1208 North Fuller Ave Apt 1: Industrial

XAL is a project consisting of AM NOT, A and Mollusk King all of whom are familiar names with releases behind their belts in the UK Post Industrial scene. Spirit Breaking was created as a tribute to Darren T Byler’s thesis (Spirit Breaking: Uyghur Dispossession, Culture Work and Terror Capitalism in a Chinese Global City) which is about the Chinese government’s persecution and state war against the Uyghur Muslims and other Muslim groups within Xinjiang. This included men being arrested, women being arrested, sterilised, raped and tortured within prisons. I was aware of the issues mentioned here, but listening to this recording forced me to research further and I was disgusted and disturbed at what I found out is happening to the Uyghur. Spirit Breaking refers to the government’s process of removing the people’s culture and historical lineage by banning or restricting their religious, cultural practices and Islamic education ensuring they used only government approved religious text and schools (education centres). This ensured the continual degradation of the Uyghur, specifically through the inhumane treatment and abuse of their women. I have tried to do some research about the title tracks in relation to the text, my definitions aren't concrete and are of my own opinion. .

The album begins with a combination of Dark Ambient atmospherics and samples, this accelerates to increase its own intensity. Quirky keyboard sounds, pulsing beats and cinematic synthesizers build Seven City Blocks, this works together to form a landscape of which events play out. It refers to the seven new cities the Chinese government built during the urbanisation of Xinjiang a decade ago. The sound here pushed into a lot of post noise sound futuristic and ambitious, this works well as work. New Dominion Pioneer Corps is a short blast of huge industrial soundtrack, possible reference to the Police State and Capitalistic growth in the area. The Three Evils (A political slogan of the Peoples Republic of China – terrorism, separatism and religious extremism.) goes into a screwier use of warped noise with vocals buried into the work, to add further dynamics to the track.

We are in the thick of the situation as Terror Capital refers to the clashes between Uyghurs, State Police and Han Chinese and other incidents over the decades. The track uses restrained noises, phases of dramatic percussion and samples to start a build-up of tense sound. A voice that is either AI or a sample is used to throw facts and statistics across the noise. Rumbling and suspenseful electronics mix up on Dispossessor (someone who takes away something that belongs to someone else.) big synth sounds dominate the track. Uyghur people started being sent to jail and then re-education camps, In 2021, the BBC reported that China has imprisoned at least 630 Muslim religious figures since 2014, and over a million practitioners of Islam. This is soundtracked by the brief sounds of Disappear. Behind the Black Gates refers to the entrance of a detention camp in Xinjiang, this uses eerier atmospherics, muffled voices and shuffling noises in combination to build a picture of the location. The pace of these elements accelerates to intensify the track as if to voice domination and control – the noises progress to become more attacking in their sound.

God Is Dead could refer to the repression of the Islamic Religion through the government specifically the Uyghur, or feeling as if God is dead when imprisoned in any of the many prisons in Xinjiang. The bleakness the track projects is intense as drones and clashing waves of discord repeat. Takbir (God Is Greater), contrasts the previous track through simple melodic, repetitive instrumentation and sampled conversations playing out in the background. Musically this contrasts the previous methods of making tracks beautifully. Sinister electronics and whisperings make Bioluminescence II: Sleeping Citadel, as this dies off a pulsing beat is all that remains. Dungeon Theme ends the album on a dark note with big build ups and moody beats.

Is this a good album? Yes. XAL is unafraid to tackle complex political, humanitarian issues, it is forward thinking, progressive in how it uses sound and could lead to great things. Spirit Breaking is a step forward into a new territory and is backed up by strong context like all good art should be. Watch this space.

Nothing and Nobody 2024.

