Complete Discography...

CM001 - Torture Chamber/Gruntsplatter - "Bisect: A 90 Min. Split" CS - Limited to 100 - Released in 1995
CM002 - Cinder Skin - "Sunken" CS Limited to 200 - Released in 1996
CM003 - Gruntsplatter/Slowvent - "Split Release" CD - Limited to 500 - Released December 1998
CM004 - Umbra - "Perish" CDR - Limited to 30 - Released September 1999
CM005 - Lefthandeddecision - "Instinct & Emotion" CD Limited to 496 - Released April 2000
CM006 - Deison - "Dirty Blind Vortex" CD - Limited to 500 - Released November 2000
CM007 - KK Null/Moz - "A Split Release" CD - Limited to 500 - Released November 2000
CM008 - Wilt - "Wither" CD - Limited to 500 - Released May 2001
CM009 - Never Presence Forever - "Disturbed Visceral Nociception" CD - Limited to 500 - Released January 2002
CM010 - Exsanguinate - "The Black Acts" CD - Limited to 500 - Released January 2002
CM011 - Cold Electric Fire - "In Nights Dream We Are Ghosts" CD - Limited to 500 - Released July 2002

CM001
Torture Chamber/gruntsplatter - "Bisect: A 90 Min. Split" CS
Limited to 100 - Released in 1995

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This marked the only commercially available release for TORTURE CHAMBER who broke up shortly after its release. One member went on to form DEATHPILE and ANGEL OF DECAY, the other now records under the name A MINORITY OF ONE. Their side features a monolithic wall of crushing Power Electronics & militant social commentary recorded live. GRUNTSPLATTER made its first appearance on this release showcasing a much more organic style than recent works. Churning, dense walls of feedback, found sounds, vocal noise and occasional drum machine abuse flesh out their side. A dark and violent display from both projects. Good sound quality throughout.

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

Reviews

INDUSTRIAL NATION #14
"This is the first release from the CRIONIC MIND cassette label from San Diego. The press release the CRIONIC MIND sent described TORTURE CHAMBER as "ugly Power Electronic Noise" and that sums it up pretty well. This is probably the best Noise that I've heard in a long time. It has enough elements to keep the listeners attention, yet isn't overly busy. Words like "power" and "control" are repeated, slowed down and sped up for effect. On the other side, GRUNTSPLATTER present a mesh of ambient electronic noise that is similar to TORTURE CHAMBER's work, but much darker. Very dense noise with samples and heavy electronics. I certainly encourage noise fans to pick this up and to watch for more releases from CRIONIC MIND."

FEVER PITCH #2
"The first release from this up and coming experimental label from California. TORTURE CHAMBER is J. Canady from the band DEAD WORLD (who have releases out on RELAPSE). The basic sound, is many samples and loops over a slight noise layered background, very good sounds. GRUNTSPLATTER is run by Scott Candey, and consists of various noises (some buzzlike, some harsh) with drum machine and samples - also quite good. I hope to hear more noise from both bands. To contact these kings of feedback write..."

OHM CLOCK #4
"I dreamed of doing stuff like this many, many moons ago but here I am reviewing it. This tape features two experimental/noise outfits. TORTURE CHAMBER and GRUNTSPLATTER. TORTURE CHAMBER, who recorded live, deliver 4 tracks of non stop aural screeching. As with most all live recordings, it is especially grating, as the higher frequencies are rawer and more pronounced. GRUNTSPLATTER, who used a studio, sound a bit more subdued but no less chaotic. After listening to so many ambient releases, this is a welcome change to rinse out the musical palatte."

AUTOREVERSE #4
"TORTURE CHAMBER does distorted sound fuckery. Low frequency sound assault complete with Hitler samples and instructional speeches on various aspects of warfare. Sequenced synths provide some semblance of order, but the rest of the action is a bit chaotic. And ungodly harsh. MAN. GRUNTSPLATTER's Scott Candey is also the sole perpetrator behind CINDER SKIN, so you know you're in for some scary shit on his side of this splitter. "14FI" starts off all mechanized and overdiven like most of the CINDER SKIN stuff. "Beneath The Landfill" is pure guitar sonics. Give your ears 90 minutes of hell."

ILBASHA #4
"Featuring a guest appearance by none other than J. Canady (DEAD WORLD) We are taken to the limits of both pleasure and pain with the audio mindfuck of TORTURE CHAMBER. Screams, noise fills, and echoed demands over what could only be described as an electronic rape in progress, are what's to be experienced with this band. Next up, GRUNTSPLATTER, CMD's own Scott Candey has begun his trek into the bizarre with this sonic menagerie potent enough to make one stop pissing in mid stream...and like it. Undoubtedly for the sick."

MORTAL COIL #4
"This marks my first introduction to the genre of music called Noise. Lots of samples and parahumanoidarianized repetitions. This tape put me in a really spaced out mind frame. I felt like I was in one of those Twilight Zone marathons. I imagine a live show of this sort would have lots of bugged out lights and video monitors. Original song titles such as "We Are The Dead', "Beneath The Landfill", "Biological Satan", etc. A lot of effort went into this tape. GRUNTSPLATTER's Scott Candey is always working on something new. Check the interview with him(for his other project, CINDER SKIN) somewhere in this issue."

BEYOND THE LIGHT #1
"This is another electronic noise offering from North America with Torture Chamber on one side and Gruntsplatter on the other. Torture Chamber is electronic experimental sounds with Jonathan Canady and some conspirators, namely J. Hockvater, Ian and M. Jones, which is basically a live recording. This is very good, it is basically a 50 minute song in a couple of sections. It is sinister and enhanced by Hitler samples that are harsh and aggressive. The electronics build up and down as the song progresses. The electronics sound is more upbeat than Jonathan Canady's usual works, but it is dark and very atmospheric. It goes very experimental towards the end, but returns to the underlying sound for the finish. The other side is Scott Candey's Gruntsplatter, and unfortunately, it is not structured like your usual electronic noise being more slower noise orientated experimental songs. There is no real depth in the songs and well, it just does not grab me. Samples mixed with electronics are Gruntsplatter's sound but it is not as good as Scott's other side projects. The production is not great, but the Torture Chamber is well worth a listen.

INFERNAL ARCHIVES #2
"This doesn't suck, because it's beyond suck! This isn't extraordinary because it's beyond extraordinary. This isn't even music, it's beyond all actual sound and audio extremity. Overwhelming violence and supreme distortion is what makes up this tape. Both of these groups are far more concerned with transcending sound than making music. It is definitely not for me, but something about it does intrigue me. I would probably play this on Halloween for a haunted house carnival. It's scary, I can see the trick or treaters running when they hear this. It's not music in the harmonic sense, it's purely music because it inflicts emotion by the use of sound."

WORM GEAR #2
"If you are the type of person that believes Death Metal, is the most extreme music around, prepare to be schooled. What you are about to experience will be considered noise by some and a symphony to others. Putting all titles aside, "Bisect" is your worst nightmare put to tape. Let's discuss the contents, shall we? First up is a 40 min. live set courtesy of Colorado's TORTURE CHAMBER, a project consisting of Jonathan Canady of DEAD WORLD, and J. Hochvater. The best way to describe the soundscape presented by T.C., is to imagine sticking your head inside a rocket thruster during take off. Add sample and sound manipulation to the dense rumble and you have the ingredients that I'm sure had the crowd scrambling for the nearest earplug. This is a fine, though somewhat two dimensional, display of unrelenting electronic abuse. Side two finds San Diego's GRUNTSPLATTER nestled in to assault your senses. This one man project has taken the limitations of his equipment and expanded on them ten fold. Where TORTURE CHAMBER presents a steady barrage of sound, GRUNTSPLATTER has gone two steps further by incorporating drums and keyboard melodies into the fray. The opening track "14FI" features a SKINNY PUPPY influence in the drum programming that keeps the foot tapping, while waves of tainted sound defile your eardrums. Taking into consideration this was recorded on a four track, it amazes me how well layered and mixed the production is. There is a strong mood portrayed in each of the eight songs and I think that is one of the elements that a lot of Noise acts are lacking. GRUNTSPLATTER has created some very powerful and dynamic... yes I'm goig to say it...music. With professional packaging and good sound quality, "Bisect" is a tape that all fans of experimental music will appreciate."

CM002
Cinder Skin - "Sunken" CS
Limited to 200 - Released in 1996

This is CINDER SKIN's first offering and only release. Bringing together elements of Death Metal, early Industrial, Noise Rock and Noise CINDER SKIN have created something beyond the usual hybrid metal project. Discordant, bass heavy rhythms, frantic drum programming, and swells of noise stitched together with a visceral vocal delivery. This is 25 minutes of abrasive and ugly music, unsettling and raw. The first edition of this release came with lyrics, the second edition does not. This is a side project of GRUNTSPLATTER.

 

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

Reviews

BLOOD SERVENT #3
"CINDER SKIN is a testament to creativity in the face of limited resources. Armed with homemade percussion (later a drum machine), a bass, a four track recorder and a yen for mutant rock and roll, San Diego CA's Scott Candey has fashioned six compositions that blur the line between JOHN CAGIAN sound collage, home-brewn Death Metal and Industrial/Noise in the old THROBBING GRISTLE, EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN sense of the term. It's a very difficult mix to digest, although I get the sense that with more money and better equipment, CINDER SKIN would evolve into something entirely listenable. Some of the "songs" such as "Blood Gutter I" consist entirely of sampled noises and dialogue mixed with an endlessly repeating orchestral figure of some kind. "Cadaver Man" raises some tuneful sounds, but the already distorted vocals and guitar work get mired in a muddy mix. The percussion on "Congeal" sounds suspiciously like a garbage can lid. Somebody should give Candey a decent budget and set him loose."

