noise receptor journal no.2 – promo spreads

Here are some low resolution spreads of the layout and general feel of noise receptor journal no.2.

Order your copy here: http://www.noisereceptor.bigcartel.com

Decondition – Sukellan Tuntemattomiin Syvyyksiin

Decondition – Sukellan Tuntemattomiin Syvyyksiin CD Nuit Et Brouillard 2014

Decondition are a Finnish project previously unknown to these ears, although a prior cassette ‘The Universal Nothingness’ was released by Freak Animal back in 2006. Evidently the 13 tracks featured here were recorded during various sessions both prior to and after ‘The Universal Nothingness’ sessions, and with the title translating to ‘I Dive into Unknown Depths’ it appears a hefty dose of nihilism is the conceptual underpinning of the album. To provide a quick overview of their approach, Decondition inhabit a sonic realm which is an amalgam of overblown distortion, off kilter factory clatter, clanging junk metal arrhythmia and occasional segments of respite.

From the opening passages of the album the crumbling waves of distortion and squalling static articulate the sonic timbre of harsh noise, yet there is a semblance of structure due to cyclic loops, imbedded samples and occasional barrage of unintelligible aggressive vocals which provides an industrial verging on power electronics angle to the sound. The third track functions to prove this point, where when ‘Dark Clouds Over My Inner Landscape’ arrives it demonstrates a focused, loosely rhythmic and pulsing power electronics track. Despite it clattering intensity mid album piece ‘Disease Within’ manages a partially meditative quality, which is mostly due to its grinding cement mixer rhythmic loops (…as agonised vocals yell a sermon of angst and inner turmoil). ‘Wheel of Change/ Passage of Time’ is another standout due to it pulling back on the heady distortion of preceding material, instead utilising a rhythmic militant industrial approach. Late album track ‘Aistiharhojen Luoma Todellisuus [ Sukellan Tuntemattomiin Syvyyksiin ]’ is another example of restraint (and one of the longer album tracks at just six and a half minutes), with a subdued soundscape of cavernous industrial drones and slowly manipulating textures. This paring back of intensity bleeds into to the final album track ‘Deep Sleep In My Dreams’, but on this piece accommodates a more suitably drugged and hazy atmosphere to match its title.

On a cursory level this album appears rather punishing and admittedly Decondition do deliver a strong set of industrial/ noise/ power electronics for the underground genre fanatic (which is further complimented with suitable decaying factory images). Yet there is also clear variation to be discovered within its general harsh abrasiveness. In effect this is a solid, hour’s length album of noisy, distorted, arrhythmic to rhythmic industrial noise abuse, mixed with elements of power electronics aggression and offset by moments of restraint.

ANNOUNCEMENT: noise receptor journal no.2 officially released!!!

Issue no.2 is back from the printers, looks FANTASTIC and orders ready to be filled!

CONTENT

• In depth interviews with: Aural Hypnox, Blitzkrieg Baby, Grunt and Halo Manash
• 9 pages of exclusive artwork by Kim Solve
• 58 in depth music reviews (ambient/ industrial/ experimental / power electronics etc.)

FORMAT

• A5 Format
• Professional greyscale print
• ‘perfect bound’ spine, with matt laminate, thick card stock cover
• 66 pages in length

Copies are available for sale via the following site:

http://www.noisereceptor.bigcartel.com

Copies are 5.00 euro each, and 4.50 euro for international airmail postage (…I’m afraid I can’t do much about the high cost of postage from Australia). However please note that the 4.50 euro international airmail postage will cover either 1 or 2 copies of noise receptor journal. Orders will ordinarily ship within one day.

International distribution via: Malignant, Freak Animal, Tesco Germany, Belaten (additional sources being established currently).

