B.skam - Stallbrunst

Daniel Forsman (Ideal Father, Kontakt Service) is at it again with a new project on the Italian label Death In Venice. The debut Stallbrunst with Blodskam was released as a limited 30-copies cassette release. A cool-looking blood-colored cassette, with some Nordic 70s-vintage pornographic imagery on the inlay. And you guys might have thought that we are dealing with a fetish-driven HNW/ANW release?... Well, we are not! An intriguing Swedish thing between early death industrial and terrific heavy ambiance. 

Minor note, because of the censure on social media I have decided to edit the photo and the name of the act (above). If I don´t do that, then the post will be removed. 

The first track on the A-side is called... Lurking Inappropriately Outside Your Funeral (Secret Service Style) kind of takes me back to the names of tracks by early Nurse With Wound. Starts with a kind of looped sound of theatrical trumpets, murky noise layers of flesh-scraping death-industrial-soundscapes with additional (and creepy) multi-layered recorded samples. Lovely old-school industrial feel so far! True Swedish industrial you might say! 

The second track Skinjob Knife Ritual Science Test (The Owls Have Cameras In Their Eyes) sounds and starts like a sinister thriller flick. Almost a kind of Twin Peaks sort of vibe going on. Love the recorded atmospheric background here, and the thumping death-industrial pulse sound wraps the whole thing up quite nicely. Excellent movie-sounding stuff with that industrial edge.

The third track Fumnling In The Sewers Of Idiot Canyon raises a slightly erotic ritualistic mood, combined with tons of heavy feedback and high-to-the-ceiling noise-ambient. You can actually sleep to this stuff, not that it is boring! Heavy, surreal, and quite hypnotic at the same time.

The fourth track City Buster Crows Rapist (2007 Hamburg Drug Den Prostitute Remix) is a truly depraved track. Funeral ambient noise with a nasty s/m video-nasty running in the background. 

The fifth track Listen To The Sound of Pomegranates ´Til You Beaten To The Ground is the most rhythmic track on the A-side. Rhythmic and automatic machine noise dominates the whole track and reminds me of another Swedish project called Institut (if you remember them). 

We flip the cassette and continue our journey into depravity on the B-side. The sixth track is called Gangrene Palm Brugmansia Eye, interesting title right kids?. Classic deep-ambient Brighter Death Now stuff here, right back to his Necrose Evangelicum album. Lots of ritualistic feedback and paranormal reverbed samples. This is really excellent! Truly classy stuff going on.

The seventh track Human Torture Rack Outta Nowhere continues with a relentless slice of skin-peeling noise. Imagine how it would/could sound if the guys from Texas Chainsaw Massacre would be a power-electronics act. That sort of feel!

The eighth track In Shape Plus Insane (Shit Version) is actually more of a harsh noise vein. Works as a sort of intermission from the death-industrial moods. 

The last two tracks I will leave for the reader's imagination! 

Woawww... This is a VERY good album. I didn´t have high hopes for this, mainly because of the pornographic approach of the recordings itself. But the moods, and creativity that have been put inside this album truly outshine my prejudiced nature. A great journey into the adventurous spirit of true depraved industrial music. Great album! 

Bandcamp (label):

https://deathinveniceproductions.bandcamp.com/album/blodskam-stallbrunst

   

 Moral Order - Mallevs Maleficarvm

Another first-timer on Kalteldur, another act that has reached cult status in the industrial underground. Moral Order started in 2018 with the first release called Wrath Of God on Gradual Hate Records. Since then, the act has been highly productive and prolific. Lots of the releases have been released through Tesco! And if you don´t know the German label Tesco, then I highly suggest you go and check it out! Home for legendary death-industrial/power-electronic acts like Anenzephalia, Genocide Organ, and Dagda Mor. Mallevs Maleficarvm. Besides a compilation of Old Caption, then this cassette is one of the newest by this act. And as you can see, it has been released in Spanish Marbre Negre (limited to 50 copies). If you want it on CD, then you can go and get it through Old Europa Cafe (yes, another legendary label!). This mini-album contains two tracks, each abou2 20 minutes long... so about 40 minutes in total. 