MORTAL COIL #4 (Rough Mixes)
"For rough mixes, this stuff sounds damn good! Scott did something a little more musically inclined than his GRUNTSPLATTER project here, complete with sporadic, high and low vocals and spoken parts. "Cadaver Man" is absolutely chilling, as Death Metal screams are distorted and muffled. My guess is this was done on purpose, as only Scott could come up with something like that. The lines that start off something like..."I believe in murder, pain, infidelity," are spoken lines that are actually unsettling to listen to. I mean that in a good way, as again, I'm sure Scott did that on purpose. For those that have written Noise off as just that, nothing but noise, I think that you should open your eyes and take a closer look, because there is something else here. There's some real genius going on here. The final song, "Irritation Hive", is probably the most unsettling of all. The lyrics are almost spoken in a deep, gutteral voice to the beat of the music. The lyrics lash out at you, but they do it calmly. You get the sense that the anger is controlled, but ready to be unleashed at any second. I do have to admit that I found this easier to listen to than the GRUNTSPLATTER work, but I would imagine that both projects would create live shows you'd be effected by for the rest of your life. I'm looking forward to hearing the finished product. This is madness that will make you made with it, and will do it to you purposefully, just because it can."

FEVER PITCH #3
"Formed in 1993, CINDER SKIN is the solo project of Scott E. Candey - who is also a part of GRUNTSPLATTER. Extremely low rumbling frequencies mixed with synth, samples and drum machine. 6 songs total written over the past 3 years, a very hostile cassette."

METAL CURSE #10
"Sludgy Industrial Noise. There are some distorted vocals buried in the mix. I guess this is supposed to be experimental, and I know it was recorded very low tech, but I'm really just not too interested. -6"

BEYOND THE LIGHT #1
"This is another industrial-experimental offering from the hotbed of this kind of music, the USof A, which one has to have a taste for, but if one does this is a good listen. The solo project of Scott Candey, this is typical of the genre as it explores the darker side of man and humanity with good lyrics interspersed with samples. The music is very experimental and adds to the atmosphere. The only let down with this is the production which is bad and doesn't do this tape any justice. Six songs to sonically challenge you, it is worth a listen."

AUTOREVERSE #4
"Extreme technoise stuff. Sludgy, detuned guitar, jerky drum machine and a distorted-yelling vocalist. Not happy music. "Cadaver Man" is a broken robot monster thing, a techno zombie tottering around with arms outstretched, yelling incoherently. The whole tape rumbles at any playback level. "Introspection" is a bit of a soundtrack to a nightmare. Disturbed and grumbly."

INTELLEKTUAL SPEW #2
"This Experimental/Noise stuff is starting to grow on me, and this demo is pretty much the one that got me going. This is Experimental/Noise with a more traditional song structure in the background to make it easier for people like me to be able to get into. You sink into the demented and twisted world when this demo is started and it's a scary world in Scott's world. The atmospheric background with the harsh noises is something that many may take some getting used, but I definitely think it's worth your time."

WORM GEAR #3
"There is no doubt about it, the debut release from San Diego's CINDER SKIN is like nothing I've ever heard before. The material that makes up "Sunken" is some of the ugliest known to man and is the audio equivalent of a car crash. Punishing fits of feedback and unleashed noisescapes violently envelope a down tuned bass, drum machine, and synth sounds for an apocalyptic jaunt into the fathonless murk of Experimental music. With Death and Black metal influences in tow, the tracks "Cadaver Man", "Congeal" and "Introspection" all maintain a lurching vibrance due to augmented rhythms and bizarre structures. Also the abrassive content of these songs is magnified by electronic infected vocals, which resemble barbed wire being raked across a washboard. "Irritation Hive" shows even more signs of diversity due to a strong Industrial feel in the drum programming. This also features a less tortured vocal style that sounds like a cross between Ghost from G.G.F.H., and Jonathan Canady of DEAD WORLD. If brute force and sample manipulation are two elements you crave when hunting down new music, CINDER SKIN will astound and skin you alive. This is not for the weak or feeble minded."

CM003
Gruntsplatter/Slowvent - "Split Release" CD
Limited to 500 - Released December 1998

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This marks the first CD release for CRIONIC MIND. GRUNTSPLATTER provide 30 minutes of grim Noise Ambient and darkened isolationist textures. Rich with subtlety and introspective horror. SLOWVENT make their debut appearance with 30 minutes of viscous Death Industrial. With thick, low end electronics, sluggish rhythmic distortions and subterranean atmospheres grind forth. The projects compliment each other well, while remaining distinct.

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

Reviews

SPECTRUM #2
It appears that the US is finally getting its act together in terms of producing some good Death Industrial projects. On this split GRUNTSPLATTER is up first, opening with some damn heavy bass rumblings, manipulations and slow keyboard tones, before exploring some noisier, semi-structured textures on the following track "Ascending Marrow". "Bloodsoil" is slightly more atmospheric, holding a somewhat random sound held together again by the use of a slow keyboard passage, reminding me slightly of VOND's "Green Eyed Demon" CD. "Gravemound" has a more ominous sound that is gradually raised on a base of sound akin to a distant tornado. Some deep factory sounds and manipulated electronics help to fully flesh out the track, however I feel the track is alittle muddied overall because of the amount of sound sources used. Despite this small criticism this is one of the best tracks GRUNTSPLATTER have on offer. The final track for GRUNTSPLATTER is "The Prophetic Maw" which again uses a basis of multi layered, muddied sound that has comparison to the German project DRAPE EXCREMENT. The second half of the 60min. disc is by SLOWVENT and from the self titled explosive volcanic opener, it shows a great mixture od Death Industrial and more Noise Ambience. Here the track is looped and repetitive over it's 6minutes. "Spectral Violence" has a random experimental Noise edge, not unlike what ATRAX MORGUE is producing with his MORDER MACHINE side project. "The Cold Slugs" uses a subdued repetitive Death Industrial basis while random factory clangs and rumbles appear sporadically. Gradually the looped structure subsides leaving the sporadic tones as another loop gradually rises up. "Rust Resurrection" is short and simple again using a straight forward repetitive guise. The final track for both SLOWVENT and the CD is "Impaired Descent" which chops and changes from noisy ATRAX MORGUE styled electronics to more Death Industrial moments. For a debut CD for this label the packaging is well presented and laid out, using the obligatory black and grey tones. Given the promise that these two projects show, I will be interested to see what both of these projects come up with in future releases.

SCRIPTURES E-ZINE #1
I was very happy to see this one arrive seeing as how Glass Throat Recordings RUHR HUNTER/GRUNTSPLATTERCD was a favorite from last year,also noting that it is the first CD release by GRUNTSPLATTER's Scott Candey's Crionic Mind label.First up is GRUNTSPLATTER who start things off on a somber note with the icy cold "The Flagellant",breaking quickly into a noisier piece closer to side project BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA aptly titled"Ascending Marrow". With this release we see GRUNTSPLATTER shape-shift into a minimal ambient beast,that broadens and thickens as the tracks progress.While it has less going on inside the structures,they are more focused on depth and fullness.It's not like all is completely different,it seems all the familiar pieces are here,the puzzle is just put together differently. A good step forward for this act to watch out for. Up next is newcomer SLOWVENT, representing his first release. The self titled first track wastes no time getting down to business and setting the tone for what's to follow.Levels peak as noise Explosions erupt from the speakers.The majority ov the material presented here is a weird combination ov harsh, peaked out white noise that is structured in such a way that it becomes a dark ambient listening experience, putting you firmly in the same zone. Even though this has some harsh and noisy things going on it isn't the newest MERZBOW rip off by any means,this is so much more listenable than that.It will be very interesting to what comes next for SLOWVENT, seeing as how this first taste already shows some masterful song crafting.

KDVIATIONS "Spring 99"
GRUNTSPLATTER present here 5 bits of minimal, noisy dark ambient. imagine huge, roaring bonfires with shadowy figures skulking about carrying dead things. a bit of tasteful synth work adds that extra brooding touch to "The Flagellant" and "Gravemound". Well done, creepy stuff. the six SLOWVENT tracks that follow are far more abrasive than the GRUNTSPLATTER half, but not so much that i would call it "harsh". shifting distorted textures give way to odd drones, feedback, and the occasional looped rhythm, making it far more engaging than the GRUNTSPLATTER material, which works better as background music. SLOWVENT's "Impaired Descent" is brutal. limited to 500 copies.

OUTBURN #9
This split release is the first CD release (after a couple of tape releases) from San Francisco's Crionic Mind; it is, hopefully, a sign of more to come. GRUNTSPLATTER is Scott E. Candey, who also heads Crionic Mind; the GRUNTSPLATTER materiel here consists of thick, concrete on concrete excretions that create a dense, grinding wall of noise, deep into the heart of final destruction (Armageddon through the windshield, wind-swept and radioactive); in most cases, to add the proper dramatic flair, end-of-the-world synths compliment the noise, a combination forged in the flames of the inferno. Jonathan Lang manipulates sound as SLOWVENT. The sounds he mangles are from the same concrete decimated landscape bulldozed by GRUNTSPLATTER, but he tends to gnaw on the concrete, scratch and tear, somehow trying to escape the inevitable binds of destruction; no matter how much he tries, though, hammering on the concrete with metallic implements or chipping with feedback squeals, destruction looms menacingly over his shoulder. And it is destruction that is the prominent focus here, both bands wallowing in the distorted radiance of Pandemonium's impending reign. Powerful stuff, indeed! (More, please...)

GRINDING INTO EMPTINESS
The split release tactic is very common with noise music, an incestious way of releasing material in an already close-knit scene. In fact all three of GRUNTSPLATTER's releases to date have been shared with other artists. The driving force behind both GRUNTSPLATTER and the Crionic Mind label, Scott Candey, wastes no time in beginning this shared hour of noise, the din of carefully distorted drones abruptly lurching from the disk. A mask of restrained distortion envelopes every semblance of a melody, almost like adding pepper to a meal. Deep drones weigh the tracks down with their dense rumbles. If one was to leave a microphone on the deck of a small ship in the middle of a Pacific rainstorm, rain-spiked wind ripping through the crashing waves, you might end up with an organic version of some of these tracks. This disk marks the debut of Jonathan Lang's SLOWVENT, who stylistically shares quite a bit in common with GRUNTSPLATTER. If it were a blindfolded taste test the unfamiliar listener might find them as similar as two brands of cola, although the two are definitely distinguishable from one another. GRUNTSPLATTER's side is heavily rooted in long, deep, drones with a prolonged, relaxing quality to them. Ambient meets distortion, tones meet texture. Most of SLOWVENT's tracks have quicker, higher pitched swells which are looped with sharper distortion. There are less constants to latch onto and it's less predictable. Some of the distortion has a crumbling, decaying sound to it, almost like being dragged over a gravel road. SLOWVENT is definitely responsible for some of the harsher tracks on the disk, with sharp squeals worming through the walls of noise like termites. The only thing I can recommend, aside from picking up this CD, is strictly using headphones to listen to it. Like most noise it needs to isolate your hearing in order for it to fully sink in without agitation, and the somewhat soothing elements are an effective catalyst in this process.

