Grunt !

[Otomo_Hava]

Wish FA would press some of the canon releases on lp(such as PR, SoD or T&D)

There was Terror and Degeneration as two separate LP's in 2005. This material could have been good album back in late 90's, but it somehow scattered into various releases. Most stuff was recorded roughly same time, but there was two tracks on Addicted 7" long delayed by Japanese label. Terror was supposed to be 7" on USA label that got cancelled. Some material of era was sent to Terror compilation for Spastik Soniks that never came out. Eventually some of the stuff or different versions was put out as Terror & Degeneration CDR, that got done on tape by Dead Rats label. Finally in 2005 as two separate LP's with some formerly unreleased tracks/versions of same sessions. All that made to CD reissue. Still having "addicted" 7" material and Terror compilation tracks on it, would make it sort of "all included" complete album. Just consider that having so many different versions already, makes one more reissue little awkward...

PR and SoD are too long to be proper vinyl releases. Tapes, possibly, but even then Seer of Decay track lengths makes it very hard to put it on sides of tape that would make sense on length. There probably exists bunch of unreleased of "rare" material of 2nd disc sessions. RRR's Recycled tape + some tracks that didn't fit on disc.

New album is already recorded and waiting to be released, which is my personal favorite of course. It is more like last few Grunt albums that have really been from beginning to end made to be proper album, while many things in past are "collections of tracks" that were done roughly in same period of time.

Excited, as always, to hear a forthcoming Grunt album's coming and i will look forward to bying it and see his direction(s) takes in, even if i found Myth Of Blood kinda mediocre but with realy good elements and sound snippets and ideas. Don't get me wrong, my Grunt's favourite album is World Draped In A Camouflage because of the new and daring steps Mikko taking with sound process and manipulations winning his challenge of refreshing his project and i don't think i may see a W.D.I.A.C sequel to top it or copying from it.

Is it possible to learn when new Grunt's album will be released?

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Maybe november!

[drunk]

From Petturien Rooli onwards Grunt got real serious in my opinion, by far the strongest material.

[Peterson]

From Petturien Rooli onwards Grunt got real serious in my opinion, by far the strongest material.

Agreed. The previous eras of Grunt seemed like "hit singles" based around strong, singular concepts while the newer material all seems to relate to a wider concept or range of ideas with each still having individual characteristics...all the albums seem to have what Frank Zappa called "conceptual continuity." I have a hard time picking a favorite, because most recent stuff just continues to evolve and improve, and can sometimes feel like one continuing album that spans multiple releases.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

"conceptual continuity."

This is true, and very much nature of new album. It picks up musically, and conceptually, where previous work was. And furthermore, those who are interested in other music than Grunt, can of course see topics evolve or drift to various directions in some other musical works what expands same themes.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Maybe november!

Due quality issue of original test press, LP plates has to be re-done before sound was good. Therefore couple of months delay. There was no point putting out inferior sounding LP. Now I'm confident to sell vinyl version without hesitation!

OUT NOW:
Grunt "Castrate The Illusionist" LP/CD

Born in 1993, Grunt remains one of the most active and restless forces in Finnish – or even global industrial noise network. Since first tapes published 25 years ago, project has been active without any breaks. Messy discography makes it hard to judge how many actual "albums" has been created. List of releases reaches close to hundred, yet most of them represents other approach than creation of "album". Castrate The Illusionist goes directly into line of albums such as Myth Of Blood (2015), World Draped In A Camouflage (2012), Petturien Rooli (2009) and Seer of Decay (2006).

This path of recent 10 years Grunt focused mostly on creation of coherent albums. Each album has had its own character, yet often continuation of sound and themes of the previous one. Three years between the albums often spent on smaller releases and extensive amount of live gigs.

"Castrate The Illusionist" album represents both, sonic rawness of direct live-on-tape recordings as well as obsessive care on small detail. 40 minute album consists of 11 tracks, making most of them short, loaded with strong impact what leaves one hunger for more. Sound combines traditions of experimental electronics to fierce power electronics and industrial noise, aiming to fusion of interesting textures and details without losing ripping violent force of dark side of noise.

Digital stream/download available from bandcamp.

grunt-finland.bandcamp.com

CD version comes in jewelcase with 8 page booklet 12 euro + shipping
www.nhfastore.net/grunt-castrate-the-illusionist-cd

LP version comes in full color sleeve with 12"x12" insert. 19 euro + shipping
www.nhfastore.net/grunt-castrate-the-illusionist-lp


Grunt "Sacrosanct Imperium" 12"

Re-issue of 20 minute tape that came out after Myth Of Blood album. Some concluded it to be superior material compared to full length. Whether this is true or not, Freak Animal acknowledges the strength of material to be worthy of vinyl reissue to keep it available little longer. Constant demand of the tape version has resulted material to be widely available, so vinyl edition is quite small.

