Three 7"s from EPICENE SOUND

BLUE SABBATH BLACK CHEER/PIG HEART TRANSPLANT - Split 7" (Epicene)

Seattles BSBC is Wm. Rage and Stan Reed, two dudes who run two killer labels (ENTERRUPTION and PSYCHFORM respectively). On their side they lay down the heaviness with whining feedback, buried guitar, crumbling distortion, and Godzilla vocals. Seriously, they're either using audio from a Godzilla movie as a sound source or someone is doing a damn good impersonation of the Japanese beast. Shit, wait a minute! I think I might have just listened to it at the wrong speed! OK, it doesn't say whether to play it at 33.3 rpm or 45 rpm but I like it more after listening to it at 45 rpm. The guitar is a little less buried and the vocals are tad more 'human' sounding . This is a doomy slab of dare I say, 'Power Violence' influenced noise. It reminds me of Bastard Noise but with more of an emphasis on layering. On the flip side is PIG HEART TRANSPLANT. PHT is the brainchild of Jon Kortland, who is most well known as being one half of Seattle's superhuman grindcore duo, IRON LUNG (one of my absolute favorite bands). Kortland collaborates with a rotating cast of characters from the hardcore/grindcore/noise worlds to make PHT a constantly changing 'band'. I've only heard one thing from PHT in the past and I loved it. This is no different. There's a definite SWANS influence here. It starts with a bassy drone and heavily delayed drums then gives way to a short chaotic noise burst only to return to the droning, this time made even more powerful by the addition of pissed as fuck vocals. It slowly builds more and more until finally it just stops. Both sides of this record are near perfect displays of hardcore influenced vocal driven noise/industrial. One of the best 7 inches I've heard in recent months. http://epicenesound.com


WETHER/TEETH COLLECTION - Split 7" (Epicene/No Horse Shit)

Here are two artists I've heard of but don't know much about. WETHER kicks it off on the A side with "Anything Worthless", 5 minutes of heavily echoed airplane sounds. I like the short breaks given in between the fighter jet's swooshing distortion. The tonality and buried vocals that creep in about halfway through the piece are surprisingly pleasant and welcomed. I like the idea of combining melody with noise and WETHER's Mike Haley does a great job at this. He seems to have quite a few releases out and after hearing his side of this 7" I definitely want to hear more. On the B side is Ohio's TEETH COLLECTION, the solo project of Epicene label dude, M. Reis. I've seen the name TEETH COLLECTION a lot he has a ton of releases out but I've never actually heard any of them. Here he lays down an incredibly mellow 6 minutes of deep, cavernous electronics and delayed field recordings. I thouroghly enjoyed his side of the record and found it to be very mood altering but one side of a 7" is not enough time to develop a piece of music as meditative as this. I want to hear what M. Reis can do on one side of an LP or on 80 minutes of a CD. http://epicenesound.com


VESTIGIAL LIMB/FLETCHER PRATT - Split 7" (Epicene)
I've never heard either of these artists before and this is the first leap into the vinyl world for both of them. Kentucky's VESTIGIAL LIMB fucks it up old school with an opressive wall of sound augmented by spastic screeching electronics via envelope filter. There isn't much to say about VESTIGIAL LIMB. This shit is awesome. The breaks are few and the noise is harsh with a capital 'H'. Purely pummeling. Fletcher Pratt goes the complete opposite route. His side of the record is a strange stereophonic tape collage adventure. The one-sheet that came with the record says he's like John Weise with a razor blade, tape, and a slightly longer attention span and I couldn't agree more. There are plenty of snippets of wierd sounds broken up by snippets of even wierder sounds and plundered recordings from who the fuck knows what. I love the pairing of these two artists. Highly recommended. http://epicenesound.com

-FRED

THE SLEEP SESSIONS - "Lead Into Gold" CD-R (Harsh Noise)

4 tracks from THE SLEEP SESSIONS, this time on the well respected HARSH NOISE label. Tim Oliveira and Bob Sato (a.k.a. STIMBOX and XOME) have been at it for a while putting out dozens of quality CD-Rs. Knowing what was expected of him, Dawid Kowalski seems to have finally turned out the Harsh Noise masterpiece we've all been waiting for. Okay, maybe not a full on masterpiece but this is definitely the most composed offering I've heard from him yet. The first track, "Lead into Gold Part I" is a 9 minute display of well thought out, magnificently edited harsh noise. The static crunch is broken up every now and then by raw field recordings and glitchy electronic sputter. There was obviously a lot of effort put into the recording/editing of this piece. The next 3 tracks continue in the same fashion with short glitchy delays and a very Japanese harsh noise sound. There's actually a surprising amount of dynamics (for how "pure" this release is) and enough change-ups and unexpected twists and turns to hold the attention of even casual noise fans (if there even is such a thing. "Lead Into Gold Part II" is my favorite track because of the distortion's utter brutality and extreme saturation towards the end. Comes in a standard jewel case with the bluish insert that HARSH NOISE is known for. All in all, another awesome CD-R to add to HARSH NOISE's back catalog and the first 'must-have' release in THE SLEEP SESSIONS' short discography. http://harshnoise.com

-FRED

THREE MORE FROM CAUCHY RIEMANN/ABELIAN GROUPS RECORDS

CAUCHY RIEMANN / THE SLEEP SESSIONS - Split c20 (Abelian Groups Records)

Dawid Kowalski a.k.a. THE SLEEP SESSIONS gets things under way on the A side with "Excess", a 9 minute excursion into lo-fi swooshing fuzz. Filter swept static is the order of the day and while I feel the track meanders a bit, it's still an improvement from the 3" he released on INDUSTRIAL CULTURE a few months back. It's pretty good. I especially like the dominating low-mid drones that appear towards the end of the piece. On the B side CAUCHY RIEMANN's Allen Cox chimes in with about 10 minutes of sci-fi synth sputter, done Ohio style. I like his track, "Black Boots" more than THE SLEEP SESSIONS' track on the A side. It explores a bit more and does a better job of holding my attention. However, there are some weak spots in the middle of the piece that I feel should have been edited out. The modulation starts to get out of control. It sounds like he tried to play a synth while riding a roller coaster. Does that make sense? Overall this split is pretty good. Not the best thing AG recs has put out but still a nice way to spend 20 minutes. Limited to 50 copies. http://abeliangroupsrecords.blogspot.com


