
Train Cemetery - Nothing [Self release - 2020]Now here’s a nice surprise new work from Russian wall noise Train Cemetery. Nothing takes in two forty-minute examples of the walled noise, and as with much of these projects' other work, the focus here is on layered and texturally detailed wall craft. The release is a digital-only/ self-released affair. Artwork wise we have a rather murky cover, with the project's logo half in shadow and below it a series of horizontal texts detailing the releases 'humanity is killing itself/ all hope is gone' theme. The release can be found here.
Each track hits at spot on the forty-minute mark. So, first, off we have “Untitled I” here we find a slowly fading-in blend of galloping low end, skipping ‘n’ jittering static grain, and this sort of constant tricking electro water flow. As we progress- I’m making out more sub-tone detail, taking in a line circling snaps, distant earthy hum, and atmospheric grain crackle. The ‘wall’ feels very of both the heavy black earth and of the oppressively aquatic, with both the texturally detailed and layer sound balance perfectly realized throughout the track's length.
“Untitled II” feels slightly more roughshod, and at points, almost junk metal fed- through once again the whole thing is immaculately balanced and nuanced in its textural feed. We find a ‘wall’ here built around a bumping ‘n’ juddering rumble & tightly snapping ‘n’ descending grain flow. This is weaved by a twitting scaping tone, cluttering subtone metallic rattle, and a few other small textural details. Where the first track felt wholly organic, this feels much more of rundown & tried machines- which have been rusted, warped and buckled by the natural elements.
It must be easily a year since I’d heard/ reviewed anything from Train Cemetery- and I must say Nothing is up to the project’s normally high standards. With the release featuring two wonderful nuanced and detailed examples of the wall noise form- let us hope there's more new work in the pipeline!.      Roger Batty
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