PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[Balor/SS1535]

"Insidious and Alone" - Mania

I think that someone above mentioned that Mania evokes a sense of being a blindfolded captive of a serial killer, and after listening to this recording I can clearly see where they are coming from.  However, I also got the sense that this album was intended to capture the internal mental state of a serial killer or extreme hermit. 

I've always seen Mania less as a Serial killer vibe (Taint leaned more towards that in my mind, of the child loving variety) and more of a Guns and Ammo collecting militia conspiracy nut who could become a spree shooter but instead barely controls their rage through use of pharmaceuticals and the occasional beating of a prostitute or bar patron where he frequents after his blue collar temp jobs that he can barely keep for more than a month.  I don't mean Keith himself, just that's the type of personality I feel from it.

Mania is one of the absolute best projects and one of the few that I try to buy every single release. I've definitely gotten some of that vibe. For me, I see a lot of themes isolation and mental decline, pent up rage and violence but almost never aimed in specifics which again always seems to be like the disgust/hatred is building up tension and then boiling over. The genius of Mania is that the titles/visuals are often so non-specific to a theme, that all of this is through the music. Metal sounds that go from squeaking, scraping, dragging to big multilayered destruction. Synth/noise that sometimes is so quiet and minimal and up to absolute brutality. Artwork is always great
In a timespan, you can pull some releases and hear familiar elements, but there is not a single project that can do so much with them and will have different tone and atmosphere from track to track and tape to tape. Best shit.

Favorites:
Ultra-Negative (probably my favorite and always in rotation)
True Ass Worship/Together They're Murder tracks
Little Pieces of Violence
Decrepit 
Armed to the Teeth

...still need All Aftermath!

The lack of specificity that you mention is very interesting, which, I think, highlights just how perfect the name "Mania" is for the project.  It is not an expression of logical, targeted, or planned hatred/violence, but the embodiment of insanity and misanthropy in some of their truest forms.

As for the artwork, I totally agree that it is perfect in every way.  It was what drew me to this release in the first place.

[Balor/SS1535]

"Yellow Trash Bazooka" - The Gerogerigegege

The only thing that I did not care for was the yelling out of the track titles and the countdown before each song because it disrupted the flow between each piece.  I get that the music is intended to be jarring and fragmented, but that aspect was just not to my taste.  I liked it a lot.

It's kind of an inherent part of noisecore, actually. I mean, usually it's counting with drumsticks but I find it pretty cool and amazing. For instance, the old Brazilian bands often yell the songs names between each tracks, sometimes even explain their content, and it takes longer than for them to play the songs themselves.

I think that I will have to spend some more time with noisecore.  I really like the music itself, but the little aspects of the genre like that might take a while to get used to.  Are there any releases that you find especially interesting due to the countdown and song explanations?

"Insidious and Alone" - Mania

I think that someone above mentioned that Mania evokes a sense of being a blindfolded captive of a serial killer, and after listening to this recording I can clearly see where they are coming from.  However, I also got the sense that this album was intended to capture the internal mental state of a serial killer or extreme hermit.  The combination of junk and generated noise created for me a divide between the world external to the first-person subject of the album, and their own internal state of mind.  The echos and reverberations made by the junk create the atmosphere of a decrepit and isolated hovel, while the lack of depth on the electronically generated noise pushed it to the foreground - as though representative of a mental haze through which one views the world.  This was my first proper listening to a Mania album, and I enjoyed it a lot.  Any recommendations of what to check out next by this project?

This was the first Mania release I heard and still one of his best, along with Decrepit (highly recommended) and Grim Conditions. However i'm yet to hear 'All Aftermath' and the other two releases which came out this year on total black & the tape with agonal lust.

Given the amount of people recommending "Decrepit," I think that that will be the next album to check out.

[ritualabuser]

This has been mystery in the past. Question how digital release would have problems. Normally if it is coding error, then entire pressing should be affected. But it rarely is.

I had two encounters with such pressings on my own labels. One black metal release had closer to 10, but it was already years ago. One Freak Animal title had 1 reported case not so long ago.

