Thin Mountain — Thin Mountain 6

Here’s a C34 digital download featuring two slices of structurally uncertain and moody walled noise from Thin Mountain, one of the many projects of American noisemaker Sean E. Matzus (Black Leather Jesus & Last Rape).

I’m reviewing the digital version of this release, but I must say the physical version looks kind of neat. It comes in a painted vinyl case attached to a cut brick section. Bricks were previously part of the Ramirez house/Chestnut Ridge Foothills. It also comes with a printed J-card inside. This physical version is highly limited! Both versions can be purchased here. 

Thin Mountain seemingly started in 2020, with the project taking influences/ themes from New Orleans-based horror writer & ex-ventriloquist Jon Padgett. To date, it’s put out eighteen releases- taking in stand-alones and splits.

So the first untitled track rolls in at just over the seventeen-minute mark. The ‘wall’ is built around a blend of a baying low, rippling-at-times grainy drug ‘n’ pull. Both elements have an uncertain/ almost stop/start quality to them, and this creates a wonderful feeling of subtle disquieting and low-key crawling decay.  At points, there is an almost sluggish/ crushing groove to the whole, which pulls you into its hypnotic spell and keeps you held there.

The second track is built around a more rapid ‘n’ rattling low, which is fed along by taut yet crisp tonal detail. Again, it keeps feeling like the whole thing is going to come to a sudden/ jarring stop, but it never does. The further you get in the more detail comes to ear- with an almost juddering weave pattern, buffing ‘n’ crinkle, and bay ‘n’ buffet becoming clear

Thin Mountain 6 features another worthy release from Matzus, taking in two rewarding examples of wall-craft.