THE ZODIAC CHRONICLE
Herewith we have yet another GRUNTSPLATTER split disc, this time coming from the Crionic Mind label, as their previous was released via GlassThroat Recordings. This limited (500 copies) disc proves itself to be a devastating clarrion call in the noise-experimental genre. GRUNTSPLATTER urge sickness and despair by conjuring several episodes of horror-filled sound crunches and seemingly darkwave tinctured soundscapes (though subtle as it may be). SLOWVENT makes their debut CD appearance on this split with a similar expression of sound, though this time more oriented towards pure noise-distortion and frequency overload. The pleasureable aspect of this is the subtle tape hiss I recognize in the background...only offering more interest in the sound, not too mention the kult feeling of an obscure underground cassette. Both of these groups work very well together on one disc, as the sound merges from one scene to the next, carrying the querent through hollow drifts and bone crushing atmospheres. This CD is recommend only to open minds who desire something dark and unique for their musical archive!

WORM GEAR #8
"Attention all noise freaks and dark souls jonesing for mood sculpting visions though sonic manipulation, here is a split release that acts as the soundtrack for the oncoming armageddon. Sound intriguing? First five tracks on this monster go to San Francisco's own GRUNTSPLATTER, who have developed into a deadly power in the noise underground. Expertly fusing chaotic fits of harsh tones with a definitive dark ambience to pile on the mist enveloped atmosphere, the Grunt one moment reproduces the sound of a giant bag of dinosaur bones rolling down the stairs on the mighty "Ascending Marrow", only to incorporate haunting synth lines as on "The Flagellant" and "Bloodsoil" that bring to mind the horns of war as longships emerge from the turbulent seas. Infinitely layered, these five tracks walk the line between aggressive abstract art and compositions that swarm with a symphonic slant that beckons for the fall of night. Chilling, paranoia inducing and varied, GRUNTSPLATTER takes twisted sound bytes and makes them almost -Gulp- Musical. SLOWVENT is up next and though they may not be nearly as structured as GRUNTSPLATTER, they are just as effective at creating powerful sounds and molding them into bombastic pieces that crush the listener. This is most predominant on tracks like SLOWVENT where the feeling being expressed is as caustic as nuclear winds nipping at infant flesh and "Spectral Violence" where the piece begins with a sound resembling a large piece of gristle sizzling in a fry pan. There is a very menacing thread that ties all these tracks together and instead of mixing in different layers to give depth; delay and reverb soaked tones rather drone off in a repetitive manner for bruising effect. SLOWVENT's style is very percussive (metal on metal perhaps) and it gives this disc the needed separation between both projects. With 2 sonic entities that each possess a life of their own and excellent artwork that perfectly emulates the sinister vibes contained within, this split release is a fine addition to the experimental music connoisseurs collection. When listening, be sure to leave the night lite on or the boogy man will come a calling"

CM004
Umbra - "Perish" CDR
Limited to 30 - Released September 1999

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This was a joint release with Live Bait Recording Foundation. "Perish" is a 35minute live recording captured direct from the board during what was the only UMBRA live show that will likely ever take place. It is a churning, evolving mass of Dark Electronics and drifting textures.

 

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

CM005
Lefthandeddecision - "Instinct & Emotion" CD
Limited to 496 - Released April 2000

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"Instinct & Emotion" marks the first widely available release from project with nearly 35 releases and compilation appearances on the books at the time of release. "Instinct & Emotion" is a guttural deluge of constrictive Heavy Electronics, thick, grinding frequencies & acidic vocals, that maintains an underlying subtle darkness beneath it all. The first 50 copies came with an additional CDR called "Personal Precision" of new and out of print material as well as various odd & ends from the artist.

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

Reviews

TOTENTANZ
"Instinct and Emotion" is the new CD from the San Francisco based project Lefthandeddecision and another proof that Phil Blankenship, the man behind this album, loves distortion. The 9 tracks of this CD consits in various sounds, rhythms and samples abused, sliced, overtreated, till they melt and merge into a bubbling furnace of noisy variations. While staying aggressive and corrosive all the way throughout the CD, Lefthandeddecision produces here "songs" that are quite different from each others. As far as you can distinguish what is behind the saturation, some tracks feature beats ("The Second Walk"), whereas other seems to be more relying on drones ("Brief Vision"). However, the intensity stays constantly pretty impressive during all the recording. This is exactly the kind of music that makes you listen, by all means necessary. Either you stop doing anything to focus your attention of "Instinct & Emotion", either you are so strongly aggressed by this CD that you surrender and gives it your ears to play with. "Instinct & Emotion" is a very dense album of Power electronics, without any compromise and with a lot of of very intense and breathtaking moments. The maximum pleasure comes on the 33 minutes long "Isopraxism", which could very well have standed as a release of its own. To sum up, this is concentration-inducing music, a very heavy CD for deflowered ears. - Nicolas

AVERSIONLINE
9/10 - Ahhh yes, very well executed harsh power electronics with flavor! Largely consisting of bass driven low tones and over distorted attack with far more audio decay than usual. There's a very attractive degeneration of sound present, and this material is surely not generic. "Self-Restraint" beings with a brief moment of sheer perfection? a great deceptive introduction with a quick, quiet whir suggesting a more ambient track; only to immediately rush into pure harsh tones. "Limited Incentive" is equally impressive, with some speaker destroying bass hum that sounds like a rap CD under about 1,000 layers of distortion. Most of the tracks are around the 3-5 minute mark, the exception being the epic "Isopraxism" which clocks in at well over 30 minutes!? At the end of the CD after much delay, there is a hidden track of hilarious proportions! Beginning with tasteful ambient beats leading into some backwards noise antics, the track eventually leads to distorted talking over top of a very discernible MC Hammer track!? Can you beat that, really? What's more, this disc is limited to a mere 496 hand numbered copies. The real kicker, and what makes this package a 9/10 rather than an 8, is that an extremely limited edition version (numbered of 50) comes with a bonus CD of exclusive and rare material, packaged in a huge clear blue envelope. Some of the other goodies thrown in for good measure are tons of artwork from older Lefthandeddecision releases, hilarious rejection letters from Relapse Records and other assorted critics, and lots of random information and other items. If you've read this entire review, you might be too damn late to get your hands on one of these so I suggest you act immediately and grab this piece of underground noise history while you can.
[Notable tracks: The Second Walk, Self-Restraint, Limited Incentive, the hidden track]

GRINDING INTO EMPTINESS
This disc is a landmark release for Lefthandeddecision: not only does it make Phil Blank's warped sonic creations widely available for the first time, it was professionally mastered by Phil Easter (Stone Glass Steel), which brings out a level of precision and clarity that hasn't been available on any previous LHD release. The warnings I heard about Instinct & Emotion before I received it in the mail were more than enough to make me very hesitant and apprehensive when it finally came time to play it. I plugged in my headphones (no way I was gonna trust my speakers with this) and turned down the volume real low, just in case. After a deep breath I was ready to begin... Anyone familiar with his lengthy discography that has accumulated over the past three years will understand that Blank has an ear for destruction (and the noisy reconstruction that ensues). With this CD he takes the ferocity of his intimidating output to new heights. Tumultuous lengths of static shift through various stages of unrestrained intensity with a rumbling low end that chews at your eardrums. It's an hour-long aural attack, decaying audio built up into compositions that pay homage to the distortion that is so carefully eradicated from the fine-tuned, 'perfect' sound of most recordings. My neighbor is running a ban saw in his back yard right now and instead of being an annoyance it's actually complementing this CD. Instinct & Emotion is raw and powerful, and though my headphones would love me to forget about it the day I stop appreciating this masterpiece is the day I go deaf (which may be sooner than I think if I keep discs like this in my stereo).

SEVEN
Every once in a while a release comes along that just floors you with its sheer brilliance and power. If LeftHandedDecision's new album "Instinct & Emotion" doesn't fall into this category, then I don't know what does. Quite simply, this album is one of the best noise releases I've ever heard. Unrelenting, merciless, and unsettling, "Instinct & Emotion" beats you into submission and leaves every inch of ground it covers bloody and mutilated. Roaring, maxed-out walls of noise and static bludgeon the ears over a mass of squirming low frequencies and severely distorted loops and samples. Together, it forms a nasty and corrosive noise stew that demands your utmost attention for every second. Really, this text can't do the album the justice it fully deserves, as the amazing density and depth of these tracks has to be heard to be believed. The amount of stuff going on beneath the surface is just phenomenal, as all kinds of frequencies and loops crash against each other and come in and out of the mix. Credit here must be given to the mastering magic of Phil Easter at Malignant Sound Technologies, for managing to make this CD both immensely loud and crystal clear, yet not at the expense of sacrificing all the wonderful nuances of the music. There is not a single bad, or even mediocre track on this album. And each has something different to set it apart, whether the occasional use of an almost beat-driven undercurrent, or the use of drawn out and layered droning static. From the epic 37 min+ "Isopraxism" to the just over 30 sec. "Brief Vision," each track on the album offers its own unique descent into hell. The untitled track at the end certainly warrants mention, however, for its unusualness, as bursts of noise attack over a severely distorted song that sounds like some alternarock anthem from MTV. This is then followed by even more weirdness, including what I think is a distorted MC Hammer sample! Yes, folks, MC Hammer and noise? LHD's "Instinct & Emotion" is a milestone in experimental music and not to be missed. If you even consider yourself a fan of noise/power electronics/experimental music then you must buy this disc. Definitely one of THE releases for this year.

CM006
Deison - "Dirty Blind Vortex" CD -
Limited to 500 - Released November 2000

Sold Out

A fuming miasma of desiccated frequencies and oppressive atmospheres from this Italian purveyor of Death Industrial & Dark Ambient. "Dirty Blind Vortex" is a cryptic snarl of emotion and obsession, impulse and lethargy. Features contributions from SSHE RETINA STIMULANTS, GOVT. ALPHA, BAAL, R.H.Y. YAU, LASSE MARHAUG and more.