Monday, 8 April 2024

Kevlar - Criteria

Kevlar – Criteria – Cassette/LP/DVDr/Pal – Unrest33 - 2015.

https://kampfunrest.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.facebook.com/people/Kevlar/100063614945240/

https://soundcloud.com/kevlar-unit

Criteria A :

I. Milieu Control.

II. Mystical Manipulation.

III. The Demand for Purity.

IV. Confession.

Criteria B:

V. Sacred Science.

VI. Loading The Language.

VII. Doctrine Over Person.

VIII. Dispensing Of Existence.

Kevlar is a very tough synthetic fibre used in the making of bulletproof vests; it is also the name of this present-day UK based Power Electronics project. One of the members also did the project Kontinent for a time. Kevlar was a duo and is now one person, they have done 5 releases over the years on Unrest since their formation in 2010. Kevlar played three of the four United Forces of Industrial that Unrest hosted in London as well as gigs around the UK and Europe. Criteria was their 2nd release after Alpha Strife in 2014.

The first side of Criteria rumbles into action as glitching, hissing distortion and muffled field recordings build the sound of Milieu Control, this rumbles away in the background for a time until Mystical Manipulation barges in with rumbling bass, various drones, waves of distortion and humming weave together to make a tense, compressed sound. Restrained feedback screeches into this before the vocal kicks in, the sound intensifies into a heavy Power Electronics assault. The battering that is caused by the choppy distortion is impressive feeling like a Jetstream of sound being continually cut into, bashed metal also adds to the overall choppiness.

Low, pulsing drones move into The Demand for Purity, the sound repeats itself as another drone moves across it creating two opposing sounds. Both noises seem to do their thing and ignore each other, creating a strong tension until only one of them is left. Small sounds of electronics seem to fiddle around, until a deep bass drone is hit upon, this forms the core sound of Confession. Distortion crackles across the drone as others enter the sound periodically. Each sound has its own movement and all of them move along together providing subtle shifts of texture within the track. A clear electronic pulsation ends the track.

The second side of Criteria takes an instantly aggressive tone as wall like noise is punctuated with howling blasts and possibly religious vocal samples sound desperate as they are buried within the storm of rumbling noise that is Sacred Science. Death like drones bark out the base of Loading the Language, dense, overdriving bass builds thick waves to back the drones. The tension becomes warfare as each sound changes their prominence in the full sound, different shifts in the mix make massive movements within each track.

Things drop right down as small noises interact for Doctrine Over Person raising the sound levels as each element of the sound begins to find its feet. A vocal joins in to take charge, it is warbled through effects making it a voice noise. The bass deepens, making the sound’s brutality clearer through the slow simmering rage. Dispensing of Existence starts off as gloomy atmospherics cut into through fractured crackling, a vocal is buried within the mix as the cracking noises and eerie sounds fight it out. The vocal shout emerges and sinks in a continual cycle through and into the noise. Lines of feedback cut into the work, chopping it into collaged sections, very disruptive stuff.

Criteria very effectively holds noise back to intensify it, using the mix to do this. As the tension is released slightly it makes the sound shout out. In my opinion, Unrest released a lot of pissed off, simmering Industrial and Power Electronics that brooded at and menaced the listener, using a variety of different ways to create and exploit tensions of sound. Shift, Soft Option Killing and Kevlar do this best. My online wheeler dealing led me to Criteria last month and I am glad I got this. Another Unrest gem unearthed and a great project becomes more apparent.

Nothing and Nobody 2024.

Wednesday, 21 February 2024

Soft Option Killing - Every Brutal Act A Service.

Soft Option Killing – Every Brutal Act A Service – Cassette – Unrest Production – Unrest 23 – 2007.

1. – Fajr.

2. - Isha’a.

Soft Option Killing was an industrial project based in Nottingham UK. Two cassettes were released on Unrest Productions, Rouge State (2007) and Every Brutal Act A Service (2010). There was a self-titled cassette put out on Hospital Productions & Abrasive Records in 2010, in addition to this there were three self-released cassettes. The person behind Soft Option Killing was also involved in the project Front Towards Enemy/Bear Faced Boy. Soft Option Killing stopped releasing around 2010.

Side 1, Fajr (the time when the first of the five daily prayers of Islam is performed), the track opens with samples of fighter pilots discussing targets, ending in ‘do not engage the mosque.’ Deep bass noises go off as if to mimic bombs exploding. All of this goes off over a subtle droning sound that changes tone gradually throughout Fajr. The drones begin to take further depth as the time moves on, turning into deep rumbles as the atmosphere intensifies. The shift from wavering wind sounds to distorted code comes in with the changes of the drones, both elements co-exist uneasily. In part the deep rumbling depths that Soft Option Killing engages in reminds me of the slower rumblings that could happen in the work of label mates Shift.