CAUCHY RIEMANN & PEASANT GRAVES - "Without Hope Or Cause" Collaboration c20 (Abelian Groups Records)

Here is a live collab between two Ohioans, CAUCHY RIEMANN and PEASANT GRAVES. The first side of this tape has some massive low end droning going on, I'm guessing from a bass guitar courtesy of PEASANT GRAVES. I'm really digging the ominous low end and whining background feedback. It sort reminds me of Sunn O))) if they recorded straight to boom box and had no metal influence whatsoever. The second side focuses less on the bass but there's still a ton of creepiness spilling over from side 1 in the form of slow motion wasp-like drones and an excellent use of silence. I absolutely love the clanking sound that happens throughout the piece. It reminds me of a sign blowing in the wind in a deserted western town. This is without a doubt one of the better releases I've heard from CAUCHY RIEMANN (and his ABELIAN GROUPS RECORDS) and a fine introduction to PEASANT GRAVES (who I really want to hear more of). Limited to 50 copies. http://abeliangroupsrecords.blogspot.com


CAUCHY RIEMANN - "Field Theorist" c12 (Abelian Groups Records)

I've heard quite a bit from CAUCHY RIEMANN, whether it be splits or collabs with other artists but I'm pretty sure this is my first time hearing a solo release from him and I must say, I'm surprised. This release consists of two 6 minutes chunks of dense as fuck harsh electronics on a transparent yellow tape. The A side still has the weird airy synthery found in most of his other releases but here it's broken up with walls of low-mid domination and schizophrenic stop on a dime transitions from treble shriek to bass pummelling. I like the lo-fi production of this piece but I'd like to see what Allen Cox could accomplish with a cleaner sound. The B side has a massive pounding beat that makes me want to bang my head like the redneck metal heads that live down the street. Just before I give into temptation, the beat is overwhelmed by what sounds like a slow motion hydrogen bomb explosion ran through a plethora of distortion pedals. I'm fucking loving it. This side of the tape definitely benefits from the lo-fi production. Cleaning it up would just take away from it's raw power. The music on this cassette is miles better than most of the stuff out there. I recommend fans of creative conceptual noise check it out. I also recommend that Allen Cox put out more solo releases. Criminally limited to 28 copies so act fast! http://abeliangroupsrecords.blogspot.com

-FRED

S.T. - “Redneck Vol. 5” c10 (Alienated Hominid)

S.T. is the ridiculously harsh alter ego of Kelso, Washington’s Suicidal Tendons. Here he lays down two short chunks of brutaller than thou harsh noise. The first piece is called “Stove”. After about a minute of what sounds like getting everything plugged in and preparing contact mics, S.T. lays the hammer down and pummells with thick walls of pure sound for the last 4 minutes. The saturation is almost unbearable in its extremity. The second piece, “Eye” picks up right where “Stove” left off and doesn’t let up for another 5 minutes. ALIENATED HOMINID realy did a great job with this release. The tape is dubbed nice and loud and the artwork is well put together and very fitting of a recording as menacing and heavy as the one supplied by S.T. If unrelenting DIY harsh noise is your thing then I strongly advise contacting S.T. or the label to see if this is still available.
alianatedhominidrecordings.com & barfingdagger@wheelweb.com

-FRED

FOUR FROM WHAT ABOUT ME RECORDS

Well, it's been a month since the last post but here I am. The 700 mile trek up to Oregon was a major pain in the ass due to snowy highways but we made it. Time to start looking for a job.



WHAT ABOUT ME RECORDS is a new label started by “Johnny Cash” from New Braunfels, Texas. He sent me his first batch of four CD-Rs. I don't want to sound like an ass but ordinarily I wouldn’t spend any time writing reviews for such amateurish, thrown together releases. I like this kid though. He's enthusiastic, friendly, and these are his very first DIY releases. He seems genuinely excited about what he is doing. Each of these CDs are limited to 10-20 copies and can be acquired at http://myspace.com/whataboutmerex.


ELDERLY PORNOGRAPHY - “Jacking Off An Amputated Nigger Midget (clean version)” CD-R (What About Me Records)

What the Fuck? This CD is seriously less than two minutes long. Every track is almost the exact same thing. This is the “clean version” (ha ha) so what we’re left with are very short blasts of bleeped out cuss words over static-lite pseudo harsh noise with cheesy samples and two seconds of negative space between each track. I hate it so much I almost love it.


XROTTEN NOISEX- “Grindcore is Fucking Dead” CD-R (What About Me Records)

Alright, this is a little more put together. “Grindcore is Fucking Dead” is 50 tracks of ametuerish shitgrind/harsh noise/power electronis. This shit is beyond silly. The vocalist is either a little girl or one of my little brothers weirdo friends. I can’t tell if this is bad in a good way or just plain bad. Part’s of it are actually quite enjoyable but the tracks are all so short there’s no time to develop anything that attention grabbing. The song titles reek of Anal Cunt too so if that’s your thing...


THE WHEN McGRUFF WAS KING/50 WAYS TO KILL ME/BREAKDANCING RONALD REGAN - 3 way split CD-R (What About Me Records)

First up, McGRUFF. After listening to 20 minutes of retarded joke music, I was expecting more of the same. So I was a little surprised to find that THE WHEN McGRUFF WAS KING play actual songs. Actually it’s still retarded joke music, it’s just a little more charming this time around. TWMcGWK kind of reminds me of early PAVEMENT if they were completely wasted(er?) and brain damaged (not in a good way). However, I’d be surprised if these kids had ever even heard of PAVEMENT. In reality, they probably just raided their parents liquor cabinet and then tried to play rock & roll while running a tape recorder. The end of their second song does get a little ‘experimental’. It’s kind of like a less fucked, more adolescent version of THE DEAD C.

