Special Interest

according to Spotify

1. Sponge Octopus
2. Suzumebachi No Rinbu
3. 1930
4. Vow Me Ibrzu
5. Protean World Side 1

I don't know the system of spotify, but as far as I've been informed about itunes, doesn't the program give you easy references/links? When you listened certain bands, it suggests more of the kind, more of the same labels etc.

Sponge Octopus = Mego, need to say more?
Suzumebachi No Rinbu = Frog+ album from Misanthropic Agenda, label with bands like Boris which is BIG in ug.
1930 = Tzadik, need to say more?
Vow Me Ibrzu = with Ulver (nor) connection......
Protean World Side 1 = Noiseville, with indielabel with lots of music styles

So every pretty much ever track can be traced to something what isn't "only" noise label, but something more. Connection to big profile labels/artists/bands.

It might be good that merzbow is the route for people to find about "noise" through big labels and infamous artists in UG, but it's kind of unfortunate, that you can't really say that they'd be exposed to his best works.

that's probably the reason why these releases are on spotify in the first place - the labels are big enough to want their music up on that program, or they're big enough for someone else to put them there. they have some kind of label search mechanism on Spotify,

"When you listened certain bands, it suggests more of the kind, more of the same labels etc."

on Merzbow, they list the following bands as similar: The Fall, Current 93, bohren und der Club of Gore, Shinjuku Thief and Fennesz. which strikes me as pretty weird comparisons. also, they only have 6 of his albums, the oldest being 1930 (from -98), then Frog+ (2002), Sphere, Multiplictation and Merzbow vs Tamarin (2005), and Protean world from 2008. I'm not big on Merzbow, but I'm quite certain these albums don't represent Merzbow's whole career...

So to expand this topic, if I may, which Merzbow releases would be on your top-five?

for old industrial collage: Batz Tou Tai 2xLP (forget the Batz tou tai - memorial gadgets 2xCD version! It's ok for loop action, but nothing compared to original 2LP what is used as source of remix)
For harsh noise supremacy: Artificial Invagination mCD, Pulse Demon CD, Metalvelodrome 4xCD. I think mentioned Antimonument CD would be easy to list for also old style industrial approach?  Also other noise discs like Veneorology.  Not to mentioned most of old Alchemy Records discs. Crash For Hi-fi CD, Rainbow Electronics CD...     And do I dare not to mention Noisembryo CD? I think something from early-mid 80's, something from early 90's, little from mid 90's. For myself, basic rule goes than if it's before 1998, it is most likely good. I think 1998 is some sort of breaken point when the huge wave of growing intensity started to simply splatter into weaker pieces?
From 1997 you can still say stuff like Project Frequency LP = very good. Pinkcream = good as well. Red2Eyes 10" = could listen anyday.  1996 all the split 7"s and few CD's...

But when you look from 1998 onwards, I can't be 100% sure is it just me, or did the level start to drop? I remember when Oersted came out, I thought it was crap. Years later, revisiting the disc, it seemed superior to about all the recent harsh noise I had heard. But tendency of routine & answering "yes" to every invitation surely makes his later works inferior to some of the culminations of styles of earlier career.

I'm always surprised to see 1930 on "best of Merzbow" lists.  I've tried many times to find the great value in that album, but so far, I've been unsuccessful.  That isn't to put the choice or album down.  It's been on several respected listener lists, so I continue to go back to it with hopes of hearing what they're hearing.

Green Wheels is up there with Pulse Demon, but not quite Artificial Invagination or Noisembryo.  Great textures on that Green Wheels disc.  I also like the metallicness of Space Metalizer.  For me, it marks the end of his Golden Era.

I like Artificial Invagination too. Besides I love Veneorology (MERZBOW's first album which I have listened).
And:
Scissors For Cutting Merzbow (2 x LP) - cannon of beauty
Magnesia Nova - great textures and energy!
Noizhead - masterpiece

I guess MERZBOW's records are more and more poorer in the digital noise era.
From this period I like only:
New Takamagahara
and Tauromachine.

Quote from: ImpulsyStetoskopu on December 30, 2009, 07:50:46 PMI guess MERZBOW's records are more and more poorer in the digital noise era.
From this period I like only:
New Takamagahara
and Tauromachine.

Neither of these could be said to be from his digital period though. I don't know about the equipment used for Tauromachine, but it's recorded in 1997, and he hadn't lost it yet by then... New Takamagahara = EMS VCS3, EMS Synthi A, Theremin, tapes, noise-electronics, metals.

The covers for both those discs are atrocious... and "digital".

Quote from: Tommy Carlsson on December 30, 2009, 08:03:22 PM

Quote from: ImpulsyStetoskopu on December 30, 2009, 07:50:46 PMI guess MERZBOW's records are more and more poorer in the digital noise era.
From this period I like only:
New Takamagahara
and Tauromachine.

Neither of these could be said to be from his digital period though. I don't know about the equipment used for Tauromachine, but it's recorded in 1997, and he hadn't lost it yet by then... New Takamagahara = EMS VCS3, EMS Synthi A, Theremin, tapes, noise-electronics, metals.

The covers for both those discs are atrocious... and "digital".

Yes, You're right. So, now I know why I like those! :)

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on December 30, 2009, 05:31:28 PM
Batz Tou Tai 2xLP (forget the Batz tou tai - 2xCD version!)
Artificial Invagination mCD
Pulse Demon CD
Metalvelodrome 4xCD
Antimonument CD
Veneorology.
Crash For Hi-fi CD
Rainbow Electronics CD
Noisembryo CD
Project Frequency LP = very good
Pinkcream = good as well
Red2Eyes 10" = could listen anyday
1996 all the split 7"s and few CD's...
Oersted came out, I thought it was crap. Years later, revisiting the disc, it seemed superior to about all the recent harsh noise I had heard.

Well, that Spotify thing is obviously quite obvious - willing/eager labels to provide something will get it up there - it is quite unlikely that one-Merzbow-CD-in-1995-labels would get very high. Anyway, talking about Merzbow, in general there seems to be something interesting in most of his periods. Actually, to these ears I might say that his most uninteresting period is heavy EMS untilization time in latter half of 90s - way too much stuff that really feels like done on autopilot (including listed "Pinkcream"). For latecomers, I'd definetily say that forget all obscure things like "Project Frequency" (it is OK though) but get "Venerology", "Pulse Demon", "Batztoutai" (even the condemned CD version - it is cheap and still good!) and so forth - they are all good...

For mine -
Venereology
Hybrid Noisebloom
Tauromachine
Merzbow & The Haters
and I'd put Batztoutai With Material Gadgets even though it's the double cd version, as I don't have the vynal.

I've often thought it's a mistake to automatically equate Merzbow with pure, blinding Noise all the time. Certainly the mid-80's material is a career highlight, and seemed to be one of the factors that defined what Noise was at the time. But there are a few decades worth of material from Masami and it hasn't all been total harshness.

I haven't had an issue with digital Merzbow and have been defensive of it in the past. To me the use of loops and effects is a return to the tape cut-up ideas of his earlier work. It's true that it lacks a lot of grit and spirit, but then it's been three decades and Masami is still churning them out. Over a life time, you're going to get highs and lows no matter what sound sources and processors he's using.

Can anyone talk specifically about his 7"s?  I've had White Blues, Nil Vagina for Mice, Rod Drug '93, Electroploitation, Music For The Dead Man 2 (something about the cover of this I really, really like), Electroknots picture disc (have a brand new copy I plan to sell), and the /Cock ESP.  I realize this is maybe 50-60% of his 7"s, and the funny thing is I never outright bought any of them.  Thrown in with trades or given to me, all of them.  Did he throw an extraordinary track on any of the others?

I only have the split 7" with MSBR, mid nineties release. Reviewed it on the Troniks board. Listening to it now, I still don't like how the format diminishes the volume; just doesn't make sense for this kind of Noise, to me.

I notice Discogs have a couple of the Electroknots picture discs for sale. A bit too pricey for what I'd pay for a 7" normally but seems fairly reasonable for this release.

By the way - on the issue of what not to get from Merzbow, I'd suggest the "Multiplication" collaboration with John Wiese. I was listening to it this morning and it just wasn't doing anything. Very much going-through-the-motions type of release.

I can't give the specific reviews of these now, without pulling out memories that may be slightly in accurate. I have quite big % of MErzbow 7"s. I like them all, except 7" on LSDO, which is his low quality digital era fart. Later days he did develop his skill in digital too and some later 7" is ok. I don't get the "diminished volume" argument. Thing what I HATE in modern noise the maximized sound pressure that flats the sound. You can always turn things louder. If you can't, maybe more amp power is needed. It could be time to discuss of proper sound systems again, hah.... Anyways, I think Merzbow benefits from 7" format that his loose improvised ongoing tracks may be compressed to best 7 minutes. It works best for dynamic noise. Think of how amazing would be Artificial Invagination 7"? First 5 minutes of a-side, could something be better? When you open that mCD on your computer and look the wave, it's not compressed or flat. It is very organic looking waves, where highest "peaks" are definitely not 0db, probably more like -5db. And this quality of being "low volume" is perhaps on of the great attributes of the release. You turn it loud, and the sound lives. It gets louder, it gets quieter, it just is real. As opposed to this strange modern hype of "louder than everything", when we talk about just few ones and zeros, and not the actual blast of audio from speakers. I know some things may sound louder and better when they're pushed louder, but these days I basically want and need something which doesn't yet sound like "product of modern days".

It is true that not all vinyl cutting is super, but for me the thrill of Merzbow 7"s is that most of them are focused and different. Think of splits and collaborations. Something most recent listenings must be Tea Culture, Smell & Quim, they all present healthy addition to sounds of Merzbow. Even music for dead man 7", with 4 tracks in 7", very nice addition between CD's with 10-20 minute tracks.

I remember liking the split 7" with Lasse very much, both sides but especially the Merzbow track (I recall it was rather cut-up'ish?).

Hmm.. lets raise this old topic from the digital graveyard, so amount of Merzbow topics won't rise too high..
Lately been revisiting many old Merzbow CD's. It always reminds me why I like his works so much. Reading the Merzbook again, it's always a pleasure. It's like any music genre, the classic bands, you tend to re-read books about them. Got several books of bands I don't even listen to, but find interesting as how it happened.
Anyways, once in a while, it makes me curious, if I really have accurate view of what the artists is doing. Hearing many good old recordings, I feel like I need to actually re-check the latests works. Yesterday went through "Marmo" CD which is among the very latest works? And fuck... there are few moments when I though Merzbow is getting somewhere. Perhaps nearly kraut'ish wibe of keyboards/random electronics, but it was always just short piece that was barely successful. Most of the disc could be described just as Tommy C. described recent Stockholm show: sounds lack the punch.
Noise doesn't sound amplified. It sound synthetic, line-in computer generated sounds. Most of harsh noise he comes up, operates is "quiet mode". It doesn't seem to have proper pressure. It doesn't have such overdriven & massive fierce edge like at best. Out of 3 tracks, the final is so wanky, that I considered simply stopping listening half way. But to be able to honestly say I did give it a try, and listened carefully through it all,... well, I did. I could imagine that if this was played loud, via amps and/or rugged PA, it could be good. Now it sounds weakly executed half assed work. Poor synthetic noises. Even the analogue gear, with all the standard wah-wah eq sweeps etc is like plastic version of past. Simulated synth sounds and the style of distortion just makes you wonder if this is really the type of sound someone think is good? Or noisy? Anyone with some piece of gear, can test how weak distortion pedals sound if not amplified or blown up with recorder device gain. That is still perhaps louder/stronger than this?
3 songs seems like excerpts of some improvised jams. Just randomly start, go on, and eventually stop. In moments what sounds like there wasn't really any plan or interest to cut it in some moment which actually would make it sound as if there was some goal / sense of composition like in some of the best works of artist.
Well, with one hour of your time spent, perhaps it works as reminder why stay on older materials until these is decent grip on the gear again....

Must be the old "Recordlabel wants to think that releasing new Merzbow CD will automatically sell a lot"-syndrome.

It's the same with some other groups working today - too well known for labels to reject material. In some cases I don't even think label listens to master properly before agreeing on release. Just assuming. Maybe if he got rejected a lot material would be more engaging? However, I tend to think that Mr. Akita really is TIRED of noise, and I wouldn't blame him after 30 years in the business. "Still going weak" as they say...

It's those annoying (electronic?) drums that put me off from newer Merzbow material. Totally unfitting if you ask me. I certainly haven't heard every new Merzbow release but all those I've heard have included drums.

...except, logically, the recent compilation of 1991-2001 tracks "Another Merzbow Records" (http://www.discogs.com/Merzbow-Another-Merzbow-Records/release/2130937) which I found interesting and good.

I always thought that PINKREAM (1995 Dirter Promotions) was MERZBOW's masterpiece.
In regards to releases not mentioned too often - I always liked ELECTRIC SALAD (1996) as well.

What about those remasters of early tapes on Blossoming Noise? Any good?

Pinkream is really great, the first Merzbow cd I bought, by virtue of it being the only one they had at the punk record stall in Newport market back in the day.

END OKTOBER 2012   (VOD 104-108)
VOD108: Merzbow 10Lp-Box  "Lowest Music & Arts 1980-1983" w. Book  (plus 7" / T-Shirt for members)

uh! VOD boxes are getting bigger. Kluster 8LP box, Conrad S 8 LP box...

Is there anything more than in MERZBOX?

I've never really given Merzbow a try, mainly because I find his discography to be so overwhelming. It seems like Venereology has been mentioned multiple times. Is that a good album to start with?

Quote from: Reprobate on April 04, 2012, 10:58:46 PM
I've never really given Merzbow a try, mainly because I find his discography to be so overwhelming. It seems like Venereology has been mentioned multiple times. Is that a good album to start with?

One of the best in his discography.

Quote from: Reprobate on April 04, 2012, 10:58:46 PM
I've never really given Merzbow a try, mainly because I find his discography to be so overwhelming. It seems like Venereology has been mentioned multiple times. Is that a good album to start with?

Pulse Demon is also an excellent place to start. Album is maddening.

QuoteI've never really given Merzbow a try, mainly because I find his discography to be so overwhelming. It seems like Venereology has been mentioned multiple times. Is that a good album to start with?

It's a great album to start with. There are lots of other albums that could be listed but here are some that I rarely see mentioned and I have a soft spot for them:

Spiral Honey
Electric Salad (very varied and organic)
Tauromachine
Maschinenstil (groovy at times)
Aqua Necromancer
Vibractance (completely different from everything else I've heard from him; a lot of drones and electroacoustic-influenced)
Door Open at 8 AM
split 10" with DJ Spooky (very rhythmic; it's a remix from a track from one of his late 80s albums)
Sha Mo 3000 (psychedelic and at times groovy)

Artificial Invagination mCD & the live in the US cd that came out around the same time are 2 faves that I actually kept. They may have not been released around the same time but Masami sent them to me in the same package. I have Green Wheels too. Remember it having some good stuff. One of my fave things about Merzbow is the live performance on the Oh! Moro video with him banging on a huge ppiece of metal in a large theater? with no audience. I saw him do his laptop noise in Austin. He blew the PA right from the get-go.

Noisembryo

Green Wheels

And to a lesser extent, Mercurated, feature full-bodied densities which for me communicate Merzbow at the peak of his powers.

After that, it's hard to choose, though there are plenty...

Metalvelodrome 4xCD could be in there if it were edited down to two or three discs; retaining the awesome live track with even more awesome intro, re- polite young lady quiety informing listeners, "The performace will be starting now. Would you please move closer," followed shortly by an almightly metal-bashing racket... retaining also the better compilation tracks, especially the superbulous "Travelling"; but, cutting the occasionally slap-dash studio work down to one disc, tops.


Other notables:
- title track from Psychorazer while unspectacular compositionally speaking hits just the kind of sonorities I like
- ditto the opening track from Venereology
- the absolute slayer off the 7" split with MSBR
- compilation tracks from World Record and Dry Lungs V

Agree with Artificial Invagination, Green Wheels and the MSBR split 7".  All still available with a bit of searching.  I always found Metalvelodrome a bit overrated although it has its moments.

Hannover Interruption is a release that doesn't seem to get the attention it should deserve. From Masami's best era, active and noisy yet not ultra harsh. Another vinyl favorite is SCUM 2LP.

Besides the slew of good material that has been mentioned I would like to add my modest $0.02 and put in a vote for Flare Gun, which has as of yet gone unmentioned. Excellent and harsh 12" that is taut and tense, perhaps in part because of the relatively short playing time (about 30 minutes). This album has, more than any others, grown to be my favourite Merzbow.

Other 'Bow albums I have a particular soft spot for include the Khabarovsk LP (which was later included in the Merzbox), Pornoise 5CS box and Live at Radio 100.

From what has been mentioned so much is good, Noisembryo, Artificial Invagination, Hannover Interruption. Much (predominantly 90s) Merzbow seems to sound 'right' to my ears if just for its textures and palette. There is something so vibrant and organic to it that totally works for me. The overall sense of aesthetics definitely contributes. I sometimes wonder whether it's the magic of the Merz or a sort of nostalgic infatuation that overtakes me upon playing and makes me think back to when I was 15 and discovered Tauromachine... but I am convinced at least some magic is at play.

Yes, "New Takamagahara" is very nice! Just listened today on subway by coincidence.

Not at all full throttle noise but some interesting textures on "Music For Bondage Performance 2"...

QuoteMuch (predominantly 90s) Merzbow seems to sound 'right' to my ears if just for its textures and palette. There is something so vibrant and organic to it that totally works for me. The overall sense of aesthetics definitely contributes. I sometimes wonder whether it's the magic of the Merz or a sort of nostalgic infatuation that overtakes me upon playing and makes me think back to when I was 15 and discovered Tauromachine... but I am convinced at least some magic is at play.

I agree so much that I could've written this. I also wonder sometimes whether it's partly nostalgia that accounts for my loving Merzbow (though not everything, of course) while not caring for, for example, John Wiese or Sissy Spacek who seem to be much appreciated by most. After all, I discovered Merzbow (and through it experimental music) at age 17. But at the same time there must be heaps of good noise out there that I don't know. I wish I had friends into this kind of music through whom I could hear much more. Can't spend hundreds of dollars every week on music and I dislike downloading.

I don't know can Wiese's popularity be compared with Merzbows? Most certainly man is known, but while Wiese is known from 100 7"s often pressed 100 copies, Merzbow is known from 1000 Cd's pressed 1000 copies! :D
Well, jokes aside, popularity of Wiese now could be based that he could be now at his best? I think ring snare for example (couple years ago) was masterpiece. Last Merzbow masterpiece was.... ? I consider Merzbow analogue material superior to Wiese's analogue material, but Wiese's digital is without doubt superior to Merzbow digital.

QuoteI don't know can Wiese's popularity be compared with Merzbows?

It can't, of course, but what I meant is that he's an example of someone who's highly regarded by a lot of people really into noise, as opposed to people who have heard about Merzbow and might like it to an extent but otherwise listen to very different kinds of music, or downright snobs who pretend to like it because it's extreme and therefore "cool" to like (I went to a Merzbow concert the other week in Sydney and I might be prejudiced or ignorant, but practically everyone in the audience looked like an art school snob with terrible clothes and hairstyle and I had a hard time believing most of them genuinely like Merzbow and noise or PE, for example).

QuoteI consider Merzbow analogue material superior to Wiese's analogue material, but Wiese's digital is without doubt superior to Merzbow digital.

Knowing only a few of Wiese's CDs, I can't comment on that. But let me mention a CD each by him and another highly regarded musician that I thought were nothing special: the Wiese part of Multiplication (the split/collab by Wiese & Merzbow) and The Quiet North by Lasse Marhaug. Am I extremely biased or plain deaf that I think they're average noise in comparison to most analogue '90s Merzbow? I'm genuinely interested. It could be that I simply don't know enough noise to appreciate them fully...

