PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[Fistfuck Masonanie]

H.Ö.H

I am late to discovering H.Ö.H but now playing catch up. I've been listening to the self-titled compilation of early tapes, Superorganism, and Epäjohdonmukainen. As well as downloads from Satatuhatta of the three releases there. It's been somewhat of an obsession the last couple of weeks and honestly haven't listened to too much else.

Brutish and lo-fi tape music with a very gritty nature. It's so simple on the surface but perfectly scratches an itch I didn't know I had. Even when I'm not listening, I've been thinking back and couldn't wait to listen to the next release or just spin one of these albums again. I listened to Superorganism multiple times in a row which is extremely rare for me to do with a release.

The self-titled collection is great and contains harsher and more rugged early material. Not without its nuances, however. Superorganism might be my favorite and toes the line of subtle, quieter details and grit perfectly. Epäjohdonmukainen is equally excellent and focuses on a more technical and faster-moving cut-up sound.

Seems like you can't go wrong with any release. I'm enjoying everything immensely and can't recommend the artist enough.

[Cranial Blast]

H.Ö.H

I am late to discovering H.Ö.H but now playing catch up. I've been listening to the self-titled compilation of early tapes, Superorganism, and Epäjohdonmukainen. As well as downloads from Satatuhatta of the three releases there. It's been somewhat of an obsession the last couple of weeks and honestly haven't listened to too much else.

Brutish and lo-fi tape music with a very gritty nature. It's so simple on the surface but perfectly scratches an itch I didn't know I had. Even when I'm not listening, I've been thinking back and couldn't wait to listen to the next release or just spin one of these albums again. I listened to Superorganism multiple times in a row which is extremely rare for me to do with a release.

The self-titled collection is great and contains harsher and more rugged early material. Not without its nuances, however. Superorganism might be my favorite and toes the line of subtle, quieter details and grit perfectly. Epäjohdonmukainen is equally excellent and focuses on a more technical and faster-moving cut-up sound.

Seems like you can't go wrong with any release. I'm enjoying everything immensely and can't recommend the artist enough.

I completely share this exact same recent scenario and sentiment as you, as I too am also late to H.Ö.H. It wasn't until late last week for me to hear H.Ö.H. now wondering why I never checked them out more closely before, had it not been for the recent CD reissue of Superorganism, I might still of further delayed my closer examination into their work. The recent H.Ö.H. tape by Satatuhatta, Tukkeutunut Uniperäinen Mania was quite incredible to me upon first listen. They've got some very interesting and profound moments at times that sound very beautiful amongst the industial droning wreckage. I was quite pleased with that tape and from the tape I eagerly moved to a couple of the CDs next and like you I felt excited and eager to give them a listen as they are able to conjure up something almost unexplainable.

[Krigsverk]

..I will continue the praising. H.Ö.H. is amazing and unique. That degraded sound, broken equipment and overall wtf sound is truly captivating. Have not heard all releases, but Epäjohdonmukainen sure is good. 

[Baglady]

THOMAS DEANGELO - Mouth Music CS (New Forces, 2024)
Seeing a T.D. cassette announced on New Forces had me thinking "what's the catch?", but I still didn't see this coming. There's plenty of mouth going on, but I'm not sure about music. Dramatic and mangled voices, and hectic start-stop bowelly blowout tape crunch. Like some sugar-pumped oaf of a kid playing with the lever on a firehose loaded with lard and syphilitic urine. On a more serious note (although it really does sound the way I described it), he manages to marry his more high brow influences with the lower in a perfect way here. Straight from the looney bin, this one. Wild, free-spirited and severely damaged noise. Excellent.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

It was curious with HÖH how the situation changed. As recently, as 2017, when this s/t anthology CD was made (HÖH had been putting out tapes for 5 years at that point), I didn't think there would be need for more than 100 copies of CD. Almost none of Freak Animal CD's are that small pressings. Even this recently, meaning 6-7 years ago, low-tech broken noise on CD couldn't be estimated to be top seller, hah. Freak Animal/IR has experience for many rugged low-tech noise releases. OWL, YAO 91404 D, TRAIT, GOLDENROD series, and so on and on. Stuff gets published as they feel excellent, but many times one couldn't really estimate is there demand, especially when artists are not formerly known. Curious is that HÖH has been able to change his approach on every release, while maintaining the "feel". There is progress and change - but in other hand, firmly rooted to certain feeling and aesthetic.

Brighter Death Now "Necrose Evangelicum" CD
There has been occasional talk about power electronics anthems, but what about death industrial anthems?! That expression is generally so bleak and lifeless, that whole idea of "hit song" is almost counter productive for death industrial... but what about the grand finale of this this CD! I may generally dislike melodic keyboard on industrial, but god damn that track is EPIC!