What do you get when you cross ATOM AND HIS PACKAGE with a total lack of talent? 50 WAYS TO KILL ME, that’s what! Jay Haley makes cheesy pop songs by programming beats/synths/whatnot and then sings over them. It’s out of tune and off time and I love it. It falls into the category of music that’s so bad it’s good. The added goregrind influence that sneaks in occasionally is a total boner... er... bonus as well. “You know what to do, kill me with Voodoo.” Genius.

BREAKDANCING RONALD REGAN is the solo project of label dude, Johnny Cash. “A History of Southern Tribalism” is his first track. It starts with a repeating loop of 'old thyme' southern sounding piano quickly followed by cut up distortion, strange percussion samples, and and ominous bass line that slowly creeps in and out. The track goes on for almost 9 minutes without really going anywhere but it still manages to create a creepy atmosphere. The second track is sort of built the same way as the first. A chiming loop starts things off and is slowly built upon by elastic crunch and boomy distortion.


WHITE TIGER A:. A:. - "Tiger 7" (What About Me Records)

WHITE TIGER A:.A:. from Australia drop a single 56 minute track of free improv and cosmic psychedelic ambience, heavy on the reverb and delay. I’m not sure what instumentation is used but I think I hear some drums and buried no-wave guitar in there somewhere. Possibly some violin(?) and synth or a wind instrument as well. I love the goofy shouting towards the end. It runs on a little long but this is still without a doubt the most fully realized of the four WHAT ABOUT ME releases. I’d say this recording definitely deserves to be packaged a little more professionally and NOT limited to only 10 copies but that’s just me.

-FRED

THREE FROM ABELIAN GROUPS RECORDS

This may be the last update until late February or early March. I'm moving to Portland in less than two weeks and won't have much time to listen to or write about music until I can get completely unpacked and situated in my new house. Thanks for reading. Stay Tuned...


I haven't reviewed any tapes in a while. What better way to get back into the habit than with 3 new ones from ABELIAN GROUPS RECORDS?


DROUGHTER - "Young Harm" c12 (Abelian Groups Records)

Two short sides of low end brutality from DROUGHTER's Kevin McEleney. I really love when noise releases are kept short like this. The artist is less likely to throw in filler when they've only got two six minute sides of tape to work with. My love of short releases probably stems from years and years of listening to punk/hardcore on 7" vinyl. I've pretty much trained myself to only tolerate 10-15 minutes of one band at a time. But this isn't hardcore at all. This is pure and simple harsh noise made by pure and simple means and done in a very effective way. I'm talking contact mics, distortion pedals, feedback, a tape recorder, and 12 minutes to kill. I'm totally into the burly as fuck lo-fi production too. Both sides are dominated by overpowering low-mids and sloppy mush but they still manage to sound huge and oppressive. Comes with a xeroxed insert on an unlabeled yellow tape. Limited to 50 copies.
http://abeliangroupsrecords.blogspot.com


CAUCHY-RIEMANN & SICK TO THE BACK TEETH - "Illness Transfer" c20 (Abelian Groups Records)

Ohio's CAUCHY-RIEMANN (a.k.a. Allen Cox) and New York's SICK TO THE BACK TEETH (awesome name!) team up for this 20 minute long collaboration. I love mail collaborations. It's always exciting to see what two very different artists miles apart from each other can come up without actually meeting face to face. The results are almost always interesting. This tape is no exception. The A side is ten minutes of tag team noise destruction. The artists parts are slightly panned left and right so you can hear what each of them is doing without it turning into one jumbled mess. They seem to take turns handling the low end and while I'm not sure who is on which side of the stereo field, I'm really enjoying the airplane nosedive sounds and squawking feedback. The B side is a little less harsh than the A side but no less entertaining. Synth slime slowly building and evolving Very intense, very ominous shit. Black tapes splattered with yellow paint. Limited to 30 copies.
http://abeliangroupsrecords.blogspot.com


CAUCHY-RIEMANN & ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE - collab. c20 (Abelian Groups Records/Parsimoneous Recurrence)

Y'know that spattering synth chirp that MITB/BASTARD NOISE is known for? That's probably my favorite sound in the world and it's also what the first side of this tape opens up with. This is another CAUCHY-RIEMANN collab, this time with Palmdale, California's ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE who I'm not really familiar with. Of the three tapes that Allen Cox sent me, this is definitely my favorite. There's a lot of my beloved synth chirp to be found on side A along with some jet engine distortion, buried scuzzed out vocals, and damaged guitar drowning in reverb. Side B is a much deeper, monolithic venture with crumbling distortion and tea kettle electronics. I dig. More paint splattered black tapes. Limited to 30 copies.
http://abeliangroupsrecords.blogspot.com & http://parsimoneous-recurrence.50megs.com/

-FRED

MX NIHIL - "Psycho Killer" 3" CD-R (World Nihil)

Oh geez. Here we've got another 20 some-odd minutes of beyond brutal harsh noise on a 3" CD-R. Germany's MX NIHIL sounds like a million and a half other indistinguishable harsh noise projects but for some reason I can never get enough of this shit. I just love loading the 5 disc changer with all sorts of random harshness and letting it rip. I could be wrong but it sounds like MX NIHIL's basic method for making noise involves running audio from an external source through an effects chain and then overdubbing (?) some more memorable feedback sputters and whatnot over the top. Very basic but very effective. I especially like when the horror movie screams and Godzilla growls cut through the thick distorted mess. Very nice looking black & white computer generated cover art pasted on a red spraypainted cardboard sleeve. Mine came with some absolutely ridiculous "Will Fuck for Harsh Noise" stickers. Limited to 35 copies. You already know if you want this or not. http://worldnihil.de but it doesn't work so try this... http://myspace.com/worldnihil

-FRED

THREE FROM INDUSTRIAL CULTURE RECORDS

PRAEW JIK - "Wu Wei" 3" CD-R (Industrial Culture)

