline to watch the day go by while dealing with yourself. birds. waves. wind and total outdoorsy atmosphere done to grim effect. the remaining tracks however really show off a very different side to gustafsson as the sounds had me feeling very anxious and somewhat nervous. there were sounds both near and far as everything seemed to surround me. gustafsson uses a wide array of instrumentation on this disc and while the list seems long everything is mixed so nicely that it doesn't even matter what he used. in my opinion the level of craftsmanship on this release is indicative of the high level of quality that makes both artist and label so great. yet another solid release from the husk kult. 

the haters. 'in the shade of fire'. cd. hanson.

the basic theme is breaking glass and fire both of which haters main man gx-jupitter larsen likes a great deal. a nice long journey into a tornado of glass fragments and shit burning up. personally i dont know how the haters assemble these pieces but suffice it to say it's a bit beyond just simple loops. there is so much going on in the various tracks that it makes for interesting listening. while the main theme is glass and fire there are other tracks that seem to go in a more understated direction. sounds of a gas heater or perhaps a stove and other parts that sound like paper being cut. while these bits take you out of the maelstrom they are no less intriguing to the ear. as will all the material from the haters you will find moments of total devastation or moments of patience trying experimentation. this disc is a great example of how brilliant the haters can be and why they are one of the greatest institutions in noise. that's no bullshit.

the slasher is a sex maniac. 'the babysitter just sits and laughs'. cd. phage tapes.

more of that sweet texas wall worshipping violence courtesy of richard ramirez. a hot sleazy blast of piss right to your fucking face. there's more to this disc than just HNW but some textures and layers that all manage to help in the slicing of someone's goddamned throat. harsh. brutal. evil. another gem in the crown of one of the sport's finest. for the true kultists out there.

josh lay. 'true mask'. cd. small doses.

first things first i am an avid follower of josh lay's work. he never ceases to astound with the depth that he exhibits. this go around finds him trapped within a coffin that is steadily filling up with blackened phlegm. the vokills that he unleashes are of the lo-fi basement black metal variety full of venom and disgust. underneath the vitriol is a steady current of hums and buzzes that indicate to me that something bad can happen at any minute. the one thing that struck me as being out of place was the guitar work on one of the tracks. while not horrible by any stretch it just seemed ill timed and didn't add to the proceedings all that much. by the discs conclusion you have been pummeled and locked up and will await your execution. the machine looms ever closer. its rusted jaws will become greased with your blood. josh lay is a devilish inn keeper and his inn is your fucking coffin. another box of ammo for this kentucky warlord's war chest.

knife attack. 'watching you from afar'. 2 x cdr. phage tapes.

a searing dose of extended torture from this vicious ear rapist. no track titles to guide you through this hopeless chase through the park. your panties get yanked. you get dry fucked into oblivion. you get stabbed a bunch. total heartless hatred and emotionless violence. another gutteral assault that's custom made for the serious wall worshippers.

vomit pit / ecoute la merde 'vomit la merde' cd. FxIxMxL records.

fucking retarded half assed low budget garbage from ecoute la merde. so bad in fact that i don't see much point in listening to vomit pit's portion of this split. ecoute la merde's 4 tracks are so dumb i can't stand it. amazingly enough i did make it to vomit pit. goregrind with waterlogged pig vokills and crumbly farting bass. noisy but not very good. if i were forced to choose a favorite on this disc id go with vomit pit simply because ecoute la merde's material is so utterly shitty. however let's not confuse things: this sucks. avoid at all costs.

napalm noise / mental hygiene terrorism orchestra 'split' cdr. FxIxMxL records.

what the fuck? the napalm noise portion of this split is allegedly 5689 songs. while i am not going to try and verify this particular claim i will say that here is some poorly played noisy grindcore. actually i shouldn't say poorly played i should just be honest and say this is pure fucking garbage. i can't believe someone thought this was fit to release. just sounds like a retard fucking around in his bedroom. if anyone mentions napalm noise in ten years in any sort of reverent tones i'll put a gun in my mouth and eat lead. now i got mental hygiene terrorism orchestra cranking out some really obnoxious yet forceful grind. vocals are the more agitated and yelling type. there are some pretty thick moments of ball crushing grind noise in amongst a few funny samples and some goofy jazz piss takes. while this is far superior to the waterbrained attempts by napalm noise this really isn't anything that a million other noise grind bands haven't done before. thumbs up for m.h.t.o. for keeping the tradition alive. noisy grind will never die.

