PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[Ashmonger]

VRV - Against The Human Race (tape, self released): Different sound than usual, which is a good thing, different recording setup made this sound more harsh and filthy, other than that, it's recognizable as VRV, being drum machine Noisecore, which doesn't stop, no silence in between the tracks.

Feberdröm - To Fetter Ghosts of Atrocities (Angst, C40): Intrusion of Mortality was very good, so I was curious what this would give. Got to say, it's good, but not an immediate hit like the former tape was. Still, neat Industrial/Power Electronics, lots of beats (the good kind) and there are some vocals on this tape, though still very sparse. Overall this is minimal and very gloomy. Interesting tape, and I expect it to be a bit of a grower.

Facialmess - Market Discipline (Angst, C20): Never heard Facialmess before. Will play again, but not too much into it after a first play. It sounds to me like someone trying out his gear, lots of short parts of something, then something else, but it all goes quite slow. I prefer this kind of style when it's faster and more fucked up.

NSMRecords - Built For War sampler (CD, NSMRecords): Well, if this is the best of the Aryan crop... Most of it is pretty crappy to really bad, but some of the stuff has its charm, such as two Achtung Juden tracks (Aryan Girl is crap), Arrow Cross sounds pretty good, but they've got an anti-NSBM track on an album or something, so that's rather stupid too. Then there's some Hatecore, such as Mass Destruction, not good either, but it gets the job done, haha. Southern Storm/Runes of War - Krystal Night is pure comedy, music is still ok, but the vocals suck and the spoken word part in between the track is absolutely hilarious. This alone makes it worth to listen to the whole sampler.

Ride For Revenge - Thy Horrendous Yearning (CD, Bestial Burst): Another RFR album, pretty soon. Not much to say, you know what to expect. I was thinking RFR reminds me of Motörhead in a way: you know what to expect, but every time there are some new and/or unexpected elements and twists to the album or certain tracks.

CSMD/Sedem Minut Strachu (tape, No Fucking Labels): Don't know too much from CSMD, but it's pretty good, though the tracks on the recent Invocation of Obscene Gods comp were better. SMS sounds more or less the same as always, plus tortured violin. Makes it different, but do I really like it? Not certain. Certainly doesn't make for easy listening though...

[bitewerksMTB]

 Treriksröset / Alfarmania ‎"Så Vill Jag Älska / Obekväma Lösningar" , Fieldwork- Listened to the Treriksroset side. It is supreme harsh noise created with a contact mic & an engineer boot. Sweaty & brutal.

[Zeno Marx]

Facialmess - Market Discipline (Angst, C20): Never heard Facialmess before. Will play again, but not too much into it after a first play. It sounds to me like someone trying out his gear, lots of short parts of something, then something else, but it all goes quite slow. I prefer this kind of style when it's faster and more fucked up.

I haven't heard this one.  Maybe try some of his earlier material from the late 1990s.  It's similar in style and quality to Merzbow 1994 era.  It's longwinded and sharp.

[a_2_g_2]

Facialmess - Market Discipline (Angst, C20): Never heard Facialmess before. Will play again, but not too much into it after a first play. It sounds to me like someone trying out his gear, lots of short parts of something, then something else, but it all goes quite slow. I prefer this kind of style when it's faster and more fucked up.

I haven't heard this one.  Maybe try some of his earlier material from the late 1990s.  It's similar in style and quality to Merzbow 1994 era.  It's longwinded and sharp.

There seems to be quite some mixed thoughts on his latest release. If you want sporadic cut-up harsh noise than any of his other material is recommended. Pig Hydraulics is as cut-up as it gets, though I'm not sure if you could get it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NBJqnMFuM0

[Yrjö-Koskinen]

This was a while back, but I still hear it in my head at times. Me and a buddy sat down with a large amount of beer and a couple of oversized drinks, warmed up with Japanese Torture Comedy Hour, and then got down to the main event:

Cosmic Weapon of Thule - Aryan Unity, C90 (the actual recording is somewhat shorter, perhaps C65 or so)
While the title would lead one to expect either NSBM, or possibly "atmospheric" black metal ambient, this is something completely different. It is released on Lunar Heathen Front, a sublabel of Winter Solace Production. I noted just now that some of their releases have been advertised on this board, but not this one.