 

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

Reviews

OUTBURN #15
4 - Grimy black noisescapes: Italy's Deison creates murky noise full of rusted tones seemingly derived from ancient machines that wearily grind, sputter, screech and exhale. There is grit here, and grime, as Deison sinks dirty fingers into the anatomy of noises, extracting timbres that agitate as they fascinate, layering said timbres until the distinction of each sound is nullified. The ensuing noise bleeds together, congealing into rhythms that sluggishly pulse and drag, an exercise in tape manipulated attrition. Throughout, sonic nerves twitch nakedly like metallic cilia from disemboweled machines, the twitch scratching like nervous fingernails on blank cranial blackboards, heightening the discomfort. The looped scrape and crusted shimmer of noises that pulse through "Dream: Morphology" are sutured together with a weird vocal sample dealing with arm surgery. A looped, slowly eroding slingshot tone, sounding sick and weary, rides the subcutaneous rumble of "Novamalia." "Vortice" is a gurgling miasma of voice samples flushed down a blackened, greasy drain, punctured by a higher-pitched tuning fork tonality, resulting in a compressed tsunami of noise. A looped symphonic sample is wound backwards, above a horrific cloud of radiation devouring everything in its path during the pensive "Pasadena, 1953." This sonic miasma grows expectedly murkier as the track progresses, before crash and tumble factory noise ambience rises to upend the onslaught. Grating tones squelch and stutter, frequencies bent into obscene sonic origami, during the head-splitting rage of "Symptomatic Headache." A slew of underground noisicians (including Sshe Retina Stimulants, Lasse Marhaug, Baal, etc.) contributed noise and sound fragments, but it's all brought to (frenzied) fruition by the mastery of Deison. Very Recommended! --JC Smith

AVERSIONLINE
8/10 - 12 tracks of highly intriguing dark ambient/industrial electronics, including sound source submissions from the likes of Government Alpha, Baal, Lasse Marhaug, and more. The disc ends with three remixes, taken on by someof the artists who contributed source tracks to be manipulated by Deison. Each piece here is intelligently arranged, with sufficient movement and logical transitions between each change. The recording is quite clear, and the tonal range is excellent. Also helpful is the tasteful length of each track, never venturing into unreasonably long, redundant passages. Samples are used at times, and perfectly integrated into the compositions without any awkward separation. I'm impressed by the use of unusual loops and textures to create eerie, rhythmic patterns. Lots of subtle structure is present, and many tracks seem to gradually diminish in number of layers as they progress. Even harsher tracks like "Vortice" or "Out of Spasm" have enough feeling to be interesting and not traditionally stagnant. The final remix, "Dirty Intercourse", taken on by Baal, is just over 12 minutes of dismal, bass-heavy ambience. Hypnotic, and by far the strongest of the remix tracks. The layout here is minimal and loaded with dark, abstract images - this is par from Crionic Mind and always works perfectly. Great work, a very nice release. [Notable tracks: Dream:Morphology, Lodge, Hlny, Pasadena, 1953, Dirty Intercourse]

SPECTRUM #5
Deison is a name that I was familiar with, but not so with the actual music up until hearing this album. So after this introduction for me, a broad overview of Deison's style is that it runs the gamut between sinister dark ambience and oppressive death industrial motifs. Grinding and obliquely tuneful, "dream:morphology" is a dense looped soundscape with dialogue sample being derived from David Lynch's "Eraserhead" which adds to the bleak yet slightly surrealistic edge. Radio frequencies and sporadic voices blend together with fractured sound layers on "inside sources" to a bleak conclusion - as does "novamalia" but rather opting for a bass soaked and muffled industrial sound with slight orchestral undercurrent. Whipping the atmosphere into an electric frenzy, "lodge, hlny" is rather chaotic and somewhat improvised with loose groupings of loops and sharper textures that resemble electric wire distortion, whilst the sparse shimmering minimalism of "silenzio" is sporadically punctured with bursts of machine looping clatter to add to the oppressive aura. With the writhing electronics and fog like atmospheres of "Out of Spasm", it laboriously accrues intensity to become rather weighty by the time it has passed its five minute length. "Symptomatic Headache" creates the track with the least muffled production with sharp and twisted electric pulses swirling at a higher sonic range. This higher end, sharper sonic edge is again replicated on "Terminal Suck Sick", however there are less aspects to the sound stratum thus creating a broader electric oriented air. Diving headlong back into death industrial musings, "Automatic Pain II" is quite fantastic with orchestral undercurrent that is massacred with full warfare samples (machinegun fire blazes, bullets whisk by close overhead). Final album track "Dirty Intercourse" clocks in at over 12 minutes, being a broad soundscape of dense undercurrents with more improvised textures sounds, samples and malfunctioning machine idling noise laid over the top. In that it appears that Deison has collaborated on various tracks with sshe retina stimulants, government alpha and baal (among others) it has resulted in a more diverse sound palate between compositions whilst retain a specific genre focus. Having said that, the album is sonically dense and tonally bleak to create an album of cruel musical intentions.

FUSARIUM
When I thought of Deison, I'd expect harsh old school death-industrial in the vein of Cazzodio, at least for this album this is not true. Deison from Italy brings a mainly death-ambient orientated piece of music to the surface with "Dirty blind vortex".... To cut things a bit shorter, I owe you all of the following information, which makes up for part of the sounds and compositions of what one cab find on this album. Additional noise-inputs and textures were contributed by following artists: Lasse Marhaug, Sshe Retina Stimulants, R.H.Y. Yau, Government Alpha and Baal.... Calm waves of looping deep ambient scapes, penetrated with sample fragments and light additional noise-ambient textures form a dark and suffocating cloud of inner desolation. "Dream morphology", thus an appropriate title, touches ground with a cold atmosphere, which most likely gets you in a dream-like state if only this track would be a bit longer. Followed by "Inside sources" the music takes a change and enters a realm of feedback orientated layered collages, sparks of gasping noise, lo-fi elements and samples eventually make place for more melodic feedback combination, to eventually end up in lo-fi minimalism. The previous sample surfaces again and the overall atmosphere falls down in a gap of rustic death-ambient...."Novamalia" at first made me think of a track of Memorandum, but w/h the percussion then. This is though not what to find here, the mood sets forth in indeed a heavy delay-effected dark ambient smoke-screen. After that it becomes a bit more active in "Lodge, hlny", getting disturbed with looped objectnoises, crackling and quirky sounds. Some sounds are played backforward and all this takes place in a silent, minimal frame-set, ending in a deep ambience..."Silenzio" goes a bit unnoticed, as it might well be a continuation of the previous, though here we again enter in a more obscure realm, a desert where no sunshine will ever set feet, if at all the moon. Mindtaking dark waves of ambient control the flood of sounds that slumber through this ever dark dream... The following 7 tracks as well remain active in the death-ambient field with mostly a lot of delay-effects which in their turn cause a claustrophobic, deep and dark atmopshere. Further Deison with his fellow companions explores more disturbing noise manipulations in between the calmer moods, yet these are mostly placed in a minimal frame-set, but completely break loose in "Symptomatic headache" for example... where the sound definitely goes in the direction of what I first expected to find on this album, recommended for the likes of Cazzodio fans. It even seems that this last part of the CD is of a more noise and disturbing nature, just like I hoped it to be. "Terminal suck sick (remix)" with contributions of Lasse Marhaug, forms a dense sound wave of gasping static ambient-noise pulled in a rather light melodic texture, reminds of Bad Sector. Very interesting!... "Dirty blind vortex" shows us that there's still enough unexplored electronic sound-combinations and noises out there to come up with a creative, original and varied mixture of death-ambient, lo-fi minimal, source sounds, industrial and noise to attract one's attention. Rated 8/10

RECYCLE YOUR EARS
The only thing that I had heard from Deison before this album was his track on the Loud! In Your Ears vol. 2 compilation and that was remixed by K2, so I have difficulty counting that. After many cassette releases, compilation appearances, and a 7" release, this is the first widely available release from this Italian artist... They say that it takes a village to raise a child, and it certainly took a village to create this album with collaborations and remixes by Sshe Retina Stimulants, Lasse Marhaug, R.H.Y. Yau, Government Alpha, S. Isabella, and Baal. I did not see this as a bad thing until I realized that tracks 5,7,and 8 are the only ones that seem to be entirely Deison's creation... That aside, this album lives up to the pedigree of those creating it. There is something for everyone on this album. Whether you like dark ambience, crunchy noise, or high pitched squalls, this CD has you covered. This CD opens on a mellow note leaving you a bit unprepared for what follows. The standout noise track on this disc was "Out of Spasm" with a nice balance of high and low pitches that seem to fight back and forth for dominance over a sea of bass noise and static... For those of you who like your music a bit more subtle, "Dirty Intercourse" (remixed by Baal) was a great finish to this disc. This track has a nice layer of ambience with a looped conversation just out of reach that gets occasionally interrupted by high pitched noise... This is a great album. However, with contributors of this caliber, I would expect nothing less. I just wish that it was called "Deison and friends" or something. On the other hand, my favorite track on the disc was written solely by Deison, which leaves me wanting to hear more of his releases. This disc is limited to 500 copies, and if it is typical of other Crionic Mind releases, it will be gone by this time next year. If you are a fan of any of the contributors, you will not be disappointed. -Brett

WORM GEAR #10
My only experience with this Italian project before this CD - his first digital release apparently - is his contribution to the excellent 3-cassette The Decay of Cities boxset, and, although that tape is great, Dirty Blind Vortex far surpasses it. I've heard some refer to this as death industrial but that really only partly describes what's going on here as this turns out to be quite a varied, albeit uniformly dark, release. Ultra-low bass rumbles become beatless rhythms interspersed with strange, manipulated sampled voices and almost melodic passages floating above and through the thick noise. On the one hand is the eerie death ambient drone and machine loop combination of "Silenzio," or the particularly haunting "Inside Sources" with it's melancholy pseudo-melody line/feedback juxtaposed against snippets of Italian radio broadcasts. Pieces like "Symptomatic Headache" and "Vortice," on the other hand, are violent, densely layered power electronics-like assaults. Sound source contributions and remixes courtesy of such dignitaries as Sshe Retina Stimulants, Lasse Marhaug, BaaL and Government Alpha add immeasurably to this dark, beautiful disc. Released simultaneously with the KK Null/MOZ split on our very own Scott Candey's Crionic Mind, this is likewise limited to only 500 copies and is also just as strongly recommended. - Raúl

CM007
KK Null/Moz - "A Split Release" CD
Limited to 500 - Released November 2000

KK NULL presents five new tracks of frenetic electronics and rhythmic experiments, ranging from cacophonous to an almost tribal atmosphere. Ever evolving within a sphere of obscure tension the details reveal themselves with a stalwart elegance. MOZ delivers 6 tracks of socially introspective Death Industrial and Dark Ambient. Drifting slabs contrast sharply with vitriolic sonics to render this misshapen pillar of sobering electronics.