The album artwork itself, the front cover (as you can see above) shows a frame around the sort of gothic antique letters, and the track-listing is there as well. Open the cassette and you get a nice-looking cassette with a really cool-looking print on it. You can further examine the inlay on the backside as well, all with the iconic wood-cut pictures from the book itself (I also have it). There is also some extra info about the album as well. I LOVE the concept and idea that this recording has been done inside some sort of creepy and abandoned mansion located in Madrid, and the only source of light was three candles and the bloody moonlight. Love the idea, really do! So let us lay our ears to whatever... sounds we can hear!

The first track is the Invocation. There is a strange sound as if a piece of metal is being sharpened on a rolling piece of rock... or is it just a noisy and sensitive microphone? Evocative flanged sound effects give the soundscape a truly horrific cosmic experience. The clinical feeling of hospital basements paints the background of the track, giving it all a nice death-industrial feel. As a listener, you cannot help wondering about the informative text. Is this the sound of that abandoned house? What sounds have been made by the artist himself, and what other sounds have the environment created? At this point, I am not even half-through the first track ( like the former thing I reviewed!). You do notice some extra details in the paranormal-driven soundscape, a very dynamic one... lots of stuff going on! In a slow-pace offcourse... 

The second track is a lot more of an ambient-soundtrack sort of driven track, whereas Invocation worked more on noise and action. At this point, I could guess that the three candles being used, are at this point... slowly dying out. The presence of a sort of... engulfing claustrophobic darkness, getting thicker and thicker by the minute. We´re talking about that moment when the recording artist feels... that something is staring back at him from the darkness itself. I do feel, somehow that this track does represent the abandoned-house concept stronger than the former track. The first track feels like a track to scare away the paranormal activity, and the second track is the paranormal scaring away the noise ( so to speak ). Halfway through the track changes into something else. Crepy voices and the sound of something, hitting a bassline? Those voices here are really creepy... I mean... really creepy! The whole recording feels and sounds like some sort of living entity living... inside my speakers! As you can read, then yes. The sound is beyond incredible, takes my breath away like that song by Berlin. 

Everything works, and everything sounds good. There is just one thing I don´t get or understand. Where do you fit the work of Mallevs Malefiravm in this recording concept? There is not a hint of burning witches, or insane witch hunters being present. The only thing that is present, is the sound being made and recorded inside a abandoned mansion. If you remove the focus from the title of the album and use your focus on the informative notes (on the cover) then it will make sense. A perfect album with a paranormal touch, just with the album title doesn't go hand in hand with the recordings. If you look away from that, then you are dealing with a VERY good album... seriously! Best dark-ambient/death-industrial I have heard for a long time!  

   

Bandcamp (label):

https://marbrenegre.bandcamp.com/album/mallevs-maleficarvm

Bandcamp (band):

https://moralorder.bandcamp.com/

Facebook (band):

https://moralorder.bandcamp.com/

Lyke Wake - I Live In Fear, I Burn In Hate / Symphonic Noise

The latest release from the master of Symphonic Noise. This must be the third in the chapter on Symphonic Noise, suddenly I realized that the last 3 releases by Lyke Wake have had the Symphonic Noise tag in the album title. And this one is the third one in the chapter. I am not 100% sure how limited this release is, other than it has been released through Lyke Wake´s label Aseptic Noise. The label doesn´t have a website, but Lyke Wake has a website. And at the end of the website (with all the available releases), it tells for CD or free MP3 files mail to: lykewake@virgilio.it. Simple as that! 

With this new release, Lyke Wake continues the artwork style in the same manner as like former album At The End Of The Dream. Kind of surreal and naive at the same time, you see the 4 seasons in one picture with the same tree on it. You know... autumn, spring, summer, and winter. How that is connected with the title I Live In Fear, I Burn In Hat... well... But apart from that, I love the artwork. It works fantastic looking at it while listening to the recorded material within. 

The first (and only) track I Live In Fear, I Burn In Hate starts with the sound of atmospheric synth-driven violins. It gets interrupted by that cool sort of... early John Carpenter/Terminator 1 synth. An angelic female vocal heightens the cold and apocalyptic atmosphere. Everything so far has been mixed nicely, as nothing of the recorded elements drowns the other sounds/elements. We return once more to the synth-driven violins, and at this point, the listener would understand that this highly adventurous release has a sort of... story-telling evolvement in how the album progresses from the start to the end. 

