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The Endless is another recent addition to the more dread & atmosphere soaked post-horror-genre. The films a heady-yet at time starkly moody blend of horror & sci-fi- that finds two brothers returning the isolated cult they used to be part of as teens. Here from Arrow video is a DVD or Blu Ray release of the 2017 film, and as we’ve come to expect from the label- we get a good selection of extras.
Occulta ReligiO is the seventh full length album from Italian black metal band Abhor. The band were formed in Northern Italy in 1995 releasing their first demo tape In Tuo Honori Preparatum in 1998, this signified the beginning of a long and varied career working with a variety of different labels. The band have even included the recording of a couple of covers from legendary countrymen Goblin (Non Ho Sonno and Deep Red) on their Vocat Spiritum Morti album. A deep connection with all things esoteric has informed their musical output and this is certainly the case with Occulta ReligiO.
Discrepant presents Soundscape China/Destruction of Chinese Pop Songs by KINK GONG (recording as Dian Long). Available as a 2xLP or digital download, this album collects Soundscape China (previously released on Kwanyin/subjam in 2007) and unreleased Destruction of Chinese Pop Songs tracks.
Dødsmaskin are a Norwegian duet who have existed since 2014 and create music at the junction of industrial, noise and ambient. It was released three full-length albums, with the last of which we are reviewing today.
Crying Bamboos: Ceremonial Flute Music from New Guinea Madang is a collection of field recordings from New Guinea captured by Ragnar Johnson in 1979, unreleased until now. Across the two disks of material there are recordings from three different villages near the Ramu River.
With Rough Cut, we have a low-budget serial killer movie- that flits between sleazed humor, self-deprecation, and the odd intense/ flinch-inducing moment. Originally appearing in 2013- here’s a recent(ish) region one DVD of the film on Gator Blade Production- that’s run by Sean Donohue(Death-Scort Service & Die Die Delta Pi)
From the early 1990’s here a schlock-bound slice of pulpy sci-fi fare from the Full Moon Studios. Robot Wars certainly feels like it’s from another time than the 90's, feeling more like it could have been made in either the 50’s/ 60’s, save for a few more provocative quips. Here we have a region free Blu Ray from early on this year.
Box Of Teeth is a CDR box set from this horror movie obsessed walled-noise project from Connecticut. The set offers up three 3inc CDR’s, and each of these features a twenty-minute slice of gnarly, blackly nasty, though at times quite atmospheric wall-matter.
Finished in 2015, but not properly released until now, Dødsmaskin's debut, Ingenting, is forty minutes of harsh, bleak industrial from Norway. The duo have since released three other albums, but Cyclic Law has resurrected their debut and given it a loving re-issue. Deftly switching between grim death industrial and full on noise assaults, Dødsmaskin challenge the listener at every turn with dark, heavy electronics.
Cemetery Lust are from Portland USA, and their sound is a blend Thrash Metal, with early Black and Death Metal stylings. Since 2014, they have released 3 full-length albums, with their most Rotting In Piss appearing on Hell Headbangers- in either CD or LP, with a cassette version on Headsplit Records
Size 36 is from early March this year- it presents the listener with two side long slices of bothersome-yet-moorish HNW, that blends choking bass weight & detailed choppy-ness. Fitting it’s title the physical version of the release comes as a C36 tape- and as of this review, there are copies still available at Ominous Recordings.
Here we have the follow-up to last Octobers excellent Pink Foot Bandage Volume 1 - and it’s another distinctive & subtle shifting blend of walled noise & drone matter from this California based project. As with the first vol, this release appeared on Stockholm based Ominous Records- and it came out in December of 2017- either in the form of a tape( sadly sold-out) or a digital download.
Lost Graves in the ANW project of Rock Island, Illinois Harrison Phillis- who maybe know to fans of the USA wall- scene for his industrial influenced HNW project We Also Let Blood. Cave Burial is the projects third physical release- and it appears on UK’s Void Singularity Recordings in the form of a CDR or digital download.
Bong are one of my home city’s finest exports. I have seen them perform through various incarnations and lineups, but the hub of any Bong lineup remains the three men on this, the power trio of Mike Vest (guitar), Dave Terry (bass and vocals) and Mike Smith (drums). The album, their sixth for Ritual was recorded at XL studios, and follows what has been a longer than usual break for the band. It is three years since their last album was released, although Vest has remained incredibly busy during that time with his many other projects which include the rather wonderful Blown Out and Haikai No Ku. Thought and Existence features two long tracks of psychedelic guitar drone, both running at just under twenty minutes each, although in Bong terms these can be seen as pretty short as they regularly release tracks that are double the length of these two.
Following on from their recent reissue of the arty coming of age film Vigil, here from Arrow is another New Zealand film from the 1980’s. The Quiet Earth is a low-key post-apocalyptic film- with some interesting trippy visuals & some fairly original touches.
This first volume of computer music created by the Rosenberg Algorithmic is a wonderful heady & brain twisting journey- think a more manic & rabid take on Zappa’s Jazz From Hell, or the more abstract & dense piled-up moments from latter-day Autechre.
Sissel is a fragile, sparse, often forlorn- yet at times haunting slice of improv- bringing together the talents of English pianist John Tilbury, respected British improviser Keith Rowe, and live video artists Kjell Bjørgeengen. The release comes in the form of a CD/ or vinyl release on the Norwegian based SOFA Music label, who of late have released a few interesting titles with-in the improv/ modern composition bracket.
Here’s a double feature of trashy, campy, yet kind-of-charming 1980’s films from writer/director Rick Sloane- who is best known for his lo-grade/so-bad-it's-good Gremlins rip-off Hobgoblins. This Blu Ray/DVD set from Vinegar Syndrome takes in 1984 ’s supernatural slasher parody- based in a picture house Blood Theatre, and 1986’s The Visitants- a 50’s themed Sci-fi comedy.
The Aftermath is a cheap and cheerful entry in the post-apocalyptic film genre. Director, writer, producer Steve Barkett stars as Newman, an astronaut who returns to earth after completing his mission to find the majority of the population has been decimated by nuclear warfare.
New Italian trio Creta launches their debut LP on German label, Karlrecords. Comprising three different, but very talented musicians (guitarist Roberto Zanisi, DJ/electronic musician Luciano Lamanna, and bassist Massimo LPupillo), Creta brings forth an engaging, atmospheric bit of ambient that, despite their new formation, feels very seasoned and tight. Managing to be both Earthly and otherworldly, Creta has intricate layers and goes by quickly, so multiple listens are required in order to absorb it fully.
Panamanian-American drummer Billy Cobham is seen as one of the great fusion drummers- working with the likes of Miles Davis & Mahavishnu Orchestra. Here from BGO we have a double CD reissue of two Columbia albums from 1970’s - bringing together a studio album, and a live album featuring the likes of Steve Khan & Tom Scott.
1974’s Things To Come was the first album from this British two-piece prog-rock project. And it offered up a decidedly uneven blend of bounding, melodic & symphonic 70’s prog pop-rock, and instrumental tracks with a more experimental & moody leaning. On Cherry Reds prog sub-label Esoteric Records here we have a recent CD reissue of the album.
Thy Catafalque are an experienced Hungarian progressive rock/metal outfit. This new album "Geometria" is the group's 9th full length.
I first discovered Power Electronics genre back in 1996 or 1997. And since then this extreme electronic music has been close to my heart- as I’ve enjoyed the social/political manifestos, the sometimes quite violent and painful subjects of the genre, and of course the noise that surrounds these themes