The Vomit Arsonist — Go Without

Looking for entertaining ways to spice up your little loved one’s birthday party or give your latest poetry evening that little je-ne-sais-quoi it is severely missing? Look no further! Hong Kong-based industrial label Assembly of Hatred has exactly what you need! Not only will kids glee in delight at the mere mention of the name The Vomit Arsonist, but the music on this, their latest (and only second proper) album will also prompt them to frantically bang their little blond heads against your kitchen walls until they start bleeding. Such indeed is the power of evocation of this otherwise innocent-looking piece of plastic.

As you will no doubt have gathered, subtlety is not exactly the order of the day. And why should it? After all, power electronics and death-industrial (for that is what you should expect here) were not invented to spend a candle-lit evening with your other half or entertain your in-laws for dinner; they’re there to give alcohol- or drug-fuelled hallucinations some audio-tangible form and make you feel better about your psychopathic leanings. On that account only, Go Without delivers en masse.

Andrew Grant, the man behind the knobs, has been around for a while now and has lent his name to many an interesting project over the course of the years (Bereft comes to mind, but so do Thee Virginal Brides, Black Traitor, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern or White Load), a fact amply demonstrated on this new seven-song, 45-minute opus and which no doubt accounts for the prime quality of the material on offer. No post-adolescent show-off tendencies, no easy politicking, no second-rate sound collages hastily put together, only pure unadulterated death-industrial to cleanse your ears with. Suitably gritty, coarse and harsh, verging on the painful when necessary and on the profound and reflective when called for, the material exudes a kind of compositional evidence that is the mark of the greats and has made the band a household name in the US scene. Add to that a convincing vocal delivery and what you’re left with is a serious contender for anyone’s end-of-year, top-ten death-industrial listing.

That the music on an album that addresses the issue of dependency to psycho-active drugs should be so addictive gives it an extra touch of welcome irony. In this dreadful season of sugar-coated wishes, Christmas-induced consumerist frenzy and general basking in good feelings, it is reassuring to know that some people still care about the mental health of their fellow human beings.

A limited-edition version of the album containing an additional 3 inch CD-R (with about 15 minutes of bonus live material, including a Brainbombs cover) and an embroidered patch is also available for all you Vomit Arsonist completists out there. Only 100 copies available, though, so act fast to avoid disappointment!