This blog/zine was started because of my love for DIY harsh noise. PRAEW JIK is the embodiment of DIY harsh noise and this little 3" is about as "pure" as it gets. "Wu Wei" is a 21 minute barrage of pure sound. Barely audible traces of synth and screamed vocals are buried in what sounds like ultra distorted field recordings of waterfalls and then mastered at a ridiculously loud level. The one-sheet that came with this CD mentions the "Japtronic Stalwarts" as an influence. I'd say that's a great place to start seeing as how classic japanese harsh noise seems to be the ONLY influence. It's like channeling the combined spirit of classic Merzbow and Masonna through the body of a white dude from Florida. "Wu Wei" definitely isn't breaking any new ground but it doesn't need to. It's a fun way to unwind after work and piss off the neighbors. http://freewebs.com/praewjik & http://industrialculture.org


THE SLEEP SESSIONS - "Heatwaves & Snowdrifts" 3" CD-R (Industrial Culture)

Kielce, Poland noise newcomer, Dawid Kowalski checks in with 17 minutes of psychedelic noisy goodness under the moniker, THE SLEEP SESSIONS. There are two tracks on this CD not surprisingly named "Heatwaves" and "Snowdrifts". "Heatwaves" starts things off in midrange harsh mode. Lots of slowly evolving textures and thought out knob tweaking. The sound is constantly changing but never far enough in a new direction for my tastes. It gets a little tiresome at times. Good but not great. The second track, "Snowdrifts" sounds almost exactly like the first track. I had to check to make sure there wasn't a mistake in the track sequencing. I like that both these tracks sound like they were recorded live with no overdubs or editing but I would have like to see what else Dawid is capable of doing texturally. http://myspace.com/thesleepsessions & http://industrialculture.org


NO JOHN - "Parasite" 3" CD-R (Industrial Culture)

Experiencing to the music of NO JOHN feels like listening in on a study into the properties of sound. Usually when listening to noise, I can picture some chubby unbathed scalawag punching distortion pedals and sticking contact mics in his mouth. When I try and visualize NO JOHN, all I see a scientist wearing a lab-coat, tweaking a knob then taking notes, tweaking another knob then taking more notes. There are no "jamz" to be found here. NO JOHN's is a very "academic" kind of noise focusing more on subtlety than brute force. After the short 'wall noise' snippet at the beginning of "Fig. 1", the saturation disappears only to return a few times during the CD's 15 minutes of crackles, warbles, and synth buzz. Very original and highly recommended. http://nojohn.org & http://industrialculture.org

P.S. The chubby, unbathed scalawag I was referring to is me.

-FRED

TWODEADSLUTS ONEGOODFUCK - S/T fan disc CD-R (self released)

Boston's TWODEADSLUTS ONEGOODFUCK have been around for a few years. They're touring the US, putting out records, and their live show is a thing of legend (I'm serious, check on YouTube). They seem to be on their way up in the world which is pretty good considering how overly offensive they are. Ah yes... Power Electronics. That's what this is. TDS OGF start with your basic PE mold, take out the goofy Whitehousities found in a lot of PE, and replace it with shit-hot hardcore rage and pent-up sexual aggression. All the usual ingredients for PE are here. You've got the warbling synth, the obnoxious as fuck microphone feedback and of course, the token sexism and homophobia (ugh). But (unlike certain unnamed Power Electronics artists that bore me to tears) TDS OGF takes those ingredients and uses them to create an extremely high energy Power Electronics sound bordering on straight-up Harsh Noise and dripping with violence. It's like taking the ingredients for a chocolate cake and making a chocolate dildo instead. Wait, did I just type that? "Fuck First... Ask Questions Never" is my favorite track on here. The distorted PE vocals mix with brutal walls of distortion and make little tinglys up and down my spine. They keep it short and sweet on this one with six quick tracks that are over before you know it and leave you wanting more. Comes packaged in a very professional looking black digipack with a simple insert and gross cover art. Mastered by the mighty James Plotkin and limited to 200 copies. I have a feeling this shit is moving fast so get on it. Recommended for anyone who likes it naughty. Not recommended for the PC noisers.

-FRED

Spotlight :: GLAUKOM SYNOD

GLAUKOM SYNOD - "Hydrocephalizer" CD-R (self released)

This is the kind of "industrial" I can really get into. No dramatic goth bullshit. No sugary techno fluff. Just pure cut-up electronic brutality and noisy distorted rhythm. GLAUKOM SYNOD is the work of Frenchman, Gabriel S. Using a computer, Gabriel creates a noisy, fun, beat-driven experiment in musical schizophrenia. Because of his use of a computer. Gabriel is able to throw anything he wants in there... and he does. Unlike most beat-driven music, there is almost zero repetition. In the title track alone there are harsh noise like rumblings, field recordings, samples of an actual rock band, low drones, danceable beats, blastbeats, glitched out retardedness, and way too much shit to actually type out. Because of the constantly changing form, it makes "Hydrocephalizer" seem a little unfocused but that doesn't keep it from being a whole lot of fun. The next three tracks are very short, the longest clocking in at 2:31 and showing a more controlled (though not as fun) side to GLAUKOM SYNOD. Recommended for people who think they don't like modern industrial music. http://glaukomsynod.site.voila.fr


GLAUKOM SYNOD - "Obsessism XXIII" (self released)

Another one from GKS. This one apparently came out before "Hydrocephalizer". A quick internet search tells me that this is GKS's first demo. The 10 songs on this release aren't nearly as all-over-the-place as "Hydrocephalizer". The beats are more danceable and there are lots of heavy metal guitar samples. This sounds like something I would have really been into in the '90s. Y'know? Ministry, Rammstein, Skinny Puppy, the whole bit. It's still noisy but not anywhere near the mind-fuck that is "Hydrocephalizer". Unfortunately the CD was too long for me. I lost interest about halfway through and had to struggle to listen to the whole thing. That's not to say it's bad. It's just not really my cup of PG tips. Worth checking out if you like your industrial to be in "song" form and mixed with extreme metal. My copy came with a super pixelated xerox cover and was hand numbered 433 out of 150. http://glaukomsynod.site.voila.fr


V/A - "Reincremation" CD-R (Nhilistic Holocaust)