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

Reviews

OUTBURN #15
4 - A feast of Japanese and American noise: Japan's master of experimental guitarscapes, KK Null, opens the proceedings with a seething clash of rapidly percolating, percussive electronics and volatile bleats of noise during the belligerent, combustible dynamics of "KXYL," succumbing to a subdued, eardrum scrapping finale. The multitude of ways his noise assaults are harshly unforgiving. From the caustic acid rain showered on the oscillating rumble of "Psychopathic Surfing," to the frothing clatter and obscenely slurping, cannibalistic machinery foray delineated by "Quid Pro Quo," not a moment of his half of this venture is anything less than abrasive. The USA's Moz, on the other hand, opens with a more subtle approach, tapping a valve (tension dispersed in concentrated bursts) during the subcutaneous rumble of the appropriately titled "Release Valve." The Moz tracks are decidedly more atmospheric, while still incorporating an abundance of noisy elements. From the spiritual, hymn-like qualities that decorate the plodding "Funeral Procession," to the static breath of the slumbering machine invaded by slivers of elastic noise that shuffle like agitated ants on an injured beetle during "Wage Slave," the noise here is more varied but, at times, equally as abusive. Fun stuff from one of the best young labels in the noise scene, Scott Candey's (Gruntsplatter) Crionic Mind. -JC Smith

AVERSIONLINE
7/10 - KK Null begins with 9+ minutes of bizarre power electronics, complete with a background loop that nearly resembles a beat beneath fluttering noises and panning sweeps of electronic mayhem. This sets the tone, as most pieces seem to utilize either lightly distorted rhythms or rhythmic loops, along with more random layers and chaotic harshness. However, this is not as aggressive as the description may sound, it's what might be called "easy listening power electronics". The recording on this set of tracks is clear as day, with easily audible details. This is my first exposure to KK Null, and I'm pleasantly surprised. Not ambient, and not exactly harsh, but the symmetry of the two is a positive... Moz is next, unleashing some godly ambience. Beginning with an immense track of low bass rumblings, followed by a composition full of thin digital blips and crunching loops, Moz is a master at creating unsettling repetitive atmospheres. Musical synth tones appear on "Funeral Procession", another quiet track with plenty of space; while "Imperialism" gets quite harsh with lots of distortion and hissing, loud volume clouding indecipherable samples. The only thing I don't like are the two tracks of brief samples that act as interludes of sorts, which I find to be disruptive and unnecessary. There's a lot going on with Moz, musically and conceptually, I imagine. The disc is limited to 500 copies, so grab one while it's still easily accessible.
[Notable tracks: Giant Walking in a Tunnel of Libido, Quid Pro Quo, Release Valve, Degradation of Divinity]

SPECTRUM #5
Having witnessed a couple of KK Null performances in previous years, I was expecting massive doses of (post) guitar manipulated distortion, yet surprise, surprise Mr Null has taken a whole new approach to his experimental noise via using samplers/ sequencers to fuse a technoid aspect within his wall o'noise approach. While the experimental noise distortion elements are still clearly the main focus on the first track "KXYL", it is the sampler/ sequencer that weaves clear rhythm and structure into the composition (being a sizzling molten mass of mid level distortion merged with cathartic rhythmic elements creating a modern yet tribal aspect to its repetitive aura). With only a title a Japanese artist could come up with, "Giant walking in a tunnel of libido" initiates a mid paced beat sequences that is progressively tweaked into a slow churning whirlpool of static and noise, while the disorientating fast paced speaker fading and distortion attack of "Psychopathic Surfing" is more flowing freeform experimentation. Leading onwards "Hypnocide" contains an almost psychodelic yet tribalesque percussive sound (great I might ad!) with the final KK Null piece "quid pro quo" is a short seizure inducing attack on the senses! Certainly different to what KK Null is typically know for, it is however great to see further progression and experimentation from such a well renowned noise artist. In clear opposition to KK Null, MOZ opt for ultra dense and bleak soundscapes of death ambient intension - the first track "release value" have a low bass oriented rumble that is shattered with a stunning (yet fleeting used) static pulse, being the perfect aural interpretation of the title. "Wage Slave" ups the ante a notch or two, building structure with aggressive guttural loops, mid to high end electronic feedback and gruesomely distorted vocals. Barren glacial electronics characterise "degradation of divinity" - ever ebbing and flowing with bleak tension (this is fantastic yet far to short at under four minutes). "Imperialism" on the other hand is an attacking mass of structured pulse, furnace blasting distortion and firestorm textures, being clearly inspired by the negative connotations of its name. One can again guess the aura of a track embodying the title "Funeral Procession", with its solemn keyboard melody and the slow gait of the programmed structure. Final track for both MOZ and the CD is "Asylum" having a fantastic echoed resonance via metallic scrapings, slow chime/ gong and scarce structure all blended into a cavernous and unnerving result (fleetingly bringing to mind selected works of Robert Rich). For anyone unaware Crionic Mind are really starting to solidify their presence as a premier underground label, with such a split release only hammering home such a perception.

WORM GEAR #10
Until this disc I was unfamiliar with KK Null's work outside of the awesome Zeni Geva and frankly, for some reason I didn't expect a whole lot from his experimental/noise stuff. Well, I'm quite pleased to admit that my apprehensions were completely off-base. This is some of the most incredible, innovative material to come out in a long time. Meticulously composed rhythmically-based pieces that build just the way they should, noise in just the right places, everything in it's place but in no way formulaic. None of these pieces are too overly dark or harsh, but they've definitely got bite and stay interesting throughout. MOZ I was likewise unfamiliar with until now and again is something much more than I expected. A very effective melding of death industrial & dark ambient, reminding me a bit of Herbst9 maybe, or even Inade, mixed with a somewhat sedate Brighter Death Now. This is definitely the darker portion of the release, and really every bit as good as KK Null's material, though not nearly as "experimental" as Null's and maybe not quite having the same initial impact because of that. Overall though, a very strong showing from both artists. It would really be a shame to miss this and it´s limited to only 500 copies so, well, you know the drill... - Raúl

CM008
Wilt - "Wither" CD
Limited to 500 - Released May 2001

Wilt extol the invisible corners of the thirsty earth with this exaltation of decay and reclamation. Best described as Noise Ambient, "Wither" is a aural quagmire of dusky vapors and ivy draped relics, grating erosions and the thorny shadows that rise and fall across dying landscapes. Moldering Dark Noise from this inspired American project.

 

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

Reviews

OUTBURN #16
Thick, multi-layered, murky sonic landscapes.Through the use of synths, voice, found objects, zither and field recordings, maestro James P. Keeler's Wilt, on Wither (other releases have distinctively different agendas), creates murky landscapes of contained turbulence. The music/noise has multiple layers, and most of what occupies one's focus is buried under the sonic topsoil of heavy drones with ragged, distortion-crusted edges. The center of "A Bridge Between Two Drums" is calm, as a sporadic, percussive heartbeat leads one towards looped wind chimes rattling rather nervously, because though the center is calm, the circumference is alive, like a raging wind tunnel, like the oppressive embrace of a tightly coiled tornado. Creaking rubber massaged by irritating, thin strands of tinfoil introduces "Soiled," sounding like a conversation between static and muffled textures, all emanating from with a contorted larynx. The annoying cadences of buzzing flies is looped on the appropriately titled "The Burden Of Flies," while morose synth clouds, like discarded machines and junkyard debris, join the flies in feasting on the stench-laden landfill. The morbid buffet continues on "Fallen Harvest," in which a forest is razed by hungry machines that gnaw on everything in their path during the brief, violent upheaval. "Winterkill" seems recorded from within the frozen bone, the murky undercurrent (the heart of the chilly darkness here) sliding into the soul; death is imminent, releasing synth shadows that trickle like memories culled from the dungeon of subconscious, free to disperse into nothingness. Another powerful presentation from one of the noise underground's gems, Crionic Mind. -JC Smith

AVERSIONLINE
7/10 - Ahhh, here are some bleak electronic soundscapes, in fact darker than Wilt's recent full-length on The Rectrix label. The disc opens with the sounds of flames surrounded by deep, windy swirls of depth. "A Bridge Between Two Drums" is actually thinner with distorted noise and thick, percussive rhythms eventually fading into chiming tones. "Shivering Spine" is the first truly harsh attack, complete with a full range of frequencies. "Mud" is also rather harsh, appropriately enough with a "muddy" sound to it. Surprisingly, a large portion of the early middle section of the CD is fairly aggressive. "The Burden of Flies" contains samples of flies mingling with dismal effects and churning undercurrents, though possibly more straightforward than it needed to be, as many of the other tracks are less direct. "Taunting the Raven" is very brief, but ominous with its undulating industrial pulse. Nice. Some of these tracks aren't as distinctly original as previous material I've heard from Wilt. However, "Wither" shows progression in other areas. For instance, everything is recorded perfectly and consistently. Also, this is a far more cohesive whole, with deliberate intentions. The collection of recordings feels more unified: The over all appearance, the mood, even the track titles all seem consistent with one another. I love the cover art, fiery and hellish abstract, foggy imagery - a perfect, suggestive visual representation of the music. The inner booklet contains similar imagery in black and white, with recognizable angelic statues present. In the end this is another curious effort from Wilt, as there are many sides to this project. I think this should appeal to numerous fans, as a symmetrical balance between opposing styles has been achieved. [Notable tracks: Still… Violent Waters, Taunting the Raven, Winterkill]