Surprised, but provoked, at seeing Akasha Gulva mentioned here. That was one of the first Merzbow offerings to actually put me off, at least initially. I have subsequently have gone back and forth on it a few times, and the personal jury is still out. It's certainly not in line with the majority of his output to that particular date (1996), though it is a live recording and therefor subject to a slightly different set of criteria (at least in my brain). Overall, I like the general taste of the sound. And it is certainly devoid of "relent" - always a plus. But it lacks most of the textural dexterities that make Merzbow Merzbow (at least in my brain). If someone had told me this was, say, Gomikawa Akita or a discarded Kosakai-Hasegawa collab project I might have dug it more. But for Merz...

Merzblah.

Quote from: acsenger on May 20, 2012, 03:12:58 PM
I went to a Merzbow concert the other week in Sydney and I might be prejudiced or ignorant, but practically everyone in the audience looked like an art school snob with terrible clothes and hairstyle and I had a hard time believing most of them genuinely like Merzbow and noise or PE, for example

I was at the same show, and fully agree.

Quote from: cipher chris on June 02, 2012, 07:23:49 AM

Quote from: acsenger on May 20, 2012, 03:12:58 PM
I went to a Merzbow concert the other week in Sydney and I might be prejudiced or ignorant, but practically everyone in the audience looked like an art school snob with terrible clothes and hairstyle and I had a hard time believing most of them genuinely like Merzbow and noise or PE, for example

I was at the same show, and fully agree.

These are just a few of the reasons I will eagerly miss the concert in Helsinki next October. After listening to Pornoise/1KG cassettes through and thinking, "Well, it's not going to be ANYTHING like this!", and realizing every art fag within a 200 kilometer radius will attend, I just gave up on the idea of going.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Full of art fags and such. I am going just because it is Merzbow. And because MK9 is in Finland on the same week, might aswell go to south for both.

That's a bit short-sighted, I feel.  I could care less who else was there - it's not like I could hear them or they were being nitwits to my face or anything.  It's disappointing to think that most everyone seeing Merzbow probably has no greater interest in noise/etc., but that's their stupid loss.  It doesn't affect whether or not he put on a good show.

So did he?  Well.... it was OK.  Quite dense, reasonably loud, soothing more than it was attacking - but in a genuinely noisy way.  Largely analogue layers, some digital prodding which stuck out at times but became assimilated as things went along.  Played a bit over an hour, and I wasn't bored, didn't hate it, and left with a smile on my face.  I've had FAR worse Friday nights.

If the people were talking or holding their phones in your line of sight to take photos or video, I definitely share the disdain for fellow attendees.  If they aren't directly disrupting the performance for anyone, so the mere presence of them clouds your cognitive process or pleasure, then you have the problem, not them.  I'll take a respectful, curious hipster arty over an adolescent, socially inept person of bravado.

Quote from: holydeath on June 02, 2012, 08:41:00 AM
These are just a few of the reasons I will eagerly miss the concert in Helsinki next October. After listening to Pornoise/1KG cassettes through and thinking, "Well, it's not going to be ANYTHING like this!", and realizing every art fag within a 200 kilometer radius will attend, I just gave up on the idea of going.

Oh dear...the metal dudes attending the noise and PE gigs in search of something "sick" are at least equally repulsive (and the females of the kind are WAY less attractive).

I have always been a fan of Electric Salad, Rainbow Electronics, Flesh Metal Orgasm, Pulse Demon, Venereology, and Music For Bondage Performance. I havent listened to many of the newer releases besides the ones from the Blossoming Noise Label. I will however be checking out all the others that you guys have mentioned. I have only heard the Batztoutai With Material Gadgets (De-Composed Works 1985~86) from RRR but must find that original 2xLP

Oersted:

So many great sounds on this album, many of which are deep and rich.  Plenty of movement, but until a few points in track 4, it isn't annoyingly squibbly or erratic.  Keenly aware of flow and warmth.  The 3rd track, the shortest, is so subdued and powerful.

Quote from: P-K on April 04, 2012, 05:00:17 PM
END OKTOBER 2012   (VOD 104-108)
VOD108: Merzbow 10Lp-Box  "Lowest Music & Arts 1980-1983" w. Book  (plus 7" / T-Shirt for members)

I hope for plenty of his mailart in the book... got an old catalogue from ZSF somewhere which lists all his early releases. Several I never seen mentioned anywhere else. I'll return with some titles when I've located it.

My personal list of his best works:
N.A.M. Material Action 2
Sadomasochismo
Pornoise 1KG
Solonoise I & II
The Lampinak

Got the Merzbow/Aural Torture Mechanism split CD a couple days ago and after one listen, I must say the Merzbow track (about 34 minutes long) is one of his best ever! It was recorded in 1994 and it has everything: harshness, loops, great structure, a wide range of sounds... awesome.

Just made it through my first round of the Merzphysics 10cd box and my auditory passages are. fucking. shot. I like to imagine this as a joke very consciously played on all the merzpervs - ten. fucking. discs from the Merzpeak, principally 1994. Like after seeing Noisembryo repeatedly namechecked over the last seventeen years, someone decides to drop a veritable merzload from the same era...

After a single run I can say - with only the slightest concession to my basic fanboy instincts - that I thoroughly enjoy the physical sensations pulsing through the passages. A lot of it does smell like live-to-tape improv with some of Akita's favorite things. (Versus, say, a fully fleshed out sonic-sensual statement, as such.) Still these are very good things and plenty punishing all the way through. Scrap metal sources appear to scour heavily into the first half, discs 3 and 4 in particular if lingering aftertaste serves, and undermine a pointedly consistent penetralia. Back to disc 1 again and the shit is not getting old, in fact is getting better. Will definitely be getting plenty of spin in the forseeable future.

EDIT. Gripe. Most of the discs clock in at about C60 tape length or less, emphasis on the less. In his defense - "Mixed and mastered from orignial cassette tapes"

Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on June 06, 2012, 12:51:16 PM
After a single run I can say - with only the slightest concession to my basic fanboy instincts - that

...and after a couple more runs I think it's time to temper those instincts a bit. Get a grip, Slutbag. There will never be another Noisembryo. Never. Merzphysics is, yes, most enjoyable, but does not at all rank among the very best. These discs could in fact represent the very best of merzsource materials or merzbacking tapes. Track titles like "gig4649" seem indicative. The shit would also benefit from a proper - loud - mastering, but then I am familiar with the wonderous technological breakthrough commonly known as the "volume knob", so no worries there.

Nevertheless. Even if Merzphysics does present little more than, essentially, dicking around, the dick easily kills most contemporaneous shit on offer. All of these discs are eminently releasable. And if I really need another Noisembryo, I now have the materials to fucking do it myself. End.

...intrigued to hear how the split with Aural Torture Mechanism fits into all this dribbling.

Incidently, thanks to whoever mentioned Hannover Interruption. Plonked it on this shortly after rolling out of bed this am and suffice it to say, had a Good Morning. Dense cacophony of a thousand metals, sharing air with some of his late 80's / early 90's material but quite compositionally sound in its distribution of component parts.

Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on June 08, 2012, 06:27:03 AMNevertheless. Even if Merzphysics does present little more than, essentially, dicking around, the dick easily kills most contemporaneous shit on offer. All of these discs are eminently releasable.

I was thinking something similar after listening to Oersted the other day.  It wasn't a negative, nasty reaction to the quality of noise we now get, but it was a childlike, enthusiastic, joyful response to how fantastic that '94ish period of Merzbow was.  I know it.  I talk about it.  I see it on "my favorites" list.  But there's nothing like a real-life reminder of how incredible these sounds are; to have a rebirth in appreciation that can sometimes rival what it was like upon that first listen with utter amazement.  How often do you get that even with the best of the best?  1 in a 1000 listens?  Once every decade or decade and a half?  Everything has to align just perfectly, and there it is.  I found myself feeling such gratitude as I was listening to Oersted.  When it was over, I didn't want to listen to anything else.  I was wholly satisfied.

I may have missed it, but does it say anywhere if Masami recorded this "classic era" direct to tape to regular cassette or DAT?

I have been told by some Japanese guys that secret to their sound was actually DAT. That all stuff needed to be recorded to DAT to get the good sound for it.
Specific player with analogue to digital processing results loud and crispy distortion. No crackling, no glitch, but violent razorsharp overdrive. I guess this could be secret of many. I don't know so many people in west who could have said DAT players were very popular in consumer use. Japan is probably slightly different?

Back then DAT was too expensive and obscure format unless you had studio and after popularity of advanced computers and CDR format it became quite obsolete... but it may have had effects to certain type of noise we hardly realized.  One Merzbow master DAT I got for FA#11 compilation, it was all-at-maximum blast, with plenty of DAT tape overdrive. Made local studio guy very surprised. While analogue tape can be crucial for some noise, it makes you wonder if role of Digital Audio Tape is foolishly ignored since it appears to be so much less cooler format?

QuoteI may have missed it, but does it say anywhere if Masami recorded this "classic era" direct to tape to regular cassette or DAT?

The notes on the box only say "recorded at bedroom, tokyo 1993-1995, mixed and mastered from original cassette tapes at munemihouse, tokyo 2012"

Quote...intrigued to hear how the split with Aural Torture Mechanism fits into all this dribbling.

I have Merzphysics but I've only heard the first 1 or 2 CDs so far. Based on that, I'd say more work went into the track on the split with ATM, although like you said, the more raw material feeling of Merzphysics doesn't mean it's not good.

Merzbient CD3

I haven't thought much of any of the first three CDs.  This third one is greatly guitar noodling sent through effects.  I wondered if it was krautrock getting reworked (maybe Manuel Gottsching).   By the last fifteen minutes, the sampled songs become discernible.  I think it might be either Can or Faust.  A bit later I recognize the vocals, but I can't put a song title to it.  I'm not understanding this box (yet).

Now I found the old mailorder catalogue from Merzbow (pre-ZSF I think?).

It lists the merztapes from 01-26, but also some other stuff. The interesting item here is:

"MASAMI AKITA / MUSICK FROM SIMULATION WORLD
C-46 cassette released at PRODUKTION HAIR."

Anyone familiar with this release?

Have never really found any info on it but one track of it is on the Expanded Music disc in the Merzbox (track 9, M.F.S.W. 1). Can't really recall from the top of my head what it's like. In my review I noted that it was 'particularly noise compared to most of the earlier Box material'. Regardless only part of the tape was adopted into the Merzbox, as the track is 18:58 (and I assume the C46 was a regular double-sided one).

Rainbow Electronics 2 (1996)
Metal Machine Music Up The Ass! Apparently a remix of the original Rainbow Electronics (1991), and I remember the (now rather quaint-sounding) criticism-cum-bitching starting immediately upon its announcement, re- "remixing fucking noise?! only from Merzbow". (Merzbow fatigue already well en vogue back then.) You can certainly hear elements of that great multi-colored classic throughout. The liner notes tell me RE2 was mixed in 1990 and "renumbered" in 1996. But this is actually quite an amazing piece of heavy duty industrial-strength Sound Sculpture (up the ass). This presents exactly as I would have characterized the Merz before he became inseparable from "Japanese Noise" - not at all the full-on harshness (up the ass), but more considered and open-cheeked in its scrapmetal`d textural prongings, explosive distortion-heavy flatulants, with plenty of room to breathe, or hyperventilate, throughout. The untimely result of which is an unfortunate, and rather preemptatory, overshadowing by the mighty harsh Merzclassics of the mid 90`s. I was certainly guilty. Popped this sucker in, spun it once, puked it out and, with wide-mouthed rainbow yawn, declared it far inferior to all my Merzfaves... what a fucking Bloated Wanker. Eating rainbow crow like a motherfucker right now as RE2 is enjoying almost constant spin this week, to be interrupted only occasionally by -

Quote from: acsenger on June 06, 2012, 12:01:22 PM
the Merzbow/Aural Torture Mechanism split CD...I must say the Merzbow track (about 34 minutes long) is one of his best ever! It was recorded in 1994 and it has everything: harshness, loops, great structure, a wide range of sounds... awesome.

On the strength of this recomendation, finally got around to getting with it. And ten minutes in I`m shaking my head thinking, "Damn you Ascenger! - *thunk.. buzz... clunk* "This is a total go-nowhere affair." But hold that thought. This one takes forever to get going, but - slowly, almost imperceptibly, all the seemingly random thunkings buzzings clunkings snowball into a massive kaleidescopic orgy of all-consuming density. Incredibly well-composed for something that appears to have been improvised on the spot. Perhaps not in the very tippy-top tier but makes for a very Merzwhile and satisfying listening session.

EDIT tagged on some dates in the interest of context

I'm glad you liked the split with Aural Torture Mechanism, Bloated Slutbag. By the way, what did you think of the ATM tracks? They didn't really do anything for me.

On another note, Merzmorphosis is now available for order, so I'm about to fork out for it. It's 10 CDs of unreleased material from 1995-97, including outtakes from the Pulse Demon, Space Metalizer and Green Wheels sessions.

Merzgold (in no particular order):

- Noisembryo CD
- Artificial Invagination mCD
- Metalvelodrome 4xCD
- Hole CD
- Green Wheels CD+5"
- Pulse Demon CD
- Metal Mad Man C60
- Dadarottenvator LP
- Hannover Interruption LP
- Flare Gun 12"
- Project Frequency 12"
- Great American Nude / Crash For Hi-Fi CD
- Mercurated CD
- Hybrid NoiseBloom CD
- Psychorazer CD
- Rainbow Electronics CD
- Pinkream CD
- Venereology CD
- 1930 CD
- Batztoutai 2xLP
- Spiral Honey CD
- Oersted
- split w/MSBR  7"

as for compilation tracks..his contribution on "World Record" and "Noise Forest"

Quote from: acsenger on July 22, 2012, 02:05:02 AM
I'm glad you liked the split with Aural Torture Mechanism, Bloated Slutbag. By the way, what did you think of the ATM tracks? They didn't really do anything for me.

On another note, Merzmorphosis is now available for order, so I'm about to fork out for it. It's 10 CDs of unreleased material from 1995-97, including outtakes from the Pulse Demon, Space Metalizer and Green Wheels sessions.

thank you for the advice regarding the splitCD. Just grabbed it along with the new Merzmorphosis 10xCD boxset. It should be officially released this week but available for preorder

Anyone else questioning the integrity of these box sets?  He was so prolific during that period, and to 15 years later have hours and hours of material collecting dust?  I want both Physics and Morphosis to be as billed, but something is strange about it all.  Some artists never sleep.  Some of these unique personalities simultaneously live the lives of three people and squeeze 30 working hours out of every day.  I'm completely confident that Merzbow could pick up the old equipment and churn out era pieces.  He could probably use newer gear and mask it well.

Quote from: SILVUM on July 23, 2012, 10:58:11 AM
A related aside, been going through all my Japanese CDs to figure out which I'm missing the Obi strips for, because I have no life, and wonder if anyone knows if Psychorazer was supposed to have an Obi?  Mine has tray card, booklet, and that insert with text in japanese, but no obi. 

My copy has no OBI and I got it new.   Kubitsuri Tapes don't seem to bother with them

Quote from: SILVUM on July 23, 2012, 10:58:11 AM
A related aside, been going through all my Japanese CDs to figure out which I'm missing the Obi strips for, because I have no life, and wonder if anyone knows if Psychorazer was supposed to have an Obi?  Mine has tray card, booklet, and that insert with text in japanese, but no obi.  Also, does that Enema Syringe (Japan) CD that has Incapacitants, Masonna, Pain jerk and Merzbow on it come with an obi?  I can't remember if I got it new or used, I get a feeling most Japanese grind label level things besides HG fact, weren't really issued with obis usually.

I purchased both new and none of them comes with OBI.

Venerology
Pornoise box

and collaboration with Karkowski : Mazk

Shora and Senmaida are both pretty good albums. The only thing is he has had so many releases it is a tough call to pick favourites. Though I personally am not a fan of Merzdub.

http://www.factmag.com/2012/07/27/japanese-noise-legend-merzbows-huge-merzbient-box-set-to-to-get-vinyl-reissue/

Quote from: Jarl on September 12, 2012, 08:34:32 PM

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on September 06, 2012, 06:46:24 PM
MERZBOW "Ecobondage" CD
Haven't listened this for years.... FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Simply so good stuff. Blending his Batz Tou Tai era type of sound collage with upcoming hints of harshness, 66 minutes of pure bliss. You can make references to TNB type metal junk noise which ain't as much loud as they are just earsplittingly disturbing and Z'EV vibe rhythmic metal percussions on objects what have not only crushing noise junk sound, but do I dare to say ritual music type of tonality. Material goes beyond words. It ain't only noise, it ain't only free music/sound collage, just blends in diverse type of sounds. When you listen for example track 2 with LOUD volume and decent quality speakers - it operates on so many levels it makes me wonder where would be contemporary equivalents of this type of noise?! If they even exists?

Oh,I traded the MERZBOW "Ecobondage cd around ten years ago,against a good trade (But anyway it was huge mistake of course) but I remember I really like this recording, it was something special. A lot of metalplates etc and junk sounds, but i was not as intense as Haters mid 90s material. And not as intense as the analogue datrecording cds in the mid 90s . And not as lofi with Loops as the Pornoise tapeboxet. Hopefully I can buy it back in the future,( I Ecobondage mean)  I think I really need to do that.

You certainly do. I think fans of this style would do well to give Music For Bondage another listen. I'm pretty sure I detect a lot of the same raw materials in both... where Ecobondage is the more raw sister to the fleshed out, "ambient", expansiveness of Music for Bondage. (Note that Ecobondage was originally issued on ZSF back in '87; and the MfBondage recordings date back to the late 80's at least.) Both these would also serve as fitting companions to Grav, the Merzbow/Tiechens/PGR 3-way whose Merzelements were apparently recorded in "the fall of 1987".

"merzbow kapotte muziek" 3xcd box with material 1987-1993 ......only listened to disc3 which holds the Continuum lp....never heard this one before, awesome imho.

Hmm, i don't have Ecobondage.. Going to try and find a copy!

Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on June 06, 2012, 12:51:16 PM
Just made it through my first round of the Merzphysics 10cd box and my auditory passages are. fucking. shot. I like to imagine this as a joke very consciously played on all the merzpervs - ten. fucking. discs from the Merzpeak, principally 1994.

And on to the 10disc follow-up, Merzmorphosis, '95 - '97....

Once I get over the fact that I've been suckered again, this makes for fascinating stuff. Much roomier than the 'physics, spaced out with big blobs of synth noodle, smelling at times like the effluence of a simple mind behind a very complex machine. Not at all impenetrable nor all-consuming. Merzproper it ain't. There are moments. The lengthy second track on disc 5 progresses in farts and starts through quite the stunning and varied array. Scattered intervals of genuine ingenuity abound. Heavy waterlogged wave action breaks away, acoustic sources shine sharp and incisive. Pacing willful and unhurried. Merzbow for retards and/or the mildly soused. My kind of thing.

And honestly, talking "private recordings" (personal obsessions never meant for public consumption?), between 'morphosis and 'physics I really feel I now have the means to generate endless variations on my own private Noisembryo. Btw, fuck you all. (Erm, sorry for that. Been reading too many McIntosh posts.)

Merzphysics is proving to be A LOT more satisfying than Merzbient.  I'm still unsure what Merzbient was intended to be, because it is pretty much dull.  Merzphysics is a searing example of his greatness; a greatness too easily forgotten because of his name notoriety.

ahh i'm with the nostalgia camp, this thread makes me break out a few merzbow albums lately... typical as it sounds, merzbow probably was one of the very first pure harsh noise artists i heard back when i was 15... obsessed with noise ever since...

favorites....

venereology
oersted
metalvelodrome
artificial invagination
mercurated
noisembryo
hybrid noisebloom
1930
green wheels
tint
hole
aqua necromancer
new tamagahara
tauromachine
electric salad
spiral honey
noizhead
psychorazer
ecobondage
batztoutai with material gadgets
great american nude / crash for hi-fi
door open at 8am
split 7" w/ msbr
rectal anarchy collab w/ gore beyond necropsy
live in chicago collab lp w/ emil beaulieau
merzbow loves emil beaulieau

I don't think I can add much that hasn't already been said, but golden age Merzbow is indeed fantastic.
I was listening to Noisembryo again recently, what a treat.
I also like Psychorazer a lot, Kubitsuri Tapes is a badass label :].

