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Here’s a walled noise split that brings together two twenty-five to thirty-minute examples of dense & crushing HNW. The release brings together French wall noise legend Vomir, with Russia based Shumoizolyatsia (Noise insulation) - it’s presented in the form of a pro-pressed CDR, on British wall noise label Void Singularity Recordings.
Commentary on the Apocalypse is a C30/digtital download that sits somewhere between active textured noise study, searing walled noise, and violent improv. It’s the first, and thus far only sonic fruits from Feuersalamander Auf Abattoir- which brings together respected Italian noisemaker Lorenzo Abattoir(Nascitari, Tomorrow I'll Shoot Myself In The Mouth, PSICOPOMPO, Lach) & Austrian based Christoph F.( Feuersalamander auf Marzipan, Fall Into Dry Lungs, Dry Lung Records).
Der Blutharsch and the Infinite Church of the Leading Hand are the chief musical project of Albin Julius the Austrian musician who is known for his work with The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath a Cloud and Death in June to name but two of the bands with whom he has played. Originally spawned as a side project, Der Blutharsch took on greater significance for Julius, once the debut self-titled release was issued on a very limited-edition picture disc in 1996. Ranging from dark ambient, and industrial to a more rock-based sound the band have diversified greatly over the years, and from starting out as Julius’s solo project they now appear to be a full band. Joining Julius on keys are guitarists Bain Wolfkind and Jörg Buchmüller, and drummer Marthynna. Julius has at times flirted with far-right imagery, however, for this review I shall attempt to put all politics to one side and concentrate purely on the music.
Raison D'Etre- the project of Swedish musician Peter Andersson, should need no introduction, as it's one of the most famous & respected projects in the dark ambient genre. The project was formed in 1991 and remains active today- releasing twenty-four albums, and nine compilations for its nearly 30-year history.
Here we have a two way CDR/digital split severing up two half-an-hour slices of textured noise/ANW. The release brings together scene favourite Dosis Letalis, and relative newcomer Ushinawareta Tamashi- for an enjoyable hours worth of nicely crafted wall making.
Likho is the third release from Russian walled noise project Chernogray- it finds two hour long examples of often dense, storm-bound, though at times layer active wall matter- presented as either a double CDR or digital download on French label Required Rate Of Return
Unearthed Films have a great track record for releasing extreme, yet often highly creative & thought-provoking films from around the world. And here with Brutal they done it once again- the 2018 Japanese film is probably one of the most intense, bloody gruelling, and unforgiving love stories you’ll ever have come across- it sees a male & female serial killer going about their murderous ways- then later meeting to form a very disturbing bound.
Appearing in the dying embers of the Italian genre boom, The Green Inferno /Cannibal Holocaust II sold its self as a return to the classic Cannibal films of the late 70’s/ early 80’s. But in reality, its best described as an eventful, often cheesy, and campy Jungle adventure action picture- with very fleeting gore & cannibal elements. For a long time, the movie has been out-of-print, so here on 88 Films is a multi region Blu Ray pressing of the film.
American death metal duo Triumvir Foul, are from Portland, and formed in 2014. In the same year, a demo mini-album was released. Then, in 2015 and in 2017, two full-length albums were released. And so, at the beginning of 2019, Triumvir Foul returned with a new mini-album, which is a joint release between American label Vrasubatlat, the Irish label Invictus Productions and the American label 20 Buck Spin. The mini-album Urine of Abomination appeared in several formats- LP in two variations - yellow and black, CD and tape, and digital form.
Climax is the most recent cinematic experience from infamous & controversial Argentine-French filmmaker Gaspar Noé (I Stand Alone, Irréversible, Enter the Void). The films best described as a cross breed between dance performance piece, art-house horror, and at times brutal drama. Here on Arrow Video, we have a Blu Ray release of the film- bringing together a directors commentary, and a good selection of extras.
Tactile Ground is the latest offering from respected US ambient artists Robert Rich. The album appears in the form of a two-CD set, and really it finds Rich offering up another fairly varied journey into his ambient craft- moving between rich & lulling blends of melodic piano & soothing field recordings. Onto glowing & spiritual space ambience, through to mysterious drifts bringing together muffled voice elements & brightly cascading with lulling ethno ambience, and beyond.
