Altar Of Flies

[FreakAnimalFinland]

There are many topics on board where project has been included. Lots of announcements of releases, playlists, gigs etc. But no topic of his own.

Was just listening "The Violent Blow" LP that came out back in 2012. Not as "hard" as some AoF, but very good atmosphere. It was quite hectic times for AoF.   It appears that he just found his style and started to make things happen.  Let New Life Rise In The Face Of Death CD version, Altar Of Flies / Mirrors Are Black split LP, Rabbit hole LP and Female LP all came out 2012 &early 2013!? And that's not even all. It's hard to pick up absolute favorite, but "Female" has been something what I like to think as my favorite one. Truthfully, I could probably pick up any of the mentioned. But Female has the harshness and forcefullness what is not always present on AoF.

This makes me curious about self titled LP from 2014. I didn't buy it yet. Perhaps for petty reasons like for some reason I can't get so much into iDEAL as label. It seems very far from where I stand, and never been following much what it does. Haven't just come across the LP anywhere where I usually shop for things, hah.. That said, not sure how many comments of this particular LP has been on SI board?

Now pace of band seems to have slowed down a bit, and remains to be seen what's next...

Harder edge of AoF:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvu4aizNSpU

[Scat-O-Logy]

The self-titled is even calmer than "The Violent Blow", actually I wouldn't even consider most of the tracks as noise. The album does sound very much like AoF but maybe slightly stripped down version of it. Very good record and iDEAL did great job with it, especially considering the price. I was kinda getting tired of the extensive use of various field recordings of kids/animals/etc on his previous records so this was very welcome addition to AoF's discography. There are field recordings on this album too but they aren't as over-powering as on the previous albums and they flow very well with other sounds. That being said, I'm still very much a fan of basically any AoF album but just have to take them in small doses. "Let New Life Rise In The Face Of Death" got me into AoF and I still regard it as his finest recording.

[Ritual]

For me, Female is the best output so far. It is the one, I think, that closest captures the intensity and drive of a really good Altar Of Flies live set. I do like most of his stuff, though, but Female hits the right spot for me.

[Baglady]

Usually I'm not into the iDEAL output either, "but once in a while a genius comes by." The Sewer Election/Hoffmeier collaboration and the two Altar Of Flies albums (Permanent Cavity and the mentioned 2014 LP) comes to mind, but I'm sure there are at least a few more gems there.

While I probably hold Female as my all time favorite as well, I find it to be more of an instant hit rather than a slow growing thing like the self titled LP. I immediately liked the latest one, as always with AOF, but "getting to know it" has taken many spins. Easily one of his best efforts, and it keeps climbing.
His recent contribution to the Introverted Formula DLP on Järtecknet is similar in that it is devoid of any harsh parts as well. Brilliant all the same, but this piece is perhaps the most demanding I've heard from AOF.

Speaking of iDEAL, there's a fourway split coming out this year, featuring AOF and three others which ought to be very interesting.

[Ernpe]

To be honest, I hardly can distinguish the 2012-2013 lp's from each other. I kind of like them all but compared to Permanent Cavity or to Let New Life... they are very same. The new iDeal lp goes to even more minimalist direction if my recollection is correct.

That being said, AOF ranks as one of my most favourite "swedish sound" artist, just love his very hand made feel of the sounds. Not blurry, no over-echoed, simply well made sounds.

[urall]

Fave AoF releases of mine would be 'Let new life rise...', 'Female', the Ideal s/t and some tracks of the tapeworks comps (esp. 'Do not trust a memory').

I'm always looking forward to new stuff as AoF is one of my fave artists in the genre. I would love to see a live performance once..

[Scat-O-Logy]

I was kinda getting tired of the extensive use of various field recordings of kids/animals/etc on his previous records so this was very welcome addition to AoF's discography.

Meh... There are human voices on the new Throne Heap tape. Great tape otherwise!

[Scat-O-Logy]

The new Tapeworks volume comes highly recommended... A bit like Blodvite to these ears.