When sending disc to factory for inspection, it turned out that metal surface of the disc was too thin in that particular disc. This is what can happen in mass production, and generally machine settings that do quality check of pressing, checks optically every 100th disc. When machine spots the error, then CD press needs to be adjusted. Yet, some copies may always pass the automatic check. In mass production, there is always possibility for error, and as CD used to be such huge mass product, it is not possible to adjust disc quality check for every copy. One out of hundred may be maximum.

Nevertheless, many discs that have too thin metallic layer, may still work 100% in most of players. Just some particular CD player isn't able to handle it, while others can't find any problem. Still, it is possible to contact CD pressing and conclude they should look into this issue. Even based on one incident, of one disc, CD press I have used adjusted their press to put thicker layer of metal to avoid such problem. They told layer can't be too thick, or it will cause other issues. So it's fine balance of tiny fractions of millimeters.

If factory constantly produces such discs, and it affects great number of each pressing, I'd say labels should most definitely tell them to adjust machines. I would not be surprised if someone does less metal coating on disc just to save couple euros on long run. Even if price would be totally insignificant per disc.

Interesting and thorough explanation, thanks. Figure his being based in Ukraine could have something to do with that.

[impulse manslaughter]

Finally received a package today that among others includes my copy of the Two Daughters 2x12" on VOD. Played it this morning and it's really great. One of best kept secrets from the 80's tape scene and I'm sure it will be in my top 3 for this year. Not harsh or noisy but experimental stuff with looped vocals, primitive beats and samples. Just a magical atmosphere in these tracks..

[wonderland_media]

"Yellow Trash Bazooka" - The Gerogerigegege

The only thing that I did not care for was the yelling out of the track titles and the countdown before each song because it disrupted the flow between each piece.  I get that the music is intended to be jarring and fragmented, but that aspect was just not to my taste.  I liked it a lot.


It's kind of an inherent part of noisecore, actually. I mean, usually it's counting with drumsticks but I find it pretty cool and amazing. For instance, the old Brazilian bands often yell the songs names between each tracks, sometimes even explain their content, and it takes longer than for them to play the songs themselves.

I think that I will have to spend some more time with noisecore.  I really like the music itself, but the little aspects of the genre like that might take a while to get used to.  Are there any releases that you find especially interesting due to the countdown and song explanations?

I highly, HIGHLY recommend checking out Traci Lords Loves Noise for this type of genre-convention thing. (also apologies for my poor formatting on this quote).

[Ashmonger]

Vigilantism - Incessant Authority (CD, Freak Animal): It sounds a bit different than I expected from the sample, but I guess that's not weird with 1 min samples. Good, rough industrial electronics though. Good looking digipack as well.

Mademoiselle Bistouri - Daily Routine / Solipsism (tape, Obsessive Fundamental Realism): Rather lo-fi Harsh Noise, didn't do much for me at first, but second listen proved better, will give it some more spins and see if it's a keeper or not.

Penetration Squadron/Taeter (tape, Obsessive Fundamental Realism): I like these Penetration Squadron tracks better than the first release, harsh and primitive PE. Taeter, hmm, it's only been a couple of days since I listened, I remember quite liking it, but can't give a good description how it sounded atm...

Scatmother - Doctrines of Submission (7", Antipatik Records): Scatmother working with Bizarre Uproar sounds, can't really say that it sounds much different than what we're used too. Nice thematic release, good layout, catchy opening tune on the B-side, really an earworm.

Goatmoon/Bizarre Uproar - Vaskivittu (7", Filth & Violence): Goatmoon has a very good track, Bizarre Uproar is good too, but not one of his best. Cover image is really fitting, no logo's, but still very recognizable, dirty, but kind of "stylish" too, hehe.

Sickness - Purgatory (CD, Cipher Productions): Short, but to the point Harsh Noise release, enjoyable stuff.

[NaturalOrthodoxy]

MNEM - For Delta Relics CD (Kaos Kontrol)
A choir of abandoned machinery and antiquated electronics with just enough voltage left in them to keep going.

