Hiroyuki Chiva & K2

Interesting (and new) release from Spanish Marbgre Negre. A japanoise split cassette release between Hiroyuki Chiva and K2. As far as I can see, there might be a type error here. It´s Hiroyuki Chiba (not Chiva). And we´re talking about a re-release, originally from Chiba´s own label called Eerie Noise Records which was then re-released on Marbre Negre. A quick introduction, Chiba has been active since 2018 as a highly productive Japanese noise artist and label-owner (Bandcamp link below), K2...on the other hand, is one of the Japanoise-veterans (and pioneers) who has been around 1983 (check him out on Discogs/Bandcamp). So let us brace ourselves for a trip to the noisy landscapes of Japan!.

The first track on the A-side (which is with Hiroyuki Chiva) is called Drum Processing II is all about... organized humming and hissing high-frequency sounds. Sort of an ear-opener/introduction. Not much to go at, but strangely likable if you ask me.

The second track Two Oscillators head jumps into action-driven noise. Therapeutic noise, the sound of something that drives really fast and stops really quickly too. In the process, it rams into several objects on the way. Could also be the sound of a modified digital blender? I like the honest sound brutality here so far. 

The third track Sirenhead II (as the Internet monster Sirenhead?) continues the brutal roar which was started by the former track. A more of a bass-rumbling treat with some squeals and cuts here and there. Lots of stuff actually going on here! I love the speed/tempo of this.

The fourth track Improvisation of Voice and Oscillators turns the mad tension even higher. A high-pitched vocal sound gets smashed into absolute noisy oblivion. Imagining splintering pieces of metallic shrapnel here for some reason... I can almost smell it!

The fifth track Siren Head I sounds a bit like Siren Head II, with some extra gritty sound effects on it. Some of the sounds almost had a kind of retro 8-bit sort of sound?

The last track on the A-side is Drum Processing I, which sounds a lot like Drum Processing II. Although the track is a bit shorter. 

WE flip the cassette and continue with the B-side in the company of K2. A 13+ minute long track called Raijiun-Fujin. If you ask me what that means, then I can tell you that Raijiun Fujin being two gods who are guards at some Sanjusangendo temple in Japan. God/Gods of lightning, storms in Japanese Mythology. The track starts with cleaning your ears (and mind) with a numbing and hypnotizing drilling sound with reverbed atmospheric/ritualistic undercurrents. Mind fucking and epic noise/sound-scapes with lots of interesting psychedelic effects, the sounds kinda remind me of Maurizio Bianchi/MB in a way. There is lots of meat on this bone and lots of reason to re-listen the track a couple of times. It´s quite spacy in a brutal way, but also gentle in a slow-progressive sort of fashion. 

And that ends the tape! I did like the minimalistic work by Hiroyuki Chiva, but it wasn´t as groundbreaking and mind-fucking as K2. K2 is really a noisy space trip to the other side of the galaxy, while Hiroyuki stays behind on the solid ground. Not a bad thing really, I think that the two artists have successfully created a great split and both acts are delivering their own expression on each side of the tape. A great japanoise treat here kids!.       

Bandcamp (label):

https://marbrenegre.bandcamp.com/album/split-14

Bandcamp (artist+label):

https://hiroyukichiba.bandcamp.com/music

Bandcamp (artist):

https://k2music3.bandcamp.com/

 Ideal Father - Paradice Death

I am a huge fanboy I am of this incredible obscure act, the second album out with Swedish-based Ideal Father. For those who haven´t yet read or checked out the former review of the debut, I would strongly suggest that you do so. Limited tape release of 45 copies released by Exebyss Records. It comes in a beautiful and thick cardboard cassette slipcase, with completely black tape inside. All there is to say about Ideal Father is that they are one of the few acts around who does what you would call death ambient. A term loosely connected with the death-industrial term. Some of the early Cold Meat Industry releases were coined either as black ambient or death ambient, in other words, a more ambient orientated version of death industrial. Not that we should forget the sound of Slaughter Productions' excellent compilation Death Odors! 

A Mind In Evil Ruin is the first track on the A-side of the tape. A sinister hissing sound, human screams can be heard (far away) via a long hallway, bone-crushing bass, metallic distortions... just about everything inhuman you can think of. A perfect sound that should be heard by every horror-movie soundtrack lover! True death-ambient for sure!. 

The second track called In Paradice Death offers psychedelic and flanged sounds and ritualistic and distorted black-metal vocals. A very chilled, sadistic, creepy, and clinical dark-ambient track. 

The third track Blood Torrent moves back to the sound of the first track, more in the classic death-industrial sound. Heavy and guitar/bass-based distortions give it all a lovely analog sound, whispering, and reverbed vocals, with drone-based dark-ambient undertones to go with it. Sounds like someone is being possessed here!

