En Nihil / And Through You I Found Nothing

Released on the 17th of February last year, And Through You I Found Nothing By En Nihil was an album released on Shrouded Recordings. Released as a limited cassette and CD-R, sadly not sold out! Can be acquired through Discogs (if you are lucky). For some reason, you cannot actually hear it on Shrouded Recordings Bandcamp site and it´s not on Youtube either. So you are basically (or I am) dealing with something which is under the radar, as we speak. Anyways, we are dealing with "only" 1 track which is 27 minutes long! The track is on the A-side and on the B-side as well. 

The track starts in the quiet sort of state. Raw and primal noise-ambient with a heavenly epic touch. Post-apocalyptic feel with a religious/spiritual sort of aesthetic. There is a distinct hiss on the tape (bad recording?), but then again... It adds up to the primal feel and the sound keeps floating out like ectoplasmic goo through your speakers. 

The epic and angelic intro ends and jumps straight into metallic harsh noise! At this point, I do think that a proper sound quality of the tape itself, would have been a good thing. This harsh-noise thing is an action-packed pee-wee with a sound (and expression) that really wants to break through that tape hiss. There are a lot of things right now happening that I would love to hear more clearly.

The harsh-noise things stop and enter into a... dungeon-synths recording in slow motion... hearing it while you are buried beneath some church. The feel of this recording holds the theme focused, definitely a clear focus on nothingness. The paranormal feel here feels real... and actually scary. You cannot actually hear the stuff 100%, but more sense it with your imagination. There are many comparisons with Brighter Death Now´s 1890 vinyl release here, which is also the strangest album by Brighter Death Now.

The next thing coming up are ritualistic beatings on something big and metallic, think that ritual scene in the second Indiana Jones flick!. The old-school death-industrial feel is strong here, almost with a nod or two to the likes of Megaptera and to the eldritch horror author H.P. Lovecraft. So far the album almost sounds like some sort of live-recording (Done in one take?). It still sticks to the theme folks.

Screaming and vocal-based harsh noise gets back at your face one more time, with a punishing and throbbing bass sound. Sounds like it was recorded through a metallic pipeline. Sounds pretty demonic if you ask me! All of a sudden there is a... buzz... moving from one speaker and to the other. Sounds like crickets! I know!... Because I have crickets in my basement (food for my tarantula). Cool-sounding distorted vocals end the track... and the album/track?! .. Damn! I actually wanted more!. Hell... I just have to turn the tape and listen to the same track on the B-side.

It´s a marvelous, epic, and grim journey through the dark side of the human psyche. You can have it in the background while watching an avant-garde flick like Begotten, you can listen to it in absolute pitch-black while having a good stout, you can hear it while reading eldritch horror. Tons of reasons to listen to it, although it does have issues with the sound quality although... the charm and the sincerity of it save the album to the very end. Actually quite breathtaking!

Bandcamp (label):

https://shroudedrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/and-through-you-i-found-nothing-3xcs-repress-w-cdr-exclusive-final-run-out-physically

Discogs (release):

https://www.discogs.com/En-Nihil-And-Through-You-I-Found-Nothing/master/2059387

 

    

 

Kadaver + Smother - Awaiting You At The Morgue

We return once again to one of the projects which we have been around for some time. Israel isn't really that known for either harsh noise, death industrial, or power electronics but Kadaver is one of the few blokes around that block which tries (Almost on a daily basis!) to inject a drop or two of sonic wickedness into your dreary lives. This time he has found a friend/act called Smother, which hasn't released anything so far... So this one is the first release with Smother, in the company of Kadaver. A limited 50 cassette released via Black Ring Rituals, 3 tracks about 43 minutes in total!