Sir Ashleigh Grove "The nimply power sessions I-VII" CD
ultra primitive weirdo industrial-noise from UK. I don't think name gets mentioned that often, but maybe some of these forgotten oldies are not heard by new audience? Siren releases, its not like you'd find them at usual noise dealer either.

Wiese + Painjerk "Terrazzo" CD
Busy and adrenalin fueled harsh noise blast, no mercy. It is very "clean", kind of icy and hard, sharp and cold sound. Feels like everything is happening inside tech, not blasted out loud with amplifiers. This is not negative remark, though, as one is blasting it with amp when playing with stereos.

Subliminal "Gracebudd" CD
Another project that probably is quite widely known, but always in shadow of Haus Arafna or NN. If one wants to hear the hardest side of Galakt Horrö stuff, then Subliminal releases are ones to pick up. Bleak, monochrome, moderately rhytmical, industrial-noise, power electronics.

Haus Arafna "Singles" CD
This is actually almost as brutal stuff as Subliminal is/was. Early HA, very rarely shifts into negativ electro pop , most often just fuzzy sizzling electronic saturation, brutal vocals, more straight forward lyrics. Couple beat oriented hit songs, though!

[Zeno Marx]

Brume - A Treatise on Ethnography 2023 - this isn't going to twist and melt your mind with the intensity of Normal Brume, but even when he is grading a "B", he's doing (at least) four times better than most - varied and at one point, I thought I was listening to a Zoviet France album with "I Noticed I was Dead" - it still has all the fuckery you'd expect from him, but he's playing differently here, as he has been for a bit now, (and with noticeably conventional instruments? like he did at his very beginning) - OK, I'm reevaluating my opinion of this album - It's Brume.  It's GREAT.

[Stipsi]

Peter Michael Hamel: Nada

Usually at work i listen ambientish/classical music and all related genres.
This is my favourite from Hamel.
Great mix between avant-garde a la John Cage with prepared piano and kosmische music with massive use of organ.
Highly recommended

[moozz]

Brighter Death Now "Necrose Evangelicum" CD
There has been occasional talk about power electronics anthems, but what about death industrial anthems?! That expression is generally so bleak and lifeless, that whole idea of "hit song" is almost counter productive for death industrial... but what about the grand finale of this this CD! I may generally dislike melodic keyboard on industrial, but god damn that track is EPIC!

That's Mortiis on the keyboards! I was never a huge fan of what Mortiis has done but this might be the best thing. Right after The Devil Must Kill by Cintecele Diavolui.

[Krigsverk]

Organ of Corti - Fanaticus

Checked out the Sewer Election BC and found this little gem... as I have been on a month long H.Ö.H listening experience, this perfectly fit my mood. Not that they sound the same, but the "wtf am I listeining to"-vibe is similar, sound labyrinths of broken stuff, strange little loops, field recordings and strange atmospheres. Only listened to the BC-streaming, but I need to enjoy this on CD in a proper stereo. Bonus points for artwork that seems to be discretely wine and butt centric. The good things in life.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

This CD is very good. Interview mentions synths are turned down, far in the background. Some people also mentioned there is more musicality... Well, I guess it is matter how you approach album and how you related to sound. It is not aggro noise, and tape loop, subtle and relatively quiet. Already listened few times and read the interview from New Forces newsletter. Nice. Should have copies coming to distro soon.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

TEMPLUM N.R. "Spectrum DCXCIII: Poison Portals" CD
Aural Hypnox
I suppose I got all they have done, and this Templum N.R.  is the best one. Vocalist is, and has been in various quite famous metal/rock bands, but while I am not fan of for example Hex Vessel, his fluent english and sort of theatric narration, with this hollow and decayed sound was so eerie, that I first didn't even think them as vocals, but some sort of long lost occult recordings. Just brilliant sound. Long spoken pieces with strange vibrating and lo-fi sound are on top of dark ritual-music & electronic noises, including some beats - but not in "dance" element. Cold industrial rhythms below the oscillating tones.
Most other Aural Hypnox bands might be more known, but I'd strongly urge to check this one out, especially Poison Portals CD!
I've seen them once time live. Traveled about 600KM distance to north of Finland to see Rusalka and MK9 gig. On the bus all night, and in the early morning start to drink and find out that due flight compilations or something, Rusalka and MK9 ain't coming. Well, dammit.. Proceed with drinking. Doing that from morning till late night, when taking taxi from venue to city, as soon as door opened, vomit was the first thing that came out, hah.. Very good fest and venue, but unfortunately later on did become somewhat less noise friendly place.