Had to dig out some stuff from CD boxes and took also a random pile of Pure CD's for listening. One of them is

Quote from: collapsedhole on June 23, 2013, 10:46:29 PM
merzbow loves emil beaulieau

Fucking great! It is really long time since the previous listen, and didn't even remember it was this good. Very junk-electronic-y, active and powerful, noise as I remember it. Even if it uses EB sources I would say it has more Merzbow feel to it. Great!

Should give a listen to this... and perhaps dig up the PURE series topic for additions...  I remember reading review (was it ABSURD newsletter greece) where was expressed disappointment that one could hear Merzbow used stuff from particular known EB releases (vinyl & tapes) but mutilate it so far from rugged Emil sound to Merzbow... but I didn't find that problem at all.  Should also check out soon the Chop Shop plays Emil Beaulieau. Just playing EB stuff via those custom made speakers of Chop Shop transforming sound to something very different.

anyone care to give a cursory review of the Lowest Music & Arts 1980-1983 box?

how's the Merzbow/Slugbait - Arctic Twilight / Anthem Of The Sun CD?

Quote from: Zeno Marx on October 08, 2014, 09:38:52 PM
how's the Merzbow/Slugbait - Arctic Twilight / Anthem Of The Sun CD?

I guess that good, but isn't good as Merzbow's collaboration with Achim WOLLSCHEID, EMIL BEAULIEAU, JAZZKAMER or GENESIS P-ORRIDGE.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on October 08, 2014, 09:38:52 PM
how's the Merzbow/Slugbait - Arctic Twilight / Anthem Of The Sun CD?

Full bodied. As might be expected from the period ('96). Recall that I wanted very much to hate it, for the same reasons that I wanted to hate Namanax, and was disappointed to discover that it was actually quite listenable. Was vindicated somewhat to find the Slugbait mix inferior- or just plain unmemorable.  Net impression: Merz defers to the (feedback-drenched, rather inferior) source materials to output fairly slow-going indulgence of relatively limited perv-vision. I do think Akita makes a valiant attempt at sexing things up- to occasionally quite satisfactory effect. This could very well be a thing to be much appreciated in a live setting. Still something to which I am forced to return, at this moment, to properly recollect- a necessary step unbecoming of the greats. Nice packaging, though*.

As for the Lowest Music & Arts 1980-1983 box, I would also be glad of a comment or two. Some weeks back, in a weak moment, almost snagged, but managed to stay the index finger based on my experience of early Merz- even without reference to FreakAnimalFinland's recent 7" review. None of the early-est of Merz has managed to particularly recommend itself... though if someone were to - even very slightly - praise the box in question I would immediately run out of excuses not to click ahead...

Pleast don't.

Pleast do.

Pleast don't.

Etc.


* No, you do not detect a note of sarcasm. Packaging is, like, really important.

In a whole new context (system), I am ever tempted to audition my faves and for the nth...

Elysia, Valley Of The Metal from World Record comp (Alchemy)

Good Mikawa, what is this? The Ultimate Merzbonanie? The depth, the complexity, the sheer quantity of shit dumped into the Valley, subtitled "Metal Machine Music Up the Ass". As though the whole of (the studio work from) Metalvelodrome were compressed into ten short minutes. Does (a good portion of) a 4-disc set need to be so compressed? This manages to demonstrate several of the more favorable sides of the Merz, huge stacks of collapsing scrap metals, heaving movements from one extreme to the next, both calculated, methodical and unhinged, unwieldly, so good it plain hurts. And yet. Despite all the material apparent, this could be a straight up live performance; or a minimally edited presentation of assorted perversions culled from a series of live performances. This kind of thing I like. Nothing overwrought, no apparent need to recompose the life out of the essential brutality inherent in the materials at hand. No, here the essense is preserved, the quintessential junktextures allowed their room to breathe, dribble, get the runs, make a mess of things. A studied avoidance of the pratfalls the more artistically inclined might very well deem instrinsic. The noisehead, pleased.

(EDIT. Still I had to laugh reading over the above in light of the paroxysms of ardour I've directed at the recent Endo. Definitely a lot of overlap, which probably speaks more to the particular headspace my noisepredilections are currently occupying than the actual character of the sounds in question. At this rate, by next Endo commentary I'll have come full circle and will be able to sum up in three words: "Sounds Like Merzbow".)


While I'm flipping back through Merzposts, one of my hobbies, I find that I'd meant to come back to this on the off-chance clarification was needed:

Quote from: Zeno Marx on June 08, 2012, 07:33:58 AM

Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on June 08, 2012, 06:27:03 AMNevertheless. Even if Merzphysics does present little more than, essentially, dicking around, the dick easily kills most contemporaneous shit on offer. All of these discs are eminently releasable.

I was thinking something similar after listening to Oersted the other day.  It wasn't a negative, nasty reaction to the quality of noise we now get, but

Hard to say this without coming off as an absolute wanker, but... by "contemporaneous shit" I was referring to shit contemporaneous with other noise in that period- that is, in and around 1994. I couldn't personally speak with any authority on the noise we now get. I do know that I've heard plenty, since 1994, that I would rank as highly as anything else- up to and including The Golden Age Of Merz. Much as I like to kid myself that I am still relatively conversant, there just seems such an abundance readily available at this point that (for me) to issue blanket statements, in favor or disfavor, of a particular strain of sound-making apparent seems just a tad, how shall I say it? Postmature.

Geez, it's been whole days since I've engaged in a little dead horse flagellation, must be slipping. Just thought I'd attempt to further qualify my previous pro Elysia, Valley Of The Metal assertions.

Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on October 31, 2014, 06:08:42 PM
Elysia, Valley Of The Metal from World Record comp (Alchemy)

Good Mikawa, what is this? The Ultimate Merzbonanie? The depth, the complexity, the sheer quantity of shit dumped into the Valley, subtitled "Metal Machine Music Up the-" <snip>

Elysia... while not, to be clear, possessing of the essential mind-blowingness of the fully-loaded Merz, nevertheless manages to make a case for singular Merzvision. One which seems more closely linked with the fundamental aesthetic staked in the earliest of days; "scum electronics"  or "scum noise" or whatever, straight down to the project name. Merzbow is, at its best, some of the most artfully composed sound one might hope for... but at the same time, Merzbow is, at its most quintessential, non-artful, un-artful, even, from certain traditionalist bents, anti-artful.

Thus with Elysia we can perceive an almost haphazard molesting of assorted more or less randomly selected materials. Limited editing, possibly managed on the fly; or an editing that verges on clumsy; or seemingly deliberately careless, as though- against all expectation- the Merz simply couldn't give a shit. And then, amid dense masses of metallic clamor, the sudden, ridiculous, flow-disrupting incursion of looped rhythmic interruptus. Yet the whole lurching monstrosity flows, or better- disflows- in such compelling fashion. And it does so principally owing to the freshness, the tastiness- not to mention the all-consuming the density- of the ingredients so liberally distributed.

Back when I would score things for Rawness, there were two considerations. One was that of atmosphere, by which I mean a considerable exercise of, um, artistic license would apply to the consideration (similar to how things may be characterized as sounding "cold" or "warm" or name your meaningless adjective.) The second consideration was more literal, and would apply to the apparent resistance – intended or not – to more, shall we say, classically-oriented considerations of the sound palette. (See recent posts under the "Idiots" thread.) A piece like Elysia manages, impressively, to utterly nail both criteria- in my case, as though hammered straight into a Raw nerve.

Er... yeah. Glad I could confuse things up. Now back to our regular scheduled Merzworship.

Edit. Almost forgot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBhTbw-6EHw

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on June 08, 2012, 10:06:58 AM
I may have missed it, but does it say anywhere if Masami recorded this "classic era" direct to tape to regular cassette or DAT?

I have been told by some Japanese guys that secret to their sound was actually DAT. That all stuff needed to be recorded to DAT to get the good sound for it.
Specific player with analogue to digital processing results loud and crispy distortion. No crackling, no glitch, but violent razorsharp overdrive. I guess this could be secret of many. I don't know so many people in west who could have said DAT players were very popular in consumer use. Japan is probably slightly different?

Back then DAT was too expensive and obscure format unless you had studio and after popularity of advanced computers and CDR format it became quite obsolete... but it may have had effects to certain type of noise we hardly realized.  One Merzbow master DAT I got for FA#11 compilation, it was all-at-maximum blast, with plenty of DAT tape overdrive. Made local studio guy very surprised. While analogue tape can be crucial for some noise, it makes you wonder if role of Digital Audio Tape is foolishly ignored since it appears to be so much less cooler format?

This is very interesting. I'll talk to some of my engineer friends and get back to you asap.

From my listening experience, and from reading many discussions about DATs, they are very much unique.  I missed Mikko's post.  The Grateful Dead tapers were all over DATs, as it was viewed as cutting edge technology at the time, and the GD tapers were always pushing the boundaries of equipment and sat on the forefront of the digital age.  PCMs and DATs.  Dan Healy, the GD's audio engineer (and overall audio guru), used them to record soundboards on a nightly basis.  I bring this up because if you wanted to talk the ins/outs of DATs, there probably isn't a more knowledgeable community than the Grateful Dead tapers.  They've also become the go-to thinktank on DAT restoration and transferring.  They appear to be fragile and a very poor medium for archival purposes.  If you have something on DAT, it should be transferred sooner than later.  The playback decks are yet another big problem, as calibration and maintenance are constant.  Personally, I like the sound of the PCMs.  They're generally thin and cold sounding; a true listening novelty.  Electronic sounds pop, while organic sounds get lost.  The keyboards bubble.

you can get a feel for that coldness here:  https://archive.org/details/gd83-04-12.set2.pcm-sbd.miller.30808.sbeok.flacf

Well as far as I've been told DAT is 16 bit digital format. Just like any DAW like Ableton, Logic etc. So DAT really shouldn't have a "sound" except for being an exact digital copy of what's fed unto them. Just like a computer recording would be. That though was pretty cutting edge at the time. Analog tape would eat up quite a bit of the high end, so that's why DAT's might have been perceived as different. It is different in that regard. But there's really nothing like "DAT distortion" as far as I can tell. Such distortion would have to appear from another part of the recording chain.   

DAT tape may storage digital data, which is same as CD quality, but it's not all about "storage of data".
Also things like analogue to digital process. There is plenty of technology before your sound is on that tape.

One can easily give a try (if you have DAT player and tapes?), to record full blast all-on-red stuff to DAT, and do the same on computer. And I'm pretty sure, it just doesn't sound the same. Handful of artists have concluded that they get so much better results from overdriving DAT than glitchy as fuck crackles when they try to do it on computer. Then one can always say that yeah, you just need this and that and the other soundcard, other pre-amp, some different kind of analogue-to-digital transformers etc... but yeah, you can just use DAT as several decks have proven to be great for doing crisp, yet not glitchy, brutal harsh sound.

Yeah that was my point. It would have the be the A/D conversion (or something else...) and not the actual tape giving it the "character".

I think some of this signature sound could possibly be linked to the idea that "digital is digital...and for dummies", so when people first used DATs, they paid little concern to adjustments, meters, recording volume, etc.  They threw in a tape, jacked the levels, and away they went.  And this was the beginning of the home digital capabilities, so they didn't have a full grasp of what digital meant in the first place.  It could handle anything you threw at it.  You weren't burdened with having to watch levels.  It was care-free.  You could be an idiot, and it would adjust to your shortcomings.  Sort of like how it was a revelation to some that you couldn't keep your CDs on the floor of your car for months on end and still have a functional format.  Digital was fragile and had its own set of know-how and rules.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on December 01, 2014, 08:01:41 PM
I think some of this signature sound could possibly be linked to the idea that "digital is digital...and for dummies", so when people first used DATs, they paid little concern to adjustments, meters, recording volume, etc.  They threw in a tape, jacked the levels, and away they went.  And this was the beginning of the home digital capabilities, so they didn't have a full grasp of what digital meant in the first place.  It could handle anything you threw at it.  You weren't burdened with having to watch levels.  It was care-free.  You could be an idiot, and it would adjust to your shortcomings.  Sort of like how it was a revelation to some that you couldn't keep your CDs on the floor of your car for months on end and still have a functional format.  Digital was fragile and had its own set of know-how and rules.

Both yes and no. I'm sure the pre-amps and A/D converter could be pushed hard to great effect, but not the actual tape. Unless you want really bad digital distortion (clipping), which I can't hear on any of the 90's Merzbow albums I've heard.  

If it's even possible to coax the DAT into clipping the actual tape (which i don't see why it would be since you're just recording digital data coming from the ADC stage) you'd get corruption or just woudn't be able to play it at all, it wouldn't be any kind of waveform-clipping sound, 'bad' or otherwise.

I need a little help in regards to Merzbow. I really like Music For Bondage Performance, Metalvelodrome (Exposition Of Electro-Vivisection), Venereology and Pulse Demon and just bought 1930 (which everyone and their dead grandma seems to rave about...). Those are the only releases of his I've listened to a lot. I realize that this is all stuff from his 90's-era. Any ideas as to what I could listen to next?

Quote from: 13 on December 06, 2014, 06:42:45 PMAny ideas as to what I could listen to next?

Pages 4 and 6 of this thread have entries with long lists of albums that are great. They're almost all from the 90s though. If you're curious about the 80s stuff (which is very often very different from the harshness of the 90s and can be quite difficult listening), there are some CDs like Ecobondage, Batztoutai with Material Gadgets and Antimonument. From 2000 onwards, his releases are hit or miss and I don't know a lot of them, but for example Merzzow and Sha Mo 3000 are great (and quite musical, actually).

Thanks a lot. I'll go with Echobondage and see where that takes me. Could you also recommend me something in the vein of Metalvelodrome and Venereology just in case I'd want more of that? 

Ecobondage is a great choice. Concerning releases similar to the other albums you mentioned, I think these CDs are excellent: Artificial Invagination, Pinkream, Spiral Honey and Electric Salad. The latter two have a lot of variety while the first two are full-on noise.

Quote from: 13 on December 09, 2014, 01:32:54 PM
Could you also recommend me something in the vein of Metalvelodrome and Venereology just in case I'd want more of that?

This is going to sound like a lazy answer, but just about anything from late 1993 thru 1996.  Oersted, Noisembryo, Artificial Invagination, Spiral Honey, Green Wheels, Hole...  He was on fire for those 2-3 years.  I'll 2nd AntiMonument for the early racket.  One of my favorites.  Crocidura Dsi Nezumi from 1988 and Great American Nude from 1991 are good, too.

Here's the "Beyond Ultra-Violence: Uneasy Listening by Merzbow" (1998) documentary for those who haven't seen it: http://vimeo.com/68339199

I think it does a pretty good job at portraying Masami at the prime of his career. The things he was interested in and the general atmosphere of his working life.

I for one didn't like Beyond Ultra-Violence. It has good moments, but the spastic editing/visual style annoyed me and the sequence of the movie is just random. While most of what Akita is saying is interesting, there should've been real discussion about his work instead of letting him rant.

I wouldn't call it a rant. Some people just express themselves in vague terms. Which is perfectly fine by me. It gave me enough information to work with. The structure is somewhat random, but it gave me this funny feeling of being in the middle of everything instead of relying some "coherent" (possibly boring) storyline. But yeah, we can't all agree now can we? hehe

Yesterday thought to listen MERZBOW / CRIS X split LP which has been some years in shelves, I think. Recordings from 2011. Started with Cris X, as was highly cautious about new Merzbow works. It's decent experimental music. Italian guy with some Japanese women. Sachiko could be known to some at least?! Sort of musical works, but also decent amount of experimental abstract electronics. Turn the Merzbow side, and was slightly turned off about apparent lack of punch of sound. But as soon as layers and intensity started to build, I noticed it was not bad at all. In fact, instant multiple rotations proved that at least on vinyl format, despite certain lack of true loud amplification one can sense here, it is pretty close to older good Merzbow. 3 rotations later, still kind of tempted to listen more today than just the one time. It's curious to realize that NEW Merzbow, at this day, can still make such impact despite certain flaws what sets it behind his older master works.. Perhaps should give chance to some other new Merzbow. It's clear that return to use also party analogue gear, has resulted massive flow of energy to his works.

And here entire side: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPW07gdvn-c

to me recently i like really takahe collage it's really peacefull i like merzbient too.
on the other hand i don't like too much merzbeat but it's another history

ost

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on January 23, 2015, 11:45:44 AM
And here entire side: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPW07gdvn-c

I liked that track too.
On another note, I recently got the double vinyl version of Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets after reading on this forum that it's different from the double CD version. It's surprising how different it indeed is, although the overall feel of the album is the same. I still prefer the CD slightly, but I'm glad to have the vinyl version too.

I hate to be all pissy, but I really, really dislike the recording/mastering of Guya. I can see how it's similar to classic Merzbow, in both composition and attitude, but the sound quality is absolutely dreadful.

Finally got my hands on Music For Bondage Performance and it's just brilliant. It's the first pre-90's Harsh Noise Merzbow release that I've really gotten into. Great eerie sounds and a really nihilistic atmosphere. I know I'm late to the game, but I just had to express my excitement! 

It was long time, but finally someone uploaded ARTIFICIAL INVAGINATION mCD to youtube. If there are people like myself who don't really "get" any torrents or soulseek or whatever is that people use for sharing music, hehe... So just click of youtube and you can listen audio in surprisingly good sound. Of course I'd recommend anyone to hunt down the CD for obviously better sound.

This mCD rates in my books as the absolute best Merzbow. Perhaps it is also due short length (20+ min) that I have listened it way more than many other good Merzbow titles. It shows how early 90's "cut up" could beat easily a lot of contemporary material of such type. Perhaps that it is not as much edited, but actually played. It's never so precise that it would appear mathematical. It keeps throwing in new sounds and change pacing and layering, but does it always be moving forward. Not by stopping. One gets feeling of hectic live-edit rather than adjusting envelopes on screen.

Physical nature of metal, grinding power tools and such adds very good physical touch. When you rip the file from disc to computer, you can see that wave of sound is everything else than "block of sound". It's NEVER flat. Actually sound is significantly lower volume than almost anything published on CD these days. Still, manages to sound far more ripping, and with intense punch to all sounds. Magic of DAT input gain distortion?! Who knows. If someone has yet to hear this, I'd recommend to click this below and hope for proper re-issue!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRDphofU5qY

Artificial Invagination is really special and I recommend it too, though I still rate Metalvelodrome (Exposition Of Electro-Vivisection) as his defining moment. It almost plays like a Harsh Noise opera, which makes it completely pointless to compare the two. So yeah, whatever.

Just gave Metalvelodrome (Exposition Of Electro-Vivisection) another listen. Chewed four discs in a row. It really is unbelievably good. An absolute masterpiece.  

Yesterday I finished the Merzbox. It took me a couple months, of course. While I didn't like everything, I liked most CDs, and overall the box is a very impressive collection. I'm reading the book that came with it and most of it so far is interesting, and although it isn't always strictly limited to Merzbow, that's not a problem (you get to read about Kurt Schwitters, Japanese bondage, Bernhard Günter's views on music etc.).

I'm now going to explore post-1999 Merzbow. Granted, there are plenty of mediocre and weak releases, but there are some really good ones too. Collapse 12 Floors, for example, is great.

