Caligula031 "Topography of Smut Vol. 1" CD (Filth & Violence)
The main reason C031 didn't catch on with me as quickly as it did others is that some of the samples and vocals are sufficiently buried in the mix to render them pretty difficult to discern, and it seems like this occurs in what I consider to be crucial tracks which flesh out the concepts best. That's still sometimes the case herein, but the more I listen to C031, the less this matters to me – the variation in vocal delivery and effects seems to play out different characters and perspectives in the stories that Mr. Deplano relates through his "Insubria hostile electronics." I am only two tracks into the CD, and this seems more obvious and stylistically effective already. The opening track is about Azra Basic – look her up immediately if you don't know the name (not easy on the eyes like Ilse Koch, but just as sadistic), I was so pleased to see this mentioned here. Part of the lyrics taken directly from a 2011 New York Times article – very Sotos.
The opening track contains a long sample regarding British men employing the services of girls trafficked and exploited against their will prior to unleashing commanding, shouted vocals with a saturated/distorted effect – but what's really interesting about this track is the thin static noise which is interrupted by almost alarm-frequency beeping sounds – these are the sort of electronics that convey an almost psychological manipulation fequency, not so much the lush "industrial" background of electronics ala Whitehouse, Iron Fist Of The Sun, or say the bleakness of Shift etc, although there is slight touches of that "sleazy" aspect. Part of me thinks that approach isn't of much use here, though, for obvious reasons. Heathen Harvest can interperet this material one way, I'll take a different one.
"Alice In Viceland" opens up to very sinister and foretelling use of chimes and acoustic metal sounds amidst Tesco-style flowing electronics in the background. I'm tempted to say this section reminds me of Ultra, but I'm always fucking saying that. Forgive me for pointing out that this track is pretty far away from a lot of the other material I've got from Filth & Violence – dare I say this is refined on a level I've only heard in Sick Seed and newer Bizarre Uproar from that label? This is also the first C031 track I've heard feedback used on – that's good, although I'm addicted to feedback sounds, it seems like a total PE trope/stereotype, and I suppose to use those in small doses is ideal. Vocals here are at their most vicious so far and consequently pretty unintelligible, but thankfully this fits the track totally and there are well-organized lyrics to read. The sort of subtle wet flange, if there is one, is an effect I really like – adds some unidentifiable harmful quality to the human voice. After an instrumental break, when the vocals return, Marco's voice sounds like an American accent – this seems like it could be an intentional choice to portray multiple perspectives through the vocals and lyrics as I mentioned above. Some kind of negotiations going on in the sample, some audible crying, sobbing. Sounds about right considering the title of the track.
Propulsive vacuum-cleaner type drones begin "Silver Shoes" amidst airy white noise – is that because of field recordings or electronics? Sharp yet also slightly heavy electronic patches come in over-top, alongside whispered vocals and very creepy feedback. I'd be lying if I said this didn't remind me of Taint, but I have a hard time placing the comparison. I also can't help admitting this track strikes me as incredibly sad, tragic, and depressing – total elegiac atmosphere, but not really a nice one. Not very nice at all. Deplano's accent shines through a bit more in this one, works very well with the vocal style of choice for this piece and again provides another "character" in this circus of violence – more an observer than red-handed participant or ringleader this time around? A flange effect introduces itself on the vocals as the feedback turns binaural and attacks you from behind. I should note that so far, these two are the longest pieces I've heard so far from C031 – formerly entire sides of the tape version. I have to say that the "song" and "collage" approach work equally effectively for this project – makes me more curious about Wertham's longer tracks. And it ends with some of the more disturbing samples even for C031 – people speaking frankly with little emotional affect about some very bad things that have happened to folks they know – more crying, more piano, more BBC narration. Again, very Sotos, very informative, very good.
I got a bit distracted in the beginning of track 5, "Tool of the Trade," although the more-atmospheric-than-heavy wall of noise electronics in the background against vibrating beeping sounds is absolutely excellent, recalling the first two tracks on the CD – there are also little threads of what might be feedback and additional synthesizer noise winding in and out effected with some really strange, steely reverb and delay which makes things sound very distant and roomy. Maybe this is my favorite C031 piece so far?
