PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[bitewerksMTB]

IRM "Virgin Mind" 2cd (Old Captain)

Nearly two hours of droning, heavy percussion (drums & metals), vocals and whispering, piano bashing, etc. Not a bad track on either disc but the 2nd gets higher marks as it has the heavier, more intense tracks.

[Mikerdeath]

Consumer Electronics - Nobody's Ugly

big sound for big permanent moods

[bitewerksMTB]

Einstürzende Neubauten ‎– Strategies Against Architecture II 2cd (Mute)- classics; the booklet is amazing with details about sound sources, lyric fragments, etc. for each song. I'd forgotten how much mayhem they caused in their early years with setting stages on fire. Unfortunately, the one time I saw them perform, they barely used most of the equipment they had on stage, let alone, set the place on fire.

[ConcreteMascara]

Going through some tapes picked up on tour and some from trades before that:

Plagues - Of Ash And Relic cassette - New Forces & Thief cassette - Strange Rules
My probably my first knowing exposure to this project, I didn't know what to expect sound wise. Somewhere between harsh noise with vocals and raw power electronics, all with a touch of melancholy, it straddles a line similar to Prurient's "The History of AIDS". the rawness is not like F&V but more 2004-2006 Hospital Productions / Truculent Recordings type of thing.
After a few listens to each I prefer the "Of Ash and Relic" tape because each track is nice and long, starting with well recorded metal abuse recording and turning into full-on harsh assault with tasty vocals on the A-side. The B-side is more morbid complementing the full-on assault on the first half. but the "Thief" album is no dud! Again for my taste I prefer long tracks so the 15 minute b-side with it's slow build, ominous bells and simple but nicely textured assault really succeeds. the A-side starts with the longest and heaviest track and then goes into several stripped down numbers that work well as a build-up to the B-side.
worth mentioning, all the material is really well mixed. will be checking out more Plagues material!

Kyle Flanagan - Mind Eraser cassette - FTAM
Very nice cassingle of harsh noise. lots of variation, especially in the b-side track. clearly some metal abuse, feedback, pedal work. the focus shifts throughout the tracks in a natural, but un-rushed fashion. i think the a-side track has some kind of looping yell or scream that was slightly annoying after a bit but it eventually gives out. generally I like that this feels removed from the militant or ultra-grim imagery and aesthetics of most noise. not that I'm getting hippy vibes but just something slightly removed from the norm.

Rosebud - Perverted and Pious cassette - self-released
Interesting tape from this newer act out of Toledo, Ohio (if memory serves me right). a bit like the Plagues tapes, it's a mix of harsh noise with vocals into rough p.e. territory, but this one is a lot looser in structure and sound. themed around a sex abuse scandal/child abuse ring in Ohio, the vibes and aesthetics feel more p.e. than it actually sounds. but maybe i'm splitting hairs. there are some really good parts that come and go over the approx. 20 minutes, and then some bits that sound less focused. i feel like if some of the best ideas were more developed into separate tracks this would be even better, but as it stands it's good listen that shows potential with future development.

Skin Graft - Demolition CD - Liquid Death Records
I've seen Skin Graft live several times but I don't think I've heard much of his recorded material, so I'm certainly no expert on how this newest album fits in with his discography. what I can say is it's five massive slabs of unforgiving noise. dynamic it is not, murky and unpleasant it is in the extreme. really bad vibes stuff that wallows in it's barely changing, long-form glory. the sound of hangovers and black mold growing. special mention to the last track, "Total", which starts heavy and somehow gets even heavier as it goes along. this ripping noise starts in about halfway that sounds like the CD is breaking apart in the CD player, not in a glitchy way but in a very physical way that's just perfect. and then it gets better from there!  really, really good album!

[bitewerksMTB]

Organum ‎ "Horii" 12" and "In Extremis" LP (L.A.Y.L.A.H. Antirecords)

The LP is excellent as it's all metal-noise. Discogs says TNB were involved; "I.E. Part 2"  is the best track here- really heavy and harsh. The side long piece has a little of everything: feedback, droning, metals; it kinda sounds like they're fucking around with something with a fan blade. The LP tracks were reissued on two separate cd's released by Robot. I'd love to have this all on one disc, slightly remastered, maybe with some bonus tracks from the same recording sessions (if they exist). That would be PERFECT.

"Horii" is his droning with what sounds like some sort of flute or something plus pitched down Gregorian chants along with metals being moved around. Never noisy but it's damn good. The second side is a super short track, which, I failed to flip over to...