pottersville 'binary' cdr. no label listed.

while i did say i'll review pretty much anything i really wasn't expecting this. punk rock in the vein of social distortion and early gg allin before he wrote songs about pissing and shitting on kids. upbeat country tinged punk ballads about the good old days, drinking, and coming out on top. bunch of swaggering guitar solos that will make your truck nuts swing. i'd bet some serious dough that the girls that go to their shows all have hickeys and do meth. ill give this disc to jeff brookhart he'll fucking love it.

aleph naught. 'the dreams in the witch house' 3inch. small doses.

epic drone. ghostly nightmare fog. count backwards from ten and sleep. while there are many artists out there right now doing this type of meditative new agey atmospheric stuff, aleph naught is a cut above the crowd. masterful balancing of texture and weight. the notes linger for perfect durations and connect to one another without sounding forced or too methodical. everything sounds exactly as it should: natural and real. this is definitely a game elevating release and should serve notice to all the other droners and atmospheric technicians. 

various artists. 'FxIxMxL comp #1' cassette. FxIxMxL.

i think im starting to understand what this label is all about. they seem to be hell bent on collecting the noisiest sloppiest crappiest noise / grind / experimental music they can find. they are seeking out all the more uncompromising anti musicians in an effort to destroy music. while the other releases i have heard from this label aren't as good as i would want or expect, this comp is thus far showing some promise. 17 artists spread out across this tape. the only names on this comp i was remotely familiar with were audiocum, ecoute la merde, and mental hygiene terrorism orchestra. the rest are unknown and untested. let me once again take one for the team and try my best to keep up. ultimately this label is either doing things right or doing it all wrong and ill just leave that up to you consumers. 

darksmith. 'urgency / agony'. tape. chondritic sound.

the sort of thing that darksmith does is the exact sort of thing i like in noise. very unsettling with methods and approaches unknown. stone on steel sliding about. unseen figures moving throughout the basement. just enough grit and lo-fi flavoring to keep this in your cassette player for many a listen just to try and figure it all out. a quality listen from start to finish.

david russel. 's/t'. tape. chondritic sound.

i have been thinking about this for a while and i have come to the realization that even the best labels don't always crank out winners. this here isn't a winner. is it horrible? no but it isn't that great neither. side one had me for a minute but then i lost track of what was happening. basically this is an artist who in this particular instance chose to loop the fuck out of everything. this was pretty goddamned boring. from here on out for as long as i review stuff in this zine i will not sugarcoat anything. people aren't going to just get a pass for showing up. good for background sounds but little else. i want to get sucked in. this just sucked.

pax titania. 'live in phlorida' tape. chondritic sound.

some live sounds from this primitive synth techno project. this is what techno should be or what would be lumped into the techno catagory before they cluttered everything with beats. synthy movements and some tonal excursions. the crowd seem to really enjoy this stuff alot. i find it interesting when someone can go outside of the noise genre and make something different i also applaud the label for looking outside the box as well. not just another run of the mill noise project. just some interesting screen test sounds for the be-bop set. smoke a cig and start mingling. party tones.

speculum fight. 'lost live 2'. tape. hanson.

old school dronery from the archives of the drone legend damion romero. this has a very gutteral vibe as the crumbling and knuckle dragging increases and swarms the buzzing tones beneath. some very half dead moans and feeds hover in the cold operating room. i however hold the opinion that romero has since risen far beyond the rather one dimensional approach on display here. this is a grimy glimpse into the past of one of noise's true master experimentalists. a pretty cold and heartless listen to be sure. i will state that this tape is for the true romero devotees out there and not for the casual listener. if you are wanting to check out his work i wouldn't start here. i'd save this for the more advanced fan geeks. 

machinegun warfare. 's/t'. tape. hanson.