Perfect description of the project.

downloaded this on bandcamp on the strength of this review, incredible stuff and the image in my head as I listen is exactly this description. evokes a similar gritty urban feeling to Anenzephalia, though perhaps even more alienating and cold for the lack of vocals.

[Balor/SS1535]

I highly, HIGHLY recommend checking out Traci Lords Loves Noise for this type of genre-convention thing. (also apologies for my poor formatting on this quote).

Thanks for the suggestion!  I will check it out.

"Decrepit" - Mania
I liked this over "Insidious and Alone" because it was, overall, a more cohesive recording.  It retained the strong usage of junk noise and electronics, but was able to effectively bridge the divide between the two by increasing the prominence of vocals.  Though I did not get as strong a sense of atmosphere off of this album, the high quality noise tones certainly made up for it.

"Grotesque Mirth" - Mania
I thought this had some nice noise, but the lack of junk metal atmospherics left it sounding less impressive to me than some of the other Mania releases that I have heard so far.

[FallOfNature]

Concrete Mascara - Lunar Hunger tape
Less piercing feedback and upfront vocals and a more atmospheric direction. Long drawn out tracks. A nice change of pace.

Nordvargr  ‎– Tantum Melior CD
Other artist's takes on Nordvargr recent work. Highlight is the track with Visions. An interesting listen/concept but not much staying power for me.

Various  ‎– Field Tales 3X tape
Best stuff on here is from Control 2x, Mania, Nicole 12, Streicher, Whorebutcher, Survival Unit...long compilation better listened to digitally as there's a handful of tracks that'll give the fast forward button a nice workout.

[ConcreteMascara]

Concrete Mascara - Lunar Hunger tape
Less piercing feedback and upfront vocals and a more atmospheric direction. Long drawn out tracks. A nice change of pace.

that one was an ode to Converter and Ride for Revenge, albeit buried in a layer of murk.

Various  ‎– Field Tales 3X tape
Best stuff on here is from Control 2x, Mania, Nicole 12, Streicher, Whorebutcher, Survival Unit...long compilation better listened to digitally as there's a handful of tracks that'll give the fast forward button a nice workout.

Those are all easy highlights but I've got to mention The Urge Within track which samples the Rostov Ripper's testimony. that one is soo good! Also love the plastic clam shell case for all three tapes. I forgot if its a foldout poster or booklet but it looks real nice too.

[wonderland_media]

Genocide Organ - Obituary of the Americas
Not a new release by any means but have been playing it in the car stereo on repeat for months now, never seems to leave the cd changer. Opening track "Autodefensa" is just an absolute powerhouse, commanding vocals with a deep, heavy synth loop and piercing, high end synth. Particularly like how it almost as a verse/chorus structure, going back and forth between the deeper synth looped sections and then more high end/mid range parts. "Plastic Vests" is another fantastic track: samples, great weird percussive synth loop with some varying feedback/radio(?) manipulations, and some of my favorite GO lyrics. "Todo por la Patria" which closes the album is another strong track with more interesting lyrics (when you can discern them), seemingly to do with the South American drug trade...had an argument with my roommates about whether or not they are talking about Viagra in the track and after repeat listens, we finally determined they had to be comparing it to "a shot of cocaine". (If anyone can confirm or deny this please let me know, haha.) Not well versed enough whatsoever on South American guerrilla politics/history to fully understand the context but either way, very interesting piece. Love, love this album. There's so much that can be said about the tracks I didn't mention as well, like "I don't wanna die" and "Formacion de Guerrilla". Would love to hear more about anyone's understanding of the subject matter as I mentioned, I'm not well versed in it at all.

Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell
I know this isn't really typical for this board but have been listening to this album nonstop since I got my cd copy in the mail. So many beautiful, sad, crooning tracks about the need for intimacy and to be taken care of. I love her voice and image (I mean, duh, she's fucking hot) but some of the tracks on this album are just stunning. "Venice Bitch" has to be my favorite...a 9 minute psychedelic rock anthem with probably the catchiest hook I've heard in recent years. "Fuck it I love you" is another standout. "Happiness is a Butterfly" and "Hope is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman Like Me to Have - And I Have It", the two closing tracks on the album are equally beautiful tracks. Lot of piano ballad type pieces but they work so well. Could have done without the foolish Sublime cover "Doin Time" and the track "Bartender", but otherwise I'm not complaining. Great, great modern pop album.

