It's getting cold and damp outside, good time to sit inside and listen to records.
Mania/Custodian split 12" - I'm a big fan of splits and this is a keeper. Good pairing, a nice satisfying listen. First time I've heard Custodian and I like; relentless blasting but plenty going on and it doesn't get boring. Mania side is really nice and I like the more...minimal(?) approach to parts of it. Maybe minimal isn't the right word, restrained would better. Maybe what Peterson is talking about when he says "industrial ambient". Mania is putting out some quality stuff in recent months: the 7" on F&V, this split, and now the split tape with HH (gotta get!)
IRM/Skin Area split 10" - IRM track is different from the other stuff I've heard from them (Red Album). For the most part, it's a long undulating drone piece with an exotic touch. I didn't expect this: cymbals/gongs, chimes, and horns over a foundation of throbbing bass pulse. Picks up in intensity with some brief vocals and then slinks off into the darkness. Good track. Skin Area seems like nice droning background music but nothing great. The bass/guitar/drums/horn freakout at the end grabbed my attention but quickly lost it again. Overall a weird and decent release, but not something I see myself coming back to regularly.
Bereft - Tough Man 7" - Opens with a piercing high frequency that leads into some vocals + microphone feedback. Bass buzzing of a raw cable occasionally cuts into the fray, and a swirling, churning blade slowly works its way into the mix to eventually take over at the end. Neat track, very dynamic. Side B is good as well, this is some well crafted stuff. I need to investigate more of this guy's material.
Sewer Goddess - Verdigris 7" - Side A is a seething and menacing cut that reminds me of Blue Sabbath Black Cheer due to the heavy down pitch shifting on the vocals. Side B picks up the pace with more aggressive tactics, use of higher frequencies, and more feminine vocals. Some interesting things buried in the muck on this side. I'm not a huge fan of death industrial because I tend to lose interest quickly, but it's good in moderation so I like this 7".
STROM.ec - Glass Cage 7" - Dirtier sound than I'm used to from these guys but I don't mind it. It's their usual beat/loop driven PE with samples but under a layer of grime. I prefer their more recent cleaner produced & more polished material, but I'm a fan of the project so of course I still like this. From the same time as Dogs of Total Order album.
Dieter Müh – Aakal 7" - Got this as a freebie in an order a while back but never listened to until now. Side A is monotonous industrial drone with a looped (vocal?) sample that starts out buried in the mix but eventually comes to the surface as the track runs its course. Kinda boring. First track on side B is dominated by a hypnotic, bouncing mid-high frequency "beat" that gets louder as the track goes on and has an ok ending. Second track has lots of layered, heavy looped and delayed vocal samples. Creates a swirling, active atmosphere. Side B > Side A.
