Four Decades of Power Electronics in Retrospect. 

Written by Mads Heilskov

Power Electronics; a punky style of organized noise consisting mainly of harsh pulsing rhythms, high pitched electronic stabs and angry yelled vocals through various effects. The end of 2020 marks the forty years anniversary of this always controversial and in-your-face abrasive subgenre within the post-industrial scene. 

Since Whitehouse’s seminal debut release “Birthdeath Experience” in 1980, a great number of acts around the world has taken the Power Electronics formula to heart and twisted and perfected it in multiple directions, creating a versatile and diverse subgenre with its very own sonic and aesthetic identity and cult following. The forty years anniversary has prompted me to look back at some of the main albums that set out the standard for the genre and continue to influence the sound, aesthetics, and culture that surround it.

The list has been divided into four parts under separate headings seeking to track the most central elements that marked each decade. Being a genre with a long history, Power Electronics has crossed over with many adjacent genres resulting in some great genre-bending releases. For this list, I have, however, chosen to leave out albums in related genres and focus on albums that are more or less “pure” Power Electronics. This means that personal old school Industrial favorites such as Throbbing Gristle and SPK are left out, although some of their noisier outputs could certainly fit within the genre. The same goes for Death Industrial acts such as Brighter Death Now and Atrax Morgue and Heavy Electronics acts such as Anenzephalia and Inade, as their main outputs lean more towards the ambient side of things than the harsh and punky aggression that, at least to me, defines Power Electronics. Rhythmic noise/industrial acts such as Blackhouse and Esplendor Geometrico have also been left out since I feel like they belong to their own genre too. Admittedly, however, I have not been entirely consistent with all of my choices.

Lastly, I have tried to balance between influential albums and what are my personal favorites to offer a representative list that covers the most important developments and breakthroughs of the genre throughout the years but also includes my own favorite albums. This gives a somewhat idiosyncratic list, but also one that does not feature many smaller, more obscure releases, however good they may be in their own right. It means that the list has a vibe of “canon” about it and if you are familiar with the genre it is likely that you will already know all the albums that are mentioned here. In other words, this is not a “top ten obscurities you did not know but should” kind of list, but an attempt at chronicling the development of Power Electronics through the lens of its very top contenders. I have limited myself to three albums per decade, which is an almost impossible task, and I have tried not to list more than one album per band. These two restrictions leave a great number of classics unmentioned, which is a flaw I have tried to remedy in the small blurbs at the beginning of each segment and in the description of each release.

The 
1980s: Experimentation

The first decade of Power Electronics was marked by experimentation with sonics and aesthetics. Back then bands worked with the equipment they had at hand; cheap synths, mixers, tape recorders, scrap metal, and homebuilt stuff, and they experimented with a multitude of different techniques like no-input mixing, various treatments of tape-loops, synths, and vocals through guitar pedals, etc. 

During this decade the themes of the lyrics and visuals were also pretty much cemented: sexual or physical violence, dominance, oppression, political unrest, in short; use of power over others in various forms. Releases mainly came out on cassette and the frequency of production of the first movers within the genre is daunting. This decade saw releases of genre-pioneers Whitehouse, Sutcliffe Jugend, Consumer Electronics, Ramleh, Dissecting Table, MB, Mauthausen Orchestra, The Grey Wolves, Con-Dom, Le Syndicat, Genocide Organ, and many, many more which makes a top-three a very hard choice between stone-cold classics. This segment has focused mainly on influence, meaning that the records that pointed out the direction for future developments in the genre have been favored.

1: Whitehouse – Great White Death (1985)

Picking one album by the pioneers that coined the term Power Electronics and spawned the entire genre, what to do? I could pick the ground zero of “Birthdeath Experience” (1980), the controversial albums that shocked the world such as “Erector” (1980) or “Total Sex” (1981), the relentless punky aggression of “Dedicated to Peter Kürten” (1981) or “New Britain” (1982)? Any of these albums, and really almost anything by Whitehouse in this decade could fit as a no. 1 on this list. “Great White Death” (1985) just did something else than the earlier albums and has become a landmark in the band’s discography. 

On this album Whitehouse had perfected their formula; they sounded good, which is cleaner and fatter than on their earlier releases, and the vocals were audible so you could really hear the aggressive and overpowering lyrics of William Bennett to full effect. Due to all these improvements, this album stands as the epitome of Whitehouse’s first period and is arguably the most influential album within the genre of Power Electronics altogether.

2: MB – Symphony For A Genocide (1981)

Italian MB is another pioneer within the genre. They released some highly controversial albums during the 1980s, probably most notoriously the “Triumph of the Will” album in 1981 under the Leibstandarte SS MB moniker, with its Nazi speeches dubbed in post-production by William Bennett to the dismay of MB. All of the 1980s albums are pure gold for anyone who likes their noise abstract and avantgardistic. 

MB’s output is more synth-driven and to some extent, melodic, even cinematic, than the UK scene’s more punky outbursts of aggression. “Symphony For A Genocide” (1981) is easily my own personal favorite among MBs output and actually among the 1980s Power Electronics releases altogether. What makes this stick out is not its noisiness, aggression, or controversial subject matter (though make no mistake, it features a pile of dead Jews on the cover and an image of the gas chamber at the Auschwitz death camp!). Rather, it is the tremendous and monumental sadness and emptiness that the wailing and droning synths, and the cavernous, screeching tape-noises that make this album so effective. This does not transmit the actual act of murdering millions to me, but the all-encompassing emptiness and despair after the fact. This is the sonic landscape of the complete absence of life after a nuclear meltdown, or indeed mass-murder; when its sounds come out of the speakers, it is as if the air is electrified and transmits only death. Symphony For A Genocide is a highly recommended piece of music history that certainly holds up here just about forty years after its release.

