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Ludwig Wittgenstein once contended that if a lion were to speak we would not be able to understand him. This is for the reason that we have no access to the world of the lion out of which its utterances come. On The Hour in the Woods is New York based British artist Viv Corringham's attempt to circumvent this seeming aporia and spend 24hours communing with the denizens of an American forest.
Originally released back in 1997 The Vicious Sweet stands as one of the more professional, and at times both triply head spinning and emotionally fraught Shot On Video films. On SRS Cinema here we have a region free DVD from last year- featuring a director’s & lead actor’s commentary tracks.
From the guys over at Vinegar Syndrome here is another shot of campy-to-puzzling 1980's horror genre-blending. So with Zombie Island Massacre, we get a bizarre mix ‘n’ match between slasher, creepy house horror, with fleeting touches of voodoo shenanigans, and one or two living dead references/mentions- though not enough to warrant the title. Certainly, if you enjoy similar release the label has put out I think you enjoy this new duel Blu Ray/ DVD release.
Santa Dog was the first official sonic statement from the avant pop collective The Residents. The project self-released the double 7-inch single in December of 1972, and the four-track affair highlighted the collectives career-long tendencies to shift between upbeat often memorable oddness, and more experimental/ quirky avant grade fare. Through-out the projects forty years existence the collective has returned to the "Santa Dog" track again & again- and this eighteen track CD collects these together in chronologically order…for uninitiated an eighteen track/seventy-eight minute compilation of different versions of the same track may sound mind-numbing & torturous in its repetition- but this been The Residents each take is different, at time drastically so as the collective try out various genres & instrumental/ vocal use on this most beloved of tracks.
Originally released back 1986 Shadowland was the third album from Sheffield band Hula. The album is a decidedly abstract and shifting affair that darts between post-industrial ambience, throbbing synth bass lines, clunking ‘n’ stripped back industrial sound-scaping, moody noise-making, and wayward vocal elements- at times things become more coherent & structured taking in elements of synth-pop, white funk, and smooth jazz horns- but mainly Shadowland, fitting its title is a strange & heady journey. On Austrian label Klanggalerie here we have a recent CD reissue of the album- bringing together the albums two original long-form tracks, with a selection of shorter tracks from the period.
Room40 presents Slowly Dismantling, the new album (available in digital and CD formats) from Los Angeles based queer sound composer Yann Novak.I decided to dive into this album without digging into the background information, to just experience it sonically, first and foremost. I wasn’t particularly familiar with Novak’s work, so sometimes I like to go in cold when listening to a new (at least new to me) artist. Seconds into Slowly Dismantling and I can already tell that I’m in for a treat.
Drone as a style of music, is probably one of the most ancient. Monotone & repetive sound are at the roots of shamanism & other religious music and songs, starting with shamanistic rites, folk music, Buddhist mantras and classical Indian music, ending with Gregorian and Orthodox chants. In a modern interpretation, the drone genre is quite diverse. Going from electronic experiments of the likes of Elaine Radique and the acoustic works of Vibracathedral Orchestra, onto the autistic gloom of Sunn O))) and atmospheric tracks by Dirk Serries.
Splendeurs Putrides is an album by the one-man black ambient project Uno Actu; located in Québecq, Canada. The man behind this project presents himself here as Le Cyclope (The Cyclops), though black metal enthusiasts might be more familiar with his other alias Néant (Nothing,) which he goes by in the absolutely brilliant band Akitsa. This album was released on cassette in 2012 on the equally praiseworthy Canadian underground black metal label Tour De Garde, which is run by O.T., who is the other half of Akitsa.
This self-titled CD is a decidedly haphazard & often highly chaotic bringing together of amass Dada vocalizing, unwell improv, and primal-to-deranged retarded folk. This CD is the first release from this new project that brings together two infamous names from the French experimental underground/ noise scenes- Romain ‘Roro’ Perrot , of Legendary wall noise project Vomir, and various low-fi improv/ shit folk projects. And Yves Botz- of noise band Dustbreeders & free form noise project Mesa Of The Lost Women.
Angesichts Konstanter brings together tight 'n' dense noise texturing, with distant/murky locked bass or percussive elements- to create an extreme crossbreed between walled noise, and bluntly repetitive industrial dance-like vibe- I’m guessing you could call it Club music for wall heads. This six-track release appears on Brooklyn New York-based Modern tapes- coming as either a C60 or digital download.