[Fistfuck Masonanie]

INTERRACIAL SEX - Nigger Addicted Jackaholic (Nil by Mouth)

Peter is destroying US PE right now, and this is some of his best work. Chaotic and exhilarating electronics meet broken structures and completely unhinged vocals. For me this album gets to the absolute core of what IS does and should be considered a classic. Highest recommendation.

Just got this and have to agree. This is completely unhinged, uncomfortable, and frightening. Listening to this tape gives me so much anxiety. The whole package is so evocative and deranged. Also, the cover image makes more sense after reading the advert within.

[GEWALTMONOPOL]

Not well versed enough whatsoever on South American guerrilla politics/history to fully understand the context but either way, very interesting piece. Love, love this album. There's so much that can be said about the tracks I didn't mention as well, like "I don't wanna die" and "Formacion de Guerrilla".

The Autodefensas were formed as a protection for villages and towns, militias if you like, to protect themselves against the drug cartels where the authorities wouldn't or couldn't. Some were very effective and soon became power factors in their own right. Some even took over the running of the drugs trade in their area.

[cr]

Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell
I know this isn't really typical for this board but have been listening to this album nonstop since I got my cd copy in the mail. So many beautiful, sad, crooning tracks about the need for intimacy and to be taken care of. I love her voice and image (I mean, duh, she's fucking hot) but some of the tracks on this album are just stunning. "Venice Bitch" has to be my favorite...a 9 minute psychedelic rock anthem with probably the catchiest hook I've heard in recent years. "Fuck it I love you" is another standout. "Happiness is a Butterfly" and "Hope is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman Like Me to Have - And I Have It", the two closing tracks on the album are equally beautiful tracks. Lot of piano ballad type pieces but they work so well. Could have done without the foolish Sublime cover "Doin Time" and the track "Bartender", but otherwise I'm not complaining. Great, great modern pop album.

Yeah, right! I really, really don't like "modern pop albums", but all of Lana Del Rey's albums are just really good. Consoling pleasures, somehow.

[Peterson]

Z.K. "Isilo" CS (Lake Shark Harsh Noise, 2018)
Static-based, wide stereo harsh noise with an organic, almost soft feel. A-side constantly
erupting and bursting like a naturally-occurring flow of liquid. Mid-range undertow with higher
timbres that occasionally break through. Has some ringouts that make me wonder if the sources
are acoustic. Kind of quiet and subdued even compared to Vast Glory's amazing LSHN tape. B-
side thicker and more propulsive, immediate massive flood. Wet, heavy textures. Torrential
rains. Very dynamic, very tasteful. Perfectly layered. For fans of condensed tone/texture studies.

Crack Bytch "Chain Link Toe Holds" CS (Lake Shark Harsh Noise, 2019)
Happily traded this from the woman behind said project after a chance meeting. I believe
there are other elements which appealed to Sam, secondary to the quality of her sound work,
that motivated the release. Anyway. Surprisingly atmospheric, harmonic stuff. Some Tesco/Cold
Meat Industry vibes early on. Detailed, strange and mysterious. Exquisite elements of
brokenness in gear and amp buzz. Not unlike the live Rodger Stella/Puce Mary collaboration,
but more enjoyable. Bizarre applications of unprocessed and processed sound collage. Weird
panning and layering choices. Stevie Nicks coming through the radio. Could more readily
compare this to Blood Stereo than anything typical of LSHN. Live recording on B-side gets
harsher but still focuses on cool stereo action/channel switching rather than getting all in-your-
face. Blown-out vocals remind me of another female act, Yohimbe, I was lucky enough to
experience in Richmond recently. Passionate, intense delivery. Introduce yourself to one of the
new queens.