[FreakAnimalFinland]

BIZARRE UPROAR "Indoctrination of fist & cock" CD
F&V
Not seen many reactions to new BU album! It may be that people do not even realize it is actually out. Even if BU does merely 1 album a year, it tends to be that CD comes first, LP comes after half year or so, and some re-issues between them, new album is just few months later...
This was already recorded 2018 and was just waiting to be released for a while so it wouldn't be out too soon.
Album is in many ways "traditional" BU, but pretty much equally many ways something completely new!
What we have here, is more crispy sound, more attention to detail with tasty filter-box modulations of crashing metal junk loops and oscillations. It is slow paced, it is somewhat minimalist, but nevertheless step towards the older style of BU where crashing metal loops are in key role. No aggro vocals, no blurry boombox recording, plenty of repetition, yet always something happening. I like where BU is heading, clearly not stagnating into one style!

CERVICAL SMEAR "Real-death enthusiast" CD
F&V
Violent and ripping power electronics / noise filth. What more could be said. What it lacks, is the uniqueness, but if you're looking for sonically and visually fierce in your face assault, that's what you get here. Stoning stubborn females, corpses, dead fetuses,...   Like could be concluded for some of the other such "new school approach", it's almost like over the top goregrind aesthetic applied to PE.

KNURL "A Turbulent Obsession" tape
Absurd Exposition
Knurl doesn't fail in any of his recent releases. Probably not in old ones either. Only thing recently is that it has quite same sounding releases. Much more droning, yet heavily distorted harshness.  Hard to exactly say how much better or worse this is than some of the other tapes from last couple of years. Certainly worth to get for Knurl enthusiasts!

V/A TEETH tape
V/A Juurimusiikkia Teknologian Jättömailta tape
Siunattu Hiljaisuudessa
both compilations ltd 50. One hour each. Juurimusiikkia... is more interesting to me. First of all, because there is all Finn's. And rather unknown ones. The Day Of The Antler I had not even heard before, and it proves to be probably best on the comp! Rest of the bands I am familiar with, and know they can deliver. For example Deattán is certainly better harsh noise than when I first heard it. 
Teeth is less interesting Hazarda Bruo Sonsistemo is the project I do like, but Kadaver, Mampos and 886VG... They are not necessarily bad, but there is some too easy seemingly digitally produced sound material here. Yet being ltd 50 tape, it STILL feels like they could deserve even bigger circulation.

ENTRE VIFS "Offrande & partage" CD
Aussaat
I was not expecting this good disc. Why not? Who knows. Four long excerpts taken from 4 live-in-studio sessions. What I was surprised with, was that this is so noisy. It has good amount of air left. Lots of detail. Self made metaljunk objects and such things have nice sounds. It is surprisingly raw and nasty, for being 2018 recordings. If they can do this stuff live, I'd be very curious to see and hear it one day...

SUTCLIFFE JUGEND "Relentless" 4xCD
Death Continues
Label said this is pure analog power electronics... Well... Perhaps not entire truth here. It is clearly partly digital. All sorts of digital efx, sampling, etc. Musically also plenty of variety. Starts with almost Sunn o))) type downtuned riffing with droning electronics and vocals. Proceeds via orchestral sampled to high energy industrial loops, eventually to more ripping and noisy material. There is plenty of droning and atmospheric stuff. Plenty of tonality and even chords. Nevertheless, none of this is bad thing. What we have here is one of the best SJ releases in recent years. Despite I do like several of their new CD's, it seems that if they wanted to end with style, I would say this 4xCD set was good decision instead of putting 4 separate albums. Don't expect "pure analog power electronics" like they did in the 80's. Expect experimental industrial they are known during this decade. Perhaps just better than several of albums they did!

[ConcreteMascara]

Throat - Bareback LP - Svart
Everything Throat has done post Licked Inch Fur has had an increasing level of detail and eclecticism in approach that has resulted in some very prickly albums that take a fair amount of time to digest fully. this is most apparent with Bareback. While I immediately thought it was one of the best records of last year, it's taken increasingly frequent listens to know and understand all the little detours it takes. it seems almost disjointed at first because each song does it's own thing, slightly different than those before and after. but it's still got that downer-pervert vibe running through it all. "Recut" is probably my favorite track as it made a big impression on me when I heard it live, but it's probably the closest to their oldest material. The opener and closer are both top-tier as well, but honestly there's not bad track on the album. If you haven't heard it yet, it's the perfect time as it's sweaty music for sweaty days.

Munition - Gaze/Gauze cassette - Absurd Exposition
short but effective tape of "industrial noise". there's a slight cinematic edge, but nothing too overblown. there's no moment of total overload, which I find a little disappointing but if you're looking for a heavy electronics influence in your noise, maybe this will do the trick.