Shoegaze on Cold Spring? Sure makes more sense than Southern Rock on Earache! With their 10th LP, The Telescopes have shown that they've come a long way since the classic The Perfect Needle. Drifting, droning, and perfectly warbling, 2017's Stone Tape shows a mature, experimental approach to standard Shoegaze. This release is certainly a surprise, but very highly welcome.
Every once in a while, a band comes along who challenges the natural order of things, Bȕtcher is one such band. 666 Goats Carry My Chariot is the band’s sophomore release, the follow up to their quietly acclaimed debut Bestial Fȕkkin’ Warmachine which was unleashed upon the world back in 2017. Sadly, until now, I was one of the uninitiated, but after one listens I was scouring the internet for more information about the band and where I could get a copy said debut, that is the power of 666 Goats Carry My Chariot.
Norwegian multi-instrumentalists Jo Berger Myhre and Ólafur Björn Ólafsson have teamed up again for Lanzarote, their 2nd collaboration following The Third Script, released in 2017 on quality jazz/instrumental music label Hubro, which has really opened my eyes 'n' ears to the vibrant Norwegian art music scene.
Wreckord sounds like it could be maybe a grim-yet somehow groove bound BM project, or possibly a bombastic ‘n’ crushing doom band. But in reality, the projects present us with blend shifting noise texturing, wallish moments, and modified-to-melted choral/ gospel/ easy listening music elements. This self-titled release is the first offering from the project- coming as either a C60 or a digital download.
The Bodies Beneath is a recent-ish book that digs deep into the more bizarre, quirky, and strange side of British film & television. The four hundred page paperback selects, then thoroughly dissects around forty titles- with the twin authors nicely balancing well-researched facts, personal observations, sly humor & scholarly critic of these oddities- that come from both the large & small screen.
Resurrected is an often moodily lulling, at times fairly harrowing-to-disturbing British drama about the effects of war & institutionalized bullying. From Powerhouse here we have a recent Blu Ray release of the film- featuring a new scan of the film, and a handful of extras.
Farpoint Recordings have since their inception in the mid 2000s quietly been releasing a series of quality records pirouetting through the hinterlands of improvisation, electronic experimentation and performance. Paul Hegarty is better known as a writer an academic working in aesthetics, and has authored books on modern French philosophy as well as the history of noise music. He puts theory into practice as a member of both SAFE and Maginot. Here he collaborates on a suite of live recordings made on Sherkin island and the city of Cork with Mick O'Shea, who is predominantly known for his live homemade electronics.
At the tail end of 2019, German label Iron Bonehead Productions released the debut album from Dutch Black Metal band Hellehond- entitled Verslonden it severs up crude ‘n’ primitive, if not very original BM.
From May last year, Wild Holocaust is a three-track CDR release from this German walled noise project. And it’s very much of a statement in battering monotone wall-craft, that’s very old school, unforgiving & brain rattling in its attack.
Originally released back in 2014 as a cassette, 01 was the first album from Negativa- a Depressive-Black Metal duo from Alicante, Spain. Now, nearly 5 years later, a new version of the album appears on Nebular Carcoma Records, as a single-sided LP, which is limited to 120 copies
Sadistic Murder is a 3inch CDR that brings together crude & nasty noise texturing, darkly purring synth focused noise, and darts into more vocal-less PE territory. Black Slaughter is a new/recent-ish project from German noise maker Ron H, who is most known in noise circles for his blunt & brutal wall noise project Cannibal Ritual.
Here we have a self-titled CDR split- which finds two of the more known, prolific & respected figures in the French walled noise. Each severs up a twenty-minute track of moody & drone-based walled matter, that has often subtle grey industrial edges to it. Featured here are Mathieu Wagner with his project Volhnn, and Julien Skrobek with his project Sihir. This release appeared only as a CDR, with no digital option- so if you fancy this you’ll have to go old fashioned & track down a copy of this.
From late spring last year here we a two way split that severs up two wonderful taut & sly creative examples of textured noise texturing- we have Stockholm based Rien, and USA’s Zachary Ledsinger. The release appeared on Spanish noise label Marbre Negre- coming as either a C20 or digital download.
Myth, Magic and Steel is the third full length album from Savage Master, an old school NWOBHM inspired Heavy Metal band from Louisville, Kentucky. Formed in 2013 by vocalist Stacey Savage and guitarist Adam Neal the band have developed a cult following, fuelled not only by their old school tunes, but through their larger than life image and a succession of crazy live shows. Myth, magic and Steel is the band’s first album for new label Shadow Kingdom Records.