The fourth track Crepuscular Soul gets way deeper into repetitive morbid psychedelics. Looped and echoed samples, a religious-sounding noise wall (A bit like NON), excellent and sinister synth-work as well!. A rare thing indeed, and a thing we need more in death-industrial/ambient. Synth-keys folks!. A beautiful and haunting track indeed!.

The fifth track Tongue Mosaic is where it gets... weird and genuinely scary. How one can make a distorted squealing noise sound like someone actually weeping. All of that is going on in the background while a hypnotizing feeling sucks you right in. Like falling through an endless pit of sounds. The sensation of feeling weightless, in a rather unpleasant way if you ask me. A really wow sort of a track, it also offers something new to the sound as well. 

Crosshair Mantra is the sixth track on the album. A flesh scraping ambient piece with ritualistic undercurrents. Love the bits of human-like sounds/voices to be heard here and there... almost hidden. 

The seventh track Wall of Crying Eyes screams for attention. Bone-narrowing sinisterness all packed nicely in a psychedelic Wunder Baum. Elements of cosmic horror are added to the mix here, fans of early Lyke Wake take notice. 

There are two more tracks left on the B-side, but I will leave the curious listener to explore them themselves. A thorough and well-thought death-ambient/industrial-focused album. It has all the right ingredients, and the atmosphere is there as well. And it will/can leave you quite speechless! For fans of BDN´s Necrose Evangelicum and early CMI!.  

Bandcamp (label):

https://exabyssrecords.bandcamp.com/album/paradice-death?fbclid=IwAR1aYime0LMSFXQT_86eh5BWOGzPUR4qCz4LlwMJ3KfcKYmNb84fhZNXsko

          

Thee Secrete Society - Thee First Secrete 

A mysterious and highly esoteric themed act that has been in existence since 2014 has finally released its debut! Containing members from well well-known acts like B°Tong, 1000Schoen, and Feine Trinkers Bei Pinkels Dahiem. A 75 released tape copies from Marbre Negre, lovely grey and silvery tape with text and a sexy occult-looking cover-artwork. Already curious?... Good!.

The first track Invocation starts the album in a ritualistic and dark-ambient lowkey manner. Not that far away from the early recordings by Ain Soph. Cold, deep, and hypnotizing ritualistic electronics submerge the listener into another world. Something strange going on in the background though. Strange reversed vocals and a strange sound of someone... messing with something. A lovely ear-opener if you ask me!

The second track Curse introduces a sound that sounds like a recorded toy piano in echoed reversed, distorted, and warped ritualistic vocals, icy electronic sounds with a techno-ambient Biosphere sort-of-a-feel, and the clattering of metallic bells. Interesting mixture of minds and ideas getting together here.

The third track (You Spoil The) Atmosphere is not a track that spoils the atmosphere! Quite the contrary! Cosmic ambient with a Lovecraftian twitch/Cosmic-horror if you ask me. A horrific and cold/cool track that offers a feeling you get... when you are experiencing a nasty lucid dream! Swirling murkiness, rumbling and infernal background noises (which sounds like a stomach!), icy and precise electronics, whispering voices from the shadows. Everything is nasty here, but incredibly pleased to hear at the same time. Lots of brains here people!

With the next (and fourth) track, you´ll have to turn over the tape cause now we are at the B-side of the album! Stars Right Be Wrong goes further into the cosmic-horror-sound. Metallic drones and rumbling spaceship ambient sounds blast the listener into deep space! The spoken-word vocals are soo well made here, talking about using the right effects at the right moment here people! The ambient and the atmosphere are just amazing here, very sincere and very convincing! Love the slow-flanged sound effect at the end, makes me think back to Throbbing Gristle´s live recording of Discipline.

The fifth track is called Cleansening Ceremony. A mesmerizing piece with psychedelic undertones. The listener will get slightly confused and hypnotized here, a lovely intermission for the last track!

The last track is called The Key To Annihilation. Starts in the same low-key ambient ritual mood as the first track. Might just be the most relaxing and most (slightly) melancholic piece on the album. It´s here where the listener might just feel that sensation of levitation! Whoever said that annihilation is a thing of ugliness, this track is a piece of sheer minimalistic loveliness.  

A masterpiece of an album, a way of just saying... ´if you are going out to create a dark-ambient album, make sure it is an interesting one!´. Thee First Secrete is interesting and is bound to end up as a classic album that pushes the dark-ambient style into new cosmic-horror territories!

Bandcamp (label):

https://marbrenegre.bandcamp.com/album/thee-first-secrete

Facebook (band):

https://www.facebook.com/theesecretesociety