Im just writing things while this album goes on my stereo. For those who haven´t read my former Lyke Wake reviews, then I can describe it as... sort of a thing between the orchestral Controlled Bleeding, early Coil, and then some Klaus Schulze as well. Kind of majestic and eerie at the same time! Highly ambitious since Lyke Wake knows what he is doing. Lyke Wake is an excellent keyboard player and knows a thing or two about doing symphonic melodies while maintaining that experimental industrial /noise-ambient edge. Pure stuff for escapism. Every album by Lyke Wake has a tiny world inside for the listener to explore. The fans of dungeon synth would also truly dig Lyke Wake. Further curious, do remember to read the interview I did with him (link further below).

Almost halfway through now. So far I have been through elements of cosmic noise and angelic encounters. Lyke Wake has an interesting way to create these long tracks. He goes back to melodies that we have heard further back on the album, but the great thing is that it isn't just a copy-paste thing, it does sound like a long impro session. It kind of works (sort of) in the same manner as... the stuff I was listening to today, John Coltrane. A kind of cut-up sort of work, with repetitions. 

Again, Lyke Wake is just great. Overwhelming, this guy could do music for an opera! I just had to have a pause from reviewing, my chickens were gone (found again). But that is exactly how this album is, filled with panic attacks and relief. Kind of a curse with this act, a favorite of the reviewer. Ace project, ace albums... what more can I say!  

Official Webpage (band+label):

https://lykewake.wixsite.com/lyke-wake

Interview:

http://kalteldur.blogspot.com/2020/04/lyke-wake-interview-with-stefano-d.html

 

 Toni Dimitrov & Boban Ristevski - 

Technological Slavery

The side-label of E.C.T. called S.E.C.T. has released this interesting 3" CD in a mini-jewel, limited of course. Featuring two veterans in the field of experimental electronics, drones, and ambient music. Toni Dimitrov is a DJ, producer, co-founder of Acid Fake Recordings, and a highly productive recording artist. And Boban Ristevski/Lefterna (and Playing For Oblivion) who we reviewed on that great split from Attenuation Circuit (read former review). I did some research regarding the title, it I found out that it´s based on the manifesto/book written by the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. He did literary fight a war against technological development, kind of interesting to look at the time we live in right now. That kind of makes this release HIGHLY serious. 

It´s a small 16 minutes thing covering a huge concept/theme. Spread over 2 tracks, being 8 minutes each. The simple artwork has also been based on the artwork for Kaczynski´s book as well. 

The first part starts with a heavy-industrial low-fi rumble, with some hidden, manipulated, and looped human voices in the mix. Creepy-ass microscopic sounds click in and out from some hidden vortex. Sort of insectoid sounds, grasshoppers sort of. There is also the clattering noise from some sort of short-rave radio, giving the piece a kind of post-apocalyptic sort of feel to it. This track has some kind of disturbing and coldness to it which I cannot put my finger on, which sort of heightens the listening experience. Fans of early NON, MB, Nocturnal Emissions, and Zoviet France will dig this!

The second part starts in the same low-fi manner, just more with a minimalistic ambient approach. Some kind of looped music in there, radio chatter, and a very cool-sounding sort of... windy sound. Like wind traveling through a huge steel pipe sort of. To me, it sounds like the world/human life has just ended, and the only noise/sound being present is abandoned technology. The disturbing coldness is still going strong in this track as well. 

A strong and highly focused conceptual album. It delivers what it plans to deliver to the listener, a message without any words. But a message which can be understood, through concentrated listening. It´s bloody marvelous, sure to send shivers down every spine! Even good old Ted would be proud! Industrial-drone music at its absolute best! Be quick to get the physical release via E.C.T. (links below)!

Discogs (label):

https://www.discogs.com/release/25348411-Toni-Dimitrov-Boban-Ristevski-Technological-Slavery

Facebook (label):

https://www.facebook.com/ectrecs/

        

Circuit Corrupter - Destructive Maelstrom 

A new act from Spain is to be reviewed on Kalteldur, Circuit Corrupter. The album is called Destructive Maelstrom and is the debut of this act. The album has been released through a label called Abhorrent A.D. The limited cassette has already sold out on the label´s Bandcamp site, but there are still some copies left through the act´s own Bandcamp site, so be quick! 

The brainchild behind this act is also responsible for another act called Dead Eye Terrorist (released on Marbre Negre), an act which I also will review later this year. The recorded material has been spread on the two sides of the cassette, one long track on the A-side and a couple of short tracks on the B-side. About 22 minutes in total length. Should I mention the artwork for the release?. Well. let us just say that it is a nasty piece of work! Buy and check it out!