Side 2 – Isha’a. (Second prayer of the day, occurring in the darkness of night.) Thick synthesiser resonations seem to pull this track into murkier, territory than Fajr. The drones are ominous and threatening throughout the track. The synthesisers become more death-like further into the work whilst a holing distortion sounds off over this intermittently. I’d argue there was a clear policy in Unrest acts where synthesisers are pushed to maximum effect or to the forefront of the sound. Soft Option Killing was clearly unafraid to do this and dive into Death Industrial territory, a few acts on the label revelled in that for passages of time, S.T.A.B. Electronics lives it. The murkier Isha’a gets, the more it intensifies and steps up to the mark. It wails and gives deep horn like drones at the peak of the track – the sound becomes massive.

The missing in action status of Soft Option Killing adds mystery to the work. The sound of this tape adds credibility and integrity to the name. There are some heavyweight acts on Unrest and this easily holds its own amongst them. 6 tapes released in three years, if ever something should be reissued and known about, it is this work.

Nothing and Nobody 2023.

Monday, 20 February 2023

Inner Demons #20

Inner Demons #20

British Misery – Untitled – 3”CDR/Download – 2022 – [IND126]

https://innerdemonsrecords.bandcamp.com/

https://jettenbach.bandcamp.com/music

1. I Am of the Opinion That the Void Can Be Terribly Wearing at Times.

2. Literally Everything is Shit Since David Bowie Died.

Image from Inner Demons Records Bandcamp.

British Mystery is an anonymous project, I may or may not have the right Bandcamp link above, who knows? If this is linked to Jettenbach, this project has released before in 2020.

The first track, I Am of the Opinion That the Void Can Be Terribly Wearing at Times, has foggy atmospherics, it feels like you are lost at sea as some beats eventually emerge and play in the background. Melodic drones play as the track slowly wakes up and comes to life and feels as if it is now a journey on a beautiful day. Is this subversion to the void, Inner Demon’s challenges that notion all of the time, so we’re good.

I like the title, Literally Everything is Shit Since David Bowie Died, how people felt about him, I can see this being the case for some. Deep, resonating drones have a mournful feel here. It has a sense of gradual shift moving through different subtle changes to the composition. The beats return in the background, they are managed perfectly, they don’t ruin the feel, they work well as another element to the track’s shift.

If this is Jettenbach, it says ‘zero talent’ on his Bandcamp, that isn’t the case I can assure you. I think that this is a very good release. I think it is another Gem from the label and a good artist to watch, links to both are above.

Going to have a better day today, 2023.

Monday, 13 February 2023

Ennaytch - Withdrawn

Ennaytch – Withdrawn – Cassette/Download – 2023

https://ennaytch.bandcamp.com/album/withdrawn

1. Withdrawn from Family.

2. Withdrawn from Friends.

3. Withdrawn from Love.

4. Withdrawn from Everything.

Photo courtesy the artists Bandcamp.

Ennaytch is a Noise project from Tucson, Arizona that has been active and releasing since 2019 on labels like Basement Corner Emissions, Machine Tribe Recordings, Imploding Sounds, Mutual Aid and Father of Lies. The project tends to move across all areas of noise, never confined to one area and they allow themselves to experiment across recordings. Ennaytch has played live several times in America. The Withdrawn, double cassette is available from the Bandcamp site.

I’ve become aware of this project through their livestream performances from their recording studio, they have impressed me with what I’ve seen. I felt I needed some detailed listening time with the project.

Photos courtesy of the artist.

Each track on Withdrawn is just under 25 minutes long. The first is Withdrawn from Family. This begins as subtle, diseased, insect-like noises that chirp and churn away. A subtle hostility resonates as things play out in spacious lower levels. This is classic Death Industrial menacing, I feel as if I am in a face off with a potential enemy, wondering how I can get out of the potential combat that awaits. I am particularly fussy about low level noise as subtlety and tension aren’t an easy mix – this pulls that combination off very well. Recent live, video broadcasts have demonstrated that well.

