Cloama - "Municipality Of Marionettes" LP
Marionettes LP continues on the line of heavy guitar work and grinding feedbacks. This album has also vocals in the mix, so it gives extra harshness to it. To me this work is in the middle ground between "Mountains.." and "Embargoed". Has elements from both albums, even though the chronology of these albums must be all over the place. Highlight of this LP for me, is side B that has a live gig. Operatic vocals are present, but this time not only singing in beautiful tones but the side starts with a bone chilling scream. Everytime I hear it with proper volume, I feel my hair rise up in my arms, it's so good and terrifying at the same time. There's pulsating synths, old school'ish Cloama/Strom.EC rattle and the end of the gig gets really noisy. Recording is excellent quality and a solid proof that Cloama killed at live gigs. I saw this same formation of Cloama doing sounds and female singer doing vocals at a gig I arranged myself. Sadly I have very little of memories of it, would love to hear a recording of it some day.
Cloama - "Provokaattori" 7"
Starts with an atmospheric piece, sample looping in the background, just like on side B as well. Industrial rhythms melting with quick samples of classical instruments and synth buzzing. B-side has same recipe, but faster beat to it, almost electronic. Themes of the 7" are about Finnish POW camps, with the angle of questioning the psyche of the camp leaders and who are chosen as one.
Cloama / Mutant Ape - "Dementia" 7"
7" that deals with themes of dementia, is rather interesting. As the inner sleeve lyric sheet (?) writes: "Cognitive disassociation / is the root of all perception / fractured memories can not be united / a present tense of nightmares". Cloama side has an interesting melody to it which I cannot tell is it something I've heard before or just remembering it from this, talk about dementia. A bit somber track with yet powerful sound and that haunting melody, maybe representing the past where there is no return, not in time sense or memory sense. Mutant Ape takes listener slow moving industrial avalanche, reminding of frustration and delirious mind of a dementia patient, vocals are drenched in the mix and scatching in the background, as like hopeless screams of an dementia patient before losing your mind to the disease. Tracks ends too fast, so another spin was mandatory.
Cloama - "Death Certificate" 7"
For me the most classic Cloama 7". The acoustic power electronics 7", that has the classic Freak Animal labels on the vinyl, as well as the classic and ever frustrating antistatic vinyl bag. Holy crap those drive me insane. Anyway, the A side material is recorded acoustic with no amplifications, only using the room echo. And it is a fucking mindblowing composition, who else would think, even dare to take such an angle than Cloama! Vocals are absolutely hateful and furious, the room sound is used masterfully in the vocal sound, one could think it just can't sound good, but trust me, this is great. Easily my favorite vocals from any Cloama release, so in your face and angry as fuck, just like the sound of metal rattling and pounding. If someone is looking for an unique approach to power (non) electronics, this is your thing. B-side does not fall behind, has an nasty bassline, probably played on a bass guitar, droning sounds all over. Has this very oppressive feeling, and of course the commanding vocals relentlessly ranting. Closes out with "Sacrifice" with really intense bass booming and vocal fury. What a fucking 7"! Easily one of my all time favorites in general. Mandatory to everyone. Available dirt cheap on Discogs, so you have no excuse not to own this.
