The Corvidae Cabal – Seeing Time

The Corvidae Cabal – Seeing Time CD Crionic Mind 2021

With a little investigation, it is revealed that The Corvidae Cabal is a side project to Gruntsplatter, where the project was created by sole member Scott Candey to seek different ways to approaching composition and theme. In noting this deviating thematic approach, The Corvidae Cabal functions to focuses on esoteric and paranormal subjects. Seeing Time is the first formal album from the project following a series of miscellaneous digital-only recordings from 2018.

Noting this is my first introduction to The Corvidae Cabal, on a superficial level is not too far removed from the works of Gruntsplatter. However, to then focus on differences, there is a reduced level of crushing claustrophobic bleakness and slightly more open and widescreen tonality than Gruntsplatter, as well as greater use of rhythmic elements to frame compositions. Thus a typical approach employed here involves swirling and grinding synth textures which are underscored by slow rhythmic patterns. To further describe the rhythmic elements, some of a stilted mechanical type, others of a slow ritual bent, and yet more of a commanding martial/death industrial percussive drive. The compositions themselves then develop in an unhurried fashion, being very much of a dark ambient approach with a dash of death ambient/industrial added for good measure. As with the recent Gruntsplatter album (reviewed here), this is best appreciated as a complete album. Likewise, Thomas Garrison has again done a wonderful job with the mastering.

Clearly not reinventing the stylistic traits of its chosen style, Seeing Time remains a strong and creative take on a dark ambient/death industrial sound. A four-panel obliquely designed digipack rounds out a slick and cleanly designed physical presentation.

Two 7″ doses of Novichok

The pace of releases issued on the new Australia Novichok label continues, noting that six 7”ep have been issued in 2021 already. Following below are reviews of two ep’s from the latest batch, with both issued in an edition of 150.

Krang Music / Browning Mummery – How I Want To …. Ronald Reagan (Extract) / Lament For Comrade Time 7”ep Novichok 2021

This 7”ep functions as a tribute to the late Australian percussionist and underground experimentalist John Murphy. The first side features a short excerpt of a longer work from John’s long-running Krang Music project, originally recorded and released in 1981. Being of a raw noise-industrial style, the tone sits at the mid to higher ranges, with a windswept and washes out lower end. Sonically it is an immediate headlong dive into sustained layered noise with a solid dose of industrial grit. With little in the way of tonal variation, it is a short but sweet homage to John’s early industrial experimentation.

Australian stalwart Browning Mummery (aka Andy Lonsdale) takes up the flip side, and is sonically completely different, and features the inputs of John’s wife Annie Stubbs (vocals) and further contributions from Julian Percy and Rob Cumings. Being far more song-oriented than Side A, Lament For Comrade Time it is perhaps most reminiscent of a 1980’s experimental industrial type. Framed around a loose bass line, mid-paced minimalist programmed beat, and smatterings of abstracted sounds, it is then strongly characterised by the lamenting but almost jazz-inflected vocals of Annie. Divergently engaging.

 

Psychward / Concentration – Morbid Paralysis / Deathmarch 7”ep Novichok 2021

Psychward, the solo project of Australian Thomas Miller leads off the split with Morbid Paralysis. Here it features tightly wound coils of charred noise and spitting static, which are framed around a central queasy oscillating tone. Ripping junk metal clatter and scrappy noise sonics add variety to the noise-industrial soundscape, while the overall feel is one of laborious control rather than psychotically unhinged. With the track abruptly cutting off rather than fading out, it concludes a short but very on-point track.

From what little information I can glean on Concentration, it is a new noise-industrial meets power electronics project of another Australian Larissa Kunst. On Deathmarch it features distortion which resembles distant thunderclaps, low bass rumble and a stilted death industrial-like pulse which acts as a backing to a (sampled?) poetic spoken voice. Yet that vocal element is smeared with just enough distortion so as to be difficult if not impossible to interpret, while late track further noise layers and metallic clangs give a slightly more chaotic edge. With a lo-fi and no-frills approach, it is a solid introduction to this project.

Various Artists – Terässinfonia Vol. 1 / Terässinfonia Vol.2

Various Artists – Terässinfonia Vol. 1 / Terässinfonia Vol.2 CD Freak Animal Records 2020

Freak Animal Records have always been a huge supporter of new and up and coming projects in the noise-industrial-experimental underground, no matter how obscure. These two collated volumes are then noted to have a more specific function: that being to specifically focus on current activities with the Finnish underground as evidenced by the tagline of: ‘The sound of Finnish experimental noise. Terässinfonia : Steel Symphony’.