3: The Sodality – Orgies of Crime (1988)

This release stands out on this list. Not only is it the most obscure release, but it is also the only EP. Why then is it this one that got the spot and not a classic by one of the bands listed in the general description? Well, this is where musical influence in terms of style and composition comes into the picture. Rather than having a direct impact on the scene at the time, “Orgies of Crime” (1988) set out the parameters for what Power Electronics would become in the following decade. 

“Orgies of Crime” featured a composed and dramatic type of Power Electronics. With its crushing heaviness and textured noises, brutal and experimental vocal effects ranging from heavily treated and barely recognizable to rather “bare” and completely audible, it not only further perfected the formula of Whitehouse’s “Great White Death”, but it also lay the foundation for the sonic experimentation of Death Industrial favorite Atrax Morgue and the crushingly heavy swathes of pulsing synth onslaughts of Genocide Organ, Con-Dom and The Grey Wolves in the 1990s. This, in many ways, is the cornerstone that connects the experimentation of the 1980s and the crushing electronic abuse that became the hallmark of Power Electronics in the 1990s.

1990s: Consolidation

While the 1980s was marked by experimentation in a quite lo-fi DIY way that was in many ways quite amateurish, the 1990s saw the genre mature and come into itself as a beast that was distinct from adjacent genres like Industrial or Noise. In the 1990s, the Power Electronics sound and imagery were consolidated. Heavy pulsing rhythms, droning and wailing synths, mixers and effects, harsh vocals, samples, tape-loops – all came together within one framework of composed and effective industrial noise with a unified aesthetic sonically, as well as visually and thematically. A number of bands that had started out during the 1980s had matured and perfected their sound and their visual image, and the scene looked like it was moving in the same direction rather than consisting of a bunch of disparate teenagers experimenting in their parents’ basements.

The perfection of musical techniques and the professionalization of recording and packaging (many releases look great and have very powerful imagery!), makes the 1990s stick out as the golden era of Power Electronics from my perspective. This is the decade where the truly great records came out and where you can really sense the momentum. This decade is marked by central releases by older bands like Genocide Organ, The Grey Wolves, Con-Dom, Sutcliffe Jugend, etc., and by the rise of new bands such as Operation Cleansweep, Propergol, and Grunt who all released stellar albums that are classics in the genre today. As my list shows, many of the bands that released their main works and became scene favorites in the 1990s started out during the 1980s, and, alas, the three-album restriction I have imposed upon myself means that many classics have been left out.

1: Genocide Organ – The Truth Will Set You Free (1999)

Genocide Organ is a powerhouse within the Power Electronics scene. Outside of Whitehouse, Genocide Organ is probably the most copied band in the genre, which may make one think of them as somewhat cliché. But do not be fooled. Although many have tried to rip off their seemingly simple formula, Genocide Organ has never been outdone by any of the copycats. From their debut in 1989, they have perfected their sound and image over the years, and with their rather sparse output, they have delivered a line of carefully crafted, solid, and classy Power Electronics records through the years. Although their debut set out the sound and aesthetic expression they would later become known for, the time when Genocide Organ was at its peak was the 1990s. All their albums from this decade are considered classics, but “Save Our Slaves” (1991) is probably their most sought after album to date. 

Again, picking just one album per artist is nearly impossible and choosing from Genocide Organ’s 1990s oeuvre is exceptionally hard. I know many would probably put “Save Our Slaves” in the top position, but my own personal favorites in their discography are “Mind Control” (1995) and “The Truth Will Set You Free” (1999). These two albums are crushingly heavy, focused, well-composed, and just in every aspect superb and vastly superior to just about any other release within the Power Electronics scene.

When I pick “The Truth Will Set You Free” over “Mind Control” it is because Genocide Organ took all of the best parts of the former and further developed them on the latter. “The Truth Will Set You Free” is the perfect Power Electronics album. Genocide Organ did not take one wrong step on this one, and it rises above everything else with distance. What makes this such a classic album? Well, it is powerful, heavy, rhythmic (helped along by the participation of the late great John Murphy), minimalistic and with great sound, great vocals, and tasty samples. This is so well made in every aspect that it outshines everyone else: simply a giant of a release. After the 1990s Genocide Organ has released several albums that were all good but not quite as awe-inspiring as their earlier output. After some years where they became just a bit too predictable, it seems to me that their latest effort, “Obituary of the Americas” (2016), is a new step into greatness. So while Genocide Organ may have peaked in the 1990s, they cannot be counted out as one of the best, if not the best, in the Power Electronics genre today.

2: The Grey Wolves – Punishment (1992)

This is another massive album by one of the most prominent acts within the genre. And perhaps it is another “controversial” choice by me to have “Punishment” (1992) and not “Catholic Priests Fuck Children” (1996) as my number one pick in their discography. The cultural (and indeed sonic) terrorism of The Grey Wolves was already well-established as a force to be reckoned with within the Power Electronics scene when “Punishment” was released, but it was with this album they reached the signature sound that most fans will think of when The Grey Wolves are mentioned. While “Catholic Priests Fuck Children” stands out as controversial because of its cover and title and probably features the most well-known tracks, as well as the most aggressive approach by The Grey Wolves. 

I think “Punishment” sticks out due to its sheer brutality and bone-crushing heaviness. This is like being beaten by a jackhammer and sawed up with a chainsaw while being run over by a bulldozer. The electronics pound, buzz, wail and squeal while the vocals are dry, insisting, and aggressive. Somewhat buried in the mix, you cannot hear every word that is being hurled at you in the maelstrom of electronic violence, but you can tell it is not pleasant! 