total skull scouring hate. a thoroughly degrading sandblasting of searing disdain. vocal taunts cutting through the shitstorm at inopportune moments. side two exhibits a more subdued side as a brittle tone starts to rise to the surface yet still held back by crackling asshole arc weldings. if you like it harsh and rough then this one might be something for you to track down. nothing overly essential but still a nice thrashing for you and your fucking worthless ears.

various artists. 'fake sound routine' 2x tape. i just live here.

double cassette compilation of artists doing the ironic techno thing. a few of the artists you may be familiar with such as leslie keffer, lazy magnet and work/death, the large majority perhaps not. when i ordered this i really wasn't sure what i was going to get other than what i actually got. beats, blips, pops, grooves and other rhythmic noodlings. i guess i wanted something with a little more depth as this was fairly devoid of personality on the whole. while many of you more cultured underground mustachioed hipster types will eat this sort of thing up, i was left feeling a little bit cold. but if you like to fancy yourself as a dj or some shit and want to see what the cool kids are up to then swoop down on this comp. perfect for assfucking and bong hits with your girlfriend or cruising the strip in your honda. jack in the box parking lot conversational rave with crystal and menthol cigs. tramp stamps are no longer an option you fat assed slut.

sensible nectar / spermwhale. 'split'. c-62. rainbow bridge.

6 tracks from sensible nectar and 1 long b-side from spermwhale. much like his release on my label, sensible nectar dabbles in alot of different areas. however i would venture to say that he covered alot more ground on his tracks here. personally i think sensible nectar is still finding his way to where he truly belongs, his experiments are still very interesting. from the harsh pseudo PE stylings to lush dronescapes and odd crankings in between. while some may say that it's a bit too much i say more power to sensible nectar for seeing the possibilities and exploring them all. spermwhale really lets the listener go for an extended journey through the mists of a dying weekend with a single 30 minute track of dreamy drones and tonal sweeps. this is a decent split and a nice introduction to both artists who are still new to me. i say check this one out. my only complaint was that this tape seemed just a bit too long but don't let that stop you from checking out some new artists. recommended.

sissisters / hirsute & fur. 'split' c-25. christian pop records.

the a side of this tape finds sissisters crumbling up signals and letting them fall on the coffin lid. seriously mangled frequencies of the lowest order getting dished out nonchalantly as possible. some fairly mean spirited filth to be had. hirsute & fir's side takes a few mins to even start but once it does you get an earful of mid level frequency coming straight out of the shed. by the track's collection a foggy conversation of a somewhat angry mob surrounds you. there will be no talking your way out of shit this time. killer tape.

graham young. 'one/another'. c-25. christian pop records.

holy fuck. some ear gutting anxiety straight from the bedroom of a diseased sociopath. the tracks on here are seething, shrill, and severely caustic. this is angry blackened zoned out hatred. catatonic tantrums custom made for self abusers and cutters. watch the bitch wither away as she begs for vanity. primitive audio catastrophes pushed over the fucking edge. monstrously grim clutter. essential.

wether. 's/t'. tape. catholic tapes.

remember the old contact commercials from the 70s where they would open one of the pills and the little balls of cold medicine would fall out in slow motion? this starts off like that commercial. open the pill and the little inocous balls fall onto the sterile countertop. rising up from the distance is the screeching rust of xmas past right into the forefront and passing right on by like a ghost in the night. the b side just takes off where the a side left off with a rapidly fading sandy pulse back into the moods and sounds of side a with some variations. i'm of the opinion that this was a single piece that was spread out over two sides with side a getting the edge. all in all this is a good listen and if you're a wether fan you'll enjoy this one. 

climax denial. 'her skin remembers'. tape. after death records.

a listless loop of pure resignation accompanied by enraged hate speak. the anger and anxiety ripping through the speakers and right into you. however side two is where the action is with two tracks of pure nightmare scenarios: eyes blood shot and vacant. ski mask drenched in sweat. boner ripping through the zipper. victim trying to flee and being insulted all the while. quality stuff right here from an underground favorite. 

dotabata / torba 'split'. c-31. hair on my food.

grim as fuck. graveyard dirt dumped down the stairs into the basement where ghosts starve to a second death. torba is the sound of crud and rot. dotabata is one of my personal favorites and this piece sets new lows in total hopeless oblivion. pop some pills and fucking die. 

grain belt 's/t'. c-10. phage tapes.