There is a complete change of methods on Withdrawn from Friends, drones and glitches combine to form a scratched ambient sound. The glitching seems to spit over the drones as if to interrupt the meditative feel that they would give off alone, it is as if they are interrupting a dream. A sea of distortion floods the work as pitched drones swim through this. There is a subtle beauty to the work that I like, it doesn’t revel in ugliness, but swims happily in waves of bleakness.

Pulling back to the low frequencies and subtleties of the first track, Withdrawn from Love splutters into life, progressing into whirling psychedelic effects, whilst pulsating distortion is the only element keeping it bound to the other tracks stylistically. This maps out a bleak landscape, a constant theme throughout the album. I like how the sound breaks down into struggle as the keyboards splutter, gasping out noises, never dying, it eventually progresses to a solitary drone and echoing quack-like noise basking in the ambient fog.

A more Industrial feel is initially present in Withdrawn from Everything which clutters with drones shifting in the background. This progresses to an ambient soundscape with electronic glitches interrupting, eventually progressing to a passage of more complex noise. This is the liveliest Withdrawn of the four, it is as if the maker has accepted and adapted to the position taken on this recording (Withdrawal) and they are revelling in it. There is a warped sense of victory that can be felt to achieving solitude and this expresses that perfectly.

The mastery of this album is the execution of consistently quieter tracks over 25 minutes, the variety of methods used to do this and binding them all together. The dynamics of the sound, how they create a bigger soundscape and expand when needed works well. I initially thought I was going to just do a review for a new Facebook friend, draw on the positives and that would be it. Instead, I found a great album that I love.

One alone, I am the crack in all cliques, 2023.

Sunday, 5 February 2023

DeComposer - The Tool of the Devil's Trade.

DeComposer – The Tool of the Devil’s Trade – Download – 2023.

https://decomposer2908.bandcamp.com/

1. The Tool.

2. The Devil.

3. The Trade.

DeComposer is an experimental Industrial project started from the ashes of two previous projects: Seroquel (F20.0) and Pusmouth. Salem Black, who is behind the project, has been actively making sounds from Croatia since 2011. The process uses words or an image as the starting point for the work, these can often be seen as disturbing or offensive and they are then processed and represented in sonic form. The cover of this album as you can see is a devil tattooed around someone’s penis. There are willies, toilets, smegmas and carcasses on the Bandcamp page. I wonder what this will sound like. Either way, we’ve had a lot of naughty images on here in the past, so Decomposer is in good company.

A device continually tries to start through out The Tool, sometimes it runs for a time but it takes a while to get there. Noises hisses alongside the mechanics: this track serves as an introduction to the album. The Devil demonstrates more complexity to the layering as it uses clear sermons and slowed down unintelligible dialogue against each other. Other sounds enter and leave the performance until all that there is are the two dialogues creating an atmosphere. The Trade is the sounds of sex and noise going at it, at the same time. It’s hard to derive whether it is agony or lust and how many samples or field recordings were used against each other. The sound being locked in lustful agony (pleasure and pain) is my only interpretation of the track that I can offer.

Prior to playing The Tool of the Devil’s trade, I thought that this would just be the run of the mill Harsh Noise project with extreme images, but it comes from elsewhere and does it quite well. I think the screwiness of the work needs a better visual representation to work alongside it. I’d disagree on this being limited to download only and argue that it needs a physical representation, even if limited to small numbers like 10 copies (tapes/Cdrs) as it would solidify what is already an interesting project. This needs to be out there beyond the dimensions of its own Bandcamp - as it is worth hearing. Good work, keep it up.

Euphoric Bullshit Vibe of the Sonic Deathwish Posse 2023.

Saturday, 17 September 2022

Aussaat #1

Aussaat #1

A round up of the latest releases of the German label Aussaat.

Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte/

Email - ernten@aol.com

Discogs - https://www.discogs.com/label/972977-Aussaat

Previous review - https://1208fullerave.blogspot.com/search/label/nuori%20veri

Nuori Veri – Kadonnut Maailmankuva – CD – 2021 – Aussaat 20.

