Monolithic Torment — It’ll Get Better
It’ll Get Better is a C60/ digital download from early on this year- it features two half an hour examples of tight ‘n’ tautly layered walled noise from this project from Eugene, Oregon.
The release- as both tape and download is self-release. For the physical version, we find a red shelled tape in a single-sided monochrome sleeve, this features on its front cover a series of small pictures of packaged drugs, someone shooting up, and two other pics that are a little unclear. The tape came in an edition of twelve copies- and I believe there are still a few left on writing this review.
The Monolithic Torment project has been putting out work since 2019- with to date an impressive forty releases appearing thus far- these have both been digital downloads, as well as a few physical releases. Behind the project is Cory Aideen- whose other projects are Root Cellar, Submachine Gun and Massive Panic Attack. I must say I‘ve enjoyed everything I’ve heard from all of Aideen’s projects- as she is a skilled and often fairly creative wall/ noisemaker.
On side A we have the title track- and here we find an interesting selection of textures fed out into a rather entrancing ‘wall’. We find a flittering ‘n’ flicking bass judder, choppy ‘n’ churning smaller static flicks, and jittering water type patterns. Together these elements create an almost elemental impossible structure- that hints at a flame dart, constant aquatic flowing, and mini electro arcing. As we’ve come to expect from one of Cory 'walls'- the layers here are well/ evenly mixed in their attack- meaning each element is heard well.
Moving onto the second side- and here we find the track “Everyone Is Dealing With Their Own Personal Hell”. Here find a blend of bobbing boat like tones, constantly cascading water drip, thin swirling crackle, and faint buffeting texturing. This ‘wall’ really sounds great on headphones- as you can really make out the well-defined textures on offer here, and while I didn’t find it as compelling as the first sides wall- it’s pretty damn good.
There’s no doubt that Cory is one of the more prolific-yet-still quality bound wall makers on the US scene at present- and this C60 is another example of this. As mentioned early the first side is the most entrancing/ creative of the two ‘walls’ offered up here, but the second sides is none too shabby either. Head to the projects bandcamp here- to see if you can either still score a copy of the tape, or download the digital release