Impressive that you made it all the way through it. I would love to hear some of the material from the mid-90's period.

Quote from: acsenger on May 23, 2016, 11:24:36 AMI'm now going to explore post-1999 Merzbow. Granted, there are plenty of mediocre and weak releases, but there are some really good ones too. Collapse 12 Floors, for example, is great.

I have never heard Collapse 12 Floors, but it is listed as "Power Electronics" on Discogs. Is that a correct description?

Quote from: 13 on May 23, 2016, 12:42:59 PM
I have never heard Collapse 12 Floors, but it is listed as "Power Electronics" on Discogs. Is that a correct description?

Not at all. Merzbow never did PE. It's more a "sound art" album, very different from releases before it. Those blocks of sound in track 2 and 3 have a very physical feel to them, something I love.

Collapse 12 Floors is a great Merzbow record. I am also partial to Hybrid Noisebloom, Merzbuddha, Annica, Animal Magnetism and the entire "13 Japanese Birds" series

In addition to classics like Pulse Demon, Venerology, etc.

I don't really dislike any Merzbow, but those are the ones I gravitate to.

Despite his being my introduction to 'proper' noise (like a lot of people I guess?) I never really cared that much for collecting his stuff after I discovered there were many, many more people out there making similarish sounds.  I'm looking forward to having a proper trawl through the few albums I have as well as this thread to see what my perspective is now.

That said, I think 1930 is excellent and I listen to it quite a lot, plus I always loved this stuttering, cut up number on the 'Melt' (1992) comp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVpKJGOKcqs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVpKJGOKcqs)

Quote from: Duncan on May 25, 2016, 01:25:22 AM
I discovered there were many, many more people out there making similarish sounds.

My first reaction: Oh yeah? Name one. Artist and album please.

Second reaction: I suppose "similarish" could pretty much cover the whole of industrial/experimental/noise, so no worries there!

I still (and apparently forever) regard Merz as properly belonging to the experimental-industrial tradition, not so firmly into anything like noise, even "Japanese noise". Merzbox is something I have never actually made it through in one go (of several days). But literally every time that go is given the mind is blown. I could (and probably should) dedicate the whole of the remainder of my sad life listening exclusively to Merzbox and fuck the rest.

Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on May 25, 2016, 07:05:10 PM
Merzbox is something I have never actually made it through in one go (of several days).

I made it several times and always I wait for next time! And always I found something new there, something inspiring...

Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on May 25, 2016, 07:05:10 PM
But literally every time that go is given the mind is blown. I could (and probably should) dedicate the whole of the remainder of my sad life listening exclusively to Merzbox and fuck the rest.

Definitely I share your opinion!

Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on May 25, 2016, 07:05:10 PM

Quote from: Duncan on May 25, 2016, 01:25:22 AM
I discovered there were many, many more people out there making similarish sounds.

My first reaction: Oh yeah? Name one. Artist and album please.

Second reaction: I suppose "similarish" could pretty much cover the whole of industrial/experimental/noise, so no worries there!

Pretty much exactly and absolutely.

If asked to make a deserted island list, and even if I wasn't in the mood for noise at all (which does indeed happen here and there) at the time of making said list, there would probably still be around a dozen Merzbow albums key, and mandatory, to the collection.  I'm not the biggest Merzbow fan, nor have I ever collected Merzbow.  Nevertheless, he would have a major presence in a coconut existence because he is simply that good and unique.

EDIT:  is Metal Mad Man included anywhere else than on the cassette proper?  Reissued on CD anywhere?

As much as I adore Merz, I don't care much for his "blown out harsh assaults" material. IMO he really shines through doing that kind of industrial/noise heavy on tape loops and junk abuse. The period from late 80's and early 90's is my favorite. Memorial Gadgets, Pornoise, Antimonument, Aka Meme, Lampinak, Metalvelodrome, Music for Bondage... mostly great stuff! Also, those tapes released some years ago, Nov 1989, April 1992, are very worthy too.

That being said, I also enjoy some stuff he put out during the 00's/10's. Namely, Merzbird, Uzu Me Ku, Nezumimochi. I don't know, this modus operandi of "synth/drum loop repeating forever with noise freak-outs on top" appeals to me. Kinda reminds me of his aforementioned period, but not quite.

Some other releases I really like that don't fit into an era, I guess, are Vibractance (amazing drone-ish stuff) and the colab with Genesis.

The Orange disc in Turmeric is very excellent also I have never heard the lushness of Sha mo 3000 before. I also love Bariken, Oersted, Pulse Demon and venereology.

... Frog is pretty fucking lush (both in terms of richness and that gross English slang)

Haven't heard yet, but looks interesting:
(https://img.discogs.com/UACPCYDnv6ud_mUyiXvyGajJPaA=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-8910742-1471288261-3774.jpeg.jpg)

not listened to a merzbow release in years.
loved his analogue stuff but thought his initial digital output poor as  adjusting to new format (digital)
some releases appealed but interest fizzled out.

I had been slightly hesitating on VOD box "Lowest Music & Arts 1980 - 1983". I had it, most of all because was member of VOD in 2012. Looked the box of 10 LP's + 7", and filed it on shelves. I am familiar with some of tapes before, and just wasn't on the mood at that time.

Was listening through Rising From The Red Sand compilation 5xLP box, where Merzbow's noise track sticks out strongly as one of the best contributions. Among plenty of synth, beats, post-punk, electronic stuff, good to hear real noise. It instantly made me decide that next thing I'll listen will be Lowest Music & Arts 1980 - 1983.

And I must say, despite you can't file any of the LP's among "top hits", vast majority of them are great. I don't like all of the very earliest Merzbow. Lots of free jazzy, garbage sounds collaged together, not-so-powerful racket made with various rubbish, etc. However, it's clear that there are great material right there in earliest years. I tend to think his best works range probably between 1984-1998 with little bleed before and after.

Strength of box is, that each LP is very much of its own identity. You got disturbing ones based on very simple structure and nearly annoyingly challenging sounds. You got more sound collage/improv type of things. And you got rhythmic drum machine beat dominated industrial-noise. There are LP's that operate on disorganized chaos, and other opposite of that. There are more distorted recordings, even if he doesn't yet reach the level of distortion orgy known from later days Merzbow.

Booklet what comes in wooden box, ain't much for me. "Lowest arts" in deed. I like modern art / antiart to some level, but knowing how great Merzbow collages and artworks are at the best, this particular abstract mess of colors and patterns doesn't do anything for me. For tape covers, xeroxed into grainy B/W, works out fine. Now reproduced in it's full glory on glossy full color booklet... well,....

Out of all the Merzbow I listened this year, I must say that this box is actually the best. I listened this 5 LP's in a row. During two days. It  tells something about diversity and strength of material. That even after nonstop blast of 5 LP's, you could listen more, but just run out of time and have to continue later on. This doesn't happen with many of later days Merz, what may be good, but also so "complete" that it doesn't necessary give you feeling of "I'll listen 4 more today..."

If you happen to have empty slot of 10LP's in wooden box in your record collection, not a bad choice!

I see that Hospital Productions is reissuing Noisembryo on gatefold 2LP (edited) for $40+shipping.  I'm curious to know of the exact editing and alterations.  Is this a Nurse with Wound production where everything can be different?  What's the exact deal here?  Great to see this available again, though I'm having a difficult time believing it not best suited to remain on CD.  An all time all-timer.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on December 07, 2017, 03:25:16 AM
I see that Hospital Productions is reissuing Noisembryo on gatefold 2LP (edited) for $40+shipping.  I'm curious to know of the exact editing and alterations.  Is this a Nurse with Wound production where everything can be different?  What's the exact deal here?  Great to see this available again, though I'm having a difficult time believing it not best suited to remain on CD.  An all time all-timer.

I will let you know when I get my copy, can't find any other details of this re-issue online. I ordered it about 3 months ago so according to the pre-order delay it should be out this month.

What I heard, was that it was mastered for LP format, but label being little cautious if engineer made is little bit too "soft" in fear of vinyl not being able to handle all the high-pressure all-at-max digital frequencies. Not sure if finally ending up sending "less mastered" audio.

Judging the length of tracks, it's clear 2xLP would require edits to make sound idea. No sense to have 3 or 9 minutes on one side while 25+ on the other. I'd assume material needs to be cut to even parts over the sides, despite it will change original track length. I think that hardly matters. I'd rather take edit with 15 min per side, 60 mins in total, that cut "as is" from CD lengths, track per side.

CD:
1   Part 1   9:23
2   Part 2   25:06
3   Part 3   21:00
4   Part 4   2:55


But in other hand... some material simply benefits from being CD and I'm happy to keep listening original CD. Release is good for those who prefer vinyl and crave some actually GOOD MERZBOW to be available.

I've been meaning to ask...

Is there any recent work along the lines of Wattle-

https://elevatorbath.bandcamp.com/album/wattle

...while I wouldn't rank this along with any of the classics it does manage to tick a few of the key boxes. Have not paid enough attention to ascertain whether this is to be regarded as an anomaly.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on December 07, 2017, 03:25:16 AM
I see that Hospital Productions is reissuing Noisembryo on gatefold 2LP (edited) for $40+shipping.  I'm curious to know of the exact editing and alterations.  Is this a Nurse with Wound production where everything can be different?  What's the exact deal here?  Great to see this available again, though I'm having a difficult time believing it not best suited to remain on CD.  An all time all-timer.

That's great to hear this is being reissued. It always seems to fetch absurd prices. I'm surprised Relapse hasn't jumped on the chance to do a deluxe vinyl version of Pulse Demon or Venerology. Which I would welcome! I don't mind Merzbow on CD but I'd be down with some of his stuff getting the reissue treatment.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on December 07, 2017, 03:25:16 AM
I see that Hospital Productions is reissuing Noisembryo on gatefold 2LP (edited) for $40+shipping.  I'm curious to know of the exact editing and alterations.  Is this a Nurse with Wound production where everything can be different?  What's the exact deal here?  Great to see this available again, though I'm having a difficult time believing it not best suited to remain on CD.  An all time all-timer.

I just ordered a copy from Hospital, this is the breakdown:

Side A:
Part 1 (9:15)
Part 2 (8:10)

Side B:
Part 2-2 (16:15)

Side C:
Part 3 (20:53)

Side D
Part 4 (2:52)
Travelling (Bonus track)

I have to say, it looks like Hospital did a beautiful job on this one

Quote from: david lloyd jones on August 19, 2016, 07:04:19 PM
not listened to a merzbow release in years.
loved his analogue stuff but thought his initial digital output poor as  adjusting to new format (digital)
some releases appealed but interest fizzled out.

quite often I've seen that people who listened Merzbow already longer time, they prefer the "great old days" recordings.
I've been listening less (years), and randomly - getting that Merzbow flow about 1-2 per year - so been enjoying those new digital era
recordings much more than that old stuff. Old stuff feels darker and heavier, but the new stuff has more psychedelic, free jazz/rock elements, which is probably why I like it.

I like some of the old and also some of the new stuff. Noisembryo CD is the latest purchase here..

Quote from: holy ghost on March 22, 2018, 03:13:15 PM
I have to say, it looks like Hospital did a beautiful job on this one

I have to say, upon getting my copy Friday this looks and sounds absolutely beautiful. Hospital did an amazing job on both the visual and audio presentation. I would not sleep if you have any interest in acquiring this.

This has been my number one Merzbow want - I cannot justify spending $50 on a CD on ebay now discogs. And wow this not disappoint!

Pulse Demon DLP reissue on sale today

wwe.bludhoney.com (http://www.bludhoney.com)

Obviously limited as shit

Quote from: holy ghost on May 11, 2018, 07:51:13 PM
Pulse Demon DLP reissue on sale today

wwe.bludhoney.com (http://wwe.bludhoney.com)

Obviously limited as shit

That won't last long.

Fuck, guys, do I buy one or do I say screw it because the cool swirl color vinyl is sold out

Quote from: PedestrianOrgans on May 11, 2018, 09:18:03 PM
Fuck, guys, do I buy one or do I say screw it because the cool swirl color vinyl is sold out

If it's on coloured vinyl it will sound warmer and more analog.

Lol I was mostly joking, that "Spiral Blast" or whatever swirl vinyl is pretty nifty though

Couldn't get that link to work, but this one does:

http://bludhoney.com/album/pulse-demon

And that's it, folks

Quote from: Zeno Marx on May 12, 2018, 12:01:28 AM
Couldn't get that link to work, but this one does:

http://bludhoney.com/album/pulse-demon

Oops, I guess "wwe" is not a real domain.

If my internet ineptitude cost any of you a chance to pay $40 US for this as an apology I'm willing to let you come over to my house and listen to it ONCE but you bring your own beer. 

Wow, why would they only make 400 of those? That was gone in hours.

i couldn't get the website to connect to paypal. after 15 odd attempts i just gave up.

Quote from: holy ghost on April 01, 2018, 07:56:33 PM

Quote from: holy ghost on March 22, 2018, 03:13:15 PM
I have to say, it looks like Hospital did a beautiful job on this one

I have to say, upon getting my copy Friday this looks and sounds absolutely beautiful. Hospital did an amazing job on both the visual and audio presentation. I would not sleep if you have any interest in acquiring this.

This has been my number one Merzbow want - I cannot justify spending $50 on a CD on ebay now discogs. And wow this not disappoint!

just ordered the color vinyl version from Hospital today. looking forward to checking out the layout

I'm surprised Pulse demon sold so quickly, I'm sure Relapse issued a few versions on CD and whilst it might have been a lot of people's first exposure to Merzbow it has been followed by a slew of releases that surely have diluted his name. So to see 400 copies go in a couple of hours was a surprise, i just hope it wasn't a case of vinyl collector hipsters who want it as an art piece to show off

Btw anyone heard the releases/reissues from Slow Down records in Japan? Seems they are putting a lot out but the only way i can get them is through Amazon Japan

Quote from: Kayandah on May 15, 2018, 03:48:49 AM
whilst it might have been a lot of people's first exposure to Merzbow

My first exposure to noise in general.

Quote from: Kayandah on May 15, 2018, 03:48:49 AM
I'm surprised Pulse demon sold so quickly, I'm sure Relapse issued a few versions on CD and whilst it might have been a lot of people's first exposure to Merzbow it has been followed by a slew of releases that surely have diluted his name. So to see 400 copies go in a couple of hours was a surprise, i just hope it wasn't a case of vinyl collector hipsters who want it as an art piece to show off

I'm sure I used to see it on sale, cheap all the time but a cursory glance at the usual outlets shows that it's not quite so available as I thought.  In any case it does seem strange that this was such a popular item.  I don't want to knock the overall intention of a project like this but it seems likely that a high number of these quick sales will be based upon how well known the album is ('that' cover, 'that' t shirt etc), the format fetishism and of course the deliberate obscurity.  I think that even today Merzbow continues to be the guy whose albums you find in the shelves of people who otherwise don't listen to noise.  That's fine, of course.

All that said, I don't think I'll ever understand how an album originally recorded and released as single sequence of tracks benefits from being issued on a format that requires the listening to be interrupted 3 times, regardless of how nice the colour of the vinyl is.

Quote from: Duncan on May 15, 2018, 01:06:47 PM
All that said, I don't think I'll ever understand how an album originally recorded and released as single sequence of tracks benefits from being issued on a format that requires the listening to be interrupted 3 times, regardless of how nice the colour of the vinyl is.

I agree with this 100%. Not everything needs to be on vinyl. I would rather have the CD version of this album.

It's a fantastic record, it's not readily available on CD, and the DLP is handsomely presented (though the Pitchfork quoting obi is pretty stomach churching). I get why it moved, and I am happy that folks are still going gaga over Merzbow.

when speaking of how quickly this sold out, it should be noted that Merzbow is v popular with the 4chan & reddit music nerds.

http://4chanmusic.wikia.com/wiki/Merzbow

Hospital Productions just put up Noisembryo shirts 

Quote from: DSOL on May 31, 2018, 05:11:55 PM
Hospital Productions just put up Noisembryo shirts 

I was super excited for this but they just didn't really whet my whistle.....

Just picked up my Pulse Demon DLP & Cassette from the post office. It's a beaut. Gonna shake the foundations of my house tonight.....

Night Channels has a decent Merzbow shirt I've been thinking about grabbing

It's too bad AntiMonument was reissued on picture disc, and it appears it is the CD mix.  If so, it remains that the original mix is still very expensive and difficult to obtain.  I see there are copies on Discogs for hundreds of dollars.  Too bad the reissue wasn't a 3xLP on regular vinyl, with one of the LPs being the original PDLP mix; a truly exhaustive reissue.

I got very lucky a long time ago and found a copy of the original PDLP from the classifieds of MRR for next to nothing.  It hadn't aged well.  Fucking picture discs.

Merzbow - Akasha Gulva 1996 - I found this one to be less monolithic than what some are leading it to be.  A 74-minute live recording of metallic, industrial, uncompromising and relentless ferocity.  I see that it is mixed at his studio.  Kind of wonder if it is the result of a straight performance or if it has been merely sourced from the live recording.  Either way, it's focused, powerful, and great.  Top level Merzbow satisfaction.

Merzbow - Space Metalizer 1997 - I don't think I'd consider this a favorite, but there is some great metallic harshness and sharp noise here - it's a bit busy and with some sounds that aren't at the top of what I want from Merzbow in particular, but they aren't crap either - I can definitely listen to this one and be satisfied.

Relapse has Venerology DLP up for pre-order on their store w/ 20 minutes of bonus material.

If you're the sort of person who needs an upgrade for their CD....

Quote from: holy ghost on January 16, 2019, 03:19:24 AM
Relapse has Venerology DLP up for pre-order on their store w/ 20 minutes of bonus material.

If you're the sort of person who needs an upgrade for their CD....

Thankfully Relapse is doing it and not some other label. They should have also done Pulse Demon because they would have made more than 400 copies and it not be gone in 10 seconds.

Quote from: Kayandah on May 15, 2018, 03:48:49 AM
I'm surprised Pulse demon sold so quickly, I'm sure Relapse issued a few versions on CD and whilst it might have been a lot of people's first exposure to Merzbow it has been followed by a slew of releases that surely have diluted his name. So to see 400 copies go in a couple of hours was a surprise, i just hope it wasn't a case of vinyl collector hipsters who want it as an art piece to show off

I'm not surprised, Pulse Demon is an internet meme and this version was released for the vaporwave scene not the noise scene, those guys actually buy records. Half of them probably don't even own a record player.

I ordered the "deluxe" version of Pulse Demon with the cassette, got dinged for customs fees ($40) and then they shipped the poster separately and got dinged AGAIN for customs fees ($25)  plus the initial insanely high postage making it the most expensive record I have ever purchased in my life (except for the Orde from Chaos box) .

So yeah - I'm glad Relapse is doing it, and I'm sure they'll do a run of Pulse Demon themselves unless they sold the rights instead of licensing it? I dunno how that stuff works.

Quote from: Cementimental on January 16, 2019, 11:17:08 AM

Quote from: Kayandah on May 15, 2018, 03:48:49 AM
I'm surprised Pulse demon sold so quickly, I'm sure Relapse issued a few versions on CD and whilst it might have been a lot of people's first exposure to Merzbow it has been followed by a slew of releases that surely have diluted his name. So to see 400 copies go in a couple of hours was a surprise, i just hope it wasn't a case of vinyl collector hipsters who want it as an art piece to show off

I'm not surprised, Pulse Demon is an internet meme and this version was released for the vaporwave scene not the noise scene, those guys actually buy records. Half of them probably don't even own a record player.

preach. I actually like a lot of the whole vaporwave thing but it's nerd collecting of the highest level when you talk about physical releases. i got into it early on and some of the stuff I have is now sold for stupid money. and maybe half of the people who buy physical copies actually listen to them. it's a digital genre so honestly the digital files are the most sensible way to listen, so the physical releases generally feel like collectors' items rather than items for home listening.