The First track on the A-side is called Sow Despair. Starts with a crumpling HNW low-fi rumble, like something on the frying pan. A sample/recording of unknown origins could be from some S/M flick or something similar. All of this gets interrupted by a psychedelic cut-up noise, which then gets interrupted by additional distorted squeaks of harsh brain-tingling sounds. Cool retro/analog spacy sounds and screaming vocals have also been added to the cut-up noise-scape. Lots of action lots of everything going on in here! At times it sounds like a huge computer getting its circuits burned out, completely like an information overload unit. The sound quality is excellent, although it is quite noisy and quite chaotic you can still hear everything which is going on. All the sounds haven´t been mixed together into mashed potato, but all the stuff going on has lots of space between them. Excellent piece of noise here.

 

We turn to the B-side to the second track of the album which is called Torture the Luminous Spirits. The recording/sample here is definitely from some S/M flick of some sort, or could also be some from a torture horror flick as well. The relentless action-driven knop-twiddling continues completely without remorse! The pumped noise drills your senses in the same way a drunken dentist ruins your teeth.

The third track is called Don´t Show Remose... Doesn't show any remorse either. Lots of Fxxxxx-up spacy sounds here, fading in and out of focus while a huge amount of voltage runs through your body.

The fourth track Traumatize Innocence is an even more dynamic track. Lots of cuts and chopped-out moments. Always enjoyed it when sounds and stuff travel and jump through my stereo speakers.

The rest of the album continues the relentless assault on the senses, without a single pause or moment for anyone to catch their breath. Not a single boring moment on Destructive Maelstrom, and the album title is also a perfect way to actually describe this demon-possessed album. Certainly an album for the fans of harsh noise, which find themselves being pretty bored by well... noise. Action-sound here!

Bandcamp (label):

https://abhorrentafterdeath.bandcamp.com/album/circuit-corrupter-destructive-maelstrom

Bandcamp (band):

https://circuitcorrupter.bandcamp.com/album/destructive-maelstrom

      

 Paranoia Inducta - Demon´s Factory

A true veteran in neo-classical-inspired dark ambient music, Paranoia Inducta is a Polish act that started back in 2003. Since then, the act has released numerous releases on known labels such as Beast Of Prey, Rage In Eden, and on Heerwegen Tod Production. Demon´s Factory is the latest album, and it has come out as a jewel case and as a limited (and beautiful) A5 digipack. A 9-track full-length is about 60 minutes in total length. 

It is a conceptual album, which has its focuses on the time in which we live. Bit of everything really. War there, pandemic there, artificial intelligence, globalization, and (most importantly) the widespread exploitation of the individual itself. The artwork shows a sort of feminine character, all wrapped up in something. It does look like some sort of metal thing on the head, covering the mouth as well. I guess the artwork shows how wrapped up we all are, in information and bureaucracy maybe? Happiness through slavery right? The album title, Demon´s Factory? Maybe all of these horrible things happening in our time are all being produced by some infernal machinery. The question is, by demons or humans... or both?. Let us find out by clicking play on my compact-disc player!

The first track is (of course) called New World Order. Melancholic and manipulated tones (or voices) start the track, simmering ritualistic bells and lovely atmospheric background drones. Then comes the cool synth. Think John Carpenter or that classic Terminator theme song! Decent Lisa Gerrard kind of vocal work here also. A nice mixture between epic dark ambient and slick retro-wave. A simple, effective, and beautiful start for the album. 

The second track Demon´s Factory continues where the first track ended (obviously). Murky sound effects and atmospheric ambiance, and some nice ritualistic and religious chanting going on, Kind of makes me think back to that classic CMI act called Ildfrost. And then the ambient/ritual stops and some simple martial rhythms mark its presence. Epic kind of post-industrial Mad Max as a gothic opera sort. Love the sound production, and I dig the slick futuristic synth work. I personally think that the epic and melodic elements were (a bit) over the top, but it's a matter of taste... the sound and the melody (luckily) sound good!

The third track Lords Of Illusions starts with a menacing sound and then drops into a pure minimalistic soundtrack ambient. And then it comes. A trumpet melody, which does sound a bit like Gustav Holst Mars theme... but who cares?! I love that bloody theme. There is so much doom in that theme, even enough to make Darth Vader wet his black panties! Again I'm being sort of nostalgic here, thinking back to classic computer game soundtracks of the 90s (for some reason). A nicely done apocalyptic track, I really love the slick production and the efficient simplicity here.

