Harsh Noise Wales.

Clydach Electronics – Harsh Noise Wales - 2x cassette – 2026

https://clydachelectronics.bigcartel.com

Track listing – Cassette 1.

1.      Ordeal by Roses.

2.      Insatiable Wound.

Track Listing Cassette 3

1.      H's'T.

2.      Cariad.

I met Ordeal for Roses at a recent Very Friendly event, it was intense and they open this compilation with their first new track to be released in a few years. This begins as fast paced, juddering electronics, drones go off in the background and small screeches drag across the entire work briefly. Mournful Organs suddenly play out in the middle of all as the distortion builds around it, becoming windier and increasingly dense. This is all held together for what seems like a long time. Due to this all I can say is the project's brilliance is still there and very intact.

Insatiable Wound come out using small sounds, subtle noises, slight feedbacks and I immediately take to the way the space is used here. The feedbacks begin to wail slightly and crackle spits over this, all is still subtle and delicate at this point. Wailing high pitched noise splutters out a signal to up the ante slightly, tension rises in the work with each tiny display of shrill noise assault. Bigger sounds erupt, louder, deeper wailing feedback, angrier distortion that scrapes massively. The increase in size, pitch and speed is felt immediately. It is as if they decide to let go and let the sound hit the listener. The wail out at the end is dramatic and impacting. This reminds me that the three times I have seen Slow Murder/Insatiable Wound have been amongst my life’s greatest moments.

H’s'T played a solid set in Nottingham recently and this tape's immediate sound reminds me of that. This guy, at first,  uses a dense, heavy sound that is interrupted by samples and clashing noises. The use of a tonally shifting wall out of which things bounce and emerge is impressive, then he strangulates it for periods of time so noises can go off unbacked. Amazing work, in how he allows the language of the track to constantly morph into new areas with an armada of noises, keeping the restrained wall as a constant to back this and even having the skill to mute it for periods of time. I like this artist’s work.

Cariad demonstrates a cut-up method of working, distorted radio and tv samples play out, but are cut up with crackling and bad tuning so they remain indecipherable and become noise in themselves. Some words emerge in the dialogue, but not enough for the sentence to flow. Choir's play ot with brief passages of music, dialogue splatters over this. There is a whole history of radio type noise like this and this work is a prime example of strong technique and excellent results.

This is a good compilation with two now established acts and two up and coming acts, all at their best. A new chapter in the Wales noise scene emerges. I think this might be available at Negative Output festival as it has sold out from the label. Repress?

Zg 2026

 

Slow Murder - Deserving.

Slow Murder – Deserving – CD/Download – Self Released – 2024.

https://slowmurder.bandcamp.com/music

https://straightpanic.bandcamp.com/album/slow-murder-straight-panic

          1.     Hands In Prized Mouth.

          2.     Ulcer.

          3.     Target Practice.

          4.     Only.

          5.     Permanent.

Jo don't read this review, just keep the work coming and jog on.

Having seen Slow Murder perform as Insatiable Wound a few months ago, I have become very aware of the project – obsessively so, I cannot stop thinking about that performance at Cafe Centralla in Birmingham, it is a short, sharp, green memory that has been etched into my head. At that show it was Flesh Licker that gave the most performance art performance of the night, but Insatiable Wound completely blind sided me. There is no doubt that Slow Murder is now amongst the top of the pile in todays scene, they rub shoulders with Knifedoutofexistence, Pale World, Mlhest, Ordeal by Roses, Blackcloudsummoner, XAL, S.T.A.B. Electronics, AM NOT and Stark. However, my job here is to decide if Slow Murder is good or great? I think we have a project that may unintentionally be someone who may be that project that could be our best.