Niku Daruma "Painful Bliss: Final Twist" (Fusty Cunt, 2019)
I was fortunate to stay the night at these ladies' house after watching them beat one
another up onstage in Pittsburgh. It was much rougher than what you're probably imagining.
They also make fucked-up, dirty, machine-gun laser noise. That gash on the cover probably
happened during a performance. While I'm enjoying what I'm hearing, it's just not the same
without that aspect. Much less aggression than their physical presence, which was intense.
These sounds are energetic and sexy, but the way these women can command attention of a
room is another level entirely. Powerful and Macronympha-adjacent, for sure, but so are the
women themselves. Someone please offer them a live recording at the right time and place. For
fans of Macronympha, Mauthausen Orchestra and Bizarre Uproar.

M.B.D. "Caged For Life" (Angst, 2018)
I saw this gentleman play an excellent, passionate live performance of very weird,
intricate and musical "death industrial" in Cincinnatti recently. This tape simply doesn't live up to
that. I realize it was recorded five years ago, but it's literally nothing like what the guy's doing
now. Skip this in favor of a recent tape, you won't be disappointed. Nowadays, this fella is really
on his game. I hope somebody recorded that set I saw.

Creep of Paris "Hummingbird X" (Research Laboratories, 2018?)
Total "what am I listening to" garbage mess. In the best possible way. Grimy, rough tape
manipulations of thrift store this and that, found on used cassettes. At least, if this was done any
other way, one would have to ask "why?" If you removed the subject matter and intent from
something like Publication Ban, you'd maybe get this. Maybe.

Creep of Paris "Gavia Immer" (Research Laboratories, 2019)
Nintey-odd minutes of, fuck, I don't know. Some pitched, layered interviews with various
women talking about meeting Elvis Presley and the interviewer sounding like an old limey
pervert. The B-side is some kind of surf music sample, looped ad nauseam and tape saturated
to shit. It sounds like something pulled from some random middle-eastern tape. Fans of Blöd
(not the harsh noise Blöd) would probably get something out of this.

Thomas Laroche "Spiritual Enlightenment Through Inactivity" (Research Laboratories,
2019)
All ten minutes or so (both sides) of this tape consists entirely of a single tape loop of
choral music.

Thomas Laroche "Repeat Prescription MKII" (Research Laboratories, 2018?)
Tape-pitched vocals ala Shadow Ring over throbbing industrial rhythms. Actually pretty
listenable. Has vibes of arty tape music as well as old-school bleakness. Single-sided tape,
though, so minus some points for that.

The Vomit Arsonsist "Nihil Dicit" (Deathbed Tapes, 2019)
I saw this project live in Providence a few months ago and he had some of the best
control over his equipment of any act I saw the whole tour. That seems to be what "death
industrial" is about, equipment achieving atmosphere. VA does it well, the sounds appeared to
me as these corridors you follow as new ones are introduced. I found this more true in a live
setting, though. Both on tape and in person, though, there's this detail and balance in his sound
in which each new sound acts as a corridor the listener then follows him down (including vocals).
The bass will fuck with your sinuses. I've heard a couple compilation tracks I didn't care for, but
overall TVA exemplifies everything I want in death industrial, sound-wise. I appreciate the
personal and psychological content, also. Very much worth your time, but I'd say go see him live
just as well. Urban, bleak and detached American heavy electronics.

Violent Shogun "Kokutai" (Yes Divulgation, 2019)
More stuff that grabs attention from the first second, made by a guy who's literally always
doing new stuff; somehow making all his experiments work for him. I can't fucking believe the
progress in between recordings whenever I get a new VS tape. While everything so far has been
absolute top-class industrial and noise music, this is more like advanced-technique French
electronic concrete music that like happens to be on the industrial and noise side of the
spectrum. The seamless editing of the plucked notes and struck chords against the bizarro
modular synth propulsion reminds me more of Luc Ferrari than Aaron Dilloway. Things actually
do take on a Dilloway vibe with the second track, at least his more synth-oriented pieces. By the
crescendo of each track, though, Mr. Shogun's sound is always his own. The only project I'd
truly compare this tape to that's currently active is also done by the same person. Even with my
familiarity with the guy's sound and intent, track three came completely out of left field. Point
being, this guy just gets better and better. Please give him some release offers.