The front cover of "Aryan Unity" simply features the title and a picture of Hitler - why complicate things? Inside, it gets interesting. We find a manifesto which, while obviously ripe with heavy trolling, is pretty damn amazing. We learn that mankind and the early Hyperboreans originated in Ethiopia, "nourished by the water of the mighty Nile", that the "Zionist forces [..] even constructed the Jews to blend in with the humans" and that listening to the tape "under proper guidance" may cause one to be visited by Adolf Hitler. It then goes on to inform us that it is possible to transform oneself into the form of a disc, which the manifesto's author has done in order to abduct "several negroids" (creating South Sudan in the process), that physical cannibalism must only be practiced within one's own race (but metaphysical cannibalism, where only the spirit is absorbed, is acceptable over the race boundaries) and finally that the Lunar Heathenfront was founded after the awakening of its leader to be, Aryan Necropaedophile. There is plenty more where that came from. What the point of all of this could possibly be escapes me, but when getting slightly smashed it makes for some fine reading aloud.

Listening to this tape is an arduous process, although it has its rewards. I think the way we did it, being more than one person, may make it more bearable, though perhaps it would be possible to find more subtle and esoteric qualities in it if listening alone. I suspect that being drunk is a basic prerequisite, either way. The basic theme is a recurring beat, which can only be described as a "ploink", or possibly a "space ploink". This space ploink ploinks on for pretty much the whole tape. Layered upon this simplistic rhythm, whose BPM varies a bit, are various piano and synth lines (at least in part improvised) and at times complementary drum machine work. It is a mix of absolute monotony with almost child-like instrument abuse. The best way to describe it would be hardcore easy listening - VERY simplistic, but not at all unoriginal. Not sure if or to whom I should recommend this stuff. It is fascinating, though.

A word of warning: we were not visited by Hitler at all, just by some guy and his girlfriend. Both of whom, I might add, were expected and probably unrelated to the tape. We obviously did not have the proper guidance.

[AXNAAR]

This was a while back, but I still hear it in my head at times. Me and a buddy sat down with a large amount of beer and a couple of oversized drinks, warmed up with Japanese Torture Comedy Hour, and then got down to the main event:

Cosmic Weapon of Thule - Aryan Unity, C90 (the actual recording is somewhat shorter, perhaps C65 or so)
While the title would lead one to expect either NSBM, or possibly "atmospheric" black metal ambient, this is something completely different. It is released on Lunar Heathen Front, a sublabel of Winter Solace Production. I noted just now that some of their releases have been advertised on this board, but not this one.

The front cover of "Aryan Unity" simply features the title and a picture of Hitler - why complicate things? Inside, it gets interesting. We find a manifesto which, while obviously ripe with heavy trolling, is pretty damn amazing. We learn that mankind and the early Hyperboreans originated in Ethiopia, "nourished by the water of the mighty Nile", that the "Zionist forces [..] even constructed the Jews to blend in with the humans" and that listening to the tape "under proper guidance" may cause one to be visited by Adolf Hitler. It then goes on to inform us that it is possible to transform oneself into the form of a disc, which the manifesto's author has done in order to abduct "several negroids" (creating South Sudan in the process), that physical cannibalism must only be practiced within one's own race (but metaphysical cannibalism, where only the spirit is absorbed, is acceptable over the race boundaries) and finally that the Lunar Heathenfront was founded after the awakening of its leader to be, Aryan Necropaedophile. There is plenty more where that came from. What the point of all of this could possibly be escapes me, but when getting slightly smashed it makes for some fine reading aloud.

Listening to this tape is an arduous process, although it has its rewards. I think the way we did it, being more than one person, may make it more bearable, though perhaps it would be possible to find more subtle and esoteric qualities in it if listening alone. I suspect that being drunk is a basic prerequisite, either way. The basic theme is a recurring beat, which can only be described as a "ploink", or possibly a "space ploink". This space ploink ploinks on for pretty much the whole tape. Layered upon this simplistic rhythm, whose BPM varies a bit, are various piano and synth lines (at least in part improvised) and at times complementary drum machine work. It is a mix of absolute monotony with almost child-like instrument abuse. The best way to describe it would be hardcore easy listening - VERY simplistic, but not at all unoriginal. Not sure if or to whom I should recommend this stuff. It is fascinating, though.

A word of warning: we were not visited by Hitler at all, just by some guy and his girlfriend. Both of whom, I might add, were expected and probably unrelated to the tape. We obviously did not have the proper guidance.

The mind boggles at some of these NS releases from WS - the Nazi Yoga one was also a headscratcher.