This, to me, stands out as one of the very best Power Electronics albums of all time. If you are in the mood to be mauled by a well-tuned sonic beast, then “Punishment” is the perfect record to satisfy that craving.

3: Sutcliffe Jugend – The Victim as Beauty (1999)

This is yet another example of an early band that matured into something far more interesting in their later years. At the cusp of the new millennium, Sutcliffe Jugend was already one of the most well-known acts within the scene, not least because of the association with genre-pioneers Whitehouse. In many ways, “The Victim as Beauty” follows the formula that Whitehouse established with “Great White Death”; high-pitched synth assaults and a combination of yelled and screamed vocals that hurl all kinds of abuse at the listener. But this is not some Whitehouse copycat, nor are we looking at a trite repetition of early Sutcliffe Jugend. This is a superbly done concept album that deals with victimhood in an intelligent and delightfully perverse manner. 

Listening to this makes you feel dirty. It is as appealing as it is appalling, and it is extremely well-crafted by a band in full control of their equipment that knows and has perfected all the techniques of sound design and composition. The album just flows, one track into the other, but at the same time, each track stands out and has an own identity. “The Victim as Beauty” is a surprisingly varied Power Electronics album that effortlessly blends high-pitched electronic hiss and droning ambient textures. The sound, the packaging, and the lyrics are simple, even elegant, and you really get the feeling that this is an artist at the top of their game. This is the perfected version of first period Whitehouse-sound, better in every aspect and just an overall great aesthetic experience for anyone who wants to play the victim.

The 2000s: Digitization

After the 1990s ended, the industrial scene was pretty much taken over by Neo-Classical and Martial Industrial acts that used computers as their main instrument. The noise-scene too had become predominantly digitized. Merzbow is a good example of that. This development had already begun during the 1990s, but in the new millennium, it felt like all life and soul had been sucked out of the Power Electronics scene, with the exception of a few pioneering bands that stood their ground against the hordes of nerds with MacBooks who released tons of shitty albums (and a few good ones) on labels such as Steinklang. 

I personally bought a lot of these albums and quickly became bored with them. Everything seemed as if it had been done before and all innovation seemed like it had stalled. While the 2000s was probably the worst decade for Power Electronics and Industrial in general, a handful of good albums stand out and a few new acts that would later become great started out during those years. To me, the 2000s were a time of trial for the scene where computers threatened to ruin everything. Just as with the 1990s, old bands dominate my list. This is partly because a lot of new bands released generic computer-based crap during this decade, but also because many of the new bands became better later on. I am saving them for the following decade.

1: Whitehouse – Cruise (2001)

I have mentioned the first period of Whitehouse on a few occasions above thereby implying that there is also a second period. And indeed there is. After “Great White Death” William Bennett was at a loss in terms of what to do next. How do you continue to move forward with something when you have already perfected it? As an innovator, it is unacceptable to simply repeat yourself, and in consequence, Bennett vacated the scene for some years with only a few sporadic releases and live shows. 

Then, during the 1990s he returned with a couple of albums, “Halogen” (1994), “Quality Time” (1995), and “Mummy and Daddy” (1998) that would set the direction for Whitehouse’s new sound. On these albums, the analog hiss of the old EDP Wasp synth was replaced by a harsh digital sound that was much harder, more focused, and on point than on the previous albums. The vocal style had also changed somewhat and was perhaps even more aggressive than before. During these years Bennett also cultivated a collaborative relationship with notorious pornographic author Peter Sotos. On “Cruise” (2001) the new digital sound was perfected. Everything on this record is hard, precise, well-articulated, and effective.

The digital sound actually suits Whitehouse; it dehumanizes the overall feel and gives the whole thing a sterile coldness that really suits the brutal and nihilistic style that Whitehouse has always worn so well. Bennett’s delivery is snappy and crisp and his rants are unusually witty and on point. The audio-porn by Sotos is actually disturbing and at this point not yet used to death, as one might say of later releases. Once again, Whitehouse proved to be innovators rather than imitators and it served them well to go their own way instead of simply repeating themselves. Later releases were okay, but they were mainly just repetitions of “Cruise” which, to some extent, was already a repetition of “Mummy and Daddy”. When “Cruise” stands as the main work of the second period it is for the same reason that “Great White Death” stands as the main work of the first one; “Cruise” takes all the elements and perfects them. It is hard, cold, precise, oppressive, aggressive, and witty. It is a late masterpiece from a band that many had depreciated.

2: Grunt – Seer of Decay (2006)

When Grunt released “Seer of Decay” they had already existed for just about fifteen years, so this is not exactly a debut. Some would perhaps even argue that this is not the main album of Grunt’s discography, but I beg to differ. Before “Seer of Decay” I saw Grunt as a good but kind of second-rate Power Electronics/Noise band that had some interesting stuff in their back catalog but did not really stand apart from all the other decent bands out there. “Seer of Decay” changed my impression because it saw Grunt take new chances and incorporate new approaches into their sonic arsenal. 

Here, we get scrap metal clatter used in innovative and creative ways, small melodic synth lines, and sonic textures that have almost ambient qualities that all mix with the aggressive and well-delivered vocals. In the landscape of lame computer-noise, Grunt stood out as a real Industrial band with gritty analog sounds and scrap metal percussion without sounding the least bit dated. On “Seer of Decay”, Grunt reveals itself as an authoritative band with a vision and a will to innovate without giving up any of the genre’s trademarks. This is innovation within tradition, and when it came out “Seer of Decay” showed the world that Power Electronics could be something else and more than what most other bands did at the time. In many ways, Grunt pointed to the future while most others pointed to the past, and they did it without falling outside of the Industrial tradition and without selling out. For me, this record cemented Grunt as the main player on the scene that they are known as today.