Choppy Slogun-style rhythm abruptly opens track 6, "Blonde, Pregnant, and Barefoot II." One of the most dismally-negative song titles I've ever heard? Spoken/irate ranting that comprises the vocal delivery is hard to tell whether it's a sample or Marco's vocals at first – again he manages to conjure up a new feeling, new atmosphere with every single track, there aren't any weaker moments in C031, no improvised-sounding parts, and no out-of-place elements, ever. Everything seems to have a purpose and to fulfill it's purpose – I have a hard time saying this for projects even that I totally worship, but that can't be denied here. If you had to use one word to describe C031, it should be "strong." Second to that, "efficient." Oh yeah, and the vocals here reminded me of Forza Albino on "MOT" – that can never be a bad thing. Fittingly bleak-sounding sample of relevant persons.
"War Is Not Over Yet." This is the track I first heard from C031 and somehow wasn't that shaken – by itself it was good, but didn't feel enticing and addictive enough. And the version somebody had uploaded to YouTube sounded compressed to shit – comparatively that sounded like they put it through a Boss distortion before ripping it. Listening to the real thing now alongside the other tracks, it sounds at-home, fitting in and providing a piece to the puzzle – especially the synthesizer noise, which stands out as heavier than the other tracks, more somehow more restrained and "musical." Star Trek spaceship bass-throb against reeling mid-range simultaneously harsh and tonal electronics which sound a lot like a processed guitar sound, although I know it isn't. Marco's vocals here sound their most spiteful, hateful, and derogatory – reminding me of Andrea Cernotto in The Sodality but lacking that comedic element which I can't tell is intentional or not. C031 does not have that goofiness. And isn't "War Is Not Over Yet" one of the best song titles you've ever heard? Lyrics are obviously appropriately dark and unforgiving, and actually veering away from what I had expected, conceptually – more focused than a general statement which I'd imagined.
Does anyone else find the background pop music used in samples as sinister and depressing as I do? When you're at work in a kitchen like I am most of the time, and you hear that type of Beyonce or whatever on the radio, I'm sure you think of girls you've known with fucked-up lives and psychologies that love that type of music – especially to sing along with when they're high or whatever. Shit, you might have a girlfiend like this. Or just as likely, a working girl you see regularly but think you've developed some kind of affinity or affection for – well, you still pay her for sex. That's still the main reason you go over there. What made her make those decisions? Do you know enough about her life and lifestyle to know this was not a forced, unwilling situation? If you lead this kind of indulgent lifestyle, you should listen to C031. I doubt this will change any decisions you make, but you should be aware of these perspectives, you may or may not see things differently.
Not to mention the presentation of the booklet – excellent documentarian photographs highlighting different aspects of the issue at hand; various characters involved and various locations; complete with a very concise yet nearly-comprehensive essay by Deplano at the end of the booklet. 100%. One of the most solid conceptually and sonically advanced projects going today in PE.
Snuff "Kristiina" CD (Filth & Violence)
Four tracks in a little under eighty minutes. I don't see anyone who doesn't already own Snuff releases having any reason to pick this up unless they know what they're getting into already. Chaotic and partially-improvised, extremely loud PE of the worst sexual nature. I mean that in the best way possible. There seems to be an effected sample of, well, something violent in the first track, although some of these sounds could be totally incidental – possibly background voices picked up from using shortwave electronics? I could have sworn there were a few vocal lines in the very beginning of the track, but I'm not really sure now. This is a bit busier and more filled-out than other Snuff releases I've heard – that's a good thing, I'm not totally sure I would have wanted another "Live Helskinki Private Bunker" tape, the variation herein is welcome. I think the Lust Vessel distribution description of another Snuff CD is "naked white power electronics." "Naked white" as in cold, clammy flesh. Sounds about right.
One thing about Snuff's emphasis on feedback is that they appear to use a good variety of microphones and PA, guitar, and bass amps to achieve this – although to mainly rely on feedback as the primary "instrument" in PE is nothing new and not at all original, Snuff's approach is a little more more solid and sounds well-constructed desipte the improvised elements, more so than other projects because of this – there's always a variety in tone and frequency, almost always covering the low/high/mid spectrum completely. I can imagine one of the guys in this band in particular being annoyed to read my comparison of this to certain Hijokaidan moments. Not a bad thing at all. The only other act I could draw comparison to is early Sutcliffe Jugend. Basically these guys are doing an unoriginal concept in a totally exciting and, ahem, very personal way – yes, please. Another aspect of note regarding the use of feedback here is that it in my opinion lapses from PE into drone! The more torturous sections actually have a calming effect and don't bother my ears – man, that might say something about my appreciation for the subject matter! And I don't know about you, but I'm actually plenty willing to accept "dark experimental music" SJ because Snuff are doing what old-school ripper-style PE SJ did and pretty much exhausted their own take on in one ten-hour cassette release. Snuff are killing you over the course of a discography rather than all at once.