[Fistfuck Masonanie]

BIZARRE UPROAR "Indoctrination of fist & cock" CD
F&V
Not seen many reactions to new BU album! It may be that people do not even realize it is actually out. Even if BU does merely 1 album a year, it tends to be that CD comes first, LP comes after half year or so, and some re-issues between them, new album is just few months later...
This was already recorded 2018 and was just waiting to be released for a while so it wouldn't be out too soon.
Album is in many ways "traditional" BU, but pretty much equally many ways something completely new!
What we have here, is more crispy sound, more attention to detail with tasty filter-box modulations of crashing metal junk loops and oscillations. It is slow paced, it is somewhat minimalist, but nevertheless step towards the older style of BU where crashing metal loops are in key role. No aggro vocals, no blurry boombox recording, plenty of repetition, yet always something happening. I like where BU is heading, clearly not stagnating into one style!

I'm looking forward to hearing the new album and your review has me very excited. The earlier junk metal material is my favorite period of BU. I think the CD has been slow to show up in distros and I'm just seeing it pop up in places now.

[DSOL]

new BU/Goatmoon was just released by F&V also

[Baglady]

K2 - Tekhnodrug CD (Narcolepsia / At War With False Noise)
Reissue of a 1993 cassette. The same method of arranging and treating the sounds as on later and more harsh works. Drones, bleeps, wailing electronics and very few but well placed rough rumbling blasts. A slow paced and quite uncanny album. Like blind testing prescription drugs from unmarked vials on a space ship. It has me thinking of MSBR's calmer moments (Supplement in particular), some Speculum Fight and also older industrial such as Bianchi, yet undeniably and first and foremost K2. It's a good example of where he came from sound wise, where he was at the time and where he was heading, in that sense. Wonderful disc. Nice to see that the responsible labels stuck with the original artwork as well, good job. Works very well playing this in the background while reading sci-fi novels too.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Just piled couple old Hermit tapes and Yggdrasil "lebensbaum" demo tape for todays playlist.

YGGDRASIL "Lebensbaum" demo
YGGDRASIL split with Grunt
Darkness productions
My copy of this tape included master audio for Grunt split on a-side and b-side has "lebensbaum" demo. Punk style, just C-60 tape dubbed full. This German noise project originates from punk roots, and is clearly visible and audible. Simple and fierce. Its charm is, that it is mid 90's, but sounds nothing like japanese noise, nothing like US noise, nothing like euro heavy electronic. Ultra limited gear. Split material is better, mostly delay pedal looping, almost like broken glass or smashing small metal objects type of sounds.  Demo has variety of stuff. Occasionally makes me think of tracker program computer sounds, but processed through consumer level analogue tape recorders. It's all simple, broken and raw. German underground noise ain't the most hottest thing among buyers, but any time I'd see something what I do not have from Stabat Mors, KDF, Kadef, Use Your Pain, Yggdrasil etc.. I'd welcome it to my collection. In times when filthy and raw stuff is kind of popular, it is still totally different from stuff like this.

HERMIT "Logic Bomb" tape
Pulp Mill Records
Same could be said about this tape. It's amusing when mr. Ames Sanglantes ( & AKITSA!) talks in latest Noisextra about Hermit, how influential it was. He casually mentions that Merzbow was like Madonna compared to Hermit. Check out the episode so you know the context to know why he says that. I can fully agree in that. Back then it seemed as if a lot of the bigger bands were in so different league. Merzbow putting out 3000 copies digipak on Relapse around the time when Hermit put out "Logic Bomb", which still today sells for 3-5 euro price... It is by no means best Hermit. But what is? I recall asking that question while ago being impressed by re-listing Hermit/Facialmess split tape. This tape is way more primitive. It is like experiments what can be done with overdriving sounds to tape deck. No fancy efx. No editing. Often seems like internal feedback-loops, slowed down vinyl records, a bit of delay pedal here and there. I suspect no amps, no multilayering. This is what makes sounds so brutal. So dirty and ugly. It's true industrial-noise waste, coupled with declarations against copyright, against institutions of society and demand for human society to be destroyed. Unpleasant and difficult stuff - to be understood as positive attributes!
B-side is live gig, which leans far more to free-improv meets noisecore meets industrial noise loops. That stuff is pretty useless except for small fragments of intentsity.