1. Muistamisen taakka.

2. Konttilanoja.

3. Ikuisten ystavien kanssa.

4. Ratsu F-3.

5. Lasi muuttuu hiekaksi.

6. Nittyvallankumous.

7. Vihrea raunio

How will you act, when your most merciless judge is your own self-respect?

There are no colours in the world, there is just light and the lack of it.

Quotes from translations of the album’s dialogue.

I’m glad that I rarely use the reviewing technique of ‘this sounds like this project’ as it would be a waste of time on Nuori Veri as I have never heard anything that sounds like them before. Nuori Veri have been releasing since 2019 on Brownhill Mafia and Aussaat. I have heard the term Rural Industrial to describe this work before on Special Interests. One of us reviewed them back in 2020 and they were very impressed.

A spoken narrative introduces Muistamisen taakka, a string instrument loop plays through, whilst things are anonymously shuffled around and bumped on a table as sounds of marching create a backing rhythm. Anguished vocals shout over this, the song is hypnotic and ties in with the rural artwork on the album’s cover. Further looped instrumentation and scuffling sounds build Konttilanoja which seems like the first until electronic humming breaks everything up for a spoken narrative to enter the song as the shouting returns to kill everything. More shuffling and scraping play out over the dead space. The drones and narrative return as the shouting goes off in the background. Further dialogue introduces Ikuisten ystavien kanssa, piano melody plays slowly to creaking and rattling in the background, there are many glimpses of beauty on this album, this is a classic example of that. The piano dies off, rumbling and slow, low percussion and a person growling take its place and the narrative continues. The sudden shift of the track from optimistic to bleak is noted. As the piano returns, all is well in a melancholically beautiful way.

A female narrative introduces Ratsu F-3, scraping sounds shift around with rattling pipes to create sound poetry. These create tension and movement upon which feedback can help build for the narrative to drift in and out of it. Resonating feedback ends up dominating and lead the track to its end. Slower wind chime like sounds and a looped scratched sound build Lasi muuttuu hiekaksi. Bass heavy feedback and the familiar shouted male vocal enters the equation as dogs bark in the background. Any use of electronics on this album immediately makes the tracks darker, they signify disturbance and unrest. Delicate piano builds Nittyvallankumous as rumbling and thunder erupts, eventually birds can be heard singing their song. The finale Vihrea raunio feels like a field recording overlaid with dialogue as this ends an accordion plays a tune beautifully with rattling sounds echoing across the soundscape in between passages of speaking. A violin sings its’ tune to the speech as sounds clatter and tap in the background.

Kadonnut Maailmankuva is a work of shining beauty that is unique and close to perfect.

Nuori Veri – Vakaumus – CD – 2022 – Aussaat 26.

1. Sisainen naky.

2. Vaarallinin tie.

3. Epailyksen pitka varjo.

4. Juuritila.

5. Selvinpain portailla.

6. Luopuminen.

7. Kohti hengen kirkkautta.

8. Von haju.

Taustalla toimivat voimat

This CD is both of Nuori Veri’s early tapes Vakaumus and Vakaumus II and they were released in an edition of 50 on the Brownhill Mafia label in 2019. The artwork themes of bees and rural countryside again occupy the CD case like that of Kadonnut Maailmankuva.

A brief speech introduces a sustained piano melody, the early releases feature longer passages of instrumentation throughout, I feel the beauty of the work was evident immediately as Sisainen naky demonstrates. I like the piano work that appears across Nuori Veri albums. Things die off and contact mic abuse and heavy breathing take over, this rumbles and feeds back until the piano returns to compliment. Feedback and rattling introduce further contact mic abuse and the tape feels like it is being purposely warped and abused as a vocal comes in, less shouted than later recordings but effective as it builds up within the chaos, this is Vaarallinin tie. All dies off, tape warping returns as an intro to Epailyksen pitka vario’s piano melody. The piano is haunted and evocative as it plays a lonely melody, its only company is the shuffling of the microphone, this begins to warp and become disrupted by background noise.

