Review: M Parent's penchant for texture is laid bare on this searing and arresting new EP for Zement. It opens with 'Gravel Pit' which sounds like an audio diary from a car-wrecking plant. Twisted metal, fizzing battery acid, and crushed glass all feature over a distorted baseline and broken rhythm. Those same scuzzy sounds define the rest of the EP from the acid-laced 'Ideal Future' to the coruscated funk of 'Acid Thirst' via the caustic intensity of closer Climb These Walls'. An impressively unique offering that very much has its own singularly sound palette.
Review: The 140+ BPM revolution race with scarcely a look in the rear view mirror. Malaizy here dropping two tracks that show just how wild and weird stuff can get in this part of the dance music spectrum. 'Burgercome' itself has hints electroclash, juke, ghetto tech, footwork, and EBM, without fully committing itself to any of those things by way of a DIY punk on speed in a Parisian warehouse party vibe.
Over on the flip, 'Stuck' is an entirely different beast altogether, which probably isn't that surprising considering the unique and particularly niche nature of the opening tune. Rather than setting a break neck pace, instead we descend into a staccato amalgamation of white noise, distorted drums and inaudible human murmurings.
Review: Having built his reputation via a trio of must-check EPs on Bokeh Versions, Mars89 transfers to Alex Hall's "mutant electronics" imprint Natural Sciences. The producer is a neat fit on the imprint, with "2020" containing a quartet of creepy, hard-wired, industrial-tinged cuts that seem eerily fitting for these troubled times. He begins with the bone-rattling beats, machine-gun percussion hits, ricocheting metallic clonks and gut-punching bass of "GoodThing", before successfully fusing mutilated industrial sounds and paranoid rhythms on "JoyCamp". Over on side B, "DayOrder" is a strangely swung slab of mind-altering electronica that defies easy description, while "MiniLuv" is a thumping stomp through lo-fi techno territory in the company of a steroid-fired monster.
Review: Worldwide Heavy Industries Vol.1 is the latest wax drop from Flux Musical Art and Brutal Forms and it makes for an immersive trip deep into industrial soundscapes and futuristic themes. Dominik Muller's intricate 'Too Many Posers' soon sucks you in followed by Ryuji Takeuchi's dynamic 'In Your Mind' with its unusual rhythmic innovation. On the B-side, 6SISS and Hypnoskull's intense 'Losss' gets super raw with an industrial edge, while Low Order's 'Taste My Venom' explores darker experimental territory. Skumring's atmospheric 'Corpse-Ridden' closes the album with a mood as dark as you would expect given the title.
Review: Argentinian crowds are probably the most exciting to play to in the world. And Marilyn Manson at this time had just released his Trent Reznor-produced masterpiece LP Antichrist Superstar and was at the peak of his game, so to say a ticket to this show at the Velez Sarsfield stadium in Buenos Aires was hot property is an understatement. This is about as good as heavy metal rock n' roll gets and not many will come close to the thrills that a 90s Marilyn Manson show brought. The setlist is monumental, with singles from Antichrist Superstar such as industrial metal banger 'The Beautiful People' and 'Tourniquet', which sounds like the blueprint to the nu-metal boom that was to come, among the highlights. Unusually for a live album, it's taut, with the track list limited to 11 songs, but this is for good reason. In a moment of Spinal Tap-esque horror, shortly after the final track you hear on the album, the band's drummer Ginger Fish received an electric shock whilst playing and the show ended abruptly. Putting his body on the line like that to deliver this blistering set is an heroic deed and it's a fantastic consolation to have this show fossilised onto vinyl.
Review: Returning with his redemption attempt follow up to 2020's We Are Chaos, industrial metal shock-rock provocateur Marilyn Manson seeks to skirt the numerous controversies and accusations accrued in the last few years with his most potent musical statement in decades. Signing with Nuclear Blast and enlisting the likes of Chelsea Wolfe collaborator/producer Tyler Bates to helm the project, his 12th full-length One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1 (indicating that more is sure to follow), offers up some of the heaviest and introspective material of his career to date, with cuts such as 'Nod If You Understand' harking back to the unhinged angst of Antichrist Superstar, whereas 'As Sick As The Secrets Within' breathes with the same mercurial synth-gloom as the strongest moments on Mechanical Animals. A cynical attempt to regain fan adoration, or the sound of a tortured artist finally coming to terms with his own demons and attempting to rediscover former glory and prowess, the interpretation is entirely your own to consider.