"Kristiina" opens to more mid-and-low end harsh noise amongst the feedback you've come to expect. This track is on the Live Helsinki tape in a pretty minimal form with a repeat-delay approach to the chorus – frankly I'm not sure which version I prefer, this one is very good, although the junk acoustics aren't as audible as the live one. Herein I think I appreaciate the thickness of the noise more. Seems to have the same basic vocal approach, still really effective despite the live one sounding beyond threatening. Some of the feedback tones are fairly piercing, almost difficult to listen to in some moments, I suppose listening to music that's this sadistic in nature should be a masochistic experience, being that other purely-enjoyable-on-an-entertainment-level type PE releases don't seem as authentic as this project, or say, Clinic of Torture. Even if you have a strong interest in this kind of thing, there should ideally be some kind of unsettling, uncomfortable quality to this music some of the time. Things relax a bit once some oscillating drones come in, grounding the structure of the track a little bit – again I'm reminded of Hijokaidan and how more coherent parts interrupt the more obvious improvisation. What I really enjoy about this is that it could have been recorded live in one take, live with overdubs, or pieced together through line-in and live takes. It feels both structured and unstructured – lots of PE with the "jam band" approach need to listen to this project to get an idea of how not to sound lazy – and how to be abrasive without saturating every single element in as much distortion as possible. The combination of slightly effected feedback and amp crunch is somehow so much more pleasant when employed by this duo. Another thing that's admirable about this record is that despite the fact that I really like power electronics, this is on par with other albums I just can't listen to any day – definitely need to be up to the task, which is good; if an album has an enjoyable quality but is also exhausting and sullying to one's general mood, I feel as though that's a level of intensity a lot of PE just doesn't reach often, though most good projects do in some moments.
Anyway, "Metro" has field recordings of the titular public tranist system that come off as pretty fuckin' grim considering the context of this song/album. Ugh. Works pretty well what with the chit-chat and innocent laughter against slashes of hard feedback and building chaotic electronics. I keep thinking I hear some deeply buried vocal interjections with a delay/echo effect, but I'm not actually sure – my ears sometimes play tricks on me when listening to PE and such. This track is that exhausting kind of thing I was talking about earlier. I actually feel sleepy listening to this and it's not out of boredom, this just takes it out of you. And there are vocals, turns out I'm not losing my mind wholesale after all. At one point along some of the echo clusters, there is this sort of electronic whining noise – one could mistake it for some kind of brass instrument even – is that part of the metro field recording being processed with the effects? I would like to hear more of that particular sound. If I'm not mistaken, and I often am, Bizarre Uproar's "Vihamedittatio" translates to "hate meditation" or something like that – well, that's a good way to sum up Snuff; hate meditiation. Violence meditation. Simultaneously exciting and draining intense power electronics of pretty much the most unnaceptable nature. Good shit to say the least! I should add there's some classic Finnish-style brittle-sounding but heavy wall noise sections here – you know who is probably responsible for that. And you can easily tell who the other vocalist is, but why not go along with the shtick? All good clean fun, right, boys? And it does sound like everyone got off the metro safely after all.
But I'm not so sure about that. "Stalker" is about 15 minutes or so of steady, slightly muffled breathing which conjures up the eponymous imagery. It's shortened from over 20 minues from the "Live Helsinki" tape and layered with ultra-psychedelic and very fucked-up-sounding feedback this time. Yep. Chances are if you've even finished reading this review out of anything except disgusted curiosity, you already have this album, and I've just wasted your time.
Taint "Indecent Liberties" CD (Industrial Recollections)
Reissue of classic power electronics blah blah blah. I could hyperbolize a lot and join the choir of folks who sing Taint's praises because I do like this album at least as much as the next guy into this stuff, but I've said before and I'll say it again that I much prefer Mania and find Taint to be excellent, exemplary PE/Americanoise when it's really good – and not exactly living up to the hype, to put it one way, when I'm less impressed. There were some rips floating around on certain blogs of Indecent Liberties before this reissue that sounded like utter shit. Thankfully this came along.