Three raw yet also atmospheric tracks of industrial-noise, hammering electronic pulses, distorted screaming vocals and broken sonic waste.

Each vinyl is one-sider, including all the music on the other side and pasted-on graphics on other side of the vinyl, making it resemble picture-disc look. Includes graphics and lyrics of the original tape version.

15 euro + shipping
www.nhfastore.net/grunt-sacrosanct-imperium-mLP

[totalabuse]

been listening to the new album all day. incredible material. both raw and base but original and basically encapsulates everything I love about PE / industrial music. clanking buzzing lo fi looping rage anger experimentation etc

[NaturalOrthodoxy]

New album is indeed outstanding. The "experimental" tag is a loaded term but there seems to be some genuine exploration on this album without mitigating the power or heaviness at any point. Great variation in textures

[ONE]

I would offer (under extreme duress) Myth Of Blood - but that's w/ many a caveat.  I simply don't like this album to be taken as a whole; I cannot accept it in its entirety and that is not without trying. 

There is more to a work of art than an idea / premise / concept behind the piece:  the execution of those ideas is every bit as important as the ideas themselves, and only from close attention and learning in both of these aspects will a work attain longevity, and retain its integrity through repeated listenings over the passage of time.  It also separates the great from the mediocre.  The album is beaten, bullied, bruised, and battered by a lo-fi/no-fi truly hopeless production that stinks more of laziness than a willful downgrading of aesthetic values; and I simply cannot countenance that w/ the fact that the same man offered Black Line, an album that keeps on giving and stands proud in its richness alongside other lifelong favourites such as Highway To Hell, Daydream Nation and Margin Walker.

I've much to thank Grunt for: an introduction to Pentti Linkola; the lyric, Barrier between Man and animals (which for some reason refuses to leave my brain).  Yet the album itself remains cursed to me, and for that I am thankful.

[Thor]

I would offer (under extreme duress) Myth Of Blood - but that's w/ many a caveat.  I simply don't like this album to be taken as a whole; I cannot accept it in its entirety and that is not without trying. 

There is more to a work of art than an idea / premise / concept behind the piece:  the execution of those ideas is every bit as important as the ideas themselves, and only from close attention and learning in both of these aspects will a work attain longevity, and retain its integrity through repeated listenings over the passage of time.  It also separates the great from the mediocre.  The album is beaten, bullied, bruised, and battered by a lo-fi/no-fi truly hopeless production that stinks more of laziness than a willful downgrading of aesthetic values; and I simply cannot countenance that w/ the fact that the same man offered Black Line, an album that keeps on giving and stands proud in its richness alongside other lifelong favourites such as Highway To Hell, Daydream Nation and Margin Walker.

I've much to thank Grunt for: an introduction to Pentti Linkola; the lyric, Barrier between Man and animals (which for some reason refuses to leave my brain).  Yet the album itself remains cursed to me, and for that I am thankful.

Haha if this is how you talk about your favorite grunt album then how do you talk about the other grunt albums.
I think I know what you're getting into however, I find Myth of Blood more challenging than his other work, meaning that there are times I put it on and simply don't feel it and then there are other times which it all just clicks for me. It's a mindset thing for me I guess. Lyrically his strongest for sure, many passes which just stick with you. Picking up the new album from the mail today and can't wait to hear which approach was chosen for the new work.

[Noisemare_Soinc_Noise]

That's a though one, so I am going to go with what stands out in my mind.

The New Form Of The Organic Machine tapes

split with Alchemy Of The 20th Century tape

split with STROM.ec
tape

[murderous_vision]

Spent the weekend with Castrate The Illusionist. Fantastically powerful work.

[cr]

Not an album, but the two tracks on The End for Simulation of Pro-Creation might be one of my favourites. Good to have these now on CD as well.

I think my favourite album could be Seer of Decay, CD2 always kills me. But preference is also changing a lot. The last three albums are fantastic, too.

I also very much like the Documentation 3CD set.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

GRUNT "Kraniometria" 3"CD will be next release. It takes leap to different direction. Instrumental full on harsh noise release. Probably first instrumental harsh release since Installation of Blood and Steel if I recall correctly.

Documents 3xCD and Seer of Decay 2xCD has been bending on "to be repressed" list.

[brutalist_tapes]

as mikko himself has admitted, projects discography is pretty messy, but almost unnecessary to mention he has more than made of for that. hard for me to choose a definite favourite, but i think the period of greatness starts slowly with last grip to sanity, changes gears with seer of decay, becomes quite advanced with the finnish civil war concept cd.. lots of details, a thing that would get more and more attention. so i definitely prefer the latter period and newer grunt.
my favourites would (probably) be:
1. myth of blood
2. world draped in a camouflage
3. castrate the illusionist

at the moment at least!