3: Propergol – Renegade (2001)

Propergol had already rocked the Power Electronics scene with “Cleanshaven” in 1998. At the time, “Cleanshaven” was the most radically violent album in years. It was just so loud, so hard and so brutal. The shock value dropped a little bit with “Renegade” (2001), simply because we knew what we would get. Nevertheless, the sound on “Renegade” is so punchy, in your face, brutal and clear that it simply blows you away. 

Outside of Genocide Organ, Propergol is probably the best sounding Power Electronics band out there. The music on “Renegade” is synth-based pulsing, throbbing, rhythmic Power Electronics that is extremely well composed and executed. It is analog and gritty, but with a clear sound, powerful vocals, and well-timed, treated, and mixed samples. Nothing feels accidental or ad hoc on this record; all you hear is crafted with utmost competence. In contrast to Grunt, there is not a lot of gritty nastiness in Propergol’s analog assault; instead, you get a well-oiled machine of destruction that, at the time, showed the world that this kind of music could sound good and be made with skill and diligence without being sterile or gutless like all the other bands.

2010s: Back to Analogue

After some years where gutless, sterile computer-noise with no meaning or purpose had flooded the Power Electronics scene and polluted our ears with utter shit, it felt like we went back on track in the 2010s. Labels like Unrest/Unsound and Freak Animal have, among others, put out a lot of really good releases that have built on the good things that bands like Grunt and Propergol did in the previous decade. Sterile computer productions are more or less out (well, among a group of worthy acts anyway), meaning that computers are no longer the main instrument but another useful tool in music-making, and you can once again hear the gnarly growl of a real synth on your Power Electronics records. This does not mean that we have just gone back to the good old days in pure retrospection – quite the opposite actually.

Of course, we also had to suffer through a kind of “hipster takeover” for a while with Pitchfork darlings like Prurient, Pharmakon, Puce Mary, and the whole damn Posh Isolation roster. But things are looking pretty good now that the hipsters seem to have moved on to cannibalize on other underground genres. The present acts sound new and fresh, they have their own take on Power Electronics and they have each their own identity. With a mixture of old and proven techniques and new and innovative approaches, partially reached through new technologies, the current generation of Power Electronics acts is hungry and ready to take over. Bands like Shift, Kevlar, Abscheu, Kontinent, Iron Fist Of The Sun, Koufar, S.T.A.B. Electronics, Linekraft, Moral Order, etc. have proved that you can move forward without losing track of your roots. At the same time, many of the old acts are still active and many of them have been releasing stellar albums recently, perhaps fuelled by the enthusiasm and innovation of the present generation. Based on this, my prediction is that the future is bright for our small scene and that we will get to enjoy many great new releases in the years to come.

1: Shift – Altamont Rising (2014)

One of the main innovators in the current boom in the Power Electronics scene is Shift. Shift’s sound has all the elements of the 1990s Power Electronics but is at the same time unique and very fresh. Layers of drones, rhythmic synthetic pulsations, percussive elements on scrap metal, extreme and disturbing vocals, and even guitars effortlessly blend together to a powerful and expressive form of sound-synthesis that takes no prisoners. With “Altamont Rising” (2014), Shift took the scene by storm, and for a very good reason.

This was new territory but not in a way that turned them into something that was not Industrial at its heart. You find no pansy hipster tendencies here, just a violent saturated whirlwind of sonic destruction that is incredibly massive and brutal. This is like a wall of noise but, in contrast to Harsh Noise Wall artists, Shift’s music is dynamic rather than static; it is composed and structured and its textures swallow you in rather than keep you out. When I listen to “Altamont Rising” I get a lot of the same associations as I do when I listen to the classics, and there is no doubt in my mind that it will join their ranks in due time, when the tap is settled and we have a clearer overview.

2: Con-Dom – “How Welcome Is Death to I Who Have Nothing Left to Do then to Die” (2016)

Okay, so I have mentioned Con-Dom among the pioneers and commended them for releasing classic albums throughout this list, and I wait until now to put a Con-Dom album on it? Having existed since around 1984, Con-Dom has been at the top of the food chain for four decades. I could have easily swapped any album on the list so far with a Con-Dom album and it would have made sense. When I have not done that it is because this one stands out as Con-Dom’s strongest, most personal, and downright nihilistic album yet – and that says a lot, when you think about the brutal onslaught that characterizes classics like “All in Good Faith” (1989), “Subjection” (1996) or “Control Domination” (1999).

“How Welcome is Death…” is such an overwhelming, powerful and nasty record. Its honest investigation of death is so personal, realistic, and brutal. The way it shifts between voyeuristic and exhibitionistic modes of expression is challenging and difficult to sit through, it is a record that is actually hard to listen to and has a profound effect on you. The unsettling samples, the nasty artwork, and the carefully crafted sounds are just so brutal, so cold, so painful that it is exhausting to sit through this record. 

Anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one will know the emotions that Mike Dando is communicating here. Death is painful, but also boring, uneventful, and mundane. Life is the same; so common, so eventless, and tiring; it chips away on you until you are broken and eventually give up and beg to die. This is what “How Welcome is Death…” does to you too. In its painfully accurate depiction of what it is to live and to die, it transmits the harsh reality in a terrifyingly nihilistic way. This is truly a masterpiece and I would recommend it to everyone, but I can also assure you that you will not put it on the record player very often. It will chip away at you, just like life, and drag you down and make you realize just how broken you are; you and everyone else.