The first track is called Blood Patterns, which starts off with a movie sample of such. Sounds of distant cannons/explosions while someone is masturbating/having sex in a bathtub. All of this tranquility ends with an explosion of a screaching and chaotic harsh noise wall! There is a sound of something being cut inside a whirling grinding machine, while ritualistic and chanting voices can be heard in the background aswell. The mood is quite constant/static in a good way! The noise wall ends later on (turned down) while the grinding machine noises get a sound focus... Does actually sounds like something recorded being reversed and being slightly distorted as well. The noise wall returns once again with a vengeance, more dynamics attached this time. The ambient chanting can still be heard at this point, although almost drowned in the sickening torturous noise... And then it ends really suddenly!

The second track The Gods of Meander Vs the Men of Beelzebub... What? ... Gods of Meander... Who are they?!...(examining)... Ok, the internet tells me this :

Meander, Maeander, Mæander or Maiandros (Ancient Greek: Μαίανδρος) was a river god in Greek mythology, the patron deity of the Meander River (modern Büyük Menderes River) in Caria, southern Asia Minor (modern Turkey).

And we all know who Beelzebub is right?. Let´s have a look at that as well then shall we?! :

Beelzebub or Beelzebul is a name derived from a Philistine god, formerly worshipped in Ekron, and later adopted by some Abrahamic religions as a major demon. The name Beelzebub is associated with the Canaanite god Baal.

Hmmm... The worshipers of some Greek water god start a war with the worshiper of a Philistine god (which turned into a satanic pop-icon later on!). Ok!.

The track starts with another weird recording (from a movie again?!). Sounds of winds, and the sound of someone running through dirt while losing his breath. All of this gets replaced (except the windy sounds) by a hypnotizing and nerve-grinding tone of clinical proportions. A more static track than the former, things are more... still in here... if you know what I mean? (listen to the track!). Closer to being an HNW inspired piece. If you ask me. Sho will the battle then?... The Gods of a Greek Water god or the men of a Philistine god?... I think they all would die... that is if you take the sonic and static expression into consideration!

The last and final longest track called Self-Administered Rape Injection starts again with a nasty movie sample and dives straight into the most brutal harsh-noise treatment on the album. Imagine a fast circular saw built and made to grind and eat itself through steel, then add a microphone, record it, and turn the volume up! And this point, your brain reminds you that ... this track is actually 21 minutes and 39 seconds long! Bon appetit!

And that is all I will reveal regarding this album, made by Kadaver and Smother (note, not a split a colab!). A quick and brutal static attack on the senses and all that jazz. Not an epic pioneering piece of work, but it does the job if you suck for a well-delivered noise treatment. And as I said before, this one is placed in the static noise department... not the frantic and chaotic department.

Bandcamp (label):
https://blackringrituals.com/album/awaiting-you-at-the-morgue


Bandcamp (band):
https://kadaver.bandcamp.com/


Facebook (band):
https://www.facebook.com/michael.zolotov?fref=nf

Jugendwerkhof / Genus Inkasso 

Another tape which I also received from the Low Life High Volume label, the same label which gave us Jugendwerkhof. This one is also with Jugendwerkhof in good company with another act called Genus Inkasso, in other words... a split. Each act delivers its take on abstract-sound-brutalism on each side of the tape. Jugendwerkhof on side A, and Genus Inkasso on the B-side. Each track is almost 15 minutes in length, which gives you 30 minutes of utter destructive delight, tape release is limited to 30 copies. Love the graphical cover-artwork as well, showing some human figures having some mind-controlling lines attached...apparently losing control of some kind?... Anyways!

The first track with Jugendwerkhof is called Gnadenverheerer (Mercy Ravager) starts in a subtle way... the sort of quietness one would expect before a storm. Then it starts slowly... industrial bleeping sounds, metallic trash yard noises, an Arabic-sounding sort of trumpet, traces of human voices, and all this is built on top of a solid build (and abstract) harsh-noise foundation. Subtle and brutal at the same time, solid but abstract, static but chaotic... I could continue. This recording pulls the listener into all of these contradictions. It totally works, and the raw sound is brilliant! The whole damn thing sounds like a demon trying to claw itself out from some kind of old-tech machinery... literally!.