[Dr Alex]

In my earplugs earlier today:

Dead Body Collection - Blackstar (STOLEN FROM THE INTERNETS)
Very pleasant harsh noise wall, putting the lie to the notion that HNW shouldn't be dynamic at all (something I thought was Vomir's thing, but which apparently became genre defining at some point a couple of years ago - correct me if I'm wrong). There's all sorts of clever stuff going on here, behind the wall of Danelectro Black Licoricesque noise marked by that crunch that simply never gets old. Some of it doesn't fuse with the wall in quite the fashion I'd like, but on the other hand it becomes sort of a project to figure out exactly what's going on back there. Very nice.

First, thank you for stealing my shit. ;)
"behind the wall of Danelectro Black Licoricesque" Weird! I never used that pedal.
Anyway, thank you for spending time to listen DBC.

Here:
pile of Hawkwind and Tangerine Dream.
Newest Hawkwind albums are really good! "Alien 4" and "Electric Tepee" are amazing albums!!

[Yrjö-Koskinen]

First, thank you for stealing my shit. ;)

Obviously, I would have prefered stealing an actual tape.
I'll compensate you by buying Kosmodrom as soon as it comes out.

"behind the wall of Danelectro Black Licoricesque" Weird! I never used that pedal.

It reacts very well with even just a simple feedback loops and a cheap delay, being noisy to the point of almost being a sound source in itself. It isn't really unique in any way, though (except when it comes to value for money, I bought one for like $9 in 2005, and it has survived abuse and storage under crappy conditions).

[Cementimental]

Great noise pedal, a mic thru 2 of them in a row = fun times.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

V/A UFOI III - Ways of Survival tape
Compilation tape what came out for festival. Like two parts before, it is not only for good reason and nice addition for fest, but also stands out as good compilation even as it is. I have pretty similar feelings of everybody's live sets, as I have about their contributions for the compilation. Koufar track seems so familiar, it was probably performed at the live shows. After great Black Insignia opening piece, it hardly lives up to level of rest of comp. Like at the festival, Kontinen sets strong standard and even IFOTS has trouble following that with his track. Mollusk King however, works well in studio. Good vocals, good modern PE feel to it, but also gloomy synthesizer work reminding of soundtrack influences. Magadan here is like I expected live set to be. Vibrating processed cold voice and layers of electronics. Live failed, but this track reminds there is potential. Uncodified, Keränen and Instinct Primal offer decent tracks, each different from rest.
On other side, Ke/Hil is surprisingly calm. But hardly relaxed. More suffocating and dark. Zyklon SS does very simple, almost acoustic metal junk abuse. Kevlar hits in electric and sharp power electronics.  Antivalium has almost "psychedelic" feel to synthesizers, but stays close to power electronics feel. Just less "old school". Vocals would have been good addition to this track! But if you need vocals, STAB Electronics offers it. Solid track. Compilation finishes with another Black Insignia track. Few acts are here better than usual. Others are strong. Only couple deliver something that isn't as good as I expected. This isn't really problem, as curator of compilation has clearly have few thoughts about order of tracks and they compliment eachother pretty well.

V/A SVENSK NOISE tape
Forever United
Many have pointed out Sweden has lost it's real harsh noise edge year ago. Lots of other types of stuff, but hardly any real blasting harsh head rituals. If that latest Sewer Election CD on Triangle Records was very nice return of Sewer Election back to more brutal harsh noise, then one could conclude this compilation clearly indicates there is something there. What are all these names? Real new projects? Side projects of known guys? Didn't have time to check out, but whatever the case, there are couple little lazier pieces, but most of all it is filled with very good back-to-basics harsh noise, but each have own approach to it nevertheless. Recommend for those who want to experience some good Swedish noise !

[VelvetCurtain]

Just listened to the new Gnawed 7" lathe. There are only 25 copies because good ol' Grant (who does the project) just started cutting lathes. Amazing to hear the project on a platter. Heavy, dedicated, dynamic, and crushing. Someone should do a real deal pressing for this project.

Alsom new Skin Graft on New Forces is crushing.

[Ashmonger]

Bizarre Uproar - Dekadenz (CD, Filth&Violence): Different than Amputaatio, which I liked more. The drum/metal sounds are still there in some tracks, otherwise it sounds different, more like repetitive lo-fi noise/pe (?). A friend called it more cinematic. Having vocals recorded in the house of Dutroux makes it deranged of course, especially being from Belgium and being still a kid when he was doing his thing. Cover is nice, I like that punk girl, hehe.