I had to google vaporwave because I didn't actually know what it is :|

Anyway I was thinking about the comments in this thread and isn't it funny that when I was younger I had no money and lots of time to listen to records and now I have money to buy whatever crazy Merzbow LP reissue I want and barely have time to listen to records. I do most of my listening to downloads of LPs I buy at work or commuting to work or running errands. :|

Looks as if Relapse rifled through a couple hundred pre-orders right quick.  Did James Plotkin do the other recent Merzbow vinyl issues?  Noisemrbyo and Pulse Demon.  Great choice.  Most importantly [to me], does Relapse press their records at GZ or somewhere here in the USA?

I'll have to look up vaporwave.

When I sign into Discogs & click on 'new releases', 30-something of the 85 shown are fucking Merzbow. Six releases already for 2019!

got my shipping confirmation for my Venereology pre-order today

Quote from: Zeno Marx on January 16, 2019, 07:23:46 PM
Looks as if Relapse rifled through a couple hundred pre-orders right quick.  Did James Plotkin do the other recent Merzbow vinyl issues?  Noisemrbyo and Pulse Demon.  Great choice.  Most importantly [to me], does Relapse press their records at GZ or somewhere here in the USA?

I'll have to look up vaporwave.

I know the latest Dying Fetus album they released was pressed at GZ - I would assume all their records are pressed there

Quote from: DSOL on February 22, 2019, 08:35:53 PM
got my shipping confirmation for my Venereology pre-order today

Where?

in case people have not herd of Merzcast: www.merzcast.com
I am not affiliated with merzcast but I would like to see what people here think about it.

Quote from: Strangecross on February 22, 2019, 10:36:51 PM
in case people have not herd of Merzcast: www.merzcast.com
I am not affiliated with merzcast but I would like to see what people here think about it.

I've been enjoying the Merzcast quite a bit. The historical and personal anecdotes are interesting and it's nice to hear people's genuine enthusiasm about it all. After the first episode I couldn't wait to get home and check out Tauromachine, which I hadn't heard before. Will keep listening for sure.

Quote from: Strangecross on February 22, 2019, 10:36:51 PM

Quote from: DSOL on February 22, 2019, 08:35:53 PM
got my shipping confirmation for my Venereology pre-order today

Where?

in case people have not herd of Merzcast: www.merzcast.com
I am not affiliated with merzcast but I would like to see what people here think about it.

Relapse

https://store.relapse.com/item/67770

they put the preorders up in mid January

the Merzcast is great - the 2nd episode had me revisit Green Wheels, I'm hoping for more episodes with albums I'm not familiar with so I can expand on his catalog

Quote from: DSOL on February 22, 2019, 08:39:17 PM

Quote from: Zeno Marx on January 16, 2019, 07:23:46 PM
Looks as if Relapse rifled through a couple hundred pre-orders right quick.  Did James Plotkin do the other recent Merzbow vinyl issues?  Noisemrbyo and Pulse Demon.  Great choice.  Most importantly [to me], does Relapse press their records at GZ or somewhere here in the USA?

I'll have to look up vaporwave.

I know the latest Dying Fetus album they released was pressed at GZ - I would assume all their records are pressed there

Thanks.  I'm sure you're right.

This should be fantastic.  Antimonument Tapes CD.

https://www.discogs.com/Merzbow-Antimonument-Tapes/release/13138576

edit:  Also, another podcast.  Reviewing Merzbox.  I haven't listened to an episode yet.  Up to disc 6 so far.  http://immerzbox.libsyn.com/ (http://immerzbox.libsyn.com/)

Quote from: absurdexposition on February 22, 2019, 11:28:07 PM

Quote from: Strangecross on February 22, 2019, 10:36:51 PM
in case people have not herd of Merzcast: www.merzcast.com
I am not affiliated with merzcast but I would like to see what people here think about it.

I've been enjoying the Merzcast quite a bit. The historical and personal anecdotes are interesting and it's nice to hear people's genuine enthusiasm about it all. After the first episode I couldn't wait to get home and check out Tauromachine, which I hadn't heard before. Will keep listening for sure.

I was surprise at how entertaining and well done it was, both guys are smart, likable and funny, have good voices and the pace/flow is, idk, professional IMHO. I listened to the three available yesterday on a row and then went to the Immerzbox which is cool and stuff but you start to compare and then, y'know... But I will follow Immerzbox too, just wish they improve the pace/flow and am anxious to hear some guest here and there to spice things up.

I am not even a podcast guy, in fact the Merzcast is the first one I listened in it's entire form.

I've listened to all three Merzcasts and a single Immerzbox.  The Merzcasts are nicely done.  Structured and methodical, with notes (smart approach), intelligence and insight into the field, and enthusiasm for the podcast medium.  One of the guys interrupts and talks over the other, but you can tell that stems from the enthusiasm and joy of the discussion and material.  I've been there plenty.  I could've been distracted, and thus wrong, but the Immerzbox lacked all of that.  It seemed like it was going to be a begrudged chore to do the podcast, which also seemed weird.  "We're going to do this, but we aren't looking forward to it" sort of thing.  They spent most of that first episode knocking CD1.  Hoping that is a starter hiccup, but with little method, talking about a disc for 45 minutes isn't going to be easy.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on February 25, 2019, 09:02:29 PM
I've listened to all three Merzcasts and a single Immerzbox.  The Merzcasts are nicely done.  Structured and methodical, with notes (smart approach), intelligence and insight into the field, and enthusiasm for the podcast medium.  One of the guys interrupts and talks over the other, but you can tell that stems from the enthusiasm and joy of the discussion and material.  I've been there plenty.  I could've been distracted, and thus wrong, but the Immerzbox lacked all of that.  It seemed like it was going to be a begrudged chore to do the podcast, which also seemed weird.  "We're going to do this, but we aren't looking forward to it" sort of thing.  They spent most of that first episode knocking CD1.  Hoping that is a starter hiccup, but with little method, talking about a disc for 45 minutes isn't going to be easy.

Seems like they tackle one disc only each episode. It's really hard to compete with the feeling of joy that pours out of Merzcast and I must confess that I kind of wandered on the Immerzbox but I am too nice to be too hard on it I guess, I really wish it to be good.
Anyway, such a nice wave forming, with the Incaps doc and these podcasts, maybe people make more stuff in this vein...

I did the first episode of the Merzcast and really enjoyed it. I don't know if I've ever listened to a full podcast before, I would go back. Not planning on doing the Immerzbox one.

I'll be interested in hearing what selections they pick next. Hoping the "Rectal Anarchy" LP with Gore Beyond Nexropsy is in there.

I revisited the Merzbow / Bastard Noise "Voice Pie" split last night for the first time in ages - and maybe the first time with the CD version (a download of it anyways). The CD has two additional Bastard Noise tracks and one additional, long, Merzbow track. These CD-only tracks are far superior than those that are included on the vinyl release. The majority of the BN tracks are pretty awful, but these two extra tracks might be some of the best from that era of the project. And the extra Merzbow track "Ghost Rider" (allegedly a Suicide cover) is phenomenal.

In preparation for the next Merzcast I gave a pre-emptive listen to Aqua Necromancer, which I had picked up a couple months back but hadn't heard yet. It's a weird one. Lots of stuff, like they've said on prior Merzcasts, that if done by someone else would be just awful, but somehow if Masami does it... it works? It manages to hold a curious attentiveness rather than boast tedium or annoyance - and the start of track one when that "whale sound" comes in is incredible. Curious to hear what Greh et al will have to say about this one.

What a shitty decision to omit "I Lead You Towards Glorious Times" from the recent reissue of Venereology. An absolute standout track from this era in general, basically Masami's take on rough basement pe with an absolutely savage vocal attack. Really atypical of his style in that period, and puts most other pe bonehead shit to shame. But then again, I guess these deluxe anniversary vinyl editions are never really about content or making the music available and are more just some pathetic display of trophy collecting. 

Quote from: dogcw on March 08, 2019, 07:19:21 PM
What a shitty decision to omit "I Lead You Towards Glorious Times" from the recent reissue of Venereology. An absolute standout track from this era in general, basically Masami's take on rough basement pe with an absolutely savage vocal attack. Really atypical of his style in that period, and puts most other pe bonehead shit to shame. But then again, I guess these deluxe anniversary vinyl editions are never really about content or making the music available and are more just some pathetic display of trophy collecting. 

Yes, that's shitty. Haven't listened Venerology in ages, but I remember liking "...glorious times" a lot. It was Bara on vocals, right? From some live concert.
So it seems that I don't really need this reissue as long as the CD is working.

Quote from: cr on March 08, 2019, 07:44:07 PM

Quote from: dogcw on March 08, 2019, 07:19:21 PM
What a shitty decision to omit "I Lead You Towards Glorious Times" from the recent reissue of Venereology. An absolute standout track from this era in general, basically Masami's take on rough basement pe with an absolutely savage vocal attack. Really atypical of his style in that period, and puts most other pe bonehead shit to shame. But then again, I guess these deluxe anniversary vinyl editions are never really about content or making the music available and are more just some pathetic display of trophy collecting. 

Yes, that's shitty. Haven't listened Venerology in ages, but I remember liking "...glorious times" a lot. It was Bara on vocals, right? From some live concert.
So it seems that I don't really need this reissue as long as the CD is working.

that fucking sucks. I'm one of those unfortunate people whose original CD is beat to hell and skips no matter how much I clean it. I bought the reissue blind because I figured it'd have all the same tracks split across however many records to make it all work, and it'd be great to hear em without skipping. still excited to re-listen to the album but more than a little disappointed I won't be able to have the same experience as listening to the original version.

And it wasn't left off for lack of room, the bonus/unreleased material could have been reduced. The back cover mentions "Remixed and rearranged from original DAT tapes at Munemihouse, Tokyo, October 2018." - maybe it was Masami's choice to remove that track?

Your CD—including the original tracks:
http://merzbow.bandcamp.com/album/venereology

Quote from: MyrtleLake on March 08, 2019, 11:19:21 PM
Your CD—including the original tracks:
http://merzbow.bandcamp.com/album/venereology

Right on.  Merzbow offers both the original and remaster on his bandcamp.  There's no need to go without.

Weird omission - glad I have the CD version as well. My copy arrived yesterday, I'd be interested in comparing how they sound. I might make use of the download card after all.

Overall it looks great but I haven't had a chance to take it for a test drive yet.

I'd like to see his archive; how he organizes all the masters/demos/rehearsals/drives/paper goods/packaging/memorabilia, and ask him if it is to the point he could employ an archivist to keep it all cataloged, transferred medium to medium, and work on any restoration when necessary.  Wish I was qualified to be that huckleberry.

I second all of the above - I wonder if he's been approached about a documentary of some kind? I would love to see something like that, but something tells me he's probably a little too private for that sort of thing.

Speaking of archives, Earthquaker Devices has been doing amazing little YouTube shorts called "show us your junk" and they do one with Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth who gives a tour of the studio and the Sonic Youth archives. I don't catch all of them but the ones I have are great and the SY one is fantastic.

"Newark Hellfire"  Live on WFMU,1990 (Merzbox CD#37)  *An excerpt appeared on Great American Nude / Crash for Hi-Fi CD, Alchemy, 1991

Might be in the top 3 or so live recordings I've heard from him.  Prefer it over the CD with excerpt, and I like that one real well.  This and Akasha Gulva or full-on live joy.

The Duo 11CD box set is news to me...five years out.  I have mixed feelings about the Mizutani era.  The Brainwashed review (http://brainwashed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10182:merzbow-qduoq&catid=13:albums-and-singles&Itemid=133) has my interest piqued, but I also doubt I'll arrive at the same enthusiastic conclusion.  Any opinions?

Quote from: Zeno Marx on March 18, 2019, 09:32:02 PM
The Duo 11CD box set is news to me...five years out.  I have mixed feelings about the Mizutani era.  The Brainwashed review (http://brainwashed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10182:merzbow-qduoq&catid=13:albums-and-singles&Itemid=133) has my interest piqued, but I also doubt I'll arrive at the same enthusiastic conclusion.  Any opinions?

In that case I must have sold mine about 5 years ago. I was very disappointed with that box. If I remember right it was like random improvisation. Late '80s Merzbow is mostly fantastic but this stuff was not. If it is available as download somewhere I'd suggest to try it out before buying. Maybe some folks like random improvisations, I don't.

Will move this one over from the playlist thread:

Merzbow - Door Open at 8 AM CD (Alien8)

I was familiar with Aqua Necromancer from the same era, but not this one until hearing today's Merzcast. What a wild ride they both are!

Merzcast is great. I wrote about it in length in Finnish language, so don't feel like repeating it all at this point. Very very good program. I'm familiar with almost all releases thus far. Evantually it made me want to check what is it that I absolutely need from Merzbow and what do I have.
I was kind of surprised how much of the analogue era CD's I had. Stuff until 1999, CD releases before lap-top era. That's where my main focus is. Of course I do have lots of vinyl and tapes too, but not that much missing from what I absolutely want.

If anyone into trading has HOLE and MERCURATED CD's or DADAROTTENVATOR LP, who'd like to trade them against new items, I'm willing to give good credit for distro items, hehe...

Been listening only Merzbow for few days... 20 discs done... more to go..

I feel like Merzcast is a welcome re-framing of Merzbow's legacy which feels like its had consistent negative treatment in the past 5-10 years. It's nice to hear thoughtful praise and discussion rather than off-the-cuff negative remarks. I'm frankly interested to here some episodes on the digital era releases as there are many good albums from that era too.

Quote from: ConcreteMascara on March 22, 2019, 04:11:23 PM
I feel like Merzcast is a welcome re-framing of Merzbow's legacy which feels like its had consistent negative treatment in the past 5-10 years. It's nice to hear thoughtful praise and discussion rather than off-the-cuff negative remarks. I'm frankly interested to here some episodes on the digital era releases as there are many good albums from that era too.

Someone should start a new topic entitled Digital Era Merzbow. (But it won't be me because I've little more to say atm than "Someone should start a new topic entitled Digital Era Merzbow.") For me it's not a matter of dis-liking the digital era, it's just of massively worshiping the analog era, such that anything otherwise good, or even quite good, is still not good enough.

I still try to kid myself that I have an open mind (and ear) so am eagerly awaiting enthusiastic, persuasive, recommendations, preferably from fellow analog fellators, that might start to unhook the hangups.

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on March 22, 2019, 03:14:51 PM
Merzcast is great. I wrote about it in length in Finnish language, so don't feel like repeating it all at this point. Very very good program. I'm familiar with almost all releases thus far. Evantually it made me want to check what is it that I absolutely need from Merzbow and what do I have.
I was kind of surprised how much of the analogue era CD's I had. Stuff until 1999, CD releases before lap-top era. That's where my main focus is. Of course I do have lots of vinyl and tapes too, but not that much missing from what I absolutely want.

If anyone into trading has HOLE and MERCURATED CD's or DADAROTTENVATOR LP, who'd like to trade them against new items, I'm willing to give good credit for distro items, hehe...

Been listening only Merzbow for few days... 20 discs done... more to go..

HOLE and MERCURATED CD's or DADAROTTENVATOR LP. These 3 are among his absolute best.

Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on March 22, 2019, 06:51:51 PM

Quote from: ConcreteMascara on March 22, 2019, 04:11:23 PM
I feel like Merzcast is a welcome re-framing of Merzbow's legacy which feels like its had consistent negative treatment in the past 5-10 years. It's nice to hear thoughtful praise and discussion rather than off-the-cuff negative remarks. I'm frankly interested to here some episodes on the digital era releases as there are many good albums from that era too.

Someone should start a new topic entitled Digital Era Merzbow. (But it won't be me because I've little more to say atm than "Someone should start a new topic entitled Digital Era Merzbow.") For me it's not a matter of dis-liking the digital era, it's just of massively worshiping the analog era, such that anything otherwise good, or even quite good, is still not good enough.

I still try to kid myself that I have an open mind (and ear) so am eagerly awaiting enthusiastic, persuasive, recommendations, preferably from fellow analog fellators, that might start to unhook the hangups.

While I am most certainly Merzbow fan and somewhat curious of the digital era Merzbow, so far, I have never heard his digital works that would match analogue works. It is not saying it would be bad. It's usually just not as good as countless analogue releases. I listened couple digital releases within week, and while those were ok (like Ikebukuro Dada), still I don't see reason to praise too much. Curiously I just noticed that in youtube couple people comment mentioned album being their all time favorite Merzbow album. Maybe it is the good metal melodies sampled... Burzum samples... black-noise?
check 25 min onwards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqhKj6uzxE0

For me listening that album felt more like conclusion that there is so much good harsh noise other than Merzbow, that listening stuff just because it is made by Merzbow makes no sense. His best works are absolute amazing and always influential. Seriously mandatory. Yet, instead of listening fairly lame CD's, I rather pick up other artists.

I would be slightly interested how his latest works have been, where some noise gadgets are used too?

Just got through the first seven episodes of Merzcast and enjoyed every minute. Reminds me much of any number of times of hanging with noise people just talking noise... but just focused (mostly) on the Merz. I note now as I type that an eighth episode has appeared... and possibly to discuss the digital side, ha! Might the wish, previously stated, be born?

I think my favorite thing about the cast is how whenever someone tries to sincerely describe the noise, the response is muffled snickering. Which I think is the only appropriate response to any sincere attempt to describe noise.

Yea, the mystery surrounding the laptop era makes me want to buy a shitty surplus laptop and load it with old VSTs, ha.

Quote from: Eigen Bast on March 26, 2019, 06:33:23 PM
Yea, the mystery surrounding the laptop era makes me want to buy a shitty surplus laptop and load it with old VSTs, ha.

It is actually interesting point as well as amusing, that none of the three guys at merzcast have absolutely no idea how the "laptop noise" was made. I am no different. I do not know how people "make noise" with computers. I only use computers for final mix or mastering. I never "generate sounds". Cutting or looping material that is recorded happens in final mixes, but I have never even recorded noise to computer. It's always transferring files from external recorders.

On his Merzcast, Wiese was making his point about computers being "the best tape decks", haha.. Perhaps blasphemous notion to some, but I can see what he means. I have seen him play, and he did really good stuff. Same for the "studio" work. I have no idea what are the programs he uses and how it's done, though. However, I am sure that saying "laptop noise", doesn't really mean much actually. With all those complex controllers what enable full hands-on approach for playing, not just one mouse clicking different adjustments, it is not that far from noise that is done with use digital efx or recording digitally.

That said, the new episode with Amlux was in some ways strange. As if they were slightly careful what to say. Guest, having his first Merzbow CD to deal with, is obviously everything else but objective about it. I am 100% sure that hearing almost whatever noise CD first, might blow your mind. It will make special place to that album for rest of your life, despite hearing better things. Yet Greh and Mike often mention about not-so-good sounds what they associate with early digital era of Merzbow. They bring up this few times in this episode too. Amlux certainly is not piece of shit. It has it's qualities. It doesn't feel "edited", it feels like Masami is having fun playing free flowing noise. There are good moments here and there, but fuck, it is so obvious how much punch, force and wide variety of ear-candy it is missing. Last 15 minutes of album includes such an awful moments, that I don't think even blasting it loud will fix that. They conclude that there is "little bit if that" (meaning flat, punchless, sort of game type sounds), but sort of forget the criticism quickly in favor to praise the album. I think despite divine status Masami has, it would not hurt to conclude album is not that good. Even when it would be purely subjective conclusion based on not liking the type of sound. Not from Merz, not from the others. Some of Merzbow CD's are fine for being documents of it's time. Part of transition/development. Not wanting to keep doing "the same" forever. It would be quite odd to underline how great or amazing they would be.

Having been listening Veneorology and Artificial Invagination over the weekend, and yesterday Pornoise Extra, Sadomasochismo / The Lampinak, Mortegage / Batztoutai Extra, and couple others... They are all different era, different style and many of them great. Yet listening Amlux today, sort of proved my point.