RECYCLE YOUR EARS
Here it is. Released after Wilt's amazing debut album "The Black Box Aesthetics" and a couple of months Ad Noiseam's release "Amidst a spacious fabric" (which is out now by the way), "Wither" is a noisy offering from America's best dark ambient musician of the moment. Released on Gruntsplatter's Crionic Mind label, it sometimes pays on hommage to this act, with distorted and epic progressions in noise, but otherwise prevents a really interesting and original of how to combine atmospheres and saturation. "Wither" is made of accoustic sounds (a zither, later to be found even more on "Amidst a spacious fabric", some voices, and some field recordings done by burying recording devices in the ground), treated and put together. The first consequence of this is that, as usual with Wilt, the textures are very rich and really original. These are not sounds taken from some synthesizer, and you can hear it very clearly. Then, the majestic but subtle Wilt touch is of course present, being a slow evolution towards a climax in the tracks, as well as a progression towards richer and richer layers... However, the somber tones of "The black box aesthetics" and the accoustic dynamics of "Amidst a spacious fabric" are here replaced by distortion and scraping noises. Not chaotic and quite cohesive, these saturated elements are full of very low frequencies and add to the deepness of Wilt's music. Lush, dense and intense, Wither is also an album that doesn't get all blurry and vague when listened to very loud. On the contrary, you keep on concetrating on the subtitlities, the rare loops, the small details in sounds. And you will also be surprised by the diversity of the tracks, from the most ambient "Passage of seasons" to the noisier "Mud" or to my favorite and grandiose "Soiled".... I guess Wilt could, in a way, be linked both to the european sound of death industrial (think north of Europe) and to the rising north american noise scene (with Troniks, Crionic Mind, or Fusion Audio, among others). But, with his high productivity and his varied talent, James Keeler goes beyong the first and could be a figurehead of the second. This is not just drones and plain soundscapes, this is not just saturated noise, but really a thoughtful, well written and well composed music (just listen to "Still... violent waters" or "From dying branches" if you doubt). Wilt is an act that takes his style and force it to step ever further. It is possible to suppose that this guy will be considered in some years as a milestone of dark and noise music, and those who will have missed "Wither" and his other current releases will regret it.

WORM GEAR #10
Dark, dark ambient noise - complex, ever-changing and very engaging. Much harsher at times than I'd expected given what little I've heard from WILT before this, occasionally venturing into power electronics stylizations (but with much more complexity than most PE ever achieves) yet at other times still quite subdued and introspective, even depressive. This contrast is one of the material's strongest points, a quality that will certainly help to set WILT apart from others in the dark noise scene. There's a very haunting quality overall with this material, a strange feeling almost as if you know there's something more to what you're hearing than initially meets the ear - like maybe some of the sounds are coming not from a synthesizer's circuitry or computer's soundcard but from somewhere truly beyond. An impressive achievement and a strong release through and through.- Raúl

CM009
Never Presence Forever - "Disturbed Visceral Nociception" CD
Limited to 500 - Released January 2002

NEVER PRESENCE FOREVER unravel slowly with a profoundly well conceived album of Bleak Minimalism and Dark Ambience. To this foundation they add somniferous hints of melody, abrasion and rhythmic punctuation. Rich textural drifts and detailed craftsmanship give this release a enveloping penetration and depth. NPF has a few limited releases but "Disturbed Visceral Nociception" is the marks the first widely available release.

 

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

Reviews

OUTBURN #18
Ambient Noise:8: The first widely available full length release from Never Presence Forever follows a slew of splits and compilation appearances, and is easily the pinnacle of the project so far. The tracks are almost entirely instrumental, with faded chanting and other voice samples that blend into the drifts of noise being the rare exception. A pensive, level headed execution is key, with smooth drones and a gradual pace working to placate the cantankerous underpinnings that are never far from the surface. A beautiful Celtic Harp track at the start of the disc stands out with vibrant sharp melodies. It's no mistake that this follows close behind the biting power noise opener, where distant chants are lost in crunchy walls of looping static. This interesting juxtaposition of sounds is a common theme, though not always quite so distinct. Vague harmonics and dusty melodies often find themselves coated in a slow motion sprawl of rusty drones. These noisy elements ad a dark edge to the tracks. Though seemingly ever present, this edge is fairly understated and subtle, constantly reinforcing the apocalyptic feel like the calm after a storm. Potentially ear splitting sounds are stretched out intograiny audio textures. The result is quite methodical and at times even relaxing. - BD

DEAD ANGEL #51
Heavy fucking shit, mon. I largely gave up on power electronics a while ago because so many of the genre's practitioners either spend way too much effort trying to out-evil each other (in both sonics and image), or else they sound like they're just doing random jazz with fuzz boxes. But this release revives my faith in the belief that interesting things can still be done within the context of noise and power electronics. Fair warning: The beginning track, 'Perdition's Genesis', takes no prisoners - straight out of the gate it's harsh, cutup metal flange noise reverberating back and forth between the speakers as a growling industrial death drone grows while the flanges recede. The machinery of noise begins to grind away as disembodied chanting voices drone in the background, only to be drowned out by the approaching death machine. By the track's end, the voices are almost totally obscured by the roar of the machine, right up until it abruptly stops and the reverberated piano of 'Folk ar Mindre Kyrkliga Nufortiden' changes the tone completely. Ominous death ambient sounds shudder and hum in the background as looped piano plays over and over, like an abandoned calliope in a forgotten field squeaking in the wind as the storm approaches. The forbidding sound of chanting and a scary drum is the center of 'The Encompassing Hymn of Human Nature' - an exercise in minimalism with shifting patterns in the background, there if you want to hear them.., Never Presence Forever's inspiration comes from old school industrial bands like Throbbing Gristle, The Grey Wolves, Psywarfare, and others who were doing their thing without being enslaved to the beat. Accordingly, while there's plenty of rhythmic content on this disc, it's all in the form of noise and machine byproducts. There's a hypnotic, droning element to most of the material, and some songs such as '060443 Production/Consumption' are almost nothing but repetitive, chugging machine sounds. The real key to Never Presence Forever's sound is in the dynamics - the initial sound source may keep repeating, but it rises and falls in the mix, sometimes to be drowned out by other sounds, or drowning them out. It's the sound of vast, uncaring machinery coming to life to destroy the earth. The songs themselves are nothing more than detailed snapshots of the machine in different spots, so to speak. It's a pretty forbidding sound, and one much harsher and unnerving than the recent, more ambient release on Crucial Blast. It's obvious that Never Presence Forever pays a lot of attention to detail in the sounds and their relation to each other, and to the dynamics within the songs and between them - something you don't see too much of these days, what with people just shoveling stuff into a four-track and waffling until the tape runs out. I like this band. I must hear more.

VENGEANCE MAG
Never Presence Forever has done it again with another perfect release exept this time its a cd instead of a tape. This release starts off with a wall of noise going back and forth from right to left speaker causing a hypnotic effect. The noise drowns itself out into a new breed of distorted wall with religous choir vocals singing causeing a Cold Meat Industry effect. This cd is weird because if you listen to it alone you will swear somebody is pulling up in your driveway but its all part of the noise from the cd. This release will trick your sences over and over but you will not want to stop listening because of the beauty. I think this release is better then "Apokalypsens Uendelige Årstid" because I like the layering more and the way the whole thing makes me feel. When I listen to this release it feels like I havent slept for days. Sleep depravation is the best drug and this cd is what its about for me. I advise anyone who loves noise and dark ambient to check this release out.

RECYLCEYOUREARS
After several tapes and compilation on various labels, the american act Never Presence Forever (who is no less than the man behind the metal and noise Aversion webzine) offers here his first CD album, with an elegant and simplistic design that strongly contrast with the long track and album titles. Never Presence Forever is here to bring you dark feelings and obscure atmospheres, this is for sure. If it starts quite noisily with a harsh and scraping wall of noises enriched with religious choirs (in a way reminding me of the opening track of IRM's "Oedipus Dethroned"), "Disturbed Viscreal nocicepton", the following tracks set rather quickly the mood that will previal all throughout the album: background rumbling basses, soft and melodic scarce strings ("Folk ar Mindre Kyrkliga Nufortiden") and, most of all a acute sense of minimal but persistent ritual drummings and low noises. If this album is saturated, it gets violent rarely. Never Presence Forever seem to focus more on taking the basic elements of death industrial (religious atmospheres and samples, ritual percussions, slow and solemn beats, and playing them in a very slowly building and quiet way. One could think this would end up sounding close to Raison d'Etre but, even though this CD might very well have been released on Cold Meat Industry, it has a more opaque and minimalistic approach, metling its sounds in an original way, not to mention a recurrent, but calm use of noise and distortion. Recorded relatively low (this, along with its mastering, might be the biggest flaw of "Disturbed Visceral Nocicepton"), this album makes you turn the volume higher and higher, till the distant bass drones fill the air and your ears get crushed by the scarce loud outbursts that come from time to time. In between, the album proves to be hypnotic, but one will have to focus closely on the music to perceive the details and slow changes on which it is built. Exploring an interesting way and having found a rather personal sound, Never Presence Forever offers a good debut album, that suffers a bit from a recording that could be improved as well as sometimes of a slight lack of variations inside the tracks. However, this is still an intersting and surprising release. - Nicolas

WORM GEAR #11
This CD was a very pleasant surprise. I wasnt sure what to expect from this, but I knew it couldn't be utter crap because the great Crionic Mind released it. I didn't really expect this though. Everything from lilting ambient melodies, to pulsating waves of noise. A few samples of distant choirs and indian chants speckle the release here and there, sounding almost like you're hearing it outside rather than on the CD. Some very minimalistic parts are spread throughout the record, so faint and unoticeable in parts, that you think the record has ended. Much like the other new Crionic Mind release, Exsanguinate, Never Presence Forever is a flower that has grown out of a pot of dirt and flourished into something wonderful. In an environment where many artists are content with the mediocre, this artist is not. The artwork accompanying the CD is quite unique as well. Lots of white, a splash of yellowish/orange and sparse images. Another gem from the camp at Crionic Mind.

IN THE FENCE OF REALITY #7
The first impression when you look at this album is the fact that it looks like an Initial Records album, I mean it looks like Boy Sets Fire or King for a Day release artwork. But don't expect to listen to indie rock here. This CD begins with a real fuckin' brutal harsh noise track that promises you to have a good time listening to this album. But the rest is really less brutal, but don't be sad about that. The rest is much more of a dark. Minimal. heavy construction that leads you to get scared, it's really intense in a way that it takes your attention and you don't want to stop listening to it. All of the tracks are really different, some piano here, some electronics there, just good stuff. The artwork is also fit for the purpose of the music here, you'll see when you'll buy the album, I mean, you do have to get this as a soundtrack for your days of despair, to get downer.