This isn't a GLAUKOM SYNOD release at all but a 4-way split CD-R that GLAUKOM SYNOD's Gabriel S released on his label, NIHILISTIC HOLOCAUST. The 4 bands featured are IMPUREZA, ARSONIST, SUDDEN DEATH, and INGURGITATING OBLIVION. France's IMPUREZA starts things off with some awesome well-recorded catchy death metal (sung in Spanish?!) ala IMMOLATION or NILE but with more modern thrash metal influences. Totally brutal! Totally awesome ! Not what I was expecting at all after listening to GLAUKOM SYNOD for the past hour. The acoustic flamenco guitar was a nice touch too. That shit seriously made my fucking day. Next up is ARSONIST from Sweden. ARSONIST keeps it up with some brutal Cannibal Corpse influenced death metal. From the song titles ("Sadistic Necrophile Bed-Pleasures") to the relentless pounding blastbeats, their four songs reek of Cannibal Corpse and I love it. Germany's SUDDEN DEATH sounds remarkably similar to ARSONIST but with a slightly rougher production and a more old school approach to song writing. Last but not least is another band from Germany. INGURGITATING OBLIVION close this CD off nicely with a lethal dose of modern brutal death metal. No thrash or hardcore influences. Just straight up Suffocation worship. I haven't listened to this kind of over the top macho death metal shit since I was a teenager and I after listening to this CD, I wonder why I ever stopped. My copy was number 857. That's a lot of fucking CD-Rs! http://site.voila.fr/NIHILISTIC

-FRED

FAT LEGS - "Ripe for the Harvest" CD-R (self-released)

What do I know about the husband and wife duo called FAT LEGS? Almost nothing! I've been in contact with Danny Milanese/FAT LEGS through email since this past summer. I even put out a split tape with them (scroll down a few posts for more info on that). Still though, I feel like I know nothing about who they really are. Why do they seem so mysterious? Am I the only one who thinks so? They seem like very nice people. I'm pretty sure the mystery of FAT LEGS is part of what draws me to them. Well, that and the fact that they make some very enjoyable, very unpredictable noisy music.

On "Ripe for the Harvest", FAT LEGS have created their most cohesive set of compositions yet. These four tracks take you on an incredibly haunting reverb-soaked journey through the way-the-fuck-out-there mind of Danny and his wife, Tiffany. Very seldom is DIY abstract music this well thought out... this conceptualized. As soon as the first track, "Sickle Cell Anemia" hit the one-minute mark, I could tell that this disc wasn't going to be leaving the CD changer for a while. All four tracks are full of buried drones, manipulated tape hiss, slo-mo synth slime, and an ungodly amount of reverb. The haunting ambience is overwhelming at times. This is definitely the slowest and most meditative I've heard FAT LEGS yet.

After listening to this CD 3 times in a row I've decided that this is essential listening for any fan of DIY homemade noise/drone. Expect to hear more from this band in the future. Grotesque cover artwork by Dan Milanese (as always). This CD-R is was put out in a limited edition of 50 copies. Chaoz Records (Netherlands) also helped put this out as a net release (so you don't have to feel too bad if you miss out on the CD-R). myspace.com/thefatlegs

-FRED

SUBURBIA MELTING - "Tired of Waiting" CD-R (Smell The Stench)

Illinois native and recent Portland, OR relocater, Andy Quitter (a.k.a. SUBURBIA MELTING) is back with an awesome CD-R of unreleased (collab.?) sessions recorded in late 2005/early 2006. Alot of Andy's recent recorded and live work has been dominated by the use of his beyond brutal homemade "spring bass" (which is exactly what it sounds like) but I think these recordings were done before the building of the spring bass was completed. What we have here are 8 untitled tracks that can get pretty hectic at times but stay mostly in a psychedelic, sci-fi sludge. I hear contact mics, strange percussion, squishy circuits, tea-kettle electronics, and (guitar?) feedback. This stuff isn't as balls out violent as the other SUBURBIA MELTING recordings I've heard but that doesn't mean it's any less enjoyable. "Tired of Waiting" is actually one of the more interesting noise releases I've heard in recent months. It comes off as being much more exploratory than the straight up harsh noise that SUBURBIA MELTING is known for. It's definitely more "musical". The packaging is nothing fancy however. A black & white inkjet printed single-fold cover in a resealable plastic envelope. The CD-R is a store bought thing with a small hand written label stuck to it. Judging by the rate in which SMELL THE STENCH puts out releases, I can understand the simple packaging but I still appreciate a little more effort. Fortunately, the quality of the music more than makes up for it. This is an excellent release. Recommended for any fan of noise or experimental improv. geocities.com/discodumpster & smellthestench.net

-FRED

FISTOPIA - "Destruction Fuck!" Deluxe Edition CD-R (Total Vomit Records)

This is my first encounter with Alberta, Canada's FISTOPIA. Judging by the CD's cover I was expecting some sort of perverted hi-fi professionalism. Shit, was I wrong. This CD is nothing but cheesy movie soundbites and beyond brutal lo-fi harsh noise. Heavy use of contact mics and what sounds like a mile long chain of distortion pedals. And with that said, it's pretty fucking enjoyable. I know almost nothing about the mind(s) behind FISTOPIA but it sounds to me like they're influenced by a lot of early '90s noise/gore/porn grind. The heavy use of sample intros followed by trashy overloaded chaos is what tipped me off. Mind-numbing but not mind-blowing. Comes packaged in a standard jewel case with a laser printed card-stock cover and (for some reason) a picture of the Teletubbies (dressed up as KISS) on the tray card. After some internet scouring, I've determined that what I have is actually the "deluxe edition" of this release. The basic version comes with a different cover in a slim CD case. Still worth checking out for fans of juvenile lo-fi harsh noise and gore grind (er... minus the grindcore). Also, they spelled marijuana wrong in the liner notes. Awesome.
myspace.com/fistopia & myspace.com/totalvomitrecords

-FRED

TWO NEW TAPES FROM BLASTBEATS FOR FREEDOM

bff5- THE TWO-YEAR CURSE / JOSEPH ANDREOLI - split c21

Santa Cruz, California's Federico Avila (a.k.a THE TWO-YEAR CURSE) and JOSEPH ANDREOLI team up again for another 10 (ish) minutes each of experimental improvised sound.