[Yrjö-Koskinen]

Converter - Exit Ritual (Ant-Zen)
I'm pretty specific when it comes to what I listen to in different genres. Harsh Noise, Power Electronics and Dark Ambient are my "industrial" music - I have virtually no interest in the classics, in various forms of cross-over or most other forms of industrial music. Converter's "power noise" is definitely outside my comfort zone, even if it reminds me somewhat of certain old Cold Meat bands. Either way, I have to say they made it work here. It sounds more like the score from one of the 80s Terminator movies than any kind of noise, and sometimes while listening I unwillingly see images of German goths clad in latex dancing at some club way out in the backwoods. It may be a bit too "cool" for me. Still, if I suspend the asshole cynic inside and just try to enjoy it - especially easy if I listen to it outside while walking or traveling by the disgusting and inhuman thing called "public transportation", this can work. Haven't tried it in the car yet, but I bet that's fine as well. Also, the album has a fucking hit: "Bloodsex". Silly name, and in order to have any credibility it would have to be done by someone like Bizarre Uproar (with Ravenlord on guest vocals), but it's beyond awesome. In fact, I got stuck on it and skipped through most of the rest of the album. I'm even listening to it now. Anyway, it makes me want to broaden my horizons, and maybe buy some album called something like "Power Fist - X320 Battleground"..

Revelation of the Dead Girl - Pranks and Revelation (Nihil Worship)
So, I went shopping on Bandcamp yesterday evening, and discovered this Russian label that mass produces HNW. It has a slogan boasting of "new release every day!!", but I'm not sure that is accurate, since I bought this yesterday, and it's still the latest release on the page. Anywhooo, after reading that, you can probably figure out what this is about. Harsh. Noise. Wall. Pretty much Vomir, maybe the bass rumbling goes a little off the track at times, but there will be no surprises here. Which I guess is the point. A woman's ass graces the "cover", a jpeg. No physical releases here. I'm not sure what I think about this thing where industrial/noise is devalued on purpose by mass production - it seems like consumerism in its most radical form, where art has been bereft of even monetary value. As far as I'm concerned, tape culture and noise is today more of a pre-capitalist thing, with artisan values, elitist taste and the economics of scarcity reaching an almost medieval (if somewhat artificial) level. Making shit available everywhere for almost-free used to feel like communism, but after the last 20 years of consumerism we know it's just postmodern capitalism. On the other hand, I guess there's some kind of artistic point to the mass production as well, and Revelation of the Dead Girl do produce a decent wall. If the label actually does produce a "new release every day", it would also say something about that person's dedication and fanaticism. I suppose.

Photay - Sadie EP (Astro Nautico)
Another download I bought on impulse. This is some kind of experimental dance/electronics. It's three tracks of nonsense and a summer hit, with the latter being the reason I bought it. The nonsense songs consist of some beats, some synthwork and some general feel-good ambient. Can't say I'm "feeling it", but then again, if I were prone to reacting strongly to this type of music I wouldn't be on this board. The hit song, "Monday" is a hip-hop-like electronic song which makes you think of fat, or perhaps black, people hanging out by a pool or beach in the summer, drinking. Now, I'm neither fat nor black, but I do intend to drink quite a lot this summer, so after a quick preview, this felt like an obvious buy. The only drawback is that once the soft beats and absurdly and annoyingly catchy melody have gone on for a while, for some reason they bring in vocals. And let me tell you, they sound like absolute shit. Luckily, since the music is somewhat stupid to begin with, the juvenile and largely inaudible mumbling about just waking up isn't as annoying as it could have been. If you have a few drinks in front of the computer in the evening after recording music, I suppose you could stream this just to understand what I'm on about, but from now on I'll try and stay on topic. And not just on this forum, either.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Bizarre Uproar - Dekadenz (CD, Filth&Violence): Different than Amputaatio, which I liked more. The drum/metal sounds are still there in some tracks, otherwise it sounds different, more like repetitive lo-fi noise/pe (?). A friend called it more cinematic. Having vocals recorded in the house of Dutroux makes it deranged of course, especially being from Belgium and being still a kid when he was doing his thing. Cover is nice, I like that punk girl, hehe.

Check out the punk band with that cover girl:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTQHza96GjY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKABOqbqobU

Melusaaste means "noise waste" / "noise pollution" in Finnish.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

TIED HANDS "Svek" tape
Forever United
If Svensk Noise compilation of this label was more of pure harsh noise stuff, this leans to direction more common in Sweden in recent years. Not really noise, but noisy. Raw sounds, but not aggressive. Quite abstract and sometimes add moments like something what sounds like walkman field recording of music played on street etc. Couple times listened due short length of tape, but hard to really make mind about what this really is and is it good or not.