another crumbled hateful mess from phage tapes. grain belt is a new name on the scene and the name alone had me hooked. deadly assaults full of steel on steel feedback squalls and schizophrenic wall abuse. unpredictable earthquake like assault that will kick you in the chest, dick, and face. crank this one up fucking loud and break every piece of furniture in your house. phage tapes is the new leader in the noise underground and here is yet another reason why. total pummeling humiliation.

rob michalchuk. 'total eclipse'. c-18. poor little music.

one of the more interesting artists out there right now. everything i've heard by rob has been nothing but interesting. this tape starts off with 'total eclipse' a morose piano piece that fades away slowly as a gloomy lo-fi loop takes its place. another shift as things give way to an even more depressive stringed keyboard interlude that seems to fade away into an unthinkable oblivion. side two 'antarctic basement' is a continuation of the themes addressed on the previous side with more ambience. it seems as if rob michalchuk is at an interesting point in his creative jaunt and his work will be going in alot of intriguing directions. this particular tape is a great stop on that journey especially if you enjoy artists such as marble sky or concern. 

kwea / bruta. 'split'. c-30. military radio.

some basement crust and face pounding audio scouring from some unknowns. blasting sonic crud right into your grill. side two is a little more controlled with some radio broadcast struggling to stay ahead of the beefy stabs of filth. simple yet effective gutter noise. some deep underground stuff for you kultists. watch as your mustache melts off.

lynchgate / mistress. 'the witches knight'. c-40. after death records.

a live aktion that took place december of 2008 in denton texas featuring lynchgate and mistress. this is of upper level bootleg quality as you can hear the audience at certain points which really puts you right in the midst of the action. lynchgate starts off with some ominous throbs which are merely the prelude to some real nefarious gutter ambience. texas burns while angels watch on from a safe distance. the harshness just seems to pile on itself. guaranteed this was a fucking bulldozer of a loud show. mistress starts off with a looped sample and straight into some p.e. styled devastation. scorching hiss over the top of throbbing buttfucking beats while feedback heavy vokills insult and taunt the audience. broken sounds. louder than shit. the crowd is super stoked all the way through both sets. dude is sounding pissed. guaranteed motherfuckers went home with tinnitus. excellent pairing of two different yet intense styles of hatred. seek this one out immediately.

EE / louis sterrett. 'split'. c-30. tusco embassy.

ohio mainstay EE delivers a doomy layer of kult fog that simply puts you in a trance. the variations are incredibly slow to the point of non existence yet grim enough to hold you fast until his piece ends. louis sterrett's deep periodic tones are so down in the mouth that there is almost no pulse whatsoever. graveyard tones give way to acoustic ambient experimentation. there is no light in this vacuum hell only lifelessness. a split completely devoid of commercial potential as it should be. truly comatose dronings and musings as i have never heard them before. quality gloom. 

various artists. 'grind madness at the bbc.' 3 x cd. earache.

holy fucking fuck. i'm not going to do anything other than tell you who's on this beautiful set: napalm death, extreme noise terror, carcass, bolt thrower, godflesh, unseen terror, heresy, and intense degree. classic peel sessions from some of the genre's best. you like grind? you'll love this. 

bloody phoenix. 'death to everyone'. cd. 625 records.

featuring former excruciating terror guitarist jerry flores, bloody phoenix is a brutal los angeles grind / hardcore cadre hellbent on bringing harsh realities and throwing them like a chopped up corpse on your doorstep. these guys are not fucking around at all. they've stripped away some of their earlier full on grind leanings and have upped the ante in the songwriting department. the tunes are direct and to the point expressions of disgust for today's fucked up world. urgent and totally apocalyptic crust. get on board or get the fuck out of the way asshole.

magrudergrind. 's/t'. cd. six weeks records.

these guys are doing grindcore better than anyone currently in the game and that's no bullshit. they kick down total furious blasts that are of deadly efficiency. while some may tout the skills of such luminaries as pig destroyer i am of the opinion that no one is kicking it down like magrudergrind. they don't horse around with noodly guitar bits and tricky parts it's all set to kill. no pussy maneuvers here. don't settle on weak emo grind. crank this motherfucker and get dealt on like you deserve. album of the year no fucking doubt about it.