The composition overall, is not that far away from good Merzbow (although not on same level). He manipulates some tasty sound sources. You can hear still good noise fragments being used, perhaps field recordings, etc. But the sound of computer plugins, some horrid sound stretching, even more horrid mp3'ish /8bit kind of sound (luckily not overtly dominant in Amlux), occasional glitches....   It is not the stuff I will want to listen. There might be people who like the kind of sound type, but I don't know such people.

When there are literally dozens and dozens of amazing recordings, it appears that especially the early digital era, I will keep my distance. Later digital era, and the mix of digital and analogue sounds - that I have to revisit to make any proper conclusions.

Nevertheless, discussion about digital Merzbow would be indeed welcomed. I do think it is possible to conclude if there is something exceptionally good, and I am still tempted to check out. His 80's and 90's works are often so different, yet one can easily point out albums that stand out even if technology/composition/sound/presentation etc is vastly different.

I know nothing about the laptop era...other than the collaboration with Wiese (Multiplication 2005) is great and a favorite, so I know I have the curiosity and capacity for it.  I'd never heard Amlux (Merzcast, e8).  Could be the moment, but upon that first listen, I enjoyed it more than quite a few of the albums just before going laptop.  I don't know what he's doing with his computer(s), but he can get textures that both scramble and trigger my brain in both simultaneously satisfying and uncomfortable ways.

I agree that Merzbow's laptop era (I believe this was between 1999-2005, when he predominantly used a laptop/laptops) overall is not as good as his '90s era. However, I view the laptop era as mostly containing good works. At the same time though, recently I've noticed that I basically don't listen to them as there are simply so many great analogue Merzbow releases, not to mention other kinds of music, that there's just not enough time to listen to his laptop releases.

That said, it's worth checking out releases from this era. I listened to "Amlux" the other day, and while I remembered it to be more complex, I liked it. I keep reading that sounds are flat and without punch in the laptop era as one of the main criticisms. While I get what is meant by "flat", I personally don't find that the sounds lack punch. They're "flat" because of the digital sound, but they do have punch in a digital, "cleaner" way. I understand if someone prefers analogue punch to digital, and I myself don't like too digital sounds, but to me almost all laptop era Merzbow sounds good in its own digital way. Of course, this comes down to personal taste.

Laptop releases I'd recommend:

- Collapse 12 Floors: quite "sound art"-like, but there's a synth in the last track (it might even be a sample from the great "Space Metalizer" album, but I could be remembering wrong)
- Dharma: technically a simple album, but it's still pretty good, and the long psychedelic ending of the last track is awesome
- A Taste Of...: while I find the sound of this album a bit too digital for my taste, musically I remember it to be really good
- Merzzow: I dare say this is up there with his best work, but quite different musically from his '90s works, of course. It has shorter tracks, some of them purely electroacoustic, while a few others have melancholic melodies even. There's also one track at least which is absolutely devastating
- Cycle: two long tracks. The first one is really good, loop-based noise, the second one is a sound collage that reminds me a bit of track 1 on disc 3 of the "Metalvelodrome" CD box. Like that track, not every moment is that good, but overall it works really well
- SCSI Duck: haven't heard this in ages, but I remember it being pretty good (what a horrible cover though...)
- Sha Mo 3000: highly recommended, and one that I'd say belongs to the cream of Merzbow's works overall. It's got drum and guitar samples, groovy parts, psychedelic parts (like the alarm clock being sampled in one of the tracks), and EMS on the last, and very atmospheric, track
- Rattus Rattus: probably the most brutal laptop era album I know. It's rhythmic, but also very full-on. In that respect it's close to his mid-'90s stuff

I'm largely unfamiliar with releases starting from 2006. There are simply too many, and a good deal of what I've heard was totally uninteresting or even shockingly bad (e.g. "Konchuuki", "Dead Leaves", "Kakapo", "Wattle", which came out under Akita's name, but is really just another Merzbow album). It's unlikely I'll systematically explore this era, although I assume there's good stuff there too.

Great post, thank you!

I have a question pertaining to the recent heap of Merzbow CD reissues/releases. Would any of them be of particular interest to someone who's a fan of his '90s era?

Do you mean the bunch of CDs on Slowdown Records? Most of them are reissues of '80s material and some of them are new recordings. I haven't heard any of them.

A relatively recent release containing music from the '90s is the "Exoking" CD. It's a fun and playful album, and very unlike Merzbow. There's no harsh feedback; instead you get heaps of loops of strings, horn instruments, disco, cartoon music etc.

I just ordered a bunch of those Slowdown releases, some old stuff, some new stuff. I'll try to put together some short reviews once the discs arrive. And yes, I am a fan of the '90s era. I do enjoy earlier and later stuff as well but those were the golden years.

A true pleasure to listen to Elden M talk music.  My favorite Merzcast yet.

Yea I appreciated his insight into japanese culture and the scene in that era. Any good footage of the merzbow butoh performances?

It was good episode! It is good to hear some of these guys who had also very direct interaction with Masami. Add few details that goes beyond the album that is being listened. I would assume someone like Mason of Charnel House would be brilliant. It's not long ago I listened some of his Japanese noise compilation CD's on Charnel House. Hearing same Merzbow tracks on Merzbox last week, so recognizeable and killer Merztracks... Being editor on Ongaku Otaku for example. Damn.. not Merzbow related, but that magazine with grainy black&white photos of MSBR special editions, on era before internet.. Crucial reading.

Speaking of Mason Jones of Charnel House, one of the biggest early influences in my noise life, be sure to check out this Tumblr page of old fliers. Apologies if this has already been posted multiple times but I mentioned it on my Merzcast episode and a few folks asked me about it: https://noisefliers.tumblr.com/ (https://noisefliers.tumblr.com/)

Quote from: pureterror on April 06, 2019, 07:57:17 PM
Speaking of Mason Jones of Charnel House, one of the biggest early influences in my noise life, be sure to check out this Tumblr page of old fliers. Apologies if this has already been posted multiple times but I mentioned it on my Merzcast episode and a few folks asked me about it: https://noisefliers.tumblr.com/ (https://noisefliers.tumblr.com/)

Thanks for posting the link.  I took notice in your previous post, but I had no luck finding the site.  Always appreciate the links in posts.  Out of laziness or not being able to locate the damn thing.

Masami Akita - The Prosperity of Vice, The Misfortune of Virtue 1996

When Akita and when Merzbow?  I wonder what dictates that.  Anyone know?  This album strikes me as something that could have been on Sound of Pig.  Harsh in moments, but stylistically experimental and with worldly tones.  Lots of field recordings?  Typically wonderful loops.  He really is a master of a the loop, isn't he?  I've really been keying into that aspect of him lately.  A new level of appreciation for his skill for loops.  This album does run into some stumbling blocks for me though.  The 50's music sample and the horse are two samples that break my concentration and enjoyment of this.  Reading through a thread at the Steve Hoffman forums (https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/official-merzbow-thread.193017/), this could be a good introduction to him for those who don't like skin-blistering noise.  Outside perspective is interesting.

https://twitter.com/jupitterlarsen/status/1124721408133648384

no more friends! keke

For clarity, Masami put an end to Merzcast?  And also had, or because of having, a negative reaction to GX's episode?  If so, what about the fate of the Immerzbox podcast?

could be wrong but i don't think he's put an end to it, he's just being an idiot

Whatever the outcome is for the Merzcast it's truly sucked the fun out of it. However it's made noise Twitter incredibly entertaining for a change.

Quote from: holy ghost on May 04, 2019, 11:49:20 PM
Whatever the outcome is for the Merzcast it's truly sucked the fun out of it.

Yep.  Not that it matters in the end, but I hope it comes from a place of ignorance and nothing else.

That last episode of the Merzcast they uploaded took it on a high note at least. Glad to hear they're going to continue with a (non Merzbow specific) podcast and I'm also glad to hear they addressed things head on - the twitter beef was really funny but I'm glad they clarified a few points and cleared up any misconceptions people might have had.

Who would have thought Masami Akita would turn out to be the Gene Simmons of harsh noise?

Sounds like good things will come of this.  Doing something well and coming from a positive place didn't hurt.  I'm mostly looking forward to [furthur] discussions on noise history, or even a webpage/document of what they've already revealed and will maybe map if they go a methodical route.  Really, noise and experimental history was the greater gem coming out of Merzcast anyway.  Rich rewards for everyone.  Best of luck to them.  And praise to them for not taking this all too personally.  That says a lot about them.

Who would have thought a vegan metalcore fan would jump to unreasonable judgemental conclusions

In Merzcast casus. This is a place where being artist/composer isn't compatible to being a man. Masami has always had got problem (in communication, not only considering language barriers) with other people. I guess everybody should think about that before blame him. Anyway, I try to do that.

Quote from: Cementimental on May 06, 2019, 12:18:08 AM
Who would have thought a vegan metalcore fan would jump to unreasonable judgemental conclusions

haha!

I would assume that this incident merely gave the possibility to move on to better direction. I do welcome all future Merz themed programs, but expanding to wider selection of noise artists is certainly a good move. And thanks to Masami, it happened sooner than intended. I don't know if podcast would have been as popular if it was just noise podcast since beginning. Now the sheer fanaticism to focus on one artist probably made it way more noticed. Now when "template" and the quality is known to be this level, I have no doubts about popularity it will gain.

I have only one episode I have not listened yet, and should check it out today. The one with GX was great. It works already as pretty good transition to overall noisextra (?) podcast since GX was not only talking about Merzbow, but also his own works, M.B., RRRon, Relapse Records, etc.

Of course all this went down while I was on vacation and didn't have quick access to devices - does anyone have a link to Episode 14? Seems to have been removed from the web at this point.

Edit: Sourced. Thanks!

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on May 06, 2019, 09:08:54 AM

Quote from: Cementimental on May 06, 2019, 12:18:08 AM
Who would have thought a vegan metalcore fan would jump to unreasonable judgemental conclusions

I would assume that this incident merely gave the possibility to move on to better direction. I do welcome all future Merz themed programs, but expanding to wider selection of noise artists is certainly a good move. And thanks to Masami, it happened sooner than intended. I don't know if podcast would have been as popular if it was just noise podcast since beginning. Now the sheer fanaticism to focus on one artist probably made it way more noticed. Now when "template" and the quality is known to be this level, I have no doubts about popularity it will gain.

Really got into the Merzcast and loved listening to albums and following it up with the episodes - broadening it to other noise is SO much more entertaining. You are 100% right that I wouldn't have listened to a random noise podcast but will continue to listen to this one they keep the format the same now that I'm used to it

Apparently they've "worked it out" but I don't have a clue what that actually means. Merzbow twitter said "issue is resolved" with no further context.

I now know however that the Venereology reissue left off the one track because it featured his ex-wife so we sure are living in a different world today than we were in April.

Quote from: holy ghost on May 09, 2019, 03:52:09 AM
Apparently they've "worked it out" but I don't have a clue what that actually means. Merzbow twitter said "issue is resolved" with no further context.

I see that the 'offending' Episode 13 witg GX Jupitter-Larsen has been removed, so I suspect that is what 'resolved the issue'. I also did not get to hear Episode 14 before it was too removed. Evidently Episode 14 discussed the situation from Merzcast's side.

May I suggest a title for a new Merzapproved archival series:

Industrial Misrecollections

Tape copies of Episodes 13 and 14 will shift for serious money in years to come

:V:

Too bad about episode 13, best one they had. Hope someone recorded it independently, GX had some really interesting insights on noise from that era in general... the porno talk was probably only like 15 minutes out of an hour and a half. If you didn't hear 14 you didn't miss anything, it was just a recap of what was happening...though the mentioned doing an S&Q episode which I think would be totally amazing.

What exactly was about porno there that irritated Masami?

Quote from: ImpulsyStetoskopu on May 09, 2019, 05:59:22 PM
What exactly was about porno there that irritated Masami?

he doesn't like to acknowledge his past

Quote from: DSOL on May 09, 2019, 06:03:49 PM

he doesn't like to acknowledge his past

Yet he is now somehow happy for this historical podcast series to continue.  Seems a bit nonsensical to me.
Unfortunately you cannot pick and choose your past, unless he want to curate the podcasts himself.

He is definitely having a crisis with his identity lately.  I read an interview the other day were he points out that it is easier to work with boris because a member is vegan.  I don't know why that would dictate an easier work relationship

Quote from: Hemwick on May 09, 2019, 06:52:58 PM
He is definitely having a crisis with his identity lately.  I read an interview the other day were he points out that it is easier to work with boris because a member is vegan.  I don't know why that would dictate an easier work relationship

I don't think this kind of moral or ethical dilemma is all that uncommon, especially as people get older.  That's not to say it doesn't come down to emotions and irrational conclusions or reactions though.  Not making excuses for anyone.  I see this kind of thing in religious people rather frequently.  They struggle with doctrine (peace, kindness, non-judgment, etc) vs hate and judgment (aggression, violence).  Nothing new to our history.  The biggest warbangers are religious people.  I see that struggle of wanting to surround themselves with other like-minded people.  After all, if you feel you're in moral agreement, you can feel comfortable and trusting, but really, in my opinion, it's a laziness.  A cognitive and moral laziness.  Social interaction is work and effort, like any relationship, and if you can reduce the amount of consideration and effort to understand another point of view, you can place that energy elsewhere.  I don't know where that "elsewhere" is, but anywhere else but towards other people?  I haven't given this a ton of thought, but it almost always strikes me as someone basically saying that "I'm too lazy to bother with people different than me."

Well put.  I agree with the "laziness" theory.  It makes sense to me when you put it that way.  I'm not against growing as a person and our point view changes at all, sometimes I feel an artist should leave their personal life out of the publics' eye.

I don't get that guy and this drama. Probably I am too stupid for such situations.

Quote from: Hemwick on May 09, 2019, 08:57:04 PM
sometimes I feel an artist should leave their personal life out of the publics' eye.

this is merzbow's issue with the podcast in a nutshell. seems he's fine with them discussing his work but is not fine with them discussing his private life. which is fair enough. he handled it badly but also got his point across i think.

the merzcast is great. favourite eps so far are blankenship, best, gx, haswell and rehberg. i had no idea rehberg was english. would be great if they got s&q, rrron, underwood, and how about a wildcard...special interest's own j soddy

Very true.  I need to check out the show.  I plan on doing it this weekend when I have some time.  It does sound really good.  Should I start with episode one or can I just jump in anywhere ?

just jump in anywhere. pick a guest you want to listen to.

Quote from: aububs on May 09, 2019, 09:43:37 PMthis is merzbow's issue with the podcast in a nutshell. seems he's fine with them discussing his work but is not fine with them discussing his private life. which is fair enough.

That IS fair enough, but I don't know how you do that and rise to the established quality of the podcast.  How the fuck do you separate an artist from their personal stuff?  That's a significant handcuff right there.  When it was revealed that Venereology was fucked with because of Reiko's involvement on the excluded track of the recent reissue, I thought it was admirable, on a social level, that Merzcast purposely avoided sharing that information, but I also thought...Uh, that's sort of significant information, explaining why the reissue is different and why other reissues could be altered as well.  If an artist is going to revise their work because of relationships,  that isn't, in my opinion, just soap opera junk.  That's key information on a few levels.  That's the kind of gag order that creates disinformation and bullshit revisionism.

If Merzcast was fixating on private issues, that would be one thing, but to thoroughly cover a history and art, I don't think personal situations can be, or should be, avoided.  You cannot talk about Fleetwood Mac and Rumours without talking about all the relationships.  It would completely change the context and create untruth.

Not to get too off track here, but that's like Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne screwing with Ozzy's albums so they don't have to pay people their due, and a fair portion of audience not even realizing they're listening to a revised versions that are both:  1)  actually different  2)  are actually screwing original contributors out of appreciation and money.

that's all fairly accurate and i agree

but there's a line that needs to be walked by the guests. if you listen to a few episodes of the podcast you do get an impression of what akita is like as a person and a lot of the guests have met him and interacted with him numerous times and they talk about what he's like without getting too personal. there are people in noise who would have no issue with their private lives being discussed but i'd wager the vast majority of them would be against it, and that becomes obvious when you spend years and years reading interviews and message boards and the like, and major players in the noise scene always play their cards very closely when discussing what goes on on tour and in private and things like that

it's common sense and instinctual to guard your private life. gx's episode in particular was good because he knows a lot of major figures personally but even when he was discussing rrron i was thinking, would rrron want people to know that he's addicted to the tv guide channel and never misses letterman? i mean i'm sure he wouldn't have a problem with it and i'm half joking but it's giving out information about people without their consent

on the other hand it's nice to hear that maurizo bianchi loves counting garbage cans but like, be tactful, be respectful of the person your discussing

i also don't necessarily think it's akita's responsibility to tell everyone why a track was left off venereology. ok it was because of marital issues, ex-wife, whatever. it doesn't really matter. bottom line a track has been left off - the listener/buyer can make a call on whether they subsequently want that release. in my opinion the reasons for omission aren't that important, it's the omission itself that is the issue

i'm not some merzbow apologist, i don't particularly care for his privacy myself and i enjoyed gx's episode a lot, but i can see where he's coming from and in a scene where there really are no boundaries you can expect there are a lot of things that people would prefer remained secret

Quote from: aububs on May 09, 2019, 09:58:55 PM
just jump in anywhere. pick a guest you want to listen to.

That's what I figured just wanted to make sure.  Thank you

Quote from: aububs on May 09, 2019, 10:40:10 PM
...but i can see where he's coming from and in a scene where there really are no boundaries you can expect there are a lot of things that people would prefer remained secret

People who knowingly, and intentionally, exploit situations, emotions, politics, whatever and then not wanting to be exploited themselves.  I'm not sure how that exchange works.  Not that I think Merzbow falls into this category.

Merzcast is journalism.  Or at least it become that, which I feel is also the best part of it.  As I said, I love me some talking about Merzbow sounds, but the oral history that came out of those conversations is the real treasure.  Would someone like GX be able to talk about his life and relationships with any sort of freedom if he was put on a chain, limiting him from talking about the things that standout to him about art and artists?  I'm sure he could.  I guess if you want guests sitting there, calculating their every word, ultimately sanitizing what they share.  Personally, I hope the people at Merzcast begin to see themselves as journalists, first and foremost, and then they can navigate the buddy system as a latter priority.  It's certainly not an either/or.  Easy for me to say, I know.  For the people who didn't get to hear episode 14, I got the impression they realized journalism and chronicling history was where they unintentionally found themselves, but also where they wanted to head with it.  I hope it plays out in that direction.  It's a valuable thing.

Quote from: aububs on May 09, 2019, 10:40:10 PM
i also don't necessarily think it's akita's responsibility to tell everyone why a track was left off venereology. ok it was because of marital issues, ex-wife, whatever. it doesn't really matter. bottom line a track has been left off - the listener/buyer can make a call on whether they subsequently want that release. in my opinion the reasons for omission aren't that important,

1)  I don't think it is necessarily Merzbow's responsibility, but...
2)  if you're going to discuss and investigate a piece of art, it's a substantial piece of information as it became revised.  It is important because it is a pivot point for that piece of art.
3)  none of this has zilch to do with the consumerism of said art, since we're talking about documentation and investigation.  Information over response.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on May 09, 2019, 11:31:34 PM

Quote from: aububs on May 09, 2019, 10:40:10 PM
...but i can see where he's coming from and in a scene where there really are no boundaries you can expect there are a lot of things that people would prefer remained secret

People who knowingly, and intentionally, exploit situations, emotions, politics, whatever and then not wanting to be exploited themselves.  I'm not sure how that exchange works.

lol welcome to power electronics

seriously tho, we agree. i'd like the podcast to be all the things you're saying. the guests don't need to be put on a chain or sanitize what they say, just use common sense, especially when dealing with the mariah carey of noise

When people make their "music" available for other to listen to, then people discuss it. When people go on tour, then people share stories.
So what's the matter? It happens to everyone, that's part of the deal. If you don't want people to know anything about you, then don't meet them in the first place. When you make an interview for a zine or otherwise done/said things and it gets re-shared after couple years and you don't necessarily share the same thoughts, would you then just ask them to delete it? Seems stupid. You just have to deal with it, or you end up being an even bigger idiot than for the things you feel ashamed of.