Review: Marilyn Manson is back with another of his famously bold and provocative new albums, One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1. Mansn has always been known for pushing boundaries - as well as buttons - and comes through again here with a dark and gripping collection of tracks that blend his usual tropes of industrial rock, haunting melodies and raw, intense vocals that come from deep down inside and ooze with menace. This album explores themes of power, corruption and rebellion, all wrapped in Manson's signature mix of shock value and unusual expression. It adds up to a journey into a twisted, dystopian world filled with layers of atmospheric sounds and unsettling lyrics so is perfect for fans of Manson's uniquely confrontational style.
Review: Italian-born, Berlin-based. These details alone are enough to mark Velvet May out as a product of location. Italy has long-been obsessed with a distorted futurism, musically at least, with a slew of hugely respected noise pioneers calling the country home, particularly in northern areas around Torino. Meanwhile, Germany's capital is all about those dystopian aesthetics and technophile attitude. Fusing together industrial, rock, and electronic in a visceral, mechanical, human-trapped-in-machine amalgamation of sound, the grit of production lines meets the unbridled raw energy of punk, the sex droid seduction of electroclash steaming headfirst into the forward momentum of techno. It's angry, frustrated, perhaps even desperate, voices calling out from behind wires and controllers. Yet, in other moments ('Haven of Thrill', for example) it's positively life-affirming and, dare it be said, owes something to the euphoria of rave.
A Dream Of A Cartographic Membrane Dissolves (6:16)
Review: Drew McDowall's latest album, A Thread, Silvered and Trembling, is an exploration of electronic processing and traditional Scottish pibroch music. Co-produced with Randall Dunn, the album features a dynamic orchestral ensemble arranged by Brent Arnold, creating an eclectic and transcending sonic experience. The album's four pieces move between shrouded electronics and enigmatic orchestration, surging into elegant crescendos and evoking deep animism. Tracks like 'Out of Strength Comes Sweetness' and 'And Lions Will Sing with Joy' feature keening strings and disorienting drones, while 'In Wound and Water' sways with eerie cello undertones and lush layers of electronics. The album reaches its climactic peak with A Dream of a Cartographic Membrane Dissolves, where processed voices and grand orchestral stabs converge to create a haunting and cathartic finale. Throughout, McDowall's music explores themes of sacredness and profanity, creating a journey that lingers long after the music fades. A Thread, Silvered and Trembling is a testament to McDowall's ability to blend traditional influences with experimental electronic soundscapes, resulting in a thought-provoking work.
This Dying Toad Become Forth With Coal For Colour Black Master (4:14)
One Eyed Metal (3:09)
Batztoutai - The Nightingales Song (3:14)
Intermission (0:06)
Junk Dahkini (9:52)
Anus Anvil Anxiety (14:36)
Moby Dick (6:41)
Jinrinkinmouzui (Wild Animals & Polyhedeal Garden - Another mix) (16:12)
Gothol Exodomy (25:26)
Batztoutai (1711 mix) (23:08)
Review: This extended triple vinyl edition of Batztoutai with Memorial Gadgets revives Merzbow's groundbreaking second vinyl release from 1986 in an all-new and special package. Widely regarded as one of the Japanese master's finest albums, this is its first-ever reissue on vinyl and the first release featuring the original recordings. The 1986 RRRec edition was a remix by the label, whereas this version presents the original tracks but also it includes bonus material from the same era to offer a definitive and immersive look at Merzbow's early work. Noise and experimental music fans, do not sniff at this one.
Review: Masami Akita, known as Merzbow, continues his sonic exploration with 'Circular Reference,' his latest release and debut on No Holiday. Renowned as a pioneer of extreme noise, Akita unleashes a torrent of synthesised tones intermingled with layers of feedback and midrange noise, creating an intense listening experience. Despite the relentless intensity, the album also offers moments of lurching rhythms and uneasy calm, characteristic of Merzbow's distinctive style. With over 500 recordings since 1980, Merzbow remains a seminal figure in noise music, drawing inspiration from diverse influences including progressive rock, heavy metal, and dadaism. The name 'Merzbow' itself pays homage to Kurt Schwitters' Merzbau, reflecting Akita's fascination with found objects and avant-garde aesthetics. Circular Reference promising to impress long time fans while making some new ones along the way. Amplify the experience by playing it loud, and experience Akita's latest impact on experimental music.
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