Yep, classic power electronics needing no introduction or whatever. Texas sexualized sleaze; equal parts harsh noise and power electronics. But to be honest, this has a really industrial vibe that would have fit in just fine alongside anything on Tesco at the time – this just happens to be a little harsher. Why? Well, recently Bitewerks posted at some point about having used one synth, a sampler, and maybe some pedals when recording this. It sounds pretty minimal and although it's characteristically densely-layered on every track like most of the good Taint material is, there is a repetitive structure to some tracks, especially the ones based around looping or reoccuring Christopher Rage and Jamie Gillis porn film samples. There's also an atmospheric use of reverb on pretty much every single track that I am not quite sure is via a pedal or an amp that I didn't really notice on the low-bitrate rip I'd previously heard. And the vocals? A long way away from the ferocity that Bitewerks unleashes today in the more unhinged and dynamic Mania tracks. They're not even the salacious whisper of later Taint material that's especially hit-or-miss – the songs that aren't entirely sample-driven have pretty much spoken vocals with reverb or flange. Not until the eponymous track does the delivery reach any kind of threatening tone. This doesn't really detract from the album much, because it only makes sense that this early on he hadn't reached the point he's at now. If you want vocal-driven excellence from Taint, pick up Whoredom or Sex Sick. Perverse showcases Bitewerks' skill with electronics, effects, and general heaviness, but Indecent Liberties is mostly so highly regarded because it is a milestone genre album and the first edition came with pretty intense packaging; essentially I really like this album but am not totally floored like with the aforementioned albums. You won't hear any acoustic junk metal here. I'd imagine at the time, this sounded like a good preview of what Bitewerks would be doing; so in that sense, it really is an "industrial recollection." Obviously not for me, however. Still, I do hope there might be some other Taint CD reissues in the future. This is solid and relatively minimal early-era Taint, aggressive but not the psychotically unhinged and sadistic later material; pick it up if you're curious about the project and haven't heard anything, but expect better from other releases you might track down, like the "Perverse" disc from the Taint/Smell & Quim/Con-Dom box set.
Caligula031 "Slavetrade2000" CD (Filth & Violence)
Ok, so forget what I said about the lack of overabundant feedback in C031 – he's willing to employ techniques everyone uses, too. "Date Rape In Wonderland" opens to pretty propulsive, fast harsh noise with snapping, cut-up feedback that follows similarly cut-up electronics – clearly Marco is a fan of American noise and PE. I'm 200% enjoying the more low-fidelity, slightly muffled sound of this track; it's a side to C031 I knew was there, but hadn't fully accessed yet. Again can't quite make out each word in the vocals, but the slight flange and roomy reverb sound like a certain Danish project I always talk about is quite pleasant – especially against the electrical-sounding electronic noise backdrop. Other than the Amria cassette on Wrath, this is the first C031 stuff I've heard that takes the more HN approach to PE – and I like it a lot, was this really recorded with the Audiophile Fire and Zoom H2? Because it's pretty dirty, sounds like it was recorded to or at least transferred to tape or reel-to-reel in the mastering or even mixing process. Some amp buzz in the background there suggesting to me that his might've been recorded at least partially live-in-studio. So this is the more primitive side of C031...I prefer what's happened since then, but this is still great. Deplano was clearly establishing the strength of the project long before I was paying attention. The honest logical thought that arises when listening to this is wanting to not only hear more C031, but Wertham and Uncodified as well – what's also clear is that there's an Italian style of noise/PE/industrial that's much more advanced than what's generally referred to from the likes of Murder Corporation, Dead Body Love, and the somehow-uncriticizeable Atrax Morgue. Well, I like those projects, more the second than the other two, but I'm thinking that today's Italian style although obviously in debt to the Sodality is something more advanced – think Wertham, C031, Taeter, Uncodified, etc. There's a musicianship, honesty and fanaticism behind each of those projects that's pretty desirable in my eyes – and a perverse, atmospheric sound even at the hardest, most kick-to-the head moments qualifies as experimental music as much as hard, uncompromising street-level sounds that succeed where punk gets co-opted by the middle-class, opinionated, and mostly left-wing.
Shit, there are those fucking chime sounds again – yes! "You Were Not Supposed To End Like This." That's quite the track title, there is quite a tale to be told; read the lyric booklet along with your listening session, to be honest I could only make out a word or two. For me, however, the electronics of this track are it's showcase element – high end, hissing, snakey, and squiggling back-and-forth all over the stereo field, just as more sensuous elements of PE should be – wriggly and writhing when not pulsating. "Heaven is crowded with corrupt bastards." Fuckin' A.