Feedback and humming accompany clattering as the shouting returns on Juuritila, the sound is impassioned and angry. The noise is intense as it plays through to the end pf the track. Noise returns through contact mic scraping and shuffling - piano melody takes the place of the vocal in Selvinpain portailla which plays out for a long period of time. Luopuminen uses intense rumbling, scraping noise only for field recordings of chickens to take over and this to be then eclipsed by silence and distant background noise. Intensified rumblings become the bulk of the track and the chickens become backing vocals for shouting and raving. This is the most intense track on the album. Rustling and wailing feedback are the intro to Kohti hengen kirkkautta. The wailing feedback changes pitch causing movement of sound as echoes and rustling eventually accompany piano playing. The piano continues as Von haju, which is eventually joined by a vocal. This occasionally cuts out as if it is a loop upon which the vocal is shouted – I am simultaneously amazed and confused by this. Taustalla toimivat voimat, the album’s finale is chaotic until it dies off and things begin to move, clutter, clang and warp. This builds a long passage of noise until piano returns and plays a dramatic song that ends the album.

The sound here isn’t as clear as Kadonnut Maailmankuva there are many elements of it, but they are working differently, yet the work still maintains a constant feel shimmering beauty. These two studies make for an impressive whole.

Alone and Empowered 2022.

Wednesday, 15 December 2021

Circle of Shit - Romance Through the Body

Circle Of Shit – Romance Through the Body – Aussaat – CD – 2021- Aussaat19.

https://www.facebook.com/Aussaatundernte/

https://circleofshit.bandcamp.com/

Circle of Shit is a Finnish project that has been releasing albums since 2013, they have recently become prolific with 8 different recordings out this year. The conceptual extremity lies in the project’s commentary on religion (expressed through artwork over and song titles over the years) and bleakness of existence again expressed through titles and imagery over the years and particularly on this recording which was made in the 2010’s.

I have noticed that Circle of Shit seems very good at combining things like metal abuse, samples, raw instrumentation with electronic noise, they have an ability to experiment to just the right degree, it never seems to sink in what is being done. There is discordant guitar, samples and some noise on the opening track to form a strong collective sound. How all the different elements, particularly electronic noise and percussion (or samples of dialogue) are put together over the album work very well, the transitions from passage to passage are successful.

The use of sounds such as fucking noises, police sirens, scuffling, metal being hit, scraped and dropped are aggressive – the tracks radiate aggression in unique, original ways. The noise does the same work but drops off to allow the various sound sources to do this alone or together and always in their own way. Vocals are either used as noise or shouting and are often key in binding tracks together.

Romance through the body is a dark album, this is highlighted by the bleak use of noises that fire off each other or some nasty areas of Death Industrial that are sometimes allowed to resonate. I found myself impressed by the experimentation that goes on constantly. But over all the work works as work and I think there is a well-hidden attention to detail across all the album – this plays a large part in making it a success.

Army of one, eradicator of all cliques 2021.

Tuesday, 24 August 2021

Satori - The Brutal Truth.

Satori – The Brutal Truth – CD/Cassette/Download - COD Noizes – 2021 – SHUM36

https://codmusicdistro.bandcamp.com/album/the-brutal-truth

https://satori-industrial.bandcamp.com/

1. False Prophet.

2. Poacher.

3. The Way of the Warrior.

4. In Isolation.

5. Hypodermia.

6. Morphia.

7. I Will Shake Your Hand and We Will Talk.

8. God and the Human Spirit.

9. Black Light.

10. Kuru.

11. No One Cared.

12. Walking In a Straight Line.

Satori was part of the second wave of Power Electronics, around the time of Grey Wolves and Con-Dom. During that time Satori was Dave Kirby and Robert Maycock, later members included Justin Mitchell and Neil Chancy. Satori originally released on Broken flag and Maycock’s own Mindscan Tapes who also released several important compilations of British Electronics at the time of which there were 5 volumes. After various line ups, Satori is now the solo project of founder member Dave Kirby. Since Kirby came back – there have been a series of new releases on labels like COD Noizes, Cloister Recordings, L-White and Outsider Art. You can’t miss the news about how Satori has stepped up in recent years. The Brutal Truth, their latest release comes in an attractive card wallet with inner sleeve, the presentation and artwork are impressive. COD Noizes have done a great job with every aspect of this release as we shall see.