nunslaughter. 'demoslaughter'. 2 x cd. hells headbangers.

satanic black thrash hurling insults at jesus is what these longtime metal fiends have been doing for well over 20 years. this set digs deep into the distant past and dredges up classic demos full of cruddy sounding basement metal. early god hating neck snappers abound on this amazing set. comes with a great booklet with liner notes and info straight from main man don of the dead. for the serious nunslaughter fans and those into mid 80s garage thrash. 

vestigial limb. 'gangrenous'. c-31. after death recordings.

one of my personal favorites in the noise underground bar fucking none. there are very few artists out there who come racing out of the gate with a fully formed vision of where they want to be but ray shinn is one of those who has. always harsh as fuck. rarely taking backsteps. crumbly oppression and deadly morbid fascination abounds here. after death records and vestigial limb are an excellent team up. jump into the grave motherfucker. jump into the grave.

vestigial limb. 'now, voyager'. c-30. monorail tresspassing.

more grim kult wanderings from one of the more original artists in noise today. this one has a much more live sound to it as the dull rumble wanders hand in hand with scratchy vinyl dialogue and ambient hiss. vestigial limb manages to combine record player based manipulations with scrambled cassette ruinings to create a tapestry of truly ugly yet amazing sounds. always on the crispy and crumbly side with natural ambience always trying and consistently failing to stay above the grime. everything is mixed together with a great ear for combination. always a sick listen when vestigial limb is in my stereo. unsafe environment to be had. 

vestigial limb. 'velo-dog dissuader'. c-40. 2:00 am tapes.

pure haunted torture. gritty lo-fi excursions into a seriously fucked up swampy hell. this is one of the more unique releases i've heard vestigial limb do. i can't help but think there are some animals are either starving to death or being tortured to death. either way it's seriously disturbing and makes for yet another gruesome listen. it really seems to me like vestigial limb has settled into a very efficient working groove where everything is carefully planned but doesn't come across as such. very natural black noise that will satisfy your need for totally stoned out filthy death. epic.

dawn of wolves. 'darkness as black as evil'. c-13. husk records.

black thrash done with precision. alot of tight guitar playing over the top of old school one two drums with some double bass thrown in. typically black metal style garglings tying this super tight release together. there are some keyboard bits here and there but nothing too annoying or overbearing. these fuckers keep the thrash coming at you but throw in the sweet breakdowns and mid tempo sections so you can take bong hits, swig some lager and give your neck a little rest. if you like kreator or sodom mixed in with the usual black metal style then this will be a welcome addition to your metal collection. it will go on the shelf right next to your copy of possessed 'seven churches'. 

fukte / i dream of her beautiful tentacles. 'stays liquid'. tape. black and purple.

chris gierig's black and purple label is one of my personal favorites simply due to the fact that he is consistently finding the most filthy low budget graveyard crumbling artists in the world. totally unknown names yet always downright gutteral in approach. italy's fukte kicks out the corpse dragging neanderthal schizo jams. primitive buzz and crackle meeting perfect levels of rusty feedback. someone left the radio next to the baseboard heater. i.d.o.h.b.t. from denmark unleashes a mudslide that will bury you alive and insult your intelligence. the second track is a cut and paste deal with various samples including charles manson [which is always a plus with me]. cut from the same soiled cloth as fukte but dare i say a bit more elementary. this is another killer slice of audio mulch from the black and purple label diy kult. support the true.  

earth incubator. 'relax session'. tape. black and purple.

russia's earth incubator is yet another example of black and purple's efforts to seek out new and obscure sounds from other countries. rather than mine from the same pool of u.s. based artists as most labels are wont to do, chris digs around for the new names and he is gracious enough to put in the time and effort to present them all to the listening public. earth incubator seems to operate at several different levels yet all of it seems to converge to the same grimy drain. digital trash and basement styled moscow ghetto remixes. there is a very discernable layer of gutter dust on all the pieces which gives this an authentically ruined taste. this is how you get down in the crackhouses of chernobyl. commie gangsta rave with vodka and resin hits.

buddha mind big band. 'in time'. cd. nekorekords.