Noting the role of a good compilation is to showcase projects you may have not come across before, on that front I only recognise a handful of project names across the 24 contributions here, which includes (in order of appearance): Umpio, Kitu, Tyhjä Pää, Hazarda Bruo Sonsistemo, Atrophist, Unclean, Edge Of Decay, H.Ö.H, Jazzhand, Rotat,Junkyard Shaman, Contortus, Metsäkirkko, Ihmisen Jälkeen, Nuori Veri, Parempi Ratkaisu, Amek Maj, Toteslaut, Maskhead, Vitun Siat, YANA, Circle Of Shit, Ahola & Silander, Electric Hobo, Tyhjiø. However, as there are then far too many contributions spanning the two discs to focus on individually, some of the notable highlights of those projects whom I am not overly familiar with include:

• Kitu – Edeema: features a strong contribution of hollowed-out industrial rumble and soot-infused ‘abandoned factory’ ambience.
• Hazarda Bruo Sonsistemo – Loishäätö: contains upfront ‘detailed’ sounds sitting over a rising tide of thickly atmospheric distortion.
• Atrophist – Mutation Cycles: offers a touch of sonic respite on the first disc, with a droning composition that edges ever so closely towards dark ambience.
• H.Ö.H – Mittausteknologian Kehittyessä: aims for more experimental expression with a short track of wonky sparse cutup sounds and tape loop material.
• Jazzhand – Gavia Arctica: stands apart given its main focus on natural based field recording, while a minimal underpinning drone and vocal and relegated to being low wihin the mix.
• Junkyard Sharman – Harha: opting for an enveloping ritual ambient drone-work, the compositions subtle scrap metal elements sitting off within the background.
• Nuori Veri – Jatkumon Ahjo: ranges from minimalist ‘micro-tonal’ elements, which are blended with sampled choral vocals for emotive effect.
• Parempi Ratkaisu – Ali-ihmisten Kärsimys: actually reminds quite strongly of Grunt’s sound, given its focus here on raw noise which has been roughly hewn into intertwining scrap metal loops.
• Toteslaut – Strike the Master Sword: strongly impresses with a track of raw and overblow power electronics, complete with rough vocal proclamations.
• Yana – Tuntematon: shifts tactic to charts a minimalist soundscape of sparse tones and a variety of scrabbling sonics.
• Ahola & Silander – Koitos: is notable with its thick and warm, yet hollow tonal quality to its clinical experimental drone-work.
• Tyhjiø – Aurinko: being a raw and spitting noise-industrial track with significant sonic heft thanks to its massive production sound.

Despite not all tracks getting an individual mention above, there is a lot to like and discover across the 80 minutes of material spanning two separate CDs. But it is also worthwhile noting that a number the more established names like Umpio, Unclean, Edge of Decay, Rotat, Contortus, Maskhead, Circle of Shit function to represent the harsh noise, scrap metal industrial, and ripping power electronics sounds of the Finnish underground. The striking collages of the cover artwork provide a suitably strong visual presentation and are further pressed as four-panel digipacks. Solid compilation collections all round.

Various Artists – Time Ends – A Tribute to J.G Ballard’s Tetralogy Of Transformation

Various Artists – Time Ends – A Tribute to J.G Ballard’s Tetralogy Of Transformation CD The Epicurean 2021

Like many releases on The Epicurean label, they are often notable for their strong conceptual underpinning which is specifically applicable here. As per the promo text: ‘Desiderii Marginis, Troum, Martin Bladh & Karolina Urbaniak and Anemone Tube have gathered to pay homage to the first four novels of British writer J.G. Ballard: The Wind From Nowhere, The Drowned World, The Drought and The Crystal World, which are often seen as disaster novels’. But for those unfamiliar with Ballard’s writings, the opening paragraph of the liners notes then provides adequate context: ‘Collins Dictionary defines “Ballardian” as something that is “resembling or suggestive of the conditions described in Ballard’s novels and stories, esp dystopian modernity, bleak man-made landscapes, and the psychological effects of technological, social or environmental developments”.’

