Crow (UK) - remastered albums

I'm probably going to make this my last post on here; I haven't posted in over 2 years, I just don't have the time or motivation to post regularly anymore. So I will leave this page with something very close to my heart.

Whitstable's Crow have been my favourite band since I first saw them at the tender impressionable age of 17 in 1993, and have inspired and informed pretty much everything I have done in the time since then, often to the point of blatant mimicry. Their music is a seamless blend of tribal space-rock with elements of raging punky thrash, executed with a dynamic that contrasts light and dark, heavy and mellow.

Their two albums have been constant mainstays of my listening throughout every twist and turn of the past 23 years, but it has always annoyed me that they were only ever released on cassette. As soon as I had the technology, I attempted to eradicate the tape noise, but with the usual limited results such endeavours produce. I always yearned to be able to hear the music freed from that eternal damning hiss.

So I recently took things into my own hands and tracked down the original DAT tapes of both albums. With the band's blessing I have lovingly remastered them and put them on BandCamp for download (all money goes to the band, not myself). There are plans for a limited run of physical CD copies, so keep an eye out for those.

Crow (UK) - "Medicine Wheel" (1992)

(remastered 2016)

1. Ayermandominar

2. Led Zep

3. Poppy Fields

4. Circles

5. E Mosh

6. NN1

7. Conditioning

Crow (UK) -- "The Tides of Apsaroke" (1993)

(remastered 2014)

1. Thunderbird

2. So Very Old

3. Mean Nothing, Say Nothing

4. Testosterone

5. What Do You Want?

6. Apsaroke

7. Sedation

8. No Reaction (Still)

9. Analyse, Synthesize

10. Trance

http://crowkent.bandcamp.com/

Fare thee well, friends.

Sex Act (UK) - Demo I: Confession

Reece Green. Again. The guy seems to produce quality projects like you and I produce stools. I've never even met the guy and I want to take him home and keep him chained naked in my cellar, creating edgy underground sonic art to fulfil my every perverse whim.

This latest offering from the man is Sex Act, a one-man lo-fi black metal-based project with post-punk influences. The music is raw and simple; primal and repetitive guitar riffs create a wash of distorted noise, so much so that I can't actually tell if there are any drums or not. The post-punk influence mainly manifests itself in the vocals, which sound like the tormented shade of Ian Curtis murmuring despondently through a distorted mic in the next room, whilst still hanging from the rope that killed him.

There are 6 untitled tracks here, five of which follow largely the above formula. The final track however diverts into slightly different territory; a sheet of squally feedback taking it into the realms of industrial noise, more akin to Reece's other outlets Other Life or Flesh Prison.

This, like Reece's other projects should be available soon on cassette via his Vanity Pill label, and is now available to download from:

http://sexact.bandcamp.com/

I'll see you all next week, by which time Reece should have seven new projects for me to review.

Ego Death (UK) - Decay EP

You know those times when you're wading uphill through a torrent of viscous neon tar that's oozing slowly downwards, with the hot sun scorching the skin off your back, and you reach the top and lie down for a rest beneath a gently oscillating fan?

And you know those other times when you're nailed to the underside of a high-speed train with your ear right next to the screeching wheels, and your flesh is being lacerated by the gravel and sleepers between the tracks as you hurtle through the Kent countryside?

Well, both of these everyday scenarios have been perfectly conjured in sonic form by Folkestone-based noise/power-electronics artist Ego Death (aka Alex Terry) on his recent "Decay" EP, and that's just the first two tracks. All four tracks are awash with a fat, squelchy, moist distortion that sounds like it could be severely damaging to your health.

Ego Death is another part of the small local scene I have recently become aware of, and Alex is co-founder of the new Vanity Pill Tapes label along with Reece Green from Flesh Prison/Other Life.
This EP will soon be released on cassette through Vanity Pill, but until then can be heard at:

https://soundcloud.com/prisonfag/sets/ego-death

Flesh Prison (UK) - "Heaven's Gate"

To my knowledge, Kent has never really had a cohesive Noise "scene" as such; a few scattered artists and collectives here and there; from the full-on noise wall of Slugbait to the more expansive experiments of Nancy's Place and Splintered, and my own flirtings with the genre as Balbulus and Lambda Sond. There may well have been others I wasn't aware of, huddled over their distortion pedals and laughing at my ignorance. 

