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Friday 31 August 2018

Scatmother & Pissoir Rouge


Scatmother/Pissoir Rouge – Physics Dissolve in Urine - 2018. Obsessive Fundamental Realism. CD.

Obsessive Fundamental Realism Website - http://obsessivefundamentalrealism.blogspot.com/



Germany’s Scatmother has been active since around 2015 and have done 6 releases on the Filth and Violence, Wrath, Total Black and Obsessive Fundamental Realism labels – some nasty, naughty, impressive PE credentials there. Pissoir Rouge have so far released one cross dressing, masochistic tape on Obsessive Fundamental realism in 2018.



This opens very harshly with urgent blasts of immediate noise with way over the top screamed vocals that are punctuated by violent beeps. The level of violence within the sound is way higher than most of what I have heard: feedback from the microphone fills every gap in the vocals. I can’t tell what’s making the noise aside from the vocals it’s very few (2 or 3 at most) elements that work together to make an entire mass of sound. The way of making noise - blasts of distortion, vocal noise, blips, feedback - has an American 2000s noise feel which I do like. I am particularly thinking of the Obscurica label.

Even by the second track when things pull back it’s humming, and sharp pitched feedback tampered with shouted interludes it totally pulls back from the levels of the lead track, it’s more like a few friendly jabs to the head instead of the pummelling given by the opening track. The track intensifies in screaming and aggressive punctuated jolting noise.
The third track is a multi-levelled wall of feedback, hollering echoes and shrill wobbling noise. It’s more of a deliberately failing Harsh Wall that is very gappy and shrill, so it doesn’t allow you to zone out/into the wall as is the case with a lot of HNW, your attention is jolted around too much so you’re forced to engage with the work.

Pet-play shifts the vocals shift into sheer depravity, whilst arching noise and shrill feedback intensify everything massively – a sonic amplification of filth that descends into violent abstraction. Pisstrophen ups the violence again into an explosive war of sound, it cleverly uses three elements to do this - sharp feedback, blasts of distortion and mad vocals. Rites really slows down, there are minimal elements again, but it slows shit down to deep, threatening rage.

Nature has a more direct wall flirtation until vocal rage and more high-pitched jabs of sound destroy it. If anything, the wall exists for the high pitches and vocals to be in the centre stage, it is as if they are trying to out-do each other whilst teasing and upping the ante between themselves. Noise as theatre. Sex-Slave fits back into the depths of depravity, a horror of a track I don’t want to hear again, it deals with the horrors of contemporary Sex-trafficking very effectively. A vile description of modern day horrors on the news, bringing the reality of the situation home. More vile sadomasochism and intensified noise war ends the split. This uses a more-choppy digital kick with distortion and shouting.


I appreciate the directness and sheer, mass intensity of the delivery. This was recorded live in a bunker, no over dubs it is essentially a live recording session between two guys. It is in a sense the shock of earlier Power Electronics intensified through way more aggressive lyrical, direct content and a playful use of harsher, aggressive noise, sort of intense barrages swung around – foreground, back ground. Both act the part. It isn’t nice, it is a violent and traumatic listen. This is simply true roots PE with modern harsh methods and yet again more good work from OFR.

Choppy Noodles - 2018

Axebreaker Overview.


Axebreaker – Burning False Flags. Cassette/mp3 – Primal Architecture Records – 2017.

Axebreaker – The Whited Sepulcher – Anathemata Editions -2018.

Axebreaker Bandcamps- https://axebreaker17.bandcamp.com/


Terrence Hannum Website - http://www.terencehannum.com/#/0


Axebreaker is a recently emerged US Power Electronics project by Terrence Hannum, who is also a member of bands Locrian and The Holy Circle amongst other projects, he also makes his own tape based visual art. Axebreaker is themed as an Anti-fascist Power Electronics project in retaliation to Trump’s new America and the rise of the Far-Right that came with it.


Burning False Flags begins with White Rose - a low level digital, pulsating noise delivery with shouted vocals that seem way in the distance rather than at the forefront of the recording. Synth drones take the lead as an abstracted, vocal hisses throughout. Dark ambient qualities seem to over-ride the power electronics, flirtations with walls seem to emerge at various points too.

Changeling seems to begin as atmospheric electronica, the vocal again is distanced as static hiss forms a fog over the track. Very American digital pulsations drown the tracks illusions of beauty. Enemies List; forms more ambience whilst channelling the band Suicide. In certain tracks Trumps speeches are warped beyond belief to emphasize an ugliness of what’s been said. The work ends with a cover of a Crisis track ‘Hollocaust’, is this a tease on Death in June’s change after Crisis? Either way this is Power Electronics riddled with glimpses of melody and lushness.

This is a very atmospheric recording, I think it gets too distant and ambient in parts, sometimes it is as if it is kicking off in the background. My belief is that to make this an effective Anti-Fascist Power Electronics project, it needs to be way more direct, ugly and sharp.it’s positives are that it does have a slightly ethereal element that is refreshing and an 80s synth playfulness which is quite original and fresh within the genre. There is a slight otherness – a rich atmosphere in place of harshness. I confess to still being surprised by this release and got something different to what I was expecting.



A year later enter 2018s The Whited Sepulcher which is a 4-track release. It still has the gorgeous ambience of the prior recording. It also seems to have a better placing of foreground and background elements, structural movement and pitch: it does have more impact.

The vocal is shriller, sharper and more effective than before; it punctuates well through the ambient sphere. Synths are deeper and resonate as more vocal samples continue to be warped. There are still Dark Ambient elements present which deliver layered sonic landscapes for which the vocals can travel, it’s as if the Far - Right is mocked through abstraction. A stronger use of harsh electronics, samples and pulsations build the Lost Cause as a track; a mini riot of sound ensures.

This is a more effective release, the project’s qualities have been emphasised, and they are homed in a bit more. There is harshness coupled with lush texture and ambience. There is a long way to go to a full realisation of the project emerges, but Axebreaker’s effectiveness and purpose increases.

Choppy Noodles 2018.