Quotediscussing his work but is not fine with them discussing his private life. which is fair enough.

but how are people to know what is fine and what is private, or what he's going to be embarrassed about? Merzbow has famously made the analogy of his music being pornography, packaged his early tapes with pornography, made soundtracks for bondage performances, written for/edited an S&M magazine, recently re-released an album called 'Pornoise' with pornography on the cover... so how was GX to know it was off-limits to tell an anecdote about how, when Merzbow was in the USA around the time when he was still using pornographic images in his work, he bought a load of pornography? :D

I'm surprised with him being straightedge that he will even realise the music from that era.  Not trying to stir the pot but I'm curious to know why he's omitting a song because of the involvement of his ex wife. Hopefully the dust settles soon and we  can just enjoy the music again.

where are people getting the idea that being straight edge makes you have some kind of anti-pornography stance?

I was pointing out how he drank during the recording of Venereology and now being straight edge that's all. I find it odd to take a stance against one part of his past and not the other, but the album will sell well and profit is always good.

Quote from: Hemwick on May 10, 2019, 05:25:24 PM
I was pointing out how he drank during the recording of Venereology and now being straight edge that's all. I find it odd to take a stance against one part of his past and not the other, but the album will sell well and profit is always good

ahh okay, I guess I was confused because during his twitter war with the Merzcast, he told someone that he is "vegan straight edge" as why he wasn't happy about the porn stuff being mentioned. it's like he has the early 90's hardcore mentality that being vegan/straight edge gives you some kind of moral high ground - which is odd since he didn't get involved with it, until the early/mid 00's

Quote from: DSOL on May 10, 2019, 05:49:37 PM

Quote from: Hemwick on May 10, 2019, 05:25:24 PM
I was pointing out how he drank during the recording of Venereology and now being straight edge that's all. I find it odd to take a stance against one part of his past and not the other, but the album will sell well and profit is always good

ahh okay, I guess I was confused because during his twitter war with the Merzcast, he told someone that he is "vegan straight edge" as why he wasn't happy about the porn stuff being mentioned. it's like he has the early 90's hardcore mentality that being vegan/straight edge gives you some kind of moral high ground - which is odd since he didn't get involved with it, until the early/mid 00's

It's all good I didn't phrase it right. 

Quote from: Zeno Marx on May 09, 2019, 10:18:42 PM
When it was revealed that Venereology was fucked with because of Reiko's involvement on the excluded track of the recent reissue, I thought it was admirable, on a social level, that Merzcast purposely avoided sharing that information, but I also thought...Uh, that's sort of significant information, explaining why the reissue is different and why other reissues could be altered as well.  If an artist is going to revise their work because of relationships,  that isn't, in my opinion, just soap opera junk.  That's key information on a few levels.  That's the kind of gag order that creates disinformation and bullshit revisionism.

Not sure if it's been mentioned elsewhere but Greh puts in hours of post-production work cleaning up each episode. The recorded episode for Venereology was much longer but it was edited to remove some threads for length, clarity & flow, and others topics were cut because they were expected to be discussed in depth in the future. Some stuff was dropped to keep the general mood positive or not to get too speculative or "inside baseball." None of us had heard the vinyl reissue yet - we had discussed doing a future episode covering just that - but, as you might guess, our initial impressions of the release, and omitting that track, were not too hot.

Quote from: Cementimental on May 10, 2019, 11:08:54 AM

Quotediscussing his work but is not fine with them discussing his private life. which is fair enough.

but how are people to know what is fine and what is private, or what he's going to be embarrassed about? Merzbow has famously made the analogy of his music being pornography, packaged his early tapes with pornography, made soundtracks for bondage performances, written for/edited an S&M magazine, recently re-released an album called 'Pornoise' with pornography on the cover... so how was GX to know it was off-limits to tell an anecdote about how, when Merzbow was in the USA around the time when he was still using pornographic images in his work, he bought a load of pornography? :D

yeah, good post

i agree that it's hard to judge and that there is a hypocrisy there on akita's part. i just also think it's ok for someone to be protective of their private life and if they suddenly decide that they want to distance themselves from the past, fine. it happens all the time

Odd how people are going to lock onto him being vegan or into metalcore or whatever.  You really think that is what caused him to react and behave like this?  We're all whackadoos.  Don't bother assigning reasons why.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on May 10, 2019, 08:38:28 PM
Odd how people are going to lock onto him being vegan or into metalcore or whatever.  You really think that is what caused him to react and behave like this?  We're all whackadoos.  Don't bother assigning reasons why.

Great point. I am guilty of bring up the vegan and straightedge.  But didn't assume that's what made him a whacko, I always figured he was wacked out and as he gets older it's just going to get worse. Plus he pushes the fact he is vegan and its always brought up in interviews anymore too. 

it might not have caused him to react like he did. but how do you take his response (before he deleted most of the tweets during his tweet storm about the Merzcast) "because vegan straight edge or Merzbow is vegan straight edge", he said that on more than one tweet to someone, especially whenever the porn discussion was brought up.

if anything he is locking himself into that box and pushing out that agenda. if people start to lock onto it, it's his only doing

Quote from: DSOL on May 10, 2019, 09:50:56 PM
it might not have caused him to react like he did. but how do you take his response (before he deleted most of the tweets during his tweet storm about the Merzcast) "because vegan straight edge or Merzbow is vegan straight edge", he said that on more than one tweet to someone, especially whenever the porn discussion was brought up.

if anything he is locking himself into that box and pushing out that agenda. if people start to lock onto it, it's his only doing

I hadn't seen those.  Interesting.  Nothing like a little doctrine to fuck up us all.

I didn't listened to episode 14, bummer. If anyone has idea how I can please send me a message, thanks.
Episode 13 is very good, I could listen to GX talking all day ("but I digress..." PLEASE DO!).

I only managed to listen to the episode with Philip Best. It was more interesting than I expected & now they're all gone, right?

As far as the deleted track with his ex, maybe she requested not to be included anymore? Are any of the other reissues missing her involvement/credit?

Quote from: bitewerksMTB on May 15, 2019, 06:15:48 PM
I only managed to listen to the episode with Philip Best. It was more interesting than I expected & now they're all gone, right?

As far as the deleted track with his ex, maybe she requested not to be included anymore? Are any of the other reissues missing her involvement/credit?

only episodes 13 & 14 were taken off, you can still listen to the rest of them. I missed both 13 & 14 because I like to binge listen and before I got the chance to listen, they has taken them down

Quote from: bitewerksMTB on May 15, 2019, 06:15:48 PM
As far as the deleted track with his ex, maybe she requested not to be included anymore? Are any of the other reissues missing her involvement/credit?

As far as I know, none of the other albums that have recently been reissued featured her.

Episode 13 can be found on Chartable, it's great.

Quote from: Cementimental on May 10, 2019, 11:08:54 AM

Quotediscussing his work but is not fine with them discussing his private life. which is fair enough.

but how are people to know what is fine and what is private, or what he's going to be embarrassed about? Merzbow has famously made the analogy of his music being pornography, packaged his early tapes with pornography, made soundtracks for bondage performances, written for/edited an S&M magazine, recently re-released an album called 'Pornoise' with pornography on the cover... so how was GX to know it was off-limits to tell an anecdote about how, when Merzbow was in the USA around the time when he was still using pornographic images in his work, he bought a load of pornography? :D

They were in Holland, not USA but yeah, so what if he bought porn. The whole Merzcast was mainly earcandy for noise nerds like us and  free publicity for Merzbow and he fucked it up royally.
So, what's the situation now? No episodes of the Noiseworld podcast yet?

no new episodes yet, but they posted about Masonna so its safe to assume that is probably next on the agenda

Quote from: DSOL on May 28, 2019, 11:14:18 PM
no new episodes yet, but they posted about Masonna so its safe to assume that is probably next on the agenda

Very excited they are covering Masonna! Looks like the first release will be Sonic Devil. Wouldn't mind if they covered more of his releases but not sure if there is enough diversity in material. Saying that, Masonna is one of my favorites.

Once they get to post new episodes, I will split that topic from Merzbow topic. I'm sure that podcast will be something to talk about!

Noisextra ep 1 is going to feature Masonna - Sonic Devil

New topic opened.
Merztalk can continue on this topic.

For Noisextra related stuff, comment here in the future:
http://www.special-interests.net/forum/index.php?topic=9849.0

Uh-oh, that time of night that time of dubious sobriety. Promise to not delete this entry but the cold light of day may speak otherwise-

Recent events remind me of the time I read that the principle mover flatly objected to the idea of people reviewing his work. Imagine that. People will listen to the shit, and then gasp be inclined to share their impressions. Naughty naughty.

In my defense (too little and too late I'll admit), there was only that one time, and only that one disc. Still, obviously well out of bounds. So here it is, again, in a format hopefully more acceptable to the principle mover:

Quote
M****** - A***** G****  cd (A****8)
A**** seems to have this problem with noise: he must control it. You wouldn't know it from the cover art, but he's clearly the sort of guy who
likes to be on top. **************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
**********************************************************.
    Track one was recorded live in **** and consists ***********************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
****************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
**
    What are we left with? What else but *********************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
***************************
    The method ** employs is as familiar as it is ********. *****************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
************************************************************* Most ********s in the same position would surrender their sorry
asses to Noise and just let the shit hang out, but not *****. Not when the *************'s sense of control is at stake. ***************
*****************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
************************************************
     Now what? ****************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
***
You gotta admire the ****'s persistence. ********************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
********************************************************** Operant conditioning has taken its toll. After half an hour getting
thrashed about the dimpled ****** with a damp ******* wielded by *********************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************
*********************************************************************************************************
  *****************************************************************************************************************
************************************************************** **************************************************
****************************************************************************************
   OK, you can't control noise - noise tends to control you - but convincingly faking it is no mean feat.

edit
All joking aside, the above quoted was funny to me in context. This was posted to the alt.noise forum twenty-some years ago (un-redacted, but no better for it if I say so myself.). All the stuff about control was based purely on impressions gleaned from the sounds (okay, Music For Bondage 2 had also recently come out.)

^^Life imitates porn.

 Merzbow ‎– Noise Mass 2019

Material is based on a reworking of the 90s album 'Merzbow - Hole' and a continuation of ideas on albums like Merzbow - Venereology.

On the blog, my new co-reviewer reviewed the new Dead Lotus tape on No-Funeral records. Hope the prime mover doesn't mind, ha ha.

https://1208fullerave.blogspot.com/2019/07/merzbow-dead-lotus.html

Earlier in the year I looked at the release with Opening Performance Orchestra and liked it.

https://1208fullerave.blogspot.com/2019/02/merzbow-opening-performance-orchestra.html

Urashima has reissued 'Metalvelodrome' on 4xCD box. It's fuckin' EPIC!!!!!!

Original is rare as hen's teeth.

Nice move Urashima.

Quote from: MEATPUMP on July 31, 2019, 08:34:39 PM
Urashima has reissued 'Metalvelodrome' on 4xCD box. It's fuckin' EPIC!!!!!!

Original is rare as hen's teeth.

Nice move Urashima.

Fantastic! Thanks for the heads up, well deserved reissue.

Quote from: moozz on March 20, 2019, 12:04:25 AM

Quote from: Zeno Marx on March 18, 2019, 09:32:02 PM
The Duo 11CD box set is news to me...five years out.  I have mixed feelings about the Mizutani era.  The Brainwashed review (http://brainwashed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10182:merzbow-qduoq&catid=13:albums-and-singles&Itemid=133) has my interest piqued, but I also doubt I'll arrive at the same enthusiastic conclusion.  Any opinions?

In that case I must have sold mine about 5 years ago. I was very disappointed with that box. If I remember right it was like random improvisation. Late '80s Merzbow is mostly fantastic but this stuff was not. If it is available as download somewhere I'd suggest to try it out before buying. Maybe some folks like random improvisations, I don't.

I'm listening to the 7th CD now and I'm pleasantly surprised by this box. While there are weaker parts, overall most of it is at least interesting and a lot of it is great. I'm quite surprised by the variety of the music. There's improvisation (sometimes in a random, free music mode), then there's some nearly full-on noise, tortured scraping and droning, "deconstructed" blues rock kind of stuff and even fairly conventional drumming on disc 6.

While I won't revisit it often, I'm happy to own this box. I agree with the above reviewer though: it's a good idea to listen to parts of it before deciding to buy it.

Also, Urashima will reissue Dadarottenvator at the end of the year. Great news as this is the rarest and most expensive of Merzbow's '90s releases.

Quote from: acsenger on August 07, 2019, 10:20:17 PM
Also, Urashima will reissue Dadarottenvator at the end of the year. Great news as this is the rarest and most expensive of Merzbow's '90s releases.

very nice.  Never cared for the wood box, though I do like wood box releases.  My box plywood was warped enough to mark the LP sleeve, but not enough to stop it from falling out every time I pulled out the box and forgot to tilt it back.  Was the warp by design?

Relapse is reissuing Pulse Demon, so those who missed the ultra limited repress earlier this year (or last?) here's your chance.

https://store.relapse.com/item/77473 (https://store.relapse.com/item/77473)

Sold out already. This is completely insane.

Quote from: PTM Jim on October 02, 2019, 11:11:33 PM
Sold out already. This is completely insane.

It's not sold out. Even the rainbow splatter option is still for sale.

1500 copies selling out that quickly would be mind-boggling.

Black is available to pre-order, the coding on their site is terrible.

Why cant they just reissue it as a CD as well?

Quote from: ロックン·ロール on October 02, 2019, 11:30:12 PM

Quote from: PTM Jim on October 02, 2019, 11:11:33 PM
Sold out already. This is completely insane.

It's not sold out. Even the rainbow splatter option is still for sale.

You might have a pop-up blocker, or some other plug-in, preventing the "sold out" boxes from flashing when you run the curser over the option.  Both are showing sold out.

You might be able to still buy the black records from the Merzbow bandcamp.

https://merzbow.bandcamp.com/album/pulse-demon-remaster-reissue

Quote from: Zeno Marx on October 02, 2019, 11:47:48 PM

Quote from: ロックン·ロール on October 02, 2019, 11:30:12 PM

Quote from: PTM Jim on October 02, 2019, 11:11:33 PM
Sold out already. This is completely insane.

It's not sold out. Even the rainbow splatter option is still for sale.

You might have a pop-up blocker, or some other plug-in, preventing the "sold out" boxes from flashing when you run the curser over the option.  Both are showing sold out.

You might be able to still buy the black records from the Merzbow bandcamp.

https://merzbow.bandcamp.com/album/pulse-demon-remaster-reissue

Well at least I can add it to my cart if I try. Maybe it's only available to me as I'm a very special person.

Hoooooooo boy this is a tough one. I paid (with shipping and duty) more for the Pulse Demon reissue than I have any other record (fucking label sent the poster separately and I got charged twice for duty, almost $80 CAD). Do I become a completist for the bonus track? 

Quote from: holy ghost on October 03, 2019, 03:54:56 AM
Hoooooooo boy this is a tough one. I paid (with shipping and duty) more for the Pulse Demon reissue than I have any other record (fucking label sent the poster separately and I got charged twice for duty, almost $80 CAD). Do I become a completist for the bonus track? 

Flip that whack one you got and order this.

I need that sick obi strip with the Pitchfork quote to remind myself just how heavy this thing is....

should we take this to mean Masami was unhappy with the previous vinyl reissue?

Quote from: New Forces on October 03, 2019, 04:51:35 PM
should we take this to mean Masami was unhappy with the previous vinyl reissue?

I think the fact that the previous reissue was geared towards an entirely different audience lead Relapse to make this actually accessible to noiseheads.

Quote from: absurdexposition on October 03, 2019, 04:53:22 PM

Quote from: New Forces on October 03, 2019, 04:51:35 PM
should we take this to mean Masami was unhappy with the previous vinyl reissue?

I think the fact that the previous reissue was geared towards an entirely different audience lead Relapse to make this actually accessible to noiseheads.

I'm going to keep the previous version as a stern reminder that mashing that BUY NOW button can often be a mistake. There's always a repress around the corner. In the meantime I really wanted a Pulse Demon shirt so looks like I jumped on the bundle.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on October 02, 2019, 11:47:48 PM

Quote from: ロックン·ロール on October 02, 2019, 11:30:12 PM

Quote from: PTM Jim on October 02, 2019, 11:11:33 PM
Sold out already. This is completely insane.

It's not sold out. Even the rainbow splatter option is still for sale.

You might have a pop-up blocker, or some other plug-in, preventing the "sold out" boxes from flashing when you run the curser over the option.  Both are showing sold out.

Yeah, that's what it was. Pretty stupid ass feature.

I'm glad I don't watch him closely.  This label is insane with reissues of 80s and 90s material.  I had no clue it was this many.  Roughly, 25+ CDs and then a bunch of box sets (not sure if they have bonus tracks or not).  Nice to see a handful from the '93-'95 period.  For those into the late-90s, there are a few from then as well.

https://www.discogs.com/label/1116791-%E3%82%B9%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%80%E3%82%A6%E3%83%B3RECORDS

Quote from: Zeno Marx on January 07, 2021, 08:45:59 PM
I'm glad I don't watch him closely.  This label is insane with reissues of 80s and 90s material.  I had no clue it was this many.  Roughly, 25+ CDs and then a bunch of box sets (not sure if they have bonus tracks or not).  Nice to see a handful from the '93-'95 period.  For those into the late-90s, there are a few from then as well.

https://www.discogs.com/label/1116791-%E3%82%B9%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%80%E3%82%A6%E3%83%B3RECORDS

I don't follow Merzbow (or the reissues, for that matter) closely at all either.  I probably should get some of these at some point, just because it is Merzbow.  I think it is sort of fun, though, when a project has so many releases because it means that everyone will explore it in a different way. 

I have tried to review (well, write at least a few lines of comments) some of these in the Playlist With Comments topic. I do not like the early '80s stuff but the material from 85-95 is great. Many of these CDs are just alternative mixes for albums or songs but there is plenty of stuff that (to my knowledge) was not released elsewhere. Possibly source material for other releases or maybe Masami just has hundreds of hours of unreleased material in his archives. If you're into mid '90s Merzbow I'd say the Metallic box is a no-brainer as it contains 6 CDs of material from 1993-1995. These do not make Pulse Demon obsolete but if you have been disappointed in the more recent Merzbow output and wish that he would go back to the mid '90s style... well, this is kinda the same thing.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on January 07, 2021, 08:45:59 PM
I'm glad I don't watch him closely.  This label is insane with reissues of 80s and 90s material.  I had no clue it was this many.  Roughly, 25+ CDs and then a bunch of box sets (not sure if they have bonus tracks or not).  Nice to see a handful from the '93-'95 period.  For those into the late-90s, there are a few from then as well.

https://www.discogs.com/label/1116791-%E3%82%B9%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%80%E3%82%A6%E3%83%B3RECORDS

If anyone's interested in what Akita is up to these days, here's a short album he made in November 2020: https://superpang.bandcamp.com/album/mukomodulator. I didn't expect much, but I was pleasantly surprised because it's actually pretty good.

I have Batztoutai 2xLP too, but this "Batztoutai material gadgets / Loop Panic Limited" 2xCD edition is not just the CD version. It is entirely different release. First disc is de-composed, re-created version of 2xLP. Many songs vary in length, some up to +5 minutes more. I won't get into analysing how different they are, since it's been too long gap since listening it. I got this 2nd pressing soon after it was published, in 1994.