"Blonde, Drunk, Barefoot, and Pregnant" opens quickly to glassy amphetamine harsh noise (I'm aware that Marco doesn't do drugs, it's a metaphor, duh) with a high-end emphasis and some damned aggressive, hateful vocals effected with slight echo and reverb. There's a youthful sense of aggression to this track which I really like – if it weren't for the accent and total lack of intoxicant consumption, I'd have to compare the attitude on this one to any Final Solution track. Here we seem to be really reveling in it as well as looking down on the situation in disgust. And I might go out on a limb to say that not only had I underestimated the role of feedback in Marco's personal approach to PE, but tracks like this make me feel like dumbass for being surprised by – the element of high-end control and variation is fucking impressive.
"Slavetrade 2000" opens to a subject-related sample then stomping mid-range Genocide Organ-on-steroids square-wave synthesizer throb. Heavy Electronics, with loud spoken-not-shouted sinister vocals that evolve to a more intense command and then pretty quickly into actual shouting with a glistening flange effect. Again I'm thinking the Sodality without wanting to crack a stupid smile, not much to laugh at here. It's been said that all of this music can be considered objectively funny, and I guess some might have enough serotonin to feel that way, but I can't really go into objective mode and snicker at the ridiculousness of this project – pretty hard-hitting and impressive however you look at it. A lot of the hipster-type metalheads who talk shit about PE would at least feel threatened by music that sounds like this, I can assume.
The pleasantly sharp and minimal track "Dimmi Cosa Hai Visto A Mostar" has apparently unpublishable lyrics – is this Russian, Serbian, or Albanian? The delivery is fairly deranged and makes Marco sound like a character/perspective from that region. Appropriately desperate-sounding and even if from a threatening, sadistic perspective. Electronics are whirring mechanical high-end with interjections of mid-range steely square waves.
Speaking of vibes of Americanoise, "Foreign Bodies" has that forward-pull, propulsion, thickness, heaviness, and inclusion of percussive loops that you often hear in yet another project I make comparions with too often: Macronympha. Shit, there's even the swirling synthesizer high-end sweeps rising above the chaos that sort of disguise what little effected, yelled/shouted vocals I can make out. What's really neat is that this is barely PE at all – harsh noise sections are important to create a "full" landscape in modern Power Electronics with a strong concept, such as this project. "Anywhere there's a horny guy, there are trafficked women" declares the english-language sample.
"Cinderella" is more PE in the musique concrete/loop/sample based sense mentioned in the Taint "Indecent Liberties" review above, which sounds fairly piglike and sleazy. This last track gives New Juche Whores of Leith a run for his money. Then more hopeless inclusion of pop music (this time with an ethnic feel to it) to totally shatter what dreams you had left by clinging on desperately to them despite knowing they don't exist, given of course you're the star of the show here. That is, a victim of human trafficking.
Secret Apex s/t CS (Salamanauhat)
Jaakko Vanhala "Here Be Lions" CS (Sprachlos Verlag)
Jaakko Vanhala "Feral Earth" CD (Freak Animal)
Had to re-listen to what Vanhala works I owned, including the Secret Apex tape after reading his interview in Special Interests – compelling to say the least, adding a lot of depth and personal resonance to what are already incredibly impressive sounds. Secret Apex is himself and some guy named J. Podatsu, and although there are floods of static electronics, it's sort of hard to call what's on that tape "noise." It's some kind of intense experimental music – intesnely joyous and positive-sounding, with killer use of field recordings (animals, water, natural features, Malaysian music), synthesizer cinematics, and even an organ. There's some drum machine with real beats, in a section or two, too. And yep, there's "irritating chirping sounds," as well, according to Bitewerks. But it all feels pretty cohesive and natural, there being four tracks that flow together so well I could mistake them for one editing session track cut into two sides of the tape, Lust Vessel-style. This is some of the more gorgeous and immersive music I've listened to in a while, and all the more refreshing because none of the typical aggression and negativity associated with industrial music is there at all – again, this feels pretty much wholly positive if still mysterious and enigmatic to my ears. I'd go as far to say that these sounds have an almost ecstatic, esoteric feel to them, as if they were composed out of bits of music otherwise used for ritual purposes that could not be released and recorded properly for obvious reasons. Noise/experimental/whatever that's like a summer rain. And never New Agey for even one second.
