PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[implementsofsacrifice]

HEAT SIGNATURE - Altered States Of Warfare CD (Found Remains, 2020)
The previous disc, Dehumanization In Progress, and the self-released tape from 2016 were superb, so my expectations were very high when I first put this on. I did fear, just a little, that this new disc would be just more of the same. I just didn’t see where they could go from something as incredibly thick and chokingly dense as last years CD. Turns out the way forward was to make it less dense (duuuh), to carefully loosen the bolts and separate the cogs just a tiny bit. Et voila! Although Dehumanization... had several tracks as well, it flowed seamlessly like one long face-in-the-mud piece. On Altered States... the now more loose and rickety machinery gives each track more character of its own, the earthy explosive crunch more space to charge and clash with the mindwarping tape-stretch and the electronic squeal and screech, and more oxygen for the desperate howls to soar above the sonic trenches. And speaking of the sounds themselves, they’re more finely chiselled this time, but with the surfaces kept frayed and rough. Another wise move is the treacherously ”calm” piece Dosed Adrenal Glands halfway through the disc, offering a relative pause from the mayhem. In short; more depth, more drama.
I love how Luke and Brad have sortof jumped back in time with Heat Signature, to the mid 90’s for a ”fresh start”, and started to stake out a path of their own from there, but not to lazily stick around but to move forward. And this is a big step further down that path. Easily their best, and that’s not a small achievement given how incredible the previous album was.

I couldn't agree more. I'll add that, while I think there is something to be said about an album "flowing seamlessly", the fact that tracks being distinct or separate from one another is considered remarkable speaks volumes as to how muddy and washed out harsh noise can often be. An element of "spaciousness" is certainly welcome. This release really shines in that you can actually hear everything... their best yet!

[Baglady]

HEAT SIGNATURE - Altered States Of Warfare CD (Found Remains, 2020)
Although Dehumanization... had several tracks as well, it flowed seamlessly like one long face-in-the-mud piece.

I couldn't agree more. I'll add that, while I think there is something to be said about an album "flowing seamlessly", the fact that tracks being distinct or separate from one another is considered remarkable speaks volumes as to how muddy and washed out harsh noise can often be. An element of "spaciousness" is certainly welcome. This release really shines in that you can actually hear everything... their best yet!

Yeah, that is true. Anyone, or many at least, can crank out great textures. But to make memorable and dynamic harsh noise with qualities of its very own is something else. But the "seamless flow" of the last HS album was definitely a positive thing. Not sure if that came through as I'm not a native english speaker/writer.

[Baglady]

And speaking of the dandy Mr Tandy...

HARNESS - Encased In Marble / Wrapped In Roots CD (Throne Heap, 2020)
You don't hear or read much about Harness (Shane Church and Luke Tandy), and it's a shame. Very far from what they're usually up to, especially in Tandy's case. I haven't been on board from day one, but the four or five releases I've picked up are all brilliant, each one better than the last. Encased.../ Wrapped... is a delirious slow nighttime stray. Loss of balance, blurred visions, intoxicants, phantoms and ghouls, moldering headstones and strong hashish. No grave left unlooted. It occupies a space somewhere inbetween the better works of One Dark Eye and more contemporary tape wizards such as Darksmith and Altar Of Flies. But Tandy and Church are usually more hellbent for the harsh, and you can hear how they're struggling not to turn every knob to eleven. They do crank it at times, threatening to blow things to pieces, but they always come to their senses, adding yet another element of unstable tension besides the eerie sounds themselves and the brilliant composition. A heinous act, this album. Buy it!

[Duncan]

KODAK FIRE - DRAIN WASTE VENT (2018, C/Site Recordings)

Great recommendation. New on me and very enjoyable

[NaturalOrthodoxy]

KODAK FIRE - DRAIN WASTE VENT (2018, C/Site Recordings)

HN from the mind of plumber, or construction worker could be an apt description...

Checking this out right now based on this sentence alone. Something about the idea of dripping pipes, rusting beams, crawlspace untouched by humans since construction, miles of disgusting human fluid underneath civilised settlements... sort of speaks to some inherently 'industrial' ideas.

This is indeed a fantastic release. Keeps you guessing, keeps moving, never too static nor too spastic. excellent stuff.

[Zeno Marx]

I was listening to the Insomnia Vol.2 comp 1988 today because the Hunting Lodge tracks have recently been reissued on LP/CD.  Only made it a track or two into Hunting Lodge because I got so fixated on the Matt Heckert track (24 minutes).  The Greater Than One tracks are also very good, but here's this name I've never heard.  Early industrial experimentalism like my generation thirsted to hear.  He barely has anything showing at Discogs, yet I'm genuinely surprised I've never heard of him.  He's that good.  Then I gave his Mechanical Sound Orchestra CD 1995 a listen, which I think is the audio portion of a 1990 VHS release.  I'm not 100% certain about that.  If you are into Vivenza and early pure industrialism, he might be worth your time.  Some of it ventures into more musical, dare say theatrical rhythmic territory, ala early Esplendor Geometrico, but for the most part, it's wonderful machinated sound.

