Ahlzagailzehguh/Existence In Decline Collateral Damage Statisticians (Collapsed Hole): Silliest packaging I've seen in quite a while...holes from these B.B.'s would look more menacing if done with a paper punch. Regardless, good 'ol Ahlz- style that I remember from older releases. Straight-to-the-jugular-assault of two 5-minute-shy harsh noise blasts. Lots of fun on repreat.
Linekraft Kikai Ningen (Nil By Mouth): More like the "Nark" track on Malignant sampler, or the opener on Under The Architecture...not his fierce, piercing Japanoise-ish output, but loop-heavy metal testing. Sparse and decent vocals. Surgical atmosphere. A nice meeting place between Mania's recent work and your average death-industrial/PE soundscape. A really stunning release. Less silly packaging, but still odd...
Nyodene D Atop Masada (Nil By Mouth): ...not as frustrating as the too-big burlap pouch that this thing comes in. I like ingenuity in packaging, but not so much when its done in a way thats just gonna eat up the insert and get lost in some crevice in the house. But again, just like the above, really stunning sounds going on here. I wasn't so moved by the Grunting that was Edenfall. This is more up my alley. Monotonous and invasive.
Will Over Matter Toisesta Maailmasta (Freak Animal): As is usually the W.O.M. case, I'm deeply perplexed haha. I don't know Finnish, so I couldn't tell you anything about the A-side. Perhaps it is an interview with an abductee child. It's rounded off with the interior sounds of a crashing UFO. B-side is an unintelligible rumble and hum and another crash. Not a document for repeating often, but interesting simply for being part of Herr Mentor's œuvre cos I'm weird like that. At least the packaging is straight and to the point: aliens, UFO crash diagram (?), FA. The end.
Steven R. Smith/Ulaan Khol Ending/Returning (Immune Rec.): Gorgeous packaging and the captivating landscapes that Smith always paints with his guitar (and piano!)...midwest serenity and melancholy.