Next up is Genus Inkasso which their track is called The Dirt, the Quiet, the Peace. Also has a nice industrial-noise sort of subtle beginning, which then descents directly into pure mayhem. More in the dynamic noise-wall section with a mesmerizing rhythmic noise monotony. It pulses and it breeds, feels, and sounds really organic. Not as in-your-face like Jugendwerkhof, but being way more of a chilling mind-fuck track. At times it does have a certain death-industrial sort of appeal to it, the heavy distortions and the rhythmic machine sounds. Love the ambient drone ending here, after the harsh treatment of sound the drone will lift the listener a few inches from the ground (or chair!). A great and adventurous noise track with lots of variations in sound, more of that, please!.

A great release, a great tape. Low Life High Volume is a great label I will keep my eye on, and so should you. As I said before, not being the greatest harsh-noise fan BUT... These guys are inventive (really!), I love the way they put atmosphere before action into the direct sound of harsh noise! So what are you waiting for?!. Get that tape before your neighbor does!

Bandcamp (label):

https://lowlifehighvolume.bandcamp.com/album/split-3

Official website (label):

http://lowlifehighvolume.biz/home.html

 

    

 Putrefaction Orchestra - Sequential Stages of Decomposition

Another from Danish label Section 1, a new act with its debut. Sequential Stages of Decomposition by Putrefaction Orchestra (sounds awesome right??). Filled on the A-side, filled on the B-side (50 minutes tape), limited to 50 physical copies which can be obtained via Section 1s website (Link below!). Another worthy note, really love the texture of the thick inlay...

The first track called Sarkoma (Cancer) gives you a proper introduction to the album. You are right in a world that isn´t that far away from the main opening theme from the classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre from 1974. Spine-tingling post-mortem noise with a paranormal edge greets you welcome in the morgue. A classic old-school death-industrial/ambient sound which takes you back to that classic Slaughter Production sound. You can almost sense that horrific mood, someone is sharpening and cleaning their dissection tools while dead bodies wait for their treatment on the cold dissection table. A VERY picturesque sound, very convincing!. 

The second track called Sequential Stages of Decomposition moves further down the labyrinth-like basements of some basement (or asylum). Kind of makes me think of Lars Von Trier´s Riget / Kingdom. The sound of living metal moving around in a huge cellar-like room, while torturous sound-frequencies haunts the very air. Whoever said that cellars can be quiet, stay quiet and open your ears!

The third track Decay of Organic Materials starts with a sound that sounds a bit like... something being fried on a pan. Later on, a car engine begins to exhaust gas into the room while a mysterious sample is running in the background. Grinding, pulsating heavy-electronics!

Fans of early Megaptera will love this!.

The Fourth track Schizophrenia Psychosis starts on the B-side. A rumbling (under-the-ground) earthy-sound, creepy metallic reverbs, a slightly flanged and psychedelic (and slow) windy-sound. A very subtle and quiet piece worth exploring with TONS of mood! 

The Fifth track simply called Untitled is a piece of utter monotonic electronic brilliance with disturbing ritualistic undercurrents. Sounds a bit like Swedish act Lille Roger from back in the day, which is a compliment, people! Love the weird clattering distortions (Dusty needle on a vinyl player) which happens only on the left speaker, freaked me out actually!

The last track Morthogenesis ends the album in a grand horrific and morbid way. The weird clattering noises from the fifth tracks continue here as well, I don´t think that it was meant to be there... BUT... it actually gives the damn thing an extra touch of edge.     

And woaww! What a damn treat! Good to hear that someone can sit down and have a clear focus on a certain sound and mood, and deliver it 100%. It´s a pure treat for any fans of classic death-industrial/black-ambient (Atrax Morgue, Megaptera, Lille Roger, BDN, etc). Really one of those that you don´t want to miss!.    