CM010
Exsanguinate - "The Black Acts" CD
Limited to 500 - Released January 2002

Sold Out

EXSANGUINATE is the Death Industrial project from Thomas Garrison of the Power Electronics behemoth CONTROL. "The Black Acts" contains 13 tracks of landmark Dark Electronics, meticulously layered and constructed these tracks grate and churn forth the repugnance in the human extreme with a sonic exploration of torture techniques through the ages. Dense composition, evolving frequencies and a tragic ferocity make Exsanguinate another exceptional Dark Noise project from American shores.

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

Reviews

DEGENERATE #2
Despite being in steady contact with T.Garrison, I wasn't even aware he was doing this project besides Control. Exsanguinate is nearly 70 minute journey into painful tortures. Divided to 13 tracks, makes this CD superior compared to usual nearly endless dark ambient songs. Well, it wouldn't be true to put this under dark ambient label. There is similar feelings, yet Exsanguinate has plenty of similarities with sound of Control and therefore it goes rather painful and noisy. No vocals, some spoken word, but often just sadistic sound elements combined to sinister, but amazingly well created and inventive dark backgrounds. Cover artwork has medieval torture drawings. Another good release from Crionic Mind! (M)

AVERSIONLINE
8/10 - This is another project from Thomas Garrison of the infamous Control, with this particular disc exploring historical methods of torture. From the start I can say that I enjoy this more than Control, not only because it seems less conventional from a visual/conceptual basis, but also because the sounds herein possess an excellent balance of searing harsh noise and fluid, menacing ambient landscapes. "Two Thousand Volts" introduces some samples amidst intense layers of cacophonous distortion and eerie background tones. The samples act more as an additional texture than anything else, as it's nearly impossible to make out what's being discussed. "Dissident Asylum" begins with one of the most unsettling synth tones I've ever heard, carefully swaying to and fro with some rumbling in the distance and slow, crisp crunches of distortion starting to come into the center/foreground. "Skeffington's Gyves" is one of the calmer pieces, creating lush ambience with only minimally aggressive shifts present. "Beneath the Gallows" is a similar piece, using mostly clean, deep tones to create an intense depth that certainly suits the title of the track. Of course the recording is excellent. The levels are loud, the tones range from bright to muddy. Even though the sound is polished there is a ruggedness to it, everything has its place. The layout is superb, one of the best I've seen from Crionic Mind. The entire package is consistent in its use of dismal, stone-like textures and classic illustrations of torture scenes, instruments of torture, etc. The use of text is minimal and effective - a perfect match for the music. Despite the 60+ minute running time and relatively consistent delivery throughout, nothing gets boring, as most tracks hover right around the five-minute mark. Fans of Control will no doubt be impressed by Exsanguinate. The material has the same sinister atmosphere, and though I feel the two stand on their own ground, they're not completely disparate. Recommended. Running time - 67:39, Tracks: 13
[Notable tracks: Two Thousand Volts, Dissident Asylum, Beneath the Gallows]

SEVEN ONLINE
Exsanguinate drains blood from the body of the ferocious Power Electronics entity Control, the concrete rumble dynamics of the latter, stretched, kneaded and destroyed by the harsh, cruel constructs of the former, both projects helmed by Thomas Garrison. Which means, where Control utilized a straightforward, blatantly single-minded brutality, Exsanguinate exhibit a musculature and flexibility amidst the volatile, desecrated sonic landscape. It seems as though Garrison is seeking an alternative form of aural abrasion... A calm hum opens "Punishment For All Crimes," soon to be devoured by gurgling, grinding noises, and an array of piercing tones bent on abrasively singing one's eardrums. This is a hard-edged ambience, ragged, the shifting layers of grind and pierce dragging the listener down via a vicious, vice-grip undertow, completely encompassing one in the embrace of oppression. It strikes with an abrupt harshness reminiscent of Stratvm Terror, circa Pain Implantations. Death lurches in the shadows of "The Final Hour," accompanied by screech and rumble dynamics that lead the listener into an abattoir long abandoned by God or any other paragons of hope. The death sonically displayed here is one basked in cruelty, strapped to a slab, forced to submit to the onslaught of noise circling and spitting fire, and insidiously violated by the dead, anxious eyes of the vultures that hover in the corner, awaiting a death that will be drawn out by the reams of scintillating, caustic sounds. "Skeffington's Gyves" brings the tones down to a factory sludge hum, trudging through the mausoleum, spirits in disarray, the murmur of unease amplified for maximum effect. Garrison shows he has grasp of a variety of brutally abusive sounds, his blueprint for execution an appealing cross between BDN's earliest nightmares (sparse, caked with graveyard dirt), the convoluted agony expelled with every breath of label-mate Gruntsplatter's heinous revelry, and his own aurally psychotic, INTENSE noise obsessions. The Black Acts is a brilliant example of ambient/noise done right! --JC Smith

FUSARIUM
Exsanguinate opens with an immediate confronting ominous death industrial sound, which quickly builds up with all sorts of additional ear torture. Piercing sharp edged shifts rip your membranes apart, these shifts become more frequently used and flow back and forth while the death industrial underflow, sort of calm but heavy, smashes your body and your bowels against the wall. So far I must admit this is much better then the album of Control on Black Plague, Thomas Garrisons' main musical project which is rather focused on complete heavy distorted blistering walls of power electronics with screaming manipulated yelling vocals.... On the contrary "The Black Acts" got my attention right away, only looking to the artwork made something snap in my brain. This project is completely focused on the theme "torture" which sooths my likes and interests as well... "A Torturous End" kicks of with a grinding high pitched noise, which reminds me of Cazzodio material, like some of the previous (and forthcoming) on this album already did. But then suddenly the atmosphere takes a complete suprisingly direction, an immense cloud of deep dark drone/beat patterns comes down and pulls a rather rhythmic "dead"beat with itself to the surface, this is what I could call rhythmic industrial in the true sense of the word, not the Ant-Zen alike stuff, but a lot of analogue machinery sounds, grinding layers, samples, and quickly shifting higher pitched layers mixed on top of that. This is definitely one of my favourites of this album, no doubt. And the torture continues, loud magnificent well constructed layers which now and then remind a bit of the distorted strains of power industrial that one can find on the Control album, but unlike Control, this album keeps me in its grip during the whole 67 minutes, nothing that bores me, a great amount of variation and originality... "Peine forte et dure", well, this track takes a more (relatively) quiet direction, a repetitive high pitched loop with a slow pounding industrialised rhythm gives the atmopshere a more hypnotic touch. "Skellington's gyves" is then so far the most quiet of all, serving my ears, mind and body with a portion of long layered dark ambient (feedback) sounds, lightly oscillating and combined with a repetitive looped slow metal pounding structure in the background. "Beneath the gallows" being a wall of drone gets mixed with a sound that reminds me Iszoloscope, just thought I'd mention, also this track takes it more quiet and hypnotic, mindtaking compared to the first material of this album. Now it's time for "The black acts" and this is loud as hell, the storm has arrived. Blistering whirling thick overwhelming analogue power noise industrial. Explicitly sickening loud walls of sound (ask my neighbours J ), sharp shifting noises and piercing soundeffects. Now this kicks ass! This is complete demolition! This being my 2nd favourite of this album thus. Think of Cazzodio, but with its own sound yet as powerfull, sick and grotesque walls of destruction and ear-terrorism, a definite must, a fantastic long awaited newcomer in the scene. Hope to hear more in the future. Who ever claimed that ONLY Germany has the best Death Industrial bands now stands corrected, hear for your self! Rated: 10/10!!!

STATIC SIGNALS
Exsanguinate sets a new standard for death industrial in the tormented and relentless aural onslaught that is The Black Acts. Based on a theme of "a sonic exploration of torture techniques through the ages", The Black Acts is immeasurably desolate and overwhelmingly oppressive in it's smoldering aggression. . . an intensely difficult and disturbed journey into dark recesses of distortion and cruelty. Humming and distorted drones surround, crush, demoralize. Piercing ringing tones overdriven to crackling, screeching white fire slash across a dim and desolate soundscape. Shards of glass and metal needle incessantly, repetitively, scratching and scraping at frayed nerve endings. A dull, amplified drum thunders and pummels internally beneath the many noise layers. A slow hollow breath exhales a muted and eternal scream. As many times as you may listen to this disc, you are never fully prepared for just how ultimately dismal and scorching the sound. The pieces are difficult to remember, the methods so abrasive and anguished as to leave only dim trace reflections of how dark could this sound really have been. The purity of purpose behind The Black Acts is astounding; the ultimate result is nightmarish and blistering. This is a disc that will stare unblinkingly deep into your mind even as it sits in silence within it's case clear across the room.

VENGEANCE MAG
This release by exanguinate called the black acts is all about torture in every aspect, "punishment for all crimes" starts with bass and leads into well done high pitched distortion, a painful backdrop to what is to come! This release from Crionic mind has 13 tracks of raw anger ranging from sounds to be compared to such artists as Haus Arafna, Cazzodio,and other more popular Ant-Zen acts such as synapscape. This cd has everything to offer and should get more recognition then it does. You can hear all the masters of rhytmic noise and power electronics on this release and to me there is no bad to it. Here is the tracklisting for the black acts: punishment for all crimes, two thousand volts, a torturous end, the mazzatello, the final hour, punishing the dead, science of hanging, dissident asylum, peine forte et dure, skeffington's gyves, beneath the gallows, the black acts, silence and separation... From start to finish you will feel torture and your ears will bleed!