Of late however, I have become aware of a small scene emerging in Folkestone, largely centred around the various projects of one young man, Reece Green, who apart from being vocalist for Black/PV oufit Sorg, records under the names Other Life and Flesh Prison. Other Life provides a gentler approach, with subtle lambent melodies lurking amidst the static, whilst Flesh Prison is devoid of these niceties, focussing instead on the harsher side of the genre. This is not however a constant full-frontal assault (such approaches tire me easily); there is a constant ebb and flow to the textures, minimal rhythmic loop textures lull the listener into a trance before building up to a pummelling cacophony. There is a tendency towards the lower end of the spectrum, distorted rumblings rather than high-end scree. There is also a raw spontaneity to the material that I find appealing, nothing here has been over-thought or perfected.

This release can be obtained as a "name your price" download from the BandCamp page, plus the SoundCloud page has more regular (if less organised) updates and new tracks.

For more information and updates, keep an eye on the Facebook page.


Note: In addition to these projects, Reece has recently started Vanity Pill, a small cassette label dedicated to UK noise and experimental projects.
https://www.facebook.com/vanitypilluk

Ranseur (USA) - Cracked Castle

A quick review: Ranseur give us clunky, awkward and simplistic Dungeon Synth with a prominent backing of white noise. I have a nagging suspicion this is the product of a joke aimed at those (like me) who enjoy lo-fi DS, but it greatly appeals to my perverse streak nevertheless; I have a strange love of clumsy "outsider" music (I am after all the world's biggest fan of Varghkoghargasmal).

Love the scribbled cover art too.

Ranseur - "Cracked Castle" (2013)

1. On Dangerous Paths

2. Alchemist's Riddle

3. Souls of the Dead

4. Corruption and Treachery

Download (name your price):

http://ranseur.bandcamp.com/album/cracked-castle

More info:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ranseur/242288352533849

Other Life (UK) - Hate Alone Is Not Enough

Other Life is a new industrial/noise project formed by Reece Thomas Green, vocalist for Folkestone-based BM act Sorg (see previous post). For the time being this 4 track demo is available only as free download on the Soundcloud page, but there are plans for a CD/cassette release in the imminent future.

I'm not 100% certain of the exact order of the tracks; I'm assuming the oldest track comes first, with the newest track last; however I feel that the reverse would make a better running order. My favourite track here is "Blue Figures", which is constructed from a simple but evocative melody over a relatively subdued hum, that reminds me of early Magnétophone. "Hate Alone Is Not Enough" and "Aokigahara" are more standard noise fare, with sheets of distortion and feedback evoking classic Merzbow and Kent noise act Slugbait. "Empty Factories" is another more ambient affair, with a hypnotic 2-note distorted feedback figure repeating over and over before being swamped by the background scree.

Other Life - "Hate Alone Is Not Enough" (2013)

1. Blue Figures
2. Hate Alone is Not Enough
3. Aokigahara
4. Empty Factories
(uncertain track order)

Free download from:
https://soundcloud.com/other-life

Info and updates via the Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/otherlyf

Sorg (UK) - Demo I

Haven't posted in a while. Like you care. To make up, here's something brand new and exclusive: Sorg are a new band from Folkestone, Kent, who have just released this first demo. It's nasty, raw, lo-fi Black Metal, drenched in feedback, and with the kind of production that sounds like it was recorded through a soiled mattress in the next house. Perfect.

The demo is comprised of just 3 short songs, with a total running time of less than 6 minutes. I've played it 4 times in succession so far, and I'm still not bored of it.

The BandCamp page has the dreaded "blackened hardcore" tag, which is something I usually can't stand, but these guys do it right in my opinion, with enough sombre droney BM atmosphere to keep me interested.

It'll be interesting to see what Sorg do next. Until then, get this demo for "pay what you want" at:
http://sorgkent.bandcamp.com

And keep an eye on developments at:
http://www.facebook.com/sorgkent


Sorg - "Demo I" (2013)

1. Excidium
2. Sorg
3. Vorovski Mir

MediaFire account suspended

Sorry folks, MediaFire have suspended my account, due to an incorrect copyright claim (HBO claiming that they own the copyright to Dr. Chair! Surely some mistake...). I hope to resolve it soon, if not, well, it's been fun...