I have listened to this album in two stages, first it was when Dean Llloyd Robinson shared out a post that said there was new Slow Murder out. The post said that Deserving was available on Bandcamp, I purchased it immediately almost unaware I was doing it, as if I was in an obsessive psychosis. I played that through my Bluetooth speaker. I loved it instantly, no questions asked. The CD arrives a week or so later, so I play it in the car and I play it a lot. The CD is green, I can't read the text, just see green, that's what happens when you see Jo, there is a lot of green. The album makes good use of long noises and plays with the levels of cold that the work gives off make play to the past of Power Electronics and recent players who like it cold.

You have to address that they are Welsh, from Wales. I go there a lot due to family commitments and you have to be aware that it is a completely different landscape to England. They are steeped in mythology like the UK, but more so, the landscape absorbs pain and never lets it go, I feel it every time I am there, I love Wales but am glad to escape that volcanic pain, the pain of my family, the pain that Wales resonates. This is why Ordeal by Roses and Slow Murder are so intensely unique in today's Power Electronics scene. Deserving is 5 solid performances that leads me to the conclusion that this album is great, I stand by that.

 

Fleshlicker, Insatiable Wound, Sword of Democles, Pale World, EOP. Centrala, Birmingham, 16.04.24

Live Review –

Fleshlicker, Insatiable Wound, Sword of Damocles, Pale World, EOP.

Centrala, Birmingham, 16.04.24. (All photos by the author)

https://centrala-space.org.uk/

https://fleshlicker.bandcamp.com/merch

https://paleworld.bandcamp.com/music

https://slowmurder.bandcamp.com/music

It is always a treat to come to Centrala for a noise gig. Many of my most memorable gigs have been there. Tonight, the event was held downstairs, the last one that I went to was Knifedoutofexistence which was held in the upstairs gallery.

The first act on was EOP which was two people: a drummer and a guy making noise through machines and pedals. They sparked off each other very well during a long piece that was kept interesting through changes bought by the improvision. The drummer was very good at what he did and completely mesmerising to watch.

I was excited to see Pale World and had high expectations of the project. Sadly my pictures were too dark to use here. However, I’ve reviewed his work on here before, seen him live and my expectations were very high. His set consisted of electronics and contact Microphoned steel sheets. His set started off subtly with slight sounds going off and built up to explosive levels of intense, claustrophobic noise though metal sheets that were hit, scratched and slapped. I am sure there were other electronics involved too. Joe Parkes who organised the gig and does Pale World seemed like an intense guy to talk to - this came through in his set with ease. Melodic instrumentation could eventually be heard and the noise built up again and intertwined with the melody, this made a strong contrast to the explosive, earlier part of the set. Pale World’s set ensured that this is presently one of my favourite UK projects.

I had only heard of Sword of Damocles by name in the past. This set was the technical set out of the lot as he was using a lot of intricate cut-up technique over Harsh Noise, melodic drones and samples in his work. All these elements were continually spliced together and broken up to allow other combinations of the sound to occur. His techniques were rapid so there was a lot of fast movement to his work, this was done very effectively with a lot going off in one set.

Next up was Insatiable Wound, which is another project by Jo of Slow Murder. This set will forever be named ‘Grooving in Green’ in my head, Jo wore all green, had green hair and worked under green light. Despite the March Violets reference, this was pure energetic, top tier harsh noise. There was a lot of Contact Mic, Sandpaper, a bit of head wound and it was very loud. The set was very short, this made it work perfectly, allowed for the high energy and left me wanting more Insatiable Wound and even more Slow Murder. An amazing blast of a set.

I knew nothing of Fleshlicker other than he is otherwise known as UK mastering maestro and distro Foul Prey. My ignorance made the show even better. The strength of the support acts made for a hard line up to follow, this had to be at least good. The lights went off in the venue, all went quiet too, I was unsure what was happening as no one was in the performing area. Suddenly I heard retching sounds and a topless Foul Prey appears dribbling everywhere, stretching out as if he was an undead person from 28 Days later, staring at people, retching, staggering around. “Ugh, Ugh, UGGGGGH!!” was all he did until he staggers up to a huge amplifier and Harsh Noise Wall blasts out and he continues staggering, contorting his body and retching. This was a Mike Dando or Michael 9 level noise performance; I was seriously impressed. This could easily get too samey if repeated too often, so Fleshlicker needs to keep up the progression and conceptualisation to stay this great and keep me this blown away. An outstanding finale.