With each artist contributing around 20 minutes of material, Desiderii Marginis leads off with The Wind From Nowhere, consisting of minimal orchestral drones, subtle field recordings, swirling arctic blasts, and muted choral vocals late in the track. Bleak and ominous in equal measures, this composition is an example of the sublime dark ambience which has categorised this project over the last decades of activity. The ever-creative Troum follow with two tracks: the first OUTSIDE (Archaic Landscape) has a rougher post-industrial tinged visage than the perhaps the expected ethereal ambient-drone. Here the intense sound is based around layered mechanical loops, insectile chatter and spoken vocals which are muted and semi-buried so as not to be immediately intelligible. The second track IN-SIGHT (Archaic Mind-Scape) is more typical of Troum’s highly evocative drone-scapes, being windswept and contained melodious tones and smatterings of nature-based sounds for good measure. Functioning as the most divergent track and positioned as the centerpiece of the album, The Poison Well is a track by Karolina Urbaniak & Martin Bladh. Sonically it is a minimalist experimental-industrial composition based on detailed loops, drones and musique concrete elements courtesy of Karolina. This then functions as the backing for various spoken passages which are delivered in the immediately recognisable voice of Martin which range from quietly enunciated through to an agitated theatrical delivery. Conceptually the utilised text brings in thematic elements beyond the immediate sphere of Ballard, but which align with Martin’s broader established obsessions. Anemone Tube functions to rounds out the album with three tracks which stylistically arcs back to the sound and tone of the Death Over China, given the notable use of field recordings that have been hewn into heady industrial looped soundscapes and underscored with dour synth textures. While the material also includes controlled mid-toned feedback, swirling minimalist noise, and other subtle droning passages, ultimately the end result is tensile, doom-addled dystopian atmospheres. Yet with little in the way of sonically transcendental tones (which is another usually notable aspect of the project), the featured material is still of a pinnacle level which Anemone Tube regularly achieves.

Coupled with the eighty minutes of music, the cover is accompanied by a detailed essay by Michael Göttert which expands on the album’s concept, as well as containing liner notes detailing the inspiration and approach of each artist, and including Alex Tennigkeit who contributed the striking cover artwork. This functions to further illustrate the conceptual depth on offer which makes this such a sonically and thematically engaging release. Currently, this release is available on CD, while a horrendously delayed double vinyl set is also slated for eventual release in late 2021. As a final comment, at this time of writing this review it was announced that The Epicurean is ceasing operation after a decade of activity. Given the stellar quality of the label’s productions over the years this is extremely disappointing to hear. But as a final release, this album is also a fitting swansong to everything the label has achieved in conceptually elevating what can be delivered within the post-industrial underground. Recommended.

Gruntsplatter & Wilt – The Trough of Armageddon

Gruntsplatter & Wilt – The Trough of Armageddon 2xCD Phange Tapes / Cipher Productions 2021

This split release is from two long-standing American projects and is conceptually interesting given each CD features a single artist who has used sonic source material from the other as the starting basis, and further sculpted and augmented it into their own material.

Gruntsplatter leads off with the first disc titled Indoctrination and functionally twists Wilt’s source material into Gruntsplatter’s own frame of reference, which means it is a textbook example of their crushing claustrophobic bleakness. Foreboding waves of corrosive sounds abound, with nary a fleck of light managing to piece the tonal gloom. Functionally, the tracks are minimalist but also operate as hefty atmospheric soundscapes, where multiple tonal layers combine into a grinding sonic mass. In generally articulating a barren post-apocalyptic landscape and ashen cloud atmosphere, the tonally windswept elements have a natural timbre, combined with others elements with a clear mechanical churn.

Moving onto the second disc, Wilt’s album is titled Repercussion and differs from Gruntsplatter’s side given it immediately displays a subtle spaciousness to the sonics. Melancholic and contemplative is the general flavour of proceedings, with an open and floating sparseness, coupled with the occasional tasteful use of minimal synth melodies. Although through the middle and back half of the album the sound of several tracks do contain a more forceful tonal bluster, and sees the use of abstracted mechanical rhythmic loops which gives a nod to the more typical sonic elements of Gruntspatter.

The end result of this collaborative release is one that displays the best elements of each project, and while there are subtle differences between each half, they are equally very complimentary as a combined release of high-grade, noise-industrial inflected dark ambience. The double gatefold dig-pack on thick card stock rounds out the cleanly designed and packaged presentation.