PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[Zeno Marx]

PHBTK - Verfall / Melachoir 2011 reissue of 1988 and 1989 tapes - talk about a successful, great collaborations and fantastic listen from start to finish.

[MT]

Cloama - "Embargoed" CD
Haven't seen any writing about this album, then again Cloama isn't exactly a flavour of the week type of material. It doesn't invite you, or give notice that new material is out. Cloama walks on the strange sidepaths of industrial world, often creating soundscapes that differs altogether from other artists. "Revisionist Knowledge" is probably the easiest album to get into Cloama, but you are quite quickly abondoned after that. No more spoon feeding tasty industrial grit, but you are left alone in the strange world of Cloama. "Embargoad" has tracks recorded in a span of 7 years, but they all have alike sound. Guitar drones, hypnotic bass, and metal treated in a way where the sound is slowly extracted from the element. It's not relentless bashing around but more operating the metal, creating mechanical sounds and more subtle tingles. At times like raindrops on a roof, other times like men operating an old factory with machinery gears. Album closes out with an elegy called "Tear". Song itself has quite simple structure but it has a melancholic feeling to it. The pulsating synth reminds me of dying shooting stars, or a starship control circuits failing out. Operatic vocals are a cherry on top. Very unique closing track, to a very unique album. Certainly not for everyone, but I would recommend everyone to at least give it a try.


Testicle Hazard - "Kiki & Kastor" CD
Latest CD of this mad harsh noise duo. Overall solid work, but was maybe expecting a bit more warmer sound, like Python in a Bowl. This has more precise, cutting sound to it. A lot of color, a lot of variation in sound, everything you'd want from a noise album. But I was missing a bit of that warm low end roar, or maybe I didn't listen loud enough? But neverthless a solid album, once again.

[Baglady]

MOGAO - A Mass Meditation CD (Freak Animal, 2021)
Jesus christ. I had a good feeling about this album, but I didn't expect to be floored from the start. A one man unit stirring up chaos of the Incapacitants/Testicle Hazard/etc vein. And yeah, that's the closest I'll get to describe this thing; take the dizzying controlled chaos of the two latest Testicle Hazard albums, cross it with some of the tectonic plate-shaking of Incapacitants and add heaps of personality and, well, joy!, and this is what you get. Absolutely fantastic album. Just like Savage Gospel did last year, this disc instills hope. Noise can move forward, there's still new sounds, new madnesseseses.
That the cover art looks like a mutilated version of Killdozer's Twelve Point Buck is a beautiful bonus.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Hard to say how many "has it" and how many at distros, but about 100 is sent out so far. I dont need or want items to sell out fast. 5 years wait, no prob! Mogao just started out and prior to cd made like handful of copies of self made tape. Couple comp tracks and after cd was recorded perhaps even more amazing split tape with Moozzhead (narcolepsia, check that out!). I am confident that people will notice new band when its time for it. It may not make it to many top lists of 2021 yet, as people are yet to hear, but in couple years some may be complaining how to hell one can find this - just like happened with HÖH cd...

I think those who have been wanting to hear new kind of "noise", could discover things from currently active Finn noise scene. KSNK has always been unique. MOGAO each release so far seems to be better than you hear last time. Moozzhead is just pure bliss of pedal noise done unlike a lot of things one thinks as "pedal noise". H.Ö.H. Might not be utterly HARSH all the time, but I count it in noise.  Amek-Maj has been doing recordings where its all noise, but there is no template, there is no exact style. Different approach every time. YANA the same thing. Sometimes sheer noise, but not always. UMPIO has put out a lot of things so people may not catch up all, but I'd recommend to do so little by little! Releases have difference compared to eachother and most of all, different to a lot of noise out there. If you liked new tape on Satatuhatta, you'll dig the latest CD on Freak Animal or the notch older stuff that came out on Russian label with difficult name to type correctly, haha.
Tyhjä Pää has been doing very unique highly electric harsh noise. One can check for example Kolari compilation where he triumphs. So many things happening, but being like wall of harsh noise. Makes me think of DDDD/Therminosis/Ministry of -era Incapacitants, but MORE hectic and busy.
On latest Terässinfonia compilations (3 and 4 ) there is plenty of Finn HARSH noise too, but also noise that is not all just harsh blast. It may sound as if honking my own horn here, but really I just picked the cherries into compilations, all artists responsible for their greatness.