Vanhala's electroacoustic approach to harsh noise seems to be at it's most dynamic on Here Be Lions, both tracks fitting together quite well and obviously a result of the same recording session, though not simply one cut in half, I assume. There's a heavy reliance on tape saturation, though not at all in the manner I am used to hearing in harsh noise, herein much more subtle. There's also a heavy use of tape echo, which he lists among the equipment used – there is a whole lot of that. As such, this seems to sit right between the more electronic-based live performances and the heavily-acoustic sounds of Feral Earth. Of course, I don't have the Freak Animal CD reissue of Here Be Lions, so I haven't heard the bonus tracks and how they play into his overall sound. On this tape I'm feeling like thes pieces would be most attractive to a new listener – a lot of variety and enough to keep someone whose attention span is not yet attuned to noise engaged for a long time. On the other side of that coin, I felt like these tracks seemed a bit longer than their approximate eleven minutes, but not in the sense that they drug on; they simply kept expanding into new territory that was equally as interesting as the previous. I'm reminded of how much I enjoyed this tape the first listen, and still do immensely, but am really feeling like I need the CD reissue to get a better picture of what he's really up to. This tape again has that positive kind of powerful force that's kind of outside any of the aggression and negativity one often hears in a lot of harsh music – there is really no dark element here. I honestly want to describe Vanhala's work as celebratory, life-affirming, and positive. "Here Be Lions" is like a fist-in-the air harsh noise work of genius, but also a fist in the air out of sheer enjoyment.
Feral Earth opens up to his most acoustic-reliant work I've heard yet – intensely interesting because while certain parts have to be layered to be as dense as they are, others simply sound like they might be just very well-recorded and equalized. There seems to be a reliance on electronic processing as a counterbalance to the roomy clunk, screech, and squeak of the metals, though, and there is sometimes that Macro-type percussive "umph" feeling. Basically, with how propulsive this record is despite it's organic sound, it's hard to latch onto specific parts beyond observing that one part might emphasize the metals, another the saturation on tape, another the incidental feedback and light-touch distortion. This quality provides the sooty, burnt characteristic as suggested by the ashes and blackened hand photographs on the insert. When more linear use of whistling feedback finally does start to happen, the track has pretty much mashed together and condensed in a more identifiably harsh noise manner than say, the Hal Hutchinson-type approach of earlier. Things by this point move completely forward and are quite dynamic, not simply moving around like the first part of the track. When the synthesizer-sounding high-end electronic sweeps are mixed into the cuts, things take a fairly Americanoise sound.
The second piece more or less feels like a recostruction from the elements of the first, and that's not a bad thing, things feel more collected and streamlined here – there are some fallbacks on more electronic parts that last only a moment, but none of the semi-awkward drops which made the first piece so compelling for me. On this one, the kinks of the first seem ironed out, starting with roomy acoustics and moving to more electronics while manitaining balance and increasing in thickness as the track pogresses – doing so and never letting up except for the little moments here and there as I mentioned. Some of the acoustics at this point feel "Lucierized," in that they sound doubled up on reverb from a location source. At this point, I can only assume the added tracks on the Here Be Lions CD edition are really good, and am really looking forward to hearing what they're all about. One interesting detail I noticed is that some of the electronic elements used on this second track can be heard in Here Be Lions as well as some of the Secret Apex track – particularly the sort of booming bass throb that has a toothy synthesizer texture that's often coupled with quick high-end Japanoise sweeps. As someone who makes an effort to recycle familiar elements between pieces in my projects, I like that there are others doing this without self-consciousness. Can't help but add that it's snowing here for the first time since probably January of this year, and it's relatively plentiful – feels pretty appropriate for the intense squall of varied noise acoustics and electronics that Vanhala pumps out here. I will admit to some moments where I'd noticed things don't seem to truly be moving forward on this second track, although the abrupt ending makes me feel like that could occur in any harsh noise if one's attention lapses enough. Obviously don't have many negative things to note about Vanhala's style overall, but I will say that I look forward to more progression and would like to hear his take on slower-paced tracks or perhaps equally-fast moving tracks that are more concentrated on detail than power. Whatever the case, Vanhala is one of the people doing harsh noise at the moment whose work stands on it's own, not requiring a context of some kind. I doubt anyone reading is unfamilar, but if you don't own any of these release and are reading this, seek to rectify that mistake.