3: Kevlar – New Fears New Fights (2017)

Since their debut in 2014, Kevlar has become one of the leading bands within the modern Power Electronics scene. They have a straightforward punky style that borrows from the classic repertoire of Whitehouse, Genocide Organ, and The Grey Wolves. Their sound is analog and, in some ways, quite classic, yet they sound modern, potent, fresh, and aggressive. When their debut album “Alfa Strife” (2014) came out it made quite a splash as it seems everyone was just waiting for a band like this to come along and revive the Power Electronics scene, but on their latest effort, they surpass their debut on every level, delivering what will surely become a modern classic. 

It is even more straight forward, more punky and in-your-face, and more aggressive than the debut. It simply pushes all the right buttons. Not in any way shy about their inspirations, Kevlar has managed to update the sound of pure unadulterated Power Electronics and re-ignite the spirit of the scene. This is like a mix between “Catholic Priests…”-era Grey Wolves and “Save Our Slaves”-era Genocide Organ delivered with confidence, style, and technical prowess. But this is by no means a retro or copycat act. Kevlar has their own sound and identity and on “New Fears New Fights” they just crush it. With their roots firmly planted in the golden era of Power Electronics Kevlar takes you into new frightful and violent sonic territories.

Inhaler - s/t

First review from noise/experimental-label Ominous Recordings (see the former interview), a self-titled cassette album called Inhaler. Inhaler has also released another obscure cassette called Gorefields, back in 2014 On Stängda Dörrar. And this new release by this act has (also) been recorded back in 2014, in the same studio called White Lodge. The question remains then, is this act still active... or?. We will see what the future brings. On with the review.

Any fan of classic/proto power-electronics will notice it, give a nod and smile. And yes, it does look like a nod to the old days of power electronics. Back in those days where no one were doing power electronics. I immediately thought back to Whitehouse´s groundbreaking masterpiece ´Dedicated To Peter Kurten´, Stapleton and Bennet´s ´150 Murderous Passions...´, or Sutcliffe Jugend´s ´Campaign´. And yes, the guy on the cover art wasn´t actually a nice guy. Practically being one of the most hated criminals in Russia. His name was Andrei Chikatilo, and he was a serial killer. He went by with names like Butcher of Rostov and Red Ripper. Committed sexual assault, murder, and mutilation of at least 52 children and women. Executed by gunshot in 1994. A lot of trial-drama (which I suggest for the curious) to read all about. Single-sided cassette, 4 tracks, 28 minutes of pure old-school power-electronics. 

This is the kind of power-electronics that I like. It´s not harsh-noise chaotic and aggressive but maintains... a subtle, honest, minimalistic (and atmospheric) sound brutality (why all the drama?). In my world, power-electronics are good when you can actually sense the artist's intentions with it. There are brains and truthfully guts on this release, it actually makes you think (which I love). And I love the sound, sounds like you're in a tiny and gloomy cellar room listening to the band performing. A lot of sound variety too, guitar strings, rhythmic distorted stompings, screaming tones, reverbed cave-sounds, hidden demonic vocals. Really pleased with this cassette. Tired of wannabee power-electronics act? THEN GET THIS TAPE, it will not let you down. Fxxxxxx great!.

Bandcamp:

https://ominousrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-16

 Mannjäger - Zhostkiy Folklor

The madman behind this power-electronics/noise project is also the same one behind the cyberpunk-inspired dark-ambient project called Anaru, which I reviewed in 2017 via the Brvtalist webpage. He is out again with another new project called Mannjäger (via the Greek label E.C.T Recordings). 

Strongly limited to 20 copies (numbered), a CD-R is stored inside an informative booklet and then wrapped in tracing paper. Always loved the simple cover artwork made by E.C.T Recordings, it is so simple and yet so incredibly iconic, and recognizable. 

The concept around this album is about coercion in every form. Be it sexual, political, ideological, or religious. And the album title means Heavy Folk. The front cover has a kind of militaristic propaganda sort of imagery and has a kind of Slavonic look to it. Inside the booklet, we meet another propaganda-like image. An image titled Zoviet Woman, a strong-looking young woman holding a communist flag. So the word coercion is a strong focus theme here. Let us jump into the recorded material within. 

The first track is called Laukia Išsižergus (Waiting for Izzirgus), who is Izzirgus? I don´t know, tried looking it up but didn´t locate any logical explanation. Inflammatory noise blasts, pulsating hum from old fighter planes, looped and rhythmic deep ritualistic voices, and wonderful evil-sounding power-electronic vocals. Similar to the more atmospheric German-based power-electronics acts like Anenzephalia, Ex-Order, and Dagda Mor. 

The second track Gimnasté (gymnastics?) is a more... subtle piece than the former. There is a looped "melody" in there, which gives the track a kind of hypnotic melancholic vibe. Love how the samples have been put together here, a lovely... organic feel if you please. Behind all this, there is a harsh background of metal smashing against metal. 

The third track Išdresiruota Tarnaut (Traind To Serve) returns to the murky harshness. A lovely epic and esoteric dungeon-synth voice-driven synth-vibe/melody is going on in the background, with the punishing death-industrial sound in front.

The fourth track Fas! gets more into the aggressive and brutal side of European power electronics. With all the aggressive noise going on, the esoteric elements are still there. Really dig it when brutal shit has an esoteric aesthetic/mood attached to it, just makes it all a lot more interesting.

The fifth track Inter-nacional Vivisection Ov Coercion is closer to a thing between dark-ambient and power-electronics. Lots of looped reverbed elements echoed samples inside a clinical environment.  

