Maurizio Bianchi -MB- Appreciation topic

[bitewerksMTB]

Neuro Habitat was my fave when I had the records. If anyone comes across that 2LP Japanese boot retrospective for a decent price, GRAB IT! Great packaging; very thick gatefold sleeve with inserts. Very, very nice. One I wish I had kept but traded it for a Come Org or Broken Flag record.

I still have Industrial Murder & Aktivatat LPs.

[acsenger]

I would argue there is a great deal of difference between Nord's sound and MB, Nord being a lot more minimal.

Yes, that's true -- I meant the atmosphere of that album, not so much the musical similarities... to me the atmosphere sounds quite similar to MB's works.

Incidentally, while I've got the cassette re-release of MB's Technology X from Mirror Tapes I'm meaning to get the double cd version soon - I understand it has extra material or out-takes or something?

I have the 2CD edition of Technology 1&2, but I think it's different from Technology X... the title is slightly different and the CDs contain 2 cassettes. It's a pretty good release. Like I said before, not as focused as the proper albums, but it delivers the MB atmosphere.

As for Mauthausen, there's a thread discussing that on this forum

Thanks -- I've read it but I don't think there's a comparison between MO and MB in it (or maybe it escaped my attention?). Anyways, will check MO out sooner or later :).

Beyond that I never really got into it much. Suggestions?

Symphony for a Genocide, Menses (fantastic!), Mectpyo Bakterium, Regel (this one might be a bit weaker, from memory),  Das Testament. These are great too, although mellower: Armaghedon, The Plain Truth. Based on having heard it only once so far, I would recommend Aktivitat too.

[P-K]

btw, nevermind all the "lost tape given to friends only"-reissues......i only met weak material on these. Clockwork Orange etc WTF .....

[Jarl]

anyone now if there will be a third Vinyl on demand box with MB. They have released two so far. Because the second boxset is called Evidences volume 1, so will there be a part 2?

[Tommy Carlsson]

Early MB is for the most part great music. I thought the later albums like The Plain Truth and Armaghedon were pretty lightweight fluff though, no wonder he was heading for christianity... I have no interest in any post-84 MB, it's all been quite embarrassing.

The Merzbow/Haters Milanese Bestiality/Drunk on Decay LP is a SWEET tribute to the man. The Haters track is one of my big favourites, keeping his hater personality intact while delivering an amazing just-enough-structure noise piece with sounds that could have been lifted from an old MB record. Merzbow is using drum machine, which works perfect for bringing up MB vibes with added synth hypnotism.

[Tommy Carlsson]

btw, nevermind all the "lost tape given to friends only"-reissues......i only met weak material on these. Clockwork Orange etc WTF .....

True that.

I know a few labels who turned down the "80s unreleased tape" material, when he first started working getting them reissued -- maybe around 1999 or so. Unfortunately there were a lot of labels willing to release the stuff, even if it should have been obvious to anyone with an ear or two that it didn't match up to any of the old releases. And then the floodgates opened...

[Tommy Carlsson]

Neuro Habitat was my fave when I had the records. If anyone comes across that 2LP Japanese boot retrospective for a decent price, GRAB IT! Great packaging; very thick gatefold sleeve with inserts. Very, very nice. One I wish I had kept but traded it for a Come Org or Broken Flag record.

All I know is that the guy who sold me his copy of that 2LP said he was going to use the money for AMMO.

[P-K]

MB's acoustic guitar is for sale :-)

[HongKongGoolagong]

Just received my set of MB's Come Org recordings - two LPs and many outtakes, rarities and unreleased material over three CDs on Menstrual Recordings. Packaging quite basic (DVD box) but mastered well and it's amazing that this reissue has finally appeared. MB essay on insert starkly describes the reality of the extermination camps as the numerous officers and kapos who survived them testified to it.

"Triumph of the Will" (which contains overdubbed Nazi speeches added by William Bennett throughout) is an especially bleak and unpleasant record. Almost impossible to listen to, like other conceptual Come Org releases of the era such as Bradford Red Light District and I'm Jack it works more as a kind of perverse art object than as music. Elsewhere there is MB's classic aggressive 'power style' which came before the more mellow tones which began with 'The Plain Truth'  and the associated religious influence. Great set of some of the very earliest material which came to be known as Power Electronics.

I have no idea what the title of the box means - any ideas?

[P-K]

http://www.discogs.com/MB-Teban-Slide-Art/release/4274495

although the nazi-speeches etc were added by Bennett and MB wasn't happy with that, i think the LSSMB material was very powerfull.

only got 1 lp (Come Org) so will certainly go for that box.

[HongKongGoolagong]

On another more careful listen the mastering from vinyl on much of the set becomes more apparent and annoying, although there is a warning to this effect and it was always material with murky sound quality anyway. William Bennett would still have the masters as some of this was on Come Org Anthology Two in better quality - did MB or anyone from Menstrual actually ask him for them?

Lebensraum, the mysterious 90s bootleg I'd never heard before, partly contains material from the Come Org Ultra video soundtracks.

[jesusfaggotchrist]

just recently got into him thru his net release on archive.org?

give me a list of his most important works, thank you.

[HongKongGoolagong]

The stuff to go for is the ten original early 80s albums (later repackaged as ARCHEO-MB after his comeback). Try to ignore most tape releases and unreleased tracks - the original ten LPs were the best. His material after about 2005 got much better, the stuff from the late 90s til then was mostly terrible. Although YHWH only knows who managed to keep up with and actually hear it all - he was very prolific and even since his latest retirement the stream of product recorded before then just isn't stopping.

Best of all is 'Neuro Habitat/Morder Unter Uns' - classic album and one that transcends the genre of industrial/PE.

[HongKongGoolagong]

"Greetings

We sincerely hope you do not receive this.

The attached document was originally printed in an edition of five copies bound in full red straight-grain morocco, tooled in gilt on the front boards, with marbled endpapers.

These books were then mailed unregistered and with no return address to Maurizio Bianchi, Sterile Records, Come Org, Broken Flag and Flowmotion. The contact addresses used were those from the early 1980s.

All remaining physical materials used in this production were then destroyed.

We eagerly anticipate that none of these packages will reach their intended recipients.

Today, the attached PDF is being sent to five individuals/organisations. After this email has been sent, all digital files relating to this project will be deleted and the device on which they were created will also be destroyed.

Thank you for your unwitting participation. You will not hear from us again.

Regel Press, 19th August 2015"

Email very gratefully received today. The attachment, which after such a sinister and strange message I wasn't sure about opening, is a 73 page book of MB interviews, statements, essays of critical appreciation etc. Some old favourites and some material new to me. Turned into a kind of weird performance piece by the method of dissemination. I feel like I'm ruining this by even talking about it! Not sure who exactly is behind this, but thank you.

[deadprint]

I absolutely adore MB's early tapes.  So murky, impenetrable, and grim.  To this day there are sounds on releases such as Voyeur Tape that I am totally at a loss for source-wise.  There's an aura of sinister mystery to many of them that keeps me engaged more than most of his more composed works.  I'll take a strange, eerie MB tape over Symphony for a Genocide any day.