Even more with this! Actually, I had feeling as if "loop panic limited" title of disc has influenced my perception what this actually is. I recall back in in mid 90's when I got this (this is 2nd press from 1994), my feeling was that it was "just loops". Probably because each title says so. Perhaps true in a sense that it is not some purely free noizu, but looping is just the part of how Merzbow did it in some of the best releases. There is lots of noise on top, and besides of loops, and this disc should be filed just among the probably best Merzbow era (1993). It is great, but also different from pretty much any album.

I recall amusing article in BANANAFISH magazine, where mr Glass tells that his friends did not believe he could say what Merzbow album is playing, if someone put CD on player. He managed to know all albums, and then friends tried even playing LP at wrong speed, but he knew still what it was. This is the 90's, when output was big, but still reasonable in some ways. For some people, it's all "just noise", for a lot of people, until late 90's you can really hear distinctively what album is playing, as they are so different. This is quite achivement in such a huge discography. Batztoutai or Loop panic, not really something you'd think they sound like... antimonument or artificial invagination.
I have managed to get couple Finnish friends to re-appreciate Merzbow after all these years. Of course there are ton of good noise out there, but best era of Merz.. seems mandatory!

Unfortunately sold out from RRR, but I would guess some of the many pressings are affordable to find.

Quote from: Zeno Marx on January 07, 2021, 08:45:59 PM
I'm glad I don't watch him closely.  This label is insane with reissues of 80s and 90s material.  I had no clue it was this many.  Roughly, 25+ CDs and then a bunch of box sets (not sure if they have bonus tracks or not).  Nice to see a handful from the '93-'95 period.  For those into the late-90s, there are a few from then as well.

https://www.discogs.com/label/1116791-%E3%82%B9%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%80%E3%82%A6%E3%83%B3RECORDS

This label just collected all the sets for a 60CD box.

Quote from: accidental on February 04, 2022, 09:53:02 PM
I think the Slowdown releases are a joke.

String & Percussion and Loop & Collage were for me entirely worth it, even with the overlap (of the overlap of...). Or, you can just cop the Antimonument Tapes and enjoy the abrasive grind.


^ edit. The above are 6-disc sets which include both overlaps and alt mixes of classic merzshizzle. Don't blame anyone for scoffing at the label, but definitely some innerestin stuff to be found. Sorely tempted by that Green & Orange box. Regardless, have to say I enjoy the detailed release blurbs, in themselves good source of insight into some of the processes and ideas.

Slowdown is the master of Merzbow archive releases but not the only label doing it. A few years ago the Australian label Room40 entered the "Merzbow archival market" as well. As far as I know they have 4 archival releases out and they are all from 1994-1998. One of them I have not heard but the three others are:
- Noise Mass: Alternative mixes for tracks from Hole plus unreleased. Fantastic harsh noise
- Flare Blues: Alternative mixes from Flare Gun 12" and White Blues 7", great stuff, plus this is probably the only Merzbow archival release on vinyl!
- Scandal: Starts with a very unusual piece for Merzbow, it sounds like a 12min unedited field recording in a workshop. Not noisy in anyway, just sparse everyday sounds. After this things get noisier but never reach the Venereology/Pulse Demon frenzy. Feels like material that is still rooted in the '80s but wanting to get harsher. I am not a fan of the first 12 minutes but it is worth it for all the rest.

This is perhaps more tangential to the same, but not quite the same release (https://www.special-interests.net/forum/index.php?topic=11972.msg95699#msg95699) thread, but didn't want to muddy it too much. Just to note that, as far as the Slowdown releases, there are perhaps no liner notes attached to the discs, but you can find notes online, on bandcamp and the dedicated Slowdown website.

Only bc has the notes in English, but for fun you can compare and contrast to the original Japanese notes run through Deep-L and Google Translate respectively.

Excerpted from the notes to Antimony:

Bandcamp (English, yorosz (aka Shuta Hiraki)) (https://slowdown-merzbow.bandcamp.com/album/antimony)
"Antimony" is the first take of "Sadomasochismo", a cassette released by ZSF Produkt in 1985. Compared to the cassette release, it is almost a different sound source except for the first track. It is also part of the unused material for Merzbow's collage side masterpiece 'Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets', so it can be said to be a buried tracks in more ways than one.

Slowdown website (JP to Eng, Deep-L) (http://studiowarp.jp/slowdown/merzbow%e3%80%8eantimony%e3%80%8f/)
Antimony" is the first take of the cassette "Sadomasochismo" released from ZSF Produkt in 1985. Compared to the other takes on the same cassette, all but the first track are almost completely different. It is also a part of the unused work for Merzbow's collage masterpiece "Battoutai with Memorial Gadgets", which can be said to be a buried source in multiple ways.

Slowdown website (JP to Eng, Google Translate) (http://studiowarp.jp/slowdown/merzbow%e3%80%8eantimony%e3%80%8f/)
"Antimony" is the sound source that corresponds to his 1st take of the cassette work "Sadomasochismo" released from ZSF Produkt in 1985. Compared to the take recorded on the same cassette, it is almost a different sound source except for the first song. In addition, the sound source recorded here is also a part of the unused work made for Merzbow's collage side masterpiece "Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets", that is, it can be said that it was buried in multiple meanings.

Magnesia Nova is an amazing and I believe little known or talked about album

especially the first 2 tracks combined (they flow seamlessly one into the other), Rituale Lucis & Magnesia Nova, is for me up there as among my all time favorite pieces of noise or any music, ever. Gives me the chills every time. Super psychedelic and intense. Great panning and mixing, feedback, Synthi, loops, some weird tape/delay stuff going on (i think), his metal instrument with buzzing electric shaver used to its fullest. The concept of the album also sheds light on his work around this time in general, being based on alchemical/tantric ideas of "energy body" flows.

https://youtu.be/cRwsk4RY3S4 (https://youtu.be/cRwsk4RY3S4)
https://youtu.be/6KDSjOnrzNM (https://youtu.be/6KDSjOnrzNM)

Some of the releases of this list (https://www.discogs.com/label/946023-Editions-Merzbow) have been reissued on vinyl and/or CD in recent years, so I guess the rest will follow sooner or later. I'm rooting for "Oersted".

Merzbow "Storage" 2x pic LP + CD set.
Menstrual recordings

I only listened this from the pic LP's before, so decided to listen CD too.
I do have Merzbox, but this CD appears to be re-re-mastered from original tapes. Sound is really good, although I doubt there is anything to complain about merzbox version either, but not going to do any nerdy analysis of different cd's. Good thing in stand alone CD is that it is more likely to pull this out, than single disc from merzbox.

First couple tracks are sort of percussive, no drums or regular percussive instruments. Metal objects and mistreated violin and some electronics/tape manipulations, some pitch efx, and so on. Really neat and clean sound. No distortion, almost acoustic. Really juicy and full soundscape where every detail can be heard. Storage 3 gets pretty noisy. Not yet the 90's Merz-noisy, but something you can easily call noise. Not just experimental sound.

Really great album and my only complaint would be the format. And not as listener, but as distrubutor! Albums as good as this, or some other Merz-reissues are, I am slightly annoyed that small print run double pic LP and CD bundle isn't item you could just recommend everybody to check out. If this would be available as regularly priced stand-alone CD, it would feel ideal. Now you will have same sound in two different formats sold as one object... that isn't that affordable that some youngster who would benefit getting it, would be likely to buy it.

As a listener, it's fine! My complaint is from perspective of distributor who'd like this good items to be more widely available and appreciated in best possible fidelity...

As if I need much nudging, but you went ahead and did it, FreakAnimalFinland.  Knocked me out of my Militia and power-electronics dive and back into Merzbow.  Via the Merzbox.  I wasn't well acquainted with Storage.  Antimonument being the favorite early work, Storage isn't far behind it now.  Then listened to Live in Khabarovsk, CCCP 1988, Crocidura Dsi Nezumi 1987, and Enclosure/Libido Economy 1987. Vratya Southwards 1987 is cued up.  I'm not the biggest fan of the early material in general, but right now, I'm really appreciating him as a percussionist.  And all the rust and strings work is a reminder of Agencement.   One of the standout sounds is when his homemade string instrument seems to be connected, or just affected, by a deep hum or vibration, giving it both a rumble on the lower register and tings on the upper register.  I don't usually like collaborations, but hearing Merzbow and Militia drumming away might be interesting.

CD reissue of Flesh Metal Orgasm is something to look forward to. Great tape released in 1989 on Nihilistic Recordings.

not sure why i deleted this, prolly just automated response upon waking up in the morning to find i posted some shit.

Quote from: Bloated Slutbag on February 05, 2022, 06:25:47 PM

String & Percussion and Loop & Collage were for me entirely worth it, even with the overlap (of the overlap of...). Or, you can just cop the Antimonument Tapes and enjoy the abrasive grind.

Recently got around to the other two boxsets released thenabouts (2019), namely Tapestry of Noise and Metallic.

Will go out on a limb and say I'm more than good for Merz circa 1987 ~  1995. A period which might possibly represent all I will ever need of the project. (Admitting in the event that the quintessential sucker had already long since suckered said suckering self into copping the other two  10 x archival cd sets (https://www.special-interests.net/forum/index.php?topic=82.msg30517#msg30517) popping up some years prior.) More than good.

The Tapestry in particular. Much like the earlier Loop & Collage, an opportunity to salivate over some neat other goodies. Like: Untitled volumes 1 through 3. That's three discs worth of merz-vection. Think Merz but with the compositional qualities at a remove, if not so far removed. Le shit, in a word, raw. Very raw, and, by degrees, deep, in the harsh. Whanging and banging of the metals, edging toward some fairly rough stuff, scraping and scrapping upon still more metals, strings, collage. Shambolic in the excess but such glorious shambolicism. Kurt would approve.

Looking forward to Flesh Metal Orgasm too... but the top hit for me is still Hard Lovin Man. Not sure why to be honest, I tend to love his early 90´s output more but HLM is just awesome. Then we have Frog also - crushing stuff. So much... baaah

Quote from: Eloy on April 05, 2022, 12:34:45 AM
Some of the releases of this list (https://www.discogs.com/label/946023-Editions-Merzbow) have been reissued on vinyl and/or CD in recent years, so I guess the rest will follow sooner or later. I'm rooting for "Oersted".

I will be reissuing Merzbow's Scene on double LP in the coming months. One of my favorite surrealist works from his 'laptop era'.

METALVELODROME

Many times when hearing noise, you roughly know how it is done. At least assumption. Sometimes gear or recording methods seems obvious. One of the guys I'd really like to see how they really made the noise, is of course early 90's Merzbow. Most of individual sounds, you most likely know how one could achive that type of sounds. Something pretty close, but how he was doing the mix? Live mix on multi-track? Playing sources and running them through the stuff? Big part of this era of Merzbow sounds very much "hand on" live mix of playing electronics and playing source tapes. He is not afraid of letting song go into thin single layer wah wah wank, and then explode into thick multi layered noise blast. Lots of those oddities very few artists do - the pan button spastic attacks, short odd bursts of sounds as if just cranking mute button of mixer for fragment of second in seemingly random moments.
While ago I was listening Macronympha "Baroque" and "Amplified Humans" CD's, they reminded how in lots of old harsh noise there was different kind of approach to volume than now. Of course you got guys now who do noise CD's with a lot of dynamics and variation of volume, but it is hard to really explain how those Macro CD's or this era of Merzbow differs. Metalvelodrome often considered as those total harsh days of Merzbow, while in reality, compared to aggro-harsh blast, this is playful, colorful and weird noise! Way more often that, than being bluntly harsh.
Of course none of this really news, but listening 4 discs of Merzbow one after another makes one want to talk about it!

Tauromachine has been reissued by Relapse. Remastered double CD [and vinyl] with bonus tracks.

Tracklist:
1. Cannibalism Of Machine
2. Emission
3. Soft Water Rhinoceros
4. Minotauros
5. Heads Of Clouds
6. Wounded Cycad Dub
7. Caudex Caudex (Mix 2) [Bonus Track]
8. Untitled Nude Pulse
9. Fragment 978 [Bonus Track]
10. Head Of Clouds #2 [Bonus Track]
11. Tauro Extra 9792 [Bonus Track]

https://merzbow.bandcamp.com/album/tauromachine-remastered

Come to think of it, "Promotion Man" from Merzbeat must be the most groovy thing I have heard from him... is it a "hit"? Maybe not in terms of Merzbowism, but it rocks.

Great news on Tauromachine!

Has anyone watched any True Romance videos ? What's going on ? The 2-3 photos from their performances give an idea. More details ? - I guess Merzbow want these forgotten so no chance to let them out of the dungeons to see the light of the day with a reissue ?

I'd love to see any of those six videos. The only performance footage that's public is on the Macrocephalous Compost II video, starting at 38:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apNmRUvjqmQ&t=2320s

Quote from: theotherjohn on January 24, 2024, 06:40:56 PMI'd love to see any of those six videos. The only performance footage that's public is on the Macrocephalous Compost II video, starting at 38:40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apNmRUvjqmQ&t=2320s

Thanks ! I missed that one. - Yes, interesting. So interesting that i almost got confirmation that we ll never see the rest ...

Edit: Found one more photo, from Seido - In 1994

(https://i.discogs.com/MkO_DXF_26fYxGSa1vxzKdAxrQOhpgOOabrbSleHNIc/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:529/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTIxMzI5/MDA1LTE2MzkzNTA5/OTQtNDA5MC5qcGVn.jpeg)

Does anyone have that collaboration Merzbow did with Whitehouse? I'd really appreciate it if you could send it to me via PM. Thanks!

Also I have mixed feelings between Venereology and Pulse Demon. Which one do you guys like the most? Personally Veneorology sounds incredibly amazing and unlike anything I've ever heard before.

I don't think this has been posted before (did a search and couldn't find it, so apologies if it has)....

I was just searching for some information on Merzbow's late 80s releases a few weeks back when I stumbled across this: Every Merzbow ranked from worst to first (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Electricwatersheep/merzbow-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/1/)

Its been updated at least till 2023 so might be missing a few, but still....

I've always felt it pointless to assign numeric rankings for the albums of any artist, even if they have only a handful or releases, let alone a discography as gargantuan as Merzbow's. I mean, what makes number 3 better than number 4? A favorite release of mine will vary from time to time, even from day to day, depending on what mood I might be in.

All that said, this is still impressive. Its clear, at least with the upper rankings, that these writeups are the result of multiple deep listens. The sheer amount of time and effort that must have gone into this is incredible. Especially since the author even did the same thing for every disc of the Merzbox! (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Electricwatersheep/the-merzbox-an-in-depth-review-of-every-disc/ (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Electricwatersheep/the-merzbox-an-in-depth-review-of-every-disc/))

I certainly don't agree with all the rankings (and the author is pretty clear that they'd never expect anyone to agree), but it definitely made me reconsider my preferences and want to relisten to some stuff. The top 50 is by no means dominated by just "analog era" releases, either. I will say that, again, while I could never put something as "the best" for anyone, I do agree the choice for #1 is one of my favorite things Masami has put out, and definitely underrated. (I won't spoil it)

Something to get lost in, reading for an hour, at least.

Wow! Need to revisit some stuff. Has been a while since last listening to his records.

Quote from: BatteredStatesofEuphoria on March 23, 2024, 09:00:14 PMI don't think this has been posted before (did a search and couldn't find it, so apologies if it has)....

I was just searching for some information on Merzbow's late 80s releases a few weeks back when I stumbled across this: Every Merzbow ranked from worst to first (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Electricwatersheep/merzbow-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/1/)

Its been updated at least till 2023 so might be missing a few, but still....

I've always felt it pointless to assign numeric rankings for the albums of any artist, even if they have only a handful or releases, let alone a discography as gargantuan as Merzbow's. I mean, what makes number 3 better than number 4? A favorite release of mine will vary from time to time, even from day to day, depending on what mood I might be in.

All that said, this is still impressive. Its clear, at least with the upper rankings, that these writeups are the result of multiple deep listens. The sheer amount of time and effort that must have gone into this is incredible. Especially since the author even did the same thing for every disc of the Merzbox! (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Electricwatersheep/the-merzbox-an-in-depth-review-of-every-disc/ (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Electricwatersheep/the-merzbox-an-in-depth-review-of-every-disc/))

I certainly don't agree with all the rankings (and the author is pretty clear that they'd never expect anyone to agree), but it definitely made me reconsider my preferences and want to relisten to some stuff. The top 50 is by no means dominated by just "analog era" releases, either. I will say that, again, while I could never put something as "the best" for anyone, I do agree the choice for #1 is one of my favorite things Masami has put out, and definitely underrated. (I won't spoil it)

Something to get lost in, reading for an hour, at least.

My goodness, what horrible reviews of the collection series!  That's top stuff for me!

Not to mention that "Exoking" is rated as number 8. My initial thoughts when listening to it was "what a waste of plastic".
But thankfully tastes differ and there is so much good stuff to focus on in his discography.

Quote from: BatteredStatesofEuphoria on March 23, 2024, 09:00:14 PMI don't think this has been posted before (did a search and couldn't find it, so apologies if it has)....

I was just searching for some information on Merzbow's late 80s releases a few weeks back when I stumbled across this: Every Merzbow ranked from worst to first (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Electricwatersheep/merzbow-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best/1/)

Its been updated at least till 2023 so might be missing a few, but still....

I've always felt it pointless to assign numeric rankings for the albums of any artist, even if they have only a handful or releases, let alone a discography as gargantuan as Merzbow's. I mean, what makes number 3 better than number 4? A favorite release of mine will vary from time to time, even from day to day, depending on what mood I might be in.

All that said, this is still impressive. Its clear, at least with the upper rankings, that these writeups are the result of multiple deep listens. The sheer amount of time and effort that must have gone into this is incredible. Especially since the author even did the same thing for every disc of the Merzbox! (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Electricwatersheep/the-merzbox-an-in-depth-review-of-every-disc/ (https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Electricwatersheep/the-merzbox-an-in-depth-review-of-every-disc/))

I certainly don't agree with all the rankings (and the author is pretty clear that they'd never expect anyone to agree), but it definitely made me reconsider my preferences and want to relisten to some stuff. The top 50 is by no means dominated by just "analog era" releases, either. I will say that, again, while I could never put something as "the best" for anyone, I do agree the choice for #1 is one of my favorite things Masami has put out, and definitely underrated. (I won't spoil it)

Something to get lost in, reading for an hour, at least.

Not a great chart, but at least someone tried to put all the discography of merzbow together.

I just finally got Merzbow "1930" CD. It is good, 1998 album. Listened few times, shelved there next to other Merzbow thinking it is good, playful, yet, probably not album I'd throw into CD player anytime soon again.

Quote from: Krigsverk on March 24, 2024, 08:08:07 AMNot to mention that "Exoking" is rated as number 8. My initial thoughts when listening to it was "what a waste of plastic".
But thankfully tastes differ and there is so much good stuff to focus on in his discography.

yes. I don't remember how Exoking was, but I know a lot of people who always value some of their early experiences with Merzbow the highest. No matter if it would be some of his less exciting lap-top albums, if that's what one heard for first time (or.. if you just happen to like that stuff!) it usually makes strong impact. I think many of "less good" Merz is that simply because the highlights are so strong that barely anyone is able to match him on that style. If there even is bands that "sound like Merzbow". I tend to think not many, if any.

It is too bad Masami appears to feel strongly that none of the works involving former women friends of his will be reissued. Veneorology was modified to track involving other people than him was removed. Too bad, since Mercurated and Artificial Invagination would be among the very very top of things that should get into hands of people. In my opinion at least. But unlikely reissues would happen.

Ive always enjoyed Merzbow - Crocidura Dsi Nezumi album. I believe it's from back in 1988. That one has always stuck with me for some reason, could be cause it was one the first Merzbow albums in my collection.