The sixth track Išniekinta, Bet Su Uniforma (Disgraced, But In Uniform). A very hypnotic harsh piece. Surely to get you brainwashed. Drones there looped mechanical sounds here... the whole piece of machinery pulsating with radioactive vibes here.

The seventh track Vonioje might just be my favorite. A harsh and atmospheric noisescape with tons of angelic brutality, and sheer beauty. Kind of like this barren landscape, with hints of life peeking through the chaos? 

More unpleasant than pleasant, more strained than strengthening. More painful than comforting. It´s not a macho-driven power-electronics monster, but more of a depressive and degenerated kind. But in a good way. When the album ends, you're kind of left with a certain feeling. The kind of depressing feeling that you might, have done something... which u shouldn´t have. This album scratches a nerve that others don´t, a beer-drinking power-electronics album... definitely not! There isn´t a drop of hope here, maybe u can find it? Worth checking out!

Bandcamp (band):

https://panzerkabarett.bandcamp.com/album/zhostkiy-folklor

Discogs (label):

https://www.discogs.com/release/29494996-Mannj%C3%A4ger-Zhostkiy-Folklor

Facebook (label):

https://www.facebook.com/ectrecs

   

 

Cronaca Nera - Maniac

A veteran unit in the world of Italian power-electronics, Cronaca Nera being a side project to the known cult act Macelleria Mobile Di Mezzanotte. Also includes Andrea Chiaravalli of Iugula-Thor, and Giovanni Mori of Le Cose Bianche. Kind of makes this act a super power-electronics group!  This release goes as far back as 2001 and was released as a CD-R on Butcher´s House Prod. Now it has resurfaced as a cassette re-release via Marbre Negre. Limited to 40 copies, with a nice and cool looking batch included.

It´s pretty brutal but artistic/experimental material. As I said before, I love power electronics with brain-guts in it (Instead of testosterone). They work around massive looped metallic distorted sounds, guitar or mic feedback (I think), almost whispering and screaming distorted vocals, and high-pitched warped tone-loops which take you back to classic Whitehouse-sound. And they sound like a power-electronics/noise act from Italy, which is pretty cool (if you ask me). The heritage (regarding early industrial and power electronics) in Italy goes way back to 1979 when MB (Maurizio Bianchi) released his very first cassette, and then of course Mauthausen Orchestra´s first in 82. So yes, Italy has a certain sound and attitude which is quite unique. Someone ought to do a Giallo inspired horror-slasher with these guys doing the soundtrack! For fans of Sutcliffe Jugend, Whitehouse and Folkstorm.

Over 30 minutes of pure and relentless retro power-electronics torture presented on a beautiful cassette. A cult release without a doubt!.

Bandcamp (label):

https://marbrenegre.bandcamp.com/album/maniac

Soundcloud (band):

https://soundcloud.com/cronaca-nera

   

 Brandon Wald - Teuthis Galore - S/T

Not a new release from Black Ring, but a release nonetheless that I received with the post to review. It was released last summer, and offcourse... the cassette is offcourse sold out. It came out as 50 copies. Only one thing you can do, either purchase the digital version (Link below) or add it to your want list on your buyer's profile on Discogs, and then wait for someone to sell it. Apart from that, I love the cover artwork. It is always a good thing to see when power-electronics/noise acts try something else/new when it comes to the cover artwork. A circular framed picture showing someone wearing a priest collar, while having a piece of bone sticking out of the left eye socket. A very surreal and good illustration that u can look at while listening to whatever... is recorded on the tape. So let´s get on with it!. By the way, the A-side is with Brandon Wald and the B-side is with Teuthis Galore. 

The first track on the A-side called Pull the Rope Tight starts with a quick heart-beat pulse thumping, echoed-whispering, and cold spoken words/vocals, creepy reverbed metallic scratchings with a cool and subtle background in the background. More of an industrial track than a power-electronics one. Great first track so far, reminds me a bit of Illusion of Safety.

The second track called Cell Black D moves a bit closer to the power-electronics sound while maintaining the industrial aesthetic. Sound pitched drilling noises and metal-scrap bangings. Sounds like a harsh wake-up call for the sleeping prisoner-inmates.

The third track I Am A Cop moves straight into old-school power electronics (Whitehouse, Sutcliffe Jugend, Slogun). High pitched distortion and brutal and heavily reverbed vocals. A minimal and atmospheric piece of direct brutalism. There is more depth to this than I can describe here kids. Lovely live-recording feel here.  

The last and fourth track with Brandon Wald on the A-side is called Uniform Fetish. Think we might be dealing with power-hungry cops here! Starts with a rumbling sort of sound. The sort of sound u get when you put a mic inside a running washing machine... containing broken glass while someone is banging it at the same time! Aggressive soundscape with a harsh and chaotic approach.

We turn the tape to the B-side with Teuthis Galore. Only one and long track here (22:38), called Don´t You Want to Become a Cult Leader? The sound of a warped and scratchy vinyl player, bone narrowing distortions, sampled spoken words (Doctor/hospital something), and a hypnotizing sewer-like reverb noise in the background. Interesting sort of... clicking sounds going on as if someone is doing something close by. Industrial/ambient elements also being present as well. Halfway through a vacuum kind of sound sucks you in, drowns out the ambient elements. And then it dissolves into the sound of crispy bacon on a frying pan. At about 14:23, a kind of interesting and informative spoken word sample about being a cult leader goes on. It ends suddenly and dissolves into psychedelic aural noise. It throbs, it crawls, it jumps and vomits all the harsh noise obscenities at you until the very end. 

And the album ends. A split mini-cassette album that offers industrial sounds, harsh noise chaos, bewitching ambient textures, and pure power electronics brutalism. Lovely diversity of different moods. Not a groundbreaking piece, but an honest and lovely split between two diverse artists.   