JOE ANDREOLI's guitar is so effected, the signal so damaged it sounds like a glitched out fucked up computer breathing it's last breath... whirring it's last whir. He could be boning up on his mixolydian shredding skills or he could be cramming the neck of his guitar into the cartridge slot of his calecovision. Who the fuck knows? Alien shred on the fritz.

For the first time, THE TWO YEAR CURSE does a 180 and uses all analog recording devices to capture all digital instrumentation (rather than the other way around). Free improv electronic drum-kit blasts break through the seams of spastic laptop generated feedback clatter. "I nearly broke the track-pad on that fucker!". Limited to 50 copies.



bff6- THE TWO-YEAR CURSE / FAT LEGS split c30

FAT LEGS, the mysterious husband and wife noise duo from Alberta, Canada rip out 15 minutes of beautiful female vocals, hideous male vocals, distorted keyboard damage, and zoned out electronic scuzziness.

After Fred Avila's recent forays into heavily edited, complex as fuck, mapped out recordings he gives up and goes back to basics. These are THE TWO-YEAR CURSE's most stripped down recordings yet. Slimey bubbling feedback kept at a simmer collides with non-stop brute force electronics and pissed off vocals that are more microphone feedback than human voice. Limited to 33 copies.

$4.00 ea. ppd in North America / $7.00 for both
$5.00 ea. ppd everywhere else on earth / $9.00 for both
paypal to blastbeatsforfreedom at yahoo dot com

Distros get in touch for wholesale
Cheapskates get in touch for trades (ha!)

SPOTLIGHT :: CRANK STURGEON

It feels good to finally update this thing and what better way to do it than with some reviews of the wacky dada-riffic noise and all around fishiness we've come to know and love from everyone's favorite contact mic abusing man-fish... Harpswell, Maine's CRANK STURGEON. CRANK has been recording and performing live since 1992. He also hand-makes his own line of super reliable high quality contact mics (of which I own 2). Check out www.cranksturgeon.com to learn anything you'll ever want to know about CRANK STURGEON and life in general. Exactly 2 months ago CRANK sent me a package containing the following...


NOVASAK / CRANK STURGEON - split CD-R (Swamp Of Pus)

NOVASAK starts this CD off right with a blistering track called "Right Hook to the Jaw", a nearly 7 minute excursion into contact mic'd funkiness and white out distortion. His second track sounds to me like a feedback loop improvisation. It covers a decent amount of ground but doesn't hold my attention as much as the imploding factory sounds of the first track and at 12 minutes it runs a little long. CRANK's first track, "gilituz-n-gha (meme)" brings the mood back up with a discombobulated mess of terrifying vocals, stereoriffic cut-up percussion, and intense carnival sounds. "For Hucket - Keep Her Limber" starts off a little more restrained but soon devolves into the clanging percussiveness and burping distortion CRANK STURGEON is known for. At 4:54 the distorted madness of the track gives way to a feedback tone that is so high pitched it's almost inaudible. My dog woke up from his nap with a terrified look on his face and tried covering his ears, no shit. The last track is a mail collaboration between NOVASAK and CRANK STURGEON. It's an interesting mixture of found sounds, spoken word, and junk noise randomness. CD comes sealed in a nice blue envelope with 2 full color inserts. Contact Swamp Of Pus for price and availability... www.swampofpus.com.


CRANK STURGEON / DENNIS NASLUND AND THE SUICIDAL ACCOUNTANTS - split c62 (The Terrorists Win!)

The beginning of "Protein Bliss" has me convinced that CRANK STURGEON is the TOM WAITS of noise. Maybe it's the awkward sense of humor that comes through in his music, maybe it's the old man crankiness of his voice, or maybe I'm full of shit. "Protein Bliss" is an expansive 31 minute noise epic in nine parts. CRANK pulls from the usual bag of tricks (absurd stream of consciousness vocals, random instrumentation, and beyond distorted cut-up contact mic fuckery) but is somehow still able to absolutely captivate the listener. I mean really, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. DENNIS "the pink boxcutter" NASLUND (TTW label dude) has been kicking around the Portland, OR scene for a while now. On this release, he and 3 friends drop exactly 31 minutes of slow paced, thick & crusty, lo-fi as fuck noise. Vocals creep in occasionally as do some cheesy samples drenched in um... tonality but the bulk of this recording is dominated by syrupy distorted mush. I'm really digging the lo-fi brutal-assault mentality of it all but 31 minutes is a long time to keep this going, especially after the emotional roller-coaster that was "Protein Bliss". Tape comes sandwiched in between two card-stock "certificates of death" (from 1927) stapled together with a full color insert. "No really... thank you"... www.theterroristswin.cjb.net


CRANK STURGEON - "Bark King Haggard" c15 (Barfing Dagger Recordinds)

This release looks super nice. A standard tape case containing a clear c15 with a printed label on each side and a handmade insert wrapped in a beautiful piece of xerox art, the whole thing wrapped in a piece of binder paper with a child's (I'm assuming) magic marker drawing. Sound wise it's classic CRANK... crunchy, choppy, original noise that is absolutely gripping in it's absurdity. A big factor in CRANK's sound is the use of stereo panning and here he uses it to it's full potential. I love this shit and the fact that it's only 15 minutes long means that you can squeeze it in whenever you need a quick fix of spastic, schizophrenia. Limited to 47 copies... myspace.com/barfingdaggerrecordings


NOGGIN / ERIC BOROS / CRANK STURGEON and ID M THEFT ABLE - split CD (Manufracture)

Wow. Here's an interesting release. A real pro-pressed CD split between three different veteran artists. Bellingham, Washington's NOGGIN is the duo of Michael Griffen and Eric Ostrowski playing violin and guitar respectively. They've been improvising together as NOGGIN since 1993. Theirs is a very busy, meddling sort of free improv full of string brushing and scraping. These 3 tracks are probably my favorites on this CD. NOGGIN wouldn't sound completely out of place on John Zorn's Tzadik label though they might be a little noisy for the bulk of the Tzadik crowd.