[Fistfuck Masonanie]

Cov Ops - The Way Forward CD (Freak Animal)

I've been so excited to finally give this a spin. The debut CD, New Agenda, was one of my favorite releases in 2023. Cov Ops creates a complex weaving of industrial, power electronics, and at times harsh noise. Really well-developed sounds that are oppressive but at the same time dynamic. Each track across the album is different and rarely repeats and there is a consistent atmosphere. A lot of layers going on and active listening reveals all of the subtleties.

Two for two, this artist has been consistent across releases so far and I don't expect the quality to falter. Would be keen to learn more but the mystery is also quite fun. Could be a well-known name behind the project or could be someone who has quietly been sharpening their skills and only decided to release material once they hit maturity. Would place my bet on a side project of an already established artist, however.

Don't sleep on Cov Ops, high-quality artist churning out developed and well-thought-out material. Early contender for album of the year.

Pain Appendix - Toward Infinity CD (Satatuhatta)

Crumbling and blown-out textures. Subtle metal percussive clangs. A minimal and detailed first few minutes that develop over this 40-minute odyssey of sounds. Odyssey is kind of a cliche and tried descriptor but this album is quite varied and feels like a bit of an adventurous journey. Originally released on a tape that quickly sold out and now we have the rare Satatuhatta reissue on CD. Popular enough to have been repressed! I've been listening to a lot of Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders recently and I swear there is a similar drone buried at the start of this album that Alice often incorporated in her albums. Funny juxtaposition as there is an element of string instrument distortion and manipulation used throughout.

The first half is very dynamic and almost minimal and the second half really picks up with metal junk sounds. And it's not full-blown-out chaos, there is still a controlled level of destruction. Really enjoyed the dynamic and planned progression of events across this release. Unique and not at all what I was expecting. 

I love the artwork as well. Dada-ist and Future-ist collage work that reminds me of early Government Alpha artwork. Hope that's not offensive to compare, but I mean it as a compliment. The tits are the icing on the cake!

Pain Appendix - Manuhypnoz CD (Freak Animal)

Latest from Pain Appendix. A very precise and articulate 31 minutes. I love the Gamelan connection and titles for the opening and closing tracks. I'm sure at some point there have been some articles or reviews comparing traditional Gamelan music with the metal percussive sounds of industrial, but none immediately come to mind.

Heavy gain on the mics and the feedback is hot and piercing. Subtle bass tones in the background between the hot metal sounds. Some wild use of oscillations and manipulation in source material. Again, not a predictable album, and Pain Appendix shows us something new and exciting.

[Fistfuck Masonanie]

Ants in the Afterbirth - Self-Titled S-Sided C90 (Self-released)

Mystery project by an elusive citizen of Cincinnati, OH. Recorded January 1st, 2022 but not released until I think the second half of 2023. I tried to suss out the artist behind this project from Luke at Skeleton Dust Records who has been distributing the tape, but he wouldn't budge! Good on him, some things should remain a mystery.

A beautiful love letter or homage to old school 90s style harsh noise done extremely well. Gritty saturated tape sound recorded straight to a 4-track and all frequencies in the red. An unrelenting 40 minutes of textural crunch and madness. Think Incapacitants with the MSNP treatment. At least that's what it sounds like to me.

A great tape that was on year-end lists but many people seem to be keeping tight-lipped about. Haven't seen it discussed much publicly besides a couple of quick mentions.

Regarding the project name, the only thing I could find online was the serial killer in the "Manhunter" and "Red Dragon" movies has a quote that uses the phrase:

"I am the Dragon, and you call me insane! You are privy to a great becoming... and you recognize nothing. You are an ant in the afterbirth. It is in your nature to do one thing correctly."

Also, there is a funny imprint on the j-card regarding the amount of copies of the tape, "XX / 'Til I Get Bored"

[Manhog_84]

Smell & Quim - Jesus Christ / The Jissom Killers 2xCD (Old Captain)

This is pure gold! I had an incorrect notion of Smell & Quim's music as I expected it to be goofy experimental with retarded humor. At least these cds are more dark and disturbing than goofy. I love the first long track on Jesus Christ, gurgling sounds accompanied by screeching metal. Jissom Killers is full industrial ambient that sounds like a horror movie soundtrack. Clatter of different objects, agonized screams, out of tune piano chords(?) etc. I was replaying first Silent Hill on PS1 during the weekend and Jissom Killers has a similar nightmarish vibe as SH soundtrack.

[Manhog_84]

TEMPLUM N.R. "Spectrum DCXCIII: Poison Portals" CD

One of the best spoken word pieces. Amazing atmosphere! Magnetic Breath - The Possession tape is equally good I think. The use of beats is even better, but it's shorter and not available anymore.