Bandcamp (label):

https://blackringrituals.com/album/brandon-wald-teuthis-galore

Discogs (label):

https://www.discogs.com/Brandon-Wald-Teuthis-Galore-Brandon-Wald-Teuthis-Galore/release/15508517

   

 Neolithic Nation - Atavism

Another new act has had its debut out on Steinklang. Includes members from various Russian noise/power-electronics acts. It came out last year on a beautiful and limited digipack (100 copies). The band is called Neolithic Nation and the album is named Atavism. Neolithic means the age after the stone-age era, and Atavism is all about what we have genetically gained (or lost) through the various stages of our biological evolution. Quite a heavy theme right? Makes me think of Devo´s idea of D-Evolution something... whatever... Let´s get on with it now!.

The first track on the album is called Die Neu Zeit. The intro includes merry martial background music from the old days and the sound of whimpering dogs/wolves. All of this ends with a blast, and the power-electronics machine starts at this point. A lovely chunky and rhythmic noise sound, Grey-Wolves´ish vocals in German, and various distorted machine sound blend in very nicely.  

In the second track Materia I, we´re back to a basic and back-to-traditions industrial sound. Early Test Dept or Z´ev kind of. Rumbling and bashing industrial sounds of steel and machinery. 

The third track Spirit of Titanism has a really good intro. A cool and evil-sounding synth sound that pulsates and runs through your speaker like tiny waves of distorted sound. Some cool sounding and distorted spoken words here and there as well. Lots of stuff going on in the background, and lots of flesh on the soundscape here. 

The fourth track is... (surprise!) Materia II. Again, sort of old-school industrial mood vibe going on. Takes me back to SPK... you know. Evil hospital with evil doctors and so on. The cool soundtrack feels, I wouldn't mind if the track was a bit longer. 

The fifth track Flames Of Our Will is a basic (and modern) power-electronics thing with all the workings you might expect. Genocide Organ fans could dig this. It really helps with the field recordings going on, and puts extra flavor to it. 

I will jump over the materia track, and then further to the seventh track called Rabies. Death-industrial moods start the track. A thumping and slow track with a lot of heavy atmospheres attached to it.  Almost depressing and doom-laden piece. So far the best track on the album I think. Most unique if you ask me. 

The last track on the album which I will review would be the last track, simply called Atavus. The minimalistic dark ambiance and eerie sounding breathing sounds. The sounds and the mood jumps between your speakers. A very good ritualistic industrial track, not far from the likes of MZ.412 or Valefor.  

I can feel that a decent amount of work has been poured into this album. There are some good moments, and there are some bad moments. The bad moments would be the ones where you are thinking (as an old power-electronics/industrial nerd ) ´Ok... I have actually heard this before so why listen?´. A bit more of the think-new idea would/could help in this matter. The vocals would be a good example, the same kind of Grey Wolves/Genocide-Organ vocals of course. When so many have done it, it gets a bit boring in the end.   

The good thing about the album is moments when they do try to think about new ideas. I love the field recordings, and some of the distorted sounds are great too. Not to mention the overall quality of the sound recorded, which is done really good. But I would say, it´s a good and decent place to start for a new power-electronics fan. But for an old one?... 

Bandcamp (label):

https://steinklangindustries.bandcamp.com/album/neolithic-nation-atavism-2021

 

 Resgestae - État D´urgence

Another release from the French label Force Majeure (sub-label of Nuit Et Brouillard). Resgestae is (was) a project based in Greece, nowadays it´s based in Spain. The project was started in early 2011 by Nicholas P, who also was responsible for another project called [distopia]. Both projects dealt in the space between dark-ambient/death-industrial and power-electronics. His idea for this project is a reaction to the aggressive and upfront sound of traditional power electronics. His idea would be to work with extreme frequency samples and drones to form a sub-sonic landscape. Something that could give the listener a cinematic experience with the album while incorporating true political, social, and economic elements.

This once came out in 2015, as a cool-looking digipack. So far, this is (still) the only release/album with this obscure and enigmatic project. 9 tracks, over 60 minutes in total! 

The first track on the album is called Alerte! L´état Profond (Alert! The Deep States). It starts with a heartbeat, reverbed and echoed spine-tingling sound effects, and a deep and heavy distorted drone. High-frequency human sounds almost resample the sound of bats, and then the sound of something getting electrocuted. I'm not sure, some of the sounds in the mix sound a bit like... distant gun firing? Could also be sounds that have been recorded underwater. Quite special this stuff is, moody power-electronics with a surreal element to it. An effective ear-opener this first track is. 

The second track The Network starts with a mind-numbing heavy drone-wall, with some wet and slippery sounds in the background. Some high-frequency sounds move back in forth, like some robotic drones surveing an underground sewer. Or is it those robotic killing machines they make to hunt the rats? Kind of terrifying that (if u listen closely through the dense sound) there is a distant trace of human voices, deep within the labyrinth sewer. Later on, mind-bubbling sound effects add something extra to the bad trip. I think a sample of George Bush is here as well. Quite something, lots of conceptual meat on this bone!

The third track Terrain D´Essai has this reverbed and reversed sound of... a drop of water which is then followed by a slow and heavy drum machine-pattern. Additional creepy industrial sounds are added, and some highly agitated French guy is talking over it. I like the highly atmospheric horror feel of it so far.

The fourth track R&D: Research & Development has a sample of some gangsta-hood trying to sell his secret stash of various weapons. A looped and atmospheric power-electronics distorted pulse pushes its way through the recording, certain Grey Wolves feel here! There are also a lot of aggressive glitchy sounds here as well! 