soundtrack oriented free form sounds from this finnish trio. very sound based in their use of items such as singing bowls, gongs, cymbals, and various horn and flute type instruments. a sort of lynchian free jazz thing that is both equally ambient, jazzy, and beautifully unsettling. smooth and evenly paced. im not sure if any of the 8 tracks on this disc were the product of planning or simply high quality jams done by true pros. whatever the case the pieces are all so pefectly laid out with equal time given to percussion, horns, tapes, and other instruments that it makes for a fantastic listening session. this disc remains at a very slow and deliberate pace all throughout and maintains a very ritualistic vibe from start to finish. essentially, if you take what smegma does, minus the campy stuff and throw in a little sun ra spiked with some acid, then you will be on the right track in knowing what this unit is all about. totally amazing yet creepy work that is definitely worth your time in tracking down. 

umpio. 'muelas'. cd. freak animal.

alright goddamnit you know the deal with freak animal. one of the major global players in terms of bringing the harsh p.e. action. here is one from umpio and what a skull scouring trip it is. loud face beating rage teamed up with sandblasted audio filth blown like a full load of coke up your ass. one of the more merciless noise releases that i have heard in a long long time. from crash and burn segments of full on blast to nearly lifeless crumble to flesh peeling schizo screechings, umpio does it all. one important thing to note is that umpio is only putting the most crushing tracks on this disc. 7 tracks of torture and not a single substandard track in the bunch. the vibe is constant throughout. cold and efficient. you want harsh no nonsense kult finnish noise violence then this is one that you shouldn't miss out on. total sperm shooting surgery, rape, and dismemberment. 

umpio. 'junk electronix vol. I' cd. nekorekords. ahky records.

more finnish gutter rage from umpio. great packaging as this comes in a 7inch sleeve. this one exhibits all the same gritty trademarks as the 'muelas' cd but with just a bit more electronic experiments. this one has more emphasis on beats although some of them are damaged beyond the point of resurrection. still has plenty of face ripping noise though. althought not as set on kill as 'muelas' this is a great dose of glitchy pelvic eroding hate. fucked with and reassembled for your listening displeasure. another banger from umpio. 

doroga. 's/t'. cd. nekorekords.

very kultish ritualistic drone / electro / jazz wanderings. very eerily subdued in a way that isn't unlike the same sort of stuff that sunn0))) does. distant tribal thumpings along with whispery cymbals intermingling with sparse horn work. the 3 tracks on this disc are set up in such a way that there is some severe breathing room between all the instruments. this to me is totally genre defying music. get doomed to oblivion.

rj myato 'utopia or apocalypse'. cdr. no nazi noise.

this right here is some quality p/e meets power violence. short snappy blasts of pissed off skull bouncing rage. one of my biggest gripes is when p/e artists go off and then proceed to go on and on. what you get here is short blasts and the lyrics are fucking killer. this one comes in a dvd case with lyric booklet. total d.i.y. quality. don't miss out on the chance to get your neck broken. awesome stuff.

rj myato 'what time is it, what day is it, where am i?'. cdr. no nazi noise.

damn this one was kind of a let down. after getting totally slayed off of his 'utopia or apocalypse' disc. this one is a 2 tracker with one of them being a live track and the other one a studio track. the live thing sort of just blew by me and didn't really grab me at all. the other track didn't really tug at me neither. unfortunately this one isn't up to the standards set by 'utopia or apocalypse' but how could it. the bar was set super high on that one. this one may come to be known as one for the completists in a few years. for now i say pass on this one and get 'utopia or apocalypse'. yes it is that damn good.

josh lay / teeth collection 'split'. 2 x c32. factotum.

this is a killer set. one side from josh lay. one side from teeth collection. plus 2 complete sides of these two forces collaborating. total bleak purity that commands your immediate attention. incrediblly grim.

peter j. woods. 'fairweather mask'. cd. autumn wind productions.

one of the most versatile artists in the game today. crossing many different subgenres without coming across as contrived or forced. one of wood's best assets is his vocals which are urgent and authoritative and manage to compliment whatever sounds he's blasting at you. from quiet ambient bits to full on harsh noise there is nothing this dude can't do. total dedication to the scene and total dedication to his craft pays off in a big way with this disc.