The fourth track Heaven Inc offers marching drums, evil-sounding synth-undercurrents, and some Christian-based recordings taken from some big American church. It all has a kind of Jim Jones sort of vibe. Epic organ-synth work here also.   

The fifth track See You In Hell, has a lovely mysterious vibe in the beginning. Some extra-added, beautiful dramatic but subtle vocals were done by Erszebeth (Stupor Mentis) here. Interesting how a melody, dark ambient, and vocals can work together, rare that I hear that.

I am then going to jump further to the last ninth track called Dying Light. A cold and evocative ambient piece. Might just be my favorite track on the album. It actually does sound like... a dying light. The flickering light from a candle stick? As if the light is trying to survive, the ever-engulfing darkness surrounding it maybe? I do like how the sound of strings has been manipulated, and again the addition of that slick retro synth puts a smile on my old face. A good way to end the album, as good as how the album started with New World Order. 

And that is all I have to say about that! Demon´s Factiry is filled with ambition and a concept. And it does (mostly) sound really good. I do like how various styles are met, and trying to find out if it would actually work. And it does actually work, adding some melodies, vocals, and nostalgic synth work. But I do miss two things though, the absence of something sounding... well nasty and downright scary! If it´s all hell and death for us all, then of course I would have expected something...well nasty and scary! And then I miss some... edge or some sort of risk like it has that sort of... dangerous feel or sound to it. Demon´s Factory need to be messier, evil, and chaotic! It might just be a taste thing, try to give it a listen.

Bandcamp (band):

https://paranoiainducta.bandcamp.com/album/demons-factory

     

     

 Barrera - No Input Can Save Me From My Demons

Yes! A new Barrera tape from David López Saludes! This time on an interesting Swedish label called Mima Kass, an anti-music cassette label since 2019. Few copies left on the label, so you better be quick! A simple setup of tracks. One track on each side, each track being about 30 minutes long. All in the glory of pure HNW! Before I continue with the review, let me introduce you to a piece of philosophical text found within the inner sleeve:

"Does God want goodness or the choice of goodness? Is a man who chooses to be bad perhaps in some way better than a man who has the good imposed upon him?!

A text which raises certain questions, in the same manner as reading and understanding the stories of the Brothers Grimm or fables by Fontaine. Moral issues and questions regarding the actions of human beings. The question answers the question, in a way. Is it the bad man who imposes goodness upon others to control them? Might just be, does raise some questions when it comes to organized religion for mass consumption! This point of view also links nicely up with the artwork from the movie A Clockwork Orange, where man has invented a method to use technology to impose goodness upon certain criminals, in other words... to control them.

But anyways, the first track is also simply called No Input Can Save Me From My Demons... Side A. The cassette starts like the engine of a drag racer car. The sensation of bursting flames and smelly hot fumes and melted plastic. And again, as it is often with the case of Barrera... I can hear and sense a heavy dark-ambient texture roaming in the background. Which really is something that works great with HNW! With a long track like this, you (as the listener) really have to be patient. In the same matter as speaking and talking to an Ent, a single word/expression takes ... well. 30 minutes. But it's good anyways, the ambient texture in the background makes the noise vibrant, dynamic, and adventurous. I am not even halfway through the first track just yet! Later on, it does sound as if the dark-ambient textures have turned into eternal-looped moans coming from the mouths of dying angels. Yes, it does actually sound as if heaven has caught itself on fire! The sound of something which sounds like a short-wave radio also being present here. 

Ok, I'm tuning into the B-Side of the tape. I do have that strange sensation that I have been here before. Like getting lost inside a HUGE maze, and you end up being back to where you started. And as I was writing this, suddenly something new was revealed to me. The sound of this album is so dense, that u can alter the sound of it if you turn your head/ears. If I turn my head up, I can easily hear the heavy sounds. And if I turn it down, then the high sounds can be easily heard. Virtual reality and HNW in one page, who would have thought of that! Basically, I think that both tracks 1 & 2 should be seen as 1  track... instead of two.  

Well, my ears are red and I can feel a throbbing sensation inside my skull. Good thing I have a beer beside me. This one with Barrera is probably the most challenging of all his releases. Not because of its length, but more because of the expression itself being completely spaghettified like being sucked into a black hole! Might just be the last Barrera release/album? It's a hell of a beast, non-dynamic yes but filled with constant violent tension. So yes, if this doesn´t save you from your own demons... nothing will!