Popetentacle (UK) -- Spirit of Yod

This is a short post, as there's really not much to say about Popetentacle. Minimalistic instrumental psych/drone from Belfast. Droning guitars. Hypnotic tribal drum rhythms. Occasionally they speed up. Occasionally they slow down. Occasionally they stop.

This is good shit.

Popetentacle -- "Spirit of Yod" (2012)

1. 1...
2. 2...
3. 3...

Get it for whatever price you choose at:

http://popetentacle.bandcamp.com/

Be generous, with a bit of money they could afford to buy another chord or two.

Loremaster (US) -- Temple Of The Oracle

Another offering from the realm of Dungeon Synth / Dark Ambient; I'm a little obsessed with this area of music at the moment. Loremaster is an interesting little obscurity I discovered recently whilst trawling BandCamp for Dungeon Synth releases. I personally think it falls within the bounds of DS, however some of you may disagree.  It is certainly more relaxing and meditative than most DS, as well as less obviously "synthy".

Despite the Northern European theme of the cover illustration (a scene from the Bayeux Tapestry), the music it represents has (to me) more of a classical Mediterranean feel. The 3 lengthy tracks give me the feeling of slowly walking around an ancient deserted temple, maybe Greek or Egyptian; the dusty gloom is penetrated by faint beams of sunlight; the stale air holds an almost subliminal hint of exotic incense long faded. You are surrounded by soft tones and slow sensual melodies, the deep drone of low horns, softly plucked strings and sparse reverbating percussion. During the first 2 tracks, there is no oppressive threat, no ghostly eeriness, no triumphant warmongering; just a sense of great age and the lingering memory of forgotten rituals. The third track is somewhat more ominous in tone than the other two. Maybe your contemplative explorations have unwittingly roused the sleeping god to whom the temple is dedicated. Or maybe my imagination is getting the better of me...

In some ways this album reminds me of the Sarah Wexler tape I posted a few years back, it has the same dreamy meditative feel. It also has echoes of some of the more ambient moments of Trial Of The Bow (who I also posted some time ago).

For those among you who enjoy letting your mind wander down long-deserted corridors, Loremaster is much recommended.

Loremaster -- "Temple Of The Oracle" (2012)

1. Temple of the Oracle

2. Inquisitor

3. Sigil of the One God

Available to download at whatever price you choose, from:

http://loremaster.bandcamp.com

Erang

This project was brought to my attention via the superb Dungeon Synth blog. Erang creates wonderful nostalgic soundtracks of (mainly) synth-based music that evoke lost memories and forgotten places.

There are currently two albums available: a self-titled debut, and the recently-released "Tome II"; plus I am reliably informed that "Tome III" will be released before the end of the year. Both albums contain folk-tinged Dungeon Synth of the highest order, contrasting moments of stark sparseness reminiscient of Burzum's "Dauði Baldrs" album, with moments of fantastic grandeur a la early Mortiis. Here and there I also pick up fleeting echoes of artists like Isan and E*Vax; the fragile and nostalgic brand of abstract electronica that sprang up in the late 90s/early 00s in the wake of Boards of Canada and Autechre etc. This however, is only a passing similarity that is heavily outweighed by the more obvious Dungeon Synth qualities.

There is a certain "lo-fi" feeling that creeps through in places, more prominently on the 1st album; a woozy, slightly warped feel to the higher frequencies, as if the music had been recorded on an old analogue tape before being transferred to digital. I suspect (though I may be wrong), that this is a deliberate attempt to give the music a more aged quality. If so, it is certainly effective.

In a scene that is forever dominated by past masters like Mortiis, Erang is certainly among the handful of current leaders who are seeking to keep the Dungeon Synth genre alive and growing.

 

Erang -- "Erang" (2012)

Erang -- "Tome II" (2012)

Both albums can be downloaded for the meagre sum of $2 each (or more, if you choose), from:

http://erang.bandcamp.com

Ophir (USA)

I've been trawling the depths of BandCamp just lately, and there are some real gems to be found, such as this act that I discovered the other day: Ophir. At first I was intrigued, then I was hooked, as I delved into the challenging but rewarding music produced by this mysterious band. There are 3 releases here, all available to download at whatever price you wish (including free if you wish).

