Deterge – One for the Gipper (2018, No rent)
Ronald Reagan. Power Electronics. Only Deterge could think of such combination, and yet conceive such a behemoth of an album based on his (in)famous speeches and ideology. First track sets the menacing climate with kaleidoscopic beats fluctuating beneath lines of harsh, but not too loud, feedback noises that sparsely build up and give away. Can't Invest a Food stamp employs Nicole 12-esque whispered vocals that yield such a tension that explodes as the track progresses, transforming into Industrial-paced devastating beats and savage vocal delivery. They morph into riff-like progressions which make the song a lot structured and more pallable, albeit not a minute less sour. Tax, Regulate, Subsidize holds a repetitive motif which was pleasant to be listened to by itself, not least with a narrow, sharp thrill sustaining electronic riffs which are played here and there: Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.. EBT Sacrament has distorted melodies quite reminiscent of Prurient's Cocaine Death-era, but far too dry to be heard as an atmospheric, darkwave-inspired synth gimmick. Laissez-faire '18 is leviathan-like enormous and has one of the best, most menacing vocals I've ever heard on PE.
You will never understand my motives, reads the project official description. Surely, I don't – yet this only heightens its unbridled sincerity through genuine artistic approach and expert musicianship. It's difficult to highlight where exactly this album aims at – whether it would be, rationally speaking, a laudation of such politics, or fierce criticism of it. It doesn't matter; after all true experiences maniphest once all ideological and logical barriers are shattered. Such endeavors can be found on music and ritualistic behavior, and it's understandable that Noise listeners alike have this conscious intention when putting a record on the player. Regardless of one's intentions, the overwhelming power of music can only be fulfilled through genuine sincerity and passion. I guess it's safe to say at this moment, even if it sounds counterintuitive with what I just pointed at, how tamed and lame are most liberal and progressive-minded efforts at creating protest art. An album like this one puts them to shame, without having any pre-established thought pattern outlined. Thinking about Regan as the target for music would surely yield such downgraded endeavors and cliché statements in a mostly mainstream perspective that listening to Deterge really goes to show how far from artistic creativity those (who think they are) politized loudmouths truly are. Sorry for the digression.
Prurient – Class Ring (2024, Hospital Productions)
Once again, Dominick manages to shock me for the insane number of subjects he touches with his music. C0lumbine (don't know why I'm censoring this word, but have read a lot words put in this manner while perusing the forum, thus I'm doing so) has always fascinated me, and I've always been eager to listen to a PE/Noise album based on such events. Sadly, this one just doesn't quite do much for me – at least not when compared to other Prurient releases which are plain cathartic and monolithic. The album seems to be based upon aural descriptions of the school places through which the two teenagers wondered during their, eh, plight. I can safely imagine being a tormented student on this same school nowadays, and walking through such places while experiencing an unease brought forth by the spiritual density present therein. Roof is really good, and has pulsating low-pitched frequencies. A sinister tone is established. Quite a heterogeneous pack of sounds, all instrumental – no samples or vocals, and it's quite pleasant to here, but ends up leaving a taste for more. Terror Cell Unit's "Dedicated..." comes to mind, although the musical delivery and themes are quite differentiated. But that's basically it – maybe if the album was shorter, it would be better.
Perhaps it had to be this way.
To imagine a sample-filled Deathpile-like exploitation of the subject matter would certainly produce interesting and pleasant outcomes; but thinking about it, to produce the main theme in such an elliptic and cryptic manner suits Dominick's musical affairs just right.
Painless City – You Can't Kill me, I'm Blessed... (2026, Hospital Productions)
Further enhancing the originality of PE, the concept of the following two albums seems to centered around the police world. And again, different than exploiting angst-ridden protest territories, the releases, instead, offer new grounds to wander through. With a haunting, somber atmosphere, and a mechanical sense of unease, we are thus offered a peak at the nightly underground of the urban world. Sirens, police radio calls, screams mark such place. Notwithstanding excellent handling of gorgeous low frequencies and textures, it still does leave me a flavor for more. Track #2 makes use of the famous amelodic feedback riff motif, being repeated all over a slithering wall of distorted white noise – now that's the perfect aural device for the creation of unending apprehension, fear, and unease; feelings which pulsate throughout the entire release. Best Coffee NYC has some pretty nasty feedback work, alongside oscillating metaljunk paraphernalia – all excellently handled. Las track is my favorite, on account of its dry, piercing sounds being all over the place, and the addictive noise which is present, for example, at the 0:30 mark – cant' describe it any other way than dentist drill-feedback; you know, that PE-ish sound that goes down and up like.. WEEEoooouuh---EEEEN.
Painless City – Christmas Bonus (2024, Hospital Productions)
Wait, was '24 already two years ago? Nevermind; it seems as if time just passes by haphazardly once you're bored of life. Anyways, another great release from this band – not amazing, but indeed satisfying. Drill noises, cacophonous low and high-pitched sonic mess, amelodic aural devastation, repetitive samples. One again we're in the cop world, as violent and confrontational as can be; albeit from a quite genuine approach and interesting dynamics. Fuck you, fuck your mother!. Track #2 has addictive sounds that morph into a gigantic cachaos-phonie. Now that's a must. That way those samples are repeated definitely remind me of the way Con-dom or GO handles them.