WORM GEAR #11
Exsanguinate is a project from the man behind Control,Thomas Garrison. Control is definitely at the top of the heap in the pile of power electronics projects out there, and the Exsanguinate disc just reaffirms this. No, Exsanguinate is not much like Control, and I wouldnt call it power electronics either. However, you will find harsh textures, raping high pitches and rumbling drones intermingled with washed out voice samples and a multitude of noises and sounds. Perhaps the best thing about Exsanguinate is that, sonically, it stands out. There are thousands of "noise" or "experimental" projects out there that are very formulaic, very stagnant, and in the end, they all follow the same path to cliche' and boredom. Mr.Garrison does not take this path. In fact, he sets fire to the path and inspires others to take his path. The path that encourages true experimentation, and true sonic tapestries. The dynamics and subtlties of this record are astounding. Amidst the barrage of noise, there are tiny miniscule patterns, textures, and loops weaving themselves in and out of what the casual listener would hear. Some noises even creating "melodies" of sorts to offset the scraping and grinding. Exsanguinate is pain stakingly constructed, and gone over with a fine toothed comb which will be obvious to the observant listener. This release is a mile-stone in the catalogue of Crionic Mind, in the career of Thomas Garrison, and in the world of electronic music. "The Black Acts" is a testimony to what someone can do in the field of "experimental" music, when they actually experiment, instead of follow the paths and patterns, that many others have followed for years. - Jason

CM011
Cold Electric Fire - "In Nights Dream We Are Ghosts" CD
Limited to 500 - Released July 2002

COLD ELECTRIC FIRE create a deeply personal and unique style of organic Dark Ambient. Using atypical sources and instrumentation to compose provocative excursions of contemplation and smoldering atmosphere. Sobering emotions writhe amid a well of black textures and delicate melodies, congealing into a monumental release of truly original dark electronics.

Audio Samples... Coming Soon

Reviews

AVERSIONLINE
7/10 - I believe this is the proper full-length debut from this great experimental noise act out of North Carolina. The earlier material I've heard from the project was generally very smooth and clean dark ambient, but things start off a bit more sinister in this case with "Never to Alarm", 9+ minutes of subtly churning distortion below eerie feedback tones that sway to and fro, eventually calming down to a soothing loop with ominous bass rumblings in the distance before ending out with a slightly manipulated snippet of melodic piano. From there things take a turn for the more minimal and bottom-heavy ambience that I was expecting, with the brief "The Last Time My Needle Kissed the Spoon", and the 7+ minute title track. "Trials" is more along the lines of the opener with a busier, slightly frantic feel, and a few carefully placed areas that possess some sort of unusual melody. At nearly 10 minutes, "Along This Burning Sphere" is one of the strongest pieces herein, immediately jumping out from the pack with its ethereal sense of harmony and discernible, though harnessed, musical elements (piano, stylophone, and cymbals). Some of the source materials are very interesting. Each track's source sounds are listed beneath its title in the booklet, and though almost always twisted beyond recognition it's interesting to know that the final outcome is being drawn out of everything from violin and piano, to gravel and recordings from a construction site. "The Moon Makes These Mad White Horses Shine" even contains samples of rippling water taken from a rowboat, and the percussive use of a metal lampshade (thus making for one of the loudest and most chaotic tracks on the album, though not in the sense one would likely expect). The recording is quite good considering that most of the work was done using a 4-track, a micro cassette recorder, mono ½" reel to reels, and a minidisc. There's a slight lo-fi edge to certain areas of the record, but for the most part things are incredibly dense and very well handled. There's no hiss or lack of quality to the tones whatsoever. The layout is very minimal, using simple white text and abstract photographs throughout. I really like the photographs, especially the black and white texture used inside the booklet. The other photos are pretty abstract. They appear to be close-up shots of an instrument, probably the inner workings of a piano, as many of these tracks contain the heavily treated sounds of a piano, but it's hard to say. It's clear from the song titles that there is surely some thought at work, and some of them are quite curious: "The Last Time My Needle Kissed the Spoon", "The Moon Makes These Mad White Horses Shine", etc. This is another excellent record from the continually consistent (as far as the quality of the releases, not the actual sounds of the artists) Crionic Mind label, and the same can be said for Cold Electric Fire - a project that certainly deserves more attention at this point in time. Running time - 48:22, Tracks: 7 [Notable tracks: Never to Alarm, In Nights Dream We Are Ghosts, Along This Burning Sphere]

AMBER MUSIC
What is so fascinating about this CD that i listened to it more often than most other CDs before writing this review? first of all the music is regular dark ambient, additionally recorded on four tracks - there once was a time that was cool, but nowadays that is not an indication for impressive sound-experiences. on the other hand, there is this very dense atmosphere guys like Brian Lustmord have to go underground for (and for the horror appeal) to record the buzzing from bunkers and stuff - cold elecrtic fire simply use acoustic instruments (piano, strings, guitar) and fieldrecordings (train, row boat). and this is what makes it special: it's not just deep drones, but at times there are glimpses of melodies and a certain warmth that reminds me of Cindytalk's "The Wind Is Strong" or Tuxedomoon's "The Ghost Sonata" - both masterpieces from two extraordinary bands. To put it in other words: c.e.f. didn't keep stuck in musical puberty, but learned how to sound grown up.

DRAGON FLIGHT #7
From Something I hated to something Brilliant. Cold Electric Fire has amazingly bleak and dark artwork to the awe inspiring Drone Noise I'm hearing is a slice of Perfection. Maybe the Best things on Crionic Mind with Exsanguinate ever. Goddamn Dark Ambient Soundscapes like I haven't heard in a long time. Gary Tedder is soon to be the next leader of the scene. I have nothing but pleasure listening to something this well thought out and created. I thought his CDR out last year was grand but this is truly leaps and bounds.

NECROPHONIE #1
Previously unknown project to me, I was a bit wondering because of the title in the first place, but would have a tendency to believe Crionic Scott Candey's Mind is opened to innovative quality stuff, so tried this one. I'm glad I did as this really is ethereal atmospheric with intensity the way I love it. There are quite some acoustic instruments used in here, especially audible in occasional passages with soft, I'd say naive melancholic melodic parts, which would be a problem with me usually, but fits perfectly in here. Piano, cymbals, violin, acoustic guitar, cello, stylophone, metal chain, gravel, train, electric lamp, sounds from a construction site, row boat, metal lampshade, feedback from stereo mic & voice mutator positioned into washing machine spin cycle (!) were used as sound sources into four track cassette, micro cassette, mini disc & mono half inch reel to reel recording devices. With Thomas Garrison (Misanthrope Studio, CONTROL, EXSANGUINATE) doing final mastering, as it's often the case in these days. Sound is great all over the disc, tracks linked together without break. Last one "The moon makes these mad white horses shine" gets slightly more intense for it arises a global feel. Such quality stuff makes you regret CD is not longer, a little less than 50 minutes. Recommended.

RECYCLE YOUR EARS
The Sacred Sound roster seems to have proved a nice place to find interesting acts, and even if this label doesn't exist anymore, most of the bands that started by releasing labels there are now signing CDs on various other labels. While Magwheels will soon have a CD released by Recycle Your Ears's own Ad Noiseam label, here comes Cold Electric Fire, another one of these strange and deep project mixing noise and emotional guitars. And this doesn't mean that Cold Electric Fire is a noise band covering The Cure. In fact, if I hadn't been told these were guitars, used in conjunction with piano, violins, field recordings or cymbals, I wouldn't have recognized them... The music on "In Nights dream we are ghosts" is a bass heavy, rumbling kind of ambient-ish noise, thick but not overdriven, ample but not loud, building up strong and room-filling atmosphere. On top of these droning low frequencies come a whole variety of other instruments, might it be the cracking noises and modest accoustic guitar of the opening track, the sonar beeps of the title one, or the muddy loops of "Trials", sounding like weird railroad noises and cristalline echoes... Cold Electric Fire doesn't belong to the kind of projects that generate epic, soundtrack oriented ambient music, and the lo-fi profile of this album doesn't make of it the kind of CD for which you definitely need a huge stereo system (think Lustmord). On the other hand, here is some very introspect music, changing slowly but surely. The devil is in the details, and it is from the slow variations and harmonies that Cold Electric Fire takes its strength. This might not be minimal, but you will still to focus quite a lot on the tracks to witness the soul and emotions that lie in this album... It might be released on Crionic Mind, and it might draw some of its influence out of the dark / "evil" ambient american scene, "In nights dream we are ghosts" has a more personal approach, intimate and laid back. Heavy drones and well chosen, maybe partly improvised accoustic elements make a nice mix, which works well on this CD. Something to listen to alone and focused, this is a well done album that is richer than it might seem.

ABSURD
Cold Electric Fire is a project which I gotta thank jason crumer of Aluminum Noise that I learned a year or so about its existence. when during a trade he sent me extra cef's debut cdr, which was a uniquely crafted ambient release that back then had really impressed me. now, a couple of months earlier via Crionic Mind gary tedder (aka mr. Cold Electric Fire) striked back w/ a new release titled "In Nights Dream we are Ghosts", which since the time I listened to it, have to admit that immediately found its way to some of the best us projects releases for 2002. compared to his previous installment, a great progress in gary's sound exploration can be heard, more obscure & dense layers of sound, or sometimes I can say more pictorial ambiences (that also thanks to the production) evoked me some really haunting moods. making it together w/ the Brutum Fulmen "Flesh of the Moon" cd on cip, as 2 of the most challenging releases to emerge from the us within the last few months in my opinion. a project which I believe that has much more flabbergasting experiences to offer us in the future too! a tip!

VENGEANCE MAG
Coming from North Carolina Cold Electric Fire brings us something different and lo-fi sounding to the ears, but with a second and third listen before reviewing I find that it isnt lo-fi at all its just the way it appears. Recorded with a four track cassette recorder,micro cassette,mini disk, and a mono reel to reel recording devise it gives a somewaht lo-fi feel but with the materials used and how they were used you realise that everything is brilliantly layed. The first song titled "never to alarm" starts with a build up of dark harsh sounding noise with bursts of pounding echo working its way into a depressing piano peice. The only thing recorded to make this song was a piano, cymbals, and a violin. From what you hear, you would never believe those were the only elements at play. Track 4 titled "trials" using a train, electric lamp, acoustic guitar, and sounds from a construction site causes a somewhat "Lustmord" feel to the song. This track is ambient like the others but the more you listen the more you find melodies. The final and my favorite track on the album titled "the moon makes these mad white horses shine" uses a row boat,piano,metal lampshade, cymbals, and a stylophone. This track reminds me of "Labradford" with and array of sounds that melt together like snow. I think this is a very promising act that should get alot of recognition in the future. I think anyone could enjoy this release that Crionic Mind offers us.