Sometimes I wonder, what exactly it is with the metal junk, that is so timeless and charming element in noise. A lot of synths, a lot of effects, a lot of methods may occasionally sound outdated/lame, even when done pretty well for what it is, but good pure metal junk noise, it's never old in my ears.
As a best example maybe could be (besides many of my recent releases, hah..) V/A SONNO FERRUM tape. I recall when this new Finnish label approached me about acoustic metal sounds only compilation tape. And I had just decided to cancel my plan of 3xTape box of Finnish metal junk and this release seemed like fill the gap of that plan. Bizarre Uproar, Grunt, Sick Seed, Mania, Umpio, KSNK. That's the line-up. And even if every project is known for extensive usage of metal objects, the approach of the compilation is different from what most of them usually do. No effect allowed that would malform sound beyond recognition. Basically no distortions, beyond what recorder may have. No extensive toy effects. It appears some either recorded in echoing rooms or added little echo, but it's good. Few effects may be heard, but more like exception to rule. Often sound fidelity may be malformed by amplification or certain types of microphones used. There is very little of heavy noise, but some. Very rarely tracks approach this in full-on crash-test blast, but actually attention is given to detail of various type of metals. Objects that are big or small. They are being scratched, banged, smashed, thrown around. Loud, quiet, distinctive or saturated. Almost every type of stuff is here. Pro-dubbed tapes with body-prints and full color cover. The metal fetishism goes beyond artistic merits and the way tape presents the line-up leaves a lot of questions for the listener. Advanced ears may try to track who is who. With copies of tape I got letter saying guy who runs the label doesn't have computer at this moment so I guess fastest way to get the tape is to order from bands that are involved...
Anyways, my recent favorites within metal junk artists includes Ashley C CD (on Freak Animal). I was immediately convinced by utmost "easy" and minimalist approach on the metal objects. No loud noise. No youthful "lets smash everything", but eerie relatively lo-fi scratching and scraping and such.
Hal Hutchinson has been improving all the time and while I considered tape I put out to be very nice healthy blow in moment like this, it's absolutely nothing compared to upcoming LP release that takes him right up there in level of kings of the metal junk.
From old names, K2 "the rust", "Metal Dysplaxia" CD stand as major landmarks of the artists metal junk era, The New Blockaders, who obviously has influenced generations after them, some of Merzbow works that have crunchy metal in bigger role.. "Crash For Hi-fi"? Macronympha "Pittsburgh PA" LP/CD is just one among their vast discography where metal objects are in important role. And more could be listed. And each of these could be written pages of praise. One could also refer to veterans of contemporary music a'la Stockhausen "microphone" or the french legends, but they have own topics in near history of board..
I'm interested in any recommendations of artists who can pull out interesting sounds of metal. Not just some lame shakebox with distortion or constant smashing of same lame tin-can. But where various element of this versatile material is studied much further. Be it from perspective of "noise" or "sound art".
Just after the master for the Ashley C album was finished I moved to a new recording studio which has these giant halls next to it(same halls that also functions as the CPH Mayhem venue) After a break working with metal, recently I finally started recording in said halls. And damn what a sound. Natural reverb so thick no effect could replicate it. So except more Copenhagen junkabuse in the future.
New personal favorite when it comes to metal recordings must be Philip Corner "Metal Meditations" which I just got.
I recorded a whole set of tracks together with Peter Andersson (Raison D´être) and Mikael Oretoft (Irm) in march 2003, in my then working offices basement, a large safety cave filled with scrap metal from old metal shelves. Pure unaltered metaljunk recordings - from quiet to noisy. It is interesting to create a kind of atmosphere surrounding the more sharper sounds.
What I enjoy with metaljunk recordings is the possibility for cooperative workouts - nothing beats the intensity of the "group". It should also be experienced in live situations.
In regards to Mikko's thoughts - I have no real fetish for the metaljunk itself, only to use "dead" material in a organic way.
QuoteI recorded a whole set of tracks together with Peter Andersson (Raison D´être) and Mikael Oretoft (Irm) in march 2003
Were they released?
No, but i've used a few, short snippets of them in other recordings. Looking at the master now I see there actually were two tracks (14 and 25 minutes respectively) in both processed form (added slight reverb etc.) and the unaltered versions.