False Prophet builds with samples from the film, There Will Be Blood. It starts quietly, as if simmering and slowly rising in temperature. This bubbles ominously with an infected feel until the distortion explodes, and the layers of the noise cut each other up, building a mass of anger that introduces Dave Kirby’s screaming – the guy really cuts it live and is naturally disturbing to watch. It feels like Kirby is in the centre of the noise projecting outwards at intervals whilst at other times happily buried within the hiss.

Similar methods are used for Poacher as distant noises and samples play out, tension is increased via feedback as rumbling and distortion grow like a distant threat that becomes impossible to ignore. The vocal sample that punctuates the distant noise has a menacing Dalek tone, this seems to rattle the noise to blast up to the forefront of the sound, a wall that pulsates outwards, the noise is particularly savage here. Kirby’s vocal spits out on this one, he seems reinforced by the noise he makes.

Chanting and Electronics collide to form The Way of the Warrior – this has the feel of a ceremony as different electronics introduce themselves to the ritual. The vocal comes in and out, it is muffled and whispered within the sounds, a sense of screeched depravity gives it a weapon like feel as it now punctuates the noise as both climax. In Isolation is a quieter track, with dark, infected tones and a guttural growling vocal that adds a real ugliness to the sound. Continued ominous growling and bleak atmospherics serve as the introduction to Hypodermia until the sound gets big, despite restrained eruptions, this allows for a sickened vocal to return and spew dialogue over the proceedings.

Morphia plays with the same atmospherics as Hypodermia and explodes periodically allowing for the sound to fill the space and reach outwards at the listener. When Morphia isn’t erupting, it plays with tribal drums and ambient landscapes. Slow drones then playout along with deeper ominous drones over the top of this for I Will Shake Your Hand and We Will Talk as Reggie Kray samples menace over this - this is bleak. It doesn’t stop there, God and the Human Spirit features samples of Alex Jones, which is nastier and less subtle than the Kray samples of the last track. This really allows the samples to be the nastiness, the noise behind serves to highlight it.

Ambient atmospheres and samples form Black Light which progresses to demonstrate pulsating noise that uses a slow rhythm whilst Dark, ranting vocals deliver the sermon with impressive shifts in noise building to its delivery. The shifts I mentioned included what I saw as a very Death Industrial synthesizer, that has that sharp ‘EEEEEEGH!!’ type resonance, this is brought through to Kuru and they are more ever-present throughout the track and build up a lot. The vocal is a sharp, cutting rant which I feel is the best vocal performance on the album. The sharpness of the vocal is continued at a sharper pitch with distortion heavy electronics on No One Cares, this is occasionally caged in by the noise as it kicks off into demented rage.

The ritualistic ambient sound that runs through all The Brutal Truth builds Walking in a Straight Line as it plays with off a wall of distortion, both battle for prominence. This features Neven M Agalma, I am unsure if he is just the vocal or part of the noise that erupts and buries the track to its’ death, bringing the album to an end.

I think that this is a strong modern day Satori release that doesn’t play on any past glories; I feel Kirby still has something to prove and is constantly trying to do it – he can’t stop. I feel he is achieving it yet suspect he doesn’t feel that he is. If that’s the case, keep trying as the results never fail to impress me. Having seen how this project delivers live and what I keep hearing, I am a fan for sure and rate this release highly amongst this years best.

Coventry Soul 2021

Saturday, 19 June 2021

Kevlar - Agitators of the Mind.

Kevlar – Agitators of the Mind – CD/Download – 2021 – Unrest Productions - UNPRDCD16

https://kampfunrest.bandcamp.com/music

https://vonsechsundachtzig.bandcamp.com/album/permission-to-die

https://www.facebook.com/Kevlar-128124803932189

https://soundcloud.com/kevlar-unit

The duo Kevlar have been around since 2010, Agitators of the mind is their 5^th release and their 4^th album since 2017s New Fears New Fights. I have properly never heard Kevlar before this, but they do have a stellar reputation in the UK where they are based.

The sound is immediately massive as big, controlled drones with infected distortion and whistling feedback all weave into each other to make complexed sound textures. The use of noise is precise with each shift in sound moving the hostile feelings radiated as vocals are shouted over it the top of Go Forth. There is a favoured use of pulsating noise throughout the album, that creates a menacing throb - the vocal works to deliver the attack on each track, sometimes the sharper noises aid in this. Tracks vary between 4 and 6 minutes, they are all concise and straight to the point.