France's Eric Boros (one half of the duo, VIALKA) has been here and there playing noiser musics since the early 90's as well. His track, "Noise Wakame" is a mash up of a bunch of live excerpts from his 2003 Japan tour. He employs everything from effected voice and electronic crackle to contact mic'd bong rips (that's what it sounds like at least). At times it sounds like CRANK STURGEON in slow motion. Because this track is made up of several recordings I found it a little disjointed and difficult to get into. It's an interesting listen but it still doesn't really come off as a fully engaging piece of music.

The CRANK STURGEON and ID M THEFT ABLE track is a live radio collaboration recorded for WMPG FM in Portland, Maine. It's hard to tell who's doing what exactly but I don't think it really matters. "...A Still Summer Evening's Border Crossing Impaired (w/ Stolen Almanac)(It's Probably the Beards)" is an exercise in complete oddball randomness. I would have loved to have been there when they performed this. I bet it was hilarious. What does it sound like? Well imagine if you will CRANK STURGEON in all his fishy glory. Now get some other weirdo who can do a dead on impersonation of CRANK STURGEON. Now get both weirdos going at the same time. It's fucking crazy right? Yeah, it's kinda like that... www.manufracture.net

-FRED

Mr. Lazy Bones

Sorry for the recent inactivity. I've been preparing a bunch of upcoming BFF releases and have simply not had time to sit and listen to/write about music. I promise there will be some new reviews posted very soon though... including a Crank Sturgeon artist spotlight and reviews of a bunch of shit from my huge stack of recent trades. Thanks for reading.

-FRED

SPOTLIGHT :: MYSTIFIED

Contact Mystified at www.mystifiedmusic.com to check availability for any of these releases. Watch for the split c30 w/ THE TWO-YEAR CURSE coming out on BLASTBEATS FOR FREEDOM in Winter ‘07/’08


MYSTIFIED - “Iron” CD-R (Turgid Animal)

The semi well known multi-national noise label (UK and Italy), TURGID ANIMAL put this CD-R out in an edition of 21. They have an obscene amount of releases for a 2 year old label. This is their 215th. The packaging left a little to be desired (but what do you expect from a label as ultra-prolific as TURGID ANIMAL?). The “Verbatim” brand CD-R definitely detracts from the overall look of the release (using storebought “branded” CD-Rs is sort of a pet peeve of mine). Fortunately the music more than makes up for the lackluster packaging. MYSTIFIED has been laying down the chill ass creepy noise jams for some time now and this CD doesn’t dissapoint. Contained are 10 song length tracks of haunting sound collages rife with chimes, bells, electronic farts, and looped insect noises throughout. The mixture of analog and digital sound creates an exremely varied, engaging listen that would be perfect as a horror soundtrack. I’m hearing buried tympani and processed field recordings mixed with programmed dissonance and digitized rainfall. There were only 21 of these act fast. It may be too late. This shit is way more ominous/threatening than a lot of the “harsher than thou” noise artists. Wow, I just noticed that I’ve used the word, “harsh” in almost every review I’ve written. I’ll try and cool it a bit from now on.


MYSTIFIED - "Drinking Hot Beer" 3” CD-R (Existential Cloth Recordings)

The cover art for this mini-CD is very colorful and would be quite beautiful if not for the extreme pixelation. The text is virtually unreadable! But again, this is another one where the music makes up for the packaging. This whole thing seems to be made up of lightly processed field recordings, some so untouched and left in their natural state that I find myself hearing certain parts and thinking, “This is supposed to be interesting?” yet for some reason I’m captivated. Sparse drums and accidental(?) melodies make appearances as do running water and traffic noise. I dig it. Seek this out if you like stuff that straddles fine line between “noise music” and random sound.


MYSTIFIED - “Mellow Utility” CD-R (Ambolthue)

Another full-length release from MYSTIFIED. Another 10 relatively short tracks of atmosphere and all around chillaxitude. This one is somewhat similair to the “Iron” CD-R on TURGID ANIMAL but way more relaxed and not as exploratory. “Mellow Utility” is a wonderfully fitting title. Rather than take you forward on an adventure, these tracks seem to hang around in their own fog not moving too much but creating space to float. Painting a picture. This is definitely more meditative than the other two MYSTIFIED releases featured above. Lots of machine-hum ambience and cavernous echo. Totally awesome relaxing ambient music. I think I could put this CD on repeat and go to bed. As a matter of fact I think I’m getting... kind of... ... sleeeeepy... ... ... Zzzz... Zzzz... ... ... Zzzz.

-FRED

THREE FROM TRIPTYCH TRENCHER

Carl Annarummo runs Triptych Trencher, a DIY label and printing press based in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Known for releasing CD-Rs mostly, these are Carl’s first three cassette releases. The 3 mysterious tapes he sent me came with almost no info... not even an artist name! All I had to go on was a catalog number. That’s not to say these tapes are minimally packaged. Each of them comes with some sort of small artifact that makes you wonder if Carl has been raiding his Grandma’s closet for old photos and documents. After digging up some info online I discovered that apparently Carl is responsible for all of the music on all three of these tapes. They are each limited to 33 hand numbered copies and are available for $4/usa $5/world by paypaling funds to oldwesty@gmail.com.

Says Carl... ...
“but really, fuck money, lets trade.
even if you want to send me mix tapes
or a box of junk.”

CLARENDON HOLY EXCERPTS - c32 (Triptych Trencher)

The tape starts and the shit is fucking gross. Is it the treble crackling and cackling or is it the vomit-esque snorting distortion? I don’t know. It bursts in with the gross and doesn’t stop with the gross. This appears to be the “best of” Carl’s practice tapes recorded over two years. It’s pretty good too. Nothing amazing or ground breaking but still a pretty fun listen (and what do I now about breaking ground anyway?). The stuttering low end thumps in the middle of side 1 remind me of a trashier version of Canada’s D/A A/D. Get this tape if you like harsh noise that sounds like motorcycles and/or religious chanting and/or infomercials and/or anything you can run through a shitload of effects pedals. Mine came packaged with 6 totally awesome faded pictures of old people from the 1970’s and 80’s. It’s weird to own pictures of complete strangers who are probably dead now.

