Knives - Violent Distillation
An interesting compilation from Ominous Recordings with an act called Knives. It´s (as you all can see) called Violent Distillation. And why is it interesting then?. Simply because that this single compact disc contains every released track by this act. One seven-inch, and 3 cassette tapes. Great idea to collect it all into a single disc!. All the material within has all been made and recorded in 2005, and the last track is an extra live bonus recording. I must say, there isn´t much to talk about when you look at the cover... but... I love it. I love the simple thing with white bold letters on a black background. A cool history lesson regarding the act inside as well.
The Knives itself is a collab between Jon Borges (Pedestrian Deposit) and Phil Blankenship (The Cherry Point). About 34 minutes of pure American harsh noise for the hard of hearing!
The first track Switchblade Princess starts with a heavy-distorted and rumbling wall of sound. Additional static wall effects and screeching sounds made from bleeding fingers... controlling the harsh noise sound equipment! A chaotic mess of statics and pumped-up sound-action. Everything that is about pure harsh noise, can be found within this single track!
The second track Cemetery Girls I starts... VERY directly. Harsh tv/radio-static which almost sounds like crispy meat being burned on the frying pan. Lots of high-frequency treatment for the ears here, a very aggressive in-your-face track. Bound to make several people hold their breath! Max volume ear-phone listening is not recommended!
The third track Cemetery Girls II starts with a higher frequency than the first one! It is more of a proto-HNW thing, a harsh noise wall with turbo dynamics more like. Brutally distorted psychedelics just like a bad trip. The sound of everything violent trying to squeeze itself out of a tiny tiny hole, and your ear is on the other side of that hole! A piercing aural experience.
In the fourth track Empty Desire I we are further introduced to the direct sound of pure harsh noise-action. At this point, you are probably feeling that you have been here before. A grinding and metallic distortion, when the brakes of the train deliver sparks... and a lot of noise!
Empty Desire II is the fifth track... well, the train hasn´t stopped yet. The brakes are still on! You can almost feel the metal... crumpling! Why am I thinking about that Robot Wars show on UK television now?!
Knives VS Knives I is a different beast than the former. Imagine a heavily distorted drone, with a kind of windy sound texture in the background. I am imagining a constant flushing toilet on an airplane!. Again, I like the brutal and static noise here. "Calm" and brutal at the same time, harsh noise with a lofty ceiling if you please.
The seventh track Knives VS Knives II has a slightly heavy-ambient feel, the thing is... it only lasts for like 5 seconds. This track follows up nicely where the former track ended. Still being in the realm of atmospheric harsh noise.
The last track on the album is the live bonus track that I mentioned earlier. A rumbling distortion with high frequencies, with occasional screaming effects trying to penetrate the wall of sound. There are some rather nice microscopic sounds worth noticing here, a live recording is a trick sometimes. The track ends with a cherry salute from the crowd. Love the recorded atmosphere of the crowd talking to each other when the track ends... I miss these kinds of concerts!.
And that ends the Violent Distillation. A happy and rampaging harsh-noise beast that warms cold ears in the winter seasons. The brutality is honest, and the intent is served for anyone who is bored. There is only one thing I need, which is content and a conceptual sound idea. But of course, it´s a matter of taste! It´s pure 2005 harsh noise, and the album does take me back to that time in Denmark (2005) when Ultimate Combat Noise roamed the Danish countryside. Why content, when you can represent pure chaotic noise?! But as a minor fan of harsh noise, I can guarantee you that the Knives... delivers the pure harsh noise experience 100%. I can still feel my ears, vibrating!
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