SUBLIMINAL "coping" CD
Galakt Horro
It must be among less celebrated projects of label, but perhaps because it's so brutal? Returning to this 2006 CD makes one hope GH would put out some more brutal stuff again. Often utterly simple tracks have disturbing and rotten quality and insane vocal performances that are well blended into sound creation. Analogue, ripping and rusty sounding stuff what is surprisingly unique compared to how simple it really is. Many may have same synths, but personality of sound or flawless sense of aesthetics is something you can't really buy.
SURVIVAL UNIT "Fentanyl Martyrs" 2xCD
Autarkeia
Been going through pretty much all Survival Unit CD's on Autarkeia. One more waits on the pile of playlist. I'm kind of surprised, that my memories of some of the stuff is so inaccurate. Been following project since times it had... I guess, no actual releases. And having pretty much all the old tapes before CD reissues, but still listening the CD's, I'm often almost shocked to think it was this brutal. Maybe it is simply the changing times. That back in early 2000's or times when this stuff was released, it felt like this is what power electronics / postmortem standard would be. But now, compare this with many of the laters days heavy electronics and it underlines how rotten and crude many of the tracks or sounds are. Ripping, rusty, broken, raw and nasty sounds. Not at all "atmospheric heavy synth" type of stuff. It could be safe to say, this double CD - as long as it is, may be culmination of best things in Survival Unit?
V/A CERTIFIED DEAD -CD
Death Continues Records
Compilation with Genocide Organ, Brighter Death Now, Sutcliffe Jugend, Wertham, Grunt, ...Today I'm Dead and such rather well known names, lined up with most likely lesser known Arum Lilies, Necromondo, In Search Of Death, Femeheim that are probably best known to ones who follow DC Records discography. I listened this 4 times by now, and the more I listen, the more I like it. At first, impression was that for compilation, perhaps more care for volume balances would be good. There is nothing that bad here, but knowing how some artists prefer to master their stuff to absolute 0dB all the time and compress it all-out utmost flatness, anyone next to that, will sound quiet. Some stuff would be pointless to attempt to sound as loud, without compromising the dynamics or entire nature of sound. So it's a gamble. Do you want to lower someone's sound - perhaps significantly, so someone who isn't as loud, will be fairly same? Is it making other guys track less intense, in favor of making other better? Well. In album - wholeness is what matters the most. It's slightly odd situation that Genocide Organ in the end of disc is so flat and poor "production" after album full of loud and heavy sound, hah.. And the GO track, despite being rather typical for project, is really good one. Simply not having same punch and brutality as it could have been if properly mastered. I'm sure Garrison didn't take any liberties to heavily boost any individual tracks when doing master of compilation. Of course respectable approach too.
One revelation one might experience, is that if you bought this for bands like BDN and GO, you may be surprised that relatively unknown names don't lose in comparison. Perhaps BDN providing good- but very much expected track of his modern digital era shows that he does pretty much guaranteed track - but something that's expected. Femeheim or such, surprise you by being very good and not losing a bit next to big names! It's foolish to say Arum Lilies would be "newbie". Mr. Groves has been around for long, but this new project of his, fuck how good it is. Full length on Death Continues is one of most listened experimental/"industrial" CD's of recent times. This track offered on compilation gives good example of what album is like. Can project extend into multiple great albums or is it one album wonder, who knows. Worth to pick up, most definitely! Sutcliffe Jugend track here seems to work out better than many of their albums. It's not like anyone would ruin the comp. It all fits well into album, but would I listen album worth of band like Necromondo? Probably not. This is kind of prime example of what I was talking as opposite of Survival Unit or Subliminal. You got someone with clean synth tones, that aren't really noisy, but neither atmospheric ambient type of stuff. It could be software. It would be digital synths recorded direct in line. It could be even analogue synths, but just with zero attempt to make them sound anything more than they are. You know, click open software or turn on your synth. Plug in the headphones to output jack. Push button. That's that. When missing totally the experimental nature of recording process, space, personal touch, brutality of personal hands-on-approach, tweaking and mutilating... then what's left? Sort of straight-to-dvd sci-fi horror software synth tones. Being couple minutes between Grunt and Sutcliffe Jugend, makes track work as in benefit of wholeness, but track itself is prime example what is the damage what happened to noise/industrial in change of recordging technology. In old times, you may have accidentally got tasty sounds of gear if using what is popularly available. Tape decks, 4-trackers, few odd pedals and whatever. Now, if you're satisfied with "what is popularly available"... Well... results may be that bands that sounded too clean back in 1999, are utterly grim and brutal in comparison. Nevertheless, compilation - very good. Certainly recommended!!