Bandcamp (label):

https://mimakass.bandcamp.com/album/no-input-can-save-me-from-my-demons

    

 

Егзорцизам – Нељудски Ентитети

The next thing in line from E.C.T. to get reviewed is an act from Serbia. The act is called, which means exorcism, and the album is called Нељудски Ентитети which then means non-human entities. The act is a very Christian-Orthodox-inspired thing, which will probably explain the exorcism idea. And this is also what the cover artwork is showing, some religious Jesus-like guy (the one on the left) lifting his magic finger towards a devil-possessed guy, who is being restrained by another guy. Notice the small demon escaping the mouth of the restrained. Inside the booklet, there are also lots of other cool archaic imagery with strong religious undertones. The album is limited to 50 copies, and it comes with an 8-page booklet and a nifty-looking mini poster as well. A 4 track album, almost 50 minutes in total length. The last fourth track is a bonus track (by the way). 

The first track Параноичне Фреске (Paranoid Frescoes) enters a highly atmospheric ambient space. Filled with esoteric moods, dungeon-synth melodies, and forgotten rituals from times sadly forgotten by age. Lovely organic sounds and lots of effects motivate the listener to explore the highly mysterious soundscape within. Not your typical dark-ambient stuff here though, very primal and very heavy as well. It does remind me of Endvra when they are doing those long ritual-ambient tracks. A nice mixture of esoteric soundscapes with some additional evocative synth melodies in the background. 

The second track Безбожан Кивот (Godless Kivot) is harsher than the former track. Heavily distorted bass sounds upfront in your speakers, with a creepy soundtrack behind that. This track is slightly closer (in sound) to another release that I reviewed from E.C.T. From an act which is another project from this artist, a project called Depression Embrace. Heavy industrial-ambient drone with ritualistic aesthetics, the same manner/style as Valefor´s Death Magick album from 1996 and Melak-Tha. Rare that I am hearing anyone doing anything which has something in common with that Valefor release! 

The third track Окултни опсесивни ентитети (Occult obsessive entities) starts as a very slow and quiet track. Slithering and murky sounds from some hellish underground, with an eldritch presence of something banging on some ritualistic bells. There are some interesting human voices to be located in this subtle inferno of sound as well. with some excellent and cold drones levitating above the listener. It´s a very chilled and "relaxing" track, but also a very brutal and incredibly dark one as well.

The fourth and last track Узалудне молитве (Vain Prayers) offers the sound of a windy desert and some chirping insects. A very heavy storm is brewing, almost as heavy and eerie as the winds over the lost and forgotten city of the Old Ones. Some excellent background synth-work is added, with some icy sounds of cold drops of water from some huge and deep limestone cavern. Again, interesting and strange samples of human voices in the background raise the curiosity of the listener. Love how the artist manages to add some kind of sinister feel to the track, for some strange reason I keep on checking if I (really) am all alone in my room?!  

An excellent non-typical occult-inspired dark-ambient album from Serbia. There is a nostalgic hint or two from the days when black metal artists did dark/industrial-ambient, and there is also a hint of an artist who is trying to pursue a unique sound. I do think that he is successful in reaching that goal with this album, I do find it incredibly refreshing! I love it when religious themes/concepts enter the world of murky ambient soundtracks, it is a rare occasion when it truly works... but it does here!     

Discogs (label):

https://www.discogs.com/label/1264202-ECT

Facebook (label):

https://www.facebook.com/ectrecs/

Bandcamp (band):

https://yevkharistiya.bandcamp.com/album/--19

 Carlos Suero / Illman & Gyakusatsu - Lunacy

I remember the excellent Hansenbyó by Carlos Suero & Yama-Biko from 2018, I also remember the sheer brutality of the countless releases by Spanish power-electronics acta Gyakusatsu. Not sure who Illman is, maybe it's one of Carlos´s nicknames? Anyways, these two cult acts have teamed up on a limited cassette album, released by Marbre Negre. Carlos Suero on the A-side, and Gyakusatsu on the B-side. The title of this split album has been named Lunacy, and the artwork itself shows a murky forest in greyscale but... I think that there is an extra layer in the picture. I can see something transparent in there, but I cannot recognize what it is. There is something of a shape there alright, maybee it is meant to illustrate lunacy somehow? The kind of phantasmagoric images that the crazed and tortured mind can create? Anyways, let us check up on what kind of lunacy these two fellows have cooked up for us. 