POTR. 'self titled'. 2x c10. phage tapes.

gruesome harshness that will whip your sorry buttocks with a leather strap. from the high toned crisp ear wax melters to disdainful crackle and blast. it's all here in a dismembered piece of doom. one of tracks features some mournful vokills that are disturbing as well as engaging. total harshness that crosses the borders and fucks with your mind. comes in a killer box. phage tapes wins again motherfuckers.

the blackmoor strangler. 'the mark of m'. c30. hair on my food tapes and records.

the trend continues with yet another artist hurling out vicious harsh wall purity. no way is this a reinvention of the wheel however this is as it should be. side 2 is a real crispy burner. totally heartless. i hate pink. i really fucking do.

teeth collection. 'putridity and liquescence'. c60. black horizons.

holy shit. this is some really scary soundling blackened ambient fog. custom made for a horror film. some really creepy withered tones get issued forth from the tombs of despair and disease. personally speaking this is teeth collection at his absolute best. with every release i have heard i get the feeling that this is an artist who is resolute in his quest for setting a truly unsettling mood. this is a close the the vision as he has gotten thus far. the space is epic and filled to the perfect degree with whispery graveyard tones and crumbly toxic emissions. usually the term 'overplaying' was reserved for traditional music but here is a premiere example of someone who doesn't overplay. perfect pacing and perfect textures. the only other act that i can think of that operates on this level is blue sabbath black cheer. everything on this tape is perfection from sounds to packaging which is incredibly original. teeth collection has set a new standard in noise that the rest of you johnny come latelys have to contend with. good luck on that by the way.

your drugs my money. 'self titled'. 3inch. elyk records.

total low end crumble and hustle. two man operation where they spent time recording organ and moog. they bounced the shit around and toyed with some other gadgets to give you this moaning groaning anguished mess of audio debris. i like the fact that the artists described their process and the devices used. personally i think the scene could use a little more of that sort of thing. while the first track has a somewhat of a one track thought process and didn't really grab me. the second track on the other hand is a great piece of work that has a nice evoloving motif. nothing earth shattering but a good listen nonetheless.

koufar. 'the purity of the cedars'. cd. topheth.

total rage filled power electronics in honor of the middle eastern state of lebanon. this is an absoute ripper that has a very distinct middle eastern flavor and a very political slant. koufar kicks it down harsh and heavy and rarely gives you a break. the track 'forced unity' and 'cowards' are seriously angry with a very 'by any means necessary' vibe. i wouldn't be an expert on middle easter affairs so for me i don't have a good sense of what lebanon's situation is politically but suffice it to say that based on the dedication and urgency of this release koufar is wanting change. a real true blue gut ripper of a release. koufar is a name that is rapidly making waves and if you like p/e then this is a crown jewel right here. 

various artists. 'the horror'. 12x c10. phage tapes.

this here is like the hickory farms cheese and sausage set that your parents get at xmas. 12 goddamned tapes full of pure audio horror. total grindage and hatred from willful, white torture, and baculum. some gristly wall worship and devastating crumble causing your bowels to loosen and shit to fill your panties. you get 9 tapes worth of individual contributions and 3 more tapes of collaborations with the participants. this isn't just the usual wall rage that these dudes are known for, there are varying levels of burnt up / tore up / raped up / sawed apart / harsh disertations. no color. no escape. you know the artists. you know the label. you know this is the real deal. entrails get stomped. assholes get raped. total slaughter.

'floaters.' a short film by jared liebenau.

former pacific northwest noiseician jared liebenau has spent the last few years learning the art of film making. 'floaters' is his first presentation and i must say that it is quite good. the basic premise is a story of an average guy who is slowly being driven nuts by visions caused by eye floaters. his vision is partially obsured and distorted to hallucinogenic levels, causing him a much trouble in terms of being able to interact with others. the film is only 15 minutes long so you may not get the whole gist of the story. this is part of the risk one runs when restricting their story telling efforts to such a short framework. however, this is a visually stunning work and the acting is very natural and realistic. im very happy to see that the former jm ginsberg is finding new avenues of expression and getting great results from it. he is already planning more films and i for one will be eager to see what he comes up with next. personally i hope that he does a sequel to this film so that we can get even deeper into the concept. congratulations jared.