There is a female vocal or sample combined with the male vocal on Mind Agitators that really delivers, the track is agitated and panicked. The doubled or echoed vocal on Mirrored rages as dragging electronics and synth prodding create haunted passages – there are nasty bits of Death Industrial tinkering that breathe menace over the vented sermons. Moral Ferment vomits death over the listener as ugly electronics drown the vocal to a gargled rant. The electronics fart over distant sirens and at this point the album really is at war with itself as the vocal gains clarity.

Promised land has a bigger synth sound, that conjures big landscapes and distorted vocal, the vocal resharpens and blunts itself continuously – the pulsation on this one is exact and lethal. Rope builds on this for sound, the throb of Kevlar’s sound is restrained and the distortion and warped electronics take the lead here – the vocal is expertly buried within it. The use of electronic is at its best and busiest here as the control is eased off a little.

Kevlar uses power Electronics to a high standard through sheer disciplined, precise use of sound and how the vocal is used. It encompasses these methods to deliver threatening, tense works that never let go or explode – they just radiate bad vibes, anxiety and menace. There is no shock or pointless extremity, each track is straight to the point with no filler or fat. I am glad I heard this album; it is an excellent piece work.

Coventry Soul - 2021,

Tuesday, 6 April 2021

Corporate Park - Exchange.

Corporate Park – Exchange – Virtues – LP – 2020 – VTUL001

https://www.virtueslabel.com/

https://corporatepark.bandcamp.com/

https://senglish.bandcamp.com/

1. Disconnected.

2. Intimate Precision.

3. Evidence.

4. Love Letter.

5. Delusional Visions.

6. Losing Myself in Dark Eyes.

7. Fade Out, Loena.

8. Over Dinner.

Exchange was the debut release by Texas duo Corporate Park in 2009 on the now defunct Sexkrime Arts label, this was run by Alex who does Climax Denial; it is now given the full vinyl reissue treatment on his new Virtues label. There have been seven releases by Corporate Park in total since their debut, they are still active today.

Rhythmic machine gun pulsations play alone until a warped, screamed vocal pierces through everything. The vocal grabs the listeners attention as it is continually warped and twisted, it also sounds pained and inhuman – the vocal is turned into an abstracted noise. This coupled with the choppy rhythm make an impressive combination, WTF am I hearing? A more digitally backed beat kills this and takes precedence, Intimate Precision is cold, the spoken vocal comes in with an emotionless delivery that ties in with the Germanic greatness of Haus Arafna - this contrasts the opening track well.

Evidence displays complexed beats and ties in with another vocal warped beyond any recognisable dialogue, it just echoes across the track like a ghost. Further bleak Electronica forms Love Letter, the vocal is noise again, I don’t know what it is saying as the synths kick in, again demonstrating a complete lack of emotion, this feels like the soundtrack to murder on a cold night. Echoing electronics give us Delusional Visions, this repeats itself and radiates ominous vibes. Whispers introduce a concise rhythm pattern as a French female vocal whispers and talks at speed as it is joined by synthesizers. This all continues until we are left with lone whispers in our ears.

A nocturnal beat and spoken vocal forms Fade Out, Loena, subtle electronica forms a loop behind this. The album constantly has the feeling that it was created in a lonely building extremely late at night because played at midnight this album makes perfect sense. Bleak shufflings and field recordings show a different approach for the last track Over Dinner. The looped noises, samples and mumblings feel like being held hostage in their nightmare.

I like the minimal beats and the noise they make out of the vocals a lot of the time, throwing in occasional dialogue to break up the abstraction stops the album getting repetitive. Exchange demands and holds the attention; you are stuck in the Exchange – I felt I couldn’t go until the album let me. The methods used are simple and effective. Looking for more info on the duo didn’t really deliver much, only some rabid live performances and further evidence they have continued to progress these methods over the years. Exchange is an obscure gem, a slab of cold Texas weirdness, I can see why it had to be reissued.

Army of One 2021.

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Sunday, 14 April 2024