The first track with Carlos Suero / Illman is called Brains. A doomy-heavy synth starts the track, with a sharp and punctuating drum machine to add it up. Extra layers of windy synth drones give the mood a scary touch, then come the vocals. Excellent sounding vocals, not a trace of distortion or heavy effects either... the natural sound of mentally menacing vocals! There is a mild reverb effect on the vocals, but that is just it... sounds like a has been recorded in a very small claustrophobic room. Classic industrial sound, makes me think of classic stuff like Blackhouse. 

The second track is simply called Do. Again, excellent drum-machine rhythms and a haunting atmosphere. Vocal parts doing their part, more of a Skinny Puppy vocal without the effects (now that I think of it). Love the frustration in the vocal expression here, the idea of Lunacy can really be felt here! No light at the end of the tunnel here, really dark stuff!

The third and last track with Carlos Suero / Illman is called Fell. From the beginning, the listener can hear the presence of a sucking void. The drums have a slight martial feel here, while the vocals add the last desperate mood to the A-side. Lovely kind of asylum feel to the Carlos Suero tracks, very claustrophobic and very intense. 

We flip the cassette and continue with the B-side with Gyakusatsu. It doesn´t start like the former tracks, it does start all right... with a narrowing screaming microphone sound. Or is it the sound of a loose cord somewhere, either way... the listener wakes up on another sound level. Multi-layered industrial harsh noise. Lots of distortion, lots of screaming, and lots of feedback, and samples. The track is called After Dark...Lunacy. Power-electronics for the fans of HNW I think. 

Love the idea of having a split with 2 acts sounding VERY different from each other. As a listener you have two different acts, having their interpretation of lunacy. Whereas Carlos Suero works more on mood before action, Gyakusatsu has more of an action-before-mood approach. In other words, a truly schizophrenic sound experience!

Bandcamp (label):

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

  

 VRNA - Cathedral Inside Me

Last year we reviewed VRNA´s La Vecchia Madre album on Old Europa Cafe and this time we are reviewing the latest Cathedral Inside Me released by DumpsterScore Home Recordings. Limited as 50 copies on black tape, and 25 limited on red tape. About 34 minutes with 5 tracks spread out on the two sides of the tape. 

Really dig the groovy hippie-satanic vibe from the cover artwork itself, I read a bit about the album on Discogs and it was revealed to me that the artwork was based on some obscure us-horror porn flick called, High Priestess Of Sexual Witchcraft! (1973).  

The first track Spiritual Fog starts the track with a heavily distorted synth, which almost sounds like a heavily reverbed and looped ambient-black-metal guitar. Mysterious chanting voices fade in and out, while a cavernous texture of sound lurks above the listener. Lovely kind of cosmic horror ritual-ambient stuff, very high to the ceiling with lots and lots of space for paranormal activities. 

The second track Cave Eternal starts more as an industrial-noise-based ritual piece. The clattering and banging on metallic sheets, the flesh scraping wailing sounds of distortion pedals and a cool and pulsating death-industria bass as well. Close to early Test Dept and MZ.412 if you ask me. Love the metallic sounds, really lifts the ritualistic aesthetic. Another mysterious sound is present in there as well, hard to describe... could be the sound of some demon trying to push inside the recording itself.

The third track Mens Sana / Corpore Cruciati sounds like you just have entered a party for hardcore black metal and industrial fans.  The whole beast of sound has been firmly melted together into... a huge machine of Satan! Organic machine sounds, post-rockish guitars, ritualistic beatings, and lots of echoes and reverb. I think this track contains two parts because the other one (Corpore Cruciati) starts now. More of a slow-paced industrial-rock and doom sound here. Sort of like Godflesh (debut) in slow-motion. And why not? Sounds excellent. The drums here sound like bombs exploding in slow motion as well!  

The fourth track A Cathedral Inside My Body starts with a heavy and chopped-up helicopter sound, starting a very hypnotizing session here. Melodic monk-like chantings, and more of the satanic-industrial MZ.412 moods. Love CMI retro-feel here, also thinking bout acts like Archon Satani and Inanna here.

The fifth and last track The Keystone Ground To Ashes returns to that cosmic horror sort of feel (like the first track). A hypnotizing and flanged looped rhythm, guitar distortions, and a constantly looped screaming sound. The feeling of despair and utter doom are strongly at work here. Probably the most intense piece on the album. Love the almost desert-rock feel that the guitars have here, makes the stuff more unique.

