Harmony Of Struggle — Brutal Aesthetics

Brutal Aesthetics is the second album from Poland’s Harmony Of Struggle. It’s a twelve-track affair- that moves between taut, searing, and unwell PE, and dense harsh noise roastings.

Behind the project is Katowice-based Michał Kiełbasa(Extra-Capsular Extraction, Neithan, Nothing Has Changed). Harmony Of Struggle has been active since 2020- first releasing a few digital shorts, before putting out its debut album Tear Your Mind To Picecs- also like this release on Zoharum.

Things begin with “Your Dreams Won’t Last” which brings together a scabbing ‘n’ searing noise with a locked/ forlorn pitch loop, all topped with a tracheostomy fed through distortion vocal. By Track four “Collateral Damage”  we have a shredding mass of warbling tones, pitch stretches, and dirty/ muffled noise purr ‘n’ churn- with barely heard vocals bays added into the mix.

Moving into the album’s second half we have the “Meet Us In A Place Where There is No Darkness”- this brings together sweeping mid to high-range scrubs, shadow-baying drones, and muttered/ sawn vocal trails. We have the drilling, grinding, shredding, and sour pulse alarm of “ Failure Drill” with its radio-like drifting/ distorted vocal murmurs.

From the off Brutal Aesthetics throws you into seared & nasty grimness- never letting you up for respite or hope. Kiełbasa does add some interesting touches to the PE rule book, though I wouldn’t say this is the most distinctive/ creative the genre has to offer.