This is a perfect example of why I hate to pass up old compilations posts on blogs.  There would need to be 72 hours in a day to listen to them all, but when I run into listener's block, there's nothing like them.

*looks like I've had my head in the sand.  Some nice write-ups about him, his machine(s), and performances.

[masoncharnel]

If discussion emerges, I may split to different topic, but:
This is something I am very curious of. There are handful of tour reports or interviews covering western noise artists playing in Japan ... but how it is nowadays? Of course not meaning right now, but before virus. How is the gig culture? How is the underground culture? Been in Japan few times, from 2005 onwards, but last visit was almost 10 years ago. You could gradually see that less specialist UG shops, venues. Less unusual stuff in record stores, book shops etc. Every time visiting, formerly existing things closing down meanwhile... Still there is something in Japan that makes me want to travel (to even play). Most western countries barely have the lure, when its just the same as going to Helsinki or something, hah...

Have not read any reports of how it is like to play there now? Anyone played there in recent years? Now got to listen CCCC live recordings and Mason Jones in Japan and have perhaps unrealistic visions of how it must have been pre-internet vivid physical underground... I hope some podcast would cover mr. Jones adventures in same enthusiasm as he did on his own magazine. Recap the seemingly good times!

Thanks for the mention, and it's an interesting question. I haven't been able to get to Japan to play shows in a few years, so I am very overdue to visit again. The last few times I've gone it's still been similar to the past, but it seems as though there are fewer live houses and fewer people to contact who can help organize shows. Some of the great artists are still doing it (Astro, etc) but it's not as active as it was.

There's an upcoming Noisextra podcast that includes me talking about some of the early tours there! It was extremely active back then but of course still the audiences were never very large...although they were all very interested and enjoyable.

[[MBD]]

KRANIVM - The Brighter Edge Of Death

Such a classic. Dark ambient at it's height of oppression and uneasy atmospheres, mixed with the twisted and brilliant sounds only Marco could conjure.  The album does all the talking.

[Bruitiste]

If discussion emerges, I may split to different topic, but:
This is something I am very curious of. There are handful of tour reports or interviews covering western noise artists playing in Japan ... but how it is nowadays? Of course not meaning right now, but before virus. How is the gig culture? How is the underground culture? Been in Japan few times, from 2005 onwards, but last visit was almost 10 years ago. You could gradually see that less specialist UG shops, venues. Less unusual stuff in record stores, book shops etc. Every time visiting, formerly existing things closing down meanwhile... Still there is something in Japan that makes me want to travel (to even play). Most western countries barely have the lure, when its just the same as going to Helsinki or something, hah...

Have not read any reports of how it is like to play there now? Anyone played there in recent years? Now got to listen CCCC live recordings and Mason Jones in Japan and have perhaps unrealistic visions of how it must have been pre-internet vivid physical underground... I hope some podcast would cover mr. Jones adventures in same enthusiasm as he did on his own magazine. Recap the seemingly good times!

Thanks for the mention, and it's an interesting question. I haven't been able to get to Japan to play shows in a few years, so I am very overdue to visit again. The last few times I've gone it's still been similar to the past, but it seems as though there are fewer live houses and fewer people to contact who can help organize shows. Some of the great artists are still doing it (Astro, etc) but it's not as active as it was.

There's an upcoming Noisextra podcast that includes me talking about some of the early tours there! It was extremely active back then but of course still the audiences were never very large...although they were all very interested and enjoyable.

Looking forward to hearing that!  I remember highly enjoying reading your tour diaries in Ongaku Otaku.

[ConcreteMascara]

Xenonics K-30 - Automated CD - Ad Noiseam, 2002 - I think I picked this up in 2009 if not earlier and it's been a long road to loving it, but I think I can say I'm there now. I was already a big Converter fan at that point and was put off on early listens by how raw and unpolished everything sounds and the lack of any kind of faster rhythms. And it's not particularly reminiscent of NTT either. It's a weird middle ground of heavy, caustic sounds slamming (mostly) in repetition for long periods. none of the dynamics from either artist show up in their normal way, but over the many years I've come to enjoy the giant slabs of sound for what they are instead of what they aren't. The first three tracks are the heaviest of the bunch reminding me the slightest bit of Exit Ritual by Converter at times. The brash crudeness is charming, even though it takes some getting used to. The second half drops more into sound-scape-y territory, while still remaining relatively thick and unpolished. Reminds me a bit at times of Seekness's Devious Destiny, but the acid lines never appear. As a final note, I just rewatched Death Machine for the first time in two decades and was able to spot at least one sample here from that movie. Always wondered and now I know. Anyways, if you want something less sophisticated than NTT or Converter, something more brutish and monotonous, I can recommend this. But meet the album on its own terms. It was extremely slow to really grow on me, but having heard it so many times over the years it really feels right now.