A great album! Offering moments of post-black-metal elements, punishing and rusty industrial sounds, and pure esoteric mysticism. A worthy investment for anyone who is into pitch-black occultism with black candles, nude people, and everything.    

Bandcamp (label):

https://dumpsterscore.bandcamp.com/album/cathedral-inside-me

Bandcamp (band):

https://urna-rituals.bandcamp.com/

 Grim - Magnolia´s Dream

A new album from one of the veterans of industrial and power electronics. Grim has only one member, Jun Konagaya who also started the cult act called White Hospital. If you don´t know White Hospital, then I would highly recommend their album Holocaust from 1984. Sort of like SPKs Information Overload Unit! But anyways, after White Hospital then Jun Konagaya started Grim in 1986 with the debut Folk Music. And the act is still going strong, this one is the latest and is the 13th album by this act.

The album has been released by Steinklang, and has come out on limited vinyl, tape, and CD. My copy is on CD, and the CD is limited to 200 copies. A really nice and solid digipack with tons of intriguing artwork inside. Now the album has been named Magnolia´s Dream, not sure who Magnolia is (any help?). What you get (and see) on the artwork, is some ghostly (and creepy) looking humanoid-figure on various locations/photos. Looks like a child in some vintage Halloween costume of some sort. On the CD tray itself, there is a photo showing dolls (or cakes?) showing the same figure. Strangely disturbing, I have a feeling that the concept of the album smells of Japanese ghost-folk-lore of some sort. I think that each track has been represented in the booklet, with a photo/picture for each track. There are 10 tracks on the album, the first five tracks are called the Opium tracks, and the last 5 tracks are called the Syan tracks. It all looks pretty interesting so far! 

The first track Opium I has a kind of weird and surreal nursery rhyme that meets dungeon synth sort of vibe. Some highly altered spoken words are being added, not sure of the language... maybe Japanese. Some cool and haunting noisy soundscapes in the background as well. Love the intro, really weird and a good ear-opener if you ask me.

The second track Opium II jumps straight into a kind of rhythmic industrial noise-scape. Really love how the vocals have been done here, love the way the voice has been altered beyond recognition. I think there are vocals of some sort, sounds like a demon screaming from some other dimension. There is also a simple melody in all this. Very epic sounding, and very ritualistic piece.

The third track gets even weirder! Some Asian shaman guy chants the demons away, while a technoid techno-house rhythm is being added to raise the tension. I know it sounds kind of off, but for some reason, it actually sounds cool. Excellent rhythm with some added noise here and there, chopped up and all that... strangely catchy. 

From here we jump straight into the first Cyan track VI. Further into the surreal landscape of Japanese ghost tales. Monotone organ synths and chanting vocals with lots of cool echoes. Some extra soundscapes layers are in there as well. Another track with a slightly dungeon-synth vibe, or am I thinking funeral-synth vibe here? It sounds very good and has a cool atmosphere and everything.

The next track Cyan VII starts as a complete mess of surreal noisescapes and rhythmic noise being mixed together. After some seconds you are starting to realize that the chaos is actually pretty well organized, and then comes the cool disturbed (screaming) vocals. Some of this stuff could actually remind me of stuff like early Dive and Synapscape. 

Cyan VIII the next track, is a more... minimalistic sort of a track. Thumping and primitive electronic-based barbaric rhythms with some really cool noisy sounds follow the rhythm quite nicely. Some intense (extra) layers are added later on, with a more screaming sort of effect. Hard to describe this simple track and the effect it is having on me, give it a listen and expect your jaw to drop! 

I am just gonna reveal to you that all the other tracks which I have not reviewed are also very good tracks! An untraditional thing in the world of industrial and power electronics. Lots of elements/styles on this album, and I love the variation incredibly much. Not really power electronics, but closer to primal and raw industrial. You could compare it to the early recordings by MZ.412 (Malfeitor) and Dissecting Table as well. But then again, you also have those interesting synth melodies in there as well... which makes the release quite unique and interesting. It´s Japanese, but not Japanoise. It´s Grim, one of a kind! 

Bandcamp(label):

https://steinklangindustries.bandcamp.com/album/grim-magnolias-dream-2022 

Discogs (band):

https://www.discogs.com/artist/208262-Grim