I couldn’t fault this line up if I tried. These are new times with new champions.

Nothing and Nobody 2024.

Insatiable Wound - pain seeking behaviour

 

Insatiable Wound – pain-seeking behaviour – Cassette – self released – 2024

side a – pain-seeking behaviour. (recorded summer 2023).

side b – live recording. (Bristol 20/06/2023).

https://slowmurder.bandcamp.com/album/pain-seeking-behaviour

https://slowmurder.bandcamp.com/music

Insatiable Wound is a project by Jo Sheehy who also does Slow Murder. I saw them live at Birmingham Centrala recently and I was impressed enough to buy this cassette after the gig. I was also completely thrilled to meet Jo as I love the work of Slow Murder. The cover and free sandpaper strip also demonstrate their commitment to the colour green; Jo had green hair and was completely dressed in green for the show. I believe the sandpaper can optionally be used to administer pain to oneself while listening to the work.

The studio recording begins with contact mic sounds that are fed through distortion; feedback goes off at the same time. Both elements begin to accelerate into a faster paced sound, the feedback begins to wail as the distortion becomes increasingly abrasive and louder. The sound starts to get cut into to allow each element a short, shifting solo. The distortion becomes a woofing bass roar that is periodically cut into by the feedback, which is now a cutting, shouting sound, yelling out at the listener. A hum of drone stops everything so the sound can begin again, muffled bass goes off, the drone cuts in again, the feedback wails at the drone to signify the sudden end of the recording.

Live in Bristol begins as screaming feedback and a banging cacophony, this sounds way more energised than the recording as the shifts in noise come rapidly before anything can settle. Constant changes to the feedback and contact mics provide the movement of sound. I am sure I witnessed a combination of Jo, sandpaper and a contact mic to make noise, resulting in a head wound, when I saw the project play live – I am convinced that happens here. The distortion progresses to a roaring void that battles with the screaming of the feedback until it cuts out and ends.

A very good recording available from the links above.

Nothing and Nobody 2024.

Outsider Art August 2020 batch of tapes.

Outsider Art – New Batch of tapes.

https://outsiderart.bandcamp.com/

https://outsiderart.bigcartel.com/

Playworker – Vague Recollections.

        1.    Gear Shifts from First to Third.

        2.    Thirtythree

Playworker is a new UK project, a Knifedoutofexistence side project. Gear Shifts from First to Third is minimal, choppy, distorted radio like noise and what appears to be a vocal buried in the background. I like the static shift of this piece, very straight to the point and raw. This piece is impressive as it goes through distinct passages within the track as each collection of lead sounds shift to another.

Thirtythree uses a sharper palette of noise, choppier, more cutting in tone and texture. It breaks down to use a bass crunch in parts, this then adds pattern to the texture as you then have clear contrast. This makes some dramatic shifts in speed as if in overdrive and gains more echo to add more depth to the sound, this comes in as the sound begins to crumble.

Tracks within tracks, minimal, direct palette. This shouldn’t be a “side- project”, it needs continual growth and development for more magic to happen. This is an excellent, challenging release.

Lacrima/Pastoral Abuse – Simple Joy.

        1.    Lacrima – Virgil’s Hand.

        2.    Pastoral Abuse – Only Flesh.

        3.    Pastoral Abuse – White Flower After Death.

        4.    Pastoral Abuse – Pain Gate.

I’m new to Lacrima as heavy, haunted atmospherics lead Virgil’s Hand which quickly intensifies and gets noisy. Once this gets noisy, it has subtle rises in sound that increase the deliveries range. The sharper noises serve as a lead sound within Virgil’s Hand whilst the deeper sounds and distortion serve as a moving landscape in which the act unfolds, as it builds there is an increase of mania within the work. This is a good, solid barrage of Harsh Noise, the sounds are authoritative and controlled. I’d like to see how this solid delivery comes out in live performance. I like this.

