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Death Veneration by the Finnish black metal band Sargeist was released on Christmas Eve (what’s in a date) last year on W.T.C. Productions. It consists of four songs that were originally intended to appear on various split releases. German label W.T.C. Productions have quite the back catalog, and I remember being impressed by a few albums which found their home there, so I was more than curious to delve into this one. Here. It. Goes.
Surrounded by Ignorance is an hour long example of rewarding textured wall noise from this respected Serbian project. The release appeared back in 2017 as a CDR on Librarion Records, but these are long sold out now- but you can still download it from the projects bandcamp.
This double C60 set drops you down in four lengthy submersions in terminally hopeless drone matter- we have the grim sample dialogue meets low volume starkness of Eugene Critchley, and the at times simmering & subtle blackly bayed glumness of Charles Razeur.
Here’s the latest release from Norfolk Trotter- the Norwich based wall noise project who themes all its releases on natural/elemental forces. And this is pretty much what it’s title suggests- a recording of gravel captured on a record deck full of the stuff- so it’s a decidedly crude, battering & unstoppable example of the wall noise genre.
The Panther Squad is an unashamedly slice of 1980’s euro cheese, which is extremely cheap, camp and at times downright bad. The film is a female-fronted action picture put out by the notorious Paris based exploitation studio Eurocine- featuring cult scream queen Sybil Danning, and Jack Taylor- who turned up in a host of euro trash- such as Pieces, and more than a few Jess Franco productions. Here from Fullmoon Features is a recent Blu Ray reissue of the film- it features a new scan of the film & a commentary track.
2018’s Relaxer is a difficult film to bracket, & it’s also very much of love or late affair too. I guess you could call it maybe a slacker art house film, a mocking parody of our screen-based culture, or a blend of stoner drama, comedy, with later bizarre fantasy/ horror elements- but whatever you call it Relaxer is extremely distinctive, at times inspired picture that really won’t be for everyone. From Anti-Worlds Releasing here’s a recent double-disc release of the film- bringing together a new director's commentary track, and extras- plus the director's second film 2014’s Buzzard (having its UK debut here) with again a good selection of extras.
Here’s the six Volume in the 'Gruesome' series of release on Germanys' Meat Hook Butchery label. Once again it’s a double CDR package offering up a full CDR of noise from each project, but instead of this been purely walled noise the first disc features dense/ creative harsh noise/ PE, alongside a second CDR of HNW.
The Wushimi Complex are Sebastien Martin-Schultz and Yoshimi Hishida, better known by their recording names Wuso 命 and Yoshimi respectively. Both have previously released music on the Dream Catalogue label with Yoshimi clocking up seven releases over the past four years alone. Both offer a different take on the post-Vaporwave moment via cinematic ambient and industrial influences, so it's not surprising that The Anon Database is something of a "Dreampunk" tour de force.
Hollywood Horror House aka Savage Intruder was originally released in 1975 by Joseph Brunner but was made between 1969 and 1973. It remains the only feature length directorial effort of Donald Wolfe who is better known for his editorial work on a wide variety of films like Tarzan and the Great River, The Phantom Planet, Return to Campus and Storm Over the Pacific.
Futuristic dance music or dance music for an alternate reality? Thomas Köner's Motus breaks down structure, form, and sound to create an intriguing look at what would get bodies moving in a completely different space and time. Part industrial, part soundscape, Motus uses its ample time and space to construct an intriguing look at one possible timeline of disco in an alternative reality.
Oak are a two piece Portuguese Doom metal band bringing together Guilherme Henriques and Pedro Soares, who are also members of black metal band Gaerea. Oak is a relative new project whose debut album Lone I’m reviewing today- it was released at the end of 2019 by the Indian label Transcending Obscurity Records released as a CD and in digital format.
After giving his Avant, playful & at times seared takes on both Brazilian funk, Japanese noise, here with Ethiobraz Norwegian bandleader/ drummer Paal Nilssen-Love returns to give his big-band take on Ethiopian music. And as usual, it’s highly creative-at-times fairly manic jazz bound ride into another musical genre.
