D.S.W.A.C.V. — Sophia, Flora Series - Part II

I’ve seen the moniker Distorted Souls Within A Corrupt Vision (D.S.W.A.C.V.) mentioned on the usual noise forums and internet channels, though I can’t recall if I’ve given this U.K. wall artist the time of day or not. However, affiliations with solid physical and net labels such as: Altar of Waste, Maniacal Laugh, and Nahàsh Atrym Productions, certainly had my interest piqued. Sophia, Flora Series ~ Part II is a self-released CD-R that I’m assuming is part of a series dedicated to plants from different geographies or something (the artist’s website didn’t offer much information).

Sophia is a single 70 minute track and it’s massive right out the gates. I’ve read some describe D.S.W.A.C.V.’s style as being part of the Vomir school of HNW. That’s quite the comparison, but one that’s absolutely fitting in this case. It unfolds with a mega-battering ram delivery. Burley, abrasive pummeling, moving along like a bulldozer annihilating everything in its path. It’s paired with a thick blanket of smokestack exhaust, adding some dense atmospherics to the wall. Crispy static artifacts trail off the constant barrage. Through its 70 minute course the piece barrels on without any major shifts or changes. At times the crispy static sounds like it becomes choppier, more broken, but it’s really hard to tell. It could just be my mind playing tricks on me from maximum zoneage. At 70 minutes, it does carry on a bit long for me…I tend to prefer walls that last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. But I acknowledge that’s just a personal preference not to detract from the merits of the track.

It’s kind of fun still discovering wall artists left and right. That it’s still a vibrant and growing subsection of the noise experience. That’s not to say that everything produced within the current HNW scene is spectacular, but D.S.W.A.C.V. is certainly worth giving your time and attention to. Especially if you’re into flora...I guess.