[TS]

KRANIVM - The Brighter Edge Of Death

Such a classic. Dark ambient at it's height of oppression and uneasy atmospheres, mixed with the twisted and brilliant sounds only Marco could conjure.  The album does all the talking.

Yeah. Might be a controversial opinion but I prefer KRANIVM to Atrax Morgue. The KRANIVM cassette box by Urashima gets played a lot around here.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Kiran Arora "Glare" tape on Skeleton Dust. Very good. Could this be also example of tape being very very good, a bit more relaxed from CD? New CD, no complaints whatsoever, but this tape, feels like could be even better?
Ultimastanza "A Jewel In A Dunghill" tape, Lebenslinie label tape, which is probably just the maze of aliases of mr. "Lily Vice"? Japanese noise, with darker industrial feel, despite remaining "just noise".
Holy Family Parish "accf" tape, mid 2000's guitar noodling and drones, in a good was. Hospital prod. Butterly case series.
I can promise, I will NEVER learn to write Ahlzagailzehguh without looking name from release cover. Way more straight foward harsh noise here. B-side shitty dub missing one channel of sound. High speed dubber click & pops here any there anyways...
Black Sand Desert "Lesson of darkness" tape, noisy and dark, yet not totally trad harsh noise.

Richard Garet "areal" CD. Listened 3 times this week. One long piece, almost an hour. Always slowly moving somewhere, but never really stops. You could theoretically put bunch of track numbers through out the duration, marking significant changes of atmosphere, but then again... one track disc, why not. Really good stuff, should look into what else this guy may have done.
Building new tape shelves, just to get stuff off the floor.. been couple years things just piling up... I guess the last remaining wall space will have to be transformed into tape shelves. Now on rotation this mid 90's Bawler rec "Room Capacity" comp tape. I don't think I have given enought credit to this guy, and his label and networking energy, that was major help back in the day! Label has several good tapes. Here you will have all sorts of experimental electronics, often near noise & industrial soundscapes, but occasionally also so colorful & warm that they would never make it to "noise compilation" during later decades... Aube, End of Silence, M.Nominez, etc..

[Theodore]

I dont know much about metal, not cause i find it strange to my ears, not at all, it's just i cant afford time and money for a new interest. So every now and then when i feel 'adventurous', i just check others recommendations or bands somewhat related to noise. And this, online. Downloading. And i dont even remember / explore more the bands i liked ! I rarely buy metal stuff. So this is an exception, which i dont regret and i am glad i bought. I wanted it since i first listened it on YouTube. Released by Olsson's label Bolvark. 1993 recordings. Talking about Egregori - Angel Of The Black Abyss tape. Who is Egregori ? Copying from YouTube :

Black metal from Sundsvall, Sweden active around 1992-1994. After the group split up, the members continued working separately in projects as Blot Mine, Chambre Noir, Proiekt Hat, Setherial, Vålnad ur rymd & Wintheer.

Listen yourself : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RBD55l_lW4

There is copy for fine price on Discogs. I would say go for it !

[Euro Trash Bazooka]

I dont know much about metal, not cause i find it strange to my ears, not at all, it's just i cant afford time and money for a new interest. So every now and then when i feel 'adventurous', i just check others recommendations or bands somewhat related to noise. And this, online. Downloading. And i dont even remember / explore more the bands i liked ! I rarely buy metal stuff. So this is an exception, which i dont regret and i am glad i bought. I wanted it since i first listened it on YouTube. Released by Olsson's label Bolvark. 1993 recordings. Talking about Egregori - Angel Of The Black Abyss tape. Who is Egregori ? Copying from YouTube :

Black metal from Sundsvall, Sweden active around 1992-1994. After the group split up, the members continued working separately in projects as Blot Mine, Chambre Noir, Proiekt Hat, Setherial, Vålnad ur rymd & Wintheer.

Listen yourself : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RBD55l_lW4

There is copy for fine price on Discogs. I would say go for it !

Well, you may want to go from there and eventually check Setherial's first album, "Nord" which is a Swedish BM classic. Blot Mine's first album s cool as well but more "second-rate" (some would even say underrated.)

[FallOfNature]

(some would even say underrated.)

Absolutely. Great demo too.