N. - Autofagia 4LP box
Italian cult post mortem electronics, maybe once again overlooked project? Autofagia came out originally in 1998 on Slaughter Productions as 4 tape set. Material is very dead synth ambience/industrial, even more dead than Atrax Morgue. There's no active modulation of the sound, but more subtle, has slight variations. Sometimes extremely low frequencies humming away, and there's also higher frequencies with more modulation. Volume is quite essential when listening to this to dig up all the sounds, some sounds are only thinly heard, and next song shreds your speakers with high pitched squeals. I danced around quite long to wheter get this box on or not, glad I did. What I love about Atrax Morgue is even more amplified here, the soundtrack of the morgue. Last electric impulses pulsing in the nervous system and fittingly the last song on the box sounds like it's just an unplugged instrument cord, ran through pedals, unplugging the patient. As "Autofagia" medical term means, self-devouring. The patient is slowly self-devouring itself, until nothing remains.
Death Squad tour books
Both books are excellent insight to touring life. And they both serve as interesting, and intentional (?) opposites for each other. As first book is man on a mission, Self-annihilation Tour, driving through America in solitude. Collecting thoughts on long drives, paranoia while looking for a place to park the car for sleep, various other struggles while on road for so long. A true testament of determination. Grey colour scheme of the book also adds to the atmosphere. Bleak and desolate. While the second book has also parts from Europe, and traveling with other artists. This adds a great elements in the recollections because there is several other guys perspective of the same events of the gig nights and days between. It's not about desolate noise warrior anymore, but more of desolate group of noise warriors on a strange continent. Colour scheme this time is bright tones of red, reflects the unexpected nature of the tour, odd happenings and otherwordly atmospheres at times, cutting himself night after night. Book also has the end of Death Squad, Michaels feelings about that, which I find very interesting. Such an intense project that had ran it's natural course. Both books include CD's with audio footage which are exceprt from radio shows, live gigs and interviews which greatly adds the immersion, you are actually kind on road with Death Squad. Great releses which are high value for the price if you ask me.