MACRONYMPHA and ARMENIA

[BizarreAudioArts]

Net Post Concerning Macronympha


Over the years, Macronympha has had the fortunate opportunity to collaborate and work with many artists all over the world. Sharing soundwork and visual art has enabled us to present to the public end results which we feel truly capture and portray the ideas and intentions we planned.

Leader and founder, Joseph Roemer, has always credited finding super-talented audiophile, Rodger Stella, as a key element in the successful launch of their noise project.

As time passed from the first release in 1991 (yes, Macronympha are 25 this year!) - the group has worked with Grey Wolves, Sudden Infant, K2, Incapacitants, Kapotte Muziek, Mlehst, Stimbox, Prurient, and Lord Bird Golden Cobra - using sound sources mixed together while creating several works. Also as OVMN, Roemer has worked with Skin Crime, Thirdorgan, and Mikawa/Incapacitants.

Currently Macronympha has chosen to collaborate with longtime friend and colleague, Leonardo Sabatto/Armenia, in Ecuador.

Going back almost 20 years, both men communicated often through conventional mail and combined Macronypha and Armenia recordings on projects for each of their private release labels. Besides appearing separately as themselves - they have also re-mixed the other's sounds and called it "Macromenia".

Now since 2014 for recording purposes, Macronympha has added Mr. Sabatto into the official mix of members. During the last 10 years for live performances, Roemer has had his close friends and contacts such as: Chris/Sickness, Nolan/Kakerlak, Dom/Prurient, Chuck/Hogra, Sam/The Rita, Ed-Um/C.S.I., Nick/Mayan Death Prophecy, Henry/PA Hypno Center, and Eddie/Final Solution join him performing onstage at these shows under the Macro banner.

Hopefully, Roemer and Sabatto can find a way someday to perform live again together (last time was 2006 at "No Future Fest" in North Carolina) - despite being in two far away Americas. For now, however, they will release recordings and continue remote collaboration as Macronympha.


https://armenia-bizarreaudioarts.bandcamp.com
lsabatto@hotmail.com

[Minus1]

Well fuck! One post, 10 years ago?

As I type, Hyper Dosifications is making my ears bleed.*

72min. 2022. The CD plays as 2 long tracks, but each track melds 3 tracks together.

*The hype-sticker (written by one half of this - Mr Sabatto - from Ecuador) promises that this will happen!

And, apparently, this was 1 of 3 released simultaneously on Karo! I fucking need to research the other 2, because this is seriously kicking my ass.

(It just occurred to me that "Macromenia" is not in this thread title.)

The hype-sticker goes on to explain that "Hyperdosifications" is a dedication, related to hypertension treatments, due to an accelerated life in extreme music.

Ah! The Artist suffers so I don't have to!?

Well, I appreciate that. This is a dense / filthy / grey / coarse listen. Track 2 is a little more subdued and sneaky. A dark underlying rumble, with static electricity and arcing wires overlayed. A HNW type dam-break then appears. Shit gets real.

The internet tells me that Target, Walmart, and Best Buy stock this CD. 😂  God, the internet is so funny sometimes.

This is a deeply satisfying CD. I need a fucking drink.

[Balor/SS1535]

ha  I love it when these old threads reappear, as I always manage to learn something new.  I had no idea Eddie played with Macronympha!

[Minus1]

Everytime I hear a CD for the first time, I search for the most appropriate thread for my silly-ass reactions. 10 years old? Whatever! 😂

[Balor/SS1535]

Everytime I hear a CD for the first time, I search for the most appropriate thread for my silly-ass reactions. 10 years old? Whatever! 😂

It keeps things interesting!

[Fistfuck Masonanie]

Eh, this period is a dark stain on the Macronympha name. There is a somewhat recent interview with Joe in the Hardcore Country and Western zine issue #1, print only and not online, where he addresses these collaborations under the Macro moniker:

"Well the Bizarre Audio releases Leo put out are mainly from sound sources I sent him or from remixing older material. Going forward I have officially banned & prohibited him from doing all that. Too much saturation. Using our name as a money making source of revenue was ok when I allowed him to do it in moderation, but of course he made way too many half assed bandcamp releases to get sales."

[Minus1]

The plot thickens!

[Into_The_Void]

definitely not an expert, I know "Amplified Humans", "Pittburgh, Pennsylvania", "Interzone 3" split, "Grind" and maybe various other things, and I like all that I've heard. For sure a seminal project, but as I follow different genres, I haven't managed to delve into the whole discographies by all harsh noise forefathers. 

[Balor/SS1535]

Eh, this period is a dark stain on the Macronympha name. There is a somewhat recent interview with Joe in the Hardcore Country and Western zine issue #1, print only and not online, where he addresses these collaborations under the Macro moniker:

"Well the Bizarre Audio releases Leo put out are mainly from sound sources I sent him or from remixing older material. Going forward I have officially banned & prohibited him from doing all that. Too much saturation. Using our name as a money making source of revenue was ok when I allowed him to do it in moderation, but of course he made way too many half assed bandcamp releases to get sales."

I was skimming through the Macronympha releases on Bandcamp a few weeks ago and saw a bunch of the boxsets that Bizarre Audio arts had released.  I was curious because I would like to fill some Macronympha-sized holes in my collection, but it sounds like these are all probably inessential?

[pidgeons]

I picked up quite a few of the BAA releases a few years ago, and the quality is a very mixed bag leaning towards forgettable. Also quite a few tracks and mixes appear double across splits/compilations and 'albums'. While the collaborate with everyone regardless of clout approach from 2017-2019 seems pretty neat and oldschool, the actual quality of the cdr/tapes is not great*. I haven't read that zine interview, but if Roemer was indeed not 100% on board with the approach taken or how it turned out I understand the frustration. Should have sticked to the Macromenia moniker from the start I suppose - some of that very dense and suffocating sound is great, however not really Macronympha as you know it from the Joe/Rodger era.

Now if only that huge CD boxset of 90s material that has been rumored about for decades ever saw the light of day, that would be a day to celebrate. I have the tape boxes from Stella, but the recordings are uncategorized and unnamed and well - dubbed on quite cheap tapes.


*Edit I should add, the boxset/double tape "Burdens of ideology" is good stuff, handmade package and great art+ a variety of sounds. Only 6 other people claim to own it on discogs so no clue how available it was. The triple tape on Phage "For better or worse" also got a few plays.

[k.p.g]

I'd keep away from the Macro that was put out on Bizarre Audio Arts in general.

[prolapsedlielack]

I'd keep away from the Macro that was put out on Bizarre Audio Arts in general.

Look out guys, he heard ya talking!

[Duncan]

Amazing that he's laid all that over a picture of his Macro collection

[Balor/SS1535]

I'd keep away from the Macro that was put out on Bizarre Audio Arts in general.

Look out guys, he heard ya talking!

So is the "all of this" that ended the relationship the talk on this forum about the releases, or the releases that Joe agreed to do?

[Minus1]

SHIT JUST GOT REAL!!! 😳

I thought Pop/Rock had the drama. Noise is above all that? 😂

Anyway, I stand by Reply #1. I can't wait to replay.