Various Artists – No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Various Artists – No Good Deed Goes Unpunished DCDr Malignant Antibody 2014

Personal tragedy struck Stephen Petrus on the 8^th January, 2014, when fire destroyed his home and all his possessions.  And who exactly is Stephen Petrus you ask?  Well, if you even have to ask that question, clearly you have missed his long standing commitment and contribution to the underground (15+ years) through Murderous Vision, In Death Throes, Umbra (amongst many other projects), in addition to being label boss of Live Bait Recording Foundation and director of the 2010 ‘City/Ruins: Art in the Face of Industrial Decay’ documetary (which focused on the underground industrial/ noise scene of Cleaveland, Ohio).  This DCDr is a benefit release kindly coordinated by Malignant Records, with all proceeds being donated to Stephen to assist in him with the re-establishment process.

Clearly this is a great initiative and a positive cause to support by buying a copy of this release.  But apart from the provision of financial assistence to a fellow underground member, as a bonus you just so happen to get a two CDr stellar compilation of tracks from underground artists (both leading and emerging), including: Phragments, Inade, Kristoffer Nystroms Orkester, The Vomit Arsonist, Æther & Trepaneringsritualen, Shock Frontier, The Scapegoat Mechanism, Theologian, Bereft, Megaptera, United Front & Shock Frontier, Sewer Goddess, Sektor 304, Steel Hook Prostheses, Blitzkrieg Baby, Dreaded, Fire In the Head, Swollen Organs, and Naxal Protocol.

As all musical contributions are of a quality ranging from good, to great, to excellent, there is absolutely no excuse to hem and haw about whether to pick this up.  Likewise the quality of the artwork and pro-CDr pressing elevates it above a ‘mere’ CDr release, which evidently was done so to keep this in print as long as there is demand.  To conclude with a question: exactly what are you waiting for?

ANNOUNCEMENT: noise receptor journal issue no.2

PRE-ORDERS now being taken for noise receptor journal no.2

Issue no.2 is currently at the printers and will be officially released in a week!

CONTENT

• In depth interviews with: Aural Hypnox, Blitzkrieg Baby, Grunt and Halo Manash
• 9 pages of exclusive artwork by Kim Solve
• 58 in depth music reviews (ambient/ industrial/ experimental / power electronics etc.)

FORMAT

• A5 Format
• Professional greyscale print
• ‘perfect bound’ spine, with matt laminate, thick card stock cover
• 66 pages in length

Copies are available for sale via the following site:

http://www.noisereceptor.bigcartel.com

Copies are 5.00 euro each, and 4.50 euro for international airmail postage (…I’m afraid I can’t do much about the high cost of postage from Australia).  However please note that the 4.50 euro international airmail postage will cover either 1 or 2 copies of noise receptor journal.   Orders will ordinarily ship within one day.

International distribution is still to be organised, but it is anticipated Issue no.2 will be available from: Malignant, Freak Animal, Cold Spring, Tesco Germany, Belaten, Peripheral, Loki Foundation (and others TBC).

Profane Grace – Nocturnal Omniscience

Profane Grace – Nocturnal Omniscience CD Ewers Tonkunst 2010

Profane Grace are a project I have known of for many, many years, but only previously having heard their 5th album ‘Epitaph Of Shattered Dreams’ from 1999.  Likewise up until now I had not delved into their biography to see exactly who was behind the project, although did have an impression they were linked to the underground metal scene.  This perception was duly confirmed following a little bit of recent background investigation, where it seems Profane Grace have been around since 1992 and have direct linage to the American black metal band Demoncy.  ‘Nocturnal Omniscience’ is their 7th and latest album (…but already near a half decade old).

Stylistically Profane Grace evoke dark ambient music which very much fits in with the ‘Cold Meat Industry’ sound of the mid to late 90’s, meaning gloomy, sub-orchestral soundscapes and horror soundtrack type atmospheres are the prevalent focus.  Likewise with their connection to the black metal scene, Profane Grace could be slotted under either the ‘black ambient’ and/ or ‘dungeon synth’ banners, noting other similar ‘black ambient’/ ‘dungeon synth’ projects include: Mortiis (era 1), Darkness Enshroud, Valefor, Aghast, Cernunnos Woods, Æva etc.