The music of Ophir could best be described as post-Black Metal ambience; long droning ritualistic dirges constructed with layers of guitar lines drenched in reverb and excessive distortion, sounding like cascades of golden poisonous honey burning into your ears...Whilst all of the tracks on offer here follow a general formula, once your mind locks into the artistic world they offer, variation and detail start to emerge from the apparent cacophony. Some the tracks are achingly beautiful, others chaotically dissonant. The 1st release "Nutmeg" is by far the most challenging, seeming more random and atonal than the others. The 2nd and 3rd releases, "Cebu" and "Spikenard" respectively, both offer relatively more "listenable" tracks, though still challenging to the casual listener.

I can find no further information about the band/project, but I will be keeping an eye out for future releases.

Ophir -- "Nutmeg" (2012)

1. Cassia

2. Nutmeg

Ophir -- "Cebu" (2012)

1. Cardamom

2. Cebu

Ophir -- "Spikenard" (2012)

1. Opal

2. Spikenard

All the above can be downloaded from Ophir's BandCamp page:

http://ophir666.bandcamp.com/

Nàda (SWZ) -- "KomAmoK" EP

New Nàda! And it has evaded my radar for almost a year! Close followers of this blog will know that I have always held Swiss tribal industrialists Nàda in great esteem; their debut album "Celmètra" was one of my first posts, and their 2nd album "Ùr" has become one of my favourite albums ever. When I posted Remo Seeland's post-Nàda project Hollow Bone, I assumed Nàda had been laid to rest forever. However, they released this new 10" EP late last year, and it is available for free download from their SoundCloud page.

These 2 tracks are certainly very interesting; "KomA" is a fairly restrained sombre piece, featuring textural sounds with occasional bursts of power. "AmoK" is more immediate and primal, evoking tribal sludge kings Neurosis at their finest.

I have no idea if this is the final burst of life from Nàda, or if there is more to come... here's hoping.

Nàda "KomAmoK" EP (2011)

1. KomA
2. AmoK

free download from:
http://soundcloud.com/nada-is-dead/

Wedding (UK) -- Demo 2011

Wedding hail from Margate, Kent. I caught them last Friday at a gig in Ashford, and I was impressed enough to give them a bit of promotion here. A two-piece lineup up of bass/vocals and drums, they certainly made a formidable noise. Musically, I would probably file this under Post-Hardcore or Noisecore, but I'm sure there are myriads of new genre-tags that I'm not even aware of these days. The songs are short and to the point, mainly hovering around the minute mark (harking back to Grindcore ethics), consisting of distorted bass melodies backed by punchy and fluent drumming, all topped with strained hardcore vocals. The prominent bass does give it all a bit of a post-punk/rock/whatever feel, which I think is what caught my attention.

Wedding -- Demo 2011

01. No Intro
02. Smash Kings
03. Dogs
04. Christmas Party
05. David Watts
06. We're New and We'll See
07. Cool Town is Big Town
08. Pathetico Madrid
09. Air Conditioning
10. Istanbul
11. Wicked and Bad

Download it for free here:

http://wedding.bandcamp.com/

Mangled Dehumanization (UK)

Mangled Dehumanization was a recording project of Lee Barrett, founder of Candelight Records and ex-bassist for Extreme Noise Terror, To-Mera and Disgust. He recorded these two brief tracks of primitive and rudimentary Death Metal in 2002 using "a £10 mic, an old drum machine, and no clue of what I was doing" (his words!). This was never officially released, and only came to light recently when Lee was cleaning out his garage! I have ripped these tracks from Lee's YouTube videos; I have no idea whether the abrupt endings are intentional or not, but they add to the raw, primitive feel.

Mangled Dehumanization -- Demo

1. Ultra Nuclear Destruction
2. Orgy Of The Damned

Download

Lockjaw

A bit of a mystery post... I recorded this strange track off the John Peel show back in 2001, and an internet search reveals nothing more than what is detailed on this page which lists the playlist for that night (15th Feb 2001). It doesn't seem to be any of the Lockjaws listed on Discogs, or anywhere else. (UPDATE: it would actually appear to be Lockjaw (10) on Discogs, who have an earlier CD on the same label from 1998, from which John Peel also played a track.)