I also took out the Corner LP from the shelf and gave it a listen again. It is good but features mainly metal used as various gongs. While that gives the album a slight ritualistic feel I somewhat miss the diversity in different sounds.
One of the best aspects of Noise or Power Electronics albums would be when the artist(s) are proficient with metal and junk and use it with little to no effects. Nothing can beat it if it is pulled off correctly. Most of the classics have been mentioned, one of my favorites is not Pittsburgh, PA by Macronympha but instead their "Metal Noise" cassette from '97. Of course Knurl has done some more "fun" sounding, and kind of "artsy" work with scraps of junk but I have to be in a mood for it because it really doesn't convey the sinister sound that I personally enjoy when metal is being scraped and violently smashed.
As far as more modern material/artists are concerned it would be ridiculous not to include Grunt, Mania and Sick Seed, especially Beasts Among Men which out shined the Great Corrupter in my eyes... and I'm sure people will give me shit for that. The Grain Belt material is superb, if you don't have it then you must get the CD (you can hear samples of all 3 tracks on the terror.lt web-zine review) and the split cassette with Wince who is also in Grain Belt and who also adds very, very good metal play into his own Noise project. I think the way Coma Detox saturates his dirty sound with "basement junk abuse" is perfect, just the type of "sinister" sound I was talking about earlier. I find that both tracks on the B-side of the Filth & Violence cassette were extremely well done. Like I mentioned in another thread, Kakerlak does some good metal/junk Noise. His new cassette on True Force/Pain Electronics has an intro, which is actually fairly long for intros, that is purely metal and junk ravaging with no effects and nothing else over it and through-out the rest of the tape there is plenty of clanging and scraping to be found. My favorite metal/junk sounds come from 44 gallon drums (or however many gallons) and the use of nails on anything (has anyone done any material with nails on a chalkboard?), like the Bizarre Uproar live performance found on one of the IOPS DVDr's. What are some good tracks where these 44 gallon drums are used? I like when Mania uses barrels and drums, and those which have been used sporadically by Mikko on Grunt tracks through-out the ages (what are some of the tracks I am thinking of? I can never remember song names).
Good to hear that comp tape is done. Hope my copies have been sent or will be soon. Going to be alot of Mania around in a month or 2...
Hal Hutchinson does a good job with the meta ljunk.
yes, Hal Hutchinson has been doing great stuff !
His split tape with The Haters is awesome..still have to get his Freak Animal tape and i'm curious about his LP.
"Metal Noise" tape of course is a must !
Another obvious suggestion : Linekraft. Not pure harsh noise, but it's amazing nonetheless. His junk metal bashing is best conveyed in live situation probably. A total beast !
My own tribute to the junk metal fetish :
http://fecalove.bandcamp.com/album/andreas-brandal-nicola-vinciguerra-metal
Junk metal-only collaboration with Andreas Brandal from Norway.
Also available on tape.
Quote from: bitewerksMTB on June 11, 2011, 01:12:36 AM
Good to hear that comp tape is done. Hope my copies have been sent or will be soon. Going to be alot of Mania around in a month or 2...
your copies are in the mail and as soon as Ill get this computer business sorted out the thing will be available for noisers to buy. fa and umpio have tapes to sell right now!
Did that go under the radar or something? This thread is the first I had heard of it, looking for to having it in my ears.
radars dont see underground do they? its a suckerpunch release so you dont see it until it hits you in the face.
good listening: co caspar, chants of change theres rubberhoses and whatever else nonmetallic soundsources but its creative good stuff.
I'm a self-confessed metal junkie, but admittedly pretty ignorant when it comes to its use/abuse in the field of noise. In older days I got a lot of excitement from the muscular head-on bashing and smashing from pioneers such as Test Dept, Z'ev, Neubauten, and I think some early Dissecting Table would fit in there as well. Still enjoy this to some extent.
Then I came to appreciate groups that integrate various metal/junk sounds in more sophisticated, ritualistic ways... some Organum, like Vacant Lights, spring to mind. And the under-appreciated mid-eighties Dutch project Het Zweet, which I've been listening a lot to lately.
Also am a sucker for scrap metal percussion used to augment rhythm sections in more conventional rockist contexts. Can only come up with early Savage Republic now, but I'm sure there are many examples.