If one picks up 5 parts of KOLARI cd series and 4 parts of Terässinfonia, there is pretty good coverage, but not complete, of Finnish noise at 2020'ish.

[murderous_vision]

Is anyone carrying Terässinfonia 3&4 in the USA?

[absurdexposition]

Is anyone carrying Terässinfonia 3&4 in the USA?

I have copies here. Media Mail shipping to USA https://www.screamandwrithe.com/

[Soloman Tump]

Wince - "Traum" CD
What a weird harsh noise album. At first when I put this in my player I thought the CD was broken! Just this low hiss for minutes, but after checking from other sources I realised this is how it's supposed to be. Traum takes awhile to grow on you, first song is mostly mid volume hiss with subtle changes undernearth the textures, so to speak. Then it sort of explodes on your face suddenly. Luckily I did not have my speakers too loud at this point. Overall very challenging album for me, lenght is just perfect, 40 minutes. But this certainly needs some attention while listening, not an easy type of relentless noise blasting, but more like the sound is stalking the listener and taking no prisoners when the time comes.

This was the album that got me back listening to noise when it was released. The shifts in intensity and the layers buried below actually made me realise that there could be more to noise, with more interesting compositions and production levels than the stuff I had previously listened to. 

[AKTI Records]

Flies Inside The Sun - Flies Inside The Sun CD

One of my all time favorite release from NZ improv scene. Ethereal at times, but overall atmosphere is freakout-ish and introverted. A fever dream of some sorts. Seen by some as the side project of the more traditional and slightly more known Dadamah, but oh boy! This CD is improvisation at its best. Constant risk taking and unbelievable hive mindism.

Kartio - Sähkömusiikki CSx2

P.D steps into the world of musique concrete and damn he takes the step impressively. With samples from unindentifiable classical music, modular synthesis fuckery and reel-to-reel manipulation Dassum nods of to the greats of avantgarde (Xenakis and Schaeffer especially come to my mind while listening to this) with the agressive style that is familiar to those who have listened to his projects Umpio and Häkki. Aesthetically unique and most welcome act in Finland.

[WCN]

Wince - "Traum" CD
What a weird harsh noise album. At first when I put this in my player I thought the CD was broken! Just this low hiss for minutes, but after checking from other sources I realised this is how it's supposed to be. Traum takes awhile to grow on you, first song is mostly mid volume hiss with subtle changes undernearth the textures, so to speak. Then it sort of explodes on your face suddenly. Luckily I did not have my speakers too loud at this point. Overall very challenging album for me, lenght is just perfect, 40 minutes. But this certainly needs some attention while listening, not an easy type of relentless noise blasting, but more like the sound is stalking the listener and taking no prisoners when the time comes.

This was the album that got me back listening to noise when it was released. The shifts in intensity and the layers buried below actually made me realise that there could be more to noise, with more interesting compositions and production levels than the stuff I had previously listened to. 

I feel it's not so often that people listen to this album (or Shame) in the way I intended them to, so I really appreciate reading comments like this.

[MT]

My ongoing series of Cloama reviews continues...

Cloama - "At The Mountains of Paranoia" CD
I like to think of this album as an more crude sibling of "Embargoed". Instead of subtle sound, this has harsh guitar walls, distorted vocal work and lots of metal sound treatment. Has some really intense low tones at times, and at times if floats around at the mountains of paranoia, yet always has this dense feeling and sense of dread in the air. Lyrics are provided in the booklet that somewhat opens up the world full of paranoia. But for me the absolute highlight of the album is the closing track "Transforma Delle Maschere", here the album changes mood totally, to a beautiful elegy, once again. Second Cloama release to have this operatic ending track. This one takes the cake by far. Drum sound pounding certain rhythm, and lots of carefully treated metal sounds with utmost delicacy, on top beautiful operatic vocals layered on top of each other. I had to spin this track like four times before I was satisfied. Remarkable.