I was very impressed by Pastoral Abuses – Cold Hand of Power Release on Invisible City Records recently so before I even play Simple Joy, I expect the highest standards. Straight away the sound is strangled and muffled as the fractured vocal bleeds through. The restraint continues with White Flower After Death, even more so. This is distant, low level noise that works well. Fractured, buried vocals return on Pain Gate, this rises slowly, as it does so the dialogue becomes more intriguing, you are pulled into what is happening. This is an impressive display of noise strangulation; the vocal display is very original and unique - the high standards have been met.

Eros Catheter – Medusa Configuration.

https://pressuredspeech.bandcamp.com/

        1.    Corridors of Heaven.

        2.    Mirtazapine Temple.

        3.    Rose Binding.

        4.    Medusa Configuration.

This one is remarkably interesting; I have just played this in the background, and I would say we have a serious player here. It is noise, but part esoteric in what comes out, mournful and bleak would also be appropriate terms. There are layered, textures of sound that reveal themselves. Some tracks have vocals treated to incoherency within the work, keyboards and synthesisers are used well. Beats eventually come into Rose Binding, which is the most noise track so far, buried vocals bleed out. Eros Catheter throws a few nods out to Coil on this tape, hence the esoteric. Medusa Configuration throws me some Power Electronics by letting the synthesizers radiate whilst ambient sounds and vocal noises occur. As it builds the use of noise becomes rhythmic and intense. This is a long instrumental display of the self.

Medusa Configuration is easily amongst the best releases I have heard so far this year.

Slow Murder – Death to Fascism, Freedom to the People.

https://slowmurder.bandcamp.com/

        1.    Paid in Blood.

        2.    A Litany of Beasts Pt 1.

        3.    A Litany of Beasts Pt 2.

        4.    A Litany of Beasts Pt 3.

        5.    Example.

        6.    Destruction of an Empire.

        7.    Death to Fascism, Freedom to the People.

I’ve been more than impressed by the past work Wales act Slow Murder, they have made an impressive start and this tape does that, a sample of a record playing plays out until an intense display of Harsh Noise kicks in. I say this a lot about this batch, but again we have another high hitter, this is just brutal and massively relevant to the now, they screech impressive vocals and the displays of noise are sharp and harsh. Even when the actions are buried in murk they shine through. I really am taken by the vocals, they are impressively delivered. Like Lacrima I am keen to know, is it this good live, because it’s good. Ace release, Slow Murder is undoubtedly a top tier project.

This batch of tapes demonstrates we have brilliance a plenty in Noise in the UK, I am so happy I decided to throw my focus here.

Dorcus Maximus 2020.

Slow Murder - Warped Skin.

Slow Murder – Warped Skin – Cassette/Download – Outsider Art – 2020.

https://outsiderart.bandcamp.com/album/warped-skin

https://slowmurder.bandcamp.com/

     1.       Stunted.

     2.       Gift of Insomnia.

     3.       0110.

Today I discovered Slow Murder so I am hitting the latest release, Warped Skin on Outsider Art. The cover combines photography and drawing to primitive effect – a depiction of the raw self that is powerful through its simplicity.

Stunted uses the simple repetition of resonating pulsations as a bigger, harder re-introduction of the project. The desolate landscape of sound is reintroduced, and the noise seems massive as it interrupts finding new ways to resonate further each time, this is the artist making sure we see the(m) self in the work – a self-portrait carved in sound. The stripped back simplicity seems to shed skin right down to raw flesh and bone. This build up of noise is compressed and beaten into a rhythm as a static vortex of noise shouts over it. Stunted isn’t Stunted at all, just a bigger, better Slow Murder, less torturous, just a massive assault.