I’d Love to Turn You On is a highly worthy, consistent, and genre varied three-CD compilation that digs into the sonic influences on 60’s counter-culture artists such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Syd Barret, Frank Zappa, Soft Machine & more. The release appears on El another one of the Cherry Red family of labels.
Today's review is of a new album by Joao Castro Pinto, entitled The No Land Soundscape on Australian label Hemisphärenonkukyo.. The release is 33 minutes of “composed” field recordings (ala Thomas Tilly and Francisco Lopez) and according to the liner notes, is made up of 20+ years of various field recordings from a variety of different locations.
in 2018 Guitarist and oud player Gordon Grdina has created a new quartet called 'The Marrow' for this album Ejdeha, released on Songlines. I'd heard and very much appreciated an album from a previous ensemble of his, "Inroads", in 2017. This project leads toward the Arabic classical end of Grdina's output, with spiralling scalar figures from the oud and string bass, backed by a strong percussion section comprised of tombak, daf, and frame drums.
From Severin’s new wild ‘n’ wacky family film focused sub-label Severin kids here’s The Peanut Butter Solution- a mid-1980’s Canadian oddity that sits somewhere between quirky fantasy and awkward comedy/ drama. This recent(ish) Blu Ray release offers up a new commentary, and a selection of new extras.
Xtro 3: Watch the Skies is campy ‘n’ corny-yet-at times fairly damn gory 1990’s blend of sci-fi, horror, and action. Here from the guys over at Vinegar Syndrome is a recent duel Blu Ray/ DVD release of the film- offering up a new 2k scan & a small selection of extras…and don’t worry if you haven't seen the other two Xtro films, as each is a stand-alone….with only extraterrestrials-terrorizing-humans connecting the three films.
With over thirty years in the game, Ichiro Tsuji's Dissecting Table unleashes another slab of industrial terror with All Things In the Universe. Leaning more on the loose, noise side than his traditional rhythmic industrial, Tsuji's latest is a bit of a departure from the norm, but is as jarringly comfortable as anything he's released. Coming on Steinklang Industries, All Things In the Universe feels like the start of a new direction for Dissecting Table.
Destroyer is a late 1980’s example of the more action & quip bound slasher- featuring a lumbering ‘n’ leering muscle man prisoner back from the dead, terrorizing a film crew who are trying to shot a WIP film in an abandoned jail. It features mountain-sized NFL star Lyle Alzado as the killer, and Anthony Perkins as the films set chewing hammy director. Here on Chezzy Films is a recent no-thrillers/ region-free reissue of the film- and while it is far from the best examples of the slasher genres dying light, there’s enough camp 80’s fun ‘n’ cheese-bound schlock to keep genre fans happy enough.
Original appearing back in the early ’90s Two Evil Eyes brings together two celebrated horror directors- George A. Romero & Dario Argento. It sees each selecting a tale by US Horror writer Edgar Allan Poe - giving them each a then-modern setting, and each director's distinctive twists/visual flare- all making for a largely enjoyable two-hour slice of campy creepiness & ghoulish thrills, with moments of gore & dark humor. On Blue Underground here we a classy & deluxe three-disc reissue of the film- taking in two Blu Rays with a host of new ‘n’ old extras, and the film's soundtrack- with the whole thing topped off with a great 3D lenticular slip sleeve.
Know Your New Age is the latest release from prolific German experimental musician Gȕnter Schlienz, as well as releasing 25 full length releases in his own name over the last 10 years he has also been a key member of experimental post-rock band Navel for over 20 years and has been known to record under various other monikers.
One man bands in the world of extreme heavy music have long ceased been a rarity. And in the genre of black metal they are very common. I think the trend arose after the success of the likes of Burzum. One man bands appear all over the world and Greece is no exception….and that’s where Primeval Mass come from.
So for today’s review, I’ve got a new compilation - Drone Islands - The Lost Maps through dark ambient outfit Eighth Tower Records' The release showcases the latest and spookiest sounds that the label has curated and features some great humdingers.
Destruyendo Una Obra de Arte is a C30/ digital download which brings together to brutally ripping 'n' rattling examples of the walled noise form. It was originally released early 2019 as a digital DL only, but here on Void Singulator Recordings, it gets a physical release.