The track is broadly speaking experimental electronica, with loops and textures underlaying a found recording of a humourous anecdote spoken in very precise English tones. Whether or not this track is representative of the rest of the album is anyone's guess.

If anyone can shed any light on the band/artist or album, please get in touch.


Lockjaw -- "Arse of Biscuit"
from "Do You Believe In The Afterbirth" CD (Blip 080)

Download

Balbulus (UK) -- "Preview" demo 2006

Another personal post. Balbulus is the name of my own recording project/band since 2003. During 2004-2008 it went through a phase of being a live band, initially as an instrumental duo, then as a trio with Andy H from Nancy's Place on vocals. We began recording an album, but this was never finished. This 3-track taster demo was the only finished product in this lineup. I have a lot more solo instrumental demos that I may post at some point soon.

Info (Metal Archives)
Info (MySpace)

Musically, this is broadly Industrial Metal mixed with various influences from Alt-Rock and Prog/Space-Rock.

Balbulus -- "Preview" demo 2006

1. Nothing To See Here
2. Hi-on-Life
3. Pierrepoint

Download

Moondragon (UK) -- "Moondragon" tape 1990

A quick post this. Somebody sent me the link to this debut cassette from Cornwall's space/psych/punk crusties Moondragon, whose 2 later albums I have posted previously (click HERE to see them). This album has less of a punk element to it, the reggae influence standing out much more prominently.

Moondragon -- "Moondragon" cassette 1990

1. The Blue Boots Dub
2. The Bottle
3. The Market
4. The Memories
5. The Quest

Download

Elemental (UK) -- rehearsal demos

A bit of a personal post this; Elemental was my first proper band (not counting a couple of dodgy Grunge/Thrash covers bands that only gigged once each), based in Ashford, Kent between 1996 and 1998. We played heavy Psychedelic Rock, with smatterings of Metal, Punk and Ambient thrown into the mix. Our set mainly consisted of effects-laden guitar instrumentals based around half-formed structures, largely inspired by Ozric Tentacles and local band Crow. There were some good ideas and riffs in there, but our main problem was that I was trying a bit TOO hard to sound like Crow.

Elemental Myspace page

These rehearsal recordings vary in quality. The first 3 were released on a tape that we gave to a few friends, the rest remain largely unheard. "Overdose" even features a rare vocal performance from myself. You have been warned.

Also included are a couple of recent solo reworkings of other Elemental tunes; I have always intended to revisit the Elemental material with the intention of making it into what it SHOULD have sounded like...

The last track is a recording of a one-off rehearsal featuring 2 ex-Elemental members. Not bad for a track that was written and recorded in about 3 hours.

On the whole, these recordings will probably only be of interest to those of you who delight in obscure and badly-recorded underground music.

Elemental -- Rehearsal demos

Rehearsal demo 1996

1. Drift

2. Jamaican Rust

3. Pale Lounge Lizard

from Rehearsal demo 1997

4. Overdose

5. Positive/Negative

6. Drift v.2

Balbulus solo demos

7. Rust (Balbulus demo 2005?)

8. ...And The Stream Flows On... (taken from the Balbulus demo "Stormprayer" 2008)

JMBW

9. JMBW Rehearsal 1998/9?

Download

Brondniht (UK) -- "Caldast Ofet" EP

This is available on a couple of other blogs (from where I obtained it), and so goes against my general rule of exclusivity, but the obscurity and feeling of this little gem appeals to me greatly. Brondniht were a 3-piece Black/Doom band from London who released this EP before splitting up. I would have been very interested to hear more from them.

Info (Metal Archives)

Musically, the two tracks on this EP are built on sparse Doom-paced drums, with Blackened gargles of Anglo-Saxon poetry over guitarwork that reminds me of a slightly cruder version of Norwegian Doom-gods Funeral (circa "Tristesse"); long meandering guitar lines that twist around each other, at times jarring, at times harmonious, bringing to my mind images of a twisted knotwork of roots; paralleling perhaps the archetypical Anglo-Saxon artwork. Indeed, as a whole this release leaves me with the impression of an ancient carved monolith, left standing alone long after the creators have disappeared into the mists of obscurity.

Brondniht -- "Caldast Ofet" EP (2009)

1. Eardstapa
2. Deor

Download