HERMIT "Pirate Utopias" tape
Beyond The Sector Productions
It is so long ago, I can't rememer who operated Beyond The Sector Productions. Mid 90's, Finland, Rovaniemi city. This is 3rd release of label, that started with compilation tape including curious mix of bands. Cosmonauts Hail Satan (uk cult band!), KLV (finnish noisecore with Reverend Bizarre members), Pakeni (finn death metal), Yesmeansyes (finn noisecore) and so on... Pirate utopias is partly different stuff than the split tape under same title on Pulp Mill. Instead of their split partner, Finnish version of this tape includes another side with another Hermit live. How many copies exists in the world? I doubt many! If the split tape version is owned by 1 guy in discogs, this tape is not even listed there. Finnish version looks far better. Ruins on front cover with Hermit logo and that unique typewriter text he used. Finnish label added antifa banners and label infos inside J-card.
A-side is partly really good. Brutal power electronic songs almost match early Con-Dom. Then suddenly its almost like amateurish punk version of Swans. Then goofy improv type. A-side is recorded by Jason Flower, who was in Mexican Power Authority. Some tracks are brilliant. Others... so so.
Live set on b-side recorded in anarchist gathering, includes partly really good tracks and then total failyres. Long speeches between songs and eventually after set ends, rest of the C-60 side is filled with interview with someone enthusiastic about aiding poor, biking, bike worshops, alternative lifestyles etc.
If one would edit this tape down to 20 minutes, it could be great tape. Would it be *HERMIT*... well, I guess it would lose the hit & miss, everything goes, anarchist d.i.y. feel partly if you tune it to easily consumed good music release.

[ConcreteMascara]

Kazumoto Endo / Crack Fierce - Split 7" - United Syndicate
Got this one recently through Scream & Writhe's sale of someone's very nicely curated private collection. Not cheap but I figured it'd be worth the $ and it is. Endo almost never fails to my ears but this has to be some of his very best material. I mean just absolutely harsh, cut-up perfection. so good it demands instant replays. Crack Fierce has a pretty difficult bar to meet and sort of ignores it all together by providing 5+ minute blast of heavy noise. Not MSNP crunchy or full on wall, but somewhere between the two. I like it, but it really feels like a palate cleanser before repeating Endo's side.

Tattered Syntax - Alone Gone CD - Oxen
This one came as recommendation from Matt Boettke at Dead Gods. Funny enough, he couldn't remember if it was a Japanese artist or just sounded like one, but had I known this is one of the dudes from clipping. I probably never would have listened to it since I don't like clipping. at all. but this very clean, fairly spastic harsh noise. cut-up for sure, but lacking the intensity of Endo/Killer Bug, the diseased vibes of Sickness or the hatefulness of Encephalophonic. It feels closer to what an AI would produce, as it's seemingly devoid of any dark thematic element or trendy aesthetic hook. the compositions are generally strong, the sounds super crisp. it's hard not to like it. if you fuck with cut-up and computer glitch music from the 2000-2005 era then this is for you.

otherwise this hot weather has me reaching for all of my Finnish noise rock records, the previously mentioned Throat but also Baxter Stockman, Fun!, and Hebosagil. realized last night I never did hear that 2nd Baxter Stockman album so that needs to be corrected soon.

[Andrew McIntosh]

For whatever reasons Hermit was one of the first Nose projects I ever heard (on Ulex's "Noise Kills" radio show). In fact, only one track, "Burn it All Fucking Down", which has remained one of my favourite titles. A series of looped distortion crunches. No idea what it's from. For first exposure to Noise it wasn't a bad start.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Kazumoto Endo / Crack Fierce - Split 7" - United Syndicate

About decade ago I was visitin Omega Point store in Tokyo. Went through 7" bins and there was 3 copies of this 7". I had never seen it before, and now someone was selling it... I recall maybe 100-300jpy each (like 1-3 euro each). For a while I thought I should be them all, but decided to take just one and leave someone else do the same discovery as I did. Great 7"!

[bitewerksMTB]

Skin Graft ‎– Enemy LP (Alien Passengers)

Wonderful Harsh noise. There is nothing to complain about this record but one side is better than the other. It's the side that starts with distorted metal destruction then turns into creepy as fuck voice fragments which are edited with abrupt bits of silence then acoustic metal/junk sounds of someone doing something all backed by a typical death industrial synth drone. Slowly it all becomes more distorted.  Recommended for that side alone and it's less than $10 on Discogs, limited to 250 copies. Anyone have a clue what the cover art is? Kinda looks like scars...? The other side has a lot of feedback & heavily distorted sounds but there's a lot of little interesting details going on, as well.  The creepy work is what I wanted the SG/Murderous Vision cd to be. Unfortunately, it failed. Slow moving, weird acoustic-noise from SG & death industrial electronics from MV...

Linekraft – Engineering Analysis Of Inner Death LP (Hospital)

Can't say that I cared much for most of this release. I have "Delusional Disorder" cd & like that quite a bit but the Hospital LP just doesn't seem consistent. Too many sounds stopping & starting or something. Almost feels like a release from a newcomer; could be I just expected something that it's not (heavy electronics with pounding junk metal) & it
needs another listen without any expectations...