AIRFORCE JOYRIDE - c32 (Triptych Trencher)

Another 1/2 hour of rumble and crumble from Carl Annarummo. Side 1 starts off with a mudslide of distortion but soon quiets down to allow for a cavernous snailpaced rhythm to be heard. The “loud, quiet, loud” thing is in effect here with lots of changups and dynamic shifts. Swirling hiss-tortion starts off side 2 and slowly gives way to more of the brooding feedback laced muddy electronics of side 1. Overall, a pretty dark sounding (mostly) harsh noise excursion. Came with a picture from 1941 of a little boy who looks like me when I was 8 years old. Fucking creepy.

DUEL FALCONS - c32 (Triptych Trencher)

“Peace and quiet never sounded so good”. So says the Triptych Trencher website. I couldn’t agree more. This is the sound of 100,000 pounds of nature crushing your skull. What happened is Carl made some field recordings at a local arboretum and as far as I can tell, upon returning home he ran the tapes through the washing machine, then through the dishwasher, then through a chain of effects straight to a tape deck. This is definitely my favorite of the three Triptych Trencher tapes. After a few minutes of the first side you can still hear bits of PBS-like conversation sneaking in and out of the distortion while the chirping birds have become a huge clamouring mess. Side 2 is even more harsh and has almost no recognizable trace of the source material except for a siren that creeps about here and there. Mine came with two “Monmouth Workshop” paystubs from 1976. I can’t believe that after working almost 12 hours this person only got paid $8.82!

-FRED

FLESHOBEDIENCE - Demo #1 tape (Self Released)

FLESHOBEDIENCE is a project from Marietta, Georgia. This is Kurt's first release and honestly, I wasn’t expecting much. I mean c’mon... the dude is just mailing these things out for free. So imagine my surprise when I popped in the tape and discovered it’s actually quite good. Harsh distorted vocals, wailing feedback and warbling lo-fi synth crust can only mean one thing right class? Right... power electronics! This is some mucked up shit too. For almost 15 minutes FLESHOBEDIENCE tortures the listener with his thick syrupy mess of electronics and black metal shrieks interspersed with obnoxious mic feedback. It could benefit from a little more forward motion but whatever, I mean this is noise afterall. My only real gripe... After the first side ended I flipped the tape over to discover there wasn’t a second side. What’s up with one sided tapes anyway? One sided records I can understand, but tapes? Boo hoo. Overall, a very solid first effort. Comes on a black tape with “FLESH OBEDIENCE” carved into it and a xeroxed j-card with minimal information and no art. Contact Kurt for a copy. Who knows, he’ll probably mail it to you for free.flesh_obedience@hotmail.com.

-FRED

THREE FROM LOST IN THE VOID RECORDS

I recently got a package from Mikey at Lost in the Void records outta Texas. He sent me 3 CD-Rs. The sleeve art on these releases reminds me of some mid-90’s grindcore 7”s or something. Rough cut ‘n paste artwork and shitty computer fonts printed on bright colored cardstock. Like Bred on Deception, Avulsion, Godstomper, or Captain Cleanoff. Musically these CDs are nowhere near what those bands play(ed) but the artwork definitely brings me back to the days of scanning the dollar bins at Amoeba or Streetlight Records in search of shitty grindcore records. That's not to say that these releases are shitty. Far from it actually. Anyway, all three of these CD-Rs are available for $3 ea. ppd (intl. add extra postage) from...

Mikey / Lost in the Void Records
184 Sandy Ridge Rd.
Nacogdoches, TX 75964 USA

lostinthevoid@yahoo.com
www.myspace.com/lostinthevoidrecords

“...trades welcome and preferred.”




INSOMNIA / MB10 - split CD-R (Lost in the Void)

INSOMNIA (A.K.A. Jason Vizmanos) starts things off Illinois style with some very lo-fi squiggletronics. Lots of human voice source material bleeding through the tinny waves of cheapo distorted gunk. Total analog meltdown. I like it but I think INSOMNIA’s tracks could really benefit from an EQ boost... like a severe EQ boost, especially in the bass and low-mid frequencies. But what do I know? Maybe the itty bitty treblecentric AM radio sound is what he’s going for for. After 3 tracks from INSOMNIA, MB10 gets a chance to lay down 6 tracks of reverb drenched hissing madness and oddball weirdo noise. MB10 (A.K.A label boss, Mike Waggoner) has a strong grasp on dynamics, making sure not to pile on the harsh for too long. I really like the choppy start and stop insanity of most of these tracks. There’s a constant forward motion not found in a lot of noise which makes it feel like it’s actually taking you somewhere. He definitely knows how to create an interesting listening experience and does so with these 6 tracks.




EVERETT ROSE - “I’d Like to Kill You” CD-R (Lost in the Void)

Ummm... OK this is obviously a terrible joke. A terrible, terrible joke. The kind that makes you laugh at how not funny and terrible it is. Basically Everett Rose is a trashy redneck “tribute” to Wesley Willis. Wait a minute... am I laughing? Is this funny? I can’t tell if I’m laughing with or at Everett Rose. Check this CD out if you like extremely stupid and offensive music. Don’t check this CD out if you are at all a fan of Wesley Willis.




ACIN / MB10 - split CD-R (Lost in the Void)

Mike Scrivens’ project, ACIN’s first track, “Alive” starts things off with a burly synthy buzz which turns into more swirling crackle and buzz and the shit just doesn’t let up. Musically it reminds me of when my girlfriend’s trying to give me a buzz-cut and the shitty $10 shaver I bought starts crapping out (which happens every time we shave my head). ACIN’s tracks have a very “classic” harsh noise sound. Actually it's more like a slower, more contemplative version of all those spastic japanese “classics”. Of ACIN’s 4 tracks my favorite is the last one, “Undertow” because of it’s weighty buzz and bubbling crackle. Keeping in the “classic” vein, MB10 comes back and delivers 4 tracks of over the top pedal noise. These MB10 tracks are overall more harsh and in my opinion, even more enjoyable than the ones on the split with INSOMNIA. My favorite MB10 track on this release is “Invaded Space”, total feedback loop insanity left in it’s buzzy raw & unedited state. Apparently MB10 has been around since the early 90’s which would explain a lot. This shit is good. Wait... Can you believe I used the word "buzz" five times in this review.

-FRED