Website (label):

https://sektion1.bigcartel.com/product/putrefaction-orchestra-sequential-stages-of-decomposition

Interview with Nigel Ayers 

of Nocturnal Emissions

Nocturnal Emissions shouldn´t be a stranger to the average Kalteldur reader. An act legendary cult act that has been active since 1980. From highly experimental post-industrial, warped and metallic disco, shamanic ritual music, proto-drone, raw and spacy ambient moods, rhythmic technoid moments...I could go on. Skinny Puppy and Front Line Assembly have mentioned them as being an influence, and further on to dark ambient pioneers like Raison D´être. Nocturnal Emissions have (in my own words) inspired every aspect and genre within modern experimental (and industrial) music. 

I just noticed that Nigel was doing these videos on Youtube where he would talk about Nocturnal Emissions (and among other things). And I thought, why not do an interview with him? So I did some questions (below) and he answered with a video (Brilliant!). I have added some of the other videos for this interview that seems relevant.         

 First and foremost, something about the actual start and creation of the act Nocturnal Emissions in 1980. How and why were Nocturnal Emissions created?

After Tissue of Lies you did Fruiting Body, can you tell us about this album?

Drowning In A Sea of Bliss, can u tell us about that album?

Can you tell us a bit about the Duty Experiment album?

Can you tell us about the Cathedral album?

Where did you find your ideas/inspiration back in those early days?

The amazing, memorable, and shocking cover-artwork for the re-released Drowning In A Sea of Bliss, what is the reason to change the cover-artwork for it?

You started as a noisy, political, and experimental post-industrial act. Later on, you were creating shamanic-based ambient/drone/ritual-music (...actually my personal favorite era). What was the reason for the change of sound and direction?

Proudest moment/recording with Nocturnal Emissions and why?

Any future plans? New albums, re-issues?

And thanks to Nigel for this great interview and insight into the world of Nocturnal Emissions, do yourself a favor and explore some of the releases on the official Bandcamp site!

Bandcamp (band):

https://nocturnalemissions.bandcamp.com/

Official website:

http://www.earthlydelights.co.uk/

Facebook (band):

https://www.facebook.com/Nocturnal-Emissions-44070841065/

 Bresthaft - S/T

A strange new beast of a project on Marbre Negre has just released its second cassette album... an untitled one. There is only one member, a member who calls himself Arph. Someone who is a member of Flutwacht (Legendary noise-industrial act from Germany) and flirts with black occult powers (Hermetic Self Destruction Ritual) and occasionally rubs shoulders with black metal (Black Candle). The first cassette with this project came out in 2018 on one of Flutwacht´s labels Tourette Tapes, and this untitled one on Marbre Negre is the second offering. A limited 20 cassette run kids!.

The only track on the A-side is also an untitled one, which is almost 30 minutes long. It starts with a blistering and rhythmic noise-industrial/power-electronics mash-up. Interesting ritualistic and psychedelic elements are messing around in the background while evil MZ 412/Folkstorm´ish satanic noise-vocals are stirring up the nest. 

The track continues (or screams!) with splintering metallic-rusty distortions. Obviously, there is a ghost inside the machine. As a long-time fan of Flutwacht, I can already now notice a few similarities...which is a good thing, cause I like Flutwacht! 

The dark-ambient/ritual elements get flattened out with thumping industrial bass. Cool sounding recordings with a machine thumping in the background as well, lovely and evil vocal work continues here.

The B-side has a heavier ambient-based soundtrack intro/beginning. A grinding saw rips through the ambient fabric like a hot knife through butter. Pulsating death-industrial machinery keeps the bass sound alive. Not as direct and vocal-based like the a-side, but more of a moody subversive one on the heavy side of sound. Additional recordings of metal scrap can also be heard here. 

The whole recording has this kind of... haunted factory trapped in hell sort of a sound. Call it a harsh-noise sort of an industrial soundtrack with ritualistic undercurrents, the album sticks in lots of various directions (which is a good thing). I do miss elements of thoughtful experimentation and ideas for a new direction. Many moods and actions are going on, but there are too many of the same colors of sound going on from the start and the end. It´s a good noise album without a doubt, not for everyone though.

Bandcamp (label):

https://marbrenegre.bandcamp.com/album/untitled-6