The fifth track From Repression To Management delivers a heavy underwater sound experience, primitive rhythmic electronics, and high-frequency endorsed sound effects. Definitely more of a death-industrial vibe here. 

The rest of the album (last 4 tracks) keeps the aesthetic conceptual theme alive, and I can highly recommend listening to this album in its absolute wholesomeness. https://www.facebook.com/resgestae0

Bandcamp (label):

https://forcemajeure.bandcamp.com/album/tat-durgence

Facebook (band):

https://www.facebook.com/resgestae0

 

 Escuadron de la Muerte & Alpha + Galates 

- Himnos Y Resistencia. Veterans Psychotroniques.

Yup. It is one of the longest headline entries on Kalteldur ever. Two acts, one hailing from Mexico and one hailing from France. Putting their thoughts and ideas together, and have managed to pull a kind of split album on CD. One actually 100% split as of such, the two bands (maybe randomly) share the tracklist on the album. 

The one-act from Mexico (Escuadron de la Muerte) is a veteran when it comes to Mexican power electronics. An act that has been active since 2008, and has had its albums released on Steinklang, Skullline, and even had their debut on Trevor Ward´s Strength Through Awareness Branch (Grey Wolves). Be sure to check their discography out, cause it´s massive! The other french act Alpha+Galates is an act that is somehow connected to the industrial ritual act Melek-Tha (which is also a French act!). Several releases by this so-called skinhead-industrial act, some physical releaes are available on some of the links on their Bandcamp site (Link below)... The truth is (which was later told), was the idea behind this track came from Dr. Strangelove!

What else can I tell, the cover art of course!. What do we have? An incredible and surreal rainbow-colored painting, showcasing the kind of dreams that comes out of the mind of filmmaker David Cronenberg. On top of that, you also get a cool-looking poster with it. A kind of nice demonic-themed painting which reminds me of something from one of those Warhammer Fantasy books that meets Hellraiser, which I actually like cause I am a  nerd! You don´t always have to show WW2 photos to be a tough power electronics act. Enough of that, let us get on with the recordings!

The first track is called Conspiracion de la Vodka (with Escuadron de la Muerte). I don´t think it is about doing noise while being drunk on Vodka (Could be). But it could also be about a specific Vodka advertisement which showed a map of 19 Century North America, back then where Mexico was a part of the USA. The whole thing ignited paranoia among the local nativists (which you can understand). The track is a pulsating death-crushing piece of merciless heavy electronics, much in the same vein as Genocide Organ or Death Squad. Heavy and clipped distortions thump like a mad machine while screaming screeching sounds scratch your ear, weird recorded and mutated samples going on the background as well. Cool intro so far, more on the heavy attitude than the aggressive one (which I like). 

The next is with Alpha + Galates and the track is called Psychotronic Holocaust. The track follows up nicely after the first track ended. Rain of noise and metallic clattering with death-industrial aesthetics sucks the listener right in. Cool soundscapes here to contemplate the primitive noise here. 

The third track Operacion Climax de Medianoche with Escuadron, starts with low-fi AM-radio sounds and some moaning female voices. Creepy windy sounds and a thunderous death-industrial-machinegun rhythm kicks in. A lovely subtle and brutal piece, very hypnotizing! 

The Fourth track with Alpha + Galates called Detruire le Monde Moderne sounds like... Some kind of recorded music, being heavily distorted and multilayered with tons of mutated feedback. I sense a kind of epic melody in there, which kind of takes me back to the noisy moments with Blood Axis.  

The fifth track is also with Alpha + Galates called Vers i´Alliance des Forces, which is a track that floats in the same way as the former track, just way more harsh and aggressive. The sound is in the traditional German power-electronics sound.  

The sixth track (Alpha + Galates again) is a bit more interesting. Power electronics with a kind of ritualistic setting. It goes from a heavy sound to a more moody soundtrack sort of sound. Noisy soundscapes clashes with the soundtrack of old black and white horror flicks (sort of). Very intense mood going on here! 

I will now jump to the last track, which is a track where both acts are being present!. A harsh-noise wall with dynamics starts the thing, which extra layered sounds of noise being added while you are listening. A hint or two of sounds behind this wall can be heard and sensed! The wall is then turned down while the sounds behind the wall become easier to hear. Grey´Wolves´ish vocals are added later on as well. The wall is now kind of...looped. Which ends and is repeated in a thumping explosive sound. High pitched sounds yelling the listener that the end is nigh ( or the album ). 

And that ends the album, and yes... some of those high-pitched sounds can still be heard if you ask me. It was a raw and brutal experience without a doubt. Kind of a mixed feeling with the way how the track listing goes, I would rather hear a full-length from each act. I don´t really think that the sound of the two acts sticks all that well together, maybe that was the intention! My favorite of the two acts would be the Mexican ones, their stuff just seems more... thoughtful and...patient as well. While the French cannot wait and jump head-first straight into it (which some are more into, then acts while relays more on mood before action). 

I still think that it is an interesting album which has a lot of good moments. We are also dealing with an album that requires the listener to listen to it again ( a couple of times ). First time I heard this album was different, compared to the second and third times. But on top of that, I do actually have a gut feeling that we are dealing with something which might cult recording turn into a cult album in the future. There is a lot of blood and sweat here kids!. 

Bandcamp (label):

https://marbrenegre.bandcamp.com/album/himnos-y-resistencia-veterans-psychotroniques

Bandcamp (band - Escuadron de la Muerte):

https://escuadrondelamuerte.bandcamp.com/

Bandcamp (band - Alpha + Galates ):

https://alphagalates.bandcamp.com/