tirsdag den 20. februar 2024

Spiteful Womb & DJINN - Euthanasia Is Not 

The Answer 


The second time we get to review the enigmatic mind behind a veteran in death-industrial/ambient soundscapes, this time he (DJINN) times up with a U.S-based act called Spitful Womb. Not knowing much about Spiteful Womb, Discogs and Bandcamp reveals the band as the sole workmanship of Nora Eglof. She has had releases out on labels like Signora Ward Records, Old Europa Cafe, and Death In Venice (just to name a few!). 

This limited split CD-R release from 2022 is actually a re-issue from a release that first came out in 2019. A nice, beautiful-textured, and thick cardboard-paper cover housing the CD inside. Front showcasing the album title and the track titles with a nice blood-splattered color on a white background. Almost resampling vomited red wine on a white sheet. If we open, we will see a big and nice picture of the two artists. Both with masks on. 5 tracks, about 30 minutes in total. So let us go! 

First, we have a go with Spitful Womb with her first track called Palliative. If you don't know what palliative is, then I can reveal to you that it´s about using drugs to relieve the suffering from... well dying I guess. Which is (in a way) prolonging the death = slow death. The gush of looped cold winds, and some metallic machinery banging in the background. Lots of spirits in here I can tell! In a way, it kind of takes me back to some of the (almost) erotic ambient tracks from the first Ordo Equilibrio album... just a hell of a lot more menacing. There is also that screeching flesh-scraping sensation usually there in classic death industrial, some interesting synthy drones fade in and out. Multilayered voices, talking like in some huge cathedral. A VERY good first track, seems very promising so far!

The second track with Spiteful Womb is called Groningen Protocol. And I'm here again, lecturing again! What is the Groningen Protocol?!. here goes : 

The Groningen Protocol is a medical protocol created in September 2004 by Eduard Verhagen, the medical director of the Department of Pediatrics at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) in Groningen, the Netherlands. It contains directives with criteria under which physicians can perform "active ending of life on infants" (child euthanasia) without fear of legal prosecution.

Sounds like some sort of gas escaping from a tiny tube, ghostly (slightly) melodic looped drones of spirits engulfing the listener further into the abyss. Strangely disturbing, but also strangely pleasant to hear. There is also a subtle thumping of ritualistic drums way in the background. I really like the way how this track builds up, it starts with you being in some of a pleasant dream trance but then you start realizing... you are In bloody hell... but for some strange reason... it´s still... well pleasant! Get the picture! Industrial drone-ambient stuff done very well, I don't have anything to put my fingers down on.


We continue with DJINN and with his first track called No Life...No Death. We are in an operation theater. The sound of machines peeping, whispering talk, and painfilled human voices being involved in the whole bloody mess. Lots of nifty distorted synthy bass stuff going on, the whole track has that... Hamburger Lady feel if you know what I mean? There are also some nasty sounds of tubes, sucking stuff in (probably blood) and some old people coughing because they have smoked too much. Excellent creepy-crawling hospital-themed track! 

The next track with DJINN is called The End of Hope! A weird sort of falling sound going on, and a high-pitched sharp sound as well. Is that the sound of a pile driver I hear? Sampled voices here and there, and a nice and looped sound of a... something.. sounds cool. The whole bloody track is a paradise for people who enjoy rhythmic sampling of industrial sounds, I loved it... I am guilty!

The last track with DJINN is called The Last Day. Hypnotizing synth and a sample of some talking about getting out of those straps. Looped death-industrial electronics and eerie ambient soundscapes. Actually, the soundscapes move between the speakers, which I like! Which ends the track!

And that ends the split album. An American & Italian death-industrial release. Equally terrifying for most and deeply satisfying for any death-industrial addicts. An excellent introduction for both of these veteran acts, if you don't know them or know where to start! 



kl.