A smaller dialogue of subtle noise is the intro to Gift of Insomnia and what sounds like guitar abuse seems to grow in stature and form a rhythm for howling noise atmospherics to build barren landscapes. This seems to have interludes of torture as the noise becomes hostile through feedback manipulation, I like how the project teases with earlier (release) methods – however Gift of Insomnia is new terrain for the project that has esoteric leanings through frenzied repetition and manipulation of speed and frequency.

Painful sharp tones and farting drones make me dizzy as the noise abuse of Slow Murder takes on bigger, sharper dimensions on 0110. This pulls into bleak atmospherics while the feedback buzzes through, as it rises it becomes aggressive through simple tone manipulation, the farting pulsations are nauseous, the combination rich.

Slow Murder is a subtly aggressive project that seems to thrive when doing this. The self remains amplified and etched into the work, I am again impressed and can’t praise this project enough. I have mentioned the US project Hydra in relation to this in another review and that was an impressive, torturous project, this follows that path to make impressive, solid work each time.

Nevis Kretini – 2020.

Slow Murder - Less Being.

Slow Murder – Less Being – Cassette/Zine/Download – Self Released – 2019.

Direst Link to artist BandCamp - https://slowmurder.bandcamp.com/

Recent release onOutsider Art - https://outsiderart.bigcartel.com/product/slow-murder-warped-skin

    1.       Special Interest Pt. 1.

    2.       Glass.

    3.       Mist.

    4.       Special Interest Pt. 2.

    5.       Less Being.

Another UK noise artist that I had not heard before, my attention alerted from a Facebook post by Ordeal by Roses. I love Ordeal by Roses, so I am investigating this tip off.  This is described as Queer Noise, Queer and Trans noise is a boiling pot of greatness of late. (Niku Daruma, Straight Panic, Closer Bones, Clowndoll, Doughgirl Tapes….) This album was recorded in Cardiff, that is very exciting, Wales is very amazing, seriously.

Sharp, blasting Harsh Noise opens the work, this shifts through passages of harshness, the tendency towards tonal listener abuse is akin to what Hydra specialised in, I like this ethos. There is a barren feel to the work as it breaks down to singular, sparse elements before rebuilding, which then inserts dynamics and depth into the builds and breakdowns.

Glass seems to amplify the barren undertones of the opening track and build noisy from there. What’s forms is a churning desolate landscape of rumblings and splattered distortion that radiates hostility. The feedback seems to sing, a lone voice never eclipsed by its surroundings that eventually taunts the listener by cutting through everything with precision.

Mist is where we hit the Welshness of the project and this is very important. Ordeal by Roses seems to pull in and throw back their environment as a landscape for the noise to act out, to the point where it is natural. This is a prime, amplified example of that, I am feeling the landscapes that dominate all my frequent trips to Wales (family) and it is seriously impressive. This starts minimally and has massive build ups that are dragged into tunnel like sound restriction. Mist is the self amplified through its environment, sometimes the impotence of the self is a key component to Power Electronics, an acting out, a revenge, this is the opposite of that, it is as if the artist has stood naked in front of the amplification to cut the themself into the sound.

Scraping back to emptiness in Special Interests Part 2, as noise builds that echoing, tunnelling returns and resonates massively. This is more listener abuse, we’ve been given a full dose of who Slow Murder is, time to be tortured for a while. Less Being carries that on immediately and subtlety as we are dragged through brief passages of raw sonic abuse. As the pain builds layers, the atmospherics seem to resonate an Industrial Landscape as if referencing change and growth. The way the work morphs is constant and rapid, even the use of percussive noise is excellently effective as it leads to the massive endsplosion of the self again.

This is just great and discovering stuff like this makes this blog worth it. Had I discovered this in 2019, it would have easily made my years top 10. The strength of this project is quite simple, the insertion and amplification of the self through noise technique. I am now a fan for sure.

Nevis Kretini 2020.