About is a just shy of hour-long example of extremely sparse, pattern-based, but very subtle altering modern composition from German composer, improviser & Cellists Stefan Thut. This is the fifth release on up & coming American modern composition label Elsewhere Music- and it’s presented as a CD in a gatefold sleeve.
Female fronted Italian Gothic Prog Metal band Alchem hail from Rome/Lazio. They were formed in 2000 from the ashes of Acidaluna, a band originally put together by the duo of guitarist Pierpaolo Capuano, and vocalist Annalisa Belli. The current lineup is augmented by Luca Minotti on bass guitar and programming. Viaggio Al Centro Della Terra (Journey to the Centre of the Earth) is only the band’s second full-length album, however, they have also released an EP and there is a compilation CD that rounds out the band’s discography.
Jussi Lehtisalo is one of those musicians that just keeps putting out new music all the time, and he is one of the most prolific players in the experimental rock world. For those that are not familiar. Jussi is the bassist and founder of the Finnish band Circle- one of the greatest progressive/experimental rock bands in the world. If you are not familiar you should get your self turned on to Circle.. immediately.
Andreas Oskar Hirsch is an experimental composer who has released three LPs on the Makiphon label since 2015. The 3rd and newest of these, Early Carbophonics, came out late last year. It is a brief twenty six minute collection of rhythmic loops and percussive textures created from an electroacoustic instrument Hirsch designed himself, called the Carbophone.
Parents is a late 1980’s horror comedy- that’s decidedly pitched black, satirical & at times fairly queasy. It’s set in 1950’s American suburbia, where a young boy is sure his parents are cannibals. The film features Randy Quaid & Mary Beth Hurt, as the boys parents- and it’s an effective if relatively gore-less romp. As part of their Vestron Video series- here from Lionsgate Entertainment is a recent Blu Ray release of the film.
New Brazilian Funk sees the funk form at its most intense, extreme, and noisy- bringing together searing & often dense avant jazz attack, with moments of energetic-to-punchy sun-flecked funk. It’s a release that often sonically slaps you about- then just when you feel you’re getting breathless, slams into the groove.
Now here’s a title that screams cheesy 'n' sleazy euro trash-originally released in 1979, this is another cheeky soft core caper from infamous Swedish producer/ director Erwin C Dietrich. Here on Full Moon Features, as part of their growing collection of campy euro sleaze fare, is a bare-bones DVD release of the film.
Here we have the third, and seemingly final release in Rudolf Eb.er’s Om Kult … series it finds the Austrian sound artist severing up other thirty-one slices of sonic unsettlement- that bring together sickly psycho ambience, dizziness inducing siren waves, buzzing tape hiss, weird body sounds, unsettling animal field recordings,and generally unbalancing sonic flotsam and jetsam.
Appearing twelve years after their last full-length Svartmyrkr finds this pioneering Swedish black Industrial project bringing together hazed, dense & ritual charged percussion & blackened horn-work, with tar-black & murky industrial ambient elements. All to create a decidedly unpredictable album, that moves between bombastic brood,murky dark grander,and ritual organic uneasy.
The Phoenix is the latest excursion from Brooklyn, NY based experimental/electronic collective Pas Musique.- who where founded in 1995 by outsider sound artist Robert L. Pepper. Over the years, Pas Musique have released collaborations with some of the more recognized names in the genre,(Faust, Rapoon, Zev, etc..) and have continued to stay fresh and inviting with its compositions and approaches to generating ear worthy electronica in the 21st century.
The Third Secret is a forlorn, at times fairly dark, and carefully paced British psychological thriller from the early 1960s. It features an effective-yet-subtly twisting & turning plot, moody cinematography often in & around the river Thames, and a well-rounded cast taking in the likes of respected British actors such as Richard Attenborough, Peter Sallis and a young Judi Dench. On Powerhouse films here we have the Blu Ray premier of the film- taking in a good selection of extras & a nicely balanced new black & white scan of the film.
Gardens of Stone saw Francis Ford Coppola returning to the subject of the Vietnam war for the first time since he released his 1979 masterpiece, Apocalypse Now. Based on the book of the same name by Nicholas Proffitt, the title of this 1987 film is a reference to the graves of soldiers in the military cemetery at Arlington, Virginia, that form the backdrop to the film’s opening credit sequence.
Otavan Veret is the cosmic duo of Kaarna & XVL- two sonic adventures haling from Finland. Syvys is their sophomore release for the Cyclic Law Label based in Canada.