HÄNGD "Intimt" tape
Forever United
This is much more to my liking. Industrial-noise, with rotten sound quality. It has many of the usual elements. Looped rhythms, shouting vocals, samples, oscillating fierce electronics. Sonically it is old sounding. Not plagued with sound of cheap digital gadgets, computer editing and tinny / glitchy sounds. Perhaps one could compare a little to Forza Albino, as certain spring-echo sounds and tasty "old feel" is something what isn't present in many recordings these days! I don't remember that the past works of this project would have been this good? Even with drum machine track it is good.

Perhaps there would be some point in HÄNGD anthology even with such a small output. Just like:

VON EINEM "The Von Einem tapes" 2xCD
Index Clean
Bunch of tapes came out on various small labels. Australian Mark Groves known from Absoluten Calfeutrail and Dead Boomers, but this Von Einem is easily the best one. Double CD is good dose of stuff if you're not willing to search for small edition tapes scattered on almost as many labels. Mastered loud and crisp on CD. Raw, brutal and fierce power electronics/industrial noise. There has been long and detailed reviews posted on this by Noise Receptor and was it Heathen Harvest? So I could just conclude even if band would have formerly gone unnoticed, I recommend to check this well done double CD anthology!

OTTIS IN THE WOODS "s/t" CD
Filth & Violence
Talking of raw and "unfinished" filth, here we have anonymous serial killer noise project on F&V. When you look the photos and listen the sound, it becomes quite clear who could be behind the project. Not sure if material would absolutely need project of it's own. If you remove concept and focus on sound, this could be perhaps filed as collaboration of certain acts? Well, honestly I'm not the guy who should bitch about too many noise side-projects! Utterly grim amplifier heavy noise junk and raw power electronics soundscapes. At some points I was thinking GOLDENROD "Fuck you all". Best track has totally demented vocal performance, with 100% shameless zaild killeerr fäägeett!!! -hoarse "screams", which puts this material to such an anti-art underground gutter, that my heart simply melts.

THE NEW BLOCKADERS / ARTBREAKHOTEL "Haikagura" 2xCD
Art Into Life
Quite neat artwork, especially the "artobject" with short manifest type text. Packaging perhaps exaggerated size compared to content, but it's nice. For sound, I'm not as satisfied. I have probably said it many times, but it simply fits here so well. TNB has been master of absolute best noise sounds. However, it was more than that. And many of these collaborations, where someone has access for good TNB sources, it has proven to be fact that none lives up to the level of TNB albums. So, what we have here is satisfactory noise release, but nothing beyond. My hope would be that rather than everybody wanting to recycle TNB, perhaps one could just be inspired of their greatness and actually make interesting noise themselves. Is this 3rd of 4th time Nobuo Yamada does album of TNB sounds? It seems odd that only collaborations with genre veterans gets attention and rest remains pretty much unnoticed as CDR and microscopic tape editions?

MAAAA "Abhorrence and Dismay" CD
Triangle
Long awaited new CD is step away from "typical" harsh noise, if Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ever was such. It appears as if he had been influenced greatly by some of the swedish stuff? Some time ago he played live in Finland with Altar of Flies and Sewer Election and seems like few such elements have been bleeding into his sound. This is not complaint. Not at all. He blends these elements well into his former style and result is just good noise album which goes forward and is good additional to discography and well worth buying even if you have handful of his former releases.

SEWER ELECTION "Wreck" CD
Triangle
Already commented this briefly before, but might say that this c. 35 minute harsh noise track is welcomed adjustment in S.E. style! I do like what he has done meanwhile. Not big fan of kassettemusik, but most stuff I have liked. He was just so good in brutal noise, that it's good to get album of solid noise. It beats shit out of arty sounds of kassettemusik and goes far beyond "too safe" johansson/marhaug cd. It seems almost as S.E. didn't try anything here. Not to be conceptual. Not to be "utmost HNW". Perhaps not even to make any special album?! Simply put together one 35 minute track and put that on CD. This could be as well one of the small edition harsh head rituals tapes. Absolutely nothing new for S.E., but simply good. Fine with me!

ARKHE "Downstream" tape
Kafe Kaos
Sometimes it seems like he did his best works just before changing name, and then its been downhill... but I think Downstream actually pulls the project back on track? Dull covers don't give much of aid to raise expectations, but musically this could be among the best Arkhe tapes I've listened? Couple times behind, and I could still point out flaws what irritate my ears, but there is something there what keeps me interested and makes me want to check out the next.