Of the 9 albums tracks which span an hour’s length, each composition is catatonic in pace and broadly embodies the atmosphere of a dank crypt, which evokes further visions of narrow passages and cavernous spaces lit only by light emitted from a lone flickering candle.  Musically the sound is achieved predominantly with synthetic means, to generate abstract droning textures and deep mine shaft echoes, which are augmented by the droll tolling of funeral bells, occasional organ dirges, dragging chains, rasping unintelligible vocalisations, low monastic chants (unclear whether sampled or synth generated), scrapping metallic textures, sparse ritual chimes etc.  Whilst many tracks are quite sparse and abstract, others such as ‘Trilogy of the Unangled Plain III’ are structured around a central maudlin quasi-orchestral synth melody, or in the case of ‘Hymns to Selket’ are driven by slow booming tympani percussion.

To its credit ‘Nocturnal Omniscience’ achieves a depth and complexity much greater than ‘Epitaph Of Shattered Dreams’, which although played with a very similar sound palate, came across as more simplistic and one dimensional and a tad cheesy on some tracks as the synthetic means of music production simply did not match the pomp and majesty of the attempted medieval/ orchestral melodies.  Although there is clearly nothing new or unique about what Profane Grace do that is not really the point, as ‘Nocturnal Omniscience’ achieves a particular occult infused dark ambient sound with absolute ease.  A cardboard slip sleeve with spot varnished images completes the packaging in simple and stylish means.

Rope Society – One Word Definition

Rope Society – One Word Definition MC Cipher Productions 2013

This 35 minute cassette is the debut for Rope Society, being the analogue driven industrial/ noise meets power electronics project of David Tonkin who would be better recognised for his main project Isomer.  However as there is scant information regarding Rope Society, it is unclear whether it is intended to be continued side project, or if this is just a means to release harsher noise industrial material which would not fit comfortably under the Isomer banner.  Either way 7 untitled tracks are featured here on a pro-duplicated cassette and housed in special handmade packaging.

Track 1 starts with low rumbling noise before heavy scattered blasting noise tears out of the speakers, however it should be noted that this is not noise of the HNW variety.  Shifting in a loose fashion the crumbling walls of analogue distortion build, collapse and then building again within amplified intensity.  With additional layered noise elements infused for further squalling and punishing effect, the sound is pushed to an extreme level by the end of its 5 minutes.  Track 2 follows as a short 1.5 minute track using a loose rumbling structure and partially buried vocals, noting also that the tonal quality of piece provides a nod towards a power electronics sound, albeit in a very loose and chaotic fashion.  Track 3 establishes itself as the longest offering at 7 minutes, being a piece of urgent, scattered and fractured noise that wavers from subdued to all out chaotic distortion blasts (complete with unintelligible radio dialogue sample).  For these ears track 4 is a particular standout as it sits closest to a power electronics framework.  Here shuddering machinery provides minimal queasy oscillating structure, with the further addition of grinding static and excellent heavily treated and barked vocals.  This is the track which is closest in feel and sound of the last Isomer release, being the power electronics influenced ‘Nil By Mouth’ MCD (reviewed here).   Track 5 delivers a short and sharp piece of rumbling bass static and squalling mid to high range layered noise whilst track 6 opts for a heady dose of noise blasted cacophony as and static cutups swarm incessantly.  The final of the 7 tracks concludes the tape in more subdued fashion, containing a distant, echo infused textural experimental industrial sound manipulations, along with dialogue sample (referencing sound production and appreciation), as the layers of noise gradually follow an intensifying upward trajectory.

Whilst this tape feels like the material is seeking to balance structure and chaos, on ‘One Word Definition’ sonic commotion is the ultimate victor.  This mean the overall vibe of the release leans more heavily towards noise than power electronics, although the later does hold some influence over the sound.  Likewise although not breaking convention for this style of material, this is a solid tape which is more than improvised noise experiments.  The special release specific packaging courtesy of Chris Groves of Cipher Productions is also noteworthy in both its simplicity and creativity.