Cloama - "s/t" CD
This was the first Cloama release I bought after getting 'Manual of Diagnosis' and 'Dogs of Total Order' from STROM.ec. I was expecting the punchy brutality, harsh vocals and industrial grittiness since I had heard some of 'Revisionist Knowledge' as well. But Neuroscan distro didn't have that, so I got this. And boy was I taken by a surprise to meet electro-acoustic soundscape, consisting of instruments and sounds I still have no idea what they are. Cover images for some reason always gave me the feeling of Chernobyl, toxic waste water with twisted metal spiraling in the water. But I think this is not what the artist meant. But later thinking this isn't such a weird release in Cloama history, just another brave leap to unknown waters. At the time I was disappointed, but nowdays I really appreciate this release.

[burdizzo1]

Sarin Snow "Mighty Blood" LP
Good, sturdy industrial ambient structures. Not in-your-face, but enveloping all the same. Sometimes a little too restrained; my favourite track was probably 'Twilight Aegis', which has a bit more of an edge. Still, very nice from Fusty Cunt!

[MT]

Cloama - "Halveksin Kuolemaa" CD
I belive this is among the early stages of Cloama, released in 2000, reissued by Industrial Recollections in 2018. One might say this is a marriage between dark ambient and industrial, songs have clear structure with synth sounds buzzing and elements of metal clonks, synth hisses and such are used to spice up the atmosphere. Some songs have vocals/sample, in the background, not screaming but more like dictating words. Overall the release has an oppressive overtone, at times feels a bit like sitting in a factory where machiens are hummin around you and occasionally something makes a screech. There are themes on the album that hint toward control over man, military forces etc. Up to listener how to interpret them, I am certainly not the best at figuring out. Last track is a bonus track recorded in 2015, but it varies very little from the original material. 15 years of time difference yet able to capture that same atmosphere. Excellent.

[MT]

Cloama - "Neuroscan Organization/Blood Illumination" CD
CD combines an LP release and a tape release. Neuroscan organization starts with "Tuhkajumala" which is a massive orchestral industrial piece, with occasional strings and horns. Title track "Neuroscan Organization" is classic Cloama/Strom sound, layers of synth driven with a rhythmic beat, clocks over 10 minutes and it goes by in a flash, fantastic track. Curiously there's a live track with two songs. You'd never guess this is a live recording, sound is impeccible. Repeating samples, synths roaring and slow pounding rhythm. "Blood Illumination" part starts with extremely roaring synths take sound like a looming destruction coming over the horizon, spiced up with beats that sound like a bombardment! Super tasty synth sound that makes me smile, that perfect low pitch that makes you go "fuuuuck!" Part two on other hand starts with a piercing sound that is accompanied by even higher sounding shards of synth, some sounds morph into sounding like distant bells. Overall atmospheric release as Cloama stuff tends to be, this time more darker tones with raw approach.

Cloama - "Revisionist Knowledge" CD
The most raw of Cloamas recordings, Revisionist Knowledge. Pure death industrial sound of finest tradition. Analog, gritty, powerful and mean as fuck. Harsh vocals to top all the goodness. "Disease Eradiction" has always been my favorite Cloama song, and this approach, live with studio PA brings so much to the sound. Has this ugly power to it, yet it is executed with utmost precision and reason. Tracks from 4 to 7 are studio works, rawness of the first three songs is still there, not as relentless but still churning away. Dirty, slowly moving soundwave twirls and swirls, and commanding vocals are raining upon the listener. Another highlight is the two part "Degraded Throught Steganography", first part is an oppressive piece moving forward with might and force. Parts two is an onslaught that gives the listener a full service of ripping synth sounds and rippling feedback. Last track is another visit the live studio approach that finishes the record off in fierce fashion. For me "Revisionist Knowledge" is still the best one, cause it was my first introduction, and always has that special place. A definite classic in Finnish industrial/power electronics canon.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Actually two first Cloama are the most hardest. 1st tape and 1st CDR and pure harsh noise. Very few probably have them, but especially the CDR would be strong still now, 1999. I will try to get the rare 90's Finn noise podcast done in 2022, and some clips from this CDR should be on it.

[MT]

Always been very curious about these early harsh noise works. I have a dealer where I can at least get to hear one of these tapes.