Grain Belt is unbelievable, especially live.
V/A SONNO FERRUM tape
good comp & great cover photos. not sure who anyone is & didn't recognize my own sounds.
My favorite metal junk abuse since I heard it has been the opening tracks of Grunt's "Dog In The Leash" cycle from Seer Of Decay. That first loop is so haunting, it's maybe one of the cleanest, fullest sounding metal loops I've ever heard. Really inspired a lot of my scrapworking.
check out the releases section of the board about the tape mentioned in the first post, fuck links.
apologies for the self-advertisement, but my project is based heavily around found metal fetish / scrap obsession via harsh noise:
A Snake in the Garden (http://asitg.wordpress.com)
My personal favorite metal abusers:
The New Blockaders (obvious)
Macronympha (obvious)
Knurl
MSBR ("Metal Stricken Terror Action" in particular)
Organum
Grain Belt
Paranoid Time
Wince
Diaphrahmatic
Sewer Election
Andrew Coltrane (seek out "Der Lustgalgen" or "New Scars")
Legion St. George has some of my favorite junk abuse work. surprised none brought it up sooner.
I'm a big fan of this stuff as well and always on the lookout to acquire what I can.
K2's "the rust" is a great album for sure, though I think I prefer the more organically edited style of things like Knurl or the TNB/Organum collab works to the cut up style of K2.
Does anyone have the K2 "sexencyclopedia" box? Worth it?
yes, 4xCD box is very good. I think only 300 was made, so if you see it, grab it.
Tochnit Aleph/Rumstipumsti is selling the 4xcd for 48euro's, new.
i think Richard Ramirez should also be listed.maybe not all recordings can do him justice but live he never fails.
some of my favorite noise with junk:
Grunt
Bizarre Uproar
Mania
Ascites(split with Blood Oath 88 is great)
Hal Hutchinson
TNB
also i think the stuff Sick Seed did on the 7" and shift split is a great improvement
Metal is the best sound source for noise ever !
Quote from: bogskaggmannen on June 10, 2011, 11:29:11 AM
What I enjoy with metaljunk recordings is the possibility for cooperative workouts - nothing beats the intensity of the "group". It should also be experienced in live situations.
Totally agree, one of the best shows I've seen was a group of three banging, scratching, abusing metals. A junk metal big hand would be awesome!
I also enjoy metal junk playing myself, I started drumming in early 90s using garbage cans, pots, spoons and any other metal I could find at home. Nowadays still doing metals but mixed with other sounds. Always lots of fun!
Keep on the look out for Diaphragmatic! Performed with him last night and it was fucking incredible. Only one distortion pedal and Nate playing a bin full of pieces of metal with his bare hands.......and then he brought out the power sander!!!!!!
awesome !
Reviving this old thread, I hope to get more recommendations, esp. from the last 5+ years.
Listening to TNB Schadenklang LP for the third time this weeekend, and I'm really enjoying it.
Want more! Thanks!
You're right of course, but I like some TNB records nonetheless.
Already have those H.H. records, thanks!
Quote from: Peterson on January 15, 2017, 07:33:15 PM
get Hal Hutchinson's "Wreckage and Reconstruction" LP or "Dedicated To Damage" CD!
Both available from me for 6 and 5 quid respectively. What remains of the LP as most have been used for packaging by now. A box or so. Prices are negotiable if enough HH stuff is ordered. Fuck it, negotiable all the way for anyone who wants.
Quote from: cr on January 15, 2017, 08:36:16 PM
You're right of course, but I like some TNB records nonetheless.
Already have those H.H. records, thanks!
Late to the game, that's me for you. Redundant as usual. Check out Paranoid Time "Torsion Field Ebonics"
enjoying newer + older Knurl tape/LP... the sound is full on, yet the pace is laid back...
re HH, pick up the live in Finland set (as well as the zss one) from Hal himself via doer bunker recordings.
the clatter of knife against fork, the slurp of pie juices, the pre food beer, all amount to noise nirvana pre effects.
hope this post adds to the noise posts south London...
Quote from: Peterson on January 15, 2017, 10:32:48 PM
Check out Paranoid Time "Torsion Field Ebonics"
That cassette is top notch. One of my PT favorites. Intense!